By Sarah Patten, RD LDN One of my favorite routines after getting out of bed in the morning involves making a steaming hot cup of coffee and taking a moment before taking my first sip to pause, gaze out my kitchen window, and set an intention for my day ahead. This ritual started a couple […]
Is working on your relationship with food a part of your goals for 2017? Marci RD Nutrition is offering a 5-week meal support series with eating disorder and Intuitive Eating expert Sarah Patten. Details below! Who should consider participating? Anyone actively working on their eating disorder recovery as well as those focused on improving […]
Originally published October 2013. I don’t often use a lot of self-disclosure on my blog. In fact, the last time I shared something personal was July 2011 when I talked about my body image. But after finishing my dinner tonight I had a little conversation with myself that I wanted to share. I love chocolate…like, […]
Satisfaction: Fulfillment of one’s wishes, expectations, or needs, or the pleasure derived from this. Synonyms: gratification – contentment – content– pleasure Eating food that is truly satisfying is one of the MOST important aspects of feeding yourself. Now those words may be considered heresy in a day and age that promotes rigid, controlled eating. In […]
How do you know you’re hungry? I know it sounds like an odd question but I’m always amazed at the answers I get to this seemingly simple question. Think about it a moment. Imagine I just asked you “how do you know you’re hungry?” What would you say? I talk about hunger a fair amount. […]
In this video blog I talk about how identifying and living from your own food values gives you sanity in an often insane food culture. In the spirit of Independence Day- I invite you to celebrate the fact that you are autonomous and can declare what does and does not work for you and your […]
I LOVE Thai food. It’s perhaps my favorite cuisine and almost always sounds delicious. While thumbing through my Food and Nutrition Magazine I came across a Spring-inspired homemade version of Pad Thai. As my readers know, I don’t like to spend loads of time in the kitchen. But this recipe sounded easy enough plus it […]
I have blogged about food addiction before. But I recently had the opportunity to serve as a guest on my colleague and friend Julie Duffy Dillon’s Love, Food Podcast. (If you haven’t already subscribed, I totally encourage you to do so!) In this episode, Julie and I tease through a letter written by a woman […]
Picture Source Soup is one of the best parts of winter. It’s warm, it’s comforting, and one pot meals are super easy. Plus the varieties are endless. And as I discovered last year, January is National Soup Month. So I had to share with you a couple of my tried and true favorite soups to […]
In this vlog I give you a tour of my grocery cart for the week. I show you how to assemble super simple, super yummy, and super nutritious meals for the busy week ahead. Enjoy my lazy girls week of healthy eating and be sure to share with me your go-to weekly meals when you […]
Picture Source As the weather gets a bit cooler I get excited for warm foods (and let’s be honest cute scarves and boots). And most recently I’ve fallen in love with oatmeal. Wait- please keep reading! I know this sounds boring. An oatmeal love story. Hang with me… Historically I didn’t like oatmeal. As a […]
In today’s vlog I give a roundup up 2 products I love and 1 product I hate. It’s my Fall special of showcases and no case that I think you’ll love. I’m talking my favorite cures for the common cold, simple and delicious frozen food, and taking yoga challenges to task. Tune in and then […]
I recently learned about Fairlife milk, a new product from the Coca-Cola company. This milk is different from all other milk for a couple of different reasons. Through a filtering process, lactose, the often tummy bloating and diarrhea causing sugar in milk, is removed. Additionally the milk gets separated into five parts — water, vitamins and […]
Does that summer potluck have you excited but stressed about overeating? You are not alone! And with a little thought and a little prep, you can successfully manage your summer social eating situations. In this video blog I help you think through your biggest pitfalls to eating without overdoing it and walk you through how to […]
In this video blog I talk about how identifying and living from your own food values gives you sanity in an often insane food culture. In the spirit of Independence Day- I invite you to celebrate the fact that you are autonomous and can declare what does and does not work for you and your […]
It’s National Nutrition Month and in celebration, I wanted to share some important research about Intuitive Eating, Obesity, Weight, and Dieting. Intuitive Eating shaped my life and my career so it only felt appropriate to bring it to light during National Nutrition Month. Enjoy the vlog! And below I have included the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 […]
March is National Nutrition Month and I love the theme that the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics chose “Bite Into a Healthy Lifestyle.” There’s just something about that verb “bite” that feels very active, intentional, and strong. It somehow says to me “go for it and don’t hold back!” So that’s what I’d like to […]
In this Vlog I talk about why you can’t get something for nothing, ESPECIALLY when it comes to food, nutrition, and health. I’ll be discussing two issues, calorie banking & the new FDA approved drug Vyvanse. Both of these have the potential to make big promises without properly identifying the costs. I hope you enjoy […]
I love cookies. They might be my favorite dessert. It’s actually a toss up between cookies, cake, and brownies which makes up like 75% of dessert options. I digress…I also like a very simple breakfast because as much as I would like to make more time for breakfast, I don’t. So when I started […]
I just realized that it’s been nearly a year since my last product showcase post. That is such a shame! And I hope to make it up to you with my very first vlog. Let me know what you think!
