Daily accountability and check in
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I've been here reading and clicking the reactions, sometimes I don't have much to say, but I like to read. Your posts are always insightful, Mikey. You've a very introspective and wise way aboutcha! I like it! lol at proper Spanish Mum
Also loving the insight from walkin and inter re: workouts! nodding my head
Well, I got back from NY on Monday. Knees were super swollen… ow ow ow. I had a few recovery days. I feel like most of the last few weeks have been recovery days! I finally got back to Planet Fitness on Wednesday. I got in my weights circuits (upper/core, and lower), and my indoor cycling bike ride. I bailed after 3.5 miles tho (my estimate) cuz my bike kept shutting off. Boo. It's the only 1 of its kind there, and the only 1 that shows RPMs, so that's the one I always try to ride. I think it's on its last legs tho.
Got in another Planet Fitness workout today. Just back home about an hour ago, or so. Got in my same 2 weights circuits, but instead of my usual 5-mi indoor bike goal, I did 8+, to make up for Wedesday's short ride. Again - my estimate, cuz the thing kept shutting off again. :-(.
My club is closing for 5 days from May 22 - 26, for new equipment. I have a feeling my (formerly) favorite one-of-a-kind bike won't be there on May 27th.
Oh, hey, did I share my great labs news!? I had my annual physical on Wed, labs the day before. Last year, my LDL was slightly elevated, and A1c, too, I can't recall the chol number, but the A1C was 5.8 (5.6 is the cut-off for 'normal'). Doc wanted to put me on statins, I balked, and said let me see what I can do with diet. That's when I took up the Prolon 5-day FMD fasting - studies show it improves metabolic markers, including cholesterol and A1c numbers. And I started trying to focus on freggies, in particular green freggies, since given my druthers, I'd happily never eat a freggie of any kind, ever :p.
I had a 6-mo followup in Nov. I'd lost 12 lbs, my Cholesterol had normalized (yay! no need for statins), and my A1c came down a pt, to 5.7. Not normal yet on the A1c, but heading the right way.
I hadn't done very well over the spring and summer with my freggies (shock, lol), so I really tried to buckle down and pay attention to it over the fall and winter. I stopped paying attention to calories, and focused on getting in freg, nuts, and more recently, fermented foods. I didn't lose any more weight in between my 6-mos followup and my next year's annual physical (the one last Wed), BUT, improving the quality of the food I put in my mouth had my doc smiling! She said my labs were great. My Cholesterol came down even further, AND my A1c had come down 3 more pts, definitely into the normal zone (<5.6). This May's A1c was 5.3. Wooooohooooo !
So now I have to start trying to put together the freggie focus, with the calorie budget. meh. lol
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omgosh, I forgot to say, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, walkin!
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mkksemail, thaat is sooo awesome! glad u have moved those lipid panels down! that is great news.
I should revamp my diet by adding more veggies. I've had to take hubs to the dr's so much the last few years I havent gone at all. My dr retired and need to find one.
Thank you mkksemail for the birthday wishes! It was a good day!4 -
@mkksemail Wow! What great results! Staying off statins is a big win in my books. Isn't is amazing how we can chart our own destiny just by diet choice. Congratulations on such wonderful progress!
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Yes, missy pants, you need to find a new doc! <3
Thanks, walkin', thanks, Inter! I love sharing victories. I haven't had a scale victory all fall and winter, so I was super proud of the labs one! :D
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@mkksemail I think that the lowering of your cholesterol and blood glucose is maybe even a bigger victory than the weight, especially when it comes to CVD, with MI and stroke risk. Congrats again!
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I think you're right, Inter. My doc even said as much, she said you can be healthier while heavy if you're eating quality food, than if you're ideal weight and eating low quality food. AND, she said, your labs are telling the story of the last 6 mos of food quality focus!
ty again =)
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Just finished my weekend 36 hour fast, this is my 4th weekend, and I am getting used to it. The results have been encouraging, and I feel more energized, both during and post fast. I am still struggling with a rotator cuff injury that has limited my exercise options. I start physiotherapy this coming week, twice a week for six weeks. This is my second go around with a rotator cuff injury, the first one was in 2008, and took many weeks to heal, hopefully this recovery will be faster, but it is frustrating nonetheless. Wishing everyone a great week!
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Ahhh, gl with the pt - it always seems to be a big help to me. Congrats on the fasting! I'm overdue for another round of Prolon FMD. I have to pencil one in soon. We're heading out of town next weekend, and have some social engagements prior to that, so it'll be at least a couple weeks. But, it's time.
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I need to check out a prolon fast. I read a post about a guy that found he would lose weight eating his bmr, and he got to goal weight. I will try to post the link.
A small post about big results (300 lbs -> 220 lbs)2 -
ya couldn't get it the correct link, but u might be able to get it from that.
