This blog was originally published at N.E.W. Motivation Coaching in October 2019. NMC has closed and blogs are now posted here. Blog follows…

Yes, it’s true. Sugar lights up the same neurological pathways as addictive drugs giving us that happy dopamine feeling. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter which is basically just a messenger that tells our brain that we are feeling fine. The idea behind sugar addiction is this:

We eat sugar, dopamine makes us happy, it wears off, we aren’t as happy, we eat more sugar.

We are also hard-wired genetically to seek out sugar. If we go way back in time, our taste buds served a purpose. Before our foods came in pretty packages, our taste buds helped us know which foods were safe.

Bitter. Might be poison.

Sweet. Probably safe.  

Fast forward to today and we still know that sugary foods are delicious. Food manufacturers also know this and have loaded foods with sugar. As a society, our preference for sweet foods is getting stronger and stronger because we are getting more accustomed to that sweet flavor.

Don’t believe me? Think you love yogurt? Well, sure, a flavored yogurt with a little cup in the top to sprinkle in more sweet goodies. Now go try a plain yogurt and get back to me.

I’ll wait.

Now, there are some limitations to this and I have listed them at the end of this blog article. Be sure to jump there before you jump to conclusions about what I’m saying.

Back to it.

We know that sugary foods ramp up our dopamine and we know that sugary foods helped us survive and we know that the amount of sugar in our foods has gone up drastically.

Therefore, sugary foods are addictive.

Well, slow down partner.

When my clients tell me that they have a sugar addiction, I nicely tell them to knock it off.

Oh, but I can’t stop eating it, they tell me. I’m truly addicted.

Really? So then, tell me about the last time you knocked over a liquor store for your sugar fix. Didn’t happen.

Okay, then tell me about that time you stole money from your grandmother’s purse for your sugar fix. Oh. Haven’t done that either?

Okay, well, how about that time that you spent money on candy bars instead of paying your electric bill. No?

Hmmm.

So can we now agree that sugar is NOT addictive in the same way that drugs are addictive?

 Good. That’s a start.

Now I want to ask what telling yourself sugar is addictive is doing for you?

I usually hear something along the lines of sugar is wrecking my health or I’m gaining weight.

Nope. That is what eating too much sugar is doing to you. I’m asking what you are getting out of telling yourself the story that you are addicted to sugar?

Now, I get a pause. I love to sit in that silence while my clients think about things in a new way. I wait.

Usually, the answer is that it’s not doing anything for them.

Again, not true. It is absolutely doing something for you.

And here it is – the surprising way your sugar addition is harming you – it’s letting you off the hook.

Telling yourself that you have a sugar addiction is giving ALL your power to the food. It makes it okay to binge-eat a whole cake or eat a big candy bar every day at 3pm. It gives you permission to make the choice that you know is moving you away from your goals because “I’m addicted.”

I call bullshit.

You know why? Let me tell you a few other things that light up dopamine pathways.

• A good night’s sleep
• Exercise
• Sex
• Likes and Retweets

I have yet to have a client tell me that they are addicted to running and just can’t stop. If you love that “runner’s high” then you run, you get happy, you stop running and rest up until you can do it again. You don’t run and run and run because you’re addicted. No one has ever told me “I just can’t stop running.”

Running stops. Eating sugar can also stop.

So here’s your takeaway.

You sugar addiction is harming you because you are telling yourself that you have a sugar addiction.

I don’t care what the science says about sugar addiction and neither should you. What matters for you, for your health, for your goals, is the story you tell yourself. Words have power. If you decide that sugar is addictive, then you just gave away your power.

And if you want to stay right where you are, then continue telling yourself that same old story.

When you are ready to make a change and take your power back from the food, try this instead.

• Every time your automatic thought pop up that says “I have a sugar addiction; I can’t help it” tell that thought to go to hell.
• Tell yourself something like this instead, “I really love sweet foods and I can choose what I eat and when I eat it. I am in control of the food. The food is not in control of me.”
• Then breathe. Seriously, like take 20 deep breaths.
• Get up if you can and take a short walk or do 10 jumping jacks.
• Ask yourself if that sugary food is moving you towards your goals or away from your goals.
• Make a conscious decision about eating it.

