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An obese nutritionist: would you be her patient?
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How the nutritionist looks is far less important than how her other clients are progressing. Does she know her *kitten*, and can she help her clients? If so, I don't care what she looks like.0
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Except that's not what the OP said.
Yes, I get that.
I was making a general observation on the ideas that were getting put out in the thread as a whole which I found rather revealing.
The only thing we can assume about an obese person is that they have eaten more calories over time than their body needs to maintain itself yet many people seem to be conflating this into health as a whole or knowledge.
Which is nonsensical in my view.0 -
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bennettinfinity wrote: »
So, I guess that rules out male OB/GYNs then? Or female prostate specialists...?
It´s not the same at all.
Having a different genre is not the same as fat/lack of motivation/wrong knowledge.0 -
Except you can't actually know how the clients are doing...
Just like you can't actually know why she's obese.......
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TheVirgoddess wrote: »
Just like you can't actually know why she's obese.......
No but one can speculate and that is pretty much what this entire thread has been about.
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Why not? If she's been in business for awhile, she should have testimonials, success stories or before/after pictures. Or you could just ask about the types of people they typically work with and ask them to talk about their successes. The OP asked about a nutritionist, not a dietician who might be working in a more medical-focused practice, so a nutritionist should have some kind of marketing collateral that demonstrates their successes.
Except you can't actually know how the clients are doing...
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No, I wouldn't.0
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goddessofawesome wrote: »
No but one can speculate and that is pretty much what this entire thread has been about.
Sure, but then we could go further and ask ourselves if our assumptions are actually rational or if we looked at them critically if they can be justified.
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TheVirgoddess wrote: »
Just like you can't actually know why she's obese.......
It doesn't matter why she's obese. There are plenty of healthy-looking nutritionists out there, and most people don't have time to wade through back stories.
And that's why appearances DO matter....
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Sure, but then we could go further ask ourselves if our assumptions are actually rational or if we looked at them critically if they can be justified.
Anything, rational or not, can be justified.
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Why not? If she's been in business for awhile, she should have testimonials, success stories or before/after pictures.
Survivorship bias.
You're only going to be shown the happy outcomes.
And you have no way of knowing if those happy outcomes did it her way, or their own way.
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I have a friend who was morbidly obese for her entire life until her family hired a nutritionist. She was so inspired at how the lady helped people that she went to school and got her masters in nutrition. She's lost a lot of weight. She's still pretty big. She's great at her job.
And nutritionists and are only trying to help people learn what they SHOULD be eating. Everyone here should know very well that you can understand and give great advice while still struggling with your own demons. I have listened to and learned from many "fat" people on MFP. Just because they're not at goal doesn't mean they're not knowledgeable. And just because they are at goal doesn't mean they don't still struggle with the things that let them get big. It's less about how the girl looks and more about how much she can help you.0 -
Absolutely true, but I'd have those questions whether or not the nutritionist was in shape. I'm just saying I wouldn't immediately rule her out just based on her weight -- I'd rather go to an overweight nutritionist with a demonstrable history of success, if she seemed to me to be knowledgeable, than a skinny nutritionist if she didn't have the same experience. If I'm paying you based on your ability to teach me something, I don't care as much if you can't personally follow the advice. I just care about how well you can get me to follow it.
Survivorship bias.
You're only going to be shown the happy outcomes.
And you have no way of knowing if those happy outcomes did it her way, or their own way.
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well that's not fair- every person I know who works in psychology is effed up- that's one of the reasons they are in that field LOL.
+1 on this.
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goddessofawesome wrote: »
Anything, rational or not, can be justified.
Yes, but not critically justified.
A person can use all sorts of justifications but if they do not stand up to critical analysis we can see them for what they may actually be: unfair bias or prejudice.
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Yes, critically justified.
"Critical thinking" can be used to justify anything from "1 + 1 = 1" to global thermonucleur war.
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Would you hire a plumber who can't get his own toilet fixed?
Can't, no
But there is a difference between can't do something, and hasn't chosen to do it. I am married to a plumber and I joke all the time that if I want the plumbing fixed I have to either do it my self or call and schedule time with him like every other one of his clients.
Just because you have the knowledge and ability to to something doesn't mean you will do it. Many people find they are better able to coach and direct other people than they are themselves.0 -
ThePhoenixIsRising wrote: »
Can't, no
But there is a difference between can't do something, and hasn't chosen to do it.
