The FastDay Forum

Hi everyone!

I used to be on this forum years ago!

I doubt I know any of you any more so a little bit about myself:
I am a 29 year old girl who loves going out and having a good time with my friends, date nights with my boyfriend, Sunday sessions and wine! I am 79.9kg.

Back when I was 24 and first started reading up about fasting I did really well with 5:2 and dropped to about 67kg/10st5 really quite quickly and remarkably I found it pretty easy. Before that I was always a ‘bigger girl’ and hated it.

I maintained for a little but then gradually started to get lazy with my fasts and I sadly ended up putting all the weight back on.

This time last year I decided to get serious again in time for my 28th birthday so that I could fit in a dress i loved! And I did it, getting back to about 68kg. My ultimate goal was 60kg but at 68kg I was slim, looked healthy and had a BMI of about 21 or 22. How I wish I hadn’t taken it all for granted [incompatible emoji removed]

I wasn’t in a fulfilling relationship at the time.. and as my boyfriend was rather anti social, we didn’t go out much or see people all that often so fasting and being good wasn’t that hard. I was also easily fasting for 40 hours, twice a week on 0 cals and following a low carb/high fat diet on the other days which I loved.

Fast forward to August of last year my ex and I broke up and I met my now boyfriend who is the love of my life and everything I’ve always wanted! We have a great life together filled with fun and adventure… but of course with that comes food, wine and not a lot of room for fast days (and excuses not to fast even when I could)!

So again, in the 7 months we’ve been together I’ve piled it all back on again and am shockingly back up to 80kg. I am more than mad with myself but have promised myself by my 30th next year I will be where I want to be!

BUT I feel like I just don’t know where to start. Since Christmas I haven’t lost anything and have probably been putting weight ON! I’ve been kidding myself.. doing a fast day here and there, a 16:8 day if i can’t fast, a low carb day, telling myself I’ll do it tomorrow, making awful food choices on my non fasting days. I know that the first time I ever did this i did 2 days at 400/500cal and didn’t worry much about the other 5 days and the weight fell off of me; but I’m older now and i don’t think I’ll be so lucky this time around.

Has anyone else been like me and lost most of the weight TWICE and put it back on?

20 kgs seems such a huge amount to lose i feel really quite overwhelmed.

Thank you for reading!

LilSmiler xo

Hi @lilsmiler and welcome back - although I know you would rather not "have" to be here...

I sympathize with your situation. I do plan to write more later, but I have just read through the discussion thread you started years ago on 5:2 becoming a chore, and think if you read through that again, it could be helpful. There were lots of useful suggestions - back in the day when there were lots of active forum members, unlike now.

All the best!

I forgot I wrote all those posts lol!

It’s a shame that it’s much quieter now though I guess everyone went to the Facebook page as that one is thriving!

Hi again @lilsmiler

I think you did marvelously to lose the weight the second time - generally that would be much harder than the first time, when the novelty factor would have helped - so understandably you are concerned about how and whether you can lose the weight a third time, and this time keep it off.

Perhaps set yourself a smaller interim weight loss goal. A common suggestion from the experts is to aim for a 10% loss initially, then once you achieve that, aim for another 10% - with the bonus that that 10% will be a smaller amount.

Also, given you were slim at 68kg - I assume you are reasonably tall - why not just have that as your final goal? If you reach that, and can maintain it for a number of months, then you could consider trying to lose some more. (However, given you had a BMI of 21-22 when 68kg, you would be very slim at 60kg and maybe that low weight might not be sustainable for you...)

You still have age on your side; generally it is easier to lose weight when younger - or, at least, your skin is more elastic and so once you lose weight, your skin will shrink more easily than happens for those of us who are older...!

You ask how you start on the weight loss journey this time. Lots of ideas in your other thread!! I am not a good person to give advice here... Like you, I lost weight easily the first time round with 5:2, and maintained around goal weight for about 18 months. Then, after a month overseas where I ate far too much, I regained about a third of the weight I lost and since then have not been able to shift the regain. I no longer weigh myself, but I can tell from my clothes that my weight goes up and down a bit, but I can't keep it down...

The real issue for me - and I think for you (and everyone who wants to lose weight) - is what changes we are prepared to make to our normal way of eating so that we do not regain the lost weight.

I have made some changes, which is why I haven't put back all the weight - I exercise a lot more, I eat less fruit (I would have had 5 or more serves a day, now I have 2-3), I have less pasta, rarely eat sausages or processed meats. And generally snack a little less during the day. But I do eat too much in the evening, in particular chocolate.

What changes can you make (that are sustainable in the longer term) to how and what you eat, so that you can maintain a lower weight?

