What I Tell My Clients On Day 1
Nutrition is personal, but there are still a few things I want my clients to know upfront, and today I’m sharing my advice with you… Here’s What I Tell My Clients On Day 1.
As a business owner and dietitian in private practice, I love that everyday is different. Even every hour is different because every client I work with receives an individualized plan to achieve their best results. That means I talk about different aspects of nutrition, wellness and health all day long.
But there is one day that looks very similar across the spectrum: day 1.
From my initial consultations to our first full-length appointment, there is some advice I give every client embarking on a journey to better their health and relationship with food and body.
This is what I tell my clients on day 1:
1. It’s a Journey
Improving your health is a long-term process. If you’ve ever done a crash diet that promises quick fixes, you know these don’t last long.
When you’re working on true behavior change to improve your health, with a mindset of balance, and a dose of reality, it’s a marathon.
You don’t want to sprint to the finish line because you can actually do more damage to your body. You want to progress like a turtle. Slow and steady wins the race.
Think about it- what positive progress happens overnight? Olympian’s don’t become Olympic athletes after a week of practice. Kids don’t learn to walk in the blink of an eye.
When you make a sudden and intense change, you may damage your metabolism in the process. You can read more about that here.
2. Stay Flexible, But Consistent
When working with so many lifestyle factors – diet, exercise, sleep, stress, and more – flexibility is key. You won’t always be in control of your choices, so learning to make the best of situations is essential. Remember: your health is not all or nothing. There’s progress in the gray.
But consistency is essential too. In order to see long-term success, new habits must become well-engrained habits. This can only occur by being consistent in your day-to-day practice.
It takes 10,000 hours to become an expert in something. So like they say, “practice, practice, practice!” Repetition helps.
One of the best habits I help clients form over time (not exactly on day 1!) is planning and prepping. Whether it’s carrying around a snack in case of emergencies to prevent you from getting hangry or spending time over the weekend to plan your meals for the week, the more you practice healthy habits, the more engrained it will become. Plus, when you start to feel better, you’ll want to continue even more!
Unsure how you can plan and practice healthier habits in your life? That’s what I’m here for!
3. It’s In Your Mindset
Let’s talk about kids, or more specifically babies. Babies continuously learn and have a ton of first milestones to hit over the first few years of life. But what would happen if a baby got frustrated from not being able to roll over on the first try? They’d just lay like a lump forever? NO! They try again!
Babies have an “I can!” mindset. Even if they fail once, they try and try again.
Creating healthy habits is similar.
Every time you eat, decide to exercise, get to bed earlier, and actively de-stress, is a new opportunity to better yourself, your health, and your life. You have control over the decisions you make. You can drudge through a workout you hate, or you can keep searching for an activity that sparks joy in your life.
It’s all in your attitude and how you view your health.
(Hint: clients who view their health for the long-term, not the right now, are most successful!)
4. Small Changes Will Lead to Big Results
Don’t overlook the details!
As my grandma once told me, it’s in the BLTs- and not the sandwich. The bites, licks, and tastes.
If you think you’re eating healthfully, you may be… but are you eating right FOR YOU?
We’re all unique individuals with different DNA, different dietary needs, and different reactions to food. A client trying to conceive, for example, is even different than a post-partum new mom who has new challenges when it comes to eating. Overall, the nutrients they need are similar, but the details of their execution are vastly different.
That’s why finding a nutrition professional who can help you on the margins and details is so important. Look for an individualized plan if you want individualized results.
Even clients who come to me knowing a lot about nutrition have something to learn about the science behind eating, food, and habits. It’s not just about what you’re eating, but your surrounding attitude and how you plan your meals in your life.
And then for some clients, it’s not about food at all. It’s about everything else – stress, hormones, exercise, sleep, attitude, confidence, and more. Your weight and health isn’t just impacted by calories in versus calories out. There’s SO much more that comes into play.
Let a professional help you with those details!
5. Stay Hydrated
Ok, so this isn’t exactly my first piece of advice, but it’s usually one of the first things I work on with clients because it’s a universal habit most people could improve on.
To get the inside scoop about staying hydrated, join my 5-Day Hydration Challenge!
By joining this challenge, you’ll boost your health in 5 days by making just 1 change! Every day you’ll receive an email from me explaining why hydration is so important, how much you need to drink, how to know if you’re well-hydrated, and other sources of hydration (it’s not just plain H2O!). I hope you’ll join us!