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Low-carb diets

Share advice and experiences of following a low-carb diet.Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Original poster

Consultant told me to start the 800 calorie 5 day diet, but what is it?

40 replies

JimnJoyce · 10/05/2023 13:46

I will be having a hip replacement within the next 2-3 months and the consultant said I need to start the 800 calorie 5 day diet.
Online information is varied and inconsistent. And there seems to be a Fast and a Keto version.
Can anyone advise please?

OP posts:
MonumentalLentil · 10/05/2023 14:28

Michael Mosley diets are what you mean I think - they are low carb not low cal.
I have the 8 week blood sugar diet next to me and another one somewhere. If you skip the case hstory parts of the book after the first few it is more interesting. You can adapt the diet, and once you get used to checking carbs in food and buying the right stuff you start to feel a ot better and lighter. If you are very strict and go full on keto, you might fnd the side effects will put you off, I feel to be too extreme is not good.

I started gradually and slowly lost weight, noticeably increase in energy too.

MonumentalLentil · 10/05/2023 14:29

Sorry about typos.

senua · 10/05/2023 14:31

Can anyone advise please?
Surely if the consultant wants you to follow XYZ diet then it's up to the consultant to give you the details of the XYZ diet. Ask them, not us!

MonumentalLentil · 10/05/2023 14:32

It is a good one for lowering blood glucose too which is the reason he wrote the books, however it is a healthy diet for weight loss in general. You can incorporate the Mediterranean diet.

saxendaqs · 10/05/2023 14:32

Sounds like the 5:2 diet?
Why on earth is a doctor recommending that!?

Peridot1 · 10/05/2023 14:34

I think short sharp low calorie diets like that are often recommended by doctors when a patient needs to lose weight quickly for surgery.

MonumentalLentil · 10/05/2023 14:36

senua · 10/05/2023 14:31

Can anyone advise please?
Surely if the consultant wants you to follow XYZ diet then it's up to the consultant to give you the details of the XYZ diet. Ask them, not us!

If you have nothing useful to say why do you bother?

Sometimes it is difficult to take in everything at a consultation, OP was told which diet to follow and is trying to find out what it is so why don't you go and play somewhere else?

I was also recommended the Mosely diets, and also had to go out and find them for myself, nothing wrong with asking, this is a forum where people come and ask all kinds of things. Today seems to have attracted a bunch of arseholes, and it's not even posted in AIBU.

You ask away @JimnJoyce and good luck.

ChardonnaysBeastlyCat · 10/05/2023 14:37

senua · 10/05/2023 14:31

Can anyone advise please?
Surely if the consultant wants you to follow XYZ diet then it's up to the consultant to give you the details of the XYZ diet. Ask them, not us!

Have you ever met a consultant?

MonumentalLentil · 10/05/2023 14:38

Peridot1 · 10/05/2023 14:34

I think short sharp low calorie diets like that are often recommended by doctors when a patient needs to lose weight quickly for surgery.

I 'think' it is actually one of the Mosley low carb diets and OP is a bit confused by it all.

Original poster
JimnJoyce · 10/05/2023 14:41

to clarify it was because he was saying its a good idea to lose weight before the surgery. There was a lot to take in( plus he was s very fast talker) and I just didnt think to ask him which diet that was specifically.

OP posts:
Peridot1 · 10/05/2023 14:42

Possibly @MonumentalLentil but this seems to indicate just a basic very low calorie diet.

I would think the Mosley one preferable as it’s real food rather than shakes etc.

nhs.uk

Very low calorie diets

Find out whether a very low calorie diet can help you achieve a healthy weight, and how to use one safely.

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/managing-your-weight/very-low-calorie-diets/

Original poster
JimnJoyce · 10/05/2023 14:42

But he definitely said 800 calorie, 5 day diet.

OP posts:
MonumentalLentil · 10/05/2023 14:42

I have just put a link above for you. Ignore the unhelpful posts, there are some grumpy sods on here today.

Original poster
JimnJoyce · 10/05/2023 14:43

@senua wins today's prize for least helpful post 🏆

OP posts:
Peridot1 · 10/05/2023 14:44

I don’t think it will really matter which 500 calorie diet you do but the Mosley one would be better.

MonumentalLentil · 10/05/2023 14:46

Peridot1 · 10/05/2023 14:42

Possibly @MonumentalLentil but this seems to indicate just a basic very low calorie diet.

I would think the Mosley one preferable as it’s real food rather than shakes etc.

Yes, I have seen the VLCD and also think Mosely has the right idea, he has also mentioned shakes in his books, plus a study that was done.

Problem with shakes is added sweeteners which have a detrimental effect on the body.

I would never recommend VLCD to anyone and it is refreshing if you actually find a doctor that understands the difference (and unusual in my experience).

Original poster
JimnJoyce · 10/05/2023 14:48

thanks @MonumentalLentil and @Peridot1very helpful.
I looked up NHS diet online but the one i found was soups and shakes.

OP posts:
MonumentalLentil · 10/05/2023 14:49

JimnJoyce · 10/05/2023 14:42

But he definitely said 800 calorie, 5 day diet.

There are various diets, I personally would never do low cal. One of my qualifications (many years ago) was in nutrition and diet and I follow Mosley diets, adaptable, and you get to eat real food. There are foods that are very low carb and you can eat and feel full as long as you are careful. If you have 8 weeks it is worth a go.

MonumentalLentil · 10/05/2023 14:51

Soups and shakes are drastic, if you need very fast weight loss. If you can do it so that your body can adjust comfortably then do the one where you get food a well. Take a look at one of the books and see if you can live with it, if not, then you have options.

Original poster
JimnJoyce · 10/05/2023 14:52

good advice

OP posts:
greenspaces4peace · 10/05/2023 14:54

Could he have said FAST 800, not FIVE??
Fast 800 is available online super easy.
you could probably double check with the office manager as he probably recommends the same diet often.

Original poster
JimnJoyce · 10/05/2023 14:55

My OP says 800 calories not 500

OP posts:
MissyB1 · 10/05/2023 14:57

Yes sounds like M Mosley fast 800 diet.

Marthadartha · 10/05/2023 14:59

In one of the Michael Mosley books I've read it says that doing 800 calories five days a week could be one way of following the diet? Fast 800 starts with two weeks of 800 calories days then you can move to a 5:2 fasting schedule (so fasting 2 days, and not fasting 5 days) so could mean that too.