Day 14 – Lake District UK – NFD

Good morning everyone

Excellent Saturday yesterday, a wander, a bit of greenhouse work and the England vs France rugby was a brilliant game to watch, anyone watching that for the first time had a real treat. Scotland vs Ireland this afternoon.
Looks like after Wales comfortable win, they should pick up the grand slam, but you never know! The postponed France v Scotland game is pencilled in for 26th February, the last match of the series.

Early walk today, forecast not good, then rugby on TV.

Take care all

Day 14, Emden Germany, FD

@songbirdme I loved your list!

@stitchincarol I see you moving around your dining table, sometimes it’s enough to change one thing to get a different look.

@stitchincarol, @ccco and @jaifaim We decided not to move around the furniture as we have the dining table in front of the wood burner and we don’t want to eat in a colder room. We have 3 adjecent rooms on the ground floor so we can change the layout when we feel the need. We did change all the decorations and as the walls are blue, we went for blue and green things. We have a lot of filled drawers in the house, we have a broad variety of collections. Sometimes I think we have too much and throw out a lot but it doesn’t take long to get a full house again. We both are eager to do a bit of hunting again. The only thing left to do is the changing of the velvet curtains from burgundy to blue.

Have a lovely Sunday!

Day 14 USA (Illinois) OMAD

Off to play piano for church shortly but wanted to quickly check in.

Looks like several of us are quite sports minded. I wish I understood rugby better, but likely never really will. I know “fan” easily becomes “fanatic” about it! For us around here, it is March Madness over basketball. My team, University of Illinois Fighting ILLINI (a Native American Indian tribe) are playing terrific basketball and oh so fun to watch. We are into the stage of win-or-go-home now and extremely competitive.

@northgeorgia – Sabotage Sunday. Whew. Don’t know that I have heard that. Do your best to keep your calories at bay!

@snowflake56 – your decorating sounds like it is fun and fulfilling.

@dvw – this is a terrific forum for support and guidance. I love coming here on FD’s when my resolve may be fading. We here in NW Illinois are also expecting some snow or rain. Hopefully the last gasp of winter indeed!

@michelinme – you’re very fortunate you can eat air popped popcorn with its fewer calories. I’ve always thought of popcorn as an excuse to eat butter and salt. 🙂

Onward and downward.

Day 15, QLD/AUS, FD800

I have been MIA but am joining the challenge for the second half of the month.

The first half of this month was full of work and social events – really lovely in so many ways, but also mind bending after a year of separation and isolation. So my goal was just to maintain my weight and health while enjoying the festivities. We all need to have some fun again.

And yay I am starting the challenge this month without having put anything back on, so maintaining worked with the skills I’ve been learning here. 2k would get me back in to all of my work and evening clothes, so I am going to see how close 14 days of FD800 4x a week gets me.

Day 15 – Ireland 🇮🇪 – CD

Just cannot commit to an FD, I have just had a boiled egg and a blood orange for breakfast (need food to take my supplements), there is a salad bowl for lunch and lentil soup for dinner……my aim this week is good nutrition and self care….after last week’s super scary BP spike I am looking after myself …

And funny how that means I don’t have a mind on me for an FD 🤔

My weight remains the same. I will focus on exercise, walking, DTF, good healthy food, and hopefully when I get my tests done next week all will be well.

Wednesday is St Patrick’s Day, but nothing is open, still in hard lockdown, so will probably go for a WOAM walk that day…..the usual festival is not happening, for the second year in a row. 😨

@jaifaim, the daffs are lovely aren’t they? To me they are a sign of hope, we have got through winter, spring is here. I love them.

Day 15 – Lake District UK – FD

Good morning everyone

Cracking weekend, yesterdays Scotland vs Ireland game was a belter, second good game of the weekend, real entertaining stuff, congratulations to Ireland a close game right to the end!

Halfway through the month, ticking over quite nicely!

