Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist: Jocelyn Graham, MS, R

Jocelyn Graham, a registered dietitian and nutritionist, is the owner of a private nutrition practice and serves as expert counsel for all things diet and nutrition related concerning the app FeastbyFist. Jocelyn and I had an opportunity to speak recently about her involvement with this innovative new product.

Q: How did you come to get involved with FeastbyFist?

A: When co-founder of FeastbyFist, Alice Chien, was given a diagnosis of gestational diabetes during her most recent pregnancy, she came to me for help with her diet and nutrition. Alice wanted to use the app as another tool to help her achieve her nutrition goals and sustain a healthy pregnancy. I was immediately impressed with how innovative the technology was, and how simple the app was to use. It made more sense than calculating macros, and gives the user more freedom because it is not calorie restrictive. 

Q: What about the product drew you to want to be a part of it.

A: I am most drawn to the app, because it shifts away from a restrictive, diet culture and stimulates a broader discussion about mindful or intuitive eating. Diets are short term, and more often than not they fail. Learning the practice of mindful eating changes the relationship with food altogether, and has long term benefits.

Q: What excites you about the product?

A: I see the FeastbyFist app being a useful tool not only across the field of weight loss, but also in the field of medicine from people who have clinical needs to control their portion sizes to people such as Alice who find a need to control carbs or blood sugars.

Q: Are you familiar with Augmented Reality (AR) technology?

A: Augmented Reality allows users to overlay visual information onto their world. In the case of FeastbyFist, the use of AR projects a portion sized circle over your plate of food, and the user simply eats what is inside that circle.

Q: How do you see AR setting this app apart from others?

A: AR makes this product so simple to use. There is no need for calorie counting, calculating macros or weighing your food.

Q: How will the app help/streamline portion control for users

A: The simplicity of the app will streamline portion control. Because the app uses a visual, it is understandable across all education levels and languages.

Q: Where do you see this app being used most successfully?

A: I think the app would be used most successfully when paired with the guidance of a dietitian to keep users on track towards their goals.

Q: Who will most benefit from the product?

A: Anyone who wants to change their relationship with food from restrictive to intuitive can benefit from this tool. However, in my work, I see the 20 something generation is very resistant to calorie counting, so there is definitely an opportunity in that demographic as well.

Q: Why does this type of portion control work better than say calorie counting or the FDA food pyramid and recommendations based on a 2000 calorie diet?

A: Calorie counting can create insecurities around food. This type of portion control does not restrict what you eat, it just projects the appropriate amount of the foods of your choosing based on some simple body measurements. It promotes moderation and mindful eating.

Q: Have you seen results from use of the product firsthand?

A: I’ve seen it work with Alice, and I’ve shared it with a handful of clients who have found it a useful tool.

Q: In your expert opinion, what do you see as the biggest hurdle in the education process of the product?

A: The product is early in the testing phases, and may be cost prohibitive to users after the initial free 7 day trial.

Highlighted quote

“I would love to see this next generation move away from the diet culture towards a more reasonable relationship with food - a generation of mindful eaters, and FeastbyFist is certainly a tool that could help get us there.” - Jocelyn Graham, MS, RD, LDN

Jenicka Engler, a neuropsychologist and licensed psychologist in the state of Massachusetts. As an expert in her field, Dr. Engler’s qualifications, experience and vast knowledge of psychology make her an invaluable member of the team behind the creation of the app, FeastbyFist. Dr. Engler and I had an opportunity to speak recently about her involvement with this innovative new product.

Q: How did you come to get involved with FeastbyFist?

A: Co-founder, Alice Chien, reached out to me because of my background in neuropsychology, research and healthcare startups, as well as my social media platforms providing psychoeducational content.

Q: What about the product drew you to want to be a part of it.

A: I was most impressed with the simplicity of the app. It’s incredibly user friendly. Most of the other weight loss apps out there require a lot of daily input from the users which can be a deterrent over time.

Q: What excites you about the product?

A: The app promotes ritualizations around food that are healthy, rather than restrictive. It encourages more mindful eating as it requires the user to pause, photograph, and be mentally present as they eat. It also makes portion control more intuitive and easy to manage day-to-day.

