Weight loss as a standstill after first week.

We have not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you are have any health related symptoms or concerns, you should contact your doctor who will be able to give you advice specific to your situation.

  • posted by fatinfrance
    on
    permalink

    I am doing everything the same and have increased my physical activity but the scales are just the same as they were after 7 days. I lost 8lbs in the first week and now nothing over 5 days. What can I do?

  • posted by AnnieW
    on
    permalink

    It’s common to lose a lot in the first week and nothing or very little in the second. Just keep on doing what you’re doing and your body will fall into line when it realises you are serious about this. Have you checked you’re measurements as ins/cams can be lost with nothing showing on the scales. It’s early days for you so don’t get downhearted. Have a read around the forums or use the search bow, top right of the page, to see you are not the only one. Good luck, it WILL happen.

  • posted by Mixnmatch
    on
    permalink

    Search for ‘whoosh effect’ and you will find a lot of posts on this subject. After the first week it is very common and due to fat cells replacing fat molecules with water molecules, and then expelling them all at once when the fat is all gone out of the cell. This is why measurements still change as the water takes up less space. I think 5 days was my longest stall in weight loss, but others had periods of well over a week with no weight loss, but the fat was still going. This also seems to particularly apply to our main target with this way of eating, the visceral fat that damages the organs.

  • posted by fatinfrance
    on
    permalink

    Thank you Annie….I will keep at it. I have a few days holiday coming up (25th July) and want to look good for that. Had hoped to lose a stone by then as it is a great marker for achievement. Just a few pounds per week and I can get there.

  • posted by fatinfrance
    on
    permalink

    Thank you. I had no idea that the balance of fat and water had such an effect on weight.

  • posted by sunshine-girl
    on
    permalink

    Hi fatinfrance, where are you, I am near Bergerac

  • posted by fatinfrance
    on
    permalink

    Hi
    I am only an hour south east of Bergerac. I live near a village called St Pompon. I come into Bergerac often, mainly to pick up from the airport. Where are you?

    I also cannot resist Grand Frais.

  • posted by sunshine-girl
    on
    permalink

    Hi fatinfrance, I do so hate calling you that, think I will call you notsofatinfrance. We live in a little village called Le Fleix on the river Dordogne between Bergerac and Ste Foy la Grande. Been here 12 years and love it. The trick with Grand Frais is that their bags are so big you dont realise how much you are buying. I have a trick to just take in one shopping bag but still end up buying too much.

  • posted by fatinfrance
    on
    permalink

    Hi

    My name is Catriona. You never need to call me fatinfrance again. I had to think of something quickly, thus the name. I am actually not that fat either, just larger than I want to be and probably in the overweight category. I find that living in the heart of the Perigord Noir quite difficult for dieting. My blood sugars have been checked at the local chemist and are borderline, so I thought it best to start the diet. Had a lapse last night at the night market in St Pompon. Easy to avoid the chips but not the wine. Great fun though. I know that this week will be difficult too. We have our village repas for Bastille Day. It is on the Thursday this year, I think as a mark of respect to those who were killed in Nice last year.
    Maybe we should meet up at Grand Frais sometime…

  • posted by Mermaid
    on
    permalink

    Hi, I just wanted to add my voice to this, as I’ve had the same experience (of lack of weight loss, not living in France and the irresistible Grand Frais… I live in N.Portugal, with irresistible everything)…
    Week 1, lost a lot. Week 2, nothing, then suddenly woosh on the last day! Week 3 plateau again, but some centimetres gone… but overall I have been losing cms, so much that everyone notices. Skin is clearer and I have more energy…

  • posted by fatinfrance
    on
    permalink

    Hi Mermaid
    There was a bit of a whoosh effect when I weighed myself this morning. Hope it stays off though as I had a few glasses of wine last night and the most delicious slice of bread. That is what I miss the most. What an international bunch we are! Portugal and the irresistible food available should make following this diet a bit easier.
    Are these plateaus the norm? I feel a bit slimmer and everyone has been telling me how good I look at the moment, so something must be working. I didn’t take measurements at the start as I couldn’t find my tape measure, but I know that clothes are a bit looser. I guage it by which shorts I fit into. Short holiday in a couple of weeks. I hope I get some good weight loss for that.
    Is week 3 harder? I am wondering about motivation after plateaus.

