5-week fasting countdown to September

[Peae]

Starting on Monday 31 July I'm going to do a five-week accountability thread. Five weeks will get us to Monday 4 September and the start of term. I would be very grateful for company along the way.

Requirements
Every Monday, check-in with:
A measurement from the scales or tape measure.
Your fasting schedule e.g. 16:8 or 5:2 or OMAD.
Progress to date during the challenge, e.g. 1.5lb lost or number of plant-based foods eaten etc.

In between Mondays we can offer support and companionship. Even if I'm the only committing, I'd appreciate some encouragement if you happen to click on the thread.

(This is inspired by the successful thread by @waistchallenge, www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/4835460-5-week-intermittent-fasting-challenge?page=1).

Morning!

Right I'm back from holiday and got straight back into fasting from Saturday afternoon. I was so worried about weighing this morning but I needed some accountability as I've eaten 3 meals a day, ice creams, milky coffees, cream teas and probably a bottle of wine in total every day 🙈🙈🙈

Anyway, I've put on 0.5lbs?! I think it must be from the walking up and down hills/hundreds of stairs, good old cornwall!

Starting weight- 13st 1lbs
Current weight- 12st 6.6lbs

Schedule- 17:7 but usually 19:5

Week 2 check in:

Starting weight: 11st 7
Week 1 weight: 11st 3
Week 2 weight: 11st 1.5
Lost this week: 1.5lb
Total lost: 5.5lb

I sneakily weighted myself yesterday morning as I had a big family birthday to go to yesterday and knew I would overdo it. Yesterday morning I was bang on 11st so I've put 1.5lb on since then!!

Back on it properly today. It's really disheartening how quickly it goes on compared to coming off- the complete opposite of when I was younger.

Thank you so much @AllTheWeatherAllTheTime (it really has been an awful experience, but I survived it and feeling grateful).

Great to read people's successes, like getting straight back on the horse on Saturday rather than thinking, "I'll start on Monday"!

I know I've been doing all of the right things food and exercise-wise, but the stress has been chronic and my sleep has really suffered. I truly believe it's not just a case of CICO.

Week 1
Starting weight: 10st 3lb
Current weight: 9st 13.2lb
Lost this week: 2.2lb
Total lost: 3.6lb

Fasting: 14:10 / 15:9 ish

back in the 9s, hooray! So far this has been worryingly easy. I’ve just had breakfast having been up since 7am and wasn’t even that fussed about it.

Still a slight pang of regret over bedtime chocolate, but a hard switch off after dinner works well for me - I’m a bit all or nothing when it comes to eating.

@Fouramclub your post reflects my week this week. I've been mixing it up too with OMD, 18/6 and 16/8. I've found omd relatively easy as we just have an earlier dinner at around 6, rather than half 7 as we usually do.
We went out for 2 meals this weekend so had starters and wine as well, but as we were with lovely friends and family, I want to join in and know that otherwise I won't be able to to stick with it.
Over to my weigh in:
Starting weight: 12st 9lb and waist 36 inch.
Week 1: 12st 6.5lb and waist 35 inch.
Today: 12st 5.7lb and waist 35 inch.
I have had a sneaky weigh in a few days this week and I've been both less and more. I use an app called Happy Scale and it shows your weight loss by smoothing the up and down fluctuations. Very handy as it takes into account hormonal gains etc and gives a moving average. It's pretty motivational as keeps me more upbeat.

Anyway well done to everyone for joining in and updating and @Peae I know what you mean about work stress adding to the pressure of eating well and fasting. Stress takes a lot of energy and in my experience that's when I used to get hungry and need carbs in particular!

Morning all

Week 2 Update
A measurement 14st 10lb
Fasting schedule 16:8
Progress STS

Happy with that as its been one hell of a week with working crazy hours and felt rough as hell. did stick to fast but didn't make good choices plus had 2 bottles of wine over the week! STS is an achievement after 2 solid years of gains :)

End of week 2

Starting weight: 10 stone 12
Current weight: 10 stone 11
Loss this week: 0
Total weight loss: 1lb
Fasting schedule: 16:8

I've stayed the same 🙈 I followed the plan almost all week but went out on a mad one on Saturday night and was drinking until 2am so technically wasn't fasting even though I wasn't eating.

Hi everyone, sorry no weigh in for me today, I bottled it this morning after being at a family wedding all weekend. Couldn't face the scales and seeing the damage 😣 so anyway will be aiming for 18:6 this week to try and claw back some progress and will update on here again next monday.

Well done to everyone who's sticking to their plan!

END OF WEEK 2 CHECK-IN

82.5kg
-1.1kg from first weigh-in
-0.5kg from last week
IF 16:8 usually, one day off this week for stress reasons, but also a few times when the fast was a bit longer.

Hats off to everyone for showing up and a special fancy hats off to those who've had a difficult week.

We've had no kitchen for a little while so I'm pleased to be able to cook again after two McDonald's and about a thousand wagon wheels.

Late to the party after a busy weekend for the week 2 check in. Well done to those with losses, I’m posting a gain this week but feeling like almost back on track for my end of the month target.

Starting weight 72.9kg @ end June
last weigh in 69
todays weigh in 69.4kg
Total loss to date 3.5kg

goal - hit 67kg by end August but have 1 week holiday mid August which won’t help…
IF schedule 18:6 (weekdays) / 16:8 (weekends)

Late posting as had no scales in the hotel!

