Dr. Kerri Fullerton ND

Intuitive Eating. Health At Every Size (HAES) Doctor

Respect Your Body

Creating Weight Neutral Goals

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As September rolls around again, we enter the next weight loss season. It’s the unofficial New Year and it’s just as full as ‘time to get healthy’ schemes as January is.

Let’s get one thing clear. Health is not weight loss. Losing weight isn’t the same thing as improving your health. Neither health nor weight loss are behaviours.

If health is important to you (and it’s not a moral obligation for it to be) – but pursuing weight loss hasn’t produced long-term results – then maybe it’s time to take a different approach?

Welcome to Weight Neutral Healthcare. It’s the kind of health care that bodies of all sizes can participate in. The focus is on health and healthy behaviours vs weight and weight loss.

Let’s say that you’d like to become more active this fall. That behaviour is linked to improved blood sugar regulation, lower blood pressure, and improved cardiovascular function. Awesome!

In order for you to receive those health benefits*, being more active is something that has to last. It needs to be part of your life in a sustainable way. And it DOES NOT need to lead to weight loss in order for those health benefits to be bestowed upon you.

(*The exception may be blood sugar control as this side effect of movement can have an immediate effect that can last upwards of 24 hours.)

So Jillian Micheals style bootcamps that kick your ass and cause you pain, may not be the way to go.

Measuring your weight or inches for signs of success aren’t going to keep you moving for long. Measuring something that’s entirely outside of your control isn’t setting yourself up for success.

“Enough on the ‘what not to do’ Kerri. What do I do instead?”

I’m so glad that you asked! đŸ„°

1. Get clear on what really matters to you.
I’ll tell you a little secret. I don’t exercise because it’s good for me. I don’t care enough on the hard days for that to get me moving. I move because I love being outside. Bonus points if it’s social. It’s good for my mood and my energy. It influences how I show up in my life. That matters to me.

2. Create goals that are within your control.
‘Lose xyz pounds by Thanksgiving’ is a crappy goal because it’s not within your control. ‘Move my body everyday’ is a better goal because it is within your control.

3. Set yourself up to win.
Lower the bar. Instead of ‘do yoga for 45 minutes everyday’ try ‘do yoga everyday’. That way you can do any amount of yoga from one deep breath in mountain pose to 100 sun salutations and everything in between.

Consistency trumps intensity where most things are concerned. Showing up to a healthy behaviour regularly will have a lasting effect on your health. Health kicks and bootcamps won’t.

If you’re looking for some support this fall, check out my program Mastering Life As a Rebel. Each of these steps has its own video and worksheet.

Permission Slip

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Some times I just can’t.

I just can’t do social media; I just can’t do the dishes or clean the house; I just can’t show up for that Zoom coffee we planned. That was hard for me to wrap my mind around let alone give myself permission for.

The pressures of ‘being enough’ are hard to live up to anytime. But when my tank is empty, it’s glaringly obvious that I cannot keep up. And I’ve finally acknowledged that I never should’ve been trying to in the first place. Not being able to keep up caused me a lot of heartache.

I would judge myself harshly for not keeping the house clean enough; for not spending enough quality time with my family; for not stimulating my child’s learning enough; for not feeding myself or my family ‘healthily’ enough; for not working out enough; for not sleeping enough; for not working enough; for not posting enough on my business page or in my group; for not having enough followers on Instagram
Enough!

After I had my baby I experienced severe post-partum anxiety. I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t even know it.
The fact that I couldn’t sleep, was binge eating daily, and I was angry at my husband all the time didn’t register as a ‘real’ problem to me. After all, didn’t all moms struggle?

Part of my journey back to mental health and getting out from under my binges was acknowledging and accepting that some days I just could NOT.

I had to get super clear about what REALLY mattered, to ME. I had to stop living into someone else’s definition of ‘winning at life’.

I know now that if I have enough energy to play catch OR do the dishes, that I’ll choose playing catch every time. The difference now is that I don’t experience guilt about it.

And you know what? Somehow we always have clean dishes to eat off of and clean clothes to wear.

As I healed I found my own version of ‘clean enough’ for my house and ‘done enough’ for my business. I’ve had to decide what MY definition of a win is.

So, until you can give yourself permission to ‘Just Not’, please borrow mine.

