I started my weight loss journey a year ago, did not follow the plan and plateaued and then of course stopped. I got inspired again the last week of Feb this year. Started at a little above 216lbs though I didn’t write it down at the time because at the time I was worried I would fail and it would be easier if I didn’t write it down. I did weigh myself though. I started with IF in March. I started with 16:8 daily fasting. It wasn’t working fast enough…less than a pound a week and I have about 90lb to lose. So anyway, by mid April I had graduated to 18:6 and in early May I was up to 20:4. It was then easy to just do one meal after I got used the 20:4. All in all I had lost 10ish lbs in 10 weeks. Which isn’t horrible, but I expected more since I have been doing IF for 10 weeks. I thought when I went 22:2 that I would really see the weight change, but 2 weeks in and I was the same (no patience because it was too extreme for me). I then was schooled on how to properly do 5:2 here. I started with in on May 18. Decided I wanted to do 4:3 because I have a lot to lose. On my fast days I have around 500-600 calories at the end of a 24 hour no-food fast. I don’t count my calories on non-fast days but stay within my limits as I have calorie counted before and can guesstimate.
So, what are the results of just 1 week 4:3??? 3 lbs!!!
Current weight 202.6
Looking forward to a great summer shedding weight. I can do this!

Happily completed a 37:45 hour fast with just a splash of milk in my coffee. Weighed in at just 1 lb loss in 2 weeks. Not great, but I think I have been way too sedentary and it is affecting my weight loss. I am going to stay positive and continue 4:3. On I trudge.

Coldpizza, I was pretty happy I completed the fast, seemed I was in the right frame of mind. I can’t hope to do it too often I think. Hopefully it helps me get to 1 lb a week at the least! I am so sedentary and lately I have been going to 700 calorie fast days, no bueno. That is why I decided I at least need to do one water fast a week. Plus two 500 (read 700 😂) fast days. So, a 4:3 continuation but with a slight customization. I think this will work for summer. It helped that I took the kids out and about town and kept us busy. If I can make it over the 1-3pm hump, I am okay.

So today started a little shaky. It’s a fast day, but all I could think about were left overs in the fridge from last night. I ate too much yesterday as it was, so I didn’t want to skip today’s FD. I all of the sudden decided to distract myself with some cleaning and it worked. I took a shower, felt fresh and great. The only thing that has me slightly bummed is that the scale hasn’t tipped below 200 yet and I have been pretty good the last few weeks. I feel like I should be there this week, I really hope so. I was at about 201.6 a few days ago. I weigh myself daily, but ever since I started my diet, it always goes up and down so much. I think because I am carrying so much extra weight that I retain more water than normal. I can go up 5 lbs from my weekly low almost every day of the week, and thats morning weight before any liquids. Then after a good fasting day, I will be back to my low again. I hope the 5 lb fluctuation is decreased as I lose weight. I remember when I was in my normal weight range that it was more like 3 lb fluctuation.

Coldpizza, yes, one problem I have now use that I have become more selective with my food. I no longer crave crap, but I still crave rich foods and some simple carbs like flour tortillas. I noticed I crave rich dairy way more than I ever did and they have become more satisfying. I want sharp cheddar with olives and fruit pairings. I feel like my tastes have been heightened, food tastes better! I am enjoying more natural foods and ignore boring Little Caesar’s type pizza or cold sugary cereals. I used to eat those a lot, all my life as a matter of fact.
I think I shall go make myself an iced herbal tea ☺️

Jayne.Lizzy
Thanks for the encouragement 🙂 I like that this diet feels like it’s broken up. So if you are bad, it’s okay because you can just fast tomorrow 😁 So many options, though I have enjoyed the MWF model, gives me some structure. today was my grandmother’s birthday, I accidentally forgot it was a FD and had a small slice of cake. I have no idea how many calories it was and hope it wasn’t too bad 😦. I checked calorie approx for a small piece of white cake and it said 200 calories. I will estimate it at 300 to be on the safe side. After my 300 calorie lunch I went over the 500 calories a bit, but I already have that worked into my plan, so all is good!
Coldpizza, My goal is to make it to my healthy weight range for my height which is around 128 if I remember correctly. My goal is to make it to at least 130, which was my weight when I got married. I always felt more comfortable at 120, but I don’t want to think of that hurdle just yet. First, make it to healthy weight! I am 5’1″, so I think my healthy low is 105. Though I could not imagine being that thin.

