Fast 5 - Anybody want to give it a try?

[wildflower]

Originally Posted by myhnabird

Hey! I'm so pleased to have found this thread!

I've been doing Fast 5 Low Carb since Jan 14 and am pleased with the results, though disturbed by the scary-fast initial weight loss. We're talkin' 11 lbs in the first week... I'm thinking I may have some diabetes issues but as long as I stay LC, there probably isn't any need to have myself tested, right?

Anyway... I'm a long term LC'er but have found the basic plan to be less and less effective as I age. Also, I snack like a fiend and even though I'm eating "legal" food, it's got to be having an effect on my bloodsugar. Fast 5 certainly puts a stop to snacking. So, I'm back in the drivers seat, seem to be losing inches (why, oh why didn't I measure when I first started?) and saving money like mad. Gotta love it!

I'm looking forward to meeting each of you as we support each other on this amazing journey!

Mary

Welcome Mary -- I started Fast 5 on Jan 20 so you're a few days and lot of lbs ahead of me. I've only gone down ~2, but that's ok. I had lost 40 lbs last year doing semi LC and it just quit working. But I did maintain so that's good!

I've been diagnosed pre-diabetic and check my bs most mornings and it has gotten better. I was worried about the fasting part but with alot of fluids, I don't have any issues. I'll be getting some blood work done this month so hoping that part gets better too! Pretty excited about it all.

Glad you here!

[sldeal]

wildflower - I did LC off and on for years, although I never followed the book I still managed to lose (slowly). To be honest, I enjoy LC and I find it quite filling. I think that's one reason I'm able to hold out on Fast5, consuming fats & proteins reduces my cravings.

I'm glad your bs is remaining stable and I'm sure when you go for your tests you'll have excellent results!

I'll be weighing in and taking measurements on Monday, I'm not sure about lbs but I definitely feel as if the inches have been reduced.

Enjoy the weekend!

[wildflower]

I still do mostly low carb - sometimes I crave a baked potato and I give in but it is rare. I still stay away from wheat.

Yesterday, my day went well until... Ate within my window of 3-8, but at 10:00, I just picked up a Hershey's kiss and popped it in my mouth. DH had bought a bag.

Will that mess up my fast? I hope not as I haven't regained any of the weight since doppped those two lbs. Interestly, when doing callanetics this am, I saw loose skin on my legs when I was doing some of the stretches. I see it on the under arms but not my legs -- until now. Wonder if that means I losing inches.. hmmm - guess that means I better do callanetics every day to tone things up and gain some muscle. I'll be measuring the end of the month.

Have a great day!!!

[CharlotteChick]

Fast 5 Day Number One! I, too, have been JUDDDing without much success, so am hoping F5 will be the ticket.

It doesn't sound there's much calorie-counting going on, which makes me a bit nervous! From past experience if I don't eat 1850 calories on my "up days," I'll typically gain. BUT then again, when I did hcg over a year ago, I was only eating 500 calories/day and I lost!

Glad I found you all Your posts have already been encouraging!

Susan

[sldeal]

WHY THE SCALE LIES... Meaty Bones

Ok, I came across this on FB and wanted to share on this forum, very good read.

"We’ve been told over an over again that daily weighing is unnecessary, yet many of us can’t resist peeking at that number every morning. If you just can’t bring yourself to toss the scale in the trash, you should definitely familiarize yourself with the factors that influence it’s readings. From water retention to glycogen storage and changes in lean body mass, daily weight fluctuations are normal. They are not indicators of your success or failure. Once you understand how these mechanisms work, you can free yourself from the daily battle with the bathroom scale.

Water makes up about 60% of total body mass. Normal fluctuations in the body’s water content can send scale-watchers into a tailspin if they don’t understand what’s happening. Two factors influencing water retention are water consumption and salt intake. Strange as it sounds, the less water you drink, the more of it your body retains. If you are even slightly dehydrated your body will hang onto it’s water supplies with a vengeance, possibly causing the number on the scale to inch upward. The solution is to drink plenty of water.

