For the past 15 years, I have been on a personal health journey, trying to find a way of eating that would resolve my gut issues – also known as “Irritable Bowel Syndrome”. Tests for Celiac’s disease and lactose intolerance came back negative and I was basically told to “deal with it”.

After extensive research I came across the Banting or Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) diet on the  “Real Meal Revolution” website.

An LCHF diet is based on real, natural and unprocessed foods which are high in healthy fats and low in carbohydrates. I was fascinated by the amount of research out there to support this way of eating and decided it was worth a try.

Not only did it instantly take away my stomach problems but it took away the foggy-headedness, all my joint pains, improved my memory and increased my energy levels 10-fold.

The Real Meal Revolution website which offers a 5-week course on a Low Carb High Fat lifestyle has given me all the tools and resources I needed to maintain this way of eating.

Last month, I decided I wanted to help spread the word on LCHF and have qualified as an Elite Banting Coach and am running support groups both online and face-to-face, for those based in Melbourne.

Once again on the lookout for a new challenge that would enable me to have a bigger impact on people’s lives, brought me to the “Lifestyle, Food and Wellness Coaching” program through Cadence Health. The course turned out to be an excellent addition to my work as a physiotherapist.

My knowledge of the human body and physiotherapy experience combined with specific coaching techniques, such as motivational interviewing, positive psychology and goal setting are a great combination that can provide you with the structure, support, confidence and empowerment that you need to achieve long-term behaviour change. Your health goals could be related to exercise (strength and fitness), chronic pain, long-term illness, eating habits, weight loss as well as stress management and general wellbeing.

Just imagine you are looking at a hot air balloon from underneath…The inspiration for the logo came from the hot air balloons that hover over East Melbourne around sunrise, provided it’s a clear day. They are incredible to watch and I still get excited every time I see them. To me, they reflect  tranquility, joy and an incredible way to start the day.

As health coaching is all about behaviour change, I have decided to move away from a typical indoor treatment setting and instead conduct the face-to-face sessions outdoors. So we will walk as we’re talking. This could be, for instance, along the beach or at a park close to your home or workplace. The walking coaching sessions are a great way to incorporate exercise into your day and make the most of your valuable time.