Amazing April 🐣

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  • Welcome to our Amazing April 🐣 challenge

    Here’s how this monthly challenge works (same as it has always been):

    1. Start your daily post with the day of the month, where you are from, and if you’re on a fast day (FD); a non-fast day (NFD) or a controlled day (CD) (e.g. for the 8th day of the month, it would go something like “Day 8 – UK – FD”). NOTE THAT THE DAY LISTED IS THE DAY OF THE MONTH, NOT HOW LONG YOU’VE BEEN DOING 5:2.

    2. Give a quick intro about yourself in the very first post – mostly for the benefit of the newbies. A brief blurb about your journey so far and what you aim to get from this way of life (WOL). Also, if you wish, your starting weight and any other measurements (waist, hip, bust etc.) you aim to keep track of throughout the month.

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

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

    Over the course of these monthly challenges, there have been small groups doing their own mini-challenges; called ‘pocket lists,’ the consistent pocket list is for who is fasting on any given day, so go ahead and add your name, or start the list if it hasn’t already been started for the day. If you’d like to start a new pocket list–for exercise or ZBC or DTF or whatever–go right ahead and do so.

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

    ABBREVIATION LIST – useful for those new to the challenges

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

    Welcome to Amazing April 🐣🤩

    I’d love for us all to be amazed at our results on 30 April 2022. 🤩

    Can we give one more month of resolve, the importance of which @stitchincarol so eloquently described in March and, in doing this, plan to be amazed with our results at the end of this month?

    I am going to start April off with a promise to myself that I will never be above the weight I am today again! Are you with me in that promise?

    Ultimately this is why we are all here with the dream that we can get there – whether we are planning to maintain or move downwards on the scale. It’s so easy to give in to temptation and easy fixes when it comes to food but let’s give it our best shot this month ahead of the summer and those lovely summer clothes we all hope to be wearing. Only we can do this…

    I’d like also to adopt Linda.b’s fun day tag for those days where we fast.. So when you see FD, think “fun day” 🤩. We are caring for our bodies and our future fun rather than depriving ourselves of something… so do something fun with the time you might have spent preparing or eating food. I’ve been trying this this week by getting out walking at lunchtime and it has helped a lot. I feel like I’ve achieved something and avoided temptation at the same time.

    If you can exercise for 1 hour a day try it… just for April… so beneficial for both mind and body.. that’s a gentle walk or any type of exercise to get the endorphins flowing… it is the happy chemical and will generally help you you feel good – no Amazing 🤩

    Wishing you all the best and let’s resolve to be AMAZED 🤩 🎉

    Day minus 2, London, UK,

    @jaifaim, Thanks for hosting this month, I’m in, so I’ll be the first to post my application to join Amazing April!!

    Yes, I can make that promise, I’ll never be heavier than I am today!!! I’ll also be bringing the fun back to fasting, after-all; I LOVE this WOL ……………. when I do it properly!!🤭🤭

    Day -2 – South Africa 🇿🇦

    @jaifaim – count me in please, & thanks for hosting Amazing April 🙏

    Day <2> – Rural Nebraska, USA

    @jaifaim I’m in, and love the idea of promising never to be higher than I am today. I think it’s not likely as I’m eating today and water-fasted yesterday, but I’ll do my best and see how good it turns out to be. 😇 And the thought of April being Amazing? PERFECT name.

    Day -1 Melb Aust CD

    @jaifaim, I’m in for Amazing April, as we in the southern hemisphere head towards the wonders of winter soups and warm vegetables. The ice-cream will be much less appealing.

    Is our wonderful @at doing a spreadsheet for us this month?

    See you tomorrow for the start of the rest of our lives 🙂 !

    Day <1 – Lake district UK – Last FD for March 😉

    @jaifaim – Thanks for hosting this coming month, ‘see you’ all in the morning 🙂

    Welcome @flourbaby, @funshipfreddie, @stitchincarol, @betsylee, @i-hate-lettuce 👋 great to see you here!!! Applications accepted 😉 we can do this 💪
    🤩

    Hello @jaifaim – thank you for stepping up to host the “Amazing April Challenge”

    I’m definitely in as I need to focus back on this WOL – Will brave the scales tomorrow after NO fasting for the last 2 weeks of the March Challenge 😱

    Here is the link for the April Spreadsheet for anyone who fancies using it

    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Ohp6TH1kgYuUgllHs0y3OLjTGVPZgdTv2FqNKWhb6H4/edit?usp=sharing

    I am in for Amazing April. I’ll post more on day one 🙂 Thank you!

    Count me in for Amazing April! @jaifaim – so wonderful of you to agree to be our fearless leader.

    Oh @at, @northgeorgia, @songbirdme so great to see you here! A demain! 🐣🤩

    Thank you thank you @at 📝 I will definitely be using the spreadsheet this month 👏

    USA. Day 0

    Thank you, @jaifaim, for hosting April! March seems to have gotten away from me. I didn’t even realize today is the last day! LOL. I am all in!

    Hi @ccco great to have you with us for Amazing April 🤩! I know how you feel… how did that happen?