Lose weight and gain a new life. Seriously? Seriously??!!! We see these types of advertisements all of the time because they are cheap marketing tactics used by gyms, diet plans, and supplement companies. And it’s a really dumb marketing campaign. Last time I checked, regardless of my weight I still had bills to pay, difficult […]
Yesterday was a day of celebrating for me! It was my birthday…which also coincided with International No Diet Day. What are the chances that an anti-diet dietitian gets to celebrate a no diet day on her birthday? Cake seemed appropriate on so many levels. 🙂 So what is a diet? It can be defined as […]
Did you know March is National Nutrition Month? Each year in March, The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics chooses a theme to celebrate. And this year’s theme is “Enjoy the taste of eating right.” The Academy is super into “eating right.” Their URL is www.eatrigh.org after all. I don’t like the worD “right” because it […]
You’ve certainly heard the term “clean eating.” As you think about those words, what images, feelings, and connotations get conjured up? What does the term “clean eating” mean to you? Toby Amidor, RD and media-savvy nutrition expert recently wrote about clean eating in an article in Today’s Dietitian a few months ago. She explained that […]
I’m really obsessed with Ana Sortun. She’s a Boston-area chef and makes insanely good food. So, I suppose it’s more accurate to say I’m obsessed with her food since I actually don’t know her. But in any case, if you haven’t eaten at Oleana or Sofra, do yourself a favor and go. Just go. And […]
This article was written by Maria Cruz, RD, LDN, the nutritionist for Williams College. She is passionate about helping people find joy and ease with food, and when she is not working she enjoys gardening, yoga, movies, and spending time with her family. Egg whites are a standard breakfast option in many restaurants and cafeterias […]
I was recently talking with a client about some delicious nectarines I had bought from Trader Joe’s. It sparked a conversation about how great it is to enjoy some of the summer fruits and veggies that we had been missing during the cold winter months. One of my favorite parts of my job is that […]
A friend and colleague of mine forward me this video clip from The Onion, which is perhaps my favorite place for news. (For those of you who don’t know The Onion writes parodies of news stories and is often quite hysterical.) Alert: if you are bothered or offended by profanity, please don’t watch this. For […]
Don’t ‘Reboot with Joe’ A guest post by dietetic intern Shalini. A little while back I was told about this “life-changing” documentary that I had to watch; it was called “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.” It fell within my scope of interest, so I watched. The cartoon illustrations between the major segments were amusing, but […]
March is National Nutrition Month! And this year The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is celebrating with the theme “Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day.” I actually love the theme this year because it embodies my belief that what is “right” in terms of nutrition is individual. And the key to good nutrition is honoring […]
This past weekend, we had a major storm out here in New England. In fact, I’ve never seen so much snow at once! As I was watching Facebook, my inbox, and news reports I was intrigued with everyone’s efforts to prepare for the upcoming deluge. In fact, I found it incredibly interesting. Many people headed […]
I was recently invited to guest blog for The Academy of Dietetics and Nutrition’s blog “Today’s Diet and Nutrition.” There are a plethora of “tips for the holidays” articles out there so I suppose I added mine to the mix. While the blog post is specifically geared toward individuals with an eating disorder, I actually […]
I was recently asked to give an interview on essential fatty acids. I was actually thrilled to talk about this because getting enough essential fatty acids (omega-3) in your diet is essential to brain health, mental health, and satiety! Through the 90’s dietary fat got a very bad rap. But slowly people seem to be […]
Israeli Couscous with Apples, Cranberries and Herbs Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis Prep Time: 15 min, Cook Time: 20 min, Level: EasyServes: 4 to 6 servings *I love this recipe. It’s a refreshing way to introduce the flavors of Fall. By adding feta cheese or white beans, it’s a stand alone salad. Or you can […]
I have never been a fan of pre-made diet-based meals like Jenny Craig. They are tasteless, nutritionally inadequate, and provide a “quick fix” without the ability to facilitate lasting and healthful change. And it wasn’t until I was recently introduced to The Foodery that I fell in love with the idea of home delivered meals. […]
