What does an appointment with a dietitian look like?

If you've never seen a dietitian before you may be feeling a little nervous, unsure or wondering what does a dietitian even do and what will it be like?

So to give you an idea about how I structure my appointments and what to expect, here is my agenda and timing for our first appointment.

How long does an appointment last?

My first-time appointments are 60 minutes long.

That might seem like a long time in comparison to a standard GP appointment! But to ensure I understand your story it takes time.

As a women's health and eating disorder dietitian I also ask a number of questions that you might not cover in a standard nutritionist/ dietitian consultation. So to make sure I have enough time to gather the information I need to get a good picture of your situation, an hour goes quick!

So how does it usually go down?

1. First things First, I get to know you and your story

Before we even get to my questions I'll give you the floor to tell me about your journey and what you're hoping to achieve by receiving support from a dietitian.

2. Next up, a personalised nutrition assessment

To fully understand what's going on for you. I do what is called a 'nutrition assessment'. This is where I gather all the details about you, your health and diet in a completely non-judgmental manner to help inform my recommendations. Things we'll cover:

• What life looks like for you (work, study, life at home, hobbies, exercise/activity levels)

• Cooking and shopping in your household

• Medical conditions you and your family experience (things like PCOS, endometriosis, diabetes, thyroid conditions, allergies/intolerances etc.)

• Medications or supplements you take

• Any symptoms you experience (your appetite, gut/bowel symptoms, energy and stress levels, sleep patterns)

• Your menstrual cycle history and current experiences

• What your eating currently looks like

• (Optional) weight history, changes or concerns

3. Time to Set some Goals

Here we pull together your story with where you're at, to work out where you want to go!

• For some of the women I work with it is getting their hormones in check and improve their menstrual health.

• For others the main goal is to reduce symptoms like bloating, brain fog, abdominal pain, PMS/mood and fatigue.

• Others want to improve their relationship with food, recover from an eating disorder or reduce binge/over eating.

• It might be to fall pregnant and have a healthy pregnancy, or manage pregnancy-related symptoms and complications.

• For others it could be to improve their overall health or focus on weight goals.

Everyone's situation and goals are different! We'll focus on setting clear, value-based goals that help you live the life you want to live.

4. Create a Plan + Recommendations

After looking at all the information, we'll discuss what things might help you. I'll explain what I'm seeing, any gaps in your diet. We talk through any barriers or supporting factors. We'll explore how certain diet or lifestyle changes may benefit you.

This is a collaborative process. I bring the nutrition expertise and you bring your expertise on YOU! And together we create goals that work for you, that feel doable and not overwhelming and determine what practical, step-by-step actions will help you achieve your goals.

5. Support and Follow up

I get it, there is so much information we cover in an appointment and it can be hard to remember everything!

After your appointment I send you a summary email that breaks down what we talked about and the goals, meal plan or supplement recommendations we set. If you have any quick questions after the appointment, you can email me to keep things on track.

What if I don't follow the recommendations perfectly?

I'll be honest, making diet changes is really tough and the flow on impact on your health takes time. Let's be real, most people don't nail everything perfectly. I won’t be disappointed (or surprised) if you didn't do all the things we set in the first session. Even if you come back and say "I didn't do any of the actions", this is a great learning opportunity to help us create a plan that is achievable.

Life happens and often new challenges pop up. This is why the vast majority of the people I see require follow up appointments.

At our next appointment we can really delve into:

• What worked?

• What didn't work so well?

• What things need to change to help you get you closer to your goals?

Then we can refine the plan, learn how your body is responding to things and look at how we can set you up for long-term success going forward.

That is pretty much it!

Hopefully not too scary!

My goal is that you finish your appointments feeling heard, motivated and clear on what to do to achieve your goals.

If this sounds like the kind of support you are looking for, click here to schedule our first appointment. I can't wait to meet you and support you on your journey!

If you are still not sure about it, feel free to sign up for a pressure free 15-20 minute discovery call to see if we will be a good fit.