(photo courtesy of Andrea Piacquadio)

The day I wrote this, I was a little angry. It’s my own fault because I watch those stupid Facebook and Instagram videos and reels. I allow myself to get sucked down those rabbit holes, even though I know at times “no good shall come from this...”  Yeah, I'm as guilty as the rest of you...

During one of these forays into the dregs of the internet, I stupidly commented on a particular weight loss video where someone was talking about the calorie deficit diet, lecturing how unhealthy and dangerous it is. So, being the idiot that I am, I had to ‘weigh’ in (pun intended) and comment.

I explained my calorie deficit diet, including daily, calories, weekly weight loss and how long I’d been doing this (25 weeks at the time I wrote this). Well…… the replies to my comment were as expected. Some praise, some questioning further, and some disparaging. One gentleman wanted a typical day's worth of meals. So, I told him what and how much I typically eat in a day. He said “that’s not too bad...” which is true, it isn’t.

On this diet I typically eat 1,000-1,200 calories a day. I was exercising maybe two to three times a week with cycling and walking. I was camping for the summer in the mountains, so no gym was available to me to do any significant strength training. Before we were camping, I was exercising four to five times a week alternating between cardio and strength training workouts.

Then the biochemistry whiz weighed in and told me I was starving myself and it was dangerous and proceeded to tell me I should be eating 1,000 more calories a day and exercising more (after I told her I rode 21 miles on a bike one day last week).

Let’s think about this scientifically. Currently, I’m losing anywhere from ¾ of a pound to two pounds a week. Experts agree that one to two pounds a week is a healthy weight loss.

If I followed her advice, the caloric increase would result in 7,000 more calories a week, which would then require me to burn enough extra calories to work off TWO EXTRA POUNDS worth of calories (3,500 calories per pound). The rational was that I needed to eat more and exercise more and that was healthier. Why would I do that when I know I’m not going to be able to burn an extra 7,000 calories a week given how I exercise?

I need to point out that an argument can be made for her opinion, that eating more will increase my metabolism. Also, I will obtain more vital nutrients if I eat more.  Additional strength training will increase my muscle mass, which would cause my body to burn an extra 50 calories per day per extra pound of muscle.  All those statements are true. 

However, you can’t change the fact that 3,500 calories burned equals one pound of fat. I do not believe that eating more calories will increase my metabolism enough to burn those calories off without a lot of extra exercise, given what I know about how my body has behaved in the past. I’m guessing I was previously eating that many calories while working out every week and seeing zero weight loss. The comment exchange went downhill from there when she called me “honey”. The minute she called me that, I knew she was mad that she had no argument regarding my poking holes in her declaration, so she sunk to condescension.

Luckily, I’m at a place where I feel peace about what am doing, what I’ve accomplished and my physical health at this point. I’m 60-years old. I may have fallen off the turnip truck, but it wasn't yesterday.... I don’t need to be lectured to and called 'honey.' Debate me on the merits, if you must, but seventy plus pounds lost, being able to move freely without being out of breath, touching my toes with ease, feeling really healthy, and wearing clothes that are not plus-size is enough validation for me that what I am doing works.

Make no mistake about this one thing. The calorie deficit diet is a weight loss method that we do for a period of time to lose weight. It is not a lifestyle. Once we lose the weight, we need to up our calorie intake to maintain our current weight. The goal is better physical health. You can't sustain a calorie deficit eating plan indefinitely. Once you lose the weight you need to, you have to increase your calories to maintain a healthy weight.  

What bothers me so much about these people is how their ranting and "danger! danger!" reels could impact someone who is unsure about this diet because they were bombarded with words like “dangerous” “malnutrition” and “starvation.” Any behavior taken to excess has the ability to be dangerous or unhealthy, including a calorie deficit plan.  Their rantings could scare someone into thinking that staying overweight is a safer bet. Be wary of big scary words, unless they are coming from a medical professional.

Feeling crappy made me search for something to make me feel better. If you have read this blog from the beginning, you might remember my initial motivation to lose weight was that one medical professional who asked me why I was overweight. It was indeed that question that started my current weight loss journey. This is that post:

Why Are You Overweight? (publish0x.com)

Even though I’m not a patient there any longer, I still have access to the health portal they used. I decided to send that professional a message, thanking her for asking me that question. I told her how she encouraged me on my weight loss journey and how much progress I’ve made, and that she literally helped me change my life. I hope she gets the message I sent. I wanted her to know how she made me feel and how I thought about her long after I’d moved away.

Sometimes we have to find positive ways to get rid of the negative feelings people can stir up in us. Expressing gratitude in any form is a great way to do that.

Update! I received this response from that medical professional several days later:

Thank you for such a gracious and amazing email!! You made my entire year and I appreciate the kind words more than you never know! This all equates to health and I am elated to know that you continue on this life journey with such positivity and strength. Take great care, thank you again.

Sometimes you gotta ignore the idiots....

If you want to learn more about a calorie deficit diet, here is a post that explains how I do this diet:

This is How We Do It! (publish0x.com)