With the brides-to-be who I work with on holistic nutrition and wellness, something that comes up again and again is the inevitable conversation about deprivation. Whether they’ve been dieting and feeling deprived for most of their lives, or they’re nervous and resistant to making more permanent dietary and lifestyle shifts now for fear of feeling deprived… deprivation is a hot topic. And I so get it. Back when I used to count calories / portions / points / fat grams / anything I could and “should” count, I struggled with the feeling that I was depriving myself of one of life’s greatest and most simple joys: food.

When I went to school for holistic nutrition and learned about inflammatory foods, food quality, the roles that vitamins and minerals and nutrients play in our bodies, nutrient dense diets, and more… I realized quite quickly that I was going to have to make a pretty significant change to the way I was eating. Many of my comfort foods were going to have to go, the food groups I built my meals around were going to have to shift, and my mindless habits were going to need to really be uncovered and looked at. And even though this was I choice I was intentionally making in order to better myself and my health, I was overwhelmed and worried at first: would this big dietary overhaul leave me feeling more deprived than ever? Would I be able to eat the things I enjoyed ever again? Would going out to dinner with friends be uncomfortable, difficult, and unsatisfying? Was I choosing health and wellness over joy?

And so I really, really hear and sympathize with my clients when they voice these concerns. Here’s what I learned by going through this myself, and what I like to share and work through with my brides-to-be:

Whether or not you feel deprived is your choice.

…What?

To me - all this is, is a simple yet unbelievably valuable mindset shift. It’s a shift from a deprivation mindset to an abundance mindset.

Now, to clarify: when you spend your life dieting, obsessing over the number on a scale, genuinely not eating enough food and/or eating nutrient dead “foods” that do not provide your body with the nutrients and nourishment it needs… then, yes, you’re really and truly deprived on multiple levels.

But when you’re eating a whole foods, real food, colorful, varied, delicious, nutrient-dense diet… and when you are prioritizing stress management, sleep, movement, and mindfulness: you are not deprived. I can tell you with 100% honesty that I never feel deprived eating and living the way I do; in fact, my plate and my life are overflowing with abundance and things to be grateful for.

So if you’re feeling ready to embark on a health and wellness journey of your own, or if you’re just starting out on one, and you’re worried that you might spend the rest of your life feeling deprived if you really and truly go for it… it’s time to shift your focus.

Here are some questions you can keep coming back to, imagining yourself on the other side of, journaling about, and reflecting on if this is a concern for you:

What are all of the things I have to gain by improving my nutrition and wellness?
What are all of the delicious and good-for-me foods that I now enjoy regularly?
What are all of the ways I feel so much better than I used to? My digestion? My energy? My mood? My satiety?
What are all of the ways I look so much better than I used to? My weight? My skin? My overall vibrancy?
How do all of the mindful lifestyle practices that I now prioritize make me feel?
How has managing my stress and sleep improved my overall quality of life?

What you focus on, you create more of. If you focus on deprivation and lack, that’s what you’ll see. Shifting your focus to all of the abundance and goodness you’ve gained (or will gain) from valuing and prioritizing your health, wellness, nutrition, and personal growth is a choice that every single person can decide to make. What do you have to lose by giving it a shot?

Ready to become the glowing bride you DESERVE to be? Then I’m ready to guide you there. Take a look at the different ways we can work together here!

Curious to learn more & see if bridal nutrition is right for you? Schedule a FREE clarity call and let’s chat about it!