My VLCD/5:2 Experiment

So, I've decided to bring my VLCD week forward a week - feel in the right frame of mind for it. Have kept all but a pound of the first VLCD loss off, so I'm hoping to do the same this time. I'd really love to see the 18 stones in the next week so we shall see! I may do a day or two more if i'm not there by the end of the week. Delighted it seems to be working though! So seven days to go - the last VLCD week was really hard work, so we shall see if this one is any more bearable - unlikely i know - I'm already hungry!!
 
Hi JuJu, just been reading your thread and interested to see how you get on.

I've been doing VLCD since 1 July and to be honest it's been the easiest diet to stick with that I have ever done... and believe me I've tried them all!! Started at just short of 24 stones and have so far lost just over 4 and a half stones. The first week is really hard and a long week because it is hard, but once you are in ketosis it really is easy to stick with.

I think I would find it really hard to go through that again once every 3 weeks. Have you thought about doing your VLCD week but then just carrying it on as long as you can, or just to see if it does get easier for you? I'm doing Exante and they have a good range if bars, shakes and meals so plenty of variety. I'm not much of a drinker anyway so that's not been hard to stop, but do love to socialise but I've managed to just choose low carb, normally a chicken salad or similar.

Before this I would never have thought I could do a VLCD as love my food and love the feeling of eating and feeling full, but ketosis does something to you that stops cravings... I love it! I am hoping to be at my goal weight of just under 13 stones by June next year.

Let me know how you get on. I know what it's like when you have a lot to lose, it feels like a mammoth task that will take forever! For me I want it to be over ASAP then will use 5:2 to maintain.

x
 
Hi Sparkley! Thanks for your post and congrats on your weightloss so far - you've done really well! I have done VLCD for two long stretches - I originally lost 6 stone on the Cambridge diet, then put it back on within about 3 years, then lost 6 stone again on Lighterlife and then put it all again within a year. I agree that VLCD is one of the easiest diets, when you're in ketosis you just become disinterested in food. I definitely lost loads of weight and quickly. But could I keep it off? No. I'm not saying that's the case for everyone, I know people who have lost loads and managed it - my best friend lost 11 stone and managed to keep most of it off. But for me i find it incredibly difficult to keep it off. I also find doing VLCD for a long stretch of time doesn't help me psychologically. I suffer from depression and anxiety attacks and by stopping eating completely I become very anxious around food when I start eating again. What I'm trying to do is teach myself to maintain whilst giving myself blocks of time to lose weight because I am very overweight and it is actually making my health suffer too. I'm feeling quite motivated at the moment and to be honest, the time scale doesn't bother me so we shall see how it goes - keep me up to date with your progress too! xx
 
Ah, I see. It is so hard isn't it? Losing it in some ways is the easy part, it's keeping it off that's the biggest battle.

I lost 11 stones with WW about 15 years ago and kept it off for a couple of years but my weight gradually crept back up, even though I vowed I would never let it! I think when you are pretty big you find your weight can fluctuate a lot from one day to the next anyway, so when I was weighing myself each month and being a couple of lbs heavier I considered that good and felt I was maintaining. However those 2lbs a month then become 2 stones a year and in the end I was back where I started.

This time I'm hoping I've learnt my lesson and already planning strategies to keep my weight off. Have been doing a lot more exercise this time round and finding I now enjoy it and can see the results which is motivating.

Here's to us both, however we do it, getting there and staying there this time round!

Will keep checking in to see how you're getting on JuJu xx
 
1.5 days done - 5.5 to go! Definitely feeling easier than last time. Hopefully it will carry on that way.
 
Day 4 and all is well. Tired and not enjoying the 'death breath' ketosis brings but the weight is going down ..... Will keep Going until Saturday morning and if I'm not in the 18s by then I might carry on a couple more days until I see 18.12 so I'm comfortably there.
 
Ugh. Day 5. Fed up. Lost no weight yesterday, (I'm a dreadful serial weigher) Must keep
going .....
 
Hey Ju,

Glad you're finding it a bit easier this time round. How you feeling today? It's annoying the scales didn't move today but guess you can't expect losses every day even though it's frustrating. Keep at it though, you're doung great - I'm impressed you barely gained any back when you had your little 5:2 stretch :)

X
 
Well I'm on day 7 and weighing in at 19.4 currently. That's only a 4lb loss when last time was 9! I think I'm going to carry on over the weekend to see if I lose another pound or two and then re evaluate on Monday if I want to lose any more before going back to 5:2
 
So after another week of VLCD I've lost 7lbs! Overall it means I've lost 13lbs in the last month. If I can manage 7lbs a month from now on I'll be happy. I was considering carrying on vlcding for a few more days but it was making me utterly miserable so I've decided to stick to the plan and accept the next vlcd week will help me see the 18s. Or who knows, maybe I might even be able to lose a few more pounds over the next few weeks.
So I've now got 3 weeks of 4:3 or 5:2 to go to try and maintain what I've lost. I've decided to give myself a few aims over the next few weeks to achieve before my next VLCD week. I want to cut down my diet coke levels - I drink gallons of the stuff and I know the caffeine is doing me no good. I want to try not to binge on non-fast days. I want to cook more rather than relying on convenience food and I want to move around a bit more. Losing a stone has already ade me feel healthier in that way. So fingers crossed! I'll keep you all updated!
 
Brilliant news JuJu, it's very motivating. We're similar weight, I was 19st 1lb at Mondays weigh in and did a sneaky one yesterday morning and was 18st 11lb! So good to see an 18 on the scales, bring on 17, 16, 15, 14, 13 and eventually 12! Hope you have a great weekend x
 
Hi that's great with the losses :)

When I decided to cut down my diet coke consumption I bought smaller cans .. Like the 150ml ones and I limited my self to 1 daily and 2-3 on fri/ sat/ sun some days now I forget about having one.. But it's been about a year or more since I swapped to the small cans.. I don't buy the 2 litre bottles any more..
 
This is fascinating juju. I've done a VLCD twice, for nine weeks three and a half years ago, and six weeks this summer (partial regain due to thinking I could mix Atkins and carbs). :rolleyes: The first week was horrendous both times - I can't imagine the torture of going through those first days every month! Having said that it certainly seems to be working for you. Isn't it amazing how we tweak things to jet them just right? Good luck and I'll be checking in to see how you get on as the weeks go by! :)
 
It's funny - the first week I did was hellish and I thought I couldn't do this every month, but the second time was definitely easier. It was as if my body knew it would only be a week! I'll keep you updated.
 
Thank you! All good, 19.4 this morning so only one up on Saturday morning. I'm very pleased so far!
 
Yeah, I bet you are - you're doing great. Anyone with the willpower to do vcld deserves gd losses tho! And 5:2 should be good for maintaining in between

Hope you have a good weekend - any plans?

X
 
You're doing great, I'm reading with interest :) I had planned to be a 5:2 gal, but this week have been Juddd, could be my initial enthusiasm, but then feel I can slide to 5:2 to maintain.
 
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