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Fight the Fat Challenge 2013 - Week 7 of 26

13th Aug 2013
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I am getting used to fast days. What I am now doing is on fast days I am not eating anything during day time. This way I have just under 600 cals (after 3 cups of tea) to enjoy in the evening.

As I mentioned in my last blog on this subject in order to achieve my target by the end of the year I need to lose about 2lbs a week. My average is 1lb a week. This may change.

I am finding that since I can eat whatever I want on non-fast days my cravings for all the food I should not be eating are not there so much. I have also found that my food consumption is beginning to decrease. Having said that it is still high but not as much as before.

For example, I could not manage 600 cals last night. I managed 425 cals total for the day . This may be because I had to report back today on my progress and I did not want to face embarrassment of another gain or another no loss/no gain!

It is really good to hear how other people are making progress on their weight loss journey. Please carry on doing this.

I do not think there is a right way or wrong way to lose weight. It is what works for you. For me the Fast Diet works since the changes I am making are for the long term. Fast days are a real education. They just me think about what I eat, the way I eat and the changes I need to make.

Overall it is slow progress. The key benefit is I am beginning to change my ways.

Weight Loss Data:

This week’s result:                                   1 lb loss

Total Weight loss to date:                       9 lbs

This week’s Weight:                                 12 stones and 09 lbs

Weight to lose by 31 December             37 lbs

Cycled to work:                                          40 miles

Target Weight:                                           10 stones (My height is 5' 5") 

Target Date to Reach Ideal Weight :    Tuesday  31 December 2013

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Replies (29)

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By petersaxton
13th Aug 2013 07:27

You have a point

"I do not think there is a right way or wrong way to lose weight. It is what works for you. For me the Fast Diet works since the changes I am making are for the long term. Fast days are a real education. They just me think about what I eat, the way I eat and the changes I need to make."

If it's working for you that's good.

We are different. I can happily eat a lot of food. Having said that I am an extremist in most things. This is why, once I decided to lose weight - I lost weight. I just don't want to eat. There's a large quantity of food I am not going to eat even when I reach my target weight.

If you are happy with your weight loss then you are doing what you want and you should be happy. I would rather do it quickly. You are doing it slowly but then I have a lot of catching up to do!

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By Brad
13th Aug 2013 17:28

The problem with fast dieting is that it crashes your metabolism, your body in effect is saying "Oh hell if I maintain this calorie intake for a considerable amount of time then I'm going to die.' Therefore it slows down the chemical reactions in the body.

 

Advice on losing weight would be to fast on an evening say 6pm and eat no carbs, in the morning get to the gym early slow jog with a high incline, this makes your body use your carbs up before you go to sleep which means by the morning you have no sugar in your system and your body is forced to go into it's fat stores for energy.

 

Small meals more often maintains metabolism, but would also advise to do some weights to make use of the afterburn effect, this is where hours after exercise you are still burning more calories because your body is repairing your body from the intensity of the weights, try to do more leg work than biceps for high calorie burn!

 

And good luck on your quest!

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Replying to atleastisoundknowledgable...:
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By dtweats
13th Aug 2013 20:11

The Science is in the book.

Brad wrote:

The problem with fast dieting is that it crashes your metabolism, your body in effect is saying "Oh hell if I maintain this calorie intake for a considerable amount of time then I'm going to die.' Therefore it slows down the chemical reactions in the body.

 

Advice on losing weight would be to fast on an evening say 6pm and eat no carbs, in the morning get to the gym early slow jog with a high incline, this makes your body use your carbs up before you go to sleep which means by the morning you have no sugar in your system and your body is forced to go into it's fat stores for energy.

 

Small meals more often maintains metabolism, but would also advise to do some weights to make use of the afterburn effect, this is where hours after exercise you are still burning more calories because your body is repairing your body from the intensity of the weights, try to do more leg work than biceps for high calorie burn!

 

And good luck on your quest!

