Day One Fasting begins

The book I have been typing about.

Today is Thursday, Sept 6, 2018. I went and weighed yesterday.  I also found out that many of my weighing receipts are fading,and, also, decided it would be too much work to photograph them all just to provide proof to a few people, at best.  

Plus, quite frankly, there  was little progress toward health in 2018, all of which was short-lived and which culminated in me weighing more and being told I am fatter than I was in all of 2017. Though, I have to tell you that this is strange,because,my clothes fit better! As in less tightly. And, my waistline is smaller.  So,I don't know what's going on! 

I mean, seriously, I measured my waistline just the other day and even though I was bloated up, it was smaller by half an inch than the last time I had measured it when I was not bloated up. And,when my stomach gets bloated, oh boy!  It can grow half a foot bigger in a matter of minutes!

I may as well tell you,it was 43".  When I weighed well over 300 lbs, probably closer to 400 (I shall tell you about that later, probably) my waistline was always between 49" -51.5"  Up until a few months ago, after having lost all that weight, my waistline was between 47.5" and 49.5".  Which made me structurally unsound, silly looking, and, pointed out that I was really in need of bettering my health and finding some better strategy to work for me.

It was not until I utilized intermittent fasting, on purpose, that this changed for me, at all. I quickly went from 47/49  to 45/46 and over the next few tries, I went down to 43.5/44.5. Sometimes, like when I ate beans, it got bigger, temporarily, and, sometimes it went back up to 45/46 and stayed there for a while. But, it had never been down to 43" when bloated, at any time since I started measuring in the last couple of decades.

If you cannot read the writing on the image above, or would just like an explanation of it, I shall tell you that the summary of all my weight receipts for 2018 is that I weighed  246 lbs. at the least and 255.2 lbs. at the most; My body fat mass was 95.1 at the least and 107.1 at the most.

Which, by the way, the higher body fat is after purposeful extended fasting, more than once, and, trying to eat less "keto",with  less non-starchy vegetables and more fruit and grains.  The lowest body fat was while eating "keto" with 7-10 cups of non-starchy vegetables a day, generally one or two meals per day.

But, I am not saying eating grains or even eating more often is necessarily the reason for the higher body fat. It was probably more the being stressed out and seeking stupid sources of energy from places like See's Candy and the doughnut shelf at Walmart. Plus, really, eating way, way too late, way too often.

I was 5' 5.1 " tall at the least -which was after dealing with living with difficult  family members- and 5'6'5" tall, at the most -which was after my son came back home and started changing his ways by his own desire. And, my BMI was between 40 and 42, which is partially a change due to being taller or shorter. For the record, though, my BMI, since I started using the scale at GNC (or, even when I used to just calculate it per  the instructions of some site or another) was almost always 41 or 42, even when I weighed something like 80 lbs. (maybe more) than I do right now.

How does that happen? My lean body mass, over the years, has changed from over 160 lbs. to 148.1. Some of that was definite muscle loss in my thighs and buttocks - due to stress, not diet-but, some of it happened when I had obviously gained muscle. Which, according to things I heard on Dr. Fung videos, is probably a sign that my organs lost weight. Because,organs register as lean body mass, no matter how much fat they are laden with.

 None of this is particularly relevant for anyone else, I suppose. But, for me, it is a good reminder to be more vigilant in several areas.

1.  Avoiding allergens.
2. Avoiding or alleviating stress.
3. Eating more vegetables.
4. Eating in a way that suits my digestive capabilities.
5. Eating more for need and less for entertainment.
6. Only eating when hungry.
7. If one must have a "treat" , then, one should work for it.
8. Not being overly influenced by people I love.

By the way,  I don't know what time I quit eating yesterday. I'm guessing by 6 p.m.  Maybe even sooner. But, from that point on, my fast has begun. 

I am not setting a limit on this fast.  I will not be wrong to break it or to not break it, so long as I feel I am doing it in a healthy way. For instance, I may decide to have a partial cup of coffee with coconut milk, a a means of  helping me not suffer to much from the keto flu, or, I may become suddenly starving and eat a salad. Conversely, I may decide to suffer now and reap benefits sooner, if I do "get" the keto "flu" and I may find the will power to continue for fasting for several days,  several months, a year...

It's possible. Well, maybe not a year. According to Dr. Fung, I probably would have about 214 days, tops. Though, some of my weight has to be inflammation!

So, here are my rules: If the calories come from fat in small amounts or equal under 500 calories total on any given day, I will not count the fast as having been broken. Which is mainly for the sake of getting started and staying started. And, the logic behind that is that I am still eating in such  a way to switch over into ketosis and I am still fasting from most things.

Anything calorie free is optional, within reason.  IE: Maybe a few swallows of black coffee or a cup of tea, or, having a diet soda when I feel like I am going to chuck it all out of boredom. Not because I think that diet sodas are all right, but, because, I am not one of those people who get hungrier when I drink them, and, I think fasting is so very alright that it is much better to fast while drinking a diet soda than to not fast while not drinking a diet soda, so long as it is not a frequent occurrence.

However, this is all about emergency measures to prevent going off the fast. Or, accidentally making the mistake of eating four nuts and then feeling like a failure. I won't be a failure. I'll be a person who ate four nuts, which don't mean so much as a hill of beans compared to what I gave up.That is, I will be, if I eat four nuts, which, I have no intention of doing. That is all.

It is my intention to finish the diet soda I have already, possibly to finish up my coconut milk in some coffee, and, then to go to distilled water for however long it takes for my tongue to turn pink.

During this time, I will work on simplifying my life, which will include coming up with an eating strategy that works for me upon reentry into the fabulous world of food preparation. Back to the book, then.

It will also include purposeful deep breathing, often. And, once again, going through my clothing and shoes, figuring out what I actually need, getting rid of the rest, making repairs, shining things up, putting things away. And, doing kind of the same with every other aspect of my life and home, as much as possible.

I've spent a long time being severely ill,with very little help and very little belief, even, from most people. My life is a mess.  I am representing to the true God Jehovah, now, and, I can't  keep it up this way!

God - I shall tell you, in case you don't know -is a God of order. He's big into cleanliness, modesty and justice, all three of which are very orderly things.

I'm keeping my mind on such thoughts as my primary motivation. I mean, I already know that I am better at doing for others than doing for self, and, there is no one better to do  for.

Later, I'll try to remember to type up some of my prior experiences with weight loss, health issues, fasting, and, how it relates to what I am trying to do, now.  As well as anything significant that happens with this new bout of fasting, or, anything else related to my goals.

For now, it is 5;30 a.m.  I don't know what time I got up and started typing this, but, I know what time I am going back to bed!