Dilemma...

In search of me

Silver Member
Hi all,
I'm really struggling & would like your thoughts. Losses have been rubbish recently & despite being on this diet since 21 March I have only lost 4 1/1 stone which is somewhat disappointing (Ok gutting!). Added to that my BP keeps going low and I've been quite restricted in what I can do because of this so things I want to do like excercise are resricted. LL say do another milk week (just done) to get BP back up & if that doesent work just start eating again.
I really dont want to stop now as only a stone and a half away from where I want to be but there is also the nagging feeling that the diet is just not working very well for me. Througout other people seem to do better, even when cheating which is very demoralising.
I really do not know what to do. Part of me thinks keep going - I'm so close but at what cost? Plus I do wonder whether some bodies literally just say "enough" and mine may be one of them. Does anyone know? Logically surely it cant not work on only 500 cals a day! I know if I stop now I will feel I have failed despite incredible achievement of not cheating for 151 days (unless you count a necessary taste of apple jam to see if it was burned beyond redenption as cheating! If so ts 150 days!) & loosing a huge amount of weight, looking & feelig like a different person!
Any ideas or thoughts to help?
 
Hey ISOM
Sorry you're feeling so down about it all. I honestly don't know the answer. What I do know is that it's taken me 9 weeks to lost a stone - that's 9 weeks of slow-dom big time!
When you look at your losses they do actually look steady and really good though?

I was the fastest loser in my Foundation group and have now become the tortoise at the back of Development. Like you, I skipped around the cycle of looking at every other option available to me and I just kept coming back to one over riding thought 'Finish this'. So I'm keeping on keeping on. I've not been totally abstinent throughout my slow period, hate to have to write that down but its all covered in the Developers thread and I'm over it now. But still not back to the lightening losses of Foundation.

How are you actually feeling about where you are just now? ie are you wishing the time away? Are you looking for a reason to start management early (I definitely was!!)

And forget the apple jam incident immediately! :D
 
I think you have done absolutely wonderful and it is never good to compare our weight loss with others as there are many reasons why one persons seems to lose more than another on the same diet.

Height, age, sex, activity and genetic make up all play a part.

If you lose slow on a vlcd you can be sure you will lose even slower on one of the eating plans.

I am a slow loser myself in comparison with others and on WW for example it took me ten weeks of doing the diet by the letter to lose ten pounds. I can lose ten pounds on SSing.

As to what you should do?

I can only speak for myself and that is I allowed the chatterbox to talk me out of doing the diet when I was doing so well and I do bitterly regret it as it as been so much more difficult since.

I have been where you are now and I feel for you.

Your not actually living on 500 calories a day.

"The average person uses up about 2000 calories energy each day so the difference between energy used up and energy eaten means that the body's reserve stores of sugar and fat are drawn on to meet the body's needs. In this way body weight is lost. You are not actually living on reduced calories, you are only changing the place the calories come from.

The body, when not dieting, uses mostly sugar for energy rather than fat. The sugar content of the diet is kept deliberately low so that the body's own sugar stores get used up quickly. Fat then becomes the major source of energy.

" Source Medical Development From Howard Foundation Research Ltd.
 
you have done amazingly well, i wish you wouldnt be so hard on yourself. THe weight you have lost in the time you have done it is fantastic.
 
Youve done REALLY well so far you really have, you sounds as if youre being really hard on yourself. The rest of the weight will come off in no time really.... as Mini said it does come off at different rates for us all. Even if you do stop now, 4 stones cant be classed as a failure in anyones book :)
 
My losses got really slow in the last two months as well...(I didn't put a foot wrong until day 170something) you will lose the weight somehow - but yes it gets dull and slow and annoying the closer you get to goal. I would suggest that you do another 5 weeks and attempt to take one final stone off depending on how you feel. Just set yourself that limited time - and get to the end of it so that you feel like you achieved the goal you set yourself. If you don't lose the stone then you know that you did everything you were supposed to do and you succeeded, it was LL that failed to deliver! But I would be surprised if you didn't get at least 10lbs off in that time.
 
Thanks for all your replies.
Karen being honest I think you missed the point of what I was saying! I wasn't complaining but genuinely asking for some advice & support and sorry you felt I was complaining!
Today has been a very emotional day and I've left work early after being in tears & good for nothing. I don't know whether it's PMT or what. What I DO know with absolute certainty is that I have not wanted to finish "early" but it is getting to the point where I feel I should for my own health. I honestly don't think it's my chatterbox. The simple facts are my BP keeps going very low (88 over 67 as one reading); I can do very little physically because I go dizzy and I feel exhausted generally; I look pale & feel restricted in what I am able to do day to day and this is frustrating. My gums are swollen, sore & bleeding.
While I want to continue in my heart of hearts I also know that people who know me & love me WANT me to stop.
What is stopping me is the fact that by stopping now I feel like I have failed; a bit like running a marathon & having to stop at the last mile. My best friend reframed this by saying its not stopping but rather walking the last mile instead of jogging it which I guess is true. I know, regardless of what I decide, that the fact that I know that I will NEVER go back to what I was like before means I have achieved what I wanted to in many ways.
An example of this being that when I think of eating food agaon I dont think "ooo fab I can go nuts & eat rubbish" but "great I can investigate some healthy recipes with yummy veg". This is a long, long way since when I began.
Thank you SOOO much for your support & encouraging comments; I do really appreciate it. The dilemma is SO hard & I am still wavering between stopping or continuing for a month (you & I are on the same page here Cerrulean!)...going to have a snooze and see if I feel any better...will let you know how I get on!
 
Oh hun, I really feel for you :hug99:

It's such a shame that LL doesn't have plans like CD, as this might be the answer for you. It really is a dilemma when you feel your health is being comprimised, but you still want to do it so much.

Did the milk week help in any way?

Okay, if it was me I think I'd add the CD extras for 790 along with the LL stuff, but I really didn't ought to say that :eek:

4.5 stone is fab. It's only when we come on forums such as this do we start to compare our losses in a more negative way...seeing what others are managing. I wasn't a fast loser. Sounds about the same speed as you. Compared to other diets, you've done an amazing job! Be proud of your loss because it's brill!:cool:

Lots of hugs though. So annoying when the body doesn't do what it's supposed to do eh.
 
((((ISOM))))

You have done fantastically, and your friend is so right with that analogy.

I seriously would have a look at the 790 program on CD and see if you can adapt it to continue your LL, but have the additional meal each day based around those principles.

It'll be slightly more calories than 790, but still healthy, nutrious and hopefully give you a boost energy wise.

I feel terrible reading how ill you're feeling, please please put your health first and take the slower route for the last leg of the journey.

790 produces similar results to SS so it shouldn't slow you up too much.

Thinking about you

K xxx
 
ISOM

A big hug!

I hadn't realised it had got as bad as this. You must be quite stoic to not list your ailments all the time!

I'm going to go against what everyone else has said and say that it you are really that ill on this diet, you should find another way. I don't mean adding a meal, I mean something else completely like low GI or something like that.

I know you want to reach the finish line but it sounds like your health is really suffering. What does your GP say at your monthly checks?

On your blog yesterday I suggested doing extra activity to raise your metabolism but it sounds like that wouldn't be an option. Only you know what the right decision is but wouldn't be continuing in your shoes.

Sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear though!
 
Thanks again pepys! I have made a decision that I will continue for a month and then go into management. I did consider CD 790 option but I have wanted to stay with LL because I do think the process & group support are what make it for me. I have felt cack throughout and will continue the last month as I have been; doing what I can & trying to not get frustrated with what I cant! I suspect the evil PMT is responsible for current feelings of general blues & frustration. I will survive & try generally to be postive but today got the better of me! Off to chill & watch crappy TV! Will email Pierce to update my B&A photos to go in the B&A gallery & you'll see why I want to finish...the tummy needs to go!! Thanks again all!
 
Hope the sleep makes you feel better. I feel for you in the dilemma. Your weight loss is fantastic but even more so is the fact that you haven't deviated from the LL plan at all. I am always in awe!!! And yes i think you should be a bit peeved at your losses against your commitment to the plan. But that makes your achievement even more fantastic, you've kept going when the losses have been slow. Maybe you should think more in terms of measurements rather than weight loss because (correct me if I'm wrong) your body has changed more dramatically?
If you feel so unwell (have you tried extra salt to raise your BP?) maybe its the right time to change. You've got a few options though, would you go into LL maintenance and steady your weight. I know as someone whose glycergin (spelling?) has been on and off like a yo-yo this month that its unsettling to see the scales go up so quickly at the first sign of food! Plus eating again can cause some stomach problems if its not controlled. Or switch to CD for the one meal a day plan? Or go on a low carb Atkins style diet to stay in ketosis. Whatever you decide even if its to committ to another month of SS on LL, committ yourself 100% again and know you've achieved so much so far and that you will get to your target come what may because you're a successful and determined lady. Take Care x
 
OOOppphhsssssssss,
Took me that long to finish a reply (in between working!) that you've already made your decision. Glad you're keeping going, it'll be worth it. It'll be worth the satisifaction of staying with the programme as its meant to be done. If only I could say the same thing.... Looking forward to updated pictures. Enjoy your trash tv, off home to watch some too. x
 
Thanks SAFC...just emailed the B&A photos to Pierce so they should appear at some point! What a fab site this is! Days like today I really could not get through without the TLC that people give; it makes such a difference doesent it!
In answer to questions above - I don't see GP as get my BP done at pharmacy. I a fairly sure I know what she would say as she was never enthused about the diet in the first place! I've felt cack all anong & losses (as you can see!) have been all over the place which is due to all over the place hormones so will just push through it & finish as I want to; LL say that I can continue and others have experienced the gum problem so just going to use the corosodol gel see if that clears it up; I will try again to be religious about having two marogold stocks a day as know this helps but am not very good at doing it!! If I feel worse again then will reconsider but don't want to end the journey feeling like I've failed. I know I havent but I will feel that I have and having come so far want to feel 100% success when I finish having sauntered accross the finish line into management...ok possibly crawled would be better but made it under my own steam & in my way & proud of getting over bumps like this rather than feeling I've given up! If I do at ANY point pass out then that is it finished & without question! There you go! Done.... & again thank you all!
 
aww thanks mini! Feeling better emotionally today but have a migraine....off to WI in a mo! Fingers crossed! I may get the management stuff now as need to emotionally prepare in advance for what is coming!
 
Hi you look so good relaxed and slim even your ankles,its great to see that this forum is a two way process people giving and receiving when they need to ,that is sometimes so hard for me to do ask for help so glad you did and got it. You are :vibes::vibes:Almost there and you have helped lots of us along the way thanks
 
aww thanks fitter thats a lovely thing to say.
After the dramas of today the decision was pretty much made when I stood on the scale & lost...zip; nada. ziltch! My response was thats enough! Esp when we wrked out I have lost a pathetic 2ibs in a month; no food; no cheating & 2 measly ibs so on to management I go and now I KNOW it's the right decision. It is disappointing as I wanted to finish the journey on LL but a new plan is now needed! Came home as migraine pounding but just wanted to update!
 
Hello ISOM

I am so sorry, I have just caught up with this thread.

I know you feel as if you are finishing early but, as you acknowledge, you KNOW it's the right decision.

I would have advised you to carry on, if you could, just because once you go into RtM there isn't any turning back (although someone rejoined my Development group). If you are feeling under the weather, it doesn't help - migraine particularly.

You have proved how fantastically determined you are and I am sure, with the same level of commitment, you will probably continue to lose in management, to be honest.

Sometimes our bodies know best!!

Your photos look gorgeous and a real testament to the incredible and heroic hard work you have put into this.

I will be welcoming you to the OTHER side and I will definitely finish my How NOT to do Route to Management so that you have something ready for you.

I send you a big kiss and a massive round of applause; you've done amazingly well!

Take care.

Mrs Lxxx

PS I really liked Mini's explanation about calories. That really helped me.
 
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