Keep On Keepin On

This topic contains 53 replies, has 9 voices, and was last updated by  Jerry 64 6 years, 2 months ago.

Viewing 50 posts - 1 through 50 (of 55 total)

  • Keep On Keepin On

    Keep On Keepin On  join us as we lose 50lbs or more

    Hi my name is Sam M. I saw Micheal Mosley’s videos Eat,Fast, Live Longer and   The Truth About Exercise. Early 2013 I gave it go. Lost 33lbs, but regain 5lbs. In 2014  I lost  33 lbs again. Starting at 274lbs my goal is to get to 174lbs. Which will be 100lbs.

      I came to this forum in March of 2014 and have met a lot of encouraging folks. Trying to find a niche  thread for long term fasters. After two years I still have 40lbs to lose to reach my goal.  The best way to say is to Keep On Keepin On
     It is fair to say that everyone wants to be healthy, and eat healthy. At the same time, it is probably equally fair to say that most of us are not exercising enough.I believe a healthy diet can lead to better overall performance of the mind and body. That foods high in antioxidants can help promote or improve cognitive functioning. 
    Here a few quotes I like to share.
    “I know for sure that what we dwell on is who we become.”
    ~ Oprah Winfrey
    “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
    ~ Michael Jordan

    Your friends should motivate and inspire you. Our circle should be well rounded and supportive. So then let’s encourage each other. It’s my hope that you decide to join us on this Keep On Keepin On thread. Wether to encourage us or to for us to Inspire you.
    https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/keep-on-keepin-on/#post-60698

    Wow Sam, that is good going.
    Good luck with the rest.
    I’m just starting fasting . My neighbors wife told me about 5:2 and she still eats alot. I want to lose 30 pounds. So I’m going to try it tomorrow.

    I will be eating soup and zero calorie diet coke. Starts when I wake up right ends when I sleep. Right?
    I welcome any advice.

    Thank you Jerry 64 only 41lbs more to go.

    Drink plenty of water on fast days. My experience as well as the experience of other I read about is slight head ache. Basically if were used to drinking most of our fluids with meals. Then on fast day less meal and less water . I felt a slight head ache that went away with aspirin and plenty of water.

    To answer your question about when it starts and ends .
    It starts when you wake up . You can have 500-600 calories as the total limit . When you wake up the next morning the fast is over. You then eat normally again.

    Good luck and best wishes to you to Jerry 64!

    Samm, I have noticed that the more I drink (tea or water) on fast days, the more I lose. Mind you, a lot of time is spent on the loo 😆

    You have done so well, congratulations!!

    Most Teas have caffiene in them so they raise metabolism slightly. Especially if ingested late in the evening and early in the morning.

    About the loo , that’s common . Here’s a quote from live strong site.
    A Limited Diuretic Effect
    Caffeine has long been considered a diuretic, which means that it increases the amount of urine produced. This reputation may not be completely accurate, however. “The New York Times” reports that drinking a caffeinated beverage increases urinary output only as much as water. An article in a 2003 issue of the “Journal of Human Nutrition and Diet” explained that consuming 250 to 300 milligrams of caffeine (equivalent to two to three cups of coffee) can cause a mild increase in urine in people who have not had any caffeine for several days. The body, however, quickly becomes tolerant to the effects of caffeine, which minimizes the stimulant’s diuretic effect.

    Also by keeping hydrated FULLY you can have a difference in metabolism of 17% which is a very helpful in fat loss. You may also start counting your carbohydrate intake on feed days lowering your carb intake will help us burn more fat as fuel.

    My personal approach on 5:2 is to go low carb the day before a fast day. My last meal of the day prior to a feed day is protein and fat, Like salmon or catfish so that my body becomes accustomed to using fat as fuel sooner. Wether it’s from the fat of the fish or the fat from around my belly.
    Also the human body uses more energy to digest and metabolize protein than carbs . So is reason I choose to have a healthy fish dinner without carbs prior to the fast day.

    Also I take a que from Dr Mosely video. The Truth About Exercise.
    To do HIIT exercise after I’ve eaten a fry up or eaten a greasy spoon.
    As the HIIT exercise helps to metabolize the fat that gets into blood from eating. Thus the call for fat to be released from fat cells sooner in my opinion.

    Well I’ve lost a lot. Had to buy new clothes, but I want to return to my weight I was after high school. Even if it takes years. If I just Keep On Keepin On I’ll transform. I also lift on feed days .

    Interesting Sam. I will have a protein rich meal this evening as tomorrow is a fast day.

    @barniesmum
    Let me know how it goes.

    @jerry 64
    How was your first day?

    @kvetina
    I typical drink teas , and gave up fizzy drinks.
    I mostly keep green tea with lemon , sweetened with stevia.
    Another favorite is roasted dandelion root tea. I make in my Kureg cup maker.

    To save money I drink 1 glass of tea then 1 glass of water. I used to spend $30 a month on soft drink 2-liters. Now I spend $10 a month on teas.

    It’s been good to meet you all.
    Keep On Keepin On

    Hi everyone.
    I tried to fast on Sunday, but I became very hungry after eating the 500 calories. I try try again today, this time with a lot more water and tea. So far so good!

    Jerry if your male? you get 600 calories!

    H

    Hi Samm,

    Do yu mind if I also jump in. I have to lose around 34lbs to be back at my pre-wedding weight. Started 5:2 4weeks ago. I lost around 7lbs. but seem to have put 1lb back this week. I am also doing the Jillian Michael’s 30 Day shred workout and elliptical for 15min.

    How are yu all doing?

    CrazyTrying
    You very welcome here.
    I misplaced my mobile today. I’m sure it’s at work.
    Yesterday was a tough day for me. As I fasted on Monday , and I didn’t eat correctly match my calorie restriction and diabetic sugar levels. I didn’t need rescued , but I had no energy whatsoever. I just kept drinking water. So I just came home and watched concerts on the television and had a tv rest day. Ate hummus filled sweet peppers . I went over TDEE, but I feel rejuvenated.

    Well I fasted on monday, and my Tuesday pedometer at work read 19,878 steps. So it was another excellent day in terms of N.E.A.T.
    Im trying too hard to get to 60lbs lost. I forget sometimes to just let the fasting happen.
    I’m good spirits. Sugars are in normal range @110. So rather than fast tommorrow I’ll just cut my calories by 600 of restriction and go swimming again .

