Monthly post January 2020

2

Replies

  • mamainthekitchen
    mamainthekitchen Posts: 929 Member
    Well I lasted 23hrs. I had hot water, tea, hot water then several hours not needing anything, then I had some tea late afternoon then I had 3 cups of low sodium chicken broth around 8 pm. I kept thinking that I should have something so I don’t binge tomorrow so I ate 3 boneless skinless grilled chicken thighs at the 23 hr mark. I’ll wait until tomorrow to figure out my next plan. The husband is still fasting!
  • Meghan509
    Meghan509 Posts: 2,099 Member
    Hi all!

    Crazy day here at work!

    Congrats @mamainthekitchen on your 23 hour fast! I call that a win! Keep us posted on how it goes with weight loss. Would love to try one of those in time. :)

    Things are good here. Keto WOE is good. Made a yummy casserole last night! How we love our casseroles at our house. LOL The pants I have on today are feeling quite loose! I likey.

    Have a good day all. See you soon!
  • A_Dabauer
    A_Dabauer Posts: 212 Member
    Thanks, everyone for the welcome :)

    @mamainthekitchen PCOS - Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, which is, in essence, a hormonal imbalance. There's a strong correlation between this hormonal imbalance, metabolic syndrome, and insulin resistance. The medication I'm on Victoza is a GLP-1 agonist, it basically replicates a hormone in our gut that increases insulin and leptin sensitivity among other things. (Hopefully, that helps).

    Now onto my fast over the weekend. I struggled a lot after hour 48. I actually broke my fast at 64 hours. I just was feeling rough. I had an avocado and tomato salad and then completed the rest of my fast as expected. (So basically did a 64 and 34 back to back). It's still a bit longer than I've fasted before and I think eating was the right choice! I broke my fast on Sunday with more avocado and tomato salad and some homemade egg drop soup.

    On Monday I was STARVING! LOL, this actually is a good sign for me, I often don't have much of an appetite. I'm pretty sure this is from beating up my metabolism for so many years. When I'm hungry it's a sign that my metabolism is actually increasing. The main reason I'm currently trying longer fasts and eating windows is that I was finding I wasn't eating enough after a fast. On my eating days, I'm also doing 18:6 or 17:7 depending on my schedule for the day. I'm going to try to do my 3 days eating, 4 days fasting for a few more weeks. If I find I'm always hungry on the first day after my fasting window, I'll probably change to Alternate day fasting for the majority of the time and only do longer fasts maybe once a month or so, as they are certainly a bit harder.
  • A_Dabauer
    A_Dabauer Posts: 212 Member
    I haven't really talked about my weight yet.. I'm 5'3" (I'm actually closer to 5'4" but saying I'm 5'4" seems like lying LOL)
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    Here's my progress since the beginning of December. This is just a mini-goal which will take me to 190lbs. Ideally, I probably should be 150lbs, however, I historically I know anything under 180 is (or was) very challenging. I'm hoping fasting is the missing key and I will be able to get much closer to an ideal body fat percentage. (I'm pretty muscular so BMI isn't a great measure for me.)
  • KateNkognito
    KateNkognito Posts: 1,638 Member
    Well, I had my two interviews today. One was great, the other was... strange. I am not at all upset I didn't get that one. I am pretty sure I will be getting a job offer in a few weeks from the good one.
    On a fasting note, I fasted yesterday and I didn't have anything today until lunch. So, I am off to a good start for the week.
    @mamainthekitchen Good job on your fast! I don't think I would make it without any calories. I get hangry. Glad your husband is getting on board.
    @A_Dabauer It sounds like you have a plan. I hope it works for you. Sometimes people have to adapt and find what works for them.
    @flossyruby1 Welcome back!! It is nice to "see" you again.
    Have a great rest of the week! Happy Fasting!
  • A_Dabauer
    A_Dabauer Posts: 212 Member
    @KateNkognito Good luck with the job offer!
  • orlcam
    orlcam Posts: 533 Member
    Just stopping in real quick...I know I missed a lot. And welcome to all the new and new-old users...great to see everyone. This place is starting to rock again.

