Going at this shit alone is hard. If the last couple of years has taught us nothing else, it’s that we need each other, we need our humans around, to really thrive. It’s true in most things – including your nutrition journey.

Never mind that it’s just less fun without them; setting up an environment and a community that has your back makes forging on so much less of an uphill battle. So let’s dig into a few ways to get those things working for us as we chase those big ol’ goals.

The value of community

Our relationships impact all areas of our life. In whatever ways they come – friends, family, a trusted coach – who you surround yourself with can help make the process of breaking down old habits and moving toward new goals smooth as butter on bumpy as heck. We know how discouraging it can be to be surrounded by someone who doesn’t support our goals, and MAN, it works the other way, too. There is so much value in having a community behind you.

Surrounding yourself with a team can bring all kinds of good stuff; they’re there for the love and can provide some neutral oversight on a journey that can be high on emotion… and maybe baggage, too. And we can’t rule out the accountability factors – when our motivation waivers, having someone to help hold you to your commitments can be really goal-supportive, as well.

Build that team, baby.

The first step to building your dream team is to take a step back and look around you. Who are the folks in your life who’ve got you on this one? Then, think about calling them in, letting them know you appreciate their support and what you’re aiming for next.

From there, think about expanding that net: are there people chasing the same kind of goals around you? Maybe at work or at your gym? Heyyyyy, they could probably benefit from a little extra support, too. Consider opening up your circle to people who are on a similar path.

Now more than ever before, ways to meaningfully connect online are abundant. What about collecting those folks in a group chat environment? It might also be an idea to ask like-minded friends for recommendations to some pre-established groups that you can jump into.

What about a coach?

Is there room on your team for one more? From there, you might consider the value of adding a coach to your team. Having someone with an extra bit of experience in this stuff can really round out your crew.

A coach is someone on your team who will be a sounding board and hold space for you as you wade through your perhaps-complicated relationship with food. They can be a reliable source of TRUSTED nutrition information, too. And what a gosh darn BLESSING that can be in a world with such overwhelming amounts of contradictory information… have you tried googling for health? YIKES. They’re someone to brainstorm personalized solutions with and a voice to call out the misleading diet culture bullshit that so often keeps us spinning our wheels.

By helping you to see past the tempting quick ‘fixes’ advertised around you, your coach will be able to help you eat better without feeling deprived, ditch food rules that don’t serve you and support you through the frustrations to achieve and maintain your goals over the long-term.

No matter how you decide to construct your team, having a solid crew can be the missing link between where you are and where you want to be. So here’s to a journey with more support, more collaboration, more heart-to-hearts, more truth-telling, and more growing, together.

Does the thought of a bigger team (AND a coach!) sound like something that could help? Rebel has a brand-spankin’-new group program, THRIVE, launching in January 2022. Our 10-week mentorship will cover all things nutrition and building sustainable habit change…and we’ll have some laughs along the way, too. It’s a space to learn, to share the ups and downs and to connect with each other in real-time and we’d love to have you there. Click HERE to find out more. <3