    Yes I’m very glad to have others on this thread . I’m very thankful that the Mosley team makes this available for us for free.
    @CrazyTraining
    Sounds like a winning combination of fasting days and workout days.

    @Jerry64
    Which days are you fasting? On 5:2?
    It seems beginners have more success with two days between fasts until they figure out which meals make successful days and which meals make for a struggle.
    My goto food I just a simple can of red beans with chili seasoning in it. Seems to last me 3-4 hours before getting hungry again. It took me 12 weeks to finally have a successful 5:2 week as planned. Once the weight started coming off I was hooked! Hope to hear from you!

    Hi Samm,

    I hope yu found your cell phone. Happens to me also that sometimes I just don feel like doing anything and I keep eating all the things that I have been restricting especially chocolates 🙁 They are a big NO no to me. Don’t worry soon you will reach the 60lb mark. Crossed fingers on that!

    Yester was my fast day and I made pizza for dinner as my hubby was asking for it since a while and I ended up eating a lot more. Bcoz I love pizzas soo much.. Felt really guilty later as after doing water fast the whole day I just spoiled it by eating a lot 🙁 Weight has been the same this whole week. Hope to lose some by the weekend!

    How often do yu weight yourself and How was your day Samm?

    How are all others doing?

    Glad your open about your cravings you CrazyThing.
    You may find me to be on your side open about habits. New and old.

    #1 exercise trumps diet.
    #2 nutrient dense diet is good only if fasting!

    I eat pizza but next day is fasting with beans .
    I don’t want to miss out on fun and enjoyment with friends and family , but I don’t let the unhealthy foods go uncountered. So i put exercise as #1. But if my diet isn’t commiserate . I can gain or lose weight no matter how hard I strength train. I have much fat to lose so I cut spaghetti. Completely , but a little pizza on feed days. Not so much a weakness , but an enjoyment to continue with another week of fasting .

    Then back to lifting
    http://zaazu.com

    Well done to you Sam and I hope you do keep going.

    I have been doing the fast diet since 17th February 2014. My starting weight was 204lbs, my weight now is 171lb. I would still like to lose about 30lbs. I have to say that I really don’t enjoy diets and have tried most of them! 5:2 seems to be about the only one I have managed to stick to (getting on for 9 months now). I think the diet gets easier in some ways the more your do it but harder in others. I tend to plateau and stay the same for ages, but the general trend is down. I have my own strategies for keeping motivated when it gets tough:
    I have gone down 2 dress sizes – I kept the biggest size and put it back on when I’m feeling demotivated. I can then see what an amazing effect it’s had on my shape.
    I always think that however tough it is on a given day that I can eat WHATEVER I want the next day (I rarely go mad with food the next day though)
    My eating habits have changed over the 9 months. I tend to seek out lower calories and although I don’t deprive myself I now ask myself do I REALLY want this fat laden, high calorie, sugary treat?? Often I think, well, no actually I don’t.
    I have found that my willpower has improved, I have to say, that without exception,I have completed at least 2 fast days every single week without fail since I started even during holidays abroad and illness and stressful situations. I think it gives me a sense of control and for someone who is probably an “emotional” eater this has probably been quite therapeutic.

    I am going on a long holiday to the USA summer next year plus I turn 40 – I didn’t want my memories of my 40th and holiday to by blighted by me feeling disgusted with myself. I feel like I have turned a corner in terms of managing my weight, I no longer feel at the mercy of my emotions when it comes to food.

    I can now go into pretty much any shop and buy something that looks nice on, I can open my wardrobe and pick out anything because it fits; that’s very liberating. I used to dread applying for jobs because I knew I would have to look smart and I would struggle to find anything to fit properly.

    Another unexpected benefit (and I can only attribute this to the 5:2 as I didn’t change anything else) my severe hay fever symptoms didn’t happen this year. I didn’t have to take any medication. I was delighted because the summer months March through October had become pretty intolerable with constant cold like symptoms.

    The next frontier is to start fast exercise. I want to lose a little more before I start though.
    Good luck everyone and persistence in life always pays off so just keep going!

    Keep On Keepin On, and Congratulations Caroline on losing 30+ .
            Affirmations help me  to not talk myself  into giving up. The weight comes off slow sometimes  . So I’m careful with my inner self talk. Funny thing happened. My daughters cat saw himself infront of our full length mirror and he hisses at himself. Of course we laugh, but I got me thinking . I sorta hiss at myself too . So i’ve taken on the task of making positive affirmations in the mirror  especially when I do my monthly weigh in.
          I used to binge from time to time, but is rare event now , mainly on weekends when out with family and friends. I don’t beat myself about it anymore or feel like Intermittent Fasting doesn’t still work for me. I learned to enjoy my food more. Especially since I’ve changed my eating habits as well. From flavor cravings and feeling full every time to eating health and healing foods and eating by calorie amounts . Basically no longer NEED to feel full at every meal.
           Ive been reading a ton about dieting since I started, and I’ve started taking planned breaks and practicing the portion sizes for when I reach goal.  In the past I’ve lost 50lbs but when I stopped starving myself the weight returned . I also eat emotionally sometimes when watching sports. I didnt realize it till I started counting calories. So I’ve learned not to simply avoid it , but change bad into good by thinking of it as opportunity graze on vegetables, and make hummus type dips that are filled with cancer fighting ingredients.  Take a poor eating habit and making into a great habit.
            “The next frontier is to start fast exercise. I want to lose a little more before I start though.”.
     I typically have stronger appetite on exercise days . I know thats not the same for everyone. But I wind up exercising more comfortably on feed days. When I started I was nearly a completely sedentary person  after a car crash left me in bed for months.  I had to find a way to lose weight instead of gaining it. I really felt like the inactivity was killin me. I very pains takenly kept strengthening muscles to assist me with more exercise.  I’m very glad for my efforts.  I’m now very active working in a warehouse where even if I don’t do weight bearing lifting or cardio  after work. I still typically find my pedometer has  way more than 10,000 steps  when clocking out. Which is in the very active range.   

    I did it!
    I fasted on Monday and Wednesday , and about to hit the sack.