Looking like a better day today, so walk then gardening today I think, loads of bulbs coming through. In sheltered places here’s Scilla flowering already, a member of the bluebell family, but nothing like an English bluebell, beautiful small flower.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/11/95/4f/11954f87a06df869b0fd29ae82d21aee.jpg

Like others, I love spring and the early bulbs start their display.

Take care all

Day 16 pocket list
I-hate-lettuce

Day 15, Emden Germany, NFD

What a lovely Sunday we had. We finished decorating, it looks really nice. The changing of the curtains took more time than expected, I changed the hooks and the rollers of the rail system as well. We always had empty window sills because of the cats and it’s un unusual look to see them full of things.

@daffodil2010 Just try to eat healthy, that can be challenging enough.

@ccco My friend has the same problem with her daughter. When she moved out, she didn’t take anything with her so all her childhood stuff is still there. She also had a room in her grandparents house with more childhood things in it, including a large doll house. The house has to be cleared out because the grandparents moved to a nursing home last month so now my friend feels she has to take all her daughters things from there as well. I think they should donate everything in the house as nobody really wants anything it they want to put it in a storage unit. Her parents wanted us to take things as well but we politely refused. I sometimes have the feeling, others think we’re running a retirement home for things others want to get rid off. How do you think you can ever solve the problem of your daughter’s clothes?

@litprof Welcome back and well done!

@i-hate-lettuce Thanks for the Scilly pictures, we have a few of them in the garden but they are not up yet. We also have Bluebells and grape hyacinths, the last onces are out already.

@fivetwofan5252 O dear, again. I try to remember to copy my post before I send it out. I hope it turns up again.

I’m missing posts of @flourbaby, I hope she’s doing well.

Have a nice day everyone!

Day 15 – The Ides of March – USA/GA – FD

Beware! My body is in rebellion. It hates the time change. It hates Mondays. It hates the back and forth weather. It hates the pandemic. It hates having to get up in the dark. I didn’t go crazy with food yesterday, but the unusual amount of carbs did sabotage my Sunday. A -four- pound gain in one day brought weigh-in to just shy of 231 lbs. WHAT??

That was disturbing. It seems like the closer I get to 224, the more my body is like a rubber band, ready to snap violently backwards. Then I have to work to get it back down to the threshold again. Forget February’s goal of whatever. It’s war. It’s 224 this month, because now I take it personally.

LOL!

Day 15 pocket list
@i-hate-lettuce
@jaifaim
@litprof FD800
@fivetwofan5252 FD800
@dvw
@northgeorgia (ZBC)

USA. Day 15. FD800

Snowflake56, I also have my daughter’s dollhouse and an international doll collection, which her father collected for her on his worldwide business trips! LOL

Adding myself to today’s pocket list!!

Pocket List Day 15

@i-hate-lettuce
@jaifaim
@litprof FD800
@fivetwofan5252 FD800
@dvw
@northgeorgia (ZBC)
@brightonbelle
@ccco. FD800

DTF
@ccco

So far so good! My new scale has a slightly different weight for me but I will ignore that and keep moving forward. I see some of the day’s challenges here today, so I wish you all the best.

Day 15 – Rural Nebraska, USA – FD500

Yesterday was a day of indulgent eating, pinochle, lovely meals, and the lullaby of rain the entire time. In short, it was a perfect day. Both sons were here again, and this time I was in no pain! 😂 I don’t know how much rain we got, but early in the morning, we’d already had close to 3″ and it kept raining throughout the day. Our DD in Colorado got the same, except it was cold enough to be snow–32 inches of it, last she reported. @northerndawn and @songbirdme, what about you? The scale yesterday morning was lovely, and the scale this morning, despite yesterday’s indulgence, was only up a smidge, so my weight is going in the direction I intend it to go. 👍

@michelinme A “community knitting project”? Oh, do tell!

