If you’ve ever asked yourself “Why can’t I just eat like a normal person?” or felt like you know what you “should” be eating but struggle with actually following through consistently, I want you to know something:
There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re not a failure. You’ve just been stuck in a cycle perpetuated by diet and wellness culture.
In fact, if you’ve spent years trying different diets, or just trying to eat healthy — and feel like nothing’s working anymore — this post is for you. I’m going to tell you why I provide Personalized Nutrition Counseling and how this approach can end your struggle with food and give you deep lasting results.
How I Discovered That Information and Willpower Alone Don’t Work (And What Actually Does)
I went on my first diet at 8 years old, when people started noticing I was getting “chubby.” And like so many of us, I internalized the message that: my body was a problem and my appetite couldn’t be trusted. From that point on, my relationship with food was shaped by anxiety, shame, and the belief that if I could just find the right plan to control myself and my body, everything would get better.
So I tried, and failed, at many diets — flip-flopping between being super strict to giving up and eating in a way that didn’t feel good. As I got older and began to think of food as medicine, I chased the cleanest, healthiest, most “ideal” way to eat.
I became more and more confused by contradictory information from books and media about the “right” way to eat, so I pursued a Master’s in Nutrition. And still, I would find myself sitting in my car after grocery shopping, eating a box of cookies and throwing away the evidence before walking in the house.
I knew what I “should” be eating — but the stricter I got, the more moralistic I became about food, the stronger the compulsion to overeat sweets became.
And every time I repeated this pattern, I asked the same question: “What’s wrong with me?” My guilt and shame deepened, creating a critical rift within myself that also impacted my relationships.
The turning point came one Sunday afternoon, when my wife gently sat me down and told me how concerned she was. She validated my struggle and helped me see how my all-consuming pursuit of eating “right” and being “healthy” (a.k.a. thin) was taking up so much of my energy that it was coming between us.
That conversation helped me recognize that my pursuit of health and thinness had become very unhealthy. I didn’t need another diet. I needed a paradigm shift.
I began seeking a new path informed by Health at Every Size, Intuitive Eating, body respect, behavioral psychology, cognitive behavioral coaching, and somatic experiencing. And what I came to realize for myself, and see daily with my clients, is that:
- I wasn’t the problem — diet culture was.
- Food plays many roles in our lives, and for many of us, it’s a way we learn to regulate our emotions.
- What I thought was a problem (binging, “loss of willpower”) was really a part of me reclaiming my power.
- Long-lasting changes come from internal trust and from a place of love and care, not fear.
- True health and wellbeing has nothing to do with the size of our bodies, but with our mind-body-soul connection and care.
- Our bodies have the wisdom to tell us what we need — we just have to learn to listen and respond.
That’s why inside The Nourishing Vitality Method I provide Personalized Nutrition Counseling — so I can meet people exactly where they are, help them deconstruct the eating rules and habits that are keeping them stuck, and guide them into creating a new way to care for themselves and their bodies rooted in trust and intrinsic motivation.
Creating Space to Relearn
If you go see a traditional nutritionist, you’ll most likely have your diet assessed and be given a handout of recommended foods to eat and foods to avoid.
If you sign up for a weight loss program, you’ll be handed rules for a specific way of eating and exercising, plus motivational tactics to keep you “on track.”
But how do you take a handout of information and actually put it into action — and sustain it long term? What happens when the program ends and someone else isn’t holding you accountable?
And most importantly: how do you change your relationship with food and your body so you can maintain choices that promote true health and wellbeing for life?
That’s what makes The Nourishing Vitality Method different.
This isn’t about handing you another plan, a program you have to learn and navigate how to implement on your own. It’s about helping you uncover why you’re doing what you’re doing in the first place — and finding your own unique way forward that’s rooted in your desires, needs, and values — with personalized guidance and support along the way.
You won’t be told to follow rules and track every bite.
Instead, you’ll get what you need, when you need it:
1:1 Coaching Sessions that meet you exactly where you are
The tools and information you need, when you need them
Flexible scheduling to fit your real life
A secure client portal with supportive materials and between-session messaging
The Nourishing Vitality Method provides the space you need to relearn how to relate to yourself – your body and your needs – that will last a lifetime. You will build trust in your wisdom, learning to tune out the noise, and finally finding a rhythm of care that works for you.
What Clients Are Saying
One of the most common things I hear from clients is:
“I thought I just needed better portion control — but this goes so much deeper.”
