[Food] Very Low Calorie Diet

[Foul Play Rocks]

I was just about to add that sleep is very important but I was beaten to it. If you struggle with what to eat then have a look at Heul complete food. It’s nutritionally complete and dead easy to keep control of calorie intake. I’ve been on it since the new year and am enjoying it and seeing the benefits. I did read all the reviews and decided to give it a go even though I was pretty sceptical. Turns out I didn’t need to be. Best of luck with reversing your diabetes and the weight loss. There’s been some great posts on here with tips and advice and please remember that you can always have some support and positivity from your NSC family whenever you need it so do keep us updated on your progress.

 

[Mellotron]

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.

These are really good, thanks.

Sorry, can you unpack point 2 a bit more? So what would you be eating/drinking in that 5 day detox?

 

[Muhammed - I’m hard - Bruce Lee]

I have a real problem with dieting.
I gave up smoking in 2017 and put on 3 stone. Giving up smoking was a walk in the park compared with dieting!
I’m getting exercise as I walk the dogs 2-3 miles a day, running is out the question as I’m 60 and knees are shot to shit.
I’m eating all the right stuff, drinking shedloads of water a day and STILL feel hungry. Just haven’t got the will power to say no!
I’m 6’ 4”, 20 stone and done loads of gym / weight work in the past until my body told me to wind my neck in. My comfortable weight is about 17 stone..I’m currently carrying about 3 stone of blubber round my waist.
Only drink beer at the football, although I’m very partial to my red wine at weekends. Missus does slimming world, so I also do slimming world by default. I just can’t stop cheating

 

[Notters]

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.

All well and good but virtually impossible for anyone in full time work, especially if you want to prepare it yourself.

1. SLEEP. It is vital, try to get at least 7 hours a night preferably 8. The body needs it.

Very difficult for a lot of people, particularly with young kids.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

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.

How important, or not, is the fasting? The reason I ask is that whilst I'm OK with not eating anything until lunchtime, I don't actually enjoy eating first thing, I don't finish work until around 8 ish and normally eat at 9. If there were significant benefits I'd switch my Dinner to lunchtime and eat slightly earlier and lighter in the evening? Beer's a big thing for me, with business and social I drink 3 to 4 nights a week, sometimes only a glass of wine but other times 3 - 5 pints.

I've done the whole DryJan thing but jumped straight back on it afterwards.

 

[Milano]

These are really good, thanks.

Sorry, can you unpack point 2 a bit more? So what would you be eating/drinking in that 5 day detox?

Sure. Basically you need to make everything fresh, don’t use anything that is manufactured as it will have sugar.
Examples (you’ll find loads online)
Morning - smoothie (add diet protein powder as it will make you feel full)
Snack - cashew nuts
Lunch - salad with tuna (no dressing)
Dinner - Turkey mince chilli (it’s less fat than beef)
All day - water, rule of thumb is try to drink 1 pint for every 10kg of your body weight.

You might get a headache in day 1 or 2, it is you having sugar withdrawal symptoms!! It will pass.

 

[Mellotron]

How important, or not, is the fasting? The reason I ask is that whilst I'm OK with not eating anything until lunchtime, I don't actually enjoy eating first thing, I don't finish work until around 8 ish and normally eat at 9. If there were significant benefits I'd switch my Dinner to lunchtime and eat slightly earlier and lighter in the evening? Beer's a big thing for me, with business and social I drink 3 to 4 nights a week, sometimes only a glass of wine but other times 3 - 5 pints.

I've done the whole DryJan thing but jumped straight back on it afterwards.

I think at least part of the theory behind fasting is that once you go a certain amount of time without eating, your body will take from fat stores for energy more often, rather than using carbs/sugar from the food you’ve just eaten, if that makes sense?

I’m still only just getting into IF now, there are people who swear by it, I’m sure you can be healthy without it, it just might speed up weight loss, is what I get from it.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

I think at least part of the theory behind fasting is that once you go a certain amount of time without eating, your body will take from fat stores for energy more often, rather than using carbs/sugar from the food you’ve just eaten, if that makes sense?

I’m still only just getting into IF now, there are people who swear by it, I’m sure you can be healthy without it, it just might speed up weight loss, is what I get from it.

and by fasting do you mean nil by mouth, water only, fluids only i.e. tea is OK? Sorry for all the questions but I've got to get these changes sorted, embedded and impactful

 

[Marshy]

800 calories sounds very low

Ive been working on 1500 a day for some time to lose between 1-2 pound a week and that's been no exercise other than walking 10,0000 a day or as near as I can get.

