The FastDay Forum

Yes I did......I gave up fasting a few months ago...so now I am almost back to my heaviest ever. How did that happen? I have no idea. I just found fasting too much like hard work. I wanted instant results after my last fall off the wagon but of course it didn't happen.

I have been diagnosed with osteo arthritis in my hands and feet and the Dr has finally agreed I do have Fibromyalgia on top of never ending menopause symptoms. I have been trying all kinds of remedies, herbal and prescription to no avail so it's long term Naproxen for me then.

I tried hard not to over eat during Christmas. I certainly didn't eat or drink as much as I have in past years but what little I think I am eating is certainly piling on the pounds. Obviously it doesn't take much!

My knee that I damaged the last time I fell off my horse is still hurting and actually Yoga has made it worse this last week. I am not giving up tho! Just not doing anything that involves twisting that knee. But no wonder I am having knee trouble if I am 30lbs heavier!!!

I have almost finished renovating my house for now. I tell myself some of the weight must be muscle for all the hard work...I have even done a loft conversion by myself except for cutting the hole for the stairs! Lots of heavy lifting, dry lining, woodwork, painting, flooring, even electrics of which I am inordinately proud. But I am kidding myself really. I feel fat. I almost bought a size 18 dress yesterday but it stopped me in my tracks. Even less pairs of my jeans fit and I realised I must be honest with myself and accept that I cannot go on like this if my health is starting to suffer. I am constantly tired, everything is an effort so I must do something about it. Now!

I am fasting today. It will be hard I know. My state of mind is not conducive to fasting at the moment, my mind too full of how it didn't work last time, so I will have to really try hard and re read all the things that help.

Feeling quite sorry for myself. But all I can do is try.....

Love cilla xxx

It happens to most of us. Unfortunately, I've found that weight loss is really a lifelong struggle. But, it's great that you are back! I too have gained back a decent amount of weight and am not happy about it. I just decided to try 16:8 (I started another post about that.) Good luck! You can do it!!

I hear you. I could cut and paste your post and use it myself.
You have something great going for you - all that wonderful activity! I've lost a lot of weight and am currently as low as I've been in 25 years, but I have also lost muscle mass. If I go back to normal eating now, I don't know what I would weigh, 280 pounds I figure. Maybe you should get a body composition study. You probably are pretty well muscled.
I wish you all the best.

Welcome back@drilakila I've never had a long break from 5:2 but even getting back to it after a holiday seems tough. Just need to grit your teeth till you're back in the swing of it - Good Luck!

Hi! Welcome back. I sure sympathize with you feeling discouraged. Having to deal with weight while dealing with health issues is no picnic! However, I think you need to recognize that black and white thinking is never going to be your friend and you need to leave it behind! It will sabotage you every single time! You said that Fasting didn't work last time, but you did lose weight on it, right? You fell off the wagon a bit! So what? That black and white thinking made you feel that because of that slip, it just wouldn't work for you and so you quit. Any diet will fail because if it is a diet and temporary, eventually we will quit doing it and go back to gaining. Most of us have lived that scenario multiple times. Turn the page! What's done is done. Think about the way you are going to live the rest of your life. IMHO life is a lot easier (and more fun) thinner. It is sure easier on the joints!
So now, what do you do? You problem solve. You do 5:2 or 4:3 at whatever level you want (500cals or 600 or 700 or 800). Or you do 16:8 (or a variation) or a combination of both. You try not to go hog wild on non-fast days. (Suggestion: You might look into a non-inflammatory food regime for the fibromyalgia. We are doing it for my husband's rheumatoid arthritis.) You keep your muscles that you earned with such hard restoration work--Congratulations! Very impressive! and you keep on going! Embrace the Way of Living and Eating as what will keep you healthy, slimmer and happier for the rest of your life.
Best of luck! I know you can do it!

Hi @drilakila so good to see you!
I empathise..i have the exact same struggle but i am finding @bordergirls words so useful i' m copying and pasting them and keeping them close to hand. thanks BG x
Sorry to hear about yr fibromyalgia drila,have something very similar,painful and debilitating
Sucks doesnt it ..nothing is worth more than good old fashioned sparkling health,,stamina and well being..everything else is a bonus! X

Welcome back! It's easy to fall off the fasting wagon when there are distractions. Well done in coming back to it - or at least trying to. Everyone's journey is very different and what worked for you last time might not work this time. This time around, I'm having better luck with 16:8 than 4:3. Don't give up!

Thank you so much everyone for your kind words and support. It has really helped.
I was quite worried about todays fasting but it's gone ok (altho' the day isn't over yet lol) I had a salad around 5.30 which really filled me up. About 40 calories. I've had coffee and very dilute squash so I'm hydrated! Might have something else later but it's nearly 9pm so probably too late. I was busy this evening painting a design on my new Ikea wardrobes' doors. I lost myself in concentration for an hour and a half! Marvelous.

Love cilla xxx

Just a thought, have you been tested for under-active thyroid @drilakila?
Weight gain and tiredness are 2 classic symptoms.
My OH was diagnosed last autumn and is now on thyroxine tabs and has dropped 1.5 stone and is much brighter and more active.
Hugs honey {{{+}}}

I've had every blood test under the sun lately and every one of them has come back 'normal' so I have no excuse. I am a fat piggy with Fibromyalgia and osteo arthritis who simply eats too much food and drinks too much booze lol.

Love cilla xxx

My first fast for a few months went so well I'm doing it again today! Weirdly when I went food shopping yesterday there were lots and lots of salad stuffs in the reduced section so I filled my trolley with things that cost 30p or less. A woman standing next to me was surprised and asked me what I would do with all of it. I cook it and freeze it all, except for the salads I said. She grabbed a few things too.
Was watching 'Trust me I'm a doctor' last night and something made me sit up and really take notice. Food that spikes high blood sugar varies in person to person. Last year I bought a Nutri-bullet and started making fruit smoothies and noticed my weight started creeping up even though I was fasting. Was it the grapes or apples? Something was doing it I was sure. And now maybe there is proof? I have started using it again but am very careful what I put in it.
I weighed myself yesterday in my excitement to see if there was a change and out of curiosity.... I was 1.4kgs lighter!! I am hoping after giving up last time that this is a new trend lol.
Love cilla xxx

I saw a quote on another board recently: "weight loss isn't rocket science, it's harder"
Yes, calories in/calories out...but clearly that's only part of the equation.

Yes! If all it took was eating less we would all be slim and not here on this site. x

I totally sympathize with you. I tried fasting for several months until I just couldn't do it anymore. A couple of other people mentioned trying eating windows instead. That is what I did. I switched to a 16:8 eating window and that works so much better for me than fasting twice a week. I am usually not even hungry in the morning so skipping breakfast is not a problem. And then I can eat a larger lunch and dinner, which keeps me more satisfied than 3 smaller meals. Everyone gets frustrated and falls off the wagon. The important thing is that you picked yourself up and are getting back on. No, it won't be easy. But we are all here to offer support in any way we can. You can do this!

Despite initially putting weight on plus I entered the incorrect weight when I started my tracker again this year, I am losing weight and inches.....2kgs in just a couple of weeks! I haven't measured myself but I can see in the mirror and my clothes feel loser.
I certainly feel better and although fasting is especially testing in the evenings I am enjoying it. I am also eating more on non fasting days. Bigger and better breakfasts and more healthily in general. Most of all I am enjoying it!
I am so glad to be back here!! x