I am 6 wks out and on phase two, mushy stage. I'm finding it very difficult to lose weight during this stage. It's very frustrating. I feel like I should have lost more weight by now. Please help!

Hi Nikkibeal, and WELCOME!

Most of us here imagine coming into such a drastic diet change that the weight would drop off according to our light eating. Alas, it ain't neccesarily so. The speed of weight decline is decided by many factors such as beginning weight, metabolism, Water consumption, activity, following guidelines, and.....the mystery factors. Mystery factors? Those are the "unknown to science or anybody" reasons that the body holds on to fat until it's darn good and ready to let it go.

I can comfort you in this though, if you follow guidelines it WILL come off. Don't let the scale bully you, it is doomed to drop. I suggest you use the scale like I did on my descent, as a curiosity. I witnessed how my body decided to get it off, saw the scale go down, up, and stay the same many times. I kept in mind that it will come off eventually, it was my destiny, it is yours, too.

You said "up" implying that we will gain sometimes. I seem to have gained back 4 of the 40 lost since 10-23-13, and it doesn't make sense calorie- wise. Is that somewhat typical?