Day, 18 USA/HI NFD

Warmest aloha from Hawaii to all my 5:2 family In the mainland USA, UK, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, Germany and more.Please let me know if I have left out a location. I am having such fun picturing all of us joining hands around the globe as we lift one another up on this amazing journey that we share.
DS53 finally got to visit his dad today. I am taking the afternoon off and relaxing at home.
Still holding at 160 pounds. With nine more days to go I think I will meet my goal of 159 before the month ends. Wishing everyone success for this last part of Focus February.

Day 19, Germany, FD800

@funshipfreddie No, I hadn’t heard of the Charlize Theron interview. Not very smart to say something like that, she must know better. It seems she has lost touch with where she’s coming from. As long as so many people speak a language and books, newspapers and magazines are published in it, it’s not dead.

@michelinme Haven’t you been to this retreat before? How nice your daughter is going to join you for a few days. Enjoy your stay!

@maui I hope everything goes as planned today.

Pocket list day 19
@litprof FD800
@snowflake56 FD800

Have a nice Sunday everyone!

Day 19- NFD 🚫🚶🏼‍♀️✅ 🏖️

Quick check in.

@maui that’s great news and am here holding hands… on a separate note… how did I miss that you live in Hawaii???? The clue was in your name of couse… but… oh my… on my absolute must visit list 🏖️.

@brightonbelle I’m a huge Ted Lasso fan 👍👍 and Richmond is lovely – I’ve only visited once but so pretty! I hope you enjoyed. 💕

@litprof 10lbs in a month and while travelling… huge kudos to you 👏

@merryapple I hope you enjoyed tte spin with Mackintosh – sounds like he has the life 🤩

@michelinme your break sounds amazing! I’ve often thought it would be a fabulous chance to get away and just “be”. We have some lovely abbeys here where the nuns/monks welcome guests.

@snowflake56 I’ve been thinking of @at too and hoping she is ok. @flourbaby also has not been around in a while… 🙏 all is ok.

Great fun had at the party and another late night last night but great catching up with friends. It will be hard to leave tomorrow.

Power to the Sunday Fasters 💪

Onward and downward ⬇️
We rise by lifting others 💕

Day 19, FD, Aus

Thank you @snowflake56 – hondekak is my new fave word!

Wishing you a peaceful re-set week @michelinme.

10lbs! Way to go @litprof!

Drat – I’m wearing a white dress today and just spilt coffee on myself. Sigh. It’s shaping up to be a Monday!

Fab news @maui! Things are going well for you and your family. AND your weight is dropping too!! (Which is even more amazing noting everything else you’ve been juggling.)

Day 20 – FD 🚫🚶🏼‍♀️✅ 🏖️

Quick check in. Heading home later today and will be a busy day so can hopefully keep to my usual FD 💪

Onward and downward ⬇️
We rise by lifting others 💕

Pocket list day 20 🏖️
@malee57
@jaifaim

Day 20 – UK Cam – FD
Quick post, off to volunteer today – snack pot of yoghurt and fruit, lunch of dahl and ? supper, probably mushroom omlette – I have a club meeting tonight so very little free time to snack/eat randomly. Glorious day forecast- fingers crossed I am in a sunny part of the gardens doing something nice, like pruning 🙂

Resolve echoing around the forum today!

@funshipfreddie – love the acronym – (how I really HATE THEM)clever ol’ you. What ever next???

Pocket List – Day 20
@penz
@malee57
@jaifaim
@gardenlily

Day 19 USA/HI
Signing in for accountability to my 5:2 fellow travelers in mainland USA, UK, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, Germany,New Zealand and more. We are staying on the course together by sharing our ups and downs.
DH made it home today after over 5 weeks in hospital and rehab. He seems to know he’s home and enjoying all the loving attention from both sons. Very thankful. Enjoying the moment and putting aside all the concerns … plenty of time for all that later.

Day 19 USA/HI
Signing in for accountability to my 5:2 fellow travelers in mainland USA, UK, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, Germany,New Zealand and more. We are staying on the course together by sharing our ups and downs.
DH made it home today after over 5 weeks in hospital and rehab. He seems to know he’s home and enjoying all the loving attention from both sons. Very thankful. Enjoying the moment and putting aside all the concerns … plenty of time for all that later.

