A fresh start

This topic contains 18 replies, has 7 voices, and was last updated by Cookiemuncher 8 years, 2 months ago.

Viewing 19 posts - 1 through 19 (of 19 total)

Cookiemuncher

9:37 am
24 Jul 16
Permalink

Hi
I have tried every diet about, including fasting, with limited success. I get going, lode a bit of weight and then ‘fall of the wagon’, lose no more and become demoralised and go back to normal.

I am overweight – 5 ft 8 and 12st 13lb and wearing size 14 clothes but I do mainly eat healthily (being vegetarian helps) and I am pretty active ( I have two kids, two young dogs and a horse).

I turn 40 years in March and I’d like to be 10 stones and a size 10. I would be so, so proud of myself if I could achieve this because I really do struggle to keep my weight in check, let alone lose it!

So, here I am. I’m going to weigh weekly and post it here with my thoughts as I’m hoping it will keep me motivated. Watch this space!!

bigbooty

11:17 pm
24 Jul 16
Permalink

You need to treat the diet as a journey and not a destination. Its a journey you will be on for the rest of your life so make sure its do-able. Im guessing your diet includes lots of sugar and simple carbs? You have to get rid of those as food staples. Usually takes about a month to detox from sugar. Try and avoid anything with sugar like cakes, biscuits, chocolate carbonated sugary drinks and grain based foods like bread, pasta, pizza. Avoid starchy veggies like potatoes. Avoid fruit juice like the plague. If you want fruit make sure its whole fruit, not juice or dried fruits. Avoid health cereals like the plague, they are pure crap.

Don’t be scared of fats like milk, butter, cheese, avocados. Get your proteins from beans, tofu, tuna, chicken, nuts like walnuts and almonds.

If you’ve tried fasting before try and incorporate a true water fast as one of your fasting days. I used to do two water fast days as part of my 5:2. Im now in maintenance mode but still do 6:1 water fast every week. It makes your body very efficient at burning fat. I lost 44 pounds over the course of one year.

Good luck it works if you give it a genuine try.

ETJ

10:53 am
25 Jul 16
Permalink

Hello Cookiemuncher! Well done on taking the first step. I do alternate fasting, so day 1 fast day 2 non fast day 3 fast etc. I find it really good because I don’t need to worry about what I am eating (I eat everything Big Booty said not to eat, lol. I’m only half joking haha) I water fast as well. I try mindfulness when eating, so eating until full and I don’t really snack. And I don’t drink my calories – I think I got that term from Big Booty. I have lost 23 kilo’s with about 15kg to go.

Good luck. You can do it. Just choose what works for you and your situation. And don’t be afraid to change it around. Nothing is set in stone and life moves on. It will work as long as you just keep at it 🙂

Cookiemuncher

1:32 pm
1 Aug 16
Permalink

Hi Bigbooty and ETJ

Firstly- well done to you both for your weight loss and lifestyle change. It is very encouraging to see. And Thank you for your very sensible advice. My downfall is cakes and biscuits and I would hate to cut them completely. That being said I will do a week here and there sugar free which stops cravings when they get a bit too wild! . In fact I’m going to do one this week alongside my fasting. And I have got some pretty good sugar free cake recipes that do the job.

I only eat wheat occasionally and choose whole grains when I can. I just love food and whilst I am pretty healthy I think I do eat more than I should so that’s something I need to keep in check.

I think if I am too strict with myself I will overeat, see it as a failure and throw the towel in. So, I’m going to have an odd cake here and there but I will try and make sensible choices and as you say, it’s a life change. I have bought the 7 minute Davina DVD too and will try and fit in 2 or 3 workouts a week on top of the walking and riding.

So, fingers crossed I’ll be here giving others some advice in a year or so!

Cookiemuncher

1:45 pm
1 Aug 16
Permalink

Week one-

I have actually done three fasts as I started on a Friday but want to weigh in on a Monday morning before work. If I lose its going to make a good start to the week!

I am pleased to announce I have lost 3.4lbs! Hurrah! So I’m now 12st 9.4lb.

