Focused February – The February 2023 Monthly Challenge

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Focused February – The February 2023 Monthly Challenge

This topic contains 382 replies, has 27 voices, and was last updated by  Maui 1 year, 10 months ago.

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  • USA. DAY 22. FD800

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

    Very busy week, so just popping in for accountability! Have a great day! 🙂

    Day 22 USA/HI FD800
    Weigh-in 159 lb today! Was not expecting this as I did not keep my FD800 yesterday. Going for it again today.
    Pocket List – Day 22 🍏
    @penz – maybe…? 🤔
    @malee57
    @dramaqueen6
    @daffodil2010
    @jaifaim FD800
    @ccco. FD800
    @mauiFD800
    Silly me, this is my third post as last 2 disappeared. I know I should type in my notes app but I was just being lazy. Then I realized how Theraputic it was for me to write out my posts twice … so time not wasted. I will say quickly that having DH at home is a joy but the care required is beyond me. Tried to help caregiver yesterday and my back is feeling it. We are trying to piece it all together with whatever help we can add. Hospice Supportive Care kicks in next week hopefully. And once infection is gone I think DH will become a bit more mobile … we don’t need much. Just have him be able to help us a tiny bit and stand for a few minutes would be a game changer.
    Best wishes to all on this journey. I appreciate everyone’s kind words and support.

    Day 23, NFD, Aus

    Hi @lilymartin. I can feel your frustration, but what’s more important to you? What the scales say, or how you feel? If “clothes fitting better, getting fitter eg getting up from the floor with the grandies is much easier. And lots of family and friends noticing that I look slimmer !!” then what you are doing IS working!!!

    My OH has an Apple mac laptop that is 14 years old. Yes, there is no life in the battery any more and it’s stuck on an old OS (the current OS is not compatible) but it is otherwise going strong. Well done you for sticking with yours – it should serve you for many years to come!

    Day 23 country west Australia FD 84.8 kgs 186.86 lbs
    Yesterday was an ‘inadvertent’ FD. Started work at 9 and worked without a break until 6.30 pm.
    So just had a very small serve of chicken stirfry a for dinner and Cruella was NICE this morning with a number below 85 kgs for a change!!!!!!!! 😁
    I’m not getting overly excited but it certainly shows we are on the right track.
    And better health is really the main reason I want to lose weight and be fitter.
    @penz et al. Thank you for the encouragement.💐 Definitely appreciated and motivating.
    Will try to see if I can get below 84 kg by month’s end. I look at the numbers mentioned by others and they are my goal….
    @maui CONGRATULATIONS on the 159 !!!👏 The vagaries of when and if the weight goes keeps us on our toes!!
    RE your DH’s mobility, would a hoist or standing frame be any use? We got a hoist, fairly easy to use ,when my F-i-L became quite immobile. It allowed us to transfer him more easily.
    I have lost so many posts over the years that now I copy them in to a word doco in case I lose them, then just copy back here if they float off into the ether!!
    @stitchincarol, a good night’s sleep is such a joy. Makes one feel so much better. May you have many more such sleeps!
    Feeling very motivated to try a B2B and keep today as a FD as well since it ws planned and I have meal covered for DH.

    Day 23, Germany, CD

    @jaifaim I’m fine, it was only one day of feeling unwell. Do you remember the time where all the lost kgs were added at the end of the month?

    @dramaqueen, @funshipfreddie and @stitchincarol Thanks, my weight went down well. I don’t know if was caused by only taking in 800 cals daily or leaving out sugar. It might be the combination of both.

    @dramaqueen It was the only time we went so far away. Normally we stay in Europe, we only went to Canada a few times on our holidays. We both don’t like flying.

    @funshipfreddie The Falklands were a bit weird, a was strange to see houses, gardens, telephones and even British food so far away from GB. I don’t think I could live on any small island, it gives me a claustrophobic feeling.

    @stitchincarol I don’t really need to lose more weight, my BMI is 23.2. I’m going to try to maintain this weight, it feels and looks good. You patchwork looks great, I esp. like the wall hanging.

    @lilymartin I second @penz answer to you, don’t just look at the scales. I wanted to lose weight to try to lower my BP, my main reason to do it. The better fit of my clothes is a nice benefit.

    Have a nice day everyone!

    Day 23 – Ireland 🇮🇪 – FD800 keto

    Good day yesterday, having another FD800 today, zero until lunch, then it’s a small tuna salad, and then a pure protein meatball dinner.

    Feeling good. Is it the fasting? Is it being off the wine? Is it a new stronger anti-histamine I started taking? Is it the cardio exercise in the morning? Whatever,mI have been feeling quite, well marvellous, this past couple of days 💃

    My lovely hair cut also helps. It’s still below my shoulders but much lighter feeling, the silver strands of hair look good in my strawberry blonde, so I am going to let it go silver ….never dyed my hair before and lucky that my once ginger is turning strawberry blonde with age, and with the new do, well it lifts me up!

    Sun is shining. Spring flowers everywhere. Yup, it’s a good day today.

    Hope everyone else has a good day. ☺️

    Day 23 – Leicester UK – FD

    My second FD of the week hope it goes as well as the first, feeling positive at the moment.

