Hello ladies! I feel like I have been gone forever. Whew. I was off work for 10 days and it is hard to keep up without a computer.

I am SO ready to get back to fasting!!!! I totally forgot about IBS until I went a week without fasting and my stomach started rebelling again.

So, here I am, January 2015. I came within a couple pounds of my goal for 2014, and I am so ready to meet that goal this month (no longer obese!). The plan is to follow 4:3 (3 fasts a week eating 500 calories or less, typically at dinner). I'll also be using my Nutribullet on non-fasting days to make healthier breakfasts/lunches. I won't be following an eating window anymore, as that combined with 4:3 was just too much for me and I prefer the 500 calorie fasts. So today is Fast 1 of the new year. It's going to be a ROUGH day!

Happy New Year to all of you and best wishes for a HEALTHY 2015!

Welcome back nonameslob! If you have time would you share what you do on the 4 non fasting days. Whew that sounds like too much for me...but it sure is a goal!

Today I used a "nutri-bullet" for the 1st time for a protein shake. A friend let me borrow it...still not sure if it is worth it for a protein shake as I have a little hand held battery operated mixer that works great. Except today I did throw in a hand of blueberries because I know they are good for me. I drink the protein shakes for pure nutrition vs. enjoyment...I might have to change that too!

Have a great Monday ya'll! Cathy

Thanks cathy! I don't really do anything special on non-fasting days. I eat "normally" for the most part on those days. As a rule, I no longer drink alcohol during the week. And for breakfast/lunch during the week I will have a smoothie (it takes me just about all morning to drink one so I shouldn't really need lunch). Then the weekends are no restrictions.

I was doing 5:2 with eating windows, and I honestly think 4:3 without eating windows is much easier for me. I'd love to go back to doing the normal 5:2 diet but I just wasn't losing weight anymore on it :(

As for the Nutribullet, if all you're making is protein shakes without any fruit or veggies added in, I don't think it would be worth it at all.

Thanks nonameslob! I am changing your name to NNS---lol easier to type. Of course next time I won't remember....lol

Lucky for you that you have a sense of "normal eating" I am clueless. I am a compulsive eater and have basically eaten whatever I want whenever I want for too long!! So for now...I will do a protein shake and then a meal. I like the fasting...it is so freeing for me!!

NNS is my nickname on another forum so that works for me :D I don't know that I had a sense of "normal eating" until I started this way of eating to be honest.

Glad you are figuring out what works for you too :)

Had a semi fasting day. Higher than I normally would for a fast but a good recovery after the 3 day binge I had last week and into the weekend. Yesterday I ate well and normally but a lot. I'm back up 4 lbs since a week ago. Ugh.
Following a detox which is pretty cool. I want anything and everything but only because I know I can't have it...and because it's cold lol I want hot chocolate and comfort food when I come in from the cold. So I will be fasting at least one day as it is in the detox but other than that not sure how much I will be following my 4:3 or 5:2 schedule for the next 21 days
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Hi everyone! I'm doing a plant based one evening meal a day plan and LOVE IT. It is so easy and I feel great. I started last spring then didn't follow it at the end of last year but started again yesterday. I just can't follow a plan that requires a lot of planning, counting, weighing, cooking, cleaning, etc., etc. I like to eat big meals and this plan lets me eat as much as I want for my one meal and knowing that gets me through the day.

Yesterday's fast went quite while. I managed to go to the grocery store without buying up the whole store! I also had a great workout after my evening meal. Today is not a fast day. Slowly sipping on a huge fruit & veggie smoothie I made in my nutribullet this morning which will be my breakfast and lunch. It feels so good to get all that holiday crap out of my system. My weight is still about 3.5 pounds above my low, but it's slowly coming down...

AmethystJean - What is involved in your detox? That must be hard to do in the winter! But I'm sure you'll feel amazing after it's over and you have a good plan to go back to when you're done :)

sunshine - Glad to hear it's working well for you!

I am with you Sunshine. My hope is to take the "can't" out of that sentence...but I don't have a set goal for that to happen. All of the above is overwhelming to me and makes my head spin. Whew. Although I am reading about planning meals...I found a website for "beginning planners"

This is one of the many reasons why I LOVE IF....so easy and simple. :carrot:

Well, in my efforts to test out the waters of IF, I had a 16:8 day and it went pretty well. Then, after reading more about IF, I had a day (yesterday) with 440 calories, and then a "regular" day today. However, I didn't do great with counting my calories, but I had most of my typical "good choices" foods. So, I think it went okay. Tomorrow is another fast/"low" day. We'll see how it goes. I'm going to try to do about 3-4 fast days with 500 cals. or less, and keep the other days as my pretty typical eating days.

On my regular days (non-fast) I have a smoothie toward the morning, approaching noon (ice, greek yogurt, avocado, spinach, 1/2 apple, dash of cinnamon, flax seed, and sometimes a little protein powder thrown in). They tend to last me for awhile, part of the day.

Here's to another successful fast day tomorrow as I'm becoming more intrigued with IF :)

Hi Ladies,

I haven't been on here in a while...it looks like there are a number of new names and faces! Welcome!!

I have been totally slacking on the fasting, as life just got too hectic and diet and exercise went out the window! I'm looking to start back to some IF plan, but not sure what yet. I had lost about 17 lbs last year with IF, and have since gained back about 8 of those. So right now I'm looking to start back with exercise (not easy with the current weather---brr!) and easing my way back into IF. Unfortunately life isn't going to slow down anytime soon, so I'll just have to slog through. I definitely need some inspiration! :stress:

NoName and Nayla--you two are doing awesome! No Name, you're so close to that goal--you can get it done this month!

Madison, whoa 4 fasts a week would be brutal to me! Though I guess that's basically what Alternate Day Fasting is. How has the rest of your week been?

Lightenup, good to see you back!!! I bet those 8 pounds will come off a lot quicker than they did the first time. Do you always work out outside? :\ It's too cold for that!!!

Today is fast 2 of 3 and is also the second day of a back-to-back. I did bring a banana to work just in case I can't make it through. I probably went a bit over 500 yesterday as well. I had dinner and an hour later I really needed a snack so had some Fit popcorn, but that was filling and got me through, and today I am at 180.8! Almost back to my low weight!

Hi fellow fasters,


Well Noname we are exactly the same weight now.

I have a plan to eat a shake if needed and do that one meal before dinner plan. This is day one for that plan. I am not going to give myself any excuses this time to fall off this plan. I'll check back in a week and report.

Welcome back LightenUp2014. Now you need to make it 2015.....

Hey Nayla how are you doing? Sunshine, did you make it back to the onemeal a day WOE Ok? Sounds like you are doing good Madison

Hello folks. I am still eating the one meal a day w/o any major restrictions. So yeah my calorie intake is pretty high. The good news is I am learning so much it is crazy!! My emotions are on overload.

Yesterday I started a plan to drink 8 glasses of water. I LOVE what I am doing. I take a piece of paper and put 8 squares on it and when I drink a glass I make an x. I also decided to pick a fun glass to drink out of and then measured 8 ounces of water so I knew where to refill the glass. Ha, 8 ounces isn't that bad at all.

Those are the stories and I am keeping to them! TTFN Cathy

179.8! My first time in the 170s as an adult. I am so excited to get out of the "obese" category even if I do think BMI is crap :)

FinallyThin, hopefully you are following me back down in the 170s! You can do this. Just one week, one day at a time.

Cathy I love your enthusiasm. And your plan for drinking water is great! Keep it up!