Would you trust a fat dietitian?

[CarrotIsApple]

What's your opinion?

My head says they could still be giving perfectly correct advice but just not be motivated for whatever reason to follow it themselves, or could have a health reason for not following it. I’d also not feel judged if overweight myself.

But a little part of me might think well if it’s so simple just to do xyz why aren’t they thin? But then I’d kick myself and remind myself they might have health issues.

Depends what you were seeing them for. Them being fat has no impact on their knowledge or training, so if I was there to get advice on nutrition, I presume they could give me the same advice and information as any trained dietician. If I was seeing them for nutrition advice AND weight loss coaching... again it depends. Losing weight is hard and there's an element of will power - I would understand that even a dietician could struggle with it, or that they might be on medication that hindered maintaining a healthy weight. Maybe I would appreciate that they could understand my struggle better than a slim person? Maybe I would think what do they know as they're still fat

It's hard, because people are often their own best ad.
Like a tatooist with REALLY bad tatoos on wouldn't give me confidence because why would you have THAT if you know better.
Or a mechanic with permanently broken down car.
Iyswim.

I will sound horrible, but I don't think I would go to them if they were really big. Also because my brain would do the same it did when my obese gp told me to lose the weight... "Erm, ok, good example, eh".

They don't need to be absolutely skinny, absolutely not, but shouldn't be anywhere near obese levels🤔

Probably not

Yes. I’d also trust a doctor who smoked. Knowing the right thing to do doesn’t equal doing the right thing. I’d also feel like they understood that it’s not always easy to stick to what’s best for your health.

@Nightbear

Yes. I’d also trust a doctor who smoked. Knowing the right thing to do doesn’t equal doing the right thing. I’d also feel like they understood that it’s not always easy to stick to what’s best for your health.

Not if they were supposed to help me stop smoking though...

Why? No one know better than a smoker how hard it is to quit.

I would assume that she knows everything, but that she's an emotional eater. (Rightly or wrongly).
There are nurses who are overweight. They know the risks and how to lose weight. But I'd assume it's because they do shift work, are exhausted by their job and have less energy reserve than others to make exercise a priority. I would 100% trust an overweight nurse to care for my health.

@Nightbear

Why? No one know better than a smoker how hard it is to quit.

It's a no. Like I wouldn't be asking anyone else currently addict to different substances for a help to stop. As someone who stopped, the idea of how hard it is to stop smoking, as I thought wjen I smoked, is fundamentally different to how hard that withdrawal and months after actually are.

I would expect my dietician to follow their own advice and to be a bit passionate and inspirational. So I'm afraid to say I wouldn't trust an unhealthily overweight dietician.

No

‘I would expect my dietician to follow their own advice and to be a bit passionate and inspirational’

I’d expect that from a fitness trainer or a lifestyle coach. I think dietician is the legally protected term isn’t it? So I’d expect knowledge and training not pom-poms and cliches.

ShrodingersImmigrant I found quitting exactly as awful as I thought it would be, so I only did it once and I stayed quit , but I think the stats say that most smokers try more than once before they give up for good.

Probably not, no.

I have to say that I didn't expect that level of withdrawal 🙈 i had literally EVERYTHING on the list and more for weeks. I did halved amount smoked for a week and then went "cold turkey" though because the chewing gums etc nearly made me throw up. I thought it will be couple of days feeling shit and then it will subside. Nope. Insomnia, sickness, i was breathless, digestive issues. You think of it, I had it😂
Cbraved sweets, but that's apparently because nicotine affects insilin levels and by stopping people actually make chances of diabetes higher. From rain undger thet gutter there...

Why?

I would. Knowing the right thing and doing it are two different things. Many doctors are also obese, smokers or alcohol abusers.

Yes I would. Dieticians aren't just there to advise on weight loss for a start! And there are many reason they may not be slim. For one, it may just not be that important to them.

My head says it shouldn't matter (in theory it's about the training they're given and the knowledge they impart)... but in practice I don't think I could respect the opinion of someone who didn't practice what they preach.

I thought I struggled but that sound horrendous. I used patches and actually cut the patches into halves, then quarters to tail off the amount of nicotine I was getting. If I’d had a protractor handy I would’ve been on eights .

@Nightbear that's smart!
I am still traumatised😂 So is my DH😂

No way, in the same way that I wouldn't take fitness advice from someone out of shape or unfit himself/herself.

I'm afraid I wouldn't in private practice. Assuming they were actually a qualified dietitian (protected term and a clearly defined role in the NHS) and not a 'nutritionist' providing dietary advice, which is something very different. Similarly I wouldn't trust a beautician wearing orange foundation and claggy mascara.

Yes I would trust them if they were qualified and knowledgeable.

Nope.

It's not a dieticians only job to help people lose weight though. I don't think it would bother me.

No I wouldn’t.