How to Work on Inner Personal Growth (If You Don’t Have Time to Read Books)

by | Jun 12, 2019

Dietitian Calgary Advice: Why Audiobooks Are Awesome

By Lindsay Rieger (Dietitian Calgary and Online Nutritionist):

Whether it’s from your doctor, a therapist, a teacher or countless internet sources, it seems that we are constantly being encouraged to work on inner personal growth.

Truth be told, I too am constantly encouraging clients to do just that. I firmly believe that it is very difficult to work on our physical health when we are chaos within. For many years I have loved books that encouraged, supported and directed that exact growth. Yes it’s safe to say that I was a lover of the self-help book aisle before it became trendy.

Working on personal growth all sounds great on paper (or as I’m spouting it off to clients) however let’s be honest, life happens…and it is very busy for most. A lot of clients that I work with don’t even have time to even get groceries never mind read a book on bettering oneself.

Enter one of my greatest loves…audiobooks. The majority of us spend a large chunk of time in the throes of Calgary traffic- what better time to tackle this personal growth? Smartphones have made this task remarkably easy- just choose a book, download and let the bettering begin!

Here are a couple of recent audiobooks I enjoyed….

- Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole – This is an absolute must read (listen) for any dieter- past or present. You WILL take something away from this book. And you will likely agree out loud with the author at some point.
- The Path Made Clear by Oprah Winfrey– In honour of one of my favourites coming to Calgary, I’ve listed her latest (audio) book. This is actually my most recent listen and I have to say it was most enjoyable. A solid $10.99 spent. For those of you who aren’t Oprah-lovers, first I don’t know if we can be friends, and second this book is actually a collection of quotes and tidbits from her most influential conversations had with other authors and teachers (Deepak Chopra, Caroline Myss, Brene Brown- all the beauties) so it isn’t really all Oprah. Again, I dare you to listen and not take something from this one.
- Power of Now by Eckert Tolle– I first read this book about ten years ago (as in actually read, pre-children when I still did things like that). I’m pretty sure I only understood about half of the book at the time however it still deeply affected how I live my life, especially my day to day thought process. It speaks of mindfulness and the importance of being present in our lives- a reminder or lesson that most of us can use. I have listened to this book many times and continue to take more and more from it. As an added bonus, it’s narrated by Mr. Tolle himself who has the most adorable German accent.

Here’s to working on personal growth while living busy lives!

Looking for more articles focused on personal development? Check out these previous articles:

Why Can’t I Change My Health Habits?

The 3 Most Important Mindset Shifts for Nutrition Success

Finding Food Freedom & Combating Unnecessary Diet Rules

If you are seeking support to help to make meal planning simple if you are cooking for one, don’t want to spend oodles of time in the kitchen or find yourself eating out often, we can help. We specialize in health without guilt or complexity. Our Calgary Dietitian / Registered Nutritionist team can work with you in person at our Calgary office or online through our virtual private and secure video conferencing services. Contact Us.

For more information about our Dietitian Calgary / Online Nutritionist services by our experienced nutrition counseling team visit: NUTRITION COUNSELING or our Digital Online Program The Pursuit of Healthiness: ONLINE NUTRITION COURSE.

Success stories

"I am a psychologist in private practice and it is very important to me that my clients have the best care with other health care professionals. For that reason Health Stand Nutrition is my only source for exceptional Dietitians. Andrea and her team provide highly knowledgeable, compassionate, and real world support to my clients who require assistance with food lifestyle. I trust my clients to them and you would be in excellent hands making them part of your health care team."

Adele Fox, Psychologist

“This is the first time I feel satisfied; my cravings have diminished dramatically and I have a whole new relationship with food. I am eating guilt-free for the first time in my life. My energy has also dramatically increased and I feel great!”

Rhonda Jenkins, Nutrition Counseling Client

“The Dieticians at Health Stand Nutrition help you to take action on the science behind eating well by making it practical, understandable, and fun. Their office is cozy and not at all clinical or intimidating. I felt like I was sitting down with a really smart, caring friend who wanted to help me make the best choices for my lifestyle and food preferences. They really are the best in the business.”

Marty Avery, Nutrition Counseling Client

“I have come to think of the program as a one stop shopping excursion for everything one needs to know about creating a joyous relationship with food and our bodies. In a single word, the course has gifted me with freedom from the punishing rigidity of disordered eating, old stories that never were true, and body dysmorphia that did nothing but make me lose sight of a body that has done everything I've asked, despite my careless dismissal of her needs. Now when I look in the mirror I find myself shifting from harsh criticism to gentle gratitude.”

