Sounds great, Geordie90!
Brettsza, sounds reasonable. I've been a little unclear on whether this is supposed to be a 600, or an 800 calorie/day diet. 600 calories for a taller/bigger boned person is a lot less than 600 calories for a shorter/lighter boned person. And, I've read that Professor Taylor has since said that it's not the rate of weight loss, but the achieving of the weight loss goal. I've been concerned that if I "starve" myself long enough, the pendulum will swing the other way into a big binge, which of course, I don't want!
I'm still not too hungry (only day 3), but today is my first day of wanting to stress eat, big-time. Am trying to distract myself, and helps to log in here, too.
Reama
Here is my broad understanding:
1. The most important aspect of the diet is getting 100% of the nutrition your body needs. 30 years ago this would have been almost impossible on 600 calories - today, it is doable, often through the use of meal replacement shakes/powders/soups.
2. The daily vegetables are for fiber - literally putting something through you colon to keep it from going into a coma. The added nutrients are nice, but the added calories are almost irrelevant because of . .
3. Anything less than 800 calories does not speed weightloss. Studies show identical weightloss in 400 calories versus 800 - the human body seems to have a limit of how much fat it can burn in a day, and if pushed too hard, will kick into "starvation mode" to conserve stored energy (fat). If you are getting all your nutrients, your body is less willing to hit "starvation mode" on even a dramatically reduced calories level (like 800).
4. Warning - even with exercise, your metabolism will slow. You are not just losing fat, you are losing lean muscle mass, including skeletal muscle that plays such an important role in metabolism. Coupled with the fact that there is just plain less of you to fuel, your body will just reduce metabolic capacity. Exercise can certainly slow this process down (both cardio exercise and weight lifting)
For me, the first four days were the absolute worst. It never got "easy" but it got decidedly "easier" past that point, until the point where I was 8 weeks in and seriously considering another four weeks!
So stay strong - motivation and dedication are the two words to live by - and whenever you fell hungry, celebrate because those hunger pangs mean that THE DIET IS WORKING! Toast yourself with a glass of water! Which brings up the last point of . . .
5. DRINK A LOT OF WATER. Losing fat means all the toxins that get locked.up in the storage process are getting put back into your bloodstream. You are already lower on water than usual because of the water you are not getting from food, and the water is also incredibly important for moving that fiber through your colon. You won't overhydrate, but let your guard down, and you will certainly underhydrate.
