WHERE health
MEETS happiness.

A TELEHEALTH NUTRITION PRACTICE

TRANSFORM YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD & BECOME THE HEALTHIEST VERSION OF YOU!

If you are reading this, chances are you’re tired of trying diets. You know they don’t work, and would rather make improvements to your health that actually last. 

Studies show that dieting can create an unhealthy relationship with food and leave you feeling worse over time. Breaking free from this cycle requires understanding your mindset, motivations, and barriers. As a nutrition coaches, we help individuals like you find effective solutions in both nutrition and lifestyle, fostering peace of mind and improved overall health.

We believe that “eat less, move more" is such a huge oversimplification of health. We take a holistic approach, addressing various wellness aspects like sleep, movement, routines, and emotional well-being. Healthy eating is very individuals and nuanced. Nutrition is just one piece of the puzzle, and there is no one-size fits all approach.

What We Offer

Hi, I’m Emma, a registered dietitian and personal trainer! At Nutrition by Emma, we offer virtual 1:1 nutrition and health coaching. Rather than telling you what to eat, we use a proven counseling technique that helps you improve your mindset around food and meet your health goals sustainably.

This is for you IF…

  • You are ready to ditch the fad diets, restriction, and mind games around food.

  • You suffer from chronic health conditions, food allergies and intolerances.

  • You are an athlete or highly active individual seeking performance nutrition guidance.

  • You are recovering from a surgical or non-surgical orthopedic injury, or suffer from orthopedic conditions such as osteoporosis.

  • You are living with PCOS, thyroid disease, or other hormone-related conditions.

  • You want to learn how to reduce uncomfortable symptoms such as bloating or chronic fatigue with nutrition. 

  • You want to understand the nutrient composition of foods and learn how your body works.

  • You are confused by misinformation and want to learn! 

This is not for you IF…

  • You want to be told exactly what to eat and when. While it’s completely understandable if you desire structure, YOU are the only person who knows what is best for you. Our job is to help coach, guide, and empower you to make the best decisions for you and your health.

MEET THE FOUNDER

Hi, I’m Emma Nelson,
a Dietitian, Personal Trainer, and Nashville native!

After my own (bad) experiences with dieting growing up, I decided to seek out a better way–for myself and for others. I acquired my Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics at MTSU before completing my dietetic internship at Lipscomb. While my personal experiences allow me to be more empathetic toward my clients’ struggles, my professional expertise has allowed me to make long-lasting changes in their lives. What I love most about my line of work is seeing individuals learn to release the hold diet culture has had over them, gain a healthy overall balance in their lives, and thrive.

Meet the Team

We are a group nutrition practice and hope to match you with the dietitian who is the best fit for you and your goals. Click below to read our bios and get to know us a little better!


  • Founder & Lead Dietitian

    Growing up as a competitive dancer fueled my passion for fitness and nutrition, but a lack of proper resources for retired dancers led me down a path of over exercising and extreme dieting. This innocent pursuit turned into excess cardio, struggles with weight, body dysmorphia, and anxiety around food. Recognizing the prevalence of extreme dieting in our culture and the multibillion-dollar diet industry, I decided to pursue a career in nutrition.

    My diverse experiences in dietetics, including inpatient care, community nutrition, and long-term care motivated me to start Nutrition by Emma in August 2022. I knew I could better serve my clients in a one-on-one outpatient setting. I’ll help you swap trendy diets for personalized nutrition. I take a holistic approach, knowing that nutrition is only one slice of the pie in your health journey! I enjoy learning from your unique life experience and want to help you become your healthiest self, both inside and out.


  • Dietitian

    In high school and college, I was active and tried every sport I could, believing less weight meant better performance. This led to a fractured spine from malnutrition and over-exercise. Now, I'm passionate about helping everyone understand a healthy nutrition relationship, regardless of their background or goals.

    I've worked at four Division I universities: The University of Tennessee, Vanderbilt University, Lipscomb University, and The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, focusing on sports nutrition. Completing my dietetic internship and graduate degree at Lipscomb University provided experience in clinics and hospitals, allowing me to work one-on-one. My goal for every client is to maintain a unique, healthy nutrition relationship. I find fulfillment in seeing clients rediscover their love for food, using it as fuel to achieve their goals and live stress-free.

SERVICES

LET’S TRANSFORM YOUR HEALTH & FITNESS AND HELP YOU GAIN A HEALTHIER MINDSET - WITH NO FAD DIETING INVOLVED.

We offer a variety of services to fit the individual needs of our clients, and would love to discuss what might be the best fit for you. To get in touch with us, please follow the steps under “Getting Started.”

1:1 Coaching
and Counseling

The Format: Virtual 55-minute Telehealth sessions with a dietitian. 

