My Doctor is an idiot!

I'm gonna be the naysayer here but my Dr. who does specialize in nutrition and weight loss says that a women (especially a shorter one) can get along just fine on 1000 calories without eating any exercise calories back. He is a board certified bariatric Doctor and with his help I have lost 105 lbs in less than 8 months so I'm gonna vote for mine at least knowing what he is talking about.

Awesome loss. Keep it up and yes trust in your doctor

That's crazy!!!! Don't go back to him.

he's not an idiot, he didn't describe anorexia, most people who are on maintenance do what he said, i was netting 300-500 calories when i had 160 pounds to drop.

Also, he's an ob/gyn, not a dietician, his personal diet preferences don't mean he's a bad gyno. That's a bit discriminating.

But he was right, you can net lower if you like, you're tapping into your fat storage for energy if you work out.

The people I know who pursue dietitian/nutritionist credentials just are not the sort of people I would trust more than the people I know who pursue an MD.

A bachelor's degree has what... 24 credit hours in the major field, so eight undergrad level classes? So do that and you can be an RD.

Doctors have to complete a bach. degree, get into a medical school (not everyone can) and then complete all those additional years of education and training and experience. I think it's impossible to get through that without learning at least as much as the average MFP poster or RD knows.

Forget OB/GYNs. Just get a good midwife that is a registered nurse practitioner. I have always used RNPs-even for my kids. They have just as much schooling, but they have to work under a doctor. I my practitioners. They've never said, "come on down" like I was on a game show when they were about to take a looksee at my girl parts. O.o

(and I'd see a local registered dietician or nutritionist too; you can usually find them at the local hospitals).

Doctors are pretty clueless when it comes to nutrition. You should really ask a dietician.

They really are. The doctor I see is usually pretty decent about things. HOWEVER when I asked him about the HCG stuff, he said "Whatever way you want to do to lose weight, do it!, I recommend it."
DOCTORS don't sepcialize in anything. You go see them to get meds to help flu, or ear infection or some crap like that, but that's it.

Everyone assumes 1200 is this magical number when it's not. You can go above or below depending on how much you have to lose, your body type, and height.

WLS patients aren't the 'normal' people who lose weights based on 'normal' advice. They have had their bodies permantly altered and therefore have different needs.

WLS people have simply had their anatomy altered a bit to offer a restrictive tool to help in weight loss. Sure, as an RNY patient I have additional nutritional considerations such as the need for more protein and daily vitamin supplements. But I still have to lose the weight the same way everyone else does. Watch what I am eating and exercise regularly. That part doesn't change.

Just sayin...

The same happens with medication advice, which would be better handled by pharmacists.

This is absolutely NOT true. Pharmacists are not qualified to diagnose anything and cannot order or interpret lab results, for example.

ETA: the pharm will indeed know about drug interactions, including with nutrition. They will not, though, know anything about which drug or dose or delivery method is appropriate for specific patients with specific medical issues. It really IS "brain surgery".

It it absolutely AMAZING to me how many of you think you know more than a doctor. I am seeing my doctor once a month AND a dietitian once a week for weight loss. I eat 1200 calories a day, and I never even asked about exercise calories until I started using this site to log calories instead of the old one. When I asked my dietitian if I should eat them back, she laughed and said, "The people who said that simply want a reason to eat more food, you are eating plenty for your activity level.". I thought I was doing it wrong, thanks to these forums. I'll take the advice of a doctor over the random advice given in a forum any day of the week. I am the same height as you (5'4") and my calorie intake is not going to increase until I hit goal weight, which then I'll go to maintenance.

I work out 7 days a week, 1.5-2 hrs a day. I haven't fainted once. I don't feel weak or dizzy. When I'm hungry, I eat. I am not "starving". A balanced diet (and deficit) is the key, and not consuming empty calories.

p.s. I don't think my plan is the only way to go. I think if you are doing something and it's working (and healthy) keep doing it. I'm rather tired of the starving/starvation mode comments though. The words "starvation mode" have never been uttered by my doctor or dietitian.