31 days of July 2022 – One day at a time monthly challenge

This topic contains 338 replies, has 26 voices, and was last updated by stitchincarol 2 years, 3 months ago.

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tomtit

12:31 pm
12 Jul 22
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@linda.b

Day 12 NFD Liverpool UK
Hey . . . A bit scary when I took the wrong fish out of the freezer and realized how many calories there are in Salmon! I had to cook the whole thing and cut it in half 🙁
Still. .lots of garden peas and a few new potatoes and I survived!
Nice today, . . we have a heatwave in the Uk so it means the rain is warm. . :-
Still, 2 hours paddleboarding and a hearty brecky this morning.
I’m just getting ready for the hairdressers to get an estimate for a haircut. It seems the lockdown look is not too impressive at a business meeting these days but hey ho and off we go.
Happy fasting to all xx

BrightonBelle

12:53 pm
12 Jul 22
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Day 12 UK NFD

I know it feels a long month but day 217 @northgeorgia ?😀

Plodding on – Lovely to have good weather but it sure is much more uncomfortable when you’re carrying extra weight – Motivating me to get rid of it for good , just seems very challenging 💪

SongBirdMe

1:47 pm
12 Jul 22
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Day 12 USA (Illinois) NFD

Yesterday’s FD was excellent including a Silver Sneakers workout and Choral Society rehearsal. Scale was down 3 pounds! This 6:1 is working in maintenance for me. Sunny days make for nice backyard pool swimming. Also need to do some weeding today after yesterday’s rain. Those weekds just do grow!

@tomtit – salmon has always been one of my ‘go to’ fish especially when counting carbs. Calories though, will have to check them out!

Onward and downward.

stitchincarol

2:56 pm
12 Jul 22
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Day 12 – Rural Nebraska, USA – NFD

My eye started watering like a faucet yesterday and it’s just as bad this morning. I’m sure it’s nothing horribly serious (I have dry eyes and allergies, so…) but am going to the doctor just in case–it IS my eye, after all–so no time to chatter. Later, all!

FastingNurse

8:56 pm
12 Jul 22
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Day 13. New Zealand. FD
Have my meals planned for the day, should be a good day 😄

Penz

12:09 am
13 Jul 22
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Day 13, NFD, Aus

Just realised we are going out to dinner at a French restaurant tomorrow for Bastille Day (booked it ages ago) BUT THURSDAYs ARE MY FAST DAYS!!!! AND I have a lunch date today. Ok, might be a few days of OMAD to compensate. Breathe. This is doable.

Ok, panic over! 

Ha ha @linda.b, I almost thought you were going to say ‘toss another shrimp on the barbie’ which NO Australian says!!! So glad you didn’t.

Oooh lots of capitals from me this morning – sorry all, no offence meant, just not caffeine in the system yet so I’m a little chemically unbalanced!

Sorry you’ve been unwell @matpi but at least the scales are cooperating.

Your retirement sounds idyllic @IHL.

Oh no, not the ice-cubes, @funshipfreddie!! Seriously, hope you lost nothing more important from your freezer.

You WILL get there @northgeorgia, you will.

Where is everyone? Seems very light on in the forum of late. Missing some familiar names – come back everyone!

I hate lettuce

8:07 am
13 Jul 22
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Day 13 – Lake district UK – NFD

Good morning everyone

Another startling morning, even this far north it’s very warm already, however, the sun sail is up and it’s really nice sitting out for hours once the ‘jobs’ are done 🙂

@penz – ‘Your retirement sounds idyllic @IHL.’ … Yup, every day is pretty much ours, a bit different from when I was working, my job entailed a lot of ‘on call’ duty, called out at any time 24/7 for weeks on end, more often than not during the night, sometimes 4 or 5 times a week, so a lot to make up for!

@penz – Why not have your FD the following day, I occasionally ‘fall off the FD wagon’ and just have the next day as a FD instead. Usually find those days easier having over consumed the day before 😉

Take care all

Goal10kg

8:49 am
13 Jul 22
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Day 13, FD, Scotland

Switching it up a bit today, having two poached eggs on one slice of toast for lunch, ive calculated that at 263 cals. And Plant Based Harissa, Chickpea & Grain Salad for dinner, 239 cals. Grit Strength class after work.

Im missing milk in my coffee on FD’s, just looked up low calorie milk and unsweetened almond milk is apparently the lowest calorie, I may try that next week, has anyone tried it in their coffee? I can only buy a 1 litre carton so id be drinking it on my NFD’s also, wondering if it tastes OK.

funshipfreddie

10:04 am
13 Jul 22
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Day 13 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

@penz – no, nothing else ruined in my freezer. There’s nothing else in there! Jamie Oliver I am NOT 😅

@goal10kg – I use regular full cream milk in my coffee/tea on fast days. 160 cals in 250 ml. I find if I use the low fat milk I just add more, so a splash of regular milk works better for me.

Happy Hump Day! 🐫

Pocket List – Day 13 🥕
@fastingnurse
@goal10kg

NorthGeorgia

11:47 am
13 Jul 22
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Day 13 – USA/GA – FD

Weigh-in: 214 lbs. Ugh…I ate something at the potluck that hasn’t set well with me. I’ll take in some extra salt and a lot more water today and see if I improve. If not, I’ll have to skip fasting this week. Tomorrow there’s a luncheon I’m mandated to attend.