Excess salt (sodium) can also play a big role in water retention. A single teaspoon of salt contains over 2,000 mg of sodium. Generally, we should only eat between 1,000 and 3,000 mg of sodium a day, so it’s easy to go overboard. Sodium is a sneaky substance. You would expect it to be most highly concentrated in salty chips, nuts, and crackers. However, a food doesn’t have to taste salty to be loaded with sodium. A half cup of instant pudding actually contains nearly four times as much sodium as an ounce of salted nuts, 460 mg in the pudding versus 123 mg in the nuts. The more highly processed a food is, the more likely it is to have a high sodium content. That’s why, when it comes to eating, it’s wise to stick mainly to the basics: fruits, vegetables, lean meat, beans, and whole grains. Be sure to read the labels on canned foods, boxed mixes, and frozen dinners.

Women may also retain several pounds of water prior to menstruation. This is very common and the weight will likely disappear as quickly as it arrives. Pre-menstrual water-weight gain can be minimized by drinking plenty of water, maintaining an exercise program, and keeping high-sodium processed foods to a minimum.

Another factor that can influence the scale is glycogen. Think of glycogen as a fuel tank full of stored carbohydrate. Some glycogen is stored in the liver and some is stored the muscles themselves. This energy reserve weighs more than a pound and it’s packaged with 3-4 pounds of water when it’s stored. Your glycogen supply will shrink during the day if you fail to take in enough carbohydrates. As the glycogen supply shrinks you will experience a small imperceptible increase in appetite and your body will restore this fuel reserve along with it’s associated water. It’s normal to experience glycogen and water weight shifts of up to 2 pounds per day even with no changes in your calorie intake or activity level. These fluctuations have nothing to do with fat loss, although they can make for some unnecessarily dramatic weigh-ins if you’re prone to obsessing over the number on the scale.

Otherwise rational people also tend to forget about the actual weight of the food they eat. For this reason, it’s wise to weigh yourself first thing in the morning before you’ve had anything to eat or drink. Swallowing a bunch of food before you step on the scale is no different than putting a bunch of rocks in your pocket. The 5 pounds that you gain right after a huge dinner is not fat. It’s the actual weight of everything you’ve had to eat and drink. The added weight of the meal will be gone several hours later when you’ve finished digesting it.

Exercise physiologists tell us that in order to store one pound of fat, you need to eat 3,500 calories more than your body is able to burn. In other words, to actually store the above dinner as 5 pounds of fat, it would have to contain a whopping 17,500 calories. This is not likely, in fact it’s not humanly possible."

So there you have it, we should all feel great the next time we step on the scale!

Happy Eating

[sldeal]

Originally Posted by CharlotteChick

Fast 5 Day Number One! I, too, have been JUDDDing without much success, so am hoping F5 will be the ticket.

It doesn't sound there's much calorie-counting going on, which makes me a bit nervous! From past experience if I don't eat 1850 calories on my "up days," I'll typically gain. BUT then again, when I did hcg over a year ago, I was only eating 500 calories/day and I lost!

Glad I found you all Your posts have already been encouraging!

Susan

Charlotte, it's always to have another body aboard. I'm not sure you've downloaded the free ebook already, but if not just google Fast5.com, once you register you will be able to access the book which is very easy reading. Also, there's lots of support on FB called thefast5dietandlifestyle it's a closed group and everyone on there is very supportive.

I don't count calories with Fast5 (not yet anyhow), I'm still sticking with Atkins LC, but I noticed my appetite has dwindled quite a bit. I started on January 5th (I think, I gotta look it up) so although I still have a few hunger pains, they aren't severe and they tend to go as fast as they come. But I've also noticed certain foods that I eat trigger off hunger. I found it helpful to keep a food log in my journal so I can always go back to see what did or didn't contribute towards those hunger surges.

I'm sure we're all going to see a difference in 2013!

[wildflower]

Susan. JUDDDing didn't work for me only with my dealing with my dh. This is so much easier -- he doesn't even know what I'm doing!!

Sideal -- thanks for that info on the scales. I've decided to weigh once a week. So far, starting last Sunday, weighing today, I've lost a lb -- which is what Dr. Herring said should happen. I've also noticed my appetite decreasing. Today so far, I've only had about 500 calories - have till 8 to finish up. Will do some nuts, cheese and maybe cononut oil coffee to keep me going till tomorrow!

