You finished your plate... but you’re still hungry. Now what? In this week’s Healthy Holiday Series episode of Backyard Health, Erin breaks down exactly how to navigate seconds, manage fullness cues, and enjoy your favorite Thanksgiving foods — without guilt, restriction, or the “I blew it” mindset. You’ll learn: ✨ The More? Sure! model — your go-to framework for mindful second helpings ✨ How to tell the difference between hunger and cravings ✨ Advanced holiday eating tools to h...

Welcome to the Healthy Holidays Series on the Backyard Health Podcast! 🎄 If you’ve ever told yourself “I can’t lose weight during the holidays,” this episode will challenge that belief — and help you rewrite the story. We’ll talk about why so many of us associate the holidays with chaos, guilt, and “starting over in January,” and how those thought patterns actually wire your brain and body to repeat the same cycles year after year. You’ll learn how to shift from survival mode to strategy mode...

Halloween is here—and with it comes the candy, the chaos, and the “sugar season” that rolls right into Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. In this week’s episode, Erin breaks down what sugar actually does to your body and your kids’ developing brains—without the scare tactics or the guilt. You’ll learn the difference between natural vs. added sugars (and whether that even matters for your kids), what happens to dopamine and blood sugar when we overload on sweets, and why sugar cravings o...

The holidays are supposed to be joyful — but let’s be honest, they can also be a minefield for mindless eating. Between travel, stress, social events, and the constant swirl of “treat yourself” messages, it’s easy to slip into habits that leave you feeling overfull, disconnected, and frustrated with your body. In this episode of Backyard Health, Erin brings you back to center with a grounding conversation on mindful eating — not as a set of food rules, but as a skill for staying connected to ...

The cold season is here — school germs are flying, holiday parties are stacking up, and your immune system is working overtime. In this episode, we’re diving into how to actually support your immunity (and energy) in real life — not just with vitamin C packets and wishful thinking. We’ll break down the functional nutrition side of immune resilience — what happens to your metabolism, gut lining, and recovery when stress, sugar, and sleep deprivation collide — and how key nutrients like amino a...

Happy October! 🍂 In today’s episode, Erin’s re-releasing a powerful mini-training she originally shared with her October group challenge back in 2023. This one is all about uncovering your deeper WHY—the real driving force behind your health and fat loss journey. Here’s the truth: saying “I want to lose weight” isn’t enough. That’s not a goal—it’s an outcome. And outcomes don’t carry you through the hard days, the setbacks, or the moments when motivation fades. What does? A WHY that’s r...

In this episode of Backyard Health, we’re diving deep into how carbs and blood sugar regulation impact fat loss, energy, and long-term metabolic health. You’ll learn what blood sugar imbalance actually feels like in your body, why “naked carbs” set off the dreaded eat-crash-crave-repeat cycle, and how to balance your meals so you stop riding the rollercoaster and start building steady energy that supports your goals. We’ll also look at the science behind the scenes: Labs that matter most for ...

Why do we wait until January 1st to start fresh when fall is already the real reset most of us live by? In this episode of Backyard Health, I’m breaking down the difference between goals and intentions — and why anchoring into both is the secret to making lasting change. You’ll learn: ✨ Why goals alone often feel empty (and why resolutions fizzle out). ✨ How intentions fuel your energy, clarity, and daily decisions. ✨ Simple journal prompts to help you set aligned intention...

Most people think weight loss comes down to willpower or cutting out entire food groups — but the truth is, it’s about learning a skill. In this episode of Backyard Health, Erin breaks down the exact framework for building balanced meals that keep hunger, cravings, and hormones in check. You’ll learn: Why cravings and “being good all day, then blowing it at night” have less to do with discipline and more to do with physiology. The 4-part meal framework (veggies, protein, fats, carbs) that ma...

Protein has become one of the most polarizing topics in nutrition — some people are turning everything into a “high-protein” version (hello, protein popcorn and protein cookies), while others roll their eyes and swear it’s just another fad. So what’s the truth? In this episode of Backyard Health, Erin cuts through the noise and breaks down exactly what protein does in your body — and why it might be the missing piece between you and the steady energy, satiety, and fat loss you’ve been chasing...

