Hi jojo,

I agree, it’s a pain about the Zero Noodles, but I’ve just ordered a pack of 20 at £1.77 each which even including the added postage is 25-30p a packet better than I’m paying locally.

I’ve still to see Michael’s documentary. I can’t help admiring the way he’s prepared to play guinea pig during his various investigations. I recall during the great documentary that started us all off on 5:2, for the sake of science he sat down to tackle an obscenely large “cholesterol bomb” in an American diner. As he slunk off he was definitely not a happy bunny.

As you say genes is genes. I seem to have managed to defy one gene. Both parents were diabetic and so, it has emerged, is my brother, but thus far my blood glucose has always been normal. Sadly, their height and build I can’t do much about, but I seem finally to have cracked the weight issue, although with still a way – a stone or so- to go. At least I no longer frighten animals, small chidren and old ladies.

This is the first time a WOE has worked for me and I’ll be happy to do it until the cows come home, maybe in adapted form once I get close to target – fingers toes and everything crossed.

I have had up to date 5 colonoscopys if you relax it is fine . They let me watch it on the monitor the last time . They always take a polyp and send it to the lab . So far everything has been fine :). It can be a wee bit uncomfortable BUT much better than having Cancer in my opinion . The worst thing about it is drinking the prep before it .. really vile YUCK!!!!

Wee xx

Well done, Michael
He would have to be some kind of a nutter to agree to an on-camera colonoscopy. 🙂

Total weight loss, in kilos if that’s OK.
Pre-5:2: 2-3 kilos without even trying after being taken off steroids (I won’t bore you with the details).
First year on 5:2 : 6 kilos, partly as a result of a 5-month plateau.
Since Feb 2014: after fairly steep carb cut-back, a further 6 kilos
Total: 12 on 5:2 plus (say) 3 kilo pre 5:2
Overall reduction: 15 kilos = 33lbs = 2st 5lb.
Although it would still be technically overweight I would be content at 10 st (63 kilos), at which I know I don’t look bad at all. A few lbs more would be a bonus. Besides, it’s actually recommended for women of certain age to be up to 10lbs over as protection against osteoporosis (that’s my story and I’m stcking to it).

OHH! I forgot to say 2 pounds off again this week so 16 in total . LOVING this WOL

Wee xx

Still29

Glad to hear someone’s doing jumping jacks.

Our circlulatory system has the heart to pump circulation, but the lymphatic system doesn’t have pump to help circulate it. There are however a few exercises that help to circulate the lymphatic system. Jumping jacks, jumprope, and trampoline.

Here’s a quick read

http://byregion.net/articles-healers/Exercise_Lymphatic.html

Thank goodness we don’t have ‘smellovision’ ! The great British bake off would be even more tortuous than it is already! I normally have a sweet tooth but that seems to be changing. I don’t eat a lot of bread but have recently cut back drastically on carbs. I could reach into the TV and gorge on all that lovely warm bread.
Another fast today, I am managing this woe with more ease than any other diet I’ve ever done. I don’t fully understand why, maybe I’m just in the right frame of mind but I think it suits me. I’m learning so much too. Good luck to all.

Oh no, am I missing a new series of The Great British Bake Off? What week are you on? I’ll have to wait for the reruns on the weekends (I love binge-watching with my family). The Bake Off is like a big, warm, cinnamon-scented cuddle. Watching it feels like being in a soft and warm pillow fort with treats. But without the calories.

I’m lucky today because Wednesday is Pastry Day in my family (long standing market day tradition) and I still have a Berliner waiting for me. Lol, traditional Pastry Day, no wonder I weighed what I weighed. I f I think about what I used to eat on Wednesdays, yikes.

Ooo Flemish, we’re only on the 2nd week. Mary Berry’s look of disapproval is as cutting as ever, as are Mr Hollywood’s beautiful eyes.
Enjoy that Berliner! (It’s a doughnut doesn’t it?) I’m sure it’ll be delicious and worth the wait!
Tracey

@tartan lass

I feel the same way about the IF. Intermittent Fasting . I take the 600 calories. In 2013 I lost 33 lbs in a sedentary lifestyle using IF. I was diligent for 8months before my schedule and financial issues interrupted me, and I returned to eating my old habits. Luckily I only gained lbs back . Ihad become curious at the anniversary of my 2013 start date.

