I’ve been a dietitian since 1971, and was trained to tell people what to do, what to eat, and prescribe diets. After 20 years of practice, I realized that almost no one had done what I told them to do, and if they had, they couldn’t keep doing it. So, all the people I counseled […]
Dieting is Like Holding Your Breath!
We’ve all heard the statistic that 95% of people who lose weight by dieting will gain it back. And yet this does not stop us from trying! We could say, “hope springs eternal”, “I know it will be different this time”. Unless people are willing to really devote themselves to permanent, and serious changes in […]
Motivational Interviewing for Dietitians
Next week I have the distinct pleasure of conducting a Motivational Interviewing training for the dietetic interns in the Boston area. This is the fourth year in which I’ve offered this training, and it’s one of my favorites. When I was a dietetic intern in 1970-71, we were taught that our job was to “teach […]
The Role of Patience in Motivational Interviewing
Lately, I’ve been thinking about patience. We are awaiting the birth of my third grandchild, a boy. It’s really hard to wait! My daughter is uncomfortable and ready for this to be over. Naturally, as a mother, I’m concerned and a little anxious that this all go well, and everyone be healthy. Patience is often hard, and […]
Having a Real Choice in What You Eat
In my last post, I wrote about the idea that volition, or the desire for change in behavior is only a part of the process of change. There are other obstacles people face in this process. For example, in changing one’s food habits, one such obstacle is either not having access to the foods that […]
