Crash diets come and go. Unfortunately, weight does, too. Many of us get stuck in unhealthy weight cycles, repeatedly losing and gaining weight. This is hard on our bodies, and on our psyches, too. Changing our eating patterns is key for sustainable weight loss, but that’s usually easier said than done. Most of us have an emotional relationship with food that goes way back and has been reinforced over time. So, as much as we may “know” that we need to change the way we eat (how much, how often, what kinds of foods), actually doing so often seems downright impossible.

It’s not impossible. I promise.

I help clients learn to modify their eating behaviors and establish healthy lifestyle habits that lead to long-term success. Behavior modification involves specific techniques that change the behaviors that cause the weight gain. It sounds simple, and in a way it is. But when it comes to actually losing weight, most people focus on the idea of “being good” or on the number they see on the scale, rather than changing specific behaviors. I use behavior modification techniques to help clients take small steps that lead to lasting change. Examples of behavior modification include:

• Keep serving dishes off the table (fill plates in the kitchen)
• Eat only while sitting down at the table (never at the desk or standing up in the kitchen)
• Record everything you eat in a notebook or on an app
• Walk instead of snacking during work breaks
• Increase your physical activity by 30 minutes a day
• Drink a large glass of water before eating
• Avoid shopping when hungry
• Plan one treat per day
• Create a plan for times of stress

Behavior modification does not happen overnight. It takes time, but the results are long-lasting. As your partner in health, I’ll help keep you accountable while you learn to establish positive eating behaviors that improve your relationship with food and optimize your overall health.

A culture of wellbeing can have a major impact on the success of a company by improving employee morale, decreasing absenteeism, lowering healthcare and insurance costs, and increasing employee retention. But an effective wellness program is about more than just offering yoga in the conference room at lunchtime. As a registered dietitian, I understand the complexities of addressing the range of health needs within an organization’s population. I can help develop creative strategies to engage your employees in a customized wellness program that fosters social connections and promotes a healthy workplace culture.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or want support for a program you’ve already put in place, I offer a range of services designed to help improve health and wellbeing within organizations. Through individual and group wellness evaluations, presentations and workshops, or even a full-blown, long-term wellness campaign, I can help create and implement programming that addresses the specific needs of your workforce.