@karen250463

my underactive thyroid is due an autoimmune condition, Hashimoto’s. I have struggled to lose weight for years. Over Christmas I was reading up a lot on intermittent fasting including “The Obesity Code”, the original 5:2 book and Michael Mosley’s latest book “The Fast 800”. The Fast 800 is what I am currently following as it recognises that some people need to see quick results in order to stay motivated and this is definitely the case with me. I’ve been following the Very Fast 800 since the challenge started. This means eating 800 calories every day within certain time-windows, i.e. Time Restricted Eating. This recommended to kick start the weight loss and can be continued for a number of weeks depending on the amount of weight you need to lose. I have over 4 stone to lose and I am delighted with the results I have had so far.

This WOE is also based on a mediterranean diet, plenty of vegetables, protein and reduced carb intake. Since I have started I eat between 12 noon and 7pm i.e. my last meal is finished by 7pm. I can honestly say that I have found it very manageable and I am enjoying some really nice meals. I started following some of the recipes in the Fast 800 book but also mix and match with my own choices and track the calories using My Fitness Pal. I get some hunger pangs around 10am but that’s more habit as I used to have a mid-morning snack at that time before. The hunger also passes very quickly.

I know how disheartening can be if you aren’t seeing results but do bear with it. For me the research and reading beforehand really helped as it outlined the flaws and misjudged decisions which determined traditional nutritional guidelines such as the food pyramid and the health benefits of intermittent fasting. This has made it much easier for me to change to this WOE. I will be interested to see how manageable I will find the NFD once I finish the very fast stage but for the first time in a long time I am feeling optimistic about the results. Staying well hydrated is really important as well and I am drinking loads of water!

Do stick with it and keep in mind that all the small changes do add up over time <3

Nothing changes if nothing changes 🙂

Day 11 Canada NFD

Not sure what yesterday’s posting issues were about. I copied my post and it didn’t upload, then every time I tried to repost it it got rejected as I had already posted. The mysteries of tech😤

I wore a pair of jeans yesterday that I haven’t got into for a year, such a good feeling. More to lose before I join @songbirdme @rafiki44 @funshipfreddie @metatauta @emma-taylor @missybear and @at in maintenance!

@daffodil2010 some days I need more food as well. The MFP 1800 cal for a day plan that @songbirdme shared was a real eye opener, so much food that was high in nutrition to fuel a day. Sure you enjoyed your chicken dish and the 🍷
@caroline esty-akporokah 8lbs!!! That’s fantastic!!!
@mapti hope you are feeling 100% soon, smart to look at food as the cause
@lilymartin I am so sorry you suffer from migraines when fasting, hope you can come up with a plan to make it work
@ciren2 that is exciting news, hope your daughter is no where near the fires and smoke
@wellrounded welcome, this is a great group and I am sure you will quickly find that this is such a success
@shinything progress not perfection, hit that reset button and start a new day 💪
@basyjames almonds trump muffins and M&M’s any day, sounds like a win for you
@jaifaim and @flaquita that is a fantastic loss- big congrats to you both👏
@flourbaby cheers to your mint tea and Vietnamese coffee. I have had a few experiences of people being totally shocked when I have turned down a drink, it is interesting how much social pressure there is attached to alcohol hey! That evening glass of wine or three is a tricky routine to quit, I am finding it easy at the moment and it sure is making a difference to feeling good and dropping the weight ✅
@flaquita that is great you have found such success, the TRE really helps me particularly on NFD’s. When you transition to 5:2 it sounds like you will just need to add more of the good stuff that you enjoy on your MFD. “Nothing changes if nothing changes” too true 🙂
@songbirdme hope you can stay warm and the power is back on soon!!!!

@flaquita: 11 pounds gone….what a fantastic result for you….well done!
@karen250463: Is that your birthdate, I wonder? I am reading “The Diabetes Code” also by Jason Fung. He knows his stuff…..I just wish I could follow through with ACTION!