    Samm I found the dandelion coffee tea. Didn’t like it black, but used zero calorie sweetener and was much better. Enjoyed it greatly when I got hungry. It’s sort of bitter, my appetite wasn’t nagging me so much. Think that’s how I got through the day. Drank lots of water too. So like Kvetina, I was in the loo too! LoL

    Got hungry , but got four days before starting again next week2.
    If this actually works to lose weight. It’s as samm says worth it to “Keep On Keepin On”

    That’s great Jerry 64!
    Glad for you.

    @crazytrying
    I have done that many times. I keep a daily journal of my foods. Just notes really.
    But I put them on pc and use an app that I can put tags on for searching texts and tags.
    I’m most tempted on days where I dont eat anything. The number of Botched days became clear in experience was on zero calorie days.

    In the beginning I was an ass to my family too. But I realized i just needed to find some alone time when their eating. And stop acting like they are doing me wrong. I use a strong fragrance that’s not very appetizing. Sometimes it’s when I’ll get on thread and write out a post or update my journal entries.
    Or I’ll go for walk and talk with neighbors. Then I turn in early seems. It helps to know that I can eat the same stuff or what I’m craving when I wake up.

    Sharing some quotes!

    There is no secret routine, there is no magical number of reps and sets. What there is, is confidence, belief, hard work on a consistent basis and a desire to succeed.
    Steve Justa

    You don’t always get what you wish for, you get what you work for.
    Unknown

    I know that no one can really stop me but myself and that really no one can help me but myself.
    Peter Nivio Zarlenga

    The will to conquer is the first condition of victory.
    Marshal Ferdinand Foch

    @jerry 64 – that’s great. Hope yu are looking forward to your fast days.

    @samm – Feeling awful as its becoming so difficult to workout these days as here in US they temperatures have dropped low.. its nearing -2 like that.. too cold at home with the heater on all the time I don’t feel like working out at all. I feel so lazy. But I am walking at least 10k steps daily. I feel really bad, Is checking weight daily a bad thing?? The whole week I have been on the same weight without a single drop in weight and we have a party planned for a colleague this weekend as he is shifting to Canada. So I think this week no weight loss for me. Its so disappointing 🙁

    May be I should just stop weighing myself daily!! Its like I am obsessed with the scales or so and at this point me being an emotional eater. I fear I will put on all the weight back 🙁 I really donno how to deal with this. Samm if u have any advice please guide me.

    Hows it going for y’all??

    Hi CrazyThing
    I’m in The states too.
    And yes it is getting winter like and cold.

    As far as the frequency of weighing in. I do it all the time.
    However I post a monthly weigh in and that’s where I usually see the drop.
    Water weight and inflammation can make weigh rise and fall without much reason.
    It’s very common to get frustrated , especially if only calorie restriction, or only on exercise.

    Once I got use to the fasting days two times a week I bumped it up to 3 times a week. So I was on 4:3
    The weekends were either failures or like feeling starved while watching others eat. So made my weekends TDEE days.
    So I fast on Monday’s, Wednesdays, and Fridays .

    Once I was well enough to start exercising again I started the exercises on the other four days.
    Tuesdays , Thursdays, Saturday’s , and Sunday’s .
    I was trying my best to achieve the 2 lb a week or case to it.

    My formula is was 1&1/4 lb fat loss from Intermittet fasting and 2,000 calories of exercise.
    Simply put 4:3 with 2,000 calories of exercise.
    Though I kept stepping on the scale. I didn’t take the scales seriously for a month when I would post.

    Also I would choose to get in good walk after the last meal of the day. Or cardio after last meal.
    Fast days not as important for exercise after less meal because theres not much to metabolize as there is on feed days.

    Also when I’m out with friends. I just have fun and partake in whatever they want to eat . If were eating. I mean. I can always put off 4:3 for 5:2 , but I can’t always have good times eating with friends.
    For me the intermittent thing is something I keep to myself for days when I’m not out with anyone . Except on the forum I seem to spill the beans A Lot!

    This week I fasted on Monday, had 1000 calorie restriction on wedneday, and another fast day Friday.
    Just waking up , breaking my fast , going to get some oatmeal , with walnuts, cherries, blueberries and a smidge of dark bakers chocolate in it.

    I plan to do a full set of compound lifting today.

    Hi everyone
    Going to try to fast 3 times this week.
    Thinking if i skip breakfast and eat around 1 0’clock .
    Started drinking the green tea with lemon in it to.

    Good luck today Jerry 64

    Remember to take a nap, or just goto bed early if you become tempted to break your fast.

    Keep in mind you can eat whatever you want the next morning.  I would go as far as to say if you’re going for 4:3 so soon only second week. The important thing is to not break your fasts. I usually suggest to others on this forum to do 5:2 successfully  for 6 weeks consecutively. Before moving on to 4:3 .  No doubt you’ll lose fat  on 4:3 so good luck.

    Are you taking supplements? 
    I do take a multivitamin in the mornings  that also has zinc and iodine.
    My fasts will be on mon,wedn, fri this week.
    Especially if you on low sodium diet. You may use those single serving iodized salt packets or a multivitamin.

    And I’ve been eating a lot of ocean bred fish on feed days.

    @CrazyTraining
    I ramp up my hand weights use in winter. As well as indoor strength training.
    I keep a set in within hands reach along my bed so when I wake up I get my first 50-100 calories burned before getting out bed. Trying for 600 exercise cals per day.
    Same for the couch and tv movie area. Keeping kettle balls and stability balls close . Every chance I get to watch tv while sitting on stability ball using hand weights. I enjoy music documentaries Like guitar center sessions. And find it’s doable to use hand weights while the programs are on. Not so much in the summer though when I’d rather be out and about.

    By using what is typically couch potato time and turning into a bit lifting . The entertainment of music and movies keeps me distracted so the weight lifting never gets mundane or boring to me.

    @samm:

    That’s soo good for yu. But I don’t have any weights or other excersize stuff except for elliptical machine. I was a avid aerobics worker around 2yrs ago in INDIA. But since moving to US I have been at home mostly and just do jogging, walking outside but as the temperature drop I m getting cold and so I don not wish or like to go out these days.

