Nicole Cruz, MS, RD Nutrition Consultant

You don't have to categorize or label yourself when it comes to food... I eat healthy I shop local I only eat "natural" foods I'm someone who works out... I don't eat fast food I cook at home I don't eat sugar It's great to set intentions for self-care. You know, like, I prefer to... buy from local farmers eat some plant-based meals include more produce cook at home when possible engage in physical activity a few times a week Preferences are great but rigid rules are trouble! -They pin you into categories where it feels bad to break the "rules". -They create all or nothing thinking, "If I eat a donut I've blown it and might as well eat crap all day!" -They create stress! We can set intentions and still understand there are times when that gray area is WAY better! We don't need to be Black and White! Sometimes I need to buy the pre-cooked chicken or frozen enchiladas or grab produce at whatever store I'm at. Because if I don't, I'll be cooking until 10pm or have NO fruit or veggies... That's life! And in the looong run, it's just not a big deal! So, live in the gray area. Trust the middle ground! And know, it's OK! How do you live in the gray area?

Sometimes when you learn about something new, you also learn you might have been doing things in a way that doesn’t align with your goals or how you want to move forward. And when it comes to feeding your kiddo, it’s no different. Maybe you recently learned about the Division of Responsibility, or Intuitive Eating, and now you want to continue to follow these philosophies.... As you learn more, you might start to recognize that some of your past methods or behaviors are in contradiction to how you want to move forward. You might blame yourself or feel guilty for some of the things you’ve said or done. All of this is normal! Know you’re not alone! So many parents share how bad they feel or worry they messed up their kid. And I want you to know - you didn’t! Kids (and all of us) are resilient! It’s never too late to make a shift. Depending on the age of your child, you might even have a conversation about it. You can move forward. You can adjust. If you’re wondering where to start, and you want some support on making the change, join my FREE live training - Family Feeding FUN-damentals: How to Feed Your Family With MORE JOY and Less Stress! You can join by clicking here www.nicolecruzrd.com/register

We're so caught up in avoiding certain foods and ingredients that we're missing the forest for the trees. We're concerned about the foods we're eating not containing a specific additive, or if we should cut out a specific nutrient, but we're not focusing on getting a variety of wholesome ingredients. Now, if you have a specific allergy, intolerance, sensitivity this is not for you! You do need to pay attention, but the majority of us don't. Our bodies love variety for a mul...titude of reasons. Each of the macro-nutrients (carbohydrate, protein, and fat) serve individual functions in our bodies. Different foods contain different vitamins and minerals. And our gut thrives on variety to increase the microbial diversity for better digestion. All of these things benefit from focusing on more foods, not less. When we start to fear ingredients and nutrients, we limit what is available to us and our bodies. When we aim to include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, omega-3's, etc. it's not a big deal to eat the candy or cookies or a granola bar with said additive. Once again, I'm not advocating we only eat a diet that includes candy and cookies and foods with lots of additives. I'm just saying we don't need to worry about those things (the trees) when we stay focused on the bigger picture (the forest.) Focus on variety and inclusion of nutrients instead of fear and exclusion. For more support on shifting your mindset and allowing yourself more freedom, let’s chat! And if you need support in making peace with food, schedule your free 15 minute call to see if we're a fit at Calendly.com/NicoleCruzRD/15min

I'm so excited to let you know about my new course! Feed Your Family With Confidence is open for enrollment until this Friday, 1/22! And it officially starts on Monday the 25th! If you're concerned about your child's eating habits, tired of being asked for snacks all day, unsure how to respond to food requests, or just tired and overwhelmed from thinking about and dealing with food... this is for you ... You get: 5 modules on different topics that walk you through step-by-step HOW to feed your kiddo! You get video lessons, pdf guides, and worksheets. (This is all self guided to do on your own time) 8 weeks of group coaching and Q & A sessions to strategize and personalize all the material! (THIS IS MY FAVORITE PART!)- figuring out exactly how to apply the material to your child and your needs a private and close community of other parents also in the course AND... Your own intuitive eating guide to support you on your own food peace journey My updated and upgraded MAKING SENSE OF SWEETS mini course to dive deeper into all things sugar and your kiddo I would love for you to join me and feel completely confident in HOW you're serving food and talking about food, and WHAT you're serving at meals and snacks! To get more details and find out everything included, like meal and snack ideas and specific scripts, head to www.nicolecruzrd.com/enroll Please let me know if you have any questions xx

Trust is truly at the core of the eating and feeding relationship. We need to trust our children to feed their bodies in order to promote their own sense of trust in eating. This is where many people struggle in their own relationships with food. At some point they learned they couldn't trust themselves around food. This might come from:... Parents dictating certain portions, "Take 2 more bites!" or "You've had enough!" Eating too much and being shamed for it. Being restricted of certain foods and then feeling out of control when around them. Asking for foods and being told, "How could you be hungry? You just ate so much!" Wanting a certain type of food and hearing, "Those foods are bad for us!" Being told, "We have to watch what we eat in our family." Going on a diet with a parent or being put on a diet. And when we start to believe we can't trust ourselves with food, we start looking for outside tools to tell us what, when and how much to eat. As parents, even when it's uncomfortable for us, we need to instill this trust in our children. We do that by allowing them to eat as much or little as they need. To choose if they want to eat at a meal or snack. We encourage them to listen to their bodies and invite them to share how they feel without judgment. We provide a variety of foods as to not elevate the energy around any type of food. And through this, we have to trust the process. Even when their choices and behaviors seem strange or wrong to us. When they make "mistakes" in their eating. When they eat more/less and are left uncomfortable. We have to trust that bodies are amazing and resilient. We have to trust the process! Are you interested in learning more about this philosophy and HOW to apply it in your family join me at my FREE Live training - Family Feeding FUN-damentals: How to Feed Your Family With More Joy and Less Stress! Sign up by clicking here www.nicolecruzrd.com/register