Day 18 – Rural Nebraska, USA – NFD, sort of behaved except for the beer… 157.4
Day 19 – NFD, but nicely behaved 156.6
Day 20 – NFD, plan to nicely behave 😇 156.0

Saturday was a 6+ hour meeting an hour away from here, and then baking when I got home so I could serve goodies after service on Sunday. Then we were invited to the home of the newly baptized baby Sunday at noon for brunch…it was a full and lovely weekend.

The fact that I managed to eat well enough that I’m down a little over a pound since Saturday morning despite being NFDs brings me pride; I’m working hard on learning to reframe my thoughts and act on the reframed versions, and I’m clearly making progress that I went down a bit instead of up even further.

I got smacked alongside the head on Saturday as I was driving home. I was feeling melancholy that I struggle to eat little enough to lose weight, and was remembering in my 30s when I could drop several pounds with little effort. Right along with those thoughts, I was feeling sorry for myself that I can’t eat as much as I’d like…or, rather, I certainly CAN eat that much (I’ve always had a hearty appetite, even in my 112lb skinny days), but I can no longer eat that much without gaining wildly, and that’s when it hit me. No, I can’t eat that much anymore BECAUSE I NO LONGER BURN 2200+ CALORIES EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND FREQUENTLY MORE.

Duh. Talk about a reframing, eh?

I think that’s one reason I did decently on Saturday and quite well yesterday, because I managed not to be thinking about how I used to eat, but was instead listening to my body, about how hungry I was, and was also thinking about Easter Sunday, when I could hold up what I ate this day and ask myself if it was worth it at the cost of not being as thin on Easter as I’d like to be. Sometimes it is worth it, but nothing last night was, so it was a success.

Now to get through today; tomorrow, of course, is Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras/however you think of it, but it’s my WF and the day I’m gone until late, so DH and our sons are going out for Cajun tonight. I’m mulling over what food I’ll allow myself, and what foods need to off limits; we love this restaurant so know the menu well, and I think I have a plan in place that will be reasonable.

And the best part of Saturday’s baking is that every last thing I baked got eaten at church, so I’m not even having to use will-power to stay away from the leftovers!

This is long enough that I’m stopping here, and will do a second post to respond to people. Hugs, all!

Day 20 – Second Post

@daffodil2010 It’s so wonderful that you have reached 21 years of being cigarette-free; that’s a seriously HUGE accomplishment and is deserving of massive quantities of pride!

@merryapple I’m knitting this, but in slightly different colors: https://www.knittingtales.com/postcards-from-shetland?pgid=kzr64ob1-d62054ba-0fe0-46b1-874e-8062a618b56a I’ll bet your gansey is gorgeous; what color are you knitting? Is it for you?

@jaifaim I chuckled at you asking precisely what a “successful NFD” entailed. 🤪 Funny question, and joyful answer: I was absolutely on target of not going over 1500 calories that day, which is all I’m asking of myself on NFDs. 😇

@funshipfreddie I bought the Gillian Riley diet book the other day from your link, but haven’t had time yet to start reading it; fingers are crossed that I read something wonderfully helpful! 👍 OH! Wonderful quote: “The only thing standing between you and your goal is the story you keep telling yourself as to why you can’t achieve it.” ~ Jordan Belfort I feel quite convicted to read that, and will hold on to it; thanks much!

@brightonbelle HUGE Ted Lasso fan! ❤️

@litprof STELLAR that you’ve lost 10 pounds since mid-January! Well done, you!

@malee57 Isn’t it lovely when a WF is going so well you can actually forget you’re doing it?? Well done, despite the latte!

@maui So LOVELY to have DH home again, and to have both sons there as well; enjoy the time together while they’re able to be there!

@michelinme Have a lovely time away; it sounds absolutely perfect for resting you up!

I’m sure I’ve missed some of you, and I apologize; there’s always tomorrow, LOL!

Have a grand one, everyone!

