If I could give the children of the world advice, it would be: Whatever Britney Spears is doing, do the opposite!

Seriously, though - I don't believe in any eating plan that bans or tells you to reduce anything, especially something as all natural as real fruit. Obviously you don't want to eat too much of any one category, but a balanced diet means (to me, anyway) that all foods are welcome.

I agree with AlaskaJoey. Fruit has fiber, vitamins, and is just so delicious! You should eat fruit, veggies, protein, carbs... all kinds of foods in a way that nourishes and satisfies your body and keeps you healthy.
I think that any diet or program that forbids specific foods will not work in the long term.
I am a big Intuitive Eating fan. I have been doing it for 7 months now. I gained a few pounds at first, but once I got used to it, the pounds went away. For the first time in years, I truly eat what I want, when I want to, and I am guilt-free, feeling great and maintaining a healthy weight.
Has anybody else done Intuitive Eating?

What's her rationale?

Is the no-carbs-period thing a way to jumpstart your body burning fat instead of storing carbs?

This is the only way I can see what she says making any kind of rational sense. When you eat carbs, the sugars in the blood spur release of insulin which stores them as glycogen. Mobilizing glycogen and eventually fat is relatively hard, especially if that's been the default setting to an extreme for many years. The total absence of carbs should make your body go into the fat reserves. Using fat for energy is a different pathway using different enzymes. From a biochemical standpoint, if your body is forced to go for the fats instead of sugars, it may take a while to increase protein synthesis to a point where you can rely on fats for your main source of metabolic energy. Also, if you just go low-carb, I could see how your body would go crazy storing the small quantity of carbs you give it. Whereas if you make it zero-carb, you redirect all your body's energy demands to the fat.

That's the only thing I can think of, but I know next to nothing about all this stuff.

The pound gained could be muscle. Or your period. Or the scale was calibrated differently. I would not freak out over 1 pound. And seriously, I'd find another nutritionist.

I think draconian is a nice word for your dietician. I can come up with some much less kinds of words. Get me my soapbox!

First, did it ever occur to her that you've probably gained muscle and that can account for some or all of the weight gain? You didn't say how much you gained but it could be new muscle or bloating. Unless you've increased your calories by more than you are exercising, the weight should not be fat.

Second, don't listen to Britney. 1200 calories is the minimum for maintaining muscle mass. Anything less than that and your body will start digesting itself in order to sustain life.

If you want a balanced diet, I recommend the new diet plan being used for diabetics. It's simple and easy to use. You count carbohydrates in 15-20 gram increments (each increment counts as one). Each snack should have 1-2 increments (so 15-40 grams of carbs) and some protein. Each meal should have 3-4 increments (so 45-80 grams of carbs). You should always have protein with your carbs to even out your blood sugar. You can have all the veggies you want.

And my last comment, as I swimmer I can tell you that while it is a great exercise it is not the best for losing weight. Study after study shows swimmers lose less weight than other athletes. The reason why is complicated. I still think you should swim. I've developed really cool muscles from swimming.

I can see why you'd want to cut out ALL sugars (including fruits) for a couple of weeks, as a means of cleansing your system, detoxifying, etc.

But it seems counter-intuitive to me to ban fruit for life! I mean, fruit isn't what made me fat. Neither are carrots or corn. Or really, anything that is naturally present on this earth. What made me fat is things like McDonalds and pizza hut, and processed foods, and shoving 100 calorie packs down my pie-hole as if it was my job...

I think you can eat fruit. I really think that not eating fruit is a poor choice. I don't even eat MUCH fruit, but I can't imagine living a life where, as a rule, I didn't eat fruit.

I'm sorry, but fruit? Everything in moderation. Three cheers for apples, oranges and pears!

I think the nutrtionist has her sites set on the wrong goal. She's way more concerned with the number on the scale the your overall health and well being. As others have sais, if you've been exercising then you've probably gained muscle which weighs more because it is more dense. If you're feeling better then I'd say you're moving in the right direction.

Maybe instead of keeping track of how much you weight, a more appropriate question would be how do you think your clothes fit. If they fit the same as last time or are baggy then you've done something right regardless of the number on the scale. Again, though, this is still measuring weight instead of the more important measurement of how you're feeling and how your blood tests look.

