Healthy Eating Habits for Life Case Studies

		William's Results William has lost 12.6kg over a 5 month period whilst seeing an FNA dietitian.  He has also gone down 4 notches in his belt size and increased his muscle tone since adopting a regular physical activity program to help achieve his lifestyle goals.

Summary of results:

	June 2009	November  2009	Difference
Weight	98.3kg	85.7kg	- 12.6kg
Belt notches	Bought a new 40cm belt with 5 notches. Was on notch 4	Had to get 2 more holes put into the belt! So in total 7 notches	Went down to the last notch, that is 4 notches!
Activity	No planned exercise	Regular visits to the gym	Increased tone

William’s story

What motivated you to contact FNA?

This is actually the second time I have visited FNA. The first time I presented was about five years ago with a similar goal to lose weight. I lost some weight but one thing led to another and I put it back on again. I turned 51 this year and after seeing and strongly relating to that ad on TV about the guy walking down the path of life putting on weight and not looking so good, I realized that I needed to address my food choice issues again but more seriously and that motivated me to contact FNA again.

What were your perceptions about seeing a dietitian before you attended?  Did these change as a result of your experience at FNA?

I had always thought that a dietitian was the most relevant port of call in regards to getting professional help about food choices. Given my history of tackling weight issues through adolescence, early adulthood and now middle age I really didn’t have any bad perceptions about someone telling me what I could or could not have in terms of food. I have been supported through the transformation by the FNA team of dietitians who I have consulted.

What were your key goals in attending?

My first goal can be expressed in three words: to lose weight. But there’s some more too: and to keep it off.  Another key goal was to understand the consequences of the choices I make when selecting foods to consume, so a broadly educational goal. A third goal was to gain skills and information so I could cope with moving outside my comfort zones such as going out to restaurants and travelling as well as dealing with friends and family who might make comments (positive and negative) about my weight loss.

Had you tried any other approaches in the past and how did FNA’s approach differ for you/support you?

Yes, lots of exercise but not combined with dietary changes. That failed. A chat with several GPs, but while they have a broad knowledge about weight loss programs, I gained much more insight by consulting with a FNA professional. I have tried naturopaths too and like doctors, their knowledge is general. I found FNA’s approach was in-depth and thorough.

What do you particularly like about FNA’s services?

I thought the testing and establishing of my metabolic rate was extremely useful and this explained a lot to me about how to be successful in terms of understanding why a certain food plan was being constructed to enhance my weight loss. I also liked the plastic models of certain foods to show portion size and sometimes that really surprised me as to actually how much food could be eaten on the plan created for me. The plastic model of 1kg of fat was both grotesque and enlightening since it really galvanized for me how much I was actually losing. Naturally friendly smiles and a patient staff added to the service.

How did you find the meal plan provided?

It took me about three weeks to get into the groove of adjusting to the meal plan. Once I had adjusted to measuring quantities (and even after almost six months I still measure quantities!) and making the suggested food choices, I was set. It seemed that I had always plenty to eat so no complaints there. What was different was what was on my plate. The food was so much more balanced and any cravings for those indulgences allowed on the plan soon disappeared. I was never really a drinker so giving up alcohol was not really an issue for me.

What were the key things you learnt that had an impact on you achieving your results?

Being honest with oneself. Appreciating how loose one’s clothes can become and feeling good about that. Measuring one’s weight not through the scales but through belt notches had an amazing effect on me. Appreciating the taste of whole foods again.

Is there anything else you would like to say about your experience with the team at FNA?

Weight loss is work - hard work - and it can seem a thankless task at times, especially when those scales determine whether you’re happy or sad. I found the best way to understand what was happening at the beginning stages of the adjustment was through talking through certain feelings and experiences with my dietitian, since I am sure she has heard everything related to weight loss. But at the end of the day only I can lose the weight and keep it off and now I have a solid grounding in how that works, I feel that I am back on the right path again.

Our services

Read the stories of other satisfied FNA clients:

Carolyn’s Results Weight: Carolyn has lost 8.9kg (86.7kg down to 77.8kg) over 6 months Waist: 101cm down to 95cm over 6 months Carolyn has also reduced her cholesterol and blood glucose level over this time period and with the support of her FNA dietitian is feeling so much better about herself! Read Carolyn's story...

Derrick’s Results Derrick has lost 15.5kg and 15cm off his waist over a 12month period.  He has also reduced his body fat by 12.6% and is feeling so much fitter since adopting regular exercise as part of his new, healthy lifestyle.  Read Derrick's story...

Rhianna's Results Rhianna is a 21 year old client who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in May 2007. Last September she contacted FNA to help change her diet and lose weight. Since then she has lost nearly ten kilos and considerably reduced her body fat. Rhianna has also been able to reduce and even stop taking some of her medication. Read Rhianna's story...

Denise's Results Denise lost 10.7kg over a 9 month period.  She has also increased her energy level, has improved her leg pain and has noticed an improvement in her fitness level since adopting her new, healthy lifestyle. Read Denise's story...