December Small Group Accountability Challenge

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December Small Group Accountability Challenge

This topic contains 89 replies, has 12 voices, and was last updated by  xamos 7 years, 11 months ago.

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  • Welcome to the December small group accountability challenge! Small in number but big in action 🙂

    We are limited to 12 participants with the intention of increasing visibility, support, and incentive to stay accountable.

    A regularly updated spreadsheet tracking each participant’s progress will be available at this link:
    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1q1xNaaB6FiX2em93hbx_BJWZh9mnHclCCoTCI4bq8V0/edit?usp=sharing

    First post should include your goal for December. To report whether a day was a fast day or nonfast day, start you update post with “Day# = FD or NFD” AFTER the day is completed. This way the spreadsheet will reflect actual progress.

    May this month be a happy and healthy one for us all!

    Hello, WWFH – happy to be joining you again this month!
    Day 1 = FD.
    Today’s scale tells me I’m up again — dreaded yo-yo in action again.
    So my starting weight for this month is 92.2 kg. Grrr.
    My goal for December is 90.2 kg, and to maintain 5:2 daily (well, with a couple of exception days around the holidays — let’s be realistic!).

    Day 1 FD
    Doing btb fast to finish Nov and start Dec the right way.
    Goal for the month = lose 1.4kg
    Checked my weight this morning after not standing on the scale all Nov and I have lost 3.2kg since I began this wol in September
    Around a 1kg per month isn’t huge but I only had about 8.5kg to lose in total. So all things considered im living a relatively relaxed life around food and fasting 2x a week and making what I feel is a sustainable loss, I’m choosing to be the tortoise not the hare and I think this will get me to my goal in the end
    Thanks WWFH for another months support and accountability

    Day 1; NFD

    December goals: 1. continue to 5:2 2. Pay attention to my NFD nutrition 3. Incorporate more HIIT/weight training/long runs. November I got the hang of lighter runs/exercise on fast days, I’d like to increase intensity as my body adapts.

    I actually lost more weight than I expected in November (4 pounds) considering some of my poor habits/relationship with food I’m still trying to break. I want to be more intentional about incorporating good protein and fats on both FD and NFD (though I find this easier on FD). Since I’m on the lower end of the scale, and I like the way I feel after FD (so much lighter and good energy!), I need to make sure that it’s sustainable without losing too much weight, especially since I’m about to start new training programs.

    I have to admit both FD’s this week ended up with me feeling hungry and “Why am I doing this?”, but a cup of tea, and a good night’s sleep later, and I do feel so.much.better. I just need to not negate the effects of the fast by eating crap the next day (hello Halloween candy, pumpkin pie, scalloped cheesy potatoes). I’m sure it (exposure and temptation) will be just as bad in December. I literally had to tell myself on Mondays FD that I was a grown ass woman who needs to take care of herself properly (ie, not binging at night, keeping wine and chocolate at a minimum) because not doing so has real effects/consequences that impact more than just me, having young kids, husband/job. Anyway, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Looking forward to December!

    Morning everyone and thank you WWFH for continuing with the group posting.

    Day 1: NFD.
    Goal for December: lose 4 pounds (1 each week).

    Trying to fast today. Had my porridge that should last me until the lunch time. Then a skinny soup for the rest of the day.

    Good luck everyone.

    Very pleased to be part of this again, it’s definitely helped my motivation heaps!

    Goals are essentially the same as last month – run 3x a week, and complete two FDs a week. The later will only be possible for the first two weeks of the month, but I’m hoping to be able to fit some runs in while down in Antarctica. I’ll just have to see how it goes, but I can at least keep on track until I leave!

    Day 1: NFD
    Day 2: FD (and a run)

    Good Morning everyone, Thanks to WWFH for organising us again this month. I found the Nov group really supportive and accountable!! So although I enter into Decembers group with enthusiasm I am aware that Christmas will be a dent at the end. I’m afraid I am going to enjoy Christmas week as I’m going away with my whole family (between 11 and 16 of us) and I will accept the consequences and deal with it after.. in January. BUT in the meantime I will be focused and hopefully be successful. I lost 3.2kg in November.