Day 11, Oregon NFD in fact EFS day:(
Day 10, FD
Catching up with posting, I finally had a bit of time to read a couple of pages of postings, it is so nice to read this supportive and positive forum.
Yesterday I was at a work conference with a group that is focusing on quality improvement. I only knew one person in the group of 12, which was a bit nerve wracking, but it all turned out very well. I was able to do TRE with no issues. Several of the women are doing the Whole30 diet and so it was a healthy food environment overall. We also went for a short walk on a break then bowling for a couple of hours as a team building activity so I was pleased to have some movement incorporated. All of the nearby bowling alleys are gone in my neighborhood so I’ve not been in years. I had a mixed bag of spares, strikes and gutter balls so all very fun.
When I tallied up my food last night I was at my goal total for a fast day, which is what I had hoped for! I did have to fight off a sugar dragon last night, because I still felt hungry (no, I was craving specifically chocolate:/) but I was successful since I firmly told myself I was on a fast day and eventually the dragon slunk away.
Today didn’t start well what with waking up at 4:45, struggling to get back to sleep, then sleeping soundly when my alarm went off to go meet my friend for a run. Did our 5k and then I did a lovely hour of yoga at my gym. This should have set me up for a great day, but I came home and when it was time to eat I just carried on with bits of this and that, culminating in spooning Nutella right out of the jar. Hence the Epic Face Stuffing day reported above. I’m leaving it behind though as OMAD as I’ve closed the kitchen for the night. My husband is at a conference this evening so I’ve only to prepare a little dinner for my uncle (93, lives one house away and I’m his caregiver…he’s pretty good for 93, but…he’s 93)
I wish I had stepped on the scale before today’s events, but c’est la vie:/ Tomorrow’s weigh in will reflect the reality of my life!
@basyjames, @jaifam and @flaquita, I will join in on the plank challenge too please! I got two 30 second ones in today during yoga so that’s a little start at least.
@wellrounded, I’m a newbie, but wanted to add my voice to the welcomes 🙂
@lillymartin, I also suffer from migraines so you have my sympathy and empathy. I used to lose about 3 days a week to them, having to hide away from bright light and all the rest. Mine are much less frequent now having had food allergy testing and having gone through menopause, if that gives you any hope at all.
Plan for tomorrow: NFD but definitely not EFS day 🙂

Day 12 – Cumbria UK – FD

Good morning everyone

@funshipfreddie, must be a lazy Sunday morning for folk, not surprised if the weathers anything like here! Still not properly daylight and raining, still it is January. Funny how sometimes despite our best efforts the weight will only go slowly, like you I’ve had a few extra FD’s, but slow going. But …. at least it’s going and overall it keeps the trend going downwards.

Looking to a bit of a push this week and see if I can get down to my previous best, which is only 2 lbs away, then look to get to my first target I set back in July when I started, ie lose 2 stone.

Pocket list Day 12
@Ihatelettuce

Take care all

Day 12 – Cork, IE -FD

Slept in this morning. I am normally awake around 7.30am at weekends from habit but it was a late one this morning. I need to get outside for a walk while the sun is shining as our wonderful Irish weather is so changeable.

Plank challenge completed this morning. I can’t maintain a full minute so I split it into 2 x 30 minutes and will work on holding for as long as I can 😀

@ciren2 thanks! I am over the moon with the loss but I am getting just as much as a kick from seeing my waist reappear slowly but surely. I haven’t read “The Diabetes Code” but I imagine it is similar to the “The Obesity Code” and I really did find it to be compelling in terms understanding the flawed nutritional guidelines which have prevailed for years. I would always have been a person who “had” to have breakfast but since understanding more about IF and how the body responds, it was like clicking a mental switch and I am managing very easily without it. I have read, and tried, many diet programmes over the years but none of them clicked with me to such an extent and this WOE has given me hope that I can manage my condition and weight.

@karen250463 I am on week 11 of a 12 week programme of probiotics to support my gut health as there is emerging research on the importance of gut health to autoimmune conditions. It’s only in the latter weeks of taking the probiotic that I am feeling much more optimistic about life in general, less anxious and more resilient. I think this is also contributing towards my positivity to this WOE.

Happy Sunday everyone

Pocket list Day 12
@Ihatelettuce
@flaquita

Day 12 – UK – FD
Day 8-11 – NFDs

Have not managed to do a FD since Day 6 🤭 and have had a few EFS ones all involving too much 🍷🥂……..there I have admitted it to myself and to the forum!!!