You are allowed to ‘Just Not’ today.

Tomorrow you can choose again. And again, and again, and again.

Questions? Let’s Chat.

Spring Detox Marketing: Don’t Get Duped!

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A patient sent me the website to a cleanse that was recommended to her. The longer I was on the site the more frustrated I got.

Like most cleanses or detoxes, there’s a specially formulated concoction that you drink in lieu of eating food. This is the only thing to be consumed for a few days to a week (although some ‘allow’ you a ‘sensible’ meal once a day in addition to these pouches).

The claims are remarkable. Promises of weight loss (no shit, you’re starving yourself), promises of healthy (the quick changes in your labs are not permanent – they’re temporary just like the cleanse and accompanying weight loss).

What really got my goat this time was when they said “Kick start healthy eating habits, gain control over portion sizes and improve energy”.

Let’s review the cycle of restriction:

  1. Starving your body will make you HYPERfocus on food. This is natural – it’s like if you weren’t able to breathe properly, it becomes difficult to focus on anything else. Or if you’re deprived of enough water your thirst will overcome you.
  2. Under-eating sets you up for OVER-eating. Just like when you can finally breath again you will take DEEP breaths and breathe more heavily until your body believes that you have free access to air; when you eat again, you will be DRIVEN to eat HUGE amounts until your body feels safe that food is longer restricted.
  3. That energy that they’re promising? It comes from your body having to produce cortisol to keep you going (cause you know, there’s no FOOD to do that). Our stress response will make us more alert because it’s getting us ready to escape danger. This is TEMPORARY access to the emergency fund. The trouble is, most of us are chronically OVER-stressed and need help reducing chronically high circulating cortisol. So yes, you may have some extra nervous energy but that’s not the same as being able to focus and be engaged positively in your life.

Look, I get the desire to shake off the winter blues and get back into something. In fact, I encourage it. But can we please find ways to re-engage with life and health promoting behaviours WITHOUT causing harm in the process?

The next Living Life As A Rebel group starts at the end of April. If you’re itching to ‘do’ something without getting caught in another diet cycle, then this may be just what you’re looking for. Register before April 12th to get Early Adopter bonuses!

Join the Rebellion

Tips for getting through change

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Even though we knew lockdown was coming, it’s still not easy. Change is hard, even when it’s expected, because it disrupts our routines. Things get uncomfortable. We have to think about things that were automatic only yesterday and our focus gets scattered. This is normal and expected.

a sprout grows out of a crack to represent change
A young plant growing out of concrete. Concept of break through

Now that we’re into week two of at home learning, we can revisit our routines, schedules and expectations, in order to make adjustments. Remember the 3 D’s: Delegate, Delay and Delete.

Some of the routines worthy of our attention include: sleep, meals, and socialization.

Sleep

When our schedules get out of whack, sleep is often neglected. This is unfortunate at sleep has such a tremendous effect on our mental well-being, our hormonal response, and our intellect, specifically our focus and memory.

 It’s also important to recognize that we may need more sleep during times of high stress so now is hardly the time to be skimping.

Do your best to keep a consistent bedtime. Set an alarm to GO to bed instead of (or as well as) an alarm to get up.

Meals

Mealtimes contribute to our circadian rhythm. They help our bodies find the flow to the day (especially helpful when it’s cloudy all day and dark so early).

Stress can interfere with our ability to hear our intuitive body signals of hunger. So while we’re juggling all of the things we may not notice that we’re hungry. Top that off with caffeine, another interference for body cues, and we may find ourselves tired, unfocused and grumpy instead of ‘hungry’. In that state we’re far more likely to make food choices that don’t feel aligned with our bodies.

Feeding our bodies at  regular times can help curb that vulnerability later in the day. It can help us use pleasure foods for comfort instead of trying to make a meal out them.

You may decide to set alarms so that you don’t forget to remember. And keep it simple. This is more about eating regularly than what you’re eating. Remember that any food is better than no food.  

One final thought on food: it’s okay that food is a comfort right now. Lean into that so that you can do it with intention and compassion.

Socialize

Humans are social creatures. We NEED to connect with others. Now more than ever we need to be creative and intentional with how we socialize. Plan get togethers with friends by taking an online fitness classes; talk on the phone while you walk; plan watch parties (where you watch a show together-but-apart online or even on the phone); have lunch over Zoom.

