4 Nutrition Tips
Let’s be honest - we all know the basics on how to eat healthy by now. We know to shop the perimeter of the store and focus on whole, real foods. It’s simple. But just because something is simple, doesn’t mean that it comes easily. It’s challenging. Just like anything in life that’s worthwhile..right? No surprise here, but it all starts with mindset (if you didn’t read last week’s blog - go do that first!)
Last year, I read the book Real Food for Pregnancy by Lily Nichols to better support my pregnant clients and my own pregnant and postpartum body. It was eye opening to learn about the effects of food on your body and how so many symptoms during pregnancy and postpartum are considered the “norm,” but could improve by just focusing on nutrition. The information was great but I was left feeling pretty overwhelmed with how to realistically apply it to my own life. I actually just began working with a nutrition therapy practitioner this past week to help me continue to personalize and sort out the information.
In addition to focusing on improving my own nutrition, I am also helping others do the same. I am leading a group called 75 days to progress, where we focus on meeting set goals for 75 days - with some extra days added in for grace :). When I surveyed the members in our group, the top struggle is…you guessed it… nutrition!
So, here are the top 4 things I have learned along the way in my journey.
Plan
We are all busy. Which means, if we don’t plan ahead, we’re left eating whatever is available in front of us at the moment. Whether that’s Mcdonalds as you’re driving, a bag of chips as you run out the door to the kid’s practice, or the donuts someone at work brought in for breakfast.
Cooking and cleaning up real food takes time. Finding recipes, prepping the food, and meal planning takes time. Grocery lists and shopping take time.
But, the problem isn’t really not having enough time. The problem is about prioritizing our time and doing what is most important first. Before doing your nightly social media scroll, set aside time to prepare meals for the following day. Bag up easy to grab healthy snacks. Thaw out meat for the next night’s dinner. Can you prepare for 2 days of food at once? What small changes can you make to put the healthier options in front of you and easily accessible instead of just flying by the seat of your pants?
Awareness
Why is improving your nutritional habits important to you? In our group, we have some busy mamas & working professionals, some with diabetes, some who just feel like they have slacked off. But despite our different needs, we all want to FEEL healthy. We all want to show up in a healthy way for our kids. Start there and then start to bring awareness to your meal times. Are you eating to nourish and fuel your body or to just fill your body because you are starving or have to eat?
Track your food and notice how you feel before, during, and after eating or drinking. Just noticing what you put into your body and how it responds throughout the day can make a big difference in what you choose to eat going forward. Try out just tracking one meal (try your biggest struggle area meal) each day for a month and see if it changes the way you think about your food.
Balance
Real change happens when you make lifestyle shifts, not doing a short lived, unsustainable diet. So often, many of us have an all or nothing mentality and that type of thinking can only serve us for so long, until we burn out and binge. It’s expensive to get real, quality food. It’s overwhelming to think about planning out every single meal of every single day. I get it. That’s why it’s super important to find a balance that works for you and your family that can be sustainable for the long haul.
Start small. Try out the local farmer’s market once a month instead of every week. Plan out dinners only at first. Focus on adding in good things (veggies, water, protein, healthier carb options) instead of restricting yourself from a specific type of food. Eat the cake, with awareness, and don’t feel guilty about it. These are the kinds of actions that can be built on to create real change.
Accountability
Relying on only ourselves to stay on track with healthy habits is HARD, especially when you are just starting out or trying to get back on track. Surround yourself with others who have similar goals to you, people who will support you, relate to you, and encourage you. Health is not about making perfect choices all the time, it’s about learning to make overall healthy choices and having others to lean on when you need to re-shift your mindset.
