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A lot of my clients come to me expressing that they would like to learn how to eat intuitively, and to that I say: great! Often, in helping my clients explore nutrition strategies that can help them reach their goals, and keep their preferences and lifestyle in mind, intuitive eating is brought up as a way to potentially reach their goals.

But, how do you intuit something you've never been acquainted with and don't have the knowledge to approach?


Well, that is why I argue that even if you want to intuitive eat, macros is where you have to start. Eating intuitively is a whole system, you cannot "intuitively eat" if you're not willing to do most of the major aspects of Intuitive Eating, because it requires awareness and prior knowledge. That is what popular media tends to neglect to mention!


**What is Intuitive Eating?**

Let's chat a bit about Intuitive Eating. It's a great concept and practice, created by two Registered Dietitians and they published the first copy of Intuitive Eating in 1995. It's been reprinted since, with expansions on weight-stigma, baby-led weaning, and diet culture. Here are the 10 principals that define Intuitive Eating:

1. Reject the Diet Mentality
Throw out the diet books and magazine articles that offer you the false hope of losing weight quickly, easily, and permanently. Get angry at diet culture that promotes weight loss and the lies that have led you to feel as if you were a failure every time a new diet stopped working and you gained back all of the weight. If you allow even one small hope to linger that a new and better diet or food plan might be lurking around the corner, it will prevent you from being free to rediscover Intuitive Eating.

2. Honor Your Hunger
Keep your body biologically fed with adequate energy and carbohydrates. Otherwise you can trigger a primal drive to overeat. Once you reach the moment of excessive hunger, all intentions of moderate, conscious eating are fleeting and irrelevant. Learning to honor this first biological signal sets the stage for rebuilding trust in yourself and in food.

3. Make Peace with Food
Call a truce; stop the food fight! Give yourself unconditional permission to eat. If you tell yourself that you can’t or shouldn’t have a particular food, it can lead to intense feelings of deprivation that build into uncontrollable cravings and, often, bingeing. When you finally “give in” to your forbidden foods, eating will be experienced with such intensity it usually results in Last Supper overeating and overwhelming guilt.

4. Challenge the Food Police
Scream a loud no to thoughts in your head that declare you’re “good” for eating minimal calories or “bad” because you ate a piece of chocolate cake. The food police monitor the unreasonable rules that diet culture has created. The police station is housed deep in your psyche, and its loudspeaker shouts negative barbs, hopeless phrases, and guilt-provoking indictments. Chasing the food police away is a critical step in returning to Intuitive Eating. 

5. Discover the Satisfaction Factor
The Japanese have the wisdom to keep pleasure as one of their goals of healthy living. In our compulsion to comply with diet culture, we often overlook one of the most basic gifts of existence—the pleasure and satisfaction that can be found in the eating experience. When you eat what you really want, in an environment that is inviting, the pleasure you derive will be a powerful force in helping you feel satisfied and content. By providing this experience for yourself, you will find that it takes just the right amount of food for you to decide you’ve had “enough.”

6. Feel Your Fullness
In order to honor your fullness, you need to trust that you will give yourself the foods that you desire.  Listen for the body signals that tell you that you are no longer hungry. Observe the signs that show that you’re comfortably full. Pause in the middle of eating and ask yourself how the food tastes, and what your current hunger level is. 

7. Cope with Your Emotions with Kindness
First, recognize that food restriction, both physically and mentally, can, in and of itself, trigger loss of control, which can feel like emotional eating. Find kind ways to comfort, nurture, distract, and resolve your issues. Anxiety, loneliness, boredom, and anger are emotions we all experience throughout life. Each has its own trigger, and each has its own appeasement. Food won’t fix any of these feelings. It may comfort for the short term, distract from the pain, or even numb you. But food won’t solve the problem. If anything, eating for an emotional hunger may only make you feel worse in the long run. You’ll ultimately have to deal with the source of the emotion.

8. Respect Your Body
Accept your genetic blueprint. Just as a person with a shoe size of eight would not expect to realistically squeeze into a size six, it is equally futile (and uncomfortable) to have a similar expectation about body size. But mostly, respect your body so you can feel better about who you are. It’s hard to reject the diet mentality if you are unrealistic and overly critical of your body size or shape. All bodies deserve dignity.

9. Movement—Feel the Difference
Forget militant exercise. Just get active and feel the difference. Shift your focus to how it feels to move your body, rather than the calorie-burning effect of exercise. If you focus on how you feel from working out, such as energized, it can make the difference between rolling out of bed for a brisk morning walk or hitting the snooze alarm.

