Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs
Many people underestimate the importance of a healthy lifestyle and the importance of a balanced diet, when it comes to reducing stress, both in the workplace and at home. [
Combining a healthy diet with fitness training, and a healthy lifestyle, is a great way to reduce stress and anger, reduce anxiety and tension, and reduce stress in the workplace.
My clients frequently ask me, “what is a diabetic diet?”. Well, a diabetic diet is not a restrictive diet. Instead, it is a healthy eating plan that is rich in nutrients and low in fat and calories, with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. A diabetes diet can help you to lose weight effectively and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
It’s a question I hear time and time again – what is healthy eating? Healthy eating is all about eating a balanced diet that works for you.
Through my health and wellness programs, I will teach you how to start eating healthy, how to live a healthy lifestyle, and how to lose weight. I’ll help you understand what is a healthy diet, and also provide plenty of tips for healthy eating, tips for weight loss, and tips for a healthy lifestyle.
“So, what is a Wellness Coach?” It’s a question I hear time and time again. A Wellness Coach is a nutrition and exercise professional who has been trained in nutrition, physical fitness, and the science and techniques behind behavior change. For many people, a Wellness Coach can be hugely beneficial when it comes to questions such as how to control weight, how to eat healthy, how to reduce stress, and how to get back into shape. What’s more, by educating you in how to live a healthy lifestyle, they can also help you reduce tension and anxiety.
I am professionally trained in nutrition, wellness coaching and personal training. I also have 60 years of personal experience with the struggle to stay in shape and maintain a healthy weight in today’s super-sized, stressed-out, sedentary environment. I know it’s not easy. I happen to be an education glutton so you can be sure I’m up on the latest nutrition research. My current qualifications include a Nutrition Certification from Precision Nutrition, a Mayo Clinic Wellness Coaching Certification, and a Personal Trainer Certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. I’m also a Gerontology Instructor at Coastline Community College, so I know what aging does to our bodies. In my former life, I practiced law as a corporate litigator for 23 years.
A nutrition coach is a professional with thorough training in nutrition, physical fitness, and the science and techniques of behavior change. Experience and insight are also important qualities, as well as the ability to adapt to suit the needs of the particular client.
Nutrition coaching provides the expertise and accountability you need to make your health a permanent priority in your life. I help my clients with all facets of health and wellness—losing weight and eating a healthy diet, exercise, and keeping stress at bay. These three aspects are equally important. 95% of people who go on diets like Weight Watchers regain all the weight they lost. Exercise is not an effective weight loss technique because it doesn’t burn enough calories. A forty-five minute jog will earn you a total of 8 Oreo cookies. Woo hoo!
No. I provide customized programs that fit into your busy lifestyle. Many of my consultations are 20 minute telephone calls. I also have a comfortable, private office where I meet with clients. Most clients get the best results from combining telephone and in-office sessions.
I offer a FREE 30-minute consultation for prospective clients so we can get to know one another a little and determine if we’re a good fit. We discuss what type of changes you need to make to be healthier. Then we collaborate on a customized plan that fits into your life without being time-consuming and stressful. We create an achievable plan and establish accountability measures. I offer workable solutions, like planning your weekly meals on the weekend, bringing your own food to avoid grabbing unhealthy options, and having fruit, nuts, and water at your desk. These techniques minimize temptation and keep you on the straight-and-narrow.
A reasonable weight loss goal is to lose 1 or 2 pounds per week. Many of the standard diets aim for this rate of weight loss. If you lose weight faster you will also lose lean muscle mass and slow down your metabolism. My program is not a “diet.” It is a new way of life. I’ll help you plan and strategize techniques that will work for you so that you will make better food choices and eat reasonably sized portions. Eating more fruits and vegetables and staying hydrated are two of the keys to healthier eating. The excess weight will come off exactly the way it was accumulated—slowly. I find that weight loss clients benefit from using apps like My Fitness Pal to record their food choices. I ask my clients for their weight on a weekly basis to make sure they stay on track. But, I also caution clients that weight loss is not a straight line and that there will be times when you plateau. When this happens, we refocus on the big picture and experiment with a slightly different strategy. An important aspect of changing your lifestyle habits is to exercise self-love rather than self-flagellation when the number on the scale makes you unhappy.
