A fitness trainer has blasted a letter a woman claims she received from her doctor, instructing her on ways she can lose weight. Taking to TikTok, the woman, who goes by the username GetAGripMama, posted a video of herself reacting to the 'weight loss' letter.
In the clip she starts off by saying: "So my doctor handed me this," before showing viewers what is written on the letter. It lists various ways GetAGripMama - whose real name is Erica - can supposedly shed the pounds, including eating from a bowl instead of a plate.
It also advises staying away rice, bread and pasta, riding a bike for exercise, eating more beans and fish and to eat three meals within a 10 hour span. Erica continued: "I literally just wanted to cry. And then the nurse that was with him was like, 'oh do we want to put her down for weight loss'.
"And he was like, 'no let's just see how she gets on' with the paper that he gave me. Like I know I need to lose weight, but I don't know."
She added: "So for reference, I'm 190 [pounds] and I'm 5ft 5/6. And I just had a baby, like seven months ago, I have four kids in total... If I say I need to lose weight its different than other people telling me." Before letting out a sign, she ends the video by saying: "And I know he's my doctor, but..."
Many people rushed to comment on Erica's video with messages of sympathy for the clearly upset mum. Dr Jennah replied: "I’m so sorry this happened to you. This is not OK." Mackenzie typed: "I want to cry for you reading that and hearing this."
Erica herself later took to the comment section to add: "I was SO close to breaking down in the doctors office." Since sharing her story on TikTok earlier this month, her clip has racked up almost half a million views.
One particular TikTok user who felt compelled to make his own video out the letter was author and personal trainer Ben Carpenter. "I think we can all agree, this weight loss advice is terrible," he said.
"But, I also want to talk about the more important, and less acknowledged topic. Doctors giving weight loss advice can have different layers of controversy, and one that is under acknowledged is the issue of this advice being forced upon patients.
"For example, in this video, a woman who is seven months post newborn is clearly upset that this doctor handed her some weight loss advice, and pointed out that it is obviously different when someone else tells you that you need to lose weight, versus you coming to that opinion on your own." He added.
"I know, I know. Lots of people are like, 'but a doctor should be able to discuss medical issues with you, that’s the job', and I get it, I totally get it. But from the patient side, it’s also important that we realise advising weight loss to people who didn’t ask for it is something that needs handling delicately, at best."
Many viewers praised Ben's words in the comment section, while several others shared their own similar weight loss stories. Liam replied: "So glad you also did a video on this!"
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Bad Aunty typed: "She’s seven months on from her fourth kid, ffs! She’s young and her body is recovering still. That doc can fluff right off!" Alex added: "The thing is, dietitians exist. so I don't understand why the GP doesn't just give a referral to a dietary specialist."
Rosaidhphillips said: "A doctor recently told me that I needed to 'eat healthy'. He didn't ask anything about what I eat currently, or expand the advice in any way."