Ok, I use the term “recipe” very loosely because I don’t really measure ingredients. But this salad came out so scrumptiously and made such wonderful leftovers, I made it two weeks in a row. Summer Couscous Salad Ingredients 1-2 cups whole wheat couscous 1-2 medium zucchinis. sliced and quartered 1 bunch of asparagus, sliced 1/4 […]
A couple of weeks ago I ran to Darwin’s to pick up some pita chips. (Big shout to Darwin’s, home to some of the tastiest sandwiches I’ve ever tasted.) To my surprise they were all out. But they had falafel chips, which I had never heard of or tried. The package says it’s “the chip […]
Thank you to all that joined us last night for the #ENDED twitter chat with Eating Disorder Network of Maryland. For those of you that missed it here’s a quick recap Q1. Eating disorders are incredibly complex- can we start by listing as many risk factors for developing an ED that we can think of? PrjectED A1. […]
When you have a healthy relationship with food then… How would you finish this sentence? Kaleigh, from HugStronger asked me this question and given the culture of eating in the U.S. it’s a really important one. We live in a society that conflates health with morality, size with success, and appearance with identity. This takes a […]
Below is a special blog post for Passover written by guest blogger Rachel. If you are interested in reading more about eating disorder recovery from a Jewish perspective her blog is an absolute must read. Picture Source Oh, Pesach. So many food rules, so many opportunities for obsessive thinking. Now, I love the holiday’s theme […]
Recently, an article on eating well during the holidays appeared in The Boston Magazine. The writer shared her spin on eating tips that “you can actually use” during the holidays. No surprise. It’s that time of the year and everyone is dishing up advice on how to avoid gaining weight during the holidays. I’ll be […]
Alright, I’m about to get on my RD soap box here. I have a little pet peeve. Ok, sometimes it’s a big pet peeve. Have you ever noticed that popular diet books, magazines, and well-intended news reporters get confused between serving sizes and portion sizes? Probably not. But I’m writing about it because it’s important! […]
Alright, a few days ago I tore to shreds the poor brown rice cake in my product no case post. But I promised to share with you a whole grain cracker that I simply love. It is the yummy and inexpensive Ak Mak Cracker! They have been around for ages and are available at just […]
I love peanut butter. So when a client brought me a jar of Peanut Butter & Co’s Cinnamon Raisin Swirl peanut butter I was pretty excited. BUT I was not prepared for the DELICIOUSNESS awaiting me. If you like peanut butter, cinnamon, and raisins then you MUST find the nearest store that sells Peanut Butter […]
First off, I want to say that tuning out the shoulds and tuning into our body’s needs when it comes to fuel is a process and journey. There will be some ups and downs along the way, but the longer that you tune out what you “should” be doing and view eating in a self-care, […]
Eating well while on the road is tough for all of us! And since I’m heading out on vacation, I appreciate Janel’s great guest post on nutritious eating on the run. Big thank you Janel! Be sure to check out awesome blog full of culinary tips and delicious recipes. Whenever I travel, whether it be […]
Several days ago, some friends on Twitter asked about my thoughts regarding this article in The Huffington Post: What Nutritionists Order When Eating Out. My knee jerk response: I hate it. Below is a more thoughtful, nuanced response. If you glance through the article, you might feel that the nutrition suggestions are reasonable. So why wouldn’t […]
“For both excessive and insufficient exercise destroy one’s strength, and both eating and drinking too much or too little destroy health, whereas the right quantity produces, increases or preserves it.”-Aristotle March is National Nutrition Month. And in my line of work, it’s easy to see how darn confused everyone is about what it means to […]
I am fascinated by the connection between the fuel we put into our bodies and how it affects the way we think, feel, and act. I am a believer that how we nourish ourselves plays a huge role in not only our physical health but also our mental health. Yes, our diet has an impact […]
Today I’m appearing on the Money Matters Network Radio Program at 2:00. You can tune in live here or listen at WBNW AM 1120 Boston. I will be mentioning a handout: Nutritious Eating on a Budget. Click here to access the handout. And to those of you who tuned in and listened- thank you! Feel free to […]
Watch CBS News Videos OnlineI thought this news clip was really interesting. Another testament to the value of eating whole, non-processed, real food!
