A little motivation is needed if you would, kindly …..

This topic contains 29 replies, has 10 voices, and was last updated by catinhat 10 years, 10 months ago.

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ChrissieinBrittany

5:39 am
15 Oct 13
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Morning! I’m having a few problems getting to the end of a fast day and/or getting through a normal day without sabotaging it. I seem to have a physical hunger, which I can deal with and indeed enjoy experiencing, but then there’s a mental hunger which can really take over and ruin things. I seem to have little control over this one. It makes me break off a piece of baguette,(because that little bit won’t really matter will it?) followed by another one… makes me take a handful of muesli on my way past the jar, makes me have more than one or two squares of dark choccy. Makes me say ‘yes’ when inside I’m thinking ‘no!’. Then I end the day feeling like a fat failure…again.
Any thoughts or strategies?

TidyChick

5:49 am
15 Oct 13
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Chrissieinbrittay,

We are in the exact same boat, and I know how frustrated you feel. I am not much help right now, but know we’re in this together.

How long have you been doing 5:2?

ChrissieinBrittany

6:25 am
15 Oct 13
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Since July. I didn’t measure anything and I haven’t weighed in since starting. I’m just going by how my clothes fit. I felt so much more in control before, even up until three weeks-ish ago but now I’m feeling that self disgust again that I thought I’d got rid of!!
It’s really nice to know I’m not alone in feeling this way.

TidyChick

7:12 am
15 Oct 13
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I started the middle of June. One thing I am discovering, is this feeling you are discribing of overeating, followed by self loathing, may not be something we can entirely help. Been doing a bunch of reading and research about IF and binge eating as well, and I think for some of us, this way of eating may not be sustainable in the long term, as one may cause the other. Over an extended period of time, the fasting can lead to binge eating in some people (hence why Dr. Mosley says if you tend to have an eating disorder, don’t do 5:2). I think binge eating is a fine line.

However, I don’t think we’re doomed. I don’t know if you saw my earlier post about 16:8, but maybe people who are struggling like you and I, just need to take a step or two back once in a while, when it can get a little tough, and then tweak how we do IF a bit, so we don’t give up or more importantly, don’t beat ourselves up. Right now, I’m using my fast days to try to make up for all the crap I overate on regular days, which makes me want to overeat again at just the thought of it all. That can’t be healthy. …

What are your thoughts?

Iwant2Bincontrol

9:30 am
15 Oct 13
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Chrissieinbrittany I can relate extremely well to what you say about having a little bit cos a little bit won’t matter, but ending up eating everything sweet or bready in sight (well, almost!) and wanting to curl up in a ball of uselessness in the corner.
Have you looked into carbohydrate addiction or gluten? I don’t like putting dramatic sounding names to what I experience with sweet things and flour based products, but I can certainly also relate to what I have read about carbohydrates and/or gluten depending on the book.
The days when I am most easily successfulI are the ones when most of my calories from protein and healthy fat, and the carbohydrates are just lots of veges during the day and small portions if something ideally non-grain for dinner 🙂
Maybe you could try a few eating days of not worrying out calories, but focussing on low carbohydrate instead, and see if that helps? For me the first day is really hard, but it gets easier and I end up feeling ‘normal’ around food and not even eating the first bit. 🙂

ChrissieinBrittany

11:31 am
15 Oct 13
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Thanks for your help. I’ve got a short break from work so I’ll have a good read through later.

ChrissieinBrittany

5:30 pm
15 Oct 13
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I think my downfall is all things bready, crunchy and sugary. I’ve had some toast but now I’m going to have a bowl of soup and TRY REALLY HARD to stop at that. Thanks for the support. This forum is great!

garypatt

2:14 pm
16 Oct 13
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Chris –

Just keep on trying. Took me 4 attempts to quit smoking – MANY years ago. Now I’m a healthy 72 YO.

YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE. Try to not make it “personal”. What is done is done. Start over as many times as necessary. On fastday. keep your mind busy with thoughts and actions of things that you are into – hobbies, etc. Also, get help from your “support system” – family and friends.

My problem is I love sweets – especially that nighttime snack. I get through the fastday fine, but in the evening my resistance/resolve is lower. I sometimes go to bed earlier – take a Unisom and read – knowing I can eat what I want the next day.

Also you might consider a 24 hour fast rather than a 36 hour fast for a time – that is: eat a good breakfast, then fast until noon the next day – like 10 to 10 or 2 to 2PM – delaying breakfast. I started that way. Now I’m doing a 36 hour fast – fasting from evening time to the AM the following day. It is more difficult, but it works OK.

Good luck!

ahamilton

11:51 am
21 Oct 13
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Try to focus on the positive aspects of your hunger. You are feeling hungry as you body gets used to this way of life but that is a positive thing as it shows you are moving from the old new to the new healthier you.

NLP is a great way to address the attraction to food (at least the bad foods). It helps you understand the cognative patterns that make you want to make the wrong choice and remaps your attitude toward this – replacing it with a feeling that the bread is of little value to you so why bother. Trust me, it does work!

What you ae doing is really positive and the fact that you are reaching out for help and support is also positive as it shows you are committed to this. If you do have a day where you just cant face fasting then don’t. It shouldnt be a struggle so wait until you have a day where you feel really focussed and positive and fast that day – it will be easier and you will feel you really achieved something.

I am pretty new to fasting but have used NLP techniques on other areas of my life and had great results.

Stick in there, you are in control.

rockyromero

1:26 pm
21 Oct 13
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@ahamilton

“NLP is a great way to address the attraction to food (at least the bad foods). … replacing it with a feeling that the bread is of little value to you so why bother. ”

Would you have strategies that would apply?

➰

ChrissieinBrittany

6:19 am
22 Oct 13
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Thank you all for your encouragement. Sorry but what is NLP?

ChrissieinBrittany

7:04 am
6 Nov 13
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Hello everyone!
I’m doing a bit better these days, but I’m not finding it easy at all. Many people seem to.
I’m fine on a fast day until I eat in the evening then I go way over my 500. Yesterday evening my daughter brought some wholegrain bread home with her. I don’t seem to have any will power!
Any ‘you’ve had enough, stop eating’ strategies?
Have a lovely day/evening/night, wherever you are in the world!

Nika

4:19 am
7 Nov 13
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Hey Chrissie!
Ooooh how I can relate. Back home I did this thing where I felt terrible about my weight, then I ordered a pizza and garlic bread. I would cry until the doorbell rang and I’d eat the whole thing, feeling terrible later – but just did it again a few days later 😛 So yes, I can relate.

You say you’re fine on a fast day until the evening. Is this because you then start eating, and still feel hungry after? If so I can offer two possible things you can try.
1. Don’t eat. Just make it a complete fast day and have breakfast the next day.
2. Cut down on carbs. You can have a huge salad without any carbs for under 500 calories. Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, all these things don’t have an extremely high caloric value. And remember, a spoonful of the wrong dressing could also be a couple of extra tomatoes in your salad calorie wise. Carbs can make you feel really hungry afterwards, because your body is used to getting more. Protein makes you feel full a lot longer (so add eggwhite or chicken to your salad!)

I also have a few personal things that keep me motivated, so they probably won’t work for you – but something similar maybe?
1. I want to get a tattoo on my back which says “respect” and “discipline” in Korean characters (I’m a martial artist). So whenever I feel like binging I just look at the characters (I’ve hung them up on the wall) and say to myself “You want to have a tattoo about discipline on your body? Well, better earn it.”
2. I want to compete in the World Championships of 2015, which means I need to get in shape. So my martial arts suit is beside it.
3. I have a bunch of pictures from my family on my wall, some of which I’m in. I was heavier then and clearly see the difference between then and now when I compare – so I know what I’m doing is working. I just have to keep with it a little longer.

