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Yippee... we went to Olive Garden.
Right back at it tomorrow and Cheap Chicken all week.
I'll let the scale decide if I fast on Friday. Maybe I will, maybe I won't...
I was overweight by at least forty pounds for a decade, until about 2014, when I entered a "Biggest Loser" contest at work. Took off forty pounds in 12 weeks, but gained it back over the next nine months. Since then, I've done the same thing every year since - up forty, then down forty (I know, not healthy) on a 12 month cycle, classic "yo-yo" dieting. Trying to maintain a 2200 calorie a day diet is just really hard for me, I'm constantly hungry at 2200 cal., and "starving" at 1700 - my body craves about 3000-plus calories per day, which puts me back at the 240 lbs. mark (I seem to fall right into the center of the "10-to-15 calories per pound of bodyweight per day" guideline). So, about six weeks ago, I decided to run an experiment with I.F., today was the first time I've read this thread.
So, I've "religiously" been fasting for the past six weeks such that I only eat on four days per week (Tues., Thurs., Sat. and Sun.). and only eating on those days in a four-to-six hour window (typically, two 1800 calorie meals, but I've been to the "all you can eat" salad bar and have done just that, plus a small snack later in the evening, several times). I've tried to limit myself to vegetables, fruit, lean meat and other low fat foods as much as possible, but other than that don't count calories or portion sizes on "food" days, it's simply not that easy to eat 3500 - 4000 calories in four hours unless you're sitting at the "Bacon and Ben & Jerry table" The freedom to eat "unreservedly" on the food days seems to make up for the fast days.
Results have been positive so far, I'm down about 16 lbs., and am back within about ten pounds of my (in my mind) "ideal" weight of 195 - 200 lbs. (at a height of 72.5", but am fairly mesomorphic, doing a light routine at the health club six days per week). Still have a bit of a belly, but being big-chested, have a good taper going, most people would probably say "I look good for my age" of 62 years.
Bottom line, I feel much better than I have for quite a while, have much less arthritis pain, better energy, improved mood and productivity. Don't know about my "health" numbers (BP, glucose, cholesterol), but I used to have those taken annually at work during our Health Fair, and they were acceptable (maybe borderline-high) when my weight was up, but very good when it was low, so I expect them to be good currently. Hunger is not an issue - I'm much more hungry after a small to moderate meal, than I am when fasting. On "food" days, I'm definitely looking forward to supper, but am much less hungry than when I was dieting on 1700 calories per day. It's simply very "liberating" not to have to think about food and eating three days a week - can't stuff anything into my pie-hole, so there's no sense even thinking about it - when one is "dieting" you are constantly thinking about food and that next meal - not so much when fasting for 44 hours at a time.
No other health problems other than the bone/joint issues common at this age. Part of my health club routine is walking a mile, and stretching for 20-30 minutes. The rest is moderate strength training, with exercises provided by the P.T. guy after having had back surgery last year. It's actually a very "easy" routine, but I'm not 23 years old anymore, either. I could probably do forty or fifty "good" pushups in a minute if I tested myself.
I personally feel that diets are highly subjective, and one needs to find something that works for "them". Once (if as expected) my weight levels off near the "ideal" point, perhaps I'll be able to increase eating to five days per week instead of four - I think the best I could expect would be going to a 23:1 I.F. routine, I don't think I'll ever be able to eat two or three meals a day again and still stay at a healthy weight long term with my ravenous appetite - I'm pretty sure that I could give Joey Chestnut a run for his money, and end up at 400 lbs., if I had zero self control, everything tastes "so" good to me. It is looking like I'll have to fast for the rest of my life if I want to maintain a healthy weight, I just can't seem to do so on a "normal" maintenance diet of 2000 - 2300 calories per day. Again, this is an "experiment", and expect to have a thorough physical in the next couple of months, it will be interesting to get a Dr.'s opinion on all of this. The jury is out as to whether this is a healthy or maintainable approach long-term, but it does seem to be producing good results. Not necessarily recommending this since it is admittedly rather "extreme" but thought "another country heard from" might improve the discussion.
Welcome to our thread Curly! I'm thrilled your IF routine is working for you. And I agree that diets (ways of eating) are highly subjective - what works for me may not work for the next person, and vice versa.
So many people call carbs 'the enemy', but I like them and my body needs them. Every time I try to limit my carbs, I end up binging. Every. Single. Time. Even just this past weekend! Thankfully, I'm getting better at controlling my binges as well and they are now more like going slightly overboard by 500-1000 calories as opposed to tripling my usual daily allotment.... (and that is a HUGE win for me! I'm hoping to reduce that amount eventually, but I'm taking baby steps for now.)
I did my usual 18 hour fast yesterday. I'm super busy at work, so that's been helping. Family dinner last night, but I managed to stick to only an extra 250 calories which is approximately what I burned on the treadmill yesterday morning. So a good day!
If you thought Chestnut would be sick of hot dogs every other day of the year, though, you’d be surprised he gave an emphatic “absolutely” when the “MLB Central” crew asked him if he ever eats hot dogs just to enjoy them. “If I’m at a baseball game, it’s hard to hold back,” Chestnut said.
That's me next Wednesday. Not holding back on the dogs!!
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