I do think I can be more mindful of my carbs in general, and make better choices. I think right now I’m stuck on being very restrictive (fast days) to no restrictions (non-fast days). I’m not feeling too much middle ground at this time. Granted, I’m not going crazy with my eating, but I’ll have a piece of bread or treat if I feel the urge.

So, the first fast of the week is easy for me, but the second is hellish. Anyone else have experiences with this? I’m wondering if it’s my body’s way of telling me one is enough… Anyone do a modified 2nd fast day?? Or maybe I’ll do like PVE said and make it a no carb / sugar day.

Curious, where is everyone from?? I’m from New Jersey, but now live in snowy Wisconsin (we got 3 inches yesterday).

I have been fasting since August 2013 and have found it gets easier with time but a lot is in the mind I think.

I now fast 3 days a week Mon, Wed and Fri as by doing that I eliminated a frequent urination problem that caused me to get up 3 to 8 times a night accompanied by heavy night sweats that required a pajama change each time I got up.

I tried a complete fast (0 calories) and found it no harder than the 600 calorie restricted diet. So I now am following that pattern and have no serious difficulties. Anytime I feel I would like to eat I just remind myself that at least I will not have to get up to pee every hour or so tonight and that immediately calms me right down.

I had the frequent urination and night sweat issue long before I started fasting. Did not initially think there was any connection until I started plotting my pee times. I then noticed a very strong correlation to my pee frequency and fasting. The two days after two fasting day I had little to no urination problems. I thought I would try switching to Mon Wed and Fri fasting to see if that might stretch out the time frame of no pee and sweat problems and was pleasantly rewarded with the complete elimination of the night sweats and the night pees.

Hi Emilyashen and kbooks, welcome, I loved your posts.

@emily, I am similar to you. Very good on fast days but not so good on eating days, which whilst in maintenance is not a terrible thing weight wise, but not so good for general health. I too want to eat a lot less carbs (mainly sugar).

Lucky for me I have been eating no carbs with main meals for a long time, so the idea of not having my rice, potatoes or pasta with meat/fish is quite normal. I just love bread and sugar. I do think my palate is changing though, tolerating less of the sweet stuff in one sitting.

I suppose because I don’t drink alcohol, smoke, take drugs ;-), eat lots of fruit and vegetabls and exercise moderately… my mind feels I should be allowed one vice. ;-)) One has to consider other people. Who wants to live with a goody-two-shoes. ;-))

@kbooks – how interesting the water waste issues you have mentioned. I must keep an eye on that.

I am starting to find resisting all those chocolates and Christmas treats as well as being vigilant at friends’ invites hard at the moment. Just reached the top of my maintenance – fasting today and hoping that on Monday all will be fine again.

@ssure, whilst my fruit consumption has gone down, my vegetable consumption has definitely gone up, minus the potatoes. Why do you find vegetables too high in calories?

Hi Lichtle, I wrote: ” such a low allowance on fast days (for me)” – bear in mind that I’m 250-300kcals on a sedentary FD – by the time I’ve eaten the protein, I don’t have much room left for anything else (4 kcals per protein gramme – 50g = 200kcals).

As per HappyNow – vegetables are not an issue on a non-fast day but fruit can easily break my carb allowance at a meal or for the overall day. And I watch the carbs for my migraine control. I like bananas but not enough for them to be worth the carbs or calories associated with them.

Well done Happy, you have to let me know your secret – would you mind eating my Lindt chocolate pralines which were given to me as a very belated birthday present together with a couple of posh packets of biscuits. Not going anywhere near them until I am at least in the middle of my range again certainly not before Monday which is my official weigh-in day.

Ssure, I am confused, so you put a few drops of flavourings on a teaspoon and eat it pure? Are these flavours not very concentrated?

@ssure, I am sorry for being a bit dim but I have never used these kind of flavourings. I am quite happy with plain cheeses and yoghurts or plain water etc. I suppose my tastes are quite plain.

Lichtle,

It wasn’t a dim question. I thought perhaps it was all cake flavouring 🙂

Re: pralines and posh biscuits. Funnily enough they don’t really appeal anymore…but I know they would once I got started!

And my secret? If I knew, I’d be rich! I don’t count calories. During the week I tend not to eat processed carbs, at the weekend I do (white bread and often biscuits, homemade). I probably drink two bottles of red wine over the weekend, nothing in the week. I eat a LOT of extra mature cheddar and nuts, as snacks. I’ve been running 9 – 12 (hilly) miles (15 – 20km) per week. I skip breakfast. If I do anything approaching a fast I lose 1lb.

