Hey there! You have arrived at this blog post because you are currently in the cycle of binge and restriction. Or maybe you landed here to discover if you are engaging in bingeing. To help answer this question, my blog post on the difference between binges and emotional eating will help.

Regardless, you are looking for answers. You are looking for healing. And you are looking to stop the cycle of bingeing that you likely feel shameful for, but can’t seem to end.

Let’s start with the first step in your journey to end restriction.

Repeat after me:

“I AM NOT A BINGER. I AM A RESTRICTER.”

Say it out loud. Yes, in this moment say it out loud so that you can hear these words.

This is an important distinction and step to start the healing process.

A great place to start with the binge/restrict cycle is to become aware of WHERE there is restriction. Heal the restriction and not the binges.

By identifying that you are a restricter before you are a binger. Because what you want to heal isn’t the binge behavior. It is the restriction.

Ask yourself:
Where am I restricting with food and in my life?

Where is there physical restriction?
-Not eating enough
-Only eating certain kinds of foods
-Only eating at certain times

Where is there mental restriction?
-guilt around food
-considering your next diet
-food rules

I suggest taking out a journal to write down where restriction exists physically and mentally. By identifying where restriction is present, you can then take action to shift from the scarcity mindset into the abundance mindset.

Then write down one way that you can end restriction this week. Possibly eating breakfast vs. intermittent fasting. Or identifying a food rule you would like to break. Or eating brownies instead of ignoring your craving. Write it down and commit to making the change.

This will be your first step to ending restriction in your life which will end the bingeing. It takes awareness, hard work and leaning into the terrifying feeling of not dieting and restricting.

The reason we binge is because we restrict. End the restriction and the rest will fall into place

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Guest Post written by Hande Mirel of Let’s Start Pilates

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I used to think a “real workout” meant spending hours at the gym and dripping in sweat until you’re out of breath. I'd tear myself apart with long, intense workouts to see results. I would DREAD working out.

My name is Hande. I am a certified Pilates teacher and the creator of Letsstartpilates.com, based in the beautiful San Francisco. I'm far from a perfectionist, but I spent years thinking that I had to follow a plan perfectly, do exercises perfectly, never skip a workout, never have an "off" meal, etc...in order to be fit and healthy.

As a result, I found myself grinding away at the gym, gasping for breath as I forced myself to perform high-intensity workouts. I’d spend hours scrolling through “fitspiration” accounts on Instagram, drinking in images of women with perfect physiques and gorgeous bodies. The addiction only served to fuel my own self-limiting beliefs. It was unhealthy. Self-sabotaging. And it certainly weighed on my mental health.

So, what changed? I discovered a way of moving my body that works for ME through the power of Pilates and how impactful intuitive movement could be. 

What is Intuitive Movement?  Moving in a way that feels good to you. Tuning in and listening to exactly what your body and mind are craving and whatever movement would honor you in that moment.

What is Pilates? Pilates is a form of exercise designed for enhancing strength, flexibility, and body awareness. Pilates offers plenty of benefits to your body like a stronger core, better posture, improved spinal health, stability, and overall better well being through the use of precise, low impact movements with breath control.

After integrating intuitive movement into my Pilates practice, for the first time in my life, exercise felt like I was giving my body and mind the self-love (not self-punishment) they deserve. My focus shifted from losing weight and looking “skinny” to feeling GREAT inside. It was no longer about having a “bikini body,” six-pack abs, or counting every single calorie. Instead, it was all about my mood and a holistic approach to my overall health. 

Flipping this mental switch taught me to be kind to my body and work with it, not against it. And looking better on the outside became a natural result of these efforts. I call this exercise freedom. Here is how you can practice intuitive movement and achieve exercise freedom.

3 WAYS TO HAVE EXERCISE FREEDOM AND PRACTICE INTUITIVE MOVEMENT 

1. Do a Self Check-in before working out

Have you ever taken a moment to pause and reflect on how you are feeling that day and what your body is craving before a workout? We like to treat movement like it’s another thing on our endless to-do lists. Like it’s something you dread but “should” do? Like there’s no in-between? No healthy balance? Why are we forcing ourselves to wake up at 5am in the morning to do a HIIT class when our body needs rest or a more gentle movement? 

For this tip, I want you to do a self check in before and after your workouts. Ask yourself these questions: “What does my body need today?”, “What type of movement do I feel like doing?”, or “What type of exercise would be most beneficial to my body today?” Some days this may mean you do an intense spin class, while other days it may mean restorative pilates or a short walk. Intuitive movement is flexible, not rigid, and gives you the space to explore what feels good in your body.

2. Shift Your Reason for Movement

Who the heck feels good and positive about their body 100% of the time? I mean, let’s be real here. Some days you feel good about your body, some days you don’t  – but every day you can respect your body. This is why I think we should unlink exercise from weight and dieting and focus on taking care of your body, mind, and health.  

For this tip, practice shifting your motive for movement. When that “should” voice pops up (“I should exercise more to lose weight…”) take a moment to pause and ask yourself why? Do this with kind curiosity. When our motivation for movement is extrinsically motivated, ie as a way to look a certain way, we’ll forever be stuck in the on-again-off-again loop with exercise. There are so many “better” reasons to move your body. Do it because it brings you joy, gives you energy and strength, improves your mood, grounds and comforts you, or something else you might need in this moment.  Simple, but not easy!

I decided to take this unique and transformative approach to Pilates after witnessing how impactful it was in helping others have a better relationship with their body and exercising. By adopting this mindset, you’ll never feel like you’ve “failed.” 

