If you haven't seen it yet, here is the documentary that started the Fast Diet trend: http://www.documentarytube.com/...ger-bbc-horizon-2012

Not sure if it is really suited for athletes, though, but the intention is not just for weight loss, but for longevity and better health.

I am right with you: For the weight loss at least (not the fasting, I'd harm someone, LOL). I am trying to lose the last 5-10 lbs to get close to my normal weight.
I was on some meds the past 18 months, and I know it's probably just an excuse but the weight went on quickly and stuck no matter what. I've been off them for 2 months and lost 4 lbs pretty quickly but I'd like to lose another 5lbs at least to get close to my normal weight. I've long since given up on getting back to race weight!

Hi raz, awesome! I thought I was going to be alone!

I am not doing too well with my first fast. I've never done a fast before in my life. For that matter, I've never gone on a diet in my life either, other than general thoughts that I needed to cut back. It's like I'm obsessed with eating. Every few minutes, I'll think about eating something and then I remember that I'm on this fast! I ate two eggs this morning and I can't wait until dinner, as I will be gorging on vegetables. My stomach started growling at 1 pm... it's not going to be pretty.

Time for my first report... I find that I am definitely more aware of what I eat now that I'm tracking my weight more carefully.

Tuesday 130.5
Wednesday 129.0 (Fast Day)
Thursday 126.5
Friday 126.0

Race Weight 118
Sustainable Goal 122

We'll see how much of that small loss is water weight.

Due to lack of response on this thread (!) I stopped posting my weight. I have still been weighing myself daily and recording it elsewhere.

But in case anyone was a lurker who was interested in following the 5:2 Fast Diet, I did some research and I have modified my method of fasting. You need to fast for 24 hours to gain the benefit of living a longer life. How I do this is I have dinner on my non-fast days and don't eat until the next day's dinner, and that dinner would be no more than 500 calories (for women, 600 for men). Water and zero calorie fluids are advisable on fast days.

I am following this method to 1) live a longer life and 2) get down to race weight.

From the start on April 5 at 130.5 I am now down to 124.5 lbs. I still have a few pounds to go. After finding out that the industry related to eating animals contributes 51% to greenhouse gases, I have also decided to try to eat vegan if possible for environmental reasons first, and health reasons second.

Good luck to all.

I'm now down to 121 pounds. That is one pound less than my "sustainable" weight. And having brownies for breakfast. Yesterday I wore a dress that five months ago was tight, and now it is loose and gapping. Lost one dress size. That's nearly ten pounds lost in one month! And I have not lost energy, even on my fast days.

Are you working out on your fast days?

Congrats on your weight loss.

I'll be interested to see if you can maintain the weight loss. Also, is this diet a lifelong thing or only to get the weight off?

I gained 25 lbs rapidly when put on some anti-depressants last year after some rapid weight loss from the depression. Got off those and dropped 10 pounds but the last 12-15 I want to lose aren't budging. I'm having a hard time finding the balance of calories to support my running but not overeat. I'll find I do great for about 4 days then have a massive starving day where I eat everything in sight which wipes out the progress of the previous 4 days.

I have a Withings scale which I love. It syncs my weight to a website so I can track the trend.

You can see the very rapid weight loss, when my marriage suddenly ended, then the weight gain when I got on the anti-depressants. Really interesting:

http://www.withings.com/...&forcedisplay=fm


I have plateau weights. 144, 133 and 127. It's been this way for many many years. I can't break thru the 133 right now.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

I'm stuck at the 133 right now too. I hit 128 last Fall with weight watchers. I'd like to get to 130 ish. Funny how those 3 pounds make such a difference on our hight challenged frames. Grrrr.

I am also curious if you work out on your fast days. So do you eat dinner on Sunday night, then fast (except for zero calorie fluids) until dinner on Monday night? Is the Monday night dinner "regular" or just 500 calories, and do you resume normal eating that night or fast again and start normal eating again on Tuesday?

I too was around 127 pounds 4 years ago (post marriage/pack a day smoker). Since quitting smoking in 2009 and starting triathlon in 2010 (and turning 40 in 2011) I am up to 137ish and stuck there, no matter how much I work out it seems. I sense it has something to do with heredity/job stress/lack of sleep as well, but I am definitely thicker around the middle and NOT liking it!

Thank you for the congratulations.

I am definitely working out on my fast days. In fact, I do more exercise on fast days because it helps me pass the time. So I do this crazy day of run (only 6 km at the moment), then ride my bike to the swimming pool, and swim for an hour. I've also increased my running to almost every day, fast day or feast day.

I have not noticed any weakness other than the usual wimpiness I have every time I run (i.e. wanting to stop after 15 minutes of running!). My running has improved, feeling easier now the second week of increased running frequency.

My guess is that I have enough glycogen stores in the morning after I wake up to last me the length of the workout.

