Beyond Diets: Sophie Bertrand on Listening to Your Body and Living Well
Wellness without the rules — a refreshingly honest take on food, intuition, and what it really means to nourish yourself.
When Sophie Bertrand talks about food, it’s not with restriction or rigidity — but with the kind of ease that only comes from doing the hard work first. As a registered nutritionist, podcast host, author, and mother of two, her life is full. But her approach to wellness is refreshingly light, rooted not in rules or restrictions, but in kindness.
When we speak, what strikes me first is her clarity. She isn’t trying to sell a system or push a plan — she’s interested in how women feel. About their food, their bodies, their energy. “I’ve had a long, complicated relationship with food,” she says. “But it’s also what led me here. It shaped everything.”
Her story — from recovery to redefining her entire relationship with health — is a reminder that true wellness isn’t about control. It’s about trust.
From Disconnection to Discovery
Sophie’s early relationship with food wasn’t one of obsession, but avoidance. She recalls having no real interest in it, describing her childhood diet as “very beige,” and herself as “the fussiest kid ever.”
That quiet disinterest eventually spiralled into disordered eating. By her late teens, Sophie had developed anorexia and was undergoing treatment. “Because I didn’t enjoy food, it felt easy not to eat,” she explains. “And when weight loss became the goal, that was it — it consumed everything.”
Recovery was difficult, but it sparked a new direction. With a perfectionist’s energy and a strong desire to understand herself, Sophie turned to Psychology. “I absolutely loved it,” she says, “and I still do. It helped me see the patterns in my behaviour and start making sense of them.”
Her final-year dissertation focused on eating disorders, and through placements in hospital settings, she noticed something glaringly absent — education around food. “Everything was focused on gaining weight. No one was talking about eating to feel energised or to actually enjoy life again.”
This realisation led her to pursue a Master’s in Clinical Nutrition at UCL. It became the bridge between her academic knowledge and her lived experience — and ultimately, the foundation of her career.
A West Coast Shift
Sophie also spent a few months on the West Coast of the US — a trip she describes as life-changing. “That was where I really healed my relationship with food,” she tells me. For the first time, food wasn’t something to fear. It was energy. It was pleasure. “I had the most incredible time out there, and I couldn’t have done that without fuelling my body properly. That’s when I realised food doesn’t just keep you alive — it helps you live.”
It was a quiet but powerful awakening. “I’d never enjoyed food before,” she says. “Suddenly, it wasn’t just about medicine — it was joy, it was connection.”
On Prestige, and Letting Go of the Dream
After completing her nutrition training, Sophie returned to London and began working one-on-one with clients — first through her consultancy, Sophie’s Healthy Kitchen, and eventually from a practice in Harley Street.
“That had always been the dream,” she admits. “To be fully booked in Harley Street, working with amazing clients.” But as the work deepened, so did the emotional load. Many of her clients were struggling with their relationship to food, and Sophie began to feel the weight of holding that space every day.
“It was meaningful, but it was a lot,” she says. “I realised I needed a different kind of impact — one that would support others, but also support me.”
She pivoted into consultancy and content creation — writing, developing recipes, partnering with brands, and eventually, podcasting. “That shift gave me space to protect my own wellbeing. It also let me reach more people in a way that felt sustainable.”
A new kind of wellness platform
In 2019, Sophie launched Forking Wellness, a podcast she co-hosts with US-based Registered Dietitian Bari Stricoff. The show, and later their book of the same name, offered an honest, jargon-free look at health, nutrition, and the many messy realities in between.
“We wanted it to feel like a conversation, not a lecture,” Sophie says. “There’s so much noise around wellness. We wanted to make it feel simple again.”
Life Now: Flexible, Nourishing, Real
Today, Sophie’s days are full — running her business, caring for her children, and navigating everything in between. Her approach to family food is practical and pressure-free. “We’ll often eat the same meal with slight variations,” she explains. “Maybe I’ll make a veggie pasta and add chicken to my husband’s. There’s always the option for my boys to eat what I’m having, but I never force it.”
