My Doctor is an idiot!

tmauck4472

I'm gonna be the naysayer here but my Dr. who does specialize in nutrition and weight loss says that a women (especially a shorter one) can get along just fine on 1000 calories without eating any exercise calories back. He is a board certified bariatric Doctor and with his help I have lost 105 lbs in less than 8 months so I'm gonna vote for mine at least knowing what he is talking about.

Awesome loss. Keep it up and yes trust in your doctor

typingathome

Find a new doctor!

fatgirlslove

That's crazy!!!! Don't go back to him.

merzback

RUN- don't WALK away from this doctor- sounds HORRIBLE! Doctor's are often thinking they know everything and oftentimes they still believe old myths!

Merrymaker_Misery

he's not an idiot, he didn't describe anorexia, most people who are on maintenance do what he said, i was netting 300-500 calories when i had 160 pounds to drop.

Also, he's an ob/gyn, not a dietician, his personal diet preferences don't mean he's a bad gyno. That's a bit discriminating.

But he was right, you can net lower if you like, you're tapping into your fat storage for energy if you work out.

MerBear1FL

Please change doctors. I would recommend an GYN that has additional training in Reproductive Endocrinology. I have a history of your issues and I have received the best treatment plans from GYN/Reproductive Endocrinologyst

mcarter99

The people I know who pursue dietitian/nutritionist credentials just are not the sort of people I would trust more than the people I know who pursue an MD.

A bachelor's degree has what... 24 credit hours in the major field, so eight undergrad level classes? So do that and you can be an RD.

Doctors have to complete a bach. degree, get into a medical school (not everyone can) and then complete all those additional years of education and training and experience. I think it's impossible to get through that without learning at least as much as the average MFP poster or RD knows.

Heather_Rider

was his name Dr. Oz?

Seriously, that was some bad advice.

hahahahaha! AGREED! ^^

FrugalMomsRock75

Forget OB/GYNs. Just get a good midwife that is a registered nurse practitioner. I have always used RNPs-even for my kids. They have just as much schooling, but they have to work under a doctor. I my practitioners. They've never said, "come on down" like I was on a game show when they were about to take a looksee at my girl parts. O.o

(and I'd see a local registered dietician or nutritionist too; you can usually find them at the local hospitals).

rcthale

Nutrition is not really part of medical school programs yet, but most physicians feel pressured to live up to the high reputation they have with the general public. So, they end up giving advice about areas they know little about. The same happens with medication advice, which would be better handled by pharmacists.

KaidaKantri

Doctors are pretty clueless when it comes to nutrition. You should really ask a dietician.

They really are. The doctor I see is usually pretty decent about things. HOWEVER when I asked him about the HCG stuff, he said "Whatever way you want to do to lose weight, do it!, I recommend it."
DOCTORS don't sepcialize in anything. You go see them to get meds to help flu, or ear infection or some crap like that, but that's it.

mcarter99

So people believe they've learned more about nutrition reading MFP forums than doctors pick up in their years of education and practice? It's either rocket science or it's not. If it is, you didn't learn it here. If it's not, your doctor did learn it there.

TadaGanIarracht

Everyone assumes 1200 is this magical number when it's not. You can go above or below depending on how much you have to lose, your body type, and height.

clankp22

I have to agree with the minority here. Do what's best for you and your body. My doctor told me to eat 1000 calories a day, even when exercising and no carbs after 4:00pm. I lost 25 pounds that way. I am short- barely 5'3 and have never lost weight eating 1200 calories. THat is maintenance mode for me. I eat a clean diet- no processed foods, which has helped as well. Listen to your body. Good luck to you!

Onaughmae

WLS patients aren't the 'normal' people who lose weights based on 'normal' advice. They have had their bodies permantly altered and therefore have different needs.

WLS people have simply had their anatomy altered a bit to offer a restrictive tool to help in weight loss. Sure, as an RNY patient I have additional nutritional considerations such as the need for more protein and daily vitamin supplements. But I still have to lose the weight the same way everyone else does. Watch what I am eating and exercise regularly. That part doesn't change.

Just sayin...

TadaGanIarracht

Doctors are pretty clueless when it comes to nutrition. You should really ask a dietician.

They really are. The doctor I see is usually pretty decent about things. HOWEVER when I asked him about the HCG stuff, he said "Whatever way you want to do to lose weight, do it!, I recommend it."
DOCTORS don't sepcialize in anything. You go see them to get meds to help flu, or ear infection or some crap like that, but that's it.

I really hope you're not talking about doctors as a whole because they DO specialize in many things. I think you meant to say general practitioner.

wolfi622

The same happens with medication advice, which would be better handled by pharmacists.

This is absolutely NOT true. Pharmacists are not qualified to diagnose anything and cannot order or interpret lab results, for example.

