Registered Dietitian here. Happy to answer questions.

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  • FoodandFitness
    FoodandFitness Posts: 502 Member
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    How did you get into this line of work, I'm really interested and have done quite a lot of research but still like to know :)

    I started off as a physical therapist in college but switched to nutrition. 4 year degree and an internship later, here I am. I work in private practice doing strength training combined with nutrition programs.
  • TallCurvyMuscles
    TallCurvyMuscles Posts: 50
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    Why is it that people are so comfortable asking a virtual stranger health questions but its known that people rarely seek out advice from *real* doctors.

    Hey guess what im a stock broker as me how to plan your retirement. I love questions. Ridiculous
  • Racaronga
    Racaronga Posts: 32
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    Hi,
    Apologies if you have already been asked but....

    It is better to eat three meals a day or more smaller meals? I've heard conflicting info...

    Thanks
  • FoodandFitness
    FoodandFitness Posts: 502 Member
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    Hi Tony, You are really cool for offering your help. this site has helped me feel so much more supported than i was before. im so impressed that its free, i think that's a very important part.

    Anyhow i have a question about how this site works. it first tells me that to lose weight i need to consume 2070 calories per day based on my weight of 340 ponds. okay, great. then i go swimming for 30 minutes and it says ive burned @ 400 calories, great. so then if i understand correctly its telling me that i can now consume a revised total of calories (2470).

    my question is, is that right? will i really lose weight that way, or should i just stick to 2070 and then ill lose weight faster? maybe too fast? i dont know, i do know that i have serious hunger after a good swim and that its a good idea to have a snack/meal after.....what would be idea then?

    i hope i haven't asked too much.

    thanks so much (if you can find the time cause i bet you get a lot of questions!!!!)

    chad byron AKA lordbyproduct

    Chad,

    All that is right in theory, but you may want to only ad in extra calories if you're hungry and feel like you need them. Otherwise, carry on as planned.
  • emmie0622
    emmie0622 Posts: 167 Member
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    bump
  • FoodandFitness
    FoodandFitness Posts: 502 Member
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    Any advice on trying to lose weight while breastfeeding. I don't want to drop my supply by cutting too much. What's appropriate at this stage of the game?

    Make sure you are always producing enough milk.

    You could try a very slight calorie cut, like 5%, and go with it as long as you are still producing.

    Your local WIC office likely has a lactation consultant that can give you good recommendations on that kind of stuff.
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
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    Do you really believe it is safe to give this kind of advice to people in the internet that you aren't treating?

    It's one thing to discuss and debate the principles of weight loss, fitness, health. It's yet another to make suggestions to people looking for help. It seems a little iffier to post your qualifications as an authority in the field and give individuals advice--because now that is not just making a suggestion, it's dispensing treatment recommendations since you linked your opinion with your education and degree.

    I am seriously not trying to be rude or pick on you. I believe you are motivated by wanting to help the people, and it's also extremely nice of you to take on the volume of questions you are getting. But I also question whether health care providers should dispense individual recommendations on the internet. (Giving your input and suggestions throughout the forums is great. The issue for me is what I said in the second paragraph.)
  • RuthSweetTooth
    RuthSweetTooth Posts: 461 Member
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    The sheer amount of questions on here are a reaffirmation of my decision to go into the nutrition field. People do really have so many questions and there is so much need for help and advice! Don't be afraid to seek out your own nutritionist. Many of them use this tool to watch their patient's diaries, so keep loggin' folks! Hugs!
  • Aedrah
    Aedrah Posts: 100 Member
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    Hey y'all. My name is Tony. I'm a Registered Dietitian and Personal Trainer. I have all of my clients use MFP and I'm a big fan of this program.

    I'm glad to offer and feedback or help for your nutrition or fitness questions.

    Hi Tony!
    What are your thoughts about eating a lot of baby spinach? I've heard conflicting stories - something about too much oxalates can cause kidney stones.

