Intermittent Fasting for Coffee Feins...

Where do I begin here...? First, I guess I'll begin with the fact that I've never had a weight problem in my life. I was always average weight with sort of a sporty physique growing up.

As a little girl, I was slender, then as a teen I was sporty and played softball, etc., that type of physique. Then had kids and always bounced back after pregnancy.

After I had my twins clearly my body had stretched beyond belief considering I made it 37 weeks with two nearly full-term babies. Had to wait two months to start exercising cause you have to wait longer with twins. Once I was given the green light I started working out immediately and lost all of the weight and then some by the time they were five months.

Then...I stopped working out, went into full mom mode juggling everything I was juggling and began to put it back on and then some for the first time in my life. Didn't happen all at once. It was a "process" and I've come to the conclusion there were a few variables at play here to cause my downfall. Desk job, age, and now that I know also my hiatal hernia which messed up my digestion process causing other problems. Okay.

So now that we know what led me to this post let's dive into what I've done to attempt to lose the weight. I'm 42 now and began to attempt losing the weight at about 35ish. For the first time in my life each attempt was an epic fail to my dismay. I used all the usual tactics that always worked for me - smaller portions, working out, green tea, etc.

Not only did I not lose the weight but I began to gain as I tried losing - yes, very discouraging. Needless to say I gave up. Then started again. Then gave up. Then started again. This was a cycle. I learned about intermittent fasting, which seems to be great for weight loss over 40. My GI even recommended it to me. I've dappled in intermittent fasting but could never quite nail the complete removal of cream and sugar in my morning coffee because I'm a coffee fein.

I literally couldn't give up my morning coffee. Guess it wasn't "that" important to me. So I also tried to just accept my weight but then when you do that it goes up... Then I'd try losing again. Then accepting, then tried losing. I bought an exercise bike, mini stepper, hand weights, elastic bands, etc. Following a simple home workout video always worked for me. Not a gym person. But nothing was working.

So here I am...trying again but this time I've decided to give intermittent fasting a try with just cream, no sugar. Before I began this experiment I carefully did my research. This video in particular helped me make up my mind to give it a try. Will cream in coffee break a fast? These folks answer that question with their own experiment and expertise and so I decided to give it a try.

But before waking up and giving it a try first thing in the morning with my first cup - I did my own experiment. I got my body used to just cream in my coffee a couple days prior throughout the day and I have to say it's doable. I got used to the taste. I let it cool a little before sipping with such little cream. Yes, I drink coffee throughout the day. Not as much as I used to but I do. I'd say about four cups a day now.

When I was younger I could go through 1-2 pots of coffee a day. Gross, I know. So they say 1-2 tsp of cream is okay. I'm doing two which is also 1 tbsp. you could say. You'll obviously have more benefits with black coffee but this is doable. I just can't do black coffee. I would be like the wicked witch of the west with black coffee, so I'm doing cream. I'm one week in and I feel like I see a difference. My daughters see it too. We shall see...

I will not get on the scale till I see clothing get looser as the scale is lucky I didn't take it out back and smash it to pieces. The scale is public enemy number one and is not your friend. Avoid it at all costs. Weigh yourself once a week or even less than that. I want to see a difference in the way my clothing fits before I jump on that baby again...definitely a mind f**k, the scale. Yes, I censored myself, lol.

If you're on the same journey, good luck. It's frustrating, I know. I remember when I was younger hearing women say they felt like they gained weight from simply breathing. Now...I get it. Good luck and never give up...but love yourself no matter what.

P.S. I'm a little behind on my post schedule that I set for myself. I spent the day yesterday doing some organizing and putting together a piece of furniture that five years ago would have taken me two hours, but at 42 feeling like I have the body of a 90-year-old it took me literally hours...but I did it! I was determined.

People kept asking if I needed help and I kept saying "no, I've got this," cause I'm stubborn. By bedtime I could barely move and woke up feeling like I ran a marathon or lifted weights for hours. Aging sucks...I literally hate my body, lol.

If anyone wonders what it's like to age it's like this... Your spirit wants to do one thing but your body won't cooperate and has an agenda of its own - to cause you pain you never imagined from doing simple tasks. My goal this year is to start running too.

We're gonna become a "running family." I already have two runners. Gonna be fun...

With Love,

Carmen