    USA. Day 0

    Hi, @jaifaim. Since the end of December, my family has had one crisis after another, ranging from Omicron to my brother’s heart attack. It has been and continues to be a journey! This is the reason that I haven’t been posting too much. Hopefully, this month will be better! Thanks again for hosting! 🙂

    Day 1 – WLG, NZ NFD🌮

    Yay I’m here for Amazing April!
    I’m 3 weeks into 5:2 now, I started on 14th March and silly me I didn’t weigh prior to starting 5:2, so I’ve just gone based off my weight after 2 fasts, which was 110kg on 18 March. So who knows maybe I’ve lost more? Some of my pants that were tight before I need a belt for now 🤗
    Completed my last FD for March yesterday. Down 400grms/0.8lbs today. I mean honestly it doesn’t matter how slow I lose the weight, just as long as I go in the right direction. It has taken me 2 years to gain this weight so I don’t expect it to come off in 1 year.
    So current weight 109.4kg/241.1lbs.
    Weight loss in 3 weeks – 600grams/1.3lbs

    5:2 is probably the easiest WOL I have done, no need to count calories every day, sure the FD’s are hard but by the time they rock around I feel like I need it!

    And with Exercise I’m not doing it for weight loss it’s just something I enjoy 😊
    Happy fasting everyone!

    Day negative 1

    Gonna shortchange the intro- busy cleaning and packing for my trip (not to mention this d#%{ phone).

    April is an unpredictable month with my trip starting it off but I hope to maintain my healthy weight this month.

    Good thoughts to all! We have a 25 hour train trip tomorrow – an adventure!

    Day 0 – USA/GA

    My challenge is to get myself out of the 210s and firmly into the 200s this month. My low in March was 207 lbs, resulting in a total loss of 72 lbs since early 2020, most of which was done on the 5:2 (and variants) since May 2020. My high in March was 216 lbs (before mid-month, it was 214, so I gained a little at the end). Thankfully, the weight started to dip a bit the last week or so. I’ll set my March goal, then, at 206 lbs, but will COMMIT for staying mostly in the 200s and in doing so, could reach beyond 206. If I can do this, by the end of Spring I should be rewarded with being labeled by the national and world health organizations as being “overweight” instead of “obese.”

    Some things I want to do:
    * Cut out snacking.
    * Replace even more occasions for drinking sugar with water.
    * Favor healthy fats and proteins over carbs at every opportunity.
    * Don’t see carbs as sinful. See carbs as empty and as hunger inducing medicine. Don’t take a lot of them. If you have a sandwich, it’s OK. Have a pickle with it. Celebrate a birthday with a polite taste of cake, but don’t have three thick slices with ice cream. That sort of thing…

    Day 01 – Gold Coast Queensland Australia – NFD – no April Fools here…a new beginning, Amazing April!

    Hello, hello, hello and gidday from downunder.😀😁😀

    Fresh start for me. Yesterday’s FUN DAY (FD) (last day of MOMENTOUS MARCH) has rewarded me with a drop for the start of the new month, AMAZING APRIL! A little drop but a drop nonetheless…. happy days!

    So, I now officially have 3.8 kg to lose in AMAZING APRIL. OK, OK I know that is probably quite unrealistic especially with Easter right in the middle but there it is, my RESOLVE is higher this morning than yesterday. Amazing what a little drop can inspire! So I guess I’ll set my new April goal at 2.5kg and hope that dreaded plateau doesn’t show up👿 again.
    For the newbies, I started my mission on 1st February to lose overall 10-11 kg by Easter. I’ve now lost 6.2 kg; I am following 5:2 Mondays & Thursdays and am rigidly keeping to the plan. My magic weapon for April is to resume exercise (walking) but failed this morning, rolled over and went back to sleep! Maybe this afternoon. This is strange for me as I’m an avid walker but have lost my mojo lately to get out there and stomp my trekking paths.
    I’ve actually done the 5:2 in 2019 and successfully lost 11 kg in 11 weeks, maintained for a while and then failed to follow through with the 6:1 maintenance WOL. Silly me because 6:2 just isn’t that hard but you obviously need to stick with it. The upshot was the fat just came back…. it’s not rocket science and totally my own fault. 😕

    Thank you to @funshipfreddie and @at for the excel spreadsheet. I haven’t been really good at entering into it but I’ll try harder this month, hey?

    It’s so good to see you all again for this month and big thanks to @jaifaim for taking on the hosting task.

    Haven’t seen @lilymartin for a few days, hope she is coming along for the ride as well.

    I’ll check in tonight to see all your AMAZING APRIL resolutions… the good power to us all!🥰😍🥰

    “You had the power all along, my dear. You just had to learn it for yourself.” – Glinda the Good Witch to Dorothy in The Wizard of OZ

    Day 01 – Gold Coast Queensland Australia – NFD – oops amendment to previous post!

    Obviously that should read 6:1!!!!
    Silly me because 6:1 just isn’t that hard but you obviously need to stick with it. The upshot was the fat just came back…. it’s not rocket science and totally my own fault. 😕

    Day 1 Melb Aust NFD

    Well, I’m starting this month with a NFD, but that’s okay. I was down 100 gms this morning from yesterday morning’s weight so my end of March weight and start of April weight differ (which happened at the end of last month, too). Like @northgeorgia, I am RESOLVED to lose weight consistently this month and amaze myself with Amazing April.

