Who I Am

Smart Simple Nutrition is not a provider for any one insurance company. Some insurance companies cover nutrition counseling, but only for specific health conditions, such as diabetes. Most do not cover nutrition counseling for weight loss. I recommend you contact your insurance company's customer service department (their phone number is usually on the back of your insurance card) and ask them if nutrition counseling or "medical nutrition therapy" is a benefit of your plan. If so, for what medical conditions? Also, ask if a physician's referral is needed. Keep in mind that coverage can be subject to your annual deductible. It is the responsibility of the client to submit the super bill along with the appropriate medical claim form for reimbursement.

We do not file health insurance claims in our office. Our Dietitians can provide you with a super bill (if requested) to submit to you insurance company for reimbursement. A super bill is the receipt of your visit (initial or follow up) that contains the clinical diagnosis codes given by your physician. Reimbursement is dependent on the type of insurance plan that you hold. Please call your insurance provider prior to your visit to see if your visits are covered. It is the responsibility of the client to submit the super bill along with the appropriate medical claim form for reimbursement.

A Dietitian has at least a 4-year degree in nutritional sciences from an AND (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, formerly American Dietetic Association) accredited college or university. She has completed an accredited supervised practice program at a health-care facility, community agency, and a food service corporation. She has passed a national board exam before acquiring the title of Registered Dietitian. Dietitians are also required to complete continuing education requirements through accredited courses, seminars, etc. in order to maintain registration.

Dietitians are recognized by medical professionals and insurance companies as the most valuable source of nutrition information. They provide reliable up-to-date food and nutrition information. Their recommendations are backed by sound nutritional research and evidence-based practice. It is illegal for someone who is not a Dietitian to refer to themselves as one.

"Nutritionist" is a general term that is not regulated. Anyone can call themselves a nutritionist, regardless of education or experience. Some nutritionists have no formal education in nutrition. Some have a little; others have a great deal. Some have certifications and many of these certifications are given through online courses. The quality of these online courses vary. Every Registered Dietitian is a Nutritionist, but not every Nutritionist is a Registered Dietitian.

For the Express or Complete Nutrition Makeovers, you will first purchase the service. Unless there is an "out-of-the-office" or "on vacation" message posted on the web page or sent to you via e-mail, you will then receive an e- packet of paperwork and instructions within 24 to 48 hours. You will keep a food record for 5-7 days and then return it, along with accompanying paperwork. I will analyze your food record and use your answers to the questions on the accompanying paperwork to perform a nutrition assessment. I will then send you, via email or postal mail (your choice), a report that provides the results of my nutrition assessment, along with specific nutrition recommendations and behavioral goals. A 7-day meal plan is included with a Complete Nutrition Makeover. Reports and meal plans will be completed within 7-10 days of receiving your food record and paperwork.

Once you have completed the Express or Complete Nutrition Makeover, you can then choose to purchase the Custom Coaching Sessions. They are purchased in packages of four sessions. The purpose of these coaching sessions is to assess your progress with the initial nutrition recommendations and behavioral goals and problem-solve any barriers to change. New realistic goals are set in each session. These are tailored to your situation. Online coaching sessions help you with accountability and they keep you motivated! These sessions mimic an in-office follow-up session. Once the coaching sessions have been purchased, you will be contacted, via email, to determine a schedule for your coaching sessions (e.g., weekly, monthly, etc.). We will discuss your progress and food intake as well as discuss any changes that may need to be made to the ongoing goal list. We will also go over any questions or concerns you may have. I will then provide you with professional individualized feedback. I recommend weekly coaching sessions when one is initiating changes with food behaviors. Once you are making progress and feeling more confident, you may wish to schedule these coaching sessions more infrequently (once or twice monthly).

Ninety-six percent of dieters regain the weight lost through a typical diet. At an initial consult, many of my weight loss clients admit that they have dieted most of their life but are currently at their highest adult weight. An individualized program that addresses the reasons you are overweight (e.g., lifestyle behaviors, emotional eating, negative effects of dieting, etc.) will lead to weight loss and help you keep the weight off. This comprehensive approach, along with realistic goal setting and nutrition education, is highly effective.

We absolutely work with children, especially as parents ourselves. However, in almost every case, a family's food and lifestyle behaviors, as a whole, are responsible for, or at least greatly contribute to, a child's weight issues. Parents are responsible for foods purchased, meal timing, time spent watching television or playing video games, and many other factors that can contribute to a child's weight issues. Therefore, the initial consult includes the parents and caregivers but does not include the child. An initial consult focuses on assessment of behaviors, identification of areas that need change and recommendations on how to implement the changes. Great care is given to minimize the risk of your child developing an eating disorder. I have found this approach to be successful with families who are willing to make changes. You will find these consults to be nonjudgmental and collaborative.

They are both important but proper nutrition is essential to weight loss. Many individuals who exercise do not lose weight. This is the main reason personal trainers refer their clients to me. In these cases I have found that individuals are replacing the calories burned through exercise with additional food. For example, if someone burns 400 calories per day exercising, it is common for that person to unwittingly increase her caloric intake by well more than 400 calories per day. So they have had a net increase in calorie consumption since beginning their exercise program. This can be a result of increased hunger from exercise or rewarding their exercise accomplishments with food. Therefore, it is important to form a proper nutrition plan as part of an exercise program to achieve a healthy weight loss.

My take on health and wellness is not about sticking to a strict diet, but rather achieving the highest quality of life possible. My goal is to help you fuel your body to improve longevity, activity, and most importantly, happiness. I want you to live your life to the fullest and help you find the BEST YOU.

I want to work collaboratively to understand your needs and what works best for your particular lifestyle. I want you to be able to say goodbye to fad diets with lists of "allowed foods." I will provide you with the tools to make your own healthy habits, put you back in the driver seat, and obtain your own success and happiness. Your best you is waiting!