7 Key Questions Nutrition Consultants Should Be Asking New Clients

A major part of any nutrition consulting relationship should be goal setting, because clients tend to do better when working toward an outcome rather than following a vague aim like “eating healthier.” To establish goals effectively, consultants need quite a bit of information so the program can be tailored to a client’s current lifestyle and intentions.

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The following seven questions should be part of any assessment, because they’ll help both consultants and clients hone in on what’s most important for accomplishing those larger goals:

Why did you decide to seek nutritional counseling?

This can seem like an obvious question, but there are many reasons someone might hire a counselor. For example, a client may have recently been diagnosed with a chronic condition and advised by a medical professional to eat in a different way to alleviate symptoms. Or maybe the client just wants to lose 10 pounds. For both of those clients, the meal plans may be very similar, but the motivation is vastly different.

What is your immediate goal?

Long-term goals are important, but they can feel lofty or too distant, especially if major weight loss is involved or an overhaul of lifelong eating habits. By choosing a short-term goal—one that can be reached within the next week or month—it can feel more achievable. For instance, a client might want to cut down on sugar, so setting a timeframe of one week without added sugar makes that a realistic goal.

What’s your usual amount of physical activity? 

A client may also have exercise goals to go along with nutritional aims, but it’s helpful to base recommendations on how much activity he or she may be getting currently. In general, an initial assessment provides a snapshot of where the client is currently, both in terms of food and activity, to establish a baseline that can be used going forward.

What are your job and work environment like?

Does the client sit at a desk for 10 hours a day or work construction outside in the hottest days of the summer? How much stress is involved? Is it difficult to find time to cook at home, resulting in more processed meals and snacks? All of these are factors when it comes to creating a nutrition plan and setting goals. For example, the construction worker will likely require a much higher amount of hydration than the office-bound employee. Also crucial is knowing schedule flexibility, so that the nutrition consultant can determine what’s realistic in terms of meal prep.

What foods do you love and hate?

There’s tremendous value in having clients diversify their meals and bring in a greater variety of vegetables, whole grains, and proteins—but if that broccoli is just going to sit in the fridge getting older every day, it’s not going to do much good for the client. Start with foods that clients love or appreciate, with an aim of adding on from there. This question can also help you delve into food sensitivities or allergies, even ones a client may not fully recognize—for example, he or she may say, “I always feel a little sick when I have milk,” which is a tip-off that lactose may be an issue.

What nutrition changes or diets have you tried in the past? 

Many times, knowing what doesn’t work is just as valuable as knowing what does. For instance, a client may have tried low-carb eating or a gluten-free diet and had a very negative reaction, physically and psychologically. Or maybe he or she did a structured program like Weight Watchers and felt confined by the points system. Asking why the client chose a specific diet and what happened can be very useful in creating a program that avoids those former roadblocks.

What health conditions or risks are you experiencing? 

This can be a tricky question, because in some states, you’re not allowed to diagnose or treat patients for a specific condition unless you have certain credentials, like a medical license—be sure to review the latest regulations in your state—but that doesn’t mean you should avoid this issue entirely. Client health is a big part of nutritional shifts, so gather the information and base recommendations on that, but watch how you talk about it to make sure you’re following the law.

Have a long and detail-filled conversation with a client as a starting point, and it will be much easier for both of you to develop a solid path toward the client’s goals.

Interested in expanding your opportunities through education? Download the Master Level Nutritionist Program Guide.