I've Started.

This topic contains 7 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by CalifDreamer 6 years, 8 months ago.

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Concrete Elephant

5:53 pm
7 Aug 17
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I have just lost about 16 lbs over about 16 weeks on a calorie counting diet, but I could feel my resolve slipping. I needed something to give me a fresh start so I thought I would try this. I have another 50 to 60 pounds to lose.

Yesterday, I ate nothing at all. OK, it wasn’t a fun day but I wanted to experience what total fasting was like. It was a bit uncomfortable, but not terrible.

My plan now is to fast on 600 calories (I’m a man) on Tuesdays and Thursdays and to try to eat sensibly on the other five days.

Good luck to everyone trying this!

LJoyce

4:10 am
8 Aug 17
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I hope you find intermittent fasting works for you.

It is quite important to keep your calorie count under your TDEE on the days you are not fasting to keep the weight loss moving. I found this more of a challenge than the fast days.

I too found that a complete water fast wasn’t for me and I stick with 500 calories or less, although most of those calories are in just one evening meal and I try not to eat anything until mid afternoon – otherwise I’m hungrier all day.

Good luck, hope your first week goes well.

dykask

4:44 am
8 Aug 17
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@Concrete Elephant – My first 20 or 30 fasts without food weren’t comfortable but it slowly shifted to just pockets of hunger that didn’t last and now frankly fasting for a day is easy. Sometimes I fast longer and I find the 2nd day to be less comfortable but it gets better after that.

Concrete Elephant

8:48 am
8 Aug 17
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LJoyce – Even though I don’t do much exercise, as I have many pounds to lose my TDEE is currently quite high – 2350. I’m going to aim for around 2100 calories per day to allow for the occasional slip-up. Thanks for the encouragement 🙂

dykask – I don’t think I could manage anything quite that extreme. I wanted to do at least one food-free day so that on my 600 calorie days I could remind myself that it could be worse! It’s good to know that it gets easier. I’m feeling very positive about losing weight this morning. Thanks.

LJoyce

9:09 am
8 Aug 17
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Concrete Elephant
Something to consider:
Some people have found it helpful to calculate the TDEE for their goal weight and aim for that on the days that they aren’t fasting. It’s quite a good idea, as it gives you plenty of practice eating at the right level to maintain your goal weight once you get there. By then you know what your food and portion sizes need to be to maintain that lower weight and it can make the adjustment to maintenance a little easier. This approach also avoids the task of having to continually recalculate your TDEE, as it falls with every pound you lose.

Either way, the fact that you are erring on the conservative side with your TDEE is a good idea because the formulas are an estimate and some people have a lower TDEE than the formula says.

Concrete Elephant

9:26 am
8 Aug 17
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LJoyce – Good idea. I recalculated and my target weight TDEE is very close to 2100. Perhaps I’ll aim for 2000 calories on my non-fasting days.

russianbluecat

10:34 am
8 Aug 17
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LJoyce, that’s a fantastic idea and I’ve just worked mine out and will be sticking to that in future. (hopefully!) 🙂

CalifDreamer

7:59 pm
8 Aug 17
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Welcome, Concrete Elephant! If you and russianbluecat haven’t already joined the August Challenge, that’s a great way to get to know people and have some day to day accountability. It’s a great way to see how everyone else is doing too.