Hi all
I’m just starting week 6 and it’s going well. I’m losing weight, slowly but steadily, and my blood sugars are coming down a bit…….but my waist measurement is barely moving and I don’t seem to be losing any belly fat. In fact, I’m not sure where I’m losing weight from apart from my feet!!
I know that getting rid of the belly fat is so important. Any ideas??

hi,
mine is slow to shift here as well,ive found the best way is to up the intensity of exercise,belly fat is the hardest to shift,so attack it hard,ive noticed a change elsewhere over my body,but still working on my front,im sure it will eventually shift.
bob.

Hi,
I am having the same challenge. End of week 3 and the weight loss is good, trousers are almost falling off of me, but the inches are coming off of my bust and hips with proportionately much less coming off of my waist. I have upped my walking to 70,000 steps a week from 25,000 before I started which is definitely helping keep a consistent weight loss.
Anyone suggestions welcome!

At least I’m not alone!
I’m a bit stuck with upping the exercise, medical and mobility issues mean that I can only do small amounts. I’ll keep trying though!

Hi Che
The theory is that belly fat and visceral fat reduce if your carbs are low enough. Could it be yours are not quite low enough?
Penny

Hi Penny
I track my food on my fitness pal and looking back, I seem to be averaging between 35-40g per day. As far as I can see, it’s mostly carbs from veg and beans/legumes and nuts. I wonder if I need to go lower? Hmmmm………I love that the diet isn’t very rigid, but sometimes it would be easier to be told exactly how many grams of carbs, fat etc!!

Hi Che
Hmm. Doesn’t doind too much. But maybe reduce it a bit??
Have a look at Jenny Ruhls book ‘low carb problems solved’ ( £3 on kindle)
She has lots of info, it might help.
Penny

That word was ‘sound’ !

Just started the book and I’m already seeing potential mistakes in the way I’m eating, particularly with what she refers to as the “ketogenic level”. I am guilty of having some very low carb days and some higher carb days. Although my carb averages look ok it’s interesting to read that this alone could be causing some issues. Fab referral.
Thanks Penny!

Are you eating enough fat? Such as full fat yoghurt, coconut oil/milk, full fat cottage cheese etc? This is the only diet that has ever shifted fat off my stomach and has given me back my waist and I’m convinced it’s due to giving up all the low fat stuff including skimmed milk which I have had for years and eating more fat. I can’t remember the science but there is something about eating fat with protein that works….worth a try

I have done 3 weeks, and lost absolutely nothing from my waist. I lost 7lbs in the first 2 weeks, but not sure where from. The last couple of days I have become a bit demotivated due to seeing no change. Although sticking to low carb, I know I have gone over the 800 cals. Its much harder to stick to when you’re not seeing the results that everyone else seems to be getting. I find it very difficult measuring the exact amount of carbs etc., but I work on the principle that if I’m eating no starchy carbs, and eating considerably less than I used to, I should be losing weight and inches. I need a bit of a kick up the backside, and a bit of reassurance. Especially as my friend has just lost 4 lbs this week at Slimming World!!!!!!!

Malkay it might just be that your body has to adjust – I didn’t notice the weight loss from my waist until the end of week three (I’d also lost 18lbs in the last year before starting this using other diets and no reduction in waist size) please don’t be despondent….7lbs is a magnificent achievement in just three weeks. Give yourself a few days sticking more closely to 800…perhaps until the weekend and see what happens. Sometimes we plateau for a few days and then lose more.
Who hasn’t done slimming world, lost four pounds and then put it all back on and even more a couple of weeks later….this is about complete re-education. Be kind to yourself and your body…you can do this….you know you can! X

Thanks for the encouragement, Aliba! These last 2 days I have been working, and although I have taken lunch, I have snacked a bit in the afternoon. However, I am at home tomorrow, so I shall be gentle on myself. I’ll get up in the morning with a renewed sense of positivity, and make sure I keep to 800 cals. I’ll report back at the weekend!!