Well, *I* am also interested to see if I can keep the weight off. I have been using myfitnesspal and it seems to indicate that I should be continuing to lose weight for the next five weeks until I reach my goal of 118 pounds.

The purpose is to try to live longer, and the side effect is weight loss. Most people lose weight on this, but probably because most people are overweight who undertake this. It makes sense that at some point I should reach a plateau of some sort, which would continue until my basal metabolic rate decreases with age, then I'd gain weight?

This 5:2 plan was devised by Dr. Mosley through personal experimentation as he considers it possible to maintain this new way of eating indefinitely. He does not want to deprive himself daily (as people who undertake the CRON-diet do). I can see myself continuing to do this for the rest of my life because it really isn't too bad. I used to sometimes not eat until 2 or 3 pm on days when I was really busy, and this eating plan only extends that by a few hours. Today I ate a ton of snacks: salsa chips, ice cream, popcorn, and because of exercise I am still eating 300 calories less than I burned today.

I was on a plateau of 124 for practically one year, then it crept up to 126. I had been making a conscious effort to avoid overeating and to increase exercising, and my unfocussed approach was getting me nowhere.

Which Withings scale did you get? I am researching body fat scales right now.

I am also curious if you work out on your fast days. So do you eat dinner on Sunday night, then fast (except for zero calorie fluids) until dinner on Monday night?

Yes, and yes. I try to make it to 24 hours from the last time I ate.


Is the Monday night dinner "regular" or just 500 calories, and do you resume normal eating that night or fast again and start normal eating again on Tuesday?

Monday night dinner is supposed to be 500 calories, but that is pretty close to a normal meal anyway. On Tuesday, you eat normally.


I hear you when you say that you were stuck around a certain weight. I can't believe how long it has taken for me to get a breakthrough like this. I am pretty sure it has been a year since I first started trying to lose weight by more exercise, or not eating too much (I used to eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted to).


Yes, the lack of sleep can't be underestimated. I'd forgotten about that, how not sleeping enough can undermine weight loss efforts. You end up getting hungry due to stress hormones, gravitating toward bad foods.

If you don't mind me asking, what exactly do you eat for your 500 calories? From what you've written about training, wouldn't your body be in need of calories?

Also, what are you losing? Muscle? Fat? Or both? I've gained 7kgs (got married, relocated, crappy gyms, too much drinking... woah is me!) but have only gone up a size as I am doing a lot more weights as home due to crappy gym times. I'd love to drop the fat I have but think I would lose some of my muscle if I did this. Any thoughts of what you're losing.

I've heard about this diet but frankly, I know I wouldn't have the willpower for it. Like Jen (I believe it was), I am VERY good for about four days and then I want to cram everything in my mouth. I find the more I exercise though, the less I cram.

Am impressed with how much you've lost! Congrats - and yes, it is amazing how two-three pounds affects us. I hate being one of those women who checks the scale and then sometimes has a day depending on how "good" or "bad" it is. It sucks and I want to kick myself for it.

Jen - I am having the same issue as I start to build my mileage again. I eat well for 4-5 days and then find myself eating almost an entire bag of kettle corn. There has to be some way to balance it all. I did a metabolic assessment so that will give me a decent estimate of what I am burning during exercise (especially long runs) so hopefully I can use that info to create a balanced plan so I don't end up in a deep hole that I eat my way out of with junk.

For 500 calories, you can eat a regular dinner. Here is a website with items from 200-400 calories: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/...healthy/200-400-cal/

An example is skinless grilled chicken or fish and all the greens you can eat (350 calories). At some restaurants like Swiss Chalet there are items on the menu of less than 400 calories--which is what I had to eat.

The downside of this "diet" is that I have to count calories, something I've never done my whole life. It has also been an eye opening experience, however, as I did not realize how any calories I eat on a typical day. Some days I eat in excess of 2000 calories. For someone my height of 5'3, the calorie allocation to lose weight is a shocking 1200, and that is a conservative number, with gradual weight loss.

I don't know if I'm losing muscle or fat, although I notice that I've lost much of my jiggle around my middle. It's not all gone, though. There is, however, this from Dr. Mosley regarding whether you lose muscle from IF: http://thefastdiet.co.uk/...-protein-deficiency/

You might want to test your will power-- it is not as difficult as it sounds. As a person who absolutely loves food and has never done a diet in her life, I have been able to do this for a month now. While you are fasting, it is comforting knowing that you will eat that same day, and that the next day you can eat normally again. I also think of the benefit of living longer so I can see my grandchildren graduate from university... not likely, but I am hoping for it. I also think of how my mother is diabetic, or how her father had Alzheimer's. IF helps with both of those conditions.

Thanks for the congratulations. I'm actually not sure how I got here because my weight did not go steadily down. It was up and down, and it was like a surprise when the scale had low readings. The clothes fitting so much better is the best indicator of the weight loss, that it's not just my imagination. I was about to give it up at the end of the second week into this because I did not seem to be seeing any progress in weight loss, but I kept thinking of the longevity benefits.

