Has anyone heard of the VLCD (diet) ?
Replies
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I tried Googling "VLCD" instead. Here's what I found as far as references from universities, government agencies or other reputable sources not selling the stuff...Just google "VCLD" and look for the sources from oxford, nih, fda, etc ... that's how i found them. Lost of very boring reading though.
Page 1
UCLA (http://rfoweightloss.med.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=32)
"A VLCD is primarily for severely or morbidly obese individuals who must lose or wish to lose large amounts of weight as rapidly as possible in a safe manner. "
Page 2
National Institutes of Health (http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/low_calorie.htm)
"VLCDs are designed to produce rapid weight loss at the start of a weight-loss program in patients with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 and significant comorbidities."
"Use of VLCDs in patients with a BMI of 27 to 30 should be reserved for those who have medical conditions due to overweight, such as high blood pressure."
"Many patients on a VLCD for 4 to 16 weeks report minor side effects such as fatigue, constipation, nausea, or diarrhea. These conditions usually improve within a few weeks and rarely prevent patients from completing the program. The most common serious side effect is gallstone formation. Gallstones, which often develop in people who are obese, especially women, are even more common during rapid weight loss. Research indicates that rapid weight loss may increase cholesterol levels in the gallbladder and decrease its ability to contract and expel bile. Some medicines can prevent gallstone formation during rapid weight loss. Your health care provider can determine if these medicines are appropriate for you"
"Studies show that the long-term results of VLCDs vary widely, but weight regain is common."
"In addition, VLCDs may be no more effective than less severe dietary restrictions in the long run. Studies have shown that following a diet of approximately 800 to 1,000 calories produces weight loss similar to that seen with VLCDs."
"For most people who are obese, their condition is long-term and requires a lifetime of attention even after formal weight-loss treatment ends. Therefore, health care providers should encourage patients who are obese to commit to permanent changes of healthier eating, regular physical activity, and an improved outlook about food"
WebMD (http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/low-calorie-diets)
"Very low-calorie diets are generally safe when used under proper medical supervision in people with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30. Use of VLCDs in people with a BMI of 27 to 30 should be reserved for those who have medical complications resulting from their obesity."
"To be healthy, we need a balance of foods from different food groups. It's quite difficult to get good nutrition in as few as 800 calories (even a dietitian would have trouble doing this), especially if one eats the same foods day after day."
"Also, once you go off the diet, you will likely regain your weight unless you change your lifestyle and commit to healthy eating, regular physical activity, and an improved outlook about food. By sticking to a long-term commitment, you can prevent your weight from drifting back up the scale."
Page 3
Nothing
I called it good after going three pages deep.0 -
Having spent the last year working on repairing my metabolism, I feel pretty strongly that eating at 1.2 x your BMR is a much more satisfying, and easy to maintain weight loss program than VLCD. Even with a doctor's supervision, VLCD can be very damaging.
$0.02
Edit: From what I've read it's very damaging even to the morbidly obese, but in situations where it's used there are obesity related health effects that are more dangerous than VLCD.0 -
Dont want to comment and sound judgemental but I will say.....just because "MD" is in the title doesn't make their suggestions a safe thing to do...0
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It also should be noted that you CANNOT exercise while doing it (unless somewhere in it it states to eat your exercise calories back, but I didn't see it). I don't see that as being a good choice to losing weight as it can affect your metabolism once you go back to higher calorie intake.VLCD == Very Low Calorie Diet
It's not a fad diet, in fact, it's a Dr recommend diet for those who need to lose a lot of weight. You gotta be careful though, here are the guildlines
~ You calorie intake per day is between 500 - 800 calories.
~ Doctor stress that there should be "good" calories so you still get nutrition you need
~ To ensure you don't go into starvation mode, It's NOT a longterm diet. In fact, it should only be for 12 weeks in the 500-800 cal range. After that, you stup up to 800-1200. (I believe you go back down after those 12 weeks are up, if you didn't lose everything you need.
~ It doesn't restrict what "kind" of calories, since a calorie is a calorie, but obviously, if you eat a candy bar, that's 300 calories mostly from fat. You can eat a lot of healthy items to match those 300. So use common sense and choose wisely.
~ drink, throughout the day, 3L of water.
That's pretty much it. After I read a bunch about it from reputable sources (NIH, FDA, ivy league schools, etc), I asked my doctor about it, who completely agreed with me.
In about 5 weeks, I've lost about 8 pounds.
Anyone else doing this diet?
