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Old November 3rd, 2004, 06:06 PM
JMA
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RedRipeApple wrote:
I have another question. What is it about liquid diets that make them

work? Is
it the fact that they are all liquid? What is the magic here?


There is no magic, it's calories in/calories out. Liquid diets are
VLCD (very low calorie diets) that are between 500-800 cal/day.

I guess what I
really want to know is: for those who have been on medifast, hmr,

optifast, etc
- do you think someone could do the same thing with all protein

shakes like EAS
or ISOPURE or a combo of protein shakes as opposed to doing a

structured plan
like medifast, optifast, etc? Why or why not? Thanks
Apple


Let me start by saying I did HMR so I am speaking from actual
experience.
- NO you can't do the same thing with all protein shakes if you plan on
having nutritional balance or VLCD. You need to be under a doctor's
supervision to go that low. There are a ton of things that can go
wrong. I was completely monitored with weekly checkups and monthly
bloodwork and I *still* had medical problems. There were things that
existed prior to the diet that I wasn't aware of and then there was
effects of the diet.
- You don't do a VLCD unless your BMI is 40+ or it is 30+ with some
compelling medical issue that requires you to lose weight quickly. I
was 40+ BMI to start and had been unsuccessful doing things the "old
fashioned" way for 25 years. For me, it was this or surgery.
- Liquid diets are not a quick fix. They require a lot of discipline
and dedication to the program and to *maintenance*. Going to the
classes helps you learn about how to eat right but until you are in the
maintenance phase, you don't actually *practice* it.
I've been successful at keeping the majority of my weight off so far,
but it was rather difficult. Fine, I had medical problems that added
to the difficulty, but once it was dealt with it still took a lot of
work on my part, and still does. There are people who were in my
program that gained everything back right away, people like me who have
kept the bulk of it off, and even people who have not gained anything
back, just like any old diet.

I'm always willing to discuss this freely in email. I don't post a lot
of specifics publicly because of privacy issues and a person who abuses
personal information by twisting facts and trying to use them as a
weapon.

Jenn