Our Top Dietitian Blogs of 2019

by Andrea Holwegner | Dec 23, 2019

Highlights from our top nutrition blogs this year

Curious to find out which articles were most popular in 2019? Here are 10 of our top healthy eating blogs from 2019:

1. Dietitian review of the new Canada’s food guide

Answering your most asked questions about #CanadasFoodGuide

After years of consultation and review of nutrition research, the new Canada’s Food Guide is here. Read on to find out my Dietitian review here…READ MORE

2. Sports nutrition tips for what to eat after a workout

Speedy sports nutrition recovery meals for fitness buffs

What, when and how much to eat after intense exercise is crucial to help your body get the most from your workouts and go into your next workout recharged and refueled. The trouble is between juggling work, family and workouts it can be hard to fit it all in. Read on to learn more about what your body needs post workout and what speedy meals offer the best recovery nutrition to maximize your results…READ MORE

3. You may be losing weight…but your diet isn’t working

Dear Chronic Dieters,

I hear you. You tell me that dieting always works for you. You always lose weight when you cut out this or that food, or when you follow a certain type of plan. You are always able to lose the weight when you put your mind to it. You measure your success by the weight lost. These weight loss diets aren’t a success, despite the weight loss. You may have lost weight but these diets have not worked…READ MORE

4. How often should I eat? The scoop on fasting and grazing for your metabolism

The topic of how often to eat is a frequently asked question in our nutrition counselling practice. Just about everyone has an opinion on how many meals and snacks you “should” eat and how to keep your metabolism high to prevent future weight gain. Here is the scoop on popular topics such as snacking, intermittent fasting and more…READ MORE

5. How to plan a healthy vegetarian diet

The team of dietitians at our practice often see clients who are either considering switching to a vegetarian diet or are currently vegetarian and having difficulty obtaining all the nutrients needed for good health. Here are three practical considerations when planning a healthy vegetarian diet…READ MORE

6. Help for bingeing and binge eating disorder

In our Calgary Dietitian / Online Nutritionist practice, we commonly support clients struggling with bingeing issues as well as binge eating disorder. Binge eating or eating in an uncontrolled way can happen to anyone at any age, gender or weight. Everyone eats emotionally sometimes but when eating becomes an ongoing issue that is causing distress, help is available. When a client works collaboratively with the right support (Psychologist, Physician and Eating Disorder Dietitian), change is absolutely possible. Our Registered Dietitian team works closely with clients seeking a better relationship with food. It is rewarding to be part of helping clients move from a place of eating shame and overwhelm, to a place of food freedom…READ MORE

7. 26 Ideas for a healthy back to school lunch

As a Registered Dietitian and parent, I am a huge advocate for getting your kids involved in lunch packing. Provide your kids choice, but frame the choice to encourage variety and inclusion of favorites and some not-so-favorites. Remember that kids often need to be exposed to something 10 to 20 times before they will accept it. Try different shapes, sizes, textures, and keep it positive. As my son often tells other kids, “one bite to be polite.” Get kids excited about their lunch and start the school year off right with some of these nutrition packed ideas…READ MORE

8. How to stop overeating carbs and sweets

Chances are some of your favorite comfort foods are starchy foods like bread and pasta, sweets or savoury crunchy foods like potato chips. Since many of our clients have a love affair with carbohydrates and struggle with portion sizes of these things, this article is designed to help you figure out the best ways to manage these and achieve good health (without ever giving them up)…READ MORE

9. Improving body confidence

How many times have you heard someone you care about picking apart their body? “This is too big”, “that is too small”, “so lumpy here” or “bony there”. Too many times!! The problem is we all have heard these comments and they are far too common. Maybe you were even the person saying these things. How often have you overheard your friends and loved ones saying really positive things about their body? Unfortunately, this is rare for most. It can almost feel awkward to be that person who is happy with their body, because we have made it so normal to not be. I want you to be obnoxiously confident in who you are! I need you to be okay in the body you have…READ MORE

10. Diabetes Dietitian tips: dispelling nutrition myths

As a Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Dietitian I’ve noticed there are a number of myths about diabetes that are commonly reported as facts. These misrepresentations of diabetes can sometimes be harmful and lead to an unfair stigma around the condition. Diabetes information is widely available online but not all of the content is true. It can be hard to know what is accurate and what recommendations you should follow. In this post I hope to highlight some of the common myths around diabetes, focusing on nutrition and diabetes management…READ MORE

Looking for more credible healthy eating advice?

We hope you enjoyed our top Dietitian blog posts of 2019. To make sure you don’t miss any of our upcoming posts subscribe for free to our weekly nutrition newsletter. We’ve got lots of good content, healthy recipes and videos planned for 2020. Join us here: Subscribe to free weekly Sound Bites nutrition newsletter.

Andrea Holwegner

About Andrea Holwegner

CEO, Registered Dietitian, Counseling Practice Director & Professional Speaker

Andrea the «Chocoholic Nutritionist» is founder and CEO of Health Stand Nutrition Consulting Inc. since 2000. She is an online nutrition course creator, professional speaker and regular guest in the media. Andrea is the recipient of an award by the Dietitians of Canada: The Speaking of Food & Healthy Living Award for Excellence in Consumer Education....Read more

Success stories

"I am a psychologist in private practice and it is very important to me that my clients have the best care with other health care professionals. For that reason Health Stand Nutrition is my only source for exceptional Dietitians. Andrea and her team provide highly knowledgeable, compassionate, and real world support to my clients who require assistance with food lifestyle. I trust my clients to them and you would be in excellent hands making them part of your health care team."

