Hi GofouritGirl,

I have found that over time moving to having all my food in a 2 or 3 hour window in an evening has just come to feeling comfortable. Rather than feeling I ought to eat something three times a day as I used to do before starting this WoE which meant that I was looking for something quick, I now find it a positive experience to take time to cook something I fancy eating once a day as part of the change from working time to me time.

I am with you that in time I would like to increase the length of fasts, but right now, this combination seems to be working well for me on weight loss.

So exciting, on Radio 4 right now about how the runner who invented carb loading is now totally into High fat low carb and how he publicly changed his mind. Tim Noakes I think.

He’s a scientist too – South African

GofouritG1RL, I did build up to it. I began with an simple 16:8 routine, which was easy because I’m never hungry in the morning anyway, and did that for months. It was almost a full year, in fact, before I attempted my first extended fast in July 2017. It was 48 hours long and managed to tack on a few hours on top of that. I respond to it very well right away. The next month it was 72 hours. The month after that 76, etc.

I’ve never experienced the headache problem, but my OH did. For the first 48 hours it was pretty much constant. He was also avoiding caffeine so I’m sure that played a role as well as he is accustomed to at least two cups of morning coffee. It’s a glycogen thing, in his case, because he isn’t really a low carber except insofar as he eats what I eat, but the day before we started he had a burger, fries and a giant slice of almond cake, bless his heart. I told him you’d had the same headache problem and he pointed out you can always take over the counter pain remedies, just be sure they aren’t the same kind. So for example have an Alleve, an Advil and a Tylenol, not three Tylenols or three aspirin. That’s what he did on day two and it worked like a charm. By the third day his headache was gone and he woke up feeling completely different. Making it to the 5th day has changed his understanding of hunger, something that has been a constant in his life since he was a small child, permanently.

To answer your question, I don’t nibble on anything. When I fast, I drink water and black coffee. That’s it. Because I was embarking on something more ambitious this time, I had a cup of bone broth halfway through (on the fourth evening) which Dr. Fung recommends as a possible alternatively to the water-only regime, but Dr. Seyfriend does not. He doesn’t even recommend coffee or mineral water, actually. His anti-cancer 7-10 fast is on distilled water only, but that was a little more severe than I was up for.

Here’s a quote on hunger from Dr. Fung’s book written by a reader of keto advocate Jason Moore’s blog. I found it very compelling, profound, even, and I think it answer the “needs must” issue very cleanly. In short, needs never must.

“The way you experience yourself physically when you are fasting is practically identical to the way you experience yourself physically when you are eating. The reason this is so important is that when you think you experience hunger while eating normally, that same experience of hunger is present when you are fasting. In other words, the hunger sensations in fasting are the same as while eating normally. You then have to ask yourself how you can be hungry when you have eaten three hours ago when it is the same hunger sensation when you have not eaten anything at all for a week. What we think is hunger is not really hunger. That impulse to eat cannot be taken seriously.”

Thank you, Flick and Jackie! I’m already thinking of sticking to a single meal today. I bought some beautiful haddock at the market yesterday, so definitely having that, but I think that’ll be it for the day. My traditional filet mignon and gorgonzola compound butter feast holds no appeal for me at the moment.

VictoriaM, I did not find any particular day of the first four harder than the others. They were easier than they are during a four-day fast because I let go of that “oooh what am I going to eat again when I can” thing that nestles into my head during shorter extended fasts. I just It felt like a normal extended fast to me for the first four days — regular tummy rumblings, none bothersome, energy boost on the second and third day, then the revelation and wonderfulness of the last three days. I think the 48 boundary lines may be more relevant to people who eat more carbs than I do on a regular basis, be it 50 grams a day or the million OH had the day before. 😀

As far as worrying loved ones, that’s a concern I have as well. I have not told my parents, for example, that I was doing so extended a fast and I don’t plan to tell them in the future either. They were a little paranoid about my keeping caloric intake so low for so long as it was. Of course they see now that I can and do eat like a horse (that Cobb salad was seriously GIGANTIC) so they don’t worry that I’m anorexic anymore, but I know they wouldn’t understand and I’m not interested in persuading them or anyone else to do what I do. I’m just exploring my own body and how it responds to fasting.

