To encourage you to fast?

[surveythebest]

If you want to lose weight and keep it off.

I fast from 8pm to 12 pm. Usually have my first something around 1pm

I haven't actually changed what I eat. I make sure I have some nutrient rich food in me but generally my diet is a bit shit

Anyway, I've gone from a size 16 to a size 10. This happened within 3 months. It's been 9 months now and I've kept it all off! Remaining at a size 10

I don't eat breakfast, ever.

When I was in my teens, I almost skipped breakfast because I genuinely forgot to eat. The same happened early twenties but then after I had my son, I started eating breakfast!

Since that time I went from a size 10 to a size 16.

So yeah, for 9 months now, I just haven't eaten breakfast but haven't restricted myself really and still don't have a perfect diet by any means

I am remaining a size 10 and it's working. I suppose I'm an 'all or nothing' person. And I find the fast easy to stick to because I can eat 0! Sticking to 0 is easier than sticking to 3 sensible meals a day, for me

Now I just have lunch, snack a bit tbh, and then dinner, also snack a bit but not loads as find I don't want to

When I ate breakfast, I found I was hungry all the time!

So glad I did this and took the plunge. Just thought I'd share

Threeboysadogandacat fair point Like you I'm post menopausal and eat similar times to you save for snacking after 7 which is obviously my downfall!!

Well yes disordered eating can make you lose weight but it doesn’t mean it’s healthy or something to aspire to

I could easily not eat till 12 or 1pm but I enjoy my sly snacking after 9pm which is probably my downfall.

Autumn crow

I can't skip breakfast as I actually feel a bit ill and need something. I eat as normal and I am slim. Everything in moderation. Life is short.

It’s bizarre, because I’ve eaten 3 decent meals full of protein and good fat I never feel the need to snack in the evening. Front loading the day works well for me.

If I leave myself to get really hungry I lose willpower…

god no, just eat later that day.

It doesn't have to rule your life, but what I found is that by eating smaller meals within a smaller time frame I wasn't hungry (except coming up to mealtimes), what I would do here is have lunch, have a snack of something around 5pm time so you're not starving, then have your meal out whenever it suits.

There's something that happens for me when I'm doing IF that means I know when I'm full, before I'm full, so I stop eating at that point, 20 minutes after that I feel like I've had enough, the combo of the two things is great for me for weight loss, and the great thing is I don't feel hungry outside of those times, but you have to listen to what your body is telling you and DON'T carry on eating after you know you've had 'enough'.

My experience has been the complete opposite.

I never ate breakfast and would often not eat lunch either and I always struggled with my weight.

As soon as I started eating breakfast the weight started dropping off.

Yes I was more hungry (I’d never felt much hungry before) but it’s normal to feel hungry and it’s part of a healthy metabolism.

If skipping meals works for you then great but if you’re reading this and it’s not working for you then try and eat breakfast and see if it works, as lots of studies show that people who eat breakfast tend to be slimmer than those who don’t.

Obviously you just have to be careful you’re not consuming too many calories.

The problem is that most of mn claims not to have even 10 minutes a day to workout.
Workouts made massive difference to me too. While most weightloss is done in kitchen, making your body burn more with muscle, better digestive etc is not to be frowned upon

It works because it puts you in a calorie deficient. All diets work by putting the dieter in a calorie deficit. If a diet is successful it is because it has helped you to manage your appetite and so you’ve found it easier to remain in a calorie deficit (e.g. low carb - removes 400-500 calories a day and focuses on protein and fats which promote satiety). By not eating breakfast you’ve probably removed about 400 calories a day from your diet. Over a week that’s a reduction of 2,800 calories. Throw in a couple of runs and you’re at a 3,500 calorie deficit. 3,500 calories = 1lb of fat.

Skipping breakfast just sets me up to snack and binge later in the day. If I have breakfast such as porridge I can go quite a long time without eating and I am not tempt to snack. I am also more focused and have less energy dips. Different things work for different people.

I've just started fasting from around 7:30pm until at least midday, and incrementally building up to a longer fast from there.

I ALWAYS woke up hungry before I tried fasting and would rush to the kitchen for breakfast. And I'm talking proper, sick-feeling, tummy-rumbling terrible. I was VERY skeptical that not eating anything until at least midday would be absolutely awful but it's been as easy as anything. I have a cup of black coffee without sugar or any other form of sweetener about half an hour after getting up and maybe another around 10/10:30am, and I'm drinking 2-2.5ltrs of water a day and feeling - right now at least - bloody amazing!

Have a cup of peppermint or camomile tea and go to bed early.

When I stopped smoking the evenings were the most difficult and I’d end up snacking, so I’d have a bath and go to bed early and read a book whilst drinking some sort of low caffeine tea.

It’s not very rock and roll but you feel so much better for it.

BlossomCloud · Today 13:47
I've lost a stone in two months on 1400 calories a day spread over 3 meals and sometimes a snack. This feels sustainable. (I gained weight rapidly due to steroids, I had been healthy till I got ill, so I fairness it may be that I find it easier because healthy eating is my normal anyway)

@BlossomCloud the NHS weight loss app recommendation was about 1400 calories for me too. Quite a drop from the 2000 average. I couldn’t sustain it. Any tips on what your meals look like? I need to try it again though perhaps after the all inclusive holiday…

Gosh 10 pages in I’m not sure I can contribute much more, but I find I am the same amount of hungry at around 10.30/11am no matter if I have breakfast or not, and no matter what I have for breakfast if I do.

