I can never eat pizza. No more ice cream, no more birthday cake, no chocolate. If that’s what weight loss feels like, no wonder why so many people quit. But what if I told you you don’t have to give up on the foods you enjoy and or love to build a healthier life? Healthy eating is not about perfection. It’s about balance. One dessert doesn’t ruin your progress. What matters is what you do most of the time. Maybe the problem wasn’t you. Maybe the plan was never sustainable in the first place. The goal isn’t to survive your diet. The goal is to create a way of living that you actually enjoy.
Hey, everyone. Welcome back to the Vanessa Carlton Fitness podcast. I’m Doctor Vanessa Carlton, physical therapist and founder of Vanessa Carlson Fitness, where we help busy women become stronger, healthier and more confident without spending hours in the gym. Oh man, I’m so excited for today’s topic and I can’t wait to hear what you guys are thinking. But first, can I ask you a question?
Have you ever started changing your eating habits and started a diet? Maybe a new way of eating only to think I can never eat pizza. No more ice cream, no more birthday cake, no chocolate. The list can go on and on, right? But if you think about it, if that’s what weight loss feels like, gosh, no wonder why so many people quit.
But what if I told you you don’t have to give up on the foods you enjoy and or love to build a healthier life? Even this past weekend, my family and I went on a it was a business venture, but also we made into a family trip. We were away marketing our business, getting to know the community and we here at our home don’t have a TV by choice.
Yes, we have, you know, laptops and phones and things like that. So in the hotel we were seeing it, there was a TV and at the end of the day we would kind of turn it on and see what was, you know, showing. Side note we’re really not missing anything, but it was interesting to see in the one movie we were trying to watch that would stop for commercials.
First of all, there was over 15 commercials at least, and most of them not all, but most of them were either medications or food, right? So food is not something I want you guys to be scared of or weary of. It’s meant to be enjoyed, right? It’s all around us. I mean, think about it when we celebrate, right?
I remember our wedding, our graduation, birthdays. There’s food involved. Maybe when you mourn, right? A gathering after a funeral, typically food involved. I think as a mom, I’m always thinking, did my kids get enough greens? What are they eating? So on and so forth. So actually, before we go any further, I want to know something. What’s the one?
Food. You immediately, immediately think I can never give that up? Is it pizza? Is it chocolate chips? That’s not really a food. That’s a product. That’s a whole nother podcast. Okay, let’s get back on topic. Pasta, ice cream? Maybe bread. Is it pizza? Chocolate? Ice cream? Bread. Let me know in the comments! I know we all have different cultures and different ways of eating and foods that we’re exposed to are exposed to.
But tell me in the comments because I really want to know. And here’s the good news I don’t think you should have to give it up, but let’s talk about why. Let’s dive in. One of the biggest mistakes I see is women believing that healthy eating means never enjoying food again. I used to think that when I was training for my physique show, before I started working with a nutrition coach, I was just like my my whole mindset was off the rails really.
One, I wasn’t giving myself enough nutrition and I was not having a healthy relationship with food. Thank goodness for my coach at the time who basically showed me a different way. That’s not healthy. That’s not even a good relationship with food. Like I mentioned before, food is meant to, nor shall bodies and is something we shouldn’t. Joy. Okay, so again, healthy eating doesn’t mean that never you’re never going to enjoy food again.
That’s simply not true. If your nutrition plan is so restrictive that you can’t imagine it following it the next five years, guys, it’s probably not a sustainable plan. These last 20 years I’ve worked with so many women, right? So many different seasons of life, different age groups. We had our gyms, our youngest was 13, our oldest was in her 80s.
Even now, most of the women I work with are professionals, executives, CEOs, entrepreneurs, their leaders. And when I share this, it’s it’s it’s not just one particular gal. I’ve worked with women who and I’ll just give a very an example that I’ve seen across the board. They who started on Monday eating grapes. I would even say perfectly spot on chicken, broccoli, whole grain rice salad by Friday.
By the end of the week, they’re exhausted, right? Saturday came and they ate everything. That they probably shouldn’t have. Okay, so just to recap, Monday started off great. By Friday they were exhausted. Saturday came. They everything they’ve been avoiding all week or things that they said no going to take this away. Then they felt guilty. Good old guilt, good old shame, good old heaviness. Like oh here I go again. You start beating yourself up, you start feeling deflated, like you’re feeling and you’re not.
