Anyone tried fasting?

[Sasseaux]

I've been in and out of Overeaters Anonymous myself and here is what I have learned about myself (though I don't always apply it): I am very sensitive to refined sugar and refined white flour. If I eat even a little bit of these, it sets up a craving for more. The high sugar carbs like peas, corn and bananas do it to me, too. For mixed foods like salad dressing, the ingredient "sugar" or "high fructose corn syrup" or such should be at least the 5th ingredient listed. If I stick to avoiding these trigger foods, I don't feel hungry. When I was really sticking with it, I accidentially got some fruit salad that had heavy syrup. I really noticed the difference as I was really hungry until it wore off. Anyway, OA uses the 12 steps also, to help stick to whatever plan of eating you choose. Good luck.

 

[gashin]

Haha impossible - I only post a lot the days I'm on here. That's why you see a burst of posts then nothing for a while. Too busy.

Don't forget to keep us in the loop with real-time updates!

 

[gashin]

I went back to regular eating this week and have stuck to the same weight.... I don't know what I lost then if it's not coming back on with a normal diet. For me it was the opposite - I gained 5lbs when I quit analogs even though I vaped my brains out.

Who could ask for anything more.

Next step is to write a book about your experience.

When I was in college I got down to 99 pounds. I'm 6 foot three.
As I understand it, that was not at all healthy. I weigh about 190 now.
My girl friend likes a little extra weight on me. More to love.

I could care less how much I weigh. But it really was a struggle
moving past my weight problems, and I can relate, so good luck.

And before anyone can ask: WTF does weight have to do with an
e-cigarette forum... well, quitting smoking is notorious for weight
gain. So, people with "issues" in that area have a valid point of discussion.

Personally I lost weight when I gave up smoking. I really believe the
body's natural job is to maintain health. Quitting smoking was a
step in the right direction, and my body followed suit by losing a bit
of weight.

Like I said, I wish you luck, gashin. And to anyone else who
struggles with these issues.

- -
Okay,
Father Luke

 

[gashin]

I notice that too - maybe it has something to do with blood sugar levels... gotta research.

I've been in and out of Overeaters Anonymous myself and here is what I have learned about myself (though I don't always apply it): I am very sensitive to refined sugar and refined white flour. If I eat even a little bit of these, it sets up a craving for more. The high sugar carbs like peas, corn and bananas do it to me, too. For mixed foods like salad dressing, the ingredient "sugar" or "high fructose corn syrup" or such should be at least the 5th ingredient listed. If I stick to avoiding these trigger foods, I don't feel hungry. When I was really sticking with it, I accidentially got some fruit salad that had heavy syrup. I really noticed the difference as I was really hungry until it wore off. Anyway, OA uses the 12 steps also, to help stick to whatever plan of eating you choose. Good luck.

 

[farmerjoe]

Hey Gashin,

Sounds like you have great willpower, I dont think I could make it 12 hours! But fair play to yeah, and good luck!

 

[gashin]

It is tough as hell but I did it gradually - first I ate lower and lower calories the days before the fast then did a 1 day fast then ate low calories the next day and finally did the 2 day fast. I think this is the best way you should go if you want to try it. I think it did help improve my will power significantly though - I have no urge to use alcohol and I even vaped less. I'm also 5lbs lighter and didn't gain anything despite going back to a 2k+ diet this week. Thanks!

Hey Gashin,

Sounds like you have great willpower, I dont think I could make it 12 hours! But fair play to yeah, and good luck!

 

[Bones]

If you are looking to fasting for weight loss - That's not a good plan -
I have fasted a few times in the past for 40 days - I only drank water mixed with 1tbs of molasses/64oz of water (to maintain blood sugar) - Lemon juice and Cayenne Pepper (for vitamin C and cleansing) - At first you loose water weight and then there is no further weight loss - The body goes into a different mode to preserve reserves - After 3-4 days you are no longer even hungry -

 

[gashin]

