Nutrition and Diet

Nutrition and Diet

Here to guide you into making healthier food choices.

Nutrition is an essential component of overall health and wellness. Exercising and eating smart go hand-in-hand. We, at the Fitness Firm, believe that balance and variety are the keys to a lasting nutritional health plan. There will always be a new diet trend - but long-term results come with maintaining a reasonable, practical and sustainable approach that fits your lifestyle, budget, and goals.  Kerri is here to offer you one hour, half hour and 15 minute sessions. to address specific dietary issues so you can see and enjoy the results while developing a healthy relationship with food and meal planning. 

12-Week Synergy Program

Synergy is a 12-week sustainable weight loss program that is designed to assist you in achieving your personal goal. Discover new methods towards finding a healthier, happier you through one-on-one nutrition counseling and the development of a customized meal plan. The program encourages you to dig deep into your eating patterns - we eliminate habits and behaviours that stand in the way of your weight loss objectives. Synergy is a highly personalized and committed program that will reveal your true potential and leave you with long-term, realistic solutions for maintaining a healthy weight and overall well being.


You meet with Kerri Sherk, RD, once per week for the accountability one needs to achieve their goals, review performance, and re-set goals as needed.


Check your extended healthcare benefits to see if you are eligible for services with a Registered Dietitian.




1-Hour Nutrition Consultation
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These sessions are typically information-gathering with a nutrition assessment followed by first recommendations within a meal plan written / printed out for you. 


Cost: $125 (No Tax)

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30-Minute Nutrition Consultation
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For existing clients who need or want check-ins with Kerri, who still have work to do and lots of questions to ask. Food trackers are reviewed in these sessions. Weigh ins are optional. Obstacles to success with alternative strategies are discussed.


Cost: $65 (No Tax)

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15-Minute Nutrition Consultation
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Most popular for existing clients who only need short, weekly, check-ins with Kerri.


Cost: $35 (No Tax)

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Do You Want to Lose Weight and Get Fit?

Complete the form below for Kerri to contact you if you're interested in learning more.

Do You Want to Lose Weight and Get Fit?

What Our Members Say

Take a look at other people’s experiences to see the value in having a Registered Dietitian in your life!

FAQ

  • Are Dietitian services covered by insurance? How does that work?

    Sometimes, yes! Check your individual healthcare benefits to see if you are covered for Dietitian services. If you are, following your session and upon payment, you get emailed a receipt for your Nutrition Consultation with Kerri. This is valid for you to send to your insurance company, who will reimburse you directly.

  • What is the usual procedure for seeing a Registered Dietitian?

    Typically, clients will initially meet with Kerri for a one-hour session so she can get a good idea of your eating habits and make some recommendations. Following that first session, Kerri will then recommend either 30- or 15-minute follow-ups weekly or bi-weekly to check in and keep you accountable. 

  • Does Kerri teach Diets?

    Lucky for you, Kerri doesn't believe in dieting! She will provide you with a personalized meal plan that is healthy, balanced, realistic, and sustainable. Kerri doesn't believe in short-term fixes, but rather digging deep into the psychology of your current eating behaviours to develop a healthy relationship with food. 