    Start weight: 87.4kg
    Target lose 3kgs
    Dec 1 FD

    JRay – you were musing over your migranes and what you’ve eaten.. my boss used to suffer regularly with migranes, he could have 2 a month and was on medication for it.. but after studying what he ate and the frequency of his migranes he discovered that chocolate, caffine and certain beers triggered them. He only drinks caffine free coffee and tea now and NO chocolate AT ALL. Incidentally he has found that Becks beer doesn’t have the additives that other beers have and he is fine on it, but this may not affect you. I don’t know if this helps, or how much coffee or chocolate might be to you.. but maybe it’ll help?

    Keep strong and focused everyone . . .

    After consideration, I decided to join December group. I know that I completed only half of my November goals, but without the group, I would probably stop fasting at all.

    Day 1 and 2 – NFD.
    Goals are: 1. to fast 2 times per week, and complete at least 2 fasts in December as no calories 36 hours; 2. to avoid refined sugar.

    Bedfordshire
    NFD
    Goal 2.5 kg
    Coming back too 5:2 after a year off due to ill health and a 10kg gain
    I work shifts so no two weeks are the same.
    Tried 2 consecutive days last week. Not a complete fail as did one 400 cal in 36 hrs and the second day was a light day of 800 cals.
    Still lost a lb 🙂
    So Mondays and Thursdays fasting until xmas then who knows that week x

    I heard an interesting podcast yesterday that suggested in the world of perfecting a new habit, quantity matters more than quality. They suggested keeping a daily tally of good choices. Not perfect. Just good. And then eventually our thinking shifts so that we are subconsciously looking for and creating these opportunities for good choices. They explain it much better than me in this article. I thought it was a nice idea for any perfectionist analytical people like me.

    https://medium.com/the-prototype/why-quantity-should-be-your-priority-3bc2b16fe3f5#.faduq1ny7

    @coldpizza I had the same kind of November but this is a new month. Glad you decided to join after all.

    @suzysu72 welcome!

    @j-ray I’ve been repeating “I am a grown ass woman and I need to take care of myself.” Since I read your post yesterday. hahaha It works! I mean it really puts the temptation in it’s place after I’ve built it up in my head.

    Hi @willworkforhealth, could I join please? I Know I’m a day late but I’m doing ADF so today is my first fast day of the month!

    Day 2 – NFD.
    Doing ok so far. Down 2 lbs this morning but they will probably yo-yo back tomorrow. Stressful day. J-Ray I’ve said something similar to myself every FD since March, and it actually helps!

    Dec 2 FD

    Weekends are trickier for me as I am at home and around other people (including my parents who tell me I should be eating) during meal times, however on the upside I am more active than during the week where I sit at a desk all day..

    Have a fabulous weekend whatever you’re all doing.

    Day 2 NFD
    Definitely at or below TDEE.
    I carefully broke a 42 1/2 hour fast yesterday then overate at dinner time which left me with an awful nights restless sleep feeling sick and having my heart racing etc etc, the silly thing was I ate a Friday treat out of habit, I was full and satisfied from a light healthy dinner but ignored my physical signals and ate too many carb treats out of habit then paid the price all night….so today has been a light day foodwise with a heavy weights session this morning.
    I feel i’m finally learning to listen to my body and ignore my misguided mind and last night was a good lesson.
    WWFH i really like your ‘good decisions’ tally idea, im going to add that to my goal for the month and see how it affects me.

    Day2: FD.

    Lost just under 5 pounds in November. Below the target but still pretty good. Especially when I don’t feel like I am dieting as such. What I mean is that it’s psychologically much easier.