The Details: Together, you will curate a nutrition plan that speaks to your lifestyle, discover your internal motivations, unlock barriers that are holding you back, learn how to implement habit change, set attainable goals, and improve your mindset around food. These sessions are yours to spend how you want; you are more than welcome to ask any questions or air any concerns!

Functional Lab
Testing

Lab offerings include a complete metabolic panel, lipid panel, hormone tests, Gastrointestinal Microbial Assay Plus (GI-MAP), nutrigenomic testing, in addition to nutrient and vitamin deficiency tests. 30 minute results review consultation included with testing. Recommended in conjunction with 1:1 coaching and counseling.

Meal Planning

The Format: A four-week meal plan based on your dietary needs and preferences.

The Details: This meal plan is tailored to you and contains recipes, grocery lists, and snack options. Calorie counts are not included. (Dietitians count blessings, not calories!)

***
At Nutrition by Emma, we understand that your health is personal. We are committed to protecting health information about you, and are required by law to maintain the privacy of our patients and to provide patients with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to protected health information.

TESTIMONIALS

GETTING STARTED

One thing I love about coaching is that I get to work directly with individuals like you. This personalized element means high success rates for my clients, but beyond that, I also believe that one-on-one conversations and connections can truly soften the difficulties and isolation that come with the healing process.

Ready to work together? Here are my steps to getting started:

STEP ONE: APPLY

Start by filling out the contact form. We’d love to know a little bit about you and what your nutrition and health goals are. 

STEP 2: DISCOVERY CALL

Your next step is a free 15-minute consultation with Emma by phone. Based on your specific goals, she can recommend which service will be most helpful and the recommended frequency of sessions.

Lastly, we will curate a game plan on how to proceed based on your goals, recommended frequency of visits, duration of relationship, additional help or resources (e.g., functional lab testing, meal planning) that may be required, etc. 

From here, your journey begins to becoming the healthiest version of you.

STEP 3: GAME PLAN

FAQS

  • I’m not sure! Everyone takes a different amount of time to heal and improve their relationship to food. Some of my clients are finished with my services after a few months, and other clients take a few years. There’s no wrong or right timeline for growth.

    I will add, however, that our goal for each client is to eventually “graduate” them from my services. Similar to therapy, which you might return to for maintenance check-ins, the goal is not to be going regularly forever. Instead, the goal is to make steady progress over time to eventually turn you back loose in the world with new tools and skills, changed and stronger than before.

  • Yes and no. Weight struggles are a common concern as it relates to health, and I take all your concerns into consideration. However, weight is often a symptom and not a root cause–which means there is a whole spectrum of other health-, wellness-, and mindset-related elements to address first and foremost, so you can feel your best.

  • It depends! Each session is different depending on you and your journey. In general, sessions are conversation-based as we discuss your journey, your struggles, and strategies to overcome them. Sometimes a session will take on a more educational bent if explaining something in-depth, but all our nutrition advice is evidence-based; we hold ourselves to a strict code of ethics when it comes to advising! Other times, we’ll go over your food journal or a meal plan in our sessions.

  • Yes! The client portal offers a 24/7 chat feature where you can message us with questions, concerns, or call on us for support.

  • Payments are billed via our secure health portal for each appointment or package. We accept all credit cards, as well as Venmo and PayPal. I attempt to bundle services into packages for a more cost-effective approach. Payment plans available upon request.

  • We are in network with BlueCross BlueShield of TN and Aetna!

    Here are some helpful questions to ask your insurance company if you would like to find out what they will cover:

    • Do I have nutrition services on my current insurance policy (Procedure Codes 97803 & 97802)?

    • Are there restrictions on which diagnoses are covered? [You can get your diagnosis from your referring provider]

    • Is Z71.3 (dietary counseling & surveillance) covered, or is a medical diagnosis required? If No, what diagnoses are covered?

    • Is Emma Nelson, RD, LDN (NPI 1760102149) in network with my plan?

    • How many covered visits do I have per calendar year? What is considered a calendar year for my current policy?

    • Do I need a referral or prior authorization?

    • Do I have a co-pay or deductible for nutrition services? Have I met my deductible?

    • Do I have nutritional counseling out-of-network benefits?

  • Yes, you can typically use these cards to pay for sessions.

  • Yes—depending on the needs and th age of the child! Fill out a contact form at the bottom of this page to see if we can help.

  • Yes—rates for couples may differ as each individual has unique challenges to overcome when it comes to nutrition. We understand that nutrition often affects the entire household!

  • Outside of TN, it depends on laws in your state. We are happy to look into if it is possible when you contact us.

  • Visit my Nutrition page on the TOA website for more information.

CONTACT US

Ready to get started and become the healthiest version of you, inside and out?