10. Honor Your Health—Gentle Nutrition
Make food choices that honor your health and taste buds while making you feel good. Remember that you don’t have to eat perfectly to be healthy. You will not suddenly get a nutrient deficiency or become unhealthy, from one snack, one meal, or one day of eating. It’s what you eat consistently over time that matters. Progress, not perfection, is what counts. 


As we look at these principals, I recognize as a nutrition consultant that it would be an impossible ask to suggest to a client who grew up in a food desert, with limited funds for fresh foods, to be able to practice "gentle nutrition" when they've not had the life-experience or ability to know what is considered nutritious, and what is not. I also recognize as an expert, that my clients wouldn't know what foods to choose for satiety--this is why I argue that macros come first, even if you want and may even need to (for your well-being) graduate to eating more intuitively!


I would also argue that while my approach isn't considered Intuitive Eating, I do follow the practices and encourage my clients to as well, of gentle movement, coping with your emotions with kindness, and ditching the diet mentality. There is a huge difference between specifically-structured macros to get to a very specific outcome, and generally feeling more peace and ease with food, and therefore, being able to get to your goals.


But, they're both contingent on one thing. Knowledge. 


This is why as I coach, I feel my most important duty is to educate my clients. You don't need to be an enclopedia of nutrition information to get to your goals, but you have to have a good understanding of what foods will help you feel satisfied (protein, fats, fiber), and what those foods are made up of. Macros aren't just for bodybuilding or growing muscle--upon reflection, I've coached many more clients who weren't athletes or had athletic endeavors to support, and my clients ALWAYS benefit when they invest time in to understanding macros and what foods will help them stay mentally and physically satisfied.


This can be tricky when you have a history of disordered eating, but certainly not impossible. I have helped many women with a history of eating disorders embrace that knowing what their food does for them (especially in relation to their goals), is a way to improve your confidence in yourself and in your choices--it's not a millstone around your neck if you truly embrace the Intuitive Eating principal of making peace with food, or are diligently trying to get there. There truly aren't good or bad foods (well, I can think of ONE! Comment down below if you wanna know what it is!).


In summary, what I want to express is I firmly believe in both approaches--Macros and Intuitive eating!  What approach you apply, for how long, and why--are the factors that should dictate whether or not you try it for yourself. I think you can be a dang good intuitive eater and still track some macros. I think you can be great at counting macros and never need to be as mindful of your food as Intuitive Eating asks. It's all about where you are in your journey.


If you could use some guidance and accountability as you track macros, and are looking for a coach who will educate you, and try to understand where you are in your journey so I can help you eat in a way that supports your goals AND well-being--reach out! I would love to help you on your path to finding your personal harmony with food, and fitness.

Macro Counting vs Intuitive Eating

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Food! It's fuel, it's fun, and it's necessary to track if you want to get to your goal!

Often my clients come to me with questions about how to eat to support their health goals. How we eat is so individual, it comes down to habits, cultural practices, and our individual preferences around taste, texture, and a myriad of other food-related sensations.

I am a macro coach, but I do firmly believe that basing your diet around mostly whole foods, not only will fit your macros but your health. My approach to coaching clients using macros is to help them understand basic nutrition principles, and what foods fall under fats, carbs, and protein...and go from there! My client's know what they like to eat, and what works for them. I respect that! My aim is to collaborate with you. 

If you hate broccoli, you don't need to eat broccoli, but I will certainly give you the tools to understand that broccoli, is a fibrous vegetable and is low-calorie dense, but nutrient-dense (meaning, it's a low-calorie food, with a lot of good vitamins and minerals in it) and what other foods are also low calorie and nutrient-dense, so you can put together meals that suit you. 

I'm pretty practical in my approach to macro coaching. I recognize that most of my clients who are seeking out my help, already know they should "eat better", but eating well with consistency can be an obstacle. We live busy and demanding lives, and getting everyone's needs met at the kitchen table can be incredibly daunting, and I would argue, impractical, initially.

It's helpful to recognize that when we change, it impacts the people around us--positively, or negatively (or a perception of negativity).

I see dietary change impacting not only my clients, but their families and the people they tend to eat with. I always encourage my clients to start with themselves--yes, that may mean initially you are genuinely preparing two different meals. One that suits your needs and goals, and one that suits how your family unit is already eating. Over time, things evolve. Either the people who are impacted get involved and possibly engage in their own dietary evolution, or, it becomes an issue that has to be negotatied at home. I really encourage the women I coach to ask their families to reflect on how these dietary changes may positively impact the entire household, and let their family members have a "light blub" moment of their own when they can recognize they will gain something positive from this, too!

