Day 24, London, UK, NFD and Birthday too!!! Managed to reach Feb goal-1.4lbs so -20lbs since 1st Nov ’16…yeah me!!!

Day 25, London, UK, NFD

@coda and @goldensun, many thanks for your birthday wishes, had a fab night out, unfortunately went for the 7 course tasting menu with wine (well, why wouldn’t I???) Definitely stretched my tummy to pre-5:2 proportions……………hence, a terrible night’s sleep with severe leg cramps, back on track today being mindful. I seem to keep having to learn this SAME lesson the hard way. Overindulgence, force feeding (I really was about to POP!!) = discomfort, pain, restlessness……….plus a little bit of guilt!!! I may heed this lesson more than others because NOTHING, I repeat NOTHING, gets in the way of my sleep, it’s my favourite pastime (well, since eating has been relegated to the bottom of the list!!)

@strawberriesandcream, having fallen off that particular wagon many times, I GET you. I’ve put red wine in the same box as chocolate, bread, biscuits, cake and crisps because if it’s in the house I’ll consume it, so I don’t allow any of the above in the house, that’s not to say that at times I don’t chuck myself off of one of the many wagons I’m on!!!………….Just that I get up, dust myself down and hoist myself back up there!!! Once I’ve completed my brain re-training which comes with this WOL, I’m sure anything will be welcome in my home without sending me into a gluttonous frenzy!!! Sending good vibes your way!!!!!

@fuvvie, so sorry for your loss, good to think Andy’s last year was his best year, because he had you………hugs.

Good luck everybody, Roll on March!!

DAY25 – UK – NFD

Well another fast day over and another sleepless night!!! I have been out all day so have only skimmed posts, and will go back to re-read, but a BIG thankyou to all who offered advice. I will study responses and see if any apply. I was supposed to drive to-day (out with a girlfriend) but no sleep two nights in a row we decided best not to – thank goodness – as I kept nodding off in the car.
Bad day so far, 4 biscuits, big lunch, 1 chocolate, handful of nuts – and steak dinner still to come. If I sleep it will be worth every mouthful!! Will not keep within my tdee to-day, but still think I may lose a lb. this month!!. Thanks all – and good luck xx

Day 25 Ireland NFD
There are so many fabulous people on here. I am amazed at how supportive everyone is of eachother, I am inspired. I just started on this WOL at the beginning of Feb. And while I havent lost any weight, my clothes are certainly looser. So I’ve realised that I need to stop obsessing over the scales, because ultimately my goal is to look and feel better…so success! I am incredibly grateful to everyone for sharing their stories and providing us with a glimpse into each others lives. Keep moving forward, hugs and kisses to all XXX
PS particular sympathies to @fuvvie, I have been there and felt your pain. X

Day 25 Saturday — Colorado USA — NFD

Weight is up. 🙁
Drats! Just when I had my goal weight in the cross-hairs!

Since getting green light for activity from surgeon & PT, I’ve returned to work (12 hour shifts of rather physical work.) And also recently began heavy strength training 3x/week & running 4x/week. Both seem to make me quite hungry.

Trying to sort out how best to handle this while also getting back on the FD wagon. Not giving up 5:2 as it’s been the most successful I’ve been at dropping pounds, just needing to work it back into my life/ schedule.

I know I can get there. In meantime, I’ll keep logging in here & reading all the helpful posts!

Fuvvie, Just catching up with some posts and want to tell you I am so sorry for your loss. They say that grief is the price we pay for loving deeply. Rest comforted in the knowledge that you gave your heart and soul to one of God’s favorite creations and He is grateful to you for that. May beautiful memories sustain you and your family.

Day 25 – Montreal – FD

My last meal was at midnight last night at work so plan to fast till breakfast tomorrow afternoon (40 hours ish).
I’m intrigued by the apple cider vinegar too, and will start taking 2 tbsp’s before carb heavy meals. I have a big bottle of organic acv with the mother that I found at Costco.

This is my last FD of my first month living this WOL. The scales show a 2.7 kilo loss so far, and I’m looking forward to the months ahead. I do need to be more careful on my NFD’s as I don’t want to start calorie counting, unless really necessary.

