Slow process

[jml12]

Hi all,
Been sitting back and reading this forum for the last month or so. Have been dieting for the last 30 + years or so. Have done them all, low calorie has always been the one that worked for me, "I mean real low calorie", 600-800 calories per day. Have always drank "lots" of red wine, which I have recently given up along with all alcohol. Work out almost every day. A good weight for me is 145 and I'm at 162 pounds. I am averaging about 1,600-1,800 calories a day, working out daily between 40 minutes of cardio and weight training. Have been on Schwarzbein for two weeks and have seen no movement in the scale. I feel differently but was curious when I might see a change on the scale.
Thanks

Jan

[DebPenny]

Welcome, Jan. You have made a good choice to go with TSP.

I wanted to see if I can answer your question:

One of the big differences between low-fat dieting and the low-carb lifestyle is that with low-fat you not only lose fat, you lose muscle and bone mass. No amount of working out is going to undo that damage. With low-carbing, you build muscle and bone while you lose fat.

Also, after years of yo-yo dieting, especially on low-fat, your body becomes very efficient at holding onto any fat stores it has.

I think one of the main reasons your scales are not showing a loss, is that you are compensating fat loss with muscle building, especially since you are working out.

One of the things we suggest is that you don't weigh yourself. Instead, take your measurements. You may find that when you get to the point where you are happy with your appearance, you may weigh more than the 145 pounds you are used to. That will be because you have built up your muscle and bone mass.

The other thing to keep in mind, and this is in the book, is that sometimes you won't show a weight loss for quite some time on TSP because the first thing your body is doing is healing. You have put it under a lot of stress through 30 years of low-fat dieting. You may be insulin resistant. This takes time to heal.

I find it is much better to focus on how I feel. I started with a lot more weight to reduce than you (I still have a lot more ;)), but the thing I noticed more and it keeps me going is how damn good I feel. I haven't felt this good since I was a kid. My asthma has abated, my mood is much steadier, I handle stress better, I have more energy, walking actually feels good, I have more stamina, I don't fall asleep after lunch every day. And the list goes on.

And the last thing: The closer you are to your "goal," the slower your progress. It's just a fact of weight reduction. :rolleyes:

Hope this helps,
;-Deb
:daizy:

[jml12]

I appreciate the reply. Patience is not one of my better attributes but I'm learning. Thanks for the advise.

Jan

[chewie1012]

Jan
It's nice when you see results for all your hard work. I think I can understand any frustration. Let me ask you a question. Have you read the whole book? When I started the Schwarzbein Principle I just went to the what you should and shouldn't eat section. I immediately became hesistant about following this plan. After reading the whole book I felt more sure about what I am doing. Eight weeks later it is certainly working for me. I don't work out as much as you. I do have a somewhat physical job and I try to walk or bike 30 minutes or more a day. Good luck to you.
Jerry

[TheBetty]

DebPenny, that was great how you compacted all the info into a short, easy-to-read post, thank you! Sometimes it's easy to forget about that muscle building and bone building stuff. You have a way of expressing yourself that I really like! :)

Chewie, that's so true about reading the entire book! I think I should read it again, just because it's been a while and I want to refresh my memory with all the details of how the body wasn't working properly before, but now is beginning to work the way it was designed by our Creator.

jml12, they have given you sound advice. I will only add that the best way to successfully lose the weight is to continually make strides toward the "ideals" in the SP book. You're doing great--hang in there! And Deb and Chewie, you are doing so well, congratulations! --TheBetty

[chewie1012]

Thebetty,
YOUR DOING GREAT YOURSELF!!!!

