Boy, looking back, 6 weeks doesn't sound like much, but when you're going thru it it seems like eternity.
Over the weekend the scales went down 1lb and 1/2 a lb yesterday Yah me!! After 6 weeks of no change in weight or inches it feels sooo good.

So how did I do it, I hear you ask?
1) I didn't give up, I kept tweaking my diet and looking for more information to help me on my journey. Thru seaking more knowledge I stumbled on Doreens wonderful compilation of web links in the Candida/IBS section of this site. I fit all the criteria for having candida overgrowth, so cut out things that are not allowed on that diet-all dairy except butter, nuts, fermented anything (alcohol, sauces) vinegars. Giving up cheese and peanut butter was hard! I went thru withdrawals like carb withdrawal which lasted for 4 days, but now I feel HEAPS better- more energy, sinus congestion and cough gone, skin better etc. I also had to cut out eggs as I found they made my symptoms return.
So now what I eat is meat, fish, low carb veges, butter, home made mayo, for a treat I make a curry with spices and coconut milk. I'm eating 11-14x my bodyweight in calories, and between 20-45g carbs a day. What is interesting is that since I stopped eating cheese, nuts and peanut butter I no longer get cravings after I eat a kiwifruit or a couple of strawberries etc.

From this experience I'd say to anyone who was stalled to try and discover if you are eating anything you are allergic/intolerant to or crave. Oh, and yes, I still drink coffee, black, 1-2 a day. I gave it up for a while but don't find it makes any difference to my weight.

2)WATER. I know everyone says it, but it's true! I'd gotten a bit lazy about drinking my water, but after I started drinking more again I felt so much better.

3) Exercise. Yup another 'sad but true', I had to exercise. My exercise is walking our two energetic dogs around a pine plantation every day. I went from walking 30 mins 5 times a week to 40-75 mins 6 days a week (this happened more out of necessity of than planned intention, but it happened just the same). 3 or so days a week I added 5 sprints to make it more HIIT type training, which definitely helped. I also started doing weights again, just 20 mins 2x a week.
I push myself a little when I'm exercising, but don't think its good to force your body to do what it just don't wanna do, as that's when I'd hurt myself. Walk before you run.

4) I didn't beat myself up when the scales didn't move. I think beating yourself up is counter productive, you are doing the best you can. Sure I have "fat" days where I stand in front of the mirror and poke wobbly bits, but I think it's important not to dwell on it. Life's too short to poke wobbly bits all day.
I did all these things for a full two weeks before the scales went down, but I saw changes in my body about 4 days before that.

Don't give up, keep educating yourself, listen to the advice of all the wonderful people here, and also listen to your body(unless it says "eat bread/cake/chocolate" then tell it to shut up )

I know this is kind of long winded, but I wanted to be thorough, so that hopefully I can help someone else who is in the same boat I was in.


Angela

Great news! Six weeks can be such a long, long time!

for not giving up. I think it is a serious disease in our society that we give up when thing don't come easily. How easy it would have been for you to give up but you just kept right on and did everything you could to educate yourself, get yourself closer to your goal (exercise, examining your diet, etc.) and to just plain be patient enough to wait it out.

And you got results. Congratulations. Your deserve a big pat on the back not just for breaking the stall but also for sharing what you learned with everyone else.

Continued success to you!

Well done.
These stalls are a killer. Most of my diet/wol is a stall. but I am concentrating now on the path of the journey and not the (distant) end. Well, that's what's keeping me sane this week anyway

You have made me face something I have been trying to ignore for ages and I dont like it one little bit! I am lactose intolerant and should cut out the milk products but so far the cream/yogourt has been keeping me going mentally but perhaps contributing to the stall/slow weight loss. Wadda ya think? (Please say no, it's fine, eat lots more)

I have IBS and checked out the links for there and have avoided looking up on Candida as I am not sure I could face more restrictions. Maybe I'll take a peak though.

a quick question:I notice that most people 'do' the induction for 2 weeks and then up the carbs (like the book says) but it doesnt work for me. I eat about 18 carbs and lose 2 kilos in 3 weeks. At the very beginning I was on 10carbs (dont yell) and lost 1 kilo a week) So I am permanently on the Induction until I dont need to lose more weight (forever - no, no bad attitude)

Well, hark at me. I wrote to congratulate you and wrote about ME. (All right, correct guess, I am a Leo )

Carry on the good work and thanks for the inspiration.
Harley

Thanks for the encouragement Atriana and Homegirl. It's nic eto bask in the praise after all the hard work hehehe

Harley I read a couple of your posts in the candida/IBS forum so kind of know a little of what you are going thru. It's great that you're thinking of this as a journey now, rather than a 'destination', takes the pressure off a bit. Something I read here that I like goes something like this- "a year is going to pass anyway, and you can choose to either improve in that time or get worse" for me, I'm sick of being sick, it's time to improve!!