Good for you Malkay 👍

Hi Aliba
Interesting stuff here about the bad ever take of low fat dairy.
http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/why-skim-milk-will-make-you-fat-and/
Penny

Hi Malkay
Did you have a look at this book?
‘Low carbs problems solved’ by Jenny Ruhl.
(£3 on kindle)
If you haven’t it might help you.
Penny

That should have read ‘ the bad effect’!!

Thanks Penny, really interesting, especially the bit about fat being needed to regulate blood sugar. I’m totally convinced of it after eating low fat for decades, ended up nearly 5 stone overweight and diabetic!

Hi Aliba
Us and millions of others!
Now we know- but most people still don’t, and the low fat message is so engrained…
Penny

Aliba- have you seen diet doctor. Com? Interesting stuff with good vudeos.
Penny

Videos!

Yes I really like that site and quite inspiring to read the case studies.

Hi Che
Great isn’t it. Very empowering to know facts. Once I d read the book I could see people on the forums struggling because they don’t know this stuff. ( so of course I tell them about the book !)
Penny

Yes it all helps us. The more info the better.
Penny

Hi Penny.
I did read the book you recommended. It’s really helpful, particularly the bit about going above the ‘ketogenic boundary’. That may be my problem, as I’m not measuring my carbs very accurately, but I’m not eating any starchy carbs at all. In the book, Michael doesn’t actually talk about ketosis, so I wasn’t sure whether we need to worry about it. I was trying to avoid having to weigh everything and be too strict, but maybe it’s just time to up my game and get a bit more serious!

Hi Malkay
Sorry- I’ve recommended it to all and sundry so couldn’t remember. It’s so great having the facts, really helpful probably you would do better being more accurate for a while.
Where are you getting your carbs?
Mine are just non tropocal fruit plus veg, so I just check on the ‘Nutrition’ bit of Myfitness pal to see how they’re working out. Today it was 29 grams. That was one small Apple , one orange, kale, lettuce, carrot, beetroot. Plus tiny bits in just about everything.
Penny

I think I’ve found another problem, I’m not eating enough fat. Old habits die hard! I’m still trying to make my meals as big as I can for the allowable calories but I seem to be making low carb and low fat meals.
What sort of parallel universe have I entered where I actively look to add fat to my food??!! Haha. Time to redo my meal plans!

Morning Penny. I’m not eating much fruit, just a handful of blueberries on my morning omelette, with some Greek yogurt. I do have a very good breakfast! My other carbs come from veg, chickpeas, and occasionally a small portion of lentils. For lunch, I’m generally having a small salad with chicken, prawns,feta or falafels. Evening is a small portion of whatever the family is having, minus the carbs. I made a similar stew to yours at the weekend, tonight is salmon and stir fried veg. My evening treat is a small cup of cocoa made with half almond milk, half full fat milk – I don’t think too many calories. So apart from the treat, think its ok. I suspect I’m not exercising enough, although my job in a busy shop means I am on my feet all day. Not in today, so just off for a walk! Thanks for the encouragement, and hope it is going well for you.

Hi Malkay
That all sounds perfect! I am now reading another book by Jenny Ruhl called ‘diet 101: the truth about low carb diets’ which is the book ‘low carb problems solved ‘ is distilled from. Really interesting so far.
I’m fairly stalled at the moment I think also not exercising enough. I’m averaging about 5000 steps. Only doing Pilates once a week. I think Jenny Ruhl says a lot of stalling is caused by not enough exercise or gradually having a little bit more carb here and there. I have had to ban my partner from offering me cake!
Penny

Hi, I’ve been following this forum with great interest as like Che_Knight I’ve been struggling to lose belly fat, despite doing REALLY well, (as far as I’m concerned, any way)having lost a stone in 2 weeks, which resulted in a little dance around the bathroom this morning! I also am SO used to low fat diets that that it’s programmed into me to maximise what I eat by using low fat alternatives, so I’m tending to have low fat +low carb. Reading the posts has inspired me to send away for a recipe book for further inspiration and I’ll get husband to download the Jenny Ruhl book (I don’t have a kindle, I stubbornly refuse!!). Obviously I need to clear out the fridge and start again, with full fat products. Meanwhile to keep an eye on the carbs, could anyone please advise how many carbs I should be aiming for in a day? I think I need to be keeping more of a close eye on how much I’m consuming.
Penny

