What Is Your Nutrition Sweet Spot?
The topic I want to discuss today is something that I don’t often discuss with clients, mostly because our discussions are focused on you and your goals. But I found myself chatting about this in a consult this week to describe to someone the difference between what I do with different clients.
I try to help people find their nutrition sweet spot.
The place where it feels easy (sometimes effortless) but it’s effective in helping that person feel great and reach their goals.
But for every person, this process is very different.
For Some People, It’s About Moderation
For some people, I am teaching moderation.
I am helping these people learn the skills they need to reduce their intake of foods that are appearing too often in their diet and are not helping them towards their goal.
I often help these people practise things like mindfulness and learning to decide what makes them feel good, while also developing a sense of restraint around foods (or drinks) they may need to pull back on.
For Others, It’s About Food Freedom
On the other hand, I help people to liberate their diet.
I help people stop restricting their intake so much and learn to have more freedom with food. This often means that I am also teaching things like mindfulness and helping clients reconnect with their appetite to recognise what feels good for them at different times.
It’s sometimes a tricky balance between liberating your diet and practising eating foods if and when you feel like them, and also eating things that make you feel good.
And finding this balance is what this process is all about — your personal nutrition sweet spot.
Why Your Nutrition Sweet Spot Is Individual
I love the saying that “for some people, eating the donut is progress. For some people, not eating the donut is progress.”
I think that perfectly sums up how different everyone’s journey can be.
So it’s so important not to compare your nutrition journey to anyone else’s, because we all have different areas that we need to work on and develop a range of skills in to be able to find this sweet spot.
The Goal: Balance That Fuels You
The goal is to find a place where you’re eating foods that serve you in terms of not only your physical health, but your mental and emotional health too.
Food impacts all of those areas and it’s important to understand that — to nourish your whole self.
So yes, use food to fuel your body and yes, use food to reach your goals — but also don’t ignore all the other reasons that we eat, because they are vital to being able to sustain what you’re doing in the long run.
Ready to Find Your Nutrition Sweet Spot?
If you need help finding your nutrition sweet spot, get in touch today.
Looking to optimise your fuelling and performance? Explore our sports nutrition services for personalised, evidence-based support from our dietitians.