About one-fourth of adult Americans are obese. This increases the risk of death from high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. Traditional weight loss techniques like low calorie diets are recommended in order to lose 800 to 1500 calories a day. Combined with regular exercise, obese American will shed off those excess pounds in no time. Another method that brings significant weight loss in a short amount of time is the very low calorie diet or the VLCD.
The very low calorie diet or VLCDs are generally commercially prepared to lose 800 calories or less by replacing the usual food intake of the individual. This is not similar to the over-the-counter meal alternatives. The latter is said to serve as substitutes for a meal or two a day. The former, on the other hand, is used under proper and strict medical supervision. This is to produce the significant weight loss in a short period of time which moderately to severely obese Americans need.
The very low calorie diet or VLCDs are safe as long as they are taken under proper medical supervision from credible doctors. Patients with a BMI or body mass index amounting to more than 30 must resort to this method. BMI is a formula that takes into consideration the individual’s height and weight.
This is how you calculate a person’s BMI. A person’s weight in terms of kilograms is divided by his height in terms of meters squared. Patients with BMI ranging from 27 to 30 must also reserve the use of the very low calorie diet or VLCD for medical complications that are rooted from their obesity.
Take note that the very low calorie diet or VLCDs are not suggested for breastfeeding or pregnant women. This is also not suitable for children and adolescents. The only exception is when these individuals are going through specialized treatment procedures.
There is very little information available when it comes to the very low calorie diet or VLCDs in older individuals. Individuals over the age of 50 experience the depletion of their lean body mass, therefore resorting to VLCD may seem impractical.
Persons over the age of 50 cannot tolerate the side effects attributed to the very low calorie diet or VLCD because of the medical conditions that are dependent on the entire process. To resolve this, doctors look at it on a case to case basis. They evaluate the possible risks and the probable benefits of older individuals’ drastic weight losses. They also look into the medical problems these patients are experiencing and come up with other remedies.
The very low calorie diet or VLCD allows obese patients to shed off 3 to 5 pounds each week, reaching an average weight loss of 44 pounds for about 12 weeks. This is an improvement on weight loss when it comes to any obesity-related medical condition such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
One must combine the very low calorie diet or VLCD with exercise and behavioral therapy in order to increase weight loss and to also slow down weight regain. VLCDs are no more effective than those dietary restrictions which promise long term maintaining if reduced weight.
A number of patients taking on the very low calorie diet or VLCD for one month to 4 months are said to experience minor side effects like constipation, diarrhea, nausea and fatigue. No need to panic though because these conditions improve in only a matter of weeks.
The most common side effect in the very low calorie diet or VLCD is gallstone formation. Gallstones are evident in obese people to begin with but these are notorious when there is rapid weight loss. Research shows that the rapid weight loss also lessens the gallbladder’s capability to produce bile.
Obesity is a condition that requires dedication. In order to not harm his health further, the individual must resort to formal weight loss procedures such as the very low calorie diet or VLCD. This is an efficient solution which will result to healthy eating, regular exercising and improved perception on food.
Losing weight is a struggle to most people and often a cause of frustration. Losing weight must be coupled with the right diet plan and exercise programs. But did you know that even if you’ve never succeeded at losing weight before, even if you have stubborn fat deposits that don’t seem to bulge you can still lose weight and gain muscles if you know the right method to lose weight? Do you want to find out the best weight loss method that changed the lives of many overweight people? Find out here visit Weight Loss and Diet Programs.
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02Dec
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13Jun
For many people shopping is not fun, especially food shopping, and more specifically shopping for “healthy foods” instead of the “quick and easy, ready to eat pre-packaged foods” that have become staples in so many of our diets. That alone is enough to make most food shoppers run for the hills, so when a food restriction such as a soy allergy is added to the list full blown panic is sure to follow…quickly! You can’t put all the blame on the shopper though; our busy life styles are partly to blame. When you’re working 10+ hours a day, not counting the 2 hours a day of commuting time, plus driving the kids all over town, and trying to get at least 6 of the 8 recommended hours of sleep, it doesn’t leave much time for cooking let alone shopping for food, and food manufacturers use that to their advantage. Food advertisement after food advertisement is using our busy “on-the-go” lifestyles as the main pitch for their product, but can you blame them? They’re in this for one reason, to make money. It’s our job to decide what’s best for us, not the food manufactures, and it all starts at the grocery store. So let’s take a peek, shall we?
