My Two Weight Loss Diaries: Kefir-Oat Diet Experiences Before and After Having a Baby

I've been on the kefir and oat diet twice, and both times it was a wild ride. The first time around, I was super successful and reached my weight goal, but I never got around to finishing the review. Fast forward to after I had my kid, and I'd gained back all the weight I'd lost. I was still pretty active, though, and spent about 6 hours a day walking with my stroller. But as my little one grew, so did my waistline. It wasn't until I went back to my old routine and started walking for hours again that I realized I'd gained a pretty significant amount of weight.

I know some people will say that all diets are temporary, and that's true. But for me, the results of this diet always motivate me to stick to a healthy lifestyle because I don't want to lose the progress I've made. It's been a few years since I first tried this diet, so I think it's fair to say that the weight I lost didn't come back right away.

So, I'm sharing my double experience with the kefir and oatmeal diet. If you're a girl with similar stats who's thinking of trying it, you'll know what to expect.

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Getting Motivated

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For me, this was the toughest part. I tried intermittent fasting, usually on yogurt, and sometimes it worked, sometimes I messed up in the evening. Although I did see some results, they were super minimal. My problem was that my stomach had expanded, and I was eating too large portions – I needed to cut back, which was easy on diets, but I just couldn't stick to it for a week or two on my own.

Motivation #1 was losing weight with someone else. Big thanks to the site and ink_, who agreed to be my partner and join me on the 'Lazy Diet'. Check out her review too – it'll be interesting to compare who lost more weight in the same timeframe.

Motivation #2 was accountability. Psychologists say that setting a goal and voicing it makes your brain switch to a 'can't give up' mode, as you'll have to answer for your words. In my case, writing a review helped me structure my experience and stay on track – I didn't want to admit to my failures (it's embarrassing to write about them, anyway).

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I'll start with my first experience, and the fresh results will be in the next review.

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My Experience with the Kefir-Greek Yogurt Diet #1

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I was thinking about trying a new diet, and I wanted something similar to the Rice Diet that I tried last time, which worked really well for me. I found it super useful because of the balanced diet it offers. However, after remembering how some of the rice dishes made me feel queasy, I decided to look for something a bit tastier, but still focused on combining protein and carbs. I was trying to avoid the all-protein days, like I did in my early experiment, which left me feeling terrible. I was looking for something similar to the rice diet and completely forgot about the super popular Oat and Yogurt Diet.

I've always had a soft spot for oats, especially when they're salty and served as a hot cereal. I can easily eat boiled oats without any added oil for days on end for lunch. I mean, days on end is no exaggeration!

I've got a pretty extreme food story to share with you. A few years ago, I saw an allergist who put me on a super strict diet. For several weeks, I only ate grechka and green apples. Later, I started introducing kefir, boiled potatoes, flour, dried fruits, plant-based oils, cabbage, onions, and a few cucumbers on special occasions. The products I mentioned are considered less allergenic. I had zefir added to my diet about a month and a half or two into it, but my main staple was still grechka, which I ate every day, sometimes up to five times a day. I was always hungry, so I just went with it. I stuck to this super limited diet for about 4-5 months until my situation stabilized. I did lose a lot of weight, and as a bonus, my skin was super clear during that time. I didn't even hate grechka, and I've eaten it often since then. But let's be real, the unsalted grechka in this diet can be a real turn-off for people who are used to salt.

The idea behind a salt-free diet is pretty straightforward – it's about flushing out excess fluids from your body. In fact, it's even prescribed for people with certain health conditions.

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INDICATIONS FOR A SALT-FREE DIET

Salt-free diets are recommended for certain health conditions and metabolic disorders:

Chronic kidney inflammation with swellingHeart failure accompanied by swellingAscitesMyocardiosclerosis and hypertensionObesityDisorders of pancreatic functionAllergic inflammation of the mucous membranes of the eyes and noseChronic inflammation of the mucous membranes of the intestinesStomach ulcersChronic and acute gastritis with increased acidityAcute rheumatoid arthritisI've seen some pretty severe conditions that require a doctor's supervision, and that's exactly what these diets need. Any reaction to them should be monitored with regular tests. Plus, these low-sodium diets are usually prescribed for a short period only.

