Can you really lose weight while eating McDonald’s every single day? The company’s CEO seems to think that a “McDiet” is doable with proper exercise.

Speaking at an analyst conference, McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson said that he’s lost 20 pounds over the last year by simply exercising. He revealed that he still eats McDonald’s every day though.

McDonald’s and other fast food restaurants are generally blamed for obesity in America, but Thompson is trying to deflect those accusations. Instead, he says that it’s all about the exercise. He points to Europe where obesity rates are nowhere near as high saying that Europeans walk a lot.

Thus, he concludes that it’s important to have a balance between what you eat and how often you actually get out to exercise. You could totally eat McDonald’s every day and not gain a pound if you consistently work it off with regular exercise. You could also see yourself losing weight if you managed portions correctly, and didn’t overeat.

Of course, some people think that this doesn’t absolve McDonald’s and other fast food restaurants of any responsibility. A 9-year-old girl named Hannah took Thompson to task during a shareholder meeting about the company’s marketing of “junk food” to children. He responded by saying that the company doesn’t sell junk food and that it’s always working to introduce healthier options into the menu.

So, what can we take away from all of this? It’s not so much about the food we eat, but rather about how much we eat of it and how often we exercise. McDonald’s, like any other food, isn’t inherently bad for you as long as you don’t eat too much of it. Eating it every day may be going a bit too far, but you could do it with the proper exercise regimen backing it up.

[h/t: The News Tribune]