Day 3 – 16:8

Accountability post and well wishes to all.

Day 3 – AUS – 16:8

(1) 2 x Coffee/milk/1 sugar, 1 biscuit
(2) Roasted eggplant potato carrot, basmatic rice
(3) 2 takeaway restaurant seafood dumplings
(4) Green tea and water

Gd part: n/a
Bad part: strained back, cannot bend, gosh! likely to eat some more.

Start: 55kg
Today: 54kg

Second post

@penz Good morning! (Or do you not post on weekends????)

Day 4 – Lake District UK – NFD

Good morning everyone

The run in to Christmas, Mrs IHL is baking all sorts of goodies and the spare freezer is starting to fill as usual! The weathers gone wintery, Monday couldn’t get down the road because of snow, by Thursday all the snow had completely gone, bright sunshine and blue skies, fabulous long walk in the warm, same yesterday morning.
Raining heavily this morning and very glum, might not get off the property today, except for a quick wander round the village.

@stitchincarol … We had our annual Christmas pudding making session a few weeks ago, one large one for Christmas Day and several small ones (for 2 people) which are gifts for folk, well some are.

My sense of humour kicking in ….
@emmataylor …. Eat like a bear, I have been known to do this, but it’s more like Yogi and Booboo from Jellystone Park and pinching picnic baskets 😉 🙂
people of a certain age may remember the cartoons, sorry 🙂

Might not call in first thing tomorrow, another Christmas Market day, but in the small town where Mrs IHL used to live, so going for a nosy round and try and meet up with niece who still lives there.

Take care all

Day 4 USA (Illinois) NFD

Off to Chicago for our “culture” time there of “The Nutcracker” Ballet tonight and “A Christmas Carol” tomorrow. I have not found places for us to eat yet, mostly because I am not sure if we will have lots of time to leisurely sit in a restaurant or not.

@at – you are right about the Madrigal Dinner. It is put on annually by our local junior college, and they did a nice job. Lots of Renaissance era choral singing, harpsichord or a capella. Jesters and jokes. I finally got a chance to meet the new head of the music department. Don’t think their “figgy pudding” recipe was particularly authentic but tasty.

@missybear – hope your booster jab side-effects are gone soon.

Must get going –

Onward and downward.

Day 4 – Rural Nebraska, USA – OMAD RBS

DH and I and another couple went to a college Christmas concert last night and it was lovely, but we got home late, which got me to sleep late, so when I woke up this morning, I had to leap into clothes and go straight to church for our cookie boutique. It went well, and I’m home now, ready to tidy and clean and get the Christmas decorations all put out. Busy day, but that will help keep me from wanting to nibble… hopefully, anyway!

@jaifaim I truthfully have no clue how others post on their phones, as I’d never remember a thing if I had to do that. I have two windows open on my laptop, and read in one, click on the other to type, then click back to the first to scroll down and read the next. It’s the ONLY way I can keep track of specific things people have said. Must mean I too get distracted easily! 😂🤣😂 And those of you who care for parents with memory issues get special medals for patience and wisdom!

@at Great quote, LOL!

@songbirdme and others In all my research on how to do an authentic Christmas Pudding, I read that “figgy” simply refers to all dried fruit, probably raisins and currants, and does not specifically mean actual figs. Do all you who actually actually eat them every year agree with that? I got my second pudding made yesterday, and had to do it without currants because the grocery store I went to for other things didn’t have any, and I simply didn’t have time to go to a different store hunting for them. So the two I made are not identical, but they’re close, and I’ve decided to shrug and call it good. 🤷‍♀️

And, in closing, I’d like to say…I’M HUNGRY. GAH. I need to get busy so I quit thinking about how much I’d really like to eat right now, LOL!

Have a good one, everyone!

