Wellbeing Wednesday: Finding success with support:
Maintaining healthy habits is hard. In the abstract, we all
know that eating well and exercising is good for us. But that’s not always easy
to translate into the motivation we need to make positive changes. We often avoid change and then feel guilty because of it, but we also miss out on the
feeling of accomplishment, and the joy and energy that comes with
eating well and exercising.
Most of us believe we know what to eat or what to do (have
more vegetables, right?), but translating that into your life isn’t so simple.
Sometimes what we are really missing is support to make those choices and stick
to them. We all need someone in our corner, someone to work out our problems
with and help us stick to our goals.
What I’m really trying to say is to take time to find that
person or that group who will stand in your corner. For you, that might mean a
friend who is in the same boat, someone at work who walks with you over lunch,
a family member who wants the best for you, a personal trainer to encourage and
hold you accountable, or a member of the healthcare team who wants to look out
for you. It doesn’t really matter where you find that person, what matters is
that you are not in it alone.
As a dietitian and personal trainer, I know the benefits of
eating well and exercising, but I always find it easier to make healthy
decisions when others are working to do the same. Living a healthy lifestyle is
about balancing the ‘healthy’ choices with the indulgences, because both should
have a place in our lives.
What I really enjoy is helping people to find that balance
for themselves. The food we eat is intimately intertwined with our lives. It is
in our daily routines, in our social gatherings, we go to food when we’re bored
or stressed, involve it in our celebrations and our sorrows. For most of us,
changing what we eat is primarily related to changing our weight or body image,
but there are many other reasons you might like to change your diet. Take a
look below, and if any of these situations apply to you, you might consider seeking
the support of a dietitian:
1.
You would
generally like to feel better, have more energy, or prevent disease:
Sometimes
we don’t know how poorly we feel until after we improve our habits. Preventing
disease works in the same way, we often don’t know there is a problem until
it’s upon us. If you have concerns or risk factors such as high blood pressure
or cholesterol, diet changes may help.
2.
You would
like to drop some excess weight or gain a few needed pounds:
It may be 10
pounds that crept on over the year, or an extra 50 that has you concerned. Or,
you might need help putting on a little more weight, either way your diet plays
a large role in your success.
3.
You are
an athlete and would like to improve your performance or gain muscle:
You
might be living an active, healthy lifestyle, but you’d like the extra edge to
boost your performance and help you improve your game.
4.
You have
a special diet to follow:
Whether you’ve chosen to eat a vegetarian or
vegan diet, you have intolerances (such as lactose intolerance), or you have
allergies and you must avoid certain foods, a little help might be nice to be
sure you’re getting all you need.
5.
You have
a disease or disorder that you manage through dietary changes:
Many metabolic
and gastrointestinal diseases, such as diabetes or Crohn’s disease, can be well
managed with focused diet changes.
6.
You would
like to focus on your health during a big life event:
You might be pregnant
or trying to get pregnant, you might care for an aging parent and have concerns
for food and drug interactions, or you might find your teen has developed an
unhealthy relationship to food.
In the end, whatever your goals are, take the time to find
the support you need because none of us should have to go through this alone. It’s
time to make positive changes so you can stop worrying and start enjoying the
benefits of your hard work.
Candace Garner, MS, RDN
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