ask me anything – week 1

I’m so glad this seems to be a useful series! I’ll try to put in a call for questions every couple of weeks or so and then will tackle the answers as best I can! Many of you asked what I would consider “loaded questions” – meaning that there is not necessarily a simple answer. But I did my best to provide an answer that I felt would be most helpful. Additionally, it’s worth noting that while these are my own personal responses. They’re not meant to be prescriptive by any means and just because it might be something I do or feel, does not mean that they are right for you. I would take my answers as you would a friend’s opinion, if you think they’re helpful, wonderful! If they just don’t feel right for you, that’s totally fine too! We’re all different and have different needs so doing something like this means having to answer generally, or on a broad scale, since I’m working with limited information!

I tried to organize the questions by category so if you’re only interested in answers to your question or a certain topic, you can easily find it!  Definitely let me know if I forgot anything. It was a lot to keep track of and I jumped around a bit when answering these so if any answers stop mid-sentence, or you have a follow up, just leave a note in the comments section letting me know!

NUTRITION/DIETARY QUESTIONS

• kritiann Smart meal planning for weight loss
So much of weight loss is specific to the individual and everyone is different and has different needs, but on a very basic level, my personal advice for meal planning when looking to lose weight would be to focus on portion sizes and the quality of the food you’re eating at each meal. Half your plate should be composed of fruits and vegetables, another ¼ of your plate should be whole grains and the remaining ¼ of your plate with a lean protein source (think tofu, poultry such as chicken, fish such as salmon, beans and legumes, reduced fat dairy such as yogurt). Flavor with a small amount of heart healthy fat (such as nuts/nut butters, olive oil or avocados), fresh herbs and spices. Other tips would be to drink plenty of water – try to keep it as your main beverage and try not to overdo it on the sodium (because that can cause us to retain water and is not great for our hearts). Additionally, I would argue that one of the most important aspects of it would be making sure you don’t deprive yourself. Whatever plan you pick to lose weight, you need to make sure it’s something that you can implement long-term. I know losing weight can be a frustratingly slow process at times, but making changes you can sustain has two major benefits: one, you don’t feel you’re making these huge sweeping changes causing you to feel completely deprived and thus giving up on your healthier track. And two, it can mean less of a chance that you’ll gain weight back than if you were doing something super strict short-term that was unmanageable in the long run. It may be nice to lose the weight really fast, but at the end of the day, you want to be able to keep that weight off, so waiting a little longer for it to come off, but knowing you’ll keep it off, is hopefully more appealing. I can try to do a blog post on this in the future where I give actual meal ideas!

• jesslcha If someone wants to work on moving towards a healthier weight how should they start? Is there an online calorie calculator tool you would recommend to help gauge how many calories they should consume each day? When I have used apps like myfitnesspal vs choosemyplate the results vary wildly
Yes, I think that’s the difficulty with counting calories. Generally, unless you’re using some expensive equipment, it’s really only going to provide you an estimate. But that’s really okay because you just need a general idea if you’re trying to count calories. I personally would recommend focusing more on portion sizes and the quality of the food you’re putting on your plate (see above) as I feel like that tends to steer people away from more processed/packaged foods and puts an emphasis on whole foods instead. Additionally, when you’re including whole grains, fruits and vegetables you’re getting plenty of fiber which helps to keep you fuller longer and usually allows a higher volume of food for fewer calories. You’re also getting lean proteins which provide a satiating effect. I think a lot of emphasis if put on calories in and calories out but you also want to make sure you’re providing quality calories. In doing so you’re giving your body the nutrients it needs to function optimally which can be beneficial when trying to lose weight.

• meli.gee How do you judge health information as being reliable or not? For example that meat and dairy is unhealthy
I really rely on the science behind claims that are made. As part of my Masters and training to become a dietitian we are taught how to interpret and analyze research so that the recommendations RDs are making with their patients and clients are based only off sound evidence. There are many health claims that can be made but are not always founded in science. Therefore, if a claim is made, it’s important to read the research backing that claim to understand if it is substantial enough to support it. If not, it doesn’t mean the claim is untrue necessarily, but just that there is not enough evidence currently to support it.

