Intermittent Fasting

Lil

Well-Known Member
Lil. The research is showing that it is hormonal. That the body is geared to replace the lost weigh. It is not a matter of self-control.

Yeah. Sorry. Not buying it.

Is there a large genetic component? Yes. Do hormones play a part? Of course. When you are stressed you will hold on to weight. When your metabolism changes, you will hold on to weight.

But to say it's not a matter of self-control and personal responsibility sounds like something our kids would spout. "I'm an alcoholic because it's in my genes! I can't help it!" Well if you never started drinking, you wouldn't have become an alcoholic, regardless of your genes.

My mom was fat, my grandma was fat. My family is largely made up of big people. But my mother also cooked breakfast every single day that consisted of sausage or bacon or ham, eggs, hash browns, some kind of bread; toast, biscuits, sweet rolls, fruit, and milk! Dinners were much the same, meat, potatoes, at least two veggies, bread and butter and always desert! We had a saying that if we ate every single thing on the table - not cleaned our plates, cleaned the table! - that tomorrow would be a good day.

Mom grew up eating that way, because when you do hard physical labor every day on a farm, (in other words, exercise) you burn off enough calories to do that. But we didn't do hard physical labor. We had a farm, but it was small and dad did most the work alone. Dad wasn't fat. I've always been extremely sedentary. I'd rather sit and read a book than play outside as a kid and I sit on my butt all day now. If I didn't still eat like a farmhand, or if I worked as hard as one, I would not weigh 280+ lbs.

To maintain, calories in need to = calories out. To lose, eat less than you burn, to gain - eat more than you burn.

Quite simply, I eat more than I burn.
 

Copabanana

Well-Known Member
Quite simply, I eat more than I burn.
Lil.

What can I say? I am not looking to evade responsibility. More to the point, I want to take it.

I have been struggling so hard to lose weight, without any result.

Thank your sister-in-law for me.
 

AppleCori

Well-Known Member
I, personally, want to blame the Dairy Queen for making me get this ice cream blizzard that I am eating now, but something tells me they would just tell me it was my own fault for going there and ordering it.

At least I got a small size?

Back on the wagon tomorrow!
 

Lil

Well-Known Member
Lil.

What can I say? I am not looking to evade responsibility. More to the point, I want to take it.

I have been struggling so hard to lose weight, without any result.

Thank your sister-in-law for me.

Oh I know how hard it is. And yes, you can do it all right and still not lose. When I lost the 100, I lost 70 the 1st year. It took a another year to lose the next 30. I struggled for every ounce.

I hope the fasting works for you. Let us know
 

TheWalrus

I Am The Walrus
I don't watch the types of foods I eat and don't deprive myself of anything. I am a huge sweet eater and eat sweets daily. I don't have to watch carbs or sugar, just calories. However, I've seen some people really bloat because of certain types of foods. Suzanne Somers has a book about it - how she could vary up to 10 lbs in one day just based on the type of food she eats. Luckily, I don't have that.

Another problem I have is sodium, because I love salt and will gain a lot of water weight if I am not careful. I cut out ALL calories from drinks except one cup of coffee a day and an occasional soda. I drink water, water, water, and lots of it all day. That helps me maintain weight by keeping me hydrated, my stomach full, and my system flushed. I literally crave nothing but water and other drinks have no interest for me - and I was once a huge diet soda drinker. I will occasionally drink green tea, but not often, though I know it is good for you and can help with metabolism.

I added fiber to my diet in soluble fiber, high fiber cereals/breads, and flax seed. I wasn't eating nearly enough and it helps keep your stomach feeling full as well as all the other benefits. I also take a probiotic. I don't take anything else as far as diet supplements.

Exercise gives me energy. I can tell when I haven't had a work out - I feel tired, fatigued, no energy. I work out quite a bit = 3-6 times a week. If I go more than 2-3 days, I really feel it, but as soon as I get going, it feels great to stretch out those muscles. Yes, it helped me lose weight. Like Lil said, when I started, I kept a diary of calories/exercise (there are some great, free phone apps for it) and made sure I burned more than I took in. Now I do it to maintain, stay toned, and stay healthy. And to me, it just feels good. In my experience, exercise is one of those things that is hard in the beginning, but if you stay with a routine, no matter what, it becomes a habit. They whole thing has to become habit, lifestyle for me or it doesn't work.
 

AppleCori

Well-Known Member
Is it good?

I have never had one.

Apple, what kind of routine do you use to maintain/lose?

What????

You have never has a Dairy Queen blizzard? What self control you have!

It's really just ice cream with stuff added to it--in my case, 'turtle pecan'.

As for losing weight--the old fashioned way--eat less, exercise more. Sigh. No magic bullets for me.
 

Copabanana

Well-Known Member
Walrus. I am very, very fatigued. My blood checks out OK and as far as can be seen I have no illness that should account for it. I am thinking it is lack of exercise. I am thinking of starting tomorrow of making myself walk the dogs twice a day.

