Should a doctor recommend an 800 calorie diet?

3rd May 2018 Family Life, Personal

I’m not usually one to write about anything too personal on the blog but I’m trying to process something and I’m not sure how I feel about it. First of all, I’m a big girl at the moment. As in BIG. And I’m struggling to lose weight. I have been following a 1700 calorie diet for the past few months, though admittedly with a few cheat days along the way (can we all say EASTER!). Despite this though, I am still gaining weight. Around 2lbs every 3 – 4 weeks. Slowly but surely that’s starting to add up. I’m just not happy.

So, off I trot to the doctor to do all the usual: check thyroid, review contraceptive etc. The conversation we had though, has left me floored.

First of all, my thyroid level is low but not so low that it requires medication so that reason is out. My contraception is hormone based but the other options available to me right now also use the same hormones therefore changing the way it is administered will not make a difference….that makes sense. My doctor was also adamant that hormone-based contraceptive will increase your appetite but would only increase weight by maybe 1-2% total. So, that reason is out too.

The answer is apparently that I am just the way I am, and you can’t fight genetics. I was basically told to make the most of what I have. I kind of see what he means, after all not all of were naturally designed to be a size 0 but surely being a size 20 and almost 16 stone also is not something that should be endorsed to accept either. Especially as I’ve not always been this size. It’s not healthy and – more importantly – I’m not happy.

When I challenged this a little and pushed back to say that although I understand what he’s saying, surely it can’t be right to be eating 1700 calories a day and STILL be gaining weight. His response? To try the Newcastle Diet for the next 8 weeks. Wow.

For those people who don’t know, the Newcastle Diet is basically an 800 calorie a day diet made up with shakes for vitamins and minerals and soups for ruffage to ensure you don’t become constipated. Nice right?!

Now let me just say that I have a turbulent relationship with food at the best of times. I love and hate it, and it loves and hates me. Without going into details, it’s been a difficult journey and one that this particular doctor knows all about. So, the fact that he would recommend something like this for me has really taken me aback.

Now, I get the theory. A very low-calorie diet (vlcd) is said to help restart your metabolism. However, I don’t know a single person who has ever followed one that didn’t end up gaining back any weight they lost once they started to eat normally again. Add into the equation someone how doesn’t have a healthy relationship with food and I can’t help but feel a little let down.

So, what’s next for me? Well, I guess more of the same. Working hard to build a positive relationship with what I choose to fuel my body with. To work to make those choices the right ones and try my best to get moving! Not the easiest thing to do with two little ones in tow and trying to juggle so much while awaiting what the decision will be regarding fixing the damage my last delivery did to my body.

One thing I won’t be doing though, is restricting myself to 800 calories a day.