New on the block!

This topic contains 26 replies, has 10 voices, and was last updated by Bren Dawn 10 years, 2 months ago.

Viewing 27 posts - 1 through 27 (of 27 total)

missoptimistic

4:16 pm
3 Sep 14
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Hey to everybody. I just started fast diet today. .. thought I would be be starving but its 5 pm and so far so good!
I gave up the coffin nails 10 months ago at which time I weighed 10 stone 12lbs. I dreaded the weight gain that is almost inevitable for those of us that quit, but with heart disease after taking my dad I owed it to my kids and myself to get healthy.
This morning I bit the bullet and weighed myself. ..11st 12.5 lbs. Shock horror but I guess it could be worse *))).
Im 42 year old female … height 5 foot 4. My goal weight is 10 stone by Christmas. …. All the positive feedback and support I can find will be so greatly appreciated. Hope everyone is doing great today!

simcoeluv

4:26 pm
3 Sep 14
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Hi miss and welcome:

Here is some information on how this all works. It is really very simple, but not necessarily easy: http://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/the-basics-for-newbies-your-questions-answered/

Good Luck!

missoptimistic

4:40 pm
3 Sep 14
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Hi simcoeluv
Thanks for that! Lots of info on there so all my questions answered. I’ve no doubt that this will not be a walk in the park but with the amount of success stories that ive read, tells me that I too can do this.
Thanks again!

Vwyrien

6:30 am
4 Sep 14
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Well done for deciding to start a healthier lifestyle!I started on Monday and it’s my second fast day today. We’re a similar weight and want lose around the same amount. How did you manage your first fast? I felt terrible! Struggling to want to do mine today.

Good luck! We can do this 🙂

Bren Dawn

6:51 am
4 Sep 14
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I started Monday too Vwyrien and today is also my second fast day. Going ok so far. I am drinking a bit more tea and coffee. I think that is helping me. Also keeping really busy seems to help.

I’m hoping this is going to be the answer for me. Been there done that with all weight loss possibilities. I’m setting myself the challenge of sticking with it for three months and hoping it will become part of everyday life for me over that time.

missoptimistic

6:55 am
4 Sep 14
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Hey there. .. great to hear from you! My first fast yesterday started off great. . But really struggled in the evening time. God I was soooooo hungry… I kno it was probably silly to weigh myself this morning but I did anyway and im down 2lbs. .. yippeee. U can get through this today for sure. How did u work ur 500 calories on Mon? Next week my fast days will be Mon and Thursday, so we can support eachother if ya like. 🙂

missoptimistic

7:00 am
4 Sep 14
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Hey bren.
Ive just started too. Glad its goin ok for you. Think its vital to have support with this because I know for me I would just give up without it. Good luck fasting today- go and nail it! 🙂

Vwyrien

7:16 am
4 Sep 14
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Hi Bren 🙂 I’ve been drinking a lot more tea and squash to get me through the day (trying to cut down on the diet drinks too, but I think I might have to try that another time – withdrawal headaches are horrid).

Missoptimistic I need all the help I can get! Lol. Would be good to support each other 🙂 On Monday I split my cals between breakfast, lunch and dinner (didn’t think I could survive without food all day). It wasn’t too bad, but I only had 200 cals left for dinner. Today I’m trying without breakfast, tin of soup for lunch, then a small dinner. I put everything into myfitnesspal on fast days. How are you using your cals?

I’m also down 2 lbs!

missoptimistic

7:39 am
4 Sep 14
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Vwyrien congrats on ur 2lb loss! We must be doing something right eh :p
Like u and bren I am also drinking more tea. I take milk in it so have to factor that into my calorie count.
I found the headaches a nightmare. I think you are right to skip breakfast and keep more for evening meal. I think u will get through today alot easier knowing u have a bigger dinner to look forward to. My proper week starts Mon as I wont get another fast in till then. I will definitely keep more of my calories for dinner- that was my downfall yesterday. We live and learn! Oh and water is my new best friend 🙂

