Ending 1200 Calorie Bashing: Respecting Your Peers

peachea

Natalie, you are not a doctor either. You are simply the one who has to make the choice to trust one or the other. Given your medical condition, go ahead and do your plan as prescribed by your 'medical team'. If it works for you, then you have gained not only a better faith in healthcare, but a well being that is invaluable.

If by chance, the prescribed plan does not work for you, then consider other avenues. One being what has been proposed to you by others.

Ultimately it is your choice, and many of us do understand your 'need' to be well. In fact, regardless of medical conditions, most obese people feel that urge and will generally cling to anything to ensure this. Perfectly normal, just make sure that what youre committing to is right for you.

I know some info about PCOS, but I'm sure I dont have it. However, I've begun menopause, and have hormonal issues which also mimic PCOS and am fairly quite well on 1700 cals a day. Its really not that much of a jump from 1200. So I'm not sure what your reverse stink is really all about.

I mean in essence, isnt your back lash against eating higher calories equivalent to a lashing to those who are for it?

I will say that after reading Dan's response to you, it was very charitable of him to want to help. I had to practically chase him down just to get some answers. Clearly a little gratitude would be in order.

With that said, if all else fails, try whatever is next for you but please spare us the threads about how upset you are with how you are treated for being on a 1200 cal diet. Your only job here is to get on with your life, being healthy and living it and trying not to give a **** what others think. Do what you gotta do.

The rest of this is just crap in a box. And without the risk of sounding too harsh, your post seems to conjure up an image of one who believes she is quite unique, and woe is her to be so heavy. Rest assured young lady, you are not special. We are all here for the same reasons. All in different places on the journey and some are harder than others. Life is the same. Take what you need and go. This forum thrives on variety. You may one day find yourself in a knowledgeable position and who knows how you may approach others down the road.

onyxgirl17

I get the point of your op. "Before jumping on someone for eating low calories, you should see if they have any medical reason to be on a low calorie plan." That's all that needs to be said honestly.

You missed the rest, where she said it's not your business if anyone has a medical condition, and you are insulting them by even asking, and it's not their job to tell you their medical history, so therefore it is never ever ever your business why anyone is on 1200 or less and you should never ever ask or you might offend them.

Her point ultimately is that she has found a way to be offended at any attempt to suggest to anyone eating 1200 calories that there might be other options, regardless of circumstances and no matter what you say or how you say it. As far as I can tell, the only thing she thinks you are allowed to say to anyone eating 1200 calories is, "you're my hero!"

yep! Because the rest was TL; DR

Thanks for summarizing.

jmzz1

bump for later reading

LiftAllThePizzas

yep! Because the rest was TL; DR

Thanks for summarizing.

No problem, glad to help.

taunto

Heres the thing. Dan said whatever he said (I didn't really read what he said, I am supposed to be at work). And if a friend of his is upset because of somethign she thinks was juvenile, well, thats her right.

However, for her to go around and post a pic about it, specially since that conversation seem to include others who weren't Dan, its kinda invading their privacy.

Maybe post somethign like "Hey Dan, you said blah blah blah about me. I have pics to prove it. You're a rude person for talking behind somebodys back and you're immature" then that is understandable but posting a pic, even that of a friend, is also not right. Specially since it includes people who weren't her or Dan (I am assuming).

Helloitsdan

I run 100s of numbers and for free.
If my numbers didn't work then don't drag my name across the forum.
From what I can glean from the long post was she didn't want people, specifically me and anyone from ipoarm telling anyone how to manage their diet.
Where did this even come from?
I always thought if you have an issue with someone you go to the source.
and where was the reespect in the OP?
What a joke!

invincible_summer

Dear MFP Community,

I've been a member for years and I felt unwelcome in forums before because I am on a doctor-recommended 1100-1200 calorie diet. This time around I've really dug my heels in and made great friends in the community--lots of friends who share my struggles with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrom (PCOS) and Insulin Resistance (IR). Over the past few weeks, it has become more and more apparent that my friends and I are fearful of contributing to forums. When we say we are on low-calorie diets, you send us info from In Place of a Road Map (IPOARM). You tell us we are starving ourselves and that we are going to fail.