I have been having a cuppa first thing with some skimmed milk and then a coffee mid morning. I then have water all day and a 450kcal meal in the evening. I made a crunchy chickpea salad and 2 rice cakes and strawberries. I was so ready for my meal by then it made the food tasted amazing!!! Even the rice cakes!

I managed 3 Davina work out (1/2 hr a time) and my usual walking/ riding.

I’m aiming for 2 fasts a week- eating 500kcal on each day and keeping an eye on my kcals the rest of the week using MFP until I know I am getting it right. I’ll throw in some sugar free weeks here and there too.

Hopefully that will do the job- I’ll let you know. Have a good week!!

ETJ

2:52 pm
4 Aug 16
Permalink

Cookiemuncher – Good job. That is a terrific weight loss for your first week. You must be thrilled. It sounds like you are well into the swing of things and I wish you luck with your second week 🙂

Cookiemuncher

7:26 am
8 Aug 16
Permalink

Week two-

I’ll be honest- this week was more tricky!! There was a lot going on at home (it’s the school hols and there is a lot of organising to do! We’ve got some new chickens to keep an eye on and the cat has been off fighting and then going missing to tend to his wounds)! I was away for work for two days so I had to swap my fast days a bit and I just haven’t had a chance to get as much exercise in. And it’s that ‘time of the month’ and I just feel rather bloated and lacking in energy. So I also didn’t manage my sugar free week either.

So, not expecting much on the scales. I did manage to lose 0.4lb though taking my down to 12st 9. That’s ok!

This week is looking to be a bit less stressful so I can focus back on my food and exercise. Hope you all have a good week!

This week looks easier and I’ll make it sugar free too!

Cookiemuncher

11:49 am
17 Aug 16
Permalink

Week three-

So I’m a bit late checking in this week. On my first fast day last week I popped a rib at the bottom of my neck. Very painful! I have ongoing back issues which are mostly under control but occasionally something moves and this was one of those occasions. I abandoned my fast day as I felt the need for comfort food, booked into the osteopath and was vaguely back to normal by Thursday. I managed to fit in my fast days on weds and fri and did also get one Davina workout and two Horse riding sessions in.

So- figures time.

12 st 8.6lb. another half a pound down. 4.5lbs total in three weeks.

I would have liked more but I know in the past I tend to lose a big amount then not much for a week or two then another big amount. Maybe that’s what is going on this time or maybe I am not being careful enough on my non fast days. I am not really counting kcals on my nfds as I just can’t be bothered. I’m still indulging in a bit of cake here and there so perhaps I need to give that up. I’ll see what happens next Monday before I tweek anything. The main thing is the scales are going down. I don’t find the actual fast days too gruelling and I’m feeling healthier and slimmer even though the scales don’t really agree!

Feeling motivated so I’m hoping for a good week in week four!

Elphaba

3:43 pm
17 Aug 16
Permalink

You are doing great. don’t worry if the numbers are smaller than you’d like – they are going in the right direction and that’s all that matters.

Love the weekly updates.

Cookiemuncher

3:10 pm
25 Aug 16
Permalink

Week 4-

I can’t believe another week has passed by (and I’m late with my write up again)! so, last week. Well, I managed my two fasts on Monday and Thursday and I got a couple of Davina work outs and horse rides in. I am off work and am until tues after the bank holiday. I’m having a staycation!

Whilst I love the holidays I am struggling with doing as much exercise because I have two little kids here (who I spend most of my time refereeing and negotiating with)and my routine of getting up early to do a dog walk each day has gone out the window as I don’t HAVE to get up at 6am. I am around the house and having to cook and prepare food for the kids whilst not eating it- that’s tricky too. Biscuits with tea, stop at a cafe for lunch whilst we are out etc etc
I am hoping that when we all back to our normal routines I’ll be too busy to eat! Any other parents out there had enough of the school hols?!?

So, the fast days are going ok. I am sticking to a cup of tea when I wake up (because I just can’t do without) and a coffee late morning/ lunch and then water and peppermint tea until dinner which I try and have after the kids are in bed so I don’t think about snacking during the evening. Last night I had two fried eggs, stuffed mushrooms and oven cooked aubergine and tomatoes. Sounds like a random combination but by 8pm I would enjoy raw rice I think!!