3. Be Aware of Your Triggers 

Triggers can appear in a medley of different ways. Maybe you have a body-shaming friend or aunt. Or, maybe an influencer on social media feels compelled to share her “fat burning” workout routine. Whatever the case may be, be aware of what triggers you. Yes, I realize it’ll be tough. But, it can also be life-changing. Protect yourself by increasing your awareness and creating an environment that’s empowering rather than cynical.

There are going to be times in life where you feel down in the dumps. And that’s okay – no one is perfect. When you feel like you’re sliding towards a dark place, talk yourself into a safer, kinder mindset. It may sound silly, but you’d be pleasantly surprised how something as small as telling yourself, “ Diet culture is capitalizing on my insecurities. The perfect body? Doesn’t exist. I will not let the fitness (or food) industry dictate my life. I choose to trust my body here, not them.” Not only are you speaking the truth, but you’re prioritizing self-love, which is crucial for your well-being. 

Embracing this new mindset will help you to stay consistent for the long haul. It will help you to break old habits that used to hold you back so that you can become the healthy, happy, and strong woman you want to be. When we stop criticizing, judging, and disrespecting our bodies, we can finally start to transform.

Want to experience the transformative power of Pilates in a safe and empowering community? Start Your 7-Day Free Trial of The Pilates Club Now!

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Visit Hande’s Online Pilates Programs: https://www.letsstartpilates.com/ 

Connect with Hande on IG: www.instagram.com/letsstartpilates

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As a Health Coach and Nutritionist who works with clients to overcome disordered eating and create their own path to intuitive eating, I get these questions a lot.

How do I know if my relationship with food needs some work?

Are my patterns and behaviors with food disordered?

What is the difference between disordered eating and having an eating disorder?

EATING DISORDERS

According to NEDA, eating disorders are serious but treatable mental and physical illnesses that can affect people of all genders, ages, races, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, body shapes, and weights.

Eating disorders are serious, potentially life-threatening conditions that can affect every organ system in the body. They are not fads or phases, and can have serious consequences for health, productivity, and relationships. 

This is the discernable difference from disordered eating, wherein Eating Disorders are life threatening due to the potential to affect every organ system in the body. Therefore anyone struggling with an eating disorder needs to seek professional help.

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The two most common eating disorders are Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa* For warning signs and more information on Anorexia and Bulimia, the NEDA website is a great resource and also includes hotlines under their Help & Support tab to speak with a professional if needed.

Binge Eating Disorder and Orthorexia are two other eating disorders with the latter being only recently identifiable.  Both of these can start with disordered eating tendencies that then become life threatening.

Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is characterized by up to 2-hour periods of eating past the point of being full, and often physical uncomfortableness/physical illness, where it cannot be controlled and is often described as “blacking out” and “coming to” followed by feelings of guilt and shame.

The difference between overeating and bingeing is that during a binge you are not present and all emotions are suppressed. When we overeat, we are present in our behavior and are not using food to suppress

The difference between emotional eating and binge eating is that you are present with your emotions and the fact that you are using food to cope or celebrate, for example eating half a bag of cookies because you are stressed or eating three slices of cake at a wedding because you are happy and celebrating. When you binge eat, it is not emotional, and instead the emotions are suppressed by the act.

Binge Eating Disorder can begin with disordered eating tendencies of eating to cope with and then suppress emotions. It is the suppression of emotions that may likely lead to the Eating Disorder.

Orthorexia is a relatively new eating disorder that is centered around the idea of “clean eating” or only eating foods made with ingredients that are pure or unprocessed. Orthorexia tends to be characterized by a morality of only eating healthy ingredients.

Orthorexia can begin, and often stays as, disordered eating. This includes compulsive checking of ingredient lists, unusual interest in the health of what others are eating, spending hours excessively thinking about what food may be served at upcoming events and obsessive following of food or healthy lifestyle blogs/twitter/Instagram account.

Orthorexia may become an Eating Disorder when it becomes harmful to the persons health – cutting out an increasing number of food groups (carbs, sugar, dairy, meat, etc) which can cause digestive disorders or malnutrition.  

* Note: I do not work with clients with active Anorexia or Bulimia eating disorders.

DISORDERED EATING

I think it would be helpful to first define what “Normal Eating” is, as written by the Ellyn Satter Institute:

1.     Going to the table hungry and eating until you are satisfied

2.     Being able to choose food you like and eat it and truly get enough of it – not just stop eating because you think you should

3.     Being able to give some thought to your food selection so you get nutritious food, but not being so wary and restrictive that you miss out on enjoyable food

4.     Giving yourself permission to eat sometimes because you are sad, happy, or bored, or just because it feels good

5.     Mostly three meals a day, or four, or five, or it can be choosing to munch along the way

6.     Leaving some cookies on the plate because you know you can have some again tomorrow, or eating more now because they taste so wonderful

7.     Overeating at times, feeling stuffed and uncomfortable, and undereating at times wishing you had more

8.     Trusting your body to make up for your mistakes in eating

9.     Takes up some of your time and attention, but keeps its place as only one important area of your life

10.  Flexible; varies in response to your hunger, your schedule, your proximity to food and feelings.

I believe that understanding what normal eating helps to define what Disordered Eating is. Disordered Eating often begins in a conscious, or often unconscious attempt, to solve or camouflage problems in our daily lives. Often someone who first exhibits signs of disordered eating tendencies is also unable to identify or cope with emotions that arise as a result of daily problems.

Disordered eating is first shaped by attitudes, patterns and behaviors around eating that are the antithesis of the list above. Disordered eating usually begins as a result of dieting, whether for one’s own personal desire for weight loss or a coaches or parent’s desire for their weight loss.

Disordered eating might look like the following:

·       Eating is about control and not about the celebration and enjoyment of food. To feel good about eating means it could get out of control and this would be bad for weight and body image.

