Australia – Day 25 – 4 days to go of challenge 🙂 So the 29th is our last day? Not long to go now! I will weigh in on Saturday as I never weigh in after an eating day. Today is a fasting day.

NorthernDawn – Thank you so much! You gave me tears. I still get upset about her, but try and move along as I don’t want to upset the kids. Mum has the same philosophy on her 5:2. She doesn’t really want to do anything different to try and lose more weight, but as she says, she isn’t losing but at least she isn’t gaining!

Today I attempted to lunge my horse Lexi – it’s much harder than it looks, lol. All she kept doing was walking up to me and staring at me. I am going to youtube some videos tonight and then if I can’t figure it out tomorrow I will contact our farrier and go and let him teach me. Her and our new donkey seem to love each other, so all is well on our farm. It is freezing. A top of 5* but with windchill would be under 0.

Scotland Day 25 FD

Thanks to all for your empathy and input it’s very much appreciated. I nearly threw the scale out the window this morning as I had gained a pound! It’s so frustrating and I can remember the last time I did 5:2 I got stuck at between 9 st 1 and 3 Ibs. Trying to get and stay under 9 is like a battle 🙂 It was murder yesterday as well as I made Mary Berrys cheats version of Lemon Meringue Pie for mum and hubby and the remainder is lying in the fridge now! I’m good on fd’s and generally never eat my TDEE on nfd’s although last week was a horror of a week 🙂 Sticking with the 20:4 with Mon, Wed and Frid fast days and hopefully this will make a difference. Another busy week with mum who’s going in to respite for the weekend so here’s hoping I can kick my weight into touch. Good luck all.

The Netherlands – Day 25 (fast day)

Work day and fast day today for me.

Day 25.. UK.. Yorkshire

Fast day

Surrey UK Day 25 (and for day 24!)

Went to the beach with the grandchildren, dogs and family yesterday and we got back late, then the job of trying to get the fine beach sand out of everything…the dogs needed bathing as well. By the time I was done I could only think of falling into bed!
Today and Thursday will be fast days.

When I tell people I have no problem with liquid-only fast days but then can’t stop over-eating on weekends, I feel so stupid! You can tell by the looks on their faces that they think I am an idiot living such an extreme way. And they are right in that I need to stick faithfully to my TDEEs on NFDs. I am making that promise to myself and to all of you now.

Day 25– Colorado, USA

Oh Hannah, please don’t believe you are “an idiot” or feel stupid when you go over over calories. We’re all human (& food is just too dang yummy!)

I’ve had plenty of weeks where I’ve been in your very shoes. Having a good Monday thru Friday, then the weekend hits & I un-do all my progress with restaurants & red wine. It happens to us all! We’re in this together & truly understand the frustration.

Please, don’t beat yourself up. Give yourself a pep talk as if you were a dear friend (we are so much harder on ourselves.) Take it as a learning experience & hop back on the horse! I’d hop on one of ETJ’s horses, they sound sweet!

((Hugs)) to you Hannah!

Congrats Margo!!! What a great feeling that must be.

Day 25 USA (Illinois)

NFD today. I thawed a breakfast pastry overnight, and will limit myself on just a small piece. I knew it would be good to cook while company is here. But like Hannah, I find NFD’s can be hard to maintain TDEE.

Have a great day, all!

Austin in Ohio- Day 25

Hi Cold Pizza! Kitten sounds so cute!

no pleasant surprises here. My new goal is to end July without gaining.

Yesterday was my mother-in-laws house who fixed a special vegan meal for our family. I ate everything with a smile.

25 Challenge …

  Today returning to fasting, many visits, many meals!

It’s great to have friends, they bring us joy and satisfaction, but our project suffers backwardness because of the good food!
 
Hugs

Coldpizza – Enjoy your new little one. She sounds like a little fighter. You’ll have no problems with mice in your house, lol. And good job with limiting your sweets! It’s lovely that you have such a family tradition. My Mum always makes my middle son a cheesecake when she see’s us. He feels very special!

Anna6 – Buying clothes in 2 sizes smaller is a great idea for an incentive. You don’t have long until your holiday! It’ll be great motivation for you.

