YMCA Healthy Living Magazine, powered by n4 food and health Spring 2016 | Page 4

NATALIE THOMPSON, APD
Natalie is an Accredited Practicising Dietitian who is passionate about sharing all things
nutrition and dietetics to improve health in a way that nurtures relationships with food and
body. She does this through her consultations, blog and presence on social media, by
focusing on the non-dieting and ‘health at every size’ approach to health and wellbeing.
Learn more about Natalie at delectabledietetics.wordpress.com or n4foodandhealth.com

THE ABCs OF
NUTRITION
Enjoy this fun way to better understand the basics of nutrition,
from Natalie Thompson.

A

Appetite

An internal body signal driving us to eat when we are hungry
and stop when we are full. Appetite plays a major role in
ensuring we choose appropriate foods to meet our nutrition
and pleasure needs.

B

Body respect/positivity

Focus on eating and lifestyle behaviours that will respect your
body. The consequence of this is that your language around
food, your self-esteem and your relationships with food, your
body and with other people can all be enhanced.

C

Colourful food

Eating different coloured food is a great way to get a variety
of nutrients.

D

Dietitians

Dietitians specialise in medical nutrition therapy, to assist in
maintaining and improving health. Dietitians also assist in
the prevention, treatment and management of illnesses,
diseases and conditions, whether they are acute, chronic or
degenerative in nature.

E

Eating behaviours

Healthy eating behaviours lead
to positive nutrition and health.

F

Food as fuel

Good nutrition requires good
food. It’s the nourishing food
(i.e. rich in nutrients) that
fuels the body for growth
and life.

G

Guide to Healthy
Eating

This is the ‘what‘ of
nutrition and can be
viewed at www.
eatforhealth.gov.au

H

Health At
Every Size®

This is all about
accepting and
respecting body diversity in terms
of shape and size, and rejecting the notion that health
is related to weight alone.

I

Individualised

Nutrition should be considered on an individual basis, as
everyone is different.

J

Joy

It is important to rediscover the joy in eating.

K

Kilojoule

This is the measure of energy we consume and expend.
Remember, calories/kilojoules are not created equal. Calorie
counting is not an effective means of focusing on health;
rather, it’s typically a dieting behaviour, which centres around
weight loss. When it comes to diets, in 95% of people,
weight loss is not sustained in the long-term due to the
body’s set point. If this body set point is interfered with –
as can occur with weight loss dieting – then the body
set point shifts up to a higher weight (and this is why
people put on more weight after weight loss dieting).
Instead, aim to love your food and the experience
of nourishing your body for health.

L

Love!

Love your food, love your body, love your life!

4

YMCA HEALTHY LIVING MAGAZINE SPRING 2016