Join our Journey in January!

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Join our Journey in January!

This topic contains 389 replies, has 28 voices, and was last updated by  AT 2 years, 9 months ago.

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  • All are welcome to join us this January for health, weight loss, and maintenance! The new year is always great to start or continue toward your goal.

    I am honored to be part of this journey that I joined with @coda who started this series of monthly challenges way back in May 2016. Many of us have had amazing support to start and continue on our 5:2 journey.

    I am thankful to @at who will give us a spreadsheet to use at your convenience to keep accountable. It will be posted soon.

    So, here’s how this works (same as it has always been):

    1. Start your daily post with the day of the month, where you are from, and if you’re on a fast day (FD); a non-fast day (NFD) or a controlled day (CD) (e.g. for 1st of December it would go something like “Day 1 – UK – FD”).

    2. Give a quick intro about yourself in the very first post – mostly for the benefit of the newbies. A brief blurb about your journey so far and what you aim get from this way of life (WOL). Also if you wish, your starting weight and any other measurements (waist, hip, bust etc.) you aim to keep track of throughout the month. You can record this on the spread sheet or if you are unable to I’m happy to fill it in for you!

    3. You can add any comments/questions/moans/whinges/triumphs… or anything you feel like you want to share with the rest of the forum. We all have good days and bad days, days we fall off the wagon and days when we hang in there for dear life………so if you want to share it – post it.

    Recipes, tips, tricks and questions can also be shared – most of us are logged on at one time or another and can clarify things, offer advise, support etc. when needed – this is the great thing about this international forum, there’s always someone online!!!!

    Over the course of these monthly challenges, there have been small groups doing their own mini-challenges – called ‘pocket fasters’ or ‘pocketeers’ – they set a target and support each other through it. Anyone can join one of these groups or start a mini pocket fast – it’s entirely optional and flexible.

    5:2 basics – answers to many FAQs plus top tips:
    https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/the-basics-for-newbies-your-questions-answered/

    ABBREVIATION LIST – useful for those new to the challenges

    Common abbreviations used throughout this challenge and added to on an ongoing basis:
    16:8 – 16 hours fast 8 hours non fast
    5:2 – 5 days NFD:2 days IF
    ADF – Alternate Day Fasting (FD – NFD – FD – etc. etc. etc.…….)
    B2B – Back to Back (consecutive FDs)
    BMR – Basal metabolic Rate
    CFD – Controlled Fast Day (a FD below your goal weight TDEE, whatever that is!!!)
    DH, DD, DS – Darling Husband Daughter, Son
    DTF – Dry ‘Til Fri (for those limiting the booze to weekend only ………….. & aiming for sainthood!!!!)
    EE – Emotional Eating (reflex grazing out of a need for instant comfort instead of satisfying hunger)
    EFS – Epic Face Stuffing (we’ve all had one of those days. Definitely due to a faulty OFF button!)
    FD – Fast Day (500 cals)
    HUNGER DRAGON – that dreadful psychological beast that sometimes cannot be satisfied. Some people even name theirs (e.g. @i-hate-lettuce has an inner warthog!)
    IF – Intermittent Fasting
    Keto – way of eating that generates Ketones
    K.I.S.S. – Keep It Simple Stupid!!!………………or Sexy!!!
    LC – Low Carb way of eating
    LCHF – Low Carb High Fat way of eating
    LFD – Liquid Fast Day (incl. tea, coffee, miso, bone broth & water)
    LOL – Laughing Out Loud
    M/WOAM – Man/Woman on a Mission (courtesy of @i-hate-lettuce)
    MFD – Modified Fast Day (800 cals) on the new Fast800, it’s a FD
    NFD – Non Fast Day
    OH – Other Half (eg spouse/partner)
    OMAD – One Meal A Day
    PFDS – Post FD Smugness (courtesy of @penz)
    TDEE – Total Daily Energy Expenditure (see the ‘how it works’ link on the home page to work out yours)
    TRE – Time Restricted Eating
    WFD – Water Fast Day (Water only)
    WFH – Working From Home ……………….. Covid-19 enforced!!!
    WOL – Way of Life
    WOCA – Women Of a Certain Age
    ZBC – Zero Breakfast Club

    Day 30 NFD country west Australia
    Thanks SongBirdMe in advance for hosting.
    Please add me to the list !!!
    I think I said I would be happy to host January then went MIA big time due to life, work, babies, blah blah blah.
    December was not a good month for me with very little or NO will power to say no to any morsel of food within about a 2 metre radius.
    Long story short – FDs will be much needed in the New Year.
    I hope everyone had a peaceful and Merry Christmas and early best wishes for 2022.

    @lilymartin – no problem at all! Guess no one remembered about you saying you could do January, and we fully understand how life gets in our way. We will look for you this month!

    @songbirdme – I’m definitely in for this Journey in January 2022 – here is the link for the spreadsheet for anyone who wishes to use it

    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZmVUtD0afmjwryYVL5d2hStKj7-7H1e7igk5VfCcnV8/edit?usp=sharing

    @lilymartin – welcome back it will be lovely to have you join us on our Journey in January – I think we just forgot that you had put your hand up for January – perhaps you would be willing to take on the shortest challenge month of February???

