I started October 2nd and have been doing a semi 16/8-OMAD fasting schedule where I have a coffee in the morning usually under 200cal after my 16 fast, then only have a normal dinner. In that time I have only lost a couple pounds and have seen almost 0 change in the last week.
Before I was having multiple meals, sodas, dessert, snacks the works; so just a bit disheartened to see no real results after cutting almost everything out except my 1 calorie beverage and 1 meal. I am currently pretty sedentary due to some depression but hope to start walking like 5 miles a day at a gym just to get moving.
Just looking for tips or any words of motivation at this point.
I started Oct 2 also, that makes us fasting twins? I hope you stick with it as for the first time in a long time I think this just may be the solution I had been looking for. I have dropped a few pounds but I am diabetic and lowering my blood sugars is what I am focused on and they are dropping. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other…
A common theme I’ve noticed since starting fasting is that everyone reacts differently and the wild results from one person seem like they never happen for someone else. The key I believe is sticking with it and making small changes until you find out what your body likes. Another thing to remember is that it takes your body time to adjust and the benefits from fasting can be helping you out in other areas besides weight loss to begin with while your body is healing. Personally, I clean fast and eat low carb during my eating windows…I also switch my schedule up a lot depending on what’s happening that week. 18/6, OMAD, and ADF are my 3 most common. Just please remember any progress is good progress and stick with it. If you do I guarantee you will look back 6 months from now and love the journey you’ve had.
“Only” a couple pounds? Any pound lost is a great thing!
Don’t hold yourself to such high expectations. It’s only been two weeks. Would you expect a first time runner to be able to run a marathon in two weeks? Or a first time practicer to master a new language in two weeks?
Keep trucking along. The results will follow.
Google the WOOSH effect. There’s no verified science behind it but it’s real. I was stuck at 174 to 176 lbs for a week after a solid few days of OMAD and one of my most physically active weeks.
I broke the OMAD, went down to 18:6, took a break from exercise, and made an effort to eat whole foods that day. The following day, the scale registered 173, then 171 the following day.
It’s been a week since the woosh. I had guests visiting so IF hasn’t been consistent the past week. In that time, I got up to 174, but back to 171 this morning.
Moral of the story for me is just stick with it and don’t get discouraged. If you know you’re doing the right things, the results will come. Be patient with your body, it’s very complex.
Your weight will fluctuate throughout the day, every day. By as much as six pounds.
Maybe on day 1, you weighed yourself at a light point of the day, and on day 14 you weighed yourself at a heavy point.
Regardless, the number on the scale shouldn’t be your sole determining factor for success. Exercise and healthy eating can also lead to other benefits, like improved mood, more energy, better physical health, clothes fitting better, etc.
I do IF to cage that addictive food monster which lives inside of me. As you said, changing the relationship with food is key as is changing habits
Be patient with your body. If your goal is weight loss, then you may need to extend your fast window. Everyone is different and our bodies, as another comment pointed out, are very complex
My partner can do 16:8 and lose weight. Me I do 16:8 and the pounds don’t move (and trust me I have plenty to move!). If I go to 18:6. Get some movement. But it’s not consistent either so I stopped obsessing over the scale and focusing on my habits/approach
Also be careful of what I call creep. Any caloric intake can inadvertently end a fast. It’s f I have my morning coffee with cream I lose absolutely no weight and notice the hunger immediately. Black coffee is fine. Just those few calories in the creamer knocks me out of the fast. Yet. I can drink diet tonic which has some calories, a very negligible amount, and no I’ll effect
My motto is one day at a time one step at a time. Keep working at it and focus not on the weight but in your goals on the habits
Do rolling 72s, don’t break with Anything other than strict keto. No carbs no sugar, eat bacon and avacado, rinse and repeat. Cured my HB and cholesterol issues. Takes time several weeks minimum of rolling 72 hr fast. But it will save your life, don’t buy into the idea you need food. You got fat on you, you can fast consistently for a long time, hit the gym during the process and just go beast mode. You got this- 100 percent is all on you.