Thanks for the congratulations! I hope this changes my body set point. We'll see.

You might take a look at the Fitbit Aria scale, coupled with the Fitbit One. The Aria uses bluetooth technology to send your weight to your smart phone and/or PC/Mac and the Fitbit One is a pedometer/calorie output tracker, combined with a sleep tracker.

They were and still instrumental in my weight loss leading to the Womens' Camp and continuing for an additional 15 lbs in preparation for Ironman Lake Tahoe in September.

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DFL > DNF > DNS

I love my Withings scale. It integrates into Lose It which I use to track my food and my Jawbone UP which I'm always wearing to track my sleep and activity. I just got around to setting up all of the connections this weekend and I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing a better mapping of what I eat to what the scale shows. Clearly some days I'm more hydrated, or bloated, than others since my weight can fluxuate by a couple pounds a day.

I have this one: http://shop.withings.com/...-analyzer-black.html

In general I don't trust body fat on a scale since hydration can have a big impact on measurements but this one is pretty close to what I got by calipers at my gym last year. I mostly look at trends.

If anyone else is on Lose It let me know and we can friend each other. Accountability always helps me.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

I'm calling BS on myself. Today is my fast day, it's only 9:34 am and these are the thoughts through my head:

Maybe I'll eat normally today and fast tomorrow.
I don't think I can wait until dinner tonight.
Maybe I can eat the 500 calories throughout the day instead of waiting 24 hours.

It is difficult, especially when I'm sitting on my a** in the kitchen typing on my laptop, seeing the leftover salsa chips from last night.

It is difficult, when I'm making crepes for my kids and washing strawberries, and the smell of the strawberries wafts into my nostrils...

It is difficult, cleaning up the breakfast dishes and seeing a half eaten brownie on the plate from my kid and NOT EATING IT.

Thank you for the recommendations on the scales. I've checked them out online. They look really amazing, but it's around $125-150 for either scale, and an extra $100 to get the high tech pedometer/calorie/sleep monitor. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to justify spending the money by evening today, though!

That's what I'd be doing when fasting. I honestly don't know that I'll do it but the conversation has been interesting.

I got my UP thru work, we all got them, otherwise I wouldn't have spent the money on it. I still like having it but the scale plus online tracking is giving me great data.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

Hang in there! I just received an email earlier today that the fitbit flex (like the Jawbone up, a wristband) came out today. Something to consider if the fitbit one doesn't fit your bill. The flex may be easier to stay up with since it's a wristband.

I've fairly recently started trying to be consistent with my fitbit (also obtained through work, though I burned "vitality bucks" to get it) for the sleep & really working hard to stay vigilant on keeping track of the calories. Since I got my braces on April 3 (& 4 extractions on April 13th) I've lost about 8lbs. I started working harder at the calorie counting to make sure I was getting ENOUGH calories through the dental crap. I've also run a couple half marathons, done a sprint tri & come through the last training to USMS Nationals. My goal is to keep shedding slowly & sustainably by improving the efficiency of the machine I lug around. My machine is still a bit heftier than you girls' at 160#.

I use the fitbit & myfitnesspal. I haven't sprung for the scale yet, but hope to at some point. I like having all the data together to see the trends as well. Too bad I REALLY like crap food, I'd be as fit as I want to be if it hurt to eat all the time...

Myfitness pal username: allisonware1

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AW

Thanks, AWARE, for letting me know about the flex.

Amazing that you've lost 8 pounds through braces. That is EXACTLY what happened to me in 2009, when I had braces on for 18 months. I lost to the point where I looked a bit skeletal, and friends suggested an intervention.

Maybe I can get braces again! You've done well, and sound disciplined in your exercise and watching your calories.

As for really liking crap food, I'm there with you, sister! I just went to Costco today to buy groceries for the family and I warn you all to stay away from grocery shopping when you're fasting! I ended up buying kettle popcorn, a box of Aero bars, frozen Greek yogurt... More than half that will end up on my body soon. I also gave in and tried dried coconut from the evil sampling ladies.

That didn't take long. I bought the Fitbit Aria AND the Fitbit Flex. Happy Mother's Day to meeeeee! Ha, my husband wants the scale just as much as I do.

It was very difficult choosing between the Fitbit and the Withings, but the Fitbit is cheaper.

Ran into my former persona trainer at the gym tonight. I saw her for about 2 months last year but decided she wasn't right for me and stopped. I'd been avoiding her because I felt guilty. I asked at the front desk if I could get my measurements she took. Of course, she walked by RIGHT then so I had to talk to her. Super sweet girl, just operating on a very different plane (plain?) than I am.

Anywhoo, we looked at the numbers. I was 129.7 this morning on the scale. I think I'm dehydrated but I'll take it. My weight last June was 141.7. Boom!!! My only real change is I started running regularly again. I've lost 2.2" off my hips, 1" of my waist and .5" off my chest. Of course, then her response was that if I'd kept lifting and running I'd be making even further progress on losing inches.

