Welcome to Ellie's Spring Forward series where she revisits some of her most popular episodes that will help put winter behind you. Two things are true about health and weight that seem to be diametrically opposed to one another. One truth: diet culture and focusing on weight loss is toxic. And the other truth: many people in the US would be healthier and feel better if they lost weight. How do we reconcile these seemingly conflicting concerns as individuals and as a society? The conversation about it has gotten so heated that many are left confused, frustrated and vulnerable. In this episode, Dr. Michelle Cardel, a Puerto Rican nutrition scientist, registered dietitian, the Senior Director of Global Clinical Research & Nutrition at WW, and a faculty member at the University of Florida College of Medicine, where she is also an Associate Director for the Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, helps us figure it out, encouraging us to rethink how we think about weight, and assess whether we want to think about it at all. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Ellie's Spring Forward series where she revisits some of her most popular episodes that will help put winter behind you. In this first episode of her podcast, Ellie speaks directly with listeners, introducing them to “one real good thing” that she thinks is one of the most transformative changes you can make. It’s a simple shift in mindset away from the all-or-nothing approach so many fad diets advocate, toward a more balanced, realistic food philosophy that is the foundation of all of her delicious, healthy recipes. Join Ellie as she helps us get out of the good/bad food trap and shares how her Usually, Sometimes and Rarely food perspective can put you on a lifelong path of flavorful, healthy eating. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Diet culture permeates our society, and has untold negative effects on our well-being. But once we learn to see diet culture for what it is, we can step away from it toward true health. In this episode, Leslie Schilling, registered dietitian, shows us how to spot the diet culture that shows up even in the safest places –school, medical offices, and places of worship— and be empowered to step away from it. Leslie Schilling, MA, RDN, owns a Las Vegas-based private practice specializing in nutrition counseling for families, people with disordered eating concerns, professional athletes, and performers. Leslie has served as a performance nutrition consultant for Cirque du Soleil® and the NBA and an expert contributor to U.S. News & World Report. She is the creator and co-author of the award-winning book Born To Eat. Her new book, Feed Yourself, is about how diet culture shows up in our safest places. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We breathe all the time without giving it any thought, but paying attention to our breath is one way to unlock the door to a better life. In this episode, guest Kristin McGee, one of the most sought after and recognized yoga instructors in New York City, explains how connecting with our breath can help us, and she offers easy ways to make it part of our lives. Throughout her career, Kristin McGee has been a pioneer in making yoga more accessible. Kristin has starred in yoga DVD’s, has privately trained celebrities and has written books about the value of the yoga in everyday life. As a busy mom of three boys, Kristin strongly believes that just a few minutes of yoga a day can bring more balance and harmony to your life. Kristin’s classes will challenge and ground you while bringing a strong connection back to your mind, body and breath. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you are stuck in the mindset that healthy food is bland or boring, this episode will surely shake you out of it. Chef Adrianne Calvo, known for her signature “Maximum Flavor” style, is here to share her secrets for getting big, bold flavor in a healthy way. Chef Adrianne Calvo is an award-winning Miami based restaurateur, cookbook author, Emmy-nominated YouTube show host and podcaster. Her highly-acclaimed restaurants, Chef Adrianne’s Vineyard Restaurant and Bar and Cracked by Chef Adrianne, are a staple of must-eat-destination lists, and her popularity on Goldbelly spurred the upcoming launch of her online shop Baked by Chef Adrianne. With the publication of her first cookbook, Maximum Flavor, she became the youngest cookbook author ever at the time. In her Emmy-nominated YouTube travel show, Searching for Maximum Flavor, Adrianne travels the world in search of exciting new ingredients and shows viewers how to incorporate them into their dishes at home. When she is not creating in the kitchen or in front of the cameras, she pours her heart and soul into the Make It Count Foundation, a non-profit that she started in honor of her late sister Jennifer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sleep is critical to our overall health, but many of us struggle with insomnia and other sleep issues. In this episode, sleep specialist Dr. Shelby Harris explains how practicing the basics of good sleep hygiene can make all the difference. Shelby Harris PsyD, DBSM is a psychologist and sleep specialist in private practice in NY. She is board certified in Behavioral Sleep Medicine and treats a wide variety of sleep, anxiety and depression issues using evidence-based non-medication treatments. In addition to her self-help book, The Women’s Guide to Overcoming Insomnia, Dr. Harris is a Clinical Associate Professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Neurology and Psychiatry. Before going into private practice, she was the longstanding director of the Insomnia Program at the Montefiore Sleep Center in NYC. Dr. Harris has been an invited columnist for the New York Times, and is frequently in the media including the New Yorker, Washington Post, CBS Mornings, Today Show, Good Morning America and The Drew Barrymore Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While it’s good to follow the well-known Golden Rule, Mister Manners says the Platinum Rule is even better. Find out what he means by that, and how “going platinum” can enrich your relationships and make a huge difference in your life. Mister Manners, Thomas P. Farley, is America’s trusted etiquette expert. A keynote speaker, workshop leader, syndicated columnist and TV commentator, he inspires audiences of all types to master essential communication strategies for success in the workplace—and in life. His business-etiquette, customer-service and communication programs—both in-person and virtual—are engaging and memorable, offering strategies for getting along and getting ahead in the modern era. Thomas is a regular and popular guest on the NBC Today show, and his syndicated weekly column, “Ask Mister Manners,” appears in Tribune publications throughout the United States, including the Chicago Tribune, the Baltimore Sun, the New York Daily News and beyond. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Think you don’t have enough time to cook? Well, think again, because guest Ali Rosen is sharing her best tips and tricks for making incredibly flavorful meals in just 15-minutes. Ali Rosen is the Emmy and James Beard Award nominated host of Potluck with Ali Rosen on NYC Life. She is the bestselling author of three cookbooks, 15 Minute Meals, Modern Freezer Meals and Bring It!, and she's been featured everywhere from The Today Show to The New York Times and has written for publications including Bon Appetit, Wine Enthusiast and New York Magazine. She is also a bestselling novelist--her debut is Recipe for Second Chances and her next book, coming May 2024, is Alternate Endings. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One path to a happier life is experiencing it with all of our senses. In this episode, Gretchen Rubin explains how tuning into sight, smell, touch, taste and hearing can help us get us out of our heads and into the world. Gretchen Rubin is one of today’s most influential and thought-provoking observers of happiness and human nature. She’s an unusual combination: a literary writer who explores how we can put transcendent ideas into practice. She’s the author of five New York Times bestselling books, including the blockbuster #1 New York Times and international bestseller The Happiness Project. Her latest book is Life in the Five Senses. On her top-ranking weekly podcast Happier with Gretchen Rubin, she discusses good habits and happiness with her sister Elizabeth Craft. Her award-winning Happier app helps people customize and use habit-tracking tools. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stir-frying can be one of the most nutritious and delicious ways to cook, and there is no one better than “The Stir-Fry Guru” herself, Grace Young, to help us level up our stir-fry so it’s better tasting, and better-for-you. In this episode she shares her game changing tips and tricks. Grace Young is an award-winning cookbook author, culinary historian, and filmmaker. She is a 2023 Forbes 50 Over 50 honoree, is the recipient of the Julia Child Award, the James Beard Foundation’s Humanitarian of the Year Award and is a USA Today Women of the Year honoree for her work to save America’s Chinatowns. Named the “Poet Laureate of the wok” by the food historian Betty Fussell, Grace has devoted her career to celebrating healthy wok cookery. Her accolades include James Beard Awards for her Wok Therapist comedy video and cookbook Stir-Frying to the Sky’s Edge. She is a six-time IACP award-winner, including the 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award and the Culinary Classics Award for her cookbook The Breath of a Wok. She is currently partnering with the James Beard Foundation on the #SupportChinatowns social media campaign to raise public awareness to preserve and protect America’s Chinatowns. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is the way to talk to yourself bringing you down? Your internal dialog can have a profound impact on your well-being. In this episode, psychologist Dr Rachel Goldman helps us tap into our self-talk, recognize negative patterns, and take steps to flip the script for the better. Rachel L. Goldman, Ph.D., FTOS (a.k.a. Dr. Rachel) is a licensed psychologist, speaker and consultant who takes a holistic approach to health. She specializes in the mind-body connection, including stress reduction, disordered eating behaviors, and health behavior change. She is also Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and has a private practice in NYC, where she utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy to assist in behavioral changes. She is often seen in the media, including a recent conversation with Oprah and was a consultant for the film, The Whale. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most diets seem to be about what NOT to eat, but the best way to improve your health and longevity in the long run is to forget diets and focus on foods to say YES to—what preventative medical expert and chef Dr. Michael Crupain calls The Power Five. In this episode he explains what the healthiest foods are and how they can lead to a life full of flavor. Michael Crupain, MD, MPH is board certified preventive medicine physician and author of the cookbook The Power Five. He has had a unique career path, first training in Neurosurgery, then switching to preventive medicine. He served as the Director of the Food Safety and Sustainability Center at Consumer Reports, was medical director at the Doctor Oz show where he won two Emmy Awards. He is on faculty at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, is a member of the board of the American College of Preventive Medicine, and is the Executive Vice President of Clinical Services at Sharecare. He is a constant student of culinary traditions around the world and has trained with top chefs in New York, at cooking schools in Europe and Asia, and with mothers and grandmothers from different cultures. The theme that connects all of Dr. Crupain’s work is his mission to make the world a healthier and more delicious place. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The holiday season is the perfect time to gather and create (and write down) traditional family recipes. In a previous episode Ellie spoke with her friend Eric Kim, New York Times staff writer and columnist for The New York Times Magazine. He spent a year cooking with his mother Jean for his book Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home. He and Ellie discuss how writing down family recipes can enrich your life in profound ways, and the (often funny) challenges that can arise in the process. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

During the holiday season it’s easy to fall into the trap of drinking too much. But what's the definition of “too much"? What does drinking in moderation actually mean? Luckily, in a previous episode I interviewed celebrated dietitian Kathleen Zelman who helps us to understand it all and provide strategies on how to drink more mindfully this season and beyond. Kathleen Zelman MPH, RDN, LD, is a food, nutrition and media communication consultant, an advisor to the Distilled Spirits Council, the co-host of the ‘True Health Revealed’ podcast, and owner of No Nonsense Nutrition, LLC. She is also the former director of nutrition for WebMD where she helped build their state-of-the-art food, diet and nutrition portal. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One easy thing you can do to bring balance to the holidays, both health- and flavor-wise, is to focus on fresh. That doesn’t mean putting out boring salads or lame vegetable trays—it means making dishes that are vibrant and festive, crunchy, juicy and exciting. In a previous episode food writer and recipe developer Ann Taylor Pittman shared her tips for making fresh, healthy holiday dishes that will be first to get gobbled up. It's the perfect time of year to remember what Ann brings to the table to get the most out of your holiday season. Ann Taylor Pittman, a long-time food writer, food editor, and recipe developer who has won two James Beard Foundation Awards. She was at Cooking Light magazine for 20 years, where she rose to oversee all food content as well as the operation of the Test Kitchen, developing thousands of gold-standard healthy recipes. She is also the author of Everyday Whole Grains. She now writes and creates recipes for Food & Wine, Southern Living, and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you feel uninspired to exercise or you feel like you are not qualified to run, take a yoga class, play a sport, or whatever, because you’re too heavy, too slow, too uncoordinated, too old or too anything, this episode could change your life. Martinus Evans, founder of the Slow AF Run Club is here to help us change our mindset about exercise, thinking about it not as a way to lose weight or win a race, but as a way to celebrate what your body is capable of at this very moment. Martinus Evans has run over eight marathons since his doctor told him to “lose weight or die” in July 2012. Since then, he’s also coached hundreds of runners and founded the Slow AF Run Club, a community of over 20,000 members worldwide. He is also the author of the book Slow AF Run Club: The ultimate guide for anybody who wants to run. When he’s not running races around the world, he enjoys speaking passionately about issues related to size-inclusivity, mindset, DEI and mental health. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the core of Ellie’s food philosophy is that you can and should have food that is BOTH healthful and crave-ably delicious. There is no need to choose between the two. On this episode, Karen Akunowicz, named one of the “21 Badass Women Changing the Food World” by Marie Claire magazine, spills her best tips and tricks for giving food real crave-ability, and she and Ellie talk about why eating what you crave can be such a healthy thing to do. Akunowicz won the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef Northeast, and has competed on Top Chef and on Food Network. She opened the celebrated restaurants Fox and the Knife and Bar Volpe in Boston. Her new book is Crave: Bold Recipes That Make You Want Seconds. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ready to shake up your routine and have more fun with everyday meals? Frances Largeman-Roth helps us do just that, encouraging us to be more playful and relaxed with food, as she shares ideas from her new book Everyday Snack Tray: Easy Ideas and Recipes for Boards that Nourish for Moments Big and Small. Largeman-Roth is a New York Times best-selling author, nationally recognized health expert and registered dietitian who was the Food and Nutrition Director at Health magazine for nearly eight years. She writes and develops recipes for Today.com, Shape, Parade and other publications, and is a frequent guest on national television. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you feel constantly stressed by the conflicting and alarming health information out there, you are not alone. Our media environment is practically designed to induce fear and anxiety. Tim Caulfield is the perfect person to help us break free of that. He has a remarkable talent for making sense of it all in the most engaging, entertaining way, helping us stress less and relax more by making evidence-informed everyday decisions about our health. Timothy Caulfield is a Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy, a Professor in the Faculty of Law and the School of Public Health, and Research Director of the Health Law Institute at the University of Alberta. He has published over 350 academic articles, contributes frequently to the popular press and is the author of two national bestselling books: The Cure for Everything: Untangling the Twisted Messages about Health, Fitness and Happiness, and Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything?: When Celebrity Culture and Science Clash. His most recent book is Relax, Dammit!: A User’s Guide to the Age of Anxiety. Caulfield is also the co-founder of the science engagement initiative #ScienceUpFirst and was the host and co-producer of the award-winning documentary TV show, A User’s Guide to Cheating Death, which has been shown in over 60 countries, including streaming on Netflix in North America. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chef Chris Scott’s signature soul food with a twist is inspired by his grandmother’s southern flavors and the German and Dutch cuisine of the Amish community he grew up in. The roots of his food culture, like so many others, is a testament to how much deliciousness can come from the most humble ingredients. With so many of us trying to stretch our own grocery dollar these days, Chef Scott helps us see how tapping into tradition, like that of the Amish soul food he was raised on, can help us find affordable, healthy meal inspiration. Adored finalist on season 15 of Bravo’s Top Chef, Chris Scott also competed on OWN’s The Great Soul Food Cook Off and will be seen as a judge on Beat Bobby Flay, Bobby Flay’s Triple Thread and more Food Network programming in 2023. Chef Chris has opened several restaurants in New York, including Brooklyn Commune and ButterFunk Biscuit in Harlem. His cookbook, Homage, offers readers Chris Scott's perspective of food as a vehicle to community. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.