    See you all on Day 1 🤗

    @at – thank you so much! You’re the best! 🙂 💖

    Day minus 1. Rome. Italy.

    Just popping in to say hi. Just coming to the end of a three week trip to Italy. Sticking to the Eat Like A Bear system, which works really well for me. I eat one meal, in one hour, and swerve all the carby stuff ( no mean feat in Rome…). Other than that, I drink water and black coffee. Now I’m in the swing of it, it’s pretty straightforward. My body is completely different, and that’s since November. Very strange, but nice.

    Day 0 – USA/GA

    Count me in for January! I’m sure I’ll be dangling just below the 220s, but January should see the end of that.

    Day <1> gathered with extended family in Monterey, California

    I’m in for January, and while I’m loving my time with my family, I’m truly looking forward to being home and returning to normal eating patterns: regular fasting and minimal feasting.

    Thanks, @songbirdme for hosting. @lilymartin I knew someone had volunteered for January but also couldn’t remember who; glad to have you back with us!

    I think I’ll wait for my intro until we’re home next Friday.

    Hi @songbirdme i’d be delighted to join you for January! Back on the waggon after some difficult times but v glad to be here. Looking forward to hitting reset tomorrow

    Hello to all you fasters and a Happy New Year. Joining again after a hiatus ( but can’t blame Covid for my lack of motivation!)
    I was very successful 4 years ago with a good weight loss of 23 # and hope to be able to do that again. I am 71, not retired yet, still working as a pediatrician 41/2 days per week . Aches and pains make me think carrying less weight would help more than Advil ! Anyway, 800 calorie day today and fast day Sunday. Thank you to Songbirdme for hosting!

    Country West Australia Day 1 country west Australia NFD

    Day 1 UK NFD

    Very bad hangover so not the best start but I’m taking time today to write out my goals ,probably my usual – more exercise, less alcohol, eat healthy ……I’ll be fasting Monday

    Let’s hope 2022 is a good one

    Day 1 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

    Happy New Year Fasting Forum Friends! 🎉 🥳️ 🎈

    @songbirdme – thank you for hosting 🤗

    About me:- David, 59. Originally from Manchester in the UK, living in Durban, Kwazulu-Natal, on the east coast of South Africa. I started fasting in 2014 after seeing Michael Mosley’s ‘Eat, Fast & Live Longer’ documentary & reading his ‘Fast Diet’ book. I got serious with fasting after I retired in 2018 & realised I was gaining weight. I wasn’t exactly overweight but at one point my BMI was hovering around 25. I’ve been more or less maintaining for quite a while now, with the occasional holiday/festive season glitches. I now follow TRE, seldom eating before noon. I do mostly 5:2 & I don’t eat before 6 pm on fast days. This time last month I was about 2 kilos lighter 😳 I’m planning on sticking to my usual Monday & Thursday FDs this month. It works!

    Day 1 – 2nd Post

    @at – thanks for the spreadsheet!

    Day 1 – USA/GA – NFD

    Weigh-in: 219 lbs.

    I am a 47 y/o male in northeast Georgia in the US, and have lost 68 lbs since January 2020 (gained 8 of those back since the holidays). My goal is to lose an additional 57 lbs to get to a mid-range healthy weight (although truthfully, if I get to the high end of “healthy”, I’ll be thrilled). I am also hoping to no longer be categorized as “obese” before the end of winter or at least by sometime in the spring. This month, I will keep my target at 209 lbs. I plan to do this, and hopefully surpass this goal, by sticking to a basic 5:2 WOL with a 4:3 every week, converting most if not all of those FDs from 500 kCal to WFDs, exhibiting mindful eating on most NFDs, AND by considering the factors mentioned by Jason Fung in his book “The Obesity Code.”

    Day 1 USA (Illinois) NFD

    Happy New Year, wonderful fasters! I am honored to be part of such a terrific group of individuals who have lightened my days immensely. My name is Gwynne, I am a 73-year young woman living in northwestern Illinois, retired music teacher, mother of 4, grandmother of 5 granddaughters, and wife. Avid sports fan. I do Silver Sneakers (seniors exercise) generally 3x a week. I began 5:2 in March 2016 at nearly 200# (90 kg) and got down to about 160# (72.5 kg) early in 2017. With the help of this forum I have been able to roughly maintain that weight. That is right about 25 BMI, the high end of healthy, but enough “fat” to keep some wrinkles away.

    I look forward to continuing with our group and meeting newbies. Feel free to Jump into January along with us!

    Onward and downward (my boring salutation, but heartfelt)

    Day 1 – UK – TDEE

    After a most enjoyable New Year Eve’s diner and perhaps a tad too much 🥂 I slept in this morning and woke up to yet another grey, drizzly and windy day – perfect for staying in and taking down the Christmas decorations and a general tidy up.

    OH has just returned from his daily run – nothing stops him 🤣 he’s now tucking into that batch of fruit scones I made this morning…….that man sure can eat…….and skinny as a rail…..

