The first step is to make an appointment. You can arrange a FREE consultation (by phone, video conference call or in person at Swan House, Market Bosworth). This allows us both to get to understand what you need. I will ask a series of non-invasive questions about you, your reasons for calling and what you feel you can manage (considering our commitments and busy lives). I also have expectations for clients starting one of my programmes.

Click here to arrange a FREE consultation: https://betternutritionbygilly.com/book-an-initial-consultation/

Most of my clients have tried a variety of diets (some sensible and some more ‘faddy’). Counting calories isn’t where I would start. Many of the ‘counting’ tools are inaccurate and this could mean under or over reporting.

The harsh reality is that counting is usually unsuccessful. It may work for a small portion of time but by the end of your first three weeks

Even though it may seem as taking a huge step forward while your motivation is sky-high at the beginning of your journey would be smart, it is actually better to take a much smaller step.

See, when we take baby steps in the nutrition game it will take us much further ahead in the long run. The reason is simple – we love success. If we can make successful, small steps, repeatedly then it will create a domino effect week after week, and we can keep adding in small steps towards better nutrition.

If we take one huge step right away and fail, we get emotionally and mentally down on ourselves and that will only lead to more negative steps and drive us even further away from our goals.

As hard as it is to be patient, taking the slower route will show much longer success and you will be able to keep that success for life.

So when I take our clients through their first steps in nutrition I take them through simple habits and add a new habit every 1-3 weeks, depending on their ability to stick to the habit given and also their confidence on a scale of 1-10 on accomplishing the next habit as well.

Examples of those first steps would be drinking more water, getting more protein and veggies into each meal, and substituting in some healthier fat sources like avocados, fish or coconut oil.

The reason for this is simple, this will ensure their body’s get better and more valuable nutrients and will lead to better function and performance.

After that is accomplished, we can then move towards eliminating processed foods and implementing more whole food sources.

I can’t even count how many times I’ve asked a client what they believe would help them lose more weight or burn more fat and the answer was to cut carbs.

And I don’t blame them! I used to believe it and with as much low-carb shit that is all over the media, they have the right to believe it!

But the truth is that carbs are not our enemy, in fact a lot of people would achieve a better body composition if they decided to eat some more carbs from the right sources.

The main issue is that our diet is filled with processed carbs, like white breads and junk foods with loads of sugar in them.

Now if you cut these types of carbs out, yes that is a great way to lose more weight! It drops calories a lot and gets the bad crap out of your body, allowing better functioning all around.

So, what I suggest is not cutting the carbs, but switching the types of carbs you’re eating to whole food choices like fruits, vegetables, root veggies, and whole grain foods like oats or rice.

This doesn’t mean go hog-wild on all the sweet potatoes you can get your hands on but sticking to about a handful sized portion at a time, around your workouts.

This one is a very popular one, with all the paleo and whole 30 camps that have been started and growing lately.

The answer and solution are extremely simple.

The answer – No. Gluten is not bad for you and you do not need to avoid grains.

UNLESS, you have celiac disease or FODMAP intolerance and if you do suffer from one of these, you would know.

So the solution is to simply remove the grains and/or gluten containing products from your diet for a week or so.

Do you feel better without them? Feel the same? Or maybe you miss having some whole grain oats and Ezekiel bread after your workouts and because of that, you have less motivation to workout…?

All you need to understand is your own body and if it is ok with processing and digesting the nutrient.

Most grains have a lot of benefits from the vitamins and minerals to the great source of fiber they provide. So, before you rule them out, test it out and then determine if it is right for you.

And to be the devil’s advocate of that, I have some clients that we simply cut out breads and grains and they had better digestion and weight loss because of it.

It’s individualised 100% of the time.

The answer to this question all depends on the type of coach you ask…

But a good Registered Nutritionist has no answer. Because there simply isn’t a “Best Diet”.

A great diet for a client to successfully lose weight would be a diet with a slight calorie deficit so they can maintain a healthy rate of weight loss on a regular basis, it would be well-balanced when it comes to the macronutrients Protein/Fat/Carbs, it would have an abundance of nutrient dense whole foods 90% of the time, and it would fit that person’s lifestyle and schedule well enough to not cause any unnecessary stress.

Oh, and most importantly, it would be sustainable in the long run!

Many people start a “Diet Plan” and I ask them, “Do you see yourself being able to stick with this for the next year or longer?”

So, my response is simple, “What is the point? And what will you do after?”

That is why when I coach clients we focus on an “Eating Plan” that they believe in and they’re confident that they can stick to in the long run AND that will produce better performance and results.

Might not be the answer you were hoping for, but it is the truth and hopefully will lean you towards the right idea of a successful nutrition plan.

