Nutrition Made Simple Podcast Episode 17: Longtime Member of CrossFit Generation & Master’s Athlete Dials In Her Nutrition To Maximize Her Results

Nicole Aucoin (00:02):
Welcome back to the Nutrition Made Simple podcast at Healthy Steps Nutrition, we believe something as fundamental as nutrition shouldn’t be complicated, which is why we focus on a simple, habit based approach when working with clients. I’m your host, Nicole Aucoin, registered dietitian and founder of Healthy Steps Nutrition, CrossFit HSN and HSN Mentoring. I’m also the author of the Healthy Kids Cookbook: 100% Kid-Approved Recipes the Entire Family Will Love. You can find it on Amazon. In this podcast, we will be teaching you how to take one step at a time to becoming the healthiest version of yourself.

Nicole Aucoin (00:45):
This week, we are talking to a longtime member of CrossFit Generation. They have been around since 2007. Man, Barry has helped so many people at his gym and in his community over the years. Bern, one of their founding members realized on her birthday that she needed help to make a change with her nutrition. And of course, the first person she thought of was Barry, the gym owner, who had been helping people with their nutrition, with the help of Healthy Steps Nutrition. In this episode, Bern and I talk about why she hired a coach, how her coach Barry has helped her and what she would say to someone who is frustrated with the way they feel, their lack of energy and is really looking to make a change but unsure where to start. We will get to this episode with Bern right after this message.

Nicole Aucoin (01:39):
Do you know someone who is looking to get healthy but is unsure where to start? We would love for you to share this podcast with them. You never know who could use some words of encouragement or who might be inspired by hearing someone else’s story. Take a screenshot, post it on social media and please don’t forget to tag @healthystepsnutrition So your friends can find our awesome free help. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast so you catch every single episode. All right, enjoy this episode, hearing Bern’s story. She’s so inspiring.

Nicole Aucoin (02:16):
Bern Clune, welcome to the Nutrition Made Simple podcast.

Bernadette Clune (02:21):
Thanks, Nicole. I’m really thrilled to be here. I’m very excited about this.

Nicole Aucoin (02:24):
I’m so excited to share your story. You have been, you just shared with me, a member of CrossFit Generation for quite some time. Tell me how you got into CrossFit.

Bernadette Clune (02:36):
13 years ago, my daughter was swimming with a local high school team and it was suggested by a parent who knew and had trained with our head coach and owner, Barry, that perhaps the team cross train. And so I went with her a few times to see what this was about and I was intrigued and I was motivated. And within a month’s time had asked Barry, “How do I sign on? How do I get started with this?” And when I initially signed on, I was going two evenings a week and within six months, I said, “How do I do this every day? What do I have to do to sign up so I can come whenever I want to come?” It was very inspiring for me. I was 47 years old. My daughter was 13 or 14 at the time and she’s my youngest of five children.

Nicole Aucoin (03:25):
Wow. As a mom of five children, I’m sure you understand, you’ve got a lot of things to juggle, but you have to make time for you too, right?

Bernadette Clune (03:35):
Absolutely. Absolutely. It has to be a priority or you can’t do anything for anybody else.

Nicole Aucoin (03:40):
Yeah. You have to fill up your cup to be able to fill up everyone else’s cup, right?

Bernadette Clune (03:44):
Very true.

Nicole Aucoin (03:44):
You joined CrossFit, you’ve been a member of his gym for quite some time, but we’re really having you on the podcast because of all the nutrition changes. Let’s fast forward 10, 11 years, I guess, from when you started to now. You signed up for nutrition coaching about seven months ago with Barry. Talk to me about what prompted you to sign up for nutrition coaching or get started with nutrition.

Bernadette Clune (04:08):
Sure. Over the years that I had been with Barry, a lot goes on when you’re in a CrossFit gym and there’s a lot of good relationships and the gym runs a lot of different little mini programs. And we had done some nutrition challenges as groups where it would last 30 days. And over a period of time, I had started to eat more cleanly, but didn’t understand a lot about the value of proteins and carbs in my daily diet and what was really good on a regular basis and how to watch those types of things and so I had fluctuated. Some years back, I had started to lose a little bit of weight. My children were all delivered C-section so with each one of them, I kept a few pounds on and kept a few pounds on. By the time I had started, I was significantly heavier.