I am very, very doubtful that anyone ever got fat from eating fruit. I cannot believe that fresh strawberries or bananas or apples made anyone go all sugar crazy. Of course, all things in moderation (um, I have been known to mow through a bag of cherries) but a serving or two of fruit every day is full of good things for your body. And sweet and delicious.

Last time you wrote about her I was mad at her.

And I'm mad at her this time too. She's condemning oatmeal? And it seems like all her comments to you are negative. A treat every 5 days or so is a problem?

It sounds like she's trying to put you on SB phase one for life. There's a reason why it's just phase one - and should be a maximum of 2 weeks.

Find someone else. And talk to her about her approach before you agree to see them regularly.

Of course you should eat fruit. Should you eat only fruit? Probably not. But fruit and oatmeal are healthy foods. She might want to give you a ballpark in the number of ounces of oatmeal to eat in a serving or how much fruit is considered a serving, but to say no fruit?

You should start playing with her mind and point out that tomatoes and cucumbers are also fruits.

I think it all comes down to Michael Pollan's manifesto: "Eat FOOD. Not too much. Mostly plants."

Mike Adams, The Health Ranger, says to eat blueberries in massive quantities. I like that.

I don't trust doctors or registered dieticians. I'd find a good health and wellness coach.

And I never, ever weigh myself. I work out. I am solid all over. Who cares what I weigh?

Oh, Weet. Your nutritionist sucks. She's not giving you nutritional advice, she's giving you an eating disorder. Fruit? I mean, it's not like you're eating cherry pie filling straight from the can. Yes, god, I am busting my own ass, trying to keep the whole carb/protein/fat balance good in my own diet, and I admit I am a little crazy obsessed about it all, but I can tell you, any diet that completely or very nearly eliminated all fruit and goddamn oatmeal would be a diet I'd soon fail on. Does she want to help you succeed, or does she just want to make you feel bad?

I've never posted here before but I'm posting because I've seeing multiple things online about how people are told to avoid fruit and how it'll make them gain weight and it's been becoming a pet peeve of mine. It's true that from fruits and vegetables, people should have more serving of the vegetables, but I don't get how not having fruit is a good thing. It has nutrients, antioxidants, fiber and it's not even high in calories at all. I'm also confused as to why a registered dietician would be recommending eating habits that are based on diet fads. I studied nutrition for a while and it doesn't make sense to me that eating fruit would be frowned upon by someone who shouldn't be buying into non sensical ideas about how people should eat.

I can understand her disapproval of certain carbs, but not all of them, and certainly not those coming from fruit! Fruit is packed with fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, water, and all sorts of other good stuff; plus it's pretty low in calories per serving if you eat it as it is. I could see her insisting that any fruit you eat must be combined with a low calorie high protein snack (like low fat string cheese) to keep your blood sugar from spiking and to keep you satisfied, but I think a ban on fruit is ridiculous and unhealthy to maintain for the long term. The most I could see doing is avoiding empty starches/ processed starches and sticking to whole food carbs...basically brown rice, fruit, veggies, that sort of thing.

I agree with everyone that your nutritionist is evil! I think you should try to find someone with a more balanced, healthy, sustainable approach to nutrition.

Are you sure she's a real dietician? I know this post is about fruit, but the fact that she was upset at your eating oatmeal is a red flag. Oatmeal is one of the best foods anyone can possibly eat! And even better WITH fruit!

I don't usually comment here, I mostly just read and laugh and enjoy from afar, but this is really silly. The kind of sugar that comes from fruit is DIFFERENT than that of, say, a Snickers. Just like the fat from and avocado is different from an order of mac and cheese at KFC. It is a complex form of sugar, so our body uses that first, befor simple sugars. Your body's natural insticnt is to use up that fuit sugar immediately, instead of storing it as fat.
But that doesn't mean any of us should hate Brit for eating 1,200. Here we are told that 2,000 is average, basic amount of calories people consume in a day, but in France it is 1,200. So it really is not unhealthy, or an absolute minimum for survival or anything.
Sorry for the novel-ish post but my boyfriend is a crazy-obsessed bio-chem major who talks about compounds in the food we eat ALL THE TIME. =]

I know I didn't gain weight from eating too many bananas. It's about calories in vs calories out and true, you can overdose on anything (including fruit) but I'd rather the calories in my diet (literal diet) come from fruit and natural sugars than junk food!

