Hello Southern Hemispherites!!

This topic contains 27,911 replies, has 831 voices, and was last updated by Anzac65 1 day, 20 hours ago.

Viewing 50 posts - 5,151 through 5,200 (of 28,015 total)

← 1 … 103 104 105 … 561 →

Annechristine

6:13 am
3 Jun 15
Permalink

What a lot of fun merry! Actually 80% chocolate is pretty good for me and my son- he is coeliac so all wheat/ gluten has been gone for a while as a staple in our house- it was just that gorgeous sour dough bread that got us- my son and I still miss it!
My nana was 63 when she died and I remember her with short curled blue/purple hair and a huge corset- she was short and completely round. It is different because my girls wear my stuff that fits them like jackets and metalicus tops! And I am never having blue hair.

thinatlast

6:23 am
3 Jun 15
Permalink

AC, my understanding is that Dr M. does believe that maintenance on 6:1 offers health benefits though perhaps not as great as when fasting twice a week. Weight loss is really just a very pleasing side-effect of 5:2; its primary benefits are repairing cells and increasing longevity. Fasting of course has been around for centuries, the 5:2 system has been developed to make the whole process palatable to the Western World. When our body goes into the fasted state, it starts the process of breaking down and repairing old cells so that must be a good thing regardless of how often you achieve it. I just think of it as giving my body a break from what I normally do to it. By the time we are ready to consider 6:1, we have already achieved so many health benefits that go hand in hand with being a more desirable weight, as we’re all experiencing. I’d like to think there are benefits from fasting once a week – although, to be honest, I see myself on 5:2 for some long time to come despite being pretty happy with my weight now.

There’s another benefit to fasting I’ve noticed that I don’t think Dr M. mentioned in his book – that of discipline. I mentioned early on in my 5:2 journey that I felt sort of ‘superior’ for being able to get through a FD so easily especially with other family members eating as normal around me. Like you’re talking about today AC, sticking to the FD while your family eat chocolate cake, that commands a certain discipline that I feel is good for our soul. I think you’re very strong to do that – I’d have changed my FD so I could dig in too! But I believe you’re a bit further along in your food journey than I am; I’m still mastering the basics. How long have you been grain-free? You seem very knowledgeable. Does anyone in your home eat grains?

Yes, the last time I was this weight, I definitely did not have the stomach bulge. I still have a small ‘fold’ and I originally said I’d keep going until that disappeared. If I stand with my arms in the air above my head, it does go away. Anyway, Happy Birthday to your daughter!

P.S. Sorry this is so long and I have since read both your posts so you’ve answered my question AC. Merry, I keep forgetting the other health issues you are battling. Well done to you. Sounds like you’re enjoying life nonetheless.

Intesha

6:37 am
3 Jun 15
Permalink

Hi all, reading the posts and green with envy at all your success in such short spaces of time. When I first started the 5:2 and lost weight quickly I thought I would breeze through but four months on and still struggling to get past that 80/79 roller coaster. Thoughts of giving up are always lurking but then I think what is the alternative. I do have muscle definition after 5years of going to the gym and I know muscle weighs more than fat but I did think it would be easier than this.

Merry I am 64 also and 5’6″ and on that up and down merrygoround. FD yesterday and weighed in at 79.3 this morning which is the lowest I’ve been. FD tomorrow.

I think when you first read the 5:2 diet it gives you a false sense of that you can eat anything you like on your non-FD days and even watching the trials and see them eating all that fatty stuff. Since starting the gym I have always watched what I ate and when I was working would prepare all my meals on Sunday for the week so that I didn’t stray. Even now I still follow the basics. I’m not a big eater and eat plenty of veggies, hardly any red meat, mostly chicken so any wonder I get frustrated when the weight just lingers.

Anyway that’s my gripe for the day.

Well done to all you achievers.

Intesha

6:51 am
3 Jun 15
Permalink

Thin, our posts crossed and yes when they talk about fasting replenishes the cells and the health benefits they don’t seem to make that the main agenda for the 5:2. It all seems to be about the weight loss and I think that is where the frustration comes in when the weight does shift as quickly as you would like.

Still the proof is in the pudding (lol) and this forum does prove that it works with discipline and perseverance.

I just have to keep reminding myself of that.