Now for numbers- my electronic scales have run out of battery so I used my normal ones. I know they weigh lighter so I ‘knew’ I’d lose weight whether I had or not! bonus! Anyway I’m now 12st 4lb and have lost 4 1/2lbs (total 8.8lbs). Hurrah! Whether I have actually lost weight or not is debatable but I’ll go with that and it’s best I don’t ever weigh myself again with the digitals or I’ll have a horrible shock!!

I’m going for a sugar and wheat free record (for me) which would be anything over 12 days. I feel my sugar cravings are nagging at me so time to cut it out for a bit. I’m on day 3 and feeling grouchy (as you can probably tell from my post).

Enjoy the bank holiday everyone!!

ETJ

3:47 pm
25 Aug 16
Permalink

Cookiemuncher – Sounds like you are doing really well. I do homeschooling with my older 2 – so I don’t get holidays from them, lol! It sounds like you are on a farm too, it’s a very busy lifestyle with lots to do!

Keep up the good fasting!

Jev10

8:22 pm
25 Aug 16
Permalink

Hey Cookie, I’ve just read your blog and found it really inspiring as I, like you am 12 stone 9, and 5’7″ wearing size 14 clothes.

I’ve just started the diet, last Sunday, and have done 3 fast days, today is the last one of the week and I’ll probably so the next one this Sunday or Monday. I weighed 12 stone 11 last Friday, and had lost the 2 pounds after 2 days of fasting. So I’m not going to weight myself again until after the next fast day to get a truer picture!

I can so relate to your story of cake and biscuits, preparing kids dinners and not having any of it! And I too am getting to the end of my patience with the school holidays!!

Hang on there, as one of the posts rightly said, this is now a journey and should set us help in changing our attitude and approach to food, good and bad.

X 😊 X

Cookiemuncher

8:59 pm
30 Aug 16
Permalink

Week 5-

Wow! Week five already! This week I have been trying hard to not overeat on non fast days and not eat sugar. Well that lasted three days! My other half took the kids blackberry picking and made a baked blackberry cheesecake with their treasure. Well, it would have been rude to refuse some! It was gooooddd!
On previous weight loss exercises I would have gone ‘hummpphh’ and thrown in the towel and gone wild on all my favourite naughty treats. In the last few weeks since starting 5 2 , because I can have a treat without the guilty feelings, I am finding I’m having things I like but not feeling the need to go overboard.
I’m hoping that, as times goes on, this will become a normality and I will have no more ‘guilt ridden eating but carrying on anyway’ episodes. I think I might also be finding my appetite decreasing a bit. So, all in all, I think the 5 2 is really helping me get to grips with my bad habits- so far!!

I took the kids to visit my mum and dad at their holiday chalet by the beach so moved my fasting days to weds and fri. I managed two rides, two Davina workouts, dog walks and some general running around at the beach and swimming. Stuck to eggs, roast veg and cous cous for my fasting meals (sounds weird but I eat all sorts of strange combos when I’m at the end of a fast day)!

Now for the numbers.

I’m now 12st 3lb so that’s another 1lb off. Hurrah!

Enjoy the sunshine everyone!

Cookiemuncher

9:11 pm
5 Sep 16
Permalink

Week 6-

I can’t believe another week has passed. My fast days went well- I think I’ve got into the swing of things now. I was quite hungry on both Tuesday and Thursday (I didn’t do Monday as it was a bank holiday here and I wanted to enjoy the bank holiday with food as opposed to without!) I find a drink normally shuts up the hungry feeling and a fizzy diet drink keeps me going in the afternoon.
I managed 1 Davina session, 3 horse rides 1 bike ride and plenty of dog walks. I was fairly careful but I didn’t count kcals on non fast days but I did have a bit of a carb and sugar binge on the Friday. It was just at the start of ‘that time of the month’ and I always find I get a real urge for cakes and bread for a day or so.

