Nutrition Advice

As a qualified weight-management specialist, I have years of experience in helping clients use nutrition to meet their goals. Whether that's weight loss, lowering body fat, overcoming illness or injury or becoming healthier in general, I work with them to undo poor eating habits and put better ones into place. I will always explain any suggestion I make, educating you in nutrition and giving you the skills to make your own great eating choices for life.

Tailored nutrition advice

I will talk with you about your lifestyle, your approach to food shopping and preparation and any issues you have with food. The solution I'll suggest will be sensible and gradual, and it will get results. I don't cut out entire food groups or rely on supplements. I won't suggest anything you can't cook and prepare with minimal effort. I understand that not everyone has the time or inclination to spend hours in the kitchen. I'll ask you to keep simple food diaries which will help me identify the strengths and weaknesses in your diet. After just a few weeks of some small changes, the results will show in your shape and weight, but also in your skin, your mood and your energy levels. Let me show you how great you can feel if you fuel your body correctly!

Eating well for a healthier you

Understanding how to make better food choices will result in your energy and health going up and any excess weight going down. It's all very well exercising regularly but, unless you're putting the right kind of food into your body, your efforts could be largely wasted. Finding the right nutrition plan for you will help you achieve that final stage of weight loss or body recomposition and make all your efforts in the gym worthwhile.

I will explain how a low GI (Glycaemic Index) approach to food can help. By looking at the types of carbohydrates you eat, we can boost your mood and energy levels, giving you more energy for work, family life and exercise. If you train regularly, I will make sure you are taking in the correct types of food both before and during your workouts, to maximise the hard work you are putting in.

Here are some of my favourite foods for fat loss, weight control and energy boosting:

Almonds 
Swap biscuits and cakes for a handful of almonds, they'll make you feel fuller and are packed with necessary "good" fats which our diets need.

Apples 
One apple packs 150 nutrients into a transportable, accessible snack. Don't peel the skin off, because that's where you'll find the antioxidant quercetin, said to help kill off viruses.

Blueberries 
Blueberries are packed with vitamin c and are one kings for antioxident activity. They also an excellent source of your dietry fibre. Combined with almonds, blueberries make a great snack inbetween meals.

Chillies 
Chillies actually raise your metabolism: after eating a hot one, or hot chili sauce, you body can burn up to 15% more calories for about two hours.

Dark chocolate 
Chocolate with more than 70% cocoa solids is full of antioxidants, and the flavanol in cocoa stops blood cells clumping together. What's more, dark chocolate will kill sweet cravings more quickly than milk or white, so you'll only need a small portion.

Eggs (poached or boiled) 
Eggs are truly a superfood, full of lecithin to boost the memory. What's more, eggs are really filling for relatively low calories and fat (but lots of protein). Research has shown that if you eat two for breakfast (poached or boiled), you'll eat around 400 fewer calories that day.

Frozen peas 
A great convenience food full of B vitamins (for a healthy nervous system), soluble fibre and vitamin C.

Grapefruit 
Grapefruits lower blood sugar and have great satiety qualities. They also include glucaric acid, which lowers "bad" cholesterol.

Green tea 
A great alternative for some of your cups of tea or coffee, rich in polyphenols and antioxidants which help regulate the immune system.

Oats 
A fantastic choice for breakfast (or at any other time of the day), oats contain lots of the soluble fibre beta glucan, which lowers bad cholesterol. Choose rolled oats, muesli or oat-heavy breakfast cereals.

Oily fish
Fresh or canned sardines, mackerel, salmon and anchovies are all great sources of omega-3 oils which are diets are often severely lacking in. Omega-3s are said to make platelets in the blood less likely to clot.

Frozen berries 
Great to have on hand for smoothies or to mix with yoghurt for breakfast or desserts, berries are full of antioxidants and low in carbohydrates.

Tomatoes 
Particularly good for men, tomatoes are full of lycopene, the main antioxidant in the prostate gland. Studies show that men who eat tomatoes (or tomato purée, juice and soup) ten or more times a week reduce their risk of developing prostate cancer by 35%.