This is truly an experiment. I've been doing Atkins for the last two weeks, but have been eating more calories than I think is good for my body at this weight and age. In a few more days, I'll be turning 50, and I'm expecting the hormone issues to kick in any time now. I've already lost 81 lbs (60 on lowcarb), and I need to find a limiting but flexible program to get the rest of the job done.


After reading the research on intermittent fasting, I've decided I want to give it a try, for several reasons:

1. I never eat much breakfast anyway
2. The 5 to 10pm slot is when I really want to eat anyway
3. I think I could use the 5-hour window to eat good-sized lowcarb meals and still keep my calories below 2000/day
4. I like the idea of saving money on eating lunches out every day
5. I like the idea that I could switch over to more of a CAD-type meal during the window if a social situation warrants it
6. I have a fair amount of business travel and eliminating the morning/afternoon meals will actually make staying on a plan much easier for me

And of course, if it doesn't work, I can always go back to pure Atkins.


So my plan for this week is:

* 5-hour window from 5pm to 10pm
* Clean eating, no more than 30 carbs/day Monday-Friday
* Option to do a balanced CAD meal during the window Saturday-Sunday if needed


Today's weight: 169.5

Today was actually my first day testing the IF. I did not have a lowcarb meal, but I managed the fast until 5pm fairly well, and didn't feel like eating anything else after 9pm. Tomorrow will be my first day to do a lowcarb window.

Here goes. . .

Best wishes to you on this!

Thanks, Jimmy. We'll see what happens. I'm totally okay with being in experimental mode right now, so if it doesn't work, I'll just consider it another lesson learned.

OKAYYYYYYYYY, DAY 1:

Weight: 170.5

Another pound up. This is no big surprise, since I ate a much carb-heavier meal last night than I intended to. My total calorie count for yesterday was just under 1500 calories, and 56% fat, but I only got in 60 grams of protein. Carbs were at 130 grams (ouch).

But I'm not feeling bloated or "carb-hungover" this morning. No huge urge to eat yet. I'm hanging out at the office with a large Starbucks Americano. I'm going to attempt to make it to the 5pm window today, but if that's too much to tackle starting out, I have a couple of EAS shakes and some cheese in the fridge for backup.

So far, so good. Made it through lunch on a large Diet Pepsi while running errands. There are a few hunger pangs, but nothing overwhelming at this point.

I *am* experiencing that energy rush that several of the IF authors have mentioned--it's kind of amazing. I really wanted to go walk a couple of miles during the lunch break, it felt so good to move. Wish I had had the time.

There's nothing I like better than a good old dose of Diet Honeymoon Euphoria, lol. . . enjoy it while it lasts.

Congratulations on the Weightloss Marla!
You look fabulous and I'm sure you feel like it too.

First ~ let me say you don't look 49 yrs. old~

Second~I could NEVER go the Fasting Route, I love food too much.
Since seeing how much food I can eat doing Atkins~~
I'm never going back to the Low Fat ways, funny they call them that,
because everyone I know that's done one has Gained weight, not lost it.

Welcome here to Jimmy's Place, I know you'll love it here~~

Su

Thanks for the compliment, Su--I lucked out on the gene pool. Although I must say, 50 is looking a lot younger than it used to!

I think the reason I'm trying this is *because* I love my food too much. I found last week that I can easily put away 2000-3000 calories a day lowcarbing without thinking about it too much, when I'm eating over a 14-16 hour period. Okay, that's during the first two weeks, and I know it's possible that my appetite would eventually stabilize at a lower level.

But I tried Atkins a couple of years ago and had the same problem--the cravings were gone, but it didn't keep me from plowing through way too much food and grazing around the edges on nuts and cheese until I stalled. So I see this experiment as a way to let me eat the meal volume I want, and also allow me some of my beloved nuts and cheese, but place some needed control on the situation. I know I can't put away 2000 calories in five hours without causing pain.

I envy the people whose appetite settles into that 1200-1400 calorie a day routine.

Ten minutes to dinnertime--WOOHOOOOOO!!

I'm watching this. I read the book and I'm curious how it works. My husband and I travel on our motorcycle a lot and it is not always convenient to eat "3 meals a day". I'm curious to see how this works for you... I'm subscribing to this post.

Thanks for braving "new" territory.

