Ask an Expert: A Master Nutrition Coach answers our top questions

Bringing you a wealth of expertise today, we turn to Ashley. Ashley is a master nutrition coach who helps women break the cycle of dieting. Yes, she shares her incredible perspectives with us weekly, but this week we all had the opportunity ask for her guidance. See, Ashley's depth of knowledge, experience coaching clients (including Emilee and Kim!) and unique fire about how to nourish ourselves, runs deeper than food. While we each asked her a question, you'll see how she wants to know more. She doesn't skim the surface, but she helps you dig into the underlying thoughts and address the source of the question. Read on for 5 amazing glimpses of her coaching.

Emilee, Book Aficionado from @The BookClubCart

Emilee asked:

When I worked with you last year, it was so incredibly helpful to learn more about how to properly eat to fuel my body, especially for my age and level of activity.  However, with summer upon us, workouts veer of course, eating is on a different schedule, and vacations can throw me off.  How can I keep that consistency going with an inconsistent schedule?

Ashley replied:

I’m so glad to hear our time together was helpful 😘. It was such a pleasure to be your coach and a part of your health journey! 

Ok, I hear you. Summer, weekends, holidays and work travel are all part of life and can definitely throw us off our routine. So what do we do? First of all, we need to recognize and accept these things are (mostly) out of our control, they’re gonna happen whether we’re ready or not! But that does not mean we have to throw in the towel and go full send doing whatever we want! This is what we call “all-or-nothing” thinking and most of us do this in some area of our life. Instead of thinking “well it’s summer, I’ll just pick it back up when the kids go back,” find out your anchors and commit to them. 

Your “anchors” are your non-negotiables during this time period. Instead of your usual 3-4 strength workouts/week maybe it’s 2 strengths and 2 walks each week before the kids get up or maybe turn it into “mommy and me” time so it’s a double whammy! If you’re going out to dinner or indulging in ice cream more often, be sure to have balanced meals throughout the day (do not skip!). Be conscious of your water intake. Water is usually the first thing to go when routine is off. This will help decrease bloat and be easier to recover after any gnarly hangovers. 

So, what will your anchors be?

Ali, Book Aficionado from @The BookClubCart

Ali asked:

I always hear that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but I’m rarely hungry in the morning. I wake up early around 5:30 a.m. and enjoy a quiet moment with a cup of coffee and my book. During that time, I struggle to feel interested in eating. But by 10:30–11:00, I’m starving. I’d love some guidance on how to navigate the lack of hunger in the morning while still making sure I’m supporting my body and setting myself up for success with proper nutrition and my overall dietary needs as women about to turn 40.

Ashley replied:

I’d love to know more here like what does your nighttime eating look like? And why do you think eating breakfast is important…regardless of what you have heard? 

First off, you’re not alone. I hear this everyday from women, not kidding. I’d argue, no meal is more important than the other. ALL meals and snacks are important! 

As we get older one of the most important things we can do is to maintain stable blood sugar. If we are skipping meals or going too long without eating we tend to show up to our next meal starving, like you noted. What happens then? You (may) end up eating more than your body needs or intended, leaving you feeling stuffed, bloated and unbuttoning your pants. Think Thanksgiving! It’s also really hard to tap into your hunger and fullness cues because your hunger hormones are raging and your satisfaction hormones are very low. We want to avoid that! 

So my suggestion would be to experiment…slowly! Find something small that you can tolerate eating within an hour of waking up. Maybe it’s a banana with peanut butter or a scrambled egg with toast and how that feels. As you get more comfortable eating those foods, try adding more to them, slowly, making sure to hit all the macronutrients (fruits/veggies, carbs, protein and fat). There are LOTS of suggestions out there about how much protein to eat but, for you, I would start with just getting your body used to food in the early morning hours and working your way up to a full, balanced meal. 

