GonnaGetAbs
New member
I just can't seem to stay on track lately. I'm wondering if I need some help. Does anyone here use either a personal trainer or a nutritionist or both? Do you think its worth it? How much do they cost?
getting professional help
- Thread starter GonnaGetAbs
- Start date
douknowjello
New member
I used a personal trainer for a short time at the gym a LONG time ago. After a while I didn't really feel I needed it because he wasn't that much help for the fee...of course maybe thats my problem NOW, lol. I did think he was worth it initially though to get me started.
As far as the nutritionist I've gone to them as well but honestly every one of them is different and my personal experiences with the few I talked to didn't give me the best impression. I took a nutrition class and the last one I talked to didn't even seem to be as educated as I was. Maybe just my experience and I'm sure there's good ones out there but I'm cheap
Not sure what the rates are but you could google them for your area and get some price quotes. Me personally I think you can find information yourself online and alot even right here in this forum without spending the money...or do what I did and take a nutrition class yourself. They teach you the basics and alot more and talk about figuring out BMR and how much to eat and everything. I'll still never forget the teacher holding up 2 test tubes of fat though to show us how much was in a hotdog. Alot of us lost weight that week, lol.
As far as the nutritionist I've gone to them as well but honestly every one of them is different and my personal experiences with the few I talked to didn't give me the best impression. I took a nutrition class and the last one I talked to didn't even seem to be as educated as I was. Maybe just my experience and I'm sure there's good ones out there but I'm cheap
Not sure what the rates are but you could google them for your area and get some price quotes. Me personally I think you can find information yourself online and alot even right here in this forum without spending the money...or do what I did and take a nutrition class yourself. They teach you the basics and alot more and talk about figuring out BMR and how much to eat and everything. I'll still never forget the teacher holding up 2 test tubes of fat though to show us how much was in a hotdog. Alot of us lost weight that week, lol.
Last edited:
Omega
Moderator
I strongly suspect that all the nutritional information that you need is on the forum.
Maybe you would get motivation if you built relationships with other members of the forum. You can meet other people by joining challenges or visiting diaries. Generally - the more that you post - the more you meet people.
Have you considered joining a slimming club. I do know that you can join Weight Watchers in the UK for instance if you have a minimum of 5 pounds to lose and your ultimate goal weight has to be within a healthy BMI range (I think 20 to 25). That does mean that people that may feel that they are too thin to join a slimming club can be able to join. It isnt just very large people that go as a lot of people continue to attend once they get to their goal weight.
Maybe you would get motivation if you built relationships with other members of the forum. You can meet other people by joining challenges or visiting diaries. Generally - the more that you post - the more you meet people.
Have you considered joining a slimming club. I do know that you can join Weight Watchers in the UK for instance if you have a minimum of 5 pounds to lose and your ultimate goal weight has to be within a healthy BMI range (I think 20 to 25). That does mean that people that may feel that they are too thin to join a slimming club can be able to join. It isnt just very large people that go as a lot of people continue to attend once they get to their goal weight.
I don't recall your age but if you are employed and have insururance... check with your insurance provider - some do cover the costs of nutritionists - or ask your parents if you're still covered under their insurance... but - in all honestly -a nutriionist is NOT going to make you stick to your plan
You really need to dig within yourself and find why you cant stick to your plan..
Again I'll ask are you being too restrictive... are your expections reasonable and what are they... are you lookinf to build new habits rather than look for immediate results....
You really need to dig within yourself and find why you cant stick to your plan..
Again I'll ask are you being too restrictive... are your expections reasonable and what are they... are you lookinf to build new habits rather than look for immediate results....
GonnaGetAbs
New member
Thank you all for your replies.
duoknowjello, It's really good to know whats out there. That they're not all good, and I'd have to search to find a good one. Thank you for your help.
Omega, You're right, I do wish I had someone going through this with me. I have been reading a few journals. I'll post something today in a couple of them. Maybe I'll start one myself. And I joined a challenge yesterday, which I'm excited about. I'm going to search slimming clubs today. Thank you.