[sldeal]

Took BF out for his b'day last night and we had a fantastic time. The amazing part is that I managed to fast for 23 hours! It was planned, initially I was going to break my fast at 3pm and maybe extend it to 6 hours rather than 5 hours. But I got busy and around 5pm I decided to see if I could go for another hour. I didn't break my fast until 6pm. My last time eating before then was 7pm, so that's 23 hours of no eating.

I don't know if I can ever do it again, but I'm wondering through Fast5, as time goes by, we learn to have more control over food, rather than food having control over us? It was a beautiful feeling. Maybe one day I'll be able to do it again? I think the magic word is staying busy though. I'm sure I would have caved in if I had nothing but time on my hand.

[sldeal]

I'm down another pound this morning, weighed in at 181 . Not too much of a difference in my measurements this week, however, I do realize there are periods where your body goes through adjustments so it's all about being patient.

Measurements 12.29.12...................Measurements 1.28.13
Chest - 49 ....................................... 47 1/4
Bra - 38DDD .................................... 38DDD
Waist - 40........................................ 36 3/4
Lower Hip - 49 1/2............................. 47 3/4
Upper Hip - 47................................... 46
Left Thigh - 29 1/2............................. 28
Right Thigh - 29 1/4.......................... . 28
Wrist - 6 1/4......................................6 1/4
Shoe Size 6 1/2 ................................ 6 1/2
Dress Size ........................................ 14W

Total of 9 1/2 inches lost to date & 6lbs!

[wildflower]

Sideal - you are doing great!!!! That is a great fast. I only been able to go 20 hours. Will you continue doing that or only occassionally? It has to help even better than the 19 hours Dr. Herring recommends.

Since I started Fast5 last Sunday, I've lost 2.4 lbs. Super excited about that!!!!!

[sldeal]

Originally Posted by wildflower

Sideal - you are doing great!!!! That is a great fast. I only been able to go 20 hours. Will you continue doing that or only occassionally? It has to help even better than the 19 hours Dr. Herring recommends.

Since I started Fast5 last Sunday, I've lost 2.4 lbs. Super excited about that!!!!!

My window is 2pm - 7pm (19 hours) but on occasion I do go over (unplanned). On Saturday I actually made it to 23 hours (unplanned), just got busy, one thing led to another, and so forth. I'm hoping to get into some kind of exercise regime by March, I'm sure the results would be better. My biggest problems is patience, even if I don't see a loss on the scale I don't want to become discouraged. At the end of the day, it's my clothes that will be the deciding factor for me. My goal for April is size 12 so I guess I'm focused more on inches rather than weight. But I'm sure if the weight falls off, so will the inches.

[myhnabird]

Hi guys. Sorry it's been a week since I've checked in. FF is still going well, and I'm feeling really good about doing it. I'm calm all the time and the arthritis that was starting in my knuckle has taken a hike. There's certainly a link between wheat and inflammation for me so doing this low carb seems to be the way to go.
Glad to hear everyone else is doing well!
Mary

[wildflower]

Sideal - I had to break my fast early yesterday so today I'm pushing toward 22 hours. Almost there - 2 hours to go!!! I'll be measuring the end of the month so I hope I see some changes. It feels like I should!

Originally Posted by myhnabird

Hi guys. Sorry it's been a week since I've checked in. FF is still going well, and I'm feeling really good about doing it. I'm calm all the time and the arthritis that was starting in my knuckle has taken a hike. There's certainly a link between wheat and inflammation for me so doing this low carb seems to be the way to go.
Glad to hear everyone else is doing well!
Mary

Mary, you're right about the wheat. Have you read Wheat Belly. If you haven't do so -- I have rashes disappear that I've had for years. Glad you're still around!!

