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The Non-Restrictive Home: Building Strong Body Image and Resilient College Students
36 Plays10 days ago
How to stop demonizing food, fix picky eating habits, and help your teenager build a healthy relationship with their body before leaving the nest.
In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom, we sit down with Lisa Moskovitz, a registered dietitian, founder of the New York Nutrition Group, and author of The Core 3 Healthy Eating Plan. Navigating the high-stakes pressure of teen body image, kitchen control battles, and social media comparison can leave any parent feeling overwhelmed.
This episode dives into the liberating concept of "nutrition by addition," shifting the focus away from strict restriction toward fueling real resilience. Moms of teenagers and young adults preparing for the college transition will benefit deeply from this practical, stress-free approach to family eating habits.
Key Conversations in This Episode:
- Shifting your household language from restrictive dieting to "nutrition by addition" to lower family food anxiety
- Ditching the trap of kitchen perfectionism and adopting the "80% rule" for real-world parenting success
- How over-controlling your teen’s intake of sweets backfires and how to neutralize intense sugar cravings
- Practical nutrition tools to help older teens navigate college dining halls and sustain brain energy independently
Questions Moms Are Asking and The Positively Healthy Mom Podcast is Answering:
Question: How can I help my teenage daughter build a healthy body image when she is constantly exposed to toxic diet culture and social media comparisons?
Answer: The most powerful defense starts at home by shifting our focus away from the scale or physical appearance and onto true nourishment. By neutralizing "good vs. bad" food language and protecting our children from restrictive diet rules, we teach them to listen to their own bodies rather than an algorithm.
Question: What should I do if my teenager comes home and binges on sweets, or if I feel like I constantly need to hide the junk food?
Answer: Hiding food or treating sugar like a forbidden fruit creates an artificial "scarcity mindset" that causes kids to overeat out of survival instinct. Moving toward a place of permission—where treats are a standard, relaxed part of life—takes away the taboo power of cravings and stops the pantry battles.
Meet Our Expert:
Lisa Moskovitz, is a certified registered dietitian, the CEO of the New York Nutrition Group. With over a decade of experience in private practice, she is passionate about helping individuals form healthier relationships with their bodies.
Guest Links:
- Website: nynutritiongroup.com
- Instagram: @lisamnutrition
- Book: The Core 3 Healthy Eating Plan
Connect With Laura Ollinger
Let’s Work Together To Make Your Connection With Your Teen or Young Adult Joyful!
Register For How To Go Back To School Without Freaking Out (for Teens) FREE Webinar
Rate This Podcast!
Follow @positivelyhealthycoaching on Instagram!
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Transcript
Energy Drink Consumption and Health Implications
00:00:00
Speaker
like supporting them emotionally because emotions are always a big part of, of appetite changes for sure. Like big part of it. Um, and then being there to support them and help them. And if they just know that you're there, they'll come to you.
00:00:13
Speaker
They will. If
00:00:17
Speaker
Hello, before we dive into today's episode with Lisa Moskovitz, who's a registered dietitian, we're going to be talking about three tips for your teens and young adults to start out healthy eating for the new school year or new college year.
00:00:31
Speaker
And even for young adults and for moms, it's always a great refresher to get a fresh start. so um First tip is around energy drinks. so So many of us want to say, yell at our teens and adults, say don't drink those, they're so bad for you, you're gonna end up in the emergency room, I'm not buying those for you, right? It becomes a little bit of a threat and a little bit of a power struggle.
00:00:53
Speaker
So I want to offer the idea that instead of, you know, reducing or restricting, we kind of want to go more in the idea of talking about the energy crash. So we all know that kids are running in fumes and they are so busy, especially with classes and sports and activities. And if they're in college, like all all the nightlife that's going on, right, how easy is it for them to just grab that in the morning and head off to class?
00:01:20
Speaker
Well, what happens when evening comes and they start to get a crash going? They a lot of times get a second one. I know kids drink two and three, hopefully not more than that um in one day, because we're talking, you know, over a thousand milligrams of caffeine in one day, and that's not good for anybody. And so it becomes this vicious cycle, because what kind of ah sleep are you able to get if you've had that much caffeine throughout the day?
