Claire's occasional diary

[clairejen]

Back from holiday, and just had my first post-hols DD. Compared with my last weight after a DD I have gained three quarters of a pound, a very happy outcome after all the excesses of holiday eating and drinking.

I am planning to JUDDD for weight loss for the rest of the summer, making sure that most of my UDs are capped at about 1800 calories, with maybe one day a week being totally uncounted.

So - weight now 10st 0.75lb. Target weight 9st 7lb. I'm feeling pretty upbeat and ready to go for it.

Anja, hope you are having a great holiday and enjoying using your new swimwear.

Barb, hope to see you back here when your head is in the right place again, (((HUGS))).

 

[clairejen]

After a controlled UD (about 1750) I weighed 9st13.5lbs, back under that 10st barrier! I feel like I am hopping over it and back non-stop, but soooo pleased to be heading downwards and determined to keep things that way.

I've a strong suspicion that I was eating way too much on UDs, just because I could. I don't know that much about JUDDD but I think I read that it was originally intended as a weight and health maintenance diet, not for weight loss. So the idea of having every other day eating half calorie requirements was really a compensation for the fact we tend to overeat on a daily basis. So to lose a pound or two a week I need to keep counting most days.

Usual DD food for me, strawberies for breakfast, prawn salad for lunch, chicken or ham galette for tea, fromage frais cake and mini soleros for treats.

 

[Eclipse]

Brilliant result hun, especially after your holibubs x x x

 

[clairejen]

Thanks Cheryl, I'm really pleased that I'm losing again, this diet gives you a lot of freedom and it's a struggle having to learn not to abuse it. But that's what it will be like when I'm at goal and trying to maintain, so I might as well start learning now.

 

[Barb]

Well done Claire, you are doing brilliantly. Sorry I have disappeared a bit lately, with all the stuff with my parents I hardly know which way is up. I will get back to Juddding as I do believe it is a brilliant plan, but meantime I will keep an eye on you and cheer on your success.

Lots of love (and thanks for the hugs, I could do with them right now!)

 

[clairejen]

Hi Barb, good to see you are still popping in. You are right, there is no point in trying to diet when your mind is so preoccupied, family are more important than appearances. Take care, and I shall carry the torch for us all until you and Anja are back.

 

[clairejen]

Still keeping just under 10st, official weigh in tomorrow so I musn't be complacent. I am very glad I am doing this in the summer (if you can call this summer) because my DDs are basically salad and strawberries which aren't really winter options. I suppose soups would be OK then, but not for breakfast. I did feel a bit hungry yesterday, but I try to think of hunger as a sign that my body is going to find some fat to get rid of.

 

[clairejen]

OK, weigh in this morning was 9st 13.25lbs, which is 1.5lbs since Tuesday morning. That's the holiday gain gone plus another three quarters of a pound, so I am very happy. Today I am having a day free of counting calories, then back to an 1800 UD tomorrow. My measurements are creeping down slowly too, 38, 28, 38 (thighs just under 23 ).

So all in all I am very happy and ready to enjoy the weekend .

 

[clairejen]

No change in my weight, despite having to change yesterday to a DD. Dampened my spirits a little, but I will keep plugging away. Today is a "being good" UD, and I have dance class this evening. It seems that you just can't have expectations on this diet, I must just accept what it gives me. I don't actually feel too fat now, but those extra few pounds would still make a difference.

 

[clairejen]

Well the scales are still determined not to change. I have been looking on the traineo forum where they have a large community on JUDDDD to see what I am doing wrong. An interesting mix of views and solutions, some just work through the plateau until it ends but apparently it can take months and I don't want to drag on for ever over 6lbs. Others drop the DDs to almost nothing - I find 500 hard enough! Some just swap diets, but I've done enough other diets to know the problem is with me not the diet. The last option is to change the emphasis to proteins, cutting down on the dreaded carbs, for DDs at least.

So here is the plan - DDs to be largely protein and vegetable based, UDs to have more protein and less carbs. Definitely to take more care counting the cals, I have been guessing a bit, and cut down the coffees. And an increase in activity levels would help, in the summer we don't have dance classes or active rehearsals, so my calorie needs are probably down a couple of hundred a day on average. Doesn't sound much but that is half a pound of fat a week.

 

[bakerfa]

Sounds like a good plan. This diet involves constant tweaking. I will admit that I haven't yet started calorie counting since getting back from hol but since I've lost 2lb in 3 days I'll continue as I am until I feel ready to do a real down day. I think my over-eating in Spain was such that my over-eating/eating here is nothing in comparison which is why I'm still losing...

Don't get downhearted - I managed 2 solid weeks at 11,8 before I finally dropped to 11,7 before I went on hol. The plateaux can be severe. It will go down & at least it's not going up!

Good Luck!

Love xxx

 

[clairejen]

Thanks for the encouragement Anja, I am so scared that when I haven't dropped on the DD then I will go up after the next UD. And I am so close to 10st that it would mean going up over 10 again, big psychological trauma as it has been such a struggle to get here, not just with JUDDDD but this has been my "max limit" for ages.

