Hi loulou32, I have just started as well, halfway through my second week. I lost two pounds the first week. Like you I am 5’3″, so dieting is not much less than normal eating. I tend to go up and down two pounds so easily! Every body type is different, I feel better ( and my clothes fit better) closer to 8 and a half stone or so- (so my goal is losing one stone. ( I am just getting used to this measurement, I am across the pond where we only use pounds:) I used to weigh 8 stone way back when, but I am afraid those days are over;) I am assuming I am correct that 1 stone equals 14 lbs…
Bootsy, I appreciate your advice for us newbies. To hear you say that the first two months is basically like an induction reinforces my resolve to stick with this WOL- I have never stuck to a diet long enough to change bad snacking habits! It makes me realize I want the Fast Diet to actually BE fast, LOL.
Applepie, Congrats on your weight loss! I look forward to more tips from you about how to make it through FD’s. My tendency so far is to wait until I am hungry, usually noon, eat a bit and then the rest for a small dinner. Yesterday though I made it through until dinner and then gave in to a glass of Chardonnay and too big a dinner:( So I am re-doing my FD today. Am feeling stronger after reading this forum, so thanks all! And good on you, Shaza, for reaching your goal.

Ha… it worked lol but usually it doesn’t lol 😉

Hi Jaye, try Boots the chemist, they have scales, usually accurate but an idea to find out what day they are calibrated, i read a guy in Edinburgh tried the scales in 2 shops, gained 5 lbs and an inch in height. The local Boots scales weigh yhe same as mine, though the printout is easier to read. Gives fat too!

Thanks, Bootsy, and my strategy worked! Yesterday was a successful FD, maybe because I was out of the house in the evening, and ate beforehand. I tend to munch in the evenings:/
So I have done 4 FD’s so far and have lost-TaDa!- three and a half lbs! I know it is mostly water weight but I don’t care- it is such a psychological boost to start losing. I will do a second FD on Friday.
Myggan40, I went to France last year and gained 5 lbs in two weeks! Going again this September, so will have to have a good strategy in place. I can give up the bread, the cheese, but not the wine! 2 out of 3…maybe there’s my strategy.
Good for you JayeGirl with a new pledge. Go for it!
Happy fasting:) xo ET

Happy Thursday everyone

Milena my new scales are great, I had orobs with my old ones.

So happy to hear you have lost @et, be it water or fat you have gone down! And will continue to go down and even better, it continues to get better and easier to fast. I go for 24hrs on just water. I only eat at 8pm. Have you tried Miso soup on fast days? It’s only 18 cals a sachet, because iys beefy you feel like you have had something to eat. It helps a lot of people the first few weeks to get into a routine. I don’t use them now but did at first. They sell them in Asda (Walmart) if you are over the pound. £2.99 for a box of 8 in the Oriental section.

So what is the secret to the smilies @Myggan?

I’m usually done fasting for the week by now but doing a 3rd on Friday. Since adding a stone back after my old scales cheated me saying I had lost more than I had I am working through 16 stone, again! I know I haven’t actually gone through it yet but feels like I did. Anyway because I added back (or possibly started a stone heavier than I thought) I put my weight back up. Sad day but had to be done. i then had a weekend away gsining 2lbs, I was fine with that as I had decided after 8 weeks of being very strict it was good to have a treat which aI thouroughly enjoyed but not craved for a second since eating. Then I slowed for 2 weeks. I think mentally I told myself I felt like a bit of a cheat and felt I was going backwards and looking at it now, I still ate the same as always. I think it was a mental block hanging onto the weight. Not sure if that is scientifically possible but never the less the scales have moved properly again this week. I can see in my pictures I have lost a great deal off my face, tummy and hips. My slim legs are looking possatively skinny and my boots loose and I have gone down a dress size. But mentally it was a bit of a mind f@#% to add that weight back.