00:01:44
Speaker
um Really, it's not going to be good quality sleep at all if you get any And then it just becomes this vicious cycle that, you know, becomes their kind of go-to. And before you know it, the school year has gone by and they're just really probably moody. They're irritable. They're exhausted, right? They're kind of feeling very emotional because that's what happens when you haven't had good sleep for a long time. And so just the idea about reframing um that this crash happens and we don't want to crash. We want to more um maybe swap it out for something lower caffeine, maybe even a coffee, maybe even a green tea with lower milligrams of caffeine if they are reaching for that energy drink or for that second drink that like maybe try something else instead. You know, see if you can get through your day, focus on getting a good sleep.
00:02:31
Speaker
So that way we're not um going that downward spiral. Hopefully we're just kind of staying even keeled. Tip number
Healthy Eating Habits for Students
00:02:38
Speaker
two is talking about eating in the cafeteria or in the dining hall. It's just building your plate.
00:02:44
Speaker
So much what happens, i hear my clients all the time, you know, even just a few weeks into college, they're already sick of the dining hall. They don't want to eat there anymore. And because you know, it's kind of work when you go in there, right? They get this decision fatigue. And so what happens is they just easily settle into a habit or pattern where they go for the salad and the pizza or, you know, the soup and the salad, just whatever's easy, whatever's quick to get through the line and go sit with their friends. And so I want to start off the school year by just framing it as building a plate, right? And so that way you can swap out different pieces. So if we go for half of the plate, with ah fruits and vegetables, like lots of color, and in maybe about a quarter of the plate protein, you know, eggs, meat, whatever they want to have, and then the other quarter carbs, pasta, rice, whatever needs to happen there. But just the idea that they're building and creating can be more fun instead of just this dreaded idea of, oh my gosh, what am I going to eat? Or I don't want to eat that again. I'm so sick of this. Right? It can kind of become a fun little project. And Again, thinking about those protein and fiber to keep them ah fueled up for the day means they will not need to reach for the energy drink. They will be fueled up. They're not going to be, you know, crashing when they are satiating their body and giving it the energy that it naturally needs.
00:04:05
Speaker
And then tip number three is just keeping it simple. So if you do have a kiddo who is in an apartment or living somewhere where they are able to cook a little bit on their own, even some dorms have kitchens where they can cook, just keeping it simple, keeping it stocked up with things they can grab and go, or just really easily prepare like those bagged rice or microwavable rice and frozen vegetables. Or, i mean, I personally love fresh crunchy vegetables with some hummus. Hard boiled eggs are always great for kids.
00:04:34
Speaker
scrambled eggs if they can make them, but just things that are going to be easy, affordable, easy to clean up. We don't want to have all those dishes in the sink where it's bothering their roommates, right? We want to make it easy so that they can be out the door and off to their things. So
Role of Mothers in Family Nutrition
00:04:47
Speaker
just getting started with those three tips. Good luck.
00:04:50
Speaker
I hope your kiddo has a healthy start to the new year and enjoy the episode.
00:04:57
Speaker
Hello and welcome to the Positively Healthy Mom podcast. I'm your host, Laura Olinger, teen and young adult wellbeing coach and founder of Positively Healthy Coaching. I'm very excited to introduce you today to Lisa Moskovitz, who is a registered dietitian, founder of the New York Nutrition Group and author of the Core 3 Healthy Eating Plan. So Lisa, welcome to the show.
00:05:17
Speaker
Thank you. Thank you so much for having me. I'm excited to be here and hopefully shed some more light on the very complicated world of nutrition. Yes, yes. So with that being said, you know, as moms, we are kind of the the leaders of the family relating to a lot of things, but specifically nutrition as well. I know there are some dads who are very involved in the kitchen out there and not to discount them in any way.
00:05:43
Speaker
um But we are kind of that role model for our family. And so it's kind of up to us to be making these decisions from the time they're very small through teenager up to adulthood and kind of setting that tone and culture in our family about like, what is food about? Like, what is the shared experience that we're doing? Is it just shoving stuff down our mouth? um Or is it enjoying kind of that quality time to together? Or it's kind of like, what does this mean? Like this eating... This idea of we need it for survival, but like there's kind of more to it. So what is your philosophy ah around eating and families?
