A week in the life: Total Diet Replacement

Today I surprised myself, as it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be.

The first shakes and my “lunchtime” soup were fine although I did find myself finishing them quite quickly. 

My energy levels remained steady until around 4pm when hunger struck and I felt my energy plummet. Just when I thought my housemate cooking dinner would make it worse, talking with her actually helped distract me, and my hunger vanished while my energy levels picked back up. 

To keep my spirits high, I had my third shake before my evening Italian lesson. Although I was fine for most of the lesson, towards the end, my concentration waned, and I struggled to recall common words. Ending on a sweet note, I had my last chocolate-flavour shake later on in the evening as a treat.

Overall, I had a really good day and it was surprisingly not as hard as I anticipated. I did notice moments when I would usually pick at things if I went into the kitchen, as it’s a lot more obvious now that I’m not allowed to have them.

My flatmates had booked tickets for a 3.5 hour film. I knew I’d have to have my final shake during it, I wouldn’t be able to wait until I got home! Sipping it slowly worked well and helped me feel full while seeming like I was participating in having something to drink at the cinema.

When I got home, my housemates ordered a tempting pizza takeaway. Initially, it was difficult to resist, but after a while, the hunger feelings and cravings passed.

Today was a much-needed day at home after a long day at the office yesterday. But I had something exciting planned for the evening – a dance experience class with my friends!

Knowing that I needed to time my products right, I had a late breakfast and lunch. However, the smell of my housemate’s instant Pho meal was so tempting. It’s amazing how my sense of smell has improved since starting this programme, though I wonder if it’s just because I miss food.

To stay fuelled for the dance class, I brought my products, shaker, and water bottle along. Whenever my energy dipped, I sipped on my product and it helped me power through. The class itself wasn’t too intense, but it was a great distraction and I loved the chance to get out of the house.

Overall, it was a successful day, balancing my low-calorie diet and enjoying a fun evening with friends.

Halfway through the week already!

Today, being the weekend, I treated myself to a well-deserved lie-in and so threw my eating pattern off. I’ve noticed a habit of mine – eating “just in case” I might get hungry or need a boost of energy. But now, thanks to the programme, I’ve realised that I can actually manage just fine without those extra snacks. Even if I feel a bit low on energy or hungry, it passes after about 20 minutes.

Last night was a restless one, and today’s early morning mission for Glastonbury tickets left me feeling even more drained (unfortunately, no luck on the tickets). The lack of sleep really took a toll on my energy levels and appetite. But, I’ve learned something valuable from this experience – I don’t need to turn to food or higher calorie days when I’m tired. I can push through without overindulging.

To distract myself from the fatigue, I had a lovely video call with my Mum in the evening. Later on, I watched the tennis men’s final with my housemates. However, disaster struck when the lid of my shake popped off, causing me to spill some of the product. Talk about bad luck! This mishap might explain why I felt hungrier later in the evening.

For the first time since starting this diet, I went to bed feeling a little hungry instead of satisfied. Today was undeniably the toughest day so far, likely due to the lack of sleep. But I’m determined to power through and gain a deeper understanding of what my patients go through.

Luckily, I have a long break in the afternoon on Mondays, so I took the opportunity to relax and recharge. After this much-needed rest, I felt a significant boost in my energy and concentration levels. I delivered a group patient drop-in session and then attended my hour-long Italian class. The improvement since the last class was remarkable; I didn’t struggle as much with vocabulary or verb conjugation. In the evening, I had the house to myself, allowing me to unwind and watch TV without any distractions from cooking.

Overall, today had its challenges, but I managed to find moments of rest and progress.

I can’t believe I’m nearing the end of my TDR experiment.

I woke up excited because tomorrow would be my last day on this diet. I had a few early morning meetings, so I decided to have my first product at 11am. I’ve found that starting later helps reduce my appetite and hunger cravings.

After a meeting about our office Christmas party, I felt inspired to add 1 teaspoon of mixed spice to my vanilla shake. It was a great addition and I didn’t experience any low energy or hunger cravings today. I’m getting into the routine of this diet and I’m confident in delaying my meal replacement until I really need it.

In the evening, while watching a film with my housemates, I tried a new way of having the product. I mixed it with a small amount of water and my remaining milk allowance, then heated it in the oven at about 60/70C. It was a chocolatey treat that added some variety to my diet. I wouldn’t do it too often to ensure I get all the necessary vitamins and minerals which can be affected by the heat, but it was a nice change.

Overall, today was a good day and I’m looking forward to completing this diet tomorrow.

I had my final product on the way to the tube. I was going to a local cinema for a talk by Director Edgar Wright, who directed the Cornetto trilogy films. When I got to the cinema, they were giving out Cornettos, which was a clever idea. Since it was my last day on TDR, I decided to have it as it was part of a special experience and not just a regular cinema trip.

This was my first bit of food in a week, and it felt strange. The ice cream was a bit melted but it felt tougher to chew on. It took me longer to finish it compared to how quickly I usually eat ice cream. I also felt it was a bit heavier in my stomach compared to the TDR products.

Overall, it was enjoyable, but it was also interesting to observe the changes since starting the TDR products.

Reintroducing food

Today was my first day post-TDR and I was curious to see how my eating habits have changed!

For breakfast, I had some breakfast biscuits that took me a while to chew through. Surprisingly, I felt quite full afterwards. I still didn’t feel hungry by lunchtime, so I kept working until I actually felt hungry. This is something I’ve gotten better at since finishing TDR.

In the past, I would eat just because it was the designated time, regardless of hunger. Thankfully, working from home allows me to adjust my schedule accordingly.

For lunch, I had a homemade lunchables snack pot with veggie sticks. It took me about 20 minutes to finish, and I felt satisfied afterwards. Usually, I can devour a meal in 10 minutes if I’m hungry so this was new for me.

In the evening, my housemates and I had made a reservation at an Indian sharing plates restaurant. I was really excited for it and thoroughly enjoyed the meal. However, afterwards, I felt incredibly full and lethargic. I realised that I may have ignored my hunger cues and overindulged. In hindsight, it probably wasn’t the best idea to have such a big meal right after finishing TDR.

Overall, I loved being more in tune with my hunger cues, but I need to be mindful of not overeating. Lesson learned for next time!

Conclusion

In conclusion, my week on the TDR plan has been an eye-opening experience. It has given me a deeper understanding of what our patients go through during their weight loss journey. I’m grateful for this experience, and it has deepened my understanding and empathy for the challenges my patients face. As a dietitian, I’m more motivated than ever to provide them with the support and guidance they need to achieve their health goals. It’s important to note that individual experiences may vary, and it’s essential to work closely with a healthcare professional when embarking on a diet plan like this.