What was the spark?

What was the spark?

When I saw, repeatedly, people experiencing challenges to their mental health and getting professional nutrition advice that was either wildly inappropriate for their circumstances or with no tools to implement the recommendations.?

Recently I was asked the question, 'what was the spark that either triggered you or pissed you off enough to start nutrition coaching?'

I had never really been asked that question before, or at least not in that way. Marketing gurus define our 'why,' coaches talk about change. This question was the first time anyone had asked me what pissed me off.??

The truth of it is, after many years working beside people who had a lived experience of mental illness, I had seen time after time people told that nutrition was something that could come later. After recovery. That they already had too much to focus on, and food was not a priority.

Or people who had been to see a health professional and given generic nutrition advice. Not to say it wasn't technically accurate advice. However, it was advice based purely on what they thought the outcome needed to be from a health perspective.?

Would this work for you? Maybe it would, and maybe it wouldn't.

It did not address individual preferences, like what food they prefer to eat. Nor did they ask what challenges kept them from eating the way they thought they should. Or even if there were any cultural, ethical, religious, or family reasons for eating or not eating a particular food.?

And worst of all was when I saw people who received nutrition advice with absolutely no tools for implementing it. What does that advice look like in practice? The end goal without a strategy for getting there.?

This approach is not a helpful strategy. Why? Because most of the time, lack of nutrition knowledge is not the primary reason, someone's diet is not supporting their health.?

Is it part of it? Of course! However, handing over the solution that is neither specific to an individual nor containing the implementation plan is at best illogical. At worst, it can leave the recipients of this information feeling like failures because they have not been able to make the changes they so desperately want to.?

And this - yes, this makes me mad. It pisses me off. It was the catalyst to re-train, go back to university, and get the tools to do something about it.

What does work?

What surprises people to hear, it's not the person providing the nutrition support that creates success. We are not the hero of this story. Designing and implementing good nutrition advice has to be a collaborative process. It includes the person who wants the change, and it is not delivered AT them. They are the main contributor to this plan.??

The people I see who make lasting changes in the way they eat do so inclusive of any challenges to their mood, energy, and mental health - not despite it.?

They focus on building habits that will support them on good days and bad days. Because a plan that does not help the bad days is not a plan, it's just good intentions.?

The people who make changes that stick have learned to be patient, enabling them to see the progress. Consistent progress is what brings about change that lasts. This consistency will also significantly out-pace any rapid transformation over time.?

?Consider your habits

What can you do

If you are currently staring at a meal plan, nutrition guide, or food list and feeling overwhelmed, here are a few things you can do.

1. Pick ONE. One food, one meal, one change. And start there. Don't move on to the next step until the first one you've taken feels easy.?
2. Commit to that one change, and get specific. Write down what you are going to do, when you are going to do it, and where you will do it. Make yourself accountable.
3. Track that change. You can use a simple checklist or use a calendar. Track every time you eat the food, drink the water, have the extra serve of veggies. Tracking not only helps us stay accountable, but it gives us a visual reference for our progress.?

If you want to learn about how to create nutritional change that is best suited for your lifestyle, this is the role of a nutritionist. ?

Book a free initial consultation, and let's chat about what's a struggle for you.?

Please note: if you are receiving medical nutrition therapy, which is using nutrition interventions as part of the treatment of illness, it's essential you do so under the supervision of a medical doctor or registered dietitian.

Do you want to learn more?

Book a free 30-minute conversation?with me, Kristine Peter, Nutritionist, Coach, and Nutrition Educator?

Book Here

Sleep

How's your sleep? This is always one of the first questions I ask my clients. If you would like to learn more about how sleep can impact mental health, your relationship with food, and learn a great technique for getting better sleep, download the?Better Sleep Guide here.?

Discover How Sleep Helps Improve Mood, Anxiousness & Feelings of Depression, download the free guide here.

Hi! My name is Kristine Peter and I'm a Nutritionist (ANutr) and Nutrition Educator (MEd). I work virtually with people who struggle with stress, anxiety, low mood and energy to teach them how to use habits to create the nutritional building blocks for balanced mood and energy levels.

Learn more at?www.kristinepeter.com?or reach out at?[email protected].