This article was written by student writers from the U Conn campus chapter.
As an aspiring nutritionist, I’m always looking for new resources to learn about nutrition, and social media platforms like TikTok make it quick, fun, and informative. Dietitian Taylor Grasso has been one of my biggest role models in expanding my knowledge and horizons in this field. I love her “non-diet culture” approach to achieving a healthy body and mind. I had the pleasure of interviewing her to discuss women’s nutrition, intuitive eating, and accepting her body. Here are some key elements of the conversation.
Basic nutritional principles you need to know
An important factor to consider when choosing food is how it affects your body. Listen to your body! Are you full? How are you? Are you still hungry? What Taylor said during our conversation was that “blood sugar balance is the basis of many nutritional principles that everyone should know.” Combining our favorite carbohydrates with protein, fat, or fiber slows the release of glucose into the bloodstream, creating a more stable source of energy (no crashing and burning!) while also supporting our hormones. Masu. As a dietitian who works with women, Taylor makes the important point that women experience dramatic hormonal changes that men don’t, and that nutrition needs to support their hormonal needs to keep them feeling their best. I raised it. If you’d like to learn more, Taylor details her menstrual cycle, birth control, and cycle syncing in a recent episode of her podcast.
Become an intuitive eater
In our conversation, Taylor explained that the popular phrase “intuitive eating” means that “dieting may yield short-term weight loss results, but not long-term sustainability.” He explained that it is derived from the theory that “. The foundation of becoming an intuitive eater is understanding the order of hunger and fullness, which ties in nicely to the whole “noticing how food makes you feel” thing I mentioned earlier. Masu. When you learn to understand your hunger order, you can also learn to give yourself permission to eat unconditionally when you feel hungry. So what do you eat? Eat what you want to increase nutrient density, improve your mood, and provide steady energy. Restriction is a vicious cycle, but increasing nutrient concentration and understanding your own hunger needs is gentle and sustainable. Please…let’s take words like “good” and “bad” out of discussions about food choices and focus on more important things. “How does this food make me feel?” This creates consistently healthier eating habits, eliminates “yo-yo dieting” and promotes a happier, guilt-free relationship with food. Masu.
social media, nutrition, and body image
Taylor and I discussed the presence of nutritionists and health coaches on social media who spread misinformation about ingredients or promote products with minimal prior knowledge. This is extremely harmful considering its prevalence on platforms like Instagram and his TikTok. We discussed Bloom, a popular vegetable powder that everyone has probably heard of. She explained to me that Bloom is not third-party tested, which means the ingredients listed on the label don’t necessarily match the product itself. This shocked me considering how many influencers I’ve seen promoting this product in the past. Be careful where you get your nutritional advice.
This isn’t the only way social media influences food choices. Taylor explained to me that an important step in tackling body image is cleaning up social media. Unfortunately, social media is full of content that evokes negative self-thoughts in women and hinders the progress of a healthy body and mind. Having taken some time to think about my own social media choices, I can conclude that I have sometimes fallen victim to negative self-talk as a byproduct of my online girlfriend content. Be careful where you spend your time on social media and find what makes you feel good.
“We don’t realize how much social media consumption influences our food choices, body image, and views on exercise. If someone makes you feel negative about yourself, mute or unfollow them.”
Taylor Grasso (2024)
Pay attention to what your body is working for you
When we talked about what Taylor does to help her clients embrace their bodies, she shared with me the following advice that she thinks all women need to hear: Ta. I can see it. ” Taylor also brought up affirmations, explaining that the most realistic affirmations are not based on appearances, but are ones like this: ” (Directly from a registered dietitian)! This was a very interesting twist on typical body positivity, and the emphasis on body function over physical beauty was very refreshing. When women understand that body size and appearance don’t necessarily have to do with nutrition, we more consistently get more nutrients and appreciate food without the guilt. It will become like this.
conclusion
In addition to the great nutrition classes I’m taking in college, I’m so grateful for all the outside resources I have access to as I prepare to become a dietitian. Conversing with Taylor was a great experience. For more easy and accessible information about women’s nutrition, I highly recommend checking out her TikTok or her podcast, Simply Balanced With Taylor Grasso.
