DID YOU SEE THIS VIDEO!?

In short? HELL NO.

The longer version is that carbs are our bodies primary source of fuel. After carbs are consumed they are broken down and absorbed as sugar to fill our energy stores.

Pretty cool, huh?

The thing to remember is that not all carbs are created equal.

SMART CARBS, like whole grain bread, rice, quinoa, potatoes, beans, lentils, oats, fruit, etc. are digested and absorbed slower, while SIMPLE CARBS, like candy, cookies, crackers, chips, pretzels, popcorn, treats and sweets are digested and absorbed very quickly.

While different bodies do have different carbohydrate thresholds, the biggest variable when it comes to whether someone is/isn’t reaching her weight loss goal is the type of carbohydrates they consume: SMART or SIMPLE.

Eat mostly SIMPLE carbs and over time you’ll notice that your triglycerides increase, your LDL cholesterol (that’s the bad guy) increases, you’ll experience insulin resistance and you’ll have a hard time achieving the body composition you desire (not to mention you’ll likely end up eating more calories than you need = weight gain).

Eat mostly SMART carbs and over time you’ll notice that your triglycerides decrease while your vitamin, mineral, and fiber consumption increase, you’ll have better blood sugar control, and will have a much easier time achieving the body composition you desire.

So, no, carbohydrates are not “bad”.

And a diet with a robust amount of SMART carbohydrates will not make you fat. Copious amounts of cookies and cupcakes on the other hand….

Eat (mostly SMART) carbs.

Click here to watch the video! and pass it along to a friend who fears carbs and needs to learn not to!

It’s scary to say this, but…

…my parents don’t read my posts anymore. They're blocked.

And maybe to you that sounds strange, silly, or even childish; but I can confidently say that it was the best decision we could have made.

Several months ago my parents came to me expressing how saddened they were by the stories I share on social media.

  • My battle with disordered eating was hard for them to understand

  • My openness about my brothers fight with addiction was heartbreaking for them to hear, and,

  • My transparency and "I don't give a fuck about keeping up appearances" attitude was more than they could bear

Initially, I was devastated. "It was never my intention to offend anyone! And if my parents don't like or understand what I share, other people are probably judging too. Does that mean I should stop sharing my story!?", I asked myself.

I struggled with knowing what to do for a long time. But ultimately decided to continue speaking my truth, because while it's hard to live with the consequences of doing something with little regard for what other people will think, it's impossible to stay silent out of fear, knowing how many people my story can impact.

  • The only way we can stop subscribing to limiting beliefs is to call them out

  • The only way we can stop darkness is to shine a light on it, and,

  • The only way we can take responsibility for our individual truth and power is to boldly, bravely, and vulnerably share it

And that's exactly what I'm here to do; to help you see through all the bullshit, so that you can create your bravest, boldest and most confident life. And for me, that started with a brave, bold, confident relationship with food and with myself.

If you’re ready to grow out of a relationship with food that is fearful, insecure, and rooted in restriction and into a relationship with food (and with your body) that is confident, life-giving, and full of foods you love and enjoy without guilt or shame, I’m here to help. Drop a comment below so that we can chat about your goals and work together to help you create the confident relationship with food you’re looking for!

Setting boundaries can be hard. Reaching your big, powerful goals can feel scary. But the lie you want to live is on the other side of that discomfort and YOU ARE WORTH IT!

"Can You Just Tell Me What To Eat?"

Am I eating too much?

Am I eating enough?

Should I eat this?

Should I avoid that?

Actually, can you just tell me what to eat?

Are you frustrated with your lack of fat loss, despite trying your best? If so, I get it! Knowing exactly how much food your body needs, and what types of foods will leave you feeling your best, amidst alllllll the food marketing malarkey can be a challenge!

But here’s the thing…

I can’t tell you exactly what to eat because how much/what your unique body needs varies based on a lot of variables like height, weight, gender, activity level, digestive health, taste preferences, etc. I say it all the time, but truly, there is no one-size-fits-all.

And even if I could tell you exactly what to eat, you likely wouldn’t stick with it because being told what to do is much different from learning how to do it yourself.

So while yes, you might be able to follow a meal plan perfectly for a few days, or a few weeks, when life strikes and you don’t get to the grocery store, or one of your kids gets sick, or your boss asks you to stay late, what then? The plan all falls apart along with all of your progress.

In order to achieve lasting fat loss you need to learn how to listen to your body, understand her individual needs, and create structures and systems in your life to follow-through even when life throws you a few curve balls.

This is exactly what I help my 1:1 coaching clients to create and achieve, but recently I thought, how can I help everyone else begin to understand this process too?

I created the How To Eat For Fat Loss That Lasts Infographic FREEBIE to help you do just that!

