Reduced Fat Ketosis Program - Does it make sense?

adenajoy

Hi Everyone!

I recently signed up for a weightloss program that was started by some Stanford doctors. The program is designed to help people lose 10 to more than 100 lbs. It basically is a low carb diet tied to helping you understand portion sizes. Each day you get a certain number of boxes for protein and a certain number of carbs, and each box equals a different amount of various fresh food. Ie 1oz of chicken = 1 box of protein.

Today marks my first week completing the program. I've been struggling to hit 1200 calories per day on this program. What I don't understand about the program is that they have a few items you are "allowed" (ie 1 tablespoon of olive oil) but if you don't eat them you will be very far under the typical calorie requirements for what I've learned is healthy (1200 minimum.) They also say you can have 1-2 alcoholic beverages weekly (I've chosen to abstain from alcohol this year) so I am not getting those calories either, but there is no reference to replacing that with anything else. Now, I typically eat anywhere from 1200 - 3000 calories per day (due to a bad habit of binge eating when candy is around) so this program must be healthier than that - I just can't imagine that it's really the best thing given I'm ending up at 900-1000 calories per day unless I'm really careful in my selection of food within the program requirements.

Now at the same time I think it's possible within the requirements of the program to eat a bit higher calorie count. If you ate all red meat for your protein requirements, the highest calorie carbs allowed and ate all of their "extras" I bet you'd get at least 1500 calories in before all is said and done. So it's possible they are figuring that you can cycle your calories and that most people will end up at 800 one day and 1500 the next and still lose weight. But I think they are assuming an average of 50 calories per box, with 500 from protein, 200 from carbs, ~100 from 8oz of milk, which is only 700 calories, and then maybe the extras are supposed to bring you up to 1200, or maybe this is meant to be a super low calorie diet. I'm not clear. When I asked about calories at my first appointment, they told me this diet isn't about "counting calories."

The program is medically supervised (you get a 15 minute visit weekly) so perhaps it is designed to be an 800 calorie diet. It doesn't make a lot of sense though because the books have the same number of boxes for everyone - it seems men and women of any height. I don't understand how that can be healthy for everyone. I'm a relatively short woman (5'3) so I know if this is low calorie for me, it would be more so for someone taller or a man.

I'm going to ask the clinicians their thoughts on my next visit, but the lack of customization in the program per person's bodyweight, height and activity makes me nervous (esp given the program is $400/mo, eeks!) I'm hoping it becomes more customized next week, but they didn't mention that it will change a lot until I hit my goal weight, at which time I might be able to eat some starches again.

Have you ever done a program like this? Do you think it's safe?