Fasting

dispatch25
dispatch25 Posts: 13
edited October 5 in Health and Weight Loss
So i have hit a weight loss plateau, its so frustrating. I decided to go on a fast and see if i can throw off my body, has anyone else ever done this or have anymore ideas of getting off this freaking weight cliff? I workout anywhere from 3-5 times a week for over an hour and bust my butt and i eat right, anyone else have ideas about being stuck?

thanks

kayla

starting weight 279
goal weight 175

current weight 220

Replies

  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
    Hmm fasting doesn't sound a like a good way to go about it
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    Personally I don't think fasting is a good idea - but it's your body and your choice. If you are going to do it, then make sure you have a plan, read up about the risks and make an educated decision.

    How long have you been stuck for, and how much/what are you eating?

    If it's only been a week or two, then don't change anything, just keep on doing what you're doing and you should see results in time.

    If you've been doing the same thing for more than a month without seeing any changes at all, the clearly it's not working and you need to try something different.

    Have you been measuring yourself? Sometimes the scales don't really reflect the changes that are happening in your body but the tape measure might.
  • LabRat529
    LabRat529 Posts: 1,323 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/208407-how-to-repair-a-damaged-metabolism-stavation-mode

    I like that particular article. I think it gave some good ideas.

    I don't think a fast will do anything for you except make you hungry, but that's my opinion and it was not formed by any hard, scientific evidence, so I could be wrong.
  • downtome
    downtome Posts: 529 Member
    I have been stuck at my same weight as well for sometime and yes, it's extremely frustrating! Tomorrow, I'm going to try drinking about 3-4 Whey protein shakes throughout the day and having a clean dinner like Chicken breast and veggies. I am hoping i can stick with it for at least 2 days to try and shake things up a bit. I get very shakey and cranky when I don't eat much. Good luck!
  • shelleymeg
    shelleymeg Posts: 4 Member
    Fasting everything might make you eat like razy when you come off. OSmetimes I try fasting off certain things like sugar or bread for a few days, it helps me to realize I can actually live without it and often when you fast something you lose the taste for it! good luck
  • dispatch25
    dispatch25 Posts: 13
    I have been stuck going on a little over a month now, i have read alot of articles about fasting and it says that a 24 hour fast is really good for your body and it gives your body a break to digest anything left over in your system! i work out all the time, im either running or with my personal training doing kickboxing or hitting the weights, not sure what else to do!
  • TNoire
    TNoire Posts: 642 Member
    no no no, here is a post ive done on Plateau's

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/387166-questions-about-weight-loss-plateau-s-why-do-they-happen-w
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    It's your call, if you think it will work for you, try it - I can't imagine that 24 hours would do any harm.
    Personally I wouldn't do it (because I know how grumpy I get when I don't eat and I couldn't work out if I didn't eat then I'd be even grumpier!)

    It sounds like you are working out pretty hard... are you eating enough? If you are going too low in cals then your body might be responding by trying to slow down your metabolism, which makes it hard to lose the weight. If you open up your diary we can probably be more helpful.
  • dispatch25
    dispatch25 Posts: 13
    Yea my diary is open, or at least my bad and ill open it to the public just second!
  • AngelikaLumiere
    AngelikaLumiere Posts: 862 Member
    You are not logging that you are drinking water, so you probably aren't drinking enough. If you are not drinking enough water, your liver can't process the fat and get it out of your body for you. It is one of the easiest things people forget to do when they are trying to loose weight. I drink 10-12 eight ounce glasses a day, which is the recommended amount for someone my size. It not only helps me loose & reduces my hunger, but my skin is always very clear and healthy looking.
  • TNoire
    TNoire Posts: 642 Member
    I noticed your eating a lot of fast food and junk food and processed food

    That's gotta get cut out and swap to whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies and lean meats, cook your meals

    its okay to treat yourself once in awhile but the junk food and fast food and processed food wont help

    as a female no less than 1200 cals a day

    sodium is another thing if your eating to much of it and not getting enough water your body goes into shock for not drinking enough to flush the stuff out, I try to stick under 2400mg of sodium a day and red meat and taters 2x a week

    I gained 195lbs when I quit smoking I was up to 330lbs, I lost 156lbs in 19 months doing what i was doing and treating myself when I reached my goals but id take HALF a normal serving of whatever it was I was eating and worked the calories in my day then burned it off

    remember it takes 3500 cals to burn a 1lb
    3500 to put ON a lb

    burn more then you eat :)

    cut out the bad and keep the good there is more I can write but its late and I need to get some rest before the guys come to fix my furnace, its cold and a warm blanket is calling my name with some hot tea

    friend me if you wish!

    fasting will put ur body in starvation mode which causes it to take muscle NOT fat, which muscle you need to burn more fat and quicker to lose fat

    pop is another thing

    way I look at it... it don't have a mom or dad or come from the ground DO NOT EAT IT and don't drink your calories!
  • dispatch25
    dispatch25 Posts: 13
    So ive done alot of research tonight while doing nothing else, it said i need to be eating about 1700 calories for the physical activity i do......does that sound right to yall??? i am trying to lose this weight for the military and that calorie intake just seems outrageous to me~!!
  • TNoire
    TNoire Posts: 642 Member
    Yup start small start with getting food on track first then slowly work in your workouts and such, I had a friend of mine start with food and noticed a big diff, eating clean is the best way to start then work in the workouts, read my post again read others posts again, it will help!

