Troubleshooting

Occasionally you may run into a problem (in the Core Phase or active weight loss period). This section addresses a number of topics that come up from time to time and provides advice and solutions.

Problems Losing Weight

What should you do when you don't seem to be losing any weight? First, you need to stop stressing out :-) As mentioned earlier in this book, there are a number of reasons why your weight might stay the same for a few days or even go up temporarily while you're on the program. Before you start worrying too much about what the scale says, remember that there are a number of completely normal things that could be happening.

Inaccurate scale results.
Normal cycle of water retention as you lose weight.
Water retention due to menstrual cycle effects.
Water retention from eating extra salt.
Water retention due to excess stress.
Normal, delayed bowel movements.

The important thing about these issues is that none of them prevent you from losing fat, even though you might not be able to tell by looking at the scale. If you are doing the diet correctly during the Core Phase, you are definitely burning fat. So chances are, your fat loss is simply being masked by one of the items listed above. It's perfectly normal to lose weight in a stair-step fashion. You might go several days without losing weight then suddenly lose a few pounds the next day.

Aside from normal weight fluctuations, there's also a chance you aren't following the diet correctly. Maybe you've given in to temptation and eaten something that's not allowed. You may be tempted to feel guilty about "cheating." Don't let yourself fall into that trap. Stressing out about it will only make things worse. Your diet has not been ruined. Get back on the wagon immediately! You only fail if you give up entirely.

The same comments apply if you've accidentally done something that's not a part of the system. Your diet hasn't been ruined, so don't feel guilty -- just get back on the wagon.

Finally, you might have decided on purpose not to follow the plan as we've laid it out in this book. We don't recommend it. It's your choice if you want to experiment or try other ideas, but you're on your own. If your experiments work for you, more power to you! If not, get back on the program and lose some more weight.

Plateau Breakers

Although a weight gain or a plateau might be normal, if you go for five to ten days without seeing any change on the scale, there might be something wrong. If you find yourself in a lengthy plateau, try some of these tips to get yourself back on track.

Carefully check all condiments and seasonings for any form of sugar. Garlic salt and other seemingly safe products may contain sugar. Balsamic vinegar naturally contains sugars -- look for added sugar on the label. Watch out for tricky scientific names for sugar, such as erythritol.
Artificial, chemical sweeteners are normally OK, but some people are extra sensitive to them. Scientific research suggests that the brain can recognize sweeteners and causes your body to crave more. Not only can this increase hunger, but it might tempt you to cheat or cause you to eat more without realizing it. Carefully check the labels of everything you eat, and eliminate all sugars and artificial sweeteners. Avoid aspartame, Nutrisweet, acesulfame, sucralose, Splenda, saccharin, Truvia, and Stevia-in-the-Raw. If you use stevia, reduce the amount.
Check your water intake. Ideally you should be getting half your weight in ounces of cold water per day. Two quarts or liters is the minimum. Other liquids cannot be substituted for water. In fact, caffeine is a dehydrator and may require you to drink even more water to make up for it.
Check your veggie intake. Normally it's unlimited, but you might be eating too much. Try reducing or cutting vegetables down to the minimum (one serving per meal).
You might be more sensitive to certain vegetables than other people. Try reducing your vegetable selection to only those on this list: asparagus, beet greens, cabbage, celery, chard, chicory greens, cucumber, fennel, green salad, onion, red radishes, spinach, and tomato. These are the "super safe" weight loss vegetables.
Check your protein sources for added flavoring that introduces extra sugar or carbohydrates into your meat. They can be injected with flavoring even in the grocery store.
Check the labels on your protein sources. You should be getting no more than 2 to 4 grams of fat or carbohydrates per serving. Going even a little over can add up over the course of a day and add many calories to your diet. You may need to try finding a leaner cut of meat.
You may be exercising too much. If you're doing resistance exercise, limit yourself to three 30 minute workouts per week. Aerobic exercise isn't necessary, but if you want to do it, you should be doing no more than 20 to 30 minutes of light aerobic exercise per day -- that means brisk walking at the most. Excess aerobic exercise can actually hurt your weight loss. Vigorous aerobic exercise requires carbohydrates that simply aren't present during the Core Phase.
Make sure you're getting enough sleep. Lack of sleep and irregular sleeping patterns cause stress and water retention.
Have you switched medications or started a new one? If so, it may take your body a few days to get used to the change. Always talk to your doctor about your diet and dietary supplements, especially if you are changing or starting medications.
If you started in dieting group A or B, you may now be approaching your ideal weight, and if so, it is time to stop dieting for a while. Take a break and move to lifestyle weight management tactics. If you are unsure what your ideal weight is, check the charts for the suggested weight range for your height and build.

