Quick question (or two)....

[SlimMrsJ]

Hi everyone,

I've just started week 2 of CD on SS+ and was wondering about a couple of things as I've dabbled in so many other diets before that I'm now getting confused. The principle behind weight loss on CD is that you cut out carbs and go into ketosis and then your body burns excess fat right? But
1. Why can we not just eat our fill of veg or protein and still lose weight like on the Atkins diet?
2. Why is fruit bad, other than the associated water retention caused by citric acid when it's classed as a "free" food on programmes such as Weightwatchers?
3. How about the theory that when you don't eat, your body goes into starvation mode and conserves energy meaning that you're less likely to actually burn up your fat stores?
I'm sure it all makes sense but am a bit muddled at the mo so could someone please clarify for me?! Thanks!!

P.S I've also wondered how you could eat as many carbs as you liked on a green day with Slimming World and still lose weight!

 

[Taronga Leela]

Congratulations on your 2nd week and your weight loss

I can only answer the carbohydrate questions based on the biology degree I studied.

Fruit, amongst other things contain sugar which is a carbohydrate (fructose) and obviously isn't allowed on CD. This and the citric acid contained within it will not induce ketosis so rendering the diet useless

I think on SW and WW, you do not limit carbohydrate intake as significantly as you would on CD or LL, therefore you wouldn't be using ketosis as the method of weight loss; it would be down to a fat: protein:carbohydrate ratio. So balancing and reducing your calorie intake is responsible for weight loss, not the body's mechanism for buring fat for energy.

This is what I can make sense of the various diets, but as always I could be totally wrong, so if I'm wrong please say so

 

[hopefulslimmer]

Hey SlimMrsJ,

I agree with NurseBex about the fruit as it contains sugars which are simple Carbohydrates?

The reason you cannot just eat as many of the veg as you want is because this is a very low calorie diet. They have calculated the amounts of protein and veg we require within this diet so we can lose the optimum amount of weight. If you start adding more veg you are in turn adding more calories which can slow down your weight loss.

Your body won't go into starvation mode if you continue to have your 3 packs a day which provide you with all the vitamins and nutrients you need on a day to day basis. If you stop consuming your packs you will not have the necessary nutrients and your body will think that you are starving and will hold onto whatever it needs.

The last question I can't answer as I don't have a clue

Hope that helps!

 

[Hedgehog]

You need to remember that this diet is made up completely differently to other diets you have tried before and trying to make comparisons with them is not a good idea.

1. Why can we not just eat our fill of veg or protein and still lose weight like on the Atkins diet? The diet is specifically designed to maximise losses with low calories and full vitamins / minerals RDA and just enough protein and carbs to ensure ketosis, and prevent loss of lean body tissue. Even though it induces ketosis, this diet is not atkins or in any way high protein. The protein that is allowed in SS+ and 790/810 is quite limited to ensure low fat / low salt consumption

2. Why is fruit bad, other than the associated water retention caused by citric acid when it's classed as a "free" food on programmes such as Weightwatchers? Fruit is not just prevented due to citric acid content, it is prevented due to the sugar therefore carb contents of fruit which would effect ketosis far quicker than the citric acid. Fruit is either severely restricted or not allowed on Atkins either. Again WW is a completely different programme, its not trying to achieve ketosis either so there are no foods restricted and comprisons cannot really be made.

3. How about the theory that when you don't eat, your body goes into starvation mode and conserves energy meaning that you're less likely to actually burn up your fat stores? That theory is true, because generally when you dont eat much you are not getting enough protein or carbs and vitamins and minerals, so your body reacts and conserves as much as it can and slows down your metabolic rate to the bear minimum. But CD have designed the meal replacements to ensured you have exactly what you need to prevent your body from thinking it is being deprived of what it needs which stimulating ketosis to get the body working to burn fat rather than conserve it

 

[SlimMrsJ]

Thanks for the insight guys, it's been very helpful!