How I lost 100 pounds using the pancake principle

 Hello my friends. Thanks for helping me unpack some of my CPTSD issues from narcissistic abuse by four narcissist parents. I'm feeling more about now to return to the purpose this blog was created, to show how I lost 100 pounds without weight loss drugs or gastric bypass surgery. Tonight I'm going to explain, from an experience I just had, how I lost 100 pounds using the pancake principle. And it dovetails nicely with intermittent fasting and calorie restricting. 

The pancake principle is a term I coined to explain why it's so easy to overeat, past satiation. I noticed this early on in my parenting when I would make pancakes for the children's breakfast. Round one went down fast and if asked, the kids would say they wanted seconds. Seconds went down a little more slowly but still they'd say they wanted more. By the third pancake, they were usually full. And there sat the pancakes. So I figured out (yes, I'm a little slow) to only make the third batch pancakes after round two had had time to digest. 

Because that's what happens. While you are eating, the food hasn't reached your stomach yet. So you are at that point, still hungry. So part of how I lost 100 pounds was to wait until my food has settled to see if I am still hungry. I often find that I'm not only no longer hungry I'm actually really full. Like now for instance. 

I came home from work hungry enough to eat anything that wasn't nailed down. Seriously, the cats were looking tempting. KIDDING. So I made myself a high protein bread sandwich with smoked salmon and lots of vegetables. (about 300 calories, less the parts I shared with the cats) We're Catholic and its Lent so we are fasting from meat, sweets and alcohol. Eating Lent is also part of  how I lost 100 pounds. 

I wrote a blog post for my Great Food 4U blog while I was eating my keto sandwich and said that I was still so hungry, I might make myself another one. I rounded off my meal with two dates which are great for curbing hunger, curbing sugar cravings and boosting metabolism. As such dates also help prevent Type 2 diabetes, prediabetes (insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome) After my meal I still felt hungry for about 10 minutes. And then what I ate hit my stomach and now I'm almost too full. On a meal of about 400 calories. Weight loss isn't just about calorie restricting. It's about how, when and what you eat too. More on that later!  

How I lost 100 pounds with March Madness weight loss challenge, just for the fun of it!

 Hello and welcome to this blog on how I lost 100 pounds without gastric bypass surgery or weight loss drugs! Today begins a new month and you know what that means here...a new weight loss challenge! This time it's a March Madness Weight loss challenge! And this one's just for fun! Are you ready, my fellow Mad Hatters? Let's go! 

First, let me begin by saying that this isn't a competition. It's just you doing what you in your wisdom know you need to do, whatever that may be. Do you think you need to lose weight? You can! It's simple! And that brings me to the first mad idea about weight loss. 

A common diet myth says weight loss has to be difficult and miserable and complicated. I'm going rogue to say that in fact, it's quite simple.  Just a matter of less and better in, really, whether that's with a 1200 calorie diet, or calorie restricting with intermittent fasting. You can follow keto or some other kind of diet if you want, also. 

Now you might be thinking, okay, simple, yes, but easy? It can't be. It's got to be grueling and unpleasant to lose weight. And you would be partly right that it's not always easy to follow the 1200 calorie diet or intermittent fasting. But it's not as hard as I thought it would be. Part of how I lost 100 pounds was to have fun with weight loss! Seriously! 

And that brings me right up to tomorrow's post on how I lost 100 pounds with fun, yes fun, tips and tricks, like this March Madness Weight loss challenge! I'll post more later on enjoyable ways to keep that 1200 calorie diet on track! 

How I lost 100 pounds without gastric bypass with vegetable soup cleanse

 Hello dear followers of this blog on how I lost 100 pounds without gastric bypass or weight loss drugs! On this lovely winter day, let's look at ways to keep that "New Year, Old You" weight loss challenge going. Part of  how I lost 100 pounds was with cleanse foods. And just perfect for cold weather, here are vegetable soup cleanse recipes to purge away the excess pounds picked up in holiday feasting.

Many weight loss regimen promise that you can lose weight without changing diet. I'm sorry to say that to shift any significant amount of weight, some change in eating habits is required, either with intermittent fasting, a cleanse, 1200 calorie diet, keto diet, etc. As gastric bypass shows like "My 600-lb Life" have demonstrated, no matter how you slice it, obesity is about eating too much, of the wrong foods, or both. 

Yes, I know that obesity, as defined by the BMI (body mass index) can be a little misleading. Bodybuilders, for example, have a large amount of muscle mass, compared to fat. Their weight may put them in overweight or obese. In that case, BMI may be inaccurate as it's not measuring body composition. And weight loss is about burning fat (the white adipose tissue kind) and converting it to muscle.  