Everybody’s feedback, thoughts, struggles and successes are so motivating to read.
Thank you for sharing.

Day 26 NFD Aus

@fuvvie so sorry
@bert too true.

Day 25 (again)– Colorado USA — NFD

Not sure what happened… I followed 5:2 fantastically thru November & December. Enjoyed the results and even slipped back into my skinny jeans.

But sadly I seem to have gone thru some mid-winter January/February slump. Luckily, I have gotten back to my exercise routine, which I enjoy tremendously. It’s the food & fasting portion I’ve had a bit of struggle with.

And we’ve all heard these before:
— “Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym.”
— “You can’t out-run a bad diet”
— “80% of results come from your diet, not exercise.”

So now, I’m looking forward to March!! I’ll be using that month to recharge & re-commit to 5:2 WOL. Fresh start again! 😀

In 5 weeks, I’ll be vacationing with family on a sunny island. I want to feel confident in my bikini & energetic enough to enjoy beach running & ocean swimming.

Thank you all for inspiring me to not quit and keep striving toward my goals!

@fuvvie. Im so sorry for the loss of a trusty companion. Our lives are so intertwined with faithful friends. Andy had a great and loving home. Just enjoy those happy memories.
@jarbia don’t know if you do yoga. Check out http://www.supersleepyoga.com/.
@deirdre 54321!ive lost a couple off pounds this month, but no inches. I envy your loose clothes, so rejoice in those baggy trousers along with @bert. What the scales say is only a number.
Thank you Bert for that timely reminder of the real evidence of the success of this WOL. Go you!
Congrats@ Erikaa67 @ bert1802 @anna6 Well done you all!
@at France is always such a strong team, and worried that Ireland would come a cropper. Tight game! Scotland were the deserved winners in theirs.It’s been a long time coming. It still quite an open contest. Looking forward to its outcome whoever you support!
@flourbaby, I think belated happy birthday!
@’HappyMargo you’re coming to grips with a big change in your immediate routine. Small steps and you’ll get there.

@fuvvie – so sorry you have lost your dear furry companion. Losing our friends like that is so difficult. I know you will have great memories of him that will give you joy.

@debster – I know you will enjoy your further travels. One of my trivia questions was how many visitors does NYC get in a year? The answer was 55 million! Amazing to think it could add a million people each week. We did Vermont/New Hampshire the first fall after I retired. Terrific colors although it is really hard to pinpoint just when it is at peak.

@ciren2 – thanks for the advice about Apple Cider Vinegar. I suppose I will give it more tries!

Day 26 NFD sunny hot country West Australia
FD went OK yesterday. Jumped on the scales today and … they are down the 500 gms they were up yesterday!!
With this WOL I enjoy the fact that I am generally eating a lot less and feel full so much sooner. Out for a bring and share lunch today so will see how that goes.
Went to see my beautiful elderly mum yesterday in Aged Care . She has dementia and couldn’t stay at home anymore. As a country woman she was a fabulous cook. I stayed whilst she had dinner and it broke my heart to see her eating very uninteresting looking mince with boiled veggies. At least mum retains her sense of humour. She looked at me and said ‘ Well you wouldn’t need to follow a recipe to make this!’
I really think we don’t look after our elderly very well. Considering its potentially where we all might end up, you’d think we could do better.
@fuvvie, sorry about Andy

Day 26 Oman FD

Day 26 UK FD

Got a bit carried away both with a wheel of brie and the potatoes that I cooked for my mum yesterday. I did them with parsnips and kale and chilis, lemon juice and various seeds – chia and flax and mustard and they were so nice I stood by the cooker and stuffed myself:( I made the mistake of just thinking I could have a little bit before putting the animals away again. I also made a pot full of cauliflower with samphire and coconut. That was nice too but it was the other one that got me. I absolutely am not finding myself feeling that what I am cooking is dull. I am feeling more inspired to cook well and am enjoying planning delicious meals almost as a substitute for eating. I wouldn’t have dipped into the pan on a fast day, I can cook mainly for the others quite easily and have just a small bowl myself. But NFD Saturdays are difficult as the Sanctuary is open and we have visitors and volunteers here and it can be hard to find the time to sit down to eat. Hence my attack on the brie, which just maade me hungrier and led to the pan raiding. FDs are easier as I can eat after every one has gone. I need to really watch myself next time.

