We were on the phone. My client was 5 weeks into her new, individualized eating plan. “Why doesn’t it look like I’m losing weight?”
She knew she was doing everything right:
- Base every meal on a protein
- Mostly Vegetables and Fruit
- Healthy Fat
- Limit processed foods, and processed sugars and starches
- Stay below BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) caloric requirement until you reach goal metrics
- Maintain calorie deficit no more than 500 per day
The number on the scale wasn’t moving
It was frustrating, but there was other evidence:
- Higher energy level
- No more joint pain
- Facial shape changing
- Clothes fitting more loosely
- Smaller “muffin-top” when sitting down
Then he said it
Her husband said he couldn’t see a difference.
She panicked. It was too much to bear. It was the worst two days in recent memory:
- She threw the eating plan out the window
- Ate more
- Drank more
The aftermath
As a result of the “old, dirty diet”, she was “back to the old her”:
- Tired
- Fatigued
- Unwell
- Less active, having a hard time getting out to walk the dog
- Ankle pain
This reminded her why she sought help, to begin with. It reminded her what she really wanted: sick, tired, and in pain wasn’t it!
She had an active vacation planned soon, and she needed to be ready for it.
She recovered
While she was less rigorous and obsessive about portions, she returned to the plan, eating the way she’d previously concluded was right for her:
- Ankle pain disappeared again
- Felt better overall
- Energy level returned
They discussed it again
He said he still couldn’t see the difference.
Then, he hugged her
Not just a little hug, but a big, deep, long, bear hug.
“Oh yeah”, he said. “You’re right. You are smaller.”
Even the dog is happier now.
