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I left uni keen as mustard to change the world one person at time through the stock standard, general nutrition advice of eating more fruit and veg, less saturated fats, less salt and exercise more. I could see my clients struggling with today's fast and convenient foods and I was determined to show them how easy healthy eating was.
It was clear that the "eat less, move more" message wasn't working and I could sense the frustration and held-back emotional turmoil most of my clients were struggling with. I had no idea of how to support them or make inroads to change their eating habits for long term weight loss. Weight reduction was everyone's goal and very few were able to get there (and stay there). As a recently qualified and optimistic dietitian, this was as disheartening for me as it was for many of my clients. Turns out, this scenario is the norm. Because 95% of those who intentionally diet or restrict their food intake to pursue weight loss are not able to maintain these changes for more than 2 years (for very clear, and rational reasons outlined below). I began to study behaviour change, trying to understand people's motivation and what makes them tick but it still wasn't enough. There was a huge elephant in the room and no one was talking about it. That elephant turned out to be weight bias and society's thin ideal. Weight bias refers to the negative ideologies associated with being in a bigger body, which can include (but not limited to) laziness, lack of will power, a lack of moral character, bad hygiene, low level of intelligence and unattractiveness (World Obesity Federation). I hate to say it but we've all been influenced by weight bias in some shape or form in life - be that socially, fashion, school, medical and the biggest one - media. It is ludicrous (and perhaps crazy) to think and expect that thinness = good health = better person = ultimate lifestyle = success but that's what the thin ideal projects. Taking a step back, every person has their own DNA and have different body parts and makeup because of. So why should our body size/shape all look or be the same? Imagine asking someone to change their shoe size, because someone believes that being a Size 8 is ‘best’. That was the game changer for me. Now I was starting to join the dots that these social beliefs and ideologies, whether overt or subtle were having long term ramifications on my clients and their families which often manifested into a complex and scarring relationship with food. I worked hard to dissect my own thoughts, judgements, past advice (help!!!) and HOW I wanted to move forward in helping people in a more impactful way. Because what I came to realise (with more emerging evidence and research) was dieting is harmful - and I had to come to terms with the fact that my old advice was probably part of this bias (and stigma). This was not an easy process, and it took me more than 3 years, a lot of conversations and deep pondering to move towards letting go of what I thought was best advice, and begin to trust that I needed to learn more about the impact of weight bias and really allow people to tell me their stories and what they needed in a dietitian. This led to discovering a Weight Neutral Approach and the Intuitive Eating Framework, which suddenly made a lot of sense to me and for so many of my clients. It was the monkey on my client's back that even they didn't know they were carrying. Intuitive Eating also challenged my ideas and bias towards what really NEEDS to happen (versus what we think SHOULD happen) in the weight and nutrition space, and it has allowed me to reflect on my own food philosophy that (gratefully) was influenced by my mother who instilled a “food is neutral, food is to be enjoyed” approach. This is why I'm passionate to help other women find their sense in the non-sensical world of 'health and wellbeing', to let them know it's not them that's failing - its the diet and all of the false promises that come with it. Intuitive Eating aIt's not easy at first, but it is possible to let go of the pressure to be smaller, and focus on how to nourish with liberty and a sense of real self care. MY // two small letters that signify what’s mine.
