Hey y'all! Anyone and everyone is welcome to jump in and join us.

This is the Intermittent Fasting DAily Menu/Results/Accountability Thread. It's where a few of us (or many) are going to log in and encourage each other while we experiment with our own IF plans. You can list or talk about anything--not just your food. I look forward to adding in HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and core exercises to my walking plan while practicing IF. So expect to hear about that too. hehe I expect some of us will talk about the known IF side-effects like insomnia, circadian rhythm disturbance, etc. It's all good! Let's hack this IF mofo! mkay?

There is not any 1 specific IF plan--there are so many to choose from, so this is a BYOIFP (bring-your-own-IF-plan) and join the fun! This is the thread where we'll post our daily menus and maybe some piccys at times! We can discuss progress, issues we might notice, look at how we may want to refine our own personal plans. I do think you should be healed from surgery and have your doctor's and RD's blessings to try something like this and you should do a ton of research and reading about Intermittent Fasting.

IF isn't only about weight loss, it's about taking specific measures to limit either quantities, calories, macros, or sometimes only consciously altering eating windows/schedules in order to effect metabolic change and reduce inflammation and improve health markers.

Ok, let's do this thang!!!

On 9/17/2018 at 1:03 PM, esskay77 said:

I get wanting to eat from places that represent the local cuisine/restaurants -- it is interesting and fun. But, the good thing, though it is really hard to convince yourself to do--some of the places now sell hummus and veggies, hard boiled eggs, things like that. I never sounds appealing but afterwards, I'm always really happy that I did. IF I can convince myself to buy those. Sometimes I can, sometimes I can't. lol

Yes! There are definitely plenty of good choice that can be made at airports. The whole keto trend is good for us bariatric folks, with cheese, jerky, nuts being readily available. But as we know, having good choice available doesn't always lead us to make those good choices

@FluffyChix first I was a day early, now I'm a day late ... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

3 hours ago, FluffyChix said:

Ok, well the OMAD thing is not for me. First of all I flunked and it set me up to be bad--with kind of a binge rebound (involving Taco Hell crispy tacos). *sigh*

First off by the time I got to Outback I was Starvin Marvin (at 5pm--first meal). And the lobster was tiny--like 2oz cooked. So I ate some of Mr. F's prime rib, but felt bad about it, so I probably only ate 1.5oz total. Which "should" have been enough, except I also shared a little of his salad and a couple bites of broccoli. And it would have filled most of you--but not my beast of a tummy. And the food was crappy, and so expensive, I didn't want to order anything else.

By 9:30 after trivia was over and a glass of wine in my bellah (btw, the wine is bye-bye for a while now--until Mr. F's birthday next month)--I was ready to sacrifice and devour small animals. Nothing would stop me from my appointed rounds!!! I ate 2+ crispy tacos. Calories for the day were well over my limits and I'm up a lb today. I deserve it--even though I walked yesterday.

So I think what works best for me is doing my consistent meals. I may not do as "big" of a production for each meal, but I think I will get my 3 meals in over the 14/10 to 16/8 timeframe and continue to do ADF calorie restriction. I have done well with it in the past. And as much as I want to be one of you 20/4 or 23/1s, I can't make it work. It opens up the binge monster which I avoid at all costs whenever possible!!

Ugh, we have all had those days

I'm going through a very unmotivated phase right now. I just want to eat food I want and not lean proteins and leafy greens. And I'm paying for it, ugh. I'm up over 4 lbs from my low

I'm hoping some of that is from alcohol. I had quite a few beers the other night, that was followed by a late night fast food run. (I was with colleagues, not my idea, but I participated ).

I don't know right now, I really don't feel like getting back on the chicken breast train. Doing at least moderate IF is usually pretty easy. I'm rarely hungry before noon. But the whole good choice thing, meh ...

So I'm thinking of doing a little experiment. What if I eat what I want for the most part. But I have no alcohol, and make sure I get in my fluids. What will happen to my weight? My cals should still be well under 1000. I'd like to know where I can find that line between losing, maintaining and gaining.

I'm not sure why I am suddenly so unmotivated. Is it just "diet" fatigue? Is it typical as people get near goal? Is it because of all the positive feedback I've gotten recently on how I look? Is it because my plastics I had wanted this fall is now postponed until who knows when because of my work schedule?

5 minutes ago, sillykitty said:

I was with colleagues, not my idea, but I participated

So if your friends jumped off a bridge would you follow? /Mom mode off/

6 minutes ago, sillykitty said:

Is it just "diet" fatigue? Is it typical as people get near goal? Is it because of all the positive feedback I've gotten recently on how I look? Is it because my plastics I had wanted this fall is now postponed until who knows when because of my work schedule?