Dr Michael Mosley goes into this in his book The Fast Diet. Unfortunately, neither my memory nor my science are good enough to explain it, but he does show how the diet works and the great benefits it brings not only in weight loss but in overall health. What's more, it seems to work. It really is worth a read, in my view.

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By petersaxton
13th Aug 2013 17:38

I eat regularly

I have a pack of carrots or other vegetables and nibble throughout the day.

I'm not into going to the gym. It also can leave me very tired and that's not good if I'm trying to work.

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By dtweats
13th Aug 2013 20:09

I'm wary of setting goals.
It's very tempting to set a goal that you will lose so many pounds by such and such a date, but I'm not convinced it's a good idea. Goals can be over-optimistic and set you up for disappointment. If I had set a target of two pounds a week I would have lost something like sixty pounds by now. One pound a week would have been more realistic. But that's okay because I feel that if I lose weight slowly I'm more likely to keep it off long term.

I also suspect that the rate of weight loss can depend on variables such as exercise/muscle build, water retention and metabolism. I also seem to recall reading somewhere that the amount of sleep you get makes a difference, and also I think the amount of stress. Furthermore, I find that my weight fluctuates up and down, and I have decided not to weigh myself as often as I did, which was every day until recently.

I would therefore set a goal of sticking to the diet until I reach my goal weight rather than an amount of weight loss by a certain time. I make the diet a part of my life, and aim to be relaxed about the results so that I can enjoy them. I certainly enjoy seeing the thinner me in a mirror, and the increasing looseness of my clothes, which does not always seem to be in relation to what the scales say.

My suggestion is to Keep up with the diet, enjoy the journey and focus on the long term benefits to your health. As for weight loss - relax and you'll get there eventually.

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By petersaxton
13th Aug 2013 20:26

Goals

I agree that goals of a certain loss by a certain date are bad for all the reasons you give.

I have a maximum calorie count a day but I try to consume a lot less if possible. There are many foods that I am avoiding. I have a goal but I am not setting a date.

I don't think diet fads like 5:2 are very good if they rely on people's self control. Some people will just eat as much as possible on the non-fast days and hardly lose on weight.

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By petersaxton
14th Aug 2013 07:43

5:2 diet

What I don't like about this diet is that some people see the 5 days are a justification to binge. I think it would be better if they put a limit on the non-fast days, maybe 1,000 calories. Having a diet that tries to harness people's minds is always going to fail with many people.

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By Brad
14th Aug 2013 09:46

My Experience

I began in December 2012, and since then have lost around 7kg of fat. I wasn't a big lad, at 5ft 3 I weighed 66.6kg, Now I'm weighing at 59,7kg. I did alot of cardio in the beginning but since then have done very little and focused on weight training I'm going for the ripped look.

 

I watch my diet and try to eat clean, I exercise regurlarly at the gym, swapping my diet was the hardest and I still from time to time sneak back into bad habits, it's so easy to order takeaways when working long days.

 

My advice is that being fit and healthy is a lifestyle, if you diet for x period of time you will only put the weight back on when you go back to normal. Therefore you need to make it as enjoyable as you can, this includes your exercise and your diet. Diet is key. If you manage that results will come.

 

I'm back to focussing on cardio and ab training as I go away at the end of the month. Full respect for anyone who attempts to turn their life around!

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FT
By FirstTab
14th Aug 2013 11:05

Wow!

dtweats and Brad- thanks for such a helpful and a supportive response. 

Brad I hope you achieve the ripped look you are aiming for. It would be good to hear of your progress What you are doing to achieve this - your journey. 

 

 

 

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By petersaxton
14th Aug 2013 11:17

FirstTab

How many calories do you consume on non-fast days?

My calorie intake varies from 200 to 600 per day. This means I am consistently losing weight. If you eat a lot on non-fast days you will put weight on.

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By Roland195
14th Aug 2013 11:45

200-600 calories

Please consider my previous point regarding proper medical advice as this is a dangerously low level especially for active adult males. You may be losing weight but you certainly will not be any healthier for it.  

