Cookies and Kale

Do you find yourself craving bread, rice or pasta? Perhaps something sweet every evening like chocolate, pastries or candy? Or feeling like you are never satisfied after a meal? First off, food cravings are a normal part of life, and they definitely can happen randomly for no apparent reason. In which case, satisfying the craving, and moving on is usually the best course of action. BUT if you feel like you are constantly feeling unsatisfied, craving high carb foods (especial...ly in the evenings), and feeling out of control around food...there may be underlying reasons that. Common reasons for carb cravings that I see in clients I work with: - Being overly restrictive with your diet - Not adjusting your diet and therefore under-eating during periods of higher training volume. - Meals macronutrient balance may be off - For women: luteal phase of ovulation - Increased stress - Poor quality and/or quantity of sleep - Poor Microbiome & Digestion ..And many other reasons! If you are feeling out of control around carbs and want to get to the root cause to feel more in control, well-fueled, and ready to tackle your training don't be hesitant to reach out. I'd be happy to answer your questions!

Nourishment over numbers. This is a concept that I hold near and true to my heart. Coming from a past of disordered eating myself, I understand how much pressure the diet culture puts on us to focus numbers, body size, body shape. It's been a long process of unlearning all the bullshit that's force fed down our throats about the "do's" and "don'ts" of nutrition. It's even a longer process of understanding there is absolutely no such thing as "good" or "bad" food.... In a world full of counting macros and tracking calories, I feel like so many of us are missing out on what nutrition is really about - nourishment. People can become so obsessed with tracking numbers that they may overthink their food choices and ignore their body's nutritional needs - both physically and mentally. Many of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet are high in calories (hello, avocados)! When we focus on NOURISHMENT over NUMBERS, we make better choices. How is this food nourishing me? What kind of nutrients does it contain? Any vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, healthy fats, fiber? So maybe it's not rich in nutrients, but how is it nourishing me mentally or socially? Am I truly enjoying this food? Food is also nourishment for your mental and emotional health. Sure, tracking calories or macros absolutely works for some people. It's helped quite a few of my clients get an idea of where they're at when they first start working with me & what areas they need to increase/decrease to reach their goals. But when it begins to take over every important thing in our lives, it can truly suck all of the joy out of eating and cause more harm than good. You can be hitting your calorie or macro goals every single day, and still be malnourished.

Commuting to work or doing chores around the house? We talk all things fitness, health and nutrition. You can also find us on Spotify: Driftwood Athletics Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com//the-driftwood-ath/id1538532489

Banana Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies. Yes, cookies for breakfast. INGREDIENTS... 1 1/2 cups of old fashioned oats 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon of oat flour (made by blending whole oats in a blender or food processor until flour consistency is reached) 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 overripe mashed banana 4-5 tablespoons maple syrup depending on desired sweetness 1/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil 1/4 cup of peanut butter (can be substituted with preferred nut or seed butter, but the flavor of the cookies may change) DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper 2. Whisk the first 5 dry ingredients in a medium bowl until combined. 3. Add in the rest of the ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined. 4. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheet and press down slightly to flatten (these cookies do not spread a lot in the oven). 5. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Cool on wire rack and enjoy!

Read that photo again. Nutrition is so much more than food. There are so many factors that can influence our diet that can be causing you to be inconsistent, alter your mindset around food and perpetuate negative thought patterns associated with your choices.... Here are some of the most common lifestyle pieces that have encounter (to name a few): - STRESS (emotional distress, mood, guilt and a diet-culture mindset). - LACK OF SLEEP - HORMONAL IMBALANCES - TIME MANAGEMENT - SOCIAL DETERMINANTS (family, peers and meal patterns) This is why with every client, I sit down and elaborate on all different aspects of your life, not just with what you're ingesting. What are your biggest barriers when it comes to nutrition? Let's talk about them!