Bernadette Clune (04:59):
I made some minor changes. In 2016, I started having serious hip pain. And in November of 2017, I had my right hip replaced. During that year, prior to hip replacement, I got into some extremely bad eating habits because I had so much pain and I was looking for the comfort and I put on bad weight at that point. Once the hip was replaced, I had developed these horrible, horrible habits, but was denying that I had these horrible habits because I still, once the hip was replaced, I was able to come back to my workouts. They weren’t as good as they used to be, but I thought, oh, it’s because I had a hip replacement. Oh, it’s because I’m through menopause. Oh, it’s because I’m nearing the age of 60. And excuses to justify why I wasn’t making better choices.

Bernadette Clune (05:55):
And in August of past summer, 2020, my youngest daughter had just gotten married and I had a hard time finding a dress that I could fit into and liked how I looked. And in August I got on the scale and I was heavier than I had been when I delivered her and she was an 11 pound baby. And I just thought, I’m lying to myself. There’s something going on here that I can and have to change. And so I went to Barry and said, “I’m ready to take this step because I need help.”

Nicole Aucoin (06:29):
And that’s the hardest step sometimes, right?

Bernadette Clune (06:32):
It is.

Nicole Aucoin (06:32):
Okay, I know that I’m going to have to make some changes. Am I ready to commit to those changes, right?

Bernadette Clune (06:38):
Yes, yes. Right. And admitting that the changes that have to be made are because sometimes it’s because you don’t have the knowledge. Sometimes it’s because you don’t have the resources or you haven’t been exposed. I had all those things and I was denying to myself and denying myself of the access to those resources. It was my own choice and I had to change the thinking to change the choices.

Nicole Aucoin (07:03):
A nutrition coach is there to keep you accountable and listen. Be there to support you over giving you all of the tools and resources. You can look up healthy recipes online. Let’s be honest, you can. But a coach is there to provide support and accountability. And really that’s what the relationship that you and Barry have to help you get to where you are today, right?

Bernadette Clune (07:26):
Yes, yes. And within the confines of that relationship with Barry as a nutrition coach, there’s a lot of discussion. There’s a lot of discussion about where did I feel I was making mistakes? Or where did I feel I took a wrong turn? And then his input based on what he’s hearing me say, he doesn’t say, “Okay, you know what? You were making bad choices and so here’s what you should do.” He listens to what I’m saying about what was happening at that time or what continues to happen. I’m still faced with various stresses and a job and et cetera. And he hears where I am. And through the Healthy Steps Nutrition program is able to say to me, “Okay, in this scenario that you’ve just described to me, how bad if you did this? How bad if you tried this?” It’s based not just on what he knows he needs to provide me in terms of resources, but what resources are going to work for me because he’s hearing where I am in my life and I’m quite sure that he’s doing that with all the other clients.

Nicole Aucoin (08:34):
That’s a huge piece of coaching clients and really for you to build that relationship with him, because it’s not a standard plan they’re getting. Not every person is doing the same exact thing because you guys are all facing different challenges. You all, stress eating or maybe it’s trying to juggle five kids at home. Luckily you don’t have that scenario, five kids at home right now. Maybe grandkids at this point. But everyone has a different struggle that they need help with. And if a coach can customize the experience to help support you where you are, it’s going to be so much more effective.

Bernadette Clune (09:09):
Yes, yes, absolutely.

Nicole Aucoin (09:11):
What were some of the things that you were surprised about when working with a coach, working with Barry for ongoing coaching versus a challenge? So many people do challenges, do a challenge day 31 of your 30 day challenge you’re back to…

Bernadette Clune (09:27):
You’re back. Even if you hold onto one thing, you’re pretty much back to everything else because you have this preconceived notion that the challenge is a 30 day activity, that it’s not really a lifestyle change. And so that’s what I’m feeling with doing this program is that there’s no, this is going to sound funny, there’s no end in sight. I’m not saying, “Okay, I’ve signed onto this. I’m going to do this for 30 days. I’m going to do this for six months. I’m going to do this for a year.” I’m doing this as long as I need it. And the opportunity to sit with someone, as you said, who is schooled and learned in the listening and the guidance and say that twice a month, I’m going to sit down and say, “This is what went on these last two weeks,” so that each time I’m building. I have to start it with the foundation of going to him, knowing that he’s got the resources that I need and he’s going to guide me.