    Woke up very early this morning, I think it was the hunger! Would be interesting how December goes. I am trying to tell myself that it should not be that much different to other months. It’s good to be merry for maybe two days in December but not turn it into a week long binge. What is the point? That my thought process at the moment, we are only at the beginning of the month…

    Day 3 = NFD.
    LANY36 I so recognize what you described – I’ve done that a few times. Oh well, learn and move on. Trying to stick with the program today as usual. Onward and downward!

    Day 2, 3: nfd

    @wwfh, loved the article, thank you so much for sharing! I wouldn’t have connected fasting to that, your insight provided new perspective. I had heard of using the mantra “good, better, best” with respect to moving away from the all or nothing mentality, but that’s not something I’ve personally struggled with. I’m all about the 80-90%. Good, better, best refers to our choices, in throwing it all to hell once a threshold has been reached or breached. You can still make good choices for the day even if it can’t be your best day.
    @karlanz, SO very awesome going to Antarctica! For work?
    @lany36 I know that feeling of ugh! At least we know, we learn, and if it’s painful enough it’s at least a while before doing it again lol.

    I noticed that I often skip breakfast now, yesterday might have been a fast day except for the high calorie dinner enjoyed. Today I got up and ran an unfueled 10k at a great pace (for me!), light lunch, rock climbing date with the hus followed up with a braised short rib dinner. 😊 good start to the weekend!

    Day 4 = NFD
    Struggling to focus on weekend work chores — hate having to work on the weekends. Spending way too much time using food thoughts to distract me from working — how dumb is that?!? Nose to grindstone …

    Day 3 & 4 NFD
    Day 5 FD
    Overate yesterday again but not as bad as the day before

    Good to have a FD today

    Days 3&4: NFDs.

    Had too much chocolate yesterday, I can feel it today, my skin is complaining (itchy). That’s not a good sign.

    Have to come up with a good exercise routine for home from now on, no zumba classes until January.

    Trying to fast today…

    Have a great week everybody.

    Day 5: FD

    Got my juices flowing walking the kids to school today in Temps in the 30’s, feeling a bit of hunger pangs and waiting for them to subside before doing workout. I have a new weight/strength training program I’m starting today, depending on how it goes I might pair it up with a 2-3 mile jog in the afternoon. I wonder if my caloric burn for the day via exercise nets more than 500 calories if it’s appropriate to adjust intake, I haven’t needed to just for a run which burns about 300kc. Maybe @lany36 can share? Have you ever needed to up calories on a HIIT day?

    I just read one of the original forum posts by Michael and feeling re-motivated to ensure that my protein intake is adequate on FD. Interestingly he said he never goes more than 12 hours without eating.

    @tanchora congrats on your November loss! Fitnessblender.Com has hundreds of free workout videos, I’ve been using them for about a year! Since you like Zumba there is also this dance exercise guy who I know is very popular online, I’ll see if I can find a link for him. 😊

    Hi, after another failed attempt at slimming world am going to give this a go.

    My only concern is that I sometimes suffer from migraine if my blood sugar drops – any tips on v low calorie snacks that may help ? obviously veg sticks.

    Annette

    Days 2-4 were NFDs.
    Trying to fast today.

    @tanchora it’s The Fitness Marshall!

    Day 5 = FD.
    Going fine, will check the scales tomorrow. Doing this!

    Great Micky!
    I lifted pretty light today and afternoon really stunk, like low blood sugar, shakes, major brain fog. I’ve been active most of my life Lany, any thoughts? Running I do just fine on FD! Sorry I can’t help Annette, not sure what to do with low blood sugar, I only seem to experience that on FD where I do strength training. Hopefully today went OK for you! I’m a fellow migraine sufferer; mine is a 3-day hormonal one though, I can generally predict what days each month I’ll get it.

    Day 5: NFD.

    Thank you for the tips J-ray!

    Yep, Fitness mrshall is very good. I might try playing you-tube videos on my tv, the workout/dances seem to be very good. In fact, this is what my zumba instructor uses for inspiration for her routines. I also have a few Jillian Michaels dvds. She s a tough cookie, should be good too!

