4 Ways to Adapt Your Nutrition Goals to the Season You're In

April 19, 2024

Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian


As this blog is being written in early spring, the seasons are literally changing - spring is coming! And with the literal changes in season often come changes in the seasons of our lives. The people who are most consistent with their nutrition for the long-term (years, not weeks) are those that learn to roll with the changes and find ways to do the best they can. 

Let's check out 4 ways you can adapt your nutrition goals to fit the season you're actually in:

1. Assess what else is going on! We don't eat in a bubble. Nutrition is one thing we might be focusing on amongst many other things in our lives. In this season right now, what else is happening that's important? Maybe you have kids starting a new sports season with a new schedule. Maybe you or a family member gets much busier with work this time of year so cooking responsibilities have to shift. Take a minute to take stock of what else is happening and think about how that impacts your ability to make nutrition changes or tackle your health goals. 

2. Focus on the changes that actually matter for you! If you're in a busy season, you may not have capacity to do everything you "should" in terms of healthy eating. This is where prioritizing different components of what healthy eating means for you can help. The things you focus your effort on right now should be the things that make the biggest difference, not the things that make a minor difference. For lots of people, this could mean focusing on including enough fruits and vegetables, including enough protein, planning and packing balanced snacks, or drinking enough water. If you're managing a specific medical condition that has a nutrition component, work with your doctor or dietitian to figure out what changes will give you the biggest impact for your effort. If you can't give it 100%, any amount of effort is still better than none. Maybe you know there will be a lot of take out or convenience foods in your diet, but you can still get enough water. Maybe your eating schedule will be inconsistent, but you will prioritize protein when you do have a chance for a snack. Whatever this time looks like for you, be realistic about what you can accomplish and what that may look like. 

3. Plan for what you can! Yes, everyone knows meal planning is useful for a lot of reasons. For busy people with lots of priorities and schedules to manage, planning can make the difference between eating well and being less stressed, and feeling like you're flying by the seat of your pants. You don't need to plan for every single meal, but planning for the ones that may be the most stressful can be beneficial. If you have nights you know are very busy, plan that dinner ahead. If you're working long hours, plan for your snacks. Even if the plan is to grab a pizza, you're cutting down on making decisions when you're already stressed and making your life easier. 

4. Know that good enough is good enough! No one is doing nutrition perfectly all the time (maybe professional athletes but someone else is probably doing the prep, planning, and cooking). Make sure to remind yourself that doing what you can is still enough. In busy seasons, not everything can be a priority. Doing your best with nutrition if you would otherwise just give it up is still a step in the right direction. Making one small change is still a step in the right direction, even if it's not focusing on every single change you could possibly work on. In the last example where our dinner plan is to grab a pizza, adding a vegetable (a salad, a veggie tray, a bag of baby carrots, etc.) still makes it a more balanced meal, even if you feel the meal isn't the healthiest as a whole. The bottom line is that doing the best you can where you're at is always going to be better than not trying at all and waiting until things are perfect - because they never will be!

Looking for more personalized nutrition advice? Let's chat! Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com for more info about our Nutrition Programs, or click HERE to book your FREE Bite-Sized Nutrition Chat!