I won’t put myself on the pocket list today, but it is my intention to water fast today.

MariaElena

2:27 pm
13 Jul 22
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Day 13 – FD 800

@goal10kg I’m a big fan of unsweetened almond milk, especially the vanilla flavored type. But I do find one brand palatable (Silk) and really don’t care for another (Diamond Breeze). However, we have choices, and I don’t have to get a full liter size. I rarely put milk in my coffee, but to my mind it is fine. I moved to almond milk because I have a tad of trouble with lactose and I needed more calcium in my diet. Another nice thing about the Silk unsweetened almond milk is that it’s fortified with a nice amount of calcium so for the same calories as skimmed milk I get more than double the calcium.

@funshipfreddie I’m glad you didn’t lose tons in your freezer!

@matpi I sure hope you start to feel better soon!

@penz I echo @Ihateletuce – holidays and life do and will interrupt FD plans. That’s ok, move the FD or even skip. Just keep your mind in the right space, and make the next FD a good one! At least that is my approach, and I find it soothing after the inevitable failures I had in the strict calorie counting approach.

@stitchincarol Hope the eye-watering is a non issue and stops very soon.

@songbirdme Weeds! 😖 never ending.

@tomtit – A hearty Breky’ made my heart sing. That is not a term for breakfast I have heard in years and it brought me back to nostalgic memories of breky with my mum when we lived in London. Well, of her breky, and my morning coffee or tea or milk. Tho I don’t have a morning appetite, I enjoyed the breakfast table as a social thing – chatting about our plans for the upcoming day.

Pocket List – Day 13 🥕
@fastingnurse
@goal10kg
@mariaelena

stitchincarol

2:38 pm
13 Jul 22
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Day 13 – Rural Nebraska, USA – NFD

I’m well and truly off the wagon…even when I feel the mojo solidly, it disappears at the slightest provocation. Ugh. I’m not leaving, however, for I’m determined to find my way back to good behavior.

Yesterday was a lovely treat. The eye doctor couldn’t find anything wrong, and flushed it out just in case there was something in there too small to see, and that helped tremendously. I’m still watering a bit, but nothing unusual, and the allergy drops are helping. But, I had six students on vacation yesterday, I ended up cancelling the remaining two and got the entire day to myself. It was bliss. I’m making terrific progress on returning my sewing room to the tidiness that encourages me to sew, but that I’ve not had for well over a year. Today, I have some fun errands I’m going to run, including signing up to learn to quilt on a long arm. @gardenlily Do you quilt also, or just sew the tops together and pay someone else to do the quilting?

Have a grand one, everyone. I WILL stop this weight gain, and I WILL start to lose again. Don’t yet know just how I’ll find the RESOLVE to pull that off, but I WILL.

ccco

2:40 pm
13 Jul 22
Permalink

USA. Day 13. FD

Still holding at my maintenance weight! Yay!

Pocket List – Day 13 🥕
@fastingnurse
@goal10kg
@mariaelena
@ccco

Have a great day!

gardenlily

6:39 pm
13 Jul 22
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Day 13 – UK Cam – NFD
Still hot here but down to 27 from low 30s. Didn’t fast yesterday after all – just too hot to eat much and what I did eat was …. pasta and home-made sauce, quick and easy food. Today up early after a restless night – too hot to sleep properly and felt as though someone had removed my batteries! Dog walk freshened me up but the lure of homemade flapjacks at grand-daughters was my downfall. DH wants cheese & biscuits with a bottle of wine for supper in summer house and playing cards – I hope to get by sipping iced water in a wine glass. Next FD will be Friday – and I will really stick with it. I can tell he’s feeling better as not allowed to drink alcohol on his medication!
@stitchincarol – glad the eye(s) is OK – you can’t be too careful. Don’t despair about losing your motivation, revisit you original goals – think not just of weight loss but what you will gain – and remember, one day at a time. Talking of quilting – no, I do my own designs, piecing and quilting. I love designing pictures or landscapes into a quilt – made a wedding quilt for my niece – chose events from her life to illustrate it, she never put it on the bed but hung it in the living room! At the moment I am making quilts for Project Linus – they need covers for incubators at local hospital.
@goal10kg – I can’t manage my tea/coffee without some milk but not tried any milk substitutes – tell us how you get on.
Off now to rustle up some supper – will try to only nibble the cheese and not wolf it down.

Penz

11:31 pm
13 Jul 22
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Day 14, NOT a FD, Aus

I could usually slide a FD right, @IHL but I am very much a creature of routine and Fridays are our household’s traditional home-made pizza and red wine night. I’m still sticking with Dry July but it will still be pizza tonight! (And cutting out alcohol is cutting down calories so I’m not too fussed at missing one FD this week.)

@goal10kg, I figured the amount of calories I was consuming but having milk in my coffee was so negligible as to be worth it. Of course, it does depend on how much milk you use and how many coffees you have. But, to me, 5:2 has to be workable and I was not going to give up on my coffee!!

Sending you a healthy dose of RESOLVE, dear @stitchincarol!! Make a promise to yourself – an out loud, public promise, and you will keep it! Your mojo IS there, it just might be buried deep. Dig it out and keep on keeping on!

How did you go resisting the wine, @gardenlily? Did the trick of having water in the wine glass help? (I think that’s one @linda.b – or was it LilyMartin? – has used successfully.)

NorthGeorgia

12:43 am
14 Jul 22
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Day 13 – second post

Nearly 8 pm. I did the WFD just fine. Yay! Stomach is better, too. Trying to stay hydrated 🙂

linda.b

7:33 am
14 Jul 22
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Day 14 – Thursday – Gold Coast Queensland Australia – FUN DAY (FD)

Another FUN DAY…. yay! On Monday we had 11 on the Pocket List… fabulous effort everyone! … demonstrates everyone’s high motivation indeed!✅✅✅

@penz & @gardenlily … I’m the kooky one with the wine glass with ice strategy. Faux wine, ha ha!🍷🍷🍷 I use my best wine glass, add a slice of lime or lemon (or both), then fill all the way to the brim with ice. Then pour in some water. Filled to the top with ice stops me from thirstily guzzling it, so can only sip just as if was wine. When I’m out I ask the bartender to do exactly the same for me. When I first started this routine 6 months ago, my Wednesday night dinner galpals didn’t even notice for ages that I wasn’t drinking wine. Works for me!
Seriously though, I really do attribute my decision to go alcohol free when I started IF in late January as a significant part of my success at losing 11kg. Alcohol has so many empty calories and also lowers my resolve to stay with the 5:2 plan. It’s not forever, but it certainly helped hugely.

Interestingly, learnt something new last night… the bartender puts the slice of lemon and lime into my wine glass and uses a tool to manually squish the juice into the bottom of the wine glass. I was saying I need to get one of those and he responded that it’s a special bartool for doing just this job… it’s called a ‘muddler’ …. who knew?!🤣😃 I’ll put it on my Christmas wish list!🎄🎄

@i hate lettuce ….. I can only count two perched on the side of the nest, no parents and no third chick???? Have they flown away already? Can they fly back????
Oh dear….. I feel like a worried (helicopter? pardon the pun) parent.

Back to work

cheerie dearies

To take a lesson from the little engine that could 🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂
Just think you can, just think you can, just have that understood
And very soon you’ll start to say, I always knew I could
I knew I could, I knew I could, I knew I could
I knew I could, I knew I could, I knew I could, I knew I could

Pocket List for Thursday 🥦🍄🥑🌶🍅🥦
@linda.b

gardenlily

7:43 am
14 Jul 22
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Day 14 – UK Cam – NFD
Just caught up on posts – I must add – THANK YOU to everyone. I’ve never been part of an ‘online community’ and I find all your wonderful posts and supporting messages for each other (and me) to be so very helpful and inspiring. It stiffens my resolve and just plain makes me feel good. So, keep it coming everyone – it’s not just the weight loss but the mental well-being as well.

linda.b

7:45 am
14 Jul 22
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Day 14 – Thursday – Gold Coast Queensland Australia – FUN DAY (FD) – 2nd post

@i hate lettuce … the mother(?)just came back briefly and then left again. I guess today is the day they will fly.

I hate lettuce

8:33 am
14 Jul 22
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Day 14 – Lake District UK – FD

Good morning everyone

Panic over >>>>
Just reading through the posts and came across @penz comment about putting water in the wine glass …. not quite properly awake and thought someone was putting water in a glass of wine !!! What is going on …. woke up very quickly and slightly bemused, who puts water INTO wine ( I know French do water down wine at mealtimes for children to join in and learn about wine ) ….. but normally? Noooo, can’t be?
Then I read the posts again, some are putting water into a wine GLASS, ahhhh that’s more like it, perfectly acceptable, along with whatever adornments you fancy, but not water in wine.
Note to self, must be properly awake reading posts 😉 😉

Done it again, @gardenlily – Into ‘piercing and quilting’ I’m thinking tattoos ??? read it again, no, it’s ‘piecing and quilting’ … Think the warm weather’s slowing me down 😉

The Foulshaw Ospreys, yes they are OK, a couple of days ago we were looking at the live feed and one, think it is a male, was really ‘trying out it’s wings’ on the edge of the nest. The remaining two were starting to move around much more and rearranging nesting material, they won’t be far behind.
We only live about a mile away from the nest (as the crow or Osprey flies) and there was a sighting over the estuary, which is fairly unusual as they tend to head inland hunting for food, so could well have been the youngster.

Take care all

Thursdays Pocket list
@linda.b
@i-hate-lettuce

funshipfreddie

9:45 am
14 Jul 22
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Day 14 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – FD

Posting for accountability, & because I really don’t feel like fasting today; but it’s been 4 days. Seems like ages ago.

Okay let’s do this, Thursday fasters!

Stronger Together 🤝 💪

“Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day.” ~ Alice Morse Earle.

Thursday’s Pocket List 🍏
@linda.b
@i-hate-lettuce
@funshipfreddie

BrightonBelle

11:11 am
14 Jul 22
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Day 14 UK FD

I’m with you,let’s do it !