I'm watching this too. I sleep late in the morning and am usually not hungry until dinnertime. I just downloaded the ebook so I'm going to add it to the neverending "stack" of diet books that I'm reading!

ACK! I'm going to feel like a guinea pig with all these eyes on me.

So here's how it went tonight:

"Break fast" at 5pm
EAS Lowcarb Shake ( 1 serving )
Laughing Cow Swiss Cheese ( 1 serving )

I was hungry and ready to eat at 5pm, but I was amazed at how full I felt after the shake and that little chunk of cheese. I really wasn't ready t eat dinner at 6:30, but had promised my son, so. . .

Dinner at 6:30pm

This was a buffet meal, and I was suddenly aware of how much I needed to "catch up" nutritionally for the day. But I overdid it, and nearly made myself sick. If I were to do it again, I would skip the pork chop and creamed spinach (although they were very good).

Pork chop, ( 4 oz, boneless, cooked )
Beef, top sirloin, trimmed to 1/4" fat, ( 5 oz )
Spinach, raw ( 3 cup )
Pork bacon, smoked or cured ( 2 TBS )
Sunflower seeds, hulled, dry roasted ( 0.5 oz )
Caesar dressing ( 2 tablespoon )
Creamed spinach ( 0.25 cup )


Evening snack

This was my attempt at a peanut butter fudge recipe, and it was absolutely delicious. I think I'm going to have this for a treat nearly every night--it was so creamy.

Peanut butter ( 2 tablespoon )
Coconut oil (2 tablespoons)
Hazelnut DaVinci's syrum (2 tablespoons)
Mix well and freeze for 30 minutes

TOTALS:

Calories 1531
Fats 114g
Carbs 23g (15 net)
Protein 108g


If I were to do the day over, I would also not drink the EAS shake at 5pm, but have a little cheese snack, then maybe eat the meal at 6pm. And maybe have the shake later if I felt like it. But I bet I wouldn't need it. I stopped eating at 9:15pm and am very comfortably full right now.

By the way, TOM seems to be starting today. We'll see how the scales look tomorrow.

Protein seems too high, except for that~~PERFECT !!!!

Su

Yup, it was a little too high. If I had left out the pork chop, the protein would have been just right. But my eyes were a little too big for my stomach.

Good Morning Marla,
I wrote about our plans to meet in my Journal, and have put out an open Invitation for May or June of next year.
Once put in motion & Planned we could have "One Heck of a Weekend".
Let's see who bites the bait (fishin` talk) LMBO
Su

Cool, Su! I just put it in my siggy line.

I am officially down to 169 this morning. That is 1.5 lbs down from yesterday, so the water is starting to come off.

My low at the point of ditching Kimkins was 163.5, so I'll feel really good if I can get this next six lbs back off anytime soon.

YOU'LL GET THE WEIGHT OFF~~

I LIKE HOW YOU PUT THAT IN YOUR SIGGY BOX~~

YOU'RE SO SMART !!!

Hey There Marla,

Check it out~
Robin helped me put the Notice about the Get-Together in my Siggy box.
She's a cool Lady like you, wish she could come to our meeting, I know we'd all
get along just fine!

Sorry I haven't posted to you earlier today, but I had more Banking Business in Idabel to take care of by phone. Then I went out and actually bought the Moving Trailer DH & I talked about. Then had to go to the Body Shop & get an Estimate to paint my new Tailgate for my Ford F-150. I'll be taking it in tomorrow at 7am, then it's back here to start going thru more closets, cabinets and drawers.
Pack what I'm keeping and bag up stuff for the Good Will.

I refuse to Move something we don't need!

My dinner is settled now, so I better go clean up the kitchen before The Biggest Loser comes on.
After reading about your meal that included a Pork Chop~~I started Craving them.
So, I ate two (Garlic Parmesan coated & baked on a rack) 3 slices of tomato (from our garden) and 5 Olives.
I drank a 20 oz. glass of water with it and Trust me on this~~I am STUFFED !

I'll be over on the B.L. Forums after the Show to do my Re-cap, before I hit the sack.
Talk atcha tomorrow Pretty Lady!

Su~^j^

I would like to attend!! ... just as long as it is not in February when a group of us are taking the cruise out of Galveston.

I'm in Crockett -- East Texas

Ragandy,
Perhaps Marla might be able to meet you in Feb. but I won't be moving to Idabel until April~we were planning on it being in May or June.
I'll let Marla address this herself as I can not speak for her.
Thanks, Su

OH good!! ... because school will be out and I'll have more free time in June.

