Common Questions To Ask About Weight Loss
Lifestyle Questions to ask Dietitian For Weight Loss
- Is Diet or Exercise More Important for Weight Loss?
- How Often Should I Eat to Lose Weight?
- Can I Drink Alcohol/Soda/Sweet Tea/Juice and Still Lose Weight?
- How Many Calories Do I Need to Lose Weight?
- What Type of Exercise is Best for Weight Loss?
Questions To Ask A Dietitian About Weight Loss
- Do I have to cut carbs to lose fat?
- Is sugar the worst?
- What diet will help me lose weight the fastest?
- Should I try the keto diet?
- Is fruit fattening?
- I worked out for an hour so now I can have whatever I want for dinner, right?
Weight Loss Topics For Discussion
Weight Loss Tips
- Eat a high-protein breakfast.
- Avoid sugary drinks and fruit juice.
- Drink water before meals.
- Choose weight-loss-friendly foods.
- Eat soluble fiber.
- Drink coffee or tea.
- Base your diet on whole foods.
- Eat slowly.
Top 10 Questions Answered About Weight Loss
1. Is Diet or Exercise More Important for Weight Loss?
Answer: You can’t out-exercise a bad diet. It’s as simple as that. I’m not saying exercise isn’t important, it is. But what I am saying is that unless you have hours to spend at the gym — I know I don’t — you won’t see the number on the scale budge if you’re eating habits aren’t up to the same level.
2. How Often Should I Eat to Lose Weight?
Answer: I recommend eating five to six meals a day to maximize your weight loss. By eating five small meals a day you’re essentially spreading out your food into a bunch of smaller meals.
3. Can I Drink Alcohol/Soda/Sweet Tea/Juice and Still Lose Weight?
Answer: Don’t drink your calories!
When you eat the right amount of calories to lose weight but you drink alcohol/soda/sweet tea/juice/etc., those liquid calories still count even if they don’t fill you up. It’s those calories that are either preventing you from losing weight or even causing you to gain weight.
4. How Many Calories Do I Need to Lose Weight?
Answer: It depends. How many calories you need depends on your weight, gender, activity level, etc. Here’s another question to ask yourself instead: Will counting calories help me reach my long-term weight loss goals? Or, is this a sustainable strategy?
5. What Type of Exercise is Best for Weight Loss?
Answer: The best exercise for weight loss is the exercise you like the best. That might sound cheesy, but it’s so true!
Yes, certain forms of exercise burn more calories than others but any exercise is better than none.
6. How Much Water Should I Drink to Maximize Weight Loss?
Answer: You should aim to drink at least half your body weight in ounces. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds you should aim to drink about 80 ounces (10 cups) of water each day. Keep in mind that’s a minimum.
7. Is Sleep Important for Weight Loss?
Answer: The short answer is yes. The long answer is also yes.
We all know that we should be getting seven to nine hours of sleep each night. And women need more sleep than men! But how important is sleep? Well if you’re trying to lose weight, it’s super important.
Sleep loss has been linked to:
- Obesity.
- High blood pressure.
- Type 2 diabetes
- Depression.
- Heart attacks.
- Strokes.
8. What is the Best Way to Track Weight Loss Goals?
Answer: I know that it’s so easy to get sucked in by the number on the scale. But trust me, the scale is not the end all be all of your success. There are so many other ways to measure how far you’ve come.
Tip: I recommend taking measurements and photos as well as taking note of your non-scale victories (a.k.a. NSVs). This will give you a much better picture of how you’re improving.
9. Are There Certain Foods I Should Avoid to See the Best Results?
Answer: As a certified nutritionist, a mom of three little boys, and someone who has struggled with her relationship with food, I don’t like to say that any foods are “good” or “bad.” What I teach my boys is that there are “healthy” foods and “regular” foods.
Healthy foods support our goals, make us feel good, fuel our bodies, and give us the nutrition we need. Regular foods are the treats that we like to enjoy every once in a while.
It’s ok to have “regular” foods. Weight loss nutrition is about balance. I eat “healthy” foods most of the time but every Friday night you can be sure I’m eating pizza with my boys!’
10. How Do I Speed Up My Weight Loss?
Answer: The best way to see results faster is by doing these 5 things:
- Eating five small healthy meals each day.
- Exercising.
- Not drinking your calories.
- Drinking enough water.
- Getting enough sleep.
What Questions Should I Ask About My Diet?
