Case Studies
Tim : “You changed the way I live”
Tim started working with me because he wanted to improve his health, lose weight, have more energy and come off medication.
Because of his lifestyle, Tim already had high blood pressure. He was on statins for his cholesterol and other medication. He slept poorly and experienced indigestion, headaches, a fuzzy head, thinning hair, bags under his eyes and low energy. He often felt tired in the afternoon. He rarely exercised and had little time for relaxation.
In our first session, we went through his medical history and looked at his food intake. We discussed his medication too and if there were changes that could be made (in consultation with his doctor).
After reviewing his food diary, I created a personalised meal plan for Tim, covering breakfast, lunch, dinner and healthy snacks. We selected recipes that would work for him, making sure that the plan would be sustainable in the long run.
When I work with a client it’s important that they understand what food and exercise do to our bodies. So, I explained to Tim the importance of the food he is eating for his health and what happens in his body on a cellular level when he eats certain foods like sugar. This deeper understanding of our physical health helps my clients to continue on their way to better health in the long run.
We discussed exercise and whether there were activities that he enjoyed that he could do more regularly. He started HIIT classes (High-Intensity Interval Training), just for 10 minutes on his rowing machine and also bought a boxing bag. On the weekends, he likes to do a lot of walking whilst pursuing his passion for photography.
Every week of the programme Tim would discuss with me the things he had eaten and the exercise he had done. This accountability helped to keep him on track, whilst still knowing that he cannot fail me, only himself - as he is the one who is setting the goals.
By the second week, Tim was already noticing improvements in his weight, sleep patterns, food and alcohol intake and exercise regime. In the third week, we started Tim on intermittent fasting and looked at his portion sizes.
As well as meeting weekly in the first month of the programme, we also messaged via WhatsApp. He could ask me anything at any time of the day, 7 days a week. This really helped when he was struggling with something or needed more recipes.
Over the subsequent weeks, Tim increased his fasting times, as his sugar cravings had stopped and his feeling of hunger reduced in a healthy way.
We looked into his beliefs about food and eating and had a look at his stress levels and how his experience of stress and frustration is created. This helped him to see that he doesn’t have to act on his thoughts about food. Like most of my clients, it was unlocking this understanding that they are in charge of their life that empowered him to carry on.
By the end of the programme Tim had achieved some fantastic results and had:
- lost 14Kg;
- come off statins (with the agreement of his doctor);
- reduced his blood pressure,
- stopped getting indigestion;
- increased his energy levels;
- reduced his drinking habits; and
- improved his sleep.
Tim's Testimony : “You changed the way I live”
Having tried almost every diet out there over the last 20 years, with varying levels of failure, I found myself after the first lockdown at the highest weight I had ever been. When a friend told me about Paola I was initially sceptical but decided it was worth the investment.
Only 4 weeks into what will be a 6-month program I am delighted with all aspects of the course, which is much more than just a diet. It’s a change of lifestyle with wellbeing and diet being linked together.
I have already lost 5 KG, lost 8 cm off my stomach and over 5cm off my waistline. I have had no indigestion for 4 weeks (I suffered daily with this) and I not only feel much better in myself but my family and friends have seen changes in many aspects of my life.
I have no hesitation at all recommending Paola and I am looking forward to the next 5 months of the programme.
Miriam : “I thought I could never go without any food”
Miriam is 60. She wants to lose a little weight, but more importantly, she has inflammation in her foot and has started to have aches and pains.
Although she likes to play golf, she spends a lot of hours in front of the computer for work.
She experiences low energy in the early afternoon and when she goes somewhere, she always takes food with her just in case she gets hungry. She craves a lot of sweet food.
Miriam came to me because she wanted to change her attitude toward food and eating and feel stronger in herself.
As always in my first session, we went through her questionnaire to understand her needs, her likes and how she lives her life. Then we looked at her eating behaviours and adjusted what she eats for breakfast, lunch and dinner so that the food she is eating from now on will support her health on a cellular level.
