Amanda Evans Nutrition

10/04/2024

Not beautiful, but nutrient-packed and perfect for PCOS management! Blueberries & Spinach this morning. Though I dislike protein powder, I've been trying to add some to my morning smoothies, because protein is necessary in the morning to keep blood sugar stable until morning snack or lunch!

Being temporarily dairy-free means I can't add my usual Greek yogurt for protein.

We currently have Garden of Life brand, vanilla flavor. I like that it has 0 grams of sugar, it is only 110 calories (love getting my calories elsewhere), and probiotics. That said, I hate the taste.

So ... if you have a protein powder you love, I'm interested in hearing about it!!

We have tried Orgain, Garden of Life, Vega, and others. I won't use MLM brands. Currently need dairy free, but share your whey based favorites anyway for good measure!

Also, tell me your favorite smoothie ingredients, especially if they are protein sources without powders! ;)

Feel free to share a photo of your smoothie in the comments!

08/30/2024

Hello September! It is back-to-school for three of my children and my forth will be 3 months on the 17th! I'm feeling rested and ready to open my schedule up some!

I will now be accepting clients, though with limited availability.

My *main* September dates include:
September 3rd (Tuesday) - Afternoon Only
September 4th (Wednesday) - Morning Only
September 11th (Wednesday)
September 13th (Friday)
September 18th (Wednesday)
September 27th (Friday)
September 30th (Monday)

I do have some evening & weekend availability as well and occasional other morning & mid-day slots.

If you would like to book an appointment I have a couple of options:

1. Insurance-based. I take (straight) Medicare & Aetna. BCBS MESSA and some of the others will cover out-of-network as well (I provide a Superbill for you to submit for reimbursement if I am out-of-network with the company). These are single sessions and we book each one as we go: https://l.bttr.to/zaSjC

2. Cash-based. Monthly rate (4 weekly sessions). Cost of living may have shot up over the last five years, but my cash-based rates have stayed the same reasonable rate since I transitioned to private practice in 2019. https://l.bttr.to/RZnIq

3. Unsure of what works for you? Have questions? Want to meet me first or run your scenario by me to assure we are a good fit before booking? Schedule a free 15-minute introduction session here: https://l.bttr.to/tYWQ5

Each of these links will take you to any & all open availability for the month of September, so take a peek!

If you are interested in my PCOS to Pregnancy 12-week course, shoot me a message and we'll chat!

I look forward to working with you soon!

08/14/2024

As a Registered Dietitian, I am all about discussing what we can ADD to our nutritional intake vs what we should REMOVE.

I, for one, LOVE ice cream and would be super sad if I ever had to permanently remove it from my diet.

So tell me, what food do YOU think life would be boring without?

07/08/2024

You should try this SUPER easy chicken salad : https://pin.it/3tY5ZapWH

☆ chicken
☆ plain greek yogurt
☆ pesto

So delicious. So easy!

I put mine in a wrap for a quick entree after a beach day. Add spinach or greens to your wrap or use this as a dip for veggies or whole grain crackers.

A Pin by Momma Fit Lyndsey

06/15/2024

Breakfast Cookies.

If you haven't tried them, you should! There are endless recipes on Pinterest (my personal go-to), but you can also vary the ingredients so much and still have them turn out just fine.

Breakfast cookies tend to be a little more dense/chewy than regular dessert cookies. They are also generally more bland (less sweet). I love them with nut butter and we definitely don't reserve them just for breakfast in our house! They're an excellent nutrient-dense snack for any time of day!

These particular cookies are Banana Bread flavor. Perfect use for those brown bananas that are now to unappealing to eat, yet we hate to toss.

Here's what I did -
Mix:
🔸️2.5 cups Oats (I use Old Fashioned)
🔸️3/4 cup Flour (I used Whole Wheat)
🔸️1/4 cup Coconut Sugar (you can use another type if you'd like!)
🔸️1 tsp Baking Powder
🔸️1 Tbsp Cinnamon (we love cinnamon!)
🔸️dash of Salt
🔸1/2 cup Almond Milk, unsweetened
️🔸️1/4 cup Maple Syrup, local
🔸️1 Egg
🔸1 tsp Vanilla
️🔸2 Bananas, brown :)
️🔸️1/2 cup Walnuts

I mixed my dry ingredients together first and then mixed in the wet. Make cookies to desirable size and placed on the pan. These don't expand much when cooking, so I load up my pan. Baked at 350°F for 15 minutes or so. Really, I just keep an eye on them and pull them when I think they're done.

