I'm going nuts

[gummy]

37 minutes ago, Smithydog said:

Yeh, that would be a bit extreme for most people. I only personally know a few who have done. It certainly gets easier a you do it. 

Iam 24 hours into a 72 hour fast and learnt a valuable lesson yesterday. Stay off writing anything on the forum if you can! My writing yesterday was all over the place, and stuck into a theme. Probably all the toxins coming out!

Much clearer mind today.

Strange that but I have the opposite effect when I am fasting, My political posts seem to be more intellectual. It must be all the Thaksins coming out

[Pongo]

I've now been fasting since the 9th intermittently. It's a new approach for me and I'd like to thank @Smithydogand @BigHewer for their guidance and for relating their experiences to me, to allow me to make up my mind on this.

I started gradually, counting "sleep" as fasting time, so my last meal would be at 18:30 and my next food at initially, 09:30 and building up from that.

My next step was to reduce the meal time back to 18:00 and increase the eating time the following day by 30 mins.

My schedule has been as follows: fasting on (August dates) 9,10,11. normal food day 12 and 13, and now fasting since 14th - my next "normal" day for food will be the 17th.

Currently my last meal is at 16:00 and I fast (with the exception of lemon in water and the occasional black coffee) right through until 13:30 the following day where I eat fruit or some steamed chicken and broccoli, then have another meal at 16:00. My calorific intake is around 1200 Calories.

The hardest day, without question was the 11th. Massive headache, lack of energy and I binned it for the following day (during which I consumed 1800 - 2k calories of veg, meat, some cheese and fruit).

However, it has become easier now. The hunger pangs have stopped and if I do feel hungry, then a glass of water deals with it. I'm also taking vitamin suppliments with my main meal. I also initially got cramps in my calf muscles and thighs, coupled with the need to piss a lot.

As I am new to this, I am taking my time to record how I get on, and will adjust if needed to find what suits me, initially I'm finding "green fruits" like grapes, pears and apples keep me full for longer whereas the colourful stuff like bananas and oranges give me an energy boost. Black coffee is awesome, and I'm actually really finding the subtleties in the taste of different brands. I'm using instant but I'm finding my taste becoming much more sensitive to sweet, salt and bitter.

Veg wise, a large plate of cooked broccoli, carrots & raw onion (love raw onion) and corn will settle nicely and I find I can sleep without any hunger pangs at all.

My aim is to be able to fully fast for 24 hours by the end of the month. If I'm able to achieve it earlier, I'll push on harder.

I'm only a bit disappointed because my trousers are not any looser, and I don't see much of a change at the moment but it is still early days.

cheers.

 

 

[BigHewer]

6 hours ago, Pongo said:

I've now been fasting since the 9th intermittently. It's a new approach for me and I'd like to thank @Smithydogand @BigHewer for their guidance and for relating their experiences to me, to allow me to make up my mind on this.

You’re very welcome Pongo and well done for making it this far. Results will come, it just takes routine and discipline. I’m on day 2 myself here…

Best of luck and keep us posted.

Edited August 17, 2021 by BigHewer
Typo

[palooka]

On 7/24/2021 at 11:24 AM, Bobalong said:

only eat when I'm hungry,

This is the key to losing weight, many people feel thirsty go to the cooler and get food, not water or fluids which they wanted originally. The fluid is filling and the need for food diminishes.  Another big helper is STOP BUYING CRAP FOOD.

[Smithydog]

7 hours ago, Pongo said:

I've now been fasting since the 9th intermittently. It's a new approach for me and I'd like to thank @Smithydogand @BigHewer for their guidance and for relating their experiences to me, to allow me to make up my mind on this.

 

Hey...good luck @Pongo. Hope it goes well for you. No fast is the same and great to see you are working out what is best for you and your needs.

I finished my 72 hour fast just 2 hours ago and feel great. Could have easily gone longer but that does not suit my plan for me. Day 2 was by far the hardest as the sugar fought back, creating those feelings of hunger! I could even see some of the toxins coming out in my forum posts! I know from past experience it will get easier each time I do it.

