The FastDay Forum

I like the research Roy Baumeister has done in general, but this material on self control is relevant to the puzzle we are trying to work out.

If we see self control as a limited resource, then we have to take small steps?

I found just focusing on the fasting days only first couple of weeks helped the self control i needed for this task. If i had to make changes to the feast day it would have easily unraveled. At least that early on. I have introduced low carb again, but have noticed my self control stores are lower for other tasks.
Love to hear your thoughts.
Jo

I have a big gap in the post, is there something in there that hasn't shown up on my iPad?

I think many of us are here because of a lack of self-control in the past but then find self-control comes a bit more naturally as appetite diminishes and better choices are naturally made. It then makes self-control less of an issue in the longer term.
I agree that focussing on one step at a time is crucial for long term success. I probably am not the best person to offer advice or comment on this as I lost it completely on a four month holiday last year and am playing catch up compared to some of my compatriots who started at the same time.
I am finding a short spell of ADF is helping to focus me on what I want to eat which has changed, although I don't recommend going down this path straight off.
Some people, have a better self-control switch than others and I saw an interesting program recently about why some people get fat and others don't; it was a protein as I recall which causes the on/off switch not to work properly, so some people can stop when they have had enough, and others, like me, do not!!

[quote="Debs"]I have a big gap in the post, is there something in there that hasn't shown up on my iPad?

Debs so sorry about that, it's a youtube video and I think Caroline has fixed it now? Thanks so much!!
I will now read what you wrote.

I hope you can see the vid now Debs.
I'm finding my appetite is also adjusting for the better with the fasting, but I still have my moments. I like what this guy says about the way in which some people have better control, is a lot of the time linked to avoiding temptation, rather than just having better will power than others.

I'm wishing I had started this thread tomorrow as its now close to bedtime and I'm gonna have to vanish for a bit.

here is the link if its not showing for others.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibui4M4eito
cheers

jo

I can relate to the self control being a finite resource. I can diet OR stop biting my nails. Not both at the same time.

Today, a post fast day started well. I didn't eat till 11:30 and had a 2 egg and mushroom omlette. Then at 12:30 my son made lunch so that was a bit of scrambled egg, 2 slices of bacon and a sausage. Then my willpower went for a walk. Since then I have eaten 3 slices of malt loaf with butter. Its a good job it hasn't got the nutritional information on the packaing as I would probably faint at the carbs in it. Only 3 hours till dinner time. I will just have to be good till then.

Hmmmm I have very little self control around food and wine hence why I am here. I am desperately waiting for my appetite to diminish but it's not happening yet!

The lessening of appetite will not come as a blinding flash and a deafening report. It will be subtle, things like stopping eating the biscuits after 4 instead of eating the whole pack. Only putting two potatoes on the plate instead of 4. Also when you do eat as 'normal', afterwards you realise that you don't actually like the feeling of being stuffed

Totes agree with Julie..for me,deffo noticing more self control in little ways..choosing smaller portions and can now even FORGET there's something yummy in the fridge..it used to be,anything yummy would be waving and screaming at me to eat it all up
Fasting days have taught me i CAN wait and can even not mind waiting and even choose to not eat something after all! Choosing delayed satisfaction over instant gratification!
Very refreshing after years of "all or nothing. "eating,which usually came about coz i would decide (on a monotonously regular basis) that the diet was gonna start the following Monday which meant i had to eat as much as i could before Monday swung round,when a rigidly strict diet wd start..and the chances that the diet was abandoned by Wednesday/ Thursday or by the following week all too likely..

I agree Jo05 that taking things one step at a time is the way to go. After we have been doing this for a while we have so much good advice (!!!) to give Newbies I think we forget how amazing it was just to complete a fast (Omg I have not eaten anything all day and I am still alive!)

There seem to be 3 elements to controlling food - when you eat, what you eat and how much you eat. We seem to have different strengths and weaknesses in these areas which is why different fasting styles appeal to us. At the moment I am having success with When and What, which is why I eat in a window and keep certain kinds of food on the low side. I don't do portion control, whereas other people are getting brilliant results by watching the calories (What and How much).

I doubt I will ever up my Self Control enough to work on all 3!

