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Hormone Balance

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You’re not stuck because you’re not trying. You’re

You’re not stuck because you’re not trying.
You’re stuck because no one ever showed you what to look for.

Granola is one of the biggest “I thought I was doing everything right” foods I see.

And I get it — it’s marketed as healthy.

But when we actually look at it?

Most granolas are:

oats + oil + honey/maple syrup + added sugar

So what feels like a light, healthy breakfast…

can easily turn into 30–50g of sugar before your day even starts.

And here’s where it starts to matter:

That blood sugar spike → crash
sets you up for:

cravings
energy dips
feeling out of control around food
and eventually… feeling like your body isn’t responding

This is exactly the pattern I see in women struggling with:

hormone imbalances
acne
PCOS
weight loss resistance

And it’s not because you’re doing everything wrong.

It’s because you’re doing a few things that look healthy…
but aren’t actually supporting your body.

Last week alone, I had multiple clients eating 250–350 calories of granola at breakfast without even realizing it.

This is why we do diet audits inside my program.

Not to restrict you.
Not to track forever.

But to show you what’s actually happening — so you can finally fix it.

Because once your blood sugar is stable…

everything gets easier.

your energy
your cravings
your hormones
your results

If you feel like you’re doing everything right but nothing is changing…

Comment FLOW and I’ll send you the next steps to work together.

Granola is a dessert topping, not breakfast. And

Granola is a dessert topping, not breakfast.

And I see this mistake all the time with clients.

Starting the day with a bowl of granola, thinking it’s a “healthy” option…

when in reality most granolas are:

oats + oil + honey/maple syrup + added sugar

So you’re getting 40–50g of sugar first thing in the morning.

Which leads to:

blood sugar spike → crash → cravings → energy dips → more sugar later

And then the “protein granola” swap doesn’t fix it.

Because now you’re getting:

low-quality protein
processed ingredients
still high sugar

Quality matters.

Your first meal sets the tone for your entire day hormonally.

Instead, build your breakfast around:

real protein
healthy fats
fiber

Think:

eggs
Greek yogurt
smoked salmon
leftovers from dinner

Save the granola for:

yogurt bowls
dessert
toppings

Not as your main meal.

This is one of the first things I fix with clients when we’re working on:

hormones
cravings
energy
weight loss

Because blood sugar stability changes everything.

You do need to move your body! 10k steps is a grea

You do need to move your body! 10k steps is a great starting point. Ready, steady, go! 👣

One of the biggest mistakes women make when trying

One of the biggest mistakes women make when trying to lose weight is assuming fat loss is only about calories.

Your metabolism is heavily influenced by hormones, especially thyroid hormones.

T3 is the active thyroid hormone responsible for metabolic activity inside your cells.

It controls:
• metabolic rate
• fat burning
• body temperature
• energy production
When T3 drops, your body shifts into energy conservation mode, making fat loss much harder.

This is something I frequently see in women who have spent years dieting, under-fueling, overtraining, and living in chronic stress.

Inside my functional nutrition practice we look deeper than basic labs so we can understand why the body is resisting fat loss and create a plan that supports your metabolism.

Comment FLOW if you want the application to work together.

Hi, I’m Darlene 🤍 Functional dietitian specializi

Hi, I’m Darlene 🤍

Functional dietitian specializing in women’s hormones, metabolism, and gut health.

But if you’ve been here a while, you know I’m also just a girly pop who loves pop culture.

I love croissants, Paris, and I’m happiest at concerts. I’m a workout class-aholic. I’m happiest blasting music and walking somewhere beautiful with an iced honey latte.

I’m a huge Formula One fan (I even have an F1 podcast called Pitwall Girls — yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like, F1 for the girls).

I share a Shih Tzu with my mom, Stella. Fun fact: we share the same birthday. Aries energy bby.

But the real reason I’m here is this:

I believe women deserve to understand their hormones.

Your cycle impacts everything!!!!
how you eat
how you train
how you socialize
how you feel.

Hormones aren’t a punishment. They’re powerful when you understand how to work with them.

So yes, this page is a mix of functional nutrition, cycle syncing, wellness routines, and a little pop culture.

Because taking care of your health should feel empowering… not restrictive.

And if you’re someone who believes anything is possible, loves a good croissant, and is willing to put in the work to feel your best —

you’re in the right place.

Welcome 🐝🍒⭐️

After working with 500+ women, the same patterns s

After working with 500+ women, the same patterns show up again and again.

Women aren’t failing because they lack discipline.

They’re stuck because they’ve never been taught the foundations that actually support hormones and metabolism.

Most women I work with are:

• under-eating
• relying on processed “high-protein” foods
• skipping real meals
• overthinking tiny nutrition details

Meanwhile the body responds by slowing metabolism and destabilizing blood sugar.

Another pattern I see often is relying on ultra-processed foods with added protein.

Many of these products are marketed as “high protein,” but when you look closer the nutrition can look something like:

10g protein
20g fat
15g added sugar

plus a long list of additives and stabilizers.

A protein powder here and there is completely fine.

But if most of your “protein” is coming from bars, cookies, cereals, and packaged snacks, your body is missing the nutrients that come from real protein sources like eggs, fish, poultry, yogurt, and meat.

Inside my FLOW Functional Nutrition Program, we rebuild these foundations so your body can finally respond the way it’s supposed to.

If you’re tired of guessing what to eat or feeling stuck in your progress…

Comment FLOW and I’ll send you the application to work together.

5 mile run to @harrystyles KATTDO 💋🕺🪩 fueled by 🥐

5 mile run to @harrystyles KATTDO 💋🕺🪩 fueled by 🥐 #preruncroissant #yogurtallthetime

You might not be anxious. You might just not be e

You might not be anxious.

You might just not be eating enough.

I know that sounds overly simple, but I’ve seen this pattern over and over again with women.

When I was 23 I went to the doctor because I felt mentally awful. I was anxious, overwhelmed, and just didn’t feel like myself.

You know what the solution was?

Medication.

No one asked what could be driving those symptoms. No one asked about my nutrition, my blood sugar patterns, or how much I was actually eating.

So I started digging deeper myself. I used a continuous glucose monitor and discovered my blood sugar was crashing constantly while my fasting insulin was rising. My body was stuck in a cycle of spikes and crashes, which can feel exactly like anxiety.

And I see this all the time in practice.

Recently a client told me she was so anxious her doctor prescribed Lexapro.

When I asked if it was helping, she said no.

Then we looked at her nutrition.

She was eating under 1200 calories a day when her body actually needed closer to 2200 calories.

When your brain doesn’t have enough fuel, it triggers a stress response. Your body releases cortisol and adrenaline to compensate.

That can feel like:

• anxiety
• racing thoughts
• irritability
• feeling overwhelmed
• poor focus

Blood sugar regulation impacts everything:

mental health
weight loss
inflammation
hormone signaling

This is exactly why I focus so heavily on blood sugar and nourishment with my clients.

Because when your body is properly fueled, everything starts to stabilize.

If anxiety is something you’re struggling with, comment ANXIETY and I’ll send you the application to work together so we can figure out what’s actually driving it.

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