This week the scales are moving, i now weigh in lbs, it’s more acurate but God I hate those ounces lol. Down from last Thursday by 3lbs 4oz. To 230.6lbs I’m really pleased with that, not drinking alcohol last weekend has shown up nicely on the scales and I have a 3rd fast to go. I really want to be in the mid 15s for my holiday, I will fit nicely into the shorter summer dresses I have then. All my maxis from last year fit perfectly, this year I bought 28s and they are roomy. I’m back into my 22/24s, 26/28s getting very baggy around my bust and arms (have slim arms too). I’m such a bloody Apple lol. I should have been more optimistic and bought 24s and 26 as I bought them for this holiday lol. I’m a 22/24 in Evans, 26 in Simply Be. They tend to go up one size at a time.

Happy fasting everyone, have a great day.

Anyone who wants to join our secret facebook page please add me JAYE BLOGS.

Jaye 🙂

Hi JayeGirl

Sending you tons of positive vibes! Your clothes are giving you a big thumbs up, even if the scales played an evil trick on you. As VirginiaEdie says, it’s the downward trend which counts, no matter what the starting number was – although it is frustrating, I agree, to have to backtrack on the numbers on the scale. Big respect for the 3lb 4oz loss this week.

Onwards and downwards to your hols!

Bootsy
x

Hi Jaye

Ginette is out with her son, I believe. Ive a text from her, will check with her tomorrow if she doesn’t post.

Aren’t you thoughtful?

It’s still morning for me so… Good morning everyone.

I usually fast on MWF. I do this so I don’t have to be quite as careful on my nonfast days. Up till now I’ve been doing my usual swimming on my fasting days and besides being a little extra hungry it’s been fine.

Last week I added strength training, and on Friday ( a fast day) I did a leg work out. Well, I have never had such sore muscles, I’m talking, crippling sore, and the soreness lasted for days!

According to my son, who is into fitness and weight training, it is not good to do weight training on a low cal day. Weight training breaks down muscle and then the muscle gets built back up. I’m paraphrasing so I’m probably not being too accurate in my description. We need enough calories to help the muscles recover.

I’m thinking that’s why my muscles were so gosh darn sore afterwards. I did the same workout today, but I’m making today a 1000 calorie day instead of 500. I’ll see how my muscles do this time. I may have to revamp my exercise schedule.

Does anyone else weight train and if so, how do you fit it into this way of life?

Hi JayeGirl,

I’m right up there with you. I turned 49 in March.

Almost a year ago I pulled my iliopsoas, or hip flexor, in my abdominal region. That in turn resulted in back trouble. It has been a long road to recovery. Swimming has helped tremendously. I’ve started with the muscle building so I can keep everything strong with the hopes that I will prevent any more back trouble. I have to take it easy, though, since I don’t want to reinjure or aggravate things. My back is very touchy.
The problem is my German heritage. I can’t seem to do anything halfway. It’s blitzkrieg all the way.
Enjoy the weekend everyone!

Im with you there on the Muscle mass ET. It certainly does keep you younger, healthier and helps you lose weight.

I’ve had two back surgeries, have foot drop on the left side from nerve damage caused by a crash years ago. So no natural heel-toe movement. No dorsiflex. On my right side due to years of living with that I now have arthritis in my knee, hip and spine. What used to be my good leg (the right) is now actually my bad leg. Obviously I’m struggling to exercise. I did try light jogging on the spot last week but basically I have caused further injury to my knee. Struggling to walk without a stick even in the house. So the chair exercises were great. As my knee gets better, having a second cortisone injection in it soon, I will add more exercises as I can stand. I’ll avoid any arobic exercises because my legs just can’t support it. I don’t swim because it’s very uncomfortable on my left foot as there is no muscle tone. It’s nice to find something thats of use to me. I’m not bothered about exercise for weight loss. I am doing great on this WOL losing weight but really want the health benefits. Mine are just 30 min work outs, lifting each leg, heal toes, stretching side to side etc and using either a tension band or soup cans for arm lifts. They worked, back, tummy, sides etc. etc. I could really feel it in my shoulders lol. So for this exercise should I do it on NFDs? I eat high protien. I only have one meal in the evenings on FDS.