In this 3-page document I’m giving you the answers to all of your burning questions:

  • how much should I eat?

  • what types of food should I eat?

  • is there anything I should avoid?

  • how can I create the results I’m looking for?

If you’re ready to finally find fat loss that lasts, click the button below to begin learning how.

“I feel disgusting”

Have you ever eaten so much of something and then kicked back and thought, why did I just do that? I feel disgusting.

It’s almost like you blacked out, so consumed by the food - turning off all hunger/fullness cues - only to be flooded with guilt and remorse after the fact.

If you can relate to feeling this way, you’re not alone.

Binge eating is characterized by recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food, often very quickly and to the point of discomfort, accompanied by a feeling of a loss of control during the binge; experiencing shame, distress and/or guilt afterwards.

When we struggle with binge eating our initial thoughts are often along the lines of, I need to do better/be more strict/have more self-discipline. But, in fact, this is the exact OPPOSITE of what you need to avoid, and recover from, binge eating.⁣⁣

Because binge eating is a reaction to being underfed and undernourished. AKA. You’re likely not eating enough. Pair that with an inability to effectively cope with the tough emotions that often come with life and binge eating sort of makes sense.

Biologically, your body is reacting by saying, “I NEED MORE NUTRIENTS!” and psychologically your brain is reacting by saying, “MAKE THIS PAIN/HARD FEELING GO AWAY!”

That pan of brownies/bag of tortilla chips does a good job of solving the problem…for a short while anyway.

In this weeks podcast episode we're diving deep into why binge eating occurs, why it's never an effective coping strategy, why the fear of judgment makes it so hard to ask for help, and how you can begin to re-write your relationship with food in order to recover from binge eating once and for all.⁣⁣
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This is a DON'T MISS episode! And I’d love to know if this resonates with you. All you ever have to do is hit reply and let me know. But if you haven’t already, be sure to tune in to this weeks Health, Wellth & Wisdom Podcast episode!

I need help!

Is hard to say. Because, I should be able to figure it out on my own, right?⁣
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I used to feel this way. But looking back, the seasons where I've seen the biggest growth have been the seasons when I challenged my limiting beliefs and asked for help.⁣

🥕 Recovering from my ED was harder and more painful before I asked for help.⁣
🥕 Coping with the loss of my brother was harder and more painful before I asked for help. ⁣
🥕 Managing my anxiety and creating a healthy (read as: not all-or-nothing) relationship with food was harder and more painful before I asked for help.⁣
🥕 Growing my Nutrition Coaching business was harder and more painful before I asked for help.⁣

And these are just a few of many examples. The list goes on!⁣

I used to think asking for help demonstrated weakness but I quickly realized that nothing could be further from the truth.⁣
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Accepting that struggle is normal, overcoming pre-conceived notions about what it means to ask for help, and choosing to call upon the experience and expertise of someone who has been there/done it before in order to get to where you want to go - faster and more effectively - is one of the greatest displays of strength a person can demonstrate.⁣
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Because we can't do it all alone.⁣
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And once we realize that and ask for the help that we need, we're likely to discover that it's one of the best decisions we've ever made.⁣

Has there ever been a time in your life when you asked for help and were glad you did?
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Drop a comment below and let me know!

Is Your Bone Density OK?

Many people want to lose weight, but few of them are willing the put in the time, energy, and the commitment it takes in order to lose fat.

And no, those aren’t the same thing.

Weight loss = a decrease in body weight as a result of losing fat, muscle and/or water (or a combination of these things)

Fat loss = a decrease in body fat while working to maintain muscle mass and hydration status

Moreover, many people prioritize fast weight loss, looking for the number on the scale to go down as a direct result of:

  • cutting calories aggressively

  • eliminating carbohydrates significantly (or entirely)

  • engaging in fad diets and detoxes

  • taking weight loss supplements

But these approaches do NOT prioritize fat loss, and they certainly don’t prioritize fat loss that lasts. Because while these methods often result in weight loss, its likely that the reduction on the scale is coming from a water weight fluctuation and a loss of muscle mass.

I hope the warning bells in your brain are ringing!

Because muscle mass and hydration are vital to optimum health, functioning and autonomy. Seeing as muscle mass naturally atrophies as we age, maintaining the muscle we do have is vital to staying healthy, upright, and on our own two feet for as long as possible.

I don’t help my clients simply lose weight. I’m not interested in that.

  • Anyone can lose weight by cutting carbs, but unless you plan to live the rest of your life without a bagel, glass of wine, or slice of birthday cake, it’s futile.

  • Anyone can lose weight by slashing calories, but unless you plan to live the rest of your life eating the quantity of food designed for a two year old (damaging your bone density along the way), it’s futile.