So march 2014 I was 27lbs lighter than 2013. That prompted me to restart. I actually looked forward to restarting the fasting days. No other weight loss diet ever had my heart like IF. Reading my diet journal entries though many days were I went to bed hungry, I always was able to eat well in the morning.
So in 2014 I looked forward without reservation to restarting the fasting days knowing unlike the many other diets I had tried. 2014 would be great year of eating great foods, and losing my belly fat.

In the last few days every time I look into a mirror I’m astonished, I’m shrinking in the belly region, my old clothes no longer fit even with a belt. Everyone from family , friends, co Workers and eve the buffet register lady sees a thinner me, and now isee it too.

Along the way I had a set back, being diagnoised with diabetes . This really put me to the test. Foods that I enjoyed no longer were healthy without carefully testing how I react to them. I came up with a plan shared with my GP. And have her approval for 7 fasts per month in 12 days. She’s not an expert, and it’s my plan, but her approval is essential. As idont want to harm myself.

So I’m right with you Tartan lass that this style of fasting for weight loss holds a lot of satisfying possibilities that other calorie restiction plans don’t. I’d say my biggest possibility was working out how I could still go to an all I can eat buffet once every two weeks. AND still lose weight. 1st I had small plate of veggies , then smaller plate of fruits. Then onto steak and lobster. I figured I could get a deep fillin of vitamin and minerals and then start a 4:3 . I believe the key was I no longer got any calories from drinks so my calories counting totals for feed days and fast days were almost always from nutrition dense foods. My thought was and is if I’m not deficient in vitamins or minerals I may not struggle as much as did on other diets or from starving myself. To my pleasure what I found was an opportunity to use fasting days to pamper myself in other ways than feeling full. Sipping health drinks,taking baths, cleaning the dust out of air spaces. Aroma therapies, skin care and shiatsu self massage. However on feed days I was finding friends to go out with and family to stay with.

On my second year with IF as my lifestyle, I’m thinner, but more importantly I believe I’m healthier too a if embraced health foods on my feed days. Especially fish when eating out. It’s the first thing I look for on restaurant menus. I guess I’m saying if found a calorie restriction lifestyle that I dont feel guilty about, and That keeps making me thinner. I think of this way. 1 single fast day inst much of a difference , but 100-150 fasting day a year certainly will. But the other 200 days a year I get to enjoy my foods to the point of indigence. I love chocolate, so I eat on feed days , but I know what my numbers are. What will spike my sugars, or at what point will I putting in more calories than I will burn.

Since I started 5:2, then 4:3 and onto ADF, with an increased N.E.A.T and H.I.I.T I’ve finally found what works for me. Add This thread and the support . I feel I will reach goal , without regrets.

Cheers!

Good morning 🙂

Samm: Thank you so much for info on Lymphatic system which I’ll re-paste in case anyone missed it. http://byregion.net/articles-healers/Exercise_Lymphatic.html
In a nutshell; look after your lymphatic system , and the rest will follow. This is essential reading for all of us.

Jojo: It sounds like you’re having a difficult time. It’s so disheartening when there are no apparent rewards for the hard work and sacrifice isn’t it? You know though, that on some level, good stuff is happening. There is a paragraph in the above article, which Samm posted regarding the awakening (for want of a better phrase) of the collection of lymph nodes that reside just under the collarbone. all you need to do is tap for 15 mins a day. Every little helps, as they say.

Amazon emailed to tell me my Spirilizer will be delivered today (Yay!)- when I ordered it yesterday, they said it would be on Saturday. Oooh, spag bol with courgette ‘pasta’ for dinner tomorrow. Yum.

Tomorrow is my first weigh-in day. Which means today is last chance training – (I watch far too much weight loss TV.) After I’ve finished work this morning, I’m off to the gym for 6 miles on the treadmill and a 32 length swim which I’ll have to do now as I’ve just told you all I will. This evening, it will be a 25 minutes HIT session with a DVD and my OH at home. Oh, and it’s FD2.

