Hello folks.  In late 2001 I went on a VLCD.  I basically
ate chicken fillet and diet coke and a vitamin tablet as
the basis of my diet.  Each chicken fillet has 31g of
protein and is 200 calories.  It is packaged food.

Specific numbers of interest:

2001-07-01 103.5kg (start weight)
2001-10-11 79.9kg (goal)
2003-09-26 82.1kg (approx 2 years)
2004-02-24 83.5kg (decided to restart diet)
2004-03-08 80.8kg (now)

My VLCD had me losing 1.5kg/week.  During that time I
didn't experience any side-effects.  I didn't have more
energy, I didn't have less.  I didn't feel happier, I didn't
feel sadder.  The only thing that changed was my weight.
I was doing weights at the time.  Since a few months after
reaching my goal I stopped doing weights (and exercise).

I have decided to go on a diet again, because I want to
see what my stomach looks like when I'm at very low
weights, ie under 70kg, maybe 65kg.  I am 36 years old
and 185cm tall.  Also, my wife is dieting now, also
using calorie counting/watching, so it will give her
some inspiration.

This time I am eating chicken fingers and fish fingers
instead of crappy chicken fillet.  I just cook them in
the microwave on high.  I'm too lazy to cook (same as
too lazy to exercise) so I just stick one or two on a
plate and microwave them, rather than go through the
laborious process of cooking them in a frying pan or
grilling them.

In case "fish fingers" is not universal, it is fish in batter
and breadcrumbs.  The ratio of protein to calories is not
as good as chicken fillet, but nevermind.  I doubt that I
will be carking it any time soon.

I am mainly posting this as an answer to the scaremongering
that I received when doing my VLCD, some were convinced
that I would put back the weight in short order:

http://www.google.com.au/groups?selm=_u3s7.87517%24sM1.22830103%40news3.rdc1.on.
home.com&oe=UTF-8&output=gplain

Basically, it's crap.  Go on a VLCD, get your protein and
vitamins, and let the laws of physics take care of the rest.

What you do after you've reached your goal weight is up
to you.  If you stick by the laws of physics, they will stick
by you too.  In short - calorie counting works like clockwork.
Don't fall for the scaremongering.  It doesn't get much better
than steady 1.5kg/week loss.

Oh, one other thing.  Once you start your diet, your appetite
goes away after a few days.  Then it is easy.  I could just
drink diet coke (0 calories nearly) all day and not be
hungry.  However, when you stop the diet, the appetite
comes back.  To overcome that, you either need to have
cycles of dieting, or you need to have a steady diet.

I tend to do both, but in the last 2.5 years it has been mild
dieting, not VLCD.  I like junk food, especially lollies
(candy), and that is the thing that puts my weight on,
requiring a fresh round of abstinence.  :-)  I don't find that
I am capable of eating a moderate number of lollies, it's
either all or nothing.  At the moment it is nothing.  :-)

BFN.  Paul.