Allison Knott MS RDN CSSD

nutrition writer | sports dietitian

[Allison Knott MS RDN CSSD @allisonknottrd]

I just don’t think parents talk enough about the fact that your sleep will be interrupted for many years beyond the newborn phase.

[Allison Knott MS RDN CSSD @allisonknottrd]

It doesn’t matter how old I am, I will always feel more like an adult when I decide to make dinner at home instead of ordering takeout.

[Allison Knott MS RDN CSSD @allisonknottrd]

I’ll be complaining about my circadian misalignment from now on anytime my children interrupt my sleep. 🤪

[Nisha Patel, MD MS, Dipl of ABOM, CCMS @DrPlantel]

No, Mark. People aren’t tired from “poor methylation.” They’re tired from busting their a$$ day in, day out. They’re tired from working nonstop, raising kids, caring for everyone else, and doing it all with barely any time or resources to take care of themselves. No supplement from your website will fix that.

[Allison Knott MS RDN CSSD @allisonknottrd]

@Rusty4233991 @brady_h I don’t think debating the benefits of dietary fiber is worthwhile given everything we know about how it benefits health.

[Allison Knott MS RDN CSSD @allisonknottrd]

@Rusty4233991 @brady_h False. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate which makes it a nutrient.

[Allison Knott MS RDN CSSD @allisonknottrd]

What to do instead?

1. Stop weighing yourself even if weight loss is a goal.

2. Return to the basics: balance your plate, listen to your hunger cues, prioritize sleep

3. Find other measures of success: strength gains, inches lost, improved energy, better sleep, etc.

[Allison Knott MS RDN CSSD @allisonknottrd]

3 signs weighing yourself every day is no longer benefiting your health:

1. You choose to avoid and restrict foods you normally eat because of the number on the scale.

2. You ignore your hunger cues in an effort to “be good.”

3. Seeing a number you don’t like ruins your day.

[Allison Knott MS RDN CSSD @allisonknottrd]

I haven’t heard this much public discussion about the food pyramid since I was in undergrad…in 2004.

[Nisha Patel, MD MS, Dipl of ABOM, CCMS @DrPlantel]

There’s a video going around of a single mom sharing her fears about what would happen if SNAP benefits are cut. And the internet is piling on the cruelty at full force.

She’s worried her kids might go hungry. She’s doing her best.
And she happens to have obesity.

People aren’t listening to her story. They’re too busy mocking her body, saying things like she should just “live off her fat stores” or “stop stealing food from her kids.”

This is the problem. We don’t just ignore struggling mothers, we humiliate them. Especially if they’re living in larger bodies.

As a doctor, I’ve listened to mothers describe the heartbreaking reality of food insecurity, how they go hungry so their kids can eat. How they skip meals. How they eat whatever’s cheap and filling, and save the fresh fruits and vegetables for their children. That isn’t “gluttony.” That’s sacrifice.

Because when you’re a mom with obesity, you don’t just carry the weight of keeping everyone fed, clothed, and safe. You carry the judgment of a society that tells you you’re failing, while you’ve been surviving on scraps, stress, and shame.

Obesity and food insecurity can coexist. Mothers of all body shapes and sizes deserve support, not ridicule. Having less resources and obesity doesn’t make you less worthy of compassion.

We should be asking why she’s in that position to begin with, not tearing her down for surviving in it.

[Allison Knott MS RDN CSSD @allisonknottrd]

But if you can build in the healthy habits during the busy times then you almost guarantee they’ll be there when things calm down. They become a part of a structure that is stable and strong.

[Allison Knott MS RDN CSSD @allisonknottrd]

I used to tell clients that when life gets stressful or extra busy, it’s the perfect time to make your health-promoting habits fit. Why?

If you can do it when life is overwhelming then you can do it any time.

Today as a mom of two, I think about this a lot.

[Allison Knott MS RDN CSSD @allisonknottrd]

And sometimes I want to tell former me that the advice is incredibly difficult to follow, but I don’t regret it…I value it.

There’s a time for ‘I’ll do it tomorrow’ and there’s a time for prioritizing it now.

It will be different and imperfect.

[Allison Knott MS RDN CSSD @allisonknottrd]

Important: eating enough protein

Also important: eating enough antioxidants, fiber, micronutrients, unsaturated fats, and carbohydrates

Your protein supplement isn’t going to help you with every goal, so don’t forget to make space for the other essential nutrients in your diet.

[Allison Knott MS RDN CSSD @allisonknottrd]

@tee_anasta52550 High is a relative term. It depends on your body size and other health factors.

[Allison Knott MS RDN CSSD @allisonknottrd]

🗣️ Not everyone needs 100g of protein per day!

[Allison Knott MS RDN CSSD @allisonknottrd]

Sacrificing on nutrient-dense foods just to drink a protein shake so you can hit your macros for the day is a big red flag that your diet needs some adjustments.

[Allison Knott MS RDN CSSD @allisonknottrd]

But often they’re presented on social media has having a straightforward answer.

There’s a lot of grey area in nutrition and so often the answer is ‘it depends’ which frankly is the worst and most difficult message to communicate in a social media soundbite.

[Allison Knott MS RDN CSSD @allisonknottrd]

Questions I contemplate a lot as a dietitian:

1. Is trying to lose weight always a response to diet culture?
2. Should we label cravings as something to be fixed?
3. Are all foods meant to be treated equally?

There’s not a yes/no answer to any of these.