Regain control.
Kara Ganssle Pachniuk ’08
- Director of Nutrition at POP Weight Loss in Old Saybrook, Conn.
- Psychobiology major
“To regain control after the holidays, give yourself a formal bedtime. Lack of restorative sleep can throw off your schedule as well as affect cravings and hunger.”
“Stay hydrated. Drinking water throughout the day will help with organ function and energy levels, as well as help prevent overeating.”
“Move. Walking around the mall or outlets can count as exercise. The key is to move every day. If you are active, make exercise non-negotiable.”
“Plan your meals, even if you are planning one day in advance. If you have healthy options on hand, it’s easier to make better choices. There are grocery delivery services that may be helpful if it’s difficult to leave the home or to find time to shop.”
“Eat every few hours to prevent dips in blood sugar. If you maintain stable blood sugar, you will be able to fight temptations.”
My career path: “Upon graduation, I took a role as a treatment coordinator at the Groden Center in Providence, R.I. For a little over two years I worked closely with children who had developmental disorders and autism. Nutrition was a field that always interested me, so I took the opportunity to study at the University of Bridgeport’s Nutrition Institute, where I receive my master’s degree in clinical nutrition. After graduating with honors, I worked for a physician in Fairfield, Conn. Now, I consult with clients as young as nine and as old as seventy-nine, and its this constant variety that I love. I also do a lot of presentations. I travel to various businesses for lunch and learns, as well as appearing on the WTNH New Haven news station to air segments on nutrition. My background in neuroscience led me to work with children with autism, but it was those students who led me to study nutrition.”