Starting on Monday - anyone want to be my buddy?

[SpanielFace]

I'm planning on starting next week - it's my birthday on Thursday so want to wait until after then!

I'm 32, 5'7 and have about 5 stone to lose. I have a 10 month old DS and I have recently been diagnosed with an underactive thyroid gland, which slows the metabolism and makes it harder to lose weight - I started treatment 2 weeks ago and am already feeling much better, so I'm hoping to find losing weight a bit easier. 2 stone of this weight has been gained since having DS, which I feel ashamed about, but have been feeling exhausted and depressed (due mostly to the thyroid, it turns out) and have compensated by comfort eating.

I really hope this will be a solution to 8 years of yo-yo dieting, which have taken me from a size 10 to a size 18 A little nervous of the hunger, but I know it won't kill me.

Does anyone want to be my buddy, for a bit of mutual support?

[AphraBehn]

tigerlily I do 2 meals split 200/300 which seems to work better for me. We won't talk about my succesfull FD yesterday that I then went on to completely sabotage with a meat pie and toasted crumpets .

[Curioustiger]

Aphra! Oh dear! On the fast day or on the next NFD?

[AphraBehn]

on the FD. It was all going so well up until then!

[Curioustiger]

aphra just try and think of it as a virtuous (in terms of calorie count) NFD and try again maybe? It's annoying but I am sure we'll all have setbacks.

How did you get on spaniel?

[SpanielFace]

Good, thank you! I had a cup of tea at breakfast (can't survive without my morning cuppa!) then an apple at about 3pm, then I was too lazy to cook and had a Sainsburys "Oh My Goodness" ready meal at 402 calories for tea at about 6pm. It was BBQ chicken, rice & spinach, and actually very nice & satisfying, so I was glad I'd saved the calories. The whole day was easier than Monday, and I was much less hungry in the evening. We were actually out for drinks last night for a friend's birthday, meeting at a cocktail bar in town. I deliberately drove to make sure I wasn't tempted to drink, and had diet coke all night. Everyone probably thinks I'm pregnant again now as I wouldn't normally turn down cocktails! Not ideal to fast on a weekend, but Thursday was just impossible on an hours sleep. Going to fast on Tuesday and Thursday next week I think.

[SpanielFace]

Aphra, never mind! I'm sure it happens to everyone at some point. Hope you're having a nice weekend & are ready for your next FD.

[Curioustiger]

God well done spaniel, no way would I have the discipline to fast on a night out. I'm going to fast mon and fri again this coming week to fit in with busy days for me as that's the key I think, then after that i will probably start doing it on Monday and Wednesday to get it out of the way early in the week (my busy Friday is a one off).

[mnistooaddictive]

I am going to try again tomorrow after last weeks disaster. Hopefully i will get past lunchtime!

[SpanielFace]

Mnistooaddictive, I am fasting tomorrow too - I decided to do Monday/Thursday this week. Good luck!

[mnistooaddictive]

Good luck spaniel- is it wrong to eat now in preparation?!

[Curioustiger]

We're all fasting tomorrow then, great. I will check in and let you know how I get on!

[SpanielFace]

3lbs off, hooray! And that's despite really just eating what I liked on my NFDs (wine, cake etc) - I know I will need to be a bit more careful than that, but it's been so nice to eat guilt free for once! I've changed my mind, DH has bought BBQ stuff for tonight so I'm going to fast tomorrow. Good luck with today!

[AphraBehn]

Aaaargh. 1lb gain for me this week. It was only to be expected though, with only one FD and a week weekend of excess. I don't normally drink alcohol but in this hot weather I've been having Pimms or lager shandy almost every day .

I'm not going to fast today, will do tomorrow as planned. That way it feels less like a punishment. I can also regulate my NFD eating a bit as well.

Have a good FD to everyone else.

[AphraBehn]

Well done Spaniel. I think the guilt free eating is the most important bit.

[Curioustiger]

I do like the fact you can chop and change the fast days. I'll let you know how I've got on!

[Sparklysilversequins]

Just to let you know I have been fasting on and off for a couple of years now. I lost all my weight and manage to maintain it. If I put a couple of pounds on I alternate day fast until its gone. I am 9 stone.

My single biggest tip for it working is go as long as you possibly can on your fast days before you eat anything at all. I rarely eat before three. For some reason if I eat little snacks and start early I feel much hungrier and really struggle, quite often fail that day.

Keep going it DOES work.

[Curioustiger]

Thanks sparkly, that's really inspirational. If you've been doing it for two years you must predate the horizon programme, how did you hear about this way of eating?

[Sparklysilversequins]

I read an article about fasting and it's health benefits about four years ago and then ordered this book. Started doing it and lost weight.

I actually posted on here about at the time and was told by a few posters that it wasn't sustainable or healthy to go that long without eating blah blah blah . So I carried on, lost my weight and then suddenly everyone was posting about it and how great it was. I was "er yes, tried to tell you about this a couple of years ago!"

[foofooyeah]

Hi there, My first fast day today. Decided to go with the nohting until tea time option, Fortunately Im finishing work at 4 today so wont have to last too long - also very busy at work.

Am feeling hungry now but not unbearably so

[Curioustiger]

I feel hungry now but not unbearably so. I've got some really nice teas including a liquorice and peppermint one that is naturally very sweet... It really helps I find. I'm going to have dinner at 5pm I think... Bit earlier than last time as I'm not as busy today so it's a bit harder.

[foofooyeah]

I shall have to get some teas - am going to cut out sweetener as well so the licuorice one would be nice.

Am feeling proper hungry now

[Curioustiger]

The liquorice one is teapigs; it's fantastic. It is so sweet it would taste horrible with added sugar. I have a really sweet tooth as well!

[SimplyTes]

May I join? Thank you - presume that it is OK for me to be a late starter! First fast day today. I am 5ft 10 and have two stone to lose, 40 years old and fed up with all my clothes being too tight and my tummy wobbling as I move. I have been for a run, v hot, hopefully sweated out Sunday night wine, have drunk three pints of warm water and lemon juice and eaten a bagel with marmite (not sure of calorie count).

Not hungry at the moment but my DSs tea time is my danger time, plus period is due anytime which makes me carve sugar. Anyhow - with your support and inspiring stories I'm sure to be fine! Cheers for tips Sparkly I will try and go longer before I eat, had 'brekkie' at noon. Will fast every Monday and Thursday.

[Curioustiger]

Hello simply! Hang on in there!

[SimplyTes]

Thanks Tiger! Reading though the whole thread again you sound very supportive and super busy - what do you do? Nosy I know but keeping mind off lovely leftovers in fridge, I was gardening but much too hot here in Hove.

I do have work to do but have managed to put if off for fourth day in a row! I mark for a friend (she is exceptionally busy teacher!) and in September I start my NQT year as Business / Economics GCSE / A level teacher - don't think I'll have time for her marking then! Cheers to you all and roll on tomorrow - will that be too soon to weigh myself?