    Been taking care of some things and putting fasting off; I finally told my wife yesterday that after last night's meal I was starting a fast. I don't know how long I'm going. I started at 3:30 am (LSU National Championship...don't judge ;) ) and am shooting for 36 hours, but will take it however long I can. Just went to grocery and am setup for keto over the next 2 weeks or so.

    I'll be back soon...looking to change the banner; if anyone has any ideas or cool/inspirational pics please post them.

    Congrats to everyone on fasting...it looks like you all are kicking butt right now.
  • mamainthekitchen
    mamainthekitchen Posts: 929 Member
    Woohoo Orlcam LSU won!!! Love a good championship game.... except I have the Canucks and they’re (shhh) terrible! Sounds like you’re set up well for success now for your fasts!

    Yes this site is busy again! Thank you everyone!

    Thanks for the explanation @A_Dabauer ...our bodies are amazing machines! LOL re your height!!!! Gotta good laugh on that, reminded me of my sister who always said she was “5’ 2 & 3/4” so far” as if she was still thinking she was still growing! Thanks to for your stats! Great job already since dec!!! You say your muscular, do you exercise/use weights? Also your age? I’m curious, as I’m the old gal here! Just turned 60!!!! Ugh! I’m 5’6” and after my fast the other day I’m 157lbs although last spring I was 155!! I yo-yo back & forth from 155-160 all the time! I’m stuck! But I have not been walking like I use to... I use to walk 7-10k steps a day... now I’m usually only about 4K per day. I’ll get back to it, but I do know walking really helped me lose the weight!!

    Kate!! Crossed fingers for you and sending all good vibes for the job of your choosing!!! You’ve worked so hard for this! <3

    Meghan what keto casseroles are you making? Send me links! Put them in the favorite dinner posts! My family hates casseroles and I love them! It has to be a good one for me to serve it.... the husband has a thing about casseroles, he thinks they’re someone’s leftovers with cheese thrown on top!! Arghh!
    You would do just fine on a 24 hr fast!! Just keep busy and eat well the day before. I will do it again for sure!

    Off to shovel snow!!! Cardio & weight lifting!
  • Meghan509
    Meghan509 Posts: 2,099 Member
    Hi guys!

    Ugh, one of those CrAzY busy days! Been sitting on this page for hours now, waiting to type something!

    With that being said I need to keep this to a quick drive by! Big meeting and travel coming up last week of January so been nuts. Definitely still sticking to Keto though! And!! I have a coworker who just started this past Monday. :) Very happy for her! Unfortunately she is not on MFP, she uses another app so can't invite her here. Sigh...

    I am sending positive vibes to all of you! Career, weight loss, good karma, and all that fun stuff.

    See you guys soon. :)
  • KateNkognito
    KateNkognito Posts: 1,638 Member
    Been a crazy couple of days. Today's fast is hard. I have had a TON of caffeine, so that might be it. I am going to go and work on my puzzle I got myself for Christmas so I am not snacking. I have yummy food waiting for me for tomorrow, so I am going to be good tonight and hold out. I hope everyone is doing well! Happy Fasting!
  • A_Dabauer
    A_Dabauer Posts: 212 Member
    @mamainthekitchen
    re: Height - LOL at your sister. I always say 5'3" I knew I was a bit taller than 5'3" but had forgotten exactly how much, but my 12-year-old just reached 5'3" and so she's very anxious to get taller than me and so we measured and I was like geez why haven't I been saying 5'4" all this time?
    re: Body Composition further details - So I'm 41 so not really young anymore. I'm just naturally muscular?!? I've 110lbs of lean muscle mass and 6lbs of bone, so at 30% body fat that would take me to 150lbs. My daughter at 12 and 5'3" is already at 95lbs of muscle, we're naturally strong, but don't do anything, in particular, to make that happen. LOL. I have lifted heavy in the past but honestly didn't seem to make a huge difference and I didn't seem to build a lot more muscle while I was doing it. In hindsight, I might not have been eating enough to build muscle. With extended fasting however you get a Human Growth Hormone spike around 48hrs. Once I'm closer to my goal weight I'm going to see if lifting heavy lifting fasted in those windows gives me any gains, but I want to be able to see what muscles I'm building so I have 25lbs yet to lose before I get there. At the moment I'm just focusing on walking :)
    BTW: Are you in Vancouver? I'm in Calgary!

