My 16/8 / 18/6 fasting 80 pounds to lose journey

[TarasChoc]

I've just started this Woe last Monday and I'm very happy with how much more naturally this comes to me than anything else I've tried. I fell into it accidentally after starting The fast 800 a few weeks ago. I had a few things on and found the low carb and calories aspect hard to stick to but realised I was still in a decent deficit, eating less sugar and doing a 16/8 without finding it all too hard. I've now fallen into 18/6.
I am tracking calories, I'm only eating two meals and the occasional snack so I don't find calorie tracking hard.

I'm looking at losing 70 pounds so I'll be in this for the long haul. I'm currently doing a lot of research listening to Gin Stephen's podcast and reading Delay, don't Deny , The Obesity Code and Fast, Feast Repeat.
I've been weighing everyday to track the trends but my official weighin day will be Monday.

It's good to be back. I stuck to my plan over Christmas and certainly had a few treats, but not endless and mindless eating, which I would have done previously. I managed a couple of 24 hour fasts (lunch time to lunch time) around big meals with family.

I am not weighing but know roughly where I am from what clothes fit. Good news is that I just fit into the skirt that my relative gave me for Christmas, which I had chosen earlier in the year. It had become a target!

Now back on the usual regime. No breakfast, small lunch (Purition wholefood powder (chocolate) made into a smoothie with kefir and a small banana has been good for days when I have needed convenience; or sometimes ham/cheese/boiled egg/tomatoes/coleslaw or veg soup) plus a healthy dinner with family.

Trying to stay fairly low carb by focussing on much smaller portions of rice, pasta, potatoes, also increasing green veg, protein, and healthy fats, a little fruit, and no sweet junk. Treat day on Saturday, including breakfast. Enjoying meals out sometimes and not stressing about what I eat then. Usually manage a 24 hour fast Sunday to Monday lunch.

Feeling good, hoping to continue, appreciating knowing others are working this out too.

@WoolerOwl fair play to you, you've made great achievements there with the longer fasts over Christmas plus getting into your new skirt.

I'm sorry I didn't download a fasting app sooner. While I think I'll do grand without it most of the time I do think it'll make me more aware on weekends or holidays. It's easy to become complacent as time goes on but I think and have found already that seeing what time has elapsed makes me properly decide if I'm hungry or can stretch my fast out a little.

How's everyone doing? Getting back into the routine?
My last social event of the "season" is tonight. I'm looking forward to a couple of routine weeks after today - although it's all been lovely.

Hello

can I join?

I used to be a regular 5:2 faster pre children, I lost about 2 stone and maintained my weight for many years, but after my second child I just found the pounds creeping back on.
I decided to start 16:8 on 2nd Jan, I have lost 4lbs in 5 days. I am finding the mornings quite tough, I wake up hungry so have been scheduling all my work meetings for 9-1 so that keeps me busy.
It probably wasn’t planned very well on my part, because I also started my period on 2nd, I’ve had such chronic abdominal pain which is unusual for me, but I’ve been drinking tonnes of water and haven’t felt headachy which I did anticipate would happen.
Hope everyone is having a good Saturday

Welcome @EarlyYearsMe. It sounds like you have made a brilliant start. Don't be too hard on yourself if you need to break your fast early. It's fine to build up more slowly, especially if it means you will stick with it.
Out of interest, are you finding 16:8 easier than 5:2? I tried 5:2 years ago but couldn't get to grips with it at all. Don't think I properly understood what I was supposed to be doing.

Hey @Neeko
erm yes I don’t think I could do 5:2 now, it worked when I didn’t have children and I wasn’t making meals for others during the day, but I think I would find it too hard to stick to 500 calories now, even if it was just two days a week.

Hi all, can I join too? Ive been reading fast feast repeat and having previously tried 16:8 and doing ok although not much weight loss even though my clothes were looser, it all went tits up over xmas and Ive put it all back on. I realise i probably need to stretch to 18:6 or 19:5 to really benefit from tje weightloss. Anyone recommend a free app for fasting?

I downloaded Sunrise Fast, you can pick what fast times you are doing and there is a visual sand timer which tells you how long you have to go. It’s very basic, you have to pay to get more out the app, and it’s an American one so the free articles on there are from American publications but it’s ok. I’m sure there are many other good ones!

I'll look into that thanks

1st week of fasting done.
Can't deny that I am a little disheartened at losing only 1lb, especially because as I was weighing throughout the week it went down to as much as 3lb so was expecting a different number on the scales this morning but hey ho, at least it's off and not on I suppose. I understand our bodies show different weights especially for women depending on menstual cycles etc so I may be retaining a bit of fluid this morning maybe?

I will continue but this week I will have only a 7hr eating window in week 2 as advised from the Fast Feast Repeat book.
I had been eating as normal as I had been before starting the fast. again this was advised in the FFR book. But this week I'll try eating more healthier with lower calorie intake and see if that makes a difference.

Gill Stephens does emphasise not to expect weight loss in the first 28 days so I have that in the back of my mind I just think because I am doing this for weight loss purposes that's what's got at me this morning.
But no giving up here 💪🏻

Hello and welcome to @Higgeldypiggeldy35.

@justcouldntthinkofausername A lb loss is an excellent start. I know it's easy to become demoralised as this woe does not give the quick results of a diet. Do you have scales that measure body fat etc? I lost visceral fat first which wasn't easy to see but was much better fit my long-term health. Measure yourself and take photos too. It really helps for when the scales don't drop. It definitely took me a wee while to see proper results. You will have made improvements in your health too this week. Keep going.