Lynn Haley, Pursuit of Healthiness Online Course Participant

“I spent 3 hours when first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I learned more from my Dietitian about food in those 3 hours than I had learned in all the years of my life. I also love the newsletter, there is always something to learn.”

Peter Whitehead, Nutrition Counseling Client

“I didn’t realize how strong my “diet mentality” was, and all the rules I had in my head about food. I was in a cycle of reward/punish/binge/cringe. I booked with your business very reluctantly, on the repeated advice of my doctor, to get my slowly rising cholesterol levels in check. I thought I knew everything about food, and my behaviour with food, but I was definitely re-schooled. My weight is creeping down, I feel good about my diet, exercise, body image, and lifestyle.”

Amy Floyd, Nutrition Counseling Client

“Thanks Andrea for an amazing presentation, I have heard all positive remarks from attendees and the evaluations show the same sentiment. It is really gratifying when a speaker does their “homework” and weaves in our profession’s day to day challenges within their content, you did an awesome job of this! You truly took the “die” out of Dietician! Your information on healthy eating and simplifying how we can work towards this as we are all so busy really hit the mark. Andrea connects very well with her audience; she is energetic, funny, and very approachable.”

Carole Ann LaGrange, Transfusion Medicine Safety Officer

Event Planner for Laboratory Diagnostic Imaging Annual Event

“I am a family physician who sees patients with a myriad of eating concerns – from wanting to know how to plan healthy meals for active families, to weight loss, to eating disorders, and so on. I cannot recommend the Health Stand team highly enough. I have worked with (and been to!) other Dieticians in the past and too often find that they just ask for food logs and make suggestions that are easily obtained online or in books. The Dieticians at Health Stand offer much more than just telling clients what they “should be eating.” In contrast, the team really does more of a counselling practice, and they work hard to help their clients learn more about why their eating habits may be off track and not optimal for them, as well as helping people to effect change at a deep level that, most importantly, is sustainable for lifetime health.”

Dr. Deb Putnam, Family Physician

Nutrition Counseling Client & Referring Physician

“I am a busy mom, with kids in high level sports, working full-time downtown, and running our home acreage outside the City. I now have the knowledge and tools I need to plan for and manage the chaos of meal planning.”

Gillian Gray, Pursuit of Healthiness Online Course Participant

“As a construction company, we select speakers who can relate to our industry and its employees. Andrea’s message was delivered with humor and empathy. She makes people feel as though they can make changes without leaving behind every favorite food. Andrea focused her presentation on healthy eating as a way to keep energy high throughout the day. This message and the way it was delivered resonated with our predominantly male, blue collar culture. I would highly recommend Andrea as a speaker for groups such as ours. She will get your message across without alienating anyone in your audience – which is a huge hurdle when trying to introduce a wellness program in the workplace!”

Stephanie Wood, HR and Safety Manager

Fisher Construction Group, Burlington, WA

“I found my Dietitian warm, funny, and skilled at teaching nutrition concepts without the overwhelm. The general approach of each session was to mix science with emotion, which was exceedingly effective in helping me shift my perspective on food from one of anxiety to one of joy and curiosity.”

Erin Kronstedt, Nutrition Counseling Client

“Excellent presentation! What a refreshing change to have a speaker inspire rather than “lecture” about nutrition. Your captivating stories, tips and overall approach to healthy eating uplifts and puts people at ease. It was great to hear we don’t need to strive to be perfect eaters, and that small changes really can make a difference in how we feel and in our health. Thanks to Andrea, we have solutions to our everyday nutrition challenges that can actually work in real life!”

Tina Tamagi, Human Resources

ARC Resources Ltd.

“Had I not joined this course I would have struggled with no focus, low energy, and mindless eating. Excellent teaching and motivation. This is not just a course, it is a nutrition club with mentorship, support, and connections with other people with similar situations.”

Lorri Lawrence, Pursuit of Healthiness online course participant

How to Work on Inner Personal Growth (If You Don’t Have Time to Read Books)

Dietitian Calgary Advice: Why Audiobooks Are Awesome

Here are a couple of recent audiobooks I enjoyed….

Looking for more articles focused on personal development? Check out these previous articles:

For more information about our Dietitian Calgary / Online Nutritionist services by our experienced nutrition counseling team visit: NUTRITION COUNSELING or our Digital Online Program The Pursuit of Healthiness: ONLINE NUTRITION COURSE.

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

As seen in

Success stories

Satisfy your curiosity.

Pin It on Pinterest