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!!!

Ok, time for 1 month updates for me!!! Wooohooooo and what a month it's been!!! Spectacular--even with the cold thing!!! I finally feel like my mojo's back and I'm groovin' on a sunny afternoon!!

Here are the stats:

09.03.18 Weight | 10.01.18 Weight

166.4lbs | 156.0lbs (-10.4lbs)

08.20.18 Measurements | 09.20.18 Measurements | -5.75inches lost

Chest 39.5 | 39 | -.5

Waist 32.5 | 31 | -1.5

Hips 41.5 | 41 | -.5

Neck 13.5 | 13 | -.5

Right Thigh 22 | 21 | -1

Left Thigh 22 | 21 | -1

Right Arm 11 | 10.75 | -.25

Left Arm (Lymphedema from cancer) 12.5 | 12 | -.5

So in conclusion, I lost 10.4lbs and 5.75inches this month through my intermittent fasting and intermittent calorie restriction diet plan. Eating low carb mostly (85-90% of the time)? I pretty effortlessly lived life without dietary angst, cravings, or denial. I ate when hungry and didn't eat when my hunger cues were skewed or inappropriate. I ate tons of healthy foods too--maxing veggies and small amounts of low glycemic fruits and my motivation is back!!! This is huge, cuz I felt like I was floundering for the past 2 months--and felt like I would never reach goal.

So let's give you some numbers:

Average Calories and Macros with Associated Weight Loss:

With IF

September 01-30, 2018 Averages: -11lbs | 804 Calories | 60g Protein | 43g Fat | 43g Carbs | 7g Fiber | 36g Net Carbs

Without IF

August 01-31, 2018 Averages: -2.8lbs | 835 Calories | 71g Protein | 37g Fat | 42g Carbs | 9g Fiber | 32g Net Carbs

July 01-31, 2018 Averages: -4lbs | 816 Calories | 73g Protein | 39g Fat | 44g Carbs | 8g Fiber | 36g Net Carbs

June 01-30, 2018 Averages: -10.2lbs | 685 Calories | 64g Protein | 30g Fat | 36g Carbs | 8g Fiber | 27g Net Carbs

Well, I'm 6lbs away from my first goal of 150lbs. I know I can do it and my goal is to reach and exceed that by the end of October. Then I will be off to my 2nd goal--to be in the "normal weight bracket" of anything lower than 145lbs. I "think" I can do that too. But right now, I'm just focusing on taking steps to reduce systemic inflammation and insulin resistance through lifestyle changes and getting to 150lbs!

Oh and today is a fasting day. I'm going for a 23 hour fast--will eat at 7pm and try to keep my cals to around 500 for the day.

Here's my Month-to-Month so far. (click to enlarge)

Edited October 1, 20187 yr by FluffyChix

53 minutes ago, Matt Z said:

https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/01/health/fasting-longevity-food-drayer/index.html

Longo and Mattson, two of my favorite scientists on aging and fasting!! Great article. Thanks for sharing it. I love that there appears to be "many paths" toward the same end--better metabolic response. We don't have to ascribe to a cookie-cutter method to make it work for us! Yeeehawww!

@Matt Z & @FluffyChix

What fantastic months you have had! Congrats on finding what works and keeping the scale moving at this stage in the game!!

For me, no IF nor did I eat very wisely yesterday. Oh well, I had a good few days proceeding it.

Starting a week that is going to be all wineing and dining, including breakfast meetings. So no IF, more cals, non-ideal eating, and alcohol for this week ahead. We'll see what the scale has to say about it when I return

3 minutes ago, sillykitty said:

For me, no IF nor did I eat very wisely yesterday. Oh well, I had a good few days proceeding it.

Starting a week that is going to be all wineing and dining, including Breakfast meetings. So no IF, more cals, non-ideal eating, and alcohol for this week ahead. We'll see what the scale has to say about it when I return

Good lawd. It makes me quake in my boots for you just reading this! ((hugs)) Girl!! Have fun this week and do well on your job. You're strong like Russian bull! You can figure out a way to navigate through it. Right? And so what? So you gain 4lbs. You know what to do and more importantly know that you are CAPABLE of jumping right back into your plan when you return. Don't think of it as "not losing" or "regaining". Reframe it and think instead that you are "practicing maintenance with a 5lb maintenance window"!!! And btw, congrats on being to 151!!!!!!!!! Wahoooooooo! That's fantastic! (Oh and get your lovely lily white ass up in the morning and do 30 minutes of exercise in your house. Shhhhh! Who said that? *looks around*)

36 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

Reframe it and think instead that you are "practicing maintenance with a 5lb maintenance window"!!!

