Juliet Finnie

What inspired you to become a dietitian?

Juliet: I knew that I wanted to work in health and I love food. Dietetics is the ideal combination of both, and nutrition can have such a huge impact on health.

What degrees/certifications have you attained? What significance do these hold in relation to your work with patients and your status as an expert?

Juliet: I have a degree in Biological Science and a PGDip in Dietetics. I was glad that I did dietetics as a postgraduate course and I think it gave me a wider perspective. I’ve always been keenly interested in science and I love translating science into real-life practical advice.

What are the 2-3 key learnings from your career in healthcare and working with patients so far?

Juliet:

1. No two people or patients are the same. Everyone has a different journey, and we can’t support patients well if we don’t know their individual history and priorities.
2. Making lifestyle changes and improving nutrition is a powerful tool that everyone can access with the right support.

I believe that good nutrition and enjoyment of food should go hand in hand. A positive relationship with food is just as important as choosing the right foods.

What do you do at Oviva?

Juliet: I work closely with all of the different teams in Oviva. My key message is that in all of the work we do, we need to put the patient at the centre of it and strive to support each patient in the best way possible. A typical day might involve delivering training for new dietitians, reviewing some new articles for patients, supporting the dietitians with clinical questions, and making changes to pathways to provide the best care possible.

What did you do before Oviva?

Juliet: Before Oviva, I worked as an NHS dietitian, working in specialist diabetes services both within a busy diabetes centre in West Sussex and later in rural Scotland. I have had the privilege of working with an amazing range of patients and colleagues with different backgrounds and have learned from all of them.

What is your nutritional philosophy and why?

Juliet: I believe that good nutrition and enjoyment of food should go hand in hand. A positive relationship with food is just as important as choosing the right foods.

Everyone has a different journey, and we can’t support patients well if we don’t know their individual history and priorities.

What is your nutritional philosophy and why do you support it?

Juliet: I believe that good nutrition and enjoyment of food should go hand in hand. A positive relationship with food is just as important as choosing the right foods.

What would you consider your areas of expertise?

Juliet: I have specialised in diabetes (both type 1 and type 2) since early in my career. Nutrition has such an important role to play in diabetes management. My other key area of expertise is weight management, with a key focus on evidence-based personalised weight management approaches.

What is your favourite App feature?

Juliet: I love the instant food feedback feature. It’s great to have feedback in the moment and then later to link it in with the specialised advice from our Oviva coaches.

What would you say to people who believe, after many failed attempts, that they will never achieve weight loss success?

Juliet: I would say not to see each attempt as a fail but as something to learn from. It’s normal that it takes multiple attempts, and they may not have found the right individualised approach to suit them yet. I would encourage them to keep going and also to focus on all of the wonderful positive things that their body does every day. We are more than our weight.