INTERMITTENT FASTING - A LIFESTYLE MAKEOVER

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Replies

  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,958 Member
    psulemon wrote: »
    A week or so being away and off-line with limited data, I'm now back to recording my daily intake and I'm finding it really hard to keep anywhere near the 1200 calories I need to, to lose weight. And that is even after cutting out half the day before I eat for the first time. I must say I'm getting a bit despondent and realising I either have to deprive myself, or do an hour in the gym to eat anything that's anywhere normal for us. So this week I am going to make it a gym focus and still try to keep the calories low. I'm writing this as a challenge to keep myself accountable. New mantra: I LOVE EXERCISE, I LOVE MORNINGS, I LOVE MONDAYS

    Why don't you add a little more calories and slow down weight loss? Might make it easier to maintain a deficit.

    That's a good suggestion OP. Why 1200 calories? What is your current weight and what is your target weight?
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    psulemon wrote: »
    A week or so being away and off-line with limited data, I'm now back to recording my daily intake and I'm finding it really hard to keep anywhere near the 1200 calories I need to, to lose weight. And that is even after cutting out half the day before I eat for the first time. I must say I'm getting a bit despondent and realising I either have to deprive myself, or do an hour in the gym to eat anything that's anywhere normal for us. So this week I am going to make it a gym focus and still try to keep the calories low. I'm writing this as a challenge to keep myself accountable. New mantra: I LOVE EXERCISE, I LOVE MORNINGS, I LOVE MONDAYS

    Why don't you add a little more calories and slow down weight loss? Might make it easier to maintain a deficit.

    Just to play devil's advocate here, but.... i have to cut down to this or less to lose weight at my height/size/activity level. I also have to amp up the cardio like crazy as well.

    It's all nice and everything to say "why don't you just eat more" but when you maintain on 1,700-1,800 (WITH exercise) it's a little harder to do in theory.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    A week or so being away and off-line with limited data, I'm now back to recording my daily intake and I'm finding it really hard to keep anywhere near the 1200 calories I need to, to lose weight. And that is even after cutting out half the day before I eat for the first time. I must say I'm getting a bit despondent and realising I either have to deprive myself, or do an hour in the gym to eat anything that's anywhere normal for us. So this week I am going to make it a gym focus and still try to keep the calories low. I'm writing this as a challenge to keep myself accountable. New mantra: I LOVE EXERCISE, I LOVE MORNINGS, I LOVE MONDAYS

    Why don't you add a little more calories and slow down weight loss? Might make it easier to maintain a deficit.

    Just to play devil's advocate here, but.... i have to cut down to this or less to lose weight at my height/size/activity level. I also have to amp up the cardio like crazy as well.

    It's all nice and everything to say "why don't you just eat more" but when you maintain on 1,700-1,800 (WITH exercise) it's a little harder to do in theory.

    Oh, I do recognize there may be an issue if one has a very low TDEE, but if the OP's was 1800, you can easily bump up calories to 1400 or a bit more, especially if there is a compliance issue at 1200. Alternatively, you do little things to increase NEAT or even TEA; more walking, parking further way, taking the stairs, etc..
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    psulemon wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    A week or so being away and off-line with limited data, I'm now back to recording my daily intake and I'm finding it really hard to keep anywhere near the 1200 calories I need to, to lose weight. And that is even after cutting out half the day before I eat for the first time. I must say I'm getting a bit despondent and realising I either have to deprive myself, or do an hour in the gym to eat anything that's anywhere normal for us. So this week I am going to make it a gym focus and still try to keep the calories low. I'm writing this as a challenge to keep myself accountable. New mantra: I LOVE EXERCISE, I LOVE MORNINGS, I LOVE MONDAYS

    Why don't you add a little more calories and slow down weight loss? Might make it easier to maintain a deficit.

    Just to play devil's advocate here, but.... i have to cut down to this or less to lose weight at my height/size/activity level. I also have to amp up the cardio like crazy as well.

    It's all nice and everything to say "why don't you just eat more" but when you maintain on 1,700-1,800 (WITH exercise) it's a little harder to do in theory.

    Oh, I do recognize there may be an issue if one has a very low TDEE, but if the OP's was 1800, you can easily bump up calories to 1400 or a bit more, especially if there is a compliance issue at 1200. Alternatively, you do little things to increase NEAT or even TEA; more walking, parking further way, taking the stairs, etc..

    yes, this is definitely possible. It's actually what i'm doing now on a cut, and i'm losing just under 1/2 a pound per week. It can definitely feel frustrating though, so i get the desire to see a little greater loss here and there. And even at this calorie level (i'm doing about 1450) i'm still having some compliance issues where i want to eat all the things now that the weather is cold and crappy outside.

