Alison Barkman, MS, RD, CDN

Alison Barkman, MS, RD, CDN I am a registered dietitian, certified intuitive eating counselor, nutrition writer, and speaker.

Does your child sneak snacks and hide the evidence? Do you wonder why your kids are snacking all of the time and how to ...
12/22/2021

Does your child sneak snacks and hide the evidence?
Do you wonder why your kids are snacking all of the time and how to approach this without making your child feel guilty?
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My latest episode is available!! Just in time for the holiday break where your child's eating may be off and it seems like they are eating Goldfish for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Some top things we cover:
💫 What do you do if you want to raise an intuitive eater but it seems like your kid's diet is 90% Goldfish and cookies?
💫 Why are our kids so drawn to snacks?
💫 What are the building blocks to a "better" snack option, while also keeping in mind the things our kids love like cookies and candy?
💫 How do you deal with finding hidden wrappers or witnessing your child sneaking food?
💫 If our child is sneaking food, what are some of the top reasons this is happening?
💫 How can we be proactive in preventing food sneaking and shame wrapped around the foods our kids enjoy?
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If you are a parent or caregiver of children and stumped over the snacking situation, you must listen to this episode! Crystal is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to taking an intuitive approach to feeding kids. Go to my bio for the podcast link or visit here: https://www.alisonbarkman.com/podcast/2021/12/21/episode-76
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Any tips, questions, or thoughts on kids and snacking? Ask away in the comments!
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Happy Holidays to all. I'll be back in 2022 with brand new episodes!!

Are your core beliefs about food and your body a barrier to healing from a disordered relationship with food?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Ho...
12/09/2021

Are your core beliefs about food and your body a barrier to healing from a disordered relationship with food?
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How are your core beliefs driving your decisions about what, when, and how much you eat?
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Maybe we can start thinking about changing our core beliefs vs changing our bodies???
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A new episode of Speaking of Hungry is out!! Dr. Lara Zibarras and I chat about:
💫 how core beliefs drive our decisions about what, when, and how much to eat (or not eat);
💫 why it is difficult to heal from an unhealthy relationship with food when you are struggling to change what you believe about food and your body;
💫 how we can shift our thinking in order to move forward with recovery from diet culture;
💫 and more about core beliefs and shifting our mindset when it comes to food, health, diets, and our bodies.
What core beliefs do you have about food that keep you stuck in disordered eating thoughts and behaviors?? 🧐 Comment below!

Are you wondering about all of the nutrition advice circulating around PCOS? How can you improve your symptoms? What abo...
11/10/2021

Are you wondering about all of the nutrition advice circulating around PCOS?
How can you improve your symptoms?
What about the advice to lose weight?
Do you need to avoid carbs?
Do you need to focus on weight loss?
Why are you having such intense cravings for carbs?
If you have PCOS you probably have SO MANY nutrition questions. Especially if you are trying to move away from diet culture or are in the process of recovering from disordered eating.
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BUT... can you eat intuitively with PCOS?

In this episode, I chat with Amanda Forman, a registered dietitian specializing in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and women's health.
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We talk about:
✨What PCOS is and what's happening in the body;
✨Why the advice of "cutting out carbs" doesn't help a PCOS patient;
✨What someone with PCOS can do when they are frustrated with the many symptoms such as weight gain and difficulty losing weight;
✨What PCOS patients can focus on to improve their overall health from an intuitive perspective vs another diet;
a brief review of women's hormonal health and what you should do if you're feeling like your hormones are "all over the place".
Go to the link in my bio, Apple podcasts, or here to listen: https://www.alisonbarkman.com/podcast/73
Enjoying the show? Please go to Apple podcasts and leave a rating and review!! DM me! Let me know you're listening! I'm also open to topic ideas 😊

How can we ditch dieting and obsessive thoughts 24/7 about food and our bodies when diet culture is all around us? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀...
10/28/2021