I haven’t reached the menopause yet though…

Morning / evening MCs
I too found your information on flavours very interesting, ssure, but also wasn’t sure how you used them, as you seemed to indicate they were replacing the bulk of food.
I really enjoy the variety of viewpoints that arise on this forum. We are bringing life experiences from all around the world and from different generations (some of us are much older) and this is what brings the spice into the conversations. Misunderstandings can occur due to the medium we are using and the time delays, but be assured, when someone asks a question it is due to genuine interest to learn more.
Thanks for your contributions to my education. Keep it up please. I’m off to check out flavourings….I’ve been up since 5am tending to my batches of yoghurt. P 🙂

Wish I knew your secret HappyNow! Maybe I’ll have to put it down to age! I’m like you Lichtle, not actually having trouble resisting but struggling to find a day where I can fast because the calendar is filling up with Christmas socialising! I’m at my upper range of my maintenance weight after dinner out last Thursday night and a NFD yesterday and have a lunch tomorrow, breakfast Monday, dinner Tuesday! Looks like I’m fasting next Wednesday ! I am actually fasting today although I never usually do on weekends. Maybe it’s going to be 2 FD’s a week where I can fit it in to cope with Xmas. I really don’t want to go back to watching what I eat when I’m out and feeling guilty- not the purpose of 5:2 to me. . Happynow are you still fasting til 11.30ish each day? Maybe that’s worth including to try and maintain.

Hi MCs,

My Thanksgiving with family has been horrible (too much food!!)… I will for sure need to do at least 2 fasts per week through Christmas. I can’t wait to fly home and get back to normal!!

I do need to have more control on non-fast days… I hate feeling so out of control when it comes to food :(.

Missing my fast days,
Em

@ssure please keep posting .. you’re posts are always interesting and I’m sorry you feel it is rather a one way street..

Emily… I found the worst thing is to beat yourself up about a “feast” … it really is not big deal as the point of IF / 5:2 etc as a weight loss / maintenance / health strategy is that it is adaptable and doesn’t prevent days when we indulge.. re Christmas.. last year when I was IFing to loose weight I did a couple of fasts in Christmas week and New Years and found despite the christmas pudding, roast tatties, mince pies etc I still lost weight so don’t worry about the festive period .. particularly if you fit in a fast day or two..

I am Carol I’m another who generally avoids white carbs.. tho having said that this weekend has been mmmmmm well I will leave you to decide..

Thursday mmm well went to see Interstellar with a friend.. (WOW WOW WOW what a movie.. far far more than a Sci Fi .. go see it even if Sci isn’t you’re thing) So due to the extreme roller coaster the movie took us on we sat there guzzling sweeties like kids.. 😉

Friday … Extreme horse grooming .. stripping the mud of hippo… sorry pony..
Saturday lovely fast ride thro the woods.. then off to Ceilidh in the evening… mostly teenagers so fast and furious.. with a “sing” along to old favourites from the Proclaimers interlude whilst the band recouperated.. food mmm well all the baddies really .. Cake, crisps, Alcohol!!!!!
Sunday mmm pancakes for breakfast (staying at friends… ) long discussion about saddles and bits.. friend has a new young horse so I revisted the days of young horse stuff with her.. back to my horse for another gallop thro more woods and golden sunlit stubble fields.. home to Veni casserole (good option) followed by mmm more pancakes with caramelised apple in calvados sauce with creme fraiche…..

You wont be surprised to hear I am fasting today.. nice veg soup.. feeling good.. as despite all the white carbs I feel me activity levels probably meant that no great harm was done.. certainly haven’t found fasting today an issue.

Am away to Perth for looooooooooong work meeting tomorrow.. will see how I go but am planning on not eating until I get home tomorrow evening … tho I have a dance class at eight tomorrow so might feel the need for something substantial.. luckily have leftover Veni casserole..

I am really convinced that increasing fitness (which has been my strategy since I stopped fasting to loose weight last spring) has ramped up my metabolism so crazy weekends like the one above aren’t such an issue.. I think the really important thing re raising metabolic rate is aerobic fitness for which HITT is a really helpful fitness strategy.

Evening/ Morning All,

Well zuzan’s weekend was more exciting than mine, but mine did include a white bread sausage sandwich, Welsh cakes, wine, and a roast dinner (with roast spuds). I also ran 7 miles. This morning I was comfortably under my upper limit (and only 0.1kg more than Sat weigh in), so happy with that.

So now I’m teetotal til Friday (good for the wallet, liver and weight), and low processed carb, and at least 16 hour fasts daily.

I can now accept that a bit of weight variation is normal, and step up (or down) the fasting depending on what my weight is.

P’s right, it’s feast and famine, and learning where to stop with each of those to keep maintaining!

God P, how awful for you! How are you supposed to enjoy your food/ weather/ pool/ wine with that racket? Don’t those inconsiderate workers know there’s retired people at home trying to relax 🙂

Personally I’m considering sewing myself into my clothes for winter. Max temp forecast for us this week is a balmy 4…

Your ‘break fast’ is making my mouth water. Bedtime here, will just have to dream about it!

Hi P,

Sorry to hear about the gum trees.

Removing the trees has the potential to backfire quite spectacularly. It’s a shame people don’t understand the role vegetation plays in climate control.

