Ever wondered what it would be like to meet with a Registered Dietitian? At Loop Nutrition, we know that sharing details about eating habits and health goals can feel very personal, so we are giving you an inside look at what it’s like to meet with one of our Registered Dietitians (RDs).
First and foremost, it's important to recognize that working with a dietitian is a highly personalized experience. Rather than providing a one-size-fits-all plan to follow, dietitians have the educational background and a set of specific skills to create a customized plan that is tailored to your individual health needs, goals and preferences.
When you first meet with a dietitian, they will likely ask you a lot of questions to get to know you, your medical history, current eating pattern, lifestyle and food preferences. All this information helps the dietitian to understand your unique nutrition needs and tailor any nutrition education that would be beneficial to reach your wellness goals.
One of a dietitian's superpowers is the ability to help you take the science behind nutrition and the body, and summarize it in a practical and actionable way. They can help you determine what habits you can implement to reach your goals and how to break these habits down into small attainable steps along the way.
One of the most common misconceptions about meeting with a dietitian is that they will hand you a long list of foods not to eat and send you on your way. This is far from the truth! One of a dietitian’s main goals is to help individuals eat as much variety as possible in their diet, which means you will often learn about foods to add to your eating repertoire rather than take-away.
That being said, your dietitian will collaborate with you to set short and long-term goals and you will leave that first appointment with a small goal to start implementing right away.
Working with a dietitian means you will have both a cheerleader and coach to celebrate your successes, troubleshoot what is not working, and keep you accountable for sticking to your goals. It is common to have multiple follow-up visits with a dietitian, as ongoing follow-up visits provide continuous problem-solving, goal reassessment, progress evaluation, and encouragement. As you continue to make strides toward your short and long-term health goals, your dietitian will be there to provide additional education along the way.
You want to work with your body by learning to eat based on hunger/fullness cues rather than outside rules.
You want to end food guilt while enjoying a variety of foods.
You want flexibility with your eating habits rather than a strict long-term diet that is difficult to maintain.
You want to support your health in a way that is enjoyable and not stressful.
If this sounds like what you're looking for, schedule a free 15-minute consult with one of our registered dietitians!