Being in a happy settled relationship can help your weight stabilize, but may not help with losing weight if you and your partner do enjoy food and wine... But it may be that once more time passes, and your relationship becomes more "routine" (in the best possible way!) you may be able to reduce the amount of eating and drinking you do.

Could you try making your serves smaller - a smaller wine glass, smaller dinner plate, could help. I have read that one's body/mind doesn't notice a reduction in serving size of 10%.

Anyhow, that is enough from me. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Hi there @Lilsmiler and welcome back! Its so lovely to see you here again!

Your story is a complete mirror of mine! Oh yeS! I too have lost weight, got to my lowest weight since I was in my twenties (some time ago!) and then piled it all back on again. I should be able to fast easily because I have no social life, so I can really sympathise when you have such an active life - and a new love in your life(!!) so fasting must be more difficult. Going low carb is a great start. I'm hoping that Candy @Candicemarie will visit on here one day. She lost so much weight by keeping to 50g carbs daily (and 800 cals). Not only has she lost all this weight, she's kept it off and that's the hardest thing isn't it.

Anyway, I hope you manage to find a way to get fasting into your life. I'm currently fasting on Sundays/Tuesdays and Thursdays and trying not to eat too many carbs on feast days, although I'm not going to get too worried about it!

So what day will you be fasting this week?!!

Its great to have you back with us!

Bean

Hi again @lilsmiler

I think you did marvelously to lose the weight the second time - generally that would be much harder than the first time, when the novelty factor would have helped - so understandably you are concerned about how and whether you can lose the weight a third time, and this time keep it off.

Perhaps set yourself a smaller interim weight loss goal. A common suggestion from the experts is to aim for a 10% loss initially, then once you achieve that, aim for another 10% - with the bonus that that 10% will be a smaller amount.

Also, given you were slim at 68kg - I assume you are reasonably tall - why not just have that as your final goal? If you reach that, and can maintain it for a number of months, then you could consider trying to lose some more. (However, given you had a BMI of 21-22 when 68kg, you would be very slim at 60kg and maybe that low weight might not be sustainable for you...)

You still have age on your side; generally it is easier to lose weight when younger - or, at least, your skin is more elastic and so once you lose weight, your skin will shrink more easily than happens for those of us who are older...!

You ask how you start on the weight loss journey this time. Lots of ideas in your other thread!! I am not a good person to give advice here... Like you, I lost weight easily the first time round with 5:2, and maintained around goal weight for about 18 months. Then, after a month overseas where I ate far too much, I regained about a third of the weight I lost and since then have not been able to shift the regain. I no longer weigh myself, but I can tell from my clothes that my weight goes up and down a bit, but I can't keep it down...

The real issue for me - and I think for you (and everyone who wants to lose weight) - is what changes we are prepared to make to our normal way of eating so that we do not regain the lost weight.

I have made some changes, which is why I haven't put back all the weight - I exercise a lot more, I eat less fruit (I would have had 5 or more serves a day, now I have 2-3), I have less pasta, rarely eat sausages or processed meats. And generally snack a little less during the day. But I do eat too much in the evening, in particular chocolate.

What changes can you make (that are sustainable in the longer term) to how and what you eat, so that you can maintain a lower weight?

Being in a happy settled relationship can help your weight stabilize, but may not help with losing weight if you and your partner do enjoy food and wine... But it may be that once more time passes, and your relationship becomes more "routine" (in the best possible way!) you may be able to reduce the amount of eating and drinking you do.

Could you try making your serves smaller - a smaller wine glass, smaller dinner plate, could help. I have read that one's body/mind doesn't notice a reduction in serving size of 10%.

Anyhow, that is enough from me. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Thank you so much!

Your suggestion about aiming for 68kg is probably a very good one and a point I will certainly take on board. I felt happy there, so I will aim for there again and then tweak as necessary
I'm 171cm so reasonably tall!

One change I made and have stuck to at all times for probably a year or more now is BLACK COFFEE. I couldn't take cream or sugar anymore if you paid me I'm proud of that one. I drink 2-3 litres of waters most days and I extend the overnight fast to 16 hours a few times a week too for the health benefits. I limit fruit and sweets, pasta, bread, rice as they just do not suit me!

I do think when we move in together next year it will be a lot easier to stay in and eat as we can cook in bulk etc, although even now we do eat lots of veggies, good meat, cook in olive oil. He is a great cook; lucky for me!

Lil

Hi there @Lilsmiler and welcome back! Its so lovely to see you here again!

