By Debbie Peterson and Wendy Bright-Fallon, National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coaches and owners of Nourish Coaches
Welcome to the First Part of a Three-Part Summer Series
What’s the key we have found to get a nourishing jump start on a fantastic summer? It’s mindset. In this first part of our “Avoid the Summer Sabotage,” we offer 3 simple steps to keep you on track all season long and share a few of our satisfying summer favorites.
Spring is so energizing in so many ways and many of us are feeling really motivated to start anew with wellness habits and cleaning up our homes and yards. It’s natural to feel this way in the springtime. So, how do we keep this level of motivation throughout the summer? So often, we hear people talk about how they had intentions to do “this” and started strong, only to get derailed at that first BBQ or beach party and give up (for now). Or, perhaps it’s gearing up for summer so that you don’t feel guilt or shame for your choices in the summertime because you were “so good” in the spring and you’ll ‘get back to it’ in the fall.
Let’s shift the mindset away from shame and guilt and being good or bad because all of that is not a nourishing mindset (more on diet culture language and mindset here). It’s all about how you FEEL. So, setting yourself up to do things that make you feel good is the first step and preparing yourself for challenging circumstances (BBQs, summer cocktails, vacations, etc.) is what keeps you feeling good.
We have a few simple steps to keep you on this track (and staying there).
Step One: Staples – An empty kitchen feeds our frustration when we are hungry. A well-stocked kitchen means lots of flavor and the ability to be creative which yields happily satisfied stomachs. Here’s our podcast that gives examples of what to have on hand.
Step Two: Plan – Any well-designed plan needs flexibility. At the heart of meal planning is a list of the meals you love to cook and eat or are interested in making. At Nourish Coaches, we call it the Master Meal List because it will be the list you will return to each week to build your Meal Plan – it is the piece that holds everything together. Without this list, we have to rethink what we like every week and that’s exhausting. After a long day or work and/or activity, at 5 or 6 o’clock, when everyone is fussing about ‘what’s for dinner?!’, you’ll be able to use your Weekly Meal Plan OR turn to this Master Meal List and get immediate ideas. Fewer decisions = Less stress.
Step Three: 80/20. Summers and holidays are full of pleasure, joy, fun, connection, travel, and celebration. Nourishment doesn’t just come from food so we encourage you to be in the present moment as you enjoy these summer days. Everyone is a bit different with their food choice needs so we encourage you to start with the 80/20 idea. 80% of your wellness choices, including food, are nourishing. And 20% is where our flexibility comes in.
Here’s a sample of three summer days:
Sunday: BEACH DAY! Breakfast: smoothie–don’t leave the house hungry! (recipe below); Lunch: Summer Rolls ( Here are some nourishing ideas for easy, packable stuff; Dinner: out with friends (look at the menu first to plan ahead and focus choices on fiber-rich vegetables and protein).
Mid-week: Breakfast: chia pudding with summer fruit; 1 cup plain Greek yogurt; hard-boiled egg; (at work) lunch: Tuna and white bean salad (recipe below); dinner: green salad w/leftover rotisserie chicken breast
Friday: Breakfast: premade Hockey Puck Grab-and-Go Eggs and Veggie Lunch: Green Goddess Summer Soup; Dinner: Block party. Bringing two salads (Strawberry salad and Watercress Salad)
Energy-Rich Breakfast Smoothie
By Nourish Coaches
- 1 frozen banana or 1 avocado
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- 1 cup milk of choice
- 1-2 Tablespoon peanut butter or nut butter of choice
- 1 Tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 Medjool date or 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- Add smoothie ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Add additional milk as necessary to achieve desired consistency.
Note: if you want to be fully longer, use the avocado – it not only is fiber-rich, but also rich with nourishing fat.
Tinned Fish with White Bean Salad
By Nourish Coaches
Dressing
- 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons Greek yogurt
- 2 Tablespoons fresh dill, minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Juice and zest from one lemon
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salad
- 7 oz bag arugula (about 6 cups)
- 1 small red onion, sliced
- 1, 15-oz. can white beans, drained
- 1, 5-oz. can sustainably caught salmon, tuna or mackerel, drained and flaked
- 8 oz. cherry tomatoes, whole or halved
Directions
- In a small glass-lidded jar, combine dressing ingredients and shake thoroughly until blended.
- Toss the arugula, red onion, white beans, tuna, and cherry tomatoes in a large bowl till well combined.
- Drizzle half the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
- Divide into bowls and top with more dressing to taste.
Topping options
- Fresh chopped dill or parsley
- Toasted nuts or seeds of choice
Wendy Bright-Fallon and Debbie Peterson are National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coaches, inspirational speakers, Nourish Noshes podcasters & cookbook authors. They help clients create personal balance through optimized nutrition & key habits to create authentic vitality through their Five Foundations of Health philosophy: using quality nutrition, sleep, movement, mindset, and connection.
Website: NourishCoaches.com
Email: info@nourishcoaches.com
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Did you know we have a podcast? Check it out here (http://nourishcoaches.com/podcasts/)
YouTube (for podcast): @nourishnoshespodcast4129
For Breakfast smoothie – Photo Credit:Arx0nt
For smoothie for chia seeds – Photo Credit:Mykola Sosiukin
