Day 31: proof that it's working

I'm now into week 5 of this diet - which means I'm now bathing in 16C water (and I'm consequently cold all morning), and still keeping up with the exercise and food restrictions.

I've now lost 18 pounds - just two pounds short of the target that Fulton promises for the "quake" version of his diet.  If I lose those two pounds in the next 10 days, I'll have reached my target.

Week 1

However, even 18 pounds is pretty good all by itself, and it's had some impressive results in terms of getting into my clothes.  I have a favourite dress that has never fitted properly, but I bought it because it was the size I thought I should be, and I liked the colours.  Before the diet, I couldn't actually wear it, and after six days I could only get it zipped up if I breathed right in - and then it made me look pregnant.  Here's a photo of me, squeezed into the dress at the end of week 1.

You're not supposed to wear the waistband that high of course - it's supposed to go round your waist, but on me it didn't.  This is a size 16 dress - I should be able to wear it!

My fat tends to collect around my middle, rather than the usual hips and thighs.  This is meant to be very unhealthy - if you naturally become and "apple" rather than a "pear", this is meant to be a sign that you are more susceptible to all sorts of dreadful conditions that mainly affect the overweight in middle and old age, just when you are least able to cope with that sort of thing.

Week 5

One interesting aspect of the diet is those cold baths - they're meant to attack the really hard-to-shift fat, and for me, that's in the belly.  I spend 13 minutes each morning with my belly submerged in cold water. The water temperature does go up, and I assume that means my body is burning fat - perhaps even that annoying belly fat!
So - is the diet working?  Using the "dress test" I would say it's going extremely well.  The pregnancy tummy is gone, and the waistband isn't pushed up quite so high.  Although my main reason for losing weight is brain health, I'd say that in a way, liking the way you look, and feeling comfortable in your favourite clothes, is probably also fairly beneficial for your mental health.