Coming off a VLCD

[Gallifreya]

Hi everyone. Has anyone else come straight off a VLCD and gone on to Slimming World? I joined yesterday to keep my daughter company, as we both have about two stones to lose, but I have been really shocked by how much you are allowed to eat! I can't believe that I can lose weight on this diet, because of all the free and superfree foods you can have. I have been doing the New You Plan for three months and have lost three and a half stones, but right now I am absolutely terrified of eating all that fruit and veg. Fruit was completely banned on the VLCD and I only ever had a very small amount of low-carb veg with my evening meal, just to feel like I was still a part of the human race. Isn't fruit laced with sugars? and veggies like carrots, peas and sweetcorn are laden with carbs! I can't bring myself to eat any potato, rice or pasta and I haven't had a single syn yet! I am finding the plan a BIG culture shock! I had a big cottage cheese salad for lunch today and I felt so guilty afterwards that I had to go and do an hour's step aerobics. Please reassure me that I won't actually GAIN weight by following this diet?

 

[WelshJojo]

Hi everyone. Has anyone else come straight off a VLCD and gone on to Slimming World? I joined yesterday to keep my daughter company, as we both have about two stones to lose, but I have been really shocked by how much you are allowed to eat! I can't believe that I can lose weight on this diet, because of all the free and superfree foods you can have. I have been doing the New You Plan for three months and have lost three and a half stones, but right now I am absolutely terrified of eating all that fruit and veg. Fruit was completely banned on the VLCD and I only ever had a very small amount of low-carb veg with my evening meal, just to feel like I was still a part of the human race. Isn't fruit laced with sugars? and veggies like carrots, peas and sweetcorn are laden with carbs! I can't bring myself to eat any potato, rice or pasta and I haven't had a single syn yet! I am finding the plan a BIG culture shock! I had a big cottage cheese salad for lunch today and I felt so guilty afterwards that I had to go and do an hour's step aerobics. Please reassure me that I won't actually GAIN weight by following this diet?

You may gain initially as your body refills it's glycogen stores following the VLCD-usually the same as you lost in your first week.but then If you follow the plan properly-free/superfree; healthy extras and syns then there is no reason you won't lose. Are you going to a group? Or doing it yourselves? Well done with your weightloss so far x

 

[Gallifreya]

Hi Welshtigger. Thanks for your reply. I was afraid I might gain from the glycogen . I am going to a group, I decided I needed to learn how to eat healthily using real foods, because when I came off the VLCD briefly for a re-feed over Christmas I felt like I had been thrown to the wolves without a lifeline! I initially lost 11 pounds in my first week on VLCD, I don't want to put all that back on, it took so much effort to do it! Oh dear, maybe I should have just stuck with the VLCD until I was at target, but having said that, I do have to make the adjustment at some time. Do you have any advice to help me minimise the damage?

 

[WelshJojo]

Hi Welshtigger. Thanks for your reply. I was afraid I might gain from the glycogen . I am going to a group, I decided I needed to learn how to eat healthily using real foods, because when I came off the VLCD briefly for a re-feed over Christmas I felt like I had been thrown to the wolves without a lifeline! I initially lost 11 pounds in my first week on VLCD, I don't want to put all that back on, it took so much effort to do it! Oh dear, maybe I should have just stuck with the VLCD until I was at target, but having said that, I do have to make the adjustment at some time. Do you have any advice to help me minimise the damage?

If you have a look in the Slim&Save section, under the refeed bit, there is alot of refeed advice. Just keep your carbs low and maybe increase them a little at a time. But most importantly try not to worry too much x you'll be fine. Have you started a diary? If not, that might be an idea, as people can advise as you go along too if you want x

 

[Gallifreya]

Thanks for your excellent advice Welshtigger . Yes I have started my diary and I am trying to keep the carbs down. That is very good advice to add things in slowly, thank you. I just hope I can handle it OK.

 

[WelshJojo]

Thanks for your excellent advice Welshtigger . Yes I have started my diary and I am trying to keep the carbs down. That is very good advice to add things in slowly, thank you. I just hope I can handle it OK.

Have you got a diary on here tho I mean? x

 

[gazter]

Welshtigger is right. Your body does need to adjust, your metabolism would have dropped substantially in line with vlcd (congrats on the excellent weight loss by the way).

Slimming world is great, if i was you though, i would follow slimming world, but ease yourself into it, calorie count what you are eating and stop when you get to a certain level.

