June 2008 Intermittent Fasting

[Ragdoll24]

ItsTime Good going on keeping it lighter than usual after the Company left.

Rachel Hope the lemon helped the water elimination from your face & body.

Nothing too much to report scale wise. Bought 3 new bathing suits on Sunday & am enjoying moving around at my Condo swimming pool.

Hope everyone has a great fat burning day. Will check back later to see how everyone is doing. Barbara

[tnleigh]

It'stime - WTG with getting back on track. It's always a challenge for me to eat right when I have company.

Flower - thanks for the clarification, I'd love to incorporate WW into a lifetime eating plan when I get a little closer to goal.

Rachel - yeah, I know just what you mean, I have no problem keeping my calories up when I'm eating junk food. It's a little harder when I'm trying to eat clean.

As for me, I'm still doing a PSMF during my window. Seems to be working so far, some of the extra weight that showed up on the scale Monday morning was gone today. From all I've been reading, the PSMF is basically a calorie rotation diet that I think should work well with the fast-5 principles. I should have an overall decrease in calories without feeling like I'm starving.

My plan this week is as follows:

Yesterday my calories were about 1100 during my eating window and I did a 30 minute walk/run workout on the treadmill.

Today my calories will be low - about 800 during my eating window and I will do an hour long bellydancing class

Tomorrow will be my "free meal" day and I'll up my calories to around 1800-2000 and do a 40 minute cardio workout

Thursday calories will be back down to 800 with a strength training workout

Friday calories will be around 1000 with cardio

Saturday will be another "free meal" day and I'll up my calories to 2000, no exercise day

Sunday calories go back to 800-1000 range

If all goes as planned, I should average somewhere between 1100 -1250 calories per day, not counting any calories burned during workouts. In the past, I've lost best when counting calories and keeping them around 1200-1300 per day, so I should get an idea if I need to change my eating plan after a week of this.

[Missalissa]

Happy Tuesday peeps! I can't believe it is June already!

Today I am starting my TSF experiment. We will see what happens. Between my horrible eating the last two weeks and the head cold I still have, my scale is up a few. No biggie, probably just water and it will come off quickly.

It supposed to be 100 here today. Man I love summer in Texas. NOT!

Glad to hear everyone is doing so well!

Thanks Barbara for starting the June thread!

BBL!

[Ilove2read]

Gracie - That's just wonderful that your husband has agreed to eat low carb! You sound so very happy and by the two of you working together at this - you'll both be successful! Will you have him eat 80-90 carbs a day or lower? How many carbs do you eat a day, Gracie?

Leigh - Your plan sounds great! I did a little research on PSMF and I liked that it included a lot of protein and I believe eating/drinking every few hours. I have always known that protein fills you up and keeps you satisfied unlike white carbs, but I never thought to eat mostly protein at all my meals and snacks. By doing this, I can eat 5-6 small meals and snacks and be satisfied and not have any cravings. I'm trying to keep my carbs at about 50-75 a day, sometimes more - sometimes less. Good luck on your plan, let us know how it's going!

Barb - That's so nice that you've been enjoying your condo pool! I have a pool here where I live and they just opened it a few days ago. The weather has been sunny and beautiful and I told myself - this year I will take the kids swimming more than once or twice the whole summer, lol! So, I bought them new bathing suits and we're ready to go! I plan to take them swimming either today, tomorrow or thurs. for sure. If today turns out to be sunny - I'll take them in a few hours.

Rachel - How did your low sodium day go? I drank a lot of water yesterday and included a few glasses of lemon water too! I plan to do this everyday!

Melissa - thanks for letting me know you use stevia. I was just drinking the lemon water and was ok with it. I would have loved to have it sweeter like lemonade. I'll try that today, thanks!

hello to everyone else!!!!

[BrandNewMe2004]

Went to the doctor this morning. Not good. Words 'statin' and 'kidney damage' and 'stroke' were used among others. They did tests. Will report back when those results are in. Then I'll have 3 months to make some serious changes/progress or else the doc will want to take the next steps. So far we've only upped my BP meds.
Feeling a little down right now..

[sazzie]

Originally Posted by Ragdoll24

[

Nothing too much to report scale wise. Bought 3 new bathing suits on Sunday & am enjoying moving around at my Condo swimming pool.

Enjoy the pool and your new sexy swim suits!!

Originally Posted by tnleigh

As for me, I'm still doing a PSMF during my window. Seems to be working so far, some of the extra weight that showed up on the scale Monday morning was gone today. From all I've been reading, the PSMF is basically a calorie rotation diet that I think should work well with the fast-5 principles. I should have an overall decrease in calories without feeling like I'm starving.

Glad those extra lbs. are gone! KUTGW

Originally Posted by Missalissa

Happy Tuesday peeps! I can't believe it is June already!