  • Anyone can lose weight by going on a cleanse or detox, but unless you plan on never drinking water or eating real food again, it’s futile.

I help my clients achieve fat loss that lasts. We work hard to maintain the beautiful muscle that they have, encourage hydration and optimum functioning, all while targeting fat loss that comes off safely and sustainably.

Without all the drama and the deprivation.

If you’re curious about how you can achieve fat loss that lasts, be sure to check out my most recent Health, Wellth & Wisdom Podcast episodes where I break it down for you, step by step. Achieving fat loss that lasts can be challenging!

But with the right tools, support, and accountability, it can also be amazing and oh-so worth it!

I was so scared I almost tossed my cookies!

𝐈 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐓!⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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I took one of the biggest, scariest, heart-in-my-throat leaps of faith ever and quit my clinical Sports Nutritionist job to go ALL IN with my rockstar clients and the future growth of Nutrition Coaching with Nicole.

I was so scared to pull the trigger that the morning of, I almost tossed my cookies and backed out. In the spirit of full transparency, I even texted my husband to ask, we’re sure this is the right move, r i g h t !?

Because it’s scary! I’m investing in myself and in my business in a BIG way. What if I fail? How will I pay for health insurance? What if everybody laughs at me? It’s so easy to get lost in the what-ifs and for awhile, I did, paralized from taking action because of my fear and insecurity.

But then I realized...⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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➕ 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬. If I don't step into my life powerfully and unapologetically, no one else will.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
➕ 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞. 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝, 𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫, 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞. I'm choosing to jump, trusting the net will appear, and committing to learn along the way.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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➕ There are 157 million women in the world and the majority of us struggle with feelings of unworthiness and inadequacy in regard to our bodies and our relationships with food. 𝗪𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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Every day I'm given the opportunity to speak with women whose lives, bodies, and confidences are changing in wildly powerful ways and I can't think of any better way to live out my life's purpose.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

So I hope you’re ready for spectacular growth this season! Because that’s exactly what’s going to happen around here.

I said YES to myself and to my dreams in order to create big, powerful change and as a result, more women - just like you - will say YES to themselves and their dreams in order to create big, powerful change in their lives.

Will you be one of them? I sure hope so.

When You've Tried Everything Else

If you've ever tried, and failed, to reach your fat loss goal you know how easy it is to get frustrated, give up, and blame yourself.

Change is hard - especially when you try to do it on your own.

Here are just a few of the doubts and fears I’ve heard from my 1:1 rockstars when they initially started working with me:

“I have failed so many times, I’m worried nothing will work.”

“I don’t really believe I can be successful anymore…”

“If it didn’t work the first fifteen times, why would this be any different?”

Can you relate to feeling similarly?

If other diets and weight loss efforts have let you down in the past, I want you to know that you’re not broken. There’s nothing wrong with you.

There’s just a better way. A more sustainable way that ensures you get (and keep) the results you want and the body you deserve, for LIFE!


BUT, you have to be willing to unlearn some of those old lessons you’ve learned in the past and try something new. You have to be willing to invest in yourself…no matter how many times you’ve failed before.

Throughout the month of June, I’m talking alllllll about how to achieve Fat Loss That Lasts on the Health, Wellth & Wisdom Podcast, sharing some of my biggest secrets with you.

I invite you to tune in and let me know what you think!

If you love what you hear and think that this just might be the thing to help you achieve your big, powerful goal, reach out! I’m here to help (no matter how many times you’ve failed before).

Fat Loss That Lasts - Husband Testimonial

Fat Loss That Lasts - PAtrick .jpg

𝐅𝐚𝐭 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐈𝐒𝐍'𝐓: ⁣⁣
✖️ being strict for 30 days followed by a back to real life attitude
✖️ deprivation-based diets you can barely adhere to⁣⁣
✖️ eliminating an entire nutrient category (e.g. NO carbs)⁣⁣
✖️ detox teas/skinny drinks and supplements ⁣⁣
✖️ anything you can't stick with for a lifetime⁣⁣
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These tactics can help you lose fat BUT your results won't stick around very long. Because if you can't adhere to the behaviors that produced the results, you won't keep the results the behaviors produced either.
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🙅🏼‍♀️ I'm not about that.⁣⁣

Because unless you are extremely advanced and can apply these aggressive, deprivation-based Fat Loss strategies as short-term tools in your periodized fat loss strategy with the help of an educated and experienced coach, deprivation does more detriment than benefit. Not to mention, you lose all hope in the fact that you can reach your fat loss goal without hating your life in the process.⁣⁣

