Dietician, Nutritionist, or fitness trainer?

underthecherrytree

I am thinking of getting a fitness trainer but I know that most of them push their own meal plan.

I want to make sure that the meal plan I am following is what my body needs so I think I would rather get the food part from a dietician or nutritionist.

Can anyone help explain to me the differences and/or share their experience with any of these specialties?

chrisdavey

or you could use this http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=133634471 and MFP and sort it out yourself

ninerbuff

Dieticians are usually licensed. Nutritionists don't have to be. Dieticians have a specific level of education, nutritionists don't.


A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

MarincicS

Personal opinion and experience here - not advice:

My fitness trainer gives me a little bit of advice about food, but not a lot of detail. I get more knowledge and understanding here on MFP. She does recommend some supplements and will sell her stock to me if i want (for convenience), but once she reviewed with me what she thought i should take, that was the end of the discussion unless i tell her i want more of something. Same thing with protein supplements.

But what she DOES do is push me through 2 challenging workouts a week and insist i do cardio on the days i don't see her (with 1 or 2 rest days a week). And what i am learning about working out i am learning almost exclusively from her.

She also does my official weigh-in and measurements.

I think a nutritionist would be good, but really i am finding once i got my daily calories under control, my obsession with MFP is affording me the opportunity to learn more about nutrition details.

Lift_hard_eat_big

Get diet advice from a registered Dietician, do NOT get advice from a Nutritionist. Get training advice from a Personal trainer, but don't fall for the bro science nutrition advice that most PT's dish out.

Glucocorticoid

Get diet advice from a registered Dietician, do NOT get advice from a Nutritionist. Get training advice from a Personal trainer, but don't fall for the bro science nutrition advice that most PT's dish out.

There are RDs that also spit out the same dogma/broscience.

KristenCassandra

A registered dietician must have taken the required schooling for x amount of years, whereas nutritionists don't have to. According to one of my profs - so tell me if this is incorrect, haha - a working nutritionist can be a self declared title.

klovey92

My stepsister struggled with anorexia for many years and was sent to a nutritionist for part of counselling. (This is after the body image boost and the needed weight gain was done.) The women talked nothing about nutrients or the benefits of certain foods, she said to keep the diet she had - previous to her counseling - and have teaspoon of oil a day. She still struggles with the disease sadly. I'd recommend a dietitian due to the licensing and training they undergo. To be blunt - it's more legit.