She Helps Clients Find “Food Freedom”: Meet Jessica VanCleave
Dietitian and "Health at Every Size" expert Jessica VanCleave is all about "food freedom." Through her virtual consultations and company wellness programs, she's teaching us what it means to eat intuitively. Meet our newest FACE of Nashville.
EDITORβS NOTE: This FACES interview took place well before COVID-19 arrived and impacted Nashville. Some of the responses have been updated accordingly. Please read with that in mind. Thank you.
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Healthy eating is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Now more than ever, weβre seeking new and improved ways to support our health. With a concept that revolves around eating intuitively, Jessica VanCleave, a registered dietitian and Nashville native, helps her clients find their βfood freedomβ through a non-diet approach. Her virtual sessions provide one-on-one nutrition consultations, while her corporate wellness programs are assisting companies in creating a healthier office culture β even during work-from-home scenarios. Meet our newest FACE of Nashville, Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor Jessica VanCleave.
What made you decide to launch your own business?
Iβve been a practicing dietitian for the past seven years, and I just launched my private practice in January. When I was in my internship, I spent a week with a private-practice dietitian here in Nashville. I loved seeing her interactions with her clients because it was really personable. She was meeting them over a cup of coffee instead of in a sterile doctorβs office, and she was making her own hours. It was always in the back of my mind as something I might want to do. When I had my daughter, almost three years ago, I realized I wanted something more flexible. Thatβs when I kind of started to put it together. I also dived into a new realm of nutrition β intuitive eating and βHealth at Every Sizeβ β and the traditional nutrition schooling wasnβt teaching that. I wanted to be able to practice that, and it was harder to do in a healthcare setting, so, I started specializing in intuitive eating and built my practice around it.
Can you explain what it means to βeat intuitivelyβ?
Itβs not the βhunger fullness diet,β which is what a lot of people think. Itβs not the βI eat when Iβm hungry; I stop when Iβm full,β and thatβs it. Itβs a set of 10 principles, and itβs someone who makes food choices based on their internal cues and their own experiences without feelings of guilt. Itβs ditching the diet mentality β making food choices that donβt revolve around making you look better or losing weight. Itβs βHow does this make me feel? Do I enjoy this food? Is it nourishing to my body?β Weβre all born intuitive eaters. Think about a baby thatβs nursing or taking milk from a bottle; they cry when theyβre hungry, and we feed them. Itβs nourishment, itβs comfort, and they stop when theyβre satisfied. They donβt have any feelings of guilt or shame or counting calories around it. Then we get older, and diet culture comes into play. Diet culture is all those messages that tell us, βYou donβt know whatβs best for you. You need someone to tell you how many calories to eat, what foods to eat or not eat, how to move your body β¦β We lose that connection and rely on outside sources. Intuitive eaters take back control over their food intake and how they move their bodies. If anything, this is the time we need to be thinking about self-care. Intuitive eating adapts and adjusts to whatβs going on in your life, so itβs not going to look the same as it did two months ago. Be kind to yourself and remember itβs an evolving process. Continue to nourish yourself because, during times of stress, a lot of people overeat but a lot of people also under-eat. Our hunger cues kind of get blunted by stress and anxiety, so Iβm encouraging people to remember to eat and fill themselves. Even if you arenβt moving around as much, your body still needs fuel.
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Your concept also revolves around finding βfood freedom,β and you are a βHealth at Every Sizeβ provider. Tell us about that.
Health at Every Size (HAES) is a trademarked term from the Association of Size Diversity and Health. Itβs an approach to health thatβs weight-inclusive. A HAES provider is inclusive and respectful of the care of patients and clients, regardless of their body weight. We encourage healthy behaviors that honor peopleβs experiences. When someone comes in with a larger body, a lot of times what providers and even dietitians will do is automatically prescribe weight loss. Theyβre not listening to the client or what their experiences have been in the past and what the symptoms are; maybe itβs completely unrelated to weight. I care for my clients at any size, and I donβt weigh them. Itβs never a marker that we use to measure success. Most people I talk to β clients, friends, family β would say they donβt have food freedom these days. They donβt feel free to make their own food choices. Thereβs fear around food β gaining weight, getting a disease if they eat certain things, being shamed, guilt. So, people are eating the food they like, but theyβre doing it in secret, or they feel ashamed of it. Food freedom is taking back that control over making food choices for yourself.
