The Importance Of Balancing Order And Chaos

13 Jun The Importance Of Balancing Order And Chaos

Posted at 11:18h in Advice by

To achieve a balanced diet and lifestyle, we must learn to strike the balance between order and chaos. When I speak with new clients they will often describe their relationship with their diet as ‘all or nothing’. They’re either sticking to a diet plan, following the rules and achieving weight loss. Or it’s a free for all and their relationship with eating feels out of control.

We talk about ‘a balanced diet’ or ‘a balanced lifestyle’ – but what does that even mean? It’s such a vague expression it’s virtually useless. What’s more, balance looks different for everybody.

“TOO MUCH ORDER IS A DICTATORSHIP”

Recently I had a conversation with a wise woman about the importance of balancing order and chaos. She described extreme order as being ‘like a dictatorship’.

A level of order is important for ensuring things get done and life doesn’t descend into chaos. But when things become too ordered life can become rigid, inflexible and joyless. It doesn’t allow for spontaneity and can lead to stagnation.

TOO MUCH CHAOS IS STRESSFUL

I am a naturally chaotic soul. Every party of the organised individual I am today is learnt behaviour. In no small part thanks to my wonderful mother who invested many hours in teaching me how to be a functional human being.

Chaos can be fun in the right doses. Messy water fights with kids in the sunshine. Holidays where you can leave your responsibilities behind and feel free. But when things become too chaotic it’s stressful, unproductive and unsustainable.

From a biological perspective, our bodies are constantly striving for balance. How can we strive for the same in our lives?

WHAT DOES BALANCE LOOK LIKE TO YOU?

The first step towards achieving a state of balanced diet and lifestyle is identifying what that looks like for you. It can apply to areas across our lives. It might mean implementing routines such as a consistent bedtime, weekly time set aside for meal prepping or scheduling regular exercise. It may mean allowing yourself a certain number of treats, or treat meals a week. If you drink alcohol, it could include identifying how many glasses will allow you to enjoy it, without things going too far.

Another important step is to recognise when things are becoming too ordered, or too chaotic. When you see this happening, you can ask yourself what you need to do to bring things back to balance.

If things become too chaotic, there are many fantastic apps that can create accountability and help you foster healthy habits. You could consider writing out a checklist of daily habits you want to get back into, ticking them off each day. Small actions like this can lead to significant shifts. Or you could seek help from a professional who can help you address areas of your life that require restoration of balance.

On the other hand, if things become too ordered, ask yourself what you’re missing our on because of the excess order. What is your soul crying out for more of? Fun? Adventure? Freedom?

BALANCE IN WEIGHT MANAGEMENT

When my team and I work with clients, we are there to celebrate their successes with them. These successes go beyond seeing the number on the scale go down. They also include recognising shifts in behaviour that will help to ensure long term success in maintaining weight loss and healthy habits.

I love to see my clients transition away from all or nothing, towards self-regulation and balance. It is the ability to make a conscious choice to enjoy that afternoon tea, the ice cream, the pizza (insert your favourite food here) and then revert back to your usual healthy diet, without feelings of guilt or regret. It’s being able to enjoy Christmas, or a holiday, but then pick up where you left off as soon as it’s over.

CONSCIOUSNESS IS KEY

Maintaining a state of balance takes focus and commitment. For many people I work with, it doesn’t come naturally. It is certainly something I have had to learn.

But over time, being conscious of where you are on the ‘Order Chaos Scale’ can help you to identify when things are becoming unbalanced and gently bring things back to balance.

WORK WITH US

If you are looking to lose weight, we can help you overcome your weight challenges, reach your happy weight and maintain it long term. Book yourself in for a complimentary 25 mintue call or contact us and a member of our team will be in touch soon. We can talk through your challenges and explore whether one of our Intelligent Weight Loss programmes is right for you.

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LINDA ROBINSON

Linda is our Practice Coordinator, helping to keep the clinic running smoothly.

 

Originally from Texas, Linda completed her MBA at SDA Bocconi in Milan. Linda has worked as a Strategy Consultant across multiple industries globally in cities including Kyoto, Paris, Chicago and San Francisco. She developed an interest in nutrition whilst volunteering for an organisation that provides cooking and nutrition education to children and families.

Linda is now settled in London with her husband, two children, and her very bouncy, sociable dog.

