Finding New Ground in the World of Nutrition

“I look at each client as if they are a newborn. What does this body need to grow, and what will do the best job of nourishing this particular person.” Said Linda Potter, of Parker, CO. Potter is a triple certified nutritionist that has spent her entire life building her career from the ground up. Potter goes above and beyond to add a unique element to her services while reaching out to as many people as possible.

Present:
On an average work day, Potter spends her time reviewing client information, and composing the perfect meal plan for them. She balances her work day with her three children, and wife duties, and still manages to have a thriving business. Potter explained that her job is much more than copying and pasting meals. She likes to offer her clients the very best nutrition advice and expertise to help them succeed.

After building up her reputation around the Denver area, Potter currently has around 50 active clients. Typically a client will meet with Linda and complete a questionnaire about their eating habits. Potter asks them what their goals are, and together they establish attainable goals. “You have to set the client up for success. The number one reason for failure is when the goals you set are not realistic. If the client feels deprived, they will fail.” Potter said that the most important part of the process is helping the client change their relationship with food. She helps counsel them through their changing meal plans, as they become tougher and tougher. “We start easy, and begin by making subtle changes, while educating them about the food they are fueling their bodies with. Knowledge is powerful.”

How did she get here?

Linda Potter was born in California, where her large family of nine shared a small duplex. “I was always asking my mother about the food. Why does it look like that? What does that taste like?” Potter says her mother was an avid cook, and made a three course family dinner every night. Her real appreciation for food began when she was finally able to move out of the family home and begin to cook her own food. Potter spent hours tearing through cookbooks, and finding new ways to cook an old familiar dish. “It was the only thing I could do that nobody else could touch, it was just for me.”

Working from home is something that Potter has aspired to do since she was in her 20’s. When she had her first daughter, Bree in August of 2000, she realized that she was sick of punching the time clock, she was restless and she wanted to do something more. At that time Linda was managing a 24 Hour Fitness in Denver, which is where she met her husband Paul. Paul was always encouraging her to go back to school and get her Nutrition degree.

Potter graduated from CSU, with a BA in Business. Potter had seen an ad for a licensing course in Nutrition, and she immediately enrolled. The course was eight weeks long, and Potter admits that it was very challenging for her. “You think you know so much about something until you actually have to know it”, said Potter. “I was very scared and insecure. Many people in there were so young, and I hadn’t been in school in such a long time.” Potter said that this was a really tough point for her and her family. She had a baby at home, but she needed to keep working to keep an income. After earning her initial license, Potter went on to get 3 more certifications including ACE, ASFA, and ISSA, which are some of the best certifications you can possibly get.

Unique approach:

 Potter says that she becomes very close with her clients, since often times their lifestyles don’t permit them to have someone that they can talk to about nutrition. Potter says that she becomes the friend they need, while still being the dependable teacher. “By the time we are done, I hope to have given the client the life tools they need to stay on the right path. It is all about moderation. Food is for fuel, not comfort. These are the kinds of things I tell my clients often.”

Potter is unique in the sense that she will go to her clients’ house and help them cook new recipes, and show them tips unique to their kitchen and their utensils, “This process makes them feel like their nutrition goals are doable.” said Potter, who spends a great amount of time ensuring that her clients get the most advanced and personalized nutrition services there is to offer.

“In terms of one year, three meals a day, that is over a thousand ways that you can improve your habits, and your lifestyle.”