You can still eat – and enjoy – sugar without guilt, without shame, and without declaring yourself a sugar addict.

Just do so consciously and with the power of choice firmly in your hands.

LIMITATIONS OF THIS ARTICLE:

1. The actual neurochemistry is way more complex and nuanced and beyond the scope of this article. This is kept simple and big picture to illustrate a point.

2. If you have dopamine deficiency, other medical or psychological concerns, or struggle with addictions, then there is a lot more to it than simply taking your power back from food and struggling through the difficult times. That is WAY beyond the scope of this blog and remember, I am A dietitian but I am not YOUR dietitian so please seek help from your medical and mental health providers.

The rest of you. Put down the candy bar and back away slowly.

References:

Lennerz B, Lennerz JK. Food Addiction, High-Glycemic-Index Carbohydrates, and Obesity. Clin Chem. 2018;64(1):64–71.

Dopamine. Psychology Today.

This blog was originally published at N.E.W. Motivation Coaching in October 2019. NMC has closed and blogs are now posted here. Blog follows…

The red meat debate has heated up again. For years, you have heard to cut back on red meat and processed meat for your health. But, hold on. A recent review of five studies led to the declaration that you can eat these meats again.

Hold my Slim Jim and fire up the grill because baby, I’ve got a big juicy steak ready to go!

Your inclination is probably to roll your eyes and decide that no one really knows what they are talking about when it comes to nutrition. It sure does feel that way when the media gets hold of any headline that goes against the current guidelines. But let’s take a moment to explore this before you decide that your Beach Body Coach is the best person to tell you what to eat.

What does this “new” study say?

This new study looked at five other studies and decided that how much red meat someone eats doesn’t really impact their health that much after all. Their recommendation was that “most adults should continue to eat their current levels of red and processed meat.

I’m sorry but what kind of recommendation is that?

Who knows how much red and processed meat any one person is eating? How can that be the recommendation? It’s okay, keep on eating 5 pounds of meat a day! No worries!

Um, no.

Okay, let’s take to the research!

If you want to follow along, go to PubMed and drop “Gordon Guyatt meat” into the search bar. You will see that there are actually a handful of articles from 10/1/2019.

The one that interested me the most was this one because it is relevant for Dietary Guideline Considerations as stated in the title. This study states in its conclusions that “The panel suggests that adults continue current unprocessed red meat consumption (weak recommendation, low-certainty evidence). Similarly, the panel suggests adults continue current processed meat consumption (weak recommendation, low-certainty evidence).”  The bolding of the text is mine.

I’m certainly not changing my dietary choices based on weak recommendations from low-certainty evidence.

For a thorough review on the article telling you to pig out (get it?) on red meat, turn to Harvard Health. They always do a stellar job.

So, what should you do?

Well, first of all, stop getting your nutrition advice from the internet. And yes, that includes me.

I am A registered dietitian, but I am not YOUR registered dietitian. Your first stop should be your personal medical provider or dietitian because they know your family history and your health concerns. THAT is what determines how you should best eat for your health.

I’m going to keep on doing what I have been doing. These sensational headlines change nothing for me. I enjoy red meat now and again. I eat processed meats occasionally. I don’t eat huge portions of these foods when I enjoy them. I balance my meat intake out with vegetarian meals.

You want me to make nutrition easy? I’ll stick with my long-standing advice:

And you can pry my steak and bacon from my cold, dead hands.

PS – I haven’t eaten a Slim Jim for about 30 years!

This blog was originally published at N.E.W. Motivation Coaching in March 2019. NMC has closed and blogs are now posted here. Blog follows…

So far, we have talked a big game about helping people improve their health in a positive way… and enjoy the cookies.

You may be wondering how we do what we do.

We coach in a safe, effective, and empowering way that fosters a good relationship with food, activity, and one’s body.

Step 1

We break a lot of food rules and challenge the traditional advice.

