If you get tired of trying to lose weight on your own, a nutritionist may be a good choice for you. A nutritionist can not only help you lose weight, but can offer sound health-related diet advice based on her extensive education and clinical experience.
Finding a Nutritionist
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a nutritionist must have a bachelor's degree. A registered dietitian is a person who passed the American Dietetic Association's exam and did an internship. In some states, a person can call practice as a nutritionist or a dietitian by simply registering with the state. You can either make an appointment with a nutritionist directly, or your doctor or clinic may refer you to a licensed nutritionist who can help you lose weight. The nutritionist's office may be in a hospital, a professional office building or a doctor's office.
First Appointment
At your first appointment, the nutritionist will weigh and measure you, and review your dieting history. He may ask you to explain why you would like to lose weight, and go over any doctor's recommendations. Be prepared to answer questions about your eating patterns, lifestyle and emotional attachments to food. At the first meeting, he may outline his recommendations on calorie count and nutritional balance, and give you a weekly menu to follow and answer any questions you have. He will likely give you a food diary to complete each day until your next meeting.
Ongoing Meetings
You will likely meet with your nutritionist on a weekly basis in the beginning, possibly lessening to monthly meetings if you both agree. At each meeting, she will weigh you and record your weight. You and she will go over your food diary. She will examine your food intake for caloric content and nutrition. She may recommend you eat about half your calories from carbohydrates, 20 percent from protein and up to 30 percent from fats. If you are losing weight due to a medical condition such as high cholesterol, prediabetes or high blood pressure, she will make certain you are eating healthy fats, low-fat dairy and lean meats to save calories and avoid saturated or trans fats.
Considerations
When investing time and money to meet with a nutritionist, look for a nutritionist you feel comfortable with in order to talk about more than just your food intake. Part of the weight-loss process is learning to identify why you are struggling with being overweight or obese. A compassionate, trained nutritionist can help you understand why you make the food choices you do, and give you strategies to handle impulsive eating, mindless eating and how to handle stress eating. The nutritionist may work in conjunction with a psychologist, or ask you to join a behavioral weight-loss support group.
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