Dishing With Dietitians: The Experts Speak Out About Eating Right
Eating right is a daily struggle for most women. The stress of trying to beat the clock, conflicting health information in the media, and easy access to fast food combine to make consistent healthy eating a goal that’s difficult to meet. There’s no doubt the topic is top-of-mind for many of us, but it’s an everyday endeavor for dietitians, a group of professionals who strive to make eating right realistic for everyone.
Proctor Hospital Director of Food and Nutrition Laura Poff-Schaufelberger said dietitians can be found in a wide range of environments. “Some work in wellness settings, hospitals, nursing homes, or in the corporate world as food scientists; others take a more independent route and are self-employed consultants. Dietitians can also be found in government, frequently working to make sure long-term and acute care foodservice departments are adhering to regulations intended to standardize the level of care for populations being served.”
Becoming a dietitian involves more effort than many fields. “A dietetics student studies chemistry, food science, biology, and psychology, along with a variety of nutrition classes for four years,” said Karen Hutton, Methodist Medical Center Patient Services Manager in Food and Nutrition Services. “Their fifth year is an internship, which enables them to take their academic work and apply it to rotations in foodservice, clinical nutrition, and patient education. Upon completing their internship, they must take a comprehensive, national registration exam.”
OSF Saint Francis Medical Center Community and Outpatient Dietitian Kelly George said the road to becoming a dietitian doesn’t end with the exam, however. “In some states, including Illinois, practitioners also must be licensed. To maintain registration and licensure, a dietitian must complete continuing education units in various nutrition-related areas.”
The decision to become a dietitian—and embrace the accompanying lifestyle and hard work—is as individual as the practitioners themselves. Hutton, a 32-year dietitian who also has a master’s degree in education/counseling from Bradley, was among the first generation to be introduced to the profession of dietetics. “I went to Eastern Illinois University and enrolled in a new major called dietetics. I took my first nutrition class and knew that was the field I wanted to learn more about. I’ve never regretted that decision,” she said.
Schaufelberger has been a dietitian for 10 years and said her loved ones played a key role in her decision. “I became interested in the field due to the rampant obesity that exists within my extended family. Trying to keep myself from getting diabetes as a result of obesity was initially one of my goals,” she said.
George said her interest in dietetics began in high school. “I knew I wanted to pursue a career in the medical field, and I developed quite an interest in nutrition when my older sister was working on managing her weight using the Weight Watchers program. Through this, I became much more in tune with my own eating habits and aware of the importance of good nutrition for wellness.”
Like most in her field, Hutton has worked in a variety of settings, but she said no matter where they are, the job of a dietitian is the same. “A registered dietitian is the expert on the health care team who’s in the perfect position to offer education to women that will enable them to make wise decisions regarding their health. Dietitians apply their knowledge of science to the practical aspects of daily consumption of food. In other words, dietitians help patients eat in the real world.”
Not surprisingly, weight issues are popular reasons to seek out a dietitian’s help. “Obesity is the No. 1 reason women come to see us in classes or individually. They usually know what to do and may have been on diets before but haven’t been able to lose weight and/or maintain that loss. We try to help these women find healthy routines they can maintain.”
In their quest to lose weight, Schaufelberger said she’s seeing a disturbing trend. “I’m really concerned about the volume of women who appear to be embracing the option of weight loss by gastric bypass surgery. I’m well aware of the risks and social costs related to obesity. However, I don’t feel most women are getting the appropriate screening and education before they get the surgery done. Obesity is a complex problem. Many women fight a consistent problem of using food as a self-comforting behavior, which is an issue not directly resolved by getting the gastric bypass surgery. Gastric bypass is a major surgical procedure that involves permanent lifestyle changes. Improperly following the post-surgical diet can be physically uncomfortable at best, and in the worst case scenario, life threatening.”
Out-of-control portions and eating meals away from home with greater frequency have helped contribute to the growing need for intervention, George said. “Portion sizes have grown immensely. This is found most commonly in restaurants, but also in food sold at the grocery store and even foods we’re serving at home. In our fast-paced society, Americans are frequently choosing to dine out and use many more convenience foods, and we’re getting an abundance of calories and fat in our daily diet. We’ve also taken a liking to ‘dashboard dining.’ We’re ordering and consuming more meals in the car than ever before. Physical activity and a balanced eating style are both key parts to maintaining a healthy weight.”
