Extra information on the
10-weeks to better health program
Look good. Feel good.
Frequently asked questions
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PROGRAM QUESTIONS
How do I sign up?
Click here to book an an initial 30-minute introductory meeting. There is no obligation if you attend this session and decide not to go ahead with the program.
What happens at the initial 30-minute introductory meeting?
During this session we will discuss your health goals, your budget, if you already have blood tests, and your need for external motivation and accountability. We will use this information to agree the personalised structure of your 10-week program. After this session, once you have paid the first instalment you will receive referral forms (by email) for both your DEXA body composition scans and your blood tests.
How do I pay for the program?
An initial instalment is payable after the initial introductory session to confirm your place on the program and in order for you to receive your forms for doing the DEXA scans and blood tests. The subsequent payments will depend on the structure and overall price of your program.
What if I live outside of Sydney?
This is no problem. Consultation will have to be online or by phone and people will need to find a suitable DEXA scanning location near where they live. This is usually not a problem as DEXA scans are widely available in Australia. Blood testing collection locations are located Australia-wide.
Is it possible to change the program to suit me?
Yes! The program is designed to adapt to your needs. We will discuss your particular needs in detail during your initial introductory session when we design your program.
I need a lot of accountability to keep me on the straight and narrow. What would you suggest?
We will discuss this during the initial session when we design your program. Regular in-person check-ins are most likely to help with accountability (as well as involving people who are close to you). We can discuss this during your initial meeting.
Some people may benefit from additional tracking technologies such as continuous glucose monitors, sleep trackers, late-night-food trackers etc. This is something we will discuss on an individual basis at the start of (or during) your program.
How can I ask questions during the program?
Anyone doing the program will have a personal account on my nutrition practice software called Practice Better. All questions can be asked on the chat function. I will endeavour to answer all questions within 24 hours or less, but please allow up to 48 hours. Your program will also have a set number of 15 minute check ins where you can book time to discuss any specific questions.
What are the baseline health measurements?
The baseline measurements will include a gold standard DEXA body composition scan which measures body fat, muscle mass and bone density. They will also include blood tests depending on what you need. See below for more information on each of these.
BASELINE HEALTH ASSESSMENT
Why do you measure baseline health metrics?
At the start of the program, we will do a baseline health assessment using a DEXA scan, blood test panel and health and symptoms questionnaire. These tests will give us a good indication of your metabolic health to help with personalising your 10 rules so we can adjust how aggressive we are in applying some of the rules. The baseline health measures should also provide some motivation. Knowing you are going to have your fat, muscles and bones re-measured in 10 weeks can be a real motivator to keep exercising when it gets hard or to skip chocolate when it looks tempting!
Why don’t you include bodyweight or BMI in the baseline health assessments?
‘Fat loss’ is important and not ‘weight loss’. Just stepping on the scales and weighing yourself does not allow you to determine if the change in body weight was actually due to changes in your fat mass and/or muscle mass. The DEXA scan will automatically capture your total weight, but we are not interested in this number. We are more interested in what the weight comprises – i.e., the split between muscle, fat and bone. Often when people embark on health programs their weight does not change for several weeks and this can be demotivating. I find the reason this happens is because they initially lose only small amounts of the ‘bad’ visceral fat and gain muscle, resulting in net weight loss of zero. Once they lose enough visceral fat (sometimes only 200g!) then their weight suddenly ‘falls off’. By reducing their visceral fat they unlock the ‘blocker’ to their weight loss. Using DEXA scans supports motivation in these situation as there is a real measure of what is happening to each element of body weight (rather than just the total number).
DEXA / BODY FAT SCANS
What is a DEXA body composition scan and why do it?
A DEXA scan is an imaging test that measures your body composition, such as body fat and muscle mass, and you bone density (strength). It uses very low levels of x-rays to measure how dense your bones are. DEXA stands for “dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry." DEXA scans are useful, easy, and inexpensive tests. They are quick and painless.
DEXA scans are the gold standard for measuring body composition - i.e. how much of your body is muscle versus fat versus bone versus water. You can read more about these scans on my blog here. There are lots of FAQs on DEXA scans here.
Where and how do you perform the initial body fat and weight scans?
By default, all scans will be carried out in Sydney's CBD at MeasureUp. If you live outside of Sydney or this is inconvenient you may be able to choose a scanning venue closer to home. The price may be more expensive and the quality of analysis of data may be weaker. This can be discussed on an individual basis.
Are the scans dangerous?
No. DEXA used a very low dose X-ray and you will only be exposed to 1-4 µSv (microsieverts).
This is less radiation than you will experience on a flight from Sydney to Brisbane. For more detailed information regarding DEXA and radiation please click here.
I don't live in Sydney but would like to do the program. Is this possible?
Yes. All consultations can be held online using my Nutrition practice software. You will need to find somewhere to do your body fat / body weight scan closer to where you live and this should not be too difficult.
How many DEXA scans are included in the program?
All programs include 2 x body composition DEXA scans. The Gold program has three scans – the third may be used mid program or for 6 months after program ends.
BLOOD TESTS
How will the blood test be arranged?
You will need to print out a blood test request form that I will give you and take this to a nearby blood test collection centre. You will need to fast from all food and drink (other than water) for at least 8 hours, and no more than 12 hours prior to your blood test. This will be exactly like the process of getting a blood test ordered by your GP.
What will the blood tests measure?
The specific blood tests will vary according to the individual. Most programs will have fasting blood glucose, HbA1C and fasting insulin measured at the start. Depending on the individual and when last blood tests were done, the tests ordered may vary slightly from this.
What if I don't need blood tests as I've just done them with my GP?
If you already have recent (and adequate) blood tests from your GP it may be possible to skip the blood tests on the program and use these instead.
What if the blood test results show something I wasn't expecting?
I am not a GP. If any blood test markers are out of the normal reference ranges I will recommend that you visit your normal GP.
Can i give the programme to someone as a gift?
Yes! Get in touch and we can arrange for the program to be "gift-wrapped".
Nutrition fact: Did you know?
The simplest and cheapest surrogate for determining health status is waist circumference, which correlates for morbidity and risk for death better than any other health parameter
(Jacobs et al., 2010)