My blog

Mantras can help. One I enjoy is One I enjoy is “I am enough. I am essential”. Image: Lyndi Cohen

How to stop negative body talk in 7 steps

We’ve all been there when a casual conversation gets hijacked by bad body talk – and it feels ick. “I’ve earned my breakfast now.” “I’m going to need to go to the gym after this.” “I’ve eaten rubbish all week. I’ve got to be good.” Diet culture speak. It’s pervasive. It breeds insecurities. It’s disheartening and restrictive – and it spreads. Often, it’s something we do on autopilot because we’ve been […]

What's the best diet to lose weight and does it involve running? Image: Lyndi Cohen

What’s the best diet to lose weight?

Keto, Paleo, vegan, intermittent fasting….which diet is best for weight loss? It’s the million dollar question – and one researchers have asked. Well, the results are in. Whether you go on a low carb diet, restrict calories or practice fasting, all diets are about all equal when it comes to weight loss. You can lose weight by eating pasta. You can lose weight by intermittent fasting. And you can lose […]

Here's how to explain that hunger post-meal time. Image: Lyndi Cohen

Why am I still hungry after eating?

Do you ever ask yourself, “Why am I still hungry after eating?” Or do you finish a meal and somehow still always make room for dessert? I know I have. We’ve all been there – you polish off a substantial meal and still feel like you could demolish three scoops of gelato. Feeling hungry and unsatisfied after a decent meal is more common than you think. It’s also confusing and, frankly, […]

I'll take a side of greens, not judgement, please. Image: Unsplash

How your mum’s dieting might have messed with you

Inherited a crappy body and food attitude? Here’s how to turn things around. Mums might have the best intentions, but often some pretty crumby low self-esteem habits. Constantly talking poorly about their bodies? Acting awkward in a swimsuit? Always on a diet? Turns out these hallmarks of disordered eating are often passed down by generation – and can affect how children feel in their own skin. In grim news, research […]

Spend less time Googling the stress-inducing stuff, and more time on the fun stuff. Image: Lyndi Cohen

How much weight should I be gaining in pregnancy?

If you’re reading this, the likelihood is you’re expecting. Congratulations! So your body is also about to go through one of its biggest transitions. And unfortunately, you’re likely to experience an unprecedented level of social surveillance and commentary about how much weight you should be gaining in pregnancy. Colleagues, friends, family, even medical professionals might suggest you haven’t put on enough weight, or that perhaps, you’ve gained too much. File […]

It's astonishing that BMI as a tool is still in use. Image: Unsplash

The big problem with BMI – and it’s much healthier alternative

We live in a world where we’re constantly told that we need to weigh less or have a perfectly flat stomach in order to be happy, acceptable and healthy. Part of that misguided advice is the now outdated tool – BMI. As an accredited practicing dietitian I’m telling you, the measure of height versus weight to indicate health is incorrect and astonishing really that it’s still in use. History lesson […]

Donut expect to change your relationship with your body, if you can't change your relationship with food. Image: Unsplash

How to stop constantly thinking about food

Thinking about food when you’re hungry or making cooking plans is completely normal. But thinking about food constantly? That may be a sign something is up. If you find you can’t stop thinking about food, this might help. We eat for two reasons: fuel or pleasure. Think about this. You have a big presentation at 2pm, so it’s important you’re firing and thinking clearly. Having a balanced lunch beforehand helps […]

Your post baby body is BS and that's because there's no such thing as only one. Image: Lyndi Cohen

Your post-baby body is BS and not for the reason you think

Incubating another human is a big deal. So why do we expect our bodies to bounce back like it’s no thing? No sooner than you birth the placenta echoes the immediate and incessant message of “get your body back”. It’s deafening. It’s also completely tone-deaf. A quick Google search of the term “lose baby weight” returns more than 100 million results – in scarily sub a second. So this International […]

My tummy might have rolls, but does that make me any less a person? Nope. Image: Lyndi Cohen

“I feel fat”: What to do when you’re feeling fat

Here are 6 things you can do to stop feeling fat.

Peanut butter is a source of healthy fats - and yum to boot. Image: Unsplash

Why can’t I stop eating peanut butter?

Just one spoonful gets your mouth watering. And you can’t stop at one. Peanut butter. It needs no introduction and seemingly, it solves all problems. Hungry? Peanut butter. Stressed? Peanut butter. Tired? Peanut butter. Got nothing to wear? Peanut butter. Ok, so I’m taking some poetic license there but you get the idea – the spread has gained cult status. And ever since some human in the 80s touted it […]

Do you feel guilty for eating over the holidays?