For starters stay away from the food aisles you usually spend the majority of your time in since most of what you’ll find there is not very healthy for you, and is sure to have soy in it. Most grocery stores have the entrance right next to the produce section, but most shoppers spend the least amount of time here. When people see the produce section they tend to see a lot of meal preparation time, and can easily be overwhelmed by the amount of different foods they know very little about. The truth is what’s quicker and easier than putting a salad together, or steaming some vegetables for a healthy side dish, and don’t worry about only being able to identify 1/3 of what you see. There is usually at least one employee working the produce section who would be happy to tell you what that fruit or vegetable is you have in your hand, and the knowledgeable ones may even be able to tell you how to prepare it; and let’s not forget the internet. With a few taps on the keyboard and clicks of the mouse you’ll be able to find dozens of recipes for whatever you find at the store, regardless of how exotic it may be. The truth is I do about 85 percent of my shopping in the produce aisles and you should try to do the same. You would be amazed at the variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, and with most grocery stores stocking organic produce these days you’re bound to find plenty of good tasting healthy “Soy-Free” foods.
Next, for all those prepackaged foods that are still on your list, always look into the organic brands first. They’re usually a little more expensive, but with organic foods becoming more and more popular more stores are carrying their own brands of organic foods. When you buy organic you can be sure you’re buying all natural foods with no artificial preservatives, no food colorings, and no dyes. It is still very important to read the labels though, because signs of the “soy conspiracy” can still be found in the “all natural” foods, but it’s not as prevalent as in the heavily processed non-organic foods so you’re bound to find what your need. In the case where an organic brand is not available then look for the brand with the least amount of ingredients on the package; stick with all natural ingredients and no artificial additives. If you’re buying ketchup for instance, why is there anything in the bottle except for tomato related products and maybe some sea salt?
At this point in your food store venture, there shouldn’t be anything else on your list except for the non-edibles; that wasn’t so bad, was it? So let’s recap your food shopping experience; stock up heavily on fresh produce, go organic when possible, choose products with the least amount of ingredients listed, and always scrutinize food labels for soy related ingredients. Using this method of shopping you might just find yourself eager to go to the food store and buy what you need; your next healthy meal is only a produce aisle away. -
03Apr
For many people shopping is not fun, especially food shopping, and more specifically shopping for “healthy foods” instead of the “quick and easy, ready to eat pre-packaged foods” that have become staples in so many of our diets. That alone is enough to make most food shoppers run for the hills, so when a food restriction such as a soy allergy is added to the list full blown panic is sure to follow…quickly! You can’t put all the blame on the shopper though; our busy life styles are partly to blame. When you’re working 10+ hours a day, not counting the 2 hours a day of commuting time, plus driving the kids all over town, and trying to get at least 6 of the 8 recommended hours of sleep, it doesn’t leave much time for cooking let alone shopping for food, and food manufacturers use that to their advantage. Food advertisement after food advertisement is using our busy “on-the-go” lifestyles as the main pitch for their product, but can you blame them? They’re in this for one reason, to make money. It’s our job to decide what’s best for us, not the food manufactures, and it all starts at the grocery store. So let’s take a peek, shall we?
For starters stay away from the food aisles you usually spend the majority of your time in since most of what you’ll find there is not very healthy for you, and is sure to have soy in it. Most grocery stores have the entrance right next to the produce section, but most shoppers spend the least amount of time here. When people see the produce section they tend to see a lot of meal preparation time, and can easily be overwhelmed by the amount of different foods they know very little about. The truth is what’s quicker and easier than putting a salad together, or steaming some vegetables for a healthy side dish, and don’t worry about only being able to identify 1/3 of what you see. There is usually at least one employee working the produce section who would be happy to tell you what that fruit or vegetable is you have in your hand, and the knowledgeable ones may even be able to tell you how to prepare it; and let’s not forget the internet. With a few taps on the keyboard and clicks of the mouse you’ll be able to find dozens of recipes for whatever you find at the store, regardless of how exotic it may be. The truth is I do about 85 percent of my shopping in the produce aisles and you should try to do the same. You would be amazed at the variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, and with most grocery stores stocking organic produce these days you’re bound to find plenty of good tasting healthy “Soy-Free” foods.
Next, for all those prepackaged foods that are still on your list, always look into the organic brands first. They’re usually a little more expensive, but with organic foods becoming more and more popular more stores are carrying their own brands of organic foods. When you buy organic you can be sure you’re buying all natural foods with no artificial preservatives, no food colorings, and no dyes. It is still very important to read the labels though, because signs of the “soy conspiracy” can still be found in the “all natural” foods, but it’s not as prevalent as in the heavily processed non-organic foods so you’re bound to find what your need. In the case where an organic brand is not available then look for the brand with the least amount of ingredients on the package; stick with all natural ingredients and no artificial additives. If you’re buying ketchup for instance, why is there anything in the bottle except for tomato related products and maybe some sea salt?
At this point in your food store venture, there shouldn’t be anything else on your list except for the non-edibles; that wasn’t so bad, was it? So let’s recap your food shopping experience; stock up heavily on fresh produce, go organic when possible, choose products with the least amount of ingredients listed, and always scrutinize food labels for soy related ingredients. Using this method of shopping you might just find yourself eager to go to the food store and buy what you need; your next healthy meal is only a produce aisle away.
