Speaker 1 0:00

My name is Allison Tepper and my business is Tepper Nutrition , and we serve really all ages , all types of needs when it comes to nutrition . We really want to make sure that clients are feeling confident and supported and eating in a way that feels sustainable . We work with pediatrics all the way up to 80s Anyone that needs help around nutrition . We are here .

Speaker 2 0:22

What drew you to the world of nutrition ? Just give me a quick overview of your journey , from the start .

Speaker 1 0:27

Yeah , I actually didn't even know that I could go into

Introduction to Tepper Nutrition

Speaker 1 0:30

the field of nutrition before finding it .

Speaker 1 0:32

I feel very grateful that the school that I went to offered nutrition as a major and I stumbled into it . Nutrition was always something that I had been curious about growing up . It was a topic of conversation in the family at times . There was a lot of confusion around it and in our culture , so much focus on food and body image , and I found it overwhelming as a kid , and going into high school , being able to have a career and find a major to focus on that was allowing me to help people to navigate it in the way that it helped me was really exciting , so something that I was about . But then I stumbled into the degree , which I again feel so grateful for , had such a good experience and I just know that it was the best decision to go into this field . It's just something that I'm truly passionate about . I have been able to evolve my relationship with food in a way that feels joyful and nourishing . Being able to help others do that too is just amazing .

Speaker 2 1:26

I bet that's so fulfilling . Regarding your approach , you've been certified in intuitive eating since 2013 . What inspired you to take that path and how has it evolved

Intuitive Eating vs. Traditional Dieting

Speaker 2 1:37

your approach to nutrition counseling ?

Speaker 1 1:39

Intuitive eating is definitely another thing . I'm very passionate about Going into the nutrition world and being a dietetics major . There's a lot of focus on numbers and counting , and here's your plan , and that was not a way of eating that I was incorporating into my daily life , Some of my first jobs . It was that approach of being very structured and I wanted to find a way of eating for myself and for others . That kind of was this balance of understanding the science of nutrition , but in a way that felt sustainable and flexible . I'm going to talk about the joy of eating a lot so enjoyable . Those were all really important pieces to me , and so intuitive eating really focuses on that . It is understanding the science of nutrition , taking into consideration your unique needs , your body's cues , your history , genetics just all the different layers that can play a role in one's approach to food and then being able to find a way of eating that is really personalized to that .

Speaker 2 2:34

It shocked me to see that you've been certified since 2013, . Just because that term intuitive eating I first learned about , I feel like on TikTok during COVID and it opened my eyes . I was like , oh my gosh , it's so simple but also so complicated because of all these cultural things like what you're talking about . How do you explain the difference between traditional dieting and the non-diet , haze-aligned approach that you offer at Tupper Nutrition ?

Speaker 1 3:01

Yeah , it's a good question because sometimes , especially with social media , it can get a little bit confusing , a little bit murky .

Speaker 1 3:07

The difference is that dieting might be more of the trends and quick fixes , maybe the month-long programs , things that when you start them you're excited and then maybe you start to feel exhausted , frustrated or deprived , if you're noticing these uncomfortable feelings around food . That would be more of the diet approach , With the intuitive eating and haze-aligned approach we are taking , again like this science of nutrition , but really making it feel doable for all people , regardless of their history with food , medical diagnoses or whatever might be going on in their lives . It is taking into consideration not only the type of food we're eating but the relationship to food , your thoughts around food , again like your body's cues . We're also taking into consideration knowing that , like people can be all shapes and sizes and really what we're focusing on health promoting behaviors , versus doing things that feel restrictive or punitive or unsustainable to people . So it's taking into consideration each person's unique body and how they were born and then finding a way of eating that really supports that , versus someone trying to kind of fit into something that doesn't necessarily work for them .

Speaker 2 4:21

Yeah , I love that it's a little bit more personalized and it has that holistic kind of feeling . It takes into account their background and maybe health struggles that they've had and their mental health as well . I think when you're really looking for long-term solutions , you need to take those things into account Absolutely . I absolutely love that approach . For someone who's struggling with their relationship with food or body image . What's the first step you recommend towards healing ?

