Weight Loss Support Group!

[aradia22]

Yeah, I think I'm almost healed. I had to skip out on a few things. Mostly floor work (planks, etc.) though I figured out how to modify a little so I actually managed to get through most of the class. It was a struggle to get through it after so much time off but I'm glad I went through with it.

[JTMacc99]

Any day now the food will start at work.  Vendors will send us cookies, popcorn, brittle, chocolate, sometimes cupcakes, occasionally fruit although that ends up being apples and pears which I can't eat.

It's not going to be easy to avoid it all. Some of this stuff is really good, and it's almost a sentimental thing that triggers thoughts of Christmas and my time and successes at work.  I won't completely skip out on all of it, but I'm sure I'll be able to not overdo it like I've done in the past.  

And I'll just bring home some of the cookies to my kids, so that will make me feel good.

[DeLurker]

I've added resistance training to my workouts if trying to get my big galoot of a dog to budge counts as resistance training.  If he's not done with his walk, he simply plops down and refuses to budge at the corner where he wants to continue.  His minimal outings are about 2 1/4 miles twice a day.  This morning, we did both legs on one outing and he still wanted to go more.  I've got a harness for him so when I have my trike, the leash is not attached by the collar.  I'm going to have to get him a Gentle Lead collar or similar because I'm losing at the brute force contests.

[aradia22]

Personal training workout today. The woman I'm training with is really great. We're taking it easy because of my ankle but for a low-impact workout she still manages to push me. I wish my first trainer was still available, though I'm happy she's found more professional success in what she wants to do. I feel like she was the best about correcting my form and also pushing me the way I need to be pushed. This woman is nice but I don't think I'll continue with her after these 5 sessions. She's good but standard. I don't feel totally comfortable and friendly and I don't feel like she adjusts my form that much when I'm doing something off. 

But I'm proud of myself for heading out today. It's pouring rain here and I have to take a ridiculous bus there and back. 

[aradia22]

Another PT workout today. My hamstrings are KILLING ME. Whatever ab muscles are living under my fat are not happy with me either. But I get to take a break over the weekend. I wish I could have sessions with this trainer at the gym I have a membership at but obviously they want you to use their trainers. She does at home training and also training at this one gym but I'm not really into the vibe there. They have a lot of machines and equipment but almost all of it is dirty and dingy. I'm trying to keep track mentally of the workouts we're doing that feel effective so I can incorporate them into future workouts on my own.

[aradia22]

Second to last PT workout today. I was late so it was more like a 30-45 minute workout than the regular hour. Closer to 30 min. :( I left the house late after a "I have nothing to wear" panic that was part no clean laundry/part body insecurity. Then the buses were effed up. But it was an OK workout. I'm glad I did something. And I went out of my way to go to the library so that added some walking to my routine.

I went by Dean and Deluca and didn't buy anything because they still carry the brand of ice cream I like but not the flavor. It's Earl Grey. It's kind of a good thing because I didn't buy ice cream but kind of a bad thing because I like to keep a little something in the house. It's better to have a spoonful of ice cream than raid the cabinets or go out one day and buy a cup even though you don't actually want that much. 

[aradia22]

Last PT workout today. Slow (lots of weights) but sweaty. I feel good about the experience but I'm not excited to go back to that gym. I have to start my Crunch membership so I'll be doing that + the Pure Barre classes for a while. I might see this trainer again once in a while. It's doubtful but I definitely want to get stronger so the workouts are more effective before I sign up again. In the meantime, I need to start cooking again. "I am feeling sad" is not a good enough excuse anymore.  

[aradia22]

I self-sabotaged by leaving way too late to make it to pure barre on time. I went through the motions of going and got there 10 minutes late (which means I couldn't join class) but I did at least leave the house and walk there and back. I'm trying not to fall into a hole of misery and failure about it and maybe do a workout later tonight instead.

