Liquid Diet

AndrelleJohnson

So I've been stuck at between 190-185 for months now and I don't know what else to do. So I've been thinking about doing a liquid diet for a couple of day to help me reach my goal of 180 in the next week and a half. Who have tried this and did it help?

Ready2Rock206

No. You'll just gain all the weight back and possibly more when you go back to eating food. Work on logging more accurately before you start taking drastic measures. Use your food scale for all solids. Log every single thing you put in your mouth. Use accurate entries. Use the recipe builder.

kshama2001

I lost weight on a juice fast and gained it all back when I resumed solid food because at that time I was not weighing and logging my food, and was eating more than I burned.

MorganMoreaux

I had to be on a four day liquid diet for a gastrointestinal test. It was horrible. I struggled to get 1200 calories each day. When I was finally able to eat real food I retained so much water after the first meal I couldn't wear any of my closed shoes. It was winter and I had to wear sandals.

If you want to lose weight you need to set realistic expectations and come up with an action plan to reach your goals. If you want to lose weight and keep it off you have to learn how to portion control and eat rationally, within your calorie budget. A liquid diet is not sustainable, and it's not going to teach you how to eat properly. If you lose weight to quickly you will lose muscle, which is a very bad thing. The muscle doesn't just miraculously come back if you gain weight, it gets replaced with more fat. If you follow through with the liquid diet you will most likely binge the first day you're off it. Why not be sensible and eat at a deficit daily to achieve your weightloss goals in a healthy fashion?

Timshel_

Did this a lot in college, with beer. Not so healthy.

Serah87

Not a good ideal.

brandnew222

Why would you do that? Drinking calories is easier than eating them and will leave you less full.

Budjola

u lose weight in kitchen and with extra calories burned through cardio exercises. about liquid diet, rather do 24h fasting once a week then going on full liquid diet.

brb_2013

Ready2Rock206 wrote: »

No. You'll just gain all the weight back and possibly more when you go back to eating food. Work on logging more accurately before you start taking drastic measures. Use your food scale for all solids. Log every single thing you put in your mouth. Use accurate entries. Use the recipe builder.

Yes you absolutely will. I dropped 20lbs in a month after jaw surgery, it didn't help that food was the last thing I wanted. But I was on all liquids for 8 weeks and maybe consumed 600 calories a day in boost and ensure shakes. I gained it all back within two or three weeks of real food.

Serah87

Read this OP: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

If you are not losing you are not in a deficit.

goodasgoldilox165

so - the Mediterranean diet without the food? Could be fun but will probably get you into all sorts of trouble.
Besides - how would you sustain the loss when getting back to 'normal' eating again? (As every drinker knows, that morning will come)

goodasgoldilox165

I do have a sensible suggestion too
When stuck it is often good to try a new 'diet' of some kind. I suppose liquid is one possibility but there are other much healthier options that might not have the bad effects afterwards. Try low GI (a short burst of low sugar can have great effects and it doesn't leave you desperate or starving. It can fool your body into letting go of stubborn pounds) - or high fibre - or all packaged or all unpackaged (or if you must fast, the 5/2).

rosebarnalice

I have been known to take one day where I eat nothing but a huge pot of cabbage and tomato soup (about 600 calories for the whole day) just to get my head back in the game. But I never do it lore than one day, and maybe only once every 2 or 3 months.

AndrelleJohnson

Ok since the liquid diet is a no go then what should I do?

queenliz99

Figure out why you are stuck? How's your logging? Do you weigh all solids? Do you pick to right entries from the database?

blues4miles

I did it to kickstart some new habits...mostly to restrict what I was eating and then slowly reintroduce foods in order to get a grasp on what I was eating, break what had been a nearly 100% fast food diet.

My experience:
-I lost about 4 lbs, but I think only 1 lb was "real" (which makes sense since I did it for about a week), once I ate real food the other 3 lbs came back. Because duh, the food in your stomach weighs something.
-Be careful with what you choose to supplement. I used Super Body Fuel which is very similar to Soylent. Things like Slimfast or Ensure have EXTREMELY high sugar, and low protein. They aren't meant to be full day meal supplements. Similarly, a protein powder is just protein powder, it doesn't have a lot of the other things you need.
-I did 1500 calories a day. Going unnecessarily low on calories is still not a great idea whether it's solid or liquid.
-Unless you're going to do it long term, the weight loss won't be much and won't be permanent. Like I said, I lost 1 real pound during that week, pretty much exactly what I expected to based on eating 1500 calories. If I'd eaten 1500 calories of food, I would have lost the same.
-I don't set deadlines on my weight loss. I set my goals based on eating within my calories, and times I worked out that week. Those are factors directly within my control. What the scale says is not within my control.

itsbasschick

AndrelleJohnson wrote: »

Ok since the liquid diet is a no go then what should I do?

how many calories are you eating per day? are you weighing all your food on a digital scale and logging it? how tall are you?

Christine_72

AndrelleJohnson wrote: »

Ok since the liquid diet is a no go then what should I do?

Weigh and log your food accurately. If you're not losing weight, then you are eating more than you think.

Lounmoun

AndrelleJohnson wrote: »

Ok since the liquid diet is a no go then what should I do?

