I lost 5 lb in week 1, 2 in week 2, and nothing so far this week. I would be happy with half a stone in 3 weeks, except that I still have lost nothing from my waist measurement. In fact I think I gave increased by about half an inch!! Everyone else seems to be loosing inches rather than pounds. I am worried that my body doesn’t seem to be letting go of the dangerous stuff. I don’t need to lose weight from anywhere else as I’m very apple shaped, but not excessively heavy (started at 10 st 4 at 5′). Any ideas anyone?

Hi Malkay,
I’ve had a very similar experience. 3stone to loose. 6lb came off the first week and not an oz in weeks 2&3… I stuck with it and now in week 4 im 3lb down… As ‘motherofthebride’ mentioned the ‘whoosh effect’ I googled it and this might help you stick with it..

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/797688/experience-with-the-whoosh

Your body will let go of the weight sooner or later so keep going! One morning soon you’ll be thrilled you did. 😉

Morning, Grumptoglam. Thank you for your reply. I’m just off to work, but quickly googled ‘whoosh effect’ and scanned through the article. It looks quite informative, and reassuring, so thanks for that. Just have to keep going, and hope the tape measure tightens soon!!

Hi Malkay
I really recommend
‘Low Carb Problems Solved’ by Jenny Ruhl. About £3 on kindle
Explains how and why plateaus happen and lots of other stuff. I read the whole book non stop!
Penny

Thanks for that, pmshrink. I’ll check it out.

Hi Cazzowary
Have a look at this book
‘Low carb problems solved’ by Jenny Ruhl
About £3 on kindle. Lots of technical- but easy to grasp- info on why plateaus happen and all the other problems.
Also have a look on the thread I started called ‘useful links’.
Penny

Hello all,
Just subscribed. Been actively trying to lose weight since about mid-January and, like other contributors to this thread, I’ve been feeling that the weight’s not been coming off that quickly. However, like others, I input my weight readings into a spreadsheet and, in spite of some upward blips, the overall trend is downwards. I started at 12.5stone (at 5′ 3″ I’m in the obese category) and today I finally hit 12st 0lb 0oz. It’s kind of two steps forward, one step back but I have been feeling a bit more energetic lately.

If I am honest with myself, I’m probably not following the BSD 8-week plan religiously – any attempt at fasting and I get a headache which is usually accompanied by my belly turning into a yawning chasm that needs filling. So I’m using the suggested foodstuffs and just varying recipes to try and follow the general guidelines. However, there are one or two things I’m trying that seem to be helpful:

– extending the overnight fast by not eating too late & trying to breakfast later (much easier on a non-work day when hunkering down under the duvet on a cold day is possible)
– adding a dash of cinnamon to my coffee; I’ve read this helps to keep your blood sugars on an even keel – I don’t know about that but it makes for an interesting variation for a drink and, obviously, the liquid helps with hydration and helps fill my belly!

Anyway, good luck everyone with your efforts – the goal is a healthier body/life so it’s worth persevering.

Hi Rozy Dozy
The difficulties you describe are dealt with in Jenny Ruhls book ‘low carb problems solved’ ( £3 on kindle) She gives helpful advice as to what to do about it.
As I understand it, we have to switch from carb burning ( carbs we re eating) to fat burning ( stored fat). This process which takes a few days can give rise to symptoms such as hunger and headache. After 2 or 3 days or so those symptoms disappear.
If we eat carbs because we re having such a crap time, the switch doesn’t happen or we switch back and forth between the two states, which means the discomfort continues.
Hope this helps.
Good luck
Penny
PS see the thread ‘useful links’ for more such info. ( new threads are found by scrolling to the top and pressing Fast 800. You ll see a list of threads- just in case you don’t know that!)

Good advice! I too downloaded Jenny Ruhl’s book – very informative and reassuring – thanks for the tip.

Just ordered the Jenny Ruhl book. Thanks a mill for the tip!

