Get to Know Me

About Me

I’m Sam (she/her) - qualified nutritionist, Accredited Practicing Dietitian (APD), foodie, recipe developer and content creator. Right from when I was very young I have consistently had a passion for health, fitness and cooking, as I grew older this passion became something that I wished to live and breathe. I decided to study nutrition and dietetics and start @simplysamnutrition on Instagram as a means to share this passion and fascination with food as well as foods relationship with the body, with the world.

My childhood and family diet definitely played a large role in shaping my views on health. A typical dinner in the Paton household consisted of some form of meat and three different vegetables, my mother always encouraged myself and my sister to opt for fruit rather than sweets and we always had a plethora of healthy snacks in the cupboard. This allowed me to learn the value of a balanced diet at a young age which has stuck with me ever since. As I grew into a teenager, I began calorie counting, and while I never personally became too obsessed with counting macronutrients and calories, it certainly was not a healthy method of dieting for me to practice considering my low self-esteem and the negative head space I was in at the time. Since finishing school, I have fallen in love with intuitive eating and have found that balance is the most important aspect of ones diet and that balance looks different for every individual.

I spent most of my adolescence vegetarian and pescatarian which has allowed me to experiment with a great extent of plant-based recipes and foods that I otherwise may not have had the chance to dabble with. This has given me a unique outlook on vegan/vegetarian lifestyles and has led me to understand that while these diets don’t suit everyone, those who choose these diets, with clear planning, can meet their nutrient and energy needs.

Food Philosophy:

My philosophy for healthy eating can be explained in three words: balance, sustainability, and freedom. If you have ever asked yourself why “this diet isn’t working” or why the results of a diet you followed were so short-lived, or even why the diet itself was so difficult to stick to for a prolonged period of time, I believe that you are yet to find your balance. I wholly believe that a well-balanced diet is at the core of what many people are missing. With so many new diets, Instagram health ‘experts’ and food trends constantly emerging, it is easy to understand why a great deal of people are unsure of what to eat, and often opt for restrictive diets. I intend with my recipes, to show people what different components of a balanced diet can look like, and to convey that with balance comes a diet that can be easily sustained creating longevity. Once a person finds their balance, a whole new world of food opens up to them, and a sense of freedom can be restored!

Goals:

I hope in my career to have the chance to teach people that diet culture and media trends are often not the most reliable methods to lead one to meeting their health goals. I am excited to educate people about the role that diet plays in chronic disease prevention, and in addition I look forward to aiding those with chronic diseases through dietetic medicine.