Focus on these three things to help promote overall wellness
As a Nutrition Therapist Master and Personal Trainer, I focus on holistic wellness with my clients. This includes looking at nutrition and their relationship with food, movement, stress management, and even self-talk. There are three key questions that I like to ask when I begin working with clients. Are you exercising in ways that you enjoy? Are you eating foods that make you feel nourished and energized? Are you being kind to yourself?
Have you ever asked yourself how you like to move rather than how you think you should move? For example, do you force yourself to go to the gym and do the elliptical for 30 minutes and pick up a few weights, but actually not get any enjoyment out of it? When maybe you would rather take a dance class or join a rock climbing gym, where the exercise feels like more fun rather than a chore? I’m not saying that going to the gym and doing cardio and lifting weights isn’t enjoyable. For some people it is! But if that is not where you find joy, I encourage you to think of ways to move your body and exercise that would be fun for you and that you look forward to doing. You may even discover a new hobby :)
When you think of changing your diet and eating healthier, do thoughts such as “I have to count calories” or “I have to follow a strict plan” come to mind? We oftentimes allow ourselves to adopt the mindset of “if I want to lose weight, I have to put myself on a diet”, and food then becomes the enemy. It can be hard to think any other way because we are constantly bombarded with people telling us that they lost weight by eating so many calories a day or following an extreme diet, and that in order to feel good about ourselves we have to look like all of these other people or take all of these drastic measures. I am here to tell you that it is possible to break free from living like that. You don’t need to count every single thing you eat. You don’t need to exercise to the point of exhaustion. And you don’t need to follow exactly how someone else is exercising and eating. It’s about starting the journey to figure out what works for YOU.
I do guide clients in eating a mostly whole foods-based diet, but also with the focus of bio individuality. There is a lot of flexibility within keeping the focus on whole foods, as you can certainly get more specific with vegetarian, vegan, paleo, pescatarian, and keto if you prefer. But if you start basing your meals on quality protein, lots of veggies, good fats, some low-sugar fruits, and allow yourself a treat now and then; you will start to notice a difference. When you eliminate processed foods and switch your focus to real, whole foods, you will start to notice so many benefits! Excess weight will fall off, and you will start to notice improvements in energy, digestion, sleep, exercise recovery, and even your skin. I encourage you to take your focus off of calorie counting and restrictive diets, and start to focus on eating whole foods and listening to your body. Have fun with creating new recipes and pairing different foods together.
Another important part of wellness I bring up with my clients is how they are thinking about themselves, what their self-talk is like, and how they are managing their stress. It is important to try to talk to yourself like you would a friend. With kindness and encouragement; and meeting yourself where you are at with realistic goals broken up into small action steps.
As part of your wellness journey, I encourage you to write out self-love mantras that you can say to yourself each day. Here are a few examples:
“I love my body and all that it is capable of”.
“Moving my body helps me feel strong and empowered”.
“Food is providing me with nourishment that helps me feel and function my best”.
“I love myself and I am taking steps to feeling and functioning my best”
It is important to remember that any change takes time and consistency. Things aren’t going to drastically change overnight. However, with positive self-talk, viewing food as a form of nourishment and energy, and moving in ways that you enjoy, you will start to see changes happen overtime. If you are able to find activities that are fun for you to get movement in, then you are more likely to stick with them. Same with food. If you start to experiment in the kitchen, have fun being creative cooking with whole foods, and really see what each food is providing your body on a deeper level, then you may change your perspective.
As always, I am here to help get you started on your wellness journey or guide you along the way. Feel free to reach out to me for support :)