Fuvvie so sorry to hear that you had to make that decision. It is such a difficult one to have to make but it is often a necessary part of caring for an animal. Take comfort from the fact that you were able to give him a good last year of life that he wouldn’t have otherwise had. As I always remind myself a rescue isn’t over until the animal dies in a place where their needs are fully met. Death is as much a part of life as everything else is. It isn’t quite the same when I lose animals because the relationship isn’t as concentrated as with someone’s pet but it is still the worst part of running a sanctuary. I dread having to make that decision.

Well done on reaching your target Ellektron:))

I am so bad at remembering who I wanted to reply to! Maybe I’ll do better at that next month:~ This group has been so helpful. Many thanks to Lynzm for leading it and to everyone for participating:) I have been reading all the posts and learning lots.

DAY 26 – UK – FD

Took an over-the-counter sleep aid last night, as I just HAD to get a night’s sleep.
Worked like a dream. The most wonderful thing in the world for me must be to put my head on the pillow at 11pm – and the next thing you know it’s 730 a.m.!!! It was magic. I limit myself to one a week when I get desperate as I don’t want it to become habit forming. Put on 1 lb. after my NFD yesterday – but expected that as I was ott.
Still on my revised target to stay same weight as end of Jan – and I may even be a lb. down….I will be pleased with that – as it’s so easy to throw in the towel and reverse all the good work if you have had a bad few weeks. (My usual behaviour) This WOL puts a stop to that.
@debster251 Yoga seems a good idea! I will check out classes next week. Thanks for that.

Day 26, Newcastle UK, NFD

Good NFD yesterday – everything going to plan. Another today before my b2b FDs tomorrow and Tuesday and final Feb challenge weigh-in on Wednesday morning.

@lilymartin & @ BiddieV – thank you, appreciate your support.
@bluenijamum – we watched The Secret of Food last night. Very interesting. I always find myself asking – how the heck did anyone find this stuff out in the first place.
@fatrabbit – I had a shot at pretend hula hooping yesterday and got a very strange look from OH!
@orpheusx – yes – instant gratification is a huge problem and has robbed the younger generations of so much learning and experience in life. So many feel entitled without having to put in the work. Very worrying.
@goldensun – felt your virtual hug – and right back at ya!
@fuvvie – so sorry for your loss. Never easy to lose a pet and even more so when it’s unexpected. I had to make the heartbraking decision to have my 5 year old collie put to sleep 3 years ago when he bit my OH in the face after being traumatised by next door’s ‘summer fireworks party’. Unfortunately he’d recently bitten an old lady (she admitted it was her fault) – but he’d had his chance and I had no choice. It broke my heart and I miss him so much. Our golden retriever sensed my sadness and really helped me through my grief. I hope Molly can help you.
@bert1802 – Wow – inspiration indeed! Well done.
@august2024 – fortunately I’ve always had a healthy suspicion about fast food outlets. I’m a strong believer in you get what you pay for and it makes me mad that these organisations and their marketing machines are willing to wreck lives in their pursuit of money.
@flourbaby – Brain retraining – yes, that’s what we are doing in breaking habits and creating new habits. Believe it or not I used to fall for my brain telling me that I couldn’t possibly leave the new built in wine wrack empty as it didn’t look right. And what a waste of those wine glasses if I didn’t use them. Amazing but true. Now I’ve got the wine rack stuffed with other items and my wine glasses feel just as good in my hand with sparkling water.
@jarbia – for years I have suffered from insomnia off and on. I recently started wearing an eyemask again – remembering that it had worked for me years ago. It is working again, so maybe worth a try if you haven’t already.
@deirdre 54321 & @happymargo – the ability to draw a line under relapses and move forward without beating ourselves up is one of the biggest tools we have in our quest for health. Yes we learn from mistakes but there is nothing to be gained by going over and over in our minds. Every day is a new opportunity.
@monkeydo – it’s very liberating to discover just how much good food we can eat when not allowing alcohol to steal our precious calories. It’s so inspiring to hear about your excellent results to date.

