Leading a healthy lifestyle involves a balanced diet and regular exercise—we all know that. Unfortunately, for most people, it’s actually a lot more complicated than eating enough vegetables and going to the gym a couple times a week. True health is highly personal and how to achieve it varies from person to person. It might not seem fair that some people can eat whatever they want and appear to be totally healthy and others have to screen every single thing they put in their mouths, but that’s just life. Besides, just because someone looks healthy on the outside, doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be mindful of their lifestyle choices.
The internet is full of advice. Stop eating this, eat more of that, pair this superfood with that supplement. Even if you consider yourself pretty in tune with your body, it’s definitely worth seeing both your doctor and a nutritionist to figure out what your body could use more—and less—of. When it comes to your diet, trial and error can work to a certain degree, but to really get into the details, seeking a professional opinion is well worth the time and cost. Here’s how a nutritionist can help you transform your definition of a balanced diet.
You’ll have to be honest
You can underestimate how much Diet Coke you drink and stretch the truth about your actual vegetable consumption all you want, but your blood tests, body composition, and overall health status doesn’t lie. A nutritionist can’t help you break your bad habits and improve your health if they don’t know exactly what you’re eating every day. Being forced to keep track of what you’re eating could actually be a wake up call. Maybe you didn’t realize how few fruits and vegetables you were getting on a weekly basis. A nutritionist won’t let you be in denial about your unhealthy habits any longer.
You’ll get direct answers to every question
If you’ve ever Googled questions about different diets, superfoods, and how to be your healthiest self, you know that there’s a lot of conflicting information out there. The truth is, eating healthy doesn’t have to be complicated. A nutritionist can help you cut through all the noise and get back to basics. If you have questions about some of the diet fads you’ve tried in the past, you can get scientifically-backed answers.
You’re aware that soft drinks are full of sugar and you shouldn’t eat processed foods, but it’s easy to ignore that knowledge sometimes. If you know exactly what those foods are doing to your body, it suddenly becomes a lot easier to resist them and make healthier choices on a regular basis.
Your plan will be highly personalized
Diet trends like keto, Whole30, and CICO all have a few valuable principles, but that doesn’t mean they’ll work for everyone. Lifestyle, food preferences, and your personal goals could mean certain restrictions just won’t work for you. Since eating right is more of a lifestyle than a diet, it’s important to find a routine that is sustainable and effective long term. It goes beyond food choice as well. With a nutritionist in your corner, you can also work on how to manage chronic health issues, what supplements you might want to consider, and identifying any allergies or sensitivities
You’ll have strategies for life
Once you know exactly what you should be eating to feel and look your best, it should be easy right? We all know that’s not always the case. There will still be happy hours, holiday parties, birthday dinners, vacations, and that pint of ice cream you should never have bought taunting you from the freezer. Temptations are everywhere and you need to be prepared for them. The key is knowing how and when to treat yourself so you don’t end up going overboard. Eating right is partly mental, so as long as you never feel like you’re depriving yourself, you’ll have the strength to turn down the donuts people always bring to work or the extra slice of pizza you really don’t even want. A nutritionist can give you a few good strategies for fighting cravings and making choices that won’t throw your whole routine out of whack.
They’ll hold you accountable
Initially, a nutritionist might want you to keep a food diary. If your goal is to lose weight, they’ll also track the number on the scale and your measurements. That means, if your progress isn’t matching up with what you’re reporting in your food diary, they’re going to notice. Of course, there could always be something else going on health-wise preventing you from seeing the expected results, so a nutritionist can help investigate and pinpoint the problem so you’re able to fix it. Knowing there’s someone else who cares about helping you reach—and maintain—your health goals can really help you stay motivated.
