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Interview: What Fran Allen Wants You To Know About Nutrition
Toronto non-diet nutritionist Fran Allen takes an open minded, inclusive approach to nutrition, inspired by her own relationship to food. Her instagram profile is full of colour and positivity and we love the community she's building through her supportive approach to health and wellness.
We asked her a few questions to get to know her better.
What brings you pleasure these days?
These days I’m really loving the ability to take things slowly. This time in lockdown has been such a learning experience on who and what I prioritize day to day. I usually tend to thrive on being busy and over exerting myself (I love doing all the things) but right now I have the space to explore what I actually want to do instead of just being busy for the sake of it.
Do you believe in setting New Year's resolutions?
I’m not a New Year’s Resolution type of gal. This last year was rough for so many reasons and I feel like the idea of a resolution kind of signifies that you did something wrong/ need to resolve something. I think if you’ve made it out of 2020, you are doing great.
I do like intentions though, I find they give you more space to bring awareness into the journey as opposed to being just corrective or goal focused. This year my intentions are mostly focused on setting boundaries, pursuing joy and having a healthy pregnancy and birth.
What's your current favourite dinner?
Currently I’m loving really comforting and familiar dinners. A pot of braised white beans with greens, lots of garlic and crusty bread or roast chicken with roasted root veggies and potatoes. I’m happy to take a bit more time to cook in the winter and find I tend to crave richer, more satisfying dinners. My Miso Ginger and Squash Soup has been a favourite lately too.
What daily routine can you not live without?
Being in nature, I really find it helps me unwind a refocus after a day of zoom calls or screen time. I’ll normally stay close to home during the week but I really enjoy a long hike with my partner on the weekends. We like to go visit lots of different spots, I wrote about a few of my favourites here.
I also find keeping a routine, like waking up at the same time, making my bed, showering and getting dressed in the morning has been so important for my energy and focus during the day. Even if I’m just working on my computer by myself, I find it helps a lot.
What is the one thing you wish everyone understood about nutrition?
I wish people would understand that weight and health are not mutually exclusive. There are several things you can do to improve your health and relationship with food that do not revolve around shrinking your body. Weight Stigma is still such a big part of the culture and it does so much damage to people everyday, from those not receiving adequate medical care to online harassment to folk literally hurting themselves to be in smaller bodies.