Questions You've Been Meaning to Ask a Dietitian: Part 1

1. What if I Already Know What I'm Supposed to Eat?

You probably do! Most people don't need a dietitian to tell them that vegetables are good for them, protein is important, and that eating more fiber is a good idea.

Knowing what to do and actually doing it consistently are two very different things.

Nutrition counseling is not just about information. We can work on the habits, routines, environment, mindset, and barriers that make it difficult to put that knowledge into practice.

That's where nutrition counseling can help. Instead of giving you more information, we can figure out what's getting in the way of putting what you already know into practice.

Maybe it's a busy schedule. Maybe you're exhausted at the end of the day. Maybe cravings get the best of you. Maybe you're great during the week but struggle on weekends. Or maybe you've been trying to follow so many nutrition rules that you're not sure what to believe anymore.

You don't necessarily need more nutrition information. You may need help turning what you know into habits that work in your actual life.

2. What if I've tried everything and nothing has worked?

Then you're probably exactly the kind of person who could benefit from a different approach. If you've spent years jumping from one diet to another, the answer may not be another diet.

We can step back and look at the bigger picture: What have you tried? What worked temporarily? What didn't? What made it difficult to maintain? What do you actually want your life to look like?

Your past attempts aren't failures. They're information.

I want to understand what you've already tried—and what you've learned from it.

What worked? What didn't? What was impossible to maintain? What did you actually enjoy? What made it easier or harder to stick with?

If you've tried diet after diet, lost weight only to regain it, or feel like you've been starting over for years, I don't think you need another restrictive plan.

Together, we can use that information to figure out what might work for you, rather than asking you to squeeze yourself into another diet that wasn't designed for your life.

3. Can you help me eat better without giving up foods I love?

Absolutely.

I don't believe eating well means eating perfectly—or giving up pizza, dessert, wine, restaurants, or your favorite foods.

Food is about more than nutrition. It's also about enjoyment, culture, connection, convenience, and sometimes just having fun.

Rather than creating a list of "good" and "bad" foods, we'll look at how you can include the foods you love while also giving your body the nutrition it needs. Because if your approach to healthy eating makes you miserable, it's probably not a sustainable approach.