Countdown to JULY

[loveyouradvice]

All are welcome!

We’re a friendly group that uses Fasting in one form or another to help or maintain our weight loss. We all have our ups and downs, and welcome insights from others and laughter along the way.

Summer's here so let's enjoy getting our bodies ready for July, whatever that means to each of us!

Fridays are our informal day for weighing-in (optional) and reflecting on the week – often with ideas for self-care and new goals in the coming week.

We cheer each other on, and commiserate when things don't go to plan.

If you’re new to this group, do introduce yourself and share your hopes and plans.

And welcoming regulars to our new thread...

Hello to our regulars and those who popped in on the last thread
@ItRainsItPours
@HarpQuartet
@IDareSay
@Clearingaspace
@debsiedora
@StealthilyEmbraceTheSilkyBeans
@Octopus45
@Mull
@tiredwitless
@Queendodo

Hope I've caught everyone - please flag up those I've missed!!

Hello 👋

Glad I found this thread- can I join!?

Successfully lost weight in the past but have slowly gained 15kg in the past few years - I would love to lose 10 of that! I've been dabbling with intermittent fasting and fast 16-19 hours most days but think I need to work on what I eat during my eating window to successfully lose a decent amount of weight - any tips for this? Do people combine the fasting with calorie counting?

I do enjoy a wine at the weekend but thinking I need to knock this on the head to improve the weight loss. I would love to lose 4kg by July but may be a bit ambitious! I would welcome any tips/advice/success stories!

Thanks for the new thread @loveyouradvice

welcome @LumpySpaceCow I don’t know what your diet is like but a popular option on here is to cut out ultra processed foods as much as possible as a first step.

@loveyouradvice thanks for the new thread and glad you are doing well after your op. Recovery can be very up and down, mine certainly has been, so be kind to yourself.

@LumpySpaceCow welcome! I have been thinking about whether to calorie count in my eating window. I haven’t done it so far but, as @Clearingaspace says, trying to avoid UPF and, most importantly, sugar. That has naturally reduced my calories a lot as I could snack on choc/biscuits/cake all day long! So I just have lunch (protein focused salad) and dinner (cooked from scratch for the family) and a couple of cups of tea (one sugar) in between. I don’t know what that is in calories but it’s certainly less than I had before this WOE.

Hi @Mull and @Clearingaspace
Thanks for the advice. The meals I eat are generally good but I really struggle with cravings and then tend to binge eat (think chocolate and crisps!) - I think I probably need to increase the protein so that I'm satiated and not tempted to snack and binge. I need to get prepping and make sure I have decent snacks in to reduce the chance of me reaching for the chocolate cupboard (there is still an alarming amount of Easter chocolate left!!)
I think I need to get on top of the snacking and make sure I am not eating the UPF and see what impact that has - if I then find I am still not losing weight, I can then look at calorie counting.

Weighed this morning - 77.6kg - hoping to lose 1kg this week.

Welcome @LumpySpaceCow - yes, I totally agree with reducing UPFs and sugar... and I used to calorie count.

I did 12 weeks IF with 800 calories a day (Michael Mosley Fast Diet) and lost 22lbs that way. I now count calories quite casually so I end up around 1200/1400 most days in an 8 hour window- and when I want to lose a bit more weight, I have 2 days a week where I eat one meal of 500/600 calories in 30-60 minutes. I've done 36h fasts in the past, but am not in that space at the mo!!

My Friday check-in and plans for June:

SW: 14.2
CW: 11.8, so 3lb up from 2 weeks ago...
GW: 10.10.... when life settles down again
GW for end June: 11.4 or 11.5

My June goals:

• Good post-op recovery, eating 100g+ protein a day in 8-10 hour window each day while I heal
• Gently building up an exercise regime I enjoy focussed on swimming, walking and dancing
• Great sleep again - I love my 8 hours in bed and need to be more rigourous about going to sleep at 11/11.30 rather than later
• Fabulous teeth and mouth care - making friends with my water flosser!

And for fun and pleasure?

• Relishing the Rose bath essence I've bought, luxuriating in its extravagance
• More laughter... interesting that one... being open to finding it in unexpected places, and spending time with people who make me laugh?

