The FastDay Forum

Yes that's right Bethp, that's why scales stayed the same but measurements went down. I bought a dress recently size smaller , and that is my end goal to be able to zip it up easily and sit down no problem. At the end it's the measurements that count. I try it on every week after my weigh in and the zip goes up a bit more further but still tight, it's keeping me motivated. Maybe it's something you could try.

@Malteserr

That's a good idea! I promised myself I wouldn't buy any clothes until I'd lost all the weight I want to, but I do have a pair of jeans that are far too tight. I can always do them up but they're not very comfortable and I always regret wearing them for a whole night.

When I can fit into them without a problem, I will feel much better! I've lost inches all over my body in the two weeks (-2in abdomen, -1in thighs, -1/2in waist and -1/2 arms). Not too worried about my legs as they're naturally quite slim anyway but my tummy and arms are my problem areas! But yes, overall I should do as you say and watch the inches more than the scales (: Sometimes it's just good to be told!

Hey BethP, I think you have a lot of willpower doing essays and fasting at the same time!,, well done. It sounds like there was less party this weekend. I am sure you will reap the benefit of that later this week. It seems like good things we do take a little time to show up but naughty things show up straight away!!

@Caro

Haha, thank you! I suppose it was a little silly but I feel like it's easier to fast if I'm just in my house, where I can plan my dinner. I get scared of going out because all of my usual hangout spots involve food

I should really try exercising on my fast days to get me out of the house, but I get scared that I'll completely run out of energy. I know the point is to run on empty, but it's harder than it sounds...

You're completely right, I wonder why that is? Good things come to those that wait? That's very disheartening for the cripplingly impatient such as myself

Week 3

Things aren't going great...

Don't have scales here but I know I've either gained or stuck. Not feeling anything like slim after last week. Had such a busy few days and staying with my boyfriend's family meant I was eating all weekend! They make wonderful food but also snack on things like cake and cheese so add a lunch out and no exercise and you have one chunky Beth again.

Trying to keep my hopes up. Feels so easy to fall off the wagon :/ Thought I was getting better but clearly it's going to take a little longer. Had a fast day yesterday and went over my calorie count for dinner so today is officially a new week, and I am newly determined to lose weight!

I've decided that I just have to count calories on my days off too. Maybe start with 1800 (I've got MyFitnessPal) and work down, if I need to. I'll be exercising from Monday again but visiting family this weekend so I'll have to stay strong and stay away from snacking. It's all a learning process but it's difficult sometimes

Oh well, new week, new goal! If I am still on 9st 6lbs (or below!) next Wednesday I will not consider myself a complete failure. Been invited on holiday in June so hope I can lose that 1/2 a stone that's been haunting me. (Only 2lbs to shift!)

Week 4
Okay so WEEK 4 BEGINS TODAY. (08/05/2013)
Oddly enough today feels more like a fast day, despite the fact I've been eating. After working out my TDEE I've decided to calorie count on my feed days and keep it under 1800 (even when I start exercising again). I've been drinking so much water today that it feels like a fast day despite having breakfast (Weetabix) and lunch (sausages and beans on toast). Dinner planned and I'm 100cal under goal today. Really looking forward to a fast day tomorrow actually. All I can say is thank god for MyFitnessPal

Desperately want to have lost by next week! Even just a pound will lift my spirits.

Had a successful fast day yesterday (Thursday), only had soup for dinner and was way under 500cal so had a dark choc digestive. Not a big biscuit fan so I can happily just have one (86cal) to take the edge off. Today (Friday) has been not unsuccessful but has required a lot more thought-work! Mum's back and we eat out a lot (and drink lots of wine) so had to be strong today. Enjoyed my pub lunch but logged every calorie I could've possibly consumed and didn't go mad on drinks either.

