I Asked Her to Keep a Food Journal, And She Fired Me

A client recently ended our work together after I asked her to keep a food journal for one week.The request came after she told me she was experiencing midlife weight gain and didn't understand why. I wasn't asking her to count calories, weigh her food, or prove that she was doing something wrong. I was using food journaling for what it can be very good at: helping us understand someone's actual eating habits and patterns so we have better information to work with.And it got me thinking about something much bigger than food tracking.When we hire a coach, dietitian, nutritionist, trainer—or any expert—we often want a plan. Tell me what to eat. Tell me what to do. Tell me how to fix this.But good nutrition coaching doesn't always work that way.Sometimes the next step isn't another meal plan. Sometimes it's paying attention.In this episode, I'm talking about why "I eat healthy" may be completely true and still not tell us very much about what's actually happening. I'm also looking at the role food tracking can play in nutrition coaching, why it's appropriate for some people and not for others, and why our eating patterns are often much harder to remember accurately than we think.For women in midlife, weight changes rarely exist in a vacuum. Menopause, sleep, stress, activity, pain, medications and lifestyle changes can all be part of the picture. Understanding menopause weight gain means looking at the whole person rather than simply handing someone another diet or meal plan.Most importantly, I'm talking about the responsibility on both sides of a coaching relationship. A good coach should listen, ask questions, provide expertise and meet a client where she is. But a client also has to be willing to observe, experiment, provide information and participate in the process.Because sustainable healthy eating and behavior change don't come from following the perfect plan.Sometimes the most useful thing we can do isn't immediately change what we're eating.It's getting curious about what's actually happening.I would love to hear from you! What did you think of the episode? Share it with me :) Support the showLet's Be FriendsHang out with Heather on IG @greenpalettekitchen or on FB HERE.Let's Talk!Whether you are looking for 1-1 nutrition coaching or kitchen coaching let's have a chat. Click HERE to reach out to Heather.Did You Love This Episode? "I love Heather and the Real Food Stories Podcast!" If this is you, please do not hesitate to leave a five-star review on Apple or wherever you listen to podcasts.