    I'm not trying to make this about myself, just offering a little perspective. I know the struggle OP.
  • DebSozo
    DebSozo Posts: 2,578 Member
    edited October 2016
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    A week or so being away and off-line with limited data, I'm now back to recording my daily intake and I'm finding it really hard to keep anywhere near the 1200 calories I need to, to lose weight. And that is even after cutting out half the day before I eat for the first time. I must say I'm getting a bit despondent and realising I either have to deprive myself, or do an hour in the gym to eat anything that's anywhere normal for us. So this week I am going to make it a gym focus and still try to keep the calories low. I'm writing this as a challenge to keep myself accountable. New mantra: I LOVE EXERCISE, I LOVE MORNINGS, I LOVE MONDAYS

    Why don't you add a little more calories and slow down weight loss? Might make it easier to maintain a deficit.

    Just to play devil's advocate here, but.... i have to cut down to this or less to lose weight at my height/size/activity level. I also have to amp up the cardio like crazy as well.

    It's all nice and everything to say "why don't you just eat more" but when you maintain on 1,700-1,800 (WITH exercise) it's a little harder to do in theory.

    I recognize the frustration, also struggled with low maintenance with small deficit, so believe me-- I get what you are experiencing! It can be a long process to fix it. It took me about 6 months to up my daily calories maintenance level.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    DebSozo wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    A week or so being away and off-line with limited data, I'm now back to recording my daily intake and I'm finding it really hard to keep anywhere near the 1200 calories I need to, to lose weight. And that is even after cutting out half the day before I eat for the first time. I must say I'm getting a bit despondent and realising I either have to deprive myself, or do an hour in the gym to eat anything that's anywhere normal for us. So this week I am going to make it a gym focus and still try to keep the calories low. I'm writing this as a challenge to keep myself accountable. New mantra: I LOVE EXERCISE, I LOVE MORNINGS, I LOVE MONDAYS

    Why don't you add a little more calories and slow down weight loss? Might make it easier to maintain a deficit.

    Just to play devil's advocate here, but.... i have to cut down to this or less to lose weight at my height/size/activity level. I also have to amp up the cardio like crazy as well.

    It's all nice and everything to say "why don't you just eat more" but when you maintain on 1,700-1,800 (WITH exercise) it's a little harder to do in theory.

    I recognize the frustration and struggled with low maintenance and small deficit so I get what you are experiencing! It can be a long process to fix it. It took me about 6 months to up my daily calories maintenance level.

    i've been at this for about 5 years. The highest i've been able to push my maintenance level is about 2,100 calories a day, but this requires that i significantly up my NEAT and get about 12,000-ish steps per day. I am a personal trainer and I am active, but I am mostly standing and instructing not walking around the block.

    As a small female with a thyroid problem though, i'll take what I can get!
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    A week or so being away and off-line with limited data, I'm now back to recording my daily intake and I'm finding it really hard to keep anywhere near the 1200 calories I need to, to lose weight. And that is even after cutting out half the day before I eat for the first time. I must say I'm getting a bit despondent and realising I either have to deprive myself, or do an hour in the gym to eat anything that's anywhere normal for us. So this week I am going to make it a gym focus and still try to keep the calories low. I'm writing this as a challenge to keep myself accountable. New mantra: I LOVE EXERCISE, I LOVE MORNINGS, I LOVE MONDAYS

    Why don't you add a little more calories and slow down weight loss? Might make it easier to maintain a deficit.

    Just to play devil's advocate here, but.... i have to cut down to this or less to lose weight at my height/size/activity level. I also have to amp up the cardio like crazy as well.

    It's all nice and everything to say "why don't you just eat more" but when you maintain on 1,700-1,800 (WITH exercise) it's a little harder to do in theory.

    Based on OP's stats that shouldn't be the issue for her, though.

    But I'm all for her trying 1200 net with more exercise if she wants (adding the exercise habit is obviously great); psulemon's advice is excellent if it feels too tough, however -- it's important that she know there are options.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    A week or so being away and off-line with limited data, I'm now back to recording my daily intake and I'm finding it really hard to keep anywhere near the 1200 calories I need to, to lose weight. And that is even after cutting out half the day before I eat for the first time. I must say I'm getting a bit despondent and realising I either have to deprive myself, or do an hour in the gym to eat anything that's anywhere normal for us. So this week I am going to make it a gym focus and still try to keep the calories low. I'm writing this as a challenge to keep myself accountable. New mantra: I LOVE EXERCISE, I LOVE MORNINGS, I LOVE MONDAYS

    Why don't you add a little more calories and slow down weight loss? Might make it easier to maintain a deficit.

