My 28 Day Weight Loss Journey

amother

Wed, Nov 03 2021, 8:30 pm

DAY 10- Wednesday

To be honest, I have lost my cheishek for this diet. Mainly because I have only lost 2.2 lbs since the beginning. The thing with this author is that she raises your expectations very high. When you read her book, she over-promises. She says you can expect to lose a half lb each day.. by now I should have been down at least 5lbs. (Besides for the fact that you usually lose at least 4-5 lbs the first week on every diet.) So when you don't do so well, you think it doesn't work. Many other diets are much more cautious in their promises, celebrating even the smallest win.

Another reason I'm not so into it is that I have starting working on a project for work..I am single focused like that. Usually whatever I am working on takes over my whole brain, and I can't be super focused on two things at the same time. That's why I like a diet that becomes second nature. (This one is harder than most in that way.)

That being said, I'm still determined to see this through the full 28 days.

I started my day with a little Oops. I ate lox for my first snack. It was only after I finished it that I realized that it didn't taste the same as usual. I checked the packaging and saw it contained brown sugar Rolling Eyes

. Now why would anyone put brown sugar in lox when it's perfectly delicious plain??

So just as a PSA: Flaum's smoked salmon has sugar! Tuv Taam's is plain. This is the first time I ate sugar since last Monday. Bad mistake.
Another Oops is that I somehow missed breakfast.. 😕

Snack: 4.5 oz lox

Breakfast: I forgot to eat

Lunch: solid white tuna, romaine lettuce, tomatoes. (I'm supposed to eat 9 oz which is utterly crazy- I think that would be like 3 cans. I ate one full can.)

2 coffees

Snack: 3 oz. Corned beef

Dinner: 6 oz Pepper steak, cucumbers and pickles.

amother

Lightyellow

Wed, Nov 03 2021, 8:43 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

DAY 10- Wednesday

To be honest, I have lost my cheishek for this diet. Mainly because I have only lost 2.2 lbs since the beginning. The thing with this author is that she raises your expectations very high. When you read her book, she over-promises. She says you can expect to lose a half lb each day.. by now I should have been down at least 5lbs. (Besides for the fact that you usually lose at least 4thw first week on every diet.) So when you don't do so well, you think it doesn't work. Many other diets are much more cautious in their promises, celebrating even the smallest win.

Another reason I'm not so into it is that I have starting working on a project for work..I am single focused like that. Usually whatever I am working on takes over my whole brain, and I can't be super focused on two things at the same time. That's why I like a diet that becomes second nature. (This one is harder than most in that way.)

That being said, I'm still determined to see this through the full 28 days.

I started my day with a little Oops. I ate lox for my first snack. It was only after I finished it that I realized that it didn't taste the same as usual. I checked the packaging and saw it contained brown sugar Rolling Eyes

. Now why would anyone put brown sugar in lox when it's perfectly delicious plain??

So just as a PSA: Flaum's smoked salmon has sugar! Tuv Taam's is plain. This is my first time I ate sugar since last Monday. Bad mistake.
Another Oops is that I somehow missed breakfast.. 😕

Snack: 4.5 oz lox

Breakfast: I forgot to eat

Lunch: solid white tuna, romaine lettuce, tomatoes. (I'm supposed to eat 9 oz which is utterly crazy- I think that would be like 3 cans. I ate one full can.)

2 coffees

Snack: 3 oz. Corned beef

Dinner: Pepper steak, cucumbers and pickles.

You need to be determined and start your day within the 1/2 of waking up and not skip any meals.

Fyi,flaums lox is the only brand that doesn't have nitrate which is a big nono. Just not sure if the brown sugar will outweigh my eating other brand.

I also felt discouraged with the number on scale but feel like I've lost many inches even it didn't avtually show.
For now I decided to continue the plan and not go on scale.

I keep on getting compliments that I lost weight

Chana Miriam S

Wed, Nov 03 2021, 8:57 pm

Hey, I know that I’m not a person who does this diet, but I wa t to give you some chizuk. This applies to any way of eating.