Daisiesmum, I played with my eating window a lot during the Fast800. I found it helped me over some stalls to shake things up a bit, and it was useful in a practical sense as well to deal with social events, etc.

Mixnmatch, that’s great! I wish you all the best with it. I hope you respond as well to it as I have. We have very different reactions to carbs, but Dr. Fung’s book includes input from people from all spectra of eating, so a lot of different kinds of people do great on extended fasts. I was down to 112 pounds yesterday morning, which is not something I ever expected to see, and while I’m sure some of it will come back, I am curious to see if I’ve broken through to a new set point myself. 🙂

Well done, Essie – serious congratulations to you. Not that it ever entered my head for a single minute that you would not achieve your aim, as I know you have a will of iron. It would seem that you now weigh the same as me, somehow I always thought you weighed less than I did! Obviously got that wrong!!

My longest fast has been 3 days (72 hours) and I actively enjoy it – I have grown to appreciate the slightly “hollow” feeling, and the feeling of lightness and control it gives. Thankfully I’ve never experienced headaches either – I’m no masochist so, if I had, I may well not be quite so enthusiastic about the concept.

I was extremely interested to hear of all the added benefits you experienced, Essie, and would be very interested if you could perhaps give us an update please, say in a week or so, to let us know if they were short-lived or ongoing? As I’ve said before, if I told o/h that I was going to embark on a 7 day water only fast, he would send for the men in white coats to take me away, so I doubt I will ever achieve anything quite so extreme, unless he goes away for a week or more, and I have no other commitments during that time. I do, however, know a couple who told me 3 years ago (before I knew of BSD and had read up on fasting) that they do a 7 day water only fast twice a year. I have to confess I was gobsmacked and to say I thought they were mad is putting it mildly . He is an “alternative practitioner” who is convinced of the benefits, she is a lawyer who initially went along with it simply to please him, but soon became a convert. She is 40 but looks about 20, fit and slender, with glowing hair and skin and not a single line on her face – whether that is the effects of fasting or genetics, who can say! Possibly a combination of both. He on the other hand, whilst slim and fit, does look his age (almost 50) but no one could deny he looks he looks exceedingly healthy.

MnM – good luck, I’m sure you’ll do great too and hope you experience the same wonderful benefits that Essie has.

Reading about the benefits of a 7 day fast has been fascinating, particularly with respect to improvements
to one’s facial lines. I have a confession to make however, so I must apologize in advance for a less than
positive post. The fact that extended fasting is something I have yet to succeed at with all my fellow
maintainers, is occupying a very negative space in my head! I can’t go as far as admitting to feeling like
a failure, but I do feel more and more inadequate every day…..I hope in sharing these thoughts I can
shake the feeling, for I see myself beginning to withdraw a bit from my usual posting frequency 🙂
Perhaps I need a hypnotherapist or a dedicated mentor? Like Theo, my o/h went somewhat ballistic
at my desire to accomplish this. He’s a very mild mannered and easy going sort, so I was somewhat
surprised by the reaction. Therefor, whatever happens will have to be covert!
Thanks for listening.

Allie

Allie, I am really upset to read your post. As you know, we are a very inclusive lot, and the last thing on earth any of us want to do is make someone (least of all YOU) feel excluded or inadequate, which you most definitely are not! We are all here on this thread to support each other, and you are one of the most steadfast supporters on the entire forum. Fasting is definitely not for everyone – we have each managed to lose weight with BSD, interpreted in our own way, and all our maintenance strategies are different, but no less valid than anyone else’s. You have been maintaining for almost a year, so you are doing something right, you certainly don’t need to fast if you have no desire to, or feel unable to for any reason whatsoever. Just because it CAN be done, doesn’t mean it SHOULD be done and you are already one of this forum’s greatest success stories.

Please don’t EVER withdraw from posting – your regular posts are one of the reasons I log in every day, they invariably make me smile, brighten my day, and make me grateful that I found this forum and now can call you a friend.😘💕❤

Dear AllieMoggy,

Please don’t leave the forum, your voice would be very missed. I am sure at the start of your journey you would have been so happy to reach maintenance weight so how about patting yourself on the back for that achievement. 🙂

By the way when I had the TV on for background noise yesterday I heard another saying for your collection.