[JTMacc99]

On 12/7/2016 at 5:06 PM, aradia22 said:

I need to start cooking again. "I am feeling sad" is not a good enough excuse anymore.  

I think I probably mentioned this above, but it was being mad at myself that motivated me to start, and then I was able to keep doing the good things because I was seeing success.  

Do whatever you can do to break free from the sad, the being okay with not being okay. I hung out in that land for such a long time. I really don't recommend it. Sure to find comfort, I ate a lot of great food, watched a lot of great TV, drank a LOT of great beer, but that was no way to go through life. Get angry, get support, get whatever you think will work for you and try to break free.

[emma675]

I've lost weight recently, but not in a good way. I've just started a new job and the stress and anxiety has totally killed my appetite, so the weight is coming off. Plus, now I've been having some serious acid reflux episodes in the middle of the night, which has messed up my sleep.

I'm done with it. I work to live, not live to work and if I get fired for not doing well enough, so be it. But I can't keep going with this stress and side effects. It's not good for my gut, it's not good for my heart, it's not good for my mind, and I'm over it.

[DeLurker]

@emma675 - Rapidly losing weight because of stress is not good and acid reflux and poor sleep can't be helping.   Is it a high stress industry or is it you tackling a new job with a steep learning/adjustment curve?

Because if you've just started, perhaps whatever is stressing you will become more manageable as you get more confident in the job.

[JTMacc99]

Agreed. And telling yourself that work is just work can be easier said than done. Please take care of yourself. 

I am here to report that the Christmas goodies are showing up daily now at work. My new office is right outside of a cookie stop. I wore my slim fit, stretch, least roomie pair of pants today. (I'm still amazed that I  not only can wear anything with the word slim in it, but that they are the only things that actually fit.) I was hoping that it will help with the "one more cookie can't hurt" thought process. 

[emma675]

Y'all are so nice! It's comforting to have a place to vent so my friends and family don't have to keep hearing it over and over.

I've been on the job about 6 weeks now and it's a combo of a steep learning curve with little to no training and an extremely busy time of year. Plus, I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I'm coming off a job I was in for 6 years, so it's a mental adjustment for me to have to start over in a way and not immediately know everything.

I picked up some acid reflux meds at CVS during lunch (just a 14 day course as I don't want to resort to meds permanently to fix things) and I need to look into some meditation/relaxing ideas. It should slow down towards the end of January, so I'm trying to hang on until then.

[DeLurker]

@emma675 - With that starting time frame, year end madness and little training, of course it is making a perfectionist nuts.  Don't know if training will be better in the new year, but when things calm down a bit and everything is not an emergency, it probably would be a better point to evaluate how good a fit you are for the position and company. 

It sounds like you are frustrated from feeling unprepared when you just started during the most crazy part of the year for a lot of industries.  Are you getting any feedback that you are somehow underperforming or is it just that internal voice talking smack?

And you've already invested 6 weeks and the month is half done.  Give yourself permission to take a holiday from perfectionist tendencies and take each day as they come until Dec. 31. 

[BooksRule]

Well, I'm back on the healthy eating regimen as of today (along with a lot of other people, I'm sure).  I ate way too much during the holidays, but I also ate badly off and on for the past year, so I gained weight.  I will have to make an appointment with my doctor very soon (I put off going for the last few months, but I have no more refills on my BP medicine, so I have to go) and I'm sure he'll fuss about me gaining weight since my last visit.  I really dread going, but I just tell myself that I can get through it and will really make a point of showing more weight loss the next time I have to go in (I know I'm doing this for me and not for him, but I would like to show that I do have some will power!).  

Because it's New Year's Day, I have a pot of black-eyed peas on the stove, but I resisted adding a lot of ham to the pot.  I only added about a 1/4 cup for the entire pot--just enough to get some flavor (and I'll count it in my calorie intake for the day).  I'll have skillet sauteed cabbage for dinner.  

