Life Update!

Nourished and Free is taking a turn…and this mama is READY FOR IT!

This past year, I have felt it impressed on my heart to not “just” talk about nutrition and food freedom anymore. I felt like I had put myself in a box and was “only” a dietitian and “just the food freedom girl.” As if I was only allowed to talk about these things…and eventually, I became burnt out and uninspired. I wanted to share about so much more and I started coaching my 1:1 clients on their mindset, habits, routines, and how they showed up in all areas of life…and guess what…they benefited tremendously through not just learning how to nourish their bodies, but on nourishing their entire BEING as well! 

So I decided to take a step back, and through prayer, talking things out, and seeking clarity, I’ve come to a place where I am ready to pivot my coaching and my message to a whole new level. 

Because nourishing ourselves isn’t just about nourishing our body through food. It’s about nourishing our ENTIRE selves so we can gain more freedom in all areas of our life: 

• Freedom with our time

• Freedom as we reach goals

• Freedom in our motherhood

• Freedom in our health

• Freedom from self-doubt and insecurities

• Freedom from overwhelm and burnout

• Freedom to experience the fullness of life

Which is why I am making small shifts in my coaching program that I canNOT wait to fully put out into the world (after our baby boy is born of course)! Don’t worry, the food content isn’t disappearing, because HI it’s me, but I am also giving myself the permission to coach on nourishing our minds, our souls, our habits, our routines, and our entire SELVES so that we can show up better for our lives and for what truly matters!

I am outlining what this is going to look like as far as my 1:1 coaching program goes for 2022, but for now, I am continuing to offer my one time strategy calls for those who want to enter 2022 on the right foot and start focusing on the habits and routines that will actually help them achieve intentional and life giving goals next year! This one time call will empower you to focus on areas of your life that feel clunky, shed the clutter, and gain perspective and clarity as we enter the new year! 

You can purchase a strategy call HERE, and I can’t wait to share more with you all what true nourishment can really mean for your entire SELF so that you can live in the freedom you were created for!

Coping by Complaining: is it helping or hurting you?

I’ve been so much more aware of my thoughts lately, and I’ve realized how much complaining can become just like another unhealthy coping mechanism we turn to in times of stress. Complaining tends to build, heighten, and make everything seem a thousand times worse. Complaining can be fueled by emotions and feelings, which then lead to the thoughts and behaviors that we often don’t like (ie. tuning out our kids or responsibilities, zoning out of the present, and not being kind to those around us). 

I’ve personally felt convicted of my grumbling lately. Muttering under my breath as I clean up messes, put socks in the hamper, and clean out yet another uneaten meal from my girls’ plates. I make comments about why I even clean since things get messy again, and why no one helps me around the house when I need it. But I’ve realized a LOT lately about the constant script going on in my head, and I’ve questioned whether it’s life giving to my family, or if it’s adding to the tension and stress of the home. And I’ll give you a hint, the answer is not the life-giving one! Lol

Now don’t get me wrong, there is a time and space for venting, and also making your needs and preferences known to your family. But I’ve also been asking myself how I’ll feel about the way that I am approaching motherhood and these early years in the next 10 years. Am I going to have a full heart that I spent so much time invested and active with my girls, teaching them and nurturing them? Or am I going to regret that most of the time I was negative and complaining and approaching motherhood as a chore instead of as the gift it is. And for me personally, as someone who used to write “mama” on any paper in elementary school that asked what I wanted to be when I grew up...I definitely want to look back on these years with a full and grateful heart. 

Of course we all have regrets, hard days, and hot mess mom moments, and we all are learning on this journey, but my intention lately has been to approach each day with a gentle and gracious heart towards my family. To speak to them the way I would want to be spoken to, to be aware of my thoughts and pray they are fixed on the good, and to communicate in a loving way instead of in a nagging or grumbling manner. 

So what are some healthier ways to cope with the exhaustion and overwhelm that are a natural part of being a mom? For me, things like my morning routine, having phone-free time, outdoor walks, and engaging with my girls versus disengaging have been MUCH more productive and life-giving ways to handle the stress of this season. As much as we may all want to disengage, polish off all their snacks during naptime, and tune out life, most of the time the opposite is what helps us feel better and equips us to approach each day with a strengthened soul. 

So to that exhausted mama out there, I see you, I feel you, and I encourage you to simply start changing that internal dialogue and watch how it will change your behaviors and attitudes, too! 

