The Not So Secret Diary of a Grumpess: Dieting

Showing posts with label Dieting. Show all posts

Sunday, 27 April 2014

Mr Grumpy Has Lost It!

14th April.

Hubby has lost 19lbs of the 20lbs he gained during my first year of 4:3. Yes, I overfed him - oops - but he wasn't forced to eat the sneaky doughnuts now was he??

Anyhooo, now he's done that so quickly - git!! - we're switching to 5:2 in the form of a back to back 500/600 cals on Saturday and Sunday.

This is because I work at home - when I like - and where we are through the summer - in a caravan aka 'the tin hut' near Skegness - it's busy at the weekends so we don't go very far.

This will leave us to go out any day in the week without having to think 'up or down, have I got to swap?' ... and my GOM is the best picnic maker ever - and he prepares it while I'm still in bed :)

Of course if either of us start porking up again - by more than 3lbs - we'll add another down day midweek.

We both intend doing at least two down days or DD (fasting days) a week forever as we both feel so fit and well - not at all bad for our ages 54 and 74 ;)

Update 27th April.

Yeah, yeah. So full of good (brave) intentions. We didn't even make it one week. I'd caved in by Tuesday afternoon and told Mr Grumpy that I was slipping a DD Wednesday in, he said he would too. This wasn't as strict as our usual DDs, he had around 800 cals and I had 650.
Our weight remained the same so we'll try this for the next couple of weeks ...

Update 8th May.

Well he's lost 2 more pounds without trying so we've switched to 16:8 - which is a 16 hour fast and an 8 hour eating window ...

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ADF Facebook Group ... come and join us :)

Tuesday, 8 April 2014

A Victim Of Vanity Sizing

There must be many ladies this has happened to and I have to wonder how dangerous the habit of manufacturers altering clothes sizes for vanity actually is.

When I left school in 1976 at the age of sixteen, I was a portly 10 stone 7lbs (147 lbs) and a (UK) size 16 going on 18.

Thirty six years later I was 14 stones 7lbs (203 lbs) and a size 18 going on 20 ... now if I'm only one size bigger despite being 4 stones (56lbs) heavier, methinks there's something wrong with this picture.

Suffice it to say I did suspect that I'd chunked up a bit ... I'd been on several diets over the years, only weighing myself during these brief interludes, and I never measured my ample proportions at any other time - I mean, why would I, it's not nice.

Around 2004 I'd decided dieting wasn't for me ever again. What was the point in all that deprivation for a few months; only for me to regain all that lost weight - plus more for good measure.
So I spent the last few years avoiding my reflection and hiding at the sight of a camera because what I didn't see couldn't hurt me.

Arranging to get married and going to Center Parcs - where all the fit people tend to go - for our honeymoon late 2012 made me rethink my decision on trying yet another diet. I didn't have very high hopes of success, all the diets I'd followed were fine for a quick fix but not sustainable in any permanent way.

Let's face it, what diets are sustainable? How many people GO BACK to Slimming World and Weight Watchers because it worked last time. Yes it did, and they're both very good diets to follow, but can you keep it up? ... No - or you wouldn't be going back.

Seeing some photos of us waiting for the Olympic torch going through Skegness - June 2012 - my so called friend had taken WITH ME IN THE MIDDLE - how very dare she! - was something of a revelation. But it was still one heck of a shock when I stepped on the scales, then I was even more shocked - and quite upset - when I got the tape measure out ... OUCH!!

I was fortunate enough - only one week into my cereal diet - to have watched Horizon's 'Eat, Fast and Live Longer' with Dr Michael Mosley ... this changed my life completely - I may have mentioned it before ... happy, happy days.

Then out of curiosity, and because I've got a good memory for detail, I fetched out an old pair of hardly worn - bought during one of my brief 'slimmer moments - 'Marks and Spencer's leggings that I'd saved from the early 1990s ... for when they'd be back in fashion (they were expensive) and also for when they'd fit me - ever the optimist - the label said size 18 and 32" waist.

Here I was 20 odd years later, wearing size 18-20 with a 40+ waist. It's not right is it? ... I'd been lied to, I wasn't just middling to chunky, I WAS FAT.

Now a year and a half later - after following the most amazing weight loss lifestyle (I'm in easy-peasy maintenance now) - that I simply can't stop talking or writing about - I'm a few pounds under the weight I was when I left school and there's not many women my age can say that.

And what was porky for a sixteen year old doesn't look too bad on a fifty four year old ... and my clothes size - 14 top and 12 bottom. I'm not bragging here. My point is ... if the sizing of the good old days - 1970-1990 - were implemented now, I'd be at least a 18 top and 16 bottom ... but it doesn't sound anywhere near as nice.

Even my sister has been fooled, she was a size 12 when she left school and was recently telling me that she must be slimmer now - albeit a stone or so heavier - because she's down to a size 10.

The clothing industry is not doing us any favours. We're becoming obese whilst convincing ourselves that we're still the same size we used to be - hardly good for our health is it? ...

Wednesday, 4 December 2013

The Perils of Alternate Day Fasting

Well for me there are none, however for the grumpy old man there are plenty ... twenty to be exact:

A while back Bernard asked me how Mr Grumpy fared on my down/fasting days, I replied that he gets a decent cooked dinner. However, it appears that I've been fattening him up.
During the last year he's gained 20 lbs ... oops!

I had been trying to hint to himself by late summer that he'd gained a couple of pounds. I patted him on his belly a few times and said "this is growing" - no use trying to be subtle, he doesn't recognise subtle ... "I can still get in my trousers" says he, whilst wearing baggy shorts. As it happened, this was true, he could - just - but breathing was clearly an optional extra.

I can see how it happened, I'm guilty of feeding him for me. I literally piled up his plate, although he wasn't forced to eat it all. But we're from a generation of non-wasters ... "think of the starving babies in Africa" we were told as children.

Now, we all know that a bizarre side effect of my fasting had been a masochistic desire to watch cookery programs and then I bake. The results of which he could eat every day compared to my every other day. This clearly didn't help ... although - I might add - I didn't force him to buy and eat jam doughnuts!

Anyhoo, a couple of weeks back he went to see the nurse for his regular blood test, flu jab, personal questions, blah blah. And she weighed him. Oh dear ... "You've put on weight this year", she told him ... "I know" says he, "I've been eating too much". At least he's honest, it saved her arguing with him ... "you'd better cut down" was her parting shot.

