I am an Anti-Diet Dietitian, specializing in eating behavior.
Meet Catherine
Dietitian Anti-Diet, I work independently in Antony, in the Hauts de Seine region, in France. It was in 2004, at the age of 30, that I decided to change career paths.
During my initial years in the field of nutrition, I spent a few weeks each year working in humanitarian aid. I was involved with non-governmental organizations such as Helen Keller International and Save the Children U.K., participating in their programs to address malnutrition in vulnerable regions of Burkina Faso, Kenya, and Bangladesh.
Simultaneously, I worked in London as a Freelance Public Health Nutritionist, collaborating with organizations like the N.H.S. and other institutions such as municipalities, clinics, health centers, and schools. Locally, I engaged in health programs to promote vitamins for children under five, community gardening initiatives, and the normalization of breastfeeding in public spaces. Additionally, I promoted Healthy Eating and Physical Activity programs in both public and private sectors.
In 2016, during a professional break in Munich, my experiences with international malnutrition and London’s unhealthy eating habits led me to realize that, beyond mere dietary choices or weekly exercise routines, an individual’s well-being, aside from genetic factors, is heavily influenced by socio-economic factors. Through my readings and research, I came to understand that overall health in Western societies is also influenced by mental and physical health, environmental factors, and, most importantly, an individual’s beliefs.
Speaking of beliefs, I noticed that certain nutritional guidelines categorizing foods as “bad” based on their nutritional value or calorie content could quickly become guilt-inducing injunctions. Viewing fatty or sugary foods as forbidden could lead to guilt and fear of weight gain in the eater. Ultimately, these external messages could contribute to behaviors such as compulsive eating.
After this realization, I began to see things differently. It wasn’t just about the food itself, but rather the individual’s relationship with certain foods that played a significant role in behavior. “It is not enough for a food to be good to eat; it must also be good to think about.” Claude Lévi-Strauss.
My interest in overall health, therefore, convinced me to continue my studies. After earning a BSc in Human Nutrition and an MSc in International Public Health Nutrition, I decided to deepen my knowledge in bio-psycho-corporeal approaches.
Today, I draw on my French and English training to identify therapeutic tools aimed at freeing eaters from guilt associated with food. I draw my knowledge from the Reflection Group on Obesity and Overweight, Sophrology, as well as the ten principles of Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch.
Education
MSc International Public Health nutrition, U.K 2008
BSc Human Nutrition, UK 2007
N° ADELI 759508583, France
Training
Sophrologie IFS, 2023
Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, 2021
Entretien motivationnel, 2018
Praticienne et Membre du Groupe de Réflexion sur l’Obésité et le Surpoids LeGros, 2018
The Mindful Eating Conscious Living Programme, M.E.C.L, 2017
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, M.B.S.R, 2017
Associations
A.F.N
(Association for Nutrition)
Le G.R.O.S
(Le Groupe de Réflexion sur l’Obésité et le Surpoids)