There’s so many different ideas about what works with nutrition and exercise so I want to be clear about what I’m offering. I think a lot of people would like to work with a nutritionist but believe that they will have to give up all of their favourite foods. That’s the first thing I want to clarify – I don’t believe in restrictive diets, short term fixes or fads. That means if bread, wine or chocolate are some of your favourite foods, they will be included (in moderation) in your plan. It may be possible to get results faster without these foods but you can be sure they will find their way back into your life at some point. Hence, yo-yo dieting misery. I don’t know about you but I’d rather have a little of what I fancy and get permanent results.
I encourage eating from an intuitive perspective. Now I know this can bring up fears about not being able to trust that we will choose foods that are right for us, but that’s where I can help you. As our coaching relationship develops, we’ll find patterns. Some foods will make you feel great and others not so much. We are all different and we are omnivores which means we can adapt to various types of diets. I will help you find the one that suits your body and your mind. I won’t be recommending that you follow a plant-based diet for example, if it doesn’t sit well with you. Equally, meat, fish and dairy are just not appealing to many of my clients and that’s okay too. I will make sure the plan I design for you is nourishing and interesting. I hope that you will feel excited to start the plan!
Being a sports nutritionist, I’ll always encourage exercise alongside a nutrition plan and ensure you are adequately fuelled for your chosen activity. But that doesn’t mean you have to be an athlete, or even a fitness enthusiast. Some of my clients are complete beginners and want to work on the nutrition part first, before adding exercise. I think that’s a great start and from my experience, gets the best results too.
I offer personal training and I write online training plans to complement the nutrition plans I design. Then you can be sure that your nutrition plan supports your training and is tailored to the demands of the activity you choose.
The thing I love most about my work is the coaching relationship that develops between my client and I. I use an app called Nourishly which you can read more about in my blog. It’s free to download and use long-term. Of all the apps I’ve come across in my…nearly 17 years of being a nutritionist and personal trainer, it’s by far the most successful. This is because it focuses on mindful eating and behavioural change. I’m not into macro-tracking, low-calorie diets and obsessive counting of…anything. Many of my clients arrive at our first appointment completely exhausted and stressed out by that approach. And I get it…I went on that crazy-making journey myself, before I discovered what works for me and now my clients too.
I’ll send you a health assessment form in advance of our first appointment. Here, you can tell me all about your lifestyle, training, current pattern of eating, likes, dislikes, intolerances and some basic stats which will help me determine how much food to put in your plan.
We’ll then schedule our first video call which will take about an hour. You can tell me more about the information in your assessment form and your goals. During that time, we’ll come up with a proposed plan that you feel comfortable with and keen to start. I’ll work on your plan in the next couple of days and email you the final result. Feedback is especially important and welcome so I can ensure that the plan works well for you and that you’re happy with its contents.
We’ll get set up on the Nourishly app at this stage too and you can start logging your meals and any exercise you do. We can also track hydration, sleep, alcohol, thoughts, feelings and anything that you feel would help you on this journey. Accountability is cited as one of the best parts of using the app. Not only will it encourage you to be more mindful of your choices but I’ll be checking the app daily to see what you’ve logged. Honesty is the best policy as then I can help you identify behavioural patterns and offer solutions.
What you’ll be getting
- Expert guidance from someone who’s been on the journey you’re finding difficult.
- A tailor-made nutrition plan and/ or training plan for your goals with a sensible, sustainable approach.
- One to one coaching during appointments and daily via the Nourishly app.
- Regular monthly appointments if using the app but also one-off appointments if you’d rather not use the app and just get a plan to follow on your own.
- A free session for you (nutrition coaching or personal training) if you recommend anyone to me.