Bernadette Clune (10:29):
And so each time we meet, there’s another building block that’s put on top of the previous one. And eventually the strength will be there for me, hopefully to be able to do the majority of it on my own. Will I have to be a 100% on my own? Hopefully not. Hopefully I will be able to maybe a couple times a year, sit down with him or meet with other members who have been clients over the same period of time and brainstorm or just be supportive of each other. And that’s another thing I love about the program is that as you said earlier, it’s structured so that those coaches can fine tune them for each of the clients. And then when we talk as peers, we can say, “Oh, this worked for me. Did you try this? Oh, I love hearing what you got from that conversation. Maybe that’s something I could think about.” It’s a constant building and reinforcing and restructuring.

Nicole Aucoin (11:27):
I love the way that you just described how he’s helping you, because with so many nutrition programs or when people think they’re going on a diet, they feel like they have to change everything right now.

Bernadette Clune (11:38):
Yes. And that is not happening.

Nicole Aucoin (11:40):
It’s really overwhelming, right?

Bernadette Clune (11:43):
It is.

Nicole Aucoin (11:44):
Super overwhelming versus, hey, let’s just focus on this one layer and then in two weeks when we meet again, we’ll either stay there or we’ll add the next layer depending on where you’re at.

Bernadette Clune (11:57):
Right. Right. Because for some people, one particular thing might work immediately and it makes sense to them and boom, okay, I can do this. Somebody else might say, “I know this is really important, but it’s very difficult for me. This is a real challenge and it’s going to take me a while to work at it. Whereas if you have to, oh, and now when I go back next week, I’m going to have to do this. I know when I go back next month, there’s going to be three more things I have to do and I’m not even doing this yet. That’s the stress that creates that stress eating and you don’t want to be in that cycle.

Nicole Aucoin (12:28):
I love that. What was one thing that you were surprised about when working with Barry as a coach?

Bernadette Clune (12:36):
I think that’s a really challenging question because I don’t know if I would say surprised or just really happy to learn. And I mentioned it when we first were talking that at the idea of, I didn’t have a real understanding of what various foods did for me. And I’ll give you a very specific example. I was always, okay, let’s cut out the sugar. And I know that the processed, the breads, the white bread, et cetera, but to sit down and say, “Okay,” and I love this about the Healthy Steps program itself and how Barry has been able to lay it out for me that in the morning I should have so much of an item that creates this much protein for me. And so much of something that creates the carbs and so much that creates the fat that I’m going to consume for the day, because they’re all needed, but they’re needed in a balance.

Bernadette Clune (13:31):
And so I guess in a way I’m surprised that I have learned in such a short period of time, how to track that, how to be aware of what foods I can go to on a regular basis. There are times when I know I’m going to have a 12 hour day at work and how am I going to put that together when I’m not going to have access to what I normally do? Okay, here’s a list of foods that meet that criteria. And that was very surprising to me. And some of the foods that I can have, even that for a snack, I’ve started to really love a couple slices of turkey on a rice cake. That just stunned me to no end.

Nicole Aucoin (14:12):
Put some avocado or hummus on there and it is quite delicious, right?

Bernadette Clune (14:16):
It’s wonderful. It’s wonderful.

Nicole Aucoin (14:18):
I love that there is this education piece, of course, because we don’t want clients to feel super reliant to have a coach forever, but you have to layer in the education, like you were saying before. It sounds to me like you guys do a lot of planning on how you’re going to navigate something so you feel confident when that situation arises.

Bernadette Clune (14:38):
Yes. That is very true. When we first sit down to talk each time we usually talk about what has happened over the previous weeks and how did I feel about how did it affect me? How was I able to cope with it? What did I like or not like about the things that we put into place for that period of time? And did I have questions about anything? And then, okay, so from this point, this worked, this didn’t. All right, so if this didn’t, what can we substitute? What can we make an adjustment on that will help you not, okay, well that didn’t work, but it really should have so try it again. Well, that’s discouraging to hear that because you already know what didn’t work. To have someone say to you, “Well, it should so do it again.” And that’s not what happens.

