An obese nutritionist: would you be her patient?

The title says it all: would you go to an obese nutritionist for weight-loss help?

This question came up in a group discussion -- there was disagreement. I said I'd post here and get some more opinions from the MFP board.
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Replies

  • peachyfuzzle
    peachyfuzzle Posts: 1,122 Member
    "Those who can't do teach."

    Self-control is not the same thing as having knowledge. I would probably take her advice with a grain of salt, and do my own research on her advise, but that wouldn't dissuade me from visiting her altogether.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
    edited December 2014
    Depends on if she is knowledgable in her field.

    Look at Glenn Pendlay, or Mark Rippetoe.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    For all I know, that person is obese because of medical issues, such as hypothyroidism.

    On the other hand, I once went to a very slim nutritionist who thought I should be eating perfectly according to the science of the time, with no mistakes or treats, ever. That was not particularly helpful.
  • goddessofawesome
    goddessofawesome Posts: 563 Member
    No, simply because while s/he might know what s/he's talking about nutrition-wise she's obviously not following what s/he's telling her clients.

    There have been similar discussions here except it's "Would you go to an unfit personal trainer" and again, for me the answer is no for the same reasons as the obese nutritionist.
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,732 Member
    edited December 2014
    On the one hand, a person can have a great deal of valuable knowledge to share, and the ability to share it in a motivating way, without applying to their self.... But still probably no. I don't know if it's bias or a rational desire to have the person advising me be able to follow their own advice. For all I know, she has a medical issue causing temporary weight gain. But still, doubtful.
  • JenAndSome
    JenAndSome Posts: 1,908 Member
    I would probably not go to a nutritionist at all unless I had special dietary needs. Having special dietary needs and eating too much are two different things.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    I would ask her to validate her recommendations based on her personal experience. Hopefully I would manage to avoid actually saying the words "elephant in the room" while tackling that issue.
  • Adc7225
    Adc7225 Posts: 1,319 Member
    Depending on if I liked her approach. All weight issues are not always a result of overeating.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    JenAndSome wrote: »
    I would probably not go to a nutritionist at all unless I had special dietary needs. Having special dietary needs and eating too much are two different things.


    this sounds about right.
  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
    Yes, and I would see a doctor who drank alcohol.
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
    JoRocka wrote: »
    JenAndSome wrote: »
    I would probably not go to a nutritionist at all unless I had special dietary needs. Having special dietary needs and eating too much are two different things.


    this sounds about right.

    Agreed.

    Also, it's one thing to be overweight and another to be obese. I would have a hard time understanding why she can't moderate herself.
  • eganita
    eganita Posts: 501 Member
    No.
  • simplydelish2
    simplydelish2 Posts: 726 Member
    As a nutritionist I've used my knowledge during this weight loss journey. I plan to offer a coaching program - but I've felt that I needed to be at a healthy weight to be taken seriously. One more year and I'll be there!
  • bennettinfinity
    bennettinfinity Posts: 865 Member
    edited December 2014
    No, simply because while s/he might know what s/he's talking about nutrition-wise she's obviously not following what s/he's telling her clients.

    There have been similar discussions here except it's "Would you go to an unfit personal trainer" and again, for me the answer is no for the same reasons as the obese nutritionist.

    So, I guess that rules out male OB/GYNs then? Or female prostate specialists...? ;)
  • I'd give her a chance. I'd consider her a fat football coach. Those guys obviously don't practice what they preach, but damn they give a great sermon! :D
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
    Yes.
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
    No, simply because while s/he might know what s/he's talking about nutrition-wise she's obviously not following what s/he's telling her clients.

    There have been similar discussions here except it's "Would you go to an unfit personal trainer" and again, for me the answer is no for the same reasons as the obese nutritionist.

    So, I guess that rules out male OB/GYNs then? Or female prostate specialists...? ;)

    Apples and oranges.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    No, because I wouldn't go to a nutritionist anyway. A dietitian is a stretch, even.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited December 2014
    JenAndSome wrote: »
    I would probably not go to a nutritionist at all unless I had special dietary needs. Having special dietary needs and eating too much are two different things.

    This.

    But I suppose I don't see why an obese person couldn't have the needed knowledge about nutrition that you were looking for if you did see her. It would probably be good, if weight loss was the issue, to talk about why it hadn't worked for her, but I don't actually think a lack of knowledge is the main reason people are fat. (But for the same reason I didn't think I needed a nutritionist to tell me how to eat, just because I happened to have gained weight that I wanted to lose.)

    My mother has a medical condition that means she has to avoid getting too much iron, which subsequently got complicated by some other medical issues, and the advice she received was confusing to her and did not address a lot of practical stuff. Knowing my parents I suspect better advice would had been received had they asked for it, etc., but this is the kind of situation where I think a nutritionist is really needed and it would have been no negative at all IMO if the nutritionist had been obese.