I went to a New Year Yoga Workshop yesterday – perfect for a very wet, windy Cumbrian day – where we had a nourishing day practicing yoga and setting a Sankalpa to help bring us into harmony with ourselves and the year ahead. This made me withdraw my head out the sand with regards to my health and wellbeing so I forced myself to get on the scales this morning and found my weight has crept up to 57.5kg 😞

I’m joining those other hardy souls who are doing a FD on this sunny Sunday – aiming for FD600 today followed by another tomorrow to kickstart me in the right direction…..and also aiming to do 5:2 with regards to 🍷 i.e. 5 Dry Days:2🍷until I get back to under 55kg

I hope others on the forum are having a better start than me this month – I started off well but have definitely faltered over the past week or so…..must do better…..4 years into this WOL I know it works if I can get back into my rhythm – Must remember that “If I quit now, I will soon be back to where I started. And when I started, I was desperately wishing to be where I am now”

@emma-taylor – 6 weeks in Italy – lucky you – Enjoy and good luck in staying accountable 🤞
@matpi – hope you feel better soon 🤗
@basyjames – I too had to google a “chaffle sandwich” looks interesting and 😋
@flaquita – Andrew Scott was fab in Present Laughter – very frenetic pace – he must be shattered at the end of the evening’s performance – Great job on sticking to the Fast 800 and 11 lbs so far into this challenge is a fantastic result 👍 I love how you and your friend have found an alternative way of meeting which does not involve food/wine – great inspiration for us all
@caroline-esty-akporokah – You too are an inspiration for us all especially those new to this WOL – 8lbs down in 2weeks – great job!!
@wellrounded – I add my welcome back to the forum and to this WOL – I think you were with us last in Sept’18??
@jaifaim – good job on those 4.5lbs dispatched
@ciren2 – good news for your DD and her SO
@flourbaby – great job on sticking to your dry January 😇 Thank you for those links – I will be reading them today for inspiration and motivation

Pocket list for Day 12 – TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER
@i-hate-lettuce
@flaquita
@flourbaby
@at

“Weight loss is not impossible. Weight loss is hard, but hard is not the same as impossible.” – Author Unknown

For anyone who has not yet tried shirataki or konjac noodles, I think they’re a great option for FDs as they are very low calorie and high in fibre. I felt like I had a really substantial meal with them in a stir fry with loads of veg. My local supermarket has konjac noodles and rice so I stocked up today 🙂

@at sounds like you had a really insightful yoga workshop which bodes well for a motivating start for a new year. It sounds as though this WOL really works for you which is inspiring to hear.

@caroline-esty-akporokah congrats on your progress. The plank challenge (as far as I am doing it) is doing a plank exercise for a minute a day. It seems very little but all the small cumulative changes have an impact over time. I can’t hold a minute yet so I do 2 x 30 second planks. I’m also using MFP and just figured out today how to change my calorie goals for logging each day.

@flourbaby thanks for sharing the resources fasting.

Day 12 UK NFD

TL:DR Oldie returning to waggon after AWOL EFS 🙂

Finally got here – hello New Year Challenge! Spent the first 5 days of January with a lovely friend staying to help me catch up with house things. We Began with the hardest room inc piles & files & boxes of paperwork.. some of it up to 20 years old! It’s all about making space for the life I live now, being able to get in and use the room etc.

We worked flat out for 4 days, mostly clearing the one room with corners of other rooms. Amazingly helpful both mentally and physically. But I didn’t do any of my usual careful pacing, planning meals etc so ended up exhausted. And I didn’t quite allow for the physical or emotional upheaval of zipping through and shredding 20 years of difficult stuff.

So I’ve proceded to eat my way straight through since 1 January…. My Challenge has consisted of emotional eating, eating feelings, eating things bc they were there or needed eating up, mindless eating, eating to satisfy cravings…. All those things I used to do and haven’t done for 2 years!!! So now I’m here – 16lbs up in the last 4 months, 20lbs up on my goal and just about ready to reset.

