Summer time brings with it some of my favorite healthy foods! July is when I really start to see all of the tomatoes, peppers, melons, and peaches at the farmers' market and it always makes me excited! Here's what I eat in a day as a dietitian when the best of summer's produce starts to come in.
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Popcorn is an in between food. For a lot of people, it isn't really clear whether or not popcorn is a healthy choice. There's infographics showing the calories, salt, and fat in a movie theater popcorn bucket, but there's also talk about how popcorn is a healthy whole grain. So which is it?
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Most of what I eat changes with the seasons. I have apples in the fall, asparagus in the spring, and lots of tomatoes in the summer! However, there are few healthy foods that stay in rotation all year long. These are the staples that make their way into every season because they're versatile or make healthy eating much easier.
Becoming a dietitian is a process that has a lot of steps. Here it is all laid out with a few tips from me along the way. [x_video type="16:9, 5:3, 5:4, 4:3, 3:2" m4v="" ogv="" poster="" hide_controls="" autoplay="" embed='' no_container="true"]
Note: As I mentioned in the video, this process will be changing in the future. The details on the new process are still in the works.
You can get more information about becoming a dietitian on the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website.
For a lot of people, it's difficult to imagine what a session with me might be like. I want you to know exactly what to expect, so in this post, I'm breaking down what goes on during your follow-up sessions. If you haven't read about what to expect at your first session, make sure you go look that over and then come back here. It'll make more sense that way. :D In most cases, you'll meet with me about every 2 weeks. While every client and appointment is different, this is the typical timeline.
You'd be surprised how much can happen between sessions! We'll start off each session just catching up on the happenings of life. Because food is such big part of our every day, even small changes in our routine can bring on new challenges to work through. Sometimes, there isn't much to report. Other times, you'll be telling me about the great new job you got that's completely changed your schedule or how staying up with a sick kid left you with no energy to make dinner.
Once I'm up to date on what's been going on with you, we'll move on to the goals you set at our previous session. You'll tell about your progress and where you encountered challenges. We'll talk about the factors that influenced your success with each goal and talk about what you could do to set yourself up for more success in the future.
This portion of the session can vary from client to client and appointment to appointment. It all depends on how successful you were with your goals and if you've experienced any significant life changes. This time is for us to talk about whatever you need guidance with in relation to your lifestyle changes. From there, we'll work together to find solutions that will best suit you and your situation. This is also where I may provide you with additional education and you can ask any other food and nutrition questions you may have.
Based on your success with your previous goals and what we talked about during your session, you'll set new goals for yourself. Goals that you found particularly challenging may stay the same or be modified to be more realistic. Goals that you were successful with may be refined so you can continue to improve in that area, or replaced with a new goal entirely. As we continue to work together, you'll see old goals grow into new habits. This process of gradual change is the key to building a lifestyle and finding your new normal.
Still have questions about my services? Ask in the comments below or contact me directly.
As it turns out, most people don't really know what it's like to work with a dietitian. I'm constantly getting questions about how exactly I help clients. Do I sell supplements? Give out meal plans? What do we talk about during your sessions? Now, I obviously can't speak for every dietitian out there, but I can give you some insight into what it's like to work with me. Today, I'm laying out what we'll cover at our first session together.
Before we start going through the components of your first session, I want to clear up some of the confusion about what I do.
I do not sell nutritional supplements. I help people build a healthy lifestyle based around whole, real foods. People eat food, not pills and powders.
I do not hand out meal plans. There are a couple reasons for this. One, meal plans are short term. You follow them until you reach a certain goal and then you stop. I'm not in the business of dieting. Rather, I want to help you find a new, healthy way of living that is sustainable and lasts. No going "on" or "off," just living. Second, meal plans are boring and static. No one can eat the same foods all the time and variety is key when it comes to nourishing your body. What happens when you want to try a new recipe or go to a new restaurant? I want to arm you with skills and knowledge that you can take with you, not rules and stagnant plans.
Now that we have that out of the way, let's talk about what happens at your first session. :D
We'll start off by getting clear on why we're working together in the first place. Now, by the time you end up in my office, I'll already have some idea of what your main focus is from our initial conversations and your paperwork. However, no two people are alike, and the same general goal can turn out to be quite different from one person to the next, once we really get down into the details. This is about me getting clarity on what exactly you are working towards and also helping you to take the time to truly consider what it is that you really want.
As diet and lifestyle are so closely tied to your health, it's important for me to know about your health history. Having this information helps me make appropriate recommendations based on your individual situation.
Our past experiences help to shape who we are. We'll discuss any notable weight fluctuations, plans or programs you've tried in the past, and any other nutrition or health information you may have picked up along the way. This helps me to better understand how you got where you are now and how those experiences may influence your habits and beliefs around food.
Once we've dealt with the past, we'll talk about what you're doing right now. What you're eating, your physical activity, sleep habits, and more. Everyone is starting at a different place and my recommendations are always tailored to where you are currently. I'm gonna push you to make changes that are challenging for you, but not unrealistic or so overwhelming that you just throw up your hands and give up. This isn't about a quick fix, it's about gradually replacing old habits with new ones so you can build a healthy lifestyle and find a new normal.
Now that I know more about you, we can start talking about changes. Looking at where you are now, we'll figure out what you first step will be. I'll give you the education and information you need to get started and you'll get your initial food and nutrition questions answered.
At the end of our session, you'll set some goals for yourself to work on until the next time we meet. These are smaller goals that will help you reach your ultimate goal over time. We'll make sure they are challenging enough that they require some effort on your part, but not so drastic that they become unrealistic. You'll leave knowing exactly what to work on.
Wondering what comes next? Make sure to read about what to expect at your follow-up sessions! Still have questions about my services? Ask in the comments below or contact me directly.
That's the number one question I get from people when they first find out what I do. In today's video, I explain the basic difference between RDs and nutritionists and give a little overview of exactly what it takes to become a Registered Dietitian. [x_video type="16:9, 5:3, 5:4, 4:3, 3:2" m4v="" ogv="" poster="" hide_controls="" autoplay="" embed=')' no_container="true"]
