New attempt at weight loss, trying a very low calorie (VLC) diet.

[kindoflazy]

I'm new to Fitbit and hoping to have success with a very low calorie (VLC) diet in conjuction with increased exercise.  I am logging food on Fitbit.com, counting steps with a Versa, and checking weight daily with an Aria.  My plan is to keep caloric intake consistently less than 800 kcal/d while getting at least 10k steps per day.

I am aware that studies don't show better long-term results with VLC diets compared with conventional low calorie diets and such diets can variably reduce resting metabolic rate, thus impacting weight loss success in the long run.  But I'm not at all patient, and I think seeing quicker results is something I need to stay motivated.

I am male and started the program on December 9th with a weight of 258.6 lbs, height 5'11" (BMI 36.1).  I think this is probably the heaviest I have ever been.  My Aria tells me that my starting body fat percentage was 35%, though I understand that is not very accurate.  For what it's worth, I am not muscular or athletic.

I'll journal my progress in this thread and would love to hear from others.  Has anyone here had more than a year or two of sustained weight loss after starting out with a VLC diet?

[Glenda]

Kindoflazy,  fitday.com  in "How to Avoid Having Loose Skin after losing weight"   said 2 pounds a week and had a few other helpful comments.  Also the page had some distressing photos for you .  (brush your skin to stimulate blood circulation,  eat plenty of protein, massage  etc)

[ItIsTime]

Hi!

I just wanted to suggest Juice +, because it is natural.  It is fruits and veggies that are dehydrated and put into a pill form. 

Like everyone else, the low calories are of concern, but if you are under a Dr's watch, then it is not my concern.  Just make sure that you are building muscle, even if it is lifting hand weights while watching TV.  By building muscle, you body will be building muscle, while it burns some too (due to the low calories). But I really just wanted to say congrats on starting your journey and good luck.  I have worked in the fitness world in the past, so I am pretty knowledgable.  

[kindoflazy]

---

@Glenda wrote:

Kindoflazy,  Here on "The Learning channel" TV they have shows sometimes about people who lost lots of weight and had LOTS of horrible excess skin.  It is not life threatening like all the excess fat, but would be extremely depressing.  You definitely would NOT enjoy having any of it and there seems no way to get rid of it except to gain the weight back and loose slower.???  But I don't know all about that.  If you can keep up your motivation  losing slow enough to avoid that I think I would if you don't have an urgent health issue.  Maybe if you have never seen one of those programs you might be able to watch one on "TV on demand"?   I don't know how fast is too fast for a bigger person either.   Maybe you could find out on duckduckgo???  I think I'll check.  They answer everything else.  If you lost 3 pound a week it would take 6 months to lose 80 pounds.   You could plan 3 months at 3 pounds a week and see the result and then decide??? 

---

Thanks again, Glenda.  I'll definitely do some research on that!

[kindoflazy]

---

@bikerhiker wrote: 
My BMI @ 142lbs was lower than 30 and my body fat percentage was about 21.9%.  If you look at most marathon runners in general, they are very thin with some as thin as sticks... when we run that long, we create a huge caloric deficit and athletes would sometimes consume protein and little carbs enough to encourage the body to burn mainly body fat and maintain a very very low thin weight profile.  So in a way, it's very similar to your situation, except you are creating the caloric deficit through very low calories.

---

I do understand that some of your peers were able to do a VLCD without the adverse effects you encountered.  Still, I am guessing that the safety issues of VLCD are different for someone like me compared with someone who has a normal BMI and is running marathons, and not only because I have a lot more excess fat.  For example, I don't sweat much in a typical day, so electrolyte losses are probably far less than what you experience.

[kindoflazy]

---

@Glenda wrote:

Kindoflazy,  fitday.com  in "How to Avoid Having Loose Skin after losing weight"   said 2 pounds a week and had a few other helpful comments.  Also the page had some distressing photos for you .  (brush your skin to stimulate blood circulation,  eat plenty of protein, massage  etc)

---

Thank you again, Glenda!
 

[kindoflazy]

---

@ItIsTime wrote:

Hi!

I just wanted to suggest Juice +, because it is natural.  It is fruits and veggies that are dehydrated and put into a pill form. 