    Bio: 72 y-o single lady, currently doing post-retirement study in a household ruled by ginger tabby Wilbur. My weight has yo-yoed so much throughout my life, and even as a member of the monthly forums, but this is changing from now!

    @linda.b , @mariaelena , @jaifaim , @at , @ccco , @northgeorgia , @i hate lettuce, @funshipfreddie , @songbirdme , @stitchincarol , @lilymartin , and others yet to join in April, we can do this, we can indeed do this!

    Day 1 – Ireland – NFD

    Starting weight 160.8.

    Don’t you just love a new start 💛

    Hi all! I’m looking forward to hosting as my experience is that I am a little more accountable when I do so and it’s been a couple of years since I hosted.

    April is my busiest month with work but this month I am looking forward to committing to take the time out to post as I realise that life just gets busier and busier if we let it. Having said that, if I miss a day or whatever, you know where I am 🤗. The challenge pretty much runs itself once set up and we have so many regular posters that any newcomers are always looked after.

    The first challenge I joined was October 2017…and I’ve been intermittently fasting in all senses of that phrase 😂 since. Sometimes it’s hard to do but you fall off and you just climb back on again… 🧗‍♂️ I’m posting my starting weight here so that I can refer back on April 30 and I plan (not hope, not wish) to be amazed at my results 🤩. Can you all take a private note of your starting weight and the plan is to never see that weight again. I’m finding that if I post my weight from time to time it helps me but not everyone will want to do that…

    My name is a little play on words as I am a french speaker so “J’ai faim” means “I’m hungry” but also stands for Just Another Intermittent Fast And I’ll Maintain…it makes me smile 😊

    I’ve recently revised my ideal weight (155 lbs) as I’ve reached what i recently thought was my ideal (160 lbs) and am the lightest I’ve been in many many years but know I could do with a little less flab💪. Ideally I’d like to get to 155lbs this month. I firmly believe I can but only if I absolutely resolve to do so…

    I love being outdoors even in our lovely Irish weather and cycle, walk, swim and was doing short early morning workouts on weekdays but that has recently leased with return to the office and general fatigue/laziness

    I’m pretty much staying away from alcohol 🚫 so “on the dry” and have reduced added sugars ✅ as much as I can 😂 but I do love beer and tasting new gins etc so so have a tipple from time to time…

    I have two auto immune conditions and the above definitely cause flare ups… along with hormone deficiencies now due to my age. My little icons help me to stick to clean nutrition.
    But….. life is for living and like others I tend to have one blowout (EFS) day a week where I might have crisps / a little chocolate etc – it has to be done 😊

    Great to have you here @fastingto58kgs, @mariaelena and @linda.b. 🤩

    @mariaelena enjoy your holiday! wow a 25 hour train trip – I can’t even imagine but I love train travel so I am intrigued! I must read back to see if you outlined your journey. Bon voyage! 🚂

    @fastingto58kgs you are doing really well – slow weight loss is good 😊

    @linda.b happy days – a drop is a drop ⬇️ and always the right direction – 👏 I’ve also lost my mojo to get up and out recently so with you in getting back to it as it is so good for our minds and body of course. So.. you lost 11kg in 11 weeks in 2019 (🤩)… I believe you can meet your April goal … 2.5kg in four weeks! Go on go on go on.. don’t let Easter derail you or plan around it.

    @northgeorgia I’m with you in dropping to a new low.. you have done so very well to now I’ve no doubt you’ll be posting a new low at the end of April 👍

    Hi @betsylee! Great to have you here! Let’s be amazed and amazing!

    Up early to start as I mean to go on… 🚶‍♀️ who is with me. We can do this 🤩
    I’m leaving the 160lbs behind… never to be seen again 😂👍

    Onward and downward ⬇️

    We rise by lifting others 💕

    Day 1 – Ireland 🇮🇪 – NFD

    Start Weight: 163.4

    Down a pound from yesterday so that’s a marker for March. I really want to see the lower end of the 160’s by month end, slowly but surely getting there. My mind is a stones and pounds mentality, so posting just in pounds, I KNOW what that is in stones but it doesn’t seem so hard when it’s in pounds.

    Somber today – it’s my Mam’s 30th Anniversary today – and I can’t believe where that time has gone. I am now the same age she was when she passed, so another goal is to reach my 55th birthday and many more beyond.

    Thanks @jaifaim for hoisting, I will be more upbeat next week, thanks for all my virtual friends on this forum 🙏

    Day 1 – Lake district UK – NFD

    Good morning everyone

    Another monthly challenge begins, a fresh start again for anyone needing it, a ‘monthly checkpoint’ for others? However you look at it, this puts our WOL into workable sections, was going to say bite size pieces, but …. 🙂

    Luckily for me I’m slap bang on my maintenance weight, not particularly difficult (for me) to stay there these days. Maybe with stirring from winter and getting out for more walks, more gardening and days out fishing I might even drop a little? If I do, my intention is to make any drop my new maintenance weight!

    Take care all.