00:06:17
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. I do think a lot of times it does fall on the moms. you know Let's call a spade a spade. We do carry a lot of weight, um you know and i I think there is a lot of pressure that comes from the maternal side of things to make sure, right, that there is healthy meals on the table and the cooking. And like you said, yes, there are times where there are dads who are more involved in the kitchen. um The reality is, I'm sure most people listening to this are moms who carry that burden. And and it is not you know there's there's definitely rewards to that. But like I said, there's also...
00:06:55
Speaker
this potential pressure, right? To be perfect, to to make sure we're feeding our kids the best food and that we're raising these healthy, intuitive eaters and, you know, with good body image and self-confidence. But here's the reality, right? I am a dietician. I am a mother of three. And I can tell you right now, I've been doing this for 17 years and I still don't have it all figured out. It's never going to be a perfect thing. There is no manual. Right.
00:07:21
Speaker
Right. Or rule book that will tell us exactly what to do, when to do it with anything with parenting, but especially with food. We don't know what potential types of personalities we're dealing with as they get older. They evolve into things that they like, they don't like. There are kids that are just pickier eaters. And that doesn't mean there's nothing wrong with them.
00:07:44
Speaker
And there is still a possibility they will grow out of it. or there's a possibility that they won't and that they just have these these very selective preferences for what they want to eat. So truly, my
Realistic Nutritional Goals and Parenting
00:07:56
Speaker
philosophy is a to be as realistic as possible. Yeah.
00:08:01
Speaker
I don't think anybody makes a lot of good long-term sustainable changes when they're being bombarded with all of these shoulds and should nots. Like you shouldn shouldn't be doing that. And this is good. And this is bad. That polarizing black and white.
00:08:18
Speaker
thinking is the problem. That is the one problem that I see with my client and patient population when it comes to their children and themselves. So just giving yourself some, good I like to call good enough goals, like, yeah, nu because that's the best that we could hope for. And striving for perfection will inevitably fail almost every single time.
00:08:42
Speaker
Yes. It's so funny that you say that because that's exactly I sometimes even put a number on it. Some of my earlier podcast episodes talk about 80 percent or 90 percent, but not even in relation to food. But it's about um parents who want their kids to have a really clean room. yeah And like, is 80 percent OK with you? Because we might not need to focus on 100 percent because that's just stressing everybody out. Right. And so that's kind of the way I live my life. If you walk into my house at any time my kitchen will be between 80 and 90 percent clean. My family room, 80. Right. like i And yes, maybe we have guests over and we go for the 100 percent sometimes, but that's not the focus. That's not reality. That's not everyday life.
00:09:19
Speaker
So I like what you're saying and just taking those extreme black and white thinking out and just kind of think like, what's reality and how can we not be miserable trying to figure this out and just actually maybe even make this an enjoyable, you know, topic and activity for the family to, to work on together. Because at
Family Meals and Food Relationships
00:09:36
Speaker
the end of the day, you know, we need their feedback, right? Like we can't just, they're not little robots. We we have to have their feedback and and input into what we're doing as a family as far as eating. So yeah you mentioned um body image as being like an important factor here. and and And what are your thoughts about that? How do you create that within your own kids and within yourself and for your patients?
00:09:58
Speaker
For sure. I mean, it always starts with what the kids are are witnessing and and it and observing, right? It starts with how are we speaking about ourselves? You know, we hear that a lot. Like, don't obviously, if you're not, we all have days we wake up, we're just not feeling it. We feel bloated. Maybe we're getting our period. You know, there's, nobody has a perfect body image all the time or wakes up every day saying, I feel great. Like, if they do, if there is someone like that out there, please tell me what you're taking and I will buy it. Right? Right. That just isn't, again, a reality. So, but it's it's being extra careful with these sponge-like minds who are really learning from us. And if we make it okay to stand in front of the mirror and put ourselves down or say, i look fat or I look horrible or oh look at my this or that.
