Why Work With a Dietitian

There are so many options out there when it comes to health and wellness. It can be hard to tell the difference between what’s accurate and what’s pseudo-science. It can be even tougher if you have a history of eating disorders, disordered eating behavior, weight fluctuations, body image insecurities and/or yo-yo dieting. If any of these descriptions speak to you, it is even more important that you take nutrition advice from a qualified professional who is trained to help you.

What is an RD?

RD stands for Registered Dietitian. Registered Dietitians are health professionals with training and specialization in nutrition services. To become an RD you first have to graduate from a college or masters level nutrition program from an accredited university. This includes a wide range of coursework from organic chemistry to psychology to community nutrition to anatomy and physiology. After this, you then have to be accepted into a dietetic internship, a process where you work 1000-hours in a range of settings and meet professional standards for a variety of specialties, all while being supervised by RDs who work within those specialties. Once you pass the internship and are approved by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, you are then allowed to sit for a certifying exam that has only a 68% pass rate. This process is lengthy and competitive to ensure that only people who are qualified and take the health of clients/patients seriously can legally use this title.

What’s the difference between an RD and a Nutritionist?

Frankly, there are no rules about who can call themselves a nutritionist. While some nutritionists may have certifications, there isn’t any regulation overseeing what these certification programs teach. This means it can be difficult (if not impossible) to differentiate between a certificate that gave evidence-based education on nutrition and one that teaches non-evidence based theories. On the other hand, dietitians are regulated by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, state government licensing boards and are able to take payment via insurance companies. Dietitians are also required to participate in continuing education programs in order to maintain their licenses and certifications throughout their professional lives, whereas that same follow up is not consistent within nutrition certifications. Many nutritionists may not even have any formal training at all. While their lived experiences and personal research into nutrition may be applicable to themselves and people with similar genetics, lifestyle, socioeconomic level, etc. as them, it’s likely not applicable to your unique body and life experiences.

The Individual Approach

A key benefit to working with a dietitian is the one-on-one, appointment based structure we can provide. Especially if your relationship with food is causing you mental/emotional anguish, potentially crossing over into disordered eating behaviors, it is crucial that you work one on one with a qualified professional. During individual sessions we discuss not only your eating and exercise patterns and behaviors, but also what else can be impacting them. This can include your emotional state, body image, sleep schedule, work stress, family stress, rules around food from your childhood, medications, medical history, family medical history, hormone levels, supplement use, etc.

The individual process also provides the structure to focus on small, maintainable goals that result in lasting changes. Many diets or nutrition programs ask people to full upend their eating patterns and/or lifestyle. This is one of the reasons that most diets fail or only last for a short period of time, leading to only short-term results. Focusing on small adjustments and building off the ones that work for you is how you build long term changes both mentally and physically.

Who Benefits from Working With an RD?

In general, anyone who’s relationship with food is not benefiting them physically, mentally, socially, emotionally or any combination of those. More specifically, working with an RD can be especially beneficial to people who feel confused, overwhelmed or uneasy when they think about eating or their body image. 

Media and diet companies have provided so many mixed messages about what a healthy diet looks like, it can be difficult to differentiate between what real and what’s fake: that’s where an RD can help.

Beauty standards can be incredibly narrow and the pressure to live up to them can create a cycle of chronic dieting that can be hard to break: that’s where an RD can help.

Living with an eating disorder or disordered eating thoughts can create a toxic dynamic within your head ; making it nearly impossible to eat without anxiety: that’s where an RD can help.

Years of exposure to diet/wellness culture can result in a set of rigid rules around what you can and can’t eat to the point where you’re afraid or anxious to eat at friend’s houses, family events, restaurants, etc.: that’s where an RD can help.

Food has become something you either intensely restrict or consume to the point where you feel physically and/or mentally unwell, but finding a middle ground feels impossible: that’s where an RD can help.

You’re starting to notice a pattern that when you feel stress, anxiety or another uncomfortable emotion you either restrict what you eat or eat beyond physical comfort as a way to cope with these emotions: that’s where an RD can help.

OK, I’m Interested in Working With an RD, Now What?

First, decide if you want the type of meetings where you go meet with someone in person or meet with someone virtually. There are benefits to each. Meeting in person can assist in establishing a personal connection with an RD that helps you to open up. Meeting virtually can provide flexibility with scheduling without having to factor in a commute, allow you to attend the meeting wherever you feel most comfortable and broaden the options of RDs to choose from.

Second, look at your options. You can search the RDs in your area, checking their websites or profiles to figure out what they specialize in. Similar to other health fields many RDs have specialties. If you fell into any of the categories listed above, you likely would benefit from a disordered eating informed or intuitive eating specializing RD. Also, ask about complimentary consults.

Many RDs offer shorter complimentary phone consults to potential clients. During these conversations you can explain what you’re looking for and ask the RD questions. This is also an opportunity for you to gauge if this is someone you would feel comfortable speaking with about some very personal and sensitive topics on a regular basis. Similar to choosing a therapist, the success of your work with a dietitian is heavily influenced by how comfortable you are opening up to them.

Finally, be prepared for the process. It can be slow and emotional. Some emotions may come up that surprise you, that’s ok and is part of the journey to healing your relationship with food and your body. This process is also a slow one because it is meant to last. Many diet or wellness fads or companies promise short term results. The issue with applying short time frames to nutrition and health changes is that they don’t last. If you lose weight too quickly, your body will go into shock and you’ll likely quickly regain the weight lost plus more. If you make a bunch of drastic changes quickly, the likelihood of all of them sticking is slim to none. Most importantly, these don’t address the mental and emotional aspects behind what led you to this place initially. Until you understand and address the emotional roots behind your relationship with food the disordered behaviors will continue to control your life.

If you feel ready to start working with a dietitian and want to heal your relationship with food, email info@easednutrition.com to schedule your Free 15-minute Consult today.