Thank you Merry, Bay, CM, Nads, Intesha and EA! I was a very happy camper yesterday and yes, CM, there were a few excited yelps from the bedroom.

Merry, you’ve achieved a lot shedding that 10kgs in your situation. Well done for making it work for you and thanks for posting.

Good job DD and everyone else. I buck the trend and call them ‘feast days’ only because it keeps in my mind the science behind fasting which stems from our evolutionary feast and famine beginnings. I understand the thinking behind calling them non-FDs though.

EJH; all the best to you. Black coffee is because most of us don’t think it’s worth wasting precious calories on milk on a FD. Personally I can’t hack it so relied on herbal teas (calories also have to be counted of course) which just wasn’t the same as I am addicted to coffee on the morning. Then MK88 turned me on to the almond & coconut milk which has made my FDs so much better. Others might like skimmed milk but, for me, it’s just not palatable.

I began this WOE planning three very small meals because OH was doing it with me and he panicks if he can’t eat. Now he’s on 6:1, he still has oats for breakfast whereas I try and go until about 2pm before having anything to eat. 30gms oats with half tsp honey is 124 cals so deducting my 22 cals for the almond milk, we’re about equal for the rest of the day (600 vs 500 cals).

I don’t believe it matters how you plan it from a weight loss perspective but there may be additional health benefits from increasing your fasting window so some of us have tried to build up to less ‘meals’ saving calories until later in the FD. Whatever works to get you through the day. I’m in awe of you EA jumping right in and going all day without eating.

CM, well done shedding the cruise weight so quickly. Thanks for the Slendier tip too, I hadn’t thought of leaving the other portion inside the liquid suspension – great idea. I’m fasting today and I’m going to try Slendier’s minestrone soup recipe for dinner tonight.

Merry you’re doing amazingly well, even without battling ME/CFS. 10kg is huge & I’m sure it will make a big difference to your overall health/wellbeing. Great that your meds have been reduced as well. Inspiring. We’ll be with you for the next 10kg too. Keep posting when you can.

EJH, you sound totally organised for your first FD. Good luck and welcome. Go for it!

Intesha, the Pyjama Angels gig sounds like an amazing thing to do for those kids. Haven’t heard of it before. Hope you enjoy it.

MK & AC – Where the bloody hell are you???

For our newbies, take a look in Coles/ Woolies at Slendier noodles (health section) & La Zuppa soups (lots of flavours-love the TomYum). Noodles are 8 cals & soups 28 cals. Can be really useful at this chilly time of the year on FDs. Thin put me onto the noodles & miso soup – they are life-savers for noodle lovers (like me). Not sure if the soup is avail in NZ (but sure you have something similar), but the noodles definitely are.

Plan to build up to longer fasting windows, once I reach goal. Figure I’m doing my body so much good by just losing weight – gotta leave some more of the good stuff for later! FD for me today – salmon & stir-fry vegies tonight. Cold, wet & windy in Perth – the weather gods getting even! CM xx

I love salmon and we have it at least once a week. I’m with you EA, I have trouble with the summers now but I liked it really hot when I was younger (I read something to do with post menopausal women not being able to regulate their temp. but that can’t apply to you). Still, when we return to England for a year on the narrow boats, I’m sure I’ll be cured of my whinging about the heat, ha ha!

Intesha, I forgot to comment about your volunteer work but I did read your post yesterday. That sounds a lovely thing to do and will take your mind off all the stuff you have to deal with at home.

I’ve just had my second coffee and am about to make my soup for tonight. Our pantry looks like the Slendier display at the supermarket. EA, let us know when you’re coming NOR as I’m sure I speak for CM when I say we’d love to meet you for a coffee – or whatever suits you if you have little one in tow. That’s if you’re up for having a chat with a couple of fifty-somethings!

Thanks for all the ideas. I really enjoy reading your posts. Yes it is more than food and attitude to food it is about choosing to be busy on other things as well and enjoying that. Got to be good for your soul as well.
Looking forward to hearing how you go on your first FD EJH. Hope everyone else on FD went well.
Next eat less day for me is Friday. Then weigh in Monday. Looking forward to it.

Hi all
It’s been ages since I have been on the forum- just busy busy busy. Well done thin and very impressive CM- how great to be able to stay slim even when having, as she says in eat pray love- a leaving no carbs uneaten holiday!
Hi to newbies and welcome- this is a great way to get your body back under your control again- speaking as someone who has lost 17 kilos since beginning of the year.
Intesha happy to hear you are now glimpsing the 78 !
Bay as usual it is similar for me- a fast day never really goes above 400 cals. I am 69 now so only a few hundred grams in last 2 weeks- mainly because I have learnt to make gorgeous paleo bread- still too starchy to be good for me!
I just did to FDs in a row for the first time and found it quite manageable- surprisingly- fu ny how we just eat too much because even after two days did not really feel empty or desperate- oh the psychology of food!
Have been to rheumatologist and seems that son does have autoimmune illness so at least glad we have had him on the right diet and dr seemed hopeful! Didn’t comfort eat like I though t I would need to managing stress of this.
No more fasting for me this week but good luck to all of you who are.