 

[bakerfa]

Claire -

If you're on 500 cals on a DD & 2,000 cals on an UD then over 2 days it's only 2,500 i.e. 1,250 per day. It shouldn't be possible to gain if that's all you're eating. (The only time you would gain doing this diet or stay the same would be doing a DD and then a high UD i.e. 500 - 1000 then 2,000 - 3,000.) Any weight gain would only be water/hormones, it certainly wouldn't be due to food. (I think I was easily doing 3,000 a day in Spain having thought about it; breakfast, raisin bread or cereal, fruit, fruit juice. 1 meal out a day usually 3 course with bread + garlic butter to start. Another small meal like a bread roll or something, snacks & possibly ice cream depending on the temperature...) Yikes!

 

[clairejen]

Well last night I was really bad. OK it was an UD, officially I could eat anything, but I still overdid it big time especially on the carb front and the alcohol. Today I am suffering for it and my weight is up over 10st again. Sigh.

Right, time to rule a line and start again.
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DD today, I am counting everything now, and going to keep under 500, I had been doing 525 as my limit. No carb laden little extras, they don't help they just make me want carbs. Protein and veggies as the staple ingredients, proteins including the dairy ones like fat free yogurt and soft cheese.

When my hangover departs I shall walk to the supermarket, see if I can get my body a bit more alert.

Anja, I have had major problems trying to lose weight in recent years, it is why I have turned to JUDDD. I think I may have been underestimating some intake, but since I got back from holiday I have been counting UDs too (mostly) and keeping to 1800. I'm sure this has just been a plateau, and I hope that a bit of tweaking and some patience will get things moving downwards again.

 

[Eclipse]

Sorry to hear about the hangover. I think you've got the right idea re carbs. I know that I can't have too many, and stick mainly to protein. At least you've got a plan of action, it is so easy to get "lost" when things don't go according to plan. Good luck hun x x x

 

[clairejen]

Thanks Cheryl, I do feel I have been messing about with this, it is silly when I have so little to go. A bit more concentration and I ought to make it. I feel a bit better after the walk, now must tackle some more water.

 

[clairejen]

Shock horror, I have realised that I was taking in a much larger number of calories than I thought in mugs of coffee I didn't even want! So I'm cutting back to a couple a day, at least one black.

I've been very good today, DD and still under 400 calories. I'm out this evening so few chances to be bad. Hopefully I have found the key! I didn't eat breakfast, and have had proteins with complex carbs only. Discovered some WW yogurts I actually like at 49-57 a pot. All in all I am feeling positive, a bit disappointed that Barb is moving to another diet but I know this has to be done sometimes, wish you all the best Barb.

 

[clairejen]

Having been moaning about the weight sticking I now have an even bigger moan, it has gone up! I went out to dinner with frineds the night before last,it was an UD and therefore all permissable. High on carbs and alcohol, but I avoided truly evil options (had a small piece of apple pie rather than chocolate cheesecake). So the next morning I was up to 10st and half a pound. OK I thought, fair enough, I shall lose this quickly. So I was extra good yesterday, ended up under 470cals, weighed and counted everything, drank water which I hate. And my weight this morning is the same, still not back under 10.

I know the scales are satanic devices sent to torture us, but I feel understandably miffed. The question is could I be strong enough to dump this habit and just weigh once a week. But if that once a week weighing showed a rise how could I cope with that.

I don't feel ready to make any decisions yet. I'll have a good think over the weekend, because I am starting to obsess about this and it shouldn't be such a big deal.

 

[clairejen]

Still can't shift this extra weight, I am stuck at 10st0.5lbs, even after being good on UDs and keeping to around 470cals on DDs. Today is an UD so I am maybe even looking at a rise tomorrow.

I'll try to drink more water, I know this is an area I neglect and now that the weather is warmer I probably need more anyway. I've been feeling a little vertiginous and nauseous the last couple of mornings, I wonder if it has anything to do with cutting down the caffeine? Seems unlikely, on holiday I only have a couple of coffees a day and manage fine. Maybe being on holiday all the time is the answer!

 

[girlygirl]

To lose a pound of fat - not water, fat - you need to burn off 3,500 calories.

At the beginning of any diet you lose a fair amount, mainly water. On a VLCD you lose a ton of water, because you are severely limiting carbs. Then, provided you don't cheat, and you are counting your calories/carbs correctly, you lose at a steady rate.

After a while the body gets used to eating less, so the weight loss slows down and even stops entirely for brief periods. To counteract this you either eat even less - not very healthy and your body would slow down more to accommodate it - or you increase your activity.

Either way, one pound of body fat off means burning 3,500 calories. Or eating 3,500 less.

Try not to expect fast losses all the time, because you are only heading for disappointment. Try not to keep jumping on the scales - it becomes so addictive you can't stop. Weighing once a week is much better.

Good luck!