Great news. But now whenever I see her at the gym I really have to avoid her.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

I've been following this thread since about a week after Karencoutts first posted it. I really like this 5:2 idea and beginning today, I've decided to give it a go. I have about 8-10 pounds of fluff that I would like to lose. I was there 2 years ago and I hope that this approach will help get me back on track. :-)

I've tried strict calorie counting, but it just doesn't seem to work very well for me. With calorie counting, I tend to over-restrict carbs and/or get other macros wrong. I typically feel really good for a few days when doing this and then the fatigue hits me like a brick and my workouts begin to suffer. At this point I tend to get very nervous and binge on a mass quantity of food. That's all it takes for me to go back to my old eating habits. I'm thinking that because this involves a 1-day fast, my body won't hit that brain fog/super fatigue low that so often derails me. We shall see. I also really don't "want" to calorie count day-in and day-out for the rest of my life. I think eating should be intuitive when possible, but I also know that weight loss isn't rocket science... it's about creating enough of a calorie deficit so that your body starts using some of its fluff.

Anyway, this is an approach that I haven't tried before and it seems simple enough. I have no plans to indulge in pizza on non-fast days. I want to keep it clean and healthy... I just don't want to be afraid to eat brown rice anymore (like I am when I count calories). So I'm onboard and I like the idea of having a support system here. My plan is to fast on lighter training days (like today... it's a swim day) and then eat sensibly (without calorie counting) on the day before a long/key workout & the day of long/key workout. This will mean that the day that I fast on will vary slightly each week, but from what I've read, that seems to be OK.

Here are my starting numbers/goals:

Start (May 10): 128.4 pounds at 5'5"
Goal: 118-120 pounds (and I'd like to be there before November)

JenSW, that is amazing news! You broke through your 133 barrier!

Funny, running into a personal trainer you've "fired" must be as awkward as running into an ex! You want to be looking at your best, as if you were doing perfectly fine without them.

Congratulations on your progress... two inches on a waist is a great accomplishment.

"I've been following this thread since about a week after Karencoutts first posted it. I really like this 5:2 idea and beginning today, I've decided to give it a go."

That's great, Shella, because I was going to just drop this thread but I was wondering if anyone would be still interested in the outcome of my experiment. I hope it works for you like it did for me. You've thought it out well, timing your workouts to your eating pattern. I've not encountered any unusual fatigue... uh, wait a minute, not really sure sometimes whether my weakness is due to insufficient training or the fasting.

Overeating on regular days is actually expected. Most folks end up eating 110-125% of usual on "feast" days. The purpose of the fast is supposed to be longevity instead of weight loss, so we do have to be vigilant about the overeating if we are intending to lose weight.

Every Saturday I go for a hammerfest ride where I'm going for around 2.5 hours at 10 bpm lower than my max HR. I've been dropped a lot recently, but not sure what the reason is.


I'm holding steady at 121, after yesterday's low of 120.5.

I was wondering if you know how the fitbit one calculates calorie burn? It seems like a lot of the calculators and gadgets (mainly HRM) are all over the place with estimates. Does it have an option to upload metabolic info from a new leaf assessment or anything like that?

I could probably look this up....

FitBit is best used to keep track of activity, versus RATE of activity. In other words, it knows when you're moving , but not how fast. The BodyMedia device i.e. BodyBug have accelerometers and do an admirable job of accurately estimating calorie burn.

And no, I'm sure that New Leaf results can NOT be uploaded to FitBit at this time ( I work with both protocols daily)

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DFL > DNF > DNS

I pulled on a pair of jeans this morning that I haven't worn in a year and they fit! The number on the scale is 127.9 which is awesome but I also know I'm dehydrated so that isn't an accurate number. Even adding a pound to account for that it is still progress!

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

Very little satisfies like seeing the scale move and fitting into clothes again-congratulations!

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DFL > DNF > DNS

OMG YES!! I can also count on 1 hand the number of rides (in the last year) where I finish or half way through without being STARVING and bonk. Again yesterday. Ugh.

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http://harvestmoon6.blogspot.com
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/katasmit

I'm just seeing this thread so please don't drop it. I would like to get to 67kg. I'm at 71. I've gotten down to 69 but I absolutely refuse to do any diet or fad thing and I have no problem (emotionally) counting calories - helps me to establish what a normal day should be - but it is interesting that so many report binging after a few days of being "good". I always thought I was alone in that. I'm going to watch and see if it follow my normal bonk weekend sessions (have yet to get nutrition nailed down on these weekend rides) but I'm very skeptical about the fasting. When I started (at 90kg) I did so with the goal to never do anything I coudln't continue doing all my life. so far, so good.

