I'm a college senior--I graduate in May--and I recently found out that my university offers full consultations with a licensed nutritionist that are already covered under the student health fee. I want to take advantage of this while I'm still here (and while it's free!), especially since I'm just now making a big effort to take care of myself and I want to make sure I'm on track.

So I'd really love some input on the best things to discuss with the nutritionist. I'm sure she'll have plenty of questions and input for me, but I'd like to go with a few things in mind, especially since I haven't been before and am not sure what to expect.

Here's some background, if it helps: Last year, at age 21, I was diagnosed as pre-hypertensive (i.e. my blood pressure was just a few points away from being clinically high, WAY before age 30 ). I was also overweight. I have struggled with eating disorders and crash diets since middle school and my weight has yo-yo'd, so obviously whatever tools I had weren't doing me any good. In the past few months though, I've started consciously taking care of myself, eating healthy whole foods rather than processed stuff, etc. I'd like to take this to the optimum level and keep at it.

Tell the nutritionist everything you said here. Tell him or her your goals health-wise. Tell how much you exerercise. Do you drink? Keep a food diary for at least a week - two or three is better and show it. Think about all the foods you will eat and won't eat. How much prep time are you willing to put into your food? For example, I am willing to put in 30 minutes for a diiner, but no more. Ask about how to shop in the area you are - best stores for what products? What is ready-made, but nutricious and mostly unprocessed? What short cuts can you recommend? It is more than just looking for a well-balanced meal plan, but also how to best lead a healthy lifestyle. I met with one, and it was the best hour of myl ife. She gave me lots of ideas and easy recipes. It is a great perk from your health system - take full advantage!!

If you're taking any nutritional supplements, that'll be good to bring up too -- he/she can tell you if they actually confer benefits or if you're just making expensive pee. (and hopefully, none that's actually harming your body.)

I had a really good nutritionist I went to for a while, and she helped me with what Ellen said, establishing goals and then figuring out how to work in my lifestyle.

For example, at that time in my life I didn't cook. I just didn't, not more than 2 or 3 very simple things. We discussed it a bit, simple meals I might prepare, and then she went on to teach me about things to do to eat nutritionally without cooking. She didn't try to force my lifestyle into something else, she just tried to help me work with the lifestyle I had, which was great.

The second nutritionist I went to years later wasn't as good, unfortunately. She was trying to completely change how I did things, as opposed to modify what was already there, like the first one did.

I went to a nutritionist through my gym recently and was really not impressed. I got the sense she got a commission if she could sell me lots of vitamins (from the gym). And while her plan seemed to jibe with alot of the info I've been reading, I didn't get the sense she knew WHY she was recommending certain things. I also got the sense that she wanted me to follow her one plan and no other.

When I was in college I made use of the services of a nutritionist and she was wonderful.

Keep in mind that there's a difference between nutritionists and dietitians. "Anyone can use the term nutritionist , even without any formal education or training. It's not a professionally regulated term — which means that there are no minimum qualifications for a person to call himself or herself a nutritionist."

See link below for more info:

http://health.yahoo.com/topic/nutrit...4E18B44B6F23E3

Hrm, I think it was a registered dietician I've been to, then, and not a nutritionist. Mine had education degrees and initials behind their names and such.