Does this seem right?
ElizabethOakes2
Posts: 1,038 Member
This question isn't about me, but about my husband...
In November, we both had our annual check-ups, and our doctor told me some horrible things, but then told my husband that he was pre-diabetic and set up with this special "Wellness Weight Loss Program" that he runs out his office. He's in his early 40's, fair physical condition, only had 20 pounds to lose. It was his blood sugar that was the real issue.
The dietary specialist (I don't know her title and qualifications) put him on a 35% Protein/35% Carb/30 Fats diet, and with two protein shakes and two protein bars a day to 'keep his blood sugar balanced'. I learned to cook low-carb, cut pasta, bread, chips, cookies, etc out of our diet entirely, added lots of high fiber like beans, oats, etc.
Even with those protein shake things, he is hungry. All the time. He's exhausted, cranky, headachy and can't concentrate at work. He's lost weight and looks fantastic physique-wise, but according to his notes from the dietary specialist, he's not losing weight fast enough. She said he should be losing 2 pounds a week, period, and she wants to see that result on the scale every time he comes in, even if he's worked out weight-lifting the night before? She actually told him, "Don't use water weight from working out as an excuse. It's not relevant." when he weighed in at only having lost half a pound.
He finally stopped seeing her after Christmas and stopped trying to use her miserable weight-loss application and switched to MFP with me after she told him that she didn't really understand how the body composition analyzer worked, but "sometimes it gives inaccurate readings" after it showed his body fat had gone up after 1 month of steady weight loss. Our doctor said as long as he checked in once a month with him, he didn't have to see the diet management person. Okay, so far so good.
But last night, when he was once again frustrated because he was genuinely hungry (hot decaf tea and a short walk to make sure it was real hunger) but had completely run out of calories for the day, I started asking questions and doing some calculations.
That's when I found out that he's only eating 1800 calories a day. That's what she wanted to see- less than 1800 calories consumed per day, and was sending him email alerts every day that he was logging over that. (That was on the special application that she used.)
According to the various calculators that I use regularly, his BMR is between 1900-2200 and his TDEE is 2600-2800! 1800? For a 40- something male with only 20 pounds to lose? Is it just me or is that total lunacy?
I've always had a problem with 'shake' diets. I think they don't teach you how to eat real food, nor do they teach you portion control, but I felt that as long as we were using MFP, and he could understand what he was eating and what amounts were appropriate, I could help him make the transition off the stupid shakes when he reached his target weight loss. But now I'm not too sure.
Am I being out of line being concerned with this? Are there people here who this has worked for and come out healthier for it? Or is that diet-manager lady really the reincarnation of Linda Hazzard?
In November, we both had our annual check-ups, and our doctor told me some horrible things, but then told my husband that he was pre-diabetic and set up with this special "Wellness Weight Loss Program" that he runs out his office. He's in his early 40's, fair physical condition, only had 20 pounds to lose. It was his blood sugar that was the real issue.
The dietary specialist (I don't know her title and qualifications) put him on a 35% Protein/35% Carb/30 Fats diet, and with two protein shakes and two protein bars a day to 'keep his blood sugar balanced'. I learned to cook low-carb, cut pasta, bread, chips, cookies, etc out of our diet entirely, added lots of high fiber like beans, oats, etc.
Even with those protein shake things, he is hungry. All the time. He's exhausted, cranky, headachy and can't concentrate at work. He's lost weight and looks fantastic physique-wise, but according to his notes from the dietary specialist, he's not losing weight fast enough. She said he should be losing 2 pounds a week, period, and she wants to see that result on the scale every time he comes in, even if he's worked out weight-lifting the night before? She actually told him, "Don't use water weight from working out as an excuse. It's not relevant." when he weighed in at only having lost half a pound.
He finally stopped seeing her after Christmas and stopped trying to use her miserable weight-loss application and switched to MFP with me after she told him that she didn't really understand how the body composition analyzer worked, but "sometimes it gives inaccurate readings" after it showed his body fat had gone up after 1 month of steady weight loss. Our doctor said as long as he checked in once a month with him, he didn't have to see the diet management person. Okay, so far so good.
But last night, when he was once again frustrated because he was genuinely hungry (hot decaf tea and a short walk to make sure it was real hunger) but had completely run out of calories for the day, I started asking questions and doing some calculations.
That's when I found out that he's only eating 1800 calories a day. That's what she wanted to see- less than 1800 calories consumed per day, and was sending him email alerts every day that he was logging over that. (That was on the special application that she used.)
According to the various calculators that I use regularly, his BMR is between 1900-2200 and his TDEE is 2600-2800! 1800? For a 40- something male with only 20 pounds to lose? Is it just me or is that total lunacy?