You know. That same-old thing you’ve been hearing for decades… that same-old thing that we’ve been busting our behinds to do… that same-old thing that is resulting in our nation ending up heavier and more out-of-shape than ever before.

That thing?

Eat less and move more.

We do not believe in dieting. We do not believe in out-exercising poor nutrition choices.

In short, the way we’ve been dieting for decades is wrong.

As Health & Nutrition Experts, we combine the science of nutrition, exercise, and health management with coaching techniques to help you bring nutrition-rich, flavorful food to your table AND meet your health goals. Yes, cookies included.

Our goal is for you to find peace within yourself about yourself – and improve your health and weight as you go. Oh, and we want you to EAT delicious food.

Step 2

We promote both non-diet and reverse-dieting approaches. So, how do we approach food?

We believe some people do their best with a more relaxed and gentle approach to food and activity without rules, stress, counting, tracking, or good food/bad food guilt. This is a non-diet approach.

Other people do well with a more structured plan focused on feeding your body instead of starving it. This is our reverse dieting approach.

In other words, no cookie cutter plans here. Your nutrition plan is tailored to your lifestyle and preferences.

Step 3

We acknowledge that life happens. And we plan for that.

If we hear another story about how a health professional told a client to “come back when you are ready” because they struggled with that professional’s perfect little plan, well, we may just scream or cry.

Our programs are designed to FIT TO YOU. We aren’t trying to fit you into them.

We move you to better health by building your skills and knowledge, working with you to find the best approaches for your lifestyle and preferences, and discovering real-life, flexible, and long-term solutions that fit into the craziness of your unique life.

Our Goal?

Our hope for our clients is that they can find peace with food and exercise, and appreciation and joy with their bodies.

We embrace body diversity and self-confidence because health comes in many shapes and sizes and approaches to health are not one-size-fits-all.

This blog was originally published at N.E.W. Motivation Coaching in March 2019. NMC has closed and blogs are now posted here. Blog follows…

Where Do People Get Their Nutrition Information?

If I had a dollar for every time someone told me they were confused about nutrition or had stopped paying attention because “everything changes all the time anyway” well… I’d be rich. And I’d still be right here writing this blog.

Every year the International Food Information Council Foundation publishes a Food and Health Survey. This stuff is fascinating. It gives health professionals a sort-of-current snap shot of consumer behaviors and beliefs around food and health.

In 2018, 80% of people surveyed agree that there is a lot of conflicting information about what food they should eat or avoid. 80%!! Okay, this is a problem. It’s just food. How have we made it so complicated??

The good news is over 50% of Americans are putting their trust in Registered Dietitians, Healthcare Professionals, and Health Coaches. Nice.

The bad news – and the confusion – may come about because 25% of people trust a friend or family member, about 28% trust bloggers, and about 30% trust mobile apps.

Here’s where it gets even more fun – 30% of Americans turn to their friends and family members or to their healthcare professional to get information about what food to eat and what food to avoid.

I don’t know your friends and family so maybe they have the know-how to give you good information but most likely, they are repeating things they have heard from other sources (which may be right or wrong). And did you know that medical doctors typically only get 25 hours of nutrition education and 20% of medical schools do not require even one course in nutrition! (Source here). Shocking.

Well, at least Livestock Veterinarian finally fell off that list. I’m grateful for that!

Let’s get into it.

What is the Difference Between Nutrition Coaching & Education?

Nutrition coaching and nutrition education is providing general information from credible health agencies (American Heart Association, Dietary Guidelines for Americans, etc.) without making specific recommendations for any individuals.

There are no laws and no oversight for these titles. It does not require state licensure. In fact, you can make yourself a business card and call yourself a nutritionist or nutrition coach right now. People using these titles may have no training or may have great training. Ask questions.

This is ideal for you if:

• You do not have any chronic medical conditions
• You do not wish to work on improving or managing any health conditions
• You know how to manage your health conditions and are able to tailor any general information or coaching to your specific conditions

This is not a good fit for you if:

• You aren’t sure how to eat for your health conditions
• You want someone to tell you how or what to eat
• You do not know how to adjust general information for your health conditions

Medical Nutrition Therapy

Medical Nutrition Therapy is nutrition counseling and providing specific individualized recommendations to address chronic and/or specific conditions and diagnoses. In many states, this activity is licensed to protect the public from harm. Check here so see if licensure if required in your state.

