Very Low Calorie Diet ..any experiences?

fairy_lights

Mumcoach wrote: »

I tried to have a cup a soup before coming to bed but I don't have the inclination it's odd even if I were offered a McDonald's (my fav) I'd say no my appetites gone plus I'm so tired I just want to sleep!
I will invest in a multi vit tablet tomorrow

Don't just buy multi vitamins tomorrow, eat a proper meal. If you absolutely insist on doing a vlcd then discuss it with your doctor and do it under supervision and with a meal plan. But in the mean time you must eat something.

[Deleted User]

Sudden Death Associated with Very Low Calorie Weight Reduction Regimens

"An investigation by the Food and Drug Administration and the Center for Disease Control revealed a recurrent pattern of either sudden ‘death or death due to intractable ventricular arrhythmia in individuals who had been dieting for prolonged periods and who had lost large amounts of weight.

The lack of antecedent symptoms referable to the heart seen in our cases is consistent with the well-documented cardiac effects of protein-calorie malnutrition.

Sudden death, presumably cardiac in origin as was seen in our cases, has been described in starvation, especially during the early refeeding phase."

gettingready

purpleshoes wrote: »

http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/loseweight/pages/very-low-calorie-diets.aspx

According to this, a VLCD is 800 cals per day and it should be done under supervision to ensure that you are getting enough nutrients

And even that would be on some kind of sachets/powder that has certain nutrients inside already but absolutely not on a DIY option OP is doing - cup a soup and apple :eek:

OP - seriously, you have kids - you want to kill yourself?

gettingready

Mumcoach wrote: »

At present I'm eating 3 cupasoups per day and 2 appless. With as much water as I can drink. I appreciate this is not the same as the Cambridge diet but I can't afford to pay the £50 a week that costs at present

OP - Join my fitness pal, online support website - record what you eat and do it slowly.

Do NOT do what you do now, you have no idea how dangerous it is.

When I saw your thread I assumed you are following one of the "recognised" VLCD like Lipotrim, LighterLife, Cambridge or similar. Perhaps your GP assumed the same and said it was ok?

Never in million years did I think you are doing the DIY version just eating junk (yes cup a soup is junk - did you look at ingredients???) - apple or not, water or not.

Please stop and think - there is a reason why VLCD like the ones I mentioned above are expensive, having what you are having is NOT a substitute for a BALANCED 500 or 800 calories, not at all.

Very, VERY dangerous... xxx

Sharon87

I agree with what everyone is saying. You also need to get more protein in your diet. Prawns are a good source of protein and don't contain massive amounts of calories. I also find tuna steak and salmon are really good for your diet too.

It still sounds like you're suffering from an eating disorder to be honest and need to get some help with that. You seem to have 2 diets - eat what you want or eat as little as possible. You need to find the balance.

If you were really serious about not wanting to be 'fat' and keeping it off then you would ensure that you eat healthily and exercise, not just eating less.

I am also on a weight loss journey, I'm 4 foot 11, started at 73.5kg. I'm currently about 71kg, however due to the fact I'm losing fat and gaining muscle I have lost 4.5 inches off my waist, 3 inches off my hips and 2 inches off my bust in about a year. It may have been a slow process, but I'm confident that I can continue losing the weight and keep it off if I keep up the exercise and healthy eating. You're not alone in not wanting to look fat.

doodle-bug_2

Have you looked at the possibility of a Virtual Gastric Band - via hypnotherapy?

My OH is over 6ft and has always been larger than average (!) approx 21 stone. He is on medication for a skin condition and this has had the side effect of weight gain - to approx 25 stone.

He has tried everything, with the support of his GP. Dieticians, you name it. Nothing worked. A friend of mine had recently lost weight via hypnotherapy and we thought we had nothing to lose.

He started last June time, for several sessions. Now, he is down to just under 19 stone and still losing steadily. No difficulties at all. I know that this may make it sound like he found it easy - he has struggled for years to try to lose weight so knows all too well that not everything works for everyone.

