Nutrition Expert Shares Her Weight-Loss Strategy

Certified nutritionist Karen Cohen pulled out a photograph of herself as a chubby little girl with wispy curls. ‘People never believe me,’ the slender Cohen says, ‘but I used to be overweight.’ Cohen, 62, weighed 165 pounds when she was 12 years old. ‘I have had weight problems my whole life. I understand how difficult it is to lose weight and keep it off,’ says Cohen, who works with clients at Oasis Palisades, a health and wellness center at 16074 Bollinger Dr. in Pacific Palisades that also offers acupuncture and massage. As a child, a physician gave her diet pills causing her to lose 10 pounds in a summer, but she simply gained weight again. As a teenager, she recorded her calories and daily exercise. By doing so, she lost weight and kept it off. Cohen helps people change their lifestyle by teaching them about calories, serving sizes, healthy foods and more. She works with clients who have conditions such as cancer, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, eating disorders, food allergies or digestive disorders. Cohen also helps pregnant women, new mothers and menopausal women develop an appropriate diet plan. ‘I’m a lifestyle coach,’ Cohen says. ‘The educator, the motivator, the supporter.’ Cohen meets with clients at the grocery store to help them analyze labels, or she comes to their homes to examine the contents of their cupboards and refrigerator. She suggests nutrition shakes, vitamins and supplements. ‘I work with individuals,’ she says. ‘I do everything custom to the person.’ Cohen, who has two grown children, Jill Lasky and Tracy Shabsis, and three grandchildren, decided to become a nutritionist after suffering from cancer for a third time. ‘I wanted to move into a career that was closer to my heart,’ she says. She had previously worked for Bank of America for 15 years, climbing the company’s ladder. She was manager of Bank of America in Pacific Palisades from 1991 to 1993 and her last position was in human resources for the Southern California region. In 2000, she was diagnosed with breast cancer for a second time. She had breast cancer before in 1989 and uterine cancer in 1982. During treatment for her second breast cancer, she was prescribed medicine that caused her to gain weight, so she met with a nutritionist who simply handed her a list of items to eat. ‘I lacked the education to know why I had to eat these foods,’ she says. ‘I wanted to know why in order to make a lifestyle change.’ Cohen decided then that she wanted to help people understand how certain foods affect their health. ‘I educate and support everyone whom I work with.’ After enrolling in American Health Science University based in Aurora, Colorado, Cohen earned her degree in nutrition science in 2004. She trained with the American Heart Association, where she developed a nutritional program for children to address the increasing number of obese children nationwide. ‘Because of my own experience, I took this project on with great enthusiasm,’ Cohen says. ‘Growing up can be difficult in its own right, but when you add ridicule and rejection, childhood can be a nightmare. I believe that if we reach our children early on, we can help them develop behaviors that will protect them from cardiovascular diseases and other long-term physical and emotional threats to their health.’ Cohen also completed FirstLine Therapy Certification through the Metagenics Education Program and is an active member of the National Association of Nutrition Professionals. When Cohen meets with clients for the first time, she does a digital body analysis, which measures lean muscle, cell health, hydration level, body fat and the number of calories her clients burn at rest. From that information, she can figure out the appropriate calorie intake based on their body composition and physical activity level. She also inquires about medical history and goals before developing a customized diet and exercise plan. For those interested in losing weight, Cohen doesn’t suggest a ‘fad diet’ or cutting out certain foods to drop pounds quickly. A safe weight-loss plan is one to two pounds a week. New mothers who are breastfeeding should lose weight at a slower rate because they are providing nutrients for their baby. ‘People should be eating all the food groups (protein, fat and complex carbohydrates) to get the nutrients they need,’ Cohen says. ‘Study after study has shown that people who eat from all the food groups lose their weight and keep it off. Cutting back too many calories may lead to overeating once a goal is met.’ Cohen asks her clients to journal, so they can be honest about the foods they eat. ‘I always say fudging is worse than having a piece of fudge,’ she says, chuckling. She loves to hear that her clients experience an improvement in their health. ‘When people actually make a change, they start feeling better about themselves in every aspect of their lives. The most successful people are 100 percent committed,’ Cohen says. To make an appointment, e-mail learn2eatright@yahoo.com or call (310) 444-9755.