No Fasting???

edean331

I had kinda been planning to almost starve myself for a few days or a week as a start to my renewed interest/attempt at fitness and weight loss. The app says there will be no weight loss projection and cautions that I must be at the minimum 1000 calories per day.
I really rely on the apps to track and keep me motivated, just got a new battery for my Misfit and reinstalled that app, too.
Any advise on little to no food for a few days and keeping it safe and effective while still using the app??
Thanks!

kermax39

I really would advise to eat at least the minimum calories set for u, u dont need to starve....I lost 7lbs my first week eating 1700 calories. The app wont work for u if u log under the very minimum.

queenliz99

Starving yourself serves no purpose but setting you up for bingeing. Pick a reasonable calorie deficit, rinse and repeat.

TavistockToad

Seems pointless to me, you'll probably just binge after 36 hours...

edean331

7 pounds in one week?? Did you just eat less overall or make some major changes??
One reason I want to maybe fast is to kind of break myself from bad habits, with low self discipline I figured a shock to the system is called for

PaulaWallaDingDong

Just don't hit "complete."

Do what you want, but consider this: It's nice to think that doing a little penance will cause some change that will set you on a righteous path, so to speak, but afterward, you'll still be you, with your same habits, same failings, needing to make the same changes as you did before. There are no jumpstarts, resets, reboots, or anything like that in the diet and fitness realm. Real change happens one puzzle piece at a time until the picture is complete.

edean331

Aside from the concern of binging, there really are no other concerns with a short fast are there?? Anyone with experience on this??

queenliz99

I fasted for the three days and nearly crashed my car. Do what you want

kermax39

edean331 wrote: »

7 pounds in one week?? Did you just eat less overall or make some major changes??
One reason I want to maybe fast is to kind of break myself from bad habits, with low self discipline I figured a shock to the system is called for

No major changes just stuck to the calories, I had 60lbs to lose though, iv lost 41 so far but it comes of at 1.5 a week now.
Honestly just try it for a week eating all the calories mfp sets u, if you have low self discipline the worst thing to do is starve, youll end up bingeing.

edean331

Oh sure, Paula, I get that. But what got me this 30 pound weight gain WAS a lifestyle change, first office job. After 4 years sitting 9-10 hours 5 days a week, lunches at the office and lots of alcohol, I came home to work just over 2 months ago. Now need a whole new overhaul!!

edean331

queenliz99 wrote: »

I fasted for the three days and nearly crashed my car. Do what you want

Wow!! Dizziness? Were you exercising too? Just fasting for weight loss? Were there any other factors (meds, booze)??

edean331

Makes sense Kermax, I'm just sooo impatient! I'm the heaviest I've ever been even through 4 pregnancies!! ☹️ The past 4 years have been a haze of exhaustion, stress and alcohol, now I am just so eager to get going! I started out very slim and fit and became so depressed and isolated!

queenliz99

edean331 wrote: »

queenliz99 wrote: »

I fasted for the three days and nearly crashed my car. Do what you want

Wow!! Dizziness? Were you exercising too? Just fasting for weight loss? Were there any other factors (meds, booze)??

It was mostly confusion, I guess. I was not on any medication and I was fasting so I was not drinking alcohol. Water and black coffee is the only thing I ingested for three days.

MissusMoon

edean331 wrote: »

Makes sense Kermax, I'm just sooo impatient! I'm the heaviest I've ever been even through 4 pregnancies!! ☹️ The past 4 years have been a haze of exhaustion, stress and alcohol, now I am just so eager to get going! I started out very slim and fit and became so depressed and isolated!

You didn't gain the weight overnight, so please take a step back and understand that you need to do this in a healthy, sustainable way.

PaulaWallaDingDong

edean331 wrote: »

Oh sure, Paula, I get that. But what got me this 30 pound weight gain WAS a lifestyle change, first office job. After 4 years sitting 9-10 hours 5 days a week, lunches at the office and lots of alcohol, I came home to work just over 2 months ago. Now need a whole new overhaul!!

That's sort of my point, though. The office job didn't make you gain weight. It was one piece of the puzzle that makes up your present picture. Each office lunch you had with more calories than you needed was another piece of the puzzle. Each drink that went beyond moderation was another piece. Just like you put that picture together piece by piece, you can make a new one piece by piece.

The first piece I'd go after is alcohol. Not to get too personal, but if you're an alcoholic (not saying you are, but also not trying to start a q&a), then treatment for it would be a good first step. If not, then you can just cut back by a whole bunch (say, make yourself an allowance of a drink a day, three a week, or whatever). Next piece: What would you normally have for lunch tomorrow and how many calories does it have? What can you replace it with that is still nutritionally sound but has fewer calories? Is convenience and issue? Do you not like to do a lot of food prep? Do you tend to let fresh veggies spoil in the fridge? Start stocking frozen pre-cut veggies in varieties that you like. There's another piece.

You don't need to starve yourself into submission or overwhelm yourself by flipping your life upside down all at once.

edean331

Paula, you're brilliant!

Ready2Rock206

I hope someone else is watching your children while you're trying to go days without eating. This sounds freaky reckless and dangerous.

edean331

Ready2Rock206 wrote: »

I hope someone else is watching your children while you're trying to go days without eating. This sounds freaky reckless and dangerous.

Well, I have fasted from 2-7 days a few times in the past, and rest assured I could likely lay on the couch unconscious for 3 days and as long as the Internet was going strong and there were hot pockets in the freezer and chips and cereal in the cupboards, the children would be just fine and not even notice

Mentali

You only need to lose 30 pounds?

Don't fast. If you're very overweight, have been overeating for a long time (think years), and don't have much to do, fasting for a few days won't have too much of an effect on you. But if you're anywhere near a healthy weight, have to do anything beyond lay in bed, and don't already have tons of extra vitamins/nutrients stored up, you're going to be nauseous, tired, dizzy, and generally feel terrible, and you won't lose significantly more weight than you would've by eating the minimum calories per day.

PaulaWallaDingDong

edean331 wrote: »

Paula, you're brilliant!

Much appreciated. "Been there, done that" is all I can say.

edean331

Mentali wrote: »

You only need to lose 30 pounds?

Don't fast. If you're very overweight, have been overeating for a long time (think years), and don't have much to do, fasting for a few days won't have too much of an effect on you. But if you're anywhere near a healthy weight, have to do anything beyond lay in bed, and don't already have tons of extra vitamins/nutrients stored up, you're going to be nauseous, tired, dizzy, and generally feel terrible, and you won't lose significantly more weight than you would've by eating the minimum calories per day.

I think you're right! Now that I read you're post, I recall the last time I didn't eat, I drank one "health shake" per day and nothing else for a week, and saw basically no difference.
I really needed this reality check!