David Gillespie - Zero Weight Loss but SUGAR-FREE for 2 months :(

30 Jul 2012 6:04 AM

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Message # 1025666

Deleted user

Hi Everyone

I am hoping someone here can help me....

I am 31 and weight 92kgs. I have dieted on and off for years and am just completely frustrated. In May, I stopped eating sugar and have stuck to that religiously since then.

However, I have lost absolutely NO weight in that time and I'm getting really, really stressed and frustrated about it. How did David lose 40kgs???

I have substituted Dextrose for most things and in baking, and I can see that I have probably increased my carbs but according to the SPQP that shouldn't cause a problem?

I am SO frustrated :(

Can someone please help me to understand what I'm doing wrong? Is there anyone on this forum that has lost 20-30kgs on no-sugar and if so, what did you do to do it?

Any help or guidance would be really appreciated.

Thanks HEAPS

Selina :)

30 Jul 2012 4:58 PM

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Reply # 1026092 on 1025666

Deleted user

Selina Sattler wrote:Hi Everyone
I am hoping someone here can help me....

I am 31 and weight 92kgs. I have dieted on and off for years and am just completely frustrated. In May, I stopped eating sugar and have stuck to that religiously since then.

However, I have lost absolutely NO weight in that time and I'm getting really, really stressed and frustrated about it. How did David lose 40kgs???

I have substituted Dextrose for most things and in baking, and I can see that I have probably increased my carbs but according to the SPQP that shouldn't cause a problem?

I am SO frustrated :(

Can someone please help me to understand what I'm doing wrong? Is there anyone on this forum that has lost 20-30kgs on no-sugar and if so, what did you do to do it?

Any help or guidance would be really appreciated.

Thanks HEAPS

Selina :)

Hi Selina.

A number of people have posted what they eat in a day and have decided to cut their carbs in a concerted effort to lose weight. Me, I dropped sugar and lost 10 kg the first month, 6 the second, and have kept it off. But, everyone is different. Do you find you eat a lot less ? Do you use dextrose a lot ? I don't, I make a dextrose sweet once a week, and try to limit myself to that ( don't always succeed, but my weight goes between 85.5 and 87 kg, and if it gets to 87, I get stricter again ). Dextrose is still calories, it's glucose, so if you eat as many sweets and as much food as you did before, you should not expect to lose weight.

You're not the only one to find that the weight does not just disappear. I suggest you give us a typical list of a day's food and we can try to comment from there, but if your appetite control doesn't cause you to eat less, try to give it some help - eat small portions and wait to see if you're full. Are you snacking between meals ? I am not an advocate of starving yourself, I've never gone hungry, but if you're really focused on weight loss perhaps you do need to push harder. You also don't say how tall you are, so I am not sure if you wanted to lose 20-30 kg and I'm not sure if that's realistic or not.

My wife wants me to put some back on b/c I am so bony now.....

30 Jul 2012 8:48 PM

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Reply # 1026231 on 1025666

Deleted user

I know how disheartening is it! My weight has gone up and down and all over the place. I started off about 85kgs, I list 5kgs by low fat calorie counting. So I started no sugar with 80kgs, I gained 3kgs then it fell off. I did go up and down and stablised a bit. I'm currently sitting on the 76kg mark and slowly loosing. I believe that some women do have more trouble then men, David did loose 40kgs but that was over a 2 year period. When you first start off you must not just simply subsitute dextrose for sugar, becuase your just replacing it and not kicking the habit. Keep in mind that dextrose treats are just that treats and not to be an every day thing. In saying that I actually after nearly 21months get sugar cravings. However since I've been so long without sugar everything tastes sweet to me so when I cook for things for myself (say muffins and cakes) I not only replace the sugar with dextrose but I half the amount. I only ever get cravings when it's that time of month (which is another factor, hormones are not good at all lol). What's your typical daily menu? I also do count calories, just to keep everything in check. We are all capable of overeating which is why you must remember to stop when you are full and not eat because it tastes good.

30 Jul 2012 8:57 PM

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Reply # 1026234 on 1025666

Deleted user

Also scales can be good, they can also be your worst enemy. I went clothes shopping the other day (had to get some new clothes for work because everything else was getting too big), I was quite surprised... not 12 months ago the dress, pants and top I'm wearing now would never have fit they would have been way too tight. But 12 months ago I'm the same sort of size (I gained a little weight over xmas and new year). I do workout every day though (my choice, I sit on my butt all day in front of a computer). I did do low carb, basically keeping my carbs under 50g. It does work but wasn't able to keep it up (finanical reasons). I don't eat much take away (can't afford it anyway) and don't eat much processed foods (maybe once a week at the end of the week).