It takes a lot to look inwards and really get to know what lies beneath my skin. I reckon you need courage to recognize and understand the inner workings of how you feel, why you feel and what you need to move to a more comfortable space, and when you do reach that space - that’s where the magic happens. But That means getting uncomfortable first and it me a long time to be OK with feeling uncomfortable. Sitting with your thoughts is hard. It’s like going through your wardrobe and asking yourself if you really need another red jacket when you’ve already got 5. Listening to the negative talk is fine, but listening to it repeatedly it only clutters your mind and doesn’t allow clarity to really see what potential you have. For me, MY whole self is important. I truly believe no one else can look after me the way I need to, and if I’m not my best, what use am I to anyone else? Realizing this comes with challenges; am I being selfish? I don’t believe so. Yet it took many years to change that conversation so I didn’t sabotage my opportunity to be the best version of myself. BODY // my body is perfectly imperfect. It’s mine and no one else has the same one. I used to pine over girls with long legs, until I realized I was never going to grow another foot taller. And wearing 9 inch heels a lot of the time hurt too much. I can remember the moment when I began to appreciate what my body could do, over how it looked. I started working with a personal trainer and within 6 weeks, not only did I begin to feel good but at each session I was more and more gobsmacked by how far I could run, the weights I could lift and the endurance I had. These changes sparked a sense of curiosity of how well my body could perform. I started to looked at myself differently; yes my right eyelid droops more than my left. My arms are (and were) never going to be rake thin and, now I’m a mum, I have a mummy tummy pouch to go with the territory. But I have strength, I have energy and gee I can punch pretty hard in a boxercise class. Plus I grew a baby, and that’s just wild in itself. STORY // Storytelling is a way to document and share something valuable to another, either fictitious or factual. We all have a story to tell, and mine (to me) has become more important to know and reflect on as I continue to work alongside so many more women who are also creating and exploring their own body stories. I didn't know you could have a story, until I came across a small project in the Yarra Valley that invited a select few to gather and share their experiences as women in a world of diet culture. It was a space carved out for those participating to stand back and reflect on their experiences and write their tale. An opportunity to make peace with their body, change the course of the storyline and embrace a sense of hope that they can have a positive relationship with the body they lived in. My story is still in draft, and its a piece of work I will no doubt continue to pick up and put down over the course of my life (and the stages that come with it). However, I go forward with understanding, compassion and kindness knowing it’s a body I love and treasure, for all that it does - even when I don’t always look after it. For more information about the 'My Body's Story' project in the Yarra Valley and it's exhibition, please go to: https://www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/Experience/Events/My-Bodys-Story
I’m here to tell you… You can.
The non-diet approach ditches the diet mentality and restriction and shifts your focus to nourishing your body with what it needs – physically and emotionally. It encourages you to recognise and act on your internal body cues to help you rebuild body trust. Dieting has become the solution when weight is regarded as a problem, and weight is now synonymous with health. But when copious amounts of research state that intentional weight loss cannot be sustained for more than 5 years – its fair to say dieting doesn’t work. We are all innately born with the ability to self-regulate our appetites and to eat intuitively – have you watched how a small child will choose between cake, sandwiches, fruit, popcorn at a birthday party with moral neutrality? Nothing to them is good or bad – it’s just food. And often they will happily leave food when they’re full, relying on their internal cue telling them they’ve had enough. Sadly as adults (and early childhood) society influences us to ignore these inner cues and listen to external rules, that eventually permeate and transform into chronic dieting behaviours. This is known as diet culture and it’s important you begin to identify and reject this mentality as it won’t serve you when you’re trying to move forward and embrace flexible and enjoyable eating habits. The non diet approach avoids weighing and measuring of food and your body. It discourages recording detailed intricate food diaries, obsessive meal planning, rigid timing of meals, specific weight goals or use of ‘diet’ foods as these only separate you further from your internal drivers of how to eat intuitively. There are no good or bad foods in the non diet approach. The biggest fear when stepping into the non diet space is the fear of losing control. The fear of ‘blowing out’ and overeating when there are no rules or restrictions in place. However, when you work with a non diet dietitian, the reality is very different and rarely does this happen in both research and practice. The most important thing that can happen when you embrace a non diet approach is the sense of liberty and confidence around your food choices while your body responds more intuitively to continue that cycle of nourishment and nurturing.
