Is Nutrition Counseling Right For Me?
Nutrition counseling can be beneficial for addressing the symptoms of many conditions, including diabetes, thyroid conditions, GERD, IBS, IBD, other digestive disorders, depression, anxiety, migraines, ADHD, autoimmune conditions, eosinophilic esophagitis and food allergies.
We primarily work with people who are newly diagnosed with a health condition and looking to manage their symptoms with dietary and lifestyle changes in conjunction with any medication their medical provider has prescribed.
As a weight neutral practice, weight loss is not our focus. We will make suggestions and help you change your habits to improve your overall health and wellness. This may result in weight loss, but that is not our primary focus. If you are looking for a nutritionist or dietitian that will provide detailed meal plans, yes/no food lists, crash or fad diets, we are not the practice for you and can provide a referral to another provider.
Is Sports Nutrition Counseling Right For Me?
Sports nutrition counseling can be beneficial for athletes at all levels, including beginners. If you want help coming up with a fuel plan, troubleshooting fueling issues, or figuring out the right way to eat to support your sport, we can help!
What Should I Expect?
We practice medical nutrition therapy from an integrative medicine and intuitive eating perspective. We are a weight neutral practice following Health at Every Size© principles.
At your first appointment, you should expect to discuss your goals, current health, training schedule, medical history, and lifestyle habits. You will leave the first appointment with 3-5 mini-goals to work on going forward.
At follow-up appointments expect to discuss progress on tasks and mini-goals along with any changes in appetite, mood, energy level, performance or recovery. We will add on to your mini-goals or troubleshoot any issues that may have come up.
Mini-goals are customized to you, your health status and your lifestyle.
This post discusses what to expect in more detail.
How Many Sessions Are Needed?
The first month we recommend 2 sessions. After that, we typically recommend monthly sessions.
Most of our clients see us for 6 months. We recommend completing sessions for at least 3 months. We are working with you on creating new sustainable habits and behaviors, which takes time to see changes.
Do You Take Insurance?
Fueled & Fed Nutrition is an in-network provider with CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, United Healthcare and Virginia Medicaid.
For other insurance companies, we can provide a superbill for you to submit to your insurance provider.
You are responsible for checking your insurance coverage and providing payment for any services not covered. This post describes the questions to ask your insurance company.
Do You Accept HSA/FSA?
Yes. It is recommended that you obtain a letter from your primary care physician stating that medical nutrition therapy is a medical necessity.
Do You Work with Children?
Saadat works with children ages 2 and up.
Alisha works with children ages 15 and up.
We can provide a referral to another nutritionist or dietitian for children younger than 2.
Do You Offer Family Sessions?
We meet with clients individually unless a client is under 18 years old. We can discuss strategies for feeding your family at your individual sessions.
Do You Offer Meal Plans?
Typically, no. We have found that meal plans are too inflexible for our clients’ needs. Instead, we focus on establishing sustainable habits and building on those from week to week. We are happy to discuss how a food fits into a balanced diet or if it aligns with a specific condition. The primary exception to this policy is clients with eosinophilic esophagitis who require a top-8 allergen-free diet.
Can You Tell Me Exactly What to Eat?
Unfortunately, no. Our bodies are not machines and it takes some trial and error to figure out what will work for you. Stress, sleep, and food access can also vary so what works on some days may not work on others. We typically suggest meal templates for general health and wellness and performance plates for sports nutrition that provide general guidelines on how to create a filling and healthy meal. We find that this strategy is more flexible and allows our clients to better navigate work events, vacation, dining out and busy schedules.
Do You Offer Sliding Scale?
Yes, we offer sliding scale appointments through Open Path Healing Arts Collective. Sliding scale appointments are available to clients who are not covered by insurance or who have insurance with a high-deductible that they cannot afford.