The FastDay Forum

Well, I am a dyed in the wool faster!! I love being slim, being complimented on it, being fit.
It was not always so....
Today, I met someone I haven't seen for 5 years...
'I know you,' I said.
'No, I don't think so.'
'Yes, I was your NVQ assessor.'
'OMG, you look amazing. I didn't recognise you.'

And the lady in the bank said they'd been talking about me and trying to decide whether to ask me if I were Ok or ill.... yes, I am OK!! I have lent her the fast Diet book.

My motivational tips:
Get a fitbit and walk
Record everything on Myfitnesspal and link it to fitbit
Low carb. 50 - 70g per day.

It works for me. I lost 5 stones (70lbs) and intend to keep it off. In life, you have to be motivated to achieve your goal. It may be more than you bargained for.

But worth it

What works for you?

[Tracieknits]

I have to second you on the fitbit and recording things in Myfitness pal! Those are excellent tools to use. I don't always track everything in MFP, only sometimes, if I notice I'm slipping.

I also believe in small treats regularly, so you don't feel like you're always missing out and then go eat an entire cake!

You've done SO well Penny, a true inspiration.

My tips:

Keep going. Put every bad day behind you and move on. Even if, like me, you have weeks or months without fasting at times, the minute you feel inclined again, just do it. Fasting is always available to you, any time, any day.

Try on your clothes REGULARLY. The scales often lie but those trousers with a fixed waistband don't. Chuck out the stuff that is too big and therefore unflattering. Even if you are left with few clothes, you will feel like you've made progress. Wearing the stuff that you've been wearing for years even though it is bagging and sagging can be quite depressing. eBay and charity shops can net you a new wardrobe for very little, and of course a splurge in the sales is a treat.

Use a weight tracking app like True Weight or Libra. Weigh every day that you can.

Be patient. Weight loss by this method isn't necessarily fast, but it's probably safer and more sustainable that way.

If you don't want to record calories every day in something like MFP, at least keep a food diary, especially in the beginning.

Weigh and measure regularly.

Think about NEAT. Convert to a standing or tread desk if possible. Take the stairs, not the lift. Exercise while watching TV. Etc.

When you start flagging and thinking about jacking it all in then just start imagining all the good things that you are achieving for your body on the inside whilst you wait for the outside results to catch up, it's not ALL about weight.

Ballerina x

Thanks to @PennyForthem for starting this thread and especially to @Winsome for admitting to going off the rails from time to time. My experience is that when Life gets in the way I find it very easy to lose my focus and just eat. Knowing that I can get control back by Fasting is a huge comfort to me - even if actually doing it is more of a challenge

Thanks@PennyForthem x
What a treasure trove this place is! Totally resonate with all that's been said here.
Similar to what @Winsomesaid, i believe we have to treat each day as a totally clean slate,do our best for that day,and not worry about yesterday if it wasn't a " success"..
Just keep going!X

Thanks @PennyForthem Great idea.
Walking each fastday has helped me no end, obviously for the health benefits also to keep me occupied for a few hours each fasting day and as this has been a great suppressant for me personally this is tip number one.
Keep forum active daily if possible whatever time of day there's always one of our "friends" to talk to
More importantly at the end of the day its what WE put in our mouths that counts and builds our calorie count up and therefore the pounds go up!!!

So I'm very guilty of that last one because I seem to have wasted this year, then couple of weeks back I had a lightbulb moment so to speak and saw the!!

keep my gob shut for more hours per day.
Obviously thats the biggest + best tip of all to pass on.
Forgive ourselves for the mini binges that will trip us up from time to time forgive, forget, and quickly move on.
Finally using the tag feature to draw attention just in case we've missed a comment which I often do plus it may bring back a few lost sheep and those who stray into the hangout thingy more than this grass roots motivational forum.
----------------- please.
please come back and play more often we miss you. ♥

Patience is my tip. I'm not in a hurry. I only fast 2 days a week and I do it religiously. Monday and Thursday. I rarely change that. I know others talk about the joys of flexibility but I would celebrate the joys of consistency. Celebrate the weight loss I have had already and work patiently for future losses, but don't try to rush it. My body will do it in its own time. Just keep going.

Don't be too hard on yourself if you have a bad day.

Thanks@PennyForthem wow ..... great insights from so many peeps as usual!

My first motivational tip: if you feel shy/overwhelmed when you join fast day or are watching the conversations from the side lines and would like an introduction, you can always join and pm someone to help your journey forward.

My second tip: visiting the site daily has been important to my success - HOWEVER, don't beat yourself up if your life is challenging and takes a different track for a short while....... that is our life......

Buddy @spanner - what are your tip-its?

Loving all of these.

If things are going to pieces,
And you don't know how to cope,
Remember, there's always tomorrow,
Relax, don't lose all hope.

The aim is to keep on going,
Even if the line zig and zags,
Remember, there's always tomorrow,
If ever you're starting to flag.

One of my biggest motivations to keep on fasting is reading articles on the Internet on Intermittent Fasting and watching videos on YouTube (such as the Horizon program that our own MM did that kick-started the whole 5:2 movement). Watching or reading about how fasting improves health markers and longevity is definitely motivational for me.

Meeting fellow fasters works well-it would be terribly embarrassing if you put the weight back on. I am fortunate enough to live fairly close to callyanna and PennyForthem so we tend to go to the same meet ups! Anyone in Cheshire /Manchester area should try and join us-we don't bite-especially on a fast day nor do we talk much about dieting!