30 Jul 2012 9:53 PM

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Reply # 1026268 on 1025666

Deleted user

Very frustrating I know.

I began the no sugar thing at the end of April and promptly lost a couple of kilos then put them on again! Like you I need to loose about 25 - 30 Kgs. Since then I have lost a fairly steady 0.5 kg a week so just over 6 kgs in total. However just had 2 weeks holidays and baked more that usual and have put back on a kg!

Bonus is though that my clothes feel looser, I am no longer bloated, have less headaches and my skin is great.

Portion size and carbs are definitely important.

Just hang in there and remember the weight didn't come on overnight so it won't come off overnight either.

30 Jul 2012 10:58 PM

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Reply # 1026341 on 1025666

Deleted user

I will definitely agree, weightloss is a very slow process and your appetite control may not have fully kicked in yet. Portion size is defintiely a key factor.

31 Jul 2012 7:51 AM

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Reply # 1026687 on 1025666

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Thank you everyone for your comments.

You are all SO right... that it is frustrating and especially for women, there are so many factors involved.

I have realised a couple of things from your answers though:

1. We have TOTALLY been having dextrose in everything that we were having sugar in before. That meant that I was not only increasing my carbs (more dextrose scones etc) but also, not necessarily eating less. Going to stop doing that! haha

2. That is takes time. I think hormonally, my body is all over the place (even after 2 kids) and so I do okay for a week or 2, and then my weight goes right back up again probably relative to my menstrual cycle though.

3. I think I might throw out my scales :) I rely on them so much, and I think they can be just as much a demotivator, as they ever are a motivator. You are right - I feel like I have more energy, can think clearer and having needed a day sleep since I stopped eating sugar... that all has to count for something too.

So I shall persevere.... I do tend to give up on things easily and with no patience at all (I must work on that!) I tend to get frustrated when there is no results or slow results.... But, as you said Janie - it took 15 years to put on that much weight, I can't expect to lose it all Biggest Loser style in a few short weeks.

Thanks again everyone........

31 Jul 2012 6:36 PM

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Reply # 1027144 on 1025666

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Once your appetite control kicks in you will stop eating as much and you will loose the desire for sweet stuff. I also think it depends on how much of a sugar addict you actually were originally. I wasn't a big sugar person, it was more the hidden sugar but mostly the sweet after dinner that was my main problem. I did substitute that sweet dessert for dextrose for the first few months then I stopped because it didn't really interest me much anymore. I think I'm the same as you my hormones are terrible after 2 kids lol, but just before my cycle I do crave sugar and I sometimes put on weight (either a few grams or I don't loose at all), but I also tend to eat more. I have heard that hormones do play a big part and during your cycle your body retains more water and all sorts of things. Sometimes there is stuff going on inside that you can't see, you may be loosing fat but technically staying the same weight, which is why you should start measuring yourself say every 2 weeks, waist, hips, legs and arms to get a rough idea.

01 Aug 2012 8:27 AM

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Reply # 1027636 on 1025666

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Hello everyone, I don't weigh myself so I just tell by how I feel. We are travelling at present and I am a bit miffed.....I just don't have the appetite... Food is everywhere, I just don't really want it or need like I used to..

I have been doing the sugar free for about a month - the first two weeks I had a tremendous headache.

I guess now I feel like any addict- kinda lost a friend - that of course was really an enemy. Overall feeling healthy and strong. I know what I weighed in March - so maybe in a few weeks when we get home I will hop on the scales and see what's happened.

I seriously did not think that I would loose this much interest in food though..

Cheers from Montreal

Sharon

02 Aug 2012 12:55 AM

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Reply # 1028345 on 1025666

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Sharon, I'm the same, I was astonished at how little I am drawn to food for it's own sake, now. Even when I travel, in the past the logic was 'there's a shop, it has something sweet, I'll buy it'. Nowadays I don't do that at all, of course, but in general, I think about if I am hungry, not just if I have the chance to eat something tasty.

It's like I've gained control over my body.