FAQs
Answers to commonly asked questions
What is a Registered Dietitian?
A registered dietitian is a food and nutrition expert who has met the minimum academic and professional requirements to qualify for the credential “RD.”
In addition to the RD credential, many states have regulatory laws for dietitians and nutrition practitioners. State requirements frequently are met through the same education and training required to become an RD.
What are the educational and professional requirements for a Registered Dietitian?
To become certified, an RD must:
- Receive a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. regionally accredited university or college, completing course work approved by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education of the American Dietetic Association (CADE).
- Complete a CADE-accredited, supervised practice program at a health-care facility, community agency or a foodservice corporation, combined with undergraduate or graduate studies. Typically, a practice program will run from 6 to 12 months.
- Pass a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration
- Complete continuing professional educational requirements to maintain registration.
What is intuitive eating?
Intuitive eating is an approach that teaches you how to create a healthy relationship with your food, mind and body, in which you ultimately become the expert of your own body. You learn how to distinguish between physical and emotional feelings, and gain a sense of body wisdom.
This is also a process of making peace with food, so that you no longer have constant “food worry” thoughts. It's knowing that your health and your worth as a person do not change because you ate a so-called “bad” or “fattening” food.
For example, one of the basic principles of intuitive eating is the ability to respond to inner body cues: “Eat when you're hungry and stop when you’re full.” While this might seem like a no-brainer, it’s not so simple if you have a history of chronic dieting or rigid “healthy” eating patterns. In fact, it’s quite difficult, because to succeed, a number of elements must be in place — including the ability to trust yourself.
What is the non-diet approach?
The premise of the non-diet approach to health and weight management is to honor the body’s internal hunger and fullness signals. Being mindful of when our bodies are hungry, satisfied and overfull, as well as responding accordingly, allows our bodies to migrate to their natural weight.
The results of incorporating mindfulness to eating include:
- Not feeling deprived
- Increased or steady energy levels
- Achieving a natural weight
- Freedom from food rules
- Improved self esteem
- Feeling comfortable in ones body
These benefits may be experienced life-long as mindful eating is practiced throughout life.
