Most people think that being overweight or unhealthy is a character flaw:

"I can't control my cravings, I'm going to be fat forever."
"My parents were overweight so I am too. It's genetics."
"No matter what I try, I just can't lose weight. This is just who I am."

We all create our own system of personal beliefs, but you are not your beliefs.

You are not broken. Your future is not predetermined.
The process of making sustainable change starts with building the right mindset.
How long does real change take?

Weight loss can be categorized into two silos:

  1. Temporary weight cuts
  2. Sustainable body recomposition

Temporary weight cuts are easy to achieve. Whether you simply slash your daily food intake, stop drinking fluids, or start to take laxatives, body weight is easy to manipulate. Weight-class athletes will often need to cut 5-30 lbs in a matter of days, and although possible, this is hard on the body and athletes regain this lost weight within hours after weigh-ins.

Fad diets are akin to weight cuts; you’ll keep weight off until you return to your old habits, and with those old habits comes the same old body fat. If you've ever tried Weight Watchers or gone super low carb for a few weeks, you've lived this phenomenon.

Habits are actions that you take every day automatically, without internal debate or the need for will power. Sustaining weight loss (or muscle gain) means sustaining the behaviours that created these results. Most people have heard that habits take 21 days to build, but the research shows us that some habits can take upwards of 8 months before they become automatic.

This isn't to discourage anyone from attempting to make change, but is instead meant to set realistic expectations: Most people will have several setbacks in their efforts to change their daily habits before things become permanent. Our home environments, our friends & family, and our daily stressors have huge impacts on the choices we make, so changing habits usually takes a bit of trial and error to find the path of least resistance.

As adults we often fear and avoid failure, but setbacks are a learning tool that ultimately make clear the changes that are necessary to achieve our end goals.

While I do often work with people for more than 8 months, it's unrealistic to expect this kind of commitment from every person who reaches out for Nutrition Coaching. As such, it is not my goal to work with every client until we reach the finish line together, but instead to ensure that each client gains the knowledge and skills they require to eventually get there themselves. I've learned that this foundation usually takes about 12 weeks, which is the commitment I ask people to prepare themselves for as we begin our partnership.

Nutrition Coaching 12-Week Program

After filling out a detailed Nutrition Coaching intake form and discussing your current eating habits, we work together in the following way:

  • Weekly calls (30 mins) where we discuss:
    • The weekly area of focus that will give you the most impact.
      • Sometimes there will be a weekly nutrition habit and a weekly exercise/lifestyle habit, depending on what you feel confident you can tackle.
    • The actions and strategies to take to best position yourself for success with your new habit (including any barriers you feel you may have)
    • One health/nutrition-related educational topic of your choice; building knowledge is paramount to sustaining new habits and success over time.
  • Ongoing text support for accountability and knowledge transfer
  • A step-wise approach customized to your lifestyle and personal needs. There is no "set" plan. You tell me where you're at and what's coming up in your life, and we make sure you're working on the habits that have the most impact for you and your end goals.
What can you expect after 12 weeks of Nutrition Coaching?

After 12 weeks you won't have lost 30 lbs of fat, gained 30 lbs of muscle, or totally overhauled your entire life. None of these outcomes are realistic in such a short period of time (unless you're cutting weight temporarily, as mentioned above).

Instead, after 12 weeks of Nutrition Coaching here's what you can actually expect:

  • To own a personalized set of skills specific to improving your long-term health and wellbeing
  • Confidence understanding the nutrition strategies that are right (and wrong!) for you
  • To feel better in your body, fit better in your clothes, and be more confident with your daily choices

At the end of the day, 12 weeks is a very short period of time; it is but a trimester of a full pregnancy and less than a full semester at college. But if you commit to 12 weeks, you'll be setup to make huge progress over the next 12 weeks and beyond.

What if you feel that 12 weeks is too much, or too little?

I'm here to help people, not to lock them into irrevocable contracts. The objective is to help you develop the skill set you need to accomplish the goals that you set out for yourself. Although I recommend a commitment of 12 weeks, I always go month-to-month with my clients financially so that we don't add undue stress to the process. I'm here to make life easier for people, not the other way around!

Live the life you've always imagined...

  Feel confident in your daily food choices, navigating social events and celebrations without stress

  Take the stairs pain-free and without getting winded

  Hit the beach without being self-conscious about your body; no shoes, no shirt, no problem!

  Look forward to your meals instead of dreading them.

  Wake up with energy to tackle the day and to continue to build a life of health and happiness

Nutrition Coaching