This may be one of the more difficult questions to answer, because as many of us know the equation for fat or weight loss is to burn more calories and eat fewer calories, A.K.A. daily calorie deficit.

But there is also the issue that many food labels can be up to 25% off, which makes a lot of our calorie counting incorrect.

But at the same time, counting calories can give us awareness of how much we’re actually eating and will also provide accountability…

So, what is it, yes or no to counting calories?

The answer is yes and no, because it ultimately depends on the person and what stage they are at.

As I stated before, at the beginning stages it is very unnecessary because focusing on whole nutrition, building habits, training a bit harder, and eventually eliminating processed foods while all lead to a calorie deficit. So, you essentially accomplish the fat loss equation without the calorie counting.

Eventually if you’ve accomplished all the habits, are feeling very confident and have had great success with good nutrition on a regular basis, then you can consider counting calorie to speed up or break a fat loss plateau.

Even if the calories in the label are not 100%, it still gives us a great estimate of what we’re taking in, so it is something to consider.

But if the question is “Do I NEED to count calories?” – then my answer is no.

Many questions come our way about Nutrient Timing, or when should I eat what.

The more studies are being done and published the more we’re realising that nutrient timing isn’t as serious as we once thought.

For one, if weight loss is a simple equation of creating a calorie deficit at the end of each day then when you have those calories does not really matter.

Secondly, we’re realizing that protein synthesis and glycogen replenishment post workout is extended much further than the “1 Hour Post Workout Window”, so no need to run to your protein shake right away.

I do suggest clients eat after a good workout, specifically a whole food meal containing 1-2 handfuls of protein and carbs. But you have more than enough time to drive home, casually, and cook that meal.

And thirdly, the breakfast dilemma. With all the studies done on intermittent fasting, I believe it’s safe to say that skipping breakfast will not kill you or cause your bicep to fall off either.

If you love breakfast, eat it! If you’re not hungry and would rather wait until lunch to eat, then do that!

It all comes down to your schedule, your lifestyle, and what you feel works best to keep stress the lowest, satisfaction with your food the highest, and sustainability at its best.

The only time I ever consider or worry about nutrient timing is when it comes down to specific performances like getting on stage or timing peak energy levels for athletic sport or performance.

It can be tricky deciding what to eat before embarking on a prolonged period of activity such as a marathon or hiking. Luckily when it comes to what to eat before the activity, having the classic carbohydrate rich meal the night before of pasta, rice or couscous (with vegetables and lean meat or fish if you wish) is easily possible. It’s also a great idea to having something like a bowl of porridge for breakfast, and a pre-exercise banana to give you a boost.

What you actually choose to do on the day of your activity is more subjective as some people don’t like to eat at all between workouts, whereas others prefer something after each session. If you’re one of the latter, good options include: cereal bars, bananas, and sports drinks.

When we exercise, we're doing microscopic damage to the muscles and to recover, our muscles need the building blocks of tissue (amino acids) to repair and rebuild themselves. These amino acids come from protein in the diet and therefore getting some protein after exercising is essential to help the body repair itself. Having a large chicken or tuna salad or some snack packs of lean sandwich meat available for immediately after your exercising will help your body to get over the exercise you have just done. Ideally you want to get this protein within 20-30 minutes of finishing your activity.

When drinking alcohol, most of us have a tipping point after which we go on to eat and drink much more than we intended – leading to us consuming 6,300 extra calories in food and alcohol over the next two days.

The average tipping point occurs at 9.3 units of alcohol. It sounds quite high, however it's equivalent to 3.7 pints of beer or 3.1 large glasses of wine – easy to reach! As well as the additional 6,300 calories, the following day, half of us also cancel physical activity in favour of watching TV, staying in bed or spending time on social media.

Also, alcohol doesn't have any filling power and stimulates our appetite. Enjoying a filling meal before going out can help. Planning ahead is key, so whether you're out and about or having a drink at home, set yourself a limit and stick to it.

If you're drinking at home, then be sure to measure your drinks as free-poured drinks tend to be much larger than you think. You can also try having smaller measures overall by picking bottled beers over pints, small glasses of wine over large and single measures of spirits with diet mixers instead of doubles or free-poured measures.

Yes, please contact me at gilly@betternutritionbygilly.com to buy gift vouchers.

Absolutely! Unlike many other eating plans or diets, the generosity and flexibility of the programme means it’s suitable for practically every dietary requirement or preference. You choose what you eat from all the vegetables, grains, pulses, pastas, rice and beans you can possibly imagine! Add soya products, fruit, non-dairy cheese, milk and yogurt, nuts and seeds.

I will be happy to help you incorporate any personal requirements into your plan.

