Three weeks in, before and after pics

[Smudge2201]

Hi all, after years of too many takeaways, I’ve thrown myself into it over the last three weeks.

I am doing the 16:8 intermittent fasting plan, and have lost 7lbs so far. I’ve been taking ‘after’ pics each week to motivate myself. I know it’s early days, but I feel like I can see a difference already, OH can’t see it. Am I kidding myself? I have another 2st to lose so I know I’m in it for the long haul!

It is tricker with those timings.

I have breakfast at 11am - bran flakes, milk and some grapes chopped up.
Fruit like a satsuma about midday.
Lunch at about 2pm - usually a homemade salad with cottage cheese and ham / or egg. Or a roll with cheese/meat and salad in.
Greek yogurt and fruit at about 4pm.
And then dinner at 6.30 - salad and fish or chicken, or green veg with the same.

aww thanks - you’re too kind! Xx

I’ve finding 16:8 pretty straightforward at the moment - fingers crossed it lasts!

End of third week weigh-in. Have lost another 2lbs so 9lbs in total now in three weeks, and bang on 13st. Really pleased as I am due my period in 3-4 days so wasn’t really expecting anything. Hoping to eventually get to 11st 5lbs, but that’s many, many weeks away.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Feeling a bit low today despite the weigh-in. Pretty sure it’s just hormones. But stupidly tried on clothes that hadn’t fit for ages and got upset that I’m still miles from them fitting, and annoyed with myself for getting so big. And OH got a McDonalds and it took a lot of willpower to not have some 😞 sorry to vent.

It’s going to take more than a few weeks to make a different in clothes (they say ten pound but I think it takes a stone)

I lost two but really struggled and now need a new plan

Thank you, and you’re right. I shouldn’t have tried anything on this soon. Saying that one thing that was borderline now fits. And there are three others that aren’t that far off so they are out of the suitcase and on the back of the door. Hadn’t realised how much my hormones effect my mood.

But @Smudge2201 9lb in 3 weeks is bloody amazing! 👏👏

And well done on resisting the McDonald's! Not easy on a wet Saturday afternoon...

Thanks, rationally I know, stupid hormones are just clouding everything. In bed now, under a blanket with a tea watching The Big Bang Theory.

Congratulations on your efforts, don’t give up. Your OH is just jealous with your weight loss and willpower eg Mc Donald’s. He could be worried you will be even more attractive than you were.

Your face is looking younger and more defined. Well done !

Your face is 100% less puffy OP. You look lovely!

I'm 3 weeks into 16:8 and also calorie deficit and these are my results.
It's plateaued a bit now I guess from the water coming off but I'm so used to these eating habits I don't think I could stomach 3 meals a day.

What hours do you eat in OP?

I do IF 18/6. You're doing really well and hormones like to try and derail us. Have you considered having something more protein based for breakfast so you're not kicking off a sugar rush? I do eat carbs but only for my main meal about 5/6 o'clock

Thank you, just going to grit my teeth and get through today.

Thank you. And you look amazing, such a difference in 3weeks! How much have you lost?

I do like bran flakes for breakfast. Maybe I could add some Greek yogurt to boost the protein.

They're surprisingly high in sugar so with the milk and grapes (yes all different types of sugar) it's gong to put you on a real sugar high which you follow with fruit for snack so more sugar. Can't remember if you said what milk you use but I would go with whole over semi/skimmed if you keep the cereal. Do you like eggs?

I do this too.
Vitamins and a cup of tea when I get up.

I love breakfast so eat this type of food at about 13.00. Usually a bowl of unsweetened cereal, yogurt, almond milk, chopped banana or berry’s and a handful of nuts.
At tea time I have mainly chicken or fish usually with a sauce or marinade. I use the lollipop app for ease.

Eating like this gives me the flexibility to have a snack in the evening. Usually a drink and biscuit or a couple of squares of chocolate, eaten at a time when I relax.

I find it much, much easier to not eat at all until lunchtime. If, occasionally I do, that's when I'm most hungry and will pick all day.

Eating like this, my partner has lost two stone, I have lost half a stone ( I'm tiny anyway) and now happy to maintain. We still eat out sometimes, go for a drink etc.

Eating nuts, I'm convinced has improved my nails and hair. My nails have never been better.

This pattern to my meals has been the easiest of anything to maintain, just normality now, but means we are eating a whole meal less everyday.

Hello all you IFers! I am doing it for maintenance only now. When I was in hospital with a serious illness the weight fell off me (one way to do it!), but it started to creep back once I got my appetite back.

So I did 16.8 for a few weeks and got back to my ideal weight which was what I left the hospital with. I have brek at 11am and finish at 7pm. I am not all that strict anymore but I do avoid the bad things and I don't miss them. I have a break out at weekends (not too indulgent) and of course on holiday.

The discipline of no snacking etc. during the fasting period has stuck now and I don't feel hungry before 11 or after 7. Just used to it I suppose.

I really get on with IF, I don't have to be too strict and it has really helped me get back on track with pre diabetes, which is now a normal reading again. Docs happy too. I stick with home made smoothies and added protein powder, Greek yogurt with fruit, soups, salads, fish, eggs, veg and cheese. Rarely eat meat. A couple of slices of home made soda bread and real butter is my treat.

Ah ok I didn’t realise that. I do like eggs, but not sure how I could do them so I could have them at the office. Not really a fan of cold hard boiled ones.

@Smudge2201 I've been doing IF for nearly 3 weeks but only solid for 6 days and haven't lost anything, I can't control my snacking, during my eating window I had a cup of tea with 3 hobnobs, is this why I'm not losing anything? X

I can definitely see the difference. Keep going op!

Depends what else you had, but again it's sugar so you're best snacking on proteins/veg (not the same with a cuppa I realise). Sorry I know you asked someone else but thought I'd try and help as I'm maintaining not trying to lose

@GinBlossom94 thank you... any help would be great.... I'm not great with veg or meat and I'm the most fussy eater, everyone is saying eat protein and veg I'm not sure what other alternatives there are for me 🙈

Well done, sounds like you and your OH are doing great!