• stephaniepaiger @caitsplate thoughts on veganism? Not to judge by any means I’m just considering switching / belasbliss Would you ever consider going vegan? What are your opinions on a fully plant based lifestyle?
I think, if done correctly, a vegan diet can be perfectly healthy! I think you have to be careful to ensure you’re supplementing the appropriate vitamins (i.e. B12 which is only found in animal products) that you won’t be getting from food, as well as making sure you’re getting enough complete protein (through the use of complementary proteins for example), but if you do your research and plan your diet well, you can absolutely have a nutritionally adequate vegan diet!

• acerchio_healthcoach I would love to hear your thoughts on vegetarianism/veganism and the affects of factory farmed eggs & dairy vs local farms.
See above for the first part of your question where I speak to veganism (the same general notion goes for vegetarianism). As for the second part, I’m definitely not an expert on that. I would have to do some reading on it before I could thoroughly answer!

• sherry.ning As someone who is recovering from binge eating disorder, how do you keep your portions so size-controlled?
For me personally, I really just try to listen to my body. I’ve gotten to know it fairly well over time so I generally can gauge portion sizes based on how hungry I’m feeling. But if I’ve scooped myself a portion larger than I feel hungry for, I simply stop eating when I start to feel that fullness. Or, if the opposite happens and I finish eating and still feel hungry, I’ll try to add a little something to my meal. I generally try to make at least half my plate fruits and vegetables, ¼ whole grains and ¼ lean protein then top it off with some heart healthy fat. I find that combination of foods tends to work well for me without leaving me too hungry or full. That said, everyone is different and I think the best advice I can give with regards to that question is to just really try to tune into your body. Even if that means writing down how you’re feeling at first to really get an idea of what you’re feeling and maybe why you’re feeling that way. It may elucidate something you didn’t realize before such as binges being brought on by stress or heartache or even by feelings of elation! That can help you be more aware of needing to tune in during those times to avoid a binge.

• anneesears Love this idea! Id like to hear thoughts on green smoothie trend & how to keep them healthy/if protein powders are a waste of $. Xx
I’m so glad you do! I think smoothies can be a great way to get nutrients in if you’re using fresh or frozen fruit and vegetables, limiting the amount of fruit juice and staying away from those that add frozen yogurt (greek, skyr or regular yogurt are better options and will likely be lower in fat and sugar depending on the kind you choose). I personally think you can get all the protein you would need from whole food sources (think greek yogurt, nuts and nut butters) so I don’t personally use protein powders. I think there is definitely a time and a place for their use, but I don’t necessarily think the average person on the street would need to utilize them to meet their protein needs. Most Americans actually well exceed their daily protein needs so it’s not generally something I personally believe needs to be added in (under normal, non-extenuating circumstances).

• sunnier.days I have been in recovery for anorexia for the past year, having spent time in residential, partial, day, and now working with a personal therapist and dietitian. Your Instagram has been such a positive influence in my recovery, helping me to overcome a lot of orthorexia fears. In s world of food and nutrition and lifestyle instagrams that promote disordered eating, I really really value how healthy your relationship to food is and it pushes me to work hard at recovery. I’d love to hear any and all advice you have surrounding eating disorders, intuitive eating, and balance.
First off, I’m so beyond glad that I’ve helped you even the smallest amount in your recovery. That makes my day to hear! I’m also happy to hear you’re working with a personal therapist and dietitian as they will both be able to do world’s more for you than I will be able to do here in this setting! I am certainly not an Eating Disorder specialist and it sounds like you have a great support team helping you out so I will let them lead the way with regards to that. Personally however, I can say that I’m a huge believer in intuitive eating and just generally listening to your body. I truly believe our bodies are very smart and are able to guide us and let us know what they need. I think a lot of the balance I’ve found and the relationship that I have with food comes from just listening to what my body is saying. I don’t beat myself up if I crave and eat something less nutritive and I don’t demand that I only ever want and eat foods that provide me with nutrition. I think of food as something both pleasurable and something that nourishes me and helps my body to function optimally and I embrace both those qualities. I love a really good bakery cookie, but I also really love kale! So it’s all about that balance. And for me I attribute finding that balance to really just surrendering to my body, trusting it and listening to it as closely as possible.