00:10:47
Speaker
Or I ate too much. I better go to the gym later. Like these might be thoughts that you're having, which is a whole other topic of maybe addressing that for you individually, which is important, right? But specifically in the position as a parent, we really want to be extra careful. Again, not going to be perfect at it. There's going to be times you might slip up, but that's where a lot of this starts. Then after that, it's really emphasizing and making sure we're highlighting qualities of our kids that extend beyond the appearance, right? like Let's say you take your child to the doctor and the doctor says, I'm worried about your child's weight. This happens a lot.
00:11:29
Speaker
We really want to make it clear that they're not a problem, that their weight is not the problem, but that we're here to help model and and teach them healthier habits.
00:11:39
Speaker
So not only is that good practice for our children who are learning from our every move, again, no pressure, no pressure at all. Yeah. They're watching you. They're always watching. like If we mess up, I just say gives them a little character. It's okay to mess up here and there because it gives them character. right So we don't want to raise them in a bubble. But, you know, it's it's these little things that really can can make a big difference of let's go for a walk together. Right. Not, okay, you need to go play soccer because you need to burn calories. you know not Most parents understand not to say that to their child, but but but making it like part of your experiences together. One of the other, and this is actually, there's been a ton of research on this, and I know it's hard for a lot of families, especially when two parents are working
00:12:26
Speaker
um you know, to get dinner on the table. But having family dinners at least like two to three times a week, again, as a good enough goal, there is extensive and continuous research on the benefits of that for our children's relationship with food and their body image. So just sitting down,
00:12:46
Speaker
Yeah.
00:13:02
Speaker
Try to do it two to three times a week. And then that could be a good goal up to three. Because again, realistically, it's not going to happen. But what it's doing is it's kind of instilling this idea for the children, right, for your kids, that that food is a safe place, that meals are meant to be shared together. i also see this a lot among my clients and myself as um as a parent and as you know friends and family members.
00:13:29
Speaker
that the more you have meals together, it can also help with a lot of the pickiness and the selectiveness. So when your kids see you eating salads and eating salmon and eating all these different kinds of vegetables and starches and proteins, we are exposing them.
00:13:44
Speaker
Right? Like it's exposure. The nights that we don't sit down to a family meal together, I don't know about everybody else out there, but I'm giving my kids frozen chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese. If I'm not eating with them, that is my default. That's what they want.
00:13:57
Speaker
It's easier for me. So I'm like, heck yeah. Like if I don't have to stand there So but when we do sit down to a meal together, it is very different looking. It is corn on the cob with a fish or steak or chicken, you know, and and these are things that, again, they might not always want to eat.
00:14:13
Speaker
And there might be nights where they're like, no, I don't want it. But the exposure, the familiarity, the routine and the consistency is really what matters most.
00:14:23
Speaker
So even if they're not eating anything, even they're not touching it, and this goes too for pickiness, like exposure over time. i know this is not at all your question about body image, but it's related a little bit. Yeah, yeah. It's all built into this upbringing that we have where we learn about how to feed ourselves, nourish ourselves, that food is okay, that it's not meant to control.
00:14:42
Speaker
So a lot of times with disordered eating, the driving cause behind eating disorders and disordered eating, it's not the only thing because lot of different facets to it. But a big driver is the body image, is the not feeling good, not feeling worthy, looking in the mirror, having a little dysmorphia even where maybe yeah they're not overweight or not clinically considered you know to be in a high higher BMI or overweight or obese, but they still feel that way. They still feel...