    Just to play devil's advocate here, but.... i have to cut down to this or less to lose weight at my height/size/activity level. I also have to amp up the cardio like crazy as well.

    It's all nice and everything to say "why don't you just eat more" but when you maintain on 1,700-1,800 (WITH exercise) it's a little harder to do in theory.

    Oh, I do recognize there may be an issue if one has a very low TDEE, but if the OP's was 1800, you can easily bump up calories to 1400 or a bit more, especially if there is a compliance issue at 1200. Alternatively, you do little things to increase NEAT or even TEA; more walking, parking further way, taking the stairs, etc..

    yes, this is definitely possible. It's actually what i'm doing now on a cut, and i'm losing just under 1/2 a pound per week. It can definitely feel frustrating though, so i get the desire to see a little greater loss here and there. And even at this calorie level (i'm doing about 1450) i'm still having some compliance issues where i want to eat all the things now that the weather is cold and crappy outside.

    I'm not trying to make this about myself, just offering a little perspective. I know the struggle OP.

    I often struggle to maintain 2400 calories during a cut. So even double the calories can be hard to maintain. Hell, since I am lifting heavy, i can struggle to keep under my 3k maintenance level.
  • DebSozo
    DebSozo Posts: 2,578 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    DebSozo wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    A week or so being away and off-line with limited data, I'm now back to recording my daily intake and I'm finding it really hard to keep anywhere near the 1200 calories I need to, to lose weight. And that is even after cutting out half the day before I eat for the first time. I must say I'm getting a bit despondent and realising I either have to deprive myself, or do an hour in the gym to eat anything that's anywhere normal for us. So this week I am going to make it a gym focus and still try to keep the calories low. I'm writing this as a challenge to keep myself accountable. New mantra: I LOVE EXERCISE, I LOVE MORNINGS, I LOVE MONDAYS

    Why don't you add a little more calories and slow down weight loss? Might make it easier to maintain a deficit.

    Just to play devil's advocate here, but.... i have to cut down to this or less to lose weight at my height/size/activity level. I also have to amp up the cardio like crazy as well.

    It's all nice and everything to say "why don't you just eat more" but when you maintain on 1,700-1,800 (WITH exercise) it's a little harder to do in theory.

    I recognize the frustration and struggled with low maintenance and small deficit so I get what you are experiencing! It can be a long process to fix it. It took me about 6 months to up my daily calories maintenance level.

    i've been at this for about 5 years. The highest i've been able to push my maintenance level is about 2,100 calories a day, but this requires that i significantly up my NEAT and get about 12,000-ish steps per day. I am a personal trainer and I am active, but I am mostly standing and instructing not walking around the block.

    As a small female with a thyroid problem though, i'll take what I can get!

    It looks like you are making the most of your circumstances, then.
  • DebSozo
    DebSozo Posts: 2,578 Member
    edited October 2016
    psulemon wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    A week or so being away and off-line with limited data, I'm now back to recording my daily intake and I'm finding it really hard to keep anywhere near the 1200 calories I need to, to lose weight. And that is even after cutting out half the day before I eat for the first time. I must say I'm getting a bit despondent and realising I either have to deprive myself, or do an hour in the gym to eat anything that's anywhere normal for us. So this week I am going to make it a gym focus and still try to keep the calories low. I'm writing this as a challenge to keep myself accountable. New mantra: I LOVE EXERCISE, I LOVE MORNINGS, I LOVE MONDAYS

    Why don't you add a little more calories and slow down weight loss? Might make it easier to maintain a deficit.

    Just to play devil's advocate here, but.... i have to cut down to this or less to lose weight at my height/size/activity level. I also have to amp up the cardio like crazy as well.

    It's all nice and everything to say "why don't you just eat more" but when you maintain on 1,700-1,800 (WITH exercise) it's a little harder to do in theory.

    Oh, I do recognize there may be an issue if one has a very low TDEE, but if the OP's was 1800, you can easily bump up calories to 1400 or a bit more, especially if there is a compliance issue at 1200. Alternatively, you do little things to increase NEAT or even TEA; more walking, parking further way, taking the stairs, etc..

    yes, this is definitely possible. It's actually what i'm doing now on a cut, and i'm losing just under 1/2 a pound per week. It can definitely feel frustrating though, so i get the desire to see a little greater loss here and there. And even at this calorie level (i'm doing about 1450) i'm still having some compliance issues where i want to eat all the things now that the weather is cold and crappy outside.