I made it! Thanks for your support…..

Hi Hilary

Regarding the diabetes, if you read what Purple Vegie Eater has posted, her husband has lost a huge amount of weight on 5:2 and he has totally reversed his diabetes and is off all medication. It is worth finding one of her posts where she talks about how they did it. She is off travelling at the moment and not signed on to the website.

The temperature will top out at 11C here in Canberra today. Lots of lovely rain for the garden and street trees. A misty grey day.

Cheers, Bay 🙂

Hi Thin

I’ve lived in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Canberra, as well as Auckland and Wellington. I’ve visited Hobart frequently as half of my family live there, so that I feel I know it very well. Coming from a large family I have relatives all over the country and overseas.

Cheers, all. Bay 🙂

Greetings Fasting Friends,
Cold, wet and a bit lonely hear today. OH has just gone back to work for a ten week contract, and after no cows on for a couple of days, today I have four to inseminate.
Back still giving me hard time, and in the wet farm jobs seem to take forever. Fasting today, trying to get back to going right through to dinner before eating.
Have just enjoyed reading everyone’s great posts. Cheers GC. 🙂

Thanks cheer squad, I can see you shaking your booty!!!!!

managed to get to 1pm without eating since 6.30 last night. Still admire all that go without until dinner and am in awe of AC who went for two days. Had two cups of herbal tea and black coffee. Then had a shake and soup, 118 cals all up.

Welcome back Purple, wondered where you’d been, Bay said you were away. Glad you had a great and healthy trip. CM, you forgot to tell everyone how much weight you’ve already shed since getting home. 😆 Bay, you were right, it was PVE with the travelling scales. But now I can’t remember who was asking about them – AC?

You can do it Intesha. I went until 2.30pm yesterday and then only had the soup because OH was sniffing around waiting for his next feeding. I made it through on 430 cals yesterday and wasn’t hungry all day. Then I took a leaf out of Merry’s book and didn’t have breakfast until 11am today.

Sounds like you’re battling on regardless CharlieG. Have been hearing all about cow insemination from teen.

Great to hear from you, Purple. 🙄

Thin, did you do back-to-back FDs yesterday & today? Oh, and I’m saving my numbers for weigh-in tomorrow – it might be a bit better after my crash & burn FD yesterday!

Congrats EJH. The next one is so much easier and easier.

Hi all
PVE I would love to know where you found travelling scales- yes thin it was me-I am only going away for 8 days but a bit frightened about no scales! Also have to say that I took a photo of that inspirational post you made where you summarised your health journey- it really was awesome. I found it encouraging as at the moment my weight is better than my health but it has only been 5.5 months- I know my health will catch up. Good luck with cows CG- I didn’t understand until I moved to a rural area with farmer OH just how tough the life can really be when you really have to look after your livestock no matter how you feel. There was a lot of dairying around us until the milk price wars then the proposed traveston dam just killed most of it off.
Gorgeous sunny day here with top of 22 so off for a walk soon then a day of housework and cooking. For a variety of reasons both my older daughters and their partners are staying with us so it is busy- thank heavens everyone is at work or school today!

Good morning all. Congratulations Thin on new PB.

FD yesterday, weigh in this morning 79.3. My self imposed mind game at the moment Is to get under 80 when I weigh at night, that will be something.

Going for High Tea in the city tomorrow then probably won’t be doing anything exciting until my daughter arrives. It’s either a feast or a famine, excuse the pun.

Good Morning all.

Yay! Day after fast day and 72.8 this morning:-) that’s also a new PB for me. Only by 100 gms or a slurp or two of water, but I’m claimimg it! Thin, I’m exactly 10 kg higher than you this morning, and thanks for the advice about the last 10 kgs. I’ll just keep going till it’s off.

One thing I’m noticing is I think I’m walking a little faster when I’m out, and on flat ground. My GP once said every 5 kg of weight off, and the heart functions better. Well, have lost 2 x 5 kgs, so feeling good about that!

OH and I pulled out the secret weapon yesterday. We went to the movies later in the afternoon. Uses a few hours on a fast day, and makes it go faster. What about choc tops or popcorn? Instead I have a skinny flat white extra hot, or weak tea, and just sip it now and again. Lasts quite a while, then home to a pre cooked dinner. Last night it was Slendier noodles, with bolognese, and broccoli, 1/2 orange, 3 almonds and decaf instant coffee with splash of milk. I cut the noodles up into smaller pieces.

Question: how much do you go up on non- fast days, or do you work on staying the same weight?