Registered/Licensed Dietitians are required by Florida law (where NMC is located) to work with their client’s medical providers when providing Medical Nutrition Therapy.

Let’s Talk State License Laws

These state laws are put in place to ensure that those making nutrition recommendations have adequate education, experience, and training to understand the complex interactions between food, medical conditions, and the body’s metabolic and physiological processes.

It’s just like making sure you use a licensed hair stylist to make sure someone doesn’t unintentionally wreck your hair or using a licensed electrician to make sure someone doesn’t unintentionally burn down your home. You can regrow hair and repair your home; but you’ve only got one body.

While unlicensed professionals may not do harm, the potential for harm is greater. We believe that most people have good intentions but they just don’t know what they don’t yet know. And many know just enough to talk a good game and be dangerous for your health.

Seek a licensed health professional.

This blog was originally published at N.E.W. Motivation Coaching in February 2019. NMC has closed and blogs are now posted here. Love Yourself Healthy was the Signature Coaching Program of N.E.W. Motivation Coaching.

Blog follows…

Love Yourself Healthy is a mind-set focused on health improvement and building healthy habits in a balanced, non-restrictive way.

Coach Alexia created this approach when she saw the need for an alternative to how we have been going about getting healthy for decades. The way we have been taught to diet and manage our health is wrong. We have been convinced that we need to “hate ourselves healthy.”

With food, this means that we have been eating foods we don’t like, following restrictive meal plans that don’t work for us and that leave us hungry and malnourished, denying ourselves food that we love and then obsessing about them until we give in and go overboard and feel guilt and shame.

With exercise this means that we have been doing exercise we don’t enjoy for much longer than we care to do it while telling ourselves to just “suck it up, buttercup” because this is what it takes to reach our goals.

We hate our bodies and we hate ourselves. And so we pay penance by way of food and exercise so that maybe – if we deny, deprive, and suffer through the work – maybe one day we can love who are and how we look and feel.

This has got to stop.

Love Yourself Healthy focuses on challenging that internal dialogue you have with yourself, so you can start to see your unique and amazing value and begin to let go of having do to everything perfectly.

At the same time, you start with a small-steps approach to food and exercise as a way to rebuild your confidence and show yourself that you can keep meaningful promises to yourself. This approach moves you towards better health and, yes, your desired weight in a loving and nurturing way.

What is really amazing is that when you start to feed your body and couple that with movement you can actually turn up your metabolism, have more energy, and lose weight while eating more food!

Win-Win!

Coach Alexia is passionate in her belief that women have got to change the negative way that we talk to ourselves and think about ourselves. We have to change what we see when we look in the mirror and begin to recognize our bodies our minds and ourselves as the strong, capable, amazing beings that we are.

We embrace body confidence and believe that you are 100% deserving of loving yourself as you are right now.

When we start first with love and gratitude for ourselves then the actual steps that we take with food, exercise, sleep, and self-care become so much easier.

We stop defining our success using external yardsticks – like a number on the scale or a size of clothing – and we instead define our success based on our personal integrity, in our creativity and flexibility to handle the curve-balls life keeps throwing at us, and our ability to set and reach realistic goals as we travel our unique path to better health and wellness.

We start to see and appreciate the small wins that we have every day. This is what leads us towards being able to love ourselves into a healthier lifestyle.

Love Yourself Healthy is N.E.W. Motivation Coaching’s signature plan. It is the foundation upon which we build all of our programs, online plans, and one-on-one coaching.

We are sick and tired women beating themselves up to reach unrealistic ideals and so we have designed our programs to lead women towards love and self-empowerment and on shutting down the inner critic.

We focus on celebrating women for who they are and what they can do regardless of the size or shape of their bodies.

You will find amazing things happen when begin to Love Yourself Healthy.