Experience from one who's doing it (Lighter Life)

Member Name: SuseBC

Product:	Lighter Life
Date:	24/09/08 (1843 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It works if you stick to it

Disadvantages: It doesn't work if you don't

OK, here's a(nother) review of Lighter Life by someone who has actually been on the programme - indeed is right now....if only to refute the earlier contributor.

I'm only in my second week, but I can already tell you that the Lighter Life Programme can be very successful, provided that you stick to it and don't go back to your unhealthy ways after you've lost the weight - hey! that's new for diets isn't it? NO!!! The food packs do provide you with very few calories AND ALSO all the required nutrients. You also attend CBT therapy in your allocated group. You also have to have your weight, blood pressure and general health monitored by a GP. Some classes have a GP attending, for others you must go to your own GP and provide signed proof that your health is doing OK.

The down sides, from my research appear to be:

1) You MAY lose more hair than usual after you start eating again - I understand this is because your body prevents hair loss whilst you're on the restricted diet, and then it can fall out, seemingly in profusion when you start eating again. Apparently the effects are temporary (rather similar to hairloss after having a baby), after which the hair growth continues as normal. Of all the people I've met who have been on the Programme successfully, believe me, none of them are bald, none of them appear to have thinner hair - and I've seen many of their 'before' pictures too - but they do all have much better bodies, more energy and are happier, fitter and as far as I can make out, healthier.

2) You CAN put the weight back on - as with any diet - enough said really; however, if you've learned AND APPLY what you are doing wrong with food (and, unique to this Programme, there's the opportunity to understand WHY), then you won't.

3) I've heard some people have developed gall stones after starting to eat food again - however I also know of several overweight people with gall stones too. I'm not a medical person, but my guess is that the gall stones may well be present (if latent) before they started the Programme, and I guess, as someone who loved all the bad fatty stuff, I've probably got some already. I THINK gall stones are due to a fatty diet (please correct me someone if I'm wrong)...all I know is my fatty diet of the past is history following this programme.

4) In the first week you MAY feel a bit weak and tired - a bit like de-tox. I certainly did, but I persevered.

The abstinence approach (packs only, no 'normal' food) is helping me deal with my food issues - why do I turn to crisps when I'm stressed? and what will happen if I don't - will I spontaneously combust with the stress? IS chocolate the ONLY thing that can console me when I'm upset - or are there other (lower calorie) things I can do to handle this, such as take a bubble bath / get a cuddle? All of these things and more are the things I am dealing with every moment of every day right now.

I'm more than happy to keep this review up to date - don't worry, I won't bore you with day-to-day progress, that's going in my journal - and I will add in the downsides after I finish. I'm only one person, of course, so this will be no scientific study! If you want to message me through this forum, please do.

Summary: A Lighter Life entry from an experienced consumer - if early days!!