Maleficent, I'm 25 and in school, which is really stressful right now. I do write myself out an eating plan every day and get upset when I don't stick to it. Maybe I should stop doing that because I'd really just like to eat 3 good meals a day. I'd also like to go to the gym once a day on most days. I have 10 more pounds to lose. I joined the 1% a week challenge, which should put me down 5 pounds by the end of the month, and then the last 5 pounds will have to come off slowly because I'm done with school August 15 for three weeks, and its hard to lose weight when I'm on break. Does that sound okay? Is it too restrictive or unreasonable? Mostly I just want to break the habit of bingeing, getting mad at myself, and then cutting my calories way down for the next day. I know its not healthy. I still haven't found why I can't stick to my plan, though not for lack of trying. I'll keep digging.
duoknowjello, It's really good to know whats out there. That they're not all good, and I'd have to search to find a good one. Thank you for your help.
Omega, You're right, I do wish I had someone going through this with me. I have been reading a few journals. I'll post something today in a couple of them. Maybe I'll start one myself. And I joined a challenge yesterday, which I'm excited about. I'm going to search slimming clubs today. Thank you.
Maleficent, I'm 25 and in school, which is really stressful right now. I do write myself out an eating plan every day and get upset when I don't stick to it. Maybe I should stop doing that because I'd really just like to eat 3 good meals a day. I'd also like to go to the gym once a day on most days. I have 10 more pounds to lose. I joined the 1% a week challenge, which should put me down 5 pounds by the end of the month, and then the last 5 pounds will have to come off slowly because I'm done with school August 15 for three weeks, and its hard to lose weight when I'm on break. Does that sound okay? Is it too restrictive or unreasonable? Mostly I just want to break the habit of bingeing, getting mad at myself, and then cutting my calories way down for the next day. I know its not healthy. I still haven't found why I can't stick to my plan, though not for lack of trying. I'll keep digging.
mjbelkin
New member
I don't know what its like in the US, but here in the UK the term dietician is a protected term (you can only use it if you hold the correct qualifications), while the term nutrician isn't, so anyone can call themselves a nutrician and know diddly.
Have you tried talking to your doctor/gp about your diet?
Have you tried talking to your doctor/gp about your diet?
Just anyone can't call themselves a dietitian here in the US either.
Professional help?
For some it makes all the difference in the world. For others not so much. Nutrition is the easy part. If you can't seem to stick with a balanced, calorically controlled plan I'd much sooner check the rigidness of your plan and identify what it is about it that you don't like before hiring a dietitian.
A trainer can help but it's like playing the lottery when hiring one. There are a lot of bad ones out of there. At the least they can be a source of accountability. At the most they can really help you along.
I think identifying your problems is step one though.
Professional help?
For some it makes all the difference in the world. For others not so much. Nutrition is the easy part. If you can't seem to stick with a balanced, calorically controlled plan I'd much sooner check the rigidness of your plan and identify what it is about it that you don't like before hiring a dietitian.
A trainer can help but it's like playing the lottery when hiring one. There are a lot of bad ones out of there. At the least they can be a source of accountability. At the most they can really help you along.
I think identifying your problems is step one though.
It really sounds like it's your all or nothing mindset that needs fixing rather than anything else...
Start being a better friend to yourself... If your best friend came to you and said... Hey I binged today -please beat me up and starve me tomorrow... would you do it? Probably not.. (*unless of course ya'll are into that whole s&m thing for pleasure but that'd be a different forum I s'pose)
Ensure that you are giving yourself enough calories in a day... where you can include some of your favorite things... To avoid binging -i've personally found it's easier to pack snacky foods (which i love) in individual portions... and have one portion when I want it... and if you do slip up... try to find out why.. and the next day - just keep going.. the binge/deprive is a cycle that's tough to get out of... binge/keep going is a little easier and the binges become less frequent
I'm with mal there. So you might add a counselor trained in cognitive behavior therapy (which focuses more on changing your thought patterns and actions and less on recalling every childhood slight) to your list of possibilities.
Does your eating plan not have you eating 3 good meals a day? There's no magic to more or fewer meals, and there's a lot of magic to developing a plan that works for you well enough to stick with it.
mjbelkin
New member
I'm the same - I can't just take one biscuit/cookie from a pack, but if its individually wrapped portions then I find it a lot easier to resist. It seems that once a pack is opened my willpower disappears.
I've now started with the Babybel cheeses so that I can still get my cheese fix, while not overdoing it.
I'm completely fussy about cheese -the babybel aren't bad - but they're not great either... What I do with that - for really good aged cheddars or hard cheese, I'll use a cheese plane (they kind of look like big vegetable peelers) and I can plane off what seems to be a lot of cheese and have it come in under an ounce... and I can pack thsoe up in cling wrap if Im being really obsessive ( for other cheese, Whole Foods especially in their cheese department and my local cheese shop sells the "cheese scraps" - basically portions of cheese that come in at about 2 ounces per package of the really gooooood cheeses - they are fairly inexpensive and is so worth the indulgence..