    Sending positive vibes to any who need them

    Day 23 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – FD

    I just spent 15 minutes on the phone trying to get through to the municipality in Durban to whom I used to pay my rates/electricity bills. They’re STILL sending me rates bills, despite the fact that I sold the place at the end of August last year?! Not just any bills either. Apparently I’m ‘in arrears’, I’m being charged interest, & if I don’t pay immediately, ‘legal action will be instituted after 14 days’. Long story short, it’s fine. Not my fault. They’re waiting to be contacted by the deeds office to finalise the account. Six months later?! So, stop sending me the *^@$# bills then. No can do. They’re generated automatically, so…. 🤯

    Glorious weather here, but I’ve got gardeners making a racket, + the owners of the place I’m staying at are here getting the main house renovated. Boo Boo is not impressed, trying to wedge herself behind the fridge again. So I’m going for a walk & a haircut to try & put myself in a better mood 🙁

    A much-needed FD today. Thanks for the positive vibes, @stitchsmith – I need them! 😅

    Pocket List – Day 23 🍎
    @lilymartin
    @daffodil2010 FD800
    @stitchsmith
    @funshipfreddie

    Day 23 UK FD

    Morning ! I’ve resolved to be more positive today despite the fact half my face looks decidedly weird , I’m not in pain , it’s that the infection has migrated to the fascia in my face but another dentist appointment this afternoon so let’s hope it gets resolved 🤞

    @stitchincarol – yes my patience is truly being tested but compared to some of the issues other fasters have it seems minor

    @maui – you’ve done fantastic keeping focused with all that’s going on in your life 💪

    @lilymartin – definitely on the right track ✔️

    @snowflake56 – You r done it exactly as Michael M suggested got down to your ideal weight quickly and then adopt a healthy way of eating – well done 👏

    @daffodil2010 – it’s all coming together

    @funshipfreddie – grrr red tape – there’s no escape but I agree a trip to the hairdresser is a pick me up

    We have just a week left – anyone thinking of volunteering for March ?

    Pocket List – Day 23 🍎
    @lilymartin
    @daffodil2010 FD800
    @stitchsmith
    @funshipfreddie
    @brightonbelle

    Day 23 FD Auckland

    Gosh! I have just caught up on all the posts from the last couple of days. Interesting to read and everyone is so kind and supportive.
    Have been super busy. We have the Auckland Art Fair coming up next week and DH’s gallery is presenting his work. It falls to me now to represent him.
    Communication is still very difficult in the flooded areas of the North Island. My cousin is OK but her brother is a farmer in the worst hit area. His land is covered in silt… No one is saying much about the sheep and cattle because it’s too awful to contemplate.
    @stitchincarol Love your pattern! When I was visiting Scotland I went to The Border Mill in Dunns and bought enough wool for a gansey and a Shetland jersey. They make lovely tweedy wool by plying two similar colours together. My Eriskay is an aqua sea blue/ green.
    My FD has gone really well today and I finished the day up with a bike ride to the dog park with Mr Mac.
    Got to go to bed because I’m hungry now!

    Day 23 – USA/GA – FD

    Weigh-in: 221 lbs. Water fast day, here we are! Next week, I have an interruption on Wednesday/Thursday for a conference. I’ll either do Monday or Tuesday as a FD. Tuesday could be dangerous as I’ll have to break my fast at the conference (eek), but if I don’t, then it’ll be a B2B FD Sun/Mon. Ohh, I think I have a working lunch on Tuesday. Egads… funny how food pops up everywhere.

    If I can get below 220 tomorrow and Saturday, then it’s a win over last week. A tie is still a good win, as I am trending oh so slightly lower over last week.

    Score:
    Days 220 or above: 4
    Days under 220: 1

    Pocket List – Day 23 🍎
    @lilymartin
    @daffodil2010 FD800
    @stitchsmith
    @funshipfreddie
    @brightonbelle
    @northgeorgia

    Day 23 – Rural Nebraska, USA – WF 156.6

    Another ugly weight. Suppose it’s related to how much I ate at the potluck last night??? Although, I figured out something: I didn’t eat more than I could have eaten when I was, say 32…or even when I was 40. I realized yesterday that my largest challenge is that I have to adjust my perception of how much food is “reasonable” and how much is necessary for my body at age 64. It’s all mental, isn’t it?

    @snowflake56 So you’re in maintenance?? WELL done!!! And thanks for the compliments on my stitching stuff. It was fun yesterday to realize I could link to my Pinterest page where I have my stuff pinned, or at least some of what I’ve made.

    @daffodil2010 What a happy post, and I’m thrilled for you that you’re feeling so marvelous!

    @funshipfreddie Wow, I’d be horribly frustrated as well to be getting the bills so long after selling; I hope you manage to get it resolved quickly.

    @brightonbelle I hope the dentist is able to resolve this for you this afternoon–perhaps even as I’m typing, as I’m 6 hours behind you.

    @merryapple How fun to learn your of your DH’s art; @maui‘s DH is also, so that makes two on this forum with artist husbands whose work is displayed in galleries…seems to me that’s a high percentage for what the proportion actually is! My sisters and I talk about traveling together at some point (although the eldest is 80, so “some point” needs to happen soon, huh?) and GB is high on the list, so perhaps someday I also will get to buy yarn in Scotland!

    Our winter storm yesterday did almost nothing–no snow at all, in other words–but the ice is awful and this morning’s Bible class is cancelled since the temperature with windchill is -16F (just air temperature is -16C!). In amusing contrast, the sun is shining in clear blue skies! No spring flowers anywhere here, however! ❄️🥶🧊

    So, off I go to do my secretary work and later I’ll drive in to Omaha to teach lessons; the main roads are already clear, and the residential streets will hopefully have a chance to melt in the sun by then–it’s always impressive to me that, even in such cold weather, the sun has the power to melt ice off streets and sidewalks!

    Have a grand one, everyone!

    Pocket List – Day 23 🍎
    @lilymartin
    @daffodil2010 FD800
    @stitchsmith
    @funshipfreddie
    @brightonbelle
    @merryapple
    @northgeorgia
    @stitchincarol WF

    USA. Day 23. FD800

    Pocket List – Day 23 🍎
    @lilymartin
    @daffodil2010 FD800
    @stitchsmith
    @funshipfreddie
    @brightonbelle
    @merryapple
    @northgeorgia
    @stitchincarol WF
    @ccco. FD800

    Crazy week for me! Just jumping in here for accountability today! Hope all is well with everyone!