Speaker 1 4:49

I would say to reach out to someone Disordered eating or these critical thoughts around food and body can thrive in isolation and get worse . So knowing that there's a lot of really great resources out there can be a really good starting place . Just to talk about it , just putting it out there can make such a huge difference or finding others who are going through similar things . I think it can be quite a shameful thing for people . So knowing there's no shame in getting help around this sort of thing it's so common and especially with our culture , there's

First Steps Toward Healing

Speaker 1 5:20

a lot of confusion and there's a lot of issues that we're seeing around food . So that would be my number one recommendation to get , support , talk to someone a lot of good resources in the area .

Speaker 2 5:29

And I can say that is 100% true , someone who has been to registered dietitians in the past it definitely is a great first step . So I agree , you've worked with a wide range of health needs , from PCOS to IBS to eating disorders . How do you personalize care for such diverse needs while still staying rooted in your core values ?

Speaker 1 5:49

Yeah , that's a great question .

Speaker 1 5:51

I want to mention that on the team there are five of us and we each have similar approaches but specialize in different things .

Speaker 1 5:58

We would definitely make sure the clients are put with a provider that specializes in whatever they might be experiencing , but we all work from that intuitive eating foundation where , regardless of the condition or need that someone comes in with , we are going to find a way of eating that feels like we are adding in and including more foods and focusing on variety and balance while working towards your goals . A lot of times it can feel like , when someone gets a diagnosis or when they are approaching food , that it's like we're over here and then we are swinging over here in terms of a pendulum swinging back and forth . It doesn't have to be that we're really finding , like this good in-between and middle ground , and that's where we're able to say , okay , we are going to help you to treat whatever condition you're coming in with , but finding that middle ground allows us to stay rooted in those values of being neutral and supportive and having variety and sustainability around everything .

Speaker 2 6:53

The gray area can be a little hard for people sometimes , so we're here to help with that . As a registered yoga teacher , how do you integrate mindfulness and movement into your client work , especially for those who are dealing with body image challenges , stress ?

Speaker 1 7:08

and emotional eating or binge eating or even restriction . It can show up in different ways . We also see a correlation between stress and GI conditions and things like that . So mindfulness definitely a big piece of the puzzle around food and life .

Speaker 1 7:36

We'll talk about deep breathing and different practices before going into your meals or when you're noticing that desire to eat , or if it's feeling a little bit heightened , then really kind of taking a step back and doing some mindfulness meditation or even just journaling or just taking some time for yourself . So we talk about it in that sense and then also in terms of GI conditions , slowing down and incorporating those

Mindfulness and Yoga Integration

Speaker 1 7:59

types of practices to help with digestive issues . But then in everyday life , in terms of grounding into your body , a lot of times there's a disconnect . So being able to appreciate and tune into their body's needs is part of it as well . With the yoga teacher training and being a yoga instructor , it's about tuning into your cues . It's similar to intuitive eating , in the sense that we are checking in , using your body as your guide in all areas food and other things .

Speaker 2 8:27

Yeah , they feel like they marry together very well . As someone who's done yoga before and really been shocked to notice my breath something I do every day it's a similar thing with hunger cues . Once I would sit down and really think , oh , I'm hungry right . Now I became more aware of that . I was like , oh , that's similar to yoga when you're noticing your breath , something that's so simple . I feel like with all the stimulation , hustle and bustle of day to day , we forget about these things that are just natural to us . So I love the marrying of those two . Can you share a moment when a client experienced a major mindset shift and how that changed their relationship with food or themselves ?

Speaker 1 9:08

Yeah , absolutely , that's a great question . So , something that I do with clients there's a couple of examples , but one that comes to mind is I do mindful eating experiences with clients , where if there is a food that they eat and they eat it really fast or sneak it or hide it or whatever it might be , we will have them bring them into session and then eat it together and kind of do an experience together .

Speaker 1 9:29

I love yeah and it's delicious for me to eat with my clients too , which is fun .

Speaker 1 9:36

But there was one in particular where we

Client Success and Mindful Eating

Speaker 1 9:38

were eating together .

Speaker 1 9:39

They were these , this brownie that the client would get , and just be able to eat the whole thing and feel unwell afterwards .

