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What Does a Nutritionist Really Do, and Do I Need One?
Nutrition advice
From all the dietary information from wellness influencers, only one in 12 recommendations is nutritionally sound.
The easiest way to sift through the bad advice is to find a certified expert.
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Nutrition advice
From all the dietary information from wellness influencers, only one in 12 recommendations is nutritionally sound.
The easiest way to sift through the bad advice is to find a certified expert.
Look for the Letters
There is no certification required to call yourself a nutritionist.
- A registered dietician requires a bachelor's degree at an accredited university. A licensed dietitian will have RD, RDN, LD, LDN, or CDN after their name, depending on the state they live in.
- Holistic nutritionists do a six-month training course.
- Functional-nutrition practitioners do and 80-hour training course.
- Intuitive health coaches do a 200-hour training course
- Some well-educated experts have not followed the typical career pathway.
The Athlete
If you're training at a high volume, consulting with an RD who doesn't have a sports background is not what you need as they might not understand the rigors of training for enduro races.
A board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, which requires an additional 2,000 hours of sports-specific nutrition training, has the acronym CSSD.
Have a goal in mind
When you're going to see a nutritionist, you should have a goal in mind, whether that's gaining strength or losing weight.
Once you've picked a nutritionist who seems aligned with your goals, write a list of your questions and what you hope to achieve beforehand. Keep a food log, or snap pictures of everything you eat, ahead of your appointment to ensure your dietitian can get a good view of your eating habits.
Watch for Red Flags
...at the first appointment with a nutritionist.
- The eliminator: Telling you that you may never eat something. It can trigger a disordered relationship with food and is not rooted in science.
- The pill popper: Be careful of anyone selling a product in addition to following their plan. The best way to get nutrients is through a varied, whole-food-based diet.
- The one-size-fits-all: Be aware of someone who likes only one style of eating, like vegan or keto. A good nutritionist will be well versed in a wide array of diet patterns.
- The therapist: If a dietician thinks you need extra help, they should be recommending another expert, not overstep boundaries.
A successful first visit
A good nutritionist will go through your current diet, discuss nutrition basics, and work together to set realistic goals.
You should be able to get answers to your specific questions and a rough action plan. Expect to book a follow-up.
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Intuitive eating
This is not a diet. Intuitive eating is an approach to health and food that emphasizes learning to give your body what it needs.
It doesn't involve rules related to how or w...
Quiet your inner food police
Recognize and silence your inner critic.
An example of your inner food police: if you're scanning a restaurant menu and you catch yourself saying "That’s not healthy. That’s too many servings. That’s too high fat, " that voice is not yours, although it feels like it. It's only fueled by external messaging.
Stop moralizing
Food isn’t good or bad. Don't fall for this 'black or white' way of thinking.
Health and nutrition exist on a gradient. Keeping your health in mind when making food choices is totally in line with intuitive eating, but being rigid about healthy eating isn’t.
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Body rebellion
Drastic or too-strict diets can trigger mood swings, headaches, physical and mental fatigue, irritability, digestive upset, and brain fog...
Hunger
Chronic hunger generally indicates that your diet is imbalanced or inadequate, which can cause your body to conserve energy and resist weight loss.
Include healthy foods that boost satiety and keep you fuller longer, namely those high in lean protein (organic eggs, poultry, fish, beans and lentils), fiber (fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans, lentils), and good fat (avocado, nuts, seeds, and extra virgin olive and coconut oils).
Cravings
Trying to be "perfect" week after week typically leads to feelings of deprivation, resentment, even anger or depression, and culminates in either binge eating, or diet abandonment.
Ditch the "all or nothing" mentality. In that mindset, one small diet deviation triggers thoughts like, "Well, I blew it, I might as well go all out!" which keeps you stuck. Allow yourself small splurges in ways that reduce the chance of overeating.
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Natural
The term is not formally defined by the Food and Drug Administration. But, the government agency doesn't object to the use of the term if the food does not contain added color, artificial...
Organic
The term organic doesn't necessarily mean healthy, as evidenced by organic candies and baked goods. Once again, when buying packaged food, the real litmus test is the ingredient list.
The Organic Seal indicates that food was produced without industrialized substances and under humane conditions. It goes from “100% organic” to "Made With Organic Ingredients"(the product was made with a minimum of 70% organic ingredients, with restrictions on the remaining 30%, including no GMOs.)
Local
There is no formal national definition for the term local. What local does not mean is organic or more nutritious, which is something many believe.
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