I know that it’s not the same. It will be different. It’s like when I eat dairy free cheese; it’s not the same and I don’t expect it to be.

A couple of other things to make sure go into your schedule:

Laugh

This can be with the socialization piece but it doesn’t have to be. Find some funny YouTube channels (lots of comedians have these) or a find a series on Netflix or Prime that makes you laugh.

**Pease share your favourites in the comments so that I can check them out!

Mental health check

It’s okay to need help to get through this. If medication isn’t your jam then rest assured that there are some great herbs and amino acids that can help with stress, anxiety and melancholy. Things like St. John’s Wort, gaba, theanine, and ashwagandha to name a few. Please check with a professional to see what’s right for you. Natural does not mean safe. This is especially true if you have medical conditions or take medication, even birth control.

A conversation with a professional or support group can go a long way. It’s important to know that you’re not alone in how you’re feeling.

You could also check out some Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) or Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programs online. Many of these programs are covered by OHIP.

Everything that I’ve mentioned here isn’t a luxury. These are basic human needs. Sure your circumstances may require a modified version of implementation, that’s okay. Nuances are part of life. If I can help you tease that out, I’m happy to help.

I know that you’re tired. Be gentle with yourself. Beating yourself up will not lead to lasting change. After all, you can’t hate yourself healthy.

Until next time,

Click here to book at time to chat

What does getting back on track look like?

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If you’ve been reading my last couple of posts you’ll know that it’s been a challenging few weeks.

First I shared about the stress that comes from being a woman in this pandemic. A timely post considering the current lock down in Ontario.

Then I shared about how I handle stress eating so differently then I used to.

Getting back on track without judgment and restriction

Since I have such an incredibly supportive tribe, I got so many messages asking how I was doing. I also got a few questions about what my ‘getting back on track’ looks like. How do I take care of myself without falling victim to the stress and pressure of the latest ‘healthy lifestyle plan’?

I’ve learned how to address my misalignment with compassion. I’ve learned how to listen and respond to my body signals without being restrictive and abusive. It’s an ongoing and fluid lesson.

Methodical meals

The first place that I start is with Methodical Meals. This is about making a commitment to eat at regular intervals. I know that I’m more vulnerable to my own negative self-talk and to hyperpalatable foods that don’t sit well in my body when I’m hungry.

Methodical meals isn’t about creating a ‘diet plan’ that restricts my comfort foods or pleasure foods. In fact, it’s really important that those foods are kept available – I’m stressed and I need comfort. Food is a perfectly acceptable place to seek comfort.

This step is about making sure that I have food that I find satisfying available to me and that I take the time to nourish my body throughout the day.

Connection vs isolation

I have a tendency to isolate when things go sideways. Social connections seem less important than my ‘real’ responsibilities. This is a voice that I have to resist listening to. I schedule time with my health care team and my friends.

Sometimes it’s on Zoom so that we can have tea or lunch together. Other times it’s a phone call where I can walk outside while chatting with a good friend. Either way, it gets put in the schedule.

More of the 3 D’s

Finally, I look at what more I can delegate, delay or delete from my to-do list.

This means that I have to be connected to my values in order to prioritize. Everything on my list is important. There isn’t anything that I WANT to put down. So I review my values and then I review my schedule/to-do’s.

This is why my Living Life As A Rebel program starts out with exercises on finding your values. Without that ground work it’s too easy to get caught up in FOMO or should’s. THEN we move on to goal setting. When your schedule reflects your values, it’s a whole lot easier to stick to your goals and implement the 3 D’s.

If you’ve been enjoying my blogs and would like to learn more about how these perspectives and processes came to be, then I’d like to invite you to check out the 2021 group. If you know that you need to make some changes but don’t want to get caught up in the same old patterns, then you may be a good fit.

Until next time,

Life Life. Love Food. Be Free.

Stress Eating: how to handle the next day

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The stress eating from last night woke up in the middle of night, bloated with gas pains. My pyjama bottoms felt like they were digging into my swollen belly. There was no way to get comfortable.

It would’ve been easy to blame it all on the food. After all, I did have a take-out burger, some fries and about six Halloween candy bars. Much less than I would’ve eaten of the past, but still more than my body needed at the time.