EEK! I’ve just been looking at diet doctor .com which says legumes are a no no! We’ve been munching away on red lentils and kidney beans (made to a delicious recipe from the 5:2 book) thinking they were ok!!
Penny

I admire your desire to eat a ketogenic diet but some of the advice being given in this thread is far stricter than that proposed by Michael- legumes are quite acceptable on the 8 Week Blood Sugar Diet so don’t be afraid of them- they are a good combination of complex carbs and protein and don’t substantially affect glucose levels in regards to spiking= they’re also an excellent choice if you’re a vegetarian or vegan.

Low carb is subject to a number of interpretations as to what exactly counts as “low carb”- the Diet Doctor has also discussed this and classifies anything up to 100 grams of carbs as “easy low-carb”. I’m trying to stick to 40 grams of carbs since it allows for some fruit, but everyone has to find their own level at which they are happy- if I go lower than this I’ll binge eventually due to rebelling from the choices available and if I go higher than this I’ll end up on a downward slope of carb-creep eventually leading to bingeing, a scenario that led me to have the problems with visceral fat that I now have.

For me personally I find the looser interpretation by Michael more appealing since it is sustainable in the long-term. I also wanted to say that the Optifast shakes that were initially used in the Newcastle experiment are not low carb but it is the level of calories taken in that makes ours and the Newcastle diet ketogenic.

Good luck with whatever levels you choose.

I have to agree with you that the relaxed way the book is written makes it far easier to follow for me.
UK users may feel uncomfortable at first with the US way of measurnig things, a handful of this, a cup of that, but behind all that is the simple message, get rid of the simple carbs and eat the good stuff.
It’s so simple, why complicate things ?

I agree Bill. This has to be the easiest ‘diet’ to follow, and I’ve been on diets for over 50 years! After spending a fortune on various slimming clubs, learning their different systems, this is so simple. And effective. Not a ‘diet’ but a new way of eating that’s sustainable long-term.

Hi Penny
Diet doc is much more strict VERY low carb. No fruit, no beans. Did you see the first shopping list? A mountain of meat!
Penny

Hi Penny
You can download kindle on your smart phone
Penny

Well I am now at a loss as to what to try next. I am getting very demoralised that I will ever lose any belly fat. I am now 5 weeks in, lost half a stone (nothing this past week), but not a single millimetre from my waist. I eat no starchy carbs, use full fat everything, and am pretty much sticking to 800 cals. When I get the chance I walk, probably not enough, but am on my feet all day at work. I started this to lose belly fat, as I’m not carrying weight anywhere else. My only positive is that my blood sugar is more stable, so it has been worth doing for that. However, I know that unless I lose belly fat, the improvement is not long term. Have gone from very positive to feeling more depressed than before I started – at least I felt then that I could do something about it. Now don’t think I can!! Sorry this is so negative, but that’s how I feel tonight.

Hi Malkay
That’s disheartening. What I’ve found is the 10000 steps – tho not usually quite that many, but I’m increasing them – have done it for me.
Could you walk to work or part of the way? I’ve found the way to do it for me is to walk to where I have to go to anyway.
Penny
PS
I am not getting any hypos no. Are you?

Hi Penny
I have just found my pedometer, so will start counting my steps again. I have to drive to work as its 15 miles away, but might try parking a distance away and walking the rest. Exercise is probably the one missing link. On a positive, no, the hypos are not happening at the moment. Thank you for giving me a positive to focus on!!