Airing your dirty laundry – which means talking about dirty secrets. It apparently comes from the time of the Tudors. At the time to prove that a marriage was valid, particularly with royal couples, it wasn’t enough to have a service it also had to be consummated. So the couple would be put to bed by the leaders of the court, and a prayer would be said over them for success. Members of the court would then stand outside the room hoping to hear noises to indicate consummation and also the bed sheets would be displayed to the court the following day to show the stains.

Theo, I will update dutifully in a week. I’m curious about it myself. I told OH that I don’t want to lose this smooth face and cherry lips I haven’t had since I hit my 40s five years ago. (I forgot to mention the lips earlier. It literally looks like I’m wearing lipstick!) If that means I do another week two months from now, then that’s what I’m doing. I’m so happy my guy is on board. He was the one to propose we do it, in fact! He’s seen definitely improvement, btw, on the issue he was concerned about, even though he didn’t do the full week.

I most vigorously second Theo. Allie, I think we’ve all found that whatever the dimensions of the BSD, be it how many carbs we allow or how we incorporating short-term or longer fasts, everyone responds very differently. You have had to deal with terrible health issues like Lyme disease and CFS that I have not had to, and you came out on the other side having successfully slain those dragons. But that also means your body is going to react to fasting in a whole different way than mine. You are too knowledgeable, too well-studied in your needs and your husband’s to ever think yourself inadequate. You had to claw your way out of the abyss with him on your back and you did it, saving both your lives and creating a rigorous program for optimal health for the both of you. There should never be a moment when you aren’t chest out, depleted frontal assets and all, chin up and damn proud of yourself.

Hi Allie, sorry to hear that you are feeling negative, but I hope you can move past it and stay an active poster on this and all the other threads that you visit. Your perspective is equally valid and understood by all of us whether just dipping toes into the more extreme fasting patterns like myself or experienced at it. I was cautious at every stage about the different levels of fasting, and indeed will generally opt for an 800 calorie fasting mimicking day rather than a full fast, my longest of which so far is 36 hours, but I am enthused by Essie’s description into trying a 7 day one. Maybe I won’t make it and will stop at 4 days, or even the 36 hours I have managed before. Maybe you will get to that same point in a few more months, maybe you won’t, it really doesn’t matter, we are all different and following different paths.

Hi Alliecat, please don’t leave. You were one of the first names I remember supporting me when I first started and I still think about all the encouragement that you gave me. Your version is as good as anyone else’s as long as it works for you. That’s what I’ve loved about this diet and this forum. There are few rigid rules and no one is condemning you for what you do or don’t do. We would miss you!

Hi JGwen

I think your right with the thinking we should have three meals a day way of life…it just wakes my hungry monster up and would end up eating way more than really necessary. Its strange today after my fast I don’t really feel hungry at all.

Esnecca

I feel a little better knowing you also had to build up to your extended fast days. Also, I have taken on board the advise from your hubby regarding the over the counter meds, good advice. You should maybe get him posting on here 🙂
The fact that you don’t nibble at all throughout shows what a strong willed person you are. have just ordered the Dr.Fung book which several peeps have been talking about, and with thought you put in my mind from Dr. Fung “how can you be hungry when you ate just 3 hours ago”. In my case this was not hunger just greed.

Alliecat

Don’t give up. I am similar to you in the fact that I don’t post much, but when I do I know there are some fabulous ladies on here with a wealth of information and encouragement. These ladies have been doing this for a while and by the sounds of it pretty good at it. Some are basically teaching us by sharing their knowledge along their ups and downs. None of us are perfect ..I feel now that however ridiculous a question posted from me may sound, someone will give an encouraging and comforting reply.

Alliecat Please don’t go. I have found your posts uplifting and really helpful.

