Many people with eating problems tend to be very nervous and hesitant when planning to see a nutritionist. This fear mostly stems from the fact that they don’t know what to expect from their visit. So, in order to beat that fear, we compiled this little guide that will make it all much clearer.
No matter if you’re trying to lose or gain weight, your professional will listen closely without judging and come up with a good plan that will help you reach your goal weight. Every nutrition expert is different, but here is a rough “sketch” of what to expect from your nutrition counselling.
Nutrition counselling for weight loss
The first thing to know before your nutrition counselling is that a true dieting expert’s office is a judge-free zone. They will not scold you in any way but assess where you are and create a plan that will get you where you want to be. Now that that’s out of the way, here’s what to expect during your visit.
The first counselling session usually lasts for an hour and during that time you will discuss your current diet, physical activity and other lifestyle habits. One very important thing you will cover during your first visit is your medical history, allergies and medication you’re taking. All of this information will help your nutritionist create a personalized plan that will be effective yet easy for you to follow.
Some people prefer a clear eating plan, while others do better with small changes like adding two cups of veggies to your plate and cutting carbs in half. This all depends on your preference and can be tweaked as you continue with your consultations.
You will also discuss your dietary preferences and try to identify your trouble spots. Maybe you tend to skip breakfast and then overeat at lunch or maybe you can’t resist late-night snaking—your nutritionist will give you pointers on how to change bad eating habits and create new and healthy ones. Some other great tips you will get is how to behave in social situations, control your cravings and improve your relationship with food.
Some nutritionists can even help you with healthy grocery shopping, give you practical cooking tips and give you plenty of tasty recipes. However, they all tend to keep weekly and even daily consultations to follow your progress, help you with questions and provide you with support and motivation.
They will be there for you until you need their help, but their goal is to get to the point where you don’t need them anymore. Once the diet changes become your new “normal” way of eating, you’re on the right path to reach your weight goals and improve your overall health.
Nutrition counselling for weight gain
Not only overweight people seek nutritionist help. A good professional can do wonders for people with are underweight and can help them gain weight safely and teach them how to stay a healthy weight once they reach their goal.
What many nutritionists do before coming up with your eating plan is ask you to keep a food diary. This will paint a picture of your eating habits and point out elements that need to be improved or fixed. You might also be asked to talk about your mental state, whether you often feel stressed or anxious since these feelings can affect your loss of appetite.
Other things like physical activity and food enjoyment are also something that needs to be pointed out. Even though it might seem contradictory to untrained people, physical exercise is sometimes prescribed to people trying to gain weight.
Being active is important of overall health, but those not used to exercising may actually gain weight from working out. It’s also important to state what kind of foods you like and dislike. If you get eating suggestions that contain foods you don’t like, it’s less likely you will stick to your eating recommendations.
After you nutritionist gets all the details, they will formulate a personalized weight gain diet or eating program. It will be something completely realistic and achievable. Some specialists also include supplements, workout recommendations, a list of healthy foods and a proper meal plan. Regular consultations are also something to expect because they help you stay focused and provide good motivation and advice.
Even though most people only see a nutritionist when they need help with their weight, that’s not the only reason you can book a consult. A good nutritionist can help you eat better and give you professional and practical recommendations and recipes.
Additionally, you can get all sorts of advice on supporting an existing health condition through nutrition. Practically, the list of benefits you can get from nutrition counselling goes on! So, don’t hesitate to book a session and improve your life in so many ways.