Annechristine

7:32 am
3 Jun 15
Permalink

Hi
I really love this forum! I have never done this before and just love the support. Thin my whole family recently went completely grain free although we do vary with how strict we are. Jumped on the whole foods/organic wagon many years ago- about 10. My back stop is to say, no matter what else you do, eat whole, wholesome, nutritionally dense food- I was doing that but adding grains, potatoes and a bit of rubbish so hence the weight gain.
My son and I are on a particular health protocol and everyone else almost sticks with it but my husband loves yoghurt and cheese and you know they don’t seem to hurt him. Last year I did a 10 day silent retreat that was vegetarian and so really reduced meat and animal fat- loved eating brown rice and legumes and salad but just got fatter and fatter!
Thin I agree about the discipline and health is everything- yes Intesha!- so I think if there is really not proof I will try and stick to 5:2- if you remember I am a constant craver so I would actually enjoy eating more on the other days and keep up with the fasting.
Intesha it is so tough for you but I had to fast every third day before I dropped grains and even then I plateaued until I dropped dairy- was starting to wonder what else I could stop eating! I now only fast 2 days and keep losing.
I feel that I am actually paying attention to my body now. Like Merry’s experience you often need to do the elimination thing to know what your food issues are!

bayleafoz

9:57 am
3 Jun 15
Permalink

Hi Intesha, AC and Merry

I agree that it helps to kick start actual weight loss if you can find it in you to give up grains, sugar and dairy. On all days. These items appear to cause some people (me included) to stay on a plateau. Giving them up seems to give the body a jolt. Once you have lost all the weight you want, you can experiment with putting small amounts of grains and dairy back into your diet. The most favourable dairy is yogurt.

I am sure that some people can indeed eat any type of food. But I am not one of them. During my weight loss period, I gave up all white food, no sugars, starches, breads, potatoes, rice, pasta. On any day. You get the drift. And I always drank a minimum of 2 litres of water. All meals had a little protein in them. And my meals have lots of flavour, pepper, ginger, chilli, lemon, lime, herbs, garlic. I eat nuts and full fat foods, avocado, olives, but not grains.

Don’t give up. Ask yourself how much do I want to be slim. Slim feels good and it feels healthy. And this 5:2 is doable for many people.

I learnt to have portion control, not to graze, to drink enough water, and that fast days are enjoyable.

All the best. Bay 🙂

Annechristine

9:10 pm
3 Jun 15
Permalink

Wise words bay. I know Intesha in the book- maybe in the examples, they talk about some men who just ate anything they wanted on other days and still lost weight but this is highly unlikely for women and particularly women of our age. People often tell me they or someone they know- had the weight fall off them’ after fixing hormones, dropping sugar, etc but there has been no magic cure for me. That is why this 5:2 along with a reasonable eating plan has given me an answer- bay my family lives on avocados- what a great food.
Intesha has your GP done any blood tests? After 3 months on 5:2 my fasting blood glucose was its lowest ever at 4.6 and this is essential so maybe you will see some motivating changes there.
My frustrations are in my health- my blood pressure is pretty good now and only having half the drugs but my asthma has reappeared this winter- I take heart from the long termers like bay IHAW and PVE that I am still in early days and these health issues will improve.
Have a lovely day all
No fasting for me for 4 days – lost another 300g so 69.4

bayleafoz

11:52 pm
3 Jun 15
Permalink

Hi AC

Apologies if I already posted this. Through doing 5:2 I was able to reduce my BP drugs by one third, after I lost the first 8 kg in weight. Then a year later my BP measurements in the morning were high. Through the rest of the day BP was normal.

Taking a tip from elsewhere, I changed the time of taking the tablet from the morning to the evening. This seems to be doing the trick and the morning BP is now good using the reduced tablet.

I have no reason for why this would work, other than my body reacts well to exercise of any kind, and poorly to inactivity, eg, sitting in the evening and sleeping.

Cheers, Bay 🙂

thinatlast

12:57 am
4 Jun 15
Permalink

Great news Intesha, well done. A new PB. You must be thrilled. You too AC, firmly establishing yourself in the 60s. I like your question, “Is it whole, wholesome, nutritionally dense?” and I will try to adopt that when considering food. Yesterday I was 63.7kgs, today after a FD I’m back up to 64.3kgs. Could be all the water and soup consumed on a FD or maybe it’s just not worth trying to rationalise. Two food challenges coming up and then back to normal with a FD on Sunday. Have a great weekend everyone.