How to STOP craving carbs!

I get this question quite often as a registered dietitian, so if you’ve wondered it yourself know you aren’t alone. So many people want to stop craving high carb foods as they are often hard to control ourselves around and also seen as “taboo.” But my answer may surprise you, because the best way to stop craving carbs is to EAT THEM!

It’s so healthy for us, physically and mentally, to learn how to eat these foods in a way that helps our bodies feel good. When we label a food as “bad,” we end up focusing and obsessing about that food even more, and then create an unhealthy relationship with carbs, eating them in secret or over eating them to the point of feeling sick. ⁣

⁣The best thing I did for my physical and mental health was eating carbs in a way that makes me feel good, in a satisfying and balanced way!

For example: I LOVE pasta, but I’ve learned that just pasta alone leaves me uncomfortably full yet somehow wanting more all at once. So now I mix in all the veggies (like sautéed kale, spinach, broccoli, or peppers) and always add protein (ground beef, meatballs, or grilled chicken) to balance out my blood sugar and make sure my meal fuels me up. ⁣⁣

I don’t eat pasta this way because it’s “bad,” but because I want my meals to satisfy and sustain me and to feel my best after my meal! ⁣

These are some of the strategies that I use on myself, as well as with my 1:1 clients! Because sometimes, just a few nutrition tweaks are all you need to start feeling energized and confident about the food you are putting in your body!

Journal Prompts to try!

“Thoughts disentangle themselves when they pass through your fingertips.” -Dawson Trotman 

I wasn’t always into journaling, and for a while I actually avoided it because I didn’t want to know what was actually in my head. But over the years, I’ve embraced journaling as something that helps me disentangle the mess that is sometimes my mind.

We can think so many things and believe so many lies that are often not true. But journaling can be such a powerful way to unlock truths, which is why I encourage my 1:1 clients to do it and why I also included 14 journal prompts in the Nourished and Free kickstart guide! Journaling and mindset work is what sets my coaching method apart from others, because I don’t just want to change the food you eat but also empower you to transform your mind and the way you approach your thoughts and life! It’s allllll connected! 

So if you struggle with journaling or wonder what’s going on in that head of yours; here are 3 journal prompts to kickstart your week. Give yourself time and space to process, because this can be such a growing experience when it becomes a part of your life! Our mindset is often the biggest thing that holds us back, so this can be a great step towards a more empowered thought-life! 

You are not the problem, your diet is

You know you've thought it...

You'll just try again Monday...
⁣
Or wait till the first of the month.. ⁣
Or after this busy season. ⁣
Or after that vacation. ⁣
Or after the stress of 2020 is over. ⁣
⁣
I see you. I AM you. My natural instinct has always been to say, well, it’s Friday, might as well start over Monday. Well, I have a vacation coming up, might as well just keep stress eating until then. Well, my life is crazy right now and I am SO busy, I need things to calm down before I take care of myself. ⁣

But friend, YOU ARE NOT THE PROBLEM. YOUR DIET IS.
⁣
I finally stopped having to overhaul my life for my health, because I made a vow to never diet again. That was why I was always having to start over Monday, because it was a diet I was following, and not something I could sustain long-term. When you are truly changing your habits and routines to support the lifestyle you want, you'll never have to start over because you won't be on a diet! It's beautiful to realize you'll never fall off track because it's YOUR lifestyle, not a diet you are trying so hard to follow but having to constantly start over with. 

So bring on the busy season and the stress, because once you truly develop the nourished and free method for YOURSELF, you will never have to wait for Monday magic to hit you again!

If you've been waiting and wondering and contemplating investing in yourself and your health, I'm going to hard sell you right now because I believe in the work I do with Nourished + Free SO MUCH. I believe every woman that has ever relied on a diet or a restrictive eating plan, or has ever felt like a "failure with their health," needs the nourished and free strategy and mindset shifts. My coaching is unlike anything else you've tried because I not only provide you with tactics, tools, and accountability, I empower YOU to make the changes you need to take ownership of your health, so you never have to rely on an external diet again! You'll finally let go of your excuses and inconsistency, because your lifestyle will PROMOTE consistency and empower you to build healthy habits that stick. 

I believe in my method so much because it has changed MY life and the life of the women I am blessed to work with. And I KNOW it can help you, too! 

Apply HERE for my 1:1 coaching, and I can’t wait to watch you transform!