Like everyone else, the low calories are of concern, but if you are under a Dr's watch, then it is not my concern.  Just make sure that you are building muscle, even if it is lifting hand weights while watching TV.  By building muscle, you body will be building muscle, while it burns some too (due to the low calories). But I really just wanted to say congrats on starting your journey and good luck.  I have worked in the fitness world in the past, so I am pretty knowledgable.  

---

Thanks so much!  I am trying to build muscle as best I can.  I have a Bowflex home gym and doing all the exercises it supports, but I don't really know how much weight to use, how many reps, etc.  So I am pretty much winging it :).

[JimC_99]

You should look at the NIH bodyweight planner - https://www.niddk.nih.gov/bwp  I have had success using their guidelines.  The Fitbit overestimates the my calories burned most likely due to many years of yo-yo weight loss and gain.  I have been eating at my calculated BMR and seem to avoided the dreaded loss plateau until recently.  Also it is the Holiday season with lots of temptations lately 🙂

[kindoflazy]

Thanks so much, Jim.  Will do.

[Glenda]

Does it take an act of Congress to get a list of the order of Rans in these Fitbit discussions?  I can't get the list no matter what I do.  It must be secret.  They keep talking about the list but never show it.  Most annoying.   Walker, jogger, recovery runner.    Heck   Why do they even give those titles if they never give the list.  

[DMFan]

There's a thread about the rankings in the Community Basics forum:

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Fitbit-Community-Basics/About-Community-Ranks/td-p/272000

[Glenda]

There is no list of ranks when you click that link.  

[DMFan]

I see:

First Steps

Stepping Up

Keeping Pace

Walker

Powerwalker

Distance Walker

Tireless Walker

World Walker

Jogger

Recovery Runner

Base Runner

Runner

Strider

Tempo Runner

Hill Runner

Sprinter

Progression Runner

Pace Setter

Distance Runner

Interval Runner

Cross-Country Runner

Veteran Runner

5K Racer

10K Racer

Marathon Racer

Ultramarathon Racer

VIP

 Sorry OP for getting off topic!

[kindoflazy]

No worries 🙂

[ItIsTime]

A couple of basic ideologies around this:

Do three reps of the weight you choose 10 to 15 times each rep.

To know if you are lifting enough, the last rep should be challenging for you, if it is not, then it is not enough weight.

More importantly is proper technique.  Make sure you are keeping your back straight, shoulders rolled back, and try to lift through the stomach.  

Hope this helps!!

[Daves_Not_Here]

---

@Glenda wrote:

Does it take an act of Congress to get a list of the order of Rans in these Fitbit discussions?  I can't get the list no matter what I do.  It must be secret.  They keep talking about the list but never show it.  Most annoying.   Walker, jogger, recovery runner.    Heck   Why do they even give those titles if they never give the list.  

---

I'm working towards the Obnoxious Know It All badge

[Glenda]

Thank you DM Fan,  Evidently I'm a dunce.  I have copied your list and will take good care of it .  Now I would like to know how to reward you with the designation "solution"   or anything else good I can do for you.  I don't usually visit "discussions" on Fitbit  but did the other day and saw Kindoflazy and felt like commenting but I don't really know how to do this stuff.

[Daves_Not_Here]

---

@Glenda wrote:

Thank you DM Fan,  Evidently I'm a dunce.  I have copied your list and will take good care of it .  Now I would like to know how to reward you with the designation "solution"   or anything else good I can do for you.  I don't usually visit "discussions" on Fitbit  but did the other day and saw Kindoflazy and felt like commenting but I don't really know how to do this stuff.

---

Hi @Glenda -- you cannot be a dunce as there is only one and I'm already it.  Here's a few things I've figured out through trial and error:

• To designate someone's post as a "solution", you have to be the Original Poster, the person who started the thread.  Then you will see the "Accept As Solution" buttons on each of the posts.  Nobody else will see those buttons and so cannot click them.
• You can always click the "thumbs up" button to indicate you like a post.
• If you want someone in particular to notice a response you've written, then type the "@" character and a menu of names will pop up for you to select from.  If you include them in the post, they will receive notification that you mentioned them.
• Alternately, you can notify anyone by starting with the "@" character  and continuing to type their name.  For example, let's say Dominique is overdue to be razzed, then all I have to do is type out @Dominique , and BAMMO, his cage is thereby rattled.  Next time he logs in, he's gets the red dot on the bell action, clicks on it and says, "Jeez, that guy again.  What the heck is he saying about me now?".  The youngsters call this "trolling" and its quite the rage.