16/8 - 2021 thread

[feliznavidad2]

Anyone else starting afresh in the coming days? I've dabbled in 16/8 in the past but then got a tummy bug and didn't restart.

I'm now the biggest I've been in 10 years and am keen to start taking some action to make me feel healthier and to lose some weight. 👋🏻

Aside from 16/8, I'm going to be reducing my carb intake (although still eating some) and ensuring I eat more fruit and vegetables.

Hello to any others who may be keen to join. I'll be weighing weekly on a Monday and using the Zero app to track my fasts.

Morning all! How is everyone doing? I am down another 200g from yesterday , so hit Milestone 3 on the Happy Scale app...not sure how believable it is but I'll take it!

Apparently at this rate I will hit my target by 20 April (11 weeks), which feels like an absolute lifetime tbh. Still, better slow than not at all, as I keep trying to remind myself.

Today is a FD - tomato soup for lunch and cod with Turkish beans tonight. Its a runner bean stew with lots of garlic and crushed tomatoes. The original has absolutely tons of olive oil but I don't make it that way on FDs!

How is everyone else doing?

@ladybranstonpickle those beans and cod sound really tasty, in fact, all your meals sound really tasty! 11 April could feel like a long way away, but it is still in good time for the summer clothes!

I am finding the fasting OK, and I have been keeping going on the couch to 5k, but I feel exhausted these days (probably mentally more than physically). I think tiredness is possibly my worst enemy when it comes to eating sensibly. So I guess an early night would be a good idea, but I find that I stay up too late because in between work and kids and all the rest the late evening is the only time you get any peace and quiet, so I end up staying up later than I should. And I don't seem to have the willpower to break that pattern.

Anyway, enough negativity. I had porridge for a late lunch at 2, with banana and honey, which was delicious, and my husband is making fish this evening. So a good day overall!

How is everybody else doing?

I've not weighed yet and been on it 2 weeks. I weighed in at the doctors at the start and am kicking myself that I didn't also weigh in at home on the same day as the calibration may be different. However, I am feeling the difference and it's getting easier. I eat porridge with a handful of nuts and sometimes a piece of fruit at about 11.10 (my breaktime at work) and then drink tea with milk until my window closes at about 6pm after a normal sized main meal (no dessert). I'm managing to stay off biscuits and have cut the glass of fruit juice at tea time too. Starting to notice the difference with some of my clothes. I just want to get back into my jeans without them cutting me in half when I sit down! I think the porridge is defo good at keeping me full for longer. Might do a weigh next week or after a month. I'm doing the 16/8 on weekdays only and then alcohol on Fri/Sat eve. Keep going everyone!

Oh and having a big bottle of water with me all the time helps - if I'm hungry I try and drink loads!

@anothermadamebutterfly so glad you replied - I thought I had killed the thread .

I totally get what you're saying about staying up late. I find myself scrolling mindlessly through Pinterest looking at cakes I will never bake when really I should be reading a book or going to sleep! But as you say, its the time you get to yourself so hard to give it up.

Yesterday was a hard day - I was really hungry going to bed on Wednesday night after the fast, and woke up really hungry as well as a bit under the weather. So I made the decision to take the day off from 16:8 and eat three meals - had delicious porridge with oat milk, pumpkin seeds, pomegranate arils, and some chia seeds along with my usual coffee and hot milk. Definitely feel better for having eaten properly.

Interestingly, Gin Stephens in her book Delay, Don't Deny says that hunger like that should be listened to as its an indication of over restriction. That's because your body increases its production of grehlin, the hunger hormone, if it thinks you're being starved.

Back on the 16:8 today though!

@januhairyfebruhairy - seeing it in clothes is great!

@feliznavidad2 @Skinnydecafflatte @FASDE1517 @Whoateallthechocolate @namechangefail2020 @Piglet89*@RedHotChiliChips @JamMakingWannaBe* @PeacheyPeach

how are you doing?

Hi, you didn’t kill the thread!

