Whats made people start vlcd

[AliGal]

Thanks for reviving this, Cherry Blossom. A good time of year.

Well ...I didn't start 18 months ago when I needed the lap extension belt on lower cost airlines (and I travelled a lot economy in Europe for work). I even avoided flying to Cannes and took the train changing in Paris to avoid asking for a lap belt in front of industry colleagues. I told my secretary I was trying out a green way of travel.....

And that was really my story - just going up a size every few years.

So why now? Well a mixture of things.

Fessing up to my DH that I thought the new soft closing loo seat broke because I was so heavy.

Seeing deep deep dimples in the cellulite and fat on my thighs. My tummy button disappearing into my tummy.

Finding it difficult to lace up my shoes without sitting down.

Having to lever myself out of my car and get impetus to get up off a sofa.

Realising I was walking badly. I have been overweight for so long and always done everything everyone else did - so finding I couldnt walk as fast as others was a big deal to me.

Having to walk downstairs one step at a time when I first woke up. Aches and pains including my right knee.

And most of all, my husband's fear that I would die early. He lost his first wife to cancer and was very worried that my robust health would give way. I want to live, not exist.

It's a great time as I left my high pressure job with lots of transatlantic and european travel, business entertaininga nd hotel stays. I am now putting myself first.

I just went for a walk with the dog across the marsh - and thought how ridiculous I'd look if I was carrying a 10 stone woman on my shoulders. And yet, I'm lugging that around as double padding all over my body.

So some sort of coalesence of issues, starting eating paleo and loosing some weight then meeting people who've had great results on Alizonne with little excess skin, and voila...here I am, drinking a plain chcolate shake and posting on Minimins!

I weigh in tomorrow - already, my trouser waist band is loose and I breathe more deeply, so I know visceral fat has gone. And with 5 sachets, salad and veggies, I don't feel hungry. So glad to have started.

Ali

 

[MsJMC]

AliGal reading your post i see alot of that in myself , i'm going to start LT jan as my weight is creeping up and up .
Are you doing Cambridge ?

 

[MsJMC]

For me, it's a way of helping myself break the bingeing habit. The more the psychologist poked at it, the worst I got, until I was having one every day. I decided I wanted my control back and that a VLCD with meal replacements would be a way of helping me get out of the normal situations.

not heard of modifast ? hows that going for you ?

 

[BordersGirl]

AliGal, I can totally relate to most of that too. Sad thing is I successfully did a VLCD in 2005 and lost 5 stone plus another 2 with sensible eating. Kept it off for a couple of years but then I started a job where I travelled a lot; eating and drinking in BA lounges pre flight, eating and drinking on the flight and then eating and drinking like it was going out of fashion at the hotels. And soon most of it piled back on again. I then moved to a job where the travelling was infrequent but the last time I flew I had an OMFG moment when I thought that the seatbelt wouldn't go round me (I literally just got it done up) and I made excuses about flying after that in case next time I really couldn't get the belt done up. Still plodded along in denial though.

Anyway, at Xmas last year I was very ill (in ITU for 3 weeks on a ventilator). When I was finally discharged from hospital I was very weak and it was such an effort to actually stand up and walk anywhere for more than (literally!) 30 seconds. I'm certain that my weight didn't help AT ALL. I was vaguely thinking about doing a VLCD again but in August a friend who sits opposite me at work told me she was going to do Lighterlife. I refused to sit opposite the incredible shrinking woman so I started a VLCD diet again. Best thing I did in 2011!

I haven't done too badly so far although it's not as fast as I would like if I'm completely honest but still a lot quicker than any other diet I can think of. I lost almost 4 stone before I took a break for Xmas (although I have gained half a stone so far during my break but I have over indulged over Xmas) and I will be restarting on 4th January to lose the 2 and a bit stone I need to get to goal.

