Episode 40 - Nutrition vs. Dieting: The Truth About Healthy Living, Body Image & Lasting Wellness with Jana Westin

By Jessica Garrison

Our next guest has strong values in her freedom and wellbeing, describing herself as courageous, ambitious, energetic, kind, and dynamic. Jana Westin has joined us previously on our Together We FEEL Panel No More Commenting on Other People’s Bodies, which gives some insight into the amazing work she does.  

Jana’s involved in the world of health, something she struggled with for years. Every single person is different, so there will never be a “one size fits all” solution for health (even if they market it that way). I love that Jana makes the distinction between dieting and nutrition because, though we tend to associate the two, they are completely different. There are some diets out there that are dangerous, and just because you weigh more than someone doesn’t mean they’re healthier than you. Numbers on the scale do not equal how healthy you are, an idea that has been ingrained into our heads from the start. Jana works to help people actually be healthy, rather than helping them reach a goal weight. 

With her own health, Jana looks at her energy levels and how to protect those, which is exactly where boundaries come into play. What do you find acceptable for you? And it doesn’t have to be all in or all out; in fact, it can be more harmful to make too many changes too fast. It’s good to start small so your nervous system isn’t shocked. Jana says that she’s found it fairly easy to set the boundary, but the most difficult part is keeping it. If you continue to say you’ll do something but never do it, you become less trustworthy and your word isn’t worth much. Jana has integrity in what she does, so if she says she’s going to do something, she’ll do it. 

Within her work, Jana wants the client as involved as possible because, as we said in this week’s empowerment episode, you know your body the best. You’re part of your own health team, and that’s where it starts: together. It’s more than just what’s on your plate, and I appreciate Jana prioritizing that message. We villanize food in our society, something we need in order to survive. 

Just because someone is thin doesn’t mean they’ve lost weight in a healthy way or are maintaining it in a way that’s healthy. Don’t judge someone based on their weight or what they’re eating, because you have no idea what they’re going through internally. It’s one thing to be concerned for someone, but it’s another to input your opinion when no one asked for it. 

We all have a comment someone made about the way we look, probably our weight, that has stuck with us in all the wrong ways. You can take a look at Jana’s website or our own to take your first step today towards creating the healthy lifestyle for yourself that you deserve. 

Ways to Engage: Start asking: Check in with your energy levels throughout the days and weeks. Pay attention to the people around you, the foods you’ve been eating, the amount you’ve been sleeping, your workout routines, etc. Keep track of what’s fueling you and what’s draining you to create the healthiest possible environments for yourself.

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✨ Ready for deeper support? Visit our website to schedule a FREE complimentary 30 minute session with Melissa for support on identifying who you are, what nourishes you, and how that shapes building your life around what you value, care about, and aligns with who you are today.