𝐅𝐚𝐭 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐈𝐒: ⁣⁣
➕ committing to healthy habits you feel confident sustaining⁣⁣
➕ slow progress over time that you can maintain⁣⁣
➕ ensuring a well-balanced nutrient-dense diet that leaves you feeling nourished (not punished)⁣⁣
➕ something you feel good about continuing for years - decades even⁣
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These tactics help you lose fat AND keep your results. Because when you can adhere to the behaviors that produced the results, you get to keep the results that those behaviors produced (and continue to produce!)⁣

Recently, my husband, Patrick, and I set out to shed some fat for summer. Are we confident we can sustain our progress? You bet. Because we made room for our favorite things and avoided feelings of deprivation, restriction and wanting to ring each others necks because we 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯'𝘵 eat X, Y, or Z. That's not how we want to live our lives.⁣⁣
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You too? Great news! I’m currently accepting 1:1 Nutrition Coaching applications and would LOVE to help you 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞! Because that is what I'm all about!

Real talk. And be honest.

Real talk. How many times have you set some sort of nutrition or weight loss goal so far this year? Be honest. How is it going?

If that question gives you a pang of guilt or a feeling of defeat, you’re not alone.

Because those diets - those meal plans - those detoxes - that we get so excited for and fired up about are designed to fail. I’m sure you’re thinking you need to:

  • Try harder

  • Stop falling off the wagon

  • Use more willpower

  • Ignore your cravings and power through

  • Try Keto, Weight Watchers, or that other diet your BFF just recently subscribed to…

  • Exercise more restriction/discipline

  • Or, maybe give up all together

But here’s the thing. NONE OF THAT actually works. And worse, they all actually set you up to fail.

The good news is, there’s another way.

What you actually need to create real, lasting change looks more like this:

  • Throw away all-or-nothing thinking

  • Ditch the perfection expectation

  • Learn to listen to your body

  • Focus on creating small habits that add up over time

  • Balance the fun foods with your body needs (#foodfreedom)

  • Fewer rules and more flexibility!

Not only does this approach get you results, but it also leaves you feeling confident about KEEPING your results for a lifetime!

I know even this can feel daunting. Like, how do I actually do it? And what should I do first? Which is exactly why I do what I do my fraaand.

Nutrition Coaching with Nicole is an individualized approach, helping you to build a blueprint to how you want to look and feel for LIFE! Together we grow your consistency, build habits to help you feel confident and assess all the barriers that could potentially (and often do) stand in the way of your success. Not to mention, accountability every step of the way!

I am welcoming Summer by opening THREE 1:1 Nutrition Coaching spots!

Click that button below and let me help you unlearn everything you think you should be doing and teach how to create REAL lasting change with nutrition.

Fat Loss That Lasts - Day 5

Nutrition with Nicole

Welcome to Day 5 of the Fat Loss That Lasts miniseries!

I’m Nicole, your online Nutrition Coach.

You can learn more about me, and the work I do, here.

I hope that by now you’ve learned that…

Fat Loss CAN Last!

I hope you’ve learned how to fuel your body with all of the essential macronutrients. I hope you’ve learned how to listen to your body and live in a way that leaves you feeling your best. And I hope you’ve begun to see that fat loss doesn’t have to be restrictive or soul sucking and that it can be health promoting and life giving!

As with most things in life, education only goes so far. Learning and knowing these things is only half of the puzzle. The individuals who are most successful in reaching and sustaining their fat loss goals have one additional tool - ACCOUNTABILITY!

If you feel like you’re ready to take action and know that you need accountability to reach your BIG, powerful goals, I want to offer you the chance to work with me

to create fat loss that lasts!

By tuning into this miniseries you’ve shown me that you’re an action taker and you believe that you’re worth investing in! And those are exactly the kind of rockstars I work with.

Today’s ASK: If you’re ready to take action to reach and sustain your big, powerful body confidence and fat loss goals, I want you to click the button below (yes, it’s that easy).

We’ll hop on the phone, talk about your goals and build you a blueprint to get there one strong sexy step at a time!



Fat Loss That Lasts - Day 4

Nutrition with Nicole

Welcome to Day 4 of the Fat Loss That Lasts miniseries!

I’m Nicole, your online Nutrition Coach.

You can learn more about me, and the work I do, here.

You’ve been listening to your hunger + fullness cues and focusing on balanced meals consistently. Now let’s talk about the fun stuff – your non-negotiables. AKA. The foods and beverages you don’t ever want to live without!

#FoodFreedom

The reason my clients are so much more successful than the average person trying to lose fat on their own is, in part, because they learn that no foods are off limits. This is something we call #foodfreedom and I believe it’s paramount to lasting success. Because if we don’t’ work our favorite foods into our nutrition strategy, it’s never going to be sustainable and will always look like a “diet” with a start and an end date.