Day 20 Third Post

@stitchsmith WELCOME! Your header is great, with lots of information, and the most important bits about the day of the month you’re posting, where you are, and what kind of day it is for you. You and I are at roughly the same weight now, with roughly the same goal weight; you have the advantage, however, of being two decades younger than I am, LOL! You’ll find this group is wonderfully supportive and helpful, so just leap in and make yourself at home! Oh, and what do you stitch???

Day 21, NFD, Aus

You said it, @funshipfreddie, MMTPFDS (but Tuesday in my case)!! I had a little wobble around midday but reminded myself that feeling hungry was ok, and it would pass – and it did – so successfully completed my usual Monday WFD.

Woohoo @maui!! Fabulous news!!

Yesterday I somehow emptied the contents of my pencil sharpener on my desk. I’m amazed at how dirty the desk top is now – no amount of cleaning spray and elbow grease has shifted the grey stain. How I didn’t also spill it on my white dress, I have no idea. Like many of you, white is an attractive colour for me – as in, it attracts all kinds of dirt, spills and accidents!!! Back to safe black today.

Welcome @stitchsmith – I feel like you and @stitchincarol will become firm friends!

Day 21, Germany, FD800

@maui How lovely your DH is back home again!

@stitchsmith Welcome! I’m fasting with you today.

@brightonbelle We don’t have a television so when I’m too tired to read I go on youtube and sometimes interesting things pop up.

Pocket list day 21
@stitchsmith
@snowflake56 FD800

Have a nice day everyone!

Dorset – NFD – DAY 21

Welcome @stitchsmith – I too am a knitter but not as competent as @stitchincarol! What is diamond painting?

A very wet start to the day here, and its pancake day ! it was going to be a fast day but I just remembered what day it is!

Hope everyone has a wonderful day.

Day 21 – Leicester UK – FD

My first fast day (of this go around) hopefully should be quite busy at work which will help – planning fruit for lunch and homemade chicken & mushroom pie for this evening……

@dramaqueen6 diamond painting evolved from cross stitching you complete the pictures by sticking down thousands of tiny resin or acrylic ‘diamonds’ I love seeing the pictures emerge……

Day 21 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

@stitchsmith – welcome to the forum!

@stitchincarol – isn’t that a great quote?! I hope you get some good tips from Gillian Riley’s book. I actually wrote a brief review on Amazon for her ‘Stop Smoking’ book, because I was so grateful that she’d helped me to quit.

@snowflake56 – favourite destination? Tough question to answer; I saw so many places over 15 years. But, for sheer, unspoiled beauty I think I’d go with Tahiti. Can’t remember the names of all the islands now, but they’re all close together & a few ships sail around them. I was on a yacht for a few weeks, big enough for only 140 passengers & 90 crew members, doing 7 day cruises around the islands. It was heaven on earth, but work-wise I was bored to death. Also Norway, absolutely stunning scenery. I wouldn’t want to sail or work on one of these monster-sized ships that are built to carry 5 or 6000 passengers. I think 1500 – 2000 or smaller is ideal. But I’ve never done a cruise as a passenger/guest, so I’d love to hear the opinion of @i-hate-lettuce, as he cruises regularly. Are you there Barry? 👀

@maui – I’m so pleased everything is working out for you @ Mr @maui so far!

I’ve often thought eggs are the ideal FD food, but this doctor advocates eating them every day. Which is just as well, because I usually do 😅
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-11773823/Low-protein-trying-eating-two-eggs-day-says-Gut-Health-Guru-DR-MEGAN-ROSSI.html

Mark Hyman & the Pegan diet https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-11772259/Massachusetts-doctor-63-says-body-20-YEARS-YOUNGER-actual-age.html

Pocket List – Day 21 🍒
@stitchsmith
@snowflake56 FD800
@jaifaim FD800
@maui FD800

Day 21 – Rural Nebraska, USA – WFD 158.4

I hate this morning’s number, but yesterday did not have the restraint it needed, so the number is not a surprise. After today’s WF, tomorrow’s number should be a vast improvement!

@songbirdme Guadeloupe? Oh, how lovely that will be; have a grand time!!

@stitchsmith I’d never heard of diamond painting and looked it up; I’ll bet the stuff you do is lovely!