Finding nutrition info online is a lifesaver! Someone must've given the industry a kick up the backside recently, when I tried to find calorie info last year (when I was on WW) I couldn't find anything. Now I am researching calories in Domino's pizza, straight from their website! Life is good and well-informed

Monday! So the weekend wasn't great for food, ended up going over my calorie count on Saturday and probably did on Sunday as well Didn't snack, though! Just ate too much at meals. Baby steps... Anyway, I'm on track for today, only had some Weetabix for breakfast so got enough calories to be getting on with. Looking forward to a fast tomorrow. Also started the 30 Day Shred today! Hoping to see some loss in inches and on the scales! Got to be in a bikini in a month

Was way under my calorie count yesterday (Monday) and made me think that I might actually be able to achieve a 1200 daily cal intake if I make everything at home. Had homemade pasta sauce yesterday, full of good stuff, and ended up consuming around 1500 calories over the whole day. Did loads of exercise though so I had a deficit!

Fast day today, first time I've exercised on an empty stomach. Was fine, quite enjoying the Shred, the HIIT method suits me as just when I'm about to go No More! the exercise is changed. Going to push myself even harder with it tomorrow morning. Having Keralan prawns for dinner, only 153cal, so will be way under my goal. Done a lot of research and hopefully exercising and cutting calories at the same time will blitz my fat and tone my muscles.

Still not looking forward to my weigh-in tomorrow :/ Snuck on the scales today and they showed 9st 8lbs (I was 9st 6lbs at my last weigh-in). But my muscles are very, very achey today and pushing them further this morning with the Shred means that hopefully those pounds are just water retention. Going to measure again tomorrow as well as get on the scales so fingers crossed both show an improvement. I'm incredibly hungry and trying to revise at the moment but so determined to shift these pounds!

Week 5
I have put on 2lbs. This is bad news.

I'm very frustrated and in a terrible mood, but the support I've gotten from the thread in 'Delighted or Disappointed?' has helped. The people of this forum are so kind! I really just have to hope that it's water retention from exercise and being due on. I will continue to calorie count today, try and stick to 1200cal overall. Must kick my butt into gear and do my Shred for today but really not in the mood right now.

So after having Wednesday off the Shred/Takewondo (I listened to my body!) I am now back on the wagon. Thursday was a good fast day, no shaky spells this time, had approx. 400cal. Didn't feel like I'd been very good today (Friday) but I've plugged it all into MyFitnessPal and I still have calories left over! I got halfway through my home made bolognese and sat back with a shocked 'I'm full!' It's been a long time since I stopped eating a meal halfway through and I battled with myself because it felt like such a waste. I'll give myself much smaller portions next time. But it's a good sign! Even with a choc digestive and a handful of cashew nuts I'm under 1400cal which leaves me a chance to have some yoghurt, fruit and honey later if I get the munchies before bed. Overall a good day

So it's Sunday 19/05 today and I'm still shredding quite happily. Finally did both sets of push-ups yesterday (Day 6) so I must be getting better. Hard to tell if I've lost any weight because it's my time of the month so my belly is bloated. Can't quite believe how easy it is to stick to 1400cal with 3 square meals a day and room for a couple of treats, but sometimes I go over if I've done lots of exercise. Finding my appetite decreasing! Still enjoying food but it's not my everything anymore, I'm actually thinking more about other things than what I'm having for my next meal. Magical! Scared/excited about weighing in on Wednesday because that'll also be Day 10 of the shred and that means a 'During' picture! I might not have lost weight if I'm exercising so much but hopefully the inch loss will be good...

Week 5

Managed to lose the 2lbs from last week and another pound, finally shifting me off 9st 6lbs! I was getting sick of that number! The scales flickered at 9st 4lbs and I jumped off/on quite a few times before admitting defeat at the 9st 5lbs mark. Still, it's progress in the right direction!