I’ve been in the midst of homeschooling and this week has seemed really awful for some reason. The 10 year old I thought was working ok but was actually falling behind, the 7 year old just relies on me for every question. Makes you question the teachers when at parents evening they get glowing reports?! Well not from the school of mum that’s for sure, they’d get detention but then I’d only have to oversee that too! 😂

Anyway been so busy with them that I haven’t been thinking about food (alcohol in copious quantities is another matter!). Have mainly stuck to 1450 calories and finding the 16:8 just part of the day now.

Pizza friday in this house and will have a long walk this afternoon to try and counteract any damage although I do calorie count it (homemade).
Am really hoping for another 1.5-2lb loss on Monday. Can’t wait to start noticing a difference in how my clothes feel, another few weeks perhaps?

Hope everyone else is ok? X

Thanks for asking, it is going so well. I'm a big fan of 16:8 so far. I'm not as hopeful going into the weekend though. Weekend breakfast is my favourite and I tend to drink / snack more on the weekend too so I'm bracing myself.

I couldn't help but get on the scales this morning though and I'm 4lb down in 4 days!

Hi all, it's nice to see a group on 16:8 here. I started intermittent fasting in July last year and have lost 2 stone, it's been a complete revelation as I find it totally sustainable. Sure, some days are hard and I get hangry at 10.30 sometimes but it's worked better for me than any fad diet out there. I'm in my mid-40s now and fitter than at any point in my life. Just a shame it's lockdown and I can't show off to my colleagues who haven't seen me since March 2020
I have a Nespresso with milk every morning and an extra coffee on Friday mid-morning as well, you gotta live a little!

Hello. Marking place. Had a very slow January (which resulted in putting on 6lbs) so have gotten back on to
Fasting this week

Apologies, been AWOL.

I'm not doing v well, have got bloody gallstones - started Weds eve after eating chorizo and ended up ringing 111 on Thurs eve. I've given myself the last two days 'off' from IF as not sure if it's exacerbating things but tbh, I don't think it is.

I'll get back to it tomorrow. Currently rattling from pain killers and anti-spasmodic medicines which thankfully are working.

Keep going all! 💪🏻

Oh feliznavidad2, so sorry to hear! Defo need to give yourself some time off to recover. What is the way forward for you? Do you need to get them laser zapped? Take care

Ouchy @feliznavidad2 that doesn’t sound pleasant. I hope the meds keep giving you relief and you feel more normal soon.

Can I just ask what do people do for lunch? I keep having 2 poached eggs on toast, I really enjoy it but I guess I should mix things up a bit. I’m not a great salad fan (hence being 3-4 stone overweight!)!

Sorry meant to say well done @FASDE1517 that’s a great start. Also @crumble26 it’s great to hear that it’s worked so well for you and you find it sustainable. Can I ask do you calorie count too?

Ph @feliznavidad2 gall stones are horrible! I hope things get sorted soon for you. A few days off of IF seem the sensible thing to do.

How is everyone else doing this weekend?

I really struggled yesterday evening and was constantly thinking about snacks! I was good and didn't give in to the temptation but was very very close.

I've don't seem to have shifted any weight this week and I think that was making me feel a bit disheartened but then I woke up this morning to 'that' time of the month. I'm hoping that will account for the maintain this week and next week there will be a marked difference.

Now to resist the urge to eat everything in the house (although we're having a curry tonight so that should keep me going!)

@Skinnydecafflatte

Sorry meant to say well done *@FASDE1517 that’s a great start. Also @crumble26* it’s great to hear that it’s worked so well for you and you find it sustainable. Can I ask do you calorie count too?

Hi @Skinnydecafflatte No I don't do calorie counting. I love breakfasts so I usually just have my breakfast at lunch time and a normal dinner in the evening.

Hello everyone - enjoyed reading back the thread for inspiration. Been doing IF since beginning of January and lost 11lbs so far. What I've found works best for me is 18:6. Usually lunch around 12 and tea around 5.

Have also been sticking to average 1200 cals which seems so much easier if you divide between 2 meals and avoid snacks. Have even had cake and wine!

I've been hungry at times but not shakily so. Overall feeling better. Enjoying my food more too.

