Welcome to Debate Club! Please be aware that this is a space for respectful debate, and that your ideas will be challenged here. Please remember to critique the argument, not the author.

Lose a stone in 21 days with Michael Mosley - opinions!

RockAndSausageRoll
RockAndSausageRoll Posts: 8 Member
edited August 2020 in Debate Club
So ... thoughts?

It's TV show on Channel 4, it's not long started. As far as I can tell, he's recommended 800 cals & a keto approach. I've yet to watch it so l might be wrong!! I think it sounds hopelessly unrealistic and I'm not quite sure that anyone should follow such an extreme diet without consulting their GP.

However, my (usually thoughtful, sensible) partner thinks that it's perfectly reasonable, which has left me feeling 💩 💩 He's making weight loss sound so easy & he definitely doesn't mean to but he's completely dismissing my 1500 cal / 3x exercise routine because he's excited by the idea of this. My partner is 1000% supportive of everything I do but this has really rubbed me up the wrong way.

So, am I being too dismissive of the show? Have to admit, I've read about it and not watched it yet, though I intend to. What are your thoughts on Michael Mosley and this method? Would love to hear from someone who has actually watched it!
«1

Replies

  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,301 Member
    I think you will find the participants in this programme are people with a significant amount of weight to loose. I remember this low calorie "diet" being advised in chronic circumstances so its far from being designed for those with the odd lb or even couple of stone to loose. In the first part, towards the end time wise, which was a few days in the participants had been tested daily to see if they were at the point of being in "ketosis" the state where a person is using fat as their fuel rather than carbohydrates, some participants were saying they had dizziness and other reactions so it is not for the faint hearted. Possibly it will be interesting to see the outcome, tomorrow.

    Mosley does take part in some "interesting" science/medical programs. He qualified as a doctor some years ago thought he has spend most of the recent years making and producing various health related programs. I have no idea if he has kept up his medical accreditation.
  • KerrieA87
    KerrieA87 Posts: 167 Member
    I watched the programme and from what I understand the vlcd is going to be for a three week period and under regular medical attention, so not someone just deciding to do so without the added medical support that would be needed.
    I can’t say I’m a fan of keto diets so as to how that pans out after the programme finishes and they go back (if they do) to a typical carb heavier diet is anyone’s guess. The fact that the ingredients for the meals are currently being given/delivered to them means there’s the positive that they are cooking for themselves and learning what’s going in and more appropriate portion sizes, but the negative would be they’re not actually shopping for it themselves so whether they’d buy similar once the programme ends is a thought.
  • RockAndSausageRoll
    RockAndSausageRoll Posts: 8 Member
    Thanks for the comments! Glad it's not just me who thought this sounded a little too good to be true. I'll definitely be watching though to see what I think.

    Haha, cmriverside - I liked your sign off 😂😂 I've perked up a bit now!
  • RockAndSausageRoll
    RockAndSausageRoll Posts: 8 Member
    Kerrie, would it be possible for people to follow along at home? That's the vibe my partner got. Like a 'here's an easy way to lose the weight you gained during lockdown - do it along with us' vibe. Is that the case or are there things in place to encourage/discourage people from following along at home?
  • KerrieA87
    KerrieA87 Posts: 167 Member
    Sort of, you essentially had someone cooking the odd meal but there was no measurement next to it, so for some mushroom pizzas they were making you could tell the base was a portobello, the woman spoke about 4 tablespoons of tomato purée (this was to serve 4 with one mushroom as a serving), but then she added oil and garlic to the mixture. There was grated mozzarella and fresh cherry tomatoes used but no amounts for each shown. Put it in the oven on high for about 10 mins (quite literally what was said).

    All 5 people seemed to be following the exact same meal plan, I did notice some would put a side salad or some fresh spinach with it but it’s all stuff that if you were wanting to lose weight you could more than likely find recipes easily enough.