That ‘no-pressure’ attitude is rooted in her own childhood memories. “I remember always being told to ‘just try it’ — and feeling this overwhelming pressure. I really don’t want to recreate that for my children.”
Reintroducing Red Meat — and Listening In
For nearly a decade, Sophie followed a mostly plant-based diet. But last year, she noticed something unusual: she started craving red meat. “It came out of nowhere,” she says. “I hadn’t eaten steak in ten years, but suddenly, I really wanted it.”
She let the thought sit for a few months, then decided to listen. “I tried it, and honestly — it felt right.”
A few weeks later, a full-body health check revealed she was low in iron. “It was fascinating,” she reflects. “My body had been asking for what it needed, before the data confirmed it.”
These days, she eats grass-fed, organic red meat once or twice a week, still largely plant-based, but guided by intuition — not ideology.
Wellness Is Personal
Sophie doesn’t believe in universal solutions. Instead, she encourages women to pay attention to how their bodies feel, especially as their lives shift.
When it comes to supplements, she recommends starting simple — and always speaking with a qualified professional before beginning anything new.
Her core suggestions for most women include:
Vitamin D – especially in the UK, where sunlight is scarce. Supports bones, hormones, and immunity.
Omega-3s – important for brain and heart health, particularly if you don’t eat oily fish.
Creatine – useful for maintaining muscle and bone health, and increasingly backed by research for cognitive support in women.
Ashwagandha – a gentle adaptogen that can help manage stress and hormonal shifts.
“We’re not getting everything we need from our diets right now — for a lot of reasons,” she says. “Smart supplementation can really help, especially when life gets hectic.”
Five Habits That Make a Difference
When I ask for her most practical, everyday nutrition tips, Sophie keeps it simple — and doable.
Prioritise protein at every meal to help with energy and cravings. Set aside one hour a week to meal prep — “your future self will thank you,” she adds with a smile. Keep frozen berries and vegetables on hand. Tinned beans and lentils? Underrated staples. And don’t underestimate the power of microwaveable grains.
“Wellness doesn’t need to be elaborate,” she says. “It just needs to work for you.”
On Chocolate and Self-Compassion
Sophie’s approach to emotional eating is honest and deeply human. “One box of chocolates doesn’t make you unhealthy — just like one salad doesn’t make you healthy. It’s what you do most of the time that matters.”
She recalls a moment during her recovery when she ate a full bar of white chocolate after a difficult day. “The old me would’ve punished myself. But I didn’t. I let it be what it was. I needed comfort — and that was okay.”
The Skin Glow Secret? Simplicity
She doesn’t follow an elaborate skincare routine. “I eat almonds every day — about 50 grams — and I think that makes a big difference,” she laughs. “They’re full of vitamin E and good fats.”
More recently, she’s also been taking a supplement called C15, which she says has noticeably improved her skin. But her real secret is simple: hydration, good food, and less stress.
The Message She Hopes Women Hear
As we wrap up, I ask what she most wants women to take away from her work. Her answer is immediate, and quietly powerful.
“Stop comparing. Just because someone else didn’t have dessert doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. Tune out the noise. Tune into your own body.”
She pauses, then adds: “Wellness should feel like support — not stress. Your body deserves love, not punishment.”
Where to Find Sophie
You can explore Sophie’s work, resources, and recipes at sophiebertrand.com, or connect with her on Instagram at @sophiebertrand_.
She also offers eBooks focused on postnatal nutrition, feeding children, and non-toxic living — and yes, she replies to DMs. “I love connecting with people,” she says. “We’re all figuring this out as we go.”
My Thoughts
Sophie Bertrand reminds us that food isn’t just fuel — it’s emotional, intuitive, evolving. Her story is a quiet kind of courage: not one of extremes, but of coming home to your body with kindness. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or just ready for something simpler, this is a beautiful place to start.
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