I’m always a little dubious when I read messages like this. Not, of course, because I think the poster is lying or anything, but because there could be so many factors that could potentially contribute towards someone gaining a tiny bit of weight when following this diet.
First off, have you been following the diet 100%? By that, I mean 100%. The odd bag of crisps; the occasional glass of wine; the random large donner with extra mayo etc…all these things add up. One thing I have learnt about this diet: it really is 100% or nothing. I despair when I read posts where people boast: “I was brilliant this week and stuck to it completely apart from on Thu evening when I necked 6 pints of Hoffmeister Special and ended up down the curry house with my mates Sunday night where I had this amazing mutton vindaloo called ‘The Ghandi’s Revenge’ and I put it all away with a double-mushroom rice, five more pints and some of those large crisps you can buy in those places. But it didn’t matter! When I got home, I had an Exante Shake before going to bed!”
You need to shut your social life down (if it involves food, anyway). You need to become best mates with your blender. You need to keep a bottle of water nearby at all times. You need to stop visiting Sainsbury’s. It’s a lot to ask. But it does pay off. Indeed, think about your drinking too. Has it been water or any carbonated drink that doesn’t feature citric acid? (Cola Zero and Diet Dr Pepper Zero are the best options here). Again, if you’re putting away tea and coffee with sugar in and…. you get the idea.
If you can truly and honestly and truly and honestly say: “yes! yes! yes!” to the above, then the next thing to ask is the day of time your weighing yourself. It should be identical. Each week, record it at roughly the same time, and make sure you go naked. Clothing adds weight. If I weigh myself of an afternoon, it’ll likely be a pound or two heavier than I will be in the morning (in your case, this might explain things).
However – and here’s a promise – it isn’t biologically possible to begin gaining weight on this diet, which is anything more than a little fluid. Why? Because, in order for a human being to survive and to function, it needs adequate energy going in. Alas, 600 cals isn’t adequate (it’s around 1300 or so short), and, in the long-term, it won’t ever be adequate. Yes, yes, you’ll get all these fairy tale stories about how your ‘metabolism slows down to get used to the lesser intake of food and you just end up losing nothing…’ but a) these tales are supported with no evidence whatsoever other than stories like “my mum’s best mate went on a VLCD and ended up gaining 8 stone…” and b) are typically complete bulls—t anyway. I mean, how about the classic that went around a few years’ back (and still goes around today) that everyone should drink two litres of water a day minimum? In actuality, there is no evidence whatsoever to indicate that this provides any health benefits – in reality, the body delivers a sensation of thirst to an individual well before dehydration kicks-in anyway. Another is reducing your salt intake…recently, the media have become full of stories stating that many people may not be getting ENOUGH salt.
Mind, that’s one other thing I have learnt about this diet, and it’s thanks to a poster on here. It does seem an exception:- loads of water-drinking is essential. After a slow week last week, I got stuck in to the H20 and, guess what, lost another 5ibs. I’ve now lost 2 and a half stone in the space of five weeks!! And no, I haven’t cheated ONCE. Maybe that’s what you need to do. Go visit the tap!