I don't go back to work until Tuesday, so I plan to make two different types of soup that I can freeze (cabbage soup and a vegetarian taco soup) for lunches, and I'll try to make a few servings of oatmeal ahead to put in the fridge.  Oatmeal is not my favorite food, but I have no problems having it at least five times per week--but I have to talk myself into the process of making it each morning (even though old-fashioned oats don't take that long to cook).  If I make some ahead of time (cooked with cinnamon) and have some chopped toasted almonds ready, all I'll have to do is cut up some type of fruit for it while it zaps in the microwave.  I can probably manage that each morning.  

[aradia22]

I am keeping a handwritten food diary (I find it less stressful than the online ones with all the numbers and pressure to find the exact foodstuff). It's been almost a month but I have a pure barre class at the end of the week and I also need to start my gym membership this week. 

[JTMacc99]

Keep up the good work everybody! Getting through the first couple weeks can often be the hardest part. I was SO mad at the scale after week one a year ago. I had like 70 pounds to loose, how the hell did I only lose one?!  But I stayed the course and from then on through August steady, rewarding progress. 

But I had to be really strong and deadly serious about changing my ways at the start. I think that may have been the most important part of the entire journey. 

As for me this year, I am looking forward to getting back into my work schedule, as this being at home for a week has led to a lot of extra bites of food just because I'm out of my routine. I'm maintaining my weight since late August, up slightly but I am calling that to be related to this gym stuff. 

[DeLurker]

I don't own a scale, but I do own a mirror and clothes that I use to gauge my weight.  Mostly my issues are not being toned enough and aging.  What adjustments I use to make in exercise & diet to correct a deviation, no longer work with the same effectiveness.

I'm going to try increasing the days I don't eat meat.  Previously it was a 2-4 days per week, but I am going to try going 4-5x per week.  Plus, re-inflating my big ball (whatever they are called) and using it to do lots of sit ups and various stretches.

[Qoass]

I've been going to a gym for over two months now and while I haven't skipped a session, I'm really wondering when I'm going to stop hating it...

[DkNNy79]

On ‎1‎/‎2‎/‎2017 at 6:01 AM, aradia22 said:

I am keeping a handwritten food diary (I find it less stressful than the online ones with all the numbers and pressure to find the exact foodstuff). It's been almost a month but I have a pure barre class at the end of the week and I also need to start my gym membership this week. 

Agree - the apps just takes too much work.  I will have to go back to this.

I gained 8 pounds in the last month and a half with the holidays and my vacation.  I haven't been working out as much as I used to.  I am struggling with motivation right now.  I was hoping that stepping on the scale yesterday and the fact that my clothes are getting tighter would get me motivated again, but eh not there yet. :(

[aradia22]

I think my biggest hurdle right now is diet. I need to start cooking again but it's cold and I don't much feel like salads and juices. I'd like to find some good soup recipes besides chicken soup but I need ones that don't make 20 servings or something ridiculous because they won't keep.

[JTMacc99]

Do you like butternut squash soup @aradia22?  I have a really good, really easy one. 

[aradia22]

I do like butternut squash soup @JTMacc99

[DeLurker]

@aradia22- start with a good stock.  I make my own, usually with chicken.  I save the bones from the store bought rotisserie chickens I buy when I am rushed and the bones from chickens I bake (ridiculously easy & tasty chicken - whole chicken, squeeze a lemon over it, splash on some Italian dressing (oily kind), bit of salt and pepper, put lemon husks (?) into center cavity and bake).  Keep a bone bag in the freezer to collect bones until you have enough to make a broth.  Throw them in a pot with some onions (optional), cover with water, cover and cook on medium for as long as you like.  Let it cool, strain and freeze as much as you would want in one serving of soup portions.

I love a good chicken soup, but my tastes normally skew more Asian.  I'm pretty happy throwing in a variety of fresh vegetables, some rice vermicelli noodles and some shrimp (quick cooking and filling) or making a congee (which I find very filling so even though it is a rice porridge I eat a lot less than if I were having soup).

