Build the Discipline to Create and Stick with a Healthy Eating Plan EP 60

I haven't met a person yet who hasn't had some kind of struggle with developing and sustaining healthy eating practices, and Ricki Heller is no exception. As she describes it, she grew up with the ultimate junk food diet – TV dinners, mac & cheese, and lots of baked goods. Which was fun until it wasn't! Eventually, she developed Candida, which is an overgrowth of a naturally occurring yeast we all have in our bodies. At normal levels, this is ok… overgrowth, however, can make you very, very sick, as Ricki experienced and describes in today's episode. It was truly debilitating. Her path forward was either an extremely restricted diet or be very, very ill. What would you choose? Surely, this is one of those "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade" experiences. Ricki learned to cook with healthy, nutritional, whole foods from scratch and has developed significant expertise in developing recipes that she's published in cookbooks and through her blog. Taken a step farther, she's shared what she's learned about how one can create and sustain a healthy eating plan through one-on-one and small group coaching programs. She says it's important to create boundaries and stick with them. The key is to make the choices for the healthy options so routine, so habitual that they simply happen in the moment and you don't even have to think about them; this is an auto-pilot program that works in our favor! The key, however, is getting to the root of our thinking about food, the relationship we develop with it over the course of our lives and understanding what triggers we encounter that can send us down unhealthy paths. In her mind there are three key ideas or actions to take: Address the food itself and eliminate what is bad for you; become aware of the habits we form around eating and certain foods; and learn to recognize the emotions we have around eating and certain foods. When you understand the triggers or initiating events, then you can make more mindful choices about what will truly feed and nourish you. Ricki is a wealth of information on this topic, so settle in and get ready to learn! Ricki's Bio Ricki Heller, R.H.N, PhD, is a healthy eating coach, educator, writer and whole foods recipe developer. She helps people with dietary restrictions love food again without feeling deprived, so they can focus on healing and focus on living their best lives. Through her coaching and online programs, Ricki shares her passion for living well without sugar, gluten, eggs, or dairy and teaches people how to thrive no matter their dietary restrictions. She is also the author of four books, including Sweet Freedom, which was recommended by Ellen DeGeneres, and the bestselling guide and cookbook, Living Candida-Free. She contributes frequently to various magazines and websites, as well as appearing regularly on TV and podcasts. Ricki is also a dog mom, pop culture fanatic, and die-hard chocoholic. She lives with her husband and two fur babies, Chaser and Zoey, just north of Toronto. Connect with Ricki: Ricki Online Get her Free Tool here Subscribe for weekly emails with recipes and health info!  Coaching with Ricki Join the Sweet Life Club