It may be helpful to begin the conversation with a few questions:

• If you need blood drawn and tested, who would you go to?
• If you broke a bone, who would you want to look at your X-rays?
• If you were having a baby, who would you want to deliver the little one?
• If you had a toothache, who would you see for help?

Chances are, they would say a doctor, a radiologist, an OBGYN and a dentist. It is unlikely that a patient would seek help from someone without extensive training.

This lends well to the conversation concerning the difference between an RDN and a nutritionist. An RDN has a degree, has completed an internship, passed an accreditation exam and must maintain continuing education credits in addition to their work experience. A nutritionist has not completed all of those qualifications. As an RDN-to-be, we have gone through some of the education and experience that an RDN has but not all, which qualifies us as nutritionists.

If you are an aspiring RDN, remind those who ask you that, just like the medical student or intern, are a nutrition student or intern. You can tell them what you’ve learned in your classes concerning overall wellness, but if they are seeking medical nutrition therapy, be sure to refer them to a registered dietitian nutritionist.

Here are 10 tips for becoming more confident.

Put yourself in situations where you can practice confidence

Think back to when you had to perform or get in front of a group. Each time you did it, you gained more confidence. So pick an area of opportunity and practice it! Perform music, enter an art contest or practice by interviewing for a job you’re interested in.

Share your strengths and passions

At times, we don’t want to seem prideful and tend to hold back even when we may be good at something. Be confident in those areas! You have reason to be. Go share your successes and strengths with your close friends and family.

Look in the mirror, smile and repeat a confidence chant

This chant is as simple as “I am strong. I am confident. I am motivational. I am a nutrition expert.” Whether you think you are one of those descriptors or not, make your brain believe your words!

Keep good posture

Not only does it make you look confident, but you feel more confident. Same goes with not folding your arms, keeping good eye contact and speaking confidently.

Write a gratitude journal

Keeping a list (it doesn’t need to be extensive) of good things that happened or things that made you happy can help you feel better. And happy people are confident people!

Talk about it

Talk with someone you trust about your high points, your low points and how you could have acted more confidently in those situations.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions

When you don’t know something, don’t hesitate to ask questions (with confidence). It is better to ask a question with confidence than to make a mistake with embarrassment.

Steer away from confidence-crushing vocabulary

There are words that scream that we are lacking confidence. Think of the filler words such as “just,” “um,” “so,” “like,” “uh,” etc. Take out those fillers and your words will sound more confident.

Eat well and exercise

When you eat and exercise in ways that feel good, you feel more confident. This can inspire others to live healthfully, too!

The important thing to focus on for positive body image is health, not size or weight. Instead of setting goals for weight and size, set goals for health, nutrition and exercise. Here are seven ways to promote positive body image:

1. Make the phrases “I feel fat,” “She looks so much better than me,” and “I hate the way look” ones that you will never say again. Replace negative phrases with positive ones. Focus on your good qualities and traits.
2. Appreciate your body. Think about all the things you can do, thanks to your body. Celebrate your body and take good care of it nutritionally!
3. Realize that everyone is a different shape and size. This is what makes you YOU. Your body is a gift given to you and you should take care of it no matter its size.
4. Don’t engage in extreme behaviors. You don’t need to be a kale smoothie and cauliflower pizza person to be healthy. Real pizza crust is OK!
5. Compliment others on their successes. When you quit being so self-absorbed and notice what’s great about others, you begin to worry less about yourself. Look outside yourself and see more than others’ appearances.
6. Engage in hobbies and activities that you love. Do them often. This gets your mind on what actually matters instead of focusing on what you look like and compare to what others look like or maybe even what you used to look like.
7. Be active! It will make you feel better about your body. Don’t exercise to lose weight — exercise to feel healthy. In doing this, you will feel better about yourself, have positive self-image and have increased self-confidence.

As you strive to live in these ways, mindlessly scrolling through social media won’t result in negative body image. Having positive body image will make you a more trustworthy professional. If you are an RDN to be, clients will be attracted to the way that you have a positive image of your body. They will trust your nutritional advice. More importantly, you will feel a sense of being, happiness and fulfillment.