Dietician/Nutritionist
amymeenieminymo
Posts: 2,394 Member
Has anyone been to one? I did once before, a few years back when I was pregnant and a gestational diabetic. I liked her, she taught me a lot about how to eat as a diabetic, cleared up myths and gave me a clear plan to follow.
I saw another one a few days ago at the suggestion of my endocrinologist. The first thing she did was suggest bariatric surgery. I know some people have success with it, but I always felt like as long as you can get around and exercise (which I totally can and do) then it should be a very last resort due to risks, etc. So I was a little put off by that, being the first thing she suggested.
The second thing she did was turn my attention to a big shelf in her office stocked with meal replacement foods. She explained that the program is $96.00 a week (!!!!!) and I would have to come in every week to weigh in and get my next week's meal allotment. This is out of the question for me, there is no way I can afford $400+ dollars a month for that, plus my regular grocery budget for my family, and there is no way I can or will eat whatever food that is, while still cooking food that I cannot eat for my family.
I know I don't have to do the surgery or the meal plan, but should I be worried that those were the first two things she suggested? I would think a nutritionist would focus on real, clean foods with a plan that can become a lifelong habit, not suggesting right off the bat surgery or a processed food plan that is crazy expensive and will likely lose results once going off from it. Any thoughts?
I saw another one a few days ago at the suggestion of my endocrinologist. The first thing she did was suggest bariatric surgery. I know some people have success with it, but I always felt like as long as you can get around and exercise (which I totally can and do) then it should be a very last resort due to risks, etc. So I was a little put off by that, being the first thing she suggested.
The second thing she did was turn my attention to a big shelf in her office stocked with meal replacement foods. She explained that the program is $96.00 a week (!!!!!) and I would have to come in every week to weigh in and get my next week's meal allotment. This is out of the question for me, there is no way I can afford $400+ dollars a month for that, plus my regular grocery budget for my family, and there is no way I can or will eat whatever food that is, while still cooking food that I cannot eat for my family.
I know I don't have to do the surgery or the meal plan, but should I be worried that those were the first two things she suggested? I would think a nutritionist would focus on real, clean foods with a plan that can become a lifelong habit, not suggesting right off the bat surgery or a processed food plan that is crazy expensive and will likely lose results once going off from it. Any thoughts?
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Replies
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I would be apprehensive
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Given that you aren't interested in WLS and you can't afford and don't want meal replacements, I don't think this is a good fit for you. I think it would be perfectly appropriate to ask your endocrinologist to suggest another RD who is a better fit for your preferences and goals.7
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She is not a good nutritionist if the first thing she suggest is weight loss surgery. Run away from her, when my husband who has a lot of health issue saw one, she wanted me to attend also. She talked about eating the right foods for his health. She wanted us both to eat healthy, and she said that it should be a family goal not just for him. And pre-made meals do not get me started.
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A nutritionist is different than a registered dietician (assuming you are in the United States). Anyone can get a nutritionist license on line. A registered dietician goes to college and gets an actual degree in Nutrition Science.
Go find a registered dietician.
And no, don't do that stuff.
Buy a food scale, approximately $20 at Walmart or Target. Weigh all your food, and enter everything into your food diary on this site. Stay within your calorie allowance this site gives you. (But forgive yourself and move on if you slip up once in awhile.)
It's that simple.6 -
There is a big difference between a Dietician, which is a professional, and a Nutritionist, which is not. The thing is, "Nutritionist" sounds impressive and is a word most people do not use in their daily conversations, so there is a sort of aura of respectability around it. It's fake. The only talent or skill a Nutritionist has is the ability to separate money from a fool.3
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Drop the nutritionist, see a registered dietician. And always steer away from anyone trying to sell you supplements/meal replacements/etc.1
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I should have said, she is a registered dietician has a degree and works out of the doctor's office. I wasn't positive that there was a difference which is why I used both words in the title.
But thanks, you all backed up exactly what I was thinking. I've lost the weight before, MFP is where I came 8 years ago and was very successful. Since then I have popped in and out, but I am trying to be back for good again and get this damn weight off once and for all.3 -
amymeenieminymo wrote: »I should have said, she is a registered dietician has a degree and works out of the doctor's office. I wasn't positive that there was a difference which is why I used both words in the title.
But thanks, you all backed up exactly what I was thinking. I've lost the weight before, MFP is where I came 8 years ago and was very successful. Since then I have popped in and out, but I am trying to be back for good again and get this damn weight off once and for all.
A doctor's office, or a weight loss clinic with a doctor?2 -
amymeenieminymo wrote: »I should have said, she is a registered dietician has a degree and works out of the doctor's office. I wasn't positive that there was a difference which is why I used both words in the title.
But thanks, you all backed up exactly what I was thinking. I've lost the weight before, MFP is where I came 8 years ago and was very successful. Since then I have popped in and out, but I am trying to be back for good again and get this damn weight off once and for all.