Kim, Home Connoisseur from @Reverie.and.Root &

Founder of Spilling Goodness

Kim asked:

How do I find the ideal balance of workouts? I love to run, try to like strength training (but it still feels more like a chore) and have recently discovered hot yoga sculpt.  I tend to do more and more and would love any guidance on a good mix. 

Ashley replied:

Ok, I have some follow up questions here, why do you tend to do “more and more?” What are you trying to accomplish? Like, what’s underneath this? Really sit and think that one through first. 

Then, what does “ideal balance” look like to you? Everyone is different and there isn’t a “perfect” plan, just the one that leaves you feeling energized, healthy and injury free. 

As we age it becomes increasingly more important to lift weights at least 3x/week (agh, sorry!) and for those workouts to gradually become more challenging over time. This is called progressive overload and it’s one of the best things you can do to maintain strong bones, preserve muscle mass, support metabolism, improve balance and mobility and help your body stay independent and resilient as you get older. Because the goal isn’t to just “burn calories.” It’s to build a body that feels strong, capable and supported for the long haul!

If running is your jam, awesome! Keep that up as long as you’re enjoying it and not experiencing any injuries or pain. 

And please please have at least 2 rest days/week where you allow your body to properly recover. Constant soreness, low energy, irritability, trouble sleeping, increased cravings (especially sugar), feeling obsessed with food, declining gym performance, and needing caffeine to survive the day can all be signs your body is under-recovered and overstressed.

      Note: your body builds strength during recovery, not just during the workout itself!

Ps. I love that you are experimenting and trying all the things! When you find what you enjoy, you’ll never have to think twice about doing it!

Jen, Bespoke Travel Planner from @GlobalOnDemandTravel

Jen asked:

What are easy snacks that I can have during the day to keep me fueled and going?  Has to be easy to grab on the go and eat between meetings.  Bonus if I can purchase off the counter and don't have to do even a bit of cooking :) 

Ashley replied:

• Protein bar (make sure it has at least 20g of protein and very little added sugars) my faves are Barebells, One and Quest bars.

• Zero sugar greek yogurt or plain greek yogurt with fruit and nuts. 

• Hard-boiled eggs (1-2 and you can buy them pre-made in a bag), pre-cut celery and carrot sticks or cucumbers and hummus. 

• Apple w/ peanut butter and 2-3 rolled up deli turkey slices.

• Scoop of protein powder mixed with water or milk of choice and a banana. 

• Cottage cheese with literally anything…crackers and veggie sticks or fruit and nuts.

• Water, water and water!!!!

Rebecca, Woman's Leadership Coach from @PleasantlyAggressive

Rebecca asked:

I eat out frequently, especially when traveling. I try to control my portions, but it's so hard to know exactly what I'm consuming. Is that salad dressing 1,000 calories? What about that sandwich? What can I do to ensure I'm making good choices?  

Ashley replied:

Traveling can definitely be tough when you’re trying to make healthier and nutritious choices but there is no such thing as “good” or “bad” foods. So, the first thing I would do is pay more attention to the language you’re using around the foods you eat. There is no morality when it comes to food and the sooner you’re aware of that the better you’ll feel around your nutrition. It comes down to HOW foods make you feel and gaining non-judgemental awareness around that. Will this salad with lots of dressing, croutons and cheese give me energy or make me feel sluggish, tired and bloated after? No answer is right or wrong but when you start to really pay attention to how food makes you feel, you can guide yourself better in making choices that align with your body and goals. (side note: you’ll never be able to know exactly how many calories are in foods

that you don’t weigh, count or measure and even if you could it’s never exact).

After you’ve identified how you want your foods to make you feel then I like to use the balanced plate method. Half of your plate or meal is some sort of fruits and/or vegetable, ¼ is a complex carbohydrate like rice, potato, pasta, bread, ¼ is a lean protein like fish, beef, chicken, tofu and a small serving of fat like dressing, avocado, nuts or olive oil. That way you hit all your macronutrients to stay satisfied and nourished for at least 3-4 hours!

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Ask an Expert: A Master Nutrition Coach answers top questions