Edited January 3, 2017 by DeLurker

[JTMacc99]

2 hours ago, Qoass said:

I've been going to a gym for over two months now and while I haven't skipped a session, I'm really wondering when I'm going to stop hating it...

Three months for me. I'm good with it. I like stuff like when I'm taking a shower and feeling something on my side and thinking "Oh shit, is that a tumor?" And then going, "No! I think that's a muscle! Who knew?"

[Qoass]

Yes, I like having gone to the gym.  I just hate going.

Edited January 3, 2017 by Qoass

[JTMacc99]

2 hours ago, Qoass said:

Yes, I like having gone to the gym.  I just hate going.

Ah, it's all in the wording, isn't it? 

I thrive on positive feedback, so as long as the scale kept moving down when I was dieting, I didn't hate doing it. I'm finding it to be the same way with the gym. I do find packing up and heading over there during the week to be inconvenient, but not so much that I consider skipping it.

2 hours ago, aradia22 said:

I do like butternut squash soup @JTMacc99

So, I make a super simple version that is low calorie and really tasty. You can google Curried Butternut Squash Soup and get 50 versions (Ina Garten for example) on this basic recipe. Some people don't roast the squash first, but I think it adds an important note. YMMV. This will be fairly easy to halve the recipe, and I'm fairly confident you could use frozen butternut squash.

1 3-4 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1 inch cubes

2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1 inch cubes

1-2 T olive oil

Salt and Pepper

29 oz. Chicken Stock

1.5 t good curry powder. 

Toss the squash and onions in the olive oil, a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of black pepper. Roast them at 425 for about 35 minutes until they are tender.  Then toss all of it with the other ingredients together in a pot. I cook it for a few minutes to bring it all together and then hit it with my immersion blender until it is completely smooth.  

Edited January 3, 2017 by JTMacc99

[DeLurker]

Sounded good up until the curry powder as I am strongly anti-curry - hate the smell, hate the look, hate the taste.  The only thing they could do to make it more terrifying is to add cilantro, my mortal enemy.

And 29 oz. of chicken stock is an odd amount.  I think most cartons of the premade stuff are in 16 oz or 32 oz (at least the ones in my pantry).

Well the big ball of situps is going to have to wait.  I went to the store today specifically to get the tire inflater adapter but promptly forgot I was there for that and ended up with new socks.  I have an adapter but I put it someplace "safe" because I did not want to lose it.  I technically did not lose it, but I can't find it either.

[aradia22]

Two big hurdles for me right now are that my ankle has started feeling a little weird again (I sprained it at the beginning of November) and it's been rainy and gloomy here. Personal training used to give me a good reason to get to the gym regularly. Being on my own frees me up to stay home if the weather is awful but it also gives me an excuse to stay home if I'm just not feeling it. We'll see how it goes. I do want to get in there regularly and it might be a matter of figuring out when the off hours are so I can roam around and use the weights and machines more without the musclebound guys yelling and grunting and slamming things down. 

[JTMacc99]

45 minutes ago, DeLurker said:

And 29 oz. of chicken stock is an odd amount.  I think most cartons of the premade stuff are in 16 oz or 32 oz (at least the ones in my pantry).

That would be two 14.5 ounce cans. I use a 32 oz box typically. 

[glowlights]

Well, for Christmas I received the gift of 6 extra pounds. (Where do I go to exchange that for six pack abs?)

So, it's now back to working out and eating right. Feels better, and I did not lose as much endurance as I had feared, although I lost arm muscles. :(

Happy New Year, everyone! Here's to a healthy, fit 2017!

[Danny Franks]

On 03/01/2017 at 4:17 PM, Qoass said:

I've been going to a gym for over two months now and while I haven't skipped a session, I'm really wondering when I'm going to stop hating it...

I never stop hating the cardio part of my workout. Whether I'm on a treadmill, bike or rowing machine, it just feels incredibly boring, and you can't focus on much other than how your body is reacting to the exertion, which makes it harder. Even listening to podcasts, as I like to do in the gym, doesn't help massively.