But we're not talking about that type of "obesity" here. We're talking about "My 600-lb Life" white adipose tissue obesity gained from overeating eating junk food and not moving. I always have to make that disclaimer because part of how many of us got overweight was by denying obesity and making excuses for it. 

So back to the point of this post: how I lost 100 pounds burning fat with a vegetable soup cleanse. A soup cleanse activates the fat burning power of vegetables, herbs and spices. It's also, for you frugalistas, a great way to use up leftover veggies! My vegetable soup cleanse doesn't follow a specific recipe. I've always followed a rainbow diet as part of my 1200 calorie eating plan. So I aim to get as much color in my vegetable soup as possible. And of course, using up leftovers is the goal too. 

So yesterday, for my "new year, old you" weight loss challenge my vegetable soup cleanse recipe went like this:

Chicken bone broth (for protein), oregano and sage, turmeric, rainbow pepper and ginger (anti-inflammatory herbs) and Bragg's liquid amino (healthy salt substitute). Cauliflower, brussels sprouts, mushrooms, celery, red onion, scallions, red and yellow peppers and fresh parsley, cilantro and dill. To make it creamy and for

extra keto fat burning, I added mashed avocado. I topped it with rainbow slaw (shredded carrots and green and purple cabbage purple tossed with lemon juice, agave syrup and smidge of olive oil.)

Make a big batch and eat only this when intermittent fasting, It's perfect for the 1200 calorie diet as bone broth gives a bang of protein for very little calorie investment. You can pretty much eat as much as you want and so stave off hunger which is the bane of a cleanse or diet. 

December Weight Loss Challenge: Advent Fast to anticipate Christmas Feast

Hello friends of this blog on how I lost 100 pounds without gastric bypass surgery or weight loss drugs! Each month since January, this year, I've been issuing a series of monthly weight loss challenges (wow did that year fly by!) This month, I'm calling for an Advent fast to anticipate the Christmas feast. For four weeks prior to the Christmas holiday, Catholics observe Advent, a penitential season which prepares our hearts for the coming of Jesus. As in Lent prior to Easter, we up our prayers, fasting and almsgiving.

Part of how I lost 100 pounds was with a 1200 calorie diet such as Dr. Now uses on "My 600-lb Life" gastric bypass reality show. When I lost 35 pounds in 1992, after the birth of my 3rd child, I used intermittent fasting, a  weight loss technique that's come into vogue. I fasted on bread and water every Wednesday and Friday, for spiritual reasons, as our Lady of Medjugorje called us to. I had no thought to lose weight. But lose weight I did and it was a big surprise. 

So now every time I practice intermittent fasting, during religious seasons of Advent and Lent, I can't help  wondering and hoping to lose weight. Admittedly, it kind of takes the focus off spiritual growth to have this ulterior motive. But I guess it's all good because if I'm overweight and need to lose weight, then I'm doing my body as well as my soul some good with intermittent fasting. 

And really, intermittent fasting, or observing a 1200 calorie diet for a few weeks is good for emotional and mental health as well. It helps get the focus off food. In obesity, before I lost 100 pounds, I didn't practice self-control so well. And I didn't like that feeling of being out of control. "My 600-lb Life" shows people with morbid obesity struggling with food addiction and out-of-control eating. 

Following a 1200 calorie diet or intermittent fasting empowers me and makes me feel better about myself. "My 600-lb Life" shows gastric bypass patients happier as they take back control from food addiction. Now this might sound overwhelming to make such a drastic switch if you're used to eating a great deal more. But as I said in an earlier post, we don't have to do it forever. As Alanon says, we take it one day at a time. We ask for the strength just for today, to make choices that are in our best interest. 

And it's good for social health too. Eating less and simpler frees up monies to share with those who need it more than I do. It helps me live Advent virtues of love and generosity. Feel free to join me on the December weight loss challenge and even share it on social media! And stay tuned for more on how I lost 100 pounds. 

Spring into Weight Loss by uprooting where you're planted

 Hi friends of this blog on how I lost 100 pounds without gastric bypass. 2023 begins my 10th anniversary of a quest to end obesity with calorie restricting on a 1200 calorie diet. When I was very overweight, I was told--by a doctor-- that I couldn't lose weight without gastric bypass surgery. Picking up that gauntlet instead of rolling over and accepting his verdict was a big part of how I lost 100 pounds. After initial weight loss, I was repeatedly warned that I'd never be able to keep it off. Which would have been true if I'd stayed planted in old eating habits. 

