AIBU Big Crah Diet Experiment

[Dopplerineffect]

I know on here VLCDs are frowned upon. What are your views if you watched this programme?

My anecdotal and my AIBU are this;

Age 30 pregnant and lonely I put on 4 stone. A year later I lost it through lighter life and Atkins. I excercised , was a SAHM walked loads with pram. At 5 ‘6 I got down to 8.12.

Dd is now 10. I am now a teacher working hard not as much free time. Binging oncrisps and wine. Happier in personal life, am now 12 stone again and ten years older.

I want to embark on slim and save ( or lighter life et al)or even my own version with a supplement.

It is harder the third/ fourth millionth time round but I am hoping I can do it this time. I am just worried about muscle mass. So guess that is my main worry.

I can exercise on a VLCD and not someowho feels week. I lnow people do. I am not slating this. I just don’t feel dizzy. Maybe ad a child athlete.

I also read literature that some people cab lose weight a pound a week and keep it off but for others like me it doesn’t work. There is no right or wrong. It is what’s works for you.

So am AIBU at 12 stone 5’6 pushing 40 to embark on the VLCD I did at 30 with sucess without being flabby mcfaberson.

Also read alternate views that vlcd aid loose skin recovery others that it doesn’t.

Really is evidence for what you choose! Agg!

I mean... it’s your body, you can do what you like with it. If a very low calorie diet suits you then go for it.

It totally suits me but I worry about loose skin and muscle mass which this programme didn’t mention.

Loose skin is more likely with rapid weight loss and loss of muscle mass - but it still won't affect everybody. It's as much to do with genetics as anything - if you're lucky in that department, you might be ok.

Don’t forget you also have the option of using real food as per the 8 week blood sugar diet by Michael Moseley.

Will you get much loose skin with only 4st to lose? I shouldn’t imagine so; maybe if you had like 10? I don’t know. All you can do is maybe try and keep toned with regular exercise and keep the moisture in your skin by treating it to lovely creams and things. As a PP said, a lot of it’s down to genetics anyway and I wouldn’t let a bit of floppy skin hold you back if it’s what you want to do.

I look ok at 10 stone so realistically only 2.5 to lose.

The programme showed better liver health and blood sugar after the first week.

Skin probably is genetic and how much to lose.

Wish I could have been on the programme lol

VLCDs - typically 800-1000kcal a day - CAN work if you are mrobdidly obese., but you would be wise to speak to a dietician in advance: I'm not sure four stone is really enough weight to lose to make it effective (although I appreciate it probably feels like a lot to you just now).

Realistically, I think you should be looking at longer-term, sustainable weight loss and food plan goals - ideally high-protein, combined with exercise. At 2-3lbs a week (with a bit of slippage), you should achieve your goal in about eight months to a year.

'Morbidly'. FFS, silly big clumsy paws.

Was it only 4 people? Who each got 20 hours of contact time to support them (I liked the NHS guy pointing that out). DH & I were discussing whether that 20 hrs investment could pay off for NHS. Hard to know, they were only followed up for 4 months. I also wondered about loose skin probs.

Presenter said something about a trial where half the participants had great weight loss & reversed their T2DM. Which is great, but I think didn't tell us that the other half totally failed, or that the trial was very small, or included only people carefully selected to be more likely to succeed, or the participants weren't randomised to another weight loss plan, all of which is possible (or even probable).

I've just done my second bout of slim and save, had nearly 2 stones to lose and have done it in 4 weeks. If you stick to the plan, muscle mass isn't affected as much as it would be in your own version of a vlcd. For me, it's a godsend. I lost a much larger amount a couple of years ago and kept the majority of it off through low carbing, no problem (for the first time in my life!) but I carried on binge eating from Christmas and needed a firm kick up the backside.
I find it far easier than having to make sensible choices. If you're in, you're in and no dicking about or having a few cheat days etc. I personally need the rigidity.
I've got no loose skin and feel great now. They aren't for everyone I know, but they've moved on so much from the days of 3 strawberry milkshakes a day and nothing else.

I'm just watching it on catch up. I am very tempted to give it a go.

I'm just watching it on catch up. I am very tempted to give it a go.

Sim and Save workked for me at 30. Now I will fiend it hard!!

Why would you find it hard now? (Apart from the fact it clearly is hard). But why is it hard now compared to then?

Once you have done it once and am now 10 years older than it is different and harder.

It could be reduced metabolism
Reduced will power due to losing that first umf
Lack of commitment

Who knows all I can say is that is harder at 40 than 30!