food that fuels you off the plate: Relationships
Picture this, you start to incorporate new healthy habits into your life and you are trying a new way to approach your nutrition. You are motivated and excited, nothing can stop you and you’re ready to accomplish the goals you’ve set for yourself. Then, all of a sudden your friends start to comment on your new morning routine and they share their opinions about your new approach to nutrition and eating habits. Now your health journey feels a little more complicated. You are still motivated and you share your goals and the ‘why’ to living this sustainable lifestyle, they’re supportive but don’t have the motivation or drive to do the same for their health. That’s okay! You know you’re creating a ripple effect and that you decided to put yourself and your health first. Then you head to a family event, where you discover your family commenting on your changed lifestyle and new habits. You decided to get a mocktail instead of a cocktail because you’d rather have a wine night with your friends the next day and you’re incorporating more balance into your routines. Now it seems like everyone comments on how much you’ve changed and how you’re not the same person with all these healthy changes, they even ask you if not drinking is worth it and who you’re trying to become. On your drive home, you realize that this healthy lifestyle is so much more than your motivation or your goals. You realize that there are so many aspects of your life that have a major impact on your nutrition and health habits.
This is not a true story per se, but some parts have been true for myself and some of my clients. Have you experienced something similar? Maybe you started a diet and then everyone has something to say about it?
I’m bringing this up for a couple of reasons! One because I want you to know how common these scenarios are and you’re not alone if you’re experiencing something along these lines. Two because THIS is a part of holistic health and health coaching, let me explain further.
One of the reasons why I love health coaching is because of primary food. The food that fuels us off the plate. It is our relationships, joy, creativity, home cooking, health, finances, career, physical activity, spirituality, social life, home environment, and education. Your nutrition habits are influenced greatly by your primary food. I love being able to provide support and guidance surrounding these topics as my clients improve their nutrition and health habits.
Social life and relationships are a huge influence and sometimes some of the hardest obstacles we face throughout this journey. I know that feeling of wanting to go out and spend time with your friends but also want to skip the drinking and get to bed at a reasonable time, the obstacles come with finding a balance to do both and still maintaining your relationships.
Throughout my coaching practice, I encourage my clients to assess their primary food often. Where does it feel uncomfortable? What are you dissatisfied with? What is going well and where are you thriving? Your nutrition and health habits continue to adapt and improve as you dive into these questions and aspects of life with the courage to change what you’re unhappy with.
Isn’t there so much more to nutrition and living a healthy lifestyle than we’re lead to believe?
You watch so many health influencers online and think how easy it is for them but you don’t usually get to see the hard work that happens behind the scenes, the hard work that is inevitable for every person. The primary food. I mean think about it, you know a lot more than you think about nutrition and healthy eating. What makes it hard is the food that fuels us off the plate!!