Last summer I was fed up. I just couldn’t lose the pregnancy pounds, I no longer recognized my body in the mirror and I was disappointed that my BMI was too high. After Helena’s birth in May 2019, I undertook ten weight loss attempts. I hardly lost any weight from ‘ordinary’ eating less and exercising more, exercising three times a week with a personal trainer did nothing and even eating 1,300 calories a day did not lead to weight loss for me. Something clearly went wrong, so I called in professional help.
When I first came in to my dietician, it was immediately pleasant. She is not only my dietitian, but also my neighbor behind. So we had already met before and that made me feel at ease quickly. Unfortunately, that easy feeling disappeared like snow in the sun when I was allowed to step on the scale. I hardly dare to write down what this one indicated, but I’m going to do it anyway… On July 27, 2021 I weighed no less than 92 kilos. And although I have quite a bit of muscle mass, at a height of 1.72 meters that is really much, much too heavy. I had a BMI of 31.1 and that meant I was obese. While I’m only 29! Not only was my BMI too high, my waist size was too big. So it’s time to take action.
First appointment dietitian
Together with my dietitian I talked about my eating pattern, exercise pattern, what I like, what I don’t like and at what times I ate. From that conversation it appeared that the food was actually going very well, but that I could drink less alcohol, that I should be allowed to exercise more and that I should no longer eat my food at my computer. All things I could definitely do something with!
One kilo a month
I set to work in good spirits. I halved my alcohol intake, I went for a walk every afternoon and I tried to eat less often at my computer. The latter is something that can still be improved upon; I still often eat while working. Despite eating at my computer, I gradually lost some weight. Not much, but an average of one kilo per month.
Arrived well again
At the end of January I had been working for exactly half a year and the scale indicated 86 kilos. In six months I lost 6 kilos. How good that felt! But somehow losing the weight from that moment on was not so easy anymore. Where I first became a little lighter and a little lighter, I now very quietly became a little heavier. Three weeks ago (on May 12), the scale indicated almost 88 kilos. I had gained a lot of weight again, even though I had stopped eating or moving less.
Very effective
My dietitian saw that it was very difficult for me. For both her and my feeling I did everything I could and yet it didn’t work well. For this reason, we have therefore started a different (and quite extreme) diet: the 6×6 diet. The 6×6 diet is a diet developed by dieticians in which you eat 6 grams of carbohydrates 6 times a day. In various studies and in practice, this method has proven itself effective in combating overweight in people with insulin resistance and/or diabetes. After one year, the study participants had lost an average of 9 pounds and needed less diabetes medication. Not only did people lose weight, many people also lost their blood pressure and felt fitter.
The 6×6 diet
The 6×6 diet consists of three phases. In the first phase (which lasts at least 8 weeks) you eat 6 grams of carbohydrates 6 times a day. In the second and third phase, you will gradually increase this and work towards a sustainable and sustainable lifestyle. The first phase in particular demands a lot from you. I thought I was already eating quite a few carbohydrates, but when I really had to count them carefully, I discovered that I was taking in more than I thought. I liked to eat things like fruit and vegetables without any restrictions. This is not possible within the 6×6 diet. The book ‘6×6 diet’ written by Wilma Bouwman and Alie Lourens explains exactly what the method entails and what you can eat and drink.
Fat as fuel
By eating fewer carbohydrates, you take away an important fuel for the body. Where most people’s body gets energy from sugars (carbohydrates), with the 6×6 diet it is the intention that your body will get energy from fat. Your body has to get used to ‘walking on fat’ in the beginning, but over time many people feel better than ever. Why not cut out carbs completely? Because your brain does need these sugars to function properly. Hence the 6 grams of carbohydrates, 6 times a day. This amount of carbohydrates, on the other hand, is so low that you do not get peaks and troughs in your blood sugar. And that is very good for the extent to which you are sensitive to insulin. I could write a lot more about this, but actually I advise you to order the book ????
Good food
I’ve been on the 6×6 diet for three weeks now and I really like it. The first week I was tired quickly and sports did not work well. Now I feel energized and I enjoy my food. My body becomes more sensitive to insulin again and I suffer less from fluctuations in my energy balance. I also manage to stick to this diet on the weekends. After all, you can continue to eat cheese, fish, nuts, meat and avocado. The choices I make are quite different, but certainly no less tasty or less satisfying. I also didn’t have to cut out bread completely and I now choose a low-carb sandwich every morning. I top this with a nice thick egg and cheese.
Energetic and happy
A lot has happened in my body in three weeks. My body now really ‘runs’ on fat. You can measure this by means of a ketone test (simply put, ketones are waste products that are released when fats are broken down) very easily. In addition, I feel energetic and I like to constantly ‘build’ new dishes that consist of 6 grams of carbohydrates. The challenge here is that they are sufficiently satiating, are high in proteins and fats and also contain enough vegetables. To prevent deficiencies, I do take a multivitamin while following the diet. In addition, I am professionally guided by my dietician.
Lost a lot of weight
Last Tuesday I was allowed to step on the scale again. Wow! In less than 3 weeks I have lost 2.1 kilos. In addition, my waist size has also decreased by 3 centimeters. So we can say that this diet works very well for me! It is also good to mention that I have not started eating fewer calories (even slightly more). So my body reacts very well to the small amount of carbohydrates.
Move
In addition to the other food, I also continued to exercise. I exercise twice a week with my personal trainer and I also get on the spinning bike twice a week (just at home in the attic). I also walk a bit during the lunch break, varying between 10 and 30 minutes. After that, I do eat my lunch behind my computer. haha! So there is really still more profit to be made ????
Follow me on Instagram
Because the 6×6 diet is very new, there is little to be found online about it. For this reason I started my own Instagram account where I share my experience, tips and recipes (with a maximum of 6 grams of carbohydrates). If you like you can follow me via @6x6_dieet_recepten.
Follow the diet yourself
Do you want to know more about the 6×6 diet? Then I advise you to order the book. In addition, it is definitely recommended to follow this diet under professional guidance. You will eat very differently and it is important to make sure that you do not run out of deficiencies. Please discuss this with your doctor/dietitian first.
Join the conversation
Would you like to try the 6×6 diet? I am very curious. Have your say in the comments below this article.