[Food] Very Low Calorie Diet

[jonnyrovers]

Any words of wisdom out there?

I'm a mid forties fat lad and my GP has waved the diabetes red flag at me. I have a chance right now to begin to reverse it with 12 weeks of 800 calories a day and some exercise. I've ordered a 4 week box of meal supplements recommended by the doc. I've oiled the bike chain and fitted some lights.

Have any of you done this or similar? Is there already a thread (I couldn't find one)? Maybe one of you has a hollywood style success story for Tom Hanks to get evangelical about.....?

Much appreciated

A very apprehensive jonnyrovers

 

[Thunder Bolt]

A friend of mine in Portsmouth reacted quite badly to medication she was taking, so her doctor suggested this diet to her. She has not only lost weight but her type 2 diabetes has gone as well.
Do as your doctor tells you and see how it goes.

 

[Spiros]

Have a read of Michael Mosley's 'Fast 800'. After many years of not being able to shift weight and then getting some health issues I followed this and lost 2 1/2 stone in about 10 months. Also includes good advice on making sure that you're eating the right things in your 800 calories as well as easy recipes that keep it interesting. Good luck!

 

[Mellotron]

Any words of wisdom out there?

I'm a mid forties fat lad and my GP has waved the diabetes red flag at me. I have a chance right now to begin to reverse it with 12 weeks of 800 calories a day and some exercise. I've ordered a 4 week box of meal supplements recommended by the doc. I've oiled the bike chain and fitted some lights.

Have any of you done this or similar? Is there already a thread (I couldn't find one)? Maybe one of you has a hollywood style success story for Tom Hanks to get evangelical about.....?

Much appreciated

A very apprehensive jonnyrovers

I had been tempted to start an NSC Fitness/Weight Loss Thread for some time, but this sounds like it might become that.

I'd been slowly gaining weight over the last 5 years (about half a stone a year) until I checked myself back in Sept 2019 and realised I was 17 stone 9 pounds. My eating habits were ****ing atrocious - fast food all the time, probably doing at least 2,500-3,000 calories a day, with very little protein - all carbs and fat.

That slightly shocking revelation - and the realisation that I want to set a good example for my young son and to be active with him as much as possible, as well as wanting to extend my life expectancy to see him grow up - meant going on a health kick, which started in late 2019 but really kicked on from 1st Jan 2020 onwards.

So far I have lost just over 2 stone (nearly halfway through an overall goal of losing 5), doing the following;

1. Drink shitloads of water - has tonnes of associated benefits, helps keep you feeling full, sorts things like skin, hair, nails right out etc.

2. Walk 10,000 steps a day - there are genuine arguments to be made for walking being better than jogging for pure weight loss. This is because jogging/intense exercise can spike your Cortisol hormone which means you feel more hungry after jogging than walking.

3. Jog/Football/Badminton 2-3 times a week - fortunately I really enjoy exercise, otherwise I'd be much larger already.

4. Have more protein in your diet - You might already be good at this, I wasn't. Means you will feel fuller on less calories, and evens out your hormones so you aren't reliant on sugar for energy, which can also cause mood and energy swings.

5. Intermittent Fasting - Sounds like you might have to do this anyway, given that you're looking at 800 calories a day. I now don't eat anything past around 8pm and tend not to break fast until around 11am. You will get a few days of feeling a bit hungry but your body does get used to the new routine after a while.

6. Calorie Deficit - Bit of an obvious one, but making sure less calories in than out.

7. Minimal Snacking - This was a really hard one for me, but it's totally possible to retrain your brain. We don't need to snack. We're bored and just want to. Have water instead, or at least something relatively healthy like fruit or nuts. I now crave fast/crap food far less than I did even a couple of months back.

8. Some weight training - even if you're not looking to put on a load of muscle, just a bit will help swing weight loss in a positive direction, as resting muscle burns more fat than resting fat does, and you'll feel more energised generally.

9. Be patient and consistent - You won't always see the results straight away - or you may see an early weight loss (this is water weight being lost quite often) and then a plateau where it feels like you can't get past a certain point. I've had weeks where I've been certain that I've done really well, and then the scales tell another story. It's also not just about weight loss - it's body fat %, and also body composition which you can sometimes just see from looking in the mirror. It's the extra energy and better mood you'll hopefully/probably have too!

Good luck with your journey mate, keep us updated in here.

 

[Weststander]

The original research by Oxford University shows this diet really does work. Transforming the health of the overweight, and Type 2 diabetics. Some have shed that condition, as well as the weight.

Fantastic that Michael Mosley spread the word.