Jaye 🙂

Hi:

“I do really believe in keeping muscle mass,I think it is the “fountain of youth” because muscle burns more calories, even when we are lazing around:)”

A pound of fat burns about two calories a day. A pound of muscle burns about six calories a day. http://www.livestrong.com/article/256919-how-many-calories-does-muscle-burn-compared-to-fat/

If you exercise diligently for three months to build muscle, and are successful and replace one or two pounds of fat with muscle (and continue to exercise enough to retain the additional muscle), you will increase your daily caloric usage by about 8 calories. That means if you don’t eat any extra food you will lose about an extra 13 ounces in a year from your new found muscle.

That won’t help much with weight loss. But you don’t exercise for weight loss, you exercise for overall better health. Just do exercises that don’t hurt you!

Hi Jaye:

I am more than aware of the problem of muscle (strength) loss with age. But you said last week you injured yourself exercising. You missed my very basic point. There is no reason to exercise to build muscle to lose weight, but if you do exercise (to maintain strength), don’t do exercises that hurt you.

Good Luck!

Well I did the exercise to introduce the HIT (which you know from my posts) and my knee felt quite stable at that point, plus my doctor gave me the go ahead! I’m also an ex nurse. We all have the right to have opinions, we can all throw links in to substantiate our beliefs, that does not necessarily make it a fact. It used to be factual that fat not sugar made us fat. It was someone’s opinion and eventually it’s been proven wrong. Often ‘we’ are also quoting what we have read and believe to be fact or what we believe. You can find something written for and against everything on the net. Michael advocates HIT, ergo I wanted to introduce it. Sometimes, especially when batteling disability and mobility concerns and problems we have to try lots of things to find what suits our bodies best. Sometimes you get injured trying it. It causes me pain with every step just walking I don’t just sit still thinking I’m not moving today I may injure myself. Much like trying all the diets before fasting to lose weight, introducing exercise for whatever each personal reasons for it can be perilous, but it’s factual that even athletes suffer injuries. That’s just life. I was talking about wanting to keep and grow my muscle mass and discussing the best way to do it Without causing injury. The fact is I need to keep moving and keep supple and keep going. I’m a very young 48 year old with crap mobility. All of this is to get healthier, slimmer, more agile and stronger. I will never be thin and toned but I can do my best to stave off old age and help my mobility, and all that comes with it. I feel 80 some days when I’ve done just the grocery shop. I’m tired of it and I’m putting all my energies into losing weight and trying to find out what is wrong with my hip and knee. What I can do to fix it and get further with less pain. I’ve got appointments for MRIs, injections, ORTHO consultant, the physio, the spinal clinic, an ultrasound. I want better quality of life when I’m out. To walk instead of being forced to use a scooter to get around on a day out. The worst line I’ve ever heard in my life ‘wow, you make mobility scooters glam’ from a lovely young couple on holiday last year. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me and the damn scooter. I would rather be invisable, than glamorous on a scooter.

You are full of interesting facts Simco, I know I have read your threads, and you even show humor in them. Which is why I wish you would add some humor or basic politeness to your comments in these threads. Rather than coming over as a bit condescending and like you are sat there waiting on every opportunity on every thread to swoop in and correct us without any pleasantries lol. I know you are helping and want us to have the facts. I was actually just waiting on you coming in on this conversation and I do value your information, but I hoped you might do it in a polite, hey guys take a look at this link, see what you think. Well done on your efforts. Praise before the hammer falls at least lol. (Smiley)

So my weight loss. Well I generally weigh on Thursday after my 2 fasts. But ive had lots of issues with scales etc so I’m taking this from when I sorted that out. Plus I don’t know what I wrote last week lol. So according to my tracker here. Last Thursday which is my usual weigh in day after my 2nd fast Wednesday I was 234.2lbs. Ive done 3 fasts this week, plus no alcohol/fast beach rules this week. This Thursday 230.6lbs. Yesterday’s fast not showing more than 6oz difference I weigh 230lbs. I’m happy with that.

Good luck everyone and have a fabulous weekend.

