Plateaus & weight loss – a few thoughts
This is a new section in the latest edition of “Stop Counting Calories”. I hope it helps share some of the learnings that clients and I have had working together since the first edition was published:
1) The incredible weight loss, which many people achieve in Phase 1, is not sustainable. Much as I would love for you to lose several pounds every week, week in week out, it is extremely unlikely to happen. Candida and Food Intolerance cause significant water retention and, if you lose over half a stone in five days (as regularly happens), much of this will be water and this can only be lost once. As long as you keep these two particular conditions under control, there is no reason for this water to return, and this weight loss really does count – you can drop a clothes size, or even two, in a matter of days and look and feel so much better.
2) On the subject of water vs. fat loss, weight is weight. The human body is approximately 50% water, so you are always going to lose water as you lose weight. So long as you don’t lose water in an unnatural way, with diuretics, if you are normally hydrated and you weigh less than last week, you have lost weight and you will feel and look slimmer.
3) There is no formula on earth when it comes to weight loss. The “to lose 1lb of fat…” formula in Chapter 2 absolutely does not work (ask the next person who says this to you where it comes from and what the evidence for it is – they won’t be able to tell you). If you had found something that gave you sustained 2lb a week weight loss, you would have lost 104lbs in the past year (and the year before and the year before that) and you wouldn’t be reading this book. I’m really sorry if I am the one breaking this to you, but there is no formula.
Hence, sadly, I genuinely cannot predict what your weight loss will be on The Harcombe Diet. I can share with you numerous testimonials from people who have lost a great deal of weight and kept it off. Many come to say that the weight loss is almost a bonus – what they love even more is the freedom from food addiction and cravings and the incredible energy and wellbeing that they have.
I can share that people comment time and time again that a pound lost on this diet is gone for good – because you have not slowed your metabolism, there is no tendency for you to put on weight the minute you start eating ‘normally’, as happens on other diets. Your whole concept of normal eating will become a lifelong commitment to nourishing your body with real food and cheating when you want to and getting away with it.
Check out Facebook, Amazon and YouTube for comments about the diet. You will find lots of inspiring stories of people who have lost stones and are wearing their target size jeans for the first time in years. Posting such as “Bought the book, it’s a super read, I have lost 2 stone 2lbs in 5 weeks” (YouTube) make my day! Follow the rules and you will lose weight and you will keep it off. However, no one on earth can tell you how quickly you will reach your natural weight.
4) Phase 1 vs. Phase 2 is up to you. Phase 1 is the fastest weight loss plan I have come across, but Phase 2 delivers better on the practical and enjoyable characteristics of a diet. There is a trade off between faster weight loss with a more restricted plan and steadier weight loss and a more varied plan – the choice is yours and you can flex between the two from week to week, to suit your lifestyle. If you want to stay on Phase 1 for longer and find it OK for your lifestyle – do so.
5) If you did well on Phase 1 and then don’t lose any weight for more than a couple of weeks in Phase 2, this can pretty much only be due to something you have re-introduced in Phase 2. You need to be quite analytical and look at everything you have added back in and see if you have added in anything that could have started to ‘feed’ one of the conditions. Wheat would be my first suspect. I have yet to meet someone who does not feel better and lose weight faster staying off wheat until at least close to their goal weight. Things that ‘feed’ Candida and Hypoglycaemia are the next suspects – fruit, whole grains – any substantial increase in carbohydrates into your diet can have an impact if you are very carb sensitive. Re-read Chapter 7 on Phase 2 and follow the advice for the three conditions really carefully to make Phase 2 work for you.
6) Plateaus – because there is no formula that can predict weight loss, there is no way of knowing how much will be lost each week. Some people do find that they plateau – even for a few weeks (this is rare), but then they suddenly start losing steadily again and a month later almost another stone has gone. Plateaus are so frustrating and my heart really does go out to people who are sticking so well to the diet and who don’t get the reward that week – but the reward does come. We just can’t predict when – boy do I wish I could. I know I can take away cravings and I know that Phase 1 works for everyone who has tried it. I just can’t guarantee you will lose weight every single week, week in week out.
Consider this, though: the majority of my success stories have been doing calorie controlled diets for at least 10 years and they had reached the point where they had stopped losing a single pound, despite trying to survive on 1000-1200 calories a day. They try Phase 1, lose 5-10lbs in a week and never look back. You will get there and you will be eating really healthily in the meantime and will no longer be hungry and exhausted.
7) I have developed a theory, working with clients, that weight loss is as much about overcoming fat storage as it is about encouraging fat burning. I really believe that the bodies of long term calorie counters are trained to store fat and we need to re-train the body to stop storing fat. The best way I have found for doing this is to have clients eat three substantial and nourishing meals a day and to eat these as regularly as possible. The body then knows when the next fuel is coming and quickly learns that it doesn’t need to store fat any more. I am really pleasantly surprised how quickly the human body responds positively to healthy eating and how rapidly it starts to work with you.
