Want to join me for OMAD / IF? Mutual support thread?

[liondreams]

Hello all, I lost about a stone earlier in the year but then put it all back on again through a period of stress and depression.

I'm mid 40s and have about 2.5 stone to lose. (Too scared to get on the scales until I've lost a bit lol!).

I'm thinking of doing OMAD starting tomorrow, although I will likely have to work up to it. Then allowing some more flexible weekend days where I can eat anything, and maybe even adding in some longer 36hr weekly fasts if I am able (I did this before and am very careful to do it safely and experienced btw).

I'm also trying to walk a minimum of 8k a day / drink a lot more water.

If anyone fancies joining it will be a relaxed support thread, also it's ok if people make mistakes if they slip up! We are human after all... I always find I am more accountable when I do it with other people.

Anyone up for joining?

Hi!

I will join you! I do OMAD. I’ve been doing it for 8 weeks now, but I did it for almost a decade in my 20s/early 30s.

Then life went tits up and I became really unhealthy, started drinking, eating crap all the time. I want to get back to myself now.

Today, I am currently 60 hours into a 72 hour fast, but will
be continuing OMAD after that.

Are you doing it for weight loss as well as health benefits?

I’m sorry - I’ve just seen that you want to lose some weight. My toddler didn’t sleep well, I’m too tired to read properly!

@Ibloodymissgluten welcome! be great to join together to do this thing. Today I've managed to not eat so far, although I've had milk in coffee twice (slowly easing into it!). As I managed this way a few months ago I think I will get there again into the black coffee territory again soon!

You're doing amazingly with your 72hr fast! Wow. I think the most I managed was 48 last time. I might try to throw a few in.

And 8 weeks is good going for your progress on OMAD. How much have you lost so far?

Keep up the good work! ⭐️

Oh, I lose weight very slowly. Always have done. I have no
idea why. I eat so well.

I’ve lost 12lb in 8 weeks, which doesn’t sound great when you hear my BMI is 39. I should lose faster, but I don’t.

This isn’t a diet for me though. I don’t eat sugar (or fake sugar), drink alcohol, I don’t eat wheat (although I am coeliac, hence the username so I can’t anyway!), I don’t eat any processed foods at all. I eat lots of good fat. I like keto, but being coeliac, my diet is so limited that I do eat potatoes and white rice. But like I said, this is my lifestyle not a diet.

There is no wanting that stuff or cheat days. I’ve spent the last decade destroying my health and gaining 11 stone (I lost 5 of that a couple of years ago), after always eating like the above, so I’ve just gone back to that.

I know that sounds really sanctimonious, I’m so sorry 🤣

But I’m 43 now and I’ve got some really bad genetics with colon cancer, my mum died at 45 from it and my dad had it too, I have the genetic markers for it. I could kick myself for letting things slide and ruining my health.

This is my first 72 hour fast (I’ve done a couple of 36 hour), and I am not expecting weight loss from it. Most people do it after eating lots of crap and lose loads of water weight, so I am not going to weigh myself tomorrow, it would just lead to disappointment! I’m doing it for the health benefits, but honestly, if you eat no crap leading up to it, then it’s actually easy as you have no cravings/sugar/caffeine withdrawal to deal with.

What time do you usually eat?

I find I am hungrier mid morning, so I eat then. Evenings are so busy with the children anyway, so it suits me better then.

I use a really good app to keep track called Life fasting timer and tracker. I just use the free version, but it’s quite motivating.

hi @Ibloodymissgluten to be honest my usual mealtime is all over the place hence thinking that this might help me regulate a bit. Although I have also read that eating at unusual times can also be good for the metabolism, when you're fasting, for example, to shake it up a bit. So maybe it will work in my favour.

I agree with you that it has to fit in your life. I too love potatoes!!! Yesterday I managed to fast all day until about 4pm when I went and had a couple of beers and chips at the pub. Not great I know but also I hadn't socialised in ages... so not going to beat myself up.

Today I will prepare a healthy (!!) meal probably to eat at around 5ish.