ETA: the pharm will indeed know about drug interactions, including with nutrition. They will not, though, know anything about which drug or dose or delivery method is appropriate for specific patients with specific medical issues. It really IS "brain surgery".

wolfi622

DOCTORS don't sepcialize in anything. You go see them to get meds to help flu, or ear infection or some crap like that, but that's it.

So it takes 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school and 4 to 8 years of residency to give you "crap for the flu"?

ShrinkingShawna

It it absolutely AMAZING to me how many of you think you know more than a doctor. I am seeing my doctor once a month AND a dietitian once a week for weight loss. I eat 1200 calories a day, and I never even asked about exercise calories until I started using this site to log calories instead of the old one. When I asked my dietitian if I should eat them back, she laughed and said, "The people who said that simply want a reason to eat more food, you are eating plenty for your activity level.". I thought I was doing it wrong, thanks to these forums. I'll take the advice of a doctor over the random advice given in a forum any day of the week. I am the same height as you (5'4") and my calorie intake is not going to increase until I hit goal weight, which then I'll go to maintenance.

I work out 7 days a week, 1.5-2 hrs a day. I haven't fainted once. I don't feel weak or dizzy. When I'm hungry, I eat. I am not "starving". A balanced diet (and deficit) is the key, and not consuming empty calories.

p.s. I don't think my plan is the only way to go. I think if you are doing something and it's working (and healthy) keep doing it. I'm rather tired of the starving/starvation mode comments though. The words "starvation mode" have never been uttered by my doctor or dietitian.

peachyxoxoxo

The people I know who pursue dietitian/nutritionist credentials just are not the sort of people I would trust more than the people I know who pursue an MD.

A bachelor's degree has what... 24 credit hours in the major field, so eight undergrad level classes? So do that and you can be an RD.

Doctors have to complete a bach. degree, get into a medical school (not everyone can) and then complete all those additional years of education and training and experience. I think it's impossible to get through that without learning at least as much as the average MFP poster or RD knows.

Ouch. I've taken an entire year of in depth nutrition classes, plus I've taken all the same prerequisite classes an MD would have taken - chem, bio, physics, organic chemistry, anatomy, physiology. I'm currently in the midst of supervised practice - 1280 hours worth of internship experience in longterm care, clinical settings, foodservice, community, and schools. There is no denying doctors spend more time working towards achieiving their degree but let's be real, they have nowhere near the amount of specialized nutrition training as what an RD gets. Your post sorta offended me to be honest. But if you don't think dietitians have any use, that's fine, I would rather spend my time counseling someone who actually cares about what I have to say and doesn't disregard my knowledge simply because I've spent fewer years in school than an MD. My mom didn't even finish college and she's one of the brightest people I know, just saying.

gomisskellygo

It it absolutely AMAZING to me how many of you think you know more than a doctor. I am seeing my doctor once a month AND a dietitian once a week for weight loss. I eat 1200 calories a day, and I never even asked about exercise calories until I started using this site to log calories instead of the old one. When I asked my dietitian if I should eat them back, she laughed and said, "The people who said that simply want a reason to eat more food, you are eating plenty for your activity level.". I thought I was doing it wrong, thanks to these forums. I'll take the advice of a doctor over the random advice given in a forum any day of the week. I am the same height as you (5'4") and my calorie intake is not going to increase until I hit goal weight, which then I'll go to maintenance.

I work out 7 days a week, 1.5-2 hrs a day. I haven't fainted once. I don't feel weak or dizzy. When I'm hungry, I eat. I am not "starving". A balanced diet (and deficit) is the key, and not consuming empty calories.

p.s. I don't think my plan is the only way to go. I think if you are doing something and it's working (and healthy) keep doing it. I'm rather tired of the starving/starvation mode comments though. The words "starvation mode" have never been uttered by my doctor or dietitian.

Do you have any other health issues?

ShrinkingShawna

It it absolutely AMAZING to me how many of you think you know more than a doctor. I am seeing my doctor once a month AND a dietitian once a week for weight loss. I eat 1200 calories a day, and I never even asked about exercise calories until I started using this site to log calories instead of the old one. When I asked my dietitian if I should eat them back, she laughed and said, "The people who said that simply want a reason to eat more food, you are eating plenty for your activity level.". I thought I was doing it wrong, thanks to these forums. I'll take the advice of a doctor over the random advice given in a forum any day of the week. I am the same height as you (5'4") and my calorie intake is not going to increase until I hit goal weight, which then I'll go to maintenance.

I work out 7 days a week, 1.5-2 hrs a day. I haven't fainted once. I don't feel weak or dizzy. When I'm hungry, I eat. I am not "starving". A balanced diet (and deficit) is the key, and not consuming empty calories.

p.s. I don't think my plan is the only way to go. I think if you are doing something and it's working (and healthy) keep doing it. I'm rather tired of the starving/starvation mode comments though. The words "starvation mode" have never been uttered by my doctor or dietitian.