    Will check out Fitnessblender too.

    Day 6 = NFD.
    The days just fly by for me. Too busy at work, a little stressed. Interesting to realize that 10 months ago, before starting 5:2, this sort of stress would’ve had me mindlessly browsing in the cupboards, looking for sweets and chips to eat for distraction. So pleased to realize that this habit is mostly gone now. The weight falls off slowly, but still it falls, and my life has improved in many other way thanks to 5:2. So grateful to have stumbled across this approach. And thankful to be sharing this journey with all of you.

    @xamos welcome! please provide your December goal for the spreadsheet.

    @annette666 sorry we are limited to 12 and just reached capacity. If we don’t receive updates from some who have signed up, I will reach out to you to fill the spot!

    @j-ray I think I missed your Day 4 – was it in fact an NFD?

    @jaybee78 and @minimee still joining us? If so, please provide your December goals and update when you can.

    As a reminder, anyone can view the link in the original post to check the updated spreadsheet. The link will work throughout the month. Great start to December! As always thanks for the continued motivation.

    Day 6&7 NFD
    J-ray I have had similar experiences with weight training on FDs, ultimately I changed my training program around and only do cardio on a FD which much like you I manage fine while fasting.
    I was also concerned about working against myself by weight training in a fasted state. I want to maintain the muscle mass I have and improve body composition in the long term. You can use muscle glycogen to fuel the training but repair and recovery for muscles afterwards requires some protein so i would suggest taking a BCAA to see if it helps.
    I don’t think simple amino acids will break your fast, but im not a fasting expert so maybe have a quick read online first.
    Sorry i can’t be more useful, if your schedule allows for it, Ive found it better for me to just save the weights for NFD but thats not always practical for everyone.
    Have a great day all, Im off to get the kids ready for school

    Hi @willworkforhealth thanks very much! Can I just check, do you update the spreadsheet or do we all request access and update ourselves? If it’s the first option I wont send another access request!

    I’m a 22 year old female 5″2′, started this challenge at 67kg and would like to reach 60kg and see how I feel/look. My December goal is to lose 2kg as I’m new to this WOL and also have a few holiday days scheduled in to the month!

    My days have so far been very successful and I’m enjoying settling in to this way of eating, so I can be caught up on the SS:

    Dec 3: NFD
    Dec 4: FD
    Dec 5: NFD
    Dec 6: FD

    I’m leaving to go on a long weekend with my sister to Rome tomorrow so I’ve put “HOL” on my personal spreadsheet, however these will technically just be NFD’s! Back to a Fast Day on December 12 🙂

    I hope everyone’s having a great month thus far and keep up the good work!

    Also I probably wont have internet access while i’m away so I apologise in advance for not updating for the next five days, see you all on the 12th!

    Day 4: NFD
    Day 6: NFD

    Interesting Lany, I may try that. Someone in another thread said it takes your liver 6 months to adjust fuel burning, but then I wouldn’t think that I would be able to run faster and longer unfueled – at least it seems like my body has started to adjust. Thanks for the tips on BCAA’s! I’m not opposed to trying that again, I work a very intermittent/varied schedule so get in my weight training when I can, and sometimes that falls on a FD.

    Had a good NFD day, light breakfast, tuna and crackers for lunch, and a delicious protein and veggie packed dinner. Split and enjoyed a GF cupcake with my wheat allergic 4 year old at the new GF bakery in town. It’s so, I don’t think interesting quite fits, but it is interesting have a food allergy child. So many things I labeled as “bad” are not really bad themselves in moderation for most of the population. With my first child I was all “oh no HFCS or food dyes or junk”; having a child with multiple food allergies changes that mindset to “will it make him sick?”. I still don’t label food as good/bad for him, just whether or not something has allergies in it. But I used to really limit junk in the house, but now all of a sudden potato chips and fritos are snacks he can have and doesn’t have hidden ingredients. This is part of what led to me not losing the last bit of weight after he was born – but is also what makes 5:2 so attractive. I can’t do generic weight loss mealplans because I have to cook for our family around my son’s dietary needs – this, on top of having health benefits, is a way to reduce calories in a measured and healthy way without having to introduce new foods/recipes into my cycle of tried and true recipes. (gosh this is getting long. Sorry!)