[sldeal]

Originally Posted by myhnabird

Hi guys. Sorry it's been a week since I've checked in. FF is still going well, and I'm feeling really good about doing it. I'm calm all the time and the arthritis that was starting in my knuckle has taken a hike. There's certainly a link between wheat and inflammation for me so doing this low carb seems to be the way to go.
Glad to hear everyone else is doing well!
Mary

I seem to remember reading somewhere that Fast5 & LC had lots of health benefits and something to do with relieving aches in joints. I think we should remember, it's not always about losing weight, but our health. If it's working for you and helping you to feel much better, why stop! Keep up the good work, and thanks for sharing with us.

[sldeal]

Originally Posted by wildflower

Sideal - I had to break my fast early yesterday so today I'm pushing toward 22 hours. Almost there - 2 hours to go!!! I'll be measuring the end of the month so I hope I see some changes. It feels like I should!

For me the best thing about Fast5 is the flexibility! You can shorten it, lengthen it, move it around and it will still work! Good luck on your 22 hours.

[T.G.]

Thought I'd jump in here...

I got back on F5/LC earlier this month and was down 6# UNTIL my PB2 arrived.
Wow! For those that aren't familiar with it, is a powdered peanut butter. You reconstitute with the liquid of your choice. I have stalled/gained 2# after having it in the house for just a week...it is one of those things that just keeps calling to me from the pantry. SO, I have put it out in the garage!!! Even though I was eating in my window and staying mostly below 20 net carbs per day, I still gained. Back on track as of today.

Keep-up the good work, everyone!

[sldeal]

Originally Posted by T.G.

Thought I'd jump in here...

I got back on F5/LC earlier this month and was down 6# UNTIL my PB2 arrived.
Wow! For those that aren't familiar with it, is a powdered peanut butter. You reconstitute with the liquid of your choice. I have stalled/gained 2# after having it in the house for just a week...it is one of those things that just keeps calling to me from the pantry. SO, I have put it out in the garage!!! Even though I was eating in my window and staying mostly below 20 net carbs per day, I still gained. Back on track as of today.

Keep-up the good work, everyone!

Thanks for sharing with us. I absolutely love peanut butter but have stayed away from it for now, it causes cravings for me. I never heard of PB2 before but I did check it out online and it appears it does have sugar in it. That may be one reason for your stall. Anyway, it's a good thing you decided to hide it in your garage, but let's hope it doesn't come looking for you I would love for you to share with us whether or not you experienced a reduction in pounds once you stopped eating it.

[leeloo]

I'm psyched to see a Fast 5 thread - I just started today

I've been mostly back on the LC wagon for a few weeks now, but not having much in the way of results (age, hormones), so I think I'll give intermittent fasting a try. I'll stick to OWL level carbs, though, at least for now.

I hope this works to get that scale moving! Cross your fingers for me .

[sldeal]

Originally Posted by leeloo

I'm psyched to see a Fast 5 thread - I just started today

I've been mostly back on the LC wagon for a few weeks now, but not having much in the way of results (age, hormones), so I think I'll give intermittent fasting a try. I'll stick to OWL level carbs, though, at least for now.

I hope this works to get that scale moving! Cross your fingers for me .

!

we're excited to have you with us. I know what you mean about the age factor, I'm making slow progress, but I'm determined to stick it out. Don't forget to take out your measuring tape. If you don't see a loss in weight you might see it in inches. But don't worry, we're all in this together; I'll definitely keep my fingers, arms, legs and eyes crossed in hopes that you see positive results!

[sldeal]

Hmmm, not sure what happened today I got the 'hungries' terribly today. I'm posting this because I'm trying to figure out what I did wrong. My intake this morning was diet ice tea, which I sometimes drink during the mornings. I had a meeting to attend and when I got back I had 1/4 cup chicken bouillon, Swanson (no msg).

What I've realized over the past 2 days is, if I don't drink anything, including water, my appetite is somewhat suppressed. Starting tomorrow, unless I'm craving something to drink, I'll try to go without drinking anything until my body tells me differently. When I arrived to work this morning I automatically headed into the kitchen to make a glass of ice tea, I wasn't craving it and I wasn't hungry, I did it out of habit.

