#positivenutrition

Whether You Know it or Not, You're Likely Making this Mistake with Food

Paige Smathers

Oct 28, 2019

Whether You Know it or Not, You're Likely Making this Mistake with Food

Whether we know it or not, most of us are operating on this premise with food: If I'm just mean enough to myself this time, maybe I'll finally be healthy! A big no to that one, friends! First of all, it's completely understandable why we might initially approach food this way. We are steeped in a culture that sends us this message on a regular basis. The way most of our friends and family talk about food and bodies is along the lines of manipulation, restriction, guilt, being

Paige Smathers

Aug 19, 2019

Does this Ever Get Easier?

"Whoa, this sounds like a lot of work! You're really saying you watch your thoughts and practice mindfulness, self-compassion with your food choices? That seems like it would take a lot of time! Will it ever get easier?" If I had a nickel for every time I was asked that question... Look, I get it. Diets have made us believe that we should have instant 'results'. Diets have brainwashed us into thinking that if it isn't easy, we need to move on to the next quick fix empty promi

The Ingredient Most People are Missing in Their Approach to Food

Paige Smathers

Jul 22, 2019

The Ingredient Most People are Missing in Their Approach to Food

Self-compassion is the foundation of the work I do with nutrition. It might sound strange coming from a registered dietitian, but it's absolutely critical to develop self-compassion as you begin (or continue) to work on your nutrition. Otherwise, you run the risk of your nutrition changes playing out like every other diet has in the past: leaving you feeling guilty, defeated, and frustrated. Whether it's subconscious or not, most of us are operating on this basic premise with

Paige Smathers

Jul 15, 2019

153: Hitting Diet Rock Bottom

We're all familiar with what the term 'rock bottom' means—but, what does that look like with food and body image? Jennifer McGurk, RDN, CDN, CDE, CEDRD-S joins Paige on the podcast to explore rock bottom with diets and body image concerns and provides practical tips for working through it and moving toward a more healthy, positive and sustainable approach to food. If you've ever wondered how to handle the day after a binge or what to do about the scale, or what it really mean

152: What Does it Look Like When Things are Going Well with Nutrition and Body Image?

Paige Smathers

Jun 24, 2019

152: What Does it Look Like When Things are Going Well with Nutrition and Body Image?

This podcast outlines ways to identify when things are going well with your relationship with food. It's understandable that we spend significant amounts of time talking about where things go wrong and what to do about it, but I think it's also useful to look at food, nutrition, and body image from the perspective of what's going right. In other words, how can we see progress? What are the skills, habits, and behaviors of those who are in a positive, happy place with food? I

151: The Distinction Between Mindfulness and Intuitive Eating

Paige Smathers

Jun 10, 2019

151: The Distinction Between Mindfulness and Intuitive Eating

This week on the podcast, I'm sharing an episode where I was a guest discussing mindfulness, intuitive eating, self-compassion and more: some of my all-time favorite concepts! We discuss how mindfulness fits into intuitive eating and vice versa. If you've ever wondered what "mindful eating" actually means, this one is for you! Links mentioned: Rachel Goodman's new podcast: The Kosher Intuitive Eater June's webinar: The Positive Nutrition® Approach to Meal Planning Subscribe t

Paige Smathers

Apr 23, 2019

Anti-Inflammation Hack: Love Yourself

With all the health gurus and influencers promoting hacks for anti-inflammation, this part of the story is really important because nuance matters. The next time you come across an influencer du jour promoting the latest food trend touting it's anti-inflammatory capabilities, put your critical thinking cap on. One 2018 study found that body dissatisfaction may play a role in the development of chronic disease and may lead to increased levels of circulating inflammatory biomar

8 Surprising Facts I Learned about Nutrition while Getting my PhD in Nutritional Sciences

Paige Smathers

Mar 25, 2019

8 Surprising Facts I Learned about Nutrition while Getting my PhD in Nutritional Sciences

They say the more you know, the more you realize you don’t know and that is 100% true in my experience as someone who has spent the better part of a decade knee-deep in the science of nutrition. My views about nutrition and the scientific world in general have changed pretty dramatically over that time. Because I know the topic of nutrition is fascinating to many people in the general public, I thought it might be fun for me to share some of the most surprising realizations

Paige Smathers

Mar 11, 2019

Tips for Parents with Picky Eaters

I wrote this blog post back in 2014 and am re-posting it with some edits for parents with picky eaters. I was shopping in Costco the other day and the Vitamix man was in the middle of whipping up a green smoothie, giving his whole pitch for paying $700 for a blender. I, along with about 20 other eager weekday shoppers, waited patiently through his speech to get a taste. As my almost two-year-old daughter and I walked away from the display table headed for the cereal aisle, ea

Struggling to Call A Truce with Food? Try This.

Paige Smathers

Feb 11, 2019

Struggling to Call A Truce with Food? Try This.