00:15:10
Speaker
Like they're taking up too much space or that they're not attractive or that they're, you know, and and so then it can kind of spiral from there. So again, then it can look like and and sort of um manifest into more disordered eating tendencies of restriction binging, emotional eating, private eating. And so it's really important that we understand that these two things operate together. Your relationship with food and your body image often go hand in hand to the point where a lot of people really struggle to trust and listen to their body with food when they feel like they're at a weight that they're not happy with. It is a lot easier You're going to be like, I'm going to trust my body and listen to my hunger and fullness cues when your clothes are fitting you properly. And when they're not, or when you see a number on the scale you're not used to, or someone, you know, makes a comment to you, it immediately unravels and dismantles that trust. It's just harder. It is. So we still need to work on both. Right. But, but that's the kind of understanding that as a dietitian who specializes in this, I always want to make sure my patients understand. I know it is a lot harder. Right. So again, working with kids when they're younger, really instilling these ideas around how to have a healthy relationship with food and a healthy lifestyle is important, but it's less about appearance and numbers and more about taking care of yourself, nurturing yourself, trusting yourself. So that's really what we, at the end of the day, can sit back and go, you know what? I did the best I can. I gave them all the tools. And then yes, there's a whole world out there and there's social media, unfortunately. And I always say like,
00:16:47
Speaker
I am grateful I did not grow up with Instagram or Facebook because i right it wasn't around. And I'm so grateful. But oh, my gosh, I am so scared for my kids once they have a cell phone and they're going to have access to it because it's as an adult. Right. As we're adults, we so think very rationally. We understand how the world works and we can still be affected by it. Imagine children don't understand the difference between reality and fake.
00:17:11
Speaker
So having that solid home, you know, foundation is the best is the best way to strengthen their resiliency and
Teen Nutrition Independence
00:17:18
Speaker
protect them. That's it. I'm away from all these things, but we can work on it at home. Make sure they have a good foundation.
00:17:24
Speaker
Yes, yes. And so with that said, you know, teenagers are kind of notorious for wanting their independence, wanting to make their own decisions. And a lot of times they end up not really eating well, and it's not because we're not providing it. Maybe they do eat the family meal. Right. But then they're off on the weekend doing something with their friends. And right. And so like, what is your way to encourage moms or encourage kids to really be just be mindful of the benefits of getting that proper nutrition?
00:17:53
Speaker
Absolutely. like You know, right. Kids want experiment. A lot of what I'm learning as, you know, a parent of of young children, but also knowing what it was like to be a teenager is a lot of times it's a power thing. It's a control struggle. It's a power struggle. It's a control thing. It's kids wanting to practice their independence. And when they feel like they're constricted in any way, it's rebelling against that. So...
00:18:14
Speaker
Our kids need to know we trust them, right? we need They need to know that we trust them. And that extends 100% to food. So if what I see a lot, because I do work with a lot of patients and clients who are in their teenage years and their parents will call me up to make an appointment. I'm worried about my child. You know, they're not eating well or anything. My 13-year-old girl is is complaining about like being too overweight and she wants to lose weight. All of her friends are wearing crop tops and she doesn't feel comfortable. So how can I help her lose weight? It is such a delicate topic talking about weight with teenagers, especially women, females and girls, but also boys. They are not immune to any of it. And the body comparison and the looking on, again, social media and seeing celebrities on TV. So we we really, again, want to...
00:19:03
Speaker
First of all, have those meals together as much as you can. Have a variety of nutritious and healthy foods at home. But do not demonize foods at the same time. Don't make foods off limits. The moment, see this a lot, and again, I understand why. i get why, as parents, we really like want to do everything to protect people.
00:19:26
Speaker
our children, right? It's so innate. Like if we see that our child could be hurt or harmed or anything, and sometimes it's with weight, right? Like you see, oh my gosh, my my my girl my little girl, she is maybe in a higher weight category for her height and her age. And I don't want her to get made fun of because we know how kids can be horrible to each other because they're still figuring out how to treat people with respect.
00:19:47
Speaker
And we just want to do everything we can to protect them. And so we think like, how could we do that? Like, maybe I need to put her on a diet or get rid of all the food in the house. And I get that. But all that's doing, unfortunately, is it's creating desire. You're teaching your children that these foods are bad.
00:20:04
Speaker
They are off limits. They are not good for you. Being in a larger body is not a good thing. And so again, All good intentions coming from the right place. Totally get it. But I just have to say this as loudly and and on as many platforms as I can, that that will only lead to a path of them feeling like either they're not valuable unless they're at a smaller in a smaller body or that if they eat a certain food, they're automatically bad people. Mm-hmm. So it's teaching them, it's attaching morals and confidence to food and attach number on the scale to their self-worth and their value. So the best thing we can do is say, okay, I understand you're not feeling good about yourself. ah All I want you to do at the end the we want our kids to be happy. want them to be healthy. We want them to feel good about themselves. We
Exercise and Family Well-being
00:21:01
Speaker
want them to have all the tools. So it's going back to the modeling the behaviors.