What It Means to Be Fit

June 4, 2025
Written By: Coach Sienna The media portrays fitness as looking a certain way and creating this picture of a “perfect person” who eats clean and works out everyday and does everything right and never messes up. When you're always being shown this version of fitness it’s easy to start to think, is this what being fit is? ..... And suddenly you find yourself comparing yourself to unrealistic standards. Fitness is much more than the shape of our body! It's about what your body can do for you and how it can support your daily life and how movement makes you feel strong, accomplished, proud, empowered! Here is how we can overcome the negative impact that some Media has on us, and fitness in general: Redefine Fitness Fitness is more than your body, it's strength, endurance, mobility, energy and how you feel. It's not supposed to be perfect or linear, your body will change and life will happen. What matters most is showing up for yourself and moving your body. Even a little bit can go a long way! Positive Self Talk You don't have to be perfect to love yourself. Be kind to your mind and speak to yourself with kindness. Remind yourself of what your body can do for you, remember you are WORTHY! :) Focusing On The Little Wins We often have such a heavy focus on how we look but what if it was never about how we looked but more about how we felt. Do you notice after you get in a workout or a session you always tend to have a lift in your mood and a shift in perspective. Movement has the power to make us feel strong and happy and more like ourselves! Do Movements You Enjoy Fitness should be fun and functional. You are more likely to stick to it if you enjoy it! Find movements that excite you. Like lifting, walking, running, dancing, gymnastics etc. When you focus on what your body can do and not what it looks like, you can start to see how strong and capable you really are! Set Goals Related To Movement-Mood-Function Movement - touching your toes or doing your first push-up Mood - Having more energy during the day and feeling less anxious Function - Carrying groceries, running around with your kids, etc. Remember - you are already enough! You don't need to look a certain way to be fit. You just need to move your body in a way you enjoy, take care of yourself and celebrate what your body does for you everyday! If you've been feeling stuck, or wanting to start working out with a Coach, or in an environment that is inclusive, inviting, safe, honours all body shapes and sizes, we can help! CLICK HERE to book a free meeting with one of our Coaches to learn how you can get started at Degree or, email info@degreefitnessseaforth.com .

10 Minute at Home Cardio Workout

May 25, 2025
Written By: Coach Sienna We know Cardio is good for your heart health but it is also good for our respiratory systems which help bring oxygen to fuel our muscles to do what they gotta do! By doing cardio we strengthen all of these components which help us live a happier healthy lifestyle! Your body is built to move and releases happy chemicals called endorphins from having an increased heart rate which can improve your mood. This can happen in just 10 minutes! We all know Cardio is an important part of our health but most of us just don’t have a lot of time due to kids, work, life etc. Just remember any movement is a good movement! No matter how long or short it may be. The little things add up (: Use this 10 minute at home cardio workout (no equipment needed!) to get your heart rate up and feeling your best even on the busiest days. 2 Rounds of 1 minute of Jumping Jacks 1 minute of High Knees 1 minute Air Squats or Jump Squat 1 minute of Burpees 1 minute of Mountain Climbers *Rest as needed but try to keep it 30s or less between movements! We understand life gets in the way and schedules can be tough - we are here to help! Let us know how it went! Email info@degreefitnessseaforth.com , or, visit www.degreefitnessseaforth.com/get-started to book your FREE No Sweat Intro to learn more!

What You Need to Know About Iron!

May 22, 2025
Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian You've probably heard of iron and know it's important. Maybe you've even had your levels checked through bloodwork! Iron is an important mineral in our diet. It is part of the blood cells that carry oxygen around our body, and plays roles in growth and the production of some hormones. The amount of iron you need varies. Men need less, while women need more due to blood loss during menstruation. This puts women at higher risk for low iron. The symptoms of low iron include feeling sluggish and fatigued, pale skin, and even hair loss! Women under 50 years old need 18mg of iron a day, while women over 50 and all men only need 8mg of iron daily. Many people can get enough iron through a varied and balanced diet. Iron is found in meat, poultry, fish, legumes, eggs, soy, and many grains and vegetables. Our bodies are better able to absorb iron from animal sources - this type of iron is referred to as "heme iron". Non-heme iron is found in plant sources and is harder for your body to absorb. If you rely on plant-based sources of iron, you may need to eat a lot more of it. Pairing iron sources with sources of vitamin C can also help increase absorption. If you suspect your iron levels are low, ask your doctor to check your levels through a blood test. If your iron level is low and you're already consuming enough through diet, you may need a supplement to increase your levels. Always check if you actually need an iron supplement before starting one! Iron plays some key roles in our bodies, and is important for overall health! Make sure you include a variety of sources daily to meet your body's needs! Looking for more personalized nutrition advice? Let's chat! Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com for more information about our Nutrition Programs, or click HERE to book your FREE Bite-Sized Nutrition Chat!
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