But once that's done, and I move onto the resistance machines and free weights, I enjoy it a lot more. I think the shorter bursts of exertion, as opposed to continuous, make it easier. At some point, I'll have to force myself to graduate to circuit training, I guess.

I came out of the holidays suddenly finding most of my work shirts too snug to comfortably wear, so I've had to cut a lot of sugar out of my diet. No chocolate or other forms of refined sugar for ten days now, and it's not nearly as hard as I thought it would be. A couple of days of headaches, as my body adapted to the change in blood sugar, but now I'm feeling much better. And already, I'm walking past the stands of chocolate bars in the supermarket without even looking at them.

[JTMacc99]

1 hour ago, Danny Franks said:

Whether I'm on a treadmill, bike or rowing machine, it just feels incredibly boring, and you can't focus on much other than how your body is reacting to the exertion, which makes it harder. Even listening to podcasts, as I like to do in the gym, doesn't help massively.

This is why I didn't take to running. Me. Alone with my thoughts? Not good.  I hit the exercise bike daily, I bought a decent one for my home, and play games on my phone/tablet for the half hour.  As long as my brain is engaged solving problems, or sometimes making very important points in the PTV forums, the time flies by without me noticing that I'm pedaling.  I almost always notice the first time in the cycle where it gets to the highest point of resistance, but the second and third times the resistance peaks just pass by without me noticing that I'm pedaling harder.

And great job getting through the first week with momentum!

[aradia22]

Weird week. I had one decent group fitness class. Some people are in from out of town so I had to cancel my second class this week twice. Hopefully I'll finally be able to go on Sunday. I do have PT scheduled twice that week so that's handled. I need to get serious about meal planning and shopping and cooking. I've been eating kind of horribly. 

[aradia22]

OK, so I mapped out what seems like a pretty manageable meal plan for me. Not too much food shopping and not really any new recipes besides soup. I'll check back in at the end of the week to let you know how it went. 

[JTMacc99]

I need to do that right now. I've made too many dinners since it got cold out that were not great. When my grill is available, I make a lot more healthy lean protein and vegetables meals after work because it's so easy. Need to plan better for the next couple months for quick and healthy. 

Edited January 14, 2017 by JTMacc99

[BooksRule]

Well, my healthy eating regimen didn't last long.  However, I'm back on the healthy wagon and hope to stay.  I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning and dread it since I've gained weight since my last visit.  However, I've made a promise to myself to show improvement between that appointment and the next one (which might be three months, might be six--it will depend on whether or not lab results are okay).  

I had oatmeal (with apple, cinnamon, toasted almonds) for breakfast and I have a pot of low-calorie cabbage soup on the stove (cabbage, green beans, celery, tomatoes, carrots, onions, veg juice, onion soup mix and beef broth) for lunch.  I have two other soups that I plan to make this week to freeze for lunches (a lentil soup and a vegetarian taco soup).  Tonight will be oven-BBQd chicken and a green salad.  I know that the first few days are going to be tough because I'm really working to eliminate processed foods (such as Lean Cuisines for lunch) and it will be hard to stop reaching for the 'quick' meals (even when they fall within my calorie range for the day). 

[auntlada]

I need to get back on the calorie-counting wagon because I don't lose and usually gain if I don't. I hate counting, though.

I just calculated my ideal weight range according to a bmi formula, and I'm not sure I am going to get within it. My goal weight is the top (140), but the bottom weight is 104. I have not weighed that since junior high at least, and I am 48 now. Even at 5'3" that is not going to happen ever. I would have to starve myself. Even when I ran cross country in college, the lowest I ever weighed was about 110 pounds, and that was only one semester. I don't have time to run 6-8 miles a day any more either. (Also, I can't make it that far now.)

At this point, I'm not sure I can get to 140 and stay there. I think I like chocolate, Coke and snacks too much.

