uly is a month bursting with nutrition-themed festivities, particularly for school children. It’s during this time that the “Nutrition Month” celebration takes center stage, reminding children about the vital Go, Glow, Grow campaign.
However, for adults who have moved past their school days, the chance to partake in this celebration may seem out of reach. Thankfully, Jo Sebastian utilizes diverse social media platforms to ensure that grown-ups are not left behind and sprinkles her wisdom as a game-changing dietitian to adults.
If one has seen those trendy diets and super strict meal plans flooding the social media, one will likely realize that these often lead to false hopes and unrealistic expectations. They might seem enticing but it’s a cruel trick on their followers, leading them down a rabbit hole of disappointment because of the lack of long-term results.
This makes Jo Sebastian a breath of fresh air in the world of nutrition for adults. Unlike those rigid diet plans, Jo puts the emphasis on something much more important: building a healthy relationship with food.
Meet Jo, the registered nutritionist-dietitian extraordinaire. Armed with a BS Community Nutrition degree from the University of the Philippines, Diliman, she’s also a fitness enthusiast and a true believer in the power of food freedom. One will find her actively sharing valuable nutrition nuggets on social media, helping adults navigate the sometimes confusing world of health and wellness.
Rather than discouraging indulgence in these cravings, Jo ingeniously reimagines a balanced diet where one can savor fast food without a twinge of guilt. Through her content, Jo introduces to viewers a healthier and happier relationship with food. It’s time to make peace with one’s plates and savor every delicious moment proving that these guilty pleasures can still be a part of a well-rounded lifestyle.
How Jo eats chicken inasal:
In this video, she presents a well-favorite dish among Filipinos consisting of protein-rich pecho, nourishing carbohydrates sourced from rice, and a serving of hot soup. But to further enrich the nutritional profile, she incorporates fiber-laden boiled broccoli and finishes it up with a dash of chicken oil. She then munches on her food like a normal person and reminds viewers of her powerful slogan: “We’re all about adding, not restricting.”
How Jo eats instant noodles:
Jo Sebastian elucidates the nutritional components of the noodles and accompanying sauce, highlighting their carbohydrate and fat content to the viewers. To incorporate dietary fiber, she includes finely chopped cabbage and carrots. Additionally, she suggests adding an egg for an extra protein boost. Concluding her video, she delivers a poignant reminder to her viewers: “You always deserve to eat.”
How Jo eats pizza:
In this content, Jo talks about the convenience and accessibility of pizzas while noting that they can also offer a reasonably balanced option. She highlights the dough as the carbohydrate source in pizza, along with the cheese providing protein and fat. To enhance the nutritional value, Jo suggests loading up the slice with additional toppings such as bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, and pineapples. Alternatively, she mentions that adding a side salad can provide an extra protein boost, although it is not mandatory.
“One thing I noticed whenever I have pizza is that it takes a lot of pizza for me to feel satisfied so I like to load it up with extra fiber and protein to feel more satisfied. But what is most important is to focus on mindful eating, really take time to enjoy every bite so that you can feel comfortably satisfied,” said Jo.
“Why do we say add, do not restrict? When you focus on restriction, you focus on the things that you are not supposed to eat so now you’re just thinking about it and you’re stressing about it and you feel bad if ever you want it but when you focus on what to add, you are given a direction, a goal, and it makes you feel so much more accomplished when you’re doing something rather than holding yourself back,” said Jo.
With an impressive following of 2.2 million likes on TikTok, an educational Instagram platform, and a popular Spotify podcast titled “The Donut Box Podcast,” Jo has expanded her reach to connect with viewers on various platforms. Her content now revolves around addressing facts and debunking misconceptions about diets. Jo emphasizes the importance of cultivating a positive relationship with one’s body and focusing on making adjustments or additions rather than restrictive measures. She feels bad when encountering fear-based approaches to diets, where certain foods are demonized or labeled as inherently good or bad.
“Stop labeling food as good or bad, clean or junk, let’s just call food, food. You can try out more nutrient dense or less nutrient dense but let’s stop putting negative labels around food because there is no good or bad food,” said Jo.
While it’s true that not all foods have the same nutritional value, it’s important to avoid attaching negative labels to food. Placing judgment on certain foods can lead to a negative internalization and unhealthy relationship with food.
“Just because you eat a cookie you feel like the worst person in the world and it’s ruined your diet and you fall into the shame spiral. Attaching moral value to food and judging yourself for your food choices is not going to help you. It would actually make it harder for you to make healthy habits and changes. So instead focus on seeing food as food with everything having something to offer and you choosing which gives you the most satisfaction for the moment,” explained Jo.
“Remember it takes time to get out of the cycle but you can do this,” added Jo.