This might be an unpopular opinion in the ‘food freedom’ space. But I think it’s important-and I’m here to share anything that I think will help you create a LONG TERM, sustainable healthy life. The one that took me so long to find.
I believe understanding nutrition is paramount in living a healthy life.
This doesn’t mean you need to understand what to do to lose weight (we know weight loss isn’t the answer to creating health- it’s simply a side effect). Most people can follow a plan and lose ten pounds. Far less know what it takes to create true, sustainable change without continuing on the diet cycle.
This also doesn’t mean you need to get all nerdy like I do (you can ask my college roommates what a nerd I was, going to bed early with an eye mask and earplugs so I could wake up early to study because I actually ENJOYED learning anatomy and physiology. #nerdalert).
There’s a reason I went and pursued so many certifications once I decided becoming a dietitian wasn’t my career path. I still loved nutrition. I just didn’t want to hand out diets or work in food service. It didn’t seem like there was another way (twelve years ago, at least).
I struggled with my own relationship to food largely because of the massive amount of information overload that I couldn’t quite sort through. I know many of the women I work with feel the same.
It took me ten-plus years to figure out how I wanted to share healthy living with the world.
Turns out- it’s not in a dogmatic, eat-this, don’t-eat-that way like I was once taught. It’s in a balanced way. And that is something ANYONE can learn.
You can have food freedom and nourish yourself and your family well.
But learning how to create this balance comes first with the KNOWLEDGE of where to even start.
It’s no wonder we’re so caught up in the latest fads and chasing trends- if we don’t even know the basics, we’ll follow whatever sounds right at the time.
It’s no wonder we’re so caught up in the latest fads and chasing trends- if we don’t even know the basics, we’ll follow whatever sounds right at the time.
Balance is elusive until we can get back to the basics.
When we strip it back- and we realize what our bodies ACTUALLY need to survive- and thrive- nutrition becomes SO much simpler. And there is zero dogma in that. There is FREEDOM in understanding.
And yes- we all need help and guidance in different ways and often that does mean seeking out a nutritionist or health coach to guide you through it. But you don’t need to be an expert in nutrition to be an expert on your OWN body, to learn the basics- and to realize, it’s a lot easier than you might think.
When we strip it back- and we realize what our bodies ACTUALLY need to survive- and thrive- nutrition becomes SO much simpler. And there is zero dogma in that.
Balanced nutrition isn’t cool, trendy or sexy. Creating consistency and habits around healthy living doesn’t sell news articles or TV segments.
But it WORKS.
It starts with mindset- shifting your mindset to that of curiosity, experimentation and long term habit change- not quick fixes.
Then it expands when you get back to the basics and learn what our bodies need to survive, and then we can begin to thrive.
I want to uncover some of those truths for you, in this space. To help you weed through the noise so you can unpack the noise in the wellness world, weed through and simplify your view of health and wellness.
Simplified Nutrition Foundation 1: Real food first.
Real food is simple food. It’s the food your great-great-grandmother would recognize. It’s food with ingredients you can recognize. This isn’t about demonizing processed food or never eating anything from a bag or box- it’s about front loading your meals and stocking your fridge and pantry with ingredients and foods your body can easily recognize and assimilate into energy and nourishment for your cells.
Simplified Nutrition Foundation 2: Balance your plate.
Balance isn’t something that needs to be forced- it’s something that’s learned, and something that is adjusted over time when you tune in to what feels good for your unique body. But balancing your plate is still an essential step to balancing your blood sugar- which helps to stabilize hunger levels, mood, improve brain function and clarity and allow you to make choices that serve you from a peaceful place- instead of one of urgency and distress (when our blood sugar spikes and drops, we experience symptoms such as extreme hunger and cravings, headaches, lightheadedness, moodiness and lack of focus). Balancing your plate simply allows you to approach meals (and life) in a more calm, centered way. This isn’t dogma or perfection seeking- it’s a gentle guideline to help you to create a more peaceful food experience and a more balanced life.
Simplified Nutrition Foundation 3: Practice daily mindfulness.
This is where intuitive eating is deeply integrated into simplified nutrition. We must practice daily mindfulness to remain in tune with our body’s needs- our hunger and fullness levels- during and around meals, what feels satisfying to us that day as well as things like our eating environment- removing distractions whenever possible, chewing our food, enjoying the experience and in life- tuning in to our energy, our mood and our emotions- the more in tune we are with our body’s needs and desires, the less we turn to food as a crutch or think of it as an enemy and instead allow food to be a powerful ally in living our best life.
Simplified Nutrition Foundation 4: Bring JOY into eating and cooking.
Joy is an essential ingredient in preparing and enjoying food- without it, the changes you make won’t last. Food should be flavorful and pleasurable, and this is an essential foundation to making nutritious eating last.
Simplified Nutrition Foundation 5: Cultivate positive wellness routines.
Last but certainly not least- cultivating regular positive wellness routines means we can implement what we know about nutrition on a regular basis. Consistency is key to creating long term change. Cultivating routines such as planning meals, regular grocery shopping, light food prep, taking care of yourself on a regular basis with good sleep, self care, and movement are all things that will compound to creating the healthy life you desire.
Nourishment isn’t about taking away, like most popular plans will instruct you to do. It’s about adding in the things that will help you to thrive- and allowing the rest to be crowded out. It means, when there are no rules, instead there are simply daily practices- and there is no longer worry about going ‘off plan’ when you choose to have that ice cream cone or slice of birthday cake. Your daily habits support you- those indulgences are minor and a part of your flexible, balanced life.
Have you ever felt like eating balanced without following a plan isn’t possible for you— but the plans never seem to last?
What you’re missing isn’t the plan that’s going to end all plans— it’s HABITS. But what happens do you NEED to eat in a way that is nourishing but delicious, flexible, energizing and dare I say– balanced? Balanced Eating Essentials is a mini course designed to teach you just that. It’s centered around the seven essential habits that you need to become a balanced eater- broken up into do-able, actionable steps in a mobile-friendly format, with bonuses like over 100 balanced meal ideas plus recipes, guides to eat balanced on the go and with a family, how to snack in a way that’s balanced and how to apply the seven habits to your everyday life. This is designed to be a course you come back to, anytime you need a refresher on how simple and actionable balance can be. Click here to learn more and join today
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