" Braelynne has patiently helped me transform my relationship with food. I previously struggled with what I thought was a mental/emotional illness, binge eating disorder. Braelynne's extensive knowledge of dietetics, however, helped me discover the science behind my physical reaction to the quantity/quality of the foods I was eating and when. I thought I was weak and lacked willpower, that I would never be able to stop compulsive eating because it was a battle with my own mind. It thought that no matter how many diets I followed, I would never lose weight because I couldn't heal my unhealthy mindset around food.
Braelynne changed my life! She worked with me through my mental illness, with extreme patience and understanding that nutrition science couldn't solve my emotional trauma and PTSD alone, and that it would take time to retrain my brain to think differently about food. By making small but effective changes to my daily food habits and choices that she suggested, over time I was able to truly recover from BED--a life-altering illness that I thought was going to eventually kill me!
She also worked with my dietary restrictions due to allergies/sensitivities and personal choices. In me having a wheat intolerance, dairy intolerance, and ethically opposed to consuming animal projects, I was no easy client! Instead of telling me what I was doing wrong and forcing me to change my morals, she created a unique, individual plan totally catered to my diet. She even incorporated my fitness level and lifestyle into her meal plan, as she understands whole health is not just about calories and nutrition, but about the total picture.
Braelynne encouraged a newly found freedom in my heart and mind around eating. I was no longer following strict "diet" rules that made me feel miserable with no energy, or made me feel guilty when I strayed from them on occasion. She promotes a balanced diet and intuitive eating approach that gave my mind a break. I learned to make smart, science-based, nutritious food decisions on my own, without being a slave to a specific meal plan with a set calories in calories out approach.
Her emphasis is on physical health, not outer appearance. While I have been able to successfully lose weight and feel stronger, the most important thing I gained from working with her is confidence and happiness on the inside. I know my body is consuming clean fuel to power me through my active life. I have a regular menstrual cycle, my hair isn't falling out, my skin is glowing, I sleep well at night, I have a healthy libido, my memory is sharp, and my brain isn't fogged. This is how I feel healthy from the inside out, versus just aiming for a certain weight on the scale. Braelynne is the answer to long-term health, not a dangerous quick fix to get a beach body that won't last long after you start eating normally again.
To go into a little more detail, Braelynne was a positive reminder that it is OK to eat certain foods. Before I worked with her, I hadn't eaten a potato since I was a child (in the form of greasy french fries). I was scared for so many years to even touch a potato out of fear that "carbs make you fat." Now, I eat potatoes EVERY day and I love them! They are a staple in my diet and I know when/how to eat them to optimize their benefits for me personally. I know she'll do the same for any of her patients--personal nutrition. She believes every person is unique and their individual physical body is going to thrive off of certain foods and food groups that will differ for every single person she works with.
She introduced me to new foods that I had never even heard of before, but now use daily. She has removed the fear from certain foods that I was afraid to eat because I got my knowledge from a random online source, not a real dietitian. She provided endless dietitian-approved recipes so I never get bored. Unlike any other weight loss fad diet I tried to stick to, there is SO much variety in eating for health in the program that Braelynne encouraged for me. She also helped me go back in time to my childhood, a time when I remember eating whatever I wanted whenever I wanted throughout the day based on my activity level and hunger signals.
If you want to work with a well-trained, very knowledgeable, personable dietitian who is JUST LIKE YOU, then Braelynne is the right one for you. You want a dietitian who will go and get ice cream with her husband on a sunny day and not feel guilty about it. You need a dietitian who will tell you to eat what makes YOU feel your best, not what she thinks works for her and therefore will work for everyone she counsels. You want a dietitian who understands your goals and will do anything she can to help you get there. You need a dietitian who is willing to grow and experiment with you until you are satisfied. Because that's just it-your body and your diet are an experiment. You need to try different things until you find what works for you, and you want Braelynne to help you do that safely and correctly. "
-Irene
Food is incredibly important from a nutrient perspective, but it is so much more than that, and can really take a toll on our mind and emotional state. I get chills every time I read this story from Irene knowing how burdensome a restrictive mindset was for her and how free she is now of those toxic thoughts. I am so happy she has been able to find food freedom!
If you're interested in learning more about working with me, check out my services.
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