Protein sources

Currently in my fridge:

• Whole Foods 365 Wild Skipjack Tuna

• Trader Joe’s Rainbow Trout

• Trader Joe’s Organic Ground Turkey

• Trader Joe’s Spicy Jalapeno Chicken Sausage

• Whole Foods Grass-Fed Ground Beef

Also in the mix:

• Trader Joe’s Organic Natural Chicken Thighs

• Trader Joe’s Cooked Lentils

• Trader Joe’s Nova Smoked Salmon

• Trader Joe’s Canned Chickpeas

Run experiments

Not sure what to do next? Experiment!

Say you regularly stress eat. First, notice how you’re feeling to gain awareness of what’s going on internally. Then, write down 10 things you could try replacing eating with.

Don’t put pressure on yourself to find the right one immediately, just commit to the process of learning. :)

Food is medicine

Why: Food can heal, and it can also be the root of health and mood issues.

Regularly eating highly-processed foods that cause stress and inflammation in your body can lead to disease over time.

I’ve worked with clients who have overcome rheumatoid arthritis, eczema, acne, bloating/gut inflammation, clinical depression, and daily panic attacks — simply by changing what they eat.

Limiting processed foods and understanding your food sensitivities can not only heal a range of health issues, but it can also change the way you look (water retention, skin issues, and other signs of inflammation) and feel (energy, mood, mental clarity).

Be mindful of sugar

Why:

• Sugar can reduce sensitivity to signals that tell you you’re full, making you eat more overall

• The liver processes excess sugar into fat, which can contribute to fatty liver over time

• Spikes and dips in blood sugar can affect energy levels, focus, mental clarity, and mood

• Frequently eating sugar can trigger reward pathways in the brain, making it habit-forming

If you’re trying to reduce your sugar intake, start by replacing highly processed options with minimally processed versions like fruit, dark chocolate, yogurt – without limiting portion sizes at first, so you don’t try to change too much at once. These foods can satisfy cravings with fewer calories and less inflammation.

Don’t skip meals

Why: When you under-eat for too long, your body responds by conserving energy — slowing metabolism, increasing fatigue, and holding onto fat stores for safety.

Eating enough signals that it’s safe to use energy, rather than storing it as fat.

Many of the people I’ve worked with who struggle with fat loss are actually eating too little / not consistently getting enough to eat.

Get your salt & minerals

Why: Low electrolytes can show up as extreme fatigue, poor concentration, headaches, cravings, and that “wired but tired” feeling.

Helpful sources are high-quality salts (sea salt, Himalayan), mineral-rich foods (leafy greens, beans, nuts), and low-sugar electrolyte drinks.

Get vitamin D

Why: Vitamin D is a hormone precursor, meaning your body needs it to make hormones that regulate energy, mood, immunity, and metabolism.

Being low can leave you tired, moody, more prone to illness, and make fat loss harder.

Ways to get it: Regular sunlight exposure, eating vitamin-D–rich foods (like eggs, salmon, and mushrooms), or taking a supplement.

Eat balanced meals with protein, fat, and carbs

Why: Eating sugar and high-glycemic carbs alone can cause a spike-and-crash and mood dips.

Protein and fats are more slowly digested than carbs, so eating them as part of a balanced meal keeps you full longer and your blood sugar steadier.

Eat protein at every meal

Why: Eating a palm-sizing serving of protein at each meal is a great way to help with fat loss, body composition, and overall health.

It helps you full longer, stabilizes blood sugar and mood, and supports muscle repair.

It’s also essential for maintaining healthy hormone production—especially for women, who often under-eat it relative to what their metabolism and hormones need.

When protein is consistently low, it can show up as irregular hunger, low energy, hair shedding, dull skin, mood swings, weaker workouts, slower recovery, and stubborn body-composition changes that don’t match the effort you’re putting in.

Lifting weights supports a healthy metabolism

Why: Muscle burns calories even at rest, helping your metabolism stay stronger and staying lean easier.

How to optimize fat loss / body composition

Why: Protein and healthy fats are digested more slowly, helping you feel full for longer.

Sugar and high-glycemic carbs are more quickly digested, so you might feel hungry again more quickly. They’re also what we tend to overeat more than protein or healthy fats.

Move after eating carbs/sugar

Why: Movement helps your muscles use up some of that sugar for energy so it’s not floating around your bloodstream. It helps keep your blood sugar more stable and make it easier for your body to respond to insulin.

Go for a walk, dance, or do some squats!

If you eat more carbs than you need for your current activities, your body turns them into fat to store for later, an intelligent survival mechanism.

Balance & moderation is key

Why: Crash diets don’t work because you can’t eat that way for the rest of your life. The goal is “the middle way”, where your favorite foods are still part of your routine.

Freedom is being able to make healthy choices out of awareness of energy balance and what works best for you, rather than blindly following restrictive rules.

When you understand how different foods affect your body and support your needs, you can make intentional choices that move you toward your health and physique goals.

If you’re struggling to find balance, let’s talk!

Go for organic if you eat the skin of the fruit/veggie

Why: Pesticides often stay on or just under the skin, even after washing.