How can we ditch dieting and obsessive thoughts 24/7 about food and our bodies when diet culture is all around us?
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In this latest episode of the Speaking of Hungry podcast, I chat with NYC-based psychologist, Alexis Conason, about her approach to living diet-free as outlined in her book, The Diet-Free Revolution.
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Alexis and I chat about:
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✨ the 10 steps outlined in her book to help free yourself from the diet on, diet off-cycle;
✨ goals she sets with her clients that have nothing to do with weight;
✨ how diet culture is punishing;
✨ what we can do to be more compassionate to ourselves and our bodies when we are less than thrilled with our body shape and size;
✨ how we can bring acceptance into our lives;
✨ using meditation as a coping strategy (and no, it doesn't need to be a perfect practice!);.. and much more!

Check out the link in my bio or go here to listen now: www.alisonbarkman.com/podcast/72
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Have you added this book to your diet-ditching book collection???

Do you own a Peloton bike or treadmill? Or do you use the Peloton app to jump into a yoga, strength training, barre, pil...
10/13/2021

Do you own a Peloton bike or treadmill? Or do you use the Peloton app to jump into a yoga, strength training, barre, pilates, or meditation session?
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I love my Peloton bike and all of the different forms of exercise the app offers. BUT...
Many of the Peloton-related groups on social media can be triggering for those of us who just want to get a good sweat or stretch and move the *F* on. Even if you're in a Peloton group for dogs or moms, there always seems to be someone asking about the latest and greatest diet or posting before and after photos. Sigh.
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In this new episode, I chat with Aisha Lubinski (.freedom.nutrition), founder of the Peloton HAES & Anti-Diet Community on Facebook. We discuss why a group like this is needed and how it's helping people to enjoy their Peloton workouts while shaking off diet culture and the pursuit of a smaller body. Link to show in bio!!!
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Do you use any Peloton products to work out? Are you triggered by Peloton or by any of the hundreds of communities that have formed on social media? Share your experiences in the comments! 👇

Have you been moving forward in your recovery from disordered eating but your workouts are still coming from a place of ...
09/29/2021

Have you been moving forward in your recovery from disordered eating but your workouts are still coming from a place of disordered beliefs?
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Have you freed yourself from food rules but are holding on to certain forms of exercise so that you can at least have SOME form of CONTROL?
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Are the workouts you're doing TRULY enjoyable or are they maybe sometimes forced and in response to no longer dieting?
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In my latest Speaking of Hungry episode, I talk about my personal experience with exercise recently and the realization I was NOT listening to what my body wanted.
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Go to the link in my bio to find the show or here: www.alisonbarkman.com/podcast/episode70
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Do you see a difference in how you're dealing with food vs exercise??? Tell me in the comments!

A new season of the Speaking of Hungry podcast has arrived!!!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀I'm kicking off the season talking to intuitive ea...
09/08/2021

A new season of the Speaking of Hungry podcast has arrived!!!
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I'm kicking off the season talking to intuitive eating coach Victoria Evans about how we can stop destructive, downward spiral type eating behaviors also while healing toxic body image.
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The more toxic our body image is the more we will continue to try and shrink our bodies, assuming a smaller body will lead to better things in life. Victoria and I discuss how nothing could be further from true.
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Listen to Victoria's story, how she hit rock bottom with disordered eating and exercise behaviors, and what she did to change her life around.
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It IS possible to heal from disordered eating. The more I work with my clients and see their changes, and the more I chat with people on this show and hear their stories, the more I know it's possible to stop the constant chase for a smaller body.
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There is so much more to life!
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Go to the link in my bio to find a link to the episode. I've got lots more amazing conversations being released every Wednesday!

