Little Voices February love ourselves challenge

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Coda

10:30 pm
30 Jan 16
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Hi Welcome to our February challenge and once again I want you to plan your fast days for the month and stay within your TDEE for non fast days or as many non fast days as you can. Weigh at beginning and post your starting point (if you want) by all means post weight lost weekly throughout the month if that helps keep you motivated. If you want to give yourself a target weight loss as well, feel free, whatever works best for you but concentrate on those fast days. If you need a blank calendar I will put the link so you can plan away. Book those fast days in like any other important appointment.

I want you all to think for this month on how can we love ourselves a little bit more. Probably the biggest thing we can do would be to eat the foods that will love us back? The foods that will nourish our body and keep us healthy. By not being so hard on ourselves – I know when I look in a mirror I only focus on the bit I hate most, my tummy but I don’t appreciate the positives. I need to learn to love all of me and love me enough to change the bits I can do something about. I am sure you will all come up with ideas of how we can love ourselves a little bit more. So when we are doing a fast day – keep in mind why you are doing this – I am doing this because I love myself, I owe it to myself.

We are all only human and sometimes we go off track a little – think of it as a little detour, taking the scenic route so to speak but we know when it is time to get back on track and continue our journey. For me January was a little detour – now it it time for me to get back on track and make these fast days count.

I told you in our last challenge how I got two jars, put nice shiny glass nuggets in them and labeled them, lbs lost and lbs to lose. I have them sitting in my kitchen but I have taken a photo and put the photo as my screen saver on my phone – just as an additional reminder of the goal in hand.

I look forward to being part of Little Voices in our February challenge and hearing about how you are all going to love yourself more this month.

BillyBunter

11:47 pm
30 Jan 16
Permalink

Thanks Coda for driving the February challenge – the real award for January goes to you and everyone else who are contributing to the health and well being of so many people on the forums – your tips and encouragement make a huge difference.You deserve a medal.

For Feb challenge, I will complete 13 fast days, I have 22 hours of workouts on the calendar. I fully expect to stay with my TDEE, with exception of two days.

Bill.

SkinnyMe45

4:19 am
31 Jan 16
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Hi Coda, I would like to join the February Challenge. I will pledge 10 fasts and would like to lose 8 pounds this month which would pretty much put me at my goal weight. I’ll post my starting weight tomorrow. Thanks for setting all of this up and your encouragement to everyone.

Runningnorth

4:41 am
31 Jan 16
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Hi Coda, thanks so much for taking this on again. I look forward to reading all the posts and goals this month. I pledge 13 fasts. I also am aiming for 4 pounds. Let’s make it happen folks. We can do this.

QuietOne

8:38 am
31 Jan 16
Permalink

Coda Thank you so much for doing this again. :Little Voices January 2016 has been most inspiring for me. So this will be a little long I but I promise not to it for the rest of the month of February.

So this month I will do 5:2 as written. Except I will water fast on my two (36 hour) fast days. No extended fasting. No 4-5 day fasting. I will stay within my TDEE on normal/non-fast/feed days. I will track consumption against TDEE for the month and give a total at the end of February. Just the caloric deficit or overage not weight lost or gained. I will have blood sugars, BP and weight taken weekly and report it.

We are what we consume. Junk energy in will leave you feeling like… well junk. 4 ounces of true free range organic chicken pan fried with a little olive oil , tspn of butter, a thin slice of onion and a clove of garlic bit of parsley and dash of lemon juice, quick quick fried fresh green beans with brown mushrooms, and steamed carrots will fill you up and just the prep of having to slice, cut, and press will help in the feeling of accomplishment.

Think what you are doing! I am preparing my energy for my life. What I do NOW matters not just now but in the future. My now echos until my grand daughters future. (At one of my bad spots after my 4 or 6th heart attack, I promised I’d walk her down the isle when she got married. She was 5. She’s now 11. So we have a ways to go)

Be mindful, thoughtful, and conscious of what you do but also why. Why are you doing 5:2? what inner deep down reason brought you to this new patter of eating. Recognize that this is a change. I will change. I will not falter and I will not give in or give up. If I miss I will get back on the pattern. Al it takes is thought! Conscious, mindful, persistent thought.

You can’t fail at 5:2 it’s not a diet it is pattern of eating. So you will not fail a diet. We all know how to eat maybe too well. But we can change the pattern of how we eat, when we eat, and what we eat. It’s not rocket science 2 days fast for 36 hours, consume 1/4 or less of your TDEE on FAST Days. Eat within your TDEE on feed/non-fast/normal days of 5:2. It’s pretty clear cut. except you have to find the “you” in this. Why are you willing to undertake this. Seriously fasting isn’t something that is “easy” or “fun”

So it;s time to write them down …. Why 5:2 in your life. NOW, what is in your life which brings you here? Reinforce those reason for being always. Don’t do anything which will change your pattern or send yoru pattern in a different direction.

