Salad With a Side of Fries Nutrition, Wellness & Weight Loss

Feeling confused about what a gestational diabetes diagnosis means for your pregnancy and your future wellness? Curious about easy and proven ways to keep it in check? Grab a seat and join today’s conversation with Kelly Carter that’ll make gestational diabetes feel way less scary!

Jenn Trepeck and Kelly Carter, the Chief Success Officer at RenewRx, dive into the nitty-gritty of gestational diabetes, explaining how the placenta can throw insulin and blood sugar out of whack. Kelly shares game-changing advice with proven results, such as balancing your plate with veggies and proteins and incorporating movement, like post-meal walks, to manage blood sugar spikes. They also share stress management tricks, like journaling, to ease the mental load and bust myths that can make pregnancy feel overwhelming. 

The Salad With a Side of Fries podcast, hosted by Jenn Trepeck, delves into real-life wellness and weight loss, clearing up myths, misinformation, and bad science surrounding our understanding of nutrition and the food industry. Let’s dive into wellness and weight loss for real life, including drinking, eating out, and skipping the grocery store.

IN THIS EPISODE: 

• (00:00) Intro: Meet Kelly Carter
• (07:11) Kelly’s journey from studying human nutrition to focusing on gestational diabetes
• (09:51) Why gestational diabetes became Kelly’s focus
• (13:54) The placenta’s role in gestational diabetes
• (15:24) Risk factors for gestational diabetes, including age, blood sugar sensitivity, diet and stress
• (21:19) Discussion on balanced nutrition to reduce blood sugar spikes, supported by continuous glucose monitoring
• (24:07) Building a balanced plate for gestational diabetes
• (29:56) Movement, particularly walking after meals, can lower blood sugar levels by up to 25% in women with gestational diabetes
• (31:35) Sleep challenges in pregnancy and their impact on stress and blood sugar
• (34:00) Utilize stress management strategies like walking, napping, and journaling 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Gestational diabetes is a temporary condition during pregnancy caused by hormonal changes and the placenta’s demands, where the body struggles to produce enough insulin to manage blood sugar levels. Still, it can be effectively managed with lifestyle changes.
• A balanced nutrition approach, emphasizing the order of eating—starting with fibrous vegetables, followed by proteins, fats, and carbohydrates—can significantly reduce blood sugar spikes, as supported by continuous glucose monitoring data.
• Lifestyle factors like movement (e.g., walking post-meals), stress management (e.g., journaling, napping), and acknowledging sleep challenges are critical for managing gestational diabetes and improving insulin sensitivity, fostering long-term healthy habits.

QUOTES: 

(00:25) “Very simply, gestational diabetes is your body not being able to keep up with the insulin that's needed to be produced to grow this baby.” Kelly Carter 

(12:59) “Gestational diabetes leaves women feeling confused, frustrated and not understanding what's happening.” Jenn Trepeck

(17:23) “If you're able to focus on your diet and your lifestyle seven months before you conceive, your chances of having a healthy pregnancy increase by at least 30 percent.” Kelly Carter

(18:55) "Everything in  health is related, right? We want to look at nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress." Jenn Trepeck

(29:37) “Why would it make any sense to stop training for the nine months in advance of your personal human Olympics?” Jenn Trepeck

RESOURCES:

Become A Happy Healthy Hub Member

Jenn’s Free Menu Plan

A Salad With a Side of Fries

A Salad With A Side Of Fries Merch

A Salad With a Side of Fries Instagram

Nutrition Nugget: Naked Carbs

Working Out & Working Out for 2 (feat. Gali Dotan)

GUEST RESOURCES:

RenewRx

RenewRx - LinkedIn

RenewRx - Instagram

Kelly Carter - LinkedIn

Kelly's Email

BIOGRAPHY: 

Kelly Carter, CNP, NNCP, MB-EAT-C, is the Chief Success Officer at RenewRx, a maternal health platform transforming how prenatal care is delivered, personalized, and reimbursed. A certified nutritional practitioner and mindful eating specialist, Kelly blends clinical insight with a warm, practical approach to support women through pregnancy and beyond.

