**4.1 Assisting with behavior change**

A patient education and support component should be included in therapeutic carbohydrate restriction. Maintaining a simple initiation with as much support as possible will aid adherence and success.

The first step is to talk to patients about their current diet, diet history, and health goals to help them prepare for this nutritional change. If patients have a history of weight loss and regain, this is an opportunity to address their fears of failure and explain how this could be different.

Next, determine the patient's familiarity with carbohydrate restriction and provide education tailored to their level of understanding. Patients may be unsure if therapeutic carbohydrate restriction is the right treatment option. As discussed in previous sections, addressing these concerns is an opportunity to educate patients about the approach's safety and efficacy.

At the same time, the healthcare provider should inform patients about any possible side effects. Patients should be taught how to handle the most common problems and when to seek medical help.