Bernadette Clune (15:22):
What happens is okay, there are some other options. And what I love too, coming from Barry is that if he doesn’t immediately say to me, “Okay, yes, I know what might be good substitute. Okay, let’s table that for now. Let’s work on these other things.” And whether he does a little more research or he determines, couple of days later, I’ll get an email. “Hey, thought a little bit more about that. What do you think of this?” And I love that because it’s not, I’m going to give you, it’s, what do you think about this? He’s greatly involving me in the decisions that I will have to make. Very much like the parent child relationship, as you’re raising your children from toddlers to teens, to adults where you’re there for them, you’re there for them every minute of the day until the day you die but at a different level, when they’re toddlers, you have to tell them when they’re teens, you have to guide them. When they’re adults, you give them advice when they ask for it, because it’s their life.

Nicole Aucoin (16:19):
I think that’s an important piece of the nutrition coach and client relationship. He’s going to give you some ideas and it may be a different perspective, but at the end of the day, it’s your life. You’re going to be the ones making decisions. And if you guys have open communication, then you feel comfortable telling him, “Hey, this worked,” or, “Hey, this did not work at all. I didn’t like this, let’s navigate it and figure out a different cue.” From a coaching perspective, like CrossFit, you’ve been doing CrossFit for a long time, the same cue is not going to work for you and the person standing next to you. We have to be flexible with our approach to help support you. What are some of the wins that you’ve had since starting nutrition coaching?

Bernadette Clune (16:58):
Well, my very first month I lost I think, six pounds.

Nicole Aucoin (17:02):
Wow.

Bernadette Clune (17:03):
But I lost it, but I also lost six total inches. That was a big, big win. And at this point now since August 28th, until just two weeks ago, I lost six inches in my waist.

Nicole Aucoin (17:17):
Wow.

Bernadette Clune (17:17):
Which is a big problem area for women of my age. And that has been such a huge win for me to realize that I had been, as I said earlier, kidding myself about some things, but also the outside world kind of the peer pressure that you get. Well, it’s okay, you’re over 60. It’s okay, you’ve reached that point in your life that. Well, why are you worried about that? Well, I’m worried about it because I’d like to be around for my grandchildren. I would to be healthy for my grandchildren. And now I know that it’s 100% possible to be that kind of healthy.

Nicole Aucoin (17:56):
I love that. It’s never too late. And you doing this journey is going to inspire your grandkids. It’s going to trickle down and help everyone become the healthiest versions of themselves. Six inches in a few months around your waist is amazing. You’ve had to get some new clothes I can imagine.

Bernadette Clune (18:19):
I had a few things stored away that I kept looking at saying, “Gosh, I wish I could get into that.” And in the past couple weeks, I’ve worn a couple of winter sweaters that were a little form fitting that I hadn’t looked at in a while. Yeah, to me, that is a big win because it’s an ego booster. Who doesn’t want to have their ego boosted a little?

Nicole Aucoin (18:39):
At the very beginning you said, I tried on this dress for my daughter’s wedding and I wanted to feel more comfortable and confident, wearing clothes and losing some inches is definitely something that’s going to help you feel more confident in your own skin, right?

Bernadette Clune (18:54):
Yes, yes, yes. And it helps you feel healthier. The idea of how you look is very important and that is something that we always have to deal with. But part of that is the healthiness of how you look. I don’t necessarily want to become a Twiggy model, but looking good goes hand in hand with feeling good.

Nicole Aucoin (19:19):
I love that. And it’s important to think about not only, the wins with biometrics, but what about the non-scale victories? You’re sleeping and your energy levels and mood. There are so many other aspects. What are some things that maybe have improved that you didn’t even think would improve from changing your nutrition?

