Does anyone besides me get impatient with how slowly they lose on TSP? I know all the right answers - it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle - I feel so much better so I'll keep on doing it - etc. And while I agree with all of those answers, I get so frustrated because the loss is soooo slow. I guess because I've always done Weight Watchers and watched the weight come off pretty quick I feel like TSP should be the same. But then, I've never been able to stick with WW because of honest to goodness hunger. So, anybody got any sage advice? (Besides "patience is a virtue"?)

Susan

I've always been a slow looser, I guess I'm suppose to learn patience.
Even Weight Watchers was slow, I would be lucky to loose 1/4 pound a week. sometimes that would be the month loss.
The best advice I have is to look at the good postive changes, your hair, (it gets shinier, more healthy,), your skin looks so much better on slow healthy weight loss, your nails, maybe other things are better too. I always have to tell myself slow is okay, and i'm better for it in the long run.
Tanya

Thanks, Tanya, I know you're right. And it helps to know that I'm not the only slow loser.

Susan

Just cut back the carbs that you eat. Schwarzbein allows A LOT of carbs on her plan compared to the likes of Atkins. The slower weight loss is somewhat trying, admitedly.

So, if you want to lose faster, cut back the number of carbs you are having. Just have some lettuce or celery with your fat and protein meals, skip the fruit and other carby stuff.

That's what I usually do to move things along when I get sick of seeing the same numbers for a couple of weeks. Once the scale begins to move or the inches begin to fall off again, I go back to a little more carbs.

Also, if you haven't already, introduce weight lifting or resistance training into your exercise. It will benefit you more than cardio because muscle uses calories even at rest, speeding up your metabolism (which is healing now anyway).

At least, this works for me--my adaptation of the low carb principles I've learned in SP, other lo carb books and here on this site.

We're with you, friend!

Hi, Susan. Yes it is slow. And Betty is right. You don't have to have all the carbs Dr. S. recommends.

The way I do it is not to add the "real" carbs that Dr. S. recommends. I base that action on her comments in the book about not needing to add real or starchy carbs if you are eating a lot of non-starchy carbs. I usually get my real carbs from "hidden" carbs in dairy products, sauces, wine (used in cooking), and dressings, I figure it averages out to about 10 grams per meal. I don't eat starches or sugars as much as possible. I feel better that way.

The other thing to keep in mind is that TSP is a healing program, and Dr. S. also says that it may take as much as a year for the weight to start coming off as your body heals your metabolism.

And one more thing, which is what happened to me, is that if you have been particularly out of shape, your body is actually building muscle as you lose fat, even if you're not exercising, because it is finally getting the protein and fat it needs to build the infrastructure it lost when you followed low-fat diets. Try taking your measurements, you may notice a difference that is not reflected on the scales.

;-Deb