Lost just over 2.5 kgs which is quite usual for me on initial fast. It will probably eventually settle down to 1-1.5 kgs loss in future ones. No headaches or other medical side effects and water intake was so much better than I have done in the past which has definitely helped. Blood sugars are excellent so really happy with how they have gone again with the fast.

Have had a couple of eggs and a cup of white tea. Much of what I am doing over the next 4 days is about eliminating sugar from my diet and will be trying now to balance food intake and type of food with exercise and then fast again.

As I said, good luck with your own fast and hope you get the results you desire. 

[Pongo]

Thanks @Smithydog and @BigHewer.

I've fine tuned my fasting now and am seeing results. It has taken me a couple of weeks to get it right, and it initially was a bit tough getting the balance and of course, pushing back on that sugar craving.

I am currently running on a 4 day cycle of fasting as follows:

7pm start, through to 4pm the following day with diluted (2 teaspoons to a cup of hot water) Apple cider vinegar when hungry and 1 Cup of black coffee at dinnertime. My "window" is between 4pm and 7pm, so I eat some "green" fruit at 4pm, then at 6:30 my main meal which is balanced between carbs, protein, some fats and veggies along with a multivitamin tablet.

This goes on until day 4 which is a regular day (3 squares) for eating starting at 6:00am until 7pm when the fasting begins again.

I'm rewarding myself once a week only with 2 beers (330ml) which makes it all the better!.

I'm feeling a hell of a lot better in myself. Although my energy levels are low towards the end of a gym session and towards late in the evenings (I've adjusted my cardio accordingly for the time being) I still feel fine. I don't think I've ever slept this well in memory, I wake up feeling energised, my taste buds are super sensitive to flavours and I'm no longer getting that "sleepy" lull in the mid afternoons.

My BP is down slightly, my heart rate is 57 - 59 BPM resting and I swear my skin looks better. I'm also down 2.5kg at the time of writing, which I'm pleased about but again, the narcissist in me tells me I look better in the mirror :)

Honestly, anyone who wants to lose weight should really have a look at fasting. I am now pretty much 100% converted, although it does take fine tuning and can be slightly hit and miss at first, after week one it gets easier. It has taken me about 2-3 weeks to start seeing and feeling the benefits, but it is well worth it.

One last point, if, like me, you've cut out refined sugar and then someone makes you a cuppa with 2 sugars in it, prepare to spit it everywhere, it tastes bloody sickly, never thought I'd say it, but jeez it's horrid.

 

[BigHewer]

6 hours ago, Pongo said:

Honestly, anyone who wants to lose weight should really have a look at fasting. I am now pretty much 100% converted, although it does take fine tuning and can be slightly hit and miss at first, after week one it gets easier. It has taken me about 2-3 weeks to start seeing and feeling the benefits, but it is well worth it.

Absolutely brilliant, Pongo, very happy for you and welcome to “the converted club” :)

The hardest part (as you now know) is just settling into a routine and getting past any initial setbacks. The results are truly rewarding and inspiring. I dropped 23kg in a four-month fasting plan 8 years ago, changed my life. And nothing wrong with being a narcissist mate, you’ve earned it (!)

A little side note regarding the cider vinegar. I was trying to find a way to deal with the hunger pangs back then too and would drink loads of coffee. But I found after the results became obvious, the pangs triggered some kind of weird positive endorphin and I stopped needing to drink coffee.

Anyway, best of luck, hope you can keep it up and see more results.

[Vince]

On 7/23/2021 at 9:34 PM, Faraday said:

"First, the worms-in-pork myth: Once upon a time there was a real concern that we would all get sick from eating undercooked pork that was infected with a parasite — the larvae of the Trichinella worm. But these days, according to the CDC, trichinellosis is no longer such a threat due to legislation"

Read More: https://www.mashed.com/128269/the-craziest-food-myths-debunked/?utm_campaign=clip

https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/trichinellosis/gen_info/faqs.html

As always, meat needs to be cooked correctly.

