There’s a Place for Everyone: Balancing Weight Management and a Non-Diet Approach at Evergreen Health and Wellness

Hi, I’m Johannah Schrader — Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, and owner of Evergreen Health and Wellness. I want to share something foundational to how I work with every client: there is no one “right” way to approach nutrition and health.

Over the years—both professionally and personally—I’ve seen how our needs evolve. There have been seasons in my life when I needed structure to manage health conditions effectively. At other times, I focused deeply on healing my relationship with food and embracing a more intuitive, non-diet approach.

And you know what? That’s completely normal.

Despite what you may hear from popular nutrition narratives, it’s not a failure or contradiction to shift between approaches. It’s a reflection of your changing needs — and a sign that you’re listening to your body.

Why Both Approaches Have Value

At Evergreen Health and Wellness, I believe that both structured, weight management-focused strategies and compassionate, intuitive non-diet approaches have a place.

Sometimes, clear nutrition guidelines, metabolic testing, tracking intakes, and targeted macronutrient meal plans are exactly what’s needed—especially when managing chronic conditions like diabetes, insulin resistance, or thyroid disorders.

Other times, the most powerful step is letting go of restriction, tuning into your body’s cues, and building a sustainable relationship with food that isn’t dictated by calorie counts or scale numbers.

And this isn’t just my personal take—there’s solid evidence to support both.

Research shows that moderate, sustainable weight management—whether through Mediterranean-style eating or medication-assisted therapy like semaglutide—can reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, dementia, and mortality.

At the same time, intuitive eating interventions consistently demonstrate improvements in diet quality, cholesterol, blood pressure, psychological well-being, and long-term weight stability—even without focusing on weight loss as a goal.

Seems like a win-win, doesn’t it?

My Approach: Personalized and Flexible

What I offer is a personalized, flexible approach grounded in evidence and compassion. We often start by building solid foundations — nourishing habits, sustainable movement, and lifestyle rhythms that support your well-being.

Depending on your needs and goals, we might move toward more structured interventions like metabolic testing or personalized nutrition plans. Or, when the time is right, we can pivot toward intuitive eating principles, body respect, and food freedom.

Meeting You Where You Are

That flexibility is at the heart of what I do. Whether you're ready for a focused plan to improve health markers or looking to make peace with food, there’s a place for you here.

Your journey is yours. My role is to walk alongside you, offering tools, expertise, support, and encouragement — without judgment, without pressure, and always with kindness.

If you’re curious about how this balanced, personalized nutrition approach could support your goals, I’d love to connect. Evergreen Health and Wellness offers a range of services tailored to your needs, including metabolic testing, nutrition counseling, and diabetes education.

References

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Garvey, W. T., Mechanick, J. I., Brett, E. M., Garber, A. J., Hurley, D. L., Jastreboff, A. M., ... & Handelsman, Y. (2016). American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and American College of Endocrinology comprehensive clinical practice guidelines for medical care of patients with obesity. Endocrine Practice, 22(Suppl 3), 1–203. https://doi.org/10.4158/EP161365.GL

Lichtenstein, A. H., Appel, L. J., Vadiveloo, M., Hu, F. B., Kris-Etherton, P. M., Rebholz, C. M., ... & Van Horn, L. (2021). 2021 dietary guidance to improve cardiovascular health: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation, 144(23), e472–e487. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001031

Van Dyke, N., & Drinkwater, E. J. (2014). Relationships between intuitive eating and health indicators: Literature review. Public Health Nutrition, 17(8), 1757–1766. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980013002139

Linardon, J., Tylka, T. L., & Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, M. (2021). Intuitive eating and its psychological correlates: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 54(7), 1073–1098. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23509

Teas, E., Kimiecik, J., Ward, R. M., & Timmerman, K. (2022). Intuitive eating and biomarkers related to cardiovascular disease in older adults. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 54(5), 412–421. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2022.01.010

Cruwys, T., Bevelander, K. E., & Hermans, R. C. J. (2015). Social modeling of eating: A review of when and why social influence affects food intake and choice. Appetite, 86, 3–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2014.08.035

Carrard, I., Rothen, S., & Rodgers, R. F. (2021). Body image concerns and intuitive eating in older women. Appetite, 164, 105275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2021.105275