Diet culture can make you feel guilty for enjoying ice cream in the summertime ... so why not be guilt-free and eat KETO...
06/02/2021

Diet culture can make you feel guilty for enjoying ice cream in the summertime ... so why not be guilt-free and eat KETO ice cream instead? 🙄
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I stumbled upon a "keto" brand of ice cream and it got me thinking ... companies have been making "fake" diet desserts for decades.
Weight Watchers, Atkins, South Beach, Snackwells... You can have your ice cream, cake, cookies, AND lose weight!
Isn't that great? 😒
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It also made me realize that there is a market for all of these FAKE, DIET desserts because when we are dieting and restricting we STILL want dessert ... or any other forbidden food that we're trying to swear off ... we still WANT IT. So we buy into the fake desserts and carb-free cauliflower pizza crusts.
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BUT... does it help us learn how to deal with eating the REAL THING?

Listen to this week's episode where I chat about fake, diet-y foods and my thoughts on all of the marketing and hoopla behind them. Link to the show in my bio or check it out here: https://www.alisonbarkman.com/podcast

The holiday weekend is kicking off for many of us starting Friday! 🇺🇸Do you find yourself being "good" all week long in ...
05/27/2021

The holiday weekend is kicking off for many of us starting Friday! 🇺🇸
Do you find yourself being "good" all week long in anticipation of a "cheat" day or "cheat" weekend? 😳
Does the cheat end up being a lot of overeating, overindulging, possibly even full-blown binges? 🍩🥓🍕🍔
Not just with food but maybe with some wine and cocktails too? 🍻🍷🍹
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Restricting all week long so we can REALLY enjoy ourselves on the weekend may seem ok at first. But after a while? It starts to become a habit that doesn't feel good.
Why do we have to restrict and torture ourselves for one day of enjoyment?
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If we give ourselves permission to eat what nourishes our body AND our taste buds EVERY DAY of the week ... well, we don't need to plan "cheat" days anymore.
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Sounds too easy, right?
That's because it's really not easy. If you need help breaking out of the diet-then-cheat cycle and want to move toward a more free relationship with food, I can help!
I worked on this with myself and this is my area of expertise as a non-diet dietitian. Go to the link in my bio to schedule a complimentary 20-minute Zoom chat with me! I'd love to hear from you.
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In the meantime, enjoy your holiday weekend!!! ☀️

Many disordered eating behaviors have become 'normalized'.For instance, tracking your food in a food diary app.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀...
05/11/2021

Many disordered eating behaviors have become 'normalized'.
For instance, tracking your food in a food diary app.
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I've done it. And while I was doing it I claimed it was helping me to eat "better", to get the "unhealthy weight" off, and to not eat "unnecessary junk".
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Maybe tracking and food journal apps seem helpful to some when they're trying to turn around their eating habits. Unfortunately, what starts as an innocent "nutrition" lesson can quickly turn into an obsessive compulsion and make us start thinking about food 24/7.
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If you are a food tracker, it's not easy to let this go without feeling chaotic and out of control.
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This is one of 5 signs that your eating may be disordered. I'm talking about all 5 signs in this week's episode of Speaking of Hungry - 5 Signs of Disordered Eating. Link to show in bio or listen here: https://www.alisonbarkman.com/podcast
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Are you someone who is tracking their food and finding it difficult to STOP?
Or have you done this and eventually were able to break the habit?

"I can't have (insert food here) in the house or I'll eat the whole thing!"⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Does the idea of making peace with f...
04/27/2021

"I can't have (insert food here) in the house or I'll eat the whole thing!"
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Does the idea of making peace with food sound completely foreign to you?
Do you think giving yourself permission to eat everything is a ticket for the binge train?
Are you thinking this may work for others but never for you
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This process is not as easy as bringing home the donuts, eating one, and walking away happily satisfied without overeating or bingeing.
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Nope. It's a messy process at first. You need to have worked on your food rules and diet mentality first before you can even get to this point.
That's what I'm talking about in episode 61: I can't have donuts in the house! 🍩
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I talk about my own experience when I gradually gave myself permission to eat everything. Also, I discuss tips on how you can slowly rid yourself of food rules, deprivation, and the restrict/binge cycle!
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Go to link in my bio to find the show or check it out here: https://www.alisonbarkman.com/podcast/2021/4/27/61-i-cant-have-donuts-in-the-house
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Subscribe to Speaking of Hungry today so you don't miss an episode!!!