The problem is that as someone on the outside, you don't know whether it's a "can't" situation or a "won't" situation.
Hence...appearances matter.
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The problem is that as someone on the outside, you don't know whether it's a "can't" situation or a "won't" situation.
Hence...appearances matter.
I think we got that you judge by the cover.
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It doesn't matter why she's obese. There are plenty of healthy-looking nutritionists out there, and most people don't have time to wade through back stories.
And that's why appearances DO matter....
Fair point.
But I'd still read her reviews on Yelp or similar sites and make a judgement based on that, rather than her weight.
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ThePhoenixIsRising wrote: »
Can't, no
But there is a difference between can't do something, and hasn't chosen to do it. I am married to a plumber and I joke all the time that if I want the plumbing fixed I have to either do it my self or call and schedule time with him like every other one of his clients.
Just because you have the knowledge and ability to to something doesn't mean you will do it. Many people find they are better able to coach and direct other people than they are themselves.
My thoughts, but better.
I'm also married to a plumber. My shower head has been broken just about a year, and the toilet isn't leveled.0 -
I know that anyone can have knowledge about anything. I mean, I was even a weight loss coach for a while and look at me now! Life happened and I got fat when I wasn't paying attention. Obviously I still have the knowledge though and am puting it to use to get my body back on point. But I'm under no illusions that a perfect stranger might not trust my infinite weight loss wisdom at my current weight. And I actually wouldn't expect them to trust my word about it at face value. Because I don't LOOK like I know what the heck in talking about.
Saying that even I probably wouldn't go to an obese nutritionist! I KNOW RIGHT!? But I'm very much about showing that you practice what you preach. I don't go to nail techs who have jacked up nails. I don't trust hair stylists who have horrible hair. I don't trust anyone's opinon on clothes who look like they got dressed blindfolded fishing in a dumpster. I don't trust overweight and sloppy personal trainers, etc. Well not "trust" but you know, they sure as heck wouldn't be my first choice and I would scrutinize everything they said extra hard. Why? Because you aren't showing me visual proof of all your knowledge applied to yourself.0 -
yopeeps025 wrote: »
In a world of finite time and infinite book choices, that is a legitimate way to choose.
Put another way - you're discriminating against professionals who not only talk the talk, but who walk it, as well. And when it's put that way....yeah, that's not exactly the rational high ground, eh?
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I would. I don't think people need to practice what they preach. If the information they give is sound, that is what matters.
I think the male OB/GYN is an excellent example.0 -
This question occurred to me when I watched a documentary on school nutrition, and the dietician who was being interviewed was obese. I'm a "practice what you preach" kinda person. I switched from a heart-attack-waiting-to-happen doctor to a trim, fit doctor who doesn't just hand out pills for everything. I doubt I would put much stock in a nutritionist who doesn't follow their own preaching.0
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Let's exchange numbers and maybe we can get things done in tradeTheVirgoddess wrote: »
My thoughts, but better.
I'm also married to a plumber. My shower head has been broken just about a year, and the toilet isn't leveled.
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I would. I don't think people need to practice what they preach. If the information they give is sound, that is what matters.
I think the male OB/GYN is an excellent example.
But if they're information is sound yet they're not taking the information that they know and doing something with it themselves why should I believe that what they're telling me works?
If you were looking to quit drinking would you go to your friend who, while they may have "sound advice" drinks on a regular basis? No. You'd probably go to AA and find someone who not only has sound advice but has been in your shoes and is practicing what they're preaching.
And I'll go even further to say that if I were to go to a nutritionist and she was previously heavy but now she wasn't it would say to me that whatever it is she is doing -- and hopefully will show me how to do -- is working.
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I'd giver her a shot - I picked my dietitian just because she was close. If she had been obese, I'd listen to her recommendations and see if they bore results. It's about me, not her. It helped me portion control and make better decisions about food, so even when I don't track super accurately, it is easier to maintain my weight because my view on food has changed. I only saw her three times though - I feel like she helped me significantly in that time (and work covers it, so really there wasn't anything to lose).
Like any professional (chiro, MT, physio), I take personal recommendations above all else. If someone asks me for a recommendation - it will be because she gave insightful thoughts, advice, and was real about where I was seriously lacking. Not because she was smokin' hot (she was!) and obviously takes care of her own body.0 -
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