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Nutrition Nugget: C-C-C

Published on: 6th February, 2026

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about the C-C-C, which stands for Catch, Challenge, Change. Do your negative thoughts secretly sabotage your health goals? When that inner voice says "you're too busy," "you have no willpower," or "you've failed again," is it telling the truth or just repeating old patterns that hold you back? Jenn introduces a practical mental tool to interrupt the defeating thought loops we all experience on our wellness journeys. But here's the real question: are you actually too tired for that workout, or is something else going on? Could the "evidence" of failure actually be hiding signs of progress you're refusing to see? Jenn breaks down how to catch these negative thoughts in action, challenge the beliefs behind them, and ultimately transform your inner dialogue. But the approach might surprise you. Is it really about being "1% better every day," or is there a more realistic way to build mental toughness without the pressure? Like what you're hearing? Be sure to check out the full-length episodes of new releases every Wednesday. Have an idea for a nutrition nugget? Submit it here: https://asaladwithasideoffries.com/index.php/contact/

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KEYWORDS: Jenn Trepeck, Nutrition Nugget, Salad With A Side Of Fries, Health Tips, Wellness Tips, Negative Self-Talk. Catch, Challenge, Change, Mental Framework, Thought Patterns, Old Habits, Inner Dialogue, Limiting Beliefs, Self-Talk, Wellness Mindset, Weight Loss Mindset, Positive Thinking, Mental Toughness, Cognitive Reframing, Healthy Mindset, Behavior Change, Self-Sabotage, Motivation Strategies, Willpower Myths, Progress Tracking, Mindset Shift, Personal Growth, Mental Health Tools, Habit Building, Wellness Journey, Diet Culture, Fitness Goals, Self-Compassion, Negative Thoughts, Brain Patterns, Thought Management, Success Mindset, Health Goals, Mental Strength, Lifestyle Change, Wellness Tips, Healthy Habits, Self-Improvement, Goal Setting, Mindful Eating, Weight Management, Personal Development, How To Challenge Negative Thoughts About Dieting, Overcoming Limiting Beliefs In Weight Loss

Transcript
[:

[00:00:27] I learned this from a colleague and it struck me, so I made a note to share it with all of you. And it's a framework that we can use when we notice that old stuff show up. And most of the time it's, I mean, it might be an old habit most of the time. I think it's an old thought pattern. So we can go through a couple of examples, but let's start with, you know, going through the three C's first.

[:

[00:01:21] The things that we say to ourself, because I think we're all on the same page and recognize that we are always talking to ourselves, like the brain is constantly throwing thoughts at us. So maybe it says, you're too busy, you're too tired, you've tried before. This isn't working. You have no willpower, you failed.

[:

[00:02:05] Right. So I do think we wanna think of this also as a new skill to build that we're, you know, interrupting these thought patterns and these messages. So three C's, how do we do it? Catch, challenge, change. So first we catch the thought, we notice it. Great. Tick the box. Woo-hoo. Step one, complete. Okay, now we have to challenge it.

[:

[00:02:50] Was it really not working? What progress are you maybe pretending not to see? Right? Where could you find the evidence of it working? You have no willpower. [00:03:00] I have willpower. I used it earlier today when I was on the phone with customer service. I have willpower when I didn't eat the rest of the pancakes from my kids' plate, right?

[:

[00:03:33] It will only take five minutes, or I only need 10 minutes to get started. You're too tired. I don't have to jump out of bed in the morning to still put my sneakers on and walk around the block you've tried before. I tried other things before. This is different, like I said before, or we could say, this is more than trying.

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[00:04:13] You failed today. Certainly didn't go as planned, and I learned that next time I need to put a bar in my bag so I have a snack with me, we catch challenge change. Over time, you'll probably find that you get a little, a little more mentally tough, right? We're a little bit stronger, more positive, moving in the direction of living our best, happiest, healthiest lives.

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[00:04:40] Julie: No, I love that. I think what I love most about it is that it is really realistic and approachable. Because you're gonna have days where other things impact your negative thoughts. Like, you know, some days you wake up and you are like, I am crushing today. And some days you're just not, like, [00:05:00] our bodies are not the same every day.

[:

[00:05:26] You just, you're not better. You're just comparing yourself to, you know, it's progress. Right? Yeah. So I think that, I like that it's just catching moments and working through them as they come to you instead of setting an expectation that every day for the rest of my life, I have to be 1% better. Every time.

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[00:05:47] Jenn Trepeck: Yeah, that feels like pressure for sure.

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[00:05:59] I will [00:06:00] have another tool in my toolbox tomorrow I'm gonna have another tool. Maybe that's the goal. Instead of like always just being better, you have more confidence or you have. Something else that worked for you or you. Yeah, so I love it.