He came home with a booklet called 'Eating, Drinking and Diabetes' which was just shoved to one side. I don't need to read it because I already know what's in it - not for me, my stepson has been (type 1) diabetic from the age of seven, grumpy has been borderline diabetic for years and my mum is a (type 2) insulin dependant diabetic.

"Right tubby, are you going to go on a daily restrictive diet or do you want to join me a couple of days a week on 600 calories - men can have 100 more than women - you can do Monday and Friday with me if you like and I'll do Wednesday on my own" ... "I'll do the same as you, I've seen how much you eat and it doesn't look that difficult" he quickly decided.

So, last Friday was his first down/fasting day. I thought it'd be nice to introduce him to the regime then, because we'd both get the whole weekend to eat what we liked after. He's since done Monday and he's decided to have another go today!

I wasn't expecting that, I thought - with his love of food - that two days a week would be his absolute limit ... but he's taken to it like a duck to water, hmmmm.

His biggest pitfall - you won't believe - is fruit, I have to move the fruit dishes out of the way on our DDs, he does love all fruit and even though it's good for you, it's fairly calorific and snacking of any kind isn't advised during this day. Just have a drink I told him and the hunger pangs diminish.

I'll let you know how he gets on, and don't forget, this is not JUST about weight loss, ADF is about giving your body time to repair which it can only do when it's not busy digesting tons of food. I fully expect him to retreat back from the border of diabetes if he continues our lifestyle into maintenance - which is easy, been there, done that, getting the much smaller T-shirt ...

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ADF Facebook Group ... come and join us :)

Tuesday, 22 October 2013

Sixty Pounds Of Blubber ... Vanished With ADF

Where has it gone? It's most peculiar losing a lot of weight, I've mentioned before about feeling like I'm suspended on wires while I'm walking and that feeling is even stronger now. I walk effortlessly everywhere I go ... and I thought the tremendous effort I used to put into heaving myself from a-b was middle age catching up with me - I was wrong.

Righto ... the last time I updated my ADF bloggy bits, I'd lost 56lbs (I think) and I was fasting for longer - missing breakfast - I gave that daft idea up shortly after that post (back to bikkies in bed with my coffee on an up day, yum), because I knew I wasn't eating enough. And if lunch was particularly late on my 'eating' days for any reason - Tuesday's in particular (clothes shopping in Newark) - then I was as high as a kite and talking ten to the dozen ... and them that know best tell us that we'll be weak from hunger! Yeah, right.

A few weeks back I'd let my hair down a little when my friend came to stay. I took the whole week off. I prepared in advance for my likely indiscretions by having two sets of double down days the week before she came (naughty but heroic) and then I gained 3lbs while she was here. So I did the same the week after - with two sets of double down days - and lost 4lbs ... happy, happy.

A week later my sister - the bossy one - said she thought I'd done really well, they were proud of me, but I'd lost enough weight now. I didn't need telling twice, I decided to try maintenance with 700-800 calories on my down days. If I gained then I could soon drop back to 400-500 and if I lost - yippee!

Then last week my other sister came to stay - ooer missus - I did NOT prepare the week before having started maintenance and feeling pretty smug with myself after losing 60lbs - wadda-mistaka-to-maka - I had a whole week of eating and drinking exactly what I liked ... and this involved some heavy duty home baked stuff (mince pies, apple cake, sweet potato and butternut squash pie) that I'd done in my attempts to fatten my baby sister up so I'd be the slim one for the first time ever ... I failed by a stone (14lbs), skinny moo!

I'd gained 7lbs by the fourth morning! I almost hid the scales. It didn't go any higher - thankfully - and I'd lost a pound before the end of the week after waddling around the market a couple of times. Obviously the majority of the weight was water and food - she says hopefully - and not fat. This week I'm currently getting rid of it ... only 4lbs left to go. It should be but a bad dream by Saturday ... and a huge blip on my weight loss chart ;)

I just thought I'd mention again - on the off-chance that you'd missed it previously; having just skimmed over my blog ... trust me I know how most people read it, my statcounter tells me how briefly anyone is on a single post - my hero is Dr Michael Mosley, I saw him on the Horizon program 'Eat, Fast and Live Longer' in August last year, and without him I'd still be that tubby blob hiding away from the world in case anyone should point at me and say 'I see fat people' ... I really must stop doing that when I'm out, it's unforgivable, I'm worse than any ex-smoker with smokers.

Anyhooo, he got the idea after a few days with Doctor Krista Varady of the University of Illinois at Chicago (and other scientists in different universities). He couldn't manage a true alternate day fasting regime but liked the idea of just fasting two days a week and it worked amazingly for him and so co-wrote a book - The Fast Diet (bought it, read it).

Krista Varady on the other hand has undertaken several human trials on intermittent fasting BEFORE publishing her own book - 'The Every Other Day Diet' (this is a link to her Facebook page) - due to come out January next year.

So Krista - thanks. You are my heroine - even though you have cost me a small fortune in new clothes :D

And we're not just talking weight loss here, but a whole host of health benefits - from reduced risk of diabetes, heart disease, strokes, some cancers, a later onset of Alzheimers disease, to mention but a few.

And after me being awake - on a very empty stomach - all last night arguing with my cat over whether or not she was going out, my brain must have grown enormously ... no? I wouldn't be too sure, apparently being hungry has an amazing affect on the brain ... and because I was so bright and alert with oodles of new braincells, this morning after approximately 100 minutes sleep, I searched the t'Interweb (OK, Facebook mostly) for any news that could annoy me - just so I could have a good old moan - it was sooooooo satisfying ...

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ADF Facebook Group ... come and join us :)

Wednesday, 14 August 2013

A Year of Alternate Day Fasting

Flipping heck! I get worse. I wrote this nearly a week ago (8th August, my ADF anniversary) and went off at a tangent - yeah, Facebook mostly and a bit of work. This is because I now use the android app to blog - while it's fresh in my mind - then tidy it up later on the laptop ... only I forgot that bit.

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Well, I'd set my target to lose 57lbs. Yes I know it's a lovely 'even' number (not). But I need to get down to an even number (of course). As usual I failed to reach my target on a specific date by 1lb, but who cares?