Cheers,
Merry

Lots of great results happening with weight and inch loss. It is really good to read. I had my second fast day of the week on Wednesday and weighed in at 68.2 on the Thursday morning. I was happy with that small loss because I had a long brisk walk on fd in the hope of building up some muscle. But what I was most excited about was my body fat has finally left the 30-31% and measured as 29.9%. OK, so only just but it was a joy to see 20 something on the scales. I also now fit into my size 14 jeans again so happy with that.

Merry – I try and stay around the same weight on non fast days but I havent been strict in writing down my measurements so not really sure. I tend to only weigh myself after a fast day and a bit scared to pop on another time in case I’m disappointed. But I am still being cautious about what I eat on non-fast days and also find I’m not that hungry anyway and a warm cup of tea (maybe with a chunck of Lindt 90% chocolate) is all I need as a snack.

I am out tonight so will no doubt have a takeaway hot choc but will aim to have a regular instead of large this time.

Thin and CM – I would love to meet up with you both. What is best for you? Weekends or week days?

Hi all! Sorry for being MIA, I have been in NZ and have spent the last few days catching up on work. How are we all? CM I hope you had a blast on the cruise. I skipped a week of fast days and ate everything bad for me while in NZ so crept back up 1.5- 2kg but I’m back on the band wagon now and hoping to hit a new PB in the next few weeks! Thought I’d share with you all my new discovery, pitango soups! They are super yummy and super low in calories. I’ve been enjoying their organic minestrone, the pouch is a ‘serves 2’ portion but I eat the entire thing by myself for dinner and feel stuffed and its only 229 cals for the whole thing! I shall go back and read the goss now. MK88 🙂

Hey MK, we missed ya! Glad the damage is not too bad after your trip. Have seen the Pitango soups around – will give them a try now. Thanks for the tip. I’ll have that vino for you! And yes, had a ball! x

EA – Fab! Weekdays best for me, but I’m happy to fit in with Thin and you – as I know you have a little one. I can do either.

I just went out for a walk and everyone arrived while I was gone!

EA – great! Can meet any day except Tuesdays and any time of day that fits in best with you and toddler’s routine. Prefer not to meet on a FD (Sun/Weds) but they can be changed if necessary. Which area do you visit NOR? CM has to drive from Freo so would need to factor that in if we meet on a weekday morning. I’m SOR and close to the CBD.

MK88: hurray, you’re back – please don’t do that again, you had us worried. Pleased all is well and you’re back on board.

Well done on all the losses today – Merry, CM, EA, BBB, fabulous result all of you. Merry, my weight has fluctuated so much on this journey, there’s no pattern at all. I have entered it every day since August and just highlight the weigh in day, Thursday. It’s on an Excel spreadsheet and I wish could remember how to turn it into a graph because I’d love to see the trend within any given week.

Like you Merry I can get around so much easier without the 20kgs sack of dog food attached. My OA knees are still puffy and ugly looking but they don’t hurt and I can kneel for the first time in years (not that I really need to).

Hi Thin, if you haven’t already found out how to make Excel graphs it is easy, just highlight your column of weights (and dates if you have them) and go to the Insert tab, there you will find a huge selection of graphs; line, column, pie etc.
Good luck, VM

Welcome back MK, you’ll be back on track in no time, look at CM.

BBB and Merry, as we keep saying a loss is a loss and we do whatever it takes to trick the mind. Well done.

I always seem to be heavier after a FD, I have cut back to under the 500, yesterday I only had 400, so just can’t keep up with the variance. Sometimes I don’t notice any change for a few days. Anyone else in the same boat?

Thanks VM & MK88. Sorry to be so thick. I couldn’t make it work before because all my data wasn’t in a single column. I’ve fixed that so I now have a chart that looks like the stock market (in reverse hopefully!). It’s a very erratic downward trend. I made notes next to some of the entries about meals out, morning tea indulgences, etc along the way (a rather pathetic attempt to justify some of the weights) and I will now learn how to identify the FDs on the graph so I can look for a trend. But, Intesha, I definitely don’t necessarily lose weight following a FD now but when I started out, that was always the case. Sometimes it’s two days after the FD now – could that be due to drinking the proper amount of fluids on FDs?

And yes, you changed my FD life with the A&C milk, MK! In a weird kind of way, I think I’m a bit addicted to FDs now. Then again I have yet to experience any of the challenges some of you have faced like exotic holidays, cruises, sickness, injury, visitors staying and so on so I wonder how I’ll cope. A set of those travelling scales sounds like no-go equipment for me.

Oh, I nearly forgot. OH took me out to buy some new clothes. My tops look so huge now. We went to one of my previously fave shops but came home empty-handed. A year ago, I would have loved what I saw there, big, baggy colourful tops to hide everything. Now I’m looking for shorter, better-fitting tops to show off my smaller waist – nothing to be found!

Hi all
Will look up the scales thanks!congrats to the PB’s! Thin what is your BMI now? You will now have fun working out a whole new look!