@jaifaim Your time with your mum sounds absolutely lovely. If my mom were alive, she’d be 102 now! 🥰

@dvw Well, the hypnosis helped, because I didn’t succumb as much as I might have, but what really did the trick for me was to eat supper before I got too far with the baking, which was another bowl–BIG bowl–of spaghetti squash with spaghetti sauce; after that I was far too stuffed to be particularly interested in anything. It’s all in the strategy, you know? 😁 (And, I ate plenty of all of the sweets on Sunday, my planned day of indulgence. Except for the orange rolls for brunch. I had one. DS24 (the culinary school kid) and I agreed that the only point in making those again would be to try putting the whole orange in an entirely different dough, because bread dough with zero fat is simply hard and dry, no matter how yummy the addition of orange.)

@snowflake56 Your blue and green decorations sound lovely, and I’m astonished that you even have different color curtains to choose from, in order to make it all coordinate. I’ll bet you’re so delighted with the new look! And, yeah, I too am missing @flourbaby.

@litprof Welcome back. and your two-week break from the forum sounds like it was an absolutely lovely time!

@daffodil2010 Here in the States, corned beef is everywhere and cabbage is always on sale at this time. I like corned beef enough to make it once a year, LOL, so that’s what we’ll have. An article I just read, however, said that corned beef isn’t at all the tradition in Ireland for St. Patrick’s Day. True?

@i-hate-lettuce How lovely is your scilla!

@fivetwofan5252 I beg to differ: if you thought it was worth saying, I’m certain I would have thought it was worth reading! So, bummer on losing your long post!

Aww, @northgeorgia, 231??????? “Sabotage Sunday” is the exact right name! Yup, declaring war on your rebellious body seems like a perfect response! But do keep in mind all times we’ve assured others that gaining four pounds in one day is a true impossibility. But…I still feel your pain. Good luck on your new war; may each battle be a victory for you!

@songbirdme Congratulations on your ILLINI!! I’ll bet you’ll take I70 instead of I80 (for those not familiar with the interstate system in the US, the lower the number, the further south the freeway), and hopefully that’ll be a big help in avoiding much of the snow. But good luck with driving through Colorado, because they got DUMPED on this weekend. But there’s every likelihood that the roads will be fine by the time you get there. Have fun on the drive, and seeing your kids!

Pocket List Day 15
@i-hate-lettuce
@jaifaim
@litprof FD800
@fivetwofan5252 FD800
@dvw
@northgeorgia (ZBC)
@brightonbelle
@ccco. FD800
@stitchincarol

DTF 🚫🍸🍷🍺🥂
@ccco
@stitchincarol (dry until Easter)
@northerndawn (dry until Easter)
@at – bar the odd slip 😉

ZBC 🚫
@stitchincarol – every day!
@at – every day!

Exercise 🏋️‍♀️ 30×5
@at
@stitchincarol

Day 15 UK FD
Day 14 NFD

Another puffy Monday – blaming the popcorn particularly but possibly also my bumper fruit fest. Yesterday’s late lunch was vegan fish with the last of Saturday’s spicy cauliflower & courgette, yellow rice & tomato/lime salsa. During the evening I had a fair few taster spoonfuls of dal while cooking, and finished the day with a pile of roast pineapple & baked bananas.

@brightonbelle I completely understand why you don’t weigh on Mondays!! Daily weighing/weekly recording has served me well in the past but Monday mornings are a bit off-putting atm. Aiming to keep things in perspective & plodding on.

Yesterday I made an enormous pot of butternut squash, sweet potato & spinach dal. It’s super spicy – I found two green chillis from last year’s crop that were hidden in the freezer, packed with protein & veg and only 265 calories per 450g portion. I’m keeping going on marmite tea until early evening supper, add in some quorn chicken and cabbage slaw if i need more protein or crunch, and stewed apple/plum if I need pud.

Today I *just* have to stop my brain cycling through ‘chocolate/popcorn/icecream’ images….. I’m really tired – this weekend’s sleep was not refreshing for some reason so some early nights needed to reset body & brain, strengthen willpower/lower grellin. Unf I have an evening thing until 9.30pm tonight – but aiming for a early finish, supper, shower & PJs before we start – camera off 🙂 I’ve been doing some reading ahead and time planning for the rest of the week which feels better – going gently always helps.