However, I'd prefer to be fat and be able to hammer than be thin and not. so there is that. :)

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http://harvestmoon6.blogspot.com
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/katasmit

I so think the key is all about being realistic & whatnot. Whether it's fasting or counting calories or just being mindful of what you're putting into the machine....don't make changes that aren't sustainable or that leave you with something too out of whack that you're trading off something bad for something else that's bad in a different way. (If I repeat this to myself enough times I'm sure something will click....)

I spent the past week & a half basically on vacation! Was traveling & swimming at nationals the 8th-12th & we were eating basically whatever we wanted. We were somewhat reasonable some of the time....but overall it was not eating on a timetable OR eating healthy. Follow that (the next day) with a week's vacation at a resort - drinking, eating, snacking, you name it. And I basically didn't work out at all! I was CRAVING healthy food, regular quality sleep & my workout routines by the end of the week.

MIRACULOUSLY I only "gained" 3-4lbs during all the travel. Now that I'm back & ate like CRAP all weekend, I've notched up another 2 (but I'm at least hydrated again). I'm still below where I started & not surprised at all. I enjoyed everything about the trip & am ready to get back to being healthy. I think this is part of the whole deal - if I had tried to be a calorie-monster during that trip, I would've wound up only drinking all week!!! Had a 650cal burn at swim practice this morning so it feels good to get back to 'real life!'

That said, my next ortho appointment is tomorrow & there are some major adjustments/changes to be made. So we'll see how much I eat/lose for the next week!

Kathy Caribe is now my hero....how absolutely beautiful was this quote!!!

Quote:

However, I'd prefer to be fat and be able to hammer than be thin and not. so there is that. :)

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AW

Awesome news, JenSW! It is such a nice feeling to put on formerly tight pants to find they're loose on you!

To be frank, I feel like a nutcase when I try to explain my intermittent fasting regimen and the reasoning behind it: that autophagy kicks in after fasting for 12-18 hours. Autophagy is needed for the life-prolonging effects of calorie restriction.

So I also have never subscribed to any fad diets. This is the first "diet" I have ever tried, and I have tried hard to convince myself it is purely for prolonging my life. But I also need to lose weight to race faster, and yes, I like to be able to fit into my clothes.

So far, the weight is still staying off. I haven't lost much more, though. I seem to have reached a plateau at 121 (old scale).

I had a terrible session riding today. I felt like I was fatigued. But I'm not sure if that is because I have been having horrible sleep for the past few weeks (since losing the weight). I've had some horrible hot flashes, and I think it is because of all the fat I lost.

I'll be reporting on my experience with maca root in the other very helpful thread that you started.

At this point, I think I can sustain the twice a week fasting for the rest of my life. If the reason is prolonging life, then I'm willing to feel hungry twice a week. I certainly would not do this if the only reason was vanity.

I am already gutted that I had children so late in life and that I will die before I see my grandchildren reach adulthood.

(does maths to see if she's in the same club...eldest is 18 so he could be providing grandchildren, but AFAIK he's still a virgin, so there is that. :) youngest is 11 so that means mid 60s by the time she's legal and, well, hell, I see what you mean. Well, I'll likely get to know *some* grandchildren by my 80s so I'll go with that).

the reason I'm following along is that your original post indicated you'd never done diets either, so it is fascinating to me to watch your experience but right now (screw the grandkids :)) my focus is ability to train as I'm running into that wall of severe dropoff of ability - after 55.

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http://harvestmoon6.blogspot.com
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/katasmit

If any of you would like to do some reading on Intermittent Fasting, try this free or nearly free book from amazon: http://www.amazon.com/...-ebook/dp/B00B0CQXGM

I've officially fallen off the wagon.

We had a long weekend and so I decided to skip fasting on my usual Monday, thinking I'd do it on Tuesday. I didn't. Then I didn't do it on Thursday, or the following Monday. And my weight went up to 124 (that's 122 on the old scale, to keep it consistent with the beginning of my thread and the numbers there). Gained a pound.

Now I'm not confident that I can do another one. I'll try again on Thursday. It's just that I've felt so overwhelmingly hungry by 10:00 am, I decide that I'll just do a fast the next day, but then I don't.

This is a good test of whether I can sustain this lifestyle. I managed to do it for six weeks before falling off.

I wonder if my lack of will power has anything to do with my horrible hot flashes. I've been getting terrible sleep for a few weeks now. I'd like to find something to blame.

I know nothing of this fasting thing you're doing, but IMO whatever eating plan you follow has to be something you can do for the rest of your life. If it's too hard, then you will only get short term results.