Today I am starting my TSF experiment.

I can't believe June is here, myself!!
Good luck with your TSF experiment!

Originally Posted by flower75

Gracie[/color][/b] - That's just wonderful that your husband has agreed to eat low carb! You sound so very happy and by the two of you working together at this - you'll both be successful! Will you have him eat 80-90 carbs a day or lower? How many carbs do you eat a day, Gracie?

I am praying that it will be successful, and yes, I am very happy about it. I am going to start him with about 80 because I know it's difficult for him.....it will be a start, and since he usually eats many times that amount, it should have some impact.......I pray so!

[Missalissa]

Originally Posted by BrandNewMe2004

Went to the doctor this morning. Not good. Words 'statin' and 'kidney damage' and 'stroke' were used among others. They did tests. Will report back when those results are in. Then I'll have 3 months to make some serious changes/progress or else the doc will want to take the next steps. So far we've only upped my BP meds.
Feeling a little down right now..

! Now you know you have to make some changes for your health. Your health is the most important thing!

We are here for you chickie!

[sazzie]

Originally Posted by BrandNewMe2004

Went to the doctor this morning. Not good. Words 'statin' and 'kidney damage' and 'stroke' were used among others. They did tests. Will report back when those results are in. Then I'll have 3 months to make some serious changes/progress or else the doc will want to take the next steps. So far we've only upped my BP meds.
Feeling a little down right now..

Oh gf, about 6-7 months ago, hubby and I went for our lipid profiles, and the doctor wanted me on statin drugs.

I was dumbfounded and said to the doctor, give me 3 months, and if there are no changes, then I will follow your recommendations.

I went back 3 months later, and he looked at my levels, and said 'I don't know what you've been doing, but whatever it is, keep it up, because your levels are now pristeen'.

I did tell him what I'd been doing (Atkins), and he said.....'if it works, then it works'.

Now, he is not a proponent of Atkins, but I do believe I gave him pause to think and possibly some research to look into.

So please, reconsider you options, and keep the faith, cause we are all here for you!!

[LowCarbRachel]

Melissa, we are here to support your good health in any way we can. We care about you, and we're here to help.

Gracie, oh what a wonderful feeling! I am glad he has decided to join you in doing low carb. It's wonderful that he was ready to make it his decision. And, I must say, your description of what low carb has done for you was beautifully written and quite inspiring.

Barbara, how good does it feel to find three suits to wear? Our pool just opened but it's a bit cool here yet. I don't know if I'll enjoy as much pool time this summer with my daughter in Illinois, but I just might take a note from you.

Missa, hope your cold keeps getting better--and I am excited for your Thin So Fast results.

Leigh, is the belly dancing fun? I always thought it would be! I think it's a good trick to cycle your calories.

Flower, the low sodium day went well--kind of, ha ha. What I mean is that I stayed with low sodium foods but I woke up this morning more swollen and bloated than ever. My knees hurt so much this morning that I could barely walk. So, I'm going to see what my nutritionist says I should do next. All the fat that I know I am burning is "hidden" from me on the scale right now because of this extra water that I am carrying.

Sorry if I missed anyone--I am quickly type this at work and need to press the send button. Happy fat burning Tuesday!!

[Ragdoll24]

Originally Posted by BrandNewMe2004

Went to the doctor this morning. Not good. Words 'statin' and 'kidney damage' and 'stroke' were used among others. They did tests. Will report back when those results are in. Then I'll have 3 months to make some serious changes/progress or else the doc will want to take the next steps. So far we've only upped my BP meds.
Feeling a little down right now..

MelissaF"Feeling a little down" is probably an understatement. I hope you take the Doctor's warning seriously & make the necessary changes to your WOE. Meds are the last resort, all your problems can be solved by using healthy foods as medicine. Statin drugs are NOT the way to go. You are a young woman with a beautiful family & need to do everything possible to be around & healthy for yourself & your family.
Barbara

[Ragdoll24]

Gracie I'm so happy for you that your DH has decided to cut the carbs. We're here for both of you. Wishing you both tremendous success on this WOE.
Rachel I would also try tea & asparagus to help with the water elimination, they are both natural diuretics. Rachel hope you get to the pool this season & can do some water workouts.
Missalissa Good luck with TSF. Are you having the protein shakes with one meal per day?
Flower Enjoy your pool time with the children. Aquatic exercise is really easy & good for us.
Happy Fat Burning everyone, Barbara

[tnleigh]

BrandNewMe - I'm so sorry to hear that your doctor's visit wasn't good. As someone who has been overweight my whole adult life and has horrible genetics, I can say that sometimes it takes a scare to get your motivation back up. My older sister had her first heart attack at 32 and that's what really got me to sit up and take notice of my health. She's forty now and had triple bypass surgery earlier this year. Watching the struggles she's gone through helped me lose weight and serves as a reminder every time I go off my diet for very long and it definitely keeps me exercising even when my eating is not on par. I don't know if you exercise now, but even adding in just a bit of walking every day should help bring your numbers down.

