5 Reasons Why Diet Apps Can Harm Your Health

In a world driven by technological advancements, dieting apps like Zoe, MyFitnessPal and Noom, have risen to prominence as tools for weight management, fitness, and health. Despite their apparent benefits, there are many unforeseen issues that come with using these apps. Contrary to the many claims made, there is an unexposed dark side of diet apps that can potentially have significant adverse effects on your well-being.

This week, I'm shedding light on the unseen challenges that you might face with these platforms also highlighting why these apps often fall short of delivering on their proclaimed benefits.

1. The Numbers Game

A 2021 study found that diet and fitness apps often foster disordered eating by emphasising ‘quantification’, such as calorie counting. This focus on numbers creates a fixation that can lead to rigid diets, obsession and app dependency. Have you ever found yourself constantly checking back with notifications and craving a sense of achievement from sticking to strict numerical goals? The apps' 'negative' messages serve as motivation for some users, creating an unhealthy cycle.

2. Overlooking Mental Health

The emphasis on weight loss aligns with Western cultures' fixation on thinness and dieting, potentially exacerbating psychological problems. The previously mentioned study revealed that participants often felt rewarded or shamed based on the visual feedback provided by the apps, contributing to their mental health issues.

3. The Gamification Trap

Many participants described feeling trapped in an unhealthy competition with themselves and the app, to eat less and less each day because the app ‘gamified’ eating, exercise, and tracking. Apart from disrupting their metabolism and increasing the risk of rebound weight gain or binge eating, undereating can lead to heart problems, dangerously low blood pressure, digestive issues, hair loss, infertility, osteoporosis, and a myriad of psychological and emotional issues, including panic attacks and depression.

The use of progress visualisations, particularly in apps like MyFitnessPal, contributed to feelings of guilt and shame if exceeding their calorie budget. Even the Zoe app (which sells itself as a health promoting programme) creates a fixation, by heavily relying on blood glucose data that disregards other aspects of nutrition and disconnects users from their body’s natural appetite needs.

4. A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

Notably, diet companies and apps that position themselves as lifestyle platforms may still perpetuate the same problems. Many of these apps have got wise to the anti-diet rhetoric such as Noom, that despite labelling itself as psychologically driven to help you stop dieting, continues to promote calorie counting and daily weigh-ins.

5. A Diet is a Diet is a Diet

At the end of the day, many of these apps are promoting dieting of some kind and as research has shown diets are ineffective in the long term and cause more harm than good. As you embark on the journey to heal your relationship with food, I encourage you to download my guide, 'What the Diet Industry Doesn't Want You to Know.' This resource debunks common dieting myths in an easy-to-read format, empowering you with knowledge and insights to make informed choices on your path to a healthier and happier relationship with food.

Do you long for a happy relationship with food, but are feeling lost on where to begin? Grab my FREE guide Breaking the Cycle - Your First Steps to Healing Your Relationship with Food, to kickstart your journey today

This invaluable resource will help you:

✔️Know when you’re really hungry and when you’re not

✔️Learn when to eat that’s best for you

✔️Know the best snacks to help you stop craving and feeling out of control

Decoding Your Relationship with Food: 8 Tell-Tale Signs

Do you view yourself as a normal eater? It's possible that your eating habits have become so ingrained that they feel normal to you, even if there might be underlying issues. You may not have identified as a disordered eater, as many of the signs are accepted as normal with in our culture.

Often, I’m approached by people seeking help for weight loss when they are struggling with problematic eating behaviours that need to be addressed. Focusing on weight loss

So, what sets apart normal eating from disordered eating or eating disorders? It’s Eating Disorder Awareness Week so I’m shining a light on the differences of something that is often complex and misunderstood.

ARE YOU A DISORDERED EATER? 

You do not need to have all the signs to suffer with disordered eating. Here are 8 signs that you may be: 

1.      You restrict your food, be it counting calories, avoiding food groups, or engaging in severe dieting

2.      You experience some bingeing episodes (but do not meet diagnostic criteria for Binge Eating Disorder)

3.      You find yourself excessively exercising in order to change your body size

4.      You sometimes vomit after eating (self -induced)

5.      You use laxatives or diet pills in order to change your body size.

6.      You experience a degree of body image distortion

7.      You make judgments about yourself and your value based on your body size, weight or shape

8.      You are persistently preoccupied with food, dieting, eating and your body

The path of disordered eating may be a precursor to an eating disorder. Both are on a continuum, making it easy for someone with disordered eating to transition into eating disorder territory. Individuals might also cycle through various eating disorders in their lifetime.