·       Following a specific diet. Since dieting means restriction and trying not to eat, your appetite can become unbearably compelling and never satisfied. Meaning appetite or enjoyment of food cannot be trusted.

·       Not eating regularly, flexibly and/or reliably. The experience of eating becomes so negative often it is forgotten or ignored, resulting in not trusting your body or know what it truly needs.

·       Eating becomes so engrossing that it distracts from any underlying problems in life that are regarded, likely unconsciously, as being even worse.   

Again, disordered eating is a distraction. I really want to emphasis that. 

Disordered eating is when we move away from normal eating activities. When eating becomes a distraction from stress, anxiety, uncomfortable emotions and other things in life we inherently don’t want to deal with. Therefore, eating to control, restrict or suppress can seem like a better alternative.

Disordered Eating doesn’t mean you have an eating disorder or will develop an Eating Disorder. Again, an Eating Disorder is a mental and physical illness that is life-threatening with serious consequences to your health.

If you believe you are suffering from the symptoms of an Eating Disorder, please contact NEDA for Help & Support.

If you believe that your eating behaviors and patterns have strayed from Normal Eating as defined above, and you find yourself in a cycle of calorie counting, dieting, restricting, emotional eating to suppress, obsessive food thoughts, etc. you can contact me to see if my health coaching services may help to heal your relationship with food.

**Please note that the information in this blog post is based off of my own research and is not meant to diagnose or treat an Eating Disorder. Please consult your physician or mental health provider for any Eating Disorder Treatment.

Hey Sarah! For those who may not have met you just yet, can you tell us what it is that you do and one thing about yourself that may surprise people?

I’m Sarah Herman and I am the face and voice behind Starving to Strong, a health/wellness/food blog focused around living a healthy and balanced life free from rules, restrictions and reservations. The blog is actually my side hustle, but would love to turn it into a full time job some day. But until then, I also work part time in Oncology clinical research and am also a student int he Nutritional Therapy Association Program and will be a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner at the beginning of June. I grew up playing soccer for 18 years and absolutely love the sport, but truly just love being active outdoors in any way - some day I would love to live in Colorado where I have access to hiking trails all day every day! 

Take us through a day in the life for you! 

Every day looks a little different around here, but for the most part I work, blog, cook/bake and study all from home. My part time job allow me to work remote, which works out very well for my side hustle and studying! I typically wake up around 7-7:30 am and start my day with water and a large FROTHY coffee (my favorite simple joy). I then either get to work on my job, on the blog, or by doing homework assignments. Each day varies, but I ALWAYS make a point to get outside for a walk for at least 30 minutes - this allow me time to clear my head, get away from the computer for a little while and just relieve stress and anxiety. After work, my husband and I have been doing workouts together, courtesy of this quarantine life we are all living. But honestly, I have been loving having him as a workout partner and hope it continues post pandemic :) After that, we will cook dinner together, and sit down to relax, enjoy some netflix, before heading to bed and starting all over again the next day! 

How did you discover Intuitive Eating and how do you practice it in your daily life? 

I have battled an eating disorder for almost 10 years now. I have recovered, and then relapsed, and it wasn’t until this second attempt t recovery that I truly discovered the idea and lifestyle of intuitive eating (and I couldn’t be more grateful). Since senior year of highschool, I had always prescribed to some kind of diet - low carb, low calorie, fat free, weight watchers, the list goes on - but it wasn’t until I started my revery journey in 2017 and read the book Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole that I realized the way we eat does not have to be dictated by a specific “diet” or by a certain amount of numbers. I realized that our bodies truly have the innate knowledge to determine what fuel we need and when we need it. It hasn’t been an easy journey learning this type of eating, but it has been well worth the fight. 

What is your definition of Food Freedom?

My definition of food freedom is letting go of food, the thoughts around it, the constant obsession with it, and the detailed organization of it. By that I mean, I want to be able to go about my day without thinking about what I’m going to eat, or what I just ate. Without adding up macros or calories to determine what I’m “allowed” to eat next or what exercise I have to do to ensure I can eat again. This is how I lived for so long, and it never led to happiness. Food freedom gives me the ability to explore other passions and interests because my mind isn’t so consumed with thoughts and anxiety around food. Food freedom, to me, is also allowing ourselves to enjoy food, whether its because we are hungry, or because we are stressed, or because we are at a birthday party - food can be so many things besides fuel, and realizing that there is no right or wrong time to eat is liberating! 

What advice would you give someone on where to start with healing their relationship with food/finding food freedom?

There are so many things I wish I could share with someone starting this journey. One thing I want to say is that it is WORTH it. If you are afraid to start the journey, or feel like you just aren’t succeeding, know that if you just keep fighting, you will one day reach a place of freedom you never thought possible and be so grateful you kept going! I would also say to them that the journey isn’t linear - for ANYONE! Each person is on their own journey, and each persons journey will look different, but no one is on a straight road up. You will fall, you will feel defeated sometimes, but that doesn’t mean you have failed, it just means you are HUMAN and that we all have tough times. But the key is how you respond to those harder times, and I urge each of you to get back up and start again, because the more you get back up, the stronger you become! 

What advice would you give to someone struggling with food during home quarantine right now? 

Give yourself grace! Nothing about the situation we are in is normal, and we are all adjusting the best we can. Know that if you are eating a little more, if you are eating different foods than you normally do, if you aren’t moving as much as you may usually, you are NOT wrong for that! And although we aren’t sure when this situation will end, I always want to remind people that this is TEMPORARY! So again, know that you are doing the best you can with the circumstances, and that no matter what may look or feel different, in no way is how you are reacting, eating, moving or expressing yourself WRONG! 