I've come across some cases where people use low-sodium diets for quick weight loss. There are a few types of diets that limit or exclude salt: the Kemper diet, the Japanese low-sodium diet, Elena Malysheva's diet, Christina Orbakайте's diet, and the Chinese low-sodium diet. Unfortunately, the weight loss effect is often achieved by flushing out fluids from the body, which isn't always safe or healthy.

Just like any medication, this diet has its own set of

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CONTRAINDICATIONS FOR LOW-SODIUM DIET

When I'm working out. I've noticed that during intense exercise, my body cranks out up to 30-40 grams of salt per day. To compensate, I make sure to drink mineral water with high sodium levels and snack on salty foods.For pregnant and breastfeeding moms. I've learned that during pregnancy and breastfeeding, a woman's body uses a lot of sodium, and restricting it can lead to health issues for both mom and baby. In some cases (kidney or heart problems, severe swelling), it's recommended to limit sodium intake under a doctor's supervision.When living in hot climates. If you live in a country with a scorching climate or are on vacation in a sunny destination, I wouldn't recommend a low-sodium diet. Even in temperate climates, it's best to avoid low-sodium diets during the summer months and save them for the colder seasons.For people with physically demanding jobs. A low-sodium diet isn't recommended for those with jobs that require heavy physical labor.Personally, I didn't experience any major issues, but as a hypotonic person, I sometimes get days where my blood pressure drops and I feel weak. So, I decided to approach this diet with caution. If I ever feel like I'm getting too sluggish, I'll add 5 grams of salt to my usual oatmeal serving the next day – that's the minimum recommended amount based on my daily sodium needs. Interestingly, I also lost weight effectively on a salty oatmeal diet in the past, and I didn't gain a pound when I went back to it.

Day one of getting back to solid foods after a water-only diet was pretty bleak, to be honest. I wanted to see the real picture, since I'm not planning on giving up salt for good. So, I took a look at the fridge and grabbed a can of cucumbers for the last night before my diet. I ate two of them: 'I'll miss you, salt.'

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DIET PRINCIPLES

I've looked at various versions of this diet on rice and kefir, read previous reviews, and checked out online information. I went with the most common option. If you're not happy with the diet I've chosen, feel free to try something else – after all, our bodies are all different, and what worked for me might not work for you.

One of the positives is that this diet is super easy: you don't have to think about what to cook for tomorrow every day. It's more of a lazy person's diet – aka perfect for me.

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BLAST OFF! (c) Gagarin

I'm one of those weirdos who starts living on Mondays, but since it was my birthday on Monday, I decided I was finally ready to lose weight after devouring my birthday cake.

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Photo before kefir and oat dietxa0

Day one (8.06.17)

Height: 165 cm

Weight: 57.8 kg

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Kefir and oat diet 1. Day onexa0

I cooked about 250ml of grechka, added 0.5L of water, and put it in my pressure cooker for 5 minutes. Then, without opening the lid, I let it sit for another 10 minutes. That's how I cooked grechka every time.

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I was pretty hungry that day, and the grechka just wasn't cutting it. Ugh, if you've never tried unsalted grechka, don't bother – it's just gross. I had to chew each mouthful for over a minute, but I still managed to eat 2/3 of the grechka and drink the entire kefir. I had 0% kefir that day, not because I'm trying to lose weight fast, but because it was just what I had on hand.

On the next day, I didn't cook grechka because I figured I had enough leftovers, and I could whip up some more after work.

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Day two (9.06.17)

Weigh-in: 56.9 kg

Weight loss for the day: 0.9 kg

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Kefir and Grechka Diet 1. Day twoxa0

I had 2% kefir that day, and it was a pretty stressful day, to be honest. I didn't really feel like eating, so I broke up the remaining third of the grechka into two portions: one for lunch and one for dinner. I drank the kefir throughout the day, but I only managed to finish about 150g of it – it just wasn't appetizing anymore. I think my stomach had finally adjusted to the fact that it wasn't going to be fed a whole lot, so it wasn't demanding that I eat a whole lot at once. This time, I decided to squeeze some lemon juice over the grechka. Let's just say it was still pretty disgusting, but with a weird, sour flavor. I think I'd rather just squeeze lemon into my tea, to be honest.