Do you have any other health issues?

Nothing that affects my weight.

SPNLuver83

report that quack

raeleek

I've heard it said more than once that the only thing your doctor knows is their specialty. An obgyn wouldnt know what a liver was. Case in point. I went to my obgyn telling him how bad my ears hurt and he said there was nothing wrong after checking. The next day I went to my general dr and BOTH my ears had full blown infections. Drs don't know everything. I'm not being disrespectful but they're human. They read one thing once and a text book and if they remember it it's the written word.

GelinaKnows

I had a dentist try & tell me how to eat. LOL, Some people just think they know everything...

mcarter99

Ouch. I've taken an entire year of in depth nutrition classes, plus I've taken all the same prerequisite classes an MD would have taken - chem, bio, physics, organic chemistry, anatomy, physiology. I'm currently in the midst of supervised practice - 1280 hours worth of internship experience in longterm care, clinical settings, foodservice, community, and schools. There is no denying doctors spend more time working towards achieiving their degree but let's be real, they have nowhere near the amount of specialized nutrition training as what an RD gets. Your post sorta offended me to be honest. But if you don't think dietitians have any use, that's fine, I would rather spend my time counseling someone who actually cares about what I have to say and doesn't disregard my knowledge simply because I've spent fewer years in school than an MD. My mom didn't even finish college and she's one of the brightest people I know, just saying.

In those classes did they teach you "you can't eat below your BMR" and "you need to eat more (like BMR plus exercise) to lose weight"? I've been asking for one reputable source of that for 5 weeks. It seems to be the standard advice here for anyone in a 1-week plateau, including from you. Did they not teach you in school that weight loss is calories in vs. out?

I'm sorry you're offended but this sort of advice is a prime example of why I wouldn't see an RD.

peachyxoxoxo

Ouch. I've taken an entire year of in depth nutrition classes, plus I've taken all the same prerequisite classes an MD would have taken - chem, bio, physics, organic chemistry, anatomy, physiology. I'm currently in the midst of supervised practice - 1280 hours worth of internship experience in longterm care, clinical settings, foodservice, community, and schools. There is no denying doctors spend more time working towards achieiving their degree but let's be real, they have nowhere near the amount of specialized nutrition training as what an RD gets. Your post sorta offended me to be honest. But if you don't think dietitians have any use, that's fine, I would rather spend my time counseling someone who actually cares about what I have to say and doesn't disregard my knowledge simply because I've spent fewer years in school than an MD. My mom didn't even finish college and she's one of the brightest people I know, just saying.

In those classes did they teach you "you can't eat below your BMR" and "you need to eat more (like BMR plus exercise) to lose weight"? I've been asking for one reputable source of that for 5 weeks. It seems to be the standard advice here for anyone in a 1-week plateau, including from you. Did they not teach you in school that weight loss is calories in vs. out?

I'm sorry you're offended but this sort of advice is a prime example of why I wouldn't see an RD.

When did I give that advice to someone who'd had a one week plateau? Thanks for assuming I'm retarded and know nothing about nutrition. Weight loss IS calories in vs calories out, did I somewhere state otherwise? All I was trying to suggest is that a very low calorie diet can depress the metabolism and result in lean body mass as opposed to the fat loss that's probably desired. My professors and preceptors are very big on evidence-based practice as am I, and I wouldn't offer advice if I didn't believe it to be sound and true. I'm not just talking out of my *kitten* here.

AmyW4225

was his name Dr. Oz?

Seriously, that was some bad advice.

:laugh:
It's a good thing that you know better!

mcarter99

When did I give that advice to someone who'd had a one week plateau? Thanks for assuming I'm retarded and know nothing about nutrition. Weight loss IS calories in vs calories out, did I somewhere state otherwise? All I was trying to suggest is that a very low calorie diet can depress the metabolism and result in lean body mass as opposed to the fat loss that's probably desired. My professors and preceptors are very big on evidence-based practice as am I, and I wouldn't offer advice if I didn't believe it to be sound and true. I'm not just talking out of my *kitten* here.

In this thread below, today. Though her plateau was two weeks. Is 1350 calories for a small woman so low her metabolism is depressed and she should 'eat above her BMR' and 'check out Eat More to Weigh Less'?

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/659248-should-i-change-my-calories

Lozze

WLS people have simply had their anatomy altered a bit to offer a restrictive tool to help in weight loss. Sure, as an RNY patient I have additional nutritional considerations such as the need for more protein and daily vitamin supplements. But I still have to lose the weight the same way everyone else does. Watch what I am eating and exercise regularly. That part doesn't change.

Well of course but your caloric needs are different and therefore not comparable. Just saying....