Take time to appreciate what you do, who you are with, choose quality relationships, enjoy who and what you are, what you shop for, how you prepare it, how you consume it. Honestly if you purchase quality food, prepare it mindful of how you want it to taste, feel, (mouth feel is so much appreciation of food) and SLOW DOWN. Take time to eat. Listen to music that you appreciate that feeds your mind and senses while you eat.

Do not dwell on negatives, conversations, thoughts, or comments. Don’t engage in gossip or snide talk it not only brings others down but your energy as well. Life is to short to live in a negative state.

Seriously find the humor in life. Smile more. Laugh more. Get the giggles every so often. Pet your dog or cat for 15 minutes a day. Concentrate on what makes them feel better. A dogs endorphin’s kick in within a minute or two yours take awhile. But the peace and quiet you inherit form the animal is HUGE. Don’t have a dog or cat? Check your local animal shelter they are always looking for someone to just be with the animals. I know the Fort Smith Animal Society is.

KNOW yourself. Why you are you as you are today. What factors bring about you relationship with food; you cannot effect change in your life if you don’t know the why you have difficult food issues. Some of us obviously it is we just don’t pay attention. We have to be conscious, thughtful and mindful.

Ok I’m preaching but I will say this last thing. Know you. Understand you. What I do isn’t for you. Each of us is alone in this but with Little Voices February live ourselves challenge we aren’t alone. What we do we might do alone but the collective of “we” are not. We are strong. We have energy to spare. We have each other. No matter how we do this WE are all in this together.

Our truths. our energy, our sense of being, our knowledge of self, and our connection with each other will make us stronger, as individuals we may feel small but as this group Little Voices February love ourselves challenge, we can, we will, we do and our strength is multiplied by knowing “you” each one are out there to support and encourage each other. We are a community of like minded supporting and nonjudgmental individuals. Know yourself. Love who you are and who you wish to be. Always we have to find ourselves.

You become what you envision (seep; mentally and internally/phsically) and believe grows through doing. Mountains are moved from envisioning believing and moving a tablespoon at a time. If you won’t do, you have no chance at success. All you have to do is believe enough just once, love yourself just once in your heart your are RIGHT. Do what you know is right, just, and in line with you. At that point you have achieved success. Repeat as needed.

Too many of us have lived with the thought.believe that we are not worthy of success, of love, admiration, trust and believe from strong gudieing individuals that should have been and we found otherwise. In the years that followed we lifed and may continue to live of the issues from that.

Believe. Know. Trust. You are the one that has all 3 concepts. Work on them. Come out smiling! Know you are strong, you have a truth, and you can be you. You have the strenth to keep on.

Trust yourself. Your power in you is only limited by you.

Ok too long but I get too up when I start talkeing about what I know can go right. Best luck in February. To all. Again thank you coda.

Third time lucky

10:50 am
31 Jan 16
Permalink

Great work Coda for steering us after the excesses of Christmas , and thanks for agreeing to continue…..
Hopefully you, and we, will be proud of ourselves by the end of February . Great post QuietOne. This just about says it all. Once our feelings and attitudes towards ourselves changes, good things start to happen.

I pledge to keep doing my 8 fasts per month. I am within a couple of pounds of my target now. I do worry about switching to 6:1 maintenance and whether I will start to increase again. So have decided to do my usual two fasts a week during Feb, and eat a little more on NFD if the weight continues to go down. I am happily in size 12 now, and progressing well with Pilates (am able to do the excercises now that at the beginning I thought, no way can my body do that!) I will then assess the situation come March.

Have a great month all, and don’t forget to love yourself. ( but not through feeding your body with junk!). TTL

Coda

11:43 am
31 Jan 16
Permalink

Wow Q1 clap clap clap I’m afraid I don’t know how to put a clap symbol on but hope you get the picture. We on our own are indeed little voices but collectively we are a choir singing very loudly! I am not a particularly religious person but I once read about God breezes. This is where sometimes something comes along that makes so much sense at a time when you need it most. Sometimes my little quotes just seem to jump out, joining this particular group on this particular forum was a god breeze to me. The name of this challenge just came to me – a little God beeze that I hope will help inspire you and blow you gently on your back in the direction you want to go. Let this month be the month when you see how loving yourself gets results and with everyone singing in unison, with the support of each other we will have a great February! YES WE WILL!

Jayne.Lizzy

4:54 pm
31 Jan 16
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Hello, as it’s a leap year this year I will pledge to do 9 FD for February.

I was feeling quite despondent yesterday as the scales showed me that I’d lost 3lb in January however the tape measure showed I’d lost 5 inches in total……..on the plus side my SIL commented yesterday that I look well and had I lost weight😀, my goodness I could of leapt over the sofa to hug her

I’m going to have to weigh myself this coming month as I believe for me this is the only way for me to keep on track

Looking forward to catching up with everyone’s posts

Coda

6:07 pm
31 Jan 16
Permalink

The best investment you can ever make is an investment in yourself! Sometimes we are so busy looking after others we forget to look after ourselves. It is no coincidence that air hostesses always tell us should the need arise we must put our oxygen mask on first. This is so we are able to then help others. We need to remember it is of beneficial to everyone that we put ourselves first.

