The FastDay Forum

I am a 5'2" 45 year old woman (46 in May '16) living in Los Angeles, CA, US. I'm currently in my 3rd week of 5:2 and my fifth week of working out daily (active recovery one day/week). I typically fast on Mondays and Wednesdays, though I'm changing things up a bit during the holidays (love the flexibility).

I started working out in Nov '15 after returning from a Caribbean cruise, having shrunk from the camera the entire trip. I weighed 185 lbs. at the conclusion of the cruise. My highest recorded weight was 193 lbs., though I'd definitely gotten a little heavier before starting to take the weight off. This time around, though I started the journey at 185.

My ultimate goal is to get down to 135/140 pounds. I like to say I'm comfortable in a US size 10, happy in a size 8, and ecstatic in a size 6. I'm not attached to a number on the scale, but I do know how I like to look and feel.

I track my calories using MyFitnessPal, I generally use Beachbody home DVD programs for exercise (because I own a bunch of them and they're really effective) and I wear a Fitbit Surge to track my steps, calories burned, and sleep. I weigh daily, but only record weekly on Sundays.

I'll be tracking my progress here. To start, here are progress photos from my first four weeks of workouts when I get them down to the right size. I lost four pounds and six inches in my first month.

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[Tracieknits]

Great job sweetie!!!

Oh, yeah! Someone else on the West Coast (I'm in Seattle)...not sleeping when I'm posting! Don't forget to join the Fasting today thread, sometimes I'm the last one on...

Good work! Sounds like you're doing just great, but just in case, here's a pdf I put together for a friend when he started 5.2...

5-2 et al.pdf

5.2 Basics

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@ferretgal Thank you for the pdf. I saw it in another thread and found it tremendously helpful. Yay for the West Coast! And happy holidays

Sunday weigh in: 176.4 lbs. Down 0.2 lbs Christmas week. Though I'd like to lose at least a pound a week, I'm going to call this a victory!

Monday: intended fast day, but stuck in an airport for 2 1/2 hours and decided to eat dinner. Ate under TDEE
Tuesday: fast day
Wednesday: Ate under TDEE
Thursday: My family celebrates Christmas Eve. Big gorgeous dinner. Grossly over ate, drank lots of wine, and enjoyed every minute of it.
Friday: Christmas day, fast day
Saturday: Ate at TDEE

I worked out every day doing CIZE by Beachbody. Today I plan to do active recovery (hiking or bike riding or something) and eat at TDEE.

I'd like to Jumpstart my progress at the start of the year, so I'm going to do ADF (starting Monday) for the first three months. I think long term 5:2 is better suited for me, but I'm going to see what I can do with the beginning of the year enthusiasm.

Amazing progress as evidenced by the photos, @BeautyNovice. See you on the Fasting Today thread for today, Monday the 28th. fasting-today-f8/fasting-today-monday-28th-of-december-t14707.html

Sunday weigh in: 175.8 pounds, down .6 pounds this week. I reclaimed a pair of jeans this week! I'll be taking measurements and progress pics in two weeks.

Monday - successful fast day
Tuesday - ate at TDEE
Wednesday - successful fast day
Thursday - overate
Friday - successful fast day
Saturday - grossly overate

I exercised daily this week doing CIZE, an at home (primarily cardio) workout program. I also started hula hooping daily (about 10 minutes a day). Today I'm fasting and doing active recovery with a nice hike this morning. This week I ordered a BodyGym so I can start incorporating resistance training as well.

This was my first week doing ADF. I actually really enjoy the cadence of ADF. I'm getting accustomed to the fasting days in general, and I like that there are fewer days between fasts for things to get out of hand. I've been home on vacation this week, so have probably eaten more than usual. I imagine once I'm back at work, my eating will normalize a bit.

I can see I have a lot to learn about my relationship with food. For example, the day that I ate at TDEE, I was afraid the entire day that I was overeating, but I wasn't, which I found interesting. I've been eating a lot of foods that have been "off-limits" for years because I couldn't afford them in my calorie allowance. I've really enjoyed reclaiming these foods. I imagine the novelty of those foods will wear off, and again, my eating will normalize a bit. I've been counting calories, and since I've been eating some of my favorite foods, I've been learning what "normal" portion sizes look like. My typical portion sizes are probably twice what I actually need. I'm declaring myself "in recovery" from a deprivation mentality. I experimented with not counting calories on Saturday, and I just ate and ate and ate. I like the comfort and structure of counting calories, but will continue to include those foods that have been off-limits and watch how my habits change. I'm hoping I can get to a point where I'm not denying myself foods AND I'm not counting calories and I'm eating reasonably. Finally, I'm not focusing on increasing my healthy choices yet. That will be the next phase of my journey.