Dinner is Chicken and Japanese Rice Bowl (appx 400 calls).

Morning, fast trackers!
Back to work today, just a one day training before we start in earnest on Sept. 2. I am always excited about the start of school, even though I love summer. One of the many great things about teaching is the fresh start every September! Most professions do not get that opportunity. I am very excited about a program I am starting at my school called Girls on the Run. It’s for girls ages 8-11, and seeks to build their strength, confidence, and ability to handle the pressures of tween and teen life. There is also a running component, mostly in the form of games. We will meet twice a week, and run a 5k in December. All the chapters from around the state run the 5k, so there will be about 400 little girls taking over the race! Check it out if you get a moment: http://www.girlsontherun.org
Fasting today as well. It has been a very good week for me thus far!
I will be getting my first colonoscopy soon, since I turned 50 in January. Like Weemam says, I hear the prep is worse than the actual procedure. @Hermaj, an American TV host, Katie Couric, had one on TV after her husband died very young from colon cancer.
I got a new kettle bell DVD which I am going to do tonight. Sunday and Thursday will be my kettle bell days. Look forward to my complaining about being sore Friday and Saturday!
Sounds like you have the exercise plan down, still29! I have never been a swimmer, just don’t like being wet all that much. My gym has a nice pool, so maybe I will try it. SAMM will keep you posted on the latest detail for all exercise and body systems!
@treat89,I know many women who have become regular runners after starting with a couch to 5k plan. Go for it!
Jojo, if only you could get rid if those meds! Between painkillers and antihistamines, they really hamper your efforts. But you know that they are only hiding your progress, not preventing it, so you are getting fitter and losing fat even if the scales don’t say so. Keep doing what you are doing, it is all to the good.
I watch a lot of Food Network, though sometimes have to avoid on fast day evenings. I am sure I would like GBBO! I love to cook and bake, but do not eat most of what I bake. My kids, family members, friends, and coworkers are only too happy to take it off my hands. My cooking efforts get channeled into trying to create yummy low cal meals, often by modifying higher cal and carb favorites.
Have a wonderful day, everyone!

Jojo, I am staying off the scales for a week or two. Will report in when I break through the ten pounds to go mark, hopefully by Labor Day, September 1.
I drink my dandelion tea iced, just throw a couple of bags in my water bottle and let it steep overnight. I think it tastes better cold. I drink it because it is a diuretic, so helps with water retention.

Edit

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc_deficiency

Weakened immune systemSusceptibility to viruses, toxins, complement, venom: inability to protect cell membranePoor appetite – esp young, elderlyChronic diarrheaGrowth failure in childrenVisual difficultiesMen – failure of sexual maturity, prostatitisWomen – menstrual cramping, birth defectsDelayed wound healingFree radical damagePremature agingJoint painIncreased oxidative stress – esp athletes, vegetariansWhite bands, spots or lines on nailsExcess DNA damageAcne.[11]

eres one for jojo and all.

its the importance of zinc. I post some links so youll know its not just my opinion.

the human body cannot create zinc nor store it. It has to be ingested regularly. My favorite source is dark chicken meat. However its my opinion that fasting if not carefully keeping up eith vitamin and mineral intake may lead to less absorbtion .

heresthe link

and here’s the issues

Hi jojo,

Well done, your daughter. You must both be over the moon at her wonderful result. As you said in a different context, jojo, genes is genes, but this time in a very good way. I wish her – and her proud and supportive mum – a happy probationary year (assuming it still works like that). Is she teaching primary or secondary?

Coincidentally, Him Indoors recently gained a qualification enabling him to teach in the public sector, e.g. for local authorities, the NHS etc. As a gentleman of a certain age he has reinvented himself as a Tai Chi/Qi Gong instructor after being “talent-spotted” by the tutor of a class at which he was a student. Within a couple of weeks, she had him supervising beginners and encouraged him to think seriously about becoming an instructor. He already has a couple of paid “gigs” , one of which is a job-share with this same tutor, and is now working towards a formal qualification in Tai Chi/Qi Gong.

