What are very low-calorie diets?

A very low-calorie diet (in short, VLCD) is a doctor-supervised diet that sometimes uses commercially prepared formulas to plug quick weight reduction in patients who are fat. These formulas, customarily liquid shakes or bars, replace all food intake for many weeks or months. VLCD formulas need to contain acceptable levels of vitamins and micronutrients to make sure that patients meet their nutritive wants. Some doctors also prescribe VLCDs made up just about wholly of lean protein foods, for example fish and chicken. Folks on a VLCD consume about eight hundred calories every day or less.

VLCD formulas are no longer the same as the meal replacements you'll find at grocery stores or drugstores, which are intended to substitute for one or 2 meals a day. Over-the-counter meal replacements like bars, starters, or shakes, should account for only part of one's daily calories. When used under correct medical supervision, VLCDs may produce important short-term weight reduction in patients who are tolerably to intensely fat. VLCDs should be a part of complete weight-loss treatment programs that include behavioral treatment, nourishment analysis, exercise, and / or drug treatment.