Eat out, have dessert, enjoy your faves and STILL see progress.

To see lasting progress you have to be compliant with getting that balance of whole foods and essential nutrients at least 80% of the time. But there’s always room for “real life”.

Here are a few tips I share with my 1:1 Nutrition Coaching clients that I’m going to share with you:

1.     Make sure it’s what you really want.

2.     Eat until you’re satisfied, not overly stuffed or uncomfortable (if you missed it, go back and check out Day 2)

3.     After you enjoy your nonnegtiable, wipe the slate clean and make your next choice a goal-supportive one. Don’t dwell on guilt or feel shame for savoring something you enjoy.

4. Do your best to ensure your day is otherwise balanced – e.g. don’t ‘save’ your calories because you know you’re going to enjoy something decadent later. This never works.

Today’s ASK: Enjoy one of your non-negotiables guilt-free and let me know how you feel afterwards!

Fat Loss That Lasts - Day 3

Nutrition with Nicole

Welcome to Day 3 of the Fat Loss That Lasts miniseries!

I’m Nicole, your online Nutrition Coach.

You can learn more about me, and the work I do, here.

Once you learn how to listen to your body’s hunger and fullness cues (this accounts for the QUANTITY of the food you eat) we can begin looking at the QUALITY of the food you eat. Both are extremely important when it comes to sustainable fat loss!

Let’s talk about macronutrients!

Proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

  • What are you eating the most of right now?

  • What are you eating the least of right now?

The answer to these questions (in conjunction to your level of activity) can tell us a lot about why you are/are not seeing progress. The majority of us struggle with consuming enough lean protein and colorful vegetables while we have no problem eating a sufficient amount of carbohydrates and fats.

Our body’s need all of these nutrients! The question is, in what amount? And that answer varies based on your height, weight, gender, body type, and activity level.

Why all nutrients are necessary.

The role of protein - Protein is comprised of amino acids (think of these as the building blocks of your body). We need protein to consume protein regularly throughout the day in order to maintain our muscle mass, feel fuller for longer and recover from physical activity!

Examples include: chicken, poultry, fish, steak, eggs, egg whites, Greek yogurt, protein powder, cottage cheese, beans and legumes, tofu, etc.

The role of vegetables - Veggies are packed with essential vitamins and minerals that ensure our body is functioning optimally, not to mention they are filled with water to help us stay hydrated.

Examples include: leafy greens, carrots, onions, peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage, etc.

The role of smart carbs - Carbohydrates are the body’s primary source of energy. Incorporating them into a well-balanced diet ensures adequate energy, as well as improved performance and recovery.

Examples include: oats, rice, quinoa, potatoes, couscous, whole/sprouted grain bread, beans, fruit, etc.

The role of healthy fats - Fats are important for proper insulation and hormone function. Fats also digest slowly, helping us to feel fuller for longer.

Examples include: olive/coconut/avocado oil, nuts, nut butters, seeds, avocado, cheese, mayo, etc.

Today’s ASK: Start by creating balanced meals, each time you eat aiming for one serving of each nutrient (two servings of each if you’re male) and see how you feel. If you’re active you might find that you need more carbohydrates than fats. And if you live a more sedentary lifestyle you might find that the inverse is true. Experiment! Play! See what leaves your body feeling its best! And as always, don’t hesitate to reach out if I can help you along the journey.

The best (and most sustainable) part is you can do this no matter where you are! Whether you’re eating out, at a business meeting or in the comfort of your own home, you can ensure that you’re getting all the nutrients you need and will be left like your best self:

  • fuller for longer (more satiated)

  • mentally satisfied (no elimination of an entire food group)

  • improved energy/performance

  • improved health and fat loss results

Sounds pretty dreamy, right!?

Fat Loss That Lasts - Day 2

Nutrition with Nicole

Welcome to Day 2 of the Fat Loss That Lasts miniseries!

I’m Nicole, your online Nutrition Coach.

You can learn more about me, and the work I do, here.

“But don’t I need to count calories/track macros/measure my food in order to see progress?”

Absolutely not.

You’ve been taught that you need these external measures of control because diet culture is a soul sucking monster that teaches us to be strict and restrictive by following a set of rules. This works (they all work) but for how long? Two days, two weeks, maybe?

Keeping a food journal and tracking your intake can be helpful as a short-term tool, but unless it’s something you want to do for the rest of your life, it’s not sustainable (and your results won’t be either - yikes!)

Learn to listen to your hunger and fullness cues.

And you will create bigger, better, and more lasting progress than any external mechanism will. My clients and I work a lot on identifying the difference between true hunger and emotion-driven hunger, because if our bodies are saying, “I need food”, it’s in our best interest to listen, but if our brains are saying, “I need food”, it’s in our best interest to ask WHY.

