No Change after 30 days

[Tanith Lee]

I have followed the ED for 30 days and lost 1-2lbs. I feel really bloated all the time, too much veg? I love the clean diet and i do not get any bad cravings anymore. I am a fitness instructor who teaches an average 12 -15 classes per week (weights, spin and aero). I have gained body fat over the last year and want to get back to my 'fighting weight'. I weigh 67kg (10.7 st), 28% body fat and 172cm tall (5'8"). I am disappointed with the results as i was hoping to lose 5-6 lbs. I do not have a huge amount to lose so i expected the loss to be slow moving. I am still doing the ED, too scared to add any foods back in!!
Does anyone have any suggestions? I guess the answer is less food more exercise!!
thanks

[birigik]

Hi, but what about the carbs in yoghurt and nuts? I mean, you don't go to zero carbs for 3 days I suppose? I'd like to try this simple version but I'm wondering if I should allow 50g carbs a day which will come from tomatoes, yohurt and nuts. I remember reading that 50g of carbs a day constitutes an extremely low carb diet. I keep everything recorded on FitDay and most of my carbs come from fruit right and rice milk now (I eat next to no grains in meals), so if I eft them out for 3 days that would cut the carbs low but not to 0.

Austin Lawrence said:

Tanith Lee said:

thanks for this. Food for thought...

Where can i find out more about carb cycling? I think i need to give my training a boost. My body has become accustomed to all the cardio I do. I need to start lifting heavy weights again. I have also realised that it's not very often my body has 24hrs to rest. It's not easy getting the balance right eh?

You don't need over complicate your carb cycling like bodybuilders and figure competitors, remember they're trying top get ridiculously lean ie 3% bodyfat just for the day of the show/competition.

Eat very low carb (only vegetables), protein and fat for 3 days. Then 1 day where you consume 'clean' carbs freely ie quinoa, brown rice, rye etc
Then repeat-simple : )

Austin

[Tanith Lee]

Thanks Dax, I thought the ED was for 30 days and then you can reintroduce dairy etc? I've no problem being alcohol, sugar, processed food and wheat free. I was hoping to allow a little cheese every now and then :)

I'll try all the things that you have suggested. Watch this space...

Tanith

Dax Moy said:

Hey Tanith (and paula)

Sorry to hear you guys haven't achieved what you'd hoped to.

I think there are many factors that could be at play here but most noticeably, you're definitely doing too much cardio based work. Unfortunately, this is your job and so, unless you quit, it's unlikely to change.

So, look here's what I'd do if you were a client of mine.

1. Make sure that you're following the ED to a 'T'. Many people think they are but aren't aware of banned foods that are hidden in may foodstuffs.

If you're sure that you're ok on that front...

2. Cut back on your carb intake. Try my wave diet protocol where you reduce/remove all carbs except green cruciferous veg for 3 days whilst eating freely from fats and proteins. On the 4th day, eat freely from starches (no sugar!) and then return to 3 days low carb.

This is a great and powerful plateau buster when combined with ED.

3. Sleep! You are undoubtedly overtrained if you're doing 12-15 hours a week of cardio. Your cortisol levels must be through the roof!

Cortisol will command your body to hold fat, as you know.

If you can't or won't cut back your classes then you MUST get to bed by 10pm at least 4-5 nights a week otherwise you'll not be able to counter the cortisol.

3. Consume more fat - If you're doing all those classes and not consuming enough fat esp. fish oils then you're asking fro adrenal fatigue... which can make you fatter : )


Hope this helps!

Dax

[Colin Bartlett]

As long as you monitor the results, start to slowly reintroduce foods after the 30 days

With dairy, I am using semi skimmed milk at the moment but beware cheese was one of my downfalls!, only small amounts of low fat cheese (start with cottage cheese). I made the mistake of eating a very moorish full fat hard cheese and the pounds soon piled back on!!! Had to have a Stilton during Christmas as well!

[Jon Clark]

Just wanted to chime in to reiterate the value of experimenting with different factors, and how the results will vary from person to person so keep on experimenting.