Ive lost 3 stone now

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

800 calories sounds very low

Ive been working on 1500 a day for some time to lose between 1-2 pound a week and that's been no exercise other than walking 10,0000 a day or as near as I can get.

Ive lost 3 stone now

How do you track intake, via FitBit or something similar? I'm guessing it's approximation?

 

[Marshy]

How do you track intake, via FitBit or something similar? I'm guessing it's approximation?

No, use an app..my fitness pal... or something similar, once you get into the swing of it, its easy. Scanning barcodes etc.

The good thing about just counting calories is that you still get too eat the things you like or have a beer. you just need to factor it into your weekly intake.

Then it dosent feel like a diet so much.

 

[BigBod]

Slimming World works for me. It's not a diet but a life style change. Been at it 3 years now, lost 6 and a half stone so far, couple more to go.

 

[deslynhamsmoustache1]

Slimming World works for me. It's not a diet but a life style change. Been at it 3 years now, lost 6 and a half stone so far, couple more to go.

The artist now known as Medium Bob

 

[Pondicherry]

Eat off smaller plates. It will make it look like you have more food.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Im going to give a shout out for the keto diet (low carbs).
As mentioned on the running thread in Jan, my wife "went keto" in Jan 1st '19 after years of health problems and piling on the pounds. She tried all sorts of diets previously, which worked in the short-term, but fell by the wayside long-term. By Jan 1st this year she had lost an amazing 10 stone, found running (which she had never shown an interest in before) and is now talking about buying a bike for the Summer to get to work. Its been a massive lifestyle change for her, and she is now down to a size 12/14 and looks amazing. Its also cut down massively on her health problems as well, which is brilliant.
I started cutting out a lot of carbs in Jan this year (I was north of 15 stone & had been advised to lose some weight due to a fatty liver) as well as the usual junk food habits, and have lost over a stone already. Im not missing crisps & chocolate bars, which were my real vice, and I've not really missed pasta, rice, potatoes etc either tbh. Its been pretty easy cutting it all out, and would recommend it to anyone. It may not be for everyone, but all the people I know who have tried it have seen great results.

 

[yxee]

One thing that worked for me is a very small breakfast. I can apparently survive until lunchtime on a single weetabix or a single latte without feeling hungry. And it sets me up well for smaller portions after that.

 

[Mellotron]

and by fasting do you mean nil by mouth, water only, fluids only i.e. tea is OK? Sorry for all the questions but I've got to get these changes sorted, embedded and impactful

Yup - I just do water as I've sworn off caffeine and find hot drinks bloat me anyways, but you can have black tea or coffee as part of a fast.

I'm quite fortunate in that I'm seem to rarely have much of an appetite in the morning, so I survive on water til about 11. Conversely, if I do break my fast for some reason at say 8am, I will then be absolutely starving again by 11.

Mate no need for apologies - this thread is absolutely the place to be discussing and sharing info - weight loss is something so many people struggle with but can get embarrassed about etc, so end up staying quiet about it.

 

[banjo]

800 calories sounds very low

Ive been working on 1500 a day for some time to lose between 1-2 pound a week and that's been no exercise other than walking 10,0000 a day or as near as I can get.

Ive lost 3 stone now

This sounds more realistic. 800 calories a day is nothing. Well done btw.

 

[Mellotron]

Im going to give a shout out for the keto diet (low carbs).
As mentioned on the running thread in Jan, my wife "went keto" in Jan 1st '19 after years of health problems and piling on the pounds. She tried all sorts of diets previously, which worked in the short-term, but fell by the wayside long-term. By Jan 1st this year she had lost an amazing 10 stone, found running (which she had never shown an interest in before) and is now talking about buying a bike for the Summer to get to work. Its been a massive lifestyle change for her, and she is now down to a size 12/14 and looks amazing. Its also cut down massively on her health problems as well, which is brilliant.

That's amazing, well done to your wife (and yourself of course). What do you think it was about this diet that meant she stuck to it and didn't get discouraged etc? I definitely need to still cut out more carbs, find them way too easily to get through.

 

[banjo]

How do you track intake, via FitBit or something similar? I'm guessing it's approximation?

MyFitnessPals good