Day 5 – Lakes UK – NFD

Good morning everyone

@northgeorgia – Inclined to agree with your last comments, since taking up the 5:2 WOL I’ve found my eating habits have changed, most of the time I’m in automatic pilot and even on a ‘bad’ day still choose wisely. Even the occasional poor choice, the portions are nowhere near as big as they used to be, so either way it’s an improvement! My 2 month absence from the forum, I hardly thought about 5:2 WOL and no damage done, but still glad to be back 😉

Having said that, off to a Christmas Market today and see what temptations are on offer! Did this a couple of weeks ago at another much bigger market, found the Gluhwein was just one glass and the food was shared with Mrs IHL. Crickey, less that 3 weeks to Christmas …..

Take care all

Day 5 Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 NFD

Having a dry weekend which seems to be helping with sensible food choices. I decided to stay off the grog for a couple of weeks post booster vaccine to ensure my immune system is working at optimum and the timing is working well with my intention to be very, very good as we approach silly season.

I enjoyed an early morning walk around our local coastal town this morning. It was quiet and lovely to see the Christmas decorations outside the shops and church, haven’t been there much this year as it has been so crowded. Wonderful to start the day enjoying the sea breeze down by the harbour and my breakfast tasted delicious when I returned home hungry.

Happy Sunday all 😊

Day 5 UK NFD

Will squeeze a FD In tomorrow, then off to visit family up North . Horrid grey cold drizzly day here today Have a good Sunday all

Day5 🇺🇸 NFD

Weekend’s going well without overeating so far. “The Nutcracker” ballet was terrific – orchestra fabulous and Joffrey ballet choreography marvelous. Eating Italian for dinner then “A Christmas Carol” tonight. Raining in Chicago but at least it is not snow.

@i-hate-lettuce – we also thought about a local Christmas Markt Fair for gluehwein but due to rain opted not to. I will make some at home. Our first Christmas married was in Germany so it has many memories. DH was in American Army.

All for now.

Onward and downward.🥂

Day 6 – Ireland 🇮🇪 – FD

Still staying at same weight even if I don’t want to be here, but better than a gain. It looks like I have spent most of 2021 in and around this weight. I blame hormones, and I am really trying hard, however, I do feel great compared to 6 months ago ☺️

I have a visit to my physio tonight for that old plantar fasciitis but I think it might be the last one as all I am not suffering anymore, and the core excercise that she has me doing have really helped hugely…..who knew that it was a trapped nerve in my back all along? Now all I have to do is think first, pull in my core muscles, then take that step….and NO pain 💃

All Christmas shopping is done! Even helped DH gets his done too, so now we don’t have to worry about that.

@at We Are taking the camper can to the Lake District, coming in via Stranraer, and spending time at DH’s sisters place which is near Keswick I think. We have the van so can go explore 😀

Have a great Monday all. Pocket list day 6
@daffodil2010

Day 6 – 2nd Post

Oops? @daffodil2010 – we posted at the same time. So pleased to hear you got that nasty plantar fasciitis sorted out 🤗

Pocket List – Day 6 🍋
@daffodil2010
@funshipfreddie

Day 6 – Lake district UK – FD

Good morning everyone

@funshipfreddie – Yes, I’m back, returning to the usual Monday and Thursday FD’s 😉 UK temperatures -11 …. Not at the moment, was 7 deg yesterday and a bit milder today.

@daffodil2010 – Keswick’s at the opposite end of the county to us, but like all of the county rather a beautiful area, enjoy your visit.

@high5 – My ‘neighbour’ @at is hosting this month 😉

Great morning wandering round the Christmas Market yesterday, small town where wife lived for many years, so was nice for a visit. Forward planning, pick out a parking spot on the edge of town and walk in and NO breakfast before leaving home 🙂

Take care all

Pocket List – Day 6
@daffodil2010
@funshipfreddie
@high5
@i-hate-lettuce

Still Day 6

Oops @i-hate-lettuce and I were posting at the same time so just putting me back on the list.

Pocket List – Day 6
@daffodil2010
@funshipfreddie
@high5
@i-hate-lettuce
@missybear

Updated Pocket List Day 6 🍋

@daffodil2010
@funshipfreddie
@high5
@i-hate-lettuce
@missybear
@jaifaim

Day 6 – USA/GA – WFD

I’m so disgusted at a weigh-in of 220 lbs this morning. I feared having nearly a week between FDs might result in this. A nine pound gain since Thanksgiving. Well, back to mid-November numbers. I should have put in another OMAD in my NFD line-up.

