30/11/14 - 06/12/14 Weekly Post
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WOW - 40 hours? I have been doing 24 hours and I thought that was a lot! You must keep yourself really busy or has your body become used to it now?
Jo x0 -
orlcam: On your 40 hour fast does that include your 600 calories. or is that no calories. at all.0
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Back on track after Thanksgiving. Back to my midpoint goal.
I am doing the happy dance.
Week 14 - 3.2 lbs (1.45 kg)
Total loss as of 12/05/14 10.8 lbs (4.90 kg)0 -
I've become used to it. Eating high fiber/protein for that "last" meal (before fasting) and for my 1 big fasting meal is key (in my opinion). I don't eat until after the 20 hour mark (usually 24...about 600 cal), then I shoot for 40 hours and assess what I can/should do at that time. I almost always get a cleanse (nice way of putting it), but it can be anywhere from 34 to 60+ hours after I start my fast. I haven't read anywhere that this is required or even suggested...I just see it as a trigger to greater weight loss and what I perceive as my body reacting the way it is supposed to. This "cleanse" is preceded by a thermogenic reaction (an increase in temperature) usually around my shoulders/neck/face area. There are no headaches, dizziness or anything like that...I feel fine, just warmer (but not feverish/ill). If it does get bad after the 40 hour mark then I will stop the fast or eat a couple hundred calories (depends on how bad)...this has happened maybe 3 times in 4 months and it was due to eating high carb foods before or during my fast (though sometimes I can get away with that). I take the thermogenic bump as a sign of my metabolism shifting...I have seen losses of ~5 lbs in a matter of hours (a very small %tage in my case)...mostly water weight. I never feel thirsty during, if I do I drink. I would say it was around week 7 that it really got easier and I started experimenting...I've done a few fasts over 50 hours (~66 at 1k cal is my longest), weeks with three 40+ hour fasts (like this week), and even a week of four 36 hour fasts (that's fasting a total of six 24 hour days) back to back with an hour in between where I ate my TDEE (yeah, 1 hour of total gluttony)...definitely difficult, but doable.
I'm not doing anything groundbreaking. I would suggest for anyone who has not yet watched Dr. Mosley's documentary to do so...it details the journey he took to arrive at the 5:2 way of eating...and it's entertaining. His 1st attempt at fasting was 4.5 days on 50 cal a day (if memory serves).
It should also be noted that he doesn't consider 24 hours a full fast...it should be: eat dinner (say ~8 pm) and then go to bed, wake up (this is your fast day), eat 500/600 cal during the day, go to bed, wake up and then eat normally (~8 am). This could be anywhere from 30 hours up.
Also I don't worry about burning muscle (yet)...there is an article on the 5:2 website which references a small study that showed metabolic rates continuing to increase through 3 days of fasting (water only). Based on what I've read/experienced I would put the muscle burning/metabolism lock-down phases somewhere out past the 96 hour mark. If you have an extremely low body fat % (bodybuilder?) or burn an extreme # of calories a day then this goes out the window, and I would suggest looking into a BCAA (branched chain amino acids) supplement to help combat the affects of losing muscle mass while fasting.
Remember, I'm only ~4 months in myself (52 lbs lost from 505+) and these are just my opinions. Take from them what you will.
Have a good weekend everyone.0 -
jknight001 wrote: »Wow. 40 hours, 3rd fast? I am concerned. IMHO, I think take care of your body so you can make it to the end of the marathon.
I am in this for the long haul and if you've been following me in this group then you know that this week doesn't remotely approach what I would consider extreme. Trust me, if there was even a hint of risk/doubt I would shut it down.
Greatest group ever...
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jknight001 wrote: »Wow. 40 hours, 3rd fast? I am concerned. IMHO, I think take care of your body so you can make it to the end of the marathon.
I am in this for the long haul and if you've been following me in this group then you know that this week doesn't remotely approach what I would consider extreme. Trust me, if there was even a hint of risk/doubt I would shut it down.
Greatest group ever...
