WIBU to ignore the nutritionalist's advice?

[Helini]

I've always struggled with my weight. I'm currently 3 stone over weight which is pretty low for me usually but I've been going to Slimming world (3rd time lucky) for a few months now and I'm enjoying it.

Back in the summer I asked my GP for some help as I was getting desperate and couldn't stick to a diet. Over the years I've tried Cambridge, keto, Dukan, cabbage soup, you name it, I've tried it... Just healthy eating I can't do alone. It's like I need a consultant to train me and the support. I'm like a crack addict.

I finally had my appointment with the NHS nititionalost and she wants me to go on Keto. Sugar and carbs are the enemy and she had been following keto for years and has never been healthier.

I've seen 'The magic pill' on Netflix so am aware of how great the diet is but I've done it before. Stuck with it for 2 months and lost about a stone and a half. Great. Problem is, I had horrendous dihorrea the whole time and found it too restrictive. I was miserable making my husband and my toddler all this lovely food like potateos and cous cous to go along with the family meals I couldn't have any.

I wasn't expecting the nutritionalist to want to cut out major food groups. It feels like a faddy diet to me not a lifestyle change. She also said my nearly 2 year old, who was with me, could follow keto too and dosn't need carbs and snacks. This feels a bit worrying to me.

I really want to get into a healthy BMI. I need surgery after experiencing horrific birth injuries but they are reluctant to give me because of my age. They have said losing weight will help. It hasn't helped and my injuries are worse so would love to go back and say: 'well I've lost weight and it's worse so give me the surgery!' losing weight isn't just about looking good. I want this surgery and I want to be a healthy role model for DS before he clocks in that I'm overweight. (Wouldn't mind looking fabulous for my brother's upcoming wedding too)

I'm so conflicted. Suddenly butter and oil are the good guys? I love potato so much. WIBU to think the nutritionalist was just part of some kind of cult? I'm only joking. But I would love to know what you think.

Sorry for the long, rambling post. Don't want to drip feed later.

I'd be very sceptical of this advice and would like to know what her qualifications are. Diets which remove an entire food group may work in the short term but are unlikely to work in the long term.

Specifically regarding Keto, I'd be very cautious as the data coming out about this diet is worrisome in terms of its effects on bone density and the one population where we do have substantial data, children with severe epilepsy, demonstrate that they have lower bone density than their non-veto following counterparts. A recent study in athletes also point out the negative bone impacts of this diet. As osteoporosis is a significant problem in women, particularly as they enter menopause, I'd proceed with care.

I wrote down what I eat.
Like actually eat not what I thought I eat... Big difference It helped!
When I went through NHS the advice was not to ban any group of foods or drinks because at that moment they become obsession. Just lower the amounts, move more. It's a slow process, but it should stick unlike the fad diets.

I don't think you should go back to that "nutritionist"...

Dietitians have to be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council www.hcpc-uk.org/

Properly qualified nutritionists can register with the Association for Nutrition - it's voluntary, as nutritionist isn't a protected title in the same way.

Regardless of the nutritionist's qualifications (which in this case don't sound great), YANBU to expect them to work with you to find a way of eating that is healthy and works for you in terms of weight loss and other ways. Reasons for a professional recommending a diet should never be 'this is how I eat and it works for me'!

@keo8260 I’m not advocating the standard food pyramid either so not sure why you’ve mentioned it.

The ‘paleo’ diet as a concept falls apart really quickly when you look at it even slightly closer. For a start - harking back to 30,000 years ago or whatever date you like, where exactly are you taking about? Because the diet of people in Northern Europe would have been very different to that of a person in the Amazon region or the Australian outback. So which is the ‘correct’ paleo you want to go for? Often it’s seems to a Western Europe idea of what was eaten then, which seems pretty ethnocentric.

Secondly there’s evidence of humans eating grains and being very healthy even as far back as that. The idea that all grains aren’t good for us is just not supported. Lastly humans have thrived on various different diets over time and space - our relationship to gut microbes probability has a lot to do with that. It’s very interesting research I highly suggest you take a look. Research is also showing now how different bodies react differently to fats and carbs, one size does not fit all.

This is not me saying a standard Western diet of fast food and lots of processed carbs is good either. I’m an advocate of a lower carb diet, but beans, legumes and whole grains are really healthy foods, particularly for gut health which is likely to mean all health if we keep following where the research is going. But paleo as a concept just does not stand up to even basic scrutiny.

@buffalocauliflower

I brought up the standard as you brought up paleo in a one word sense. Spend enough time researching and you will find the most balanced approaches advocate a paleo style of eating. There is no doubt that our diet should reflect our ancestral diet more closely but there are exceptions. You can't categorically say beans, legumes and wholegrain are healthy either it's much more complicated especially regarding gut health. Wholegrains available currently are a friendly cry from what our ancestors ate so you can't compare eating wholegrain now to palaeolithic times. Gluten containing grains in gut health are particularly bad. Paleo is not a concept it is a broad research area and it's down to the individual to research the current evidence and apply it to their own situation and beliefs. And indigenous humans still thrive on vastly different diets.

I think that most diets work if you follow them properly. Most people don’t or get bored. A friend of mine worked out that she could stick to any diet well for 2 weeks but no longer. So she picked 4 that appealed to her, did each for 2 weeks with a cheat day in between and rotated between them. She lost the weight that she wanted to lose and worked out how she wanted to eat to maintain her weight. Her friends were a bit horrified but it worked.

If you go on BBC Sounds app there is a podcast called Smart Consumer. A recent episode called "What should we eat to stay healthy?" has some very clear advice from a doctor who has done the research on diet / healthy eating.

Would virtual support work? You could come join one of the threads in the weight loss chat section, some have weekly virtual weigh ins. It's free