Many dieters do not know that while trying to lose weight it is not uncommon to reach a weight loss plateau.  This is a time when weight loss ceases for a period of between two and six weeks even though you are being terribly good!   Most people become disheartened and want to give up dieting when this happens, and many do give up as it is the most common time to abandon weight loss efforts.

There is no doubt that the most effective way for people to lose weight and maintain the loss is to follow a low carbohydrate, higher protein eating plan that is also liver friendly, and this eating plan is outlined in Dr Sandra Cabot’s book “I can’t lose weight and I don’t know why!“.

Individuals following the first eight weeks of the eating plan in this book will find they lose weight continuously.  However, a small, but not insignificant, percentage of individuals will reach a plateau and find they are unable to continue losing the weight; for others it can be impossible to initiate weight loss even though they are, literally, starving themselves.  These people are termed metabolically resistant, in other words, their metabolism is resistant to losing weight.

If you have tried dieting, or eating healthily, and your weight loss has come to a standstill, there are a number of factors to be considered:

Are you consuming too much carbohydrate?

Sometimes it is necessary to reduce the carbohydrate intake to between 20 – 40 grams per day, this will put the body into a state of Ketosis and should enable weight loss to begin.
Ketosis means fat stores are being burnt and being used as a source of energy.  Ketones are a by-product of this process, made only when fat breaks down, and are released in the urine, stool and breath; this is why the breath often smells acidic and/or unpleasant in people who have not eaten for hours, or those on a very low carbohydrate diet.

Dieters on a very low carbohydrate plan, need to consume first class protein, and healthy fat, three times daily, such as lean fresh meat, seafood, chicken or eggs, coconut, nuts, cheese and green leafy vegetables.  Animal sources of protein contain virtually no carbohydrate, a whey based protein powder can also be used, as long as it is sweetened with stevia.  If blended into water it contains very small amounts of carbohydrate, and the best low carbohydrate shake for weight loss is called Synd X Slimming Protein Powder.

Obtaining a box of Ketostix from a pharmacy is very useful while following a ketogenic diet.  Ketostix are used to check for the presence and quantity of ketones in the urine.  Ideally, you would achieve a “small” to “moderate” reading of ketones on the strips.  The purpose of using Ketostix is to determine where in the range of between 20 and 40 grams of carbohydrate you can consume and still stay in the fat burning zone.
A ketogenic diet should not be followed for more than four weeks at a time, and must be supervised by a doctor, naturopath or nutritionist.
A ketogenic diet is contraindicated for those with Type 1 Diabetes, Kidney or Liver disease or Heart failure.
During a ketogenic diet it is essential to drink at least two litres of water per day to avoid dehydration, constipation and metabolic acidosis.

A ketogenic diet also achieves a huge drop in Insulin levels. Fat burning cannot commence if Insulin levels are high, lower Insulin levels reduce hunger and cravings and allow levels of the fat burning hormones Glucagon and growth hormone to rise.
Additionally, certain herbs and nutrients help the body respond better to Insulin; they include Bitter melon, Gymnema Sylvestre, Chromium Picolinate, Lipoic Acid, Carnitine and Selenium.  When used in combination, these herbs and nutrients can increase the effectiveness of a low carbohydrate weight loss plan.

Do you have a fatty or dysfunctional liver?

A healthy liver is the major fat burning organ in the body, and is able to pump excess fat out of the body, via the bile which is then carried out of the body in bowel motions.  A fatty liver does the opposite of what it should do, it stores fat instead of burning it.

When trying to lose weight, some dieters reduce carbohydrate intake too low for too long, they become paranoid about eating almost any vegetables and/or fruits for fear of the carbohydrate content in the vegetables &/or fruits.  To achieve an improvement in liver health, it is essential to eat plant foods, especially salad vegetables.
Ideally cooked and raw vegetables or a piece of fruit would be eaten at every meal.  Eating predominantly large amounts of protein and/or fat for long periods of time, may lead to metabolic problems such as high uric acid and an increased risk of bowel cancer.  People with a fatty liver &/or gallbladder problems may find that a very low carb, high protein, high fat diet will aggravate the fatty liver and gallbladder conditions, causing a slow down or back-fire to the weight loss process.

For the liver, kidneys and bowel, what is needed is a balance of;

• Lower amounts of carbohydrate
• Increased amounts of regular first class protein
• Regular amounts of unprocessed fats
• Plentiful amounts of vegetables (raw and cooked)

It is essential to achieve the right balance!  After all the aim is not to achieve the skinniest corpse in the cemetery and to arrive there first!  Prioritisation is essential because it is more important to keep the lost weight off, than to be the quickest one to lose the weight!

Many people will need to follow periods of limiting their carbohydrate intake, and periods of consuming large servings of salads and raw vegetables juices.

In people with metabolic resistance, a good liver tonic will go a long way to improving sluggish metabolism &/or a fatty liver.  An effective liver tonic should contain;
– The herb St Mary’s Thistle
– Turmeric
– Selenium
– Folinic Acid
– Amino acid, Taurine
This tonic can be taken in powder or capsule form.

In summary, there are several vital areas that must be checked, to achieve success in weight loss.
Perhaps it was a case of losing weight consistently only to plateau, or weight loss could not be initiated to begin with.
The main thing is to remain open-minded, do not be disheartened.  It is important to find the hidden factor that is undermining one’s ability to lose weight and treat it!

For further information please do not hesitate to call one of our Weight Loss Detectives on (02) 4655 8855 today!  Help is just one phone call away!