May 20, 2019:

I am on my first 5/2 day. So far so good, but it's only 12:45PM.

Sat with someone eating Whataburger right in front of me during lunch. Torture!!

THERE'S ALWAYS TOMORROW...

My Fitness Pal doesn't like 5/2 days:

"Completing your diary with fewer than the minimum calories noted above will not generate a news feed post for that day, or show a five-week weight projection."

Vernada said:

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I've read that IMF is mor challenging for women.

Are there any women than can offer their experiences?

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I think they encourage women to have longer eating windows (14/10)

Gilligan said:

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May 20, 2019:

I am on my first 5/2 day. So far so good, but it's only 12:45PM.

Sat with someone eating Whataburger right in front of me during lunch. Torture!!

THERE'S ALWAYS TOMORROW...

My Fitness Pal doesn't like 5/2 days:

"Completing your diary with fewer than the minimum calories noted above will not generate a news feed post for that day, or show a five-week weight projection."

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Yes, MyFitnessPal does complain about 5/2 days. Ignore it. :-)

I'm doing this IMF plan (although probably not on Memorial Day weekend LOL) but I have a question about artificial sweeteners. I love iced tea and prefer to put either sweet n low or splenda in it. Stevia and truvia don't taste nearly as good to me so is there anything wrong with me using artificial sweetener with my morning iced tea?

I'm kind of distrustful of them but man it's HARD for me to get used to drinking plain unsweetened tea. Also, will using artificial sweeteners hinder weight loss by tricking your body into thinking it's using sugar? Thanks for any answers!

In the mornings I do not put any type of sweetener in my coffee but do like sweet tea but I only use splenda in it now when I do have sweet tea but will not drink tea during the fasting period. I have seen different comments on yes it will trick your body or no it won't. I just choose to not tempt my body with it.

Gomer95 said:

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I'm doing this IMF plan (although probably not on Memorial Day weekend LOL) but I have a question about artificial sweeteners. I love iced tea and prefer to put either sweet n low or splenda in it. Stevia and truvia don't taste nearly as good to me so is there anything wrong with me using artificial sweetener with my morning iced tea?

I'm kind of distrustful of them but man it's HARD for me to get used to drinking plain unsweetened tea. Also, will using artificial sweeteners hinder weight loss by tricking your body into thinking it's using sugar? Thanks for any answers!

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I would skip the artificial sweeteners since they supposedly wreak havoc on your insulin production.

Yes, unfortunately you need to skip the artificial sweeteners. Staying in a fat burning state is all about your insulin production, and artificial sweeteners WILL trigger an insulin response. They have even done studies where subjects simply swished a drink with artificial sweeteners around in their mouths and spit it out and it STILL triggered an insulin response.

Dr. Fung relates several studies in The Obesity Code and they are all bad news. Artificial sweeteners actually increase your risk of obesity. Diet sodas are associated with a 43 percent increase in risk for strokes and heart attacks. He STRONGLY recommends avoiding ALL artificial sweeteners and calls them poison.

Best advice is to get rid of that habit of sweetened drinks, but if you MUST have them, I'd recommend only within your feeding window, and probably using a smaller amount of plain old sugar in your tea. Don't be afraid of full fat milk and old fashioned butter, it's better than the "lower fat" stuff. If you want a soft drink, get a small Coke instead of a large Diet Coke, and even then only once in awhile as a treat.

Ok. Thank all you folks for these good answers! I'll try to only drink any type of sweetened tea during my window with just a little real sugar but I'll try to go just to unsweet if I can. Thanks!

May 22, 2019:

Down another 1.6 lbs. About to be down 20 overall.

My first 5/2 wasn't too bad. I was worried about stamina at CrossFit, but I was fine.

Found an old shirt and it fits fine today.

Gomer95 said:

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Ok. Thank all you folks for these good answers! I'll try to only drink any type of sweetened tea during my window with just a little real sugar but I'll try to go just to unsweet if I can. Thanks!

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Just skip tea and hit the water and Le Croix hard.

Vernada said:

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Gomer95 said:

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Ok. Thank all you folks for these good answers! I'll try to only drink any type of sweetened tea during my window with just a little real sugar but I'll try to go just to unsweet if I can. Thanks!

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Just skip tea and hit the water and Le Croix hard.

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Good advice, but not the sweetened Le Croix ... any sweet tasting liquid can trigger an insulin response. Bubbly water is totally fine, just not the sweet stuff.

I have really enjoyed reading this thread and it has motivated me to give it a try.

On the subject of alternate beverages, is Vitamin Water ZERO good or not to drink. It is 0 calories, and advertised as naturally sweetened. Does this effect the insulin response? If so, is it something I should avoid 100% or just during my fasting period. Thanks!

AGS10TAK said:

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I have really enjoyed reading this thread and it has motivated me to give it a try.

On the subject of alternate beverages, is Vitamin Water ZERO good or not to drink. It is 0 calories, and advertised as naturally sweetened. Does this effect the insulin response? If so, is it something I should avoid 100% or just during my fasting period. Thanks!