Blogs

By Kerri Sherk 20 Sep, 2022
ALL THE BREAD YOU KNEAD! KERRI SHERK'S, RD, BEST AND WORST KINDS OF BREAD
By Nicole Fazio 25 Aug, 2022
DO'S AND DONT'S OF SELF DISCIPLINE
By Nicole Fazio 29 Sep, 2021
Are you struggling to stay consistent with your fitness and nutritional goals? Being consistent is crucial to making long term lifestyle changes, but it is one of the biggest challenges we all face. Here are 5 strategies to help you find consistency: 1. BE REALISTIC Change takes time . There is no fast way to make lifestyle changes, so it’s imperative to make goals that make sense for you. The more attainable and realistic the goal, the more likely the goal can be accomplished. When goals and milestones are accomplished, it gives you a sense of reward and enhances your self-efficacy (i.e., the belief that you can accomplish your goals). On the other hand, if the goal we have set in place for ourselves is too difficult, it may lead to demotivation and lower self-esteem. If you want sustainable and lasting results, being realistic is the first step. 2. HAVE CLEAR GOALS Not having clear goals is like driving to a new destination without a map. Goals are important in leading us in the right direction. Goals provide you with the motivation to push yourself to work towards chane. Implementing S.M.A.R.T goals is a good place to start. S - Specific M - Measurable A - Attainable R - Relevant T - Time-Bound When setting goals, make sure to include both short term and long term goals . Short term goals help with commitment and determination by allowing you to celebrate small wins more frequently that contribute to the bigger goal in place. Long term goals give you something to focus on and strive for in the bigger picture and help focus on where you want to be in relation to where you are now. For example, you decide that you want to “Lose 5 lbs in 6 weeks.” This goal is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. However, this creates the need to make smaller goals to help you get there. Just doing what you are now, unchanged, will likely not get you to your goal. For instance, you might state that you will “Lose 5lb in 6 weeks” by incorporating 1-2 servings of vegetables into every meal, by limiting take-out meals to once per week, exercising for 45 minutes 3 times per week, and going for a 30-minute walk with your dog every day. If you achieve these smaller rules/goals, you’ll be well on your way to reaching the big one. 3. CREATE A ROUTINE AND HAVE A PLAN Fail to plan and plan to fail! Having a game plan for the week ahead will help adhere to your goals, as there is less opportunity for impulsive behaviours. This may mean planning out your workouts for the week, meal prepping, and making a grocery list of healthy and balanced foods. In regards to exercise, scheduling in your workouts, and knowing what you're doing when and where, will take the stress off not knowing what to do and "winging" a sub-par workout. In turn, you will be more likely to follow through until your goal is reached. Building on these habits will make it easier to stay consistent with your goals. Stay organized! In addition, it is always a good idea to have a plan ready in case you fall into relapse. The biggest fallback for people creating healthy habits is that once you miss a workout, you eat dessert when you know you shouldn’t have, or if life just gets in the way… You say “oh well” and keep venturing down the wrong path rather than steering yourself back onto the right one. Having a plan in place in case this happens is crucial for helping with motivation post-relapse. 4. ENJOY WHAT YOU'RE DOING It is much easier to be consistent with exercise and nutrition when you enjoy what you're doing and eating. Exercise will be less of an obligation and you will be more excited to get moving. If you’re feeling stuck doing something you don't enjoy, try something new! Whether it be a new exercise class (HIIT, Spin, Yoga, Pilates etc.), getting outside, or joining a club/team. Bottom line is, you cannot be consistent if you dislike what you're doing. In regards to nutrition, implementing foods you don't enjoy will be doing yourself a disservice. Incorporating a variety of foods and flavours you love that also align with your goals is important in having a healthy attitude about food and staying consistent with your nutritional habits. 5. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS Seeing progress in yourself fuels motivation . There are several ways to track your progress: Monitor body measurements How your clothes fit Scale weight or body fat % Lifting heavier weight or doing more reps Check blood pressure Progress pictures How fast you catch your breath after you lose it Activities of daily living get easier to complete Energy levels improve Sleep gets better Tracking progress is essential to staying consistent. People get addicted to seeing results, which creates more and more motivation. When results aren’t achieved, it creates a sense of self-doubt, which reduces motivation because why would you continue if you aren’t getting any better? Even though you definitely should continue because exercise has so many benefits for you beyond the physical changes (bone, heart, emotional, cognitive health, etc.), it is still encouraging to see results and know you’re doing well. Need help with staying consistent? We have a team of friendly and well-educated personal trainers and health practitioners here at The Firm. Our mission is to educate and motivate you into living your healthiest and happiest life - even if it is just to get you started on your fitness journey. We are here to help you.