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I am a BIG Prolon fan !! It's not really a weight-loss program, tho. It's an 'improve your metabolic health' and 'increase your healthy longevity' program.
You DO lose weight when you're fasting, but you gain back about 2/3 of it the next week. If you think about it, it's not realistic to lose 5-7 lbs in a week, not real weight, anyway. Your calories are drastically cut, so you do keep off a couple pounds that you lost, hopefully. But if you don't know about the water weight bounce back going in, and are doing it to lose weight, you get disappointed.
It's just such a great re-set for me. I have circadian rhythm sleep disruption issues, it helps with that. I have arthritic knee pain - which always goes away by Day 3, and I freaking love that, lol. But the feeling on D5, and D6's Transition Day avo toast, and even D7, omg it's fantastic. LOVE THAT.
Highly recomment, walkin
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@mkksemail Although people have gotten good results with weight loss with Prolon FMD. As I am in maintenance mode, my main reason for fasting was to promote autophagy. Fasting is the most effective way to promote autophagy, and with the Prolon FMD, by its nature, limits autophagy because of the presence of sugars and carbs in the limited fasting. Depending on the individual’s metabolism, significant autophagy may take two to four days of fasting, and begins when glucose and insulin levels drop considerably. Studies have shown evidence of autophagy after 24 hours of fasting, which starts peaking at around 48 hours of fasting, which with the Prolon system, is never attained. It doesn't mean that autophagy doesn't take place, as it occurs naturally in the body, and especially with exercise, but to be most effective, it does require one to maintain a constant fasting state. I have tried various fasting lengths, and found that, for me, the 36 hour fast weekly works the best, others prefer longer periods with longer periods between cycles. I can easily maintain a 36 hour fast, without breaking down muscle, and achieving a fairly long period of autophagy, to hopefully promote health and longevity by regenerating healthier cells.
The other issue for some with the Prolon FMD system is the cost, as it requires purchase of their meal plan at around $200 for the 5 day program, not insignificant.
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Ahhh, yes, the autophagy !! But, that's not accurate that you don't achieve it with Prolon FMD, inter, you def do, they have studies backing it up. That's where the magic comes from, the autophagy! I've read your posts about fasting, and each time, I couldn't help but think, why stop at 36 hrs, the real magic kicks in late on Day 3/early Day 4. That's when peak autophagy/cellular cleanup is going on. And man, the feeling on Day 5 is fantastic! And Day 6, too! the morning of Day 6 is fabulous :D. Anyway, that's how you improve metabolic health markers, and increase longevity, with Prolon, is thru/because of the autophagy.
There's a super cool (pretty short) vid explaining the autophagy process and Prolon, inter. Imma grab it for you :). The short version is, the ratio of macros, and levels of foods included in the kit, are formulated so that the nutrient-sensing pathways aren't triggered. That's why it's called 'Fasting Mimicking'. The benefits of the foods included are related to muscle retention. Constrasted with water-only fasting, which decreases muscle mass, FMD/Prolon preserves muscle mass.
Ohhhh bummer, I can't find that video! It was so cute, and so clear. It was one of the Sheeky Science Show vids on YouTube. Anyway, here is the article that convinced me to try it:
I just got an email from one of the coaches yesterday, there's a huge sale starting today. You're right, the cost is A LOT. But, it includes daily coaching via Zoom meeting. I didn't understand how helpful those would be, but they absolutely ARE. The coaching is included in the price of the 5-day kit. It's a group zoom, 1 hr meeting, 7 days. From pre-day, through Days 1-5, and Day 6 Transtion Day. The three coaches are fantastic.
Anyway, here's the link with Kristen's discout code applied, if you're interested :)
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I haven't done prolon or a 1 day fast. done intermittant type, a few hours at best. Feeling hunger really bothers me now.
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There is a lot of good science behind the cellular benefits of fasting. I'm a convert, for sure! Modern medicine is syncing up with many different religious practices, in the case of fasting. For thousands of years, quite a few different religions have incorporated fasting into their belief systems. Plus, across the millenia, humans - religious or not - have almost universally experienced periods of feast and famine. Our bodies have evolved to thrive with periods of fasting. The science behind the discovery of the process of autophagy won the Nobel Prize fairly recently, 2016 maybe? The cellular cleanup process behind autophagy - recycling broken/malformed cellular components - is such a beneficial thing for our bodies. It's even being studied as part of cancer research, which is super cool.
That, plus our gut biome, and its influence on our 'second brain' are new frontiers in medical research. .😎
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it is very interesting! lots to learn.
