Newbie "Hello!" and a question

[Mhara]

Hi everyone! Well, I've spent far too much of the weekend reading lots of your fabulous and inspirational stories and comments and feel ready to take the plunge and join in. I'm getting married in October and I'm determined not to walk up the aisle in a lacy barrage balloon!

I've ordered samples and will have a go of those first and try to eat low carb then until I get my first packs.

I have a question though for those of you who have been/plan to be on sns for a few months - what do you do around the 12 week breaks? Do you go low carb, or just eat normally or ? Seems a bit puzzling to come off plan for 2 weeks every 3 months, can anyone explain this to me please?

Thanks very much!

 

[MiniMoosh]

Hi hi! Low carbing till you start is such a good idea, I did that and had none of the symptoms other people have mentioned. The 12 week break is, I believe, there because of govt guidlines for VLCDs, as we are not being monitered doing this then they have to recommend it. I've seen people on here who didn't do it, some who add milk for a week, and some like me who have little 'off-plan' days every now and then. I don't intend to do the break weeks, I will make sure that week I have the protein meal each day instead of pack 4 but I do that quite often.

Good luck!

 

[azlan]

Hi Mhara - sorry I can't answer your question (only been on S&S a week meself) but I just want to welcome you and S&S rocks!!

 

[azlan]

I was curious so googled it and the NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence​

) guidelines say:
Very-low-calorie diets (less than 1000 kcal/day) may be used for a maximum of 12 weeks continuously, or intermittently with a low-calorie diet (for example for 2–4 days a week), by people who are obese and have reached a plateau in weight loss.
And
Any diet of less than 600 kcal/day should be used only under clinical supervision (!!)

 

[Mhara]

Okay, that makes sense, thanks. Be a while yet before I need to think about that anyway.

Another daft question - is unsweetened soya okay instead of dairy?

 

[Hooked]

is it soya milk you are thinking of? I would check the carb and calorie comparison to skimmed milk. I keep meaning to but haven't yet!

oh and welcome 12 weeks will come round before you know it so I thinks it is good to plan and be prepared rather than risk the temptation of everyday food. In an ideal world I would low carb but I am veggie and my system can no longer handle fat so I think it will be more a low fat/gi approach I will need to take.

I am also planning a meal out with family that week so its something to look forward to rather than Dred iyswim?

 

[Mhara]

Thanks Hooked, yes I did mean milk. I'm veggie too, but have been okay with low-carb in the past, so may try lowish cal-low carb, but it's that not easy to do as a veggie, as you say.