this actually encourages me! It works!

I've been on the Keto train and it wrecked last night. But then I encouraged myself that I'm still Intermittent fasting, so I feel like the damage is gonna be minimal.

Wow everyone, thank you so much for all the tips and motivation. I think I am going to officially start an IF plan tomorrow and see how it goes. I didn't realize how many different programs there were! It's amazing and I can't believe I haven't done this already!

Regarding my fat burner/supplement question, a friend of mine has been taking a fat burner lately and it has been helping her so much. She is not hungry as often and when she gets fuller faster and for longer and is down weight. Does anyone else use anything to help along with IF? Thank you again, I think I found the perfect home here with this group of ladies!!

I've experimented with a lot of fat burners. They help short-term but I build a tolerance quickly and any benefit is short lived (i.e. about two weeks.) They can also give me trouble sleeping, even when I don't take them after 5 PM. Hence my previous response to your question specifically omitting fat burners.

All of them contain caffeine and then some combination of various ingredients such as green tea extract, synephrine, yohimbe, capsaicin, raspberry ketones, green coffee, B complex, etc. Some ingredients have legit evidence backing up their efficacy, others don't. It can be a real crapshoot. Off the top of my head, the legit ingredients are green tea extract, capsaicin, and CLA but that's not an exhaustive list.

Read the label and know what each ingredient is supposed to do and any possible side effects.

I know way too much about supplements.

My personal experience with the best way to take the edge off hunger on fasting days: caffeine, fiber, salty broth, sugar-free gelatin, sugar-free gum.

I'd second all of these and would add diet soda, as I think the carbonation is filling but I typically avoid artificial sweeteners when I can (personal choice).

Don't forget TIME! Once you start to feel a rumbling in your stomach, give yourself up to an hour before you decide if you really need to take the edge off. Some days, yes, the hunger is unbearable. But most of the time, my tummy will rumble for a half hour, I'll suck some water down and the next thing I know I'm not feeling hungry anymore.

Seltzer! I bought a SodaStream machine to make my own, I drink so much of it. Also good for an upset stomach.

I can't stand seltzer! lol

Today was an eating day. I like eating days haha but I definitely am looking forward to fasting tomorrow. I have a work event in the morning that includes breakfast, but hopefully no one will mind if I just have coffee?

Yeah, most people hate it. *shrugs* I dated a man once who would never let it go unremarked when I ordered it - always had to mock me for drinking it. One time I got sick of it and said "Yes, I get it. You hate seltzer. Can you let it go just once?" He dumped me the next day. Just as well; someone that sensitive isn't cut out for a long term relationship.

Sounds like you dodged a bullet with that one, Violette! Yikes.

Oh, Violette! That guy did you a big favor! I can't stand people like that.

This week is a write-off. I didn't actually do any 500 cal days. There is just too much good food around here right now. I have 1 chance left, tomorrow, because I can't do 500 cals on a weekend! But I will do 500 tomorrow and watch very carefully over the weekend to try to get back in gear.

I have tried Keto and it works good, but not with DH around. He is so much of a carb hound that I have to fight to keep myself away from them.

I have a hint for anyone who does low carb and has trouble with constipation. Make sugar free gelatin, and put a bit of Miralax in it. There's no flavor to it, and it really helps.

I'm with you - I don't take those kinds of supplements. Now vitamins, minerals, that sort of thing, I'm all for!

I'll add one thing to your list of "taking off the edge" items - water!

Hello I am new here

Currently I calorie cycle but I have read alot about intermittent fasting and it seems like something that would be really good for me.

I was reading about (I think its called) alternate day fasting. And was thinking of a plan like:

Sunday- eat normally

Monday/Wed/Fri-Skip dinner so like stop eating by like 5.

Tuesday/Thurs/Sat- fast until after 5 but I can only have 400 calories total on these days.

How does that sound? Any advice?

Hi, all! I'm just popping in because I think this thread is where I most "belong" now. I calorie counted for more than 3 years, but I started to become food obsessive because of that, and within the past few months, I can tell I have slowly been gaining. I don't know how much because I do not weigh myself. I know that's bad practice, but the scale does a number on my head (e.g., if I weigh less than I expected, I overeat. If I weigh more than expected, I get depressed and go into "I'm quitting" mode), so it's best if I just go by the fit of my close.

Anyway, I think I'm doing 16/8 for the most part, but I'm combining it with the NoS diet (no snacks, no sweets, no seconds except on days that start with S). Ideally, I eat breakfast sometime between 9:30 - 11 a.m. Then, I eat dinner between 4 - 5 p.m. Mondays & Fridays are exceptions because my husband likes to go out to breakfast around 8:30 - 9:00. Even on weekends when I am "allowed" to loosen my eating (per NoS guidelines), I am trying to stick to the two-meals plan, although I will allow myself a sweet for breakfast if I want and a dessert after dinner.

So far, so good. I'm really loving the simplicity of this. Right now, though, I'm mainly focused on establishing the habit. I've had a few "red" days so far (the NoS forum has a HabitCal, which is a calendar where we keep track of how successful we've been at establishing the habit. A green day is success; a red day is failure, so I've had some failures). At this point, this plan seems like the best one for me. Although the actual counting of calories was not difficult (esp. w/ a smartphone app), I never really established good habits, and that was the missing component I needed for maintenance. I'm hoping to drop a bit of weight (probably fewer than 10 lbs) and establish some habits that will carry me through life.

pussicat - Why no dinner on Mon/Wed/Fri? I think the 400 calorie "fast" on the following days would be difficult without a meal beforehand. Also keep in mind the days of the week you will be limiting your food - can you fit this into your lifestyle? If you can, great! Might as well give it a go.

This week is week 2 of 2 fasts instead of 3. I usually gain 3-5 pounds over the weekend but this time I'm only up 1.5. Funny how fasting less seems to have that affect! Hope this week I'll actually get back to my low and then maybe a loss from there. I've been logging my calories again which was certainly eye-opening over the weekend. Here's to getting back to losing!

Thanks for the reply

It is 24 hour fasting every other day. But instead of going an entire day without food u skip dinner one day and then breakfast/lunch the next. It is so u can still have the long period of fasting while still getting a meal in every day of the week.

I think I can easily fit it into my lifestyle as well.

Hiya all...

Sorry for not checking in lately..been busy..I am back into fasting..doing my own kinda thing..I am doing my best to fast during Lunch and night snacking...or whenever my tummy guide tells me.

Hoping all is good...Enjoy your day!!