Boop's diary....all advice welcome!

[5boop5]

Hello
i've had a go at 2 or 3 day a week fasting a couple of times but haven't stuck to it. Having found this forum I'm hoping it will give me a bit more sticking power!
I would like be thinner, but my main concerns with my weight are health-related. Diabetes and dementia both crop up in my family, so if I can lower my risk of either I think I need to try.

I would need to lose 3 stone to get to a 'healthy' weight, but I haven't been that since I was about 20.... I'm now 41. I would be very happy if I could lose 2 stone and stay there - although I would still be at increased risk, it would be a whole lot lower than my risk is now!

So I'm starting with 3 fasts a week, aiming for 500 cals a day. In order to keep my aims in mind, Sunday will be AA day (anti-Alzheimer's), Tuesday will be AD day (anti-diabetes) and Thursday is ASH day (anti-heart attack and stroke). So if I'm tempted to stray its not the scales that I'm trying to dodge.

Today I'm going to have some soup for an early lunch, and a light meal with the family ate around 4pm. Unfortunately I woke up at 5am so it seems like a long time till lunch!

Any advice or encouragement is very welcome.

 

[Debridger]

Hi Boop, welcome


I also fast Sun/Tue/Thu

I'm 43, and started SW last August - November, I started fasting 3 days a week, mainly for the health benefits, as I was happy with my pound a week off at SW, I've continued SW on my eating days, and I don't eat at all I my fast days - only black coffee, herbal/fruit tea and maybe diet soft drinks
Since August, I've lost just over 3 stone, and I'm now lower in weight than when I was in school, and I feel so much better.
I am sure that its helped by sensible eating on my UD.

You may find the first couple of fasts difficult, but hang in there - it's only for one day - I plan what I'm having the next day, so it gives me something to look forward too

Good luck, see you around

 

[5boop5]

Wow that is amazing! Have you found it fairly easy to stick with? I'm the classic yoyoer, really hoping I have the willpower for this.

 

[Debridger]

Thanks for your lively comments.
Well, I've been overweight most of my life

I remember eating crispbreads & yoghurt at school for lunch to combat my weight, but it never really helped.
I did WW in the early 90's, can't remember the results, but it started to come off, then I did SW in 2004 and lost a stone in 3 months, but I've not really dieted much in life, I seem to start well and become complacent.
In Jan 2011 I decided I needed to lose weight, and over the year lost just over 2.5 stone again with SW
Things went wrong, couldn't get back on track after Christmas, then my Mum was really ill so I gave up, putting 1.5 stone back on.
Once life became more settled, in the August I rejoined SW - still a stone less than I started the year before, but still far too heavy.
My head seems to be in the right place, and now, I feel it's all been worth the effort, especially with all the positive comments I've been getting, and the way I feel, the easier things seem to be, not lugging all this excess weight around - I know my Mum would be proud of me too.

As for fasting, that was purely for health reasons, the same reasons you've mentioned, the fact that its helped my weight loss is an added benefit, for which I'm happy about.

I decided to not eat for several reasons -
1/ I've found that once I eat, I feel hungrier
2/ I really cannot be bothered to count calories and weigh stuff (part of SWs appeal)
3/ what I've seen and read, if you can fast for 16 hours or more it has more affect.

I think knowing that you're going without one day at a time makes it easier

Anyway, that's probably enough waffle from me

 

[5boop5]

It is interesting, the eating or not eating on a fast day. I know I couldn't face the day knowing I wasn't going to eat at all just yet......did you do that from the start, or just work out that it suited you that way?
I will try to delay eating till lunchtime on fast days I think, to try to maximise the benefits.

You have done brilliantly.

 

[Debridger]

Thanks - yes from day one I didn't eat - took a lot of willpower - but I had low cal stuff just in case I couldn't hack it
My 2nd day I was at work - so again I took stuff with me just incase - but after a couple of days it was fine.
I still have days where I think I want to eat, but if its difficult I'll make some bovril instead of coffee - that helps

 

[carrot_tit]

Hi Bloop

Welcome to the forum

Like you i have Alzheimers in the family, not to mention heart disease, diabetes, etc

I started this WOE last week. Been off work with ME since end of January and have piled weight on. I have no energy to prepare meals so i was sat eating my way through junk food in front of the tv and hey presto. I'm overweight again! I've done all sorts over the years, LighterLife, WW, SW, Slim and Save, Calorie Counting, fad diets, you name it. They all worked for a bit and then i resumed my normal eating patterns and always ended up fat again and usually fatter than i started!

I tried this WOE last September after coming off Slim and Save but i couldn't stick to it. As soon as i started eating my calories on my fast days i would go nuts and eat everything not nailed to the ground. I tried all sorts of things, eating 3 small meals, eating 2 slighter larger meals, saving all my cals for 1 large meal in the evening. Nothing helped and then i fell ill and well i've regained nearly all the weight i lost.

So i took a bit of advice from some of the people on here. The very kind Debridger being one of them and decided to go without. I can't tell you how much easier i have found it Its like a weight has been lifted. Before i would feel starving and all i could focus on was having my calories and then once i'd eaten them i would continue to feel starving... But this way i feel hungry but never starving. When the hunger gets bad i just get a hot drink and that seems to help. It's still early days mind but this is how i'm going to stick at it for the remaining time.

Don't forget to measure yourself as i'm told this WOE is also great for inch loss. I'm really looking forward to following your progress.

 

[ladybird777]

My mum has Alzheimers so it's my special interest too. I have been told that Vit B 12 is a good help towards preventing it. It has to be the ones with Methylcobalamin in them and a high dose - 5000 is the highest. It's worth a shot. I take them. I've JUDDDed successfully until recent illness but lost inches even when the scales stuck and I couldn't do DD's for a while. I'm doing S & S due to a holiday coming up but will be back to it after that. Good luck xx

 

[5boop5]

Hi Sarah, thanks for the welcome. I'm glad the plan is working for you, it must be so hard to stick to anything whole you are unwell too.
My dd went well today, but I know what you mean about the getting more hungry when you eat. I was medium-hungry at lunchtime, I'd decided to make some French onion soup. It was nice, I felt quite full briefly, but then wanted to eat all afternoon. I think on my dd at home I will try not eating. On my two work dds, I will still eat at lunch because I can't eat outside of mealtimes at work so temptation is less.
Thanks again

 

[carrot_tit]

My mum has Alzheimers so it's my special interest too. I have been told that Vit B 12 is a good help towards preventing it. It has to be the ones with Methylcobalamin in them and a high dose - 5000 is the highest. It's worth a shot. I take them. I've JUDDDed successfully until recent illness but lost inches even when the scales stuck and I couldn't do DD's for a while. I'm doing S & S due to a holiday coming up but will be back to it after that. Good luck xx

Thanks for the vitamin B12 tip. I'll have a look for them.