Sleep has proved to be amongst the most neglected factors in my experience, and the hardest for those working a PT diary to enforce. However, finding the time for adequate sleep (this will also vary from person to person) can often be the most vital ingredient of successful weight loss. If your timetable permits it, perhaps you try a little siesta in the afternoon as your late class followed by an early the next day doesn't give you much breathing space. It's all about trying something until you have a good idea of how it affects you as an individual and either continuuing with it if it helps, or trying something else if it doesn't. That goes for types of food, carb cycling, and pretty much any variable you can imagine.

The suggestion of breathing exercises throughout the day is also a great one. Simply focussing on your breath, without deliberately controlling it, just 'watching' your breath is an immensely powerful way of relaxing yourself. Eventually it can help with stressful situations during your day, but to start with it can just be a fantastic method of getting to sleep quickly and deeply; you can leave the search for samadhi for a later date ;-)

Jon Clark - Level 2 Coach at Dax Moy Personal Training Studios

[Joanne Butler]

Hi Tanith
Something is going on here. 12-15 classes. Can you be more specific? Are they all high intensity classes (for your fitness level-not the participants) How long is each class and how are they scheduled?

Post a couple of days eating so we can have a look at it and see if there are any areas where you are going wrong. If you really are eating this clean and exercising with intensity, maybe you are not eating enough for your activity, or maybe you really aren't eating as clean as you think.
Start posting today and dont do anything different or you wont get to the bottom of it. I'd love to help you with this, it's what I love to do. Also, how are you measuring your bodyfat, are you sure that 28%is accurate?

You can still operate successfully and have low bodyfat with 12-15 classes a week. Elite athletes function with much more exercise than this with low bodyfat. I know that is their job, but they also train more like 30-40 hours per week. If you look after your recovery, this should not be a problem, I am living proof of this- taking classes, 5 young kids, self employed, job etc etc. Please contact me so we can have a look at your overall training and nutrition. Also, you shouldnt need to over complicate with carb cycling etc.

Jo

[julie]

Today is my 30th day! I feel great, healthy , energetic, clean. However I aint lost an ounce and I aint lost any inches. I haven't much to lose - 4lb - most of it sat round my middle making a lovely muffin top. I didn't cheat on the diet and I've been very careful. I've upped my excercises. Before the month I couldn't do 1 press up, i'm not joking and this morning I did 20. On Monday I ran a 10k in under an hour. Hurrah for me! So the only conclusion I can come to is that I eat too much. Too many nuts? Too big a portion? I don't know but I can't think of anything else. I've been getting more sleep than usual, I've been drinking alot of water. I must be eating too much. So I'm carrying on pretty much with this (maybe a glass of wine at the weekend) but I'm going to reduce the amount I eat, which I'm really loathe to do because it already feels like a deprivation. Anyone else in a similar situation?

[Helen]

I have now reached Day 30 and have lost just 3lbs, roughly a pound a week for the first 2 weeks. The third week I didn't lose anything so I upped the ante (I wasn't being very strict) and lost another pound in the past week.

I too don't have much to lose, but I do still want to lose about another 7 lb. I've found it fairly easy to give up all the stuff I had to give up as I ate a fairly healthy diet anyway. My diet this past week has consisted of: muesli and yoghurt for breakfast; snack of fruit; lunch is a smoked mackerel with chopped pepper and tomato with yoghurt and houmous, then home-made soup for tea, perhaps additional snacks of fruit in afternoon and evening, usually with cashew nuts or peanut butter. I'm drinking at least 2 litres liquid (mostly water) each day, which includes water with exercise. I've been doing the Boot Camp 2 days a week and trying to do interval training on the other days. I nearly always go to bed by 10.30 (for me 11pm is a late night and only happens at the weekend), although I want to get to bed earlier, esp as I get up at 6.30 weekdays.

To be honest, I'm not following the ED 100%. The soup had potato in, and other soups have lentils (are they starchy?). I'm trying to keep to low carbs all the time so stopped eating ryvita this week, and reduced the nuts. The recent soup also had stilton in and a couple of times I've had a tiny portion of cheese. I've had a LOT of fruit, which is high in sugar (I think it's supposed to be ok on ED, but I often have 4 portions of fruit a day). A few times I've had decaf coffee with milk in - is decaf ok? I know the milk isn't really ok. I also use a little sunflower oil for cooking.

Can you give me some feedback on this and guidance on how I can shift the rest of the weight?