what makes a good nutritionist? - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

ArrowGirl · 04-11-2010, 08:23 PM

I am at a loss (no pun intended) I meet with the hospital nutritionist but really don't know what she is supposed to be doing for me. My husband and I have begun to refer to her as the pretty brochure, since she really doesn't offer much outside of what I have read in the WLS literature. Our visits consist of me telling her what I eat at each meal, she writes it down and we're done.
Should I be expecting more? Nutrition is not my strong suit and I feel lost in this new world (RN 12/09)- my weight loss is actually pretty slow and I wish I could get it going faster. Any insights would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

jiffypop · 04-11-2010, 11:23 PM

first of all, Arrow - welcome aboard! and second. well. umm, it's like this. there are VERY FEW good nutritionists who actually understand the science behind the surgery and the strategies needed to live a healthy life afterwards. for some reason, they seem to actually believe that we've become totally like THEM in terms of nutritional needs.

I actually heard one, while addressing a group of people who were less than 6 months out, say that they had to eat 4 ounces of protein [meat, chicken, fish] at a sitting!!! everyone looked at each other in horror, and i spoke up - i HAD to - there was NO WAY i was fitting that in. Her response: well, i was actually talking about a couple of years out. i asked for a show of hands. she lost.

the only one i ever found who seemed to know her stuff was a dietician who was also a certified diabetes educator. she had a lot of experience with insulin resistance, and that seemed to make all the difference.

sure wish i had some real wisdom about this. i'd LOVE to find a good one again.

preetyladyserenity · 04-17-2010, 04:08 AM

I agree with jiffypop. There are so few nutritionist that grasp the concept of limited stomach. The nutritionist appointed to me by the hospital seemed to think I could eat like a normal person now (as to what? Did I had an abnormal appetite before?)

Anyways I had to search around after awhile and I found one that is specialised on nutrition after a sleeve-gastrectomy and she is really good! She really realises the concept of small portions, can't eat x food anymore and stuff. And luckily her visits are not charged very expensive.