Just retired and nothing fits

This topic contains 12 replies, has 6 voices, and was last updated by fasting_me 5 years, 10 months ago.

Viewing 13 posts - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)

Aunty lesley

6:15 am
27 Jun 18
Permalink

I have always struggled to maintain a healthy weight. At 63 I retired from the health service, and although I try to do regular exercise, there is no such substitute for moving around 15 stone patients on a regular basis. I went back on HRT and that has lessened my muffin top and I am hoping the lack of stress will reduce my cortisol. On none fast days I am trying to avoid breakfast and keep lunch to 250 calories, but it is tough. I feel so despondent . I have never really been a big eater, and I do not find the fast days that tough. Am I doing something wrong?

Cinque

8:03 am
27 Jun 18
Permalink

Are you saying that, on top of Fast Days, you are skipping meals and restricting calories on Non Fast Days?
Did you have a go at doing basic 5:2, ie eating normal meals without counting calories on the non fast days, and just concentrating on keeping calories low on fast days?

Aunty lesley

8:27 am
27 Jun 18
Permalink

Yes I have tried that . I find that I leave food on my plate. The normal high fat buffet food never appeals, and on holiday every course had a significant amount of food left on the plate. I have skimmed milk, rarely eat bread as I have an issue with yeast. We do not eat ready meals as my husband is a very fussy eater. I do not buy biscuits and if I bake, I freeze portions so we can have a slice of cake as an occasional treat. My husband is diabetic. We do drink at the weekend, but I try to restrict my intake to 2 medium glasses. Both my parents were alcoholics. Had 2 cups of coffee with skimmed milk and 2 peaches for breakfast. Then I put on a fitness dvd and worked up a real sweat. What more can I do, you tell me ?

bigbooty

8:44 am
27 Jun 18
Permalink

Hi Aunty Lesley. Something does not add up. You say that you don’t overeat and that you do not eat ready meals yet you are 15 stone. To me that doesn’t quite make sense. Im not trying to be rude but I hope you can see how that doesn’t make sense.

You say that you are doing 5:2 and also skipping breakfast on non fast days. Yet you are unable to lose weight? Once again that doesn’t make sense. Whenever you must be eating it must be significantly too much. people do not put weight on by not over eating. They just don’t. If you truly don’t find fast days that tough then try and do a water fast for your fast day. It is physically impossible to not lose weight over the course of a water fast day unless the laws of physics do not apply to you.

ayurvedaindia

11:54 am
27 Jun 18
Permalink

You must walk regularly….eat fruits.. regularly…..

Aunty lesley

12:11 pm
27 Jun 18
Permalink

Excuse me big booty but I did not say I was 15 stone. You made that up . And yes I do think you are being rude. I thought that someone might be able to give me some encouragement or good advice. I am a stone overweight, but I cannot shift it. I walk lots, I drink water, I eat vegetables rather than lots of fruit as fructose can be an issue.
If this website is just for people who make it up as they go along, then I’ll just have to rely on my own knowledge of nutrition rather than expose myself to negativity?

bigbooty

1:29 pm
27 Jun 18
Permalink

My apology Aunty Leslie I completely misread your original post. You used to have patients that were 15 stone, not that you were 15 stone. An honest mistake on my part. So you want to lose 14 pounds. That shouldn’t be too hard. Give up the two glasses of alcohol on the weekends for a few months. 7 calories per gram in alcohol. Lets say you drink 2 glasses per day x 2 days on the weekend. That’s 1000mL. Lets say its 10% alcohol. That’s 100mL. 7 calories per mL. That’s 700 calories you get rid of over two days for very little effort.

Cinque

10:13 pm
27 Jun 18
Permalink

Hi Again Aunty lesley,

It is frustrating to be doing 5:2 and strict dieting on your non fast days, and not losing any weight.
I’m not sure how long it is you have been doing 5:2 but since you are confident with your nutrition my suggestion would be to eat what you like on non fast days (if you don’t snack and often leave food on your plate, you obviously aren’t overeating ). Concentrate on making your fast days as fasty as you can. Hopefully that will make it more ‘do-able’ and allow you to keep going even if you aren’t getting immediate rewards. Even if that stone is taking a while to shift, you at least know that your health is improving. Think longterm. Surely after another couple of months you will see some change.

Fingers crossed for you.

Have a read of some of the active threads here (most popular) and see if there is one you would like to join. I found that being in a little community where I could share how things are going, really helpful, you might too.

fasting_me

1:13 am
28 Jun 18
Permalink

Aunty, I have found that there are certain foods that make me gain weight and hold it. For me, those are white rice and beer. If I stay away from them, my weight behaves itself. Not saying you eat those things, but the might be something in your diet that has the same effect on you.
Two glasses of wine are over the 5 oz limit in current recommendations for women. When we began Fasting, we swapped the nightly wine for sparkling water on Fast Days. That helped.
good luck.

Barata

7:26 am
28 Jun 18
Permalink

Aunty, I have just come across your thread, and would reinforce what Cinque has said about eating more on non-fast days. And it’s not about the calories, it’s about insulin. Do some research, look at Jason Fung’s work and others of the same ilk.

Regularly eating too little will affect your metabolism, and make it harder to lose those pounds.

Enjoy your wine, and dark chocolate, nuts and avacados. Indulge in good fats, avoid the grains, and see if this has any affect. We are all different, and as Fasting says, some specific foods may be needed to be avoided completely. Fruit should be only eaten in season, and in limited quantities.

Best of luck. I am proof, along with many folks on other threads, that this way of eating works.

Aunty lesley

9:09 am
28 Jun 18
Permalink

Dear Barata, yes thank you for your thoughtful post. I have always struggled to maintain a healthy weight. I even had slimming tablets from my GP in the 70’s. It came off 2lbs a month on 1000 calories. As an Occupational Therapist for 43 years I have always been active , and have tried to be very disciplined with food. I do not eat much bread as I have an issue with gut Candida. Atkins diet was very successful, but I never got into full ketosis. I have long suspected that I may have an issue with insulin resistance.My blood pressure is on the low side so I have to be aware to keep up my fluid intake.

I suspect that the fat on my abdomen and round my waist could be a combination of cortisol and reduced oestrogen. It is starting to come off now. I was off work for five weeks with depression shortly before I retired. I do have my down moments still , but it is improving. Too hot to garden, which really lifts my mood, but I can top my tan up listening to Radio 4 when the chores are done.

Fast day today. 500 mls of water and a herbal tea so far. Green salad for lunch and Parma Ham and Melon this evening.
Fingers crossed

Barata

10:55 pm
28 Jun 18
Permalink

Lesley, I was always plump, at best. I am today my lightest since early teenage years, so very happy with the results of 5:2.

I hope you are enjoying your retirement. At the moment I am still working four days a week (love my Fridays off!), but plan to cut down to three next year. All this talk of Radio 4 and heat places you in the balmy UK 🙂 .

Insulin resistance changes the whole scenario. My OH, who has joined me on 5:2 with initial and then failed results, was persuaded by me to have his fasting insulin tested, and as far as I can determine he is, at best, pre-diabetic. Unfortunately the medical profession as a whole does not understand the importance of insulin. His doctor looks at his blood sugar, which is fine, and puts him at low risk of type 2 diabetes!!

fasting_me

12:25 am
29 Jun 18
Permalink

Another idea, Aunty — do you take medication for depression? As you might know, some of those cause one to gain weight. just a thought.