Meal Plans vs. Nutrition Counseling

Sometimes a new client *thinks* they want a meal plan.

It’s easy to believe that if you have what, when and how much to eat all written out for you, you can just do it and reach your goals.

The concept makes perfect sense.

Except for that one part “do it.”

While intentions are there, in reality, people don’t follow meal plans.

And for the same reason that they don’t follow diets for long.

Meal plans are somebody else’s version of what to eat for each meal, when to eat and how much to eat.

They don’t address YOUR unique life routine, preferences, challenges and the reasons why you haven’t been able to achieve your health goals.

You’ll need guidance, but not a meal plan.

We’ll talk about planning out your meals, how to better balance them, ideas of when and what to eat, when and if to include snacks, how to listen to your body, eating to feel good and have energy, changing any unwanted eating habits, new recipes to try if you want them and whatever else you need to get you on the path towards your goals.

 

Take a look at how being given a meal plan differs from nutrition counseling:

Meal Plan	Nutrition Counseling
-Too much change too fast. It’s an entire diet overhaul which is far too much to change at once, overwhelming and not sustainable.	-Implements smaller changes to your diet and builds on those successes to keep you going for the long haul. No complete diet overhauls.
-3 new meals/day for the week equals 21 new meals to buy ingredients for, prepare and cook–all completely different from what you are used to eating. Yikes– not realistic.	–We take your diet from where it is and plan out improvements. As your dietitian, I review your eating habits with you and we come up with strategic changes that are achievable and realistic.
–Rigid and impersonal: No account for food likes/dislikes, daily routine/schedule, time and effort necessary for food shopping, prep, cooking, etc.	–Flexible and customized:  Important factors such as what you enjoy eating, your work/life schedule and how to meal prep and cook all come into play.
-Doesn’t teach you how to eat.  What if you are out of an ingredient, have leftovers in the fridge that you want to use up, are out to eat or simply do not enjoy eating the specific food on your plan for that meal?	-Teaches you how to eat!  And how to trust yourself, create your own balanced meals, eat intuitively, choose what makes you feel satiated and allows the freedom to incorporate whatever foods you like into your life.

Can you see the difference between what nutrition counseling offers versus being given a meal plan?

In a sense we are coming up with a plan for your meals, only not in the way you might have envisioned.

Nutrition counseling is much more likely to result in a lifestyle change that you can feel good about and want to maintain.

Making healthy habit changes means starting where you are and going from there, at whatever pace is comfortable for you.

YOU have a say in what to change.

You’re more likely to implement changes when you are involved in making them, not being told what to do.

If you’re still feeling like you need a meal plan, you’re in luck! Thanks to the internet, you have your choice of millions to choose from right at your fingertips. 😂

Have at it but ask yourself if you really want to keep searching for meal plans (diets!) for the rest of your life… or would you rather become empowered and learn how to eat in a way that is nourishing, enjoyable and sustainable? 💞