Five Pounds Lost!

Great news! I've been following Diet Delish for the last week, and I've lost five pounds in a single week.

I don't understand how, because this is the third time I've done it, and both the other times I only lost one pound. It's also a fairly generous diet (1,300kcals per day) and I even cheated once by eating a cookie. Anyway I'm really happy.

I've now lost over one stone, which is a major weight-loss goal, and I've marked it in the sidebar under "Goals Achieved". The next goal is only 3 lbs away - to have lost 10% of my starting weight.

I've included a graph of my weight loss so far. I'm really happy today, and proud of what I've achieved. This week I will be following the Grapefruit Diet. Wish me luck.

Again - One Poxy Pound Lost

No more cabbage soup diet for me. Once again I lost one measly pound after a week of self-denial and hunger.

I'm back on Diet Delish for a week, then I'm going to try the Grapefruit Diet. Maybe I can lose significant weight following that, on my weeks in between Diet Delish.

Last Chance Saloon for Cabbage Soup Diet

It's Day 7 of my third round of cabbage soup diet. The first time I did it I was pleased to lose 7lbs, even though the diet was tough. The next time I only lost 1lb and was pretty riled. I've just tried it again and so far I have lost 4lbs. If I gain any of that back by tomorrow's final weigh-in, that's it for CSD, I'm never doing it again. But if I stick at 4lbs weight loss, or have lost a little more this time tomorrow, I might give it another chance.

This week I had one bowl of ice cream, as well as the food on the diet. That's the only cheat I've done in the last five weeks of dieting, and I'm proud of that. I just hope my weight loss reflects the effort I'm putting in.

Still Sticking To It

I'm still sticking very strictly to my diet. But somehow I've lost faith that it will result in much weight loss. It's probably because last time I did this diet I only lost one pound, when it should be more as it's quite a severe crash diet.

If I only lose one or two pounds this time I won't ever do Cabbage Soup Diet again, but I'll try the Grapfruit diet or something instead. But if that happens, at least I'll know it's not because I cheated.

Measurements

I took my body measurements three weeks ago. Since then I have lost 3lbs, which isn't very much. But let's see what effect (if any) it has had on my size:

Bust - 39 inches (lost 1 1/2 inches)
Waist - 34 inches (exactly the same)
Hips - 42 inches (lost 2 inches)

I'm still a size 16 but my jeans are getting too baggy and I can't wear them without a belt. My size 14 jeans are still too tight. But I'm glad I am shrinking. My tape measure proves it.

I See A Pattern

There seems to be a pattern emerging - Wednesday morning I weigh-in and find a depressingly small weight loss for the week. Thursday morning I weigh myself again, although really I shouldn't, and find I've dropped two more pounds overnight. This time I hope I can keep them off all week, and maybe drop one or two more.

The thing is, I hate it when I micro-manage my weight like this, and spend hours mulling over every little day-by-day loss or gain. I want to concentrate on the big picture, and live my life rather than obsess about how much I weigh all the time.

Only Lost One Pound Again

I can't believe it. I gained back one of the pounds I lost on day one last week, so my total weight loss this week is again one pound. For the last there weeks I only lost one pound per week. It's better than nothing, but I have been so faithful to the diets I expected to lose more. At this rate it will take me exactly a year to reach my goal weight (I have 52 more pounds to lose).

I am starting another week of cabbage soup diet this week, but if I only lose one pound this time I won't ever do cabbage soup again. The first week I did it I lost 7lbs, but the next time I only lost 1lb. I am also going to exercise at least three times this week. We'll see how it goes.

Still Sticking to Diet Delish

I'm still sticking to Diet Delish. I do enjoy it because the food is so tasty. This morning for breakfast I had a smoothie made from a cup of skimmed milk, a frozen banana and a tablespoon of smooth peanut butter, all blended together. It's much easier to do than Cabbage Soup Diet but if I alternate between a week of CSD/a week of Diet Delish I think I can maximise my weight loss without getting bored or tempted to cheat.

Diet Bracelet

A few years ago a friend gave me a bracelet made of quartz crystals to help me stick to the diet I was on at the time, because they're supposed to give you strength and help you achieve your goals. Or something. I don't believe in the magic power of crystals, but I do know that every time I reached out for a chocolate bar or a slice of pizza, I saw the diet bracelet and remembered I wasn't supposed to be eating food like that. So in a way, it did help.

