About weight plateaus….
A few things you need to remember:
1. Apart from fat, the other constant change is food and water retention
2. Muscles are heavier than fat
3. A plateau does not nessarily mean that nothing’s happening
Did you guys complete the chapter on ‘Elusive Body Fat’? If you haven’t, please have a read. If you have, please have a read again. Do read the chapter on ‘The Slow Carb Diet II’ as well.
First of all, don’t panic…this is key. Just acknowledge it. Don’t let disappointment set in. Take it objectively, without emotion. This is when you need to be the thick-skinned jerk and go ‘yea ok’
After that, go through this check list:
- Am I drinking enough water?
- Am I having breakfast early enough?
- Am I having 20-30g of protein per meal?
- Am I eating my beans? (It’s the Slow carb diet, not a No carb diet. Important for metabolism)
- Am I sleeping / resting enough?
- Have I had my weekly binge?
- Do I feel better?
- Does my body feel tighter?
- Am I feeling stronger?
- Are my clothes getting loose?
- And finally…am I focused on the right thing?
You can see clearly in my results column that for the full 2nd month of the program in Febuary, my weight didn’t budge. Heck, I even put on a tiny but of it. But the amazing thing was that throughout the whole time, I was feeling better, my body felt tighter and my clothes started to get loose. I know this for a fact because I’m having more and more trouble keeping my favourite (and very) expensive Billabong shorts from falling off. That’s a problem I want to have!
Then, in March, the 3rd month, my weight decided to drop again. No major habit changes.
A lot of things are happening in your body. You could be gaining as much lean muscle as you are losing fat. You might have forgotten to drink enough and the body’s keeping some water. You might have forgotten your veggies and there’s some poo stuck in you.
What I’m trying to say, and what Tim mentions often in his book is, weight is just one of many factors. It is a very obvious and measureable factor, but it’s by no means a comprehensive indicator of what’s happening to your body.
Of course, the idea is not to be delusional. If you’re not drinking enough water and having enough protein, that’s probably the reason. Do something about it. But if you’re doing everything right AND everything’s improving except the weight….wadcha worrying about?
You’re doing great man!