I managed 10k steps yesterday and will definitely do it again today.

Keep up the good work with your fasting!

I need to get more steps in a day, definitely .

Yes, I’ve read about shanking up eating times too.
I sometimes add in another meal a few hours later every couple of weeks so my body doesn’t get too used to OMAD.

I finished my 72 hour fast last night! I’m so chuffed I stuck to it!

@Ibloodymissgluten you have done amazingly! I always think the weight loss is a few days delayed, even with longer fasts. Something to do with water retention after you refeed, which initially makes you seem heavier after but a few days later you will drop that and go down.

Today is proving to be a slow day, as I am so tired!

I would like to join .. yes Im another losing the 2 stone I lost a couple of years ago (grief/emotional eating)....

OMAD most days really suits me, fairly low carb - with occasional days of 5-8 hours eating.

I like the relaxed approach and the joy of losing in a supportive group

Hi @loveyouradvice

I thoroughly pissed myself off this morning. I weighed myself and weigh exactly the same as last week, 15st 12lb.

Thats with OMAD everyday and the 72 hour fast in there too.

My diet is fantastic, I am getting all the nutrients I need. I eat nothing processed. Nothing fake. Only drink water and green tea.

I just don’t get it! My clothes feel the same too, nothing is baggier.

How can you fast for three days and not loose an ounce 🤣

On the bright side, once the apocalypse, I’ll be the last one standing 😂

@Ibloodymissgluten weigh again in a few days, it's probably the water retention. The body grabs water to fill the empty fat cells immediately following a fast. then it takes a few more days to get rid! So don't panic - it is just a delay.

Keep up the great work!

@loveyouradvice welcome to the thread! Doing in a group is always a bit easier.

Yesterday was not a great day for me, but today I am on the wagon again for OMAD. I am easing into it! also, not managing no milk in coffee yet. When I am a bit further along I will drop that too as I realise it's an obstacle.

One of my big issues is as a single parent I struggle to find time to cook healthy food for me! I might cook once per week and make it last 2 - 3 days. The rest of the time I tend to live off bad food choices (toast, pasta etc). When you have to cook for fussy kids (who only tend towards beige carbs and plain veg) the joy is taken out of cooking. So maybe by eating less often I will find more energy for making the meals I do eat more healthy.... Maybe I need to commit to cooking 3 x per week (making enough for 2-3 days at a time). That's a good idea!

good morning all, still easing into it! slow but steady into better fasting regimes. too early to report any progress but will get there.

Slow but steady is the best! I began really slowly. At first, I cut out alcohol, then sugar, then I stated 16/8 but still had milk in my tea and drank coke zero. Then omad but still with the coke and tea, then I cut out the fizzy and and the milk (swapped to green tea), then I cut out all processed foods and went fully for it. I did that over about 6 months.

I don’t think I would have stuck to it if I cut everything out in one go. It’s a complete lifestyle change now, not a diet, my entire mindset has changed.

I know what you mean about being busy and cooking for children too. At the moment I’m a stay at home mum, so that makes things a million times easier for me. I honestly don’t know how I’d get on if I was working full time or if I was a single parent, hats off to you for that one.

I speak to a nutritionist once a year as I’m coeliac and my consultant referred me to them once a year for bloods when I was first diagnosed. I had that appointment yesterday afternoon. I explained about weight loss (or lack of it). We went through my diet with a fine tooth comb and she was left scratching her head.

I’ve done/am doing everything you would do to reverse insulin resistance, I am getting all the calories and nutrients. All my blood work was tip top. My thyroid function is spot on. I should be losing weight faster, especially at the weight I am now. She literally had no idea!

@Ibloodymissgluten you've done amazingly! Do you allow yourself cheat days at all? What about holidays or nights out with friends?

how do you find it being around your children's foodstuffs, or do they eat the same as you?

congrats on your amazing work so far, keep up the great work. I am also glad to hear the slow and steady approach has worked for you, as I think I will be doing it.