 

[paulfuzz]

I have been a yo-yo dieter since I was young. The most important things are:
Don't lose weight too quickly, as your body goes into famine mode and when you do relax a little it will store more calories and your weight comes back just as quick.
Create a sustainable diet, easy if you can get into a regular routine but not so much if your employment is irregular.
Don't get carried away and feel guilty for everything that passes your lips, even if it is healthy.
Exercise alone will not burn the input calories, so not possible to walk off a bag of crisps.

BE HAPPY

 

[Big_Unit]

Have any of you done this or similar?

I'm just in the middle of a three-month course with a nutritionist. My goals were to a) lose wight and b) feel better generally. The two are of course linked! The first thing she advised was to take the bread, pasta and white rice in the house and chuck them out. Then work out what to replace these things with. Which is usually going to be vegetables or much healthier carbs. I've started doing Parkruns on Saturdays too.

In eight weeks I have lost more than a stone without being hungry once (and I have had a fairly calorie-heavy 50th birthday week in that time too!). This means it's easy to keep going - if it feels less like a 'diet' and more like 'choosing to eat different stuff', I think it's far easier to stick with. I think it's important to know that a recommended 'healthy' weight loss is around 2lbs per week maximum (which doesn't sound much, but it's actually two stone in six months). Any more than that, and your body can go into 'emergency' mode and quickly becomes much more efficient at using energy. Weight loss will then tail off.

I use an app called MyFitnessPal, which is brilliant (and free for the first month). It basically counts calories for you against a target. It also tells you when you're not eating enough!!

There are really interesting factors in weight loss and health, to do with psychological wellbeing, sleep, stress and so on. All of those factors have improved quite quickly for me.

I have actually found it all quite fascinating.

Good luck!

 

[East Staffs Gull]

Would echo all of the comments so far. One other tip is to try not to reward yourself after you have completed a particularly strenuous exercise/workout. It’s so tempting to think that you have earned yourself a large slice of cake, chocolate, beer, etc. This will just undo all of your good work. You’ll feel better for resisting the treats.

Good luck!

 

[swindonseagull]

I’m type 2 and when I lost a load of weight 5 years ago the condition went as well.
5 years later the weight is back and so is type 2 so I need to do something...
Already on the standard medication and apparently will be for life but if the condition goes again it will be a much lower dosage..

 

[Notters]

I'm just in the middle of a three-month course with a nutritionist. My goals were to a) lose wight and b) feel better generally. The two are of course linked! The first thing she advised was to take the bread, pasta and white rice in the house and chuck them out. Then work out what to replace these things with. Which is usually going to be vegetables or much healthier carbs. I've started doing Parkruns on Saturdays too.

In eight weeks I have lost more than a stone without being hungry once (and I have had a fairly calorie-heavy 50th birthday week in that time too!). This means it's easy to keep going - if it feels less like a 'diet' and more like 'choosing to eat different stuff', I think it's far easier to stick with. I think it's important to know that a recommended 'healthy' weight loss is around 2lbs per week maximum (which doesn't sound much, but it's actually two stone in six months). Any more than that, and your body can go into 'emergency' mode and quickly becomes much more efficient at using energy. Weight loss will then tail off.

I use an app called MyFitnessPal, which is brilliant (and free for the first month). It basically counts calories for you against a target. It also tells you when you're not eating enough!!

There are really interesting factors in weight loss and health, to do with psychological wellbeing, sleep, stress and so on. All of those factors have improved quite quickly for me.

I have actually found it all quite fascinating.

Good luck!

Having not been into running myself previously, getting in to Parkrun has been a real eye opener. It's so inclusive of age/weight/ability so a great thing to aim for. The fact that it's now being prescribed by doctors can surely only be a good thing.

 

[Big_Unit]

Having not been into running myself previously, getting in to Parkrun has been a real eye opener. It's so inclusive of age/weight/ability so a great thing to aim for. The fact that it's now being prescribed by doctors can surely only be a good thing.

Yeah, it's not what I expected either. There are obviously a fair few whippets who are basically sprinting it, but plenty of older / larger people too. I don't feel like 'the odd one out'. It's friendly and really well organised.

 

[Triggaaar]

Any words of wisdom out there?

I'm a mid forties fat lad and my GP has waved the diabetes red flag at me. I have a chance right now to begin to reverse it with 12 weeks of 800 calories a day and some exercise. I've ordered a 4 week box of meal supplements recommended by the doc. I've oiled the bike chain and fitted some lights.

Have any of you done this or similar?

I've not had diabetes, nor had to live on 800 calories, but when I wanted to cut some weight I was having under 1200 calories (and often under 1100 because I didn't need more). That of course is a bit of a luxury compared to 800, but then I found it easy, and if 800 is really tough, but you can beat diabetes, then it's worth it.

