What IS a VLCD?

TheVirgoddess
TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I know it's "very low calorie diet" - but what is considered "very low"? Is there a universal number, or is it an opinion?
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Replies

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    As prescribed and monitored by a physician, generally 800 calories is the threshold.
  • kshadows
    kshadows Posts: 1,315 Member
    I think it depends. I personally don't friend people who have their goal at 1200 and eat 1000. I like food. I like having friends who like food.
  • Amitysk
    Amitysk Posts: 705 Member
    I think officially it's between 500-1000 calories/day typically monitored by a Dr.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    Okay, thanks guys!
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    I know it's "very low calorie diet" - but what is considered "very low"? Is there a universal number, or is it an opinion?

    Depends where you are, it's 400 - 800 calories in the EU.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    Just for the record, I'm in no way interested in doing a VLCD. I was just curious.
  • MMulder68
    MMulder68 Posts: 139 Member
    I'm sorry but anything under 1200 calories is ridiculous! Monitored by a doctor or not! You can lose weight and eat food! You can see it on MFP every day. You also see people trying to eat 1200 and under and they quit or have to start over again and again. People! It isn't worth it!
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
    I'm sorry but anything under 1200 calories is ridiculous! Monitored by a doctor or not! You can lose weight and eat food! You can see it on MFP every day. You also see people trying to eat 1200 and under and they quit or have to start over again and again. People! It isn't worth it!

    VLCDs are typically used for morbidly obese patients, oftentimes ones whose health is degenerating to the point that their doctor feels they may die within the few years if they continue on their current trajectory. It's nice that people lose weight on MFP but that's not a reason to conclude to "never do a VLCD." For that matter, "never eat under 1200 calories" is basically broscience and using that to disprove the efficacy of doctor-monitored VLCDs is just laughable. There's also plenty of evidence of people maintaining their weight loss in the long-term after using a VLCD, so it's erroneous to assume that they will "quit and have to start over again and again." I'm sure your post was well-intentioned but honestly it's pretty misinformed.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    I'm sorry but anything under 1200 calories is ridiculous! Monitored by a doctor or not! You can lose weight and eat food! You can see it on MFP every day. You also see people trying to eat 1200 and under and they quit or have to start over again and again. People! It isn't worth it!

    I usually come in under 1,200 calories a day. My average is around 1,150 - I suppose those 50 calories are going to make me fail?

    I don't eat under 1,200 on purpose, it's just that I lack a big appetite. I do eat food - I love food. I'm over 4 months in, and 46 pounds down. So your generalization? I'm sorry - it's wrong.

    Anyway, that wasn't my question. I see the term VLCD used often and just wanted to know how to interpret "very low".
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    I'm sorry but anything under 1200 calories is ridiculous! Monitored by a doctor or not! You can lose weight and eat food! You can see it on MFP every day. You also see people trying to eat 1200 and under and they quit or have to start over again and again. People! It isn't worth it!

    For the average, a bit overweight person sure...for a morbidly obese person, the benefits can and often do outweigh the risks. Like pretty much when a patient either needs to lose weight very rapidly or they're going to die...this is generally when physicians prescribe a VLCD.

    http://www.webmd.com/diet/low-calorie-diets
  • kade_cando
    kade_cando Posts: 6
    I'm on a medically supervised VLCD. It's a different situation than just a casual diet. I started mine in preparation for lap band surgery. My doc told me the surgery would be dangerous if I didn't go on a very careful diet for at least a month before so my fatty liver would reduce in size. Only after a few weeks on the VLCD, I decided I didn't need the surgery and could restrict my calories on my own. For me, even a 10% weight loss could help my sleep apnea and back issues, then I can diet normally.

    I've been surprised how easy it to live on such reduced calories. I've spent most of the last 10 years eating 2500+ calories a day. I thought it would be harder to do 600-800 calories but apparently not and the results are far better than with the normal diet plans.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    I'm on a medically supervised VLCD. It's a different situation than just a casual diet. I started mine in preparation for lap band surgery. My doc told me the surgery would be dangerous if I didn't go on a very careful diet for at least a month before so my fatty liver would reduce in size. Only after a few weeks on the VLCD, I decided I didn't need the surgery and could restrict my calories on my own. For me, even a 10% weight loss could help my sleep apnea and back issues, then I can diet normally.

    I've been surprised how easy it to live on such reduced calories. I've spent most of the last 10 years eating 2500+ calories a day. I thought it would be harder to do 600-800 calories but apparently not and the results are far better than with the normal diet plans.