[emma675]

I've just started Paleo and I'm easing into it (I did 3 days last week and I'll do 4 days this week). I figure it's going to be a modified Paleo diet for me, I will let myself have one cheat day a week and I won't be totally regimented if I have to travel. This way, I'll be more likely to stick with it and not give up.

I've counted calories for years and years so it's actually hard for me not to count calories, but I need to eat way more fruit and veggies and this is a good way to do that.

[aradia22]

Quote

At this point, I'm not sure I can get to 140 and stay there. I think I like chocolate, Coke and snacks too much.

I think moderation is important. I've found that when I step back I don't need as much of the things I'm craving to get that sense of enjoyment. Of course, I'm also a big mindless eater.

So this is how the week went... It started off well with vegetables and fruit and soup and mostly homecooked food. There were some not-great things in there but it wasn't excessive. Then I ran out of soup and just ate whatever everyone else was eating so things fell off. Too much rice and greasy protein. The last three days have just been a mess of carbs. I know this is what happens when I don't shop and cook and plan but it's difficult when other things are going on. It's probably not a coincidence that my worst 3 days were right around the inauguration.

[DeLurker]

1 hour ago, aradia22 said:

It's probably not a coincidence that my worst 3 days were right around the inauguration.

I think the last few days have been tough for almost everyone because it has just been not normal in the least.

[JTMacc99]

I feel like I want to break out my Richard Simmons voice and cheer everybody on here.

@auntlada according to the same thing, as a 5'10" male about the same age as you, I'm supposed to be between 134 and 172 with a lot of places telling me 154 is a good number.  Like you, I don't think 134 is feasible on my frame. I don't think I'd be dead, but I would be stranded on an island for 10 months skinny. 

When I decided enough was enough, I told people I could lose 100 pounds in theory, but I started with the idea of hitting to top of the range with my goal of 170. When I got to that number, I realized I still had more to go so I ended up at 160 before I stopped.  Everybody (EVERYBODY) gave me shit for being too skinny. Yet as far as I can tell, I was still above what the internet says is my correct number.  I'm at the gym trying to build muscle every other day now. Pants are still the same size and I'm settled in around 165 the last month.  I've got people here telling me I should be like 185, but I don't think that's going to happen. That's a lot of muscle, and I'm old and have a full time job.

My point is that somewhere in that range is a good number for you, and that bottom number is for really tiny people.  Also, counting the damn calories was a key part of the process for me just because it trained me to eliminate the worst things for me and to not pretend that snacks didn't count.

22 hours ago, aradia22 said:

Then I ran out of soup and just ate whatever everyone else was eating so things fell off. Too much rice and greasy protein. The last three days have just been a mess of carbs. I know this is what happens when I don't shop and cook and plan but it's difficult when other things are going on.

My two cents:

1. I eventually found some simple food items that were quick to prepare, within the things I should be eating and that I liked to eat, and made sure I always had them on hand.  This is different than meal planning. This is having something good to reach for when I didn't have time to plan ahead. Examples for me were tons of the steam in bag vegetables, bagged salads, lower calorie or high fiber breads or wraps, and a variety of lean proteins like some spicy chicken sausages I like, deli chicken/ham/turkey, chicken breast for the grill and so on.  

2. Counting the calories kept me in line when the mess of carbs was in front of me. I still had them, but I was captain portion control. That shit was, and still is painful, as pastas and breads are my comfort food. I just want to shovel them into my mouth sometimes. (Like last week for my own personal reasons for example. Sigh.) 

On 1/22/2017 at 2:37 PM, BooksRule said:

 I know that the first few days are going to be tough because I'm really working to eliminate processed foods (such as Lean Cuisines for lunch) and it will be hard to stop reaching for the 'quick' meals (even when they fall within my calorie range for the day). 

Why do you want to eliminate them? And they are so little effort which is why they work for lunch. Is it going to be a giant pain in the ass for you, or do you have decent low effort alternatives?

