Why Nutrition Change Needs Support Between Appointments?
Full Transcript
You may have noticed on my website that I offer 3, 6 and 12-month programs.
I’ve included these for transparency, so people can clearly see what I offer. They are not an essential pathway that everyone has to follow. Whether a program is appropriate depends on your presentation, your goals, and the level of support you are looking for.
In a typical clinical nutrition model, there is usually an initial appointment, which is a longer consultation. This may be around 45 minutes, or in some cases up to an hour and a half. Then there are follow-up appointments, which may be shorter — sometimes 15 minutes, sometimes longer, and sometimes up to 45 minutes.
But in my experience, especially when working with metabolic concerns such as weight loss, insulin resistance, stress, low energy, low motivation, sleep disruption, hormonal changes, perimenopause or menopause, the gap between appointments can matter.
If you have an initial consultation and then your next follow-up is two, four or even six weeks later, it is very easy for progress to stall. Real life happens. Work gets busy. Family pressure builds. Energy drops. And even the best-laid plans can become harder to follow.
When someone hasn’t been able to find traction with the advice they were given, I don’t think it is helpful to simply tell them where they have gone wrong. That isn’t empowering, and it isn’t the best way to support meaningful change.
I understand this both clinically, and personally, because I had my own metabolic struggles until my mid-40s. From that experience, I can see how powerful it can be to have the ability to check in sooner than a standard nutrition consultation model might allow.
That is where these programs come in.
They offer a more personalised level of support. As outlined on my website, they may include out-of-hours support through a messaging service, within reasonable limits. They may also include diet diary reviews and more regular check-ins over time.
The aim is to make sure that when things are hard, or when a new routine is difficult to get traction with, you have support available. Sometimes that means continuing with the plan. Sometimes it means adjusting the plan so it better fits your life.
So hopefully that answers some of the questions you may have about the programs.
They are discussed after the initial consultation, once I have a clearer understanding of your presentation and what may be clinically appropriate for you. You then have the option to choose whether that level of support is right for you.
There is no pressure to decide immediately. You do not have to agree to a program at the first opportunity. If you want to take time to think about it, continue with follow-up appointments, and decide later, that is completely understandable.
In summary, the programs are optional. You do not have to choose one. They are simply there to provide extra support if that is what you need.
If you have any questions, you can email me at jon@fastforwardnutrition.com.au, or you can book a free 15-minute discovery call here:
https://www.fastforwardnutrition.com.au/appointments
That gives us a chance to meet one-on-one in a telehealth environment, and you can ask any questions you like.