What Do Dietitians Do & Do Dietitians Make Meal Plans?
By Kayley George, RDN, LD
If you’re ready to take charge of your health, the first step is finding the right help. Just as you look to other professionals for guidance around things like taxes, your weight loss journey is no different.
As soon as you’re ready to start making changes with your diet, you’re flooded with detoxes, supplements, and other quick-fix solutions. You’re also inundated with nutrition coaches, personal trainers, people-who-lost-weight-and-think-they-have-authority, and so on.
In this article, we’re going to break down what a dietitian does, who they might help, if dietitians make meal plans, and how to pick the perfect dietitian for you.
What Do Dietitians Do?
A Registered Dietitian (RD) is, quite literally, an expert on nutrition and diet. RD’s promote health and manage disease - what we eat has a direct impact on our overall health. Dietitians do so much more than the popular misconception that they simply help people lose weight. An RD works in a variety of settings from hospitals, clinics, schools, corporations, state and local governments, independent practice, etc.
In the end, a dietitian can help clients with nearly anything related to food and nutrition, from helping a client learn to plan meals to providing expert advice to the medical team for a patient that is dependent on a feeding tube.
What is the Difference Between a Dietitian Vs. Nutritionist
You've probably heard the titles registered dietitian (RD) and nutritionist tossed around interchangeably, but those two words carry a lot more weight than you might expect.
A licensed RD / RDN is regulated in their practices and the work they’re allowed to do. So, what about a certified nutritionist or health coach?
You’ll be surprised to find out that the titles and positions of “nutritionist” aren’t regulated in most states. This means nearly anyone can call themselves a nutritionist and charge you for their services, without any expertise.
A nutritionist may have no formal training to work in the field of nutrition and the title requires no proof of qualifications, from a legal perspective. A little unnerving, right?
As a result, professionals who call themselves nutritionists are less protected under law and have little to no government regulation when it comes to their practices. The lack of credential requirements also sets limits on what services can be offered by a nutritionist or health coach.
On the other hand dietitians are unique in the fact that they can provide medical nutrition therapy (MNT) and receive payment through insurance, unlike any other nutrition professionals. It’s important to understand the difference in a dietitian’s training compared to another nutrition coach.
If someone is a Registered Dietitian, they began their educational journey by receiving a bachelor’s degree in nutrition science (but we promise, it’s not BS!). They have completed a 1200+ hour dietetic internship that requires training in clinical, community, and foodservice operations.
Lastly, they’ve passed a rigorous national credential exam, and most likely continued their education by receiving a Master’s degree (soon it will be a requirement across the board).
What Does a Dietitian Do For You?
Once you’ve decided that you want to work with a dietitian, here are a few areas where a dietitian could support you:
1. Provides a Sustainable Lifestyle, Not a Quick Fix Diet
All dietitians, no matter their area of focus, have the goal to help each of their clients live a healthier and more active lifestyle. Many dietitians develop customized nutrition plans for each client to promote healthier eating habits.
Dietitians not only create meal plans for their clients, but they also provide education and knowledge on how to make appropriate food choices in any situation.
2. Helps Clients with Illnesses (Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, or Inflammatory Bowel Disease)
Your diet is one of the most important aspects of helping to keep illnesses manageable and under control. If you have a specific medical condition, a dietitian can work closely with you and your medical team to develop a diet that works within your medical restrictions.
Most dietitians who work in the medical arena specialize in specific conditions to make them more knowledgeable and equipped.
3. Helps with Battling Food Intolerances, Allergies, or Sensitivities
Food intolerances or food sensitivities occur when someone has difficulty digesting a specific type of food, one of the most common examples being lactose intolerant. Food allergies occur when the immune system overreacts to certain food proteins (we call these IgE-mediated food allergies), one of the most well known being peanuts.
Some of these intolerances, allergies, or sensitivities cause extreme dietary avoidances that make it difficult to eat a well-rounded diet. A dietitian can help to navigate these restrictions with an eating plan that covers all nutritional bases.
4. Provides Guidance When There Are Higher Nutritional Demands On The Body (Sports Performance, Pregnancy, or Breastfeeding)
There are some phases of our life that demand more from our bodies. Your diet needs to keep up with the extra strain that you’re putting it through.
For example, while popular opinion says that carb-loading before a marathon or stuffing yourself with protein after the gym will enhance performance, a dietitian is here to give you a better strategy. Likewise, if you’re no longer eating for just one, it’s important to take measures for your health and your future child’s health.
5. Provides Plans For Losing, Gaining, or Maintaining Weight
A common misconception is that dietitians are only around to help you lose weight. Wrong!
You might be surprised to learn that there’s a good chunk of the population who struggle to gain weight. A dietitian will look at your current food patterns to determine the areas that need to adjust in order to reach your weight goals.
It might not be at the speed you want, but dramatic weight loss or weight gain is not healthy in the long-term. Dietitians work with individuals coming from different backgrounds with various habits, lifestyles, and health needs.
At the core of it all, a dietitian can assess your needs, establish realistic nutrition goals, create a personalized game plan, hold you accountable (follow-up is key), and tweak your plan as you go along.
While some dietitians work in a physical office or clinical setting, others operate virtually (like yours truly!). There’s a dietitian out there for everyone’s personal preference. To connect with me and my team for nutrition help, book a FREE discovery call!
Who is the Right Dietitian For Me?
There are 5 different areas to look at when you are searching for the perfect dietitian to help you reach your goals. Here are 5 key topics to ask each dietitian you are interested in working with.
