Thoughts on Diet Chef

[strider]

So im about to start this but im going to do my own version.

Some thoughts i have on diet chef and dieting.

1)The lookwhatwefound meals seem to be good, the ingredients list is simple, so i will be buying this from their own website.

2)the bars will have virtually no nutritional value as they are so processed, i dont see the point in these.

3) the milk shakes have no nutritional value or very little you can buy vitamin and mineral enhanced shake powders in tesco that are a fraction of the price. So why not have that. I dont see the point in having a milkshake that has no nutrition.

4) i like the soups from lookwhatwefound so will be buying those.

5) the cereal is untterly overpriced. you can make your own granola for a fraction of the price. personally i will be using allbran which will be arguably better than the granola they provide and a fraction of the price.

6) their diets dont come close to what they are meant to in terms of calorie and are lacking in nutrition, i aim to address this.
I like the overall idea of the diet chef diet and will be using the lookwhatwefound products. other than that i will be replacing the other nutrient sparse components for items that are healthier and in the case of the cereal, getting the same for a fraction of the price.
Nuts are added to add some essential fatty acids and id be taking an omega 3 supplement with it for obvious reasons.

So what would a days diet look like.

breakfast
100g of allbran (280 cals)
+skimmed milk around (100cals)

snack
apple or pear (60cals)

Lunch
Soup (180cals)

Snack
apple or pear + 30g mixed nuts (240cals)

Complan meal replacement drink or tesco own brand both fortified with vitamins and minerals (250cals)

Dinner
packet meal from lookwhatwefound (approx350 cals depending on meals)

Total
1460

To me this makes a ton more sense than their suggested diet. but its also based on their basic idea, which i like.

 

[Starlight]

I dont know Im always hestiant in messing with these things, although there may be no apparant nutritional value most of the VLCDs are carefully monitored and manufactured so youre getting everything you need. Id be very wary of doing a half diet.... IMO youre either doing one or youre not. By doing your own version you could be missing out on things which could in turn totally screw up your weight loss.

 

[Kitteh]

I got my stuff from diet chef and i just love them.. all of it.. i looove the soups.. the meals.. the granola.. and i love the banana bars..
i agree with sandy (starlight) they are made for reasons.. but obv as ou can buy the meals sep.. then you can do it sep.
x x

 

[strider]

appreciate the input.
Im not convinced the rest of the meals are nutritionally complete. A look at the ingredients sort of proves this.
What ive planned above has far more vitmins and minerals than what diet chef provides. on a low calorie diet this can only be a good thing in my opinion.
The problem i have is that i dont see where the nutrition is with diet chef. The only vitmins and minerals you get are from fruit and veg that you add on yourself, other than that there is nothing in any of it. you can see this in the ingredients list.
Though let me make this clear, im not saying dont buy diet chef, i think its OK, i just feel it can be better.
Its only my opinion but thought id share my thoughts on here.

 

[KD]

I can't see a problem with your adaption of the diet.

If it was a VLCD, then yes, but dietchef isn't. It's (supposedly) a low GI diet, with moderate calories.

It's not so hard to get the right vits and minerals on non-junk food over 1200 cals a day. I guess the beauty of dietchef is it's delivered and all worked out for you.

Your version of dietchef is basically a very healthy calorie controlled/low GI diet (though I'm not sure about the gi value of complan).

Sounds fine to me.

 

[strider]

Hi, thanks for your comments.
Complan will be high GI as it contains dextrose in a fairly high proportion.
However im not particularly bothered about this considering the calorie count. I dont think it will have much impact and dinner is always low GI.

I plan to do some exercise daily, just some walking, but this will be shortly after the complan drink. so this will take away any negative effects from the High GI complan..in theory.

I can't see a problem with your adaption of the diet.

If it was a VLCD, then yes, but dietchef isn't. It's (supposedly) a low GI diet, with moderate calories.

It's not so hard to get the right vits and minerals on non-junk food over 1200 cals a day. I guess the beauty of dietchef is it's delivered and all worked out for you.

Your version of dietchef is basically a very healthy calorie controlled/low GI diet (though I'm not sure about the gi value of complan).

Sounds fine to me.

 

[KD]

I think the selling point with Diet Chef is that it's all worked out for you. No need for the supermarket, no need to work out the calories. It's all done and that's what DC is all about really. That's brilliant for some folk.

You chose to pick out what you feel will work for you, and that's perfect. It's not diet chef though. More of a calorie controlled diet, using similar products that DC uses, but can be easily bought at Tescos. As it doesn't include the main principles of DC (worked out for you and delivered), then it's not diet chef at all.

