Women In Wellness: Sheri Berger Of Sheri The Plant Strong Dietitian On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing
An Interview With Wanda Malhotra
You can’t make everyone happy. Sometimes I let that notion hold me back. Acknowledge no matter how experienced or smart you are, you’ll always have critics. Just do your best.
Today, more than ever, wellness is at the forefront of societal discussions. From mental health to physical well-being, women are making significant strides in bringing about change, introducing innovative solutions, and setting new standards. Despite facing unique challenges, they break barriers, inspire communities, and are reshaping the very definition of health and wellness. In this series called women in wellness we are talking to women doctors, nurses, nutritionists, therapists, fitness trainers, researchers, health experts, coaches, and other wellness professionals to share their stories and insights. As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Sheri Berger, RDN, CDCES.
Sheri is a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified diabetes care & education specialist with over 20 years of experience. She works full-time for a cardiac & pulmonary wellness center and is a consultant for Health Insiders. Sheri also is the owner of Sheri The Plant Strong Dietitian, LLC where she blogs on plant-based nutrition and provides services such as recipe development, media placements, food photography, consulting, video creation, freelance writing, spokesperson work, and social media collaboration for brands.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?
Hi there! I grew up in the Chicago suburbs and started my career there, but since then I have had the opportunity to work in many other areas of the country. I have lived in the East Coast, now the West Coast, and in between. At one point in my career, I worked for a cardiovascular disease management company that had me traveling on a weekly basis. I think my experience working in multiple areas of the country has helped me to become a better professional and dietitian. It is valuable and interesting to learn about different cultures and mindsets all within our country.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?
Since I have lived in several areas of the country, I have had to start fresh with building a local network more than once. I learned that it is okay to accept a role that may not be the best fit or most exciting job. When you put in your best effort and establish new relationships, it always is rewarding and it leads to something else. Just start somewhere, do your best, and good things will come.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about a mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
In the beginning of my career, I tried too hard to “fix” every nutrition related health issue that my clients had. Doing this goes nowhere if the client is not ready to make changes or they are feeling overwhelmed with too much to do. I have learned to listen more and focus my counseling on what the client wants at this time. Sometimes all they want is to vent and not take any real action yet. That is okay. Each session needs to be client focused on what they are ready to do, not what you think they should do.
Let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?
My focus as a health professional is to encourage and educate the public on making nutritional choices that are backed by evidence-based nutrition research. I clear up confusion and nutritional myths and claims that unqualified influencers are spreading online and through various media channels. My goal is to help people to live healthier lives with quality nutrition that also makes them feel good.
Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing?
1 . Eat more fruit and vegetables
Consuming a diet rich in fruits and vegetables contributes to a lower risk of heart attack, stroke, and inflammation within the body. Aim for at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. If you try to make about half of your plate or bowl vegetables and/or fruit at each meal, you will be set.
2 . Make at least half your grains, whole grains
Whole grains are a fantastic source of fiber, protein, B vitamins, and phytonutrients. Include a variety of grains such as colorful rice (red, purple, black, or brown), quinoa, farro, millet, oats, sorghum, freekeh, and barley.
3 . Swap out animal protein for plant protein at least twice per week
Swapping meat and chicken for plant protein such as chickpeas, edamame, tofu, lentils, or kidney, white, or black beans will boost fiber intake. Only plants have fiber, not animal foods. Fiber helps to reduce cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure.
4 . Swap out saturated fat for unsaturated fat
A diet that is low in saturated fat supports healthy cholesterol numbers and a healthy heart. Replace fatty meats with leaner meat such as skinless chicken breast or pork tenderloin. Choose nuts, seeds, and avocados to balance out meals with filling heart healthy fats. Choose fish twice per week for heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids, an unsaturated fat that reduces body inflammation and triglycerides numbers (a common fat in the blood).
5 . Make movement a priority everyday
The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of exercise that gets your heart pumping each week like brisk walking, jogging, dancing, skating, or swimming. Strength or resistance training is also recommended at least twice per week. Just find something you enjoy and it won’t even feel like exercise!
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?
Let’s make walks a regular routine in everyone’s workday. Usually two,15-minute breaks are part of an employee’s workday, but what if it became normal that another break was added or one of those breaks was specifically for walking? Imagine it, a group of employees take a pause in the workday to walk. This would enhance physical and mental wellness and bring revival to the workday.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
- I might have tried new adventures if I knew how rewarding they could be. You never know until you try.
- Rejection now can mean yes later. A reminder to not give up.
- No one gets what they want out of luck. Be consistent and keep trying. The journey is never perfectly paved or the same for anyone.
- You can’t make everyone happy. Sometimes I let that notion hold me back. Acknowledge no matter how experienced or smart you are, you’ll always have critics. Just do your best.
- Ignore imposter syndrome, we all experience it. If you don’t shake it, it can hold you back.
Sustainability, veganism, mental health, and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?
Veganism is dearest to me because it encourages more plants. However, I do not believe you don’t need to give up animal foods 100% unless that something that is important to you. Eating mostly plants and making an effort to choose plant sources of protein over animal protein are wonderful ways to improve health and the environment. It’s all about finding what works best for you.
What is the best way for our readers to further follow your work online?
You can follow me on Instagram, @Sheridietitian, where I enjoy posting easy, plant forward recipes and nutrition tips. Also, check out my blog and media mentions for more nutrition tips!
Thank you for these really excellent insights, and we greatly appreciate the time you spent on this. We wish you continued success.
About the Interviewer: Wanda Malhotra is a wellness entrepreneur, lifestyle journalist, and the CEO of Crunchy Mama Box, a mission-driven platform promoting conscious living. CMB empowers individuals with educational resources and vetted products to help them make informed choices. Passionate about social causes like environmental preservation and animal welfare, Wanda writes about clean beauty, wellness, nutrition, social impact and sustainability, simplifying wellness with curated resources. Join Wanda and the Crunchy Mama Box community in embracing a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle at CrunchyMamaBox.com.