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Quote:

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INGREDIENTS
[ol]

Reverse Osmosis Water, Less than 1% of: Erythritol, Citric Acid, Vegetable Juice (for color), Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), Stevia Leaf Extract, Magnesium Lactate, Calcium Lactate, Potassium Phosphate (Electrolyte), Natural Flavors, Zinc Gluconate, Taurine, Vitamin B5 (Calcium Pantothenate), Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin), Chromium Polynicotinate

[/ol]

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Stevia is an artificial sweetener, and will trigger an insulin response. Stick with good old ice water or something with bubbles if you want, but make sure it's just water and carbonation. Anything with a long ingredient list probably has some kind of sweetener in there somewhere.

Bottom line: if it tastes sweet, it will trigger an insulin response (even if you swish it around in your mouth and spit it out.)

Tailgate88,

Maybe you should add a section about how many calories we drink?

A Cappuccino, Frappuccino, Soda Pop, Energy Drinks, what people like me have to put in coffee to make it palatable...

Juices have so much sugar in them. It seems we consume a crap ton of calories in liquid form.

May 23rd:

Second 5/2 day ever. Let's see how it goes. I am really hungry and it's only 9:15AM.

Gilligan

Thanks!

Just completed my first month of IF and have dropped 14 lbs (230 to 216). My experiences thus far:

-18 / 6 is still my preferred protocol
- According to my FitBit I burn around 3,100 cals/day but early on I was only eating around 1,700- 1,900. I have since upped that a bit since that seems excessive. I now try to hit 2,200
-Combo of cardio and kettlebells/push ups/jump rope for workouts - alternating days about 5X week
-I do not miss or crave sugar and seeing success either on the scale or I feel is motivation enough to stay away
-Follow a very loose keto type diet where fat is the largest macro, followed by protein then carbs. I don't hit it every day and I don't obsess over it either
-My jeans look overly baggy in the crotch / butt so I will be looking for some smaller ones.

I think my biggest take away from IF is you feel amazing. I honestly feel like a new person. My energy is night and day before I started. Typically after dinner I would trend down and want to relax but now I am practically begging my daughter to let me push her in the stroller to the park so she can play. I am 45 now and I feel like I did when my now 16yr old was in preschool.
I will go so far as to say this boost of energy and mental clarity has helped me become more social and have a much better outlook on things. Rather than being so reserved I find myself starting more conversations at work and not just plugging away on emails in my office.

TL/DR- Just give it an honest shot and be the judge if this is right for you!

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Thank you to the Mods for restoring this thread!

May 28th Update:

Long weekend of graduation parties. Not getting on a scale.

CrossFit kicked my tail this morning and I am doing my third 5/2 today.

37 minutes until I can eat this bushel of lettuce...

~G

IT'S BACK BABY!!!!

I'd love a copy. I'm ready to get back to healthy. Thanks!

Email is my Texags handle at gmail

Thanks Staff!

tfunk02, will email you a link.

Glad to see this thread back up! Thank you, Tailgate88, for responding to my email over the weekend and sharing the pdf with me. By sharing your IMF experience, you've touched countless lives and families. Thank you!

I think it was mentioned earlier in this thread, but I've been using the Zero app to track my eating times and weight, and it has been extremely helpful. You can select from your preferred fasting method, and it'll give you notifications when your nearing your goal..."you're 1/2 way there; you've met your goal; you've exceeded your goal, etc."

Keep the testimonials coming, please. They provide a lot of motivation.

For those looking, I downloaded and played with several IMF apps and settled on Zero as well for it's ease of use.

I will check out the Zero app, thanks!

Thank you for bringing this thread back.

would love the pdf

trentarm6 at yahoo

It's alive!!!

Another in for the pdf please. AggieRob93 at gmail dot com.

Thanks!

Please send the PDF my way as well. Thanks!

chuckbr24 AT gmail

It appears the nuking and resurrection of this thread has raised it's profile to biblical proportions....

IT HAS RISEN!

Bigger Event, AggieRob93, and Sir Charles, email sent!

I think I am ready to jump on board with this. It finally happened. I finally reached that age where I can no longer just sleep off the beer and pizza weight. Going to have to work now it looks like.

I have followed this thread for some time but never really seriously thought about doing it myself. I'm an admitted foodie and I also maintain a pretty heavy workout schedule as of late. So never really thought it was for me.

But hell, willing to give it a try now. Can't hurt I guess. I am thinking that the 5:2 method most closely fits what I do now anyways so looks like a good place to start for me.

So Tailgate, would love some more info to help me along. bobgill86 at Gmail if ya don't mind.

Thanks!

Also will look into the zero app.

I'd like the pdf as well please! connermowery14@gmail.com

Eliminatus and CMow14, email sent.

Is there a significance to 16 hours?

With the heat of summer, I typically hold off on my workout until 7 pm or so. By the time I finish, shower, and cook I'm not eating until 9. I personally (mental) have difficulty making it until 1 for lunch and most days my schedule doesn't allow it.....

Tried working out in the morning, and some days I still do. But I'm just not a morning person and have enough difficulty getting to work at 7 am without working out.

I'd like a copy as well. nash and dirk @ yahoo