As a functional health coach, you know how important it is to help your clients switch from a diet full of packaged and processed foods to one filled with real, whole foods. But one group that struggles the most with making the switch from convenience foods to whole foods are those who are single or who have found themselves single again as the result of divorce, breakup or death of a spouse or partner.
It is not uncommon to hear singles say that they don’t like to cook because it seems like a lot of work to do for only one person. Since they are on their own, they don’t feel that it is important to cook for themselves. Even those who may have cooked regularly when married or in a relationship find that they move away from cooking for one.
This leaves many singles looking for food that is quick and easy and so they end up relying on frozen dinners, restaurant food, fast food and a host of convenience foods instead of cooking whole, real foods. Unfortunately, many are completely unaware of the long list of nasty ingredients in these foods. All of the chemical additives, preservatives and genetically modified ingredients and the lack of good nutrients in processed foods, end up contributing to chronic illness. So the foods that are consumed in the name of convenience ultimately end up making singles sick.
Changing the diet to real, whole foods can help to reverse the damage that is being done by toxic additives and gives the body more of the natural nutrients that it needs to come back into balance.
As a functional health coach, it is your job to help change your single client’s mindset about eating healthy.
Here are some things that you can share with your clients to help them make the transition to real, whole foods more easily:
- Cooking doesn’t have to take a long time. There are a lot of really fast and easy recipes that are nourishing to your body and not full of chemical additives. The key is creating a recipe list of quick, simple and tasty recipes that make cooking much easier and will prevent you from reaching for a frozen dinner or fast food.
- There are kitchen tools that can make things easier. Investing in tools such as a small slow cooker or electronic pressure cooker can significantly reduce the time that a person needs to spend in the kitchen. Many recipes require little more than throwing in the ingredients, turning on the appliance and letting it do its job. This can make eating healthy much more accessible to those who are single.
- Eating real food doesn’t mean that you can never eat out again. The idea is to eat the majority of your meals as real, whole, home cooked food. The goal should be to eat 80-95% of your diet as real food. The popularity of restaurants that serve meals made with fresh, local ingredients is on the rise and so it can be good to discover those options in your area when you do tend to eat out more often.
- You deserve to eat healthy, real food! It doesn’t matter that there is only one of you! Only YOU can commit to a healthier way of eating. That will require you to commit to yourself.
- Your health is more important than convenience! Your risk of serious, chronic illness such as cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, autoimmune disorders and more increases the more you consume nutrient depleted packaged, processed and fast food. Is a little convenience now worth the inconvenience you experience later when you experience chronic illness?
- It is up to you to educate yourself about what is REALLY in the food you eat! It is shocking how many people still believe that a restaurant salad or items like canned soup are actually healthy! Look at the ingredient list and look up the different ingredients listed and then take time to learn about what they really are. Do you know what hydrolyzed yeast extract is or how it can affect your health? What about MSG? It is up to you to educate yourself about what you are really putting into your body.
Eating real food will take a little extra planning. But being as healthy as possible is absolutely worth the effort. Sharing this information with single functional health coaching clients can help them to transform their lives and reclaim their health starting today!