I don’t care what anyone says. There’s no one way to lose weight. No one should be over promising to strangers because in the end, we all have different genetics, epigenetics and health histories.

What we do have in common- or at least what science says we have in common ( I wrote a paper on this last year and read 70 research papers) is that a good combination of the right diet for YOU and behavioural Changes make it possible to lose weight and keep it off.

While you are unhappy about only losing two pounds, I need to tell you that it’s true that slower weightloss is more likely to be kept off. This is for a couple of reasons, not the least of which is that you can sneak a small caloric deficit by your body which won’t induce the adaptations that weightloss creates. This means that people are RIGHT when they say you have to eat enough. Also that if a food bothers you, and you take it out if your plan, you will feel better and be more likely to continue.

Beyond the biological adaptations that happened when we lose weight ( like is regularly spoken about in Main Stream media) your metabolism does slow down when you restrict calories and the Body does not care if the caloric loss is by not eating or exercise. This is why something like 98% of people fail at diets. It’s their body trying to stay stable and depending on the level of obesity, often defend the higher weight by trying to get back to it.

You CAN do it. I mean, even severely broken me (5ft 1 and 315 at my highest after 45 years of disordered eating) has lost a large amount of weight and I am keeping it off without too much trouble. This is not to say my weight doesn’t bounce around a bit. I think that’s actually normal in normal people. But we are so obsessed with the numbers in the scale that we fail to see success anywhere else. So, if you feel great, if you are less tired, if your body aches less… all those things matter, I’d argue MORE than the number on the scale at any given point.

Yes, if over time you’re in an upward trend, you have to address it but if over time you learn what works for you amd don’t obsess about the numbers, things will change.

The biggest problem is that this is not a sprint. It’s an ultra marathon. So whatever you’re doing, you have to make it sustainable and enjoyable. I’ve been reading your posts. You DO seem to be enjoying it. So gezinte heit. Don’t stop. Keep plugging along and trust the process!

I have had some people judge me for not aggressively losing the rest of my weight. The thing is that all of my medical folks are in awe. My sons dietician had tears in her eyes when she last saw me and said ‘do you know how few people can do what you’re doing?!?”

I’d rather be stable and never regain than trip those adaptations ( on top of the adaptations of chronic obesity) and start a regain pattern that’s not stoppable.

Are there times I’d like to weigh less? Yes, but also, am I happy and healty and stable? Yes!

Anyways, all of this to say, that even if this is t exactly the plan you should follow forever, use this as a learning experience. Don’t catastrophize your slower weightloss experience. Aim for stability, enjoyment and happiness.

I know I’m right, because I’ve seen this play out many times before. Recently a woman I randomly met started NSNG. By 8 weeks in, she’d lost five pounds but the stability made her stay. Last time I heard, she was down thirty. I think over six months. Her alternative was gaining thirty pounds. Do, if you are stable ( even with a bit of bouncing around) or losing slowly, you’re still winning! Hang in there!

amother

Thu, Nov 04 2021, 12:15 am

Thank you so much Andrea for your incredible chizzuk. I know that you are speaking from hard won experience and your perspective is invaluable. You're right, I am enjoying the plan, feel good and it's not too hard to stick to. I was perseverating on the weight loss mainly because that was my original goal going into this- lose weight and lose it fast. In retrospect that was kind of a shortsighted, immature goal. I need a bit more patience.

According to the author, the goal isn't only to lose weight, but to speed up the metabolism, so that when you go off plan (and most people eventually do), your body will burn those extra calories quickly and efficiently. Most overweight people have a sluggish metabolism. So even if I don't lose as much as I'd hoped, this may just be a great investment for my future self.

Meanwhile, I am resolving to rededicate myself and follow the rules of the plan more religiously. (Though, seriously- 9 oz of Tuna?? Can anyone eat that in one sitting?)