So what with me and my MA in Art History which is now a dissertation away – deadline September 29 (don’t know how to do an anxious-looking smiley) – we are quite a studious old pair.

Thanks for post Samm.
While training for the moonwalk a couple of years ago I paid attention to some stats. 10 000 steps for the average person is approximately 3 miles and should take just under an hour at a fair pace. We were encouraged to achieve 31/2 – 4 miles per hour which is quite fast. I live in a hilly area so it’s easy to add in a couple of steep inclines to up the effort.
‘Map my run’ is a very useful app which allows you to plan a route and know exactly the distance covered.
Going for a gentle stroll ( or a wee donner as my dad calls it ) won’t cut it I’m afraid!

Evening, all. I spent the day and night with an old friend yesterday, she was horrified that I was going to spend the day working today without eating until dinner time. She kept trying to push food on me to take…just some fruit…some leftover frittata, veggies…”it’s all low calorie, it’s not good for you to skip meals, you have to keep your system going…” Meanwhile I am down 30 pounds and she is struggling to lose the first 10 of 50. It was interesting to see the snacking yesterday. Food everywhere in the house, almonds, chips, crackers, fruit out on the counters, ready to grab a few whenever one walks by. I had some of the same habits prior to 5:2. Lord knows how many extra unsatisfying calories were being consumed.
Saw this article today, maybe conventional wisdom is finally catching up?
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/08/21/is-breakfast-overrated/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

Congratulations to you no your daughter, Jojo! Great accomplishment! I am always thrilled when dynamic young people join the teaching profession.

Welcome, Soobaloo! Sounds like you are on the right track, and you are sure to be successful!

Hi jojo,

Have I got this right? Your daughter is about to introduce French into a primary school? In which case, yee-ha, big row of smileys, I’m delighted to think of a primary school introducing very young kids to a foreign language. Do you know if this is widespread?

In fact it was the idea of teaching primary French that first took me back into higher education. This was back in the 70s, when this was a cutting-edge idea which sadly never really took off. However, one way and another I did learn a couple of sweet little French songs, with actions, that I was able to use with 1st-year secondary kids. One of them was about an elephant on a bike, which they loved.

It’s great, too, that your friend has become a specialist tutor in Russian Art and Culture after her MA. Does she work at Birkbeck by any chance? I don’t think mine will involve a change of career but already it’s made a huge difference to my work as a translator specialising in Arts and Media. I can handle arts-related stuff with much greater ease and as my colleague who supplies me with most of my assignments said of my last two, fairly complex, jobs, I obviously had complete command of the subject (thanks largely to Monsieur Google, where would we be without him and all the places he can lead us to?).

One thing that is going to happen, though, is a book. One of our MA assignments was a research project on a subject of our choice, designed to assess our research skills. I got lucky and my research turned up a series of such amazing interwoven stories, based on the Glasgow Tenement House, a National Trust for Scotland property in Glasgow, that my supervisor suggested that I rework the project report into a book for a general readership. But first there’s a dissertation to be got out of the way.

I’m glad that you know what Qi Gong is and even gladder that you practised it and found it energising. I understand it can also be particularly helpful to people with disabilities or health problems. In fact my hubby’s job-share is with people recovering from strokes, some of them as young as their 20s and 30s.

SAMM, the only symptoms I have are weight loss, smaller clothes, and high energy, so my friend is definitely not right! More WW brainwashing, I think.

Hi jojo

Delighted to hear languages will be compulsory in primary school. Of course it would help if qualified French/Spanish etc teachers were employed. It means my lovely wee great nephew, now five, will have the chance to learn a little bit of French or whatever is on offer at his school. It will be exciting to see if he he’ll be one of the third generation to have the family language gene. His elder brother certainly has and is doing French and Italian GCSE and it’s not impossible that he will continue further.

The wee one has a good ear for music, which may not be totally irrelevant to language learning. I even have an old shot of him taken on Facebook where at age 2 he can be seen hurtling around the room singing along to Vivaldi’s Gloria (his mum’s a choral singer),pausing now and then to check his toy bendy-bus. He’s remarkably in tune – well, most of the time anyway – especially in the “In excelsis Deo” bit, which he pronounces with remarkable accuracy.