I’m not like a lot of dietitians. I work predominantly with people who struggle with disordered, compulsive, or emotional eating. So my job is to help my clients feel less obsessed and connected to food on an emotional level, so they can get to living a healthy full life that isn’t centered around food 24/7. […]
The purpose of the “Product No Case” blog postings are to share with you foods disguised as “healthy” but might not be. And the highly marketed Dannon Light & Fit Yogurt is another great example. I know what you’re thinking, it’s fat-free yogurt, it must be healthy! Well, I’m not saying that it’s devoid of any […]
Sorry for my delay in blog posts! Not only have I been busy at work, but I had the misfortune of acquiring some sort of terrible stomach virus. Fortunately, I felt well enough to speak at the WECAN event at Harvard this afternoon on the topic of “Becoming Your Own Nutrition Expert.” One of […]
One of the questions I’m always asked about is easy, portable, yet healthy snack options. I recently wrote about healthy snacking but wanted to show you a product that I love. They are called KIND Bars and you can find them at most grocery stores out East, including Market Basket, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe’s. […]
Last night I was teaching my “Nutrition Tools” class in Harvard Square. And one question that all of the participants wanted to know about was healthy snacking options. Here are some of the suggestions I provided. 1.) A snack should contribute to the nutritional profile of your day. So, a snack should look like a […]
In case you didn’t know, it’s National Nutrition Month. A time to celebrate delicious and nutritious eating all month long! The American Dietetic Association has provided a Good Nutrition Reading List that you may find helpful. I’m currently reading “The Rules of Normal Eating” and am lovin’ it! Here’s to happy eating and happy reading. […]
I have been working with a client who has made tremendous strides with her eating habits and her relationship with food. She is currently 37 years old and describes herself as a long time emotional eater and “on again/off again” dieter. She grew up with a father who equates food with love and has had […]
Is sugar addicting? I recently received an email from a friend who had this question. She felt that she was completely addicted to sugar and wanted to know my recommendations on how best to detox her system. Little did she know, she was asking a question that researchers and scientists seriously debate. Just google the […]
Since it’s Heart Month, I thought it would be appropriate to highlight a whole grain food product I absolutely love. A few months ago I found Kashi’s 7 Whole Grain Pilaf in the hot cereal aisle. It looked interesting so I bought it. And to my delight, it is an absolutely scrumptious grain that cooks […]
Most of us associate February with Valentine’s Day. And we all know what that means- chocolate. But February isn’t just for celebrating love and candy. The American Heart Association has deemed the month of February American Heart Month. Heart disease is the #1 killer in the United States yet it is one of the most […]
Did you know that this week is National Salt Awareness week? Weird, but true. If you’re interested in learning about the effects of a high salt diet, check out this link. Salt is usually a guilt by association kind of ingredient. It tends to be excessive in highly processed and packaged food items. On the […]
In February I will be teaching a new nutrition class at the Wellbridge Athletic Club in Harvard Square Course: Nutrition Tools Date: 4 Tuesday evenings Feb. 16-March 9 Time: 5:30-7:00 Class Size: Limited to 6 Topic: I’ll be providing 4 tools that everyone needs to improve their relationship with food and start making healthier choices […]
You might not know it, but this week has been officially named “Healthy Weight Week.” As a dietitian in Cambridge who specializes in the treatment of eating disorders and works predominantly with women who struggle with their weight and body image issues, I’m pretty sensitive to the topic of weight. It’s been my experience that […]
Marion Nestle, author of “Food Politics,” “Safe Food,” and “What to Eat” and professor in the nutrition, food studies and public health department at New York University was recently interviewed by the San Fracisco Chronicle about her food prediction trends for 2010. I highly recommend checking out Nestle’s blog for a ton of really reliable/non-biased […]
In my first blog posting on New Year’s Resolutions, I promised to provide some guidelines that may help you figure out how to make some resolutions that work for you. Here they are. Step 1: refer to the questions in my last blog post and spend a bit of time thinking and journaling about them […]
I’d be willing to bet that a fair number of you are already thinking about some health-related resolutions you’d like to make for the new year. I have some pretty strong feelings about goal setting as it relates to weight, diet, and exercise. But before I share my own thoughts, I’d encourage you to first […]
I don’t always love the diet-related articles posted on the Yahoo! and MSN homepages. But today is an exception. MSN posted article entitled Top 10 Overrated Health Foods and I think it’s worthy of a blog post. After checking out the article, do you notice any trends or themes? I certainly did. Nearly every one […]
