What is your background and how did you get into nutrition?

I struggled with body image and my relationship with food in high school and college. I constantly felt insecure and, while I tried countless ways to diet and eat less, nothing “worked.” It wasn’t until I finally saw a dietitian towards the end of college that I understood how crucial it is that we eat enough. We have to eat every single day, multiple times per day – food should be simple, realistic, and enjoyable.

That message transformed the way I looked at food. From there, I wanted to become a dietitian to help others understand that same message – that we have to eat enough, that restriction only hurts in the long run, and that food shouldn’t be complicated – it should be simple and fun.

I received my Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition from NYU, completed a Dietitian Internship at the James J. Peters Bronx VA and then finally, became a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. After a few years of practicing nutrition, I knew my passion was in intuitive eating and so I also became a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. 

What is your favorite or go to recipe on a busy day?

For dinner, I love any kind of taco. I have black bean, lentil, and chicken tacos on my site that I rotate between. As a bonus, if my kids aren’t feeling tacos, it’s easy enough to just give them a plain tortilla with cheese (which they love!). For lunches, I keep it simple. I’m usually either eating leftovers, a salad kit with tuna or chicken sausage, or a quick grain bowl with roasted veggies and chicken or salmon.

What is one of your top tips for intuitive eating?

I think one of the most important things to understand is that all foods really can fit. No food is good or bad – there’s a time and place for all foods. Yes, some foods are more nutritious than others, but if you’re craving a cookie, only a cookie will satisfy that craving. And, in fact, the more you avoid the cookie craving, the more intense it becomes.

Once you truly give yourself unconditional permission to eat all foods, you’re finally able to take previously forbidden foods off their pedestal and look at all food on an even playing field.

Of course, this is so much easier said than done. It takes time and effort to really solidify. But once you’ve really adopted it, it can completely transform the way you look at food and your relationship with it.

What is a common misconception about intuitive eating?

There are so many! I think what I hear most often though is the idea that intuitive eating means just eating whatever you want with no regard for nutrition. 

In reality, it’s much more nuanced than that. Intuitive eating looks at body and food congruence – eating in a way that honors what sounds good with how you want to feel in any given moment. Sometimes a fresh, crunchy salad might be what your body really wants. Other times, only a warm, comforting bowl of pasta will do.

Intuitive eating also considers nutrition – often called gentle nutrition – when making food choices. But the caveat here is that gentle nutrition can only be considered once you’ve made peace with food. Otherwise, nutrition can start to creep in as food rules or external factors that affect your eating choices, instead of internal cues (like your own hunger and fullness).

What is your favorite type of TSS classes?

I love the strength classes. When I started strength training, I realized I had no clue what to do. These classes make it so simple to follow, and I always feel so strong afterwards. I’m also the biggest fan of the dance cardio classes. They’re so fun and make me feel so energized. Plus, as busy working mom I am so here for any workout that I can do in 30 minutes or less.

When did you start your intuitive eating journey and why?

I really started eating more intuitively when I was in grad school for clinical nutrition. At that point, I had understood that food was important and that restriction was harmful. But once I really started to understand food and the body more, I also started to learn how valuable it was to listen to your body and allow all foods.

I remember eating candy on a random Tuesday and feeling amazed at how freeing it felt. In the past, candy was reserved for “cheat days” and, as a result, I’d go crazy on it. When I allowed it in the middle of the week, not only was I satisfied with less (my craving hadn’t gotten uncontrollably strong yet!), but also, I didn’t magically gain 10 pounds or destroy my health. It really showed me that one food, meal, or day will not make or break your health. Losing the obsession with food was so freeing and in turn, made me feel more confident in my food choices and in my body, too.

What are the most common questions you get asked about intuitive eating?

I think a lot of people are nervous that if they eat intuitively – and let go of some of the control and rules that they hold around food – that they’ll gain weight and feel more uncomfortable in their bodies. And I get this! When we’ve held on to control over food to try to manipulate our bodies for so long, it feels scary to start to listen to your body instead and honor your cravings.

But the truth is that if you have to micromanage what you eat, and obsess in order to maintain a certain weight, then that’s probably not the healthiest weight for you. And again, intuitive eating isn’t about just eating crap with no regard for nutrition – it’s about honoring hunger and fullness and eating in a way that feels good both physically and mentally.

I don’t know what will happen to someone’s body when they start eating more intuitively. They might gain weight, they might lose weight, or their weight might not change at all. But often, feeling more confident and less stressed around food has a positive impact on our overall body image – much more than a meaningless number on the scale.

How do you explain intuitive eating to kids? Along with that, do you have any nutrition tips for children?

It depends how old the kids are! With my kids – who are 5 and 2.5 – we talk a lot about how their bodies feel. I talk to them about listening when their stomachs feel full and how different foods feel in their bodies. For example, when my kids want unlimited dessert (what kid doesn’t?!), we talk about how that might make their stomachs feel, instead of saying that dessert is bad or that it has too much sugar. 

I think it’s really important to keep dessert and sweets neutral for kids. Children will learn that these foods aren’t as nutritious as other foods – diet culture is everywhere and when you strip it down, this also just barebones nutrition. But as parents, it’s important we teach our kids that this doesn’t mean dessert is bad. It’s just another food.

The more we can keep dessert neutral – and not something special or a treat that has to be earned – the less obsessed our kids will likely be with it. Yes, they’ll probably still love dessert because it’s objectively delicious. But hopefully, they won’t put it on a pedestal and can view it neutrally to set themselves up for a healthy relationship with food.