The eating disorder charity BEAT estimates that 1.25 million people are currently suffering from an eating disorder in the UK. This is only the only the tip of the iceberg representing those who have been officially diagnosed. Many others remain undiagnosed, so the figure is likely to be higher.

Eating disorders are not limited to a specific demographic; they can affect individuals of any background, ethnicity, gender, age, or body size. Contrary to the common misconception, someone need not be underweight in order to have an eating disorder.

WHAT DOES A BALANCED RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD AND BODY LOOK LIKE?

· You exercise for fun and health

· You have a good body image – accept it without trying too hard to change it, or evaluate it

· Your overall eating patterns are balanced (perhaps you miss the odd meal or occasionally overeat)

· You do not obsess over food, eating, diets or your body

· You might emotionally eat sometimes- but this is not your only coping mechanism and it does not cause you distress.

Do you long for a happy relationship with food, but are feeling lost on where to begin? Grab my FREE guide Breaking the Cycle - Your First Steps to Healing Your Relationship with Food, to kickstart your journey today

This invaluable resource will help you:

✔️Know when you’re really hungry and when you’re not

✔️Learn when to eat that’s best for you

✔️Know the best snacks to help you stop craving and feeling out of control

New Year, New Perspective; Escaping the January Diet Trap

Christmas day has come and gone – the day when we are told to indulge. The final opportunity to ‘allow’ yourself to relish chocolates, cakes, biscuits and whatever else is on offer without restraint. Very soon you’ll be heading into the month of deprivation hopping back on to the diet hamster wheel. Sound familiar?

And yes, it is important to be able to enjoy treats, alongside to the foods that will sustain you -keep you energised and optimise your health. Allowing yourself complete freedom to eat these foods at any time of the year will decrease your desire for them and reduce the likelihood of binge behaviours.

Diet culture opposes this notion.

The diet and fitness industry heavily invests in the ‘New Year- New You’ narrative – after all it contributes to the industry’s multi-billion-pound bank balance. It benefits them when we overindulge over Christmas, feel bad about it, and are quickly  propelled headfirst into the next dieting regime.

At this time of year, we are bombarded with a deluge of this messaging, and it’s everywhere. The before and after images, the promises of dropping a dress size or shedding pounds so that you can finally be ‘good enough’ and everything will come right in your life. And I get it – this narrative is powerful.

My message to you is different. Protect yourself from the misery that dieting brings. If you’ve been there before then don’t expect a different outcome by returning down that same path. We know that dieting doesn’t bring lasting results. Your body has inbuilt regulation mechanisms to slow your metabolism and amplify your hunger when you try to restrict. It’s not that you have failed in the past; rather, it's the diets themselves that have let you down.

This January can be different for you. There is a way to create balance in your life. and dieting and restriction prevents that.

Start here and now by downloading my FREE guide, 'Breaking the Cycle - Your First Steps to Healing Your Relationship with Food.'

This structured 4 step guide is an essential resource for anyone who suffers from emotional or disordered eating.

This invaluable resource will help you:

✔️Understand the best way to structure your eating routine

✔️Develop a better understanding of your body’s appetite cues 

✔️Navigate snacking to help you reduce cravings and feel satiated

✔️Use the journaling pages (included) to gain a deeper understanding of your eating behaviour, thoughts and emotions 

Also included: 

✔️My free appetite tool 

✔️My free journaling pages

✔️Snack ideas

<<<I work with a small number of clients each month to give them the maximum support for a minimum of 6 months to help them transform their life. If you are struggling with your relationship with food, book in a complimentary call HERE to see how I can help >>>

8 Tell-Tale Signs about Your Relationship with Food

Do you think of yourself as a ‘normal’ eater?

Perhaps you’ve not been at peace with food for so long, that your eating feels normal to you.

Maybe you have never considered yourself to be a disordered eater. After all many of the signs are accepted as ‘normal’ within our culture.

I am often approached by women seeking help for weight loss, when it's in fact their eating behaviours that we need to address. So, what are the signs of dysregulated eating? And what is the difference between ‘normal’ eating, disordered eating and eating disorders?

Dysregulated eating is complex and often misunderstood and so in the run up to Eating Disorders Awareness Week, I would like to help clarify.

Are you a disordered eater? 