    I first joined the 30 Day November 2016 Challenge with @back2thefuture having started in January 2016 on my own – best thing I ever did, as it got me to my maintenance weight and has kept me motivated and on track with this WOL – December was my five year anniversary in maintenance!
    I’m firmly in the ZBC group as I’m one of those lucky people that never wake up hungry but I do enjoy a late brunch. I have to admit to being a real foodie, love cooking and enjoy a good glass of wine or two 🤣 After the indulgences of the festive season I will have to work hard this month to reduce my wine drinking back to 2 days a week only!!

    @michelinme – lovely to see you joining us once more after a short absence – hope your health issues have not been holding you back too much 🤗
    @excelsior12309 – I remember your name from a couple of challenges lastly in June 2020 – great to have you back with us – You know what you need to do to lose those pesky 10lbs that have crept back!
    @brightonbelle – I sympathise – had a bit of a headache after too much champagne last night and have been drinking lots of water today 🤣
    @funshipfreddie – you’re welcome – I haven’t weighed myself this morning but I suspect that I also need to lose a couple of kgs this month…..
    @northgeorgia – you have all our support to help you focus this month – you know you can do this!

    I have a New Year’s Yoga Workshop tomorrow – our teacher promises we will start the morning with a slightly more dynamic practice to get our energy moving. The rest of the day’s yoga will be more restorative in nature. and the aim is to help us to move into the new year feeling refreshed, focused and ready! – sounds good to me 🙏

    Remember that “If I quit now, I will soon be back to where I started. And when I started, I was desperately wishing to be where I am now”

    Day 1 — 16:8

    I’m a late 50’s woman who successfully got her weight into the healthy range via 5:2 and exercise in the late 201x’s but life happened. Last August restarted 5:2 combined with some water fasts and a lot of 16:8 on NFD. Lifelong ZBC b/c I just have no appetite or hunger in the mornings. I am losing slowly but steadily. My current goal weight is about 10 lb away and will put me right at the high end of healthy BMI – but my waistline ratios are firmly in the healthy range. So, I’ll reassess when I accomplish a healthy BMI. I have high hopes I will reach it before my trip to see my family in the beginning of April.

    I weigh myself once or twice a month as a way to keep myself honest, but not obsessed. I ended December at 151 which is down a pound from November – Honestly could not expect more from myself in December. I’m about 20-25 lb lighter than I was last summer, so overall a huge win.

    My January goals are to shed 3 more pounds, and be more consistent in exercise now that the wounds on my back are mostly healed. I don’t enjoy most cardio, but do enjoy hula hooping, so that is my go to cardio. I’m starting back on weights. Functional exercises (standing on one leg, standing while holding a weight etc) are also a part of my routine.

    Except for special occasions or special (generally homemade) occasional treats, I avoid highly processed foods, added sugars and wheat (wheat doesn’t work kindly with my digestive system). I don’t eschew carbs, but only potatoes and fruits/veggies are in my regular diet so it is a midlin- low carb diet.

    Enough about me 😀

    I hope this new year is a good one for everyone!

    @lilymartin – so glad to see you joining us!

    @brightonbelle – ugh, hangovers are not a bit of fun. Hope yours has been manageable.

    @excelsior12309 – glad you’re back to the fold! I have to agree that losing weight is so much better for my feet and joints than pain relievers.

    @funshipfreddie – happy you’re with us! We saw “King’s Man” the other day (Ralph Finnes is excellent) and the first scene is in 1912 South Africa. Of course it made me think of you!

    @northgeorgia – your progress has been excellent, and I have ever confidence you will soon be fully on the losing track again.

    @mariaelena – great to have you with us!

    @at – you are terrific. Your presence on any monthly challenge makes it feel like “all is right with the world.” Hugs to you for your support for us all!

    Day 2 – Lake district UK – NFD

    Good morning everyone

    Firstly thanks to @songbirdme for hosting Januarys challenge, I’ll be around until later in the month when (all being well) we’re off travelling, still trying to make up for lost time!

    I ‘found’ this group in July 2019 and never looked back! I’m a 66 year old bloke who over the years had put on a lot of weight, but thanks to this WOL now down to a weight that I am comfortable with and feel a lot better!
    I have found the help and encouragement of the members of this group fantastic. The 5:2 WOL really does work, especially with help of my forum friends.

    Hobbies, walking, brewing craft beer, baking bread, rugby union (watching these days, my playing days are long over) and gardening.

    WOL aim for the moment is shed a few pounds, this last month or so has seen a little creepage, the festive season has very much been one of ‘eat drink and be merry’ weather hasn’t been good for our long walks, but started getting out again recently. Not a lot to lose weight wise but have just crept above my ‘buffer zone’ of a couple of pounds, so going to aim to get around 5 pounds off before we head off on our travels.

    This year, re-joined my old angling club, back to quiet days wandering the banks of various waters in our fabulous area, watching the local wildlife, breathing gallons of fresh air, fly rod in hand and maybe even catching a few trout.