[auntlada]

I have to count calories for the same reason, @JTMacc99. I just hate it, and also I don't want to stop snacking. Most diet plans want me to eat about 1,400 calories a day. That is not happening. My setting is 1,700 with a calorie expenditure of 2,000. I just haven't hit either goal in several months so it's time to count again and amp up the walking and add some pilates or light aerobics at home.

[aradia22]

I've figured out that I work differently. If I get serious about calorie counting, I go into an unhealthy place. That was how I lost weight in high school and it wasn't good. It's also not sustainable for me. I've realized that I can take advantage of my mindless eating because as long as it tastes alright and fills me up, I can be fine eating something healthy and possibly a little bland most days. For instance, I could have chicken soup 5 days a week and be happy. The problem for me is getting that prepared on days when I don't want to leave the apartment.

[auntlada]

I didn't do too badly today, even though I did have two chocolate chip mini muffins this afternoon and about 8 ounces of Minute Maid strawberry lemonade, which has no nutritional value, but does taste good.

And I made some chocolate pudding for dessert, but I used 1 percent milk instead of 2 percent because that's we drink and also dished it up into 1/2 cup servings so we didn't eat too much each and knew how much we ate. Of course, there are only three of us, so now there's an extra dish of pudding in the refrigerator. I'm trying to save it until tomorrow, when I might eat it or I might give it to the boy for an after school snack.

[BooksRule]

Quote

Why do you want to eliminate them? And they are so little effort which is why they work for lunch. Is it going to be a giant pain in the ass for you, or do you have decent low effort alternatives?

I'm mainly trying to cut down on processed foods and frozen dinners because of the sodium factor.  And, to try to avoid eating so many foods with ingredients that I can't pronounce.  I'm not going to stop completely (I know myself), but just not all the time.  

Went to the doctor this morning, but it was mainly for him to do a quick check (BP, temp, heart, etc.) and for me to get blood work done.  I go back in two weeks for the results.  My numbers were really good last time, but it's been a year.  We'll see how (or if) they've changed.  I'm just going to try to get several more pounds lost by then, since I know I'll get weighed again and I would like to show some progress.  

[Qoass]

Anybody have any comment on the 16/8 fast theory where you eat all your food for the day in a span of 8 hours then fast for 16 (half of which is presumably while you sleep.)?

Edited January 24, 2017 by Qoass

[auntlada]

I've never heard of it. I think I'd spend a lot of my awake noneating time thinking about food if I wasn't allowed to have it.

I don't understand how cramming all the food into 8 hours helps (if it is the same amount of food), but if it works for someone, I guess that's good.

[JTMacc99]

13 minutes ago, Qoass said:

Anybody have any comment on the 16/8 fast theory where you eat all your food for the day in a span of 8 hours then fast for 16 (half of which is presumably while you sleep.)?

Does whiskey count as food? Because that would affect which eight hours I use. 

[DeLurker]

I had to go look it up to figure since I never heard of it.  Turns out that is how I have eaten most of my life, although not really consciously and not with the focus for weight loss or anything.  My body just doesn't like food for several hours after I wake up.  I have coffee and/or water until 10 - 11 ish when I have some kind of breakfast (for the last few months it has been plain Greek yogurt with granola and fresh fruit) because I am getting a little hungry and I have to take some prescriptions.  Lunch is anywhere from 1 - 4 and usually pretty light.  Dinner is usually by 6 - 6:30.  I do usually have a snack at some point during the evening, but that isn't because I am hungry.

From eating on that cycle for most of my life, the only problem I have had is periodically I get super low blood sugar.  And during times where I have exercised a lot, I would eat more and more often.  I've never actively tried to bulk up so adding that level of exercise would probably make it harder to keep that pattern.

Since it lines up pretty well with how I eat anyway, it would not be a big deal for me.  I do know that for other people who eat in a more traditional manner, it would be a harder adjustment because they would have to think about it.