As sugar was a particular craving for Miriam we discussed how sugar influences our health and leads to inflammation. I also gave her recipes for healthy desserts.
Through understanding her beliefs and how her moment-to-moment experience is created, Miriam developed a completely different relationship towards food and eating. Now when her husband is eating all the biscuits after dinner, she doesn’t feel she has to join in anymore.
She goes without eating till lunchtime, or sometimes even longer. When she does eat, she enjoys healthy, nutritious meals. She now eats when she is hungry, not because she worries she could get hungry. She even went to play golf without eating and felt full of energy.
The inflammation in her ankle dissipated and she has even started running. Her weight went down 3 kg and she lost 7 cm under her arms and 5 cm around her waist.
Isn’t that amazing? How the power of thought and understanding can transform your health and help you to achieve long-lasting results.
Miriam's Testimony : “I thought I could never go without any food”
My goal originally was to sort out inflammation which Paola had explained may be exacerbated by my eating habits. What I hadn't appreciated was the broad set of skills Paola brings to her service which is simply way more than nutritional advice. The mindset piece is so powerful. After a Christmas, Valentines and Easter fest of non stop chocolate, I was seriously worried that I wouldn't be able to cut out sugar. Coupled with the anxiety of not having food available if travelling or out for the day, I had become a "feeder" to all my family thinking we'd starve if we skipped a meal! After 6 weeks on the new mentoring plan with Paola, I have found that the word "Fasting" is not to be feared and I have managed to build this into my life several days a week. I have cut out sugar by following Paola's guidance around what to include in my diet - she even came shopping with me one day to help me understand labels and healthy choices. My inflammation issues are definitely improving, I have lost 6lbs so far and I have learned to accept that I have been driven by thoughts around food which are actually feelings. I can change how I think and Paola has been brilliant with this. Actually it's gone beyond the "feeding" thing and she has helped me in many ways about my thinking and family matters. I cannot recommend her highly enough.
Pilot Study
Start 12th of March 2019
Summery;
Introduction;
5 clients all-female between the age of 52 and 70 years old.
The study did last for 5 weeks with the aim of the woman to improve their health and lose weight effortlessly.
In the first week, the aim was to eliminate simple carbohydrates from bread, potato, pasta and rice and all refined sugars and switch to a diet high in healthy fats, proteins and complex carbohydrates (low in sugar) with 3 meals and no snacks if possible.
From week 2 we did try to move breakfast back with the aim of an increased fasting period by the end of the week of at least 16 hours. I wanted the woman to get sensitive to hunger and eat when the body needs to be nourished rather than eat just because it's breakfast time.
The clients interrupted the fast with a meal high in healthy fat to keep autophagy working as long as possible.
Increasing the intake of healthy food:
- Eating meat only twice a week.
- Replacing meat intake through healthy plant-based options
- Increasing the intake of organic food low in chemicals,
- Reducing sugar of complex carbohydrates to a minimum.
Measurements are;
- underarm/ naval / hip
- weight
- overall health and wellbeing
EDUCATION:
1st week:
Firstly I send out a questioner to all of them, which we discussed in our first session. I wanted a very good picture of their health and well-being
- I explained the effects of nutrition and sugar on their health.
- We talked about our amazing ability to self - heal and how to switch that innate ability on.
- We talked through the shopping list.
- I suggested recipes depending on their food likings.
- We talked about which exercises would complement their program.
We will need at least 2 hours to go through all the questions and everything you need to know to get you on your way.
2nd week:
- We talked about the first week.
- I answered all their questions.
- I introduced them to the amazing effects of fasting.
- I explained intermittent fasting and how to introduce this into their life.
3rd week:
- We talked about the experience though week two and I again try to answer all their questions.
- I checked in to see how they got on with intermittent fasting.
- More education and more learning about nutrition.
4th week:
- Again answering all upcoming questions.
- Talking about different recipes.
- Maybe the possibility of a longer 24 hour fast or two.
- At this point, the conversation will lead us into their relationship to food and eating as there is by this point maybe a resistance or something they find difficult to put into place.