And then Monday. So Monday they started all over. Does that sound familiar? Here’s something I want to share with you.
I want you to remember that healthy eating is not about perfection. It’s about balance. One meal doesn’t define your health. Thank goodness one dessert doesn’t ruin your progress. Hear me out on this. What matters is what you do most of the time. At least 80% of the time. Most of the time. Can I let you in on a little secret?
The healthiest people I know, they still enjoy certain meals. Maybe it’s, you know, having a slice of cake on their birthday. Write their birthday cake. Maybe it’s eating a really good pizza. Sometimes they still celebrate the holidays. They do. I remember my nutrition coach tell me is when I was complaining about all the holidays are coming and I have all these parties and things like that.
And he said, hey, the competitors, the other physique competitors go to the same holiday parties, have the family get togethers, they just make slightly different choices and they’re still enjoying the food. The difference is it that they never eat those foods. The difference is those foods don’t become every meal. Instead of asking, what foods do I have to eliminate?
Try asking, what healthy foods can I add more vegetables? Usually when there’s like a like even this weekend we were at the harbor. They had our doors and everything. There’s always going to be vegetables and fruits and things that are better choices, right? So what are healthy things? You can add? More vegetables, more protein, more fruits, good old water.
I’m always asking my clients I have the opportunity to work one on one with zoom clients all over the country, and that’s the one thing we always talk about because it’s commonly water, right? Your muscles. In order to build a muscle, you need more water, more whole foods. Like I mentioned chips earlier, that’s not a food. That’s a product.
We teach our kids that, right. You want whole foods, foods that are going to give you energy. I don’t know about you, but it sucks to feel tired, right? When I don’t sleep well, I’m like, no, you know, but you want to give things that are going to give you energy, not take the energy away. When you start adding in nourishing foods, you’ll often find there is naturally less room for the foods that don’t feel you as well, right?
You’re going to be less likely to want certain things, certain food groups or certain products because you know it’s not going to give you energy. It’s going to leave you feeling empty. It’s not going to be worth the calories, is not going to be worth feeling that way anymore. Okay. Question number two. Let me ask you something else.
How many times have you started changing the way you eat already, knowing there was absolutely no way you were going to eat like that for the rest of your life? Think about that. Many people ask me, how come I won’t do certain things like keto? And I’m not saying that’s wrong. Maybe for some people that works and they can sustain that.
And that works for their body, their their habits, their goals, their lifestyle. Boom. That’s great. But for me, I know that’s not something I’m going to be able to sustain. So if you already knew you couldn’t maintain it, why are you surprised? Why is there a surprise when eventually you can’t? Maybe the problem wasn’t you. Maybe. Hear me out on this.
Maybe the plan was never sustainable in the first place. Think about that. I remember working with a client who loved her ice cream, and it was something she would have every night. Loved her ice cream. So she assumed I’d tell her. You have to stop eating it, right? Like, take it out completely. Instead, we talked about moderation. And also we talked about, like, how much other added things she was putting on the ice cream.
Right? Long story short, she kept enjoying ice cream. Not every night, not with all that other stuff. But she still learned to enjoy it instead of feeling guilty about it. And something interesting happened. She became more consistent because she no longer felt guilty. She no longer felt trapped. She no longer felt like she was suffocating, losing, failing by trying to follow this impossible diet.
I don’t even like that word. Diet die is in it. What we’re trying to do is find habits and ways of eating that feel good and suit you and your knees, because when you feel good, you do good and everyone else around you is blessed by it. So can I encourage you?
Food shouldn’t be your enemy. Food is meant to nourish us. And yes, like I mentioned before, it’s also part of celebrations, holiday traditions, time with friends. The goal isn’t to fear food. The goal is to develop a healthy relationship with it. Another thing I encourage women to stop doing. Even with our kids, I’ve noticed this too. They ask, is this good or bad?
Is labeling foods as good or bad? Instead, ask yourself, does this help me reach my goals? Some foods nourish your body every day. Other are foods you enjoy occasionally. And that’s the one thing we say we teach our kids. Does this give me energy that it’s good to eat every day? Or is this going to take away energy and not really give me the nutrients I need?
