[mom2gbsb]

I am just starting my fasting/OMAD journey on 2/12/2022. I am so embarrassed to say my starting weight. I weigh as much as a professional football player. I started my journey at 265 pounds, waist measures 42 and hips measures 52. I wear a size 18W and sometimes 20W. I am 5'3 and 54 years old. I did so many diets over the years. I do not want to even recount them. I finally stopped weight watchers because I just couldn't do it anymore. Wasted time and wasted a bunch of money. I am tired of counting points, etc. I am loving this life of IF/OMAD, for the simple reason that I focus on drinking my black coffee and drinking my water and knowing later on in the day I will be able to enjoy my dinner and dessert. My first week I started 2/12 - 2/18, I did a 42 hour fast, 36 hour fast and the other three fasts were 18 hours. My first week's weight loss was 5.pounds. I lost an inch off my waist and an inch off my hips (260 waist 41/hips 51).

Week 2 (2/19-2/25). On average I fasted 20 hours each day this week. I weigh in on Saturdays and today I was down to 258.2 and my waist 40.5 and hips 50.5. I was happy with this loss because I worked hard and stayed focused. I did not deprive myself. I was able to have lunch with a friend. I enjoyed fried shrimp and fried clams, I had eggplant parmigiana one day for dinner. I enjoyed a crispy chicken sandwich with bacon and jalapeno potato chips. I must admit it was good, but I felt like crap after eating that sandwich and potato chips. I had heartburn so it was not worth it. It is such a pleasure to not have heartburn and stomach pains from eating crap. I can enjoy fasting all day and enjoy dinner knowing I am working towards my goals.

Today is the beginning of Week 3 (2/26 - 3/4). Saturdays I start my week. I started my fast the night before at 6pm and broke my fast at 6pm to enjoy today's delicious dinner and dessert. Yayyyy I did a full 24 hour fast. I will enjoy my dinner and dessert and work towards another successful week.

[mom2gbsb]

Sunday, Feb 27, 2022. Week 3/Day 2. I plan to open my window at 6pm. Aiming for a 22 hour fast today. Last night's dinner was leftover eggplant and chicken parmigiana and butter pecan gelato. I opened my window with fresh raspberries, blueberries and pineapples. I did not add any green veggies. I try to eat more veggies usually, but last night my plate was quite full and I could not eat another bite - needed to save room for my gelato. I wanted that gelato, it was sooo good and worth the long 24 hour fast. Today I plan to enjoy more veggies at least 2-3 with today's meal. I plan to broil a steak, sweet potato and some green veggies...not sure of my dessert, but plan to have a little something sweet....I am not on a diet; I am trying to create a lifestyle. I want to free myself of the diet mentality and thinking that certain foods are off limit. No I can have whatever I want within reason. If I deprive and deny myself, I will binge. I don't need to binge, I can have it in my eating window. I just finished reading Gin Stephens book "Delay, Don't Deny" and I started "Fast, Feast, Repeat" and it makes so much sense and has been a huge help to my fasting journey. Eye opener!!! I am trying to avoid diabetes that plague my family. That will not be my future. I am severely overweight and I can make the change and this is working and I am loving it because I feel in control. Six months ago I was put on high blood pressure and cholesterol meds. After six months my numbers are back to normal because of medicine, however, I never changed my diet. Now I am finally changing my diet. So when I return to doctor for my 90 day check up in May, I want him to see I am finally getting serious and getting this weight off and he will agree that I can eliminate the meds. My A1C number was 5.6 that is too close to prediabetes...at the rate I was going, I was headed for prediabetes...that was my wake up call. I know I am heading in the right direction with fasting.

[mom2gbsb]

March's Goal
To lose 8-10 pounds.
To finally be out of sizes 18W and move onto 16W or 16 Regulars.....
To begin strengthen training and walking with Leslie Sansone.

My goals for the month and I will update accordingly.

Today 3/1/2022. I did a 16 hour fast and ate at 12:30. Nice healthy salmon, roasted brussel sprouts and roasted potatoes with carrot cake as dessert (extra veggie - LOL).
I will close today's eating window at 7pm and fast until Wednesday and break tomorrow fast around 6pm. Keep my body guessing to hopefully avoid plateauing.

[mom2gbsb]

End Week 3 Check-in (3/5/2022)
Weight: 254.4 (down -3.8 from 2/26)

This week was a good week. I fasted a total of 150 hours over 7 days. Daily fasts ranged from 16.5 hours to 24 hours. I desire to do 23 hour fasts and OMAD, but some days I break sooner than 23 hours, but I generally eat OMAD each day. Water consumption has improved. Not quite a gallon; but about 70-80 ounces.