Thanks again!

amother

Thu, Nov 04 2021, 12:21 am

amother [ Lightyellow ] wrote:

Thank you Lightyellow. It feels great knowing others are doing the plan together with me.
How long have you been on it?

Regardibg the lox, you think sugar is preferable to nitrates? Thing is, I posted this last week that I couldn't find any deli without nitrates, and people answered that they just ate the deli anyway. So I applied the same concept here, that if there is nothing else, then so be it.

Chana Miriam S

Thu, Nov 04 2021, 12:30 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Thank you so much Andrea for your incredible chizuk.
Meanwhile, I am resolving to rededicate myself and follow the rules of the plan more religiously. (Though, seriously- 9 oz of Tuna?? Can anyone eat that in one sitting?)

Thanks again!

I’m really glad that this was meaningful to you!

So.., I don’t think that 9 ounces is crazy but I do think that that is a lot of tuna. Front my perspective, tuna isn’t the healthiest fish- I mean if you’re limited when pregnant because of health risks, I’d think that it would still be risky even to you.

Having 9 ounces of tuna occasionally is also different than having it everyday.

But I don’t think eating 9 ounces of protein is crazy in general.

I eat to satiety and don’t weigh my food, so to be honest I have no idea what I eat at a sitting but I’d imagine sometimes it’s more and sometimes it’s less. I haven’t read the book, and I also haven’t paid much attention to the menus, but I’ll always advocate doing what is sustainable for you and if that includes thinking 9 oz tuna is too much, I’d encourage you to eat something else that doesn’t feel that way. Or to stop when you’re satisfied.

Not sure this is so much help in this context. Sorry!

amother

Lightyellow

Thu, Nov 04 2021, 12:30 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I'm only on week 3 of this diet but have seen great results. I bh feel great and like the way of eating.
I just find phase 2 to be the hardest cuz there's no fruits or grain.
Thanks for the info regarding sugar inthe flaums lox. Haven't noticed it.
Keep going. We can do it together

Chana Miriam S

Thu, Nov 04 2021, 12:32 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

You know what has a lot of nitrates? Celery. Go figure. When things say no nitrates, they often use celery juice which is.., nitrates! I’ve never once seen lox with nitrates. Salt should be used in curing salmon, not nitrates.

I am biased but I’d eat nitrates over sugar any day.

Last edited by Chana Miriam S on Thu, Nov 04 2021, 12:34 am; edited 1 time in total

amother

Lightyellow

Thu, Nov 04 2021, 12:33 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

There's a variety of proteins besides tuna.
Maybe alternate or combine tuna with eggs,sardines,flounder or salmon

amother

Fri, Nov 05 2021, 12:38 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

OK, here is my meal map for today and tomorrow:

DAY 5 - Friday
Breakfast: oatmeal with a dash of almond milk.
2 eggs, scrambled.
Tomatoes
1 cup blueberries

Snack: baby carrots and hummus

Lunch: leftover pepper steak
Pickles
Peach

Snack: shredded cabbage salad with nuts and seeds. (Hopefully. If that doesn't happen I will eat more baby carrots and hummus. )

Dinner:
1.5 board of spelt matza
Salmon grilled
Israeli salad with olive oil
Optional: chicken soup, just the broth.

DAY 6- Shabbos
Meal 1- breakfast: hard boiled egg, tomatoes, peach

Lunch (seuda):meal 2
1 board of spelt matza
Grilled salmon
A small amount of cholent (no sugar in my cholent)
Salad (either cabbage or tomato)

Snack 1: 1/4 cup hummus with cucumbers

Dinner: (seuda shlishis) meal 3
1 board of matza
Blueberries
Egg salad
Sliced cucumbers

Snack 2: (Melava malka)
Salad with tomato, Avocado hearts of palm and onion, with a bit of mayo.
(Maybe I will wash and eat some matza as well)

This is what my menu looked like last week.
However, now that I am using the app, I have to adjust my amounts.
The three days of phase 3 are very liberal.