My second fast

June 3rd was my second fast. This time, hunger sensations and the psychological desire for food wasn't as bothersome as during the first fast, but I felt weak and more tired than usual throughout the day. By bedtime, my muscles felt sore even though the most physical thing I did all day was go for a short stroll in the park with the baby.

I ate at 5 pm and then continued fasting until 9 am this morning. It's now 10:30 and my body feels a bit better but all I really want to do is go back to sleep. I could use 3-4 hours of solid sleep!!

Before breaking the fast, the scale was down another 2 lbs.

Notes on my first fast

My first fast was Friday, May 31st.

I tried to fast on Thursday the 30th, but I messed up in the morning and simply decided to try again the next day. I didn't have that old desire to wait until Monday to begin (translation: binge Thursday through Sunday night and then start anew on a magical, mystical Monday morning).

The fast went fine. I found it easier to deal with the hunger pangs before eating my one meal than I did after eating. At 4pm I had cottage cheese, broccoli, and salmon. I was hungry a few hours later but made it through the evening by drinking water and staying busy.

I wanted to wait until about 8 a.m. Saturday morning to eat again, but caved at 2 a.m. while up with a fussy baby. So that's something I will have to guard against in the future: emotions and fatigue getting the better of me. Nevertheless, I met the goal of eating only one 500 calorie meal in a 24 hour (and then some) period.

The scale is down 3 pounds as of today, but I'm not taking that too seriously at this very early stage.

My next fast is tomorrow. Mondays and Thursdays are my planned fasting days.

Anyone else out there doing some form of intermittent fasting?

Starting the 5:2 diet

Most people that have had weight problems for a long time usually say things like "I've tried everything over the years, including Weight Watchers, Atkins, South Beach..."

I can't say that.  I've tried a few things, sure.  I've tried intuitive eating and the no S diet, for example.  But anytime I reviewed the mainstream diets out there and saw restrictive food lists (Atkins, Medifast) or the need to count calories or points or carbs on a daily basis, I knew that I'd never ever stick to it.  Ever.

I was never willing to crash diet for special events, either, which meant I was a fat bridesmaid at my brother's wedding and a fat matron of honor at my sister's wedding.  I don't like looking at photos from those events, but I believe I'd be even fatter than I am today had I rushed to lose weight in an unsustainable manner for the weddings.

All this is to say I'm not a big "diet" person.  I met the diagnostic criteria for binge eating disorder for many years, and I still have problems with bouts of emotional, compulsive eating, so for a long time now my focus has been on dealing with that.

The binge eating problem has gotten much better over the past year or so, but my weight remains stuck.  I've been bouncing around the 250s for quite some time now, and for the last month, I've been right around 262.  I'm not okay with that.  I could easily go from 262 to 272, and then....will I go higher than my all-time high of 275?

So I'm actually going to try a diet!  The 5:2 diet, in which you limit yourself to 500 calories two days a week and eat as you normally do on the other days of the week, appeals to me for a few reasons:

1.  I'm a total Anglophile.  (Kidding, kidding.  I AM an Anglophile but that's not why I'm doing this.)

2. I'm not willing to count calories every day.  5:2 requires me to count calories two days a week and I think I can do that if I keep it simple, using the same on-plan meal for my fasting days for a few weeks and then moving on to a new one, repeating that one for awhile, and so on.

3.  My attempts to give up particular foods, mostly desserts, has always led to disastrous backlash in the past.  It's a psychological issue, and it's not going away.  Better if I simply work with how I'm wired.  I do not have to give up dessert on this plan.

4.  I like how I feel when I give my body a break from food for a reasonable period of time, and regularly go 12-14 hours without food already (that includes sleeping time, though).

5.  In general, I'd rather suffer a bit two days a week than suffer every single day on a very restrictive or burdensome plan.

I just finished my first fast and it went well!  More to come...

My Pinterest Board for Plus Size Clothes

I joined Pinterest yesterday and thought I'd share it here, in case someone out there has a body similar to mine and just as much trouble finding stuff.  Here's my profile:

www.pinterest.com/toomuchinput

You'll find-

• plus size pants in petite lengths
• plus size tops, many of them long (I'm long waisted), and dresses
• wide width shoes.  Typically no heels above 3 inches (besides the occasional platform), and most around 2 or 2.5 inches.  I'm hunting for wide calf boots too.
• plus size activewear--so hard to find good looking options in this category!
• plus size accessories and miscellaneous--shapewear, undergarments, tights, belts, etc. 

(headless) photos of me

Here I am, trying out a dress from Gwynnie Bee.  Pictures are always a good reality check--especially those taken from the side and back, because I don't see myself clearly from these vantage points in the mirror.

The dress is one size too big, so I sent it back and am waiting for a replacement to come in the proper size.  The cardigan is from Target, the belt is from a different cardigan set, necklace is a cheapie made of wooden beads, and shoes are from Land's End.  I'm considering this outfit for a daytime party I'm attending in about a  month.