Opinions on Nutritionists

Just like the others have said- if you see someone, see a registered dietitian.

If I had the money I'd like to talk to one, I have medical issues that make my diet complicated.

I've been seeing an RD since April 2016. The first 3 months we checked in every couple weeks, and now we have a monthly check in. I've lost 56 lbs since then. I like her approach - definitely more along the lines of intuitive eating and SLOW SLOW SLOW weight loss. She never makes me feel bad when I admit I trip up and always encourages me, especially pointing out my progress each visit (I've never gained!) and how far I've come. Thankfully, RD visits in-network are covered by my insurance, or I probably would have stopped after the first year. I like having the accountability of checking in, and hearing her perspective and ideas for meals/snacks/ exercise as my goals evolve.

In case the others haven't made it clear enough, "nutritionist" is not a real profession. I could call myself one if I wanted, without doing anything or gaining any qualification. Steer clear of people calling themselves "nutritionists". The qualified professionals are called registered dietitians (or dieticians - that's just a Transatlantic spelling difference).

I saw a dietitian once and found it helpful.

I have managed my own weight loss efforts successfully for several years. Recently, as I tried to get leaner to support my performance goals, I was not having the success I wanted. So this past spring, I decided to get help from a registered dietician.

My goal was to get help in balancing weight loss while meeting the energy requirements of a heavy training schedule leading up to an endurance race in June. The RD created a plan to tailor my calorie intake during high volume training days where my calorie burn often exceeded 1500/day. His eating plan also factored in my need to consume liquid fuels (as directed by my coach) to provide me with sustained energy during the 3-4 hour training sessions.

I was very happy with my results. If you are considering using an RD, my suggestion is to talk to several RDs to find a person who understands your goals and can provide a specific plan to help you meet those goals.

I would recommend a Registered Dietitian over a nutritionist, from my experience. Where I live they are regulated by the province so they need certain educational and professional requirements.

Outside of that, though, it depends on what you want and if you see value in it. Also it depends on their approach. The RD I've been working with for 2+ years doesn't always focus on food. For example, I've dealt (privately - oh so privately) with a binge eating disorder for many years. I have worked with her for over 2 years and I just told her about a month ago that this is why my progress is hindered. I knew the whole time, did I tell her? No.

So she has me working with a counsellor who specializes in eating disorders to help me get through and deal with the emotional reasons this is happening. She knows food - she's sooooo good at what she does and I love her for how she handles tough situations but she also knows people who struggle with weight loss it's often not just about the food. We know what we shouldn't eat, we know we should portion but there's sometimes emotional issues we also need to deal with.

In my case, it's binge eating brought on by depression I don't want to deal with so I eat to feel some kinda normal. Is it working? No. I know it's not . . . I know I've been struggling. Until I want to fix the problem there's nothing anyone can do.

My point is - if you find someone whose approach/coaching style fits with what you want then it's a great investment. If you aren't going to work with what they say or try the approaches or what have you, it's a waste of money and time, on both sides. Also as some others have said, even if you see a professional much of the work is on your own. They're going to coach you, give you advice and make suggestions based on lifestyle or exercising or what have you but they aren't going to walk around saying "Susan, don't eat that" or "Carol, you know you need to portion that properly". All the "work" will be done by you . . . so are you doing this for guidance, or for hand holding?