Intesha

4:52 am
4 Jun 15
Permalink

Didn’t last long Thin. 80.3 this morning but this is an FD for me today so we will see what tomorrow brings. I’m like you it does my head in trying to work out all the ups and downs. I only have up to 1200cal on a non-FD and have even cut back on FD’s, the body has a mind of it s own.

Annechristine

6:05 am
4 Jun 15
Permalink

Hi all- including those we haven’t heard from in a awhile- how are you all in Dunedin?
Thanks Bay- good tips. Yes we are all quirky in our way and don’t always follow a pattern.
Intesha and thin my sister has got serious with 5:2 and couldn’t believe it when she lost no weight at all after an FD but did lose 200g the following day. Remember all of us that some experts say you should only weigh yourself once a week to account for natural fluctuations. At the moment I would find that very difficult.
Yes Intesha your body is running on its time!
I am going camping to Byron bay in 4 weeks for 8 days- no it’s not Italy- but will be interesting because I can’t. Weigh myself- the upside is that my fasting sister will be there so at least we can fast together.
Hope you are feeling ok Charlie G- thinking of you.

Barata

6:52 am
4 Jun 15
Permalink

It’s been just horrible in Dunedin, more than two months’ rain in just over a day. No drains can be expected to cope with that. Hope all our friends are okay, not too much damage, and able to dry out. And after the drenching we had in this part of the country just a couple of weeks ago! Shame it can’t fall evenly, on the dryer parts.

Well done, Intesha, and all of you who are seeing losses. Envious of those of you in warmer places, forecast high of 8 degrees tomorrow. We are starting to look at booking our winter week in the sun, perhaps Fiji for the first time. Any pointers, folks?

I don’t think I could give up dairy and grains, but I am lucky that I do not seem to need to, not for weight loss anyway.

Annechristine

7:21 am
4 Jun 15
Permalink

Poor you all in Dunedin- a sunny 22 here! Although only 7 this morning.

thinatlast

7:23 am
4 Jun 15
Permalink

Barata, maybe it’s time for you Dunedin losers to meet for a nice, hot coffee to warm up. How did the trip to Stewart Island go Nads? It’s 22C and sunny in Perth today but I thought the overnight low of 15C a bit chilly. (Sorry!)

AC, I am an obsessive weigher, morning and night plus after exercising and even after a shower I can get a better recording than before! But I only take note of the Thursday morning weight. I’ve been hovering between the same 1kg weight range for several weeks, but I did measure my waist this morning and was happy to note a 4.5″ loss. That would be about 11cm. That’s gotta make my vital organs happier, surely. Although I will probably never be able to think of myself as being a slim person, I can definitely accept that my old size 12 high-waisted pants look very small around the waist. I can hardly believe that I now fit into them comfortably, yet I do. I even got a size 10 skirt on & zipped up the other day – but it will be a while before that looks good.

So, Intesha, don’t worry. Measure other things. You’re losing at a faster rate than I did and this WOL beats any alternative. Your daughter will notice a difference too and that will give you the feedback you need to keep going.

Barata

9:14 am
4 Jun 15
Permalink

No, I’m not in Dunedin – Wellington for me at this period of my life. I was commiserating with our southern friends, having to dry out after the downpour. We suffered similarly recently. No fellow-fasters here that I kow of to meet up with… Have to stop now, the cat has settled in front of the screen. 🙂

thinatlast

9:51 am
4 Jun 15
Permalink

ooops, my mistake Barata!

Intesha

11:04 am
4 Jun 15
Permalink

Third attempt at posting.

Thin I also weigh morning and night. Just weighed and I am the same as I was this morning 80.3, that’s a first. How much weight did you lose in 4 months?

thinatlast

3:22 pm
4 Jun 15
Permalink

Intesha, it took me from Jan-Aug last year to lose a measly 5kgs on total deprivation. Once I discovered 5:2, I lost another 14kgs from Aug to April. So, actually that’s about the same rate of loss as you?