  • posted by Mixnmatch
    on
    permalink

    I was informed that they can’t be called a plateau unless they are at least three weeks long, and that what we experience are ‘stalls’ before the whoosh. Some people don’t have them and lose more (but not absolutely) linearly, but most of us had these stalls and then multi pound falls in weight with a whoosh. It just seems to be way fat goes. As long as you are feeling okay, clothes are fitting better/getting looser and you are getting compliments then that should I hope be ample motivation to continue, after all weight is just a number, what we want is to get healthier really.

  • posted by Mermaid
    on
    permalink

    Hi Francy (better than fatinfrance!),
    Yes, there are loads of people who say that they have plateau moments. Yes, Mixnmatch, I think stalls before the whoosh explains it well.

    I notice every tiny budge of the scale as I weigh myself so often (yeah, yeah, I know I shouldn’t, but I do). What I notice is that the previous day’s foods can impact water retention, as can the previous day’s exercise. So the scale bobs up and down a bit.

    I’ve suspected for years that weight loss really reflects what you ate in the previous 10 days. Everytime I go to the UK and gorge on cream slices and chocolate (droooll), I’m quite pleased to find that my weight has not altered much on my return. But, inevitably, it goes up the following week. So I think that we have to look at this longer term. A day might not change much, except for the effect of water retention (always happens with bread and salt in my case, plus foods I’m intolerant to).

    Motivation in week 4 (just started) is good. I resisted all drinks and cakes at a do yesterday. I’ve become more adept at eating right, feel full most of the time, a just a wee bit smug at how my stomach is noticeably less jelly-like. I really need to learn to adpat to this long term, so I do things like counting out a handful of cashews onto a plate rather than mindlessly munching through the pack.

    I particularly like some yummy recipes I’ve been trying out.

    It’s early days yet. I guess we’ve all done a zillion diets, right? And it’s too easy to feel good until we faaaallllllllll!

  • posted by ClarinetCathy
    on
    permalink

    One of the things that I noticed was that although the scales sometimes didn’t move for a couple of weeks, my clothes were looser. I seemed to lose a lot of fat without a noticeable difference at all on the scales. Even this morning whilst out shopping and after losing 33 lbs I noticed that my jeans were feeling really loose and yet the scales have not gone down all that much in the last couple of weeks. I am now wearing size 12 jeans (loose) and I started in size 16 (tight!). Won’t be long before I am having to buy size 10s! Can’t believe I’ve just typed that!

  • posted by Mermaid
    on
    permalink

    Wow, ClarinetCathy! That’s motivating!

    How long did it take you to lose 33 lbs?

    How strict were you with the diet?

  • posted by ClarinetCathy
    on
    permalink

    Mermaid- I have been very strict and started my journey on 8th January this year. I am a slow loser and lost 17.5 lb in the first eight weeks. When I was at slimming world I didn’t lose that much in 8 months! One of the things I would suggest is not to compare your weight loss journey to anyone elses. I was often disappointed with my slow weeks and had many weeks when I didn’t lose anything on the scales but gradually the pounds have come off and it am still plodding slowly towards my goal. There are lots of helpful suggestions here on the forum and tons of encouragement. It won’t be long before eating the BSD way is a way of life. I have found it a little bit more challenging because I am a strict vegetarian and don’t have the same choices but it has worked for me and I feel great. I hope to lose another 10lb or so and hope that will be gone by September.

  • posted by Mermaid
    on
    permalink

    Thanks ClarinetCathy, that’s encouraging.