To achieve balanced eating, Hutton recommended several avenues to pursue. “Women tend to crave carbohydrates, especially chocolate, when under stress. If stress is to blame, try to eat a variety of foods, especially whole grains and starchy vegetables, throughout the day so you won’t binge as soon as you get home. Six small meals are recommended. Make changes for life, and start one change at a time—for example, exercise, low-fat and low-calorie foods, lower calorie beverages, eating five or more fruits and vegetables daily, and including low-fat dairy into your plan.
“Exercise is so important. Try only 15 minutes the first week and increase the duration and intensity as you can tolerate. Walk around the block. Take the stairs instead of the elevator at work. Be aware of the short cuts you take and try to increase your effort. Finally, read labels, count calories, keep diaries, try new recipes, buy enough fruit for your family to have two to three pieces per day, and put it in a bowl on the table so you remember to eat it,” she said.
While trying to eat more healthfully, some women stock up on fat-free products, which Hutton said isn’t necessarily the best course of action. “Often, fat-free products have more calories added from sugar or don’t satisfy you because you eat the item and are hungry in an hour. We also tend to eat more of them because we think they’re ‘diet,’ but the outcome is more calories. Extra calories, regardless of their source, add up to extra pounds. Fat and sugar aren’t bad; they make food taste good. Enjoy both in moderation.”
Successful healthy eating has a lot to do with pre-planning, Schaufelberger said. “Basic habits such as using grocery lists when at the store, eating at regular times, and maintaining a limit on the amount of eating out a person does are some fundamental steps. People are very limited in time; however, the effort involved in pre-planning meals and snacks goes a long way toward decreasing impulse eating—which tends to include foods high in fat, salt, and/or sugar.”
She said including family members in the grocery shopping process can help women encourage healthy eating for the whole family. “Children and teenagers don’t always fully realize how quickly the cost of pre-packaged convenience foods can add up. Also, basic education between parent and child about shopping for foods that have a modest content of fat, salt, and sugars is important. Retailers intentionally use shelf placement and marketing targeted to children and teens as a way to influence adults in the household. Keeping family members of all ages informed about the rationale behind why certain foods aren’t kept in the kitchen helps keep everyone from feeling deprived.”
George agreed women, specifically, have to set a good example. “Children clearly rely on mothers and other women as key role models in their lives. This makes it even more important to adopt a healthy eating style and good physical activity habits, as children will make decisions based on our behavior.”
Hutton said dietitians really do practice what they preach, maintaining healthy eating habits most of the time. “Our dietitians eat at least five fruits and vegetables each day, low-fat yogurt, and drink two quarts of water, but usually won’t pass up a great dessert. Dietitians have the same problems as other women—they grow older and need fewer calories, and they’re busy with families and sometimes haven’t included exercise into their daily plan. They have the knowledge but sometimes struggle with will power just like regular folk. We teach and believe, however, that if you continue a habit long enough, it will become more of your day-to-day routine. So try to take those fruits to work with you.”
Schaufelberger said dietitians, including herself, typically eat a well-rounded diet 80 to 90 percent of the time and have a strong commitment to regular exercise. “Many dietitians work with people on a daily basis who are truly suffering as a result of nutrition-related problems, so I think we tend to stay better motivated to maintain well-rounded diets. We, too, have our binge foods, so I try to keep my worst offenders out of our house. If my husband and I truly want chips or ice cream, we make a special trip to get them.”
Dietitians are just like everyone else, George agreed. “We’re not the food police. We enjoy high-fat treats such as popcorn at the movies, ice cream sundaes, and pizza. Although as dieticians, I think we’re more likely to try new dishes and foods, be creative with cooking and new recipes, and have a more positive approach to food.”
She emphasized there are no “good” or “bad” foods. “I think this is one thing that keeps us from eating a balanced diet and enjoying our food. We need to remember all foods fit into a healthy eating style when we eat them in moderation. Cravings are something that will plague us forever. Allow yourself to enjoy your favorite food, but limit your servings. For some lighter ideas, instead of ice cream with strawberry topping, try fresh strawberries with whipped topping; try chocolate pudding made with low-fat milk instead of a big bowl of ice cream; or have a small handful of M&M’s instead of half the bag.”