When you think of grief, you probably think about losing a loved one. But what about the grief that comes with changing your health? The truth is—anytime you let go of foods, routines, or identities you’ve loved, you go through a grieving process. In this episode of Backyard Health, I share my own postpartum story of running advanced labs that revealed elevated thyroid antibodies, gut barrier dysfunction, and food sensitivities. The results meant big changes for me—going gluten-free, dairy-fr...

We throw the word “sluggish” around all the time — sluggish digestion, sluggish circulation, sluggish detox — but what does that actually mean in the body? In this episode of Backyard Health, I break down the physiology behind sluggish systems and show you how they connect to mineral imbalances that we can actually measure with HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis) testing. You’ll learn: The body systems that can truly become sluggish — from digestion and circulation to thyroid, adrenals, liver...

In this episode of Backyard Health, I’m pulling back the curtain on food sensitivity testing so you can finally understand what those results mean — and more importantly, how to actually use them without cutting out everything you love. We’re going to talk about: The real difference between allergies, sensitivities, and intolerances (because most people mix these up) How IgA and IgG antibodies tell us where in your body your immune system is reacting — and why it matters The specific patter...

You don’t binge because you’re broken. You binge because your body doesn’t feel safe. In this episode of Backyard Health, we’re peeling back the layers of boredom eating—not just the habit, but the deeper biology and emotional patterns underneath it. If your evenings are filled with snacks you didn’t really want… If stillness makes you restless… If “being good all day” always ends in “blowing it” at night… This episode will change how you see yourself. For good. We’ll explor...

You don’t need to live on Tums. And reflux doesn't have to mean forever — when you understand the system. In Part 2 of this upper GI series, Erin walks you through the 5R functional healing framework — the exact method she uses with clients to address reflux at the root and finally relieve pressure, inflammation, and digestive chaos. You’ll learn: How to remove symptom triggers without starving or fearing foodWhat to replace when stomach acid and enzymes are missingHow to reinoculate your mic...

Think reflux is just about acid? Think again. In Part 1 of this deep-dive series, Erin unpacks why most GERD sufferers are misdiagnosed, mistreated, and still stuck on PPIs — even when the real issue isn’t too much acid, but too much pressure in the wrong places. You’ll learn: The anatomy and purpose of the upper GI tract (and what happens when it breaks down)The 4 distinct types of reflux (GERD, LPR, refractory GERD, and non-erosive) — and why they require different strategiesHow stress, vag...

Think you’re failing because you’re hungry, tired, or not seeing the scale move? Think again. In this episode of Backyard Health, Erin pulls back the curtain on what a real fat loss phase feels like—physically, mentally, and emotionally. You’ll learn: Why hunger is a normal and necessary part of a true calorie deficitFunctional signs of active fat loss that go way beyond the scaleThe surprising hormonal and metabolic shifts that happen when your body starts burning stored fatHow to interpret ...

You’re showing up. You’re pushing through. You’re doing “the hard things” because that’s what it takes to get healthy… right? But here’s the question no one asks: 🍋 Is that stress helping your body grow—or is it keeping you stuck? In this episode of Backyard Health, we dive into one of the most important distinctions in your healing or weight loss journey: the difference between a challenge that strengthens you… and a stressor that sabotages you. Because not all effort leads to results...

What’s actually better for your body — a handful of supplements or a plate of real food? In today’s episode of Backyard Health, we’re answering one of the most common questions I get: Should I be taking supplements… or can I just get what I need from food? We’ll unpack: How supplements deliver minerals differently than whole foodsThe risks of high-dose, isolated nutrients (and why they sometimes make you feel worse)Why whole foods offer minerals in a more balanced, body-friendly wayThe power...

Is your gut holding you back from real, sustainable fat loss? In this episode of Backyard Health, Erin Botticelli peels back the layers on one of the most overlooked—but critical—systems in weight loss: your gut microbiome. From cravings and fatigue to inflammation and plateaus, your digestive health might be quietly running the show. You’ll learn: Why your gut is the “CEO” of your metabolism (and what happens when it’s inflamed or imbalanced) How to use food color as a nutritional strategy—...