    Take care all

    Day 2 UK FD800
    Day 1 UK FD

    Hello old friends and new. I’m F58 living in London and put on weight in three chunks over 10 years – significant health conditions restricting energy/mobility, stopping smoking, and menopause. I started 5:2 in Dec 2017 weighing 182lb and went down to 140-145lb over the next 10 months by sticking to the basics – bc it works! I maintained happily for c18 months until a friend died suddenly, then continued c10lbs higher until July 2020 when I jumped off the waggon

    I had covid mildly in Feb 2020 and am in 23rd month of long covid, still affected by fatigue, post-exertional malaise, cognitive impairment, hypertension, POTs, peripheral neuropathy and digestive problems. I came back to join the forum in November then disappeared the next day when DD was diagnosed with breast cancer. She’s now on chemo with surgery ahead and, after two months of eating my feelings, I’m back here to get myself healthier.

    Yesterday I weighed in at another lifetime high of 189lb/85.7kg. My goal for this month is to get down to 180lbs, back to the ‘overweight’ category. To keep my ADHD brain focussed on the shiny I’ve bought the Fast800 book and matching Health Journal. I’m starting with 2 weeks FD800 then reviewing, either switching to 5:2 FD800 or completing a month’s kickstart. After 30years veggie and a year of being vegan I’m reintroducing eggs for easier protein but otherwise doing what I know works – cutting out sugar and carbs, eating 16:8. I’m cutting out sugar and carbs, drinking more water, eating and sleeping earier, restarting gentle adapted yoga and daily meditation.

    I got off to a good start yesterday with lots of water, black coffee and marmite tea, with OMAD supper of quorn chicken, vegan dal, stewed apple with cardamom and soya yogurt – total 500. Breaking the evening snack habit will be the hardest but planning to close the kitchen at 8pm and distract myself with early baths and knitting/reading.

    Good to be back & looking forward to catching up with everyone xx

    Day 2 – 16:8

    Wow, the temperature here dropped more than 50° F (> than 27° C yesterday! It is well below freezing, so we created a small cat entrance, provided some padded, insulated nooks, and left a space heater in the garage. An old feline friend and the three kitten brothers curled up in there all night. The kittens are not yet 6 mos old at our best guess (likely born the end of July) and I worried about them.

    Reading about feral male cats, and it seems because we had them neutered young they may be likely to stay around and bond together. If they were not neutered they would likely become antagonistic to each other as competition for mating would result. Seeing the three curl up together warms my heart. One of them is brave enough to come close to us and sniff an outstretched finger if we are very still.

    Back to normalcy tomorrow, 😢.

    Hope everyone has a good 🌞day

    Day 2 – UK – FD800

    Just a quick post for accountability!

    Just back from a wonderful New Year Yoga workshop – a day of reflection, journalling, asana, movement and stillness. A healthy vegetarian lunch followed by Sankalpa setting, pranayama and a chance to simply BE – perfect way to start the new year and press my RESET button.

    So today will be a OMAD FD800 🙏

    Pocket List 🎯
    @michelinme
    @at

    Day 2 – USA/GA – FD

    Weigh-in: 218 lbs. I was surprised. I was a bloated 226 before bedtime and thought I had overdone things yesterday for sure — that, coupled with a night of waking up in prep for possible tornadoes from 3 – 5 a.m., I thought I was surely doomed. And yet, here I am, slightly lighter than yesterday! It has motivated me to make the most of today’s FD.

    I keep a lot of weight records (I have spreadsheets that tell me different things. One is just a photo record of my progress, for example). I’ve started my most valuable ones over, as they had accumulated nearly two years of data. Yes, I loved seeing how far I have come, and I’ll continue to update my master weight loss log. But it was getting hard to determine overall recent trends from that huge amount of weight loss in 2020, so here I am with two days of data (oh my, how funny it is to see the supposed trend of one pound a day — I’ll be at my target weight before spring, hah, if only! In fact, with tomorrow’s post-FD weigh in, it’ll claim I’ll be there by Groundhog’s Day!) But yes, it will be nice to get several weeks of data in order to see how back on track I am and to assist in goal setting. Oh what a crazy month. I’ve had to go back and put down every single Sunday as a FD this month. I had forgotten how many civic groups want breakfasts, dinners, and lunch meetings — all in January! Insane! Well, I’ll adjust accordingly.

    Good luck to us today!

    Pocket List 🎯
    @michelinme
    @at
    @northgeorgia

    Day 0 UK
    Hello everyone, I am Roberta 42y and this is my very first time with the 5:2.
    I am getting married in June and I really would like to lose 10kg. I have never been able to be consistent more than 4 weeks, I get excited when I see the first results but then get frustrated when nothing changes and the weight does not decrease much..

    Tomorrow I will do all the measurements and start the journey. Thanks for the spreadsheet and the challenge (I have added my name hope this is ok). 🙂

    Day 2 UK NFD

    Still in holiday mode but I am mentally preparing 🤞

    Day 2 USA (Illinois) NFD

    We had 4-5″ of new beautiful white snow yesterday and last night. We have our driveway done by a service, but DH & I got the walks etc. swept and shoveled. My bird feeders were empty again! Wow, those birds sure did eat.

    @mariaelena – our temps dropped a lot too, was 11 F. this morning (-11 C.)It is wonderful for you to care for your neighborhood cats and kittens. More power to you keeping them warm too!

    @i-hate-lettuce – great to see you with us. I know what “creepage” of pounds is like too, insidious and hurtful! 😁 Enjoy your lakeside walks!