Well, you KNOW what I'm going to say, don't you? Give it up! You'll be so pleased in a week. For me it got to the stage I was eating a cup of whipped cream for desert, knowing I'd feel revolting and doing it anyway. Ditto with cheese and P butter. Addicted?Naaaaaaaaa! Missed them like crazy for 4 days, now I feel so much better, and guess what? ALL my cravings have gone. What I'd say to you, is you'll give up dairy when you're ready, either the symptoms will get so annoying, or you'll find some info that'll tip the scales, and you'll just decide-THATS IT! and give it up.
About your level of carbs-I 'm going to go read you're journal and maybe post something there once I have a better idea what you're eating.

G'Day Angela
I just read your inspiring loss regime(that's not how you spell it).
Thank you!!!!!!!
I will move. I will move. I will move...I WILL MOVE.
Well done!!!!!!
Liz

"Poking wobbly bits" I love it!! Thanks for the giggle today. Way to go on breaking your stall.
Hugs, Tama

Poking wobbly bits, yep that's me! It seems my jelly belly is worse after loosing 40 lbs. I guess somehow the extra fat made it less noticeable? Who knows. I asked hubby for an ab slide this Christmas. (I can't do crunches, long story)
Has anyone tried it?
Well, here's to a few less wabbly bits
Heather

Just today I said I was giving up the L.C. way of life. I haven't lost any weight, but I have lost inches. I want to see the scale move, because we are trained if that scale hasn't move there is no sucess. I'm going to stick and stay because of your sucess. I.ve got to make some changes and I'm going to do it. Thanks so much for posting your weight stall.

Thankyou all for your kind words, I am continuing to lose weight, at a rate of about 1/2 a pound every 3 days, which is the quickest I've lost the whole time (except for the first week). I've been low carbing for 6 months.
Levee- I'm so glad my words have encouraged you to continue. This low carb thing is a big learning curve- keep learning, and remember, no one can do it perfect right from the start, you have to learn thru trial and error what works for you. Also, if you've yo-yo dieted in the past it will be a slower process, but it will still happen, so don't give up! you can do it!
emcqueen-Yes, you know it- MOVE! good on you girl.
Well I'm on holiday at the moment, so I better go do holiday things...
Have a great Christmas everyone!

Ange

Angela,You are a Trooper! an inspiration to all of us.

Good for you for not giving in or giving up. That's the key to success.

Good tips! Hangin in and Hangin on really does pay off but it is also a great idea to take a look at what your doing and adjust where needed...everyone is so very different...Great Job and thanks for sharing your tips!

Bsayne

I am new, and introduced myself to the newbies a few days ago. I enjoy reading all the threads, and have picked up lots of tips, as well as recognized my problem is ubiquitous throughout! The hubby lost 40# effortlessly on SugarBusters, and I lost about 5! And I'm STRICT.

It ain't right!!!!!

Just got off the Nordic Trak! I think the mental work of making myself stay on that thing is worse than the physical manifestations of the burn in those quads. Anyway, it sure feels good when you've stayed on the thing and you've worked hard.

A friend of mine at work brought her "Body-for-Life" book, which she has followed in the past. The exercises require a weight-lifting system of some type, as well as free weights. Oh well, more purchases in the future. But the thing that is so awful about this program is the way they combine on the diet: LO FAT(no egg yolks or cheese or butter or bacon, etc.), very high protein, moderate carb (including potatoes, corn, etc.) Well, that doesn't sound like the typical recommended LC way, and as our friend from Slidell knows (Hi Levee!) people from Louisiana don't eat that way!

I think I'm going to cut back on the cheese, but keep the butter, olive oil, and bacon. And I ain't throwin' out them egg yolks!

I will continue my aerobic workouts every morning (20 minutes of a "stacked" workout on an empty stomach) and will start an intense weight program, and I'll keep you posted.

Great to be here, and good luck to everyone!

LD

Check out Nat's journal and gym log. She's been doing Body for Life for quite a while - and not following the BFL diet, but rather doing a LC plan. She's got several people involved in BFL'ing too. It seems to be working!