Sooo, I came home Thursday afternoon to the most delicious smell.  My daughter decided to make a home-made apple pie- one of my favorites.  Immediately I thought, how am I going to survive a two-day holiday with this yumminess screaming my name.  I put on my Registered Dietitian hat and decided I would have an average size piece after dinner. Fast forward to Friday morning and I easily had half the pie with a nice cup of iced coffee.  I loved every single bite of it.  Ate it slowly with such enjoyment. My daughter came downstairs and saw me basking in my apple pie glow and she asked- “would you tell your clients that you ate that”?  I immediately responded- not only would I share it with them, but I will post an article about this very incident.

When it comes to weight loss, there are a million-and-one approaches. Just do a Google search and you will quickly see the large number of opinions written on the topic. What is important to recognize is that most diet books are not written with the intent to sell healthy living and active lifestyles. Rather, they are created to sell a product or a fad that promises to solve all your issues, despite how unhealthy the fad might be. How quickly word spreads about this new fad is what determines whether or not it is a success. Knowing someone who knows someone who … you get the deal.

We all have it. That scale style. First thing in the morning, undressed, right foot first, two times for an average. It’s an extremely personal experience, and after 20 plus years in practice, I can confidently say that no two people are alike in how it’s done. However, we are almost all alike in our reactions. Down a pound: I am a patient and smiling person with that little extra pep in my step. Up a pound: #stayawayfromme #bulkysweatshirtasap #iamworthless. Why? Why does one glaring number on a scale get to dictate how we feel about ourselves and how we choose to navigate our world for that day, week? More importantly, when did it start?

Whether they know it or not, mothers are powerful nutrition role models for their daughters. As mothers, we pass down specific genetic traits such as hair and eye color, height, and body shape. More important are the overlooked behavioral traits — the eating habits and food rules, our feelings towards physical activity, and our own body image perceptions. With the advancement of technology and the rise of social media, it is harder to get away with telling our children to “Do as I say and not as I do.” Rather, it is more “Daughter see, daughter do,” which oftentimes is an underlying factor of what leads a patient to my office.

A recent study of 2,000 Americans found 2:41 p.m. to be the specific time of day when cravings can strike the hardest. Each one of us thinks about food approximately 40 minutes a day and makes about 250 food decisions. Should I have coffee? Whole milk? Almond milk? Should I have a bite of that muffin or stay away? Should I pack a lunch? Am I hungry? Surprisingly, all these decisions can be affected by so many variables: plate size, food color combinations, even the lighting of the dining room. So, where do we begin to take gentle control of the choices we are making in order to help us get to the places we want to go with our bodies and minds?