Anyone use the help of a dietitian?

JaeDaKing
JaeDaKing Posts: 50 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everyone! I was suggested to find a dietitian so I can maximize my effectiveness of my diet. Has anyone used the help of a dietitian, your results? how much did it help/cost? have any suggestions? Maybe a referral here in Los Angeles, CA?

Replies

  • albertabeefy
    albertabeefy Posts: 1,169 Member
    Not to be rude to any dietitians (or dietician, depending on where you're from) out there ... but almost every dietician I've ever met follows the same guidelines of their governing agency.

    So they'll refer you the USDA food pyramid (or MyPlate) in the US, the Canada Food Guide in Canada, or whatever is appropriate for where you're from.

    The problem with this is it's not very individualized, and many don't take into account certain metabolic conditions that benefit from a varied macronutrient profile outside of their norms, and they're extremely slow to change their recommendations outside of "high carbohydrate, low-fat, low-saturated fat, low-cholesterol" norms regardless.

    Honestly I find that personal trainers well-studied in nutrition are more helpful for a healthy diet that promotes weight-loss and fitness than dieticians are.

    Again, no offense to any dieticians out there, but it's simply the truth.
  • JaeDaKing
    JaeDaKing Posts: 50 Member
    That is kind of what I would like... a PERSONALIZED plan to meet my specific body needs. I don't want to waste my time if they will just tell me whats on the USDA food pyramid lol
    Not to be rude to any dietitians (or dietician, depending on where you're from) out there ... but almost every dietician I've ever met follows the same guidelines of their governing agency.

    So they'll refer you the USDA food pyramid (or MyPlate) in the US, the Canada Food Guide in Canada, or whatever is appropriate for where you're from.

    The problem with this is it's not very individualized, and many don't take into account certain metabolic conditions that benefit from a varied macronutrient profile outside of their norms.
  • backpacker44
    backpacker44 Posts: 160 Member
    Not to be rude to any dietitians (or dietician, depending on where you're from) out there ... but almost every dietician I've ever met follows the same guidelines of their governing agency.

    So they'll refer you the USDA food pyramid (or MyPlate) in the US, the Canada Food Guide in Canada, or whatever is appropriate for where you're from.

    The problem with this is it's not very individualized, and many don't take into account certain metabolic conditions that benefit from a varied macronutrient profile outside of their norms.

    I agree. It cost me (well, my insurance covered it) $500 to speak with a dietician and I was given the canada food guide, which I could have printed online.... I was disappointed and VERY glad I didn't pay for it myself. I'm not sure if technically a dietician and a nutritionist is considered the same thing, but I have also talked to someone who called themselves a nutritionist and they were really helpful about the best types of food to eat when trying to lose weight. What options I had for good fats (cause I don't eat fish) and different options I would have for getting different nutritents.
  • sweetpea03b
    sweetpea03b Posts: 1,123 Member
    Not sure if it's the same thing... but I worked with a Nutritionist a number of years ago when I was most successful with my weightloss. Honestly, it was more like a shrink than a "doctor" for me... she asked me about my eating habits... what was making me impulse eat... she looked at what I eat (I printed off my MFP diary) and made suggestions of where I could make healthy changes.

    I found it really helped to have someone to talk to that could make good suggestions on changes I could make based on my specific situation. It also helped being accountable. We met every other week and she had me weigh in so I always tried to make sure I did everything I could to lose weight.

    She only charged me $30/visit since I didn't have insurance.
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    Do you have certified sports nutritionists where you are?

    I had a consultation with one about 4 weeks or so ago which was relatively inexpensive (£100 - which included an RMR test and a diet report.) He gave me a couple of simple ideas to follow and I have had better results in the last 4 weeks than I have had in about 2 years or so of trying different things for myself...
  • nashai01
    nashai01 Posts: 536 Member
    bump
  • albertabeefy
    albertabeefy Posts: 1,169 Member
    I'm not sure if technically a dietician and a nutritionist is considered the same thing, but I have also talked to someone who called themselves a nutritionist and they were really helpful about the best types of food to eat when trying to lose weight. What options I had for good fats (cause I don't eat fish) and different options I would have for getting different nutritents.
    No, a dietician and a nutritionist are not the same thing.

    The word "dietician" is legally protected in most countries and can only be used by someone who is registered to use it under the health board that administers medical health professionals. They are very limited in what they can tell people - restricted closely by their governing agencies.

    Amazingly, dieticians tell people things like "A diabetic's diet should be 45-55% carbohdyrate, and low-fat, especially saturated fats" when we all know diabetes is an impairment in glucose metabolism, and all carbohydrate becomes glucose in the bloodstream, and a low-fat/high-carb diet does not help glucose control...

    Nutritionists on the other hand are trained in nutrition, not just diet. They're more focused on proper nutrition for overall health, disease prevention, treatment, etc., and the title is not normally regulated by government. There are a variety of nutritionists out there (clinical, holistic, etc.) and many seem to offer more-personal advice for people, taking into account their various medical needs.
  • richardheath
    richardheath Posts: 1,276 Member
    The best piece of advice I got from my dietitian was to download the MFP app...

    I was referred to a Diabetes Education series when I was first diagnosed with prediabetes. It was a course paid for by a grant from the State, so free to me. It included a 1-on-1 session with the dietitian, plus she led some sessions during the classes. To be honest, albertabeefy is correct in that it was mainly MyPlate, plus ADA recommendations. I did have a chance to show her my food logs sometimes though, so she could suggest alternatives etc. I soon found that the recommended diet was way too high in carbs for my body though, so I threw out most of that, and had to learn how to feed ME anyway.

    If you are in an absolute rut, and simply can't change up your diet to healthier options by yourself, you might get something out of seeing one. You'll get tips on portion control, choosing healthier options when eating out and that sort of thing. You might be someone who is helped by knowing you will be held accountable. So, it could be worthwhile. If you are doing OK by yourself though, then maybe not so much.

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