But I didn't. I reshaped my entire life with routine calorie counting, a1200 calorie diet, intermittent fasting and setting personal goals.  This blog looks at ways to not only lose weight but keep obesity far away. One way is to set monthly challenges. We're nearing the end my March to Weight Loss challenge and for April, it's Spring into Weight Loss by uprooting where I'm planted and transplanting in better soil. I'll explain. 

All too often, those of us who struggle with morbid obesity have gotten too good a blooming where we are planted. We've gotten too content stuck in our rut and embraced laissez-faire. But wait, you might ask, isn't that a good thing, surrendering to the inevitable? No. We've surrendered alright, to being very overweight and given up doing anything to prevent getting more overweight. The reality show "My 600-lb Life" mirrors the horrifying effects of letting go. 

"My 600-lb Life" patients hoping for gastric bypass are planted in the idea that they are helpless. Their mantra is "I'm fat and can't change so why try?" They see gastric bypass surgery as an easy out. Every episode of "My 600-lb Life" Dr. Now has to re-explain that bariatric surgery won't magically fix them without work: calorie restricting on a 1200 calorie diet. 

Do you need or want to lose weight? Why not give my Spring into Weight Loss challenge a try? Join me as we discover and uproot old habits that are keeping us stuck.  

#howIlost100pounds

Fat burning keto foods for Fat Free February Weight Loss Challenge

Hello friends of this blog on how I lost 100 pounds. I issued a Fat Free February Weight Loss Challenge a month ago and that month is almost up. But wait, there's more! Tomorrow begins my March to Weight Loss challenge and to round out this month, here are fat burning keto foods to cleanse, build brown fat, boost metabolism and bust white adipose tissue ("bad fat.") 

Before I begin, I want to address a question that comes up about how I lost 100 pounds. People with morbid obesity, like I had, will often ask if it's possible to lose weight without gastric bypass. Will calorie restricting (or keto, intermittent fasting or some other type of diet change) alone lose weight? Answer: YES! As shows like "My 600-lb Life" have proved, it's actually gastric bypass alone that won't lose weight. 

Yesterday I blogged that patients with morbid obesity on "My 600-lb Life" are required to lose weight prior to surgery. And to do that, they must follow a calorie restricting 1200 calorie diet which includes eating keto fat burning foods and avoiding sugary, junk carbs. After gastric bypass, "My 600-lb Life" patients must continue the 1200 calorie diet to continue weight loss. 

And lose weight you will with calorie restricting, even if you are calorie restricting for completely different reasons. The Catholic church calls for intermittent fasting during the Lenten season, which we entered earlier in February. For 40 days, we eat more fish and vegetables and less fatty, junky, fried and sugary food. And every year, if we follow practice Lenten fasting correctly, we lose weight. 

So without further ado, here are:

Keto fat burning foods for weight loss: 

avocado

BERRIES (blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, pomegranate seeds, cranberries)

olives (yes, these are berries too)

coconut oil 

tomatoes (tomato juice, zero sugar salsa)

lemons

limes

oats and oatmeal (so not necessarily keto, but high fiber so super good for fat burning)

kiwi

grapefruit (tons of fiber)

pears (high fiber)

apples (high fiber)

cantaloupe and watermelon (loads of lycopene so great for men's health, especially)

seeds (chia, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower)

nuts (best are almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, hazelnuts)

spinach, kale

broccoli

cauliflower

spaghetti squash

peas (high in fiber and protein)

cabbage and brussels sprouts

Stay tuned for more March to Weight Loss tips! #howilost100pounds

Lenten fasting and weight loss? Amen!

 A blessed Ash Wednesday to all. Whether you're Catholic or not I invite you to join me as we kick off the Lenten season in a Fat-Free February weight loss challenge. Lent is a time in the  Catholic liturgical calendar when we walk with our Savior, through the temptation in the desert on His way to the cross. We practice Christian values of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. We are called to follow these all year long but in a special way in the Lenten season. We return our attention to these core habits which I can really admit in my own life, sometimes gets diverted. 

The focus of this blog is on weight loss, specifically how I lost 100 times without gastric bypass. So you may be wondering does it really count for spiritual reasons if I'm trying to lose weight by fasting. This question came up in a q&A on an orthodox Christian site as well. And my answer to that is yes if you are fasting for religious reasons first and weight loss as a happy outcome. Actually, having said that, any practice that gets us focusing less on ourselves, our needs and more usually our wants, has spiritual benefit too. 