Brief intro: F55 London. Put on weight via longterm ill health restricting mobility/activity, stopping smoking (best thing Ever), and menopause. Joined 5:2 December 2017 challenge weighing 181lb/82kg BMI 30.1 Steady loss until 10 month plateau – which with hindsight plateau was a shape-shifting time! The body is ALWAYS doing something when you’re fasting! Got down to 140lbs/63kg BMI 22.5 June 2019. Thrown off course by bereavement Sept 2019 and illness Oct – Dec 2019… and here I am. Back to 156lb, puffed up and ready to pop – or hit the reset button!

So I’ve just spent 3 hrs reading all this month’s posts and getting fired up – well, encouraged and inspired. Delighted to read all the instant successes, struggles that mirror my own, gentle determination and hard-won achievements. Thank you all for wonderful posts.You draw me back in like a trout on a line!
@jaifaim thank you for thinking of me x

I’ve got a big piece to prep for a conference next weekend so I’ll be aiming to avoid stress and do good self-care. After a few weeks off I’m feeling about 95 – another wonderful reason to fast, drink water, stretch and sleep!

I’m off to bath & bed, aiming for 9 hrs sleep. Tomorrow I restart yoga & meditation and put in first 2020 FD. Off first thing to continue emergency dental work on two teeth I cracked before Christmas 🙁

Here’s to Happy Mondays! Whatever the day holds, go gently 🙂

Day 12 Oxfordshire, UK NFD
Busy day here. The room we’re decorating now has one coat of new paint. We’ve didn’t most of the day on the prep work, filling holes, sanding and cleaning. It’s definitely going to need two coats maybe three. We’ll see.
Anyway I’ve only been in the kitchen to cook meals and make drinks so no snacking.
There will be alcohol with dinner so probably be over the calories.
Tomorrow will be another day.

@flourbaby thanks for sharing the resources about fasting. Informative and encoring. I shall be printing them off for future reference. Thanks again.

@flaquita thanks got the plank challenge info. I shall aim for a minute every day. We got this!!

Today was so hard with so much to do and the stress of 3 DH bored and looking for treats to fill their time. I succumbed on the Jaffa cakes when DH number 3 decided to throw a tantrum over the light switch and not having what she would like for dinner.

Stress eating is my biggest downfall. I have defo gone over today. Any suggestions to help with this please?

Day 13 – Japan – WFD #3

My second water fast when very well, almost 40 hours. I also managed to do 5 pull-ups in a row. (60 total) Now to repeat 5 and get to 6. It gets easier to increase up to a point. I was up to 8 when I hurt my elbows, but that was chin-ups which are actually easier because the arm position allows for more arm muscles to help on the upward move. I hurt myself by lowering myself with my wrists bent. That puts too much strain on the elbows. It has taken a couple years to get to where I’m able to do pull-ups mostly pain free.

Right now I’m not sure about the fasting. My daughter has influenza type A and to be honest I’m not feeling that good myself. At least it isn’t a time for fasting multiple days. I’ll just see how it goes.

Day 13: Gloucestershire, UK, NFD:

Very quick “hello” before leaving for work.

@songbirdme: That ice storm sounds horrible…..lucky for you that the fallen tree branch didn’t break anything else on the way down. I hope your weather has improved a lot by now.
@rafiki44: Good for you, getting back into it.
@dykask: Take care….I hope your daughter recovers quickly.

Day 13 – NFD – NZ
Hi all
I’ve been quiet on here over the weekend – had friends staying. Which meant a lot of wine and that meant I was not sensible at all about anything.
Miraculously, my weight has stayed the same…
Back to trying to eat sensibly today – half successful – I had leftover greek salad for lunch with extra veg added this morning, but two slices of pizza (thin base and seafood, if that makes it less terrible…)
I did do 30 mins of rowing and weightlifting as well.
i feel like I’m struggling enough just to not eat like an idiot, let alone do proper fast days at the moment.

Pocket list day 13 – Together we are stronger
@jaifaim
@dykask
@daffodil2010

Day 13 – Cumbria UK – FD

Good morning everyone

‘Building up’ FD’s at the moment, my recent previous lowest weight is only 2 lbs off so pressing on to get there by Friday’s weigh in, or if not by the following week, enthusiasm is a great thing!

Maybe be interesting for some, figures from my daily walking as part of my regime…

Last week, the total steps recorded was 69262 burning 5254 calories.

