Slimming World to Harcombe?

[FourArms]

I've been doing SW since 29/8. Initially on EE and now mainly on red days.

However although I've lost 1lb short of 2
stone I haven't lost any weight this week and I've stuck to the plan with the exception of maybe not enough syns / HEB.

Have seen the Harcombe diet and this seems to be more like what I'm doing at the moment although I'll have to swap coffee and skimmed milk for herbal tea and stop my 10 a day satsuma habit ;)

Just wondered what people's losses had been in phase 1 switching from SW? My BMI is still in the low 30s so I've got plenty to lose!

[FourArms]

Exactly the same weight again. No change since Saturday. 4 eggs boiling. Will have a big piece of steak for dinner tonight I think!

[Notsurehowthathappened]

Also exactly the same again not disciplined enough to stay off the scales

Now need to try and decide whether 30g Cheese, 50g Milk, one apple and six Strawberries are what has brought this to a grinding halt or whether I am eating too little. My concern re the latter prospect is that I really can't face any more protein.

I like this diet because it seems to be controlling my Blood Sugar well, some of the mental fog I was feeling has gone and I can stick to it. However, I very pale again this morning and feeling very light headed. I bent over to picki up a towel this morning and almost passed out.

[FourArms]

Plateaus & weight loss – a few thoughts
Written by Zoë - 36 Comments
Categories: General News
This is a new section in the latest edition of “Stop Counting Calories”. I hope it helps share some of the learnings that clients and I have had working together since the first edition was published:

1. The incredible weight loss, which many people achieve in Phase 1, is not sustainable. Much as I would love for you to lose several pounds every week, week in week out, it is extremely unlikely to happen. Candida and Food Intolerance cause significant water retention and, if you lose over half a stone in five days (as regularly happens), much of this will be water and this can only be lost once. As long as you keep these two particular conditions under control, there is no reason for this water to return, and this weight loss really does count – you can drop a clothes size, or even two, in a matter of days and look and feel so much better.
   
2. On the subject of water vs. fat loss, weight is weight. The human body is approximately 50% water, so you are always going to lose water as you lose weight. So long as you don’t lose water in an unnatural way, with diuretics, if you are normally hydrated and you weigh less than last week, you have lost weight and you will feel and look slimmer.
   
3. There is no formula on earth when it comes to weight loss. The “to lose 1lb of fat…” formula in Chapter 2 absolutely does not work (ask the next person who says this to you where it comes from and what the evidence for it is – they won’t be able to tell you). If you had found something that gave you sustained 2lb a week weight loss, you would have lost 104lbs in the past year (and the year before and the year before that) and you wouldn’t be reading this book. I’m really sorry if I am the one breaking this to you, but there is no formula.
   Hence, sadly, I genuinely cannot predict what your weight loss will be on The Harcombe Diet. I can share with you numerous testimonials from people who have lost a great deal of weight and kept it off. Many come to say that the weight loss is almost a bonus – what they love even more is the freedom from food addiction and cravings and the incredible energy and wellbeing that they have.
   I can share that people comment time and time again that a pound lost on this diet is gone for good – because you have not slowed your metabolism, there is no tendency for you to put on weight the minute you start eating ‘normally’, as happens on other diets. Your whole concept of normal eating will become a lifelong commitment to nourishing your body with real food and cheating when you want to and getting away with it.
   Check out Facebook, Amazon and YouTube for comments about the diet. You will find lots of inspiring stories of people who have lost stones and are wearing their target size jeans for the first time in years. Posting such as “Bought the book, it’s a super read, I have lost 2 stone 2lbs in 5 weeks” (YouTube) make my day! Follow the rules and you will lose weight and you will keep it off. However, no one on earth can tell you how quickly you will reach your natural weight.
   
4. Phase 1 vs. Phase 2 is up to you. Phase 1 is the fastest weight loss plan I have come across, but Phase 2 delivers better on the practical and enjoyable characteristics of a diet. There is a trade off between faster weight loss with a more restricted plan and steadier weight loss and a more varied plan – the choice is yours and you can flex between the two from week to week, to suit your lifestyle. If you want to stay on Phase 1 for longer and find it OK for your lifestyle – do so.
   
5. If you did well on Phase 1 and then don’t lose any weight for more than a couple of weeks in Phase 2, this can pretty much only be due to something you have re-introduced in Phase 2. You need to be quite analytical and look at everything you have added back in and see if you have added in anything that could have started to ‘feed’ one of the conditions. Wheat would be my first suspect. I have yet to meet someone who does not feel better and lose weight faster staying off wheat until at least close to their goal weight. Things that ‘feed’ Candida and Hypoglycaemia are the next suspects – fruit, whole grains – any substantial increase in carbohydrates into your diet can have an impact if you are very carb sensitive. Re-read Chapter 7 on Phase 2 and follow the advice for the three conditions really carefully to make Phase 2 work for you.
   
