‘I feel healthier, fitter and more energetic!’

Chat Leave a comment July 26, 2017 nutritionadsa

We are sharing success stories to find out why people decide to see a dietitian, what happens on the journey, what the hardest part of that journey is and what results are achieved. This week we chat to Adrienne Bewsher, who started seeing Registered Dietitian Monique Piderit following a general health check-up which highlighted concerns around her weight and fitness. Here is her story ….

Tell us about your journey with the dietitian

Just before my 45^th birthday late last year, as part of a Women’s Development programme at work, I had a general health check-up and the results highlighted that I was both overweight and totally unfit! I knew I had to do something about that, so, in November 2016, I decided to visit a dietitian, Monique Piderit at Nutritional Solutions, and have a DNA Diet test done. I received the results of my DNA Diet test and the best eating plan for my body was a low-fat diet. Monique put together a very practical eating plan for me which was so easy to follow and apply to my lifestyle. I also had full range of blood tests done to understand my overall health – my overall Cholesterol and LDL-Cholesterol were high, whilst my Vitamin D levels were low.

Working with Monique, we set realistic weight loss goals which are achievable and keep me motivated.

Tell us about your results

Since November 2016 I continue to have regular “weigh-ins” with Monique which help to keep me on track and teach me more about healthy nutrition. I am so thrilled that I have lost over 10% (8kgs) of my body weight in 8 months, plus my Cholesterol levels have dropped to low risk levels.

To improve my fitness, I decided to take up running. As a full-time working Mom of 5 year old twins, I needed to find a form of exercise that would fit into my time constraints

and my lifestyle. I started off using an App that taught me to run 5kms in 8 weeks (although it took me more like 12 weeks to complete the programme!). Then in May this year I discovered “Catch Me If You Can” (CMIYC) – a running community exclusively for women in South Africa. CMIYC motivates women at various stages of their running journeys to get out and run together. They have various locations throughout the country, with Team Leaders in different areas who setup running dates throughout the week. Apart from getting fit, there are the added benefits of safety in numbers, tremendous support, motivation and friendship from the other women. I am proud to say that I have completed several 5km and 10km races and have entered my first half-marathon in November this year!

At 45, I now feel healthier, fitter and more energetic than I have for at least the past 10 years.

What was the hardest part of the journey?

My biggest challenge has been sticking to eating healthy during holidays like Christmas and Easter. When I do “de-rail” I am gentle but firm on myself and get back to healthy eating as quickly as possible. Just because I had a “cheat” meal doesn’t mean that I write off the entire day or weekend, but rather get back on track again the very next meal.

What are the top three tips you can share?

Banish the word “diet” from your vocabulary. For me, it comes with such negative connotations and makes me feel immediately hungry! Rather think of yourself as following a healthy lifestyle, as it will benefit so much more than just your weight.

Find a form of exercise that works for you. I do not have the time to drive to gym to do a workout, but road running works for me. If you can, persuade a buddy to join you for your workouts – you will feel far more guilty cancelling on them.

Set yourself goals. I am extremely target driven and by implementing achievable goals, both from a weight-loss and exercise point of view, I am getting there one step at a time. Celebrate when you achieve those goals – you deserve it!

What the dietitian says

I met Adrienne just before her 45^th birthday. From day one, her motivation levels were high and her energy to make a change for her health and wellbeing was so strong. I think that’s why Adrienne has done so well (and continues to do so) – it became less about weight and more about health.

Adrienne joined a social running team called Catch Me if You Can which consists of like-minded ladies. She started with short 5km runs, progressing up to doing 10km running events. Running is a great way to boost energy levels, improve sleep, and help with weight loss, and Adrienne soon got addicted to that well-known runners high. Last I saw her, she told me she signed up for her first half-marathon in November. I am so proud of her for being so steadfast in her decision to be health. Who knows, maybe next we’ll be talking running nutrition as she trains for Comrades. Adrienne is a great example of how weight loss is just a by-product of choosing a healthy lifestyle first and foremost.

How can a Dietitian guide you through the Nutrition Minefield?

1 Comment June 7, 2016 nutritionadsa

From Great Aunt Phyllis, to your Facebook friend that lost 30 kilos last year, to the latest in the multitude of global ‘so-called experts’ who just published a fad diet book, everyone seems to know exactly what we should all be eating. And, unfortunately, very few of them agree with each other.

When it comes to food, just about everyone has strong opinions, views, and diverse assertions about what constitutes healthy nutrition. Caught in the crossfire of a flurry of intense beliefs and often forceful advice, we don’t know who to trust and where to turn to when we know we need to manage our nutrition better. It’s a minefield; and if we are not careful, we can find ourselves trying a bit of this and a bit of that, chopping and changing, and never reaching our healthy living goals – whether that is to lose weight, optimise our physical activity or manage a serious condition such as diabetes.