    So as of last night at 6:30, I've started fasting again, I'm hoping to get farther into my 4-day fast than last week but I will see how it goes. :smiley: My pace of weight loss is really quite fast, so while it's nice to lose so quickly my extended fasts are more about staying in autophagy and insulin deprivation than the speed of weight loss. That being said, I'm not complaining, and it's very encouraging to see such spectacular results. :smiley:
  • Meghan509
    Meghan509 Posts: 2,099 Member
    Hi guys!

    Still busy here, so just wanted to say hello for now and that I am rooting for you!

    I should be in better shape tomorrow, work wise. Things are slowly coming together. I will share my stats and my WOE for the new(er) peeps, etc.

    I also owe @mamainthekitchen the casserole recipe!

    Speak soon.
  • flossyruby1
    flossyruby1 Posts: 337 Member
    Sorry for the delay in responding. Thank you for the re-welcome. My fast on Tuesday was a bust. I’m just not able to push through when my hunger tears it’s ugly head early in the morning. But that’s the beauty of fasting...flexibility. Making another attempt today.

    Question: has anyone attempted to do a fasting mimicking diet? I’ve been exploring a DIY version with ideas from Reddit. I’ve tried Longos FMD product. But I couldn’t sustain it. I’m wondering if doing a DIY version with real food would increase the odds of success. I’m going to tweak some recipes next week and plan to use them to do a bit of a longer fast. I’ll keep you posted if anyone is interested.

    Have a great weekend, everyone.
  • A_Dabauer
    A_Dabauer Posts: 212 Member
    So lesson learned about fasting and salt.

    My first few extended fasts were decent but the last few I've been getting a really bad headache and really tired. I don't really like salt and so day-to-day I don't use much. I knew when fasting I needed to supplement with salt or you'll end up dehydrated. I had been taking a bit of salt, but in my fast yesterday, the headache started barely 16 hours in. I took a bit of salt maybe 1/4 of a teaspoon, the headache didn't change. At the 24hour mark, I took probably close to a whole teaspoon and drank a litre of water, and basically went to bed. This morning I feel soooooo much better, so I'll be continuing to use a lot of salt to keep that dehydration at bay.
  • A_Dabauer
    A_Dabauer Posts: 212 Member
    @flossyruby1 when you do a full day fast is that a from dinner one day to dinner the next?

    If you're especially hungry in the morning you could do breakfast to breakfast instead. In fact when we eat in the morning our insulin response to that meal is less than if we eat the exact same meal in the evening. Since the point of fasting is to lower and drop insulin levels, so it might be worth a try?

    The other thing I notice is if my food is too carby prior to starting my fast I'm way more hungry. I don't fully follow keto, but the day before my fast I make sure I've as few as carbs as possible to make that transition easier.
  • flossyruby1
    flossyruby1 Posts: 337 Member
    @A_Dabauer I toyed with counting macros over the holiday and liked it bc I was getting a bit more protein. I found that eating more protein at night made me not as ravenous the next morning. I was vegan for about 6 years and ultimately stopped bc I just didn’t feel good. I’m thinking it was bc my protein was so low. I’m tweaking my macros currently to find my sweet spot. But I’ll take your advice to heart and focus on higher protein dinner the night before a fast. And yes, I’m a dinner-to-dinner gal. It’s less invasive for me (fewer questions from my son, still allows for eating out if needed, etc). Historically, I did better eating at night.
  • A_Dabauer
    A_Dabauer Posts: 212 Member
    @flossyruby1 ah yes I agree it's much easier to skip breakfast and lunch unnoticed. I've a kiddo around myself, and while she knows I fast, I too try to do most of my fasting in her absence.