@loveyouradvice did you feel hungry on the 800 calories? What foods did you eat amd how dis you manage cravings (if you had any?). I lost loads of weight on 1200 per day but I just couldn't maintain it long term. I wasn't IF then though - it's probably easier to maintain if you're IF.

The kitchen closed at 7pm again today as someone came round to measure up for a new window. Real social whirl here
17.5 hour fast broken at 12.30pm.
1200 calories and 80g protein thanks to delicious lamb rogan josh, no rice just broccoli.

Yum to the Rogan Josh @IDareSay

@LumpySpaceCow - the first two weeks I did feel very hungry but was highly motivated by going to a Uni reunion 12 weeks later and wanting to look good!! I ate lots of veggies and berries and meat and fish/seafood, few carbs. But I found after the first two weeks I didn't often have cravings and I experimented with different eating windows - eating in a 4 hour window some days cut both my cravings and my hunger. Strangely enough I rather enjoy my 500/600 calories in 30-60 mins now which I was doing weekly before my op - I felt very full eating so much in such a short time.

If you lost on 1200 that sounds fab - and yes, IF makes it much easier. Knowing that you are just going to stop eating at a certain time really helps - and eating in a shorter window has always been more satisfying for me! Good luck!

Thought I’d better put my June goals down to keep me accountable:

SW (Jan-25): 16.10
CW (5th Jun): 13.7
GW (end Jun): 13.3
GW (end Dec): 11.10

So my goal for June (4 weigh ins) is 6lbs to go from 13.9 at the end of May to 13.3 at end of June. That will be 3 and a half stone lost which would be so fantastic. I’m then away for a week which could be tricky to stay on track but, hopefully, I will see 12 something on the scales in July. I don’t think I’ve seen that number in about 15yrs!!

Got a family holiday at beginning of Aug and will be trying to get to 12.10 for then, a total of 4 stone lost. One of our activities is white water rafting and I will feel SOOO much better heaving myself into a wetsuit than I would have done at my starting weight 😆

Sw 14 stone 10
cw 14 stone 3 so up a little from last thread BUT … waist 108cm start of last thread now down to 101.5!

my 14yo told me I have been looking younger lately so I think although the scale hasn’t done me any favours I must have shifted some inflammation? This must be from improving my eating a little (despite some repeated self sabotage eating sessions). Plus also exercising consistently throughout may in a way I haven’t done for years.

goals for this month:

• sleep - this has been disastrous lately
• fast at least once over 19 hours
• closing kitchen/eating window early enough to have 12 hour gap
• complete Caroline Girvan ultimate beginner weights programme
• reduce waist a little more 🤞and ideally get back to 13.13
• drink more water and take collagen for my knees.

have a great weekend all

What wonderful clarity @Mull - and huge success so far! Many many congratulations. I hope you are revelling in how different your body already feels. And how brilliant to have the incentive of your family holiday and the image of yourself whitewater rafting four stone lighter than the beginning of the year... what a phenomenal achievement. What are you already liking about your body better?? What changes have you noticed with your 3 stone 3lbs loss??

@Clearingaspace what fabulous NSV - looking younger and a waist 7cm smaller!! Yes you'll get back to that 13.13 very soon. And I am hugely looking forward to hearing how you get on with Caroline Girvans beginner weights... I might even give it a go, depending how it goes for you

And me? I think I need to post daily for the next couple of weeks for the accountability and wonderful support from all of you. I'm on holiday - gorgeous pool, lots of easy exercise each day which I'm enjoying hugely. Challenge is family are here and I'm enjoying eating with them hugely too. I am eating far less than I normally would, saying no to lots of things, and making quite conscious choices but the weight is going up. So clearly I am saying yes to too many things too!!