    @michelinme – I am so sorry to hear of your long term side effects. Whew. About as long and complicated as I have heard. Yes, our health is important just like our weight and diet. 🙏🙏🙏 for your DD and her chemo too.

    @northgeorgia – your record keeping of weight and all is amazing. I don’t think I have heard of anyone here doing close to the same. Congrats!

    @froby79 – big welcome to you! This is a truly wonderful group of fasters who will give you lots of support and understanding. My first challenge REQUIRED us to sign in daily for accountability, and it seemed that there was great success for all of us who did that. I bet you will easily lose those 10kg in the 6 months until your wedding. Be prepared to have your dress altered accordingly!

    @brightonbelle – glad to see you here and hoping the holiday festivities weren’t too rough.

    Onward and downward.

    Day 2, Quebec, NFD

    Hello I’m back after a long period. I was part of this great group when Coda started it.
    I am 69, young at heart and physically. I speak French. 5 feet, 137 pounds. I found it difficult to get through the pandemic. I often ate junk food and drank wine. Being alone it was hard to keep good eating habits. Food and wine was comforting. And often my only daily pleasures. I’m so happy I now have a new small female doggy, named Luna. She is a real clown and helps me a lot. I am retired from a professional job as pedagogical conselor.
    Very happy to be back here in this most wonderfull group of good will people. I like the international aspect of this gang.
    I will be fasting on Mondays and Thursdays.
    See you soon !

    Day 3 – Lake District UK – FD

    Good morning everyone

    Here we go, first full on and ‘proper’ FD of the year …. Yes it’s Monday morning, come on gang, jump on the FD bus, plenty of spare seats.

    Off out so Mrs IHL can browse through the sale rails, I might be lucky and the stuff I want (not need) from the angling shop I use will still be available tomorrow.

    Take care all.

    Pocket list day 1
    @i-hate-lettuce

    Day 3 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – FD

    Welcome to @froby79 & welcome back @michelinme & @quebecoise.

    First FD of 2022 for many of us?! We can do this – Stronger Together 💪

    Pocket List – Day 3 🍏
    @i-hate-lettuce
    @funshipfreddie

    Day 1 – UK – FD
    Good day everyone. @funshipfreddie I am with you. My FD is started! Measurements taken and recorded, let’s start this journey.

    Reflection of the day
    I am in general a very motivated person and someone would also say a high achiever but not when it comes to lose weight. I achieve at work because I work with other people and we motivate and compensate each other. My successes are actually my group successes.. With the diet I sometime feel lost.. Anyone like me? How do you keep motivated?

    Day 3 UK FD

    First one in a long time ! Hoping to get back on track💪

    Pocket List – Day 3 🍏
    @i-hate-lettuce
    @funshipfreddie
    @froby79
    @brightonbelle

    Day 3 Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 FD

    Happy new year everyone. I wish I could be enthusiastic about the first FD of 2022 but I have slipped into bad eating and drinking habits over the holidays and I know today will be tough. Really need to just do it.

    Pocket List – Day 3 🍏
    @i-hate-lettuce
    @funshipfreddie
    @froby79
    @brightonbelle
    @missybear

    Day 3, Northern VA USA. FD
    Trying to stay accountable. Weather very sleety and so much colder than yesterday. Supposed to drive into work today–we will see if staff and patients will make it in. Trying to concentrate on proteins, vegetables, and fruits and laying off bread, which is a downfall for me!

    Day 3 UK FD800

    Checking in for accountability. Yesterday’s FD fell at the last hurdle: I was too hungry to sleep and had a crashing headache, got up and had a slice of Christmas cake! I will have to find a suitable home for the rest of the cake.

    It was perhaps a bit of a stretch for me to go from months of over-eating straight into consecutive FDs… But glad to have banked a first FD on Saturday, and feels good to be falling back into my Monday FD pattern today. I know i can do this bc i’ve done it before and it works. I need to make the most of the easy loss of these early days to get my motivation up – 1lb down so far this year!

    Saving more of my calories for early supper suits me better, it’s easier to sleep a few hours after eating. I’ll go back to dal and quorn chicken today, with heaps of cabbage and the last of the cauliflower. Warm berries and stewed apple with soya yogurt for pudding – bc i always need pudding!

    Hold fast fasters 🙂

    Pocket List – Day 3 🍏
    @i-hate-lettuce
    @funshipfreddie
    @froby79
    @brightonbelle
    @missybear
    @excelsior12309
    @michelinme

    Day 3 Melb Aust NFD

    Well, the festive season meant a 2 kg weight gain, but now back and determined to LOSE all those pesky kilos and this year they will come off and stay off. I feel so much better in myself and it’s so much easier to do everything when not as heavy. Sigh! I’ve carefully eaten all the in-house temptations over the past week so I can start afresh.

    Okay, brief bio – 72 y-o-female, single, retired ESL teacher and medical lab. scientist currently working on a doctorate degree, household ruled by ginger tabby, Wilbur, but wouldn’t have it any other way.

    @michelinme, looks like we’ll have to try to inspire each other again in our weight loss journey.

    @songbirdme, great that you are our host this month.

    Have to remember @at‘s mantra and follow it!