That's super disappointing. I saw a dietician through my doctor's office, he was the one who turned me on to MFP and I got a lot out of my appointments.0 -
JeromeBarry1 wrote: »There is a big difference between a Dietician, which is a professional, and a Nutritionist, which is not. The thing is, "Nutritionist" sounds impressive and is a word most people do not use in their daily conversations, so there is a sort of aura of respectability around it. It's fake. The only talent or skill a Nutritionist has is the ability to separate money from a fool.
To be fair, in some countries a Nutritionist is a professional title that has meaning. And there are Nutritionists in the US who are professionals with legit educations, but it is a Buyer Beware situation as there is little to no oversight.
If you have a medical condition, you should insist on an RD. If you are just trying to lose some weight or generally improve your eating habits, there's nothing wrong with working with a nutritionist with a verifiable education and some common sense used in choosing them. But OP, anyone who leads with surgery, and follows up with meal replacements is a salesperson, regardless of their title, and you should walk away fast.
If your endo suggested a consult due to a medical issue, you should get a referral to an RD. If it's not about a medical condition, the problem becomes that RD appointments can be expensive and are usually only covered if deemed medically necessary. In this case, you should definitely shop around. And avoid anyone who pushes anything you need to buy!
ETA after reading more recent posts: I've come to the conclusion personally that RDs who work in weight loss clinics may also need to be avoided. I've run across several who are basically commissioned salespeople for the clinics services. Unfortunately, getting a specific degree doesn't make you ethical
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quiksylver296 wrote: »amymeenieminymo wrote: »I should have said, she is a registered dietician has a degree and works out of the doctor's office. I wasn't positive that there was a difference which is why I used both words in the title.
But thanks, you all backed up exactly what I was thinking. I've lost the weight before, MFP is where I came 8 years ago and was very successful. Since then I have popped in and out, but I am trying to be back for good again and get this damn weight off once and for all.
A doctor's office, or a weight loss clinic with a doctor?
Doctor's office. More specifically, an endocrinologist....which I feel like it makes it even worse.1 -
JeromeBarry1 wrote: »There is a big difference between a Dietician, which is a professional, and a Nutritionist, which is not. The thing is, "Nutritionist" sounds impressive and is a word most people do not use in their daily conversations, so there is a sort of aura of respectability around it. It's fake. The only talent or skill a Nutritionist has is the ability to separate money from a fool.
To be fair, in some countries a Nutritionist is a professional title that has meaning. And there are Nutritionists in the US who are professionals with legit educations, but it is a Buyer Beware situation as there is little to no oversight.
If you have a medical condition, you should insist on an RD. If you are just trying to lose some weight or generally improve your eating habits, there's nothing wrong with working with a nutritionist with a verifiable education and some common sense used in choosing them. But OP, anyone who leads with surgery, and follows up with meal replacements is a salesperson, regardless of their title, and you should walk away fast.
If your endo suggested a consult due to a medical issue, you should get a referral to an RD. If it's not about a medical condition, the problem becomes that RD appointments can be expensive and are usually only covered if deemed medically necessary. In this case, you should definitely shop around. And avoid anyone who pushes anything you need to buy!
ETA after reading more recent posts: I've come to the conclusion personally that RDs who work in weight loss clinics may also need to be avoided. I've run across several who are basically commissioned salespeople for the clinics services. Unfortunately, getting a specific degree doesn't make you ethical
That almost strikes me as a professional ethics issue. I find it hard to believe the ADA is OK with this.
(And I agree that being licensed/degreed/certified is not a guarantee of ethics. I see some real scam artists running around with CSCS certs these days, which is disappointing as well).
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JeromeBarry1 wrote: »There is a big difference between a Dietician, which is a professional, and a Nutritionist, which is not. The thing is, "Nutritionist" sounds impressive and is a word most people do not use in their daily conversations, so there is a sort of aura of respectability around it. It's fake. The only talent or skill a Nutritionist has is the ability to separate money from a fool.
To be fair, in some countries a Nutritionist is a professional title that has meaning. And there are Nutritionists in the US who are professionals with legit educations, but it is a Buyer Beware situation as there is little to no oversight.
If you have a medical condition, you should insist on an RD. If you are just trying to lose some weight or generally improve your eating habits, there's nothing wrong with working with a nutritionist with a verifiable education and some common sense used in choosing them. But OP, anyone who leads with surgery, and follows up with meal replacements is a salesperson, regardless of their title, and you should walk away fast.
If your endo suggested a consult due to a medical issue, you should get a referral to an RD. If it's not about a medical condition, the problem becomes that RD appointments can be expensive and are usually only covered if deemed medically necessary. In this case, you should definitely shop around. And avoid anyone who pushes anything you need to buy!
