Hello, my name is Jennifer. I’m new here — this is my first post. I just bought Dr. Mosley’s book the other day and read it in its entirety in one day (excluding the recipe section). I very much enjoyed reading about the science behind it (along with other authors like Taubes, Fung, Westman, Phinney, Volek, etc.). I enjoyed reading all the success stories. I was also enlightened how type 2 diabetes affects those that otherwise don’t really appear to be obese (different from me as I was 422 pounds — 30 stone — two months ago). I love the idea of the LCHF Mediterranean diet as it ha been shown to reduce chances of cardiovascular problems compared to low fat diet. (LCHF alone doesn’t appear to show any reduction in cardiovascular disease compared to low fat.)
Let me introduce myself, telling you guys a little bit about me. I’ve been morbidly obese since 10 years old and I was a fat baby and obese all my childhood. I was born in the womb of a diabetic mother of 26, who now has Type 2 diabetes as bad as I do. I’ve always struggled with my weight on the low fat hi carb diet. It never worked. And now I know why after reading Taubes, Fung, Westman, etc.. books, along with this book.
For the past 4 years I have had very uncontrolled blood sugars with resulting A1C of 9 to 11. I injected 120 units a day at one point and was on Metformin.
Anyways, the past 2 months I’ve turned things around. I am no longer on any meds and I have a projected A1C of 5.8. I plan on this getting better as time passes.. it’s understandable since I still have like 200 pounds (14 stone) to lose. The first month I did 2400 calories a day LCHF (not Mediterranean) grazing diet, getting my insulin injections down to 40 units a day. Lost some weight on it. Then I changed the past month to Dr. Fung’s 18:6 intermittent fast combined with the same LCHF at 1600 calories a day, eliminating both insulin and all oral diabetes meds. Did very well on this and lost even more weight and didn’t feel hungry on it.
I’ve lost over 40 pounds (3 stone), normalized my blood sugars, dropped all meds and no have half the feeling back in my limbs.
Now I want to try Dr. Mosley’s Mediterranean diet, 800 calories a day. I feel I will have a very hard time spreading these calories out over the day. I seem to do much better with the 18 hour fast each day. And if I eat only 800 calories per day, then it will be in a one hour window, with 23 hour fasting.
I am wondering is it okay to do this? To eat the Fast 800 on a 23:1 schedule.. aka “Fast 800 23:1”. For 8 weeks straight? I feel I could really succeed on this diet if I could do that. I am on no medications that will cause hypoglycemia or hypotension–and of course I’ll get my doctors seal of approval (fortunately I have a competent doctor that’s open). And I drink salty homemade broth from animals bones during the fasting hours, along with plenty of water (some coffee and tea).
I read in The New Atkins for the New You, that it is recommended to have some protein all three meals per day, to avoid breakdown of muscle. But isn’t it okay because I’ll be getting the protein in that one hour window and it will rebuild itself back up? Dr. Fung seems to think that fasting won’t mess with muscle mass: https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/fasting-and-muscle-mass-fasting-part-14/
So what do you guys think? Looking for some advice. I really enjoy the fasting because then I don’t have to worry about prepping food three times per day, and it eliminates the hunger. If I eat three meals a day and do snacking it keeps the insulin levels up a bit higher and makes me get hungry to where I want to graze.
Again, I’d like to do the Fast 800 in 23:1 for 8 weeks, if that’s safe.
