Intermittent Fasting and Weight Loss

[adambr2]

Biggest thing for me has been cutting liquid calories out of my diet. I used to drink so many calories. I like an energy drink every day, so switching from Rockstar or Monster to Bang saves me 250 right off the bat every day.

 

This applies just as easily to alcoholic beverages. I used to enjoy a captain and coke or whiskey and coke, now switching that regular coke to diet saves a ton of calories and I still enjoy my mixer.

 

I still eat a ton of the things I like. Steak street tacos are one of my favorites. I find that flavoring things up (hot salsa on the tacos) really helps keep me full and avoid mindlessly snacking lager. I still enjoy pizza but I've switched to thin crust and toppings like chicken and pineapple.

 

It was back in early March that I stepped on the scale and saw "265" and said no more. 223 this morning. 25 to go!

[CheezWizHed]

Great job! Keep it up!

[adambr2]

Great job! Keep it up!

 

Thanks! Appreciate the encouragement! I can't do fasting, just love food too much, lol.

 

On that note I forgot to mention that strawberries have been a godsend for me. I can't convince myself to snack on veggies, but I love fruit. Strawberries are incredibly low calorie , and I could eat em all day.

[stoutdude04]

Nice Adam. Good luck on your goal!

[AKCheesehead]

Regarding adambr2’s point about low calorie things, a couple things I enjoy for feeling full: plenty of dill pickles with a small sandwich, and instead of snacking on chips and salsa, having celery and salsa. I find it satisfying, your mileage may vary.

 

Fasting today trying to atone for some recent indulgence.

[stoutdude04]

Regarding adambr2’s point about low calorie things, a couple things I enjoy for feeling full: plenty of dill pickles with a small sandwich, and instead of snacking on chips and salsa, having celery and salsa. I find it satisfying, your mileage may vary.

 

Fasting today trying to atone for some recent indulgence.

 

Same. Was in Nashville for the weekend.

 

Going to do 24 hour fasts this weekend with a few beers at softball Tuesday and Wednesday.

[GAME05]

Nice job on the weight loss Adam.

 

I've switched over to the "energy" aspartame drinks. Zero calories and 120mg of caffeine. In small boxes in the kool-aid section. Also become a fan of rice cakes and a small amount of peanut butter.

[stoutdude04]

I've been doing one celsius energy drink in the morning before me walks/runs at noon and it seems to help keep me moving. I do the zero calorie sodas to kick my soda cravings. And I keep it to only 1.

[greeg35]

Great job! Keep it up!

 

Thanks! Appreciate the encouragement! I can't do fasting, just love food too much, lol.

 

On that note I forgot to mention that strawberries have been a godsend for me. I can't convince myself to snack on veggies, but I love fruit. Strawberries are incredibly low calorie , and I could eat em all day.

 

Thanks for the strawberry inspiration! I'm doing my annual summer "lose the ten pounds I gained during the school year". The evening is the hardest time for me snack wise, especially when I'm home alone like tonight. The bucks aren't helping either! So the strawberry idea is a timely and welcome suggestion! Mmmm

[adambr2]

Great job! Keep it up!

 

Thanks! Appreciate the encouragement! I can't do fasting, just love food too much, lol.

 

On that note I forgot to mention that strawberries have been a godsend for me. I can't convince myself to snack on veggies, but I love fruit. Strawberries are incredibly low calorie , and I could eat em all day.

 

Thanks for the strawberry inspiration! I'm doing my annual summer "lose the ten pounds I gained during the school year". The evening is the hardest time for me snack wise, especially when I'm home alone like tonight. The bucks aren't helping either! So the strawberry idea is a timely and welcome suggestion! Mmmm

 

Glad I could help! 4 calories in a regular strawberry, 6 calories in a large strawberry. Almost a cheat code of a food, to me.

[CheezWizHed]

Nice... I might have to raid the strawberry pyramid as they are ripening soon. My wife might be upset though...and the kids.

[GAME05]

Wow I never realized that, either. What a great idea to satisfy a sugar craving without doing something stupid.

[CheezWizHed]

I survived my first 24 hr fast! It was much easier this attempt as I was working... bad day of work = good distraction from eating.

[Underachiever]

Great job! Keep it up!

 

Thanks! Appreciate the encouragement! I can't do fasting, just love food too much, lol.

 

On that note I forgot to mention that strawberries have been a godsend for me. I can't convince myself to snack on veggies, but I love fruit. Strawberries are incredibly low calorie , and I could eat em all day.

 

Thanks for the strawberry inspiration! I'm doing my annual summer "lose the ten pounds I gained during the school year". The evening is the hardest time for me snack wise, especially when I'm home alone like tonight. The bucks aren't helping either! So the strawberry idea is a timely and welcome suggestion! Mmmm

Don't forget raspberries and blueberries. About 1 calorie in a raspberry, 21 calories in a quarter cup of blueberries. Big old bowl of those two fruits plus strawberries is saving me.