Annechristine

8:57 pm
4 Jun 15
Permalink

Good morning all
Barata I have been to Wellington a couple of times years again and thought it was really gorgeous. If I ever get my finances together I really want to go on a family holiday to NZ- but not in winter- I am unused to the cold as I have been in Queensland for 24 years now- originally from Sydney- although because I am 40 from the coast it can be cold at night- 7 now but we do frost down on the flat- ie the paddock below the house- thin does it get cold at night in Perth like that? Today will be sunny and 23 so pretty gorgeous.
Thin you are very funny and perhaps queen of obsessive weighing. I know you will sympathise with me when I can’t weigh myself for those 8 days- starting to think I will have to take my scales and maybe keep them in one of my sisters cabin. I am looking forward to the hol as my 3 sisters are going with their families.
Well I lost another 100g on a non fast day- something has changed for me- with persistence- so new PB 69.3. It has to be grains for me because I thought I ate too much yesterday but all good on the scales.

Annechristine

9:25 pm
4 Jun 15
Permalink

Hi thin- as my son would say- you must be tripping- I can’t believe you don’t look slim at your height and weight!!! And you fit comfortably in a 12 moving down to a 10! Yes I am sure your organs are very happy

Intesha

9:25 pm
4 Jun 15
Permalink

Well done AC. I weighed 79.3 after my FD on Tuesday and the same this morning after yesterday’s FD. My body is putting up a fight about shedding this weight. I haven’t been to the gym this week as I have been suffering from a head cold and feeling a bit weak. Oh well I’ll take heart from all your posts and keep on keeping on.

bayleafoz

11:12 pm
4 Jun 15
Permalink

Hi Thin, AC, Intesha

Well done on your weight losses. 😆 As near as I can work out, you have lost at just under 2 kg a month, which seems to me to be a fantastic loss rate. As well, you have gained all the health benefits of fasting. If you are on a plateau that has lasted a while, I can only endorse what everyone has said about experimenting with eliminating certain types of food to see if that has an effect. We are all so different that one persons trigger food may not be another’s.

I think I’ve posted before that I lost my first 8 kg in 7 weeks, and then lost the next 8 kg over the following 20 weeks, through many steps and stairs. 😉 I didn’t worry about these plateaus because I was changing shape through this second phase. I recorded my food eaten and weight loss each day, but never worried about any of the plateaus, because I think that a loss of 8 kg over 7 weeks is unnatural, and frankly unsustainable. I was thrilled not to be going backwards after such a dramatic weight loss.

The longer I stay on 5:2 the better I feel. So thanks to Dr M and Mimi for writing the book and publicising the health benefits of intermittent fasting. Think of the alternative. 😮

AC, we can’t be very far away from each other. It was 6C last night at The Gap, and will be 23C today. I’m going to play golf later. The weather looks wonderful for a stint at Byron Bay.

Cheers, Bay 🙂

thinatlast

12:25 am
5 Jun 15
Permalink

Exactly right Bay. In the past, the only way I could have lost 2kgs a month would have been to eliminate absolutely everything that tastes good 7 days a week – one foot wrong and I’d have forfeited that half kilo loss for that week. It was miserable. I’ve done it twice, losing vast sums of weight, only to gain it all right back when I reverted to my old ways which is inevitable on those regimes.

I agree with you completely about the slow weight loss and believe that losing at a slower rate is healthier for your body. Until now, I’ve done little about changing my ways on feast days which is what has made all this seem so effortless to date. As I start to pay better attention to other aspects like cutting down on grains as suggested on these pages, I know I can get those last few kgs off. Last night I substituted Slendier fettucine for pasta on a feast day (family didn’t even notice that mine was different) and I’ve been rewarded on the scales today so I believe that eating some of the FD foods on feast days will also help me. I’m very happy with all this and so grateful to all of you on this forum which helps tremendously.

AC, I think we’ve had frost reported at Jandakot airport about three times in over 20 years. The lows this week are 6-10C and the highs about 23C. Well done with the continued losses. You’re a star. Were you on the forum when the subject of travel scales was discussed?

Annechristine

12:49 am
5 Jun 15
Permalink

Hi all
Intesha great that you are hovering around 79 not 80. Inspiration from Bay and thin as usual. Yes I have lost weight more quickly in the past however what is blowing my mind is the slow – not very slow- loss of 3 kilos a month for five months and now to have already dropped nearly a kilo for this month is amazing to me! Not sure but I think it has a lot to do with my body becoming a fat burner- I have been hovering around insulin resistance since my mid 30’s and the 5:2 plus some tweets must have changed that.
I didn’t realise you were in Brisbane Bay- have fun golfing.
N oThin I don’t know about the holiday scales so please enlighten me!

thinatlast

2:10 am
5 Jun 15
Permalink

AC, it’s been a few weeks now but there was a fair bit of talk about travel scales. I think you can find them on ebay. They must be very compact as someone said their feet hung over the sides! Some brand names were mentioned but I can’t remember them. Perhaps those who were involved in the chat would kindly enlighten us again – was it you Merry?