I feel like this way of life has been a real epiphany to me… not that ignorance was truly bliss as I felt god awful most of the time but Im feeling almost evangelical about this diet. Im annoying my sister with soundbites from the book on a daily basis… I hope many pre & diabetic folk get to this diet as a resource for taking back their lives. :0)

hi GTG
Me too!
Penny

Thank you for that advice, Penny. It is getting easier – If I can fend off a headache before it gets a grip (usually by having a drink of something) the nagging from my stomach does reduce to a manageable level! Just got to catch it in time.
Rose

HI well end of week three I had lost a total of 7.6 pounds an average of 2.5 a week I am only 7 lb off my goal weight and my total weight loss since Christmas is 16.6lbs. Still no carbs still only 800 per day and still got 5 weeks to go.

That’s great to hear merseychic,
5 weeks to go ???
That goal is looking more than very attainable. Well done.

Well done Merseychic

I’m waiting for a loss! Lost 3lbs in the first week, lost 1 in the second and staying the same so far in week 3. However, my blood sugars are going down and are more steady (from 6 after exercise to 10 fasting in the am) which I keep having to remind myself is the whole purpose!

I’m about half a stone off target (though would love to loose a stone) and i exercise about 3/4 times a week as well as dog walking – my step count is 14.000 to 18,000 a day (kids and dogs!) so I know i’m active – maybe i’m just waiting for the Woosh effect! 😀

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming… 😀

Well done Merseychic and charliebee!

It’s looking like those of us with not so much to lose are losing slower? After losing 8lb week one and then nothing for the following 2 weeks, as you know I embarked on the extreme version. Well not every day. But I have been well under the 800 every day, some more than others. I tend now to eat just twice a day. I might have smoked salmon with a poached egg and a mushroom for breakfast and then a piece of steak with green beans or a bit of fish. Occasionally i’ll have some yoghurt with blueberries.

So since last Saturday i’ve lost 4lb. I’ve now just got a stone to lose, but would prefer to lose a stone and a half. I’m on day 28 now.

I bought one of those vibration plate machines that tones up your muscles and helps with weight loss. It only arrived on Wednesday so i’m hoping that helps with water retention too.

I’m struggling too. Not sure this diet is all it is cracked up to be. I’ve been on the diet just over a week. Eating protein (chicken or fish ) with vegetables. With an occasional couple of walnuts. OK for first couple of days then was feeling unsatisfied after meals. Stuck to it though. Feeling tired all the time. My partner says I’ve never looked worse – I’m shattered all the time. I go for a run each morning – just for a couple of miles. I was going to start building up the miles but don’t know how I can when I feel so tired. Lost an inch off my waist and 3 lbs doesn’t seem much for a week of misery. Please tell me it’s going to get better

Hello Mandy,

This isn’t a high protein and veg diet. It’s a high fat with some protein and veg. You will feel more satiated with fat, so i’d suggest dropping the amount of protein and increasing the fat.

Stick with it, I know form experience how frustrating it can be. It’s often a case of adjusting your diet a bit. It you track your eating on something like myfitnesspal, that will help you i’m sure.

Hi I’m doing slim fast three times a day, have 1.5 stone to lose. It’ll be my fifth day tomorrow. In the evening I have 235g of broccoli and lots of water. I’ve got a piece of string with a knot in it to measure my waist but can sadly report no scale weight loss, no change in my tester trousers either. I’m sticking with it because I cannot believe that I won’t eventually lose weight on 800 cals. I have been regularly exercising for about four weeks now, am I fed up, yes, am I upset, hugely, am I demotivated, kind of, but what keeps me going is that it HAS to come off with the calories so low. I don’t feel bloated as if I’m retaining fluid and although going to the loo is less frequent, don’t feel constipated. I’ve had thyroid checks and all come back normal. I will beat this, I will lose weight unless , after having my thyroid checked last year, that I have some medical issue. Well that’s my outward forum post, inside….I’m confused and upset.😢

Hi Fin
I’m sorry its not happening for you just yet. I can only wonder if you need to add some fat to your diet? You are dead right that eventually the weight loss has to kick in but one of the principles of the 800 is the inclusion of fat. Could you go back over the bits in the book or on the website and have a look at the discussion about including fat, and maybe add some as olive oil on your broccoli? Btw, aren’t you sick of broccoli? Could you change it up? Maybe go mad and have some cauli mash with butter? Or some fruit with greek yoghurt? But anyway, stick with it for a few more days, surely your efforts will pay off soon. I, myself, am starting again with renewed vigour tomorrow after a planned off piste mother’s day, hoping that the sudden influx of extra calories will kick start the old metabolism again!

