When it comes to healthy eating, we all have questions to ask a dietitian—conflicting information is everywhere. Our Registered Dietitian answers some common questions about diet and nutrition.
Questions to Ask a Dietitian
Q: Is vegetarian (or keto, or…) the best way to eat?
A: There’s not one best way to eat. We are all unique, and some individuals may have various medical conditions that play a role in the way we fuel our bodies and the food choices we make. The best plan for you is that one that meets your medical and nutritional needs. And one that is enjoyable, accessible, and something you are able to stick with for the long term. By meeting with a registered dietitian, they can help you navigate and understand the best possible plan for you.
Q: How many glasses of water should I consume daily?
A: Staying hydrated is very important for many reasons related to our bodily functions, such as maintaining a normal body temperature and removing waste through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements. So it is essential to make sure we are consuming enough water throughout the day. Consider your thirst sensation as being the best indicator that you need to drink. Make sure to keep beverages visible so you remember to take a sip throughout the day. Although there is not a static number of ounces for everyone, aim to consume water with each meal and snack.
Q: Is food labeled “organic” more nutritious?
A: There are a plethora of marketing claims on products all throughout the grocery stores and markets. When a product or food is labeled as “organic”, this is referring to the method of farming, not the nutritional value of the product. An organic logo does not reflect the nutritional contents of the food, such as calories, fat, salt, or sugar. Nutritious foods, whether conventionally or organically grown, are those that provide a good source of fiber, protein, and are low in salt and saturated fat.
Q: Should I avoid fruit because it has too much sugar?
A: The number one source of added sugar for Americans in their diet is from sweetened beverages, such as soda and energy drinks. Fruit provides about 1% of the added sugars individuals consume. Of note, health advice to limit “added sugar” does not apply to the natural sugar in fruit. Even if Americans consumed the recommended daily amount of 1-2 cups per day, it wouldn’t come close to the volume of sugar from ultra-processed foods and beverages. Bottomline, keep enjoying fruit, especially those with skins and seeds, as these are great sources of fiber.
Written by: Registered Dietitian Kali Alrutz
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To get started with 1 on 1 Nutrition Counseling with our Registered Dietitian, call us at 412-322-2129 or fill out the form below.
What is an Anti-Diet Dietitian
First let’s talk about what being a dietitian is before what address what being an anti diet dietitian is…. A Registered Dietitian is a food and nutrition expert that has undergone rigorous education. This includes a bachelors or masters degree in an accredited program, about one year of supervised practice, and completion of the national examination. A nutritionist is not a protected title so training varies and is not regulated. Dietitians work to help create a healthy relationship between food, body, and mind. This type of work includes promoting long lasting lifestyle behaviors over the latest fad diet.
Being anti-diet means avoiding diet recommendations purely for weight loss and instead focusing on creating healthy habits such as eating more vegetables, increasing fiber, and balancing meals. Diet culture dictates that you cannot be healthy if you are in a larger body and that size can determine health. The anti-diet approach is inclusive of all body sizes and uses intuitive eating to help create a healthy relationship with food. It means no fad diets, calorie counting, or cleanses. Instead the focus is on wellness over weight loss by utilizing health promoting behaviors. Research shows that diets do not work long term to keep the weight off and can cause more harm than good, as dieting can often be a predictor for disordered eating. Feeling like you “failed” when you “cheat” on your diet is poor for your mental health. Physically, yo-yo dieting can be more harmful that being categorized as overweight or obese.
It’s important to create health habits that are sustainable and are geared towards health not weight loss. Bodies come in all shapes and sizes and the goal should be for wellness. Weight should not be a focus for medical treatment or viewed as a modifiable behavior. When one modifies behaviors towards a more wellness focused approach, weight loss may occur but should not be the primary concern.
Working with an anti-diet dietitian means you won’t be judged by your weight or expected to diet. Client and dietitian will work together to cultivate a personalized plan with realistic goals. The focus will be engaging in specific behavioral changes with measurable goals. These goals will be in pursuit of improving wellness and preventing disease.
In good health and wellness,
Jessica DeGore RD LDN CDE CHWC
To book an appointment with Jessica in our Wexford or Pittsburgh Counseling Centers please call us at 412-322-2129
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Nutrition and Health Tips Having a Healthy Holiday
Holiday Nutrition and Health Tips
Having a Healthy Holiday
The holidays are here and along with them we have tremendous potential for time with loved ones, a flurry of new and exciting opportunities to celebrate. Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Years blessings do not end with togetherness. Eating and breaking that celebrated bread are one of the most fundamental ways that we have come together to enjoy the wintry reprieve, in fact when asking many people what the most memorable part of a holiday is, they often rely upon descriptions of tastes and time honored recipes prepared by loved ones. With all of this focus upon food it is no wonder that according to Deborah Balfantz, PhD, a renowned Stanford University researcher, the average person gains at least one pound over the holidays. While the one pound does not necessarily wreck your waistline or over all health, it can cause potential problems if this pound is gained every year without ever coming off. With much to lose, let us examine ways to forgo the potential pitfalls of all of this holiday joy.
