navigating nutrition through big life changes: habits you can lean on when life gets stressful
The beginning of Summer generally brings about a lot of significant life changes for many. Most of those seem to be celebrations - graduation and weddings. Then there are the big life events that seem to occur the rest of the year - the ones we don't anticipate and that aren't always celebrations. Retirement, job changes, births, deaths, divorce are all significant changes. These are often complex, emotional, challenging, and demanding situations that can make our nutrition seem especially overwhelming.
As someone who recently came out as a gay man and is recently divorced, all while parenting a toddler, I understand how my nutrition was significantly impacted and how my nutrition habits could help me through these moments. Throughout these changes, I ranged from being a food abstainer during high stress because of losing appetite to turning to food as a source of comfort (and sometimes overeating calorie-dense foods).
Looking at these significant life events, there are three key things I learned that I think would benefit your nutrition should you find yourself amid these big life events and life changes:
1 - Set some bare daily minimums for yourself.
There were days I found myself hardly able to manage even the most basic of tasks. So I came up with a handful of tasks that seemed plausible for me to do without feeling so completely overwhelmed that I couldn't take on the day. I recognized that even if I could accomplish these bare minimums, I could usually manage the other requirements I needed to get through the workday, parenting, and other necessities. For me, the bare minimums included:
1 | Going on at least one 15 minute walk a day;
2 | Eating at least a palm-sized portion of protein with each meal;
3 | Eating breakfast;
4 | Eating at least one serving of vegetables;
5 | Starting my nighttime routine by 10 p.m.
Notice how I didn't feel the need to track my food intake or work out an hour a day. During these high-demand times, changing the standards of your bare minimums may be beneficial to help you navigate the demands of life changes. It's ok to put some old habits that once served you aside for a moment as you navigate the new changes.
2 - Remember that you still need to eat.
At the height of my most recent life changes, I had no appetite for a solid month. And when I did have an appetite, the only thing that sounded appealing was McDonald's. Listen, McDonald's was a place I generally frequented for fountain Diet Cokes (because they're far superior, it's science). But I typically didn't consume food from there. When it came to eating something, McDonald's was the only thing that sounded appealing, and so that's what I ate until I felt like I could eat something more.
Now, although many of the food items there aren't necessarily nutrient-dense, the fact is I still needed calories and energy to meet the demands of my life. I recognized it was short-term management until some things started to settle. Eating was a form of self-care - and sometimes the only calories I got that day were from calorie-dense foods. Recognize that sometimes those food items you may have avoided or deemed as "junk" may be a way for you to get the necessary calories in the short term until you can eat more of those nutrient-dense food items. In time, your appetite and stress will likely settle. And you can start to integrate more of those nutrient-dense food items. Until then, realize that eating food (even if fast food or calorie-dense food) is more important than not eating.
3 - Reprioritize what's most important, even for the short term.
Before these big life changes, I managed to track my food intake, working out 30-90 minutes a day, eating 3-5 servings of fruit/veggies, etc. I did all those "big habits." But when things changed and I didn't have the time, energy, or capacity to work out, I didn't have it in me to track my food intake. The thought of eating food, especially fruits and veggies, made me sick. The habits of physical wellness I once held weren't plausible or possible. So I reprioritized for a time until I felt more capable of managing.
Instead of working out for 30-90 minutes, I'd go on walks.
Instead of eating 3-5 servings of fruits or veggies, I tried to eat at least 1 serving of veggies.
Instead of tracking my food, I tried to eat food (yes, even if from McDonald's).
Instead of focusing on my physical wellness, I prioritized my mental wellness by seeing a licensed mental health practitioner.
The habits you employed once may not be serving you at a later time. And you can always bring those back when it's more feasible. Realize that these significant life changes or events can take priority--whether for a few days or a few months--until you feel more able to manage some of the habits you once utilized.
Whatever your life changes bring, work to create space to either celebrate or grieve and navigate the new change. Your progress with your wellness and nutrition won't be lost - you're just redirecting that energy elsewhere for a time. And that's ok. No matter what's ahead, I do not doubt that these life changes will bring better days for you.
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