At RenewRx, Kelly leads the coaching, client success, and community strategy, ensuring every mom feels seen, heard, and empowered while navigating gestational diabetes and building lifelong healthy habits. Her career has spanned culinary arts, clinical nutrition, and tech-enabled health coaching, all anchored in making evidence-based nutrition simple, accessible, and sustainable.

When she’s not working, you’ll find Kelly testing new recipes, chasing after her toddler, or enjoying a perfectly brewed coffee.

KEYWORDS: Gestational Diabetes, Kelly Carter, Pregnancy, Insulin, Placenta, Hormonal Changes, Blood Sugar, Nutrition, Maternal Health, Renew Rx, Chief Success Officer, Certified Nutritional Practitioner, Mindful Eating, Prenatal Care, Healthy Habits, Evidence-Based Nutrition, Culinary Arts, Clinical Nutrition, Tech-Enabled Health Coaching, Biggest Loser, Behavior Change, Type Two Diabetes, Blood Sugar Balance, Glucose Test, Pancreas, Lifestyle Factors, Continuous Glucose Monitoring, Balanced Plate, Fibrous Vegetables, Carbohydrates, Proteins, Fats, Weight Gain, Prenatal Vitamins, Standard American Diet, Movement, Walking, Stress Management, Sleep Disruption, Journaling, De-Stress, Insulin Sensitivity, Health Issues, Pregnancy Nutrition

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-size bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about black beluga lentils, a superfood hiding in plain sight. Curious about this tiny legume that packs a nutritional punch? Jenn uncovers the secrets of a small but mighty ingredient that’s been a staple for centuries, offering a protein-packed, fiber-rich boost to your plate. What makes them stand out from other lentils, and how can they transform your meals? Listen to discover the tasty possibilities! Like what you're hearing? Be sure to check out the full-length episodes of new releases every Wednesday.  Have an idea for a nutrition nugget?  Submit it here: https://asaladwithasideoffries.com/index.php/contact/  

RESOURCES:

Become A Happy Healthy Hub Member

Jenn’s Free Menu Plan

A Salad With a Side of Fries

A Salad With A Side Of Fries Merch

A Salad With a Side of Fries Instagram

Keywords:

Black Beluga Lentils, Black Lentils, Nutrition Nugget, Plant-Based Protein, Gluten-Free Legumes, Mediterranean Diet, World War II, Meat Substitute, Canada Lentil Producer, Green Lentils, Brown Lentils, Red Lentils, French Lentils, Nutty Flavor, Cooking Texture, Lentil Soup, Puree Soup, Peppery Taste, High Fiber, Protein Content, Iron Source, Folate Benefits, Calcium, Potassium, Phytochemicals, Antioxidants, Weight Management, Heart Health, Blood Sugar Support, Cancer Prevention, Cholesterol Levels, Anti-Inflammatory Properties, Neuroprotective Effects, Blood Pressure, Energy Boost, Antinutrients, Trypsin Inhibitors, Lectins, Phytic Acid, Soaking Lentils, Cooking Lentils, Versatile Ingredient

Ever wonder why your habits feel like a constant battle between all-or-nothing? Curious if there’s a way to make flexible habits stick without burning out? 

Join Jenn Trepeck on Salad with a Side of Fries as she dives into the world of perfectionism and habits with Monica Packer, a recovering perfectionist who’s cracked the code on sustainable growth. In this episode, Monica and Jenn unpack how to ditch rigid rules for baselines that support you, redefine consistency as doing your best most of the time, and build momentum with small, courageous steps that lead to exponential growth, all while keeping it real for your unique season of life.

The Salad With a Side of Fries podcast is hosted by Jenn Trepeck, who discusses wellness and weight loss in real life, clearing up myths, misinformation, and bad science surrounding our understanding of nutrition and the food industry. Let’s dive into wellness and weight loss for real life, including drinking, eating out, and skipping the grocery store.

