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Monday 09:00 - 17:00 Tuesday 08:30 - 19:00 Wednesday 08:30 - 19:00 Thursday 08:30 - 19:00

Nicola Drabble - Bariatric Dietitian South Africa, Intercare Sandton, 200 Rivonia Road, Johannesburg (2025)

I was first introduced to dietetics at a careers evening at my school when I was in Grade 9. I met a dietitian there and after hearing about what she does, I thought it was the perfect job for me – I get to help people and talk about food all day! After practicing for 23 years, I still love what I do. My career started at the end of 2000, 2 days after writing my final exams, I flew over to Switzerland where I worked as a private chalet girl, preparing menu plans, doing budgets and cooking 3 course meals for up to 20 guests. I did that for a couple of winter seasons and in the summer and for the 8 years that followed, I worked in the NHS in the UK seeing inpatient surgical patients and outpatient clinics working with obesity, weight loss, diabetes, gastroenterology. After many grey rainy days in the UK, in 2008 I moved to sunny Spain and had a private practice working alongside a surgeon who was practicing Bariatric Surgery. I loved this field of medicine as it was a marriage of my two loves – surgery and diseases of lifestyle. It was there that I started to specialize in bariatric surgery. I moved back to South Africa in April 2010 and joined an internationally accredited bariatric center. I’m an anti diet dietitian - I don’t even have a scale in my office. You wouldn’t think that with my specialities! I like to focus on overall health, centimeters, gut health, sleep and energy ensuring you can live your best life. After working with so many different people over the years, and acknowledging how hard it is to change lifestyle habits, I have put together a 12 Fixes to Healthy group challenge. Small changes, made over a 12 week period are sustainable in the long term and will help improve overall quality of life, energy levels, concentration, boost gut health, loose centimeters and age well. So get some friends together and look out for those starting days! My other loves are my two kids, Maya (5) and Jordan (2), my husband Jono who is my #1 cheerleader, triathlons, mountain biking, travelling and of course all things food! I’d love to hear from you,
Nicola

nicoladrabble@gmail.com

20/11/2025

The countdown is on – 6 more sleeps to go until our first Obesity Community Fund list! 🎉

The excitement is building!

A massive thanks to Bev from Nutrition Kitchen for generously donating a Care Pass voucher to support this initiative. 🙌💛

Every Nutrition Kitchen order sends 15% directly to the Obesity Community Fund — helping more patients access the care, nutrition, and support they need.
Together we’re not just nourishing bodies… we’re transforming lives.

Exciting times ahead✨

If you would like to donate to the Obesity Community Fund you can do so directly on the website (link in Bio) Your support helps the fund reach more people - and strengthens our collective voice in the healthcare conversation.

17/11/2025

This post was inspired by one of my 2 year post op patients last week who said “I started to see the scale creep up, and immediately I went back down the rabbit hole of counting calories again.”

That moment - that fear - is what diet culture has trained us to do.

Your body isn’t a simple in–out equation.
It’s a living system made up of hormones, hunger signals, sleep, emotions, stress, and individual stories.

Yes, calories matter…
but nutrients matter more.

🥗 Whole foods talk to your metabolism.
💪 Protein and fibre calm hunger hormones.
🧠 Micronutrients support mood, energy, and cravings.
💩 And your gut microbiome? It literally decides what happens with every bite.

That’s why “just eat less” doesn’t work.
It oversimplifies something that is really complex.
And eating well should not be an exercise in willpower!

My golden rule:
✨ You need to eat to lose weight! ✨
This is for pre and post op patients (in a lot of patients, post op weight gain is from restricting yourself at mealtimes and starting to graze!)

Save this post for the next time someone tells you to “just eat less and move more.”
You’ll know better — and you’ll know why you (and your body) deserves better.

10/11/2025

If you’ve ever been told your weight was a choice…
the 2025 South African Obesity Guidelines (SAMJ, Vol 115, No. 9) just proved otherwise. 💥

Obesity is recognised as a chronic, complex disease — one that deserves real care, not blame. It’s shaped by biology, environment, psychology, and systems.

That means care is shifting —
👉🏼From blame to biology.
👉🏼From shame to science.
👉🏼From “try harder” to “let’s treat this properly.”

Here’s what’s new 👇
✨ BMI alone is out — health is about function, energy, and quality of life (Just because someone has a ‘healthy’ BMI doesn’t mean they are healthy and visa versa)
✨ Bariatric surgery is in and should not be a patients last resort to treatment. It’s safe, effective and evidence-based medicine.
✨ Mental health is central — because mindset drives maintenance.
✨ Nutrition is flexible — culture, joy, sustainability and food freedom matter.
✨Eat less, move more” is officially retired – woohoo! Please stop following those ‘gurus’ still counting calories and telling you to exercise more! If it sounds too good to be true, it is.
✨Move for life - not for weight loss - Physical activity improves health even without weight loss.
✨ Language matters — I’ve had too many patients in tears in my office having been treated poorly by other healthcare professions. People living with obesity need to be treated with the respect and compassion they deserve.

There are 17 articles included in the guideline. I have chosen these to share with you so you can understand that you are/ were never the problem.
And if you’ve had bariatric surgery — or are thinking about it — you deserve pride, not shame 💗

The science is finally catching up to your truth.

(DM me if you would like the link to all the articles)

02/11/2025

Contact Bev to get your black friday specials. Perfect for holiday entertaining and everyday meals
Nutrition Kitchen

01/10/2025

Happy International Coffee Day! ☕🌍

Coffee isn’t just a drink—it’s a ritual, a culture, and for many, a daily lifeline.

Did you know?

✨️Coffee is the world’s second most traded commodity after oil.

✨️It’s packed with antioxidants, which help protect your cells from damage.

✨️Moderate intake (2–3 cups a day) has been linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s, liver disease, and even some cancers.

🧚‍♀️Decaf has benefits too—it’s not only about the caffeine.

👉 For bariatric patients, coffee can be enjoyed post-op, but with a few tweaks:

⭐️Avoid it in the first few weeks after surgery (it’s acidic and can irritate the stomach and trigger nausea).

⭐️Skip the sugar-laden syrups and creamy add-ons—opt for plain, black, or with low-fat milk.

⭐️Stop with caffeine at least by 12pm as it can impact your sleep.

⭐️Don't drinks cappacinos through the day - its a form of grazing and can trigger weight gain and fill you up so you don't eat!

How many coffee lovers do we have out there?

Address

Intercare Sandton, 200 Rivonia Road
Johannesburg

Opening Hours

Monday	09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday	08:30 - 19:00
Wednesday	08:30 - 19:00
Thursday	08:30 - 19:00

Telephone

+27791533262

Website

http://www.nicoladrabble.co.za/

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