That's Healthy?! – Details, episodes & analysis

This week, I'm breaking down protein recommendations in a way that finally makes sense. I walk through why the RDA is only meant to prevent deficiency, what an ideal protein range actually looks like, and how to personalize your target based on your own body composition and goals.

I also share the hierarchy of protein intake, daily totals, meal distribution, protein quality, and timing, so you know exactly what to prioritize for satiety, muscle support, and long-term success.

Connect with Hope:

• Follow on Instagram 
• Join my email list
• Check out my website

Resources & Links:

• Alan Aragon @thealanaragon
• Layne Norton @biolayne
• Bill Campbell @billcampbellphd
• 7 Days of Simple Meals  eBook
• 30-Minute  Nutrition Consultation
• The Hopewell Approach  Course
• 1:1 Nutrition Coaching
• Hopewell Health recipes

Make sure to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode!

In today's episode, I'm sharing another tracking tip in my simplified macro tracking series — this time, it's all about how to incorporate energy-dense foods into your day without derailing your goals.

I dive into why these foods (think cinnamon rolls, chips, queso, or a margarita) don't have to be labeled "treats" or "cheat meals" and how they can actually be a normal, satisfying part of a sustainable diet. I break down strategies for balancing indulgent foods with your macros, the importance of planning ahead, and how to focus on the overall picture instead of falling into an all-or-nothing mindset.

I also cover the difference between energy-dense and nutrient-dense foods, the impact of food volume on hunger and satiety, and why looking at weekly averages, not daily perfection, is the key to long-term success.

Connect with Hope:

• Follow on Instagram 
• Join my email list
• Check out my website

Resources & Links:

• Episode 40: Tracking Tip: When and Why it's Okay to Estimate
• 7 Days of Simple Meals eBook
• 30-Minute Nutrition Consultation 
• The Hopewell Approach Course
• 1:1 Nutrition Coaching
• Hopewell Health recipes

Make sure to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode!

I'm excited to have Jessie Jarvis on today's episode! Jessie and I met at an event in Denver recently, and we thought it would be so much fun to be guests on each other's podcasts! 

Jessie is a third-generation rancher on her family's ranch, she's also the founder and CEO of Of The West, a job platform connecting job seekers and businesses in the agriculture and western industries. Her podcast, Leaders Of The West, has a mission to foster a community of pioneers, innovators, and leaders who want to be at the forefront of what's next. Jessie is also a wife and mother of two children. 

In this episode, we dive into how Jessie successfully juggles ranch life, family life, career, and more. She shares tips on how she prioritizes her day, stays organized, and plans her meals. We also talk about what self-care means to us and how Jessie achieves it by putting the things important to her at the top of the list of things to do in the day. She'll share her thoughts on putting value on your time and how you can achieve your goals by working hard. 

Connect with Jessie Jarvis

• Follow on @mrsjjarv
• Listen to her podcast, Leaders of the West
• Visit Of the West

Connect with Hope:

• Follow on Instagram 
• Join my email list
• Check out my website

Resources & Links:

• Leaders of the West, Episode 67, What's Healthy? with Registered Dietitian, Hope Brandt
• Chef Hat and Apron Set for Kids
• 7 Days of Simple Meals  eBook
• 30-Minute Nutrition Consultation 
• The Hopewell Approach Course
• 1:1 Nutrition Coaching
• Hopewell Health recipes

Make sure to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode!

I'm so excited to have Ally Spears with me today! Ally is a fourth-generation farmer and rancher originally from northern California, but after attending Texas A&M, she made Texas her home. She received her undergraduate degree in ag business and is a program coordinator for the Poultry Science Department at Texas A&M, focusing on youth programming and recruitment.

She is also pursuing her Ph.D. in ag communications as she sees a need for consumers to better understand where their food is coming from. Her research is focused on social media and beef influencers online. Ally shares how she believes women are the needles that move the ranching and farming industries forward. Aly's podcast, Ag Chicks, helps highlight and introduce women who are doing incredible things to help feed our world. 

In this episode, Ally shares what it's like being a generational farmer and rancher, what goes on in the beef industry, what a cattle producer's processes look like from start to finish, and what hurdles the beef industry is overcoming. She also busts some myths and misinformation about utilizing hormones and antibiotics in cattle. We talk a lot about the purpose of raising cattle and the importance of farmers, ranchers, and how just 2% of the population is feeding 100% of the population. 

Connect with Ally Spears: 

• Follow on Instagram
• Listen to her podcast Ag Chicks
• Visit her website

Connect with Hope:

• Follow on Instagram 
• Join my email list
• Check out my website

Resources & Links:

• 7 Days of Simple Meals eBook
• 30-Minute Nutrition Consultation 
• The Hopewell Approach Course
• 1:1 Nutrition Coaching
• Hopewell Health recipes

Make sure to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode!

I'm excited to have Esosa Osagiede with me in today's episode. Esosa is a Registered Dietician focusing on helping women striving to lose fat, build muscle, and repair their relationship with food. In this episode, we cover a wide variety of topics, such as the importance of fiber, body recomposition tips, red flags when you see extreme progress in a short amount of time, and how to remain committed to your health journey. 

We talk about mindset being the key to sustainable results and how discipline is self-care, not punishment. This episode is filled with Esosa's knowledge and how she helps her clients start their journey even when they have a fear of failure.

