Lindsey Ahlert Nutrition

Popcorn is a great source of soluble fiber with or without salt and butter. A cup of broccoli still has over 90% of our daily vitamin C needs, even if it's topped with cheddar cheese.

Prioritizing nutrition doesn't have to be plain, boring, or tasteless!

If these statements don't feel true or possible for you, I get it.

I used to easily believe that "your body is working for you, not against you." After being engulfed by a chronic illness, I found myself shying away from this belief. I blamed my body for the debilitating symptoms, changes to my body shape, and difficulty with things that used to be easy.

It took a dramatic mindset shift for me to see the value and purpose of my symptoms. I also found physical and mental relief by working together with my body, instead of constantly trying to manipulate it, trick it, and overpower it.

Nutrition is more than just "eat your fruits and vegetables".

Check out my interview in the No Weight Loss Required Newsletter!

Stop Dreading Medical Appointments Weight stigma is a barrier to care. This post provides weight-inclusive resources to empower your next medical appointment.

I love a good myth-busting with my clients, but even just identifying and getting curious about your food rules can be so helpful.

Undereating can be intentional or unintentional.

The struggle is real.

What else is vital to your wellbeing?

I'm excited to welcome Ohio and North Carolina residents for virtual nutrition therapy!

You can do it. I can help!

What does adventure look like in YOUR life?

No one is harder on us than ourselves. Take a step back and acknowledge your progress!

I heard an especially predatory and misleading Noom ad on a podcast this morning. That was my cue to post this powerful quote from Dr Alexis Conason.

Take what you need today. Which reminder speaks to you?

I am now a Registered Yoga Teacher!
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I signed up for yoga teacher training almost a year ago, as a little something just for me. I’ve been practicing yoga for almost 20 years but I learned SO much over the past 7 months. With a fresh perspective, I can see so many opportunities to support my clients through yoga. I’m excited to incorporate yoga philosophy and techniques into my practice as a dietitian. Watch for some exciting things to come!!
Thank you , Tanya, Kyron, and my talented classmates!

It is healthy and normal for our food to vary day to day - in type, amount, and flavors.

It is not realistic to expect to get the exact recommended amount of all nutrients and food groups each day.

Consider the nourishment you get in a whole week. With a varied diet, it all balances out.

And isn't that a lot more interesting and fun?

Get your free Intuitive Eating mini guide: https://lindseyahlertnutrition.com/free-resources

We all have one. Read more in my new blog post.

https://lindseyahlertnutrition.com/archives/384

I'm proud to kick off 2023 with a new certification: Intuitive Eating Counselor!

https://www.intuitiveeating.org/author/lindseyahlert/

I stopped consenting to routine weight measurements at the doctor's office about 5 years ago. I thought I was doing it out of principle and leading by example as a non-diet professional, but I was amazed at how much stress it relived from my office visits. That pesky weight number was stressing me out more than I wanted to admit.

Yes, it's sometimes necessary but there are only a few things that weight is required for, such as dosing certain medications, monitoring cardiac or kidney diseases, and eating disorder recovery.

At a recent virtual medical appointment a nurse asked me if I knew how much I weighed. I proudly and honestly said, "nope!"

Calorie counting is normalized in our society. We're surrounded by tracking apps, workplace wellness challenges, weight loss advertisements, and product labeling. But is it possible, effective, or helpful?
TLDR: No, no, no.

There are several equations for calculating calorie needs, but none of them are especially accurate. For those needing intensive nutrition support, like tube feedings, a team of professionals is regularly monitoring lab values and making adjustments. Your food diary or fitness app is relying on generalizations and estimates to give you a wildly inaccurate calorie goal. In addition to our imperfect methods of calculating these needs, our bodies are infinitely complex. Age, weight, height, and activity level are a handful of the many, many factors that dictate how our bodies function.

Even if we did know your precise "optimal" caloric intake each day, we don't have a good way of measuring the foods that we eat. Analyzing recipes and measuring portions is time consuming. Also, the Nutrition Facts label is allowed to be off by up to 20% by the FDA and there are several rules allowing some rounding of numbers. So, even if you measure everything precisely, you still won't be able to know the exact calorie content.

Aside from our inability to accurately determine caloric needs and intake, the act of calorie counting can be harmful to your health. Persistent monitoring and restriction of your food intake can damage how you feel about and interact with food.

How would it feel to be free from the counting?

Source: PMID 31837492
Gupta, V. K., Saini, C., Oberoi, M., Kalra, G., & Nasir, M. I. (2020). Semmelweis Reflex: An Age-Old Prejudice. World neurosurgery, 136, e119–e125.

It's ok to feel the pressure from diet culture. It's ok to wish for a different body. It's ok to wonder if your weight is impacting your health.

Diet culture fills up too much of our mental space. What would YOU do if you no longer used so much brain power on struggling with food and your body?