    I'm not trying to make this about myself, just offering a little perspective. I know the struggle OP.

    I often struggle to maintain 2400 calories during a cutSo even double the calories can be hard to maintain. Hell, since I am lifting heavy, i can struggle to keep under my 3k maintenance level.

    That would be heavenly. Do you remember what your maintenance calories were before you started lifting heavy?
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    DebSozo wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    A week or so being away and off-line with limited data, I'm now back to recording my daily intake and I'm finding it really hard to keep anywhere near the 1200 calories I need to, to lose weight. And that is even after cutting out half the day before I eat for the first time. I must say I'm getting a bit despondent and realising I either have to deprive myself, or do an hour in the gym to eat anything that's anywhere normal for us. So this week I am going to make it a gym focus and still try to keep the calories low. I'm writing this as a challenge to keep myself accountable. New mantra: I LOVE EXERCISE, I LOVE MORNINGS, I LOVE MONDAYS

    Why don't you add a little more calories and slow down weight loss? Might make it easier to maintain a deficit.

    Just to play devil's advocate here, but.... i have to cut down to this or less to lose weight at my height/size/activity level. I also have to amp up the cardio like crazy as well.

    It's all nice and everything to say "why don't you just eat more" but when you maintain on 1,700-1,800 (WITH exercise) it's a little harder to do in theory.

    Oh, I do recognize there may be an issue if one has a very low TDEE, but if the OP's was 1800, you can easily bump up calories to 1400 or a bit more, especially if there is a compliance issue at 1200. Alternatively, you do little things to increase NEAT or even TEA; more walking, parking further way, taking the stairs, etc..

    yes, this is definitely possible. It's actually what i'm doing now on a cut, and i'm losing just under 1/2 a pound per week. It can definitely feel frustrating though, so i get the desire to see a little greater loss here and there. And even at this calorie level (i'm doing about 1450) i'm still having some compliance issues where i want to eat all the things now that the weather is cold and crappy outside.

    I'm not trying to make this about myself, just offering a little perspective. I know the struggle OP.

    I often struggle to maintain 2400 calories during a cutSo even double the calories can be hard to maintain. Hell, since I am lifting heavy, i can struggle to keep under my 3k maintenance level.

    That would be heavenly. Do you remember what your maintenance calories were before you started lifting heavy?

    My maintenance has always been around 3000k (whether I was 220 or 175). Prior to lifting I was doing TKD. And then I have transitioned to lifting 3x/wk and 2-3 hours of cardio/flexibility training.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    A week or so being away and off-line with limited data, I'm now back to recording my daily intake and I'm finding it really hard to keep anywhere near the 1200 calories I need to, to lose weight. And that is even after cutting out half the day before I eat for the first time. I must say I'm getting a bit despondent and realising I either have to deprive myself, or do an hour in the gym to eat anything that's anywhere normal for us. So this week I am going to make it a gym focus and still try to keep the calories low. I'm writing this as a challenge to keep myself accountable. New mantra: I LOVE EXERCISE, I LOVE MORNINGS, I LOVE MONDAYS

    Why don't you add a little more calories and slow down weight loss? Might make it easier to maintain a deficit.

    Just to play devil's advocate here, but.... i have to cut down to this or less to lose weight at my height/size/activity level. I also have to amp up the cardio like crazy as well.

    It's all nice and everything to say "why don't you just eat more" but when you maintain on 1,700-1,800 (WITH exercise) it's a little harder to do in theory.

    The OP weighs a bit more than you and doesn't need to eat so few calories.

  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    edited October 2016
    Pedant moment:

    Metabolism is not any one thing. Metabolism is a collection of things. If someone has something wrong with one metabolic process (which can in turn affect other metabolic processes), they have a medical issue which needs looking into.

    As for basal metabolic rates, while their are individual variances, the deviation from the norm is not that widespread. It's merely, IIRC at most 6-7% different.

    As for your statements about IF working and not working, I can't make any sense out of what you expect it to be doing for you. It's about meal timing, nothing more.

    Exactly this.

    I do IF as it helps me to adhere to my calories and make it easier to keep a deficit. Nothing more.
    psulemon wrote: »
    3 days of birthday celebrations meaning delicious carrot cake with lashings of cream cheese icing and lots of booze - and now its my fiancés birthday tomorrow as well. So I have completely fallen off the calories deficit wagon this week, along with no exercising. Hmmm the cake calling me at midnight when I woke up saying eat me eat me reminded me of our recent conversation of binge eating when there is food in the house - have cake will eat it!!