Jaynelizzy if you only knew you had lost 5 inches (well done btw) and your SIL had told you how well you looked you would have been over the moon so why let a number on the scale get you down? It is also 3lbs less than you were at the beginning of the month and 3lbs less needed to get you to your target. Just keep doing what you are doing its working.

I am pledging 8 fasts this month. I am going to make them all count this month!

SweetTooth55

7:22 pm
31 Jan 16
Permalink

Hi Everyone, January is just about gone, so time to look forward to Coda’s Feb challenge. I will commit to 9 FDs as a target with a stretch goal of 10, and will swim the same number. I have 3 short trips coming up in Feb and that always creates havoc in plans. After losing 7 lbs in Jan, I expect maybe 5 in Feb as I approach my goal weight.

Quiet1, just an FYI. I kept a log of the calories I didn’t eat on FDs (TDEE-FD actual). My total for Jan was 14,280 and I lost 7 pounds. That caloric total should represent only 4 lbs, so there are definitely vagaries about this method, but it was motivating to see that number grow at the end of every FD. I kept track of food all day, but didn’t do the math until late evening. It was a great way to get some good news to drift off to sleep. Even if it’s not solid methodology, I plan to keep going with it. Last Fall, I found that keeping to FD cals in the second month was much harder; I had a few busts of 50-100 cals, but was able to keep going. It helps to know that history so I can get my head in a better place for the coming month.

Those of you approaching maintenance, please, please, please share your experiences here in the coming days. I expect to be there in about 6-8 weeks and am already a bit nervous about it. I’m guessing that the mindset I have now won’t actually work at 6:1 as the FDs will be too far apart.

Best of luck to all for Feb goals! ST55

QuietOne

8:51 pm
31 Jan 16
Permalink

SweetTooth 55 I keep a eating log in excel. from http://excel-example.com/templates/calories-carbohydrates-proteins-fats-fiber-diary-excel

I added a bunch of sheets and I added to the eating diary columns for week # and Over/under TDEE caluclate. I entered specific named ranges for my TDEE calculated in 5 pound increments

My totals caloric deficit/overage to this morning
……………..Cals….Carbs…Proteins…Fats…..Fibre…..Deficit/Over
Grand Totals…..21862…2536.36..4606.25…777.97…200.16….. -34738.92

I won’t say weight lost or gained as I’m not doing true 5:2 but my modified pattern. February I will do exact 5:2 and we will see the difference if any.

chipmunk13

8:52 pm
31 Jan 16
Permalink

Signing in for Feb. Weight 72.1kg and a determination to get to 70 by the end of the month with 8 fast days and an emphasis on TDEE on the other days. I am allowing for 4 or 5 excess days (will look for an additional compensatory fast day where possible) as there are a few celebrations and lots of visitors this month.

Thanks Coda for keeping up your good work, and good luck everyone – actually scrap that – it’s not about luck! It’s about a positive attitude.

QuietOne

9:07 pm
31 Jan 16
Permalink

You become what you see as yourself, what you believe for yourself, and what you strive towards. Thoughts and believing without doing is just a wish. It is the doing that defines us as us.

The doing is our being the SELF envisioned, and believed in. Our actions complete us as US.

zen123

10:35 pm
31 Jan 16
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Last fast day of Jan completed and ready for Feb. My strategies are aquafit, yoga, minimum 8 fasts and checking in here regularly. Today I bought M. Mosley’s 8 Week Blood Sugar Diet and R. Lustig’s Fat Chance books which I’ve heard a lot about on this forum, should make interesting reading. Best of luck fasting in Feb everyone.

BillyBunter

12:41 am
1 Feb 16
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Hi Zen,
I read Lustig’s fat chance book during the course of January, based on the suggestion of annette52 (I’m forever grateful). The youtube video and the contents of the book blew my mind, I was absolutely oblivious to the pearls of refined sugar in our diets. Needless to say, I had a total reassessment of my diet, and threw out a bunch of foods with hidden sugar. In January, I quit drinking soda, and drink water only now.

I think you’ll enjoy the book. I took a huge step in getting myself back on track in January, cutting the sugar, contributed significantly to my Jan highlights.

Bill.

rommy5163

3:25 am
1 Feb 16
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Hi Coda, thanks for heading up February challenge. The Greeks nailed it when they said a heathy mind in a healthy body and a healthy spirit. It makes me laugh how our so called sophisticats got it so wrong. Since food became an industry we have paid with our health for the greedy profiteers who had politicians in their pockets. You have it right, get the mind right and everything else will follow.