Can you share a favorite quote of yours and what it means to you? 

My favorite quote is “tie a knot and hold on”. This is something my grandma always said to my mom, and now my mom repeats it to me! I can attest to the fact that nothing about healing your relationship with food is easy, it takes work and determination and a huge amount of self love and compassion. So on those hard days, I always say to myself “tie a knot and hold on” - hold on as tight as you can, because the bad day or days will pass, and if you just hold on a little longer, everything will be okay! 

I was SO excited to interview Gracie of @hungry.blonde for this week’s Food Freedom Q+A. She has a deep wealth of wisdom when it comes to food peace and how to manage during quarantine right now. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing this up!

Hey Gracie! For those who may not have met you just yet can you tell us what it is that you do and one thing about yourself that may surprise people?

I’m a food + lifestyle blogger based in Brooklyn, New York. I love sharing simple recipes, product reviews, beauty tips, and life inspiration with my community. I’m passionate about sharing my #RealLifeWellness approach - encouraging women that it’s possible to embrace a healthy lifestyle without restrictions. There’s plenty of room for vegetables and grain-free treats but also cheeseburgers and wine :) Aiming for wellness should only *add* to our most fulfilling lives, not take away.

Something that might surprise people about me is that I have a very creative side. I love music, writing, art and poetry!

Take us through a day in the life for you!

I usually wake up around 6:30am, make coffee, and sit in bed for about 45 minutes of quiet time. I pray, journal, read and meditate.

Most mornings I try to get some movement in, even if it’s just 10 minutes. Right now I’m loving the Melissa Wood Health workouts. Otherwise I lift weights in my apartment gym or have a slow treadmill walk while listening to a podcast.

I typically work from home for the first half of the day, usually creating recipes. Then in the afternoon I head to a cafe or workspace to do my computer work - emails, writing blog posts/copy, sending proposals, etc.

For evenings, about half of the week I stay home and make myself dinner while watching whatever my guilty pleasure TV show of the moment is (right now I can’t get enough of Marvelous Mrs. Maisel!).

The other half of the week I plan dinners or social occasions with my friends in the evening. All about that balance ;)

How did you discover Intuitive Eating and how do you practice it in your daily life?

I actually remember the exact moment I decided to embrace an Intuitive Eating lifestyle. I was lying in a bubble bath, disappointed in myself for “failing” at yet another diet. And then out of nowhere, it was if I almost audibly heard what I believe is the voice of God telling me to never diet again. I had no idea what Intuitive Eating was or what it would look like in my life, but I what I heard was the one of the most sure things I’ve ever known in my life.

While eating intuitively has become second nature to me in many ways, I’m still always aware of how easily diet culture can sneak into my mind, so I make it a point to remain aware and choose this lifestyle on a daily basis. Practically speaking, I genuinely choose to eat exactly what my body wants at any given day/time, and I give in to cravings as soon as possible (ironically enough, once I removed foods from being off-limits, I don’t have cravings all that much anymore). I also make it a point to focus what my real priorities in life are - my relationships, living out my purpose, being free - and remember that I never want to go back to feeling in bondage to a diet again

What is your definition of Food Freedom?

To me, Food Freedom can be summed up as having a healthy mental + emotional relationship with food that never gets in the way of other areas of life.

What advice would you give someone on where to start with healing their relationship with food/finding food freedom?

I’d suggest reading the book Intuitive Eating, deleting any apps related to counting/tracking, finding someone you can talk to about it, and begin adding foods back into your life that might have been forbidden before - maybe even eating at least one of them a day.

What would be your advice for those that are struggling with food, over eating and emotional eating during home quarantine? 

Instead of trying to fight the current situation, I think it's important to accept and almost press into quarantine as an opportunity to grow and strengthen those Food Freedom muscles. It's the time where life throws you off your normal routine that you can learn the biggest lessons about yourself. Have grace on yourself and continually remind yourself that you're not "bad" or less worthy if you feel the desire to eat emotionally - this is an emotional time!

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For more FOOD FREEDOM resources, you can download my free food freedom guide to help break your food rules!

It’s commonplace in the wellness industry to cut foods out of your diet when experiencing digestive issues. But what if prolonged restriction of food groups is making digestive symptoms worse from lack of microbiota diversity? What if a more varied diet is actually the key to not only better digestive health but also a better relationship with food.

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT – GUT MICROBIOTA

It’s pretty simple when you think about it – you are what you eat. I am sure a lot of you have heard or read this statement at some point in your health journey. But what does it truly mean? Simply put, what we eat on a daily basis influences the bacteria that populates our guts (our microbiota), and it is the diversity of this bacteria that protects us from dysbiosis-related diseases. The maintenance of healthy microbiota requires a homeostatic equilibrium (balance) and without this can cause dysbiotic microbiota (imbalance).

Our guts are populated by somewhere between 40 to 100 trillion micro-organisms (most are bacteria, but also fungi, viruses and protozoa, which eat bacteria and therefore regulate bacteria population in our gut).  The diversity and homeostasis of these micro-organisms is largely influenced by what we ingest (food, drink, OTC, pharmaceuticals + recreational drugs, etc.) with environmental and stress playing a role as well.

If you logically think about it, because your gut microbiota diversity is largely a result of what you eat, then the more diversity in your diet means the more diversity in gut bacteria. More diversity means better gut health

 What goes in must come out…

Every time we have a bowel movement, it is actually comprised of 25 to 54% bacterial microbes, with the remaining being water and undigested protein and fats (our poop doesn’t contain a high amount of carbs as the majority of what we eat is absorbed).

So really, every single day we are “disposing” (for lack of a prettier way to put it) of up to 50% of our gut microbiota which gives us a chance to repopulate it with a variety of food. Every day we have the chance to create a healthy gut and healthy digestion.