You never want to diet or pursue weight loss again. BUT, your friends or family members disagree with your decision.⠀⠀⠀⠀...
04/13/2021

You never want to diet or pursue weight loss again.
BUT, your friends or family members disagree with your decision.
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You are convinced that working on recovery is the right decision for you. Diets and food rules have taken up too much of your life.
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Your friends and family think you are being irresponsible and not taking care of your health if you stop trying to shed some pounds.
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Or maybe they are so into their own dieting and weight loss that they can't stop talking about it in front of you.
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Perhaps both are happening from the same person or a few people in your life. What do you do?
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You have the right to set boundaries. You do not need to listen to judgment. This is your decision and you're doing what you feel is right for your physical and mental health.
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🎙 That's what I'm covering in this latest episode of Speaking of Hungry! Go to the link in my bio to check out the podcast!
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Not everyone will agree with you. How do you deal? What has or has not worked for you? Tell me in the comments! 👇

So when you crave a food that time of the month, do you honor your craving?Do you ignore it and tell yourself you’re ba...
04/07/2021

So when you crave a food that time of the month, do you honor your craving?
Do you ignore it and tell yourself you’re bad for craving chocolate, ice cream, pizza, whatever it is?
What happens if you try substituting a “healthier” food for whatever you’re craving?
Does the craving intensify?
Do you end up caving and then eating more than you intended?
Honoring your cravings is one way to listen to your body and make peace with food.
It’s ok to crave.
It’s normal.
How do you feel about all of this? 👇👇

Do you worry that your daughter or son will end up being in a constant battle with their body just like you?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀May...
03/30/2021

Do you worry that your daughter or son will end up being in a constant battle with their body just like you?
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Maybe you're noticing your obsession with your weight, food, and exercise is leaving you with very little time and energy to be present and enjoy your kids?
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If you're feeling either of these, I hear you. This is one of the top reasons my clients want to improve their relationship with food and their bodies.
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Check out the latest episode of Speaking of Hungry! I'm talking about all of this!
Once we have kids we realize our actions are not only affecting us but could be creating confusion for our kids when it comes to nutrition, health, and a positive body image.
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Link to show in bio!!
🤩 If you are enjoying the show, please leave a rating and review on iTunes.
✋ Have a question or topic you'd like me to discuss? Comment below or DM me!

Are you sick and tired of constantly THINKING about food and your body?What am I going to eat today? How much can I eat?...
03/29/2021

Are you sick and tired of constantly THINKING about food and your body?
What am I going to eat today?
How much can I eat?
Wait, I have to track what I ate for lunch before I decide what and how much I can eat for dinner.
Did I work out enough?
What will my workout be tomorrow?
Why didn't I lose weight this week?
Why did my weight just go up a pound?
I probably shouldn't have eaten that.
I'll never reach my goal by summer!
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It's exhausting.
I know most of you who are nodding as you read this probably have so many other things you could be doing with your mind and your time!
What can you do today? What's one small thing you can do to think a little less about food and your body? Tell me below!!! 👇

Do you restrict and control everything you eat during the week so you can "cheat" over the weekend?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀I used to. I...
03/26/2021

Do you restrict and control everything you eat during the week so you can "cheat" over the weekend?
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I used to.

