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?

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.

This year is all about being more intentional on the work IN when it comes to health and that includes making conscious decisions around how and what we eat. If you’re a fit pro or in wellness at all you’ve probably gotten a lot of questions about what to eat from clients. And it’s difficult to answer those questions and stay within your scope. For myself and many of my colleagues it’s even harder when you also struggle with disordered eating. But I think that’s a beautiful thing about the fitness industry when you can share your own experience (which is always within your scope) and bring your people the latest nutrition information so they can make intentional informed choices for themselves. My guest today is author and health advocate Lynne Bowman.

Lynne is living proof that you can cook, eat, sleep, laugh, and walk your way out of type 2 diabetes, along with other chronic ailments, and her latest book, “Brownies for Breakfast, A Cookbook for Diabetics and the People Who Love Them," is a cool, fun, beautiful, guidebook for anybody who wants to reverse chronic disease, and eat healthy: vegan, vegetarian, plant-based, pescatarian, gluten-free, sugar-free. Plus, because she's a grandma, expect all kinds of advice along with the recipes from her lifetime of experiences.

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.

Welcome 2021 Canfitpro New Presenter of the year Kim Basler.

Kim is a food freedom and mindset coach, speaker and co author of the best selling book Owning Your Choices, stories of courage from inspirational women around the world. Her global reach has allowed her to support 1000s of women with self love, finding peace with food and their bodies and igniting the fire within to go after their dreams. After sharing her passion for health and well being at Canada's largest fitness company chain, Kim shares the truth about her 30 year long battle with disordered eating, body image over exercising and burnout that required her to surrender to her inner struggles and begin to heal from the inside out.