Annoying article re: VLCDs

Here is a link to an article which is annoying, depressing and patronising (and boring in large chunks!) He says something about "if you are the type of person to let yourself so fat you need to resort to a VLCD in the first place, what chance is there of you making good food choices and failing to put it all back on afterwards ..!"


VLCD's & Meal Replacements - A critical look

Interesting. He claims that "silly shake" diets are only popular because you lose weight really quickly in the early days. YES, EXACTLY. That's why I'm here and feel I might succeed with this one where I've failed with the usual LCDs where you lose one or two pounds a week- if I can lose a significant amount of weight quickly I'll be far more motivated to carry on, and if I carry on I'll be far more likely to get to my target weight, and if I get to my target weight, believe you me I'll be motivated to do my damndest to stay there! It's when you only see minimal changes in weight loss that you think "oh what the hell, one biscuit won't hurt". Seeing great effects leads to greater determination to continue.

I couldnt agree with you more thin lizzie. I started CD because I had tried and failed every other diet under the sun. Not because the diets dont work, but because they are too slow and my willpower runs out after a week of sticking to a diet 100% to lose 1/2lb.
With CD i have lost 12lb in my first week, done feel hungry, feel full of energy and with a spring in my step. 12lb loss if more than enough motivation to carry on.

I have read this and it is so frustrating. He did not mention the state of ketosis, which I believe is at the heart of why the CD works. Anything lower than 800 cal and you would simply feel how starving you are every day, which of course results in giving up.


Quote: One of the silliest things I find about these meal replacement products is this: instead of replacing a high Calorie meal with a low Calorie, nutritionally pathetic powder, why not just replace the high Calorie meal with a low Calorie nutritious meal instead?

Answer: Because you will not hit ketosis and actually feel the hunger.

I am surprised this can be published – it is very one way.

Hmmmm

I'm with you Mrs P - I found the article extremely condescending and really very biased especially as it assumes that all people are overweight for no other reason then we overeat because we want/like to and have no self control, and opinion which I feel is quite naive.

For me personally there was a physical reason (sports injury) for my initial weight gain which was then followed by overeating for emotional comfort as I was told the long term effects of my injury would prevent me from returning to the sport I loved forever.

I have since overcome my emotional need to overeat and previously have followed a healthy low calorie diet and had some successful weight loss. The trouble is I have so much weight to lose (about 6 stone when I started CD) that to do that on a typical healthy eating/lower calorie diet I only lose approx 1/2lb per week - so on these kind of diets it would take me over 3 years to lose the weight!!!! I am sorry but I just lose my patience with any diet that is going to take that long to give me the result I need - perhaps this is a weakness of character or maybe I am just human..........

So perhaps, according to this article, I should follow my own made up VLCD - personally I think this sounds quite dangerous, what on earth makes the author of the article think I have the medical know how to engineer my on VLCD using regular food making sure that I get all the relevant nutrition. Also some of the low calorie options the article suggest are carb based so ketosis is not going to be happening and I don't know about others but If I was expected to survive on 3 portions of spagetti or baked beans a day I would be ravenous all the time and would probably not be able to stick to my made-up diet anyway.

I do find it interesting to read these kinds of articles - but at the same time I do worry that many people who could potentially find VLCD's very useful, where other diets have failed for them, and be successful in their weight loss and subsequent maintenance might be put off from ever considering them as an option.


OK - rant over - putting soap box away now.

If they have been so unmotivated and lazy that the only way they can lose weight is by resorting to a no-brainer meal replacement shake program which takes the necessarily choices away from them, what on earth makes them think that once they are back in the real world of choosing their own foods, that they are going to be able to maintain healthy eating practices, especially given that during the meal replacement phase, they have not learnt any new motivational or food choosing skills? Realistically, if they did have the motivation and the skills to be able to maintain a healthy eating regime, then quite simply, they would have done so already and wouldn't have had to resort to meal replacements.


Charming thats me then ~ a no brainer

Maybe these so intellegent people ought to actually speak to someone with a long term weight problem and see how VLCD have changed peoples lives forever

We are all entilled to our own opinion but THANK GOD FOR VLCD thats what I say

I haven't read the full article (too low boredom threshhold), but I can't see anywhere where it states the qualifications of the author of the article, so it's probably just one negative opinion amongst many positive ones which have been written in favour of VLCDs - including those written by people in the medical profession.

Anyway, as someone who lost over 8 stone using CD last year, reached my target weight of 10 st 6 lbs last December - and today still weigh exactly 10 st 6 lbs! - I know it helped me look at my relationship with food far more effectively, and I now make far better choices than I ever would have losing weight any other way.

It's horses for courses I reckon and we're all sensible enough to make our own choices. Although I've just spotted that it's an Australian article. Nuff said!? (joking of course *lol*)

SHAZA said:

If they have been so unmotivated and lazy that the only way they can lose weight is by resorting to a no-brainer meal replacement shake program which takes the necessarily choices away from them, what on earth makes them think that once they are back in the real world of choosing their own foods, that they are going to be able to maintain healthy eating practices, especially given that during the meal replacement phase, they have not learnt any new motivational or food choosing skills? Realistically, if they did have the motivation and the skills to be able to maintain a healthy eating regime, then quite simply, they would have done so already and wouldn't have had to resort to meal replacements.


Charming thats me then ~ a no brainer

Maybe these so intellegent people ought to actually speak to someone with a long term weight problem and see how VLCD have changed peoples lives forever

We are all entilled to our own opinion but THANK GOD FOR VLCD thats what I say

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Amen to that Shaza

The language used suggests that Mr adams is a "semi trained polecat" rather than an established clinician with any real research credentials. I do believe that he is a legend in his own mind.He does seem to favour statistics to reinforce his views.I, personally,subscribe to the Ebbe Skovdahl's(Former manager of Aberdeen Football Club) view on statistics...."they're a bit like mini skirts....nice to look at...but really all they do is hide the bits we're interested in"
In essence this is nothing more that a poorly thought out attack on VLCD's by someone from a profession who might feel most threatened by them. From a purely personal perspective I have always found nutritionists/dieticians to be right up there with the chocolate teapot and the "one legged man in an arse kicking contest" when it came to effective help in losing weight.

Alex

bigal6 said:

... "one legged man in an arse kicking contest" ...

Alex

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Gave me a much-needed laugh - thank you

Just read the article.....Well what can i say?

What a load of Bull*cks, I am happy to follow a VLCD & have never felt happier with my weight loss. I can't add anything else as you above have said it all....xxx