Restrictions vs. Boundaries and why the difference is everything!

Freedom can be found in healthy boundaries, not unnecessary restriction.⁣ ⁣⁣

There is an important distinction between the two and I think this is where we can get into an unhealthy mindset when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

Restriction says “I can’t.” It is very disempowering. Thoughts like “I can’t have sugar or “I can’t have sweets” take the power away from you. A lot of times, when we start a new health journey, we will say statements like this, take the power away from us, feel restricted, and then overeat. Sound familiar?⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

Boundaries are in YOUR control. You get to CHOOSE what you say yes to and what you say no to. You “can” eat whatever you want! You are an adult and can make those choices. But boundaries give you a framework to function in. And YOU get to choose. Boundaries say “I decide and am confident in my decision. I am choosing not to eat the fries. I am choosing to just have one cookie then stop.”⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ No restriction or deprivation.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

If you are feeling restricted on your health journey, first of all, there is another way, and secondly, start changing your language and your thoughts around your choices. Empowering thoughts lead to empowering actions and ultimately a life of freedom!⁣

Life Update: quarantine, mom-life, Easter, and more

Hello friends! I haven’t written in this space in a while, and this morning I woke up and thought, hey, I feel like blogging today! So here we are! We are living in some strange times now during this global pandemic. Most of us are home and social distancing, and some of us like myself are still headed to work and trying to stay safe. Wherever you find yourself during this time, know that your hard is just as valid as someone else's hard. These times are tough, but they are temporary and we will get through this!

I’ve been living in the balance of staying home taking care of kiddos and going to work. As most of you know, I work in a dialysis unit and have been screening patients as they walk in for Covid 19 symptoms, as well as keeping up with my dietitian tasks and job duties as well. To say we’ve been stressed and overwhelmed at work is an understatement, but literally by the grace and strength of God, I collapse into bed at the end of each day and thank God we made it through another day.

Emma has had a rough time adjusting to no school. She always talks about her friends and teachers and has given up naps on most days. She ends up cuddling with me in bed which is probably rewarding her for not napping, but at this point I don’t care. I am trying to enjoy this 1:1 time with her while Lily naps, even though I KNOW that I need the rest too. I think I need them to nap more than they need to nap! Any other mamas relate?

We had a weird but lovely Easter at home, but we really missed our church services and events during Holy Week. It is literally my favorite time of year (other than Christmas, but Easter just feels DIFFERENT and way more emotional) and I was bummed to not see our friends and family. But we dressed the girls up in their matching dresses and attempted a photo shoot, and it was still fun!

I’ve also realized how much slower I need to live. I don’t know if it’s just this season that is providing us with more time to contemplate, but God has been giving me so much clarity about things. I have pivoted a bit and allowed myself grace AND hustle, rest AND productivity, and I’ve realized that there is room for both. I can trust myself to know when to push through and when to slow down. It’s all about living from a place of compassion and grace instead of force and guilt and shame. And it’s a much healthier place to live in! It’s really what my Nourished and Free business has always been about: learning how to nourish ourselves body, mind, and soul but in complete freedom. In a way that gives us life instead of taking it away. And how funny that nourishment means more than just the food we eat; it’s how we holistically care for ourselves.

And these realizations are what guided me start offering one time strategy calls during this season; to help women get some clarity on their overall wellness and if they are truly living the “healthy lifestyle” they desire. These 45 minute strategy calls are for the women who want some clarity with their well being and lifestyle, but cannot invest in my higher level 1:1 coaching during this time. These one time calls will give you the opportunity to ask questions, talk about some changes you’d like to make, and together we can discuss ways to get you where you want to go. If you are feeling stuck in your health and just need some direction and clarity, these calls are for you! Sign up through the button below and we can set up a time to meet together and hopefully give you the confidence and strength to prioritize yourself during this crazy time.

Tell me…would you like to see more blog posts, life updates, recipes, and content on here? Comment below and share with me what you’d like to see more of, and maybe i’ll resurrect this blog space :) and as always, for more daily updates, follow along on my IG account: @tveenverano.RD

Love to you all and stay safe!

Would my future self be proud?