OMgosh, I am so stealing this concept!

1 minute ago, Orchids&Dragons said:

OMgosh, I am so stealing this concept!

Spin--it's everything in life and makes a huge diff in my attitude at times!! hehe

46 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

Good lawd. It makes me quake in my boots for you just reading this! ((hugs)) Girl!! Have fun this week and do well on your job. You're strong like Russian bull! You can figure out a way to navigate through it. Right? And so what? So you gain 4lbs. You know what to do and more importantly know that you are CAPABLE of jumping right back into your plan when you return. Don't think of it as "not losing" or "regaining". Reframe it and think instead that you are "practicing maintenance with a 5lb maintenance window"!!! And btw, congrats on being to 151!!!!!!!!! Wahoooooooo! That's fantastic! (Oh and get your lovely lily white ass up in the morning and do 30 minutes of exercise in your house. Shhhhh! Who said that? *looks around*)

Lol, thanks!

I figure this is what my life is, and I just have to make it work the best I can. But I have to be realistic. It won't be all grilled chicken and cucumbers.

I'm relaxing a bit with my goal weight honestly. I was hyper focused in part because I wanted to have plastics next month. But then work interfered with that plan. So I don't HAVE to be at my target weight by any particular time. I might see if I can split up the plastics I want into 2 surgeries. I might do tummy and boobs at the end of the year, maybe? So hard to carve out the few weeks I'll need at home to recover. And then a have a big vacay in early Feb, so I need to be 100% for that.

I'm also feeling more relaxed because I'm happy with how I look in clothes. I'm a 10 in jeans and slacks, I'm mostly a medium in work shirts. I'm a large in fitted t shirts. I like my curves. My tummy can be held in by tight fitting pants or compression garments. I'm coming around a bit on how I look naked too. I still don't like it, but I have a new man who's providing plenty of positive feedback, so there's that.

Who knows, next week I might be all angst-y about it again

Edited October 1, 20187 yr by sillykitty

All caught up on the thread! Congrats Everyone for smashing goals!

So I gained a ton of weight... I can feel it. But well worth it because this is my real life, forever. I have feasting periods, never giving it up.

So now that October is here, time for me to get serious again.

I love being flexible and laser focused lol.

I don't have updated status info and won't until mid October. Stay tuned...

*Oh I may be on sparsely from now on. Busy busy busy, but Im not abandoning ship!

Edited October 2, 20187 yr by GreenTealael

I'm not going to post this in Food Before After pics. There's a lot more traffic there, and a lot of newbies, and I already feel like a terrible example.

Lunch

Tan Tan Udon, with Onion Tempura Ball & Tempura Shrimp

No IF for me today. Had breakfast at the airport, met a customer for lunch, and then have a happy hour meet up. So, FML

Yay, FluffyChix!! That is great! I’m in a stall, I need to try it. The pictures are great, you look amazing!!

Also, out of curiosity, how much and what kind of exercise during your fasting?

9 hours ago, superthin said:

Also, out of curiosity, how much and what kind of exercise during your fasting?

I walk 7 days a week. Occasional will take a day off if I don't feel well. I try to walk for an hour. Often I have to split that up into 15 or 20 minute segments. Some days I can get in the full hour at one time. If so, then I try to walk more later in the day. I am also doing core exercises 2 days a week in my home. No monies for a gym or trainer. This will have to be enough.

11 hours ago, sillykitty said:

I'm not going to post this in food Before After pics. There's a lot more traffic there, and a lot of newbies, and I already feel like a terrible example.

lunch

Tan Tan Udon, with Onion Tempura Ball & Tempura Shrimp

Oh man that looks amazing!!! Are they hand pulled noodles? They look like it! YUM!