An interview with Alexis
Frequently Asked Questions:
Glowing Health Nutritional Therapy & Health Coaching
How long have you been doing what you do and how did you get started?
I’ve been a BANT and CNHC Registered Nutritional Therapist since 2012.
In my early 40’s I had lost my mojo. I was feeling exhausted, unhappy, and unfulfilled in my career. I was overweight and unmotivated and had been diagnosed with an under-active thyroid. I had always been a fan of healthy eating and exercise, so when I came to look at a career change, nutritional therapy was a clear choice. It was going to help me personally and I'd be able to help others.
I chose to train at the renowned Institute of Optimum Nutrition in London from 2009 to 2012 and it was the best decision I’ve ever made. I loved the training and I love what I do and can’t imagine ever stopping. I firmly believe that no matter what your age, size or medical history, you can always improve how you feel with good nutrition and lifestyle practices.
When I started to focus on midlife women, I realised that so many are going through such a significant change, not just in their hormones as they navigate the peri-menopause and menopause, but in their health and lives overall. Nutritional therapy on its own isn't always what my clients need or want, as issues sometimes run deeper.
So, in 2021 I became certified as a Health Coach with the USA-based, Health Coach Institute. This has given me the additional tools I need to help clients make significant and lasting changes to their health and their lives in a way that feels easy and good to them.
What kinds of clients do you work with?
I work with women over 40 who are ready and motivated to invest in their health and want to feel great!
They may have a diagnosed health condition, or they may be feeling rubbish generally and want to feel more ....alive, and future-proof their health as far as possible. I work with energy, hormone, digestive, weight and autoimmune concerns.
How are you different from other nutritional therapists and health coaches?
It’s the combination of nutritional therapy and health coaching that is so powerful. It’s often not enough to know what to eat and do – you need to do it consistently. Sometimes coaching is needed to help clients create new healthy habits, or overcome long-held unhelpful habits, beliefs, and identities around healthy living.
I have 10 years of experience working with a wide range of health issues from weight management, fatigue, digestive issues, autoimmune conditions as well as female hormone conditions. I constantly invest in my training to ensure my knowledge is up to date and informed. I use the functional medicine approach which seeks to identify the root cause of symptoms and illness. I’m aiming to find out why and where the imbalances are for each individual client. It maybe diet, lifestyle, mindset or underlying health issues.
Importantly, I’m a midlife woman myself, in the middle of navigating the peri-menopause – I know how challenging it can be to change lifelong habits and how confusing media/social media messages are. I’m implementing the theory into my own life!
I treat each client as an individual, so there’s no one-size fits all plan. What you receive in my programme is 100% based on your situation to suit you, in the long term.
I also offer unlimited email support between sessions, so you don’t have to wait a week to ask me a question. I wanted to offer a higher level of support than you might find generally.
What type of personality do you work best with and what is expected of me?
You must be curious about your body and happy to learn and try new things. Nobody is perfect which means we all have opportunities for growth. You don’t have to try something you’re not OK with, but being open-minded is hugely important. You also need to be comfortable with being challenged on old habits that no longer serve you.
You’ll be willing to prioritise your health in a way you may not have done before, but don’t worry, I will be helping you with this if it’s not something you’ve been used to doing.
Who does this programme NOT work for?
Fussy eaters and those who want a quick fix. It may have taken decades for your health to be where it is. Whilst quick wins are always possible, long term health requires a longer-term approach, which is why my most popular programme is my 12-week Glowing Health Programme.
I work with just 6 clients at a time, so I’m careful to only take on clients that I know I can help and work well with. For this reason, I offer a FREE 45-minute Clarity Call for anyone who is interested in working with me.
It’s important for both of us to feel we’re a good fit. If I don’t feel I can help, I’ll aim to refer you to someone who can as I don't want women to waste time or money.
What do I get when I work with you?
My most popular programme is my 12-week Glowing Health Programme. As well as weekly 45-minute sessions, it includes unlimited emails in between, so you don’t have to wait if you have a burning question or need support.
