I’m a motivator, activator and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist rolled in one. I like to think my approach to nutrition counseling is unique. The initial nutrition consultation is about 70 minutes long, where the clients do most of the talking. I ask questions about the mind, body and spirit. These are all connected and need to be aligned, or in balance, to start a sustainable health journey.
During this initial stage, I look for moments to teach and suggest goals for the client to work on. The session always concludes with how the client is going to meet their goals. Taking the time to talk this through and develop a plan of action is critical. Having an intentional, strategic plan that I will use to hold the client accountable is exactly what some folks need to jumpstart their journey.
Topics discussed during initial session (in no order):
- How they found me and why they chose me
- Current motivation level
- Goals and anticipated obstacles/barriers to meeting goals
- Occupation
- Family situation and living arrangements
- Relationships with immediate family (grandparents, parents, siblings), friends and healthcare providers
- Current stress level and stress management
- Self-care routine
- Hobbies
- Sleep schedule and routine
- Cooking and eating habits, including alcohol and water consumption
- Relationship with food
- Biochemical data
- Exercise regimen (cardio and strength training)
- Medical history, including family medical history
- Current medications and supplements
When it comes to setting goals, all my clients know what they want to focus on. The primary reason for the session is they are not clear on the best approach to meeting their health goals. Many are confused about food, diet and nutrition. This is partly due to the inputs they experienced growing up from family, shaping their thoughts around their existing relationship with food. It is also due to the plethora of information/misinformation around food, diet and nutrition. The challenge of confusing or conflicting information drives me to passionately educate to debunk food/nutrition myths and to educate on the differences between Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN) versus Nutritionist.
If you are ready to activate your health journey, find a RDN that you can connect with. Visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to find a Food and Nutrition Expert or RDN https://www.eatright.org/find-a-nutrition-expert