Hi! I’m f30, 350lbs goal weight 200lbs. I’m exhausted from trying everything and nothing working. Now my doctors are talking surgery and I just want to fix this on my own. Fasting is easy for me and I’ve done it before (16:8) but I think I broke my fast incorrectly and didn’t see great results. Any tips for how to optimize my experience this time are greatly appreciated!
Fasting is a great way to consume less food - the best way to break your fast properly is to track your calories when your eating window opens. Make sure you’re eating the correct number of calories for your age, height, and weight to lose weight at the rate you and your doctors want to see. You should be able to speak with your medical professionals to get an idea of the right calorie count for you.
Fasting is just a method to reduce caloric intake. How you ‘break’ your fast doesn’t really matter, it’s just what you consume, on average, day to day. If you find it easy to fast then maybe consider doing a smaller feeding window 20:4 for example or OMAD. Since this means less time eating your caloric intake will most likely decrease so it’d lead to better results.
I also tried everything, and I do mean everything - even some of the stupid/harmful diets. Nada. No results at all. I exercised. Nothing. I was starving and miserable.
I started 16/8 in June and bumped it to 18/6 somewhere in July. It sounds pathetic to say I’m only 7 lbs less after nearly three months. However, I have more energy. My knees quit hurting (mostly). I can think better. My clothes are fitting a bit better. I like the changes. So I’m having a slow start. There’s progress. And I’m not miserable.
You’re going to want to at least estimate calories when you do eat and invest in a food scale. You cannot lose weight on fasting alone, a calorie deficit is necessary. Some people don’t do well with tracking every single calorie, that’s why fasting is appealing. If you skip breakfast for example, don’t just add what you would have eaten than morning.
I personally struggle with BED so it is crucial for me to plan my food and eating in advance otherwise I could easily clear 3000 to 5000 calories in just a few hours.
You might try eating low-carb and get the LoseIt app. That’s been helping me because it estimates how many calories I should eat every day and I can track my food to stay under that limit. Usually I do around 18:6 but I keep trying to push myself towards OMAD. Either way, the weight is coming off.
I suggest low carb because at that weight you are likely insulin resistant (If not pre-diabetic) and eating carbs will make it much more difficult to lose the weight. Plus if you’re insulin resistant, cutting carbs is a great way to improve your health.