We’re nearly halfway through National Nutrition Month 2015! The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics encourages us to “Bite into a Healthy Lifestyle” – putting our efforts into ensuring our healthy behavior changes become healthy life-long habits.

I wear many hats as an RDN – my first love is counseling other RDNs and healthy food and beverage companies on their marketing and media strategies – but I also serve as a counselor, doing one-on-one nutrition consults for various clients. It is during these consults that I encourage biting into that healthy lifestyle…and chewing on different healthy practices that may work for the individual, based on their readiness to make a change or two.

I have worked with individuals who swear by soda to get through their day, individuals who skip meals on a regular basis, individuals who believe a small pill will magically make the pounds melt away. The Academy’s campaign is a good one, as it reminds us as RDNs to encourage these individuals to take one small bite at a time toward making a healthy change. This is my personal interpretation of the campaign’s message – we all likely have our own take on it!

How can we encourage the first client to gradually decrease their soda intake, rather than “prescribe” going soda-free immediately? The Academy’s campaign reminds us that oftentimes it’s best to help clients take one bite at a time instead of taking a whole mouthful. Give your clients the freedom to set their own bite-sized, achievable, sustainable goals, and then be there to support them.

Happy National Nutrition month, RDNs!