But...it certainly sounds healthy enough and if it's a way that suits you, then go for it. Sounds a good plan to me

 

[Prinzessin]

Hi,
Just to add my input...I had to come off CD due to VB12 & Folate deficiency , also have been Anemic (caused by blood loss) in the past. On top of that I have an underactive thyroid!
Got my blood test results back about 30 mins ago at the docs.
Since being on the Diet Chef programme I now have normal VB12 & Folate levels.
I also fee like I have so much energy on this plan and in fact am doing more exercise than ever before
So, for me, I feel it is providing everything my body needs, typical day is ...
Breakfast
Granola 50g
Skimmed milk 125ml
Lunch
Meal packet eg Beef Casserole 300g
Broccoli/Carrot/Leek/Runner Bean (1 Heaped tbsp of each)
Dinner
Soup eg Mushroom
Snacks
Nakd bar x1
Apple x1

On top of that ...lots and lots of water
I think KD is right though, the ease of not having to shop is great, I get my fruit and veg from the greengrocers up the road, no more massive supermarkets, no more temptation! Im a huge fan of this diet because I have lost weight, feel energetic and really feel at last Im getting somewhere xxx

 

[strider]

Thats really cool, if its working for you then that is great, and good that your vitamin levels are sorted out.
I wanted to do CD before and the doctor advised me against it and told me he would never support such a diet due to the high number of medical issues he had seen with it such as what you had.
Which is fair enough and why i scrapped the idea.
I really do think diet chef is on to something, but obviously i have changed it and it is no longer diet chef, i guess i can say its inspired by diet chef.

Hi,
Just to add my input...I had to come off CD due to VB12 & Folate deficiency , also have been Anemic (caused by blood loss) in the past. On top of that I have an underactive thyroid!
Got my blood test results back about 30 mins ago at the docs.
Since being on the Diet Chef programme I now have normal VB12 & Folate levels.
I also fee like I have so much energy on this plan and in fact am doing more exercise than ever before
So, for me, I feel it is providing everything my body needs, typical day is ...
Breakfast
Granola 50g
Skimmed milk 125ml
Lunch
Meal packet eg Beef Casserole 300g
Broccoli/Carrot/Leek/Runner Bean (1 Heaped tbsp of each)
Dinner
Soup eg Mushroom
Snacks
Nakd bar x1
Apple x1

On top of that ...lots and lots of water
I think KD is right though, the ease of not having to shop is great, I get my fruit and veg from the greengrocers up the road, no more massive supermarkets, no more temptation! Im a huge fan of this diet because I have lost weight, feel energetic and really feel at last Im getting somewhere xxx

 

[KD]

I really do think diet chef is on to something, but obviously i have changed it and it is no longer diet chef, i guess i can say its inspired by diet chef.

Sounds good to me

 

[Prinzessin]

Totally agree
I think what you are doing is fab and I hope to play around with it a bit when I get a bit more weight off.
It certainly has taught me portion control and how to eat sensibly which I think is most peoples end goal.
I love the fact you have all bran...I miss that , I may do alternate days with that and the granola and see how I go, think I could use a bit more fibre xxx

 

[strider]

LOL yes the fibre issues was worrying me too. i was thinking im going NEED some allbran on this. tbh i will prob change the breakfast cereal around to get some variety in, so shreddies and shredded wheat and so on are in as well.
When i look at the diet i made, i made it for me and i know thre isnt a meal im going to not look forward to so there is more chance of sticking to it.

I might keep a bit of a log in here as well if thats ok, today is my first day. My meals havent arrived yet in the post but im going to use soup from tesco and a readymeal in the evening that is 540 cals which i bought.
So calories today will come to about 1700.
Will see how weight loss goes. is it ok to keep this a bit of a journal?
If so ill do a day one starting point thing.

Totally agree
I think what you are doing is fab and I hope to play around with it a bit when I get a bit more weight off.
It certainly has taught me portion control and how to eat sensibly which I think is most peoples end goal.
I love the fact you have all bran...I miss that , I may do alternate days with that and the granola and see how I go, think I could use a bit more fibre xxx

 

[CarolineM]

Did you not get the book that comes with the box?

You have two fruit and one veg a day in addition to the Diet Chef stuff.

I think the idea of the Granola is that it contains quite a few nuts, which are supposed to have type of fat that helps weightloss, etc. which you are having anyway as your afternoon snack.

I would question the GIness of the diet myself - I suppose overall, it is reasonable give or take the odd potato and some evil pasta (only thing I dislike so far).

 

[Prinzessin]

I do a diet chef diary on its on thread, think that its a good idea

LOL yes
the fibre issues was worrying me too. i was thinking im going NEED some allbran on this. tbh i will prob change the breakfast cereal around to get some variety in, so shreddies and shredded wheat and so on are in as well.
When i look at the diet i made, i made it for me and i know thre isnt a meal im going to not look forward to so there is more chance of sticking to it.

I might keep a bit of a log in here as well if thats ok, today is my first day. My meals havent arrived yet in the post but im going to use soup from tesco and a readymeal in the evening that is 540 cals which i bought.
So calories today will come to about 1700.
Will see how weight loss goes. is it ok to keep this a bit of a journal?
If so ill do a day one starting point thing.

 

[strider]

yeah ill make a thread for it i think, good stuff.

I do a diet chef diary on its on thread, think that its a good idea