I'm currently working one-on-one with a nutritionist. I meet with her weekly. So far, so good. The main goal is to increase my protein intake and balance out my blood sugar (so I eat more often). Here's the main things she's having me do:

- 20 g protein at every meal
- fat at every meal (flax, olive oil, etc)
- bfast between 7 and 8 (I used to eat much later)
- lunch between 12 and 1
- mandatory snack between 4 and 5 - must contain protein
- dinner before 7 (used to eat at 9 or later)
- no food after dinner (this one is easy for me as I don't get hungry at night)
- limit yourself to 2 fruits a day, 1 cup of coffee, 1 oz cheese
- 4 large glasses of water a day (8 cups) - I put a slice of lemon in mine
- bfast is usually a green smoothie with protein or Greek yogurt + flax + fruit
- lunch is a protein and veggies or fruit
- dinner is protein and 1-2 veggies
- grains only at bfast or lunch
- no potatoes, corn, beets
- other veggies are free and can be eaten anytime when hungry
- 2 cheats allowed per week - 1 glass of wine, 1 oz dark chocolate, etc

This is a very easy eating plan and is close to what I was eating before. The main thing I had to change was the time I was eating and increasing the protein. I also had to limit my fruit intake since I could easily eat fruit all day long. We'll see if I can have long term success with this, but it's definitely something I can do forever as I'm not hungry, I'm eating foods I like and it's easy to follow.

Good luck, everyone. I know how tough this weight loss battle can be. I'm embarrassed to even say how much I need to lose right now, but at least it's going in the right direction right now.

I'm kind of with you, Dawn. I've lost 120 pounds over the years, with a little to go to reach race weight, and I think over the last year or so I've developed a sustainable program for me, also working with a nutritionist & a diet doc (actually a psychiatrist, but she's an integrative functional physician, balancing brain chemistry, basically). I do a pretty extreme Paleo, no fruit, no alcohol, no high glycemic veggies. It translates basically to good fats, protein, and kale or other green stuff. Daily prescription methylated B-12 shots, a prescription methylated B6 tablet, some Omega 3 capsules, and 10,000 iu of vitamin D3 daily. That's about it. I stay in ketosis pretty much all the time. I feel terrific. My workouts are good (despite some herniated discs, shoulder issues, etc.) But the best part is that within those parameters I don't sweat quantity or timing of fueling. Maybe when the workouts pick up, I'll be adding some medium-chain triglycerides (little packs of coconut oil or almond butter) and electrolytes to my long bikes and runs. But right now I just take water along and burn my own fat for fuel. What could be simpler, or more sustainable? But to each his own.

Loving it,

~~ kate

That's a really good, solid plan but sheesh it's a LOT of thinking & planning & measuring. I think my problem is that I ENJOY food too much & I REALLY don't want to spend much time thinking about it or planning around it. I have too much other crap going on in my life to focus on. (And given that I don't even have children, I have NO idea how that's really possible.)

I try to eat consciously & be mindful of the content I'm putting in my mouth & thinking about what it does to my body. That said, I'm a bit of a train wreck at the moment, but it's real life. I ate a HUGE donut for breakfeast that a girlfriend brought back from one of THE best donut shops in the country (Sweetwater's in Michigan). I also had a HUGE dinner of hibachi last night, but only ate once yesterday. So obviously I'm not perfect.

But I'm still hovering at around 6lbs or so down from where I was a couple months ago....so I'll take it.

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AW

aaaaand, I'm outta here. Nothing in the world short of kid or DH related could convince me to give up cawfee of my own free will. :)

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http://harvestmoon6.blogspot.com
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/katasmit

Ha! Actually I have to say that's the one item on the plan that I don't abide by. I just drink extra water to compensate.

It's really not that hard. It's just about making new habits that will work for me. I think that I eat a very healthy diet, but as the years go by I'm adding more and more weight, so obviously something's not right. After you hit your 40's, it gets very, very hard. I eat less than half of what I used to eat in my 20's and I'm still putting on weight. This list of "rules" may seem long and arduous, but you just get into a schedule and you don't even have to think about it anymore.

Everyone has to find what works for them. Also, what works in your 20's or 30's might not work when you get older. I've only been doing this for 3 weeks, so I'm not sure this is the answer, but I like the program and it seems like it will help me. We shall see...

Good point. I think routine is the key to anything. I used to think getting up at 4:30 for morning swim workouts was impossible but now it's mostly "normal."

I'm still working on the food thing. I wish I could break the emotional connection. That would force me to think about it more though....which would probably yield positive results. Not being the only one in the house that's a tough row to hoe alone.

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AW

That is a very sensible eating plan. But I cannot agree to two treats a week. That would be like death for me. I don't drink alcohol or coffee, so no big deal there. My eyes also popped out of my head when I thought of never having potatoes, corn, or beets again. I MUST have my poutine every once in a while (potatoes with gravy and cheese curds). It's a Canadian thing, eh? I feel blessed that I don't have any food allergies, and that plan simulates having food allergies. I'm sure a person could get used to it, though.

The IF (Intermittent Fasting) is in place NOT to help you lose weight, but to help you live longer. The side effect for most people is that you will lose weight. There are two ways of triggering autophagy (cell cleanup) and you're doing one of them, exercise. The other is fasting.