[jml12]

Hello again,
Yes, I have read the book, it travels with me everywhere I go. I have to keep re-reading it to get all the fine points. The whole bone mass thing I don't quite understand though. Also, these forums have helped as I did not pick up the fact that we should not have salted products such as peanuts. Although I really don't often salt anything. My body is changing already. I did SP last summer but was also drinking lots of red wine then and did see some significant differences. I really believe in her program and I feel well while doing it. Thanks for the input

Jan

[chewie1012]

Others will probably disagree with me but I think a little salt doesn't hurt. It really depends on your activity level etc. If it is hot outside and your working outside and losing lots of fluids then a small bag of salted peanuts are not going to hurt you. IMHO.
Jerry
PS
If you seem to be retaining a lot of water then maybe you should try and limit your salt for a month and see what happens. Dr. Schwarzbein says we get enough salt in our food. I do think our bodies tell us what we need. If you have done the program for a month straight and your constantly craving salt may be you need a little.

[Swede]

This is not directly related to this discussion, but I believe something to keep in mind about weight and calories. If you are maintaining your weight at roughly 2000 calories/day and lose 10% of your body weight through dieting, you will need to limit your daily intake to 1800 to maintain your new weight. I believe this is why low calorie diets are doomed to fail (beside the hypothesized lowering of basal metabolic rate as a direct result of starvation.)

There are other variables as well. Schwarzbein focuses on healthy body shape, not weight. A toned, muscular 180 pounder uses a lot more calories than a 180 pound couch potato. That is why balancing the diet to achieve a health metabolism results in weight loss that is really sustainable.

Just my 2 cents.

[DebPenny]

Years ago reports came out about how bad salt was for us. I rebelled! I have always enjoyed salt and I continued to use it. Then reports came out that salt was only bad for some people, but that most people were not affected by it in the "bad" way.

On TSP, I have found that I don't need to salt my food as much. I think because it is not so sweet. Afterall, salt cuts sweet. That's what I learned at my mother's knee in the kitchen. However, I do not "limit" myself on my salt consumption. If I feel it is needed, I use it.

I think the important lesson is that if you notice that with salt your blood pressure is elevated, you may be sensitive to it and need to limit your salt intake. However, if you see no change, don't worry about it.

Also, if you salt your food after it is cooked, you will use less. And I tend to buy low-salt foods (lightly salted nuts, etc.) because products with "normal" amounts of salt taste too salty to me.

;-Deb
:daizy:

[chewie1012]

Swede Here is what Nat said about Metabolism, limiting calories etc.
>"There seems to be a lot of confusion about the 10x rule. 10x body weight is not the 'amount you should eat' for this WOL. 10x your body weight is what your body needs every day, regardless of how you eat, to sustain your basal metabolism (BMR, R= rate). BMR accounts for 60-70% of needed calories. It is the bare minimum you need to eat while trying to lose fat to prevent the dreaded 'starvation mode' That being said, maintenance calories tend to be a lot higher. I can eat 3000 calories a day and not gain fat - I would probably lose some at the current rate of my activities. I doubt that at 5'8", 115 lbs your wife wants to lose fat. I would suppose too that her metabolism is probably pretty darned high. Most body building sites use 15x for maintenance - and adjust accordingly. Remember, it's not an exact science - and remember that going below 1300 calories consistently can have very serious and long term implications for decreasing metabolism."

[rosarugosa]

I have limited my salt consumption due to having hbp over the last several years. It is interesting to log the sodium count of your intake over a few weeks to see how much you consume or not. I think the problem with the typical modern diet is in fast foods and processed foods (which we avoid with 'TSP') Check out the sodium content of *every* item at a fast food web site and you can see how it doesn't take long for a consumer of it to have an outlandishly high sodium count!(even items you think would be lower such as shakes come in high per item!) Then combine that with the cheap & unhealthy trans fats in so many items there.

Hypertension experts seem to think that 'salt sensitivity ' may run in families' also. Personally since following a balanced/real food plan I have lessened my hbp meds and never notice 'the bloating' after consuming too much sodium (except when I eat out as items are usually saltier than at home even in better restaruants) because this plan just naturally cuts down on it.

As I stated though it can be intersting to write down the amount of sodium that is consumed a few weeks in a row. Also monitoring one's blood pressure with an at home kit/at drug stores/health fairs/doctors,etc. is a good idea occasionally as hbp is called "the silent killer" with good reason ~~ it can sneak up on us !