    Day 1 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

    April already?! Can’t believe how quickly this year is flying by. I’m starting this month the same as March; just above my ideal weight. But that’s been the case for the last 3 months, so I really need to get a grip, be a little more disciplined on NFDs & abandon the all-or-nothing mentality.

    About me:- David, 60. Originally from Manchester in the UK, living in Durban, Kwazulu-Natal, on the east coast of South Africa. I’ve been fasting on & off since 2014.I got serious with fasting after I retired in 2018 & realised I was gaining weight & turning into a couch potato. I’ve been more or less maintaining for quite a while now, with the occasional holiday/festive season glitches. I now follow TRE, seldom eating before noon. I do mostly 5:2 & I don’t eat before 6 pm on fast days. Current BMI is 22.5, so I’m already at a healthy weight & just want to stay there. Far too many temptations around though, & I love to eat out most days. I also like alcohol – too much – but I’m working on that too.

    @mariaelena – enjoy your trip!

    Wishing everyone an ‘Amazing April’ 🐣🐰

    Day 01 – Gold Coast Queensland Australia – NFD
    Supplementary early evening post: Closed the office at 4.45 pm and stepped out for 1 hour power walk….. But why, oh why, couldn’t I have done that at 6.00 am this morning when the alarm went?… Try again tomorrow….. must do better! 🤣😂😅

    @at, I’ve followed through on the spreadsheet and filled it in for the start of the month. Thanks for putting it together, you’ve done a great job, very detailed!.😊

    Day 1 – Ireland – NFD

    Stating weight 160.8.

    Don’t you just love a new start 💛

    Hi all! I’m looking forward to hosting as my experience is that I am a little more accountable when I do so and it’s been a couple of years since I hosted.

    April is my busiest month with work but this month I am looking forward to committing to take the time out to post as I realise that life just gets busier and busier if we let it. Having said that, if I miss a day or whatever, you know where I am 🤗. The challenge pretty much runs itself once set up and we have so many regular posters that any newcomers are always looked after.

    The first challenge I joined was October 2017…and I’ve been intermittently fasting in all senses of that phrase 😂 since. Sometimes it’s hard to do but you fall off and you just climb back on again… 🧗‍♂️ I’m posting my starting weight here so that I can refer back on April 30 and I plan (not hope, not wish) to be amazed at my results 🤩. Can you all take a private note of your starting weight and the plan is to never see that weight again. I hope m finding that if I post my weight from time to time it helps me but not everyone will want to do that…

    My name is a little play on words as I am a french speaker so “J’ai faim” means “I’m hungry” but also stands for Just Another Intermittent Fast And I’ll Maintain…it makes me smile 😊

    I’ve recently revised my ideal weight (155 lbs) as I’ve reached what i recently thought was my ideal (160 lbs) and am the lightest I’ve been in many many years but know I could do with a little less flab💪. Ideally I’d like to get to 155lbs this month. I firmly believe I can but only if I absolutely resolve to do so…

    I love being outdoors even in our lovely Irish weather and cycle, walk, swim and was doing short early morning workouts on weekdays but that has recently leased with return to the office and general fatigue/laziness

    I’m pretty much staying away from alcohol 🚫 so “on the dry” and have reduced added sugars ✅ as much as I can 😂 but I do love beer and tasting new gins etc so so have a tipple from time to time…

    I have two auto immune conditions and the above definitely cause flare ups… along with hormone deficiencies now due to my age. My little icons help me to stick to clean nutrition.
    But….. life is for living and like others I tend to have one blowout (EFS) day a week where I might have crisps / a little chocolate etc – it has to be done 😊

    Great to have you here @fastingto58kgs, @mariaelena and @linda.b. 🤩

    @mariaelena enjoy your holiday! wow a 25 hour train trip – I can’t even imagine but I love train travel so I am intrigued! I must read back to see if you outlined your journey. Bon voyage! 🚂

    @fastingto58kgs you are doing really well – slow weight loss is good 😊

    @linda.b happy days – a drop is a drop ⬇️ and always the right direction – 👏 I’ve also lost my mojo to get up and out recently so with you in getting back to it as it is so good for our minds and body of course. So.. you lost 11kg in 11 weeks in 2019 (🤩)… I believe you can meet your April goal … 2.5kg in four weeks! Go on go on go on.. don’t let Easter derail you or plan around it.

    @northgeorgia I’m with you in dropping to a new low.. you have done so very well to now I’ve no doubt you’ll be posting a new low at the end of April 👍

    Hi @betsylee! Great to have you here! Let’s be amazed and amazing!

    Up early to start as I mean to go on… 🚶‍♀️ who is with me. We can do this 🤩
    I’m leaving the 160lbs behind… never to be seen again 😂👍

    Onward and downward ⬇️

    We rise by lifting others 💕

    Day 1 UK NFD

    I do love a new start @jaifaim so thank you for guiding us 💛

    I’m aiming high this month , have a trip to Dubrovnik booked early May and my summer clothes are way too tight at the moment so that’s spurring me on !

