Nutritionists have education and experience in nutrition and food and use their skills to advise others how to improve the health of their lifestyle through diet and exercise. They often help clients develop a meal plan and exercise regimen and meet with their clients frequently to ensure that their lifestyle plan is on track. Each diet and exercise plan will differ from person to person, so they will learn about you and your preferences and capabilities to ensure that the plan you create together is a good fit and achievable for you. They will provide advice and support throughout the program to help ensure the client is able to achieve their goals.

The primary difference between dieticians and nutritionists is that a dietician must be certified, whereas not all nutritionists are required to get educational certification. Many nutritionists also receive formal education and certification, but it is not required for them to work. Dieticians are board-certified to provide services regarding food and nutrition and are considered experts. Dieticians also typically work both with those who are sick and who are healthy, knowing more about different health conditions that affect what someone is able to or should be consuming. They are experts on how diet and nutrition impacts different conditions and often work more directly with those who are dealing with a specific health condition that need nutritional support. Nutritionists typically only work with those who are healthy and wish to improve their diet to continue living a healthy lifestyle.

There is no one reason why someone would seek out the professional services provided by a nutritionist. Many people will choose to meet with a nutritionist if they want to make changes to their diet to support a healthier lifestyle and aren’t sure how to go about it the best way or need someone that will help them remain accountable. The services nutritionists provide may also be beneficial for those navigating a food allergy and need alternatives, or a digestive issue such as IBS and aren’t sure what to avoid or what kinds of food to include. Additionally, many people who suffer from conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol, or heart disease may seek out a nutritionist to help them discover foods that are good for their condition but are also easy for them to implement into their meal plans. Our diets have a huge impact on our health and how we manage different conditions, so nutritionists and dieticians are necessary for many people to ensure that they are maintaining a diet that will help to support their lifestyle and personal needs.

Most first visits will consist of the nutritionist getting to know you and your dietary concerns. There are many different reasons one may seek out a nutritionist so they need to understand what your goals are and what your lifestyle is like so that they can best help to create a plan that fits well into your life. It is likely that the nutritionist will also request a food log for 3 days to a week that includes everything that you have consumed (food and beverages) for that time period, as well as amounts so that the nutritionist can get a good feel for your existing food habits and preferences and where some dietary issues or concerns may lie. Once they have an understanding of what your diet normally consists of, your goals for your diet, and any health concerns you have, they are able to work with you based on your food preferences to help design a nutritional plan that will help you achieve said goals and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
 
For more information, contact us or book an appointment online. We are located at 3129 Kingsley Drive, Suite 340 Pearland, Texas 77584. We serve patients from Pearland TX, Shadow Creek Ranch TX, Southern Trail TX, Pomona TX, Southlake TX, Sienna Plantation TX, Fresno TX, Manvel TX, and Rosharon TX.