Setting Healthy Eating Goals with a Dietitian

All of us want, from time to time, to take firm steps towards healthy eating. It is easy, though, to get lost among information overload and constantly changing diet trends. One day a combination of coffee and butter is popular, and the next day we are told that only fruit and vegetables are healthy. A good way out of this confusion is to take a personal approach based on science. This is where working with a dietitian becomes important. So how can you set your healthy eating goals by working with a dietitian, and how can you work towards them?

The Advantages of Working with a Dietitian

A dietitian is a healthcare professional who specialises in the science of nutrition. Dietitians create personal plans that suit a person's lifestyle, health and eating habits. Such personal plans can support a person's weight management, energy levels and general health. The main advantages of working with a dietitian are as follows:

• A personal nutrition plan: Every person's nutritional needs are different. Dietitians prepare personal plans that take into account a person's age, sex, health, level of physical activity and eating habits. These plans make it easier to work towards your goals.
• A scientific approach: Dietitians give nutrition advice based on scientific research. Rather than trendy diets and promises of quick results, the aim is a long-term, sustainable approach. With your dietitian's guidance you can develop healthy, balanced eating habits that you can keep up through life.
• Motivation and follow-up: Staying motivated on a healthy eating journey can sometimes be hard. Your dietitian encourages you and checks your progress through regular follow-ups. They also help you work through any challenges and find answers to your questions.
• Nutrition that suits your health: Dietitians prepare plans that take a person's health into account. For example, if you have a health condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or a food intolerance, your dietitian will take this into account, working alongside your doctor, to prepare a suitable plan.

How Are Healthy Eating Goals Set?

Setting healthy eating goals with a dietitian is a planned and systematic process. It involves getting to know yourself, making sense of your needs and goals, working together with your dietitian and taking steps towards those goals. The main steps are as follows:

Get to Know Yourself and Set Your Goals

The first step in setting healthy eating goals is to get to know yourself and set realistic goals. It helps to answer the following questions:

• What does healthy eating mean to me?
• Do I want to lose weight, gain weight or maintain my current weight?
• Do I want to raise my energy levels and be more active?
• Do I need to manage a particular health issue (for example high cholesterol or diabetes) with my doctor?
• Do I want to change my eating habits and eat in a more balanced way?

Your answers to these questions will help you set realistic goals together with your dietitian.

Your First Meeting with Your Dietitian

Your first meeting with a dietitian is an important stage in establishing your nutrition goals and needs. At this meeting your dietitian reviews your lifestyle, health, eating habits and level of physical activity. They may also take measurements such as body mass index (BMI), muscle mass and fat percentage to understand your general health. This information forms the basis of your personal nutrition plan.

Preparing Your Personal Nutrition Plan

After the first meeting, your dietitian prepares a personal nutrition plan to suit your needs and goals. The plan covers your daily calorie intake, the balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats, portion control and meal pattern. It also includes the food groups recommended to meet your daily vitamin and mineral needs. In preparing the plan, your dietitian also takes your tastes, lifestyle and food preferences into account.

Follow-Up and Review

Regular follow-up and review are very important for working towards your healthy eating goals. By meeting your dietitian at regular intervals, you can review your progress, share any challenges and, where needed, make changes to your plan. Follow-up meetings help you stay motivated and make healthy eating habits sustainable.

Take a step towards a healthier future together with a dietitian and reshape your eating habits. Remember, a healthy life starts with informed eating and determination. Results vary from person to person.

This article is for general information only; please consult your doctor and dietitian about your own situation.