My stress eating food choice
My Stress Eating choice: Fast food hamburger and french fries

But the story begins way before the stress eating started


It’s been a long couple of weeks. Heck it’s been a long year lol

If you read my last blog you’ll know that my child was in self-isolation because of classmate testing positive for Covid-19.

Being that I work from home, thankfully, I didn’t have as much a routine change as others would. But I still had to adjust to another person in the house all day with a different schedule than mine. I’m tired.

Then the washing machine died. Add laundromat to the list. My hubby is very handy and took it apart to fix it
only to get sick himself. So now he’s home all day and my laundry room/pantry is filled with a disassembled washer. I’m more tired – my sick husband isn’t able to do his share of the load right now.

Finally, yesterday afternoon, while on a Zoom meeting with a patient, the power went out. Sigh. Hotspot computer to phone, carry on. And now it’s dark at 5pm; we have no heat; no way to cook supper; AND I was supposed to attend a virtual conference at 5pm.

So I asked the boys what they wanted for dinner. I messaged the conferenced organizers and told them that I wouldn’t be attending. Then I drove into town to hit the drive-thru of their choice. We ate by flashlight at the kitchen table. Then we retreated to bed with a down duvet, Netflix and the Halloween candy.

By this point, I’m exhausted. My ability to pivot with the changes is diminishing quickly. My reserves are almost gone.

And then it happened

That’s when it happens isn’t it? That’s when old coping strategies re-emerge. In the moment they feel easy and right even if they’re not in our best interest.

In intuitive eating we talk about attunement. This is about being able to hear our bodies needs and responding to them in a timely manner.

I’m in need of a tune up. And it was the bloat that woke me from my sleep that finally got my attention.

This morning as I reflect on the last couple of weeks I can identify some of the warning signals. These are like the gas light or the oil light on the dash of the car. Warnings that I need to tend to something that I’m perfectly capable of doing. My dashboard lights include: mindless social media scrolling; struggling with my body image; not feeling my hunger cues; waking in the night and having a harder time falling back to sleep; feeling the siren call of the scale; overeating or eating foods that I know don’t feel good physically.

When I don’t notice these warnings then I get the full on Check Engine light. This also happens when I see them and choose not to respond to them. The “this is now serious” light. This could look like waking with gas pains and bloat; pain; swelling; extreme fatigue; difficulty concentrating; overwhelming overwhelm (vs the ‘normal’ overwhelm). In the past, binge eating fell into this category.

Again, I have the opportunity to look at what needs adjusting, do the tune up and carry on. If I choose not to, then I get the “this car ain’t safe to drive” notices from my body: losing it on my family; melting down when I can’t find my hairbrush; inability to make decisions or plan my next step; anxiety or even complete shutdown where I cannot answer the phone, get out of bed or put on clothes.  In the past, my ED behaviours showed up here.

My reflection today revealed a few missing warning signals: difficult body image and the scale calling to me has been going on for a few weeks; the mindless social media scrolling started a few days ago; yesterday I didn’t feel hunger once and maybe even the day before; finishing off with the dinner and snack choices of last night.

In the past, I wouldn’t have looked at this way.

Food guilt and body shame would’ve driven the reflection instead of self-compassion. I would’ve decided that clearly Halloween candy isn’t safe in the house (not acknowledging the Halloween candy has been safe for two months now). That I need to get my shit together. That would’ve included a kitchen purge and meal plan that didn’t include take-out and some sort of exercise plan to go with.

What I know now is that the stress eating is the last part of the story. The stress eating is simply what finally got my attention. It’s not about the food and it never was. Instead, it’s about what led up to me not being attuned. By either not being able to see my needs or not responding to my needs in a timely fashion.

Diet culture and the current health and wellness trends would have me believe that all of this can be solved with the right plan or pill; that all I need is a commitment and will power and I’ll be good to go.

Thankfully I’ve chosen to stop buying what they’re selling. I’m choosing to look at what’s been in the way of my ability to listen to and respond to my body signals. It’s time to cull my list of responsibilities and expectations again. It’s time to Delegate, Delay and Delete again. I need less stress and pressure right now, not more imposed under the guise of ‘health’.  I need more compassion and less judgement.

Until next time,

Kerri

Looking for a new kind of plan? Registration for the next Living Life As A Rebel is now open. Learn more