Skip to main content

The Insightful Intern: Week 5


        Before I started my internship, my only knowledge about how dietitians handle nutritional counseling was really from the professors at school. In class, they show a more black and white approach to nutrition but from observing Amy I have learned it’s more shades of gray.  So I am going to share with you some common misconceptions some people believe about dietitians.  

        The first thing I really observed was how dietitians construct such personalized plans. Amy takes the time to talk to each client about his or her routine and works the plan around it. A “one size fits all” plan does not exist. While I knew to calculate the amount of calories for each meal plan, I didn’t know just how customized it should be. Amy asks what foods you eat on a normal basis and fits those in rather than giving out a standard plan.

        While shadowing, I also see that the meetings are not all about the food. Before, I believed that dietitians would only talk about a meal plan. I’m noticing Amy really takes the time to talk to each client about their life and about daily stresses. She helps counsel them to push through obstacles that may be stopping them from reaching their full potential. Each meeting is not just about the food consumed but also about what is going on in their everyday life.

        Another main thing I’ve noticed is nutrition is not an all or nothing subject. The reality is that you will probably have a bad day here and there. You will crave that piece of chocolate cake at a birthday party and will probably want that extra drink while on vacation. A lot of people think there are “good foods” and “bad foods” but those do not exist. Amy has a saying though that I’ve heard her use many times “majority rules”. It’s okay to have a bad day and enjoy the dessert. You never want anything to stop you from living your life. Just remember to not let it get you down and start fresh the next day with the motivation to get back on track. 

        I’m learning so much about nutritional counseling at Kindred. I can’t wait to be able to use it in the future when I start to make meal plans on my own!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Miraculous Misconceptions: Raspberry Ketones

The interwebs are abuzz about the supposedly “miraculous” Raspberry Ketone supplements. Raspberry Ketone popularity started with Dr. Oz's show in February 2012, when he nicknamed it a “miracle weight loss drug.” Some even credit Raspberry Ketones with stimulating hair growth, but for our purposes here, let’s talk about weight loss. Raspberry Ketones are derived from red raspberries. Proponents claim that the supplement will stimulate your metabolism causing weight loss. However, there are no reliable studies to prove this.   Specifically there is no scientific evidence to show how it alters metabolism to promote weight loss. There is also no scientific evidence to determine a proper dosage. If you find a study that claims otherwise, check the funding source. Most likely, that study was funded by a company who produces or funds raspberry ketone products. As far as I know, no major pharmaceutical companies are investing in Raspberry Ketone research. And it is my opinion ...
9 comments
Read more

You are what you eat BUT it takes longer than a day!

Recent research by Cornell University published a week ago in the New England Journal of Medicine proves that holiday weight gain does happen and most of it is from October to about ten days after Christmas.  The study analyzed 3,000 individuals over a years time focusing on daily weights that were collected and analyzed by a wireless Withings Scale. Although the average weight gain from October to November was only 1.3 pounds this may prove that holiday weight gain is not a myth. Of interest, the study also showed that fifty percent lost the weight shortly after the holiday season while it took the other fifty percent about five months to lose the excess weight, shortly after Easter. Author Dr. Wansink advises  “Instead of a New Year’s resolution to lose weight, have an October resolution  not to gain too much weight  in the first place. Then you won’t have to worry about five months of struggling." At Kindred Nutrition we tend to agree with Dr. Wansin...
Post a Comment
Read more

Make it Happen

Parents, I see you. I see you putting everyone else's needs in front of yours. I see your dark circles under your eyes, your gray hair, that your wasting away, or that you've collectively gained weight over the years. It's time to put yourselves first because if you don't take care of yourself you won't be around to keep taking care of everyone else. So often friends, acquaintances, or clients say to me, "I don't know how you find the time to exercise." "How can you take the time away from everything else and get away to exercise?" "I wish I could actually focus on myself and exercise." Exercise to me is self care. It produces endorphins faster than any other activity I engage in. It  reduces my stress, keeps me healthy, increases flexibility, and gives me more energy to be on point with my busy kids and my demanding job. My exercise isn't extravagant and it doesn't take too much time. Here's my secret. I always ...
Post a Comment
Read more