If you are not losing then you are eating at maintenance level for you.
First check your logging accuracy. Use a food scale. Weigh, measure and log everything you consume. Check that the database entries you are using are correct. If you exercise and eat exercise calories back don't eat so many. You may be overestimating calorie burns.
Second, If you have lost weight have you lowered your calories at all since you started? It may be time to lower your calories again or increase the amount of calories you burn.
Third, if you are sure everything is correct then go see your doctor.

Carlos_421

goodasgoldilox wrote: »

I do have a sensible suggestion too
When stuck it is often good to try a new 'diet' of some kind. I suppose liquid is one possibility but there are other much healthier options that might not have the bad effects afterwards. Try low GI (a short burst of low sugar can have great effects and it doesn't leave you desperate or starving. It can fool your body into letting go of stubborn pounds) - or high fibre - or all packaged or all unpackaged (or if you must fast, the 5/2).

meritage4

commit to walking at least 30 minutes every day. see if that drops you. I just left the weight you are at.

coonhoundmom50

blues4miles wrote: »

I did it to kickstart some new habits...mostly to restrict what I was eating and then slowly reintroduce foods in order to get a grasp on what I was eating, break what had been a nearly 100% fast food diet.

My experience:
-I lost about 4 lbs, but I think only 1 lb was "real" (which makes sense since I did it for about a week), once I ate real food the other 3 lbs came back. Because duh, the food in your stomach weighs something.
-Be careful with what you choose to supplement. I used Super Body Fuel which is very similar to Soylent. Things like Slimfast or Ensure have EXTREMELY high sugar, and low protein. They aren't meant to be full day meal supplements. Similarly, a protein powder is just protein powder, it doesn't have a lot of the other things you need.
-I did 1500 calories a day. Going unnecessarily low on calories is still not a great idea whether it's solid or liquid.
-Unless you're going to do it long term, the weight loss won't be much and won't be permanent. Like I said, I lost 1 real pound during that week, pretty much exactly what I expected to based on eating 1500 calories. If I'd eaten 1500 calories of food, I would have lost the same.
-I don't set deadlines on my weight loss. I set my goals based on eating within my calories, and times I worked out that week. Those are factors directly within my control. What the scale says is not within my control.

Slimfast (Advanced Nutrition Smoothie powder) has real low sugar content (13 gm). It is sweetened w/ Sucralose. Way better, too, at curbing hunger, as claimed on package, as long as you prepare in a blender. Currently, on Carnation Breakfast Essentials powder, prepared same manner,even blended with banana and peanut powder, and already starving. I think its missing the fiber (<1gm),like in Slim Fast(5gm). Slimfast Smoothie powder prepared in blender worked great at curbing hunger, even without added mix-ins. Call 1800-754-6327 for $2 off coupon. (Just got mine in mail yesterday). Hope this helps!

ASKyle

PattyBanzhof1 wrote: »

blues4miles wrote: »

I did it to kickstart some new habits...mostly to restrict what I was eating and then slowly reintroduce foods in order to get a grasp on what I was eating, break what had been a nearly 100% fast food diet.

My experience:
-I lost about 4 lbs, but I think only 1 lb was "real" (which makes sense since I did it for about a week), once I ate real food the other 3 lbs came back. Because duh, the food in your stomach weighs something.
-Be careful with what you choose to supplement. I used Super Body Fuel which is very similar to Soylent. Things like Slimfast or Ensure have EXTREMELY high sugar, and low protein. They aren't meant to be full day meal supplements. Similarly, a protein powder is just protein powder, it doesn't have a lot of the other things you need.
-I did 1500 calories a day. Going unnecessarily low on calories is still not a great idea whether it's solid or liquid.
-Unless you're going to do it long term, the weight loss won't be much and won't be permanent. Like I said, I lost 1 real pound during that week, pretty much exactly what I expected to based on eating 1500 calories. If I'd eaten 1500 calories of food, I would have lost the same.
-I don't set deadlines on my weight loss. I set my goals based on eating within my calories, and times I worked out that week. Those are factors directly within my control. What the scale says is not within my control.

Slimfast (Advanced Nutrition Smoothie powder) has real low sugar content (13 gm). It is sweetened w/ Sucralose. Way better, too, at curbing hunger, as claimed on package, as long as you prepare in a blender. Currently, on Carnation Breakfast Essentials powder, prepared same manner,even blended with banana and peanut powder, and already starving. I think its missing the fiber (<1gm),like in Slim Fast(5gm). Slimfast Smoothie powder prepared in blender worked great at curbing hunger, even without added mix-ins. Call 1800-754-6327 for $2 off coupon. (Just got mine in mail yesterday). Hope this helps!

13 grams is a lot buddy! I don't need a shake with 3.25 teaspoons of sugar.

lemurcat12

Timshel_ wrote: »

Did this a lot in college, with beer. Not so healthy.

heh, me too.

WinoGelato

Why do you need to reach your goal in a week and a half?

Others have already pointed out all the reasons why a short term liquid diet is not a good idea, and some suggestions about how to get long term, sustainable results.

I'm just curious what happens in a week and a half that you need to be 180 lbs for?