Bernadette Clune (19:39):
Yeah. Well, actually that’s interesting you said sleep because that was one of the very first things we addressed. Having had Barry as a coach for so long and because my daughter also has been a client there as a young person and now an employee, Barry and I are good friends as well. And so we know each other pretty well. It was very easy to recognize from the get go that one of the areas where I struggled was sleep and there is a direct correlation to sleeping and eating. That was one of the first things we addressed was how is my eating affecting my sleeping? And how is my sleeping affecting my eating?

Bernadette Clune (20:19):
We kind of hit both of those things head on from the get go. That was one of the first things that we programmed into some daily challenges, having certain nights of the week that I didn’t sit on the iPad or watch TV that maybe I would read a book a half hour before I went to bed. Have certain nights of the week that were determined that, okay, you are absolutely going to get eight hours of sleep. However, you have to figure that out, have one night, a week that that happens because those are such important pieces of keeping balance. And that’s what our goal is to have balance. That’s what causes us again, going back to the idea of stress eating is when things are out of balance.

Nicole Aucoin (20:59):
I think that’s such an important correlation that so many people don’t realize regarding what you eat affects how you sleep, how you sleep affects what you eat. And it is really this cross kind of contamination thing where they both play a part in you on your journey to becoming the healthiest version of yourself. I know when I wore a continuous glucose monitor for a few weeks, just to see, okay, what’s happening on the inside of my body? I noticed when I had carbohydrates or sugar at night, my sleep was bad and my blood sugar was high. And then you wake up and your stress, your cortisol levels are increased. It’s all of this pieces of the puzzle that come together to either support or inhibit your progress towards your goals.

Bernadette Clune (21:42):
Absolutely.

Nicole Aucoin (21:43):
Very interesting. What are some of the things that you would say to someone considering nutrition coaching or nutrition coaching at CrossFit Generation? You were an existing member for a long time before you said, “Hey, enough is enough. I’m ready for nutrition now, this is the time.”

Bernadette Clune (22:03):
I actually have even mentioned it to friends outside of the gym who have commented, “Wow, you’ve lost some weight. What are you doing?” And I have talked up the program, basically letting them know that this program is not about dieting. It’s not about someone telling you what to do. It’s about a guidance program. It is putting into place some changes in your own life, over which you have control and that you can make some positive changes at your own pace. And so I have actually said that to people, “Think about this. If you really are looking, this is a program that will work and it will work because it’s not a piece of paper someone’s throwing at you and here’s a list of things to check off and see if you can finish them.”

Bernadette Clune (22:52):
And it’s not somebody screaming in your ear, “Work harder. You can do this.” It’s it is somebody sitting down and saying, “Okay, what are your issues? Where do you see that you have problems or discrepancies or imbalance? Okay, now you’ve identified them. Let me help you find the answers. Here are resources.” But the bottom line is that it has to be my choice. I can’t tell you how many people have said to me. I’ll be out to lunch with somebody, “Oh, are you allowed to eat that?” I’m allowed to eat anything I want, I choose to eat this or that. “Oh, are you allowed to do this type of exercise?” I’m allowed to do whatever I want. I choose to do this or that. And that’s what the Healthy Steps Nutrition program, along with Barry’s guidance have provided for me, an empowerment to make the choices that are going to, as you said, make me the healthiest version of myself.

Nicole Aucoin (23:53):
I love that. I think you hit the nail on the head when you said this is a guidance program. It’s on you. We’re not walking with you in every step of your journey. Yes, a coach is there to support you, but really it’s on you to apply what you talk about and take action, right?

Bernadette Clune (24:11):
Right. It is, it is. And it has to be your decision. And as a client, I also look at the person sitting on the other side of the desk from me. If I am not taking that guidance seriously and saying, “Okay, this person is putting in front of me all the tools I need, but I’m going to choose not to use them.” The frustration level for that person, for the coach, is unbearable. That is terrible. That, here I am, I am armed with everything that I can give you and I’ve put my time and effort into educating myself, preparing myself and preparing this for you. And then I say, “Oh, it’s not working.” Well, why do you think it’s not working? Well, because I can’t cook like that or I can’t exercise like that or I can’t do that. There’s the choice, I can’t.

Nicole Aucoin (25:01):
Yeah. It’s just figuring out a flexible approach that’s going to work with you in your lifestyle that’s realistic for you. Absolutely. I love that. Any final thoughts? What’s the biggest thing that’s come out of nutrition coaching for you and in life in general, what’s the biggest thing that’s come out of this?

