[Mama2twins]

Hello everyone! My name is Shiloh and I am so glad that I stumbled upon this site. I am hoping to get some insight and encouragement as I am feeling a bit frustrated as I begin week 4 of the SBD. I lost a total of 7 lbs during the first 2 weeks and now nothing. I haven't even moved on to phase 2 yet, although I have added 1-2 glasses of wine to my diet most days. I also have allowed myself to have sugar free flavored creamer with my coffee. Other than that, I have been extremely diligent in following the rules.

Can these changes be affecting my weight loss? Should I cut them out to see if it makes a difference? My efforts feel like they have been for nothing since the scale is no longer moving.

Thanks for listening.

[JohnP]

Fat loss or gain is an equation of energy.

Your body converts food to energy

Eat more energy than your body uses and you add to fat stores

Eat less energy than your body uses and your body uses fat stores to make up the difference

Energy is measured in calories.


Sadly - there is no easy way to measure fat loss or gain over short periods of time so we stand on a scale which measures our weight. Water flux affects the scale in the short run much more than fat loss or gain, especially in women.


The point of this is that you may be losing fat still and the scale may not be reflecting it.


I personally always suggest people count calories for a while because it is very informative and with todays technology is very easy.

[Ellemphriem]

I am 'apparently' stuck also during this week. Been good in controlling my potions but the scales are not moving down. Nor up either which is good i suppose. I am counting on what John said above. That maybe i am still loosing fat but it is not showing yet and then one morning i may find me half a pound down......:/

[Mama2twins]

Thank you for your responses. I sure hope you are right, John. I will just continue to do what I am doing and try to increase my activity level. I have an app for calorie counting so I will start utilizing that as well to ensure I am not exceeding a reasonable amount of calories.

[JohnP]

I am right. We're all slightly different but I'm unaware of any human that defys the basic laws of thermodynamics.

By the way - a "reasonable" number of calories has no meaning. Context always matters.

The energy needs of a 6'9" male like me - differ from the energy needs of a 4'11" female. I can eat 2,000 calories and lose fat. A 4'11" female would plump up quite nicely on 2,000 calories.

If you want to count calories, figure out an aproximate caloric goal for the day. You can easily do this with a calorie calculator. Just keep in mind these are only aproximate figures.