Adele Fox, Psychologist

“This is the first time I feel satisfied; my cravings have diminished dramatically and I have a whole new relationship with food. I am eating guilt-free for the first time in my life. My energy has also dramatically increased and I feel great!”

Rhonda Jenkins, Nutrition Counseling Client

“The Dieticians at Health Stand Nutrition help you to take action on the science behind eating well by making it practical, understandable, and fun. Their office is cozy and not at all clinical or intimidating. I felt like I was sitting down with a really smart, caring friend who wanted to help me make the best choices for my lifestyle and food preferences. They really are the best in the business.”

Marty Avery, Nutrition Counseling Client

“I have come to think of the program as a one stop shopping excursion for everything one needs to know about creating a joyous relationship with food and our bodies. In a single word, the course has gifted me with freedom from the punishing rigidity of disordered eating, old stories that never were true, and body dysmorphia that did nothing but make me lose sight of a body that has done everything I've asked, despite my careless dismissal of her needs. Now when I look in the mirror I find myself shifting from harsh criticism to gentle gratitude.”

Lynn Haley, Pursuit of Healthiness Online Course Participant

“I spent 3 hours when first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I learned more from my Dietitian about food in those 3 hours than I had learned in all the years of my life. I also love the newsletter, there is always something to learn.”

Peter Whitehead, Nutrition Counseling Client

“I didn’t realize how strong my “diet mentality” was, and all the rules I had in my head about food. I was in a cycle of reward/punish/binge/cringe. I booked with your business very reluctantly, on the repeated advice of my doctor, to get my slowly rising cholesterol levels in check. I thought I knew everything about food, and my behaviour with food, but I was definitely re-schooled. My weight is creeping down, I feel good about my diet, exercise, body image, and lifestyle.”

Amy Floyd, Nutrition Counseling Client

“Thanks Andrea for an amazing presentation, I have heard all positive remarks from attendees and the evaluations show the same sentiment. It is really gratifying when a speaker does their “homework” and weaves in our profession’s day to day challenges within their content, you did an awesome job of this! You truly took the “die” out of Dietician! Your information on healthy eating and simplifying how we can work towards this as we are all so busy really hit the mark. Andrea connects very well with her audience; she is energetic, funny, and very approachable.”

Carole Ann LaGrange, Transfusion Medicine Safety Officer

Event Planner for Laboratory Diagnostic Imaging Annual Event

“I am a family physician who sees patients with a myriad of eating concerns – from wanting to know how to plan healthy meals for active families, to weight loss, to eating disorders, and so on. I cannot recommend the Health Stand team highly enough. I have worked with (and been to!) other Dieticians in the past and too often find that they just ask for food logs and make suggestions that are easily obtained online or in books. The Dieticians at Health Stand offer much more than just telling clients what they “should be eating.” In contrast, the team really does more of a counselling practice, and they work hard to help their clients learn more about why their eating habits may be off track and not optimal for them, as well as helping people to effect change at a deep level that, most importantly, is sustainable for lifetime health.”

Dr. Deb Putnam, Family Physician

Nutrition Counseling Client & Referring Physician

“I am a busy mom, with kids in high level sports, working full-time downtown, and running our home acreage outside the City. I now have the knowledge and tools I need to plan for and manage the chaos of meal planning.”

Gillian Gray, Pursuit of Healthiness Online Course Participant

“As a construction company, we select speakers who can relate to our industry and its employees. Andrea’s message was delivered with humor and empathy. She makes people feel as though they can make changes without leaving behind every favorite food. Andrea focused her presentation on healthy eating as a way to keep energy high throughout the day. This message and the way it was delivered resonated with our predominantly male, blue collar culture. I would highly recommend Andrea as a speaker for groups such as ours. She will get your message across without alienating anyone in your audience – which is a huge hurdle when trying to introduce a wellness program in the workplace!”

Stephanie Wood, HR and Safety Manager

Fisher Construction Group, Burlington, WA

“I found my Dietitian warm, funny, and skilled at teaching nutrition concepts without the overwhelm. The general approach of each session was to mix science with emotion, which was exceedingly effective in helping me shift my perspective on food from one of anxiety to one of joy and curiosity.”

Erin Kronstedt, Nutrition Counseling Client

“Excellent presentation! What a refreshing change to have a speaker inspire rather than “lecture” about nutrition. Your captivating stories, tips and overall approach to healthy eating uplifts and puts people at ease. It was great to hear we don’t need to strive to be perfect eaters, and that small changes really can make a difference in how we feel and in our health. Thanks to Andrea, we have solutions to our everyday nutrition challenges that can actually work in real life!”

Tina Tamagi, Human Resources

ARC Resources Ltd.

“Had I not joined this course I would have struggled with no focus, low energy, and mindless eating. Excellent teaching and motivation. This is not just a course, it is a nutrition club with mentorship, support, and connections with other people with similar situations.”

Lorri Lawrence, Pursuit of Healthiness online course participant