IN THIS EPISODE: 

• (00:00) Intro: Perfectionism is a spectrum
• (06:12) Monica describes her shift from perfectionism to flexible habits
• (13:38) Monica redefines habits as supportive actions that help you show up as yourself
• (16:05) Choosing ‘shoulds’ that align with your life, making habits flexible 
• (18:22) Consistency is doing your best most of the time. Flexibility makes sustainable habits possible
• (26:07) Baselines are the smallest version of a habit, building momentum for sustainable progress
• (32:39) Baselines reduce reliance on motivation, enabling habits to persist even on busy or low-energy days
• (35:51) Small, courageous steps in habits lead to exponential growth beyond perfectionism

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Perfectionism is a spectrum rooted in fear, driving an all-or-nothing approach. Flexible habits support sustainable growth by prioritizing progress over rigid perfection.
• Baselines are small, achievable versions of habits that build momentum and consistency, allowing you to show up as yourself even on low-energy days.
• Consistency in habits means doing your best most of the time, rather than striving for rigid perfection. Flexibility enables sustainable habit formation, allowing us to adapt to life’s seasons and challenges.

QUOTES:        

(00:00) "I've learned that perfectionism really is a spectrum. The root of it is the same though regardless of where you're on the spectrum. It's an all or nothing pendulum swing, and the root is fear." - Monica Packer

(10:36) "If only this were different. If only that were different. And the truth is maybe a hard pill to swallow, it's us, not all of these other things." - Jenn Trepeck

(20:17) "Flexibility is what makes consistency possible." - Monica Packer

(21:45) "Consistency and intensity are inversely related." - Jenn Trepeck

(30:38) "The ‘how’ might be two minutes here, two minutes there. Today, it's touching my toes. Tomorrow it's walking to the mailbox to get the mail." - Jenn Trepeck

RESOURCES:

Become A Happy Healthy Hub Member

Jenn’s Free Menu Plan

A Salad With a Side of Fries

A Salad With A Side Of Fries Merch

A Salad With a Side of Fries Instagram

Healthy on the Road

Fitness Habits to Train for Life

GUEST RESOURCES:

About Progress Ep. 695 - Fat or Fact - The Truth Behind Protein and Fiber -  Jenn Trepeck

About Progress - Website

About Progress - Podcast

About Progress - Instagram

About Progress - Facebook

About Progress - YouTube

BIOGRAPHY: 

Monica Packer is a recovering perfectionist who uncovered the truest model to lasting growth: it's progress made practical. As a writer, podcaster, and coach, she guides women to find sustainable growth by adopting progress over perfection. Monica’s popular podcast, About Progress, is a top-rated show with millions of downloads. She has served thousands of women online as a certified habit and identity coach. Monica is a mom of 5, a former middle school teacher, a sourdough obsessive, and a beginning gardener. You can find more about Monica at aboutprogress.com.

KEYWORDS: Perfectionism, Flexible Habits, Consistency, Baselines, All-Or-Nothing Mindset, Fear, Sustainable Growth, Habits, Progress Over Perfection, Identity, Momentum, Rigid Perfection, Small Wins, Courage, Mental Health, Meal Planning, Day Planning, Non-Negotiables, Season Of Life, Motivation, Pendulum Swing, Personal Development, Realistic Habits, Supportive Habits, Burnout, Ideal Version, Smallest Version, Energy Levels, Failure, Exponential Growth, Unlearning, Self-Identity, Health Factors, Time Factors, Movement, Journaling, Circumstances, Recovery, Practical Progress

