Sponsored, Make A Switch : Nutrition and Mindfulness

Up until the last couple of years I’d always been a healthy eater. I could have done better, especially in terms of drinking water, but I was careful about what I ate, always ensuring I ate lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, and because I’m veggie, well a pescatarian really,  I’ve always, intentionally tried to have a varied diet,  adding things like nuts and seeds etc too.  Well that’s not the case recently, and I think coupled with the fact I’ve not been doing the school run for the last 7 months, I feel lethargic and I’ve put on some very unwanted weight.

This new year though I was offered some help from M&S Bank and their #MakeASwitch campaign.  Asked what I wanted to switch in my life by M&S Bank, it was a change in my diet and lifestyle that sprung to mind straight away. It was more than that though, it was a lack of mindfulness and that’s something that I have only recently learnt more about, and I now I needed some help to achieve this too.

Well M&S Bank facilitated me to meet up with a local nutritionist Susan, the Nutrition Coach, who believes healthy eating is for life! It was a great meeting, we talked about that all important to me mindfulness, which is something I know now is a shortfall of mine. I had already filled out what my diet looked like now, with a meal plan of the last three days. She then talked me through the ways in which I could make a positive difference to my diet, and importantly my way of life from now on.

I think the main thing she wanted to get across to me on my first meeting, wasn’t what I was I was doing wrong, but what I was doing right, and building on it.  She also had some great tricks on how to make this easier for me, as I work from home and I was finding this tricky. Small but very achievable changes!

I thought it would be good to share the list that she gave me, so I could refer back to it in the future.  It also may help any of my readers, if this is something that they would like to make a switch with.

• The cycle of change : hiccups and slips will always happen, but to just get back on it, and not be disheartened.
• Mindfulness : paying attention in a particular way:  on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgementally.  This increases awareness, clarity and acceptance of our present-moment reality.
• We spent some time talking about the important role fibre plays in the diet and why it’s so important.
• Have a water bottle or jug by your desk as a visual clue to drink : Such an important one for me.
• Set a timer or reminder to get up every 1-2 hours – have a drink, move about, have a snack
• Roll a tennis ball or golf ball under your foot to ease the pain : I suffer with Plantar fasciitis.
• Nutracheck is a great healthy eating App.
• Make a large portion of overnight oats so you always have some in the fridge ready for breakfast or as a snack
• Move more. Eat less

I was also lucky enough to receive an M&S gift card, to give me a bit of a jump-start on my eating changes, and I was able to stock up on lots of fresh ingredients and some of the delicious ‘Balanced for You’ range too.  I’ve already seen a difference after the two initial weeks I have been doing these changes, and I’ve found the transition easy.  I’m looking to meet up again with Susan in a couple of weeks, so I can look at other ways I can implement positive switches to my lifestyle.

Huge thanks to M&S Bank and the #MakeASwitch campaign.

Pop onto the M&S Bank #MakeASwitch page for some inspiration if you’re planning to make a switch… Go on!