I have PCOS and I've (for the most part) stuck to 1200 calories a day since last August. Although I was never over weight in terms of BMI, I've gone from 143lb to my current 124.8lb. I'd like to get down to 115lb and I'm still losing at a nice steady rate.

Being a strict vegan has definitely helped me manage my weight. Lots of wholemeal bread and little sugar too.

nataliescalories

Posting the screen shot isn't the most awesome thing in this thread, but it does prove once and for all that there has been much too much judgement and bashing. We can argue left and right about what MFP will consider private in these terms. Should a moderator speak with me, I'll gladly remove it. We'll cross that bridge when and if we should come to it. And if that one post is removed--we will be left with a handful of nay sayers who tried to pull negative from what is an incredibly positive thread.

I've had, much to my surprise, hundreds of messages and friend requests in just 24 short hours. I cannot believe the overwhelmingly positive response from people who are trying their best to become healthy or stay healthy in the face of so many challenges. I in no way feel like it's Natalie vs. Dan. I respect those who have defended my point. And I'll say it one last time (though I must have said it 100 times already): Dan is probably a pretty decent guy. Dan spends his time running numbers and stuff for people and filling in a certain gap on MFP. However, no one should attack anyone's person and I still have not done that--though I have certainly tried to reveal an underlying disdain tainting our community.

Nobody in this community ever deserves to, publicly or privately, denigrate someone's person. Nobody should feel scared to talk here. Nobody should be afraid of being a freaking snowflake.

I don't think anyone loves that I posted that picture. It probably makes everyone cringe. It sure as heck hurt me a lot. Nay sayers--don't bother rambling that it's the internet and I need a thick skin. The internet is a part of society and I was called a B**** in front of hundreds of people. We need to be accountable on the internet. We have diaries and friends on here to increase our accountability! When my friends, not even 1% of them even said the faintest thing about Dan's character, I shot it down and focused on how personal attacks are reprehensible. I only ask for others to do the same.

I never attacked IPOARM. If you dare accuse me of that--be sure to carefully reread everything first. It never happened, not in the slightest. I was friends with Dan in the first place and had sent him a personal message long before this thread mentioning how kind it was to calculate numbers for people. And hey--maybe Dan was having a bad day today. I don't care about this one instance as much as I care about the environment that supports it and feeds it.

Among those friend requests I've had were messages from dozens of people on the verge of quitting MFP because of that tone. That's tragic. This place is an essential resource. Again, in a society where 1/3 of Americans suffer from obesity, why would we ever push people seeking weight loss help away or make them feel unwelcome? Why has there been any angry response to what I originally posted? It never attacked anyone. It never told anyone how to eat. It never told anyone how not to eat. It told people be nice; try to find a nicer way to communicate concerns.

Respect is where this thread began and it is where I hope it will continue.

neanderthin

Ever think this could be triggering and some of the compliments and support are from exactly those people. How many times have I've looked at a diary of someone that's eating 1200 and eating half that.

lorgrayson

I have read some of those posts and I think it is not "one size fits all". I know that my resting metabolism is less than calculators on websites because I wore a body bug and had the actual amount. My nutritionist gave me a daily amount of 1250, whereas my doctor told me 1500 - 1700. So I eat anywhere from 1250 - 1700 according to my hunger. When I eat closer to that 1250, I lose weight. During PMS time or when I exercise a lot - 1250 is not enough. Listen to your body. Do what works for you and don't get so offended by some people on MFP. I think at the heart of it most people are trying to be helpful.

crunchybubblez

Where are we at as a community when the person recommending medical consultation and highlighting that there is not a one-method-fits-all solution is treated like they are absurd? That thread is downright discouraging and depressing. Why couldn't it have carried the tone of something like "1200-Calorie Roadblocks and Alternatives?" Why would it outright attack people like me and try to make us feel doomed?

