The Gentle Nutrition Reset: Small Pivots to Lasting Healthy Eating Habits

I was not always conscious of my eating habits. When I was younger, having the petite, tiny Asian stature that I have, I thought I didn’t have to watch my diet as closely. I loved fast food and didn’t think twice about going through the drive-through. I didn’t think twice about a third (sometimes fourth!) slice of pizza. I drank Diet Coke—not every day, but with some regularity. I enjoyed a glass of wine or a mojito when we went out to dinner, and my favorite mimosa with every brunch.

Habits that were, in the bigger scheme of things, seemingly harmless. After all, they didn’t result in weight gain in my case. But as I continued to learn about obesity medicine, obesity as a disease, and lifestyle medicine, I discovered that they were not as harmless as I initially thought or wanted to believe.

Some time ago—about ten years now—when I started attending obesity medicine conferences, there were demonstrations of bio-impedance scales. For those unfamiliar, these scales use a very low-voltage electrical circuit that travels from your feet to your head. You don’t feel it, in case you were wondering. The scale then provides a readout of your total weight, lean muscle mass, fat mass, and visceral fat, among other things.

Visceral fat is the fat found in and around your organs, and when present in excess, it can increase the risk of chronic metabolic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and heart attack.

Now, I’ve always worked out. I’ve always had some form of physical activity and kept an active gym membership that I used pretty regularly. I did boot camp series back in the day and was confident I’d get a great result with this scale. Just you watch.

So I stepped on the scale and waited for my readout. To my surprise, my body fat percentage came back at 44%! The normal range for my age at the time (late 30s to early 40s) was 25–35%. I was way off!

I was incredulous. I told the man doing the demo that my result was wrong. I even had him poke my abs—because I had strong abs I was very proud of! Poor guy didn’t know what to do. (Ha!) But I was not having it. It was a pretty cringe-y situation, now that I think about it.

As it turns out, it was accurate. While I had visible abs, part of that high body fat percentage was visceral fat. As I learned more about obesity medicine, I came to understand that my condition was a phenomenon called “skinny fat.” I may have looked lean on the outside, but I was already carrying the risk for potential metabolic diseases because of internal fat accumulation.

Karaoke is the favorite past time of Filipinos!

It’s not all about my bad habits, of course. My being Asian counts for a lot, too. Compared to our Caucasian, Black or Hispanic counterparts, Asians have a higher risk of developing diabetes and other metabolic diseases at a lower BMI. In fact, the cutoff for “overweight” in Asian populations is a BMI of 23, and obesity starts at 27.5. For most other races, overweight begins at BMI 25, and obesity at 30 or higher. [Read the study here.] Moreover, among those studied, Filipinos had the highest prevalence of diabetes at 12.7%. As well as ----- and even more shocking ----- Across all groups, the combined adjusted prevalence of overweight/obesity was highest among Filipinos (78.6%)

Anyway, that first body composition scale reading opened my eyes. Over time, I began to change my eating habits. Five years later, I had reduced my body fat percentage to about 37%, and currently in 2025, it’s at 29%.

That didn’t happen overnight, as you can see—and neither did my habits. But little by little, I shifted - or pivoted (our favorite word in The Pivoting Physician!). I added more vegetables to my meals. I incorporated more healthy protein. I chose to skip the Diet Coke from time to time—until it no longer mattered whether I had it or not. I no longer drink “sweet creamer with my coffee”; I now mostly drink it black.

A very bad hangover a few years back led me to give up alcohol altogether. Even a whiff—or honestly, just the thought of it—makes me queasy now. These days, I very, very occasionally drink, and only after carefully asking myself:

“How would morning me feel about this?”

And more often than not, the answer is,

“Nope—morning me would say it’s not worth it.”

Over time I have become aware of what my body needs to thrive.

Over time, I realized that changing ones eating habit isn’t about willpower or rigid plans. It’s about gentle awareness—paying attention to how food makes you feel, how it fuels your day, and how consistent choices (mind you, not perfect ones, perfectionism not allowed) shape your long-term health.