Thursday’s Pocket List 🍏
@linda.b
@i-hate-lettuce
@funshipfreddie
@brightonbelle

NorthGeorgia

11:56 am
14 Jul 22
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Day 14 – USA/GA – NFD

Weigh-in: 210 lbs. Lowest weigh-in in a month, so I’m on the right track 🙂 Still having a little tummy trouble though. Too bad, because I’ve got a fancy lunch do today.

Excelsior12309

12:49 pm
14 Jul 22
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Day 14-NO VA USA-FD
Fast day today. Had modified fast yesterday, which worked out pretty well. Weigh in tomorrow will hopefully show a slight drop. Fingers crossed.
Reading about the ospreys near @i-hate-lettuce: on the Potomac River near here, we would see osprey nests on just about every buoy or channel marker that we passed while boating in the summer. They are lovely looking birds. Sometimes you could see them carrying a fish to the nests. So interesting.

Excelsior12309

12:52 pm
14 Jul 22
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I forgot to add myself to the pocket list!

@linda.b
@i-hate-lettuce
@funshipfreddie
@brightonbelle
@excelsior12309

tomtit

2:19 pm
14 Jul 22
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day 14 Liverpool UK NFD

@mariaelena

Hi ! I’m glad the hearty brecky brought back some memories. . .you should try them again on your NFD’s. good luck
🙂

stitchincarol

2:55 pm
14 Jul 22
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Day 14 – Rural Nebraska, USA – FD

I’m just about on my way out the door and abruptly realized I hadn’t posted–OOPS!!

@penz Thanks for the encouragement to make myself a promise; I’ll do that once I figure out just exactly what promise to make. But as to pizza tonight, aren’t you going out for a French dinner tonight, and tomorrow–Friday–will be your pizza night???

@gardenlily Thanks so much for your encouragement; it means a lot.

Okay, there was something else I was going to say to someone, and I can’t remember, and a quick read-over of the posts isn’t reminding me. Oh well!

Pocket list, Day 14 🎉
@linda.b
@i-hate-lettuce
@funshipfreddie
@brightonbelle
@excelsior12309
@stitchincarol

stitchincarol

6:36 pm
14 Jul 22
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second post

I remembered! @linda.b Have you chosen one thing yet today to remove from your wardrobe? Remember, it doesn’t have to be “big” but can be something as simple as an ugly pair of earrings. But one thing…

Penz

1:28 am
15 Jul 22
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Day 15, NFD, Aus

How were the Thursday fasters? Did it go well?

So true @gardenlily, who really cares about weight loss if our mental well-being is also not in check. They go hand in hand.

Ha ha @IHL! My mother used to put ice-cubes in her white wine and it made me shudder every time. That is one family trait that has not been passed down!! I was out at the pub the other night and just had a lime and soda in a beer glass and, even though the liquid was clear (which is no beer that I’ve ever seen) no one seemed to notice or care. Dry July still going well!

Ah yes, @stitchincarol – you’re keeping track of me! I meant “it will still be pizza night!” (that’s now tonight). Last night’s Bastille Day dinner was very nice; OH had matching wine pairing and I had sparkling water! (Halo polishing, anyone?) And make yourself a promise that a. is meaningful and b. you can keep.

Question to ponder over the weekend – what self-talk works best for you? And what self-care do you do to help keep your mental well-being healthy? I find I now tell myself that current-me may well want a glass of wine, but future-me will hate me for it, and that is far worse than the wine will taste! And I love curling up with my dogs, or taking them for a run – being outdoors in sunlight does wonders for my mood.

Have a great weekend everyone!

linda.b

2:07 am
15 Jul 22
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Day 15 – Friday – Gold Coast Queensland Australia – NFD

Hope all the FUN DAYS went well for everyone yesterday! We can all enjoy a little PFDS – Post FD Smugness today!

@penz… you are a star ⭐⭐ and doing so well for DRY JULY. You deserve a medal for a great effort and half way through the month already!🥇🏆 Love this that you said “tell myself that current-me may well want a glass of wine, but future-me will hate me for it, and that is far worse than the wine will taste!”…. really resonates with me. Polish your halo!😇😇🥳🥳

@stitchincarol … yes one thing a day. I actually took a few little ‘cropped’ cardigans to galpals dinner on Wednesday night to give to galpal who is undergoing awful ongoing chemo after surgery on her upper underarm. They will be easy for her to slip on over the bandaging and drain tubes. The first arm surgery was last Christmas but the wound just wasn’t healing, so they operated again about 7 weeks ago with a graft (skin and muscle from her back), but still not good. She has been in this C merry-go-round for 15 years now, dealing with it in one place and then it pops up in another. She is a lady with a ready smile and we love her 🧸🧸🧸 (and she’s great at trivia too!).