    Day 23 – UK Cam – FD
    Quick post for accountability – had a hectic week so far – Monday’s FD went well (working in the sunshine in the kitchen garden, weeding was bliss) doing my 2nd FD of the week, this one is HARD – probably coz I am not rushed off my feet – just lots of boring chores… AND baking 🙁

    Wishing strength of mind to all my co-fasters today
    Pocket List – Day 23 🍎
    @lilymartin
    @daffodil2010 FD800
    @stitchsmith
    @funshipfreddie
    @brightonbelle
    @merryapple
    @northgeorgia
    @stitchincarol WF
    @ccco FD800
    @gardenlily

    Day 24, NFD, Aus

    Lovely to read your post @daffodil2010 – your positivity is shining through!

    Oh! And then @funshipfreddie. How frustrating!!! Bureaucracy gone mad. A friend of mine was telling me about his frustrations submitting a (very genuine) workers compensation claim to be told by the delegate that she would deny his claim and she didn’t need to read his submission or take certain factors into account, because he could just appeal, and the appeal process would look at all that material instead. !!!! Basic administrative law 101 – fail!!!

    Cross fingers your next dental visit does the trick @brightonbelle – this infection has way overstayed its welcome.

    I share your pain @gardenlily – why oh why is it that some FDs are an absolute breeze and others are a real challenge?!

    My OH is away at the mo – which means tonight I will indulge in Thai Roo Salad (think Thai Beef Salad but using kangaroo meat instead of beef). He doesn’t like kangaroo (it’s got quite a gamey flavour and it’s best eaten rare/medium rare) so I am looking forward to my treat tonight!

    Have a great weekend everyone.

    Day 24 country west Australia CD 84.6 kgs
    When one is moving slowly the saying is ‘ inching forward’ so if one loses weight oh so slowly is one ‘gramming’ or ‘ouncing’ down ??? Because that is what I am doing!!!!!
    Finally the sales are headed down but not by much.
    I think the B2B helped. 🙃 Also after 2 weeks my appetite has reset and I am much less hungry and going without a meal or 2 is easier and portion control reverted to ‘normal’ – finally!!! 🙄
    @stitchincarol, funnily I had the same discussion with my sister last night re perception of eating as one gets older!
    She was lamenting doing more exercise and not losing any weight then she said ‘ guess I’ll just have to eat less!’. As Tom Venuto ( world natural body builder ) said, you can’t outrun a bad diet. 😲
    @snowflake56, when I was first doing 5:2 in 2016/2017 it was mainly for the health benefits, which is why I am back on the wagon. But given at least 20% of Aussies are ‘ pre-diabetic’ I want to move myself out of that cohort and weight loss is one way of doing it. I already feel better and clothes fitting better so am happy-ish with that but I do want to get down to 80 kgs soon as I have not been under 80 kgs since May 2018 !!!😱😱😱
    And 10 years ago I was 65 kgs ……… baby steps ……
    @penz, the ‘Roo salad sounds delish. I like BBQ Roo patties and yes it does taste quite strong but my friends won’t eat them.
    @gardenlily , envious of your garden time. I’ll get there one day, once the mountain of office work gets done..🤔
    @ccco, sometimes the quick accountability is all it takes.💐
    @stitchincarol, glad to hear the storm wasn’t too bad.
    We heard the warnings about it here in Southern WA – 42 cms snow forecast in some places and windchill factor equal to -40ºC 😱😲😱⛄️⛄️and except for being in Antarctica we are about as far away as we can be !!!
    @northgeorgia, yes, food does crop up everywhere, and it is hard to resist.
    Food companies spend tens of millions of $$ developing ‘ desirability’ factors, a combination of sugar/fat/salt – often very very tempting especially when one is hungry !!
    @merryapple, we are thinking of you in NZ following the floods. Heard last night that more rain is forecast – another 100-200 mls. The commentator thought the rivers could handle it but it sounds like a LOT of rain. Good luck.
    As farmers ourselves we really feel for your brother and the farmers over there , and the animals Doesn’t bear thinking about. 😢
    @brightonbelle, best of luck with your tooth/infection. It seems to be going on a long time.
    @daffodil2010, lucky you to have such pretty hair. Mine is ‘ mousy brown’ ( hairdresser’s description years ago!!) with grey streaks and I just can’t be bothered covering them up!
    @stitchsmith I hope your second FD went well.🤞
    @funshipfreddie, oh the ‘joys’ ( or not) of dealing with bureaucracy. 😱
    Our utility providers must be related to those in SA. Our poor tenants are also in arrears with their water bills, mainly because THREE attempts at getting them changed from our name to the tenants’ names has failed miserably.
    We STILL receive the bills , usually late because of the vagaries of the post and being in the country, and by the time we photograph and send to tenants they are WAY overdue…..
    We keep being assured that the problem has been sorted – and then WE get the next bill …….😡
    Compared with what others are facing around the world this is a very petty and minor frustration for us but frustrating all the same.
    Onward and DOWNWARD !!!!

    Day 24 Melbourne, Australia NFD

    Today I need to try to not overdo the eating. It is my first day off after 2 night duty shifts and I usually am not food on the self-control. So I am keeping busy so I don’t go to bed too early and that way I should have a very good sleep tonight and try to reset onto days.

    Have a good day everyone and I’m off to do some shopping before we reach our expected top of 33c. Then I will come and sit in my airconditioned living room. And probably nod off.

    Day 24, Germany, FD800

    @daffodil2010 What a lovely positive post yesterday!

    @brightonbelle I glad the weight got off so fast, it’s nice to eat a bit more now. I hope the dentist appointment went well yesterday.

    @lilymartin We can’t ignore the chance of getting severe health problems that come with being overweight anymore, can we? I’m glad we found a way to lose weight without giving up too much. Although your weight is going down just little by little, it’s still a loss. You’re on your way to 80 kgs!

    @stitchincarol Yes, staying at my current weight is the plan. If I stay away from sweets I will be fine, sweets are my downfall.

