Fast-5 Anyone? - Page 2

[FairyRae]

Phinnysmom--how do you like fasted yoga? (I love it! )

I'm doing a long fast today (for me) and planning to wait till dinner to eat. I'm feeling fine now and drinking water, just going about my day w/ ds and the kiddo I babysit. Although I don't do strict fast-5, I love the ideas and science behind it, and may try and do a longer fast 1x a week, along w/ my shorter fasts (skipping breakfast) that happen throughout the week, and the days where I just do a reg. breakfast, lunch and dinner.

What I really love about fasting though, is that freedom feeling of not needing to figure out multiple things to eat, not needing to play mental games about various snacks I will or will not have, etc. I also like planning for my break-the-fast meals as well--that is fun and exciting.

Good stuff! I'm here ladies, just doing it in a manner that works for me atm!

[FairyRae]

Hey ladies--came across these links and thought you might be interested. Both from the 'lean gains' site--which recommends an 8-10 hr eating window, 12-14 hour fast daily. Just thought I'd share!

Top Ten Fasting Myths Debunked

Lean Gains Guide (different from Fast 5, but may be helpful anyway? I've yet to read it--off to check it out more now...) ETA: I don't follow the 'lean gains' program, but find it interesting. (I'm more of a TF paleo/primal gal, but my fasting patterns most closely mimic those at lean gains.)

Ended my fast w/ a green smoothie. About to have some chicken wings (homemade, w/ homemade Buffalo sauce) and sauteed broccoli and garlic. Mmmmm!!

[PhinnysMom]

Hey FaeryRae, I actually can't do yoga except in a fasted state. I follow Iyengar's teaching that yoga be done no less than 3 hours after eating, ideally after having evacuated. I'll rarely practice after 1 pm.

I skimmed through the lean gains site. Interesting enough. I might revisit it at some point. Right now, I'm very much focused on the behavioral aspects of intermittent fasting. I think that's the foundation. Once that's established I can decide whether the content of my diet needs tweaking. For now, though, I'm loving eating the things I like during my feeding window. I like my coconut kefir green smoothies for breaking my fast. Sometimes I make one while I'm cooking dinner so that I'm not tempted to eat other things. In my book, green smoothies are an unrestricted/unlimited. And I am an absolute rice lover, and I like my seasonal fruits. As long as I can have my daily rice, my greens, and an apple or asian pear or two I am a happy woman. I also try to include adequate animal-based proteins and fats. I, too, am a TF-type, although I pick and choose the parts of it that suit me. Maybe as the kids get older I'll start making my own yogurt and kefir again, but for now, So Delicious Coconut Kefir and Fage Yogurt are working nicely.

[FairyRae]

Originally Posted by PhinnysMom

Hey FaeryRae, I actually can't do yoga except in a fasted state. I follow Iyengar's teaching that yoga be done no less than 3 hours after eating, ideally after having evacuated. I'll rarely practice after 1 pm.

I think it's pretty widely practiced not to eat prior to yoga for a few hours (I hear you on not being able to do it after eating--that is just an uncomfortable thing to attempt!)--but I find my practice feels easier/smoother/better in general when I do a longer fast before it for 14-18+ hours. When I practice, I like to do it at the end of a fast, even if that's just in the am after not eating all night. I do find after a longer fast though, it's just a neat feeling!

I skimmed through the lean gains site. Interesting enough. I might revisit it at some point. Right now, I'm very much focused on the behavioral aspects of intermittent fasting. I think that's the foundation. Once that's established I can decide whether the content of my diet needs tweaking. For now, though, I'm loving eating the things I like during my feeding window. I like my coconut kefir green smoothies for breaking my fast. Sometimes I make one while I'm cooking dinner so that I'm not tempted to eat other things. In my book, green smoothies are an unrestricted/unlimited. And I am an absolute rice lover, and I like my seasonal fruits. As long as I can have my daily rice, my greens, and an apple or asian pear or two I am a happy woman. I also try to include adequate animal-based proteins and fats. I, too, am a TF-type, although I pick and choose the parts of it that suit me. Maybe as the kids get older I'll start making my own yogurt and kefir again, but for now, So Delicious Coconut Kefir and Fage Yogurt are working nicely.

