I've been on SP for 7 weeks now. At first I was thrilled to lose 6.5 pounds (no inches). However, for the last 4 weeks, I have gained 1/2 pound per week and have now added an inch to my waist and hips. While I feel great, and have noticed a big improvement in my mood swings, I am very frustrated with the added weight and inches. Has anyone else had this happen to them? My typical food intake is as follows:

Breakfast
Sausage and eggs w/green peppers. onions, cheese
Tomato slices
1 slice low carb toast w/butter
1/2 c. strawberries

no snack

Lunch
ham salad on bed of spinach leaves
green pepper slices
tomato slices

no snack

Dinner
hamburger w/lettuce, mayo, & cheese
mushrooms sauted in butter
tossed green salad w/tomatoes and ranch dressing
3/4 c. strawberries w/whipped cream (sweetened w/Splenda)

I also have 8 to 10 cups of water per day

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Hi Duncan2002 -

Your menu looks very good although you might want to add in those snacks...

You aren't giving quantities so I'm not sure how many calories you are eating...if it is enough or too many.

Also, are you exercising? And what is your past dieting history? Have you lost and regained weight many times over?

Lisa

My meat portions are one serving. 1 hamburger, 2 to 3 eggs, 1 sausage patty, 1 chicken breast, etc.

My salad portions are about 1 to 1 1/2 cups greens, 1 tomato, 1/4 cup cheese. Ranch dressing or vinegar & oil

Allowable vegetables are usually about 1 cup.

Fruit is 1/2 to 3/4 cup.

I don't usually add the starchy vegetables, and only have 1 slice low carb toast with breakfast.

I was having 2 snacks a day, usually 1/4 cup almonds and string cheese or celery and 2 T peanut butter, but began omitting them when the pounds and inches started to increase.

I walk/run about 40 minutes a day, 3-4 days per week and am working on increasing that to 60 min a day/ 5-6 days per week.

Thanks for your reply.

Denise

Sorry, I forgot you asked about my past dieting.

About 3 years ago, I went on a low fat, low calorie diet and lost 45 pounds. Up until that time, I was lucky enough to not have to watch my weight. Since that time I gradually quit watching the calories and fat and have gained back 25 of those pounds.

But for me, artificial sweeteners (AS) are really hard on me, just like sugar! Maybe it's bad for you, too. Many folks are incredibly sensitive to AS.

Also, even tho I do eat bacon and sometimes sausage, they DO tend to stall me a bit and I'm certian it's b/c of the sugar that they are cured with. Also, the excessive (but YUMMY saltiness).

I also avoid as much as possible wheat. Bloatsville for ol' Betty.

Of course, it took trial and error to figure this stuff out.

I have found for myself (again YMMV) that I do a lot better when I omit added carbs from my breakfast and lunch and just add them to dinner or perhaps a snack, too, sometimes.

For instance, I have a red pepper with breakfast or some lettuce, and for lunch I may have a salad, but I only add in the starchy (sugary) carbs at dinner. I'll have some berries with cream, like you, no AS, or some other piece of fruit, etc.

I have found this system is working for me. I've really limited the starchy carbs, upped the non-starchy like greens, and VIOLA! I'm in the mix and feeling great.

May work for you, may not. We are all different, right? I would suggest eliminating the AS, the wheat (have 1/4 cup--measured dry--whole oatmeal instead perhaps?) one at a time and see what happens for a week or two.

And as Lisa said, past dieting history can determine how your body will act on a healing plan such as SP. Also, you may indeed need more calories from fat and protein sources.

Wishing you all the best!

Thank you both for your replies. I will continue to experiment and see what happens. I really appreciate your help and suggestions.

Denise

Great reply Betty!

I know it can be really frustrating to see lbs and inches go on...trust me! There are some other things you could take a look at as possible culprits:
- stress
- lack of sleep
- all that stuff Betty mentioned!

One great way to heal your metabolism would be to add weight training to your workouts...not for everyone I know...just a suggestion.

Lisa

Thanks again Lisa,
I used to do some serious body building when I was younger. I loved it, but can't seem to find the time for it anymore. It is an effort to set aside my walk/run time, but I will keep trying to work things out.

a site I found helpful & I also checked his book out at the library was:
http://www.jorgecruise.com/
He advocates short every morning stregnth training first thing in the morning and advises plans that can work for very busy people( 8 minutes ). He also has nutrition advice, personally I think TSP is one of the best --in that area.

I started using it when I saw it in Prevention. I do a little more than he talks about now, but it is very informative for begginers.

I have noticed a difference in definition of body parts ( quite a coup for a 50 year old) I think walking or some daily cardio of some sort is important also. Weight training may not show on the scale , but you will *see* a difference, and as lisaf stated metabolically important. I found starting out gradually and with light weights(more reps) important to avoid injury that could cause injuries/aches and pains that could set me back (too sore to continue). That is where the above site/bk. helped me.

I have found that to lose the last of my weight I have to count calories and watch saturated fat to shed the last of my weight and it goes slowly -- but goes.

I see you are not too far from your goal -- I think it is very true that it becomes very hard work to lose the last of that-- or at least more tedious!

Just a note - I do Jorge Cruise, too. I'm doing the 8 Minutes In The Morning until I get really good and have been LCing awhile, then I'm moving on to BFL. I agree with rosarugosa that his program is very doable both time wise and physically.

Thank you--I will definitely look for the book

I am confused myself with SP. I started about a month ago. Weighed myself today and am 10 pounds heavier. I am going up in size instead of down. I can feel my clothes are tighter. I am extremely frustrated. I feel like going back to my low-fat diet. Any others feling the same way?

Shoelady

I also seem to be gaining instead of losing. I feel very bloated and my clothes are too tight. I too feel like going back to my low fat diet but I promised myself I would give this a one month trial. Any advise would be appreciated.

Please. Shoelady & smc - post a couple days of your typical menus and we may have some ideas.

Breakfast
Low Carb Bar (says it is 2 grams carbs and 22 grams protein

Snack
2 celery stalks w/ peanut butter

Lunch
Two pieces of swiss cheese and two pieces of turkey on 2 pieces of bread (bread says 13 grams carb each). I also put tomato on it
Slice of Pineapple
String Cheese

Snack
sometimes I eat almonds or sunflower seeds

Dinner
Lots of fish. Also pork and chicken
Green Beans
Cottage Cheese with pineapple
Salad with balsamic dressing

Any input would be helpful as to what I am doing wrong. I get frustrated and crave sugar like ice-cream or I crave chips. No, I am not pregnant!

Shoelady