Feel comfortable in your skin and enjoy food with a diet that is only yours!
You might have experimented with various diets, initially seeing results only to end up back where you started. Perhaps you haven’t seen any changes at all. You’ve attempted supplements, intense gym sessions, or maybe you’ve felt lost about where to begin.
Managing weight goes beyond simple calorie intake and output. Hormonal imbalances, underlying medical conditions, changes in gut health, metabolic shifts due to high stress, and consuming foods that don’t suit your body can all play roles.
Our bodies naturally gravitate toward an “ideal” weight, and sudden or drastic weight fluctuations might signal deeper imbalances. By collaborating, we can pinpoint the underlying issues and devise a personalized plan that suits your needs, lifestyle, and taste preferences, keeping you motivated and energized!
Take the initial step and schedule a complimentary discovery call to discuss your goals and how I can assist you in achieving them.
The Food Power Nutrition Approach
Recommended Services & Packages for Tackling Weight Management
Navigating Weight Gain: A Nutritional Therapist's Perspective Beyond Calories In and Out
Weight gain is a multifaceted issue influenced by a variety of factors, extending far beyond the simplistic notion of calories in versus calories out. As a nutritional therapist, it is crucial to shed light on the intricacies of weight management, considering hormonal fluctuations, gut health, metabolic imbalances, and the pitfalls of unsuitable do-it-yourself (DIY) diets. A personalized nutrition plan emerges as a key ally in addressing these complexities and fostering sustainable weight management.
Hormonal Influences: Hormones play a pivotal role in regulating appetite, metabolism, and fat storage. Imbalances in hormones like insulin, cortisol, and leptin can significantly impact weight. For example, elevated cortisol levels, often associated with chronic stress, can lead to increased abdominal fat storage. Insulin resistance, where cells become less responsive to insulin, may contribute to weight gain by disrupting the body’s ability to utilize glucose efficiently. A personalized nutrition plan considers these hormonal nuances, aiming to restore balance and support the body’s natural regulatory mechanisms.
Gut Health and Microbiome: The gut microbiome, a diverse community of microorganisms residing in the digestive tract, influences various aspects of health, including weight regulation. An imbalance in gut bacteria can contribute to inflammation, insulin resistance, and increased fat storage. Certain bacteria may extract more calories from food, affecting energy balance. Personalized nutrition plans often incorporate strategies to support a healthy gut microbiome, targeted pro and prebiotic support, and dietary changes to foster a gut environment conducive to weight management.
Metabolic Imbalances: Metabolism, the body’s process of converting food into energy, can be influenced by various factors. Some individuals may experience a slower metabolic rate due to genetic predispositions, aging, or underlying medical conditions. Nutritional therapists assess metabolic imbalances and tailor interventions to support optimal metabolic function. This may involve incorporating foods that enhance metabolism, testing for metabolic functions and considering targeted supplementation to optimize energy utilization.
DIY Diets and Unsustainable Approaches: Many individuals resort to DIY diets, often driven by fad trends or one-size-fits-all approaches promising rapid weight loss. These diets, often restrictive and lacking essential nutrients, can lead to nutrient deficiencies, metabolic slowdown, and the loss of lean muscle mass. Furthermore, they rarely address individual variations in metabolism, hormonal profiles, or gut health. A nutritional therapist emphasizes the drawbacks of unsuitable DIY diets and guides individuals toward sustainable, evidence-based approaches that consider their unique physiological and lifestyle factors.
Beyond Calories In and Out: While calorie intake and expenditure are fundamental aspects of weight management, a personalized nutrition plan recognizes that the quality of calories matters. Nutrient-dense foods provide essential vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that support overall health and metabolism. Moreover, the interplay of hormones, gut health, and metabolic factors highlights the need for a holistic approach that goes beyond calorie counting.
Advantages of a Personalized Nutrition Plan:
1. Individualized Assessment: A nutritional therapist conducts a thorough assessment of an individual’s health, considering factors such as hormonal balance, gut health, and metabolic function.
2. Long-Term Sustainability: Unlike fad diets, a personalized nutrition plan focuses on long-term sustainability. It considers an individual’s preferences, cultural influences, budget, and lifestyle, making it more likely for individuals to adhere to the plan over time.
3. Education and Empowerment: Nutritional therapists educate individuals about the role of hormones, gut health, and metabolism in weight management. This knowledge empowers individuals to make informed choices that align with their health goals.
4. Adaptability: As an individual’s health evolves, a personalized nutrition plan can be adapted to meet changing needs. This adaptability ensures ongoing support for sustainable weight management.
In conclusion, weight gain is a nuanced issue influenced by hormonal, gut health, and metabolic factors, surpassing the simplistic notion of calories in and out. A personalized nutrition plan, crafted by a nutritional therapist, serves as a tailored and comprehensive strategy that addresses the individual’s unique physiological profile. By acknowledging the importance of factors beyond mere calorie counting and adopting a sustainable, personalized approach, individuals can embark on a journey towards healthier weight management and overall well-being.
Success Stories
Lucia took the time to thoroughly understand my unique health challenges, lifestyle, and dietary habits. The personalized nutrition plan provided was not just a set of generic guidelines but a tailored roadmap that made sense for me. The emphasis on whole foods, balanced nutrition, and specific supplements was not only effective but also sustainable in the long run.
Personalised Diet
Lucia is very knowledgeable and understanding - the sessions with her were very insightful. I finally manage to change my bad eating habits replacing them with healthier ones without feeling deprived or “on diet” and feeling supported at every step! I highly recommend her.
