The 3 pillars of Fortitude Nutrition Coaching.
This has been our methodology and our ethos in helping people create long term sustainable change within their health and fitness journey.
One of our mission statements is that we help you “FIND YOUR WAY” of eating.
Just like any character on their own heroes journey, they need to find their own way. On their way, they do have guides though.
When you think of guides you probably think of Mr Miyagi, Gandalf, Dumbledore, Mickey Goldman (Rocky), Coach Carter, Coach Bombay of the Mighty Ducks, Charles Xavier, Master Splinter, Patches O’Houlihan, I’d say Yoda but I’ve never seen Star Wars.….
Now you think FNC.
We are like your nutritional guides.
Health researchers have described the process of health behaviour change as entailing the dual tasks of initiating and maintaining change. [1]. The keyword here being maintaining. There are many methods and approaches out there that help initiate change. They can help you get started or even help you get to your goals. Our main focus is to provide you with the tools to not only get started or get there, but stay there. We want to help you understand how you got there and how you can maintain that or return to it if needed.
We do this by incorporating the 3 basic psychological needs according to the Self-Determination Theory [2].
Competence
Autonomy
Relatedness
These needs form the basis for self-motivation and personal integrity (being true and honest to yourself). Self-determined forms of motivation are associated with positive consequences and outcomes.
The first pillar: Competence. We do this through Education. We do this by aiming to Simplify Nutrition.
Competence is the need to control an outcome and achieve mastery.
We improve your knowledge and understanding of nutrition, whilst providing you with tools and strategies to help you find your way of eating. We help you make informed decisions around eating and your goals. You understand the principles and methods of health, nutrition and fitness. You know what, why and how things work so you can move towards a goal and maintain that (or at least return to that destination again). You learn the roles and sources of each macronutrient, how to build meals, social eating strategies, meal prep ideas, etc. Through education, you are competent and confident.
The second is Autonomy, or as we call it Choice. This is the FIND YOU WAY component.
You are in control of your own life and of your own choices. You make your own decisions in regards to food selection, however, they are now informed choices based on your new level of competence (knowledge of nutrition). You set your own goals, time frames, check-in days and even methods of check-ins or measures of progress. You aren’t completely independent, we are still there to guide you when needed. You choices are aligned with your values, your inner harmony and self-integrity. Your choices are respected by your guide and by your close support network.
A study was done on 128 patients in a 6-month, very-low-calorie weight-loss program with a 23-month follow-up. The findings confirmed the predictions that those who were more autonomous attended the program more regularly, lost more weight during the program, and maintained greater weight loss in the follow-up. [3]
The theme of autonomy is supported by a consistent body of research indicating that long-term adoption of exercise and physical activity is also predicted by autonomous forms of motivation, such as intrinsic motivation (e.g. exercising because it is enjoyable or because it is consistent with other goals and values, such as a goal for improved health). [4] Eg. You are choosing to eat something or do something because it is aligned with who you are as a person and what you value.
Just like you choose the type of exercise you do, you keep going back because you enjoy it. Whether it is CrossFit, BJJ, F45, running, etc.
Maintenance is linked to autonomy and intrinsic motivation.
Together, competence and autonomy are likely to enhance adherence and health outcomes [1]
Thirdly and finally we have Relatedness which we call Community. The Team FNC Community. This is believed to be equally as important as Competence and Autonomy.
This is the need for relationships, for connectedness, and for interaction with like-minded people. This is built through both the coach and client experience but also with our large Fortitude Family in our online community. Our community is a form of social support where people share ideas, meals and ask questions in a safe environment. People are more likely to adopt values and behaviours promoted by those to whom they feel connected and in whom they trust.
Hence why we have built and place a large emphasis and pride in our Team FNC Community.
A study stated, “Online social support interactions play a prominent role in the weight loss efforts of members of a large, public Internet weight loss community”. [5]
Major points of this study and things we try to include in our Team FNC Community are:
Providing information on nutrition and a healthy lifestyle
Personalised advice (Friday Question Time)
Encouragement and Motivation
Shared Experiences
Accountability
Judgement free zone
Anonymity if requested
And humour.
In the book “Join The Club” by Tina Rosenberg, it suggests that “our personal identity is in part defined by identification with a group or separation from other groups”. Probably why keto, fasting, Crossfit and any other “health-cults” are so powerfully ingrained in peoples behaviour. Their sense of belonging to a group reinforces their behaviours. Peer pressure can be a wonderful tool when used for good rather than evil.
Encompassing the 3 pillars and linking them to the values of FNC, we help you initiate and maintain behaviour change by:
Helping you know what to do, why it’s important for your goals and how to implement it into your life
Giving you the freedom to make your own choices
Share the experience with others on a similar journey and be supported by the coaches and community
We don’t tell you which way to go, we equip you with the knowledge and tools to help you FIND YOUR WAY.
To FIND YOUR WAY of eating, contact us today.
[1] http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.460.1417&rep=rep1&type=pdf
[2] https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1479-5868-9-24
[3] https://psycnet.apa.org/buy/1996-01707-009
[4] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228622849_Self-determination_Theory_and_the_psychology_of_exercise
[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3060773/