Some of the goodies I enjoyed this week. Again, I am not on a diet, but I want to enjoy food in moderation. I was able to enjoy carrot cake and reese's peanut butter cheesecake this week and I had dinner with a friend and enjoyed fried shrimp appetizer and still lose the weight. The key is fasting for longer periods is good for my body and I can enjoy these foods guilt free whereas I was afraid to eat before because I was on a diet and knew the scale would punish me for enjoying life. I know all things in moderation and I am learning not enjoy these desserts too often, but it was so worth it this week.

Completed the 2nd book - Fast Feast Repeat. An excellent read (actually listened on Audible). I enjoy the way Gin Stephens breaks down Intermittent Fasting lifestyle. I have tried losing weight on many programs. I would lose weight not changing my mindset or lifestyle only to gain it back. Yoyo was my life. Up down up down...I am really trying to make a permanent change and not look at IF as a diet, but truly a way of life. I see the benefits, I feel great and I enjoy my meals. It can be challenging to get all my nutrition and what I feel is needed for calories; but I accept this challenge. Being overweight and unhealthy was most challenging and I knew it would only get worse day by day. I discovered recently with this pandemic and gaining back all the weight I previously loss that it hurts to walk, climb stairs and to exercise. Summer 2021, I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and was prescribed a low dosage of medicine, with baby aspirin. My cholesterol was out of control and prescribed cholesterol medicine. Fast forward now, my blood pressure has improved and my cholesterol is within normal range due to the medicine but no other effort on my part. In fact, my weight was up 8 pounds from Summer 2021. Meanwhile, new blood test reveals my A1C is at 5.6. It was never that before. My theory is due to cholesterol meds and, of course, the excess weight. I know prediabetes is 5.7 and I refuse to start an additional medicine. In fact, it is my goal in May when I return for my check up for the doctor to agree that I can eliminate the current meds. I want the doctor to see a significant improvement in my weight and health. If I can lost 25-30 pounds by 5/20/2022, I think I can convince doctor to release me from the cholesterol and high blood pressure meds. I do not want to get ahead of myself and make plans for specific weight goals, but I would be happy to see 225-230 on the scale by midMay. This week I need to begin walking more as the weather warms and the days get longer so as to meet my future goals. Here is to a good Week 4.

[mom2gbsb]

End Week 4 Check-in (3/14/2022)
Weight: 253.8. A good week 4; nothing significant to report. Sharing my journey with family and friends to hold myself accountable and to assist those who are looking for a lifestyle change and NOT a diet. I am very thankful to the fasting community.

Looking forwarding to a successful Week 5.

[mom2gbsb]

End Week 5 Check-in (3/19/2022)
Weight: 251.6 (down -2.2LBS)

This week was a good week. I am making progress. I was so busy, I did not have a chance to pop in and update my accountability blog. Overall I am finding my own personal rhythm. Sharing with those who want to know and ignoring the naysayers and haters. We all have opinions as to what is healthy and what works and what will not work. I FINALLY found what is working for my lifestyle and it is not a diet, but a lifestyle and I am finding success and I am happy and satisfied. You do you, and I will do me. I've been doing a lot of research and reading, listening and video watching to understanding fasting and the benefits and creating this wonderful lifestyle. I feel better than I have ever in m life. For Week 5 I did a total of 131 Hours fasting; most days averaged 18 hours; this week I am switching it up and breaking my fasts during the day from 12-4 to see how that makes me feel instead of 4-8pm. Switch it up. I think I am enjoying earlier with the sunshine. I am told there is some benefit to it. Here to a successful Week 6. Stay tuned!! Have a great week everyone.

[mom2gbsb]

End Week 6 Check-in (3/26/2022
Weight: 248.2 (down -3.4LBS) Overall good losses with weight and measurements. (Total loss to date -17.2). I am amazed and proud of myself.This week was a good week. I decided I would do better with my food choices and Incorporate more veggies and less processed foods. Also, I really enjoyed eating earlier and closing my window before 5-6pm.

My daily fasts were good. I averaged about 18-20 hours daily. I realized I did not do a long fast this month and I wanted to get in a 36 hour fast before the month was over and so I decided Thursday I would close my window at 6pm and embark on my 36 hour for the month. I originally attempted alternate day fasting when I began my journey. Though challenging, I was successful. My longest fast was 44 hours. But I felt I truly could not sustain that as a lifestyle and I wanted to do something sustainable and I could fast 18-22 hours daily and get the same results and I get to eat daily instead of every other day. I still like to do one or two long fast a month to challenge myself and give body a break from digestion. But I would l not do this as a lifestyle...I like my food too much.