I didn't experience any dips in energy throughout the day, except for one time when I suddenly stood up - my vision blurred for a second, but that's something I'm unfortunately used to, so I don't think it's related to the diet. I'll skip introducing salt on the third day.

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Day three (10.06.17)

Weight: 56.0 kg

Weight loss for the day: 0.9 kg

Total weight loss: 1.8 kg

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Oat and kefir diet 1. Day threexa0

I'm pretty sure this was the last day I'll see such a significant weight loss. From now on, it'll be tougher. But the good news is that my weight loss had a nice bonus - my belly started to deflate! However, I won't show you my progress - it'll be a nice surprise at the end.

I got to try on all my clothes and I'm finally excited to wear something that fits snugly. Unfortunately, my thick thighs still don't fit into my old shorts, but I'm confident that the result is just around the corner.

For breakfast, I drank 300 ml of 2% kefir and cooked oatmeal without salt. This time, I made about 300 ml, which I'm worried will only last for two days.

I ate half of the oatmeal during the day and saved the rest for tomorrow. Throughout the day, I drank 0% kefir. I'm not feeling hungry at all, and I have plenty of energy - it's great!

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Day four (11.06.17)

Weight: 55.7 kg

Weight loss for the day: 0.3 kg

Total weight loss: 2.1 kg

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Oat and kefir diet 1. Day fourxa0

I was expecting the weight loss to slow down, and it's been true. It's not like I've gained any weight, but I've definitely leveled off. My mom took one look at me and asked if I was starving, because my face is all bruised and my collarbones are sticking out. Moms are the worst. Even though my collarbones are still in the right place, the bruises are pretty noticeable even after using concealer. I feel okay, though, and I don't have any weakness, but this diet is still stressing my body out.

Today I had oatmeal and drank 0% kefir. Since I'm feeling good, I decided to stick with the unsalted practice for now, especially since oatmeal doesn't taste as bad as it used to. Sprinkling it with paprika makes it pretty palatable.

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Day five (12.06.17)

Weight: -

I didn't weigh myself because I was leaving, so I have no idea how much weight I've lost. Tomorrow I'll get the result for the past two days.

Today I drank 300ml of 0% kefir and about 0.5L of 2.5% kefir. I had oatmeal three times, and I ate half of a cooked serving (250ml).

Finally, my stomach has gone down. I decided to sort through my closet – summer is coming soon. Even though my old pants still feel a bit tight, my stomach has gone down and my old dresses are now easy to zip up. I'm feeling pretty optimistic and I've already started going through my summer wardrobe. Bring on summer!

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Today I decided that since the diet is going so smoothly, I'll try to stick to the mono-days for as long as possible, and only introduce vegetables and fruits on the eighth day. If my condition changes, I'll do it earlier.

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Day six (13.06.17)

Weight: 55.1

Weight loss over two days: 600g

Total weight loss: 2.7kg

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Oat and Yogurt Diet Day 1. Day Sixxa0

I drank 300ml of 2.5% yogurt and about a quarter of the cooked oatmeal volume (250ml) - I didn't feel like eating the oatmeal, but eventually it started to warm up - I just physically didn't feel like eating.

After work, I went to the movies, so I had to buy something - 1.5% coffee. I took it because there wasn't much yogurt, but even with the added sugar and flavorings, coffee has a slightly higher calorie count than 2.5% yogurt. Before bed, I couldn't help myself and ate 5 radishes. Although I feel great, the monotony of the diet is starting to show. I watched chips and popcorn - I wanted something besides oatmeal. So, starting tomorrow, I'll gradually introduce vegetables.

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Day Seven (14.06.17) - BLOWOUT

Weight: -

I didn't weigh myself - tomorrow will be a surprise. Hopefully, it's a positive one. By volume,

From the menu for the day was 0.5 liters of 2.5% yogurt and a small plate of oatmeal, which I split into two portions. However, in the evening, I caved in. The hardest part of the diet isn't the temptations around you, it's the temptations you create yourself and try to resist! Frying pancakes, making different fillings, and watching them get devoured right in front of you - it's a real challenge. Baking cookies, when they smell like cinnamon and sweet cheesecake filling, and not being able to take just one bite! In the end, I gave in. I ate about a quarter of a portion of pasta with meat and three cookies. It was incredibly embarrassing - it's the first time it's happened to me, although I know that setbacks happen to many people. The main thing is not to give in to your body's provocations and continue with your plan.