Hannahwatto – You are so not an idiot. You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t indulge once in awhile. It’s one of the things I like about alternate fasting. No matter how bad a day you have, the next day is a re-set 🙂

Happymargo – You can borrow one of my horses, lol. Or maybe you’d prefer the donkey, haha!! Sorry for being an ass 😋

I hope everyone had a good weekend. FD for me today, went for a swim at 7am this morning. Really giving it my all for the last week as I am off on holiday on Friday for the month of August on 2 separate holidays! I am so determined not to gain as I don’t want to start back again in September losing the same pounds! I am going to try and fast (which will be a challenge!) even if I only manage one day a week.

My last weigh in will be on Friday before I go and as I won’t have access to scales for the first few weeks, my next weigh in will be on Friday 19 August before I go away again 🙂 🙂 🙂

Day 25, Cotswolds, UK: Fast day. Feeling fairly confident, so far. Ideally I would like to make it another 36-hour water-only fast, not eating til tomorrow breakfast, like last Friday, which was my first ever. I’ve finished reading Jason Fung’s “The Obesity Code” and what he says about fasting being the way to lower fattening insulin. 24-36 hours with no food at all really getting the process going, as any eating makes the body produce insulin (temporarily). I want to get away from the danger-zone of insulin resistance. Type-2 Diabetes runs in my family very strongly, and at 62, I’m just that age.
HappyMargo: I too wonder how many miles I walk on my rounds. In the old days, when we had bikes (rather than vans) it was probably more…nowadays, getting in and out of vans a lot, probably cuts it down a bit overall. Maybe I walk 5 or 6 miles on a typical day…I don’t know really. No pedometer.

Day 25. Wisconsin, USA.

Back from Vacation. FD today, and my body is understandably not liking it. My week of vacation put me out of form. Buckling down again, and will make it through this day with an apple, fresh veggies and a salad. Plus coffee and lots of water, of course.

On a positive note. I seem to be staying in the upper 140’s, and I’m great with that. I feel strong, and I look stronger too. Between 5:2 and the more intense workouts I feel comfortable. It feels great to be unburdened by the preoccupation of trying to figure out how to get healthier and lose a bit of extra fat.

I plan to continue 5:2 indefinitely. I don’t have an intense desire to lose more weight, even though I could lose 15 more pounds and still be healthy on the charts.
For me, 5:2, is an incredible way to stay healthy and keep my appetite in check. I’m so grateful for everyone’s insight. I’m sticking with this challenge to the end. I think I’ve got it down now though, and may take the next challenge off.

Day 24 (again started to post and fell asleep so this is a day late), very busy NFD

Ate eggs and veggies for breakfast then went on a 2 mile uphill hike. Then to beach with picnic lunch and (processed) deli meats and for dinner high salt sushi dishes – so not surprised by water retention. We had a great day including the surprise of a sneaker wave that managed to reach the tent, blankets, purses, toys and only one phone!

Thank you, NorthernDawn, for your thoughtful words. I am happy now that I can see 5:2 wasn’t just a fluke at the beginning. I am proud but know some people I haven’t seen in a while probably still see the remaining pounds. I don’t believe my self-concept is based on what others think but I know I became very depressed from feeling powerless over circumstances and weight gain made it worse. What’s most important to me as I saw today, is because of the weight loss and restored health that I’ve already had I can toss a football with my grand sons, follow along with the babies and toddlers, help with the chores and clean-up and last 12 hours of active fun and enjoy happy times with my children’s families! I have much further to go, but that’s life. I just want to stick with 5:2 as you, and so many others have done and get closer to my goals. Again, thanks for your comments (from one grandmother to another)!

ETJ – thank you, too! As you described, I also was afraid I’d be disappointed if I set goals and didn’t’ make them. I can trust now that all the success you and others have had on this forum can be mine too and setting goals and working towards them can add an element of fun! At least I’ve set my first one week goal, baby steps! I’m cheering for you to make your birthday goal and for your new 4 legged friends!

Que – you have done it so you can do it again!!

Happy and asweet – what great physical proof of your achievements to be wearing those smaller sizes from the closet!

And also, asweet – isn’t it amazing how much more satisfying smaller portions are when you mindfully eat??!!

Here’s to a great day everyone!