Copied from another area (side effects). My post
“Reply
The only thing I can think is that since the weather is hot, that I am really hot, but since my extremities are running cold, I get this weird sensation of cold within hot! The only feeling I can compare it to is when your limbs are exposed to too much cold and your body is trying really hard to warm them, so you feel cold on the outside, but hot sensations on the inside…well, the opposite of that. Weird that this is far into my diet and I am just now experiencing this (all this past week). Anyone else? Like I don’t recall having cold limbs before and I have been losing weight for months. I am actually taking in MORE calories on my non-fast days than I need, so, what gives?”
Now, I felt like this prior post of mine is important to yesterday’s fast day. Yesterday was a 36 hour liquid fast of less than 150 calories. As I said, my temps have felt weird, so I took my temp late last night and I was approx. 97.5 in both infrared and oral thermometer… Weird right? If I am burning more calories, shouldn’t I be hot? Well, it is a welcome symptom in the sweltering south.

Immensely enjoying the ability to cross my legs 🙂🙃😊…that is all! Oh no wait, getting rid of my 2x clothes is the cherry on top!

Lol, I just came from replying to your thread asking you how you were doing. Today I wanted to do a full fast, but I decided to ease back as I have been feeling deprived a little and I binge the next day. I will leave it at 2 liquid fasts a week for the time being with a reduced calorie day in the middle of the week. Today I am going to have lunch with my mom at a Chinese place…better find something low calorie and filling 🙂

Another fast gone by, I stopped at 35 hours because I wanted some food with my coffee, and why not, I had a good weigh-in! 198! What a beautiful number, by this time next year I will be less than 150! Yesterday afternoon was a little difficult, mostly because I didn’t have much to keep me busy, the key to fasting is staying busy. My next 36 hour fast was supposed to be on Monday, but I have to move it because that is the 4th of July…we will see how this works out. I am thinking of just switching my Monday and Wednesday so that Monday is my 500-800 calorie day.
Last night I took a detox bath for the first time, can’t say I loved lying in the water for so long.

HappyMargo- not every fast day is easy, but I never regret pushing through. I understand about the start eating, that is why I got rid of the “500” calorie recommendation, more work than just not eating. I do take in on average 40 calories of liquid calories during the 36-hour fast, which helps keep me on track without spiking my insulin levels (no sugar)! Yesterday it was less than 30 calories, maybe I needed a few more and that is why it was more difficult. Thanks for cheering me on, it really helps 🙂
Weight 198

Did my Saturday weigh-in. I like to weigh myself after a 36 hour fast. I was a lot lower than I expected, it has to be scale malfunction. I mean I know I was retaining some water the last week and a half, but even if I was losing weight as expected, I would be at about 196. But today I was at 194.8. (Weighed myself 20 times)
I don’t like these weird dips because I worry they are fake, it happened to me in May and took me weeks to “get over” that I indeed needed to ignore the scale for that reading…I didn’t see it again for 2 weeks. Well I need to stop overthinking. I am doing it now.
I’ll take it as good news, lol. 😉
Weigh-in 194.8

Coldpizza-yup, some weigh ins are going to be upsetting or lukewarm, but we are nonethe less at a better place because we are fasting. I remind myself of the other health benefits, my blood pressure looks so great! For a decade I struggled with pre hypertension readings, not anymore!
Today is a fast day for me too, enjoying a large iced coffee with 1 Tbsp. of half & half.
Keep Calm and keep on fasting, you are so much closer to your goal weight than me! But I am so happy, not because I am delusional about the long journey ahead, but because I know it is a sure thing.

Yeah, my fast went well too, but I didn’t move on the scale. I will conclude the scale is hateful, lol. I should have drank more water, I was dehydrated yesterday but because my back was very sore I didn’t want to get up and use the restroom, hence I drank not much water. I believe it really helps keep the flow of toxins out and it is very cleansing to drink more water, but sometimes we can’t be perfect. So, I am drinking a large ice water right now before I have my morning coffee.