**Please message me** if you would like the foods list and PDF I've created as a resource that can help you and your family identify some foods you'd like to include in your diet in the upcoming week. This isn't a sales pitch--I promise! I can't include photos or PDFs on this blog, but I want to be helpful! 

Use the PDF to identify foods from the Green, Yellow, and Red Foods list, and then use the graphic below to fill in your desires! I've also included a colorful food spectrum chart so you can remind yourself of all the wonderful choices you have! As silly as it sounds, taking this step to actively create a list of foods you want to include this week, makes it so much more likely that there will be follow through.

Taking this step to create your foods list with your macros in mind, will really help you start to gain traction. 

Shifting your diet as you engage in change will be the most consistent part of your journey. Movement is fun, and so is food, but I will tell you will 100% honesty that food is the bigger driver of your outcomes. So, invest your time here. 

Knowing what works for you, is great. But if you feel stuck in your own habits and feel like no matter what you do, you always end up defaulting back to convience foods, please drop me a line and we can chat! I am confident that I can help you achieve your dietary strategy, even with time and money constraints. I fully recognize that my clients are managaing a lot--kids, careers, relationships--but that doesn't mean your nutrition strategy is unattainable. Start with taking steps towards including more whole foods in your diet. And drop me a line :) I'm here to help!

Have a wonderful rest of your day, and please include any questions or comments you have below! 

How to Make Your Nutrition Strategy Work for You!

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Part of my mission with Well Well Well is to help every woman I coach feel strong and able! There are so many different ways to increase your strength, and you certainly don't have to be in a gym to do so!

There are many benefits to strength training; not only are you getting stronger and more able, but you're gaining a skill and creating new neural pathways when you strength train.

Check out my blogpost for some great information on getting started into strength, as well as a free workout! You'll find all the goodies, here:
https://meganwellwellwell.wixsite.com/website/post/women-and-weights

If you could use some help getting started in strength, I'm your gal!

Women and Strength Training

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So many of my client's know that self-care is important before they come asking for my guidance! But, I often find when we open the conversation around self-care what my clients speak about is self-soothing. Self-soothing is important, but it isn't self-care!

In my blogpost, I have some helpful visuals, tips, and practices you can incorporate into your day to day life to help you create awareness, and attend to true self-care.

Here is the post! https://meganwellwellwell.wixsite.com/website/post/what-is-self-care-really

What practices help you take care of yourself? 

What is Self-Care, Really?

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This healthier version of banana bread is so moist, delicious, and perfect for weekly meal prep! In my opinion, banana bread is better the longer it's sat in the fridge :)

I didn't aim to make this recipe specifically plant-based, or anything like that--I found I was missing a few ingredients so I adapted. I'll suggest some swaps in the recipe! Give it a try, I'm confident this recipe holds up no matter what you have on hand.

Serves: 9

Prep time: 10 min

Bake time: 40 min

Total time: 50 min


Ingredients:

Wet:

325g very ripe banana

12g chia seeds (made in to 1 chia seed egg)*

16g melted and cooled unsalted butter**

30g brown sugar***

1 tsp vanilla extract


Dry:

120g all purpose flour

30g whole wheat flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp ground cinnamon 

4.2g oat milk chai (or pumpkin pie spice)****


Method:

Preheat your oven to 325F. Spray a 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan with coconut oil or cooking spray.

Heat butter in the microwave for 30 seconds and set aside.

Combine all dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.

Make chia seed egg, and set aside.

In a food processor, or with a fork, smash bananas until they are a runny consistency. Add chia egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Add butter and brown sugar.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until well combined. 

Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Serves:9

Macros 1 per serving: 

128 calories

2.4g fat

24.6g carbs

2.4g protein

7.8g sugar (brown sugar + banana)

Nutrition tip:

Add nut butter or nuts if you'd like to add some healthy fats, or make a protein pudding to put on top if you want more protein!


Let cool and enjoy!


Swaps:

*regular egg or flax egg

**coconut oil

***coconut sugar

****This is a product I use and enjoy, please don't feel any pressure to use something like this! I'm experimenting with these in my diet, and they are tasty. I think the risk is low, so if you would like to try them you can find them here: BLUME 

I'm not affiliated in any way, just giving you the info!

Give it a try, I'd love to see your creations! Tag me on Tiktok @meggwellwellwell, or leave your social media here and @ me!

Nutrient-Dense Banana Bread

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Change has always been difficult for me. I'm sure some of you can relate. Some people are just born with the ability to navigate change in a positive way, embracing that "nothing is as consistent as change". I think of my step-dad, he navigates and embraces change so well, even considering a difficult and unpredictable childhood. Maybe that is fundamentally why he is able to navigate change so well.