ETA after reading more recent posts: I've come to the conclusion personally that RDs who work in weight loss clinics may also need to be avoided. I've run across several who are basically commissioned salespeople for the clinics services. Unfortunately, getting a specific degree doesn't make you ethical
I went ahead and looked it up—to me, the general principles in the Code of Ethics would apply here, but it’s not as clearly spelled out as I would like.
https://www.eatrightpro.org/~/media/eatrightpro files/career/code of ethics/codeofethicsdieteticsresources.ashx0 -
amymeenieminymo wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »amymeenieminymo wrote: »I should have said, she is a registered dietician has a degree and works out of the doctor's office. I wasn't positive that there was a difference which is why I used both words in the title.
But thanks, you all backed up exactly what I was thinking. I've lost the weight before, MFP is where I came 8 years ago and was very successful. Since then I have popped in and out, but I am trying to be back for good again and get this damn weight off once and for all.
A doctor's office, or a weight loss clinic with a doctor?
Doctor's office. More specifically, an endocrinologist....which I feel like it makes it even worse.
The dietitian at my endocrinologist's office was *awful*. I'd gained 10 pounds after going on an insulin pump, and her suggestion was that if I was serious, I should restrict to <1000 calories per day, and consider meal replacement shakes.
Keep in mind, I'd started the appointment by telling her that I had a history of eating disorders.
I left the office in tears, and vowed that I would never interact with her ever again.3 -
Your instinct is exactly right. If surgery is the first suggestion - run. If a costly eating plan is the second - run faster. Since you've already been to the endocrinologist I'll assume you ruled out medical conditions. Not all RDs are created equal. Their education is in the FDA recommended food pyramid/my plate info that changes on a regular basis. Find one that goes beyond that and really focuses on the whole food, clean eating, meal planning, etc. Someone who will take time to listen to you. A nutritionist can be a good choice too. There are a lot of them out there that have a great education. Again research them. Anyone can use the title nutritionist, only someone licensed by the state can be an RD. Either can be really good or really awful.0
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collectingblues wrote: »amymeenieminymo wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »amymeenieminymo wrote: »I should have said, she is a registered dietician has a degree and works out of the doctor's office. I wasn't positive that there was a difference which is why I used both words in the title.
But thanks, you all backed up exactly what I was thinking. I've lost the weight before, MFP is where I came 8 years ago and was very successful. Since then I have popped in and out, but I am trying to be back for good again and get this damn weight off once and for all.
A doctor's office, or a weight loss clinic with a doctor?
Doctor's office. More specifically, an endocrinologist....which I feel like it makes it even worse.
The dietitian at my endocrinologist's office was *awful*. I'd gained 10 pounds after going on an insulin pump, and her suggestion was that if I was serious, I should restrict to <1000 calories per day, and consider meal replacement shakes.
Keep in mind, I'd started the appointment by telling her that I had a history of eating disorders.
I left the office in tears, and vowed that I would never interact with her ever again.
I'm so sorry. I have also left an endocrinologist office in tears. I have had an RD tell me they had no suggestions for me because I was eating correctly and my body just wants to stay at my weight. It can take many tried to find someone who listens to you and is committed to helping you.0 -
JeromeBarry1 wrote: »There is a big difference between a Dietician, which is a professional, and a Nutritionist, which is not. The thing is, "Nutritionist" sounds impressive and is a word most people do not use in their daily conversations, so there is a sort of aura of respectability around it. It's fake. The only talent or skill a Nutritionist has is the ability to separate money from a fool.
To be fair, in some countries a Nutritionist is a professional title that has meaning. And there are Nutritionists in the US who are professionals with legit educations, but it is a Buyer Beware situation as there is little to no oversight.
If you have a medical condition, you should insist on an RD. If you are just trying to lose some weight or generally improve your eating habits, there's nothing wrong with working with a nutritionist with a verifiable education and some common sense used in choosing them. But OP, anyone who leads with surgery, and follows up with meal replacements is a salesperson, regardless of their title, and you should walk away fast.
If your endo suggested a consult due to a medical issue, you should get a referral to an RD. If it's not about a medical condition, the problem becomes that RD appointments can be expensive and are usually only covered if deemed medically necessary. In this case, you should definitely shop around. And avoid anyone who pushes anything you need to buy!
ETA after reading more recent posts: I've come to the conclusion personally that RDs who work in weight loss clinics may also need to be avoided. I've run across several who are basically commissioned salespeople for the clinics services. Unfortunately, getting a specific degree doesn't make you ethical
That almost strikes me as a professional ethics issue. I find it hard to believe the ADA is OK with this.
(And I agree that being licensed/degreed/certified is not a guarantee of ethics. I see some real scam artists running around with CSCS certs these days, which is disappointing as well).
To further that point - Fung, Lustig and Dr. Oz are all licensed M.D.s. That doesn't stop them from spewing woo and pseudoscientific garbage.1 -
You need to make sure you find a registered dietitian, and someone who is not trying to sell you something. A registered dietitian has to have a college degree, pass the registration exam and keep up continuing education credits.0
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I went to see a licensed dietitian.
He's helped me alot, but I also listened to my own common sense and tweaked a couple of his suggestions to fit my personality.
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