    Hmmm, did this post or not?

    Day 3 – FD 800 (🤞500)

    At down to 10lb over goal it is too easy to let myself say ‘Oh, you deserve a treat’ especially after December season. So I especially appreciate this group and the accountability it brings me to hold strong to the fast days. What I really need in addition is a workout partner or group, lol.

    We picked up some stew meat at the local big box store for a semi-reasonable price, have had virtually no beef in December because of the price, so I’m going to enjoy this I think. Will set it stewing today and it should be delicious tomorrow. I load my stew with tons of veg, so it is certainly a good for me meal as well.

    A big welcoming hello to the new (or new to me) board members! This group, and the 5:2 fasting has made such a wonderful difference to me and I hope the same for you!

    @froby79 motivations for me include this group, health goals and worries and my distaste for the sloppy way I look and feel when overweight. I keep one pair of ‘keep me honest’ pants (which I can wear right now, but not if I were 5lb heavier) and one pair of ‘ideal’ jeans that I need to get to goal weight to wear. And, the biggest demotivating issue I need to control is the scale. I limit myself to two weigh-ins a month to combat that. And I require myself to weigh-in twice a month, no matter how good/bad it has been going. — I like your question and hope to see other’s answers!

    @michelinme I relate to needing an early supper. I struggle with not having dinner, but if I eat too late, I pay at sleep time with reflux problems. I’d like to shift my regular eating schedule to a breakfast/lunch but for me that just doesn’t work. Eliminating evening snacking is the best thing I can do for myself, but man that is hard for me.

    @songbirdme An odd holdover from the years I spent in Chicago is I adore shoveling snow! Don’t get much hereabouts, but often volunteer to shovel when I visit relatives in colder climates! Lol.

    Okay, I really wanted to chat/reply to more of you, but my cats are demanding attention- I think they are missing my DH who was on vacation the past two weeks.

    Pocket List – Day 3 🍏
    @i-hate-lettuce
    @funshipfreddie
    @froby79
    @brightonbelle
    @missybear
    @excelsior12309
    @michelinme
    @mariaelena

    Day 3 – USA/GA – NFD

    Weigh-in: 215 lbs. Whew what a horrible night of wind, rain, cold weather moving in, and a 3.5 hour power outage.

    Back to work and another FD tomorrow.

    Good luck, all!

    Newbie here.
    Day 3 – fasting day today. So far so good. In the process of planning meals, and getting rid of the junk from the diet.

    Curious about how frequently people weigh themselves, currently planning on once a week.

    Best wishes
    Gary

    Day 3 USA (Illinois) NFD

    Great to see you all chiming in and supporting one another. Delightful interchange among everyone.

    CHALLENGE FOR THE DAY: One of our newbies, @froby79 has asked what is a motivation for you in our WOL? @mariaelena gave hers. Please feel free to jump in and offer your suggestions for her any any other newbies! Also, how often do you weight? I believe our answers will be all over the place.

    @quebecoise – so wonderful to see you back among us! I also was with @coda for my first challenge back in May 2016. Yes, the pandemic was very rough on lots of us. Sounds like your getting puppy Luna will be a great companion for you. Congrats on your retirement! It has been great for me (8+ years ago)in that I can pretty much do what I desire to do. (That’s often good and bad!)

    @funshipfreddie – did I ever tell you my brother’s name was Fred? He was Freddie as a kid but then later in life took on a nickname associated with our last name.

    @brightonbelle – I am confident that you will soon be back on track indeed.

    @missybear – we know how you feel, but also that we NEED to do our fasts, and then the confidence to do them again fills in the gaps.

    @excelsior12309 – Virginia weather sure can be bad on even normal commutes. At least here in northern Illinois, we have great ice-melting snow for our roads.

    @betsylee – congrats on having your temptations gone! We still have too many here, but I kick my will-power into high gear when I think of them.

    @mariaelena – shoveling snow can be invigorating indeed! I am also kind weird in that I LOVE the sound of very cold snow under my feet. It’s a sort of squeak like no other. By cold I mean roughly zero degrees F. or below.

    @northgeorgia – power outages are so disconcerting. After our youngest DD in Texas was without for 5 days (also no water as pipes froze) my DH bit the bullet and we just had a whole-house generator installed. Except for having to pay the bill, I guess it will be worth the peace of mind.

    @gary1745 – welcome to you! You will find this group of fasters very supportive. Where are you? At least, what part of the world?

    Onward and downward.

    @songbirdme – thank you! Alive and kicking in Seattle, originally from UK. Looking to drop 60lbs – Day 3.

    Day 3 – UK – FD600

    Yesterday ended up a TDEE instead of my planned FD – much more calories in the healthy vegetarian lunch at my yoga class than I thought 🤣

    Today started with my regular 45min Broga class at 7am, met with friends for a coffee this afternoon then a 90min Dynamic Yoga class at 5pm, followed by my OMAD 600cals on my return home.

