I had been doing a low-cal diet (the 3 Hour Diet--a lot like TSP but with low-fat) for a few weeks and had lost a pound or two. It was then that I decided to start TSP. I had been doing it for a week and felt great (that is when I began posting here at this forum). I followed the healing plan faithfully for about a week and half...then I fell off for a weekend I went to Philly with my friend and had a philly cheesteak and fries!! And then we had beers that night. I wasn't totally back on on Sunday but did get right back on on Monday (this past Monday, March 27th). Usually when I stop eating sugar, I see almost an instant difference in my stomach (this is not where I usually hold weight since I am a "pear" shape so I see changes fast in my stomach). All week I have been following the mainenance plan with about 30 grams of carbs per meal. Last night my stomach felt huge and I noticed that my butt and thighs felt MUCH larger too (I know every lump and bump and could tell that I had gained a few more here and there LOL).

So here's my question--do you think that it was because I went off and ate "bad" stuff and then when I got back on TSP my body just kept on gaining? I felt soooo much better the first week that I started TSP than I have this week! Is this why a lot of diets (South Beach, Atkins, whatever Oprah did) have you do a 2 week induction phase with no/low carbs and then add them back slowly? I totally didn't mind staying the same weight when I started, but I really dont' want to go into a size 18! Especially when I wasn't going in that direction the first week I started TSP. I started walking yeserday morning for about 40 min and did it again today (at a moderate pace--no where near running! LOL) So I'm not really sure what to do now...

I think it is to quick to know what is effecting you when it is only over a span of a few days. The bad food could have caused you to retain water, but it is hard to know. For me, I know I can't judge my weight loss between days, it has to be between 4-6 weeks for me to accuratly know what my body is doing. I have always believed it take 6 weeks for you body to adjust to new changes and show results that you notice. Just stick with it a little longer and see how you feel.

my vote would be for water retention too, drink lots of water also get back on the healing plan, it might be that the carbs are too much or you have been jumping the amounts around too much

I hate to be discouraging, but when I started, I gained 20 pounds in 2 months. Depends on how your body needs to heal, I guess, though I agree it is not possibler to really tell in a matter of days,....

goodluck!!