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Replying to Kent accountant:
Locutus of Borg
By Locutus
14th Aug 2013 13:46

200-600 calories??

petersaxton wrote:

How many calories do you consume on non-fast days?

My calorie intake varies from 200 to 600 per day. This means I am consistently losing weight. If you eat a lot on non-fast days you will put weight on. 

Are you really only consuming 200-600 calories per day?  I'll hardly recognise you at the next Aweb drinks before Christmas.  You'll be the skinny guy in the corner!

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Replying to lionofludesch:
By petersaxton
14th Aug 2013 13:56

I used to be 13 stone from about 16 until 40

Locutus wrote:

petersaxton wrote:

How many calories do you consume on non-fast days?

My calorie intake varies from 200 to 600 per day. This means I am consistently losing weight. If you eat a lot on non-fast days you will put weight on. 

Are you really only consuming 200-600 calories per day?  I'll hardly recognise you at the next Aweb drinks before Christmas.  You'll be the skinny guy in the corner!

Yes. Today I have had half a container of soup (120 calories) and about 150 kg of carrots (45 calories).

I bought some horrible meal replacement shakes (200 calories) which I hate and I'm not going to get them again but I'm going to have one a day.

I also drink a lot of water.

I'll wear my name badge from the last meeting - Peter "Fatty" Saxton.

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Replying to lionofludesch:
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By tom123
14th Aug 2013 18:21

World record

petersaxton wrote:
 

 

Yes. Today I have had half a container of soup (120 calories) and about 150 kg of carrots (45 calories).

I bought some horrible meal replacement shakes (200 calories) which I hate and I'm not going to get them again but I'm going to have one a day.

I also drink a lot of water.

I'll wear my name badge from the last meeting - Peter "Fatty" Saxton.

 

Seriously impressed with 150kg of carrots....

I am going to try taking raw veg to work. I used to wok with a chef turned accountant who was always eating carrots too.

Almost looking forward to my fasting day tomorrow,

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By petersaxton
14th Aug 2013 12:02

I went to my docter yesterday and she gave me the OK

I make sure I eat a lot of vegetables and drink a lot of water.

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By User deleted
14th Aug 2013 12:14

New name

Can we call you Peter Rabbit from now on?!

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By petersaxton
14th Aug 2013 12:31

I like it

I'm cute and cuddly, too.

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By ShirleyM
14th Aug 2013 12:33

Oh, yes :)

Peter Rabbit, disguised as Peter the Cat.

On a more serious note ... well done, Peter. I am relieved that you are taking medical advice.

 

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By petersaxton
14th Aug 2013 12:43

Thanks

Six kilograms in six days was more than I expected to lose but now I am sure that I can add to my calorie intake (if I need to) and still lose weight.

When I say "add" I don't mean going on a crazy binge because I can. I'll still keep my calories low.

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By mrme89
14th Aug 2013 13:48

@ Locutus - Your comment made me think of the nutty professor / buddy love.

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By Roland195
14th Aug 2013 14:03

The flabby guy in the corner

Following the above diet plan, your overall weight may decrease but your body fat percentage is going to go through the roof and your general health will decline. In First Tab's case, I would be genuinely concerned that he is going to attempt to cycle home on one of these "fast days" - it's akin to trying to drive your car when the needle is past empty. Is this a symptom of our quick fix society?

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By petersaxton
14th Aug 2013 14:47

Roland

I'm happy to get advice. I did get medical advice yesterday and I was given the all clear.

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By User deleted
14th Aug 2013 16:16

By no means an expert ...

... but surely it is as much about the right calories as total calories?

2 Mars bars would give you @ 500 calories, a healthy mix of fruit veg and cereal to the same value would be much better wouldn't it?

I must say, the Hairy Bikers diet looked much better, from memory it was a balanced 1200 calories a day to get to target weight, then back up to a level nearer the 2500 a day recommended.

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By Brad
14th Aug 2013 16:32

My Experience

Your welcome,

 

A little bit about my experience, from 5 to around 18 I competed up to international standard in Judo so my fitness was extremely high but I had to stop through injury, I damaged my bank in tournament in Portugal.