    @froby79 @Gary1745- welcome both to the challenge – Motivation for me is never to go back where I used to be before I lost the weight in 2016 – being part of these monthly challenges and my personal motivational quote has helped to keep me from straying too far from my goal weight so far 🤞 I weigh weekly but usually record at the beginning of each new challenge, which reminds me I forgot to weigh in the month – will do so tomorrow…..
    @quebecoise – great to have you back with us – content de te revoir! Congratulations on your retirement and I agree that your new puppy will be great company and also an incentive to get out walking
    @songbirdme – lovely to see so much fresh snow ☃️ hope you can enjoy it without it causing you any problems

    I know it’s nearly the end of the day but I’m adding myself to the pocket list to stop me paying a visit to the kitchen before bedtime…..

    Pocket List – Day 3 🍏
    @i-hate-lettuce
    @funshipfreddie
    @froby79
    @brightonbelle
    @missybear
    @excelsior12309
    @michelinme
    @mariaelena
    @gary1745
    @at

    My personal motivational quote since finding this WOL in 2016 and losing weight – “If I quit now, I will soon be back to where I started. And when I started, I was desperately wishing to be where I am now”

    2nd post

    So many New Years diet articles… But found one that critiqued the conclusion that ‘studies show most diets don’t work’ by pointing out the flaws in the experiments, confirmation bias and low budgets the experiments had.

    And I noticed something. All of the studies ‘assigned a particular diet to the individuals’. Geez, no wonder they get disappointing results. If I’ve learned anything – what works for me weight loss wise, may in fact not work well for the next person. One of my brothers swears I’m bonko crazy to 5:2 fast (I don’t mention the occasional WF day to HIM!) and I must be wrecking my health. And you know what, I’m pretty sure that fasting (any type) would just never work for him. But he has had good weight loss results on diets I would never even consider.

    Assigning a particular diet to a random participant w/out considering their eating preferences and their physical & psychological conditions and individual traits — well, duh! Lots of people are gonna just give up cause they will have randomly been put on a diet they were never going to succeed at.

    Just a thought. I got mad at the ‘your diet won’t work’ headlines. Lol

    Day 4, AUS FD800

    First day back at work for me, so I’m jumping in to the January challenge. F52, discovered this WOL this time last year. It works when I work it! I’ve found pandemic work and life a bit gruelling, so this month is all about health for me. I am WFH for Jan, so we’ve decamped to the seaside for the month. It’s lovely, but we’re in the middle of a cyclone today! I will not use this as an excuse to bake cookies, however . . .

    Looking forward to catching up on everyone’s posts and plans.

    I’m looking to trim down a pound a week this month, which will get me near goal.

    Day 4 – Lake District UK – NFD

    Good morning everyone

    Hope those on yesterdays pocket list didn’t miss the bus or got off too early 😉
    Had an easy one myself, took Mrs IHL off to the sales, don’t know about weight loss but the bank accounts a bit lighter! After just coffee for breakfast, got home late lunchtime so very light lunch and a small evening meal, cracked it.

    Frosty cold but bright this morning, sun shining so out for a wander and make the most of the dry day.

    @mariaelena – RE ‘Diets don’t work’ … Don’t look at 5:2 as a diet, as is often referred to here it’s a Way Of Life.
    27/2/2019 I was 268 lbs 121.5 kg (before that even worse!) I tried to lose weight and by 26/7/2019 was 265 lbs 120.5 kg, hardly impressive.
    Started on this Forum and 5:2 on 26/7/2019, now at 224lbs 101.6 kg which is about 4lb/2kg above where I want to be, it was a very good Christmas and New Year. However I know if I stick to my Monday and Thursday FD’s, drink plenty of water, on non FD’s don’t go silly, by the end of the month I’ll be back on track!
    5:2 is NOT a quick fix, but once you get it into your head and find your mojo, it really does work …. but you need to be honest with yourself and not give in to easy, good luck.

    Take care all

    Day 4 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

    Welcome back @excelsior12309 & @litprof

    Welcome to the forum @gary1745. What part of the UK are you from? I usually weigh myself twice a week, but only after a FD.

    @songbirdme – it’s funny how many of those ‘old-fashioned’ names are now trendy again!

    @froby79 – how to stay motivated? Good question. When it gets tough I remind myself it’s ‘just for today’ & imagine how I’ll feel if I throw in the towel & have to start again tomorrow. And I think it’s partly vanity. I see the shape 95% of my contemporaries are in & tell myself that’s not an option. And this forum is a huge help, of course!

    “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t – you’re right!” ~ Henry Ford

    Pocket List – Day 4 🍒
    @litprof

    Day 4 – UK – FD

    Hi all – a belated Happy New Year to everyone! I am back for January and feeling ready to step back into the swing of 5:2. I stood on the scales this morning and the damage was a 3lb gain over Christmas and New Year. I’ll take that, all things considered! We had a lovely mini break by the coast over New Year and we managed to get together with almost all the family over the break. It was lovely.

    @litprof I’m joining you on the pocket list today – we can do this. My plan is ZBC then will break my fast with soup and dinner this eve will likely be a Quorn chilli with lots of salad.

    Nearly forgot a brief intro! I live near London in the UK and had a really successful weight loss with the 5:2 back in 2016 when I lost 14lb or so in the space of a few months. I then took my eye off the ball and gained all of it back and some more. I never had myself down as someone that would happen to, having always been slim. Over 2019-2021 I was losing and gaining the same 4lb, never quite making it down to below the next stone bracket, so I am taking advantage of a real fresh start this month and getting myself under that stone bracket!!