I've not been this weight since I left school in the mid-70's. The first thing I did on leaving school was to go on a diet to lose 2lbs I needed to qualify for something. Of course - me being me - I starved for a week and lost 7 lbs, and I've never looked back, hmmm :/

Since then I've gone on umpteen little diets (lasting a month or less - usually hours). And several proper 'let's do this fatso - and de-flab this pudgy little body' diets lasting three months and more. Never have I got beyond six months. That was Slimming World and only so long because I was allowed to change my target (the weight I'd already reached) and go for free.

And here I am, a whole year of Alternate Day Fasting and no signs of tiring of it. It's just so natural to me now. I'm also back to Mon/Weds/Fri as my down days after faffing about trying to mix things up.

I have incorporated a gentler version of Fast-5 (19 hours fast/5 hours noshing) into ADF because it eventually became obvious that my breakfast cereals were causing me problems:

I wasn't losing weight.
I was always hungry before lunch.
I was constantly bloated on up days.

So now when I wake up in a morning I don't have to think 'can I have a biscuit this morning?' Because the answer is 'no'. I've extended my previous day's (complete) 'fast' to 19 hours by not eating until 1.30pm.

During this day I continue to eat normally up to 8.30pm, when ALL snacking must cease. If you were to be in my vicinity between 8.00-8.30, you'd spot me munching on nuts.
So I have a seven-ish hour eating window on up days and six hour eating window on down days. This does NOT include Saturday. This is my 'munch' day when I start with a biscuit in bed with my coffee, then continue to munch throughout the day, including booze at night, then I stagger to bed completely stuffed.

By Sunday morning, I'm relieved to wait until 1.30 for my dinner and bemoaning the fact that I ate too much the day before. This has been my pattern for the last couple of months unless we've had visitors. Then I just do a fast-8 (16 hours fast, 8 hours to eat) every day - basically I just miss breakfast - this maintains my weight for that week.

I've decided that I'm going to carry on and lose another 6-8lbs ... or until my sisters tell me to stop - I'm very obedient - because I still see a very fat woman in the mirror (but not photos oddly enough). This extra few pounds will ensure I've got a bit of leeway while I find which maintenance method suits me best.

I still like the idea of 500 cal days at least once a week. So my latest idea is to have one down day of 500 calories, one super up day and the rest Fast-6ish days. I'll let you know if this works when I get there ...

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ADF Facebook Group ... come and join us :)

Monday, 22 April 2013

Eight Months Of Alternate Day Fasting ... And Me :)

I think it's fair to say that I've been successful following the ADF lifestyle. Up to now I've lost 48lb and my target is well within sight.

Just lately - because Doctor Mosley's book was recently released - there has been a flurry of interest in what we Brits are doing - diet-wise - from across the pond in lard country aka the U S of A. Mostly their reaction is that we're totally barking:

'During those 500-calorie days, you probably won’t be doing much of anything except sleeping. You'll be light-headed, anxious, shaky, dizzy and super tired -- Imagine what you are like when you eat lunch late and multiply that by 100. You definitely shouldn't drive, operate machinery, take care of young children, perform surgery or basically anything else that might put yourself and others at risk. You might pass out! And even if you don't, your body doesn’t have enough energy (calories) to let your body function properly.'

Yeah, right ... this was obviously written by someone who lives with a burger in one hand and a super-sized coke in the other lest they miss out on a few calories ... I can say this with impunity, they rubbished us, I'm getting my own back ;)

What is it with Americans and their desire to be fat ... And no-one must dare to suggest they miss a meal. American news sites and their associated diet advisers are dire! They MUST be on the take somehow.They've been telling us how to eat for decades and when we did as we were told, we got fatter ... how does this STILL make them right and give them the right to tell anyone how they should eat?

Well, it's like this ... dieting is big business. Anyone who comes along and rocks the dieting boat by declaring that - 'You don't need to go and be weighed weekly and be told that you're fat ... and you're not going to get thin by paying us lots of dosh and eating our dreadful processed meals' - is going to be regarded as either a total barmpot or a charlatan. Fasting can't possibly work ... they can't make any money out of us, they'd rather we went away and kept quiet.

We've even been told by nutritionists and diet gurus that we must eat little and often (six meals a day) to keep our metabolism going. Yes it keeps it going all right, it also keeps insulin production up. Once we've done growing our bodies need a rest from constantly digesting food. We're not really built for grazing because we're not ruminants!

Anyhoooo, despite all the warnings that we're obviously completely off our collective rockers, Americans have joined our ADF Facebook group at a very fast rate since the publication of the book. Not only that, I get far more 'hits' on my blog on this subject from America than anywhere else in the world. Australia creeps in second place. It must also be noted that the basis of this 'diet' has been adapted from experiments done in the USA, but apparently we in Britain are far more gullible and ready to jump in and have a go ... we're also considerably lighter now :D

We've now been told - by them that know - that fasting isn't safe for women. Now, to me this is a grey area. I will NOT pooh pooh any proper medical advice given on this, because they may have a point, especially with women who want to have children sometime soon. Hormone fluctuations seem to be a real side effect of fasting and I think we should take this into consideration if we're going to fast more than two days a week. However, have they actually proven this to be the case or is it yet another way of making us conform to the established way of dieting that makes someone else rich?

And now we come to me: It's no secret that I've been perimenopausal for a few years now. Things came to an abrupt stop on my last birthday (6th November). I had hot flushes through December to late February when they too stopped - just like that.

Well, methinks, if this is menopause; it's a doddle. Hmmm, yes, but not the doddle I thought. Over the last few weeks I'd tried experimenting with two sets of double down days every other week (yeah, yeah, broken promises blah, blah blah), making me seven up and seven down a fortnight, so true ADF with a twist.

By the Thursday night of my second set of DDD's I had a visitation, and I don't mean in any biblical sense. Chuffin Nora, but it was unpleasant, five months totally without and this happens. Worse still, I never can eat much during this time or I'm in agony with windy bloat as well as the cramps.

This was not the best way to end my week of extra 'fasting'. I decided that any signs - as these news sites reported - of being weak and faint then the only sensible option I had was to take a week off and eat sensibly and healthily every day. Someone as tough as old boots like me going all delicate - pathetic isn't it? ... Or would have been. As it happened I was fine, I just lost no weight.