Julieathome wrote: I can relate to the self control being a finite resource. I can diet OR stop biting my nails. Not both at the same time.

Today, a post fast day started well. I didn't eat till 11:30 and had a 2 egg and mushroom omlette. Then at 12:30 my son made lunch so that was a bit of scrambled egg, 2 slices of bacon and a sausage. Then my willpower went for a walk. Since then I have eaten 3 slices of malt loaf with butter. Its a good job it hasn't got the nutritional information on the packaing as I would probably faint at the carbs in it. Only 3 hours till dinner time. I will just have to be good till then.

chuckles at the willpower going for a walk. I so know that experience.
And yes nails or fast. For me as a newbie, its walk or do other things on my to-do list. walking makes me feel saintly too so that's a bonus.

I've moved the 5:2 back to 6:1 as I don't sleep well with low cal, and I actually can feel some relief and more self control available (in theory) to watch carbs. We shall see. I have gone from 4 slices of bread a day to one (with lashings of butter). I read where people only have it once a fortnight. Yesterday I went for two slices of bread - which tells me either I'm taking on too much, need more sleep, need less carbs or just got to cut myself some slack for reducing bread in the first place.

My head hurts from all this calculating
Jo

barbarita wrote: I agree Jo05 that taking things one step at a time is the way to go. After we have been doing this for a while we have so much good advice (!!!) to give Newbies I think we forget how amazing it was just to complete a fast (Omg I have not eaten anything all day and I am still alive!)

There seem to be 3 elements to controlling food - when you eat, what you eat and how much you eat. We seem to have different strengths and weaknesses in these areas which is why different fasting styles appeal to us. At the moment I am having success with When and What, which is why I eat in a window and keep certain kinds of food on the low side. I don't do portion control, whereas other people are getting brilliant results by watching the calories (What and How much).

I doubt I will ever up my Self Control enough to work on all 3!

Chuckling barbarita!! How did you know I felt amazed at surviving a single fast. Truly thought I had passed some ancient initiation that gave me secret powers. Then I decided I'd try so many other changes, that the wise elders generously supply in here. They are helping tremendously, could not do it without it.
Regarding when, what and and how much.
I'm not good with the *when*, I'm gradually improving on the "what", and the "how much", I'm slow on the uptake. I was reading in here protein needs to go down too. I'm so fond of protein especially after skimping on carbs. I can see my future plate of food looking like a lot of low carb vegetables sitting in a pool of oil with a bit of decorative protein. But I think 100gm of meat is not 100gm of protein, so that's what i need to check next.
phew....
Jo

Babyfish wrote: Hmmmm I have very little self control around food and wine hence why I am here. I am desperately waiting for my appetite to diminish but it's not happening yet!

@Babyfish. How much sugar are you consuming? Cutting right back reduces hunger pangs. I had 5 months without sugar and had some only this last couple of weeks. Really noticed the difference in appetite.

CandiceMarie wrote: Totes agree with Julie..for me,deffo noticing more self control in little ways..choosing smaller portions and can now even FORGET there's something yummy in the fridge..it used to be,anything yummy would be waving and screaming at me to eat it all up
Fasting days have taught me i CAN wait and can even not mind waiting and even choose to not eat something after all! Choosing delayed satisfaction over instant gratification!
Very refreshing after years of "all or nothing. "eating,which usually came about coz i would decide (on a monotonously regular basis) that the diet was gonna start the following Monday which meant i had to eat as much as i could before Monday swung round,when a rigidly strict diet wd start..and the chances that the diet was abandoned by Wednesday/ Thursday or by the following week all too likely..

That is soooo encouraging hearing your self control is growing candicemarie.
I have noticed I'm doing certain things in my life that I'm usually a bit slack on. So I think my self control muscle might be growing. Or my confidence is.
I'm still not able to have anything in the house thats too carby and chocolaty.
I love hearing these stories they encoruage me to keep going. I will be around for a long time.
Jo

Babyfish wrote: Hmmmm I have very little self control around food and wine hence why I am here. I am desperately waiting for my appetite to diminish but it's not happening yet!

Yes as rawkaren said, the sugars (carbs in my case) do make me want to eat a lot.
I think carbs are worth looking at. I try to eat only 120gm carbs a day max.