5 Things Your Dietitian Wants You to Know
The Registered Dietitian Nutritionists at Inspired Health Group can help you navigate through diet buzzwords & misinformation to set realistic, measurable, & sustainable goals.
1. There is no such thing as the perfect diet.
People think if they follow a perfect diet they will lose weight, feel great, and never need to worry about inflammation again. It seems natural that going to a dietitian would reveal this perfect diet. The truth is, the perfect diet looks different for everyone. Each person needs to find a pattern of eating that works for them and makes them healthy and happy. Restricting foods and hyper-focusing on your diet to achieve a perfectly healthy diet might not make you feel better at all, and it may lead to higher stress levels and a poor relationship with food. Take a deep breath, do the best you can, and focus on small improvements.
2. We won’t give you a meal plan.
The meal plan is a perfect example of the old saying ‘give a man a fish…’. Essentially, give a person a meal plan, they eat healthy for a week. Teach them how to make a meal plan, they will eat healthy for a lifetime. While we won’t give you a pre-made meal plan, we will teach you how to identify healthy foods and triggers for unhealthy eating so you can make your own meal plan. This way you can maintain your healthy habits long after your meetings with the dietitian are finished.
3. Exercise is above and beyond daily activity.
Grocery shopping, doing laundry, going up and down the steps in your house. There are all included in normal daily activity. Exercise is different. Exercise is physical activity above your normal daily tasks. Granted, some people have physically demanding jobs (like some construction or landscaping), but most of us need to get some purposeful exercise every day. Go for a brisk walk, jog, bike ride, or do another exercise you enjoy. The key is stepping up and getting your heart rate elevated. If you’re not sure what activity is appropriate for you, talk to your provider.
4. A fad diet will work…until it doesn’t.
The problem with fad diets isn’t that they don’t work- it’s that they do work… at first. As your body adapts to your diet, you may regain the weight you’ve lost, and it becomes harder and harder to lose it again. If there was one diet that could promise you’ll lose weight and keep it off, believe us, we would tell you. Until that magic diet is discovered, a nutritious balanced diet high in fiber and protein paired with adequate exercise is still the most effective way to lose weight and keep it off long term.
5. Nutrition therapy can be emotional and stressful.
Making changes to your diet isn’t as easy as going to the store and buying healthy foods. Our food choices are deeply personal and talking about changing these choices can be a scary and emotional journey. Addressing how food is linked to our identity and culture is an important part of effective nutrition counseling, but it can feel uncomfortable if you’re not ready for it. You may feel confusion, frustration, anger, or shame around your eating habits or the changes you’re trying to make. Rest assured that we are not judging you and it is very common to have these feelings. We can work with you to help you make changes at a pace that’s comfortable for you.