Anyway it set me to thinking 'why did this happen? Why now? I know the road to menopause is rocky but I had to wonder at all these warnings about our hormones and the consequences of fasting.

So I contemplated my - recent - past diet, what had changed? Well, Asda stopped doing the warm salad I had three days a week, these consisted of chicken, leaves, butternut squash, peppers, potatoes, courgettes, endemame beans, broccoli (depending on which flavour I chose; there were three) plus a dressing which came out at approx 200 cals.

I decided to do my own version with the leaves, low calorie dressing, chicken and prawns. I was angelic as ever and weighed and counted calories in everything. But because I was DIYing and didn't bulk out the salad with many calories, I had more chicken - thus my protein intake almost trebled on my 3 or 4 down days.

Checking back through my food diary and my hot sweaty lady calendar, there does seem to be some correlation in losing the hot moments shortly after upping the protein. Now I know almost absolutely nothing about how our bodies work, I'm just going on my own observations and notes, which is what I promised to do when I started this experiment.

I will cut down on the protein and try to get a happy balance or I know I will be drifting into Atkins country without meaning to - been there, done that, had the smelly breath. It was an awful diet and totally unsustainable for a - then - vegetarian. I didn't lose a lot of weight but I did start eating meat again, so both me and the animals have got a lot to thank Dr Atkins for.

I've got lots of milestones coming up over the next nine pounds:

Three and half stone lost.
50lb lost.
My weight in stones starting with a fresh - smaller - number.
25% of my bodyweight gone.
4 stones lost.
Target weight.
The lightest I've been since my school days.

Best of all though is the knowledge that I'll never be fat again by continuing to follow ADF maintenance ...

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ADF Facebook Group ... come and join us :)

Wednesday, 9 January 2013

Alternate Day Fasting Over Christmas

So far I haven't changed my meal times as mentioned in my last post because the weather got warmer and I haven't been as cold as I was during the day. Knowing British weather, this is apt to change at a moments notice.

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I decided - because I'm a good girl - that I would stick with ADF over Christmas and new year by juggling my days ... hmmm yes, rather because I was too afraid of the consequences otherwise.

Therefore on Christmas week my weekend (diet-wise) was Tuesday and Wednesday, New Year week it was Monday and Tuesday. I didn't restrict my eating or drinking at all these days although I was slightly more careful on my other up days and positively saintly on my down days.

I'm pleased to say that even though I came fairly close, I still didn't need any over-acid stomach remedies. Considering the richness of the food I ate this is brilliant!

Over in our ADF group on Facebook, it's fair to say that the vast majority of us let our hair down - and loosened our belts - completely forgetting about fasting for the time being and simply enjoyed the holidays.

The results were obvious, they gained weight and I didn't - buffs up halo until it glows - however, they have since lost their Christmas weight gain and I'm still stuck on a plateau all by myself.

The conclusion that I can draw from this is that it does you good to forget all about calorie restricting for a short while, as any damage done is as quickly undone ... with the added bonus that you've thoroughly enjoyed yourself.

It also seems to have kick-started the weight loss again for one or two people who have gone several weeks and stayed the same weight ... like me :'(

I wish I could let myself have a week off to try it but I daren't - I have an enormous guilt complex and an obsessive nature - even on our honeymoon I juggled my days around so I only missed one fasting day - the only one I've missed since the 8th August - and I only justified that because I'd previously done two double down days in one week.

If I don't lose any more weight by this weekend then I'll have to try shaking things up with the threatened fast-5 or I'll literally do ADF without my 'weekend' off, giving me an extra down day a fortnight ... or I could stop eating Christmas cake, mincemeat muffins and chocolate on my up days.

Weight loss over five months ... still 35lb ...

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ADF Facebook Group ... come and join us :)

Monday, 24 December 2012

Alternate Day Fasting In Winter :(

Well, it was bound to happen. I've hit one or two snags with this lifestyle. Weight loss has dribbled down to half to one pound a week. But this is fine and not bothering me too much. Whereas if I was on an actual diet and putting in more effort regards yummy food deprivation, calorie or point counting, I'd be severely unimpressed and certain to be on the verge of giving in ... if I was still even dieting by this time.

The biggest problem - and I'm not alone with this in the northern hemisphere - is the biting cold on down days. Sometimes it's painful, especially in my lower legs, feet and hands.

Get off your bum and move about, I hear you say. I would if I could, my job is sitting down with little real movement for several hours at a time. When I do move (usually once every couple of hours to visit the bathroom) it takes some getting going as I'm so stiff.

I thought that I'd lose weight with my body using fuel to keep warm, this isn't how it works, my body is saving it all for important things like keeping my organs functioning and my core temperature up ... and as far as it's concerned, my extremities can just drop off.

It is not helped one iota by me being at a delicate age - which we've covered in two ... previous posts - where I am adding extra layers of clothing one minute, throwing them on the floor the next, only to grab them back because I'm shivering within the next two minutes ... and we're not even going to mention what it's like in bed, apart from the fact that the duvet is a 4.5 tog and is w-a-y too hot.

The other day I was in Asda, my parka coat zipped up to the eyebrows - because I was freeeeezing. Half way around the coat came off - I was roasting. Then it was back on. By the time I'd reached the chillers I was stood holding my coat wide open and my body as far as I could get it into the chiller without actually melting the cheeses ... good job I didn't do it near the butter, it wouldn't have stood a chance. Never at any point did my hands and feet get warm.

I'm not sure how much the alternate day fasting is affecting my hormonal problems (there, I've said it) but I'm seriously considering doing ADF maintenance for the next couple of months until it warms up. This means that on my three weekly down days I'll have between 800-1000 calories.

The alternative - which is quite obvious now I think about it - is to have my meals earlier on to keep me warm throughout the day, and hopefully cooler at night ... This is to be my next experiment and I'll keep you posted.

There has been loose talk among us ADF-ers about combining Fast-5 with ADF, I always failed before I even got up by NEEDING a biscuit with my coffee in bed on an up morning. This is something I may try next year if I hit a weight loss plateau.

Fast-5 is where you eat your normal (sensible) amount of calories, within the same 5 hour window daily, creating a 19 hour fast where your body starts to use your reserves of fat, albeit very slowly.

