Nutrition Counseling

Who can benefit form seeing a nutritionist?

Most of my clients come to see me when they have some kind of health concern like digestive discomfort or they want to lose weight. Often they are referred by a doctor for a specific medical condition like high blood sugar or elevated cholesterol. Sometimes I see a client who is perfectly healthy and just wants to validate that they are eating well.

In my experience, most people can benefit from talking to a nutritionist. We have lost the skill and the tradition of cooking wholesome meals on a daily basis. We used to acquire those skills from our mothers, grandmothers and other family members. The “nutrition education” was built into our upbringing. Now we rely on the food industry to feed us and inform us and the results are far from ideal. In fact, the majority of the diseases of the Western world like heart disease, diabetes and cancer are linked to our lifestyle and food choices.

Nutrition information is confusing

There is a lot of information available about food and nutrition. Quite often the information is confusing and even contradictory. One day we learn to eat eggs the next day we should stay away form them. Fruits are really good for us, but what if we are trying to lose weight, should we avoid them? Will we be missing important nutrients then? All these questions might get you really frustrated, stressed out and even anxious. I often address this with my clients, food related stress and give them peace of mind.

You might need a nutrition coach by your side

Another reason why people seek my help is because they need help making the changes in their diet and eating habits. Even with a good understanding of nutrition and what eating habits should change, we often have a hard time actually making it happen. For instance, most of us know and agree that sweets are not the healthiest food on earth. Despite that knowledge so many of us are still unable to say No! to sweets. This is where my nutrition coaching skills can help you. Through series of engaging and motivating sessions we find a way to make the change possible.

What is nutrition counseling and how it works?

Nutrition counseling for me is about connecting and establishing trusting relationship. We start with nutrition assessment. Then we establish your health goals and identify resources that you already have and the ones you might need to achieve them. And finally, we create a step-by-step plan of actions.

Nutrition assessment

Nutrition counseling starts with evaluation of your current health concerns, health history, eating habits and foods that you eat on a regular basis. This is just collecting the information to understand the starting point.

Goal setting

We then discuss what it is you want to achieve, clarify and set your health goals. Having specific, measurable and achievable goals helps stay motivated and focused on the task. We revisit this conversation from time to time to evaluate success and set new goals.

We partner up

Then we start constructing a plan to achieve these goals and we do it together. You are in the driver’s sit now because you know yourself better than me or anybody else. I make a suggestion and explain how it’s going to help you improve, how it’s going to affect your body and move you in the direction of your goals. However, you are the only one who can make those changes happen. Are you willing to do it? Will my suggestion work for you, in your life? Is it a good place to start? Your contribution in this discussion is not only welcome – it’s the key to your success.

What you take home

By the end of the session we agree on a couple of changes for you to implement at home. It can be a new food to try, or replace some food(s) with different ones, or change the timing of your meals. We might agree on some steps to take to start a new eating habit. The overall tone is friendliness and curiosity toward yourself.

Answer & Questions

Why follow-up sessions are so important?

The follow-ups are crucial for this kind of experiential work that we do together. You go home to try out the plan we created during the consultation. Some things will work, other things might not. There isn’t a single plan that works for everyone. We are all different. Our bodies and physiology, our readiness for change, our motivation and emotional state, our food preferences, availability of time and money, our cooking skills are all different.

We get back together and discuss what worked for you and what didn’t and build on what worked. In addition, the follow up sessions are important for staying engaged and getting the support and encouragement. Many of my clients appreciate the accountability as well.

How to choose a nutritionist that’s right for you?

Nutritionists are just like you. We have our preferences, our areas of expertise, our interests and beliefs. I suggest you learn as much as you can about the person you are planning to sign up with. Website, reviews on Google or Yelp are great places to check and read about nutritionists. Are they licensed professionals? What are their specialties? And most importantly, do they sound and feel like somebody you can trust? I offer a free 15-minute phone call for you to figure out if I’m the right nutritionist for you. In addition, please read about my specialties Weight loss, Blood sugar regulation and Food sensitivities.