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Most of us probably grew up as kids with what I would consider a “joy-based approach to eating.” What I mean by this is that most of our food decisions were made with little to no thought, were primarily chosen based on what would satisfy us, and despite all of this our nutritional needs were largely if not fully met. If you were like me when you were younger, you didn’t know in detail what protein, fat, and carbohydrate are, you didn’t feel bad for eating “too much ice cream,” and you probably ate 3 relatively balanced meals and at least 2-3 snacks each day. How did eating, something so fundamental to sustaining human life, become so complicated for so many of us as we got older? And are we any better off for it?

The opposite of a joy-based approach to eating is what I would consider a fear-based approach to eating. A fear-based approach to eating is one that is rooted in guilt, fear, and shame, and leads to obsession and chaos. Unfortunately, this is what many of us develop in varying degrees as teenagers or adults. Living in a culture in which we are constantly inundated with messages about what is beautiful (i.e., one body size – very thin), what and what not to eat, and what new diet or exercise regimen to try can leave many of us feeling confused and obsessive when it comes to food and nutrition. We may start to become very black and white about food, labeling some foods “safe” or “healthy,” and other foods “off-limits” or “bad.” We may develop rigid food rules and shame ourselves when we break them. To pay the penance for our “mistakes” with eating, we may resort to dieting, shaming ourselves, obsessively exercising, or other unhealthy measures to remove the guilt we feel and the fear of gaining weight. I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that the way some of us interact with food is like a religion – I can say that because I have been there! Rigid rules, efforts to remove guilt and essentially internally cleanse oneself, and the reality that it is never enough no matter our best efforts. If any of this resonates with you, know that you are not alone.

While I could go on about what it is like to live in a fear-based approach to food, I will save that for another time. Today I want to focus more on two facets of a joy-based approach to eating:

  1. Why is it important to have a joy-based approach to eating? 
  2. How can one rediscover a joy-based approach to eating? 

Let’s look at these questions one at a time.

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Happy Wednesday! I hope you are having a nice week so far! I am enjoying the slightly cooler temps here in Michigan as well as having less rain! It has been quite the humid, rainy, and either too hot or too cold summer. This week has been a busy week with a rotation I am doing with the dietitians at the Michigan Medicine Pediatric Surgery clinic. I am mostly shadowing them in their patient visits and then we discuss the cases together, and I am also working on going through different learning assignments and resources related to topics like managing tube feeding regimens and other nutritional aspects of different surgery conditions. Many of the patients seen at this clinic have had pretty involved surgeries for various issues in their GI tracts making it impossible or hard for them to eat orally, so it is vital that they are working with a dietitian and the rest of their healthcare team to still get the nutrition that they need. I will be in this rotation for this week and next. So far I have been liking it and also learning a lot!

Here are some tasty eats I have been enjoying in the meantime!

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This blueberry date salad brings a unique blend of summertime flavors and is sure to be your next favorite lunch or dinner option!

Today I have one of my favorite salad recipes to share with you! This gorgeous salad is topped with blueberries, dates, chopped cucumbers and red onion, pistachios, and feta cheese, all drizzled with a dark balsamic dressing. It’s fabulous on its own, but would also taste great topped with some chicken or chickpeas for added protein! You’ll love to add this salad to your summer lunch rotation!

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Today I want to share how I go about meal planning and grocery shopping each week. Of course there is no one right way to go about this and each person will have their own way of meal planning and/or grocery shopping that works best for them. This is simply what has been working best for me lately and if you’re looking to make a change in this area, hopefully you’ll find a new idea to try based on what I share!

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Happy Monday! I am finally back to blogging after taking a few weeks off. We went to St. Augustine a few weeks ago with Alec’s side of the family which we really enjoyed! I had never been to that part of Florida before so it was fun to see/explore.

I especially enjoyed all the fresh seafood, running on the beach in the morning (more like run/walking since it was extremely hot/humid), exploring downtown St. Augustine, and spending time with family.

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Hello friends! I hope you are having a nice week! We are getting ready to head to Florida with Alec’s side of the family on Saturday and will be there for all of next week, and then will be heading back to Michigan to go to my grandparents’ for the 4th (also will have lots of cousins/extended family there). Looking forward to the time away and all of the family time! On to some delicious eats from the past couple of weeks!

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This is part of an ongoing series I am starting called “Understanding Anorexia.” These posts (which I will continue to do every now and then going forward) will focus on different physiological, nutritional, and psychological aspects of anorexia nervosa (AN). Today we will be talking about zinc deficiency! This is a major topic to be aware of you are experiencing AN, have a history of AN, or work with people with AN.

Zinc deficiency is one of the most common micronutrient deficiencies in those with AN. Given that zinc is involved in so many key physiological processes, it is vital for eating disorder treatment and recovery to ensure that your zinc levels are in a good place. In this post, we are going to cover several topics related to zinc including:

  • What is zinc and why is it important?
  • What are good food sources of zinc?
  • How are zinc deficiency and AN related?
  • What can I do to improve my zinc levels?

Let’s dive in!


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This deliciously creamy blueberry cacao breakfast smoothie is sure to keep you feeling satisfied and energized for hours. Customize with your favorite add-ins and toppings!  

Hello and happy Tuesday! Anyone else feeling tired of the abnormally hot weather for spring? Thankfully I have the perfect smoothie to the rescue. If I want to make a smoothie in the morning or even afternoon, this is my go-to smoothie of choice. I usually have all of the ingredients on hand, it is full of nutrition, and it tastes delicious! What more could one want in a smoothie? On to the details!

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Happy Memorial Day! I hope you have been enjoying the weekend and have been able to spend some time relaxing with family and friends. I am grateful for all the Americans who have sacrificed so much for our country in the fight for freedom here and around the world. We are hoping to spend the weekend going on a hike and are planning to make some burgers topped with caramelized onions (the best burger topping!) and this potato salad. On to some delicious eats from the past couple weeks!

More overnight steel-cut oatmeal – hidden underneath all the berries is some creamy almond butter, honey, and flax seeds! I am so happy that fresh berries are back in season!

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