Portion Control
Controlling your portion size is one of the most underutilized means to both enjoy some of those delicious holiday treats while not over indulging. Typically a serving size is much smaller than we imagine and a heaping plate of nutrient dense foods is full of more calories than we may need in a day. When it comes to desserts and cookies, there may not even be a recommended serving size but that does not mean that we shouldn’t indulge, a little bit happens to go a long way.
Practice Mindfulness
In addition to portion control, we should all make a habit of slowing down when we are enjoying seasonal delicacies. This means being very aware of each bite that you take, to chew it slowly and completely. Chewing and eating can become a form of meditation when we cherish and focus upon it. In fact, mindful eating can be a very valuable tool to enhance our experience with food. Take the time to smell it, to consider the texture, the taste, and experience of each single bite.
Create Opportunities For Fitness in Your Down Time
Being fit and maintaining health do not happen as an exclusive result of going to the gym, we can be fit by creating exercise within our own home and daily routine. During the holidays, all of the parents recognize that they have more time with the kids who are off from school, use this as an opportunity to share in physical play, lots of tag and hide and seek will help. If you have lots of house hold chores, you can easily make fitness repetitions out of them, standing in the kitchen baking some bread, bring awareness and strength to rolling out those cookies, or why not do some squats as you shuffle dishes in and out of the oven.
Most of these recommendations do not end for the holidays but are great ways to stay well all through out the year.
In health and wellness,
Counseling and Wellness Center of Pittsburgh
*This article does not take the place of medical advice, if you have a medical condition or diagnosis, before making any changes to your diet, you should consult your physician or Nutritionist.
Further Reading
Deborah Balfanz, PhD, 2018, Stanford University Blog ‘How to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain.’
Learn MoreNutrition and Health Tips Having a Healthy Holiday
Holiday-Nutrition and Health Tips
Having a Healthy Holiday
The holidays are here and along with them we have tremendous potential for time with loved ones, a flurry of new and exciting opportunities to celebrate. Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Years blessings do not end with togetherness. Eating and breaking that celebrated bread are one of the most fundamental ways that we have come together to enjoy the wintry reprieve, in fact when asking many people what the most memorable part of a holiday is, they often rely upon descriptions of tastes and time honored recipes prepared by loved ones. With all of this focus upon food it is no wonder that according to Stanford University researcher, the average person gains at least one pound over the holidays. While the one pound does not necessarily wreck your waistline or over all health, it can cause potential problems if this pound is gained every year without ever coming off. With much to lose, let us examine ways to forgo the potential pitfalls of all of this holiday joy.
Portion Control
Controlling your portion size is one of the most underutilized means to both enjoy some of those delicious holiday treats while not over indulging. Typically a serving size is much smaller than we imagine and a heaping plate of nutrient dense foods is full of more calories than we may need in a day. When it comes to desserts and cookies, there may not even be a recommended serving size but that does not mean that we shouldn’t indulge, a little bit happens to go a long way.
Practice Mindfulness
In addition to portion control, we should all make a habit of slowing down when we are enjoying seasonal delicacies. This means being very aware of each bite that you take, to chew it slowly and completely. Chewing and eating can become a form of meditation when we cherish and focus upon it. In fact, mindful eating can be a very valuable tool to enhance our experience with food. Take the time to smell it, to consider the texture, the taste, and experience of each single bite.
Create Opportunities For Fitness in Your Down Time
Being fit and maintaining health do not happen as an exclusive result of going to the gym, we can be fit by creating exercise within our own home and daily routine. During the holidays, all of the parents recognize that they have more time with the kids who are off from school, use this as an opportunity to share in physical play, lots of tag and hide and seek will help. If you have lots of house hold chores, you can easily make fitness repetitions out of them, standing in the kitchen baking some bread, bring awareness and strength to rolling out those cookies, or why not do some squats as you shuffle dishes in and out of the oven.
Most of these recommendations do not end for the holidays but are great ways to stay well all through out the year.
In health and wellness,
Counseling and Wellness Center of Pittsburgh
*This article does not take the place of medical advice, if you have a medical condition or diagnosis, before making any changes to your diet, you should consult your physician or Nutritionist.
Further Reading
Deborah Balfanz, PhD, 2018, Stanford University Blog ‘How to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain.’
Learn More