And oatmeal is a nutritional dream, esp. coupled with fruit and milk: fiber, protein, carbs. A perfect balance. Add a smear of PB and you have some good fat, too.

I am very wary of any food plan that says cut out a whole food group. Carb = energy = good!

Don't do it!!!! Keep your fruits and oatmeal and peanut butter! Your body says thank you!!! :)

I think if youre trying to drop the lbs quick like Britney, then you'll want to give up fruit for a time. But I'm not doing that, I'm just trying to lose weight and be healthy. I need my vitamins and fiber...

Is this a SB counselor or an actual REAL dietician? No educated dietician is going to say no to oatmeal.

Wait, wait, wait ... no fruit? No oatmeal? I think you need a new dietitian, Weet! This lady is nuts! Try a REAL diet: The Eat Clean Diet.

No fruit?! Wuuuuuuuuuuuuut?! Maybe it is time to find another resource? Look at all the healthy changes you have been making. You deserve some major kudos!! :)

No fruit?! Wuuuuuuuuuuuuut?! Maybe it is time to find another resource? Look at all the healthy changes you have been making. You deserve some major kudos!! :)

"shoving 100 calorie packs down my pie-hole as if it was my job..." bwahahaha! i've been there.

Weet, seriously, you need to dump that dietician. A nutritionist would be a much better source. A nutritionist would tell you that fruit has so many nutrients and good fiber that it trumps the sugar. And there have been a million reports (my own personal experience included) that low-carb diets are not sustainable. The weight will come back with a vengeance.

But forget about the "facts," forget about the "diet," a professional would not shame their client. She should know that doesn't work.

Have you looked into the Zone? It's similar to SB, except that it's SANE. It's all about balance and complete nutrition, and is focused more on controlling blood sugar, cholesterol, etc. than on weight loss -- in fact, weight loss is just a side benefit. I always feel tons better when I stick to this way of eating.. And it's a pretty generous "diet" that allows for everything in moderation. And certain fruits and oatmeal are high on the list of "favorable" foods.

There are of course several books describing the science behind it, but you can find out everything you need to know on the web site.

Well, I can only speak for me, but when it comes to weight gain, wheat will kill me every time: regular wheat, whole grain wheat, flour, etc. Just about any grain but wheat is fine, including oatmeal and white rice. Of course, I can't plan every meal around grains or I end up gaining from that too. I need my protein.

Fruits I am fine with. Now I have heard that certain fruits are a better choice like blueberries or strawberries, but who can resist a nice juicy bunch of grapes???

I do find carbs will cause weight gain in me, but certainly not the ones I get from fruits and veggies. It's the grains like wheat and the HFCS (corn is a grain after all) that pile all the weight right around my waist.

It sounds like rather than saying to cut out fruit and oatmeal, she might have been saying that you shouldn't consider those foods free. Two or three fruit servings is what I've always heard as a recommendation.

Still, though, it's too bad that she didn't applaud the positive changes you've already made. It sounds like you're moving in the right direction. A one-pound gain could be a lot of things, and when you're exercising you can often see changes before they show up on the scale.

P.S. Maybe logging your food yourself with something like FitDay, vs. having someone else do it, might make you feel more empowered about this, and give you some information on where you really want to make changes.

ban FRUIT? She sounds like she's coming from an unsustainable perspective with the whole '5 carby things a month = FAILURE' thing, but thinking that oatmeal and fruit are inherently evil is just ridiculous. I hear you on the not wanting to get back on the soapbox, though - this whole endeavor doesn't seem to be giving you any of the positive feedback that you really need for all of the work that you've been putting into this. I second Mo above - if this woman can't give you what you need, then look around for someone who can, because you deserve to have the FULL support of the person who's working with you on this, not condescension and fad-following pseudoscience.