By Kerri Sherk 06 Apr, 2021
The basic rules of nutrition - variety, balance and moderation - do stand the test of time when it comes to good choices. But lately, the conscientious consumer now considers WHERE their food comes from and how it has been raised. My rule of thumb: choose REAL and WHOLESOME foods as close to the farm as possible. Easy right? It is: if you make it a priority and you have a little extra time to prepare your food to avoid purchasing out of convenience. When we take a look at how food production has changed over time, it is apparent how our diets have changed along with it. A growing population over the last 100 years, almost quadrupled to be precise, has created a demand for a more convenient and less labour-intensive method of producing our food. We have seen farms transition from small- and medium-sized to massive industrial-sized farms, operating with the goal to produce, maintain, and slaughter animals as efficiently and inexpensively as possible. Agricultural farms can attest to many reasons for their ability to produce more grain on fewer acres with fewer nutrient inputs. And since the end of World War 2, we have seen a dramatic rise in a different kind of processing, wherein refined sugars, additives, preservatives, and a whole whack of unpronounceable ingredients hit our diets. Despite these changes, with keen interest, a little homework, and of course the most precious commodity, time, it is possible to purchase and provide your family with ethically raised, organic, and nutritious food. Based on the available evidence, and deep-seated from my own experience and perspective, the following is the first of a 4 part series that explores the many different avenues we have in choosing healthy, sustainable food. The proverbial saying “ you are what you eat ” is repeatedly proven to be true. If you fill your diet with healthy and nutritious food, you will likely be rewarded with many health benefits. However, the saying also can be applied to our food’s food . Having a keen interest in preparing food for my family, it goes without saying that where my food comes from is essential. This would be the case for eggs, poultry, beef and pork, fish, oils, vegetables and fruit, and legumes/ grains/ snack foods. The egg has been coined the perfect food. First off, let’s get things straight regarding what’s in the grocery store when buying eggs. According to an article compiled by Sunny Brower, Jillian Dorsey, Kate Malvetti and Julie M. Fagan, Ph.D., the five main options people have when purchasing eggs are conventional, cage-free, free-range, organic and pasture-raised. Conventional eggs : The eggs purchased at supermarkets that do not have labels or have supermarket store brands are known as conventional eggs. Conventional hens beaks are clipped, which is done so hens won’t peck at themselves or other hens and hurt themselves, rendering antibiotic treatment, and are treated extremely poorly. The average battery cage allows the hen less than half a square foot, which equates to about 67-76 square inches, which is nearly 25 square inches smaller than a legal size piece of paper (Humane Society, 2013). Laying hens spend about 95 percent of their lives in these cages, which restricts the hen from spreading its wings and most other natural movements. These conventional hens are housed in these battery cages inside windowless warehouses with some containing as many as 100,000 caged chickens at a time. The conventionally farmed birds never see sunlight and are fed a diet of corn waste and chemicals, with a sub-therapeutic level of antibiotics present in the chicken feed. Over 90% of Canada’s laying hens are kept in cages (BC/SPCA Dec. 2017). Conventional eggs run about $3.50 a dozen . A “cage-free” or “free-run” egg: When you purchase cage-free/ free-run eggs, you know that the hens are not kept confined in cages and can engage in many of their natural behaviours like walking, laying eggs, and opening their wings. However, beak cutting is permitted in this case, and it doesn’t mean the birds are free to go outside. Free-run hens may wander inside the barn but there are no set guidelines for them to go outside. In addition, roaming inside the barn may be crowded. For cage-free eggs, there is no third-party auditing system to ensure that these standards are upheld; producers go by the honour system. Farmers are under pressure to shift this type of housing, as more companies promise to provide eggs from hens that don’t live in cages. Free-run eggs are approximately $5.99 per dozen . A “free-range” egg: Free-range eggs are defined by the hen having access to the outdoors. This does not mean the outdoor space is large enough for the hens, or that the hens ever went outside, especially in the winter months in Canada. Most free-range hens are housed inside barns without cages. During a free-range hen’s life, it has outdoor access, but no requirements or standards have been put into place to enforce any length of time outdoors or the quality of the land to which the bird has access. Since they are not caged, they can engage in many natural behaviours such as nesting and foraging. Free-range eggs are between $6 - $6.50 per dozen . For both “free run” and “free-range” birds, no restrictions have been put into place for what they can be fed. Both