Hi Janet, yes Im a bit brocollied out! I’ve bought Brussels sprouts for tomorrow, all the veg I get is in pre weighed bags at 235g which is how exact I like things because I just open the bag and pop it in the micro, I add ten sprays of olive oil and pepper. I could go mad and change to butter for a little difference!! The caul mash sounds terrific, I’m going to make that for sure. I’m glad my daughter bought me flowers for Mother’s Day, not chocolate, I can’t eat the flowers, well maybe if I was that hungry!!. You seem to be going great guns, I’m not jealous, oh god yes alright I am😆. I’ve also bought some kefir which I hear is good for gut bacteria so that’ll be a change for mid week. Keep going, you’re doing great.

Don’t be jealous, Fin, I haven’t lost weight this week, but my head’s in a good place. I’m really keen to get my ketostix as they will tell me something I have never known for sure, ie, whether I can achieve ketosis or not. Should be fun!

Hi Mandy
Welcome to the forum
I recommend a book by Jenny Ruhl called ‘low carb problems solved’ (£3 on kindle) which deals with this problem amongst others.
As Spirit days, you have to eat fat ( most of us have struggled with that at first after decades of anti fat propaganda)
to replace the carbs, which maybe you’re not doing. On Myfitness pal you can track your macronutrients.
Best of luck,
Penny

Hi Fin
I’m really sorry to hear you’re suffering.
I wondered about the composition of slim fast. I had a look. It’s 6 g fat, 25 g carb, 10 G protein. I think that is not really the right ratios for this diet, which really is low carb ( people often aim for 50g, per day, if they’re measuring carbs) and high fat with medium protein. ( we ve all struggled with the idea of high fat, but full fat dairy and the fat on meat keeps hunger away)
Perhaps it would be better to try following the menus for a week, or a version of them that suits you?
As an example, you could have omelette or full fat Greek yogurt with a few berries for breakfast, oily fish and salad veg for lunch, meat and green veg for dinner- including the fat! That sort of regime would fit the theory. I’m sure people will pile in with suggestions, but on this type of eating we ve all found after a few days we feel really energetic and dont crave carbs.
Best of luck with it
Penny

Thanks for the advice – I need to eat more fat. What fat am I supposed to eat? I fry vegetable where I can in rapeseed oil. I’m dairy intolerant so can’t eat milk or cheese. I do drink a small amount of full fat coconut milk. I don’t know what other fat to eat? I can’t just glue oil from the bottle . Any advice greatly received. M x

Just been for my morning run which has given me time to think. I do eat oily fish – sardines, mackerel, salmon with salad for my lunch isn’t oily fish fat? Can’t think of other ways to add fat to the diet – I’ve never been on a diet before nor avoided fat so I’m not sure how to do this. M x

Hello Mandy, I’m glad to read you are sticking with it. I had the same problem as you after week 1 and had to make some adjustments. Can you have bacon rashers with egg for breakfast perhaps or a gammon steak with egg and mushrooms or similar for dinner? You are right, oily fish is good, but maybe just hoik back a bit on protein and increase veg? Steak with the fat on is another good one.

can you dribble some extra virgin olive oil on your salads? Have a look In the recipe section here to see if anything else grabs you.

x

Hi Mandy
Another fat source is nuts and seeds. Today I ate fat from lamb, olive oil, flax seed, walnuts, Provamel soya- almond yogurt ( no sugar)
Total 34 g, 49% of calories.
Penny

