The FastDay Forum

[Tracieknits]

So I went to the grocery store today, and bought some really lovely things. I bought plenty of fresh and frozen veg and fruit, including some lovely marinated and grilled slices of aubergine/eggplant and courgettes/zucchini, and even two small packs of imported biscuits/cookies. I came home and put all of the food away - about three hours ago. And I just realized not only have I not dug into anything yet, not even the speculoos, but it's even nearly 2 hours past "lunchtime" - but I didn't notice. Wow!

[carorees]

Well done! I noticed that I am having to buy vegetables far more often these days!

Brilliant news Tracienits. I wish this was me I'm hoping a more relaxed way of dealing with food will happen for me soon. I think I need job My partner insists I don't need to work, but I'm now thinking that it may be the best thing to keep me away from the fridge, unless of course I get a job in a bakers YUM!

[Tracieknits]

I know what you mean. I have too much time in the kitchen or on the couch. I do some volunteer work, but honestly, not enough. Hubby earns enough, so I don't have to work and my son loves that I'm home when he gets home.

But yes, I have noticed that I am a *lot* more relaxed about food in the past couple of weeks. My first few fast days nearly put me in a panic. But now I feel I understand my body a lot better and I'm so much calmer.

Husband I have been doing this for 6 months. We were normal BMI at the beginning but have lost a few excess pounds which is great (he's 58 and I'm 61). Husband has stopped snoring, doesn't suffer with indigestion anymore,and feels really alert and awake on his "fast" days. I always wake the next day feeling very alert and ready to start the day but feel tired by the end of the "fast" days. Love trying all the new recipes that are appearing, we're eating loads of veg and thinking about our diets on the "5" days. Health has been excellent and energy levels improved. Now doing it purely for health reasons as we have stabilised our weight - it's a lifestyle choice.

Well said Ciderapple, great post thank you.

[Moogie]

I came home and put all of the food away - about three hours ago. And I just realized not only have I not dug into anything yet, not even the speculoos, but it's even nearly 2 hours past "lunchtime" - but I didn't notice. Wow!

Speculoos? Just curious what that is? My head is converting it to the Dutch speculaas spiced biscuits but it's probably something completely different!

it must be those. They're ginger/cinnamon biscuits. We have them in France and they do sell them too here. Delicious with coffee

Only been doing this for a week, but went shopping today for some essentials, and normally would have thrown in some "treats" but today picked them up, looked at the calories, and decided it wasn't worth it...soooooo but them back. So pleased x

[Tracieknits]

Moogie - yes, the same biscuits/cookies. I guess they're spelled differently here We call them "airplane cookies" because I have only ever seen them on KLM royal dutch airlines flights LOL

I've found that after a 'fast' day I'm not that interested in food. I think that this way of living is slowly altering my way of thinking about food. I'm not frightened about missing a meal and found that I'm not that hungry on ' fast' days. I think it's slowly showing me that I just eat for the sake of eating. i'm hoping that eventually I will just eat when I'm hungry and recognize when I'm full.
We shall see !! LOL

It's all good so far

Well 2nd fast day today, but I am a positive kind of guy!

On first "feast" day I didn't want lunch, I had chips and curry and Naan for Tea, and did check the calories on Myfitnesspal, and I was under for the day! Get it! I mean it's good I choose to not have lunch and choose to eat curry and chips and it's all ok.

The misses is doing her first fast day today, on a 12 hour shift as a nurse, so we went shopping and got things that would keep her going all day, Tesco Value Cauliflower cheese saved the day.

What ever it has done is made us both aware of calories, and this is no bad thing at all, as when two things could be just as good, if one is half the calories then it's an easy choice.

Oh and not drinking before bed time, has some VERY welcome benefits ( ok TMI I'll get my coat)

I also think it's positively affecting my relationship with food and eating. Like Tillergirl said, I don't get anxious at the thought of missing a meal or not eating for hours now. I still very much enjoy my food when I eat it but I'm also finding my portions sizes are smaller.

I still think it's still a gradual journey though, because I've had years of turning to food for comfort and making myself feel good through having a mini binge with naughty food (in a very temporary and then guilty way!). My husband's like this too, so if we've had a bad day we'll still lean towards nipping to the supermarket to get a bag of soft doughy cookies to 'feel better'. We're only not bigger because we're both very active so we've sort of got away with it.

But I definitely think we're on the road to changing all that. We're both really enjoying the feelings of being in control on fasting days

Feel a bit of a fraud contributing to this thread after only 2 fasts, also not due to weigh myself until Sunday so don'tknow if I have lost weight or not, these are the things I have noticed;
- my skin is much better, it seems clearer
- I feel more calm and relaxed
- I realise food has been a big dictator in my life, ie the thought what will I do tonight if I am unable to snack initially caused a sense of panic but then became quite empowering as a sense of being in control I seemed to rise above it (early days but I hope it lasts)
- food after fasts becomes more tasty yet more fulfilling,I notice the tastes of regular food is much more enhanced and a little seems to go a long way ( I really hope that lasts!)
- although I don't know that I have lost weight, I wore a dress to work today that has hung in the wardrobe for a long time as I has thought it was a bit tight and felt I may have lost a bit(hope the scales say the same on sunday)
Early days, I know there will be hard times to come

4th week, 7 fasts, best side effect is my improved digestion. No more 'touching cloth' incidents and I have not had heartburn once since I started.