The FastDay Forum

After Stowgateresident saying we haven't had a fasting today thread for a while, I decided I would start one, though I know Tuesday is not a popular day so I might not have much company!

I am aiming for a light day, as my recent experience tells me that sticking to 500 cals is now virtually impossible for me.

My attempts to manage my evening snacking by eating according to hunger are not generally succeeding. I feel that I am gradually putting (back) on more weight. So although I still believe that ideally one should manage one's weight by eating according to hunger, I do have to admit that that can be very challenging (!). I don't think I am able to stop eating for comfort and reward at times, so maybe having light days is my only practical option. Rules about what I can and cannot eat don't seem to work for me if it is a food that I really enjoy, and rules about when I have to stop eating also don't work. But I am hoping that fasting for as long as possible for a day here and there (may need to be weekly to balance the extra cals on other days) may work for me again (the problem has been that I really don't like feeling hungry, but maybe I can put up with that for longer term benefit??).

I have chosen today because it will be quite busy. I have walked the dogs (2C outside) and am just about to leave for a watercolour painting class. From there I will just have a cuppa with the "ladies who lunch" after class, then I plan to see the cat film from Istanbul,. Then I will do my usual Tuesday hill climb walk, and be home by mid afternoon. I will have a small salad then, perhaps catch up with the forum activity, or emails, then an early dinner of chicken and veg before travelling to the other side of the city for a practice of St John Passion, with the choir we will be combining with for the performance. Hopefully all that activity will limit my ability to snack!

Good luck and best wishes to all, whatever your plans for the day!

I guess it is not quite sufficiently daytime Tuesday yet in the rest of the forum world... I wonder if there will be any other fasters today??

Just reporting that I only got home at 4pm so will forgo the salad and will wait til dinner time, which is less than 2 hours away. Having another black coffee to see me through. Although I have felt hungry for most of the day, I have not felt famished. Keeping busy has been the best distraction!

Hi Sassy! I am not officially fasting today, since I do eating windows every day. But I wanted to pop in and provide encouragement. You are probably done by now! I hope you did ok!

I do wonder if maybe you are really hungry when you think you are not. OR thirsty?? Do you get enough water/liquid? I've read that when you want to eat something you should drink a glass of water first and see if that helps. Or maybe a cup of tea or something.

This whole weight loss thing is SO complicated, isn't it?? Trying to find what works for each of us to be able to lose weight, but also that we can stick to!!

Thanks cblasz! I have just got in from choir practice and am having a decaf and a piece of cheese prior to bedtime. Am happy with my light day.

I do generally drink lots of water, and I also have very weak tea which sort of counts too. My coffees are also weak, but don't feel they count quite so well! I do generally have a drink of water if I think I am hungry, as I know that thirst can mask as hunger. I aim to drink a glass of water half an hour before a meal as well.

You are so right that the weight loss thing is so complicated!! Our bodies (and minds) are complex, so perhaps it is understandable that many behaviours and bodily processes are also complex?? Just wish there was something as accessible as food that gives enjoyment and comfort without any negatives...!!!

The coffee counts too! They say the caffeine is not enough to outweigh intake of liquid, so it does sound like you are getting a lot.

I know. I really do enjoy food in so many circumstances and it's such a social thing too. I know there are some other "good" pleasures - music, reading, the outdoors, etc. But food is still just such a big factor.

There is a movie from the 70s, I think, with Meryl Streep and Albert Brooks called Defending Your Life. It was about these 2 people that died and this "waiting" place they had to go to. (They then had to go before a court and actually defend why they should go to heaven.) The main thing I remember is that in this waiting place, they could eat anything they wanted with no negative effects. To me that would be heaven!

I will say that enjoying food is still better than a lot of other vices out there - smoking, drinking, drugs, gambling, etc. While we might be somewhat unhealthy (although I do think either you and I are that unhealthy as a result of our eating habits), it hasn't totally destroyed our lives, like the others do. I guess there are some extreme cases where it does, but I can't even imagine getting to that point!!

Very valid points cblasz! As far as I am aware, I am healthy, I eat very nutritiously (just too much - and the chocolate of course...!!) and have plenty of exercise relative to many. At times I do ponder why I "worry" so much about my eating and why I want to be a certain size. (I could add more, but it is now quite late and past my bedtime!)