Day 25 Cornwall UK. Fast day.
First off many thanks Fuvvie for the strapping info – I have an allergy to that pink plaster tape but I will look into an alternative!
NorthernDawn – I have bought Epsom salts and will have foot soak this evening! Thankyou! And also for directing me to ETJ post of her journey on 5.2, I have got part through and it is SO motivating Thankyou ETJ for posting.
I’m now going to go onto other’s profiles and see a bit more about you lovely people, who are such an inspiration .
The problem is I could spend hours sitting and reading posts which is not good when we’re supposed to keep moving!!
HaanahWatto – We’ve all been in your shoes, don’t beat yourself up! (Aren’t we so good at that!) – you know 5.2 works and all credit to your water fasts!!
Today is FD, one quarter of my TDEE is now 411cals so I need to count every mouthful! It’s been very successful and though I am hungry now I’m trying to keep busy. I’m waiting for OH to get back from a kayaking fishing trip! I have a large prawn salad waiting for us, he will have new minted potato and coleslaw with his!
We woke early and went for a 12mile bike ride and managed some HIT overtaking OH on the hills! Great fun! Then went and picked up his Mum from the care home to bring her back for lunch and dental treatment this afternoon; she’s going to be 90 in Oct so was pretty tired after that!. After taking her back about 4pm we decided to go for a 2 mile walk. So doing well on the exercise front!
I’m not sure how much more I want to lose, but I know that my waist and tum needs to be less so that’s my aim! I know I’m much fitter and stronger than at the beginning on the 1st May!!
We have 2 more holidays to come in August and again September but I really think that I will be able to continue 5.2, we will mainly be with family so should be ok! My daughter has announced she and her partner are getting married next year and she needs to lose her baby weight 2 st, she is starting 5.2 when she comes home on Friday!!
Coda not sure I have put myself down for next challenge – please count me in!
Good luck all, onwards and DOWN!!!

Australia Day 26 NFD – very successful NFD with 36 hours liquids only. Determined not to blow it by over eating during rest of today..

Ireland day 25 fd…
Hello all…11.30pm and still have 105 calories to spare…I remember being horrified when DebbieQ suggested I do the 5-2…500 calories??? I’ll starve I said…don’t you just hate when the older wiser sissy is right 😂😂😂very grateful she put me on this path to a lighter healthier me…don’t think I’ll ever know what I actually list for this challenge as I changed country and scales half way through but I do know this is how I will continue and I’m looking forward to the next challenge…
Coda….thank you you rock 💐

US Day 25- FD

Just finished my dinner of about 2 oz of turkey meat with taco sauce in some bibb lettuce leaves… for only 80 (after some salsa) it is rather filling.

Quebecoise, Anna6, and back2thefuture I’m glad I’m not the only one feeling the lasting effects of fasting, everything is more satisfying when there is less and you are savoring it.

And back2thefuture thank you it is absolutely wonderful to see and feel the physical effects of the 5:2

Day 25, Québec

A good NFD for me.

Let’s go on everyone

Coldpizza, the story with your kitten made me chuckle ! So cute ! I love animals, spend to much time on Fb, watching videos of dogs and cats 🙂

Hugs x

California, USA. Day 25. FD today. Did well today. I hope the scale turns around and heads downwards as I am up 2 pounds. NFD planned for tomorrow.

Australia, day 26, NFD

New phases? will go back and read Coda’s posts – don’t think I’ll be able to read all the posts I missed.

Just realised last night that I don”t see anyone mentioning Konjac noodles on this thread. If you haven’t discovered them, they are made from the konjac, a root vegetable in Japan. They have no – yep no! calories. Last night on my FD I discovered some lurking at the back of my pantry cupboard about to go out of date and had them in miso soup – 24 calories for a satchet, with a nori sheet cutup – 9cals, so a bowl of soup with noodles totalling 33calories. on their own konjac noodles have no flavour, and they pick up the flavour of whatever your cooking them in. The smell when you open the packet is a bit strange, but you just rinse them under cold water for a minute or 2 before putting into whatever food e.g. asian or pasta type dish. They have several names, and I had them in an Asian restaurant in Melbourne as well. Google them, and you’ll see they come in various versions.

Onwards and Downwards,
Merry

Italy Day 25 – NFD

Still got problems with the munchies but in one way or another managed to stay within or maybe just over my TDEE. But not feeling as strong and motivated as last week.