    I have my DS &DBIL visiting next week ( he’s running our local marathon ) so I’m going to stay low carb til then to try and kick start things

    A bit about me : F60 living on the South coast of England with DH

    Joined the very first challenge , successfully lost the extra 20lb I needed to, maintained , got complacent, put it back on , I’ve learnt age isnt my friend when it comes to weight loss and whilst I can put lbs on just looking at a cake the reverse in my case is sllooooow . So I’m going low carb for a couple of weeks , I find it works but not sustainable long term .

    Wow @mariaelena 25 hours ! Difficult to imagine for us Europeans – a few years ago we did the overnight train practically the entire length of Italy Pisa – Sicily and that took 9 hours . Makes you realise how big the 🇺🇸 is !

    Looking forward to this months journey 💪

    Day 1 No. VA, USA, MFD
    Hello to all. Here we go again, getting on the “Fast Train” for April. Appreciate @jaifaim for hosting!
    Had great success in 2017 with 5-2 and lost 10kg; am aiming to repeat that this year, to help with bones, joints, blood pressure, and looking good in summer clothes! I agree with @brightonbelle, looking at certain carbs appears to be dangerous, at least for me!

    Day 1 – USA/GA – NFD

    Weigh-in: 210 lbs. Awww, was hoping to start out with 209, but I’ll take 210! Two days ahead of NFDs, and whatever Sunday is should be my maximum high weight for the month (fingers crossed). Time to go, so will catch up soon!

    Day 1 – Rural Nebraska, USA – NFD

    Starting weight 141.2.

    My EFS last weekend and Monday put paid to being anywhere close to 137-something as I was after last week’s epic FD500s/WFDs, but I’m thankful to be back on track, my Easter skirt fits me nicely, and I never want to forget to celebrate I’m no longer 165.

    I’ll spend this morning doing more tax paperwork, do a zoom call with my sisters just before lunch, then this afternoon will get out in the yard and clean up the dead branches/leaves from last fall. I’m always of two minds as to whether that stuff should be cleaned up in the fall or not until spring, but last fall’s weather made it nearly impossible to get out in the yard, so it wasn’t a viable option to clean it up then–but it must be done now as the new growth is coming and the dead stuff is in the way. The weather is supposed to be decent (59F/15C) although it’s currently only 22F/-5C.

    Thanks, @jaifaim, for hosting this month; I love your reminders about never seeing this weight again, and am working on letting that be a huge motivation. Our local American Legion Club hosts fish fries every Friday during Lent and between family being here and being gone ourselves and what-not, we haven’t yet gone to one…a detail that, in this small village, is noticed, I’m sure, so we’re high-tailing it to the meal tonight. I WILL skip the chips, but the fish, baked beans, and cole slaw are all headed for my plate. Lunch is what has me mulling over the options. Skipping it wouldn’t be unreasonable, but I never seem to manage to find RESOLVE and self-control on Fridays, so I’m hesitant to set that as a goal. The thinking/mulling/planning continues…

    Perhaps I should truly take to heart this quote: “You are far too smart to be the only thing standing in your way.”

    Have a grand one, everyone, standing strong with RESOLVE to be Amazing and NOT to stand in your own way.

    Day 1 – USA (Illinois) – NFD

    I am Gwynne, 73 y.o. Woman, retired school music teacher. Once we are able to sing again, I will be involved with our local townspeople choir. I am on the board of our newly opened Children’s Museum of our town, small city in NW Illinois. Still do occasional church piano playing and piano teaching. My DH is 75, we have 4 children 40 to 50 years old and 4 granddaughters 14 to 22. Everyone is scattered – son is even in Brazil working on his Disney Travel Planning for those in South America.

    I found 5:2 in March 2016 weighing nearly 200#/90 kg and South Beach Diet didn’t seem to be working at all. And it is very hard to maintain. I read Dr. Mosley’s book and decided the science behind 5:2 was sound, Over the rest of that year I lost about 40# getting down to 160#/72.5 and decided that would be a good weight to maintain. I am fond of saying that weight allows my wrinkles to be a bit puffed. 🙂

    @coda had the first challenge I joined in May 2016, and I haven’t missed any since then. Why stop now? I am not as active as I probably could be, but know I am supporting everyone who is on our journey.

    Thanks @jaifaim for leading us. I look forward to maintaining with us ‘oldies’ and meeting the ‘newbies!’

    Onward and downward.

    Day 1 – UK – FD

    Good afternoon from a sunny but cold Lake District but not as cold as yesterday – lovely walk out with the group this morning – life is good

    Weight this morning = 58.3kg – not bad considering no fasting for the last 2 weeks and some indulgence over the weekends!!! I did not manage a FD yesterday so aiming for one today to start April on a positive note – I CAN DO THIS 💪

    Busy today – got to bake cakes for a fund raiser at our local Parish Centre tomorrow in between having a hair cut this afternoon – I will need all the RESOLVE to keep within my 800cals 🤞

    Lovely to see so many posting already and all feeling rather positive 🤗

    A little bit about me:
    I am a 63y.o. female living with my DH in the beautiful Lake District ⛰ having moved here since I retired in 2013. We have a married daughter who has 4 fur babies – 3 black 🐈‍⬛ and an adorable beagle called Archie 🐶
    I started this WOL on my own in January 2016 as I had gained weight during the last couple of years at work and was fed up with being overweight and wanted to enjoy my early retirement and get fitter!
    I discovered and joined the 30 Day November 2016 Challenge with @back2thefuture – best thing I ever did, as it got me to my maintenance weight and has kept me motivated and on track with this WOL! December was my 5th anniversary in maintenance! – Total weight loss = 22kg/3st 7lbs. Height = 165cm

    Weighed in this morning – 58.3kg/128.5lbs with a BMI of 21.4 – this is just above the top of my maintenance range, so a bit above where I would ideally like to be……..April is the month to get back to 57kg!!

