Uncomfortable on Purpose

Most of us have episodes of inspiration to get healthier. We'll decide to cut back on sugar or alcohol, eat more vegetables, or ramp up our exercise. The list goes on and on.

Change is exciting at first – it's full of promise and possibility. 

But after a few weeks, reality sets in. Healthy habits require us to actually change our habits, and our brains? They don’t like it one bit.

Our brains love predictability and ease. They're quick to veto new ways of doing things because change feels uncomfortable. 

So we decide that cutting back on sugar is too challenging. 

Or that now's a bad time for a healthy change because it's summer, or the holidays, or a family member's birthday, or... you get the idea.

But here's the question I want you to really think about: are these changes truly difficult, or just uncomfortable?

Oftentimes, uncomfortable is the real answer. And understanding this distinction is the starting point to creating sustainable eating patterns that actually stick.

The discomfort you have right now  

If you're considering making a health change, chances are you're already experiencing discomfort. 

Right now. 

Maybe you feel bloated and sluggish after meals. Or your energy crashes every afternoon, tanking your productivity and mood. Or perhaps your joints are inflamed and getting out of bed feels like a daily challenge.

All of these situations? Discomfort – just the familiar kind. 

The kind we've gotten used to living with, even though it impacts our quality of life every day. 

So really, discomfort is unavoidable either way. The question becomes: which type of discomfort will you choose?

The temporary discomfort of building new healthy habits that could help you feel amazing? Or the ongoing, familiar discomfort of dealing with the same symptoms and frustrations?

Why our brains fight change  

When it comes to eating healthier for the long haul, we need to take a holistic view. Nutrition is about so much more than how many vegetables our bodies need each day (though we’ll talk about that, too!). We need to overcome our brain’s resistance to doing things differently. 

Why the resistance? Your brain is trying to protect you. 

New habits require mental energy, and your brain would rather conserve that energy for emergencies. It's like having a cautious friend who thinks every change might be dangerous.

This is why reaching for your usual afternoon chips or cookie feels so much easier than preparing apple slices and almond butter – a snack that supports stable blood sugar. 

Your brain knows the chips and cookie routine. 

It doesn't have to think or make decisions. 

But if apples and almond butter is a new snack for you, choosing that requires mental effort. And before your brain has a chance to realize it takes only 30 seconds to wash & slice the apple, it quickly decides this snack is too time-consuming. Too much effort.  

Understanding how our brains work can help you realize that the resistance you feel is not a character flaw. It is not a lack of willpower! It’s just biology. 

When you stop judging yourself for finding change difficult, you can start working with your brain instead of against it to make healthy changes happen.

Forming new habits  

Research shows that it takes an average of 66 days for a new behavior to become automatic, but our initial resistance is strongest in the first 2 to 3 weeks.

During this period, your brain is literally rewiring itself, creating new neural pathways. Meanwhile, the old pathways remain strong and engrained. That’s why adding a new food or changing what time we eat dinner can feel so hard at first. Creating new neural pathways is like forging a new trail through the woods instead of taking the smooth, well-worn path beside it.

How functional nutrition supports change

Working with a functional nutritionist – a nutrition professional who takes into account your  lifestyle, background and goals and who looks for underlying causes to health issues – can make the discomfort of change much more manageable. 

I’ll encourage you to take small steps toward your larger goals – gradual nutrition and lifestyle changes that deliver small wins, such as improved sleep and digestion or more energy. The more these new neural pathways get used (becoming not so new anymore), the less “effort” is required to make each healthy choice.

Rather than giving you a generic meal plan and hoping for the best, I’ll help you find which foods your body responds well to and support lifestyle changes in areas where you need it.   

For example, I’ll have one client who struggles with sugar cravings because she’s consistently dehydrated and doesn't eat enough protein, while another client craves sugar because of an imbalance in his gut microbiome and a high-stress lifestyle.  

I’ll help you uncover your root causes, which can make choosing healthier options feel much less difficult.

The compound effect

The beautiful thing about choosing temporary discomfort is that it usually gets easier over time, and the benefits compound. 

Your taste buds adapt to prefer less processed foods.

What felt like hard work at first starts feeling natural and even enjoyable.

And intentional new routines become automatic – they become habits. 

I see this transformation constantly in my practice. The client who thought meal prepping was overwhelming now looks forward to her Sunday cooking sessions as a form of self-care. And the one who struggled to drink enough water now craves it throughout the day and feels off when he doesn't get enough.

This isn't just about willpower or discipline — it's about giving your body consistent support so it can function optimally. When you experience stable energy, comfortable digestion, restful sleep, and a balanced mood as a result of your choices, your body starts preferring those choices over the old familiar ones. (And when you feel good, maintaining healthy changes is also easier!)

Strategies for embracing discomfort (the good kind)

Remember that discomfort and resistance to change are normal. Below are some strategies that make the process more manageable:

• Start with your why(s): Connect with the deeper reasons you want to feel better. Is it feeling confident in your body? Managing stress more effectively so you don’t snap at your kids? Staying active in your favorite activities to spend time with close friends? Keep your “whys” in mind when the discomfort of change creeps in.

• Begin small: When you decide to work on your health, it’s tempting to dive into a complete overhaul. Admirable, but most of us don’t last long with drastic changes. Instead, choose 1-2 small changes to make over a few weeks before adding anything new. Maybe it's drinking an extra glass of water each day, adding vegetables to lunch, or taking a 5-minute walk after dinner. These doable small changes quickly add up.

• Prepare for speedbumps: Expect that new healthy habits may (and likely will) feel hard at first, and that you may stumble – and not make the healthy choice for a day or two. This is normal! And it’s temporary. You have not “fallen off the wagon.” Your brain is rewiring itself to accommodate the new pattern. So stick with it and remember that nothing has gone wrong.

• Focus on how you feel: Pay attention to your energy levels, sleep quality and mood. Often we experience improvements in these areas before reaching a larger goal of resolving digestive issues, losing weight or seeing lab markers like A1C (blood sugar) improve. Feeling better really helps us keep going.

• Plan ahead for tricky or tempting situations: Create “if-then” plans to help you stick with your nutrition goals in challenging situations. For example, if a mid-afternoon energy slump typically leads you to a candy bar, instead bring a protein- and fiber-rich snack to work each day. Heading to a party and not sure what the hosts will serve? Offer to bring a dish you know is both nutritious and delicious.  

Making peace with discomfort: A mindset shift

It's a complete game changer when you realize that there’s discomfort both in making healthy changes (new routines feel like effort!) and continuing on as usual (with unwanted symptoms). 

When we notice ourselves trying to avoid discomfort of a healthy choice, we can pause and ask ourselves, “Do I want discomfort now or later?” This simple but powerful mindset shift makes all the difference in moving you toward your health goals. 

When healthy just happens

The ultimate goal of embracing discomfort on purpose isn't to make your life permanently difficult. It's to push through initial resistance – which we all have as humans! – so that nourishing choices eventually become your preferred choices.

When your body is consistently well-nourished through whole foods, you naturally start to desire the foods that make you feel energized, satisfied and strong. 

This transformation doesn't happen overnight, but functional nutrition principles support this natural progression.

Your taste buds adapt to enjoying less processed foods. 

Your blood sugar stabilizes, which reduces cravings for quick fixes. 

Your digestive system starts working better, making you more aware of how different foods affect you. 

Ready to choose your discomfort?

When we work together in my 3-month program, I’ll create a plan based on your individual goals, health concerns and preferences – making the process of change not just manageable, but genuinely transformative.