The definition of insanity?

[Kevin St. Clair]

So: insanity has been defined as repeatedly doing the same thing and expecting a different result.

Last year, I tried the Carb Nite Solution and lost 45 lbs. I still have another 45 to go, so I tried again this February and lost…nothing. Frustrated, I took March off and tried again this month. Here it is the last day of April and I’ve lost…nothing. I put on a pound or two after Carb Nite, I lose it over the course of the week, and it starts over again. When I did the diet last year, I consistenty lost between 1.5 and 2.5 lbs. per week. I’m doing the exact same things I did last year, so I expected the same result (since I’m not, in fact, insane), but that’s not what’s happening this time around.

I looked around this forum for clues as to why the diet might stop working and now I have a lot more questions than answers. Macros? HIIT? Backloading? Coconut oil in my coffee? I did none of this last year and lost a lot of weight. What gives this time around?

Just so you know more about me and how I’m going about doing this: I’m 51, 5’10”, 215 lbs., 29% body fat; I walk 3-4 miles 4-5 times/week for exercise; I follow the diet as it’s laid out in the book. I don’t count calories, I eat when I’m hungry, I don’t go crazy on Carb Nite but I’m not overly cautious, either. I drink 2-3 cups of coffee or espresso/day, I have one glass of beer or wine only on Carb Nite, and I’m careful about avoiding hidden carbs. I have a form of hypothyroidism, but it’s being treated with supplementary thyroid hormone; otherwise, I’m in good health.

Is it possible that my body has adapted to the diet and is now resistant to burning fat? I feel much more tired than I did the first time I went on the diet. Is there some way I can kick-start my metabolism back into fat-burning mode? Or do I need to take time off and do something to reset my metabolism so it will burn fat again? I’m not going to continue doing this diet if I don’t see some results – it’s just too exhausting.

If I get on the scale Sunday (my next Carb Nite) and I’m still stuck, I may just walk away from this, so your advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Melvin McLain]

I assume you did the 10-day orientation again. If not, this would be the first thing to do and hopefully “jump start” your system.

Otherwise… calories DO count. As your weight drops, so do your maintenance requirements.

The same amount you ate when 45 lbs heavier may now be sufficient to maintain your present body weight.

You might try dropping 300-500 calories per day and see what happens. With no calorie deficit, your body has little reason to access its fat stores.

Luck.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 6 months ago by Melvin McLain.

[Kevin St. Clair]

Of course, I did the 10-day orientation again. This isn’t a question of me not understanding the diet as it’s presented in the book.

That same book book doesn’t say anything about counting calories. I didn’t count calories then and I lost a lot of weight. I’m not counting calories now and I’m not losing weight. I’m eating the same foods now as I did then and I’m eating less food now than I did then. So what gives?

If the diet requires counting calories, why did it work when I wasn’t? And why would the author devote pages 42-44 to telling the reader NOT to count calories if that’s what’s needed for the diet to work? His advice is: “Eat enough food to keep hunger under control without worrying about counting calories” and that’s what I’ve followed.

I appreciate you taking the time to respond, Mac – I really do. But there’s no way to eat 300-500 calories/day less now than I was then because I have no record of how much I was eating then. I can say for sure that I eat less now than I did then, but I can’t quantify it.

Any other ideas?

Thanks!

"Do what you can with what you have where you are." – Theodore Roosevelt

[Melvin McLain]

Ok… so how’s the current approach working for ya?

You can’t outrun physics. If you’re taking in more food than is required to fuel your body (or that same amount), there is no reason to expect weight loss.

You might re-consider my reply (I’m not the enemy btw), and I meant 300-500 calories less than you’re eating NOW (not back then).

However… if you’re not keeping up with your food intake, how do you even know whether you’re on the same program or not? Things do change, and your satiety point may not always be the same.

Again, luck.

[Brandon D Christ]

Kiefer never says to count calories. That is correct. However as Mac mentioned, you can always over eat. Kiefer does say this, though not in the book.