• sunnier.days Also, what is your take on alcohol. I am a college student (I actually Boston based as well!) and alcohol is a big part of the campus culture and I know it’s a big part of a lot of adult life. Nutritionally, it has little value, calori ally, it adds up, but socially, it can be a good time or a constant presence. I often find that more often than not. I turn it down due fear of having extras in my daily intake, but that can exclude me from a social situations. How does one find balance?
I think whether or not your drink is absolutely a personal preference and it’s about doing whatever you feel most comfortable with. I personally am not a big drinker but never have and still don’t let it hold me back socially. If people around me want to drink, that’s totally fine, but it doesn’t mean that I necessarily have to unless I want to Just as I would never tell my friends NOT to have a drink if they wanted to while we were out, they also would never MAKE me drink if I didn’t want to.

PERSONAL INTAKE, MEALS & SNACKS QUESTIONS

• maddlevy Do you have daily snacks in the morning or afternoon? What do you usually have if you do? ????
Yes I usually do! I’ll post them sometimes on Snapchat (username: caitsplate) but I’ve gotten a lot of requests to post them more often so I’ll try to do that! I do a lot of trail mix or kind bars that I’ll sometimes pair with a small soy latte. I love whole grain cereal and milk or reduced fat cheese sticks and triscuits. I also love classics like an apple and peanut butter or yogurt and granola. Sometimes it’s just a piece of fruit – an orange or a pear or some diced pineapple if I just need a little something to hold me over. Other days it’s a cookie! Totally depends on the day and what I’m craving!

• lizacarey How many meals/snacks do you usually have per day? / mkschulz1121 I am interested in your snacking habits as well! / happyhealthycarly I would love to see more snacks!
I generally have 3 meals and 2 snacks per day but it completely depends on the day and my appetite. Sometimes it’s more, sometimes less! See above for more detail on what I’m having when I do snack!

• misslara2015 Do you always stick to three meals a day or do you snack? If so – what are your go to snacks?
I definitely snack! See above for what I typically snack on. Also going to publish a post this week highlighting my favorites

• rebecca_clarke7 Can you post more of your snacks??? I would love to see them. I feel so weird for being interested in other people’s food but I can’t help it. I find it interesting????
Haha you definitely shouldn’t feel weird – I’m always interested in what people are eating! I find it’s a great way to get inspiration for myself! I can definitely try to post more of my snacks and I’ll also try to generate a blog post with my top 10 go-tos! I do try to post them on snapchat (username: caitsplate) when I remember as well!

• mrs._moderation What are your food weaknesses and how often do you indulge in them?
I love cookies! I generally work to listen to my body and have whatever it is I’m craving when I crave it, so I don’t know that I could give you a specific number of times that I’ll have them. Sometimes it’s more than others. There could be a few weeks where I don’t really want anything too indulgent and then there are some where I crave something every day! I love whole grains, fruits and vegetables but when I’m craving something typically considered “less healthy,” I just go ahead and have it! Everyone is different and has different needs as I mentioned, but for me personally I really try not to deprive myself of cravings. I try to think of my diet on the whole versus thinking about specific pieces of it – if the majority of it is composed of food that will provide me with energy, nourish me and meet my needs, I don’t worry about the smaller fraction where I eat foods that maybe aren’t providing my body with a ton of nutrition

• vickicawley???????????? do you limit fruit intake?
I don’t limit fruit intake because I don’t have any medical need to do so. I find it’s tough to really “overeat” fruit anyway since it typically has a lot of fiber. I think it’s a lot easier to sit down and eat a whole bowl of potato chips without really feeling full but I wouldn’t necessarily be able to sit down with a bowl of whole apples and do the same

• thebob_9182 Do you have cheat days? / hm.ma_22Do you have thoese days that you crave some bad food? . And do you cheat?
I certainly have days where I don’t eat optimally for nutrition, but I don’t really consider them “cheat days.” I try to think of my diet on the whole versus thinking about specific meals or items of food – if the majority of it overall is composed of food that will provide me with energy, nourish me and meet my needs, I don’t worry about the smaller fraction where I eat foods that maybe aren’t providing my body with a ton of nutrition Generally if I have a craving for something, I just go ahead and eat it. As long as the less nutritious food is not outweighing or replacing the food I need to stay healthy and keep my body functioning optimally, I really don’t worry about having something less nutritious when I crave it

• emilydishington Do you believe eating lactose- and glutenfree is better than the oposite?
I personally do not believe eating lactose or gluten-free is “better” unless it is medically necessary.