    I really love baby spinach - I use it in salad normally, and even more so now since I've joined MFP and am working to become healthier. Do you think there are generally any concerns in eating about 4 cups of baby spinach a day, over the long-term?

    Thanks for being here!

    That question would be easier to answer if you knew your family history concerning kidney stones and if you have personally had any.

    If you haven't, I wouldn't worry about it.
    If you had and they determined it was related to a high oxalate food intake, then you would want to stay away from that.

    Thanks Tony! I have never had kidney stones (thankfully!) and no known family history of kidney stones either, good to know it shouldn't be an issue.
  • TriThreat
    TriThreat Posts: 313
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    FITNESS QUESTION - does it make a difference if you work out at night? Because of work/classes I end up usually working out from around 8:30 to 9:30/10 and then eating a protein bar or something small for dinner. Someone told me that will mess me up in the long run because even though I'm working out I'm eating late at night (something about eating late will make me gain weight?)
  • FoodandFitness
    FoodandFitness Posts: 502 Member
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    How do you feel about the effectiveness, strictly physiologically speaking (I'm ignoring psychological aspects), of taking an extended period at maintenance in an attempt to upregulate the hormones that downregulate over prolonged periods of dieting (leptin/etc).

    Good question. From what I understand from my research, it can be beneficial to take breaks from cutting and eat at maintenance to reestablish depleted leptin levels. However, I consider that leptin will drop again as carbs and cals are cut after the break.

    I believe that it has benefit, and I often have my clients increase calories for a month or 2 after a very extended calorie cut timeframe. Or I may do periodic "refeeds" during a dieting period.
  • CountryMom03
    CountryMom03 Posts: 258 Member
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    I have a couple of questions:) #1: How important is hitting your dietary goal for protein in reference to weight loss? I do my best each day and also drink a whey protein shake to try and up it some, but if I fall under the goal most days...is that going to hurt my weight loss? From the way some people talk, they make it sound like protein is crucial to be on top of.

    #2: Does sodium play a huge factor in how fast your able to shed the pounds even if you drink 12 to 14 cups a day of water? I very rarely go over 2500 a day, usually below but I also drink tons of water so doesnt that keep most all the sodium flushed out of me to where it wouldnt affect my weight loss in a bad way?

    Thank You!!:)
    ~Carrie~
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    How do you feel about the effectiveness, strictly physiologically speaking (I'm ignoring psychological aspects), of taking an extended period at maintenance in an attempt to upregulate the hormones that downregulate over prolonged periods of dieting (leptin/etc).

    Good question. From what I understand from my research, it can be beneficial to take breaks from cutting and eat at maintenance to reestablish depleted leptin levels. However, I consider that leptin will drop again as carbs and cals are cut after the break.

    I believe that it has benefit, and I often have my clients increase calories for a month or 2 after a very extended calorie cut timeframe. Or I may do periodic "refeeds" during a dieting period.

    I think that's a reasonable assessment.
  • Reinventing_Me
    Reinventing_Me Posts: 1,053 Member
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    bump
  • freckledrats
    freckledrats Posts: 251 Member
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    Do you really believe it is safe to give this kind of advice to people in the internet that you aren't treating?

    It's one thing to discuss and debate the principles of weight loss, fitness, health. It's yet another to make suggestions to people looking for help. It seems a little iffier to post your qualifications as an authority in the field and give individuals advice--because now that is not just making a suggestion, it's dispensing treatment recommendations since you linked your opinion with your education and degree.

    I am seriously not trying to be rude or pick on you. I believe you are motivated by wanting to help the people, and it's also extremely nice of you to take on the volume of questions you are getting. But I also question whether health care providers should dispense individual recommendations on the internet. (Giving your input and suggestions throughout the forums is great. The issue for me is what I said in the second paragraph.)