Orlcam - please accept my deepest apology for my comments. I have the kind of personality that leans towards thinking I know what is best for everyone. You are grown and capable of making your own decisions and you hadn't ask for my advice. Thank you for being gracious with me.
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Great job everyone! I'm hoping by tomorrow morning after my first fast day back to be at my Pre-Thanksgiving weight.
All your comments and shared experiences are very helpful.
My hardest hour is the 3:00-4:00pm hour. If I'm working it's not a problem but if I'm home it can be quite challenging. If I can make it past that time I'm normally good until dinner. I try to drink a big glass of water and so far that helps.0 -
jknight001 wrote: »Orlcam - please accept my deepest apology for my comments. I have the kind of personality that leans towards thinking I know what is best for everyone. You are grown and capable of making your own decisions and you hadn't ask for my advice. Thank you for being gracious with me.
No worries...
I wasn't being facetious when I said "greatest group ever", I just thought it would sound corny if I said "I love you guys" Yep, it definitely sounded corny.
47 hours and counting...and the cleanse is on! ...like a sauteed prawn...
...with lots of garlic butter and lemon.
Edit: I just realized how disgusting that must sound. oops0 -
@Orlcam Well thanks a bunch! I had re-read what I wrote with horror thinking, I know this guy has a mother and isn't asking for another one.
It is good for us to watch out for each other but I am working on doing it from my own backyard. I don't want to hop the fences to take care the yards of others unless they specifically invite me to. 'Nuff said.
And as far as cleanse and prawn - seems like a non-sequitur to me. But if it isn't, no need to explain.0 -
My hardest hour is the 3:00-4:00pm hour. If I'm working it's not a problem but if I'm home it can be quite challenging. If I can make it past that time I'm normally good until dinner. I try to drink a big glass of water and so far that helps.
Don't remember how long you have been doing 5:2. My experience has been that as time went on the fast day got easier once I got into a rhythm.
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That was a strange night. Woke up around three am, as I often do, but couldn't get back to sleep. Tummy rumbling until 7h30, when I got up. Wasn't a fast day yesterday and I ate my TDEE, am also up to 58.1, even though, I didn't overdue the cals / sodium etc and had alot of potassium. Overall had an OK cal intake and two good fasts this week, that didn't have the effect on the scale they usually do. Hoping for a whoosh soon, because the numbers aren't adding up for me atm.... Just ate eggs and protein bread for breakie and have another high protein lunch ready. Any way, I'm off for my ride and then off to our family cookie baking weekend. Thus quite a few cals (cookies and fondue), no counting and only rare comments to be expected from me. Back to business next week.
@chiccam - I can totally relate. If you are at home...keep busy, go for a walk, etc. When I fast at home, the morning is no problem, but I have to go do something in the middle / late afternoon to make it easier ;-)
Signing off.....
Wish you all a wonderful weekend.0 -
47 hours and counting...and the cleanse is on! ...like a sauteed prawn...
...with lots of garlic butter and lemon.
Edit: I just realized how disgusting that must sound. oops
Ha ha,
Well I lost 0.8lbs this week after my two fasts - I'm pretty happy with that and finally feel like I'm getting the ball rolling and settling into it. I want to do a 3rd fast today and I have done so far - the only thing is is that I have to go to an anniversary party tonight which means alcohol.... I guess it's not a good idea to fast and then drink booze and also it defeats the object as alcohol has many calories in it! I should rethink today I think!
I'd love to know how you all deal with alcohol - I don't drink that much but I do usually enjoy a few glasses of wine on a Friday evening (Sat eve this week due to party). I have recently started drinking gin and slimline tonic as a substitute to cut the cals! Do you all log the booze or hide it with shame
Happy weekend 5:2 pals!
Jo x0 -
My hardest hour is the 3:00-4:00pm hour. If I'm working it's not a problem but if I'm home it can be quite challenging. If I can make it past that time I'm normally good until dinner. I try to drink a big glass of water and so far that helps.
