Last Updated on March 1, 2023 by Lori Geurin
Struggling to lose weight? In this post, I’ll share weight loss success stories, and how I’ve lost weight without counting calories or denying myself the foods I love…and how you can too!
Losing weight is hard for many people. I get it because I’ve been there too. But, I’m thankful to have finally found the one thing that works for me – and it does not involve:
- Counting calories
- Tracking points
- Eliminating food groups
- More cooking or meal planning
- Denying myself the foods I love
- Exercise (even though working out has so many benefits!)
If you’ve been here a while, you can probably guess what it is…intermittent fasting! When I do a clean fast, it’s incredibly effective – helping me lose or maintain my weight and giving me more energy, and eliminating cravings for sweets.
And, perhaps the best benefit of all – autophagy! This is how the body cleans out old, damaged cells and regenerates new healthy ones.
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Dirty Fasting Isn’t Fasting
Here’s a short example. Since COVID-19 began, many of our lives have changed. Before COVID, I was at my goal weight, clean, fasting most days of the week, and feeling trim and healthier than I had in a long time.
But, while gaining the COVID 15 (actually, 20 ?), my healthy habits have been slipping. My family discovered this awesome-tasting almond milk coffee creamer, and it somehow catapulted me into old unhealthy habits. It’s funny how that happens.
Every morning when I added that delicious creamer to my coffee, I was taking myself out of fasting. In my mind, I told myself that I was “dirty fasting,” and it was okay.
But the truth (which Gin Stephens mentions in her book, Fast, Feast, Repeat) is that if you’re not clean fasting, you are not really fasting at all.
RELATED: What Is Clean Fasting And How It’ll Boost Your Fasting Results
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What is a realistic weight loss goal per month?
Many people will tell you that if you want to lose weight long-term, you need to lose the healthy way. But, what does this mean, exactly?
It means losing weight slowly over time improves your ability to keep the weight off over the long term. The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest losing 1 to 2 pounds per week so try to be patient with your rate of weight loss.
You have your whole life in front of you, so take your time and don’t rush it. The positive changes you make will help build long-term weight loss success.
What are signs you are losing weight?
When you’re working hard to lose weight, sometimes, you need a little inspiration to keep going. Here are a few ways you can tell you’re making good progress.
- Your clothes fit you differently. This may be the most significant indication that you’re losing weight. You may want one piece of clothing you try on each week to monitor your progress. As you lose body fat and weight, it will fit looser.
- Your blood pressure goes down.
- Chronic pain improves.
- Your muscles appear more defined. (You may enjoy these high-protein snack recipes.)
- Improved mood
- Your body measurements change.
Weight Loss At Home Success Stories
The great news is that I decided this past Monday that I was ready for a change and ready for my summer clothes to fit loosely again. So I have been doing an 18:6 clean fast every day. (18 hours of clean fasting and 6 hours for my eating window)
(*I wouldn’t recommend this unless you’ve been fasting for a while…just to give your body a little time to adjust to a longer fasting schedule. 12:12, 14:10, or 16:8 are more doable if you’re a fasting beginner. See my new post, 22 Intermittent Fasting Schedules To Skyrocket Your Fasting Success, for more.)
I only have water, black coffee, and green tea (unsweetened) during my clean fasting window. And, amazingly, just by making this one healthy shift to clean fasting, I’ve lost over 7 pounds in 2 days.
And that’s with eating the foods I love. My husband and I went out for a giant cheeseburger and sweet potato fries this weekend, followed by frozen custard, and I enjoyed every bite!
Plus, I haven’t been working out these 2 weeks because I tweaked my back and have a pinched nerve.
I just wanted to share this with you in case you’re struggling to lose weight. Know that it is possible and you can still enjoy the foods you love plus simplify your life. (Sounds too good to be true, I know)
Another at-home weight loss success story is from a woman who read my intermittent fasting eBook and lost over 15 pounds…even though she was dealing with an injury and could not exercise all the time.
Working out has many benefits, but this shows that even if you’re not able to exercise right now, you can lose weight and feel better with clean fasting!
Here’s my eBook if you’d like to take a look. I recently updated the content to reflect new info I’ve learned about fasting, including adding more fasting schedules and lots of bonus content.
Health Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting
Here are a few ways IF can improve your health and life.
- Weight loss and belly fat loss (1)
- Boosts the release of growth hormone (GH) (2)
- Cellular repair (from autophagy) (3)
- May increase life expectancy (4)
- Lowered risk of type 2 diabetes (5)
- Reduced inflammation and oxidative stress (6)
- Decreased LDL cholesterol and triglycerides (7)
- May help prevent cancer (8)
Additional Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting
People who live the intermittent fasting lifestyle report many more benefits. Here are a few.
- Less food prep
- More time for your favorite activities
- Less time spent shopping for food
- Fewer cravings
- Increased satiety
- Clothes fit better
- Increased focus
- More energy
- Less time thinking about food
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Intermittent Fasting + Long-Term Weight Loss Success Stories
I wrote a FREE eBook about Intermittent Fasting >> The Ultimate Guide To Intermittent Fasting – the benefits, how to do it, weight loss, insider tips, and more.
If you’d like to learn more about how to get started with intermittent fasting, you can check out Intermittent Fasting Guide: A Great Way To Lose Weight.
If you need some fasting inspiration, get the 42 Powerful Intermittent Fasting Quotes To Spark Your Motivation.
And, if you’re trying to figure out what to do with all your spare time now that you’re fasting, here are 50 Things To Do Instead Of Eating When You’re Intermittent Fasting.
