INTUITIVE EATING + HOLISTIC HEALTH
At Ladies Who Lift, we are lucky enough to have two amazing nutrition coaches, Rae and Amy, who offer two different styles of nutrition coaching, included in one of our strength training programs- the Ambassador Program. In this blog, Coach Amy describes her approach to nutrition and who would benefit most from this style of nutrition coaching.
Take a minute to read through the following list, counting the number of statements that apply to you:
I am a chronic yo-yo dieter, hopping from one fad diet to another
I am very strict with my food rules and stress about following a diet perfectly
I have feelings of guilt or shame if I eat foods that I have forbidden
My mind feels constantly preoccupied with food
I have difficulty determining if I am hungry or full
I often eat beyond the point of comfort
I binge on food, knowing I will start a new diet on Monday
I can’t have sweets in my house or I will eat all of them
I don't trust myself around foods that are “bad”
I get stressed out during social situations that involve food
I eat quickly without taking time to taste or enjoy my food
I have to finish all of the food on my plate, regardless of how full I feel
I skip meals to "save calories" for a big feast, dinner or event
I eat as a coping mechanism when I am sad, depressed or emotional
I check the clock regularly, waiting for when I am allowed to eat my next meal or snack
I weigh myself regularly and my mood changes depending on the number I see on the scale
I am confused by conflicting nutrition and diet information and I don't know what foods are actually healthy
I have lost my period (not due to the pill, contraceptives or menopause)
I am often fatigued
I am often irritable
I am a restrictive dieter and I have anxiety
If you identified with two or more of the statements above, we think you could really benefit from Amy’s style of nutrition coaching, so keep reading =]
Amy is a certified Integrative Nutrition Holistic Health Coach. She specializes in Intuitive Eating, where she helps chronic dieters get off the yo-yo cycle of dieting, learn how to listen to their bodies and discover food freedom. Through this process, clients learn how to feel their hunger-fullness cues, discover what foods work and don't work for them on an individual level, improve their body image, practice sustainable habits that last a lifetime and get to the root of any health problems or setbacks.
What is Holistic Health Coaching?
Holistic Health Coaching is nutritional guidance through a holistic lens. Holistic just means that we see you as a whole person. We don’t just care about the food you put into your mouth. We also care about your mental health, your body image, your relationships with others, your work-life balance and everything that influences your health and how you feel.
What is Intuitive Eating?
Intuitive Eating is a process of learning how to listen to your body and discover what works for you on an individual level. It is a process of finding food freedom, by letting go of the rules that the diet industry has created and letting your body take the reins. Coach Amy will give you the tools you need to be able to practice this way of eating for the rest of your life.
You will learn how to listen to your body to determine where you are on the hunger-fullness scale.
You will learn how to observe how different foods affect your body.
You will learn what foods work for your body and what foods don't work for your body.
You will learn how to let go of feelings of guilt and shame around foods that you have forbidden. You will learn how to love your body.
You will learn to enjoy food without fear.
What does this process look like?
Coach Amy practices a somewhat scientific approach, based on self-experimentation. First she collects data by talking with you during your sessions and asking questions to gather information. Then she makes a hypothesis based on the information that you have told her, combined with her expertise, and gives you three pieces of homework to experiment with over the week. You come back to her the following week and tell her how it went. And the process repeats. Through this process of experimenting with your mind + body, we find the things that work for you and the things that don't work for you. We practice things like understanding your internal hunger and fullness cues, improving self talk and body image, adding in more vegetables, adding in lean proteins, eating carbs and foods you have previously forbidden and understanding on an individual level how those foods make you feel.
Who is this for?
Chronic yo-yo dieters looking to quit dieting for good.
Binge eaters looking to connect with their body & learn their fullness and hunger cues.
Anyone looking to create a healthier relationship with food!
Anyone looking to build a better relationship with their body, improve their body confidence and body image!
People who are committed to long term health over short-term results!
Check out a couple of client testimonials to see if you identify with their experience.
WHO IS IT NOT FOR?
You want to learn how to track your macros and find the split that works best for you or if you enjoy tracking your macros and flex dieting and already have a healthy relationship with your body and food. (This is also great and you should totally work with Coach Rae!)
You are trying to lose 10-20 lbs in 4 weeks for a wedding, vacation or other event or you are looking for some other type of quick fix.
You want a specific meal plan to follow.
You have very specific aesthetic goals and want to prioritize them