@dvw thank you for encouragement! I’ve now eaten all the popcorn and will resist buying more until the weekend 🙂
@penz my kale always comes out crispy and stays that way for a few days. Now I’m wondering what I’m doing right! Using curly kale – wash & dry, cut out stalks / tear leaves, pop into a bowl with oil & spices and stir with my hands. Spread out on baking trays – single layer, spaced, two trays if needed. Bake on 180C fan for 10 mins, switch over trays and keep an eye for another 5 mins if needed. Any that don’t get eaten straightaway into tupperware overnight…

@jaifaim go for it with the knitting! I’d not knitted At All until I took it up after stopping smoking. It’s a great rhythm for relaxation and focus – really helps with concentration, but also feels like meditation. Start simple, practice with some lovely coloured chunky yarn and medium-sized needles so it’s not too fiddly but you enjoy it. Perhaps make some squares for a blanket or cushion cover – practical things always hook me. Enjoy 🙂
This was the cauliflower recipe. I used risotto rice as no basmati, and no pistachios. I forgot about the raisins until the second day – they do add yum. I’d definitley make it again 🙂
https://domesticgothess.com/blog/2020/12/01/spiced-cauliflower-and-courgette/

@stitchincarol I mainly knit hats for people who are homeless or vulnerably housed and seeking asylum, migrants or refugees. It’s a church community project and many have become friends. It’s practical and a tiny sign of hope – to make something with love for a stranger.

@fivetwofan5252 Bummer re lost post! Your post appeared the other day but not today’s. After losing a fair few I now highlight & copy posts before posting /editing

So lovely to read everyone’s posts – but i’ve been here an hour! Back to the reading pile… Wishing strength to all fasters today 🙂

Pocket List Day 15
@i-hate-lettuce
@jaifaim
@litprof FD800
@fivetwofan5252 FD800
@dvw
@northgeorgia (ZBC)
@brightonbelle
@ccco. FD800
@stitchincarol
@basyjames
@michelinme

DTF 🚫🍸🍷🍺🥂
@ccco
@stitchincarol (dry until Easter)
@northerndawn (dry until Easter)
@at – bar the odd slip 😉
@basyjames

ZBC 🚫
@stitchincarol – every day!
@at – every day!

Exercise 🏋️‍♀️ 30×5
@at
@stitchincarol
@basyjames

Day 15 – Lisbon, Portugal FD

Hello everyone!!

I hope you had a good weekend…

This weekend I had two family dinners that put a stop to weight loss. it is impressive the impact that alcohol has.
Today I’m on another day of fasting and waiting to return to the downward curve… 🙂

Hug to everyone
Nuno

Day 16 – Ireland 🇮🇪 – CD

Morning all. I got my new Fit Index scales yesterday and was delighted I did not have to pay any extra customs duty on it as I got it from Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.de will need to up its product offering as like you @jaifaim, I was not able to get it there.

However, I am pleased with it, another toy to tinker with. Ok, so yesterday’s Monday evening reading had a few red, some orange, some green which is good, and interestingly, some blue. The red is the weight and the body fat, but akready overnight, as I lost the weekend gain, those measurements went into orange, so already I am on a downward slope.

However, my body water and skeletal muscle are at the low end of the scale…so there is something to work on (with the weight loss of course).

@stitchincarol, you posed an interesting question regarding traditional St Patrick’s Day meal……whilst I have had corned beef and cabbage many times growing up I cannot remember it being a Paddys Day dinner. I asked DH what he used to have, and both of us agreed that it was a roast leg of lamb that was mainly served at our respective homes.

I haven’t had corned beef in ages, must look out for it now, I always enjoyed it.

Going to do an 18:6 today, just a small lunch, then not sure about dinner, and because I have nothing planned, and because tomorrow is a bank holiday and no work, it may, or may not be, good or bad.

Have a lovely Tuesday everyone.