Average for the quick MOAM walks … Walking 32 minutes 3876 steps covering 1.79 miles @ 18.55 minutes per mile 3.32 mph Ave heart rate 101 bpm max heart rate 121 bpm fat burning for 27 minutes burning 320 calories. I can walk pretty fast, but running, no thanks, never really enjoyed cross country runs at school, think a bit ancient to start again now (and too heavy!)

As I said trying to get at least 3 FD’s a week as well as almost joining the dry January crew so that’s become my other 5:2, dry for 5 and allowing for 2 with an odd glass or two. Must admit, since Christmas finding both 5:2’s quite easy, so far. But maybe because I’m focussed on my targets and enjoying feeling good. Also keeping my inner Warthog firmly in it’s cage!

Take care all

Pocket List – Day 13
@Ihatelettuce
@dykask WFD
@matpi
@funshipfreddie

Day 13 – FD – Darlington UK

Good morning guys I hope everyone is well. I had a weigh in this morning and seem to have lost 1.6lbs since last Monday so I’m happy with that. I still have a way to go but hopefully going in the right direction.

My plan today is not to eat anything solid for as long as I can and then I’m having soup and maybe yoghurt and berries, lets see how that goes…

Day 13 – Atlanta, GA- USA- CFD

I am Day 13 Canada FD

I’m back 😁 Thanks to JJ for releasing me from spam filters!!
House sitting for friends who live in the mountains. So much snow the shoveling has been quite the workout ❄️❄️
Today is -27 without windchill so perhaps a snow shoe in the trees and yoga will be my activities ☃️
@flourbaby thanks for those links. I like the following
8. When you are finished a fast, act as if it never happened – Fasting is not an excuse to binge.
9. Fit it into your own life – Make sure you fit your fasting into your own schedule. Do not limit yourself socially because you are fasting. Try to arrange your fasting schedule so it will fit in with your lifestyle. Adjust your fasting schedule to what makes sense for you.

Pocket List – Day 13
@i-hate-lettuce
@dykask WFD
@matpi
@funshipfreddie
@songbirdme
@bellyblast

Onward and downward.

Day 13 UK FD

Popping by for accountability on first of my 2020 FDs

Drunk some black coffee and a litre of fizzy water…. need to up the water / switch to marmite or peppermint tea. Planning either freezer soup or vegan mince with baked sweet potato for supper. So far, so good. Feeling hungry but focussed, and better at reminding myself ‘not today’.

Not enough sleep to do early yoga, but fitted in a v gentle 20 min stretch at lunchtime. Goodness, missing weeks really makes a difference!!

Made it to early dentist appt – sadly the tooth has to come out so we’re planning for bridge & extraction appts at 2/52 interval. Not fab news, but it’s in the diary & I’ll survive!

Here’s a round up of the pocket list – sending Strength to fellow fasters

Pocket List – Day 13
@matpi
@dykask WFD
@jaifaim
@daffodil2010
@funshipfreddie
@i-hate-lettuce
@karen250463
@brightonbelle
@songbirdme
@basyjames
@michelinme

Day 13 – second post…
FD going ok … came back on to pop myself and @daffodil2010 back on the pocket list … but @michelinme I see you have done that – thanks so much! 😇
Need all the help I can get and being on the list definitely helps 😄

Second post
Adding myself
Pocket List – Day 13
@matpi
@dykask WFD
@jaifaim
@daffodil2010
@funshipfreddie
@i-hate-lettuce
@karen250463
@brightonbelle
@songbirdme
@basyjames
@michelinme
@wellrounded
@flourbaby
@bellyblast

second post.

@flourbaby I must have missed your post with the links when I skimmed the posts. After seeing comments from others, I went back and found it.

Thank you so much for posting the information, this will be very helpful for strategizing going forward.

Fellow plankers, thank you for making the commitment@caroline-esty-akporokah,
@flaquita,@jaifam,@basyjames

every little bit helps

2nd post

Good FD so far, and like @jaifaim I was coming on to re-add ourselves onto the Pocket List from which were left off earlier……so thank you very much @michelinme for scooping us back in ☺️

Together we are stronger.

Post 2 day 13

@binklebonk ….BMI ridiculous at 34 …. I wish !

A few things not adding up here but hey ! Reviewing the last few weeks.