If I went out to eat with family or friends, they'd be amazed at how much I could eat!
What they didn't know is that I was eating the bare minimum during the week and thinking about ALL OF THE THINGS I would eat and drink once the weekend arrived.
I would also plan a solid Saturday morning workout to further give myself permission to eat later on that night.
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Then Monday arrived and it was time to control everything again. 😕
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This is NOT fun. The strict, rigid rules I had all week long were disordered and obsessive.
I learned this behavior when I first started experimenting with diets in high school.
This is just one of many ways dieting leads to disordered behaviors.
➡️ Do you restrict and plan for cheat days?
➡️ Are you stuck in this cycle?
➡️ Do you think it's normal because so many people around you do it but something doesn't feel right to you?
I work with my clients on restriction, "cheat days", and compensating for your "cheating". Together we can break this cycle so you can enjoy food 7 DAYS PER WEEK!
If you'd like to chat and find out how we can work together on this, visit the link in my bio and set up a Zoom chat with me. 😊

What is your disordered eating protecting you from?✔️ Do you hold onto a lot of fatphobia and fear of gaining weight?May...
03/25/2021

What is your disordered eating protecting you from?
✔️ Do you hold onto a lot of fatphobia and fear of gaining weight?
Maybe you look at other people and think they are fat. That they ought to watch what they eat or they'll end up with a bunch of health problems. That they've "let themselves go".
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✔️ Are you not ready to face who you truly are without disordered eating?
Who were you before you started dieting, restricting, following food rules? Who were you before you used food or restriction to comfort yourself? To keep you from feeling lonely? To help you through rough times?
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✔️Are you worried about how out of control you'll feel around food and your body when you start to let go of your disordered behaviors?
Do you think you'll start eating uncontrollably? Do you not trust yourself around food so feel the need to control every morsel you eat? Do you not trust your body so you have to weigh yourself frequently to keep things in check?
Disordered eating and eating disorders are a front. They are protecting us. They're keeping us from connecting with ourselves. Keeping us from feeling things we maybe don't want to feel.
If any of this resonated with you and made you a little uneasy, then I'm speaking to you.
I was there once too. That's why I know how all of this feels.
What is your disordered eating protecting YOU from? Let's talk about it! Tell me in comments or DM 👇

Why do you want to recover from disordered eating?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀For those of us with kids, we worry. We don't want our kids t...
03/24/2021

Why do you want to recover from disordered eating?
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For those of us with kids, we worry. We don't want our kids to:
😕 be in a constant battle with their body,
😔 chronically diet for the rest of their life,
😣 have anxiety around food,
😢 exercise compulsively,
😟 use food to cope with life.
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If you've grown up with diet culture influences or dealing with weight stigma, you know how it can stay with you into your adult years.
Many of my clients have kids and want to change the story for them.
Do you?
Our kids need us to show them the truth about diet culture and weight stigma!
I work with my clients not only on their own disorder but help them to model non-diet and intuitive eating behaviors for their kids.
➡️ If you'd like to learn more, visit the link in my bio to set up a complimentary chat or DM me.

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Floral Park, NY

Telephone

+16469079476

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Alison Barkman, MS, RD, CDN

Alison Barkman, MS, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian with over 10 years of experience in a variety of settings including clinical nutrition, private counseling, and as an adjunct professor of nutrition at Long Island University (Brookville, NY) and Adelphi University (Garden City, NY).

After working in private practice with most clients seeking weight loss, Alison began to feel there is more to nutrition and health than obsessive exercise and constant dieting in hopes of obtaining the perfect body. This prompted her to dive deeper and complete coursework required to become a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. Through writing and public speaking, Alison’s goal is to help children and adults to free themselves from dieting and disordered eating while learning to feel positive about their bodies and actually enjoy food.

Alison has experience with writing blog posts, academic lectures, nutrition content for a textbook, presentations, and press materials. She edited several nutrition case studies and accredited continuing professional education (CPE) self-study nutrition programs. Alison has presented for a variety of audiences including marathon runners, professional jockeys, doctors and nurses, personal trainers, and the general public seeking nutrition information.

Alison also has public relations experience including development of PR campaigns, press materials, and working with the media. Prior to becoming an RD she managed and developed PR and advertising campaigns for pharmaceutical companies including Eli Lilly, Novartis, and Janssen. As an RD she used her PR experience in marketing campaigns for registered dietitians.