Day 16 – Lake District UK – NFD

Good morning everyone

What a fabulous day yesterday, weather good sun out and warm, longer walk, clocked up 18413 steps 8.46 miles, even did some bimbling in the garden in the afternoon as well.
Followed up with a ‘phone call from DD, has a job offer, permanent contract bit more cash, just a bit further from office but happy to have her work from home a couple of days a week, great news in current climate!

Heading off down the road today, might call in at our favourite plants nursery and see what they’ve got for the greenhouse.

Take care all

Day 16 – Canada – NFD

Just a quick hello to stay accountable. Busy day ahead. Good luck to all.

Day 16 – USA/GA – NFD

Yesterday’s FD got me down to a typical post-NFD weekend weight of 227, so I’ve got to focus on more water intake today and watch the snacking. I’ll also do a ZBC today. I may take next Monday off and do a 4:3 next week. I may have to accept that these weird reverse water-retaining spikes are going to become my “new normal,” and calculate that into my overall monthly weight loss goals. More exercise will start coming into play as Spring comes around.

I am getting my first of the two dose vaccine on Thursday!

ZBC Day 16
@northgeorgia

Day 16 USA (Illinois) NFD

Two days of very controlled eating has put me in great shape to start our trip. Starting off once we get the car fully packed. We opted to at least bring our boots and poles although this car does not have room for the skis.

@stitchincarol – we do take 80 as it is not far south of us here and goes directly into Salt Lake City.

@northerndawn – the snow stopped in the afternoon, and likely roads have been well treated. We never used up our full allotment of salt this winter, so plenty in reserves around here.

I will do my best to keep up with you all. Have a terrific St. Patrick’s Day.

Onward and downward.

Day 16 – Rural Nebraska, USA – CD or FD800

Yesterday, DH and I made an impulsive run to Omaha late in the afternoon. I wanted to get a few things I can only get at Aldi, had a few other quick errands…and we went out for raw oysters. Yum, yum, yum. We each had a dozen, and we shared a plate of hush puppies that were more like arancini. Total calories? We have no idea. Some sources said a dozen oysters was 50 calories and other sources had the calories as high as 140. The two hush puppies I had? Again, 50 each? 200 each? LOL, it was quite difficult to pin down, but the bottom line is that I’ certain I didn’t go over 500 calories, and it felt so wonderfully DECADENT, and yummy, of course!

I’ve been surprised and delighted how easy it’s been to be dry all during Lent, and I’m certain that’s a large part of why I’m losing weight so steadily. Knowing it’ll all come to a screeching halt on Easter Sunday (chilled white wine is beckoning me), I’m determined to push as hard as I can in these last two weeks. Remembering something @basyjames said about her competition at work, I walked in place in front of the TV last night when we got home to get my final 1500 steps to reach 10K. Not as impressive of some of you who have me in awe, but certainly a great goal, and one I’m hoping to reach every day this week. Perhaps 143 is actually attainable by Easter??? Thus my indecision as to whether I’ll do a CD or manage to pull off a FD800.

YAY @basyjames for reaching normal BMI! Congratulations!!!

@michelinme Thanks for the recipe; it’s in my queue!

@northerndawn We dodged your snow and had only rain–for which we’re thankful, as it was a bit dry here last summer–but snow is coming again for us this Wednesday. sigh. Winter isn’t over yet, is it?

@daffodil2010 Fascinating that you always had roast leg of lamb, but in the States, the assumption is that the Irish eat corned beef until it’s coming out their ears. Well, that may be an exaggeration, but I’m truly not exaggerating when I say that every grocery store has LOADS of corned beef, cooking shows on TV have suggestions on how best to prepare it and printed articles are full of side dishes to go with “your corned beef”! We have Wednesday night church during Lent, so time will be tight and it’ll be too heavy a meal for DH as pastor and me as organist, so my plan is to serve it around two o’clock tomorrow, so we can maintain the tradition I started when we married of corned beef on St. Patrick’s Day. 😍🍀

@songbirdme Have a safe and lovely trip today! I’ve driven 80 many, many times, all the way to California, so I’ll be able to envision your trip. Wanna meet for coffee in Lincoln or Seward?? Email me if so!

