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Some conversations are just so fun, you never want them to end. That’s how I felt in my recent conversation with registered dietician Christine Dyan Thompson. In this week’s episode of The Art of Personal Growth Podcast, Christine and I had a great conversation about health, food, and happiness. Here are six of the best gems from our conversation, but make sure you listen to this week’s episode to hear them all!
Self Love Should Happen at Every Age & Stage
When Christine and I were talking about how she got into her line of work, she mentioned realizing that there was a myth that women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s were suddenly happier and more accepting of their bodies when this wasn’t actually true. She set out to help women at every age and stage of life learn habits that improve their quality of life and how they feel about their appearance and health.
Food is NOT the Only Way to Nourish Your Life
We all fall for this trap: we’re hungry, so we eat. We’re stressed out, so we eat. We’re sad, so we eat. We use food as a way to cope with the feelings we have and to give us the comfort we think we need. Christine says – and I agree! – that food isn’t the only way to feel better or nourished. We need to change our mindset about food if we want to have a healthier relationship with it.
Health and Healthy Eating Requires Daily Management
Making healthy choices about food and taking care of our bodies are not one-off decisions. We must be committed every day to ensuring we’re making the best possible choices, Christine says. She also says that if or when you decide to treat yourself: let yourself enjoy the treat fully and make it with the best possible ingredients. If you end up feeling guilty or unhappy halfway through that slice of chocolate cake, it wasn’t worth it at all.
Aim to be Healthy from the Inside Out
Health isn’t just about our physical bodies or what we can see in the mirror (or others can see when we walk out the door!). Christine and I spoke about how your body and your life are not separate. Being healthy on the inside can mean physical health, mental health, emotional health… basically, if you’re only thinking about getting healthy for how you’ll look, you’re not focused on actually getting healthy.
Set Yourself Up for Success
You can’t eat what’s not there, so set your kitchen up to be a place where you’re successful in making healthy decisions daily. Christine provided suggestions like having healthy snack options close at hand and all the right tools for cooking healthy meals; if you have these things ready and available, you’re much more likely to make healthy choices even when you’re not feeling 100% committed to your health (or you had a stressful day at the office and just really want an indulgence)!
You Already Know Diets – Let’s Start Elsewhere
One of my favorite parts of talking with Christine was where she acknowledged that by our 40s, those of us who struggle with healthy lifestyles already know all about diets. We don’t need another one! Instead, Christine works with her clients in other areas first: she helps build movement (not exercise!) into their day, and looks at other areas that may be leading to unhealthy dietary habits.
Ready to start working with Christine? Check out her website Healthy, Holistic, Haute to sign up and receive the Nutrition Newbies Cheat Sheet! GOOD MOOD FOOD: 15 Hormone-Balancing, Energizing Snacks You Can Eat Without Guilt.
Thanks for Listening!
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