Bren Dawn

8:03 am
4 Sep 14
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Hi again, thanks Miss for your offer of support good to have others on the same track. I’m splitting calories between breakfast and dinner although I did have a small apple at lunch time tho. Not getting hung up on counting the calories as I don’t want to get back into that old behavior. I’m using the pictures in the fast diet book as a guide to the type and amount of food. I’m trying to do it without having to think about it too much or have to plan.
I’m also weighing myself once a week on Wed to try and get an average of weight change, otherwise I tend to get too hung up on the scales 🙂

missoptimistic

8:19 am
4 Sep 14
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You are so right Bren….the scales has ruled my life for so long. I managed to stop weighing myself a couple of months back and I felt like I’d been released from prison!!. I had to weigh myself yesterday though coz I was starting the fast but first thing this morning I jumped on the scales again! How easy to fall back into old ways.
I think it will become second nature to us over time as to how many calories are on our plate without having to weigh or count. I dont want to feel like im on a diet for the rest of my life! 🙂

Vwyrien

9:47 am
4 Sep 14
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No breakfast for me today! Just iced squash and tea with a dash of skimmed milk (my OH and I switched to skimmed ages ago). I did bring a cereal bar to work with me in case I needed it, but tbh I haven’t felt hungry RESULT! 😀

missoptimistic

12:55 pm
4 Sep 14
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Thats fantastic! Glad you are getting through the day with no hungar pangs. 🙂
I’ve been doin pretty good for a feed day. No breakfast and a small lunch. Want to squeeze in some wine later. 😉
Hope u fly through the rest of the day!

Atadmad

1:02 pm
4 Sep 14
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I’m about to start this diet. I have about 20kgs to lose so wish me luck. What sorts of things do you eat on a fast day?

missoptimistic

1:18 pm
4 Sep 14
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Hi Atadmad, congrats on joining the fast. :). I too have only started so im sure u will get lots of ideas from the many threads on here.
Think the best options are lots of protein , ie eggs, fish, chicken etc. Try stay away from carbs. Plenty of veg and leafy salad. Lots of water. I love tea with splash of milk and it takes my hungar away! Oh and soup too. 🙂

Atadmad

1:39 pm
4 Sep 14
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Thanks missoptimistic for the welcome. I’m really looking forward to it. I live in australia so I’m going to start in the morning. It’s night now.

missoptimistic

1:46 pm
4 Sep 14
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Thats great! Good luck and let us know how ur getting on tomorrow. 🙂

Atadmad

6:36 am
5 Sep 14
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So far so good. It’s 2.35pm and I’m not hungry yet.

weegail

7:56 am
5 Sep 14
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Morning all this is all new to me, I have just returned for the doctors who yet again blames everything on my weight and suggested this diet, so here I am. To be honest I have no idea what I am doing and I am very scared of failing yet again

Atadmad

10:28 am
5 Sep 14
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You can do it weegail. I have faith in you.

hermajtomomi

10:39 am
5 Sep 14
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Hi Gail,

Isn’t it a pain that if you are overweight quacks tend see that as the root of all your problems? At least yours has the good sense to recommend a diet that actually works. Hopefully, within a few months, you can go back and show off your weight loss.

Depression isn’t a barrel of laughs either. I’ve been there and done that but never to the extent that I’ve had to, or even dared to, consult the doc. But even that was hard enough to handle. So I do sympathise

Re the 5:2 diet. All I can say is if it works for me it will work for anybody. I’ve had a lifelong struggle with weight, but with this way of eating it’s come off, sometimes disappointingly slowly, and more importantly STAYED off.

First of all you’ll need to get hold of the book, The Fast Diet: the Secret of Intermittent Fasting. It’s available on Amazon and, if you don’t mind a used copy, it can cost as little as 1p. plus postage, i.e. under three quid. There are also a couple of useful recipe books. While you are waiting for book(s)to be delivered, you can learn quite a bit from this very website.

As you probably know already, for women on the Fast Diet, the principle is to fast 2 days a week, then eat normally but taking a bit of care for the other 5, i.e allow yourself a treat or two but don’t go mad. It’s not a real fast. You are allowed 500 cals – men are allowed 600, unfair I know. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be amazed at what you can eat and stay under 500. On the other days, according to the book you can eat up to 2000 cals. Maybe that works for some, but you may find you need to go a little lower than that in order to lose weight. It’s all about trial and error.