So again, please, try to actually be my fitness pals, not my fitness judge and jury. Words are very powerful things and we have to be careful with them.

With love,
Natalie

I love this whole post, but especially that quote.

Where are we as a community if the person recommending medical consultation ... is treated like they are absurd?

- at a turning point where some people need to stop pushing their habits and beliefs onto other people as "The Only Way To Jesus". People like you should be cheered for standing up and calling out intimidation and a culture of insulting people who follow this website's own calorie recommendations.

Yes, people can lose weight with a less drastic calorie cut, and -2 lbs a week would require a caloric restriction below 1200...(which is why MFP stops there) but most of us are so sick and tired of being overweight and tired of hating ourselves and feeling like we aren't good enough because we are overweight that we need to do something about it NOW, we need to make ACTUAL progress traveling down the road.

If you start a long journey, and only make it a half mile from your home, how likely is it that you would turn around and convince yourself that you should go back and sit on your couch.. As opposed to making it ten miles, turning around would be just as hard as pushing forward.

This is a psychological battle because we cannot quit our drug or coping mechanism of choice. Alcoholics can stop drinking, heroin users can go to rehab, but overeaters cannot stop eating, in fact it is required that they continue to eat, and all it takes to fall off the wagon is "just one more bite"

OMG! This^

Sarauk2sf

OP: quick question. Somewhere many pages back you said you were eating 1,200 net. Would you mind telling us how many calories are you eating gross? Just trying to understand context here.

Alexfit12

Thank you. Feel free to add me.

AnexRavensong

Good luck sticking to that for many years. I did that for 4 years and destroyed my metabolism and hit a plateau about 2 years ago. I only recently started losing weight again after eating more... (which boggled my brain)

I think people are genuinely trying to help so you don't end up in that situation it isn't an easy one to get out of.

You don't understand that people just want to help you before you end up unable to lose weight.. I won't go off and call people stupid (people can do what they want), but I will say that after 4 years of eating like a bird and nothing happening anymore it is the MOST depressing thing. You don't know what you're doing wrong, you're starving yourself trying so hard, exercising like mad and the numbers dont move. It is worse than being overweight and knowing what your problem is...

I did that for years. YEARS! Quick results in a short amount of time that then stop and don't move. Only eating more fixed it...

I also fail to see how sticking to the default 1200 MFP calories can be good for EVERYONE. People act like MFP calculated those calories for them specifically. I got news, that is what everyone starts out with.

angelams1019

Where are we at as a community when the person recommending medical consultation and highlighting that there is not a one-method-fits-all solution is treated like they are absurd? That thread is downright discouraging and depressing. Why couldn't it have carried the tone of something like "1200-Calorie Roadblocks and Alternatives?" Why would it outright attack people like me and try to make us feel doomed?

So again, please, try to actually be my fitness pals, not my fitness judge and jury. Words are very powerful things and we have to be careful with them.

With love,
Natalie

I love this whole post, but especially that quote.

Where are we as a community if the person recommending medical consultation ... is treated like they are absurd?

- at a turning point where some people need to stop pushing their habits and beliefs onto other people as "The Only Way To Jesus". People like you should be cheered for standing up and calling out intimidation and a culture of insulting people who follow this website's own calorie recommendations.

Yes, people can lose weight with a less drastic calorie cut, and -2 lbs a week would require a caloric restriction below 1200...(which is why MFP stops there) but most of us are so sick and tired of being overweight and tired of hating ourselves and feeling like we aren't good enough because we are overweight that we need to do something about it NOW, we need to make ACTUAL progress traveling down the road.

If you start a long journey, and only make it a half mile from your home, how likely is it that you would turn around and convince yourself that you should go back and sit on your couch.. As opposed to making it ten miles, turning around would be just as hard as pushing forward.

