 Ossie-Sharon 6 years ago | Hi, Clairze. You don’t have to plunge into unfamiliar things to make this work. As long as you gradually make the move to relatively unprocessed, unrefined foods and employ portion control, you’ll be benefiting.
I suggest that you use the personal version of the Menu Planner application so that you can select the foods that work for you. In the toolbar above your current menu, click on “My Food Choices.” You will be brought to the food lists, where you can make your selections in each major category (large upper buttons) and subcategory (side buttons). When you’re done there, scroll to the bottom of any of the pages and click on “SAVE AND CREATE MENU.” Once your menu is generated, you can still make changes by clicking on the food you wish to swap out, then selecting a replacement from the pop-up list of alternatives. |
 clairze 6 years ago | Just joined today and I am overwhelmed by all of it! Think I made a mistake! The menus look too difficult to follow! Yikes! Might have to cancel immediately! |
 cathylchilds 6 years ago | Thank you. It makes sense and really appreciate your thorough answer. |
| Ossie-Sharon 6 years ago | Hi, Cathy. Your body’s reaction is quite normal in this program, because it is focused on meeting your nutritional needs. If you have been on a restrictive diet in the past, your metabolism may have slowed and it may take a little while for your body to get used to normal amounts of food again.
Another common cause of lack of weight loss or weight gain is an imbalance in thyroid function. For this, we recommend getting tested and followed by your healthcare provider. If you are receiving medication, be sure the dose matches your need.
It’s great that you are active, as physical activity is the most reliable (and healthiest) way to give your body a boost. This is not just because of the extra energy it burns, but also because it protects and strengthens your most important fat-burning asset, muscle tissue.
If you recently started exercising, the number on the scale may not be reliable at this stage. Since you are now swapping fat for muscle, which is much heavier, you may be getting healthier while the number of pounds or kilos stays the same. In this case, pay more attention to how you’re looking and feeling, how your clothes are fitting, etc.
If you have been exercising all along, the muscles you usually use may have become complacent and don’t burn energy the way they did at the beginning. In this case, we suggest to introduce new exercises, even swapping them out for the old ones for a little while, to wake up new muscles. The best results have been reported with introducing weight training—again, it doesn’t have to be super strenuous, just something you can do on a regular basis. Even just lifting filled food cans in front of the TV counts. Another option is to mix up the rhythm by adding bursts of higher intensity movement to a steady aerobic regime. This can be something like 30 seconds of jogging or going uphill every 5 minutes during a regular walk.
Regardless of your situation, it is recommended to you discuss your plans with your health care provider to be sure any needed safety steps are taken.
If you have additional questions or concerns, or if none of these scenarios appear to apply to you—and/or you are noticing that the food amounts are exceeding your physical comfort level—please do repost, and we will work with you to right-size both aspects of your plan. |
| cathylchilds 6 years ago | And yes I am active. Just in case this is your recommendation. Thanks |
| cathylchilds 6 years ago | Into my fourth week now and lost two pounds and then this week back up one . I am a little disappointed at my progress or lack there of. I know we are all different and progress differently but is this progress considered normal or do you have other suggestions. Thanks |
