Hi, I’m Aubrey

Grace fueled dietitian & nutrition therapist. I'm passionate about helping you trade judgement & shame for joy, satisfaction & confidence in your relationship with food & your body.  

 
 

On the blog

 

Sharing grace fueled thoughts & tips on food, body, motherhood & beyond

 
Grace Fueled Blog
The Key to an Abundant & Free Life
The Key to an Abundant & Free Life
Getting Your Period Back with hypothalamic Amenorrhea
Getting Your Period Back with hypothalamic Amenorrhea
Pregnancy and body image with baby number 2
Pregnancy and body image with baby number 2
6 Tips for feeding your 2-3 year old
6 Tips for feeding your 2-3 year old
5 tips for creating a positive food culture in your home
5 tips for creating a positive food culture in your home
Shifting your perspective on rest for better health
Shifting your perspective on rest for better health
How Gratitude changes our relationship with food and everything else
How Gratitude changes our relationship with food and everything else
Satisfying Food
Satisfying Food
A Day in the Life of a Hungry Pregnant lady
A Day in the Life of a Hungry Pregnant lady
New Journal
New Journal
Being Full is a Good Thing
Being Full is a Good Thing
No more food shame
No more food shame
All Foods Are Clean
All Foods Are Clean
Hunger is God's good idea
Hunger is God's good idea
The False Hope of Dieting
The False Hope of Dieting
Body image, Jesus, And My Thoughts
Body image, Jesus, And My Thoughts
 