    @funshipfreddie and @lilymartin We had the same kind of problems with an insurance company long time ago. It took a while before they had sorted it out. It was annoying.

    Pocket list day 24
    @snowflake56 FD800

    Have a nice day everyone!

    Day 24- UK Cam – NFD- FD800???

    Yay! Scales smiled at me – down 0.5lb on last week (137.8). Very happy after a very hard FD500 yesterday – snuck in an apple in the evening as I was SO hungry, never mind the high protein. zero carb day. Some FDs are a breeze, others a real pain 🙂

    @lilymartin – I am definitely ‘ouncing’ down – not bouncing!!!

    @merryapple – awful weather with you – I have family in South Island (near Nelson) so get regular updates. Hope it goes OK with you and your family.

    @penz – your roo salad sounds delish – our local butcher has a wildlife park attached and sells ostrich/venison/buffalo meat – I haven’t seen any roo meat but I wouldn’t put it past them – they do have some wallabies! The buffalo is our favourite,although needs careful cooking as it can (like ostrich) be dry – all to do with lean and healthy meat!

    Taking heed of some earlier postings re. breaking fast and avoiding carbs – I shall start the day with zero yoghurt and berries and, as we are planning to eat out at lunch, choose a salad if possible. I guess main thing on NFDs, for me at least, is to keep busy and not loiter in food shops before meal times – never go shopping when you are hungry 🙁 At least today is a visit to a big garden centre so very limited snacking – unless the herbs look tempting …

    Have a good Friday everyone!

    Day 24 – Ireland – NFD 🚫🚶🏼‍♀️✅
    Friday weigh in 161lbs..

    Hi everybody.

    I missed posting yesterday but it was just so busy and with a lot going on.
    Early and quick check in today. Friends visiting this weekend so it may be tricky…

    @snowflake56 I had a vague recollection of the totting up of lbs lost but… I think some people might have found it to be a pressure but it would be interesting to see. Particularly this month with you, @litprof and others losing lots… ⭐️
    I weigh on Fridays and don’t always post the figure but have popped it up today … ⬇️ 3lbs from Feb 1 so the scales are beginning to show the result of recent efforts – and 1lb off my Feb target – honestly I’d have expected more of a loss but who knows what the body is at 🤩 still a drop is a drop and poca a poca I’ll get there…
    I may bob up again by 28 February particularly as there is a fun weekend planned but we shall see.

    Have a lovely day everyone.

    Onward and downward ⬇️
    We rise by lifting others 💕

    Day 24 – Ireland 🇮🇪 – NFD

    Fri-yay! I first heard that used by @funshipfreddie and thought it was particular to him, but now I am hearing it everywhere, in work, on the radio! They can’t all be here on this forum 😆

    Good day yesterday. Positivity shining on, though the tummy upset of earlier in the week is back. DH also suffering, we both have sinus inflammation and cough issues for the past couple of weeks, might be something to do with that.

    Anyhoo. On we go for Friday.

    @gardenlily I remembered when I first started on 5:2 I worked in a commercial glasshouse growing herbs and edible flowers , and if I felt peckish I would help myself to some basil, or mustard, parsley, even lovely red mustard. It sure helped ☺️

    Now I work in an office so no fresh herbs to assist on a fast.

    Have a lovely day everyone.

    Day 24 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

    My haircut did nothing to improve my mood yesterday. I guess 5 minutes in the barber’s chair doesn’t work the same for guys as a trip to the hairdresser’s does for the ladies. But the walk, sunshine & the sight of the sea did wonders. The FD was a bit of a struggle, but I clung onto the wagon, & was rewarded with no gain after three NFDs. 70.2 kgs 🎯 Now to stay *Focused* for the weekend.

    @penz & @gardenlily – good question! Why are some FDs a breeze, while others are more challenging? For some reason the more NFDs I’ve had before the FD, the tougher the FD will be. I think it’s also a combo of the mood/circumstances of the day, how busy we are, our motivation & what we decide to eat on the FD. Staying away from food generally til late in the day, & staying away from carb-heavy food works for me.

    @penz – kangaroo meat?! 😱 I had no idea people ate them? And, dare I ask… koalas?? 🐨 I had a croc-burger years ago when I was working at Sun City. They have a crocodile farm at the resort.

    @brightonbelle – I hope you got some relief at the dentist? And @matpi – I hope you’re no longer suffering with that infection?

    @daffodil2010 – Fri-yay! I first heard that on my local radio station – East Coast Radio.

    Gotta dash. Happy Fri-yay! 🍹

    Pocket List – Day 24 🍓
    @gardenlily FD800 – maybe? 🤔
    @snowflake56 FD800

    Day 23 USA/HI NFD
    End of the day here but signing in for accountability. Calories 800 or less but I am not counting it as FD … because my 2 FD800’s this week did not go that great. So I will just count today as make up for the 2 that went badly. Lol
    We’ll see what the scales have to say about all this in the morning.
    Tomorrow must take DH to dentist in his wheelchair. Must admit I am very nervous about the logistics of the whole thing. Both sons will help.
    Hope everyone meets their goal for ending Focus February.

    Day 24 – Dorset – NFD

    Morning all on a non rainy Friday!! Woo hoo

    @stitchincarol – that is a beautiful wall hanging! There are definitely a lot of creative people on this forum! If you do come to UK please come down to Dorset maybe we could meet up? I love putting faces to names.

    @funshipfreddie – I feel your pain re “the powers that be” one of life’s irritants

    @brightonbelle – I really hope they sort out your teeth soon!

    @daffodil2010 – lots of tummy upset in our local community too, but everyone keeps saying they have food poisoning!

    @lilygarden – as you say never go shopping when you are hungry. After watching Secret Eaters, as posted by @funshipfreddie , apparently if you are hungry you buy high sugar, high fat foods!!

    @merryapple – thinking of you all.

    Have a lovely weekend everyone!