    It’s true that we’re all different. I’ve lost about 10 lbs in 3 weeks (compared to 10 lbs in the previous 2 months on a normal diet). I also started off at a tight 16, and I’d love to lose another 20 lbs or even a bit more.

    I’m not very strict, in that sometime my calories have gone up a bit (but never over 1000), and my carbs have sometimes been just a little over 50g a day, but I haven’t touched sweets, cakes or bread etc. apart from my 1 square of dark chocolate. But I have very low cal/ lower carb days too. I’m working on the basis of making this do-able. So if I’m starving, I eat a few nuts or a bit of cheese, but mostly I’m eating healthy low-carb, low-calorie meals, and exercising a lot.

  • posted by ClarinetCathy
    on
    permalink

    I had a clotted cream scone with raspberry jam on at my sons birthday party earlier in the summer and thoroughly enjoyed it! The only refined carbs to enter my mouth since January. Are you eating enough fat? It’s difficult getting your head around the low calorie high fat aspect of this way of eating after years of being indoctrinated to follow low fat diets. Once you get your head around the different way of eating you’ll not look back. 10lb in three weeks is amazing! Incidentally, I don’t do any exercise apart from a little walking!!! Keep positive and believe in the plan- it works. If it can work for me it can work for everyone!

  • posted by fatinfrance
    on
    permalink

    Brilliant ClarinetCathy! That is exceptional and very inspiring. My goal is a total of 37 pounds. I want to get to 10 stone flat. I know I will never be the same size as I was when a lot younger. I am 56 and find that any weight loss is much harder than before. Keep it going Mermaid. With all this encouragement I should get there.
    Many thanks
    Catriona (fatinfrance is not a nice name, I might change it).

  • posted by Mermaid
    on
    permalink

    Hi Catriona and ClarinetCathy,

    I’m also post menopausal and 56. I got up to a shameful 87.5 kg ( 13 stone, 11 lb) this year, and started my annual diet, reluctantly, several times before finding this diet. I regularly lose 5 or 6 kg with a great deal of effort over several miserable months, only to put it back on again in winter.

    I’m tall, so I can cunningly disguise the blobby bits (skinny-ish on top). But I need to lose at least another 10kg to be reasonably OK (and fit into that favourite old dress hanging in my wardrobe since 2003). I used to be just under 10 stone, many moons ago, but suspect that my face may show its age if I lose too much (no wrinkles on an inflated balloon, etc.)

    So, go girls! We can do this!

  • posted by fatinfrance
    on
    permalink

    Hi Mermaid and ClarinetCathy (may I call you Cathy?)
    I dream of scones…in fact any carbohydrate! Yesterday’s slice of bread was divine, but I am ok with it. Each time I say no, I congratulate myself. WE CAN DO THIS !!! Thank you girls for the support. I have not made many new friends here as the language barrier is a bit of a problem. I am learning French, but confidence to speak it is lacking. Diet buddies are important, so I hope we can stay in touch with our progress, highs and lows.
    cheers
    Catriona

  • posted by ClarinetCathy
    on
    permalink

    Catriona- the best bit of being on this forum is the friendships we make along the way. The invaluable advice from fellow BSDers has helped me get to where I am today. It also is encouraging to share the highs and lows. This forum and way of eating beats any of the slimming clubs I have been to over the last thirty years! I would love to share my journey with you. When you get confident with the plan you will allow yourself the odd dalliance – yours could be a scone like mine was- it was delicious but the best bit was that it was a considered decision and I didn’t feel bad after eating it! Now that is what I call a plan! No guilt!

    Cathy

  • posted by Mixnmatch
    on
    permalink

    Just change your name to catinfrance, much nicer! 😀

  • posted by fatinfrance
    on
    permalink

    Gone backwards. Same weight as last Monday. Going to keep at it though, just wish I could get a whoosh~! Will change my name now.