Both can have a place within a balanced lifestyle. Remember, the best nutrition plan isn’t the one that works for two weeks, right? It’s the one you actually live with for years because lasting results come from lasting habits. And that’s what we’re doing here. A lot of times when I have my Richard Rise assessments with our when I’m meeting someone for the first time and I let them talk and I hear their heart, but I remind them, especially when they’ve done this diet and this workout and this and this and and it hasn’t really suited them long term is building habits.
We’re habit training because it’s the little things over time where we’ll yield that compound effect. And when that becomes consistent and easy and you have your confidence, then we tackle on the next thing and then we tackle on the next thing together. I’ve seen women lose weight without giving up. Maybe that family pizza nights, or maybe it’s without skipping the parties or the get togethers with friends and family without feeling guilty again, not having to give up family pizza night, not having to skip birthday parties, parties and without feeling guilty every weekend.
Not because they found a magic diet, but because they learned consistency. They built habits. Instead of these impossible rules, they have more control of what they’re saying yes to and what they’re saying no thanks. Maybe another time, right? Those habits change their lives, change their outlook, change their perspective, which is huge. The body will tell you what the body will do, what you tell it to do.
It’s your mind. We have to convince. Yes, I know there are outliers and extremes, but for the most part, your body will do what you tell it to do, right? It’s just getting this on board. I also believe God gave us food as a gift. Not something to fear, not something to obsess over. We honor him not by chasing perfection.
Perfection is overrated, right? It’s getting a little bit better each day by practicing wisdom. Enjoy food. Be thankful. Nourish your body and don’t eat in a rush. Actually, sit down and enjoy your food. Take your time. Slow down. Chew it thoroughly. Taste it. Enjoy with your family and friends. Don’t let guilt control your relationship with eating. Okay, guys, question number three.
Let me ask you one more question. What if instead of instead of asking, what do I have to give up? You started asking, what could I add to my life that would make me healthier? Right. Instead of taking this away. So for instance, back to that example. So we were away this weekend and we shut off this movie that just didn’t suit our values and things like that.
And instead we told our kids, you know, instead of watching this, we can read a story. We can talk. We can talk about our day. There were other things that we can do that would end the night better. And even the next night, instead of turning on the TV, we had a plan, right? We did something different. So what would make your life healthier?
Think about that for a minute instead of taking something away, what could you add in? Is it more of vegetables, more protein, more water, more protein, more vegetables? More water, more movement? Better sleep? What’s one thing, just one that you can add this week? Not later, not next month, not after summer’s over. Not after the holidays are over.
Not after the, you know, the the wedding or whatever it is to graduation this week. Let’s start now. Today. Not tomorrow. Think about it, because that’s where I want you to start. You got to get moving in the right direction. Here’s your challenge this week. Don’t eliminate one of the foods you love. Instead, add one healthy habits. If you’re not getting any vegetables, get in at least one serving a day.
If you’re not getting any vegetables, if there’s no colors on your plate of greens or carrots or beets or tomatoes or what is it? Cauliflower. Lettuce? Kale. Add one of those. Right? Or maybe you’re like, man, I’m really not getting any protein. Let’s add eat more protein at breakfast at the start of your day. Drink one extra glass of water, adding a serving of vegetables to dinner.
Go for a walk after lunch, or maybe a walk after dinner. But guys, choose one and do it consistently. Build your lifestyle. It’s your life. This is a presence. It’s a gift. Instead of chasing another fad diet. Another fad diet, right? I was I couldn’t believe all the things that these commercials were showing and things like that. You know, but instead of chasing the next best thing, let’s add one good thing that you can start this week.
Because healthy living should make your life better. It shouldn’t be more stressful, not miserable. The goal isn’t to survive your diet. The goal is to create a way of living that you actually enjoy. All right guys, I hope that bless you. If today’s episode encourage you, please share it with someone who’s tired of starting another restrictive diet. They deserve to know that healthy living doesn’t have to mean giving up everything you enjoy.
No no no no no no. And if you like how creating a personalized nutrition and fitness plan that fits your real life. If you want some accountability, someone to walk alongside you. I would love to walk alongside you. You can reach out to us at (207) 467-5509, or visit Vanessa Carlson to learn more about our live one on one coaching, live virtual training and our supportive community.
