Local Social Worker Introduces Northwest Indiana to Intuitive Eating
Non-Diet Nutrition Training Program Available to Individuals, Groups and Businesses
Merrillville, IN - January 17, 2018 - Natalie Grantner LCSW, a Northwest Indiana native and clinical social worker in Merrillville, has become the first Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor in the region and the second in the state of Indiana. This non-diet approach to nutrition, exercise and self-care has inspired clinical practitioners everywhere to use Intuitive Eating as an intervention for disordered eating, chronic dieters, weight cycling and a host of other eating-related issues. Grantner provides small group Intuitive Eating Workshops, individual counseling and virtual programs to help individuals embrace a healthy relationship with food.
Intuitive Eating was developed by Registered Dietitians Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, and published as a book in 1995. There are currently in excess of 600 Certified Intuitive Eating Professionals worldwide and more than 80 studies that support Intuitive Eating as a helpful practice that promotes a healthy relationship with eating.
Grantner discovered Intuitive Eating while searching for resources to support her work with individuals who struggled with disordered eating. It was the first approach she found that encouraged the client to use their innate tools of hunger, fullness and enjoyment of food to guide their choices about eating and exercise. There are no food or exercise plans. Intuitive Eating is inclusive of all shapes and sizes and uses research to assert that anyone of any size can be healthy in their current body.
“I have had a considerable number of clients, particularly women, that I counsel for mental health issues, and at some point they began to talk about their weight and negative body image. Many people use food to cope with emotional distress and we underestimate how much guilt and shame this causes,” stated Mrs. Grantner. “We do not give enough attention to the most common form of disordered eating which is dieting! Dieting is culturally promoted as a healthy practice when, in fact, it is quite the opposite. Dieting is directly associated with binge eating, weight gain and other negative health outcomes.”
A recent study found that individuals who diet are at higher risks for cardiovascular disease regardless of their weight (Montani, Schutz, and Dulloo, 2015). “Fat, or lack thereof, is not the only indicator of health,” highlights Mrs. Grantner. “Wellness and health are associated with your socioeconomic status and your psychological health and self-care practices, in addition to many other factors. It is time for us to change the conversation from simply what we are eating, to how we actually think about and relate to the food we are eating.”
Granter completed her certification as an Intuitive Eating Counselor by training with one of the “Intuitive Eating” book’s authors, Evelyn Tribole. “It has been a real game changer for me personally and professionally. I am so passionate about this subject and am excited to share this knowledge with my clients and my community.”
Natalie Grantner owns Natalie Grantner LCSW LLC, a therapy practice in Merrillville, Indiana. She is pleased to offer small group sessions for Intuitive Eating at her practice location, as well as individual sessions in office or online. Additionally, she is available for workplace trainings and public speaking engagements. To learn more about these services or to register for a session, contact Natalie at 219-281-2335 or visit www.nataliegrantnerlcsw.com.
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