(p.s. ---> If you have any bit of punk rock in you, join our group "Punk Rockers Scare You)0 -
Yes. I'm weight trainig too
WHOA WHOA WHOA.. hold up.. You eat 800 calories and you some how feed your muscles the protein and fat needed to repair them? You must have some sore muscles. I couldn't even sniff 800 calories and have the protein, amino acids, and etc to repair muscles efficiently. Your Dr. should know better then that even, especially your nutritionist. Mine yell at me all the time for not eating enough cals on heavy lifting days.0 -
FYI: It's completely possible to lose eight pounds in five weeks without starving yourself.
I'm sure there is. Except, I'm not starving. 800 calories, eaten right, is quite a bunch.
Mind opening up your diary for us to look at? I'm curious to know how 800 calories = alot
Same here...not because I'm trying to go against you but hell...if I eat a healthy breakfast packed with protein and all sorts of good things...it's atleast 270-300 calories so I'm curious how 800 can cover a full day, especially with exercise included...0 -
1. Since you had only 25 lbs total to lose, I don't think you qualify as morbidly obese.
2. You definitely need a new doctor...0 -
You have to remember that everyone doesn't have the same def of "weight training" she's probably counting the taps on the keyboard as reps.0
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Good luck with your gallbladder goals in 2012.0
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DOH!You have to remember that everyone doesn't have the same def of "weight training" she's probably counting the taps on the keyboard as reps.
A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
BUMP0
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Discusses how fiber can help a VLCD,does not recommend this for anyone that is not obese though.
Discusses maintaining lean body mass, but does not say that it's safe or effective for anyone not obese.
Again, deals with this diet for obese folks.
Did you read this one?
"Very-low-calorie diets. These diets, which require specialized medical management, typically restrict calories to a maximum of 800 per day and are sometimes recommended for people whose health would benefit from initially rapid weight loss." That means obese folk.
"Interestingly, clinical studies show that after one year, the weight loss associated with LCDs and VLCDs is similar. In other words, people who have followed VLCDs regain more weight, on average, than those who have followed LCDs."
Yes, I can... and I could not find reputable articles supporting this for anyone that is not severely obese.But I'm ~sure~ you know how to google, so you can find others.0 -
You have to remember that everyone doesn't have the same def of "weight training" she's probably counting the taps on the keyboard as reps.
I'd hope so, holy crap I'd get my protein shakes and that would be it.. NO FOOD FOR ME.!!!!0 -
Dont want to comment and sound judgemental but I will say.....just because "MD" is in the title doesn't make their suggestions a safe thing to do...
buuuuuut I want some propofol!!!!!! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH0 -
You may be weight training but i bet you are still losing a bunch of muscle. Low calories + mal nutrition leads to muscle catalyzationActually I just read a study on that diet: http://www.jacn.org/content/18/2/115.full
The people in the study were on an 800 calorie per day diet for 12 weeks. The issue I see with this kind of dieting is that you might be losing a lot of lean body mass (muscle) instead of fat. Since muscle weighs more than fat, you'll see the number on the scale go down dramatically, but what you are leaving behind is a weak, soft body. I research this a lot because I'm relatively lean and want to tone up, but whenever I restrict calories I lose lots of muscle, which is a bummer. Muscle is what gives your body a nice shape, especially your legs and bum.
Back to the study, it suggested that weight training aggressively during this diet will prevent loss of muscle, even at 800 calories per day. Plus, weight training raises metabolism, meaning that your results are more likely to stick after the diet.
Yes. I'm weight trainig too0 -
Dont want to comment and sound judgemental but I will say.....just because "MD" is in the title doesn't make their suggestions a safe thing to do...
buuuuuut I want some propofol!!!!!! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
YOU GET NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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You have to remember that everyone doesn't have the same def of "weight training" she's probably counting the taps on the keyboard as reps.
Thank you for this.0 -
Dont want to comment and sound judgemental but I will say.....just because "MD" is in the title doesn't make their suggestions a safe thing to do...
buuuuuut I want some propofol!!!!!! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
We all do... we all do! lol.
I do agree that just because a doc says its fine, doesn't really mean a thing.
I would never do this diet.0 -
You do realize this was just an innocent post, right? I'm all for people disagreeing with me, but why bury me with the stones you threw? You could have just said "You've been duped! the vvlcd is a piece of ****!". That would have done it.0
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What's so innocent about trying to tell people that this diet is a valid way of losing weight? Esepcailly when you don't even remotely qualify to be on this diet?0
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You do realize this was just an innocent post, right? I'm all for people disagreeing with me, but why bury me with the stones you threw? You could have just said "You've been duped! the vvlcd is a piece of ****!". That would have done it.