What, when, how and where to eat to support your health – we take into consideration your life stage and your personal health history and any diagnosed conditions to create a way of eating that suits you.
Why – why making change is important. Why it’s important to include certain things in your diet for your personal health.
Who – who you are being when you eat, and who else influences your eating patterns.
It’s a programme that works on mind, body, and soul because our beliefs and identities play a huge role in our habits. We look at where old habits no longer serve you and how to instil healthy habits in the long term. Just knowing what to eat, doesn’t address these deeper issues.
What results can I expect?
You can expect to:
Create a crystal-clear goal of what healthy looks like for you
Anchor in why this is important to you – to keep you highly motivated
Clear emotional and physical clutter from your life so you can make space for the new you and make healthy change inevitable
Get specifics on how to approach midlife nutrition by:
Discovering what to eat to suit your body – we’ll consider food sensitivities, what to eat and what to avoid depending on your goal and health picture
Addressing food ratios to support your goal – meal plans, recipes and general guidelines can be provided if desired
Upgrading the quality of food you eat
Hydrating well
Phasing in foods that give you energy
Phasing out foods that take energy away
Learning how often to eat each day, and when to eat, in a way to suit you
Uncovering your secret weapon around food, which is HOW you’re eating – addressing topics such as self-sabotage, how you rebel and your personal food stories. And how to optimise your digestion for optimum metabolism.
Optimise your lifestyle by:
Discovering and addressing the elements that don’t involve food, but feed your health holistically:
Sleep & Movement
Relaxation, Downtime, Fun & Play
Considering other areas of life that need your attention: relationships, career, connection, finances etc
NB - My 12-week programme is my ultimate signature programme, but if it's not suitable for your situation, we'll find something that works.
How quickly can I expect results?
It's funny but, many people feel positive benefits from the day they sign up and know they're moving forward to support their health! Whilst it’s not possible to guarantee miracle cures, you can expect to see positive changes as soon as you start focussing on your health in this new way. Small consistent steps, with support can make big positive changes. This will also depend on your particular health picture and starting point.
Past client experiences and testimonials can be seen on my website.
How can I guarantee myself that I will reach my goal?
If you’ve tried and failed with plans in the past, this approach is totally different. We’re working together to find a way that is personalised to you, that is enjoyable and makes you feel great, and allows and welcomes times when you go off-piste.
You will receive the support, tools, and accountability you need to keep you on track and become the health-focussed person you want to be. By being curious, determined and focussed, you can trust that you’ll make the progress you’re looking for.
Will I recover the investment I put into this coaching program?
Yes! I see many clients who have spent a fortune on diet plans and expensive supplements in the past without understanding how they work, what suits them, and for it not to make a difference. This can be a waste of their time and money as well as feeling demoralising.
I’m going to help you cut out the overwhelm and create a way of eating and living that works for you. The coaching tools I use will help you reach your goals more quickly.
Where appropriate, and if you would like to investigate your health in more detail, I offer private functional laboratory testing and analysis. This includes blood, stool, saliva and urine testing to identify the underlying imbalances that may be causing your symptoms.
The knowledge and skills you learn will stay with you during your lifetime, meaning you never have to do a generic restrictive plan again. Clients feel so much more confident when they understand their bodies more.
How do we get started?
Just email me here to arrange a free 45-minute Clarity Call.
In this session we'll discuss your key challenges and requirements and I'll help you make the first step to good health. If it feels like we’re a good fit, I’ll walk you through the programme details, and then find a time that suits you to start. We’ll aim to find a regular slot each week to suit you.
I’ll then send you a comprehensive health questionnaire to complete before we meet, so that I can get a thorough idea of your health picture and challenges.
I don’t have much time to spare. How much time do I need?
Apart from 45-minutes each week for your coaching session there’s no formal time commitment.
However, you may find you need to dedicate time initially in getting organised and set up. All your action steps will be agreed with you and will feel manageable.
If you haven’t given time to your health in the past, you will need to be prepared to carve more time out initially whilst you learn new skills and habits and embed them in. But they will soon become second nature!
If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch. I'm here to help!