  • posted by Mermaid
    on
    permalink

    I’m also disappointed. I’ve done hard workouts, avoided temptation, and should have lost more. I weigh everything carefully,. Perhaps I could drink more water on some days.

    But the good thing is that my diet leaves me satisfied and free of craving. I’m full of energy and my skin looks good. It feels like a diet to continue.

    If it continues like this, I might join the paid 12 week programme. Anyone done this?

  • posted by fatinfrance
    on
    permalink

    Not allowed to change my name….sorry. Think I might try more water too. I am also waiting on my Open University degree classification which is due in the next week. Becoming a bit anxious and usually that leads me to eat more. I will prevail however.

    Glad the diet leaves you satisfied Mermaid, I wish I had the same energy though.

    What does the 12 week paid programme entail?

  • posted by Mermaid
    on
    permalink

    Ha ha! Anxiety eating… know it well. I put on 15 kg when I went back to studying.

    The energy will come, I suppose. I did have a week of tiredness, but seem to have gone through this.

    The 12 week programme is on the 1st page of this site. We pay £99 (early bird discount) and get a forum supported by doctors and sports experts, meal plans, videos, etc.

    Well done on your OU course! What are you studying?

  • posted by fatinfrance
    on
    permalink

    I will have a look at the programme, thanks. Just finished my degree, BSc Psychology with the Open University. Last module result due out and this is the one that will finalise my degree classification. Nerve wracking wait. I have done 5 years of study for this degree, it has been difficult, especially with the move to France. Delighted that it is all over. Sitting down and working on my computer for all this time has not helped my fitness levels, also the packets of biscuits that I don’t realise I am eating while studying have not helped. Good time to lose it all though!

    Looking forward to energy

  • posted by fatinfrance
    on
    permalink

    Had another blip yesterday. Was at the tour de France, drank some wine and then when we got home my daughter announced her engagement by skype….had some more wine….

    Weighed myself this morning and was surprised to find that I had lost 3 lbs in the last few days. It will probably go on again because of the wine and the fact that we have Bastille day celebrations for the next two days and the wine really flows around here.

    Hope you are fairing better and behaving better in this diet!

    Cheers, vive la France and vive Le Republique!

  • posted by sunshine-girl
    on
    permalink

    Hi again fatinfrance, what a coincidence, I too have an OU degree in psychology and sociology although I only went as far as BA, another 2 years would have given me honours but as a single parent working full time it took me 7 years. Then I met someone and just didn’t have the peace and quiet to study, also my main area was learning and development and I didn’t have any children to use as subjects as I wasn’t in teaching or any such profession (I was a secretary). I never did anything with it except did an excellent job of bringing up my daughter who is now a chemical engineer.

    We watch the TdF several years ago, quite by accident. Trying to cross the Alps from France into Italy found we were diverted back into France so stopped for lunch in Cluzeau (excuse spelling) and found we couldn’t get out again. We waited for nearly 5 hours as this was the last part of the days ride – we were by a rond point so they had to slow down a bit but it all goes by in a blur. Best part being the entourage cars and the freebies.

    Are you celebrating Bastille Day. Don’t make the same mistake as I did and called it that to the French, trying to book a restaurant – vous etes ouvert le jour de Bastille – blank stares. They, of course, dont call it that, it is la fete nationale or the quatorze juillet. Another reason for champage. Enjoy.

  • posted by fatinfrance
    on
    permalink

    Hi sunshine girl
    What a coincidence. I am still waiting for my classification, probably some time next week. Hate the wait. Well done for doing your degree with so much going on in your life and for the great outcome, that of your daughter’s success. it has taken me 5 out of the last 6 years to do this honours degree. The juggle of normal life and academia has been quite hard.

