If you or someone you care about is having a tough time through this pandemic (and we have all gone through waves of highs and lows), this episode is sure to bring comfort. This is a conversation with Renee McGregor (@r_mcgregor) about how food continues to be a coping mechanism for many people as a way to get us through tough times. But most of all, she helps shed light on how we can develop healthier relationships with food.    Renee is one of the leading Sports and Eating disorder specialist dietitians and has spent 20 years working in clinical and performance nutrition. While she’s a sports dietician, she focuses her work on eating disorders and helping people establish healthy relationships with food and training as well as mental health and female health. Renee has worked with sports teams in the 2012 London Olympics, 2016 Rio Paralympics, and Commonwealth (Queensland 2018). Renee is also an author and podcast co-host of Train Brave.    “It's important to tune into your emotions and work out that they are trying to tell you something.” —Renee McGregor   In this episode we cover… How we have been using and abusing food to help us get through tough times, especially COVID. [0.11:00] How we can change the way we talk to young adults, teenagers, and children when it comes to food to help them develop a healthy relationship to food. [25:50] The anxiety and depression happening for many right now, and how to be there for someone you love going through that (while also recognizing that it can have a huge impact on our mental health). [46:00] We talk about body image and perfectionism. [1:03:00]   And much more. There is a reason this is Renee’s third time back on the podcast. I appreciate her advice and wisdom, and hope listeners do too.   Resources: Renee McGregor’s Website Renee McGregor’s Instagram Previously on Running for Real Episode 33: Is Healthy Eating Ruining Your Life?  Previously on Running for Real Episode 99: A New You Is More Than Just Healthy Eating  Book: Orthorexia Podcast: Train Brave     Thank you to my wonderful sponsor Momentous, InsideTracker, and Beam for sponsoring this episode of the Running for Real Podcast.   Being a tough year with additional stresses on top of an already overwhelming situation means sleep can often be lost...but it is the one thing that we know would help us. Being a former insomniac, I know the frustration going to bed early, yet being unable to switch your brain off can bring. These Momentous Elite Sleep capsules are fantastic and contain Melatonin, Magtein® (Magnesium L-threonate), and Wild Jujube Seed Extract which together will help reduce nighttime anxiety, gently fall asleep and improve circadian rhythm to achieve higher quality sleep.  Go here and use code TINA for 20% off.   Have you not been feeling yourself lately? Gone down a lot of avenues but not really finding clear solutions? That is where Insidetracker can come in for you. I count on Insidetracker to help me decipher the science behind it all. I have trusted this company for years to help me show where I may be lacking and or if I just need a few tweeks here and there. I count on Insidetracker to help me decipher the science behind it all. Go here to get 25% off on their ENTIRE store.   A new product that I have been trying out is Beam. Where they try to help athletes with balance, performance, and recovery. Now I have tried performance and balance and the flavors were great and I felt the hydrating electrolyte energy powder formulated with beetroot, green coffee bean, and citrulline really helped me and I know they will help you too. Go here use code TINA for 15 % off your order.     Thanks for listening! We know there are so many podcasts you could be listening to, but we are honored you have chosen Running For Real. If you appreciate the work that we do, here are a few things you can do to support us: Take a screenshot of the episode, and share it with your friends, family, an