Gut Instincts Nutrition Counselling
156 King St. S N2J 1P6 Waterloo, ON, Canada

Thanks to all of you who voted for me in the Best Registered Dietitian category! I tied for top spot with a few other amazing local colleagues! @blueprintnutritionsport & @blueprint.nutrition.kids. . It's been an honour to work with all of my amazing clients and colleagues! The best prize is really having had the opportunity to work with all of you! .... Here's to many more years of re-connecting community members in a positive way with their food and bodies. . #intuituveeatingofficial #kwdietitian #guelphdietitian #nondietdietitian #dietitiansofinstagram #kwawesome #wrawesome #eatingdisorderdietitian See more

Just saying hello here and letting you know that I'm still here even though I haven't been on Instagram in a while. . Behind the scenes I'm still... . Supporting people to move away from unhelpful rules around food, bodies and eating... Encouraging self-compassion Reminding people that they deserve to nourish themselves in all ways Fighting the beast that is diet culture Listening and learning from my amazing clients and colleagues. . Sending you all resilience and strength. See more

Summer can be difficult for individuals with eating disorders. Changes in food, clothing, and routine can be tough to navigate. Here are some tips for managing summer stress: Build a routine that works for you! Having structure can be helpful, especially in this weird summer, COVID world where it's hard to remember what day it is. Some people like to build structure during the day by having set meal-times or activities. Others like to build structure during the week, s...uch as having a picnic every Saturday, so that their days look a little different. Have a variety of foods around the house! It's important to maintain the structure of your eating, especially at early stages in your recovery. This doesn't mean that things always have to look the same though. Maybe you want to talk with your dietitian, therapist, or loved one about adding some seasonal foods into your plan. Do activities you enjoy! With the nicer weather, there are opportunities to do different activities. Find some things that you enjoy doing. Some suggestions include reading, connecting with your heritage, gardening, or going for a physically distanced walk with a friend. It can be hard to navigate the summer months, but you are not alone. Share your favourite strategy for managing summer stress below I will also be sending out my summer newsletter soon with other resources. Click on the link in my bio to subscribe! #eatingdisorderrecovery #intuituveeatingofficial #kwawesome #kwdietitian #guelphdietitian #anorexiarecovery #allbodiesaregoodbodies

We know that eating disorders affect individuals of all genders and are actually more prevalent among trans folx. The eating disorders field however, has developed through a female-centric lens (Lavender, 2020). This means that our definitions and measures of eating disorders are centered around women. One area in which this has been particularly prevalent is body image. To this point, body image has frequently been used as a synonym for 'drive for thinness' in the eating... disorders field. This is problematic because: This uni-dimensional understanding of body image neglects intersectional identities, including gender and race, that impact how individuals view their bodies. Men typically score lower on traditional measures of body image, but higher on measures of drive for muscularity suggesting that there may be different body ideals for different individuals. (N.B. While research has compared this across men and women, it is likely that individuals across the gender spectrum endorse different body ideals that are equally challenging in eating disorder treatment.) Existing treatments do not address the multiple (often systemic) issues that contribute to body image among marginalized folx. This means that men and trans folx often feel misunderstood, stigmatized, and neglected in treatment. They are also less likely to receive an appropriate diagnosis, referral, or treatment. This is amplified when individuals endorse more than one marginalized identity, for example, if someone is trans and Black. If you or someone you know is struggling to find support for these reasons, I encourage you to reach out to @nedic, @bodybravecanada, or @eatingdisordersns. #eatingdisorders #eatingdisordersrecovery #guelphdietitian #kwdietitian #antidietdietitan #dietitiansofinstagram #anorexia #bulimia #bingeeatingdisorder #osfed #allbodiesaregoodbodies #blacklivesmatter See more

People may eat vegan for a number of different reasons. In my work, I have noticed however that some individuals turn to veganism as a way to impose restrictions on their eating. This could reflect disordered eating rather than a decision made based on your true values. If you aren't sure about the role of veganism in your life, I encourage you to consider the following questions: Would I still be eating vegan if I knew it would lead to weight gain? ... Would I still be eating vegan if it were not deemed 'healthy?' Does eating vegan make me feel satisfied, energized, and whole? Am I able to supplement any nutrients that I am missing by eating vegan? If you answered 'no' to any of the above questions, it may be helpful to consider your motivation for eating vegan. For many, eating vegan is an ethical choice; but for some, especially those who have historically had a difficult relationship with food, imposing more restrictions can make it difficult to recover from disordered eating. #disorderedeatingrecovery #eatingdisorderrecovery #guelphdietitian #kwdietitian #dietitiansofinstagram #antidietdietitian #kwawesome #orthorexiarecovery #guelphlife See more

A lot of times, clients tell me that they believed that their lives would be easier after doing intensive treatment, but that as they step down in care it actually becomes more difficult. This is not surprising, given that as there are changes in care, people are responsible to manage more of their meals and emotions on their own. This can be HARD. I think that it is the rule, rather than exception, that people will experience a period of difficulty after stepping down... care or leaving treatment. If you find yourself in this place, I want to let you know that: I see you. Your struggles are valid and perfectly understandable given the changes that you are navigating. I'm here for you. I am available for individual sessions and consultations to support individuals who may be struggling with this transition (see my bio to book a discovery call). I believe in you. Even though things may feel hard sometimes, this does not mean that we cannot handle them. As humans, we are resilient. Think about all that you have survived in the past three months. Feel free to share something in the comments that has helped you navigating the transition from treatment. It might just be the thing that someone needs to hear! #eatingdisorderrecovery #disorderedeating #haes #intuitiveeating #kwdietitian #guelphdietitian #dietitiansofinstagram #anorexiarecovery #bulimiarecovery #bingeeatingrecovery #osfedrecovery #compassion See more

There are so many helpful tools in #eatingdisorderrecovery, but sticking to your meal plan can be one of the most important. Developing (and sticking to) a structured meal plans is one of the first skills taught in treatment. This is because it helps people to get back on track with their eating without relying on hunger signals, which can be injured with an #eatingdisorder. This is also a skill that people may return to once they are well into their #recovery journey. A f...riend and colleague of mine with lived experience shared that even though they are several years into their recovery, they often return to a structured meal plan (the same one they developed with a dietitian in treatment!) when times feel stressful. I know that it is not always easy to stick to a meal plan, especially when first starting out on your recovery journey. In fact, it sometimes just feels downright crummy! But just like it is important to take a full course of antibiotics, it is important to stick with your meal plan for the duration of treatment. One thing that can be helpful is to only look ahead one meal or snack. When you look at an entire day (or week) of food, it can feel overwhelming. Instead, if you focus on the next meal or snack, it may seem more manageable. I have also included some of my favourite mantras for helping stick to your meal plan. Feel free to share yours in the comments below My meal plan is non-negotiable. Food is my medicine. This is my prescription. And if you are feeling like you need support coming up with and sticking to a meal plan to support your recovery, feel free to book a discovery call using the link in my bio! #kwdietitian #guelphdietitian #haes #antidietdietitian #dietitiansofinstagram #anorexiarecovery #bulimiarecovery #bingeeatingrecovery #osfedrecovery #bodyliberation See more