And my current weight loss so far with no real effort on my part is - drum roll - 35lb ...

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ADF Facebook Group ... come and join us :)

Sunday, 25 November 2012

Alternate Day Fasting Three Months On.

Well, if you've been following my blog other than the 'dieting' posts, you'll know that I've been a busy bee preparing for our wedding ... getting married ... then going on a family honeymoon.

I even managed to do 5 up 2 down for the honeymoon (Mon-Fri) by making the Sunday before a down day and the same for the Saturday after we came home. So only having Wednesday as an extra up day. I'm surprised at my determination and commitment. Three months ago I thought by the time I'd got the wedding out of the way, I'd be hiding the bathroom scales and pulling faces at the mention of that dirty, dirty word DIET ... this was all assuming I even made it that far.

Not a bit of it. Being able to eat a normal diet four days a week and only being ultra-strict for three days - and always knowing that if ever I'm hungry then tomorrow is a munch day - has made this so easy ... too easy in fact to ever give up.

I've now lost a total of 31lb (gained 1lb last week eating fast food at Center Parcs) and have set a realistic target for a further loss of another 26lb by next summer. I won't stress over little gains or no losses here and there, it happens even on a regular diet regime.

More pleasing than the weight loss is the inch loss:

Chest 3"
Waist 6"
Hips 4"
Both upper arms and each thigh 2"

There are lots more bits I measured but I'm sure we've seen enough now :)

I still feel great, especially on the down days. Anyone would logically think that being hungry would make you weak, dizzy or faint - or at least grumpy - I've felt none of those but I do now drink an awful lot of concentrate low calorie squash and plenty of fruit/herbal teas to combat hunger which in all probability is actually thirst anyway ... and I don't actually fast in the literal term.

I don't have breakfast, my first meal is about 1.30pm. These days because I'm at home, I have a warm salad from t'shop across t'road for lunch (approx 250 cals), then one of my amazing home made vegetable soups out of the freezer at about 7.00pm. Or I have 'Skinny Soup' from the same shop and occasionally tinned chopped tomatoes on toast.

I still see no reason to vary it over-much, I like soup and can flavour it to suit myself. Plus I eat a far wider variety of foods on my up days, so no chance of becoming bored. I no longer count the calories in my drinks but estimate that I take in approx 550 cals now on the down days ... and it's still working for me.

I've got a new way of doing my vegetable soup now, but this is because I can't stand certain vegetables either in soup or stew but they add bulk without too many calories. These include turnips, carrots and parsnips (yuk). So instead of cooking everything together, I cook these with only a little of the stuff I do like - potatoes, leeks, celery, peppers, mushrooms, red onions, then zzzzzz it down to a purée and do all the rest in the slow cooker and keep it moderately chunky, before mixing together and freezing it. Yum yum yum.

I can't recommend enough the Alternate Day Fasting group on Facebook for support and encouragement. Anyone wishing to embark on this particular journey to a slimmer body and hopefully healthier way of life ... with no hang-ups about 'oh, no I shouldn't have eaten that - oh bugger it, I've ruined the diet, I may as well pig out' ... would do well to join us there, I even contribute words of wisdom occasionally - well, I admitted weighing myself while holding my boobs up in case there was a chance I'd weigh less ...

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ADF Facebook Group ... come and join us :)

Saturday, 20 October 2012

Ten Weeks Of Alternate Day Fasting ...

... And An Experiment Never To Be Repeated.

By now we must all be getting a bit bored with this but I notice it's still fairly popular amongst my 'most read posts' so I'll continue with my updates a while longer.

.....

As I expected the weight loss did slow down after week three, with a normal 2lb loss every week after. But on week seven I had a pleasant surprise - yes, I know it's week ten now, but bear with me (this is a diary) - I'd lost 3lb ... WOWEE methinks, if I can lose 3lb in one week at this point without changing my diet significantly after week four, what would happen if I did two double down days a week?

With my main aim - by now - of fitting into a certain dress by a specific date, I thought 'I've got nothing to lose - except weight - I'll give it a go'.

So far the 'diet' had been a pleasure because on down days I've always been on a high. Another way of describing the feeling is 'fair twanging'. Possibly a euphoric buzz only achieved with early drug taking (before dependency) or what the more athletic among us feel during and after exercise (endorphins).

This buzz did NOT happen during week eight with the exception of Friday, and this was only because I knew that when Saturday arrived and I got on the scales, I was going to have lost loads of weight ... hmmmm.

I did down days on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Let me tell you it was a d-r-a-g. Normally by Monday night I'm grinning to myself because not only am I on a high - and sloshing from all the liquid I drink to stave off hunger - I'm also chuffed that tomorrow it's munch day.

During this week all I thought about was food, I was back to the miserable days of 'you can't eat that, it's got calories in it'. Not even Wednesday cheered me up when I allowed myself to follow a normal diet. All I thought about was hungry Thursday would soon be here, with yet another day the same after.

First thing Saturday morning, the scales were placed on the kitchen floor, I had a smug smile, I just knew it was going to be good ... 1lb, One measly pound. I got off the scales, moved them around the floor, on, off, on, off, twiddle with the dial, on. Still the same, I could have cried. I got pen, paper and calculator out to work out my calories over the week.

Oh bugger, it's possible (okay, it's obvious) I didn't eat enough. Not only did my skinny gene get switched off, it probably curled up and died. I bet the 'we're starving here, lets slow down the metabolism' genes kicked in with relish (BA**ARDS!). It looks like even though other people CAN do two consecutive days of near fasting, I can't, especially twice.

I went back to normal for week nine (Mon, Weds, Fri), I gained 1lb. I'm not giving in, I still feel great - worried in case I've buggered my metabolism up, but health-wise, fabulous.

.....

Now going off at a complete tangent here, this may be a mere coincidence, but I mentioned last time that I've not needed any stomach acid remedies. This still holds by the way ... Ahem, When my grumpy old man and myself go out, especially near water, he has to be smothered in mosquito/midge/whatever repellent, I just stand next to him admiring his little swarm of followers/biters. Then it's my duty to tend to the bites/lumps that he can't reach when we get home and he does his best not to scratch them. I NEVER EVER got bit myself.

