My diet's better than your diet

Posted by Nell Mead at 09:00 on 13 Feb 2012

A guest post from Victory's resident performance nutrition therapist, Dr Justin Roberts.

Wherever I go, I am baffled by the sheer number of opinions out there. “This diet is better than that diet”; “this supplement will get faster results that the next one on the shelf at half the price” and so on. But the bottom line is that we are all individual, all physiologically and biochemically unique.  Our individual digestive and metabolic processes influence how we break down and use the foods we eat. Our respective goals vary from person to person: Bob may be looking to lose weight, Jenny to gain muscle mass, Mary to simply improve health. In other words, your optimal approach to eating patterns, nutrients and intake will be completely different to that of Frank from Accounts (who's just told you about this awesome new diet he's trying...?), so any good nutrition programme should be individually tailored.

At Victory, each programme we run is designed to be individual in nature, specific to your unique objectives and goals. Whilst there are of course overlapping principles that apply to most of us, the aim of the nutrition consultation is to firstly assess your current health status, dietary practices, nutritional habits and personal goals. What is it that you wish to achieve? Underlying this is the key need to work closely with your general practitioner or medical consultant should specific conditions warrant this.

Before I even meet you, I'll ask you to complete a set of questionnaires designed to assess your background health, nutrition habits, related conditions, underlying concerns or symptoms, the foods you eat and the supplements you take. If you are an athlete, these will include questions about your sport, your training and performance practices and current objectives. Additionally, as part of the first consultation, I will analyse your diet to assess your current practice more objectively.

When I meet you, I will discuss your goals and objectives with you and produce a specific programme to help you achieve them. Typically, I will take some body composition measurements before you start the programme, so that we can assess the programme's effectiveness as you go through it. I can also help if you need any further diagnostic procedures or testing.

The aim of any applied nutrition programme should be:
1) To assess for any underlying medical conditions or concerns that may require additional support from your GP or medical consultant
2) To assess for potential nutrient deficiencies, dietary imbalances and wholefood requirements in conjunction with your overall goals
3) To provide a structured programme over a sensible time period, with regular assessment and monitoring, as well as personal support and motivation to help you achieve your goals
4) To provide on-going recommendations to adapt and tailor your programme specific to your situation and needs.

Essentially, I aim to offer you a top-quality, structured programme designed to help you achieve your health and fitness goals.

Things I can help you with:

Goals:
• Weight loss
• Increased muscle mass
• Improve energy, vitality and stamina
• Improved concentration and mental performance
• Improved peak performance at work
• Personal exercise and athletic performance
• Sports nutrition strategies for marathon and endurance events
• Sports nutrition strategies for power and strength sports
• Improve recovery and sleep
• Improve digestion and wellness

Health problems:
• Identification of any risk factors
• Tiredness and stress
• Poor quality sleep or recovery from exercise
• Poor concentration, lethargy
• High or low blood pressure
• Diabetes or blood sugar imbalances
• Skin related problems
• Weight gain
• Elevated cholesterol

Justin is available at Victory on Wednesday evenings.  To book your appointment, please contact us here, or e-mail Sarah Harvey.

Victory at The Foundry

Posted by Nell Mead at 08:00 on 8 Aug 2011

For us at Victory - well, ok, maybe just for me - today is a hugely exiting and momentous day.  And why, might you ask, would that be?  Well, partly because I left the Army exactly a year ago today.  But also because the lovely directors of The Foundry, Dave, Helen and Graeme, asked me a little while ago if I'd like to set up a proper rehabilitation centre in their premises.  So from today, Victory is officially a full-time entity, with two therapy rooms, in the one location - hurrah!

I, my dad and my lovely friends Claire and Jono have spent the weekend repainting the therapy rooms, and you'll also see logos appearing over the next few weeks and a bit more clinic furniture.  Dave's also suggested holding a launch party - definitely something to think about in the near future!

