The FastDay Forum

Thanks @Tracieknits! I know you have a very balanced (!!) approach to the use of scales. And I do understand that for many they are very useful - when you are losing weight it is rewarding to see the scales go down (I found that too) and most successful mainteneers weigh regularly. It is not so much the use of scales that is the issue, but the fact that some people do get very focussed on the numbers - rather than just using scales as a tool - which can have negative consequences. But I don't need to tell you that!

Congrats on sticking to your carb plan for a second week. I managed okay yesterday, no extra hunger pangs! The day before I did follow Amanda's strategy, as you suggest (if we discount the icecream!! - mind you, there are lots of people who reckon that 80/20 is the way to go with eating, and I certainly was within that framework), which may well have helped.

Have a great holiday @P-JK! Safe and happy travels. We are off on holiday too, on Wednesday, for almost 3 weeks. Only about half the time can be active as we have a LOT of driving to do - 2,500km to Central Australia (and back of course). Unfortunately I find I overeat when I am on long drives - probably boredom makes me think I am hungry (tho I do think food can help with the feelings of nausea I get when traveling??) and drinking a lot is really a no-no!!

Great job! @Tracieknits @Sassy1 @Orchid @P-JK!

@nycnyc2013 and @WarriorPrincess - how is it going for you?

The whole "summer" factor is starting to effect me. It's hard to control my food when I'm not home or even at a restaurant. Lots of picnics and other stuff. Today I've been invited to brunch for my friend's birthday. I hope that by getting in my exercise and at least sticking with my eating windows that will help. Maybe I will try to throw in a fast day when I don't have much going on to try to offset those days I don't have much control over! I'll weigh in tomorrow with my official weight. I'm not super hopeful though!

Well, I better get my walk in before brunch! Have a great day everyone!

BTW - if you think I owe you a star, just let me know!!

Thanks @cblasz! I think I have been too generous in the stars I am awarding myself, relative to others. I think I should drop it to one star for adhering to my challenge. It is my week 2 report in, and I certainly didn't binge any evening but do wonder if I always ate according to hunger. And I didn't manage any fasts, so I won't add any stars this week.

I totally understand about the challenges of sticking to a preferred eating plan when one's routine is different. So easy at a picnic to eat more than you need when everyone has brought such yummy food. Perhaps try to remember the "commitment" philosophy you have promoted to us and what that really means to you,

Good luck and best wishes to all.

Ok @Sassy1 - I've updated your stars for you!

It's actually not like I'm overindulging at these events, but I'm not being strict about my carbs, etc. For example, after a 3 hour ride home in traffic from the airport, my brother had pizza for everyone and I ate it. The food was pretty healthy on Saturday, but I did have a few drinks and a s'more. Today I went to this amazing brunch that had so many foods. I took a little of many things. I really didn't need to eat much more the rest of the day, but it was still a lot of food and definitely some carbs. And to be honest, when I'm with family and friends and because it's summer, I am going to enjoy myself and not worry about it too much. Unfortunately, for me to lose weight it seems I do need to be pretty strict almost all of the time. Also, I have a lot of other things to focus on/get done this summer, so I'm not really able to put 100% of myself into losing weight.

But like I said if I can stick with getting my exercise in (which I've really gone out of my way to do) and stick with my eating window, which I have been very good with (especially as compared to last summer!), then hopefully at least I won't gain any weight and maybe still lose a little. We'll see how the scales look in the morning.

Tomorrow I'm very excited to be taking 4 of my nieces/nephews (a.k.a. niblings as I just learned!) to the Bronx Zoo. I'm so excited, especially because the youngest 2 from Florida have never been. We will get a ton of walking in and I will try to make better choices for food than what the kids eat!

Hi @cblasz. Absolutely enjoy yourself when with family and friends - any time of year! If you are not overindulging, then eating carbs shouldn't be an issue (unless all you are eating is cakes or equivalent perhaps!! ). Having a little bit from a whole range of foods sounds a good way to go - as does leaving plans to lose weight until your routine starts again. Keeping up with the eating windows, when you can, and the exercise (summer weather should help) sounds good too. Good luck with it!

I think most people need to be pretty strict (depending what you mean by pretty strict) most of the time to lose weight, whatever diet they are following. Some diets are just easier for some than others. So it is a matter of finding the diet / way of eating that is sustainable for a particular individual. (As we often say here.) Whatever it is though, if someone wants to lose weight they will need to eat less than they used to, probably forever more, unless they increase their activity level sufficiently.