“I don’t trust myself around that food.” If this is something you find yourself saying regularly or if you’ve ever even had that thought, read on. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this sentiment or something similar in my office sitting across from someone feeling deep shame and guilt about admitting to their struggles with food. My message is that there is hope! To people who feel their struggles with food are so deep and ingrained that there’s no chance for food p

Paige Smathers

Jan 28, 2019

It Doesn't Really Matter What You Eat

It doesn't really matter what you eat. Does that sound crazy? It probably does, and it probably sounds even stranger coming from a registered dietitian. I care about healthy eating. I care about providing nourishing foods to my family and myself. I care about working with others to make improvements with their nutrition. This is a huge part of my life so of course it's important to me! But, you can have too much of a good thing. You can die from drinking too much water, and y

141: When Intuitive Eating Is Your Native Language

Paige Smathers

Jan 21, 2019

141: When Intuitive Eating Is Your Native Language

Diana K. Rice, RD, LD, is known as The Baby Steps Dietitian and is the founder of Diana K. Rice Nutrition, LLC, where she works with families to eat well and reduce the stress surrounding their food choices. She specializes in pre- and postnatal nutrition as well as feeding young children and is a strong advocate for cooking with kids, family meals, and body positivity. Diana joined me on the podcast to discuss the idea of what it's like to have Intuitive Eating as your nativ

Paige Smathers

Jan 7, 2019

140: The Magical Power of Saying No

I've missed all of you while I took a two month break from podcasting!! Happy New Year and welcome to 2019. This podcast episode is all about what I've been up to over the last two months including an experience I had where I said no to a HUGE career opportunity. The no was actually the best thing I could have ever done and I tell you why in this episode. Links mentioned: Subscribe to keep in touch Positive Nutrition for Life: Heal Your Relationship with Food online course Po

139: Your Holiday Food & Body Image Survival Guide

Paige Smathers

Oct 31, 2018

139: Your Holiday Food & Body Image Survival Guide

Molly Bahr, LMHC is a licensed mental health counselor currently stationed for a year in Haiti. She has a private practice primarily focused on individual therapy for eating disorders, disordered eating, anxiety, depression, and trauma working from a Health At Every Size lens. In addition to the private practice, she also worked at a clinic specializing in care for transgender individuals in Honolulu, Hawaii over the last 3 years. Prior to that she worked on an inpatient ea

Paige Smathers

Oct 31, 2018

How to Spot a Fad Diet

Diets have evolved through the years. A decade or so ago, you could spot a diet from a mile away with blatant statements of restriction, deprivation, extreme weight loss, and unabashed fad-ish behaviors. These days, it's trickier to detect dieting messages because diets are going out of style. It's not trendy anymore to say outright that you're following a diet or that your plan you're promoting is a diet, so the language is more along the lines of "lifestyle change" and lang

Paige Smathers

Oct 17, 2018

Our Bodies Like Averages

It's easy to get caught up in perfection with nutrition. We are constantly bombarded with messages making it seem like it's necessary to consume specific amount of calories, grams of fat, protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, servings of fruits and vegetables, and on and on. This information is typically put out there with good intentions to help us live the healthiest lives we can, but for some people, these recommendations can trigger disordered eating or even full-blown eati

How to Navigate Nutrition Research with Confidence

Paige Smathers

Oct 1, 2018

How to Navigate Nutrition Research with Confidence

It is extremely tricky to be a consumer in today’s world with so much media influence. There is so much pressure and conflicting messages about health and nutrition. It used to just be newspapers, magazines and the occasional TV news coverage of a nutrition headline. Now, every other person on social media proclaims they have the answers and secrets to health. And because of that, media and research literacy is more important than ever. If you’ve ever felt confused about nutr

Perfectionism [with food] Is A Shapeshifter

Paige Smathers

Sep 26, 2018

Perfectionism [with food] Is A Shapeshifter

I talk a lot about intuitive eating, positive nutrition, trusting your body and learning to be at peace with food in the work I do as a registered dietitian. Because I specialize in disordered eating and chronic dieting, much of my work revolves around helping my clients recognize perfectionistic, rigid and all-or-nothing thinking with food, eating and nutrition. Letting go of perfection with food is critical because perfect eating doesn't really exist. And, perfect eating is

Paige Smathers

Sep 17, 2018

What is Normal Eating?

Everyone seems to have an opinion about what you should be eating, how you should eat it, and when. The lure of diets can be intoxicating—promising quick, easy, and drastic results. Everywhere you turn, there’s a new blog post, article, research study, or casual conversation with a friend that revolves around weight and food. The intention of many of these articles and conversations is good—many people have made it their life’s goal to help educate and inspire people to make

Paige Smathers

Sep 10, 2018

10 Reasons Diets Don't Work

My official title is dietitian but promoting diets simply isn't my jam. To make sure we are all on the same page when I use the word dieting, let me define exactly what I mean by the word. When I say diet, I am referring to the restrictive way a person eats when they are trying to lose weight. In our culture, being on a diet is glorified. We see people who are restricting their eating as somehow above everyone else and praise them for their discipline, their restraint and the