    We are celebrating 14th July at our local village repas. The commune sits down together to eat. It is great fun and usually quite a drunken occasion. The mayor brings out his ‘eau de vie’ served from recycled water bottles and there is a disco from a lorry that parks in the Place. Last year there were tangos and also French provincial dancing to contend with. I think I will call it exercise!

    Keep up the diet.

    Catriona

  • posted by Mermaid
    on
    permalink

    Hi everyone,

    It was my turn to slip… quite a deliberate choice, actually, half way through the 8 weeks BSD. Not enough calories to be alarming, but significantly more than my 800. It is village party time in some places in Portugal, which means open air restaurants set up in the park, long tables with groups of friends, and music in the balmy summer air. Vinho flowing, grilled meats and salads, and desserts adorn tables. There’s rice, too, which I ignored (though Portuguese rice is cooked with onion and garlic and oven-baked).

    So, Back to the diet today!

    Good luck for Bastille day!

    Catrina, we’re now waiting for your results too, on tenterhooks.

    I also studied at the OU. I did my second degree, a masters in Education (first year psychology) at the OU. I did my second and third degrees while working full-time, raising two children and looking after overworked husband, etc. So I can understand how hard it is. The OU is an amazing organisation, and my MA was the best study course I’ve ever done.

  • posted by Mermaid
    on
    permalink

    Help! No weight loss for two weeks running!
    Admittedly, last week there were a few meals out, with wine/ beer, and dessert on two occasions. But my calorie count was low, on average (around 900 cals/ day), and average carbs still lowish on average (60g a day).
    I’m walking and running regularly. I almost killed myself with one particularly heavy workout, and took days to recover from the muscle pain (I walked down to the river, ran the 4km walk alongside, and walked up a steep hill, doing 8km in total).

    So why, oh why, aren’t I losing? I did lose a few cms, though.

    Back on lower carb options this week…

  • posted by fatinfrance
    on
    permalink

    Hi Mermaid

    You seem to be doing a lot of exercise, a lot more than I can be bothered with. I did yoga last Wednesday and apart from that, the usual housework and stuff. I have got below my standing still bit, but I am a bit stuck again. I got my OU result today and have come out with a 2:1 ( I think…unofficial). A bit gutted as I was hoping for a 1st. It has been an emotional week for me too. My daughter got engaged and then was sacked by her friend as a bridesmaid because the bridezilla thought that Lara getting married before her was unfair!!!! Mother of bridezilla is a good friend and I cannot bring myself to speak to her for a while. She should have stopped her daughter being such a little madam. Anyway, at least that is a few hundred quid saved by not going all the way to Scotland for a wedding, I can use it for my daughters tiny little wedding that she wants. What is the point of spending thousands anyway? I should be losing pounds due to emotional stress, but only a couple in the last week. I am consuming a fair bit of alcohol (a glass or two or three every second night recently). I suppose I will just have to stop that for awhile again. I will probably have a glass or two to celebrate my degree, either tonight or tomorrow, but hey ho…..life is too short to obey the diet rules all the time.

    Let me know how you get on in the next few days. I hope the fat cells shift, cms usually means that they are.

    Chat soon

    Catriona x

  • posted by Mixnmatch
    on
    permalink

    Hi Mermaid, you have been exercising really hard your muscles have been hoovering up water to help in the repair and building of new muscle so don’t despair. The loss of inches is a great sign that things are working and the water will go when it is no longer needed provided you keep well hydrated.

  • posted by Mermaid
    on
    permalink

    Hi everyone,
    Thanks for your support and replies… I’ll go with the heavy muscle theory, lol!

    Catriona, congratulations on your degree! That’s truly excellent news. I know it’s disappointing not to get a 1st, especially if you were so close (is there any chance that you’re wrong?).

    I had the results of another post-grad course last week, and was disapointed too. Very, actually, although I suppose the grade was not too bad. But I was expecting something better. And my daughters have both gone off into their summer lives. Sniff.

    Ho hum. Things of life.

Please log in or register to post a reply.