And if these episodes encourage you and are helping you become healthier, I would love to have you join us! Consider subscribing so you don’t miss our future conversations. We release new episodes every weekday and I’d love to continue this journey with you. Thank you. Thank you, thank you. Thank you so much for spending time with me today on till next time.
Keep moving, keep smiling, enjoy the journey and remember the healthiest lifestyle is the one you can actually live. God bless you. I’ll see you in the next episode where we talk about weight loss, mistake or the number one weight loss mistake women over 40 make. All right, guys, watch out. Until next time.
Vanessa Carlson, and I am the owner of Vanessa Carlson Fitness. I am Raider Carlson and I am the general manager. At VC fitness our first goal is our fun first approach with all of our clients. Working out should not feel like a punishment at all, and we strive to make it the highlight of their day. The workouts are tailored.
I love using my background as a doctor, physical therapy to make sure that we’re meeting our clients where they’re at, to help them to get to where they want to be. And I think the third thing is the accountability and communication. So not only do we have one on one sessions with our clients in person and via zoom, but with the app, we are communicating with our clients almost on a daily basis so that they feel confident.
Those companies don’t have a doctor of physical therapy on staff. And so obviously Vanessa is a doctor of physical therapy and highly sought out around the country. And that brings me to my next point that we are the highest rated, the most reviewed personal training company in Portland, Maine, where our headquarters are located. However, we train virtually nationwide through zoom, through live zoom sessions, and so it doesn’t matter where you live.
You can work with Vanessa. And then the third thing is our very first session with Vanessa is only a dollar. We call it the region rise assessments, where basically it’s a meet and greet where she looks at your body using her Doctor of physical therapy skills to make sure that you’re getting the most out of your session and make sure that it’s a good fit for you.
I mean, obviously, we know that we can work with anybody, but obviously it’s got to be a good fit for you. So when I was a child, my grandmother had breast cancer and I was very close with her and was with her for a lot of her appointments with chemo, radiation, all the things and kind of seeing how that affected her.
And I just knew early on I wanted to do something to help people with their health. I didn’t really know what that was going to look like. Fast forward as a child, I remember getting my first Barbie workout video working out with Dance Barbie, and that just was a core memory for me. It closed the door, worked out, felt great, and then fast forward some more.
I knew that I wanted to do something in the health and medical field, and had really great mentors and teachers that helped direct me where I knew I wanted to have a gym one day. I didn’t know how I was going to look, and we had our opportunity. As I was a physical therapist to open our first gym, I just went for it and just really wanted to help people learn how to take care of their bodies.
I just knew that fitness was my passion. And just over the years, it just all worked out together. And here we are. The rest is history. So here’s the thing you don’t have to figure this on your own. And I totally understand how exercise can be overwhelming. We all know that we need to eat healthy and exercise and work out on carve time for it, and don’t feel like you have to know it all.
Do it all by yourself. And even if you’re feeling unmotivated, know that you’re not alone. So my my message to you is surround yourself with someone who is motivated. For someone that is passionate about exercise and eating well and building a positive habits, good healthy habits. I don’t know how to paint, but if I want to make a canvas painting, I’m going to go to a place that the person is a great teacher and passionate about it.
And I’m going to come out with a beautiful painting. Same thing with this. Take the shame. Take the pressure off of your shoulders. You’re not alone in this. Many people I work with all the time don’t know where to start, and I am honored to come alongside and help you figure it out. And just start building that momentum and get in your stride.
And I promise you, you won’t regret it. So anything that we’re saying resonates with you. Don’t wait. Just call the number. Or you can put your information on our website and someone will get. Get back in touch with you very, very quickly. I mean, you got to do it so fast and you don’t know what you’re doing because your mind, which I get in the.
So don’t let them get in the way. Only it’s only $1 to try, Vanessa. And it might be the most impactful hour in 15 minutes of your life. Here at VC fitness for your first consultation, it’s only $1. The assessment is going to just go over some things that are on your heart. Give me a good idea of your body awareness, your mechanics and see if we are a good fit and it only costs $1.
So you can find us at BC fitness. Or you can call the number (207) 467-5509. Again, that is (207) 467-5509. And you can look at us and VC Fitness dot live. And one more time you can call (207) 467-5509. And we are waiting for your call.