“People don’t eat nutrients, they eat food” – Meet The Dietitian

1 Comment May 22, 2015 nutritionadsa

Over the next couple of months we will be introducing you to some of the amazing dietitians we work with every day. We are going to find out why they became registered dietitians, what they love about their work, how they cope after a day of nutrition disaster and bad eating choices, and what people should look out for when choosing a dietitian.

Meet Nathalie Mat, a clinical dietitian in private practice.

Why did you become a Registered Dietitian?

I grew up in a family that loves and celebrates food but is also concerned with health. What really drew me to becoming a dietitian is that dietetics is based in science but requires artful skill for successful implementation. People don’t eat nutrients, they eat food and it’s my job to help interpret ever-evolving nutrition research into real food that people can eat and enjoy.

What do you enjoy most about the work you do? What are the most satisfying moments?

My heart absolutely sings when someone walks into my office looking vibrant and healthy and tells me how much better they feel – and all we did was fine tune their eating. I love seeing people transform their health and their relationship with food. It is wonderful seeing people achieve their goals and it is a privilege to share the journey with them.

What has been your career highlight?

Presenting my thesis at an international congress and receiving my masters in nutrition was a definite highlight. I’ve also really enjoyed serving as the ADSA Gauteng South chair and being part of my profession.

What are the most challenging aspects of your career?

Because everyone eats food, almost everyone has a theory on nutrition that is their own and is unique to them. Helping people find their individual recipe for health is my job – but I have to fight a lot of misperceptions. Just because something worked for your aunt/friend/colleague does not mean it’s right for someone with your genetic background or lifestyle.

How do you cope after a day of nutrition disaster and bad eating choices?

Firstly, if I am making a slightly less healthy choice, I really savour and enjoy it. I think food is meant to be enjoyed! I then make sure that I get back on the healthy bandwagon as soon as possible; I do not wait for Monday. Life is about balance. Your arms and legs won’t fall off if you eat a chocolate; just make sure that you’re choosing chocolate 10-20% of the time and making healthy, balanced choices the other 80-90% of the time.

What are the three things that you think people should stop saying when they meet a dietitian?

Everyone always asks for a quick tip to losing weight – I don’t mind answering but people tend to ask a second time because they do not like my answer of “Eat more vegetables”. It makes me laugh.

If someone meets me for the first time and we’re having a meal, they often say “please don’t watch what I’m eating”. If it’s Saturday night or after hours, I’m not on the clock. I love answering nutrition questions but I am not secretly calculating everyone’s kilojoule intake.

“I have ; what should I eat for that”? I do my best work when I am in my office; if you’re keen on getting quality nutrition advice, go and see your dietitian for an appointment. Not only can a dietitian miss important points while you’re both eating dinner or having coffee, you are not likely to remember everything that was said over a meal.

What should clients look out for when deciding which dietitian to work with?

I think the most important aspect of working with any health professional is that they should hear you. Finding the right dietitian is like finding the right psychologist – you need to be on the same page. You’ve found the right dietitian for you if he/she can create a way of eating that is sustainable in the long term; is manageable (in terms of money, time and effort); and is tasty.

What is your favourite dish and your favourite treat food?

I love everything. I really enjoy eating a wide variety of cuisines and styles so my favourite dish can change every time I’m asked. I am loving fragrant Indian curries at the moment. In terms of a favourite treat, my parents are both Belgian so I think chocolate will always be one of my favourites.

Nathalie Mat completed her Bachelors in Dietetics at the University of Pretoria where she is completing her Masters. Nathalie has experience in both State and Private hospitals and clinics. As a qualified personal trainer and avid cook, she is able to translate up-to-date scientific information into practical and achievable goals for her patients. Nathalie has been published across a variety of media and platforms including CPD activities, Oprah Magazine, Business Day and e-tv. She has worked as a guest lecturer and enjoys a variety corporate work. She’s the treasurer and chair for the ADSA Gauteng South branch.

Success Story – Carla Schoeman

1 Comment March 31, 2015 nutritionadsa

Over the next couple of months, we are going to share some success stories with you and find out why people decide to see a dietitian, what happens on the journey, what is hardest part of that journey and the end result from the client’s point of view.

First up is 32-year-old Capetonian, Carla Schoeman, who consulted with Registered Dietitian, Catherine Boome:

Why did you decide to see a dietitian? (Carla’s before story)

I have lived a relatively healthy life, eating what I thought was a balanced diet, and exercising regularly but not really seeing or feeling the results I felt I deserved with the effort. I do have some hormonal challenges that also complicate weight loss and felt that I was just getting heavier and heavier –despite pretty much always being on some form of a diet.

I tried my best to hate all carbs and mostly avoided sugar. But not only did I not lose weight, I gained weight, a little more every year. I’ve always been a runner and despite drastically increasing my mileage over the years, I kept getting slower.

At the end of 2012, I just decided enough was enough! I needed to get really serious about my health. I clearly didn’t have all the answers so decided to find someone who does. This was a big step for me – I’m a very proud person and asking for help didn’t come easy.

