Kate Roberts is a good friend of Smiling Tri Coach and she is already working wonders with some of our coached athletes. Kate combines an expert knowledge of nutrition with a realistic view of life and her nutrition advice and tips are awesome.
We often get asked about detailed nutrition advice, so we asked Kate to write a blog to introduce herself. So here it is.........
Welcome to Kate Roberts Nutrition, owned by Kate Roberts, Nutrition Consultant, Human Nutrition & Dietetics BSC (Hons) Follow Kate on Instagram @katerobertsnutrition or visit www.katerobertsnutrition.com
My journey
For as long as I can remember I have been passionate about food. As a child I always had a healthy appetite (still do!) and loved experimenting with new tastes and learning about the science behind food and nutrition.
After studying Psychology for my first degree I was at a bit of a crossroads and sought careers advice. They recommended I pursue a career in Dietetics which once highlighted was the obvious route and so I set about getting myself a place on a reputable course. Luckily, I was accepted to study Human Nutrition & Dietetics at Glasgow Caledonian University, the longest running Dietetics programme in Scotland. I thoroughly enjoyed my degree and worked with Wollongong University in Sydney Australia on my dissertation which was fascinating.
After my clinical training I followed a path from the health service into industry, liaising with sales teams and marketeers in the FMCG companies Glaxosmithkline & Kelloggs. This experience taught me a whole new set of skills and provided crucial insight into the food industry sector. I then took some time out to start a family, which brought an entirely new challenge and enabled me to further develop and enhance my nutritional knowledge and expertise from the perspective of a parent. Now all the kids are at school I am putting my skills to good use providing one to one nutrition coaching.
About me
My children, 2 boys & 2 girls, are my greatest achievement and give me so much pleasure (and pain at times!). They can always be relied upon to brighten up a grey day and remind me constantly to appreciate and enjoy every second.
As a busy mum, I understand the practical difficulties of managing nutrition alongside work and life. Raising a young family has its challenges and when I’m not working or running around with the kids I try to lead by example. To foster healthy habits, we eat together as often as possible and encourage experimenting with new foods and flavours to broaden our pallets and keep food interesting, not just fuel.
In an effort to be more earth friendly we also grow some of our own produce at home and recently invested in a polytunnel to enable us to expand the range of foods we can grow. This has been a massive hit, especially with my green fingered husband and the kids.
To relax and unwind my family and I love spending time in Anglesey, on the beach, boating and paddle boarding. Nothing beats a beach walk and a lungful of sea air. We’re also keen foragers and enjoy exploring the coastline and surrounding countryside for seasonal goodies; lobsters, crabs, prawns, sea bass, mushrooms, sloe & blackberries, samphire and seaweed to name a few favourites. Connecting with nature and the outdoors is a real tonic to our busy urban day to day lives.
Fitness
I’ve always been a sports enthusiast, as a youngster I played tennis for school and competed in springboard diving at a national level (I believe I’m still the record holder for the Yorkshire 1m 12yrs & under!!) and went on to qualify as an instructor, teaching in my spare time. In adulthood, my exercise regime has evolved, pre and postnatally, to include strength training and running, mostly from home to fit around work and family. I currently favour the Alexia Clark (#queenteam) online programme of resistance workouts, run twice a week before I take the kids to school and practice yoga to stretch and de-stress.
Follow me on Instagram @katerobertsnutrition
In Feb 2017 I faced one of my biggest challenges to date…
It was the morning after Valentine’s day and we were in Anglesey for the half term school holiday. I took the opportunity to get out for an early morning run. I watched the sunrise at the coastguards look-out, but then as I set off down the hill I slipped and landed awkwardly on my outstretched arm, I heard the bone crack and ended up in a heap on the floor. I knew at once I had fractured my humerus and that it was completely severed. I was alone, getting cold and in agony. Luckily, I had taken my phone so managed to raise the alarm, but all the ambulances were busy. Eventually my father in law appeared over the horizon in his treasured but knackered old Landrover. What a relief! he fashioned a sling from an old tie, wrapped me in a blanket and helped me up into the 4x4. The pain was getting worse and it was now rush hour. We set off for Bangor Hospital, 22 miles of bumpy track and crawling traffic later we arrived... welcomed by a friendly nurse with morphine!
A difficult few months followed, the fracture was managed conservatively (non-surgically) and together with dietary intervention healed successfully. After my accident and as part of my rehabilitation I began practicing yoga as a gentle way to recover the flexibility and range of movement that I lost while in plaster. It worked wonders and remains an integral part of my health and fitness routine.
My philosophy
I am passionate about nutrition & health and driven by a deep desire to help individuals achieve their long-term diet and nutrition goals. My philosophy involves taking a collaborative approach, learning about my clients’ nutrition and health objectives in the broader context of their lifestyle and working with them to tailor their diet accordingly. Some services require the completion of a food and exercise diary to identify key areas of focus and to help inform the best strategy to realise the individuals’ nutrition and health goals. I find that a holistic, person centred style of practice tends to achieve more beneficial results. I have recently enjoyed working with Kate (Smiling Tri Coach) and some of her athletes to help them fine tune their diet to meet nutritional requirements in line with their training regime and lifestyle choices.
Whether you’re seeking help with weight loss, training for an event or simply want a diet health check, I individually evaluate each client and provide comprehensive, evidence-based advice designed to focus on sustainable lifestyle changes. My services are divided into three categories: Nutrition Advice - Ongoing nutrition support for all your lifestyle nutrition queries; Diet Health Check - Bespoke Guidance to optimise your nutrition for health & wellbeing; and Nutrition Management - Achieve your goals with a twelve-week plan to support your diet & lifestyle change.
I am a member of the British Dietetic Association and keep up to date with the latest research and developments in nutrition via journals, podcasts and online CPD courses. I have also recently been appointed to a commercial team working on the launch of a new plant-based product in conjunction with The Rowett Institute based at the University of Aberdeen.
For more detailed information and pricing please visit my website www.katerobertsnutrition.com
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