In the mean time, I'd like to introduce you briefly to a few of the characters you might meet when you come to Victory.  When I get a chance, I'll blog properly about each of them - this really is just a very brief hello.

Sarah Harvey is my lovely PA.  She keeps me on track with all the myriad things I'm supposed to do but keep forgetting.  She organises the team's diaries and makes sure I don't double book myself and do remember to pay bills and invoice clients.  If you ever need to contact anyone about the administrative side of Victory, or to arrange an appointment, Sarah's your girl - e-mail her here.

Dr Victor Thompson is a clinical psychologist who specialises in sports and performance.  I met Victor nearly ten years ago when I became interested in sports psychology as a way of improving my results on the tennis court.  After four hours with Victor I won 20 tennis matches in a row, and I've been recommending him ever since.  At the moment, he consults with me on clients who have an emotional, psychological or stress-related component to their physical pain; so far this has been very successful and I look forward to being able to offer this service more frequently in the future.

Jake Thackray is a former Physical Training Instructor in the Royal Navy and is still a serving policeman.  He's been working at The Foundry for some time now as a specialist in sports massage and remedial therapy, and will continue his sports massage work with Victory.  At the moment he is mainly available on Monday evenings but over the next few months he will hopefully be around more regularly.

Busy bee Sarah Franklin is - by day - a fitness manager at Virgin Active Moorgate; but she is also qualified in sports massage therapy, and is available to see clients at Victory some evenings and weekends.  Although she has been working at The Foundry for some time, Sarah and I haven't yet swapped treatments (something I like to do regularly with all the Victory therapists) but I hear great things and am really looking forward to it.

Flight Sergeant Paul "Spot" Leppard leads the multidisciplinary Spines Team at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, Headley Court.  A qualified Exercise Rehabilitation Instructor (ERI), he also received his BSc in Sports Studies from the University of Wolverhampton in 2003.  He is available in the evenings and at weekends to provide exercise therapy for clients with back pain and spinal injuries.

Graduate Sports Rehabilitator Cat Cornwell is also currently working at Headley Court as a civilian ERI specialising in complex trauma.  She holds bachelors degrees in Sports Rehabilitation and Sports & Exercise Science, and is currently working towards an MSc in Neuromusculoskeletal Healthcare.  Last month she was also part of the Team True Spirit squad of Headley Court patients and staff to complete the Iron Man UK Triathlon.  With a very solid history of working with high level sportspeople including GB Women's Basketball squad, Cat is definitely the girl to take you from getting over an injury to being ready to start full-on personal training.  She is available in the evenings and at weekends.

Ryan Walsh is a former member of the Parachute Regiment and of the Army Rugby team - and is now a professional boxer - see him in action here.  He's a qualified Personal Trainer who has worked with Bath Rugby and was seen on the 2010/11 School of Hard Knocks series on Sky Sports One.  I've known Ryan since he was 17 and was surprised when he called to tell me he had qualified as a sports massage therapist; but even more surprised when he proved to be really rather good at it, with a good range of techniques and an instinctive touch.  You really can't teach someone to have good hands!

Former Royal Marine Phil McDougall is currently in the process of completing his Level 5 Sports Massage qualification at the London School of Sports Massage, and is due to start training at the British School of Osteopathy in September.  A thoughtful and instinctive therapist who is keen to learn, Phil will be available on Friday afternoons, and on other days by prior arrangement.  Given the famed rivalry between the Paras and the Marines, I'm intrigued to see how Phil gets on with Ryan...!

Capt Harold Ackroyd and Maj William Allen were the first two members of the Royal Army Medical Corps to be awarded the Victoria Cross.  Sarah suggested that we should name our therapy rooms in their honour - so we have.  For those who are familiar with Victory's layout, Ackroyd faces you when you reach the bottom of the stairs, and Allen is on the left.

Finally, there's Starvin' Marvin (on the right) - the leanest member of Victory.  He was named on 2 Feb after The Foundry held a Facebook competition.  He hangs around generally looking like a bit of a cool dude, and is always available to show you what bones look like and how joints should work.

