VCLD - Pros & Cons

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rusticblonde

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Hi guys

need some opinons people! Ive heard so much about these VLCD diets that they kinda put me off them. The side effects i have read kinda scared me!

Whats your opinions and what works for you? Im considering doing a VLCD however i dont fancy giving myself permanent damage by doing it!

Your comments are appreciated.
K x
 
Are you talking about for instance Lighterlife? I know people who have done really well on that, come off it and then piled on the pounds... kinda scares me. As well the CD... aint that a VLCD? Also the above situation for that.
I think the monitary input towards some of these is quite high, particularly LL...

any thoughts?
 
rusticblonde said:
Are you talking about for instance Lighterlife? I know people who have done really well on that, come off it and then piled on the pounds... kinda scares me. As well the CD... aint that a VLCD? Also the above situation for that.
I think the monitary input towards some of these is quite high, particularly LL...

any thoughts?

It doesn't matter what 'diet' you do, if you go back to your old eating habits you are going to become the 'old' you again!

A diet is just that. You need to change your eating habits forever to stay slim!

Sadly most people don't change their eating habits which is what gives yoyo dieting its name!!
 
It doesn't matter what 'diet' you do, if you go back to your old eating habits you are going to become the 'old' you again!

A diet is just that. You need to change your eating habits forever to stay slim!

Sadly most people don't change their eating habits which is what gives yoyo dieting its name!!

I think thats kinda what happens, hence why its put me off the VLCD option :confused:
 
Starlight said:
But if you go to SW or WW forums you'll see people there who lost weight and put it back on too.

Exactly I'm one of them!! Lost all my weight slowly on ww and piled it back on quickly! This time I am adamant to lose the weight quickly then re feed properly and calorie count from then on. I don't want to be on a diet for the rest of my life! Exercise is a part of my daily life now and hopefully calorie counting will mean I can eat a little bit of whatever I fancy!

No ones perfect everyone gains a 1lb or 2 but it whether you keep on top of it or let it slide out of control again!!
 
The fact is that unless you make substantial and permanent lifestyle changes after a diet, you will put the weight back on - no matter what diet and no matter how long it takes to lose the weight.

Lighter Life is the best thing I've ever done. By removing food and by doing the CBT element, I'm actually dealing with the emotional/psychological reasons that I've got to where I am. I've never had that with any other diet and I've stuck to this 100% much longer than I've ever done on diets that focused on the food you ate.
 
I am guilty of the piling weight on trick - but I piled it on before I did a diet so - it's not because of the VLCD - it's down to me!

I am close to completing my second long term attempt at a VLCD - this time however I did a lot of the head work before I started the diet, I sorted my life out rather than expecting weight loss to be the solution.

VLCDs can and do have weird side effects though so they must be followed according to the advice given by Cambridge or LL. I have just done an 810 week afer 12 weeks of dieting - that's changed in the last few years. Also people who have never read the official literature are very quick to jump in with the tabloid horror stories. The other sad thing about Minis is that once people manage their weight and don't need people to talk to about their crazy diet who will understand and they are keeping within a healthy BMI then they sort of disappear - that's why Minis seems to be full of failed first time rounders...if you're successful you need Minis less and less and soon drift off. If you shout loud enough occasionally one of the maintainers will come back and show you their incredible pics!
 
I totally agree with all the comments put up here guys.

I know couple of people who have done the LL diet. One of them is keeping it off and he looks absolutely amazing! He werent fat to be fair, he was just chubby!! But the guy has lost aload and toned up, however he kinda looking like a lollipop head..... little bit gaunt for his frame. However i will not deny his pheonomical weight loss.

However on the flip side i saw another one of the woman who did it and lost so much and looked fab. She came off it and now seems to have gained weight again..... i guess i would be scared of going down that route hence doing a more adaptable diet that i feel i have control over... :p
 
I think the point others are making is that regardless of whether you are doing a diet you can control as you put it, which I would imagine you are talking about calorie counting, or a VLCD, when you get to goal, regardless of the method which you chose to lose weight, you will put weight back on regardless if you go back to the way you were eating.