February goal: Lose the 1 kilo left from holidays and send one of his friends packing!
PLAN : Go hard until the two kilos depart company and if theres any time left in the month switch to maintenance.
FASTS : 10 (unless more is needed to reach goal)
TDES: 1400 cals, 15mins weights ( I read of a magazine challenge where some contestants lost a few kilos but looked amazing due to their toning regime) thats for me!!I hope they weren’t air brushed!!~
STEPS : 70,000 per week
FOOD : Try a different salad recipe. I love greek salad and tomato salad, coleslaw I find boring so if anyone out there has a nice recipe please share.
SPIRIT: Try to be in character like my dog, greet everyone with a huge welcome, dont take things personally and live for the day. thats a lot to be getting on with and will update progress weekly. Huge hugs to all from me and my furry friend!!

QuietOne

4:29 am
1 Feb 16
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roomy5163 NOW that’s a set of goals. Way to go.

Look up Carolina Coleslaw chop the oil

I typically make this

1/2 head of cabbage (1 pound) run through the food processor to shred it
1/2 cup of white onion

Dressing
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup pickling vinegar
3 Tblspns Truvia spoonable
1 Tspn celery seed
1 Tspn Keens Dry Mustard
2 Tspn Kosher Salt

6 servings at 25 calories per serving

you can add peppers and celery if you want adjust the calorie count accordingly. Let sit at least 2 hours before serving so flavours can meld.

Wonderful on BBQ pulled pork sandwich with bun total calories 975 and it is a total meal. Do it in lettuce leaf’s 4 leaves and you cut the calories by 250

annette52

4:46 am
1 Feb 16
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Hi Bill,
Another Lustig devotee? How are the devil are you?

Lisa57

6:50 am
1 Feb 16
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Coda – my Feb pledges: 10 fasts, read the M. Mosley’s 8 Week Blood Sugar Diet book I’ve just started, keep to my TDEE, donate that pile of clothes that are way too big for me, treat myself to a couple of new wardrobe items depending on finances and plan to have lots of bright fresh spring flowers in the house as the daffodils will be in abundance this month

annette52

7:34 am
1 Feb 16
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Lisa, have a look at charity shops, they have helped to keep me clothed for the past 3 years as i have dropped 3 dress sizes on this way of life. I have got some really lovely items and have had to re think the shape and style of what I wear, as my shape has changed. I buy good quality items, then donate when they no longer fit. True re-cycling.

zen123

8:16 am
1 Feb 16
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Hi Billy & Annette,

I’m really looking forward to reading it and will look for the you tube video you mention. It was Annette’s posts which led me to buy it too, hi Annette!

I devoured M. Mosley’s 8 Week Blood Sugar Diet book in just one day, yesterday. It made fascinating reading and he advocates following a Mediterranean diet which I have been leaning towards during January. His plan recommends 800 cals per day for up to 8 weeks, as long as it takes to stabalize blood sugar at a healthy level, then maintenance of 5:2 with 2 x 800 cal days. Although it it aimed mainly diabetic and pre-diabetic people, he says it is also good for avoiding becoming so. I am quite tempted to try it. Has anyone on given it a go?

JFitzy

12:14 pm
1 Feb 16
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Hi Coda

Thanks for organising February. I pledge 8 fasts as I am away for 2 long weekends and it is a short month. I don’t want to set myself up for a fall!!

Good luck one and all.

fitnfast

1:15 pm
1 Feb 16
Permalink

I’m in!

I didn’t get to enter my final Jan. number. I had a final 4 fasts the last week. Haven’t had time to add up.

Put me down for 12 for Feb. Jan. went very well.

Hope all did well.

Busy, busy..gotta go!

Fit

Coda

2:46 pm
1 Feb 16
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Hi

Ok guys (and gals) out of the 34 from last month I have 13 signed up with pledged fasts for our February challenge – some impressive goals for this month so far! Some people have dropped of the radar completely but I do hope they come back. If you didn’t make your pledged fasts don’t worry just join again this month but I do hope all is ok. You can’t change what has past but you can change the future. Some members I expect to hear from in due course. There are no hard and fast rules – except plan your fast days and keep within your TDEE on non fast days – weigh whenever suits you – this is a way of life you will live with.

Very remiss of me Skinnyme45 – welcome to our forum as your name is similar to another member I didn’t realise you were a new member to our group. There are quite a few of your fellow Canadians in this little group so hope you will feel at home.

Upa you remember a CDM and the connections to Cadbury’s – does anyone else remember?

So with the festivities well and truly behind us – this month we are seriously going to do our best this month – why because we are worth it!

I want you to make the fear of not doing what you want to achieve your greatest fear and make regret your biggest nightmare. Hold the faith, believe in you and remember YOU CAN! If it is important to you, you will find a way. If it is not you’ll find an excuse – keep that in mind all through the month of February. Remember to take 5 mins and give yourself some down time – time to get in touch with the real you and don’t feel guilty about doing so – why because you are worth it!

Sometimes people ask the question – what if I die tomorrow but what we should perhaps be asking what if I live another 20 or 30 years the way I am – what would you like to change. You can’t change your destination overnight but you can change your direction overnight and if YOU are not changing things – who is going to change them?

Just somethings for you to ponder – and please if you have something that works for you share it as it may help someone else and keep any nice recipes coming.