    Day 24 – Leicester UK – NFD

    Yesterday’s FD went well I even had a couple of my 800 calories left at the end of the day….day off from work today so todays challenge is not to graze on the sweet treats we have in at the moment…..

    Good luck to all on FD’s hope it goes well

    Day 24 UK NFD

    I won’t go into detail about the 40 odd minute dental treatment yesterday but 🤞

    Just a quick post to set us up for the last weekend in February, I know some of you are very disciplined – even managing to fast over the weekend ! but this is historically when I let myself down , but recently I’ve been fairly good by following a @funshipfreddie tip of planning my food & drink in advance on MFP , I’m fine with not dropping weight but it’s painful to see your hard work wiped out by a day’s overindulgence – just need to be realistic

    Anyway have a great Friday

    Day 24 – USA/GA – NFD

    Weigh-in: 217 lbs. Decided to heed the advice I watched recently, and broke my fast this morning with only some nuts and half an avocado rather than any kind of carbohydrate. The emerging research on fasting seems to indicate that refeeding carbs “first” confuses the fasted state ketone/fat burning process and stuffs the carbs even more quickly into fat storage, meaning that proteins and some healthy fats may be the best thing to eat to break a fast. Interesting concept. I’ll give it a whirl.

    Score:
    Days below 220: 2
    Days at 220 or higher: 4
    (One more day below 220, and I win over last week!)

    Day 24 – Rural Nebraska, USA – NFD 152.6

    Okay, a much prettier number this morning. I’ve been doing lots of reflecting on how much is “reasonable” to eat; I’ve also been thinking about why a WF is actually quite easy for me, but a restrained NFD is too hard to do with any restraint. So, as I was driving to lessons yesterday, feeling a bit hungry, I tried an experiment: I told myself “Today is not a WF, it’s an NFD; are you able to wait on having any food?” Suddenly, my stomach was growling and hugely demanding–it was a dramatic switch. So then I thought, “Okay, what do you do about such feelings on a WF?” I grabbed my water bottle that I always have with me when I’m driving, and drank deeply. Slowly, the extreme hunger settled down.

    So what I learned is that the hunger is very controllable, but I have to insist my mind be in control, rather than the feeling in my stomach be in control. What I already know, however, is that after a Thursday WF, having my mind be in control on a Friday is VERY difficult–I truly am hungry, something I don’t really experience on a general basis. Right? So this is my pledge today: I will not eat until 1:30, and then I’ll eat two eggs. That’s it. Nothing else. Then at 3:30, I’ll have an orange. Finally, I’ll have supper whenever that is (don’t know yet if I’m cooking or if we’re going out for a Fish Fry).

    It’s a pledge. It’s a promise. Two eggs at 1:30; one orange at 3:30. And this is going to be way harder than a WF ever is! But “hard is not impossible,” right?

    @penz I giggled to read you were going to eat kangaroo–it had never occurred to me that they were ever eaten, LOL! Hope you enjoyed it tremendously!

    @lilymartin You are showing such stellar discipline and I’m delighted for you that the scale gramming its way down!! As to eating less when we’re older: the thing I constantly have to remind myself is how much better I feel with very little food in me. Right now, having not eaten for 36 hours, I feel TERRIFIC. I must, must, must learn to feed my body according to how I feel, not according to habit, or to greed for the taste.

    @jaifaim From what you’ve been reporting, I fully understand your expectation to have lost more than 3 pounds…and yet, it’s a loss, so you deserve congratulations!

    @daffodil2010 That makes me chuckle, to think of you helping yourself to some fresh herbs because you were just that hungry!

    @dramaqueen6 What a fun invitation! I will absolutely come to Dorset if I ever travel to the UK.

    @stitchsmith Yeah, NFDs are probably the hardest of all, as we all agree. RESOLVE!

    @northgeorgia Thanks for sharing the research you’ve been reading on how best to break a fast; I’m going to follow what you’ve been sharing. And I hope you manage to have another day under 220! Nice weigh-in this morning!

    The roads were entirely dry when I drove to lessons yesterday, and this weekend is supposed to warm way up with a high on Saturday of 47/8 and Sunday of 55/13–that will feel positively balmy, LOL! In the meantime, I have some tidying to do, and some (much dreaded and hated) tax work to do, so while the day won’t be fun on any level, it will certainly leave me feeling virtuous once I get done what I have in mind to accomplish!

    Have a grand one, everyone!

    Day 24 USA/HI NFD
    Awake early today….Weigh in 159 lb this morning. I am absolutely thrilled to see the 159 new low again. Even with a little up/down bounce, feels like solidly in the 150’s now. Good to have this one thing working for my self care…starting to feel a bit lighter on my feet. My DS51 said to me, as we were speed shopping in Costco the other day, “Mom, you are moving so fast now and you really look great. What have you been doing?”
    Ok, team 5:2 let’s keep it going. Onward, downward, lifting each other up … so much good stuff going on here! So thankful I found you.🙏 💕🤗🌴🌺

    Day 24 Second Post

    It’s 1:10 and it’s killing me that I don’t get to eat just yet, but I’m toughing it out…you know, regret weighs far more than restraint, or however that’s worded, right? So, 20 more minutes, and I’ll be attacking those eggs!

    @maui What a lovely compliment from your DS51! And we are just and thankful you found us; you’re a wonderful inspiration to this group!

    Day 25 Melbourne, Australia NFD

    I can’t compare my weight now to my weight at the beginning of the month as I was on the steroids then and am now back to regular eating and drinking. But I think overall I have not lost weight this month. At least I have not gained it. And there is still 4 days to go.

    NFDs are still my downfall. I am trying to make sure I have lots of fruit and salad in the house, so I am eating not too unhealthily, even if I am eating too much.

    Last night I enjoyed my cider while chatting to my sisters. I only have an alcoholic drink when I am socializing. So, on Friday night when I am chatting to my sisters, I will have a drink.