Ultimately, giving in a little will help stave off binges, Hutton said. “When people totally abstain from eating their favorite food, like chocolate candy at Easter, the feeling of deprivation is too much, and then they eat the entire Easter basket. We should all enjoy each piece of candy—just one piece at a time.” TPW
Proctor Hospital Director of Food and Nutrition Laura Poff-Schaufelberger said dietitians can be found in a wide range of environments. “Some work in wellness settings, hospitals, nursing homes, or in the corporate world as food scientists; others take a more independent route and are self-employed consultants. Dietitians can also be found in government, frequently working to make sure long-term and acute care foodservice departments are adhering to regulations intended to standardize the level of care for populations being served.”
Becoming a dietitian involves more effort than many fields. “A dietetics student studies chemistry, food science, biology, and psychology, along with a variety of nutrition classes for four years,” said Karen Hutton, Methodist Medical Center Patient Services Manager in Food and Nutrition Services. “Their fifth year is an internship, which enables them to take their academic work and apply it to rotations in foodservice, clinical nutrition, and patient education. Upon completing their internship, they must take a comprehensive, national registration exam.”
OSF Saint Francis Medical Center Community and Outpatient Dietitian Kelly George said the road to becoming a dietitian doesn’t end with the exam, however. “In some states, including Illinois, practitioners also must be licensed. To maintain registration and licensure, a dietitian must complete continuing education units in various nutrition-related areas.”
The decision to become a dietitian—and embrace the accompanying lifestyle and hard work—is as individual as the practitioners themselves. Hutton, a 32-year dietitian who also has a master’s degree in education/counseling from Bradley, was among the first generation to be introduced to the profession of dietetics. “I went to Eastern Illinois University and enrolled in a new major called dietetics. I took my first nutrition class and knew that was the field I wanted to learn more about. I’ve never regretted that decision,” she said.
Schaufelberger has been a dietitian for 10 years and said her loved ones played a key role in her decision. “I became interested in the field due to the rampant obesity that exists within my extended family. Trying to keep myself from getting diabetes as a result of obesity was initially one of my goals,” she said.
George said her interest in dietetics began in high school. “I knew I wanted to pursue a career in the medical field, and I developed quite an interest in nutrition when my older sister was working on managing her weight using the Weight Watchers program. Through this, I became much more in tune with my own eating habits and aware of the importance of good nutrition for wellness.”
Like most in her field, Hutton has worked in a variety of settings, but she said no matter where they are, the job of a dietitian is the same. “A registered dietitian is the expert on the health care team who’s in the perfect position to offer education to women that will enable them to make wise decisions regarding their health. Dietitians apply their knowledge of science to the practical aspects of daily consumption of food. In other words, dietitians help patients eat in the real world.”
Not surprisingly, weight issues are popular reasons to seek out a dietitian’s help. “Obesity is the No. 1 reason women come to see us in classes or individually. They usually know what to do and may have been on diets before but haven’t been able to lose weight and/or maintain that loss. We try to help these women find healthy routines they can maintain.”
In their quest to lose weight, Schaufelberger said she’s seeing a disturbing trend. “I’m really concerned about the volume of women who appear to be embracing the option of weight loss by gastric bypass surgery. I’m well aware of the risks and social costs related to obesity. However, I don’t feel most women are getting the appropriate screening and education before they get the surgery done. Obesity is a complex problem. Many women fight a consistent problem of using food as a self-comforting behavior, which is an issue not directly resolved by getting the gastric bypass surgery. Gastric bypass is a major surgical procedure that involves permanent lifestyle changes. Improperly following the post-surgical diet can be physically uncomfortable at best, and in the worst case scenario, life threatening.”
Out-of-control portions and eating meals away from home with greater frequency have helped contribute to the growing need for intervention, George said. “Portion sizes have grown immensely. This is found most commonly in restaurants, but also in food sold at the grocery store and even foods we’re serving at home. In our fast-paced society, Americans are frequently choosing to dine out and use many more convenience foods, and we’re getting an abundance of calories and fat in our daily diet. We’ve also taken a liking to ‘dashboard dining.’ We’re ordering and consuming more meals in the car than ever before. Physical activity and a balanced eating style are both key parts to maintaining a healthy weight.”