Speaker 1 9:47

And when we were sitting down together and eating them slowly and paying attention to the flavors and the experience around it , she was like these actually don't even taste very good , I don't even really like them very much , and so we were able to use that as an example of okay , when we're really paying attention , like what is actually going on in this experience , when we bring that awareness and so being able then to shift .

Speaker 1 10:07

For her it was okay , I'm going to go to another cafe and get a really good tasting option that I can savor and sit with and doesn't feel as frantic to eat it , and that's kind of a big part of this work of just building that awareness and being able to make the shifts in food intake and find that satisfaction and enjoyment . I always let people know too that what feels like a measure of success because we don't weigh our clients and we're not doing anything too numbers focused is that moment when food becomes less , it's taking up less brain space and then people are able to think about other things in their life . So people being able to say that , okay , because of the work that we've done , I have space to do the things in my life that feel important , and that , to me , is just the best .

Speaker 2 10:56

Correct me if I'm wrong , but is that concept of food noise that people talk ?

Speaker 1 10:59

about ? Yes , absolutely , it can kind of take over for some people . For some it's intermittent , but for others it's constant . It can make a big difference .

Speaker 2 11:08

Wow , that's a great story . I hope she found a better brownie . Oh , she did , because they can be really good if they're good and really bad if they're bad . A hundred percent Shifting gears to your team and your business culture . What are the core values that drive your team at Tepper Nutrition ? Because you have an awesome team and how did those show up in how you serve clients ?

Speaker 1 11:29

Yeah , that's such a good question . So really , I think the core values we inhabit are providing a space for clients' well-being similar to a do-no-harm approach . Compassionate care is a huge piece of it too . We

Tepper Nutrition's Unique Approach

Speaker 1 12:00

know how hard it is for clients to take that first step to see us and we respect that each person's journey , being able to allow clients to feel comfortable and know that they are being heard . So I could probably go on , but I would say those are kind of some of the bigger ones that stand out . I love that .

Speaker 2 12:17

What makes the client experience at Tupper Nutrition different from other nutrition practices ?

Speaker 1 12:22

Yeah , I would say that we really focus on collaborative care , which we find to be really important for our clients . For many of them , we don't always get in touch with clients providers , but for the most part we are in touch with client , other providers GI doctor , primary care therapists to make sure that we're all collaborating and on the same page . We do take smaller caseloads so they're able to really spend time with our clients and be able to give them the attention that they deserve .

Speaker 1 12:50

That's unique Sessions and we connect with them on logs and things like that , which is really great . It's just , you know , gives us that full person experience . And then we also offer things like the mindful eating tastings . We do food exposures . We'll eat with our clients a lot , go out to restaurants , even sometimes navigate that together . We offer workshops and retreats and different opportunities as well . I would say those are some of the ones that stand out .

Speaker 2 13:14

Yeah , I want to hear more about the workshops and retreats . What are ?

Speaker 1 13:17

those Pretty much annually . I'll do a retreat with another colleague . We have done them most locally at in Lovettsville I did one in a yoga studio to intuitive eating and just kind of wellness and mindfulness retreat . We do a combination of lectures on intuitive eating and just kind of wellness and mindfulness retreat . We do a combination of lectures on intuitive eating and navigating the relationship and approach to food , while also doing yoga and breath work and energy workshops . Usually they're at a lovely home . It's relaxing , spending the weekend together and having that time to yourself and just all those wonderful things .

Speaker 2 13:48

I feel like when I hear people talk about food , especially in the past few years , it seems to be the stressful thing . I love that you just foster this culture around food that is so not stressful and just comes back to our natural inclination to eat , and not the stressful mechanical scheduled thing . You have 10 seconds to eat here and then get back to work . I just love that you're doing the yoga retreats and really bringing us back fluid , more in touch with ourselves type of mindset towards food . You've been featured on some major media outlets like good morning , washington and forbes . What's one message you always try to bring into the spotlight when you're being interviewed ?

Speaker 1 14:33

Yeah , I think balance . There are so many great recommendations and nutrition things that can be really beneficial for the person , and how do you incorporate these things in a balanced way , while taking into consideration what works uniquely for you ? So I think , regardless of the recommendations that I'm giving or the research that we found , here are all of those things , and then how do we apply it to yourself in a way that feels very doable and balanced . So I think that's the big piece .