This is a psychological battle because we cannot quit our drug or coping mechanism of choice. Alcoholics can stop drinking, heroin users can go to rehab, but overeaters cannot stop eating, in fact it is required that they continue to eat, and all it takes to fall off the wagon is "just one more bite"

OMG! This^

This was my favorite as well

angelams1019

Good luck sticking to that for many years. I did that for 4 years and destroyed my metabolism and hit a plateau about 2 years ago. I only recently started losing weight again after eating more... (which boggled my brain)

I think people are genuinely trying to help so you don't end up in that situation it isn't an easy one to get out of.

I also fail to see how sticking to the default 1200 MFP calories can be good for EVERYONE. People act like MFP calculated those calories for them specifically. I got news, that is what everyone starts out with.

Go back and read the ENTIRE thread hun lol You're WAY behind.

And then when you're done....Read it again.

It doesn't sound like you got past the first sentence. If you did, you would know that she's not on 1200 because of what MFP says.

zuppie76

I genuinely don't understand why people need to be so nasty to each other, especially when they join a website for support. I am very sorry that others have treated you in this way. Of course we are all different. Take for example medication for mental illnesses - doctors (qualified ones at that) mess around with meds to try to figure out what works *for that person*. We *are* all different - body size, approach, culture - and to be honest, that's what is so appealing about this.

I very rarely come on to the message boards because I have two kids, a home to run and I'm writing up my PhD. Yes, I'm smart. Hopefully in a few months I can actually be called "Doctor" ... does that give me the right to dole out medical advice? No!!! I'm working on education! To suggest that a trainer, who has to go through a short course on physiology, is better than a doctor is laughable and speaks to the intelligence (or lack thereof) of the person who is suggesting it.

Keep doing what you're doing and what your doctor advises you to do. I am in a different position with less to lose, but I also have health problems (endometriosis and arthritis in my hip ... think the warranty is about up on me) and find it hard to stay active during flare ups.

Take care, best of luck and don't let stupidity get to you: you appear to be too smart for that!

nataliescalories

OP: quick question. Somewhere many pages back you said you were eating 1,200 net. Would you mind telling us how many calories are you eating gross? Just trying to understand context here.

I think what you're referring to is when I said that it is true that many people are setting themselves as sedentary and not eating calories back when they, perhaps, should.

As for myself, and again my BMR is extraordinarily low, I do not "eat back" exercise calories visibly on MFP. My 1100-1200 range is with my doctors already factoring in 2.5 hours per week of moderate exercise and my exercise is all carefully tracked and monitored with a heart rate monitor to make sure I don't push past that. I CERTAINLY do not recommend this to anyone without extensive monitoring and testing because it's much too low to be safe for most. I still log my exercise in to MFP because I like to 1) have encouragement and 2) keep track of days and food together vs. my workouts just being on other apps.

leantool

very well timed and important post OP. congratulations to you for being so rational, articulate and calm.hope it helps build awareness.

jenilla1

OP, :drinker:

Sarauk2sf

OP: quick question. Somewhere many pages back you said you were eating 1,200 net. Would you mind telling us how many calories are you eating gross? Just trying to understand context here.

I think what you're referring to is when I said that it is true that many people are setting themselves as sedentary and not eating calories back when they, perhaps, should.

As for myself, and again my BMR is extraordinarily low, I do not "eat back" exercise calories visibly on MFP. My 1100-1200 range is with my doctors already factoring in 2.5 hours per week of moderate exercise and my exercise is all carefully tracked and monitored with a heart rate monitor to make sure I don't push past that. I CERTAINLY do not recommend this to anyone without extensive monitoring and testing because it's much too low to be safe for most. I still log my exercise in to MFP because I like to 1) have encouragement and 2) keep track of days and food together vs. my workouts just being on other apps.

Thanks for clarifying - it is a long thread and I though I saw it a ways back - I must have misread.

ETA: it was actually someone else who mentioned it.

Toumani

I genuinely don't understand why people need to be so nasty to each other, especially when they join a website for support. I am very sorry that others have treated you in this way. Of course we are all different. Take for example medication for mental illnesses - doctors (qualified ones at that) mess around with meds to try to figure out what works *for that person*. We *are* all different - body size, approach, culture - and to be honest, that's what is so appealing about this.

