The Food Police. The ONE who will tell us what NOT to eat, take away all of our favorite food, and make us do things we don’t want to do. The ONE who will put me on a diet, make me lose weight, and tell me that all vegetables are heaven. Registered Dietitians (RDs) have a bad rap. I’m not sure how or when that happened because all of the dietitians I know are awesome! I promise, Registered Dietitians are reasonable, empathetic people. Most of them anyway. Just like with any profession, I’m sure there are some that have gone rogue and lost interest in caring for clients. Let’s not focus on them. Who are registered dietitians and why do you need one (or more) in your life?
Registered Dietitians are food and nutrition experts that work in a variety of environments. We have completed a college degree and an extensive internship experience to learn the most about food and nutrition and what it does for you and your body. In short, what we love to do is help people become more confident in caring for themselves and their bodies through food. Generally, we can assist with the following:
Provide meal and snack recommendations to assist preventing and managing chronic diseases and conditions.
Provide nutrition education on pretty much anything that relates to food and/or nutrition.
Provide nutrition counseling that guide individuals in setting goals and action plans, overcoming personal barriers, and problem-solving to make lifestyle choices that allow them to live more healthfully.
Provide referrals to other care providers when an issue falls outside of our scope of practice. For example, at Unbound Recovery, we have skilled mental health therapists who we collaborate with when serving clients with disordered eating. We also confidently refer clients to our mental health professionals for co-existing conditions such as depression, anxiety, and trauma.
What to Expect in a Nutrition Session:
Some dietitians become specialized in their practice. At Unbound Recovery in Manhattan, KS, registered dietitians specialize in assisting clients recover from eating disorders, disordered eating, chronic dieting, and body image concerns. We realize that seeking help for eating issues can be scary and intimidating; we want to provide compassionate care while also providing a safe place to step outside of the comfort zone of the eating disorder and start the recovery process. We know that recovery is HARD; change is DIFFICULT, and these are processes that may take many sessions to explore. So what do sessions with a registered dietitian at Unbound Recovery look and feel like? Each experience with the RD is a bit different based on the individual’s needs and the RD’s counseling style, but generally you can expect the following:
The RD wants to get to know you and develop a genuine relationship with you. This is part of their compassionate and empathetic nature. By getting to know you and what is important to you, we will be able to help you in your recovery process more effectively.
The first couple of sessions will feel introductory. You can expect the RD to ask questions during the first few sessions to adequately assess any nutritional issues. Questions will include: weight, weight history, and emotions surrounding weight; relationship with food and food intake history; daily routines; exercise habits and reasons for exercise; family history related to food and weight; thought patterns related to food, eating, and body image; confidence in recovery; and long-term goals for recovery, among others.
After a full nutritional assessment, the RD will assist you in developing goals and action plans that are specific to your nutritional issues. These will be different and individualized for everyone.
Expect to be challenged because being outside of your comfort zone is challenging. You can only recover by pushing past the limits of the eating disorder. There are many activities we do with clients to make progress in recovery. A few examples include:
Providing education on what restriction does to your metabolism and body; consequences of eating disorder behaviors; what are disordered vs. normal eating patterns; what eating disorder thoughts sound like and strategies to reframe these thoughts; how to become an intuitive eater. The list goes on.
Reframing negative self-talk about food, eating, and your body to be more neutral/positive to repair your relationship with food and improve your body image.
Recommending a meal/snack plan that consistently nourishes the body throughout the day to help restore weight and nutritional health or eat more consistently to reduce binge or binge/purge cycles. This will also help optimize energy levels so that you feel better.
Assisting clients identify fear foods or foods that create anxiety and methodically challenging them to experience those foods so that over time anxiety is reduced.
Above all, expect the RD to be just a normal person. We enjoy eating all types of foods, including fun foods: chips, brownies, chocolate, pizza. We don’t eat like rabbits; not all of us LOOOOVE kale. If you do, that’s great! If you don’t, that’s great, neither do I! We are not perfect (no such thing), and we do not expect perfectionism. Some of us have struggled with our own eating/food issues and negative body image.
What we will NOT do in a session:
Tell you to give up your favorite food. Our mantras are: All Foods Fit and Everything in Moderation. These are our mottos not because they sound good, but because we BELIEVE that this is how to develop a healthy relationship with food. Giving yourself permission to eat all types of foods helps decrease intense cravings (resulting from restricting those foods) and potential binge patterns.
Tell you to skip meals. Consistent nourishment, which is eating meals/snacks at least every 3-4 hours is a key cornerstone of eating disorder recovery. This consistency helps normalize blood sugar, metabolism, and hunger/fullness cues that all have been impacted negatively by restriction.
Shame you for anything, including not following all of our advice perfectly. We know that life happens, and there are barriers/challenges that can stand in the way of always following through perfectly. We are realistic and do not expect anyone to be perfect or act perfectly, whatever that even means. We want you to be honest in sessions and tell us about your challenges so that we can help problem-solve or modify our short and long-term goals.
At the end of the day, recovery is scary and challenging, AND Unbound Recovery Registered Dietitians are here to support you during a very difficult process. Our wonderful mental health therapists are too! So go ahead and take that first step, call us and schedule an initial appointment. Your future self will always be thankful for the help you sought.
Currently, Unbound Recovery is accepting new clients at both our Manhattan, KS and Topeka, KS Locations! If you would like to refer clients to us, please fax referral information to: 785-534-5014. We will contact clients and get them scheduled for services. Our providers will provide updates to you on a regular basis. We accept most major insurances and are accepting new clients. If you have any questions, please contact our office at 785-510-3008.
About the Author:
Amber Howells, PhD, RDN, LD As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) at Unbound Recovery in Manhattan, KS, Dr. Amber Howells enjoys working with individuals to restore their relationship with food, while helping them achieve overall health and wellness goals. She is a Kansas native and resides in Manhattan, KS with her husband and five children.