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

    I’m in. 72 year old female, weight 178.5. Been trying 5:2 for over a week and got through the 1st 500 calorie days fine. Lost 50lb 5 years ago but have gained 20 back – not acceptable!
    Thanks for setting up this support group.

    Day 1 – UK – NFD

    Hello all!

    I’m F in my 30s and happily married to a wonderful guy who has started joining me on my fasting endeavours this year. I successfully lost a stone using the 5:2 WOL a few years ago before our wedding but I took my eyes off the ball thereafter and gained it all back (plus a bit more).

    This month I am going to be pressing the reset button again and doing a quick push on b2b FD800s as I did in February, which worked well and I found it easy to stick to. Once I’ve done my reset, I’ll be switching back onto the 5:2 pattern.

    This is the year I finally get these extra pounds and inches off!

    second post

    Welcome, @smokey52! Where in the world are you? Your name makes me think of my childhood in California where Smokey the Bear was a regular sight, and my sister closest to me was born in ’52. 😜😁

    My only real reason for a second post is that, when I went to get dressed, puzzled that I didn’t weigh just a bit less this morning, I weighed again, and this time I was 0.8 lbs down, at 140.4. That seemed more like what I was expecting, and was a cheerful note to start the day. So, for lunch, if I must and can’t stand waiting until supper at the fish fry, I’ll have chicken broth and as much celery as I want. Something to taste, something to chew, but few calories so that the result of the day will be nearly OMAD.

    Okay, decision made!

    Day 1 – Ireland – Second post

    Was thinking of you today @daffodil2010 on your Mam’s anniversary. 💕
    @i-hate-lettuce well done to you and others for managing maintenance so well. I can’t wait to be there and trying it out for size.
    @funshipfreddie yep where has this year gone???
    Welcome @brightonbelle @excelsior12309, @babs_b it is great that you all are on board 🤗

    Welcome welcome @smokey52!! It’s great to have you with us. Have a read of the first post on this thread so you will know what people mean when they use acronyms in their posts throughout the month.
    Also for each post, we start out post with the day of the month I.e, todays date : Day 1. Our location: as specific as you’d like 😊 for me it’s: Ireland and whether I intend it to be a fast day FD – controlled day CD, etc.

    So for me today it was:
    Day 1 – Ireland – NFD

    I’ve had a two great walks and a yum dinner tonight with family… time for bed 💤.

    Have a great weekend everyone!

    Onward and downward ⬇️
    We rise by lifting others 💕

    Day 2 country west Australia NFD 84.6 kgs ( 186.12 lbs)
    Day 1 NFD
    Last week of March which I was RESOLVED to doing well with 5:2 melted into trying to get sheep in and out of sheds and across paddocks and dodging rain, rushed meals and …. snacks🙁.
    I don’t usually snack but somehow seem to get the munchies when I’m doing 5:2. Not sure why ???
    Plan to get my hair cut when under 83kgs. Briefly got to 83.2 kgs ( lowest since 2019 ) but then Cruella bounced right back up again.
    So am RESOLVED to keep on doing 5:2 with FDs M and Th and get my haircut WHEN I am under 83 kgs 🤗
    Welcome to everyone. Off to the sheep yards hoping sheep are dry.🤞
    Shearers will not shear wet sheep.

    Day 02 – Gold Coast Queensland Australia – NFD

    @stichincarol you come up with great motivating quotes, this one is a doozy! “You are far too smart to be the only thing standing in your way.”

    Well (at last) I met my own expectations this morning and, although can’t say I exactly jumped out of bed when the alarm rang, but I DID GET UP eventually even though it took 30 minutes of some stern talking to myself! Once out the door, however, I really, really enjoy striding along… It is my thing. So power walked for an hour and half, came back watered the garden pots and generally feel very happy and positive for the start of Saturday.

    So good to see so many come on board again for April. Being on the forum keeps me accountable and stops me from boring my friends too much with my tales of the wonderful world of 5:2. 🤣😂 The nice thing about the forum is that we all understand the challenges and language of Intermittent Fasting (IF).

    By the way, there was a young lass in our group a month ago who was preparing for her wedding. Is she still onboard? I hope she is achieving her goals before the wedding.

    @lilymartin great to see you back. I’m sure all that running after sheep will offset the rushed meals and snacks. I hope the rain stays away till the shearing is done!

    cheerie dearies! 😊😉😊

    POCKET LIST for walking every day in AMAZING APRIL, anyone else??
    @linda.b

    Day 2 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

    @smokey52 – welcome to the group!