Jaybee68

12:36 am
6 Jun 15
Permalink

Hello everyone. I wonder if there are any people still here from when I was here before. I bombed out at the beginning of 2014 due to serious health issues with my husband and I did not have the heart to focus properly on my weight loss for a long time hence I am now heavier than ever:(. I have had a few half hearted goes at getting back to the plan but all have failed so this morning I got up out of bed and decided to give it my best again. This post is to make a public commitment to get focused again! Today is Fast Day. Wish me luck!!

Today is a miserable day weather wise here in north west NSW but better than yesterday when it reached only 11 degrees(with wind chill factor heaps less I reckon!!) We went to a rodeo last night and it was FREEZING!! Loved coming home and hopping into a beautiful electric-blanket warmed bed!!Today I get to stay home all day with heater going and I see a good afternoon with a good book in my future!! I am making curried carrot soup for my fast day meal, found the recipe in a blog that provides a lot of 5:2 recipes and I have all the ingredients to hand so no need to venture out into the cold to shop!

Looking forward to getting to know all the people posting in this forum.

bayleafoz

12:48 am
6 Jun 15
Permalink

Welcome back, JB

Good to see you back. As we know intermittent fasting is the easiest way to lose weight and to keeps off. It won’t be long before you’re back in the swing. 😉

Cheers, Bay

Annechristine

1:39 am
6 Jun 15
Permalink

Hi JB. I have started since you left. Began fasting at beginning of year and joined forum a couple of months ago- I have found it inspiring to make fasting my new WOL as everyone says. I have said this before but I don’t think I have ever stuck to anything for over 3 months before and have reaped the benefits with a loss of 16.7 kilos. Lovely nurturing way to start fasting again – book, bed, soup, mmmmmmmmmm

mcrombie

3:32 am
6 Jun 15
Permalink

Hi All
I’m in Adelaide and have been 5:2ing for 3 weeks almost. Tomorrow is weigh day but so far I have dropped 1.9kgs and am thrilled! No one has commented but my clothes are definitely looser 🙂 I’m finding the regime easy and am eating whatever I like on feed days, including alcohol!! Love the fact that I have discovered this forum, it’s a great source of info and motivation.

I will definitely keep going. I want to lose 17kgs in total, but for now my goal is 5kg (I can only cope with small achievable goals!)

thinatlast

3:36 am
6 Jun 15
Permalink

Hi JB, welcome back. I started in August so I haven’t come across your name before. Could you post the link to that 5:2 recipe blog please? Good job making the public commitment – now we’ll be expecting regular reports!

It’s a beautiful sunny morning here in Perth, the river is glassy flat calm and I’ve just enjoyed a long walk after two back-to-back “food traumas” comprising a buffet breakfast this morning after a restaurant meal out with friends last evening. I’m pleased to report that I was very restrained at the breakfast this morning but that’s only because I unwittingly overate last night and felt bloated and sick most of the night and woke up feeling full & disgusted with myself. OH says it was just a normal size restaurant meal but I’m just not used to eating that much anymore and, before I’d even thought about it, I’d already consumed the naan bread and rice – disaster. You’d think I’d learn. No wonder I’m stuck on the same weight for so long. CM – you taking note from your top deck balcony? We’ll be the same weight when you return.

Never mind, today’s a new day and I will just have soup for dinner and then I’ll be fasting tomorrow so will be back on track for the week ahead. Does anyone else go off the rails like this? I’m fine at home but don’t seem able to ‘leave food on the plate’ elsewhere.

No responses about those travel scales AC, so we’ll have to google.

P.S. Welcome mcrombie. Small goals is the way to go. I’ve lost 19 kgs by setting small increments and then keeping going once achieved. Not that you’ll want to be following my advice if you’ve read the above confession!

