Losing weight by Christmas 16:8 worked before.

[Changednamealready]

PS A big challenge for me is finding work overwhelming and being tired at the end of the day and looking forward to food. I need to break this pattern so would be interested to hear how others cope.

Oh no I lost my post! My initial post, so the above makes no sense at all.
To conclude:

I have had success in the past 16.8. Then the past month/s had a lack of sleep, blaming kids here, and some insane work stress. I have been losing track and eating for comfort, generally mentally fried. Today on the way back from work and picking up snacks for the car journey home (a habit that I seemed to have picked up), I thought what has happened, what on earth am I doing? I'm using food as a energy/mental crutch and I need to get back into a healthier lifestyle again.

Also keen to loose some vanity pounds along the way. I usually need a goal. My goal is Christmas. Anyone in similar situations want to join me?

Hi changednamealready have you made a start?
I'm in a similar situation- always tired due to toddler (and going to bed too late ) and a stresshead boss who likes to shovel all that stress on to someone else/me.

I used to eat relatively healthily but totally lost my way recently and will eat anything and everything, barely any fruit and veg etc etc

Been doing 16:8 for the past few days and stuck to it so far. Currently 10st 5 and would love to get to 9 1/2 stone by Christmas..

Yep, I'm here. I started doing 16:8 for the first time in my life about 2 or 3 weeks ago - I wish I had noted the date when I started. It is far easier than I thought it would be, I'm amazed how much it has reduced my appetite and of course snacking.

I've been calorie counting since 1 July and have lost 22 pounds in total. I'm 10st 8 this morning and like @Ker100, I'm looking at dropping to 9st 7 or better by Xmas.

How much do you want to lose?

I can't stick to anything :( I started a thread on here a while ago about fasting and calorie counting. I'm thinking Christmas is a good target really. Might give it a go tomorrow. My only issue is I love a cup of tea in the morning.

Definitely- give it a go! I have to be honest and say I have a coffee or two to get me through the mornings, with a bit of milk. I know that makes it not a 'proper' fast but going to see if I lose any weight anyway..
As I really struggle without this and don't last more than 1 day.

HI!

Wow great response hi all. Yep I started then I cake off again but I did loose a little. Now going back on it, especially as not have comrades.

Ker100 we have very similar goals. It took me ages to get my head around not eating at breakfast. When I stop I found my energy improved as did mood and appetite. I don’t really know why I reintroduced breakfast again recently, stress I think (I like food and use it as a comfort).

Let's all support each other!!! I start work most days between 6.30-7.30 so I'm up at 6 every day. I can probably last with not eating til 11/12 but it is just the cuppa I would like! So I think I'll do the same.

Absolutely blublu!

So here’s the thing 16:8 until Christmas. Let’s excited about it. It’s delaying morning eating. I’ve found skipping breakfast helpful.

Meirion that’s great 👍

Yes would be great to do it together.

My struggle atm is blood sugar levels during the mornings before eating time at 12. It's ok if it's been a good nights sleep but last night I got 4 broken hrs and my blood sugar is all over the place so felt like I was going to pass out all morning!!

Christmas is 13/14 weeks away.. seems do-able

Thanks, @Changednamealready!

I experimented with a 24-hour fast but it was quite hard and led to over-eating when dinner time finally arrived so I won't be doing that again. I'm back on my regular 16:8 schedule now. I need to stay within 1100 calories to lose weight, and am settling into a daily routine that looks like this:

Breakfast at 12:30. About 400 calories. Normally a dish consisting of 40g oats or bran, 130g fat-free yogurt, up to 100ml of skimmed milk to loosen the yogurt, 1 tsp seeds and a generous helping of fruit, either fresh or frozen. If it is oats then I make it the night before and leave it to sit in the fridge or if it is bran then I make it right before eating it.

Mid afternoon snack at about 3:30 or 4pm. 200 calories. I'm really liking Grenade Carb Killa protein bars, they come in lots of flavours and deliver 20g of protein for only 200 calories plus they are a sweet treat.

Dinner usually 7.30pm, must be over by 8.30pm latest. About 400 calories. Usually salad with either chicken or else tuna and hard boiled egg.

I'm logging everything I eat, partly to track calories but also to hit targets for protein (55g) and fibre (21g). It's a lot of faff weighing food and logging everything but it will become less hassle over time as I get to know the calories and nutrients in everything.

I love it when I still have a bit of slack in my calorie budget by dinner time and can have 10 or 15 ml of mayonnaise or thousand island dressing.

What is everyone else eating?