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-size bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week Jenn is talking about the 10-3-2-1-0 strategy. Created by Dr. Ashley Lucas, this strategy may unlock better sleep and boost your metabolic health. So, what do these numbers mean? Let’s break it down. 10 is the number of hours before bed you want to stop caffeine. 3 is the number of hours before bed that we are ending food and alcohol. 2 is the number of hours before bed that we remove screens. 1 stands for ending all work one hour before bed. 0 is the amount of times you hit the snooze button in the morning. How do we do this? Would Jenn change anything about this formula? What are the health benefits of the 10-3-2-1-0 strategy? Tune in as Jenn breaks down this strategy and shares practical advice for implementing these habits into your daily life. Like what you're hearing? Be sure to check out the full-length episodes of new releases every Wednesday.  Have an idea for a nutrition nugget?  Submit it here: https://asaladwithasideoffries.com/index.php/contact/       

RESOURCES:

Become A Happy Healthy Hub Member

Jenn’s Free Menu Plan

A Salad With a Side of Fries

A Salad With A Side Of Fries Merch

A Salad With a Side of Fries Instagram

 Beyond Caffeine: Natural Ways to Improve Energy

Q&A: Women Over 40

Daily Habits that Serve or Sabotage Your Health and Hormones

What if the daily habit you’ve focused on is actually sabotaging your overall health? What if there’s a reason the health hack your friend or significant other swears by doesn’t make you feel your best? This episode might explain why. 

Today on Salad with a Side of Fries, Jenn explores some daily habits that can serve or sabotage our health and hormones. She discusses controversial topics like fasted workouts, intermittent fasting, and coffee for breakfast, challenging common health practices. Jenn emphasizes the imp. She breaks down the science behind our circadian rhythm, cortisol patterns, and hormone balance, offering practical advice on hydration, sleep, food choices, and stress management. Jenn highlights the complexity of health choices, so we can learn to pay attention to how our bodies respond to different habits. 

The Salad With a Side of Fries podcast is hosted by Jenn Trepeck, who discusses wellness and weight loss in real life, clearing up the myths, misinformation, and bad science surrounding our nutrition knowledge and the food industry. Let’s dive into wellness and weight loss for real life, including drinking, eating out, and skipping the grocery store. 

IN THIS EPISODE: 

• (00:00) Intro: Blue light and circadian rhythm
• (05:27) Daily habits: Serving or sabotaging health?
• (13:48) Breakfast choices and intermittent fasting impacts
• (20:50) Morning walks and natural light exposure
• (25:08) Fasted workouts: Benefits and drawbacks
• (30:06) Hydration habits and electrolytes 
• (34:49) Importance of quiet time and meditation
• (38:33) Connecting with friends reduces stress
• (40:13) Cold plunges: Timing matters for health benefits
• (43:21) Melatonin use: Context and dosage considerations
• (46:32) Blue light glasses: When to use them
• (48:28) Clean beauty products and essential oils
• (52:38) Final thoughts on tweaking daily habits

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Morning Cold Plunges Can Backfire: Contrary to popular belief, daily morning cold plunges or showers can disrupt your cortisol patterns and lead to fatigue. For optimal benefits, try cold exposure post-workout or in the late afternoon when cortisol is naturally lower.
• Blue Light Glasses Aren't for All-Day Wear: Wearing blue light glasses during the day can actually sabotage your energy and focus and our body’s melatonin production. We need blue light exposure during daytime hours for alertness and mood regulation - save the blue blockers for evening use.
• Essential Oils in Clean Beauty May Disrupt Hormones: Some essential oils in "clean" beauty products can act as phytoestrogens, potentially disrupting hormonal balance. Consider opting for unscented products and being mindful of your overall exposure to these ingredients.

QUOTES: 

(04:58) “The daily habits that nourish the body, mind and spirit, emotion, the soul, are all important and valuable. That's where true transformation happens. It's in the seemingly small things that we do daily. With that said, many of the things that we do daily may not be serving us. They might actually be sabotaging us.” - Jenn Trepeck

(10:27) “The body's job is to survive above all else. Fundamentally, our hormones, especially female hormones, are highly sensitive to nutrient availability and calories, calorie availability. So under-eating really just wreaks havoc on our hormones.” - Jenn Trepeck

(17:37) “Nighttime eating is often directly connected to under-eating in the first half of the day.” - Jenn Trepeck

