Private Nutritionist, not a simple nutritionist but an all-round nutrition consultant who incorporates the whole sphere of psychophysical well-being ranging from correct food health to building a real lifestyle tailored to the patienta which includes: in-depth understanding of one’s body and the characteristics of the organism, eating habits from which to start to build the nutritional path, physical fitness and sporting activity to be combined with each plan, and in general everything to do with feeling at comfortable inside and out.
In fact, great attention is also paid to the psychological dimension of each person who decides to embark on a nutritional journey as fundamental is the knowledge of the patient by the consultant who thus has all the tools in hand to build paths tailor made and above all to ensure that the patient creates a good relationship with food, abandoning the concept of “regime” forever.
To develop the method of the “privat nutritionist” is the doctor Ilenia Grieco, nutritionist specializing in female nutrition and fetal maternal nutrition. She explained to us what her job consists of and why she is really effective for losing weight.
You have developed the “private nutritionist” method: can you explain to us what it is?
My “private nutritionist” method consists in supporting the patient at any time. It starts with a first visit, after the interview with the patient (which lasts no less than an hour), then I evaluate whether it is necessary to carry out further analyzes and start “designing” the food plan. It is a tailored therapy, a bit like a tailor does with a made-to-measure suit, which must be sewn on, measured, tried on and modified over time. I follow the patient at all stages of the journey (shopping, analysis, restaurant, holidays, etc.). It’s a real path of rebirth where the goal is not just the number on the scale but a food re-education that leads to an increase in self-esteem, to get to know and love each other.
Why is it so difficult to diet?
There are several reasons:
- Fashions and trends: unfortunately the myth of fast diets, i.e. completely and immediately, often leads to following diets that are not sustainable over time. This leads to the famous rebound effect, where, after an initial period of drastic dieting, one follows in which one lets oneself go and recovers everything.
- Work rhythms often don’t allow you to follow a balanced diet
- Stress: at the end of the day we often treat ourselves to a glass of wine, an aperitif, dinner out because we feel the need to disconnect or release stress.
What is the first step to take if you really want to lose weight?
Stopping and wondering why when we look in the mirror we don’t like ourselves anymore. If our image also affects our mood and our self-esteem, it’s time to act. You have to rely on the right people, avoiding going to the gym seven days a week and following DIY diets or diets prescribed by personal trainers. The mood is correlated, especially in women, to hormones, therefore it is necessary to know the patient’s clinical picture well.
In particular, you deal with women’s nutrition: in general, what should we women pay attention to at the table?
We need to change the approach to food, thinking that each food has a precise function in our body. Hormones govern us and this explains why many women fail to lose weight while following a diet. Surely we need to reduce the consumption of packaged baked goods (with Covid this has increased by 45%). Hydrate yourself correctly, don’t overload your liver and kidneys with meals that are too rich in proteins, never exclude carbohydrates from your diet, respect the timing of meals, start the day with a breakfast that is complete but does not consist only of one macronutrient (e.g. : sugars).
How should a woman’s diet change from childbearing age to menopause?
First of all, it is necessary to calculate the basal metabolic rate (for example through an indirect calorimetry), increase the consumption of foods containing unsaturated fats, reduce foods with a high glycemic index, consume fruit combined with a protein source, do not consume meal replacements, increase the consumption of legumes and oily fish, always consume a raw vegetable with the meal (even as a snack is fine, e.g. a fennel).
How does nutrition affect female fertility?
Body weight can play a key role in fertility. When you are looking for a child, the diet should be studied with a nutritionist in collaboration with the gynecologist. The pink diet includes:
- Iron supplementation (consumption of foods of animal origin but also of vegetable origin such as legumes)
- Whole grains
- Vitamins
- Reduce consumption of sausages: max twice a month
- Consume fish 3-4 times a week
ATTENTION A: excessive consumption of dairy products; excessive consumption of saturated fats (butter, lard, lard)
AND true that what we eat also affects the voice?
Yes. Nutrition plays an important role in the well-being of the vocal cords. We need to hydrate properly, drinking water at room temperature, avoid foods with high acidity (citrus fruits, tomatoes, strawberries) because they increase the production of mucus, ditto dairy products. Also be careful with chocolate because it could cause stomach acid. Avoid frying and heavy meals in the evening.
When the slimming diet is finished, how do we keep fit?
The term diet suggests something that will end sooner or later. There is nothing more wrong. A good professional knows that the goal is not the number on the scale but a food re-education. With my method I aim to change the patient’s mindset, who will no longer feel on a diet after a month and a half. Once the goal has been achieved (for example the ideal weight), a phase follows in which the patient puts into practice what he has learned along the way. The support, presence and availability of the professional is extremely important in this delicate phase. As a private nutritionist, I teach the patient both to hold on to me but at the same time prepare him to let go of the buds and leave the safe haven.