Bio
Jennifer Hnat, RDN, LD, and Mindful Eating Expert
Hey there, I’m Jennifer Hnat (pronounced “not”), ex-professional dieter turned registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) and mindful eating expert who helps women and a few brave men repair their relationship with food and find more joy in their lives by divorcing diet behaviors, beliefs and habits.
I wasted over two decades stuck on the diet hamster wheel and eventually went way down the rabbit hole and developed the clean-eating disordered called orthorexia. I was actually attending UGA studying to become a dietitian when I self-diagnosed my condition in nutrition class. As I read about said eating disorder, I was in disbelief and an immense amount of shame hit me like a tidal wave.
But it would be years later before I would address the unbalanced relationship I had with food, much like a dysfunctional marriage.
In a 4-year nutshell, I finished my studies, was accepted into an internship in Augusta, sat for my national exam, and officially became a registered dietitian nutritionist!
Eventually my consciousness keep tapping me on the shoulder about my approach towards food as I burned out on a series of weight-centered career choices. I decided to explore then study mindful eating and became a facilitator for the Am I Hungry? mindful eating program with Michelle May, M.D. That decision jumpstarted my 5+ year personal journey and radically shifted the trajectory of my private practice forever.
Now I absolutely LOVE the work I do as much as the clients I serve to help them cross the food peace bridge and liberate their minds to a more joyful existence in their body. It takes time, patience, surrender, and trust, but I can attest that it is the best #selfcare gift. Period.
If you’re curious about the non-diet movement and creating a more balanced approach towards eating, read more below.
Services
My services are available on my website: nutritionatlanta.com
My passion in life is to guide people over the food freedom bridge and connect them with a vital internal resource I’ve coined as the Intelligent Belly/Body Wisdom™or {IBW™}. This is the internal GPS that we are all born for guidance on meal timing, food selection, and portion sizes to help create food satisfaction and joy. Yes, I said JOY.
I realize juxtaposing “food” and “joy” can feel unconventional to the chronic dieter. After all, the whole purpose of restricting food is to lose weight, right? And the daily narrative is that food is the issue, your food choices are wrong, and you probably eat too much as well.
But when you start untethering yourself from the diet mentality and reconnect with your internal awareness {IBW™} through mindful and intuitive eating skills, you start to reconnect to the subtle and not so subtle cues from your body. By honoring that wisdom, you are able to find your body’s easy, natural weight without the food struggle.
Ultimately that shouldn’t be your goal because focusing on weight loss is what disconnects you to your {IBW™} in the first place.
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If I was able to repair my relationship with food after 20+ years of chronic, yo-yo dieting, then you can too.
My services include the following:
- 1:1 Nutrition Counseling: stop dieting, get to the bottom of chronic GI issues, food sensitivities, and other medical nutrition therapy (like diabetes, hypertension, etc); in office or virtual appointments
- Sati Mindful MasterClass: this comprehensive, year-long program will teach you my tips and tricks from 20+ years of nutrition experience to finally make peace with food and your body and become your own nutrition guru!
- Plant-based Food Prep Class: this 90-minute virtual class is custom-designed to your taste buds and nutrition goals. A 15–20 minute virtual session is included for us to discuss any food allergies or preferences to help increase your food wisdom and kitchen confidence.
- 30-Day Mindful Eating Challenge: my signature DIY program to help you start the journey to repair your relationship with food and your body. Food and eating doesn’t have to be complicated. You’ll learn 15 new eating skills to help you replace unsustainable habits with more mindful ones.
- OAT lab test: a sneak-peek at how your body is processing and utilizing proteins, fats, and carbs (via a urine test that can be done in the privacy of your home). Not recommended for any client with an active eating disorder or unbalanced relationship with food, dieting, and your body.
- Corporate Virtual Lunch & Learns: a great way to motivate your colleagues to increase their health literacy and improve their overall well-being with a fun, interactive, and educational virtual class. Please contact me for details and rates.
I am also a guest lecturer and preceptor to dietetic intern students at Georgia State University, have been featured on local television stations, podcasts, and other media outlets, and currently am in the process of writing my first book about my experience with dieting and how I healed my food relationship with a combination of mindful, intuitive, and intentional eating skills.
Actually I’ve written two really BAD books that thankfully never killed any trees printing them! By the grace of every single diety known to man, my authentic book concept was recently downloaded to me and it feels like that “finally” sensation when you find your human to partner up with, soul mate, and twin flame. It’s a raw but honest journey from non-diet to orthorexia to balanced eating with an unconventional twist to boot.
If you want to be inspired by other people who have worked with me and understand the range of my expertise, you can read kind words from amazing clients who committed to their health HERE.
Contact
You can fill out a contact form HERE or email me at jennifer(at)nutrition atlanta(dot)com if you are somehow unable to connect with the link.
Thank you
If you enjoy my writing and energy, I encourage you to sign up, follow me, and clap if you like my articles (at the bottom left of them, similar to liking a social media post). Your contribution helps me build a following and since I’m new here, I need all the help I can get!
Big hugs, darling, I so appreciate your support :)