    The second episode that’s upcoming spoke about how they’d be incorporating exercise in as well, episode one finished at the end of week one so I’m quite concerned that it’s going to promote following a vlcd then adding exercise and not eating those cals (or even a proportion of them) back.
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,301 Member
    I think there was some Channel 4 programme link to some supporting information possibly meal plans but if someone only has a few lbs to loose its probably taking a sledge hammer to crack a nut. Needless to say one should probably talk to one's doctor before embarking on something like this because there are health implications from being very low calorie..
  • RockingWithLJ
    RockingWithLJ Posts: 243 Member
    I didn't do it with that guy but i have lost 14lb within 21 days a few years back. Strict diet (high protein for sure, less than 25g of sugar), vigorous exercise and plenty of sleep did it for me. I was able to keep it off. Ended up losing 37lb in 3 months and kept it off. I restarted my journey but not so much to lower my weight but to gain more strength. I figure the scale will land where it is supposed to this time..
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,099 Member
    L1zardQueen wrote: »
    That stone of weight loss will be mostly water weight and not fat. I would not pay any attention to the hype.

    I passed not a stone but a kiddo who was almost 9 pounds, somewhat PAINFUL!

    Oh... I dont have the "parts" to do that... you win. Lol
  • threewins
    threewins Posts: 1,455 Member
    edited August 2020
    s4ctwkjnmyjk.png
    There was a weight loss show a while ago called Thintervention. This was different from the usual weight loss show because the participants lived at their own homes (so it wasn't a Biggest Loser style) and they didn't seem to have jobs. So they could exercise a lot. I would consider this to give the best results from any "normal" weight loss situation (yes, I know some of us have jobs but not everyone has a job all the time).

    I ran the numbers and came up with a model that gave the best fit. The weekly loss could be calculated the following way: take their weight (kg) and divide by 60. That's their percentage weight loss. So a 90 kg person could expect to lose 1.5% or 1.35 kg a week. Obviously the next week they'd lose a bit less.

    I have trouble believing any system could beat those numbers that wasn't a starvation diet. The show had 7 participants and the length of weight loss was 13 weeks.

    The graph I have uploaded shows body weight (kg) vs weekly percentage loss. The line is the best fit line as provided by a spreadsheet.
  • dawkson2017
    dawkson2017 Posts: 18 Member
    Just watched ep 1....... I think the program is ok..... I can easily do 800 calories with a good ratio of carbs to protein to fat.
    However, as I am 68 yo female, 5 ft 2in, and already weigh 115 pounds, I dont have much to lose. I have lost 15 pounds since start of March, when our (Melbourne, Australia) started.
    I will weigh myself every couple of days, and if my weigh starts to creep up, I do a couple of 800 cal days..... simple for me!
    If you feel you need to lose weight.... try different things to see what works for your life situation.
  • freda666
    freda666 Posts: 338 Member
    forensicanthropology wrote: »
    I actually really like Michael. It takes a lot of bottle to stand up to what people perceive is weightloss gospel that they have held onto for years. There is a lot of peer reviewed literature out there that would back up the thesis that restricting calories has health benefits. Im sure these participants will have further support once the TV stuff is done. Worth watching I'd say.

    Not saying that it is not an entertaining and interesting programme, I just have huge doubts it is helpful for an audience that wishes to lose weight.
  • forensicanthropology
    forensicanthropology Posts: 29 Member
    OK, What is it that is causing your doubts? The sustainability? I know the participants were struggling at one point.
  • sofrances
    sofrances Posts: 156 Member
    I would be more interested in a program that successfully helps people keep weight off for a long period of time.

    That said, Michael Mosley's books and cookbooks have helped me quite a lot.
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,466 Member
    edited August 2020
    It seems to be based largely from his Fast 800 book (which to be fair, does have some evidence behind it, although I think that was mostly with meal replacement products). Losing a stone in 21 days is ambitious but I think that for all of these diet programmes, they tend to choose obese participants who have been eating a lot beforehand, so they have a more dramatic deficit. It's maybe possible for that particular group of people (although not all of that would be fat loss)?

    The book suggests a combo of Mediteranean style eating, 800 calories, and 5:2 eating (for after the initial fast weight loss period). I'm hoping the final programme will give participants (and people following at home) advice on how to go forward after the first month.

    He did qualify as a doctor many years ago, but I feel it's a bit misleading that he's promoted as a medical doctor as I don't believe he has practiced since then. I can't see him on the GMC register (although he might be under a different name). He picks up the latest bits of research and writes very successful books about it. He's previously done books on intermittent fasting and HIIT, and a "blood sugar diet" (basically the 800 calorie one) and has a current book out on Covid-19.