To accompany this principle, I cannot recommend strongly enough (I do repeat this so often in the book) – limit snacking and avoid snacks altogether if at all possible. If you really are hungry between meals try to eat more at meals, so you are not hungry and/or stick to carb free snacks if possible. Whenever you eat a carbohydrate, the body goes into a glucose/insulin/fat storing environment and you want it to be in a fat burning environment, to use up your love handles. The less often you eat carbs, during the day, the better. Carbs and insulin really are the secret to weight loss.
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hello ! i am peggy from greece and i am dieting for 3 weeks now.the first and the second week i can tell that i lose 3 kilos.However the last week i gain 1.5 kilos . i dont know the reason .i follow the three rules…Can you tell me what i am doing wrong?
Dear Zoe,
I’ve just finished reading your book and finally everything around food and weight/fat loss makes sense!
At this time I’m still breastfeeding my little boy so I think I will leave your actual diet for later, however I did decide to cut out on sugar completely and white flour as much as I can. I even quit my favourite special K’s…that’s when I realized that they were my favourites because of their subtle sweetness! Now I only eat eggs or porridge for breakfast and sweeten it with a little mashed banana, which makes it delicious!
I have a question though:I am a big fan of figure and fitness, you know those muscular, lean women. Well they only eat fruit,veggies, a little slow digesting carbs and lots of low fat lean meat. So how do they survive without the fats that you suggest in your diet?
This is a part where I got confused…will I ever get lean if I eat bacon with my eggs, or mayo with my tuna?
Thank you for your help and the very useful knowledge that you provide!
Magda, Greece
PS: My mom is 56, she’s beeb doing your diet for a few months and it’s the first that I’ve seen her actually lose that fat from her waist!
Hi Magda – many thanks for your lovely comments. Great idea to cut out sugar and white flour while breastfeeding – don’t need to pass on bad habits or empty calories to the little fella!
Your fitness question made me smile – this is quite subjective because I think muscles can look overdone very quickly and I find it repulsive! Any body builders make me literally feel sick. Madonna is too muscular for my liking. I thought Jennifer Anniston looked good recently – toned, but still like a woman.
A few points here:
1) you cannot see muscle under fat! Hence the first thing people have to do to be able to look even toned is be a normal weight. I apparently have a ‘six pack’ (so my makeover clothes advisor told me!) This is not because I have ever done a sit up in my life – I’d rather watch paint dry – but because I have a BMI of just under 21 and I’m not hiding my muscles with a layer of fat. So,
2) the fist thing you have to be to look toned/muscular – whatever you want – is to be a normal weight. Best way of achieving that (I would say this of course!) is The Harcombe Diet! Eat real food, don’t go hungry, no empty calories, no grazing and manage how and when you eat carbs – not calories.
3) Check out this video link below for Sally Fallon Morel’s presentation – it’s in 2 parts and I’m so sorry that I can’t remember which part (best guess is towards the end of the first part) and she talks about the danger of high protein diets. I really worry about what people are doing to their bodies with protein shakes and lean meats etc. Nature puts fat and protein in foods in the right way – just as it puts vitamins and minerals in food in the right way. One quote I wrote down from Sally was “A high protein/low fat diet is the fastest way to deplete the liver of vitamin A” and we really do not want to do that – critical vitamin balance being disturbed here.
http://www.vimeo.com/videos/search:wise%20traditions%20UK
Please come and join us in the new club: http://www.theharcombedietclub.com – I won’t be answering in here much longer, but this one was so interesting I’ll copy it across!
Love to mum
Best wishes – Zoe x
Dear Zoe,
I can’t thank you enough for your answer and for the link that you posted. I was really shocked by what Ms. Fallon Morell had to say, especially how teeth mirror what we really are!
I’ll join your club, wish you all the best and keep helping and opening people’s eyes about their nutrition.
