The power of paying attention

I was working at the computer the other day, and overheard an interview on a local news station with an inspiring woman who lost a substantial amount of weight - I believe she was in her 60's, and had gotten into dancing. The reason she decided to try and lose weight was because some of the dance moves she was learning required her partner to lift her up in the air - she felt bad for her poor partner, so made some changes so that she would be lighter.


The thing she did that struck me the most was this - she started paying attention to her hunger. She said that sometimes her life was so busy that she simply ate because it seemed like the thing to do - she learned that if she would simply check in with herself before eating (take a breath, focus, calm the chaos a bit, have a little water), she discovered that more often than not, she wasn't even hungry!

Here is an inspiring video to promote a new book by Dr. Michelle May, who runs a business called Am I Hungry? (amihungry.com). Dr. May is all about intuitive eating, and I am looking forward to reading (and probably wholeheartedly recommending!) her new book. It is a reminder of the power of simply paying attention to what you eat, and making sure that you enjoy it!

Let's learn from the skinny people

I know that it seems like certain skinny people stay that way because of blessed genes; but, if you really spend time observing a naturally skinny person, you will realize a couple of things.

#1 - Naturally skinny people tend to honor their hunger. If they are not hungry, they have no problem saying so and simply don't eat. Also, they tend to stop eating when they are comfortably full, even when there is chocolate cake LEFT ON THE PLATE!

#2 - Naturally skinny people tend to eat what they like and leave the rest. Many of these people have been labeled a "picky eater" by those who know them, as if that's a bad thing. They are guided by what tastes good to them, and as they get older and wiser, they are also guided by what they know is doing their body good.

#3 - Naturally skinny people are RARELY, if ever, perfect eaters. If you meet someone who you think is a naturally skinny person and also eats perfectly, chances are they may be suffering from something called "orthorexia" (a term coined by Dr. Steven Bratman). Orthorexia Nervosa literally means "fixation on righteous eating", and it occurs when healthy eating becomes an obsession - another day, another topic.

My new blog!

Well, as a new blog, I am happy to say "Welcome to my new blog!"

I am Melinda Johnson, a Registered Dietitian in her 30-somethings, and my business is Nutrition for Slackers.

I became a dietitian just because I wanted to know how bad I could eat and still be skinny. Really, it was all about the weight. I was a chubby teenager and went on my first diet when I was about 12 years old. Food and I fought the good fight for at least a decade after that. I entered college, took a nutrition class, loved the class, and decided to make a career of it. But, I was still very conflicted about what I wanted to eat and what I was learning I should be eating. Food occupied way to much of my brain space.

Luckily, I was instructed to read a book during my internship to become a dietitian. I was spending time with a bit of a rebel RD who specialized in eating disorders. Her name is Monika Woolsey, and I plan on writing more about her views later in the blog - but for now, to learn more about her and visit her website, you can go to http://www.afterthediet.com/. Monika wanted me to read the book Intuitive Eating; for me, it was one of those books that change the way you see the world. Since then, I have become very good at practicing the non-diet approach to eating, and I love to share this approach with others.

So, on the outside, I look like a slacker when it comes to nutrition. But, it's all part of the master plan! Wanna learn more? Stay tuned!