    @xamos – Rome – that sounds awesome! Do you live in Europe?

    Thanks for keepinng us all in check and accountable @WillWork!

    Day 6: NFD.

    Will be fasting today (hopefully).

    Day 7 = NFD.
    On course for the day. No breakfast, salad for lunch. Stay focused everyone.

    DAys 5,6,7 – all NFD. Sorry, I know I have to fast. Started several time, and failed. 🙁

    I was thinking what is happening, why I am not able to complete fasts anymore. Maybe it is the way I am thinking? I always think, that I start tomorrow. Maybe I should start right now? It is 4 pm. I will now wait till tomorrow, and will start right now. Tomorrow at 4 pm, I will be fasting for 24 hours already. Will report tomorrow of the result.

    Day 3-6:NFD
    Day 7:FD

    @j-ray – I’m currently doing a Postgraduate Certificate in Antarctic Studies, and that includes a trip to the ice!

    Went for a run on Monday, but my sore calf isn’t healing up, so I’m taking the remainder of this week off. Will start running again next week 🙂

    Day 7: FD with 2.5 mile run.

    @coldpizza is the reason for not finishing out the fast the same every time, or varied reasons? Is there a particular time of day that you struggle with, or is it more environment?

    Day 8 FD
    Fasting has been fine but I just couldn’t find the mental strength for a HIIT session today.
    Partly due to being out of my normal routine I think, I finished work early and spent the afternoon at my daughters junior high graduation. Once it finished the motivation to workout at maximum intensity just wasn’t there and I opted for a 70minute power walk in the sun.
    Physically doesn’t feel like the workout I should have done but mentally hit the spot for the energy and headspace I was in.
    Does anyone else beat themselves up and get stuck feeling like they failed in these situations? When I have a plan and deviate it doesn’t seem to matter what else I do I feel like I’ve messed up.

    Day 7: FD.

    Was not sure about the exact number of calories I consumed yesterday but about right for fasting.

    Trying to fast today and tomorrow.

    I feel like beating myself about not exercising this week. I feel like I am finding excuses, i.e. too busy/stressful at work + also can’t wear contact for a while. Meaning that I can’t jump around in glasses. Although deep down I know that I can find some solution to it.

    I believe that I sabotage myself as soon as I am close to a successful routine in dieting. Not sure why it is but I need to find out the cause.

    I understand about beating oneself up for not exercising! I have to say a 70 minute power walk in the sun sounds glorious. 🙂 Good for you for listening to your body and your mental state!
    I’ve been working on changing my mindset with exercising (I belong to a healthy habit group too, so here’s about the standard pep talk I’ve learned). First, walking really is excellent exercise. Getting any intentional movement in is excellent. Committing to moderation, meaning some days easy, some days hard, is a lot more sustainable than going all out all the time. I have this thing of figuring out what I’m going to be like, and doing, when I’m 70 or 80 years old. No crazy beachbody videos in that vision lol. For me, it includes yoga, running (if my joints haven’t given out), walking, and probably some regular and moderate strength training/lifting – or just bodyweight/yoga. Making these habits now makes them easy to continue into later stages of life.

    Also, it’s a funny thing about habits. When you are regular about doing things like say, taking showers (pardon me I’m just getting out of baby making season of life), and you miss a day, you don’t give up on the thought of ever taking showers again. You know that you will take a shower eventually. So if doing HIIT 2-3x a week isn’t as desirable as doing it 1-2x/week, and power walking in the interim, you don’t have to worry about missing a HIIT day this week, because you know you have another one on the schedule next week. When you find what you love and what brings deep enjoyment it becomes a lot easier to do, and what that looks like is different for everyone.