Clearly it wouldn't have done it. It didn't.
You thought you had proof you were right. You just got owned by EEG.0 -
You do realize this was just an innocent post, right? I'm all for people disagreeing with me, but why bury me with the stones you threw? You could have just said "You've been duped! the vvlcd is a piece of ****!". That would have done it.
She has a good point. Play nice. 0 -
VLCD == Very Low Calorie Diet
It's not a fad diet, in fact, it's a Dr recommend diet for those who need to lose a lot of weight. You gotta be careful though, here are the guildlines
~ You calorie intake per day is between 500 - 800 calories.
~ Doctor stress that there should be "good" calories so you still get nutrition you need
~ To ensure you don't go into starvation mode, It's NOT a longterm diet. In fact, it should only be for 12 weeks in the 500-800 cal range. After that, you stup up to 800-1200. (I believe you go back down after those 12 weeks are up, if you didn't lose everything you need.
~ It doesn't restrict what "kind" of calories, since a calorie is a calorie, but obviously, if you eat a candy bar, that's 300 calories mostly from fat. You can eat a lot of healthy items to match those 300. So use common sense and choose wisely.
~ drink, throughout the day, 3L of water.
That's pretty much it. After I read a bunch about it from reputable sources (NIH, FDA, ivy league schools, etc), I asked my doctor about it, who completely agreed with me.
In about 5 weeks, I've lost about 8 pounds.
Anyone else doing this diet?
(p.s. ---> If you have any bit of punk rock in you, join our group "Punk Rockers Scare You)
8 pounds in 5 weeks, eating only that much food?? I eat what MFP tells me to and lose 10-11 pounds in 5 weeks. I like to eat and that seems silly to me. Just saying. We need food to live and going down that low isn't worth feeling hungry all the time! Is losing weight THAT important?? Or being healthy??0 -
You do realize this was just an innocent post, right? I'm all for people disagreeing with me, but why bury me with the stones you threw? You could have just said "You've been duped! the vvlcd is a piece of ****!". That would have done it.
For what it's worth, the issue here is twofold in my opinion:
1) There's far too many people who are ALREADY looking for shortcuts at nearly any cost. You're dealing with plenty of people who already don't have a "good" relationship with food, many of whom have already tried the "_____________ diet" (fill in the blank) and failed. Suggesting yet another shortcut, specifically one that doesn't include exercise, isn't exactly promoting healthy habits.
2) If you ARE going to do a VLCD, you certainly should follow a specifically outlined protocol (Lyle has a well outlined PSMF protocol for example) rather than what you listed.
Lastly, I understand you're just spreading information, but if you WERE to follow a PSMF, you REALLY REALLY should be spot on with your food choices AND macronutrient targets. The less you consume for calories, the less room for error you have when it comes to micronutrients.
This is the type of diet that experienced bodybuilders might use for a very short period of time, and while it doesn't mean that it's limited to this population, I do think it requires a solid amount of research and a tremendous willpower to do successfully.0 -
There's a point where it quits being disagreement and starts looking like bullying and piling on. I think this thread has reached that point.
Opinions are great. Hopefully this gives you something to talk to your doctor about.0 -
Well, rather than just say "Oh this is garbage!", I thought I'd provide you with the facts, not just my opinion. :flowerforyou:You do realize this was just an innocent post, right? I'm all for people disagreeing with me, but why bury me with the stones you threw? You could have just said "You've been duped! the vvlcd is a piece of ****!". That would have done it.0 -
There's a point where it quits being disagreement and starts looking like bullying and piling on. I think this thread has reached that point.
Opinions are great. Hopefully this gives you something to talk to your doctor about.
Sorry just couldn't help it..0 -
Amen to this!There's a point where it quits being disagreement and starts looking like bullying and piling on. I think this thread has reached that point.
Opinions are great. Hopefully this gives you something to talk to your doctor about.0 -
Very low calorie diet = VERY bad idea. Carry on0
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They keep coming out with new names for anorexia. I can hardly keep up.
LOL So Awesome! I think you are my new favorite MFP'er! Seriously! :flowerforyou:
I am sorry, but these fad diets, IMHO, are not really tackling the big problem here. They are masking it. Why would you want to do this to your body? With or without a Doctor's approval and supervision?0
This discussion has been closed.
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