The FastDay Forum

I am at the end of Week 3 of my return to fasting. I eased myself in gently on Wk 1 with a two day fast. After months away (& very much out of control food-wise, hence the 2 stone gain ) I was amazed at how easily the habit came back. When I left fasting, I had got to the point where I could go all day without food & only eat at dinnertime. It was not a hard slog, it was just what I did. I was even at the point where I only ate around 300 cals per day (a fresh Waitrose soup) and didn't feel deprived. Am pleased to report that it all came flooding back....and Wk 1 went very well on the fasting days....though not so well on the other 5! Cue massive snacking & scoffing...comfort eating for the world! Net result was a whole 1lb loss - which even I knew I didn't deserve....given all the naughtiness! Thank you very much.....I'll take that!

At the end of Wk 1 something strange happened - a helpful little voice popped into my head & said,

"Do you know, given that you are not so good on the non-fast days, how about trying 4:3 next week to reduce the damage you are doing to yourself? I've checked your diary and guess what? There's no reason why you can't do Mon, Wed, Fri!".

Apart from a Cheese & Wine party scheduled for the Friday night, there was nothing standing in my way - particularly as I can take or leave cheese at the best of times (am sweet-toothed), so declining it wouldn't be a problem. The little voice made complete sense to me (she's very wise!)....so that's what I did. The fast days went fine - you'll never catch me going over as I have a determined streak when I set my mind to it! The other days though, were the usual problem.....and I ended the week a couple of boxes of Maltesers down! Both boxes were eaten in their entirety on 2 separate occasions......even though half way through, the little voice pointed out that I wasn't enjoying them as much as I had at the start. She can be very annoying at times, that particular little voice! Ooh....and she's always right too.

Cue Wk3, which started the day after Mother's Day. There was way too much leftover Rhubarb Crumble (RC) and cream to engage in a fast on the Monday - a day I usually like to fast on. So I gave myself permission to eat. Very nice it was too. Tuesday morning dawned....but there was still some RC to be had - ooh, dilemma!! Cue a battle in my head between the two voices that inhabit the space......

"You don't HAVE to fast today if you don't want to!"

"Oh yes you must! Get back on track! You'll be glad I'm making you commit to this when you lose the weight.."

Amazingly, the little know-it-all voice won...so I fasted. On Thursday, I fasted again...and it went fine. Then, she was back with a suggestion:-

"Do you know, if you threw in a Saturday fast, that would be three this week - how great would that be??"

A Saturday? Are you kidding? That's the weekend....and weekends are for enjoyment!

"No" says she. "Your type of weekend would only undo any progress you've made during the week! You can definitely do it...and then enjoy Sunday all the more - but not in a calorie type of way, just in the feeling of relaxing the rules a bit!"

Well, even I couldn't fault the logic on that one.....so that's what I jolly well did! Pretty lonely it was too - there wasn't even a thread...so I knew you lot were all probably enjoying yourselves more than me, but hey ho....I got myself into this mess...and only I can get myself out of it!

Since I didn't fast on Monday, I didn't weigh myself either...naughty girl! Mondays have always been my day of reckoning.....but I postponed it to the Wednesday.....whereupon the scales revealed I had lost a further 2.5lbs....bringing it to 3.5lbs in total since coming back. Slow, but definitely moving in the right direction - unlike the rest of me, who has yet to commit to the idea of getting back into exercise! Still, Rome wasn't built in a day...and all that!

I have just reviewed everything I have written...and am a touch concerned! Are you all going to label me as a little unhinged due to the voices (!)....or do many of you experience the same internal battle? If you do, what tips can you give me for squaring up to the sabotaging voice? Your views would be very gratefully received...

@hazelnut20 Glad to see you're getting back into it - I'm going to start]every other day fasting from April 1 (as suggested by @nursebean) because I've been allowing the choc consumption on non fast days to creep up a bit (so I'm not really losing) and I think 4:3 or variations of will help so I understand your thinking. Nice to see you back and losing It's the only thing that's ever worked for me.

Nice to see you posting again @hazelnut20 and sorry to hear that you fell of the wagon, it hurts, doesn't it when you land on your pride? At least you are back and doing very well by the sounds of it, and the little nagging voice in your head, we all need one of those on occasions. Keep going, you can only lose,

Ballerina x

[Tracieknits]

Well done!!! I've been thinking that maybe I should consider 4:3 as well. Hmmmm, maybe I should go listen for my little voice.

Congratulations on your focus and resolve. Wishing you all the very best for a successful journey.

Hey! @Hazlenut20 how lovely to see you back...and working so well! You'll soon get bored with 4:3 and crave alternate day fasting ( ). There is a Bean Challenge due to start in April if you're interested
And Beanarilla? @Ballerina? How lovely to see you here. Its bean a while! xx

Delightful to read! And what a commonsensical little voice you have

]Well done @Hazelnut20 for sticking to the three fasts. You weren't alone on Saturday - I fasted as well. Even in maintenance, I do three fast days a week (usually Monday, Thursday & Saturday), and it's still a battle on the non fast days to not eat everything in sight, sometimes.

I think we all have those little voices in our head!!

You're doing well and please let your voices come on here and teach us all common sense too :0)

Hi hi hi Hazel! ( old geno washington song!)
Welcome back,you n yr mojo!
That voice...maddening isnt she but always right..and i always regret it when i dont listen to her!
I too have been doing some w/end fasts..jumbling the days up a bit..contemplating my first back to back too.
We might fall off our horses but not for long and never very far...xx

Thanks everyone!
Just wanted to swing by to say that I am feeling a bit uncomfortable tonight after scoffing a roast dinner at about 8pm. It doesn't feel good & I am going to hold on to that thought tomorrow...when I will be fasting. Am hopeful this feeling will also help me to see the light re 4:3.....or beyond...

Alternatively, I could learn to put a bit less on my plate!

[wildmissus]

It's great to hear that you are back into the swing of things Hazelnut.

I have a voice in my head that keeps saying 'b*g*er it, just eat it' or 'what's the point, you're not worth it anyway' or 'you're never going to succeed'. Fortunately I have a guardian angel that sits on my right shoulder in the form of my long deceased grandmother who was the sweetest, kindest person I have ever known but she was also a strong person.

Seriously though, it is ok to fall off the wagon but it is not ok to disappear from the forum. So my advice to you is no matter what come onto the forum at least once a day. You only need to look at my tracker (and others) to see that it is not always plain sailing. What has kept me going is being a moderator which means I am always on the forum. If I didn't have the forum I would easily be up at 14st and feeling very unhealthy and very down.

Also, I know I have said this to you before but remember how good you felt when you had lost that 2st.

I do love a roast dinner!

@Hazelnut20 you are not alone with the voices

I have two one with a halo and the other with horns and a swishy tail like an old 1970's cartoon...last week old swishy tail won out .. this week I am hoping the one with the halo is going use it to throttle him

Brilliant post @Hazelnut. You made me giggle. That voice sneaks into my head too.