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!

5 Ways To Get Back On Track This Fall!

September 10, 2025
Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian For many of us, fall brings a return to routine and a change in schedule. Maybe you have kids heading back to school, or maybe you have a more consistent work schedule after a summer of fun plans. Or maybe that old back-to-school energy just has you wanting to set some goals. Whatever it is, fall is the perfect time to get back on track with your fitness and nutrition goals! Check out these 5 ways you can work on getting back on track this fall! 1. Make sure you're drinking your water! Drinking enough water is a small step in the right direction. If you've had a busy summer, maybe hydration hasn't been top of mind! For most normal healthy people, aiming for 2-3L of water a day is a reasonable goal. If you're well below that, try aiming for just one extra glass a day and increasing slowly from there. Bonus: one small healthy change often leads to others. Drinking your water could get the ball rolling! 2. Do some meal planning! Meal planning doesn't have to be rigid or complicated. If you're constantly standing in front of the fridge at 6pm wondering what to eat, meal planning can fix that. If you're constantly stuck throwing out random ingredients you didn't know how to finish, meal plannign can fix that. If you bring home groceries but then don't know what to do with it, meal planning can fix that. If you're eating more take out than you'd like because you didn't have a plan, meal planning can fix that. Even thinking a day or two ahead can help you cut the stress at meal time! 3. Get realistic about what you can manage! Before you start overhauling everything, take a second to look at what this season really looks like for you, and what kind of health and fitness goals could be achievable. Maybe a return to routine means you can workout every day of the week now - fantastic! Maybe a change in routine means you need to explore different times to get to the gym and other ways of moving your body - also fantastic! Maybe you're home more this fall and will be cooking more - amazing! Maybe you're going to be busier and need to expore quick and healthy meal ideas - also amazing! Figuring out how to match your goals to your real life right now is key to actually making changes that stick. 4. Shop your kitchen! If your summer was busy, it's time to take stock of what's in your kitchen. Check your fridge, freezer, and pantry cupboards. Is there anything that should be used up that you can plan meals around in the next couple weeks? Are there staple items you count on for easy meals that you need to restock? Could you cut your grocery spending down for a week or two by trying to use what you have so nothing goes to waste? If you have the time for it, this is the perfect time to take stock of what you have and make the most of it! 5. Book a check-in or ask for help! Sometimes we just don't know where to start or what to do. Sometimes we're so busy living our lives that it's hard to see possible solutions to our health and fitness struggles. That's when it's time to ask for help. This might mean asking a friend for meal planning ideas or to set a regular time to go for a walk. It also might mean booking a No Sweat Intro at Degree to learn more about programs, checking in with your coach if you're feeling like something needs to change, or meeting with a Registered Dietitian to set some nutrition goals that will work for you in this season. There's nothing wrong with needing a bit of help! 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!

The Importance of Showing Up For Yourself

September 2, 2025
Written By: Coach Sienna Showing up for yourself is so important but its often overlooked and dismissed. Showing up for yourself isn't some cheesey, made up statement. There is meaning behind it and science! Showing up for yourself is an empowering practice that can transform the way you live, love and lead! BUT what does showing up for yourself actually mean? And why does it matter so much? S howing up for yourself is... Not Selfish You matter and you are important! Treat yourself as if you were a loved one. It means honoring your own needs, values and well being to achieve overall wellness. This means being consistent in the way you treat yourself, not just when it's convenient to you! It is…. Keeping your word to yourself and keeping those promises Choosing rest to prevent burnout It means giving yourself grace and speaking kindly to yourself (Its your first time living!) Prioritizing growth even if its uncomfortable Creating boundaries and sticking with them Say No when something doesn't align with you or your beliefs I t's about treating you like you are worth caring for not only when you have “deserved it” but because you are worth that care, always! Why does all of this matter? It strengthens your relationship with yourself Prevents you for burning or crashing out Builds self confidence as well as trust in yourself Helps you stay balanced emotionally and physically The more time you spend getting to know yourself you learn and discover hobbies! You learn that YOU CAN DO IT and that YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS! You become more present for others! You are no longer pouring from an empty cup! What does this look like in real life? Drinking enough water even though you would rather skip it Going on a walk or doing meditation to have time for yourself to avoid crash out Keeping promises you said you would Letting go of perfection and simply doing the best that you can with what you've got S tart showing up for yourself today! Let yourself know that you've got you :) --- To inquire about services, programs or to get started email info@degreefitnessseaforth.com or call/text 519-441-7492!

How To Make Your Workouts Stick

September 2, 2025
Written By: Coach Kelly I’ve been exercising since high school... I don’t want to age myself tooooo much ;) but that was quite sometime ago. I meet with people all the time who are looking to get started. They are looking to lose weight, tone up, feel better, happier, increase bone density, do something for them, for various reasons. I’m going to give you two of the most important things that you need to do to make your fitness stick, through al season nd all set backs. Write these down, memorize them, and repeat them over and over. You’ll always succeed. Forget about motivation Seriously, forget it. Motivation comes after you get started. It comes when you start to see results; it comes when your pants fit different; it comes when you’re not out of breath going up stairs; it comes when you are running down the soccer field with your kids; it comes when you are happier; it comes when you feel less anxious, less depressed; it comes after you get started. Remember your why Why are you wanting to get started? Why do you want to spend money and time at a gym? Are you willing to do this for months, if not years? When your schedule gets busy, or your kids get sick, why will you keep coming to classes or appointments? You just need to get started, and you need to clearly understand why you are starting in the first place. After that, you must stick with it. Even when y you’re tired, when you’re frustrated, when you want to give up. Everyone wants the quick fix. We will spend hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on supplements that promise to help us lose weight, feel better, but honestly, nothing will compare to the eating some vegetables and getting in a structured workout with a Coach or at a gym 2 - 3 times per week. I know it’s hard. I know it’s hard. Like, I really, really know it’s hard. But, as you’re reading this, look way down the road, like 1 year, then 3, then 5 years. How do you want to feel? As hard as it is to get started, it will be even harder if you don’t do anything. You deserve to invest in yourself. You deserve to feel good. You have got this and we believe in you - Let’s go! ----- To inquire about services, programs or to get started email info@degreefitnessseaforth.com or call/text 519-441-7492!