Small Changes make a Big difference!

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Small Changes make a Big difference!

The Healing Collective • November 3, 2022

Welcome and thanks for reading!

My name is Raechel and I am the back office support for the Healing Collective and am also a Certified Holistic Nutritionist. My goal is to educate our community on how nutrition can play such a vital role in our healing journeys and overall health.

SMALL CHANGES

I want to start with the importance of small changes. Diet change is a process and usually starts with baby steps with the goal being a lifestyle change rather than just going on a “diet.” Every piece of food we put in our mouth can help us heal or can contribute to disease. Your body is your temple! If it is overwhelming to make a huge life change, don’t look at the big picture. Take it day by day, or—better yet—meal by meal. Praise yourself when you make a good, healthy meal or snack choice.

START SIMPLE

Start with a simple replacement in your daily routine. For example, instead of a bowl of high-sugar cereal in the morning, try replacing it with a protein shake with almond or coconut milk. You could also do a bowl of steel-cut oats with berries. Once you get into a routine of exploring different breakfasts and what you like or don't like, move onto lunch. Replace your sandwich with a bountiful salad with lettuce, spiralized zucchini, chopped vegetables, beans, and quinoa with a delicious dressing. Or an easier step might be to replace your daily lunch soda with sparkling water. When you focus on one thing at a time, it is less stressful.

KNOW YOUR WHY

Your health is in your hands, but support from friends and family is important. Make sure they know your WHY. Why are you doing this? They’ll be more likely to support you in tempting situations if they understand.

HAVE FUN EXPERIMENTING

Try new things! The internet is a wealth of information and has great recipes. But where to start? I like nutritionfacts.org and drmcdougall.com for information and recipes.

Another great reason to make small changes is when you start something extreme, you are more likely to binge. If you eat poorly one day, just tell yourself you will do better the next day.

YOUR SELF TALK REALLY MATTERS

What you tell yourself throughout the day will lead to long-term success. This goes for all aspects of your life, not just with food. Small affirmations throughout the day make a difference such as “I am doing the best I can,” “I am eating for my health and am doing great,” and “this is worth it because I know I will feel better.” Avoid telling yourself “I can’t eat this, this, or that” and “I messed up, I will fail.”