Nutritionists Vent

devrinator

I've gained and lost. I lose, but slowly gain weight back after I take the training wheels of a calorie tracker off my daily agenda. I don't have an internal ticker that tells me when to stop--and I don't start out like a glutton or anything--just extra veggies? Then by the time I've gained 20-30 lbs back, I start feeling super hungry and start eating bigger and bigger portions.

I don't snack all day, and I don't even like sweets. My challenge is eating dinner. I eat dinner, and feel like it simply isn't enough. So I eat seconds. Eventually I'm eating thirds. Eventually I gain so much weight my body isn't sufficiently satisfied once I've eaten any possible leftover, so then I so straight to snacks--like immediately after dinner.

Nutritionist try to tell me that Greek Yogurt is better than ice cream, or that when I want to grab a Twinkie, what other options there are for me. I get frustrated and want to cuss at them. I don't eat ice cream and I don't grab Twinkies all day. I get frustrated because people are making assumptions about my diet and therefore, how can they help?

I don't think they believe me? They think I'm lying--like, how can I be so fat if I'm not eating cookies and donuts all day? I don't. It's dinner. I eat it all. I've tracked my calories and can say with certainty, this is causing my weight gain.

How do I overcome this?? Anyone else this way? Like, not a sweet eater but a FOOD eater--and strongly hungry after work? It's as if I'd be better off not eating anything for dinner since food itself is my appetite trigger.

Lietchi

Unfortunately, there is a lot of prejudice where being overweight is concerned. I got to a BMI of 34 while eating a balanced diet: not to say I didn't eat less nutritious foods sometimes, but most of my meals were home-cooked. My portions just weren't appropriate for my activity level. But people often assumed I hated vegetables and ate junk food.
Perhaps continue to look for a nutritionist/dietician that does listen to you?

Regarding your issues with portion control when eating dinner: are you cooking yourself? Could you limit the amount of food you prepare? By portioning out an appropriate amount of food and only cooking that, you won't be able to eat seconds or thirds.

Intermittent fasting might be another option: by for example skipping breakfast and lunch, a large dinner would perhaps still leave you within maintenance calories? Or, as you mentioned, skipping dinner in favor of breakfast and lunch?

MaltedTea

First, you may want to reconsider your thoughts about calorie trackers being "training wheels" when, in your case, they may be "all season tires" 🤷🏾‍♀️

Then, assuming you are logging as accurately as you mention then eventually you should be seeing trends beyond timing.

Are there certain items you eat more than others? Are you getting all your MICROnutrients? Have you toyed with MACROnutrient ratios to see whether it makes a difference?

Lastly, you may want to request bloodword from your family doctor...just in case there should be other clinical elements to consider as you try to lose weight healthfully.

thisvickyruns

devrinator wrote: »

I've gained and lost. I lose, but slowly gain weight back after I take the training wheels of a calorie tracker off my daily agenda. I don't have an internal ticker that tells me when to stop--and I don't start out like a glutton or anything--just extra veggies? Then by the time I've gained 20-30 lbs back, I start feeling super hungry and start eating bigger and bigger portions.

I don't snack all day, and I don't even like sweets. My challenge is eating dinner. I eat dinner, and feel like it simply isn't enough. So I eat seconds. Eventually I'm eating thirds. Eventually I gain so much weight my body isn't sufficiently satisfied once I've eaten any possible leftover, so then I so straight to snacks--like immediately after dinner.

Nutritionist try to tell me that Greek Yogurt is better than ice cream, or that when I want to grab a Twinkie, what other options there are for me. I get frustrated and want to cuss at them. I don't eat ice cream and I don't grab Twinkies all day. I get frustrated because people are making assumptions about my diet and therefore, how can they help?

I don't think they believe me? They think I'm lying--like, how can I be so fat if I'm not eating cookies and donuts all day? I don't. It's dinner. I eat it all. I've tracked my calories and can say with certainty, this is causing my weight gain.

How do I overcome this?? Anyone else this way? Like, not a sweet eater but a FOOD eater--and strongly hungry after work? It's as if I'd be better off not eating anything for dinner since food itself is my appetite trigger.

some people have to track every day to maintain their weight loss. maybe you're one of some people? would that be the end of the world if it enabled you to maintain successfully?

janejellyroll

Maybe it's time to consider whether long-term calorie tracking is right for you. Like you, I gradually tend to eat more over time without tools to help me manage that. I've been maintaining my weight loss since 2015 by continuing to log.

There's no shame in using a tool if it's helpful to you. I'd much rather spend a few minutes each day logging what i eat than go through a cycle of regaining and losing.

ReenieHJ

I agree with counting calories every day, as much of a pain as it can be. It does become like second nature after awhile and it's the only thing that's kept me on a more even scale(no pun intended ).
And I understand the vent, believe me I do. I went to a former PCP many years ago, struggling and almost in tears due to my weight. Just could not get it under control or keep myself in control, binge-eating constantly and about 80# overweight at that time. I begged her to help me. She told me 'eat carrots instead of cookies'.
I so wanted to slap my forehead and yell 'now why didn't *I* think of that??' Needless to say I changed my PCP after that.