I very rarely come on to the message boards because I have two kids, a home to run and I'm writing up my PhD. Yes, I'm smart. Hopefully in a few months I can actually be called "Doctor" ... does that give me the right to dole out medical advice? No!!! I'm working on education! To suggest that a trainer, who has to go through a short course on physiology, is better than a doctor is laughable and speaks to the intelligence (or lack thereof) of the person who is suggesting it.

Keep doing what you're doing and what your doctor advises you to do. I am in a different position with less to lose, but I also have health problems (endometriosis and arthritis in my hip ... think the warranty is about up on me) and find it hard to stay active during flare ups.

Take care, best of luck and don't let stupidity get to you: you appear to be too smart for that!

First off, respect, Zuppie for working on such a project as a PhD with kids!

I was thinking this the whole time when people in this thread have been writing "I don't trust doctors" and "so what if a person has a degree in the subject"?

I have a doctorate in a different subject, computational linguistics, but to be fair, I have formally studied the subject for 12 years before receiving the degree, and then did groundbreaking research, so you could say, yes, I *AM* the authority in certain areas of my field, ie, that what I did and do my research in. Nobody else has, so they look at my research.

I may not always be right, because of course I don't have all the knowledge there is, but I would be amused if someone off the internet would claim they know more about the subject than I do because they took a course in it. I don't know all the answers but I have a lot more years experience under my belt to know how to approach/solve an issue in the field.

So, please, stop with "what do doctors know"?!? They can try to assist people like Natalie in a controlled environment.

geekyjock76

I'm going to point out something obvious about TDEE prediction formulas that I hope everyone realizes.

When one has restricted calories, chronically, they lower their Resting Metabolic Rate which in turn reduces their TDEE.

If one restricts for several months, like many members here, their TDEE will have adjusted downward - the longer and steeper the deficit, the greater the decline in RMR/TDEE. Thus, if you calculate your TDEE during caloric restriction, it should be of no surprise to see your adjusted TDEE is likely considerably lower - perhaps by several hundred calories - than what your actual TDEE was during maintenance or in a consistent state of adipose gain.

This brings me to my point: The use of TDEE predictions are meant to provide an estimate of energy needs when a person is eating the maximal amount of calories to maintain their weight relative to activity. If a person has created a significant calorie bias due to long-term restriction, they should look at that first as to why their energy needs have all of a sudden become so low rather than state how grossly off the prediction formulas are.

Lupercalia

I want to make a very brief reply to this:

I started out about 4 or 5 years ago at 372 pounds. I joined Jenny Craig and was put on 2250 calories a day. I dropped weight easily, even without exercise. Life happened, and I couldn't afford Jenny Craig anymore, so I started on Atkin's. All told, I got down to 290 pounds, eating a fair amount of food. With PCOS.

I moved, I joined the Y, and I started exercising and WEIGHT TRAINING. I got down to 272.

Fast forward to about a year ago and well, I won't go into the gory details, but after living with my in-laws for over a year, watching them tear my house to shreds, and then watching my fiance almost bleed to death on the kitchen floor, I kind of sank into a pretty crippling depression. I got back up to 325. In a hurry.

Now I'm back on the wagon. I've been around here for a while, trying to read and absorb. Listening to the 'everything in moderation crowd'.

Here is what works for me and what does not. With PCOS, but otherwise, fairly normal bloodwork and blood pressure. Eat everything in moderation? No. Dieting only to lose weight? Everyone says it works, but it really doesn't. What works is moderating carb intake, eliminating heavily processed carbs and added sugars. And busting my *kitten* at the gym. And yes, this includes weight lifting. Once you start reducing body fat, you reduce the estrogen in your body, and this causes the testosterone to drop. I can't speak to people who have doctor recommended extreme cuts, but I will say this. There are not a lot of doctors that specialize in nutrition. It's a fairly long confusing topic, and can require years of study.