Hunger

Unlike many other diet programs, the Fast Fat Loss Blueprint seldom leads to hunger. As you know, your main food source during the Core Phase is protein. Your protein intake is carefully tailored to your needs for the diet. People with higher lean body mass need to eat more protein, and people who exercise need more protein, too. Luckily for you, protein happens to be the most filling nutrient next to fiber. And it's no coincidence that you are also allowed unlimited fibrous vegetables during the Core Phase eating plan. Between your protein and your vegetables, hunger will be a rare visitor.

People with lots of extra body fat actually have an advantage, too. It's common scientific knowledge that the more fat mass you have, the less hunger affects you when you reduce your calorie intake -- and the less your metabolism slows down, as well. That means obese people's bodies are more efficient at burning fat when dieting and produce less hunger.

However, there may be times when hunger does appear. If it does, pay attention to how you feel, and try to determine whether you feel truly hungry or just empty. There may be times when your stomach feels empty after digesting all the food you've eaten. But actual hunger pains might be very mild or completely absent due to the way your body is breaking down fat to supply your energy needs. If you really do feel hungry, it's likely the very normal function of your body to produce hunger pains for a short period of time before a meal. This feeling can be difficult to adjust to for those who may be used to eating snacks or meals regardless of bodily needs.

If you really do feel hungry, there is always something you can do about it. Follow these tips to stop hunger in its tracks.

Drink a glass or two of cold water. Thirst is frequently mistaken for hunger, and some cold water will often satisfy you.
If you haven't reached your allotted protein for the day, mix up a qualified protein drink or chew on some beef jerky.
Eat some veggies from the approved list -- you can eat as much as you want (just don't go overboard).
Pickles (if sugar-free) are an especially useful snack food. Pickles do contain a high level of sodium, so eating a lot of them may cause some extra water retention -- but at least you know you didn't eat something full of fat and sugar that will cause a real delay in your weight loss.
In general, use lots of spices on your meat dishes. Spices help prevent cravings and make your meals more satisfying.
Try a supplement containing glucomannan, a special fiber that expands to seven times its normal size when combined with water in your stomach.

Not Hungry -- Too Full

Some people have the opposite problem of feeling hungry -- they feel too full. Protein is, after all, the most filling nutrient next to fiber, and you eat a lot of it during your plan -- especially people in dieting groups A and B. When you add fibrous veggies to the mix, it's fairly easy to feel stuffed after eating your required amount of protein.

If you consistently feel like you can't cram it all down, then don't feel like you have to do it. Follow your body's signals. If you feel like the protein amounts are just too much, then cut it back a little bit. Or, you may choose to reduce your vegetable intake to just one serving per meal.

Diet Side Effects

The Core Phase diet sometimes has side effects simply because it may be such a drastic change in eating habits from what you may be used to, in particular the elimination of carbs.

Side effects may include:

Headache. Some people experience headaches during the first week. You are free to use the pain medication of your choice to treat headache. If you experience a serious headache that lasts longer than 7 days, you should consult with your doctor.
Mild dizziness. This symptom usually goes away after the first week as your body gets used to its new diet regimen.
Constipation. On a low-calorie diet, it's normal for bowel movements to come less often, sometimes just once every 3 or 4 days. This isn't constipation. If you truly feel the need for a bowel movement but are unable to go, then you can take a laxative.
Rash (rare). As your body consumes fat, normal toxins are released into your body. Because of the breakneck speeds at which your body consumes fat during the Core Phase, these toxins can build up and cause a minor rash. Drinking plenty of water will help flush out these toxins.
Leg cramps (rare). Cramps may occur due to a lack of potassium. You may consider a potassium supplement (with your doctor's approval) or use Morton Light salt to liberally salt your food.

You should always consult with your health care professional before beginning a diet or exercise program. If you experience anything that concerns you, please talk to your doctor.

Medication

Consult with your doctor before changing or discontinuing your prescribed medications or if you have questions or concerns about your medication. Most doctors have found that health problems such as blood pressure, low thyroid, and type II diabetes improve as a result of losing weight. Often, medications can be reduced or discontinued with the doctor's approval.

You should also check with a health care professional before taking any of the suggested supplements to ensure there will be no unwanted reactions or negative side effects for your body.