Do it yourself or homemade VLCDs.

[Pierce]

Hi Everybody,

We have noted the growing trend in homemade VLCD's. While MiniMins is open to all diets, we do have to have certain restrictions on what diet routines can be posted on the site. We have to do this as we do not want to allow these diets on the site, as by doing so we feel that we may be giving out the wrong signals and encouraging people to participate in potentially dangerous diets.

Any diet 800 calories and below per day must be a sanctioned product like that of Cambridge Diet, Lipotrim, Lighter Life, etc, etc.

Pierce

 

[LeaE]

yeah thats a good point and ppl really need to e careful x be slim but be safe ppl x

 

[Amber Star]

That's scary that some people think its ok to do DIY vlcds

 

[BrownSugarDolly]

I totally understand why minimins would do this. lighter life, Cambridge diet and lipotrim insure that dieters get a healthy balance of nutrients are supported by doctors and/or councillors

 

[WelshJojo]

It's also a concern as to how many people post to say they're doing such and such a plan, but they'll only have 3 packs in stead of 4 etc! Surely if these plans were safe to do with the reduced number of packs, then they would be sold that way

Sent from Jo's iPhone using MiniMins

 

[natwee]

sorry if this is a stupid question but whats a vlcd?

 

[Starlight]

A Very Low Calorie Diet, things like Cambridge, Exante, Slim & Save which are meal replacements where you have around 500/600 kcals a day. Diets like these are carefully constructed so theyre safe but a lot of people think they can make up their own VLCDs and get the same results, theyre the ones we dont allow

 

[louisejane]

Definitely need to slim safely x

 

[amberelle]

Doing your own under 800 cal a day diet, is what doctors would refer to as anorexia.

 

[Jo Jo]

Far too less calories for me,I'd be hungry all day ! X

 

[Petitemaman]

it is a good thing that it is not allowed one has to keep it safe when dieting

 

[cchike]

I wouldn't even know where to start to make up my own VLCD.. Although I want to loose weight and be thinner I don't want to put my health at risk!!

 

[Bourke's Girl]

The shakes are designed to pack in vitamins and minerals. A home made version just isn't going to be enough nutrition.

 

[Beverley8603]

Help! My appetite has been getting the better of me for the last 5 years or so. I lost some wight with ww but not enough. I have bought Tesco Ultra slim shakes and am on the first day. These are mixed up with 250mls skimmed milk for 2 meals a day. I am supposed to have one proper meal which I shall have tonight. Plus 2 snacks of fruit a day. I have calculated that it will come out at under 1000 cals per day if I don't go beserk with dinner. We have loads of home grown veg and salad.

Has anyone else tried Tesco own? The shakes contain protein, carbs and massed of vitamins and minerals. As I type this I am feeling a little hungry but keep drinking water which helps.

 

[Allie2014]

The only thing that makes me think I can get through a VLCD is the knowledge that I am getting all the nutrition I need. I don't know how anyone could stick to a homemade one....

 

[MissClara]

Thank you for explaining i did know neither

 

[gingerninja]

I'm on Slim & Save and have no plans to DIY as I chose this diet so that I wouldn't have to think about what I was eating too much! I have my family to cook for, so don't want the added stress and hassle of weighing, measuring and cooking my own separate meals.

However, I do not understand the rationale of so many of you to suggest that a DIY VLCD would be nutrient deficient? On what basis do you say this and where is your evidence? It's actually pretty easy to work out your RDA (Recommended dietary allowance). It's published on every pack of multivitamin, cereal packet and health website imaginable. You can take 100% RDA multivitamins, along with something like krill oil for your omega's if you wish. All you would need to add then would be 46-56 grams of protein a day (depending on your gender) and however much fibre you need to have healthy bowels. If you chose to do that by eating a variety of low carb vegetables than I fail to see how there would be any risk of nutritional deficiency.

The thing I don't like about Slim & Save, Xante, Lighter Life, Cambridge etc is the ingredients list. I am used to eating home cooked whole foods and the contents of all these commercial VLCD are chemical. So I can actually understand why someone who believed that whole, fresh, organic foods were better for them than chemicals, but who also wanted to follow a VLCD might want to create their own. There are studies to support the efficacy of VLCD for obese people after all.

I would also like to add that choosing to create your own VLCD would not = anorexia. Having treated patients with anorexia I can tell you with absolute certainty that the diagnostic criteria is not about how many calories you eat! It's about your thought process, behaviour and BMI. You can google the diagnostic criteria for anorexia, don't take my word for it.

Admittedly, on the internet, you can not always know what someone is like in real life, or if they are genuine about who they are and what motivates them. There are many websites that try to advocate eating disorders and people with eating disorders who wish to support each other to maintain that illness. I can imagine that someone like that could sneak under the radar here if any old VLCD were allowed and I respect the boundary the forum admins have taken in this respect. I think it's much safer to exclude that type of diet than risk accidentally providing a platform for someone's eating disorder.