I heard that corn field waste burn off is a significant source of air pollution. This is "farm grade" corn, i.e. corn for pigs. 

So could reducing pork to a once a week treat instead of a daily fixture help improve air quality?

[NorskTiger]

Congratulations to thread started. I just read this one, so not sure how you fare now, but you really have put both thought and dedication into this and I give you great credits. 

   

    I think getting in shape is a big issue of dedication if you want to have great success. I always discuss with my clinets first time as we sit down in a cafe and discuss fitness goals, vision and willingness/degree of committment. 

       Fitness is such a huge field that , as a doctor, it is nly a bare littel piece of all the things I do when training people. 

       Nutrition is huge part and I always have nuts available. I use them for snacking and avoiding to go hungry and starve muscle tissue. Knowledge is power, so therefore I use a good fitness watch/tracker to really learn about myself. Dedication and will power gets you to your goals and is something you buld as you go.  

    Motivation: .... I have to admit I like to get in shape for many reasons, but it definitely feels great to do things you could do at 20 with the wisdom and wits of a 50-something and looks of a 30-something... hint hint.   Of course, feeling good is also a huge thing. 

      I prefer to balance my fitness between strength training, stamina and flexibility. I have found Yoga, HIIT and weights to be very effective combination and when you can assess your sleep and restitution needs, it becomes a very fun thing.  

       Nutrition is a big one and I always tell everybody to learn to cook. Gradually and with betterment. I make anything Vegan and loooove to shock Thai girls with my foodg skills ;)  It is great fun as well and when you can make tasty and healthy food very well. I am very fond of Vegan Thai food and my favorite is peanut sauce dishes.  

          I have some personal ideal fitness goals. May not work for everybody, but it does for me. 

         *Keep body fat at 8%

         *Bench and squat twice my body weight. 

         *Have a max pulse (220-age) at 110`%

         Be able to stand on the head at the end of a lengthy Ashtanga session. 

       I spend about 4 hours a day on fitness, including eating, exercising and recovery time. You can get in greatr shape by spending only half the time and it will make your life absolutely wonderful. 

  Finally, I am also a fan of fasting, but still learning about it.  Thread started seems like a great thinker with regards to reaching goals. kudos!!

[BigHewer]

3 hours ago, NorskTiger said:

Motivation: .... I have to admit I like to get in shape for many reasons, but it definitely feels great to do things you could do at 20 with the wisdom and wits of a 50-something and looks of a 30-something... hint hint.   Of course, feeling good is also a huge thing. 

Motivation is definitely the most important thing and it works differently for everyone. I also find it helpful to hear about what others are doing. 

How the results make you feel justifies the effort.

[Saltire]

A timely revival post for me!

Havng just returned from a holiday in Pattaya, I took the opprotunity to have a comprehensive heath check, the rsults of which were not too bad in general but it gave me the motivation to double down on my keto lifestyle and have targetted a 10 Kg weight loss starting a week ago. 

4 years ago I was over 100 Kg but have maintained at 82 Kg for the last 3 years.

I do pretty much intermittent fasting every 2 or 3 days and have cut out all the major carbs (rice, bread, pasta etc) for 3 years also. I pretty much stick to 1 meal a a day most days. 

So eating healthily and walking when I can, what can I change?

1) Sugar is my enemy number 1 and if I waver off keto it's chocolate, cake, biscuits etc so now have completed a week of zero sugar up till today.

2) MCT Oil - The benefits seem to complement a ketogenic diet so I bought some from PaleoRobbie.com

https://ketosource.co/mct-oil-for-fat-loss/

On the second day adding a teaspoon to my tea twice a day.

3) No alcohol (temporary!) - Stayed off the beer on my Pattaya trip and stuck to G&T only.

So far after a week of strict keto, no sugar and no alcohol, with the introduction of MCT oil, let's see how I get on.