    Going to bed hungry was one of my biggest hurdles when I started fasting, but it gets easier thankfully. I've come a long way, in my 20s I used to use food to medicate my insomnia...now going to sleep totally fasted is completely possible!

    One of the things I like best about fasting is its complete flexibility, special event on a fasting day, switch up my fasting for a different day. It's certainly one of the most flexible things I've ever done. :smiley:
  • orlcam
    orlcam Posts: 533 Member
    @flossyruby1 I'm definitely interested. I always look at new info and experiences then use what I can to improve my own way of eating.

    @A_Dabauer Interesting stuff...the way our bodies change and burn calories w/different types of food/sleep/fasting/time of day/month/year fascinates me. While a kcal is the "energy it takes to raise the temperature of 1kg of water by 1°C", many people don't realize that different parts of the body (muscle, fat, organs) do this with different levels of efficiency. When I was writing my tdee/bmr calculator I did a lot of research on this...it was a few years ago and I should probably start looking for new studies on the subject. I wish I had more time today to take part in this conversation; I'll definitely be paying attention to everyone's journey and the tweaks they make to ensure success....that's one of the great things about this group.

    Fasts didn't work out so well this week...I tried to go into ketosis at the same time and made things tougher on myself than I needed to. I'll focus on getting into ketosis 1st then get back into the fasting later next week.

    Good Luck everyone...have a great weekend.

  • orlcam
    orlcam Posts: 533 Member
    @KateNkognito congrats on the 1 interview, the other not so much ;) Hope that puzzle got you through your last fast. I find too that occupying my mind with somethings helps.

    @mamainthekitchen congrats on the longer fast. How's your husband doing on it? I always like to hear from the guys too. This group has only had a few men actively participating (from time to time) over the years.
  • KateNkognito
    KateNkognito Posts: 1,638 Member
    Hey, all! It was a busy week! I got 2 1/2 fasts in. Yesterday was good until about 1 pm, then not so much. I am just going to kick sand over it and move on. I will keep doing alternate day fasting until it doesn't work any more. I am interested to see what kind of loss I have tomorrow. I am not expecting anything spectacular, but a pound or two would be nice. I want to be back where I was before Thanksgiving by the end of January.
    I see you all are doing well! It is so nice to have more people posting regularly. Keep up the good work! Have a nice weekend.
  • KateNkognito
    KateNkognito Posts: 1,638 Member
    No loss this week. Hmm. I think I got a little careless at the end of the week. Plus I had a lot of sodium yesterday. I will pay closer attention this week, plus I have 4 fasts planned. We'll see how it goes.
  • A_Dabauer
    A_Dabauer Posts: 212 Member
    So I finished my 4-day fast this week. I'm not going to say it was easy, but it was more mental than physical, other than trying to get my salt content right so that I wasn't getting massive headaches from being dehydrated. I lost about 5lbs this week with some of that before my fasting window. I have to say 5lbs lost in a week is the most I've ever seen in my whole life, so I'm sure this week I'll rebound a bit because 5lbs doesn't seem realistic.

    On the NSV side of things, I'm officially down two out of 4 skin tags and have had a huge decrease in the rate of hair growth on my face (a side effect of PCOS) which means keeping those insulin levels at zero is doing amazing things for my overall health.

    I hope you're all doing well!
  • Meghan509
    Meghan509 Posts: 2,099 Member
    Good morning all!

    Sorry for being a little missing in action lately! Crazy work week last week and the weekend was quiet on Saturday due to snow but busy yesterday since we were stuck in the house all day Saturday. LOL

    My IF and Keto WOE is going well. My guy and I are planning to get back to the gym after I return from traveling next week. Next week I am heading to Atlanta for a few days. The chaos at work is planning the meeting in Atlanta. But, it will be over soon. Looking forward to that.

