For Everyone Who is Doing Xtreme Fat Loss

So a totally normal reader, just like you, posted this really amazing comment here about her experiences doing Xtreme Fat Loss Diet.  And I really got a kick out the stuff she wrote, and I think you will to.  I pulled some stuff from her blog, and I asked her to do a re-cap of her experiences so far.

This current string of blogs is all about XFLD – I know almost everyone reading this is in the middle of XFLD (hopefully you too) and I want to totally support you in your current program.  Here is what Katherine was saying about her experiences doing XFLD half way through.

So here it is:

Hello! 

My name's Katherine. I'm currently doing the XFLD (Xtreme Fat Loss Diet). In case you don't know much about it, it's a diet and exercise program based on a five day cycle that lasts for 25 days. Day 1 is cheat day (eat anything you want), day 2 is fast day (drink water and have only branched chain amino acids), day 3 is shake day (only protein shakes), day 4 is moderate carbohydrate day, and day 5 is protein-only depletion day (high protein, low fat and carb). Now, I'm not going to bore you with the details of the diet and workout; however, I would like to share some of my experiences while being on it so far.

A little bit about me: I'm 23 years old, 5'1, and when I started this diet, I weighed 114 lbs with a body fat percentage of 26. In just ten days of doing the XFLD, I lost 4 lbs, 2.5 inches, and my body fat dropped to 23.2%. Needless to say, the XFLD works and I love the results I'm getting. I couldn't ask for more… but then there is more!

[losing 4lbs, 2.5 inches, and 3% bodyfat is awesome results for 3 weeks or a month.  It's unbelievable in 10 days.  -Josh]

There's more to the results than just the physical transformation. I've also undergone a psychological transformation as well. In order to keep me on track, I like to write daily entries in my blog. In just five days of being on the XFLD, I was seeing myself from a different perspective (and still am!). Here's what I wrote:

"Well, I must say, I feel sexier even if I'm not. Why? Going to the gym, knowing that I'm eating right, etc, just makes me feel good, and when you feel good about yourself, it shows. I think confidence is a very important, attractive quality in an individual. Working out and eating right gives me confidence. I feel fit and that's what counts."

[What was really amazing, if you check her blog entries, is that she wrote that the day BEFORE she did her first measurements.  It already had a massive effect on the way she felt about herself and her body.  To me, this is actually the more important change, and because she was following the program, she got the physical results to go with it. -Josh]

Not only was I gaining a more positive attitude towards my body, but I was also way more in tune with my body's needs:

"What I've found by being on this diet for only 8 days is that it really makes you listen to your body! I find that I am able to see how certain foods (or lack thereof) affect my performance and energy levels. I find that on Cheat Days I don't have as much energy as I do on Moderate Carbohydrate Days. I find that high protein diets hurt my stomach a bit, make me feel full, but also don't satisfy my need of food/carbs."

These are just some of the awesome realizations I've had while on the XFLD.

  Now it's true that I am working very hard to get these results. The XFLD is not a magic pill or quick fix. You have to work hard and try to remain on track. I've gotten awesome results and I didn't always follow it to the book. I tried my best, but sometimes I just wasn't able to do it all. I especially had a hard time with exercising every day. I hadn't worked out in a long time and I had just finished recovering from mononucleosis believe it or not. So, when I went to the gym and did the first workout, the next day I was so sore I could barely move. I had to skip a few workouts for my own safety for the first 10 days.

I also ate something on my first fast day. I was just too hungry. Luckily, since then every fast day has gotten easier for me. Sometimes, I go over my allowed grams of fat on moderate carbohydrate day. However, I do plan my menus in advance. That is key. If you can plan your meals in advance and buy the ingredients in advance, and even cook it in advance, you're less likely to deviate from the diet. I find it's easier to keep it simple – no fancy dishes with added fat. In fact, I love this diet because I spend very little time making my food. Unfortunately, I do spend an hour or more making my menu for the five days.

The XFLD is no walk in the park, but with a positive attitude and a good support network, it can be done. I hope that this post may bring some support to others who are currently doing it and perhaps inspire people to do it if they aren't haven't done it already.

-Katherine

PS.
Just to let you know, I've never been able to follow a diet and workout routine my whole life, but I can follow the XFLD….and I know it's because of those cheat days! They rock!!!

[One other thing, she sounds super positive here at the end, but actually my favorite parts of her blog are when she talks about how much the first couple fast days and shake days sucked!  On a program that's this intense, sometimes it's fun, and sometimes it sucks, and I like hearing the reality of it.  It's not that it doesn't suck, it's that it's worth it.  -Josh]

P.S. I know most fitness bloggers "recommend" one thing one week, and something else the next week, and I'm really trying to be the opposite of that. I don't want you to get sidetracked with other programs – I want you to COMPLETE the program you're doing! 

And for anyone that started it and stopped, here is a boost to pick up where you left off and finish it.