Hi Purple, What a breakfast. 😆 you are doing it so tough, sitting around the pool in the new fab swimmers, with a five star breakfast. I feasted all last week 😳 , and now have fasted yesterday to get back within range. It will take another fast day on Thursday to be back at 60 kg. This is indeed a WOE for life. I have to limit my posts for quite a while to come, but love reading everyone else’s. Cheers, Bay 🙂

Take care of yourself Bay. I’m glad your arm is progressing.

Hi VM! I got my recipe from Iwillbe on this thread ages ago.
The starter is simply a couple of tablespoons of good flour and equivalent of filtered water. Stir vigorously and often and leave, covered in the kitchen for a few days. When it starts to bubble, add more flour and water. It can also be sped up by adding a little pineapple juice in the beginning. When it is active, store it in the fridge, feeding occasionally. I take it out the of the fridge the morning I’m going to use it to allow it to get more active.

Scoop out about half the starter into a large bowl. The rest gets fed with 1 tbs each of flour and water and returned to the fridge for the next lot.

Add 200gms of your bread flour (I use spelt half and half with wholemeal stoneground bread flour) and 200gms of filtered water (chlorine kills the starter). Mix thoroughly cover with plastic and leave overnight. This is called the ‘sponge’

First thing in the morning, to the sponge add 300gms of the spelt/wholemeal mix, 10 gms good salt, 1 tbs oil and toss in some grains (flax and sunflower or whatever). Knead for a full 10 minutes. It needs to be quite sticky, so you can keep adding more filtered water (make a hole in the middle and knead in,or dip the dough in a basin with water). The delicate sourdough bubbles need a wet dough to be able to rise.

Place in a bowl or proving basket covered with a clean teatowel until evening. I spray a little oil on the top to allow it to rise instead of drying.

Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. I cook mine in a special ceramic lidded bread making thingy (must have a term, can’t remember), but you can just cook it on a tray.
Carefully (you don’t want to lose any rise)turn the dough over onto the heated cooking surface and score a few lines on the top with scissors…this lets it rise more as it is baking.

I cook mine with the lid on for 35 minutes and 15 minutes with the lid off. The moisture allows it to rise. You can add a container of ice cubes to the oven for steam. Use a thermometer to check the internal temperature. It should be 94 deg when cooked. Every loaf takes a different amount of time. The beauty of individual artisan breadmaking!

I used to make bread in my breadmaker, but sourdough is too delicate and needs longer to rise. The advantage of the sourdough is that it will keep easily for 10 days in the fridge, can be eaten by gluten intolerant folk and is healthy.
Let me know if you try it. Cheers P

Thanks Nicky. Yes, a cloche! I’m outside gardening in wet swimmers, so was just working from memory. I’ll look at my breadmaker and see if it can do it. Although, I find the kneading excellent for my arthritic hands and very zen. Good exercise for body and mind.
My OH has eaten expensive gluten free bread for many years, while I kept wasting bought loaves of good bread, so this is a win win. We don’t eat much…the loaf lasts a week and OH and I can now both eat the same wheat loaf.
Your suggestion of a spray bottle during the baking is good. I need to buy one to shape my new hat, so two things with one stone.
Actually, I seem to be able to make the bread on a fast day now, bake it in the evening and go to bed, as I read that you shouldn’t cut it for at least an hour as it is still cooking. Keeps me away from it. When I do get to eat it, it is no longer warm, so easier to eat only one slice 😉 Cheers P

Hi VM. You’re fast!
I use a small round glass bowl with its own lid (blue lid, readily available). The natural yeasts are in the air, so each time you lift the lid to stir or feed they can get in. My son says, tradionally, people sat the starter under particular trees to get the yeast. I think opening a pineapple can to get a bit of juice is the fastest 😉
Good luck. P

Go VM! 🙂

PS further to the Circadian Rhythym thing this is a TedEx talk by one of the authors cited in the Beeb article https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOXQgyjRm0I

Thanks for the link zuzan. Don’t you love TedX? I do pretty much eat in the day. My natural rhythm seems to want to eat dinner at 6pm. I’d be happy to be in bed even earlier than 10. We used to do this when we lived in the bush with no electricity and our kidswrre little. A bit of guitar under the stars after an early dinner, then off to bed. Up early to feed and milk the goats.
Great idea to go back to the cave, Happy. Would the cave have heating or would you just snuggle up with your BH?

My understanding VM is that the good yeast bugs outweigh others. Fermentation is similar. That’s why a sourdough starter can live for years. P

End of year school concerts are in full swing. I am horrified to note a good one in four of the girls (less boys performing) were obese. What on earth are their parents feeding them?
Some would say, isn’t it great that they have the self esteem to get up on stage in their ill fitting, skimpy, costumes and thump around. I could feel nothing but sadness for the major health problems these very young girls are going to experience.
Frighteningly someone even commented that the normal sized, lanky kids were “too skinny”. Fat is becoming normalized!
Spread the word…humans are meant to be bony. Happy maintaining MCs. Be good role models 😆 P