FAQ
What can I expect during appointments?
Nutrition therapy sessions are collaborative, supportive conversations focused on you — not rigid plans or one-size-fits-all advice. Our goal is to understand the full picture of your health, lifestyle, and relationship with food so we can create an approach that actually works in real life. During your initial session, we’ll spend time getting to know your health history, symptoms, goals, routines, and past experiences with food and dieting. This first appointment is longer (60–90 minutes) to allow for thoughtful, in-depth discussion and meaningful context— not rushed recommendations. Our approach is flexible and conversational, while still grounded in evidence-based nutrition. We often begin with foundational nutrition education, then adapt sessions over time as your needs, goals, and confidence evolve. There’s no set agenda you have to follow. Sessions are guided by what’s most relevant and supportive for you at that stage. By the end of your first appointment, we’ll collaborate on an initial, realistic plan that prioritizes sustainable change over perfection. From there, follow-up sessions focus on building skills, adjusting strategies, and supporting progress through real-life challenges. Topics we may explore include: Health goals and current concerns Medical history and nutrition-related conditions Hunger cues, energy levels, and symptoms Past experiences with dieting and food rules Food preferences, culture, and lifestyle Practical nutrition education Simple meal ideas and planning strategies Cooking at home, dining out, and social situations Understanding nutrition science and media trends
How do I prepare for my first appointment?
If utilizing insurance, it is recommended to verify your insurance benefits before your first session as your coverage could have specific qualifications for coverage of appointments. Please visit our insurance page to learn more. You will receive an email to join our medical platform, Practice Better. Sign in to your secure client portal and complete the intake and assessment forms at least 24 hours prior to your appointment. If you have not received this email, please check your spam folder or reach out to us directly. Upload any additional paperwork you feel would be necessary or helpful (i.e. food/symptom journal, bloodwork labs, etc). Many clients find it helpful to have a notebook for taking notes, along with a list of questions.
Will my sessions be covered by insurance?
Most of our patients with in-network plans have 100% full coverage of appointments— No copay, maximum visits, or deductible needed, it can at no extra cost to you! Coverage of appointments depends on your insurance company and policy. Wholesome Nutrition does its best to supply you with the necessary information to verify your benefits with your insurance company. Wholesome Nutrition is not responsible for verifying coverage, but will work diligently to dispute any denied claims and advocate for your insurance coverage. It is recommended for you to verify your insurance coverage before your first appointment. Please see our insurance information page for accepted insurance plans and a script to use when talking with your insurance representative.
Will you be accepting more insurance plans soon?
We are currently working on contracting with Medicare and Aetna and will add them to our insurance page once finalized. We would love to accept all plans, however, other insurances do not currently cover preventative nutrition care which is forcing patients to pay out of pocket. Given the lack of coverage, there has not been a benefit to us or patients by accepting these insurances. Once other insurances increase coverage of care, we will be happy to expand our insurance provider list!
Where will sessions be held?
All sessions will be held via telehealth virtual video on the HIPAA-compliant secure medical platform, Practice Better. This is where you will also be able to access your journals, handouts, and secure messaging through Practice Better. Since visits are virtual, please ensure that you have a quiet, private room or area to fulfill the session. *Sessions are not allowed to be completed while in a moving or occupied vehicle. If you are not able to complete the session in a stationed room or secure area, the session will be forfeited or rescheduled. You will also be responsible for fees associated.
How often will we meet?
Sustainable behavior change takes time, consistency, and support, not a single appointment or a short-term plan. Scheduling frequency also depends on your availability, symptoms, and severity of struggles. Most patients meet with our dietitians weekly or biweekly over several months. This allows us to build skills gradually, adjust strategies as life changes, and support behavior change that actually lasts. Early sessions often focus on understanding your needs and building a foundation, while follow-up sessions focus on practicing, refining, and sustaining habits in real life. Rather than rushing the process, we prioritize progress over perfection. As your confidence and consistency grow, sessions may become less frequent, shifting toward maintenance and long-term support.