True hunger - physiological hunger, when your body is signalling a need for fuel (e.g. belly growling, brain fog, etc.)

Emotion-driven hunger - you’re bored/stressed/lonely and looking for something to take your pain away in the fridge.

Today’s ASK: Try differentiating between the two as you go throughout your day and see what you learn. When you identify true, physiological hunger, feed it! If you’re not hungry for food, try to dig deep and identify what it is you’re really hungry for.

The next step (for those who want to earn extra credit) is to stop when you feel satisfied. Not full or overly stuffed, but satisfied.

Learning to trust your body and look inward, listening for when you’re hungry and satisfied can be one of the most powerful tools in your sustainable fat loss toolbox.

“But won’t I blow it if I’m not counting my calories?” No. When we take away the rules and the restriction that urge to “cheat” goes away. Think of it this way – if I told you that you could eat ice cream every day, would you? Maybe initially, but then knowing that you could have it whenever you wanted would make the ice cream less appealing and you’d only choose to enjoy it when you really wanted it.

Setting a rule or restriction around a certain food trains our brain to crave it more. Funny how that works isn’t it? Give yourself permission to eat according to your hunger and fullness cues and you actually eat less than if you tell yourself you “can’t” or “shouldn’t” and end up eating more.

Fat Loss That Lasts - Day 1

Nutrition with Nicole

Welcome to Day 1 of the Fat Loss That Lasts miniseries!

I’m Nicole, your online Nutrition Coach.

You can learn more about me, and the work I do, here.

I’m guessing you’re here because

  • Diet culture has failed you, maybe more than once.

  • You’ve tried the quick fix mentality and you’re right back where you started, more frustrated than before.

  • You’re sick and tired of the rules and restriction.

  • Despite your best efforts, you keep “falling off the wagon”.

  • You’re looking for something that lasts…maybe even for a lifetime.

  • You’re craving something that allows you to reach your goals while eating foods you love AND living a full and vibrant life.  

Am I right?

If that sounds like you, you’re in the right place. And I’m happy to tell you that it is possible to reach your fat loss goals and feel confident about maintaining your results while living that full and vibrant life!

But before we talk about HOW we’re going to get you there, we need to talk about WHY.

WHY all diets work but none of them last. Seriously. Any diet, plan or program will work, so long as you adhere to it with 100% compliance. And therein lies the problem. Because who really wants to count calories/cut carbs/avoid sugar forever? Not me!

WHY you need to invest in something that lasts. You deserve better than the rollercoaster ride that is diet culture. Losing weight doesn’t have to mean losing your life (or your favorite foods) too.

WHY your goals are worth pursuing and worth investing in. No one else is going to live your life for you. No one else is going to stand up for the life you what you live. YOU have to be the one to do that. And you’re worth the confidence that comes with creating a life, a relationship with food, and a body you’re proud of.

Tomorrow we’ll be talking about HOW you can reach your fat loss goal (without all the drama and the deprivation) and keep it off forever.

Today’s ASK: Think about your WHY. WHY do you want to lose fat? How does your life improve when you do? Who else is affected by these changes? And WHY are those things important to you?

CURRENTLY ACCEPTING New Coaching Applications!

Last week I said goodbye to a dear friend and client.

As we wrapped up our final coaching session she looked at me and said, “I feel like we’re breaking up! This is terrible!” And while I can totally understand and empathize with how she’s feeling, it isn’t terrible at all. In fact, it’s the best case scenario and something I wish for all of my 1:1 clients.

You see, this rockstar and I had been working together for almost a whole year - 11 months, to be exact. Not only had she seen amazing change, both in her relationship with food and her body, but she learned how to maintain her progress for a lifetime!

It’s one thing to lose over 20 inches (freaking cool, right!?) with a designed-for-you approach to nutrition and movement. It’s another thing entirely to ride the waves of life and feel confident that you can maintain your healthy habits and your progress no matter what curve balls come your way.

So when I asked her, “do you feel like you have all the tools you need in order to confidently go out and do this on your own?” and she said, “YES! You have given me all the tools I need!” I knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was ready. This is the goal of 1:1 Nutrition Coaching.

To teach you how to listen to your body, design a customized nutrition strategy built with your body in mind, equip you with everything you need to build and SUSTAIN your healthiest, most vibrant relationship with food, fat loss and body confidence! For! A! Lifetime!

How I can be sure she’s ready to go it alone and will sustain her big, powerful results:

  • She didn’t rush the process. She didn’t try it for a month or two and bounce. She stuck it out through every season of life and took her time creating a strategy that works for her.