Best regards,
Magda, Greece
Hi Zoe, can you eat chewing gum at all?? my only problem is needing to chew gum as thats all i am used to. i am on day two of phase 1 and i am feeling fine so far, last night on day one like you said in your book i got the candida craving for sweets/fruit at 8pm when the kids went to bed, however this was the time i used to feed my addiction before so i guess its just a habit that needs breaking…. loads more energy and so feeling good. is a tipple of vodka at the weekend a no no also?? so chewing gum and vodka my two questions please. i have five stone to lose and i have been on everything, lighter life, weight watchers, atkins, etc…. nothing i have not tried so fingers crossed.
thanks moll
Answered on first post x
HI ZOE, SORRY ITS ME AGAIN…. I HAVE FOUND DURING MY FIVE DAYS THAT I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING A STOMACH PAIN SHORTLY AFTER EATING MY LUNCH- I LOVE RED ONIONS AND I THINK THATS THE CAUSE???? ALSO FINISHING DAY FIVE TODAY AND SO ANNOYED I ATE A SMALL WEIGT WATCHER CHOCOLATE BAR ON IMPULSE, HOWEVER VERY ANNOYED AND DISAPPOINTED AS GETTING WEIGHED ALSO IN THE MORNING.. BUT THE STOMACH PAIN CAME BACK AGAIN AND LASTED FEW HOURS.. DOES THIS MEAN I HAVE FOOD INTOLERANCES TO BOTH THESE?? IT HURTS WHEN IT HAPPENS..
THANKS ZOE
6lbs done in phase 1, woohoo, best weight loss in ages.. feel great… started phase two today. my husband is even keen on implementing the three rules for phase two. he has read lots of fitness and health books and says everything zoe is saying is completely true.
thanks zoe!!!!
Hi Moll – we have a club now for all queries like this. http://www.theharcombedietclub.com. Loads of super members there to help everyone!
Hope to see you there
Best wishes – Zoe
Hello, I followed the plan for the first five days and lost 5lb, I have continued on this and have put on 3lb but I am doing nothing different. Please help as I am really enjoying the food but really dissapointed at the results.
Hi Lottie – we’ve set up a club to help with all queries: please come and join us at http://www.theharcombedietclub.com – lots of help on hand!
Best wishes – Zoe
Hi Zoe
I can’t thank you enough for your great diet. I have lost 17lbs over two months and have no cravings which in the past ruled my life.
I have tried every diet and this is the only one that works plus you get to eat great food.
Several of my friends have now been converted and looking great.
I am having trouble joining your club, any suggestions? Just keep getting oops message.
Thanks again.
Hi Diannne – thanks so much for your lovely comment – I’m so thrilled this has helped you so much. You should receive a private email from our ‘clubadmin’ trying to help you join in the club – we’ll see you in there soon hopefully
Very best wishes – Zoe
I have followed the diet for four weeks and lost 12 lbs. This is a lifestyle change.
I am interested in nutrition for many personal health reasons, but I am confused about not mixing carbs and protein at the same meal. I am currently reading a book by patrick holford and he quotes that he has not found any evidence why you cannot combine these as proteins are digested in the stomach taking 2 hours and carbs are digested in the small intestine which take longer. I understand what you are both saying but I am rather confused!!
Hi there – don’t be confused! Big well done on the weight loss by the way – you must be pleased. As the “Stop Counting Calories” book says – protein is in everything (other than sucrose and pure oils, like olive oil). Protein is in lettuce, apples, bread as well as the obvious meat/fish/eggs etc. Hence food can be usefully divided into two categories: carb/proteins and fat/proteins (we then just drop the word protein in The Harcombe Diet and talk about fats and carbs).
What we are really interested in is the foods that have an impact on insulin (carb/proteins) and the group that doesn’t (fat/protein). To be accurate, meat and fish have no impact on insulin, eggs have virtually none and dairy foods do have a slight impact (dairy foods are c. 5% carb as a rule of thumb). Why are we interested in the foods that impact insulin and the foods that don’t? Because insulin is called the fattening hormone for good reason! Carbs cause insulin to be released and we can only store fat and we cannot burn fat when insulin is present. This is why we manage the number of times a day we eat even good carbs on the diet.
From the little you’ve told me about the PH bit you read – you may want to check it again. Carbs start being digested the minute we start chewing – they are the easiest things out of fat/protein/carbs (macronutrients) to digest and I don’t think PH would have said otherwise. From what I’ve read of his stuff – he knows his nutrition! I think we’re talking about different things – him digestion and me fat storage.
I don’t check this often so please join us in our club set up for queries like this: http://www.theharcombedietclub.com
Very best wishes – Zoe
p.s. my hubby is ‘open’ on the PC – so it’s come up in his name – nice pic!
vorrei sapere se il tuo libro con le diete è tradotto in italiano e se in italia e in vendita
I’m so sorry I don’t speak Italian! I have asked an Italian friend to look here for you. Or please join our club at http://www.theharcombedietclub.com if you are OK in English.
Very best wishes – Zoe
Ho letto un articolo su questa dieta sul giornale “tu style” e sarei interessata a farla…ma non si riescono a trovare notizie in italiano! che dramma!ed il mio inglese è zoppicante!!!
I’m so sorry I don’t speak Italian! I have asked an Italian friend to look here for you. Or please join our club at http://www.theharcombedietclub.com if you are OK in English.