And if you are fasting as the church calls for, by eating simpler, low to zero sugar, fish instead of fatty heavy meat, less dairy and no junk, then you will lose weight regardless. So part of my Family at Free February weight loss challenge will include a Catholic Lenten type fast. And I will follow my Lenten fast by being more faithful to calorie restricting in a 1200 calorie diet. I will also do intermittent fasting every Wednesday and Friday, following the (keto) bread and water fast that Our Lady, the Blessed Mother called us to at her Medjugorie apparition. I will talk more about that later. Blessings to you all. Love mar

Calorie restricting alone won't lose weight: study offers #1 weight loss tip

This blog is about how I lost 100 pounds, (top photo is today and bottom is 10 years ago) without gastric bypass or a "packaged" diet program. To lose weight, I wrote my own program, using elements of keto, intermittent fasting and a 1200 calorie diet like that used by gastric bypass patients with morbid obesity, on "My 600-lb Life." I also follow current weight loss research and trends. And recently, "Eat This Not That" shared a study that found that calorie restricting alone won't lose weight. Calorie restricting can actually keep a person overweight. 

The study in "Eat This Not That" revealed surprise links between extreme calorie restricting such as the 800 calorie diet, intermittent fasting, obesity, and even the more generous 1200 calorie diet (which I used to lose weight). The findings show that overeating alone is not what makes us overweight. It's WHAT we eat and not just how much. 

This should come as no surprise to anyone who is working to lose weight. However I see one problem: it presumes a dichotomy: that weight loss means either calorie restricting or eating certain foods such as a keto diet plan. The two are not mutually exclusive, as "My 600-lb Life" shows. The path to obesity is paved with overeating AND poor food choices. The 1200 calorie diet Dr. Now puts patients on, is very clear about what to eat and what to avoid. For example, it nixes "white foods" (potatoes, rice, white bread and pasta). 

The problem is further complicated by the fact that our bodies do not want us to lose weight. The innate survival instinct is to prevent weight loss, even with "My 600-lb Life" type obesity. The keto diet promises weight loss by restricting carbs and eating fats, fiber and protein. But keto is also not a very sustainable diet and calorie deprivation, regardless of kind, can also cause the body to store fat and stay overweight. Having said that, calorie restricting and eating a low carb, high fiber and protein diet is how I lost 100 pounds. 

So what am I saying? That weight loss requires moderation, of eating and over-indulging in overprocessed, calorie-dense foods with low nutritional value. Stay tuned the daily meal plan that helped me lose 100 pounds. 

"Perfect Strangers" Bronson Pinchot flaunts 60-lb Covid 19 lockdown weight loss

Looking up celebrity weight loss (or weight gain), I was tickled pink to find a video of Bronson Pinchot, (Balki of "Perfect Strangers") debuting his 60-lb weight loss. And the awesome thing about it was that he was able to lose weight during the Covid 19 pandemic lockdown! Plus, weight loss at 61 is wow-worthy in itself! 

Covid 19 lockdown was a time when many of us were getting overweight and even headed to obesity. Bronson Pinchot (one of my all-time favorite American actors, from one of my all-time favorite shows "Perfect Strangers" mid-80s sitcom in case you're too young to remember) actually got skinnier and super hot! especially with that bleach blonde fade! I think he looks even cuter than the Balki days! Who says 60s and almost-60s can't rock the hipster look?? Not me! (late adult onset punker, here LOL!) 

So what spurred Pinchot to lose weight? He says that his weight has always yo-yo-d, even on "Perfect Strangers", but recently when he looked in the mirror he saw "an old, fat man" looking back. So he cleaned out all the unhealthy food, gave it away and went to a plant-based diet. He's calorie restricting (by simply eating less) but not calorie counting. 

A lot of people, especially guys, eschew calorie counting. So maybe you don't have to micromanage calories but you do have to track, or at least control, something. Part of how I lost 100 pounds was calorie restricting with a 1200 calorie diet like the one used for gastric bypass. Pinchot's way way was to just delete everything but plant-based foods. Being in Covid 19 lockdown helped because there was no place to go to be around other food. 

When I started weight loss, I needed a plan to track eating and the calorie restricting 1200 calorie diet worked for me. It might work for you to lose weight or you might try Bronson's approach. Or keto. Or intermittent fasting (5:2 diet). Intermittent fasting helped me shed 35 pounds in 1992. It's all good as long as you work it and do weight loss in a healthy way. 

Bronson Pinchot said he also doesn't "do" scales. By which I think he's saying he doesn't babysit the scale daily. He'd have have to weight himself to know how much he's lost. But I get the point. Being over-obsessed with a number can actually derail weight loss as I've explained before. When I lost 100 pounds, I used the mirror more than the scale to track weight loss. 