This. Most doctors are only required to take one nutrition course. Honestly, I don't trust my doctors, because they recommend whatever the government recommends, and the government is all about low-fat processed crap and shizloads of grains. Which in my opinion isn't healthy, but that's just me. :drinker:

Seconding this--doctors have failed me repeatedly, especially when it comes to anything that is a chronic condition. They seem to be great in the ER if you've got some acute problem...broken bone, a cut that needs stitches, etc. But if you want them to figure out what is going on with your body over a longer time period, and especially in situations when there isn't some totally obvious answer, they really aren't so great in my experience.

I also agree with the comment about doctors and the gov't being in bed together. Throw the big pharmaceutical industry in there too, and it's a right mess. Be very wary!

EvgeniZyntx

Posting the screen shot isn't the most awesome thing in this thread, but it does prove once and for all that there has been much too much judgement and bashing. We can argue left and right about what MFP will consider private in these terms. Should a moderator speak with me, I'll gladly remove it. We'll cross that bridge when and if we should come to it. And if that one post is removed--we will be left with a handful of nay sayers who tried to pull negative from what is an incredibly positive thread.

I've had, much to my surprise, hundreds of messages and friend requests in just 24 short hours. I cannot believe the overwhelmingly positive response from people who are trying their best to become healthy or stay healthy in the face of so many challenges. I in no way feel like it's Natalie vs. Dan. I respect those who have defended my point. And I'll say it one last time (though I must have said it 100 times already): Dan is probably a pretty decent guy. Dan spends his time running numbers and stuff for people and filling in a certain gap on MFP. However, no one should attack anyone's person and I still have not done that--though I have certainly tried to reveal an underlying disdain tainting our community.

Nobody in this community ever deserves to, publicly or privately, denigrate someone's person. Nobody should feel scared to talk here. Nobody should be afraid of being a freaking snowflake.

I don't think anyone loves that I posted that picture. It probably makes everyone cringe. It sure as heck hurt me a lot. Nay sayers--don't bother rambling that it's the internet and I need a thick skin. The internet is a part of society and I was called a B**** in front of hundreds of people. We need to be accountable on the internet. We have diaries and friends on here to increase our accountability! When my friends, not even 1% of them even said the faintest thing about Dan's character, I shot it down and focused on how personal attacks are reprehensible. I only ask for others to do the same.

I never attacked IPOARM. If you dare accuse me of that--be sure to carefully reread everything first. It never happened, not in the slightest. I was friends with Dan in the first place and had sent him a personal message long before this thread mentioning how kind it was to calculate numbers for people. And hey--maybe Dan was having a bad day today. I don't care about this one instance as much as I care about the environment that supports it and feeds it.

Among those friend requests I've had were messages from dozens of people on the verge of quitting MFP because of that tone. That's tragic. This place is an essential resource. Again, in a society where 1/3 of Americans suffer from obesity, why would we ever push people seeking weight loss help away or make them feel unwelcome? Why has there been any angry response to what I originally posted? It never attacked anyone. It never told anyone how to eat. It never told anyone how not to eat. It told people be nice; try to find a nicer way to communicate concerns.

Respect is where this thread began and it is where I hope it will continue.

No, it isn't the best thing.

And certainly in the area of respect - of dubious value because it will polarize people. Bravo to the two of you in helping to create an environment that will make things more frustrating. This is now occurring inspite of the good intentions of both of you because you both fail to see that often people do not look at a situation as a spectrum of possibilities but as a dichotomy of choices.
Respect for your condition and medical situation and weight loss is also an understanding that what you went through with doctors that prescribed higher calorie diets and other methods first is that clinically that was the right thing to do. You are now at a point were you have found your own path - criticism of that path as a general solution or even as the healthiest solution for 10% of the population does not make sense.
If you are getting hundreds of friend requests for eating at or below 1200 then in among them are a significant number of people that are looking for validation to unhealthy eating habits without medical supervision without regard to micronutrient diversity. It's actually sad that from a reasonable request for respect what you are actually achieving is a groupthink of "us" against "them".
Except in the case of exceptional individuals, and ideally with clinically identified diseases or conditions, eating at these levels should be considered as the improper way to address weight loss for a variety of reasons. I invite you to recognize that and remind people as needed - eating disorders are serious and this exchange is bound to attract, trigger and justify an associative unhealthy behavior in at least some cases.
I see and understand your point, for you, but I think many here do not take the measure of the extent of EDs and dysmorphias on this site.