So my commitments starting today:

• aiming for 10 hour eating window, finishing at 9pm latest ... so I need to edge my start time later
• to be clear what I'm going to eat each meal before I sit down - and not be tempted further (and if eating out, reflect with DH before we get there regarding my eating strategies for that meal)
• to resist the things I don't particularly enjoy... and focus on having lots of "free foods" around when others are nibbling: for me, radishes, cornichons, cherry toms and olives
• to decide how much chocolate and nuts to have each day - yes, they brought a box of seriously delicious chocolates... Hmmm... perhaps one a day, alongside my usual 90%

And to keep reminding myself:

• I can do hard things
• I love having a slimmer body and all that it can do and particularly wear: I've brought clothes with me I haven't worn since my 30s
• Delay don't deny ... thank you Gin Stephens, always powerful for me
• To eat every thing consciously and slowly ... quite challenging when talking and laughing lots, I realise I ate things yesterday without noticing...

And yes, you may laugh, but one of my commitments having lost the 3 stone I needed to, was to take my scales away on holiday with me for at least the next 12 months - or anywhere I'm going for more than 4 days.... Weighing daily really helps me focus

Checking in
I lost a longer post so here is a shorter version!
SW 13 5 on 16/3/2025
CW 12 8
GW 11
GW by July - 12 5

Goals for June
16:8 minimum each day
aim to keep carbs low during eating window
Get in a few 17 or 18 hour fasts each week probably on work days
walk each day at least 30 minutes
Yoga 10 minutes each day
Resistance training.. look into starting caroline Girvan beginners programme..

Best of luck to all with our goals!

@loveyouradvice right back at you with the clarity! You clearly know your best strategies and how to deal with tricky eating situations. Always easier said than done (been there!!) but I’m sure you’ll do brilliantly, even on holiday.

What do I think of my body 3 stone lighter? Interesting question. I was very proud of it, getting through the radiotherapy I had at the beginning of the year, even though I had been ‘abusing’ it with sugar, carbs, lack of exercise for years (decades?). So I feel like I’m now treating it better and setting myself up for a longer, healthier life.

I no longer snore which I’m very happy about. It got particularly bad during treatment (saliva changes, sorry, gross!) and it really got me down, so I’m so pleased it’s stopped now.

I’m loving trying some different styles of clothes as I had worn the same thing (leggings and a tunic top) for about 15yrs!

Today I did a 15mile bike ride with the family. I’m not sure I could have done that 3st ago, and I certainly wouldn’t have suggested the trip, but it was my idea this weekend. I’m modelling much better lifestyle choices for the DC so that’s great.

So there’s a lot of changes and I’m looking forward to more as I continue to lose weight. My goal was always about health, rather than what I looked like, but I must be shallower than I thought as I really like looking better ☺️

I'm equally shallow @Mull - much as I say I'm doing it for health, the stronger motivator is definitely looking so much better! Really gorgeous hearing about the changes and huge congrats on 15m bike ride. It is so very powerful that you are modelling great choices for your children, that in itself is worth SO much.

And thank you all for letting me check in daily.

I'm quite proud of myself yesterday - the tiniest slivers of cheese rather than chunks like the day before, just one chocolate rather than 2 or 3 (actually 2 halves, I've mastered slipping the second half to DH so I have the experience of 2 chocs, but only eat the equivalent of one!!), resisting potatoes in the salad nicoise... all in all, good eating. Aiming for the same today and key for me is thinking about each meal before I sit down, deciding very consciously what I am going to do and checking in with myself before each course. So yes, I did eat cheese and have perhaps a quarter of a glass of wine having decided to do neither but both were so small and so enjoyable I see that as a real win.

Hi all. Hoping I can join in!

SW 199lbs (1 April)
CW 183lbs (9 June)
GW 155-160lbs

I have been doing 5:2 for the first time and dropping a slow but steady 1-2lbs a week since the start of April. On fasting days I am targeting 500 calories and am not restricting myself on non-fast days. I am still breastfeeding my 14mo so have been conservative on not cutting the calories too much.

I'm starting to feel a bit bored. It still feels like I've got so far to go, even though I can definitely see a huge difference on where I started already. I know I should try to just plod on and that 1-2lbs a week is sustainable for me, but I'm feeling a bit lacking in motivation. I'd love to hear any tips from people who have been in a similar position.