The ugly truth about the most common yet most ignored eating disorder

Eating disorders can affect everyone – not just the thin. Our society encourages overconsumption. Yet we also demand thinness, willpower and self-control. We seem incapable of believing that being overweight is anything but a result of greed and that it’s simply evidence of weakness or laziness. This creates the belief that bingeing is a ‘failure’. Bingeing is a fundamentally misunderstood act, yet newsflash: binge eating disorder (BED) is also the most common type […]

Counting cherries is whack. Image: Unsplash

The big problem with portion control

23 almonds. 2 cheese slices. ½ cup pasta. 21 grapes. A virtuous way of eating, or a gazillion reasons to have an untrusting relationship with food? Portion control. It’s something we’ve been taught. A system that can help us eat correctly. A way to lose weight. A means for exercising willpower. But the clue to it’s insidious inflicted misery is in the second half of the name. Control. Portion control […]

Everybody is a bikini body. Image: Lyndi Cohen

15 ways I learned to love my body

I used to hate my body (I mean like really hate my body). But now I love my body, something I never thought was possible! So, how do you go from hating your body to loving your body? Here’s 15 ways how I learned to love my body and be body confident.

Why don't we ever crave zoodles? Image: Lyndi Cohen

Here’s what your food cravings are really telling you

Turns out those pangs might be pointing to something your body really needs – and you can satisfy them with some healthy swaps. Picture this: it’s 3pm and you’ve sat down for a breather. But into your head pops the idea of toasted banana bread, dripping with butter. You can almost smell it. You can definitely see it – and yes, you want to taste it. It might be 3pm, […]

The ultimate cake slash bread cinammony hybrid. Image: Lyndi Cohen

Are hot cross buns a healthy snack option?

It dances on the air – that warming cinnamon, heady nutmeg and doughy glazed bread, that can only mean one thing: hot cross buns. Nothing brings out the aromas better than a decent toasting and lashings of butter. And while the baked good marked with a cross and studded with dried fruit, is traditionally supposed to be eaten on Good Friday, we all know they turn up on supermarket shelves […]

The tiny milk dictator and I. Image: Lyndi Cohen

30 things I’ve learnt since having a baby

The beautiful, the brutal and the downright ugly. Let me preface this by saying I am but a humble mother of one and that until I miraculously birthed a tiny boy, I was in blissful ignorance about the realities of new motherhood. Sure, as a dietitian by profession, I knew about the nutritional requirements of a breastfeeding mum, but only now having experienced that insatiable omnipresent hunger do I really know, […]

I met Les when I was at my heaviest weight. Image: Lyndi Cohen

I was worried I was ‘too fat’ for my partner

I met my husband Les in the summer of 2012. I had a terrible haircut, interesting fashion choices, and happened to be my heaviest weight – considered by GP standards – obese. When we met, I felt invisible. I would compare my body constantly to others. The double chins, tummy rolls, chafing thighs, back fat. Why couldn’t I be thin? Why couldn’t I stick to a diet? As much as […]

Cultural icon and binge eating example Bridget Jones. Image: Bridget Jones' Diary

Can’t stop eating?

You don’t need better willpower or a stricter diet, but this new approach to food. How many times have you laid in bed at night, mentally calculating then finger-wagging yourself for what you ate that day? “You really shouldn’t have eaten that.” “Why can’t you have more self-control?” “Tomorrow, you have to be way better.” Even with your best intentions, reprimanding yourself like a naughty toddler will never help you […]

Healthy fats like avos are your friend. Image: Lyndi Cohen

How to tell if you’re on a diet in disguise

If you’re ‘trying to be healthy’ there is a good chance that you are dieting and secretly sabotaging your health and relationship with food. Find out if you are accidentally dieting – and what to do instead.

Has anyone ever been sad after eating a mango? Image: Lyndi Cohen

6 unhealthy habits to ditch in 2021

Plus how to switch them to something actually good for you. There’s something about the flip of a calendar page that pushes us to crave reinvention. Overnight we want the pantry sorting prowess of Marie Kondo, the energy of Oprah mid-giveaway, the arms of Michelle Obama and the grit of Greta Thunberg. Oh and on top of that we want to be thinner – thinking it’s the solution to whatever […]

Do you feel guilty for eating over the holidays?

I feel guilty for eating over the holidays. What should I do?

It’s cruel really when you think about it. At exactly the same time you know you’re meant to relax around food – festive season – the guilt and weight worries turn up like unannounced in-laws just in time to ruin your holiday. I know I’m not alone here when it comes to these joy-killing scenarios. Scenario 1 You imagine that family you haven’t seen in a long time will judge your body […]

How to handle body comments from your family

Do you have relatives who comment on your weight and what you’re eating? This can be hard to handle, especially during the holidays. So here’s how to navigate them – or at least stop their influence on you – stat. “You’re looking like you gained a bit.” “You’d be so pretty if you lost weight.” “Are you sure you need those roast potatoes?” “Just a half slice for you?” “Are you really going […]

How to Eat mindfully.

