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For so many of us, the idea of eating healthier feels like a long list of things we can’t have. NO sugar, NO carbs, NO dairy, NO FUN. Diet culture often teaches us that the key to wellness is through restriction, cutting back, and eliminating the foods we enjoy. But what if we flipped the script?

What if, instead of focusing on what we can’t have, we focused on what we can add?

What if we approached nutrition not as a series of sacrifices, but as an opportunity to bring more richness, variety, and nourishment into our lives? This small shift in our mindset—from deprivation to abundance—can transform not just our diets, but our relationship with food itself. Which is the whole point isn’t it? To enjoy life!

More Color, More Life

Instead of stressing about cutting out carbs or obsessing over ingredient labels, start by adding more vibrant, nutrient-dense foods to your meals. Challenge yourself to eat the rainbow—bright berries, deep green leafy veggies, rich orange sweet potatoes, and purple cabbage.

Not only does this make your meals more visually appealing, but it also ensures your body gets a wide range of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. These nutrients fuel your immune system, promote gut health, and even support glowing skin. When you focus on adding in more of the good stuff, you naturally leave less room for foods that don’t make you feel your best. It also a lot easier to modify a recipe that you already have rather than overhauling your life and deciding to do a whole new list of recipe items!

Boosting, Not Banning

Craving something sweet? Instead of telling yourself you can’t have dessert, try adding natural sweetness—fresh mango, dates, or a drizzle of raw honey over yogurt. Want something crunchy? Sprinkle nuts or seeds on your meals rather than eliminating snacks entirely. The goal isn’t deprivation—it’s enhancement.

Instead of forcing yourself to drink less coffee, try adding more hydrating beverages like herbal teas or infused water. Instead of banning all processed snacks, add more whole foods that satisfy your cravings in a nourishing way. By shifting your focus, you create a sustainable and joyful way of eating that feels good in the long run.

Crowding Out the Cravings

When you fill your plate with nutrient-dense foods, you naturally have less room for the ultra-processed stuff. By increasing your intake of protein, healthy fats, and fiber-rich foods, you’ll feel more satisfied, making those sugar crashes and junk food cravings less powerful over time. You know when you haven’t had super sugary things in a while and then you try something sweet then its SOO SWEET. Eventually processed food will start to taste kinda gross.

Rather than fighting cravings with willpower alone, fuel your body with enough nourishment so those cravings naturally fade. A breakfast with protein, fiber, and healthy fats—like eggs with avocado and whole grain toast or a smoothie packed with spinach, chia seeds, and berries—sets you up for a day of steady energy rather than one filled with hunger pangs.

A Mindset of Abundance

This way of thinking isn’t just about food—it’s about life. When you approach your diet with the mindset of adding goodness instead of taking things away, you create a sense of abundance rather than restriction. You nourish yourself rather than deprive yourself.

This shift in mindset can extend beyond food, too. Instead of thinking about cutting screen time, add more time for outdoor walks, reading, or creative hobbies. Instead of trying to “fix” bad habits, focus on adding more good ones. When you cultivate abundance, positive changes follow naturally.

What Can You Add Today?

So, the next time you think about eating “better,” ask yourself: What can I add? More nutrients, more flavors, more joy? Because the beauty of health isn’t in what you lose—it’s in what you gain.

By embracing the art of addition rather than subtraction, you’ll find that food becomes something to enjoy, celebrate, and nourish you—without guilt, without stress, and without deprivation.

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Bye Besties,

Julianne!