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Day eight (15.06.17)

Weight: 55.1

Weight loss over two days: 0 kg

Total weight loss: 2.7 kg

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Oatmeal and kefir diet 1. Day eightxa0

I woke up with a severe hunger pang for the first time since starting the diet. I've got a weird symptom where if I overeat in the evening, I wake up starving in the morning. I got through the morning with a cup of coffee, which usually helps suppress my hunger, and a glass of kefir. For lunch, I decided to take a nap – I think I was just too tired to eat. I ended up not eating until the middle of the afternoon, and even then, I only managed to eat half a bowl of oatmeal – about 150 ml. I didn't touch my kefir. I know it's not ideal, but I just couldn't help myself.

Later that evening, I drank 300 ml of 2.5% kefir and ate four apricots. Suddenly, I felt a wave of nausea and my stomach started cramping. I spent the rest of the evening in the bathroom. I'm pretty sure it wasn't the apricots – I ate them earlier in the day. I think it must have been the kefir. I'm not sure why, but it's possible that the quality of the product was the issue.

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Day nine (16.06.17)

Weight: 54.6

Weight loss over two days: 0.5 kg

Total weight loss: 3.2 kg

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Oatmeal and kefir diet 1. Day ninexa0

The weight loss is pretty obvious, but I think it's mostly due to dehydration. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

I drank around a liter of 0% kefir over the course of a day, and had two small servings of grechka. In the evening, I thawed out some frozen blueberries and had a cup of tea with lemon and blackcurrant. It was a pretty uneventful day, and I didn't feel hungry at all. I've been lucky lately and haven't experienced hunger pangs for a while now - I think the most I can fit in my stomach at once is 300ml of kefir.

Despite this, I don't feel any weakness. Not at all! My overall health is feeling great, and the dark circles under my eyes are finally starting to fade.

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Day ten (17.06.17)

Weight: 54.2

Weight loss over the day: 0.4 kg

Total weight loss: 3.6 kg

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Kefir-grechka diet 1. Day tenxa0

I have to admit, I was surprised to see my weight drop again. I'm thrilled, of course, that I'm getting close to my goal of 4 kg, but I didn't think it would happen this quickly and easily. Fingers crossed that I'll hit my target in the next few days.

I had 2.5% kefir throughout the day, and drank around 700ml of it. I also had two servings of grechka.

For my last snack, I made a salad with whatever green veggies I had at home, and topped it with kefir. Although, I know that's not exactly in line with the diet's protein-carb separation, I think it would have been more logical to add some oil to the salad.

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Saladxa0

The most interesting thing is that the grechka has started to taste less bland over time, and is now starting to taste like regular grechka.

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Day eleven (18.06.17) - Weight loss 2

Weight: 54.3

Weight loss per day: 0.1 kg

Total weight loss: 3.5 kg

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Kefir and oat diet 1. Day elevenxa0

There you go. A bit of a surprise, I guess. Oh, who am I kidding? Let's keep going.

I drank 400 grams of 2.5% kefir and had oatmeal twice, then made a salad in the evening. But at 11 pm, after a day of cooking (I made soup, oatmeal, grilled fish, made a compote, and a casserole), I just couldn't resist! I caved and had a piece of a creamy apple and raisin casserole. It would've been fine if I'd made it with low-fat cottage cheese and an apple, but I went for the 9% cottage cheese with sugar. Now my stomach feels like a brick - I've been off heavy food for a while now. But man, it's nice to eat normal food again!

Okay, three more days to go. I'll try to stick to it without any slip-ups. Who knows, maybe the slip-up last time actually helped with weight loss. I hope I can finish the diet with a weight loss of over 4 kg.

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Day twelve (19.06.17)

Weight: 54.3

Weight loss per day: 0 kg

Total weight loss: 3.5 kg

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Kefir and oat diet 1. Day twelvexa0

I'm still feeling the effects of yesterday's slip-up and the start of my keto diet. The coffee and tea I had yesterday are still lingering, making me want to turn my figure into a dieting disaster. No worries, I'll get rid of them soon!

Today I had a huge craving. I drank 300ml of 2.5% kefir, had a massive serving of grechka for lunch, and topped it off with a big serving of salad. In the evening, I had another huge serving of grechka and around 250ml of 2.5% kefir. By the way, grechka is getting tastier every day!