(22:14) “Our entire body works on this circadian rhythm. The primary driver of circadian rhythm are our eyes through light exposure. If we can get the master clock functioning properly through light exposure when we wake up, it literally has a cascade of health benefits throughout the entire system.” - Jenn Trepeck

(30:45) “Hydration supports all of our bodily functions; cell activity, immune cell activity, it helps flush toxins, it helps ensure that nutrients can be transported effectively. Water is required for digestion, for our glowing skin, for our energy.” - Jenn Trepeck

(35:55) “It is one of the most sabotaging things to our health that we are constantly bombarded with content. That stimulus all hours that we are awake is really a stressor. It diminishes our willpower. We think we're multitasking. What we're really doing is rapid task switching, which is actually exhausting physiologically and mentally to the body.” - Jenn Trepeck

RESOURCES:

Become A Happy Healthy Hub Member

Jenn’s Free Menu Plan

A Salad With a Side of Fries

A Salad With A Side Of Fries Merch

A Salad With a Side of Fries Instagram

Circa Your Circadian Rhythm

Q&A: Women Over 40

Hydration & Dehydration (feat. Desiree Lotz)

Nutrition Nugget: IQMix

KEYWORDS: daily habits, health optimization, circadian rhythm, blue light exposure, cortisol balance, intermittent fasting, hormone health, sleep quality, hydration, electrolytes, cold plunges, melatonin supplementation, clean beauty products, essential oils, phytoestrogens, fasted workouts, stress management, venting to friends, mindfulness practices, nutrition, protein intake, blood sugar regulation, adrenal health, work-life balance, wellness without weirdness, happy healthy hub, debunking health misconceptions, hydration, stress, chronic stress, blue-light exposure, circadian rhythm, breakfast

Ready to take your health to the next level? Ready to go beyond simply listening to Salad with a Side of Fries? Join the Happy Healthy Hub! 

In this Salad with a Side of Fries bonus episode, Jenn Trepeck shares the re-vamped membership that's now the Happy Healthy Hub. As Jenn says, this is the next best thing to Jenn's signature coaching program and helps you go from where you are now to where you want to be for less than the price of a Starbucks each week. Tune-in to hear the details of what you get in the Happy Healthy Hub, how to become a member and why Jenn created this special new platform (Hint: It's specifically for YOU!).

The Salad With a Side of Fries podcast is hosted by Jenn Trepeck, who discusses wellness and weight loss in real life, clearing up myths, misinformation, and bad science surrounding our understanding of nutrition and the food industry. Let’s dive into wellness and weight loss for real life, including drinking, eating out, and skipping the grocery store.

RESOURCES:

Become A Happy Healthy Hub Member 

Jenn’s Free Menu Plan

A Salad With a Side of Fries

A Salad With A Side Of Fries Merch

A Salad With a Side of Fries Instagram

Membership, coach, coaching, health coaching, coffee, patrion, glow, healthy, health, AMA, ask me anything, community, community board, post, comment, recipe, articles, discounts, benefits, subscriber

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-size bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week Jenn is talking about IQ Mix, the trendy electrolyte drink mix from the makers of IQ Bars. Is it truly a clean, hydrating option—or just another product dressed up in wellness buzzwords? Jenn breaks down the ingredients, calls out what’s really providing the electrolytes, and raises a few red flags that might surprise you. Could that sweet flavor be messing with your metabolism more than you think? And what’s missing from the label that Jenn wishes she could see? Tune in as she unpacks what’s refreshing, what’s questionable, and what you should consider before mixing up your next electrolyte drink. Like what you're hearing? Be sure to check out the full-length episodes of new releases every Wednesday.  Have an idea for a nutrition nugget?  Submit it here: https://asaladwithasideoffries.com/index.php/contact/       

RESOURCES:

Become A Member of Salad with a Side of Fries 

Jenn’s Free Menu Plan

A Salad With a Side of Fries

A Salad With A Side Of Fries Merch

A Salad With a Side of Fries Instagram

Nutrition Nugget: IQ Bars

Jenn’s Electrolyte Mix

IQ Mix, Salad With A Side Of Fries, Jenn Trepeck, Electrolyte Mix, IQ Bars, Smart Mouth, Thomas Keller, Fine Snacking, Michelin Star Chef, Zero Grams Of Sugar, Magnesium And Adaptogens, Ultra Clean Label, Certified Non-GMO, Certified Gluten-Free, Vegan And Kosher, Mental Clarity, Elevating Your Mood, Preventing Muscle Cramps, Blood Sugar Balance, Insulin Response, Sweet Flavor, Lemon Lime, Magnesium L-Threonate, Cross The Blood Brain Barrier, Mood And Memory Support, Lion’s Mane, Adaptogens, Hydration Blend, Trisodium Citrate, Tripotassium Citrate, Sea Salt, Natural Flavors, Citric Acid, Stevia, Vitamin A, Magnesium Dose, Elimination Changes, Rehydration Support, Gut Impact, Better Quality Ingredients

Can’t seem to balance your hormones and get rid of frustrating symptoms like anxiety, irregular cycles, or weight gain no matter what you do? Chances are, your hormones aren’t actually the root cause of those symptoms, but are actually your body’s “check engine light”. 

In this Salad with a Side of Fries episode, Jenn Trepeck and functional medicine expert Jillian Greaves dish on hormonal health, revealing how to read your body’s symptoms for real answers and real results. Jenn and Jillian explain why hormones are your body’s check engine light, highlighting root causes such as chronic stress, nutrient deficiencies, or disrupted blood sugar balance. They dive into the chaos of perimenopause, where cycles can feel like a guessing game, and share why trendy fixes like intermittent fasting often backfire on women’s health. Jillian’s journey highlights the power of self-advocacy and foundational habits, such as nervous system support and proper hormone testing, particularly during the mid-luteal phase. Together, they offer practical, no-nonsense strategies to help you work with your body, not against it, for lasting hormonal health.

The Salad With a Side of Fries podcast is hosted by Jenn Trepeck, who discusses wellness and weight loss in real life, clearing up myths, misinformation, and bad science surrounding our understanding of nutrition and the food industry. Let’s dive into wellness and weight loss for real life, including drinking, eating out, and skipping the grocery store.

IN THIS EPISODE: 

• (00:00) Introduction
• (02:02) Your hormones are a check engine light, indicating underlying health issues 
• (06:25) Jillian Greaves shares her hormonal health journey
• (08:11) Symptoms are the body’s way of communicating imbalances, urging women to support their hormonal health
• (12:14) Hormones respond to deeper dynamics like nutrient deficiencies or stress, requiring investigation into the causes of hormone imbalances
• (15:29) For perimenopause, tracking cycles and monitoring symptoms helps to aid in managing hormonal health 
• (17:24) Testing hormones during the mid-luteal phase is crucial for accurate assessment
• (20:57) Foundational practices like blood sugar balance, sleep, and circadian rhythm regulation are essential for supporting hormonal health 
• (23:15) Reduce physical stressors by focusing on low-impact, strength-based movement to support hormonal health
• (26:33) The tools you use to support your nervous system need to be sustainable
• (28:47) Trends and extremes can be detrimental to long term health
• (31:58) A discussion on Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) as a quick fix for hormone imbalances
• (40:28) Become a member today for $10 per month; prices are going up

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Hormones act as a check engine light, signaling underlying issues like under-eating, over-exercising, or chronic stress rather than serving as the root cause of our symptoms.
• Focus on foundational health practices—such as maintaining blood sugar balance, promoting sleep, regulating circadian rhythms, and supporting the nervous system—to naturally regulate hormonal health.
• Avoid trendy fixes like prolonged fasting or elimination diets; prioritize sustainable, personalized approaches to address perimenopause and hormone imbalances.