Hi another week on and I did lose about 5.5 lbs this week (scales not very accurate and my eyes sight struggles to see to my feet) and lost an inch off the waist so must be doing something right. Went down with a stinking cold and chest infection which I now think was the reason I was so tired. I always fry some of the vegetables in oil and I’ve been drizzling oil onto salad so fingers crossed I now have the hang of it

Hi Mandy
Sorry to hear you’re ill.
Get well soon. Looks like you’ve got the hang of the fats!
Penny

Slow weight loss! I have followed the diet for more than one week now. I have actually gained one kilo!!! I need to lose 10 kilos and am prepared for it to take quite a while. Still, results should be better than this.
Some of the vegetables in the recipes are unavailable here. I have to substitute for celeriac, spinach, fennel, etc. Luckily I can get cabbage. Most of the others are available. I can get frozen cauliflower, frozen green beans, and tinned beans. The foods are very expensive compared with what I have eaten in the past – $6 each for aubergines at my local supermarket and I needed to buy two for just one meal. (There are two people at each meal.)
What can I substitute for the veggies in the low calorie recipes?
Can I substitute a tin of lentils for the cauliflower rice? I have tried making coconut bread to go with the curries and stirfries. Almost OK.
Is it OK to eat raw carrots when I am hungry? Raw celery? Olives?

Hi DarwinBabe
Do I gather yr in Oz? If so there are some oz dwellers on the forums who should be able to advise.
Meanwhile- are you tracking your carbs? If your carbs are too high that could account for your problem even though you ve stuck to the cals. After initial problems I now stay under 50 g of carbs a day, often a lot less. Seems to work.
Penny

Dear pmshrink,
I have a phone ap that tracks my carbs while also tracking the calories. I have not found anything in the Mosely book that sets guidelines for the carbs, as some are low GI and some are high GI. I am doing my best to use low GI foods as is set out in the weekly menus. The units used in the book are the same as on this webpage http://www.glycemicindex.com/foodSearch.php, but not the same as on my ap. I expected the carrots would have been an excellent choice as a filler. Low GI. Low calorie. High fibre.
To actually gain weight when so many others are shedding fat is most puzzling.
Please do not assume someone lives in the Emerald City with an eccentric magician. I do not appreciate being labelled according to your schema. The countries where I live or work and which country has issued my latest passport are definitely not the business of anyone using these forums about the diet.

Hello Darwinbabe
I think penny wanted to know which country you live in in order to tailor her advice which you had solicited. I think she was probably taking a big clue from your name. I can understand your frustration at not losing weight yet but I think your response to Penny has been over the top.

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Darwin and, having anonymity does not give you the right to abuse other members. If you continue to post offensive messages I will speak to the administrators of this site and have them look at your posts with a view to removing them – and you – from this forum. If you cannot offer words of support to fellow members, you shouldn’t be here.

Darwinbabe
Penny was trying to be nothing but friendly, helpful, and interested. There is nothing wrong with that.
The purpose of the forums is to find out about people and give what support we can. I’m afraid your attitude is going to provoke very few responses to your posts after reading that reply
Only person I see here being a “smart ****” is you

Hi DarwinBabe
I’m terribly sorry if I overstepped the mark. I was just going by ‘Darwin’ and in no way meant to be intrusive.
Good luck this week
Penny

DarwinBabe- if you want to substitute something in a recipe, try to make it like for like. Lentils are not a substitute for cauliflower because they much higher in calories. At the end of the day if you stick to 800 calories you should lose weight, and if you do go up, consider water weight.

I also think you are out of line in the way you’ve addressed Penny- we’re pretty friendly and caring in the forum and what you’ve said were neither. Penny’s question was perfectly legitimate given your user name so if you don’t want to risk your anonymity I’d suggest choosing a more anonymous user name. Anyway, good luck.

