Started Fast 800 today

[DareDevil223]

I've got lots to lose, I'm feeling lousy, so heavy, achy and sluggish and I can't bear to see myself in the mirror so I'm making a dramatic change. Losing a pound a week is not going to cut it.

I eat far too many carbs so I think this Mediterranean style of eating and the the drastic cut in calories will do me good. I've read the book, I've stocked up on the right foods and cleared out the crap. I haven't eaten yet but I'll have my first meal soon.

I know that it will be hard going at times but the promise of rapid weight loss is worth a bit of pain.

Wish me luck. I'll update on my progress as I go.

Welcome to newcomers and good luck!

@ParmaViolet44 Michael Mosley says not to net off calories burned through exercise in the book, which I had always done previously when trying to lose weight.

What exercise does everyone do? I'm trying to do HIIT everyday but seem to struggle to motivate myself as well as keeping on track with the diet.

I'm into week 7 now and had TOTM and struggling to keep away from snacking on the kids' food/treats.

Ah thanks @OhMrTumnus. I've always done that too which is probably why I never lost much!

I run with my dog which kind of forces me to do it even when I really don't want to as he sits by the door with his lead!

Trying to do some yoga as well but a bit paralysed by all the DVDs and online classes available!

Parma I run a lot too (I'm doing about 40km a week) and while I don't eat all my exercise calories, I do have an increased amount. However, I have done the BSD for over a year now, and so I am at target and don't have much weight to lose (bmi 22)- I definitely noticed a physiological switch when my body fat reserves dropped, and found I was absolutely starving after running. I try to run fasted, eat protein and fat after training, and keep the carbs low even if I'm racing or doing a long run.

Today for example, i've done 24k steps (I've ran 11km) burned 3000 cals according to Fitbit (I don't 100% believe this number) and have eaten 1300 cal, 60g carbs, but my carb macro was 19%.

Still going along nicely into my second week. It's bizarre that I only get hungry a little while before my meals. When I was doing WW I was snacking all the time and permanently hungry. I'm wondering whether cutting all the hyper-palatable stuff and increasing protein is making me less hungry. I also feel that I'm eating loads even though I'm obviously not!

Welcome to everyone who's joined the thread

No weight loss this morning ( after my initial day one 4 lb loss )
But followed it today lunch at 12 , 300 cals and tea just now 5oo , so waiting to see the scales tomorrow
Ps my work pants feel looser , I don’t feel as bloated and I’m not hungry until just before my meal ( think someone already mentioned this ) so happy bunny 😀

Hi everyone, I would like to add a big welcome to all the lovely joiners too.

I have been mad busy with half term this week which is why I've been incommunicado. I've just caught up with the thread. Well done!!!!

Well here I am at day 11 and I have lost a stone. A full blinking stone!!!! To say I'm absolutely thrilled to bits is something of an understatement

This is what I've learned so far.
A tablespoon of cornflour will thicken a 4 portion sauce and hasn't as yet had any detrimental effect on my blood sugar levels or weight loss.
An electric spiralizer makes 800 meal making for a pasta mad family easy, I just swap mine and dp wholemeal pasta for courgetti.
If doing a pasta bake line the non pasta side with foil so I'm not making two dishes.
Above ground veg seems to have little effect on weight loss so one can eat to appetite.
Broccoli and cauliflower stems make brilliant crudités.

Bread, even home made wholemeal sourdough sliced 5mm thick is an absolute no no (my blip #1, I had two slices of this bread in a day and put on half a pound)
Potatoes and root veg seem to have a detrimental effect on weight loss, even if they are within the calorie limit.
Don't get cocky - weigh, measure, portion control (my blip #2, stopped paying attention to what I putting on our plates and we ate too many calories, again put on half a pound)
Drink plenty of water, at least 8 glasses a day.
Try not to weigh yourself until at least 12 hours of fasting.

Think that's about it for now ...