Connect with Esosa Osagiede, RD:

• Follow on Instagram

Connect with Hope:

• Follow on Instagram 
• Join my email list
• Check out my website

Resources & Links:

• 7 Days of Simple Meals eBook
• 30-Minute Nutrition Consultation 
• The Hopewell Approach Course
• 1:1 Nutrition Coaching
• Hopewell Health recipes

Make sure to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode!

In today's episode, I have a multi-faceted topic: metabolism. I recently had a client ask me if weight gain through certain phases of life is inevitable. While there are many factors that go into metabolism and weight, we can help the process along in different ways.  Metabolism is the combination of all the chemical processes that allow an organism to sustain life. It's the conversion of energy from food into energy for life-sustaining tasks such as breathing, blood circulation, building and repairing cells, digesting food, etc.

I'm sharing the findings of a study I found (linked below) that examined metabolism across many different ages, geographical locations, and genders. This episode covers how metabolism changes throughout a lifetime. I also share information on basal metabolic rate, what that means, why some people's metabolism is faster than others, and how genetics can play a part. I explain how calories are burned and what affects that, how different foods have different thermodynamic effects, how energy expenditure changes as we age, and tips to help keep our metabolisms running efficiently.

Connect with Hope:

• Follow on Instagram 
• Join my email list
• Check out my website

Resources & Links:

• Daily energy expenditure through the human life course
• 7 Days of Simple Meals eBook
• 30-Minute Nutrition Consultation 
• The Hopewell Approach Course
• 1:1 Nutrition Coaching
• Hopewell Health recipes

Make sure to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode!

This is a special recording, as tomorrow is MK's first birthday! I thought this was the perfect time to talk about how to handle food at holidays and celebrations. In today's episode, I'm sharing strategies and tips for pre-planning and participating in these life moments. I chat with my clients a lot about this, and I always come back to the question of whether we have the right foundations in place on a daily basis; these types of events shouldn't make or break our progress. We can approach them with curiosity and look at them as a practice to always be prepared for future events.

One of the biggest things I do to plan ahead before a bigger occasion is to take a step back and focus on the actual reason we are celebrating--because it's not food. It's usually a person or a special thing that has happened. Remembering that can set the tone for your mind to not focus on food. To set ourselves up for success, we need to have realistic expectations of how we react and behave around food at these events. This episode will help you with awareness and ideas on how to make choices that align with your goals.

Connect with Hope:

• Follow on Instagram 
• Join my email list
• Check out my website

Resources & Links:

• 7 Days of Simple Meals eBook
• 30-Minute Nutrition Consultation 
• The Hopewell Approach Course
• 1:1 Nutrition Coaching
• Hopewell Health recipes

Make sure to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode!

This episode is the second part and wrap-up of my postpartum body recomposition journey. I'm sharing more about my personal journey and what it took to maintain consistency. If your goal is body recomposition or fat loss, this episode covers how you must be in a caloric deficit, following the laws of energy balance, and staying consistent to see results. The number one reason I succeeded in my journey is that I never questioned if I was doing the right thing. My strategy always focused on energy balance and muscle maintenance, and I never thought I was doing it wrong. I'm sharing why my strategy and experience are the foundation of my coaching method.

Connect with Hope:

• Follow on Instagram 
• Join my email list
• Check out my website

Resources & Links:

• Episode 29, 3 Components of Successful Body Recomposition
• Episode 18, My Postpartum Body Recomposition Journey So Far & The Power of Choice
• Episode 8, 3 Pillars of a Sustainable Diet + PEC Plates & 2-Mac-Snacks
• Episode 1, My History with the Paleo Diet & 3 Major Changes to My Nutrition Philosophy
• 7 Days of Simple Meals eBook
• 30-Minute Nutrition Consultation 
• The Hopewell Approach Course
• 1:1 Nutrition Coaching
• Hopewell Health recipes

Make sure to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode!

In today's episode, I'm sharing the three main components of successful body recomposition. I dive deeper into each one: being in a steady caloric deficit, eating 0.75 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily, and consistent resistance training. I'm reflecting on my own postpartum journey using these three components and what it can look like for you. You'll learn how and why body recomposition can be successful using the knowledge and experience I share in this episode. 

Connect with Hope:

• Follow on Instagram 
• Join my email list
• Check out my website

Resources & Links:

• 7 Days of Simple Meals eBook
• 30-Minute Nutrition Consultation 
• The Hopewell Approach Course
• 1:1 Nutrition Coaching
• Hopewell Health recipes
  
  

Make sure to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode!

In today's episode, I'm walking you through the difference between increasing your protein vs. increasing your protein ratio in your diet. Adding protein or supplements won't get the results you may be looking for if your meal's protein, fat, and carbohydrate ratio is off. I'll share a real-world example of an actual meal one of my clients had and how I adjusted it to increase its protein ratio. Understanding how to look at ratios will help you plan, track, and reach your goals. 

Connect with Hope:

• Follow on Instagram 
• Join my email list
• Check out my website

Resources & Links:

• 7 Days of Simple Meals eBook
• 30-Minute Nutrition Consultation 
• The Hopewell Approach Course
• 1:1 Nutrition Coaching
• Hopewell Health recipes

Make sure to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode!