Introducing myself

[Subtle_badger]

I have only been dabbling in fasting a couple of weeks, but am seeking like minded souls for support. I am a menopausal woman.

I had a health scare in January (I haven't decided whether I want to share that detail yet) and was discharged in May by my consultant who advised me on a few lifestyle changes including "lose a stone". I pretended ignorance, and asked her what that is in kilograms and she said "2 or 3" (it's 6 1/2) which kind of confirmed my feeling that she had pulled that figure out of her @rse. I told her I did exercise, and that I found it hard to lose weight and she gave me "the look". You know, the sceptical look 🤨 doctors give you when you say you can't lose weight. She said something about carbs and more exercise. I wouldn't have minded, except she was morbidly obese, so she knows it's not as simple as that.

Looking at my medical records, I have been northwards of 80kg for most of the last decade. I have dropped about 10kg on two occasions, but they came back and brought some friends both times. I got curious about my blood sugar, so perused my blood tests and saw my A1c was 35 in 2016, but 38 this October. My GP isn't interested, but it's not a trend I like. My HDL is excellent, so that's a positive.

I started trying to eat better. No change, of course. My body likes weighing 85kg. Then I started logging my food in an app. That actually lead to a kilo drop, then it got stuck again. I decided to spend a couple of weeks logging everything I ate, underestimating calories burned and eating 300kcal less than that. Result: zero weight change. I realised that was a Red Queen race I was never going to win, and searched about for another approach. But it was validating to see that the calories in/calories out model did not seem to apply.

A bit of reading I decided to try 5:2. I ended up getting the latest Michael Mosley book, so kick-started that with a Fast 800. I am learning how to fast and the amount I am eating each day is often more than the 800kcal limit, but I am finding it quite doable, and most days keep the carbs low.

I think I have nearly got the hang of fasting. Right now (I had a very late meal yesterday) I am 22 hours fasted. I could easily extend that until tomorrow, but sadly/happily I am going to a party and I do not want alcohol on an empty stomach, so it's nearly dinner time.

Since the 11 December I have lost around 7kg (the mythical stone) and 9cm around the waist, which was previously > 1/2 my height.

My plan is to muddle along in this fashion until I reach my first goal weight, and then switch to a 5:2 or ADF pattern. After 3 months I will ask my GP to repeat the A1c test to make sure the numbers are moving in the right direction, otherwise I will have to rethink my approach.

So, hi, and happy new year!!

[S11m Volunteer 70lb IF20]

Hi, Subtle_badger , welcome - you will find some "like-minded souls for support" here.

I am glad (I)F is working for you - I got my waist down to half my height.

We look forward to reading how you get on.

If you "slim smart" weight loss is not so hard! It is not all about motivation and masochism.

Some of us here find that what works is a combination of The Low Carbohydrate, High-Fat (LCHF) diet (see the forum here on Health Unlocked) and Not Snacking All Day AKA Intermittent Fasting (IF). See:

healthunlocked.com/fasting-...

Happy new year!!

[Hidden]

Hello Subtle_badger welcome to the forum and you will get lots of encouragement with fasting losing weight and regaining health. So I hope that you enjoy being a member of F&F.

I wish you well and a very Happy New Year to you.

Jerry 😊

[Newbeginnings20]

Hi Subtle_badger

I do hope all is ok for your recent health scare.

I’m to menopause which is why I have put on 2 stone! Yes makes me laugh that most of the nurses I’ve seen are obese but giving out advise?!!

Best of luck to you - you sound like you’re doing a fantastic job anyhow 😉

[Stoozie Administrator]

Hello, and a warm welcome!

Hsve you seen our welcome pack?

healthunlocked.com/fasting-...

Hope to hear more about your jpurney, and cheering you on!

[Stoozie Administrator]

Ps I assigned you a badge to indicate your preferred fasting pattern, so when you join in the discussions other members will know. Would you like it to reflect your weight loss also?

[Subtle_badger 16Kg IF 72hrs]

Thanks for the positive feedback everyone.

Hidden - happy new year to you, too.

S11m - thanks, I hope I find it as easy as you do. Question - I got a notifications saying you had saved my post: what does that mean?

Newbeginnings20 - I think we are going to become friends! My health scare was literally nothing, but it got me on an NHS conveyer belt (the good kind!) that found underlying signs of the condition that killed both parents and two grandparents. So the result is I know how I will probably die - I really knew it already with my family history - and after the brief shock that no, I am not immortal, it's all good. We all have to die of something, after all. I doubt many people over 50 would clear that battery of tests without it discovering something.

Stoozie - thanks for the badge, but can you remove it? I haven't settled into any sort of pattern at all, so it's too early for a label.

Update: The weight loss has briefly stalled, but that's OK because I was defying physics - and there has been a certain amount of festivity - but on the brighter side my tape measure has stretched, so my waist is now 81cm. That's great, because once I get it below 80cm, that's another bio-marker improved (the NHS threshold for needing to lose weight in women is 80cm). It's also great because I have always had a slimmish waist (with a big arse, so jeans have always been a nightmare), so I am starting to feel like me again.

[S11m Volunteer 70lb IF20 in reply to Subtle_badger]

Hi.

I got a notification that you had mentioned me in your reply.

I think that "saving your post" should have resulted in a notification of any reply to your post.

Please read through the info and decide which methodology suits you.

[Subtle_badger 16Kg IF 72hrs in reply to S11m]

"Please read through the info and decide which methodology suits you."

I don't think there is any need to decide yet. We are each an experiment of 1. I have read a lot, and now I am trying to discover what works for me. It's a process, and I don't think it's surprising or a problem that I haven't got it completely sussed in 3 weeks. I may not ever lock in a pattern during this "weight loss" phase, but in that time I am learning a lot about fasting and my body's response to it that I will apply as I develop the necessary behaviours to control my weight for the rest of my life.

If my stall continues or my enthusiasm flags, then I will rally and lock in a pattern so I don't fall off the wagon. By then I will know enough to pick a pattern that is right for me.

[S11m Volunteer 70lb IF20 in reply to Subtle_badger]

We will try to be subtle - and not badger!

[Subtle_badger 16Kg IF 72hrs in reply to S11m]

😂

To be fair, I did decide on my plan - Fast 800 for 2 weeks 3 meals a day, followed 5:2 800 fast days. That didn't quite work out for me, and it's slowly morphing into something else. Right now I am mostly having a single 800 kcal meal - except on days when I eat more and/or more often 😁

I am a little curious to see how I respond to a longer fast, but I can't see advantages for me above what I am doing now, and doing it "just because" seems a spiral into late-in-life eating disorders.

[S11m Volunteer 70lb IF20 in reply to Subtle_badger]

I am at my target weight - and (Intermittent) Fasting cures, prevents or delays almost all non-communicable diseases.

I do not do 68-hour fasts very often, as I want to maintain some spare fat (I am borderline fit/athletic).

What "late-in-life eating disorders" are you thinking about?

[Newbeginnings20]

Hey Subtle_badger 😃

I think we will too - fantastic!

May I say first of all how sorry I am to hear about your loss of parents and grandparents. That alone must make you feel very vulnerable let alone the reasons why they passed.

You are right absolutely- we will all die of something but we can help ourselves while we are here to live a healthier & happy life.

I think you strong and with all the support on here I think you will smash it! Let’s make this the year - together 😊

[Stoozie Administrator]

Badge removed