Less than a year later, Harkins is beginning to realize the effect she is having. Not only has her list of clients multiplied exponentially, but her clients’ friends are beginning to question how exactly Harkins is eliciting such noticeable results from her clients.

“I always say that the perfect one-two punch to staying healthy is dieting and exercise, but people should realize that it involves much more than that,” she said. “If you don’t have an idea of what exactly is in the foods you are eating, you are missing out on a very important aspect.”

A graduate of the University of Delaware, Harkins has found it essential to learn everything there is to know about the proper care of the human body. Knowledge is power when it comes to fighting the basic causes of obesity and lethargy, she said, and with a little help, anyone can transform into a healthier person.

Harkins recently set up a new office on second floor of Good for You Natural Market in rural Lewes. Her goal is to help one person at a time by providing guidance through Good for You and other nearby markets, showing clients which products are best and which ones should be avoided.

Harkins said people who don’t frequently check the nutrition facts and ingredients in their supermarket selections might be surprised at what exactly is inside the foods they eat every day. Despite grocery stores offering healthier choices than in previous generations, many popular products are jam-packed with unhealthy sugary additives, she said.

“Something that people often don’t realize is that while a little added sugar or high fructose corn syrup might not necessarily throw them off their diet, what it essentially does is slowly [make] the mind start to crave other sugary foods,” said Harkins. “Also, I have found that people are commonly skipping by beneficial products with good things like fiber and calcium.”

Although it might be difficult to read every nutrition fact in a supermarket, Harkins has found her clients have had peace of mind because she has outlined everything they need in a concise and personalized diet plan.

“With a diet plan, my clients know exactly what to eat, at what time of day,” said Harkins, “and because the diet plan corrects normally unhealthy eating habits, they find that they can lose weight without even having to think about it.” As one of the very few licensed dieticians in Sussex County, Harkins offers a broad range of services to her clients: individual and couples nutritional counseling, personal training and group fitness classes, lifestyle seminars, cooking classes, grocery store tours and restaurant visits.

“What I do is simplify the science of nutrition,” she said. “After you learn what foods you like and [which] exercises suit your lifestyle, staying healthy is easy.”

Because Harkins also serves a s a dietician for various medical and cancer centers, hours are on an appointment basis. Ideal Fitness and Nutrition is located at 28841 Lewes-Georgetown Highway. The business can also be visited online at idealnutritionandfitness.com