    Working out at home needs a help lotta motivation for me. I do it 2days and 3day I skip and after that it is really difficult to get back on track. I enjoy cuddling in the blanket drinking herbal tea/coffee and watching Tv/ movies earlier I used to binge on chocolates and pop-corn but now I just manage with tea/coffee.

    I don’t know how to bring that motivation and stick with it. 🙁 Do yu have any advice or suggestions??

    I have been asking my hubby to start workout with me so that I will do it daily as he is very persistent abt it. But his work does not let enough time for family if we workout in that time. I really dunno wat to do. When I see my old pictures where I was around 70kgs I feel really bad and start crying as to where I have brought myself. I don not blame myself as if circumstances had been different I could be 7months pregnant now. But ;(

    I think I cant write more than this. Sorry for blabbering about myself..

    Congratulations on being pregnant .
    I’m going to rea up a bit on fasting and pregnancy .
    At first thought , I don’t think fasting is recommended as the protein requirement is to eat 25g protein at each meal. Also prenatal vitamins. Are better than regular multivitamins.
    The extra protein doesn’t mean you’ll gain weight, rather excess carbs may.

    Let me read up on it though.
    However after you pregnancy you can look forward to fasting . It does work. It does work for those whom can’t lose weight through exercise.

    I’m male , I remember when my diabetic wife was pregnant her dietian helped her maintain her weight and control sugars. , by using keto sticks and counting carbs.

    Do you have a dietian helping you with your pregnancy ?

    A great exercise wether pregnant or not is stability ball. Usually at cost around $20 and can be inflated and deflated easily. Mostly used indoors.
    Many YouTube free examples to view, to help.

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/103791-stability-ball-exercises-pregnant-women/

    Cautions
    Check with your health-care provider before beginning an exercise program for the first time or if you have been away from fitness programs for a while. Ask your doctor if stability ball exercises are safe for you at whichever stage of pregnancy you’re in.

    @samm: I m not pregnant. I lost my baby at 4months. 🙁 if it had been there, now I would ve been 7months.

    Oh. I’m sorry for your loss. My wife and I lost her first pregnancy. We went on to only one after that.

    Does stability ball intrest you ?

    How You Can Eat (and Drink) to Defeat Cancer 
    Eating to defeat cancer can be accomplished simply by adding a few anti-angiogenic foods to your meals each day. Like life itself, one’s diet is all about making choices. Since we all eat every day, why not choose foods that can reduce your risk of disease? Listed below are some food facts, supported by scientific research, to help you get the most cancer fighting benefits from your diet. 

    Be picky. Red Delicious and Granny Smith apples have twice as many cancer fighters as Fuji or Golden Delicious apples. The San Marzano tomato contains more cancer fighters than any other variety. Wine grapes grown in cooler climates have more cancer fighters than grapes grown in warmer climates.
    Eat Your Sprouts. Broccoli sprouts can contain more cancer-fighting properties than regular broccoli.
    Dunk Your Teabag. Dunking a tea bag up and down releases more cancer-fighting molecules than letting the bag just sit in the cup.
    Cook Your Vegetables. Raw tomatoes are good, but cooking them in olive oil is better.
    Chew Your Greens. Chewing leafy greens helps to release enzymes that activate cancer-fighting molecules embedded deep in the leaves.
    Go Soy. Fermented soy, like the kind used in miso soup, contains four times more cancer fighters than regular soybeans.

    Choose one cancer fighting food for each meal.
    At 3 meals each day, that adds up to more than a thousand of cancer fighting food choices each year.

    http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/what-happens-when-fat-is-burned.html

    This article explains very simply what takes place to “lose fat”.
    While fasting alone does help me to lose fat, when i also exercise on a fasting week I seem to see the scale move on a weekly basis.

    I like to exercise both before breakfast and after dinner. 
    On fast days I try to eat twice  at noon and at 5pm

    Or if I’m working 3rd shift. At midnight and 5am. 

    I’ve lost 4 pounds!

    Started fasting every third day, or two days in between. I ditched the carbs completely on fasting day. Simply eating skinless boneless chicken breast 3 times. One at 11:00, at 3:00, and the last one at 7:00 PM.

    Only tried that because I had a big package of it in the freezer. I will keep doing this , but want to try fish. Any suggestions welcome?

    That sounds great Jerry 64

    I’ll try That 8/16 approach . I’ve been trying to eat all calories in a 5/19 window.

    Maybe 2 boiled Eggs upto 200 cals
    Shrimp 200 cals
    And 200 lean beef
    It’s a little over my 25% mark for protein ,but it sounds good.

    @jerry 64 : That’s a good amount of weight loss 🙂 Congo Buddy!

    @samm : How you doing? My weight has been the same this week with 2 bdays at home i.e, my father-in-laws and hubby’s.. It was fun yet the weight has remained same. Hope to lose some good pounds this week. So I must say Keep On Keepin On. 🙂

    What is this 8/16 approach? I didn’t get you. Is it this that we eat in 8hour window and fast or not eat in the other 16? How does this work? Does this provide better results?

    Yes it a window of hours to consume all calories.

    I’m very interested in research and trials on the subject.

    Basically it Stimson from research that indicates that consuming all calories in 1 meal or 1/23 has poor issues associated with it especially bone density. So the arguments go then. What is the safe window to consume all calories . The answer of 4.5/19.5 has no known side effects .

    When get into fasting on 4:3. And I’m really disciplined I try to eat at noon and again at 5pm.
    So it’s still social. Lunch with friends , dinner with family.

    I must apologize. I’m so sleepy I’m will give better info on subject sometime tommorrow . As I work third shift and have word double shifts all this week. The circadian Eating patterns is of big intrest to me. As I believe it help or hinder Maintenance of goal weight.

    Best wishes.

    I did manage to skip rope. In HIIT style today for seven minutes!

    Ok here’s a copy and paste of the 8th diet quickly explained.
    At the bottom is my opinion.

    ———-

    8-Hour Diet: Starve Yourself for 16 Hours?

    By Nicole German (RD, LD) in Diet Reviews, Calorie Restriction, Diets, Fad Diets
    The 8-Hour Diet, by David Zinczenko and Peter Moore (Editor of Men’s Health) is the hottest new diet of the year! Well, at least this one is easy and straight forward.

    David claims that you can eat whatever you want as long as you do so in an 8-hour time period.

