Need Nutrition Advice? Get A Free Consultation

Glenn Setliff Jr. has been training as an Olympic-style weight lifter, working toward his goal of lifting a 185-pound barbell over his head in one powerful movement. 

As part of his training, he tracks his daily diet, entering protein, carbohydrates and calories in an online diary. To help determine if his diet needed tweaking, he signed up for a free nutrition consultation with LIVE FOR LIFE, Duke's employee wellness program.

"I wanted a bit of help figuring out exactly what I should be eating to try and keep my weight stable but have a leaner body," he said.

All Duke employees who are eligible for benefits can schedule two free nutrition consultations each calendar year with LIVE FOR LIFE's registered dietitians.  Last year, LIVE FOR LIFE provided 387 consultations.

During an hour-long consultation, the LIVE FOR LIFE dietitian reviews a client's diet in an average day - from breakfast to bedtime. Combining this information with exercise habits, the dietitian determines whether the diet includes appropriate levels of calories, calcium, fiber, sodium, vitamins and other important nutrients. Then there is discussion about easy changes that can be made to help meet health goals. 

"Each person comes in with different habits and questions," said Kelly Gehle, nutrition manager for LIVE FOR LIFE. "We focus on helping people fit healthier eating into their lives as simply as possible."  

During Setliff's nutrition consultation a few weeks ago, the LIVE FOR LIFE registered dietitian reviewed his food diary and asked him about the number of protein shakes listed. 

"The strength-training literature suggests eating 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight each day," said Setliff, who weighs 185 pounds. "I find that almost impossible to do without excessive eating unless I use protein shakes."

Sue Johnson, the dietitian, told Setliff that excessive use of protein powder drinks can strain the kidneys, especially if the individual is not drinking enough water. She suggested that he replace at least one shake a day with chocolate milk, which combines protein and carbohydrates. 

"Research suggests that a four to one ratio of carbs to protein can help muscles recover from a workout more quickly," Johnson said. 

Setliff left the consultation ready to purchase chocolate milk and explore other options for increasing his protein intake. 

"I'd never even thought of some of her suggestions, such as putting hard boiled eggs and garbanzo beans on a salad to increase the protein," he said. "But that's why I wanted to do this. You can get all sorts of advice on nutrition from the internet, but I'd rather get it from a dietitian that I can trust."