The crystal bracelet snapped and I lost it, but the next time I went on a diet I bought myself a new diet bracelet (this one is red) to help me remember not to eat fattening foods. I think all these little tricks help, even if they don't actually have a direct effect on my body, they have an effect on my mind.

Better Weigh-In

I don't normally weigh myself every day, but I was so disappointed after yesterday's weigh-in that I weighed myself this morning. I had dropped another 2lbs.

I can't believe that after the incredibly strict cabbage soup diet, yesterdays day of diet delish caused me to drop 2lbs on the day. So I'm going to assume that they were just waiting to go as a result of CSD, so really I lost 3lbs last week. From today onwards any more weight loss I will attribute to DD.

I'm not mental - I do know I am rationalising myself in circles here. But if I diet for no reward I will have no motivation to continue to diet. There has to be a payback.

Only Lost 1lb - Very Cross

I'm very cross. I only lost one poxy pound after a week of sticking to cabbage soup diet really strictly. It's not a fun diet, it's so restrictive, but it was worth it because of the results. But it definitely isn't worth it for one lousy pound in a week.

I'm back on diet delish for a week. Last time I did it I lost a pound, but I was eating french toast and jam and honeyed pork medallions and all sorts of delicious things. Not disgusting cabbage soup.

I don't know what I'll do at the end of this week. I can't face cabbage soup diet again unless I felt confident of losing loads of weight. But I can't face the prospect of a one pound per week weight loss, and taking over a year to reach my goal weight.

I'm feeling pretty hacked off.

Day 7

Well it's Day 7 of the Cabbage Soup Diet (second time through). I stuck to it without ever deviating or cheating but it was harder this time. I'm looking forward to weighing in tomorrow and seeing how much weight I lost this week, but even more I'm looking forward to chaging back to yummy Diet Delish.

Plateau

I know that for me, the danger time in any diet is when my weight-loss hits a plateau. I can practically starve myself if the pounds are dropping off. But if my efforts seem to be in vain it is extremely difficult to keep my motivation.

What I need is a strategy. What will I do if (when) I hit a plateau? Hmmm.

Green Tea

I've read that green tea burns fat, suppresses appetite and increases metabolism. I don't know if that's true or not but it can't hurt to drink a cup or so every day along side reducing calorie intake and increasing exercise.

Motivation High

My motivation is still high, I got through day 2 of cabbage soup diet quite easily, even though it is the toughest day. All you can have is soup and vegetables. The highlight is a baked potato you are allowed in the evening. But I discovered a wonderful new way to flavour the soup - Thai-style with coriander, lime juice and chilli.

Multivitamins

I take a multivitamin every day and two calcium tablets.

The multivit is to make up for any deficiencies in my diet, although when I stick to a weight-loss diet I think I probably have more vitamins and minerals from all the fruit and vegetables compared to when I'm eating badly and gaining weight.

The calcium is because I've seen a number of articles which say calcium is important for metabolising fat, and people who eat a lot of low-fat dairy whilst on a weight-loss diet lose more weight than people who take in the same number of calories without the dairy. Not all the diets I follow include much dairy (the Cabbage Soup Diet is a good example) so I make sure I always take a calcium supplement instead.

Lost 1lb on Diet Delish

I lost one pound this week sticking strictly to Diet Delish. I'm happy with that. It wasn't an arduous week and the food was so nice I sometimes I thought I might even gain weight eating so well.

But now I'm going to do another week of Cabbage Soup Diet. Last time I did CSD I lost 7lbs, but I don't expect to equal that again. If I lose 4lbs I'll be very happy. I'd be satisfied f I lost 2lbs.

Last Day of Diet Delish

It's my last day of Diet Delish. I think I'll start the Cabbage Soup Diet again tomorrow, because it worked so well for me last time and I still have some of the soup in the freezer. But if I find it hard to stick to because I'm bored of it, I'll try something else instead.

I've enjoyed Diet Delish, the food has been great - really tasty but also easy to prepare. I think I may even have lost a pound or two this week. I won't know until I weigh myself tomorrow, but I'm certain I haven't gained any weight anyway.