by Anura Guruge
on August 17, 2022
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Given the semi-reclusive lifestyle I lead I am often oblivious to the latest in fads, mods & trends. I tend to just plod away in my old-fashioned world — & that suits me.
I only heard, accidently, on late night radio, a couple of nights ago about ‘Intermittent Fasting‘. When they went onto describe it, I realized, to my AMAZEMENT that I have been doing it, DAILY FOR YEARS — & I don’t think it has helped me any! I still struggle with my weight! I would LOVE to lose some weight.
So, IF I am to go by, then Intermittent Fasting is yet another UNFOUNDED, worthless FAD.
It just happens that I do KNOW a LOT about fasting.
I used to fast, PROPERLY, rigorously & regularly for about 15 years of my life.
Between the ages of 29 to ~34 I fasted for FULL 3 Days a WEEK: Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. I only ate on Tuesdays, Thursdays & the weekend. That was rigorous fasting. THAT WORKED — as it must. I lost over 60 lbs. I was down to 142 pounds. I was SUPER-FIT. That was my so-called ‘movie star’ period. SMILE. When I walked into a pub or restaurant conversations would subside for a few minutes. I had not really noticed it. Then some women enlightened me to my great amusement. They pointed out that women stopped talking when they saw me walk in. SMILE. Wow. Those were the days.
Yes, that was worth fasting for — 3-days a week. I had plenty of distractions to keep my mind away from food. Oh, I also used to run 7-miles a day, in under 50-minutes. Now, that was FASTING.
Then from 1992 to 2007, I fasted ONCE A MONTH — around the 21st of each month. That was to mark the passing of my adoptive mother who had died on August 21, 1992. This was my way to commemorate her. Fasting one day a month wasn’t that hard THOUGH I will readily admit that fasting gets harder as you get older. That, once a month fasting, DIDN’T nothing, whatsoever, to control my weight — & it was not supposed to. I put on weight during that period.
I gave up fasting after I was diagnosed with a peptic ulcer. 2007 to 2008, I had a LOT of health issues.
My latest regime started c. 2013 — it was refined & made more rigorous in 2019. So, I don’t eat ANYTHING from ~9:20 at night till ~11:40 the next day. Yes, I have coffee in the morning BUT no food. Not even a snack.
I have, all my life, eaten late. I really DON’T enjoy eating BEFORE 8:30pm. To me eating earlier than that is uncivilized. These days I between 9 & 9:20pm. Then around 10:40 I do 23.5 minutes of leisurely indoor cycling while watching cricket. Yes, I am very precise. 23.5 minutes. I kid you not. It works. Then I do a QUICK 1-mile walk. SMILE. That makes sure that I get my 7- to 8-miles of walking a day accomplished. And, I still can’t lose weight. DAMN.
So, I want to go on record to say, INTERMITTENT FASTING has NOT worked for I.