  • She was willing to invest in herself and in a process that didn’t promise her results in 30 days. She demonstrated that she’s worth the time, energy and commitment required to produce and sustain lifelong progress.

  • She knows how to find me should she need continued accountability. She wasn’t afraid to ask for help the 1st time, nor should she be in the future.

If this is you - if you’re ready to find and sustain big powerful change in your relationship with food, your body and your life, and you’re willing to invest in something that lasts, I now have an opening in my coaching book and am currently accepting coaching applications.

CLICK HERE to apply and we’ll hop on a discovery call to ensure you’re a great fit for my Nutrition Coaching program. I want desperately to help you create results that last for a lifetime, but only if you want that too!

How Many Diets Have You Tried?

Too many to count? Join the club!

Did you know that the average American diets FOUR times a year, on average? Did you know that nearly 45 MILLION Americans diet each year? Did you know that $33 BILLION dollars is spent on weight loss products each year?

And did you know that despite alllllll of that the majority (2/3rds) of us STILL struggle with our weight?

Clearly, conventional weight loss efforts aren’t working.

Or, more accurately, conventional weight loss efforts aren’t sticking.

With enough willpower anyone can lose weight following a prescriptive set of rules for 12-30 days. But what those all-or-nothing methods don’t teach you is how to lose weight in a healthy way that fits your lifestyle and can be sustained for a lifetime.

And isn’t that really what you’re after!? Results that last for life?

But if that’s what we really want, why do we continue to subscribe to the diets, detoxes and the drama?

That’s a rhetorical question. I know why we subscribe to them…they’re sexy, promise fast results and are branded as the magic pill/the secret solution/the thing you’ve been missing all along….

But friends, don’t forget to look at the fine print, which reads: SHORT-TERM SATISFACTION. UNLIKELY TO LAST AND WILL LEAVE YOU FATTER AND MORE FRUSTRATED THAN BEFORE.

If you’re ready to ditch the diet - forever - and find something that lasts longer than 12-30 days you must change your expectations.

Short-term Diet Culture Promises:

  • Fast results that last only as long as your willpower does

  • Black and white rules, restrictions and regulations

  • A cookie cutter plan/menu that you can follow as long as life doesn’t get too busy or stressful

  • An expiration date - if you can’t do it forever, your results won’t last forever either

Life-long Nutrition Coaching Promises:

  • Slower results that LAST a lifetime

  • Guidelines built and designed for your unique body, lifestyle, preferences and taste buds

  • A customized plan that you can follow in all seasons of life

  • A confidence that stands the test of time because your results are founded upon habits that you execute consistently (not rules you follow when you’re “on track”).

What are you looking for? Where is your time/money/attention currently invested? And do those two line up?

Eat Well. Live Well. Be Well.

Weight Loss Won't Change Your Life

At least not like you think it will.

Last week I had the pleasure of talking with an adolescent female who came to me wanting to lose weight.

She was accompanied by her parents who mentioned that her weight was encouraging her depression and they felt helpless, given that they didn’t think she needed to lose weight.

I agreed with them.

What I was able to gather right away was that this young lady was perfectly healthy and would not be helped by weight loss.

What I was able to gather after spending some time with her was that her weight loss goal had very little do with her health or weight and had everything to do with her perceived quality of life.

So I dug a little deeper.

“Tell me,” I said, “how does your life get better if you lose weight? What changes?”

And she gave me a transparent and truthful response, saying something to the effect of, if she lost weight she would be able to share clothes with her skinny friends, fit in and feel better about herself.

Because none of us really cares about weight loss. That’s not what we’re looking for.

If we’re being transparent and truthful, what we want is to feel better about ourselves.

  • Whether we’re in high-school and want to feel confident with our friends, swapping skinny jeans and crop tops.

  • Whether we’re in college and want to feel confident, getting dressed for a date. Or,

  • Whether we’re grown women and want to feel confident in the bedroom, on the beach, and/or in the boardroom.

We all want the same thing. To feel better about ourselves. To feel confident in our skin. And to feel accepted - not just by those around us, but by our own inner critics - showing up in our lives unapologetically.

Focusing frivolously on weight loss efforts won’t get you there. I’m sure of it.

I know because I’ve been there. With no weight left to lose, still hating myself, still ashamed of my body.

Focus your efforts from the inside out.

If what you really want is to feel better about yourself, focus on building a healthy relationship with food, focus on managing your mindset to support realistic expectations and powerful goals, focus your action steps on things that will serve your success long-term (not fleeting fat loss that leaves you more frustrated than before).

Can weight loss be an outcome of that process? Yes, absolutely. But it can’t be your first line of defence. Because at the end of the day, weight loss isn’t really what you’re looking for. Is it?