• krissylyon Do you eat desserts? How often and do you do anything different on those days to ‘make up for it’?
I absolutely eat desserts! I really have them whenever I have a craving or if something offered to me looks good so I’m not really sure how to quantify “how often.” But essentially, when I want something or something looks appealing I go for it! I don’t do anything to “make up for it” because I believe that indulgences or less nutritive foods can be a part of a healthy diet. It’s just about balancing those choices with nutritious choices and making sure that the less nutritive choices aren’t preventing you from meeting your needs or making you go way over your daily needs.

• keripluch Do you meal plan out your days or do you just go based on how you feel that day?
I would say that I do a little bit of both. I generally try to have at least an idea of what I’ll eat for the week as I find that helps me to stick to my grocery budget, but I don’t necessarily plan out every meal I’ll eat. Day to day I generally whip up whatever I’m craving in the moment

• patriciaagiraffe What brands of bread do you buy??
I love Trader Joe’s whole wheat Tuscan pane bread and 100% whole wheat soft sandwich bread. I also love Vermont Bread Company soft whole wheat, Whole Foods 100% whole wheat and Pepperidge Farms 100% whole wheat (the one without high fructose corn syrup)

• coreom12 Do you count calories/macros or are you more of an intuitive eater? If so how do you gauge your portion size and control it?
I don’t count calories or macros. I focus mostly on food groups meaning that I’m getting enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins (including reduced fat dairy) and healthy fats in my overall diet. I generally try to eat just what I happen to be craving. I find my body is pretty good at telling me when I’m hungry and when I’m full and I do my best to listen to it to sort of naturally regulate my portion sizes.

PERSONAL WORKOUT QUESTIONS

• claire.overholt What do you like to do to work out / lizacarey How often do you work out?
Running and walking are probably my favorite forms of exercise. I love being outside and getting my heart rate up. My fiancé and I love to hike whenever we can as well as bike and in the summer we love to do standup paddle boarding and kayaking. I generally just love being outside! That said I also love yoga and pilates and quick strength videos like Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred. Anything that combines strength and cardio and is under 30 minutes I tend to gravitate towards because that’s usually about all I have time to squeeze in during the week I run around 3 days a week, walk most days and do some kind of strength training about 2 days a week.

• katherine_willi Into it! What’s your advice for curbing grazing and snacking habits, as well as stress-eating??
So everyone is different when it comes to what will work for them.

• sostan16 Love this! Would love to know more about your workouts and managing stress eating.
See the first question in this set for details on my workouts! With regards to stress eating, I don’t find that I turn to food necessarily when I’m stressed. Everyone has different ways of coping with stress – for me I tend to like to get outside, take a walk and move around when I’m feeling stressed. Taking that time out helps me to kind of reset. I would say if you find yourself stress eating I would try to take a beat and change up your environment. Sometimes even just walking out of the room that you’ve been in helps. I personally always find fresh air helpful but other ideas include reading a book, taking a break to listen to some music, taking a bath, doing some yoga – anything that can kind of relax you a bit and snap you out of that stressful moment.

• brittanyyyy425 What’s your workout routine like? #bodbycait ????????
Haha you’re too funny with that hashtag! I generally run 3 times a week (distance totally depends on if I’m training for something and how much time I have!) and then try to do some type of strength workout 2 times a week (whether it’s a Popsugar workout or Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred or yoga!). I also walk a lot – mainly because I love it! And that’s really about it. I love being active so whenever I get the chance to do anything (especially outside), I’m usually up for it! But in terms of formal exercise, that’s really about all I do.