I'm reminded of the time we use to live in New Jersey as kids. Because my mother & father had to leave for work early, we use to walk to school every morning without breakfast. Sure, there were days, where we would drink maybe milk or juice, but generally we never wanted anything to eat. Our stomachs were empty until lunch where we were required, by the school, to walk back home to eat, students were not allowed to stay on the school grounds for lunch during that time, afterwards we would have to walk back to school for afternoon classes. Thinking back, I'm sure breakfast wasn't preached to be the most important part of the meal back then, and I don't remember having lots of overweight kids in my classroom.

Starting tomorrow, I'll make a mental note to refrain from in-taking any kinds of liquids unless I feel my body needs it or if I'm hungry.

Thankfully I was able to make it to my eating window of 2pm and gobbled my lunch, but I almost caved. I ate dinner around 6pm and was so stuffed I decided to close my window 30 minutes early at 6:30pm.

I hope everybody had a successful day.

[leeloo]

I have just eaten a large and satisfying dinner of a half-pound steak and massive amounts of sauteed cabbage.

And I broke my fast at 1:15pm or so, with a kefir-whey protein-coconut milk-berry shake.

That makes 1436 calories for the day, and about 50 net carbs.

I've got almost another hour in my 5-hour window, so we'll see if any further hunger strikes.

So far, so good! I was hungry but not crazily hungry during the day.

[wildflower]

Originally Posted by T.G.

Thought I'd jump in here...


Keep-up the good work, everyone!

Welcome T.G. The more the merrier. Thanks for joining us!!

Originally Posted by leeloo

I'm psyched to see a Fast 5 thread - I just started today

I've been mostly back on the LC wagon for a few weeks now, but not having much in the way of results (age, hormones), so I think I'll give intermittent fasting a try. I'll stick to OWL level carbs, though, at least for now.

I hope this works to get that scale moving! Cross your fingers for me .

Welcome leeloo -- I have everything crossed too! Age an issue here too! Just turned 65!!

Sideal -- I usually just have coffee in the mornings and it doesn't seem to affect my appetite one way or the other. Hmmm - guess we all handle things differently.

I'm gonna measure tomorrow morning. I'm pretty excited as I think I will see some decreases. At least I hope so. My weight has been down 3 lbs, but then without a bathroom visit, it goes back up...

[wildflower]

Originally Posted by leeloo

I have just eaten a large and satisfying dinner of a half-pound steak and massive amounts of sauteed cabbage.

And I broke my fast at 1:15pm or so, with a kefir-whey protein-coconut milk-berry shake.

That makes 1436 calories for the day, and about 50 net carbs.

I've got almost another hour in my 5-hour window, so we'll see if any further hunger strikes.

So far, so good! I was hungry but not crazily hungry during the day.

Yummy - sounds good!

[SICCHI]

Hey everyone!

I'm a judder that is on day 1! I love juddd but have been stalled for over a month so I am trying to 'shake it up'

I am 19 beautiful minutes away from my first bite of food I have picked 3.30 - 8.30 as I am usually in bed by then (or close anyways, 5.45am wake up here).

I have been drinking ALOT of water, almost 2 litres and felt a little woosy, but I am a sugar addict so that could explain it.

My wedding is in 3 months and I am desperate to shed these last 4 kilo! I always stall at this weight. I am a 10-12 but want to be a 10. Anyways, I am so glad there is a thread here!

Also, just wondering, Have any of you had full blown off plan days whilst on the diet?? Just wondering if that were to happen, are there massive gains/cravings to follow?? Judd is so forgiving, thats why I love it.

14 minutes to go!!! Will post how I go today tomorrow

[wildflower]

Originally Posted by SICCHI

Hey everyone!

I'm a judder that is on day 1! I love juddd but have been stalled for over a month so I am trying to 'shake it up'

I am 19 beautiful minutes away from my first bite of food I have picked 3.30 - 8.30 as I am usually in bed by then (or close anyways, 5.45am wake up here).

I have been drinking ALOT of water, almost 2 litres and felt a little woosy, but I am a sugar addict so that could explain it.

My wedding is in 3 months and I am desperate to shed these last 4 kilo! I always stall at this weight. I am a 10-12 but want to be a 10. Anyways, I am so glad there is a thread here!

Also, just wondering, Have any of you had full blown off plan days whilst on the diet?? Just wondering if that were to happen, are there massive gains/cravings to follow?? Judd is so forgiving, thats why I love it.