Jaye 🙂

Hi all,
Apologies for not posting, I couldn’t find the thread and only just realised that I could find it under my profile!
I have also read the points on muscle mass with interest. Back when I was in my early twenties I went regularly to the gym, weighed 10 stone, and was a size 8/10, at 5ft 3 I looked a heck of a lot lighter, as commented upon by friends, so yes I can testify that muscle weighs a lot more than fat! I stopped training when people commented that I looked like a weightlifter, I so wish I hadn’t listened.
Jayegirl, I was reading about your training bands with interest, I have 2 bad knees, I need an operation to remove bone growth from the sockets, so am not allowed any weight bearing exercise, jogging etc. I tend to do a lot of walking,(some days very slowly and with a lot of pain) but I am looking for something else to try and build up my muscles. I think you are doing fantastically, it is very difficult when you have such issues, and easier in some respects to do nothing and accept things. It takes more courage and strength to act to change, so kudos to you. And in my experience you always get judgement by people – I think if my leg was in a cast people would understand, but its not, so don’t try and tell me there is nothing wrong!
My fast day today is going well, weigh in tomorrow, so hopefully I have lost!
Doc told me not to gain weight as knees would be worse, that was when I was a stone lighter…. I never did listen to advise lol.
Anyway, well done on the successes everyone, keep posting….we can do this!!
Lou xx

Hello Everybod!

Thanks to everyone for sharing your stories of your journeys (sorry, cheesy phrase, I know!) to better health.

I might well have mentioned this before but anyone with bad backs, mobility difficulties etc might find it worthwhile checking out the Alexander Technique. I’d put it roughly in the bracket with yoga, pilates etc. It doesn’t teach you exercises per se, rather it helps you relearn how to use your body/ do exercises, sports, activities in a more coordinated, ‘easeful’ way. (Contrary to popular belief, it’s about much more than ‘good posture’.) It’s not cheap but I believe about 20 lessons would give you a good grounding. There are teachers around the world. That’s the end of the plug!

Second week where I have only done 1 FD but I’m feeling ok about that. My size 14s are still comfortable and I reckon at least I am still maintaining. I’m sure I’ll get back ‘on a mission’ soon. I’m carrying on with my HIIT on my (hired) exercise bike. I find my resistance (psychological, not exercise-wise, lol) is much greater to doing the strength exercises. In the fast exercise book, it suggests only about 10 mins/day x 5 weekly but even that, I find every excuse under the sun not to do!

Wishing everyone a good week
Bootsy
x

Hi all,

I have been thinking about our discussion about exercise, and one thing that I think is important to mention is warming up. That, as you know, is what prevents a lot of injury. So, even if you can’t jump on a treadmill and warmup for ten minutes, even just taking a good warm shower or bath before exercise is beneficial.
The other thing, in response to Simco’s post about muscle mass not burning that many more calories than fat, hmmm….I am a “cup half full” person ( bordering on a Pollyanna, ha!) and when I read that muscle burns six calories to fat burning two, assuming that is true, I think, hey, that’s three times more! And that is what happens : if you weigh 150 lbs, the difference between a body composition of 30 % vs 20 %, over time, is significant and what often makes the difference as we get older as to whether we will gain pounds over time or not. That extra muscle is not only more compact (I am not talking major body building here, just trying to maintain muscle mass as we age) but it does burn calories for us, I like that:)
So, in addition to a summer pledge of sticking with the FD, I am pledging to increase my exercise, just for the health of it:) And Jaye, and others who are battling injuries, hats off to you for finding ways to move and be healthier. You deserve it!
Did a yoga class this morning and it’s a FD for me. So far so good.
Cheers!
xo ET

Hi all, haven’t been on for a while you all seem to be doing well. I’ve struggled the last 2-3 weeks and my weight loss has stalled, probably put on a couple of lbs which isn’t a disaster but I should be under 12 st now if I had got my act together. It’s 11 weeks till the kids break up for summer so I need to make a big push and see if I can lose 11 lbs by then which would be good. Today was a fast day and I almost had a good day until my signing choir meeting when someone had brought a cake, it would have been rude to refuse. I have fallen back into my old ways a bit with the snacking of chocolate bars etc. Will have to make more of an effort.

