Protein intake

[diggitydot]

Personally, I'd tell her to cram her condescending bullshit and that she not only lost a customer, but that you're going to tell everyone you know that she's rude, ridiculous, and exceedingly unprofessional.

Fuck her. You're fabulous.

I love you guys.

I think I will at least wait until after Hawaii and give this new method of eating a chance. I agree w/Danielle -- I'm pretty damn sure she'll get results. My frustration at the moment is that I know I have a firm, toned person in here ... she's just stuck under remaining fat. I feel like I've made the lifestyle changes and kept them up, and I'm working out to maintain, I just need/want a boost to get rid of the remaining flab. It's a lot like the post-training debt, really ...

[HouseofWool]

I say do it on your own until after your trip. Log your meals on whatever site you feel works for you, keep up the exercise and fuck the bitch.

[Pollyanna]

I just scheduled an appointment with a nutrition counselor at LTF, but I'm waffling. It costs $79, and I'm sure that there will be another $100 to $200 in supplements pitched at me. She, unlike everyone else I've spoken to, scoffed at my 60lb weight loss on my own, saying "You should have lost a lot more by now." Bite me. Not the way to get a client. I'm torn between giving this multiple-mini-meals/day & logging food, and going through this meeting with her. She claims that her clients have fantastic results, and I'd love to see that, but we're leaving for Hawaii in 25 days, and I don't plan on following a diet while I'm there.

Thoughts?

What are her qualifications? Nutrition counselor typically does NOT mean registered dietitian. Like you mentioned, she is likely someone there to push supplement products and most RDs will tell you that a simple multivitamin is enough for the majority of the population. I would stay away from anyone that works at a large fitness studio. You don't need her. You are doing great on your own. A food diary is the number one most successful way to lose weight. A good RD will also want a minimum of a 7 day food diary so they can analyze your intake and see what you can change. Use the diary method until your trip. Enjoy your vacation, and if you want to see someone when you get back you can consult the American Dietetic Association to find an RD in your area.

[PrincessFiona]

Jenn,

Go Here: http://theshapeofamother.com/

Browse for hours .... This is probably the number one website that has sort of helped me through feeling badly about myself when I get really bummed about weight related issues.

Also, I have to say that I was really struggling a lot with food this winter. I fell off of the exercise bandwagon and it seems like that sort of caused me to not eat as well as I had been. When I tried to start exercising again, I got hungrier and was eating more calories....so the scale wasn't moving and I got frustrated...then I ate too little in order to lose weight, ended up binging ....wash, rinse, repeat...

So I broke it back down into exercising ~5 days/week (once a day .... ahem!!!!) and upped my protein intake. I have seen more poundage leave me since upping the protein calories than when I was eating less overall calories. I think everyone's body is different though. I hope I won't hurt your feelings, but I think that you run the risk of burning yourself out and feeling unhappy by going to the gym so often, Jenn. Your new, healthy lifestyle is awesome .... just take it easy on yourself...and love yourself for the great person you are ... and your body for the three beautiful kids that it gave you!

Kris

PS .... I would not meet with this person, but that is just me. For me personally, as soon as I start over-focusing on everything I'm eating I get too focused on the numbers and losing weight and not enough on being healthy about my choices. Maybe it's diff. for you. My sense is that this individual doesn't seem very positive.

I know the SOAM site, it's quite cool. The thing is, my body was crap before it gave me those kids. I've ALWAYS been heavy. It's not a self-esteem thing, though. I don't give a rat's ass what anyone else thinks of how I look (okay - it's fun when people think I look good, but I give no credence to those who might say something negative). For me it's a health issue first and foremost. I'm insanely lucky that my health held out while I basically abused myself for 37 years. I never, ever expect to look like a swimsuit model, I'd just like to buy summer clothes that will last me all summer, and at the moment I'm *right* in between sizes.

As to the gym - I like it. It's fun (yes, fun). It beats the pants off of sitting around and watching TV (my former method of time-consumption), and it's not as though I'm going to clean my house any more if I'm home. I enjoy seeing how "far" or "fast" I can go, whether or not I'm able to do more sets, etc. With my dh gone as much as he is, it also provides a break for me w/the kids in the evening. The more I go, the more I like it. I've got a long way to go before I get officially obsessed ... or at least before it becomes dangerous.

[SoonerTexan]

My frustration at the moment is that I know I have a firm, toned person in here ... she's just stuck under remaining fat.

I feel exactly the same way.

As my mother once told me, "You have this amazing ability to become increasingly athletic and never lose weight" (she wasn't being mean, just sympathizing)

I'm jealous of your pilates classes--I did a semester of reformer classes at OU and LOVED them, but it is too expensive right now.

[houseelf]

OMG, Kris, that website is so incredibly beautiful! I'm addicted to these women and their stories.
What refreshing honesty.

[Meenah]

Call your local hospital or an Endocrinologist and ask for a recommendation for a Dietician/Nutritionist, someone who isn't selling something and is properly trained. I would try the hospital first, some Endocrinologist sell "food" and I would steer clear from them.

[Phoebe]

I think the nutritionist probably has a bachelor's degree. I also bet you would break down the foods for you. However, LTF is hard core about earning money on comissions. They have to offer their products to meet their quota. If personal trainers don't make their quota three times, they get fired. It isn't a great system to be in.

She may also refer you to a personal trainer to take some tests about where your aerobic threshold is (where to keep your heart rate during exercise so you can burn fat and not sugar) and there is another test the trainers try to sell you on determines resting metabolism. It is actually pretty helpful knowing how many calories to eat in a day to be able to lose weight.

Maybe talk to some other members or a couple personal trainers to get a feel if the nutritionist is worth it. The one we used to have sucked according to my friend who is a trainer at LTF.