And that’s basically it. Apart from that, you make your own rules. You’ll soon find out what works best for you, e.g. which days do you find it easiest to stay under 500, i.e. two days in a row or, for example, like me, Tuesday and Friday. Whatever suits your schedule.

Don’t be discouraged if the scales don’t budge sometimes. A lot of of other good stuff is going on inside, like reduced blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose. And while the scales will tell you you haven’t lost an ounce, you may notice that previously too-tight clothes are fitting better. Eventually, quite a few are likely to wind up in the the charity shop. 🙂 Finally, don’t be afraid to ask questions on the forum. Whatever the problem, it’s not just you.
Very best of luck.

Pattience

10:45 am
5 Sep 14
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WEll done everyone for getting off to a good start.

I just wanted to say, i think its important to keep weighing yourself often. How can you know what your weight is doing if you stay off the scales. i do not think clothing fit is very reliable and its easy to deny weight increases. Whereas you can’t deny it on the scales.

However, lots of people get anxious about the scales and i find it completely unnecessary. Just accept that the scales fluctuate all the time due to changes in water retention. I can usually work out what i did or what is going to cause any gain or loss and so it does not cause me anxiety.

My scale has been going up for the last week because i haven’t been to the loo until today. It went up even over a fasting weekend! So you just have to think about what might be causing gains before you decide to have a heart attack over it. Its mainly the general trend that you should be concerned about, not daily changes.

And certainly there is no point in weighing yourself more than once a day, preferably first thing in the morning after a pee and before consuming anything. This is when you will be at your lightest. And yes take of your gear.

Good luck everyone.

Weegil, the FAQ above is quite helpful if you don’t know how to start and i recommend watching the you tube program even though it doesn’t tell you how to do the fast. Its called eat fast and live longer. Just watch it. Also watch Catalyst – gut reaction on you tube. These two shows you will find very enlightening and motivating in another good direction.

I found the book in my local library.

weegail

10:52 am
5 Sep 14
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Thank you all I am away to have a look for the books very much appreciated x

Dummerchen

11:25 am
5 Sep 14
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weegail, I don’t know what the “everything” is that your doctor considers is due to your weight. Unfortunately, a lot of health problems are related to weight issues, like high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis of weight bearing joints, breathlessness on exertion. Mental health issues are a somewhat related as well; being overweight can make you depressed, being depressed can make you pile on the weight, both together are a vicious cycle. Medication for all sorts of mental conditions can cause weight gain.

Losing weight can improve a lot of conditions. Intermittent fasting has added health benefits, in particular if you fast for a long period i.e. you only have one meal towards the end of the fast day.

Combine the weight loss with the intermittent fasting and you might see dramatic improvements of physical and mental health.

Michael’s book is available in electronic form as well as in print. On amazon UK it only costs about £3. If all else fails you can download the kindle app to your computer (it’s free) and start reading within minutes. You might also be able to pick up a used copy at a charity store or second hand book store.

If you cannot get anything, there is always youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9Aj6hRYg4A

simcoeluv

2:07 pm
5 Sep 14
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Hi and welcome gail:

Here are the basics for 5:2: http://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/the-basics-for-newbies-your-questions-answered/

Good Luck!

Titch

5:18 pm
6 Sep 14
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Hi, I’m another newbie.started Monday and this is my second fast day. Struggling a wee bit cause it’s Saturday but so far so good. I’m also looking to be around 10 stone or thereabouts for Xmas. Next week my fast days are Monday /Thursday so look forward to all of us encouraging each other.

Bren Dawn

11:45 am
8 Sep 14
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Hi All and welcome Titch, my third fast day and going ok. Did an exercise class that seemed to help and distract me this afternoon. Didn’t lose anything after two days fasting last week and was disappointed so will weigh again on Wed and see what happens. I’m giving myself 3mths to give it a go and hopefully will have developed a routine that I can continue.