Whether you’re watching television, listening to the radio, or leafing through your favorite magazine, you’ll be hard pressed to avoid the multiple ads for diets, exercise programs, or healthy eating tips — especially at the start of a new year.
Losing weight is big business. In fact, the weight loss market in the United States is valued at an estimated $71 billion. You’d think with all this attention on losing weight, exercising, and selecting healthy food, Americans would be in tip-top shape. Not so much. In fact, it’s just the opposite.
A recent report, “The State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America,” notes that for the first time, the obesity rate for American adults has exceeded the 40% mark and now stands at 42.4%. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has made matters worse: A Harris Poll found that 42% of American adults gained weight since the start of the pandemic to the tune of an average 29 pounds.
If you count yourself among them, should you just accept it and move on? The highly skilled providers at Cardio Metabolic Institute say, “Absolutely not!” There’s too much on the line — namely your overall health or perhaps even your life.
Case in point, about half of all American adults have one or more preventable, diet-related chronic diseases, including Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and certain cancers. That’s where nutrition counseling comes in.
How does nutrition counseling differ from other weight loss tactics you may have tried in the past? The easiest way to think about nutritional counseling is to imagine having access to your own personal health coach who knows about your unique medical issues and lifestyle habits when it comes to fueling your body and uses that data to create a strategy for you to live a healthier life.
Providers who do nutritional counseling services are typically either a registered dietitian (RD) or a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). RDs and RDNs earn a bachelor’s degree that trains them all about food and nutrition. Both disciplines require successful completion of clinical training and passing a national test in order to practice.
If you’ve ever been on a diet with a friend and she loses 20 pounds and you gain 5 pounds, you know all too well how frustrating one-size-fits-all weight loss programs can be. The beauty of a personalized nutritional counseling program through Cardio Metabolic Institute is that it acknowledges that many variables must be addressed to increase your likelihood of weight loss success.
Our team of highly trained registered dieticians knows that every person’s body metabolizes food differently and that individual lifestyle behaviors matter, too. For that reason, our nutritional counseling programs begin with a comprehensive consultation where we get to know you better so we understand where you’re starting from.
We take into account your overall health and family medical history. We thoroughly discuss your health goals and ask you about what you eat and daily lifestyle factors like how active you are.
Armed with this crucial data, your dietician designs a customized nutrition plan that calculates what your ideal nutrient intakes should be to help you achieve your desired weight loss. But that’s not where it ends.
The treatment plan takes a holistic approach and includes a variety of tactics to help you reach all of your health goals. Your counseling may include exercise planning, meal plans, portion-control counseling, and tips for healthy cooking.
With our nutritional counseling services, you don’t have to fend for yourself and go it alone. Your dedicated registered dietician is with you every step of the way, not only as an advocate who educates and holds you accountable, but also as a coach who encourages you and tweaks your program as needed to help you reach your weight loss goals. You won’t get that from a trendy diet book!
If you’re ready to begin the journey to a healthier (and lighter) you, contact Cardio Metabolic Institute in Somerset, Monroe Township, East Brunswick, or Edison, New Jersey, for a nutritional counseling consultation. Click or call today for an appointment at the office nearest you. It’s never too late to get healthy. Begin anew today.