Do you treat eating disorders?
Our practice specializes in supporting individuals with disordered eating behaviors, which are extremely common and often normalized in today’s diet-focused culture. This may include chronic dieting, food restriction, overeating, emotional or boredom eating, body image concerns, and confusion around nutrition. Eating disorders, however, are distinct clinical conditions defined by specific diagnostic criteria and often require a higher level of care and multidisciplinary treatment. For this reason, we do not treat individuals with current, active eating disorder diagnoses such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. If there is concern that an eating disorder may be present, we will ask you to complete a brief, evidence-based screening questionnaire. We’ll review the results together, discuss what they mean, and help guide you toward the most appropriate next steps, including referrals when needed. Our goal is to ensure you receive the right level of support, even if it's not with us!
Will I get a meal plan?
We don’t prescribe rigid meal plans that dictate exact foods at exact times with no flexibility. Instead, we focus on helping you build meal-planning skills that work in real life and adapt as your needs change. You’ll receive structured, personalized guidance based on your health needs, preferences, and lifestyle. This may include support with meal timing, portioning, nutrient targets, grocery staples, simple meal combinations, recipes, how to build a balanced plate, dining out strategies, and supplement recommendations when appropriate. Rather than handing you a plan to follow, we collaborate during sessions to determine what approach works best for you — and gradually build these skills over time. This process allows you to develop confidence, flexibility, and consistency instead of relying on a temporary plan. Because client involvement is essential for sustainable change, meal-planning tools and guidance are developed within session time, where they can be personalized, practiced, and adjusted together.
Do you support patients using GLP-1 or other medications?
Yes, we work collaboratively with clients who are using GLP-1 medications or other medical treatments as part of their care. Medications can be a helpful tool for some individuals, and nutrition support plays an important role in ensuring they are used safely, effectively, and sustainably. Our role is to support your nutrition, behaviors, and overall health alongside medication use— not to replace medical care. We collaborate with your prescribing provider when appropriate, and tailor nutrition strategies to support appetite changes, side effects, nutrient adequacy, energy levels, and long-term habits. We also focus on building skills and routines that support your health with or without medication, so progress isn’t dependent on a prescription alone. The goal is a comprehensive, individualized approach that respects your medical needs while prioritizing sustainable behavior change and a healthy relationship with food.
Do I need to track calories or macros?
Nope! While numbers can be a helpful tool in some situations, they are not our default starting point. We typically begin with a no-numbers approach, using food and lifestyle journaling to understand your intake, patterns, relationship with food, and the factors influencing your choices— including stress, routines, activity, and environment. The primary focus is learning how food affects you, including hunger, fullness, energy, satisfaction, and overall well-being. During your first few sessions, we’ll walk through what a typical day of eating looks like for you— meals, snacks, and beverages— and evaluate that information in the context of your nutrition needs and goals. From there, we make realistic, evidence-based recommendations that support both your health and your relationship with food. Calories and macronutrients are optional tools, not requirements. They may be introduced when appropriate, but only if they support understanding, not anxiety or rigidity. We believe that numbers are most effective when built on a solid foundation of nutrition knowledge, body awareness, and trust with food. Our goal is to help you feel confident, informed, and at peace with your eating, not dependent on tracking to feel successful.
But what if I want to lose weight?
Weight loss is complex and influenced by many factors, not just calories. We look at the full picture of your health and daily life, including stress, work demands, physical activity, access to food, nutrition knowledge, readiness for change, and your relationship with food. While calorie tracking is often emphasized, it rarely address the underlying behaviors and patterns that determine whether weight loss is sustainable. Our approach focuses first on building consistent habits, nourishment, and a healthier relationship with food, creating a safer, more stable foundation for weight change to occur when appropriate. Rather than treating weight loss as the sole destination, we focus on helping you develop body autonomy. The changes you make will support your health regardless of how quickly or dramatically weight shifts. Many patients see improvements in energy, labs, symptoms, and their relationship with food— outcomes that matter just as much, if not more, than the number on the scale.