6. Plateaus – because there is no formula that can predict weight loss, there is no way of knowing how much will be lost each week. Some people do find that they plateau – even for a few weeks (this is rare), but then they suddenly start losing steadily again and a month later almost another stone has gone. Plateaus are so frustrating and my heart really does go out to people who are sticking so well to the diet and who don’t get the reward that week – but the reward does come. We just can’t predict when – boy do I wish I could. I know I can take away cravings and I know that Phase 1 works for everyone who has tried it. I just can’t guarantee you will lose weight every single week, week in week out.
   Consider this, though: the majority of my success stories have been doing calorie controlled diets for at least 10 years and they had reached the point where they had stopped losing a single pound, despite trying to survive on 1000-1200 calories a day. They try Phase 1, lose 5-10lbs in a week and never look back. You will get there and you will be eating really healthily in the meantime and will no longer be hungry and exhausted.
   
7. I have developed a theory, working with clients, that weight loss is as much about overcoming fat storage as it is about encouraging fat burning. I really believe that the bodies of long term calorie counters are trained to store fat and we need to re-train the body to stop storing fat. The best way I have found for doing this is to have clients eat three substantial and nourishing meals a day and to eat these as regularly as possible. The body then knows when the next fuel is coming and quickly learns that it doesn’t need to store fat any more. I am really pleasantly surprised how quickly the human body responds positively to healthy eating and how rapidly it starts to work with you.
   To accompany this principle, I cannot recommend strongly enough (I do repeat this so often in the book) – limit snacking and avoid snacks altogether if at all possible. If you really are hungry between meals try to eat more at meals, so you are not hungry and/or stick to carb free snacks if possible. Whenever you eat a carbohydrate, the body goes into a glucose/insulin/fat storing environment and you want it to be in a fat burning environment, to use up your love handles. The less often you eat carbs, during the day, the better. Carbs and insulin really are the secret to weight loss.

[FourArms]

Above is from Harcombe website.

I think it might be a case of more fat for you rather than more protein? That looks very low with the exception of the cheese. Prawns are v.low fat aren't they so you ate barely any fat yesterday.

I'm going to try harder today which might be tricky as I'm going on a short notice school trip and have nothing to take. Wonder if I could defrost and cook some pork steaks in 40 mins to go with my eggs?

[SolidGold]

NotSure, sorry you've stayed the same, but I agree, up your fat intake, that will fill you up (lots of butter and olive oil on your food), cut out fruit and dairy, go back to phase 1 and then after five days with increased fat, try adding in just a little dairy.

I weighed myself this morning and I've lost 2 lbs in five days. However I had the egg custard tart incident in Friday and some pieces of chocolate at the weekend, so not surprised. I'm also suffering with water retention due to my period being due this week, so think that may be hampering weight loss a little. However, I feel much better than I did. Sticking with phase 1 for now, but we have friends round Wednesday, so I may have a small wine then, also we are out Friday night, so definitely an alcoholic drink then!

[Notsurehowthathappened]

Thanks both, I really appreciate that advice. I suspect you are right re the amount of fat I am eating. Because I am a coeliac and don't eat bread, I have never really eaten butter etc and I always go for fish or white meat rather than red. Not deliberately, but because I dont really like big slabs of red meat.

I am going to cut the dairy out again and try and eat more roast veggies (with lots of Olive Oil). I am reluctant to lose the berries (which make my porridge palatable) but realise that the Apple yesterday was just plain stupid, especially as I mindlessly ate cheese 10 minutes later.

I hope you enjoy the school trip FA and all have a good day today !! I am off to make Fudge & Coconut Ice for the school Christmas Fayre. I love the latter but am determined not to lick the spoon.

[SolidGold]

I must admit I love butter and sometimes have a sliver of butter with marmite I can eat red or white meat. I hope you manage to increase your fat intake

If cutting out dairy doesn't help, I would really look at cutting out the berries, as they could be sweet enough to trigger insulin production and stop you burning fat.

DD brought mince pies home from food technology class today and insisted we try them, so have had to have one. I've done ok otherwise, hope it won't have a huge effect. I've had scrambled eggs for breakfast, fried up the remaining sausage from yesterday for lunch and we're having cottage pie made with swede instead of potato for dinner with cauli and broccoli.

[Notsurehowthathappened]

Well definitely ate more today. Bacon, scrambled egg, Tomatoes for breakfast, Porridge with Blueberries for lunch, Corned Beef (nice and fatty) snack, Salmon (more fat), roast veggies (lots of oil) for Supper. 1350 calories / 110 Carb units (I know this isn't relevant but helps me to monitor how much I am eating)

Will see what happens on the scales tomorrow, but might have wrecked it all because of the two squares of Chocolate covered Coconut Ice, DD insisted I try.