Confused? I don’t blame you! What’s important to remember is that severe restriction of carbs may actually be contributing to your hormone fluctuations from insufficient energy intake and interrupting how your pituitary gland and hypothalamus talk to one another AND all carbs are not the same. Let’s start with WHY carbs are essential for hormone health Your body has a preference for which type of fuel it prefers to burn; and that ladies, are carbohydrates. This is based on the simple physiology that carbohydrates (compared to fat or protein) are broken down and utilised for fuel in the most efficient and effective way, and that’s what powers you to function at your best. All day, most days. When you either restrict or severely limit your carbohydrate intake, your body has no alternative but to find another way to fuel it’s operation. The body switches to burning fat (which you may think is a good thing) however simultaneously, decreases its metabolic rate to conserve energy as best as it can. So, by limiting your carbohydrate foods - you’re actually doing the opposite of what you want your body to do! How does this affect my hormones? When your metabolism has been suppressed, your body thinks it’s living in a compromised state and theoretically is working under stress. Stress promotes higher levels of cortisol and adrenaline (stress hormones) which, increase inflammation in your body. Elevated cortisol levels drives your body to seek sugary foods as a way to instantly provide energy to repair stress damage - and so the vicious cycle continues! The key to avoid getting into this pickle, is eating enough carbohydrates to match your energy needs as well as the right types of carbohydrates. What do you mean the RIGHT type of carbs? Let’s get our terminology right - I like to think about carbs as the umbrella term for all sugary and starchy foods. Both starchy and sugary foods breakdown into single sugar molecules that are absorbed and transported around the body via your bloodstream to your brain and muscles where it is used for energy. When your brain and muscles are adequately fed, there is no need to send out panic signals to your pituitary glands that something is wrong. In order to achieve this steady and stable flow of energy to your brain, it's important to remember to choose carbohydrates foods that are:
Ideally, a slow, steady breakdown of carbohydrates in your body every few hours (eg. at meal times) helps your body to stay regulated without having to combat drastic spikes or falls of regulatory hormones like insulin (required for sugar uptake in your muscles), ghrelin (hunger hormone) or dopamine (happy hormone that can be triggered with excess amounts of sugar). Eating foods that have higher amounts of fibre supports a slower digestion time and a steady release of energy into your bloodstream. This also means feeling fuller for longer which reduces the need to crave more food. Below is list of common foods that contain carbohydrates, divided into categories that.  An added bonus of eating high fibre foods is that they generally have high levels of B group vitamins and Vitamin C to help with improving your immunity and reducing inflammation. This means your body able to stay fit to fight off viruses and infections whilst maintaining a happy and harmonious hormone profile.
If you've been feeling lethargic and need guidance on how to incorporate the right carbs for you, drop me a message on my contact page and let's chat! Today I write this as our Victorian Premier announced the end of our sixth (who's counting?) lockdown in Melbourne. Apparently, we broke the world record for the longest time spent living in lockdown throughout the Covid 19 pandemic.
Fair to say, a lot and not a lot has happened since my last post over a year ago. The biggest milestone was becoming a first time mum, and this week we celebrate her first birthday! It's definitely been a tough time not seeing family, friends and enjoying the simple things (I cannot WAIT to walk into Kmart and walk out with what I want...) and the thing I've heard from most of you the fatigue of trying to remain upbeat and looking after yourself whilst trying to survive. The only words I can say to you is: be kind. This sense of standing still is coming to an end and a level of (new) normality will return soon. And so will your sense of self and wellbeing. In amongst learning the ropes of parenthood, The Nutrition Circle has continued to operate predominately by telehealth (online video appointments) which will definitely be here to stay. Many of you have told me that it's convenient to have your appointment during your lunch break and with the flexibility of working from home, this means that you no longer have to jam appointments after hours in your week. I will be returning to face to face appointments in the clinic in the near future, however like everyone else I'm navigating this to ensure your and my safety is held front and centre so please be patient. For now, the plan to is continue to post a few more blogs around nutrition and hormone health with a few non diet tips that I hope will be useful over the next few months. Until then, stay safe. CJ x
 SEASIDE SPRAY
olive oil dijon mustard garlic baby capers lemon juice S&P, to season how: mix together, drizzle on cooked vegetables Goes with: asparagus, spinach, silver beet, cauliflower, green salad, broccoli, green beans, squash, zucchini