YOU ARE ALSO WHAT YOU DON’T EAT

We currently live in a diet culture which preaches the removal of foods for better health – gluten, dairy, high FODMAP foods, grains, legumes. There is definitely an argument against processed sugars like sucralose and food dyes and their adverse influence on dysbiosis (imbalance).  But processed food is not the focus here.

A low FODMAP diet is a popular way to treat IBS. Over 10 clinical trials have resulted in 50%–80% of patients with IBS, in particular with improvements in bloating, flatulence, diarrhea.  Although we see fantastic short term results, what we don’t know are the long term effects of the low FODMAP diet on our gut health.  What we do know, is that Low FODMAP diets lead to profound changes in the microbiota and metabolism, the duration and clinical relevance of which are as yet unknown.  Could we be damaging our guts long term from restriction for short term relief? When you logically thing about it, the low FODMAP diet removes important prebiotic foods (that feed our healthy gut bacteria) such as garlic, onion and asparagus

Other popular diets to help alleviate digestive symptoms and IBS include the Whole 30 and the paleo diet that remove not only legumes like low FODMAP but also dairy and gluten.  So, let’s quickly review what happens when we eat/don’t eat these foods.

BENEFITS OF DAIRY AND GLUTEN

 DAIRY

Since cheese is one of my favorite foods, let’s start with the benefits (with a focus on whole dairy, not processed cheese, low fat or non-fat). When you eat cheese this increases the Bifidobacteria in your gut which are known for their positive health benefits such as potential protection against pathogens and increased production of short chain fatty acids from raw milk cheeses.

In my opinion, based off of my own clinical studies research and what I see with clients, dairy can be part of a healthy diet. Not only good cheese but also good yogurts. But let’s say that at some point you stopped eating dairy and replaced everything with nut-based alternatives. You miss real cheese, and you wonder if your digestion would suffer if you started to eat it again.

If you haven’t had dairy products for a long period of time (over 30 days), reintroduce them slowly.  Start with raw cheeses, hard cheeses, or goat or sheep cheeses that are lower in lactose and casein and therefore easier to digest.

 It is likely, as with any food that has been restricted from your diet for longer periods of time, that it will cause digestive upset. This may not be because of an intolerance, but likely because you don’t have the bacteria and enzymes to digest dairy since it has been removed from your diet. Your body needs time to replenish bacteria to digest food properly.  Have patience.

GLUTEN

For those with diagnosed gluten sensitivity and celiac disease, studies show that gluten-free bread reduces microbiota dysbiosis (imbalance).  But most people who avoid gluten do not have celiac disease or proved intolerance, and a recent study showed an increased risk of heart disease in gluten avoiders, potentially because of the reduced consumption of whole grains which are so important for heart health.  This study showed that a group of healthy people had substantially different gut microbiota profiles after four weeks on a gluten-free diet, including a lower abundance of several key beneficial microbe species. 

When you have a lower abundance of key bacteria in your gut, this changes the gut microbiome composition and alters the activity of microbial pathways. 

Like with dairy, or any other food you restrict for longer periods of time, eating gluten again after not having it in your diet will cause bloat and other gastro-intestinal symptoms that mimic a possible intolerance when in reality this could be your body adjusting to new foods when you don’t have proper gut bacteria and enzymes to digest.

If you need help adding more carbohydrates to your diet, you can download my free healthy carb resource.

SIDE EFFECTS OF RESTRICTIVE DIETS

 Look, I totally get it. Altering what you eat in order to alleviate digestive symptoms is a very popular treatment protocol. But it is important to ask yourself, what are the side effects of popular restrictive diets on my gut health?  These may include strict vegan diets, raw food or “clean eating” diets, gluten-free diets, and low FODMAP (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) diets used to treat digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome.

Short term, restrictive diets can help you balance your gut with less uncomfortable symptoms than before. The studies are there to prove this, and yes it works in the short term. I also use low FODMAP principles to help my clients with digestive symptoms, but only short term before working with them to reintroduce all foods back in.

Long term, we don’t know how damaging these restrictive diets are once they start to alter our gut microbiota and starve us of important beneficial bacteria for optimal health.

So here are my thoughts. If you choose to do a restrictive diet to address gut issues, only do it short term for a maximum of 2 weeks to 30 days at the very most. Please don’t make a restrictive diet your new normal of eating.

What happens is that when the restrictive diet does alleviate symptoms, you are then afraid to reintroduce foods that you believe caused symptoms. What is important is a slow and thoughtful reintroduction of foods to replenish your gut bacteria so that you can have better digestions with all foods in your diet.

If you are currently on a restrictive diet and would love to start incorporating more foods to feel your best, you can schedule a consultation with me on the phone to talk about my programs.

You can also download my Food Freedom Guide to help break any food rules that you may currently have from being on restrictive diets.

** as always, consult a medical professional before making any drastic changes to your diet.

Getting to know Lex has been such an immense pleasure after following her for some time on Instagram. She is such a ray of light and you can feel her radiating warmth and her kind soul that comes through with each of her posts. She is opening up on her story, her food freedom journey and raising (almost) two littles to make their own choices with food (hello future intuitive eaters!). I know you are going to enjoy this week’s Q&A with Lex as much as I did!

Hey Lex, so for those who haven’t met you just yet can you tell us what it is that you do and one thing about yourself that may surprise people?