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[00:06:18] Connect with me on Instagram or all social media. I'm at Jenn Trepeck, J-E-N-N-T-R-E-P-E-C-K. Website is a salad with a side of fries.com. Pick your platform, send a message because I love hearing from you. Julie. Thanks again for joining me this week.

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[00:06:37] So good to hear you. You too. All the things.

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[00:07:00] You'll get this week's recipe for spaghetti squash carbonara, and it's your last chance to claim 10% off my next group coaching cohort.

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[00:07:12] Jenn Trepeck: Side of Fries. Congratulations for making yourself and your health a priority. Thanks so much for joining us.

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About the Podcast

Salad With a Side of Fries Nutrition, Wellness & Weight Loss
Nutrition tips that actually work. Real-life healthy eating, balanced diet tools, and weight loss tips you can use today with coach Jenn Trepeck.*

If you have searched for nutrition tips, tried to keep a healthy lifestyle, or felt stuck following popular weight loss tips, this podcast is for you. Get straightforward wellness advice that works in real life, plus strategies for a balanced diet, sustainable healthy eating, and a smarter approach to fitness and nutrition. Is your diet making you hungrier, crankier, or less healthy? Tune in and find out.*

Free gift: Schedule a 15-minute curiosity call with Jenn to explore what is possible for you. https://asaladwithasideoffries.com/contact/

Welcome to Salad with a Side of Fries, where wellness meets real life. Award-winning host Jenn Trepeck, health and lifestyle coach and author of Uncomplicating Wellness, cuts through the noise with clear answers you can trust. Ranked in the top 1.5% of podcasts worldwide, the show won Ear Worthy’s Best Health Podcast in 2024 and 2025 and was nominated for Best Independent Podcast both years. Jenn also won Women Who Podcast’s Stellar Interview award in 2025 after being named one of Podcast Magazine’s 40 under 40 in 2022.

Jenn’s motto is “wellness without the weirdness.” With more than 17 years coaching after solving her own food struggles, she knows how confusing the industry can be. Each week you get the foundations of a balanced diet, sustainable healthy eating, metabolism basics, and long-term holistic health, plus straight talk on fad diets and supplements.

What you will get by listening:
✅How to eat and how to cheat, guilt-free
✅Nutrition tips that work in the real world
✅Weight loss tips that are effective, never restrictive
✅How to build a balanced plate at home, on the road, and eating out
✅Smart strategies for sustainable habits that include your favorite foods
✅Evidence-based insights on fitness and nutrition
✅Conversations about holistic health that go beyond food
✅Wellness advice you can use right away


About Jenn Trepeck:
Jenn is a health coach, speaker, and consultant who blends humor with practical science. She has helped thousands improve energy, metabolism, and confidence in their choices through one-on-one coaching, group programs, her book, and this podcast.

Connect with Jenn and the show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenntrepeck/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saladwithasideoffriespod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jenntrepeck
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferTrepeck/
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/425796548337541/
Website: https://asaladwithasideoffries.com/

If you are ready to trade guilt for freedom, confusion for clarity, and boring salads for fries on the side, press play. Health gets doable here.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This podcast and its guests are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

About your host

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Jennifer Trepeck

“My passion for nutrition and helping others stems from “kicking my food issues” with my own weight management saga.” ~ Jenn

I believe that the greatest accountability is paying it forward! That’s why I teach the nutrition education we are all supposed to know but no one ever taught us, along with the science behind food, fitness, and health.

After I graduated from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, I founded Better Life Now LLC while working full-time in hedge funds. In 2019, I took my practice from side-hustle to full-time self-employment and launched my podcast, Salad With a Side of Fries. On the show, we offer science-based tips and tricks for how to achieve wellness and weight loss for real life – because who wants a life without fries or dessert?!

Topics we tackle on the podcast include debunking fad diets, food myths, misinformation in marketing, bad science, and general nutrition. I encourage guests whose expertise is different from my own focus on weight management to bring their unique, fact-based perspectives to talk about subjects they are educated in and passionate about.

Due to my decade-long experience of working with clients, I have gained insight into the health and food industry and the how-tos of building a business.

Some specific health and wellness topics I can speak to include debunking fad diets, exposing the BS we are fed by the food and diet industry, how the people around us can positively and negatively impact our health journey, and shifting mindsets in order to overcome inappropriate barometers of success to instead achieve happy, healthy, and meaningful change.

On the subject of business, I can help you by teaching my critical pieces every entrepreneur should know, how to make your side-hustle into your full-time job, ways to sustainably achieve success without burning out, contemporary networking, and how to prioritize wellness while pursuing your projects.

When I find some free time, I’m typically working out at Physique57, discovering hidden gem restaurants in NYC, or traveling to spend time with friends and family.

I’d love to have an in-depth conversation with you, whether it’s leveling up in business or debunking food myths!