The only down side to this is that - with not enough hours in the day - I'm having to give up my clinic at The Back Shop.  But the staff are great, and I still really rate the equipment they sell (particularly the Mobiliser!) and their ergonomic assessments, so I have no intention of losing touch with them completely.

Right - that's it, I've said enough.  You've met the gang: what are you waiting for? Come on in and meet us: get in touch to book that appointment you've been needing for ages....!

Introducing Sacha

Posted by Nell Mead at 11:25 on 31 Aug 2010

Sacha Macey is the operations director of Victory Health & Performance.

Following a university tennis scholarship in the States, Sacha came back to the UK to study Electronic and Electrical Engineering, graduating from Birmingham University in 1999.  She then passed out of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 2000 before joining the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in 2001.

Sacha and Nell met in 2001 on the tennis court in Aldershot.  They quickly teamed up as the Army’s top doubles pair, and swapped victories in the Army singles championship on an annual basis.  Sacha stayed in the Army for 5 years before leaving to set up her own property company, Out to Inspire, and then worked internationally in project management.  She managed the opening of Hotel Penacova in Portugal, was part of the team managing the opening of Dubai International Airport in 2008; and before she joined Nell in setting up Victory in 2010, she was part of Polar explorer Robert Swan’s team at 2041.

Sacha has now brought her characteristic enthusiasm and can-do attitude to the role of operations director at Victory Health & Performance.  Her major current project is to secure and then fit out Victory’s first premises.

Unfortunately, Sacha has gained the distinction of becoming Victory’s first patient, having fractured her wrist twice this year.  Fortunately she is now healing nicely and hopes to be back on the tennis court by the time Victory launches fully!

Welcome to Victory

Posted by Nell Mead at 10:51 on 30 Aug 2010

Hello, I’m Nell Mead, the clinical director of Victory Health & Performance.  Welcome to my blog!

I am a clinical specialist physiotherapist, and specialise in sports medicine and back pain.  I have just left the Army after 10 years in the Royal Army Medical Corps.  During that time, I did an operational tour in Iraq and travelled all over the world with Army sports teams including rugby, football and tennis.  I finished my time in the Army as a Major, in charge of the physiotherapy and rehabilitation team for British Forces Cyprus, where I spent a fantastic two years culminating in becoming the physiotherapist for the Cyprus Davis Cup team.  (I was very excited when, the following week, Marcos Baghdatis beat Roger Federer for the first time – obviously all down to my treatment!)

Victory Health & Performance is a new venture.  It is an interdisciplinary medical rehabilitation centre, which we will be setting up in London as soon as my team and I can find the right premises.  I want to have a team of health and performance professionals (doctors, physiotherapists, psychologists, nutritionists, podiatrists, massage therapists, rehabilitation therapists etc) working together to help our clients achieve their goals, and surpass their expectations with regard to performance in sports and work.

I am setting up the clinical team at the moment, and will introduce the team members gradually.  Most of them have a military background, and we plan to maintain our links with the armed forces by treating former service personnel on a not-for-profit basis.  Help for Heroes have agreed in principle to subsidise their treatment, so if you meet their criteria then please e-mail me for more information.

The aim of this blog is to introduce you to the Victory concept (of which more, later) and to keep you up-to-date with our latest news.  We will be launching the full website soon, which is very exciting, and opening for business as soon as we have proper premises.

In the mean time, I am busy seeing private clients.  I consult for Back in Action on Fridays and may also be able to visit you at home if you live in the London area.  I am also going to be involved in the next series of School of Hard Knocks plus Sarah Key’s next Back in a Week and the Back Show.  My operations director, Sacha Macey is hard at work finding premises and then getting them set up so that we can put our plans fully into action - I’ll introduce her tomorrow.

I will be posting further on these events – watch this space!

If you would like an appointment with me, please e-mail me

If you have any other comments or questions, I would love to hear them so please feel free to comment below (I will respond!) or to e-mail me.