    Have a good day everyone.

    Dy 25 country west Australia CD 84.6 kgs.
    I admit to being a tad disappointed with Cruella today. I feel as if I have lost weight and my current clothes are fitting better but, according to old Cruella, nope, weight just the same.
    And yes I am aware that scales can vary by 1-2 kgs up and down so it is not really that.
    I also run the tape measure over waist, bust, hips once a week on Saturdays when I record my weight.
    And the figures are worse than last November ????? 🤔🤔🤔 Still trying to figure it all out.
    I do think the weight distribution is somewhat different and feel as if I have more fat on my back ( pinch test under the bottom of the shoulderblades feels disgusting – no muscle tone at all – just soft squishy fat. Apologies for graphic image….
    @malee57, I always found the NFDs more problematic than FDs so consider them all CD( controlled days) at the mo.
    @FunhipFreddie, perception is a funny thing. I have no problem eating ‘roo meat ( and we had a pet kangaroo for many years) but to even contemplate eating a koala…😱😱😱
    @maui and @northgeorgia, congratulations on such good figures. Motivation to keep going.
    To all those Fri-yayers, it made me think, I had all Friday in front of me, but then I realised that it is actually Saturday here in WA 😲
    Better go and make the most of it.
    Crazy weather here – 37ºC Thursday , 26C yesterday though 21 C was forecast , balmy 28C today and hotter by midweek. Perth up to 38ºC for first dy of autumn!
    Onward nd downward.🤗

    Day 25, Germany, FD800

    @lilymartin I’m having the same feeling today. Lying in bed, my belly felt real slim but it didn’t show on the scales. I also have the feeling my fat distribution has changed. My face is a bit boney but my hips are wider than normal so my pants don’t fit as well as they used to do. Perhaps time will change this. We just have to go on.

    Pocket list day 25
    @snowflake56

    Have a nice day everyone!

    Day 25 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

    @stitchincarol – I hope you finally enjoyed those eggs? The pain of discipline or the pain of regret, right? 😅

    @lilymartin – 37º C?!! It’s feeling quite wintery here; my phone is telling me it’s 20º C, but I think it’s lying.

    @missybear – I just heard about an earthquake in Wales at midnight last night?! Did you feel anything? 😱

    @daffodil2010 – I think I first heard ‘Hump Day’ from you, or someone else on this forum not too long ago, but now I hear that on the radio too.

    DR MICHAEL MOSLEY: Want to beat your biscuit cravings? Fill up on bananas: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-11791191/DR-MICHAEL-MOSLEY-Want-beat-biscuit-cravings-bananas.html

    Have a good weekend everyone 🌤 🌈

    Day 25 – UK Cam – NFD
    Didn’t do so well yesterday after a good start – lunch was a disaster as the restaurant had doubled booked – we stopped and got take out instead – Turkish 🙂 🙂 with extra flat breads !!! On a positive note, we ate such a filling lunch (hmmmmm) that we didn’t want much else all day altho’ DH did have some cheese & biscuits with celery – I had celery, apple and a little piece of cheese.

    So, today is a whole new challenge – off on Granny duty but glad to hear that DGD has given up sugar and chocolate for Lent (I tend to choose something positive for Lent rather than deny – like 10 mins quiet contemplation each morning). So, no cakes or biscuits on offer 🙂

    Just a couple more days of Focused February to go and I need to focus! Might try to squeeze in B2B 800 on Sunday and Monday – given the cold weather has come back it seems easier to do 800s and indulge in soup rather than salad.

    Have a good weekend everyone!

    Day 25 – Leicester UK – NFD

    I tend not to do my FD’s on the weekends I discovered during my previous attempt at 5:2 that it is way to difficult when socialising……still seeing good numbers on the scales though so hoping for a decent improvement for my first week….,

    Day 25 UK NFD

    Looks like you might be the sole faster today @snowflake56

    Have a good Saturday all , I’ve got a lot of rugby to fit in over the weekend 🏉

    I’d not heard about the earthquake @funshipfreddie but I was thinking that we’d not heard from @missybear for a while so hope everything’s ok

    Fellow fasters please have a think over the weekend about volunteering to host our March challenge

    Pocket list day 25 ❄️
    @snowflake56

    Day 25 – Rural Nebraska, USA – NFD 153.6

    Check out that weight! After an NFD, it’s only an exact pound up from after a WF. I behaved almost perfectly yesterday, despite some strong temptations, and am delighted with myself. Now to repeat it for today, LOL.

    Yesterday I pledged to you two eggs at 1:30, one orange at 3:30, and then supper. I make the same pledge to you all today. @penz I think of you every time I make a promise to the group; thanks for holding me accountable!

    @malee57 I’m sure it’s frustrating–I know this personally–not to have lost weight, but given the monkey wrench in your plans of the steroids, it’s my opinion you have every reason to be proud of yourself for not having GAINED in February, so stay the course and know you’re on the right track and will soon find the right balance of eating to allow you to lose weight. Are you by chance entering your NFD foods in MFP?

    @lilymartin A pet kangaroo?!?!? There IS such a thing?????? Describe a pet kangaroo’s behavior, would you? I mean, it doesn’t cuddle on your lap, and it doesn’t play fetch. Does it like to be scratched behind its ears? Do you run with it? I’m fascinated at the thought!

    @snowflake56 My experience with weight loss–and weight gain, for that matter–says that it takes several weeks or even over a month for our body to completely reflect what’s happened on the scales, so I imagine your body will continue to thin down over the coming weeks even as you simply maintain your weight.

    @funshipfreddie You’d have laughed and shaken your head at me to see how quickly I ate those eggs, LOL. But I had just the two, with nothing added except salt and pepper, so I felt quite virtuous! Moreover, I was working on a project and got involved in a problem and it was 1:45 (instead of 1:30) when I realized the time to eat them had arrived!

