Weightloss and GI

[Squ1rrel]

I have been doing the GI diet (religiously apart from an odd blip when I was away) for 4 weeks now - I havent been weighing myself on a weekly basis as I always used to hate the disappointment of the scales not moving so I thought I'd have more hope if I left it for a month!

I weighed myself today and I haven't lost an ounce!! I can't quite believe it and am quite upset. I am also taking Metformin for PCOS which the specialist told me would help me to lose weight but now I'm thinking it's actually having the opposite effect!

I know weightloss can be a long journey but even if I'd lost a couple of pounds I'd be happy but with no change I wonder how the hell this diet is going to work for me!!

Sorry for the rant but I'm just not feeling as enthusiastic for this as I have been in the past few weeks :sigh:

 

[Mis-behave]

What is your typical days food like? Perhaps your having too much of something? are you drinking enough water?

 

[Squ1rrel]

These are the kind of meals I have been having over the last few weeks:

B: Porridge made with soya milk or water with a tsp maple syrup or Omelette & Baked Beans or Muesli with Soya Milk or Homemade Oat Bread with Jam
L: Pitta or Rye bread with smoked salmon and low-fat mozzarella or Baked Sweet Potato with Tuna or Salad with Feta Cheese or Grilled Chicken
D: Lentil Curry served with Bulgar Wheat or Grilled Chicken served with green veg or Steamed Fish with Vegetables
S: Natural Yoghurt with Fruit or Sugar free Jelly or Oatcakes with Low-Fat Cheese or Houmous with Vegetable Sticks or Salted Popcorn or Handful of Nuts & Cranberries

Before I started the diet I would have a packet of crisps AND a bar of chocolate a day. I would eat muffins, cakes and chocolate that were constantly in work. I'd have huge bowls of sugary cereal and I'd drink about the equivalent of a bottle of wine every week.

Since the diet, I've cut out all of the above - I had a few sugary treats whilst on holiday last week (but regretted it straight away as it made me so ill) and since I've started the diet I have cut out the alcohol too.
For the first 2 weeks I was drinking 8 glasses of water a day but I must admit that in the last 2 weeks I havent been drinking so much.

I have been trying to keep on top of calorie counting as well (I dont always want to do this but thought I'd better do it at the beginning so I am not eating over the amount) MyfitnessPal has recommended that I should have an intake of around 1700 cals but am probably averaging around 1300 calories a day so perhaps I am eating too little - only thing is the food I am eating is filling me up so much that I am not hungry and would struggle to eat much more!

 

[Mis-behave]

If you want to add me to my myfitnesspal - I think you click on my link?? In my profile ??

I think your food looks ok, and wouldn't force yourself to eat more if not hungry !

Perhaps you have a few to many mod GI items rather than low GI?

 

[Mis-behave]

Also perhaps it's better to WI (weigh in) weekly then if you've gained, STS or lost you know and can adapt your eating plan..

 

[Squ1rrel]

Thanks for the advice, that's really helpful! I still need to get a hang of the low-gi foods to be honest so I guess I will concentrate on learning this. I will go for the weekly weigh in from now on too just to keep on track!! Probably a good idea at the beginning as If I'm not sure about it a month can be quite a long time if I am deviating from the plan!!!

 

[Mis-behave]

Yes, I once didn't WI for 2 weeks- big mistake

 

[Plumfoodie]

It's very disappointing when this happens, I really sympathise with you. Some things to consider which may help you find the problem:

Have you changed your exercise?

Have you taken your measurements to compare?

Do you use artificial sweeteners? There is a suggestion that they can still cause insulin production.

I notice there are a few meals (porridge made with water, oat bread with jam) where you haven't had a protein. You should try always to have some protein with every meal/snack even if it's a few nuts or seeds. Also as MB mentioned there are some medium GI foods creeping in like popcorn, which may be best avoided if you're also struggling with PCOS. I know that things like maple syrup and jam help with the tastiness factor but again as the PCOS will make weight loss more difficult it may be an idea to try to reserve them for special occasions? Hard at first but tastebuds do adapt in time.

Eating too little - eating 400 cal/day less than your allowance is around 25% less than MFP calculated you need. This is significant and could have an effect. You can increase calories without more food bulk by eating calorie dense foods like avocado, nut butters, cooking with oil etc.

I don't know anything about metformin but did you start taking it at the same time as going low GI? Your body may still be getting used to it. Also, maybe visit your GP to check that the dose is ok.

Water/vegetables - try to keep your water up as it is needed for the processes that break down fat. A lot of your meals don't mention veg (which you may be eating but just not have listed) - a good rule of thumb is 1/4 plate protein, 1/4 plate low GI carb, 1/2 plate non-starchy veg.

Hope this helps somewhat! You've made great changes for your health and I'm sure with just a little bit of tweaking the weight will soon start coming off.