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Wow I'm very impressed this forum has been going on for more than a year. Your journey from starting out to being experienced at fasting is motivational for me, and your consistent posting shows your commitment to your health goals. I have done IF and adapted to it after the first 3 times being very difficult. My max fast was 48 hours and it wasn't the big challenge I expected. It didn't cost me any $ because while fasting I only have black coffee, plain tea and water. Persevering through the first 3 fasts (which I had planned to be 16 hours, 24 hours, and 42 hours and spaced out those out a week apart) and journaling a ton of notes for what worked and what I could change, is what made all the following fasts unexpectedly easy for me. I no longer drink coffee daily so my fasts are just water now and I'm rarely bothered by hunger when fasting. I studied the Jason Fung Intermittent Fasting book inside and out and read it from cover to cover at least a dozen times because I really wanted to understand the metabolic processes. I have had times where I did a 42 hour fast every 3 days for several weeks with VLC meals and that worked out great for me. Your forum here has me thinking of stretching my fasting goals to longer fasts of perhaps 3-7 days, because I agree the data shows how beneficial fasts are to our health. I can consider myself experienced at 42 hour fasts now and I thank your posts for reminding me to consider the many good reasons to extending my fasting time.
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I had an excellent Memorial Day Weekend, maintained balanced diet during the week, and did another 36hr fast over the weekend while keeping somewhat active within the limitations of my shoulder. Running a little under my goal weight, but within a healthy range. It has been a little tricky tweaking my caloric intake with my reduced physical activity, thus the loss of a few pounds over the past couple of weeks. I hope to be back on the bike by the end of this week, my upper body strength training will hopefully begin in a couple of more weeks, and I hope to be back to my normal routines by the end of June. Have a great week everyone!
Goal Weight: 185
Average weight for this week, May 20-26: 180.0 BMI: 23.1
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ate junk food of course the scale was up.. didn't do any exercise either yesterday. feel blah.. fast food wasn't as good as I thought it would be. it was cheap that was it.
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Yep, that Fast Food always lets you down. I feel the same way after eating it.
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Hello, @KATHY_GOOD1 ! Welcome to you 🙋♀️
WTG, inter! Hugs, walkin' ! I'm just back from a mini-getaway, too. Lovely time, overly active, ofc, so knees are swollen again (and scale jumped 2 lbs too). That is swoll tho, it'll come off. Did lots of walking (double daily steps), went on a sunset schooner ride, swam laps in the heated saltwater pool, and enjoyed the jacuzzi, ofc ;-). Got in a 30-min recumbant bike ride in the (very limited) fitness room. Played cards with hubby, daughter, and mother-in-law outside by the pool, and in mil's room after dinners. Lovely full included breakfasts - I tried chia pudding (with berries & granola) for the first time, and overnight oats, as well - tho they were served warm, not cold, which I'm pretty sure I'm grateful for. They were delicious. Came with warm milk, maple syrup, and brown sugar for add-ins. Enjoyed fresh fruit bowls at breakfasts, as well. Really love having cut fruit if someone else is doing the work ;-).
I had two different versions of Haddock Reubens (I think this is becoming my favorite sandwich, lol). Sampled some lobster stew, and crab cakes. Had charred octopus with greens, and some kind of pasta dish with chicken, at the same place I got the octopus. It was called florentine something. Came with spinach fettucini, chicken bits that were packed with flavor, some kind of wine cream sauce, it was good. Had a port with a flourless chocolate torte, for dessert, as well. Also has a spicy black bean veggie burger (well, half of one). Some other delicious things, but I can't recall now. Coleslaw … 3-bean salad … spinach & tomato quiche … oh! frozen custard. Ya, had some treats, lol (the custard, port, choc torte, a coffee with spirits, a pint of local brew lager).
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hello everyone. I’m new to this party but have been actively working towards weight loss with my emphasis on nutrition for the first 3 weeks. Last week I added some weights and short walks to the routine.
I am looking forward to more progress towards my goal of 100 pounds lost. I’m down 11.4 lbs now and I’m feeling positive about the whole process. So that’s me. How are you? What did you have for breakfast?4 -
Hi Mom ! Welcome to you (and congrats on your successful journey so far, and positive outlook! That's more than half the battle right there.) @mom23boys2007
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welcome to the team @mom23boys2007, good place to hang out while doing your program.
mkksemail , all that glorious food! nothing like that where I live. I wouldn't mind trying some of that seafood. u had a great weekend!
Son 1 showed up monday, he was sick, so I gave him a jar of the elderberry syrup I make and got him fixed up. he left yesterday. It was nice to spend some time with him. of course i needed him as much as he need ole mom. I miss having my sons around. I don't care much for the time after he left. Tried not being a wimp about it.4 -
oooo, you make elderberry syrup, walkin! That's cool !! Nice that your son came to visit, empathetic sympathy for the empty feeling after he'd gone ((( hug ))).
How many sons do you have? (We have 1 daughter.)