This was also noticeable when I went with a group of women for a short break to Spain. They were well munched, me ... not a nibble. I put this down to my habit of jumping in the shower every five minutes. I'm not suggesting for a moment that my friends are a mucky lot, but I only had go back to our room to use the loo and I'd be under the shower before I went out again. This was a stage I was at with my obsessive compulsive doings ... shame it's never extended to being tidy.

Anyway I digress, Last week I got bit, not once but six times, four on my right wrist and two on my left knee. They swelled up, went red and ITCHED. This set me to thinking (I'm like that). I checked online to see if there was any connection between an over-acidic stomach and immunity to mosquitoes, and guess what I found? They'd done experiments and found that stressed people give off a gas that repels them. May I suggest that when they're stressed; their stomach acid goes into overdrive and this is what repels them ... just a thought.

.....

And now to week ten. I followed my usual pattern of Mon/Weds/Fri down days, felt enormously bloated - hormones ... I am STILL a woman ;-) - This morning (Saturday) the scales were placed gingerly on the floor, I took my pyjama bottoms off - we're still at the tin hut (brrrrr) so I'm wearing heavy duty, winter strength nightwear - shivered my way in a tiptoe fashion onto the scales. Oh yes, not only have I lost the 1lb gained last week, I've lost another 3lb with it (yeah, yeah, hormones, blah, blah blah) - a total 27lb lost, hmmm so maybe a delayed reaction to the two double down days on week eight????

Will I do it again? NO, NEVER! It's not worth the misery. Slow and sensible from now on, even if it's only half a pound a week ...

.....

ADF Facebook Group ... come and join us :)

Saturday, 6 October 2012

Eight Weeks Of Alternate Day Fasting

Any of my regular readers NOT interested in alternate day fasting, will do well to give this a miss as it will bore the pants off you...

Well, believe it or not I'm still sticking with it. My most oft uttered words now are no longer 'who put that there?', but ... 'I'm a good girl I am'. This is my new mantra and is repeated throughout my down days when I've either been crunching on salad (bored with that now), ploughing my way through a delicious 'stir-fry' or chewing on kale which seems to have all the properties of green chewing gum!

I still feel great, my energy levels are way up there where they used to be when I was much younger. I'd originally put my sluggishness down to getting older (any excuse), but now I know - and will admit - the truth ... I was just too fat.

I've decided that when I reach the weight I want - which won't be ridiculously low as I really don't have the frame for it - I'll continue doing the fasting but only one or two days a week. This is what I consider a good way to maintain my weight and should also keep the other health benefits that this lifestyle has promised.

.....

Yes, about those health benefits ... I'd read about asthma, diabetes, heart disease, alzheimer's, cholesterol etc. But what I'd not come across was stomach problems. It seems odd that I've missed it as I thought I'd have latched onto that one straight away.

All my friends know that I've suffered with an over-acid stomach for donkeys years. I'm always sucking or munching on a fruit flavoured antacid tablet. I've always had pockets full of them and been in a total panic if I think I've forgotten them.

I still carry them with me out of habit, but I haven't needed a single tablet in four weeks ... not one! I usually needed a minimum of four or five a day. AND we had pepperoni pizza the other night - guaranteed to put my stomach in a hyper-fizz ... nothing.

I hadn't noticed that I hadn't needed over-acid stomach remedies ... well you don't, do you. I always empty my pockets onto the dressing table before placing shorts/cropped trousers/jeans/fleeces in the wash - this theoretically means I don't wash tissues, chewing gum or antacids with my clothes. In actuality, something from the aforementioned list gets washed almost every week, leaving interesting stains or shredded, fluffy paper - I then restock my pockets from this pile every day but gradually realised that the same packets were coming back unused.

I will of course write in the future if my apparent 'stomach cure' changes. My intention is to be scrupulously honest (as ever) about this 'diet' as I know that my blog - and I assume it's the same for everyone else blogging about this subject - has elicited some interest from certain medical and scientific reasearch establishments because we're all basically guinea pigs.

.....

When I embarked on this lifestyle choice, I knew I'd be able to stick with it (for now) because:

I work at home.
I have will power.
I bought the dress I want to wear for my wedding years ago when I was slimmer and I love it.
Writing about it publicly is a great incentive, my diets are usually sneaky so I don't look daft when I fail.

Probably point 1 is the most important factor to me. Going out to work doing this 'diet' requires a lot of forward planning and understanding workmates. One of my friends who started ADF keeps coming a cropper because even her husband makes fun of her and deliberately eats yummy food that she loves - in a way that would try the patience of a saint ... or guarantee his swift demise. I've now had a quiet word with him and he's promised to stop being so damned annoying.

Even though I work at home - or the tin hut - and so don't need to think of what to eat at work, I've started to make my soup in batches on a Sunday afternoon, instead of on the mornings of my down day. This has stopped me wanting to eat it straight away and becoming over-souped. I make enough for six days weighing and chopping the vegetables of my choice, cook them either in the slow cooker at home or the oven at the tin hut (caravan near Skegness for those who don't know). When it's cooled I blend half of it to make it nice and thick.

Then I freeze most of it in tubs with added cooked chicken style quorn and soaked and boiled exotic (Morrisons) beans to give it substance. I now have lots of different flavoured soups (chilli, korma, garlic, herb) and a variety of vegetables - yum yum - with a maximum of 250 calories in each huge tub. This does NOT mean I have soup every down day, it's just there in case I haven't got anything in to dry stir fry or for when I get fed up of crunching through salads, oh yeah ... and sick of the sight of tinned tomatoes.

Oh, didn't I mention my weight loss? Well up to now I've lost 24lb ...

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ADF Facebook Group ... come and join us :)

Wednesday, 29 August 2012

Me And Alternate-Day Fasting ... Three Weeks On

Well, we've finally arrived home and naturally one of the first things I did was stand on the bathroom scales. There is an art to doing this correctly that every overweight person knows ... You have to lean to the left and as back as far as possible without actually falling off the scales. This will reduce your weight by at least 3 ounces.

My ancient bathroom scales decided not to play along, first they needed adjusting up by 4lb to reach 0. I was disgusted with the result until I stepped off them and saw that they were still stuck on 7lb. They were definitely going through the window (well they're in the bin). I went over to Asda to stock up on tins of chopped tomatoes - a lifesaver on the down days - plus other essentials and some really cheap scales.

