What makes a successful fast day for you?
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KateNkognito
Posts: 1,525 Member
I've seen some new folks that might want some ideas, and I am just recovering from an epic dieting disaster that made me really look at what did and didn't work, so I thought I'd post/gather some tips. 
What makes a successful fast day for me:
Two "big" meals (200-250 cals) instead of 50-100 calories at a time throughout the day.
Having at least two days between fast days, if possible. Only one day between makes it harder for me.
Lots of beverages on fast days. LOTS!!!
What makes a successful fast day for you?
What makes a successful fast day for me:
Two "big" meals (200-250 cals) instead of 50-100 calories at a time throughout the day.
Having at least two days between fast days, if possible. Only one day between makes it harder for me.
Lots of beverages on fast days. LOTS!!!
What makes a successful fast day for you?
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Staying at or close to the 500 calorie goal (sometimes I go over a little bit), feeling satisfied, eating enough protein and drinking a lot of fluids.2
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I also eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. I feel too hungry if I don't eat something for breakfast.
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2-3 cups of coffee first thing in the morning, exercise for about 1.5 hrs at around 7:30-8:00, dance class around noon (this is huge for me...I'm distracted, so I don't get hungry), come home and either have a diet Pepsi or a mug of miso soup, kids come home (again, this distracts me), pre-planned 500 calorie (or thereabouts) plant-based dinner at around 6, go to bed fairly early so I don't feel hunger pangs before bed. That is my perfect fast day. In addition, I would add lots of water throughout the day and lots of veggies at dinner. You get a lot of volume with veggies, so a big stir fry with a small amount of rice works well.4
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I'll be following this thread so the more tips the better on what makes a fast day work for you. Thanks!0
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Lots of distractions (thank you, internet!) and lots of fluid intake. Agree with flossyruby about big volumes of veggies. I prefer one 500 cal meal at family dinner time, including a square of dark chocolate for dessert. Remembering that the sensation of hunger passes. Being committed to a healthy lifestyle. Gratitude that I get to choose to fast rather than have it forced on me, and a better appreciation of how fortunate I have been.6
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I usually skip breakfast and have a moderate lunch and dinner on fast days for about 600 total calories. I also agree with finding I need two days in between fast days, so have been doing a Monday Thursday split for fast days. I also don't lift heavy or perform heavy exercise on those days.3
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sanjoparolas wrote: »Lots of distractions (thank you, internet!) and lots of fluid intake. Agree with flossyruby about big volumes of veggies. I prefer one 500 cal meal at family dinner time, including a square of dark chocolate for dessert. Remembering that the sensation of hunger passes. Being committed to a healthy lifestyle. Gratitude that I get to choose to fast rather than have it forced on me, and a better appreciation of how fortunate I have been.
Sanjo, thank you for the reminder that we have a choice about what, when, and how we eat. It's easy to get caught up in our personal struggles and forget that, really, we have no idea what struggle means as it pertains to food.7 -
Ok Kate here's my tricks that "usually" work for me. Chugging water! Yup, no need to be lady like here, I just wake up and first thing I do is chug 2-3 glasses of water. I think it gets my brain in the mood for fasting. I don't drink coffee (haven't for 15 yrs now!) I am one of those that needs an 80 cal yogurt or 1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese & a Roma tomatoe by around 1:40 or so. For food, I really like my homemade soups kept in the freezer in proper portions and I love pre shredded coleslaw in bags. I can add a bit of chicken or salmon with my coleslaw for protein, but I love all the veggies! I start boiling the kettle immediately following dinner, whether I want it or not... I drink hot water or tea. Lastly try to go to bed early! Real early. However this may be where I've stumbled these past couple of months....because of the weather and daylight, it was so much easier to head to bed by 9:30 when it got dark out at 4:30!!! I also use a lot of nail cream while watching tv at night!!! Keeps my hands busy! I like to break up the day in chunks of time, so if I've done a good job and its 4:45 pm I think of how little time I've got left, a few congratulatory words in my head can get me through until it's nail time in the evening!
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For me:-
- LOTS of water all day
- Fasted weight training
- one 500 cal evening meal
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I find that fasted cardio is an appetite suppressant for me. Also I follow an 18:6 feeding schedule, so my body is used to eating all the calories at night.4
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-Hold off eating first food as long as possible. Food makes a lot of people hungrier.
-chose food that will satiate you. Big salad with protein. Big Bang for your buck.
-stay busy, and avoid food and temptation fast days. Work days and busy evenings are ideal for me
-go to bed early
-Mon and Thur have been a balance I always go back to. Just enough time in between.5 -
Bumping this up for some of the new folks and as a reminder to myself. 1
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flossyruby1 wrote: »sanjoparolas wrote: »Lots of distractions (thank you, internet!) and lots of fluid intake. Agree with flossyruby about big volumes of veggies. I prefer one 500 cal meal at family dinner time, including a square of dark chocolate for dessert. Remembering that the sensation of hunger passes. Being committed to a healthy lifestyle. Gratitude that I get to choose to fast rather than have it forced on me, and a better appreciation of how fortunate I have been.
Sanjo, thank you for the reminder that we have a choice about what, when, and how we eat. It's easy to get caught up in our personal struggles and forget that, really, we have no idea what struggle means as it pertains to food.
^^^well this was an excellent couple of posts!!!! Thank you @sanjoparolas and Kate for bumping!1 -
Bumping this up again. I need the reminder.
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2 boiled/scrambled eggs for breakfast, light soup for lunch and baked fish & veggies for dinner. So far (early days) not finding it too difficult.3
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Good post to bump!
Glad to hear things are going well for you @PaulRaymond
For me having a Light Day at around 500-550 and getting in a lot of water, green tea and some exercise. So far so good. Haven't had any "busts" where I have had to give up or I have really cheated.1 -
Good post to bump!
Glad to hear things are going well for you @PaulRaymond
For me having a Light Day at around 500-550 and getting in a lot of water, green tea and some exercise. So far so good. Haven't had any "busts" where I have had to give up or I have really cheated.
Thinking about having to do another fast day if I mess up my fast day keeps me on track 3 -
Bumping up again for the new folks! 1
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I'm just coming into wk 2 with a successful weigh so keep breakfast under 150 usually 2 eggs mushroom and spinach then miss lunch and have dinner around 300cal. My evening cup of tea is a must so i save cals for that. I remember why i'm doing it and my goals. Feeding children only slightly adapted version to ours (hubby doing too) as not to drool! Leaving table when they have dessert. Usually fish and veggies combo works. Hunger pangs come around 2/3pm but i push through appreciating we are fortunate/ have no idea what famine is and a full menu is a day away.3
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Bumping this up again. It's a good reminder.0
