Is this diet bad for your health?

[weasey]

Well - it's been great for my health! I started at 19 stone 4 lbs with type 2 diabetes for which I took 5 tablets, a statin and an asprin and my sugar was still out of control. I was unfit and starting to get other health issues to do with my weight. Today I am 11 stone 8 lbs and I don't take any medication for my diabetes, including the statins and asprin. I enjoy my exercise and am now quite fit. I have been maintaining my weight loss for over a year. I went for my yearly diabetes check up today and they told me that my long term blood sugar measure is the best result they have ever seen and that my bad colesterol level has had a huge improvement.

I also don't believe for a second that being in ketosis is bad for you. I did the diet for over 10 months and felt well and full of energy throughout. How can a natural situation like being in ketosis be bad for you? We didn't evolve in an environment where carbs were everywhere and available in anything like the quantities they are to us now. We evolved to spend periods of time in ketosis.

So who can possibly say that this diet is unhealthy?

 

[joyous_one]

I think that there's an issue with gallstones as there can be pressure on your gall bladder on this diet. But I think the fact that you're having 100% of your vitamins and minerals every day can only be healthy!! I think long term it's not a great solution, but for a short limited term it's AMAZING!! Great for you I think too!

Well done on your results! Esp with the Diabetes! That's some accomplishment

 

[Starlight]

You can get gallstones on any diet not just a vlcd though

 

[Hopingtobesmallersoon]

Amazin results Weasey and great to know that your kind of massive success is out there with this diet.... but I do think that is the key word. This is a diet, all be it a VLCD, it is not a weigh of life. I also think that what your doing now, to get back to your goal is what a lot of people do. (I work with a lady who lost just under 9stone with a frp's and she maintains that, by setting a maximum weight in her head and when ever she hits that, she goes back onto the programme for a few weeks, comes down to her lowest ideal weight and then eats again. Accross a 12mth period, I think she is on the programme for about 8/15wks, depending on holidays etc)
Weight loss is acheivable, but maintanace is difficult. Especially after this kind of diet, where food is almost completely removed. I did Cambridge in the 'year off' I've had, because I thought that the consultant and refeed programme with the support would be easier than trying to go it alone. But I found I succeeded quicker on my own on S&S, with online support from S&S and here on minimins when ever I wanted it. I never managed to loose much more than a stone with Cambridge and the same with Slimming World; eating. However, this time. Once I hit my goal, I think I'll be looking for a re-feed programme which includes me staying in ketosis....

 

[weasey]

I agree that this is a diet and shouldn't be a way of life. After I hit goal I struggled for quite a long time trying to work out how to maintain. From June 2012 to November 2012 I put on 2 stone. Since then I maintained and I have now worked out a method for maintaining which works really well for me - but it took a long time and was tough to find. I think the journey was more important than where I ended up. I now know I can maintain but I'm still heavier than I want to be. I don't want to get back to my lowest weight as that was too low and so I am aiming to be 11 stone. I have come back on the diet to lose the extra stone and then I intend to maintain at that weight through conventional food and exercise, as I was before.

 

[Hopingtobesmallersoon]

Sounds like a good plan Weasy, good luck with it x