Hello,
It's been 8 weeks since I started my own body transformation diary and it's time to make another transformative report. Two weeks ago, I reported an impressive weight loss of 30 pounds over the course of 6 weeks. The past 2 weeks were less encouraging - I lost only minimal amount of weight, but I promised you regular and honest reporting on my progress, so here we go.
What did I do in the past 2 weeks?
I slightly modified my routines. first of all, I was quite happy with my previous results so I loosened my previously strict nutritional routine - I still ate once a day and still consumed low-carb foods. Moreover, I kept counting calories! The difference was in daily caloric intake, which went up from less than 1,000 kCal per day to approximately 1,400 per day on average. I would like to stress the fact that my intake of digestible carbs was still very low, less than 10 g per day on average and no more than 17 g per day on any given day. I also had a couple of dinners with friends and, though I always order foods that have no carbs in them and focused on portion control - I'd have a salad or an 8 oz steak with salad or asparagus - I still feel that each time I dine out my weight loss stops (must be hidden carbs or insufficient information to calculate the macronutrient intake).
As planned I added the third training day just for big compound movements - deadlifts, clean and press, pull-ups and chin-ups. I started low and will go slow, but I feel that these exercises affected my metabolism and weight loss significantly.
What are my results of the past 2 weeks?
Speaking of weight loss… I was a bit disappointed as I lost only 4.3 pounds in the past 2 weeks, which is way less than in previous 2-week periods. The fat vs. lean body mass loss ratio was the same - approximately 60% to 40%. The main question of the last several days was "Am I plateauing?". The answer is "no" for several reasons. First of all, my weight loss didn't stop completely, I still lost several pounds and they still added up to a great 34 pounds of total weight loss. Second, I can clearly identify at least 3 reasons why my weight loss might have slowed down in the past 2 weeks - increased caloric intake, increased training intensity, potentially having some hidden carbs or in general miscalculating my macronutrient intake due to eating out (some things are out of my control). As a side note - my experience shows once again that low-carb dieting and intermittent fasting do not really work unless there is a caloric deficit. Another interesting observation - my clothes became very loose and my waist became leaner - I've lost an inch just in the last week (4 inches in total!), so I think that my peripherally located subcutaneous fat supplies are depleted now and I'm burning the fat from central areas such as back, stomach and hips.
What's the plan and what are the expectations?
I've learnt from my experiences and the plan is to return to decreased caloric intake - I'll try to consume less than 1,000 kCal per day, maybe I'll have a week of having just one Dr.Sam's Staple Salad daily. The food will still be low in carbohydrates and I will eat once a day. In terms of exercise - I will definitely continue with my three workouts as I'm approaching the second phase of my transformation when I plan to shift my focus from just losing weight to building muscle and working on esthetic aspects of my physique.
I hope to lose 6 more pounds in the next 2 weeks to reach a milestone of 40 pounds of total weight loss. As always, I will keep you posted as I proceed, you're my inspiration so wish me luck! Please, leave comments and ask questions - I'm always happy to answer them and to share my knowledge. Subscribe to YouTube channel and leave comments there too. I hope you find the information I share useful and it will help you with your goals!
Sincerely Yours,
Dr.Sam