Thank you all, from the deepest part of my heart. I feel humbled by all the kind and uplifting words, and
will keep them close to me. I didn’t mean to suggest that I would abandon the forums, however, just that
I was feeling quieter than usual in my ability to contribute anything helpful on the subject of fasting 🙂 Every
day is a new and rewarding experience here, and I learn more and share more than I would ever have
dreamed possible a year ago. As long as the forums exist, I’ll be present with my own brand of foolishness,
laughter, and moments of insight, and support.
You are wonderful! 🙂 🙂 🙂
XOXOXO
Allie

Allie – I wanted to add my voice of support. There is no failure, by not including fasting in your approach to BSD maintenance. Fasting is not a core principle of the BSD and so it is those of us using fasting as a tool, who are the odd ones out, not you and everyone else who isn’t fasting.

I can understand how you might feel excluded by all the rhetoric about fasting, if this is not something you feel you can or want to do, but I’m confident in saying the chat about Esnecca’s extended fast was not intended to exclude anyone – least of all you, who we all feel is very much one of the most valued members of our number.

It took me a long time to brave trying a fast, but as someone else here has said, I know if my OH was aware I was fasting at all – let alone an extended fast – he would put up strong opposition, out of concern for me. I know that this concern would come from a position of ignorance about fasting, but I am sure nothing would sway him that at my weight, fasting is a wise decision. For me, if I can sneak in the occasional 24hr fast, fine, but I’m not up for arguments and household discontent, which I know extended fasting would generate.

There is room for all approaches to BSD and maintenance here and no-one should feel they are inadequate or failing, if their approach is not the same as the approach of others on the forum. Please know that your approach to maintenance is very much a proven success and is as valid as any other discussed here, Allie and we all want and appreciated the compassion and wisdom you bring to the forum. I know that I and many others have appreciated and benefitted from your posts and hope that you will continue to be a very active part our community.

Big Hug to you, Allie … xx

GofouritG1RL, I tend to resist the strong-willed designation because for two decades of increasing obesity and ill-health, I was the poster girl for the opposite. Until the BSD, I thought I was incapable of drumming up the necessary strength to lose the weight and get my life on track no matter how urgently I needed to. I thought I was unmotivated and weak. What I discovered is that it was all a bunch of bullshit. Following the BSD rigidly eating 800 calories and less than 20 grams of carbs of day was EASY. Intermittent fasting came naturally to me. By the time I started extended fasts, my relationship to hunger was such that I could just note its presence and dismiss it with a mental flick of the wrist. At no point was I was white-knuckling it.

So you see I don’t deserve the iron will compliment. I evolved, thanks to the BSD, into a person who can do this stuff without stressing out. Considering where I started, there is no reason this can’t happen to anyone and that most certainly includes you.

It’s not greed, by the way, that gives you that feeling of hunger at standard mealtimes. It’s just what we’ve all accustomed our bodies to expect in the modern Western way of life. Do not, and I cannot emphasize this enough, internalize it as some sort of character flaw. It is not a failing, not a defect, not an intrinsic dysfunction. That’s the kind of thinking that kept me paralyzed, fat and miserable for 20 years. It’s just a cultural norm that, if you wish, you can move past by stretching the boundaries gradually and/or taking a big leap over it should you feel the need to go faster.

Alliecat! You know I brim with admiration for you, and endless gratitude that you continue to spend your time supporting us as we start and stumble along our BSD adventures, but I have to say I’m just a teeny but cross with you!

Of all people, you are one of the ones who consistently supports and reassures BSDers as they gradually find the best way for their individual bodies to settle comfortably into this new way of reclaiming control over their health and weight. Those that become discouraged that they can’t feel well at less than 20g carbs, those that can’t face family or social food functions without joining in, the list is long, and you reliably defend, support and highlight the divsersity of approaches that work! It is exactly the same with fasting. Even Fung has a list of people for whom he does not recommend fasting. He never talks about ‘quitting’ a fast before the planned end, the language is much more positive – persistent headache, feel unwell, you ‘call it’ and ‘end that particular fast’. And we all know long lived healthy happy people (usually slimmish) who have never fasted.

Who is this woman and where is our beloved Alliecat!?

Flick, what is it about the Aussie spirit that I find so irresistable? You make me smile broadly, from ear to
ear! In answer to your question “who is this woman?”, the subtext of my original post should probably
be “Confessions of a card carrying perfectionist”. While this unfortunate personality trait has always
served me well in a professional capacity, it can be a royal pain in the ass in my everyday life!

This has been a rather remarkable day all around. I don’t talk about my feelings easily, so to do so
is unfamiliar territory for me. I celebrate each and every accomplishment with you all, and being
hard on myself is in no way reflective of any posts I have read here. Like other perfectionists, I
occasionally take a trip to “crazy town” and lose my perspective altogether 🙂

Thank you, each and everyone of you, for your extraordinary kindness and beautifully expressed
thoughts. I feel blessed to be part of this community, my perspective has been restored, and I
feel as though a burden (self imposed) has been lifted from my shoulders. Alliecat in recognizable
form will return to you in the morning!

xoxo

Hello lovely Folks ….. essentially, I was looking for somewhere to post this quote found on a website earlier today. I know here, it is probably preaching to the choir, but think it eloquently phrases something we all know and is of value for those of us on maintenance.

“Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask if you want to be a prisoner of the past or . . . a pioneer of the future.”
~ Deepak Chopra

Beautiful, Sunny! I’d love to see this posted in the kitchens of every new
member to the community, along with all of your usual salient remarks
on how to be successful at this WOL. Thanks!

That certainly is a great quote, Sunny. Thank you, we should all have it branded on our foreheads!

Allie, on a point of interest, do you remember when your weight was dropping too low, and it was SOOOOO cold in Connecticut a few weeks ago? I suggested that maybe the 2 were connected and that you were probably using excess calories merely trying to keep warm? I advised you to increase your intake short-term, to see if it helped? Well, it looks as though I may have been right as here in SW England we are in the grip of a cold snap – the Beast from the East is blowing in from Siberia, and hitting Storm Emma coming up from Portugal. The result is unprecedented low temperatures and heavy snowfall (virtually unheard of down here), together with gale force winds. The temperature is only minus 6 atm, so cannot compete with the ridiculously low temps you experienced, but with the wind chill factor taken into account, it is more like minus 14. It certainly feels bloomin cold when I’m out walking the dogs for 3 hours a day, despite being wrapped up like the Michelin Man, and I’m coming home frozen to the core. I can’t seem to get warm in the house either. Upshot of it is that, since the cold snap started earlier this week, I have dropped 3lbs and am now down to 7st 11lbs (109lbs; 49.4kg)!! So I am going to take my own advice and increase my intake over the next few days and hope that helps both to put a few pounds back on, plus keep me a bit warmer. Wish me luck, haven’t felt this cold since I started BSD last January.

Yes, Theo, I well remember, and it was immeasurably helpful
at the time because I had begun to worry about the possibility
of an undiagnosed medical issue. Load up on a few more
calories, my friend! The big boys need their walk, so no way
around that 🙂 Freezing to death, who would ever contemplate
that as a weight loss technique! We’re do one more big March
blizzard, then hopefully we can all look forward to the joys of
Spring. We sort of missed the transition last year holed up in
the hospital. Much better times ahead in 2018!

xoxo
Allie

Let’s hope so, Allie, let’s hope so.😘

As far as the boys are concerned, my bearded one (o/h, not boys, who are also bearded) even suggested that I shouldn’t take them out this morning because it was so cold.😣 I can see them standing for that!! 🙄 They’d be climbing the walls, and this is the sort of weather they were bred for, they have the huge coats to deal with it, and just adore both the wind and the snow. Unlike me……………………😥

Ha, Theo, I have to hang my head in shame when it comes to
spoiling our herd of Siamese. Instead of using the heating
pad under the bedcovers to heat my own feet, I’ve been known
to sacrifice my own comfort, and plug it in for them! It hasn’t
worked out well, though, because one of them has singed the
fur on his underbelly. Now we have to put up with them wrapped
behind our knees at night, and yes, under the covers! Like the
boys, they also have a resident pet sitter when we are out of
town…God forbid that they have to undergo the stress of being
consigned to the kennel or might have to restrict their usual
airborne exercise. Sad, but true!

No need to hang your head in shame, my friend. We are all guilty of pandering to those we love.

