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What's the difference between a doctor, a nutritionist, and a health coach? If you're at a point where you feel like you've tried everything with no luck, and you want to talk to a professional, let's delve into the difference between each.
I know ladies who are 40 pounds overweight, hate the idea of seeing a nutritionist. They feel like they know everything that they are supposed to do and that it would be a total waste of money. Furthermore, aren't they just going to tell you to eat less and exercise more? How could you see the value in that. Some like the idea of seeing a personal trainer, because they think fitness is the key to looking good. Yet at the same time they know full well that their eating habits are out of control (especially sugar cravings). They know deep down that working out with a pro isn't going to cut it. But there's actually 4 different kinds of practitioners you can talk to about diet. And, each one is going to give you a different outcome with your goals. |
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Medical Doctor - Keyword: Medicine
Pros: Medical Doctors are trained in...quick fix... treat the symptom... medicine! So, if you go to a doctor, they're most likely going to give you some medication.
I can see two benefits of going to a doctor: the first is when you are in a crisis, like an accident and are losing blood too rapidly. or if you need surgery.
Cons: But when it comes to nutrition, I like to think of medication as like a bandaid on a cut that needs stitches. It will help you feel better but it's not addressing the cause or how to fix it long term. It is just a quick fix treating the symptom.
Which means if you have any chronic conditions - like bloating, constipation, fatigue, skin conditions, or a whole bunch of other things that just make you feel a bit dull, then a medical doctor is not who you want to see.
Plus, the side effects to medications give us new symptoms and we wind up getting a different medication for the new symptom.
Nutritionist - Keyword: Diet
Pros: Nutritionists (also known as Registered Dietician) are great at giving information about different nutrients and biochemistry. They can help you plan a diet for weight loss or a healing diet for whatever your specific health goal is.
If you have a specific goal - like losing x amount of pounds by summer beach time, or gaining more energy for a fitness competition - then nutritionists can help you formulate a plan for that.
Cons: Nutritionists tend to be more diet-focused. There are so many other things that could keep you from losing weight, from stress in your life to your lifestyle to your thought process. And that's not something that *most* nutritionists work through, necessarily.
Also, most nutritionists will have a long chat with you when you first come to them, and then have very short follow up sessions just to tweak anything going on in your diet. So again, nutritionists and dieticians are diet focused.
Functional Nutritionist - Keywords: Healing with a blend of science & holistic concepts
Pros: Functional Nutritionists are like a blend between a Nutritionist and a Medical doctor.
They can do tests to check which nutrients your body needs (overriding any guesswork) and they will also discuss with you how your lifestyle impacts your health, not just food.
So basically, a functional nutritionist will help you heal with food from both a scientific and holistic standpoint.
Cons: Functional nutritionists are really the best of both worlds which make them more expensive to work with than other practitioners because you'd have to order lab tests. I would go to a functional nutritionist if you feel like something is "very wrong" and you want to have test results with a game plan.
Health Coach - Keywords: Accountability, Strategy
Pros: Health coaches are trained to ask you the right questions to trigger you to think deeply about your food and lifestyle and encourage lasting changes.
Unlike with medical doctors, nutritionists, and functional nutritionists, clients are more likely to see a Health coach for packaged sessions.
In other words, instead of just going once and getting a diagnosis, you will meet every week or two for 1-6 months). This way, you can have someone help you with accountability and strategy in getting healthy.
Health coaches are great supporters and a resource for health information that could work for you, long term.
They help you make lasting changes.
Cons: Health coaches are typically not trained to help people with chronic issues or diseases There are some Health Coaches that are trained in other areas as I am, which means we can work in a more holistic way offering advice on treating and healing processes.
In general Health Coaches are more suited for people who are looking for help with weight loss, who want to adopt a better lifestyle and are having trouble making it work, who don't know why their health is yo-yoing, why their sleep patterns are so erratic etc...
