My Story - Why I Started Studying Nutrition As a New Mama

Hi! Thanks for joining me here. I’m Ciara (“Kee-ra”), a student of holistic nutrition, ex-market researcher and mama of two busy little boys.

Last year, after the pandemic hit, I made the decision to pivot and follow my heart into the world of nutrition.

The desire to make this change began years ago but I couldn’t find the time or the courage to take the leap, that is, until my true motivation was born: my kids.

I realized that my boys deserved to have a happy & healthy mama, and turning my passion into a skill would not only boost my mental health but it would also strengthen the well-being of my entire family.

Now, I’m juggling life with two toddlers, a high-energy dog and a home renovation all while studying to become a registered holistic nutritionist in Toronto.

I’m proud of my progress thus far and my goal with today’s article is to help you better understand why I chose to go down this path.

I truly hope that my story resonates with other mamas out there.

My Journey

Looking back to the time when I was a new mama I can clearly still feel the anxiety & frustration. I was completely drained, scared of making a mistake and I was neglecting my own needs to meet those of my baby.

I grew to believe that feeling run-down was “normal” for this early life stage.

I now know I was lacking some of the tools to properly take care of myself and my family because – let’s face it – parenting is hard work.

I had always eaten a healthy diet, exercised regularly and slept well, so I was shocked when all this changed after my first son was born.

Those early months of parenthood hit me hard!

I was anxious, exhausted and not at all confident in my abilities.

I focused all my energy on my baby and did not take care of myself – I had minimal appetite and when I did eat, I was reaching for foods that were not meeting my nutritional needs.

I lost too much weight and kept telling myself that I’d make it right “later.”

Fast forward a year and a half and I had two little ones under the age of two!

I stressed so much about feeding both of them – one was putting on weight a little too slowly and the other developed allergies to eggs & dairy.

I felt doubly challenged, underprepared, and I still hadn’t found a good way of nourishing myself.

I was, for example, oblivious to the importance of dietary fat and I was also lacking protein-rich foods in my daily routine.

I learned some of the basics of nutrition in high school, so I had enough wherewithal to know my diet was inadequate, but I did not know what I was missing or how to make improvements.

I struggled through those first few years as a parent but then something changed inside me when I took the leap into nutrition...

I started to prioritize myself.

So, here I am almost a year later and just about to finish my program.

This journey has been life-changing to say the least.

I’m taking care of myself on a deeper level than ever before (it’s still a work-in-progress) and the information I’ve absorbed has already proven to be invaluable.

My purpose for starting this blog is to create a space for sharing some of the nutritional knowledge that I wish I had years ago.

Why I'm Here

I do not want any mother to feel overwhelmed or confused when it comes to feeding herself or her family, no matter the life stage.

This is what motivates me more than anything else!

There needs to be more easily digestible nutritional advice available to young families and I whole-heartedly believe that just a little support can make a world of difference.

Knowledge is power, after all!

I also believe there is no cookie-cutter approach to good nutrition because it should focus on your unique, personal needs or those of your family.

My mission here is to share tips & content that will be easily applicable and healthful for as many people as possible, but especially for the superstar mama who works her butt off to nourish her brood.

I believe that the health of a mother is the foundation for the good health of her family.

On the blog I’ll be discussing a variety of family-focused topics such as the fundamentals of nutrition (because it’s about a lot more than just calories), how to support intuitive eating, tips for grocery shopping, easy recipes, and much more!

Please feel free to send me an email if there’s a specific topic you’d like to see covered.

Thanks For Reading!

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to read my story.

I am so excited to be on this path and I sincerely hope you’ll find my posts helpful for yourself, your kids, and the well-being of your entire family.

♥️♥️♥️

Ciara Morin, R.H.N.