I feel so much better, both physically and mentally. I can walk further, don't feel like people are staring at me and judging me, can wear clothes from 'normal' shops, feel good about wearing clothes without just heading for the loosest thing that covers me up, I like myself more, and I generally have more energy. My 'on the cusp of needing medication' blood pressure has dropped to normal and my 'at risk of type 2 diabetes in later life' has surely dropped considerably. There are so many reasons to make this work for me that I have every reason to make this a success and no reasons not to. I just need to be better at maintaining this time around! So anyone with a lot of weight to lose who is thinking of doing a VLCD it will really change your life.

Good luck with the WI tomorrow AliGal! I'm sure the weight loss will give you a great boost.

 

[Giza]

I think the stories on this thread are so inspiring, it is all very encouraging. Have any of you had issues of feeling weak/light-headed etc. I'm finding my four sachets a day on the Kee diet problem free, except (!) for recent, occasional bouts of feeling less than 100%. I actually think I might be drinking too much water, thereby diluting the nutrition in the sachets. Going to order some bars to see if that helps maintain some kind of metabolic balance. I think that's where it's going a bit wrong...!

 

[afrodizzia]

Hiya
I'm glad this has been revived too. I have recently returned to the fold for what I call "The Last diet Ever".
I find similarities to my own story in everybody's tale. I have been on a diet since I was 13...in those subsequent 2 decades I have done every single diet known to womankind including vlcd.

I have returned because I have alot of weight to lose and need to see results soon. (I'm just tired of losing and gaining the same 15lbs )
I also noticed the last time that I lost weight in areas that I previously considered "stubborn". I dont have any scientific explanation for this but would be interested if anybody knows the reason.
I am an emotional eater/ binger and I need the abstinence from food to focus on other coping mechanisms from stress, home sickness, and general life issues.

 

[AliGal]

AliGal reading your post i see alot of that in myself , i'm going to start LT jan as my weight is creeping up and up .
Are you doing Cambridge ?

I'm doing a dutch diet called Alizonne. It's supervised by doctors. There are 12 clinics in the UK. You have to wait for blood test results to start, and have blood tests regularly so should avoid gall bladder and liver problems. They also tested my Basal Metabolic Rate. That'll be tested again at target so I can tailor a plan to stay at target. Interestingly, they say most of their clients have BMRs below the govt recommendation of 2000 cals for women. Maybe that's just cos we screwed it up by dieting.

Each week, they monitor blood pressure weekly and check in on how it's going. There are also two treatments. One uses ultrasound to vibrate the fat cells. It's astonising - after 3 treatments, I can see how the treated fat is disappearing. Seeing is believing!

And then there's an endermologie treatment - a sort of prickly hoovering, that helps skin retract. so I hoping not to have an apron of stomach skin when I'm at target.

There are supplements, and then 5 sachets a day. Some make up omlettes and some other foods. You can mix them to cook buns. Others are soups, hot and cold drinks, 'pizza' & cheese (a bit like boursin -= tastes realy good on baked mushrooms). There are 50 something flavours. A few (eg pancakes, clafoutti, cheese souffle) are only a max of 3 times a week. Some are fine others not. People have different tastes so some I dislike are liked by others. I particulary like the dark chocolat desert which I also use as a shake. It's not as sweet as some of them.

In addition you have to eat a salad at lunchtime (from list of salad items) and veg in the evening - from a mix of free veg and some limited to 200 grammes. So it trains you to eat better whilst loosing weight.

I haven't felt hungry and the almost food from sachets meant I could stay with my mum and she didn't realise I'm on a VLCD, as I was eating salad and veg along with her.

I like it because the physical risks of VLCD are managed carefully and I have a good possibility of not having loose skin.The tests and supervision means its costly - but worth it to me. My husband is happy too, as he was worried about the risks.

Like all VLCD, the 'real' work starts at target - sustaining a way of eating that keeps one at that weight.

Ali

 

[BordersGirl]

Sounds interesting Aligal. Is it horrifically expensive? There is an online tool that (roughly) works out your calorie needs based on height, activity levels etc.

How Many Calories Do I Require To Lose Weight?

It shows that someone of my height in a desk job needs about 1700 calories a day to maintain. If I went by the government advice of 2000 per day then I'd be gaining approx. 1lb every 10 days, so we all need to be mindful that our activity levels may not support consumption of 2000 calories.

