The FastDay Forum

Hi, I've decided to weigh myself only once every two weeks. I'm combining intermittent fasting with the principles of Paul Mckenna (eating when hungry, stopping when satisfied). I have his book, and I love it. That said, I do eat heartily for my 8 hours, but don't stuff myself or binge. I also don't count calories.

I notice I've only lost a pound or two (it's hard to be really accurate since I don't have a digital scale; it's the old fashioned kind), but I'm noticing I've lost inches. Even my husband commented "wow, you're getting smaller."

So I guess it really is possible to lose inches without losing a lot of weight. I think the weight loss will catch up with me.

I just wanted to say that for those who are losing very slowly. Your inches could be melting off and you don't even realize it!

[Betsysgr8]

Absolutely agree coffeebrain! The transformation in inches is fantastic even if the scale doesn't seem to support it.

Yes, that's for sure!

[janeg]

I am a monthly weighter (or longer) and also a measurer. Sometimes measure more often and measure everywhere- breasticles, under them, waist, hips, widest point, thighs, knees, anlkles, calves, upper arms. I do it in centimetres being a metric lass and add it all up.
It's amazing and very motivating.
This os why I always encourage newbies or those who are stuck to get out the tape measure (or ribbon)
It really is your friend. It is a very big number if you do it in millimetres
:0

Note to self- must add up the total loss since I started just about a year ago....

I measure at the end of every month. last month I lost 1cm off most places which was normal but 3 & 1/2 cm off my mid thigh!!! In one month!!! So its worth measuring everywhere like @Janeg recommends.

Coffeebrain - I lost next to no weight for the first 7-8 wks, but lost 4in off my waist ... Since then have lost a further 1.5 in off waist, and 7-8lbs ...

Am now also on 16:8 as well as 5:2, and I think it was a week of enforced 16:8 which kickstarted the weight loss phase ...

Well done coffeebrain - keep it up! Its great when peeps start to notice the difference
I have just started 16:8 .. Currently one hour and one min into the 16, hehe! Will have 500 cals sat evening
Have just been housesitting and the woman of the house has Paul Mc Kenna's Hypnotic Gastric Band
What will they think of next i thought as i settled down to read the book,listen to the CD and watch the dvd!
I have to admit for a few days afterwards i felt full very quickly but before long,i was back to my piggy self..however i am sure with repeat watching and listening,it just might do the trick..the book and dvd helps with the mental and physical side of ( over) eating,the cd helps you address the emotional reasons we sometimes eat

Good luck,keep IFing ! X

Thank you so much for your responses. I've been missing in action...so busy with church stuff, but I hope to start posting more regularly.

I love 16/8 eating. I am losing slowly, but more important is that I feel so much better and my obsession with food is really dwindling. I don't count any calories. I just eat within my 8 hour timeframe and don't worry about it. I had started the Paul McKenna program but stopped it. I feel that healthy eating and 16/8 is enough. I do this every day. I read the 8 Hour Diet book said you can do it only 3 days a week, but I don't think I'd see any health benefits that way, and I know that for weight loss I need to do this every day. I don't mind at all. It feels like natural eating now. Two days this week, because I just got lazy, I didn't do it, and I felt awful. That old sluggishness, etc. So it's everyday for me.

I really love intermittent fasting.

Hi Coffebrain,

I do 16/8 every day and have done so since March when I started maintenance. I continued to lose weight but then stabilised at 7 lbs under my target weight. The reason I do it every day is because it suits me, I enjoy living this way, I don't need or want breakfast and it means I never have to do a fast day again or count calories as I get a fast every 24 hours which I am hoping is enough for me to reap any perceived long term health benefits.

Ballerina x

Hi Ballerina,

That's how I feel too. I think that to get long term benefits, you have to do it daily.

I had started doing 5:2 maybe about 6 months ago, but then I read a negative study about it that it can impair glucose tolerance in women, and I have a lot of diabetes in my family. That scared me so much I hopped on over to 16/8. (In all fairness, I'm not clear on that study because I read just the opposite too). I'm glad I did, because I don't think I could keep up the 2 day a week 500 calories. I'd rather wait until 11 or noon and then eat what I want then without counting a thing..EVERY DAY! Don't you just love it?

P.S. congrats on your weight loss. 7 lbs. under goal? FABULOUS!!!

Hi I agree 16:8 is a good compromise I did it consistently 6 days a week for 2 months incorporated with 5:2

But I have been a bit busy for past 3 weeks and have not been able to truly focus on either 16:8 or 5:2 so have done what I can when I can fit in fasts just aiming for balance. My weight has not gone up, I reached my lowest low although it has since gone into hiding and I am still looking for it)

Someone said to me a couple of days ago "where is the rest of you" so my weight loss is noticeable now.

I agree coffeebrain 16:8 just provides a freedom to eat nutritionally with outbursts no counting and you still fast for benefits and the fat melting still happens too

The other thing I have noticed is that once your body is used to either 5:2 or 16/8 it takes an awful lot of effort to put on weight, I'm not saying it won't happen but we have just been away for 5 days, staying with relatives and it was a food and drink fest from the start. I decide that I would just go with it as I didn't want to miss out on the social fun and it kicked off every day at breakfast and carried on til bed time. I've never eaten so much food in such a short space of time but it was all great fun. Hubs came back heavier (and extra notch OUT on his belt, ooh!) but I didn't put on an ounce. I see other folk come back from holidays with either no gain or a slight gain which they have been able to drop very quickly so for me, this is fabulous. It is now bliss not to have to eat in the mornings again

Please tell me I am not dreaming all this and that I will soon wake up 3stone (42lbs) heavier again

Ballerina x

[carorees]

For me, doing 16:8 has enabled me to cut out a load of unnecessary carbs because my breakfasts were always carb based. It also cuts out some calories because I find I don't eat any more at lunch or dinner than I did before. A proper fast on Monday compensates for any excesses at the weekend and I'm dropping weight faster than I had been doing on 5:2 alone.

Since I bought my first pair of size 14 jeans a month ago, they're now getting baggy. Soon be time for a size 12. Curiously, my bust has hardly changed so I'm still a 16 up top! Astonishing that the inches are actually going from where they should!

[quote="carorees"]
Curiously, my bust has hardly changed

Are you an apple shape? I am and my bust has not changed much either although I have to buy smaller sized bras because I've lost a lot of my horrid 'back fat' but my cup size is the same, how good is that? In my book, it is VERY good

Ballerina x