Waking up after an unbroken 8 hours was just fabulous
VICTORIA BATEMAN, 35, works in hospitality management. She is married to Kieron, 32, and the couple have one son, Stanley, eight. They live in Chudleigh, Devon.
Although I found the first four days of following the Fast 800 programme tough, by day ten I’d adapted and was sleeping better.
When you are used to broken nights, it’s the most incredible thing to sleep for a straight eight hours. that had never happened before and it felt great.
I never wanted to be that person who could only live in leggings. But when you are big, tailored clothes, fitted dresses and nice jeans can feel so uncomfortable, even if you can get them in your size, that you just stop bothering.
there’s a lovely, blue lace dress in my wardrobe which I bought from French Connection about 15 years ago when I was a size 12 — and when I started the plan, that became an emblem. I am determined to get back into it.
Aside from wanting to look nice, I have medical concerns about my weight.
I suffer from a condition called sinus tachycardia which causes an abnormally high resting heart rate.
Although doctors haven’t said it is serious, it’s very uncomfortable when your heart suddenly starts pounding wildly for no apparent reason. I’ve been taking beta blockers to control it.
the astonishing thing is, I haven’t had any episodes of racing heart since losing weight — so I haven’t had to take any medication, which feels so uplifting. have I cured myself? It’s incredible to think so.
I’ve also found my mood has improved and I wonder if the fresh food I am now eating has played a part.
As I was doing the Fast 800 online programme for my husband, we could plan what we were going to eat each day at the start of the week.
that really helps you to resist temptation and not grab something unhealthy for supper.
the recipes don’t involve loads of ingredients, which I like. take the tomato and cannelloni bean soup — so simple to put together but so filling and satisfying. In fact, I’d often take it into work for lunch.
As for that French Connection dress, I’m almost there!
RECIPES taken from thefast800.com online programme followed by our volunteers. The Fast 800 Recipe Book: Low-carb, Mediterranean style recipes for intermittent fasting and longterm health, by Dr Clare Bailey and Justine Pattison, foreword by Dr Michael Mosley (Short Books, £16.99)