@gardenlily … yes, the posting/blogging is so cathartic to our reformation of mind and body … and also serves the very useful purpose of stopping us from boring our family and friends with our daily trials and tribulations! 🤣😂😁 Really, unless you are travelling this pathway with us, it is probably only interesting to hear about it ONCE but after that it is mostly rinse and repeat. So it’s wonderfully supportive to walk the same pathway with all the bloggers here. And never boring hearing about each others’ daily adventures with IF! 🥰

Friday again? How could that be? Back to work.

cheerie dearies

“poco a poco” – little by little, bit by bit, slowly, gradually 🌞🌞🌞

matpi

3:23 am
15 Jul 22
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Day 14 Ohio, US — MFD
Days 12 and 13 — NFD

Last weekend I started a project to occupy my mind while I wasn’t feeling up to snuff and that project was a lot more time consuming and tedious than I had realized it would be. It turned out that I had to examine almost 2,000 computer files, one at a time. I finished last night at 1:30 am. There was a nice feeling of accomplishment after it was all done. Unfortunately, after midnight I also snacked a lot, so the MFD was really needed today. I’ve been careful in keeping under my TDEE since last weigh-in, so I’m hopeful that the fasting today will induce the scales to be nice in the morning!

@linda.b You quite right about how helpful the support we receive and give to each other here is!

@northgeorgia Congrats on the new low! In math circles that would be called a local minimum!

@gardenlily Your making quilts for Project Linus is really admirable! Having been an incubator baby myself, I know how important the quilts will be to the wee ones and their families!

@stitchincarol Glad that there was nothing major with the eyes and that the drops are helping!

Pocket list, Day 14 🎉
@linda.b
@i-hate-lettuce
@funshipfreddie
@brightonbelle
@excelsior12309
@stitchincarol
@matpi

I hate lettuce

7:50 am
15 Jul 22
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Day 15 – Lake district UK – NFD

Good morning everyone

Got the last gardening project finished yesterday, surprising how small job can end up taking all morning. The well organised plan went down the tubes, I’d got everything in place and prepared, laid the slab in position and it cracked, grrr!
Went round a couple of the neighbours to see if either had a 2×2 slab hidden away, but no, however was given 4 smaller stone slabs, but needed cutting to shape. Took a lot longer but actually made a better finish, result.
Too much work and hot weather on a FD wasn’t the best idea, but drank loads of water, reward today is going to be busy doing nothing 😉

Second Osprey chick could well leave the nest today, watched it this morning and really flexing it’s wings.

Take care all

funshipfreddie

9:45 am
15 Jul 22
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Day 15 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

Had an easy FD yesterday, once I got my head in the right place. I actually forgot I was fasting until late afternoon when I was walking past one of those Cinnabon places. I’ve never eaten one, but they always smell incredible.

It must be a slow news day. Can you believe they just discovered skinny people eat less than heavier people?! 😅
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-11014203/Whats-skinny-peoples-big-secret-eat-study-finds.html

Happy Fri-yay y’all! 🍹

NorthGeorgia

12:04 pm
15 Jul 22
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Day 14 – USA/GA – NFD

Weigh-in: 214 lbs. Oops, time to head out to work, so an unintended ZBC today. Hoping to fast again on Sunday, but unsure just yet.

BrightonBelle

1:27 pm
15 Jul 22
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Day 15 UK NFD

@funshipfreddie never heard Cinnabons guessing they are some type of cinnamon bun ? Lucky you never wanting one, I discovered them on a trip to Copenhagen they are absolutely addictive- but hey guess what a lot of food is for me

Have a good Friday all

ccco

1:43 pm
15 Jul 22
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USA. Day 15 WFD

I didn’t see a pocket list marked for the 15th, so I am starting one.

Day 15 Pocket List

@ccco

stitchincarol

3:51 pm
15 Jul 22
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Day 15 – Rural Nebraska, USA – NFD

“You can’t confuse what you want the most with what you want right now.”

DH always has a radio talk show going in the morning, and I have zero idea what they were talking about, but that statement jumped out at me. Oh, my. How very astute.

Yesterday’s FD did indeed morph into a WF and was almost–ALMOST–easy, LOL! And, @penz, thanks for your faith in me. I did exactly what you said, and at the point about halfway through the afternoon when I realized I really could pull off a WF, I promised myself, out loud (although not in front of anyone) that I would do that. So now I’m thinking about what I’ll eat today and don’t have it entirely figured out, but when I do, I’ll promise myself–out loud and in front of DH–exactly what I’ll eat. Perhaps this will be my secret, to go day to day with little promises for that day. Don’t know, but at least it worked for one perfect WF!

@penz My hat is off to you for sticking to Dry July even when out to dinner where your husband is having wine pairings! That’s some serious RESOLVE and I’m beyond impressed at your determination. Well done, my friend!

@linda.b I love your mantra about what Future You will think–that’s an approach I also sometimes remember to use. And good for you about pulling out some cardigans for your friend. Wow. Fifteen years? We have a pastor friend who has been dealing with cancer for six years (more??) and is now thin, thin, thin–a sort of good thing–and is still doing reasonably well. He’s always positive and cheerful and we’re all of us in awe of his attitude. Rather like you, @i-hate-lettuce!

Wow, @matpi, 1:30 in the morning?? So glad you got it finished!

@i-hate-lettuce Impressive that you have the tools to cut those four smaller stones to the right size! I just laid a brick pad last week for a new HUGE pot to sit on, and it looks decent…I never have the patience for more than decent. 😂😂😂 (Could be because I don’t have the skills for more than decent when it comes to laying stones.)