What I mean is that we can say all we want about all body sizes being beautiful, but I do not feel my best overweight. Like Pinchot, I had an "epiphany" in which I saw my overweight self and didn't like what I saw. I acknowledged my obesity and got busy. There is a lot of self-denial in shedding obesity. But it is SOOO worth the payoff. Stay tuned to the end to see the adorbs so-Balki way he describes this <3 

Weird weight loss fact: Eating can help you lose weight (for real!)

 A friend just shared an interesting tidbit that confirms a weird but true thing I've found in weight loss: eating can make you lose weight. And conversely, eating too little can keep you overweight or make you gain. It's down to a little thing called metabolism (something I've been battling to boost since getting sick with Covid 19 in May). Part of how I lost 100 pounds (without gastric bypass) is by eating. I'll explain. 

Eat This Not That has been exploring eating plans like intermittent fasting such as the 5:2 Diet and calorie restricting ones like the 1200 calorie diet (made famous by reality TV gastric bypass surgeon Dr. Now of "My 600-lb Life.") The consensus is (and what my friend and I found in our weight loss experiences) was that when you get too hungry, as in extreme calorie restricting or intermittent fasting, your metabolism slows. 

Your body knows it needs food to survive. As one doc pointed out in a recent Eat This, Not That article was that your body actually doesn't like it when you lose weight, even if you are overweight. So your body says, "whoa, she's not eating enough. We gotta conserve fat here!" This happens even with obesity such as people suffer with on "My 600-lb Life." That's why "My 600-lb Life" Dr. Now recommends a 1200 calorie diet vs. intermittent fasting. The trick to weigh loss is moderate calorie restricting. 

I know I've discussed this before but undereating (stalling metabolism, etc.) is a trap folks looking to lose weight fall into. It's self-defeating because we get discouraged at weight loss fail and quit the diet. And extreme hunger zaps resources. In my 100 pound weight loss, I made this mistake. So now, in maintenance dieting, to avoid getting overweight again, I use the 1200 calorie diet. 

Gentle weight loss: How I lost 100 pounds learning to make less more

Greetings readers (whom I hope I may call friends). Back from a much-needed weekend at the beach! Are you thinking about weight loss or working a diet program to lose weight? You may have heard that  shedding obesity takes hard work, that ya gotta roll those sleeves up, put the pedal to the metal, yada yada.

But I lost 100 pounds (without gastric bypass) and I say, unfurl the sleeves. Kick back and relax. Take it easy. As we learn in Al-Anon, easy does it does it best. Am I saying weight loss is easy? That it doesn't require perseverance, willpower and determination? Not exactly. I'm saying that moderate intermittent fasting or calorie restricting beats extreme dieting to lose weight. 

But it's not even about calorie restricting or intermittent fasting or any kind of diet as such. Al-Anon says we must adopt a slower approach to life in general. Many of us GOT overweight trying to live a break-neck, crazy paced lifestyle. I don't mean we exercised too much...I stressed too much. I ignored health problems, including rising obesity. And part of how I lost 100 pounds was by learning to make less more. 

I now eat less and enjoy food more, both to avoid being overweight but to just be a better human. I've cut down on spending, shopping, buying and consuming in all areas of my life. I'm practicing enjoying simple things: the animals in my backyard, my dear family and grandkids, a beautiful sunset walk with my sweet husband, petting the two lil rascals, Moishe and Mordecai (shown above). 

My goal is to to live simply that others might simply live. I'm not sure if that was Gandhi or St. Theresa of Calcutta but it's good wisdom for weight loss and overall mental health. Instead of overconsuming I'm "calorie restricting" in all areas and "intermittent fasting: from obsession with things. I'm so much happier and at peace! My mind is not so "overweight" with the constant chasing and my heart is lighter and freer! 

Thanks for reading and be sure to stay tuned for more on how I lost 100 pounds and more! 

Surprise (or not) links between shift work, obesity, metabolism and Covid 19

This blog explores how I lost 100 pounds but also tracks news on weight loss, obesity and healthy living in general. Today's research yielded surprise findings on weight gain and a controversial weight loss method. These findings confirmed my theories on several health issues, including even our bout with Covid 19. 

A study from Australia found that people who do shift work tend toward weight gain, overweight, obesity and general poor health. Shift work, defined as length of work day (12 hours) and/or alternative time worked (second shift--afternoon and evening, and third shift, or through the night. My husband has both of these criteria, working 5pm to 5am. He works both second and third shift and is at work for two days. He's effectively nocturnal. But then, on off days, he tries to keep a first shift schedule which doesn't work. His biorhythms are goofed up both working nights AND from flip-flopping.  