So this past Friday I woke up and reminded myself today is my long fast. Stay focused and to remember drink plenty of water and remember it is all mental. It was a productive day and I was not hungry at all. It was challenging but I focused on the benefit of why I was fasting and pushed through. I was not hungry as much as I had the desire to want to eat. It was about 3 or 4pm I felt my first pang of hunger but it passed quickly. I was able to drink coffee and water throughout the evening. It was a great success. I broke my fast Saturday afternoon at 2:30pm I completed 43 hours and 30 minutes. I felt AMAZING!! I made myself a huge feast of zucchini with onions, homefries, beef smoked sausage with eggs and rye toast. It was soooooo worth the long fast. No, I did not clean my plate; my eyes were bigger than my stomach. I only ate half my plate. Fasting shrinks your stomach. Loving it!!

This week I will continue to focus on clean fasting and my food choices. The weather has been really yucky lately. No excuse I really need to start walking. I am so lazy. I really need to get this body moving. Here is to a great Week 7. Stay tune. I hope to update with some walking and workout plans. Working toward my goal to losing this weight, but more importantly a healthier body. Get rid of the inflammation and the aches and pain. Carrying this weight is so unhealthy.

[mom2gbsb]

End Week 7 Check-in (4/2/2022)
Weight: 253.4 (+5.4). OMGG!!! Can you say water retention???? I know I did not gain five pounds. I enjoyed hubby's bbq ribs 3 days too many. We had a ton of leftovers and although I fasted everyday, because I do not believe in missing a day plus drank a ton of water; my body obviously still retained the water. I forgot pork causes me to retain water and retained I did. I know it was not true weight gain because my measurements were reduced and my clothes fit fine - but lesson learned. Moderation is the lesson. I learned my lesson; enjoy one serving and keep it moving; obviously eating ribs 2-3 days in a row was too much for my body to process. Interesting to learn what foods affects your body. So I stayed focused for the coming week and ate clean and I knew it would come off on 4/9. Off it did.

End Week 8 Check-in (4/9/2022)
Weight: 248 (down -5.6). Back to lowest weight plus lost another 0.2. Total loss to date -17.6. I lost all the inflammation from the week before. No more ribs for me. I will stick to my salmon, fish and chicken breast and tons of veggies. This is my weightloss journey and new healthy lifestyle, but summer is coming and I want to try to shed some weight as the weather warms. Cannot hide behind bulky clothes. This week I am focusing on incorporating more water, variety of vegetables and fruits, and exercise. I did 7700 steps today. Trying to work my way up to 10,000 a day. This is not a fast weight loss plan, but I really hope to hit -20 pounds by next weekend. My first milestone. Tools to get it done, clean fast, healthy food choices, water, sleep and exercise. I will get it done!!

[mom2gbsb]

Weeks 9-12
I’ve been busy these past few weeks. Just checking in for my weekly update. I was stalled for 2 weeks - Weeks 9 and 10. I floated between 249.6 and 251.6. I had to constantly remind myself to let go of the “diet brain”. I started the month of April (4/2) up the +5.4 (253.4) after an overindulgence of hubby’s delicious pork ribs. That water gain ugggh. Seemed like ages ago. So I stayed consistent and clean fasting. Consistently fasting 18-20 hours. On 4/9 I dropped -5.6 (248). Wow!!!! Yes I got the wooosh release. Week 11 results are 245. Yayyyyy!!!! In 11 weeks I released 20.4. I am at 245 - down from 265.4 - yayyyy!!! I cannot handle the weekly weigh-ins. So no weigh-in for Week 12. I think too many diet thoughts and IF is not a diet plan - it is a health plan. I want to focus on lifestyle changes and the weight will release. I will check weight on June 4, 2022 and will return with update. I feel FREE for the first time. Loving Fasting and my new lifestyle.

[mom2gbsb]

Weeks 13-19 Check-in (6/24/2022)
Weight: 242 (-23.4)
I have been MIA for a quite a few weeks but still living the IF lifestyle. Didn't quite make it back on 6/4, but here it is 6/24 and I am down -3.0 from my last check in on 5/9/2022. I am slowly losing and I mean slowwwwwwwwwwwly. I was stalled for a good 4-6 weeks. I am like a turtle with IF and I am trying to find what works best for me. My body has some gut issues to work out. But I am ok with losing slowly as long as I get to eat the foods I enjoy and NOT feel deprived and most importantly keep the weight off. The former diets, I would lose fast and it would come back fast. IF is my lifestyle. So I am ok with losing it slowly. It is the body recompositioning that is totally amazing to me. I lost 23 pounds but feels and looks like I lost 30-35; reduction of the inflammation in my body. So far I am down 5 inches in waist and 5 inches in hips; that is huge. I will continue to plug along and will check back in.