Personalised Diet
Without a doubt, a life-changing experience. I have been working with Lucia since February 2022 as I was diagnosed with Diabetes type 2. 5 months later, I have reverted the Diabetes, and have been able to regulate my glucose levels without insulin or any other medication.Lucia has a wealth of knowledge on how to best tackle a nutritional plan, that works in your favour, and is easy to transition into. Her knowledge of the science behind it helps to understand better step by step on why some foods work in certain way, and how it all works holistically.I fully recommend Lucia's Food Power Nutrition to help you find a healthier life.
Weight Management
I wholeheartedly recommend Lucia to anyone seeking personalized and compassionate support in balancing gut health with a vegan diet. Her expertise, tailored approach, and unwavering encouragement make her an invaluable ally on the path to digestive wellness. Thank you, Lucia, for empowering me to not only prioritize my gut health but also celebrate the joys of a vegan lifestyle.
Personalised Diet - Vegan
FAQ
What is Nutritional Therapy?
Nutritional therapy is the application of nutrition science in the promotion of health, peak performance and individual care. Nutritional therapy practitioners use a wide range of tools to assess and identify potential nutritional imbalances and understand how these may contribute to an individual’s symptoms and health concerns. This approach allows them to work with individuals to address nutritional balance and help support the body towards maintaining health. Nutritional therapy is recognised as a complementary medicine. It is relevant both for individuals looking to enhance their health and wellbeing and for those with chronic conditions wishing to work with or ‘consult’ a nutritional therapist in collaboration with other suitably qualified healthcare professionals. Practitioners consider each individual to be unique and recommend personalised nutrition and lifestyle programmes rather than a ‘one size fits all’ approach. Practitioners never recommend nutritional therapy as a replacement for medical advice and always refer any client with ‘red flag’ signs or symptoms to their medical professional. They will also frequently work alongside a medical professional and will communicate with other healthcare professionals involved in the client’s care to explain any nutritional therapy programme that has been provided.
What’s the difference between nutritional therapist, nutrition coach and nutritionist?
In the ever-evolving landscape of health and wellness, the importance of seeking legit professional guidance for optimal nutrition cannot be overstated. Registered Nutritional Therapists play a pivotal role in promoting well-being by providing personalized and evidence-based nutritional advice. I wanted to explore the significance of consulting a Registered Nutritional Therapist, shedding light on their qualifications (a degree) and the importance of being registered with professional bodies like BANT (British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine) and CNHC (Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council).
What is the difference between Nutritional Therapists, Nutrition Coaches and Nutritionists?
- Nutritional Therapists:
- Focus: Holistic, addressing underlying health issues.
- Qualifications: Hold a degree in nutritional therapy or a related field.
- Registration: Registered with professional bodies like BANT and CNHC.
- Approach: Personalized, evidence-based recommendations.
- Scope: Work one to one with individuals dealing with specific health concerns.
- Nutrition Coaches:
- Focus: Goal-oriented, often centered on fitness and weight management.
- Qualifications: Vary; it is not a regulated profession and only some may have certifications in coaching or attended courses in
- Registration: Not typically required, but some may hold certifications from coaching organizations.
- Approach: Goal-focused, motivational, and lifestyle-oriented.
- Scope: Assist clients in achieving specific health and fitness goals.
- Nutritionists:
- Focus: General nutrition advice, public health, and community settings.
- Qualifications: Hold a degree in nutrition or a related field.
- Registration: Registered with professional bodies such as the AfN, but not always required.
- Approach: Broad nutrition education and advice, which is not personalised to a 1:1 approach.
- Scope: Work in diverse settings such as public health, research, or education.
In the pursuit of optimal health and receiving personalised and tailored 1:1 advice, consulting a Registered Nutritional Therapist stands out as a wise choice. Their holistic approach, personalised guidance, and commitment to professional standards set them apart. Ensuring that a nutritional therapist is registered with BANT and CNHC adds an extra layer of assurance, highlighting their dedication to excellence, knowledge and high standard of practice.
What is mBANT?
BANT (British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine) is a professional organisation for Registered Nutritional Therapy Practitioners and Registered Dietitians which are trained and qualified in clinical practice to meet national standards and work in a one-to-one setting.
BANT practitioner members are required to be registered either with Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) or be statutorily regulated. CNHC holds a register accredited by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA), an independent body accountable to the UK Parliament. BANT members are also required to meet Continuing Professional Development (CPD) standards.
Being a BANT member highlights the high standard of my training and work practice, reassuring clients of the quality of the consultations and plans I provide at Food Power Nutrition.
What should I expect to achieve after our appointments?
Food Power Nutrition plan are highly personalised, created around around your needs and your goal in order to obtain the best results possible. Saying that it is important to note that results vary from person to person as we are all unique and our body responds differently. Expectations and goals will be discussed during our discovery call.
How long would it take to see results?
Nutritional Therapy aims to create long lasting change. Those changes will be gradual but definitive, differently from allopathic medicine that aims to suppress symptoms for immediate relief. As each person is unique, also the speed on which results will be obtained is different and this is also impacted by how closely the suggested nutritional and supplemental plan is followed.
Does Food Power Nutrition operates only online?
Food Power provides online consultations via a dedicated platform. Online consultations will be held via telehealth/zoom and can be easily accessed via the client’s “Practice Better” portal. In person consultations will be held on Thursday evenings at Elpis Therapy Rooms, 14 Hanover Square, Mayfair, London W1S 1HN
What shall I do if I have questions in between my two appointments?
Please contact me at my email lucia@foodpowernutrition.com or via Practice Better chat service for support – I am always happy to help.
How can I get in touch with Food Power Nutrition for more information about packages and costs?
Please feel free to ask for information via the contact form, specifying if you wish to be contacted via email or via phone. I am happy to offer a free discovery call to talk through your current health concerns and discuss how we can work together.