What can I expect in a dietitian appointment? Good question! And it’s one I get a lot.
Maybe you were recommended to see a dietitian by your therapist or doctor. Or maybe you just have a ton of questions and have found yourself here after years of not really knowing how to eat and relying on diets but now you are at the end of your rope. Or maybe you are struggling with a specific health issue and want some clarity about how your diet can effect your wellbeing.
Whatever lead you here I’m glad you made it! I want to answer the questions, “What can I expect in an appointment?” or “Why should I see a dietitian?” More specifically, what should you expect in making an appointment at The Tasty Balance. To answer this question I thought who better than some of my former clients that have achieved food freedom.
It’s like therapy, but for food.
“I had absolutely no idea what to expect at my first dietitian appointment and at first it felt so strange to tell my deepest, darkest food secrets to a stranger, but Ariel was never judgmental and made me feel comfortable talking about my issues with binge eating. It’s like therapy, but for food. At my first session, we went over my history with binge eating and food issues and Ariel explained that I’m not crazy and that it’s actually diet culture that’s crazy and it takes work to undo that mindset.
At each session after that, we would talk about my previous week and if anything notable happened foodwise (ie- a stressful week that led to a binge; going to a family get together and feeling guilt about eating multiple desserts). Ariel has an article or handout for literally any issue, so I now have resources I can look back at when I need a refresher. I also enjoyed having “homework” between sessions to keep myself accountable and really put in the work on my own.
Going to a dietitian is way more than just getting put on a meal plan. Ariel did a great job of giving me the tools to change my mindset about food and manage my binge eating. 10/10, would highly recommend!”
-Former client that achieved food freedom
It was a life-changing event for me…
“I reached out for help because I was tired of yoyo dieting. Throughout my teens and early twenties, I ranged from 125 lbs to 250 and never once had healthy eating habits. For 2020, I set a goal of getting healthy. However, after a few months I realized I was just cycling. I was dropping weight, sure, but I also wasn’t eating much. I was counting calories religiously and over exercising. I would punctuate this with stress binges, eating entire pies, pizzas, bags of chips, and more. I realized that I was stuck and needed an expert to help me get unstuck.
Before my first appointment with Ariel, I was nervous. I had lots of questions. Would I need an expensive meal plan? Would I need to purchase more exercise equipment? Would this help me lose weight? I also had questions so basic that I was embarrassed to even ask. How big of portion sizes should I eat? How can I tell when I’m full? Should I be counting calories, and if so, how many should I be eating? Had I forever damaged my metabolism by now?
I also had some other concerns. Namely, how much would I have to reveal about how long I’d struggled with this? How would this reflect on my overall mental health? There were certainly some skeletons in my closet that I kept neatly packed away which I did not want to resurface.
Still, I was determined to make a change, so I began. On our first meeting, Ariel mainly asked me questions about my current eating habits. I responded truthfully, even when they were uncomfortable. I came with some of my own questions. Ariel gave me homework (trying to moderate while eating a binge food was one for me, others included delving more into my self-care and work-life balance to see areas in which I can improve).
This process repeated itself. I would tell Ariel how I was doing and report back on my homework, I would ask questions, and I would apply Ariel’s tools and advice to my new homework. As I progressed with my counseling, I came across roadblocks. We would work through these during sessions. Some of these roadblocks were easily resolved. Eating too fast to recognize fullness queues during lunch? Take a lunch break rather than working through it. Some of these roadblocks were more difficult. How can I moderate and be content without being a perfectionist? Other roadblocks concerned my body image. Don’t feel like you’re pretty enough to wear nice clothes? Appreciate what your body does for you rather than just how it looks.
After a while, I was able to eat foods in moderation again that I had been unable to mindfully consume in years. I could get dressed in cute clothes without thinking to myself that I was just putting a pig in a wig. I could exercise not to punish myself for being large, but because I liked moving and it was empowering to see how I improved my ability over time.
These changes might seem small, and to those who don’t struggle with mindful eating or body image, I am sure that they’re rather inconsequential. However, for me, this changed the way I do many things. Food isn’t forbidden and there are no inherently good or bad foods. I feel better about myself and less concerned with things like weight and dress size. I feel good about myself. And I love food again.
Visiting a nutritionist is a difficult step to take, but if you’re someone who struggles with food, it’s necessary to break the cycle. It was a life-changing event for me and I will always be grateful to Ariel for her words of wisdom, tools, and encouragement.”
-Former client that achieved food freedom
Now it’s your turn
If the above struggle sounds familiar know you are not alone and also know that there is help out there. The two amazing clients that I had the privilege to work with took the step towards food freedom and like I tell them at the end of this journey you will be listening to yourself more than you will be listening to me.
Contact me here and let me know what questions you still have or to make an appointment.