Absolutely not! One Lorie in the world is plenty 😉 Fitness has been my lifelong avocation (even when I practiced law for 23 years) and it’s now my business. My clients tell me that the best part of the program is that they never felt “judged.” My passion is to help people move towards a healthier lifestyle. My clients are terrific people! But, like most of us, have too much stress, no time to exercise, and no time to cook. Many have jobs that require them to sit at computers most of the day. I accept all my clients where they are and help get them on a healthier road. There’s no judgment; just empathy, support, and accountability.
Yes! My program really does work. Behavior change is backed by evidence-based scientific research. Once you decide that you want to live a healthier life, I help you craft a workable plan, hold you accountable for reaching those small benchmarks, and help you get back on track when you revert to your old habits. I tell my clients that they need to learn how to live in the real world. MacDonald’s is not going to close down because you find it too tempting to resist the drive-thru. Conventional diets fail because they create an artificial environment that is not sustainable– my program teaches you how to eat healthy, how to maintain a healthy lifestyle, how to reduce stress, and how to lose weight.
My clients range in age from their 20’s to 80’s. You can achieve a healthier lifestyle at any age. Working to get healthier is an every day activity!
Changing habits is not about willpower. Whether you’ve a stress eater, eat when you’re bored, or reward yourself after a tough day with comfort foods or too many glasses of wine, it’s not because you’re a weak person who lacks willpower. It’s just that, like so many of us, you’ve fallen into some not-so-stellar eating habits. Step one is to become aware of the habits you want to change. Step two is to work with me to start making small changes that don’t leave you feeling deprived. Planning your meals and developing strategies to avoid junk food are the keys. It’s very doable.
Some people are able to do this on their own. Good for them! But, most people need help to change long-practiced habits. Let’s face it. If habit change was easy you’d have done it by now. No one enjoys being overweight or out of shape. An expert who is empathetic while also holding you accountable provides the type of support you need to move towards a healthier lifestyle.
There are many studies that demonstrate a strong association between eating breakfast and maintaining a healthy weight. You don’t “save” calories by not eating until lunch time, all you do is back-load your intake to late in the day and make poor food choices because you’ve starving. Realize that your body has already been fasting while you were sleeping and it needs fuel to get going in the morning, whether you feel hungry or not. A steady stream of healthy food signals your body to burn calories rather than store them.
I think it’s a bad idea. In my opinion, colon cleanses are unhealthy. You will lose some weight due to calorie deprivation and water loss, but your body will be deprived of healthy nutrients and you’ll eventually regain the weight. The body is an amazing self-cleaning machine and doesn’t need to be artificially cleaned out.
At best, they’re a waste of money. At worst, they’re harmful to your health. I don’t advocate or sell any products. Nor do I believe in taking handfuls of vitamins or downing “miracle” protein powder drinks.
There’s a growing body of research that shows a chemical link between inadequate sleep and weight gain. The hormones that tell you when you’re hungry and when you’re full get reset when you sleep. The latest research reveals that you get the munchies, as if you had smoked marijuana, when you are sleep deprived. Sleep is also critical to forming memories and protecting our brains from dementias, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
I like the Mediterranean diet because it’s sensible, well-balanced, and easy to follow. It emphasizes fruits and vegetable, lean protein, olive oil, and wine. While I’m not a vegetarian, I advocate eating lots of plants, rather than food made in plants. You don’t have to become a vegan to live healthfully. I don’t believe there are any magic foods or forbidden foods. Food is one of the most enjoyable things in life. Eat slowly and savor the experience.