Harcombe - worth the effort?

[coley144]

I'm thinking of starting Harcombe in January. I have swapped and changed diets throughout my weight loss - just to keep myself interested really.

Anyway having read about the diet on a few sites, including this one, people seem to lose initially then it tapers off. Has anyone lost long term? If they do are they just doing fat meals rather than having much carbs?

Thanks

 

[motherof2]

Hi, I started the Harcombe plan at the beginning of November and lost 1 stone in the first month. However, when I slipped (which was many times in that first month) it was a major binge on sugar. I didn’t have any side effects (such as headaches etc) from the sugar, so I didn’t associate the sugar with bad effects on my body which would help to reinforce that sugars were bad. It probably did stall my weight loss, but I still lost it quickly much quicker than any other diet I have done before.

I have read about the weight loss slowing down after a month or so. However, if you read the books, Zoe suggests it is down to eating something that you are intolerant to, for example something like a tomato could make you retain water. Cutting it out would then see the weight come off.

The first 5 days are hard, but once you get through it it changes the way you see food. I have not been following it strictly due to the Christmas festivities, however, I have not piled it all back on again like I would have with the past diets I have done.

Good luck!

 

[coley144]

Thanks motherof2 I'll give it a go in January and see how I get on.

 

[mommyB]

I have to say I really enjoyed the Harcombe diet but found it difficult to sustain long term. I had some good results and when i didnt, I know that it was because i hadnt followed it properly.
I joined the forum and there seemed to be people on there who had been doing it for sometime and had losta nd maintained over that time, i just found it didnt quite fit my lifestyle tho, unlike a few other people I actually found the 5 days ( phase 1) fairly easy, just needed a bit of thought and planning