The FastDay Forum

Hope the next couple of weeks go well for you. It is hard when you see no reward, but always keep in mind the health benefits of fasting. Would 16/8maybe suit you better I am trying that just now. I have not found it easy skipping breakfast (love love love porridge strawberries and blueberries ) but have convinced myself I can have it at 2pm instead of 9am. I have not been doing this long enough or well enough to be able to tell if it is working or not.

[Betsysgr8]

Whitelily, don't forget to measure! everywhere! You say that you are doing 30 day shred as well. That kind of exercise will show an intial weight gain as the muscle holds on to water as it repairs itself, in a week or so, you should start seeing results in both weight and measurements. Good luck with your break and we are always here for you 24/7.

Thank you both!

Definitely a lot of different things going on with my body at the moment. The problem for me is that my weightloss this whole YEAR has been really slow - less than a stone lost since December 2012, and I've been quite consistent in my efforts. So even though I've only been 5:2 ing for a couple of months, I am beginning to struggle a bit mentally with the whole weightloss issue as I still have a fair way to go. I can't afford to give up. And I certainly can't afford to regain *shudders*

But I suppose I can try mixing it up a little to see if it makes a difference. I'm thinking I may try 16:8 for a bit. I do like 5:2 as a way of eating though, so I think I'll come back to it once I've given myself a bit of time out. I have found the last few fast days really difficult mentally so maybe switching it up will help. I'll have a root around and look at the 16:8 threads to check I'm doing that bit right in the meantime.

It is odd though regarding the 30DS workouts, because I really think I can 'see' a change in my shape, yet there's been absolutely no inch-loss (at least not round my stomach) that I can make out. I'm an anomaly!!!

My shoulders and arms are starting to look good though. Maybe I'm losing it all from there! Will have to measure

I'll keep plodding though

Well, I did 16:8 very carefully for two weeks, and gained a pound...sigh...So with that gain, that makes a total of under 5lbs lost since I began 5:2 ing in July. I have been eating two good meals a day and not going over my calorie allowance.

My whole year of weight-loss effort has been like this...although I guess I can say I've lost just under a stone over the course of the whole year. That's a good thing.

But I'm not sure whether I feel mentally strong enough to do any more restrictive fasting days this week. I intended to, but can't face it.

I'll stick with 16:8 fasting for now though, that seems to suit me. I don't like skipping breakfast, but lunch I can take or leave so I've been eating breakfast in the morning after 8 o'clock and then dinner mid-afternoon. (an 8-4pm eating window).

[carorees]

Are you still taking the steroid medication Whitelily77? If so, I'm sure that's what is stalling the weightloss. What is your carbohydrate intake like? If you track calories on feast days does the app or whatever give you the carb intake?

Hi Carorees - thanks for the reply. I have been on the steroid medication for a month. My weight loss has been slow and fluctuating up and down all year, as I said. I will be seeing my consultant tomorrow for a routine appt, so I will ask about my concerns re: the lack of weightloss. I have no known thyroid issues, but I do have M.E/CFS and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.

I use Sparkpeople to track my calories on feast days - looking back I noticed I do eat quite a lot of carbs - up to 200g on some days (although Sparkpeople allows you up to 330g daily, so that's what I've been going by. I do usually have to make a bit of an effort to hit my protein intake for the day) - is that too much, do you think? (carbs I mean). Is there an optimal limit I should be aiming for?

On feast days, I rarely go over my calorie limit. I do execise 5 days a week (currently I'm doing the 30 day shred workout, although it's been nearer 50 days for me thanks to a holiday and several much needed rest days!).

I have played around once or twice with the TDEE tracker because I'm not sure which exercise level to set it at. I may have a short burst of moderate exercise but due to my illness am not generally up and moving around all day long.

[carorees]

Hi there

Sadly, corticosteroids have been shown to affect glucose metabolism which is (in part) how they cause weight gain. Also, PhilT found a study showing that it is not only people with thyroid disorders who have a reduced TDEE but also fibromyalgia and ME sufferers.

According to the low carb gurus, Drs Volek and Phinney, and also the Mark's Daily Apple website, 200g of carbs a day is likely to hamper weight loss and may cause weight gain if you don't keep your calories restricted. I would suggest you try to keep down to 150g of below of daily carb intake and see if that makes a difference.

