Build your foundation first

An interview with Millie van der Heijden from A Good Life

Millie van der Heijden had always been athletic and interested in nutrition, but it wasn't until she was around forty that she decided to change course. "I worked in communications and was once coached myself. When someone told me they hadn't expected me to work as a communications consultant, it started to bother me. Around forty, I thought: if I ever want to do anything else, it has to be now."

She trained as a lifestyle coach, started her own practice, and expanded it into a full-time job. "That's where I discovered: this is my world. Because I was a big athlete myself, more and more athletes came to me."

Getting the basics right

For Millie, nutrition is key, but always from a healthy perspective. "Sports nutrition is very different from regular food. Many products are complete rubbish. Of course, you can use gels and supplements, but do so consciously and as naturally as possible. Your foundation has to be right: healthy food, sleep, and rest. Only then should you look at optimizing your diet."

You don't build a house on loose bricks. Without a foundation, everything collapses. This also applies to athletic achievements.

Healthy, Sincere, Emotional and Doing

Her core values ​​are the common thread throughout her work. Healthy stands for pure products and sustainable choices. Sincere means she respects everyone's worth. Emotion refers to feelings: "You can create a nice plan, but if someone is unhappy and eats M&Ms every night, that's where you need to look first." And action is about taking action: "You often know what's right, but how are you actually going to do it?"

Behavior and habits

Many people struggle with ambivalent behavior: they want to change, but fall back into old patterns. "Motivation is often there, but there are also advantages to not changing. I explore this with my clients. You can learn to recognize the signals that determine your behavior."

A common complaint is "no time." Millie sees it differently: "It's not a matter of time, but of priority. People say they don't have time to cook, but they still find an hour to watch Netflix."

Sports and pushing boundaries

Sports continue to play an important role in her own life. She runs, kickboxes, swims, and enjoys being outdoors. "Sports teaches you to know your limits. Sometimes you push yourself beyond them, which makes you more resilient. Without stress, you don't grow, not even as an athlete. But you do have to listen to your body."

Future plans

Millie compiled her ideas in her book "Long May Your Lifestyle!" Now she wants to develop online training courses to reach a wider audience. "One-on-one coaching only reaches a limited number of people. I want to share my vision more widely. My mission is to teach people that health starts with a strong foundation."

"First, get the basics right: daily nutrition, rest, and recovery. Sports nutrition can support you, but never replace what's missing from the basics."

Want to know more about Millie and her company Eengoedleven.nl?