    Since you only have a short amount of time when you can eat, the idea is that you will end up restricting your calories, and therefore, losing weight. The other 16-hours must be fasting hours.

    Is this as easy at it seems or is there a bit more to The 8 Hour Diet?

    Why The 8 Hour Diet Works
    It all comes down to calorie restriction. If you can find a way to keep the calories low enough to result in weight loss, you will be successful. By only having 8-hours to consume your food, you might be able to trick the body into taking in fewer calories.
    This diet reminds me of a couple of years ago when Oprah talked about cutting off your eating at 6 pm as a way to lose weight. This became a popular diet trend for a while because it helped to prevent late night overeating and excess calorie consumption.
    Another benefit is that you don’t have to deprive yourself. Many of us have been through so many diets that we feel overwhelmingly deprived. This is bad for our long term success. We need to learn how to feel comfortable making choices that aren’t so healthy, but in exercising excellent moderation and portion control. 
    The bottom line is: The body knows calories in and calories out for the entire day. So, if you can eat balanced, keep the metabolism going strong, feel healthy, then it doesn’t matter too much when you eat. It matters how much you eat.

    Where This Diet Could Fail
    The authors claim that the types of food don’t matter too much. However, you can’t expect to eat 1200 calories of chocolate for your diet and feel amazing. We must continue to eat a balanced portion of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats, and a few healthy carbohydrates. The authors do support healthy eating with the 8 Hour Diet Power Foods, but they don’t want to restrict you.

    Eight Hour Diet Power Foods
    It can be tough to stave off hunger in the evenings. For example, if you start eating at 8 am, then you can’t eat anything past 4 pm. What are you supposed to do if you feel hungry again at 8 pm, and don’t go to sleep until midnight?
    Many suggest waiting to have breakfast to help with this. But, research proves that breakfast is best for the metabolism if eaten within the first hour of waking.
    The authors say that you only have to follow the diet 3 days per week. This seems odd to me. Why not follow it 6 days per week? 3 days is only about 43% of the time. This doesn’t seem too effective.
    This is not a new diet idea. Intermittent fasting has been around for quite a few years now, but has yet to gain popularity until now.
    In the end, the positives and negatives seem to balance out. I have a feeling it will work for about half of the people who try it.

    So, try the diet if you like, and let us know how it goes for you!

    ————-

    This diet may be best for those who haven’t lost weight in long time. As way to stop non stop eating for every time a person becomes hungry. IMO if your already on a calorie restriction diet and used to feeling hungry for an hour or so between meals and possibly used to not eating after 6pm and not until 10 am. Then you may want to take the calorie restriction phase into semi fasting or intermittent fasting.

    The difference with 5:2 compared to every other day fasting is it becomes difficult to gain muscle with protein restriction. Where 5:2 may have the advantage of calorie restriction with muscle health. After all we want to burn fat. It takes 72 hours typically to start burning muscle. So the 36 hours of fasting typical to use carbohydrate sugars or fats. By restricting them the body uses stored fats for fuel. The difficulty is in tolerance of 5:2 semi fasting . At less than 1 lb of fat. Per week weightloss a person like myself Tht want to 100lbs. Is a long term way of eating. Reading up on why dieting fails is great way avoid common habits that lead to returning to the behaviors that led to the obesity.

    The most important thing that struck me was a phrase used in the micheal Mosley video. Eat, fast, live longer. “Do whats doable”.

    So. Understanding how I can lose close to 2lbs of fat per week seemed to be the direction I wanted to take.
    I kept trying go 4:3 with an emphasis on muscle building. 1 1/4 lb of calorie restriction. And 3/4 lb of exercise calories. Trying to find routines that keep on Keepin on with doing the math over a 7 day period and exercising a lot more often than I ever have in my past. A challenge , but only to the point of what’s doable.
    Personally I’ve found 4:3 doable if the weekends are feed day, but the weekends are also weight lifting days. I save time by practicing the 7 compound lifts , and was very difficult to get started. Due to my weight being so heavy. over the long term I’ve lost about 1/2 pound a week by looking at my start date and start date till now. But find the weekly approach of IF Intermittent Fasting can have greater fat loss in some weeks than others depending on the quality of foods on feed days. I still regularly go to a buffet restaurant . Twice a month as a family gathering. But skip the unhealthy stuff and have only modest portions of meat.
    Finding the salad bar offers a great variety of vitamins and minerals of fresh fruits and vegetables that I simply can’t afford keep fresh and in stock in my kitchen. Further I decided to make Sunday’s at the buffet also my muscle food day.with all the extra calories I do my best lifting . I know there is much better approaches. Much. Much better. However. It’s what I’ve found doable, because I need and want to sociable. I’ve just keep trying to find the silver lining on those days of weakness. Shifting to a day of strength instead. Trying to negate the calories with skipping rope, lifting and walking.

    I also took a job in a warehouse wher I both walk and lift , sometimes for 12 hours. This was difficult to used to . But now seems like a huge time sink with low pay. However it’s doable. I keep finding ways to keep the 4:3 in my schedule. And my week ends free.
    So what I suggest to others is keep the 500-600 calorie days 2-3 times a week. Semi fasting days as woe for calorie restriction. Finding a doable exercise that burns 2,000 calories a week.
    When planning a window of consumption don’t go lower than 19.5 hours of calorie abstinence in a row per day after day. It can be counter productive.

    Hi Samm,

    That was really great info. Finally I think after reading your passage I got motivation and strength. So I have decided to try 16:8 for this week and I am also going to add on more exercise and see how it goes. I have been lazy and today after completing 1 more month I realized that this month my weight has been the same as my 1st month. of Corse there were 2 weeks where I couldn’t fast at all bcoz of family gatherings and thanks giving this last week. But still a month is a month rite?? If it goes well this week then I plan on continuing it.

    So from today I plan on losing 2lbs per week with a lot of motivation. Hope I will succeed. I must say I will keep on keepin on. But I still have a doubt I don’t eat non-veg on mon,tue and Thursday on other days I eat an egg for the protein. Being an Indian and following this tradition since child hood. but that time we had lots of proteins through other grains. how do I suffice my need of protein on other days. After reading ur earlier response I also started taking multi-vitamins, earlier I was taking pre-natal vitamins as advised by my GP. We plan on starting to try for a baby next month (in jan) as suggested by my doc after a 2month gap. Will doing 5:2 have any side effects from that point of view? I am still wondering what to do? bcoz I do not want to pile-on the weight that I have lost.