I've always had a problem with 'shake' diets. I think they don't teach you how to eat real food, nor do they teach you portion control, but I felt that as long as we were using MFP, and he could understand what he was eating and what amounts were appropriate, I could help him make the transition off the stupid shakes when he reached his target weight loss. But now I'm not too sure.
Am I being out of line being concerned with this? Are there people here who this has worked for and come out healthier for it? Or is that diet-manager lady really the reincarnation of Linda Hazzard?
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Replies
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It's no good to always feel grumpy and hungry. I would consult with a different nutritionist ( it's like a two year technical college course to become a nutritionist btw. So they are far from the be all and end all) and see if you can find one more reasonable. The most important thing for a prediabetic is blood sugar anyways, not weight loss.0
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I can't imagine why anyone would need a shake diet having only 20 pounds to loose. Have him eat real, healthy food. Perhaps throw a 1/2 avocado or a tablespoon of peanut butter in there daily to fill him up. I can't imagine freaking if a patient lost weigh steadily, but only 1/2 pound a week. Try a new practitioner.0
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I would have some choice words for this chick. She sounds real special.0
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Id seen a dietitian instead of a nutritionist. more schooling involved.
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Really, 2 lbs a week for a 20 lbs loss. That sounds a bit over the top to me. So does a shake diet.
Talk to the doc and have him up the cals to a 1 lbs a week loss. and get you someone who will give your poor husband real food to eat.
That first woman sounded a bit- take the easy route, one size fits all.
Give the poor man something suitable but nice to gnaw on.
Cheers, h.0 -
I think you've been signed up to a bulldust weight loss business which cares more about their bottom line than anyone's health.0
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Alatariel75 wrote: »I think you've been signed up to a bulldust weight loss business which cares more about their bottom line than anyone's health.
I agree. Any dietitian worth his/her salt should understand that weight loss isn't linear, 2 pounds a week isn't an appropriate goal for every person, and shouldn't use a rubber-stamped plan for everybody. They should also understand the inherent inaccuracy in using a BIA monitor to check body composition.
As far as the diet itself, the macro percentage doesn't sound out of line, but all the shakes and protein bars sound like more of a money-maker than a sound dietary plan. It's hard to say if the calorie goal is appropriate without knowing your husband's stats, but 1800 does sound on the low side. I don't find shakes and bars satisfying/satiating at all and I'd be eating the drywall off the kitchen walls if I had to rely on them as meal substitutes.0 -
Its funny to me that this practitioner would prescribe protein shakes/bars to lower blood sugar levels... those things are either full of sugar or artificial sweeteners (which come with their own problems).... so how is that helping??
Losing weight does help control diabetes, but really only when there's serious excess weight. It shouldn't be the main focus at only 20lbs. My mom had to lose 40lbs to control her diabetes - she still has an extra 20 but her blood sugar levels are always in the clear now.
I don't know what to say about the amount of calories he's on, though I do know from experience that 100 cals can make a huge difference in how I feel. Bumping him up to 1900 and seeing if he's happier there could work. But really, I think you need a second opinion from an actual practitioner.0 -
Thanks! Good to know it wasn't just me thinking this sounded like a load of doodoo!
He's seeing our GP next week to talk to him about the whole thing, and going in with his current BMR and TDEE numbers to back him up.
The protein shakes & bars that he's being given are designed to control glucose levels, so I'm sure they work as designated, but I really think he should be learning to eat real food to control his condition. If he was full-on diabetic, maybe? But he's not. Only his last two blood tests, six months apart, put him at pre-diabetic levels. That tells me that this is a recent condition that should be reversible.
Thanks for giving me your opinions. I was starting to doubt my own knowledge.
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Its funny to me that this practitioner would prescribe protein shakes/bars to lower blood sugar levels... those things are either full of sugar or artificial sweeteners (which come with their own problems).... so how is that helping??
Losing weight does help control diabetes, but really only when there's serious excess weight. It shouldn't be the main focus at only 20lbs. My mom had to lose 40lbs to control her diabetes - she still has an extra 20 but her blood sugar levels are always in the clear now.
I don't know what to say about the amount of calories he's on, though I do know from experience that 100 cals can make a huge difference in how I feel. Bumping him up to 1900 and seeing if he's happier there could work. But really, I think you need a second opinion from an actual practitioner.
Whey protein has actually shown promise (still needs to be studied further) for diabetics, and artificial sweeteners are proven okay for diabetics. Other than that I do agree with you.
He will be doing and feeling much better with real food and a higher calorie allowance. It's great that you did not blindly grin and bear it and made the decision to walk away from a "one size fit all" solution that clearly wasn't working for him.0
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