Because nutrition affects our health in many ways, there’s just about no place more important to find that calm, clear space in the eye of the storm. And, that is where you can find a steady, consistent ally in the nutrition expert, a Registered Dietitian. These are health professionals, regulated by law, who have spent a minimum of four years studying a relevant science degree at an established university. They commit themselves to on-going professional development that keeps them abreast of scientific evolution. They are therefore, a reliable source of the latest nutrition expertise that is wholly evidence-based; and it is this that can help you cut through the noise of the fad diets, sweeping universalities and old wives’ tales when it comes to working out what eating routine would be healthy and sustainable for you at your particular life-stage.

“A common misconception is that a dietitian’s work is simply focused on helping people lose or manage their weight, comments Cath Day, Registered Dietitian and spokesperson for ADSA (Association of Dietetics in South Africa). “While weight loss is an important aspect of dietetics, the reality is that the role of the dietitian is much, much broader.” As a result, dietitians do not only work in private practice; they are also employed across governments; businesses; social, educational, healthcare and research institutions.

Day points out that professional advice from a dietitian is important at different life stages, for instance to determine healthy eating plans for the different nutrition requirements of childhood and for old age, as well as during pregnancy and breastfeeding. “Dietitians also help patients over the long-term to prevent or improve the management of disease,” she says, “It is important to have professional nutritional advice if you are dealing with conditions such as eating disorders, hypertension, gastro-intestinal disorders, pre-diabetes and diabetes, kidney failure, cardiac disease, as well as cancer and HIV/AIDS.” For women, optimal nutrition can play an important role in preventing or improving osteoporosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome. The advice of dietitians is also often sought after in a wide range of states of health from those wanting to optimize their recovery from illness or injury, to athletes and others in peak health who want to improve their performance in sports and physical activities. After all, our greatest wealth is our health.

The great advantage that a dietitian offers is that they deal with each person and their nutritional needs on a completely individual basis. “Diets and dietary supplements are marketed as if they will work for everyone,” Day says. “But in truth, we are all very different when it comes to our eating habits, food preferences, physical activity and metabolic rates, and our lifestyle choices at any given time in our lives.” A dietitian works closely with you to determine an optimal nutrition plan that takes all these variances into account so that it is easier for you to make the necessary changes and sustain them over the long term. In addition, they are an advisor and a coach providing vital support and encouragement while you are on this journey.

Did you know?

Dietitians Week, 6^th to 10^th June, highlights the work and worth of dietitians and the impact of the dietetic profession. To find a dietitian in your area who can assist you with your nutrition journey, visit http://www.adsa.org.za/Public/FindARegisteredDietitian.aspx

ADSA will be joining theBritish Dietetics Association (BDA) and the South African Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (SASPEN) to celebrate Dietitian’s Week. Please keep an eye on our social media channels for more information.

Facebook www.facebook.com/adsarogza | Twitter www.twitter.com/ADSA_RD | Website: http://www.adsa.org.za

Making the healthy choice is for yourself

Chat Leave a comment November 18, 2015 nutritionadsa

This week we chat to Bruce Burgess, as part of the series of success stories we have and will be sharing over the next couple of months. Bruce started seeing Registered Dietitian, Alex Royal, when he was training for his second Half Iron Man and felt that he had hit a weight loss plateau:

Tell us about your journey with the dietitian?

I met Alex through mutual training partners while preparing for my second Half Iron Man. Of my own volition I had been on the Banting diet for a few months by then and had lost a few kilos, but after some time had started to feel like I was slowing down physically and I just wasn’t getting lean. One day I eventually realised how silly it was that I had been strictly following a diet that I had only read about in a single book, when I actually had access to Alex, a professional who had several years’ experience in the field, who could personally assess and guide me. In our first appointment she took the time to understand my goals, eating habits, professional and social lifestyle, and exercise regime before building a meal plan that genuinely suited me. Throughout our interactions and follow-ups she has been an absolute professional. Her input has always been realistic and honest and I knew from the outset that anything personal that we discussed in her office was going to remain confidential, which was a critical part of our success so far. I look forward to our check-ins, even when I suspect that I might not have achieved all my goals in-between, because she understands that I’m a real person and that this is a journey.

Tell us about your results?

From literally the first week on the eating plan that Alex put together for me, I started to feel more energetic throughout more of the day and could notice my body becoming more lean. I also felt more agile on my surfboard, which really put a smile on my face! At my first check in, it was clear that it was genuinely working. I was lighter, my metabolism was faster and I had reduced my body fat. Running has always been my weakest discipline, but a few weeks ago, I completed a 21km in 1h43min, which is a full 17 minutes faster than what I was expecting – and close to 45 mins faster than my personal best. My friends have noticed my results too and I have had a lot of compliments on my leaner appearance and questions about what my secret was – to which my answer has always been a sincere recommendation of Alex’s services.