    @tanchora, the habit group I am a part of has shared studies that the more (or more intense) habits we try to change at once the higher the chance that we will fail at doing any of them! What if you just got your exercise or diet routine down for a few months first, and then added in one other habit? For dieting, they usually suggest something like “eat more vegetables” – instead of making the diet goal to “eat this and that, and not eat this or that, and eat less than x calories”, if you just “eat more vegetables”, a. you are adding in vs. taking something away (better mentally), and b. it becomes more filling so you end up eating less of the bad stuff as a natural result. For exercise, they encourage a habit goal of “get some movement in x days/week), and then build from there. It helps to keep focus on one thing at a time, a lot more manageable with busy and stressful lives!

    @karlanz enjoy your trip, and hope your calf heals up well and fast!

    Day 8: light version of NFD.

    J-ray, thank you for sharing this information! The habit group sounds great. I absolutely agree with the “slow” approach, one thing at a time.

    I think generally people are likely to be resistant to change, too much and they are out!

    I would appreciate a tip if anyone is so inclined. I was having a very strong week, diet wise, when I arrived home from work yesterday to my husbands smiling face telling me he ordered us a pizza with my favorite toppings so we wouldn’t have to cook or do dishes. It was a fast day but I couldn’t watch that smile drop off his face and I had two slices with him. My husband shows his love through food often. What would you have done in that situation? Any advice?

    @xamos I update the spreadsheet when you provide the info in your post 🙂 I hope you are enjoying Rome!

    @annette666 there are spots available. If you are still interested please provide your December goal and FD/NFD update to date.

    @meon-dweller and @suzysu72 are you still with us?

    Update for me please . .

    Dec 3rd & 4th NFD
    Dec 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th & 9th FD

    Many thanks . .

    Day 9 = NFD
    Daughter coming home from college for the holidays today — happy days! She’s a vegetarian who loves sweets but is very very fit. Hopefully she won’t lead me too far astray!

    Day 8: NFD
    Day 9: FD, not normally a FD for me but doing so in solidarity with my son who is getting a medical procedure.
    @wwfh, how much does your spouse know about your fasting? Would it have been OK to just eat 1 slice? Since this is a long term, I’d make sure that he knew it was somewhat important, but having a good relationship with hubby is huge too! Can you talk to him about what loving you with food might look like on fast days? Maybe he can make a recipe from the 5:2 book?

    Day9 NFD
    Wwfh without knowing how much he knows about your fasting wol it’s hard to say. I’m guessing he isn’t aware of when or if you are having a FD.
    As jray said perhaps one slice would have been ok assuming it was your only calories for the day. Alternatively I’d suggest gently telling him it’s a FD but adding that you are so grateful not to have to cook tomorrow night and save it.
    That’s an easy thing for me to say though as pizza is not a temptation for me, I wouldn’t choose to eat it at all but I know those kind of savoury foods are healthy eating kryptonite for a lot of people and opting to go without would be like turning down chocolate for me….complete destruction of good intentions.

    Day 10 nfd

    Thursday I made a batch of what was supposed to be salted caramels for the staff and help with my son, but it never set, so now I have a batch of caramel in my freezer that is like delicious happiness crack to eat… I should probably just throw it out, but man is it good!
    No exercise or running since Wednesday, due to the travel prep and event (flew out yesterday, back home today)… and it’s ok, because I know that I will go back to it tomorrow or Monday. A small blip in the long term habit. This seems to happen every 6-8 weeks (missing 4 consecutive days or so exercise), but I have to fit it to my life, not the other way around, fitting my life to exercise.

    Hope you all are having a great weekend!

    Day 11 nfd
    Day 12 fd

    Finally got my long run in this am, 10k in the books, and ready to sign up for a half marathon at the end of march, plenty of time for a slow and easy training plan! I imagine that I’m going to be 5:2 until January or February and switch over to 6:1/maintenance.

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