Back in 2021 when I left my career as a lawyer I knew that I had to make a change. I was constantly tired and bloated, lacked energy and never really felt “well”. I was desperate to get back to my happy, energetic self and so I started to make changes to my diet and lifestyle. Eventually I enrolled in a program to become a Registered Holistic Nutritionist which helped me so much on my personal health and wellness journey. It also made me incredibly passionate about helping others on their journeys too!

I have learned a lot over the last few years. But starting out was tricky! So here are 5 things that I wish I knew when I was first starting my health and wellness journey.

1. You don’t need to do everything all at once

When I first decided to make changes to my diet and lifestyle I was filled with enthusiasm. I did my research and I made a plan. I was so excited and couldn’t wait to start seeing results. The first few days I followed my plan to a T. Then a few days later life happened. I got busy and couldn’t commit to checking all the things I told myself that I needed to do each day off my checklist. I was consumed by guilt. I saw so many people on social media seemingly managing to do it all and yet somehow I couldn’t make it happen.

Eventually (after a lot of reflection) I had a mindset shift. I came to the realization that it was completely unrealistic to strive for perfection every day and that was completely ok! Taking on too much at once is not the right approach if you want to make long-lasting changes.

If I could go back in time I would tell myself to instead focus on 2-3 small steps per week that I could check off my to-do list without a ton of overwhelm. These could be things like drinking 8 glasses of water per day or eating a protein-rich breakfast every morning. Things that will still get me closer to my ultimate goal, yet are actually achievable and will fit into my schedule. Then, once you’ve nailed those 2-3 things, start gradually adding in a few more things. This gradual build up over time is far more realistic than trying to change everything overnight.

2. You don’t need to aim for perfection

Dedication to your new healthy habits is great, but at some point there will be a birthday party, dinner with friends, or a vacation. One mistake I made early on in my health and wellness journey was being so strict with myself that I didn’t allow room for flexibility. Then when I got invited out or was offered a slice of cake and decided to indulge I would adopt the mentality that now I had broken my streak of perfection I might as well keep indulging. This would inevitably be followed by so much guilt and self-loathing and I would feel like I was having to “start from scratch”.

I wish I could tell my former self that it’s ok to indulge every once in a while! I now allow myself the flexibility to have a treat and not beat myself up about it. Instead, I come back to my healthy habits at the next opportunity rather than feeling like I’ve screwed up and giving up completely. This mindset shift has been incredibly freeing! Plus, it has made my new healthy habits a lot easier to commit to in the long-run rather than something that I commit to for a few weeks and then give up on.

3. Start by adding rather than taking away

Changing your diet can be overwhelming. One thing I often discuss with my nutrition coaching clients is to start by thinking about what you can add into your diet to nourish your body rather than focusing on what you “shouldn’t” be eating. For example, rather than telling yourself that you can never eat your favourite snacks again, ask yourself what you can add to your snacks to make them more nutritious. This mindset shift can make change seem far less overwhelming.

4. Do what works for you

There is a lot of noise out there about what we should and shouldn’t be doing when it comes to our diets and lifestyle. But the reality is that we are all unique and what works for one person may not work for another.

For example, at the start of my health and wellness journey I heard so many people raving about intermittent fasting. I thought it was something I HAD to try. I tried it for a couple of weeks and I was miserable. I was so tired, had so little energy and constantly felt hungry which would lead to binges later on in the day when I was finally “allowed” to eat. It really didn’t work for me at all. These days I couldn’t imagine skipping breakfast. The moral of the story here is that you don’t need to follow every trend. In fact, finding a balanced approach that works for your unique needs will be a lot easier to commit to the long-run.

5. There might be some resistance

Change is hard. Know that there might be some resistance from within yourself (and sometimes from others too) when you are making changes to your diet and lifestyle. Take time to reflect and ask yourself why these feelings are coming up. And most of all, remember to be kind to yourself! You are human after all and no human is perfect. There will be hurdles and setbacks and that’s ok!

Need some support?

If you would like to make changes to your diet and want a plan that is created specifically for you, then I would love the opportunity to work with you! I know how important it is to work collaboratively with my nutrition coaching clients so that they feel heard and know that their needs are being met. If you would like to explore whether my one-on-one nutrition coaching services would be a good fit you can book a free discovery call here! A free discovery call allows you to ask questions and get to know me without any obligation to book a paid session.

Alternatively, you can email me at hello@hannahbristownutrition.com