He listens to a CD to re-inforce the hypnotherapy. He eats exactly the same as he did - just less of it. He can even have sweets/biscuits etc (he likes to do this after a meal) but instead of having a packet he just has one or two. He doesn't feel the need to be constantly snacking,which he did before, and now eats on a smaller plate (again, looks fuller). He agrees that this is all in the mind, but if it's working......

He is on regular blood tests due to his medication and the nurse has asked for the details so she can also go to the hypnotherapy!

I think it may be worth looking at, although I would obviously recommend researching further - if at all possible go on personal recommendations.

Best of luck whatever you decide to do.

cavework

Quote..
I'm too fat to show my face at a gym.


OP I joined a gym 6 weeks ago. I am mid 50,s very overweight and wear XL mens trackie bottoms , a baggy T shirt and a cheap pair of trainers. ( If I wore lycra people would think there was another eclipse!)
My biggest investment was a training bra.
I use free weights most of the time and the change in shape , increase in energy and self confidence week after week is my motivation.
I started eating healthy clean food at the beginning of February , no calorie counting , no weighing myself for six months and I quit alcohol completely.
I walk the dog for one hour every day , I started slowly and built up speed and distance over time.
I have already dropped one dress size , I have no idea how much I weigh and don't really care. Weight is just a number.
If you have enough self control to starve yourself to the point of making yourself ill, then you most definitely have enough guts and determination to shape up in a healthy, sensible way and change your lifestyle for good
Please stop being cruel to your body.


xx

Retrogamer

Unless someone is very inactive i'm not a fan of the low calorie diets.
It's not possible to get all the nutrients, minerals and vitamins your body needs from 500 calories a day. When your body runs out of energy to burn it eats itself. As well as losing fat you may lose muscle mass as well. Since muscles burn energy this can be counter productive in the long term.

If you are going to only take 500 calories in a day i'd be making sure it was from foods packet with as much goodness as possible..

A few friends in work tried the Cambridge diet. One of them was only on 700 calories a day. He lost a lot of weight but found it difficult to stick to. Eventually he had a few cheat days, broke his momentum with it and he's put on all the weight again and returnd to his own ways.

purpleshoes_2

Mumcoach wrote: »

I called the gp this morning, he called back as I was awoken at 2 am with my heart racing and what I can only describe as an electric feeling in my body (now I now this is self inflicted, the gp said this too) although it could be my epilepsy) but my problem now is I have no appetite. I made my children some scrambled eggs for breakfast and couldn't face even trying them, even a mouthful of fruit made me vomit.

The gp was unconcerned. "At my size starvation isn't exactly an imminent worry now is it. Maybe next year but not today (insert laugh) as long as you drink plenty of water I'm more than sure your appetite will return with gusto! He then praised the lighter life diet, his wife lost 3 stones on it for their daughters wedding , maybe I could try that. "

Useful.
Plus side I have a new found energy today so the house is getting a spring clean, even if my muscles are aching like I have run a marathon

So basically after being woken up with your heart racing you are still not eating?

As for a GP saying it doesn't matter whether you eat or not just because you have some weight to lose, words fail me, just keep drinking water and your appetite will return with gusto?

I don't think it matters what people say on here, you'll continue on with this ridiculous non eating diet even though its clearly making you unwell.

purpleshoes_2

Mumcoach wrote: »

I can't eat, my mum made me a lovely fruit salad this morning and after 2 mouthfuls I vomited it back up. We also tried dry toast again the same it feels like there's too much acid in my stomach. I have a gp appointment tomorrow am. So maybe I need something to settle my stomach but at present its impossible. Even a cup of tea cause painful heartburn and stomach cramp
The gp seems to think it's not so serious though and he's had 7 plus years of medical training.

Maybe thats because youve not eaten a proper meal in how long? A week? 10 days?

Quite frankly your GP sounds like an idiot.