I bring up change because Wellness is really all about change--so, if I'm so inherently opposed to change, why do I love Wellness so much?

Somewhere along the path of healing from eating disorders, self-destruction, and isolation, I found strength and resilience in discovering how I could actively improve my habits, self-awareness, and self-efficacy. 

Unlike health, Wellness is not a state of being, it's a journey. It's a journey that requires good self-stewardship, not only for ourselves but for people we love and have a connection with. Wellness is a holistic integration of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. It's about engaging the mind, fueling the body, and service. It's about living life, fully.

I love Wellness so much because selfishly, it's fulfilling. Helping others find meaningful strategies for self-regulation, habits, and self-awareness is what I have always felt called to do. Through my own journey, and many hours of experience in helping others, I am able to help those on their own paths to discovering and maintaining their own personal harmony.

The stress and pace of modern life have meant that we often find ourselves stacking the deck in a few areas of our life, rather than finding--and claiming balance. All dimensions of Wellness are important to living fully, but this doesn't mean they have to be in perfect balance. Instead, attending to all dimensions but having the autonomy to find your personal harmony is also another reason I love Wellness, and love helping others notice and create change and habits to support their personal harmony.

Below, I've included a link to the Dimensions of Wellness. 

[https://www.afpafitness.com/blog/an-introduction-to-the-7-dimensions-of-wellness]

As you can see, it's all related. If one dimension is not attended to; over time it will adversely affect your quality of life and well-being. Are there dimensions that you can clearly identify need nurturing? If so, are you able to put energy and attention in that direction? I would love to hear your experiences of self-discovery, and if you could use a little help and some gentle nudges to spark your potential, affirmations, and priorities, please feel free to contact me and I would love to coach you!







Why I Love Wellness

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I've worked with 100s of clients over the course of my coaching career, and the ONE thing that is lacking no matter the client's goal or fitness level is always a mobility and stretching routine. In fact, I can't think of a single person who has sought out my help and already had an established stretching practice they engaged in with frequency!

I understand why this happens. Typically stretching and mobility are presented as optional, or optimizing your workout. While the latter is true, stretching should be part of your daily habits, even if you aren't strength training, or have a dedicated exercise routine. I also understand that it can feel like the part of the workout you can skip if you're pressed for time, but that couldn't be further from the truth! The warm-up is as important as the workout.

I want to encourage you to consider your flexibility and mobility. In my experience, I see my clients gain so many positive things when they adopt a stretching practice. Not only does it give them physical relief, but it's a dedicated bit of time in their day where they can be with their thoughts, listen to music, a podcast, or audiobook, transforming that investment of time into a meaningful practice. 

There are so many benefits to stretching and mobility, especially as part of your morning routine. To get you started here is a wonderful follow-along video you can start your day with.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI51zRzgIe4

I wanna hear how you felt! How did this routine bring awareness to you--what did you experience? What did you notice? Will you continue to create space in your day to stretch?

The ONE thing you should be doing, no matter your goal!

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Life can be overwhelming, and that can contribute to not taking action when you know you need to, and you geninely want to. In my experience I've noticed when people embark on a health goal, it sucks all the air out of the room and becomes your entire focus. 

While being focused and purposeful about your goal is certainly how you get to your goal, any pursuit that is your entire focus, will be unsustainable. And I am all about sustainability.

The reason my health coaching business is called Well Well Well is, I focus on three main components of your health: Nutrition, Movement, and Mindfulness. I ask my clients to invest 12 weeks to invest themselves in understanding the data, practicing movement, and sustain the changes they are making by drawing awareness and mindfulness into their long-term strategy for change. 

With years of experience coaching hundreds of people from gyms to corporate offices, I've narrowed down the most important principals you need to understand and be aware of as you set goals to achieve your health and fitness goals. This course is broken down into 3 parts, over a 12-week period.

Week 1-4 focuses on Nutrition.

Week 4-8 focuses on Movement.

Week 8-13 focuses on Mindset, habits, and sustaining change.

In this course you'll delve into basic nutrition, movement, and mindfulness principals with guidance that is specific to you and your needs and goals.

Now that the nuts and bolts are out of the way, I also want to let you know this is going to be FUN! What's the point if there's no joy in achieving your goal? You'll be encouraged to introduce new foods, movement, and mindfulness practices that will help you further your personal harmony while you're in goal-getting mode!

If you're interested but still have some questions, please feel free to reach out!

See you soon!

Why Well Well Well?

