Before Saratogian Lindsay Ferrara, MS, RD, CDN, opened her own business in September 2020, she worked as an ICU dietitian, overseeing what and how much critically ill patients are fed. After working with patients in hospitals for more than a decade, she decided to switch gears and approach health and nutrition from a different angle: helping people stay out of the hospital. Enter Pinnacle Nutrition, Ferrara’s business that helps clients optimize their nutrition and metabolism through metabolic testing and a combination of small lifestyle changes and mindful eating.
A year after launching Pinnacle Nutrition, Ferrara celebrated another milestone—the ribbon cutting for her business’ physical location at 15 Maple Dell in Saratoga. Saratoga Living caught up with Ferrara after the opening to learn more about Pinnacle Nutrition’s first year in business.
Describe Pinnacle Nutrition in a sentence or two.
Pinnacle Nutrition is about helping clients achieve their nutrition goals in a way that is specific to their own body’s needs. Just like knowing cholesterol numbers or blood pressure, I give clients real numbers to work with so they can get off the yo-yo dieting hamster wheel.
Why did you want to open this business?
I am sick of diet culture, fad diets, and weight loss gimmicks. I want to teach people that gaining strength is better than losing weight, improving nutrition is better than going on another diet, and knowing what our bodies actually need is better than overly restricting.
Tell us about Pinnacle Nutrition’s main offerings.
My focus is on optimizing metabolism, and I typically start by testing a client’s metabolic rate with a machine called an Indirect Calorimeter. This machine measures a client’s oxygen consumption which equates to their calorie needs while at rest. Metabolic testing gives us accurate numbers to work with so we aren’t just guessing at calorie needs. I also offer body composition testing using a Bioelectrical Impedance Device which allows the tracking of muscle mass and body fat percentage over time. In addition, I help clients with meal planning, mindful eating, thyroid disease, heart disease, and more.
Who are your clients, and what type of people should consider becoming clients?
My clients are both men and women and range from age 23 to 73. I have clients wanting to gain muscle, gain weight, lose weight, improve cholesterol, clients wanting help figuring out how to eat better and clients who have tried and failed so many diets, they are at a loss for how to proceed with better nutrition. The one thing my clients all have in common is the motivation to eat better and feel better.
What’s the biggest misconception about nutrition?
There are so many, it’s hard to choose one. I’d say that the biggest misconception is the thought that people must overly restrict or starve themselves to be healthier. Restrictive dieting and/or cutting out food groups is not the answer.
How was your first full year in business?
Business has been steady. I’ve established 200 clients in just over a year and have enjoyed working with each and every one of them. One thing that will never go out of style is a person’s desire to improve their health.