“I thought I just needed better portion control — but this goes so much deeper.”
At first, many people come to me thinking they need more structure or more information about what to eat. But once we start working together, something shifts.
They begin to realize the real struggle isn’t about food — it’s about the pressure to get it “right,” the fear of failing again, the all-or-nothing mindset, and the deep belief that they’re the problem.
Clients often say they feel a huge sense of relief when they finally understand that their behaviors make sense — that there’s nothing wrong with them. Once we identify those patterns with compassion, the path forward becomes much clearer.
Elissa’s story is a great example:
“When I started working with Julia, my goal was simple: I wanted an exercise and eating routine so I could feel more comfortable and connected with my body. For years I had felt lethargic, unmotivated to exercise, and was steadily gaining weight. I chalked it up to my middle‑aged struggle, blaming my sweet tooth and my lack of willpower.
Julia helped me identify the inner tug‑of‑war that was causing a lot of my struggle: the Productivity Manager—the part of me that plans, pushes, and thrives on structure—versus the Treat Seeker, who comes alive mid‑afternoon, demanding something sweet or fun to take the edge off. The more the Manager cracked the whip, the louder the Treat Seeker screamed. I thought the only way forward was more control and stricter rules.
Julia helped me step out of the fight and get curious. We explored what my Treat Seeker was really asking for: rest, care, and moments of pleasure throughout my day—not just at the finish line. I began listening to my body’s quieter wisdom, honoring my needs without guilt. Over time, the cravings stopped being such a big deal. Without relying on willpower, I found myself choosing sweets less often simply because I didn’t need them in the same way.
The biggest shift was changing how I saw myself. I stopped identifying as a middle‑aged woman “struggling” to exercise and started defining myself as an active person. That mindset makes the choices easy—I go to yoga regularly because I want to, not because I have to, and I can skip a class on a sweltering day without fear I’ll ‘fall off track.’ I said yes to hiking a mountain with my daughters, trusting I could go at a pace that worked for me and enjoy the journey.
I’m more authentically myself now, doing the things I’ve always hoped for without feeling like I have to become a completely different person. By changing the way I think about exercise and food, the actions I wanted to take now just fall into place naturally.”
I’m more authentically myself now, doing the things I’ve always hoped for without feeling like I have to become a completely different person. By changing the way I think about exercise and food, the actions I wanted to take now just fall into place naturally.
– Elissa
Many clients describe the ripple effect of this work on other areas of their life — they come to me because they want peace with food, but they leave with:
- More energy for the things that truly matter
- The ability to set boundaries and say no without guilt
- Greater ease within themselves in activities that used to trigger an inward spiral like getting dressed, making meals, or showing up for work meetings
- Increased confidence in relationships and social settings
- A clearer understanding of how they work — mentally, emotionally, and physically
They’re not just eating differently — they’re living differently.
Because when you stop spending so much energy trying to fix yourself and worrying about what you are eating, you free up space to actually care for yourself.
The Future of Wellness
I believe we are in the middle of a powerful shift.
For decades, the conversation around nutrition and health has been centered on control — disciplining your body, tracking everything, and performing health “perfectly.” But that paradigm is cracking.
People are tired. Tired of being told they’re the problem. Tired of confusing advice. Tired of chasing a version of health that requires them to ignore their actual needs, rhythms, and emotions.
The future I see — and the one I’m committed to helping build — is rooted in liberation, trust, and wholeness.
We are moving toward a new model of self-care. One that…
- Respects body diversity instead of treating certain bodies as problems to be fixed
- Centers internal wisdom over one-size-fits-all advice
- Honors the nervous system, emotions, and lived experience as essential to wellbeing
- Prioritizes sustainability and self-compassion over urgency and willpower
- Recognizes that food is never just fuel — it’s culture, comfort, connection, and survival
The way I approach nutrition and well-being is about reconnection — not optimization.
For people who want to feel at home in their bodies.
For people who want to trust themselves again.
For people who want care that feels sustainable, meaningful, and aligned with their values.
And that’s exactly why I provide Personalized Nutrition Counseling within The Nourishing Vitality Method.
Ready for Your Own Breakthrough?
If you’re tired of trying to “fix” yourself and you’re ready for a more sustainable, self-honoring way forward…
Sign up for The Nourishing Vitality Jump Start.
It’s the first step toward clarity, connection, and confidence — a powerful breakthrough is guaranteed!
You don’t need more rules and accountability. You need empowering support in claiming a new path forward. I’d be honored to walk with you.