They were much better! Whether or not they're telling the actual truth, they'll do for me. Result ... a total of 14lb loss over four weeks (this includes the time spent on the two cereals a day diet which did nothing but give me stomach cramps).

I had guessed roughly how much weight I'd lost, and I know that naturally as with every diet you come across, some of it was bound to be muscle. I tried my very best to make sure the fat/muscle ratio was as good as could be, by frequently exercising using a Reebok side stepper with resistance bands.

Only three weeks in and I've lost 2" from my waist and hips, and 1" from my boobs - I say boobs but we all know I mean my back because they haven't budged by so much as a millimetre (as per usual). Before we came home ALL our tin hut neighbours were saying they could tell I was losing weight. In fact as I write this, one of my neighbours will be starting the same diet as she feels over-chunky around her midriff. She was impressed with my obvious weight loss and the ease with which I achieved it.

I fully expect over the next and subsequent months to lose less and less weight. This is normal and I've been on enough diets to know this, also as my basal metabolic rate reduces, so will the calories needed to actually keep losing weight on the down days. I'm at 500 calories now but can foresee that I will most likely need to drop to 400 in the near future. The up days will also need a reduction but this will be easy as I'm soon full.

So far the diet has been sheer pleasure, obviously I'm getting a buzz out of losing weight - who wouldn't - but my energy levels have shot through the roof ... I feel like swinging from chandeliers, bouncing off the walls and jumping off of things.

The only down side so far, is that I'm even clumsier than I was before. I've always walked into things, but being marginally lighter means that when I launch myself in any direction, I get there sooner than expected. There are at least five conversations a day with grumpy about door-frames, tables and cupboards, along the lines of 'who put that there?' And twice I've walked into my stepper ... I'm on a very risky route to another broken toe.

I've invested in The Alternate-Day Diet book by Doctor Johnson, it is very interesting albeit far too scientific to hold my attention for any great length of time, so I only read it in short bursts. I told my friend yesterday that I felt WIRED and now I've just read the bit where he used the exact same word to describe how people on the diet feel, hmmm, just like when Asda have kept me awake for two or three consecutive nights.

I did NOT follow the rules about using diet shakes in the first two weeks on down days, why should I? I'm grown up enough to know what I'm eating and well able to count the calories without cheating. Also as I mentioned in my last dieting post, I'm not actually doing this on alternate days but only Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with other weekdays and whole weekends totally free to eat what I like.

Now here's the weird thing, by the third weekend, all I could think about was wanting Monday to come so I could be in proper control of my eating, which was daft because even on the up days (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sunday) I am still basically eating healthy food, just with a few added extras.

I actually find the down days easier than the up days, mainly because contrary to popular belief that ALL fat people stuff themselves silly, I don't have a big appetite, nor fortunately do I have a sweet tooth. But I love nuts and cheese - which I've now virtually given up, sigh - and Hovis Seed Sensation under my Lurpak ... and jacket potatoes under my cheese and Lurpak. Then there's the weekly pizza and the fortnightly Indian etc. And we're not even going to mention the Whisky. So with me I'm afraid it was WHAT I ate, rather than how much.

Of course the Doughnut competition didn't help either ... Us and the tin hut neighbours seeing who could buy each other the most jammy doughnuts from Morrisons = one a day each! And not at all bad for someone who doesn't even particularly like them. Now we've all given them up (or so they say).

Last Saturday I had a little apple pie with a minuscule amount of ice-cream on it, and all I could think about was getting on my stepper to negate those specific calories. This is BAD, I'm allowed to eat what I want on up days without the guilt trip, but it's a hard dieting habit to break.

On Sunday I had my usual Jordans Muesli breakfast and because my dinner stretched to two meals (fairly normal), I had approximately 1000 calories all day and didn't want anything more. So now my Sundays will be neither up nor down days, more of an in-between. And since I finished reading the book the same night, I see that I'm perfectly normal in doing exactly this ...

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ADF Facebook Group ... come and join us :)

Monday, 20 August 2012

Me And Alternate Day Fasting

Yes, I'm on a diet ... it originally started as a joke about grumpy being able carry me over the threshold without having to do it one leg at a time ... or (before anyone else suggests it) asking Mr Heanor Haulage if he can borrow his crane. I think even if I do lose a few pounds the best I can hope for is a fireman's lift ... but only if we can stop laughing long enough.

Now being at the tin hut with just a tape measure - which tells dreadful lies about my porkiness - to check my progress, is a tiny bit unsatisfactory. But hopefully, I may get a pleasant surprise once I'm home for a few days.

If things are looking good, then I'll be found almost constantly wearing the bathroom scales as an extension under my feet (which also makes me two inches taller so less under-height for my weight) ... on the other hand, I may just throw them through the window in disgust - I am likely to do this.

Any advocates of ADF reading this and screaming at me that 'day one' was totally wrong ... I know. And it was never repeated on subsequent down days. I started this diet mid-week on a whim and was - of course - totally unprepared.

I have decided in my wisdom that this subject is best handled by those most directly involved, namely my stomach and brain ... and a few other body parts for good measure. So, ahem, here goes:

Day One

Stomach: Look here, we've not long since had breakfast and she's bending over.

Brain: She's bowling.

Stomach: Well I can't confirm that our contents will stay down if she keeps this up.

Brain: Okay, stomach. I'll tell her to delay bowling in future.

Stomach: Ugh, luke warm mazzy watter tea, what's that for?

Brain: Sorry, no choice, she's overheating and dehydrating.

Stomach: Salt? Where's that from?

Brain: Top lip.

Stomach: S-n-o-t! ... is she eating bogies?

Brain: It's sweat, she's fifty-two, not two. Now push off, I've got to concentrate.
Stomach: On what?
Brain: Coordination ... she keeps lumbering about, bends down with her ar*e in the air and chucks a lump of black plastic at a white dot. Then of course eyes and right arm can't agree on which direction to throw it ... I think this is meant to be 'exercise for crumblies'
Stomach: Oh.

Stomach: Oi! Isn't it time we had food? I've finished with the muesli and we're all clear for the next lot.

Brain: She's on a diet.

Stomach: Give me strength, I thought we'd just done one.

Brain: We have.

Stomach: Shouldn't it be muesli again now?

Brain: No, I told you, we've done with the two cereals diet.

