Carolyn O’Neil, RD: “Registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) are advocates for advancing the nutritional status of Americans and people around the world. We provide sound nutritional advice, whether it’s for weight loss, managing chronic diseases, or navigating food allergies or intolerances. So what makes us experts?

Registered dietitian nutritionists meet stringent academic and professional requirements, including earning at least a bachelor’s degree, completing a supervised practice program and passing a registration examination. RDNs must also complete continuing professional educational requirements to maintain registration. More than half of all RDNs have also earned master’s degrees or higher.

“It’s no secret that the nutritional health of our nation is of peak concern,” said registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Tamara Melton. “That’s why it’s important to take a moment to remind consumers where they can go to seek expert clarification in the muddy sea of nutrition advice – the registered dietitian nutritionist.”

“Virtually anyone can call him or herself a ‘nutritionist,'” Melton said. “In these cases, consumers don’t know if the individual has five minutes or five years of experience – or any training at all. But when you consult a registered dietitian nutritionist, you can know you are receiving advice from an educated, trained and trusted expert.”

The majority of RDNs work in the treatment and prevention of disease (administering medical nutrition therapy, as part of medical teams), often in hospitals, HMOs, public health clinics, nursing homes or other health care facilities. Additionally, RDNs work throughout the community in schools, fitness centers, food management, food industry, universities, research and private practice.

“Consumers and health professional alike can seek the expert guidance of an RDN virtually anywhere and anytime food plays a role” Melton said. “From football fields to crop fields, school cafeterias to home kitchens, grocery store aisles to the halls of Congress, RDNs are working to help all Americans improve their health, prevent and manage disease and achieve and maintain a healthy weight, all through the power of food and nutrition.”

If you need a pro to help you remember what you should be eating for good health and great taste, I suggest working with a registered dietitian. You’ve got a hair dresser, right? Favorite nail place? Dental hygienist? Maybe even a personal trainer? How about adding an RDN to your health and beauty team?

To learn more about what a registered dietitian nutritionist can do for you and find an RDN in your area, visit www.eatright.org.

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Carolyn O’Neil, MS, RD, gives us some tips and tricks for starting the new years happy AND healthy!

FRESH Start

Here are five FRESH food resolutions to help you lose weight and improve your health in 2015:

F – Freshen up your food life

Discover the delicious bounty of healthy foods – from garden-fresh varieties of greens and peas you may have never tried before to new ways to enjoy roasted sweet potatoes and just-caught shrimp. Enjoy heart-healthy fats in nuts, olive oil and avocado. Enjoy fish at least twice a week for good health. Avoid foods with high levels of sodium and sugar.

R – Recognize barriers

It’s going to be tough to say ‘no’ to food favorites like fried chicken and chocolate ice cream. So, know your splurge foods and resolve to enjoy them in smaller quantities.

Challenges come in many forms. It might be a friend or a relative pushing you to eat another brownie. Here’s what you say, “I’d love the recipe! Thank you for offering.” Set your boundaries, and throw in a compliment. That’s showing them Southern grit with a little grace.

Busy lifestyles present barriers to eating right, too. Keep healthy snacks in the car such as easy-to-eat tangerines or packets of nuts. A small snack can tame your appetite so you don’t lose control and hit the nearest drive-thru.

E – Enjoy the taste of eating right

Feel free to add low-cal flavor with mustards, horseradish, vinegars, cocktail sauce and salsas. Some foods are friends in the weight loss war. Protein-packed cottage cheese or Greek yogurt, broth-based soups, veggies, fruit and whole grains fill you up without filling you out. Add a slice of lemon or a splash of cranberry juice to help you drink more water. Choose unsweetened tea but add a splash of sweet tea to enhance the taste.

S – Start new habits

Keep a list of what you’re eating and drinking for a few days. Be as specific as possible on types of foods and amounts. Use measuring cups to become familiar with portion sizes. This snapshot will help you keep track of overeating – and while you’re at it, write down your physical activity. Research shows dieters who keep a journal lose as much as three times more weight.

Resolve to slow down in the New Year. In a study of 3,000 people in Japan, those who reported regularly gulping down their meals until they felt full were three times more likely to be overweight. On the flip side, a diet study conducted at the University of Rhode Island found that women who slowed down when they ate not only enjoyed their food more but actually consumed 70 fewer calories per meal.

H – Have a plan

Start your day with a mission to be healthy. Eat breakfast. Schedule time to take a walk or go to an exercise or dance class. If Friday involves a big dinner party, eat less on Thursday and walk more on Saturday. Enjoy the Super Bowl party but go easy on the nachos and wings. Successful long-term weight control is a balancing act.

Yup, that takes willpower.

Roy F. Baumeister, PhD, a researcher at Florida State University, has shown through numerous studies that willpower isn’t a personality trait, skill, or virtue. It’s something that can be learned and even strengthened over time.

Cheers to a happy and healthy New Year!

_{“Watermelon-Mint-Salad” by Ramnath Bhat is licensed under CC BY 2.0}.

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