Collection: Nutrition

A nutrition plan is not simply a list of healthy meals for you to choose from, it is far more complicated than that. When you receive a Dean Geddes nutrition plan it will have the correct ratios of carbs, proteins, and fats at the right times to allow your body to perform but also creates the opportunity for you to burn fat for energy (so you lean up). A nutrition plan also has to be convenient and easy to follow, it has to allow for your individual food tastes, it has to factor in lifestyle factors like stress, age, and your hormone profile, and it has to allow for the treat foods and to have meals 'off'. 

To give you an insight as to what to expect, and what a nutrition program entails, below is a description of how the consultation process works. 

When we meet (via phone, internet, or in person) Dean will review/discuss your responses to the lifestyle questionnaire and identify areas where there may be an influence on your food choices, and/or what nutrients your body may be lacking.

He will then show you how weight loss works, and how the different food groups (proteins carbs, and fats) impact body weight. Although true, the energy-in versus energy-out is a gross over-simplification and it's more about Insulin management. Insulin management is easy to understand, and once you know it you will understand 'real-world' weight loss. You will receive two food lists that classify common foods into those foods that promote weight loss (fat burning) and those foods that prevent weight loss.

Then, if you are comfortable having a skinfold body fat assessment Dean will take your measurements (in-person consultations only) as this will tell us your % body fat, fat mass, and lean mass, so we can track the rate of fat loss and lean muscle gain. Based on your body composition, Dean will work out realistic short, medium, and long-term % body fat/ lean mass goals for you to work towards. If you are working with Dean online then you can take measurements and progress photos at home, if you are comfortable doing so.

If you exercise, Dean will show you a great way to structure your exercise/activities to maximize your fat-burning. 

Dean will then design your nutrition plan based on the foods you like to eat and that are easy to incorporate into your lifestyle. From your skinfold test, he will calculate the amounts of carbs, protein, and fat for each meal/snack.  Obviously, he will restrict some foods and introduce other foods you may not have thought of. Dean will try to give you several meal/ snack options for each mealtime, depending on your body's needs. 

The design of your nutrition plan is highly personalized and is based on your age, stage in life, food preferences, and hormone profile. Its design will also address lifestyle factors like stress, sleep, injuries, pain, blood pressure, blood lipids, and inflammation. Dean may discuss specific supplements that would help restore optimal nutrient levels for improved metabolic and hormonal function.

Allow an hour for your first consultation. At the end of the consultation, you will receive a draft initial nutrition plan so you can start immediately. After Dean has reviewed your session notes he will email through the formal copy of your plan.

Adjustments to your plan can/will be made weekly based on how your body is responding as well as your feedback as to what meals are working and what meals might need changing. There are also email and phone consultations between visits to answer any questions, as well as provide support and motivation. If you become unwell you can put the program on hold until you are ready to resume.

The in-person follow-up appointments are typically every two weeks. These appointments are crucial as Dean needs to assess how your body is responding to the foods you are eating and/or the exercise schedule. It may take several weeks to discover the ideal nutrition plan (foods) that your body responds best to, as well as discover which foods it may not metabolize very well. From your feedback and the results of your body fat test, Dean will make the necessary adjustments to your plan so that you keep tracking toward your goal body fat % at a good rate relative to your effort.

It's the regular contact and accountability, along with the ability to adjust the plan that delivers the best outcomes.