SCHOOL QUESTIONS

• kinseydrake What are you doing right now for grad school/internships?
I went to grad school for my Masters of Science in Nutrition and am currently doing my Dietetic Internship which is a required practical experience to be able to sit for the certification exam which, if I pass, will certify me to become a Registered Dietitian

• yazhaider I’m an undergraduate student living in my first apartment. What are you basic tips and tricks to maintaining a balanced diet under a time and money crunch?!
I can definitely relate to that having been in grad school for the past 2.5 years! My basic tips are to shop the sales definitely. Use frozen fruits and vegetables as much as possible as they’re often cheaper. Oatmeal, whole grain cereals, brown rice, whole wheat pasta are all great whole grain options that are usually fairly cheap and that you can do a lot with. Greek yogurt, eggs and beans are awesome sources of protein for a fairly good price! Sunday prep also goes a long way in terms of being under a time crunch. You can prep your entrée items (i.e. hard boil some eggs, cook some beans, boil some pasta or rice), cut any fresh veggies to have as snacks or meal add-ins, make up some snack bags (I found buying a bag of trail mix and portioning it out lasted me a while for in-between meal snacks), etc. If you have a Trader Joe’s near you, that was my saving grace while in grad school because I found it much cheaper than other stores. Otherwise definitely sticking to the generic brands helped a lot! I did a “healthy eating on a budget” series on the blog that might be helpful for you!

• irina.kravtchenko What are some things that you think helped you stand out for your dietetic internship? Also how did you go about creating a food blog?
I think being an active volunteer in the nutrition field definitely helps. Whether that’s doing something at your university or college, getting involved in your state’s student dietetic program, implementing something in your community to help improve nutrition, etc. Anywhere you can show leadership or places where you took initiative I think would be helpful. I think showing your passion for the field in whatever way feels most natural to you is a great place to start! I personally did a lot of work with the younger kids in my community as well as different community centers who needed help better understanding nutrition. I volunteered at school with our nutrition program, was a TA for a nutrition course and lead some group counseling courses for students. Basically anywhere I could get some experience, I did!

With regards to starting my food blog, I just kind of made the decision one day to do it! Way back in 2009, I was working at Health Magazine and wanted to help inspire people to reach their goals. So I just fired up WordPress, started small and poured all my extra time and energy into it. I’ve been thrilled with the response and how far it’s come. Long story short though, I would just say start small. If you love it, that will shine through!

BLOGGING/SOCIAL QUESTIONS

• sweetpoppyseed Yay love this idea! I’m a new blogger focusing on healthy family meals from scratch. And I’m currently loving writing and growing my recipe posts but want to reach more viewers. Do you have any suggestions for a beginner like me on what to focus on and how to reach more ppl?
I’ve found that interacting with others in the “blogger community” has been wonderful. Also linking up with brands that you love. Don’t be afraid to reach out to PR teams or direct message brands through social media. Many of them are happy to work with bloggers as it helps them to gain exposure! In return they will often promote whatever partnership you have with them. Hashtags on social media are also hugely important, it allows others who are interested in the same thing to find you!

• rcshaner Great Idea! Your meals are always “picture perfect”! Do you post your recipes? If so- where to find? Thanks for all you do…your meals and photos are inspiring!
I’m so glad you feel that way! You’re so welcome – I love doing what I do specifically because I love helping to inspire people, so thank you for letting me know! I post the majority of my recipes right here on my blog, Cait’s Plate. If there is a specific recipe on Instagram that you want to know more about, feel free to leave a comment and I can either direct you to the link on my blog or can post it in the comments!

• abbeyburtis I’m dying for a blogger to post their healthy pantry/fridge/freezer staples. Ex: how to stock a “real/clean eating pantry” I’ve scoured Pinterest but can’t find quite what I am looking for. A lot of times I see a picture of a recipe I really would like to make but am bummed to see I don’t have one/two of the ingredients. Also would be helpful to know where you find the items. Ex: dates, quinoa flour, quinoa, almonds, frozen fruit, rolled oats etc. Possibly a “beginners guide to eating clean?” I think it would be extremely helpful for people looking to hit the ground running but don’t know quite where to begin
I love this idea! I can absolutely try to come up with a post about it. Maybe a “grocery store tour” post along with what I’m getting to keep my pantry/fridge/freezer stocked! I’ll try to work on that over the next month or so!

