A VLCD diet is planned in such a way that the dieter consumes not more than 800 calories per day as opposed to the daily human need of 2200 calories per day. Because of its rigorous nature this diet should never be undertaken for more than 3 to 6 months. Being on this diet for long durations can have drastic health implications. Pregnant women and youngsters below the age of twenty including children should particularly stay away from this diet. It aims at shedding 5 to 6 pound per day. The final goal is to loose almost 50 pounds in the very short duration of 12 weeks.

This diet is specially designed by physicians for people whose Body Mass Index exceeds 30. It is designed keeping in mind the dieters pre existing health conditions if any, the amount of weight to be lost and the impact of this sudden wight loss on the dieters body. The normal procedure in this diet is to avoid normal dietary products and replace them with nutritional supplements which give the body its daily requirement of vitamins and minerals. Regular and delligent physical activity is also a part of this regimen. Apart from this most doctors will recommend psychological interventions such as Cognitive behavioral therapy and self image improvement.

The body usually takes some time to get used to this new diet. Most dieters complain of fatigue, a feeling of weakness, persistent constipation, nausea and diarrhea in the initial stages of the diet. In severe cases the rapid weight loss may also result in the fomation of gallstones. A condition which should be monitored closely.

However if you are just looking at loosing a few pounds you can go for the low calorie diet. This diet restricts the intake of certain high calorie foods. Its aims at bringing down the daily calorie consumption to between 1500 and 1800. If coupled with daily exercise it can give visible results in a few weeks with practically no side effects.

Nutrition should be rich with:
- Proteins (1 g / kg body weight or about 75 to 100 g per day)
- Calories (2500 do 3000 kcal per day) ,
- Carbohydrates (300 to 400 per day) , and
- vitamin A (not in carotene form), B group, C, D and K.

It is needed to arrange food in large number of small meals.
Thermally processed food can be cooked, fried on vegetable fat (small amount), or stewed on light fire with a bit of oil or water.
Avoid baking in a lot of fat, or frying in deep oil.
Avoid industrial beverages-juices. Drink water (do not use mineral (CO2) water), light herbal tea, fresh juices prepared from fruits and vegetables.
Is strictly prohibited consummation of any alcoholic beverages.

Diet plan:

Bread and replacement

- Whole grain (rice, wheat, rye, oats, barley, millet, buckwheat) and their products (oat and other cereals, whole grains flour, pasta, bread),
- Leguminous Plants (soybean, chickpea, gombo, lentil, peas, beans),
- Germ Wheat (raw, fried, fresh),
- Arrange food in more meal per day
- Avoid shelled cereals and their products.

Milk and replacement
- Recommended: buttermilk, milk products (acidofil, kefir, sour milk, yogurt), a young cheese, mozzarella,
- Avoid fat and fat hard cheeses and cream,
- Take at least 3 to 4 dcl of milk a day dispersed in at least two meals.

Meat and replacement

- Eat meat from young animals, remove excess oil, offal,
- Eggs especially yolk, do not eat more than 3-4 times a week
- Regularly eat fish and seafood, blue fish,
- Avoid canned, smoked and dry meat products, as well as fish products,
- Prepare boiled, fied meat or stewed on light fire, and cooked or baked fish.

Vegetables:
- eat all kinds, about ½ kg per day, dispersed in more meals,
Following vegetable types are especially useful:
- salads and similar vegetables: chicory, lambs lettuce, salad,
- Cabbage Plants: cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, leafy kale, cabbage,
- Leguminous vegetables: gombo, peas, French beans,
- Arches: garlic, leeks, young onions,
- Root vegetables: kohlrabi, carrots, parsnip, black daikon, daikon,
- Tuber vegetables: potatoes, jerusalem artichoke,
- green pepper, cucumber, eggplant, tomatoes, squash,
- Leafy vegetables: Swiss chard, spinach, dandelion, nettle, wild vegetables,
- Herbs: basil, anise, turmeric, laurel (for cooking leguminous vegetables), thyme, oregano, parsley leaves and celery,
- Other: mushrooms,
eat raw vegetables, boiled, stewed or slightly sourish,
avoid industrial army vegetables

Fruits
- Eat at least two pieces a day, or two portions ( cups or slices )
Following fuit tipes are especialy useful:
- Southern fruit: pineapple, banana, dates,
- citrus fruit or lemon fruit: lemon, orange, tangerine, grapefruit,
- Kernel fruit: plum, peach, apricot, cherry,
- apple, quince, pear,
- strawberry
- Nuts: hazelnuts, almonds
- Seeds: pumpkin, sunflower,sesame
- Other: blueberry, chestnut, olive, pomegranate, melon.

Fat:
- Cold pressed oils (olive, sunflower, korn germ, dark sesame)
Other food: yeast, kelp (van- for cooking leguminous vegtables), sprouts (alfalfa), honey