5 benefits of working with a nutritionist
A quick Google of ‘healthy food’ turns up over 7,000,000,000 results in less than a second. Perhaps then, it’s no surprise that a lot of us get confused when it comes to nutrition. There are lots of sources telling us conflicting advice and it can be hard to know who to listen to, who to ignore and whose advice to take with a pinch of salt.
This is where professionals can step in. Whether you’re looking to improve your overall diet or you’re after help for a specific concern, having a chat with someone trained can shed light on your next steps. Here we explore just some of the benefits of seeing a nutritionist.
1. A tailored approach
One reason why advice found online, in articles and in books can be hit and miss is because they’re not created with your personal circumstances in mind. We are all gloriously different and this means we have different nutritional needs. This can be related to our age, our health history, our lifestyle, genetics and personal goals.
When you work with a nutritionist, this is the type of information you can share with them. Once they have a good picture of your health history, your current lifestyle and your goals, they can work with you to make a plan tailored to you. This will ensure it meets your specific nutritional needs and will work within your lifestyle. Having a plan like this can help you reach your goals in a way that’s sustainable and realistic.
2. A sense of clarity
If you’ve been Googling symptoms or looking up nutritional support for a condition you’ve been diagnosed with, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by what you find. A nutrition professional with expertise in the area you’re looking for will have experience in supporting others like you and can offer answers and advice.
You could think of a nutritionist as someone guiding you through a rainforest.
They know the terrain and have the tools you need to clear a path. They can tell you facts about your particular rainforest, helping it feel a little less intimidating.
3. An opportunity to identify any mindset blocks
Nutrition isn’t quite as simple as knowing how and what to eat in a way that supports your health. Some of us know the answers to this, but we still find it difficult to actually do it. There can be many reasons for this and often it comes down to our mindset. We might have learnt certain food rules or beliefs in our childhood that no longer serve us, but find it difficult to move past.
Nutritionists will have worked with clients before who have encountered mindset blocks and should have some tools to help you not only identify them, but suggest ways of overcoming the blocks - whether that’s through the work with themselves or by referring you on to a counsellor or coach.
4. Support and encouragement
Having someone ‘on your side’ as you work on yourself can be essential for success. If you have people in your life being negative about the changes you're making or not supporting you as much as you’d like, it can make a real difference knowing you have someone like a nutritionist there to support and encourage you on your journey.
5. Accountability
Some people are intrinsically motivated and are able to set a goal and reach it without much of a problem. Others need some sort of accountability to help them take action, an extra incentive outside of themselves. If you work with a nutritionist over the course of a few sessions, you can get this accountability as they will check on your progress and ask how you’ve been doing.
Of course, they can’t be by your side forever (sadly!) so part of your work together will involve making your plan sustainable and easy to maintain after you finish your sessions.
If you’re on the fence about working with a nutritionist and whether or not it could be right for you, we would recommend getting in touch with a professional that resonates with you to discuss in more detail what they can offer you. Use our search tool to connect with a nutritionist today.