You do not need to have all the signs to suffer with disordered eating. Here are 8 signs that you may be: 

1.      You restrict your food– counting calories, avoiding food groups, severe dieting

2.      You experience some bingeing episodes (but do not meet diagnostic criteria for Binge Eating Disorder)

3.      You find yourself excessively exercising in order to change your body size

4.      You sometimes vomit after eating (self -induced)

5.      You use laxatives in order to change your body size or diet pills.

6.      You experience a degree of body image distortion

7.      You make judgments about yourself and your value based on your body size, weight or shape

8.      You are persistently preoccupied with food, dieting, eating and your body

Eating disorder sufferers will go on a journey and the signs of disordered eating may indicate that they are heading in this direction. Eating disorders and disordered eaters are on the same continuum - it is very easy for a disordered eater to slip in to eating disorder territory. It is also possible for people to experience several eating disorders in their lifetime, they often morph from one to another.

The eating disorder charity BEAT estimates that 1.25 million people are currently suffering from an eating disorder in the UK. This is only the only the tip of the iceberg representing those who have been officially diagnosed. Many others remain undiagnosed, so the figure is likely to be higher.

Eating disorders are common in individuals between 14 and 25 years but you may be surprised to hear that they have been seen in children as young as 6 and in people in their 70s. They can affect people regardless of their background, ethnicity, gender, age and body size. One of the biggest misconceptions being that someone must be underweight in order to have an eating disorder.

So what does a balanced relationship with food and body look like?

·         You exercise for fun and health

·         You have a good body image – accept it without trying too hard to change it, or evaluate it

·         Your overall eating patterns are balanced (perhaps you miss the odd meal or occasionally overeat)

·         You do not obsess over food, eating, diets or your body

·         You might emotionally eat sometimes- but this is not your only coping mechanism and it does not cause you distress.

If you are struggling with an unhealthy relationship with food and your body or believe you may be suffering with an eating disorder, please reach out for help.

I work with a limited number of clients to offer one to one support over a minimum of 3 months and would be happy to have a chat with you to see how I can help. If you would be better suited to work with another practitioner, I will let you know, and sign post you accordingly.

Book in a complimentary call HERE to find out how I can help.

You can also come and join me in The Food Freedom Collective community – a free group to support you on journey to find freedom around food and your body.

Body or head hunger?

Understanding you hunger is a key component to overcoming emotional eating. It’s essential work for my clients -often something they have never really thought about.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

Physical, bodily hunger can be identified when you feel the sensation in your body – often your stomach. Perhaps it’s a hollow feeling, or light headedness. Your stomach sends this message to your brain and you will feel it whether or not you see or smell food.

Head hunger however, is affected by external cues. For example, you may walk past a bakery. You can see and smell freshly baked pastries and then think – I’ve really got to buy some of that. There are no physical symptoms – it may be the pure fact that you’ve seen it and it looks good. It may habitual (ie you pass the same bakery every day and it has become your default behaviour to stop off and buy the pastry on your way home. Or you may be feeling sad, stressed, anxious, fed up or angry and think – that is exactly what I need to make me feel better.

If what you are experiencing is in fact head hunger– this isn’t a sign of weakness or something to fear. It is very often a signal that we have an unmet need. Learning to understand these signals with self-compassion is a key part of the process of creating positive change.

And what if you feel true bodily hunger all the time?

If your hunger is real and you experience it all the time, this is also something to embrace. It is your body’s way of telling you it needs nourishment.

Many of the women I work with have experienced intense hunger after they finish their meal. Often this is purely because they have not been allowing themselves to eat enough, following a self-imposed rule of how much they 'should' be eating.

Many of my clients express disbelief when they realise what a difference it makes to eat three balanced meals a day and give themself permission to have more if required. Following this they no longer needed to snack or binge in the evenings and are able to enjoy their eating experience.

What if you just don’t know?

We are all born to innately respond to hunger, fullness and satiety. Think of how babies and toddlers eat when they are hungry and push food away spit it out or throw it on the floor when they are not. They instinctively know. Sadly, over time this skill becomes eroded by the influence of our environment, mass media and diet culture -Have you ever been on a diet that focuses on your hunger and satiety?!

The good news is that this skill can be relearned. It takes work and focus to start listening to your body to then be able to trust and respond to it. But it can be achieved. I have seen my clients change the way they think about food and eating, liberate their mind and make incredible life transformations.