As of course we all know.

Hi all, I'm reporting in - just under 11 -7 this week, so another pound gone. It's been strangely straightforward so far: 6lb down in total & a waist is beginning to re-emerge. Very encouraging!

[Tracieknits]

Hi all! I'm still here. Hormones are having fun and my cycle was 4 days late, but it arrived last night and since I know my body, I won't be stepping on the scale for 3 more days. I measured my waist again this morning and it's down to 34.5 -- half an inch smaller than my lowest weight last August (just 3 pounds lower than I was a week ago.)

The important thing is that I've been behaving and eating according to plan. I've been logging every bite, and while I went over on one day by 6g carbs, I have been under almost every other day - yesterday I was under by 30. So I think I'm doing well with this. Tonight we're going to attempt fasting all day then having the "crack slaw" from the dietdoctor.com website for dinner. It's basically ground beef, cabbage, asian spices (ginger, garlic etc) and a topping of wasabi mayo.

Hello!
Hooray! I met my weight loss goal, down to 179 lbs. I'm so excited - haven't been under 180 is a year. This fasting stuff really works!
I have been doing very well on my fasts - no food, just water, broth and coffee for 36 hours. The other days are trickier for me, trying to stick to low carb. I did eat a really delicious warm chocolate chip cookie on Saturday - staying at a hotel and they practically force them on you! But it didn't totally derail me so I'm back on track. Hoping to fast today and maybe another day this week, and low carb the rest of the week.
So I think I get a star for the weight loss! But not two stars - because that cookie was not part of the plan!
Good luck to everyone!

[Tracieknits]

Great job!!!

You have to live, at least a little. And we need to find a way to allow treats into our diet without going overboard. There will always be celebrations, birthdays, parties and vacations. We need to learn to find a way to have a modest portion and enjoy yourselves without going off the rails, eating a whole pie or despairing about what we can't have. I think you did *very* well having only 1 cookie and perhaps you really do deserve that star for practicing moderation and staying in control.

Agree totally Tracie! Nyc you should still have the two stars.

HI Everyone -
Hope you are all having good luck! I am going away next week so thought I better chime in now. I did two good fasts this week, Monday and Wednesday. Monday I didn't have anything, Wednesday I just had a salad for dinner. I've done a great job with my carbs this week, no candy or sugar. I slipped up and ate a slice of pizza Thursday. I've also had some wine everyday but I think that shouldn't be too many carbs.
So that's all the good news! Bad news is scale hasn't budged! Same as last Friday, which is still good, 9 lbs down for the month but still disheartening. I think that's why I ate the pizza! But I'm back on track now and hoping vacation doesn't cause too much damage.
Good luck everyone!

Thanks for the update @nycnyc2013! It sounds like you did great. A piece of pizza every now and then is fine. And we won't always lose weight every week. But keep at it. Enjoy your vacation - where are you going?

Only one piece of pizza, @nycnyc2013?! You did well! Whenever I have pizza (as in last night) I have 3-4 slices... I could never stop at one...

Well, I don't really know how, but I'm down almost 2 pounds since last week and definitely since the beginning of the month! It's the lowest I've been since February (and I was close at the end of May.) While I did pretty good sticking to my eating window and getting my 3 mile walk in (2 miles if I was short on time) every day, I did not track my food or even really pay attention to what I ate and didn't eat particularly healthily, But I guess I haven't really had many big meals, more snacking here and there. I'm not sure. I'm glad I lost weight of course, but it's hard to know why and therefore what to keep doing. But I guess for now I'll just stick with trying to stay within the eating window and get my exercise in.

I have dinner and lunch plans this week and then Thurs. I'm going to Washington D.C. until Saturday. I know we'll get a lot of walking in there, but will probably eat more than usual too. I'll just have to see how it goes!

How is everyone else doing?

[Tracieknits]

I'm here!

My weight is up this morning, but that's expected with our trip to NYC and planned 3 days of overeating (we had a party for a friend the night before we left). I'm still down 4.3 from when I started, but I'm up 2.5 from Monday of last week >.< oops.

I was able to get back on track on Saturday and Sunday, so I'm pleased with that. I actually kept it down to 25g carbs per day.

Light day today. I was hoping to fast until dinner, but it's only 9:30 and I'm already super hungry.