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Day 13 (20.06.17)

Weight: 54.1

Weight loss for the day: 0.2 kg

Total weight loss: 3.7 kg

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Kefir and Grechka Diet 1. Day 13xa0

Well, I've got two days and 300 grams left. Do you think I'll make it? Today I had a bit of grechka and drank 1.5 cups of 2.5% kefir, and had an orange as a snack. In the evening, I had a serving of grechka and a green apple.

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Day 14 (21.06.17)

Weight: -

Yay! The last day! Biscuits, wait for me! (Just kidding - I plan to keep controlling my daily food intake and staying within my limits.)

Unfortunately, I couldn't weigh myself this morning, so the final results will be in the first day of freedom from grechka and kefir.

Today I had a bit of grechka and drank around 0.5 liters of 2.5% kefir.

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Results of the Diet (22.06.17)

Weight: 53.8

Total weight loss: 4 kg

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Before and After Photos of the Kefir and Oat Diet 1xa0

I was thrilled to see the results of my kefir and oat diet - I lost the extra pounds around my waist and tummy. If you compare the 'before' and 'after' photos, you'll see the difference for yourself.

The top photos are from before I started the diet.

The bottom photos are from after I finished the diet.

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This time around, I approached the diet differently. I ruled out the low-sodium option from the start - I didn't want to lose water weight, which can be just as unhealthy as excess fat. I was looking for a more stable result, without the energy crashes that often come with it.

I'd say my body shape is pretty apple-like, always curvy around the midsection. When I'm trying to lose weight, I end up being a bit of a rectangle with a not-so-defined waistline. Even when I weighed 48 kg at 165 cm, my ribs were visible, and my waist was still around 69-70 cm.

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My body shape before the dietxa0

My goal was to get back down to my pre-pregnancy weight, which I consider to be around 52-55 kg for my 165 cm height. I've been smaller in the past, but 55 kg feels like a comfortable weight for me right now.

To give you a better idea, I set a goal for myself to fit into my old jeans. I don't love the way they look, but I love the size. So, I managed to squeeze my, ahem, 'expanded' bottom and belly into them for a pre-diet photo. Needless to say, zipping them up wasn't an option – I barely managed to get them on!

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Fitting into my old jeansxa0

I cooked oatmeal in my pressure cooker. I'd usually make a big batch – about 300 ml of oats – which would last me for 1.5 to 2 days. I'd just reheat it as needed, and it was a lifesaver for me because I didn't have the energy to cook separate meals for myself and the kids.

I have to admit, eating the same old oatmeal every day for days on end, let alone two weeks, was starting to get to me, so I gave in pretty quickly. I'd usually give it a bit of a boost by pouring some soup broth over it once a day, and that made it surprisingly tasty. It was definitely easier to eat than plain oatmeal, and it was a bit more flavorful too. I did indulge in ketchup a couple of times - Heinz, to be specific (110 calories per 100g). I didn't completely cut out coffee, opting for instant instead of ground, although I did have some of the latter. When I was feeling particularly down, I'd add a sugar substitute to my coffee - usually one tablet of the kind I prefer, which is Stevia-based.

What's more, this time around, I was taking vitamins alongside my diet. Even though oatmeal is packed with nutrients, I figured it was worth being cautious given my recent gallbladder surgery, the spring season, and the restrictions on my diet.

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Unlike last time, I won't be going into too much detail about my diet - just the basics. Instead, I'll be focusing on my weight measurements.

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Day one (February 1st)

Height: 165 cm

Weight: 60.7 kg

No measurements were taken (I'm not sure why - I guess I was just too lazy). I did, however, take a photo of myself in my old jeans, which I'll share with you later.

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Before the dietxa0

My goal was to lose around 5-6 kg, which would put me back at my pre-pregnancy weight. I'm not sure if I'll be able to reach that goal, but I'm hoping to at least get close.

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Day two (February 2nd)

Height: 165 cm

Weight: 59.9 kg

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Day twoxa0

Today was a pretty easy day. I drank 300ml of 2.5% kefir and had oatmeal for breakfast. I also had a bit of grechka for lunch, which was a nice change of pace.

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Day three (February 3rd)</