I researched what food was low in calories while having a decent amount of protein, chose my favourite things, and ate that. For me, that was things like greek yoghurt with raspberries, omelettes (not cooked in fat) with ham, mushrooms and light cheddar, chicken or mince beef in a tomatoe based source, plenty of veg. And I'd drink water all day. It's good for you, and helps you not feel so hungry.

Good luck.

 

[Mellotron]

Having not been into running myself previously, getting in to Parkrun has been a real eye opener. It's so inclusive of age/weight/ability so a great thing to aim for. The fact that it's now being prescribed by doctors can surely only be a good thing.

Yeah, it's not what I expected either. There are obviously a fair few whippets who are basically sprinting it, but plenty of older / larger people too. I don't feel like 'the odd one out'. It's friendly and really well organised.

Another vote for Parkrun. It's great.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Eat Less
Do more.

 

[Triggaaar]

I have been a yo-yo dieter since I was young. The most important things are:
Don't lose weight too quickly, as your body goes into famine mode and when you do relax a little it will store more calories and your weight comes back just as quick.

That's not true. There's no such thing as 'famine mode' for anyone who isn't starving.

Create a sustainable diet, easy if you can get into a regular routine but not so much if your employment is irregular.

For most of us, I agree, but not if you're trying to reverse diabetes.

 

[Weststander]

Reading Mosley’s 800 book, there are useful snippets for people in general.

Eat three meals a day.
Don’t snack in between meals whatsoever - this is where metabolism burns calories and fat stores.
Drink more water or herbal teas between meals - thirst is mistaken for hunger.
Take dinner early evening at the latest, to give a full 12+ hours before breakfast.
There’s absolutely no need to snack in the evenings.

 

[Gary Hart's Stalker]

Another vote for Parkruns. And in between, I'd recommend downloading the NHS Couch to 5k App which will help you start running and build stamina.

I never ever thought I would enjoy running but am now running 30+ minutes 3 times a week! I won't divulge my age and weight but believe me, if I can do it, anyone can!

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

I had been tempted to start an NSC Fitness/Weight Loss Thread for some time, but this sounds like it might become that.

I'd been slowly gaining weight over the last 5 years (about half a stone a year) until I checked myself back in Sept 2019 and realised I was 17 stone 9 pounds. My eating habits were ****ing atrocious - fast food all the time, probably doing at least 2,500-3,000 calories a day, with very little protein - all carbs and fat.

That slightly shocking revelation - and the realisation that I want to set a good example for my young son and to be active with him as much as possible, as well as wanting to extend my life expectancy to see him grow up - meant going on a health kick, which started in late 2019 but really kicked on from 1st Jan 2020 onwards.

So far I have lost just over 2 stone (nearly halfway through an overall goal of losing 5), doing the following;

1. Drink shitloads of water - has tonnes of associated benefits, helps keep you feeling full, sorts things like skin, hair, nails right out etc.

2. Walk 10,000 steps a day - there are genuine arguments to be made for walking being better than jogging for pure weight loss. This is because jogging/intense exercise can spike your Cortisol hormone which means you feel more hungry after jogging than walking.

3. Jog/Football/Badminton 2-3 times a week - fortunately I really enjoy exercise, otherwise I'd be much larger already.

4. Have more protein in your diet - You might already be good at this, I wasn't. Means you will feel fuller on less calories, and evens out your hormones so you aren't reliant on sugar for energy, which can also cause mood and energy swings.

5. Intermittent Fasting - Sounds like you might have to do this anyway, given that you're looking at 800 calories a day. I now don't eat anything past around 8pm and tend not to break fast until around 11am. You will get a few days of feeling a bit hungry but your body does get used to the new routine after a while.

6. Calorie Deficit - Bit of an obvious one, but making sure less calories in than out.

7. Minimal Snacking - This was a really hard one for me, but it's totally possible to retrain your brain. We don't need to snack. We're bored and just want to. Have water instead, or at least something relatively healthy like fruit or nuts. I now crave fast/crap food far less than I did even a couple of months back.

8. Some weight training - even if you're not looking to put on a load of muscle, just a bit will help swing weight loss in a positive direction, as resting muscle burns more fat than resting fat does, and you'll feel more energised generally.

9. Be patient and consistent - You won't always see the results straight away - or you may see an early weight loss (this is water weight being lost quite often) and then a plateau where it feels like you can't get past a certain point. I've had weeks where I've been certain that I've done really well, and then the scales tell another story. It's also not just about weight loss - it's body fat %, and also body composition which you can sometimes just see from looking in the mirror. It's the extra energy and better mood you'll hopefully/probably have too!

Good luck with your journey mate, keep us updated in here.

Thanks for this, I'm approaching 60 and overweight, I keep "thinking" I'm going to diet, exercise etc but it never happens. I'm not into fads as I know they'll not work for me or 99% of the population, I know it's going to be lifestyle changes.