    I think the participants from the studies he bases it on were followed up for a year, but on his website the testimonials seem to be mainly from people who have lost small amounts of weight over a short period of time.
  • bmeadows380
    bmeadows380 Posts: 2,981 Member
    I read one of his books once (the blood sugar diet one), that recommended the 800 VLCD, but from what I remember in the book, it highly stressed that it was to be done for a very restricted time frame under medical supervision - definitely not long term.

    The danger I'm seeing in the books and the tv shows is how many people won't consult their doctor but will just decide to try that kind of diet on their own, especially based upon the results from the TV show, and how many people will pick up terrible ideas on food and exercise in the process.
  • threewins
    threewins Posts: 1,455 Member
    sofrances wrote: »
    I would be more interested in a program that successfully helps people keep weight off for a long period of time.

    So would I!!!!! (Yes, 5 exclamation marks). I've been at goal weight 5 times in the last 25 years.
  • freda666
    freda666 Posts: 338 Member
    forensicanthropology wrote: »
    OK, What is it that is causing your doubts? The sustainability? I know the participants were struggling at one point.

    Back up a few posts as I have already said there why I have my opinions on this show.
  • freda666
    freda666 Posts: 338 Member
    sofrances wrote: »
    I would be more interested in a program that successfully helps people keep weight off for a long period of time.

    Me too.
  • LunaTheFatCat
    LunaTheFatCat Posts: 237 Member
    I really like Michael Mosly, raging I missed this programme, hopefully I can find it online somewhere.
    That said, I've no intention in starving myself on 800 cals!
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,466 Member
    I've watched the last episode. They did manage to lose about a stone on average in three weeks and all improved in other measures of health. They did actually talk quite a lot about the long-term. I think part of the point of the rapid weight loss was that people (in the study they mentioned) tended to keep more off for longer than people who lost slowly. The participants did seem motivated towards the end and they talked to somebody who had done it a couple of years ago and was maintaining. I think they were planning to form a support group and were going to check in. It would be good to do a few follow-ups to see how they are doing.

    It wasn't perfect - they oddly put somebody's better Vitamin D levels down to eating "greens", rather than supplements and sunlight. And obviously made to make good TV - as I mentioned, choosing participants who were already eating and drinking a lot and would have more dramatic results. The book suggests 12 weeks, and I bet for most people the big losses are in the first three weeks, so if the programme had been longer it wouldn't have been so exciting!
  • Diatonic12
    Diatonic12 Posts: 32,344 Member
    Lose 14 lbs in 21 days and eat it all back in 10. Days.

    The skin's elasticity can handle only so much dropping it like it's hot until it begins to hang like a shar-pei dog. There's only choices and consequences.

    It doesn't matter which brutally strict diet you choose, if they worked you would conduct the crash diet one time and it would fix everything for you. It doesn't. It's a temporary bandaid.

    It's the Shock and Awe Approach to food. Eat all the things and then eat mostly nothin'. It's overcompensation and it will not offer you lasting stability with your weight. Wild swings UP and down and back and forth. Starting over and over and over. This is what a lifetime of crash dieting will give you.
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,301 Member
    I too saw the last programme. In my view it gave a reasonable round up of the events in the previous weeks. Each participant had health issues which they wanted to leave behind to give them more time with family and other inspirations this will set them up well for the future. Family members gave short resumé too.

    Vitamin D deficiency did come up and it was mentioned the person involved was taking vit d supplements. I've no found any support for the suggestion of green veg being part of it. The sun, dairy and "some" mushrooms come well up the list.

    The way I heard it was, those who lost more were more likely to keep it off. The key is knowing how hard it was to get to the weight they needed for health and not returning to how they used to eat, ever on a permanent basis. Loosing weight quickly achieving ones goals can be more effective than, in my words, "*kitten* footing" it about cutting only a tiny few calories for a very long time.

    From personal experience I know, ok, for me the example of one. I've had help to resolved the causes and consequences of my autoimmunity and though I've gained some weight in the last 6 months, I'm still not far off healthy. I've kept most of my loss off for 6 years, gosh, realising that, Its quite an achievement. Need to get back to what I was doing and stop feeling intimidated by the rising numbers of international COVID Deaths. My motivation, being here for my family.

Categories