@snowflake56 Ahh, having curtains left over from a previous home makes perfect sense!

@i-hate-lettuce What a perfect-sounding day you had yesterday and a totally impressive number of steps! Have fun at the greenhouse today; when DH retires I’m looking forward to having a greenhouse and I’ll also be able to start early. 🌿

@fivetwofan5252 Well done on your insightful thinking as to what works for you! I do indeed wish you luck and am impressed how well you thought it all out.

@brightonbelle Two exciting pieces of news from you today–well, three if you count the excellent FD yesterday. I’ll you’re you’re beaming with delight and excitement!

It’s a foggy day today, but I’m staying home all day to make a concerted effort on tax paperwork. I’ve found so many other things to do that I’ve still made far too little progress…

Have a grand day, everyone!

Day 16 UK CD/FD800?

Yesterday swerved to a neat 780 calories so I’ll take that. It was nearly 400 but I got so hungry staying up for online service that I had to eat again – a neat bowl of quorn chicken with fresh pineapple: Yum.

Another broken night’s sleep & forgot to weigh myself this morning. I feel marginally less puffy but still pretty puffed, hence today’s CD or FD800.

My 82yo mother came over for weekly tea visit today looking a little frail until we talked fruit & veg boxes & recipes! I tempted her to bite-sized bits of fresh pineapple with sliver of butternut squash & apple muffin (ground almonds rather than wheat flour). She feels herself going backwards in her tastes and reckons she has reached ‘nursery tea’ stage now, with her love of boiled egg & soldiers, macaroni cheese & anything with potatoes which she’s clear is her Irish heritage. We reminisced over beetroot, she enjoyed hefting my 600g beast from last week’s box but is off to buy some pre-cooked in a vaccuum pack. So much is about simply being with each other and listening to ordinary things….

@ccco lovely to hear about your community knitting projects

Whatever the day brings, go gently x

Day 16 second post.

To my fellow ‘Monthly challangers’

Back in July last year I was diagnosed with cancer of the throat. I had a lot to get through and kept going with trying to control my weight and wrestling with cancer. The support from the Monthly challenge group was brilliant, encouragement all the way. Treatment was started “with curative intent”.

Today I had the results from my MRI scan following the end of treatment, so am pleased to share with you all the results, which were fantastic.

There has been “a complete response to treatment” the cancerous tissue has been destroyed, the MRI images clear, which is excellent. It will be a while before everything has properly healed and recovered , but well on my way!

Mrs IHL and I would like to thank you all for your thoughts and support and boy is it nice to be ‘clear’

Sometime when it suits, grab a glass and have a smile with us, thank you my 5:2 internet friends.

Day 16 USA/DC NFD
@ihatelettuce what fabulous news. Hooray. Such happy, joyous news.

Second post

@i-hate-lettuce That is absolutely BRILLIANT news, and I’m thoroughly CHUFFED for you and Mrs IHL!!

That was my attempt to copy the British phrases y’all use; now, for my American-approach.

@i-hate-lettuce I am beyond thrilled for you and Mrs IHL, and thank you so much for sharing the great news to bring a smile to my evening! I will indeed lift a glass of wine in toast to you once I’m no longer dry!

Days 13, 14 & 15 – NFD

Days 16 & 17 – CFD

Sorry I’ve had other things on my mind for the past few days and forgot to check in (doesn’t help that the internet at this sharehouse decided it’s not going to let me connect and I’ve gotta use my phone and data). Had a couple of NFDs and also a few days under 1400 calories with between 12 & 18 hours fasting reach night, gotta kick my bum to get back on the wagon!!

Day 17 – USA/GA – FD

Weigh-in: 228 lbs. Stomach still angry with water retention and a little lactose intolerance from last night. Weep, thou great deceiver, for another FD is upon thee, and a 4:3 shall usher in on Sunday to bring forth justice upon the scales!

LOL Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Pocket list day 17
@penz (OMAD)
@toady (CFD)
@dvw
@northgeorgia (ZBC)