Mmmm--your smoothies sound yummy. I make mine w/ coconut milk, used to use homemade coconut milk yogurt (mmmm--too lazy atm though ). I think going w/ whatever works for you is great. For me fasting is more about the behavioral piece as well (although for me, going a bit lower carb/higher fat--I think--allowed me to get to a place where fasting felt good/was a reality--I don't think I could have ever gone so long w/out food w/out diet changes b/c I was once a compulsive/continual snacker/grazer, related in part to blood sugar issues, IMO. Those issues vanished on a lower carb/paleo-esque type of diet for me, and led to natural periods of intermittant fasting.) The lean gains site gives really specific recs for food intake etc, which I just don't follow (which is why I shared what I prefer to eat in general). But I do find his basic fasting info helpful.

[PhinnysMom]

Hey, so today is a break from yoga for me. I find I do best when I do like two days on one day off type of thing. Since I'm relatively new to it, I find that my hands and wrists need the break more than anything else. I'm still working on getting that alignment just right so that my wrists aren't getting as much pressure as they are. It doesn't help that I'm all kinds of hyperextended in my joints, so I have to make all sorts of compensatory microbends. It's a lot to coordinate. I think it will get better once my strength catches up with my flexibility, and it'll help to lose some weigh as well, although that isn't my main preoccupation right now. For me it's building a foundation in behavior, routine, self-care. All else will follow.

Today I tried So Delicious Strawberry coconut kefir. I found that on its own, it's a little too sweet for me, but mixed 1:1 with the plain, it's actually quite delightful and refreshing, pretty filling, and not to bad a carb load. I needed something for when I'm unable to make an actual smoothie, due to time, being busy, etc..., so that I don't reach for something less than ideal to tide me over. This will do the job nicely.

[FairyRae]

Originally Posted by PhinnysMom

Today I tried So Delicious Strawberry coconut kefir. I found that on its own, it's a little too sweet for me, but mixed 1:1 with the plain, it's actually quite delightful and refreshing, pretty filling, and not to bad a carb load. I needed something for when I'm unable to make an actual smoothie, due to time, being busy, etc..., so that I don't reach for something less than ideal to tide me over. This will do the job nicely.

Sounds I gotta try it!!!

[PhinnysMom]

It's quite luscious, I must say! An excellent way to break the fast.

Hubby returns tomorrow. I miss having another grown-up in the house to eat dinner with. It's been nice not to have to fuss too much about meal planning, but at the same time, I think I make better choices when I plan things out better.

I don't know what's up with me these days, but I seem to be craving large amounts of broccoli sauteed in olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, with a little sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese! Today I had it with a side of steamed Haiga rice (brown rice with the bran removed but the germ intact, aka, the most healthful rice according to Japanese researchers) and a small baked sweet potato.

I found myself wanting to munch right up to the end of my window, and realized it's probably because I hardly had any protein, aside from what was in the kefir. I've got to be a little more conscientious about my protein intake and monitor to see if the desire to binge changes.

In any case, yay me for honoring the end of my 5 hour window (noon to 5 pm), drinking a glass of water and brushing my teeth. That ritual usually helps in signaling the start of the fast. I'm feeing OK now. Comfortable, not bloated, ready to hit the sack.

I'm going into my monthly PMS week, meaning a lot of body discomfort (boob pain, mostly), and a spike in carb cravings. I'm really hoping Fast-5 will help me get through the next week or so in better shape than in previous cycles. Didn't someone tell me that we weren't supposed to be suffering from PMS after going through pregnancy, childbirth, and nursing? I nursed my son for 3.5 years, and was free from AF that whole time, and free from PMS symptoms for another year after he weaned. This whole thing just started up again like 6 months ago, and I don't like it!