A Weight Off Your Mind
There’s no such thing as a silly question when it comes to nutrition. We put some of your most frequently asked questions to Dr Kelly Johnston, our Head of Nutrition and Research, for her expert advice.
Is LighterLife safe?
Yes, LighterLife is safe. And as far as food-based weight loss plans go, it’s probably the most studied of them, by scientists and doctors, to date. Many tens of thousands of individuals have undertaken Very Low Calorie Diets (VLCDs) in both clinical and research settings, and also separately by signing up to them as their weight loss programme of choice.
With many health outcomes having been tracked throughout, and with these data then published accordingly, VLCDs have an absolutely stellar safety record. Additionally, what we now know is that in addition to being very safe, VLCDs can in fact be extremely beneficial for health.
How long can I stay on the TotalFast plan?
All clients are required to complete a health questionnaire when starting the programme, to ensure our weight loss programme is suitable for them, and that they are in no way contra-indicated. Many individuals for whom our programme is suitable have followed a VLCD for several months in order lose their weight, if that is what they have needed to do.
There is no reason to come off plan simply because a defined period of time has lapsed. Indeed, for those with a large amount of weight to lose, this can take many months and, provided you’re making sure you consume the four Foodpacks per day as advised, and are feeling generally well, then you can keep at this until you are near your goal weight, when you will then start to reintroduce conventional food.
If the diet is working well for you, and you have more weight to lose, you can stay on LighterLife for as long as you need to in order to lose your excess weight. Regular catch-ups with your Mentor, and other fellow LighterLife clients, can help keep you on track.
How does the body respond to the low-calorie intake on LighterLife?
With a plan like TotalFast, you’re significantly reducing the amount of calories you eat on a daily basis. Because of this, what initially happens is the body starts to burn its carbohydrate stores, which are found in the muscle and liver, in order to try to replace some of that extra energy that you’re no longer consuming via normal food. This carbohydrate burning tends to take place for the first week, and is when the most rapid weight loss is observed (several kilos in a short space of time).
What’s actually happening during this time is that, in addition to burning the glucose we’ve stored in our body for fuel, we’re also losing the water weight stored with it. Once we’ve depleted our carbohydrate (glycogen) stores we then start to lose weight more slowly. This is when our body has ‘metabolically switched’ to burning the excess fat we’ve stored, which is then used as fuel alongside the four daily Foodpacks. So whilst weight loss does slow down at this stage, we’re now effectively burning our fat stores, which also has the added bonus of helping to suppress our appetite through the ketones that are produced. We’re now in fat-burning negative energy balance and, as such, we lose weight.
Are there any side effects associated with the LighterLife diet?
There are some side effects that can be experienced whilst on a VLCD although, as always, this varies from person to person.
Some people experience the ‘keto-flu’ whilst the body is switching into fat-burning mode, which can include general fogginess and perhaps some headaches. This however, quickly passes. Additionally, some individuals can feel some physical hunger whilst they are adjusting to the plan, which generally starts to subside once the body is in fat-burning mode (ketone bodies are proven to suppress appetite).
Some individuals have reported feeling constipated at times, and this can be helped with regular water consumption, but also with additional fibre intake if needed. Finally, some individuals can experience bad breath, a common side effect of ketosis. Again, this is easily managed by ensuring good dental hygiene.
Why is it important to have 4 Foodpacks a day?
Our TotalFast plan is carefully formulated to provide the right amount of healthy fats, fibre, carbohydrates, and protein, as well as the full complement of vitamins and minerals you should be eating every day, in four easy-to-manage packs.
It’s important to consume each of these four packs to make sure you receive the complete daily nutrition you need to keep you healthy during your weight loss.
How does LighterLife ensure the safety and quality of it’s meal replacements?
LighterLife works closely with accredited manufacturers and ingredients providers to ensure our packs contain the best of the best. We have an in-house regulatory team who constantly stay abreast of any regulatory changes in both the UK and Europe and who also regularly monitor the evidence-based science behind the use of very low calorie Foodpacks.
Our programmes are backed by a huge body of scientific data, which shows that the use of a VLCD is a very effective and safe way to lose weight. And, in case you missed it, the NHS has recently approved very low calorie diets like LighterLife’s TotalFast programme too.
