Why See a Nutritionist?

Have you ever thought about seeing a nutritionist?  Most people think of nutritionists as professionals that you see when you want to lose weight.  While it is advisable for someone who is trying to lose weight to visit a professional, it’s useful for people of a healthy weight to see a nutritionist as well.  Even if your diet is balanced, a nutritionist can still reveal holes and patterns in your diet and help you feel your best.  There are other valuable reasons to visit a nutritionist besides shining a light on your diet.

Disease and prevention. If you have a preexisting condition, changes in your eating habits may help your body fight it and manage symptoms.  Thyroid disorders are very common and there are key foods to avoid, like soy, that a nutritionist can show you alternatives for.  If you don’t have any illnesses, take a look at your genetics.  What are you predisposed to?  Is breast cancer common in your family?  Then your nutritionist will recommend foods and supplements that may help you prevent your genetics from fulfilling themselves.

Deficiencies. Most people know that the best diet is one rich in variety.  And maybe your diet is varied, but are you getting your omega 3s?  What about vitamin D, calcium, or B12?  Your nutritionist can expose holes and deficiencies in your diet that you may not have thought of.  Or maybe you’re a supplement fanatic—your nutritionist may tell you that you’re taking too much of a nutrient.  Just as a deficiency can harm you, so can over-supplementation.

Losing weight and feeling great. If you are trying to lose a few pounds or find out if you have a healthy proportion of fat and muscle, do see a nutritionist.  For most people, dieting is short-lived and weight is gained back, whereas a nutritionist will teach you how to do a lifestyle overhaul.  Also, if you are training for a competition or getting into a sport, a nutritionist can show you how to maximize your workouts with your food.  If you find yourself fatigued or moody, there may be something going on with your food.

What to Expect During Your Visit
It can be awkward talking about what you eat with a stranger, but keep in mind, they are professionals and have seen it all.  You can expect the nutritionist to ask you to keep a food journal for at least a week.  It’s important that this be a typical week.  If you’re going on vacation, ditch the food journal and wait until you have a normal week to document.  Try and pretend like someone isn’t going to be looking at it.  A major weight loss tool is keeping a food journal, but you want to keep your eating habits as typical as possible, even if typical to you is eating a pound of chocolate every afternoon.  You will also need to note your activity, sleep patterns, supplements, and (da da dum!) bowel movements.   Yes, it’s horrifying, but it does help your nutritionist understand your body.  You will be asked to note texture, color, the works.  Make sure you note things as they happen, since it will be a lot easier to count glasses of water, snacks, etc. at the time they happen.

Once you present your journal to your nutritionist, he or she will be able to note patterns and holes in your nutrition.  For example, I went to a nutritionist, pretty proud of my veggie intake until he pointed out that I rarely ate raw veggies, only cooked ones.  Luckily, a simple salad is all it takes to remedy that, but I would’ve never seen it—we just have blind spots in our nutrition.

Some health insurance will cover a visit to the nutritionist, at least partially, but if you’re not covered, it’s a reasonable expense.  Call around and get referrals so you’re not wasting your time and money.  If it’s important to you, see someone who specializes in any allergies or restrictions you have, e.g., a vegetarian nutritionist or gluten free specialist.