Horizon - intermittent fasting diet.

Missed the bit about your swimsuit, Trishs. What's that? AND pulling it on yourself ..... now that is something.

I was sunbathing in a bikini the day I gave birth! (It never fitted again - don't know why - lol.) Then I hit about 40 and my husband seemed to suggest that my bikini days were gone. Thank goodness for tankinis but pulling on my swimsuits is a bit of a tug, I have to admit. I am currently settling for a very strappy sundress as I sun myself on the patio.

trishs: So sad about your problems. My upper arms seem to be an age thing that has only just hit me or that I have only just noticed. I have never been one to diet and stayed a perfect size 12 until just a few years ago. Think I must be under-doing the physical work around the house and garden in favour of a good book and the odd ! My saggy upper arms would be improved by increased fat but that would mean increased weight. Aah!
Anyone else got the same problems eg upper arms and tum?

I now realize that the point of the Horizon programme was more about preserving the presenters organs and health than losing weight. As he said, he wasn't exactly fat before and so that was a bonus. Perhaps intead of doing the classic women thing of obsessing about our weight , we should be doing it for our blood pressure, cholestral, mental health and longevity. That seems much more positive. it makes me hungry just thinking about dieting!
SO I will do the 2 day fast for 2 months and see how it works , Hmm must go and get lunch ( tuna sandwhich, salad, peaches ). Oh no! going to a BBQ tonight. I'll start fasting next week.

Shysal - it's only midday!

shysal Good luck with the calorie counting, you will need a lot of will power.

I received my Hairy Dieters book today. There are some tasty recipes, made using methods I have used for years. I have used cabbage leaves in the way they use leek sheets for lasagne. Another substitute I use for pasta is cooked shredded white cabbage instead of spaghetti with home made pasta sauce. Spray oil is easier than brushing, and all my bechamel type sauces are fat free, thickened with cornflour.

Having a 500 calorie day today, just eaten the lot for lunch - wholegrain bagel with turkey and loads of watercress and salad, then one Weetabix and 8 cherries. I won't be eating again till tomorrow morning, I'll let you know how it goes!

I've just realised, I've being doing this fasting thing for years! It hasn't done a thing for my weight though?

I agree, they really show how to halve the calories and still eat well. They're so real-life about losing weight, too. Nice to see how they struggle with will-power like the rest of us

I been watching the Hairy Bikers Diet programme and it seems so much easier than other diets - and simple. I hope they bring out a cook book soon - or perhaps they already have. I love Nigella's cooking but diet recipes they ain't!

snailspeak: Fortunately my upper arms don't look too bad, so I am happy to expose them, but I just have very little strength. I'm going back to see the physio soon to ask for some new exercises for my quads and upper arms. Many years ago I used to use a few of the machines at the gym but I haven't been anywhere near fit enough to even contemplate trying anything that's there now! A few months ago I could barely lift the duvet when I was in bed, and even now I am unable to pull my swimsuit on myself, but I can at least reach to peg the washing on the clothes line again As for summer dresses, I have to go for the lagenlook, long skirts or loose trousers under shorter lengths to hide my mishapen legs.

Trishs: Muscle loss in arms? Tell me about it. In my case those droopy, hanging bits of skin are nothing to do with too little protein. Gentle yet persistent working out with weights machines at the gym and hand weights at home is well on its way to curing the problem. Now I need a solution for my tum!
Have you noticed how summer dresses accentuate all the bad bits?

Here it is

www.wendie-plan.com/about.html

So I suppose it runs along the same basic theory.

I think I will stick to Slimming World.

Years ago Weight Watcher had a follower who suggested people followed her plan, I think it was called Wendy Plan but dont quote me.... she suggested instead of having your weekly points spread evenly over the week you should shake it up a little and have a really high point day then a very low ... cant remember the details but her reason was that it shook up your metabolism by making things work harder on the high point day. I am going to have a look and see if I can find it.

I saw the BBC Michael Mosely Horizon programme. Last summer I did the Dukan diet. lost 2 stone and have now put it back on + more. I eat healthily, have diet days and it makes no difference. Classic yo yo dieter age 60. Is there any hope for me, could fasting help or will I never learn ?

Well, according to that, Grannylin, I'm most like someone from Rwanda!

I've emailed them to correct their attribution, but if you don't care, I don't.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18770328
This is interesting- see how you measure up to the rest of the world!

But I'll take the rap if you prefer.....

Er...I rather thought you'd want one Anno!

Demand an apology, Anagram!

It's not a fad diet see

The effects of intermittent or continuous energy restriction on weight loss and metabolic disease risk markers: a randomised trial in young overweight women

Randomised comparison of a 25% energy restriction as IER (~2266 kJ/day for 2 days/week) or CER (~6276 kJ/day for 7 days/week) in 107 overweight or obese (mean [±SD] body mass index 30.6 [±5.1] kg/m2) premenopausal women over 6 months.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3017674/

N.B. this study done with pre-menopausal women

Oh dear, I see the Gransnet Newsletter has attributed your post about sometimes thinking you could live on fruit, Annobel, to me!

Mishap, that's what I imagine it would do to me too, like I said earlier, on account of the medication and supplements I take which need to accompany food. Also, I'm a bit sceptical about cutting out protein entirely on a fast day. From what I've been reading lately there's a good chance that a lot of us aren't actually getting enough protein as it is! I worry that this could be part of what is causing muscle loss in my arms as I get older.

About 10 years ago, I lost 3 stone over about 12 months, counting calories and using a low fat diet [mainly Rosemary Conley's 'Low Fat Cookbook']. I had to do something after discovering that I was bordering on obesity - while trying to squeeze into a black tie and jacket on New Year's Eve . After losing weight, I started jogging but exercise hasn't done much for my weight - except when training for a marathon. This 'Horizon' fasting diet sounds interesting but I am sold on counting calories - it takes self control [sometimes lacking] but it works pretty well for me and it pushes me towards a balanced diet with lots of fruit and vegetable.

Fasting gives me terrible heartburn so I won't be trying it!