    @linda.b – I love your enthusiasm! I’m aiming for 8000 steps minimum this month. But I don’t want to join a list. A while back we had a ZBC list, a DTF list, & I think even an egg-fast list at one point. It got really messy very quickly, & I think for most people just checking in daily is enough of a chore. But that’s just how I feel; maybe others will disagree..

    have a lekker weekend everyone ⛅️ 🌈

    Day 2 – Ireland – NFD

    Off walking with family today. Weather won’t be great but good layers packed. 🌧 🧊

    Hi @lilymartin great to see you and hope the shearing went well. Sounds like a super busy week for you! I’m sure you will hit your recent low again this month and go beyond! Great goal of the haircut 💇‍♀️

    @linda.b fantastic job in getting up and out of bed – you can reinforce this habit 💪 and I’m with you on the walking/exercising for an hour for this month and then hopefully we won’t even think about it after 30 days of habit…
    It was @froby79 who was getting ready for her big day… 💒 and she popped into my mind yesterday. I’m sure the wedding was imminent when @froby79 was posting so hopefully she is having the time of her life on honeymoon 💕

    Hoping some of our other regulars make their way back to us for this month but in meantime as @stitchincarol says with the great quote, only we can do this, only you can take that first step out the door to walk, only you can stop the action of opening the fridge door, the crisp packet, the chocolate wrapper, only you can leave those items which derail you on the supermarket shelf where they will do you ZERO harm 😂
    It’s us not them. 😂

    @funshipfreddie just saw your post.. so ducked back in..yes multi pocket lists do get messy – agree there… I use icons sometimes to indicate my commitment (just to me) – might adopt them again..
    have a “lekker” weekend! Assume that’s “great” … off to look it up – have never heard it… 🧐

    Have a great weekend everyone!

    Onward and downward ⬇️
    We rise by lifting others 💕

    POCKET LIST for walking /exercising every day in AMAZING APRIL, anyone else??
    @linda.b
    @jaifaim

    Day 2 – Lake District UK – NFD

    Good morning everyone

    Just checking in this morning, a few other things to get done early on this weekend.

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

    Currently maintaining and staying within my ‘buffer zone’ really do find it easy having done the hard yards getting to where I am now from where I was.

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

    Take care all

    Day 2 – UK – TDEE

    At last a successful FD800 yesterday 💃 rewarded with a drop of 300gms this morning down to 58kg

    Busy day today as out soon to help set up for the fundraiser day at our local Parish Centre – two cakes made yesterday – Lemon and Blueberry Pound Cake and an Italian Apple Cake in between getting that much needed haircut – felt like a new woman afterwards.

    Have agreed to volunteer from 0900-1400 today – hoping to be busy and so avoid trying any of the cakes on offer 🤣 OH sampled the Lemon and Blueberry Pound Cake last night – first time I tried that recipe and he approved – have left him a big slice of the Italian Apple Cake to have after his daily run today.

    Right off to get ready for a day on my feet – comfy clothes and shoes – catch up tomorrow

    Amazing April is the month for reminding myself that “If I quit now, I will soon be back to where I started. And when I started, I was desperately wishing to be where I am now”

    Day 2 Melb Aust CD

    Same weight today as starting weight yesterday. That’s significant, since a couple of custard-filled doughnuts “somehow” found their way into my home and from there into my mouth. I’ll have to discipline this mysterious “other” who keeps tempting me so severely 🙂 .

    Irrespective, I didn’t eat a lot else and so no weight added. I made some delicious cauliflower, potato and zucchini soup (pureed) this afternoon so that was enjoyable for dinner tonight and some left for tomorrow. Yum! Also relatively low-cal, even better.

    Good to see all the folk jumping on board for April. It’s lovely to see the maintainers continuing on here, it encourages us all. Thank you.

    Day 2 UK CD

    Great to see all the enthusiasm 💪I’m still coping with the low carbs , yesterday was a challenge but delighted with results so far

    I am committed to exercising daily and happy to affirm that , but as with @funshipfreddie won’t be listing daily 😃 sorry if that’s a bit party pooperish but I’m pretty lazy when it comes to posting

    Off for a bracing walk up to the rugby club to watch one of the last games of the season Have a good day all

    POCKET LIST for walking /exercising every day in AMAZING APRIL, anyone else??
    @linda.b
    @jaifaim
    @brightonbelle

    Day 2 – anything goes on holiday? No, I’ll be good today and make it a CD!

    A bit about train travel hereabouts:

    On the train, waiting at a station while they do some train supply refilling and switch out staff. We are in the tiniest compartment (barely the size of a cupboard) called a ‘roomette’ that is about 7 feet by 3 1/2 feet maybe? The space is tiny, and Im sure glad I shed those extra dozens of pounds because every inch here helps!

    At that, I’m grateful to have this tiny private space. An announcement just came across that coach class was full up, not an empty seat to be had, so this is really quite the luxury. Since we booked this in September (iirc) the price was only a small increase over a coach ticket and wow is it worth it. I don’t know how they manage to make this space have two bunks, but they did, and I slept so well with the gentle train rocking. But it can be a tad claustrophobic if I allow myself to think of it.