    @gardenlily Wait a moment. I thought “biscuit” was the British term for what Americans call cookies. So your DH had cheese and cookies????? I was expecting to read crackers? Do you call crackers “biscuits” also, and one just has to know the context to know whether they’re sugary or not??? You odd Brits, LOL.

    @brightonbelle raises an excellent point: who’s going to be our March host???

    Have a grand one, everyone!

    Pocket list day 25 ❄️
    @snowflake56

    Day 25 Second Post

    @funshipfreddie FASCINATING article by MM; thanks for sharing. We’re having asparagus with supper tonight, along with generous amounts of shallots in the pork tenderloin dish (and I’m assuming if onions and garlic have inulin, then so do shallots, right?), but I’m going to start buying bananas again (haven’t since the kids flew the nest), and DH has agreed to share one with me as “dessert” and see how our cravings go. Fascinating!!!

    And, as I’m sitting here feeling quite smug for how I behaved yesterday, I realized we need a new acronym: PNFDS–Post NON-fast day Smugness, LOL! 😇

    USA. Day 25. FD800

    Pocket list day 25 ❄️
    @snowflake56
    @ccco

    Well, I am down 2 lbs. but I think I am playing with the same two pounds! Well, I am going to try something I read yesterday and see if this will speed me up. I would eat my largest meal in the morning and smallest for dinner with no snacks. An experiment!! We’ll see!

    Have a great weekend, all! 🙂

    Day 25 – USA/GA – NFD

    Weigh-in: 219 lbs.

    First weekly average weight decrease since the first week of the year! Progress (albeit just a pound or a bit less). Because of next week’s work schedule and lunches/dinners, I’ll have to do a B2B FD on Sunday and Monday.

    End of week score:
    Days below 220: 3
    Days at 220+: 4

    It’s a win over last week which only had two days below 220! Last time with three days below 220 was the last week of January. Can’t play the game next week as I’m away at a two day conference. I did have one week this year all below 220 back in mid-January. Hoping to get there in March, then I’ll move the bar down a pound or two; hopefully getting and staying in the 200s by early summer. Come on 190s! I want to see that number this year!!

    Day 25 Second post

    Okay, for the second day in a row, the first time I ate was at 1:30pm and I ate two hard boiled eggs. Often, I’ve broken a WF with, say, a sandwich…think carbs in the bread. Or I’ve broken it with something even carbier, if that’s a word and is even possible, LOL. But these two days, I enjoyed the eggs, but I’m not hungry for more, and I’m content with what I’ve had–very unlike other days–Fridays in particular–when, once I started eating, I just kept eating, or at least wanting to eat.

    So, @northgeorgia, my two day sample is sure bearing out what you reported about NOT breaking a fast with carbs; thank you for sharing that!

    Day 26 country west Australia NFD 85.6 kgs
    Pride cometh before a fall…. AIn’t that the truth!!
    I was feeling quite virtuous this week with a FD Monday, B2B Wednesday/Thursday, 1 kg loss by Friday, 😇then got on the scales this morning to a 1 kg Gain !!! 😱
    I am not entirely sure what is going on( except perhaps the normal 1-2 kgs up/ down variation ? ) 🤔because I have upped the exercise and cut out entirely snacks, chocolates, wine, chips ( crisps), biscuits/cakes/pastries, dessert except for a couple of spoons of fruit salad on occasion, am having only 1 cup of flat white coffee daily 😢instead of about 4 large ones in a mug, cut my portion size in half ( eating off a smaller plate), eating much more slowly and STILL having difficulty getting and staying below 85 kgs….🤔🤔🤔
    I am determined to stay on the wagon this time but it is somewhat disappointing and perplexing and MFP would suggest that I am keeping to/under TDEE which is 1200 calories on NFDs and between 500-800 on FDs. Hmmmm……
    @snowflake 56 ,yes at this stage it is simply onward and … onward !! I am determined to stay on the wagon this time! It’s the only way.
    @northgeorgia, well done on the win.👏
    @ccco, when I was young the saying was ‘ Breakfast like a king, lunch like a lord, dine like a pauper’, so the smallest meal was at night and not a lot in your stomach before you went to bed.

    I am happy to host for March and attempt to ‘ herd cats’ provided AT is happy to set up the spreadsheet. I am hopeless with that sort of thing.
    I may be MIA towards the end of March as our daughter is expecting a Bub around then, but I will give it my best shot. And I WILL be under 83 kgs by end of March if not Feb!!!
    @funshipfreddie I tend to use dashes a lot so when I read your post I am just confirming that it was 37ºC ( very very hot!!) not -37ºC !!! Which would seem to be very very cold.🤗
    @stitchincarol, we Aussies use the word ‘ biscuit’ for sweet ‘cookies ‘and also for savoury ‘crackers’.
    So cheese and biscuits is a very common thing. In fact one of my ( previous) favourite snacks……😢
    Very enjoyable with ( again previous) drinks!!!🙄

    A pet kangaroo is such a gorgeous pet.
    We had this one almost 40 years ago . We got this one when it was very little , a joey, and it’s mother had been killed by a car.
    It was small and still in the pouch but it did have fur. They are hairless and quite ugly when they are very little but this one was a pretty little thing about a foot high.
    We had to feed it special formula hourly or so. We had a blue apron which was tied to a doorknob so she had to jump up into it like a mother’s pouch.
    She was adorable. Unbelievably soft and loved being on our knees and patted when she was little. She loved company and playing around. She didn’t stray far from us.
    As she got older we kept her outside and she just moseyed around, eating grass and staying close.
    When she learned to jump quite high ( adults roos can jump really high over fences) we had to re-inforce the veggie garden fences and make them higher as she was very fond of the veggies!!
    She used to have a game and ambush our farm dogs. She would hide and when the dogs went past she would jump out from her hiding place and give the dogs a fright!
    And she loved smarties !! ( Coloured chocolate sweets like M and Ms ). She lived to a very old age for a domestic kangaroo and was lovely to have around.
    Thee days you have to have a special licence to own a kangaroo and I think they have to go to special sanctuaries but back then anyone was allowed to have them as a pet.

