Walking: 6 Boredom Busters

,

Woman walking with the title: 6 Boredom Busters

Walking’s great for your body and mind– but why does it have to feel like a chore?

(🤫Psst: It doesn’t!)

If you feel boredom is literally stopping you in your tracks, you’re definitely not the only one.

Walking doesn’t have to be just a means of getting from point A to B (or worse, ‘burning calories’), it can be a chance to connect with yourself, lift your mood and spark your imagination.

Here are 6 creative ways to refresh your route & your spirit:

1. The Meditative Walk: Follow Your Breath
Start simply by counting your breaths as you walk. See how high you can get before your mind drifts. Gently bring your attention back to counting when you notice your mind wandering. Can you get to 50? 100?

2. The Gratitude Walk: Send Love on the Go
As you walk, think of people in your life you’re grateful for. Visualize them, send them well wishes or mentally thank them. It’s like dropping little love notes into the wind– and often, this practice makes you feel better too.

3. The Planning Walk: Imagine the Next 24 Hours
Use the time to map out your day. What needs your attention? What are you looking forward to? What’s on the menu? Let your walk double as a gentle check-in with your intentions and you’ll return feeling one step ahead.

4. The Sensory Stroll: Tune Into the World Around You
Engage all your senses one by one. What can you hear– birds, an airplane, traffic? What do you see– sunlight on the sidewalk, a crooked fence, wildflowers? What can you smell– bacon, cut grass, rain on asphalt? What do you feel– the wind in your hair, your feet hitting the pavement, warm sunshine on your neck?

5. The Mind Eavesdrop: Let Your Thoughts Speak
Imagine your thoughts are part of a radio show playing in the background. What are they chatting about today? How are those thoughts shaping your mood or behaviors? Are they even true? (Spoiler: often… not so much.) Just observe. No need to fix anything– just listen in with curiosity.

6. The Bored Walk: Let Boredom Be the Point
Here’s a radical idea: Don’t distract yourself or try to change boredom. Just… feel it. In a world of constant stimulation, letting your mind wander– without music or a screen–can be its own kind of nourishment. What if boredom is your brain’s way of sorting things out and quietly resetting?

 

Whether you’re tuning into your senses, observing your thoughts, or simply embracing the quiet, these tiny mindset tweaks can transform a walk into something that is healing for both your body and soul.

So lace up, step out, and see where your feet–and your mind–take you.

/0 Comments
Sun rising over the ocean. Good morning message: do not let the scale determine how your day goes.

The Scale

,

Sunrise over the ocean with Good Morning! Do not let your scale determine how your day goes.

“Ignore the scale and make the process your goal.”
~ Harley Pasternak

Your weight is the least interesting thing about you!

The number on the scale doesn’t define who you are, yet many people tie it to their self-worth, allowing it to influence their emotions– and ultimately, their eating habits– in an unhealthy way. 

You don’t need a scale to track your progress. Is that number truly what matters? Instead, focus on the shifts in your thoughts, emotions and behaviors and how you speak to yourself and care for yourself. Because what you’re really striving for is a happier, healthier life.

Bring your attention to: How am I taking care of myself? How am I talking to myself? How am I treating myself? These questions reveal far more about your well-being than a number on the scale ever could.

Forget about the scale and measure progress with things like:

✔ Am I more in tune with my hunger and satiety cues?
✔ Am I eating a wider variety of foods?
✔ Am I choosing foods that nourish both my body & my cravings?
✔ Am I eating without guilt?
✔ Am I noticing how different foods affect me?
✔ Am I making more mindful eating decisions?

The scale is not what it’s all about.

If you choose to weigh yourself, do so and continue on with your day. Remember, weight naturally fluctuates and weight loss isn’t a linear path. What matters most is the overall trend, not a data point on a single day. If stepping on the scale brings stress or frustration, give yourself permission to take a break from it.

Don’t let a number hold any power over your happiness or self-esteem.💗

/0 Comments

Printable Grocery List

, , , ,

grocery list ideas, broken down by category

 You wouldn’t believe how often I hear:

“I don’t know what to buy when I go to the grocery store.”

So, here you go: A printable grocery list!

I put together a list of foods by category to provide some IDEAS.

 I also included some quick meal and snack examples using foods from the shopping list.

There are dozens of other meals/snacks you can create by combining items on the list.

list of quick meal ideas

 Stock your pantry, fridge and freezer with as much VARIETY as you can– You’ll have that many more options when it comes to preparing something to eat.

🤔 Do you need to buy everything on the list? No!
👉🏻 It’s meant to give you IDEAS and inspiration. Don’t feel you need to buy things you don’t like.

🤔 Are there things not included on the list that you can buy? Of course!
👉🏻 Shop with the 80/20 rule in mind (same with when you eat), meaning aim for 80% of your foods to be wholesome, nutrient-dense choices and 20% to be fun, pleasurable, foods that you eat just because you truly just love them! 💗

Happy shopping🛒

Print your Grocery List with Meal Ideas HERE

/0 Comments

Hydration: How Much Do You Need?

