Ep 070: Getting Started with Meal Planning and Eating Healthier Overall

In this episode of the Nutritional Therapy and Wellness Podcast, host Jamie Belz, FNTP, MHC sits down with fellow FNTP and NTA educator Hallie Loy-Roby for a practical, honest conversation about building real, sustainable meal-planning habits that support foundational health for overall wellbeing. 

Hallie Loy-Roby is a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, course developer, and Assistant Instructor with the Nutritional Therapy Association. Through her practice, Holistically Hallie, she helps clients understand digestion, blood sugar regulation, and liver and gallbladder function with a clear, evidence-informed approach rooted in real food and bio-individuality. She's known for blending science, practicality, and grounded encouragement in a way that helps people take meaningful action without perfectionism or overwhelm.

Together, Jamie and Hallie unpack what meal planning looks like in real life—without the pressure, elaborate systems, or unrealistic expectations that so often derail people. They explore the power of consistency, how to build nutrient-dense meals from simple ingredients, and how intentional planning reduces stress, supports digestion, stabilizes blood sugar, and frees up mental energy.

Topics Covered:

• Beginning meal planning when you feel disorganized or stretched thin

• Creating balanced meals using protein, whole-food carbohydrates, fiber, and healthy fats

• Increasing color and diversity on the plate for improved digestion and nutrient density

• Using leftovers, ingredient prep, and theme nights to simplify the week

• Supporting picky eaters or adults who were never exposed to real vegetables growing up

• Identifying early signs of blood sugar issues or digestive stress

• Using tools—from sticky notes to AI—to make real food easier

• Building a kitchen rhythm that aligns with the Foundations of Nutritional Therapy

The conversation is steady, grounded, and refreshingly doable. Jamie and Hallie bring clarity to a topic that often feels overcomplicated, reminding listeners that small steps—done consistently—are what shift energy, digestion, mood, and long-term health.

 

Resources Mentioned:

• Nutritional Therapy Association (NTA)

• Episode 66: SIBO Symptoms and Solutions

• Episode 6: The Dr. Francis M Pottenger Episode 

• Episode 69: The Dr. Weston A Price Episode

• Episode 46: Wellness 101

• Episode 60: Super Foods, Super Kids

• Episode 4: Bio-Individuality

• Episode 11: Digestive Hell (Learn DIGESTION from the NTA's founder, Gray Graham)

• Episode 10: Optimal Wellness Starts Here (How DIGESTION is supposed to work!)

• BOOK: Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon

• FOUNDATIONS OF HEALING COURSE FROM THE NTA

 

Explore more from Hallie at: