Good Morning everyone . I have been sat here for ages posting all the photos on my desktop and really loving putting names to faces . .

I love reading all the posts because they are all so positive . Really cold here today . OH is feeling a lot better today and has gone our for a wee while and that is brilliant that he feels up to it .

Jojo I love this thread and I thank you so much for starting it :).

Samm I love all the information you give us .

I was just saying to OH today that I can’t remember the last day that the RA was so bad I was almost crying . This used to happen all the time but it is only a wee niggle now . I know it is loosing the weight that is taking the strain off the joints . I just love this way of life .
You all look so nice and so happy in your pictures . It will still take me a wee while to put your names here together with your (real) names BUT I have always been rubbish with names .

I have been meaning to say for some time about Ross . You all know he has CP . Not in a wheelchair though . the CP affects most of his body but it has never held him back . On FB you will see him in my pictures doing a Karate display at his local Gala day . he also did Tai Chi and Qi Gong,not bad for someone they said would not live or if by some miracle he did that he would be more or less a vegetable . very proud Mam here .

I wanted to go out today but waiting for plumber who said morning . now 12:15 . seems morning is up until 1 PM in some places … daft ..

FD for me today . tummy is rumbling already lol .

Have a greatday everyone 🙂

Wee xx

Hi Weemam.

I’m enjoying putting faces and names together too. I avoid the camera at all costs unless I am taking photos, but my Adelaide friend wasn’t having any nonsense and insisted on taking several photos of me when I was with her, which is good or I wouldn’t have one less than about 10 years old to post 😆

FD for me too, and I’m having a big mug of coffee and a glass of water to stave off hunger pangs.

The end of Nicky’s email address should be .com.au and I noticed that some of you have .com.aus, and that’ll be why they are being bounced back.

Just eaten the other half of the stuffed squash, and I can’t believe how full I feel after only 350 calories. I think there might be something to this 5:2 whatd’yamacallit diet thingy 😉

Amazon, I’m right with you when it comes to photos so I won’t frighten everyone with mine. I scrub up quite well, but in photos I look truly appalling. You can all judge for yourselves when we meet in York and/or Glasgow.

You were absolutely right about the beauty of the Forest of Dean. This was our fourth visit in three years, but we had never been in autumn before. The colours of the forest itself were still quite subdued, but our rellies took us to the National Arboretum: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt where the trees were spectacular.

PS You were spot on about Nicky’s email address, i.e. aus. instead of au. I was one of the offenders. Thanks for noticing.

Smiffy and Amazon,

It’s very sweet of you to say I probably don’t look appalling in photos. I and OH met through Time Out Lonely Hearts – mid-80s, a bit before online dating – and he freely admitted that if I had sent him a photo he wouldn’t have bothered to reply. Face to face was quite another matter. A bit of role reversal took place, he noticed my big blue eyes, I noticed his neat bum and nice legs. 😉

I have to say every single one of you looks fantastic. The first piccie I saw was jojo. You look very much like my favourite prof at Birkbeck, a delightful Canadian architectural historian, who gave me my best mark and the most flattering comments ever and also proved very helpful and supportive throughout my time there. She was also in her early 40s – so take the likeness as a big compliment, jojo. 😉 I can see Angela Pleasance in Lizzy, but I think Lizzy is better-looking.

I did in fact write a post about our time in the FoD when we arrived home yesterday but, knackered as I was, I forgot to press the submit key. 🙁 Smiffy, I did tell my cuz about the Wyndham Arms, but he had also been recommended by a friend to try The Woodman in Parkend http://www.woodman-parkend.co.uk/ and had already booked us a table for Sunday night.

Good choice. Great traditional British grub, well prepared and presented in ginormous portions. Luckily we all decided to forego starters to leave room for pud. No puds were ordered after the gargantuan mains. I opted for game stew, which seemed like a good option as game tends to be lean. It was indeed yummy and very filling. Despite the odd bit, – correction, a lot – of naughtiness in the form of cakes and biscuits over the weekend, I came home a little over a lb lighter. All that walking, I guess.