I hope any of these strategies help… sorry I can’t be of any more use!

ChrissieinBrittany

6:51 am
7 Nov 13
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Thanks Nika. That’s a very motivating post. I may print off those ‘motivation’ and ‘discipline’ characters and hang them on my wall. It might help in other areas of life too like when I can’t be bothered with music practice etc!
Chrissie.

Nika

5:17 am
11 Nov 13
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Haha exactly! The Korean characters are quite pretty, when I get the tattoo I’ll post a picture on my blog so everyone can see.

How’d the past 4 days treat you? Had another fast day, and if you did, same issues or did it get easier?

ChrissieinBrittany

11:17 am
11 Nov 13
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Feeling a little down. can’t seem to make it to the end of a fast day yet. Having said that I danced from 10.30pm until 1am Saturday and 9.30pm until 2am last night plus I’m going to do a few (usually 30ish) lengths at the pool today so I’m not feeling that much of a failure. 😉

rockyromero

12:19 pm
11 Nov 13
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@chrissieinbrittany
“so I’m not feeling that much of a failure. ”

What are you grateful for in your life?

➰

ChrissieinBrittany

12:26 pm
11 Nov 13
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Many, many things Rocky. But a lot of things are out of our control (my husband’s suicide for example) and I would very much like to be in control of this!

rockyromero

12:46 pm
11 Nov 13
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@chrissieinbrittany

“Many, many things … I would very much like to be in control of this!”

I feel for your loss.

You may still have to complete a grieving period.

Be well.

➰

Nika

9:21 am
14 Nov 13
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Taking control of the things you have a grasp on is so gratifying. And it makes you realize not to beat yourself up about things you can’t control anyway.

How have you been the past few days Chrissie? I hope you’re doing well!

ChrissieinBrittany

1:26 pm
14 Nov 13
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Hi Nika! I’m doing ok. I’ve started lifting a few weights and am hoping to see even a teeny tiny difference in my upper arms and shoulders by my birthday in January. How are you?

garypatt

2:53 pm
14 Nov 13
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This site and comments are helpful. Sharing like this is a great motivator – know we are together on this journey.

I have had much success on the 5;2 since starting at the end of August. It was good fortune the day I happened across the TV show.

Let me share my thoughts/experience on how it has worked for me:
My experience is probably typical. My fast days are Mon and Thur. On those days I eat a “normal” breakfast about 8 AM, then limit to 600 calories until noon the next day. I eat minimum carbs – no bread or potatoes. Very little fat and only natural sugars in fruit. Lots of salad and veggies, and a little fruit. Proteins of nuts and legumes, primarily. I tried a 36 hour fast, and it was too difficult, but the 24 hour one is quite doable. I am very active physically – volunteer work one day per week, building a workshop and gardening etc. I keep a log of everything I eat on fast days, and weigh myself only occasionally. I have reached my goal – loosing 12 lbs. Weight has come off more slowly of late. I wonder if I will reach a plateau. I’m OK with that, since I am at my desired weight. I consider the diet a permanent lifestyle. I am fortunate my wife is a partner on the diet. She has lost fewer pounds, but has an improved figure and attitude. She is happy to be wearing clothes that had become too tight. We both feel better physically and mentally. My blood sugar and cholesterol were too high for years. They are now into the normal/safe range! I have read positive and negative comments – but I think the articles in the “Food” issue of the September Scientific American mag provide excellent information in concise form about the latest research and the science of how our bodies use food.

Those of you with more experience – Please answer these questions: Do you continue to loose weight, or do you reach a plateau after a time? Has your cholesterol and fasting glucose gone down? Do you think women on the diet loose less weight/more slowly than men? I think it probably depends upon metabolic factors, not gender.

Best of luck to all of you!

annette52

6:37 pm
14 Nov 13
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Hi Gary,
Plateaus are part of the weight loss experience. I have had several since I started in January, they may last weeks or even months, but then the weight starts to drop again.Every time that I have a plateau, I lose the most inches. last one was for 4 weeks and I lost 7 inches!