May drop the berries next week, once I see the results of the next few days. Just cant imagine coping long term without fruit !!

[wombat22]

Hi everyone. It's so interesting to see how everyone is coping. I have 4 Quality Street chocolates yesterday. I don't really know why and I didn't enjoy them I've introduced double cream and a bit of milk each morning. Haven't weighed since Sun morning but going to weigh tomorrow to see if dairy has had any impact. I am hoping to introduce berries in the next couple of days

[wombat22]

*had not have - oops

[Beechview]

Hi. I was at work today so again couldn't stick to Harcombe but tried to stay low calorie; I had no breakfast again (always a mad rush in the mornings), lunch was veg curry and rice from canteen and dinner was some porridge.

I got my period today and I was so surprised because I've had absolutely no pmt and no pains at all. weird but yay!

[FourArms]

BV - I've seen lots of similar reports about lack of PMT on things I've read. Mine's due on the 14th according to my app but I've had no pain yet - just the breast tenderness.

Managed lots more to eat today - porridge and low-fat NLY for breakfast, 3 pork loin steaks, 2 boiled eggs and a small pot of NLY for lunch and steak and prawns cooked in garlic butter for dinner. All extremely scrummy!

Good luck on the scales tomorrow Wombat :)

We'll see what the scales think in a couple of days.

[SolidGold]

I'm hoping this will have the same effect for me, less period pain would be nice!

[Notsurehowthathappened]

0.5lb on. Very frustrating !!!

Have decided just to keep my head down, keep going to Christmas and see what happens. Will think higher fat but not prepared to drop berries. If this diet can't be sustainable I won't stick to it and I have to find a way of eating that I can continue with long term.

[FourArms]

0.4 on here too! :(

[Notsurehowthathappened]

Oh FA i'm sorry to hear that.

All I think we can do is keep going. I have broken some bad habits (too many carbs, too much fruit, too much chocolate etc) and feel more in control.

I am just hoping that eventually the scales will register that. I have lost a stone this year, but still have 25lb I would like to lose. I am happy to work at it but just need to find the right diet.

[wombat22]

FA and NSHTH, sorry to hear your having such a bad time of it. If you are weighing every day, there can be minor fluctuations I feel a bit mean now but I weighed this morning and am another 2lb down since sun. Looks like I got away with the 4 chocolates

[Notsurehowthathappened]

Fantastc Wombat it's good to know that the diet works. I am sure we will all have good days and bad days !!

[SolidGold]

I've been ok today, but have friends coming round tonight, so there may be wine, but only a small glass.

For breakfast I had scrambled egg with fried mushrooms, tomato and smoked salmon. For lunch the rest of yesterday's swede cottage pie. For dinner chilli without beans with green beans and carrots.

[Beechview]

I've done ok today too but I've lost no weight :(
I think I need to do some exercise probably. I know I think I've not got much time to fit exercise in but I think I'm just fooling myself.
I probably could find half an hour 4x a week which is enough to boost some weightloss.
I've signed up for a weekly buggyfit session but they restart in January. I'm really looking forward to that as it'll be outside in our local woods. I love being out and about and dd will be happy too (hopefully!)
I shall keep plodding on.....

[wombat22]

Good luck Beechview

[SolidGold]

I haven't weighed myself today. I think I'll wait til Friday and then make Friday my weigh in day each week - IF I weigh myself, I'll see how I feel about it.

I didn't have wine tonight, just drank black decaff and water, but I did have a homemade mince pie our guests brought with them and about 6 Celebrations

Tomorrow I'll be good!

[FourArms]

Well, 1lb down today so yesterday's gain gone and 0.6lb with it. I don't mind daily weighing - I've done it since 29/8 now and other than my weird plateau week before last it's been a STS or loss most days.

I think I've been eating too much NLY as I buy the big tubs. 3 spoonfuls only per meal now!

Need to dash - must get kids up for school! Have a good day everyone. Feel like Brucey when I say Keeeeepppp Harcombeing!! :)

[Notsurehowthathappened]

Well done FA !!

0.6lb down today. Content with that and worth foregoing sweets at the Cinema last night and swapping a drink for coffee in the pub.

I think you might be right about the NLY. (I haven't succumbed to that habit as I cant find one that is smooth enough)

Also on the run this morning but hope everyone else had a successful day yesterday and has a good day today.

[Beechview]

Well done FA! I'm hoping my lack of weight loss is down to totm too.
I'll weigh again on Saturday and see how I go. I think daily weighing is fine but I'm getting a bit disheartened so want to see a loss rather than a sts.
I've planned a bust day to keep me away from food!
Hope everyone has a good day.