    There's not much concern in the way of safety when someone is dispensing fairly common sense advice about eating, AND he's coming from the (alleged) position of having specifically studied and worked in the field for at least 4 years, which is better than a lot of people on here dispensing rather ridiculous advice can say. If he were trying to tell people how often to take insulin, I would be worried, but food is a pretty simple and basic thing, and he's not saying anything that anyone with a healthy dose of common sense and personal experience doesn't know, anyway. Until he tells someone it's okay to fast for a month or that you can lose weight eating 3000 calories a day and not exercising, I'm going to say he isn't dispensing "dangerous" advice.

    Relax. Inhale, and take it up, exhale down. Give me two more...
  • FoodandFitness
    FoodandFitness Posts: 502 Member
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    Do you really believe it is safe to give this kind of advice to people in the internet that you aren't treating?

    It's one thing to discuss and debate the principles of weight loss, fitness, health. It's yet another to make suggestions to people looking for help. It seems a little iffier to post your qualifications as an authority in the field and give individuals advice--because now that is not just making a suggestion, it's dispensing treatment recommendations since you linked your opinion with your education and degree.

    I am seriously not trying to be rude or pick on you. I believe you are motivated by wanting to help the people, and it's also extremely nice of you to take on the volume of questions you are getting. But I also question whether health care providers should dispense individual recommendations on the internet. (Giving your input and suggestions throughout the forums is great. The issue for me is what I said in the second paragraph.)

    Yes, great point. Something I do consider when I just "dish out" free advice are the points you have made. But also consider that if someone wants to go see a RD, they have that choice. Is free advice optimal? No, it is not. Does everyone have access to get individual services? They may or may not. If I can point someone in the right direction, they can decide for themselves with what they have learned, what to do with my advice. I'm not saying I know everything in the world about nutrition, only that I am licensed as a RD, and have some form of formal education. Also, considering that I am in private practice for myself, I have experience in the field as well.
  • veganbaum
    veganbaum Posts: 1,865 Member
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    Do you really believe it is safe to give this kind of advice to people in the internet that you aren't treating?

    It's one thing to discuss and debate the principles of weight loss, fitness, health. It's yet another to make suggestions to people looking for help. It seems a little iffier to post your qualifications as an authority in the field and give individuals advice--because now that is not just making a suggestion, it's dispensing treatment recommendations since you linked your opinion with your education and degree.

    I am seriously not trying to be rude or pick on you. I believe you are motivated by wanting to help the people, and it's also extremely nice of you to take on the volume of questions you are getting. But I also question whether health care providers should dispense individual recommendations on the internet. (Giving your input and suggestions throughout the forums is great. The issue for me is what I said in the second paragraph.)

    I agree. It seems ethically questionable to place out your credentials online and offer informal advice. A lot of professions regulate against such things to protect the public and the profession.
  • RoxyLDN
    RoxyLDN Posts: 96 Member
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    bump
  • FoodandFitness
    FoodandFitness Posts: 502 Member
    Options
    FITNESS QUESTION - does it make a difference if you work out at night? Because of work/classes I end up usually working out from around 8:30 to 9:30/10 and then eating a protein bar or something small for dinner. Someone told me that will mess me up in the long run because even though I'm working out I'm eating late at night (something about eating late will make me gain weight?)

    Nope, makes no difference. Do what works best for you in regards to the time you work out. Also, eating late at night leads to weigh gain= just a myth.
  • FoodandFitness
    FoodandFitness Posts: 502 Member
    Options
    How do you feel about the effectiveness, strictly physiologically speaking (I'm ignoring psychological aspects), of taking an extended period at maintenance in an attempt to upregulate the hormones that downregulate over prolonged periods of dieting (leptin/etc).

    Good question. From what I understand from my research, it can be beneficial to take breaks from cutting and eat at maintenance to reestablish depleted leptin levels. However, I consider that leptin will drop again as carbs and cals are cut after the break.

    I believe that it has benefit, and I often have my clients increase calories for a month or 2 after a very extended calorie cut timeframe. Or I may do periodic "refeeds" during a dieting period.

    I think that's a reasonable assessment.

    Yeah, I really think that's the best I can do with my current knowledge on the subject. But bringing back the human condition and psychology into consideration- I think breaks are very important.

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