I have been doing TSP for almost 8 weeks now and to date have not lost one lb. and only a couple of inches. I am also struggling with very low energy and depression and have my period every two weeks! If anyone has any ideas I would surely appreciate it as I am getting very discouraged to say the least.

My typical food plan goes like this.

B - 2 eggs, 1 slice low carb toast and tomatoes OR shake made with 2 T flax seed, 4 frozen strawberries, 1 scoop whey protein powder, 1 T psyllium husk, water.

s - 10 almonds and a few berries

l - salad with meat and vinegar/oil dressing
1 slice low carb toast

s - almonds

d - meat, veggie, salad, 1/3 cup brown rice

I exercise most every day. I also drink 1-2 cups 1/2 reg and 1/2 decaf coffee with cream. I also (usually) drink 4 - 32 oz bottles of water. Thank you for any feedback at all. Diane

p.s. oh I also take a good multi heavy on B vit., calcium/magnesium, vit E, vit. C, and no prescribed medication except HRT (prempro) which I have taken for over 6 months now.

Poor sweetiepie.

I don't know anything about Schwarzbein but I know about the kind of frustration you must have.

Do you see a doctor regularly that you could ask for advice?

Who is giving you the Prempro: I don't know what it but it is a hormone? I think . . . and this is an uninformed thought . . . that hormones can complicate lots of things, weight loss being one of them.

Have you considered another LC plan?

Hang in there. Perseverance is integral to any success.

Hi Sweetie -

Definitely take a look at the HRT...maybe ask your pharmacist how it could affect your weight and menstrual cycles. This may not be the right HRT for you. I also agree with tizzielish about seeing your doctor. I think of two possibilities...the HRT and SP aren't mixing well. It may also be possible that your natural hormones are changing and the HRT is no longer as effective (this could also be an effect of the WOE). If your dr can't give you a straight answer, ask to see an endocrinologist!

As for your diet, consider cutting out the almonds...nuts are a big stall for me. Maybe try some hummus? I'd try to add a bit of protein to your snacks too.

You've lost a couple of inches? Wow! That seems like great progress to me. On the weight thing, is it possible that with all the exercise and the fat and protein you're eating, you're building lean body mass at this time? The fact that you're losing inches makes me wonder if this is what's happening.

Just food for thought! Best of luck finding what works for you.

Hi Sweetiepie:

I share your frustration. After 4 months on TSP (including a 5 week stall) and good workout habits, I've only lost 6 lbs (I was down 8 gained 4 almost overnight, now down 2, net 6). The only conclusion that makes sense to me about why the weight loss is so slow is - fluctuating female hormones.

This last 10 days or so I've modified my TSP program by lowering my carbs to between 60 and 75/day and I'm following the menu suggestions in the back of the book almost verbatum. That keeps my total calories/day under 1700. I'm trying to target 1400. For me, calories do count. I hit the scale mid-week and I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Keep us posted on your progress.

Susan

Hi sweetiepie. I share your frustration and will share with you some of my frustrations/experiences with TSP. IT IS SLOW, expecially at her recommended carb levels. To speed it up, you have to lower the carbs to no more than 30 per day and in my case, closer to 20. On the other hand, I have lost 25 lbs in the last year and feel great. I think her plan is the best of all the locarb diets for a lifetime eating plan, but for weight loss it goes real slow. I am now doing a combo diet that is basically taken from TSP, Atkins and Protein Power. I still can't get off more than a lb a week and sometimes less than that, but my theory (and some others agree) is that the slower the weight comes off, the easier it is too keep it off. For example, I went to France and Italy this spring and ate lots of croissants, desserts, gelato, pasta and still only gained 2 lbs. It was also pretty easy to get back in the swing of the diet when I returned. Don't give up!

You definitely need to consider the Prempro as a factor in inhibiting weight loss. I am using "natural" hormones rather than the synthetic and they actually help me lose weight. You need to find a doctor that will prescribe them and have them compounded for you. In light of recent information concerning HRT, I would consider it necessary for my health as well. If you would like more information on what I am referring to, please feel free to email me personally.

I agree with Ramses. I switched from Prempro to Estradiol, which is a natural hormone, and felt so much better. Another possibility may be that you are underestimating how much you eat. If you don't feed your body enough, your blood sugars do drop in many cases, and this could cause the tired, sluggish feeling. Plus, if you are not getting enough protein, your body will either hold on to the fat, or burn muscle instead of fat.

Yep -- I understand. I've already posted a few messages about my weight-loss frustration. Here's what I've seen so far on my 2 months on TSP (eating much lower-carb than recommended by author):

Bad: Period cycle is shorter, no weight loss at all (I lost about two pounds and then they came back), and unlike you, no loss in inches. My clothes are tight.

Good: My energy level is up, no energy swings anymore, I'm not hungry all the time, I have almost no cramps or PMS, my skin looks great.

So what to do now? I have no idea. It is clear that high-carb eating was doing a bad number on me and there really is something to this plan. However, I also think that eating this way causes tremendous hormone shifts, which would account for some of the things your report, and my own experiences. Maybe that also has something to do with the non-existent weight loss. For me, I'm gonna stick with this for a few more months just to see. If my cycle stays excessively short and my weight doesn't change, I may try some sort of middle of the road approach: lower calories, but emphasis on whole grains and good protein sources.

For you, I wholeheartedly agree that you should talk to your doctor (do you have a really good ob/gyn?) ASAP, but don't panic just yet. Since there is clearly a very strong hormonal component to this shift in lifestyle, and you are already rearranging things a bit with HRT, it may take a while for the changes to shake out and balance out.

Also, since you are experiencing a fat loss (even though no weight loss) you may have some wiggle room to up the protien and add some good carbs (as the other folks on this thread have mentioned): sweet potatoes, avocados, corn tortillas, etc...

Just my thoughts for the afternoon...
Abby

wow! thanks everyone for your suggestions. I am doing a wee bit better today emotionally. so i will try to hang in there. yes i think my hormones are completely wacko and have been for sometime. a couple of years ago I did CAD quite strictly and only lost 10 lbs. (in 8 months). so I know my body is VERY resistant. I am going to try using fitday for a few weeks and keep closer track of what I eat. yesterday I ate 2000 calories and did 52 total carbs. does that sound in the ballpark? i think the hardest part for me is that i just do not feel all that good eating this way. i wish i did. i remember feeling very good on CAD but got really tired of ALL food toward the end. is it possible that a low carb diet is not right for me? but then what would be? when I eat the opposite I end up craving everything in sight. I really feel caught between a rock and a hard place at times. but thank you all for your encouragement and support and great ideas. i appreciate it all. i actually just went to the dr. a couple of weeks ago and she suggested i hang in there for a couple of more months with the prempro. because although i do not like this choice for HRT, I am afraid to keep messing around too.

RAMSES AND SUSANKH - I tried to email both of you that are currently taking alternative hrt and it (the website)would not allow me to do that. so if you would be willing to post more info in my journal on this, I would sooo appreicate it.

again my gratitude to everyone here for you input into this very frustrating scenario. hugs, Diane

Sweetiepie,
Try emailing me at ramseyca~hotmail.com.