Happy Wednesday! I just love short weeks! Don’t you? 🙂
I’m loving all these questions you all are emailing me! Please keep em’ coming!
You can ask me questions that have nothing to do with nutrition too 🙂
Q: l’ve come across websites suggesting to stay away from wheat and carbs (grains) and to only eat them after exercise. Is this true?
A:This is not true! Websites stating to eliminate wheat and grains seem a little extreme. The only reason we would stay away from these all important foods is if we have a gluten/wheat intolerance or an allergy to these foods. Wheat/Grains and carbs are a vital part of our diet. We need these foods for energy. Take these foods away and our body will be screaming for them. It’s all about balance and moderation. If we overeat these foods, we will gain weight. If someone is overeating daily and they cut back on their carbs, it may produce weight loss because they are reducing their calorie intake. Make sure you’re including at least a fist size portion of carbs/grains in each meal.
Q: As a Nutritionist, how to do you decide that a client is at a “healthy weight” and has a “healthy diet”?
A:A healthy weight is defined by the weight a person can comfortably maintain without going to extremes. By extremes I mean being overly restrictive with food and obsessively exercising to maintain their weight. You should be able to maintain a “healthy weight” with a reasonable exercise routine and a moderate balanced diet. My definition of a healthy diet is balance and moderation. As mentioned before, being overly restrictive with food in order to maintain a weight is unrealistic. A healthy diet consists of eating when you’re hungry, controlling portion sizes, and enjoying the foods you love, all in moderation. You have to live!
Q: Why is it when I get less sleep, I’m hungry all day?
A: There have been many studies performed that show lack of sleep results in increased hunger. Here is why: There are two hunger hormones, Leptin and Ghrelin. Leptin decreases hunger, so when leptin levels are high, we don’t feel hungry. Ghrelin increases hunger, so when ghrelin levels are high, we feel hungry. Research has shown that lack of sleep decreases leptin levels and increases ghrelin levels, thus making us feel hungry. Sleep plays a huge role in the bodies use and storage of food. Be sure to aim for 7-8 hours of sleep a night.
Q: What’s the best way to eliminate boredom eating?
A: This is a tough question to answer without knowing a person’s individual eating patterns. I could easily give you all the basic answers like “call a friend, take a bath, go for a walk, etc…” But chances are you’ve heard these before. Eliminating boredom eating takes work, especially if its been a longtime habit. We really have to be present and in the moment. We have to really pay attention to it! We have to always check ourselves before we are mindlessly standing in front of the refrigerator with the door open trying figure out what we want. Think of it this way – When we are truly hungry we don’t stand around and ponder what to eat… we look for food and eat! When we’re bored we peruse the kitchen cabinets, staredown the refrigerator door, and really don’t know what we’re in the mood for. That’s because we’re not hungry, we’re bored, and that’s cue to get out of the kitchen and find something else to keep us busy.
If you have any questions (nutrition or not) you can email me here!
I am really enjoying your Q&A posts.
I had boredom eating under control.. now i am dealing with I am exhausted maybe I should have A or B to help me wake up eating.
Thanks for these Q&A’s! Such great information 🙂 I agree with you on the grains. They are such a healthy and nutritious part of a diet! And filling, too.
When I don’t sleep properly I am absolutely starving the entire day. I think it’s interesting that this happens to other people because I thought it was just me!
I might be headed to DC in July Estela … maybe we can meet up? Tracey said she’d be interested too!
I work from home and I tell you what I eat all day long! I finish a call, I eat. I finish returning email I eat. I need to nip these patterns in the bud! STAT.
Great answers!! I especially love number two. While many people have an ideal body weight that is low, if it’s a weight that they have NEVER been, than it’s not practical and not reasonable! It definitely is good to keep a weight that you know you can stick to, within a reasonable range. And, intuitive eating is my favorite life rule. 🙂
Hi there! I'm Estela Schnelle, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, & Mom. I am a home cook who is passionate about eating, living a healthy lifestyle, and sharing that knowledge with others. I am a Private Practice Concierge-Style Dietitian & Nutritionist providing my clients unlimited support 24/7. I create customized nutrition plans based on individual goals which promote positive and powerful changes, and deliver healthy lifestyle solutions. A lifestyle change is a marathon, not a sprint. I the provide accountability and support needed for that journey. Available for Nutrition Counseling at my office in the DC Metro area and online through email or skype.
Hi there! I'm Estela Schnelle, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, & Mom. I am a home cook who is passionate about eating, living a healthy lifestyle, and sharing that knowledge with others. I am a Private Practice Concierge-Style Dietitian & Nutritionist providing my clients unlimited support 24/7. I create customized nutrition plans based on individual goals which promote positive and powerful changes, and deliver healthy lifestyle solutions. A lifestyle change is a marathon, not a sprint. I the provide accountability and support needed for that journey. Available for Nutrition Counseling at my office in the DC Metro area and online through email or skype.
Boredom eating is so tough for me to break. I still find myself eating when I get bored. I find that reading or writing helps me most!
I am really enjoying your Q&A posts.
I had boredom eating under control.. now i am dealing with I am exhausted maybe I should have A or B to help me wake up eating.
Thanks for these Q&A’s! Such great information 🙂 I agree with you on the grains. They are such a healthy and nutritious part of a diet! And filling, too.
I love the question on sleep and hunger. Dang that Ghrelin!!
That was a great Q&A. The sleep and hunger answer was really interesting.
Eliminating carbs?? craziness 😉
Loving the Q&As!
boredom eating is the hardest thing in the world for me…with a boring desk job i really have to work at it!
I can’t tell you how many times I hear that people think they should stop eating wheat/gluten when they have no allergy or intolerance….
Great answers to some common nutrition questions!
When I don’t sleep properly I am absolutely starving the entire day. I think it’s interesting that this happens to other people because I thought it was just me!
I might be headed to DC in July Estela … maybe we can meet up? Tracey said she’d be interested too!
I work from home and I tell you what I eat all day long! I finish a call, I eat. I finish returning email I eat. I need to nip these patterns in the bud! STAT.
Great post, btw!
Great answers!! I especially love number two. While many people have an ideal body weight that is low, if it’s a weight that they have NEVER been, than it’s not practical and not reasonable! It definitely is good to keep a weight that you know you can stick to, within a reasonable range. And, intuitive eating is my favorite life rule. 🙂
Wonderful post!!!! As always….
I love these Q & A’s, keep doing them! 🙂
Hello, I like your blog. This is a great site and I wanted to post a note to let you know, great job! Thanks Tammy
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