PERSONAL/MISC. QUESTIONS

• suero55 When’s the big day?! ????
May 28th! We can’t wait!!

• collegegirlfoodie How did you become so passionate about nutrition?
It’s something that I’ve always been interested in. I love food and I love health and then I worked at Health Magazine after college and my love/passion/interest in it grew all the more. I just find it fascinating what a huge role our diet plays in our overall health and I love inspiring others to get creative in the kitchen!

• annabelwarren How do you stay so motivated to always eat healthy and get a lot of exercise?
Well I definitely don’t always eat healthy and get a lot of exercise! I think it helps that I generally love eating well and being active so I often don’t find I need to motivate myself necessarily. I feel my best when I eat well and stay active so generally that’s the main source of motivation I rely on. That said there are certainly days when I just don’t feel up for it and I try to listen to and respect my body’s wishes on those days. Other days I know I’m just being lazy so I will just try to get out and do something (even if it’s just a walk in the sunshine). I usually end up feeling happier afterward! Overall my take is that this is the one body we’re given and it’s meant to last a lifetime so I like to do whatever I can to take care of it, nourish it and keep it functioning as optimally as possible.

• haileyh412 Would you happen to know how I could save an already-sliced avocado if I don’t eat it all at one time? I heard freezing it changes the consistency, and it goes brown if you put it in the fridge.
I love this piece The Kitchn did on that: http://www.thekitchn.com/the-best-way-to-keep-cut-avocado-fresh-126950 I haven’t actually ever tried it, but if you do, definitely let us all know how it works!

• abbysjoblom What is your basic food philosophy? How have you reached that point?
My basic food philosophy is that it’s all about balance. I don’t believe in deprivation or cutting out food groups unless it’s medically necessary. I think overall food is something to be enjoyed as much as it is something to aid your body in functioning at it’s best. I don’t believe there is any one “perfect” diet and I definitely don’t believe there is a singular prescription for health. Everyone is so different and has such drastically different needs and I think it’s all about finding what works best for the individual. In terms of how I got here, I’ve always generally believed in the idea of balance and moderation but I would say going through school and doing my blog and Instagram have really helped reinforce that philosophy. I also truly try to practice what I preach which I think has only further strengthened my belief in that philosophy.

• richelleluke How do I burn body fat and build muscle at the same time?
So I’m certainly not a fitness expert so I can’t speak to that, but in terms of nutrition, I think ensuring you’re getting enough protein and calories is a big part of that. You don’t want to be under-eating because when your body is not getting enough fuel to perform the functions it needs to (i.e. keeping you breathing, keeping your heart beating, allowing you to move and walk around each day) it can start to utilize the protein pool in your body (much of which can be found in muscle muscle) to make up for deficiencies. Then, with regards to burning body fat, making sure you’re not over eating would probably be the biggest key there because the extra calories we take in beyond our needs are often stored as fat. So essentially a well-balanced diet will be your best bet there. I would also recommend trying to seek out a sports dietitian as I bet they could offer you a much more thorough answer!

• chelsea_lamastra Hi Cait! Wondering if you have any advice or ideas on how (or if) someone passionate about nutrition with a non science/health undergrad degree might get into the field (even if it’s not directly advising clients) without shelling out for a Master’s? Thanks in advance!!
I think there are plenty of ways! A lot of it depends on what exactly you would want to do, but here are a few ideas: I actually just worked with a community group that teaches kids to cook healthy foods with an emphasis on fruits and vegetables. Some are RDs but others are not and just have a passion for food and health! I also think you can work at programs like WIC without formal dietetics training (although don’t quote me on that because I’m not 100% sure!). Depending on where you live you can also do a lot with local farmer’s markets – just ask to get involved! There are also plenty of websites (such as CookingLIght.com) that you can look for jobs at as well!

• shanicehuziak Can you show us how you take and edit your photos 🙂
Haha oh goodness, I can try to create some sort of a video to show you (though I have no idea what I’m doing with video so it might take me some time to figure it out!) but in the meantime, I use the Snapseed app to edit my pictures (enhancing the brightness and definition mostly, sometimes cooling or warming the temperature) and then use VSCOcam for filters and that’s really it!

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