types of birds appear on their product packaging to be the better options, but their diets are not government regulated. Both types of hens are also subjected to beak cutting. As such, a sub-therapeutic level of antibiotics and other regulated additives would still be present in the chicken feed. Organic eggs: Eggs from organically raised chickens are considered free-range and are allowed outside when the weather is nice, but are kept indoors or under shelter when the weather isn’t favourable. If a farm attains an organic certification, an auditor will visit the farm usually once a year to ensure all standards are being followed. The hens are also antibiotic-free and raised on organic feed. Keep in mind that most organic eggs are still mass-produced and whether the chicken goes outside to eat is up to the discretion of the farmer. For example, Kirkland organic eggs come from hens fed organic feed but are raised in a factory farm environment with literally thousands of birds who may or may not go outside. There are exceptions to this, however, as smaller family-run organic farms typically produce eggs from 200-500 hens that do get outside to roam free. Organic eggs are around $6.49 per dozen in most grocery stores. Family-run organic farm eggs will cost a bit more. Pasture-raised eggs: Pasture-raised hens and organically-raised hens are not the same. Organic hens are fed organic, pesticide-free feed, but in most cases are raised in factory conditions. Pastured hens are not fed organic feed but get to go outside and eat as a natural chicken would. In general, pasture-raised chickens are smaller flocks of poultry in portable hen houses where the farmers rotate in fresh pasture, often-times daily. These chickens are free to eat plants and insects, which is their natural food, along with some commercial feed. Research has shown that hens that have access to the outdoors and who eat insects and plants produce eggs that have significantly higher levels of omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin D and E, and protein; four very important nutrients!! Pasture-raised eggs sell for approximately $7.50 per dozen at Mary Lous’s Market and Goodness Me, or if you’re fortunate enough, you can find pasture-raised eggs from a small farm from around your neighbourhood. Do more expensive eggs (free-range, organic, and pastured) offer a more nutritious egg? A marketplace special on CBC had experts do experiments to compare the nutrient profile in eggs of many large-scale egg companies. They reported that there were no notable differences in vitamins A, D, and E, cholesterol, and protein between organic and conventional eggs. They did, however, report that organic eggs do have double the amount of omega 3’s than conventional eggs. And additionally that pasture-raised hens and small family-run organic farmed eggs do offer a higher nutrient profile, justifying their increased cost. Besides nutrition, conscientious consumers are prepared to pay more for their eggs knowing the chicken feed is pesticide- and GMO-free and that the farmers support the humane treatment of animals. Key nutrients found in eggs: Eggs are a very good source of protein as the ratio of amino acids in an egg are at ideal levels for the human body’s protein digestion, assimilation, and metabolism. Eggs with a higher content of omega-3's come from hens that are pastured and organically fed. Regular brands will usually advertise omega-3 on their labels (which means the content is a little higher but not by much). The amount of omega-3 varies amongst brands. While these eggs may be higher in omega-3 than a conventional egg, do not rely on eggs to be your main source of this fatty acid. Omega-3-enriched or organic eggs have approximately 0.125 g of omega-3 per egg . The recommended adult intake of omega-3’s is 1.1 - 1.6 g per day . Optimal sources of omega-3’s are fatty fishes; a 3 oz portion of salmon, herring, or mackerel, containing more than 1.5 g of omega-3. Getting additional omega-3’s from your eggs is considered a BONUS ! (seafoodhealthfacts.org; scientificamerican.com) Vitamin D is found in egg yolk in a fairly small quantity: 37 IU (international units) per egg. The Canadian recommended adult vitamin D intake is 600 - 1000 IU per day with a safe upper limit of 4000 IU, and if you don’t get much sunlight, aim for upwards of 2000 IU daily . Vitamin D content in eggs is dependent on the hens exposure to sun (the more the better) so we can assume then that hens who roam outside get more sun and thus produce eggs with more vitamin D. The hens feed also dictates the amount of Vitamin D an egg will contain. At the end of the day , your choice will be determined by availability of the product, convenience for you to purchase it, the price, and your level of interest in treatment of the animal. Apart from pastured eggs from hens on small farms, there does not seem to be a whole lot of difference in nutrients between organic and conventional eggs, however organic eggs do not contain pesticides/ GMO's or antibiotics. If you eat a lot of eggs, It is worth exploring your egg farmers to find out what your hens are eating and how they live. I can’t help but applaud and support the farmers that make a living producing eggs with a higher nutrient profile from hens who are free to roam their natural environment. There is a reason these eggs are $3-4.50 more per dozen, and to me, it's worth the difference .
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