I think I will do ADF until I'm about 10 pounds from my goal. Then I'll transition to 5:2. Once I hit goal, I'll think about what maintenance looks like. I expect I'll learn quite a bit along the way and I'll have a better understanding of what's going to work for me long term. For the first three months of 2016, though, I'm going to abstain from alcohol. It's very difficult to hit my calorie targets while including alcohol, and I indulged plenty over the holiday season. A little break will be good for me, and will better support my weight loss goals right now.

Saturday weigh in: 174.2 pounds, down 1.6 pounds this week! I'm recording Saturday's weight because I don't want to record a weigh-in after a fast day (which today is). I'll be taking measurements and progress pics next week.

Monday - ate at TDEE
Tuesday - successful fast day
Wednesday - exceeded TDEE
Thursday - successful fast day
Friday - estimated 50 calories over TDEE
Saturday - fast day

I exercised daily doing CIZE. Tomorrow will be active recovery. If it doesn't rain, I'll probably hike. Otherwise, I might jump on the treadmill for a bit.

I'm still LOVING alternate date fasting. Really loving it. Friday morning, I had one of my favorite breakfast burritos - chorizo, egg and hash browns with cheddar cheese. I estimated it was almost 1300 calories. In one meal! But I was able to eat smaller meals throughout the rest of the day and ended up 50 calories over TDEE at the end of the day. While I'm feeling a lot of freedom to enjoy my food on feed days, I do want to shift the balance toward more protein and fewer carbs.

I ordered a BodyGym last week and it arrived on Friday. I attempted 9 minutes of upper body resistance, but only managed 6 minutes. It's a start!

I pledged no alcohol through March, but completely forgot a scheduled virtual holiday party with my work team this week. We toasted with champagne. In the big scheme, it wasn't all that impactful. The party foods definitely had me exceed my TDEE, but not by a lot because I adjusted throughout the day. I consider it an exception to the abstinence, so I'm back on track.

I don't anticipate any major hurdles this week. I started school this week, but everything feels manageable so far. Great week ahead!

Great work, @BeautyNovice! What a brilliant record of your progress so far. The change in your shape, after just a month, is amazing and you seem thoroughly determined and focussed on your goal! Well done to you!

Thank you @StowgateResident!! I'm trying!! And very excited about my progress thus far!

Hi BeautyNovice! What a wonderful start! I love your enthusiasm and dedication! I'm with those who said that you are documenting your progress really well; it will help you see your progress and be very encouraging to others. I'm in Boulder City, Nevada, (near Vegas and by Hoover Dam). You will really enjoy the input from fasters from around the world. I love it! Congratulations on starting early (at 45) and working out at the same time. You will probably find it is easier for your body to adjust and avoid things like loose skin. Good luck!

You are on fire BeautyNovice! Well done with your progress - it certainly is encouraging for others to read too. Nothing like fitting jeans that have been too tight Go well.

I love your attention to detail BeautyNovice !

Thanks for joining the Valentines Day Supa Fast 1kg challenge.. With the way you are going you will be first to drop a kilo!

Thank you for all of the encouragement everyone!!!

@Juliana.Rivers, thank YOU for the Valentine's Day Supa Fast 1kg challenge!!

Thank you @bordergirl! I don't know if I've been to Boulder City, but I've definitely been to Vegas!!! You're right, I'm not only enjoying the input, but the different experiences and foods around the world.

Sunday weigh in: 170.6 pounds, down 3.6 pounds this week. That's 10 pounds since starting CIZE, and 14 pounds since I returned from the cruise in mid-November.

I reclaimed a belt I haven't been able to wear for years, a pair of pants I've never worn because I bought them too small, and someone thought I'd had work done because I look younger and my neck looks thinner! I love it when there are new milestones rolling in!

I finished round two of CIZE this week. I'm starting round three on Monday. My focus during this round is to celebrate my body's ability to move by lunging deeper and jumping higher. My specific goals are to stop modifying the last moves I'm modifying in the ab routine, and to incorporate resistance training four days a week.

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