I've got to lose two stone from my 14 1/2 to 12 1/2, as I'm only bloody 5' 6"! (I should weigh about 10 stone but I'm not built like that)! Thank you for these tips, could prove very helpful, water is someting I'm rubbish at and need to get better at, that, and dropping the booze!

 

[Milano]

I had been tempted to start an NSC Fitness/Weight Loss Thread for some time, but this sounds like it might become that.

I'd been slowly gaining weight over the last 5 years (about half a stone a year) until I checked myself back in Sept 2019 and realised I was 17 stone 9 pounds. My eating habits were ****ing atrocious - fast food all the time, probably doing at least 2,500-3,000 calories a day, with very little protein - all carbs and fat.

That slightly shocking revelation - and the realisation that I want to set a good example for my young son and to be active with him as much as possible, as well as wanting to extend my life expectancy to see him grow up - meant going on a health kick, which started in late 2019 but really kicked on from 1st Jan 2020 onwards.

So far I have lost just over 2 stone (nearly halfway through an overall goal of losing 5), doing the following;

1. Drink shitloads of water - has tonnes of associated benefits, helps keep you feeling full, sorts things like skin, hair, nails right out etc.

2. Walk 10,000 steps a day - there are genuine arguments to be made for walking being better than jogging for pure weight loss. This is because jogging/intense exercise can spike your Cortisol hormone which means you feel more hungry after jogging than walking.

3. Jog/Football/Badminton 2-3 times a week - fortunately I really enjoy exercise, otherwise I'd be much larger already.

4. Have more protein in your diet - You might already be good at this, I wasn't. Means you will feel fuller on less calories, and evens out your hormones so you aren't reliant on sugar for energy, which can also cause mood and energy swings.

5. Intermittent Fasting - Sounds like you might have to do this anyway, given that you're looking at 800 calories a day. I now don't eat anything past around 8pm and tend not to break fast until around 11am. You will get a few days of feeling a bit hungry but your body does get used to the new routine after a while.

6. Calorie Deficit - Bit of an obvious one, but making sure less calories in than out.

7. Minimal Snacking - This was a really hard one for me, but it's totally possible to retrain your brain. We don't need to snack. We're bored and just want to. Have water instead, or at least something relatively healthy like fruit or nuts. I now crave fast/crap food far less than I did even a couple of months back.

8. Some weight training - even if you're not looking to put on a load of muscle, just a bit will help swing weight loss in a positive direction, as resting muscle burns more fat than resting fat does, and you'll feel more energised generally.

9. Be patient and consistent - You won't always see the results straight away - or you may see an early weight loss (this is water weight being lost quite often) and then a plateau where it feels like you can't get past a certain point. I've had weeks where I've been certain that I've done really well, and then the scales tell another story. It's also not just about weight loss - it's body fat %, and also body composition which you can sometimes just see from looking in the mirror. It's the extra energy and better mood you'll hopefully/probably have too!

Good luck with your journey mate, keep us updated in here.

That is great advice. I’d add 3 things:

1. SLEEP. It is vital, try to get at least 7 hours a night preferably 8. The body needs it.
2. Reboot - do a 5 day detox, this will reset your digestive organs and will actually speed up your metabolism!! It’s not easy, you need to cut out - Alcohol, caffeine, white carbs, sugar, saturated fats. Basically nothing out of a bottle, can, packet. It is so worth it.
3. Set a goal that isn’t food based - it is going to get a bit boring!! For me I set a goal of wanting to be able to wear a pair of jeans again that I was now too fat for.

 

[Mellotron]

Thanks for this, I'm approaching 60 and overweight, I keep "thinking" I'm going to diet, exercise etc but it never happens. I'm not into fads as I know they'll not work for me or 99% of the population, I know it's going to be lifestyle changes.

I've got to lose two stone from my 14 1/2 to 12 1/2, as I'm only bloody 5' 6"! (I should weigh about 10 stone but I'm not built like that)! Thank you for these tips, could prove very helpful, water is someting I'm rubbish at and need to get better at, that, and dropping the booze!

Totally agreed on the "lifestyle change" comment. I don't see what I'm doing as a diet, as diets are things that you are on or off, whereas I see this as very much just the way I want to live from now on. Also agreed on fad diets, have had some friends who have tried all sorts of weird and wacky fad diets and it never lasts, or they're miserable whilst on them.

I can legitimately say I've seen good results over the past few months whilst rarely being overly hungry.

I think it's just lots of small tweaks that add up over time, slowly building new habits until they don't feel like an effort anymore - i.e. the other night I got back from work, got into my jogging stuff and was out running on the beach, all before really feeling like I'd even made the decision to do it. So nice when that sort of thing starts to become second nature.