I am drinking black coffee, btw, alongside water. I would obviously prefer it with cream and sugar but I am learning to like it black and it is great for suppressing my appetite in the mornings while I'm waiting for my late breakfast at 12:30.

Hi Meirion

Thanks for sharing. I too would love to have my coffee with whipped milk and chocolate sprinkles... but alas black it is and once I got into the swing of things it became easier. As mentioned before I’ve tecently re-introduced so today black coffee again.

Lunch had been pretty much what I wanted

Hi

I’ve just started 18:6 or 17:7 this week. I’d like to loose weight before Christmas. I live Down Under, so we’re approaching beach weather and I’d just love a new bikini or swimsuit this year. I’m 38 and my birthday is in January so I’d be keen to drop some weight before then as a double goal.

I’ve been having breakfast at 11.00.

It does seem like black coffee/tea is the way forward. I just find it so hard when tired but am going to give it a go Monday, Tuesday this week and see if it helps the lightheaded-ness I'm suffering during the mornings.

Like everyone else I'm trying to stick to whole foods, lots of vegetables and protein as it makes your whole body feel more in sync..

Have lost 2lb as of this morning, but suspect it's the water weight you lose at the beginning of any diet.

Ker100 are you diabetic or on medications ...?

Ok. A weekend if social eating and drinking, now back to plan. 16:8 tomorrow. I’ll likely have sandwich and coffee lunch the. Evening meal something with masses of vegetables and small yoghurt for dessert. I think I’ll aim for around 1000kcal but my main focus with this is to not use food/ snacking for comfort/ habit.

We can do this, come on it’s not denying just delaying😀

Yep I've been bad too this weekend as there's been a lot on!

In fact yes I'm not diabetic but do have poorly controlled hyperthyroidism which leaves me shaky and nauseous if I'm not careful. Thought it had got better as I've been putting weight on but perhaps not. May have to reconsider whether it's the best diet in the circumstances!

Hey everyone, just checking in to wish us all a successful week ahead. I had 225g of home-made oven chips with my chicken salad dinner this evening. They weren't the most amazing chips I've ever had but they were good enough and only about 175 calories so I'm not complaining. I did well at staying within my calorie limit (1100) this weekend and 16:8 is a pattern that I've settled into fairly comfortably.

The hardest part for me is the waiting for breakfast! I’ve just been to the supermarket after doing school drop off, and I’ve found some nice things to eat, low carb and filling, but now I’m struggling to wait until 11 so I can eat!

I ate my dinner last night so fast! I was ravenous though, but I didn’t have any snacks yesterday and I didn’t want any either. I guess there’s a transition to remembering what hunger feels like.

I agree! We're so conditioned to be full at all times. Well done on sticking to it.. I have been keeping to 16:8 but not necessarily within my calorie limits.
Need to focus more on vegetables I think, the day usually seems to go better if loads of veg is involved.

Meir well done. You stuck to your kcal limit how are you doing this week?

Downunder confession from me, I don’t do 16:8 on days I’m not working or doing school drop off. In a working day (the days I do it) I have a couple of espressos, gets kids ready for childcare then speed to work. There is no time.

On days I do the school run, we’re up at 6 and i currently find it a challenge to go without food as I’m in that chilled zone. So what I sometimes do is just have a cappuccino with skimmed milk that sometimes lasts me. Other times I just delay breakfast. This has stopped me completely caving.

This does work, it took me months to adapt to the lifestyle, I’ve also been doing 10000 steps a day (part jog walking) and despite having quite a few days with alcohol and eating lots (whatever I want) I only gained a pound but have maintained an overall 3 pound weight loss without really trying.

This is after my weight has gradually increased a bit each year.

Now I’m trying!

Down udder yes adapting to being hungry and feeling that’s ok is a real change and not one I’ve completely adapted to. I can sometimes me starving when I get in from work and a challenge then can be food gives me even more of a buzz than usual because I’m also ravenous. Exercise is helping to overcome this.

Hi @Changednamealready, hi everyone.

This week is going well. Stuck to my calorie limit again yesterday. Today I am waiting for 12:30 for breakfast, as usual.

Did some weight training this morning! First time in a long time.

Hope everyone has a great day today.

I try and drink water when I’m feeling hungry but it doesn’t always help. I’m feeling more energetic and awake compared to feeling in a carb induced coma, low carb suits me.

Everyone doing OK? I ate cake yesterday but then followed with 90 minutes of exercise, driven by guilt, so hopefully that has used up some of the calories, if not all. Also I will go the gym this morning and am fasting today until 7.30pm.