I store them in a plastic baggie on the counter, but they can be refrigerated or frozen to last longer!

So tell me, have you ever made breakfast cookies? What has been your favorite flavor?

06/14/2024

This questions popped up in a dietitian group I'm in.

It's a good reminder that not all providers are created equal. Just as well, there is absolutely NOT a "one size fits all" approach to weight loss, managing your PCOS, or getting pregnant with PCOS!

Everyone is unique and though we might use the same calculation to determine macros, nutrient needs, etc ... your provider should be tweaking that calculation based on SO many factors ... age, physical activity & ability, other chronic conditions, medications, diet history, etc, etc.

IF your nutrition provider is giving out blanket recommendations to everyone, please find someone who will customize for you. IF your nutrition provider gives you recommendations, but doesn't work longterm with you to tweak them along the way, please find someone who will.

I ALWAYS tell my clients that I can provide numbers and details, BUT it's truly too hard to say whether or not our initial calculation will be the winning one ... or if we'll have to tweak it. If someone promises you an easy fix, a quick calculation, or something that almost feels too good to be true ... it very well could be.

I can't just recommend macros for weight loss as a general statement. We are all different!

04/03/2024

"Eat the Rainbow" is such a commonly stated phrase by us Dieititans, but it has SO much value & meaning behind it!

Various naturally occurring colors in our foods mean a variety of nutrients! Nutrients work synergistically to keep us healthy, so it is always good to eat various colors together when possible!

These Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos from offered an abundance of color AND over-the-top flavor. A win-win!

My only modifications were using Avocado Oil in place of Peanut/Canola Oil and doing more of a pan fry vs. deep fry ... and I didn't use as much corn starch.Starch.

I bought pre-shredded cabbage for ease, and we also made these into "Taco Bowls" instead of tacos ... absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying taco shells (and I even had some out) - our family just enjoys taco bowls a bit more, most of the time!

Such a fun & tasty PCOS-friendly meal that we will definitely make again!

What are your favorite colors (foods) to add to tacos?

03/13/2024

March is National Nutrition Month and today is a lesser known celebratory day - National Registered Dietitian Day!

What does a Dietitian do?
If I had to summarize, I would say that my professional goal is to help you manage your PCOS & get pregnant! Nutrition is the FOUNDATION of our health & fertility, and there are so many ways to meet your goals. I see everyone as an individual.

My oldest daughter best described my work as "putting together a puzzle." Each of my clients have unique lifestyles & goals above and beyond getting pregnant. How can we manage YOUR PCOS to achieve pregnancy?

I help you consume the most nutrient-dense foods, while taking into consideration your lifestyle, allergies/intolerances, and your likes/dislikes.

"Healthy" is subjective. Your idea of "healthy" is going to vary from someone else's "healthy." I honor that.

Everyone is starting with different levels of nutrition knowledge and different levels of fitness. Everyone likes different foods, has a different budget, and different amounts of time they can dedicate to meal prep, cooking, and exercise. Never feel shame when talking to me about your nutrition and goals because there is no shame in doing your best ... and everyone's "best" looks different.

I'm just here as support and to offer education & accountability when desired.

I take (straight) Medicare, Aetna (which has good preventative coverage!), and often BCBS MESSA & Priority Health will reimburse for a Superbill. Michigan Registered Dietitians are working hard for licensure in here in our state and we are hopeful that once licensed, we will be able to contract with even more insurance companies. In the meantime I accept FSA/HSA and private pay.

If you are looking to balance your hormones, improve your PCOS symptoms and get pregnant soon, then my 12-week program might be just the right fit! Ask me about "PCOS to Pregnancy" to learn how you can get started and get pregnant!

I have openings during the weekdays, but also take some evening & weekend clients. I am flexible and our conversations are fun. Oh, and my favorite food is ice cream. 😉

Send me a message if you relate!!

