Man Loses 58 lbs Eating McDonald’s … Here are Jaime, RD’s Thoughts
Have you heard about the TN man who lost 58 lbs by eating McDonald's for 99 days?
Ya, seriously, McDonald’s only. Every day, three meals per day.
I guess it’s time to rethink the meal plans I give my clients eh?
Meh, probably not.
The McDonald’s diet bandwagon is not one I’ll be hopping on anytime soon (although I applaud the gentleman for his initiative).
I certainly have more questions about how all of this went down but, assuming the details I’ve seen are accurate, I have a few initial thoughts:
1) There is a big difference between eating to lose weight and eating for health.
Sure, he lost weight. But don’t mistake this diet for eating healthy.
What concerns me?
The amount of processing of course, and an apparent lack of what I would call nutrient dense food.
If losing weight is the goal, I would much prefer a strategic plan that would combine caloric deficit with higher quality meals.
2) Losing weight requires being in a caloric deficit for a consistent period of time.
It’s a message I preach often to clients wanting to lose weight.
Consistent caloric deficit is a must, and this story substantiates that.
Of course, it starts with knowing what your caloric deficit is (it varies with everyone) and then following a plan to make sure you’re in it, daily.
3) Beware of the portions that 'America' loves to feed us.
Don’t overlook the fact that all of his McDonald’s meals were HALVED before eating.
It’s a HUGE KEY to his success and a huge lesson for all of us … we are constantly overfed, especially when we eat out.
Halving many of the meals we get at restaurants is probably a good practice.
Think about the reverse for this man.
If he wasn’t cutting everything in half and ate full portions, imagine how quickly he would have gone from caloric deficit to surplus.
(And yes, just like consistent caloric deficit leads to weight loss, caloric surplus leads to weight gain.)
4) I believe in process. This is not a process to me.
Nope, it’s more like a means to an end.
Where does this guy go from here?
Potentially back up to his original weight, rapidly.
The single biggest issue I see clients having is not even losing weight. It’s maintaining the loss.
Why? Because often the weight is lost with an extreme diet/approach (like this one) that can’t or shouldn’t be sustained long term.
That’s why designing a sustainable approach from the get go is so McCritically important.
As always …
GIVE YOUR BODY WHAT IT NEEDS, WHEN IT NEEDS IT!
Jaime Rothermich
RD, CSSD, LD, PPSC*KB, CSCSC
Functional Elements Training & Nutrition
TRAIN FOR LIFE
Need help with understanding YOUR caloric deficit or maintenance number, or designing a SUSTAINABLE path to weight loss or overall health goals, let me know here. Our 14-day 360° is the perfect kickstart at an ultra low price.