 

[BigHewer]

2 hours ago, Saltire said:

4 years ago I was over 100 Kg but have maintained at 82 Kg for the last 3 years.

2 hours ago, Saltire said:

1) Sugar is my enemy number 1 and if I waver off keto it's chocolate, cake, biscuits etc so now have completed a week of zero sugar up till today.

Sounds good Saltire and congrats for keeping it off. There are a lot of similarities in our stories, with one or two exceptions (booze and sugar).

I started to pack on the weight when I hit my 30s and never did anything about it. In 2013, I was sent to Cairns for work for 5 months and watched a documentary on fasting on the plane. I decided to go all in. Long story short, I went from 105kg to 82kg in that time. My regimen won’t win any awards, but here’s what it was:

1. Wake up, record my weight. Drink a glass of water and then eat breakfast. Anything goes. Sometimes toast and eggs, sometimes salad or soup. Whatever. No more food for the rest of the day. No snacks, nothing.

2. Walk 12,000 steps every day without fail.

3. Drink a six-pack of beer every night.

The only variations were when I hit 95, 90 and 85, when I went out for steak.

I regained 8kg over the next 8 years and then lost 12kg last year following the same routine.

[Saltire]

1 hour ago, BigHewer said:

 

3. Drink a six-pack of beer every night.

 

Weirdly, if id do have a few beers at night, in the morning my glucose level is lower than nomal!

Beer is the answer!

 

[Poolie]

1 hour ago, Saltire said:

Weirdly, if id do have a few beers at night, in the morning my glucose level is lower than nomal!

Beer is the answer!

Hooray! Congratulations!

[NorskTiger]

3 hours ago, Saltire said:

Weirdly, if id do have a few beers at night, in the morning my glucose level is lower than nomal!

Beer is the answer!

Yes, this is common. Alcohol inhibits the gluconeogenesis, which is the main mechanism the body buffers the serum glucose level after prolonged sleep. 

   However, alcohol does interfere with optimum fat metabolism and of course has some calories too so...

 

[BigHewer]

3 hours ago, Saltire said:

Weirdly, if id do have a few beers at night, in the morning my glucose level is lower than nomal!

Beer is the answer!

Yeah, don’t fear the beer if you’re trying to knock the kilos off. That said, I drink tea without sugar and don’t like sweets at all.

[NorskTiger]

One of the first things I tell clients when going through their diet is how much beer and how much alcohol in total they drink. 

   Alcohol and fitness is a challenge because regular alcohol use:

     *Adds calories that are "empty".

     *Distorts the Circadiam rhytm and makes quality sleep less easy to obtain. 

     *Fat-building amabolism in the cells are regulated by the AMPK enzyme (s). When you drink alcohol, it is metabolized by Alcohol dehydrogenase to Acetic Acid. AA inhibits AMPK, so fat building is more likely to happen. 

      *Leucine, the most anabolic of all amino acids tend to lose much of it's action in proximity to alcohol by being inhibited at protein synthesis level. In short, muscle building is more difficult. The main part of muslce building happens on rest days (rest from training) so it is difficult to beef up if you drink on off-days. 

      *Alcohol tends to recude the testoserone levels by inhibition mechanisms. Without enough T it is very hard to gian muscle. 

 

      It is all about what you want. I stay away from alcohol at all, but that is just me. It is certainly very possible to get and stay fit, while partying with ETOH now and then. It is just like I stay on a Vegan diet, because to be it optimizes my fitness. 

    Still, I think it is quite fair to say that if you want to get fit, more than infrequent alcohol use will make this difficult. 

  A 65ïsh guy I was training quit all alcohol and red meat and has been on the MuayThai/Yoga/4-split regimen of mine for the last 6 months.  

   It is his intent to do a triathlon after Xmas. He just has to improve his swimming first. 

     It is aaaalllll about how much you want it. 

Edited June 4, 2022 by NorskTiger