@funshipfreddie Is it possible that people who aren’t skinny simply don’t realize that? I’m always horrified when I see a mom in a grocery store, carrying FAR too many pounds, and several kids, all well past “pudgy,” and their cart is filled with junk: chips, cookies, pop, sugar cereals, candy, breaded frozen meat, other frozen snacks, etc. It makes my heart ache to know they’ll have a lifetime of overweight and will know no better because of how they ate as children.

@brightonbelle Like @funshipfreddie, I’ve never eaten a Cinnabon, but like him, have swooned at the smell! Here: https://www.cinnabon.com/

@ccco You often (always?) fast on a Friday, something that feels beyond my ability. What makes Fridays so doable for you?

I started this post 90 minutes ago, and was interrupted by two phone calls, several important texts, and my husband full of questions and requests of me. Some mornings are more eventful than others, LOL.

It only got down to 80 degrees last night (26 C) and is going to be a scorcher today, so once the watering is all done, I think I’ll stay inside in my lovely air-conditioned comfort and work some more on sorting out my sewing room…and figure out exactly what I’m going to eat today, and make myself an out-loud promise!

Have a grand one, everyone!

MariaElena

3:55 pm
15 Jul 22
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Day 15 – 16:8 CD

Lots of interesting thoughts here today!

@linda.b I totally agree with you! Beyond the wonderful support I find on the board, I love that it keeps me from boring the IRL people in my life who are not interested in fasting, metabolism, exercise etc. lol, even when they introduce the topic themselves and ask me. My standard answer has become ‘I found a combo of stuff that works for me’. And the standard response is ‘you are so lucky’. Honestly that irks me, because it has been a lot of effort and trial and error, but 🤷🏽‍♀️ Whatever.

@funshipfreddie I read that linked article and there was some interesting findings later in it (the naturally slim people are more sedentary and yet still have a faster resting metabolism than average) but I do agree, a big lol to the major finding that slim people eat less than heavier counterparts. Who’d a thunk 🤔 😂

Cinnabon has the most heavenly smell! Funny thing about me tho, I’m mostly not tempted to eat them. Sometimes my DH will make some cinnamon rolls at home and I will have a bite, but mostly I just want to sit in the kitchen and smell them cook. The smell alone satisfies and pleases me.

@Ihatelettuce Perhaps it is perspective bias on my part but I do think that when I have to alter a well thought out plan on the fly I find the results even better than I anticipated the planned results. 🤔

Re watered down wine: uh oh. A regular thing in my teenage years (in Italy), red wine mixed with sparkling water became a favourite thing of mine. I make a fruity, sparkling sangria for an especial treat sometimes too. My palate is unsophisticated (or perhaps deficient 😂) when it comes to wine. I’m one of the oddballs who prefer sweet wine to dry as well. But my favourite AF drink when I’m in festive situations where I don’t want alcohol is diet tonic water. My tastebuds think I’m drinking an alcoholic drink!

@penz My self-talk, self- care ‘hack’ is insisting I do my daily exercise before pleasure. If I just want to read that book, call a friend, play with my cats etc. – I tell myself, OK, but AFTER I complete my exercise. I trade that minimum 20 minutes of cardio for treating myself in some way. Generally that means I have exercised early on in the day, and then I get to feel good about myself for doing that all day long. (I try not to have the pleasing treat be a food thing, as well.)

Sending strong thoughts to @ccco and any other fasters today! Enjoy your weekends all!

gardenlily

10:33 pm
15 Jul 22
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Day 15 – UK Cam – FD
Today was weigh-in day – really pleased, another pound down – now 148 so July goal is within reach but I will have to keep trying!

FD is going well, nearly time for bed – this is the worst part of a FD for me, after dinner and before bed. Went straight through to lunch on a cup of tea and lots of iced water. Lunch was berries and zero yoghurt – yummy treat – more iced water and then baked chicken with spinach, carrots and, yes, more iced water – this time carbonated (gave me hiccups!) for dinner. That nasty ‘dragon’ is prowling about rattling the biscuit tin and reminding me that there is half a camembert cheese in the fridge … so will have a cup of spiced herbal tea and go to bed with book and, hopefully sleep.

@linda.b – the water in a wine glass is an old trick I picked up at work – never a good idea to drink alcohol with colleagues or guests before standing up to give the evening lecture! It’s also a good one if you are the DD (dedicated driver).

I agree, lime and soda with ice and a slice is a good long drink that looks more sophisticated than it really is. BUT please don’t mix the water with wine – yuck.

Right, off to make that cup of tea, banish that dragon and relax into bed.

linda.b

7:41 am
16 Jul 22
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Day 16 – Saturday – Gold Coast Queensland Australia – NFD

Pottering about doing a few chores, nothing much planned as worked to midnight last night on some catch-up work. Hadn’t intended to but before I knew the hours had evaporated away.