Hi, I’m Lex! I live in Richmond, VA with my husband, almost 2 year old boy and I’m pregnant with our 2nd boy. I’m the one behind the IG @restoring_radiance and I’ve actually been doing it for almost 7 years now! I started my account as a private account back in the day when I was struggling with a binge eating disorder! It was more of a personal/ food and exercise journal. It’s changed a lot through the years, but through my healing and recovery I’ve become passionate about sharing that light with others. To encourage others struggling that they aren’t alone in their struggle. That life can come after an eating disorder, and that if I can be healed I believe anyone can. I hope to inspire others to have a healthy relationship with food and to not let it control their life, because this life is so much more than the food we eat, the clothes we wear, and our bodies.

A fun fact about me: I lived in Barcelona, Spain for 2 months after college and almost moved there. If it wasn’t for my now husband that started pursuing me back home at the time, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have left! 

Take us through a day in the life for you! 

A day in my life these days looks a lot different than it used to with a toddler and a baby in my belly. I used to wake up at 5am and take on the day. I go to bed early though haha! Now, I’ve been needing more sleep in this pregnancy so I typically wake up around 6am. I drink a big glass of water and have my coffee while I read my Bible and pray. Then, if I can I’ll do a little movement of some sort (so either an at home workout video, a walk outside, or Pure Barre if I have time which I haven’t recently. I typically do house chores like unload the dishwasher, start the laundry, make the bed, and get breakfast ready for my son. If I can squeeze it in, I’ll do an email check in or IG check in to answer some comments and messages! 

My son gets up around 7:30am and we have breakfast! I try to reserve my time with him off screens if possible. So in the morning, we play, sometimes run errands or go outside, do other fun things. My husband works from home too so if I’m able to squeeze in lie 20-30 minutes of IG and prepping my content for the day, working on a blog, or answering emails, etc then I’ll do that!

We have lunch around 11:30/12pm and then my son goes down for a nap. It’s usually 2-2.5 hours! This is when I literally get all my work done. Content planning/ shooting, recipe creation in the kitchen, cleaning, emails, DM’s, comments, catching up on social, etc. It’s usually a crazy race to try to get done as much as I can before he wakes up!

He’ll wake around 2:30/3pm and I try to do something outside in the afternoon if it’s nice. We usually have a snack and then go play. Again, I try to be off my phone as much as possible when I’m with him! Then, we start making dinner and usually eat around 5:30/6pm. We play, clean the kitchen, start the dishwasher, prep the coffee for the next day, pick up the toys, then give T a bath, do our bedtime routine, get T down. 

Once he’s down, I try to do a quick 10-20 min check in with anything I didn’t get done for the day. Then, I wash my face, get ready for bed, and my husband and I usually hang together. We talk or read (trying not to watch TV right now) and hangout until we go to bed. Usually around 9:30pm and then we go to sleep and do it all over again. It’s a lot of the same thing everyday. Of me trying to balance mom/ work life which can be so hard. Everyday doesn’t look the exact same but that’s our general day! It’s not always exciting, but I wouldn’t change it for the world! Of course that’s our day-to-day now, but once we have baby number 2 within the next month, I’m sure everything will change and we’ll find a new day-to-day! 

How did you discover Intuitive Eating and how do you practice it in your daily life? 

I ended up discovering intuitive eating about 3 years ago! I think I learned more about it from Robyn at @thereallife_rd. She was so free from food rules, but yet a dietitian and it intrigued me. I was mostly recovered from my eating disorder, but still didn’t have a very healthy relationship with food overall. The more I learned from her, the more curious I became, and ended up reading the original Intuitive Eating book! It was so helpful for me and I found the more freedom I gave myself, the less crazy I felt around food. I started to really enjoy it and had a completely different perspective around it. It was amazing and so freeing! I practice it daily still, and I don’t always get it perfect. We aren’t supposed to! I’m able to actually listen to my body and what it needs and recognize that rather than give it what the world tells me it needs. I’ve found it’s helped my digestion and mind so much!

What is your
definition of Food Freedom?

Food freedom to me is being able to enjoy food without stressing about it. To eat with a grateful heart rather than stress or restriction. It’s being able to enjoy a family pizza night with no regrets and just beautiful memories with my family. It’s eating all the foods my son eats too without him wondering why mommy never eats what I eat. It’s enjoyment, it’s fellowship, it’s community, it’s joy. It’s not always getting it right, but instead enjoying the journey and having a good relationship with food again.

What advice would you give someone on where to start with healing their
relationship with food/finding food freedom?

Everyone’s journey is going to look different and that’s normal. No one will have the exact same experience and your healing journey usually depends a lot of your current relationship with food. That being said, something that really helped me with finding a more balanced life with food was being around other people that had a pretty normal relationship with food. Being with people that didn’t constantly talk about diets, or good/ bad foods, their body, etc. Not that we can’t still love those people, we’re all allowed to have our own opinions, etc, but more just because it was really triggering during that time for me. So that’s one thing, another is to seek help or read some books/ blogs about it. I love all the content from @thereallife_rd, @simibotic, & @nourishingmindsnutrition. I truly talk about those three all the time, but they have been incredibly helpful on my journey! Their blogs have a ton of free information and they all offer coaching as well. I think having someone help guide you through it whether 1 on 1 or through their blog advice is really helpful. I remember I couldn’t get enough of the info they shared. Also, to find food freedom, you really truly have to let go of food rules. Not just kind of, but you really do. It’s hard but practice everyday. Every time you have a negative thought with food or your body, shift your mindset and turn it positive. You won’t always have to do this because eventually it’ll be more second nature but changing your perspective is a huge starting point!

What advice can you give on raising kids as intuitive eaters? What has been difficult in this process?