Whoop ! Another 1lb off ( possibly two but my eyes are not up to the little scale markings first thing in the morning )
Struggled a bit last night ( small pkt crisps ) but hoping this won’t be too bad

@Jacksback Well done! We are terrible evening Snackers. We eat about 6pm and then don't have anything else until morning except calorie free drinks. Psychologically I think we're managing not because we don't Not snack, but because we do observe a 14hr fast starting at 7pm. I also make sure we have a breakfast which is absolutely delicious, sweet, creamy and filling, the thought of which seems to keep me going! This week breakfast is 1/4 cup raspberries, tablespoon of toasted almonds, 10g 70% chocolate flakes and 2 tablespoons of full fat Greek yogurt with a teaspoon of Stevia. I start looking forward to it about 8pm the night before

Could I ask a question about Macros? I'm seeing lots of information about the ratios of protein/carbs/fats and am getting a bit blinded by it all!

In the book it says you need at least 50-60g of carbs a day, is that roughly what people are following? Or are people just focusing on trying to lower carbs and concentrate on keeping to the 800 cals?

I'm definitely making low carb choices but just wondered how others are managing all that. Day 4 and I have been religiously weighing and measuring food, have continued my regular exercise and not eaten those calories but no weight loss yet. I'm determined to stick with it though, it's early days!

@ParmaViolet44 I couldn't tell you what amount of carbs a day I have I'm afraid. I have berries nuts, seeds and full fat dairy for breakfast. Tend to skip lunch and have a small amount of wholemeal pasta or brown rice mixed with loads of veggies and oily fish or skin on chicken, 5% fat pork or beef mince. Lots of tea and fizzy water. That and the 14/10 fast is all I do. Maybe you are having too many carbs and not enough good fats?

@ParmaViolet44 also I make sure I'm under 1000 cals a day, very little of which are carbohydrates, including wholemeal anything, grains, pulses, root veg, and Bananas. X

Hi can I join too please - OP really resonated with me too. I was very successful with BSD (waves to Bear) but sadly I am a cautionary tale as regained it all (more than 40lbs ). This week I have found out I am low in vit D - was feeling crapola, no energy and unable to exercise, periods had started to stop, low mood etc and put it down to weight gain but it might be too do with D deficiency - so anyone who is still feeling rubbish it might be worth getting it checked out. Vitamin d deficiency is associated with weight gain but not clear if its cause or effect.

I do aim to start doing 2 x 800 soon but going to start off with trying to improve what I am eating.
baby steps

Ghost that breakfast sounds delicious
I have been eating eveningmeal and then that’s it , but dp bought them , and master chef was making me crave
Note to self eat main meal during master chef 🙂

@GhostBustersFavouriteMum

Well done lovely, you are doing amazingly well!

I'm really glad that this post resonated with people. It feels good to be doing something about it although it's going to take a while to get down to a reasonable weight - how did I let myself get this big?

Weight is going down and I've taken up my weight training again (just at home with my collection of kettlebells, I can't face the gym until I'm fitter). I am doing more walking as well.

I'm sleeping better and I am really looking forward to my dinner of smoked salmon, scrambled eggs and asparagus.

Keep fighting the good fight everyone

@DareDevil223 Lookit! You have had such a positive impact on the people who have been touched by your perfect description of what we're feeling. You're a star xxx
@Jacksback it is a pretty lushola brekkie to be fair. I find it easier to stick with the fast period if I'm really looking forward to breakfast! I totally know what you mean about craving ... Endeavour? Set in God damn frikkin Chocolate factory this week. The Bastards. I had to have a lie down by the time I found out who dunnit!
@yumyumpoppycat Every baby step is a step forward. You got this!

@GhostBustersFavouriteMum and @thenewaveragebear1983 thanks for all the tips, they're really helpful!