Rachel, bellydancing is a blast. I started taking classes in January and I completely love it. Unfortunately I probably won't continue after this latest session ends later this month because the classes are about 45 minutes away and the gas cost is eating into my budget. The classes are lots of fun though, and I've already bought a couple of dvds so I can continue on my own. It's really a great core workout too. Bonus - my boyfriend doesn't know what kind of classes I've been taking, so he's going to be totally suprised when I actually perform for him.

Something I've noticed in the last few days of IF, I naturally don't start to get hungry until I reach about 18 hrs of no food. By the time I actually hit my eating window my appetite is up and my belly is definitely rumbling. I don't know if I'll ever be able to extend my fasting past the 19 hr mark! It's a totally unique feeling for me to drink something and actually be able to feel it move through my body. Something else I've noticed is that fasting has definitely helped my digestion. Up until now I've had a lot of problems with acid/indigestion, etc., and was having to take some enzymes when I ate on the advice of my doctor. I would eat and then feel completely bloated and yucky for several hours. Since I was eating the typical 3 meals a day plus snacks, it seemed like my belly was upset all day long. Now I'm able to eat within my five hour window without the slightest bit of discomfort. I think the fasting is allowing my digestive juices to get built back up so that when I do eat, the food is actually getting digested properly rather than hanging around in my gut.

[Missalissa]

Originally Posted by Ragdoll24

Missalissa Good luck with TSF. Are you having the protein shakes with one meal per day?

Yes, I am doing the protein shakes and will have a meal of chicken and veggies later today. I am using Jay Robb's protein powder. Hopefully, I'll have some good results!

[BrandNewMe2004]

Originally Posted by sazzie

Oh gf, about 6-7 months ago, hubby and I went for our lipid profiles, and the doctor wanted me on statin drugs.

I was dumbfounded and said to the doctor, give me 3 months, and if there are no changes, then I will follow your recommendations.

I went back 3 months later, and he looked at my levels, and said 'I don't know what you've been doing, but whatever it is, keep it up, because your levels are now pristeen'.

I did tell him what I'd been doing (Atkins), and he said.....'if it works, then it works'.

Now, he is not a proponent of Atkins, but I do believe I gave him pause to think and possibly some research to look into.

So please, reconsider you options, and keep the faith, cause we are all here for you!!

What level of Atkins were you doing for those 3 months?

[sazzie]

Originally Posted by BrandNewMe2004

What level of Atkins were you doing for those 3 months?

At that time, I was eating on average 35-40 carbs. That included eggs, meats, lots of veggies, some nuts, cheeses.

I kept a Word journal, and I'd have to go back and see if I have that info there.

Following the rungs is an excellent idea to jump start the process.

[sazzie]

BNM........check your PM!!!

[LowCarbRachel]

Good evening, friends! Boy, I have had a lot of water today. Here's hoping it will flush out some of the water I'm retaining. I'm having little arguments with myself all day long about how I should just jump to the next phase of the program since I haven't lost another pound yet. BUT, I am going to see it through. I promised myself that I would, no matter what and it's only two more silly days. I DID buy a very cute size 4 skirt tonight that fits perfectly. That's my reward for finishing up just two more days of very low calorie dieting.

Barb, I had asparagus last night, to no avail. Drank tea and water all day long and kept everything low sodium. Hopefully it will do the trick!

Gracie, I can't believe that I have my appetite for low carb back. I am eagerly awaiting the addition of nuts and cheese to my diet Does it kind of feel fun all over again to think about your DH deciding to low carb too?

Leigh, isn't it amazing? I was always so sure that I'd be starving all the time in a window, but my body knew/knows when it's time to eat. I'm glad that I've had these 19 days to reestablish my eating window. Not snacking after dinner and skipping breakfast is back to feel like the right thing to do again!

I am interested to see how I will do on Fast-5 (or six for me) with a serious attempt at low carb. I've been very focused on weight loss the last 19 days, and it's been really good to drop some inches and get into my smaller clothes. But I'm also really excited about getting better nutrients and being able to start up an exercise program, too.

Hello to anyone who I've missed...have a wonderful evening!
Rachel

[Ilove2read]

Gracie -Again, it's so great your husband agreed to do this!

Rachel - I bet with all the water and tea you drank today, the asparagus you ate yesterday and the low sodium day today - you'll have a nice loss tomorrow . It's funny how you mention that you have your appetite back for low carb and it's fun. I'm doing a lower carb plan and I'm just loving it. It really is fun and I love the way the protein fills me up and keeps me satisfied for hours. I have some veggies and a little bit of fruit and I'm happy! I've cracked open a few of my low carb cookbooks and have been cooking again. To me, it's fun cooking nice lower carb dishes that are nice substitutes for high carb foods.