DhiaUK

Thank you so much for this post.

Although I registered on the site last year, I didn't start using it until a week ago. I've been reading posts but making very few myself as I was beginning to feel uncomfortable with the anti-1200 tones of some threads. It's impossible to make friends on the site when you feel embarrassed to post.

I do eat my exercise calories, but I'm starting out after a year plus of no exercise (medically enforced). Whilst I won't go below 1200 calories and will eat at least a proportion of exercise calories, for the past year my lifestyle has been sedentary and it will some time to get to a stage where my calorie burn will be significant. It'll help more once my polar heart rate monitor has a new battery and there are some accurate numbers to work with as well! :laugh:

Hope to get to know the rest of you more in the future.

rachey_v

Society exists only as a mental concept, in the real world there are only individuals. OSCAR WILDE.

This thread makes me sad. There are more important things in life than counting someone else's calories...

OP- stay true to yourself!

nataliescalories

No, it isn't the best thing.

And certainly in the area of respect - of dubious value because it will polarize people. Bravo to the two of you in helping to create an environment that will make things more frustrating. This is now occurring inspite of the good intentions of both of you because you both fail to see that often people do not look at a situation as a spectrum of possibilities but as a dichotomy of choices.
Respect for your condition and medical situation and weight loss is also an understanding that what you went through with doctors that prescribed higher calorie diets and other methods first is that clinically that was the right thing to do. You are now at a point were you have found your own path - criticism of that path as a general solution or even as the healthiest solution for 10% of the population does not make sense.
If you are getting hundreds of friend requests for eating at or below 1200 then in among them are a significant number of people that are looking for validation to unhealthy eating habits without medical supervision without regard to micronutrient diversity. It's actually sad that from a reasonable request for respect what you are actually achieving is a groupthink of "us" against "them".
Except in the case of exceptional individuals, and ideally with clinically identified diseases or conditions, eating at these levels should be considered as the improper way to address weight loss for a variety of reasons. I invite you to recognize that and remind people as needed - eating disorders are serious and this exchange is bound to attract, trigger and justify an associative unhealthy behavior in at least some cases.
I see and understand your point, for you, but I think many here do not take the measure of the extent of EDs and dysmorphias on this site.

Thanks for your comment--just a few quick things. I did not say my friend requests are coming from 1200 calorie people. I merely said I have had requests from people who just want to be a part of a healthy and positive environment. In fact, the vast majority of friends I'm making are eating well over 1200, and I've even recommended IPOARM and considering increasing calories for those having trouble at lower intakes who don't have specific medical advice. I'd never support EDs and I am not pro-1200. I'm pro medical consult and careful evaluation of caloric intake.

G_iulia80

The doctors also recommended me a 1.200 calories diet, which I intend to keep it. I mention that I have other medical issues, too.

Thank you so much for your post, Natalie!

I need some friends that are on a similar diet recommended by the doctors.

Feel free to add me!

Toumani

Seconding this--doctors have failed me repeatedly, especially when it comes to anything that is a chronic condition. They seem to be great in the ER if you've got some acute problem...broken bone, a cut that needs stitches, etc. But if you want them to figure out what is going on with your body over a longer time period, and especially in situations when there isn't some totally obvious answer, they really aren't so great in my experience.

I also agree with the comment about doctors and the gov't being in bed together. Throw the big pharmaceutical industry in there too, and it's a right mess. Be very wary!

Hmmm, that's awful. I'm guessing this is in the US, correct? Does your health insurance not cover specialists?