FREE DAILY SUPPORT 

If you are you struggling with your eating and your relationship with food + your body, head over to The Food Freedom Collective free group, for daily support and weekly live videos to tackle your challenges

If any of these resonate then this community is for you :

💠You are on and off diets all the time

💠You find yourself binge eating

💠You are an ‘emotional eater’

💠You restrict food in order to lose weight

💠 You can’t stop thinking about your weight, appearance or food

💠 You feel overwhelmed and confused no longer knowing what you ‘should’ eat

The Truth about the ketogenic diet

(Please note– if you currently have an eating disorder or are in recovery – I hope this information will help you to shift your thinking about dieting and reframe eating disorder thoughts about diets with something more rational.)

Whether you have a long history of dieting or you relatively are new to the ‘game’, the keto diet may have piqued your interest. Hailed as the diet to help you burn fat faster or watch your weight disappear, it sounds like the magic bullet you’ve been searching for – or is it?

WHAT IS THE KETOGENIC DIET?

The keto diet has been around for approximately 50 years but was used as a treatment for epilepsy. It involves removing almost all carbohydrates from your diet resulting in a significant increase in your fat intake. Foods that contain carbohydrates don’t just include pasta, bread and cake. In fact, all grains, legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans, peanuts), fruit and ‘below ground’ vegetables would also be out of the picture.

SO WHAT IS KETOSIS?

A regular person will metabolise both carbs and fat – ie use them for energy. If you remove the majority of carbohydrates from your diet – to almost none, his halts this process for producing energy. Instead, we begin to produce ketones from the breakdown of fats in the liver. They are an alternative source of energy when glucose is not available. Overnight, we will produce ketones if we haven’t eaten for between 6 and 12 hours as we will have used up our carbohydrate stores.

IS THE KETO DIET REALLY THE ULTIMATE WEIGHT LOSS PANACEA?

If you’ve been following me for a while, you will know my take on diets. I am frequently questioned on this particular one– after all we are told it has fantastic health benefits and if it just burns fat surely it will work?

But as with all things nutrition we cannot just simplify and isolate – we need to look at the big picture. What happens in the body, how sustainable it is, the physiological knock-on effects when we restrict whole food groups|?

A recent study compared the keto diet to a traditional Mediterranean diet (which excluded refined carbs- but not all carbs -and sugar.) with prediabetic and diabetic individuals. After 12 weeks, participants on both diets lost the same amount of weight. Not a great surprise when we restrict intake and exclude sugar and refined carbs, we are likely to lose some initially. However it’s interesting that the keto diet did not live up to the hype. 

 It's worth noting that it was only a short-term study. The research tells us that in the longer term, weight lost from any diet is not sustained for the majority of people.

In fact, most of research investigating ketogenic approaches, tells us that initial weight loss is due partly to water loss. Some fat loss may then occur but as the sustainability of the diet wanes, the effect becomes similar to other diets after one year. (It’s after this time that we begin to see weight regain for the majority of people)

IS THIS DIET HARMLESS?

Apart from the fact that diets do not work in the long term and are often a high-risk factor for developing disordered eating behaviours and even eating disorders, this diet is extremely restrictive. We know from any kind of diet which omits foods and food groups, that it becomes extremely difficult to sustain in the long term.

Additionally, the absence of many vegetables, grains, legumes and fruit has quite an impact on the microbiome. The microbes in our gut need diversity of these plant foods to remain in a healthy balance. Not only will this impact our digestive health but may also negatively affect our immune system, mental health and possibly our weight too! (Yes, you heard that right – there is much emerging research in this area!)

These ‘forbidden’ foods are an important source of many nutrients – fibre, vitamins, minerals and polyphenols that are so essential for our wellbeing and for the body to function at its best.

So as with any diet (that is unsustainable, restricts foods and therefore important nutrients) and impacts your relationship with food – the keto diet is not all its cracked up to be and for some may cause harm.

If you are you struggling with your eating and your relationship with food + your body, head over to The Food Freedom Collective free group, for daily support and weekly live videos to tackle your challenges

If any of these resonate then this community is for you :

💠You are on and off diets all the time

💠You find yourself binge eating

💠You are an ‘emotional eater’

💠You restrict food in order to lose weight

💠 You can’t stop thinking about your weight, appearance or food

💠 You feel overwhelmed and confused no longer knowing what you ‘should’ eat

Time for a new approach to chocolate at Easter?

For those of you who find yourselves constantly thinking about food and what you should not be eating, Easter can be a tricky time. Chocolate eggs are all around; in every shop and TV commercial – and perhaps at home where you wouldn’t ordinarily have it.

Of course, chocolate is available all year round – and many of you may feel anxiety around it and other forbidden foods all the time. However, from working with hundreds of women who struggle with their relationship with food, I have witnessed that at this time of year (along with Christmas!) the stress surrounding food anxiety can go through the roof.

BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY...

I've included a selection of strategies to choose from. Remember if you change nothing then, nothing will change, so call it an experiment and give some a try….

1. Work on your ‘all or nothing’ approach to food – studies show that having exposure to foods regularly will reduce the power of that food and intense cravings for it- and you are much more likely to be able to eat it in a balanced way.

2. If you enjoy dark chocolate, go for that over milk or white chocolate, and ideally something with a higher cocoa solid content. You will experience less of a blood sugar spike, meaning less cravings, plus more of the benefits that cocoa brings ( more on this shortly)

3. Try eating your chocolate after a balanced protein and veg based meal– this again will reduce the resulting insulin spike, reduce cravings and be healthier all round.. If that’s not an option, try eating some with a little protein at the same time, such as a small handful of nuts.

4. Avoid eating too much in one go with the intention of getting ‘rid’ of the chocolate sooner.  Eating a whole egg will lead to an energy crash and more cravings later on, not to mention, feelings of disappointment in yourself that you have ‘failed’ somehow.

5. Plan so you can make helpful choices. Ensure you have plenty of balanced foods to hand. And its important not to allow yourself to get too hungry. Many of my clients admit that they thought being hungry was a good thing and tried hold off eating for as long as possible- often resulting in a binge later.

6. Work on bringing consciousness to your decision to eat! If you are an emotional eater this will take some practice. Work on catching yourself before mindlessly reaching for the easter egg. Are you physically hungry? Or is there something else you are needing? If you do have a binge – avoid beating yourself up about it. Instead notice with curiosity what you think may have lead to it.

7. Most importantly If you do want some chocolate, then decide to mindfully and with intent. Sit down, eat it slowly and take pleasure from it – because I can assure you there is nothing wrong with that.

8. And don’t forget that chocolate does have health benefits too. Better quality chocolate has more, but even the processed stuff contains the polyphenols found in cocoa and carries some benefits for the microbiome residing in our gut. Cocoa in chocolate is packed with important minerals like iron, potassium, zinc and selenium. And did you know that chocolate also contains phenylethylamine; the same chemical your brain creates when you’re falling in love…?

If you struggle with your eating, don’t battle with it alone. It is possible to find food freedom and create balance in your mind and your life. I work with people just like you, who need a new approach  so they can reclaim their life.

Book in a complimentary call HERE to find out how I can help.

Please also come and join us in FOOD FREEDOM COLLECTIVE, FREE Facebook community- a safe place where you can feel supported without judgement, comparison and shame. I do live videos in the group each week to discuss a new topic to support you on your journey and I share, food ideas, motivation and supportive practices daily – it’s free to join!



Bingeing + emotional eating; why key nutrients play a role

Many of my clients battle with emotional eating and bingeing - unbeknownst to them, common nutrient deficiencies may well be part of the picture. A recent study has confirmed what I regularly see in clinic; It is extremely common for women of all ages in the UK to have insufficient (if not deficient) levels of a number of key nutrients.

We must consume the relevant raw materials in order to produce the brain chemicals that play a significant role in appetite and hunger. Deficiencies in magnesium, selenium, zinc and vitamin D may be contributing to the picture and can be remedied with a well-balanced diet.

Furthermore, we require protein from our diet to obtain essential amino acids which are the building blocks of brain chemicals such as serotonin (the feel-good neurotransmitter) and dopamine which lies at the heart of our brain’s reward centre. Vegetarians and particularly vegans may be lacking in specific amino acids which are created when protein from our diet is broken down, digested and absorbed.

The good news…

The good news is that this can be addressed this by correcting any deficiencies and blood sugar levels to help with sugar cravings. But we cannot only focus on the ‘what’ you’re eating, eating psychology, appetite and mindset work play an important role. I have had the pleasure of working with hundreds of women using my integrated approach with transformative results.

If you are struggling with your eating, don’t battle with it alone. It is possible to find food freedom and create balance in your mind and your life.
I work with people just like you, who need a new approach to transition to a balanced approach to eating and live life to the fullest!

Book in a complimentary call HERE to find out how I can help.

Please also come and join us in FOOD FREEDOM COLLECTIVE, FREE Facebook community- a safe place where you can feel supported without judgement, comparison and shame. I do live videos in the group each week to discuss a new topic to support you on your journey and I share, food ideas, motivation and supportive practices daily – it’s free to join!

Would you love to be able to make peace with your body and build a happy relationship with food? Click the button below to join.

September’s top picks; delicious quick seasonal recipe, how to do organic + more!

