Real Food Coaching
Living with Real Food
Over the last 20 years, my passion throughout college, my marketing/sales promotion career and a homeschooling mom has been learning different aspects of food and health.
Every chance I get, I’m researching real food cultures, history, lifestyles and philosophies.
I’ve been part of food groups, members of food coops, cowshare programs, and community supported agriculture. Our family has tried many diets: A high protein diet, blood type diet, raw food diet, metabolic typing diet, and others. We’ve dealt with many food allergies in our family, so I learned to tailor our eating to those allergies. I follow some of the beliefs of many well respected mentors like Dr. Mercola, Shane Ellison from www.thepeopleschemist.com and the Weston A. Price organization.
I love to sift through different theories and find a common denominator, then walk away with one more piece of information that I can use and apply.
After moving to Durango, Colorado 3 years ago and being a cyclist and amateur athlete throughout my life, I’ve learned to apply key parts of my research to my event trainings. I have participated twice in the Ironhorse Bicycle Classic: A 50 mile ride with an elevation gain of over 2700 ft. and up two mountain passes. The second year, I improved my time by 30 minutes, and have completed other century rides over the years. Real food is integrated into my riding and training. I’m realizing how much better I feel and perform when I eat something that is proper fuel for my body. I learned to adjust protein/fat/carb intake, make my own energy chews, and add new foods. I keep experimenting with the basics, but they are not the latest, greatest drink or gu. And I share my lessons that I learn with other athletes and they’re seeing results. It’s trying new things and offering ideas with variety.
My coaching, sharing and food knowledge is constantly work-in-progress. I’m always absorbing new things, new foods, new ways. Researching, growing and seeking. Getting deeper and a more personalized approach.
My theory is not one diet, one philosophy, one mentor, one program. It’s not just one food, one drink, or one answer. It’s a mixture of different beliefs, different foods, and many diets. It’s not how many carbs, fat or protein necessarily because your body needs change depending on what you ask of it. It’s a combination of food and thinking over time. These are just pieces of the puzzle. Someone has an allergy to wheat, then I come up with alternatives to good food without wheat, including recipes. Someone has a hard time digesting beans, then there are other ways of preparing them. Someone has a tight budget to follow, then I find ways to eat healthy within their parameters. Taking it as a personal, unique view and applying it. It’s about being a creative resource.
My theory is very focused on awareness:
How does a food make you feel?
Are you stuffy after you drink a beer?
Do you feel nauseous after you eat a bowl of cereal?
Are you grouchy after a candy bar?
It’s totally about listening to one’s body.
And baby steps are key to sifting through way too much information about food and health. It’s being flexible and allowing some give to a better way of eating. We all veer off in different directions (chips, cake or whatever), but the key is your home base:
What do you come back to?
Where is the core of your diet?
Do you eat raw veggies and fruit each day?
Always go back to what makes you feel good, and to stay on track for as long as possible.
I educate people with grocery store trips, ideas and a new awareness of your body and food. The focus is on small moves, flexibility and creative ideas:
- Taking old recipes and making them healthier.
- Finding new foods and putting them into daily habits.
- Incorporating good fuel that lasts on the bike, hike or everyday.
- Being able to work within budget constraints.
- Making a weekly or monthly meal plan with a grocery list to save time and less trips to the store.
- Resourcing different foods that fit within allergies and providing tasty alternatives that are good for you.
Teaching about real food and why it’s better. Please send me an email to dirt(at)juliefeilen.com if you want to find out more.