Q: Are you familiar with FeastbyFist’s Augmented Reality (AR) technology?

A: The AR used by FeastbyFist is an interactive experience that combines a view of the real world with computer generated elements that enhance the real time environment – so you can seamlessly use your phone to estimate portion sizes with no guesswork.

Q: How do you see AR setting this app apart from others?

A: AR allows the user to take a snapshot of their food and projects a specific portion sized circle over their plate. Users just eat what’s inside their circle. No counting calories or measuring food is necessary. It’s the simplicity and ease of use of the product that sets it apart. 

Q: How will the app help/streamline portion control for users?

A: Portion control has traditionally been entirely subjective or overly objective (like weighing your food or counting all calories). The simplicity and ease of use of the product, as well as the ability to chart progress will aid the users as they shift their mindset from restriction to moderation. The app is essentially helping to rewire the brain to visually recognize healthy food portion sizes, which many of us don’t tend to do naturally, especially given that serving sizes have increased so much over the decades and our brains have been conditioned to expect larger serving sizes than what we often need. 

Q: Where do you see this app being used most successfully?

A: FeastbyFist is a great tool to help with mindful or intuitive eating, which is linked to healthier lifestyles, and lower BMI that tends to be maintained over time. It certainly has a place in the world of weight loss, and with the newest technology, it is in a position to take control of the next generation of mobile health apps. We are also excited for potential clinical uses to help people struggling with diabetes, preparing for gastric bypass or weight loss surgeries, or other medical or mental health conditions that can impact appetite and eating habits.

Q: Who will most benefit from the product?

A: The app will be beneficial for anyone who is ready to let go of the rigid inflexibility of weight loss, namely the calories in, calories out mindset. I also see its potential in the field of medicine, and we are working on clinical research to see how FeastbyFist could potentially be a valuable clinical tool.

Q: Why does this type of portion control work better than say calorie counting or the FDA food pyramid and recommendations based on a 2000 calorie diet?

A: Many studies have proven that dieting and restriction doesn’t work long term. Research has shown than a healthier relationship with food is the path forward for weight loss. The FDA Food Pyramid and MyPlate initiatives are somewhat helpful, but haven’t worked for many people as it can be impractical. This app puts sustainable lifestyle changes in your pocket to be used at any time.

Q: In your expert opinion, what do you see as the biggest hurdle in the education process of the product?

A: People are used to numbers. Numbers are concrete, and when it comes to food and weight loss, we have been conditioned to focus on the numbers, whether they are in the form of calories or pounds on the scale. That the numbers don’t lie, and the person is essentially at fault if they aren’t losing weight. Making the shift from thinking about “good foods” versus “bad foods” and calorie counting can be scary because these methods are familiar and known, and the shift to allowing yourself the appropriate amount of ANY food is going to be a change in mindset that can make some people uncomfortable.

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“The simplicity of the app allows users to notice their natural hunger and satiation cues which, in today’s fast paced world, can often be easy to ignore.” - Jenicka Engler, Psy.D.

The philosophy built into Feastbyfist™ is what drew me to the app. Feastbyfist™ is very simple to use, at the same time it will condition you to be more aware of your day-to-day food intake. In the process of this, you start to build a relationship with what you are consuming. It brings my mind back to how our world treats food: ernjoyment and fulfillment every time you sat down with someone to not just enjoy the food but enjoy what food brings. It helps lay the groundwork to bring community back into what once was a delayed gratification. The ritual of growing vegetables, for example, keeps you mindful of the prosses it takes to reach gratification. The anticipation and care put into first harvest makes the tomato more satisfying. In turn creates less waste, healthy soil, healthy community, and life back to our earth.