(if you've got a cheese shop, they will sell the cheese in any portion size you want... 
Trops
New member
(if you've got a cheese shop, they will sell the cheese in any portion size you want...
Ooh! Cheese shops are dangerous. You have to taste everything before you buy. Like wine tasting. So much fun, but you have to be careful.
mjbelkin
New member
(if you've got a cheese shop, they will sell the cheese in any portion size you want...
I'm fairly certain my local cheese seller only sells cheese in large sizes
But seriously, my favourite is a nice mature poacher, but I really have no restraint at just taking a small portion, so its the babybel for me for now.
douknowjello
New member
I'm glad you posted this because everyone's posted some great advice. I hadn't thought about the difference between a dietician and nutritionist but that is dead on info too. Although I still think you can educate yourself online or with books yourself and then always have the knowledge instead of having to rely on somebody else to tell you what to eat. Again I'm a cheapo, lol. Hate paying somebody else money for something I can do myself.
And honestly with your busy schedule being all or nothing and restrictive very likely is a big part of the problem. I'm in school too and thats always when I screw up but I'm realizing that I can't just swing to the other extreme and also that preparation is a HUGE step. I found I can't be focused on my diet every second when I'm focused on classes so making sure I have healthy stuff on hand when hunger hits on the go and having back up meals when I'm in a hurry helps. You'd be amazed what you can have frozen and just heat up...whole meals even.
Only other tip that I have is to think about where you to go eat with friends and do some research. That way you can no what you're able to eat regardless of what you're doing and can still live a social life. Anyway my classes are starting back up in a month so you'll have to tell me anything cool that works. I know my diet planning will get ten times harder then. Eating on the go has always been my downfall and I refuse to start up on the fast food again.
And honestly with your busy schedule being all or nothing and restrictive very likely is a big part of the problem. I'm in school too and thats always when I screw up but I'm realizing that I can't just swing to the other extreme and also that preparation is a HUGE step. I found I can't be focused on my diet every second when I'm focused on classes so making sure I have healthy stuff on hand when hunger hits on the go and having back up meals when I'm in a hurry helps. You'd be amazed what you can have frozen and just heat up...whole meals even.
Only other tip that I have is to think about where you to go eat with friends and do some research. That way you can no what you're able to eat regardless of what you're doing and can still live a social life. Anyway my classes are starting back up in a month so you'll have to tell me anything cool that works
. I know my diet planning will get ten times harder then. Eating on the go has always been my downfall and I refuse to start up on the fast food again.GonnaGetAbs
New member
Steve; Here's my attempt at identifying my problems (step one ), after some serious thought on this today. First, I realized I really have been too restrictive. I'd plan out my day, but then eat one extra handful of nuts or piece of fruit, think I'd failed for the day, and just let it all go. Then, the next morning, when the scale didn't show any movement, I'd get upset, and do it all over again. In reality, I should have known that of course something small is not going to make a difference. However, it is that feeling of failure, and deep hatred of myself for not being able to stick to the plan that drives me to eat. So, I think if I can give myself a calorie goal (1500 or 1600?), and eat what I want spread out throughout the day, I will limit some of those feelings, and therefore stop the crazy eat everything in sight moments. Other problems: I'd workout really hard, too hard, and get burned out, so the weight would come back on, and I'd workout hard again, etc. A cycle.
I did really well with my eating today. I did go over my calorie allowance, but I'm okay with it, and I didn't go crazy. So yay. One day at a time.
Maleficent; Haha. You're hilarious. Of course any friend would not tell me to do to myself what I have been doing. So I shouldn't either. I'm trying to see it as a slow process, not an all or nothing thing. and it's worked for today. I'm really glad to have identified that as one of my issues, so I can work on it. I did pack my snacks in little bags. And it was actually really fun!
Allyphoe; my plans have included 3 meals a day, yes, but often I would eat too much before I got to have those 3 meals so I'd eat not much for the rest of the day. I'm not going to do that anymore. I need to have 3 good meals because I'm in class from 8 to 6 every day with an hour for lunch, so there are 3 times already set for meals. But I also need to plan snacks for between meals I think. That should help me not over eat at each meal. And as long as I plan accordingly, I won't go over my calories, right? I think I'm understanding all this!