Week 19 -1.2 Pounds

Week 1- 5.5
Week 2 -2.3
Week 3 -1.4
Week 4 -2.4
Week 5 -1.4
Week 6 -1.2
Week 7 -1.8
Week 8 -2.6
Week 9 -2.8
Week 10 -2.6
Week 11-1.4
Week 12 -1.6
Week 13 -1.6
Week 14 -1.4
Week 15 + 5.6 (holidays)
Week 16 -3.8
Week 17 + 1.8 (Christmas)
Week 18 + 3.2 (Christmas)
Week 19 -1.2
total Pounds lost 24.4

To be honest I'm delighted to lose anything. I really only fasted with a deficit for 3 days as we were away at the weekend.

Welcome @EarlyYearsMe and @Higgeldypiggeldy35 it's lovely to see people joining in.

With the benefit of hindsight I would say be patient with this plan. If you can park the weigh loss aspect for the first while and focus on the benefits you feel and getting used to the plan you're onto a winner.
Remember I was loosely doing the fast800 for a few weeks before I fell into fasting. It probably gave me a head start into the fat adaption.

I weight everyday and I can not describe how much my weight fluctuates. When you build a database over time it does get much easier to ignore any upwards fluctuations or smaller weekly losses.
There's no rhyme or reason to it, weight loss isn't linear but eventually the results will show up. Most likely not when you expect.

I'm very excited to be properly starting fasting today for 2023.
Just to return to the benefits of rarely feeling hungry, not having cravings, eating really good tasty food without guilt and consistently losing weight plus all the health benefits fasting brings to my body.

I was a bit put out with having to deal with Christmas right when I was having a good momentum but Christmas and all those other good and bad times inbetween is part of normal life. If I can overcome the times I stall I think it will prepare me better for maintainance in future. Looking back when on other weigh loss attempts I've stayed perfectly on track at times but I'm not sure it taught me anything as when it came to maintainance I struggle.
My previous history is to diet for an occasion or certain weight. This time I'm following this WOE for all the benefits I mentioned up above and to make it my typical way of eating. Fingers crossed that will help me lose that diet brain!

Thanks again everyone who joins in, its lovely chatting and hearing how you're all doing. A very unmumsnetty x to you all 😁

Good news on the weigh loss @TarasChoc. You sound in a good frame of mind.

Hey 👋🏻
I’m on week 2, day 1
found today a bit trickier- I’ve not left the house waiting for the roofer and as a result some mindless snacking occurred mid morning 🤦🏻‍♀️ torn between doing some HIIT or having a glass of wine and just picking it back up tomorrow.

Boredom is my biggest challenge!

Draw a line under today and leave the wine for when you can work it into an eating window.

Snacking, wine and the all or nothing approach are all habits you can break with consistent fasting windows. :)

@EarlyYearsMe as a SAHM I can confirm that being stuck in the house all day is a route straight to boredom eating!!! 🤣

How are you all doing?
I have lost another couple of pounds and I feel good, less hungry in the mornings, (my food window is 1-9pm)
found some unopened Christmas biscuits, instead of keeping them & potentially giving into temptation, I gave them to my neighbour! 😌

The appetite correction is starting @EarlyYearsMe :) when this happens it makes things much easier.
I was off work today and had to wait in between 9am and 2pm for a courier to collect a return. Thankfully he came at 12. I had distracted myself with a pile of socks and bits and pieces but knew I would've been on shakey ground after that.
I've done 21/3 this week. I really only aim for 18/6 during the week, would usually manage more but mentally knowing I can eat again if I'm hungry later seems less daunting.

How are you getting on since @mumlikeaboss?

wow 21/3 💪🏻🙏🏼

how often do you typically do 18:6, every day?
My next profession will be to 18:6, not sure when…

Should say my next progression…

At weekends, sat and sun, I aim for 16/8 that's usually achievable but I don't sweat it if I have a longer fasting window occasionally. However if I get complacent then I tighten things up.
During the week I aim for 18/6 but most days it ends up been 20/4 or 21/1. That happens naturally I don't force it. It's easy for me to fit those hours into my usual routine but if I'm out and about for lunch or dinner then 18/6 works better.
Give yourself time to adjust and don't aim for too much at once or it'll seem overwhelming.
Breakfast and morning hunger has never been a thing for me so the aspect of skipping breakfast isn't hard for me.
Now no Way could I leave my window open until 9 at night like you can or I would snack from 6 to 9 and most likely sneak in midweek wine.
We All have our own ways that work best.
I do drink wine still but only at weekends and I do feel it impacts my losses but I'm still losing at a level I'm ok with so for now I am OK to include it at weekends.

Sounds like you are all making good progress.
My average window is also 18:6 or 19:5. I aim to generally finish eating at 6.30pm and my work lunch is either 12.30 or 1.20. It took me a while to build up to that but it's not an issue at all now. I sometimes push my window later if we have plans at the weekend. The flexibility of this woe is a real bonus.

@TarasChoc I'm frustrated - the insatiable hunger is back and I'm finding it impossible to do the shorter windows I did over Christmas... Which means 6 out of the 9lbs have gone straight back on 😭

The only explanation I can think of is that it's definitely health / stress related. Over Christmas we had lots of lovely time chilling out, catching up on sleep (I'm ALWAYS tired with Hashimoto's 😴) etc... Maybe that somehow had a temporary effect.

Gah.

Anyway... I've had a GP appointment and they're checking various levels of things and have asked me to alter my thyroid meds very slightly so we'll see if that changes anything. 🙏🏻

@Neeko are you doing IF now to maintain or lose weight?

@mumlikeaboss I'm sorry to hear you're struggling and feeling the effects of your condition, hopefully the change in medication will get you back on track.
Have you ever tried low carb with fasting? I do occasional spurts of low carb to help reduce inflammation and it does help to satiate my appetite.