Hootinannie

3:48 am
6 Jun 15
Permalink

Hey JB.. Good luck and loads of support from us all… I’ve had a few really bad days so have to pull my socks up tomorrow (movies tonight so being good or even close to good might be difficult) … Barata I think ? were you asking for pointers on Fiji? My daughter and I went about this time last year and I can say it was a most relaxing time in paradise .. We stayed at the Raddison in Nadi for a few days and booked 10 days staying at different islands in the Yasawa group.. You basically just hop on and off the Yasawa Flyer (ferry) which travels the islands on a daily basis.. I managed to avoid ‘Bali belly’ by only drinking bottled water (buy it on the ferry) and Travel Ease a saviour but my daughter got it pretty bad.. It’s easy to just eat what the locals eat, lots of fish, fruit but didn’t go for the carb laden, sweet breakfasts .. It depends where you stay really anyway…(unfortunately I avoid even the salads as you don’t know what the water is like it’s been washed in)

bayleafoz

3:49 am
6 Jun 15
Permalink

Hi Thin

I think it was Purple who has the travelling scales, and she is still travelling with scales 😉 We will just have to wait until she returns and ask her again. I think she said she was signing off all threads while she was away.

It’s beautiful and 18 C here in Brisbane. I’m enjoying it while I can. Only one week left.

Cheers, Bay 🙂

bayleafoz

3:54 am
6 Jun 15
Permalink

Welcome McCrombie,

We’re all trying to enjoy this way of life forever. So if you fall off the wagon, you forgive yourself and get right back on again. Hey, Thin?

Thin, thanks for supporting every one else. We love your supportive posts.

Cheers, Bay 🙂

To give motivation, I have let everyone know that by staying on 5:2 for six months I lost 17 kgs and I have kept it off for almost a year. As I’ve said before, the greatest joy has been seeing the inches melt away, and buying a whole new set of clothes, and fitting into size 11 trousers. 😆 Keep going, fasters, this really works.

thinatlast

4:21 am
6 Jun 15
Permalink

Thanks so much Bay – it feels like I’m the one getting all the support on here. I’m very grateful that you’ve stuck around to share your success, long after you met your goal. Yep, right back at it, a lifetime of bad eating practices to be undone but we all know what we need to do. You’re an inspiration to all. 😆

HA: forget that movie junk food! Make your own popcorn and smuggle in your own healthy snacks! (Take my advice – I’m not using it).

EnglishAussie

5:41 am
6 Jun 15
Permalink

Hello everyone. Wow, so much inspiration on here with your weight losses. Well done. Thanks for the advise re my headaches. I think sugar withdrawals may have had something to do with it but also hormones. I was good during my weekend away at Sydneys Vivid Festival by skipping the puddings and am trying to eat well on my feast days. I attempted a fast day on Tuesday and was going well with no headache but had to eat in the end because a friend wanted me to pick her up from the city so didn’t want to drive two hours with no food inside me. But I completed another fast day on Thursday and not a trace of a headache woo hoo. I am sticking to my one evening meal and don’t really feel hungry.

Thin, don’t be too hard on yourself. You have had amazing success to date and I am guessing your stay at the hotel was a special occasion so we all need a treat every now and then.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Annechristine

5:59 am
6 Jun 15
Permalink

Hi all
Great about lack of headache EA and I would like to have your willpower to hang out until dinner. I have minimised my first meal so dinner can be a bit more generous but haven’t made it to dinner with no food yet! I must have missed something Bay- are you only temporarily in Brisbane?
Hi mcrombie- welcome- I had several sub goals which really works for me to.
Cool here and just dropped all kids off so OH and I get to have a night alone together!

thinatlast

6:13 am
6 Jun 15
Permalink

EA, thanks – and glad the headaches are clearing. Not a hotel stay, just happened that way as I had a breakfast function early this morning at a hotel and, in a separate deal, some friends wanted to go out for a meal last night. We don’t usually have such an active social life!

Enjoy that child-free night AC! Did you say you had four children? If so, it must be rare to have none of them at home. I can go until about 2pm on a FD now. I like to have a back-up plan because, some days, you just wake up hungry.

EnglishAussie

6:45 am
6 Jun 15
Permalink

Thanks AC. Have you tried freshly squeezed lemon in hot water? I find that it fills me up and is nice and warm in my tummy. Thin – sounds like a great weekend to me lol.