00:21:06
Speaker
Maybe if you're going to, if you're, if you want, if you think that your child is too sedentary or needs to move more, do it with them. Do activities or find them an activity that enjoy. So it's not about just exercising as a punitive compensatory type of behavior. Like you need to exercise to lose weight or because you ate this, you have to exercise. Right.
00:21:26
Speaker
which is also not very healthy, but it's more of like a, this is enjoyable. You know, this is fun. This is, you clear your head. It's for mental health. Teach them that exercise is good for mental health and that food is fuel and nourishment and that all foods can fit, but there are certain foods that are body- needs more of that uses more efficiently for energy and just keep kind of reiterating the connection with that and explaining it that way to our kids so that they really understand that weight and calories is not, is not we're going to get, it you know, that's not how we're going to be happy.
00:22:01
Speaker
It's just not. Yeah.
Managing Stress and Sugar Consumption
00:22:03
Speaker
I che see too many adults in my office, rehashing their child so and again it's no one's fault because parents just yeah the best for until we're effective but you know it it sticks with them they they internalize it um and it really hardwires their brain later on so if that's been happening there is still time like and again like you didn't do many damage because even adults can get over it as adults when they do the work but that's why i like to emphasize it so much for my parents of younger children and like teenage teenagers especially
00:22:35
Speaker
Mm-hmm.
00:22:37
Speaker
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00:22:50
Speaker
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00:23:02
Speaker
Sign them up. The link is in my show notes. They're going to love it.
00:23:08
Speaker
And if you like that, where this is leading me is kind of like restrict, yeah you're saying like, don't restrict. Right. But like, if you are allowing, let's just say sugar, for example, in your house, some desserts and sweet treats. um And you do happen to have a child that has a sweet tooth. Right. yes And you go back in the room or in the pantry the next day and the whole package is of sugar.
00:23:32
Speaker
cookies are gone or the whole, if they're homemade, whatever they are, just a container. Like, how do you address that? Like, hey, who ate all the cookies? or like, what's going on here? like Like, how do you make it not a big deal where you're not stigmatizing this food? um You're trying to educate, but at the same time,
00:23:48
Speaker
You know, sugar addiction is real. Sugar craving is real. Like cutting that out is not easy. So like how would do you address like a really complicated topic like that? Yeah. I mean, I would want to first understand how old is the child? What else is going on in their diet before I jump to any conclusions? Because obviously if it's like a younger child doing that all the time, I do wonder like are they very active and maybe they just really need like a bigger serving of pasta dinner or like they need an extra snack or something else. That's always my first go-to.
00:24:16
Speaker
ah with adults included, if you're having strong cravings and you're feeling out of control around food, I do always question like, are you actually feeling yourself enough? Are you getting in enough nutrients and protein and carbs, the higher fiber starches that our body really can benefit from? So that's always my, the first place I come from. And then it's like, are you restricting it? You know, so are you restricting these kinds of foods? And that's why you're feeling out of control,
00:24:39
Speaker
around them later so if it's happening you notice that maybe see if there is something else you can give to your child or offer them more food and snacks during the day if they're doing it in private right which does happen as young as like seven eight year olds can start doing this because i've heard about it before yeah um I would definitely do your best and it might not happen. You might not see a change overnight, but coming from a place of yes is what I usually say. So like, yes, you ate all the cookies. Okay. You must've been hungry, honey. Like you could have these cookies, but this is going to be an after dinner kind of treat. We first need to have, you know, meals and food during the day, even though we're sort of taught that we don't want to necessarily say like, you have to finish all your broccoli. Right. you have a cookie because then that teach them that they have to earn it and again it kind of goes back to the like this is like
00:25:31
Speaker
something that's off limits like any idea that it's off limits it really is psychology one zero one we want what we can't have we Yeah. we can't with anything in life that is how humans are hard so making it accessible making it allowed you know there are different schools of thought on this so i won't say that i've firmly fallen one camp or the other because i think it depends on the family and the child But there are some schools of thought of even like with children, they want a sense of control. They want to rebel if they feel too restricted and controlled and contained. Like it's an instinct to want to help. Yeah.
