32F 5’6 SW/CW/GW 183/179/135 18:6 low carb
Quick intro on the “new” me: I am on my 6th fast of 18:6 with low carb, eating around 1400 calories. During fasting hours I only drink regular water, sparkling non-flavored water, and black coffee (occasionally with cinnamon). I’m walking 10,000 steps each day, with a bootcamp on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I’ve cut all alcohol, for now and hopefully for long term I can have a healthier or no relationship with it. I’m trying to learn everything I can RE Jason Fung, MD. :D
Why am I here? I recently saw a picture of myself that made me break down. That’s what I look like to everyone else? Why did no one tell me? Not my sister, not my mom, not my friends or partner. I used to weigh around 135 when I was happiest.
Why the weight gain? I had my daughter last year who needed two emergency heart surgeries, it was a very long, uncertain, and devastating 3 months in the hospital. I lost the baby weight and was seeing the light. We get home and it’s the happiest few months of my life. Then the intrusive thoughts start, the postpartum. The PTSD from everything we’ve just been through. The excessive calories from drinking and late night snacking starts. I gained 20 lbs from Nov 2022-Jan 17, 2023 (which is when I started IF).
I want to get back to my old self. I want to be the best I can for my family.
Please tell me what I can expect or HOPE FOR. Your best tips? I need to stay motivated and this group has helped a lot. Please share your successes no matter how big or small. Thank you and this community has really been amazing so far.
Ps. Quick question, I completed my first fast Jan. 18, and am down 3.8 lbs/1.72 kg. Is it all just water?
I do 20:4 and lose around 2 pounds per week with an approximately 800-1000 calorie deficit every day. I started on December 30th following a weeklong vacation at an all-inclusive resort where I ate huge amounts of food and drank alcohol every day. I was a bloated balloon by the time I got home so a good chunk of my weight loss this month has been water weight (around 5 pounds water weight total, since that’s what I lost the first week and I know from experience it takes 5-7 days for me to lose water weight when I’m bloated). In total I’ve lost 11 pounds this month.
Having said that, I’m at an aggressive calorie deficit and unless you’re obese, you may not be able to afford that 1000 calorie deficit so weight loss will be slower (maybe around 1 pound per week).
I count my calories meticulously by measuring all my food with a food scale. I focus on building meals that have a good amount of veggies and protein. I avoid carbs like sugar, baked goods, pasta, refined bread, and I also avoid all refined snack foods like crackers, potato chips, pretzels, etc. My carb intake is relatively low but not super low (usually around 80g per day). The carbs I do eat are mostly from oats, flax, quinoa, sweet potatoes, vegetables.
I’ve been doing 16:8 and now sometimes 20:4 when I’m not hungry enough to eat. I start just after new year (I know fad diet right?), I didn’t even weigh at the time as I never weigh in general, and didn’t really think I was going to keep doing this, but my first weigh in was about 83.5 kg (177cm), which was after a few days, so I would have already lost some water to that point. Last year around this time I was over 86kg. Yesterday I weighed in at 79.9 kg, so I’m happy to finally see that happen in the first time since I can remember.
Yes, the water weight thing is real, search “Water Weight” in this forum and you’ll quickly see some info. But don’t worry about that, weight loss is weight loss, I’m happy to go off what the scales say and it translates to the mirror. Eventually after that phase the fat will start burning off.
My best tip is, when fasting don’t think about having food as an option, you just can’t have any until the fast is over. Making it an option to “maybe eat if I felt like it” would play on my mind. The hunger pangs go away eventually
I did 18:6, and lost 60lbs in about 6 months. Have kept it off for a little over 2 years.
I knew I gained some over Christmas (was guessing about 5lbs), but said I wouldn’t step on a scale till end of January. I did this morning out of boredom and either my scale is broken, or I’m down about 10lbs since before Christmas weight. Not quite sure whats up with that lol
I’m 33F 5’7” - Low carb and I aim for 16:8 but some days it’s more like 17:7 or 18:6, just depends on how busy I am. I also walk on the treadmill 5 days a week for 30 minutes. Nothing crazy or anything, just a steady walk at 3.3mph.
Started June 24 at 257lb, today (a day shy of 7 months later) I am 192.5lb. About 9.2lb loss per month :)