Mary Teunis

Nutrition + Fitness

Mary Teunis

Intermittent Fasting and Female Health

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Intermittent Fasting and Female Health

Intermittent fasting is the new hot topic in the nutrition and fitness world. Let us start by discussing what Intermittent fasting is. This diet is a time-restricted eating approach where you eat in certain time windows and fast the remainder of the time. It simply is a guide on when you can and cannot eat. The most popular IF approach is the 16/8 rule. This is when you fast for 16 hours and consume calories for the remaining 8 hours. For example, you only would consume calories 12-8 pm. Some may find great benefits on this diet approach because it shortens the amount of time during the day that we can consume calories. Although Intermittent may have potential benefits for some, including fat loss, due to caloric restriction, improved blood sugar levels, mental clarity, improved digestion, reduced inflammation, and improved metabolic health, it is not the best diet approach for females.

Intermittent fasting is totally different for women than for men. This is because we females are not tiny men! Changing how much and when a female can eat may have a major impact on reproductive hormones. Ovulation, metabolism, and mood are all sensitive to energy intake. If a woman tries the IF approach to eating the body may become overly stressed and the diet may work against her. You see our bodies are smart, its main job is to keep us alive. It does not know the difference between if we are restricting calories for aesthetic reasons or if we are starving from a lack of resources. If we consistently consume less energy than we expend, we are in what is called a negative energy balance. This is how the body loses fat. If it goes on for too long it stresses the body and hormone issues arise. Females then will see a pause in progress.

Instead of trying the new fad diet, Intermittent fasting, females may see better results with a more individualized approach to nutrition. Flexible dieting is a lifestyle change where you can eat all your favorite foods, within moderation, and still reach your nutrition and fitness-related goals. Nutrition is very individualized. What works for me, is not going to work for you. Why? Because we have completely different genetic makeups and live totally different lifestyles. It is time to stop following the cookie-cutter diets and find eating habits that fit with your UNIQUE needs.

Need help finding a nutrition approach that works for you? Check out the service page and contact me to book your free nutrition consultation call today!

Macronutrient Nutrition Myths

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Macronutrient Nutrition Myths

Before you start believing nutrition information, I want you to ask yourself “who is telling me this information.” Is it from a reliable source or is it from your next-door neighbor who recently started a new fad diet? Here are common nutrition myths I hear often about macronutrients.

Myth 1: Carbs are bad. First off do you know exactly what a carb is? Carbohydrates are stored in the muscles as glycogen and are your body’s preferred source of energy. Eating carbs in the proper portions will help both your mind and body feeling strong. When we think about carbohydrates we often think of pasta, cereals, sweets, and bread but carbs can be found in many other foods including fruit, starchy veggies, brown rice, and sweet potatoes.

Myth 2: Fats make you fat. Proper portions of fat are needed in the body to survive and thrive. Fat helps the body stay fuller longer because it is slower to digest, and the body needs fat to absorb essential fat-soluble vitamins. When creating a meal choose healthy fats such as avocado, nuts, olive oil, and grass-fed animal product.

Myth 3: Cutting back on protein is good for weight loss. Protein is found in every part of your body including muscles, tissues, organs, and hormones. Not only does protein support lean muscle mass, it has the highest thermic food effect, meaning it requires the most energy to digest. If you do lose weight from not eating protein it is more than likely muscle weight and not fat. I suggest having at least one serving of protein at each meal. Suggestions include chicken, steak, pork, eggs, fish, beans, protein powder, and dairy products.

Balanced diets consisting of proper portion sizes of all three macronutrients will be sustainable long term. Any macronutrient in excessive amounts will cause weight gain. It’s not just about what you eat it’s about the portions you are eating it in.

How To Live A Life Of Fulfillment

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How To Live A Life Of Fulfillment

We all want to live a life of fulfillment, but how do you do that? 

1. Imagine you are on your death bed, and you are reflecting on the life you lived. Are you thinking to yourself, I wish I had done this; I wish I hadn’t done this, or I wish I spent more time doing this? Do not let societal pressure move you to do the things that don’t align with your goals. Start doing more of the things that will lead you closer to a life of fulfillment, and start doing less of the things that cause stress and anxiety.   

2. What is the most important thing you should be doing right now? There are urgent things that could be important such as bills, overflowing emails, or a meeting you must attend, and then there are important things such as building relationships, learning and growing. Often the important things don’t take priority in our lives, and the urgent things do. Yes, you must pay the bills, and you must do the work that needs to be done but don’t let life stress keep you from the important things in life.  

3. Don’t let your feelings get in the way of living a happy life. Emotions can be misguiding. Your feelings reflect your past, not today. For example, if you wait to FEEL like going to the gym, you more than likely will not go to the gym. You must act and go against that feeling. Your feelings will hold you back from achieving what you want to do. 

Start thinking about the little changes you can make to live a happy life!

The Best Diet For You

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The Best Diet For You

As humans, we want an easy way out. If someone provided us two options:

  1. Clap your hands and get your dream body
  2. Work your butt off, eat well, and build the discipline to have that dream body.

We would all choose the first option.

Unfortunately, the “clap your hands and get your dream body” is not possible because nutrition is complex. There are so many different diets out there, and they typically hold conflicting research. Eating is deeply tied to emotion, satisfaction, and the relationship we have with our bodies.

You may be struggling with what is the right diet? Well, the best diet is a diet where you can sustain over a long period of time, even in the most challenging circumstances. The best diet includes:

  • Your favorite food in moderation
  • Achieves your body composition goals
  • Can be followed during holidays and vacations
  • It keeps your body at peak performance
  • It keeps you mentally stable
  • Can be followed during hard times, such as a death or losing a job
  • Has flexibility

Finding the best diet for you is going to take time, experimenting, and discipline. During this process, you will build self-awareness, skills you never knew you had, and you will gain a new set of tools for your toolbox.

Before you start a new diet such as Keto, Paleo, or Whole 30, ask yourself this question- Is this a diet where I can sustain over a long period of time while maintaining a healthy relationship with food?

Flexible Dieting

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Flexible Dieting


Despite what you hear from the paleo, vegan, intermittent fasting, or keto community, there is no one best diet out there. This is because we are all unique individuals who require a different number of calories and nutrients based on our genetic makeup.


Fad diets will make you lose weight, but they will not be sustainable. Most people can follow the rules for a certain period, but when life happens, that perfect diet will be interrupted, and you will fall off the wagon if you don’t acquire positive lifestyle habits along the way.
You cannot just go on a 6-week diet and then go back to your old eating habits. You will gain the weight right back. So why spend your money on something that will not last? You deserve more than an unsustainable quick fix; you deserve a lifestyle transformation.


Living a sustainable, healthy lifestyle will take time and effort. It will not happen overnight, and it will not be linear, but it is not about the end goal, it’s about what you learn throughout the journey. It’s about falling off-plan and then getting back on track, and it is about navigating eating your favorite foods in moderation and not having the all or nothing mindset. Lifestyle transformation is about acquiring the essential skills needed to maintain the end goal.


I want to help you create the life you deserve without restriction. My approach to nutrition is not just about getting you to your goal weight. I do not give strict meal plans, and I do not tell you what you can and cannot eat. Instead, I help teach long term nutrition habits. I give the client accountability, motivation, tools, and education to create a diet that fits their personal goals. Food and exercise are not black and white, but rather many shades of grey.


Do the hard work. Say yes to yourself and no to diet culture. Give both your body and mind a break from the constant yoyo dieting cycle.