Normal Day 74 - 121

There has been a noticable improvement in my mood and ovarian pain by completely eliminating the protein/water shakes on my fasting days. It is much easier to fast when I use supplemental protein, but it isn't worth it if I'm depressed and in pain. Therefore, I will stick with water or unsweetened tea on my fasting days for now.

I am still finding it very easy to maintain my weight using alternate day fasting. Actually, I have a lost a couple of pounds without even trying. The foods that I eat are nutritious: whole grains, beans, raw nuts, seafood, fresh vegetables and fruits, some soy products, some dairy products. I've usually eaten healthier foods than most of the people I hang around, but I was still sick and unhealthy. Before I started fasting I was bloated and pasty and had very little energy. It would irk me when people would try to tell me how to get better... take more vitamins, take less vitamins, sleep more, sleep less, exercise more, exercise less, eat meat, eat vegan, eat raw, eat only fruit, eat only foods that grow above the ground, practice celibacy, drink a couple glasses of wine, don't drink alcohol, don't drink coffee, have all your dental fillings removed, move your alarm clock across the room, don't use deoderant, use fluoride, don't use fluoride, wear magnets ... so much confusion that I was ready to don a tin foil hat and mumble to myself in the corner ...

I choose to do my own research and then pay attention to my own body and my own health. I know what I am doing is working for me. I feel great and people ask me what I am doing because I look so vibrant and healthy. This works for me and I love it. Before, I felt like my life was over and I was just waiting to die -- sometimes I even wished that I would die because I felt so awful. Now, I wish I could have those 10 years back! I wish that I would have found this when I first got sick. Alternate day fasting has turned my life around and given me new hope.

But ... I'm starting to sound like an info-mercial. That's enough for now. I guess it is all about finding your balance. For me, this is my balancing point, it is right here between eating healthy foods one day and fasting the next. For me, where I am right now, right here, this is perfect. This is it.

April 18 - Fasting Day 71 - 124.8 Pounds
April 19 - Normal Day 71 - 122.2 Pounds
April 20 - Fasting Day 72 - 125.6 Pounds
April 21 - Normal Day 72 - 122.6 Pounds
April 22 - Fasting Day 73 - 125.0 Pounds
April 23 - Normal Day 73 - 121.6 Pounds
April 24 - Fasting Day 74 - 123.0 Pounds
April 25 - Normal Day 74 - 121.0 Pounds

Normal Day 70 - 122

Lately, I've switched from drinking coffee to drinking green tea either plain or sweetened with a little stevia powder. I find stevia's aftertaste a little too bitter to be used as a sweetener in many dishes. In hot tea however, the bitterness of stevia is unnoticable.

If you're going to have tea, naturally you'll need a little treat to go with it. But -- I wanted something that is also healthy. I made these cookies this morning, they aren't overly sweet and they are great with tea.

Tennant Oatcakes

These scone-like cookies remind me of Scottish Oatcakes, so I've named these after my favorite Scotsman, David Tennant, in honor of his birthday tomorrow. These scrumptious little treats are more nutritious , sweeter and spicier than their contemporary cousins. They are especially delicious topped with cream and drizzled with a puree of fresh berries. Serve with hot tea.

2 cups rolled oats
1 cup buckwheat flour
1 cup shredded fresh coconut
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup dried tart cherries

1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger chopped
1 cored apple with skin
1 banana
1/8 cup blackberries
2.5 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp stevia powder
2 T Splenda
2 T coconut oil

Mix the oats, buckwheat, coconut, almonds and cherries in a bowl.

In food processor, puree the ginger and apple, then puree in the banana and blackberries (the idea is to use whatever ripe fruit you have on hand). Next, puree in the spices (use freshly ground spices if you can), salt, leavening powders, and sweeteners. (The sweeteners can be omitted if you don't want them or if the ripe fruit has already provided enough sweetening oomph.) Finally puree in the coconut oil until it is incorporated throughout the mixture.

Add this wet mixture to the dry ingredients in the bowl. Stir until all the dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened.

Wet your hands with water, scoop out a tablespoonful and use your wet hands to form a small flat oatcake. Place oatcakes on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake in a 400 degree F oven until done. About 12-20 minutes (or when they start to brown on the bottom). If you prefer them softer cook them less; if you prefer them crunchier cook them more.

Recipe makes about 1 1/2 dozen.

My 'David Tennant' Oatcakes ;-)

Fasting Day 70 - 125

Alternate Day Fasting has made so many incredible changes in my life that I am tempted to call it a miracle. No pills, no supplements, no meal plans nor member fees -- it is so easy and it really works. Maintaining my weight at 125 has been easier than I expected it to be. I keep fearing that the weight is going to come back on, yet time and again I am pleased to see that it does not. My energy levels keep increasing. I participate in longs walks or hikes on an almost daily basis. I've joined several different hiking groups in the area and I am finally beginning to get out and learn about San Diego for the first time, even though we have lived here for nearly a year now. Our poor dog can no longer keep up with us on these hikes and needs a day or two to recuperate. I'm imagining the day that rather than barking joyously at his most beloved words, "Do you want to go for a walk?" he will instead scamper under the bed and growl in disgust (just as he does now at the words "Do you want to take a bath?").


My ovary flare up lasted much longer this time (about 2 weeks rather than 2 days). I cannot write it off as 'ovulation pain' this time. I've decided to avoid the protein/water shakes on my fasting day as much as possible. My rationale (however misguided it may actually be) is that many hormones tend to consist of amino acids/protein. Since the body needs to scavenge protein while it is fasting, what if it was scavenging these excess hormones first for their protein components? Perhaps by consuming the additional protein shakes, my body no longer needed to scavenge these excess hormones that are creating ovarian cysts? This is theoretically quite possible. It certainly appears that the symptoms I had were lessening when I drank only water on my fasting days and that they began increasing again when I began adding the protein powder. Therefore, I shall try an experiment and see if the symptoms begin to lessen once again.

April 08 - Fasting Day 66 - 125.0 Pounds
April 09 - Normal Day 66 - 124.0 Pounds
April 10 - Fasting Day 67 - 126.6 Pounds
April 11 - Normal Day 67 - 124.2 Pounds
April 12 - Fasting Day 68 - 125.0 Pounds
April 13 - Normal Day 68 - 122.6 Pounds
April 14 - Fasting Day 69 - 125.2 pounds
April 15 - Normal Day 69 - 122.2 Pounds
April 16 - Fasting Day 70 - 125.0 Pounds

Normal Day 65 - 123.0

Yes, I'm still here and I am still alternate day fasting. Right now, I am taking a break from trying to lose weight and instead working on maintaining my weight around 125 pounds. Maintaining weight loss is really easy to do on this lifestyle. It is can be tempting to eat on my fasting day, but the health benefits of alternate day fasting are too good to pass up. My skin is clear, my head is clear, I have energy to actually get out and enjoy doing things again. Although, I am not currently losing weight, I am still losing inches. It's time to go buy smaller jeans AGAIN.

Tue April 1 Fasting Day 63 - 123.8
Wed April 2 Normal Day 63 - 122.0
Thu April 3 Fasting Day 64 - 126.0
Fri April 4 Low Cal Day 06 - 124.6
Sat April 5 Normal Day 64 - 122.6
Sun April 6 Fasting Day 65 - 125.4
Mon Apr 7 Normal Day 65 - 123.0