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Walked this morning before the rain hit and I'm 'water only' fasting for a lab work appointment later today. Usually I schedule lab appointments for first thing in the morning, but I was intentional in scheduling this one so I would fast longer, so it's a later appointment for a change. Afterward will be a very late lunch with my daughter who is done with school for the year. My son is off living life and doing well, and I treasure the time I get to see him. I understand @walkintofit - it's tough when they leave the nest. So many women in my circle are going through that adjustment and learning how to live life differently when the house is empty.
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I have 2 sons, 7 grandkids, 1 great grand son. Oldest granddaughter is stationed in Hawaii, before that she was in South Korea. I need to connect with her soon to see what she is doing next.
My empty nest thing is my husband passed away december '23. married 47 yrs. Some days its very rough, anxiety hits. don't forget bad eating/drinking on that year. This year working on eating better and losing the weight I gained. Cooking for 1 stinks. Learning more things, youtube for the mechanical things, looking for different recipies . Been pushing myself on working out. health markers improving, mental health is a biggy for me also.
One thing I remind myself is that he got to spend the rest of his life with me. That hits a bit different from me living the rest of my life without him.5 -
wtg, Kathy! Enjoy your post-extended overnight-into-afternoon-water-fast late lunch date with your daughter :). And, gl on labs, ofc !
walkin' I just ran across an article in one of my challenges, last week, that I meant to share with you! It was from the BLC (Biggest Loser Challenge) Week 3's weekly challenge, the them of which was Meal Planning.
Meal Prep Plan: How I Prep a Week of Meals for One in Just Over an Hour
Kelli FosterCulinary Producer updated Jun 8, 2019
Before meeting my husband, I spent a number of years as a solo cook. Even now, on weeks when he’s traveling or has other plans, I plan, prep, and cook for just myself. I’m a firm believer that planning and meal prepping for one brings value to your week, and is absolutely worthwhile.
This Power Hour is focused on quick and easy prep that will leave you with minimal cooking to do on weeknights (think: 15 minutes max). The staples you prepare can be repurposed throughout the week into distinctly different meals so that you’re not left eating the same thing all week long. Ready to see how it’s done?
My Meal Prep Goals
- Breakfast: An easy mix-and-match breakfast that can be eaten at home or on the go (5 days).
- Lunch: A make-ahead, light, protein-packed lunch (5 days).
- Dinner: Prepped meals that only require assembly, reheating, or light cooking to bring together (4 days).
- Nutritional Goals: While I don’t have any food restrictions, I make a point to work in a lot of vegetables and focus my diet on a wide variety of whole foods that feel (mostly) healthy to me.
Meal Prep Plan Snapshot
- Feeds: One person
- Prep Time: About 75 minutes
- Meals Covered: About 75% (no Friday dinner or weekend meals)
- Weeknight Cooking Required? Moderate (up to 15 minutes of light cooking to get dinner on the table).
My Meal Plan
Breakfast
- Mix-and-Match Breakfast Grain Bowls
Lunch
- Greens with Marinated White Beans & Hard-Boiled Egg
- Pesto Pasta Salad
- Lemony Chicken and Rice Soup
Dinner
- Pesto Zoodle Bowl with Salmon
- Stuffed Sweet Potato with Marinated Beans and Sautéed Greens
- Sheet Pan Roasted Tomatoes and Mushrooms with Polenta
- Marinated White Beans on Toast with Fried Egg
My Shopping List
Below are the ingredients I bought or used for this meal prep plan. I also relied on staples already in my pantry, like olive oil and dried spices.
- Produce: 1 pint berries, 5 ounces baby spinach, 3 lemons, 1 shallot, 1 bunch parsley, 1 bunch oregano, 2 pints cherry tomatoes, 1 pound cremini mushrooms, garlic, 1 medium zucchini, 1 large sweet potato
- Meat & Seafood: 1 boneless chicken breast, 1 (6-ounce) salmon fillet
- Dairy, Eggs, & Refrigerated: Greek yogurt, 1 dozen large eggs, red cabbage kraut, 4 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls
- Pantry: Quinoa, steel-cut oats, 2 cans cannellini beans, pesto, 1 (1-pound) box fusilli pasta, 1 box chicken broth, 1 box polenta, 1 loaf sourdough
- Other: Cooked white rice
Power Hour: How I Get the Prep Done
- Roast vegetables: Since this takes the longest and is mostly hands-off, I prep the tomatoes and mushrooms, divide them between two sheet pans, and slide them into the oven for about 30 minutes, along with a whole sweet potato, which takes about 45 minutes to cook through. Once the tomatoes and mushrooms are done I cool them completely on the sheet pans. Meanwhile, I move on to cooking other ingredients on the stovetop.
More at link … https://www.thekitchn.com/easy-meal-prep-plan-for-one-22902902
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thank you for the link, gives me ideas to do. Haven't done meal planning or meal prep. i eat a lot of sandwiches, some veggies, beef, salmon, some fruit, yogert, berries. I know I need to change things up to eat better.
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