What services do you offer?
My main service right now is one-on-one nutrition counseling. I offer all of my counseling services virtually, so I meet with my clients via a secure video platform rather than in an office. A lot of providers are doing this now β it gives us the ability to reach more people. I have clients who arenβt necessarily in Nashville, and people donβt have to take an hour and a half lunch break and dig into their PTO and unpaid hours to see healthcare providers they want to see. Iβm doing virtual nutrition counseling based primarily around intuitive eating and people who have issues with chronic dieting. When people are talking about their health and their personal issues, it can be more comfortable to be at home and not have to sit in a sterile office, across from somebody at a desk. Thereβs just something a little more casual about it, which I think people like. Then Iβm also doing corporate wellness services, and that can be done either via webinar or locally. Group presentations are easy to do via Zoom! If most of a companyβs employees are working from home, and they can offer them a quick 20-minute webinar about self-care during the quarantine, I think thatβs beneficial.
What do your corporate wellness programs entail?
It used to be that a lot of larger companies were doing it for their employees, but now even super small companies are doing wellness programs and perks for their employees, which I think is great. Research shows that wellness programs benefit not only the employers, in terms of healthcare costs, but the employees themselves. Retention rate on employees is higher because people feel like their employers care for them and their health. Employees typically take less sick days because theyβre healthier, not as tired and not as stressed. Itβs more than just lunch and learns β there are all kinds of things companies can do for corporate wellness incentives. There are absolutely virtual corporate wellness options that can be beneficial.
My brotherβs company might just start working from home from here on out because their productivity has gone up β thatβs something to think about. Finding ways for corporations to still stay engaged with their employees in that way is important. If youβre not seeing someone on a regular basis, you still need to make sure their health is in check and they are exercising self-care. Giving employees options for that outside of the office is going to be crucial because a lot of people are still going to work from home after this β even when things go back to βnormal.β
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What do you feel is the biggest challenge we face with nutrition?
Too much information and misinformation. Nutritional science is ever-changing; weβre learning new things all the time. The recommendations are changing. Between social media, blogs, books and Google, people are just bombarded with so much conflicting information. It can get really confusing and cause a lot of fear and stress around food and eating. I always tell people, βDo your research. Know who youβre getting your nutrition advice from because a lot of people are giving it. Be sure itβs sound information, not just somebody blogging about it, and saying, βThis worked for me.'β It doesnβt mean it wonβt work for you, too, but it also doesnβt mean itβs scientifically backed.
What are your favorite food splurges?
The goal of being an intuitive eater is that there are no food splurges. There is no cheat day; itβs all just food. If thereβs something Iβm craving thatβs out of the ordinary, I usually eat it. When we say, βOh, I canβt have something bad,β it creates this novel excitement around it versus if we make it ordinary. It doesnβt have as much hold on us anymore. Having it if youβre in the mood for it and putting it away when youβre done is usually the best option. Then youβre not thinking about it anymore.
If Iβm going to spend money on food to really enjoy it, my favorite is an awesome cheese or charcuterie board. Cheese, meat, bread and good wine. Thatβs totally where Iβm at. I could live off of that.
What is the best piece of advice youβve ever received?
The most consistent advice Iβve gotten was from my dad. Every day before I left for school, he would simply tell me to smile. I took that as, βJust be kind to people.β I think kindness is one of the greatest gifts we can give thatβs free. So, just smile.
Aside from faith, family and friends, what are three things you cannot live without?
Naps, coffee and true crime documentaries. I love them!
Learn more about Jessica VanCleave on her website. Click HERE. Thanks to Leila Grossman for the beautiful images.
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Jenna von Oy Bratcher
Jenna von Oy Bratcher is StyleBlueprint's Editorial Operations Manager and Lead Content Editor. The East Coast native moved to Nashville almost two decades ago, by way of Los Angeles. She is a lover of dogs, strong coffee, traveling, and exploring the local restaurant scene bite by bite.