The 4 Questions You Need to Ask Before Hiring a Nutritionist  

When you're serious about losing weight and keeping it off, hiring a nutritionist is probably one of the most kick-ass moves you can make. The right pro can help you identify your unique needs, establish awesome eating habits, and hold you accountable. On the flip side, the wrong nutritionist can be a waste of money and torpedo your health and weight-loss efforts, says St. Louis-based registered dietitian Alex Caspero, R.D.

To find the best food guru for you—and avoid any red flags—just ask these four questions:

1. What certifications do you have? 
“When you hear the word ‘nutritionist,’ you assume that person is qualified to give solid healthy eating advice. But that’s not always so,” says Jim White, R.D., owner of Jim White Fitness & Nutrition Studios in Virginia and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Pretty much anyone can call themselves a nutritionist or nutrition coach. You can get some certifications in a matter of hours or even minutes online.”

In fact, Caspero knows one dog with a nutrition certification. (Her human got her the certification to prove that you don’t need much to call yourself a nutritionist.) Hilarious and terrifying, right?

"Many ‘coaches’ are product promoters in disguise.”

Registered dietitians and registered dietitian nutritionists, however, are certified by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). They have a degree (about half of R.D.s and R.D.N.s have advanced degrees) in dietetics, a 1,000-hour internship, and a national board exam under their belts.

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So make sure any nutritionist you consider working with is an R.D. or R.D.N. (the two credentials mean the same thing).

The easiest way to find a qualified nutritionist near you is to search the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ online expert finder. You can also ask your primary health provider for recommendations or see if any R.D.s or R.D.N.s are on staff at your gym.

2. What’s your specialty and approach? 
Once you find an R.D. or R.D.N., you need to make sure that professional’s specialties and philosophy jive with yours.

For instance, some have additional degrees and certifications in nutrition for diabetics (C.N.E.), health (M.P.H.) or are board-certified sports dietitians (C.S.S.D.) or personal trainers (C.P.T., C.S.C.S.). Some will write meal plans for you, while others focus on behavioral strategies rather than caloric and macronutrient counts, says D.C.-based registered dietitian Anne Mauney, M.P.H., R.D.

Others have degrees or certifications in counseling, social work, or psychology (M.A., M.S., L.C.S.W., Ph.D.) that make them uniquely suited to address emotional eating and eating disorders.

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While the main goal of asking questions is to make sure that the nutritionist meets your personal needs, it also gives you a chance to sniff out any red flags, says White. The biggest ones: extremely low-cal diets (below 1,200 calories per day) and cutting out entire food groups. If a nutritionist claims that every person should avoid dairy or wheat or whatever else, it’s clear that person is not following science-based recommendations, he says. (Kick off your weight-loss journey with these moves from Women's Health's Look Better Naked DVD.)

“Also, be wary of anyone who makes you purchase a specific item, especially when it comes to weight loss. Many ‘coaches’ are product promoters in disguise,” says Caspero. “I've had to ‘fix’ so many clients who worked with these scammers, I've lost count.”

“We take patients for preventative care, so they typically don't have to have a medical condition to work with us through insurance.”

3. How much do sessions cost—and do you take insurance? 
“Costs vary by location, experience, and specialty,” says Caspero. “However, expect to pay $150 to $225 or more for an initial appointment and $75 to $125 for follow-up visits.” (How often and long you work with your nutritionist is up to the two of you. Some women schedule only two or three appointments, while others work together for years, says Mauney.)

Another factor that can make a big difference in your bottom line is whether or not the nutritionist you are considering accepts insurance; many R.D.s and R.D.N.s do. “We take patients for preventative care, so they typically don't have to have a medical condition to work with us through insurance,” says White.

4. Do you offer any group programs? 
Some professionals also offer both in-person sessions and online support groups, says Mauney. They can take the place of one-on-one sessions or act as a supplement to traditional sessions.

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While they're not right for everyone, these groups are especially helpful for people who are working to improve their relationship with food and find strength in numbers. “It can help to have support from people who get where you are coming,” she says.

Bonus: These options tend to be significantly less expensive than traditional one-on-one sessions with a nutritionist, making them an attractive option for people who are on a tight budget, she says. 

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