Have you ever set out toward a specific health goal only to fall back into your regular routine? Whether it’s the confusion of what to do, where to start, or who to believe, it can be a complicated process to navigate.
Many people have trouble reaching their goals due to a lack of support and not knowing how to formulate a plan that’s specific to them and their individual goals. Working with a registered dietitian has been shown to help with these potential barriers by providing accountability, emotional support, a trusted source of information, coaching, and so much more.
Before discussing how a dietitian can help you achieve your health goals, it’s important to know what a registered dietitian’s job is.
What Does a Registered Dietitian Do?
Registered dietitians work with patients on a number of things, but they mainly focus on how to improve your diet, whether it’s to lose weight, help manage health-related diseases like diabetes, or simply better one’s health.
Registered dietitians work closely with their patients to learn about their lifestyles, specific needs, challenges, and health history. They commonly help people build healthier habits based on food, exercise, sleep, hydration, and more.
Benefits of Working with a Registered Dietitian
Accountability:
Working toward a health goal can be daunting, especially when you have to consider many other factors in your life, like your busy schedule, work, family and friends, hobbies, etc. An accountability resource like a dietitian can help you find ways to work with your lifestyle, not against it.
Having someone to support you along the way has been shown to lead to greater success. By working with a dietitian, you’ll have someone who cares and is invested in your success just as much as you are.
Be a trusted source of information:
Have you ever scoured the internet in search of health advice only to find way too much information you’re not sure you can trust? A registered dietitian can provide evidence-based recommendations to help you reach your goals. Dietitians are nutrition experts and have gone through extensive training and education in order to provide you with the soundest suggestions that are best for your body and lifestyle.
Set realistic goals together:
Sometimes getting started is the hardest part of trying to make healthy changes. A registered dietitian can walk you through setting realistic goals that can lead to actual results. It’s not uncommon for people to want to bite off more than they can chew when starting a health journey, and a dietitian can make sure your goals are going to set you up for success in the long term.
Dietitians take a personalized approach, accounting for all variables, such as your daily schedule, family dynamics, grocery shopping accessibility, allergies, food preferences, and more. Once you have a goal, your registered dietitian can follow up to see if the goal is working or if it needs to be adjusted to better fit your needs.
Meal Ideas:
Have you ever felt overwhelmed when it came to choosing what to eat or planning your meals? Do you end up ordering takeout or eating the same old boring recipe? When working with a dietitian, you can use that time to discuss meal ideas and even plan for the week ahead. They’ll give you tips on how to best plan meals and how to balance meals based on your specific preferences and needs.
A registered dietitian can be a wonderful resource when it comes to tailoring your meals based on your goals, lifestyle, preferences, and genetics. They can even teach you how to build a healthy plate and what types of foods you should consume for a healthy, well-balanced meal.
Problem Solve:
Getting an outsider’s perspective can be very helpful when it comes to reducing barriers. Dietitians can help brainstorm ways to keep you on track even when barriers such as busy schedules, frequent travel, social pressure, and more are getting in the way of reaching your goals.
Emotional support:
There is no doubt that making changes to your eating habits and lifestyle can take an emotional toll. The food we eat is a very personal topic. What we eat and how we look can greatly affect how we feel. A dietitian can help you navigate the feelings that rise to the surface and guide you toward a healthy relationship with food.
Managing health conditions:
Certain medical conditions can significantly improve based on what we eat. The term “food is medicine” rings true in many situations. In addition to working with your primary care provider, a registered dietitian can help educate you on ways to improve or manage symptoms and outcomes for conditions such as blood sugar levels, heart health, and gut function.
What’s Next?
If you are interested in working with a registered dietitian to help you along your health journey, GenoPalate now offers two types of programs, GenoJump and GenoGo! Whether you just want to meet with someone once or over the course of four sessions, we have options to help you reach your health and wellness goals.
Your genetics can provide insight into the foundational level of your individual dietary needs. With a personalized DNA analysis, you can better understand your body and allow your genes to inform new dietary habits to support your skin health. Click here to learn more about your DNA’s guide to healthy eating. Ready to begin your personalized nutrition journey to achieve your health goals? Get your DNA collection kit today.