[Tracieknits]

Thanks for starting this thread, @Sassy1!!

It's rough, isn't it. Trying to figure out which of our habits are bad and we need to let go of, which things we enjoy we can keep and how much of everything. Sigh.

I did not succeed at the doctor's suggestion I eat only 60g of carbs yesterday. Heck, my lunch probably had roughly 52. I ended the day at about 92, which I hate to admit was probably a significant reduction anyway . And this morning I was 1.9 pounds less than yesterday which is NOT the reinforcement I wanted. Sigh.

Not sure what I'm doing today, but it's 10:30 and I haven't had anything but my two morning espressos. So the day is a tabula rasa and I can make of it what I will. I suspect the husband is attempting a fast day at work today so I may do that too. I made my son his breakfast of a buttered bagel and bacon (his request) and honestly, it didn't make me hungry. So I may be all in for a fast day. I leave for physical therapy in 20 minutes.

I know that I have boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the fridge for dinner, as well as a big box of salad greens. So I guess that's sorted.

As for your hunger, @Sassy1 -- do you think it's true hunger or boredom hunger? if it's true hunger, Amanda Sainsbury-Salis says to eat healthy things through it. Maybe some protein and veggies?

Very valid points cblasz! As far as I am aware, I am healthy, I eat very nutritiously (just too much - and the chocolate of course...!!) and have plenty of exercise relative to many. At times I do ponder why I "worry" so much about my eating and why I want to be a certain size. (I could add more, but it is now quite late and past my bedtime!)

I think the WHY of losing weight is as interesting topic as the how! I know sometimes I think I shouldn't bother I should just try to be happy with myself as is. But here are my reasons:

I am technically overweight according to my BMI. I have to lose 20+ lbs. to just be at the top of the "normal" range. And while I'm currently not unhealthy because of it...i.e. my blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. are fine, it could be a problem later. Also since I'm on my feet all day, it does take a toll on my knees and feet etc. Also, I often feel I'm lacking in energy and wonder if losing weight would help that some.

Another is clothes. I have a lot of clothes that don't fit, but I wish they would and I certainly don't want to outgrow any of the clothes that do fit right now. That then becomes a financial issue as well!

But, the truth is the real reason is definitely vanity. I want to look better. I am still single and have not completely given up the hope of finding someone. I look better when I lose weight, but also I feel better about myself and have more confidence, am more outgoing, etc.

At the same time, I think life is too short not to eat ice cream! And that may be why I am not so successful. But I will keep plugging along and at least try not to gain weight. I do think that if I could get down to that normal range, I'd be pretty happy with that weight and then just try to maintain it. But I'll have to see if/when I ever get there!!

Thanks both Tracie @Tracieknits and @cblasz!

I too am a fan of Amanda Sainsbury, and I do try to follow her ideas. My problem - as you know - is the reward/comfort eating (or worse, eating for no reason when I know I am full...) - sometimes I can choose and be satisfied by healthier options - eg, the last 2 evenings I just had a piece of cheese, and that was fine - BUT I had been out all evening. When I am sitting in front of the TV in the evening, it is too easy to keep snacking, even on healthier options. Keeping my hands busy helps, so I have done some knitting at times, but I have very dry hands and the wool catches on all the cracks!! I tried colouring in, but it is hard to watch TV at the same time. I have thought about not watching TV, and I try not to if there is nothing I am interested in. However, most nights there is! I haven't been able to think of anything else that I can use as a reward other than food - I am very fortunate that I am retired and can do most of the things I want to, and am comfortably enough off that I can buy the things I want to. Other things that people suggest - eg bubble baths, manicures - are not usually every day options, or don't appeal. Am I just finding excuses???!!

Cblasz, I associate totally with all the reasons you list for losing weight!! Why do I always buy clothes when I am at a low weight - all the clothes I bought when I reached goal are too tight now. I am refusing to buy more, and now some of the clothes that I used to wear before I lost weight are wearable, albeit still a bit loose, thank heavens. And even though I assume I am in the "healthy" BMI range the excess around my tummy and hips is uncomfortable at times.

So your weakness is ice cream?? I think ice cream isn't as "bad" as many so called treat foods. Depends how much you have of course!!