I first started using Feastbyfist at the time I was in the process of developing an eating habit that I stepped away from due to different life stress that started to affect my schedule, workouts, and attuited towards food. I would be eating at different times, not eating at all causing my energy levels to be unbalanced. Feastbyfist gave me the ability to have a second pair of eyes; I could go back and see what I was eating and how often. Once I developed a routine with the help of having to take pictures of my meals creating a sense of satisfaction. It allowed me to rekindle the relationship I have with cooking. I would look forward with anticipation to preparing breakfast with the ability to look back at past meals and see how I felt at the time I was preparing them. After a few weeks I had noticed that my energy levels during my workouts had increased and was less of a peak and crash after my workouts. Over time I would find myself portioning my plate became more natural. I have always had the ability to diet and was well versed in nutrition and the benefits of a healthy stomach. This is why Feastbyfist stood out from other applications I was researching. Feastbyfist understands the way to approach nutrition while keeping you aware that nutrition and emotion are in a symbiotic relationship.

When I was young, I would eat until my stomach hurt and still try to shove down a few more bites. Something about food gave me tremendous pleasure and I just didn’t want to stop until I would get sick. 

I finally made up my mind during college that I needed to try something different. I knew my problem is about the lack of portion control. I ate healthy food; I just ate too much! I started tracking down my consumption each day in much details. The food journal definitely gave me lots of insights and guidance on how I ate. I had less stomach pains and felt more in control of my own body and weight. 

Nevertheless, although the food journal is a powerful tool, it does require lots of work and preparation. I have been searching for an easier tool but most tools offered on the market is too complicated for me. I want a tool that offers me guidance on how much to eat, not necessarily dictating on the type of food to eat and counting on the nutritional values since I already eat pretty healthy. After using this new App, FeastByFist, I immediately fell in love with it. It offers a simple interface and provides a personalized visual portion guidance on my meal in real-time. I stop eating when the visual portion guidance becomes red. I can also save what I eat and how much I eat in a picture format so the next day I can review how I did the previous day and set the goal for the day. With this App, portion control and mindful eating become easy and intuitive. It takes less than a minute to use this “electronic pocket assistant” and even when I have to work through lunch, I can easily flip out my phone and get it done before anyone else even realizes what I was doing. This App also allows me to still practice portion control regardless of the diet trend I’m following, be it Paleo, Keto, Gluten-Free, or Vegan. After all, eating 3 loaves of Keto breads is definitely not healthy no matter how “clean” the food is! Even better, this App helps me connect to my own body signal (my “appetite thermometer”). While many other diet App makes me feel like an administrative clerk who records things for the sake of recording, FeastByFist nurtures empowerment in me that I never felt before in my relationship with food.  

About the user

Alice is a working mother who struggles with emotional eating and wants something easy to remind her of proper portion size. FeastByFist shows her exactly how much she is eating so she can now make smarter choices and be in control of her diet.

I was having hard time maintaining my weight. I never had any problem maintaining my weight before but in America, every dish, snack and drink is served in much bigger portions and it became harder for me to control my appetite. I tend to eat more than my stomach can handle without even realizing it, and my love for food didn’t help either. My belly was getting bigger and weight slowly creeping up. As a result, I was constantly feeling tired and out of breathe when I play tennis. I often lost in the USTA league match due to poor stamina and sluggish movement, even though I started out strong at first. It was very disappointing.

FeastbyFist provides me with the tool to manage and monitor my food consumption. I can eat anything that I desire, including snacks in between meals and still able to keep my weight in control as long as I follow the visual portion mark. The app is very simply to use; I just need to capture photos of the food and snacks that I eat, without having to perform any manual measurements or calculations. The traffic light portion indicator gives me the awareness of how much food I’m eating. And by referring to the food log or progress charts, I can easily adjust the portions for my next meal in order to achieve the weight goal that I’m looking for. 

After using the app for some time, I’m able to recognize and prepare my meals with just the right amount; leftovers and waste are reduced to the minimum. This is the added benefit I didn’t expect: saving money and helping the environment! Physically I feel more energetic and I am less fatigue especially during game play on the tennis court. On top of that, with less weight on my body, my movement and agility have also improved. As my game improves, I start to challenge myself to build more muscle to increase my power by simply adjusting the ratio between protein and carb (but still follow the same portion size so I don’t ever starve!). Since I made the changes, I’ve won many matches that I never thought I could, thanks to FeastbyFist!

About the user

Dave is an avid tennis player and it is very important for him to stay on top of his physical condition. He uses FeastByFist to improve his game by following the optimal mix of protein and carb portion.