Quote:
Originally Posted by walking2lose
Hi km -- it sounds like you have an enormous amount of discipline. I'm just curious - what is the purpose for the low, low calorie plan? I thought at 500 calories a day, the body would really hold on to every bit it can. I'm sorry, but even getting protein and fat, it just doesn't sound healthy to me. Maybe you can explain...?
Hi There,
Just to explain further re a VLCD, what actually happens is that with the near absence of carbs from your diet, and the correct balance of Protein and Fat, your body goes in to Ketosis, this means that in the initial days you utilise all of your glycogen stores, and then thereafter, every time your body needs energy it has to turn to fat stores for it.
Now naturally your body doesn't do this, but tends to use carbohydrates for energy, so it takes a while to adjust, and some people experience sluggishness and tiredness as a result. The waste products of Ketones is then excreted through urine - this is nothing terribly new to a lot of people as atkins type diets work on similar principles.
I have not had a lack of energy, and have been doing fairly high intensity excercise 2 or 3 times per week also.
I think I have said this before elsewhere, but the theory behind it is that the ills perhaps associated with fast weightloss are outweighed by the benefits of actually LOSING the weight, and also that with someone with lots of weight to lose (too high a hurdle to jump) that the large numbers on the scales will be hugely motivating and help them to stick at it.
there is a lot of info about the diet on UCLA website - they have a programme.
Just to say 2 things to end, one I am under medical supervision, and I don't think this should be done any other way!
Two, i am not really advocating this method, as you guys out there doing a slow and steady 1 or 2lbs a week are excercising a lot more disciplin, and also setting yourself up to be healthier.
But, this is working for me, and i just wanted to find any others doing the diet, to see if they had stories to share??