Up until about 3 years ago, i Hovered in the 212 to 216 lb range. 5'10", Thick build, 34 inch waist.
Tried the intermittent fasting thing. Was hard. Way too hungry by midday and even when willpower won the battle, and average caloric consumption was down significantly, there was little results in loss of body fat.
Friend said, try drinking your coffee black.
I was using a moka pot , making strong as eff coffee, with a lot of skim milk so I could drink it quickly, get on with things.
Switching to Black coffee, allowed me to eat just one meal a day, at least 5 days a week.
It was convenient and economical.
I lost 30 lbs.
Was rather amazed I could go all day just on coffee and on the dinner from the night before, day after day.
I've kept it off 3+ years now.
I Am down to the 185 lb range, and most days, manage to eat only dinner but a pretty huge portion. Id gotten down to 178 at one point, but was not exercising enough, eating enough protein, and some of that loss was muscle.
Ive been working core muscles relentlessly, and lately rotator cuff and am ashamed i did not do this in my 20's when it woukd have been far easier, and far more beneficial in each and every facet of my life.
I've Still somes stubborn belly fat to lose, but new washed fresh from drier 32 jeans are loose. The guy in the mirror has a flat stomach and thick ripped shoulders, and more salt than pepper in my facial hair, a goatee not needing to disguise a double chin anymore.
Attractive women, half my age have been flirting with a very confused me, in the grocery store, as I am used to being invisible.
The temptations to overeat are worse, the worse I eat.
If i eat frozen pizza for dinner, im starving and weak by midday, and have to eat something to make it to dinner.
If i eat a more balanced less processed healthier dinner I can usually go 23 hours without eating.
Sometimes come dinnertime I am still not hungry, but I am living with and taking care of elderly parents, and have to feed them at their regular hour, and have to taste food as I cook.
Putting milk, or half and half in my morning coffee made intermittent fasting ineffective, or nearly impossible for me. I'd have to eat breakfast, then would be ravenous by lunch, andthannhave the same appetite as always by dinner, but eliminating the dairy made it far easier and more effective.
I got a ways to go, but ive found a formula which works for me.
I just want the belly fat gone. Im not so concerned with what the scale reveals or day to day variations.
My blood pressure went from a regular 136/94 when I was 215lbs to 122/82 now that I am 185ish.
Id like to switch up the fasting a bit more.
Go without eating, for far longer, every once and a while but the current livin sitch makes it difficult, being the family dinner cook.
One thing,.... if and when the hunger pangs kick in, they make me angry.
I punish my abdominal muscles with crunches and variations there of, and drink nearly 2 liters of water, and 8 times out of ten can make it the 23 hours between meals without feeling hungry, but if i give in, even a little, the eating machine, excuse makjng machine can take over and can easily undo a week's worth of effort, in one day.
I think the ' 3 square meals a day' thing is more or less BS foisted on us as youths, as it yields the highest profits for the few who can profit from it.