Rachel - BTW, you said you just bought one of George Stella's cookbooks. I was wondering which one it is and do you like it? I believe he has 2 of them and I can't decide which one to get.

Today, I made low carb pizza again for lunch. My kids love it! It's under 2 carbs a piece and about 100 calories a piece the way I make it. I also made a batch of oopsies again and really enjoy them. I used them in place of bread for sandwiches, veggie burgers and I also use them for low carb french toast and it's really yummy! I also love the low carb strawberry protein shake I make too.

I have always felt that a lower carb plan with lots of protein, veggies and a small amount of fruit would work out great for me. That's what I'm doing now and I don't know why I didn't try this before, lol! The real strict low carb plans are just not right for me because I love fruit too much. So now, I make sure to eat plenty of fiber - by eating low carb veggies, flaxmeal and a little bit of fruit everyday (like 1/2 an apple or orange).

My thinking is different this time because I really enjoy the foods I can have and know that the higher carb foods and fruits - I can have in very small amounts. I do much better knowing I have the freedom to eat whatever I want - it's just that if it's not healthy like lean proteins, veggies, fruits, lean dairy - that I should only have a small amount of it.

So, today I've had some low carb pizza, low carb french toast, veggies, low carb cheesecake (made from cottage cheese and protein powder) and I'm about to make that low carb protein shake and have that for dessert. I just cannot believe that all these items are low carb and high protein! I can eat this way and lose weight, wow! Now, I don't eat like this everyday - but today was a fun eating day with the kids!!!


Hello to everyone else! Hope everyone is having a great night!

[sazzie]

Originally Posted by LowCarbRachel

Good evening, friends! Boy, I have had a lot of water today. Here's hoping it will flush out some of the water I'm retaining. I'm having little arguments with myself all day long about how I should just jump to the next phase of the program since I haven't lost another pound yet. BUT, I am going to see it through. I promised myself that I would, no matter what and it's only two more silly days. I DID buy a very cute size 4 skirt tonight that fits perfectly. That's my reward for finishing up just two more days of very low calorie dieting.

Gracie, I can't believe that I have my appetite for low carb back. I am eagerly awaiting the addition of nuts and cheese to my diet Does it kind of feel fun all over again to think about your DH deciding to low carb too?

Rachel, am so glad that you're going to see this through. You've worked too hard not to see these last two 'silly' days through. And a size 4!! You deserved that skirt for your hard work. Am so proud of you!!

Yes, it is feeling a bit like starting over and it is kind of fun. I want him to succeed, especially in these next two weeks so he sees a drop in weight, then we can truly start to enjoy our WOE.....

Originally Posted by flower75

Gracie -Again, it's so great your husband agreed to do this!

Thank you Flower, it sure is a big changeover!!!

[LowCarbRachel]

Hello all!

If you can't eat it, you can at least cook it, right? LOL! I experimented with some recipes tonight. I didn't eat any of them but I let my daughter try them, including the cauliflower pizza crust. I know I need to be careful not to go overboard on fun low carb stuff, but hey, I had to try out my new food processor. *smile*

Flower, your foods always sound so yummy! I liked both Stella books but the recipes in his first one (not Stella Style, the other one) are more appealing to me. However, I don't think I will use soy flour like he does, I will probably substitute flax seed meal or almond flour instead. He has recipes for southern fried chicken and even breaded mozzarella sticks that look so yummy. I'm glad you've figured out an approach that works for you...that's what I am aiming for long-term. I want that sparkle in my eye (like Gracie mentioned in her post this morning) and to be at my best, healthiest weight all at the same time.

Gracie, thank you for supporting me through the final push. I have told myself that even if I don't drop another ounce, at least I *made* and kept the commitment to myself. It's all been very worth it all ready, whether or not I lose a bit more water weight in the next two days or not. I have already succeeded, no matter what! It's going to be exciting to tally up a new number of inches lost on Friday, too.

Have a happy evening, all!

[Ragdoll24]

Rachel Good Going on keeping to the commitment to the low fat/low cal phase of your plan. Only 1 day left, Woo Ho. How did you DD like the cauliflower pizza? The George Stella cookbooks sound great. I agree on the elimination of Soy Flour from the recipes & replacing it with almond or flax flour. I'm sure you will be successful in this next part of the plan. Looking forward to seeing your results in the coming weeks. FANTASTIC news on the size 4 skirt, Yipee!

I'm happy to report that the average scale weight is down 3/4 of a lb for the past week of high fat almost zero carb eating. While I was hoping to see a larger loss, I'll happily take what I can get since I'm close to goal. Baby steps are better than being stalled out .