If you have any specific issues, chronic conditions or disease, then I would see a Health Coach who has certification and experience in other areas, like nutrition, detoxing, Medical Missionary etc. Make certain you have seen one of the practitioners above and take any dignosis or blood results with you to your first appointment.
Personally, I'm a health coach.
One reason why the first chat I have with people is free is because after talking about their concerns and goals, sometimes I find that they might need a different kind of attention (and other times we're a great fit!)
What's your experience been like talking to a health or weight loss professional? Leave a comment!
Pros: Medical Doctors are trained in...quick fix... treat the symptom... medicine! So, if you go to a doctor, they're most likely going to give you some medication.
I can see two benefits of going to a doctor: the first is when you are in a crisis, like an accident and are losing blood too rapidly. or if you need surgery.
Cons: But when it comes to nutrition, I like to think of medication as like a bandaid on a cut that needs stitches. It will help you feel better but it's not addressing the cause or how to fix it long term. It is just a quick fix treating the symptom.
Which means if you have any chronic conditions - like bloating, constipation, fatigue, skin conditions, or a whole bunch of other things that just make you feel a bit dull, then a medical doctor is not who you want to see.
Plus, the side effects to medications give us new symptoms and we wind up getting a different medication for the new symptom.
Nutritionist - Keyword: Diet
Pros: Nutritionists (also known as Registered Dietician) are great at giving information about different nutrients and biochemistry. They can help you plan a diet for weight loss or a healing diet for whatever your specific health goal is.
If you have a specific goal - like losing x amount of pounds by summer beach time, or gaining more energy for a fitness competition - then nutritionists can help you formulate a plan for that.
Cons: Nutritionists tend to be more diet-focused. There are so many other things that could keep you from losing weight, from stress in your life to your lifestyle to your thought process. And that's not something that *most* nutritionists work through, necessarily.
Also, most nutritionists will have a long chat with you when you first come to them, and then have very short follow up sessions just to tweak anything going on in your diet. So again, nutritionists and dieticians are diet focused.
Functional Nutritionist - Keywords: Healing with a blend of science & holistic concepts
Pros: Functional Nutritionists are like a blend between a Nutritionist and a Medical doctor.
They can do tests to check which nutrients your body needs (overriding any guesswork) and they will also discuss with you how your lifestyle impacts your health, not just food.
So basically, a functional nutritionist will help you heal with food from both a scientific and holistic standpoint.
Cons: Functional nutritionists are really the best of both worlds which make them more expensive to work with than other practitioners because you'd have to order lab tests. I would go to a functional nutritionist if you feel like something is "very wrong" and you want to have test results with a game plan.
Health Coach - Keywords: Accountability, Strategy
Pros: Health coaches are trained to ask you the right questions to trigger you to think deeply about your food and lifestyle and encourage lasting changes.
Unlike with medical doctors, nutritionists, and functional nutritionists, clients are more likely to see a Health coach for packaged sessions.
In other words, instead of just going once and getting a diagnosis, you will meet every week or two for 1-6 months). This way, you can have someone help you with accountability and strategy in getting healthy.
Health coaches are great supporters and a resource for health information that could work for you, long term.
They help you make lasting changes.
Cons: Health coaches are typically not trained to help people with chronic issues or diseases There are some Health Coaches that are trained in other areas as I am, which means we can work in a more holistic way offering advice on treating and healing processes.
In general Health Coaches are more suited for people who are looking for help with weight loss, who want to adopt a better lifestyle and are having trouble making it work, who don't know why their health is yo-yoing, why their sleep patterns are so erratic etc...
If you have any specific issues, chronic conditions or disease, then I would see a Health Coach who has certification and experience in other areas, like nutrition, detoxing, Medical Missionary etc. Make certain you have seen one of the practitioners above and take any dignosis or blood results with you to your first appointment.
Personally, I'm a health coach.
One reason why the first chat I have with people is free is because after talking about their concerns and goals, sometimes I find that they might need a different kind of attention (and other times we're a great fit!)
What's your experience been like talking to a health or weight loss professional? Leave a comment!