So, I'm back on the wagon today. Decided to turn today into a fast day. I was thinking about it. How wimpy am I that I can't handle skipping breakfast and lunch? I'm living in a rich society where the food is neverending. I need to buck up and do this, as it is only twice a week and I can eat normally, treats included, all the other days.

It seems the key to a successful fast day is to not have your child be sick at home (that's what happened last week when I fell off the wagon) and to spend the fast day exercising! I feel so virtuous now after a double workout (soon to be triple?), I should be wearing a halo.

So does a triple grande soy latte count as one cup of coffee?

My weight numbers are back up again :/ Still fitting into smaller jeans though.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

Of course! Silly question, Jen. :P

I hear you! :) I'm 53 and not only does it get harder to take it off, the skin looks much better when full of fat rather than wrinkly and floppy without. sigh. I'm quite intrigued with your program and might try some of it.

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http://harvestmoon6.blogspot.com
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/katasmit

thanks! I downloaded this yesterday.

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http://harvestmoon6.blogspot.com
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/katasmit

That's a relief.

I'm still debating getting some professional help on determining calories. I just can't seem to get the numbers right :-(

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

And as I am 47 now, I also understand what Dawn T and Kathy Caribe are going through. I am eating less now than ever, and it seems I get full on a tiny amount of food. Despite that, I was slowly gaining weight, to the tune of 2 pounds a year, until recently, when I turned back the clock four years.

I read something interesting, that if you are under 40, you look younger with less fat. If you're over 40, you look younger with more fat. Well, I had it in reverse and got the worst of both worlds!

about the fasting, have you read this? http://www.paleoforwomen.com/...g-in-the-literature/

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http://harvestmoon6.blogspot.com
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/katasmit

Thanks for posting that article, kathy caribe. Scary stuff. I am perturbed by the lack of studies of women, and specifically perimenopausal women.

I've been able to lose weight steadily now on the IF regime, about 0.5 to 1 pound/week. I also have no trouble falling asleep. It's staying asleep that is the problem.

Lately I've upped my soy milk dosage to 3 cups a day, and that seems to have really helped. Instead of waking up 3-4 times, I wake up once, some time between 4 and 6 am. After my waking hot flash is finished, I feel sleepy and go back to bed again. Probably as a result of the better sleep, my athletic performance is getting back to where it was.

I don't want to mess with my hormone regulation processes, so now I am thinking I should stop doing IF, and wait until there is more woman-specific research.

Yeah, Karen. I had pretty much decided to give it a try just based on what you had said and the health benefits (insulin, triglycerides, blood pressure, etc.) until I found that particular link. I'm going to hit PubMed today and see but I might still try it and see what happens. I'm INCREDIBLY happy with maca root. I have Zero hot flashes and sex, this week, entered my head with no prodding from DH. Libido might be scratching her way to the surface again. :) My training is good and while I do take a nap if I get up at 4am, I'm really not feeling 53. It took a LONG time for the maca to hit though, and I'm only up to 1/2 tsp a day without severe GI upset. That could be why it took so long for it to hit me.

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http://harvestmoon6.blogspot.com
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/katasmit

Good job sista!

I put on some cargo pants Friday night and was surprised at how loose they were. Yay! I've also broken the 133 barrier and am hovering at 131. I'd like to see 126-128 but that takes an amazing amount of self restraint. I can do it though. I have lots of beach/swimsuit opportunities this summer and I don't want to feel like a roly poly.

I've been eating fairly clean. Too much wine on the weekeneds though. And I've been cycling again. Heading out for 45+ miles this morning. The interesting thing is my appetite has kicked into overdrive. Two days this week, I was starving! We don't keep crap around the house though so i was able to fill the hole with good stuff. I did have some ice cream yesterday, then dumped the rest of the container down the disposal (after filling the dog's kongs with Breyers Vanilla :) If it was still in the house, I would eat it.

The hubby is gone this week, so I won't cook as much as ususal and I'm ready to fire up our juicer and maybe do a juice based plan for most of the week. I'm heading to San Diego next Friday and want to feel good!

The numbers on my scale are all over the place again. So much of this must be hydration levels. Pants are still fitting though!

My running is improving at a ridiculous rate and I got talking to my coach about trying to lose some weight. She asked me why. My run performance and training is going really well so clearly I'm getting myself enough calories without massive weight gain. She has a good point. I've dropped 17 minutes off my half marathon time in 4 months. Crazy. So I'm asking myself what is my motivation for trying to drop. Maybe another 5 lbs off will make me even faster but it could make me feel like crap when I restrict calories.

Mentally I'm working through this right now. I look heavy for my size but really only in my hips. How much of this is vanity vs performance and what is my priority right now? I have no interest in dating so dropping weight isn't for that reason. I do think I can get faster if I weigh less but it will be a very fine line between enough and not enough food.