Virginiaedie, oh I could have said no, I talk very tongue in cheek and sarcastic and it’s just the way we talk round here. I’ve always snacked even before kids hence why I have to keep re losing the same weight time and time again. But I’m getting to the age when it really does have to be for the last time. I’m not much good at tact and etiquette either.

hi, I have just started as I’ve never had problems with weight however I’ve been eating far too many chocolates & drinking too much wine since my Mother passed meaning I have a problem. I’m going to weigh myself this weekend however I couldn’t find anything on the site to show what a typical fast day would be – it would be good to get some ideas from everyone else. I am not 100% sure I can give up my caffe latte first thing though!!! Any advise?

Hi Myggan,

Sounds like you had fun on your visit. I went away just for a three day weekend and had a hard time getting back to healthy eating. I’m sure a week makes it more challenging to jump back on the wagon. Aren’t bodies annoying? They make it hard when we want to do something healthy for them such as eating nutritious food, cutting back on calories, and exercise, and they make it easy when we want to do unhealthy things such as eat cookies and cakes and laze around. What’s up with that?
Three pounds to my goal weight. Yay!!!!

Hi Kayelondon, no one was worse than me for wine and snacks, so you can do this. It is doable. A typical fast day for me is

half a grapefruit with a black coffee for breakfast
A small wafer thin slice of ham with 4 olives for dinner
half a small tin of sardines with a helping of wilted spinach for tea.
Drink lots of water or green tea.

Avoid milk, the lactose will only make you hungry. If there is anything else you fancy, don’t have it but tell yourself you can have it tomorrow. Then when tomorrow comes you probably won’t want it anyway.

Good luck! let us know how you go on.

Hi Everybod

Thanks for your reply muffin. And to everyone else for your posts. I completely binged yesterday – but I think that might have been rock bottom – GOOD!. So today have just tried to be ‘good enough’ with eating, rather than try too hard. I am just working on getting my mental focus back. Am sure we will ALL get there.

Welcome kayelondon. Here’s my ‘sixpenny worth’ (Oh, have we gone decimal?! lol) If you can’t quite take the plunge into 500 cals, aim for about 650 on your first fast day (FD) and gradually decrease. No disrespect to other posters, but I would say keep with your breakfast latte for first couple FDs (as long as you are honest about number of cals it will take up) but aim to wean yourself down to a skinny latte eventually. I was the same with my Brit ‘cups of tea with milk’ and used to allot about 200 cals per FD to them. Now I probably only have 1 or 2; and have found earl grey without milk is fine for me, plus lots of water, which leaves more calories for my 1 FD meal, usually eaten about 5.00 pm.

I have found the beauty of calorie counting is that it tends to guide me to the food which is most satisfying but is ‘cheapest’ in calorie terms. It usually turns out to be vegetables and a small amount of protein, which is about what other people have described. It is very adaptable and flexible, so enjoy experimenting and finding what suits you. Give yourself about a month to settle into this way of eating. As ET64 (and lots of others) said, it gets easier.

Well done on progress so far, Lotta and Virginia Edie.

Happy times to all!
Bootsy
x

Good morning from the windy North of manchester hope all is going well with you. FDs
Milena,Apple pie,Mogs,Shazalimby,JayeGirl,ET64,Myggan 40,Beldyboop,jennybb,Sunflower-ph,VirginiaEdie,Diana5, Loulou32 and Kayelondon.
I want to say s big thank you for all your posts, tips and sharing facts, problems and solutions. I find this thread interesting and motivating on my weight loss journey.
I have reached my summer target of losing a stone between March and my summer holiday St the end of June, with s combination of this WOE walking, bike riding and a little running. I still have a long way to go to get to a healthy BMI.
My next goal is too lose 6lbs in the 6 weeks before Greece and be at a weight (13st) I haven’t seen for 20 years.
Keep Fasting everyone.