Harcombe Project

Phase 2, Week 9

theoriginalsoupwoman — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 07:53:04 +0000

It’s been interesting two weeks – at least I have learned a thing or two.

In order to control the carb and fat intake, as well as monitor I get all vitamins and minerals I need, I started keeping a food diary at Calorie Count. I had the good intention to completely ignore the calories, but I am not sure if I succeeded. I probably didn’t. Old habits die hard, and perhaps a friend’s success with her calorie restricted diet (43 kg over 12 months) had a subconscious effect. Whatever reason, I seemed to loose my appetite and daily calories went all the way down – about 1500 kcal per day on average, and quite a few days when I struggled to get to 1200 kcal. The result? I gained some weight.

I stopped this a few days ago, and the weight has dropped back and even a little lower. Current weight: 72.2 kgs.

Potatoes, rice and bread are still banned, but I have stopped restricting fat. Perhaps avoiding fat and concentrating on leaner protein prevented me getting enough energy, and my body protested by going on energy save mode? Be what may, I am now sticking to what I’m doing – slow weight loss is better than no weight loss at all.

Phase 2, Week 7

theoriginalsoupwoman — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 14:19:16 +0000

I have been off dairy for a while, except for natural live yoghurt, but no effect. Weight still at 72.6 kg.

It must be something else then… Although I suspect my slow progress is more typical than the success stories in the book and elsewhere,, at least if some of the discussion threads in the Harcombe diet Facebook group are anything to go by.

Phase 2, Week 6

theoriginalsoupwoman — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:49:48 +0000

This week’s verdict – 72.6 kgs. There is progress, but it is very slow. Perhaps I should try re-doing phase 1 to check whether there is some food tolerance thing going on. I have been eating quite a lot of dairy products, after all.

Anyway, healthy BMI is not that far off anymore, now 26.3.

Phase 2, Week 5

theoriginalsoupwoman — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:34:26 +0000

Nothing to report, unfortunately… hopefully the plateau does not last very long.

Phase 2, Week 4

theoriginalsoupwoman — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 09:30:10 +0000

73.2 kgs today! Wohoo! Another 0.3 kgs!

This is more like it, hopefully the trend continues.

Phase 2, Week 3

theoriginalsoupwoman — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:00:37 +0000

Finally something to report!

Weight this morning: 73.5 kg.

It is not a huge loss, only 0.4 kg, but I take it. I was hoping for a more rapid progress, but thinking I have been in “starve yourself and be miserable” diets with similar results over similar time, this has been much more enjoyable. Eating out has been a challenge, though, and it has not always been possible without cheating.

There has been also quite a few revelations. As sugar and processed foods are banned, I have been reading food packaging information carefully, and I have been flabbergasted by how much additives we are being fed. It is really difficult to find sandwich meats etc. without sugar/dextrose, and even most breads have all sorts of strange ingredients added to them.

Phase 2, Week 2

theoriginalsoupwoman — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:57:47 +0000

Not much to report… Scales still stubbornly show 73.9 kg, so progress since end of Phase 1 is nonexistent. Granted, “regularity” has not resumed, so that might explain it, especially as mirror seems to claim I look slimmer.

I am still enjoying the food though, so I will stick to this, at least until our trip to New York end of April. If no more weight has shifted by then, then I must conclude that this either doesn’t really work, or that my “natural weight” is higher than I hoped for. However it is not unreasonable to excpect it to be somewhere in the heaalthy BMI level.

Phase 2, week 2

theoriginalsoupwoman — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:18:13 +0000

Weekly report:

Weight has been hovering around the Phase 1 end weight, but I am not overly concerned, yet. Constipation has been quite a problem and I am confident that once I get that sorted out the scales show an improved number. Introducing fruit back into my diet would surely help with that, but I am not yet convinced that candida has gone, so I think I’ll wait for another week at least.

Phase 2, Day 3

theoriginalsoupwoman — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:29:41 +0000

Weight loss has been stalled for a few days, but I blame Aunt Flo, who is visiting. Otherwise so far so good, it has been nice to get some variety back so the food is more enjoyable now. Not mixing “fats” and “carbs” is little challenging – in principle, I could have some wholegrain rye bread for example, but it is not so tempting without butter…

I hope I reach Phase 3 soon, so that I could cheat every now and then! But of course “not too much, and not too often.”

Phase 2, day 1

theoriginalsoupwoman — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:32:51 +0000

Embarking now on the Phase 2, or a modified version of it. Based on how I feel, I think I still haven’t got rid of candida, so I’ll be restricting grains to brown rice, limiting fruit and avoiding everything vinegary for now. Friends might be avoiding me, as I’ll be eating lots of garlic, which kills candida. I have found other natural remedies that I might try out, virgin coconut oil for example. I think I have seen some in a local health store.

Despite having been feeling a bit rough, I think most difficult thing about this diet is not to count calories, it is such a deep-set habit. Although, I have mainly been concerned about not getting enough of them!