    How was ur thanksgiving and weekend? Hope you had some fun. My hubby bought me an I-pad as a gift this thanksgiving. I love it so much. Have been using it a lot since he bought it Thursday nite.

    How is everyone else doing?

    CrazyThing> good for you that you are taking up 5:2. The weightloss will help you to get pregnant, and hopefully prevent you will develop gestational diabetes as obesity is a risk factor. When you are pregnant, then you shouldn’t follow 5:2, just keep the TDEE, or a little below, and don’t eat too much carbohydrates, that is best for your body and your baby.

    Thank you Ann247
    That’s very good advice. The only thing I might add to it would be about the multi vitamin.
    If a woman is trying to become pregnant. It may be a good idea to ve on prenatal vitamins prior to conception. I read an article that I can’t reference at this time. It suggested that the march of dimes points to there being a significant drop in birth defects for children whose mothers were taking prenatal vitamins.
    I’m not correct in this number , but is something like the instances of asbergers and autism drop to 1 in 1,400 on prenatal vitamins where as there is no difference in multi vitamin or no vitamin where the instance is approx 1 in 100.

    My wife was diabetic and she was told she couldn’t conceive , Then it just happened , butshe lost it at 3 mos. Her gynecologist said we needed to wait for specific time, but we try again to be on the prenatals and have her sugars under strict control . My daughter is perfectly normal glad to say. She’s 11 now. We didn’t try again our only child for the both of us.
    We also told during her pregnancy to see the dietitian, which gave a great meal plan , and taught her how to use keto sticks. In that way she kept a journal of what foods caused her to gain weight. And what meals caused weight loss. I was amazed at how well her 2nd pregnancy was , wished she kept on with the control after wards, but I have to respect her right to chose for food lifestyle herself. Her and I are worlds apart on dietic issues.

    Thanksgiving was wonderful this year. And managed to have a great weather day sunday and decorated our porch with the Xmas holiday decorations. We were given a new Xmas tree for some reason . I liked the old one. So intead of trashing it I just set it up in the back yard and let the kids play with it. The wind kept blowing it over , if nothing els it wad good for much laughter . Especially since a squirrel has taken a liking to it and keeps leaping in and out of it. I just love to hear childrens laughter. We finished off the weekend with cups of warm drinks they prefer hot cocoa. , but Im concerned about my health and drank roasted dandelion tea. I just like it very much really.

    I’ve been fasting intermittently for 19 months now. I came across an article that explain a small trial where dieters” went on a planned break. Instead of just quiting . The small group of people all returned to their meal plans . The results indicated that taking a planned break helps to extend the duration of the calorie restriction dieting” . I said all this because that’s what I’m doing now. I’m on a planned break from fasting from thanksgiving to new years. But if I binge I’ll fast. And I plan to fast the day before and the day after any holiday feasts. I just didn’t want to appear fraudulent by talking about fasting but actually on a break.

    I believe ADF if best for overall health , but I can’t seem to gain much muscle mass , so this planned fasting break is giving me time to focus on muscle building diet . My weigh in on the 27th was 211. I’m now 214 I’m ok with that. , even I’m taking the cue from the body builder forums on how to bulk and cut.
    I’m able to do weight lifting and enjoy it. So my planned break is from calorie restriction, but I’m still keeping on with healthy lifestyle.
    After giving it some thought I’ve decided I may go through a some experimentations with detox When I restart my fasting meal plan again . My next reachable goal will be 200lbs.

    Jerry64 are you still with us?
    Did you get a chance to read the 5:2 book. Or watch the. Eat,Fast,Live Longer video?

    @ann247: Thank you so much for the advice. I appreciate it.

    @Samm- that sounds like you had a really nice weekend and thanksgiving:) I will be going to new york for christmas. I love the giant Christmas tree at Rockerfeller center. Planning to have some fun 🙂 neways glad that you are still here for me even when u r on a break! Thanks Mate 🙂

    Does doing more workout reduce the weight loss? I have started doing jillian’s banish fat along with the 30Day shred. I am still not confident to do it on a fast day so only doing it the other days. I dunno whats wrong? My hormones are driving me crazy. Have an appointment with my Gp next week to discuss on my current health and conception planning. Hope I could just peep inside myself and know what is going on.

    Yes exercise can help to lose fat. However typically it’s food intake that is the bulk of calories. If you are fit enough to do the shred exercise on your feed days it will subtract from. However if it’s only 1/2 hour then it may not be a significant amount. Not knocking the shred.   What I find doable. Is to aim for 2,000 calories of exercise , because I find it achievable ove a weeks time. Especially if I roll out bed and do 50 calories of bar bells.  Breakfast I do calisthenics for another 100. 
     Lunch I  skip rope for 100 calories
     After dinner I lift , skip and or walk for  about 1 hour for another 100.

    It just happens that I don’t get it all done .  So the math is 7days x 350 calories . 2,450 .  Leaves me appoxamitely 4 missed sessions.  A week and I still am approximately near 2,000 calories of exercise.

    Then I aim for 5,800 calories of diet restriction.
    My  BMR allows for 2,000 calories a day to eat.

    I choose to follow 4:3. 3 fast days a week.

    But that’s still only 4,500 calories of restriction.

    So the feed day also have restriction  of 325 less Than BMR.
    Leaving me with 1, 675 calories  to feel sated on. 

    I wish I had the determination to to stick with it every week until goal , 
    What I’ve found is that instead of 8lbs a month .  I’m more able to lose 5lbs a month.   Doing this 7800   Of fasting, restriction and exercises.     For two weeks  very strictly.  Then the other two weeks a month I aim at the  1 lb a week. 

    To be clear , that’s my personal approach , not suggesting for anyone else.
    It’s my proven doable tentative schedule.

    I’m all for doctor approved exercise, and calorie restriction . Safely losing fat just must be the priority. 

    I tell you , the problem as I see it . Many exercise programs  aim for short term goals.  And personal preference is the big factor.  I don’t like spending time at the gym.  I’m not wild about dance videos.  Those work, but I just dont stick to them long term.  So my approach is do the exercises that I enjoy.
    I really enjoy skipping rope, so even though it’s a great way to exercise it’s not for everyone, but for me I have a blast so it’s a long term way of life for me. So is the lifting and boxing. Sorta male oriented . But someone else may like the dance videos  and enjoy them enough to do them long term.