    Once you get the lap band, you have to stay on a relatively low cal diet, right?
  • alereck
    alereck Posts: 343 Member
    I did not know what VLCD was, thanks for the info.
  • jennifurballs
    jennifurballs Posts: 247 Member
    I'm eating a VLCD most days because I was diagnosed with type II diabetes and I think it's better to get this weight off as quickly as I can, versus taking medication that could cause me to get cancer, or who knows what else. I think it's entirely possible to lose the weight quickly and then go on a maintenance plan. This new lifestyle I've adopted has way more to do with mindset than with food. I eat healthy, I'm not hungry, and I exercise (cardio and weights) 6-7 days a week.

    The bottom line is every person has to do what works for them and burn more calories than they consume. I don't see anything wrong with doing it quickly, as long the long term benefits make sense to you.
  • kade_cando
    kade_cando Posts: 6
    I'm on a medically supervised VLCD. It's a different situation than just a casual diet. I started mine in preparation for lap band surgery. My doc told me the surgery would be dangerous if I didn't go on a very careful diet for at least a month before so my fatty liver would reduce in size. Only after a few weeks on the VLCD, I decided I didn't need the surgery and could restrict my calories on my own. For me, even a 10% weight loss could help my sleep apnea and back issues, then I can diet normally.

    I've been surprised how easy it to live on such reduced calories. I've spent most of the last 10 years eating 2500+ calories a day. I thought it would be harder to do 600-800 calories but apparently not and the results are far better than with the normal diet plans.

    Once you get the lap band, you have to stay on a relatively low cal diet, right?

    I decided not to go through with the surgery because I've done so well on the VLCD, I'm just sticking with that. Something clicked and I finally started seriousing up about losing weight. I suppose after seeing the ultrasound of my gigantic fatty liver that was too large to safely do surgery, it got me to finally start eating right. I thought I needed to have the surgery to be on the type of restricted diet I'm on now. I'd done two other expensive medically supervised diets before with no success. But now I've just had it. I'm not healthy. It's a miracle I don't have diabetes yet but I need a sleep apnea machine at night because of all the extra weight. The quicker I get the weight off quicker, the better I'll feel.
  • roeroe5
    roeroe5 Posts: 27
    I'm sorry but anything under 1200 calories is ridiculous! Monitored by a doctor or not! You can lose weight and eat food! You can see it on MFP every day. You also see people trying to eat 1200 and under and they quit or have to start over again and again. People! It isn't worth it!

    VLCDs are typically used for morbidly obese patients, oftentimes ones whose health is degenerating to the point that their doctor feels they may die within the few years if they continue on their current trajectory. It's nice that people lose weight on MFP but that's not a reason to conclude to "never do a VLCD." For that matter, "never eat under 1200 calories" is basically broscience and using that to disprove the efficacy of doctor-monitored VLCDs is just laughable. There's also plenty of evidence of people maintaining their weight loss in the long-term after using a VLCD, so it's erroneous to assume that they will "quit and have to start over again and again." I'm sure your post was well-intentioned but honestly it's pretty misinformed.

    Great reply - second this!!
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    I'm sorry but anything under 1200 calories is ridiculous! Monitored by a doctor or not! You can lose weight and eat food! You can see it on MFP every day. You also see people trying to eat 1200 and under and they quit or have to start over again and again. People! It isn't worth it!

    What you have described...stopping and starting...happens often...regardless of calorie level.

    Disclaimer...I am not nor have I ever attempted a VLCD...nor do I advocate anyone unless they have a medical reason to do so to attempt a VLCD.

    The more calories that I have...the more I struggle. I started at sedentary with 1200 calories. It was hard but I managed. When my activity level increased to lightly active my calorie allotment went up...it took a long time for me to adjust to the higher limit. Now my activity level is set at active...I am finding it much harder to stay within that higher number of calories.

    Moral of this story is...some people (such as myself) deal better with tight restrictions than they do with "more breathing room". For the last two months...at this higher calorie level...I have considered giving up more often than I did when I was eating at or below 1500 calories.

    We are often to quick to judge others based on what works for us.
  • Missjulesdid
    Missjulesdid Posts: 1,444 Member
    I did a supervised VLCD for 13 weeks and it was 800 calories. I did it in preparation for weight loss surgery. My VLCD was also ketogenic so I did have some reduced hunger which helped me stick with it. Though I don't think I could have done it for much longer.. it was the "light at the end of the tunnel" that kept me going.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    I appreciate all of you sharing your stories. The general opinion on here is so negative for VLCD's - I'm glad that I feel I understand them more.
  • 3wdl
    3wdl Posts: 45
    For what it's worth I started Lighter Life earlier this week - which is a VLCD but not a medically supervised one.

    I am very overweight and a few days in I'm actually finding it pretty easy to stick to and the expectation is that I will do it till around Christmas, perhaps slightly after, so that I can aim to loose between 8-9 stone.

    Appreciate it's not everyones cup of tea but I've had a few friends who have done it that have seen great success and kept the majority of the weight off.

    I think LL is around 600 calories per day (4 food packs) and a lot of water.

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