    Every few hours the train has what is now officially a ‘fresh air break’ but the staff keep using the old term, “smoke break”. It hits my funny bone since those two things should be the opposite of each other. I walk the platform to get in a bit of movement when we are at those stops.

    Would I travel this way (train in roomette) a long distance again? Yes, I enjoy it and find it relaxing. DH is not a fan, tho. But we learned that some shorter (3-6 hr) routes that could get us to friends and are very cost effective for coach. Probably as quick as messing with the airports too. So maybe more train travel in our future.

    Unfortunately for the photographer in me I’m on one of the most unappealing routes landscape-wise in U.S. – Amtrak doesn’t even bother putting a viewing observation car on this route.

    So, unsure how much I’ll be able to check in while on this trip – but thinking good thoughts to all!

    Day 2 – USA/GA – NFD

    Weigh-in: 213 lbs. Hoping tomorrow’s weigh-in will be my max for the month. Good luck to all today!

    Day 2 – Rural Nebraska, USA – CD

    Yesterday was decent food-wise, and excellent body-wise in that I finally got some yard work done…or, bimbling, as @i-hate-lettuce puts it. Although, I always think of bimbling as not terribly energetic, merely steady, and all the bending and shifting and grunting I had to do yesterday not to step on sprouting plants as I clipped dead stuff and pulled it out was quite the huffing effort. Good stuff, and I felt wonderful when I came in. There’s more dead stuff that needs to come out before I wait until closer to our freeze date (May 15) to do more, but it sure looks far better already.

    @mariaelena I can thoroughly imagine the joy of sleeping on a bed on that train, and I too am looking forward to further train travel at some point.

    Loved reading everyone’s posts. In addition to @froby79, I’ve been thinking of @michelinme. I know she was going to her daughter to help with the cancer treatments, but I don’t remember she was going to be gone this long, and not posting at all, so I pray it’s going well for both her and her daughter.

    Tomorrow, DH and I may even skip brunch after church and go straight to Lincoln (the state capital, where DH30 and DH25 live) to help them clear out the back yard. It’ll be exactly the same work as I did yesterday in my perennial bed, except the entire back yard looks like that because no one’s done anything in that yard in the last several years. DS25 (the one who bought the house in December) has all sorts of grand plans for the gardening he’s doing there, and it will be fun to watch it unfold; helping tomorrow will not only be a great help to him, but great exercise for my body, so I’m looking forward to it.

    Have a grand one, everyone, and I’ll be back on Monday!

    Day 03 – Gold Coast Queensland Australia – NFD

    Hello Sunday morning!

    Living in the sub-tropics is challenging from October to April with heat and the humidity and of course the rain, not cold rain just summer rain, thunderstorms and too much of it!

    But here we are today in early April and you can feel the change in the air with 21c at 6.30 am and NO humidity….. perfect!😀 Truly April, May, early June along with September and half of October are the most wonderful times of the year here with balmy warm days; today will be 28c and last night only dropped to 19c at 4.00am for an hour. It’s the humidity that squashes us but now that has gone I can truly start moving (exercising) a lot more.
    Yesterday time was spent around the house and that helped me keep on track with healthy food choices. This morning, the scale was teasingly a little down but, I won’t be fooled and I’ll wait until my PERSONAL WEIGH DAY (Tuesday) to confirm that result.
    For my own accountability, I managed to shove myself out of bed (haha!)and outside to do my power walk and breathe the fresh air. I don’t know why the actual ‘getting out of bed’ bit is so hard for me at the moment. Once I’m out I just embrace it! After the walk I ‘bimbled’ (love that word!) around the deck tidying up the potplants and washing the decking, just looking for things to do outside to enjoy the weather.

    I just am so impressed with the MAINTENANCE CREW who continue with the forum. It really is so encouraging for the rest of us; wonderful, wonderful role models that you all are.🏆🥇

    So, for Day 3, I’ve achieved some movement and each day will be easier. They say it takes 2 weeks to make a habit but just 2 days to break it. So I’ve only 11 days more of working on my exercise regime to make it automatic!😉😊🚶‍♀️🚶‍♀️🚶‍♀️

    POCKET LIST for walking /exercising every day in AMAZING APRIL, anyone else??
    @linda.b
    @jaifaim
    @brightonbelle

    Day 2 Ohio, US — NFD
    Day 1 — NFD

    I’ve been under the weather with some GI tract matters, so wasn’t able to post yesterday. In fact, most of my last two days was spent in bed. With any luck things will have resolved by tomorrow!
    My weight on the first day of April was 183 lb (83 kg). After being away for a couple of years I began 5:2 again in mid-March at 184 lb. So progress has been made!

    @funshipfreddie I’m allergic to chocolate, so if it ever passes my way, I’ll go for the Turkish Delight milkshake!

    @betsylee You mentioned that ice-cream will be less appealing as you head into winter. Ice cream used to be my favorite food all year round. A couple of years ago a change occurred — now I don’t even contemplate ice cream unless it’s very hot outside. I’m not sure what caused the change. But now winter and ice cream just don’t mix for me. Sounds as though you tend the same way.

    @jaifaim Thanks so much for hosting our Amazing April! Here it will be amazing if it gets over 70 F (21 C)!

    Hope everyone has a grand start of the new week!

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