Regular readers may have spotted through the Blather that a few of us have recently started 'Neris and India's Idiot Proof Diet'. I lost weight on this diet last year, so, having decided to give it another go to shift the rest of the weight (and eh, the 10lbs I'd put back on thanks to my Jelly Snakes habit), I enlisted some other eager Beaut.ie's to form a little email-based support group.
Four of us started at the same time on the Tuesday after Easter (I scoffed my Easter eggs like a Death Row prisoner eating his last meal), and a few others have since joined in or are planning to start in the next week or two.
Here's what I learned from doing this diet before:
- This REALLY WORKS
- Unless you depend on pasta, bread and sweets for your happiness, it doesn't leave you feeling deprived. I remember losing 8lbs (easy now*) first and being amazed as I had felt like I was stuffing myself all week
- *While it does give some pretty impressive initial weight loss, don't use it as a quick fix diet. It's definitely harder the second/third/fourth (!) time and I'm expecting to find it harder to shift the weight second time round
- The weight can go back on quickly, maybe quicker than other diets, if you come off it in Phase 1 without sensibly moving on to Phase 2 (BELIEVE ME!)
- Low carb eating really suited me particularly when eating out, it's really easy to choose nice things (e.g. a big fat steak with bearnaise sauce and a salad) and not feel deprived
- It can be hard to switch your thinking around if (like me) you were conditioned from years of 'low-fat, low-fat' thinking
- I never really missed bread, pasta etc. and I still eat much less carbs than I used to, BUT
- My sweet tooth is my biggest issue and the biggest challenge weight loss-wise
- The weight will initially come off without exercise but I for one feel better and more in control when I exercise regularly (Tina's Beaut.ie running club is helping with this!)
- Don't stay on Phase 1 indefinitely. The more weight you have to lose the longer you'll need to do Phase 1 (minimum two weeks if less than 1 stone to lose, or as long as it takes to get within a stone of your goal weight) Really make it work for you and put the effort in so that you can move on to the more sensible and varied Phase 2. I for one am determined to make this the last time I do this.
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So, how are we doing so far? Well in week one, Babaduck lost a fantastic 5lbs along with 2.5 inches, 1 inch and 2 inches off her waist, bust and hips respectively! By the sounds of it she's also eating the yummiest food of the lot of us too. As for me, I lost 2lbs in week one, less than I expected but probably due to the fact that it's my second time around on the diet. I'm happy as long as the number on the scales is going down though?
I'm now on Day 11 and can honestly say I'm feeling great with lots of energy. I can't believe I've managed 11 days without any alcohol, sweet things or carbs passing my lips. Apart from my intention to have a few gin and slimline tonics and glass of wine tonight, I honestly feel that this is a way of eating that I can stick to for as long as it takes.
If anyone is reading this and thinking you might like to join us, just do it!
The first step is to buy the book and read it - Neris and India's Idiot Proof Diet is the name, less than a tenner in most bookshops. You'll only really know then if it sounds like something you might be able to commit to doing based on your own lifestyle and how much weight you want to lose. Then email us at [email protected]
Aphrodite's asked me to update y'all every few weeks on our progress - so watch this (hopefully shrinking) space. Nothing like the threat of potential public humiliation to keep a girl on the straight and narrow, eh?
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Yours (in impending Twiggieness), Cathyfly.