Eat Well. Live Well. Be Well.

Only 40% of you will read this.

And while I could focus on the other 60% who are too busy to open, read and receive this message, I’m not going to. Because I choose to invest my time and energy in those of you who are willing to invest time and energy right back.

Because even if you only take 10 minutes out of your day to inspire and improve your well-being, you’re taking a stand and telling the rest of the world, “I’m worth this”. I am deserving of the change I want to see in my life.

And I respect that.

Because so many people do the opposite - getting caught up in the tide of life, never actually taking action or creating change; eternally discontent, unhappy and perhaps even resentful, despite the fact that no one else is responsible for how we show up in our own lives.

But I know that’s not you. Because you’re reading this. You have chosen to invest in yourself today, even if only for the few minutes it takes you to read this email.

And I respect that.

So let me ask you, action taker, what change do you want to see in your life, in your relationship with food, and in your body image?

Are you sick and tired of being discontent, unhappy, and perhaps even resentful when it comes to showing up in your life - and in your relationship with food - authentically?

If so, I get it. I can vividly remember having thoughts like:

Will there ever be a time in my life when I don’t incessantly think about and obsess over food?

How will I ever reach my goal if I don’t know how to stop these bad habits?

I’m working so hard. When will I feel good enough - confident enough - thin enough - fit enough?

I don’t understand why I’m struggling so much when she seems to be doing just fine…

But I don’t have those thoughts anymore.

I no longer obsess and think incessantly about food. I have replaced the habits that don’t serve me with habits that do. I do feel good enough and confident enough. And to be 100% transparent, I’ve learned to no longer give a damn about what she is doing, and to instead own what I’m doing because it works for me.

And I can’t tell you just how badly I want that for you too.

But, me wanting it for you isn’t enough.

You need to want it for you too.

If that’s where you are today - if you know you’re worth investing in, worth creating change for, worth showing up for and worth respecting, I want to be in your corner.

If you’ll let me.

If that’s you, click the button below and fill out a coaching application. We’ll hop on a free discovery call and chat more about you, your goals and whether or not I can be in your corner, helping you reach your big, powerful goals.

Master Your Metabolism

Whenever fat loss is the topic of conversation it’s not long before we hear the big scary M word - METABOLISM. Metabolism is like global warming - the idea is often thrown around but most of us don’t really understand what it means or what it does.

Given that your metabolism controls your fat loss, isn’t it time we tried to wrap our brains around it? On a recent poll, 86% of you said YES, I want to learn more about how to master my metabolism.

Have you ever noticed that:

It’s harder to lose weight (& keep it off) after a diet?

You’re not crazy. That happens. Your body’s job is to counter balance your well intentioned dieting efforts, much like a sea-saw. You restrict calories (stress) and start exercising (stress) and your body compensates by increasing hunger and cravings and decreasing energy.

You oscillate between “on track” and couch potato?

You’re not crazy. That happens. 'Eat less, exercise more’ fails every single time because it’s unsustainable and we don’t have any other skills in our toolbox, like periods of ‘eat less, exercise less’ and ‘eat more, exercise more.

Have you ever noticed that:

Some foods keep you fuller for longer? And other foods keep your taste buds happier for longer?

You’re not crazy. That happens. When it comes to satiation and satisfaction, you want lean protein, water, fiber and bulk (veggies), followed by just enough starch and fat (according to your metabolism) to make a meal satisfying.

A big plate of chicken and broccoli can be filling, but not satisfying, and leaves you searching for something sweet. Likewise, this is the reason starches and fats can be satisfying but leave you wanting more —-> overeating.

What works for your body isn’t what works for other bodies?

You’re not crazy. That happens. Our bodies are different. Our stress thresholds are different. Our individual preferences are different. Too often we reach for an off-the-shelf quick fix that’s marketed as “one size fits all”. Be a detective and figure out what works for YOU.

If you’re not getting results, give up your biases and do the detective work. You are unique. Eat accordingly.

Some days it feels like you have ZERO willpower/your battery is empty?

You’re not crazy. That happens. When was the last time you took a minute to fill your battery? Take a nap, go for a walk, watch a comedy, take a bath, write in your journal, read a good book, cuddle with a loved one. Learn about what drains your battery and what fills your willpower. Fat loss is more than just calories in, calories out.

These are the core components of your metabolism. Master them and you’ve mastered your fat loss. Sounds easy, right?

If you’re interested in learning more about balancing and mastering your metabolism this is exactly the kind of thing I help my 1:1 coaching clients uncover.

If you’d like to learn more, simply fill out a coaching application and let’s hop on the phone to see if we’re a good fit! This stuff lights me up. Does it light you up too?

Eat Well. Live Well. Be Well.