Your story is a complete mirror of mine! Oh yeS! I too have lost weight, got to my lowest weight since I was in my twenties (some time ago!) and then piled it all back on again. I should be able to fast easily because I have no social life, so I can really sympathise when you have such an active life - and a new love in your life(!!) so fasting must be more difficult. Going low carb is a great start. I'm hoping that Candy @Candicemarie will visit on here one day. She lost so much weight by keeping to 50g carbs daily (and 800 cals). Not only has she lost all this weight, she's kept it off and that's the hardest thing isn't it.

Anyway, I hope you manage to find a way to get fasting into your life. I'm currently fasting on Sundays/Tuesdays and Thursdays and trying not to eat too many carbs on feast days, although I'm not going to get too worried about it!

So what day will you be fasting this week?!!

Its great to have you back with us!

Bean

Hi Bean, how great to see you still here

Wow Candy sounds amazing, keeping it off really IS the hard part.. once the novelty has worn off and whatnot.

I fasted Monday (about 600 calories so not great, but low carb at least)
Tuesday I hit about 2000 calories, had salads for lunch and dinner but drank too much pineapple juice. Man I couldn't believe the sugar content but it was only after I'd drank it I checked the label!
Wednesday I fasted at 300 calories
Today is Thursday morning before the long Easter weekend. Plan is to enjoy myself but not go too wild!

Lil

Hi Lil

It sounds like you are doing the "right" sort of things with your basic diet. Maybe you just need to avoid pineapple juice and the like!!

Living with your partner may well help with your food management. How lucky you are that he is a great cook. Food is to be enjoyed, after all.

Again, good luck and best wishes, and do keep us posted on your progress.

Ooh pineapple juice eh?! Sounds delish. I, too, need to be careful - but with Angel Delight and chocolates!! This weekend is not going to be great is I want to avoid chocolates is it! Hey ho! I'll have a fast on Sunday so hopefully that'll help!!

Bean

HI @Lilsmiler! I remember you very well from way back ...i think it was about 2013 when i first joined and the forum was so busy and such fun!
Welcome back,good to see you again! XXX i only fast very occasionally now as i found low carb was the way ahead and the thing that worked for me. I' m eternally grateful to this forum to egt me started with fasting and for providing such good advice and such great tips..really opened my eyes. I miss those good folks,..but hey youre back and so is @nursebean so things are looking up! XX

Hi again @Lilsmiler have just been back and read yr story......when i first saw yr name i just jumped in quickly to say hello,i was so pleased to see you !
Yes yes yes,i have lost two stone THREE times thru fasting and put it back on every time! So you are far from alone..... @nursebean said her story is similar to yours too!
many of us have done just that but we live to tell the tale and get back on our horse,clippetty clop!.....

You know,the important thing,is,we fall down but we get back up again and THAT is what matters!!!!!!...

I see youre a low carb fan same as myself..i lost a lot of weight on it over one year and maintained for about seven months so far..BUT i am not complacent,i know that the Carb monster is round the corner ready to pounce any time.. .....
One horrid thing for me was after losing all the weight but still having chunky legs and ankles,i was diagnosed with lymphoedema - lymph system doesnt work properly and fluid is retained in ankles,knees and hips. To add to this joy, i was also diagnosed with lipoedema - a genetic condition where fat is stored in odd places and is impossible to remove,so im told...Gahhhhhhhh!!!tho im hoping to prove that wrong!......

Anyway ( easier said than done i know) keep working on it and read my motto below,i find it helpful, we have to celebrate all the little triumphs on the way and dont let the disasters keep us down...! happy easter! XXXXX

I love your little motto Candy! And if anyone can kick lip oedema's ass - its you!! I really think you'll get rid of it somehow! I think its great that you're back here to tell us your story - it is so inspiring and certainly keeps me going!

Just come back from a garden centre where I enjoyed a black coffee with cream - mmmm! Think I will probably end up having an omelette tonight - with cheese! Or I might have a real boost and not eat anything. I'll see how I feel nearer the time!

Bean

Hi everyone I hope you all had a lovely long weekend and your week is going well

I did quite well on the Friday and Saturday, but by Sunday I had a pinched nerve in my shoulder and was in a&e at 4AM Easter Sunday! I ate all the McDonald’s, chocolate, dumplings and I attacked poor jack daniels!

Still, back to it. (Although still sore!) I fasted Tuesday at about 350 calories and am fasting today (Thursday already here in Aus) planning on a boiled egg later on to take before my painkillers and then a small meat and salad dinner this evening

Lil ❤️

That wasn't a pleasant end to Easter! Look after yourself, do make sure you eat enough nutritious food to help you recover. Don't overdo the fasting... Best wishes.

Sorry to hear that Lil
I dont blame you for attacking the easter food n drink!
But well done getting back on track hope you get better soon,horrid to be in pain X