My ONE mindset hack that helped me stop stress eating: ⁣
⁣
...I started asking myself what would make my future self proud. ⁣
⁣
I stopped living in the moment and just reacting to life and its stressors. Instead, when the stress and desire to overeat hit, I would PAUSE and ask myself: ⁣
⁣
“Would my future self be proud? Would the Tveen that woke up tomorrow morning be proud that I ate an entire package of Oreos?”⁣
⁣
NOPE. She wouldn’t. And just focusing on my future self helped snap me back to reality, feel my feelings without numbing them, and be able to course correct from there.⁣
⁣
If you haven’t tried this yet, I highly recommend you pause and start asking yourself these powerful questions! Grab a pen and paper and journal the following questions:

1. How would the ideal version of me live from the time I woke up to the time I sleep? What would she do? How would she treat herself and others?

2. What would make my future self proud? What can I do today that would make the ME tomorrow proud?

3. What habits can I add to my life to get one step closer to my ideal self?

4. What are some obstacles I may face and how can I overcome them?

5. What am I already doing now that I am proud of?

⁣I hope these questions help you start thinking less about the moment and more about the FUTURE you want for yourself and your life!

My Mega Monday Meal Prep!

In under 90 minutes, I prepared healthy and nourishing meal options for my family this week. Yes it took some time and planning, but meal planning and prepping have been essential to our sanity as a busy family!

⁣During Lily’s morning nap, I speed cooked and prepared so much for our week!

Here’s what we have on the menu this week: ⁣ ⁣

• GF pancakes⁣

• Homemade Granola ⁣

• Cauliflower rice ⁣

• Roasted vegetables ⁣

• Zucchini stew ⁣

• Turkey taco meat (prepped yesterday)

• Chicken verde (prepped over the weekend) ⁣ ⁣

Meal prep doesn’t have to take an entire day. Just carve out 1-2 hours/week to prepare as much as you can and front load your week in regards to cooking. That way the rest of your week will go smoothly and you’ll have less to do and clean up during your busy week! ⁣ ⁣This has saved my life as a busy working mom of two, and I’m sure it will help you as well!⁣

How to STOP binge eating

Binge eating is something that more people struggle with than we think! I have personally struggled for years and have become more vocal about it lately because I truly don’t want ANYONE to feel alone in this struggle. It is something that can be hard to overcome, and the journey is up and down, but here are some steps I took to stop binge eating. They are steps I work on with my clients as well as helping them find their sweet spot of living a nourished life and enjoying food freedom all at once!

1. I started EATING MORE. Yep. I started eating MORE food. I ate more nourishing, real, whole foods and felt energized and satisfied daily. A big trigger for binge eating is hunger and deprivation. So I stopped letting myself go hungry or depriving myself of food. I ensured that each and every meal and snack had staying power and filled up my body.

2. I stopped feeling guilty. Another big trigger for binge eating, even more than hunger, is GUILT. If I did have a cookie or two, I refused to feel guilty and I moved on. If I let guilt set in, that would inevitably get me to feel like a failure. I’d convince myself that I already messed up so why not keep eating more? Stopping the guilt it its tracks stopped the possible binge. And that was the most freeing thing of all!

3. I stopped the excuses. I stopped telling myself that I deserved to binge on pizza because of a rough day. Because guess what? I don’t deserve large amounts of junk entering my body. I don’t deserve the food coma and nausea. I don’t deserve feeling sluggish when my babies want to play. I deserve energy, joy, and presence with those around me. I stopped excusing my behavior because of emotions or a bad day. I started giving myself what I TRULY deserved: health, joy, and energy for life. 

These steps take work and practice. They take TIME and grace. They take a lot of hit or miss food experiences that will ultimately get you to your place of living nourished and free. Nourished and Free is a method that teaches you how to truly nourish your body with real, whole foods, and also treat yourself and live in food freedom. It teaches you how to say YES and how to say NO to certain foods. And ultimately, it gives you the confidence to live as the healthy version of yourself that you are craving.

And bonus? As a mom to two girls, I want to teach them that their bodies are incredible. I want to teach them how to honor themselves and honor God through how they care for themselves. And I want them to trust themselves and have the confidence I desperately lacked when in the depths of binge eating. Being a mom is tough, but their little eyes are watching, and I want to be a present mommy instead of one who numbs out her stress with food.

These simple steps transformed my mind, body, and life, and I hope they do the same for you! Comment below if you are going to implement any of these steps and any other questions you may have! I love hearing from you all! And if you want to take your health a step further and work with me 1:1 to reach your goals for your health and mindset, fill out this application and I will get back to you to see if my mentorship is a good fit for us!