Don't give up the fight. You CAN do this; it's all in the numbers. If you want a 2nd helping then you'll have to use more calories to allow yourself the option. It's just the way it is. Unfortunately.

Be_theBest_Me

I'm the same way!!! I'm a foodie. Not junk food big dinner with delicious food!! I slowly start eating more and more. For me....I gotta track and I gotta use a tiny plate noooooooo going back for more. Lunch for tomorrow I been saying!! Finally got the numbers falling in line....I ate big this weekend. Lots to celebrate but now I'm back at it with a passion got fast till 3!! Water water water!! We got this!!

MarvinsFitLife

@devrinator hey read your “vent” didn’t see what your workout schedule was like? You have to consider stress, lack of sleep and hormones. Since you don’t eat junk you will have to check those areas and eat more fibre that keeps you full. Wish I had the answers for your solution it keep on the journey it’s a lifestyle

Zinka61

I think there are a lot of us here who plan on using those training wheels indefinitely. I've been here for over 6 years so far. In middle age, I seemed to be able to eat intuitively. After age 50, I lost that ability--No idea why, but it is what it is. I lost weight here and I stay here to keep it off. Along the way, I keep learning about nutrition from my friends and logging for different nutritional goals, and through experiments with my diet and exercise. It may sound stupid, but being here has turned diet and exercise into a hobby for me. And why not, if it keeps me healthy?

The dietician you went to sounds like a dud. I'm sure there are others out there who would listen to you, but you already seem to know what the problem is. Too much food of any kind causes weight gain. Just logging will tell you how much you need to eat to weigh what you want to. The harder part is developing strategies to make that comfortable for you. Friends here can give you ideas, but you will probably need to experiment to find what works best for you, more veggies to keep you full, eating on a schedule (IF or 3 meals or whatever), or some other strategy, and then stick to it. And sometimes it changes! When I was middle aged, "grazing" kept my weight lower than trying to eat 3 square meals a day. But now I find the opposite is true for me at this age. This is a great place to do that learning and that experimentation.

devrinator

Thank you all for listening and responding with warmth!! I needed to hear that tracking may be a long-term (or forever) thing. I guess I have to think of it like a medical necessity?

MarvinsFitLife is on point with getting in activity. I do stress and that does affect how I interpret appetite. I don't see myself becoming a gym buff, but there are some things I can do.

You all have really good insight, and it's helpful to see so many people who know that the struggle is real succeeding. Thank you!

Kelly4374

I know people say not to eat and watch YouTube and TV. For me I find it helps, you say that you're not completely full after your first serving? Judge what you're eating critically...if you think it's a good portion after drink a glass of water and wait 15-30 minutes(entertaining yourself with a program) if at the end of that time you're still hungry eat.

deputy_randolph

I'm gonna throw this out there. I am a long-term tracker...as in YEARS of logging/weighing. I have gotten less strict once I hit my goal with tracking/weighing all of my food, but I still use this method.

I have actually found that planning, tracking, weighing food has been the easiest/simplest way to maintain my weight loss AND mentally freeing. If I plan/log my food for the work week on Sunday, I don't have to THINK about food the rest of the week. I just cook, weigh, eat. If I feel a little extra hungry one day, I just eat a little more. No big deal.

Are you waiting too late to eat dinner? I find that if I put off dinner...my hunger is pretty serious by the time I start eating, so I end up overeating. My "off switch" isn't great either. I eat my "main dinner" around 5pm and then usually have something like pistachios, nuts, or scrambled eggs around 7pm.

mtaratoot

Training wheels are actually a bad idea to teach kids to ride a bike. Kids can actually learn to ride a bike much more quickly and easily if they have NEVER been ruined by training wheels. Those little Skuut bikes do a much better job teaching kids how to use their balance on a bike.

I don't see counting calories as training wheels. I see it more like a tool. I know that I sometimes estimate what I'm eating when I can't weigh it on a scale, but I also know that it's because I routinely weigh everything. I have to keep doing the weighing on the food scale to keep my eyeball estimator calibrated. It goes out of calibration quickly.

I expect that I will likely have to keep tracking indefinitely. It's a very small amount of work, and it's a small price to pay for the ability to maintain my mass and to continue to improve my health markers.

My hope for you is that maybe you can find a way that tracking your calories doesn't feel like so much of a chore. Just one of the things we do like taking a bath once a month and brushing teeth once a week.... I have found that MFP has made it pretty easy to track.

Take off the training wheels. Use the tracking capabilities as an advanced tool. See how healthy you can get. If you find it to be a real pain in the rear, I hope that it continues to be a pain in the rear for many decades. The other option ain't great.