    What it comes down too is the  calories in and calories used.
    Best way to do that is count the calories of the food and the exercise.  

    What I’ve found great about 5:2 or intermittent fasting is .  I can start and stop it anytime . I helps me lose. Approx 1 lb  a week every time .

    My problem is I don’t always obey my feed day rules so my losses are dragging out for long time.   However ,  I’ve lost 62 lbs since starting 20 months ago.   When I relax and decide rather than hope I’ll lose it all.  Even if it takes 4 years.  I have confidence it is going to happen.  .

    Along the way I’ve been self teaching about the all the vitamins and minerals. Have a go at different exercise plans.   The forum helps a great deal.  As my family and friends are not as enthused as I am about healthqnd healing foods or want to hear about another lb I’ve lost.   However participating on the threads I do find the a community of people that do want to tell about their experiences to.  I’ve learned a lot more than I expected here on this site.

    Im constantly adjusting my meal and exercise plans to fit my life . Rather than fit my life around my diet.

    I typically eat at 12 and again at 5 . I find that I experience being a little hungry every day help me stay used to being hungry on fasting days.

    Why arent I loosing on fast days..I just got up after my 4th fast day,actually 36 hrs. Fasted from teatime Wednesday to friday breakfast. Ate 459 calories during that time, according to Cronometer counter.
    Slept really badly…probably due to adrenal stress of not eating.
    Didnt execise as i had no energy,
    drank plenty of water.
    and Bingo…1 lb weight loss!
    This is my 4th fast day and i really think it has done my health good but it certainly is not helping me loose weight.
    I know today if I eat “normally”…ie 1500 cals half of the weight i lost will go back on and a bit more as the water comes back.
    Im begining to question wether 1/2 lb loss every 2 weeks is worth it.
    Would I be better off sleeping better, eating as usual and being able to increase my exercise as i cant do that whilst fasting twice a week.
    ho,k…give it to me, how you all think?..as this is just depressing.
    im a post menopsusal 55 year old who gets out jogging and cycling 4 times a weeknand walks otherdays for a coiple of hours.
    ps i eat a low carb paleo diet and have lost 20 lb doing this in the past year.

    Pucker toe
    I’m glad you posted here.
    Your near to my experience of there should be a better scale result, but seems to be slower than most others. Kudos on going paleo. That’s not easy to do. Once your shifted it’s easier to stay on , but moving from modern foods to paleo is typically a struggle.

    I heard somewhere and may just be one of unreferenceable quote phases.

    If you run every hour of the day for 365 days. You lose 8 lbs and that’s it. No idea how true that is.

    My approach is to do lifting , mostly the compound lifting that uses multiple muscle groups per lift.

    I also walk a lot at work , my pedometer is rarely below 15,000 steps on week days.
    And
    I use a jump rope to do HIIT 3 times a week.

    Then I do the othe longevity practices. Better foods and better exercise. And the weight will eventually come off. I foundd I have to do 4:3. Or wind up maintaining.
    The problem there is if I’m not vigilant about protein , I don’t get any muscle gain.
    My goal is to be 175 muscular, as opposed to 175 sedentary, IMO a man still looks plumpish.

    After reading your post I would still aim for 1lb a week if it’s doable.

    But 1/2 lb a week if your in no hurry and have confidence that you wont eat more than TDEE .

    Something else I do is to eat a little less than TDEE at least 2 days a week accompanying the fast days.
    Taking from the calories in calories out . If your struggling with the 500 calorie fast days, then a simple calorie restriction everyday may add to the same sum of calories. It may be either way or a combination of both.

    My routine is not the same as the book. The book worked well in the beginning , but when I plateau. I adjusted to fit my schedule and my preferences.

    I do calorie restriction for 2 weeks , to lose 1 lb a week
    And ADF for 12 days to lose 3lbs
    I lose about 5lbs a month when eat to letter of my plan.
    I lose a little more on that eating p,an when exercise gets up to the 2,000 calories a week of exercise of weight bearing exercise.

    Will be back on later today with some general recommendations.

    Jerry 64. Are you still with us?

    Trying this again.
    Wish me luck!

    Glad you’re still trying Jerry 64
    Good luck!
    How’s it going ?

    Having a chicken breast and green tea. Hungry today before this little dinner. Nearly gave up on this , but after today glad I’ve tried again. Its really not too bad of a way to lose weight.

    @pucker toe
    I remember recently posting on another thread about some health foods that with sleep.
    Like chickpeas.

    It inspired me to find a good hummus recipe , that uses chickpeas , but instead of chips I use mini- sweet peppers . I ave to admit to that becoming my new favorite tv snack on feed days. I’ve not been having any poor sleep issues . Not sure if it’s just coincidence.

    @jerry I’m glad to hear from you. May I ask why you chose to restart with intermittent fasting?

    I’ve tried many of the mainstream diets , for me intermittent fasting give the chance to lose fat
    Without feeling hungry every single day. Also the chance to have good energy to work out on feed days.

    Hi All,

    How is everyone doing??

    @pucker toe : Well this 5:2 technique does work. You have to have patience and keep on doing it. That’s why we say “Keep on Keepin on” . I feel you are stressing too much about the weight loss. Take it slow relax and I m sure you will see a drop. Kind of like you are obsessed with it. Do you want to lose weight at a fast rate? It is possible but it is also possible that you will put-on all or more of it back on. Imagine how much time did it take to put on this much weight(e.g. : 20lbs) may be a year? In that case you need to give at least that much time for the weight to go off.

    Some times you will be stuck at the same weight for a period , we call it plateau, as your body has got used to it. Making subtle changes can make the weight loss start again. I have been at the same weight of 83.8kgs more than a month now. But there were 2 weeks where I couldn fast and some parties. since this week as I am trying 16:8 my weight has shifted. today I weighed myself at 82.00kg. I hope to go down some more by weekend. As I do weigh-in sun to sun. I wont be too happy else I may eat more on feed day. So I will consider my weight on sun to be final and then measure my weight loss.