MaryWWriter

2:57 pm
1 Feb 16
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Hi, Coda,

Thanks for doing this again. I am committed to completing 8 fasts. I’ve been having trouble sticking to the TDEEs lately, so I’ll add them to my list of resolutions. I’m close to my goal weight so I’m not going to predict how much I’ll lose, but I hope it’s enough. 🙂

Hi, everyone! Good to see some familiar faces and some new ones.

Thanks again, Coda.

ScampsterK

3:01 pm
1 Feb 16
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Hi, I stuck with 4:3 in Jan and lost 6lbs. I really want to keep going and I’m hoping this forum will help me do that! I would like to join the February Challenge and pledge 13 fast days. Thanks for setting this up and I hope to keep going.

Fastinlady

3:07 pm
1 Feb 16
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I’m in once again for February. I’ll pledge 12 fasts with one of them being liquid only. I’m also going to pledge that I’ll stay under my TDEE for my non-fasting days, even on the weekends which are my major stumbling block, with the exception of a birthday celebration dinner for my OH. I re-calculated my TDEE since the last time I did it I weighed 10 pounds more. I used the sedentary setting and came up with 1410 calories. I am really not sedentary so I’ll have a bit of leeway since we do tend to underestimate our calories consumed anyway. If I lose 3 or 4 pounds it will be a bonus but not absolutely necessary!

Thanks for organizing this, Coda! You’ve already provided some thought provoking words of wisdom for the group!

PJBR

3:22 pm
1 Feb 16
Permalink

Hi all – lots of ambitious pledges this month – good for you.

My pledge remains the same as last month i.e. 12 fast days. I will not speculate how that will effect my weight.

Lustig, yes. There are many other such people who have books and u-tube videos – Phinney, Fung, Taubes, just to name a few. Also check out various Ted Talks on intermittent fasting and low carbohydrate eating to cure many diseases and to prolong life.

Yes, we are being fed, unbeknownst to us, loads of sugar in the form of high fructose corn syrup. This increases our hunger and so we eat more. Fructose is very fattening. Bears eat it in vast amounts (berries) in the fall and gain a lot of fat for hibernation. Of course that is not all they eat. Best thing to fool the food manufactures is to not eat any fake food. If it has a label, it is a WARNING label.

Enough said. Have a GREAT month everyone!

In it to thin it

4:14 pm
1 Feb 16
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Hi Fellow Fasters, I would like to join the February challenge too. I will pledge 10 fast days with 2 of those being water only (inspired by Quiet One) and planning to get 6 pounds of fat off.

I started in January and am loving how much better I am feeling and fitting into my clothes (6 lbs gone). I found focusing on recording my calorie (FITBIT) intake to be a big eye opener and kept me on the straight and narrow last month – so will continue to record. I really enjoy reading all you personal stories and take inspiration from your success and challenges.

A big Thank You to Coda for organizing!

BillyBunter

6:07 pm
1 Feb 16
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Fast day 1 of 13 checkin:

Looking forward to a rewarding, successful month of life changing investments in my health. I have decided to do a few water only fasts this month too, since my experiment with January was pretty successful.

Hi annette, indeed, there was a seismic shift in my mind, with Dr Lustig’s book. Throughout the years of living in the States, I was making the totally wrong decisions about healthy food choices. It never occurred to me, that I was being lied too by food manufacturers. My January results were really good, and my mental clarity has significantly improved since eliminating lots of processed foods.

What I don’t understand, is why my G.P. never mentioned anything like this to me – I’ve been seeing him on a regular basis about weight related ailments for years – but the biggest impact of getting on the right track comes from a chance suggestion by a lady on a forum. Thank you Annette! I hope you are doing well too, and getting what you need from the WOL.

GLTA for this Coda inspired February challenge, may your month be filled with good thoughts, good choices and happiness. <3

Bill.

SDS

6:09 pm
1 Feb 16
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Hi Coda,

I will pledge to do 8 days in February. I will be on vacation from the 12 – 27 th of Feb, so will try to do 6 in the 2 weeks before I leave and then 1 day per week when away. Not sure how I will manage it, but if I don’t try, I’;; never know!

My goal for this month is to NOT GAIN back the 10 lbs I lost since mid November on this WOL.

Thanks again for organizing and keeping us on track!

-SDS

Coda

6:25 pm
1 Feb 16
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Hi – a very warm welcome (on a cold and very stormy day) to In It to thin it and to Scampsterk. I have duly recorded your pledged fast days so there is no turning back now lol. Scampsterk I note you have not entered any information on your profile – an unwritten agreement to join our group is you are gently persuaded to put something on your profile – where you are from, what brought you here to this point etc. It helps us to get to know you a bit better. Keep those pledges coming in as February has already started.
I think even though we stick to our Fast days that is only part of this way of life – we must try to keep within our TDEE on our non fast days. We may still lose if we don’t but we could lose better if we do. I know some people like the freedom of not counting on fast days but others like the discipline of keeping track. What do you think if we kept to at least 2 fast days, ate within our TDEE for 4 days and one day was freedom to be more relaxed – do you think we would go to town on that one day or do you think because we have been so disciplined we would not wish to blow it? Any thoughts? Maybe someone does this already – are the results good?

BillyBunter

6:47 pm
1 Feb 16
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Hi Coda,
my newbie opinion. When I was planning Feb, I took into account Valentines day, and one extra “cheat” day. During January, if I knew in advance I was eating out at a restaurant, I was planning ahead looking at the menu online. I actually, ate well below my TDEE one day because I knew I was going out the following day – that meant I could actually eat what I really wanted too. And the TDEE calories averaged out more or less. It seemed to work for me. Planning upfront, seems to help me make good choices these days.

Best Wishes for Feb!

Bill.

chipmunk13

6:55 pm
1 Feb 16
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That’s more or less my plan for the month CODA, as it allows for some social occasions in the diary. My big thing this month is, for the first time, keeping a count for TDEE on non fast days. Trusting it will move me on.

annette52

7:55 pm
1 Feb 16
Permalink

Hi Billy and Zen,
I am so pleased that the reduction of sugar in your diets has been so positive. I suspect Billy that your GP is as confused as the rest of us about food and what is to be avoided. My GP told me that a low fat diet was the way to lose weight, I mentioned Lustig and some of his findings and that I was convinced that less sugar in our diets was the way forward. She was surprised but agreed that there may be something to less sugar. I am certain that less sugar is the key to weight and inch loss along with a huge reduction in scoffing rather more food than my short self needed, but most of all, I feel that food nourishes both body and mind.
Planning is key to this way of life along with acceptance that sometimes things don’t go to plan, and when that happens, accept and carry on rather than dive head first into the food and drinks that make you feel rubbish and push you back into that addictive sugar driven scoffing.

SkinnyMe45

11:44 pm
1 Feb 16
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Starting weight 136.5lbs. Still planning the 10 fasts and weight loss goal of 8lbs. Today will be my first fast day. So far only 100 calories.

Action Hero

12:07 am
2 Feb 16
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Hi Everyone, happy February for 2016, it’s already the 2nd here in NZ and I’ve just signed in to our new months Forum. Thanks CODA for continuing the cause, 2 months on the trot is a commitment you should be proud of. Put me down for 8 FD’s again this month.

QUIET ONE: I’ve just caught up with your post of 31 Jan above and I read it 3 times soaking up the inspiration that you are communicating to us all. Thank you for your great insights.

2 or 3 months ago I posted something similar so everyone’s focus could be strengthened and I remember touching on the 3 aspects of achieving personal goals, these being the BE: DO: HAVE principles. Have a look at the link below which really explains them well, look past the accent, the hype and the reference to sales etc but think about how these principles apply to your new 5:2 life styles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCZEiI-8aa4

The real message of Be Do Have is you can’t really have a new 5:2 life style without actually BEING that person. There is one person on here (well there are lots actually) however BILLY BUNTER has shown us all over the past month just how easy the results can be achieved by BEING a new person with a new life style. As a result BILLY is DOING the daily stuff that delivers the outcomes (HAVE). If someone doesn’t do the BEING stuff then the outcomes will always be short lived and very soon the HAVES (the benefits of 5:2 fasting) will evaporate and guess what…… yep we fall back into our old habits and up goes the weight again.

So get to understand the BE DO HAVE principles and practice them every day, don’t let those little voices in your head tell you you can’t contiunue, you can’t reduce weight, you can’t do 3 fasts this week. Remember that “Thoughts are Things” and what you think is what you achieve and this means negative thoughts become negative outcomes. So only focus on the positives and start every day by BEING the type of person you want to be and see how easy the day rolls out.

Good fortune everyone for February and best wishes on your journey to Skinny. Cheers, Mike

rommy5163

4:26 am
2 Feb 16
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Quiet One, thanks for the recipe, I have to wait till I do the shopping to get the pickling vinegar so will probably try it weekend when we have warm weather coming. I try and stay out of the supermarkets as much as I can, as its too tempting. Weather is dismal here today so going to make a nice cottage pie and roast vegdies for dinner tonite and as it is a TDE day for me followed up by a nestle low cal creme caramel. Day 2 of my challenge and everything going well so far, keeping everything crossed. I am going to plan an hour everyday for me time, whether thats catching up on my steps or doing a jig saw. It will have to be the same time everyday so that it becomes a habit, so will work out my daily schedule to fit it in when Im on my own and put the darned phone on silent!! I shall call it my hour of power. Hope you are all going well, sending you all happy vibes from down under.

Coda

12:58 pm
2 Feb 16
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Hi

Just a quick post catching up on all the positive vibes coming through – just love it – don’t you just feel it?

As this is a love me month (cus we are worth it) Rommy has posted how she is planning her me time. What does everyone else do for some me time? The other day I found a CD in the car I hadn’t listened to for ages and one of the tracks that came on was just lovely – I could feel the tension in my shoulders relax as the sound and melody transformed my thoughts – those few moments while the track lasted were so good. Or has anyone just stared into a real fire and just watched the flames curl and lick – you think of nothing really while watching – or just to stroke a pet and murmur sweet nothings – how nice it is just to take 5 mins to just let go. Sometimes because life is so busy we feel we can’t take 5 or feel guilty if we do but why not take those 5 minutes just to catch our breath before once more life gathers its pace. If someone said you could do what you wanted for 10 mins – what would you do? What makes you feel alive? What else can you do to love yourself to show you are worth it – lets have lots of ideas please?

How many avoid the mirror if at all possible? I want you all to look yourself in the eye in the mirror every day this month and tell yourself you are worth it, even blow yourself a kiss lol!

Upagumtree

3:30 pm
2 Feb 16
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Hi Dear Coda, Signing in for February challenge. As I am off on 18 Feb on a 3 week cruise to China, Korea and Japan I can only pledge 6 fasts (one completed yesterday so 5 to go!). Starting weight 124 pounds so if I could even lose one pound before I leave that would be great – expect to gain weight on this holiday as I do not intend to fast (however, given the vast array of food choices available I hope to make sensible choices and not over-indulge too much!)

As regards loving myself, the cruise is more than enough reward for me this month! I have been working hard for over a year now to get to goal for this special holiday. I reached my goal many months ago then gave myself a new goal as my waist to height ratio was not under 50%. I then lost and got WtH ratio to 49% but then gained over Xmas. Now back to where I was pre-Xmas and 4 pounds from new goal.

Third time lucky

5:27 pm
2 Feb 16
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Yippee! another 1 lb gone, gone gone. Just another two pounds to go to target now. Two more pairs of trouser have hit the charity bag. Was hoping to hang on to them till the spring when I can replace them with lightweight ones, but hey, I’m sure I can manage with what is left in my wardrobe that fits me for now.
I must say, Coda, I have in the past had a hard time in loving myself. Always putting others before myself, and bringing up the queue at the rear, and just accepting what was left. Don’t do that any more. I must say I do have days when I feel quite selfish, but I don’t dwell on it now, and I generally go with my feelings on the day.
My totally selfish time for myself is an hour or so in a lovely hot bubbly bath with a good book. No interruptions, phones, or anyone around. Or sometimes I just give myself a manicure and really pamper myself. Luckily I have the time to do this now although it has taken till I’ve retired to do it. I work part time just three days a week, so pencil it in my diary to relax with myself (this doesn’t mean I only bathe once a week, lol) It is so easy to keep putting other people first and forgetting to look after your own needs. So if you don’t do it now, make a date with yourself during February and enjoy your me time!
I shall stick to my 8 days fasting during Feb and see where my weight goes. I weight myself every morning first thing, but just record the mornings after my fast days. I find that this keeps me mindful of where I’m at and the patterns show immediately. For instance I’, sure the sneaky fruit scone with jam and butter I had this morning will be showing on the scales tomorrow. But I enjoyed it, and as it’s the only one I’ve had for months, it won’t do too much damage.
Good luck everyone for February. Enjoy loving yourself. TTL

QuietOne

8:54 pm
2 Feb 16
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I know it’s only the 2nd but I don’t know if I’m going to manage doing 5:2 as written for a month!

I started fast after supper sunday 8pm. Fasted until 7:45 this morning. Duration 35 hours 45 minutes.

I ate breakfast this morning, 1 small tomato, slice of onion diced – salt and pepper quick fry then into a ramekin, crack 1 egg on top. invert pan over the ramekin then flip, you’re poaching the egging in the tomato juices 114 calories max) and that’s new for me breaking a fast in 35 hours.

Lunch I had a homemade soup: homemade bone/beef broth, clove of garlic, 1/2″ diced jalapeno pepper,2 oz strip loin steak, 1 diced large mushroom, 1/2 stalk celery, salt and pepper. 145 calories max.

This afternoon I feel miserable. I actually don’t feel well, sluggish. overly full, brain is as sluggish as my body feels. My body has adapted to my way of eating and fasting and not accustomed to eating 5:2 as written.

I will attempt to continue 5:2 as written as an experiment but I am not sure I will be successful. I might have to fast longer. Normally as of Sunday I’d be changing down to enter a 4-5 day fast tonight after supper.

I am interested to see what my numbers are at the month end however so truly I will give it my best shot.

We become what we desire, think, strive and do. – Me

“I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do”. – Leonardo da Vinci

Riana S

10:44 pm
2 Feb 16
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Greetings from a very hot South Africa! We are having a heat wave here. Its hotter than ever. I am busy working night duty (7pm-7am) which i really struggle with. Sleeping in the heat of the day aint easy. We have some beautiful summer fruits now in season ( watermelon, strawberries, mango) which makes eating healthy a bit easier.
January was a good fast month, i lost 3 kg which i am super stocked about. I stopped drinking alcohol 2 months ago which helps i think.
February- i am gonna pledge 12 fast days, and hope in the process to kick ass and lose another 3kg.

fitnfast

11:00 pm
2 Feb 16
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Billy, and any others interested,

About your GP not knowing (or not admitting) how to lose weight, he was the victim of the Big Fat Lie just like all the rest of us. When I was lucky enough to discover the Fast Diet, I was a little upset because it seemed that someone on the other side of the prescription pad should have learned this info in medical school and used it to treat their patients.

But I was DEVASTATED when I read Gary Taubes book, Good Calories, Bad Calories,and learned about low carb, and sugar and insulin, and I literally cried for several hours, at what we as a nation, as a world, as (mostly) women, were forced to believe;
at the lost, wasted years and money we spent on low fat food they said would finally work, or gym memberships that only served to cause our aging bodies more harm than good.

But it only lasted one day, and ever since, I have strived every day to pass the word to everybody I meet, work with, friends, family, etc. No one is safe from me! It is my goal to help as many people get thinner and healthier, just so we can sit back in private and thumb our noses at those jerks in the past who promoted the idiotic ideas of a low fat diet and exercise.

Riana S

11:07 pm
2 Feb 16
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Just a question….. On your non-fast days. Do u follow any particular diet or eat whatever with in range of your TDEE? Does anyone NOT count calories on non-fast days??

QuietOne

11:44 pm
2 Feb 16
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I’ve gone stretches of not counting anything on non-fast days. Just eat what I want. I try to stay mindful of what I’m doing. I don’t scarf down a bag or two of pork rinds, a couple pounds of bacon etc. I’d just eat normally.

The last month and half I’ve been trying to break through a plateau that I seem to be stuck on. So I started counting everything again. While I’m well under my TDEE 34738 calories under for the month of January which should come close to 9 pounds and while I dropped a bit it is not much. But my body shape has changed considerably so something is happening.

I did find a few troublesome spots, I was grazing pistachios and not realizing over the course of the day/week how much I was taking as my wife was refilling the bowl daily. Little things like tasting food when I was cooking and not taking that into account when I was adding up to 250 calories on some days “tasting”.

For this month I’m trying to follow 5:2 exactly as written not how I’d tweaked it, except my fast days will be water fasts. (no extended fasts, skipped meals, 4-5 day fast once a month and so on) But this month will be 2 fast days of 35-36 hours each week. 5 days of eating within or under my TDEE each week. We shall see what the numbers do.

It’s kind of strange as I haven’t eaten this way since I first started 5:2 13 months ago. The first two months on 5:2 I adhered to the plan as written. Then I started making changes. It certainly feels different and it isn’t natural to me right now. It’s an experiment more than anything else.

rommy5163

2:15 am
3 Feb 16
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I so enjoyed my hour of me time yesterday, even though there was plenty i could have done around the house, and I didnt feel guilty at all! If you go to work, it is mandatory to take time out, so if workers need a break, so do I, everything managed to get done so Im not as indispensable as I thought!!
To the Quiet One, our bodies don’t adhere to the same maths principles as we do! Frustrating isnt it? but, on the other hand its probably busy doing some repair work or probably shrinking the skin so that when the weight does drop, you wont be saggy as in those contestants that lose so much weight far too quickly. I know I probably wont lose much weight this time of the year, as my body thinks Im a bear and needs to put on weight in late summer/autumn, hence my addiction to soft fruits, Oh how I wish I could sleep through the winter and wake up thin!! So I shall consider myself lucky not to gain as I usually do in summer, sometimes as much as 5 kilos. Maybe you need to mix things up a bit as we are very adaptable. I usually find after a big eating binge day, my weight goes up a bit, but drops down very quickly and then some afterwards. Hope this helps

chipmunk13

2:16 am
3 Feb 16
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QUIET try cutting out the lunch on your fast day. Most of us have breakfast then nothing til evening. Should be easy for you as you are used to longer gaps.

foomsy

12:44 pm
3 Feb 16
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Hi Coda and all. My pledge for Feb is 2 fast/ week total 8. Fast for this week already done and dusted. Have ventured into trying out B2B again and this is my 2 one this year and seems to be okay so far.
Good luck to all for the month of Feb😀

Jayne.Lizzy

2:23 pm
3 Feb 16
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Half way through number 2 fast day of February.

I’ve been reading some posts on a Facebook 5-2 forum, find it interesting in some post asking about how to lose weight quickly (how much and how long it took). Wonders if some people are looking for a quick result instead of a WOL and a healthier WOL.
When Michael Mosley first did his TV program a couple of years ago it was more to do with his health and the weight loss was a bonus.

So many diets claim to help you lose weight very quickly (I can think a a few that you just have shakes and small snacks), once you start eating again the weight starts to creep back. A work college of mine lost 4 stone in 12 weeks just drinking shakes, admittedly she looked great however within 6 months she had gained the weight plus more.

So for me I’ll stick to this WOL, I may not be losing loads of weight quickly but as they slow and steady wins the race