Author: s.dyer

I’ve started my Waitrose order for the 10 day plan. However, due to being COVID housebound, I think I need to do the fish days firs (Day 4 and Day 10).

When the food arrives I’ll look a the use by date and plan accordingly….

I’ve not been brave enough to step on the scales since the pandemic struck. I am going to guess I’m at 13st 4 or thereabouts. Yes – I am guessing a 3 stone weight gain since Christmas 2019. I dare not, I dare not, I dare not put that into solid numbers…..

My plan is this.

48 hour fast over the weekend. Almost at 24 hours now. Then I am going to follow Amelia Freer’s plan for 10 days. Just lose some of the excess weight. And then I’m going to weigh in.

I haven’t had a real period for months now. This used to help me regulate my weight and dieting perfectly. I lost so much water weight with each period it was a godsend. Now, I just have spotting, I guess this is the menopause for you.

Going back to look over my shopping list from 4 years ago, and preparing for a lot of prep.

The question is – when do I dare stand on those scales?

I’ve been suffering from depression a lot this last month. Initially (just last week!), I dropped back down to 10st4lbs – then on the scales today I was just under 11 stone, which is the weight I said I’d never allow myself to get to again. I know that this is ‘temporary weight gain’ from overeating for a few days; huge three-course meals every day.  And the best way, in my experience, to overcome temporary weight gain is to flush it all out of your system.

THE AIM: To lose the phantom 9lb weight gain I’ve sustained over one week.

THE METHOD: Accelerated intermittent fasting

I’m starting off with a 36-48 hour fast: basically until I get hungry or lack energy to do anything again. I will absolutely cram liquid down me during this time.  Following my ‘second sleep’ of the fast, I will weigh in – do a VLC day that day – and take it from there.

Rapid weight loss is never recommended, but it is a solution I’ve found to counter rapid weight gain. It’s also great for my mood & spirituality, I seem to reconnect with the world somehow when I’m fasting.

17 hours into the fast, the first hunger pangs begin. I take three Slim Fast Vitality pills with a Krill Oil pill. I keep in mind I’m going to be asleep for 8 hours of the fast, so there’s only really 11 hours left, if I want to ‘wimp out’ at 36 hours. No further pangs until 23 hours in, mostly bought about by going grocery shopping and knowing that there is some delicious food in the fridge for breaking the fast.

MORNING ONE: 3lbs gone

At 40 hours things are going well, but I’m just bored. I know I can manage the next 8 hours with ease, the hunger pangs are gone entirely, but I just want to eat through the boredom of not eating.  One clue for people who get headaches on fasts: take a headache pill.  Yeah you may be aiming to clear out the toxins in your system and against big pharma, etc, but it’ll help you get through the pain and not feel so low.

I broke the fast at 44 hours with what I call “poop food” (it’s food that makes me poop!). 1 litre of chocolate Alpro and a bag of nuts, around 1,200 calories. This will be followed by another 24-36 hour fast as it works its way through my system (and of course, I can ‘just stop’ at any time: seriously, do not do this unless you are medically approved to do it, and this method of weight loss can trigger problems for people with a previous history of eating disorders).

MORNING TWO: 7lbs gone

24 hours later I’ve dropped over 7lbs. Although most of this would be water weight, it was mainly water weight I’d put on in my 5 days of reckless eating & drinking.  I break this mini-fast with a feast of very low carb food: cheese and Italian / Spanish tapas meat upon waking, As my body should already be in ketosis, I want to keep it that way for another day. I allow myself to eat as much as I want, but only manage 200g of meat and 50g of cheese.

MORNING THREE: 9lbs gone

And there it is. My phantom weight gain is gone again. Which leaves me pretty much where I was when I started the blog three years ago.

Here we go again….

 

 

 

Here we are entering 2019 at 10st 5.8 – which is better than I did in 2018, but still – ummm, yeah I haven’t lost that stone I set out to lose in 2017!

Not to be too hard on myself though.  Seems a lot of that was water weight, and so by January 4th, I was back down to what I now consider my ‘new stable weight’ – 10st 2.

I have 6 weeks until a big music festival, so will do a blast until then. Going with morning porridge, meal replacement lunch & Hello Fresh low calorie meals in the evening.

Good luck to everyone who’s watching their weight in 2019!

This is the big blast.  Starting with a fast until my period arrives (around 36 hours I’d hope), DAY 2 of period weigh in, and we’ll take it from there.

Lots of physical work, lots of healthy meals, fasting and exercise.

WEEK ONE

DAY 1 – Sept 3rd  – FIRST 36 HOUR FAST
Fasting always improves my mood and focus. Did a couple of short bursts of exercise. Walked up to the supermarket, didn’t spend much time on social media. Ordered a food delivery for midday tomorrow.

DAY 2 – Sept 4th:
Made it 26 hours into the fast, but realising I wasn’t going to sleep, had a small snack of olives & herring. I should eat again around 6pm.

DAY 3 – Sept 5th:
All good! Did another 24 hours and ready for the rest of the plan.

UNTIL

…. DAY 35.

You see, this went horribly wrong, because my period never came. Add in a hospital stay & feeling hyper-emotional, the whole plan fell apart. Will start again after my travels!

 

 

14 days of eating sensibly has taken me down to 10st4.2lbs.

Will continue like this until I’m back at the weight I maintained through most of last year – 10st2lbs – maintain that for a few months, then push my way down to 9st7lbs for summer!

Here we go, 2018!

 

Well, this is laughable, but also laudable I guess.

I’m exactly the same weight I was this time last year – 10st 9lb.

I didn’t diet at all after the summer time, I’ve enjoyed take aways, chocolate & not exercised for over 6 months. I’ve basically been living off mac and cheese.

The question is: do I start this all over again?

I had the most success on Amelia’s plan, but the amount of time I spent in the kitchen was unthinkable.  I can do 5:2 without a sweat, but the results aren’t great.  I’m still trying to find “the lifestyle change that will work for me”…

Phase One 2018 to start tomorrow then. Maybe I’ll see if I can grab the domain…

 

 

Again, I’ve just not dieted! I’m at 10st 2lb after eating whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted for more than 6 months now. This isn’t too bad given weight fluctuations and zero exercise.

I’m going to try and eat sensible this week and see if I can drop that excess 2lbs (which shouldn’t be difficult). Then I may try to have one big blast before Xmas. Fact remains, I’m a steady half a stone down on last year without too much effort at all.

I’ve not dieted at all this summer – but I’ve not put on any weight either.  Holding steady at 10st on the nose.   I will get back to dieting soon enough, I’m through the travel & party season now, and happy I’ve not gained any weight in the meantime.  Stay tuned for more updates!