00:26:14
Speaker
and so i know there are moms out there who who and dads and parents who feel like they have to put locks on cabinets and really put things away and high up and out of sight and all i can say is like if it's working great But I do question how long that will last, right? Yeah. They go out and they go to their friends' houses. And when they're older and they, you know, are... Eventually, it's going to catch up to them. We cannot sugar them from any type of sugar. So again, all that we can do is to try to reduce the stigma and this concept that there are good foods and bad foods.
00:26:51
Speaker
And just think about nutrition by addition. Right. What could we be adding in and offering more? So the more we have available on the counter, when they get home, that's ready to go. You're hungry, babe. I got a fruit salad for you.
00:27:05
Speaker
Not saying this is possible the time. connect to these where I'm back to back with clients all day. And I just like my kids walk in the door and I'm like, go help yourself. I got to go see a client and they'll get whatever they want. But as much as we can, offering it, having it available, even if they say no, keep offering it.
00:27:25
Speaker
the The old research studies showed it was like 10 times was the rule of thumb. Yeah. 10 times of exposure before they might be more willing to try something, but don't give up until that 10th time. Now I think it's even like 15. So it kind of on up a little bit.
00:27:40
Speaker
Yeah. Or that we could offer it and it's easy to get discouraged and go, why am I doing this? Why am I wasting all this money and time on this food they're not eating? But it it is doing something. It is still worth the investment. It is still having an impact on them more than you might notice.
00:27:56
Speaker
And that's the best that we can do. So if you find that they're eating more of this junk food, quote unquote junk food, or, you know, and stuff from the cabinet that we know has very little nutritional value,
00:28:08
Speaker
I would just say coming from a place of yes, coming from a place of what could I add in more that might help with these cravings, and then also making it okay that, you know, like more throughout the day so that they are exposed to a little bit more often. and I mean, I came from a house where... my mom got but like, she, she was great. She's still like very into health, but she would be a little bit more on the restrictive side. We had food, you know, but it was never like tons of snack food or anything like that. And I would go to my friend's houses and I would walk in and their cabinets would be filled with like Dunk a root. All the good stuff. yeah what And all that stuff that we grew up with. Yeah. And I'd always be like, oh my gosh, like this is amazing. how to And I would like, my friends would be sitting there like, you could have something. I don't want anything. Like they didn't want to eat any of it. yeah because It was honestly to me, even as a young girl, i was like, how do you not want to eat any of it? Like we don't have any of this at home. yeah And so like I am a living walking billboard for like the more that it's available. Yeah. the less likely they are to grow up having like this compulsion and yeah and and and like binging type of personality. yeahp Yeah, yeah, for sure. Okay,
College Nutrition Management
00:29:21
Speaker
so last topic is about college freshmen. So I have a daughter who's about to go to her first year of college, going away, living in the dorm, all that stuff.
00:29:31
Speaker
What is your advice or encouragement for and that age group? Absolutely. So this is an age where they're starting to become more independent. That's the point of college. Like but if we learn one thing at college, it's yeah how to be independent people, how to manage our time. And so that absolutely also...
00:29:51
Speaker
can can be challenging with food. You know, I, i again, have a have have counseled a lot of girls in college and it's a lot of like, I haven't eaten all day and then I'm eating all night or I hate the food in the dining hall. So I'm just going out all the time with my friends or I'm just like up at night trying to study and snacking.
00:30:08
Speaker
Freshman 15 is real. We know that that is a possibility. Not every every person succumbs to that, but a lot a lot due because, again, managing time, not having structure. So I think that it's really important to, again, what kind of snacks can you have around that we know are giving you energy and fuel? What are things that will give you energy and really... making that clear to your children and that you just want to make sure they have enough protein options around, that there's some kind of routine. i would even say if there's one meal of the day that we can just kind of emphasize, like make sure that that you least get a high protein breakfast, like what are some options you can eat in the dining hall? If not, maybe there's things that you can, you know, either tell them that they can buy or you could provide it to them. But maybe like the over the oats overnight, which is like the higher protein oatmeal, um some kind of higher fiber, higher protein cereal. the I'm just thinking simple things that a college kid would even like they're not going to scramble eggs, right? So these are all things that will make it much easier to have that protein and fiber in the morning.
