Wellbeing Wednesday: What is an RD?

Lose 20 pounds in 20 days if you follow these simple rules!  Never eat this food! 

Who else has followed these intriguing links online? Have you heard of an outlandish diet or diet pill from a friend that is guaranteed to help you lose 30 pounds or more? You are not alone. With so much information at our fingertips, it’s difficult to tell what is true and what is a ploy to take your money. The one person you can rely on for the truth about you and weight loss is your Registered Dietitian.

Registered Dietitians or Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (abbreviated RD or RDN), are leading experts on all things food and nutrition. There is no regulation on the term ‘nutritionist’ so anyone can call themselves one, but the RDN credential is awarded to individuals who spend years studying food and nutrition science and have earned an accredited Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in nutrition. A rigorous internship, a nationally recognized registration exam, and continuing education credits every 5 years are all required for RDNs to obtain and maintain certified status in the field of nutrition. 

A Registered Dietician can certainly help you lose significant weight or that last stubborn 5 pounds, but that is not an RDN’s only purpose. Dietitians want to help you invest in your health for the long term using proven strategies backed by research.  As an RDN, my goal is to help you get past the confusion, look through what the industry tells you and get to the truth. Registered Dietitians help you give your body what it needs, and get to a level of health you can enjoy and maintain for life.

Caring for your health is more than about weight loss. In the hospital setting, RDNs help patients recover by providing the proper nutrients to heal, even when the patient cannot eat. RDNs help manage allergies or chronic diseases, help those struggling to gain weight, promote a healthy pregnancy, or even use food to boost sports performance and recovery. RDNs can also do nutrient analysis, menu development, or food label education.  Some of the leading causes of death can be prevented through proper diet https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm, so visiting with an RD could be the best step you take towards a longer, more capable life.

Candace Garner is an RDN with a Master’s in Kinesiology through the University of Wyoming. She obtained her personal trainer certification through ACE and also teaches the Group Training and Boot Camp classes at Purenergy Fitness. She finds her inspiration from those individuals who are willing to put in the work to see real results, especially those who start from the bottom. She believes that you are capable of more than you realize, and that you are worth the investment in yourself and your future. She is very excited to be starting work with Purenergy because she believes it is a great platform to influence others in a positive way.

To find a Registered Dietitian near you, you can use the ‘Find an Expert’ tab on the website of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics http://www.eatright.org/. Skip the gimmicks and the easy way out that never works.  For lasting, sustainable results, rely on a registered dietitian to help you make the positive lifestyle changes you need.

Candace Garner, MS, RDN