The Forest was still lovely but not yet very colourful. The National Arboretum more than made up for it. I would certainly go back. What is there to see in the summer, Amazon? OH and I, both total ignoramuses, or is it ignorami? 🙂 when it comes to trees, were trying to work out what there would be and guessed there might be trees in bloom, but could get no further.

To get back to York. I haven’t yet read all the posts and emails from when I was away, but I did see the suggestion of meeting up at Betty’s in Harrogate – there are also two branches in York, but of course Harrogate is the original.

Excellent idea but I need some advice re logistics, please. I’ve booked my London-York return and my train gets into York at 13.13. As I’m staying in a private room I still need to check with the host – a pleasant-sounding guy named Ian who has also been doing 5:2 with some success – about finding it, arrival time, collecting keys, dumping luggage, etc. I shall be travelling light but prefer not to lug it around unless it’s unavoidable.

I could, of course, change at York and go straight to Harrogate but might arrive far too early. Or I could try to cadge a lift from someone who’s coming from York on her own four wheels. Whatever is easier for the majority. Once I know I can consult with Ian about keys and luggage.

This is going to be great fun. Also by then I shall know whether I’m Hermaj MA or not. Fingers crossed.

Hermaj xx

I don’t mind skipping, but I don’t like all the wobbling 😆

Hermaj, I’m quoting from Westonbirt website, as they put it very well,

“In spring the arboretum comes alive with magnificent displays of rhododendrons, azaleas and magnolias in the Old Arboretum and the wildflowers, bluebells and cherry trees in Silk Wood.

The summer heralds the arrival of many of our grassland flowers on the downs, whilst the trees within the Old Arboretum and Silk Wood provide cool leafy glades to play, wander and relax in.

Autumn happens with a bang with one of the best natural fireworks displays in Britain! Our famous Japanese maples in particular are ablaze in reds, oranges and yellows.

Winter at Westonbirt is a magical experience, particularly when seen on a frosty day when the deep peaceful greens of our conifers and richly patterned barks, such as the dogwoods, take centre stage.”

Hi Hermaj/Jojo/Smiffy and email chums and everyone on the forums 😀

Thanks for the compliment Hermaj 🙂 that photo is a rare one! I need to renew my passport this year and getting the photo done is a scary prospect! I’m really looking forward to the York trip. All I need is for our expected new arrival to stay put until his due date (15th Dec) 😀 I looked at the train times for York to Harrogate. Smiffy and I will be in York earlier than you Hermaj, so we could meet you and find your accommodation then we three could go to meet Jojo in H’gate and eat at Betty’s. There are loads of trains. That’s just one idea. We’ll need to thrash out some sort of plan.

I dropped another 2lb after my last fast day but it’s the same 2lb that went back on while I was training for my grading and stressing over energy levels! I can’t describe how relaxed I feel now it’s over. Did your OH worry and fret before his instructor exam? I never stressed so much over academic exams!

Lizzypb

No wonder we all post on an anonymous forum! All these camera shy folk. Remember, you walk down the street every day showing total strangers your face. Trust your friends to like you for the ‘content of your character not the colour of your skin’. (MLK)
Cheers my beautiful fast mates P 😆

Hi AO
Sure but I have tons of pics of fatty Purple and virtually none of the new scrawnier me, even though I’ve been at goal for 6 months. I’m too busy photographing grandkids and scenery not me. Fasting today. Must keep active. Cheers P

Love it Happy, lol 😀

As I said Purple it may just be me 😀

When learning to jumprope the first time. Go for the goal jumping three minutes without stopping
It’s ok if you get winded if you’re in good health.

To get the benefit of jumprope ,prior to mastering it at moderate pace. Either keep jumping without skipping,but swinging the rope at your side.

Or simply start doing jumping jacks at slow rate until you catch you’re breath.

I kept my sessions to ten minutes on on timer. Wether I was skipping or doing jumping jacks.