03/07/2024

These fish tacos were just what I needed for dinner yesterday. I love all of the fresh veggies, and the sauce was a base of plain Greek yogurt!

One of my favorite things about tacos is that I can enjoy one with the shell and go back for a second "taco salad" to get in even more veg.

I was debating just having leftovers yesterday, but I'm glad I made these instead!

I'll drop the link in the comments if you'd like to try, too.

02/23/2024

This is VITAL to us Michigan Dietitians and to YOU.

Currently, Michigan is one of just TWO states to not have licensure for Registered Dietitians. Though we are all equal in our base education (BS degree from an accredited university, year-long intensive internship, and RD examination ... and now also requiring a MS degree, which I have had), we are NOT equal in being able to easily see our patients!

Because Michigan dietitians are unlicensed, insurance companies majorly limit reimbursement for us Dietitians and our patients!!
Currently, Medicare & Aetna are the only two insurance contacts I can (and do!) hold. I have never met another MI Dietitian in private practice who takes (any) insurance ... because of the challenges.

This means ... almost all of my patients pay out of pocket for Medical Nutrition Therapy & Nutrition Counseling. This forces such limited access to nutrition education. Nutrition is the FOUNDATION of our health and should be one of the best covered services, yet here we stand.

If you are in support of me, in support of nutrition education coverage for Michigan citizens like you, and/or in support of accessibility to the foundation of health / preventative "medicine," PLEASE take just 2 minutes to fill this out and voice your opinion to your senator!!

Ironically, when I was working through undergrad back in 2002-2006, we were told that licensure was "just around the corner," and that they were working on it ... yet here we are, 20+ years later and still in the same situation. Michigan Dietitians could use your support and this majorly benefits YOU!

*As a side note, licensure will also help keep our title, "Registered Dietitian Nutritionist" more protected, which protects YOU against folks claiming to be a "nutritionist" or "health coach" after completing just a 3, or 8, or 36 hour course ... or signing up for a Direct Sales company that pushes diets & supplements without knowledge of the diet/supplement or appropriate knowledge of the client. (Side Note: a couple day course, or even a full semester, is NOT enough time to learn much of ANYTHING about nutrition. I have 9 years of nutrition education and I'm still learning every single day!)

Nutrition is probably the topic with THE most misinformation out there, and this is just one little step in trying to assure that accurate information comes from the right sources instead of self-proclaimed "nutritionists / health coaches" pushing supplements and quick fix programs that often do more harm than good. (I see the aftermath every day!)

So ... please take 2 minutes to sign and please share!! I know this is such a small, under-appreciated topic amongst so many bigger ones, but it is really important to Michigan Dietitians, and any of you who want to work with us to improve your health!

Thank you!!

HB 4608 reduces barriers for patient access to affordable Medical Nutrition Therapy. This legislation narrowly licenses Medical Nutrition Therapy as a critical component of healthcare in Michigan, while preserving the rights of those in the nutrition services industry.

⭐️Action Alert: https://www.votervoice.net/EAT.../1/campaigns/105419/respond
⭐️Tell YOUR senator to vote YES on HB4608. Need help finding your senator? https://senate.michigan.gov/FindYourSenator/
⭐️Check out the bill here: https://bit.ly/HB4608

02/22/2024

First, let me say that I know not every woman with PCOS has a "crappy diet" and/or is sedentary. I know that many ladies (I work with this type ALL the time) are already trying really hard to eat for PCOS & regularly move their bodies. Sometimes the plan just needs tweaking to get the results you are looking for!

That said, it is true! Though medications have their place, if you are jumping to medications and skipping over the nutrition & lifestyle piece, thinking the medication will just do the trick and you'll worry about nutrition / lifestyle later ... maybe it's time to re-think that.

👉 You will not get optimal results from medications without putting nutrition & lifestyle changes to the forefront. 👈

What do you have to lose?

It is my goal as a dietitian to help you get pregnant as naturally as possible using nutrition & lifestyle adjustments. If you are on board with this mindset then let's chat! I would love to work closer with you to help you achieve your goal of having a baby!

Send me a message if you are interested in joining us in the 12-week program, PCOS to Pregnancy!