I haven't eaten breakfast since I was about 11. I never eat until 1 or 2. I never really thought about it as fasting though, just that I'm never hungry until then. I wouldn't say I was sedentary either. I walk the dogs for an hour first thing every morning, I do a spin class 5 times a week and walk the dogs for another hour in the evening, sometimes I sneak in a 3rd dog walk on my lunch break(work from home).

I just don't feel hungry before lunch time and have never been an evening snacker really, I don't feel weak or anything else either. I've just always eaten this way. I feel like some people are going in hard on people who just don't feel hungry or get hangry or weak or whatever else.

I wouldn't tell everyone to eat like me, I don't care how people eat if I am honest but I don't think there is anything wrong with the way I do.

I usually go 24 hours between eating, just have an evening meal. Food doesn't interest me, so generally can't be arsed with it. It does seem to keep the weight off though.

I like my tea and coffee though. Usually off my nut on codeine and caffeine by the time I start work.

Interesting !
I used to always skip breakfast as never felt hungry, then fell for the diet mantra of “must eat breakfast” etc
I train in the mornings, so tend to eat something. I might try this fasting to shift a few pounds 🤞🏼🤞🏼
cheers 😃

Not read the whole thread…
just wanted to say that I’m late 60’s, have had an under active thyroid for 20 plus years.
was overweight until nine and a half years ago.
I (fortunately) don’t wake up hungry, and when I do have my first food of the day, which is effectively my “breakfast” (breaking the fast) it feels like it opens up my system to wanting food, but in sensible amounts, not to make up for the hours without.
I also haven’t drunk conventional tea or coffee since 2013, as I don’t want to consume dairy.
My first drink (always have this recipe on an empty tum) of the morning is organic apple cider vinegar with the (six fluid ounces boiling water, two tablespoons of acv, quarter teaspoon bicarbonate, and then add two fluid ounces of cold water before adding a small teaspoon of raw honey, else too hot water will destroy any health benefits of the honey) mother.
I buy it in 5litre bulk, but I think it’s around £2 for a 500ml bottle in Aldi or Lidl.

Further drinks throughout the day are either boiling water to infuse fresh mint or thyme from the garden… just don’t forget to cool the water if you want to add a “good” honey.

In the first few months of doing above, I lost two stone…

My first food of the day can be anytime from 2pm to 6pm, but if it is as late as 6pm, that will be my only meal…. that takes me to the next day.
Basically, I eat when I’m actually hungry.
I’ve found that in the past, I was mistaking hunger for thirst.

I absolutely do realise what I do won’t be ok for all.
It suits me, and my lifestyle.
I’m roughly 5’5”, and just under 9stone.

Note, I also rebound, do stretches, and lift small weights…. none of it is that strict tho’.
I find exercise can be quite addictive, especially as I note what I do, and try to beat my own records.. eg if I achieve 30 squats, I’ll then up it by 5 more, and do that til I want to “up” it again iyswim.

The only fasting I do is between dinner and breakfast. About 12-13 hours. Does that count?

I'm not, as you put it, shitting all over it.

Years ago people would have three meals a day, go to bed, wake up and have breakfast.

They didn't feel the need, nor have the opportunity to graze permanently and there wasn't the access to high sugar, processes foods. They tended to do more physical activity because they didn't jump in a car to go everywhere and work tended to be more physical.

They ate at regular times, and to an extent, during a 'restricted window', albeit a window longer than 8 hours. It wasn't something they over analysed and labelled.

I can't see a great deal of difference between that and the idea that once you've had your evening meal, you stop eating for the evening.

But suddenly what people had been doing for generations is being presented as a wonderful new idea that someone just thought up and when you do it it's called 'fasting'.

Given that people tended to be a lot slimmer in those days, yes, it's highly likely to help with weight loss, which is what I said in my pp.

So no not shitting all over it, just pointing out it's not new and it's not magic.

@Terloz

• breakfast: either yoghurt and seeds and fruit or cereal and seeds and fruit
• lunch - a salad with chicken/fish
• dinner - mixture but always a mix of carbs/veg/protein

Fairly simple food as life is chaotic!

I don't find it hard at all but in all honesty I was slim most of my life with a brief period of anorexia. The weight gain came first slowly from appetite increase from anti depressants and then dramatically from serious water retention and appetite increase from heavy steroids.

Before medication, when I was my "normal" self I never really snacked outside of meals and I enjoyed healthy food anyway.

I actually have to make sure I eat enough to stop any risk of swinging back into anorexia. My goal is to not lose the weight too fast

I agree. The habit of constant snacking didn't used to be a thing, so the idea of not eating after the evening meal is not as novel as it sounds.

Yep. I don’t think not eating after your evening meal should be described as fasting. It’s just not snacking after a large meal.

Still sounds like shitting all over it to me 😀

Why can’t you people just be thin!!