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

[JimnJoyce]

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?

Either way, I've done two sets of two weeks of 800 calories a day fasting in the last 14 weeks then done 3 800 calorie days a week in between and lost about a pound week. I haven't changed my diet for the other four days a week though and still eat lots of chocolate!

Fast 800 is 800 calories a day. The creator of this also did the 5:2 diet.

Hmmm. Do you mind me asking what weight you are now?

There’s very little evidence that immediate weight loss prior to elective surgery (excluding bariatric surgery) improves outcome. there is evidence that an overall reduction in weight improves longevity of implants so weight loss is a good idea in the long term. My concern would be lowering overall nutritional status just before significant wound healing needs to occur.

a relative was advised to do the fast 800 before major surgery.

less fat (sorry) makes surgery and recovery a lot less risky for the patient.

It depends on the surgery tbh. Lower limb fat isn’t likely to reduce significantly in a five day period and tbh the minor differences won’t make it significantly easier or harder - you’re either prepared to do surgery on someone at that weight or not. Even 5kg (which is a stinking amount to lose) won’t alter the technical aspects hugely (for lower limb arthroplasty).

now don’t get me wrong - losing weight over the long term is a brilliant plan. Or well before surgery - dropping weight reduces pain, reduces risk of infection, reduces risk of blood clots and reduces risk of revision surgery. My issue is that VLCD is difficult, risks nutritional deficits, and there is very little evidence that it improves outcomes if done immediately before surgery. I’d much rather a patient get to a healthier weight through changing lifestyle and diet in a sustainable way.

To clarify, benefits may be different in general surgery but I am unaware of any short term benefits in ortho.

There’s also the 800 Calories Bloodsugar diet. I’ve done it since February 1st and lost close to three stones.

Michael Mosleys 800 is a a low calories & low carb diet. But all the research he uses comes from the studies of Prof Roy Taylor from Newcastle University on diabetes. Its this information that the nhs now use to help reverse diabetes. Its a diet made up of shakes, soups, etc, along the lines of Slimfast.

Prof Taylor doesn't say it has to be low carb. He just says you need to reduce your calories and the ideal number he found was 800 calories. Because it seems to be enough calories that people can survive on it without feeling too deprived, but it's low enough that it gets the weight off quickly. He found losing weight quickly was important to keep people motivated.

I guess that's what your consultant is referring to. He's heard about these quick weight losses through this diabetes programme that the nhs has now adopted. Mosley then took Prof Taylors research and adapted it for his own books which follow fasting and 800 calories a day (in a low carb diet).

If you contact the diabetes nurse at your gp, they will have the details of the products that the nhs use and should be able to give you some advice. Ultimately, you just need to find a comfortable way to cut your calories drastically up until your operation so you lose weight fast.

It’s this

Nhs pre surgery diet

Ooo, @mrsbyers , that's interesting. It's very straightforward.
I'm not sure Michael Mosley would have sold many books with that diet, though! 😉

@JimnJoyce have a look at studies by Tim Spector, the Zoe Project and Micheal Mosely. It will give you the science behind it all. The diet isn't supposed to be long term as can lead to binge eating disorder, but is effective for short term , quick weight loss. It's also effective for anyone with type 2 diabetes.

There are some very useful apps to consider. Lots of options. My fitness pal is also useful @JimnJoyce

Can i be cheeky and ask what you weigh and what the surgeon would like you to weigh? I have an appointment with an orthopaedic surgeon on Monday and i suspect he will want me to lose weight if i need an op. I am 14 st at 5'6".

I actually have no idea what I weigh but you can see from looking at me that I need to lose weight. I'm 5ft 9 and most weight is around my middle,

I had a back operation about 5 years ago. I was 13st 12st 13 ( 😉 ) and there was no mention of me having to lose weight. I'd think our BMI is about the same. I did try to lose some, though, as I thought it would be better for my recovery.