[GAME05]

Yesterday the co-workers said my belly was smaller and I must be losing weight. That was sure nice. Still fasting 14-17 hours most days and mostly by default since it's easy to just not eat before I start night shift.

 

Long-term goal is if I can lose the belly completely, then I could bulk up and try to add some muscle (I'm skinny-fat), but that's long-long-long term and I'd only do so if I were confident of having a diet/exercise plan that worked well for me. Until then I'll be plenty happy just losing a belly I've had for 20 years. Still got a ways to go, though. Last year was at 240, now 218, goal maybe 200.

 

Extra bonus for me I've been doing deadlifts with a hex bar and it actually hasn't hurt my back (which is a total mess and goes out on me about three times a year). I think it's helping me stand up a lot straighter, which is probably why the belly looks smaller. I only deadlift about 180 lbs and do two reps at a time to total 10. I'm too scared to try more weight and hurt my back.

 

I'd never really eaten much fruit because I've done a lot of keto and it says no to fruit sugars. But based on all these comments I'm going to get a bunch next time I go shopping. Blueberries, cream and stevia on top sounds really tasty.

[stoutdude04]

Just remember, typically men actually need to do a little workout to get rid of the belly. Not always, but it is typical. Men often lose waist line and chin/neck area when losing the first pounds. Congrats. It is awesome when people make notice.

[GAME05]

Just remember, typically men actually need to do a little workout to get rid of the belly.

 

Boy are you right! I think I've focused on diet more because it's the easier solution (for me, anyway) than working out every day. And heck, I'm not even working out all that hard. Apparently it's more just the act of it that's been enough for me. Scale just said 214, too! I still prefer lifting weights to cardio, though, but lifting weights wasn't doing it at all.

[Underachiever]

I'd never really eaten much fruit because I've done a lot of keto and it says no to fruit sugars. But based on all these comments I'm going to get a bunch next time I go shopping. Blueberries, cream and stevia on top sounds really tasty.

 

My lunch today was a protein shake, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, and a banana all in the blender. About 400 calories, and it will get me through to dinner. And we are going out tonight, so I want to have as many calories available as I can, since I intend to max out my daily allowance at the restaurant.

 

Tomorrow is my birthday, and I had a goal of 175 by that date. Made that goal last week (down from 230), and now I think I might try for the 160s, but I am essentially beginning maintenance. Could hardly be happier with my results.

[LouisEly]

On that note I forgot to mention that strawberries have been a godsend for me. I can't convince myself to snack on veggies, but I love fruit. Strawberries are incredibly low calorie , and I could eat em all day.

For veggies, I'd recommend starting with the peeled-ready-to-eat baby carrots (to get them to last longer, put them in a sealed container with water - they'll last for two weeks).

 

I'd also recommend getting some celery (like carrots, cut them up into ~3" pieces and put them in a container with water to keep them fresh/firm/crisp) and putting a little peanut butter on them. I recommend the Skippy Natural Super Chunk for low sugar content and not having to stir it.

 

Both are great ways to snack on veggies.

[pitchleague]

Well, I started this today. I’ve always been a littler guy so when I’ve ballooned up a bit over 200 this summer, it was time. (I also was getting tired of students joking that I was going to have a baby.)

 

Day one wasn’t bad at all. About 17 hours of fasting. Plenty of water. An app to help me out.

 

We’ll see how this goes. My goal is 185.

 

Thanks for the inspiration, bf.netters! I wouldn’t have even given this a thought had I not read the thread a while back!

[stoutdude04]

Good luck. Gum and water are always my go to when I'm feeling the need to eat.

[GAME05]

Awesome man! Lose it!

[CheezWizHed]

Pitchleague, I'm right there with ya on not considering it without the thread. It has been going down slow, but it is going down. I've seen my lowest weight in 25 years recently!

[pitchleague]

Tell you what, I REALLY wanted to crack open a beer tonight during and after the Bucks game. I held strong!

[CheezWizHed]

Good job holding fast! (pun intended)

 

But I think a good key to holding to a diet (or lifestyle change in my case) is to make certain allowances for "cheating" on special occasions. If you are out for a celebration with friends and family, don't feel like you can't break a fast and feel like a heel to not partake. Personally, I plan to eat breakfast with my family on Saturday mornings (we have a bigger meal) each week. But obviously "celebrating" every night really won't work either.

 

If your goal is to lose weight quickly, being more hardline might be needed. I'm doing it long term (i.e. lifestyle change) so if I'm going out with friends or get sick and need to break my fast on occasion, I don't feel guilty about doing it. The best diets are the ones you can live with.