What happens at your first dietitian appointment in London (and what to bring)

Published 29 September 2026

At your first appointment with us you spend a full hour with a registered dietitian: we go through your goals, health history and daily routine, measure your body composition, set targets together and, in most cases, you leave with a personalised meal plan you can start the next day. No generic diet sheet, and no waiting weeks for “the plan to arrive”.

Below is exactly what happens, step by step, at our clinic at 33 Cavendish Square (Harley Street medical district, Marylebone) and online, what it costs, and what to bring.

Before you arrive: a short questionnaire

Whether you come to the clinic or see us online, we send you a questionnaire to complete beforehand. It covers your medical history, medication, family history, symptoms, eating habits and goals. Your dietitian reads it before you arrive and starts preparing your plan, so the hour is spent on you, not on paperwork.

If you are coming online, we also ask you to send a few photos and your measurements (waist, hips and weight) before the call. We explain how to take them so they are comparable at your follow-ups.

What we do in the first appointment

1. Your goals and your life, not just your weight

We start by talking. We want to know:

• What you want to achieve — weight loss, more energy, fewer gut symptoms, better blood results, preparing for pregnancy, managing menopause.
• Your family history — diabetes, heart disease, thyroid problems and similar conditions change what we prioritise.
• Any symptoms — bloating, reflux, headaches, fatigue, irregular periods, cravings.
• Your day-to-day — what time you wake up, work, train and eat; who cooks; what you love eating and what you won’t touch.

This last part matters more than most people expect. A plan that ignores your routine or your taste is a plan you will abandon in two weeks.

2. Body-composition analysis

In the clinic we use a professional body-composition analyser (Tanita MC-780U). In a couple of minutes it shows much more than the scale at home:

• muscle mass and bone mass
• body fat and visceral fat (the fat around your organs, which is linked to metabolic risk)
• hydration (body water)
• metabolic age

We also take measurements and progress photos. These are your baseline: every follow-up is compared against them, so you can see changes in fat and muscle, not just in kilos.

Online patients send their measurements and photos instead. Body composition by the analyser is the one thing that is only possible in person.

3. Setting targets together

With your history and your numbers in front of us, we agree on targets — realistic ones, with a time frame, and not only about weight (waist, energy, symptoms, blood markers). Every person’s pace is different, and we will tell you honestly what is reasonable for you.

4. Your personalised meal plan — the same day

We build your meal plan around your metabolism, your goals and the routine you just described. Because we have already read your questionnaire, in most cases you leave the appointment with the plan, clearly explained, ready to start. (If your case is more complex — several conditions, or results we still need — we tell you and send the plan shortly after.) It is delivered through the Nutrium app, together with a shopping list and our recipe eBook, so everything is on your phone.

Not sure which programme fits you? Book a free 15-minute call with our team and we’ll point you to the right option before you commit.

5. Tests, if you need them

Not everyone needs tests. When we do, it is simple:

• Blood tests — we work with a leading private laboratory right next to the clinic, so you can have your bloods taken on the same day as your appointment. Depending on the time you go, some results are back the same day. If it suits you better, the laboratory can also collect the sample at your home or hotel.
• Food intolerance testing — done at our clinic, and only recommended when your dietitian thinks it will genuinely help: typically when you have symptoms that could plausibly be caused by an intolerance, such as IBS-type bloating and discomfort or frequent headaches. It helps identify foods your body may not be handling well. It is one piece of the picture, interpreted alongside your diet history and a symptom diary — never on its own, and it is not an allergy test. Read more about food intolerance testing.
• Genetic (DNA) testing — collected at our clinic from a simple saliva sample. It helps us personalise the type of diet, key nutrients and supplements that suit you. Results usually come back within three weeks. More about our DNA test.

Testing is an optional add-on and is not included in the programme price. If anything in your history or results needs medical attention, we will ask you to see your GP.

What surprises people most

The comment we hear most often after a first appointment is: “That’s it? This is so easy.”

Many people arrive expecting a strict, joyless diet — “just eating salad”, as patients often put it. Instead they see meals that are practical, tasty and that the whole family can eat. That is deliberate: a plan only works if you can keep doing it.

Easy does not mean slow. Seeing progress early keeps people motivated, so we design the first weeks to be both sustainable and effective — then adjust at every follow-up.

In clinic or online: what’s the difference?

Very little. The consultation, the questions, the targets and the meal plan are the same. The differences are:

The clinic is a few minutes’ walk from Bond Street and Oxford Circus stations. Online works from anywhere — we see patients in more than 80 countries.

Visiting London from abroad?

A large part of our patients travel to London — from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and across the Middle East, and from elsewhere in Europe. The main reason to come in person is testing: in one visit you can have your consultation, body-composition scan, blood tests, food intolerance and DNA tests done together. After that, following the programme and changing your lifestyle works just as well online, from home.

If it is easier, the laboratory can also collect your blood samples at your hotel.

How much does it cost?

As of 29 September 2026:

• Personalised Clinical Review (a single one-hour consultation): £279 online / £329 in clinic.
• 3-month programmes (Signature Weight Loss, Hormonal Reset 40+, PCOS Metabolic Reset, Gut Restore, GLP-1 Nutrition, Autoimmune Restore): £750 online / £850 in clinic — including a monthly consultation, personalised meal plans, the Nutrium app, eBook and shopping list, and unlimited email and app support.
• 12-Week Body Reset (online): £269, or 3 monthly payments of £99.

Full details on our prices and packages page, and how our prices compare in how much a dietitian costs in London.

What to bring

• Any recent blood test results (from the last 6–12 months).
• A list of medication and supplements you take, with doses.
• Any letters or reports from your GP or specialist that relate to your goal.
• If you have gut symptoms: a few days of notes on what you ate and how you felt helps a lot.
• Comfortable clothing. For an accurate body-composition reading, please avoid coffee and exercise on the day of your appointment.

That’s all. You don’t need to “be good” the week before — we want to see your real routine.

Who you’ll see

Your first appointment is with one of the HCPC-registered dietitians in Raquel Britzke’s team, who work with the clinic’s methods and protocols. Raquel founded and leads the clinic, has over 18 years of clinical experience, and the team has helped more than 20,000 people. Dietitians are the only nutrition professionals regulated by law in the UK — you can check any dietitian on the HCPC register. We consult in English, Portuguese and Spanish.

Ready to start? Book your free 15-minute call, or message us on WhatsApp.

FAQ

How long is the first appointment?
A full hour. Follow-ups within a programme happen monthly, with email and app support in between.

Will I really leave with a meal plan?
In most cases, yes — we build it during the appointment so you can start right away. If we need test results before finalising something, we tell you and send the update.

Do I need a GP referral?
No. You can book directly. If anything in your history needs medical input, we will recommend you see your GP.

Is online as effective as coming in?
The consultation and meal plan are the same. The only thing you miss online is the body-composition scan; we track your progress with measurements and photos instead.

Do I have to do the food intolerance or DNA test?
No. Tests are optional and only recommended when they will change what we do for you.

I live abroad. Do I need to travel to London?
Only if you want tests done in person — many patients from the UAE and Europe come once to do the consultation and all their tests in one visit. The programme itself works fully online.

Clinically reviewed by Raquel Britzke, RD, HCPC DT28960 — reviewed 29 September 2026.