Anyway, thank goodness the FD is here. I may combine today’s FD with an OMAD or something on Tuesday. I am determined to get back to the low 210s.

Pocket List Day 6 🍋

@daffodil2010
@funshipfreddie
@high5
@i-hate-lettuce
@missybear
@jaifaim
@northgeorgia

Day 6 – Rural Nebraska, USA – Another “who knows”

I’ve suddenly tripped, fallen, and can’t get up. My WFDs on Tuesdays are the only thing remaining of my excellent behavior from August through the beginning of November. I could list out how awful my behavior has been, but I’ve been slowly understanding the problem isn’t my behavior, but my attitude. I no longer am caring about losing weight as deeply as I was, and that’s leading to behavior that guarantees weight GAIN, not even lack of loss. I know that in August, it was lots and lots and lots of soul examining that got me to a place where I began to steadily lose weight, so I’m certain that lots and lots and lots of soul examining is in order now to get me to a place of continuing to lose weight–or, at the very least, to a place where I maintain.

The key problem is that my weight got low enough that I was finally below 25BMI, and that felt like a license to cheat and indulge, you know? And I’ve cheated and indulged enough over the last few days that I’m certain I’m no longer below 25BMI. Is it actual weight gain? Not entirely, but I’ve truly chowed down many, many, many calories recently, sigh.

I know I’m not the only one struggling with this issue of making yourself care when you don’t actually care. If we can just control our thoughts and our attitude, the rest is rather simple, but those thoughts and attitudes are evasive and sneaky challenges to control!

So, I’m going to go get another cup of coffee, put some more ornaments on the tree that’s finally up, and do some deep thinking; I’ll be back later.

Hugs, all my forum friends!

Day 6 2nd post

@garfy the food sounds great! I feel for you with the strained back… as a fellow back pain sufferer, you have my empathy!

Day 7 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

Very easy fast day yesterday. Hardly gave food a though, kept myself busy & the time flew by. Weight bang on target at 70.8 kgs this morning. I’m getting good at this! 😃

“Discipline is the bridge between goals & accomplishment.” ~ Jim Rohn

Day 7 – Lake District UK – NFD

Good morning everyone

A good FD for me yesterday, not been consciously following FD’s for the last couple of months but, pretty straightforward day, despite me baking bread in the morning. Not bad, nice fresh bread baked and cooling on the worktop, put away when cooled, still not cut into it yet!

One really good thing is sleep pattern seems to be making up for lost time. Last year I was sleeping terribly, seldom got much sleep, no deep sleep being recorded (on the fitbit) at all for quite a while. A few months ago started to get back to something like a ‘normal’ sleep pattern, but still not brilliant.
Time for a new mattress we thought, Mrs IHL not sleeping well either. New mattress purchased and delivered, move over Rip Van Winkle, wow, what a huge difference. Both sleeping really well, I’m back on a proper 8 hours every night, including around 2 hours (or more) deep sleep, worth every penny!

Take care all.

Day 7 – USA/GA – NFD

Weigh-in: 215 lbs. I know over the past two weeks I trended slightly upward, but today’s weigh-in does tie with a couple of other Tuesdays as the lowest Tuesday weigh-in on record. Just got to stay mindful, and it’s hard during the season of gatherings. I shifted my Thursday FD to tomorrow. We’re taking out a couple of people at work for their birthday today. I may try for another OMAD on Friday to help balance things out.

I wonder if setting a new goal for December was wise. It always seems that December is a month of maintenance, not loss. We’re still early in the month though.

Good luck to those on the pocket list today.

Day 7 Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 NFD

Yesterday’s FD was a hungry one, I got through it with stubborn determination and lots of herbal tea and was glad when it was bedtime. Definitely harder to cut back on food in the winter, I got so cold.

