1. Why Top Balance Nutrition?

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REAL FOOD, YOUR WAY: No diets, no deprivation. You can eat real, tasty food while getting to your individual goals. Our nutrition plans are developed to accommodate every aspect of your lifestyle. If you eat out, we select the best choices at your favorite restaurants. If you are a cook, we brainstorm new and exciting recipes.

 

FREQUENT CONTACT AND FOLLOW-UPS: Our regular meetings are designed to support, educate, and encourage you in a non-judgmental environment created for you to overcome any obstacles and roadblocks standing between you and your dreams.

 

COMPLETE PROGRAMS TAILORED TO YOUR NEEDS:  We focus on nutrition, fitness, and overall lifestyle during our sessions. 

What happens during the visit?

 

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2. Who is a registered dietitian (RD)?

 

A registered dietitian is a food and nutrition expert who has met academic and professional requirements including:

• Earned a bachelor’s degree and often a graduate degree with course work approved by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetic's Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education including, but not limited to: anatomy and physiology, chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, fundamentals of nutrition, nutrition through the lifecycle, clinical nutrition assessment and planning, and medical nutrition therapy

• Completed a one-year dietetic residency program at an accredited, supervised hospital

• Passed a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration

• Completes continuing professional educational requirements to maintain registration, which entails a minimum of 75 continuing education credits every five years

 

Many registered dietitians hold additional certifications in specialized areas of practice, such as pediatric or renal nutrition, sports nutrition, nutrition support and diabetes management.

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3. What is the difference between a registered dietitian and a nutritionist?

 

Some dietitians use the word “nutritionist” and “dietitian” interchangeably when referring to themselves. The reverse is NOT true – a nutritionist cannot be a dietitian. As a matter of fact, anybody can call themselves a nutritionist. Registered dietitians are licensed medical professionals (see question 2). Your health is incredibly important – do your research carefully!

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4. Will I have to eliminate gluten, dairy or alcohol at Top Balance Nutrition?

 

Your dietitian will evaluate your past and present medical, social and diet history to devise the best plan. For the most part, we do not advise cutting out foods or food groups without a medical necessity

 

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5. What should I expect at my first visit?

 

The first visit is 60 minutes long. During this time we learn about your diet, social, and medical history to develop the best meal plan specifically custom-tailored to your needs. At the end of this appointment, you walk away with a meal plan and a request to keep a food journal. As with your meal plan, food journaling is highly individualized from picture text messages to phone apps and pen and paper records. 

 

PRIOR TO INITIAL CONSULTATION: We kindly ask that you fill out the first visit forms and e-mail or fax them to us a few days before your first appointment. This allows us to prepare for the session by learning about you. 

 

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6. How many follow-up appointments will I need? 

 

We determined the frequency of these appointments during your initial session. Every one to two weeks usually works best for optimal results. For your convenience, we may schedule these sessions as Skype or phone appointments.

During these visits, we review your food journals and any obstacles you may be encountering. For people requiring more structure, this visit may be dedicated solely to writing out a weekly meal plan. For those struggling with emotional eating, to developing intuitive eating exercises. 

 

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7. What happens once I reach my goal?

 

We believe that success and hard work deserves to be rewarded. As a long-standing tradition in our office, we have a red carpet and big gold stars for those reaching their health goals. More importantly, at this time, we also draft a letter for you and your referring physician summarizing all of your accomplishments (pounds lost, water/fiber/calcium intake increased, fat grams decreased, etc).

 

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8. Does my insurance cover the visit?

 

We are in network with most major insurance plans. However, this does not guarantee coverage. Insurance coverage varies based on your individual plan and nutrition situation or diagnosis. We recommend that our patients check their insurance coverage before their appointment. As a courtesy service, we will call your insurance to get a quote of your benefits if you send us your insurance information prior to your visit. A guarantee of coverage will only come after we receive an explanation of benefits from your insurance provider after your initial consultation.