Do you have any experience of exhaustion, without explanation, like you want to stay in bed?

I think it might be the stress of worrying about my son, part of it. But not to this degree.

Any thoughts?
 
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AppleCori

Well-Known Member
I will. Starting right now I will write my intent: I will do alternate day fasting, like your sister in law. The numbers I will use are 500 calories for fasting day, and 1500 calories for non-fasting days.
Walrus, what kinds of workouts do you do? Good for you. I am impressed.

OK, Copa, I am going to commit myself too. Post tomorrow with your successes?
 

Copabanana

Well-Known Member
Good Apple!!!!

I will post here with how I do tomorrow. I have stopped eating for the day/night. Only herbal tea. I am remarkably less hungry today.

Thank you, Apple.
 

KTMom91

Well-Known Member
Ladies, I need in on this. I lost 30 pounds last year, when I was walking consistently, before the pain etc. dragged me down. Now I've gained them back, in chronic pain, and really unmotivated.

I'm working tomorrow, and have morning yard duty, so will get in some steps.
 

AppleCori

Well-Known Member
Ladies, I need in on this. I lost 30 pounds last year, when I was walking consistently, before the pain etc. dragged me down. Now I've gained them back, in chronic pain, and really unmotivated.

I'm working tomorrow, and have morning yard duty, so will get in some steps.


Join us, KT!

Let's keep each other motivated!
 

Nomad

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Sadly, I think it is mostly our choices too. Yes, I think there is a hormonal component that I suspect is more of an issue for some than others. My cousin pointed out to me that most of the men in our family have been tall and thin and the women short and heavy, wth? So, probably hormones play a role.

My mom was one of six children. Out of the girls, she was the only slender one. But, she paid close attention to what she ate. She weighed several times a week and made a mental note of what seemed to cause weight gain. Bread was somewhat of an issue, so she did not eat bread daily. Or if she felt like bread, she had 1/2 a slice. She simply didn't eat sweets unless it was a special occasion because she knew for a fact sweets put weight on her. No way in hexx did my aunts (her sisters) do this type of thing. They ate pasta, bread, sweets, large portions etc. and they were heavy.

I also think exercise is helpful. But, for me, I have noticed that heavy exercise can open up my appetite and make it harder for me to make good choices.

And some health issues now make heavy exercise pretty much out of the question at this time.

Not too long ago I lost about fifteen pounds and was able to do it with small portions, clean eating and light exercise. I think being sedentary is likely problematic.

I do think it is not the same for everyone. I do think there are definately subtle, but important differences for each of us. We are all unique. But, I also think the basics are still in play...Burn more calories than you eat, avoid sweets (blood sugar stability), avoid dehydration, keep active, etc.

Even if a person only lost 1/2 pound a week, which is a little slow and frustrating, it is still losing.

I find maintenance very hard as well. This is why, in my humble opinion, it's important to weigh often even after you've reached goal weight. And if there is a hormonal reason we re gain the weight, I don't know how to overcome that ??? But, some people manage.

Anyway, this has inspired me to get more serious again and I'm back to using my fitness app tomorrow.
 
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Copabanana

Well-Known Member
Yeah. Sorry. Not buying it.
Lil. Can you accept that hunger could be hormonal?

If person A is hungry night and day, without end, and their metabolism is set to utilize every morsel they eat, as if they will never eat again....and therefore stores the fuel as fat...which cries to be fed...

And person B is rarely hungry, and her metabolism is predisposed to burn off any calorie that she sees...storing none of it...and ready at any moment to burn off more...that she does not even crave...

Is this, Lil, I ask you really and primarily an issue of personal choice? I accept personal choice is an element, but is it really the driving one?

I am not shifting responsibility here. I am saying, I need to with a level head understand what I am dealing with so that I can plot and plan how to do this...because lately I have been defeated...despite accepting responsibility.
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
If you eat fewer calories than you burn you lose weight
Not true.
Muscle weighs more than fat.
Working out - or just plain doing physical work - builds muscle.
That is why, sometimes, the scale stays flat, or even goes up a bit, at the same time that your waist measurement goes down: you have burned up enough calories to make a difference in the fat you carry, but you've built enough muscle to replace the weight you lost.

This is why a tape measure is a better way to track progress than a scale is. You can't actually weigh how much FAT you have lost.
 

TheWalrus

I Am The Walrus
Copa - I am a runner. I started out a walker, and still walk quite a bit as well as run. To vary it and so my body doesn't plateau, I throw in yoga or what I call a "static" day - weights, squats, ab work, etc. When I first started, I started with p90x. I stuck with it but it was so hard. I couldn't even finish the workouts at first but I did as much as I could. Then I discovered I prefer to be outside and running was natural. I am super active outside in spring and summer, which helps.

Yes, even being healthy and exercising, I do get overwhelmed with fatigue at times and can lay a day away. I think it is age, stress and hormones. I make myself get up and do a little something no matter what. Most days I feel great and have a ton of energy, but yes, life crashes over me from time to time.
 
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