Category: food

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Health & Lifestyle Overhaul Checklist!

Transform Your Health & Lifestyle!

Today I’m sharing a rundown of everything I did to completely overhaul my health and build the healthy lifestyle I now enjoy! I’ve compiled this list over the years of my training, research and experience as a Holistic Health Coach. I guide my clients through this process, and of course, as each individual is unique, the protocols are tailored to meet specific health concerns and goals (ie: managing a health condition, healing the gut, balancing hormones, etc.). While there are more specifics to be considered, this is a great checklist to move you towards better health and an improved overall lifestyle!

Make no mistake, this is not meant to be an overnight process. Change does not need to happen all at once. In fact, this took me YEARS, but I simply focused on ONE area at a time and kept going down the list. So please don’t allow overwhelm to stop you from getting started. Start with what feels most doable to you – maybe that’s getting more sleep, drinking more water, or adding in one new vegetable this week.

And while I am fully aware that not everyone has the same resources or access to healthier options, I encourage you to do what YOU can. Let go of all-or-nothing thinking and realize that ANY change you make to support your health is progress worth celebrating!

Remember, you and your body are on the same team and share the same goal. When you do your part to support your body by building a strong, healthy foundation, you can trust that your body will do the rest. This is what “Nourished Wellness” is all about! 

Choose ONE thing ⬆ that you’d like to start working on! And if you’d like 1:1 support & guidance on your journey to create a healthier lifestyle, click HERE to schedule a free Virtual Health Coaching consultation.

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Building a balanced meal

While Keto seems to be all the rage right now, I find that eliminating or severely reducing any one food group not only makes that particular diet difficult to sustain long-term, but can also complicate your relationship with food. Telling yourself you can’t have something often increases your cravings for a particular food, and sets you up for a “pass” or “fail” test, which can lead to feelings of guilt.


There is a ton of conflicting and confusing nutritional information leaving many unsure of which direction to take. I find that staying away from any extremes is the safest place to land. 🙏🏼 Balanced diets that include each food group, such as the Mediterranean way of eating, have been proven to be beneficial for health & longevity.

Balanced meals that include Protein + Complex Carbs + Fiber + Heart-healthy Fats will keep your body nourished, full & fueled. Each of these plays an important role in your health:
→Fiber keeps you full and keeps your digestive system healthy
→Protein aids in muscle and tissue building & repair
→Carbs are your body’s main source of energy
→Fats aid in the absorption of nutrients, hormone production and cell growth

Build a balanced meal with a selection from each category:
✔Proteins – eggs, meat, poultry, seafood, tofu, beans & legumes, yogurt, etc.
✔Carbs – whole grain bread, rice, quinoa, pasta, oatmeal, etc.
✔Fiber – fruits & veggies!
✔Fats – olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, nut butters, etc.
✔Flavor – spices, fresh herbs & condiments to make the meal delicious & satisfying
This is a basic list that you can build upon based on your preferences and personal needs.

Pass on the trendy extreme diets and reap the benefits of #balance. 

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Meal Planning & Prepping 101

Meal Planning & Prepping 101

Why it’s helpful:

-Meal planning & prepping makes eating healthy easier and more convenient, especially for those who are busy and on-the-go.

-Limits the decision-making needed at each meal.

-Reduces the need to exert willpower and settle for less-healthy meals out of convenience.

-Saves you $$$$$!!!! You can save a significant amount of money over time by choosing to bring lunch to work everyday rather than order out with your co-workers!

Questions to ask yourself:

What are your favorite foods?

How can you build balanced meals (protein, carb, fat + fiber) using your favorite foods? Having staple meals is super helpful!

How much variety do you need? 

Can you eat repeat meals/leftovers, or do you get bored of foods quickly?

Which meals you do need prepped (ie: lunch & snacks for work) and which meals can you make at home (ie: breakfast & dinner)?

What days of the week can you food shop and set aside time to prep?

How many “flexible” meals a week would you like? (ie: dinner out, birthday lunch with a co-worker, brunch with friends, ice cream on a weeknight just because).

It can be helpful to plan these “fun” meals into your week.

You may choose to plan out your meals Monday-Friday, and leave the weekends open for flexibility, or you may prefer to have some”fun” meals throughout the week. Choose what works best for you!

Here’s an example of how to plan “fun” foods into your week:

Note: the salad simply represents healthy homemade meals 😉

Step 1: Pick your meals

~Aim for balance of carbs, protein, fats & plenty of fiber from fruits & veggies

~Aim for whole foods

~Give yourself as much variety as you like

~MUST include foods you love! 🙂

~Plan your meals for however many days you’d like

Step 2: Make your grocery list

You can organize your list into the categories: Produce, Pantry items & Proteins

Step 3: Prep!

You can prep each meal, one at a time starting with breakfast, or prep one category at a time: produce, pantry items & proteins.

Any meals that you’ll need to take on the go can be placed into glassware/containers so they are ready to grab & go! For the meals that you can cook at home, prepping the ingredients helps make cooking a breeze!

Meal Prep Example:

Breakfast:

~Make overnight oats

~Assemble yogurt parfaits (keep granola separate so it stays crunchy)

Snacks: 

~Wash and chop fruits & veggies

~Portion out snacks

Lunch:

~Hard boil eggs

~Make soup

~Assemble lunch boxes

Dinner:

~Prep veggies

~Marinate tofu

~Season salmon

Side notes:

~If you’re sitting down to a meal that you prepared, but are truly not in the mood for it, you can absolutely opt for something else! However, I find that when you prep meals using foods & flavors you LOVE, you’ll usually be super satisfied!

~While meal prep day may feel time-consuming, think about how much time it is saving you the rest of the week & remind yourself of the benefits:

>>Makes life easier

>>Makes eating healthy easier

>>Saves you time & money

Now go get your meal prep on!


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What’s the best diet to follow?

“What’s the best diet to follow?”

“What’s the best way of eating?”

I completely understand why I’m asked this so often.

There is SO.MUCH.CONFUSION. 

Keto, Paleo, Vegan, Gluten-free… there is an overwhelming amount of contradicting information and many become paralyzed, not knowing what to eat.

As a holistic health coach, I believe in bio-individuality. 

Each of us are unique and our bodies have different needs.

Therefore, I work backwards and start with YOU.

Here is an example of some questions I ask my clients:

~What foods do YOU enjoy?

~What way of eating makes YOU feel your best?

~What way of eating would YOU be able stick to longterm?

Rather than forcing yourself to follow the rigid rules of a particular protocol, start with your body and build from there.

If you’re currently feeling confused by all the nutritional noise out there, I encourage you to take a step back, take a deep breath & get back to the basics of YOUR body.⁣

I’m always here to help! 

Email me with any questions you may have.

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