And just like that….. we’re in September - here are my top picks for this month

What I’m working on

Has perpetual dieting left you in a muddle about food and eating?

Do you feel overwhelmed anxious and confused about what, how much and when to eat? If so, I would love to hear from you.

What are your main challenges? What would you love to know and learn? Where do you need support? How would you like to feel?

I have worked with hundreds of clients who have found themselves fighting this daily battle and I’m working on an exciting new short programme to help you transition to a calm, balanced and joyous approach to eating. Your input will help me tailor the programme to your exact needs – just hit reply and let me know :)

What I’m eating – plus how to cook it!

Heard of cavolo nero? It’s Tuscan kale and it’s in season this month. Often used in Italian dishes - You’ll likely have seen it in minestrone soup. The great news is that it’s packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, but also has a delicate, slightly bitter, flavour with a sweet aftertaste.

I’m loving eating it this way at the moment; the recipe goes well with meat or fish, veggie protein sources as well as casseroles and stews.

Ingredients

·         2 tbsp olive oil

·         1 clove garlic, finely chopped

·         400g cavolo nero 

·         ¼ teaspoon sea salt

·         75ml cup water

·         Zest of half a lemon

Method

Rinse the leaves and pat dry with kitchen paper. Cut away the tough central stalk. Place the two sides of the remaining leaf on top of each other and slice into strips about ½ cm wide.

Add oil and garlic and cook on a low heat until the garlic softens.

Add the cavolo nero, salt and water. Turn heat to medium and cover with a lid, stirring occasionally (add a little more water if required).

Cook until the cavolo nero is tender and the liquid has evaporated, remove from the heat and stir through the lemon zest.

TIP: Save the stalks and freeze to use later in a smoothie or soup.

Organic September and how to buy wisely

Organic September’s aim is to raise awareness of the advantages of organic food and farming. Farming organically helps to combat climate change, support animal welfare and the biodiversity of wildlife. Eating organic produce helps to reduce our exposure to pesticides used in conventional farming.

Purchasing organic food can be more expensive and not always easy to access, so I would recommend looking at the UK Dirty Dozen list which will help you decide which to prioritise when buying organic.

P.S. Would you love to make peace with your body and build a happy relationship with food?

Come and join us in the FOOD FREEDOM COLLECTIVE, Facebook community- a safe place where you can question, share, learn + feel supported without judgement, comparison and shame. I will be sharing tips, simple recipe, meal, and snack ideas along with strategies, motivation and supportive practices and its free to join!

It’s time to release yourself from the shackles of diet culture + empower yourself to create positive change in your life.

Practical tool download and this months top picks!

This month I’m sharing among other things a practical tool to help you and your family increase the diversity of food in your diet- read on to discover the amazing benefits of doing so! 

I would love to hear what you think of this month’s picks and if there’s something you would like to recommend– do hit reply and let me know!

A SIMPLE TOOL I’M USING TO INCREASE DIVERSITY IN MY DIET!  

If you eat veg and fruit daily you are already going to see health benefits. But are you stuck in a rut by selecting the same vegetable choices day in and day out? Surprisingly many people in the Western world are deficient in certain nutrients.

If you think that in the Uk wheat accounts for 75% of peoples fibre intake. Studies have shown that a diverse diet which includes all major food groups has a positive impact on health. But it’s the special plant nutrients ( known as phyto-nutrients) found in veg and fruit  that support the digestive system, our immunity and reduce inflammation within the body.

Eating a diverse range of veg and fruit helps support the diversity of our gut microbiome (the eco system in our gut) by increasing the variety of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Let’s take the well -studied microbe Akkermansia. (Those of you who have done comprehensive stool testing with me, may remember this little beauty in your report!) There is evidence to suggest that increasing populations of this bacteria within the gut may help to combat metabolic syndrome and support weight loss.

So, to help you diversify what you eat, I’ve included my ‘50 foods’ tool HERE for you to download. This will help you keep track of every different food you eat for a week - aim for at least 50 foods, try to eat of all colours of the rainbow, the brighter the better. Let me know how you get on!

WHAT I’M USING IN THE KITCHEN…..

I waited around 2 years for the 8litre size of the Instant Pot to come into stock and I’m so glad I have it now. This kitchen gadget is great for stews (vegetarian or meat), stock, yoghurt and rice. It sautés, pressure cooks and slow cooks. I’m sure there are so many more meals I could make with this . If you have an Instant Pot yourself, do hit reply and let me know what you create with yours!

WHAT I’M WATCHING…..