Back to the topic of the thread, I am pleased that I managed a reasonable (for me) fast day. I hung off having brekkie today until 10ish, was really hungry then. Had my usual scrambled eggs, porridge (made with water), home grown small orange (our tree is laden, hope the possum doesn't decide to eat them, as it has in previous years...), and a few raisins (satisfies my sugar craving) and almonds (don't usually have these for brekkie, but was very hungry). Felt like I could keep eating, but managed to say - wait 20 mins, and that has helped as has having a coffee, which I am drinking while I write this. But time to go back to the housecleaning now...!

Oh, I just meant ice cream symbolically. I meant that life is too short not to enjoy good food. But I do enjoy ice cream, especially in the summer. Unfortunately, there are a lot of other things I enjoy too! If it were just ice cream it probably wouldn't be a problem!

[Tracieknits]

@Sassy1, I know exactly what you are talking about with the dry hands. But you know what? I have the solution. Most small farms around me that have sheep sell some sort of lanolin salve with a lovely scent. The one I am currently enjoying is from a small farm on Long Island, NY and it's got a flower scent. It will work WONDERS for your hands, it will help you knit like a pro and best of all, it's just gooey/sticky enough that you really really don't want to touch food for a while, as you want the lanolin to sink into your skin properly. I haven't tried this one, but it's Australian and Lanolin, and the description sounds like the sort of thing I buy: http://www.lanolips.com/product/lano-ro ... m-intense/

If you ever go to wool festivals, or knitting festivals, there's bound to be a few sheep farms with this sort of thing. This is the one I buy, but international shipping is probably prohibitive and unnecessary. http://www.lilivestockco.com/shepherdess-salve/

I also stock flavored seltzer/soda water/fizzy water in the house. When I'm behaving, I reach for one of those before I get any food, and I force myself to finish it before deciding if I actually want that snack I had planned. My favorite is pink grapefruit or black cherry. There's no calories and no artificial sweeteners. It's just carbonated water with a bit of natural flavor in it.

Gratz on the good fast day!

Just a very quick thank you @Tracieknits and more comments to come, @cblasz too, but I am about to go out and won't have time to post again until you are both in bed!

Hope your day has been good!

I am back, @cblasz and @Tracieknits! Have been out for lunch with my OH, son and his GF, at a local cafe which closes tomorrow. So sad, it is a lovely place. I have always wanted to try their high tea, so we all had that. Well, I ate my way through the savouries (mini bruschettas with assorted toppings) and the mini croissant with jam and pure cream, and then decided I really had had enough, and so brought 3 of the 4 mini cakes home (I wasn't going to not have them at some stage, will have them when I feel hungry again) - I did have a half of the other cake, just to have some more of the yummy cream. So am pleased with myself for not stuffing the food down, which I usually would. OH was the only one who ate all and a bit more - he has a very sweet tooth.

Anyway, thanks again Tracie for the hand cream product info. We do have a supplier not too far away, so I will have a look next time I am at those shops. Would be good to get back into the knitting, I always enjoyed it - as I assume you do!!

Fizzy water is a great idea, I drink a lot of tap water, sometimes with some lemon or lime juice or just a touch of cordial, but fizzy drinks are nice to have after fatty or salty foods. I will have to see if I can find the sort of flavoured fizzy drinks you have, as those sound great too.

So cblasz, was ice cream the word to cover all cakes, biscuits, candies, chocolate etc??! I will make some other comments about added sugar products when I respond to Candy...

But back again to the fasting topic, I do feel so much "better" after a fast day and, in general, after any day when I have not over eaten. I have mentioned at some stage (probably some while ago) that I wish I could bottle that feeling to bring out whenever I am tempted to overindulge for no good reason!! I have tried to think of some way of capturing that feeling (could I write something, a mantra, make a poem?) to refer to when I need?? Perhaps something written plus a photo of when I was at my slimmest?? Any suggestions? Anyone?

(Though, on that note, one of the women at exercise class today commented that I was getting more trim... I did feel better today than last week, after 3 days of lighter than usual eating - I think the main difference is that my tummy is not so big as usual as it is not full of food - but I am still far from my slimmest.)

Thanks for bringing this topic here. I am new here and have been fasting only a month. On FDs I certainly have been hungry but it is easier to tolerate because you have decided not to eat. But NFDs are more difficult. I try to stay below 1800 kcal, but in the evening I really am very hungry altough I have eaten enough and drinken water. I think my body just wants to keep all the fat it has gained.