This is a report of my daily weight for the first 8 weeks, while both doing my first extended fast and as I began eating like a bear.
This is a simple report just copied from my post made at the time to the ELAB Facebook group.
My post about this chart:
OK peeps, a weight loss report for the past 8 weeks. And being rather a geek, I made a chart.
I weigh myself daily due to congestive heart failure; basically, if your weight has a big jump, and stays there a day or two, something needs to be adjusted to avoid a hospitalization. And given I am VERY big on avoiding hospitalization, I follow this rule pretty religiously.
But not wanting to be obsessed over the scale, I’ve trained myself to write it on my little paper calendar, look at the previous couple days, and decide if I’m OK; then I promptly forget about it. I’m also inconsistent about how much clothing I have on; I’m basically looking for a several pound increase and my pants aren’t going to matter much.
I was fasting days 1-11, you see a big drop; this was likely largely water, as my legs were very swollen from lymphedema when I began and shrunk massively. Even now, I’m not very excited about it; I’m sure it was mostly water. But I’d also note, it’s NOT a straight drop, it goes up and down, as does all weight loss. During this fast, I began using 30 units of basal and no bolus insulin; prior to beginning, I was on 100 units total. As my bG dropped, I kept reducing insulin – I was on none days 9-11.
I was eating days 12-37, at first TMAD, then an adjustment of times that suited me better, then eventually OMAD. I began with no insulin, then on day 15 (after 4 days of eating), needed to add some, and kept adjusting for several days until I wound up on a total of 30 units – a 70% decrease since I’d begun. Again, my weight changed, but it wasn’t a straight line. It pretty much increased while I was on insulin. Around day 30, had I been doing this with the goal of weight loss, I’d have been pretty depressed as I was back where I began; luckily, I was mostly paying attention to my bG and soldiered onwards.
I fasted again days 38-42, shorter than I intended as I didn’t feel very well (likely because I weaned prednisone at the same time). I was on no insulin and again, my weight dropped.
I did OMAD days 43-53, and again needed to add some insulin on day 46 (4th day of eating), but settled at 20 units total this time. But as you can see, I again gained weight on insulin. But on day 53, the last time I ate, I was down 9.6 lbs from when I started.
Days 54-57 bring us to today, where I am fasting, off insulin, and losing again.
I draw several conclusions from this data.
First, yes, you can lose with diabetes or prediabetes or even if just insulin resistant, but your loss will be slower than those in the group who are insulin sensitive. You may not lose in the giant chunks, but you will lose. And I frankly had nothing better to do the past couple months; losing 10 pounds is better than not losing, or worse, gaining. And frankly, the diabetic improvements and NSVs are definitely keeping me going!
And 10 pounds in 8 weeks is nothing to sneeze at! I honestly, didn’t expect to lose as much as I have already. I looked at the data a couple days ago and was startled!
Second, this really shows the efficacy of intermittent fasting; whether OMAD or TMAD. When I reduced insulin, I lost weight; when I went back on, I gained again. This applies even if you’re not diabetic or insulin resistant. Every time we eat, insulin spikes. Keto limits that spike, but doesn’t prevent it. The not eating is the time you’re losing; maximizing that time speeds results.
Finally, I had already noticed that it takes me 4 days of eating to need insulin again, so I have decided to fast Mon-Wed and do OMAD Thu-Sun, in hopes of not needing insulin at all anymore. This is why I’m fasting today; I’ll break it tomorrow.
I expect to lose somewhat faster once I’m off insulin, and faster still as my insulin resistance improves even beyond that. But again, for me, the healing is the primary goal; weight loss is just a side effect. A nice side effect, to be sure, but a side effect nonetheless.
Next up, some thoughts on how fasting affects metabolism.