In Brené Brown’s 2010 Ted Talk she open s up the conversation about vulnerability. If you don’t yet know about Brené I highly recommend you have a listen – her books are fantastic too. Every now and then I like to revisit her work as an important reminder. She shares insights from her research including having the courage to be imperfect, the compassion to be kind to yourself first (or how else can you show compassion to others) and letting go of who you think should be in order to be truly authentic. In my opinion this is key learning for anyone but especially if you are working on your relationship with food and your body.

P.S. Would you love to make peace with your body and build a happy relationship with food?

Come and join us in the FOOD FREEDOM COLLECTIVE, Facebook community- a safe place where you can question, share, learn + feel supported without judgement, comparison and shame. In the group my aim is to help you cut through the confusion and anxiety you feel around food and eating along with sharing motivation, supportive practices and steps you can take to get off the diet rollercoaster for good. And what’s more it’s free to join!

If you would love to leave your years of dieting behind you and create positive change in your life then come and join us now!

My top picks for this month

This month I’m sharing a practical technique to help you achieve your goals, the top foods to help with hay fever and my favourite podcast of the month. I would love to hear what you think and if there’s something you would like to recommend– do hit reply and let me know!

A technique I’m loving to help you achieve your goals

A study conducted by Dr. Blaslotto at the University of Chicago, found that when we visualise achieving something we are more likely to actually accomplish what we set out to achieve.  This study asked one group of basketball players to practise taking shots at the hoop for 20 minutes a day, another group to do nothing and the third group, to imagine taking shots.

Those who did nothing did not improve. Those who practised or imagined practising improved at the same level! This is because the neurons (nerve cells) in our brain, interpret imagery in the same way they would if actually performing the action. We could all use this trick to help us to achieve what we are setting out to do.

My pick of the foods to help with hay fever symptoms

Some foods have anti-histamine properties and disrupt or block histamine receptors, helping to reduce allergy symptoms. These include foods that contain the plant chemicals quercetin and beta carotene, and those high in vitamin C:

Quercetin containing foods: Onions, garlic, goji berries, asparagus, all berry fruits, apples, kale, okra, peppers, plums and red grapes.

Beta carotene containing foods: Sweet potato, carrots, butternut squash, red and yellow peppers, apricots, peas, broccoli, dark leafy greens like kale, and romaine lettuce.

Vitamin C containing foods: Blackcurrants, blueberries, peppers, kale, collard leaves, broccoli, kiwis, mango, courgettes, and cauliflower.

Local honey also may be helpful because although it contains trace elements of pollen, over time it may help your body become more familiar with the pollen entering your system and reduce the inflammatory response it makes.

A Podcast I’m loving

This I Weigh podcast by Jameela Jamil is a firm favourite of mine. Jameela ends each podcast by asking her guests ‘What do you weigh?’ She isn’t meaning the number on the scales but instead invites them to recognise their worth, what they are proud of and have achieved.

This episode was recorded with Reese Witherspoon back in April 2020. Warning- there is some swearing, and it does get a little bit cheeky, so not for little ears or for you if you consider yourself to be on the prudish side!

I was initially drawn to this podcast as I often ask my clients to brainstorm the things that they value most about themselves – Its particularly common for the women I work with to struggle with poor body image and low self-esteem. This exercise can be extremely powerful if practiced regularly

P.S. Would you love to make peace with your body and build a happy relationship with food?

Come and join us in the FOOD FREEDOM COLLECTIVE, Facebook community- a safe place where you can question, share, learn + feel supported without judgement, comparison and shame. I will be sharing tips, simple recipe, meal, and snack ideas along with strategies, motivation and supportive practices and its free to join!

It’s time to release yourself from the shackles of diet culture + empower yourself to create positive change in your life.

Super summer lunch recipe + how to grow your own in 3 simple steps

Summer is up and running now, and there’s nothing better than having fresh salad leaves to add to your meal. You’ll have no excuses for running out if you grow your own and the flavours are far superior from anything you’ll buy from the supermarket.

The most common crop is lettuce but there are a host of other salad leaves: chicory, endive, sorrel, spinach, mizuna, mibuna, rocket and mustard. They’re called cut-and-come-again. Simply keep cutting immature leaves and more re-grow!

HERE'S HOW TO GROW YOUR OWN SALAD

1. Grow salad leaves in full sun, making sure the soil is well-drained.
   They are particularly well suited to growing in containers or growbags. Ensure whatever you use has drainage holes at the bottom to prevent the soil getting flooded. You can also sow salad leaves in the garden straight into the beds.