Yes, yes and yes! This is why I've been going to a therapist all along. I always do well for 6-8 months and then everything goes to hell. I haven't hit that quite yet, but I am slipping. So far the therapist keeps commenting that we really don't have anything to work on but I want her on the hook when I start falling apart again. And I haven't been nearly as strict as you were.

4 minutes ago, Orchids&Dragons said:

So if your friends jumped off a bridge would you follow? /Mom mode off/

If there were hush puppies on the other side .... maybe

4 minutes ago, sillykitty said:

If there were hush puppies on the other side .... maybe

I saw a joke on FB yesterday:

If you had to choose between tacos and being skinny - what kind of tacos would you choose? soft or hard shell?

1 hour ago, Orchids&Dragons said:

I saw a joke on FB yesterday:

If you had to choose between tacos and being skinny - what kind of tacos would you choose? soft or hard shell?

If it was that level of choice... those tacos better be soft wrapped around hard... LOL

Dammit, now I want tacos.

Love the taco choice! lol

Matt Z it sounds like you are getting bored with your options, which we all do. Can you shake it up a bit? I had also gotten real tired of chicken breasts but ground turkey and ground chicken can be another great option. Thai lettuce wraps, meatloaf, anything you could have made with ground beef, you can do with ground turkey. And the old Ricotta Bake meal is still always good, and got a lot of people through the pureed stage easily. Do people still share recipes?

Oh, and from previous threads on this site, a lot of people were able to break through stalls by adding more protein. Sometimes you actually have to eat more to lose weight! Bizarre but I've seen enough comments on it.

25 minutes ago, esskay77 said:

Love the taco choice! lol

Matt Z it sounds like you are getting bored with your options, which we all do. Can you shake it up a bit? I had also gotten real tired of chicken breasts but ground turkey and ground chicken can be another great option. Thai lettuce wraps, meatloaf, anything you could have made with ground beef, you can do with ground turkey. And the old Ricotta Bake meal is still always good, and got a lot of people through the pureed stage easily. Do people still share recipes?

Oh, and from previous threads on this site, a lot of people were able to break through stalls by adding more Protein. Sometimes you actually have to eat more to lose weight! Bizarre but I've seen enough comments on it.

I'm confused, where did you get the idea that I'm bored with my options?
Honestly curious.

1 hour ago, sillykitty said:

I'm going through a very unmotivated phase right now. I just want to eat food I want and not lean Proteins and leafy greens. And I'm paying for it, ugh. I'm up over 4 lbs from my low

I'm hoping some of that is from alcohol. I had quite a few beers the other night, that was followed by a late night fast food run. (I was with colleagues, not my idea, but I participated ).

I don't know right now, I really don't feel like getting back on the chicken breast train. Doing at least moderate IF is usually pretty easy. I'm rarely hungry before noon. But the whole good choice thing, meh ...

So I'm thinking of doing a little experiment. What if I eat what I want for the most part. But I have no alcohol, and make sure I get in my fluids. What will happen to my weight? My cals should still be well under 1000. I'd like to know where I can find that line between losing, maintaining and gaining.

I'm not sure why I am suddenly so unmotivated. Is it just "diet" fatigue? Is it typical as people get near goal? Is it because of all the positive feedback I've gotten recently on how I look? Is it because my plastics I had wanted this fall is now postponed until who knows when because of my work schedule?

I think maybe you and I have similar triggers. Dayum, I wouldn't wish that on anyone! haha!

It really sounds like you're at burnout phase. ((hugs)) I think you should try doing your moderate approach to IF like 14-16hour fasts, then eat regularly, following your surgeon's rules: protein first, low glycemic veg and fat, plus carbs at the end if you still have room or want them and see how it goes. Quit ordering off the appetizer menu, quit ordering chicken if that's not what you want...And keep your cals in the 800-1000 range-ish. No beer or alcohol. *sniff* Cuz you know, misreh loves company! And keep track of it here!

I think that's the cool thing about this thread is that we are kind of n=? how many are doing IF from this thread and we should all post our experiences so others might learn or have a light bulb moment. You know?

I def think your weight gain is beer related and if you go clean for the next 3-4 days you will be down those 4 and who knows, maybe another one as well?

UGGGGGH on the late night food runs! I swear I thought about you as we were sitting in Taco Bell last night. LOL.

Oh and can I just say this cup of unflavored, unsweetened, green tea tastes like hay? (or maybe ass...not sure which)

lol !!

7 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

Oh and can I just say this cup of unflavored, unsweetened, green tea tastes like hay? (or maybe ass...not sure which)

Find yourself a loose leaf Oolong, or Ceylon tea, so tasty!

I don't mind a green, but it needs a touch of sweetness added to it personally.

49 minutes ago, Matt Z said:

If it was that level of choice... those tacos better be soft wrapped around hard... LOL

That would be a Double Decker Taco. I know this because apparently @FluffyChix & I were both at Taco Bell last night