One of my biggest hopes with my son was trying to let him lead the way and be an intuitive eater. It’s actually been so interesting to watch and honestly such a joy. To see his food preferences, what he likes and doesn’t like, how he eats and how much. His days all look different, some days he’ll eat a huge breakfast and some days he won’t eat that much. I don’t stress about it, because I know it’ll all even out. Some days he’ll devour vegetables and others he won’t eat one. That’s part of the beauty of it all, because no one meal or day makes your overall health. Also, our bodies are incredibly smart and that has proven true with kids! When T is sick, he typically barely eats or literally just wants fruit and he’s typically a pretty big eater. This is always so interesting to me because it’s his body truly knowing what it needs!

As far as letting him be an intuitive eater, I really try to let him guide most of the way. If he’s all done and barely eats it could be because so many factors: he hasn’t gone to the bathroom yet, he’s distracted from what’s going on, he’s just not hungry, he doesn’t like what’s being served, etc. I don’t ever not give him more if he asks for more. He’s so smart and always stops when he’s full. I don’t worry about that even if it’s more than I eat sometimes haha. He’s super active and needs fuel and his body knows that!

I think one of the more difficult things has been when he’s hungrier for a bigger snack and doesn’t want to eat dinner with us. I do try to always sit down and eat a family dinner each night so it’s hard if he had a bigger or later snack and isn’t hungry at that time. I try not to stress, but I also don’t like spoiling his appetite for meals. So my biggest challenge is letting him have snacks but not overdoing it so that he won’t eat his meal! 

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The word I immediately think of to describe Sammi is REFRESHING. As a Registered Dietician Nutritionist who believes that all food fit, she offers such an easy and approachable view of food and nutrition. She believes in listening to your cravings (eat the chocolate when you are craving it!) and also that eating and cooking food should be enjoyable, easy and not complicated.

I couldn’t think of a better person to interview to kick off my Food Freedom Q&A Series which I will be featuring every Wednesday on my blog this Spring. Hooray!

Hey Sammi! For those who haven’t met you just yet can you tell us what it is that you do and one thing about yourself that may surprise people?

I’m a Registered Dietitian with a private practice in NYC. I meet with clients individually for nutrition counseling and work with food brands as a spokesperson. Most people are surprised to find out that my job is split pretty much 50/50 between the two!

Take us through a day in the life for you!

On any given day, I could be doing a few different things: meeting with clients; creating recipes, shooting photos and editing them; researching and writing blog posts; working on my online program, All Foods Fit; or working on a number of other projects. It’s what I love the most about my job – no two days are the same. I love working for myself, but it also means that there’s always work to do! I typically try to be at my desk to start work between 7:30 and 8:00 AM. I usually catch up on emails and computer work first until about 9:00 AM, and then the day always changes from there.

How did you discover Intuitive Eating and how do you practice it in your daily life?

Like many people, I struggled with my relationship with food and my body for a while, especially as a teenager. When I finally saw a dietitian for myself in college, I learned that we need to eat all foods in order to be healthy and that healthy eating should be easy. It started me on a journey of understanding that all foods truly can fit into a healthy lifestyle. Over the years, the more comfortable I became with myself and my body, the easier it became to let go of food rules that were – consciously or not – controlling many of my eating decisions. Right now, the way I eat is second nature. I know that I naturally crave nutrient-dense foods like veggies and whole grains. At the same time, I also love chocolate and dessert and make sure to eat some every day. I don’t think too hard about what I eat (unless I need to make the plate pretty to share on Instagram!) and don’t stress about it either. I love eating out and pretty much never cook on the weekends. There are truly days where I don’t eat one vegetable at all. None of this makes me unhealthy, and I know that it’s my diet overall that matters most. It’s a really freeing feeling that I try to teach to all my clients.

What is your
definition of Food Freedom?

Like I mentioned above, food freedom involves not only allowing yourself to eat all foods, but also being able to enjoy them without guilt or thinking twice about it. It’s when you can easily figure out if you’re craving a salad or pasta when out to dinner – and feel satisfied and content with either choice. There’s no black and white or good and bad – it’s when everything easily fits into your diet.

What advice would you give someone on where to start with healing their
relationship with food/finding food freedom?

Start by getting rid of judgement – both on yourself and of food. This is where I start with a lot of my clients too. Knowingly or not, a lot of us classify food as “good” or “bad.” We say things like “I should get the salad,” or “I’m so bad for eating that!” Instead, start to notice when you label foods and behaviors as good or bad and try to slowly stop yourself from doing it. By removing these labels, you’ll start to allow yourself to eat what you want – and not what you “should” have – and also remove some of that guilt associated with eating the “bad” food. No food is good or bad – food is food.

In your practice, where do your clients struggle most with intuitive eating?

A lot of my clients struggle with letting go of control. It’s a common fear that we’ll automatically start to gain weight when we listen to our bodies instead of our food rules. And I get it – when you’ve followed rules most of your life to try to control your body, it’s super scary to think about letting go. I work with clients to slowly let go of some of those rules and control. I can confidently say that pretty much all of my clients feel amazing when they’re able to do that. So many of us have food rules that we don’t even realize we have. Letting go of those rules frees up space to focus on so many other things in life. Our bodies are smart. When we listen to them and eat in a way that feels good both physically and mentally, they’ll go where they’re naturally and healthfully meant to be.

For more resources check out the following:

Sammi’s Ebook: 7 Days to Make All Foods Fit (without guilt)
Sammi’s Cookbook: The Essential Vegetable Cookbook

Four Steps to Food Freedom
8 Steps to Mindful Eating

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Confused on how to eat intuitively when healing your gut?

The true definition of intuitive eating is to eat what you want. So how can you eat intuitively if what you want gives you a stomach ache, causes uncomfortable bloat, constipation or embarrassing gas?

