Twenty-three kilos less, with ideally, another 15kg to go. Even 10kg would see me at an acceptable weight. A further 5kg would restore me to youthful splendor. I began at 113.7kg, I am now 90.7kg, I’m 61.
I’ve been on intermittent fasting now since mid August 2014. It’s a way of life and, importantly, has proven successful and sustainable.
My fasting regime is a strict one: 30 hours twice a week without food. It’s not as bad as it sounds. I don’t eat from midnight on one day though to 6am on the day after. It includes two sleeps. I do make a point of taking enough fluids and allowing myself as much tea with skim milk as I wish – I am an avid tea drinker, you see.
Originally I’d eat a small salad at tea time while fasting. I eventually gave it up as, first, I got sick of it and, secondly, I found it easier to keep away from food during that period, and try not to even think about food. Having a little food stimulated my appetite to want more. That meant more hard work resisting it than not eating at all.
This diet has been successful for me because:-
1. Unlike every diet I have tried, food isn’t centre stage of your life. On a conventional diet, you’re either counting calories or trying foods you may not like but are healthier. You’re feeling hungry some of the time. In the forefront of your mind is food .. food .. food. My strategy with 5:2 was to seek to put food more in the background of life generally. I work as a newspaper reporter and I have chosen fasting days to be busy production days where my mind is full of other things;
2. I never have to give away eating the things I like. Fortunately, I’m not a big chocolate eater and don’t drink much alcohol anyway. And I’ve never particularly taken to beer. My downfall has been carbohydrates: bread and cakes, and fried food dinners. With intermittent fasting, I still enjoy two slices of my favourite toast and Vegemite (yes I am an Aussie) on the 5 days I don’t fast – as I have traditionally for decades. If I crave something while fasting – it’s not a big problem as I can enjoy it the next day; the trick is not to have too much of it and eat moderately when not fasting;
3. Fasting days act as a break when you do binge. I have had my times of eating too much on non fasting days. That can occur when I’m travelling and out of routine, at hosted work-related dinners where those wretched waiters always refill your wine glass when you’re not watching; at Chinese banquets which are the worst; I love Asian food but banquets where you keep eating ad nauseum can accrue to an entire day’s calorie intake in one meal. The great thing about intermittent fasting is that the fasting days break any bad trend of overeating that might start sending you backwards. On past diets a binge can easily be the beginning of the end of a diet; on 5:2 there is always the break of the next fasting day to drag you back to reality;
4. I don’t have to eat lots of foods I don’t like. I really do respect those who seek to totally change their eating habits by choosing a new array of healthy foods: vegetables, nuts, fruits etc. but for me this has never worked. I try to eat more healthily, I don’t have butter on toast now most of the time and naturally don’t really seek out friend foods and takeaways, but I eat many of the same foods as before but in moderation;
5. I use exercise as part of the dieting regime but never go overboard. That means I continue to do it, albeit in not so big amounts. The truth for me is that exercise tones up your body and it’s great for that. But as a means of burning up lots of calories, it helps but not so much. One long walk from home to the main shopping centre 2km away and then back, barely burns up more than the calories of a piece of toast. I think your best friend for losing weight is time. Every day that you live, your body needs a heap of calories, and depriving it of some of these is still the most efficient way to lose weight. Lots of exercise can make you tired with potential little weight loss. But, provided it’s not too cold, I go for a long walk on the nights that I am fasting. That’s my little indulgence before the ritualistic weigh in which is at 6am on the morning that I break the fast. Some talk about more efficient fat burning when you’re exercising while fasting – ketosis. Doing this exercise at that time also helps me sleep which I am managing now better while fasting;
6. I have developed a few rituals that offer a little enjoyment on this regime. I’ve always believed rituals are mile stones in life and find them important. As I mentioned, I usually weigh myself after fasting before my first meal. You could say this is cheating because it’s when I will weigh the least. However you only get to cheat once because your benchmark weight for next time is that lower amount. Besides, you have the consistency of your body being relatively empty at weigh in, every time. I don’t allow myself to eat again until 6am the following day, but at 6am I always enjoy two vegemite toasts and a small plate of porridge. I eat it slowly and save the end of the fast. The taste is heaven; that’s a very rewarding ritual.
7. I really do believe this diet is sustainable. First, I have been on it for 10 months and have no intention of varying it. And it’s forgiving. If I do overindulge, there is the next fast period to pull me into line. Recently, after a work trip overseas where I put on 1kg, I fasted for three days that week instead of two. It wasn’t hard and I found myself back on track in no time. So you can regulate the diet by upping the number of days if you need to, but I have done this only once. I just plan to keep the two days fasting up and let time work its wonders, as it has already. Eventually if I manage to lose the rest, I plan to go to one day per week fasting as maintenance. But there’s always the option of returning to 2 days if need be. True, you have to retain the self discipline to fast, but I don’t find that so hard now. Occasionally I feel deprived of energy mid afternoon on fasting days, but I am working on that. On fasting days, if I ever doubt myself, if I ever feel like giving it away, I always think of the big gains already – or should I say big loss. Walking around now feels like gliding, and at the end of the day, I have energy to burn to enjoy the night ahead also.
Please feel free to contact me if I can be of help. Chris
(chrisgriffith@live.com.au or on Twitter at @chris_griffith)
6:58 am
27 Jun 15