Skipping breakfast?

[scotchpotch]

Hi all, I need to reset my diet but want to do something that doesn’t require a lot of headspace, if that makes sense? I’ve always been slim and fit with a good diet but I’m now disabled, a victim of meno belly and have been taking medication that has resulted in weight gain. I spiralled into a state where I just stopped caring about my looks, health etc but now I realise it’s time to make a change. I’ve done 5:2 before and it worked well but involved a lot of meal planning that I don’t have the headspace for. I eat healthily with minimal UPFs (I just eat too much!) and I was wondering if anyone else has effectively eaten at 6pm, skipped breakfast and eaten lunch at 12 with any success weight loss wise? I’ve got about 2-2.5 stone to lose to get back to where I was a few years ago.

That’s called intermittent fasting and a lot if people find it effective. Google it there’s loads of info.

I do similar every day except when going out for dinner or on hols. I use it to maintain mostly, but it can kick start an encouraging loss after two weeks of gorging while away for example!

I don't calorie count, but focus on protein and fibre with a few carbs in the form on wholemeal bread.

Breakfast is usually 11.30, just a mix of oat and wheat bran with milled flaxseed and milled chia, mixed mashed berries + protein powder. Mix with hot or cold water. Sounds yuk but to me it's great, filling and keeps me going. Lunch is a small snack about 2-3pm, greek yogurt and fruit. Dinner is at 7pm and that's it. I have whatever I feel like for dinner but no spuds and plenty of veg/salad. I have the occasional white magnum too, in this heat!, doesn't affect things as long as it's not every day multiple times a day.

It's so easy. Eat in the window, drink water outside it.

I have lost over a stone eating in the last month doing this. My first meal is at 10am and I have dinner by 6pm. Lots of protein and min carb.

Thank you both! Yes, I said in my OP I’ve done 5:2 before so I’m aware it’s essentially IF. Parlona, your approach sounds very similar to what I was thinking. I’m just looking to try and kick start myself into being healthier and realising I’m worth looking after!

Do you have lunch as well, or just the two meals, out of interest? Congrats on your weight loss!

Yes, intermittent fasting worked very well for me . I tend to do a 19 hr fast with a 5 hr eating window. I lost 4 stone in just under a year . Now maintaining it .

Personally I don’t find that approach to IF effective. Not eating for 12 hours, most of which you are asleep through so you aren’t really burning any, doesn’t reduce overall weekly calories that much. Overall weekly calorie reduction is the key. 5:2, on the other hand always works for me. Because it’s basically 500 calories over 24 hours, during over half of which time you are awake and burning calories, twice a week.

Can I ask how you maintain? Overall calorie reduction going forward, increased exercise or just eating a bit more mindfully?

skipping breakfast works for me - I have tea/coffee until lunchtime
sometimes I will have something - if we are away and there is a breakfast there that will go to waste for example

I run 2-3 mornings a week and struggle to run after I’ve eaten so that helps too

it’s not the only thing I do - I do, I need to be sensible about food choices - But it does really help

I did it but only fasted from 7pm until 11am. Lost my target weight then changed to eating by 7pm and eating breakfast at 10am. This is my usual pattern but does sometimes vary if I'm away or I'm out early. I modified my diet as well so don't know how much of the weight loss is down to intermittent fasting.

No I don’t have lunch just the two meals. Sometimes if I get peckish I’ll have a little snack like cheese or nuts or celery etc. but that’s it just two meals. Thank you ☺️

Whatever works works! For me IF on my pattern of 16/8 works for me because it has completely broken the habit of snacking. That's a result for me!

This is pretty much to the word exactly what I’ve just got back into doing and I’ve lost 3 kgs in 6 weeks. I forgot how easy it was if you start the day close to lunchtime with a breakfast like this and finish eating asap early eve. My version of breakfast is kefir + ground flaxseeds + ground chia seeds + grass fed whey protein powder + maca powder + blueberries + walnuts. Apparently what you break your fast with is as important as the fast itself. Protein + omega 3 + something ‘alive’ (e.g. fresh or frozen berries) is the key. Wholemeal toast + eggs + spinach works too. That’s my weekend version. Good luck, OP!

Thank you 🙏🏻 everyone who’s replied. It’s really heartening to hear about your experiences! I walk a lot but can’t run any more and am being very sensible in the heat, so not exercising as much as I would like!

I’m only walking for exercise too. Walking and 16:8 intermittent fasting go really well together. Esp if you can get 30 mins of gentle walking in before you break your fast. But just at all really. You just need to make sure you lose weight slowly and then maintain to preserve muscle mass. Which I’m hopefully doing by losing 0.5 kg a week at the mo. Doesn’t seem extreme.

And you’re definitely worth looking after, OP! Sounds like you’ve had a really tough time of it and now you’re ready to figure out the new way forward. Very best of luck 💓

Just in case anyone might like to try it - I make up a fortnight's supply of my breakfast "topper" and freeze in daily portions (how organised am I ha ha). I said in my post above that I include mashed berries with the seeds etc., but there's more in my concoction and whether it's the best or not, it makes me feel virtuous! I use it on top of greek yogurt also if I feel like it.

So I roughly chop/blend the following, leaving it somewhat chunky.

Mixed berries
Pears (tinned are fine)
Tinned prunes (remove stone)
Avocado
Kiwi

I add a couple of drops of vanilla essence to the mix, just because I like it!

As you can guess, I have no problems in the bowel department after that!

Im pretty much doing the same but eating a bit more in my eating window. I also am going to the gym 3 times a week. I weigh myself weekly and if my weight creeps up , I tighten my window a bit and that seems to be working .

Thank you lovely. I love how this corner of the internet is full of supportive, non judgmental people happy to share ideas!

Talk to me about protein powders, I’ve always swerved them as I don’t eat a lot of UPFs (not in any way judging people who do, it just works for me). I literally know absolutely nothing about them! I don’t have a massive sweet tooth so they may not work for me?

I’m no expert but I use this one: PINK SUN Organic Whey Protein... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B011E7NZDG?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share.

I believe this is LESS processed than the generic gym bro type ones. I think it’s not ‘hyrodlised’ which is good to avoid. Not sweet. Unflavoured. I use a less-than-heaped dessert spoon which equates to approx 6g extra protein per serving I think , and I can’t really taste it at all in kefir / yoghurt. It comes with a 25g scoop but I found that did overpower my breakfast. (Mildly cheesy / dairy but that sounds worse than it is!) The cows are on a grass fed organic diet so the whey is easier to digest / has more goodness I believe.

And if dairy doesn’t suit you I think organic pea protein or similar etc is also pretty good. You just need to look for ones without fillers or flavours etc, same as with any other food you’re trying to swerve the UPF version of.

I just use whichever protein powder is on offer in Holland and Barrett with my Loyalty card discount! It can be expensive. I use whey protein powder vanilla flavour. Can you see a vanilla theme going on with me! I like that taste and it's not as sweet as others can be, IMV.

I hope your journey on the weight loss road is a very successful one. And remember, the occasional day off the regime is allowed, as long as you get right back on the wagon again asap. The worst thing to do is deny yourself when you really want something. That way leads to gorging - well for me it did! So now that I've more or less adapted to 16/8 the craving has receded a lot. Still there now and then and then I give in and start again next day. That wouldn't be every week or anything, just now and then. You know yourself!

Basically in peri I’ve realised I need to supplement with protein and I tried to find the least processed one I could.

Is that what you do @parlona?

Cross posted!

Thank you to all, that’s so helpful! I might post on here from time to time with my progress…hope that’s ok? Thank you all for the encouragement and kind words, I appreciate them so much.