From what I know at this point, June is better for me as well. Totally depends on the weekend and the day, since I have about three jobs right now.

Yesterday's stats:

Calories: 1609
Fats: 123
Carbs: 24
Protein: 83

http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/PublicJournal...l?Owner=marlamp

This morning's weight: 168 (down 1 lb)

Yesterday was a little difficult. I actually had no problem at all with the fast--it was a busy day and suddenly I started getting really hungry about 4:45. No problem. I ate a small cheese snack right at 5pm, then went to get dinner at 6pm on the way to Chorale rehearsal. My intention was to eat a comfortable meal at that time, and another light meal after rehearsal at 9pm.

UNFORTUNATELY, rehearsal demands kept me much longer than usual, and I didn't even get home until 10pm, when my eating window was supposed to close. I kept it open anyway and had a ground beef patty and some peanut butter fudge--really needed it because my calories were still under 1000 before that point.

I can see that my evening rehearsal schedules on Tuesdays and Wednesdays are going to require some maneuvering.

Okay Marla~I'm tired just reading about all the stuff you do~lol

Your Counts from yesterday look Good~I'm proud!

I will start keeping a list of everyone interested in the group meeting in June.
Once we find out where everyone lives then we'll all put our heads together & come up with the Date, Time & Place ~that will be easy for everyone!

Marla, I know you're busy, busy as a Bee~~but could you also keep a note pad with the names of everyone & where they live?
I might not catch everyone who wants to join us, as I'll be away for the last week in this month & the first week in Nov.

Then, since you & I are basically in Charge of this "Girl's Day/Weekend"
we can compare notes & go from there.

Luv ya, Su

Su, I'll do what I can to note names. I have a fair bit of work travel coming up in the next four months and three jobs to keep up with, so my focus is a bit patchy at times, lol. . .

Yesterday's stats:

Calories: 1579
Carbs: 134
Fats: 55
Protein: 52


http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/PublicJournal...l?Owner=marlamp


Once again I got caught off guard with an evening schedule that didn't operate the way I thought it would, and a car that ended up in the shop yesterday afternoon so my ability to go eat where I wanted to was limited. It was not a horrible evening, but not well-balanced, either. Ended up having ice cream with a friend who really needed to talk after rehearsal, and while that's acceptable in the framework of a CAD meal, I didn't really have a meal with it--I was mostly snacking when I could during the food window.

Up a half lb today--not surprising with the salted nuts I had last night.

OMG~ I forgot you had such a heavy schedule ahead of you.

Okay, so forget trying to keep track of any of the June Listings, I'll handle it.

Your food count was waaaaaay too Low with FAT, you need to increase that and cut back on the Sodium~~but I'm sure you already know that!

The Calorie count was probably a little high too now that I've looked back at it,
I know Jimmy would say to keep the Cals. around 1200 to 1300~~
and you MUST increase the FAT!
His fave thing to say is:

FAT~FAT & MOORE FAT !!!! FAT IS YOUR FRIEND !

Su

LOL! I got the stats backward...fats *are* higher.


Calories: 1579
Fat: 134 (76%)
Carbs: 55
Fiber: 11
Protein: 52


My Fitday link isn't working for some reason. Hmmm...

~ALOT BETTER~

Well, yesterday was another trial--I'm seriously thinking we've had a full moon all week, lol!

I didn't totally hang in on the food window last night. While the first three hours went fine, we suddenly had to take my mother to the emergency room at 8pm when she was showing stroke-like symptoms (she is dealing with hydrocephalus and a lot of other physical problems anyway).

I probably could have just quit eating for the day then, but ended up eating a peanut butter fudge snack at nearly 2am when I got home, just . . . BECAUSE. Oh well, today is another day.

Calories: 1889
Fats: 156 (74%)
Carbs: 31
Fiber: 9
Protein: 103

Today's weight is 169.5, but I can tell from the way I feel that it's all about bathroom issues. Saturday is my official weekly weigh-in day, so we'll see how things look tomorrow.

Good Morning Marla,

Hope things settle down for you soon~~
I'm tired just reading about all the busy & hectic things going on in your Life!

I'll try to check for messages later today~if not~I'll pop in tomorrow!
Have a good day & week ahead.

Hugs, Su