It's annoying, I've been keeping everything tracked on MFP and have been on 800 cals each day. Avoided carbs unless they're in the veggies but definitely no potatoes/pasta/bread etc. I've also done 2 huge runs and a gym workout so was a tad gutted that hadn't even lost an ounce. This has happened before though, it's like my body just clings to every pound. I have to work stupidly hard to lose weight.

I'll keep going, I think you might be right that I need to cut my carbs down even more. Surely something has to happen soon!

Hi yumyum! How are you?? Swing by the main thread any time, we're always there!!

To anyone wondering about macros- you don't need to count carbs on this plan, and you don't need to be fastidious about macros. The plan itself is naturally self limiting, ie. if you eat 800/1000 calories, avoid bread, pasta, flour, rice, cereals, potatoes and most fruit, and concentrate on getting some good fats in and eat some protein - there's not really a huge amount of room for large amounts of carbohydrates. Some of the recommended foods are relatively high in carbs, but they are ok because the portions are small and the type of carbs don't cause your blood sugars to rise so quickly. It can be helpful to view your macros over a week rather than a day- so you might have a day where you eat lentils and lots of veg, so it's relatively high carb; the next day you might want to have a lower carb day and get more fat in, or protein.

On a really good day for me, I'd have around 20-25% carbs, and 35-40% fat and protein, but I only know this from looking retrospectively rather than that I endeavour to get that result.

@GhostBustersFavouriteMum

How kind of you, thank you so much xx

Op are you having 800 cals a day or just twice a week? Well done on your weight loss btw

Parma you may be correct at least in as much as your body may be clinging to fat reserves to fuel your workout and repair itself. If you think about it, you're asking it to do something tremendous- burn fat as fuel all day, then put out maximum exertion on glycogen depleted muscles, day after day. Or to workout first thing, with no food in you, then get through the whole day. And it's not used to it. I went through a really challenging few months where I was literally fighting with my own body, and i was clawing back every calorie burned (or it felt like it at least).

When you lose these large amounts of fat, it plays cuckoo with all these hormones that control our appetite (eg leptin, ghrelin) plus skews your balance of oestrogen as it is stored in fat, and all this has an impact on your insulin levels. 'Starvation mode' is widely criticised, but that's assuming that you're consuming a reasonable amount of calories- it stands to reason that if you're eating 800 cals a day and doing a vigorous workout that burns 801 calories, plus the recovery required, that it may halt your weightloss. When I do long runs now, ie. anything that burns over 6-700 cals I eat something extra, because long term it's simply not conducive to good performance to live in negative calories, regardless how much fat you have to use as fuel.

Hi @DareDevil223 so glad you started this thread, well done with the progress.

Can you tell me what an average days meal plan looks like? ( I haven't read the book but will)

What about exercise, have you upped it or just concentrating on food in for the minute?

Can't wait to start this. BMI of a touch over 28 at 5ft 4.

These are from the ebook x

@BayandBlonde

I have 2 meals a day (lunch and dinner) I'm eating meals such as:
Porridge with nuts and a little milk
Full fat Greek yogurt with berries and a few nuts
Tuna or chicken salads with loads of veg.
Scrambled or poached eggs with smoked salmon or (my latest find) Linda McCartney vegetarian sausages - low cal, high protein and so delicious with asparagus.
Chicken wrapped in prosciutto with roasted veg.
Homemade soups

Just tasty, easy high protein, low carb meals. I do have proper porridge oats and the odd slice of rye sourdough. Fruit wise I've stuck to berries or an apple. I do save some calories for a splash of milk in my tea. You can take most of my calories, you can even take most of my carbs but you'll have to prise my mug of tea out of my cold, dead hand .

For exercise I am doing strength and conditioning work with kettlebells and walking as much as possible.

Hope that helps!

you'll have to prise my mug of tea out of my cold, dead hand looooool

Right! I'm inspired by this thread, I'm doing this! Is it 800 cals on 2 days a week and then... what on the other 5?

I've just downloaded the book...