Very best wishes – Zoe
Vorrei almeno uno schema dietetico per la prima settimama in italiano.Non parlo bene inglese e non si capisce granchè dalle traduzioni fatte dal tuo sito. Cosa posso mangiare materialmente e cosa non devo? Help. in italiano però! Grazie Valeria
Meet my Italian friend!
http://www.facebook.com/theharcombediet#!/profile.php?id=680742427
Hi Zoe, I have started 10 day diet one day before and I am feeling low in energy. I would love to drink black tea with milk and a bit of sugar in it. But your diet says no to milk, black tea and sugar. Let me know about phase 2, and phase 3. I know about phase 1 for five days, what about other phases?
Hi Kulwinder – we’ve set up a club to help with all queries: please come and join us at http://www.theharcombedietclub.com – lots of help on hand!
Best wishes – Zoe
Hi Zoe, Your club costs money to see the information on phase 2 and phase 3. Entry level does not give me the information I need. Well, thanks anyway…
Hi Kulwinder – the book is only £4 on Amazon at the moment – it covers 20 years of my research and learnings and there are 400 pages of info. If you only want free stuff, there is a limit as to what is going to be available! You can ask any questions you want in the free club, but people will (understandably I think) expect you to have read the book!
Good luck with your weight loss
Very best wishes – Zoe
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Harcombe-Diet-Counting-Calories-Losing/dp/1906125082/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1280342909&sr=8-1
Hi Zoe i bought your book 2weeks ago+it has changed my life!! i cant believe how well i feel, i had nearly every symptom for candida+was actually diagnosed with it 6yrs ago but didn’t understand the condition so obviously it has just got worse, until i started your diet i had no energy at all was so depressed, was bloated, my food cravings were scaring me+i had severe pain in my feet+legs, after sitting down for a while+getting out of bed in the morning i could’nt stand up straight, i was doubled over like an old lady, it would take a few minutes before i could walk properly but even then i had pain+could’nt walk up or down steps properly, after a wk of changing all the things i used to eat the pain has almost gone from my legs+the energy i’ve got is amazing, and the best bit is my cravings have completely gone, i lost 5+half pounds in phase 1, thank you so much i genuinely believe this diet has saved my life, i know now i can reach the weight i want+more importantly my health is going to be fantastic, THANK YOU THANK YOU xxxxx
Hi Tracey – thank you SO much for your lovely comment. I am so pleased that this has helped you so much. I would love public health advisors, who tell people to eat sugary cereal for breakfast and margarine instead of butter, to see your message. If only they could make the (not so common) sense realisation that people can feel so well – they just need to eat food – real food! We set up a free club earlier on this year to help people doing the diet. Check out http://www.theharcombedietclub.com if you need any support on your journey. Sadly we have recently had to introduce moderation in the club but you should have comments spotted quite quickly and then start getting answers!
Thanks again
Very best wishes – Zoe
p.s. I managed to write under my hubby’s login! It is me really – Zoe x
heey zoe, is this diet plan ok for kids and teenagers to try? because i am 14 and i really want to loose weight and just feel helthier. i have read heaps of diet plans n magazines before but they are highly confusing. one says eat heaps of fruit, while the other says don’t eat heaps fruit because its full of sugar and carbs. what should i do? p.s are the books available in australia?
Hi there – I would say that this is one of the only things that a teenager should try to be healthier. The last thing a growing person should do is to go on any kind of diet that restricts calories, as this could affect your growth and development for life. This is about eating better – not eating less – and making sure you avoid all empty calories (those with no nutrition).
My view on the fruit is definitely don’t eat heaps of it – very little in fact if you need to lose weight. It is full of sugar and carbs and, working exclusively in the world of obesity as I do, we are starting to call fructose (fruit sugar) the fattening carbohydrate – it is metabolised by the body in a quite unique way and can easily be turned into fat. I would be recommending that you base your diet on only real food – nothing processed whatsoever. Base your meals on quality meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, vegetables (limited baked potatoes), salads, limited or no fruit and limited or no whole grains (brown rice, whole grain bread etc). Eating in this way – you won’t affect any growth still to take place, you won’t go hungry and you will be avoiding the fattening junk.
The books are available in Australia (in all good book shops and from exisle.com) – they really help if you find yourself craving anything
Good luck
Very best wishes – Zoe
zoe…
i’m ina from Indonesia
is your book available in Indonesia?
i guess it’s really interesting diet plan and i want to try it
i’ve watched your video about the phase 1 and i want to know more about the next phase
thank you
Hi Ina – the book is available on amazon.com – it won’t be in shops in Indonesia. There are some on ebay too
hope this helps
Best wishes – Zoe