A client shared this story with me this week, she said, “I was singing a song in church about how worthy God is of our praise when suddenly He reminded me “my worthiness is your worthiness.”—And once again I was in awe of how powerful the truth of the gospel is. . We are worthy because Jesus said we were worth dying for. He traded his thrown and prestige to live and die and shut the accusers mouth for us and now we get to forever be seen as he is seen-perfect, Holy, worthy. . Sweet friend, you don’t have to keep striving to earn your worth through your appearance, your perfect behavior, the job you have or the friends you keep —your worthiness is Already bought and paid for—you are free ❤️ . “God made you worthy to receive the glorious inheritance freely given us by living in the light....For in the Son all of our sins are canceled and we have the release of redemption through his very blood....and now there is nothing between you and Father God, for he sees you as holy, flawless and restored....All of the guilt and power of sin has been cut away and is now extinct because of what Christ, the Anointed One, has accomplished for us.” {Colossians 1:12b...1:22...2:11b TPT}
Let’s talk about PROTEIN . There was a time in my life when eating this delicious grilled cheese & accompaniments would have made me feel a little bit like a failure, after all, where’s the “fat-burning, appetite-squashing, muscle-building” lean animal protein at?! 🙄(HEAVY eye roll) . Before I get into this, 2 major caveats: 1) I’m a midwestern girl by nature, so I love meat-n-potatoes (esp. my moms meatloaf 🤤) & 2) I’m of the opinion that the majority of us do better with at least some animal protein in our diet. There are essential nutrients in meat, fish, chicken & eggs that can be pretty darn hard to get without eating them, (you do you tho). . But did you know that the average American actually gets more than enough protein in their diet, AND believe it or not, you can get a large portion of your daily protein from non-meat sources like: Grains, Beans, Dairy, Soy, & Nuts . What do all of these foods have in common (okay all but nuts )? They’ve been demonized by wellness/diet culture. With everyone in fad diet land telling us to avoid grains, dairy, soy and even beans (really?!) like the plague it’s no wonder people get bored with their food choices. Personally, I get burnt out pretty quickly thinking of new and “exciting” ways to cook the same meal of meat, fish or chicken, & veggies . Protein is honestly great guys (just like every other macronutrient)...it’s satiating, it helps maintain blood sugar levels & it’s a necessary component for enzymes and essential tissue growth & repair in our bodies. But did you know that this meal with no meat at all has about 20g of protein? To put that in perspective, the average pregnant woman needs around 75-100g of protein a day. Considering this is one of about 6 ish eating experiences in my day I’d say 20g is pretty sufficient . No, I DONT count grams of anything. While I do aim to include protein foods at most meals I go primarily by my body’s cravings/hunger when it comes time to choose what to eat. Interestingly enough, I probably only “crave” meat about 1-2x a day. Your needs are different than mine, but regardless, maybe it’s time to broaden the selection. You have #unconditionalpermission to eat all foods!
Where are all my planners, rule followers, figure-outers, & type A people at? 🙋🏽‍♀️ . If we’re honest, that’s most of us. We as a human race may not be all that good at following rules, but we sure do LOVE a good set of guidelines, or steps to success, if you will. We want the whole process laid out before us in advance and assurance that it will lead to whatever it is we’re seeking—whether that’s health, weight loss, or deeper things, like worth, value, meaning, and contentment . Black & white rules give us the notion that we can control everything, including the outcome of our lives & that our controlling WILL lead to the best possible outcomes . When it comes to food, our bodies, & our health, we see over & over again that strict rules & attempts at control, or to throw a big theological term at ya —legalism— is fruitless. What’s worse, it usually ends in us feeling more out of control, less content, & less worthy then when we started . Grace, on the other hand, says we are enough because someone already did all the earning on our behalf. It says we can rest & live in the present, making one spirit-led decision at a time, knowing that this way of life leads to the very things we’re seeking: worth, value, meaning, contentment . Last night I had the privilege of interviewing my friend @thetraceyvasquez about this very topic. She shared her own story of trying to earn her worth through dieting, work, performance, etc, and how God flipped that narrative on its head to set her free. If you missed it, catch the replay at the link in my bio & let us know if this message resonates with you ❤️ . “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” {Ephesians 2:8-10}
I used to believe that I needed to have health all figured out, that I needed to be the "perfect eater", a strict exerciser, the perfect example for my clients, before I could help people be healthier. Little did I know this pursuit was keeping me from actually stepping into the calling God had on my life. If there is one thing I believe with all my heart it's this: God is not waiting for you to achieve a certain weight or appearance in order to use the gifts and talents he's put in you. We keep believing this lie that "when or if we ever reach a certain body size, status, financial level THEN we'll step out and be worthy to be called by God. That is SO false my friends. You were called as you are, you are loved as you are. Maybe it's not our weight that holds us back, but the things we believe about ourselves, our bodies, and our worth. If you've been there too or you are there now, don't miss tomorrow nights Grace Fueled Chat with @thetracyvazquez all about "not weighting." Save your spot at the link in my bio to join us live at 7pm CST! In the meant time, what are you ready to stop "weighting" for??
👩🏽‍💻Working on a new exciting project for you guys at @green.eyes.coffee this morning. Fueling my work with this hodgepodge of deliciousness they call the breakfast protein bowl (+ coffee of course 💁🏽‍♀️) . Keep your eyes 👀 peeled for more details soon 😬. In the mean time, enjoy your Saturday morning!!
Crazy hair, rocking my husbands t-shirt, & doing what I love: eating good tasting food with my people. This is reality. I don’t have the greatest of fashion (although I definitely wish I did) and my hair is almost always up in this crazy braid/bun thing—the same one I’ve been rocking since I was 16. My Instagram feed is a mix of mediocre pictures and highlight reel shots not because I have some grand social media strategy, but mostly because I feel called to encourage and empower women in this space with my words, and here on the gram, words require a picture accompaniment, SO I share whatever I have at that moment. Today it’s this—me eating the most delicious bacon chicken ranch flatbread from @tropicalsmoothiecafe right before going to my #30week prenatal appointment. The world doesn’t need more people pretending, It needs more of us embracing the things we were created to do and share. And It needs less of us criticizing each other bc our thing is different then their thing❤️
|| Orthorexia || it literally means “perfect” or “right/righteous” appetite or eating. This was one part of the definition @yates_victoria_ shared with us last night as we dove into the topic of recovery & faith (if you missed the live webinar PLEASE don’t miss the replay—same link in my bio) . Talking about orthorexia last night with Victoria made me remember again how prevalent this condition is in our society and how much more work there is to do in bringing awareness to it and getting treatment coverage for it. Orthorexia is an unhealthy obsession with perfect eating or healthy eating often leading to symptoms similar to anorexia nervosa. Sometimes it starts from pure motives to manage a health condition or feel better, sometimes weight is a motivator and sometimes it isn’t. However it starts, the rabbit hole of “eating clean”, labeling foods good and bad, elimination diets, religious exercise and the like often ends in guilt, shame, fear and unhealth. Regardless of whether this condition “qualifies” as an eating disorder or not, it’s just as deserving of treatment, YOU are just as deserving of help ❤️ . As Victoria so poignantly reminded us last night, it is, “for freedom that Christ set us free, stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1 . PS this dreamy bread pudding was made by my very talented friend @donuteatingdietitian. Can we just get a 🙌🏼 for food freedom that allows us to eat baked goods sans guilt and friends who cook for you—the best 😍
It may feel like He’s far away, it may feel like He’s abandoned you because of your struggle, but He’s been right by you all along, working to set you free, working to redeem your story . If you’ve ever felt like your relationship with food has caused God to step away, please don’t miss TOMORROW night’s Grace Fueled Chat with @yates_victoria_ . Victoria has a beautiful testimony of redemption one that’s evident by her work (check out her page—she’s one of my favorite coaches/ intuitive eating accounts to follow ❤️). Save your spot at the link in my bio and join us live at 5 pm CST this Tuesday as we dive into this topic 🌊