I haven't posted anything or even visited the site in some time, but have still been losing weight. I am doing well health wise (no sign of cancer return) and have been busy -- I am buying a new house in an active adult community and should be moving within the next 2 weeks. I am looking forward to having lots of activities and people to help keep me more engaged in living a full life. It has been too easy for me to live a pretty mundane life these last several years. I plan to use their fitness facility religiously and hope I manage to keep that commitment. I also love games and competition -- haven't ever seen "pickle ball" but it sounds fun and am planning to join that group. I'll try to visit the site more and update my progress.

This is an old thread -- I'd forgotten I'd started it!

It's now 7 months later, and I'm basically still eating during the 8 hour window. So far I've lost 66 pounds, but I'm also counting calories and carbs and sodium. I've kind of abandoned the power foods idea -- mainly because trying to get them all in during the day along with the counting was just getting to be too much. But, I do like the concept of IF and go to the 5:2 approach if I've gone off plan and want to get the weight back off fairly quickly.

I do have trouble with stopping eating at 8 PM (my window is noon to 8), but that's emotional eating and a different problem.

You've done REALLY well, Betsy. Congratulations! I've been doing pretty well at eating only in the 8 hour period and am down about 25 lbs. since February. I haven't been totally compliant with anything and don't worry about the IF window if I am away with friends or someone wants to go out for breakfast, but probably put off eating until about noon 90% of the time. It really seems to keep my appetite down. When I eat too much or "bad" foods, it's mostly emotional.

That is encouraging Betsy and Sass, you both are doing well. Thanks for the update.

I think the 8 hour eating window is very close to normal eating. When I was growing up we ate 3 meals a day, finishing with dinner around 5 or 6PM. We didn't skip breakfast at all, but eating in the evening was unheard of. Times have changed and there's so much more snack food available. Back then it would never have entered my mind to eat something when I wasn't sitting at the table with the family for a meal. And none of us ever had a weight problem. When you're sleeping, your body should be repairing, not digesting food.

Having said that, I understand the issue about breakfast and now have the same problem. Once I eat that first bite my appetite goes into overdrive.

Since retiring, our dinner is usually around 4 or 5 PM. My husband eats very little for breakfast or lunch and wants a really big dinner. Then he snacks in the evening and always has something to eat before going to bed. I am different. I try not to eat anything after dinner but often join him in his habit.
When I go to bed on an empty stomach I sleep so much better.

Sassafrass, I'm so glad your cancer has not returned. Your new community sounds wonderful. I hope you enjoy it for many years to come!

I never tended to eat in the evenings, or snack much during the day, for that matter. I think I mostly consumed too many calories at meals and, if I had done any baking, grabbed a cookie or "slivered" a cake to death until it was all gone. I do like to sip wine during the evening, after dinner, while watching TV, so did consume calories that way. I have tried the concept of eating 5-6 small meals a day and it worked pretty well as far a losing weight, but seemed such a pain to have to stop and prepare, or at least eat some food that often. So far, I really like skipping breakfast. I usually end up eating just twice, but sometimes still get 3 meals in. The main thing is, I rarely feel hungry, so it is easier to eat less and I don't have to think about what food to make as often. I'll keep trying this method for a while longer, maybe permanently.

Still skipping breakfast and doing pretty well.

Sassy

Glad I went back and re-read the entries on this one. Sassafras, glad that your cancer surgery apparently went well.

I think the interesting thing about these posts and eating or not eating breakfast is that I, too, seem to set off some switch when I eat breakfast that seems to be encouraging me to eat all day. However, when I wait to have my first meal until about noon, I don't have the problem with getting hungry in the afternoon. I pretty much eat two meals a day now -- at noon and around 6. I'm not hungry in between at all.

My hard time is after the 8 PM cut off, but that's emotional/boredom/habit eating. I'm slowly breaking it, but we snacked in the evening as a family on popcorn or stuff like that on the weekends. Somehow, snacking as a treat once a week turned into an every night habit. Hard to break, but I'm going to!

This has still been working for me. My weight continues to go down and all I am really doing is putting off my first meal of the day and cutting out grains and sugar at home. I don't restrict protein, fruit, vegetable or fats or keep track of amounts of those things, but haven't brought any processed foods, or items with grains or sugar into the house. I don't worry about what I eat when I am away from home, but most of my food is from home, so I am able to stay compliant most of the time. This would not have worked so well at times in my life that I was not retired and living alone, but is working for me now.

Hey 8 hour folks,

I joined this site a long time ago but never really participated. I've been looking over the 50's age group postings.

I'm glad that you guys have kept us up to date with your progress. I've read and watched Mosley's 5:2 diet. I haven't read the 8 hour diet but will today. I keep putting off trying IF but I think I will give it a try. My weight just keeps climbing. I know it's my fault but it's also hormones and thyroid. I've been low carbing for years now, but I haven't been perfect.

I feel encouraged by your posts. I can't skip breakfast because I'm ravenous, and I also take some meds in the morning that need to be taken with food.

I can't figure out how to change my stats........

Thanks!

Hiya

My two cents worth a penny at a time

First, I have never seen a "diet" that really worked. I have seen many get fatter and fatter on what in my mind were really stupid diets.

There is no end to diet plans. Every time I go into the supermarket, next to the check stand there will be two or more magazines with "new" diets.

I have watched the lady I lived with gain and gain on them. Never lose. She resorted to all sorts of tricks. She bought small plates so she would not have so much on the plate, but just stacked the food higher on it.

In AA (alcoholics anonymous) when I was new there, a guy would always end up saying he knew the "secret" to staying sober. He was something like six years without a drink at the time. I was moving, so I asked him, Paul, I am moving, but before I go I want to know what your secret is. At first he would not tell me, but finally did. He said, "Don't drink and you won't get drunk."

I nearly fell over, I thought he had something to say. Well, I am now 21 years without drink and what he said was the ultimate secret.

In weight loss, it is a bit harder, because we have to control our eating, we cannot escape the fact we have to eat to survive. But the secret to weight loss is to eat less than the amount needed to maintain your weight. That amount can be calculated with several different calculators here online. By taking in less than that amount one will lose weight barring some sort of physical illness which causes one to retain water. But even in that case taking in less than the maintenance amount will still be a loss of body fat and the doctor may be able to help with the water retention portion.

I watched a very good friend lose over a hundred pounds sticking to one of those diet plans where you purchase these chocolate drinks and stick with their bought diet materials. I warned her that though she was losing those pounds, when it came to the end she would still have to contend with controlling the food intake of regular food. She said she had a few concerns about that but would handle it when the time came. Time came, and she could not handle it and soon gained all that weight back. She still has it on some 4 years later and has given up on even trying.

I have watched many people start diets leaving them hungry. Eating things that they did not really like, trying to live on salads etc. Then "going off" the diets because they just could not stand living that way.

There are some foods which I just cannot control myself when I taste them, so my solution to that is to not purchase them. I love cottage cheese. But I cannot resist one more bite......... til I empty the carton which should have been 6 days worth. I had to resolve to just not buy them at all.

I will not walk around hungry. I try to eat small portions of things I like, and not pig out on them when I do, not try to feel full. A few minutes after eating them that wanting to eat more feeling goes away. Many times when I feel hunger it turns out I was only thirsty but feeling it as hunger.

This is me and a few of my thoughts on losing weight. Feel free to take what you want and toss the rest

B F R