Might get in to see a nutritionist to fine tune.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

A round of applause for your amazing improvement (jeebus, it took me 4 years and quitting smoking to take 11mins off my half marathon time!), and a standing ovation for realizing that the pursuit of skinny isn't necessarily the right path for you!

Seriously, you're awesome, and you've got your head screwed on right. Just keep on being your bad self!

Cheers!

-mistress k

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ill advised racing inc.

Just an update.

I stopped intermittent fasting because of the hot flashes. My weight went back up five pounds to my chagrin, and the hot flashes disappeared.

Recently I started losing weight again. Not trying to lose weight. Just a by-product of increasing my training as I am preparing for my first marathon. And lo and behold, the hot flashes have returned. So it was not the intermittent fasting that was causing the hot flashes. It was the weight loss. It seems when I am around 122 pounds, I start getting hot flashes. At 122, I am not thin. My Fitbit Aria pegs me at 24.5% body fat.

This is only going to get worse because I will be continuing to lose weight as I increase my mileage. I really need to think about taking hormones if I want to get any decent sleep.

(Edited for keeping consistency with first post: Weight on Aria Scale is 122 pounds, which is 120 on old scale). In other words, this is my lowest weight since I first posted.

How frustrating for you, to be doing something healthy and have an adverse affect from it. Good luck getting some resolution on the hot flashes.

If there is any will to reviving this thread, I could use both some help and some accountability... I'm 5'3, 175 pounds, and I need to lose weight both for the sake of my health and for my vanity because I'm fed up with being fat.

I would love suggestions for easy-to-follow, long-term weight loss and maintenance plans. I've done Atkins in the past, but with a "meat and potatoes" guy and a 17 year old boy, I would prefer not to have to cook entirely separate meals wherever possible!

I've lost 6ish pounds in the last two months & have another 5ish to go. I'm 5'7" & 151 lbs.

I found that mindful eating - three meals a day, no snacking & no eating after 8pm. The no eating after 8 is because the only eating I do at night is junk food.

Thanks, UK2ME, I need the luck to get rid of these hot flashes.

You can post here every Friday to let us know how it's going for you. I seem to be losing weight from increasing the running mileage. I also do not eat breakfast until I have finished running because I read that you burn 20% more fat that way.

The other step I am taking is to be more conscious of my portions, to drink more water, and to choose fish, vegan or vegetarian when possible if we are eating out. I found it useful to keep a log of what I ate and the calories using My Fitness Pal. It served to highlight that I was taking in more calories than I thought. Once you gain awareness of how much you are actually eating, you can stop counting the calories if you want.

Now that I know that the intermittent fasting (IF) wasn't giving me hot flashes, I might try that again. Although the main purpose of IF was not fat loss but longevity, the side effect is definitely weight loss. You might want to try the plan I was referring to in the beginning of the thread. According to the author of the 5-2 Fast Diet, Dr. Mosley, he believes that it is a lifestyle that is easy to follow for the rest of your life because you eat normally 5 days of the week, and fast only 2 days. On "fast days" you still get to eat, but only 500 calories. It is very hard at first, but I found that it got a bit easier. It is especially challenging for us because we prepare meals for the family even when we're fasting, which makes it harder to avoid eating! At least you won't have to prepare separate meals for yourself and the family. You can eat what they eat, just less on your fast days.

Shella, it has been a few months since you said you would try IF. Did it work for you?

I'm not sure I should try IF again since I am making gains in my running fitness and don't want to throw a wrench into it.

i understood watching your weight continuously helps you not to gain and also lose weight !!!
it also happens when you know what you eat.
Good job

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http://www.clinicdrbita.com
http://www.psychologuemontreal-clinicdrbita.com
http://www.brossardhealthcentre.com

Eat slowly
Eat real food
Eat to 80% full

Those three will go a long way. I still have issues with the last one and am counting calories for a time which has been eye opening.

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

I'm managing to put weight back on. Ugh. I was doing so well back in August.

Last week was a total bust so I'm doing a reset and will start getting back to tracking and getting in my workouts.

I'm at 129. Just before my marathon in August I was 126. I felt great at 126 and want to see how close I can get to 120 and still have high quality workouts.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

Thanks for the article on fat loss; I'll share that with my weight loss class after I read the full text in the British Journal of Nutrition. Again, I'm avoiding my nutrition studies by posting here ;-)

Anyway, I also just returned from having blood drawn to monitor my hormone levels. As I have gone down to 120 lbs from an average of about 130, I have had hot flashes return and the dreaded sleep disruptions that accompany them. After I find the results, I will likely have my hormone replacement adjusted for the fifth time. Replacing what time has taken away has made a HUGE difference in my quality of life (mostly sleep related and therefore everything else). If you have access to it, I would encourage any woman of menopausal age to consider hormone replacement.

Now, I need to get back to training for race weight in March, hopefully IM Cabo San Lucas! 105 lbs, here I come!

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DFL > DNF > DNS