You don’t need to count calories to lose fat, but you can count calories if you struggle with instinctive eating.

What is your diet like currently? What kinds of foods do you eat?

• This reply was modified 9 years, 6 months ago by Brandon D Christ.

[Kevin St. Clair]

Okay: here’s what I ate yesterday. This would be on the high end of a typical day for me. I also walked 4 miles yesterday (at a 3.7 mph pace).

5 tbsp. peanut butter
2 cups of coffee w/1 tbsp. ½ and ½ each
2 4 oz. grilled bratwurst
½ cup sauerkraut
1 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 oz. roasted almonds
8 oz. grilled tri-tip
15 small spears grilled asparagus
olive oil for grilling (½ – 1 tbsp.)
herbal tea w/stevia
2 liters water

Please let me know if you think that’s overeating on this diet. Thanks!

"Do what you can with what you have where you are." – Theodore Roosevelt

[Melvin McLain]

I didn’t try to figure the calories, but according to my food charts, you’re having too many carbs. 30 grams is the upper limit btw, not the target.

These may not be perfect (rarely do food charts agree with each other), but it should be close.

5 tblsp peanut butter: 15.0g
1 oz almonds: 5.8g
8 oz bratwurst: 4.68g
1/2 cup sauerkraut: 5.0g
15 spears asparagus: 11.25g
————————–
TOTAL: 41.73g carbs

[Brandon D Christ]

@Kevin St. Clair

I would simplify your diet. There is nothing wrong with peanut butter, mayonnaise, and brats per se, but they are pretty dense calorie sources and processed, so you can end up overeating.

Try just making every meal a simple protein source (cut of beef, chicken, pork, eggs, ect.) and vegetables from the list in the Carb Nite book. You don’t have to measure or anything.

Also what you eat on your Carb Nite matters too. What do you currently eat for Carb Nite?

[Kevin St. Clair]

@ Mac: “Be sure to calculate the usable carbohydrates in a product by subtracting fiber from the total carb count.” CNS, p. 64

For the peanut butter, you’d subtract 9g of fiber from the 15g of total carbs to get 6g of usable carbs. When I subtract fiber, I’m well below 30g/day.

If you’re suggesting I follow a program other than Kiefer’s, that’s all well and good. But my question was focused on his diet.

"Do what you can with what you have where you are." – Theodore Roosevelt

[Melvin McLain]

“If you’re suggesting I follow a program other than Kiefer’s, that’s all well and good. But my question was focused on his diet.”

Not at all. I’m simply suggesting you monitor your food intake – and not just calories, but also your carbs, fat, and protein grams. Adjusting the fat to protein ratio alone can have a significant effect.

IMO, you’re having too many nuts, given that you’re not losing (nuts and cheese are two main culprits of stalls).

But without sufficient info, there’s no way to determine what changes are needed.

[Kevin St. Clair]

I’m afraid we’ve lost track of my actual question, which was why the diet worked before and doesn’t work now, even though I’m doing the same things. I appreciate your suggestions as to what to do differently, but this doesn’t address the question.

I suspect that the reason the plan isn’t working this time around is because for some reason, my body doesn’t want to respond in the same way to the diet as it did before. I’m still 50 lbs. overweight, so it’s not a matter of being at 10% body fat or not having enough fat to lose.

Is it possible for the body to become resistant to fat loss that CNS is supposed to release? If so, what would cause it? Should I go off the plan for an extended time and try to reset my metabolism? How long and how would I do so?

These are the questions I’m hoping to answer, rather than to find way to tweak a plan that my body may not be able to respond to.

Thanks!

"Do what you can with what you have where you are." – Theodore Roosevelt

[Robert Haas]

I’ll suggest what I have suggested to others: add a smaller carb re-feed in between your carb nights. Preferably after PM training.

You are not alone and I see this is common when viewing training logs. Things go well then come to a hault. Change it up and see what happens.

The eyes can't see what the mind doesn't understand.

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