From 280 - 224 in 6 months
I have to say, that's some great progress! He has really come a long way, definitely something to be proud of. However, that wasn't my immediate reaction. My first thoughts were, "Oh great, now the world is going to use this as an excuse to eat fast food."
Due to the obvious fact that McDonalds is fast food, and not likely the healthiest of options, this story has created some questions for health professionals.
If fast food is so unhealthy, how did he lose so much weight? For starters, we have no idea what this guy's diet was before hand. When he decided to go on this journey, he was morbidly obese at 260 pounds. At that number, one thing we do know for certain, is that his diet wasn't great. We also know that his McDonald's only diet is limited to 2000 calories per day. So, regardless of what he chooses to eat, he isn't taking in more than 2000 calories per day. No matter what one chooses to eat, if calorie intake is significantly decreased, or calorie expenditure exceeds what is being taken in, weight loss is going to be the result.
I would bet my life on it, that he was likely taking in a lot more than 2,000 calories before he started this journey. Not only that, but if he continued on this diet, exactly the way he is doing it now, his weight loss would plateau. I find it very hard to believe that he would continue to lose a significant amount of weight at this point. (And according to BMI, he is still in the obese category).
Something else I wanted to point out, I don't think it's any coincidence that he admittedly is "craving seafood." In nine days he is off the McDonalds diet and has already planned to eat shrimp, scallops AND salmon all in the first night he is done with this diet. According to the article, he may even include asparagus and rice. I am a firm believer that our body craves what it needs and it's important to listen to our bodies. It sounds like someone has been missing out on a lot of heart healthy fats (main nutrient in fish) and a whole lot of vitamins and minerals if he is craving asparagus.
In summary, I think anytime we make changes to our body, it's going to respond. The human body is extremely adaptable. If you are currently exceeding your caloric intake on a daily basis, and you switch over to a 2,000 calorie diet of absolutely anything, you are going to see some weight loss. This is especially true if you add in some exercise and really increase that caloric deficit. Is it healthy and sustainable in the long run? Probably not.
What are your thoughts about the McDonald's diet?
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