Tell us about your journey with the dietitian?

I was referred to Catherine Boome by a friend who raved about her holistic, “normal” approach to food and nutrition. I wasn’t too keen on weighing things or counting points, so this was a big plus. I met with her at the end of January 2012 and told her my story.

I expected her to be as perplexed as I was about my weight gain/lack of weight loss but she wasn’t. She was convinced she could help me. After spending about 90 mins with her going over my routine, my likes and dislikes etc. she developed a personal plan for me.

A week later, after spending some time explaining to me how my hormonal imbalances are impacting the way food behaves in my body, she presented me with a plan that not only compensates for that, but also included carbs! (I was worried about that!) .

The main focus was on portion control – helping me understand what my body really needs, how much and how often. She also spent quite a lot of time preparing me mentally – calling me out on being too hard on myself and not having faith in my abilities to accomplish my goals.

The plan was so simple, I couldn’t believe it. It was applicable to pretty much every part of my life. Even when I went out for dinner with friends, I was able to make smart choices within the eating plan, no matter what restaurant I was in.

Once I understood why my body was being so stubborn about weight loss, I could work with that to make smarter food choices. Even after the “diet” finished.

Catherine was also fantastic in providing leadership when I decided to enter the Argus – helping me make the best choices for my body’s needs over such a long distance. She helped me prepare for holidays, giving me tips on what types of foods I should favour when I’m in another country and not in control of the preparation or the menu.

Every time I had a question (or a meltdown), Catherine calmly provided me with the information I needed to make the right choice. She is part and parcel of my success story – she provided the framework I needed to get to where I wanted to be, and which allowed me to be “in charge” of the decisions I made.

Tell us about your results?

I refuse to weigh myself so the only times I’ve been on a scale in the past 5 years has been in Catherine’s office. Three months into the plan I had lost about 6kgs. No one was more surprised than me.

I continued to lose another 8kgs by the end of 2013. That was 14kgs in about 11 months. I dropped 2 dress sizes and my entire body composition changed. Also, I went from average runner to a really good one – taking almost 30mins off my average time for a half marathon.

At the end of 2013 Catherine gave me a maintenance plan. I check in with her every 6 months to keep myself accountable and I’ve managed to keep my weight consistent over the past 15 months, since finishing the plan. I also talk to her regularly for advice on changes in my routine, or when I’m training for a particular race. I feel so in tune with my body, I can feel when I’ve had an unhealthy couple of days – and I know exactly how to fix it. No need for a panic, or a crash diet. I just go back to the basics that Catherine gave me.

What was the hardest part of the journey?

For me the biggest hurdle was to actually make the appointment to go and see her, as I couldn’t imagine that she would be able to tell me something I didn’t know. I was very wrong!

That first winter was pretty tough too because I was less active and therefore home more and wanted to eat more! Catherine provided some great advice and ideas that got me around those hurdles without any long-term damage. Socially I struggled a bit with friendship-dynamics changing when I gave up alcohol, but mostly I was very well supported in my journey. I haven’t given up alcohol completely – I love my red wine, but now have it as a treat when I’m with friends. It’s not part of my daily routine anymore.

What are the top three tips you can share? 

1. The dietitian’s advice won’t help you unless you do what she says.
2. The only way to get lasting results is to make lifestyle changes. You can’t do a fad diet and expect a long-term result. It must be about being healthy, first. Weight loss is a consequence of that.
3. It’s TOTALLY worth it

What the dietitian says (feedback from Catherine Boome)

Carla was destined to succeed right from the minute she walked into my rooms. She was very motivated to be healthy but just so confused with what, when and how to eat in order to manage her weight. She had been making a great effort to lose weight but she was not being rewarded with the results she deserved. Something just did not make sense and she decided to approach an expert in food and nutrition to help her make sense of it all.

We started with basic Nutrition 101. Nutrition Education in order to facilitate a good understanding of food as a source of nutrition and fuel for the body, understanding metabolism and how certain food choices and eating habits can affect the body’s metabolism, hormones, insulin response, fat burning capabilities and therefore the ability to either gain or lose weight.

It was important for me to find out a bit about Carla – her food preferences, type of work, lifestyle patterns, exercise and hobbies in order to put together something that would fit into her way of life so that it would be practical for her to follow.

I then put together an individualized eating plan for Carla to follow and encouraged her to return to me periodically (as and when it suited her) for more support and motivation. This would also be an opportunity to tweak the plan if we needed to, or to answer any questions she might have had.

Incorporating healthy eating habits into Carla’s life did not appear to be too difficult, in fact she made it look very easy! This was a result of her motivation levels and go-getter personality. I believe that benefits of her improved energy levels, vitality and overall health served as a great motivator for her to keep going.

I believe that one needs to learn HOW to eat in order to manage weight, as opposed how to learning NOT to eat. This is such a valuable lesson for many of my patients.

To find a dietitian in your area visithttp://www.adsa.org.za/Public/FindARegisteredDietitian.aspx