I’m Sheila Dalton. After 25 years of professional cooking experience, I decided to take my love of local foods and cooking from scratch and demystify nutritious cooking for the curious and bewildered.
Food can heal when we cook for ourselves, when we eat the right amount in the right proportion, when we eat the foods that are best for our individual bodies. It can also destroy us – from eating too many sweets or fast food that causes obesity and hypertension; to disordered eating like anorexia or emotional eating that wreaks havoc on our self-esteem and well being.
The realization
The realization hit in the middle of nutrition coaching school that I was an emotional eater (though in my heart of hearts I knew it all along!) – meaning I ate to feel less lonely, less empty. By following a holistic nutrition approach, I’ve learned to identify those feelings and replace eating with a different ritual like taking 3 deep breaths, going for a quick walk, or doing plank. It also really helped me to start identifying with who I am – I’m a runner, I’m a nutrition coach, I am a compassionate person and coach to myself. Identifying with my strengths and not my struggles helped me make a shift in my approach to handling strong emotions and led to less emotional eating and more empowered living!
Identifying with my strengths and not my struggles helped me make a shift in my approach to handling strong emotions.
I also struggled with feeling depleted after runs. I quickly learned to eat for recovery – tart cherry juice and cinnamon for anti-inflammatory purposes, chicken and beef broth for digestive and tendon health, electrolyte replenishment after sweaty runs by upping my Zinc and Magnesium. Fueling my body with what it needs in a kind and compassionate, empowered and knowledgeable way, helps me help my body be its best, its healthiest, strong. And all these little things, when done consistently, add up.
The great news
I have been a big proponent of cooking from scratch and eating locally for many years. Eating this way easily translates into nutrient dense foods that are a super efficient way to fuel our bodies. And while it is challenging to cook every day whether that’s for one or five, the ROI is ten-fold. You are more likely to feel satisfied after eating, to be healthier, and to live longer. And there are many timesavers and tips that I have learned and want to share with YOU. (Don’t fret! There are ways to eat out healthy too!)
The great news is this: we don’t need to WILL-power our way to nutritionally sound eating, we can EM-power ourselves to better nutrition. And this intention behind an empowered approach enables us to embrace the behaviors and habits that will support how we feed and take care of ourselves for a lifetime. And this is where I come in. To offer nutrition support that works with your unique body and health needs so you reach your nutrition goals.
Any of this resonate with you? Want to know more? I’m here to help and can’t wait to talk with you!