Welcome @jayni149 Sounds like you are doing so well! 1-2 lb a week is fantastic! Would reading about the benefits of fasting maybe help to give you some extra motivation? Or you could set a challenge for the week around food, exercise or some other self care? I shouldn’t really give advice as I am a disaster tbh sounds like you are doing really well.

Hello all, still here just been very busy.

Relaxed weekend (there was wine and ice-cream and I thoroughly enjoyed it!) but back on the wagon again since yesterday.

I would like to hit a new lowest weight by the end of this month, even if it's only by 100g. Been treading water since the end of March really.

Fasting going well, it's the eating I need to monitor more closely. Aiming for 1200 cals per day on average if possible, lowish carbs, minimal UPF, and a 6 to 8 hour eating window.

You are making brilliant progress @jayni149 and welcome to the thread.
I understand the boredom and when I feel like that I have a couple of days off completely, no holds barred, and then hit the recipe books for some inspiration for a new meal plan. It gives me a bit of a reset but the danger is for me a couple of days can turn into a couple of weeks! You clearly have plenty of discipline though, doing this with a little one too 👏

I have just closed the kitchen, 1100 cals, 38g carbs, and 65g protein. Lovely pancakes and strawberries for lunch and salmon and veggies for dinner.

Hi all
decent enough couple of days with 16:8 and no major disasters food-wise.
Welcome @jayni149
I know what you mean with boredom setting in.. I am not good at sticking to any eating or exercise routine. What helps me at the moment is listening to ‘the fasting method’ podcasts or reading Facebook fasting pages, or staying in touch with this group. Helps to feel I’m not on my own with this!
Also the podcasts give me new ideas so at the moment I’m thinking about when I can try a longer fast eg 24 hours. I may not get there but it’s interesting to hear about the benefits of autophagy etc with longer fasts, and I hope to try that at some point.
Well done @IDareSay sounds like you’re doing really well. Hi to everyone else .. and hope your weeks are going ok

Great goal @IDareSay ... even if its lowest weight by just 100g, how much does that mean you'd lose this month? So understand the coasting since March and sometimes that is what life needs... it's what I love about IF, it is so flexible. And your schedule is absolutely what I aim for, when not healing post-op. You'll see success this month!!

Welcome @jayni149 . Really great that you're doing this while BF your little one, and congrats on lose so far. I agree with everyone else that spending a bit of time reading up on these boards/listening to podcasts is what really helps motivate me. And the flexibility of IF is what's so brilliant - so you could consider playing with a few alternatives and seeing what fits your lifestyle... so perhaps alongside the 5:2, also thinking of doing 8-10 hour eating windows on some/all of the other days, or perhaps a week of 1500 daily healthy calories or so... experiment with what works for you while you are BF, and ringing the changes is a good thing according to Gin Stephens

And me on hols - it's going well at the moment, I've managed to lose those 2lbs that popped on in the first days, while eating in 9-11 hour windows and enjoying great food, but avoiding most carbs and just having slivers of cheese while others have chunks. Expecting it to go up with a feast tomorrow when DC arrive + mates, and tonight out to an expensive restaurant but then determined to balance it back down in the days after.

Well @loveyouradvice that means I have 1.5kg to lose in June, so not too ambitious!
Sounds like you are doing really well on your holiday 👍

Closed the kitchen, 1400 cals, 90g carbs, and 78g protein. Lovely pancakes and strawberries again for lunch and roasted a chicken for dinner. Too hot for a hot meal though so we have had chicken salad sandwiches and a beer hence the higher cals and carbs today, but they were worth it

Hi all, Thurs weigh in from me and a bit disappointed to have STS this week. So still 13.7 and a total of 3.3 stone lost. My goal for June is still to get to 13.3 but now that’s just 2 more weigh ins to do it! I thought I’d done well this week, with exercise definitely upped, but never mind. I’m trying to keep in mind that my eating today should be no different, whatever the scales say, as this is about the long term, not just my shorter term goals.

Hi please can I join too. Did 5/2 very successfully 10 years ago and lost 2 stone, they’ve both crept on again (thank you menopause at least in part). Ready to try again but need the accountability please!
SW 11
GW 9