SARAH LAW

Sarah has worked with hundreds of clients over the past decade to help them live in a healthy body that they feel confident in.


Sarah spent a large part of her teens and 20’s as a professional dancer battling with orthorexia and an unhealthy relationship with food and her body. This created a desire to understand the human body more so she could finally cut through the confusion and end the cycle of yoyo dieting. This fuelled her passion to help other women do the same.

 

Sarah specialises in supporting women who are struggling to lose weight due to underlying health issues. She’s helped many women manage their weight during and after the menopause, as well as clients with thyroid disease and immune system dysfunction. Sarah loves food and sharing healthy recipes with her clients. Her aim is to ensure that clients don’t feel deprived and instead, achieve their weight loss and health goals in a positive and sustainable way.

 

To enquire about working with Sarah, please contact us.

AILSA HICHENS

 

Ailsa is one of our most experienced practitioners. She specialises in helping clients to lose weight, develop a healthy relationship with food and finally feel comfortable in their skin. Ailsa’s mission is for everyone she works with to enjoy the journey and that working with a nutritionist should not be a punishment, but your access to a new possibility.

 

Ailsa is not only an experienced weight loss nutritionist, she is also a skilled coach. She helps our clients overcome emotional eating, destructive habits and self-sabotaging behaviours that have prevented successful weight loss in the past. Ailsa has spent years in clinic working with clients who have experienced yo-yo dieting and have discovered that long term weight loss is not just about eating less until you can stand it no longer.

 

Working with Ailsa you will be comprehensively supported, not only in improving your nutrition and lifestyle, but also your eating habits and your relationship with food. When you work on all these elements together, the results can be truly astonishing.

 

To enquire about working with Ailsa, please contact us.

Test Nikki is our Practice Manager, managing our team of practitioners and heading up the day-to-day running of the business. Nikki is involved in the strategic development of our practice, coming from a strong business background in town planning. A Florida girl, Nikki relocated to the UK in 2014 with her husband and two children.

NIKKI ANDRIANI

Nikki is our Practice Manager, managing our team and heading up the day-to-day running of our clinic.

 

Coming from a background in town planning, Nikki is involved in the strategic development of our practice, continually ensuring we are delivering the very best service to our clients.


A Florida girl, Nikki relocated to the UK in 2014 where she lives with her husband, two children, and her rescue dog Skyy.

STÉPHANIE ACHAR

Stéphanie is a skilled nutritional therapist and functional medicine practitioner with additional training in eating disorders, disordered eating and obesity. She believes that working towards both physiological and mental health is key in achieving optimum wellbeing.

 

Stéphanie’s personal experience of emotional eating and the ongoing struggle to find the right support led her to combine the science of nutrition with behavioural coaching to motivate and empower her clients. She specialises in helping people who struggle with their weight and their relationship with food. She helps them develop a healthier and more peaceful relationship with food and their bodies.

 

To enquire about working with Stéphanie, please contact us.

INNA WEARN

Inna is passionate about supporting women on their journey to improved health and wellbeing. She believes that the solution to effective weight loss does not lie in ever more restrictive diets, but a more sophisticated approach that optimises health and vitality, as well as promoting effective weight loss.

 

Working with Inna you will benefit from her in-depth knowledge of female health and hormones. She will support you in developing a healthy diet, lifestyle and mindset that ensures you reach your ideal weight and maintain it in the years to come.

 

Inna is passionate about food with a wide repertoire of delicious healthy recipes and meal ideas to ensure your weight loss journey is as enjoyable as possible!

 

To enquire about working with Inna, please contact us.

ANIA MASON

 

Ania is a firm believer that improving your health and losing weight should be a positive, empowering journey, not one centred around deprivation.

 

After being diagnosed with two autoimmune conditions in her twenties, Ania spent several years educating herself on the power of food and nutrition. She put it all into practise and changed her diet and lifestyle, reversing her endometriosis and thyroid disease. After experiencing such a significant improvement in her health, Ania had a big desire to help others. She embarked on a four year journey to study nutrition, graduating from the Institute for Optimum Nutrition with distinction.

 

Ania specialises in autoimmunity and works with clients who have underlying health issues preventing successful weight loss. Her expertise enables her to successfully support our clients with conditions such as hypothyroidsm (underactive thyroid), PCOS and diabetes. 

 

To enquire about working with Ania, please contact us.

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