Why I Am Fed-up With Diet Pills/Supplements

Well, I am back from my blogging hiatus! I was looking at my last post, which was back in April, and wondering how I let so much time pass before writing! Just a quick recap before I move on to today's topic, I finished my Masters in Dietetics Administration from Utah State University in August (loved the program), finished PT for my knee post surgery, and have been steadily growing my business with some more contract gigs and clients! It has been a busy couple of months for me; however, I have finally found more of a happy balance :)

Which now brings me to today. One of the most frustrating things for me as a dietitian is trying to effectively give nutrition advice only to still have clients be bombarded and convinced that there is a miracle supplement out there for them. I have written on supplements/fat blasting pills before and how practically all of them have little to NO scientific evidence on their effectiveness. A lot can be harmful to your liver and kidneys and some have other unknown detrimental side effects. I have seen many clients waste hundreds of dollars on diet pills or products only to tell me later on that they either didn't see results and stopped taking them or that they lost a little weight but gained it right back after stopping (mainly due to the cost).

Look, I am not saying all products on the market for weight-loss don't work. I am sure some of them can produce the desired results my clients are looking for. So, what is wrong with that then? For starters they are beyond expensive, which is funny because I get a lot of the same people saying that eating healthy is "too expensive," yet, they will purchase a 30-day supplement for $90. Sounds about right? Secondly, these products are just a bandaid for deep-rooted food issues and habits. It is way easier to take a pill daily than to assess your habits and make a conscious effort to change them. This doesn't mean I am saying my clients are lazy; however, why not take the shiny, brightly lit pathway instead of wandering through a dimly lit tunnel?

So, you may be wondering why I even care then. I mean if my clients want to waste their money or have a quick-fix result, then why not let them? Well, I care because I invest my time and energy into counseling my clients. I don't just prescribe a diet and send them on their way. I get to know my clients and I work with them and their struggles. I strive to give them the best evidence-based information to help them to succeed. Honestly, a huge part of my role is helping to motivate my clients versus just purely giving education. These supplements/diet pills make me angry because I do CARE about my client's well-being. I work hard to give my clients the best nutrition counseling advice to help them on their journey. I don't blame them for wanting to take an easier route; however, it is frustrating that the time I invested is then rated as second best to this shiny new supplement/diet pill, which 99% of the time just leads to disappointment for my client.

My point to you here is that a well-balanced diet with exercise IS the BEST way to go long-term. Even if you feel like you are doing everything you can to lose weight without seeing any results, STOP and consult with a dietitian. I don't know how many times I have had a client at their wits end yet after reviewing their food diaries, I can almost always pinpoint a food trend that can contribute to hindering weight-loss. If not the food, it is another contributing factor like lack of exercise or sleep, low water intake, high stress levels, etc. Yes, these habits take time and effort to change; however, you will not only be saving yourself the endless pit of money on supplements/diet pills, but also saving your sanity. So, when staring at that shiny, brightly lit pathway stop and instead take the dimly lit tunnel because as a dietitian, I WILL be there to hold a flashlight and guide you through darkness to a bright nutrition success (cheesy, but true)!

Reasons Why I Love My Job

I just realized it has been waayyyy too long since my last post. Whoops :) Today as I was driving home from work, I had one of those moments where I thought about my day and said to myself, "I really love what I am doing." I always hear from friends or coworkers how much they hate their job or hate what they are doing in life right now. I feel really lucky to say not only do I love my field, but I also love working as a Retail Dietitian.

One of the first things I love is all of the connections I get to make with people. Even if it is just a passing by conversation with the same customer every single Tuesday, it is nice to think that they swing by my desk just to say hi. It is great to have other employees walk by and ask me nutrition questions or pick my brain about something. I feel like I am much more settled in my new job and people are starting to see that I really do know what I am talking about :) Today, I had one employee come by and tell me she lost 5 pounds since talking to me. Wooohoo!

Earlier at work, I did a food demonstration with hummus, veggies, and crackers. If you haven't been reading my other blogs, part of being a supermarket RD is healthy food demos. Sometimes I will make a healthy recipe in the kitchen; other days I pull products from the shelf and try to match them with coupons I have. Today happened to be Sabra hummus in my heart healthy snacking demo. As I am giving out samples, I get the few people who walk by and make a face at the mention of hummus. I also get the people who never tried hummus before and love it their first time! I had this one mom come up with her child and asked if she could take one. I was like of course, thinking it was for her. She reaches down to her child and goes, "Here, it is hummus, your favorite." It gets me all excited when kids are excited about healthy foods! Win!

Probably the most rewarding part of my day was a counseling session I had. It was a late in my shift and I was burnt out from working 10 hours already. My client was so motivated and already making lifestyle changes that it made me super excited to get to work with her. She got into some personal issues she had with food and used some of my listening and reflecting skills. We went on to talk about a few new nutritional changes she could make and I really encouraged her to keep up what she was already doing. So, as we near the end of her time, she goes on to tell me, "I just need to tell you I really appreciate all the advice you gave me. I feel like you covered everything really well. You truly listened to what I had to say and allowed me to get some things off of my heart. It feels really nice to be able to talk to someone about my health and I really appreciate you listening." Day made. That is the best part of my job. Working one-on-one with people is so rewarding for me. I get into such a groove for a counseling session that I feel like I am walking on air when I am done (I know, it is weird). I love seeing clients for follow-up and tracking the progress they made. It is so awesome to be a part of someone's journey to health.

There are a ton of other things I could go on and on about with why I love what I am doing; however, these were just the few little things that happened today that I felt the need to share :) Hope you had a great Monday as well!