In general, there are 3 basic directions people choose to try:

• Calorie or macronutrient tracking or food journaling

• Following a detailed meal plan

• Starting a specific diet pattern or popular regimen like low-carb, plant-based, or intermittent fasting

Although these are all logical and evidence-informed methods of diet control that can translate to successful weight management if applied consistently, it’s a tired truism that usually, consistency wanes and long term success falls out of reach.

Although a brand new shiny direction feels exciting and promising (and motivating at first), I see the 3 options above like sudden bouts of sprinting without any training at all. You burst out of the gate but you don’t quite have the conditioning or the pacing to finish strong. Plus, it kind of hurts.

Doesn’t it make sense to take the time to strengthen your diet foundations before you sign up for a major mission?

In over 10 years of dietetic practice, I’ve come across a handful of common dietary missteps that people are usually not even aware of making in their everyday patterns. And these are not usually difficult, complicated things!  

Small tweaks to what you’re already doing, applied consistently, could be all you need for a sustainable diet and weight improvement, without the exercise in frustration of a lifestyle overhaul.

I usually coach people through these core diet and habit improvements as they come up, and this works well for those who clearly know what their key obstacles are.

But we can’t know what we don’t know, so for best results, a nutrition program would ideally be a comprehensive assessment and upgrade of all the foundational pillars, systematically.

For this reason I created a program that focuses on each of the core areas of daily dietary health each session:

1. Meal Structure

2. Eating Timing and Habits

3. Food Choices, Meal Planning and Preparation

4. Eating Awareness and Mindfulness

5. (Optional) Mindset Training

6. Next level efforts: food tracking, meal plans, specific diet and eating patterns

This structured approach enables us to explore and correct 4 key areas of eating for metabolic health. After we’ve strengthened the foundations, training your awareness, abilities and motivation in the process, we will be well equipped to start down one of the more intensive paths of dietary intervention (part 6)  for weight management, if we think we need it.

If you do need and want to intensify your efforts after having optimized the foundations, you will be better able to understand the correct next steps for you, in addition to being better prepared to embark upon a more intensive lifestyle change effort that will stick.

I work with clients one-on-one to move through each part of the program in turn. Some areas may take more than one session to explore and some may only take up a small portion of a session depending on your unique situation.

There is no commitment to complete any number of sessions, but it would take 4 sessions at minimum to move through the program, with an option to extend as needed. Sessions are covered by insurance plans that include benefits for Registered Dietitians.