    USA. Day 25. Second Post

    FD went well! Now, to keep it up! Too bad biscuits and cheese are a problem but I do love bananas, too!

    I love that you had a pet kangaroo! I can’t even imagine that! Must be fun! LOL

    Hope everyone had a good day! We had snow but it didn’t amount to much. It’s hard to believe it was 80F the other day! The U.S. weather is really messed up! Los Angeles is having a heavy snow event with something like 60 mph winds! So backwards and that’s rare for them. I can’t wait for beautiful spring!

    Hi everybody. I am 60 years old and live in the Queentown Lake District of New Zealand. In the past few years I have been par-taking in far too much Rose` and cheese. Can’t fit anything anymore so action is required. Tired the 5:2 diet a decade ago with quite good sucess, so I thought I would give it another go. This has lead me to this forum . Always safety in numbers , so I would like to be added to your ranks. I weigh to my utter most annoyance 72.8kg would like to get down to 64kg I am 165cm. My plan of attack is to do the 5:2 two days a week at 800 calories and then have 1277 calories on my non fast days, adjusting as I go down in size. Look forward to chatting with you fine people. Wish me luck !

    USA. Day 25. FD

    Welcome, Willowgirl! This is a great site.

    Day 25 USA/HI NFD

    @willowgirl You will love this group! We support one another with weight loss and the general ups and downs of life.

    Weigh in this morning still holding at 159 lb. This is end of my day, I believe total calories were around 1200. I forgot to check with MFP before I started this post.

    Quick update on DH… he is becoming much more mobile now that he’s completed the antibiotics. Trip to dentist went smoothly. Lady driving the handiVan turns out to be a cousin of a close friend. She also owns a care home so will be a good resource going forward. Small island … seems everybody is connected if you talk more than 5 minutes. Our doctor will come to see DH tomorrow and guide us with our next steps.

    Plan to do at least one more FD800 tomorrow or Monday. Wishing everyone a good day or evening … whatever is next for you.

    Day 26 – Ireland – NFD 🚫🚶🏼‍♀️✅

    Hi everybody and welcome @willowgirl! Great to have you here with us.

    @lilymartin thanks for offering to host March. I’d never heard the term “herd cats” but funny, my Scottish friend used it yesterday… exciting times ahead for you in March baba on the way 🍼 .
    We seem to have the same fasting frustration – while applying ourselves to the process – at the moment 🙃. I think mine may be down to the ibuprofens I have been prescribed daily for the past few weeks – are you on meds at all? Of course the only way to know would be to stop the meds along with everything else but will have to check that with the doctor. Waiting on tests and scan results but hopefully won’t be long now..

    @stitchincarol thanks for the support! It sometimes is just so frustrating when you are doing all the right things, and in a generally positive frame of mind, but the scales don’t play ball. I WILL get there but it’s great to have the forum to thrash out my thoughts… I will feel well and I will look swell 😂😂 needed to find a word that rhymed 😂😂
    What great reasoning you apply to your fasting – mind over matter – what self control ⭐️

    @maui my aim is to join you in the 150s and stay there but it’s taking longer then expected … Well done to you! See you soon I hope 🤞
    You have a fine son! Compliments are so very important 💕.

    Busy this weekend with mum. Things are becoming a little more tricky for my beautiful mother recently and we are doing our best to keep things as normal as possible but we have had to admit to ourselves that we have will need a little bit more help with the day to day.. we are very blessed to have wonderful carers who know more wonderful carers and as long as we can keep mum safe in her lovely home we will do all that we can. 💕

    Have a lovely day everyone and all the best to any Sunday fasters 🤩

    Onward and downward ⬇️
    We rise by lifting others 💕

    Day 26 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

    No PNFDS for me. Despite resolving to have a sensible weekend, I lost the plot a little yesterday. My 2 or 3 squares of dark chocolate turned into…8?! 🤦‍♂️ At least I didn’t finish the entire bar 😞 Then my landlady arrived with a box of Belgian chocolate pralines, as a ‘thank you’ for helping out as unofficial caretaker this past week, letting in various contractors into the main house & locking up after them. I’m relieved to say I did NOT open the chocolates though; but it was a close call. I’ve hidden them out of sight, & will either give them away or save them until Easter.

    @willowgirl – welcome!

    @maui – I’m so pleased to hear things are improving now you’ve got your DH home & off the antibiotics 🤗

    @stitchincarol – that never occurred to me until now – we do say ‘cheese & biscuits’; never ‘cheese & crackers’. Even if that’s what we mean; I guess cos it just doesn’t sound right. It can mean cheese & crackers &, as @lilymartin said, some plain cookies/biscuits go well with cheese, e.g. digestives without the chocolate & even Rich Tea biscuits.

    @lilymartin – yes, I knew you meant +37º C 🥵️ There’s a South African town called Upington in the Northern Cape – known for its wines/grapes – where the temperature routinely hits the 40’s in the summer. I guess people get used to it, but, urgh! I loved hearing about your pet kangaroo 🦘️Thanks for offering to host March!

    @lilymartin – can’t think why your weight is going down. You seem to be doing everything right? I would suggest trying Mon/Wed/Fri FDs if it fits your schedule, instead of B2B Wed/Thurs? And try not to go over 600 cals on the FDs? 🤔

    Back on the list tomorrow for a final Focused Feb FD.

    Happy S🌞nday! ☀️

    Day 26 – Leicester UK – NFD

    It’s the last day of my first week back on 5:2 and I am feeling positive that I can continue with these habits and reach my goals…..planned to swap my FDs next week to accommodate to knit & natter night (which is held in a local pub!) the flexibility is the main reason I like this plan – it doesn’t matter what days you choose as long as you do you FDs at some point in each week…….

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