Low carb and very low calorie diet??????

Hi guys,

So I haven't posted that much lately, I was doing CD but had a problem: I couldn't drink the shakes or eat the bars without throwing up. I was gutted because I really thought I could train myself to like them.......but it didn't happen and it made me ill.

Anyway, I visited my GP to ask to put on the waiting list for gastric bypass surgery on the NHS and now I have to jump through a load of hoops to be eligible for that, however, whilst I'm waiting I'm still going to try my best to lose weight so hopefully it won't come to needing the surgery.

Anywho....the Dr prescribed me Xenical for the second time as I have to try it properly before he can refer me for the surgery and when I was in his office he was very interested about the VLCD that I had asked him to sign a form for a few months before.....so I told him all about it and he remembered reading up on it before he signed my form and we were talking about the main principles of a VLCD and how I could do it without throwing up.

We were saying that a VLCD is basically a diet consisting of:
  • 450calories
  • 40-50g of protein
  • 20-40g of carbs
  • atleast 10g of fibre (the Dr didn't like they included this little fibre)
AND most importantly 100% of your GDA of all vitamins and minerals

So together with the nurse at my surgery I am going to devise a diet plan for myself which follows those principals, it should be interesting, we've already managed to source a high quality multivitamin and I will be taking a fibre supplement also.

I would NEVER consider doing this if I didn't have the full support of my GP as I would be too worried about not getting everything I need and becoming unhealthy...but I will going for regular 4 week appointments where she will be giving me a full MOT such a blood pressure, blood sugar, weight etc and will also be doing blood tests regularly also.

Foods included on the diet at the moment are salmon, turkey, leafy greens like spinach, carrots etc.

Has anyone ever done this before...or something similar?
 
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I was given xenical before. It works by making about 30% of all fat you eat pass straight through and out the other end. I would be concerned about taking this with a VLCD as you will not be eating much fat anyway so there wont be hardly any for it to get rid of, and also what little you do eat would probably be more beneficial for you to use properly. Your body does need a certain amount of fat a day.
How much weight do you have to lose? Have you looked at/tried a normal low carb/ high fat & protein diet? It would be a much less extreme option. xx
 
If you had that few calories would your body not go into starvation mode?

When i was in my teens I had an eating problem and would try to see how little i could eat in a day. I think I got it down to 400-500 calories and lost loads of weight. However fast forward another 10 years and when I tried that again (not as strict 1000 cals) I stalled and lost very little.
 
With a lot to lose I think it is tempting to want to get there as quickly as possible. Dont forget though, it has taken a long long time to reach the size you have now, and it is perhaps more realistic to look at long term sustainable options for getting the weight back off rather than quick fixes.
Have you started the GP diet yet? how are you doing with it?
Im hoping Jim will stop by this thread, he has lost a massive amount and should be able to give you more info on how to go about things. :)
 
It does sound irresponsible of your GP to suggest combining a VLCD and Xenical. If you're on a VLCD you need 100% of the nutrients you're eating, you can't afford to have Xenical leaching them or you'll feel rubbish.
Have you ever tried Atkins? It doesn't have to be a very high fat option, you can do it with healthy lean meats and lots of green stuff and it does shift weight fast.
 
It does sound irresponsible of your GP to suggest combining a VLCD and Xenical.

Yes. I feel that way too. Very surprised. Wouldn't expect a doctor to know enough about nutrition to invent such a diet for a start.

Clever they may be, they aren't experts in everything.
 
Just a suggestion, but what about trying the brand of shakes and soups that I am using? They are called Exante and can be found at www.exanteinc.com. They are really nice! Have a lot less additives and are very creamy. If you make the shakes a bit weaker than they say, they taste like Nesquik. Avoid the Vanilla though! The soups are like cuppa soups. You can order online and just get a weeks supply to see how you go. It's worth a try. Maybe try that before you take the tablets???

I am doing Exante Working Solution, so have a low carb meal in the evening and this is my second week of that plan and have lost 2lbs already since Monday. It's the best of both worlds. Fairly good losses with the bonus of an evening meal.

Otherwise I say give Atkins a go. There are lots of very helpful and friendly people on this board and will all support you all the way!

Good luck with what ever you decide.
 
No, don't have any other snacks Tracy. I have half a shake pack for brekkie (full one is too thick), a soup for lunch, my meal of protein and veggies or salad and then the bar in the evening.

So you could say that the bar is the snack.

I also glug 4L of water still and do have tea with skimmed milk. I can have 1/2 pint a day, but bought two pints 10 days ago and still have about 1/4 pint. And I have also made tea for others out of that.

I only generally get hungry at normal meal times and I am not hungry in the evening, but have the bar as it's part of the plan. I might go to having a full shake for brekkie and then half the bar, as they are higher in carbs. I am supposed to be in ketotis on this. So that helps the hunger pangs I guess.

If I do get hungry, then I have a marigold bouillon (sp?) drink. But that's generally only every 4 days or so.

I did 4 weeks of abstinance, but found I got very bad headaches, but I think that was because I was taking in 600 cals and burning off loads of those walking the dog. So this suits me better and is the best of both worlds for me.

I am doing this until Easter and then will go low carb I think from then on.

Sorry for the long post, but hope it helps!
 
Thank you for your post Sarah- that is very interesting. I've been envious of your weight loss stats and wondered how you did it :) Well done!
 
I just pretty much stuck to basic Atkins, the '72 version. I did stay on induction for 6 months though. At that rate I lost a regular 2lbs a week with the odd whooshie of 3 - 5 lbs occasionally.

I can't really comment on mixing diet plans as I haven't experienced it.
 
My losses will be slower now that I am adding a meal. But very happy with the results from the 4 weeks of abstinance and happy if it's a bit slower now, as am enjoying food again!
 
I will be very interested to see what you and your 'nurse' come up with as a healthy low carb, VLCD.

I see you have salmon :clap: Excellent source of healthy fats, but high calories with it. Not going to leave much for the other meals...or will it be just one meal a day?
 
This kind of smacks of KimKins, a diet that made many people seriously ill and was, and unfortunately, still is being run by a questionnable individual (although the US courts will get round to shutting her down soon, I'm sure).

Imho, your GP is not being very responsible and this is so not long-term.

Even the medical "milk diet" is run for a max of six weeks.

There's more to health than weight - why not consider Atkins or another plan like others have recommended? Better to have overall health imho :)

Although, I am also curious to see what the low carb, vlcd is about :)
 
This kind of smacks of KimKins, a diet that made many people seriously ill and was, and unfortunately, still is being run by a questionnable individual (although the US courts will get round to shutting her down soon, I'm sure).

I thought she was shut down now :confused:, though I heard that she had started up another one!!:mad:
 
Yeah, the more they wack her the more she pushes - irritating individual. €49.99 membership fee to her mysterious website! Who'd have thought it *rolls eyes*

One of my friends has thyroid problems and, although hard to prove, her doc suspects it is down to the bizarre practices of KimKins - purging, water flushes - weird stuff along side a very bizarre promotion of long-term starvation. Scary stuff!
 
Alas Kimkins - Home - some things just don't seem to go away.

Kimkins Survivors is a good one to get lots of info.

Yep, sorry for hijacking thread.

We are still all curious about this low carb, vlcd :D
 
Wouldn't expect a doctor to know enough about nutrition to invent such a diet for a start.

Oh, sorry, just reread, and it's the nurse who's helping you formulate this plan. Oh my gosh, I reckon the doctor will have a fit if he finds out.

Sorry if I sound negative here, but the nurse isn't the one to work out such a complex diet. Please take care.
 
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