He (and me by extension) struggle with a concomitant health problem called shift work sleep disorder (SWSD). I believe that's part of what caused us to contract Covid 19 despite taking all health precautions. Shift work sleep disorder is caused by inverted awake-asleep pattern (biorhythms). It causes neurological, psychological, emotional and mental health issues. Symptoms are chronic exhaustion, confusion, stress, anxiety and depression  and even anger management issues from the constant strain of having to adjust to a flip-flop schedule. 

Shift work sleep disorder (SWSD) causes frequent and multiple physical health issues. It slows metabolism, reduces immunity and resistance to infection. Shift workers experience more frequent illness, longer recovery time and host of other issues, including, as this study found, weight gain and obesity from skewed biorhythms. Our Covid 19 symptoms were much worse than most people we know who had it. Our recovery has been more complicated too. We experienced big and rapid weight loss and our metabolism is still off. 

Although he's not overweight, he's noticed weight gain from doing shift work. Many co-workers struggle with obesity. But, the study found, weight problems stem as much from when as what they eat and sleep. Eating too little can also cause one not to lose weight. The human body is designed to be diurnal not nocturnal. When forced into this unnatural nocturnal state, it goes into emergency mode. It shuts down metabolism, conserves resources and stores fat. 

Regardless of cause, overweight is not ideal. It makes all other health conditions worse and creates a  lot of its own. But the Australian study suggested the shift workers lose weight by a method I found counterintuitive: intermittent fasting or the 5:2 diet. On the 5:2 Diet, you practice intermittent fasting for 2 days and eat normally for five. It didn't specify which or how intermittent fasting should work on night shift. 

The 5:2 diet for shift work goes against the study's findings. I said earlier, and the study proved, shift work and eating too little, stalls metabolism and weight loss. So calorie restricting might actually cause weight gain. To lose weight, or in my husband's case maintain healthy weight, on night shift, eating regularly is essential. I pack balanced nutritious low sugar, high protein lunches with high fiber, whole grain foods and loads of fruits and vegetables. 

But that raises another lifestyle/obesity issue, about calorie restricting vs. calorie counting, which I'll get into later. 

Keto, intermittent fasting,1200 calorie diet: which is best for weight loss?

Ask anybody which is the best diet for weight loss and you'll get a different answer every time.  High protein, 5:2 diet, intermittent fasting, calorie restricting, Atkins, keto, 1200 calorie diet--yikes, so many choices. If you're trying to lose weight, which should you use? I lost 100 pounds and my answer is, yes. 

Yes, you should follow a diet for weight loss. So we've narrowed that down not at all, you're thinking. Actually, we have. Because the best advice for weight loss is to change something rather than nothing. Obesity comes from eating the same high calorie, sugary, high-carb and high fat foods. To lose weight, I had to shift my eating to a lower, slower gear. 

Just look at the overweight folks on "My 600-lb Life" who have developed lifestyle obesity with chronic overconsumption. The only thing they change is to increase the amount they eat and that's why gastric bypass becomes the inevitable solution. But even with gastric bypass, "My 600-lb Life" patients have to change eating habits and lose weight before they have surgery. 

Gastric bypass surgeon Dr Now of "My 600-lb Life" puts patients on a 1200 calorie diet. That's how I lost 100 pounds, with calorie restricting. But I also used some keto tools, upping protein, fiber and fatty acids to burn fat. And I used the 5:2 diet, a form of intermittent fasting. I also eat high protein Atkins type foods. I'm not hardcore any one diet but rather, I do as Al-Anon says and take what I like and leave the rest. 

Speaking of Al-Anon, a 12-step program is very helpful for dealing with obesity as well as alcoholism. I use Al-Anon slogans (and some I've made up myself, like "mind over platter") with a variety of calorie restricting plans that I change up from time to time. I know, most eating plans like the 1200 calorie diet, keto and intermittent fasting, say that you have to exclusively follow that plan to lose weight. Sorry, but for me, not true. I've always mixed it up and it's how I lost 100 pounds. 

So if you want to lose weight, I say just pick what sounds good and try it for awhile. Oh, that's one thing I forgot to say. I didn't switch it up immediately. You've got to give any diet a month or so, at least, to see results. And only mix it up when it stops working. Blessings and best of British luck on the weight loss, friends! 

