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In a world where everyone seems to be busy with something - work, activities, pets, school, children, etc… - we chatted with Healthy Eating & Weight Loss Coach (HWL) Sofya Young to give us some tips on how to include good nutrition into that mix.

Sofya and her husband own Diverse Training Center in Kamloops. In conjunction with offering group and private fitness classes and motivating clients to achieve and surpass their individual goals, Sofya focusses on nutritional coaching. Physical fitness is a leading contributor to one's mental stamina and physical wellbeing, however, a balanced diet and good nutrition completes the package and can place you on the road to sustainability.

"Growing up in Russia," Sofya said, "My family grew a lot of our own fresh food and did not have access to a number of processed items. This allowed me to understand the positive results of what whole foods could do for one's body and motivated me to want to share my journey and knowledge with others."

When asked what tips she would offer to those trying to add a focus on nutrition into their diet and fitness regime, she said PLANNING is key. Taking a moment to plan for the next few days, or even a week ahead, can go a long way. Sofya offered these strategies to follow:
 

STRATEGY 1: Positively Adapt Your Routine
One key to success is to create a plan and follow through with it. Fitness and nutritional journeys are as individual as the person implementing them. Whether you are a beginner and looking to make some small changes to your everyday routine, or have been following a more balanced approach to fitness and nutrition for some time, a little shake-up to your routine can be beneficial.

Look at your eating routines. Do you eat on the go? When was the last time you prepared a meal? What did it include? Making time to sit down and pre-plan your next meal or next week of meals can assist in your nutrition and better management of your budget too. Rather than dropping by the grocery store on a whim and grabbing what jumps out at you, strive to prepare a shopping list and stick to purchasing only the items within it. Plan to make one to two meals ahead of time and make enough so you can freeze the extra into individual portions for a quick re-heat another day. There are several appliances, such as a crockpot, that allow you to cook your meals during the day (or night) and return home to a freshly made, warm meal.
 

STRATEGY 2: Fresh For The Win!
Take some time to find new wholefood-based recipes or adapt family favourite recipes to help you move toward eating a fulfilling and balanced diet. Simple things, such as adding additional chopped or pureed veggies to your pasta sauce, or a couple of greens to your turkey wrap, can go a long way in sustaining your appetite to your next meal.

Experiment in using spices to flavour your food, rather than pre-packaged sauces usually full of additional sugars, salts, fat, and preservatives. A little naturally based flavour can go a long way! Help yourself go guilt-free between each meal by finding healthier snacking options. I suggest stocking a selection of nuts and fresh fruits and veggies and have them visible. Hide craveable items that can be used as "treats" from time-to-time, as out of sight really does help put them out of mind.
 

STRATEGY 3: Use a Team Based Approach
One of the best ways to help stay on-track in your nutritional journey is to include your family and friends. I involve my children at home in preparing our family meals. It allows us some quality down-time to chat as a family and for my girls to learn about the food we are eating and how to prepare it. Plus, when we prepare it together it is not something we want to put in a to-go container and run out the door with. We become proud of what we have created and it motivates us to sit at the table together to enjoy.

Some other great ways to keep yourself on track would be implementing a weekly or monthly accountability check-in for yourself using an app-based check-in system or calendar to note the healthy approaches you took that week. Connect with family members or friends to chat about how everyone is staying on top of their goals or work with a Certified Nutritional Coach who can assist in creating unique meal plans, keep you motivated, and on-track.

A holistic approach to fitness and nutrition will not only assist you in your physical health, but in your mental health and stamina too.Thank you Sofya for sharing your knowledge and tips with us to help our Kelson Group residents take another positive step toward their wellbeing today, and into the future.

To contact Sofya and for more information: diversetraining.ca or visit the Diverse Training Facebook page: @diversetraining