Dietician / Nurtrionist?

mootscat
mootscat Posts: 14
in Food and Nutrition
I am going to be making an appt to see what my health insurance calls a Dietary Management Specialist, I imagine that this is the same as dietician and nutrionist.

Can anyone share with me what to expect from this visit?

I am going because I am not losing weight like I feel I should be and want some professional advice and input. Do they give you a diet plan to follow or basic info? How personalized do they normally get?

I just have no idea what to expect and looking for some feedback.

Replies

  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    I think it really depends on the person. The one I went to was totally worthless, but I hear rave reviews from other people. The person I went to didn't ask me a single question, asked my kid a couple questions and then told him to eat exactly how/what he was already eating and didn't give me any advice/information.

    What I would have liked to happen was for her to actually say anything to me - ask me some questions. Find out why we were actually there and then offer some actual advice.
  • MSeel1984
    MSeel1984 Posts: 2,297 Member
    I am going to be making an appt to see what my health insurance calls a Dietary Management Specialist, I imagine that this is the same as dietician and nutrionist.

    Can anyone share with me what to expect from this visit?

    I am going because I am not losing weight like I feel I should be and want some professional advice and input. Do they give you a diet plan to follow or basic info? How personalized do they normally get?

    I just have no idea what to expect and looking for some feedback.

    Go to the dietitian with specific questions...They can provide overall general guidelines, but they'll be more specific if they know what you are trying to achieve.

    Are you going to a sports dietitian? Weight loss therapist? There are many specialties in the field.
  • corgicake
    corgicake Posts: 846 Member
    Find your "dietary management specialist" on the clinic's website. Check out letters after the name and see if they give a more detailed description of what they're good at.
  • dsb188
    dsb188 Posts: 121 Member
    I know that at my company we have a Well Coach who was very helpful. My insurance did not cover nutritionist I suppose the idea is you are to use this Wellness Program. I know the one nutritionist I saw told me to switch to lowfat foods and make small changes but it didn't make a huge different in my weight. i had to do my own research and change my diet.
  • Leanne3552000
    Leanne3552000 Posts: 395 Member
    It really depends on who you're seeing.
    Make sure you go in with specific questions. Even bring with you a copy of your MFP log from the past week so that they can see your current habits.
  • xrachel2014
    xrachel2014 Posts: 18 Member
    A dietitian is a legally protected title, you have to be state registed and a dietitian is monitored regular to ensure thier practice is safe, correct and evidence based. A dietitian is who provides bespoke dietetic advice that can be related to health and disease on a one to one and group/population level.

    A nutritionist, or nutrition adviser, diet adviser etc etc is not a legally title so anyone can call themself one. Also their qualifications can come from anywhere, their practice not monitored.
    I would suggest always seeing a dietitian (dietician in the USA) but then i'm biased, I am a dietitian (based in the UK :))
  • mootscat
    mootscat Posts: 14
    She is an RD, with my insurance I have 2 to pick from so I don't get too picky.

    Anyone have experience with an RD?
  • UtahWI
    UtahWI Posts: 257 Member
    I am one :-) but am also an RN and have worked only as an RN since 2011. So anyway...go prepared. Take printable sheets of your records from MFP, take activity logs, etc. The more information, and the more accurate information-especially, that you can provide, the better. Be prepared with what your goals are, I always liked knowing what people wanted...then we could see if that was realistic, to start with. Tell her/him what you want...if you are thinking you want a personalized plan, ask if you can get that. You might not get it on the first visit- ie, they may have to get you back after looking over your info, and I think that is reasonable, though they should be able to give you some ideas to work with til the next visit. Be proactive about what you want.

    Some are better than others, as with any profession. But they are definitely a good resource and a better place to start than someone with a mail order certificate.
  • mootscat
    mootscat Posts: 14
    I read up on the lady and she practices the Intuitive Eating process, which I used to be interested in but don't think I am anymore :(
  • Ramen237
    Ramen237 Posts: 264 Member
    I am considering becoming an RD :) But as others pointed out, it's good to bring lots of relevant information with you, so that the RD can tailor their advice to your specific situation and goals. Don't be afraid to ask questions, or ask them to clarify anything or provide examples. I've always felt that doctors/medical/health specialists who could discuss lifestyle or habit changes with me and make me understand their importance served me better in the end than those simply dictating a list of treatments/foods/things to do without backing their instructions up by sound reasoning that I could understand and agree with. Anyone who orders their clients/patients around without regard for their goals and desires is doing their profession a disservice.

    Rant over, sorry :) Good luck with seeing the RD!
  • sarafischbach9
    sarafischbach9 Posts: 466 Member
    I majored in nutrition and dietetics, so I know all about dietitians. All I need is the internship. ( Dietitians, at least at this point in time, need to do an internship before they take their national exam. Getting into the internship is the tricky part ).

    Look up the person online. I say this because if they are a dietitian they will have credentials after their name. Most dietitians have "RD LD" or "MS RD LD" or any other variation. "LDN" ( Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist ) is another term other states use. If you see MS in front of the RD it means they have a Master's degree. Dietitians get Master's degrees in: Nutrition, Exercise Physiology, Health Education, Public Health, etc etc etc. Those are the normal Master's programs, anyway.

    As far as what to expect, all dietitians are different depending on their backgrounds. Some of them are more for clean eating, while others are mainly concerned with moderation. Make sure you have questions in your mind, or write them down, if you do decide to see one. If it doesn't work well with this dietitian, you can always try a different one. Most dietitians will not put you on a low calorie diet, if you're looking for weight loss consultation. He or she will more than likely put you on a moderate calorie diet with only a 1/2 to 1 lb a week weight loss plan.
  • Charlottesometimes23
    Charlottesometimes23 Posts: 687 Member
    I majored in nutrition and dietetics, so I know all about dietitians. All I need is the internship. ( Dietitians, at least at this point in time, need to do an internship before they take their national exam. Getting into the internship is the tricky part ).

    Look up the person online. I say this because if they are a dietitian they will have credentials after their name. Most dietitians have "RD LD" or "MS RD LD" or any other variation. "LDN" ( Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist ) is another term other states use. If you see MS in front of the RD it means they have a Master's degree. Dietitians get Master's degrees in: Nutrition, Exercise Physiology, Health Education, Public Health, etc etc etc. Those are the normal Master's programs, anyway.

    As far as what to expect, all dietitians are different depending on their backgrounds. Some of them are more for clean eating, while others are mainly concerned with moderation. Make sure you have questions in your mind, or write them down, if you do decide to see one. If it doesn't work well with this dietitian, you can always try a different one. Most dietitians will not put you on a low calorie diet, if you're looking for weight loss consultation. He or she will more than likely put you on a moderate calorie diet with only a 1/2 to 1 lb a week weight loss plan.
    Considering that metabolic biochemistry would be an integral part of their training, that surprises me. I would steer clear of any dietitian who promotes 'clean' eating.

    A dietitian should be able to provide a personalised plan based on your goals, any medical issues, social factors and personal preferences. It would help to take along 3-5 days of your usual diet. They may start with some small changes and then reassess at future visits.

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