@stitchincarol how is your soul searching going? Just a thought, have you been too strict with yourself recently? I remember when I did a 5 day fast, I was very motivated and it seemed perfectly doable at the time but the following week I was ridiculously hungry and over compensated for those fasting days and actually gained weight ending up heavier than pre 5 day fast! It taught me that I have to keep it real and sustainable, going hard core just leaves me feeling deprived and miserable. I know you will work out what works for you.

@mariaelena hope you are feeling ok and your circumstances are improving 🤗

Storm Barra has arrived with gale force winds and heavy rain but hopeful I might get out for a walk around the village between showers, in fact the dark sky has just brightened so my window of opportunity could be now. Keep on keeping on everyone 😊

Day 7 – Rural Nebraska, USA – WFD

I’m pleased to report that I ate according to plan yesterday with only a small “overage,” and the scale rewarded me. I knew that much of the extra weight was just water weight, but it’s always a huge comfort to be proven correct.

DH and I got both trees (yup, two in our house, both with LOADS of ornaments) finished yesterday, and defrosted the big freezer since the day was far below freezing and was supposed to stay that way; we just take all the food outside in coolers and, when we run out of those, we use laundry baskets, put a blanket over them so no solar power reaches them and wait for the freezer to thaw. Works like a charm, and now I can find stuff again! As we worked, I kept thinking. And thinking. Why did it used to be easy, back when I was 132 and stayed that way? Why was it easy from August to November this year? What has changed and what needs to change back?

Unfortunately, I have no certain answers, but @funshipfreddie, your quote yesterday was wonderfully helpful: “We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.” ~ Jim Rohn Thank you for that.

As I’m looking over posts to see where I left off yesterday, I have to chuckle. @garfy, you have yesterday as day 3, and @mariaelena, you have it as day 4. Last week, @basyjames chucked all of 2022 out the window. I’m thinking we’re all collectively calendar-challenged this month!

@funshipfreddie Even as I am slogging along, trying to regain my confident RESOLVE, it’s a delight to read your “I’m getting good at this.” Yes, you are, and someday, I plan to be there right with you!

@daffodil2010 I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, so am very familiar with storms coming in and the need to batten down the hatches, and wish I could experience some again. It’s such a lovely contrast between the sound of the storm outside and the warmth and coziness inside.

@i-hate-lettuce I’m delighted for you and Mrs IHL that the mattress has restored your excellent sleep. Several years ago, I bought new pillows, and that made a massive difference for DH and me. They’re still okay, but it won’t be many years before I buy new ones again, instead of waiting far, far too long.

@emma-taylor So delighted that ELAB is working so nicely for you. I plan to return to it in January.

@northgeorgia Since you can only control your behavior, not directly control the scale, why don’t you adjust your December goal to the behavior you want, and then let the scales do their thing? Since you’re going out to lunch with coworkers today, is it going to be OMAD also?

@mariaelena I do hope whatever was stressing you yesterday is beginning to resolve.

@missybear I think you are partly right that I was too strict on myself. I wasn’t any stricter than I was back in the days I was 132, which is the behavior I’m aiming for, but I also never baked almost 20 dozen cookies, some of which stayed in the house, back in those days. It really is a challenge to find what works for each of us individually, isn’t it? I also was far more carb-tolerant back in those days…

@missybear and @jaifaim Two more of you who get the joy of a serious storm. I probably sound nuts, but I truly do miss them, LOL!

I’ve pulled my Thanksgiving turkey carcass (with some meat still attached) from the freezer, and will make turkey noodle soup tomorrow with lots of carrots and celery, breaking my WF with it. Thursday will be some fish from the freezer and a salad, and then Friday we go out. I’m thinking hard about the various restaurants I love, but have yet to choose one.

Okay, with a solid plan in place, I’m off to do some stuff and then I’ll head off to Omaha for a full day of piano lessons. Have a grand one, everyone!

Day 8 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

@stitchincarol, @songbirdme – I’m glad you liked the quotes. The discipline vs regret one resonated with me too. A good one for waning resolve on a fast day!

Lunch at Mama Luciana’s again today, so I’ll definitely be on that pocket list tomorrow 😳

Happy Hump Day y’all! 🐫