5th week:
- There exists by now a pretty good understanding of good food and eating which will support their health. Maybe there are still some questions at this point.
- At this point, the conversation leads deeper into the understanding of how they psychologically work, which will give them a better understanding of how their moment to moment experience of food and life is created.
When you begin to see insightfully and practically how the system works your relationship to food and eating becomes less judgmental and more loving and kind. You discover you are more in control rather than the victim of your behaviour.
One client R.J. came shopping with me so I could educate her in the shop about food labels and what to look out for regarding chemicals in the food.
Clients:
H.G. 58 years of age;
Measurements: 93/ 112/ 122
after 5 weeks : 93/112/116
after 10 weeks: 88.9/86/114
Weight: 85.7kg
After 5 weeks: 83.4Kg
After 10 weeks: 78.5Kg
Height: 5ft4
Before starting:
- Energy low mid afternoon,
- High blood pressure (on medication)
- Interrupted sleep
- Bloated when eating wheat
- Suffered from Hey fever
H. metabolism was very slow and it took her a while to respond to the changed lifestyle also my feeling was that she liked to snack in-between meals.
Changes started happening when she introduced 36 h fasting into her life.
After the 5 weeks:
- H. lost in the 5 weeks 2 Kg
- After another 5 weeks, she lost in all 7.3 Kg and had lost 16cm around her waist
- Her energy improved
- She is continuing the program.
"I have been seeing Paola for several weeks now, who has been supporting me changing my diet to help me feel healthier, have more energy and lose weight. Paola has been extremely helpful and knowledgeable and she has explained the theory evidencing this way of eating. She has made it simple to understand and follow week by week.
The one to one weekly sessions have been really good, and I could talk through any queries or difficulties and get good advice to help me adjust my eating. Paola has been available to contact at any time by text/email.
I can definitely recommend this life-changing diet, with Paola’s help and knowledge about nutrition."
H.G.
E.S.: 53 years of age
Measurements: 82,5/89/114
After 5 weeks: 76/ 86/ 108.5
Weight: 75Kg
After 5 weeks: 66Kg
Height:1.75m
Pulse: 73per min
After 5 weeks: 61 per min.
Before starting:
- The mood was quite low, doesn’t enjoy life, loss of interest
- Exercise = she visited a dance fit, did gardening and dog walking
- She felt stuck regarding her family as they are not interested to eat as healthy as she would like to eat which gives her a lot of frustration
- E. has irregularly eating habits and likes snacking
- E."s skin on her face mainly on her forehead is often red and looks inflamed
After the 5 weeks:
- Feels much better
- Much more active doing lot’s of exercises
- Enjoying a variety of different foods even so her family is still eating a different diet
- Her skin improved massively
- Lost 9.5 Kg
- Her skin on her face improved
"When I started out on this program with Paola I was feeling low both emotionally and energetically and had lost my interest in food. I was snacking all the time and knew I wasn’t eating the best things for my body so I jumped at the chance to try out a change. Even though I wanted to change things I had a lot of resistant thinking when being told what foods I couldn’t eat. However that first day I put all the information Paola gave me into practice and have found that in 5 weeks the weight just dropped off me and I got fitter and lighter in mind and body and I lost 13lbs.
I am enjoying food more and chose to make myself separate meals where necessary to those for my family.
There is an ease to this program once in the flow, no counting points or calories and although I have had cravings/deep desires for snacking there has been no feeling of lack.
I was most interested in seeing my thinking about food more clearly - thoughts of needing a snack would feel so powerful and yet even though I didn’t act on them I noticed that they would disappear without me having to do anything. I was worried about feeling hungry after not eating for 16 hours and to begin with, ate a little more to compensate, got indigestion then relaxed into it and then found that I wasn’t hungry! I have found the foods I am eating are very satisfying, delicious and the whole thing has been easy to do. The exercises given by Paola are simple to do anywhere so there are no restrictions to doing them.
I have always been interested in health and found it helpful to learn from Paola that I am helping my body heal itself by not eating for those 16 hours so my body can carry out the autophagy process and keep me healthy.