People have lost 100lbs+ under medical supervision with just a water fast and multivitamins. The rate is usually 1lb a day even after your body switches to fat as the fuel reserve. Drinking molasses during a water fast defeats the purpose - to incite the body into ketosis, which is the process by which fat reserves are broken down into ketones which the brain and muscles can use as energy. I think that you never hit ketosis because your glucose levels were maintained - ketosis only starts when glucose is completely used up in metabolism. In addition, only a very tiny amount of muscle is loss during the first few days - once ketosis starts muscle is spared until there is no more fat to be mobilized as fuel. I don't think it was water weight that I lost - my face is noticeably tauter which is the first thing I noticed when I lost weight with running and a low calorie diet. Check out the results people posted on this forum Fasting: Water Fast Only Support Forum: Page 184 of 184 and you will see that it is the fastest path to weight/fat-loss (other than exercise + fasting which a lot of desparate people do but which isn't recommended because it stimulates hunger and puts extra stress on the body when it doesn't have the immediate reserves to recover).

If you are looking to fasting for weight loss - That's not a good plan -
I have fasted a few times in the past for 40 days - I only drank water mixed with 1tbs of molasses/64oz of water (to maintain blood sugar) - Lemon juice and Cayenne Pepper (for vitamin C and cleansing) - At first you loose water weight and then there is no further weight loss - The body goes into a different mode to preserve reserves - After 3-4 days you are no longer even hungry -

 

[.308]

Uh, how about a treadmill? Humans were made to lose weight by exercise, not depravation.

 

[Bones]

Yea - You're right - Forgot about the sugar effect - But I was not doing it to lose weight -
Long term health and weight loss is much better achived by changing your diet though -

I went from 225 lbs to 175 lbs over 8 months by changing the way I eat - Cutting out nearly all fats from my diet - Been at 175-180 for 4 years now and feel better than ever - Fats are bad MmmmmmK -

 

[.308]

Fats are bad MmmmmmK -

Rule #1: Bacon is Delicious

 

[gashin]

One of the TIME magazine articles this month went into depth about how exercise has no significant effect on weight loss if diet is not controlled - basically it concluded that diet is the more important factor since exercise can increase weight through increased appetite far beyond what the exercise burned and the muscle gained burns (which is only an extra 40 calories per pound of muscle PER day according to the research that the article cites).

Uh, how about a treadmill? Humans were made to lose weight by exercise, not depravation.

 

[gashin]

You're right - using fasts to lose weight probably isn't as sustainable since there's so much pressure to eat. But long term intermittent fasting after an extended fast to lose weight might be a good way also. Some research has suggested that intermittent fasting provides the same benefits for increasing average life span as caloric restriction.

Yea - You're right - Forgot about the sugar effect - But I was not doing it to lose weight -
Long term health and weight loss is much better achived by changing your diet though -

I went from 225 lbs to 175 lbs over 8 months by changing the way I eat - Cutting out nearly all fats from my diet - Been at 175-180 for 4 years now and feel better than ever - Fats are bad MmmmmmK -

 

[Robert]

last year I went 160mph on a 1990 Kawasaki.ZX10...........................that was pretty fast!

I love fasting.

 

[freedomendured]

Rule #1: Bacon is Delicious

Agreed. Personally I just try to keep it under 1500 calories a day, which for a 5'11 175lb guy isn't too bad. I have a semi-strenuous job and that's my exercise. I think life's too damn short to worry so much about that. Although to be a hypocrit I DO plan on starting a weightlifting regimen for strength. Any weight loss would be simply a means to an end i suppose.

 

[gashin]

I'm 5' 4" 187lbs haha so I have to lose weight - what's strange is that I don't look fat. Everyone says I look around 160 because my gut isn't flabby or anything but I guess it's from weight lifting. Being overweight does eat at average life span though - controlled for chronic diseases (where being overweight actually improves survival) being underweight is better if you want to live longer.

Agreed. Personally I just try to keep it under 1500 calories a day, which for a 5'11 175lb guy isn't too bad. I have a semi-strenuous job and that's my exercise. I think life's too damn short to worry so much about that. Although to be a hypocrit I DO plan on starting a weightlifting regimen for strength. Any weight loss would be simply a means to an end i suppose.

 

[Jennee26]

Rule #1: Bacon is Delicious

Totally agree with .308.