• As individual RDs, or those in group practices, serving their own clients

• Affiliated with a hospital, medical center or clinic

• Working for corporations

• Giving talks or workshops at health clubs, for their members

• Being a speaker or "consultant" that is contracted to give seminars for commercial or medically supervised weight loss programs, or being on the medical advisory board of such a company

• An affiliation with a special eating disorder facility or residential treatment center such as Structure House, Duke University Diet & Fitness Center, etc.

• An affiliation with the luxury residential spas across the nation (approx. 1,800 spas exist).

Is an RD right for you?  That depends. RDs don’t "sell" anything - they educate. That’s one advantage of an RD - they have no specific diet company’s plan to push, since the plan is built around you, the client, not vice versa. Another plus--RDs have a 4-year degree and go through a mandatory internship. This higher level training and degree may be compared to "nutritionists" (almost anyone can call themselves one). Dietitians also must pass a registration exam and pursue continuing education requirements of the ADA. They are truly nutrition professionals and have much more nutrition training than your typical MD. They are also considered healthcare professionals and can prescribe medications, including weight loss drugs.

Weight Loss Programs RDs Provide: Typical Plans & Costs

Typical RD counseling costs range from $35-150 per hr., although group sessions are substantially less. Private consultations generally run $65/hr., $35 for one-half hour. An RD program relies on regular grocery store (not diet company food), and lifestyle changes.

With an RD, weight loss or dieting per se may not even be mentioned to clients. Rather, it’s couched in terms of healthy, low fat eating and educating the public to make better food choices. An RD will first determine your "body mass index" (BMI), a calculation based on your weight and your height and then assess your weight loss goals and map out a personal and customized plan for a safe and realistic amount of weight to lose per week.

Most RD programs last for a number of weeks or sessions. Many RDs want to be able to accept insurance. If clients are looking for therapy in addition to nutrition advice, the RD usually refers them to other specialists. Because RDs work in so many environments (hospitals, private practice, health clubs, MD offices, etc.) they all charge different fees. Fees also vary by region of the country. Dietitians range from having a Bachelors degree to those with an MS or PhD, or even dually trained in exercise physiology and nutrition or psychology and nutrition.

An RD may do a physical assessment of the client, establishes their caloric needs and reviews all medicines taken. An exercise program is suggested and in- person counseling is available. The dietitian offers meal planning, possibly supermarket tours to help clients distinguish between healthy, acceptable foods and those that are not, as well as pantry renovations where healthy foods are kept and those that are not are disposed of. You may be asked to keep a food diary. Many RDs use dietary supplements and meal replacement shakes and bars offered by outside vendors. These can add to the total cost of your program, but may help you reach your goal weight quicker. Remember, though, that the long-term goal is to educate you about portion sizes, making healthy food choices, incorporating exercise into your lifestyle, and using regular food (not diet foods or meal replacements or drugs)--a total "wellness" approach.

BestDietForMe.com analysts performed phone interviews of RDs nationwide, to get an idea of how much they charge for the "average" weight loss client, how many sessions or time is involved, etc. Here’s are the findings:

• The amount of time an RD serves a weight loss client can vary from 2-3 months to 2+ years. However, the "typical" patient is treated for about six months.

• The average frequency of visits is about once every two weeks.

• The average amount of time spent in each session is 60-90 minutes for the first "assessment" visit, then 45 minutes per follow-up visit.

• The average fee per session ranges from $75 to $195 for the first consult and $65 for follow-up sessions.

Based on the above research, it's estimated that the total cost of the "average" dietitian-based weight loss plan is $802.

One potential money-saver… if the RD is a member of the American Specialty Health Network, an association whose members include dietitians, chiropractors, massage therapists, etc., their hourly rates can be up to 30% lower. ASK if the RD is a member of this organization.