Column: Deeply Nourished – More Than Food

[Opinion column written by Agathe Holowatinc]

As human beings, we are nourished by so much more than food.

If you ever felt like you loved someone so deeply and so hard that you didn’t even feel the need to eat until your rumbling belly reminded you to – that their presence alone seemed to sustain you – or if you’ve ever felt so filled up by the sight of a beautiful sunrise, the sound of the ocean and a prayer or meditation on the beach that you felt a whole body sense of nourishment, fulfillment and fullness on a spiritual level, then you know what I’m talking about.

Pesky cravings for processed, sweet, junky, or fast foods can disappear when we feel like our metaphorical cup is full.

As an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, I am trained to take a unique, whole-life approach to health and happiness, hence the word “integrative.” I believe that literal food is actually secondary to “primary foods” in our lives, such as a healthy home environment, fulfilling and loving relationships, secure finances, enriching creative projects, and a purposeful and joyful career or mission, to name a few.

In my work with my one-on-one nutrition coaching clients, I check in with them about all of these areas of their lives, because it is in the areas in which there is lack, turbulence, stress, sadness, dissatisfaction or a sense of emptiness, that we often discover the root cause of an over [or under] eating problem, chronic snacking problem, overwhelming sugar or salt cravings, or even a drinking problem.

What I am trying to say is that, time and time again, I find that the real issue is not that cake in the fridge, or the junky snacks in the cupboard or in the staff kitchen at 3 p.m., or the fact that Ice Queen is always on your way home from work, or that the fridge doesn’t lock up at night to stop you from raiding it [and then regretting it in the morning] – it’s that someone doesn’t feel truly loved by their partner, or that they feel successful at work but lonely at home and crave having that soulmate or partner, or that every single day they go into a job they absolutely hate, or that they feel that their life is out of control, or they aren’t sure how they’ll pay next month’s rent and bills, or they are carrying stress from perceived past failings.

I’m not a therapist and I stay in my lane, so to speak, but in my sessions I choose to help my clients, all of whom I truly grow to love, discover who they are and what their needs are in terms of primary foods, in addition to helping them gain a solid understanding of the fundamentals of optimal nutrition so that they can chose health-promoting habits today and for the rest of their lives.

This is one of my favourite exercises that we do in-session: The Circle of Life. It helps us to discover which primary foods are missing in your life.

Recently, one of my clients wrote me a testimonial that I would like to share with you here. It truly touched my heart and I feel it goes a long way in describing what you can expect from my coaching sessions. PS: she forgot to mention how fabulous she is looking and how slim!

In lockdown and even now, it’s been impossible to get her on an InBody machine that accurately analyzes body composition [i.e. how much fat/visceral fat/muscle/water etc. you are made up of], but her body composition has changed significantly in the direction of the goals she set for herself! We have not yet completed her program, but this is what she has to say:

I decided that in 2020, it was time to put myself first for once in my life. Over the past 5 years, I’ve dedicated my life to my career and lost who I was as a human being. My confidence was at an all time low and it was time for me to make some major changes in my life. First thing I did was get a new job and the second thing I did was look for an integrative health coach.

After consulting with a friend, I was put in contact with Agathe Holowatinc. We arranged for a time to meet and I felt an instant connection and knew that I needed to sign up for her six month FUELLED Coaching Program.

In our first session together, we mapped out practical and obtainable goals for my entire well-being. I love how each session starts with a breathing exercise and we talk about something positive or good that happened since the last time we spoke. Focusing on the positive in this difficult time we are living sets to the tone for an upbeat, happy and feel good session.

She has helped transform my mindset and I look forward to our call together every two weeks. Her approach to helping someone find joy and satisfaction in life is all encompassing. Agathe brings incredible knowledge about so many different things, wisdom, emotional support and compassion to each session.

I’ve learned so much about myself since I started the program and I learn something new that I can incorporate into my daily life in each session. I am deeply grateful for Agathe. She is the absolute best coach for navigating gracefully through life. – Female, Age 44

I hope that this has provided some food for thought and helped you reflect on your life, eating habits, and overall well-being.

And maybe it has provided some insight into my coaching sessions, in case you ever wondered what on earth a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach does.

If you have a moment, and would like to take in some colourful images, I also posted about my work on my Instagram story yesterday and pinned it as a highlight. Check it out here.

Feel free to share this post with someone you care about.

Stay safe and healthy everyone!

- Agathe Holowatinc is a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, co-founder and director at FUELLED Bermuda Ltd., published author, health food private chef and health industry entrepreneur. She is a passionate advocate of real food, holistic approaches to health and communicating big ideas in a simple way. Visit fuelledlife.com or call or WhatsApp on 532-0426.

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