    @Jerry64 : Take it slow buddy! It takes time to get used this fasting technique. Try and Try you will surely succeed. I think you should start a food diary if you don’t have one. It helps to understand what you are eating that can be avoided. If you have alcohol then please try and reduce it.

    @samm : How you doing? I have a question for you. You said you workout after you have anything. e.g.: like after breakfast you do 100calorie workout? What do you mean by this? How do you know you worked out for 100calories? Or is it that if I do 100 jumping jacks = 100 calories, or 1500 steps = 100 calories or so on. How do I know how much calories I have burnt with this small workout?

    Initially I used to walk around 5miles everyday but now in the cold and occasional rain(I know you too live in US). I try to go out but if am unable I walk in the house only for as much as I can. Its very frustrating. If the answer to my above Q is yes. Then can you please tell me more such workouts that I can do??

    I am currently trying to lose 2lbs per week like I said before I am doing 16:8 this week and if it suits well then I may continue with it for a while till I reach my goal. I have until FEB end i.e, 2months from now to lose around 22lbs i.e, 10kgs. I am planning to go to INDIA for a holiday, and I don’t want anyone to say that I lost the baby but I am still hanging on with the weight 🙁

    Anyone else having any good suggestions or advice please do say so..

    There are many websites that show how many calories we burn per per exercise.

    I do lifting, but I enjoy it .

    I was injured in a car accident nearly 3 yesrs ago. Mostly in pain in my foot. not seeking sympathy just the back story. I was gaining weight , I could get up on my feet let alone do cardio . While I was down I startrd to do some reading on metabolism. I thought if I could lifting I could build up enough muscle to increase my metabolism. But as it turns out, its my understanding that bmr isnt increased significantly enough to amount to big fat loss like I need to be doing. So my attention turned not to muscle building , but muscle strengthen ing. Basically the same thing,but I can handle the activity better . Manage the pain better . So thst is why I do the lifting. It dimply mskes me feel stronger and more comfortable.

    However realizing that workouts dont have to be fast and furious . Imo opinion I just need to burn calories period and any which way will apply to calories in and calories out.

    So my 1 week formula for losing fat is for a 1 week cycle . I try to exercise for 2,000 calories but also count my food intake calories . My bmr is 2000 calories currently. Since 3,400 calories = 1lb .
    if I to have calorie restriction of 5800 . So 3 fasting days really help me get near the calories restriction im going for. It seems im able to lose much more fat through dieting than the exercising. However I keep on keepin on with exercising for its other health benefits, and help me achieve the 2lb fat loss goal per week .

    I dont do it every week though. Going for 2 lbs I mean. I try very hard for two weeks then just go for 1 lb for about two weeks until a new monthly cycle gets started. So I lose between 3-6 lbs a month on average. I am happy with that as opposed to gaining or remaining the same.

    So I keep weights all over the place in my home. So when I wake up I just start right in . Using the calories per hour guides. I keep track on my mobile phone.but aftet logging the numbers so often I know most of my numbers by heart .

    Basically I just dont push myself to exhaustion unless im strength traning. I do it enough to get to around 100 calories so I can keep doing it many times a day.

    for a long time last year I wouldnt try to exercise on fast days. And tried to 3 fast days and 4 exetvise days. It was simple formula.
    3 600 calorie feed days.
    4 600 calories exercise days
    I found it very simple and doable.

    I apologize for not editing this . Im on a friends mobile . Im having mobile issues. But keep in in touch about 1 time a day until I get it resolved. Basically if I can wait till januaury I can save much more money and get a better phone with a better data plan. But until then I dont have a mobile. Or any other internet connection.

    Basically I go in ten minute bouts of exercise .is nearly 100 calories if using compound movements.

    so not just arm curls . But lift with both arms weights of the floor and over head using multiple muscle groups. And movements like squats and lunges. Running in place and jumping jacks push ups and pull ups but swinging legs up into chest.

    Have to as strong as ive become I feel even better than I did before the accident.

    Austin oma

    saying that some people can develop a food allergy to avocado. Search wiki. Avocado. Health effects.

    So if ibs. And looking for an unknown sensitivity avocado could be one. Of many possibilities, but as with latex allergy avocado allergy can worsen in sensitivity over time.

    Breaking a 29 hrs semi fast of 600 with oat bran and probiotic yogurt covered raisens.

    Hi SAMM, Jery @64 n All,

    How are u all doing?? Samm is your vacation over ? have u started back on the diet?
    Hope everyone is doing good!!

    Well i have dropped off from the 5:2 diet as i have a good news on the way.. I am Pregnant!! I had my first OB appointment but the doctor just confirmed it . I am going 2weeks later for an ultrasound and hoping to see my rainbow baby and hear its heartbeat.. This is the 1st time i am disclosing it. I will not tell anyone till i am out of the first trimester. Well i am still restricting my diet as i have not been able to lose the weight as i donn wann to put excess stress and strain and get any other disesases (like Gestational diabetes n all). Any good advice , tips and methods are welcome!! I would love a for a healthy baby with not much weight gain..

    I am super Excited and on Cloud 9 !! 🙂 Hope you all have a wonderfull day 🙂

    Wow wow wow.
    So happy for you.
    First thing . See a dietian for professional advice.
    Hopefully they will have you counting your food intake by the grams.

    I believe it’s healthy for pregnancy to have three meals a day with 25g protein 3 times a day.
    That is about 1/3 more protein than eating when not pregnant. But I’ve seen it in much of the literature.

    Also stay away from electromagnetism devices like strong massager tools that sp strong they’re plugged into a wall.

    Congrats CrazyThing!

    Yes my planned break is over , and I’m trying to get back into weightloss mode by fasting 3times a week, but I’m struggling . So in the days I can’t keep calories under 600. I shift over to nutrition dense foods but then try to keep under 1500 cals . In this way I still get near 1/2lb or 1,500 cals of restriction,while combining that approach with another 2,000 cals of exercise My job is physically demanding, so it’s not just getting used to hunger, but also making sure I have enough energy to be competitive with rivals at work. I chose that job specifically to increase my N.E.A.T.

    I still don’t have the mobile service I wanted, but I have phone on the lend from my brother.

    Wishing you all the best!

Viewing 50 posts - 1 through 50 (of 55 total)

You must be logged in to reply.