QUOTES:        

(12:40) "One of the biggest mistakes we can make is overly fixating on the hormone itself. And what we need to do is ask the deeper question ‘why?’." Jillian Greaves

(14:31) "I always say the body is doing exactly what it's supposed to do. It's compensating." - Jenn Trepeck

(14:52) “Work with your body instead of always trying to fight against it, and we hear it all the time, work with your hormones.” - Jenn Trepeck

(28:09) "What I'm hearing is stop stepping over a hundred dollar bills to pick up pennies, which is the way I talk about looking for the shiny object instead of relentless consistency in some of the basic things." - Jenn Trepeck

RESOURCES:

Become A Member of Salad with a Side of Fries 

Jenn’s Free Menu Plan

A Salad With a Side of Fries

A Salad With A Side Of Fries Merch

A Salad With a Side of Fries Instagram

GUEST RESOURCES:

Jillian Greaves

Nutrition Coaching with Jillian Greaves, Registered Dietitian

PSOC Root Reversal Program

Functional Dietitian & Women’s Health Specialist (@jilliangreavesrd) • Instagram photos and videos

BIOGRAPHY: 

Jillian Greaves (MPH, RD, LDN) is a Functional Medicine Dietitian, Women's Health Specialist, podcast co-host, and founder of the highest-rated dietitian and functional nutrition business in Boston. She has been recognized across major publications such as Dr. Axe, Healthline, and EatingWell for her transformative and unique approach to wellness. Jillian’s mission is not only to empower women to understand and treat the root causes of their health issues naturally but also to guide them in breaking away from the pursuit of perfection in doing so.

It was early on in Jillian’s career when she realized the potentially damaging consequences of the “pill for every ill” approach traditional medicine often takes. After years of struggling with her health, she realized that what she learned in her professional experience and her doctors’ orders to “just take birth control” were not enough to help her truly reverse her symptoms. 

Fueled by her own personal health challenges and frustration with being told that “everything looks normal” while her body was telling her otherwise, she decided to build her private practice.

Through her private nutrition coaching and courses, Jillian has helped thousands of women – and counting – heal their gut and hormone symptoms while breaking away from dieting extremes through personalized and sustainable programs. Her unique approach to helping clients achieve whole-person health is focusing on assisting them to foster empowering relationships with food and their bodies.

Hormones, Check Engine Light, Hormone Imbalances, Perimenopause, Blood Sugar Balance, Hormonal Health, Jillian Greaves, Jenn Trepeck, Functional Medicine, Health Issues, Root Causes, Chronic Stress, Nervous System Support, Women’s Health, Nutrient Deficiencies, Mitochondrial Issues, Hormone Production, Hormone Clearance, Gut Microbiome, PCOS, Fibroids, Menopause, Birth Control, Digestive Symptoms, Eczema, Anxiety, Hair Thinning, Bloating, Self-Advocate, Female Physiology, Dieting Extremes, Circadian Rhythms, Cycle Tracking, Mid-Luteal Phase, Estrogen Dominance, Low Progesterone, Thyroid Health, Intermittent Fasting, Seed Cycling, Low-Impact Movement, Vagus Nerve, Hormone Replacement Therapy, Tracking Cycles

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-size bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about ProDough Whey Protein Powder, specifically the intriguing apple pie flavor. Jenn dives into the brand’s claims of clean ingredients and great macros, but her investigation uncovers some puzzling discrepancies in the nutrition facts and ingredient lists across different sources. Is this protein powder as pure and effective as it claims, or do the sweeteners and additives raise red flags? What surprising twist did Jenn uncover about the apple pie flavor that could change how you view this protein powder? Tune in to hear Jenn’s take on whether this unique flavor lives up to its hype and what you need to watch out for when choosing your protein powder. Like what you're hearing? Be sure to check out the full-length episodes of new releases every Wednesday.  Have an idea for a nutrition nugget?  Submit it here: https://asaladwithasideoffries.com/index.php/contact/       

RESOURCES:

Become A Member of Salad with a Side of Fries

Jenn’s Free Menu Plan

A Salad With a Side of Fries

A Salad With A Side Of Fries Merch

A Salad With a Side of Fries Instagram

Healthier" Food Swaps – Worth It or Hard Pass? 

