What does a dietitian do? 👀 What does working with a dietitian look like? As a Registered dietitian myself, these are questions I am FREQUENTLY asked. And people are often surprised by my answers!
There are many misconceptions about dietitians, what we do, what we eat, and what working with us looks like. When I sit down and answer these questions with friends and family, many people are surprised by what I have to say.
This post summarises the nine surprising facts about dietitians that get the most significant reaction!
In this article, I'm going to answer "what does a dietitian do?" & "What does working with a dietitian look like?". If you prefer to sit back and watch, you can enjoy this content over on YouTube.
1. No One Will Go Hungry When Working With A Dietitian.
Dietitians will not starve you to help you reach your health goal. We know from experience that it doesn't work. We spend half our time encouraging people to eat regular foods. Many people have in-built fears and rules around food. For instance, I often meet clients who are afraid to eat bread or bananas because they believe they are unhealthy due to old magazines and media headlines. Instead, people stress themselves out, thinking "healthy eating" needs to look like the picture-perfect images we see on Instagram. In fact, healthy eating can be as simple as a basic sandwich for lunch!
As dietitians, we make small, sustainable changes that accumulate over time. We do not endorse the 6-week transformation programmes you may see online. If your goal is to lose weight, it can be achieved without going hungry or starving yourself. However, the key to successful weight loss and maintenance is to bring about sustainable changes in your behaviour. We need to examine all our habits and behaviours and work on them to achieve success.
2. Dietitian vs Nutritionist -We Are Not The Same.
Dietitians are VERY different to nutritionists. Anyone can pay $20 on the internet (or maybe ZERO$) to do some "nutrition" course and call themselves a nutritionist. This can be very dangerous.
The main difference is the training and licensing that applies to each title. The title of a Registered Dietitian is protected by law, and practitioners must be registered. Anyone can call themselves a nutritionist.
Dietitian vs nutritionist
To become a dietitian, you need to:
- Study for a minimum of four years, often six or seven.
- Pass gruelling medical and final-year exams.
- Complete over 1000 hours of clinical training in hospitals, communities, and clinics.
- Write a thesis or dissertation.
After completing all the above, one is qualified, but it doesn't stop there. The next step is to apply to be on a board or register that regulates the profession and decide whether the qualifications are satisfactory to be called a dietitian.
💫Related Post: Check out MY COMPLETE GUIDE to becoming a Registered Dietitian in 2024 here.
Once finally on the board, you need to keep proof of regular learning to stay on the board. This is so the standard of dietitians is maintained high. As professionals, we need to continuously learn to keep up to date with new research to provide the best care for our patients.
and all’s during this time on the register you need to constantly apply by code of practice and ethics or rightly so you will be kicked off the board….
So, in short, "Dietitian" is a protected title in most countries or states…so if someone calls themselves a dietitian and they are not, it can go so far as being sent to prison! However, I haven't seen it go that far...YET.
But it just means if you decide to see a "Dietitian", you can TRUST that they are credible and not trying to make a quick dollar. You can be confident that their advice is research and evidence-based.
3. When Working With A Dietitian, You Might Have To Talk About Your Feelings:
There can be numerous emotional issues related to food that are difficult to address by simply changing your diet. Many of us have psychological problems associated with food, and as dietitians, we are trained to provide counselling to support these issues. Food, health, and body image are sensitive topics, and we are compassionate and empathetic healthcare professionals who will listen to and help you. We often work alongside psychiatric support to offer the best possible care.
4. It's Not Just Diet and Lifestyle Advice We're Providing - You're Getting Health Psychology, Too.
As dietitians, we train in the area of behavioural change science. This includes various behaviour change theories, models, techniques, and strategies to help you change your behaviour. Sometimes, without realizing it, we apply motivational interviewing techniques and other counselling methods to empower you to restructure your thoughts, recognize barriers, and overcome them. Our goal is to support you in achieving your health and wellness goals.
5. A Lot Of Our Work Is Getting People To Gain Weight.
No, we are not here to tell you to stop eating biscuits in front of the TV at night! Most dietitians are trying to help people GAIN weight. Primarily, we work as part of medical healthcare teams, not in gyms. We are referred clients who have cancer, who have had surgery or who need help managing a specific medical issue or illness. Yes, we also see people who want to lose weight, but that is only part of it.
The example I like to give people is to imagine someone who has been in an accident or has suffered from a stroke, and as a result, they end up in the ICU for a few weeks on a ventilator. In such cases, it's impossible for them to eat normally. As dietitians, we have to feed these patients through tubes or central lines, and let me tell you, this is a lot more complicated and stressful than simply advising someone to cut back on butter.
6. We Don’t Like Diets And Meal Plans
We don’t like diets. Diets make you miserable, you try, you fail, and you start all over again on Monday.
Yes, if you really want a structured meal plan, we will give you one. However, we would much rather give you more flexible guides and approaches. We want to teach you the skills to build your own meals and learn the skills of making the right food choices. We will teach you how to read a food label, how to understand portion sizes, and how to build structured meals.
7. We Don’t Want To See You Again (usually!)
And this brings me to my next point: Our aim is not to have you rely on us for your health journey. Instead, we want to equip you with the skills and knowledge to move forward independently. Depending on your initial reason for visiting us, you may need to come back for more than one visit, but our goal is for you to eventually become self-sufficient and no longer need our assistance. We're not the type of people you visit only for motivation before an event or every January. Our focus is on empowering you to be in charge of your own health.
8. It's Not Just About Weight
It's not just about weight. Your diet can have an impact on your physical health, mental health, sleep, relationships, ability to work productively, function in society, risk of disease and general well-being.
And as I said, we work medically, I often want to know a lot more about you than just what you weight and what you eat, I want a full medical hx, family hx, a copy of your recent bloodwork, a copy of all your current drug prescriptions, the dose, the timing and don't even let me get started on how in-depth we will likely be talking about your bowels. . I want to talk to your doctor. I might even want to talk to your spouse, partner, kids, and mother. A dietitian's role is far broader than many people realise. We work with the doctor and the pharmacist and whoever we may need to help you improve your health
9. We Are Not Perfect Either
Finally, our diets are not perfect either! But that’s okay because we know that it's our overall eating pattern that counts. We don’t beat ourselves up about a few treats here and there. As a dietitian, I am constantly getting remarks like, "Oh I didn't think you would eat that", or "What's the dietitian eating today". But I LOVE food. That is why I chose a whole career around it.
As a dietitian, I don't have some special power where I only crave super healthy foods. It's difficult for me to resist desserts too, but I've learned to enjoy everything in moderation. I strive to find a balance where food compliments my life, rather than feeling like a restriction.
Final Thoughts
I hope this article gave you some food for thought, pun intended!
I would love to hear what surprised you the most. Are there any other questions you have about dietitians that I haven't answered?
This post was all about what does a dietitian do.
More about the author:
Hi there! My name is Maria, and I am a Registered Dietitian practising in Ireland and Bermuda. I have extensive experience in helping clients improve their health through the power of good nutrition. I hope you enjoyed this article. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. Additionally, if there are nutrition topics or recipes you would like me to make in future posts, please let me know. I would be more than happy to help.
Stay happy and healthy 💚
Your Registered Dietitian
Maria xox
Check me out on YouTube!
🎥 Visit my YouTube Channel to learn more about my approach to eating.
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