You mention people losing on a VLCD, one who has maintained and one who hasn't.

There are people in the exact same position who have lost via weightwatchers, slimming world or other calorie controlled diet.

Maintaining isn't about the way you lost weight, it's about ensuring you have a heathy balanced diet after you get to goal. And you aren't guaranteed to have that by following a calorie controlled diet during your diet in the first place.
 
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Im just hoping this one works for me!
 
I think i also need to find the will power :)
 
rusticblonde said:
I think i also need to find the will power :)

Meh don't we all ;-)
 
Meh don't we all ;-)

Im hoping today will be the day! Im on Green day today! So going to stuff myself at lunch with veg and a potato :)
 
Pros
1.You lose weight very quickly
2. Nutritionally complete
3. You will get the benefit of being in fat burning ketosis mode with many of the VLCD's on offer, and ketosis helps curb appetite and cravings.
4. Can actually be cheaper than buying food, but you will probably have to commit to a months supply.

Cons
1. Requires superhuman willpower, certainly after day 3 unless Ketosis has kicked in.
2. Initial weight loss will include a certain amount of fluid loss. Initial losses can be as much as 10lbs, and when this doesnt happen week after week, people can get discouraged. Expect weight losses to settle at around 2lb to 3lb a week longer term, if you cant accept that then you are going to be dissapointed.
3. Expect some amount of weight gain after coming off it, no matter how good you are. This will be the body replacing fluids and glycogen.
4. The initial weight gain after coming off can lead you to believing that its a given you will gain all the weight back. Not true if you are sensible and make permanent changes to your previous bad eating habits.
5. If you dont change your eating habits, you will gain all the weight back. That actually applies to any diet, but VLCD's seem to have the worst reputation for it, unfairly really.
 
Its all about cuase and effect, many people eat for varying reasons, my eating was because of stress and unhappiness, comfort eating which in the short term did make me feel better but in the longterm resulted in weightgain and vastly contributed to the problem. I don't eat for comfort anymore as I reconised that the shortterm benefits of eating those kinds of food wasn't worth the long term damage I was doing to my body and my health. I lost my first two stone with CD but it was difficult to do exercise as it made me hungry, I wanted to protect my muscle mass and make sure that I lost fat, So I work daily to my goal of a thin and toned body, I exercise 5 days a week and eat nutricious foods, I don't touch cakes or chocolate now. I have had many a disheartening time, and unhappiness but instead of eating I tend now to lose my appetite completely which is strange for me. I seem to be doing well with excess and skin and see that I will be left with less than I thought. Portion control is a must, as well as choosing foods that will fill you up for longer as in low GI foods like brown rice and wholemeal bread etc. No diets are a quick fix. You have to change the way you think about food. Good Luck
 
Stuff!?

Im hoping today will be the day! Im on Green day today! So going to stuff myself at lunch with veg and a potato :)

Rusticblonde - I hope you take this with all the best intentions but what you wrote jumped out at me and I thought 'oh dear'. I think you also need to sort out the emotional side to eating - 'going to stuff myself' is not a good language pattern to have about food, and if you have thoughts about 'stuffing yourself' you'll continue to do just that.

Good luck on the VLCD. x
 
Rusticblonde - I hope you take this with all the best intentions but what you wrote jumped out at me and I thought 'oh dear'. I think you also need to sort out the emotional side to eating - 'going to stuff myself' is not a good language pattern to have about food, and if you have thoughts about 'stuffing yourself' you'll continue to do just that.

Good luck on the VLCD. x

It appears the VLCD has been abandoned in favour of SW but I do agree - the 'stuffing' aspect is probably what got most of us here in the first place.

Personally thats why SW just never worked for me
 
VLCD Do Work

VLCD do work initially, but keeping it off is upto you.

Losing a lot of weight isn't a license to pig out once you've reached your goal.

Prescribe VLCD are safe as they are nutritionally balanced will all your body's requirements.

Once you reach your goal continue to eat sensibily and make sure that exercise is part of your lifestyle.

Christi69:flirt2:
 
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