For example, if your VLCD was 600 calories, i would do slimming world but stop at a thousand calories every day (this could probably be achieved by not using syns or not having healthy extras), for a week or two, then move to 1200 calories for a week or so, and then you should be ok.

Dont be put off by a gain though.

 

[WelshJojo]

Welshtigger is right. Your body does need to adjust, your metabolism would have dropped substantially in line with vlcd (congrats on the excellent weight loss by the way).

Slimming world is great, if i was you though, i would follow slimming world, but ease yourself into it, calorie count what you are eating and stop when you get to a certain level.

For example, if your VLCD was 600 calories, i would do slimming world but stop at a thousand calories every day (this could probably be achieved by not using syns or not having healthy extras), for a week or two, then move to 1200 calories for a week or so, and then you should be ok.

Dont be put off by a gain though.

Actually I disagree a little with whats been said. You shouldn't cut out syns or Healthy extras at all-as they're an integral part of the plan, but as was mentioned before, just keep your free foods low carb, and add things in gradually. The healthy extras are there to ensure you get enough fibre and calcium so are imperative

 

[GretaGrip]

Gaz is spot on I think. Gradually increase over a period of weeks to avoid a gain

You're welcome to come over and read my diary in the CD section- I managed to get to 9 stone and stopped CD at over 10 st so weight loss IS possible after coming off a VLCD. Anyway come and join us - loads of tips on there and we really understand the struggle

 

[Gallifreya]

Hi, thanks so much for all your helpful advice. I am sticking to the free/superfree foods just for the time being and only eating three times a day, to mimic what I was doing before. I plan on carefully introducing the other stuff along the way. I haven't touched the carbs yet, but have had a few berries and some fat-free yogurt for breakfasts. I did feel rather over-full after eating some cottage cheese salad for lunch yesterday and again after eating Quorn mince and vegetables for dinner (I'm a veggie). But I hopped on the scales this morning just to check and I was actually half a pound down, so all seems to be fine there. I was terrified of undoing all my good work, but I am starting to feel a bit more confident this morning. I hope I will enjoy Slimming World, because it seems like a very sensible eating plan that will show me how to make the most of my food without gaining weight.

 

[Mandlegrot]

I am sure once you get into the swing of it and your body is back eating food that it SHOULD be eating (like fruit, veg, carbs - all essential stuff!) then you will lose if you follow SW - watch your portion sizes and you'll be fine. VLCD are so unhealthy, you lose weight on them but it is not sustainable to live like that forever and I don't know one person who maintained once they reached target...if you deprive your body so long of fruit or carbs it can't deal with it. Same as me with meat - if I was to suddenly eat some meat it would make me quite ill as my body doesn't know how to process it anymore. SW will teach you about HEALTHY eating, about how to enjoy food, and not count or worry...get into the swing of it and you'll be right back on track with losses and a much healthier relationship with food. Good luck x

 

[gazter]

Actually I disagree a little with whats been said. You shouldn't cut out syns or Healthy extras at all-as they're an integral part of the plan, but as was mentioned before, just keep your free foods low carb, and add things in gradually. The healthy extras are there to ensure you get enough fibre and calcium so are imperative

we agree on the substantive point though, that your body will need to readjust. That big water based weight gain could put someone off, it would put me off, even though I know it's just water.

 

[Starlight]

I am sure once you get into the swing of it and your body is back eating food that it SHOULD be eating (like fruit, veg, carbs - all essential stuff!) then you will lose if you follow SW - watch your portion sizes and you'll be fine. VLCD are so unhealthy, you lose weight on them but it is not sustainable to live like that forever and I don't know one person who maintained once they reached target...if you deprive your body so long of fruit or carbs it can't deal with it. Same as me with meat - if I was to suddenly eat some meat it would make me quite ill as my body doesn't know how to process it anymore. SW will teach you about HEALTHY eating, about how to enjoy food, and not count or worry...get into the swing of it and you'll be right back on track with losses and a much healthier relationship with food. Good luck x

Vlcds are NOT unhealthy and you only need to look round the VLCD forums to see loads of people who've maintained. Just as you get loads of people restarting SW cos they've gained. Vlcds are an excellent method of weight loss you're not meant to be on one for ever though

 

[Starlight]

Gallifreya even if you do gain it'll only be the first week. I sts my first week on WW but this week I lost 6lbs

 

[GretaGrip]

Yes, that is true starlight.