Is Sugar The Biggest Problem In Our Diets?
Short Answers To Hard Questions About Weight Loss
20 Common Reasons Why You’re Not Losing as Much Weight as You Expected To
1. Maybe you are losing without realizing it
2. You’re not keeping track of what you’re eating
3. You’re not eating enough protein
4. You’re eating too many calories
5. You’re not eating whole foods
6. You’re not lifting weights
7. You’re binge eating
8. You’re not doing cardio
9. You’re still drinking sugar
10. You’re not sleeping well
11. You’re not cutting back on carbohydrates
12. You’re eating too often
13. You’re not drinking water
14. You’re drinking too much alcohol
15. You’re not eating mindfully
16. You have a medical condition that is making things harder
17. You have a junk food addiction
18. You’ve been dieting for too long
19. Your expectations are unrealistic
20. You’re too focused on dieting
Exercise 6 Days A Week And No Weight Loss
Is Diet Or Exercise More Important For Weight Loss?
Questions To Ask A Dietitian About Weight Loss
POPULAR QUESTIONS TO ASK A DIETITIAN
1. I’m Thinking About Trying This Diet. What Do I Need To Know?
2. What Supplements Should I Take?
3. How Do I Stick To My Meal Plan When I Hang Out With Friends?
4. Is This Ingredient Healthy?
5. Should I Track My Calories? How Many Calories Should I Eat Daily?
6. How Can I Get My Family To Eat More Vegetables?
7. I Experience Indigestion/constipation/heartburn Regularly. Why?
Dietitians’ Top 10 Diet Tips
1. Enjoy Fast Food Weekly, but Make Smart Choices
2. Drink No More Than 1 Diet Soda a Day
3. Pizza Night!
4. Avoid Breakfast Cereals With Fewer Than 3 Grams of Fiber
5. Pump Up the Protein
6. Keep Score of Fruits and Vegetables
7. Have Alcohol Only on Weekends
Why Is It Important To Ask Your Dietitian Questions?
Registered dietitians have gone through rigorous education and training established by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics. They have completed and passed an undergraduate degree in nutrition (requiring many advanced level science courses), a competitive internship, and a registration exam. Additionally, many dietitians also have a master’s degree.
With everyone on TikTok thinking that they’re suddenly a “nutrition expert”, there is so much information out there that might benefit some people, but that doesn’t mean that it’s going to benefit everyone. Nutrition isn’t “one size fits all”. This is why it’s so important to ask your dietitian questions and get education and information that is specifically tailored to you.
What Types of Things Should I Talk to My Dietitian About?
When thinking about the types of things you should talk to your dietitian about, think about your day-to-day lifestyle and reflect on some areas that you would like to improve upon or get some advice on when it comes to your eating habits. Your dietitian will take into consideration your health history, but it’s important to mention information about your specific stage of life.
You may be trying to get pregnant and want to know how you can support your fertility through nutrition. Maybe you are training for a half-marathon and want to know how you should alter your caloric intake. Or, if you are experiencing uncomfortable symptoms when you eat certain foods, these are all examples of things that you should talk to your RD about – depending on your specific situation.
General Questions To Ask Your Dietitian
The questions that you should ask your dietitian will all depend on your individual goals and needs. Take some time to reflect on those things before your appointment so that you can walk in already knowing what you want to get out of it.
Some general questions that you may want to ask about are:
- How much should I be eating if I want to lose/gain/maintain weight?
- How do I know what foods I am intolerant too?
- How can I avoid foods that cause me to have uncomfortable symptoms?
- Can you help me create a meal plan that will help me achieve my nutrition goals?
- How do I balance eating out and still achieving my goals?
- What supplements should I be taking?
This is not a comprehensive list but just a general idea of some of the questions you may want to ask.
What Questions Should I Ask My Dietitian About Weight Loss?
Weight loss can be a very challenging and frustrating journey, especially when you are trying to do it alone. To better understand how you can set yourself up for your success, make sure to ask your dietitian some of these questions.
First and foremost, you might want to ask how much weight would be a healthy amount for you to lose, depending on your medical history. If you’ve been trying to lose weight for a long time, you could ask:
- It feels like I have tried just about everything to lose weight, but nothing is working; what is the best approach for me?
Or maybe you’d like to ask about breakfast, snack, lunch, or dinner ideas that can help support your weight loss. Other questions include:
- What can I do to keep the weight off?
- Does exercise play a role in my weight loss?
