Hi, I’m Kristen. I’m a health and nutrition counselor helping adults lose body fat and improve metabolic health with straightforward, easy-to-implement changes to eating and movement patterns. I work primarily with people in mid-life who have just begun to gain weight or had trouble losing weight for years. I also work with clients seeking to prevent or manage insulin resistance or cardiovascular disease. I take a direct and practical approach that makes sense for people with busy lives. You can read what my clients have to say about it below and send me a message if you’d like to get in touch!

  • “Kristen was my guide through a year-long journey in creating habits for a healthier lifestyle. Her advice, insights, and personalized programs were key to my ability to meet my goals. The style and manner she uses is huge in developing a comfortable and yet challenging environment for personal growth.”

    Kiran, 49

  • “Kristen is thorough, inquisitive, thoughtful, intuitive, and full of candor, which is what pushes you to succeed and want to improve from the start.”

    Airri M, 37

  • “I am 42 years old and work in the medical field. You would think I would know a little more about eating right, but it's so easy to eat unhealthy! It was such a surprise, after meeting with Kristen, how many misconceptions I had about what was "good" to eat. Kristen helped me adjust the preconceived ideas I learned growing up. I'm always thinking about the advice Kristen has given to me.”

    JF, 42

  • “Kristen patiently (and succinctly) helped me to navigate my confusion around some core principles of nutrition - in a way that I was able to understand and remember, and which continually help me in my daily decision making.”

    Amar G, 44

  • “Kristen has a refreshing and pragmatic approach that helped me to make the connection that the foods my body needed were indeed the ones that I can and do enjoy eating.”

    Elizabeth S, 48

  • “When I began seeing Kristen, my control of my diabetes was erratic and certainly uninformed. Kristen took the time to explain how my eating habits, my exercising and my hunger were all inter-related, and I have been very successful in keeping my glucose in check, as well as becoming stronger, and a better cook too!”

    Stephanie L, 61

Questions my clients frequently ask

  • Not, it’s not. What happens if your body needs energy and you haven’t eaten for a while is that fat comes out of storage to supply it – which is a good thing if you want to reduce the amount of body fat you have.

    As a rule, if you are not hungry, don’t eat. It doesn’t matter what time of day it is.

  • No, but it’s a good idea to eat green vegetables, and many of those are leaves that are sometimes used in salads. There’s no requirement to eat them raw. Find ways to cook them that you like.

  • Yes. And if you have kids, it’s probably a good idea for them to see you doing so.

  • Scan the menu for mention of a protein item (steak, chicken, fish, shrimp, beans, etc) and a vegetable that you like, regardless of how the dishes are prepared. This lets you know which raw ingredients the kitchen has available. Then tell the server that you have a diet-related health condition and request that they make you a plain dish of your protein item of choice + a double portion of your vegetable of choice cooked only with olive oil and salt. You can ask for it grilled, sauteed, or steamed, as you wish. Many restaurants will do their best to accommodate you – especially if you are gracious and thank them sincerely for their hospitality.

  • It typically takes longer than one would like to achieve their body composition goals. There are some drastic things one can do to speed up the process – involving certain types of exercise and patterns of macronutrient intake and meal timing, which we can talk about – but these things are very uncomfortable and the majority of people would be better served cultivating the patience and commitment to their program that will produce sustainable results.

  • It's fine to have indulgences from time to time. You've got one life! Enjoy yourself.

    Also, know that when you ask this question it tells me that you weren't fully enjoying this experience, but rather feeling "a little guilty" about it the whole time. So I have to wonder how enjoyable it really was in the end.

    If you're questioning whether you "should" be eating something and then proceed to eat it while feeling conflicted, you are likely to be acting against your best interest. And you are likely to feel a little bad about it afterward.

    Try this for a while: if you’re not hungry, don’t eat.

  • Maybe. Generalized supplementation is not ideal. Effective nutrition supplementation is based on your own physiology and metabolic profile. If you are interested in taking supplements, it's worth having a high quality evaluation with a skilled provider to determine your supplement needs.

  • Steak

    Lamb

    Sardines

    Salmon

    Mackerel

    Tuna

    Lentils

    Black beans

    Eggs

    Olive oil

    Avocado

    Yogurt

    Cheese

    Almonds

    Pumpkin seeds

    Arugula

    Radicchio

    Broccoli rabe

    Kale

    Broccoli

    Cauliflower

    Onions

    Rice

    Quinoa

    Tomato sauce

    Kimchi and other fermented vegetables

    Berries

    Oranges

    Apples

    Chocolate

  • Yes, but likely not as many as you.

  • Dried mango and chocolate-covered almonds. I deal with this tendency by setting a clear boundary to not bring them into my home. I’ll have them on occasion elsewhere, for example on a road trip or at a party. If you have “problem foods”, it’s best for the most part to not have them around.

Bio

In addition to counseling clients to lose unwanted weight and prevent metabolic disease I have worked for two decades in nutrition and public health in a range of roles — from lobbying Congress for healthier school lunches, to caring for diabetic patients in a community hospital in Brooklyn, teaching kindergarteners to cook with local foods from NYS farms, ghostwriting nutrition articles for public figures, leading wellness programs at universities and corporate campuses, and more. I’ve published two books, one on intermittent fasting and another on the ketogenic diet. I have a BS in chemistry from NYU and MS in nutrition science and public health from Columbia University.

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