@penz Well done on persevering through Monday’s fast! 💪🏻

@dramaqueen LOL, I’d forgotten that a bunch of the world calls this day Pancake Day! I’d never once heard of that until being on the forum, so it’s still new to me and makes me chuckle. In the States, calling it Shrove Tuesday is not unusual, but thinking of/calling it Mardi Gras is most usual, which is why DH and I and our two sons went out for Cajun food last night, because they’ll be working tonight, and I’m WF today. Pancakes would sure be simpler, huh?

@maui Wonderful news on finding the great caregiver, and how fun to have had the lovely Mexican take-out dinner last night. I know the challenge of trying to figure out calories on such food, and just giving up–that was the same with my blackened catfish, red beans and rice, and jambalaya that I had last night. Yummy, but impossible to determine quantities even, let alone calories.

@daffodil2010 DH and I and DS31 are all giving up all alcohol for Lent (DS26 doesn’t usually drink, so has little to give up, LOL), so dinners will be vastly different for the weeks ahead, LOL!

@funshipfreddie I tried to find your review, but nothing jumped out at me as being from you, so I couldn’t “like” yours. 🤪 And thanks for the two articles; I’ve been trying to figure out what would be a good lunch for my NFDs, and eggs are now what I’ll choose. I can easily buy already hardboiled and peeled eggs, so that’ll be a simple habit that I can work on without getting involved with the fridge, which can lead me to getting carried away, LOL.

@matpi How’s your infection? You’ve been silent for a couple days now…

It’s 7:15 and the sky is gradually getting lighter, the pink is almost gone, and the sun should be showing its face soon…it’s a new day!

Hugs to you all, my friends.

USA. Day 21. FD800

Not much time today, so I just want to jump I here for accountability.

Pocket List – Day 21 🍒
@stitchsmith
@snowflake56 FD800
@jaifaim FD800
@maui FD800
@stitchincarol
@brightonbelle f800
@ccco. FD800

Have a great day!

Day 22, ???, Aus

Oh dear, if I can’t even start this post right, it goes to show in what a dither I am! OH is going away with work tomorrow so part of me thinks we should have a nice dinner together tonight. But I’m out tomorrow night and lunch with a friend Friday, so today really should be a FD. Right?

Maybe I can call it an OMAD….

Still, scales are being kind so I must be doing something right.

Day 22, Germany, CD

Yesterday didn’t go as planned, I didn’t feel great and decided to make it a NFD. I lost 5.9 kg/13 lbs since January 23rd and I think I have to slow down a bit.

@brightonbelle I’m so sorry to hear your face is swollen again. It must be annoying.

@funshipfreddie Our cruise ended in Tahiti, we spent two days walking there. We loved Buenos Aires, the Easter Island, the Falklands, the Juan Fernandez (Robinson Crusoe) island, Pitcairn, Bora Bora (the reason why we went on this cruise) and Patagonia with the Strait of Magellan glaciers. We thought about a cruise to Norway, but most of the ship have way to many passengers. Small ships are hard to find. We need @i-hate-lettuce for advice!

Have a nice day everyone!

Day 22 Melbourne, Australia FD

It’s just after 6pm and time to get ready for work. One of the things I really like about night duty is the feeling when I get to go to bed when everyone else is going to work. It feels almost as though I’m being a bit naughty. It is not good for my eating and sleeping patterns however. So, I’m not really sure whether I’m on a FD or not.

@lilymartin I think if you are wearing smaller clothes and your friends are commenting that you look slimmer and you get to have more fun with the grandkids due to you being fitter then you are on a winner. For me’ this WOL is to improve my health. And it certainly sounds as though this has worked for you.

Day 22 – Ireland 🇮🇪 – FD

Stacks of pancakes with lemon and sugar for dinner, slept like a log with that carbfest!!
Feel good today however, and gearing up for my FD, big coffee for breakfast, then my small mackerel salad for lunch, a quick bowl of veg soup for dinner as DH and I are heading over to our hairdresser daughter for much needed pre-holiday hair trims!!!

DH has a fine head of hair on him now, but it’s in dire need of a trim, and mine is down my back so a good couple of inches need gone. Saves a fortune in the salon too!!!