14 minutes to go!!! Will post how I go today tomorrow

Hi, and welcome to Fast 5. I've only been doing this for about a week and a half so I haven't had any blown days. I find the plan so flexible that anything I do on a particular day will work for me. Now, I haven't had pizza and ice cream all day! JUDDD didn't work for me because of family issues plus all I was doing was bouncing up 2, down 2. I was so optimistic as I saw how it worked for others.

There are others here that have been on the plan longer so they may have more info. I'm really enjoying it!

[sldeal]

Originally Posted by SICCHI

Hey everyone!

I'm a judder that is on day 1! I love juddd but have been stalled for over a month so I am trying to 'shake it up'

I am 19 beautiful minutes away from my first bite of food I have picked 3.30 - 8.30 as I am usually in bed by then (or close anyways, 5.45am wake up here).

I have been drinking ALOT of water, almost 2 litres and felt a little woosy, but I am a sugar addict so that could explain it.

My wedding is in 3 months and I am desperate to shed these last 4 kilo! I always stall at this weight. I am a 10-12 but want to be a 10. Anyways, I am so glad there is a thread here!

Also, just wondering, Have any of you had full blown off plan days whilst on the diet?? Just wondering if that were to happen, are there massive gains/cravings to follow?? Judd is so forgiving, thats why I love it.

14 minutes to go!!! Will post how I go today tomorrow

glad to have you with us. I'm new to fast5 also, so I can't give much helpful advice. My BF and I are planning a night out on Friday. My eating window right now is 2 -7 however I'm thinking about moving it to 3pm and extending it for 8 hours. That will give me until 11pm before closing. I will still open my window at 2pm the following day. That's what I like best about fast5. The flexibility.

You should also check out Fast5 FB account thefast5dietandlifestyle. You can get lots of helpful info on their group wall.

[sldeal]

Leelo - your kefir-whey protein-coconut milk-berry shake. sounds delicious. Is that the name of the protein shake, or did you buy a plain protein shake and add the ingredients?

[sldeal]

Originally Posted by wildflower

Hi, and welcome to Fast 5. I've only been doing this for about a week and a half so I haven't had any blown days. I find the plan so flexible that anything I do on a particular day will work for me. Now, I haven't had pizza and ice cream all day! JUDDD didn't work for me because of family issues plus all I was doing was bouncing up 2, down 2. I was so optimistic as I saw how it worked for others.

Wildflower - I was just wondering this morning if I should give in to pizza for the super bowl. Then I looked at myself in the mirorr and had a reality check there's no way I can indulge in pizza right now. Hmmm, maybe when I reach my first mini goal of a size 12

[wildflower]

Originally Posted by sldeal

Wildflower - I was just wondering this morning if I should give in to pizza for the super bowl. Then I looked at myself in the mirorr and had a reality check there's no way I can indulge in pizza right now. Hmmm, maybe when I reach my first mini goal of a size 12

I hear you on the pizza! I don't know what I'll have for the big game. It will just be my dh and me so other people won't be adding to my stress.

I got on the scales this morning - end of the month and lost 1.4 lbs since Jan 20 (started F5) and 2.6 since Jan 1. And the best part is down a total of 4.25" since Jan 1. I feel alot of loose skin on my upper arms and that's where I lost an inch. Obviously I need to start toning!

I do water aerobics and callanetics so I need to up them.

I'm so excited about this WOE!!!!

Are you on the FB page for Fast5? There's a lot of great help there. Two group - I'm in each.

[leeloo]

Originally Posted by sldeal

Leelo - your kefir-whey protein-coconut milk-berry shake. sounds delicious. Is that the name of the protein shake, or did you buy a plain protein shake and add the ingredients?

I make the kefir myself, with kefir grains and goat milk. It's delicious as-is, or in a shake with other ingredients.

For protein powder I'm using Designer Whey, French vanilla flavor, right now, but I noticed that the carbs in it are higher than they used to be, so I might switch to another brand when I finish this can. Or I might not - the carbs are higher because now the ingredients are all-natural with no aspartame or sucralose, which I like. It's hard to decide!