All Foods Can Fit

I have noticed that clients are almost always reluctant to make an appointment to see a dietitian. Many of them are coerced to attend by a spouse who is concerned or frustrated or simply wants someone else to tell the patient what they should be eating. Food is a very personal thing and most of us don't want to give up the things we love to eat. A few years ago, as part of my initial interview, I started asking clients "what is your favorite food?" or "what foods are you not willing to give up?" Most of them jump at the opportunity to list those foods for me and then wait anxiously to see my response. When I make the statement that we will work those foods into their eating plan somewhere, they are immediately relaxed and ready to learn. No one wants to have a diet prescribed for them, they want to have some input and own the changes we are asking them to make. One size doesn't fit all and pre-printed diet sheets are no exception. This is where the expertise of a registered dietitian comes in handy. We can design an individualized eating plan based on clinical information, client preferences, financial issues, and therapeutic goals. Nutrition is a complicated science and boiling it down to understandable recommendations that fit the client's needs is an art. All therapists recognize that one exercise or one approach to a problem will not work for all the clients they treat even if they have the same diagnosis. The same is very true of nutrition therapy. The challenge for nutrition therapists is to formulate an eating plan that clients are willing and able to follow without taking all the pleasure out of food. Besides, there are no "good" or "bad" foods and all foods can fit in balanced diet with a little dose of moderation.