e11FAQPlateaus

Q: WHAT DO I DO WHEN MY WEIGHT-LOSS SLOWS TO A CRAWL?

HOW TO I AVOID WEIGHT-LOSS PLATEAUS?

A: Most people who think that they are not losing weight quickly enough or think they are at a plateau, are making one of three errors. First, use only weekly weight averages to determine if your weight loss has truly slowed down or you are at a plateau (check your book for easy guidance). If you have not lost at least 1/2 pound for several weeks (based on weekly averages), there are two possible errors you may not realize that you are making.

The first and most common reason is carb-drifting at your daily carbohydrate-rich meal. It is essential to balance your daily carbohydrate-rich meal properly. It is not meant to be a carb binge; it must be properly balanced for ideal health and for ideal weight. You can get guidelines for balancing your daily carb-rich meal by going to the Frequently Asked (FAQ) page, following each of the link of that page, and reading all of the information on these important points.

The second reason for slowed or halted weight-loss, is the consumption of hidden carbohydrates, carbohydrate act-alikes, or trigger foods during your low-carbohydrate meals. Carefully examine the foods you have been eating at your low carb meals against the list of low-carbohydrate foods in your book. Also, remove carbohydrate act-alikes including sugar substitutes (artificial sweeteners) and monosodium glutamate (under all the names it can be listed, including natural flavorings and hydrolyzed food starch or hydrolyzed plant protein).

For details on the impact of glutamate and artificial sweeteners and info on medication's effects as well, see The Carbohydrate Addict's LifeSpan Program in the Heller Help section. Remember that even small amounts of high-carb foods at low-carb meals or the consumption of carbohydrate act-alikes can slow or stop weight loss, even if you don't notice a craving rebound.