Taking the shakes - so what happens if....

I am due to have bloodtests fairly soon, and as I was not expecting any problems I decided that I would do the low calorie shakes diet to see what - if anything - they would do for me.
The first thing I found was that having a shake in the morning meant that I was hungry in mid afternoon.
I bought three boxes of the Tesco shakes and make them with skimmed milk as instructed, then blitz them with the Bamix. Once I have drunk the shake I put water into the unwashed jug and drink that as there is advice about keeping up the intake of water.
Having settled into eating less I realise I am actually using fasting as part of the experiment simply to avoid feeling hungry - it is something I am no longer used to.
I was always hungry when on the diets dictated by the GP surgery, and as they did no good at all I don't want to be associating this time with those.
I think part of the motivation for this - even after almost 8 years in remission and losing quite a bit of weight, is that I set up the full length mirror in our bedroom recently - I will have to psyche myself up to weighing myself soon - I think all the years of unsuccessful dieting have given me PTSD or something similar when it comes to knowing my weight. There is still that thought of 'what if it doesn't work' as my metabolism tries to go against the laws of Physics.

@Chris24Main I had decades of trying to do low calorie diets which started off with cereal and semi-skimmed milk or wholemeal toast and low fat spread which made me ravenous by mid morning. I was told to cut down calories until I was grey faced and fainting,
To be able to simply not eat - after years of eating low carb and never being hungry, might now be my super power.
I have read of military campaigns where those fed on grain were inclined to go off to look for food after only a few hours without a meal, whilst those who had been fed a lot of meat just settled down to sharpening their swords, grooming the horses and braiding their hair and beards.
Today I have only drunk water, again, and it is 15:20 and I am not hungry. This seems to be the easy option, having a shake and some meat late in the day.
I was having two meals a day for a long time, but this year I have not been hungry in the mornings despite not eating very much.

I think that just not eating until 5pm is proving a good idea.
Today I had a Tesco shake at 5pm and then made dinner, meat and salad stuff.
Not hungry and I went out to morris practice at 7pm. When I put on my melodeon I noticed that the straps are looser.

I seem to be eating less and less - as was always the situation in the past when trying to lose weight on low calorie diets.
In the past I was always told that I had to be eating more than I was logging or believing I was eating, but at the moment a single shake plus the small meal seems to be adequate for my appetite. Not being hungry is a bonus I did not expect.

I have a date for my next blood test, in three weeks time.
Amazingly I am still not hungry on a shake and a small meal daily. It will be interesting to see what my waist measurement will be by the time I get the results.

My weight must be going down as my skin is loose - but I have a rash where the skin has folded over on my belly. I have some anti fungal powder to put on it, so hopefully it will be short lived.
Still fasting for over 21 hours a day, then a shake and small meal, blood test 2 weeks tomorrow.

I lost quite a bit of weight in the beginning on low carb - and I was still seeing some loss of volume over the years since diagnosis, my shape changed and I needed to alter my clothes in order to get a good fit.
Unfortunately all the abuse about my weight and difficulty in losing has left scars, so I can't give a highest known weight that accurately reflects what I went up to. My waistline was enormous.
I had been stable, in remission and able to stave off Covid, the covid jab, cellulitis, but I put a full length mirror in the bedroom. Ah.
Having read about the shakes diet and back in the 1970s the developer of the Cambridge diet involved the factory where I worked in the production of the sachets - but back then I was eating high carb low fat on the orders of my GP - I could not do low calorie then, I would collapse.
My experiment has been quite an eye opener, to realise that the resistance to weightloss seems to be down to having come to it using the wrong fuel explains a lot about the failure I experienced, and possibly the failure of many others to successfully lose weight on a low calorie diet.

Pipp said:

I am watching your experiment with interest, @Resurgam. Somewhat fascinated,because I seem to remember you have previously championed low carb high fat way of eating?
As one who has also been following low carb method but not losing weight, I am watching and learning from your efforts now.

Can I ask, are you testing to see if you are in ketosis? What people don’t always know is that depending on the brand of shakes used a very low cal meal replacement plan can be low carb too. That would mean low carb and low cal in one method of weight loss eating plan.

Also, how long are you planning to continue? Is it just until after the blood test? Or until you reach desired weight loss? It surely can’t be a long term eating regime? Are you someone who, like me, doesn’t fit the theory that is often quoted in the low carb forum, that ‘You will lose weight on low carb’? That can be very frustrating for those who don’t.

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The low carb diet controlled my blood glucose and reversed type 2, I have been in remission for years, but I was not losing weight, although my shape was changing a little at a time. I swap over clothes every 6 months and found things were the wrong shape.
I thought it would be interesting to try out low calorie, putting up with the hunger, feeling faint, looking deathly pale etc. - except it didn't happen.
I was having 2 shakes and a meal at first, spread through the day - but felt fine.
Cutting back seemed something to try - just how low calorie could I go before I felt the pangs.
The answer seems to be really low.
One cup of coffee with cream during the day - if wanted.
One shake at 5pm every day.
A small meal mainly meat or fish.
Teas of various kinds after dinner.
I plan to go on for at least 2 more weeks, but might go on longer if I continue to feel well and lose weight.

Pipp said:

I think the important thing when / if choosing low cal meal replacement drinks is to check the carb content, some are low enough to enable someone to keep to 60grm carb a day makes ketosis possible. Being in ketosis is often the reason you don’t feel hungry.
Of course meal replacement low calorie products are not a recommended long term solution. So, what do you plan to do next, @Resurgam ?

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Well - I am eating less and less - today I didn't even have a shake as I forgot about it until it was time to be eating a meal, and so I had two pork steaks and a few peas. I've not had any coffee, and I was going to make some tea but then forgot about it.
Its only another week or so to my test, Monday 21st, so I will be able to see what effect a month of cutting right down has had.
I am definitely in ketosis if the smell in my laundry bag is anything to go by.
The rash I developed has gone, and the exercises to pull in my abdomen have helped lift folded over skin.
I have more than enough shakes to get to the blood test, and I might go on past that - either until I run out of shakes, or get another three boxes and keep going. My Tesco store only had the milkshake option - but it gets me out of the house when I need to get more semi skimmed milk.
I'll need new clothes soon.

lovinglife said:

Thanks for the info & update @Resurgam, I admire your commitment, hope you get the results your expecting

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Actually I don't really know what to expect - or even hoping for - this really is uncharted territory.
In the past on low calorie diets as dictated by GPs I was really unwell most of the time and people were commenting on my pallor. I am usually 'in the pink' - I have pale skin and blush like the proverbial rose so when I turn grey and fainting it doesn't go unnoticed.
Ketosis seems to be the key to losing weight - I've been working on my sewing patterns this morning to check the sizes and styles for some winter weight replacements.