This depends on how much weight you want to lose. We encourage a healthy rate of weight loss of an average of 1-2lbs per week. This is a realistic and achievable goal for most people.

However, everyone is different and because weight loss can be influenced by factors like gender, how active you are and how much weight you have to lose, everyone will lose weight at a different rate. It’s not unusual to see larger losses in the first few weeks, mainly due to the loss of body water, and especially if you have a lot of weight to lose. For the majority of people, however, weight loss usually settles to an average of 1-2lbs a week over time.

It’s important not to be too restrictive with your food intake (crash dieting) and aim for unrealistic rapid weight losses. Being too restrictive and losing more than 1-2lbs a week on a long-term basis can result in losing excess muscle tissue as well as body fat and will increase the likelihood of you regaining your lost weight. Taking part in regular physical activity can help you maintain muscle tissue as you lose weight.

Absolutely! Unlike many other eating plans or diets, the generosity and flexibility of the programmes means it’s suitable for practically every dietary requirement or preference. It allows you to choose what you eat from all the vegetables, grains, pulses, pastas, rice and beans you can possibly imagine. Add cheese or soya products, nuts and seeds.

I will be happy to help you incorporate any personal requirements into your plan.

No food or drink is off limits!

We recognise that sometimes we eat for pure pleasure and without these innocent pleasures, we could actually start to feel a little deprived.

If we’re to find a way of eating that we can live with for life, feelings of deprivation are exactly what need to be avoided. The programme ensures that everyone can find that balance, that delightfully happy medium that leads to losing weight and keeping it off for good.

Absolutely! Unlike many other eating plans or diets, the generosity and flexibility of the programmes means it’s suitable for practically every dietary requirement or preference. It allows you to choose what you eat from all the vegetables, grains, pulses, ……….

I will be happy to help you incorporate any personal requirements into your plan.

You will be guided by me – a registered nutritionist who will keep you accountable every single day. You will also receive regular educational articles (Platinum Package) to help and motivate you throughout the programme. Through these, you’ll learn about the different aspects of lifestyle change, such as diet, exercise, sleep, stress management, thought patterns and behaviours.

Packages and programmes range from: Meal Plan, Meal Plan PLUS and Platinum -
https://betternutritionbygilly.com/monthly-packages/

The core programme lasts for 12 weeks. However, we know that sustainable lifestyle change doesn't always happen quickly. You can sign up for further programmes so you can continue to work on your goals.

When you sign up, you can select a start date that suits you best.

After completing the core programme, you can sign up for further programmes so you can continue to work on your goals, as well as work towards new goals. You'll receive continued support from me, extra educational content and new recipes.

You have to be over 18.

Please email me at gilly@betternutritionbygilly.com to check! I also recommend checking in with your GP before embarking on a lifestyle change programme.

The programme is evidence-based and scientific. I will give you the most up-to-date nutritional advice, combined with the best ways that exist to help you make a change using the latest in behavioural change science. We provide you with everything you need to make a change, from the tech, to tasty recipes, to the actual advice, combining different tried and tested elements into one holistic package. And we don't just look at your diet and exercise but also at your thought patterns, behaviours, sleep and stress management for instance, whereas most other weight loss plans only focus on one aspect.

Another crucial difference is that it's designed to be sustainable in the long term. Our nutritional advice is as flexible as possible, so that it's a way of eating that works for you forever, not just for the duration of the programme or until the next time life gets in the way. The focus is on creating healthier habits that you can keep up rather than short-term weight loss.

Typically, people lose weight and see improvements in their activity levels, their sleep quality, their energy, and their wellbeing.

The exercise component of the programme is designed to be flexible and can be adjusted to your needs. I encourage people to increase their activity levels based on their average steps during the first two weeks of the programme. While I will also promote regular participation in some strength-based exercises suited to your level, how much you feel comfortable exercising is up to you.

No, you won't need to cook separate meals. Young children may need bigger portions of certain foods if they are active though. I can help you there too if needed!

The exercise component of the programme is designed to be flexible and can be adjusted to your needs. I encourage people to increase their activity levels based on their average steps during the first two weeks of the programme. While I will also promote regular participation in some strength-based exercises suited to your level, how much you feel comfortable exercising is up to you.

Please see our package costs here: https://betternutritionbygilly.com/monthly-packages/

You don't need a smartphone to access the programme, you can do it all through the web.

Your information is stored securely. Any information breaches by Better Nutrition by Gilly would be a criminal offence, so I take it very seriously.

You can communicate with me via phone, email or video conference.

My Cancellation Policy can be found here - https://betternutritionbygilly.com/refund-policy/

Any feedback about any aspect of the programme is very much appreciated. Please get in touch with us at gilly@betternutritionbygilly.com.