This is now coming up to week 6. I had lost 1 stone and 4 lbs but I’ve just weight myself and it appears I’ve put on 5lbs which is totally ridiculous. However, I’ve gone down two dress sizes? I absolutely regliously stick to 800 calories a day, drink plenty of water, exercise when I can and watch my carb intake. I’ve got into a lovely routine of berries with yoghurt for breakfast, salad and then meat with quinoa, beans or salad for super followed by fresh berries. My only treat but still within my 800 calories is dark chocolate.

Why is it that I can go down two dress sizes but not appear to loose significant weight? When will the weight loss kick in? What am I doing wrong? I’ve been so focused and no I just feel really upset. I know buying smaller clothes has been a thrill but I need to see actual weight coming off too! I want to stay positive but I feel it’s impossible to loose 3 stone in 8 weeks and the diet definitely isn’t for everyone. I am committed to loosing weight but think it’s time to find an alternative!

Woa!! 1stone 4lb in six weeks is not an insignificant loss – I only managed 13lb in seven weeks (the length of my initial stint on BSD 800, as the programme was interrupted by a trip abroad). We all lose weight at different rates and weight is not the only measure of the success of the BSD. You have already see the positives in loss of inches and there are many other benefits people report here – sleeping better, having more energy, improvement in skin condition for instance.

I’m a little confuse where the 3stone in 8weeks thing comes from. Like any other eating plan, there is no guarantee how much you will lose and it depends on your body how much that will be. I’m certain that the BSD book doesn’t promise this loss. Yes, some people might be lucky enough to see this kind of result, but many won’t, but any loss is yours to own and celebrate.

You say you have put on 5lb, but over what period and could this just be due to something simple like being constipated or the time of day you weighed in? And are you sure the carbs haven’t crept up a bit and how many grams a day are you allowing yourself? You mention berries – some of these are pretty high in carbs, quinoa and beans are also quite high, so have the carbs increase without you really noticing?

You are right, the BSD is not for everyone and we must all find our own way, but maybe it is worth double checking how you are applying the BSD principles before giving up on it.

Good luck what ever you decide to do.

Mandoir19, please don’t give up. 1.6 stone in 6 weeks that’s amazing, but the really important thing is the TWO dress sizes. 2 dress sizes smaller in just over a month, that’s extraordinary!

Scales can be really perverse, I would be at all surprised if that comes back off really quickly. I remember reading, on I think Igorasusual’s thread that there is theory that fat cells sometimes take in water when they drained of triglycerides (read more here http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html/). Weight loss is rarely perfectly linear, so there will often be weird upticks. The important thing is that you measurements are reducing dramatically.

Your metabolism will be making big adjustments, plus there maybe all kinds of nasties that were safely stored in you fat cells. Now there is less fat to keep them safe you body is probably retaining water. The nasties and the water will go soon, maybe in an overnight whoosh.

It sounds like you have found good solutions for each of your meals. Are you enjoying this way of eating? Are you finding new and exiting foods? Do you feel healthier, livelier? Is your skin better…thinks of all the other positives you are achieving on this way of eating.

Have you tried the mindfulness, I know many have found this very supportive in their journey to a new healthy way of living.

I haven’t been as strict as you, but I am steadily loosing other teams and centimetres. When I have succumbed to having piece of bread of flavoured yoghurt I am invariably disappointed in the taste. So now I am rarely tempted. Now the term has started I am planning to stick to the 800 a day and hoping I will achieve good losses before half term. Your achievements of the last 6weeks are inspirational and I hope to emulate them.

Thanks both for responding and many thanks for your encouragement. I am clearly doing something wrong and to avoid berries and grains is something I don’t want to do as they have other health benefits. So I think Ive reached the end of the line and will look at alternatives. Good luck with your journey.

Mandoir19

Your weight loss over 6 weeks is a normal amount of weight to lose on this diet. As for the 5 lbs you’re seeing? My weight varies from day to day by up to 5 lbs. Unless you are talking about an average trending up over several days of 5 lbs, you haven’t really gained 5 lbs. You may not have lost quite as much as you thought you had (i.e. an artificially low reading you recorded on your previous low) or you may temporarily be retaining water – or other waste products (creating an artificially high reading). Since weight always depends on what’s in your GI system and fluid retention, as well as what is permanently affixed, you shouldn’t ever count a single measurement as your true weight. Look for a downward trend over a period of days.

The BSD does not specifically limit carbs. Berries are just fine, in small quantities. Grains are more questionable (depending on the fiber content – but the advice is still (paraphrasing) to make easily digested starches a side dish rather than the main course.

You will find advice here to limit carbs, but that advice (by and large) does not come from the BSD itself – beyond the general guidence I paraphrased above.

Mandoir

You must do what you want but I would say that the book suggests a weight loss of between 10 and 15% of tour starting body weight is possible.

Have you calculated what that is, and also looked at how many pounds per week it is? I agree that an odd 5lb gain is a blip – caused by many reasons as suggested – and you can either submit to despair and give up or go with the flow and wait (day by day if necessary) to see if this changes as your body changes.

Many people have done this and seen a sudden and inexplicable switch. The body is a very complex thing and each of us is individual.

You don’t need to apologise to anyone. It’s your decision. But perhaps you will look back and think – I’m so far in, why didn’t I stick to it?

I had lots of discouraging moments but am glad I did my 8 weeks and lost 15% off my starting weight and achieved beyond my wildest dreams a final weight not seen since I was a teenager
Now several weeks into maintenance and still feeling absolutely great. Won’t go back to what I did before.

Do what you do. Good luck.

Hi Mandoir
Some people do lose more slowly than others – it’s not a competition, but the 10-15% in 8 weeks is possible, people on this forum have done it.
I started at 102 kilos,, and lost 13 kilos in 13 weeks, so slower than others. After a bit of a plateau, I have started paying more attention to BSD principles, and lost 3.9 kilos in a week, so it is do-oable.
I’ve just realised that the 3.9kilos brings me back to the kilo a week, including the 3 week plateau

With the sudden unexpected gain,
have you checked your scales are accurate (weigh yourself 10-20 times in quick succession and make sure that they are giving consistent results)
Any issues with constipation or time of the month?

With so many berries and regular beans and quinoa, you probably having a lot more carb than others here, so you are likely to lose weight more slowly, but you’ve still achieved a loss that many on WW or slimming world would be agape at!