A WORD FROM RUTH

After a lifetime of being overweight, I successfully lost 54 lbs., which changed my life in ways I could never have expected. Aside from giving me a newfound self confidence and perspective on food, my weight loss lead me to pursue a career in nutrition, naturopathy and nursing so that I could help others through my personal and professional knowledge and experience.

I first entered the world of “dieting” when I was only 8 years old, so I sympathize and am deeply familiar with the difficulties of losing weight at each stage of life. I remember struggling with my weight as a high school student, during class trips and stressful exam periods, while at birthday parties and when meeting friends at the beach. I remember what it was like as an overweight college student going out with friends to bars and restaurants, and then as a mother to young children while holding down a full time job. I know what it feels like to struggle with food choices on a daily basis while dealing with day to day stresses as things don’t turn out the way I envisioned.

Every time I hear somebody say something along the lines of “I don’t have time to take care of myself”, “I’ve failed at all possible diets”, “I’m fed up with being hungry”, or “maybe I’ll manage to lose weight once my kids have grown”, I am immediately driven to help the person understand that successful weight loss can be simple and tailored to his or her personal lifestyle. Our physical health, self esteem and overall well being does not need to come second to everything else going on in our busy lives.

As the head dietician for the DASH EXPRESS program, I have the unique opportunity to use my deep personal experiences with the weight loss challenges that arise at each stage of life to work with my team to create a personal solution for each customer based on his or her unique personal goals.

How do we custom tailor your plan?

As part of the DASH EXPRESS program you will be assigned a personal counsellor who will be available to you on your schedule without the hassle of having to travel, arrange for a babysitter or find parking. Based on the conversations and relationship you have with your coach, he or she will create a meal plan that fits your lifestyle and enables you to lose weight and feel better about yourself without strictly restricting your diet or subjecting yourself to food deprivation.

During your initial call, your counsellor will get           to know you both from a professional and           emotional standpoint:

• You will be asked about your daily schedule: Do you work? Are you a student? Have you retired? Are you on maternity leave? Are you self-employed? What is your work environment like? Are you on your feet most of the day, or do you have a desk job in an office? While the DASH diet principles remain the same, their implementation varies based on your answers to these questions.
• Your counselor will work with you to understand your diet history and any health issues which may affect your weight loss. These will be taken into account to make sure that the meal plan your counsellor ultimately creates for you has only a positive impact on your wellbeing.
• Your counselor will ask questions to better understand your eating habits.Which foods are a “must have” for you? Do you prefer cooked meals or sandwiches? Do you order in and eat at restaurants often? What type of foods do you prefer not to eat? Do you find yourself eating when you’re tired, under stress, bored or angry? Do you eat too little during the day? What is your main obstacle to losing weight? By answering these questions, among others, your counsellor will be able to understand what your sustainable eating reality would look like and craft a meal plan that fits it.