2. Sow outdoors from mid-spring to late summer, putting the different types of salad seed in rows. Sow thinly at 1cm (½in) deep. (You could also sprinkle a mixture of seed (most garden centres will sell packets of salad leaf mixes) lightly on the top of soil surface, then cover with about 1cm (½in) of compost.)

3. Start to thin out some seedlings as the seed grows by removing with your thumb and forefinger to give more room for the plants to develop. Don’t let the thinned-out seedlings go to waste – eat them now in salads!

You will usually be able to cut the salad leaves three or four times. This means that the secret to having salad leaves all summer long is to sow several times about a fortnight apart. Once you finish with one crop, you can start on the next.

Even as we head into autumn, it’s worth knowing you can grow salad leaves on a windowsill all year round. Try mixing different leaves in seed trays. Oriental varieties are best for winter use. Grow in September and they’ll last you till March.

You can download this super -simple lunch idea HERE – perfect for the warm weather and the ideal excuse to use your home grown salad leaves!

P.S. Are you stuck in a cycle of emotional eating, bingeing or yo-yo dieting and need to make peace with your body and build a happy relationship with food?

Come and join us in the FOOD FREEDOM COLLECTIVE, Facebook community- a safe place where you can question, share, learn + feel supported without judgement, comparison and shame. I share tips, simple recipe, meal, and snack ideas along with strategies, motivation and supportive practices within the group and its FREE to join!

Emotional eating: 5 simple steps to manage your triggers

Most people emotionally eat from time to time but difficulties can occur when this becomes your habitual default. Using food as a coping mechanism, perhaps to numb your feelings or provide some comfort is likely to impact your mental and physical wellbeing in the long term. Often the initial feeling of relief, comfort or pleasure that you receive from the reward centre in your brain, turns quite quickly to feelings of guilt and shame. This affects how you feel about yourself, your confidence and self-worth. Keeping you stuck in a never-ending cycle.

Triggers develop as part of our survival response. However, when we are emotionally triggered and don’t recognise it, we can engage in many unhelpful behaviours that just keep us stuck in a relentless pattern. A difficult conversation or situation, seeing a particular person or being in a specific place may all be potential triggers.

If for example, you are always triggered by a family member (perhaps because of the way they always speak to you) and it makes you feel anxious, angry or upset. At this point you feel the urge to eat chocolate because you have trained your brain to react in this way. You have accessed memories from the past and your automatic reaction maybe I can’t deal with this – I need to eat the chocolate.

Helping people to overcome emotional eating is my mission and is the foundation of the work that I do with clients. I feel it’s important to share this 5-step process that can be used for ANY emotional trigger that leads to emotional eating.

5 STEPS TO MANAGING EMOTIONAL EATING TRIGGERS:

1)      Notice that you are being triggered and pause –and connect with your body take some deep breaths. Notice that when you breath into your belly properly it will expand and will then contract as you breath out.

2)      Recognise you are having an emotional reaction. Become aware of the physical sensations that this reaction brings to your body. Perhaps you notice tension in your tummy, your heart is beating faster, or you might be holding your breath. When you notice your common physical reaction, this can help you to respond in a different way.

3)      Give yourself time to observe what is going on in your brain and your body. Ask yourself ‘What am I really feeling? Avoid judging your emotions as good or bad and allow yourself to feel the emotion even if it is uncomfortable.

4)      Question what story are you telling yourself - is it true really? Notice the thoughts causing these feelings. This may not come straight away – perhaps leave the room or even go for a walk.

5)      Decide how you want to respond. By now you will have observed the trigger that led to your emotional response. You may have come to realise that your reaction was out of proportion or you have created a story that wasn’t even true. Now is the time to claim the power and chose your story with your rational thinking brain. You can choose to think of the situation differently. What will you tell yourself that will be more helpful?

If the emotional trigger is something that cannot be avoided, you will be able to put a plan into place before you next encounter it. With practice, your old automatic reaction will subside and you will find it easier to choose how to respond. The key to this is repetition.

If you stuck in a cycle of emotional eating, bingeing or yo-yo dieting and need to make peace with your body and build a happy relationship with food, come and join us in the FOOD FREEDOM COLLECTIVE, Facebook community. This is a safe place where you can question, share, learn + feel supported without judgement, comparison and shame. I share tips, simple recipe, meal, and snack ideas along with strategies, motivation and supportive practices within the group and its FREE to join!

It’s time to release yourself from the shackles of diet culture + empower yourself to create positive change in your life.