Client Spotlight: Morgan Metcalf

Early in our work together

“I wanted to tell you that I spoke to a dietitian within my network plan and it was night and day. You are incredibly knowledgeable and professional. You have so much to offer to your clients. You can tell that you are very passionate about what you do : )”

Later in our sessions

“I have confidence in what foods I can eat that are nutritious, feel good for my body, and reduce bloating.

 I feel like I can be totally honest with you and that you believe in me that I can continue to make progress. No matter how many falls I have. I feel like you understand humanness and our imperfectness while still encouraging progress. And that helps me feel confident that I can get back to the place of eating healthy and feeling well.

How have I benefited from our work together? This answer changes on a daily basis because I change from day to day. I think overall acceptance, with the mindset of knowing I can achieve goals when I’m motivated and ready. 

I really enjoyed working with you. You are a kind, knowledgeable, and empathetic person. You really are a good person and someone that I am grateful for having in my life.” – Morgan Metcalf, client

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It’s clients like Morgan that reinforce the importance of how we help people transform their lives. A boot-camp-style, intimidating, aggressive energy might help *some* people create change, but we find that the approach that works long-term is one of grace and guidelines, not strict rules or commands.

Through our work together, Morgan’s digestive issues have mostly gone by the wayside, except for when an offending food is ingested. The food sensitivity test showed her a number of rather surprising results and she has implemented the protocol we designed for her unique body.

We are really proud of Morgan and are excited to hear how she does into the future!

Dietitian vs. Nutritionist

If you’re confused about the difference between a registered dietitian (R.D.) and a nutritionist, you’re not the only one. After meeting with a doctor last week who asked this question, we figured it was high-time to explore the education, options, and state requirements with you. It’s confusing out there, so let’s clarify this situation.

Whether your goals include losing weight, having a healthy pregnancy, reducing high blood sugars and cholesterol, or improving athletic performance, diet is the place to start. A professional who specializes in nutrition is key, since their advice is based on knowledge, skills, and experience. But why might you want to make an appointment with a registered dietitian and not a nutritionist?

The key difference is in the education and training each has received. Outside of Ohio and a few other states, nutritionists often do not require any formal training, license, nor certification in order to set up a practice. Essentially anyone can call themselves a nutritionist in certain states such as Colorado and California, where there isn’t any requirement to be licensed (or even educated) as a nutritionist.

If you live in Ohio, someone who calls himself/herself a nutritionist is a registered dietitian (or is breaking the law). The person has been licensed by the Ohio Board of Dietetics (now the State Medical Board of Ohio) and may use the terms ‘clinical nutritionist’,’nutrition counselor’ and ‘nutrition consultant.’ A registered dietitian has completed the following:

1. A minimum of a four-year college degree, with specific study of human nutrition through the life cycles, anatomy and physiology, as well as other sciences
2. A 1,200-hour minimum, supervised internship
3. Passed a national credentialing exam, which covers nutrition information from clinical to food service and community aspects
4. Maintaining at least 75 continuing education credits every 5 years

Dietitians comply with a code of ethics by which to guide their practice and rely on evidence-based nutrition recommendations.

If you’re in a state outside of Ohio (perhaps one that doesn’t require licensing), know that some of the people calling themselves nutritionists can still be helpful and knowledgeable. To seek the advice and expertise of a registered dietitian, you can look for the RD or RDN (registered dietitian nutritionist) initials after their name.