Bernadette Clune (25:25):
For me personally and very specifically, right at this moment, I would say that it is very easy to fool yourself and that if you’re looking to make changes in your life, get ready to be honest, get ready to look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself the truth, because I didn’t do that for a while and it took me to a bad place. For me very personally, I would say that, that’s something that you really want to think about. Just in general I would say that, anybody thinking about trying to just make some healthier choices, there is nothing about this program that is a have to do. You can say, “All I want to do right now is get some good recipes of some healthy food and figure out how to plan meals.”

Bernadette Clune (26:22):
And if that’s your goal, it can be done through this program. If your goal is to lose weight, it can be done through this program. If your goal is to learn how to balance your work life and your personal life because you don’t know how to incorporate your sleep and your workouts and your meal planning, this program is for you. It can be adapted to so many different needs at any time.

Nicole Aucoin (26:47):
I love that.

Bernadette Clune (26:48):
And I think that that would be something that I would say to anybody out there looking for any type of health, nutrition, fitness change, this program will work because it’s not a one size fits all in that, you know, okay, it’s a pair of socks and Oh yeah. It’s about the size of your foot. This bag it’ll fit. If your foot’s as big as it’s about an average size, it’s because it’s designed to be individual. It is designed for people who want the help to make those changes themselves.

Nicole Aucoin (27:20):
I love that. And you’re absolutely right. I would say the program has evolved and changed over the years and to encompass more of that holistic approach. You’re right, stress and sleep and support system. Goodness, if I emphasize support system as much now as I did 10 years ago, when we started Healthy Steps Nutrition, it would have been a game changer because when we interview all of these clients, there’s a consistent theme. Having that support system, you having Barry, but then your daughter, who’s also a coach there. I’m sure she helps support you on your journey and everyone else, it really does help you be able to truly make this a lifestyle instead of a quick fixer and go right back to old habits.

Bernadette Clune (28:04):
Yes, yes. And that’s what it has to be. It has to be the way you live, the way you eat, the way you sleep. It’s not, oh, I’m doing this and I have to do this. This is my life and this is what I do.

Nicole Aucoin (28:19):
I love it. Bern, thank you so much for coming on the Nutrition Made Simple podcast and sharing your story and how Barry and CrossFit Generation have helped you. Goodness, for a long time with the fitness journey and now, leveling up how you feel and helping you become more confident through nutrition coaching, but really just life coaching.

Bernadette Clune (28:40):
Yes, it is. It really is. It really is. Yes. Nicole, thank you. This was a real pleasure, a real honor. So exciting to be able to share and hopefully other people will, and I don’t want to say learn something, but just feel the confidence to be able to say, “I can make some different choices for myself and move forward in a positive manner.”

Nicole Aucoin (29:04):
I love that. And really taking a moment to have a self evaluation, like what you said before, you have to be honest with yourself. Hey, there’s something that’s not working and we have to be willing and open to learn how to fix that.

Bernadette Clune (29:18):
Yes.

Nicole Aucoin (29:25):
Bern has such an inspiring story. She really explained well, how a coach has helped her every step of the way. People call us every day asking for meal plans or ask us to tell them what to eat. The truth is you don’t need a meal plan. You don’t need someone to tell you exactly what to do. You can find that on the internet. What you really need is a coach to guide you, to keep you accountable and help you every step of the way. Bern’s story is the perfect example of how a nutrition coach could help you. What separates good nutrition coaches from great coaches is their ability to truly relate, to listen and to help their clients on a deeper level. Barry does exactly that. That’s why some of his founding members are still with him today over 13 years later.

Nicole Aucoin (30:17):
You can click the link in the show notes to find out more about the programs that they offer at CrossFit Generation. If you are thinking, I need a coach, you can go over to hireanutritioncoach.com and find a Healthy Steps Nutrition coach near you. I hope you enjoyed this episode. Don’t forget to click the link in the show notes to have a free downloadable guide and check out all of our healthy, easy recipes. Also, one more thing, don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss another episode again. Until next week.