Nourish FAQs
Q: Is Nourish a diet?
A: No. It’s a lifestyle. "Diet," at least the way it’s been defined in the media and engrained in our brains, indicates some sort of short-term, quick fix to right the wrongs of your food decisions.
We aren’t huge fans of the word “diet.” Not only does it contain the word die (and honestly that’s the way I felt when I tried every diet under the sun, from cabbage soup to keto), but it comes loaded with all sorts of preconceived notions. I like to think of Nourish as a lifestyle. I have had a lot of gut issues throughout my life and have tried everything. The short-term, quick fixes have never worked longer term. The only thing that has healed my gut and improved both my physical and mental health is shifting my mindset from the “here and now” to a more sustainable and forward-looking way of life. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of getting super excited about the promise of some quick fix, only to be disappointed when it doesn’t work. Nourish taught me what my body (and brain) truly needed, as well as provided an actual plan on how to live better without the extreme whiplash of being on and off the wellness wagon.
Q: Wow, this sounds like a lot. I already have a super busy life. Will this be too much to handle?
A: The hardest part of Nourish is the mindfulness component. We mostly live life on auto-pilot, so being intentional and thoughtful about things we typically take for granted (sleep, movement, food, etc.) is a change. The second hardest part is making time to prep. A little prep on a Sunday afternoon goes a long way in setting you up for success the rest of the week. Establishing this habit during Nourish will help you carry these practices with you beyond the 30 days. Remember, this program is designed to set you up for better lifestyle habits; it is not intended to be a “one-and-done” crash course to help you melt off the holiday pounds.
Q: If it’s not a diet, why is there an elimination?
A: While we hate the idea of “taking away” anything, we have found the best way to figure out what your body is sensitive to or accepting of is to remove it and add it back in. Essentially, you are wiping the slate clean of the top 5 culprits of inflammation in the body: gluten, dairy, corn, soy and refined sugar. You will then reintroduce each of them, one at a time, much like you introduce new foods to a baby. This elimination is not intended to be forever. In fact, at the end of the 30 days, we highly recommend you add back in each of the foods per the program’s reintroduction phase, even though you may not want to because you feel so good. The reality is, you are likely going to consume those foods again at some point, so you might as well know which ones are potentially problematic for you and which are not.
Q: I want to sign up for Nourish but I live with other people and there is no way they will be on board. I can’t prep or plan different meals to accommodate everyone’s needs. What should I do?
A: Nourish is real food that tastes good. There are lots of options in the recipe book that everyone in your family will enjoy. There is no need to make multiple meals.
The first recommendation we have is to never apologize or position this as a “healthy diet.” It doesn’t matter if you are serving cookies and cake, if you tell your family it’s “healthy” or have an apologetic tone, they will automatically be skeptical.
The second recommendation is to invite your family into the process. “Hey Sally/Sal/Steven…I am committed to my health and having more energy in the coming year so I can be a better partner/parent/friend and am going to kickstart my journey with a fun 30-day program where I learn what does and doesn’t work for me. I’d appreciate your support and invite you to join."
Our final recommendation is that you can make many of your existing family favorites Nourish-friendly with some simple substitutions or eliminations. Making burgers? Great! Have yours on a GF bun or a bed of lettuce instead of a regular bun. Making frittata? Cool. Only put cheese on half (or serve cheese on the side) so you can have yours without dairy.
Q: If I can’t live without gluten or dairy, should I still do Nourish?
A: As my coach Mary would say, “Do you know that to be true?” Behavior follows belief, so if you think you can’t, you can’t.
Remember, this program is not forever: you can live without some of your “non-negotiables” for 30 days. You can do anything for 30 days, especially if the idea of feeling better is motivating enough. The definition of “better” differs from person to person. For me, “better” used to mean getting rid of debilitating abdominal pains. Now that this acute issue is (mostly) behind me, I am focused on more subtle things like brain fog, energy levels, mood and sleep. If your “why” is important enough, it’s worth taking the 30 days to explore it.
The good news is that you will likely find that certain things may irritate you, but you don’t have to give up the entire food group forever. For example, I do not drink milk. It results in me doubling over in pain. I also don’t prefer creamy cheeses. However, my body can tolerate hard cheeses like parmesan and Manchego. I can even have the occasional ice cream without my stomach rebelling. Just because a few items or a few low-quality versions (think GMO corn and soy) send shockwaves through your system, it doesn’t mean you have to give up an entire classification of food.
Q: What about alcohol? Can I drink while Nourishing?
A: You can, but I honestly wouldn't recommend it. The more you allow your body to truly detox during this time, the better you will feel. If you do decide to have an occasional drink during Nourish, limit intake, and stick to weekends only. Avoid beer (gluten) and beverages with sugars like wine, sweet cocktails and mixers like juice or tonic (more sugar!). Stick with vodka or tequila & soda with fresh lime juice.
Note: This is a tough one for me because I do consume alcohol. It has taken me seriously dusting off my denial glasses to see that certain types of alcohol don't work well for my body. Beer was banished from my world long ago, but wine is harder to cut back on, although the negative impact on my sleep and mood makes it not even worth it. Alcohol consumption can also lead to poor food choices and a cycle of shame around those choices.
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Nourish FAQs
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Disclaimer:
Results will vary, and you should check with your doctor to determine whether Nourish is right for you. Our Coaches are not doctors, dietitians or psychologists. They are your Health Coaches. Nourish is not intended to substitute for the advice, treatment and/or diagnosis of a qualified licensed professional. Trained health coaches may not make any medical diagnosis, claims and/or substitute for your personal physician’s care. As your Holistic Health Coaches, they are not providing a second opinion or in any way attempting to alter the treatment plans or therapeutic goals/recommendations of your personal physician. It is their role to partner with you and to provide you with ongoing support and accountability as you create an action plan to meet and maintain your health.
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