The conflicting information on weight loss is overwhelming and hitting a healthy weight loss goal isn't easy. Fad diets may require you to make unhealthy choices that sometimes lead to health risks. Failed attempts can leave you feeling deflated and hopeless.
It's not your fault. You are doing the best you can with the information you have. If you're ready to take it to the next level and start a weight-loss journey that will improve your health, and regain your self-esteem, then a weight-loss nutritionist can help.
What Is a Weight Loss Nutritionist?
A weight-loss nutritionist helps clients lose weight by giving them the right tools to develop healthy eating habits and make lifestyle changes. They use medical nutrition therapy to assist those with health problems such as diabetes and autoimmune diseases.
Your weight loss nutritionist works closely with you to set realistic goals for weight loss and identify factors making it difficult to lose excess weight. They develop an individualized plan tailored to your weight loss goals and health conditions.
You can read more about weight-loss nutritionists here.
Am I a Good Candidate To Work With a Weight Loss Nutritionist?
Losing weight and pursuing healthy lifestyle changes is a worthy endeavor for anyone, but some health problems make the benefits of working with a weight loss nutritionist essential.
Diabetes Management
Having diabetes means that your body cannot make enough insulin, resulting in dangerous amounts of blood sugar in your bloodstream. If left untreated, diabetes can lead to serious health issues, including kidney disease, heart disease, and even blindness.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that one of the best ways to address diabetes is to develop healthy eating habits. A weight-loss nutritionist trained in medical nutrition therapy can help you design a diet plan to control your diabetes and maintain a healthy weight.
Autoimmune Disease
Autoimmunity occurs when the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its cells. The British Society for Immunology reports that cases of autoimmune diseases are increasing by as much as 9% every year.
More than 80 known autoimmune diseases exist today, including Lupus, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Although these diseases affect different systems of the body, the Global Autoimmune Institute says there is growing evidence of a common link to a compromised gut microbiome.
Although there are no cures for autoimmune diseases, patients can manage symptoms through lifestyle changes, healthy food choices, and stress reduction. A nutrition professional can help you make these changes without severely restricting your diet. Through medical nutrition therapy, they can address food allergies and body-weight issues common with autoimmune patients.
Cardiovascular Health
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, cardiovascular diseases cause nearly one-third of deaths worldwide. They also state that the best way to prevent cardiovascular disease is through weight loss, healthy eating habits, and positive lifestyle changes.
Using medical nutrition therapy, the best weight-loss nutritionists design a plan for dietary changes that will help you lose weight and protect your heart. They will work with you to identify risk factors and support you in making healthy decisions to mitigate your risks of CVD.
Individuals must address many factors to achieve healthy, lasting weight loss. A dietitian or weight loss nutritionist can help you develop a customized, integrated plan to lose weight that considers all these factors.
Personalized Goals
Losing weight requires a personalized approach. Fad diets take a one-size-fits-all approach that fails to
consider and address your unique challenges. A nutrition professional will work closely with you to develop a plan that includes healthier foods, physical activity, and psychological approaches tailored to fit your needs.
Long-Term Support
While losing weight is challenging, maintaining that weight loss is even more difficult. A weight-loss nutritionist or registered dietitian will schedule regular follow-up visits to adjust your plan, provide ongoing support, and increase your chances of long-term weight loss success.
Lifestyle Mapping
Lifestyle mapping is a personal development tool that gives you a visual representation of all the aspects of your life that contribute to your weight issues. The full picture will provide a map you can follow on your weight-loss journey.
Stress and Sleep
The Sleep Foundation draws a direct correlation between a healthy weight and sleep. The foundation reports that a lack of sleep can increase appetite, slow metabolism, and interrupt circadian rhythms, leading to excess weight gain.
Chronic stress harms many bodily functions, including high blood pressure, cognitive functioning, and weight gain. The Mayo Clinic posits that reducing stress cannot be ignored when your goal is to lose weight.
Metabolic Health
There is a clear connection between healthy weight and metabolic health. Metabolism is affected by many factors, including blood pressure, glucose levels, HDL, and triglycerides.
The best way to improve metabolic health is to adopt a diet plan that includes a variety of vegetables, moderate exercise, and a healthy sleep schedule. A dietitian will address all of these factors through a comprehensive lifestyle plan.
Hormonal Imbalances
Your hormones play an essential role in regulating your weight. Imbalances in critical hormones, such as cortisol, thyroid, insulin, and estrogen, can affect weight gain regardless of the number of calories you consume. Dietitians focus on bringing these hormones into balance to assist with your weight loss.
Behavioral Psychology
It is not unusual for mental and emotional factors to play significant roles in body weight issues. One's relationship with food is often fraught with hidden psychological triggers. For many, the addition of behavioral modification to their weight-loss plan is the missing piece of the puzzle.
Is a Weight Loss Registered Dietitian the Same as a Weight Loss Nutritionist?
All dietitians are nutritionists. They hold at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and are certified through the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Conversely, many states do not require certification for nutritionists, although many do seek high levels of certification.
Set Realistic Goals with a WeightLoss Nutritionist
Diet plans that promise overnight weight loss with little effort on your part may seem tempting, but they're not realistic. When you work with a weight-loss nutritionist or dietitian, you develop a long-term plan that addresses your weight-loss goals holistically and comprehensively. It won't be easy and won't happen overnight, but this approach gives you the best possible chance at sustainable weight loss.
Getting help finding the right professional can make the process easy. Start creating a sustainable path to health by taking the weight loss quiz.