Why do I need to avoid cheese and deli meats? Despite my own mother not excluding these foods whilst pregnant with me, many of us know now that during pregnancy it is recommended to avoid soft cheeses, deli meats (ham, salami, cooked chicken), salad bars, raw egg and soft serve ice cream - but why? The main reason for avoiding these types of food is due to the high risk of food poisoning. Listeria is a bacteria that is found in some foods and can be passed onto the baby and cause premature birth, miscarriage or damage as the baby’s immune system is not strong enough to fight off the infection. The risk remains throughout the whole pregnancy so its important to be strict about this. On top of this, safe food handling is also so, so important. Make sure foods are stored, thawed, cooked (above 60℃ for hot foods, less than 5℃ for cold foods) and reheated appropriately (above 74℃ for more than 2 minutes) and hands and utensils are washed thoroughly to avoid cross contamination. Click here if you want to know more about the in’s and out’s of food handling. Sugar Sweet; 26 week screening for diabetes Gestational diabetes is a condition very much like Type 2 Diabetes, however is caused due to hormone changes during pregnancy. Many women I see say that they are terrified of being diagnosed or even getting the test done, however it is vital to find out especially if there is a history within your family. Gestational diabetes that is not picked up or poorly managed will result in a bigger baby that can lead to a complicated delivery for mum. All women should be screened at 26 weeks with a glucose tolerance test to ensure they don’t have high blood sugar levels and if a diagnosis is made, there is lots of support available from your GP, midwife, dietitian and Endocrinologist to keep both mother and baby fit and healthy. Do I avoid all fish? Fish is a really lean source of protein and aiming to eat two servings of fish per week can be healthy for mum and baby. Coldwater fish in particular contains lots of omega-3 fatty acids, which help with your baby's brain development and vision. What you need to avoid is fish high in mercury, such as swordfish, shark, deep sea perch and king mackerel as high levels of mercury can cross the placenta and inhibit the development of baby’s nervous system. Salmon, shrimp, and canned tuna are better choices but not everyday. Make sure you also skip any raw fish too, including sushi or sashimi as raw fish is more likely than cooked fish to contain parasites and bacteria that can be harmful to baby’s growth and wellbeing.  Eating for Two Are you helping yourself to seconds of potato salad or giving into that ice cream craving EVERY night? Not so fast. Yes, you are eating for two -- but that doesn't mean two adult-sized servings are necessary. The average woman with a normal weight pre-pregnancy needs only about 720 kilojoules (or 300 calories) extra per day to promote her baby's growth, according to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE). That's roughly the equivalent to a glass of skim milk and a piece of fruit! The table below provides a guideline to how much weight women should gain during their whole pregnancy, based on pre-pregnancy weight status. If your pre-pregnancy BMI* was... | You should gain….. Less than BMI 18.5 kg/m2 | 12.5-18 kg BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m2 | 11.5-16 kg BMI 25-29.9 kg/m2 | 7-11.5 kg BMI more than 30 kg/m2 | 7-9 kg Reference: Queensland Health “Healthy Eating during Pregnancy” * BMI is calculated by dividing your weight by your height squared (in metres) Boosting iron and iodine During pregnancy, both iron and iodine requirements increase to help the body ensure it has enough for both mum and bub. Iron is necessary for making red cells in both mum and baby and helps to carry oxygen in the blood. Many women can become anaemic in the first trimester so its essential iron rich sources such as lean red meat, leafy green vegetables, legumes and fortified cereals are eaten regularly. Adding a source of vitamin C whilst consuming high iron foods can boost the absorption but avoid pairing caffeine and high calcium sources with iron foods as this blocks iron absorption. Iodine requirements also increase during pregnancy as this is a vital nutrient for baby’s growth and brain development. Iodine is found in fruit and vegetables, seafood, eggs and iodised salt as well as bread (as it is now mandatory to use iodised salt in bread production). If you think you may not be getting enough, speak to your GP or dietitian to check. For more information, check out the AGHE for pregnancy. ** With all medical and health issues, it's imperative to consult your doctor or dietitian for tailored advice regarding your personal situation before commencing any changes. This article is written to inform and like anything, a balanced diet and regular activity is important to maintain health and well being.  MOROCCAN ROLL
olive oil fennel seeds chilli flakes how: toss vegetables in oil and sprinkle with fennel seeds and chilli flakes. bake. Goes with: potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, parsnip, carrot  SAMBAL LOVIN'
olive oil chilli sambal chopped garlic flaked almonds how: heat oil and garlic in pan, add sambal and almonds and sauté briefly. add blanched vegetables and toss to coat. Goes with: green beans, broccoli, asparagus, capsicum, zucchini |
AuthorThe way to Carla's heart is all things food. Follow her thoughts and opinions on the latest food news and myths. Archives
March 2022
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