If you struggle with weight issues, a diet counselor may help you lose weight and keep it off. In typical diet or nutrition counseling sessions, a professional helps you assess your food intake, develop realistic goals, create food plans and stay motivated to lose weight. If you need extra help meeting your weight loss goals, ask your primary care physician to refer you to a diet counselor.
Purpose
Diet counselors work with clients to help them make dietary changes and maintain a healthy lifestyle. People with eating disorders, drug dependencies or food sensitivies seek the expertise of nutrition counselors to design specialized diets for them. Diet counselors also work with people struggling with weight loss or working to maintain a healthy body.
Time Frame
Diet counseling generally takes place over the long term, lasting months or years. During your first visit, the nutrition counselor conducts a general interview about your food intake. Subsequent visits involve tracking your progress, creating new goals and delivering emotional support. If you do not have the time or resources for long term counseling, a shorter time frame can likely be arranged. One or two sessions with a diet counselor helps you understand specific nutrition challenges, assess your current health status and create a plan to change your diet.
Features
Typical nutrition counseling begins with an interview in which you discuss your food consumption in detail. Keep a food journal to record specific meals and beverages to provide your counselor with the most accurate information possible. Your current weight and fitness will also be assessed at this initial meeting. According to the website Mind Disorders, nutrition counselors work with you to identify necessary changes, recognize barriers to diet changes and craft goals. As you continue to work with your counselor, she helps you to self-monitor your food habits and set realistic expectations for change. A counselor also provides motivation and encouragement to ensure you stick with the diet plan.
Benefits
According to a scientific article in the Journal of the American Medical Association, people who underwent diet counseling maintained their goal weights better than those who merely received nutrition advice. Diet counseling improves compliance with diet plans, facilitates safe weight loss and helps people to maintain a healthy weight. A nutrition counselor can help you stay motivated better than online programs or self-motivation efforts.
Considerations
Diet counselors come from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds. Many are registered dieticians, meaning that they are professionally trained and certified to offer nutrition and weight loss advice. However, physicians, nurses, nutritionists, health educators and psychologists may provide diet counseling services, according to the National Library of Medicine. Consult with your primary care physician to find counseling services that fit your needs and budget. Some insurance programs may cover diet counseling for people with specific medical conditions.
Member Comments