If you are doing 16:8, it should be fairly simple to keep below 150g. I am also doing 16:8 on weekdays (plus 6:1 fasting). I try to have at least two days a week below 100g as well as the fast day which is likely to be below 50g most weeks. The other days I try for under 150g but maybe a little more generous at weekends. I find that missing breakfast cuts a load of carbs out of my diet as all my preferred breakfast choices are carbtastic! So, for lunch I'll have one slice of multigrain bread with either a home made veggie soup or some cheese or a couple of boiled eggs, followed by an apple and (on the days when I'm aiming for under 150g) maybe a piece of cake at teatime. Then for dinner I'll have just a very small helping of potatoes (1 small), rice (1 tbsp) or pasta (25g dry) with the main course, and heaps of veg instead of filling carbs. If it's a 150g day, I'll have a small glass of wine too. If we don't eat dinner too late and if I haven't already had cake I may have a dessert of (at the moment because we have a glut) stewed apple and yoghurt. I don't feel at all deprived on this regimen because I still get some treats. When I track the calories and carb intake (which I do once in a while to check I'm on target) I find the cals come in at about 1200 on a low carb (under 100g) day and 1600 on a weekend. My TDEE is about 1600, so I'm getting at least 5 days below TDEE and the weekends are free and easy.

Why not have a go at limiting carbs for a couple of weeks and see if it makes a difference? Hopefully, keeping under 150g will be enough but it may be that, because of the steroids, you will need to drop lower. But see how you go.

Hmm...

Thanks Carorees, I will have a think about it, I have already been struggling with fast days as it is and am a bit apprehensive about having to restrict things further. I am finding it really really difficult now. 16:8 I can just about do at least Mon-Fri, for the moment.

I'll look into carb restriction and see whether I think it will be doable. The thought is filling me with dread though, I must admit!

Perhaps at any rate it might be worth setting my TDEE to the little/no exercise setting?

This is all starting to feel a bit too restrictive though! I've been calorie counting for over two years (until it seemed to stop working!) and was so hoping this might be a easier solution

Well, I've begun tracking and restricting carbs, after doing a fair bit of looking into it. I'm aiming for about 100g a day which has been doable so far. I won't worry too much if it goes over a bit. In this past week I've got back to 13st 10 which generally has been my 'lowest' weight so far this year apart from one week where I did hit 13 st 9. So it will be interesting to see what happens now.

5:2 has gone out of the window for the moment, although I've been kind of doing 16:8 on the days when I've had the willpower. According to my tracking, I'm eating at a bit of a calorie deficit at the moment anyway.

Eek! I wonder if this will make any difference. I'll track my weight on Friday

: Hi whitelily I do hope the low carb plan works out for you because you've certainly been very patient and persistent

I reduced my carb intake recently and that kickstarted my weightloss again Good Luck to you Sue

Aw, thanks, Sue Q! That's very kind.

Good to hear your weight is moving in the right direction again, best of luck!

Good luck with this new phase

Well, after a long hiatus (I last posted here in November), and a lot of ill health, I am back on the fasting bandwagon. I gained approx half a stone over Christmas, and, as before, struggled to lose much more than a couple of pounds whenever I tried to begin a weightloss regimen again. For example I tried Slimming World after Christmas as my mum was having success with it, and lost only 1.5 pounds over 6 weeks.

After a weekend away less than a month ago (during which I gained 5lbs), I have started my weightloss effort in earnest again. This time I am doing 16:8 fasting every day, and I've been enjoying it so far. I've managed to lose the few extra pounds that I gained over that weekend away at least - they pretty much fell off in the first week of 16:8 - but not much more has come off yet. I feel good following this method of fasting though. I will try and persevere with this method for at least a few months to really give it a chance.

I am really glad to have not gained too much weight since I was last here. I have had a few periods this year where I haven't felt able to diet at all, so the weight maintenance has been a mercy at least!

Hope everyone else is doing well

Welcome back @Whitelily77 so sorry you're health has kept you away from the forum and fasting.
Well done you're off to a great start with your weightloss plan of 16:8 which seems to be working for you again that'll provide the motivation to carry you onwards once again.

Thanks, Sue Q! It's nice to be back. I do like this way of eating, it's certainly an easy and cheap diet to implement!