This day two weeks we will be in Malta so want to be trimmer in every way before then. We have tentatively discussed being off wine/booze for lent…lets see !!!! 😄

Have a happy Ash Wednesday (does anyone get the ash on the forehead ??), I haven’t since I was a child!!!

Day 22 – Ireland – Another FD (800) 🚫🚶🏼‍♀️✅

My goodness we’ve a load of losers this month… meant in the nicest way possible you know 😜
It will add up to a lot of lbs lost this month 💪

Well done on your first FD @stitchsmith 👏

I’m still bobbing around 162-165 and don’t really understand it but holding firm…
Hi @lilymartin I’m the same… clothes fitting better but no drop… WE WILL HAVE A WHIOSH SOON 🔜. And @malee57 is right all of the efforts mean we are much healthier and winning 🥇

@stitchincarol hope your WFD went well… I can’t do that now with meds.. (great excuse)

@brightonbelle sorry to hear you are in pain and of course that means low mood… I hope you feel better today 💕 and @snowflake56 too… 💕
@penz I’m having one of those days where everything is clunky, I’m dropping everything etc… maybe just tiredness- hope your day got better.

@dramaqueen, @funshipfreddie I love eggs too and yesterday I probably consumed way too many with a few pancakes and boiled eggs etc but they keep me full which is great ⭐️

@daffodil2010 it’s a perfect time of year to visit Malta! There is so much to see and do and it will be a perfect temperature in March ☀️

Interesting to see so many people aiming to give up alcohol ⭐️ I’m off it anyway so will have to see what else I might stay off for 40 days… bread I think… I’ve cut chocolate, cakes etc so might try to cut the bread out now… 💪

Have a lovely day everyone.

Onward and downward ⬇️
We rise by lifting others 💕

Pocket List – Day 22 🍏
@penz – maybe…? 🤔
@malee57
@dramaqueen6
@daffodil2010
@jaifaim FD800

Day 22 – Rural Nebraska, USA – NFD 154.8

I’ve been sitting here for five or ten minutes trying to keep typing, but not able to wake up the rest of the way to figure out what to say; it’s a lovely contrast to Monday night when I slept horribly. 🤪

@brightonbelle Oh, good grief, your patience is truly being tested!! What’s causing the swelling again–is it the same tooth as always?? You poor thing; of COURSE you’re grumpy!

@maui You are such an inspiration to be faithful to your goals even in the middle of such life commotion; I’ll bet you make that 159 goal or even hit 158, and am going to start thinking of you when I’m tempted to abandon my day’s eating plan.

@lilymartin How lovely that, despite the weight remaining stubbornly constant, your size and fitness are changing!

@snowflake56 THIRTEEN POUNDS????? In four weeks?!?!?!? Holy smokes, honey, that is STELLAR! Congratulations! How many more is your goal?

@stitchsmith Well done on sticking to your RESOLVE!

@daffodil2010 We do indeed get the imposition of ashes on the forehead at our service tonight…preceded by a congregation potluck to which I’m taking jambalaya…IF it even takes place due to the awful winter storm we’re forecast to get and that has already begun. Makes me sad to think of the meal and service being decimated in attendance, or even cancelled, which is apparently a real possibility since the storm is slated to be that awful, partly with snow, but more with massive ice accumulation. Oh well, it IS winter. On a more cheerful note, have fun getting haircuts and looking forward to Malta!!

@funshipfreddie I wondered if I should be looking on the UK Amazon site. And, yes, I just bought 18 eggs yesterday for $7.32–but there was a limit of two packages, as there are not many eggs even available; the culprit is Avian Flu which led to killing millions of chickens. I’m thinking that the new chickens are getting close to old enough to start laying so am hopeful the price will drop precipitously soon.

Okay, time to take down my Valentine’s Day decorations (yeah, I’m one of those) and put up my Lent decorations: a wall hanging (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/229050331033384520/) and a table runner (the one on the right: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/229050331033384500/) are basically it, because I don’t want to be known as the crazy lady where decorations are concerned. 🤪😂😂

Have a grand one, everyone!