, ,

Stanley water cup and True Lemon packets.

I always ask my clients what they drink & how much… And sometimes drinking more water goes on their to-do list!

👉 We are about 60% water! 💦

Adequate hydration is essential for:
💦 Transporting nutrients in the body
💦 Lubricating joints
💦 Digesting food
💦 Regulating body temperature
💦 Supporting kidney and bladder health
💦 Eliminating wastes through sweat, urine and bowel movements

🥤 It’s important to be well hydrated, but be careful not to take it too far by forcing yourself to drink excessively. This can dilute your electrolytes and cause central nervous system issues (and even death–although it’s rare).

Fluid recommendations from The National Academy of Sciences for generally healthy adults:
💦 15.5 cups/day for men
💦 11.5 cups/day for women

This includes water from food, which contributes about 20% of daily hydration.

Not taking food into account, our fluid needs are about:
💦 11 cups/day for men
💦 9 cups/day for women.

☕🍵And yes, coffee and tea count!!
(Keep caffeine under 400mg/day)

💧 Dehydration can cause: headaches, lack of energy, constipation, kidney stones and urinary tract infections.

🥵 Any activity or hot weather that causes you to sweat means that you need to drink more fluids to replace what you lose.

🟡 The color of your urine is a good way to check your hydration. It should be a pale yellow. Dark yellow or amber may indicate you need to drink more.

🥰 And lastly, don’t forget the obvious:
Pay attention and listen to your thirst!

💙Drink enough
💙Not too much
💙 Mostly water

Bonus tip:

🍋If you’re prone to kidney stones, try adding True Lemon to your water (or fresh lemon or lime juice).  Lemon and lime juice contain citrate which may help prevent kidney stones. I always have samples here at my office if you’d like to try it.

/0 Comments

Full vs Satisfied

, , , ,

Full vs satisfied emojis

Eating is not just about feeling FULL.

It’s about feeling SATISFIED! 😄

🌟There’s a difference.

Full = a physical sensation.
Your belly could feel full but you may not be satisfied.

Satisfied = a mental sensation.
It’s about feeling GOOD after eating! You feel nourished. You may or may not feel full, but you do feel satisfied and are not feeling like you still need something more.

💫 Shooting for satisfaction means you’re less likely to overeat or be preoccupied with food between meals.

👇Tips for feeling satisfaction after eating:

🍽️ Eat a combo of protein, carbs and fat…
Not necessarily all the time, but it does promote satiety and satisfaction.

🍽️ Ask yourself what would really taste good to you…
Maybe you have a “balanced” meal that would fill you up but to make it more satisfying you decide to add some flavors like goat cheese, salsa, guacamole, fresh herbs or butter.
Or you decide some chocolate or a brownie would really round out the meal. Have it! 😋

🙂 Allowing pleasure with food = Satisfaction = Nourishment =
A healthy relationship with eating!

We need both NUTRIENTS AND PLEASURE with our food choices…
Aim for a combo/balance of BOTH! ⚖️

/0 Comments

I Can Have This. Do I Want This?

, ,

Picture with delicious foods saying Ever notice how the foods you tell yourself you can't have are the same ones you feel you have no control around?

A mindset shift can lead to behavior change.

Acknowledge that you have the freedom to eat anything you want.

(Because… you do.🤷)
✳️ Unless you have an allergy!

Then, practice paying attention (✨mindfulness✨) and notice whether you really desire the food or not.

Once you give yourself full permission, over time, something shifts.

🌟Food loses its power over you.🌟

The mindset of “forbidden” foods can make you crave them more, leading to overeating, feeling out of control and becoming trapped in an unhealthy cycle of restriction and bingeing.

Telling yourself you cannot have it DOES.NOT.WORK. 🙅‍♀️

 

Instead, try these two steps:

 

Step 1: Allow all foods.

There are no good or bad foods. Yes, foods differ in their nutritional value, but any food can have a place in a balanced diet. We need to include foods that bring us vitamin P (pleasure!) and that truly leave us satisfied, along with those that are nutrient-dense. Once you realize that no food is off-limits, habituation eventually sets in and you won’t have such an intense response to those “forbidden” foods anymore.

 

Step 2: Ask yourself these 2 questions: “Do I really want this?” and “What quantity will make me feel good?” 

Pause and check in with yourself, keeping your deepest intentions and values in mind. This self-awareness is crucial and helps you make a mindful decision, avoiding mindless eating. Sometimes you might really want it… and other times you might choose not to have it. But you might want it tomorrow. Once you realize it’s a choice and that you have complete freedom to decide, you’ll find you’re back in control. You’ll notice that you don’t actually want certain foods as often as you thought or you don’t need as much of them as you thought. You will lose the all or nothing mentality and you’ll learn to enjoy an amount that feels good with no guilt.

 

The key is a mindset shift– from restriction to freedom of choice. This can result in lasting, positive behavior change around eating.

