Thriving Habits

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McLaren Vale, SA
Thriving Habits

Thriving Habits offers evidence-based nutrition consulting, blending nutrition and neuroscience to help you build habits that stick, without dieting.

For appointments, visit https://thrivinghabits.com.au Thriving habits offers personalised nutrition coaching designed to help you create a healthier, more sustainable relationship with food. Whether you’re a parent trying to navigate family meals, someone looking to break free from food rules, or just wanting to feel better in your body, our non-diet, evidence-based approach will help you build ha

bits that last - without restriction or overwhelm.

1:1 consultations are offered by bachelor-qualified Nutritionist Chelsea Handley, with options for in person appointments located in Mclaren Vale SA or online. For more information, please visit https://thrivinghabits.com.au/

17/04/2026

Afternoon sweet craving? Try these 5 ingredient, insanely delicious, chocolate crunch bars 😍

Ingredients:

1 cup soft dates
2 tbsp peanut butter
1 cup soy protein crisps or puffed quinoa
pinch of salt (optional)
120-150g dark chocolate
1 tbsp coconut oil

Method:

- Soften dates in boiling water for 5 mins. Blend dates and peanut butter until smooth and sticky
- Mix through soy crisps or puffed quinoa
- Press firmly into a lined tray or silicone bar molds
- Freeze for 20 -30 mins until firm
- Melt chocolate and coconut oil, then coat bars
- Set in fridge

Easy. Delicious. Wholesome.

Save this for your next sweet craving 🍫

08/04/2026

Sometimes life just throws your eating habits out the window…
for me, that’s been pregnancy.

Constant nausea, vomiting, fatigue, food aversions…
my usual routines have felt really hard to stick to.

I’ve had moments where I’ve thought “I need to get back on track”.

However, I’ve learnt that’s exactly what pulls me into that all-or-nothing cycle and leaves me feeling even more out of control when things don’t go to plan.

So instead of trying to reset everything, I’ve been doing this:

Focusing on my next small decision.
Maybe it’s asking… what can I add to this meal to make it more nourishing?

Small decisions that don’t feel overwhelming.

Because you’re not off track…
you’re just adjusting.

Save this for when your brain tells you to start over 🤍

04/04/2026

This is your reminder for the long weekend 💛

You don’t need to earn your chocolate
or make up for it tomorrow.

A few days don’t define your health,
but the way you think about it can. Thinking things like
“I’ve ruined it” or “I need to make up for this”
can spiral into guilt, restriction,
and feeling out of control around food, creating a vicious cycle.

Save this for when your brain starts overthinking it 🐣

24/03/2026

Moroccan Chickpeas (your new go-to)

Ingredients:
1 onion, diced
1–2 garlic cloves, crushed
Handful of dates, chopped
1 medium sweet potato, diced
2 cans whole tomatoes, crushed
2 cans chickpeas, drained & rinsed
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
½–1 tsp cinnamon
½–1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup basmati or brown rice
1½ cups water

Method
1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and cook onion until soft and golden.
2. Add garlic + dates, cook until softened.
3. Add chickpeas, tomatoes + spices. Stir and simmer.
4. Toss sweet potato in a little oil and roast/air fry at 200°C for ~20 mins.
5. Rinse rice until water runs clear. Add to pot with water, bring to boil, then simmer with lid on until absorbed.
6. Stir roasted sweet potato through the chickpea mix.
7. Once thick and saucy, remove from heat.
8. Serve over rice. Add yoghurt, extra veg or whatever you’ve got 👌

Sweet, warming, fibre-packed and so budget friendly 🙌

Save this one for your next low-energy dinner 💛

23/03/2026

My favourite go-to dinners lately as a nutritionist, pregnant toddler mum 🤍

Nothing fancy over here lately… just meals that are quick, filling and actually doable at the end of a long day.

Most nights it looks like:
• bowls with whatever we have
• easy pasta
• baked potatoes with toppings
• simple veg + protein + carbs thrown together

Eating well isn’t about creating the “perfect” meal every night.
It’s about having a few go-to options you can rely on and you know your kids will actually eat.

Save this for those “what’s for dinner tonight” nights 💛

25/02/2026

Weight is one outcome.
Not the definition of health.

You can lose weight and still have high cholesterol.
You can lose weight and still have poor sleep, low energy or elevated blood pressure.

Health is about how your body functions, not just what it weighs.

Build habits that improve your labs, not just ones that shrink the scale. Let weight be one piece of the puzzle, not the whole picture.

Send this to someone who needs the reminder today ❤️

01/02/2026

Think it’s too hard to reach 25–30g of fibre in a day?

This is what it actually looks like.
Wholemeal bread at breakfast, a wholemeal wrap for lunch, an apple for a snack, chia seeds with yoghurt, and a chickpea curry for dinner.

No supplements.
No special recipes.
No forcing it into one meal.

These amounts are reference targets, not rules.
Individual fibre needs vary depending on digestion, appetite, gut tolerance and life stage.

Fibre works best when it’s spread out and varied.
Different foods. Different fibres. Different jobs 💛

28/01/2026

Inflammation isn’t something your body needs to “get rid of.”
It’s a normal, protective process that helps you heal, fight infection, and adapt to stress.

The issue isn’t inflammation itself.
It’s when inflammation becomes chronic and poorly regulated over time.

That’s why chasing “anti-inflammatory” diets or cutting out individual foods often misses the point. Food can support your body’s regulatory systems, but it doesn’t override them.

Sleep, stress, regular meals, enough energy, movement, and overall dietary patterns play a much bigger role than any single ingredient.

You don’t eliminate inflammation.
You support your body so it can regulate it well.

Save this for later, and follow along for grounded, evidence-based nutrition without the extremes. 💛

11/01/2026

I’ve been hearing this so much lately:

“Fibre is bad because you can’t digest it.”

And while that sounds convincing, it’s missing a pretty important piece of the puzzle.

You’re not meant to digest fibre.
Your gut microbes do.

That’s how fibre supports gut health, blood sugar balance, cholesterol regulation, inflammation, and more.

If fibre doesn’t feel good for you, that doesn’t mean it’s harmful. It usually means the type, amount or timing needs adjusting. Big jumps can overwhelm sensitive guts. Gradual changes matter.

Fibre isn’t the problem.
Fear-based wellness advice is.

09/01/2026

A little life update 🤍

This year, I’m growing more than just habits.
Baby #2 joining our family mid-2026 🩷🌈

01/01/2026

As we step into the new year, please remember this:

Your body isn’t a problem to solve in January.
You don’t need a new one.
You don’t need a detox.

You need kindness on the days you want to hide.
Patience when the results feel slow.
Consistency in the small, ordinary habits.

This is where real change begins. 💛

12/12/2025

The holidays don’t throw you off track.
The way we respond to them often does.

Skipping meals, saving calories or trying to compensate later usually creates more stress around food, not less. A little structure and regular eating goes a long way during busy seasons.

Remember: a few weeks don’t define your health.
Your habits matter more than any season.

Save this for a December reminder 🤍

Address

McLaren Vale, SA

Website

http://www.thrivinghabits.com.au/

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