To achieve balanced eating, Hutton recommended several avenues to pursue. “Women tend to crave carbohydrates, especially chocolate, when under stress. If stress is to blame, try to eat a variety of foods, especially whole grains and starchy vegetables, throughout the day so you won’t binge as soon as you get home. Six small meals are recommended. Make changes for life, and start one change at a time—for example, exercise, low-fat and low-calorie foods, lower calorie beverages, eating five or more fruits and vegetables daily, and including low-fat dairy into your plan.
“Exercise is so important. Try only 15 minutes the first week and increase the duration and intensity as you can tolerate. Walk around the block. Take the stairs instead of the elevator at work. Be aware of the short cuts you take and try to increase your effort. Finally, read labels, count calories, keep diaries, try new recipes, buy enough fruit for your family to have two to three pieces per day, and put it in a bowl on the table so you remember to eat it,” she said.
While trying to eat more healthfully, some women stock up on fat-free products, which Hutton said isn’t necessarily the best course of action. “Often, fat-free products have more calories added from sugar or don’t satisfy you because you eat the item and are hungry in an hour. We also tend to eat more of them because we think they’re ‘diet,’ but the outcome is more calories. Extra calories, regardless of their source, add up to extra pounds. Fat and sugar aren’t bad; they make food taste good. Enjoy both in moderation.”
Successful healthy eating has a lot to do with pre-planning, Schaufelberger said. “Basic habits such as using grocery lists when at the store, eating at regular times, and maintaining a limit on the amount of eating out a person does are some fundamental steps. People are very limited in time; however, the effort involved in pre-planning meals and snacks goes a long way toward decreasing impulse eating—which tends to include foods high in fat, salt, and/or sugar.”
She said including family members in the grocery shopping process can help women encourage healthy eating for the whole family. “Children and teenagers don’t always fully realize how quickly the cost of pre-packaged convenience foods can add up. Also, basic education between parent and child about shopping for foods that have a modest content of fat, salt, and sugars is important. Retailers intentionally use shelf placement and marketing targeted to children and teens as a way to influence adults in the household. Keeping family members of all ages informed about the rationale behind why certain foods aren’t kept in the kitchen helps keep everyone from feeling deprived.”
George agreed women, specifically, have to set a good example. “Children clearly rely on mothers and other women as key role models in their lives. This makes it even more important to adopt a healthy eating style and good physical activity habits, as children will make decisions based on our behavior.”
Hutton said dietitians really do practice what they preach, maintaining healthy eating habits most of the time. “Our dietitians eat at least five fruits and vegetables each day, low-fat yogurt, and drink two quarts of water, but usually won’t pass up a great dessert. Dietitians have the same problems as other women—they grow older and need fewer calories, and they’re busy with families and sometimes haven’t included exercise into their daily plan. They have the knowledge but sometimes struggle with will power just like regular folk. We teach and believe, however, that if you continue a habit long enough, it will become more of your day-to-day routine. So try to take those fruits to work with you.”
Schaufelberger said dietitians, including herself, typically eat a well-rounded diet 80 to 90 percent of the time and have a strong commitment to regular exercise. “Many dietitians work with people on a daily basis who are truly suffering as a result of nutrition-related problems, so I think we tend to stay better motivated to maintain well-rounded diets. We, too, have our binge foods, so I try to keep my worst offenders out of our house. If my husband and I truly want chips or ice cream, we make a special trip to get them.”
Dietitians are just like everyone else, George agreed. “We’re not the food police. We enjoy high-fat treats such as popcorn at the movies, ice cream sundaes, and pizza. Although as dieticians, I think we’re more likely to try new dishes and foods, be creative with cooking and new recipes, and have a more positive approach to food.”
She emphasized there are no “good” or “bad” foods. “I think this is one thing that keeps us from eating a balanced diet and enjoying our food. We need to remember all foods fit into a healthy eating style when we eat them in moderation. Cravings are something that will plague us forever. Allow yourself to enjoy your favorite food, but limit your servings. For some lighter ideas, instead of ice cream with strawberry topping, try fresh strawberries with whipped topping; try chocolate pudding made with low-fat milk instead of a big bowl of ice cream; or have a small handful of M&M’s instead of half the bag.”
Ultimately, giving in a little will help stave off binges, Hutton said. “When people totally abstain from eating their favorite food, like chocolate candy at Easter, the feeling of deprivation is too much, and then they eat the entire Easter basket. We should all enjoy each piece of candy—just one piece at a time.” TPW