After saying I am trying to be good, I have just succumbed to a homemade ANZAC biscuit and now I am going to put my feet up and watch a dvd whilst the toddler is napping. Oh well, it is the weekend!

thinatlast

7:54 am
6 Jun 15
Permalink

EA, that hot lemon sounds great for a wintry day. I have just remembered that you’re in WA too so I could have said the breakfast venue was Burswood on Swan. Lovely function centre right on the riverbank as the name suggests.

EnglishAussie

10:02 am
6 Jun 15
Permalink

Hi Thin, Sounds lovely. No wonder you couldn’t resist.

Hilary4

10:13 am
6 Jun 15
Permalink

Hi all, checking in from Dunedin. It has been a wild ride over 10 days – Monday 27 May saw a heavy snowfall, Monday 1 June a 4.7 earthquake and Wednesday 3 June 195 mls of rain – a hundred year event! Mercifully no damage of any kind at our house.

I have just completed my 18th week (I started on at the start of February) and at this morning’s weigh in I have lost 12.7kgs. I have never stuck to any diet this long – it truly is a way of life – or had such success. That is 1.2 kgs this week (much better than the 0.1 I achieved last week) and takes my BMI to 24.6 and my weight to 67.8 – time to set a new goal (63 kgs).

EnglishAussie – I envy you your trip to Vivid. A member of another forum I frequent posted some fabulous photos online. We are coming to Sydney on July 4, after a week in Melbourne, on holiday and I am sorry that this wonderful event will be all done and dusted. My daughter, who was fasting today, asked at dinnertime if we are fasting while we are on holiday and I said we would take a break while we are away. She was pretty happy! She and I have been on this journey together and she has had great success as well.

EnglishAussie

10:18 am
6 Jun 15
Permalink

Hi Hilary4, congratulations on a fantastic achievement. I am glad that you escaped unharmed from the earthquake and weather. I had the most amazing weekend at Vivid all by myself (husband and kids stayed home). I keep thinking, this time last week I was in the Sydney Opera House waiting for my concert to start. Back to reality with a bump this weekend! Have a wonderful holiday in Sydney and Melbourne. Both wonderful cities.

bayleafoz

11:54 am
6 Jun 15
Permalink

Hi AC

Yes, I’m here for three weeks with my Mum. Then back to Canberra. Big difference in temperature.

Well done Hilary, great results.

Cheers, Bay 🙂

CharliesMum

2:28 pm
6 Jun 15
Permalink

Hi All. Just. Quick check-in from Dubrovnik in Croatia. Having a blast. Haven’t weighed myself since we left! Yikes! But I’m still using the same holes on my belt, so that’s gotta be a good thing. Home in a week and I can’t wait to get back to normal. Glad to see you’re all sticking with it. Haven’t read everyone’s posts but have got pretty close. Maybe all this slow weight loss stems from the cold weather? Any “veterans” have that problem last year? Anyway, keep on keeping on, guys! It’s worth it. CM xx

Annechristine

9:30 pm
6 Jun 15
Permalink

Hi all
Thin, my children are teenagers and up but they all never seem to go out at the same time- easier than having a toddler though EA- mind you occasionally there are ugly moments with my 15 yo daughter!
Watched the I I Hendrix movie last night and it was really well done- worth a watch if you like that era- slightly before my time but really enjoyed it.
EA soda with a squeeze off lime has been my saviour through out this process and I have just. Discovered that I like all herbal tea much better if I squeeze lime into it. Fortunately I have a very prolific lime tree so limes almost all year round.
H4 that all sounds quite frightening so great you are ok. What a weight loss machine you are- I feel the same way- thank god something works. Last year I was feeling that I was out of control and would just keep getting fatter with no solution in sight. About 2 years ago I did the HCG diet- loads of people up here were doing it- 500 cals a day for 3 weeks and taking drops- weight fell off but totally did my head in and so of course put it all back on.
Bay I need to be in Redcliffe for my daughters dental appt on Thursday so if you feel that is close enough for you we could have coffee? Appt is at 11:20 and my OH will stay with her so I am free.
CM what fun. Best holiday is when you love it but also happy to get home!
Thin like you I only count my weight after my second fast day. As to blowing out- I haven’t done it much because honestly I just put on 800g and one of the culprits was just because I blew my paleo thing and had some rice crackers- like Merry I have been on an elimination diet- no crackers for 10 weeks and gosh I felt terrible after them and put on 500g over night. So, this all works for me but gosh I need to be strict- that’s why I like hearing Bay about what she needs to do to maintain- hopefully when I have reached my goal I can have a bit of buckwheat and/quinoa but I think rice might be out in the long term. That is ok because my OH makes awesome buckwheat pancakes!
Have a lovely day all- sunny and predicting 22 here.