What was the hardest part of the journey?

The hardest part of the journey for me has been trying to maintain my eating plan during my week-long work trips into Africa. Exactly the right food options can be quite hard to come by and mealtimes when you are on the road can be quite irregular. However, having an understanding of what I am supposed to be eating and avoiding, has meant that for the most part I’ve been able to make healthier decisions while travelling instead of just eating whatever is easiest.

What are the top three tips you can share?

Making the healthy choice is for yourself. You’re going to run into resistance from the world around you, but at the end of the day, your health needs to come first.

Don’t forget your protein shake when you travel. There’s always water around, so at least you can get something healthy in when you’re feeling hungry between irregular meals.

Just because the perfect meal isn’t available, doesn’t mean you have to go all bad. If the only thing you recognise on a menu is the burger, you can still order it with a salad or baked veg (if you’re concerned about raw foods in whatever far flung corner of the content you are) rather than eating deep fried chips.

And just because you got breakfast and lunch wrong, doesn’t mean that a healthy dinner isn’t going to make a positive difference. One or two naughty treats aren’t going to ruin your diet, but I know just how quickly a cheat day can turn into a cheat week.

A word from the dietitian

When Bruce came to see me he was training for his second Half Iron Man and was determined to get his eating habits on track. But like most people he was bombarded with weird and wonderful tips from blogs and the internet. So we kicked off by discussing all the myths and outlined a good way forward. The diet plan was aimed to suit his busy work schedule and social lifestyle while meeting his body composition goals. His overall aim was to drop body fat and gain muscle, all while eating adequate calories to tweak his athletic performance…in other words to become a machine!

I was so thrilled when I saw Bruce for his first follow-up. He was well on track and following my guidelines to the Tee. We had subtly changed his eating patterns and lifestyle and he was seeing the results. He has continued to impress and peaked his athletic performance by logging his personal best at the Knysna half marathon.

Well done Bruce!

“I made a complete lifestyle change” – Glenise’s Story

Chat 1 Comment October 19, 2015 nutritionadsa

We are sharing success stories to find out why people decide to see a dietitian, what happens on the journey, what the hardest part of that journey is and what results are achieved. This week we chat to Glenise Valentyn, who started seeing Registered Dietitian Retha Mostert after she struggled to fall pregnant and was diagnosed with insulin resistance. Here is her story ….

Why did you decide to see a dietitian? (the before story)

When I visited a gynaecologist, because I was struggling to fall pregnant, he did some tests and I was diagnosed with insulin resistance. He explained the dangers involved for the baby and me, should I fall pregnant and advised me to immediately start with a healthy lifestyle. I decided to see a dietitian.

Tell us about your journey with the dietitian?

I made my first appointment with Registered Dietitian Retha Mostert soon after I saw the gynaecologist. She worked out very easy meal plans (not diet plans) for me. All the ingredients were readily available at our supermarket. I could prepare food that my whole family enjoyed. She taught me how to make the right choices when making decisions on what to eat. I was very comfortable with her. A little bit later I found out that I was pregnant. I visited Retha throughout my whole pregnancy, looking forward to my bi-monthly visits with her.

Tell us about your results / successes?

I could feel a difference in myself right after I started to see Retha. I had much more energy. I only gained a total of 5kg throughout my whole pregnancy. Most of it was only in the last weeks. The gynaecologist was very worried at first that I wasn’t gaining weight, but she checked the baby’s progress and growth and was happy. I was tested for insulin resistance during my pregnancy and there was no sign of it. I gave birth to a normal baby daughter of 2.89kg. My weight after the birth of my baby was less than before I fell pregnant. Seeing Retha helped me make a complete lifestyle change.

What was the hardest part of the journey?

The hardest part was to resist pregnancy cravings. I always had to remind myself of the consequences of eating the wrong foods.

What are the top three tips you can share?

1. Believe in yourself
2. Trust your dietitian
3. Always plan ahead and put your plans in writing

What the dietitian says (a few words from Retha Mostert)

Throughout her pregnancy Glenise was so motivated. Her sugar levels were showing warning signs before the pregnancy and by making smart food choices she kept them under control throughout her pregnancy. She proved that its not necessary to ‘eat for two’ when you are pregnant. Even when she went for her regular check-ups with her gynaecologist, he couldn’t believe that she herself was not gaining a lot of weight, but sonars confirmed that her baby was growing the way she should. At 38 weeks Glenise had a healthy baby girl! What better reward can there be?

To find a Registered Dietitian in your area, please visit: www.adsa.org.za