Just like our bodies, our minds need to be trained to choose food that’s good for us.
And just like physical training where no two people are exactly the same and each training programme needs to be tinkered to fit and work for each individual, nutrition and health training, coaching, educating (or whatever you want to call it) is the same.
We all have different lifestyles, mindsets, cravings, motivations and cultures. Eating is intrinsically linked to emotion, community and family, just as much as taste and nutrition.
So, would nutrition and health coaching help you? Quite possibly as nobody is perfect. I believe everybody needs a coach.
I don’t just consult individuals on nutrition. Why? Because you are a whole person and for you to be truly happy and healthy (whatever your goals are) we need to consider every aspect of your life including sleep, rest, emotional health, alcohol intake, family, past & current health conditions, as well as nutrition, hydration and exercise. For example if you eat really well, train every day but your sleep is rubbish it will likely all catch up with you in the end.
Everyone that comes through my gym door gets their blood pressure checked, as this can be indicative of issues within the body. I also ask clients to complete a health questionnaire as well as a food diary. I often refer on for further tests and consulting with naturopaths and functional doctors who would continue to help you in a holistic manner.
Onto the food side of things, I advocate a whole food plant based diet, however I know that this isn’t for everyone. My job is to educate you on why animal products in any diet should be minimised and whole plant foods should be maximised, even if you do still want to eat some meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
People often get their proportions wrong. You can never eat enough veggies and fruit in my eyes (unless you have blood sugar issues when certain fruits should be limited). Maximising calorie dilute, nutrient dense food will do wonders for your waistline and overall health.
I don’t advocate quick fix diets, I help people to learn how to eat well for the rest of their lives. Is it boring? Absolutely not; I’m a foodie- I love good food! Do I allow treats? Absolutely! Life is about living and enjoying occasional treats. But ultimately what we eat should be for the purpose of keeping our bodies healthy.
What’s a success story for me? When a client goes on holiday and doesn’t put on their usual 5-10kg. You can never take a holiday from yourself after all. Or when people feel better, get more sleep, take more rest and test results come back improved.
Without good health, our lives are compromised. Are you willing to change the things that ail you?