I don’t know who popularized the idea that it’s normal, or even possible, for a an active woman to live on 1200-1600 calories per day, but I’d like to punch that person right in the face. The whole notion that eating requires math is a train wreck, and then believing we should eat so little is a plane crashing into the train wreck. Anyone who throws their hands up and walks away from that smoldering rubble is lucky. Those of us who buy into it and judge ourselves harshly for not being able to do it spend years obsessing and struggling. The idea is so completely accepted in diet culture that I can’t blame anyone who is swept up in it. That’s especially true for anyone in the “honeymoon” phase where they’ve just restricted their food for the first time or in a new way and it went really well. How exciting! Let’s tell everyone! Let’s help the whole world! The enthusiasm is understandable. It hasn’t gone wrong yet. I don’t judge anybody in that position. I will only share my own experience or opinion if they ask. The non-dieting community can get just as overzealous and cult-like as dieters in terms of attacking anyone who disagrees. That is not helpful. Many of the people they vilify for promoting diet culture are victims of it themselves. I feel like the best thing I can do is be an open minded and friendly example of living a healthy life without the extremes. No matter how much I want to punch somebody. LOL
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