00:31:07
Speaker
um And just kind of leading with that, right? Like these are the nutrients that I know are going to help your concentration throughout the day and and and then letting them kind of be more independent with it. So again, if you notice They're gaining weight or maybe they're losing weight. You know, sometimes, too, it can come either way. And as parents, again, we're so hyper focused on, like, everything about our children a lot of times. And we're, like, focused on their how they look and their appearance because that's sometimes the only information we get from them. But just not leading with, like, you look too skinny or you look, you know, definitely not. You look like you gain weight. Like seeing as like a deeper thing, like, is everything okay? you know, want to make sure you're eating enough, like trying not to emphasize too much. Obviously if it's a lot and significant, then that's a different story. But if it's subtle and only something maybe you're noticing, then just kind of knowing like supporting them emotionally because emotions are always a big part of, of, of appetite changes for sure. Like big part of it. um And then being there to support them and help them. And if they just know that you're there,
00:32:12
Speaker
they'll come to you. They will. if you If you come at them and you know, try to, uh, make a comment about their weight, they're automatically going to shut down. You're not going to get, yeah you're not.
00:32:24
Speaker
So that's what I would say. Just try to support them. Know that, know that you're there, check in on them, offer to, to send snacks that you know are high protein and fiber. So like nuts and nut butters and high proteins to high fiber cereals ah Like like fiber kind of crackers, like wasa crackers and, you know, cheese sticks and yogurt and things that they have, like a mini fridge. Because that's kind of what the college life is like. They get sick of the dining hall, you know. Oh, yeah. Yeah.
00:32:51
Speaker
We all did. So the snacking is okay. Just know, just directing them a little bit about like, these are the two nutrients, this protein and fiber that's going to make you feel better and give you energy to go to classes and concentrate. And then you can still socialize too.
00:33:05
Speaker
So, yes.
Natural Energy Sources vs. Energy Drinks
00:33:06
Speaker
Yeah. And so important on the energy because I feel like everyone's drinking five energy drinks a day. Yes. All the teens and young adults that I know, I'm sure you hear that a lot too. And so I like the idea of just like energy doesn't have to come from a can, it can come from other sources. Right.
00:33:22
Speaker
Exactly. Right. Yeah. Because again, they're not eating enough. Their meals are all over the place. They're up all night. They're, you know, their sleep schedule is off. Like they're learning. That's what college is for though. That's the biggest life lesson. You just think how to take care of yourself really fast.
00:33:36
Speaker
Yes, yes. Okay, well, Lisa, and thank you for this time and conversation. How can people find you going forward? Yeah, absolutely. So my private practice is New York Nutrition Group. We have offices, physical offices in Manhattan, but we do telehealth and virtual across the country. We have 26
Lisa Moskovitz's Practice and Podcast Closure
00:33:54
Speaker
registered dietitians with a variety of specialties, including nutritionists.
00:33:57
Speaker
pediatrics and disordered eating and, you know, teenage years for sure. Moms, absolutely. And we take all major health insurances. So a lot of times it's covered. off percent So Blue Cross, United, Cigna, Aetna, Oxford, Medicare, some Medicaid plans.
00:34:14
Speaker
So we take it all and, um you know, can definitely provide more one-on-one personal advice. Awesome. Fantastic. Well, thank you for your time today. And I feel like I learned so much and had great conversations. So I appreciate you. Yeah. Thank you. Thanks so much.
00:34:31
Speaker
When you get a chance, please go to the show notes and click on the link ratethispodcast.com slash tphmom to give my podcast a rating and review.
00:34:42
Speaker
And if this episode resonates with you, be sure to share it with your mom friends who are going through the same things. Be sure to tune in for next week's conversation. Until then, keep up the good work.