What can a nutritionist do that MFP can’t?

heathersmilez

A nutritionist would most likely have a bias would they not? If you don’t have an existing medical condition, are healthy and not overweight wouldn’t they just end up suggesting a meal plan that is the same for everyone i.e. 45% carbs 30% protein 25% fat just like MFP?

Just wondering if it’s worth about $100 an hour to have someone else suggest a meal plan and tell me their professional opinion on starvation mode and eating exercise calories (please do NOT debate that here in this thread, I know the opinion of the masses, the reality of the research I would just be curious to ask a professional as well). Since they aren’t a diet facility specifically like Jenny Craig or Nutrisystem I don’t even think they’ll create a detailed food plan for me so they I could just follow the 10-day meal plan that is part of the Turbo Jam or 6-day Inferno plan that’s part of Turbo Fire saving myself $100.
If you’ve been to a nutritionist, did they help you?

Thanks!

Kirsty_UK

I would expect they would help with offering and advising you to make healthier choices. I've seen some threads today (and most days) of people struggling to meet their calories, whilst still staying under the sugar, sodium etc. A nutritionist I would expect could advise more on that. Also, they would hopefully be able to advise on the times of day to eat, tailored to your personal activity, and when to eat more sugar, more carbs, more protein etc.

RNewton4269

I have a good friend who went to see a nutritionist and it helped her immensely. She said it was well worth the money. She is a definate athelte. Lost about 50-60 pounds in the past 2 years and looks amazing. She is also an insulin dependent diabetic and that is where the nutrionist really helped her. If you think it is worth the money to you ..then I say go for it. Couldn't hurt.

slp2112

I'll let you know what my nutritionist has done for me, and hopefully that will be informative/helpful.

1) Took a full medical background so she knew my past weight history, eating habits, etc., all the way down to what time of the day I was eating, how often I was eating, and even what the environment was like when I was eating (e.g. did I eat sitting at a table, in front of the TV, etc).

2) Measured my resting metabolism.

3) Learned my entire workout routine and using that, plus the history plus my metabolism, designed a full eating plan that detailed how many calories I should eat a day, percentage of macronutrients a day, as well as a full weeks worth of example meals (that's 6 meals a day, by the way, so 42 example meals). The macronutrient breakdowns were not as you listed above but were instead tailored to what I needed given my workouts/other lifestyle stuff.

4) I was on a plateau for 2-3 months and could do nothing to break it. It took my nutritionist ~1 hr of talking to me, hearing how my workouts had changed, how my weight had changed, etc. and she gave me about 4-5 things to change (including changing my macronutrient and total intake again, and again not in the proportions that are typically provided but were instead specific to my needs). I dropped 1.5 pounds over the next two weeks after talking with her and am still losing.

5) Advice on how to handle eating out, eating with family, handling the holidays.

6) Advice about foods that provide specific nutrients, foods that can make good snacks, foods to eat before working out, good times of day to eat, etc.

My nutritionist has been invaluable and I kind of wish I could carry her in my pocket wherever I go. MFP is good advice but it is, after all, computer-generated advice that's doing its best to estimate what's best for your body. A nutritionist (if you find a good one) can create a plan that's specifically made for you. And they can continue to provide the right support along the way.

Without my nutritionist or my trainer, there's no way I would have gotten this far. I know it may seem like I haven't dropped a ton of weight (~16 pounds so far) but I've also put on a ton of muscle, so the pounds of fat I have lost are much more than 16, and I'm getting ready to do a 12-hour spin-a-thon, run a 10K and do a sprint triathlon this summer.

I personally think a nutritionist is worth it. But make sure you find a good one - I've definitely met a few who only give generic calculations and in that scenario, you're right, it's really not worth the money.

heathersmilez

Wow, thanks slp2112!

You definately have a great nutritionist there. I think I have to have an open mind and after 1 session if they didn't wow me at all, back to square one.

slp2112

No problem, happy to help. And yes, nutritionists can be terrible. I went to one who spent 15 minutes ignoring all the information I gave her about myself, providing me with those generic calculations, and continually looking at her phone. I work out 6+ times a week, and each workout is incredibly intense, and here this woman was suggesting I reduce my carbs and my protein which leaves me with a whole lot of fat, which isn't going to power my workouts. Needless to say, I followed her plan for about 2 days before I was totally fed up. But my GOOD nutritionist is a magician and I adore her. Do keep an eye out for the ones who don't consider you uniquely - if they give you only generic advice you can find on Google, they're doing their job horribly (and I'd ask for my money back). But the good ones can be really great and make all the difference.

Victorious_One

I would recommend seeing a registered dietitian vs. a nutritionist. Anyone can call himself/herself a nutritionist, but a registered dietitian has to pass educational and certification requirements. Having a rapport with the dietitian and working with someone you trust is really important. A physician or a trainer should be able to refer you to reputable dietitians.

slp2112

This is a good point - my nutritionist is an RD. Also, this blog http://dropitandeat.blogspot.com/ is written by my sister's RD and is a good place to go for advice without having to pay lots of money per hour