If you are tired of being at war with your body, you may be relieved to hear that there is a way to find peace. My name is Julia and I am here to give you all the tools you need to escape the lies of diet culture and embrace Intuitive Eating. Before you brush this off as just another fad diet with false promises of health and happiness, hear me out.

Intuitive Eating is an evidence-based anti-diet approach rooted in instinct, emotion, and rational thought. The process is centered around learning to trust your internal hunger and satiety cues rather than relying on external factors. Any goals of intentional weight loss must be put on the back burner in order to truly heal your relationship with food. That may sound scary, but weight is an external regulator that interferes with the ability to build self trust around food. Instead of focusing on weight loss, Intuitive Eating focuses on feeling physically, mentally, and emotionally pleasant in your body.

Interested? Keep reading to learn more about me, how I discovered Intuitive Eating, and how I plan to share this valuable message with as many people as possible.

I first earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Marshall University with a focus in Exercise Science and Chemistry. However, the weight-centric model of health and overly reductive focus on nutrients, rather than relationship with food, led me to feel unfulfilled in the field of Dietetics. I decided not to go the typical route of completing a dietetic internship to become a Registered Dietitian and began to search for my true passion.

After spending my college summers as an ocean lifeguard, I found that the ability to provide hands-on help to people in need brings me a sense of fulfillment that writing meal plans never could. I decided to apply for nursing school, which I will be starting in a couple months. However, I still had this gnawing sense that I was meant to help people heal their relationships with food… but how? Frankly, my relationship with food still needed some work as well.

This is when I discovered Intuitive Eating, and everything finally made sense. I read Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch’s book Intuitive Eating and I knew that I had to share their message. There are over 200 research studies to date that support Intuitive Eating for improved physical, mental, and emotional well-being, and the best part is that intentional weight loss is NOT part of the process.

I went on to earn certification accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies as an American Council on Exercise Health Coach. Now, I am currently working to earn certification by The Original Intuitive Eating Professionals (Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch) to become a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. I hope to eventually combine my expertise in Nutrition, Nursing, and Intuitive Eating to share an unconventional approach to health, happiness, and longevity. As for right now, I want to share my experience as I continue to learn and fight against the weight-centric toxicity of diet culture.