    I know the 195lbs I gained after I quit smoking was from eating all the junk and fast food i was eating I gave that up and now eat it maybe once in a blue moon as a treat after I meet my goals but im sense-able about it sometimes I can't even eat it at all without being sick reason after so many years of eating ground turkey i can't eat ground beef anymore
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    I have been stuck going on a little over a month now, i have read alot of articles about fasting and it says that a 24 hour fast is really good for your body and it gives your body a break to digest anything left over in your system! i work out all the time, im either running or with my personal training doing kickboxing or hitting the weights, not sure what else to do!

    Have you considered taking a few days at maintenance calorie intake? A diet break so to speak?
  • chatdude
    chatdude Posts: 39
    fasting scientifically proven to help you lose. but i dont think its the correct way. =\
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,380 Member
    I would recommend changing things up in a different way - I notice you don't generally eat your exercise calories (or very very little of them) - that does work well for some people but maybe you could try to shake things up by eating those hard-earned exercise calories for a few weeks. Maybe your body is just ready for a little more fuel since you're working so hard. :-) Or even like pp said maybe taking a 'maintenance' break for a few days then getting back to work.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    So ive done alot of research tonight while doing nothing else, it said i need to be eating about 1700 calories for the physical activity i do......does that sound right to yall??? i am trying to lose this weight for the military and that calorie intake just seems outrageous to me~!!
    \

    I highly doubt that's right. You can't go off computer programs to determine what's right for you. I am a computer programmer and I can tell you, they use a one size fits all approach. You should eat clean food like the person above said, I'd also recommend about 100 grams of carbs per day.

    Get your bodyfat measured, or just by a clothes measuring tape and use that as a guide. You're trying to change too much at once, just eat cleaner and start there. IF you don't lose any weight(i know you will) Then you can start to tweak your diet. A big key is to learn what foods help you lose weight, and which ones do not.

    Actually, it is quite possible that is a good calorie goal for you based on your current weight/height and activity level. You HAVE to fuel your body if you want it to run properly. :)
  • H_Factor
    H_Factor Posts: 1,722 Member
    I sent you a message with a link to my "breaking the plateau" blog (also posting the link below) and information on intermittent fasting. I have fasted roughly once a week since the beginning of October and I love the way it helps me re-focus and/or stay focused....in addition to believing that fasting has positive results on my body. A 24 hour fast is nothing more than mind over matter (along with drinking lots of water). It will be daunting only if you believe it is daunting. It will be relatively simple if you convince yourself that you CAN go without food for 24 hours (because you really can). I do recommend reading Eat Stop Eat before doing a fast so that you can appreciate and understand all of the benefits of fasting....and understanding really helps get your mindset into "I CAN" mode.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/H_Factor/view/breaking-a-plateau-170648

    Good luck to you :)
  • TNoire
    TNoire Posts: 642 Member
    Found my link to plateau's can't remember if I posted or not

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/387166-questions-about-weight-loss-plateau-s-why-do-they-happen-w

    if I have sorry been up all night furnace went on the fritz

    no heat = no sleep finally got it fixed and heading to bed lol
  • H_Factor
    H_Factor Posts: 1,722 Member
    by the way, fasting for 24 hours does NOT put your body into starvation mode. you can and should do some resistance training during the fast. I've done some form of training during each of my 11 fasts and have not experienced any letdown in effort or performance simply because I was in a fasted state. Anyway, read Eat Stop Eat and draw your own conclusions. Since I am no scientist, I cannot verify what is or is not happening inside my body....I can only tell you my experience. My experience since fasting once a week from the beginning of October, and otherwise eating mostly natural foods, drinking water and exercising (3 intense workouts a week; 2 moderate workouts most weeks):

    1. I have lost weight each and every week since I started IF. I don't recall a streak like that ever, even at the beginning of my journey.

    2. I have had no noticeable decline in training performance or effort on days that I fast.

    3. I have been able to re-focus and/or stay in the zone. Fasting has helped me destroy cravings and find my fierce again after Turkey Day mental lapse. Fasting helps empower me mentally.

    4. Fasting itself has been easy because I understand the benefits and KNOW that I CAN go without food for 24ish hours (my fasts have been between 22 and 27 hours depending on when I start and stop).

    Read the book. Try fasting if you want. Draw your own conclusions.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    It should not take more than a day of fasting to shake up your metabolism. If you don't start losing after a day, then your efforts are counterproductive. You will most likely stay on a plateau. If this is the case, then I would suggest upping your calorie intake.
  • H_Factor
    H_Factor Posts: 1,722 Member
    I have been stuck going on a little over a month now, i have read alot of articles about fasting and it says that a 24 hour fast is really good for your body and it gives your body a break to digest anything left over in your system! i work out all the time, im either running or with my personal training doing kickboxing or hitting the weights, not sure what else to do!

    you may be training too much and too much training is counter productive (see #5 on my plateau blog). train a little less and see if that helps. training more is usually NOT the answer...especially if you know you are bringing fierce during each of your workouts.
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