However, that doesn't mean that a DIY VLCD would necessarily be unhealthy or difficult, and it doesn't mean all people choosing that way of eating might be suffering from an eating disorder. I just imagine it would be very hard for the moderators of this group to be able to ascertain one way or another and legally, it could lead to some murky water. At least with the commercial VLCD's the people following them have agreed that they are not suffering from an eating disorder and that they have contacted their GP tin order to start the programme. Therefore if something bad did happen to someone, the legal issues would be with the commercial VLCD provider, the GP and the person (rather than the administrators of this forum).

 

[Starlight]

With respect youre new to this forum and havent seen some of the diets people have proposed. Many people think eating under 600 kcals a day is fine whatever makes up the kcals. Thats the diy vlcd being rrfetred to its amazing how many people think cos a comnercial vlcd is around 600kcals then just eating 600kcals of anything will have the same result!! You get someone suggest something ridiculous and before you know it other people are jumping on the bandwagon.
We don't have the resources to check everu diy vlcd as to whether its safe etc nor the nutritional qualifications needed.

Therefore no diy vlcds or fad diets, like the grapefruit or cabbage diet are allowed either

We dont have a lot of rules on the site but this is one we do have

 

[gingerninja]

With respect youre new to this forum and havent seen some of the diets people have proposed. Many people think eating under 600 kcals a day is fine whatever makes up the kcals. Thats the diy vlcd being rrfetred to its amazing how many people think cos a comnercial vlcd is around 600kcals then just eating 600kcals of anything will have the same result!! You get someone suggest something ridiculous and before you know it other people are jumping on the bandwagon.
We don't have the resources to check everu diy vlcd as to whether its safe etc nor the nutritional qualifications needed.

Therefore no diy vlcds or fad diets, like the grapefruit or cabbage diet are allowed either

We dont have a lot of rules on the site but this is one we do have

Isn't that exactly what I said though?

I understand 100% that it would get pretty dodgy to have VLCD on a forum such as this, on many levels it would be open to abuse...and made a point of saying that I 100% understood and agreed with that.

But some in this thread said homemade VLCD were equal to anorexia (which is not true), that it would negate adequate nutrition (not necessarily true) and that it was dangerous (not necessarily true). I have no doubt that some extreme people without the intellect to understand nutrition could do themselves (and others) great harm creating their own VLCD's. In general it would be much safer and healthier for the majority of people to follow a recognised commercial plan. But that doesn't change the fact that someone with a decent intellect and ability to google RDA and basic nutrition could easily create their own VLCD and that they needn't have an eating disorder, become unwell, nurtitionally deficient or be crazy to do so (which is what the vibe is on some of these comments).

From what I am seeing of the various facebook groups and forums for VLCD diets, in general, people seem to find it hard enough to follow a VLCD at the best of times and doing a DIY one would be even harder so I am in no way advocating DIY VLCD just saying that i'm sure there are some perfectly rationale and mentally healthy people out there, capable of following their own VLCD and whilst they can't join this forum (for extremely valid reasons) we ought not put the idea out there that all people following a DIY VLCD are dangerous mentalists!

It is also worth considering that there are supposedly "normal" ways of eating that are without doubt extremely dangerous. Junk food addicts, people who live on bread etc, (I know some elderly people who only eat tea and toast!!) who are getting nowhere near the adequate nutrition they need. There are many who would say that the Standard American Diet is mostly nutritionally deficient and causing an epidemic of serious health problems.

 

[Mini]

Isn't that exactly what I said though?



From what I am seeing of the various facebook groups and forums for VLCD diets, in general, people seem to find it hard enough to follow a VLCD at the best of times and doing a DIY one would be even harder so I am in no way advocating DIY VLCD

You have summed up the general consensus as to why home made VLCD'S are dangerous as people find it difficult enough to follow a commercial approved VLCD and that doing your own DIY VLCD would take a lot of commitment and research to make sure you had the right balance of protein, vitamins, minerals, trace elements, fat, fibre etc.

just saying that i'm sure there are some perfectly rationale and mentally healthy people out there, capable of following their own VLCD

Our position is that we don't allow homemade VLCD's under 800 as for the reasons already stated and also for the same conclusions you yourself arrived at.

and whilst they can't join this forum (for extremely valid reasons) we ought not put the idea out there that all people following a DIY VLCD are dangerous mentalists!

They are your words and your own conclusions which you are entitled to but they are not representative or even close to what has been said on this thread...this thread is about the concern and welfare of our members on this forum and a warning about the dangers of doing a homemade VLCD under 800 calories.

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