    Life happens. ;)

    Every day you have a brand new chance to do better.

    Happy Birthday! :)

    Thank you for the birthday wishes - now its detox time after a full on birthday week~!

    Sugarless gummy bears can help if you are interested. I hear they are even better than the taco bell cleanse.
    psulemon wrote: »
    3 days of birthday celebrations meaning delicious carrot cake with lashings of cream cheese icing and lots of booze - and now its my fiancés birthday tomorrow as well. So I have completely fallen off the calories deficit wagon this week, along with no exercising. Hmmm the cake calling me at midnight when I woke up saying eat me eat me reminded me of our recent conversation of binge eating when there is food in the house - have cake will eat it!!

    Life happens. ;)

    Every day you have a brand new chance to do better.

    Happy Birthday! :)

    Thank you for the birthday wishes - now its detox time after a full on birthday week~!

    Sugarless gummy bears can help if you are interested. I hear they are even better than the taco bell cleanse.

    I'm still partial to the peeps cleanse. B)

    Come to the dark side and do all three. B)
  • ChristinaOne21
    ChristinaOne21 Posts: 49 Member
    In the 90's now, but I realise I can't rely on the calories entered in this site as some of them are so random or completely different from each other, so when it looks like I'm in a calorie deficit I realise I need to add on a few things, as I know I'm really not. The wine has been featuring far too much this week. Also haven't been to the gym forever and the weight is definitely not moving due to those two things. Tomorrow it will be different!
  • DebSozo
    DebSozo Posts: 2,578 Member
    edited October 2016
    @ChristinaOne21. Did you track and log your birthday meals or the wine servings? If not, then it may help you to record as it is much easier to adjust and make corrections for a little birthday party MEAL or dinner event, for instance, rather than going off a whole DAY.


  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,455 Member
    In the 90's now, but I realise I can't rely on the calories entered in this site as some of them are so random or completely different from each other, so when it looks like I'm in a calorie deficit I realise I need to add on a few things, as I know I'm really not. The wine has been featuring far too much this week. Also haven't been to the gym forever and the weight is definitely not moving due to those two things. Tomorrow it will be different!

    There are certainly inaccuracies in the database but most of them are usually easy to spot and avoid, if it looks too good to be true or is using wonky measurements, best to look for an alternative. It is still a very comprehensive collection of mostly accurate calories/nutritional information.

    If it is a meal you are preparing yourself, use the recipe builder or look for the individual ingredient entries, specifically the USDA entries for fruits/veggies and "raw" entries by weight for protein. If it is a restaurant meal, there are a lot of entries from chain restaurants that are directionally correct. If the restaurant you are eating at isn't in there, choose something similar from a similar chain.

    What specifically did you see that you were concerned about?
  • iwantwow
    iwantwow Posts: 152 Member
    I have a serious questions ,is intermittent fasting good for people with hypothyroid .I have read many theories both for and against.
    Also if someone can tell me,is it ok to have an early morning coffee(under 50 calories) without hindering the process of fasting.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    iwantwow wrote: »
    I have a serious questions ,is intermittent fasting good for people with hypothyroid .I have read many theories both for and against.
    Also if someone can tell me,is it ok to have an early morning coffee(under 50 calories) without hindering the process of fasting.

    well, are you medicated for hypothyroidism? If so, you need to be taking your medication and/or vitamins in the morning and you certainly cannot drink coffee around this time.

    Otherwise calorie free coffee, teas, and BCAAs are generally considered fine for not breaking a fast.

    I would speak to your physician about your hypothyroidism, in my experience there was no benefit or detriment to my hypothyroid (regardless of the fact that I can't IF without binge-eating).
  • CorneliusPhoton
    CorneliusPhoton Posts: 965 Member
    edited October 2016
    iwantwow wrote: »
    I have a serious questions ,is intermittent fasting good for people with hypothyroid .I have read many theories both for and against.
    Also if someone can tell me,is it ok to have an early morning coffee(under 50 calories) without hindering the process of fasting.

    If you want to try IF to help regulate your calorie intake, then your 50 calorie coffee is negligible -- you are still delaying your first meal of the day. If you are in it for insulin control, then no coffee creamer.

    What are your goals for IF?

    I am hypothyroid and I do between 16:8 and 18:6 fasting most days. Some of the opinions out there warn that women's bodies in particular see fasting as a stressor, so you need to decide if it's worth it to you. Try it and see how you feel.