Not had fasting glucose done and cholesterol was within normal range.

Men have more muscle mass, so lose weight more quickly than women.However, if you take more exercise, then you will build more muscle and burn more calories whether you are a man or a woman.

The curves on a woman are made of fat, so I suspect that the weight loss is slower, but there seems no reason why woman could not lose the same weight as a man.I still have curves but 23 inches and 23 lb less of me.

Nika

5:13 am
15 Nov 13
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Hey Chrissie! I’m OK, had a few weird days which can’t even really be categorized as normal or fast days… Like yesterday I didn’t even reach half my TDEE but I did have chocolate leftovers. Oh well, Monday is my true startup again!
I’m flying to Hong Kong tomorrow so I want to enjoy some foods while I’m there, so I’ll only have a bit of a small salad tonight to counter the more calories I’ll be eating this weekend.

I really want to start HIIT again as of monday… It’s a program of 6 workouts a week, which is do-able (I’ve done it before for several weeks on and off) but I have this issue where I’m very motivated until I actually have to do it x) That last kick in the nuts (so to say) is difficult for me.

d3lishxrose

3:26 pm
7 Jan 14
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Hi Chrissie,

I’ve only just begun the plan and yesterday (my first day) I managed to make it to 2am before I woke up ravenous! So I ate cookies and yoghurt until I felt less so… now I’m hating myself for feeling so weak! I too have an obsession for all things carb so I’d be really keen to hear about how you’re getting on. I’ve never been great at diets, yoyo’d for a while then just got so lazy I didn’t bother…. I can’t “not bother” anymore so… How on earth do I get over snacking and stuffing my face with all the food I can find??

ChrissieinBrittany

6:01 pm
7 Jan 14
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I’ve been right off the diet for a few weeks and am looking forward to getting back into the swing of it. Carbs are a daily struggle but I’ll just have to deal with that like I have to deal with getting up on these cold, dark mornings. Once I’m up – I’m ok.It’s leaving the duvet that’s the problem (especially as we heat with wood and if I don’t get up, the fire isn’t lit!) Getting past carbs is a struggle too but once they’re out of sight, I’m ok. I can’t help with the last bit but I avoid buying stuff that I will snack on now. I promised myself some rye and raisin bread for the weekend and I’m going to try and focus on that. Sounds pathetic but It will be my treat for not hoovering the fridge and larder out during the week! I’ll see if that works!

ChrissieinBrittany

6:17 pm
7 Jan 14
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Ps…. I forgot to say that I’m still lifting weights (which is good as I usually lose motivation fast) and I’m up to 52 laps of the pool PLUS I’ve learned to front and back crawl! So my fitness levels are up which is good even if my weight is too!

d3lishxrose

10:34 am
8 Jan 14
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Wow Chrissie! Sounds like you’re doing wonderfully! Do you make your own Rye and Raisin bread? Sounds delicious! I’ll just have to give all the household carbs to my hubby, he can eat my temptation! First proper day today… determined not to crack!

ChrissieinBrittany

12:14 pm
8 Jan 14
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No! If I made my own bread I’d be the size of a house!
Luckily, at my local supermarket they sell rye and raisin bread by three or four slices. I’m a whole loaf girl so this is great for me. Good luck with your fasting day. Mine was yesterday.

catinhat

3:41 pm
10 Jan 14
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We heat with wood too – I understand why getting up is a two-sided dilemma!

For me, the holiday season (Thanksgiving to Christmas in the U.S.) was tough because there were so many treats coming into the house, being made here, etc. Things have gotten easier now that the holidays are behind us and we don’t have so many things tempting me. (I took the last few things and tossed them to my hens!) All that to day that I completely understand why getting just a few slices of bread now and then works for you – if it’s not there, you can’t eat it! Sounds like you’re doing great overall – cheers to you!

-catinhat