I have to confess though that in this cold snap, my boys are pandering to me, rather than the other way around. They have never wanted or been allowed on furniture, but atm when we settle down for the evening, the poor things are being forced to lie on our laps, one on each – lucky we have 2 dogs, or there may be arguments – to keep us both warm (my house is very old and exceedingly draughty😉)

PS how many Siamese do you have? My mother in law always had Siamese – they were even more vocal than my dogs, which is saying something 😉

Only 2 at the moment, Theo, but when we were living in 3800 sq
ft home, we had as many as four. Their caterwalling can be
highly annoying at times, and they have zero tolerance for any
closed door. I used to settle into a jetted tub at the end of a
day of gardening, only to have them circling the deck and at risk of
plunging into the roiling water. Still preferable to listening to
their objections to being shut out of my bathroom, however.
Often my day feels like one of “damage control”, and when it’s
too quiet, I go looking for them because I sense mischief afoot.
I’m usually correct in this assumption, and I recently located
raw chicken breasts that I had taken out of the refrigerator
and failed to keep an eye on, UNDER the diningroom table!
Sorry to say, I just rinsed them off, and cooked them anyway
as they weren’t in the least bit mangled. Horrifying, I know!!!
In many respects, it’s very much like having a constant supply
of 2 year old children around. They never grow up, however 🙂
Probably their worst stunt occurred when we were still living
in our home…They went “hunting” at 5:00am in the basement,
and transported 2 live field mice upstairs to the master bedroom
and deposited them in our bed. Talk about returning to
consciousness in a big hurry 🙂 🙂 🙂

Allie, my friend, I can always rely on you to make me laugh. I think that Siamese, in the cat world, are the same as Beardies in the dog world. Both loud, naughty and demanding. But oh so appealing😃

As far as uninvited bedfellows are concerned though, my worst experience was nothing to do with the Beards. I was unceremoniously awoken last summer, at 3am, by something falling on my face! After screaming loudly and being totally ignored by the bearded one, I turned on the lamp to find what had alarmed me so much…………It was a huge (6″”) stick insect, which had apparently been feeling a bit fruity with another, equally large mate, which was sitting, totally unconcerned, upon the frame of a painting hung above our bed. We carefully deposited both into the garden, where they still appeared to be mating when we got up the next morning 😉

Now I know why Hotel Theodora is such a popular destination! There seems to be a surplus of feramones
circulating in the atmosphere under your roof….I find the stick insects and their mating habits quite
EXHAUSTING 🙂 🙂 🙂

😆😊😀😁😂😃😄😆

🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜

OMG Theodora, those stick insects would have freaked me out!

Whilst I’m here, I just want to report that having put on 4 pounds in as many days on a trip to see family recently, I have now lost the 4 pounds again this week, by doing the MM 5:2 . Phew! At least I now know it’s definitely doable if I do have a few naughty days. Keep it up everyone.

Well done Ang. Really think the secret of maintenance is to not to give those extra pounds time to settle.

Not to freak you out, but for your delectation and delight, my unexpected bedfellow on my window the following morning. …..
https://s18.postimg.org/5sb9xkcq1/20150831_094015.jpg
And his not quite so large mate. ….
https://s18.postimg.org/hu6ns2gx5/20150829_153032.jpg

Yeuk Theodora! But I am confused…I thought you were in the SW UK? Am I mixing you with someone else? Sorry if I am.
Nonna Mary
xxx

Yep, that’s me Mary. Deepest darkest Cornwall. I know, I know, who’d have thought of stick insects?!! But we have a few thriving colonies down here, including one in my garden. I love sitting on the terrace in the summer, watching them sway in the wind. They are very welcome in my garden, in fact I feel honoured to have them, just not so much in my bed! 😉

Wow Theo…who’d have thunk it? Well you enjoy them, I am fine as long as they are far away from me…not keen on any insects big or little. I can’t kill them, but I don’t want them near me lol.

Mary xxx

Theodora – Amazing photos. They’re huge stick insects. Our niece had some in her attic a few years ago, but not as big as yours. They bred and one day an army of baby stick insects appeared out of the loft hatch. Lol. You can imagine the fun they had putting them all back.

