Wanted - CD Counsellors / Medical experts / "Know it all's" ;o)

Chardonnay

Full Member
Hi Guys

Some of you may recognise me from way back when. I have been visiting this website and before that DH on and off for nearly 3 years now :eek:!

I managed to loose 4 stone on LL and then got married and it all piled back on. I have since restarted this diet so many times I can't even remember!

I re-started again on 7 August doing the 790 plan and am doing really well - 18lbs down so far. Something seems to have clicked. I am not counting how many days I have done and don't want to know, I am just getting on with it. I started the gym on Wednesday 8 August which gave me a massive mental boost of getting fit and loosing weight.

I have been waiting to see a personal trainer to work out my fitness programme for me since joining on 7 August.

I went to see him last night and he was about to start working out a 12 week plan for me and said to me not to expect to loose too much weight in that 12 week period. I then said it was a good time to explain to him that I am on a VLCD and am only taking in approximately 790 calories a day.

At this point he goes into a spiel about how dangerous it is and that I will be burning muscle before fat when I am working out. He also said I will loose lean body tissue and bone density which obviously has a risk of osteoporosis!

I explained to him that I had done a lot of research into this diet and I trust what I have been told and read and this is the diet I am doing. At this point he closes the booklet and says “Well, in that case I am not prepared to train you, I think this diet is dangerous and I don’t agree with it”.

Of course I was flabbergasted and went on to explain that my doctor was originally the one who recommended LighterLife and explained the diet a bit more to him. In the end we came to a compromise and he said he would do all my health checks and if he was happy with that he would do me a plan and they would have to keep an eye on me on a regular basis. He said that I would be extremely tired after his work out (and I have been over the past couple of weeks with normal cardiovascular exercise) and that I will feel light headed and giddy.

He has also asked me to go back to my doctor to make sure that they are happy for me to exercise along with this diet. And he said the amount of walking I do a day should be plenty for the amount of calories I am taking in.


He also gave me a very valid reason as to why he is against diets like this, Atkins (well, all diets that arn't health eating) and I can totally understand his reservations.

Of course I have done a lot of research into this diet but I have never heard of loosing bone density before? I am going to research into it a bit at lunch time. I could not think of any medical facts to counter his claims.

Please can someone out there give me some advice? My husband has tried to help… but having never had a problem with his weight or ever been on a diet he recons I should follow the personal trainer’s advice and quit the diet and just do exercise and healthy eating. I have tried that so many times!!! The more people are telling me not to do the diet the harder I am sticking my heels in but I really need some probable facts to counter the argument.

Shall I keep going to the gym or wait until I am at a happy weight???

Every response is much appreciated!

Thank you for reading!

Char xx
 
Hi Chardonnay

I found this statement on the following website. I'm no expert but seems to be a logical explanation and nothing to be concerned about. VLCD

Georgie
x

Bone density: It is clear that, as could be logically expected, there is a direct relationship between bone density and body weight. It is largely the strains on the bones that determines their density. That is why elephants have thick bones and orthodontists are able to move teeth. Whether weight is lost intentionally (by whatever means) or unintentionally, the bone density is reduced roughly in proportion to the loss of weight. Bone density is increased with increasing weight and reduced proportionately with weight loss.
 
Hi Girls

Thank you very much for your responses. I have been busy at work and have not had time to read through the thread that you sent Jo, but I will try to do so this evening.

I saw my counsellor last night and she was very annoyed at the gym instructor for putting me off the diet & exercise so much. She has given me loads of literature to give to him as he obviously does not know about this diet.

The only think I am concerned about is that he is going to be of the view "you will put it all back on as soon as you start eating again" which is what he kept ON and ON saying to me when I saw him on Wednesday night. And it is dangerous blah blah...

I am not going to get him to do me a fitness plan but I am going to continue going to the gym, doing the cross-trainer and some weights. I am not going to kill myself but don't want to end up with baggy skin after loosing all this blub.

Thank you all again!

Love Char xx
 
Hiya girls...

Sorry, one more question... I am absolutely exhausted at the moment... Do you think it could be the diet and exercise combined?

x
 
Hi Char,

I have been on SS for just over 4 months now. I was a regular gym goer before I started and the CD literature does say that if you are already exercising before you start the diet then it is ok to continue once you are settled in SS and ketosis and I have read about lots of ladies on here who SS and gym regularly side by side with no issues.

Personally, I found that SS + gym for me was not a good combination and left me feeling really wiped/lethargic (dehydration was not to blame either in my case) and as such I decided to give the gym a break while I completed the majority of my weight loss. Now I am nearing goal I am back at the gym and starting to re-introduce very mild exercise that I will build up as I start to move up through the plans.

At the end of the day everyone is an individual and you might find for you SS+ your usual gym routine does not work for you - I have read quite a few posts on here which suggest avoiding intense cardio workouts and giving gentler exercise like swimming, walking, cycling, yoga and pilates a go.

I hope you find a balance that works for you :)
 
Hi Char

As long as you listen to your body I really don't see a problem with it. One of the long term effects of exercise on bones is increased calcium deposits, bone density and strength - is he trying to deprive you of this. Everyone has opinions regarding these diets and he has every right to voice his concerns but not to force his opinions on you!

Ails xx
 
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