Speaker 2 15:00

Okay , yeah , I love that . I guess that was the word I was looking for before Balanced approach in all aspects of life . As an adjunct professor and IAEDP board member , how does teaching and advocacy impact your private practice work ?

Speaker 1 15:17

Yeah , that's a great question . I love being associated with the university . It's been so fun . I was there full time before starting my business and was able to stay on as an adjunct , which has been amazing . The students always keep me up to date with all the different trends and things that are going on .

Speaker 1 15:32

We have students that are nationwide and even worldwide being able to get a good understanding of different cultures and experiences around food . That's been huge . It keeps me up to date on the research in terms of things that are coming out about nutrition and research that the department

Teaching, Advocacy and Nutrition Myths

Speaker 1 15:48

is doing , so that's been wonderful . I adapt the International Association for Eating Disorder Professionals , a nationwide organization . We have a local chapter that I'm a board member of . We host different events for eating disorder awareness . We do a lot of different networking events with other providers in the area , which is amazing because there's a lot of really great resources nationwide and especially around here in Loudoun County really keeping us up to date on the research . Just because the nutrition field is still young , we're always learning , growing and evolving , so that's been a great part of the practice as well .

Speaker 2 16:25

What's one common nutrition myth you wish would disappear for good , and what's the truth behind it ? If you can pick one , there's probably a few . With some of the stuff I've seen going around , this is a hard one to choose .

Speaker 1 16:40

I would say and this might not be everyone's favorite thing to hear I am all about . In order to get energy and to fuel our bodies , we need to eat . I know there's so much out there about limiting timeframes around food and fitting it all in a certain frame of time , like the intermittent fasting .

Speaker 2 17:00

I hear it all the time .

Speaker 1 17:02

I know different things work for different people and I never want to completely say that something is we need a certain amount of nutrients each day .

Speaker 1 17:09

An example I always give we need 25 to 35 grams of fiber per day and we only get maybe four grams from a serving of food . So we need to space out our meals and snacks throughout the day in order to get all of our nutrients in so that our body can work properly . I don't want clients to get in all their fiber at once . That would not feel good . So , being able to eat regularly throughout the day , being able to keep blood sugar stable , to get that energy going people live very busy lives . I want my clients and anyone that I talk to feel energized . You know good concentration and have their brain functioning at max capacity . And so , yeah , being able to incorporate food throughout the day to do that is really huge . Also , just to keep that relationship with food intact , because oftentimes if we're not eating enough , our thoughts can increase around food . That's just our body's natural way of saying we need to eat , which is normal and good .

Speaker 2 18:12

As a society , we massively under fuel because of all this stuff in the media , and I feel like a lot of people can reach their full potential if they would just fuel up , so I definitely love that . What would you say health really means to you within today's culture , and how do you help your clients redefine it ? For themselves .

Speaker 1 18:25

Yeah , so I would say helps me is mental and physical health , emotional well-being and the physical piece . I think , unfortunately , a lot of our culture is focused more on that physical and the aesthetic side , without taking into consideration how some of those practices impact mental health , and so we need to take both of those things into consideration . I try to help clients understand that if you do this thing that you want to do around food , how does that feel for you and how is that going to impact

Redefining Health and Final Thoughts

Speaker 1 18:55

your mental health , your relationship with food , your history in terms of maybe there is some disordered eating Will it trigger that ? There's so many different things to take into consideration that we just don't when we see nutrition recommendations , so you need to look at the full picture for sure . Yeah , I agree .

Speaker 2 19:10

Is there anything else that I didn't touch on that you'd like to share with us ?

Speaker 1 19:15

I think you had some really great questions . Overall , our goal is to reduce the stress around food , find enjoyment and nourishment in eating , find that good balance for each person in a unique way . Each person is so unique . So , no , I think that covers a lot of what we do Awesome .

Speaker 2 19:33

Well , thank you , allison , so much for coming in and making the time to talk to me today about Tepper , nutrition and your journey . This has been such a fascinating conversation and I know that our audience is going to love this episode and learn so much as well , so thank you . Thank you for having me .