If you’re like most women, you may follow a celebrity doctor or nutritionist with a huge following who is telling you exactly what to eat, when to eat it, and which supplements you must take to avoid dementia, osteoporosis, depression, sleep disturbances and so on. I know someone better to rely on.
One or two of these so called gurus comes along every year or two and wants to convince you that their way is the magic bullet you’ve been waiting for. They publish large textbook looking books with must read titles if you want to stay alive. Sound familiar? .
Look at Your Bookshelves
As you look through your nutrition books, you may find books on Paleo, Protein, Keto, Gluten Free, Plant Based, Vegan, Caveman, anti-aging and many more. You may have tried them all, searching for the right diet for you. All of these experts will tell you theirs is the only way.
I attended a program recently in which aphysician who espouses vegan as the only way. gave a lively presentation. He’s quite animated and personable and used pages from his book to illustrate his expertise on the subject. He said eggs were wrong, salmon is the most contaminated seafood of all, and if we’d like to buy his book we could purchase it at the end of the program.
Not being vegan (plant based only) I was a bit concerned by his comment that salmon is harmful as I eat it frequently . I did some research on 5 reputable websites asking the question “what is the safest fish to eat?” All five sites listed salmon as #1. You can check out this link for a good sustainable source of salmon. (I am not compensated for this link)
.Additionally, eggs are a lovely source of fat and protein. Buying pasture raised beef, if you like beef, is another good choice. Remember our ancestors were omnivores, eating meat and plants, so both may be calling to you.
I’ve tried vegetarian in the past and it does not work for me. When a restrictive diet isn’t right for you, it’s easy to start snacking to fill the void and never feel quite satisfied.
Who is your best nutritional guru?
You may be surprised to know your best nutritional guru is YOU! I tell the people I coach no one knows your body and how it responds better than you. After all, you live in it. When you build awareness of your body’s rhythms you can make thoughtful decisions about what, when and how much you eat. You will notice how your body feels after you’ve eaten. You will notice your energy levels, your moods and how they are affected by what you eat.
So ditch all the books and tune into yourself. Be your teacher and analyst.
Where to Start
I always tell my clients the truth. Together we identify foods you like t that are healthy, nourishing and satisfying, If you eat them most of the time without being too rigid about it, you will have energy, feel better and maintain a good weight. Some women can’t lose weight even when they are eating well because their metabolism has been disturbed through the years by too many fad diets. But they see that by eating well they feel better, look better and are healthier. That’s what we want, isn’t it?
When I work with you I help you mesh your health history and current lifestyle with your food. Together we start with the basics - stocking your pantry and refrigerator, tuning in to your appetite, simple recipes with whole foods that are easy to prepare and are well-rounded nutritionally. You trsck what works for you and what does not and we refine the plan to make it support your needs. We track your energy, your eating style and look at your goals. You lead the way.
Benefits of Being Your Own Guru
Being the judge of which foods feel best gives you the benefit of customizing your own way of eating. It is not some boiler plate list of eat this, not that. It says within the framework of healthy food choices but is not rigid
It supports your likes so eating is a pleasurable, mindful experience as it should be. .
Through this framework you mayl lose weight if you need to. I You will build on your intuition and become more confident in what is best for you, whether it’s with or without meat, vegan or vegetarian, lactose free, etc By tuning in to the way your body responds you will find the right answer for you.
With coaching that gives you the information you need to make healthy choices, you will improve your overall health and well-being.
You’ll create space in your bookshelves for juicy novels, biographies and non fiction that you truly enjoy.