Hi Malkay
My phone counts steps which makes it easy. It’s a good idea parking farther away- though 10000 steps is 5 miles! But michael said work up to it. I work at home so I have to make the effort to go out. Today I did 3 hours digging instead.
Beautiful day.
It’s great how the hypos have gone. Don’t have to think about taking food with me or when I’m next going to eat. Very liberating.
Penny

Hello Malkay. I feel your frustration. You can read of mine on the Not Losing thread. I think I’ve finally come out the other side now. Stick with it and keep posting on here. we are all rooting for you. xx

Hi Spirit
Thanks for the encouragement. I have read your story, and see you are now doing a very stict calorie reduction. It sounds too strict for me, but interesting that you are starting to lose weight. Its the belly fat, not the weight that is worrying me. I feel it will never go. However, it must go eventually, so carrying on regardless.

I think that belly fat will be among the last to go. I carried an enormous amount of visceral fat and a medium-sized belly roll but a waist measurement of 120cm at start and a bmi of 34.25 ( can’t fill my hand if I try and grab a handful). Everyone has different fat deposition and a different metabolism. I’ve found my blood glucose took 7 weeks to return to normal whereas others find their BG returns within the first couple of weeks. Weeks 3,4 and 5, my weight went up and down and weight loss was slow, however it kicked off in week 6 again. My belly roll hasn’t shrunk but my waist has reduced by 6 cm and I’ve lost weight off my face, neck, chest, arms and legs. I’m still very “centrally fat” viscerally so I know I have to keep going.

I assume that if I keep this up, I will continue to lose fat from everywhere and eventually the tummy roll will follow!

I think we all need to remember it’s a blood sugar diet, not a belly roll diet 🙂 . Returning your insulin response to normal will affect your metabolism long term and if you go Mediterranean diet 5 and 2 or perform some other equivalent of putting less calories in than you burn through exercise, you will continue to lose fat from everywhere. Also remember that subcutaneous fat around the belly is apparently heart protective, so it’s not all bad news. Celebrate your metabolic numbers like BG and Blood Pressure and know that if you continue the plan and the follow up advice, you will eventually get rid of your obstinate companion!

Hi malkay,

I don’t have a lot to start with, but if it helps, my belly fat hasn’t changed yet – according to my tape measure. My stomach roll has gone so maybe it starts at the top and drains down!

since I’m not diabetic I wouldn’t know about my blood sugar etc.

Keep going, we are with you.

Sorry spirit, I was not very clear … I used belly fat and stomach roll to mean the subcutaneous fat (love handles?). The stuff you can grab a handful of. I used visceral fat to mean the stuff behind my stomach muscles. My subcutaneous fat has made no real change around my stomach,but I appear to have lost some visceral fat as evidenced by the tape measure.

Hi Spirirt and Justabloke. Thanks for both of your posts, as they are both encouraging. I am really pleased that my blood sugar seems to have stabilised – I don’t measure, but I had reactive hypoglycaemia, and it is much better since I started the diet. As that was my main reason for starting, I am pleased. However, the way I understand it, unless the visceral fat goes, the progress is not permanent. That is the reason for my concern. However, after hearing your responses, I think maybe if I keep going, the fat will eventually go. I’ll stop whinging, and post as soon as I see a difference!

Hi Malkay
I’m not losing weight as fast as some, but still at a reasonable rate.
I’ve had to tighten my belt 3 notches up to now and it’s getting loose again.
Stick to it, the belly fat will go

Hi all… I am interested to see i am not the only one NOT LOSING WEIGHT on strict 800 cals for two weeks now….need to lose 10 -15 kg.
I feel maybe a pair of trousers a little slacker around the hips…no real difference on tape either.

This is my first two weeks…depressing. I have never had this problem before. Any ideas please…not diabetic and no sugar addictions always tend to eat mediterranean style last ten years….just dropped out completely, bread biscuits cereals rice pasta cake etc for last two weeks….and no weight drop.

Usually if i just did this alone I would lose a couple of kilos at least….cannot believe on strict 800 not lost an ounce …

maybe I will try the 5/2? what do you guys think?

Hi Mosleyfan, I’ve been listening to cherrieanne’s advice on watching carbs carefully – could your carb count still be a little high? Or are you eating enough full fat? Drinking 2 to 3 litres of water a day?
You may just lose weight suddenly, hope so, for your sake 🙂