The FastDay Forum

[wildmissus]

Hi Swedey, I discovered Mindfulness through this forum. I downloaded the recommended book from Amazon -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mindfulness-practical-guide-finding-frantic/dp/074995308X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372277977&sr=8-1&keywords=mindfulness

It takes you through an 8 week course with 'meditations'. To get the most out of it you need to commit to it. The meditations are about 10mins long and should be done twice a day.

Mindfulness is about being rather than doing, about awareness in the now rather than in the past or the future.

My first thought when I read you post was what affect your craving thoughts had on your body - tension, anxiety, etc. Mindfulness allows you to tune into that and the very awareness of that is enough for that thought to move on.

I'm on week 7 and it is all coming together. The 3 minute Breathing Space meditation (done with my eyes open) helped me at work today. I also feel it is helping me with my relationship with food. I am more aware of what I am eating and the effect it has on me. I no longer shovel food in and say 'oh well there is always tomorrow'. From reading other posts, other people are benefiting from better sleep.

I know this kind of thing isn't for everyone but neither is the idea of fasting and we've all done that here.

Oh Swedey, I feel like I hurt your feelings so I am sorry. Bird seed is good. I never thought about what my feelings are about food. Either I like it or I don't. My memories as a child though were eat everything on the plate and consider yourself lucky you're not a poor starving child in Africa. I would have gladly sent some of that food on my plate to Africa if I had only known how. Anyway I would like to be encouraging by saying you will get over this. Knowing your downfalls is better than not recognizing them at all.

Sorry to hear you're battling the enemy at the moment! Your weight loss so far is amazing! It's annoying when 5:2 makes you realise that the obesity battle is so much more than simply losing weight (at least that's what I feel at times). I started fasting around the same time as you and I still suffer many an over indulgence (although less frequently and less an amount than before). I know think that if I overindulge I balance it out with a skipped breakfast or reduced calorie lunch etc and this has helped me to lose the guilt which in turn helps reduce the cravings. On fast days I no longer feel hungry, but I do think of food, almost like a friend I will meet in the morning! I too cannot do without carbs, but I do find adding an egg into the equation fills me up better and for longer, saying that my breakfast after a fast day is always a bagel!
Good luck with your fast tomorrow, be kind to yourself, you have already so much to celebrate!

I took the dogs for a walk, double points - exercise and food avoidance!

But I'm not talking just about today, I'm talking every day. Is this what it's like being an addict kicking the habit? It's orrible.

Thanks for your support, it really helps!!

Swedey,

What you are describing is exactly how I was before 5:2 - but for me 5:2 has brought an amazing change - obviously not for you although you have lost heaps of weight. Were you the same about food before 5:2? How long do you fast far? I eat nothing on fasting days until after 6pm because for me that is easier. Maybe a slightly longer period of fasting would do the trick. Also how much sugar is in your feast days diet?

Hope you feel better soon

I refuse to give up carbs. I could not, and will not, live that way.

Josie50 has hit the nail on the head completely. The hunger I can live with, it's hating myself for having the cravings in the first place that upsets me (I think). Now going to google reptile brain.

Been there. Totally understand.

Given what you said, you are not going to like this, so I'm sorry in advance.

I believe you are addicted to carbs. Just read what you wrote.

My reading around this forum has led me to believe curing carb addiction is one of the few weak points of 5:2. It works successfully but slowly for light/maybe moderate addiction, but hard core addiction it does not seem to handle. Addiction shows up in many forms, from your description, to people getting through the fast day only to pig out on sweets/bread whatever the next.

I come from an Atkins diet background. 5:2 is much, much better, but when it comes to curing carb addiction, Atkins has it nailed. You have to want to do it, just like for any other addiction, but if you do you can be cured in less than two weeks. In Atkins, it is called the 'Induction Phase' and the Induction Phase was specifically designed to cure carb addiction before embarking on the 'real' Atkins diet (most people think the induction phase is the diet, but it is not).

How? Easy (ha). Forget calories and get out a carb counter. For two weeks, eat 20 grams or fewer of carbs a day. At the end, you will be cured (and probably about 5 or 6 pounds lighter). I 'took the cure' years ago and now have a decent relationship with carbs. I still love my white bread and potatoes, and can eat any dessert I want without eating the whole thing in one sitting.

It is up to you.

Now, in the old days, this is precisely when I would have bought a big tub of ice cream and gorged on it. I'm not going to do that. But I don't know what to do.

See how much progress you've made already! That's amazing. I think when you have the relationship with food that you (and I - and loads of others) have, it can take a long, long time to change it, but you've already started to do that. You didn't buy ice cream, and wouldn't. You should be massively proud of that. Take small steps and don't beat yourself up.

Swedey I have only 1 small piece of advice - congratulate yourself on doing so well and don't beat yourself up for your shortcomings. We all have demons, embrace YOU and keep your mind on how brilliant you are

Swedey a big hug to you. I think some of us are just wired that way. I'm always thinking of food. You've done really well so far so focus on that.

I found a book called Beyond Temptation by Sophie Boss very helpful with the why we eat, even when we know not to or don't need to.

I've recommended it a few times but I'm not connected in any way.

I'm hoping that you're having a better day and a successful fast today. Hopefully a successful fast will help you to see that you ARE doing something constructive to lose weight, and that will get your positive vibes going again.

Well done for not gorging on the big tub of ice cream, seems like you've already started to break bad habits.

Remember that thinking about food is not the same as eating food.

Sometimes I allow myself to daydream about bread, cakes, chocolate etc and then congratulate myself on NOT having eaten it. Thinking about food is not a bad thing, it's not the thinking that's triggering you to overeat, its the shame that's doing that. Ditch the shame and maybe you won't be triggered as much. We need food to eat, very clever people work for very rich companies to create food as tempting as possible. It's not the end of the world to crave junk food. Craving isn't going to put on any pounds. Accepting that the craving exists will make it easier to resist. Sometimes I can be stood in a shop and just say No out loud, even if it makes me sound like a crazy person, but saying No out loud makes it sound lie a firm decision.

Also I'm with you on the carbs. This generation in this culture seems to have a bias against them. What about our grandparents who probably had bread and potatoes as their staple diet and were mostly a sensible weight, or the Japanese who eat more white rice than any other food and are almost universally slim?

Very interesting option re: mindfulness, thanks for posting that link, wildmissus. Something just seemed to click while reading your post and I have downloaded the book and audio. I have been in a negative spin for a while now both around food and around managing stress and work. Looking forward to trying this out, fingers crossed!

Hi - I've downloaded the book to my kindle from amazon - but do you know how to get the audio?

Thanks

Here's a snapshot of one of the authors' replies from a review of the US version of book at Amazon.com to answer your question"

"Hi ...,
The US edition uses downloads (simply follow the web address in the book). It is the UK/international edition that comes with a CD. The downloads from the US edition can be listened to 'in real time' through your computer or smartphone. Alternatively, you can easily install them on your MP3 player, such as an iPod or cellphone, or on your computer.

If you need any further help or guidance, feel free to contact me by leaving a comment on our website http://www.franticworld.com This will be forwarded to me and I'll respond very quickly.

Thanks for your time.

Dr Danny Penman
"

[carorees]

Also I'm with you on the carbs. This generation in this culture seems to have a bias against them. What about our grandparents who probably had bread and potatoes as their staple diet and were mostly a sensible weight, or the Japanese who eat more white rice than any other food and are almost universally slim?

Here's an answer to this question: http://eatingacademy.com/nutrition/how- ... bohydrates
The short answer is that these cultures still actually eat less carbohydrate in total than we do in the West.

Many thanks AdnFuel - I'll pursue this