Eventually after 10 months I’m up to nealy 8 minutes of continous jumping.
So after watching dr miceal Mosley’s video ” the truth about exercise” I’m doing the HIIT with jumprope on feed days at least once after my last meal of the day. Or shortly before the last meal.

This is my understanding that it lowers fat in the blood. Which arrests visceral fat.

So in the winter months I can find a good place to jumprope and do stability ball, and kettle ball to keep on Keepin on.

Lizzy, in his passport photo Him Indoors looks like Harold Shipman while I have the look of Myra Hindley about me – a more evil-looking pair you can’t imagine.

Thanks very much for your suggestion which sounds absolutely brilliant, if Smiffy agrees. It would be nice if you were to accompany me to my digs. As I said earlier, the host is a 5:2 man, so hopefully we can spare a few minutes to chat. If he turns out to be what my mum would have called a ‘jaw-me-dead’, we do have an appointment in Harrogate. 🙂 Once we firm up our arrangments I’ll get in touch with him to arrange a time when he’ll be there to hand over the key, etc.

Hi Purple

Can you post the SMH article here for Samm, please.

Many thanks, Bay 🙂

Thanks, Purple

Are you going to call in or blog to dispute the so called facts re diabetes? It is eye opening just how much push back there is from devotees of lots of little meals and from people who think that fasting is bad for you.

Cheers, Bay 😆

Hi Lizzy

Since we haven’t been able to smile during a passport photo, I have looked like a prison escapee. 😆
One of the immigration people said to me one time, that They couldn’t have taken a worse photo of me!

Cheers, Bay 🙂

Hi Hermaj and Bayleaf and fellow photophobes 🙂
The tragedy is that my current passport photo is 10 years old and surprisingly flattering, to the extent that I’m surprised I haven’t been challenged as an imposter going through security at the airport! I know I’ll never get another decent one. I’ve tried already!

Lizzypb

Poor you Jojo. How sad to lose those months with your baby. Spines are so precious, this new research is indeed a wonderful breakthrough.
Interesting photo tips. My brother photoshopped all his childhood pics to “improve” himself. We are what we are!
I had an id for a club I loved. I was REALLY intoxicated when the photo was taken. I was devastated when they automatically replaced it after 5 years.
I’m in stitches over your’prison escapee’ description B! Fasting. Must walk. P

Jojo, can you try to send me a link to that program? I usually cannot get the UK or Aussie links, even through iTunes, but you know the subject is near and dear to my heart, so I would like to give it a try. Xoxo and thanks.

Just to say also, I love skipping though I couldn’t challenge SAMM’s eight minutes continuous workout. Skipping was very popular when I was a little girl (round about the time when Adam was a lad!) It was that and hula hoops back in the late 1950s and early 60s. These were cheap toys that gave us hours of fun outdoors. I read a report today about a huge rise in cases of rickets here in the UK because children don’t go outside much any more. I have a posh weighted hoop that lives the life of a hermit in my spare room and several skipping ropes somewhere hidden away but I do get outside with my dog 🙂 Note to self: look out those skipping ropes…
Lizzypb

And I agree with you, ply, we are too critical of ourselves. The IF WOE has helped me to get rid of the nasty pad of fat that was across my shoulders. It made me look round shouldered. I’ve been hyperaware of it and hated it for years and years and always looked for ways to disguise it (I blamed it on heredity [my mother had it exactly the same] and poor posture but it’s more or less gone now having dropped 16lb of fat). I was discussing this with a fellow faster today and he said, “Liz, I never noticed it was there…” So yes, I suppose it’s easy to obsess about things…

Lizzypb

Hi Purple
What age group did you teach? I taught infants (up to 7 years old) and loved it but I feel sorry for young teachers today. There’s not much joy in it any more. Statistics show 40% of NQTs (newly qualified teachers) here in the UK leave teaching in the first five years after college.
Lizzypb

Hi again, just to confirm, my email is <name>@<ISP>.net.au

not com.au and not com.aus

Cheers, n.