Get Healthier This Year, One Goal at a Time

Tips by Certified Nutritionist Bonnie Flemington

Written By Laurie Wallace-Lynch | Photos By Sarah Sims

When Bonnie Flemington wishes you a Healthy and Happy New Year, she means it quite literally – and can help make it happen. As a Certified Nutritionist and owner of Bonnie Flemington Wellness in Oakville, she coaches clients in person and virtually, designing a personalized and guided nutrition plan to help address issues like inflammation, arthritis and joint pain, digestive issues and weight management. 

She speaks from experience when it comes to dealing with inflammation and pain. “My first career was as an accountant and although I was active and practiced yoga, I had a nagging pain in my hip. I went to a doctor and unfortunately didn’t come up with any solutions. I started experimenting with my diet by giving up gluten and then sugar for a few months and tracking how I felt. Sugar is linked to inflammation but it’s not the only thing.”

“There are other problematic foods like gluten. My experience drove me to learn more about health and nutrition. I discovered the life-changing impact that diet and lifestyle had on my health. I went back to school for two years and earned my Certified Nutritional Practitioner (CNP) at the Institute of Holistic Nutrition. I have since completed several continuing education courses to help support clients with inflammation, digestive issues, and hormone imbalances.” 

Within a year of making diet and lifestyle changes, she was pain-free. “I felt so good that I wanted to share what I had learned with others.” 

Flemington offers some tips to help get us on the road to wellness for 2024. “Consume less sugar, refined flour, fewer processed foods and eat more vegetables, healthy protein and drink more water,” she advises. “When I coach clients who are giving up or cutting down on sugar or gluten, we focus on what we can have more of, rather than what we have less of. If a person is eating muffins and bagels for breakfast, we talk about alternatives like making your own flax bread, making smoothies and egg options.”  

When many of us have given up on making New Year’s resolutions, Flemington says that setting goals is an important aspect of your wellness journey. “Start with one or two personalized goals and think about your daily habits and what needs to change to get to that goal,” she suggests. “Focus on just one goal to start so it’s not overwhelming. If it’s walking 20 minutes a day, the hardest part is the act of putting on your coat and boots and getting outside. It doesn’t matter how far you go. It’s that feeling of success that counts since success breeds success. Make the goal small so you don’t give up.” 

Don’t go it alone. Phone a friend. “Get the support you need to help you make the change, from a professional or family and friends. Also tracking your food is helpful. If you want to drink more water, you need to know your starting point. Also tracking sugar is helpful. You may be surprised how much sugar you are consuming from things you didn’t realize contained sugar,” she notes.

Adding a new healthy habit can be difficult in our time-stressed lives. What’s the key to making a new habit fit into our daily lives? 

“If you’re exercising an hour a day and want to start meditating, cut your exercise routine to 45 minutes and add 15 minutes of meditation,” says Flemington. “If your goal is to eat more vegetables, when you bring home the groceries, cut up the vegetables and leave them at the front of the fridge so they are ready to add to meals. If you have cut-up vegetables ready you can make an egg scramble in about five minutes. Once you’re doing something already, attach it to something else and it will become part of your routine.”

How long does it take to change a habit (or even cravings, like consuming a whole bag of mini brownies every day during your afternoon coffee break)? Flemington says it depends on the individual and how ingrained the habit is. “Lots of people talk about breaking a habit in 21 days, but realistically, it could take up to a month or even six months.” (BTW, she reassures us that giving up sugar does not mean zero sugar and there are healthy alternatives such as fruit and dark chocolate.)

In terms of popular health trends, she says intermittent fasting is the most prevalent trend on her radar. “I feel that it can work for many people, but it needs to be personalized to make it work for you. Fasting overnight is beneficial for everyone. Another trend I’m seeing is people being more proactive when it comes to their health. Many are realizing that health is your responsibility and that’s empowering. When we’re empowered to take control of our health, we can find the help we need to feel our best.”  

As a holistic Certified Nutritionist, she takes a “big picture” approach when creating a personal and guided nutritional plan to help her clients overcome pain and other health challenges. “My goal is to determine the root cause of the symptoms to put clients on the road to wellness.” 

Flemington’s website provides a free anti-inflammatory e-guide as well as several healthy – and tasty – recipes. You can also book a free call to discuss your personal goals or request to join her Facebook group to receive weekly tips and recipes. “What inspires me is seeing the health improvements experienced by many of my clients. This is the greatest motivator of all — helping others to find wellness.” 

Flemington Wellness is located at 128 Morden Road, Oakville.
For more info, visit BonnieFlemington.com