Today I thought we’d take a look at 4 areas of nutrition to focus so we don’t actually have to diet. If we can get these 4 things dialed in we never have to diet again. They kill cravings, balance metabolism, help shed excess weight, correct insulin and leptin resistance, maintain muscle and bone mass, balance energy throughout the day and help us sleep better which in turn improves our stress response, cognition and memory. Pretty much all the good things. But it sounds too good to be true doesn’t it?

Here we are in Season 4 of The Work IN. Happy New Year everyone! This year is fresh and new and as I often do I’m looking back over the last year. What worked and what could have been better? What do I want to keep and what can I let go? What needs to change? I learned so much in 2023. There are things I know I’m outgrowing for sure. There’s a lot that I want to keep. One of the things that I love doing is this podcast. I thought I’d take today and share my personal health challenge for 2024 and what you can expect this season.

What can I eat that will lower stress? I got this question once in a nutrition presentation. My answer at the time was “nothing legal” But what this person really wanted was what we all want when we’re uncomfortable in our own skin. A quick fix. Lower stress really just means better resilience from the inside out. The truth is double edged. No, there's not one thing you can eat to lower stress. But yes there are lots of things. AND how you eat matters. Today we’ll look at how appetite and hunger are connected to the nervous system and stress response. And some ways you can eat that will calm you from the inside out.

Isn’t it interesting to note how many of us in wellness come to it through some kind of struggle with food and body image?

That is the crux of this diet culture - our relationship with food.

One might think fit pros SHOULD have their act together when it comes to nutrition we’re human too. We survive the same trauma to get here as everyone else. And just because you are athletic when you’re young or look fit now doesn’t mean you’ve got it all figured out. In fact when it comes to disordered eating and eating disorders Athletes are far more likely to suffer from some kind of body dysmorphia or eating disorder than non athletes at any age.

What that means is we’re all in it together.

Today we’re talking about fuel for energy beyond the physical body. How to personalize the prescription on our plate for the best energy and nourishment. Our body is how we interact with the world so it’s important to take care of it. It is our vehicle. When something goes wrong in one system it affects all the other systems. So how can we fuel and nourish it in a way that supports our energy beyond just physical? The question most fit pros get more than any other (myself included) how should I eat? What should I eat? What’s the best diet if I want to get x,y,z? So let’s start our work IN.