Darwinbabe, you are the very first poster on this forum to make such a personal attack on someone. Very disappointing!
Penny was trying to help. We all ask questions to try and get to the heart of the issue so that we can give the best advice.
Given your forum name and the $ sign in your post it was a reasonable assumption to make. People in other parts of the world might not understand the challenges of getting the more cold climate vegetables or the difference in cost and availability, for those living in the Top End!! So it was quite reasonable to suggest another Aussie might be able to help.
It wouldn’t have been for cyberstalking or any ill intent. It’s a pity you didn’t take her response in the spirit it was intended.

Cazzowary,
The problem I have is that I not only did not lose weight I actually gained 1 kilo in just a week.
I am sticking to the 800 calories. Some days are substantially under.
I am seeking advice as to how I can achieve similar success to the other forum members.
Penny suggested monitoring the carbohydrate intake. It is good supportive advice and I noticed that today I exceeded the 50g. I have also read here that some forum members have increased their full fat intake. That seems drastic.
Another possibility is to try some different meal plans and recipes.
I need something to swap with rice, which I usually eat a few times a week. Do you think quinoa would be a suitable substitute? Is barley OK? What about glass noodles? Freekah? Cauliflower rice is not possible because I do not own the kitchen equipment to make it.

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I have used both Quinoa and Barley. Cauli rice is available commercially in the UK, not sure about elsewhere, but you can just finely chop fresh cauli with a knife.
The increase in full fat intake is a necessity. It encourages your body into fat burning mode or ketosis and keeps you feeling full as it takes longet to digest, I can vouch that it works.
The simple fact is, if you keep your carbs down to 50g, especially complex carbs, and stick to 800 calories, you have to lose weight.

Darwinbabe, do you really think with the vast amount of dieting experience we have on this website, that we don’t know dieting can make a person irritable? But its no excise for your horrible posts. I get the feeling you are enjoying being vile but I, for one, am taking no pleasure in reading yours.

I’ve had enough of this.
After your nasty response to Penny you posted a legitimate question and I tried to be a s helpful as possible – then you post that drivel.
You are acting like the worst kind of troll, everyone has their problems, we don’t savage other people who are only trying to help because of them. No one thinks they own the forums or they are monumentally important, all everyone tries to do is help
I for one will not reply to further posts from you and I have reported you for your absolutely disgusting attitude to others
Best of luck

Darwinbabe – I would suggest the very large chip on your shoulder is also a carb you should be getting rid of. Your trolling is boring.

Hi,
Help!! I am not losing weight despite doing everything right (I think). Week one I lost 5 pounds (most in the first 2 days – ?water) Week two – no loss Week three – gained 1 pound. Today is the beginning of Week four – getting quite demotivated – suggestions/advice?
Chrissie

Welcome ChrissieM,
Are you keeping a record of everything you eat? Is there anything you are forgetting such as a coffee? It might just be one of those things and your weight starts falling soon, but it might be worth being even more careful for a few days and measuring the oil you cook with, portions of things like oats and anything else which has some flexibility in the interpretation. A few others have reported similar problems and then have gone on to lose weight. Are you drinking 2-3 litres of water per day? It is worth reading through a few of the threads on here.

Good luck.

Hi Chrissie, and welcome. That is very disappointing for you.
Are you following the menu plan from the book or counting calories of your own recipes?
If you are doing your own recipes, it might be possible that they are higher carb than you think. The other possibility is that you aren’t having enough full fat in your diet. You do need it to help your body make the switch from carb burning to fat burning.
Also keep up your intake of unsweetened drinks. You will need 2-3l of fluid a day.
If you read through some of the other threads you might get some ideas of how to tweak your food intake a bit.
Please keep posting and let us know how you’re going. There are lots of people on here who will be able to advise. 🙂

Thanks FoFi and Cherrianne,

I wonder whether the answer may be in the fluids I have been consuming. I have been really strict writing menu plans etc from the book but have been less so with drinks. Before starting the diet I would drink 10-15 cups of tea or coffee per day with one spoon of sugar in each cup and milk. Obviously I have stopped having the sugar and tried to substitute with the odd herbal tea. I have also swapped my semi skimmed milk for full cream milk. Do you think increasing my water intake (a glass before having a hot drink and trying to increase otherwise) will help?

Chrissie