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| can you survive on this? |
She was seeing a nutritionist - who was the one recommended she hunt out, protein powder - which 'may help her feel less hungry'. Not on your nelly! EAT?! Perhaps?! Eat more than 850 calories for the day? Then, surprisingly, you may feel less hungry!
There’s no reason weight loss should be an extreme process. Or. Such a negative process.
Further investigation revealed the 'nutritionist' was simply a provider of ... Optifast. I had never heard of this, and could not believe someone would really recommend such a low calorie intake to any human - let alone a morbidly obese woman, who until the point of contact with them had been eating a calorie dense, nutrient poor diet, - and constantly struggling with depression, low self esteem, alongside the lack of appropriate knowledge to create positive change! With over forty years of attempting weight loss, the current inability to even walk very far without pure exhaustion and pain ... she was desperate to lose weight. Yet uneducated on how, no comprehension on the value of real food, and no familiarity on the ease with which to make delicious, quick healthy meals ... she had hedged her hopes (not for the first time) on this LOSE WEIGHT FAST plan. She had placed - her trust - in someone, whose only answer, encouragement, and motivation was, for her to starve herself !?! Every day.
Definition of exploitation? Taking advantage of a fragile, vulnerable human with a diet that is not going to achieve any positive long term result for her ... that is giving her NO energy to even get out of bed... 850 calories does not even give enough 'energy' for her organs to survive ... starvation, headaches, lethargy, her body, was slowly shutting down.
So - knowing nothing about this 'system' ... what to do when faced with ignorance? RESEARCH! Which I did. To say i am shocked - understatement.
optifast website (actual recommendation of their 'intensive stage' is <800 calories) - please PLEASE don't ever abuse your wonderful body by going on this 'diet' - no matter what you 'weigh' in kg terms ... (this IS of course my personal view - but EVERYONE DESERVES to be ALLOWED TO EAT, no matter what their weight or physical shape...) What joy is there to wake up every morning, knowing you are going to be starving all day long and have such little food to be able to choose from? Knowing, you are going to be starving and struggling from the days beginning to its end, trying to conquer the emotion of guilt if you eat, because you are hungry. During the internal chaotic fight, your body is wondering what the hell you are doing to it? It is a depressing state you put yourself in. Emotionally. You are also starving your brain of vital and needed nutrients for survival ... gosh, it is as damaging as liposuction, or gastric band surgery, or any other 'quick fix' that promises so much, then delivers - so little.
You deserve the pleasure of eating, - good, healthy NUTRITIONAL food. You deserve, to sit down at the table, to a 'real' meal, that is going to satisfy you - in taste, in satiation, and visually! You deserve, to create change in your body, in a slow, safe direction for overall healthiness - long term ...
If you're trying to lose weight, cutting calories by such extreme measures is NOT necessary, cutting calories by skipping meals is also NOT the way to go.
There are so many negative effects to not eating a well-balanced breakfast, lunch and dinner. Your metabolism slows down and then when you do eat, you wind up binging because you're overly hungry. The sweetest or richest of foods have a strong appeal when your body is starving. But. It is starving for nutrients!
As for cutting your calories, remember - never allow your daily calorie allowance to fall below 1,200 if you are a woman and 1,500 if you are a man... absolute minimums. Falling below these daily allowances, besides creating an unsatisfied hunger within you, can also do real damage to your metabolism and result in excessive loss of lean muscle tissue, rather than fat loss...
When you dramatically reduce your calories on a consistent basis, it can slow your metabolism or trigger a plateau.
Consistent exercise - alongside a full day of nutritional REAL food... will give, yes, 'slow' (for what we *desire*) - but, LONG TERM results.
by the way - what happens once you realise you can NOT sustain this 'way of life' with optifast (or, insert any extreme or fad diet ) ? - the lost weight, PLUS more, goes straight back on, and your metabolism becomes right royally screwed!
I went from 81 kg to 51 in under a year. I ate EVERY meal. There were NO foods I did not eat - I love chocolate, but a taste is enough. I always took the higher energy option, park in one spot and walk up and down the main street on your errands. And once I could see the weight falling away I would open the fridge and say do I want that snack or do I want the look in the mirror? I have since put back on about 5kg but most people feel this is a good thing as I a trifle too thin (is that possible) before. Two years since I finished losing weight and people are always telling me I look younger than my age and my feet thank me every day.
ReplyDeleteTina