Calorie restricting or intermittent fasting for weight loss? How I lost 100 pounds mixing it up

 There's a lot of discussion among weight loss gurus as to whether calorie restricting or intermittent fasting works best to lose weight. Obesity expert Dr. Now of "My 600 lb Life" puts his gastric bypass patients on a 1200 calorie diet. While sources like Eat This Not That lean toward intermittent fasting. I'm no expert but I did lose weight and lots of it. Part of how I lost 100 pounds was to mix it up. 

I follow a 1200 calorie diet but I also occasionally skip meals, which is essentially intermittent fasting. I have also used a bread and water fast 2 days a week, essentially the 5:2 diet, and lost 35 lb without even trying. I can't go all day without eating. And it's not recommended even for those with morbid obesity on "My 600-lb Life." Even the intermittent fasting theorists don't advise full day fasts. Time restricted feeding, eating only in an 8 hour period is more preferable for weight loss. 

Unfortunately, neither the 5:2 diet nor time restricted feeding would work to lose weight with "My 600-lb Life" type obesity. Time restricted feeding does not address what to eat only when. The 5:2 diet lets you eat whatever you want for 5 days. Most people got overweight because of the foods they eat. That's why Dr. Now's 1200 calorie diet requires not only calorie restricting but changing eating habits for pre and post  gastric bypass weight loss.

I lost 100 pounds, without gastric bypass,  using a combination diet plans. I follow time restricted feeding with calorie restricting. I flip flop the 5:2 diet to 5 days of 1200 calorie diet and 2 days of bread and water fast. Sometimes I do 6:1, 6 days dieting and one cheat day.  And I change it up as needed. I found that weight loss stalled when I did the same thing, even the right thing, for too long. If what I am doing isn't working to lose weight, I try something else. Sometimes that means eating more. That sounds weird but it's how I lost 100 pounds ❤️😀

How I lost 100 pounds eating more: 1200 calorie diet for weight loss

Hiya friends, time for another quirky "how I lost 100 pounds" tip. Today's obesity-busting advice is to eat enough, because eating beats too-restrictive anorexia-like dieting for weight loss! "Eat This, Not That!" and explained that no matter how overweight you are, it's harder to lose weight eating too little. It's down to metabolism. 

"Eat This Not That!" says eating too few calories daily (not to be confused with intermittent fasting) causes your metabolism to slow. This freaks your body out and makes it cling on to fat for dear life. I've proved this myself. Part of how I lost 100 pounds was with a 1100 to 1200 calorie diet. It's pretty close to the "My 600-lb Life" gastric bypass diet. In theory. Because while I call it a 1200 calorie diet it is probably closer to 800 calories. 

The overweight folks on "My 600-lb Life" describe a malnourishment phobia (fear of going without food). I lost 100 pounds and in the process veered toward food phobia or anorexia. I feared that if I ate, I'd never lose weight. In colossal irony, I couldn't find anything that would fill me up, so I just ate nothing. My metabolism tanked, not surprisingly. So I tried eating the 1200 calorie diet, with intermittent fasting and stayed mostly full and restarted weight loss. 

You'd think that the more extreme the obesity, the fewer calories required for weight loss. But this metabolism thing applies to obesity as well as anorexia. Even the gastric bypass patients on "My 600-lb Life" lose weight like crazy if they follow the 1200 calorie diet. Even intermittent fasting calls for some calorie consumption. And I lost 100 pounds by eating more so there's something to "Eat This Not That" advice. 

Best to you! love, mar

How I lost 35 pounds on a bread and water fast: spiritual fasting benefits

There's some controversy about intermittent fasting (AKA time restricted feeing or 5:2 diet) as a way to lose weight. Going without eating for long stretches, even if you're overweight, can be dangerous. But I found that a spiritual bread and water fast is beneficial health-wise and for weight loss. I lost 35 pounds without trying, thanks to spiritual fasting. 

Spiritual benefits of intermittent fasting: I'm Catholic and 30 years ago, I started following a bread and water fast twice a week on an invitation from our Blessed Mother. Getting my mind off food helped me focus on God. Not thinking about weight loss helped too. 

Emotional benefits of intermittent fasting. I thought I'd feel cranky and tired on a bread and water fast. Actually, I felt calmer on this 5:2 diet (five days normal eating, two days spiritual fasting). It was almost euphoric. I had strength to do my work and care for my kids. 

Physical benefits of time restricted feeding. Research shows the intermittent aids obesity, diabetes, hypertension and lowers cholesterol. It boosts metabolism that being overweight slows down. 

