Hiatus Continued

It's been eleven days since I've taken in any oil.

My initial startling increase in appetite settled within a few days. Maybe it was just the shock of the sudden change? I'm not sure, but my cravings didn't last at the initial "oh my GOD I'm hungry" pace.

Today's weigh-in: 194.2 pounds.

Interesting. Eleven days without SLD and I actually LOST a couple pounds. What does this mean? I'm beginning to think that I'm one of the few for whom the diet doesn't work. I really wanted it to, and I've continued weight training and getting good exercise and watching what I eat. A minor bicep injury limited my weight training for the past few days, but I worked out all weekend and all last week.

I really need to rethink how I'm doing (or was doing) the diet. Maybe the switch to walnut oil will help. Maybe sugar water would make a difference. I just don't know right now. I think I'll continue and make it two weeks off of SLD and see where my weight is and decide what to do from there.

Any advice welcome on this. I hate to give it up, but if it isn't working, I'd only be continuing for the "soft skin/soft hair" benefits, and any possible health benefits of the oil, not for weight loss, which was my primary goal.

A Brief Hiatus

My last post concerned the fact that I seem to be struggling to lose weight with the Shangri-La diet.

I received a comment to that post from Dr. Seth Roberts, the author of the book, and I hope he doesn't mind me sharing it here:

Forgive a self-serving comment but I have to wonder whether your recent weight gain is due to the effects of whatever you did to get from 225 to 190 wearing off. For example, if you lost that weight by eating unfamiliar food (which my theory says is less fattening than familiar food), well, unfamiliar food eventually becomes familiar. And the lost weight is regained.

The test of my explanation is to stop the Shangri-La diet and see what happens. If you stop gaining weight, probably the diet was causing it. If you continue gaining weight, probably the diet was not causing it and may even have been slowing it down.

An alternative is just to add to the oil the "extra credit" stuff in the book to increase the strength with which your set point is pushed down.

In reply: I lost the weight from 225 in a rather non-healthy way (addressed in The Back Story). I skipped meals, I fasted, I basically didn't eat for days on end, all the while subsisting largely on Diet Pepsi, beer and cigarettes. I wish I could say that I lost it by eating unfamiliar food, but I didn't know of the diet at that time and I probably lost it in the most unhealthy and unsustainable way possible. But, I've kept that weight off for the most part.

Since I read that comment, I decided to stop taking the ELOO and see what happens. Well, my appetite is back in full force. I'm suddenly hungry for snacks, I feel like I need dinner when I often skipped it on the diet, and I can't wait for lunch by 10:00 am (I don't eat breakfast). Those are some pretty severe changes for 2 days without a simple dose of ELOO. So I still believe in the effectiveness, even if it's mildly psychological.

I think I'll have to go back to the ELOO, or substitute sugar water, or I'm going to be gaining some weight here real soon based on my hunger level. I have to re-read the "Extra Credit" section of the book and try to implement some of those options as well.

Thanks for taking the time to comment and offer insight Dr. Roberts. I appreciate it.

While I'm at it, today's weight: 196.4 pounds.
No real gain or loss.

Since I haven't gained, I think I'll give it one more day without the ELOO, just to see if my hunger settles any.

Doubt Creeping In

Despite my lack of posting here, I have continued the diet. I've been very busy with work and family obligations, but I always find time to take my daily dose of ELOO.

Today's weigh-in: 196.2 pounds.

I'm not sure what's going on, but it doesn't seem to be having the effect it once did. My appetite is back, and seems to overwhelm any hunger-reducing effects of the ELOO intake.

I keep using this excuse, but maybe it's the weight lifting, replacing fat with muscle? I do feel a lot better physically strength-wise. But my belt isn't getting any looser and I kind of feel like I haven't been losing much at all in the waist.

Maybe I should try switching to sugar water? I've been enjoying the added benefits of the oil in the form of softer skin and hair, but the dieting benefit just seems to have trailed off, although I do remain pretty steady at around this weight. I can say that I haven't once exceeded 197 during this time, which is an accomplishment in itself, but I'm interested in losing more.

I know I should probably post for help in the forums at SethRoberts.net, but I've just been way busy lately and haven't really found the free time to do it. I think I'll most likely finish out my current huge jug of ELOO (it's almost gone) and then try the sugar water. It seems more of a pain to do, but something's got to give and I have confidence this diet has its merits after reading of all the people having success.

Wish me luck.