It takes time and practice, but this approach can help you regain a healthy relationship with food.

You will get there.💗

/0 Comments

Fiber Facts & Tips (Printable!)

,

A FREE printable handout that I use in my practice to educate clients on:

✅Fiber needs/recommendations

 ✅Health benefits of fiber

✅Soluble VS insoluble fiber

✅Good sources of fiber

✅Tips to boost fiber intake

Handout with fiber needs, fiber benefits and fiber sources.

Fiber handout with fiber sources and tips to boost fiber intake.

Click here to print your free Fiber Facts & Tips

 

/0 Comments

Mindless Eating

, , , ,

sign in fridge that says You're not hungry. You're bored. Shut the door.

😂 It’s not a bad idea.

But you don’t need a sign in your fridge–

Instead, get in the habit of asking yourself if you’re truly hungry every time you wander into the kitchen looking for a distraction.

🤔 Is grabbing something to eat really what you’re looking for?

🤔 Or is it just an urge that you can either sit with or deal with through an alternate action?

🥱 Can you eat when you’re feeling bored? Of course you can!
But make it a mindful, conscious decision that you feel good about.

🔑 The key to stopping any mindless behavior is mindfulness (aka paying attention).

Mindfulness is the opposite of autopilot. It generates self-awareness and autonomy. You always have a choice. Insert a pause right before automatically reaching for food. This pause is what gives you the power to act or not act in response to your thoughts and feelings.

Mindfulness comes up a lot in nutrition counseling.

(Balance too!) 🙂

🥺 Many of my clients struggle with unwanted eating behaviors like grazing between meals when not hungry or eating after dinner out of habit.

There’s nothing necessarily wrong with doing these things…

➡️ But for a lot of people, they don’t feel like they are in control, these habits are getting in the way of their health and/or weight loss goals– And that doesn’t feel good to them.

💫 When it comes to changing eating habits, introducing mindfulness is essential.

It is the first step towards behavior change.

👁️ All mindfulness really means is: PAYING ATTENTION.

Behavior changes can’t happen without this.

You can’t change what you’re not noticing.

⏸️ Pause before automatically reaching for food.

Check in with your body.
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

Am I hungry? 🤔
What am I feeling right now? 🥱
Do I really want to eat this? 🤨
What sounds good to my body right now? 🧐
How much of it do I need to feel the way I want to feel? 🥰
If I’m not hungry, what is it that my body is calling for? 🤯

💫 You’re interrupting a habitual behavior by bringing in awareness and creating an opening for a different response.

The PAUSE is where mindfulness happens. 👀

And mindfulness is how change happens. 🪄

/0 Comments

Should You Brush Your Teeth to Prevent Snacking?

, ,

girl brushing her teeth

Is brushing your teeth after dinner to prevent eating more food later in the evening a good tactic?

It depends…

👍🏻 Yes if you struggle with mindless snacking and eating out of boredom when you truly are not physically hungry and truly do not want to eat at night but can’t seem to break the habit.
✅ Bonus tip: Floss too to really signal the end of eating for the day.

👎🏻 No if you are trying to fight real hunger signals from your body. Maybe you had a light day of eating or your dinner was small. Or hey, maybe you’re just hungry– hunger isn’t always consistent day to day. It’s okay to be hungry later at night and it’s okay to have something to eat if you need it! 💖

Personally, I’m in the habit of brushing my teeth shortly after dinner because I don’t typically get hungry later. BUT– there are days when, for whatever reason, I’m hungry. Rather than lie in bed feeling uncomfortable and unable to sleep, I’ll have a snack. And I’ll feel so much better! (And then I’ll brush my teeth again!)

/0 Comments
Motivational quote: You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.

Feeling Tired?

, ,

Your tiredness could be because of this. ⬆️

Or the obvious– not enough sleep. 💤

👉🏻 But you could also be tired due to ✨NUTRITIONAL✨ reasons like:

💧 Inadequate hydration: Water helps circulate oxygen and nutrients in your body as well as helps in waste removal.

⚡ Not eating enough calories: Calories, by definition, are units of energy.

☀️ Vitamin or mineral deficiencies: Certain ones like iron, B12 or D can cause fatigue.

⌚ Poor meal/snack timing: Going too long without eating can cause a drop in energy.

😢 Eating too low-carb: Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred source of energy. Glucose can be used for immediate energy as well as be stored in the liver and muscles for later use.

🍪 Eating too many highly processed carbs: These can put you on a blood sugar roller coaster. Choose carbs with fiber and eat them with protein.

🥱 Excessive portions: Overeating can temporarily zap your energy as your body needs to put its focus on digesting a large meal.

🍳 Skipping breakfast: A balanced breakfast helps set the tone for the day, providing your body with nutrients and fuel to feel alert and energetic.

 

💗 An RD can look at your meal/snack quality & timing and make suggestions for how to optimize your energy levels…
So that you have the energy to do more of whatever sparks a light in you! 🎇

/0 Comments