    We have some milestone birthdays in the family this year, one of which isn’t too far away so my target is that I want to feel good at those.

    Pocket List – Day 4 🍒
    @litprof
    @babs_b

    Day 4 – USA/GA – FD

    Weigh-in: 218 lbs. I’m ready to start this trend downwards!

    Planning a WFD today on my first day back at work.

    Pocket List – Day 4 🍒
    @litprof
    @babs_b
    @northgeorgia

    Day 4 UK FD800

    Good morning! After Sunday’s cake-fest I’m delighted to have stuck to yesterday’s FD, coming in comfortably at 450 calories. Today’s weight 187lbs.

    I had an enormous OMAD supper of stir-fried leeks, cabbage, quorn chicken, tomatoes, onions, garlic, chilli and ginger with soy sauce followed by stewed apple with warm berries, orange, cinnamon & cardamom with soya yogurt. Altho I woke at 4am and was awake for around an hour, the flask of herbal tea and audio book got me back to sleep without snacking!

    I’m going for a FD800 today for extra carb. Tomorrow my monthly supermarket shop and fortnightly veg box arrive so i’m eating up the fridge – in a good way! I’ve just roasted beetroot and will make a beetroot, spinach and tofu sauce to have with green pea pasta, then a warm fruit salad of apple, blueberries, clementine and orange topped with passion fruit, pomegranate and soya yogurt.

    I’m resisting my gf vegan christmas cake but enjoying sharing with others. A lovely friend dropped by yesterday evening and really enjoyed it, as did my PA today. My 83yo mother is due for her weekly tea visit any minute now so that will be another slice plus a take home piece.

    @at @songbirdme @funshipfreddie thank you for your welcome and encouragement. it’s lovely to be back in this encouraging community again

    @quebecoise welcome back. I’m also just arrived after a long break and a lot of indulgence. En avant!

    @betsylee – hello old friend 🙂 I’d be delighted to buddy up and encourage each other on this journey again

    Hello @gary1745 & welcome! Daily weighing and weekly recording on the forum’s tracker works for me. I weigh at the same time every day – first thing, after emptying bladder. It’ll always be lower after FD and higher after NFD but it’s helpful to get the pattern – and gives me much needed accountability. This month I’m going to use @northgeorgia‘s helpful habit and add my daily weight to my posts.

    @froby79 Welcome! My motivation is health and well being. Being overweight and eating foods which trigger inflammation (eg sugar) makes life harder. Overall fasting reduces pain, improves sleep (except at the beginning!), increases energy and sharpens my brain – all of which are hugely helpful in daily life. For me it’s a way of eating rather than a diet and will keep weight off/energy up long term as long as I do it. I know I’ll feel better as it goes along because i’ve done it before, and i keep up motivation by using the tracker each week both to measure progress and remind myself how it worked 4 years ago.

    Pocket List – Day 4 🍒
    @litprof
    @babs_b
    @northgeorgia
    @michelinme

    Day 4 – 16:8

    Yesterday’s fast day went well. Veggie soup and some almonds made a nice meal. I do enjoy a good bowl of soup. I need to figure out a new recipe, I’ve been rotating pea soup, tomato soup and veggie soup. I don’t like ‘cream of x’ soups so that limits the options. My attempts with chicken soup have been meh.

    @babs_b I’m going to have to look up “Quorn” 😀

    @gary1745 I was reminded by @funshipfreddie, I do make the effort to do my twice monthly weigh-ins on the day after a fast day. Even if it is only a psychological effect, It helps my frame of mind.

    @I-hate-letucce I think of 5:2 as a WOL for maintenance, yes good point. But it is part of my diet strategy while I am trying to shed the extra pounds. I am beginning to think ahead, if I make it to goal in a couple of months, how I plan to proceed. I think I will try 5:2 at 800 instead of my typical 500 for a month at that time and see what the scale shows me. @froby79 Another motivational factor for me is that 5:2 allows me to mentally say, ‘no you can’t eat that TODAY, but tomorrow is fine.’ A big diet demotivator for me had been the ‘must give up X food’ thing. I find it so much easier to proceed on the thought of ‘not today, but if you want it tomorrow…’

    @at I thought it so smart that instead of snacking at the end of the day, you came here to add yourself to the pocketlist! 😀

    @songbirdme You know, I never consciously thought about that squeak sound, but yep! Love it too! My favourite snow shoveling is when the heavy snow is still falling or has just finished and the world has a hushed muffled sound and a crisp but fresh smell. I like playing in snow too – even at my late middle age. Shoveling snow, instead of making snow angels and such, is just a more socially acceptable way of this older lady getting to play in it -lol.

    @babs_b I also am looking at my family gathering (if Covid allows) as impetus to stay on track- Much of my family is fit or slim (and much taller than I) so I’m hoping to not look like so much of a changeling in the photos this year. LOL – though I look so much like my biological siblings and mother and father in my face, my adopted brothers physiques are a better match.

    Good thoughts to the pocketlisters & all!

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