My measurements from the beginning to yesterday:

Tuesday 16/04/13
Weight: 9 stone 11lbs / 137lbs / 62kg
Waist: 30in / 75cm
Abdomen: 37in / 94cm
Arms: 12in / 31cm
Thighs: 23in / 59cm

Wednesday 22/05/13
Weight: 9 stone 5lbs / 131lbs / 59.4kg
Waist: 28 in / 71cm
Abdomen: 34½ in / 88cm
Arms: 11½ in / 29cm
Thighs: 21½ in / 55cm

So it's all good!

Absolutely loving the Shred at the moment. Feeling more fit and healthy and getting 25mins of tough-love exercise in every morning. I'm on 1400 calories a day (roughly) and between 400-500 on Fast days, such as today (Thursday). About to go to a riding lesson and maybe have my fast meal between lunch and dinner as I'm sort of going off dinner at the moment. Just not very hungry in the evenings anymore!

Yesterday was a bad day for revision and exercise, just generally stressed and couldn't do anything right, but today is a new day Looking forward to this week. Trying not to demonise the scales, sort of popping on and off occasionally so that the 'weekly weigh in' doesn't freak me out too much.

Haven't posted here in far too long but I thought now was the appropriate time.

I have forgone the scales, and am much happier for it. Sometimes tempted in the morning if I'm feeling skinny, but I'm actually much preferring to see/feel the difference on the tape measure or my clothes. That said, the 'difference' hasn't been too much as I've only successfully gotten back on the fasting wagon this week!

It's been a long, tough journey and I thought I'd have reached my goal by now. Been 5:2ing for about a year. But if I'm truly honest with myself, I know I haven't been fully committed to it for longer than about 3 months at a time. I have a very low boredom threshold! Not seeing results on the scale and my final year at university have meant stress and self-sabotage. Well, no more!

My coursework is all finished next week, and then it's just two exams until I have completed my degree. I'd love to feel and look better for my Grad Ball and the like, so for now I will continue to fast twice a week and try not to go mad on my days off. I don't want to calorie count or weigh myself anymore, and so I won't. It was becoming far too psychological. I'm an English student, not Maths! Numbers are not my friend. Time to try a different road and get on with my self-improvement I need to remind myself that emotionally my university years have been very tough, a lot has happened to sabotage my progress both academically and physically, but it's about time I took some control over my life and my happiness.

I've evidently been watching too much 'The Biggest Loser'! At least I'm inspired

Another entry!

Feeling pretty good at the moment. Now that I'm exercising again and successfully back in the habit of fasting 2 days a week, I am absolutely determined to keep this up. Amazing what a difference I feel just from losing the inch that I'd gained on my waist. My fast meal today consisted of roasted garlic soup (yum!) from the farmer's market, which was so tasty it's lasted me all day. The hunk of wholemeal bread might've helped, but I was assured it was under 500cal

I think I might step on the scales tomorrow... I shall see how I'm feeling, but I think I've lost a little. Despite not being religious about the 30 Day Shred it's clearly making a difference, I feel fitter and slimmer already. Plus my weekly sessions of Taekwondo are really taking it out of me, I haven't sweated so much in my entire life.

Also realised that my original goal was probably quite unrealistic. Having read up on breast reductions recently, I realised just how much weight can be carried in oversized boobs. Which has made me feel slightly better.

As for my goals, I have looked at what my measurements were last year when I started the shred. My problem area, my tummy, is shocking! Waist: 30in and Abdomen: 37in. I cannot believe how bloated I was (well I can actually, from the pictures). Now I have Waist: 28in and Abdomen: 33in. On a good day I'm aiming for 27in waist at the moment so I can fit into one of my favourite skirts, and maybe 32in on the abdomen for now. I'm sure this is achievable if I keep looking after myself.

In other news, it's my final exam on friday! I'm sure my waistline will take a battering with the graduating drinks but alas, I do not care, I have very much earned some fun As long as I keep up my fasts and exercise I think I can sail through relatively unharmed.

Also, the new forum is snazzy. So bright!