Hi all, I wonder if the stick insects will survive this cold snap. I remember some people used to keep them at school, but as my parents were abroad I couldn’t as I couldn’t take then home in the hols

My post from early this morning on this thread seems to have evaporated, so I shall try
again! Wonderful, wonderful photos, Theo. I’ve never seen these creatures before, even
though I’m regularly described by o/h as a stick insect. I took some degree of satisfaction
in elbowing him in the ribs this a.m. to show him your pictures. At least I’m not green 🙂
Thanks for sharing your landscape!

Calling all your clever maintainers, Here I am last day of Week 16 BSD Fast 800. I expect tomorrow’s weight to be somewhere between 60 and 61kg. I am, of course, completely thrilled. My long term plan is to maintain low carb, though not sure yet how low and will continue IF and occasional longer 3-5 day fasts,

My immediate decision is how best to reintroduce calories. I’ve read quite a bit now about the importance of a reverse dieting approach, but I’m wondering how (and if) you did this. Increasing daily cals by 50 each week seems to be recommended quite a lot, although 100cals also comes up regularly. If you have time, would you mind just setting out what worked for you, cals, foods etc. Cheers dears, Flick

Hi, Flick. Well done for getting this far! It is no easy feat, but determination has got you there.

I did the 8 week BSD in October and managed to reverse my Type 2 Diabetes and have been able to come off all medication. I decided that to maintain my weight loss, I would do the MM 5:2 diet, which has worked for me. 800 calories with low carbs on Mondays and Thursdays, but I eat normally on the other 5 days. Because it is only dieting for one day, it is doable and determination keeps the weight off. If you feel hungry, have a few pieces of walnut with a hot drink. It seems to work. Good luck! AngS x

Hi AngS, wow reversing T2 is a mighty achievement, well done. Do you keep an eye on carbs?

Hello, AngS, I seem to have somehow missed that you are another of our high achievers who have reversed
T2D. Somehow I managed to have escaped that fate, principally due to the fact that there is no history
of diabetes in my genetic code. Given more time, this disposition would surely have been mine, as well.
Much respect from my corner for this accomplishment! Keep shining your light on the community at
large…You offer hope to so many, so thank you so much. Congratulations, many happy, healthy days are yours
to enjoy 🙂

Allie

Hi, Allie, Thanks for your kind words. There is no diabetes in my family. I am the first, but having watched MM’s UK TV programmes called Trust Me I’m a Doctor, I think stress caused mine back in 1997. Stress has been proved to raise blood sugar! It went undiagnosed for years until we moved house and changed doctors too. So, last year, although I felt OK and was only on the minimum dose of Metformin, I knew the dangers of being diabetic and a friend almost lost his toes as they went black. I didn’t want that, so decided I wanted to try and reverse my DT2. With the help of MM’s 8-week BSD book and the UK TV programme mentioned above, called Trust Me, I’m a Doctor, where a lady did manage to reverse her diabetes in one episode, I became determined to try hard to rid myself of DT2. I thought no alcohol for 8 weeks would be really difficult, but I didn’t miss it at all and slept much better! My husband was also a huge support.
After the 8 weeks, Which my doctor knew about, I had to wait another 2 months before having my HbA1c monitored. It was 43, without medication. I was thrilled. And now I don’t have to have another blood test until the end of June. My DT2 has gone – for now – but with the help of the 5:2 diet and fewer carbs than I used to eat before, I hope I can stay healthy. It has become a new way of eating rather than a diet and we love the recipes.
I hope this gives at least one person the inspiration to try hard and get that determination to either reverse their DT2 or at least, lose weight, to become more healthy and consequently, happier! AngS.

