giving up on the Tony Fergerson?

[~Saram~]

So hubby and I have been on the TF diet for 5-6 wks and I am thinking I will do better on my own. Anyone else had more success just eating a healthy lower carb diet?

Hubby and I embarked on a healthy eating about 3mths ago and got rid of all the junk. I lost 5kg in the first month which I was happy with but then got stuck. Thought we would try the TF but I really struggled as so much of my diet was dairy and carbs. So in the first 2 wks I put back on everything I had lost previously. I am now back down to where I started and I am beginning to think I would do better using the recipes and info on low carb eating I have gained but just going back to normal food. Problem I am finding with the TF is if I even diviate a tiny amount I start stacking on the weight. It was my birthday last week and I had a few choccy biccies at a morning tea, we went out for chinese and icecream and had a slice of birthday cake the next day and I put on 2kg???? It just doesn't seem to be right for my body and feels like my body is hording any carbs it can find?

Would love to hear about others who have gone with a low carb or who have tried TF and gone on to have success after coming off.

Thanks so much

[Willow]

Hey Sara,

I've got no personal experience with it but my DH, mum and MIL have all had more success long term with plain old healthy eating and excercise than they did with TF. It was HUGE down here a few years ago because TF is a local chemist and it all started at the local pharmacy he used to own so I know a stack of people who tried it.

Both my mum and MIL have lost heaps more weight and kept it off by going to WWs.

Sounds to me like you were on the right track before!

[~Saram~]

Thanks Willow - to be honest I am feeling so much more enthusiastic about the whole journey just thinking about not doing TF anymore it has been a huge battle and I am a little over it. Great to hear your mum and MIL have had great success after it on WW- might have a squizz at their info

[LaDeeDa]

Hi Saram,
The reason you are stacking it on when you deviate is you have sent your body into starvation mode.
So whenever it gets real food it hoardes it because it doesn't know when it's going to be fed again - thats why when people go on crash diets they end up putting more weight on when they finish than what they lost in the first place.
Healthy eating and exercise is the only way to lose it - the more muscle mass you have the more calories you burn when your not doing anything ...
Hope this makes sense

[LaDeeDa]

Just wanted to add - hopefully without freaking you out...

When you go on diets like TF your body cannibalises itself - meaning that it metabolises your muscle tissue to function NOT FAT....

So the weight you may have lost would have been fluid and muscle not fat....

I

[Muffy]

Hi,
My sisters MIL is on the TF diet and it has really worked for her. She looks fantastic.
She didnt see results straight away but when she did it was a massive change!
I am currently on the BL shakes and i have found them to be great aswell.
GL xx

[Astrid]

I haven't done TF or any of the meal replacement programs. People I know who have done them have ended up heavier than before they started. It has to be confusing for your body and screw with your metabolism. You need to be careful on "low carb" as well - friends who have done Atkins had bizarre personality changes and were grumpy all the time. Tho Atkins is basically "no carb" - I guess you just need to "balance" your food groups.

Sorry but that is completely incorrect. Atkins is not "no carb" it is low carb. There is carb in it. The first 2 weeks are on the low end of the scale and then the carb count is increased to a level just below where you would stop losing weight. Please do not make wild statements about an eating plan that you have not followed or read up on fully. If your friends have had personality changes then they were not doing it properly. Many people do not do the right thing like reading before going on it. They get bits of information from friends and the media, or just read one chapter of the book.

I have done Atkins quite successfully, I was healthy, I had muscle mass, I was a blood donor, I conceived quite quickly after being on it. I ate more fruit and vegetables on Atkins that what I had ever done in my life! My IBS settled down. I know I am not the only one out there who benefits from its way of eating.

I am sorry but I will no longer sit by on this site and have rubbish said about the Atkins diet any longer!

[Astrid]

Hands up here for someone who has lost weight with low carb! It is so much better for you to make your own meals using minimaly processed foods than to be drinking shakes. It might take a bit longer to lose the weight, but you will have a greater chance of keeping it off. Normally though if you go from having low carb into high carb quite quickly that your weight will jump up, that should quickly go once you start watching the carbs again.

I find if I eat a lot of carbs, I just get hungrier. Some of it is to do with GI, but not all of the craving can be explained that way. I think for me wheat is a baddie, I find I do better if I am in a situation where I have to eat carbs that I am better off getting rye based products. When I am really good with carbs I find I sleep better and just generally feel better over all.

[Amaunet]

I haven't done TF or any of the meal replacement programs. People I know who have done them have ended up heavier than before they started. It has to be confusing for your body and screw with your metabolism. You need to be careful on "low carb" as well - friends who have done Atkins had bizarre personality changes and were grumpy all the time. (ETA: PLEASE NOTE: It has been pointed out to me that done PROPERLY Atkins can work well. I acknowledge that the two people I knew may have not been following the program properly or it may not have suited their particular circumstances. I am merely sharing my own personal experieces and am not an expert in Atkins (or an other diet program)

My success with weight loss came via low calorie rather than low carb. I have done Weight watchers and their "energy in/energy out" or "eat less/move more" philosophy was excellent. I found WW habit changing and I learnt a lot about balance, portion size and those foods that look/sound healthy (eg 98% fat free) but are actually terrible for you. What I have learned has helped me gain sensibly during this pg and I will go back (to WW) after he is born for the support.

I also wanted to add that 'plateauing" or going through a period of no or little loss is normal too and you can use variety of exercise and diet to help overcome/get thru this frustrating time. 5kg in your first month was awesome! Good luck with your WL journey!