Omega; Unfortunately, I don't overeat on just one food. It's a little bit of something, and then a little bit of something else, so if I took it away I wouldn't have any food left. Haha.
Duoknowjello; I'll let you know how it goes. For now, I'm just going to try packing my own lunch and snacks, and eating it some place other than the cafeteria. Like outside now that its nice out.
Thanks to everyone so much. I've decided not to hire anyone. I'm pretty sure I can do this on my own. With all of your help, of course.
), after some serious thought on this today. First, I realized I really have been too restrictive. I'd plan out my day, but then eat one extra handful of nuts or piece of fruit, think I'd failed for the day, and just let it all go. Then, the next morning, when the scale didn't show any movement, I'd get upset, and do it all over again. In reality, I should have known that of course something small is not going to make a difference. However, it is that feeling of failure, and deep hatred of myself for not being able to stick to the plan that drives me to eat. So, I think if I can give myself a calorie goal (1500 or 1600?), and eat what I want spread out throughout the day, I will limit some of those feelings, and therefore stop the crazy eat everything in sight moments. Other problems: I'd workout really hard, too hard, and get burned out, so the weight would come back on, and I'd workout hard again, etc. A cycle. I did really well with my eating today. I did go over my calorie allowance, but I'm okay with it, and I didn't go crazy. So yay. One day at a time.
Maleficent; Haha. You're hilarious. Of course any friend would not tell me to do to myself what I have been doing. So I shouldn't either. I'm trying to see it as a slow process, not an all or nothing thing. and it's worked for today. I'm really glad to have identified that as one of my issues, so I can work on it. I did pack my snacks in little bags. And it was actually really fun!
Allyphoe; my plans have included 3 meals a day, yes, but often I would eat too much before I got to have those 3 meals so I'd eat not much for the rest of the day. I'm not going to do that anymore. I need to have 3 good meals because I'm in class from 8 to 6 every day with an hour for lunch, so there are 3 times already set for meals. But I also need to plan snacks for between meals I think. That should help me not over eat at each meal. And as long as I plan accordingly, I won't go over my calories, right? I think I'm understanding all this!
Omega; Unfortunately, I don't overeat on just one food. It's a little bit of something, and then a little bit of something else, so if I took it away I wouldn't have any food left. Haha.
Duoknowjello; I'll let you know how it goes. For now, I'm just going to try packing my own lunch and snacks, and eating it some place other than the cafeteria. Like outside now that its nice out.
Thanks to everyone so much. I've decided not to hire anyone. I'm pretty sure I can do this on my own. With all of your help, of course.
Pancake Batter
New member
I got professional help in the form of a library book. Since you're at university, you must have access to a simple enormous number of books: you pay the fees, you might as well use the place!
douknowjello
New member
I'm no expert but 1500 calories for a young male who is also active and working out doesn't seem like enough. Have you checked the BMR calculators and all that? I haven't had a nutrition class in about ten years so I can no longer recite exact details but I'm sure somebody can come behind me with the calulator links and info. But I know that I've read eating below your BMR and working out can cause a weight loss stall and not be healthy. Everyone has a correct number they shouldn't go below and an optimal number where their body doesn't think it's starving and they still lose weight. Anyway hope this doesn't come across wrong, just showing concern. I don't like anyone to see anyone hit those dang weight loss walls if it can be avoided. From what I've seen in this forum there are quite a few people who have alot of experience with this and are a wealth of info...they have it down to a science and have pics to prove it, lol.
I've met a lot of bad dietitians too.
They understand blanket advice, surely. But the bad ones pay no attention to individual needs.
douknowjello
New member
I've never been able to afford a true dietician so glad I didn't bother wasting my money. I went through enough crappy weight loss DOCTORS who wanted to slap their one solution, take phen-phen, or some other diet fix that was generic for everyone without taking individuals into account. That was scary enough. I was in my early 20's when a doctor had me take phen phen and in the first week I was having major episodes where I could FEEL my heart thumping and the blood rushing in my ears. Luckily, even though I was young and stupid, it freaked me out enough I went against the doctor when he insisted I stay on it longer "to make sure it wouldn't pass". Probably saved my life telling him no. Since then I'm careful which ones I listen to because I sure have heard some ignorant stuff come out of some of their mouths. In a word, "quack", lol.
Last edited: