L L Total disheartened

[Lauriec]

Hi all thanks for answering my first thread on headaches. I am now on week 5 and I am feel disheartened. I lost 8lb wk 1, 4lb wk 2, and then only 1lb wk 3 and again 1lb on week 4. I have been in ketosis throughout and had a bit of a problem with my B P dropping dramatically recently though its gone back up now. I have not (really not) cheated at all but cant understand how my loss is so small. Has anyone else had this problem please as although I am sticking with it, I am begining to struggle with motivation, not because of the food, but wont be able to sustain the cost at 1lb a week !!
thanks

 

[eatlikeabird]

Hi Lauriec,
As you don't have any stats posted it doesn't indicate where you are starting from or how much you want to lose. I have so much to lose that I have a bigger calorie deficit. Also I find I get one week of higher weightloss out of 4 and then lower losses the other weeks due to hormonal cycles. Also the body can have lower loss weeks while it is adjusting and losing inches, then you will have a higher loss again.
So keep at it, you are going in the right direction and one of these weeks you will have a big loss and you will be all smiles and feel like you are walking on air. And it will be so worth sticking with it.
Have a talk with your LLC, as she knows your stats and will be able to help.

 

[Lauriec]

Thanks, I will. My stats are starting weight 12.8 lb bmi 32 age 55 and no hormones left!!!

 

[pandorasinbox]

Do you mean 12.8stone? What height are you? About 5'2"?

Are you drinking enough water? Not drinking enough can slow down your weight loss AND cause the headaches you've been suffering from. Trying significantly upping your water intake and see how you go.

 

[Lauriec]

Hi, yes 12st 8lb and 5ft 2". I will try to drink more but I am measuring it and drink between 3.5 and 4 litres per day. not exercising much to be honest as I have bad back, but walking fast for 30 - 40 mins twice a day. Must do more - maybe walk up a thirst!!
thanks for your help.

 

[pandorasinbox]

Different people need different amounts of water. 4 litres is just a guideline - your body might be thirstier than that.

 

[Catthin]

Hi Laurie
Sometimes our bodies lose at different rates.I have had some small losses and felt really despondant.I did increase my water uptake and I also stopped having the bars.I also started walking a bit more.
Try to focus on the total amount lost rather than the weekly weigh ins.You have lost a stone in your first four weeks which is brilliant.Stick at it it will shift.
The more you have to lose the quicker it comes off
Cathy

 

[jmny]

I'm only on lite and don't need a GP to follow my progress apparently but I felt I had problems with bp also, going to get checked out this Thursday, when I got off the sofa I had major stars in my eyes and felt so dizzy, I'm guess my BP had gone down, I also felt my heart racing at some points, wasn't sure if it was the diet or anxiety, I started weighing 12st 6lbs and am 5"8, so my bmi was 26.8 or so.. I actually feel a lot better now, when I have mu lite meal I've been adding a little salt - perhaps that is helping. I would NOT increase your water intake if you're already taking in 4 litres, the precocious salts and minerals your body needs are already being washed out by drinking 4 litres of water a day you don't want to exceed that 4 L as it could be dangerous. I don't know what you discussed with your doctor about your BP, but if I were you I'd discuss it with them in more detail - they may suggest adding a little salt to your soups or the drink mix for the water may contain salt, check labels for sodim intake, recommended daily allowance in 1.5g,... I noticed the food packets have all your vitmins and minerals accounted for but perhaps not sodium, I'm not too sure about all this myself but I will come back and let you know what my GP tells me when I go this Thurs. I had the headaches too behind and inbetween my eyes, I'm on week 2 and they seem to have improved. Mathematics says you WILL loose weight on this diet, especially when you've started out with a high bmi, your metabolic rate will be fairly high as a result of all the food you were eating in the past..now you're dieting the weight WILL absolutely come off if you stick to it, you're taking in 500 cals a day, no more, so if you're only 5"2 and weigh over 12 stone then you're expanding weigh more calories than 500 daily just carrying that extr weight around. Could you be constipated?

 

[Julz]

Hi Laurie
It can be disheartening to lose only 1lb in a week as I have done, you need to remember it all adds up. It can take a while for some people to get into the stride of LL, do stick with it as it will suddenly start to fall off you. I drink 4-5Litres a day as well as my shakes water, on the weeks when I had not drunk so much my losses slowed down.
I have had low blood pressure a couple of times with the dizziness, usually on the days when my water intake had not been good.
I would be careful about the exercise you do, certainly for the first couple of months, the very low calorie intake we are on, it is recommended not to do too much additional exercise. I increased my exercise a couple of months after starting when the BP and light headedness eased off. It also slows your weight loss down, so my LLC suggests not doing any exercise while on Total!! I made the decision to exercise as I do not want too much saggy skin.
I'm 53, so no TOTM for me either, but there is definitely a change each month in how I feel, which I had not been aware of before starting LLT, again the losses seem to slow each month.
Glad you have been in ketosis the whole time, I have not cheated at all, (before my hols last 2 weeks ) and my stick did not show I have been in ketosis the whole time.

Stick with it, it will kick in, then you will suddenly find your clothes are too big!! It's worth it.
Jx

 

[girlygirl1]

I don't know about LL but most VLCDs promise a loss of a stone a month. That you have achieved, although I understand why you were hoping for a bigger loss, particularly in the first month.

Your body may simply be adjusting to a diet that is, frankly, quite a shock to it! Being post-menopausal doesn't help, as you know. The superfast losses of yesteryear seem to desert women at that time.

You need to congratulate yourself on having lost that initial stone, and keep going. One stone a month is a great rate of loss and you may indeed see a much larger loss next weigh-in. Good luck and stay strong x