Hi, Flick. Yes, I keep an eye on my carb intake now. Until I started on the 8 week BSD recipes, we hadn’t realised how badly we were eating. People say eat a healthy, well-balanced diet and we thought we did, as neither of us was particularly overweight. A bit, perhaps, but not too much. But, it made us realise that we had either pasta, rice or potatoes with every evening meal. The recipes in MM’s book are so different to how we used to eat, but we have incorporated them now, into our weekly shopping. On “ordinary” days, I allow myself some carbs and even the odd apple crumble and ice cream at the weekends, but then make myself conform to 800 calories on a Monday and Thursday, to lose the couple of pounds that go on Friday – Sunday. It works for me, so I shall keep doing it. Find what works best for you and good luck. It is so satisfying to achieve losing those pounds that creep on. And the full length reflection in the mirror is so much more satisfying every day, it is so worth the effort.
I’ve noticed lately that when a celebrity is asked how the manage to look so good, they say they eat well, but have to be careful. I think that is the trick. Be conscious about what is going into your mouth. We are what we eat. Make sure you burn off more or at least as much as you eat and the weight will stay off. You can do it! I’m very weak-willed, so if you can get motivated and determined, in that mindset, like I did, you will do it. AngS.

AngS, thank you so much for taking time to reply. It is so helpful when facing a new unknown. My oast eating sounds very similar. Really good, suposedly healthy, home cooking but surprising what a big carb load even though there was hardly any ‘junk’. I feel very wary about reintroducing carbs.

Welcome Flick.
I entered maintenance by reverse dieting, here’s a useful article to explain it.

https://www.muscleforlife.com/reverse-diet/

I continued to lose weight over the next several weeks (about 8 – 10lbs) whilst building up my calorific intake. I now rarely count calories, but keep my carb intake low, but am not obsessive about it and will occasionally have a couple of chips (got to be good ones) or a small piece of artisan bread when out – very, very occasionally even dessert. However I eat them very mindfully, thoroughly enjoy them and find just a mouthful or 2 is more than enough. I also drink wine most weekends. However I was neither diabetic, pre diabetic nor insulin resistant – just greedy😨 If the scales show at Monday’s weigh in that the odd pound or two has crept back on over the more relaxed weekend, they have generally disappeared again by Wednesday or Thursday. If not, I throw in a fast day which, these days I actively enjoy but don’t do them too often because I tend to lose rather a lot over the course of a 24 / 36 hour water only fast. I think (hope) this proves that my metabolism is working well.

Whilst I think that hearing about other maintainers’ strategies and experience can be very helpful, in maintenance, as in losing, we are all different and we must each find a way that works for us – for example, we lead an incredibly active social life, particularly Fri to Sun, invariably involving food and drink, and go away a lot, so it was important that my maintenance strategy allowed me to incorporate that. Almost 10 months into maintenance, so far at least, it appears to be working.

Good luck, you will soon find a strategy that works for you and we look forward to hearing of your continued success and welcoming you to The Phoenix Club xx

PS Sorry, I forgot to mention that regarding the reverse dieting article I posted above, I totally ignored the bit about increasing carb – it was a body building site after all. Sorry, should have made that clear.

Hi, Flick! I think there as many maintenance strategies as there are maintainers. Of course, I agree
with Theo…She has a social life that is envied by all 🙂 You will find yours, too. I know that you will embrace
it all with the same high spirit and positive attitude that you’ve brought to every challenge thus far. I often
think your “replies created” should be offered as required by all newbies who are uninitiated in the power
that exists within us all. I’m really looking forward to the very special brand of “Flick craziness” that is
yours to bring to our Phoenix thread 🙂 🙂 🙂

This is a more serious query to everyone on this thread, not my usual silliness 🙂 Is anyone here troubled to
see that more and more new members that have yet to gain mastery of this way of eating are turning to
fasting as a quick fix way to reverse weekend indulgences? It’s a wonderful tool to depend upon, and
you all know how much respect I have for those of you that have mastered it. I’m genuinely interested
in your views on the subject. I may just be splitting hairs, because I realize that fasting isn’t a prescriptive
part of the Fast 800, or maybe I’m overly invested in success for everyone, I don’t know….What do you
think???

Allie, the worrier 🙂

I haven’t noticed any increase in fasting among new BSDers. It seems to me that vague, unmeasured estimates, regular jaunts to the carb side and reliance on the 4-week menu in the book remains the prevailing practice. Newbs who embrace the strict BSD approach with IF etc. are a tiny minority. Besides, a lot of people, be they newbs or old hands, have 5:2 in mind when they refer to fasting, which means a counted low cal day, not a water-only.