    Sounds like you guys are all doing well. I can't do individual shout outs today. But, I am here cheering you on!

    Have a great day and speak soon.
  • mamainthekitchen
    mamainthekitchen Posts: 929 Member
    Yikes where does the time go?!?!!!
    We were snowed in for a while although not anything like the other side of this country.. poor people in NL got 70 cm of snow (abt 25 in”!!) so I suppose I shouldn’t complain.

    No fasts, no walks for me.. just the dog walk and I’ve been feeling cold so I just want a blanket around me all day every day! Going out for dinner on Thursday... but I’m gonna just enjoy, mom’s bday so gotta enjoy that!

    Kate I’m wondering what kind of fasts you’re doing, 5:2? Or timed fasts? Good for you for having a plan!

    Everyone: great job, love seeing all the posts!!!! Bye for now!
  • Meghan509
    Meghan509 Posts: 2,099 Member
    Hi guys!

    Still rocking and rolling here! Work = busy. Keto = great. Getting a lot more steps in lately. LOL

    Sending hugs to all. See you soon. :)
  • KateNkognito
    KateNkognito Posts: 1,638 Member
    Thank you to the precious child that shared their germs with me. I feel like I got hit by a bus. At least it is easy to not eat when you feel nauseous all day.

    @mamainthekitchen I have been doing about 5-600 calorie days for fast days. I also don't eat breakfast on fast days and am out of calories by 6 pm. So it is a little of both, I guess.

    Going to go curl up with a heating pad and some Nyquil. Good news is I will probably live through this. Bad news is I will have to live through this.
  • Meghan509
    Meghan509 Posts: 2,099 Member
    Hi guys!

    oooh @KateNkognito feel better! We complain about that often at my job - when people come to work when they are sick. UGH! Keep your germs to yourselves! :(

    Things are good here. Getting things accomplished and feeling less stressed about work and this big meeting I am planning for next week. Looking like the weather is going to cooperate too because who really wants to worry about snow when traveling!? :/

    Keto is good. Moving right along and feeling good about sticking to it even though it is so busy at work and a lot of times I look and realize I never had time to eat my afternoon snack! Weigh in day on Friday. I stayed the same last week, so hopefully I have a little something something lost this week. Next week I plan on sticking to my Keto WOE while traveling. Wish me luck!

    Guess that is all for now. Have a good rest of the day and I'll check back in soon. Almost time for lunch! :p
  • Meghan509
    Meghan509 Posts: 2,099 Member
    Good morning all!

    Happy Friday! WOO HOO! Oh what a long crazy week it's been. :p I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. Our office was open on Monday, which is the Martin Luther King Day holiday in the US.

    I weighed in this morning and I am down 1.4 lbs for the week. Total loss since starting keto on August 5 is just shy of 35 lbs. I am very pleased! Most of my old clothes fit me again, with the exception of a few pairs of work pants that I bought when I was about ten lbs less than now or at my thinnest - back in May of 2018. Looking forward to trying those on in another few weeks to see how they are coming along.

    Not much else going on here. Monday through Wednesday I am out of town so I will check in as able. Don't do anything crazy now, while I am away. :D

    See you soon! Have a great weekend! I plan on checking in. :)
  • Meghan509
    Meghan509 Posts: 2,099 Member
    Hope everyone is having a great weekend. :)
  • mamainthekitchen
    mamainthekitchen Posts: 929 Member
    Sorry I forgot to check in here lately, been busy clearing out the junk accumulating over the last 29 years we’ve been in this house! Holy!!

    Meghan you’ve done so well, 35lbs! Slow & steady wins the race!! With emphasis on the steady! Have a great time away on your work trip!! Should be fun cause I know your company treats you right!!

    Kate those kids need to be sprayed with disinfectant upon entry of the school!! Actually, that’s a brilliant idea! I’ll want royalties!! Hope you feel better and you can rest over the weekend!!

    Cleaning a few blinds tomorrow then cooking big pork roast! Staying close to home.....Have a great weekend people