Weight loss benefits of spiritual fasting: I was overweight when I started the bread and water fast but weight loss never occurred to me. After a few months of this 5:2 diet, a friend said I looked a lot slimmer. I weighed myself and found I did lose weight: 35 pounds! I'd dropped two dress sizes and several inches off my waist.

Intermittent fasting guidelines. A bread and water fast is our calling as Catholics.  But you can amend if you're trying to lose weight with gluten free or keto diet, . Although some religious fasts require daily observance, I found that fasting on Wednesday and Friday works best. I used a modified time restricted feeding or 16:8 diet (8 hours eating, 16 not). Mine was more like 12 on, 12 off. I ate half a piece of bread every 1-2 hours, drank lots of water and took vitamin and took supplements. I didn't binge after fasting and ramped into full meals slowly (as I would after being ill).

Stay tuned for more updates on how I lost 100 pounds a few years ago.

How I lost weight with spiritual intermittent fasting

I've been blogging about how I lost 100 pounds without gastric bypass. But did I ever tell you the story of how I lost 35 pounds without even thinking about weight loss? 30 years ago, I followed a Catholic bread and water fast. It never entered my mind that I would lose weight. And I realized that this spiritual fasting is the same thing as the trending intermittent fasting diet AKA ADF (alternate day fasting) or the 5:2 diet. 

I started spiritual fasting after attending a retreat devoted to Our Lady of Medjugorje. In her apparition, the Blessed Mother Mary called the faithful to a bread and water fast on Wednesdays and Fridays. For a few months, I practiced alternate day fasting, or the 5:2 diet (eat normally for five days, restrict calories for two). This also resembles time restricted feeding where you only eat during certain hours of the day. 

I'd given birth about six months previous and was still carrying some baby fat. I never worried much about weight loss after having a baby. Being a busy mom, time restricted feeding and intermittent fasting was no problem, LOL. Active parents usually eat too little, not too much! In this pregnancy it  took longer to lose weight but I didn't notice. However, after a few months of the bread and water fast, someone mentioned how much thinner I looked. I had lost 35 pounds. 

Is intermittent fasting just a fad? Is it safe? Well, the 5:2 diet helped me lose weight. Maybe it was because I was focused on spiritual improvement and not just weight loss. I can't go all day without eating so I do time restricted feeding (the 16:8 diet, fasting 16 and not fasting for 8 hours). I never got cranky or felt starved. In fact, I felt great on the bread and water fast. 

Do you have to eat keto bread on the bread and water fast? Nope, I just ate good ole cheap Admiral bread (about 3-4 slices during the spiritual fasting period). I didn't adhere to any time restricted feeding, per se. And if you're going for weight loss you can eat other foods and lose weight. Neither the 16:8 diet nor ADF (alternate day fasting) specify what you eat. In fact it's sometimes called the fasting and feasting diet. This works great for gluten free and keto diet people. 

Stay tuned for more on how I lost 100 pounds. 

How I lost 100 pounds with intermittent fasting and a 1200 calorie diet

I struggled with obesity a few years ago and was able to lose weight without gastric bypass.  I've been blogging about weight loss and I'm often asked how many calories I eat a day. Part of how I lost 100 pounds was with a 1200 calorie diet and intermittent fasting. Bariatric surgeon Dr. Now of "My 600-lb Life" allows his patients 1200 calories a day. And they achieve great success fixing obesity, if they follow that diet. 

 A recent article in "Eat This Not That" affirms the "My 600-lb Life" 1200 calorie diet to lose weight but says ultra low 800 calorie diets can actually stall metabolism and weight loss. This is really important to note if you just a little overweight. If you only have say, 30 extra pounds, your body will store fat if it thinks you aren't eating enough. Intermittent fasting is different. It doesn't throw off metabolism like a daily 800 calorie diet. 

I use a modified keto 1200 calorie diet consisting primarily of protein and vegetables, a little yogurt and about one fifth keto carbs. It may not sound like much but you can eat lot of lean protein (chicken breast, salmon, tuna, shrimp, lean beef and pork), unlimited vegetables and a decent amount of keto carbs for that amount. You can definitely get full. If I use intermittent fasting, I can sometimes even eat a little more and still lose weight (I'll blog more on that later). 

An 800 calorie diet may sound like a good idea but it really doesn't work much better to lose weight. It leaves you so hungry that you usually blow it. We've all seen those promises of rapid weight loss, eating soup and things like that. But that's only for extreme cases of obesity. If Dr. Now of "My 600-lb Life" can promise 30-lbs a month weight loss with 1200 calories a day, it makes more sense to go that route, whether you're getting gastric bypass or not.