 

[AliGal]

yes - £200+ a week at first. That sort of money also keeps most Alizonners on track.

Ali

 

[BordersGirl]

Yes, I could see how that would require proper commitment . To be honest Lighterlife is around £70 per week and for that you get the foodbacks and a weekly session to weigh in and CBT. If you are getting treatments and medical monitoring on top then £200 per week is not that bad I guess.

 

[MsJMC]

I'm doing a dutch diet called Alizonne. It's supervised by doctors. There are 12 clinics in the UK. You have to wait for blood test results to start, and have blood tests regularly so should avoid gall bladder and liver problems. They also tested my Basal Metabolic Rate. That'll be tested again at target so I can tailor a plan to stay at target. Interestingly, they say most of their clients have BMRs below the govt recommendation of 2000 cals for women. Maybe that's just cos we screwed it up by dieting.

Each week, they monitor blood pressure weekly and check in on how it's going. There are also two treatments. One uses ultrasound to vibrate the fat cells. It's astonising - after 3 treatments, I can see how the treated fat is disappearing. Seeing is believing!

And then there's an endermologie treatment - a sort of prickly hoovering, that helps skin retract. so I hoping not to have an apron of stomach skin when I'm at target.

There are supplements, and then 5 sachets a day. Some make up omlettes and some other foods. You can mix them to cook buns. Others are soups, hot and cold drinks, 'pizza' & cheese (a bit like boursin -= tastes realy good on baked mushrooms). There are 50 something flavours. A few (eg pancakes, clafoutti, cheese souffle) are only a max of 3 times a week. Some are fine others not. People have different tastes so some I dislike are liked by others. I particulary like the dark chocolat desert which I also use as a shake. It's not as sweet as some of them.

In addition you have to eat a salad at lunchtime (from list of salad items) and veg in the evening - from a mix of free veg and some limited to 200 grammes. So it trains you to eat better whilst loosing weight.

I haven't felt hungry and the almost food from sachets meant I could stay with my mum and she didn't realise I'm on a VLCD, as I was eating salad and veg along with her.

I like it because the physical risks of VLCD are managed carefully and I have a good possibility of not having loose skin.The tests and supervision means its costly - but worth it to me. My husband is happy too, as he was worried about the risks.

Like all VLCD, the 'real' work starts at target - sustaining a way of eating that keeps one at that weight.

Ali

Not heard of this before ... how much is it ?
Yes once you hit goal its still not over its then learning to eat to live . keep us posted

 

[MsJMC]

200 a wk ... well its not the money honey its the reaults , if you getting to where you should be its good .

 

[boardwitless]

I got started a VLCD due to a holiday - we were all inclusive which was great and I love my food but constant overeating for 2 weeks 'because we'd paid for it' became a bit tiring and also because I was fed up with my thighs rubbing together (yet again) in a swimsuit. I'd also bought a T shirt a few months before the holiday which fitted at the time, then on holiday the arms on the T shirt nearly cut off the circulation in my upper arms due to the weight I'd obviously gained without noticing - big wake-up call!
I read about a VLCD on holiday and thought it was a last try before a gastric band and I'm so glad I did it as I think the long-term effects of surgery have not really become evident yet and there will be a lot of problems in the future.
I loved the way it was so simple - stick to the plan - no weighing or measuring, no counting or planning - just do it and the results are so fast! It also realigned my taste buds and now I find I don't tolerate sweet foods so much, I can also taste the sweetness in fruit and vegetables far more so I eat lots more veg. I think it set my tastebuds back to 'default' setting so I can start again without getting back into bad habits

 

[stitcherjenny]

None of my lovely clothes fit. I can't wait to get into my gorgeous size 10's again (very neglected at the back of the wardrobe)!

 

[chicken on a mission]

My doctor suggested it when he told me the nhs wouldn't help me.

 

[Willywoo]

I'm doing it because it's so simple and I don't have to think about what to have and what not to have its simple 2 2L of water in the fridge which has to be finished before the days out and 3 packs which needs eating before I go to bed

Easy and simple!