We have some news to share with you.
Southwest Dietitian Group was just named the #1 nutritionist in Phoenix by The Phoenix Review. We received an A+ rating across expertise, availability, credentials, and professional fees.
And honestly? We’re still processing it.
This wasn’t something we chased or campaigned for. We’ve been over here doing the work: showing up for clients, digging into root causes, fighting insurance companies on your behalf: and apparently someone noticed.
So here’s what I want to do: celebrate this with you (because you’re the reason we’re here), clear up some important confusion about credentials, and explain what actually makes our approach different. Because the ranking itself isn’t the point. What we do differently is.
What This Ranking Actually Means
The Phoenix Review evaluated nutrition practices across the entire metro area. They looked at clinical expertise, how accessible we are to clients, our professional credentials, and whether our fees are reasonable and transparent.
We got top marks in every single category.
Here’s what stood out to them:
- Our commitment to evidence-based, root-cause nutrition therapy (not meal plans and calorie counting)
- The fact that 95% of our clients pay $0 out-of-pocket because we prioritize insurance coverage
- Our layered support model that meets people where they are: foundation, momentum, or precision
- My personal journey from disordered eating to becoming a dietitian, which informs how we show up for clients
They also highlighted something important: we don’t do quick fixes. We help people build sustainable habits that actually last. That’s the work. That’s what we’re known for now, apparently.
But First: Let’s Talk About That Word “Nutritionist”
Here’s something you need to know, and it matters more than you might think.
While The Phoenix Review used the term “nutritionist” in their ranking (because that’s what most people search for), we are Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs). And that distinction isn’t just semantics: it’s about your safety, your outcomes, and your wallet.
The Difference Between a Nutritionist and a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)
In Arizona (and most states), anyone can call themselves a “nutritionist.” There are no legal requirements. No standardized education. No clinical training. You could take a weekend certification course online and print yourself business cards tomorrow.
A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, on the other hand, requires:
- A master’s degree (minimum) with specific coursework in biochemistry, physiology, food science, and clinical nutrition
- 1,200+ hours of supervised practice through an accredited internship
- Passing a rigorous national credentialing exam
- Ongoing continuing education to maintain licensure
- Adherence to a professional code of ethics
But here’s the part that affects you directly: only RDNs are eligible to bill insurance.
That means if you work with a “nutritionist” who isn’t an RDN, you’re paying out-of-pocket: often $100-200+ per session. When you work with an RDN like us, your health insurance typically covers the sessions. Most of our clients pay nothing.
What Actually Makes Us Different (Beyond the Credentials)
So you know we’re legit RDNs now. But there are lots of RDNs in Phoenix. What makes our approach different enough to earn that #1 spot?
It’s not just about the food. It never has been.
We Start With Root Causes, Not Symptoms
When someone comes to us struggling with weight, we don’t just hand them a 1,200-calorie meal plan and wish them luck. We ask: Why is your body holding onto weight? What’s happening hormonally? How’s your sleep, stress, digestion, and blood sugar regulation?
When someone has PCOS or Hashimoto’s or GERD, we don’t just give them a list of foods to avoid. We investigate what’s driving the inflammation, the insulin resistance, the gut dysfunction. Then we work backward from there.
This takes longer. It requires more patience. But it’s the only thing that actually works long-term, and you already know this because you’ve tried the quick-fix approaches. They didn’t stick, and that wasn’t your fault.
We Build Sustainable Systems, Not Willpower-Dependent Plans
Here’s what we believe: if a nutrition plan requires you to have perfect willpower, perfect circumstances, and zero stress to follow it: it’s a bad plan.
Our job isn’t to give you rules to follow. Our job is to teach you how to make decisions that support your body in real life. With your schedule. Your family. Your budget. Your actual circumstances.
That means:
- Learning how to structure your plate for blood sugar stability (not counting macros forever)
- Understanding what your body is telling you through hunger, energy, and cravings
- Building habits that work even when life gets messy: because it will
- Knowing when to push and when to ease up, because rigidity breaks people
We’re not here to manage you. We’re here to teach you how to manage yourself.
The Insurance Piece (This Is Huge)
Let’s talk money, because this matters.