To answer this question, we need to rewind it back a bit. Most people who are in pursuit of getting back to the basics of intuitive eating are those who are healing their relationship with food. And typically, this means that at one point in your life, probably for an extended period of time, there was restriction – removal of entire food groups, removal of types of food, food rules, portion control and/or intermittent fasting aka skipping meals.

The reason that this is important to note is that dieting and restriction cause harm to your digestive tract – your stomach, small intestine and large intestine – and the function of digesting your food. What this dysfunction can create is increased constipation, bloating, gas, delayed gastric emptying (gastritis), premature fullness, and disruption or flattening of the villi that line your small intestine which are responsible for this nutrient absorption and creation of digestive secretions to probably break down your food.

Understanding why your gut needs healing is one of the very first steps to actually healing your gut. I see it time and time again where doctors or naturopaths will prescribe a restrictive diet in order to remove the foods that are causing digestive symptoms without first diagnosing any disordered eating that may be present and may be the cause of your gut symptoms. Removing more foods, when there is a history of disordered eating, can instead exacerbate the problem and make it worse. Then what inevitably happens, is feeling like you can never eat “normally” again because of your gut symptoms.

Instead of eliminating more food, the first step is to heal your relationship with food and make peace with your body. You cannot heal your gut until you make peace with food. Disordered eating is way more common that food sensitivities and intolerances.

Intuitive eating is a journey. Knowing what your body wants and craves take time, and also the unwinding of possibly years of dieting, restriction or disordered eating. If you find it hard to eat intuitively because of digestive issues, it is likely because you still have work to do to heal your relationship with food. Also, any time you start adding food back into your diet that you haven’t had in a while, this is going to cause bloat and other digestive symptoms. This is because the food you eat on a daily basis creates the bacteria in your gut. Change the way you eat, and the bacteria changes. Any changes beyond the normal, will cause temporary digestive issues, such as food reintroductions.

 
How to eat intuitively while healing your gut? Work first on making peace with food. Before you do this, eating “what you want” may be guided by factors other than your intuition. Often times, if we have been restricting or adhering to food rules for so long, you crave the foods you don’t allow yourself to have and then when you do have them, they upset your gut which then leads to thinking you need to cut certain foods out. In order to tap into our true cravings, this means allowing all foods to fit and letting temporary gut discomfort that comes with introducing foods back in as we heal.

More things to help:

Download my Four Steps to Food Freedom to help you release food rules to get closer to food freedom.

Schedule a consultation if you are interested in working with me one-on-one. My coaching programs help you to set your own goals to heal your relationship with food. Here is what past clients have to say.

I suffer from IBS and I am also an Intuitive Eater. Sometimes these can conflict when I am eating what I want and crave in the moment.  Not everything I crave is perfectly nourishing and good for my gut. Intuitive Eating doesn’t work perfectly that way because it is not a diet.

I have learned to give myself grace over the years, and in doing so I can keep my symptoms mostly under control. Recently I enjoyed myself on a trip to Seattle and also for my birthday with more sugar and alcohol than I usually consume which resulted in a flare up of symptoms, aka uncomfortable bloat that is painful and means I can’t wear jeans for a while.  

When this happens, I usually follow these remedies to help heal my gut.

1. No raw veggies or raw nuts. Both of these foods are difficult to digest and will further exacerbate any bloat and IBS symptoms. I stick with just a small amount of nut butter made with roasted nuts (like Georgia Grinders cashew butter, use my code BBM25 for a discount). For veggies I always steam for easier digestion. When I make smoothies, I skip the veggies and instead use spirulina powder. Spirulina feeds healthy intestinal flora for good gut health. 

2. Collagen and Bone Broth. By drinking bone broth you are getting the benefits of the healing properties of collagen and gelatin. When my stomach is upset and I don’t feel like eating a full meal, I heat up 12 – 16 oz. of bone broth and sip it warm. I almost always feel better after drinking bone broth. This is by far the best way to consume collagen in its whole food form, but that can be an expensive habit. This is why I supplement with collagen. You can add to your coffee, matcha tea or smoothie. Collagen contains the amino acids proline and glycine which are the building blocks of your intestinal lining, making it essential in repairing a damaged intestine.

3. Ginger Tea. I like to buy fresh ginger at the super market and grate directly over my mug (about 1 tbsp. equivalent), and then pour hot water over it. Let sit for 10 minutes. The ginger will sink to the bottom so you don’t have to strain. Ginger tea always soothes my tummy and is great for preventing nausea.

4. Slippery Elm. By far my favorite supplement for IBS flare ups, and also for prevention. For the latter I try and stick to taking two capsules daily. During a flare up of symptoms I break open 3 capsules and pour the powder into a mug, adding 2 oz. – 4 oz. of warm water and stirring until combined. Drink on an empty stomach. Slippery Elm coats your intestinal lining for major gut healing.

5. Yoga and Breathwork. Ever notice how there is a lot of twisting of the lower abdomen in yoga? All of these twists do wonders for your intestines and helps to ease things along for going to the bathroom. Yoga also helps with stress and anxiety, as does a good breathwork practice. I love the 4-7-8 breath practice to help calm your sympathetic nervous system as well as breath of fire.

6. Stress and anxiety management. Both of these are directly related to IBS and vice versa. It can be said that Stress and Anxiety trigger IBS as much as the symptoms of IBS can make you stressed and anxious. It can become cyclical in one triggering the other. I recommend seeking professional help to find a routine to help combat stress and anxiety in order to alleviate IBS flare ups. CBD supplements and acupuncture are also great for stress and anxiety management.  

7. Limit alcohol and sugar.  If anything will disrupt your stomach lining, it is sugar and alcohol. I like to consume both of these out of pure enjoyment every once in a while, but during a flare of IBS symptoms I avoid in order to heal.