Nutrition by Dawn - Blog

Each week, I hear from women who have decided it’s time to prioritize their health so that they can continue to do the things that bring them joy. They need someone to help them plan their journey and begin the process, and the best part of my job is getting to be that person! When women come to me, they will often tell me that their goal is to be healthy. It’s a word we throw around a lot, but what does the word “healthy” even mean? 

A lot of people are really passionate about how they define health, and everyone is going to have a different definition. Some people consider “healthy” to mean fasting until noon, removing carbs from their diet, eliminating inflammatory foods, or any other number of complicated, unsustainable tricks. I consider sustainable change to be one of the most important parts of reclaiming your health. Crash diets will eventually do just that: crash. Sustainable changes become a part of your lifestyle so that your new habits stick. With my support, women can say goodbye to diet culture and never diet again!

It's important to understand before you start your journey that “healthy” will mean something different to everyone. You will want to settle on your own definition, and set your own health goals. No one else should dictate what healthy looks like for you. 

The truth is that “healthy” does not mean skinny, or that you’ll never have health problems, or that you have to eat salads for every meal. 

If you’ve heard my story, you might know that I have multiple joint replacements. This means that my version of “healthy” means that I need to stay a little bit light on my feet to avoid putting extra pressure on my joints. Healthy to me means being able to enjoy a long hike with friends without having to spend the rest of the day napping to recover. In order to do that, I prioritize strength and stamina, and I try to eat plenty of foods that give me energy, don’t upset my digestive system, and never leave me feeling regretful. 

I also prioritize my mental health and give myself plenty of time to breathe and do the things I enjoy. I spend as much time as possible outside with sunshine and fresh air, and sometimes that’s as simple as bringing my lunch out on our deck. I make time to get together with friends because that socializing brings me joy. To me, healthy is a balance of all of these things that take care of my body and make me happy! 

I would love to hear what healthy means to you in your journey. I would also love to hear any crazy ideas you’ve heard that are supposed to make you “healthy” so that we can figure out together if they’re true! My favorite part of my job is helping women plan how they can enjoy their journey called “healthy.” 

If you’re beginning or working on your healthy journey and want to try out a healthy recipe, enjoy some socialization, and enjoy delicious wine at the same time, join us for our next Perfect Pairings event! You can sign up here and experience the fun side of health with us on May 21st. 

What does “healthy” look like for you? Let me know in the comments!