Foundations
A 12-week 1:1 program for women with lipedema
For women who are already doing a lot for their lipedema and still feel heavy, sore and swollen by the end of the day.
You’ve been told to compress, to move, to manage symptoms.
Foundations goes deeper.
Lipedema affects the whole layer under your skin. The fat tissue itself, the connective tissue holding it together, and the small blood and lymph vessels running through it are all involved, and estrogen makes all three more reactive. That's why one approach on its own, like keto alone, lymphatic massage alone or compression alone, only takes you so far.
Foundations works on what you can actually influence: the inflammation in that tissue, your gut, how you eat in a way you can keep up for years, daily support for the tissue itself, and building strength. It starts with your bloodwork, so we're working from what's happening in your body instead of guessing.
I explain the reasoning behind everything we do, so you understand your body well enough to keep going long after the 12 weeks are done.
Is Foundations Right for You?
This program is for women with lipedema (diagnosed or strongly suspecting) who:
Have tried keto, RAD, lymphatic massage, compression or supplements, and it helped for a while but didn't last, or never really helped
Notice heavier legs by 5pm, swelling after meals, tenderness or easy bruising, or legs that feel dense and tight
Felt better on keto but couldn't keep it going once life got stressful
Are perimenopausal or menopausal, or have a thyroid condition, and feel like their body shifted in ways standard lipedema advice doesn't account for
Want to understand what their body is doing, not just follow another protocol
This isn't the right starting point if your situation needs medical management first, such as an active autoimmune flare, severe digestive disease that needs clinical care, or an eating disorder history that needs specialist support before nutrition work begins. The discovery call is where we figure that out together, and the door stays open if the timing isn't right yet.
How the 12 weeks are built
Foundations has two phases. The nutrition work doesn't stop at week 6. It's a way of eating you keep through the Movement Phase and beyond.
It starts with your bloodwork
Before we decide where to focus, I'll ask you to request a few panels from your doctor: thyroid, fasting insulin, liver, vitamin D and an inflammation marker. Two women with the same heavy legs can have completely different things going on underneath, and your results show us which pieces need the most attention in your body. If you haven't had these done, I'll tell you exactly what to ask for.
Nutrition Phase:
Weeks 1 to 6
We build a protein-first, anti-inflammatory way of eating with carbohydrates kept in on purpose. Not keto forever, and not a rigid protocol. You'll learn which carbs work with your body, how much, and when, using your own hands as the portion guide instead of a food scale or tracking app.
For these 12 weeks we also take out ultra-processed food, alcohol and added sugar as fully as we can. They aren't off the table forever, but if something flares, we need to know whether it was the food or the glass of wine the night before.
The tissue support starts at the same time. Food helps slow new fluid from building up, but it does less for what's already sitting in your legs. So from week one we build a simple daily routine: compression that actually fits, more movement through your day, and gentle at-home support for the tissue.
What you may start to notice: less heaviness in your legs by the end of the day, less soreness, fewer afternoon crashes and cravings.
Movement Phase:
Weeks 7 to 12
With the nutrition foundation in place and your energy coming back, we build strength. Muscle is one of the best things you can build through perimenopause and after. It helps your body handle carbohydrates, and every time your calf and thigh muscles work, they help move fluid out of your legs. This phase focuses on [posture, balance and building strength safely in a lipedema body].
Estrogen
Estrogen plays a real role in lipedema. Hormone testing and HRT decisions stay with your doctor, and I'll help you know what to ask. Inside Foundations, we support how your body handles estrogen through your gut, your liver and the inflammation work we're already doing.
What's included
90-minute intake call. We go through your health history, symptoms, what you've already tried and your bloodwork, then choose your starting point together. You leave with a clear plan for week one.
Personalized protocol in Practice Better. Your plan, updated as your body responds. Specific actions tied to things you'll feel, like less heaviness by 5pm, not abstract goals.
Follow-up calls at weeks 4, 8, and 12. We review what's shifted, troubleshoot what got in the way and adjust. The week 12 call pulls everything into one final plan that belongs to you.
Weekly check-ins through Practice Better messaging. For questions, adjustments and accountability between calls, across all 12 weeks.
Measurements at the start, week 6 and week 12. Leg and waist measurements, plus pain and heaviness ratings, so you can see what's changing instead of relying on the scale.
Recipes, food guides and explainer documents. Written so you understand the reasoning behind what we're doing, not just what to do.
Supplement guidance where appropriate, always with the instruction to check with your doctor given your health history and any medications.
Testimonial
"Holly is compassionate and offers incredibly helpful knowledge and support. Learning how to manage lipedema with lifestyle and healing foods choices has been both empowering and freeing from the frustration and pain caused by the disease. Thank you Holly."
— Christine
Hi, I'm Holly
I'm a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and I work only with women with lipedema. I have lipedema-relevant experience in my own body, so I know what it's like to do everything you've been told and still feel heavy by the afternoon. My work connects the dots between food, inflammation, hormones, the tissue itself and movement, and turns that into a plan you can actually live with.
What you leave with
Most women who come to Foundations already know a lot. They've read the research, followed the accounts and tried the protocols. What's missing is someone who can look at their specific picture, show them how it connects for them, and keep them consistent long enough to feel the change.
By week 12 you'll have:
A clear understanding of what's been driving your symptoms
A way of eating that fits your life, with room for treats once the foundation is built
A daily routine that supports the tissue in your legs
A strength routine you can keep doing
Your own data on how your body responds, so you can troubleshoot without me
Investment and next steps
Foundations: 12-week 1:1 program for women with lipedema
$1,200 CAD, or three monthly payments of $400
Start with a free 20-minute discovery call. We'll talk through where you are, what you've already tried and whether Foundations is the right fit. You'll leave with clarity on next steps either way.
I take a small number of women into Foundations each month so I can be fully present for each one.
FAQs
Do I need a formal lipedema diagnosis? No. Many women I work with are still waiting on a diagnosis or can't access one where they live. If your symptoms sound familiar, the discovery call is the right place to start.
Is this keto? No. Foundations is lower to moderate carb, with whole-food carbohydrates built in on purpose, because it needs to be something you can keep doing in a stressful year. If pain is your main symptom and isn't shifting, we may use a short, structured lower-carb reset for a few weeks, but it isn't keto forever.
Will my legs get smaller? Results vary a lot from woman to woman. What tends to change first is heaviness, swelling and soreness, and many women see measurable changes in their legs. That's why we measure at the start, week 6 and week 12, so you can see your own results.
Is this only for earlier-stage lipedema? Foundations tends to make the most difference at stages 1 and 2. If you're at a later stage, we can talk through whether it's the right fit on the discovery call.
Do you work with women outside Canada? Yes. Foundations is fully virtual. I'm not able to work with clients in some US states because of licensing rules, and we'll confirm this on the discovery call.
What if I'm not ready for 12 weeks? The Lipedema Audit is a single 60-minute session for $200. We look at your current picture and pick the few changes most likely to help first. The fee is credited toward Foundations if you decide to continue.