95% of our clients pay $0 out-of-pocket for nutrition therapy. Not $50. Not $100. Zero dollars.
This is possible because we’ve built our entire practice around insurance coverage. We’re in-network with most major insurance plans. We know how to navigate the authorization process. We do the paperwork. We fight the denials when we need to.
And here’s why that matters beyond just saving money: when cost isn’t a barrier, you can actually get the support you need for as long as you need it. You’re not cutting sessions short because you’ve hit your budget. You’re not choosing between groceries and your health. You can focus on the actual work.
Most nutrition practices don’t want to deal with insurance. It’s time-consuming and complicated, so they go cash-pay only. We made the opposite choice, because we wanted to help people who need this support: not just people who can afford $2,000 out-of-pocket.
You can check your benefits and see what your insurance covers right here. It takes about 60 seconds.
What This Means for You (Our Community)
If you’ve been working with us: thank you. You’re the reason this recognition exists. Your trust, your commitment to showing up even when it’s hard, your willingness to do this work the slow, sustainable way instead of chasing another quick fix.
If you’ve been on the fence about starting, maybe this is your sign. Not because we won a ranking (though that’s nice), but because you’ve been spinning your wheels with approaches that don’t address what’s actually happening in your body.
And if you’re just finding us now through this article: welcome. We’re glad you’re here.
What Happens Next
Here’s how to get started if this resonates:
- Check your insurance benefits using our quick form: we’ll tell you exactly what’s covered
- Book a discovery call if you want to talk through whether our approach is right for you
- Learn more about our care model and how we layer support based on where you are here
What the first session actually looks like
We don’t walk into your first consult cold.
Before you ever meet with your Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), we prep by reviewing your intake paperwork (and labs, when available). That way, we’re not spending your time together on the basics—we’re using it to connect the dots.
In the first consult, we focus on:
- Your goals (and what’s gotten in the way before)
- Your nutrition history + what you’ve already tried
- Your health needs, symptoms, meds, lifestyle, and schedule (the real-life stuff)
The outcome is a Medical Nutrition Therapy Plan (MNT Plan)—a practical, personalized plan that bridges the gap between where you are and where you want to be.
And to be very clear: this is NOT a meal plan. (Meal planning can absolutely be part of the work later, if/when it’s helpful. But we start with the foundation.)
What follow-ups look like (and how we keep them realistic)
Follow-ups are where the MNT Plan turns into real life.
We review what we agreed on—nutrition and lifestyle changes—and adjust based on what’s working, what isn’t, and what your body is telling us. This is also where you’ll get a lot of the nutrition education and therapy piece: learning the why, troubleshooting the how, and building skills you can actually keep.
We also use a simple approach internally:
- Sprint: you’re ready to move faster, make a few changes at once, and you have the bandwidth
- Walk: you’re stretched thin (stress, schedule, mental load), so we choose the smallest changes that still matter
Neither is “better.” We meet you where you are—because a plan you can do imperfectly beats a plan you can’t do at all.
And every session ends the same way: a clear next action step. One thing to practice between now and the next visit—so you always know what to do next.
Our philosophy (so you know what you’re signing up for)
The work is rarely just about food.
A huge part of long-term change is learning how to navigate obstacles like stress, burnout, all-or-nothing thinking, perfectionism, and the “I’ll start over Monday” loop. That’s why our sessions include both nutrition education and therapy-style support—so you can build a way of eating that holds up in real life, not just on your best week.
Or don’t. This isn’t a pressure thing. When you’re ready for a long-term approach (not a quick fix), we’ll be here.
One More Thing
The Phoenix Review mentioned something in their write-up that stuck with me. They said our approach shows that “real, lasting change happens when you understand the why behind your symptoms, not just what to eat.”
That’s it. That’s what we do.
Not quick fixes. Not restriction disguised as wellness. Not another 30-day challenge that leaves you right back where you started.
Just root-cause nutrition therapy, taught by RDNs who actually know what they’re doing, covered by your insurance, built to last.
And apparently: according to people who evaluate these things professionally: we’re the best in Phoenix at it.
We’re honored. And we’re not done yet.
Cheers to your health,
Maya
Maya Nahra, RD LD owner/dietitian
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