Obviously NOBODY should view a VLCD as a long term option - that of course would be unhealthy. They're not meant to be followed forever though. And your risk of putting the weight back on is exactly the same as it is should you come off any 'diet' and return to your previous eating habits.

 

[Gallifreya]

GretaGrip and Starlight, I agree with you. My New You Plan VLCD was not unhealthy at all. All the food packs are nutritionally complete and we were strongly encouraged to drink plenty of water. I felt very healthy and full of vigour and found my hunger and appetite were greatly suppressed once in ketosis. I did the diet for twelve weeks, which is normally accepted as the maximum time to stay on such a diet before re-feeding again and the weight-loss during that time was fast and consistent. I broke for Christmas and went back on the plan again afterwards, but my daughter wanted to lose weight as well and she couldn't afford to buy the food replacement packs I was using. I also wanted to try 'flying solo' for a bit, just to see if I could handle healthy eating by myself, so I made the decision to come off my VLCD and join my daughter on Slimming World. She has a family and SW is very family-meal friendly. It used to be thought that fast weight-loss was a Bad Thing, but medical opinion has changed a lot on this now and there was even a very interesting Horizon programme about the beneficial effects of a ketogenic diet quite recently. I still have plenty of New You Plan packs left and if I find I don't get on with SW, I would have no hestitation whatsoever in going right back on it again. I lost three and a half stones quickly, easily and suffered no ill-effects whatsoever on the VLCD I followed. I can't comment on other VLCDs, as this is the only one I have ever done, but for me it was a very positive experience and I am a whole lot healthier now without the three and a half stones I lost.

 

[gazter]

GretaGrip and Starlight, I agree with you. My New You Plan VLCD was not unhealthy at all. All the food packs are nutritionally complete and we were strongly encouraged to drink plenty of water. I felt very healthy and full of vigour and found my hunger and appetite were greatly suppressed once in ketosis. I did the diet for twelve weeks, which is normally accepted as the maximum time to stay on such a diet before re-feeding again and the weight-loss during that time was fast and consistent. I broke for Christmas and went back on the plan again afterwards, but my daughter wanted to lose weight as well and she couldn't afford to buy the food replacement packs I was using. I also wanted to try 'flying solo' for a bit, just to see if I could handle healthy eating by myself, so I made the decision to come off my VLCD and join my daughter on Slimming World. She has a family and SW is very family-meal friendly. It used to be thought that fast weight-loss was a Bad Thing, but medical opinion has changed a lot on this now and there was even a very interesting Horizon programme about the beneficial effects of a ketogenic diet quite recently. I still have plenty of New You Plan packs left and if I find I don't get on with SW, I would have no hestitation whatsoever in going right back on it again. I lost three and a half stones quickly, easily and suffered no ill-effects whatsoever on the VLCD I followed. I can't comment on other VLCDs, as this is the only one I have ever done, but for me it was a very positive experience and I am a whole lot healthier now without the three and a half stones I lost.

The concerns I would have with a vlcd is that it is possible to be extremely successful on one, but not learn anything about healthy eating.

I think loads of people start diets, and only last two or three months, maybe vlcd are victims of their own success, in the sense that, after three months the difference is obvious, and the fall off the wagon back to the old weight is more obvious.

Rapid weight loss screws up your gallbladder also (it did mine).

 

[Starlight]

You can have gallbladder problems on any diet though. The worst case I've ever known was my pal who lost 7 stones on WW she's never been near a VLCD

 

[gazter]

You can have gallbladder problems on any diet though. The worst case I've ever known was my pal who lost 7 stones on WW she's never been near a VLCD

Yeah my gallbladder messed up, and obviously I'm on slimming world.

 

[Gallifreya]

The reason people often have gall bladder problems when dieting (on any diet) is because without sufficient fat in the diet, the bile duct doesn't open up to secrete the bile to process fat and as a result, gall stones can form in the inactive duct, so it could happen to anyone. Yes Gazter, not learning about healthy eating whilst on the VLCD is a concern, hence my desire to try SW, but what could be a better boost to your motivation, especially when you have a lot of weight to lose, than getting super-quick results? After that, what you do is all in your hands, just like any diet. You can choose to learn healthy eating by following a good healthy eating plan, (like SW), or you can go back to your bad habits. At the end of the day YOU are still in the driving seat. Unfortunately nobody can do that bit for you. The best of luck to everyone, however you choose to lose your weight