Finding the right professional to help you lose weight

Need help losing weight? You may want to turn to a professional who will help you change your eating habits and skip a diet that could cause you to deprive yourself of nutrients and leave you feeling unsatisfied. Chances are high that you will go off such a diet and gain more weight than you lost.

Before you go looking for help, you may want to know what the difference is between a nutritionist and a dietitian. According to NutritionEd.org and state regulations, a registered dietitian (RD) must “complete academic requirements established by the American Dietetic Association” and “must have received a baccalaureate or higher degree from an accredited college or university.” Beyond education, registered dietitians must have at least six months of experience within five years of attaining the educational requirements.

Requirements for nutrition counseling vary from state to state. In many states, there are no educational requirements although insurance companies may have.

How to find a reputable professional to help you meet your goals?

Get a referral from your physician. Check with your insurance company. Ask friends who have been successful at changing eating habits through a dietitian. Or go to the following Web site. EAT RIGHT: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and check out their listings. Just because the “expert” is listed here doesn’t mean he or she is the right person to help you. Check the person’s educational background, website or Facebook page (if applicable) and you can check with the state to see if the person has the qualifications listed. Read a bio, find the dietitian’s area of expertise, find out if they do individual and/or group counseling, and if they accept insurance or Medicare patients.

Once you have done some homework, talk with the person on the phone or ask for a preliminary meeting so that you get a sense of how you connect with this person. Find out what he or she needs from you before the first meeting, and go prepared. And stay focused on the positives of your weight-management journey and not on the things you will give up.

Please feel free to leave a comments about how you found a dietitian or nutritionist.

If you are feeling anxious about working with a dietitian, heat up a Maine Warmers' microwave heating pad, place it on your neck, back or abdomen, and take some time to relax. If it's hot out, put one of them in the freezer for a few hours in a plastic bag, then use it to chill out.

Maine Warmers