Measurement: xxx.6 kg

Fasting schedule: As much as I could manage on holiday (anywhere between 12 - 16 hours)

Progress: this week (9 days) - 900g; to date - 5.4kg

Back on 36:12 tomorrow!

I've done a sneaky weigh today as I was disheartened earlier in the week not to have lost, because I have been trying hard. I am 2lb down so hopefully that'll stay off for official weigh in on Monday!
I'm preparing for the weekend, I usually have pizza on Friday and some rubbish on a Saturday but I've got BBQ chicken drumsticks and salad ready for tonight. On a day out with the kids tomorrow and it'd usually be a cafe lunch and takeaway when we get home but I have picnic stuff and I'll be putting a chilli in the slow cooker before we go!

I also did a sneaky weigh in yesterday and I've actually gone up to 75.2kg (starting weight 75kg). I totted up the calories I had yesterday and it turned out despite fasting I'd hit 2100 so I really need to cut back. I did eat out and have two glasses of wine yesterday so that might have something to do with it...

Well done @LittleMachine that sounds like you're very well prepared!

END OF WEEK 3 CHECK-INS

Measurement x st 8lb

Fasting schedule mostly 16:8 with a 12:12 and a couple of longer fasts around 17 or 18 hours

Progress I have actually gained 3lb (mostly over this weekend).

I've been run down with a cold sore and mouth ulcers, my walking has hugely decreased, and I've had four meals out in the last four days. And I've got four days' holiday this week.

@Peae you sound like you're struggling, and definitely run down. Sorry to read that.

I'm getting weighed shortly but I've lost my way a little this weekend. I've got Covid, diagnosed with ear and chest infections last week but advised to test - not obligatory any more. I did out of interest. Explains the hacking cough, headache and drenching sweats!

Oh no @Nugg that sounds a bit rubbish :(

(I'm ok. Focusing on getting back on the whole looking after my gut biome, UPF-avoiding waggon. I've very nearly quit Diet Coke this weekend which is a huge deal for me too).

Week 3
Starting weight: 10st 3lb
Current weight: 9st 13.2lb
Current weight: 9st 11.6lb
Lost this week: 1.6lb
Total lost: 5.4lb

Fasting: 14:10 / 15:9 ish

Weight was all over the place this week (back over 10lb one day) so very happy to post a loss!

Sorry for those struggling this week. I had this new strain of Covid a few weeks ago, it was rotten.

Week 3 checkin

staring weight 75kg
first week 74.1
second week 74.1 with plenty of fluctuations between

this week 73.8kg

total loss 1.2kg

method 16:8 and now calorie counting 1500 per day. I feel a lot better energy wise

it's not as much as I had hoped for but it's a start and 16:8 has been manageable. I had actually gone up a lot on Thursday (75.2kg) but it was because I wasn't tracking calories. I am tracking as well as fasting and I can now see where I have been unnecessarily over eating these past few years.

@Peae and @Nugg im sorry you've both had a tough time. Please look after yourselves x

@Peae good to have a plan and a focus, it definitely helps me.

@Fouramclub thank you - have felt better that's for sure. I didn't really consider Covid as a "thing" any more tbh.

So....

Week 3 Update
A measurement 14st 7lb
Fasting schedule 16:8
This week -3lb
Total loss -7lb

Pleased with that after STS last week - will continue as it's a relatively easy lifestyle change for me.

Well done to everyone for losses and for sticking with it!

It’s very motivating to see some big losses!

Morning all! Reporting for weigh in. Hope everyone's week is going well, and sorry to hear so many of us have the lurgy, me too. Not sure if it's COVID (testing later) but definitely achy joints, sore throat, headaches and all that good stuff. That coupled with an evil period has meant I've chucked fasting and carb restrictions out of window until I feel better, and just trying to eat more green things will do.

Measurement 83.5kg, 37.5" waist.
Fasting schedule Normally 16:8ish, low carbing, low UPF, more varied veg.
Progress since last week +0.4kg, 0.5" onto waist since last week, but that's fine and a deliberate choice to come off the wagon this week to let my body focus on fighting off the bug. This is a new way of life, so a few days different while ill won't matter in the long run, as long as I get back to normal when I'm feeling better. Ah well, onwards, ever onwards!

End of Week 3 weigh in:

Starting weight: 75kg
Current weight: 75.7kg
Lost this week: GAINED .7kg (except it's more than that, as I had lost some along the way but oh well.)
Total lost: +0.7kg

I think Monday is a tough weigh in day for me. I did a sneaky midweek weigh in and on Thursday the scales said 73.5, which I was delighted with. Another hen do, and a brunch this weekend means I was eating/drinking long over the 6 hours I aim for on Saturday, and then broke the fast early Sunday. Why are weekends so hard!

For the last month I've struggled to make any real progress. I keep putting on and taking off the same 1.5-2kg. I guess that means the way I'm doing things now is good for maintenance, but I'm not where I want to be yet to start maintaining. I'd like to lose another 5kg really, so not sure how to get there unless I start being really strict on the weekends too.

Update for today and I'm not as optimistic as I've generally been feeling off this week. A bit dizzy and tired so have decided to stick to 16/8 rather than having longer fasts.
Progress has therefore slowed and I have gained a lb since the week 1 weigh in 😞. so am now 12st 7.5lb. I am trying to look on the positives that at least I'm less than my starting weight, and the fasting aspect is about more than just weight loss.
Well done to everyone for carrying on and and updating x

What do people think about tweaking our approach for the next thread?