I can highly recommend Paola’s program to anyone who is feeling like they want to change their relationship with food or change the feeling in their body. "
E.S.
A.B. 72 years old
Week 1
Measurements: 90/97/106
after 5 weeks: 82.5/95/104
Weight: 68kg
After 5 weeks: 66.7kg
Height: 1.61m
Before the start:
- Wanted to lose 2-3kg.
- Energy low between 3-5 pm
- Ocular migraine 15min around 12 times a year
- Faeces rather soft
- Loss of tone
- Skin dry and red spots
- Right knee lateral pain
- She liked chocolate!
Struggle;
Ann’s biggest issue was in-cooperating exercise.
Working on believes around food like I need a yoghurt at 10 pm otherwise, I will be hungry at night.
After the 5 weeks;
- Lost the weight she wanted to lose
- Feels the best she has felt for the last 10 years
- No migraine so far
- Faeces more formed
- Doesn’t feel like needing to have chocolate or yoghurt any more
- Full of energy
- Still struggling with being consistent with exercise (but she finds a while later some she does enjoy and does regularly)
"When I reflect on the 5-week program, phrases that spring to mind are
I am so surprised that I don't feel hungry anymore
I have much more energy
I thought I understood the phrase 'You Are What You Eat 'but now I feel I understand this at a much deeper level
I do feel 10 years younger
I had heard that it was more difficult to lose weight as we get older, but I have found that this is a myth & I have found it easy for the weight to drop off
I am enjoying life more -it has been life-changing"
A.B.
M.B 57 years old
Measurements: 92/97/104
After 5 weeks: 88.9/91/104
Weight: 75Kg
After 5 weeks: 69.8kg
Height: 1,57m
Pulse: 62
Before the start:
- Feels normally bloated on holiday
- Heartburn
- Flaky skin
- Irritated, tired, can’t be bothered
- Energy low 4-5 pm
- She does yoga and dog walking
After 5 weeks:
- Feeling less bloated
- Heartburn disappeared
- Skin improved
- Feels uplifted
- Improved energy
- Lost over 5Kg
"I'm so pleased I have been a part of Paola's Healthy Living programme. I have not only lost weight in the process but I feel so much more healthy and clear headed helping me focus on my day ahead which is important being as I am in business myself. Paola's program has helped me to choose the right foods and eat healthy without counting calories its amazing! I feel far more clear-headed. I do eat far more healthy fats and enjoy this change of life style for the better! I also find that the intermittent fasting is so easy to get used to which helps continue with the program. Thank you so much Paola I would highly recommend it to anyone."
M.B.
R.J: 53 years old
Measurements: 91 / 104 / 114
Clients took no measurements
Weight: 86 Kg
After 5 weeks: 80Kg
Height: 1.65m
Before the start;
- Energy low 3 – 5 pm
- Inflamed gut since childhood
- Diarrhoea 7 times a day
R. had trouble with her gut since childhood after having part of her intestine removed being 6 months old.
At the age of 23, she had her gallbladder removed.
She suffers from miscarriage and ovarian cyst.
She has 3 beautiful girls.
Later fibromyalgia and reconstructive surgery with intestinal bypass twice.
After the 5 weeks:
- much more energy
- Inflammation in the gut settled
- Digestion normal with stool 1 once a day
"I feel so much better
I had some trepidation about starting on the course, as plant-based food was not something I was familiar with. However, I needn’t have worried, Paola said it would very straightforward and it was. I learnt that everyday carbs such as potatoes, pasta and rice could easily be replaced with chickpeas, quinoa and extra veg. My energy has increased and overall I am beginning to feel so much better. I have digestion issues, so it was quite a challenge for us, but Paola was very giving of her time. She is extremely knowable, the physical body, the nutrients and also really understands how the mind plays a huge part in what we eat. I can highly recommend this course, Paola’s professionalism and caring support. I have learnt a healthy new way to fuel my body, which will last me into the future, unlike other ‘diets’ I have tried in the past. The course has changed the way I think about food. Thank you Paola."
R.J.