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Hi! I'm Megg.
As a certified Personal Trainer, Nutrition Counselor, and Wellness Coach, I will help you understand your specific needs to achieve your health and fitness goals. My 12-week course is designed to give you the education, information and hands-on guidance from me so you can explore and achieve your personal harmony with food, fitness, and your mindset! Never diet again, find what feels good, and create a whole-health approach to your well-being! I would LOVE to be your guide!

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If continued support is part of what will help you get to your goal, these are for you! This session is 30 minutes, and can be done via Zoom, Google Meet, or Trainerize. If weekly or bi-monthly check-ins help you stay accountable, book this!

If continued support is part of what will help you get to your goal, these 30-minute sessions are conducted via Zoom, Google Meet, or Trainerize.

1-1 Check In

Continued Support

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What do sustainable weight loss and exercise actually mean!? Well, it means that we use the tools, resources, and preferences you already have, and apply them to your goals! If you're looking for a coach who cares about your outcomes and is an expert on helping people achieve their health-related goals, I am the coach for you! I have unconditional positive regard for my clients and I recognize you are doing the best you can at any given moment. My promise to you: I'll educate you, guide you, and support you with the information, resources, and motivation you need to get to your goal. What I'll never do? Shame you, assume things, and be close-minded--absolutely not! This is a collaborative effort. You're the expert on your goals and needs, and I'm the expert on how to get there! Book this 30-minute consultation with me to see if your needs and goals align with my coaching style. Let's get better, together :)

Let's chat and see if we are a good collaborative team to help you get to your goals!

Beta: Consultation

Beta: Nutrition, Movement, Mindfulness Consultation

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Start here! This introductory course will set you up for achieving success with your health-related goals. Mindset, included! Understanding the information that is most useful to you as you engage in your health journey is key to achieving success. In this course you'll delve into basic nutrition, movement, and mindfulness principals with guidance that is specific to you and your needs and goals.

Onboarding! This week we will get you set up. You'll start with my app, Trainerize! Everything you need to get to your goal, will be contained there.

Week 1:

Let's get you acquainted with what Mindfulness is! You'll also start tracking your food.

Week 2: Mindfulness + Tracking Food

This week we will pay the most attention to movement. I will collaborate with you to create an 8-week plan that will help you get to your specific goal. Everything you need is in the Trainerize app!

Week 3: Movement Patterns + Exercise Program

This week I introduce stress and how it may be impacting you, and your goals! I have some great tools, exercises, and reading materials to support your education.

Week 4: Stress and Self-Efficacy

Stress over a long period of time can lead to burnout. If you're experiencing burnout, or have in the past--this week we are going to give you tools to combat the stress and complete your stress cycle so you're never burning out.

Week 5: Burnout

This week I have an amazing workbook for you--it's short! But effective :) This workbook will help you gain awareness, tools, and insight into how you can challenge your self-limiting beliefs and choose growth over fear.

Week 6: Stop, Challenge, Choose

As you've been engaged with me week to week, you've been tracking your food, hitting your workouts, and noticing! This week we are going to focus on your strategies up to this point. How is your nutrition strategy working for your goals? How are you enjoying your exercise routine?

Week 7: Revisiting Movement and Macros!

You've learned SO much about yourself at this point. You know what foods you like to eat, AND are helping you get to your goal, you know what you like to do to move your body (and feel that wonderful dopamine!), and finally, you've reflected on how stress, and internal scripts have impacted your ability to get to your goal--up until now! This week we are going to delve into sustaining change. Starting with habits!

Week 8: Habits!

Whenever we embark on a goal, motivation and excitement is at it's highest--you're optimistic! You're energized! Motivation will ebb and flow, but consistency and sustainability is why you're here. This week we will look at the obstacles you've encountered--it may be your support system isn't as "supportive" as you thought, or, you have new awareness around habits that were keeping you from your goal. You're the expert on your life, and I'm the expert on how to shift these habits, mindsets, and obstacles so we can collaboratively work towards your goals!

Week 9: Apply to your Life

You have gained so much in the last 10 weeks. So, how do we get it to stick? Well, we examine a growth vs fixed mindset and give you tools to embody a growth mindset so you can continue to make progress towards your goals, and be the person you want to show up in the world as!

Week 10: Growth Mindset

This week you are going to write a letter to past you. You've discovered and honed so many healthy ways to self-soothe, perform self-care, and be present--this is a great moment to reflect on past you. 

Week 11: Write a Letter

Has it been 12 wonderful weeks, already?! This is wrap up week. Whether or not you want to continue coaching with me, this final week gives us the opportunity to create a strategy. If it includes me, that is up to you! I offer continued support to clients who feel my coaching is part of what is helping them succeed.Otherwise, this is the week you and I will create a strategy to keep you on your path and achieving your goal! 

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