Jaybee68

10:25 pm
6 Jun 15
Permalink

OMG so many posts since I “committed” yesterday!! I will certainly need to check in more than once a day if I am going to keep up and get to know everyone. I had a successful first fast day yesterday and went to bed feeling quite pleased with myself and thinner already..how non logical is that!! It is like the way I feel about people around me…if I am gaining weight, I think they look as though they have lost weight and if I am losing weight, they look as though they have gained!! So much about weight loss is in our heads and not the body, I believe!!! I haven’t yet determined which days of the week will be my Fast days, I made yesterday one because I got up with the determination but not sure yet which days will fit best…may do another one tomorrow. When I was here before I was doing Monday and Thursday. We will see.

ThinatLast, here is a link to the website I found the curried carrot soup on
http://www.lavenderandlovage.com/category/posts/general/5-2-diet
The soup was delicious although too spicy for my husband who is a food wuss (and skinny…grrr). I added black pepper and chili flakes to the recipe making it even bitier than the recipe intended :D. Perhaps subconsciously I did not want to share with him 😀

Today is a much better day here, the sky is blue and we are above the zero mark. Hubby has gone off for the day playing golf. I will visit my very elderly Dad (3 weeks away from his 100th birthday) then meeting up with a friend for afternoon tea. Have a good one everybody.

bayleafoz

10:26 pm
6 Jun 15
Permalink

Hi AC

That’s sounds lovely, and it would be great to meet on Thursday. I need to organise transport before I can be sure of getting to Redcliffe. Will see what I can do and let you know.

Cheers, Bay 🙂

Boomboombum

10:44 pm
6 Jun 15
Permalink

Love reading everyones journeys they are a source of inspritation, especially seeing as everyone has had their sets back, currently on the one step forward two steps back, had hit my 88 kg mark 5kg lose but on weigh in yesterday had gone up 700gms thanks to a extra long Queens Birthday Weekend with too much food and especially wine.
Am going to do FD Mon Tue & Thurs next week have been at the gym Sat & Sun, on the plus side a pair of pants there were a very tight 16 when I brought them 3 years ago and only wore for a few months are now loose and that yucky yucky fat overhanging apron is definetly shrinking>
I know that weight lose is all about a number on the scales so will just keep moving forward still hoping to hit 85kf before holiday starts 44 days to go….not that I’m counting LOL

thinatlast

1:25 am
7 Jun 15
Permalink

Wow, I usually arrive here on a Sunday to find I’m all alone – but today I had all these great posts to keep me company.

JB68: thanks for the link, I’ll be heading there when I’ve finished this. Spicy carrot soup sounds delicious, I rely a lot on cauliflower soup (103 cals for two filling cups and ingredients are already to hand) but could do with a change. Pleased all went went on your first day back. Most people seem to do Mon & Thurs fasts like Dr M. The day I decided to ‘just get on with it’ happened to be a Sunday and that’s worked well for me ever since. Long-term, it tends to limit the weekend blowouts. If something comes up on a Sunday, I switch to Saturday. Others prefer weekdays as they’re working.

AC: we have a lime tree that’s prolific in winter just as the G&T season ends. By summer, I usually have a freezer full of juice and use it in Asian recipes. I’ll try using the limes in herbal teas in winter, great idea. Would love to hear of you and Bay meeting for coffee – along with news from the Dunedin ladies.

H4: what a wild ride nature has delivered you down there. Great news on your weight loss, you’re doing so well.

CM: glad it’s been a good trip, I’m looking forward to having you back.

BBB: Sounds like you’re more like two steps forward and 1 step back. You’ll get there.

I’m looking forward to today’s fast meal: Singapore Noodles with Slendier Angel Hair, prawns & loads of veg. 239 cals. Enjoy the rest of the weekend all.

thinatlast

1:37 am
7 Jun 15
Permalink

JB88: that’s a great source for 5:2 recipes. Cauliflower features prominently! I’ll be spending today copying some new recipes into my files. Thanks!