@stitchincarol – the current me/future me ‘mantra’ is actually from @penz .. she takes the credit for that wisdom! ✅✅ That hot weather is just going on and on for you and some of the other northern hemispherites. The world weather seems really to have gone topsy.🙄😅

@mariaelena… I agree with you about the “you are so lucky” comment from folk which totally ignores the actual personal commitment and resolve we undertake to make I.F. work! I guess we make it look too easy but it only works if you are resolved to stick to your own IF plan. Nothing lucky about it!🥦🥬🥒🥑🍄🌶🍅🥕

@gardenlily… your fresh berries just make my mouth water every time you write about them. I’m in the tropics which is not friendly for berry growing agriculture. The ones we find in the supermarket are half-dead from too many travel miles from the southern states! However, I do buy snap-frozen berries and they come from Serbia of all places and are a hundred times better than the half-dead ones at the fruit shop and supermarket. 😋😋😋

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

cheerie dearies

There’s another way to get back in control without ever feeling deprived or like you are missing out.
A way without rules, shame, deprivation, or cravings.
IF allows you to find freedom in your relationship with food WITHOUT feeling like you’re hanging onto willpower by your fingernails.😁😍🥰😊😉😉

funshipfreddie

9:40 am
16 Jul 22
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Day 16 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

@mariaelena, @brightonbelle & @stitchincarol – that Cinnabon smell, it’s just heavenly. So far I’ve resisted even having a look in one of their stores. I’m guessing they taste like a little donut coated in some kind of sugary cinnamon frosting, & I imagine if I started eating them I’d never stop 😳

@stitchincarol – re larger people not realizing thinner people eat less. How could they not know? I suppose it’s possible, but unlikely. I think many just get to the point where they don’t care. The – ‘I’m here for a good time, not along time’ – attitude. Or they just can’t resist certain foods. The food companies who constantly invent new products containing the bliss point have finally worn them down.

Dr Mosley says we must look after our bones…
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-11018777/DR-MICHAEL-MOSLEY-press-ups-bones-young-certainly-works-me.html

Have a good weekend everyone 🌤 🌈

stitchincarol

2:21 pm
16 Jul 22
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Day 16 – Rural Nebraska, USA – OMAD/NFD

I was almost spot-on with my eating plan that I promised myself yesterday, and what was off wasn’t actually against my promise. I forgot to take into account that I needed to break my fast gently, so I did that with four crackers/hummus and a few small pieces of fake crab–forget what that stuff is really called, but had it for last Sunday’s brunch dish. Then dinner was exactly as intended. Then the munchies hit me afterward, and I allowed myself a LOT of Lifesaver mints, which is what I bought them for. Total calories was probably 200 (like I said, a LOT), but that’s far fewer calories than anything else I could have had. Tonight, I’ll break my fast with the same combination, and then have supper followed by a dessert I’ll make, and then a max of 10 of those mints. Also, I’m making a double batch of chocolate chip cookies today to take to church tomorrow, and I promise I will not nibble on the cookie dough at all. And this whole day is a promise to myself.

@gardenlily You and I are at nearly the same weight; I was 151.0 this morning. Shall we hold hands as we slide down?? 😜 Did you manage to slay last night’s dragon??

@linda.b While our weather right now is really hot, it’s actually no different from any of the 34 summers I’ve spent in Nebraska. It is, however, apparently quite different from 60+ years ago before irrigation was so common; it’s believed that is why there’s so much humidity in the midwest now, and “old timers” confirm that it was not nearly so humid in their childhoods and when young adults. 🤷‍♀️ I was miserable when I first lived here after we married, because I grew up in the Pacific Northwest where a 74/23 degree day was HOT and extremely rare; far more common was fog so heavy it felt like rain and temps of 55/13–YES, in the summer. Now, I just enjoy the heat and am entirely tolerant of it, even while loving my AC.

@funshipfreddie Fascinating article re bones; thanks for sharing.

We have a missionary spending the night with us tonight, so I have sheets to wash and put back on the bed, food to make, and surfaces to clear off (amazing how fast those surfaces fill up!) so must get to it. Okay, you all have an image of what that missionary looks like, right? WRONG. She’s an adorable 22yo who just graduated college and worked at the camp in Colorado where DD and her husband lived. 😂 🤣 😂 DD says she’d be glad to have her as a SIL, LOL! I keep wondering if either son will meet her…

Okay, enough silliness and it’s off to get started. Have a grand one, everyone.

MariaElena

2:43 pm
16 Jul 22
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Day 16 – 16-8 CD

@funshipfreddie thanks for the Dr Moseley link. But sometimes I feel that there is just too much to worry about. Fiber, protein, calcium, sleep, stress control, exercise (and now add in higher impact exercise…) … as infinitum, sigh. I do my best but truly unless it is one’s profession (like the good Dr.) it feels kinda impossible. There is always one more thing we are supposed to be addressing. Then I feel guilty for not doing everything. Just kvetching I guess. I don’t like prunes and I very much don’t like high impact exercise.

I do like chicken soup and homemade chicken broth. And, yesterday I made the homemade broth, today I’m thinking of making it into a chicken and bean soup. That will be a nice high protein, collagen rich, fiber heavy freezable meal! If I had any prunes handy, I’d put a bunch into it, as a soup ingredient they add a color and flavor that compliments chicken soup, I find.

One thing that irks me about food studies: they always say ‘we find that DAILY intake of’ xyz’ …. (But really, if I ate enough to get all the daily intake recommendations I’d have to eat enough food for a horse, it seems. ) Now my question- Do people eat the same exact thing each day? I don’t think so. Yet recent studies say daily vitamins don’t really seem to do much. Oh, I don’t blame the scientists and studies, but really sometimes it seems like too much. And I do think our bodies are more complicated AND adaptable than I see portrayed in the literature.