- How can my family and friends support me throughout my weight loss journey?
- Can I still enjoy the foods that I love and lose weight?
Keeping these questions in mind will surely help you make the most out of your appointment and quickly start your weight loss journey.
What Questions Should I Ask My Dietitian About Weight Gain?
Whether you are trying to gain more weight, or are wondering how to stop gaining weight, you may want to consider asking your dietitian these questions. For people who are wanting to increase their weight gain for various reasons, try asking:
- What are some ways that I can increase the caloric content of my typical meals and snacks?
- Can you provide me with smoothie/shake recipes that help with weight gain?
- How many times a day should I eat?
If you are trying to put your weight gain to a halt, you can ask:
- Should I be on a calorie deficit?
- What should my portion sizes look like?
- What kind of diet is the best one for me?
When I Lose Weight, Why Do I Gain It Back?
A common problem that can happen when you lose weight in an unsustainable way, is that it can all come back. When you restrict yourself for some time or try to suppress your appetite, you are bound to eventually go back to your previous lifestyle and eating habits.
Try asking your dietitian these questions when you can lose weight, but gain it back:
- How can I lose weight in a sustainable way where I don’t suppress my appetite?
- How can I nourish my body and eat foods that I enjoy but still keep off the weight?
- How can I create lasting, healthy habits in my day-to-day routine?
- Are any of my current habits unsupportive of weight loss?
- Are there ways that I can boost my metabolism?
- Do you recommend any supplements that support weight loss?
These are not all of the questions you can ask, but they should give you a starting point for what to ask your dietitian.
Questions To Ask A Dietitian About Eating Disorders
If you suspect that you or someone close to you may have an eating disorder, you may want to consider asking your dietitian some of these questions. Eating disorders cause people to become obsessed with their weight and what they eat, therefore it’s important to look out for some signs of this and to seek help.
Common types of eating disorders include anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder. First, you can ask what some of the beginning signs are in people with eating disorders and what kinds of thoughts they have.
You can also ask what some ways are to combat unhealthy thoughts and when to seek professional help from a mental health therapist. If you do feel that you need to seek more support for an eating disorder, you can also ask your dietitian for more resources and treatment options.
Weight Loss Questions And Answers
Q. How much weight can I gain each month due to water retention?
A. It depends. A diet high in sodium may bring on bloat, says Elisa Zied, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. The National Institutes of Health recommends no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium daily.
“You also can gain up to several pounds, depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle,” Zied says. Estrogen encourages bloating by stimulating the kidneys to retain sodium. If you’re taking oral contraceptives, note that older prescriptions containing higher doses of estrogen can cause more bloating than the new, lower-dose pills. (Some studies show no difference in water-weight gain between a low-dose oral contraceptive and a placebo.)
Q. I’ve heard that cutting sugar from my diet can help me lose pounds. Is that true?
A. “No one type of food will make you fat or thin,” says Denise Webb, R.D. “However, cutting back on sugar when you’re dieting is an easy way to reduce your calorie intake.”
Sugar contains calories but nothing else, and “empty calories” are the last thing you want on a diet, says Stephanie Karpinski, MBA, M.S., R.D. Sugar is also digested quickly so you’re hungry soon after you eat it. It raises insulin levels, which promotes fat storage. Plus, it can be addictive because it raises levels of serotonin — the feel-good chemical in the brain that helps us relax during times of stress. That’s one reason why weaning yourself off sugar is so difficult.
To reduce cravings for sugar, seek out naturally sweet foods such as fruit, which has vitamins, minerals, and fiber. You’ll get the sweet taste without the insulin spikes and crashes that come from the refined sugar in candy and donuts. Also, find alternative ways to relax so when stress hits, you avoid heading for the candy drawer.
Q. I hear a lot about “cheat days,” when I can eat whatever I like. Does that help with weight loss?
A. Deprivation is a powerful thing. When you’re deprived of something, which is often true on diets, you want it, even more, explains Stephanie Karpinski, M.S., R.D. That’s where the cheat day comes in. It’s a psychological trick to satisfy your cravings for chips, pizza, donuts, and other non-diet foods so that you won’t feel deprived. If that satisfaction keeps you on your diet, then yes, it can help with weight loss. But keep in mind that on your cheat days, you’re eating more calories, maybe even 1,000-2,000 calories more. That can slow down weight loss. And the cheat day could backfire — giving in to your cravings may have you saying goodbye to the diet and hello to your old ways of eating.