Bet you never expected to find an article on bowel health during the holidays! But let’s be honest, at this time of year, most of us are thrown from our regular routines and this can affect how things are going (or not!) in the GI department. Here are a couple of ideas: 1.) Move your body. […]
Are you sick of the articles and news reports talking about holiday weight gain? I am. But in my profession, it’s a conversation that I simply can’t avoid. And to be realistic, most people are pretty stressed out about the amount of food-related celebrating this season brings. If you are looking for simple tips and tricks […]
I live in Cambridge and have found myself surrounded with friends that follow a vegetarian/vegan diet. Their rationale for doing so varies from person to person: health benefits, decrease damage to the environment, reduce animal suffering, etc. While I don’t follow a strict vegetarian lifestyle, I am a huge advocate of replacing some of your […]
Today, theNew York Times magazine is all about food. One of the articles, written by Michael Pollan caught my eye. It’s about food rules. Basically, his premise is that culture might have more to teach us than the government or trained nutritionists. Pollan says “If we can’t rely on the marketers or the government or […]
So I have a surprising number of people ask me about eggs. It seems that a fair number of you like them but are afraid that their high cholesterol content will have a negative impact on your cholesterol. As it turns out, the newest research shows that it’s actually excessive intake of saturated fat, rather […]
I’m reading a book for my book club called “Mindless Eating” by Brian Wansink. You’ve probably heard of it. Professor Wansink has made his food lab at Cornell famous from such experiments including stale popcorn and endless soup bowls, to name a couple. Essentially, he studies the subconscious cues which encourage all of us to […]
Clients often ask me for restaurant suggestions for healthy dining in Harvard Square. One resource that many of you might find helpful (regardless of location) is called The Healthy Dining Finder. Essentially, you type in your zip code, price range, and type of restaurant you are looking for. And the website produces restaurants and menu suggestions […]
Have you ever wondered what “normal” eating looks like? I was recently forwarded this article on “normal eating” and wanted to share it with all of you. What do you think normal eating looks like? Here’s the article from the NY Times: Today, the mental health site PsychCentral.com asks an interesting question: What does it […]
I recently had the opportunity to co-lead a weekend workshop with a Boston-based organization called Feeding Ourselves, which aims to help people learn how to feed themselves based on internal cues (i.e. hunger and fullness) rather than for emotional or social reasons. The Feeding Ourselves approach combines psychological awareness with behavioral techniques for establishing a positive […]
I wanted to let me local readers know that I will be teaching a new class at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education this Fall. Here are the course details: Food and Moodby Marci Anderson Do you feel tired and sluggish even when you get enough sleep? What about insatiable snack cravings that you just […]
So a lot of my clients (mainly women) bemoan the fact that they just don’t have any self control. As it turns out, researchers are beginning to find more and more support that there is biological reason for that! So our food-laden environments are extremely triggering and hard to ignore. Gene-Jack Wang, a senior scientist […]
A cost effective and delicious way to take advantage of summer’s fresh berries is to buy in bulk and freeze them. I found a deal on a huge case of blueberries. I kept some for eating and some for freezing. And my favorite thing to do with frozen berries is whipping them up into delicious fruit smoothies. Blend together your favorite […]
With all of the confusing headlines and shifting recommendations about eating, it’s no wonder many people feel uncertain about their diet. However, there is a large body of research that suggests one of the very best things you can do for your family is eat together! I found a relevant article on the Children’s Data […]
We are all looking for easy ways to eat well on the go. Hence, the creation of THE BAR. Yes, if you walk the aisles of any convenience store or supermarket you just may be overwhelmed by the sheer number of them! In fact, as a dietitian, one of the most common questions I get […]
A couple of weeks ago I received a phone call from a Harvard journalism student looking to interview me for a nutrition-related article. He sent me a series of questions to answer via email along with a link to an article from the New York Times entitled “When Economy Sours, Tootsie Rolls Soothe Souls.” The […]
So I recently wrote an article on healthy snacking as a guest blogger for Dianna Huff, who specializes in business to business (B2B) marketing communications and search engine optimization. Check out the article. Trust me, snacking is either friend or foe…I provide 4 common pitfalls, 4 helpful solutions, and 4 simple snacking ideas for anyone crunched for […]