Since then, I got a job in retail basically working behind a counter for a few years and due to late night shifts etc my diet was horrendous I literally had a takeaway every single day and sometimes twice!

So three years went by and I was out of shape but you wouldn't have thought I was 'fat'. However to my high standards I felt that I needed to make a change. By this time I'd been working in an accountancy practice for around 4 months and had a much better time schedule. So at first my goal was to lose weight. 

I began going to the gym with friends and doing 30 minute runs at a steady jog for 4 minutes with 1 minute of a sprint. This is called HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and is a proven calorie burner! All the programmes such as Insanity etc use this method.

I did weights to build back my strength and it was amazing the amount of strength I had lost. 

I stopped having takeaways altogether and tried to cook healthy foods. However I was new to it all and wasn't effectively training in the weights department and the same with my diet.

Now to drop my body fat, which my aim is around 6%, currently at 8,5%~. I eat no carbohydrates after 6pm and try to make my evening meal as meaty as I can. This enables my body to burn off the sugar stores in the evening and while I sleep. When I wake up, I have no breakfast and go straight to the gym. My body then still has no sugar, I put the treadmill on an incline of around level 4, and the pace at 5MPH which is a slow jog. This forces my body to go into my fat stores. But be careful if you put the pace too high it is much easier to break down muscle!

I still keep weight training and I make a log of every exercise I do and the weight I do and reps. This enables me to see improvement and always have a target to beat! This helps with whats called the afterburn affect. This is where the body is using a higher rate of calorie burning AFTER exercise which you can't get from cardio because there is no real need to repair. The increased muscle mass also increases your metabolic rate. Winner!

I would advise not to lower your calorie intake to a minimum or to go a long period of time without eating for the following reasons:

If you don't eat for a long period of time, at rest your body finds it easier to break down your protein for energy which is slows your metabolism, and doesn't decrease your fat stores.

Secondly crash dieting can put strain on your heart and causes extreme fatigue and a number of other problems. So please be careful.

I currently weigh 60kg at 5ft 3 and consume around 1800calories per day with exercise 4 times per week. So I am slowly lowering my fat levels.

 

If you would like any advice please feel free to message me and I will do my best help you.

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By User deleted
14th Aug 2013 16:52

@ Brad

That's good advice Brad - I might try some early morning exercise (exercise bike) to burn the fat stores off before brekkie. And some slower pedalling with sprints built in - no chance of me sprinting the whole time!! Last time I checked my fat % on my scales I was horrified - given that I've lost weight I thought it would be reasonably okay but alas no. 

Of course all of this does mean getting up earlier :( 

 

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By petersaxton
14th Aug 2013 18:36

Sorry

150 grams of carrots!

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By Brad
14th Aug 2013 20:37

Long term / short term goals
We all have different aims, set yourself a non timescale long term aim, and make yourself short term realistic goals helps keep ypu motivated, blogging really does help with motivation, sounds like you are really on the way! The half 6 mornings kill me I wont lie but I always feel better once I have finished the gym! And probably more productive as well!

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By tom123
17th Aug 2013 07:16

Now officially 'normal' weight

I find 5:2 easy, because I only have to make an effort on two days per week. I also find that I eat a balanced diet on the other 5 days, without eating any rubbish - so I think this has improved my diet for the whole week.

Even on the fasting days I do have three meals, 

As of today, I am no longer in the overweight category on the BMI chart - for the first time in a long time.

Still haven't got round to eating the carrots, so that is for next week.

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By petersaxton
17th Aug 2013 07:28

5:2 diet

Well done on your BMI.

What you are doing on the five days is what you should be doing. My concern was that FT was interpreting the diet as fasting for two days and binging for five days.

I'm not very good at doing things in moderation. This is why I have really cut back. When I think I have done this for long enough I will increase my intake of calories but still have an emphasis on healthy food, which I didn't have previously.

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