So What Can Good Nutrition Do for YOU?

What IS good nutrition?

I have spent YEARS studying the science of nutrition. In that time one lesson has stuck out to me: most of us KNOW what good nutrition looks like. Intuitively, we know that vegetables are nutritious and cupcakes are not. The problem however is that we are all looking for that one "magic bullet"- that one food that we can either avoid forever or eat in mass that will preserve our health in the long run. The problem is, it doesn't work that way. Good health is the result of a lifetime of good habits. Does that mean never indulging in a cupcake? Of course not! Does it mean eat them in moderation with an otherwise healthy and balanced diet? ​YES!

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So how do we strike the right balance? Consistency is key. Unfortunately thats where most of us (thats right-dietitians are not perfect either) fall short. Even if we set up a healthy eating/activity plan, most of us have a hard time following it in the long-run. Sound familiar? Never fear, below is a list of tips to help you establish your health and wellness goals and stay on track!

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Erin's Top 3 Tips for Consistent Success

1. Make your health and wellness a priority. 
This may sounds obvious. Why would you pay someone $100/hr to tell you something so simple? Well, how often do we actually do it? On the flip side, how often do we let other things such as our jobs, our families, our friends, our stress, our busy lifestyle get in the way? Don't get me wrong, jobs, families, friends, etc. are important. But by putting them in front of your health, you are making them the priority and not YOU. Taking the time to care for yourself means you can show up as the best version of yourself in all aspects of your life. As such, making yourself the priority is the greatest act of kindness you can give everyone else in your life. 

2. Invest in your health
Most of us are hesitant to spend money on nutrition plans, exercise programs or gyms even though most of us know we would benefit from them. Why is that? We don't see immediate benefits. We may feel better, look better and be more confident- but all of that takes time and consistency. Moving even further down the line, most of us would like to avoid chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. We know that good nutrition and physical activity are vital components of that- and yet we feel far removed from them. As a nutritionist I can PROMISE you that a lack of healthy habits will result in the development of one or more of these diseases. Anyone who has had to manage a disease for themselves or a loved one knows that it comes with an endless cycle of doctors appointments, medications, lost wages and innumerable other expenses. Choosing to invest financially, physically and emotionally into your health now may prevent you from having to front the cost of chronic diseases later. So why wait?

3. Set realistic, short-term goals
Again, this might sound obvious. But we live in a world of instant gratification.  As I said above, so many of us get discouraged when we don't see immediate results, which is why setting achievable goals is SO important. You're ultimate goal may be to lose 20 lbs, but realistically to safely reach that goal will take an order of months. As such, setting goals that you can reach in the mean time will help you stay motivated and stay on track. For example, set a goal of going to the gym 3 days out of the week, of eating at least 3 vegetables per day, of getting 6-7 hours of sleep per night. These are things that are measurable in the near term and by succeeding in them you will start to feel as though your BIG goals are achievable too. 

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You've got this!

As always- I am here to guide you, but the power to change is in YOUR hands. What ever your mountain- I will give you the tools you need to climb it. But you have to be the one that rolls up your sleeves to get it done. I'm here for YOU. I believe in YOU! One step at a time we will accomplish your goals together.