OK, so I posted on the other thread about trying out the fasting just to see how it would go. Mostly because, I'm not a morning person, so I rarely want to get up and eat right away anyways. So, I decided that instead of eating just because I was suppose to like I've been told for years, I would wait and eat when I felt hungry... which happened to be about 12:30pm. I had eaten well before 9 the night before, so I did a small fast, I guess, just following what felt more like a natural eating pattern for me. Between about 12:30pm and around 10:30 last night, I ate my normal calories. So literally, the ONLY thing that changed was the time frame I ate in. And this morning, after sitting between 189.5 and 192.5 for a few weeks, my weight finally went down! Granted, it was only a pound to 188.5, but it's MOVEMENT. Is this normal? I ask because from everything else I had read, it would take a couple of weeks for the results to start, but mine showed immediately...

Now granted, its only one day and one pound and it may be back tomorrow... I'm just not sure. But I know that I am really happy to feel like I made some sort of progress. Whether it be through the delayed eating or through just the fact that finally the calorie counting 'caught up'. And I just wanted to share. In fact, I may update this thread now and again just to say how I'm doing!

How wonderful!! IF has been really helpful especially with those late night cravings. Got down from about 190 to almost 185 (185.8) in less than month but I have been exercising too on top of that.

As for it being normal, I don't know. Too many variables and all of our bodies are so different. Just don't get discouraged if you don't have a loss next week, keep going.

My weight drops almost every day when I'm fasting, so I think it's normal. I eat a big meal during my eating window and it never fails, I'm still down on the scale each day. Unless I consume a ton of carbs, but even then it's just water weight and it disappears after a few days. Check out the Eat Stop Eat and Fast 5 thread, everyone there does intermittent fasting of some sort.

That's great. Let us know how it goes. Interesting.

OK everyone! Got up and weighed this AM -- down another half pound! Bringing my weight to 188 flat. Now, I weigh every day, but I only 'take' my official weight on Sunday. So, still trying not to get too excited, but at the same time I am feeling hopeful! I went until 1:30 without eating yesterday and didn't even feel all that hungry then, but figured it was a good time to eat since hubby was eating too. Plus, it helped I knew we were going out to run errands and I would eventually start to feel major rumblings.

I've been seeing where some people feel the need to 'binge' when fasting and so far, I haven't felt that and really hope I don't! I'm wondering if that is the difference since someone else on the other thread talked of that and they said it was 'normal' and why loss is so slow in the beginning. Since this has felt more 'normal' to me, and I've not struggled with the fasting so far, maybe that's why my loss is showing up now. Either way, I am thankful for the loss so far and am just going to ride it out for as long as I can!

How is everyone else doing?

JustJ- Honestly you're doing great! I don't have binging issues so I am okay with IF, whew!

Liliann- 12lbs? That is wonderful!

I'm sooo happy this morning because I weighed in at 183.6! I'm getting there and I don't even really feel deprived other than bit of a hunger during the fast.

UPDATE! Today is Day 4 for me. Yesterday was Day 3 and went well! Ate at about the same time as the day before, did my workout prior to that, stayed busy and then went to the zoo for some family time. Overall, went well and felt like it was a good day. I got up this morning to see 189 on the scale. I would be bummed but... I was so busy yesterday! And honestly, I think it's water from doing more of a different activity than I normally do. I mean, I don't normally go walking outside up and down hills pushing a stroller! LOL So, I am thinking it is water. I was drinking tons, but I was still physically swollen last night and this AM. Feeling better today, though!

One thing I DID notice was that I felt hungrier today than normal. But honestly, I think it was mental hunger because I knew my family was eating cinnamon rolls! But I was patient and then ate at 1. I had 1 and a half and then some leftovers. I don't know why, but the sweet stuff didn't taste as good as I thought it would so that is why I stopped. I thought that was weird. I've just not had as much of a sweet tooth. I was reading that when fasting, your body burns up stores of other things in your body first and I wonder if that is what is going on... Either way, works fine for me!

I am going to keep on keeping on and just see how things go. But I think the next time I want to break my fast early, I will do it just to test and see how this all is working for me. I'll never know if I don't try it. Anyways, will update tomorrow. Hope everyone out there is doing great!

I think i may try this fasting thing! Is it still considered fasting if i have coffee in the morning? I'm not too big on breakfast but i do enjoy my coffee!

Slvrangl- It depends. As long as all of your coffee consumption is under 50 calories, seems from what I've read, more than 50 calories you break the fast. I just use splenda and some powdered creamer, 2 cups of coffee for me is about 40-50 calories.

Just happened on a reference to this thread and glad to see it. There have been IF threads here on 3FC but lately hadn't checked to see if there were new ones.

I started doing IF intermittently sometime late last year. I was introduced to it with plans like Fast 5 and others but I don't really do anyone else's patterns, just have drifted into using fasting intermittently as a mechanism to feel better (oddly, it improves a number of health parameters). Lately I have fallen away from the practice.

One thing is that like the OP, I've been interested in NOT eating breakfast. Until I changed jobs and now work part-time, I've always had a wild schedule and always ate "breakfast" shortly after midnight. My eating day is calculated from midnight to midnight, so that was my first "meal" because my blood sugar would be down by then. THEN I get into the mode of I have to sleep and THEN, er, EAT a second proper breakfast when I am not needing food or wanting it because I listen to nutritionists (and my brother).

Anyhow, the IF has helped me a lot and the natural way to work up to feeling comfortable with it for me is NOT eat the morning meal until I am ready even if it is later in the afternoon.

I am still struggling with eating patterns. Decades ago I weighed more than 100 pounds above where I am now and occasionally a help was practicing IF (which I didn't call fasting or anything, just waiting until hungry to conserve calories so I could be more satisfied later ... e.g., delaying gratification). Then folks started preaching to me about blood sugar (important, I do know that) and how as we age (I'm aging) women should eat more smaller meals through the day (but I needed bigger and bigger meals), etc., etc., set in.

Long story, sorry for the ramble. Glad to find an IF conversation.

I have tons of coffee! But I use either some Equal or Stevia... rarely real sugar and no cream. So, I think that is fine. I know for some people hunger is created from 'drinking' but for me is not. So, I'm not sure how the supposed 50 cals works or if it's even true. Because for me, I don't take in hardly any cals with my coffee and am quite satisfied with drinking. So, I say the best thing to do is experiment. Try having your regular coffee for a few days and see what happens. Or even a few weeks! If you don't see movement, try cutting back on the coffee or changing the way you drink it and go from there. The key is to find what works for YOU.

Heh! Just realized I didn't really 'update'. I had 189 this AM and it was higher over the weekend. 191 on Saturday and 190 on Sunday. BUT, I was sick. I never really noticed before if I gained or anything when sick, but now I am starting to wonder. Because I got up Saturday and felt 'off' and the scale was off, too. As I am getting better, my weight got better. WEIRD. So, this AM I was happy to see the 189 again. Although, frustrated with having to take the 190 as my 'official' weigh-in. But here is to hoping that it pays off even with my cycle destined to be here before long. And I don't think I have ever lost weight but ONE time the week of my cycle. Bummer. Here's to getting better, though, and seeing some more progress!

Well, it's the last day of May and I am closing out the month at 187!!! I was so so so happy to see that number today! Between being sick and it being almost time for TOM, I was super happy and surprised. I hope everyone is moving along and I'd love to hear about it -- good or bad!