Fresh out of law school, Gerridene Berg never imagined she’d one day swap legal briefs for nutrition consultations, write a bestselling book and inspire thousands of women through her Vol Vrou Challenge.
Gerridene Berg worked hard to become a lawyer. It was a career built on purpose, discipline and a desire to make a difference.
“I believed success meant building a respected career and proving that I could hold my own. But somewhere along the way, that quiet certainty began to shift.
“It wasn’t one dramatic moment,” Gerridene reflects. “It was more like a holy restlessness that wouldn’t leave me. I was a sensitive, imaginative girl. I noticed when someone was left out and carried questions in my heart long after everyone else had moved on.”
That compassion would shape everything that followed. Leaving law meant stepping away from certainty. “I wish I could say I felt fearless, but I didn’t,” she admits. “Courage wasn’t the absence of fear – it was taking the next step while my hands were still trembling.”
Whether it’s changing careers, rebuilding after heartbreak or finding the courage to choose a different path, it’s a feeling many women will recognise. For Gerridene, saying yes to the unknown opened the door to a career that felt less like work and more like purpose.
Today she’s a specialised nutritionist, author, speaker and mentor whose work has touched the lives of thousands of women. Through her Vol Vrou Challenge alone, she’s witnessed more than 1 000 women transform not only their health, but the way they see themselves.
Ask her what she’s most passionate about, though, and the conversation moves far beyond food.
“Nutrition is important,” she says, “but I’ve realised that true wellness begins much deeper. So many women believe they’re not enough, and that belief influences everything – how they eat, how they love, how they show up in the world.”
It’s a refreshing perspective in a world that constantly tells women to be thinner, busier or better. Instead of chasing perfection, Gerridene encourages women to show themselves a little more compassion.
Away from the stage and the spotlight, life looks wonderfully ordinary. Many South Africans know her husband, actor and author Hykie Berg, but it takes only minutes in Gerridene’s company to realise she’s written a story entirely her own. Home is where the titles fall away. It’s family dinners, lingering conversations around the table and celebrating the beautifully ordinary.
Like most women, Gerridene’s days are a juggling act of school runs, client appointments, writing deadlines, voice notes and family life. She laughs that there are moments when she’s convinced someone in the house is hiding her coffee. “By the time I find it again, it’s cold. That’s pretty much a snapshot of real life.”
She laughs often, and it’s contagious. Perhaps that’s exactly why she feels so relatable. Behind the busy schedule is a woman whose life looks reassuringly familiar … school runs, cold coffee, family dinners and the beautiful unpredictability of everyday life.
“Real life isn’t nearly as glam as people think,” she smiles. “Some days are beautifully productive, and other days are wonderfully messy. And I’ve learnt that’s okay.”
It’s that honesty, admitting that even the woman speaking to hundreds still has moments of self-doubt, that makes her feel less like a motivational speaker and more like the friend you’d happily lose an hour over coffee with.
“I’m very sensitive. I can overthink. I still need quiet to recharge. And I don’t always have everything figured out. Confidence, for me, isn’t about never feeling afraid. It’s about showing up anyway.” Perhaps that’s why women trust her. She doesn’t pretend to have a perfectly colour-coded life or all the answers. Instead, she creates space for honest conversations, the kind so many of us long to have but seldom do. Conversations about comparison, disappointment, identity, relationships, unrealistic expectations and the pressure women place on themselves to keep striving for more.
Those conversations eventually became the foundation of her first book, Goed Genoeg.
Although it took around eighteen months to write, Gerridene says the book had been growing in her heart for years. “The title became deeply personal,” she explains. “Not something to strive for, but a truth to rest in.”
Rather than offering another self-help checklist, Goed Genoeg invites readers to pause and rediscover themselves through deeply personal stories of healing, identity and self-worth. “I hope it won’t feel like they’re reading my story. I hope they’ll feel like they’re discovering something about themselves.”
Writing the book wasn’t without challenges. Health hurdles and personal trials tested her resolve along the way. But, she never questioned whether the message mattered. Today, Goed Genoeg is finding its way into the hands of women from every stage of life – young women trying to find where they belong, mothers balancing countless responsibilities, professionals chasing impossible standards and women navigating seasons they never expected to face.
For Gerridene, those moments when readers tell her they finally feel seen are among the greatest rewards of all. So what would Gerridene love women to carry into Spring?
“My answer is really not going to be something in the lines of starting a strict new eating plan or setting impossible goals. But instead, I hope women will leave behind comparison, guilt, people-pleasing and the exhausting belief that being busy somehow makes us more valuable.”
She’d rather see us make room for rest. For laughter. For creativity. For relationships that fill our cups instead of emptying them. And perhaps for a little more grace towards ourselves.
“Spring reminds us that growth rarely happens all at once. Like blossoms appearing after Winter, it unfolds quietly … often long before anyone else notices.
Maybe growth happens quietly, in the ordinary moments no one else notices. In choosing ourselves again after disappointment. In asking for help. In changing direction. In learning that slowing down isn’t the same as giving up.
For Gerridene, becoming wasn’t about walking away from law or writing a book. It wasn’t even about building a successful career. It was about becoming more comfortable in her own skin. More present. More compassionate. More herself.
The good news? Gerridene isn’t expecting anyone to reinvent themselves by Monday morning. She’s simply encouraging them to take the next step, however small that may be.
Maybe that’s Spring’s gentle reminder. You don’t need a perfect plan, a brand-new wardrobe or a Pinterest-worthy pantry to begin again. Sometimes all it takes is a little hope, a little courage and the willingness to take the next step.
And if your coffee goes cold? Just warm it up. Some things like hope, second chances and good conversations are worth revisiting anyway.
Seven fresh habits for Spring
Spring is the perfect time to press reset. Not with crash diets or impossible goals, but with small, sustainable habits that help you feel your best. Gerridene shares her simple guide to a healthier, happier season.
1. Start with water … Before reaching for your coffee, drink a glass of water. It’s one of the simplest ways to wake your body up and support hydration throughout the day.
2. Eat the rainbow … Make every meal a little more colourful by adding vegetables and fruit. The more variety on your plate, the more nutrients your body receives.
3. Build balanced meals … Aim to include protein, fibre-rich carbohydrates and healthy fats with every meal. Balanced eating keeps you fuller for longer and helps maintain steady energy levels.
4. Move because you can … Forget punishing workouts. Find movement you genuinely enjoy, whether it’s walking, dancing, gardening or Pilates. The best exercise is the one you’ll keep doing.
5. Protect your sleep … A good night’s sleep is one of the most underrated health habits. Create a calming evening routine and aim for consistency rather than perfection.
6. Slow down at mealtimes … Eat mindfully. Put your phone aside, chew slowly and pay attention to your body’s hunger and fullness cues.
7. Choose progress over perfection … The biggest mistake women make is trying to change everything overnight. Health isn’t built by one perfect day, it’s built through small choices repeated with grace.
Details: gerrideneberg.com
Text: RIALIEN FURSTENBERG. Image: .