Anyway it doesn’t seem to have done too much damage as I have lost another 1lb! At least I think I have. I remember why I bought digital scales- I can’t see the dial too well on the old set! I think my eyes are fine! I’ll have to start getting the kids to tell me what it says!!

So, I’m now 12st 2lbs. That’s 11lbs altogether. Also counting the mid-diet scale change!! I shan’t mention that again as it’ll get boring. The scales are going down and that’s the main thing!!

And lastly, since I have reached the end of week since I have officially lasted longer on 5 2 (without cheating) for longer than any diet ever!! Amazing!! That proves how bad I am at diets!! So hurrah for 5 2!! I’ve broken my record!

Neptune2407

10:06 pm
5 Sep 16
Permalink

Well done Cookiemuncher, keep up the good work 🙂

Cookiemuncher

9:07 pm
12 Sep 16
Permalink

Week 7-

Thanks Neptune2407!

Well last week was a bit tricky. It started well enough with a fast on Monday but by Thursday (my next fast day) I was feeling a bit worn out, chasing my tail at work and home. I just couldn’t focus on fasting so decided it give it a miss and concentrate my efforts elsewhere.

I decided not to feel guilty about it and not decide to ‘give up’ as a result of a perceived fail. I had a nice weekend and a family day out at an agricultural cheese show. Lots of lovely cheese to sample and really yummy food stalls.

I wasn’t expecting to lose weight so when I got on the scales I found them to be the same I wasn’t surprised. I’m ok with that as I’m now ready for a renewed effort this week. Today I have fasted. I have had the same fasting meal the last three times as I really enjoy it. Rice cakes and peanut butter. Boiled egg. Celery with low fat cream cheese. An orange. I went swimming at lunchtime at work and did 60 lengths. I also got up early and took the dogs on a long walk. I’m going to make sure I get my exercise in and watch the sugar intake on my nfds.

I have a goal in mind- 12st! It’s always nice to move down a number and I like little goals as they are achievable. After that it’s 11st 10lb as that would put me back in the normal range for BMI.

So onwards and downwards!!

Cookiemuncher

6:32 am
21 Sep 16
Permalink

Week 8-
I toyed with whether to skip posting this week as I am annoyed with myself and feeling just a little bit ashamed. Yes, that old feeling that walks hand in hand with me and weight loss.

I didn’t lose any weight again, in fact I may have gained a bit (it’s very hard to tell on my scales). My fasting days go well- no problems there. I do plenty of exercise. But on my nfd’s I am loving just ‘not worrying’ about what I eat that I think I am overdoing it, hence the lack of weight loss.

Also, I do always find I stick at the 12st 4lb- 12st 2lb mark
. I have no idea why. It happens again at around 11st 12- 11st 10lbs.

I obviously need to get more mindful about my nfd’s and my cake and biscuit intake. Now, I’ve put it out there I need to move on. Hopefully I’ll be down a pound by next week with that 12st goal in mind!!!

annette52

7:36 am
21 Sep 16
Permalink

Hi,
It is probably the amount and also what you are eating. Give up snacking, it is unnecessary and fills the pockets of the food industry and makes us fat.

Ditch the sugar and anything that claims that it is either low fat or diet(they are stuffed full of sugar). Change how you look at a meal, make the protein the star of the show and then think about what vegetables or salad will go with it…and have pasta/rice/potatoes/bread as an occasional meal addition, rather than every day or twice a day. Have a look at Jason Fung and Robert Lustig.

Hope that helps.

Cookiemuncher

8:22 am
5 Oct 16
Permalink

Week 9-

A quick post now as I’m off to drop off at school and then onto various ‘things’ that need doing after. When did modern life get so busy? Oh yeah, I had kids!!!
Anyway, 12st 1lb this week so another 1lb off. I can’t say my progress is great but I am slowly shrinking and that’s the main thing! I feel I can stick to my fd’s every week so it does seem sustainable as a way of life.
Fingers crossed to reach my goal next week at 12st! Just need to keep an eye on those non fast days 😉. And now October is here I need to remember to put an extra layer on on fd’s. I really feel the cold!
Hope you all are doing well out there in 5 2 land!