When we have a toothache, we go to the dentist. When we need legal advice, we go to a lawyer. When we have eating problems, most of us ask the question whether we should turn to a personal trainer or a nutritionist? Of course, nutritionists is the right choice!
The answers to various questions, such as what is the role of a nutritionist in our lives, when do we need to consult a nutritionist and many others, are in the text found below:
When do you need a nutritionist?
- A nutritionist is an expert who helps us solve our eating problems, whether we are overweight, we have health problems or we are under stress.
- The nutritionist helps us organize our diet, to plan our meals in advance, prepare them on time and enjoy a balanced diet.
- The nutritionist helps us with the choice of food because the nutrients know what types of food our body needs. Thus, we increase the quality of not only nutrition but also the quality of our life because we reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
- The nutritionist helps us develop a healthy attitude towards food and brings healthy habits into our life so that we never have to feel guilty again because of the food we eat.
Nutritionist and our health
We definitely need a nutritionist for health reasons as well. However, the role of a nutritionist should be limited here because he is not a doctor and does not treat acute or chronic diseases. Remember, food is not a cure , so we cannot expect the diet to cure each of our health problems.
However, nutritionist can help us with the right choice of food, so the right nutrition can help the body in the fight against a certain disease.
In addition, many conditions and diseases require specific health intervention, which is recommended to be performed in cooperation with a nutritionist.
If you do not consider your health condition when you construct the diet plan on your own, you can seriously jeopardize your health. It is very dangerous to use a general diet if you are in poor health, so this is a great example of how much and when a nutritionist is needed.
If you thought that compiling a diet for one health issue is complicated, consider how much harder it is to do when a person has more than one! The nutritionist has to be informed about the problem in order to make the right choice of foods that will lead to improvement of your health condition.
If you do not want to experiment with your health, look for a nutritionist. If the nutritionist is far away from you or you cannot go and see the nutrition in person due to a busy schedule, go with an online program. A nutritionist will save you both time and money, without risking your health. The cost of a nutritionist's service is much less than the medical treatments for complications that can occur if you look for a solution yourself. A nutritionist is a trained professional who knows a lot about nutrition. It is up to you whether you will use that knowledge or look for it on your own. I highly recommend this first option.
Don't wait for a diagnosis to scare you before you decide to change you life. It doesn't matter how small the change is, it is important that it is permanent!
The role of the nutritionist in maintaining body weight
The nutritionist helps us to balance our lifestyle and our habits with our daily diet, so it is balanced, varied and healthy. It also helps us with calorie intake so that the ultimate goal is to maintain body weight and enough energy throughout the day no matter what lifestyle we have.
The nutritionist gives us all the necessary guidelines, so for example, my recommendation is to start the day with a glass of water, squeezed lemon juice or other drinks that are rich in minerals, vitamins and electrolytes. It is also important to pay attention to the intervals between meals, you should not consume anything 3-4 hours after your previous meal! You should always chose whole grain cereals, fruits and vegetables, eat dairy products and meat in moderation. Vegetarians should eat more legumes and nuts. In order for healthy people to maintain vitality, we should not eat fried food, as well as seets, crackers and various dietary bars.
These are just some of the general guidelines I give to my clients but I certainly have an individual approach, so the details may vary from person to person.
It is much easier to lose weight than to maintain an optimal body weight. With a healthy lifestyle and changing bad eating habits, it is only possible to permanently maintain the desired body weight. Along with a balanced diet, physical activity is recommended because it improves health and contributes to burning calories. Nutrition is very important in maintaining weight, 80 percent of success lies in it, and while the remaining 20 percent is up to physical activity. Of course, we will get the best results by combining these two factors - but according to the advice of professional nutritionist!
The role of the nutritionist in making food choices
The vast majority of people are not aware of what foods to eat and which to avoid. In addition, people often read conflicting theories on the Internet and become confused about the right choices of food.
That is why it is a huge benefit to have the help of a nutritionist who knows what he is doing and what advice he is giving. For example, if we are not sure whether a certain type of food makes us fat or not, we can always call our nutritionist and ask for a piece of advice. I always try to be available for my clients whenever they need help.
Did you know that we are mostly fed by processed foods, processed meat products, sausages, pasta, puff pastry, fatty cheese spreads, vegetable milk, milk in coffee, sweets, full-fat chocolates, carbonated drinks, alcohol etc? The list is indeed infinitely long. It is normal that people are not aware of this and often make mistakes. The nutritionist is here to point out these mistakes so that we become aware of what we are taking into our body day by day.
Each food has its own nutritional and caloric value, so you should take into account what, how often and in what amount it is taken into the body. Nothing should be favored or eaten indefinitely.
The choice of food certainly differs among athletes, children in development, obese people and people with chronic diseases. That is why, as a nutritionist, I make an individual diet plan that corresponds to the general condition of the organism at a given moment.
All of these may be advice we once heard, but I firmly believe that each of us would benefit from at least a conversation with a nutritionist, or at least an an analysis of the quality of the diet. It is the beginning of a developmental path and at the end of that path there is a healthy attitude towards food, good looks, a healthy body and a healthy spirit.
And no, we don't have to be afraid, a nutritionist is not a ghost that will take away all the pleasure you may find in food, "forcing" us to eat only salad and cooked chicken. Nutritionist will help us combine pleasure with health, and at the same time take away the feeling of "guilt".
A good nutritionist will save us time, money, and nerves When we say time, we mean losing it in a sea of information. Money, because it will spare us throwing money at unnecessary supplements, and above all, it will make us healthier. And last but not least, it will reduce stress, because it will spare us unnecessary and contradictory advice.
How does a nutritionist work?
After answering the question when and why we need a nutritionist , I would like to describe to you how the cooperation with a nutritionist works.
Cooperation with a nutritionist can come in various forms. We can make one appointment or we can have a permanent cooperation. There is no ideal way, just as there is not just one food problem, nor one human character. In any case, the beginning of cooperation with the client includes an introduction to the issue. It is important to determine the client's goals, problems, expectations, and motivation. It is equally important to “adjust” these goals and expectations if they are not realistic.
In the end, don't forget that unhealthy eating habits will "pay off" in 20 or 30 years, and that a healthy body weight and the current absence of health problems are not a guarantee of a healthy diet!
A healthy diet is an investment for a healthy future. If you are ready to invest in your future, contact me and I will guide through every step of the way.
Your nutritionist,
Nataša Đukić