Stomach: What was wrong with that?

Brain: Another organ wasn't happy; requested a change.

Stomach: Oh, her at the end of the line? She's a prima donna that one, can't take work.

Stomach: So, is it Monday again already?
Brain: No, Wednesday.
Stomach: Wednesday! I thought it was in the rules that diets start on a Monday.

Brain: Yeah, and finish by Tuesday.

Stomach: Oi! Can you make her eat, it's a bit empty in here, I can see my creases.

Brain: I'll try, but I can't promise anything.

Stomach: Well?

Brain: Nothing doing.

Stomach: I'll do some squeezing and wobbling, that'll work.

Brain: Notice to all organs, this is a yellow alert, stomach is going to be a little disruptive ... Go ahead stomach.

Stomach: WTF! ... WATER!! What am I supposed to do with that? It's just ... wet.

Brain: Stop whinging will you, it won't last.

Stomach: Are you sure?

Brain: Yeah, she watched Horizon - Eat, Fast and Live Longer - the other night. It's yet another faddy diet she thinks is a good idea.

Stomach: Well it's not.
Brain:Hmmm, I'm not so sure, she could do with shifting some lard.

Stomach: Woohoo! Food coming, it's hot, yippee ... soup, where's the bread? No bread? Hold on ... it's got no substance ... slimming soup ugh.

Brain: Stomach wake up! something is on its way.

Stomach: Yeuch! hot mazzy watter ... again.

Brain: It's fruit tea ... 2 calories.

Stomach: I could have told you that, there's nowt in it.

Stomach: ALERT, ALERT we're drowning, there's water coming in by the bucket full!

Brain: Calm down, you've fallen asleep again ... she's drinking.

Stomach: Water????? ... Again, twice in one year.

Brain: I think you've got to get used to it for a day or so.
Stomach: I can't work under these conditions ... we may have to take action.

Brain: All the other organs are working optimally. Get over yourself stomach.

Stomach: Are we doing this again tomorrow?

Brain: I'm not really sure ... but I don't think so.

Day Two

Stomach: Aaaagghhhh, what's happening? I'm in a vice, I can't move. HELP!

Brain: Stop panicking, she's trying clothes on to see if they fit yet.

Stomach: Well tell her they don't.

Brain: Lungs ... deflate a little, make room for fatso.

Left Lung: Is stomach complaining again?

Brain: Yes.

Right lung: Stomach's got more wind than both of us put together.

BIG BREATH ...

Stomach: OUT OUT! Not in ... morons.

Stomach: Oho, muesli ... er, are we back on the cereals diet again?

Brain: No.

Stomach: Oooh no, there's Greek yoghurt ... no honey though. I'd better get busy.

Brain: Ummm, hang on a minute, slow down ... I'm confused, we've had coffee and a biscuit, yes?

Stomach: I dealt with that ages ago ... keep up.

Brain: O-k-a-y ... but there might not be too much more.

Stomach: Don't be daft, it's Tuesday, diet done, food is here, it needs digesting.

Brain: It's Thursday. Hmmm, slow down.

Stomach: You do your job, I'll do mine - slurp, gurgle - and proper Yorkshire tea, YUM.

Brain: Lunch on its way ... poached eggs on toast.

Stomach: Goody, I'll get this lot digested ready for the afternoon doughnut and coffee, I don't want that hanging around to spoil dinner.

Brain: She says not.

Stomach: Not what?

Brain: No doughnut.

Stomach: Fruit pie and ice-cream?

Brain: Just coffee.
Stomach: Coffee?

Brain: RED ALERT! RED ALERT! eyes and ears ... SWITCH OFF!
Stomach: What shouldn't she see or hear?
Brain: Grumpy getting a doughnut out and making a major performance of it.
Stomach: I want a doughnut, we've got plenty of room and lots of acid ready.
Brain: I say ... she's just called grumpy a git because he's wandering around eating a doughnut with jam running down his fingers.
Stomach: We're really not having one?
Brain: Oh ... eyes have spotted him surreptitiously cleaning jam off his shorts ... All body parts stand by for laughter.

Brain: You've got a meal arriving, it's a proper plateful.
Stomach: Is it worth getting excited about?
Brain: Hmmm, it's just healthy green, red and orange crunchy stuff, Oh there's a Jacket potato.
Stomach: Yay, BUTTER!! Ready ... on standby.
Brain: Nope, no butter.

Brain: Well, she's obviously eating properly now after yesterday's peculiarity, so clearly we don't need to go into starvation mode to save our blubber. Therefore, let's maintain our middle-aged metabolism as it is.
Stomach: I'll second that, it's looking good in here now ... apart from the complete lack of doughnut.

Brain: Right, body ... we really need to make up for yesterday's deficit, can we please release some fat stores.
Body: Not on your nelly, it's taken years to save all this lot.
Brain: Just do it.
Body: Won't ...

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ADF Facebook Group ... come and join us :)

Sunday, 27 April 2014

Tuesday, 8 April 2014

Wednesday, 4 December 2013

Tuesday, 22 October 2013

Wednesday, 14 August 2013

.....

Monday, 22 April 2013

Wednesday, 9 January 2013

Monday, 24 December 2012

Sunday, 25 November 2012

Saturday, 20 October 2012

Saturday, 6 October 2012

Any of my regular readers NOT interested in alternate day fasting, will do well to give this a miss as it will bore the pants off you...

Wednesday, 29 August 2012

Monday, 20 August 2012

Now being at the tin hut with just a tape measure - which tells dreadful lies about my porkiness - to check my progress, is a tiny bit unsatisfactory. But hopefully, I may get a pleasant surprise once I'm home for a few days.

If things are looking good, then I'll be found almost constantly wearing the bathroom scales as an extension under my feet (which also makes me two inches taller so less under-height for my weight) ... on the other hand, I may just throw them through the window in disgust - I am likely to do this.

Any advocates of ADF reading this and screaming at me that 'day one' was totally wrong ... I know. And it was never repeated on subsequent down days. I started this diet mid-week on a whim and was - of course - totally unprepared.

I have decided in my wisdom that this subject is best handled by those most directly involved, namely my stomach and brain ... and a few other body parts for good measure. So, ahem, here goes:

Day One

Alternate Day Fasting - Before and After

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