1. Credentials
We’ve already talked about the difference between a dietitian and nutritionist, but there are also a handful of certifications within the dietitian world. Some of the focuses include sports nutrition, geriatrics, and weight management.
2. Niche or Specialty
Outside of the official certifications, many dietitians find a niche of clientele that they are passionate about. Since the world of nutrition is constantly evolving, having a specialty allows the dietitian to be more involved with current research and trends in one specific field.
3. Packages or Programs
A typical model for dietitians to see clients is a one-hour counseling session with subsequent follow-up sessions. However, many dietitians are breaking away from the traditional model to offer more in-depth packages and service features.
4. Eating Approach
Just like most dietitians have a population that they prefer to work with, many will also have a certain “style” in how they approach eating. Some dietitians prefer intuitive eating practices, which focus on mindful eating and self-awareness, while others prefer more rigorous tracking methods.
5. Level of Accountability
Here’s the equation for success: accountability + commitment = results.
Think about the sheer number of food decisions that you make every day. It’s important to know what level of accountability and support your dietitian will provide outside of your formal sessions together.
Do Dietitians Make Meal Plans?
The answer here is yes and no! Every dietitian brings a unique flavor to their work. While all have the same foundational knowledge, everyone comes with different education, training, and nutrition philosophies.
Some dietitians prefer an intuitive eating approach while others teach calorie counting. Here at the Healthy Weight Loss Dietitian team, we have a few specialties in our program and customized meal plans is one of those things.
We take a whole-foods based approach to weight loss that minimizes calorie / macro counting and emphasizes fresh, homemade, portion-controlled meals. Meal plans can cut the guessing work out of what to eat day to day so that you can focus on more important things.
In order for meal plans to be sustainable, they need to be realistic for your time constraints, budget, preferences, and lifestyle. Generic, cookie cutter meal plans often are unsustainable for those reasons and give meal plans a bad reputation.
Reasons To Have a Dietitian Make a Meal Plan For You
If you’re unsure about whether or not meal plans are a good fit for your goals, here are a few benefits to following a meal plan from a dietitian.
Meal Plan Benefit #1: Weight Loss
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Simply put, when you plan ahead of time you are more likely to make better choices. We all have bad days where we just want to throw in the towel, but already having a meal planned and prepped ahead of time can keep you from going off track.
It’s the days when we are tired, stressed, and overwhelmed that we tend to go through the drive-through and make choices we regret later. Meal planning makes eating one less thing you have to worry about when life gets crazy.
Meal Plan Benefit #2: Time Savings
How much time do you typically spend when you put together your grocery and meal plan for the week? You can wind up spending hours scrolling through Pinterest, sifting through ingredients, going to the store, and so on.
Not only can meal planning save you time on the front end, but you are going to be more efficient with your time as the week plays out too. You can strategically batch cook or make leftovers to cut down cooking time later in the week.
A meal plan cuts out the hard work of putting together everything - all you have to do is execute.
Meal Plan Benefit #3: Cost Savings
While there are costs associated with having a meal plan made for you, you are going to see significant cost savings on the back end. First and foremost, you will cut down your eating out budget significantly.
For some people, this can rack up to $500 to $1,000 a month depending on family size (I’ve seen as high as $1,500!). That in itself can justify the cost of having a meal plan made.
Secondly, you’re likely going to see that grocery bill go down (if it does go up, it’s probably because you’re eating at home more than before). When you have a plan, you're less likely to make impulse grocery purchases and less likely to waste food.
Meal Plan Benefit #4: Variety
Feel like you’re in a rut with your recipes? You’re not alone. If you aren’t savvy in the kitchen, it’s easy to get into a rotation of a few staple recipes.
Meal plans work wonders for getting you out of your comfort zone both with food and with cooking. You may discover new foods that you enjoy or a new way to cook an ingredient you already eat.
Meal plans are a fantastic tool to add more recipes to your toolkit and more nutrition density to your diet overall.
Dietitian Meal Plan Cost
There are so many options for meal planning that there is not actually a general meal plan cost. The majority of dietitians do not offer meal plans alone.
A meal plan is often part of a full program that provides guidance and education about food, nutrition and your overall health. Some dietitians charge an hourly fee which can average $100 per hour.
This number can be higher or lower depending on the type of meal plan offered. It could be a full plan, a partial plan, include recipes, or just help the client achieve macronutrient goals, etc.
Other dietitians prefer to have clients commit to a minimum of 3 to 6 months for one overall fee and most costs are built into that fee. This fee, depending on the length of time and number of follow up visits can vary from $250 - $510 per month or higher.
So, you can see the fees vary significantly based on each individual client’s needs - nutrition and health are highly individualized.
Dietitian Meal Plan Template
If you’re still on the fence if a customized meal plan could work for you, check out some sample meal plans HERE. All of our customized meal plans include recipes, nutrition labels, and grocery lists. Once you have your meal plan, you can take it and execute.
Are You Ready For Your Own Meal Plan?
If you’re tired of trying to figure out weight loss on your own, meal plans created by a dietitian are a great guide to get your scale moving in the right direction. At the Healthy Weight Loss Dietitian Team, we take the guesswork out of eating for you.
Let us do the heavy lifting. Let us give you the answers. Our tailored meal plans are just one aspect of our fully-customized Ditch the Diet coaching program. Apply today to see if we’re a good fit for your goals!
Published on Mar 21, 2021 at 12:05 pm