Meet: Lauren, Nutrition Coach

Based out of New York City, Lauren is a Registered Dietitian with an interest in overall functional well-being, as well as gastrointestinal conditions. Her goal is to help her clients reach their goals through the development of dietary strategies that integrate seamlessly into their daily routine. In addition to nutrition, she’s a lover of all areas of fitness: yoga, boxing and anything outdoors. She believes that finding techniques for each of her clients to de-stress — whether that is exercise, meditation, or tea and a good book — is a key piece of the puzzle to make the best out of all aspects of his or her life.

Namaste: What's your favorite self-care routine?

Lauren: I love to put on a good mask, followed by my moisturizing routine (SkinCeuticals CE and B5 serums, Kiehls moisturizer and avocado under eye cream), then Honest Hazel eye patches (for hydration). I then slather my feet in Burt’s Bees foot cream and put on comfy socks. Grab some hot tea with lemon and it’s perfection!

Namaste: How do you unplug and find balance each day?

Lauren: I meditate for 5-10 minutes at the end of my day, even 5 minutes makes a difference, and then follow that by reading a good book! Right now I’m reading Churchill and Orwell. I love to learn about history! I turn off the TV/phone/electronics for at least 30 min at the end of every day.

Namaste: What does 'Namaste' mean to you?

Lauren: “The light in me honors the light in you” - this is a phrase a number of my yoga instructors have said before “Namaste.” To me, Namaste means respect, love and empathy for those around us. Treat others as you would like to be treated.

Namaste: Is breakfast really the most important meal of the day?

Lauren: All your meals and snacks are important! Having a well-balanced, healthy breakfast every day has been shown to be helpful for promoting healthy weight and making better choices throughout the day. A well-balanced breakfast like eggs or plain Greek yogurt (protein) + greens or berries (fiber) can help promote satiety and better food choices throughout the day. However, if the breakfast is rich in refined/white carbs (like a pastry or bagel) that can actually promote weight gain and poorer, carb-heavy choices throughout the day.

Namaste: What's a quick & easy recipe (or 3!) you'd recommend?

Lauren: 2 hard-boiled eggs (poached/scrambled are also great options if you have more time) + 1 cup of berries or leftover roasted veggies, ¼ - 1/2 avocado. Love to add Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel seasoning to my eggs and avocado to up the flavor profile of this dish.

Plain Greek yogurt with berries and small handful of almonds or walnuts- if you need more sweetness, add cinnamon and if you have time, also a tbsp of hemp, chia or flaxseed for extra healthy fat and fiber!

Super easy smoothie: 1 cup berries, 1 tbsp ground flaxseed, 1 tbsp almond butter, handful of spinach or kale/green, 1 serving protein powder (I like to do 1/2 serving of unflavored Vital Proteins Marine Collagen and 1 tbsp PB2 almond butter, but also like the nutrition quality of Aloha and Julian’s Bakery Paleo Protein powder- and they have some good flavors!) 1 cup water, tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional). Can cut the berries portion in half and do 1/2 cup frozen butternut squash to add creaminess OR sub in 1/4 avocado for the almond butter- adds creaminess as well!

Namaste: What's your advice to clients who know they need to start a nutrition routine, but don't know where to start?

Lauren: Start by picking one behavior/habit you’d like to work on - whether it’s eating a well-balanced breakfast, not eating after dinner, drinking 2L of water/day - and practice it daily for 3-4 weeks. Once that becomes your new habit or behavior, you can add something else! The key is for it not to be overwhelming so you can make long-term changes to reach your goals!

To book a session with Lauren click here.