This is the same for me. But then again, I try and eat my dinner around 4:30pm, so I usually make it. Fast day for me. Saturday's are usually restful for me so it works. I'm taking it easy until after the new year so I'll be happy to maintain. The greatest risk I'm taking is not logging on non- fast days and I might not even weigh myself until after the new year too (scarie cat). Hope everyone's doing well. And to all the weekend fasters, happy fasting.
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Calahonda, I have only been at this for about 6 weeks but have lost 3 kilos. I have a wine every night except fast days, and occasionally 2. I guess I would lose faster if I cut back but I enjoy it and it seems to be fine. I don't count calories on my non fast days, I just eat what I want which generally speaking is fairly healthy. I did have fish and chips on Friday night though. I think that is the beauty of this lifestyle. You don't need to feel guilty about other things in moderation. It all sorts itself out. A g and t is a good drink for summer which is what it is where I am.0
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Orlcam: After reading a couple of your fasting post on how you do it I realized that I have also done 40-42 hours fast. On Sunday I have my last meal at 6:30 pm go to bed that night and Monday on my fast day I have my 600-750 calories and than on Tues. I don't eat until around 10:30 or 12:30. So that gives me a 40 to 42 hr. fast. I tend to eat between 600-750 cals. instead of 500 because I usually fast 3 days. M,W, and Frid. In the New Year I plan on trying to stick closer to the 500-600 cals.
Calahonda: I also log everything I eat including the alcohol. When I drink I tend to have lite beer which is only 102 cals. I just never have more than one. And I have had it on a fast day before as long as I figure it in my calories budget.
Today is a fast day for me. I have never done a fast on a weekend but decided I would try one today. I wasn't home on Mon. so I fasted Tues. and Thus. so want to get a 3rd. one in to make up for the eating I did during Thanksgiving.
Hope everyone enjoys their weekend.0 -
jknight001 wrote: »And as far as cleanse and prawn - seems like a non-sequitur to me. But if it isn't, no need to explain.
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loveswalking wrote: »Orlcam: After reading a couple of your fasting post on how you do it I realized that I have also done 40-42 hours fast. On Sunday I have my last meal at 6:30 pm go to bed that night and Monday on my fast day I have my 600-750 calories and than on Tues. I don't eat until around 10:30 or 12:30. So that gives me a 40 to 42 hr. fast. I tend to eat between 600-750 cals. instead of 500 because I usually fast 3 days. M,W, and Frid. In the New Year I plan on trying to stick closer to the 500-600 cals.
It's just a mindset.
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As to alcohol...it really depends on your goal. Let's be honest...if we really wanted to just socialize then we could walk around all night with diet soda in our glass.
If you are looking to get hammered then sit down with a bottle of Everclear and a shot glass (95% alcohol @ 226 cal per 1.5 fl oz). The moderate version of this is to drink unflavored vodkas/tequila/whiskey/dry gins (80 proof...40% alcohol, most are about 96 cal per shot) neat, over ice, or with soda water/diet drinks (stay away from the tonic water...it adds 120+ cal per 12 fl oz).
The lowest cal beer containing alcohol (in the US) is currently Bud Select 55 (with 55 cal per 12 oz @ 2.4% alcohol). As for the best "buzz" per fluid oz, try King Cobra or Bud Natural Ice (they have ~130 cal per 12 fl oz @ ~6% alcohol )...good alternatives are Michelob Ultra, Molson Canadian 67, Bud Natural Light and Miller Light.
Oooh, I feel like an enabler now.0 -
Calahonda1984 wrote: »I'd love to know how you all deal with alcohol - I don't drink that much but I do usually enjoy a few glasses of wine on a Friday evening (Sat eve this week due to party). I have recently started drinking gin and slimline tonic as a substitute to cut the cals! Do you all log the booze or hide it with shame
Calahonda - we always say it is what works for you. You know your body best. Any food or beverage is acceptable as long as it fits within the calorie guidelines. I think that is why most people can do this plan for months and months. You know best if you body can handle the alcohol or not while you are doing 5:2. Just make sure you log it so that you don't sink yourself with unaccounted for calories.0