Ah well, my musings and grumbles for the day – basta!

Off to get in my early day exercise so be well!

stitchincarol

2:59 pm
16 Jul 22
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Second post

@mariaelena AMEN.

NorthGeorgia

3:25 pm
16 Jul 22
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Day 16 – USA/GA – NFD(?)

Weigh-in: 215 lbs. The weekly weigh-ins averages are showing stabilization each week towards a flat line. In the past, I would have worried that I’m stuck, but I think this really shows the body finally adjusting to the new weight level before realizing no one is starving, and then readies itself for another drop. At least I hope! I am going to attempt to look at lunch OMADs as a key boosting feature between FDs. Still just doing one of those a week — no more than two. It has helped psychologically and I don’t feel deprived. I’m not sure if we’re celebrating my nephew’s birthday today or tomorrow. I think possibly today, so my plan is to fast tomorrow.

Hang in there, plateau-ers!

gardenlily

10:04 pm
16 Jul 22
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Day 16 – UK Cam – NFD
Hi all – another scorcher here today – I spent most of the day playing Lego with grand-daughter in the cool – bliss. Not quite an EFS day but that sausage sarnie with salad (assorted sausage from farm shop) was a bit of a killer – I did leave … a crust! On the positive side I turned down cake and icecream coz I was just stuffed full. Very light salad supper with low cal tonic water.

@stitchincarol – YES! I think together we can do this – my target for this month is 145 so I need to keep an eye on the NFD intakes. and, yes, I did banish the dragon last night, felt very smug. It’s great to know that there are other folk out there who care and understand.

@MarieElena – I quite agree. So much info out there, wherever you look we are being told what we should and should not eat and how to exercise correctly – whatever happened to self-determination? We should be able to make up our own minds what we eat and do and not made to feel guilty if we can’t keep up with the latest science.

@linda.b – our berry season is very short-lived and with this heat they are cooking on the plants. Walked round tonight to water my parsnips and carrots – nibbled a few berries from the ‘rogue’ canes (they escaped the cage and made their own encampment further down the plot in an unruly mess) but I fear they are almost all over now. DD gave me a bag of ripe plums from her garden – I foresee poached plums in spiced red wine with almond fingers on the menu sometime soon! Perhaps I should amend that to poached plums stirred into creamy low-fat yoghurt with a granola sprinkle on top?

Will stop thinking about food now and go to do some ironing, it’s finally cooled down enough at 10 pm – DH needs some fresh shirts and I have a quilt top to put together when I have pressed the pieced (not pierced!!) strips.

Not sure how the pocket list thing works but be sure I am thinking of you all and sending encouragement.

Penz

6:59 am
17 Jul 22
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Day 17, NFD, Aus

What a bad host, I am, not posting until Sunday afternoon! How’s everyone’s weekend going? I’ve been very social (IRL not online) which has been lovely.

I didn’t read the article but this sentence was enough to make me laugh out loud @funshipfreddie: “Can you believe they just discovered skinny people eat less than heavier people?!”

Well done on your out-loud promises, @stitchincarol, keep it up.

Wow, @matpi, what an enormous task! Well done you for finishing it, even if it was at 0130 in the morning.

So true @mariaelena!

Poached plums stirred into creamy low-fat yoghurt with a granola sprinkle on top sounds divine, @gardenlily, I couldn’t go past that.

Urgh – awful weather outside at the moment, blustery wind, showers and COLD!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend all; chat tomorrow.

linda.b

9:10 am
17 Jul 22
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Day 17 – Sunday– Gold Coast Queensland Australia – NFD

@gardenlily I agree with @penz ie poached plums stirred into creamy low-fat yoghurt with a granola sprinkle on top sounds divine…… Where is that tent in your garden ‘coz I’m moving in!😋😋😋

FUN DAY tomorrow ……. can’t wait! ha ha!🤣😂

cheerie dearies

It’s your body and your choice. 😎😍🥰

funshipfreddie

10:23 am
17 Jul 22
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Day 17 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – FD

@mariaelena – I have to agree; if we took everything we read/hear to heart, we’d never get out of bed. While I was reading your post last night, a commercial came on TV for vitamin B supplements, stressing all the nasty symptoms you may experience if you had a deficiency. I used to take so many supplements; if I could get a refund on all the money I spent I could probably buy a small yacht. Now I just take one multivitamin/mineral supplement after my first meal.

Oh, @i-hate-lettuce – have you seen Tom? Apparently Mr Cruise is busy filming in the Lake District! 😅

Looking forward to Monday morning PFDS 😇 Happy S🌞nday!

Pocket List – Day 17 🍓
@funshipfreddie
@northgeorgia – maybe?

NorthGeorgia

4:21 pm
17 Jul 22
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Day 17 – USA/GA – FD

Weigh-in: 215 lbs. Celebrated nephew’s birthday with pizza and ice cream last night. Another feast by his mother on Tuesday (do we really need a ham with all the fixings for a 13 year old? Anyway…)

Yes, I’m in!!!

Pocket List – Day 17 🍓
@funshipfreddie
@northgeorgia