Here are a couple of links, which of course you or your daughter may have found already. The elephant song is sung very enthusiastically by an infant, but the tune’s not altogether clear. Maybe you can compose your own.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Emddb2ZQpKQ – the elephant song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0INguuO9WM I learned and taught this one in reverse, starting with the fish, but it works either way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjhQvv9kexk (This is a compilation. There are lots more links to French nursery rhyme sites on the same YouTube page).

Sorry to hear the Voltarol didn’t work. There’s a chance DeepHeat might.

Jojo, incidentally, re the Spiralizer, have you seen the Skinnytaste website which does a lot of Spiralized veg, the latest being http://www.skinnytaste.com/2014/08/raw-spiralized-zucchini-noodles-with.html.

Hiya all from bonnie Scotland

It has been one of these days where you are looking out the window waiting for things to be delivered . My hubbys meds from the chemist . My son too has been watching for a courier to pick up a parcel to be returned to Amazon . Meds came but as usual the courier didn’t turn up and have to rearrange the day . Anyway I have decided to do back to back fasting . yesterday and today and really pleased with myself . I usually et between 1000 and 1200 calories so I tried to keep my 2 days to a quarter of that .
I had white cabbage and spag bol without the spag lol . then sugar free jelly . also had marigold bullion drink which I love .
As most of you know we are going to The Lake district to a friends on the 31st and the 1st . My RA was too bad to go last year but the 5.2 is making so much difference .RA now bearable and not agonising . 16 pounds off has made so much difference just so hard to get my head round . You all sound so positive on this thread and that keeps me going 🙂 … thank you

Wee xx

thanks hermajtomomi
Jojo tires me out just reading what she is doing . I used to have loads of energy . I loved to paper and paint and DIY . I would try anything , I also loved to knit and Did Aran and fishermans Knits . hands won’t let me knit now BUT as for the others …watch this space lol .
our youngest granddaughter is 20 .She was commenting on how good I was looking yesterday BUT said” nanny at 72 should you bother about slimming” My answer was ” sweetheart it doesn’t matter what age you are .You want to look and feel good” Love her to bits xx

Basically it’s the omega3 found in fish.
I’ll point to wild caught salmon.

Basically it’s effect on the hippocampus- at the age related phase.
1 you can exercise 30min of aerobic activity to better you’re chances on avoiding alzhiemers.
2 you can ingest DHA – an omega3 – Wildcaught salmon is what dr perlmutter point to. I suppose I’d better look into how to buy from credible and responsible salmon catchers. * if were to make an assumption and take a wild guess? I’d put money on the vitamin d fish like salmon and catfish as being the best benefit fish in the long run.

So my take on it is I’m less likely to do aerobic exercise on fast days. If I choose my fast days to ingest the DHA that leaves the other days when not eating it to get from exercise. Very simple.

Also perlmutter indicates that humans are sensitive to some degree to glutens inflammation in the hippocampus . Where the main stream hasn’t caught on yet. He says going gluten free should better the odds avoiding dementia .

Ihadto take a step back and look what his recommendation would look like on menu.

3 days eating DHA and low carb , 4 days of gluten free foods and aerobic exercise .

It occurs to me that’s in line with a 50lbs weight loss plan.

——
I wore my tightest clothes today. I don’t know why, sorta attention seeking. Im not used to getting checked out! I just wish it were women LOL. I’m so clueless. I did not know a mans belt could indicate that!
Oh well. I’m trying to have fun with weight loss. But really I’m mostly interested in the health benefits. As I’m very devoted to my wife. She had the surgery, the cancer is out, waiting on her next steps to be supportive of.

Basically I view my obesity as an opprotunity to use fast days as healing days, and feed days as exercise days. Want to be here for my daughter for as long as possible. Still walking insane numbers on my step counter. Back to skipping rope 5 minutes just before eating. I’m happy with my efforts. I very glad I had taken the N.EA.T. challenge to heart. Trying to sit only four hours a day now. Trying to get back to afternoon naps of 20 min.