Don’t think you can stay healthy while traveling and still enjoy every bite, sip, and moment? Think again. This episode spills the secrets to feeling good on the go without sacrificing the fun. Tune in to discover the secret to travel non-negotiables and learn how to stay healthy when traveling.

In this episode of Salad with a Side of Fries, Jenn Trepeck spills the tea on crafting a travel health plan that works for you. From packing protein shakes to embracing local cuisine with a guilt-free mindset, this episode is packed full of practical tips to feel your best whether you’re on a work trip or a dream vacation. We’ll cover picking your non-negotiables, like daily movement, to letting go of shame with a guilt-free mindset and plan. Get ready to rethink your travel routine? Tune in for tips to make your next trip—whether for work or play—a perfect blend of wellness and wanderlust!

The Salad With a Side of Fries podcast is hosted by Jenn Trepeck, who discusses wellness and weight loss in real life, clearing up myths, misinformation, and bad science surrounding our nutrition knowledge and the food industry. Let’s dive into wellness and weight loss for real life, including drinking, eating out, and skipping the grocery store.

IN THIS EPISODE: 

• (00:00) Healthy travel challenges; Home health routines don't work on the road; Make way for wellness on the go
• (02:43) The importance of non-negotiables
• (06:39) Defining the trip: work vs. vacation, shapes the travel health plan
• (10:32) Planning for desired outcomes upon returning home, reverse-engineering the travel health plan 
• (12:24) Stick to a realistic travel routine you make for yourself, which eliminates guilt
• (13:45) Discussion of non-negotiables and essential health priorities in action 
• (19:17) Setting boundaries and overcoming shame surrounding expressing your health needs and wellness goals
• (25:59) Packing for your travel health plan to ensure non-negotiables are met
• (35:08) Take the clothes you will feel good in for the entire trip, and plan for the flight
• (39:13) Focus on the non-negotiables while allowing for flexibility and letting go encourages a guilt-free mindset

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Determine your non-negotiables for healthy travel. Identify and prioritize key health practices, such as drinking water to stay hydrated, eating protein-rich breakfasts, and engaging in daily movement, to maintain wellness on the road without rigidity.
• Be flexible. Adjust your travel health plan based on the type of trip (work or vacation) and location, you can embrace local cuisine and activities while ensuring your wellness goals are met.
• Create a realistic travel routine, pack essentials like protein bars or workout gear, and let go of guilt to enjoy the experience while staying aligned with health priorities.

QUOTES:        

(3:30) “Non-negotiables and not up for debate does not mean that we're rigid. It does not mean that we're not flexible." – Jenn Trepeck

(11:30) “If you're totally stressed out the whole time about what you're going to eat, when you're going to eat it, how you're going to eat it, then you're not really on vacation." - Deanna

(12:24) “Guilt shows up when we don't keep the commitments that we make. And more than that, it's the commitments that we make to ourselves." - Jenn Trepeck

(13:26) “The point of this episode is to say the plan we have when we are home is not the same plan that works on the road.” - Jenn Trepeck

(24:57) “When we tell people what to do to be helpful, a lot of the other judgment that we're afraid of disappears because the intention behind that is not judgment, but to be helpful." - Jenn Trepeck

(35:27) “I make sure that I have clothing options that no matter how I'm feeling, day one, day 10, whatever it is, that I'm gonna feel great in what I'm wearing." - Jenn Trepeck

RESOURCES:

Become A Member of Salad with a Side of Fries

Jenn’s Free Menu Plan

A Salad With a Side of Fries

A Salad With A Side Of Fries Merch

A Salad With a Side of Fries Instagram

Nutrition Nugget: Airports

Healthier Options at Starbucks

Menu Mayhem

The Algae Advantage (feat. Catharine Arnston)