So you’re ready to start nutrition counseling, 1^st off, congrats!  That’s a great step.  And you’re doing it right; seeking out the help of a professional is really smart given all the information, and some misinformation, out there about food and nutrition.  But how to choose?  Dietitian, nutritionist, health coach, wellness coach…there are a lot of options out there.  Let’s dive in.  

Dietitians (or more correctly Registered Dietitian Nutritionists) are individuals who have:

• Obtained a college degree in dietetics
• Completed a 1200 hour supervised internship
• Passed a certification exam to obtain their credentials
• Maintain their skills by completing a minimum of 75 credits of continuing education every 5 years

Nutritionists:

• Nothing is required to call yourself a nutritionist

That being said, not all nutritionists are unqualified.  Someone who has a PHD in human nutrition, but hasn’t followed the dietitian track for credentialing, can be very knowledgeable in nutrition, as opposed to someone who took an online nutrition program that is not regulated by any governing body.  Online programs can be good, but can also be promoting misinformation or outdated information, which is not good.  Titles like health coach and wellness coach also follow the same idea as a nutritionist, there’s nothing regulating their education.  Bottom line, you want to know where your nutrition counselor obtained their education and an RD is guaranteed to have a strong background in nutrition and have proved it through their passing of the RD exam.

Great, so now what do I do? How do I pick a qualified nutrition counselor?

If you have insurance, your best bet is to start there.  Many insurances cover nutrition counseling, so give them a call to find out what is covered like how many sessions or how many hours and who is covered. Typically insurance companies have people in network and can give you a list.  

No insurance, or no coverage for nutrition counseling?  No worries! You have a few options:

• Try websites like: 
  • https://www.eatright.org/find-an-expert
  • https://www.healthprofs.com/us/nutritionists-dietitians
  • Or search for “dietitian in my area” online
• Call your Primary Care Physician- usually they have a dietitian they can refer you to
• Ask around!  You’d be surprised how many people have seen a dietitian or know one

After you find a few people that you might like to work with, whether it’s a dietitian or nutritionist, give them a call.  Most nutrition counseling professionals will happily talk to you over the phone to answer your questions.  For example, Simple Start Nutrition offers a free Discovery Call for you to talk to one of our dietitians.  Feel free to ask about their education background, what they specialize in (you don’t want to see someone who specializes in pediatrics when you need a heart healthy diet), their availability or even how they coach (office vs telehealth).  It’s really important to feel comfortable with your nutrition counselor to be able to build trust and a relationship, just like you would your doctor.  So, what are you waiting for?  Call Simple Start Nutrition and book your 1st appointment:)

This blog was written by Chris Henigan MS, RD, LDN, co-founder of Simple Start Nutrition.  For more blog posts and nutrition information follow @simplestartnutrition on Instagram and Facebook.  Also feel free to contact us, by visiting our website (simplestartnutrition.com) to schedule an appointment to discuss your nutrition related needs.  We are here to help.