Are you seeing much weight loss in first 2 weeks on the abs diet?

Hey there,
I have been following the abs diet for 2 weeks now and working out 3 times a week doing both weights and cardio for about 1 hr. 15 min. each time. I am feeling great and seems to be noticing some positive changes, but the scale hasn't gone down too much. I was down 3 lbs. but seems to go up after a cheat meal. I will keep at it b/c it is just healthy eating and b/c I feel great but eventually would like to see the scale go back to a better weight. I would like to hear your experience on your progress, especially if you have been on it a while. Thanks!

I lost about 7.5 pounds my first two weeks, and 10 so far. I plan on doing this for quite some time, since I have a fair bit of weight to lose. I've been working out 5-6 days a week, so I know one reason I haven't seen a larger loss is because I'm gaining muscle.

Hi! I've been doing the diet since January 5th, but prior to that, I did a 4-day liquid "detox." I've lost about 5 pounds since I started. From your profile, you don't have a lot to lose. 15 pounds will come off a lot slower than 50 pounds. Maybe changing your routine a bit will shock your body? Try doing less cardio and more weight training. I thought I remembered reading that cardio is good initially, but the body wants its muscles to be challenged more than anything. So, my advice would be to maybe do two days less of cardio a week, and do your cardio for a shorter amount of time, substituting weight training or circuit training for the cardio. I used to do that elliptical for an hour everyday, but when I stopped losing weight, I was at a loss. Why, with all this cardio, am I not shedding the pounds? Zinczenko made sense when he wrote that the muscles desire to be challenged, or they won't grow; thus, fat burning stalls and so does the scale.
I hope that helps a little! Remember that the last 10-15 pounds is always the hardest. That's where I am right now, too, so I understand it! Patience.
Have a great week!!! You can break the plateau! We're all rooting for you!!

~Jill~

Thanks for your encouragement girls! Have a great week too!
My official weigh in day for myself is Monday mornings, so officially since I started, I have lost 2 lbs. in 2 weeks. Not too bad I guess. It goes on so quickly, but comes off so slowly!

I read the first book in one night while on vacation, so I may need to read it again more thoroughly. I'm sure I skipped some impt. info. I do have a question on artificial sweetners and dark chocolate. Do you use them? I use splenda sometimes, but trying not to overal if I don't have to. I've also been having 2 squares of dark chocolate a day. Any thoughts on that? Thanks, Rachel

Answer to the questions about artificial sweeteners and dark chocolate:

As long as the dark chocolate is around 70%-75% cacao, you're good. They actually say 60% is the minimum, but I think 70% tastes so much richer. And, I think it's perfectly fine to have a couple of squares at the end of the day! It's always helped me with my sweet tooth. I can make a dark chocolate bar last about a week. I think that's a great way to feel like you're having a treat, and still get the heart-healthy flavonoids and anti-oxidant power of the chocolate.

A word about sweeteners: I'm absolutely and 100% AGAINST artificial sweeteners for the most part. Splenda is a big no-no. Equal is worse, and Sweet n Low is just as bad. Splenda is about 600 times sweeter than regular sugar. I'm sure you've heard that digestion begins in the mouth. Your saliva breaks down your food and gets it ready for digestion in the stomach, and actually begins the secretion of insulin. When Splenda (or any art. sweetener, for that matter) gets down to your intestines, your intestines, which have their own "taste buds" signal for the release of even more insulin. And I know all of this from a nutritionist I was going to last year. She told me that it was a double-whammy on your insulin levels and to stay away from it, and any other artificial sweeteners.
That said, I use plain honey. You can also use agave nectar (just google it, or go to a Whole Foods store) or Stevia, which is made form a plant extract, and has no effect on blood glucose levels. Or, if you just like regular sugar, at least use "Sugar in the Raw" kinds of things. Those haven't been refined as much as white sugar.
Hope that helps!

And by the way, the use of artificial sweeteners was the one thing that really irked me about the book, because there is so much evidence that it's really unhealthy for the body.

Rant over!

I've been using Turminado (Raw sugar) instead of white sugar, or stevia. I figure since I'm trying to limit the amount of pollution I'm taking in, cutting out the artificial sweetners helps! When I have a chocolate craving, I go for the 70%+ dark chocolate.

Both times I have used the Abs Diet I have lost weight quickly. My mom on the other hand felt that she did not. She decided to do a combo of Abs and Weight Watchers. She was having trouble digesting the wheat. She is 53 and I am 29, so that may make a difference. I have found that portion control is the key, and that is one thing that is difficult for me. I would rather have none, than just a little. Does anyone else have that problem? Any tricks?

The way I combat the portion stuff is, when I make dinner, I make my plate, then put any leftovers in the fridge. If I'm eating out, I ask for a doggy bag before I even start eating...and I measure out all of my snacks before hand.

Thank you for the info on the artifical sweeteners and chocolate! I had a smoothie with chocolate whey after working out today and that also helps the chocolate fix.

Regarding the post of the age affecting the weight loss- I do think that really is a factor. I turned 35 and am at my heaviest right now and it seems like my metabolism is slug slow. I'm hoping the weight training and eating style will help rev it up. I keep hearing the same things with others as they are getting a little older. I could lose more easily in my 20's for sure.

Here's a good snack to try that I know Oprah had mentioned on her show and it is very good and has a lot of volume:
slice and apple, cut a few tiny pieces of cheese, and have some almonds on the side. I put the cheese on the apple, then have an almond. You can also add some peppermint tea (caffine and calorie free) with that.

I just started the diet about 6 days ago, and I haven't followed it to the extreme because im still waiting for my book to come but i've lost about a pound but im sure its because i was eating so much junk food everyday so when i switched to healthy eating 6 times a day it was a shock to my body and it sorta feels like its cleaning me out...I hope to loose about 7 lbs on this diet and get toned but more importantly its about learning to make better decisions when eating...Good luck!