When we approach nutrition with curiosity instead of criticism, everything changes. You start to make adjustments naturally: a little less sugar here, a bit more protein there, and suddenly your energy feels steadier, your mind clearer. Big changes or fad diets that over-promise but underdeliver is usually not the answer—what works are usually small pivots that quietly build lasting healthy eating habits. And a lot of self-compassion!

The Gentle Nutrition Reset

This week’s focus is on eating with intention, not restriction.It’s about finding your rhythm with food—the same way we found consistency in movement last week. Because how and when you nourish yourself matters just as much as what you eat.

Healthy Eating Plate from the Harvard Medical School Health Publications

Here’s what gentle nutrition looks like in real life:

• Choosing balanced meals that sustain your energy instead of spiking and crashing it.

• Eating slowly enough to taste your food—and to notice when you’re satisfied. Stopping when you are just about satisfied.

• Adding before subtracting: more color, more fiber, more hydration.

• Letting go of the “all-or-nothing” mindset. Let go of perfectionism.

These are the kinds of small, compassionate shifts that help your body build trust with you again. Over time, they create a foundation for metabolic health that feels effortless.

Over time you'll reject being "on a diet of restriction and deprivation", you will learn to be in a loving, nurturing, sustainable relationship with your body.

🌿 Week 3 Action Step: Small Pivots to Lasting Healthy Eating Habits

This is week 3 of out 10 week reset. If you missed it read last week's here. This week, I want you to take a gentle look at your current eating patterns—not to judge or overhaul them, but to simply notice.

Awareness is always the first pivot.It’s what turns mindless eating into mindful nourishment.

Instead of asking, “What do I need to cut out?”Ask, “What small shift can I add that would make me feel more nourished?”

Restriction doesn’t create lasting results—consistency does.

Simple, Gentle Pivots to Practice This Week

Try one or two of these and see what resonates for you:

1. Start your day with protein.It steadies blood sugar, supports focus, and curbs mid-morning cravings. Try eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or a protein smoothie.

2. Add color to every plate.Vegetables and fruits aren’t just fiber—they’re information for your cells. Did you know? Your body burns calories burning the right kinds of food! Aim for at least two different colors per meal.

3. Build balanced meals, not perfect ones.Use this easy formula: Protein + Fiber + Healthy Fat + Flavor.That could be grilled salmon with roasted veggies, or a simple omelet with avocado and greens.

4. Pause halfway through your meal.Take a breath. Check in: “Am I still hungry, or just eating out of habit?”That pause often shifts everything.

5. Hydrate before you caffeinate.A glass of water (even before coffee!) helps regulate digestion, mood, and energy.

6. Be curious about timing.If late-night snacking is your pattern, ask yourself: Am I actually hungry, or seeking comfort or stress relief? Gentle nutrition honors both the physical and emotional side of hunger.

The Gentle Nutrition Mindset

Gentle nutrition is about being present, mindful and intentional about our decisions.

Instead of being in the habit of saying “I’ll start Monday.”

Decide to “make one better choice today.”

And when that choice becomes consistent, it becomes a habit—and that habit becomes your new normal.

These small pivots don’t just improve your nutrition.They improve your relationship with yourself.

Reflection Prompt

Take a quiet moment this week to reflect:

“What’s one small change I can make to nourish my body with more kindness and consistency?” “How can I approach food with curiosity, not control?”

Write it down, and keep it visible as a reminder.

Gentle changes, done consistently, create lasting transformation.

Next week, we’ll pivot toward rest and recovery—why sleep is the unsung hero of metabolic health and the foundation of sustainable energy.

Until then, keep nourishing yourself with intention, grace, and those small daily pivots that add up to big change.

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DISCLAIMER: Lea Famularcano, MD is a medical doctor, but she is not your doctor. Topics discussed are purely informational only. She is not offering medical advice on this website.  If you are in need of professional advice or medical care, you must seek out the services of your doctor or health care professional.