There's much better nutritional advice out there, as so many have pointed out. Agree it's a definite red flag about her discounting the value of oatmeal and fruit. I actually prefer the low glycemic fruit most of the time and it can't be that bad, especially for first meal of the day.

Having said that, I have a plan to do SB again, but am waiting for the end of sweet corn, watermelon and fresh peaches, otherwise this time of the season is just too, too cruel to deny yourself some of that joy (if you like that sort of starch or sugar). I think also there's some way to moderate consumption of the fruit, maybe pairing a pear with cheese, apple with peanut butter, sort of to round it out.

I did lose a nice amount of flab being on South Beach but fell way, way off the plan and now due to an urgent need to find the next job (after the hell hole I'm in now) and would rather go back a size or so, if I can humanly do so.

I think you're doing just great, Weet. Don't mind her, just refocus with someone more positive.

Just popping in at the end of the tirade of comments, all of which I agree with, to say WAY TO GO WEET!!! I am so proud of you for doing all that work, because I know it was damn hard to eat so well and exercise! You've been taking GREAT care of your body and you should feel fantastic about that. Three cheers for weetabix! Well done, girlfriend!

First, this makes me never want to go to an RD. Are they really that judgemental?

Second, I refuse to believe fruit is "bad" for me. Rubbish.

Heather

She's a dietician. Her entire mindset is calories in equals calories out. Despite the fact that muscle weighs more than fat, despite the fact that hormones can cause fluctuations in water retention... she's going to think that a gain of a pound is because you ate 'bad food'.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS BAD FOOD!

My two cents is: 1. Eat fruit and oatmeal! and 2. Forget 1,200 calorie diets.

I've been on a low-cal diet (closer to 1500 on average) and lost 100 lbs. (I average about 200g carbs per day btw).

But I'm not sure what to do next. If I start eating more all of a sudden I'm afraid I'll shock my system (and gain weight). I don't want to get stuck like Chuck eating low-cal forever. I kinda wish I would have taken a more moderate approach. I feel kinda skinny/flabby and would much rather be filled-out and muscular.

I'm quite interested in Intuitive Eating but I'm afraid I need to very slowly increase my calories first.

Weetabix, I know this is an older post but it made me cringe so much inside that I had to comment. By June of next year I'll be a registered dietitian myself and though I only see a small part of the picture here, I think you should find a different dietitian. Myself and the others I know would never say these things to you about oatmeal or fruit, in fact we tend to be very leary of SBeach style diets-I counseled one time on it because a doctor had ordered that to be what the client tried.
I knonw I don't know the whole story but this just does not sound right, regardless of her recommendations, approaching you from a very negative standpoint instead of pointing out what you are doing correctly and making positive suggestions for changes/substitutions is a red flag to me. Email me if you want to talk more about the dietitian angle or what to look for in a good one. From what I read here you are amazing, good for you on not letting her comments get you.

Fruit is one of the healthiest foods you can eat and low carb diets are not healthy. Eating whole grains fruits and veggies are the best way to look and feel your best inside and out..

This "Nutritionist" needs to go do some more research before she/he continues to misguide people looking for help.

FRUIT is my buddy ..
wont give it up!!
I have compared myself to my husband we are both 47 and he looks 57 ( I look several years younger than he)he does not eat FRUIT plus
His blood pressure is ^ and on hypertensive meds. plus on the verge of becoming a diabetic.

I am a true believer that we need a well balanced meal.

Your dietician needs to go back to school. As a nurtitionist myself, I URGE you to get your daily dose of fruit and oatmeal. I've lost a lot of weight myself and I eat all that stuff. Try having most of your carbs in the morning and early afternoon when you are more likely to burn them off in the day, but please, dont listen to that tripe. And find a new dietician.

You need to talk to your dietician (new or old), and, if he/she is saying fruit is bad, find out what KINDS of fruit are bad. Fruit is not all fruit (or doesn't have to be).

I happen to be allergic to most melons, most berries, most citrus, most palm fruits, grapes, and bananas (I say "most" as I'm certain that I have not tried all the representatives of each group). Despite this, I'm still eating fruit, just not the above fruits.

(A good example of a non-sweet fruit is Plantain, which may still be too starchy. But, it is a staple of most Africans' diets and they don't tend toward fat.)