How to eat more mindfully (and why it matters)

Mindful eating is paying attention to the food you eat. Why does this even matter? Well, when we don’t eat mindfully – we are much more likely to overeat. We eat quickly, not enjoying our food as much as we can. So how do you eat more mindfully in the real world? It’s about eating in the present moment when you’re sitting at the dining table. It’s about savouring the […]

There is so much bad health advice on the internet.

The worst health advice on the internet

From lemon water to keto, are you left scratching your head as to what is the best or the worst health advice on the internet? With all the pseudoscience and wacky nutrition nonsense, it’s hard to know what to eat anymore. More information isn’t always a good thing. Especially in the internet era where every Instagrammer with an interest in avocados feels comfortable handing out health advice (even when it’s completely […]

Do you actually need to eat breakfast to be healthy?

Breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day. Or is it? For many of us, the idea that we need to eat breakfast each morning is deeply ingrained. But do you actually need to eat breakfast to be healthy? Maybe when you were a kid, breakfast was a non-negotiable. Then, as you grew up, you were likely bombarded with diet articles, telling you to eat’ breakfast like a king, […]

Staying strong in pregnancy helps you love your body

“I feel fat”! How to improve body image in pregnancy.

Being pregnant, there are days where I hate my body, feel fat and unattractive. Being pregnant can make it a lot harder to feel good about your body or have a positive body image. Here’s what I’m doing to help love my pregnant body.

No time to cook healthy meals?

Find you’re too busy to cook healthy meals or exercise regularly? That’s why I created Back to Basics App. And that’s why I take shortcuts to help me be healthy without dieting. If I didn’t, I’d be eating Pad Thai every night while paying for Sam, the delivery guy’s upcoming wedding in Bali! While I wish Sam the best, I prefer to save my money, time AND eat healthily. So […]

Family-friendly meal prep that doesn’t suck (I promise).

Plus, a free Meal Prep Video

How to eat healthily when you’re pregnant

Before we begin… Congratulations! You’re busy making an adorable human. I’m always amazed by what the human body is capable of. That a person can grow a tiny little human as they go about their day… well, that seriously fascinates me. Still, while we don’t need to concentrate to make sure we’re building little babies’ fingers and toes (or a brain and heart), there are many things you can do […]

Self-care: Why I’m OK with not being liked

Build the courage to be disliked and challenge the status quo FACT: Standing up for yourself is scary. How do I know this? Because whenever I decide to do or say something, not in line with the status quo – which is pretty much every day – I feel fear creep in. The fear of being disliked, judged, criticised, laughed at, left out, yelled at, you name it. I […]

Should I comment on my daughters weight?

Healthy eating class lesson for Kindergarten: What to teach kids about being healthy

When I was asked to speak to a Kindergarten class about healthy eating, I had to design my own class. Here’s my healthy eating class for Kindergarten aged kids. What to teach kids aged 6-7 about being healthy

Should I comment on my daughter’s weight?

If you’re a parent, perhaps you’ve wondered how can you help your daughter (or son) be healthy – without giving them a complex about their weight. So if you’ve ever asked yourself, “Should I comment on my daughter’s weight?” – or anyone’s weight for that matter – please read my latest blog.

How to stop sugar cravings

Is it possible to overcome sugar cravings – without quitting sugar? One of the most common questions I am asked is How to stop sugar cravings. Do you feel like you’re addicted to sugar? If you get sweet cravings, it sure can feel that way. Intense sugar cravings can be really powerful and hard to resist. Luckily, you can retrain your brain and stop sugar cravings using these 5 strategies. […]

How to eat less meat (and get enough protein) in a healthy way.

Let me start by saying: I’m not vegan or vegetarian. And honestly? I don’t plan to cut meat out of my diet completely. But I am trying to eat less meat. For my health and for the environment. Even though the Netflix documentary The Game Changers is bias and one-sided, it’s making plenty of people rethink how much meat we eat. Here’s the deal. Most people in the Western world […]

Overeating over the holidays.

I feel guilty for eating over the holidays. What should I do?

Around holidays, the desire to diet can get so damn strong. It’s easy to feel guilty for eating. You know you’re meant to relax around food but when you do, you feel so terrible about your weight and the guilt can ruin a holiday. You imagine that family you haven’t seen in a long time will judge your body or appearance. You feel scared to wear a swimsuit or can’t find […]

The last few stubborn pounds.

Can’t lose the last few pounds?

Struggling and just can’t lose the last few pounds? Do you know why it’s hard to lose them? It’s because you’re possibly not supposed to. Those extra 5-10 pounds (that weight where your body naturally wants to be) that’s where your body functions at it’s best. That’s where your hormones are balanced, your body is strong and your mood is stable. It’s the weight where you fall asleep easily, you have […]

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