What Happens in an Initial Dietitian Appointment?

Booking your first appointment with a dietitian can feel a little daunting, especially if you’re not quite sure what to expect. Here is a bit of a guide to help you feel more at ease and prepared for your first session.

The Main Goals of a First Appointment

Your initial dietitian session is primarily about getting to know you. As everyone’s relationship with food, eating, health and their body is unique, good nutrition support begins with exploring your individual circumstances.

The first session focuses on:

● Understanding what has brought you to see a dietitian

● Clarifying your goals and what you hope to get out of sessions

● Learning about your health, life and experiences

● Getting on the same page about what support might look like

● Beginning to form a plan for what we may work on together

What kind of things will we talk about?

Every appointment is different, but some topics that typically come up include:

● Your current health or dietary concerns, as well as goals for support.

● Medical history

● Energy levels, digestion, appetite, and sleep patterns.

● Your experience and relationship with food and your body

● Your current eating patterns and routines

● Past experiences with dieting

● Factors such as family, work, study and regular activities

A dietitian is not just concerned with what you eat, but with your wider experience around food. We consider things like stress, overwhelm, routines, food rules, sensory preferences, past experiences, and the beliefs you may have developed around eating and health over time. For some people, these topics can feel vulnerable to talk about, particularly if they’ve had difficult experiences with healthcare in the past. It’s completely okay if it takes time to feel comfortable.

Why isn’t the first session usually full of advice and strategies?

It can sometimes feel surprising if your first appointment involves more discussion than practical nutrition advice or strategies. But there is a reason for this. Nutrition advice without

understanding the full picture often isn’t very useful, and can sometimes completely miss the mark. Without understanding the “why”, it’s difficult to provide support that is realistic, sustainable and genuinely helpful. The first appointment helps build a clearer understanding of where you’re at now, what barriers might exist, and what approaches are likely to feel supportive for you as an individual.

The first appointment is also about fit

The first appointment is not only an opportunity for me to learn about you - it’s also an

opportunity for you to get a feel for me and whether my approach feels right for you.

Feeling listened to, respected, safe, and understood is an important part of your care.

You do not need to prepare perfectly or have everything “figured out” before your first

appointment. The initial session is simply a starting point, and an opportunity for us to begin

understanding what support may be helpful for you.