About 11 pounds to go and then planning to stick to IF but no calorie counting and do more exercise.

Hi all,
I'm going to start 16:8 on Monday. Have around 2st to lose (post baby weight and baby is now 8 months!). Have been struggling so much to eat healthily since giving birth, I think due to tiredness and the monotony of lockdown. The amount of takeaways I've had is actually embarrassing.

Can anyone tell me how long it took them to get used to/get over the the hunger in the morning? I'm planning on having my eating window 12-8pm, but I'm usually up at 6ish with baby and have had breakfast and lunch by midday! DD goes to sleep around 7 and I make my dinner after this, so don't feel I can move the window earlier.

It's great to hear so many tales of losses and to see new people joining.

An up & down week here. I ended up demolishing loads of chocolate and carbs at the beginning of the week as I always do when I have my period and, whilst I've been angelic since and have eaten mounds of green veg, I'm still heavier than I was last weekend. The chances of a loss of losing 2lbs by Monday seem remote!

Feliz that sounds truly miserable. I hope it passes soon.

@SaraJS216

Hi all, I'm going to start 16:8 on Monday. Have around 2st to lose (post baby weight and baby is now 8 months!). Have been struggling so much to eat healthily since giving birth, I think due to tiredness and the monotony of lockdown. The amount of takeaways I've had is actually embarrassing.

Can anyone tell me how long it took them to get used to/get over the the hunger in the morning? I'm planning on having my eating window 12-8pm, but I'm usually up at 6ish with baby and have had breakfast and lunch by midday! DD goes to sleep around 7 and I make my dinner after this, so don't feel I can move the window earlier.

Hi @SaraJS216 I don't know if you ever truly get over the hungry feeling but it will just sort of embed itself in the routine of it after a while. I get quite hangry by 11 - I'm up well before 6 with my two every day as well so the mornings are looong. That's why I have my coffee to look forward to in the mornings. I also put on 2st over the years as there was only 18 months between my pregnancies and I ate ALL the food to cope but it's gone now - just gotta keep it off

@crumble26 Thankyou, and well done on your weight loss - gives me hope!

Just weighed myself (as I took last Sunday's weight as my official weight) and I've gained 3lbs!! Damn.
I think I may be underestimating just how little activity I'm doing at home compared to when I used to be in the office. Walking the kids to school is probably about a mile round trip and then, whilst my commute used to involve driving door to door, it was a few hundred yards from the car part to the office and then I'd walk to different offices around the site. Now it's about 20 steps to my study.

Hi can I join please ?
If 5 4 and 11 stone 2 so need to lose 17 lbs amd really hope to do this by the end of April .
I'm starting the 16:8 on Monday ... also low carb ( aged 50 so carbs just stick to me !) amd calorie counting mon to Friday .
Great thread have enjoyed reading thank you .

Hi, I have enjoyed reading your stories. I have done the 16:8 for several years. I forgo breakfast and go straight to lunch around 1pm. I drink two glasses of water in the morning, two before lunch and two before my evening meal. This really helps stave off the hunger before lunch.
I also walk two miles each day.

This helps me to maintain a size 10.

FFS! Still 11st2. I was supposed to be losing 3lbs this week NOT gaining 3lbs.
I'm really frustrated. I cannot tell you how many times I have been hungry in the morning and resisted, wanted a hot cross bun or other snack in the middle of the afternoon and resisted, had a black coffee when I really want a latte, not had a glass of wine of an evening but done an exercise video instead. I've even stopped grabbing an apple or something else from the fruit bowl. Aaahhh. Oh well, all I can do is keep on and make sure I'm not having any inadvertent slip ups.

I'm sorry @Whoateallthechocolate - it's so frustrating when you've been really in the zone and the scales don't reflect it.

I've put on 2lb, not surprised as didn't fast for nearly two days... and ate lots of carbs to 'soothe my soul' 🙄 😆

Gallbladder (or at least what I think is a gallbladder problem) has been better since Friday. Onwards and upwards.

Here's to a loss next week. (Got a massive steak & beef dripping chips coming for Valentine's Day but you know... 😙🥴)