Happy Sunday everyone. I’m off to do some voluntary garden clearance for a couple of hours. Fresh air, exercise and good company with like minded residents.

Day 26, Gozo,Malta, NFD

It’s spontaneous Carnival this weekend and tomorrow and Tuesday here in Malta and Gozo, especially in my home town of Nadur.

I’m 1.2 kilos above target weight this morning.

Have a great Sunday everyone.

Day 26: Gloucestershire, UK: NFD

@at: are you fasting tomorrow? Can we hold hands?

@and…exhale:
I’m so sorry you are struggling at the moment. I know from my own recent experiences, that it only takes a couple of failed fast-days to let the self-loathing and sense of defeat set in. Weight-gain is like a blow to the stomach as nothing else.
However, don’t ever give up…if you need to give yourself a break, do so, but set a date when you will do a successful fast-day. Try relaxation CDs…they helped me to get a grip after six weeks off the wagon. Once you get one success, you can build on it from there. Good luck…we’re all here for you xx

2nd post

Thanks for the kind words @ciren2 – had a look at the 8-wk blood sugar diet, decided I’m not that desperate, and have resolved to get back to 4:3 straight away – proper logged NFD today and FD tomorrow.

I have printed myself a calendar for the next two months to mark my progress.

It’s not fun, it’s not easy (except when it is!) but this WOE works for me and I just need to keep reminding myself. Will sign up for March.

Sorry for not logging in.
Day 24, UK, NFD.
Day 25, UK, NFD.
Day 26, UK, FD.

Thanks @coda re drawing a line.

@fuvvie, just catching up after a few days and want to add my condolences for your loss.
Have a good Sunday all, I’ve been well over TDEE the last two days so going to see if I can do a few B2Bs before the end of February challenge.

2nd post
Apple Cider Vinegar recipe
I cut up fresh ginger and put it in a thermos with a bit of ACV and boiling water.
keeps me going all afternoon.
the ginger lifts the ACV taste.

Day26 Maine NFD

Good morning all – haven’t the time to read posts – we’re just about to hit the road…hoping to get 7-8 hours in today to PA. A little over TDEE yesterday – cleaning out fridge – I should have just tipped it toward my mouth! Trying 16/8 today – this is the tricky part – have our favorite restaurants along the way w/favorite plates selected. Challenging, but happy to report that favorite summer skirt fit & packed!! That should keep me motivated – fingers crossed!

Will catch up in hotel tonight. Make it a great day, everybody!

And…exhale: Join me fasting tomorrow? We can hold hands and be stronger xx

@ Ciren2 and @ And…….exhale: Can I join hands with you tomorrow? Seems we are having similar struggles…… But we’re still here.

Hi all day 26 UK nfd

And….exhale when you started 5:2 did you do your fast days with 500 cals? Why not go back to basics. I know as time went on maybe you got stronger and reduced fast days to 1/4 tdee, then progressed to water or liquids only. Sometimes when we go off the road a bit we have to do what we did at the start until we find our way again. We need to ease up a little – that is what I am going to do for the last 2 days of February’s challenge, while they may be fast days I plan to have my full quota if I need them to be successful. I don’t want to set my self a more difficult few days than I have to.

It has been pleasure sharing February’s challenge with you all. Some fantastic support and I look forward to sharing another month with you all, God willing x

Day 26 – USA – NFD

Loss since I started posting on this thread: .6 lbs. Loss since starting IF on January 7 – 4.8 lbs. Learning new things, slow and steady; as long as my pants feel loose and numbers go down, I’m happy! Been reading about 16:8 and have a question: do you eat your TDEE every day of the week in the window of the 8 hours or do you only do that 5 days a week and then do the 500 calories 2 days a week, but within the 8 hour window?