I read an article about someone the other day who started off doing 8k steps per day, then increased to do two workouts on top a week and then something about drinking 2l of water or something all slowly before she even looked at her diet. I am trying to do something a bit similar. 8k is achievable for me I think and not too high a goal.

Today I am trying to get to about 3pm before I eat. Managed to cook for self yesterday so am getting there...!

No, no cheat days.

This is a whole change of life for me, I just don’t eat any “cheat” foods anymore. Some days I might shake it up and have two meals. But I never change what I eat.

I can’t foresee a time when we will be able to go onn
holiday, sadly, so that’s never an issue!

To be honest, I have such a bad reaction to even the tiniest bit of gluten contamination that I don’t eat out anyway, I never really eat anything not made by myself or my husband, it’s not worth it to feel so ill.

My children eat the same generally. Meat, fish, veg. They have gluten free pizza now and again or gf breaded chicken (it’s easier to only cook GF in the kitchen so I don’t have to worry about cross contamination), but I just don’t want it. And if they have biscuits etc, they contain gluten, so I can’t eat them anyway!

I really do need to up my steps but I live in a really horrible area. It’s hard to get out as I’ve got a toddler and it’s all massive, uncontrolled dogs running around or drunks in the park.

I’ve just seen a photo of myself taken 8 weeks ago and I am gutted! It’s up in a display at a club i take my daughter to.

I didn’t realise I look so awful!

Agh, someone has just pointed out it was 4 weeks ago. It’s so disheartening!

Hi can I join please x

good morning everyone.

@indieray welcome to our relaxed thread! 😊 what are your weight loss goals?

@Ibloodymissgluten photos are the worst! I purposely avoid having any taken lol. Hopefully that will change as I lose weight.

On a diet level I lasted until about 4.30pm before food yesterday, but after that it was not good. But we did about an 8 mile walk (20,000 steps!) and I was knackered (in a good way). So, getting there slowly.

For me one of the biggest challenges is the pester power of my DS. For example, we went to a shop in between our walk yesterday and as he'd walked so far he asked for something. So we bought a pack of penguin bars and I ate at least two on the way home! Yes not ideal, something I need to work on... if it were me I wouldn't ever buy these things without him asking!! Must find a way to say no next time.

@liondreams this is why, when though being coeliac is a complete pain in the arse, it does me a favour! There’s nothing I could get when we are out, so I don’t have any temptation.

I actually added up my calories this morning. I my diet is just a variation on a theme (protein, veg, good fat). I worked out I am eating around 1,200 - 1,400 calories in my “meal” (it’s 3 bits over an hour).

Nothing processed, all good fats. Only water and green tea to drink.

I just don’t understand that when I am pushing 16 stone, I am not losing weight on that. It’s getting me down now.

Hi there @indieray !

@Ibloodymissgluten you are doing super amazingly! Coeliac does sound tremendously hard but I am glad there are some benefits for you!

How is everyone's week going?

At the moment my diet side of things is really naff but on the exercise side I have managed my minimum 8k steps every day for 10 days now (usually up to about 13k a day). I'm refocussing on that before I move on to diet more heavily! So, totally different to my original point of thread but feeling a lot healthier already and trying the baby steps thing rather than being hard on myself.

@Ibloodymissgluten btw did your weight drop a bit a few days after you finished the fast?

good luck for the weekend ahead!

Hi!

I am plodding on. Nope, my weight didn’t drop at all.

I’ve lost 1 lb in two and a half weeks!

Well done on the exercise! I need to work on getting out and about more.

I really want to go for a couple of long walks this weekend though, I hope the weather clears up! It’s been raining here for days, not idea for walking with a two year old and a buggy.

I am hankering after fish and chips as well. There is a chip shop in the next town that does a complete gluten free menu on a saturday. I figure at least that’s no sugar and won’t be the end of the world for one meal.

I haven’t eaten out or had a takeaway since I was diagnosed almost two years ago, but apparently, they owner of this chip shop is coeliac and that’s why he does it once a week.