Thin, great to hear from you. Don’t forget, enjoy every minute because they are precious. Those pastries sound delicious.
Merry hope all is okay with you.
FD today 72.7 after my weekend of lunches, so not too bad.
Have a good day everyone else.
Hello UnhandmyUnicorn! Welcome to the forums! Best wishes for your fasts!
Hi Merry, I am so glad the wedding was good, but my heart goes out to you that family difficulties are happening. 4am omg! Oh dear was it a family wedding that blew up simmering problems? Families! I bet you are one of the wise people among your family, but I hope you can make it through without your health suffering too much.
Good luck with your work placement Nap! What are you studying (sorry if you have already told us fifty times!). I know this is a crazy time of year for assessments, good luck with everything!
So exciting to hear from you in Portugal Thin! I hope you get that Fast Day food sorted soon. Good luck with all that exciting normal day eating! And with the hills!
Hi Intesha! Enjoy your Fast Day.
I am in that day when I fasted the day before yesterday, and I will fast the day after tomorrow. What should I call that day? It’s like hump day, but different!
Hi SH,
weigh-in 1st FD – back to 11kg let go!!!
had a great FD though I did go to sleep really early so missed gthe evening munchies 🙂
made a nice light celery soup which I had with a dollop of plain yoghurt and balsamic vinegar.
Firstly welcome to the newbies 🙂 this is a great forum to be on.
How did your FDs go UnhandMyUnicorn?
How is it going Yummy? did you find the recipes?
Going well Intesha!! woo hoo!! Congratulations on the Biggest Loser win!!!
Nap have you worked out some good ‘carb’ replacements? Once we get organised and used to alternatives, we wonder why we only thought of spuds, rice and pasta and bread as sides 🙂 I use zucchini pasta all the time as well as carrots and anything else that is firm vegetable. I am studying too, so I feel your PAIN :)) I’ll be done for the year in a couple of weeks – what about you?
Cinque and Merry, those write ups on carbs was an interesting read.
Merry, sorry to hear you had some family issues after the wedding. Hope it all settled positively.
Good loss, Poppy – a wonderful start!!!
Hola (or whatever it is in Portugeuse) Thin, how wonderful to hear from you!!!! You started well and proved to yourself that you could do it!!! Now, enjoy yourself on those NFDs 🙂
keep th updates coming please. Take care and have fun.
Cinque, I would cal it a ‘lull’ day perhaps 🙂
good FDs to all,
signing off,
Coast
Well, I am well and truly bummed :-(. I had put on again on Monday, and was back up to 91kg. Not a rare thing for me to put weight on over the weekend, so I just kept going. FD Monday and FD today. I didn’t weigh after Monday’s FD, but weighed this morning – and I have put weight on! After a FD! I am so upset about it. This is when the doubts creep in – why am I bothering to do this, I am fasting two days a week for nothing, I am never going to lose the rest of the weight, etc.
I don’t know where I went wrong. I did have some potato and pumpkin last night, as I didn’t know what else to have with dinner – and already had beans and corn on the plate. And during the week, I had a couple of minor breakouts – but nothing to explain putting weight on after a FD. I am still exercising every day and have actually done extra workouts in that time. Oh, and my FD was 340cals.
Just had enough of feeling like a failure with my weight. I was so close to being classed as ‘overweight’ according to the BMI, and now am another 2kg+ away :-(. I won’t make it by Xmas.
Sorry, just all blurted out. I hope everyone else is having a good day, and a successful week.
Nap, don’t give up. I have been exactly where you are. It’s a test to see how strong you are. Just take it a day at a time. You have come so far. I am still struggling to get under 70 and I have been doing this since February also doing extra excercise and FD days but it hasn’t made any difference in weight.
I have noticed a decrease in cm’s and only today threw out another 12 pair of slacks.
We are all here for you, so blurt as much as you want. Just don’t leave us ?
Hi Nap,
How frustrating!
No wonder you need a good complain!
I am so glad Intesha has replied, because she has been where you are. I haven’t, but my immediate response was so similar.
Try to be as easy on yourself as you can, while still sticking to 5:2. Put your Christmas deadline aside (maybe keep it aside if it looks unattainable) and forget about extra workouts, unless you really feel like doing them.
Just concentrate on the sustainable 5:2 for a week. Good practice for when you are ready to be on maintenance!
Label your scales: “Unreliable Witness” and pay very little attention to them.
Give yourself as much kindness as you can and then see how you feel in a week.
PS Your dinner last night sounds great.
Hi Everyone,
Nap, it’s time to be gentle on yourself and continue treating this as experimental time while you’re working out theway to do this for you.
This week I’ve been going up and down up to 1.5kgs from 1 day to the next.
I’ve been doing my FDs usually Mon and Thursday, but shifted last Thursdays to Friday and today’s FD to tomorrow. Because this week has been a stress week I’ve been overeating on my nonFDs , and not taking my own advice about keeping Christmas foods to Christmas Day and Boxing day leftovers.
Here’s how my weight has gone, remembering I have done 3 good FDs in this time:
Weigh in on Monday last week -67.0
Weigh in Monday this week – 67.0
Today – 67.5
That doesn’t look too bad, but it doesn’t show the wild swings on the other days. It’s really brought home, yet again, that I can’t handle grains, sugar, and starchy carbs, and that stress is a trigger for me to go looking to eat for comfort, and especially if I start eating sweet things I’ll keep eating them for awhile. Nap, I’m feeling rather like you are at the moment. It’s annoying and frustrating, but it’s only temporary. It isn’t for good. For me, I’ve been through this before several times, and have worked out how the ping pong swings work with me, and how to fix it. With it happening again now, yes, my immediate reaction is feeling bad, but then I’m reminding myself that I have no right to expect myself to be totally perfect and to handle every situation perfectly every time. I’m human, not a robot. Having gone through this several times hasn’t stopped my overall weight loss over 14months.
So, here’s how I analyse this:
It’s -almost Christmas and this year I’ve had a couple of extra things to attend. I was doing OK by shifting my Thur FD to Friday last week. Then the wedding came Saturday night. Despite my plan for the wedding, it was the beginning of my food problem this week. I should have had a full meal just before going to the wedding. It was a cocktail wedding, and most of the food was not suitable for me. I made the mistake also of having a small piece of traditional wedding cake – fruit cake with thick icing, which turned into 2 pices then other wrong stuff for dessert. I’d told myself that I was being loyal and it was traditional etc etc etc. nuh, I should have just not had it. It’s traditional to share the cake at weddings birthdays etc, but the world wouldn’t have caved in if I hadn’t had it. The food came out late, it comes out in tiny dribbles as cocktail weddings do, and everyone always pounces on the waiters etc. suffice to say, I ate way too much of the wrong stuff. Thought, oh well, I can fix this tomorrow and through the week etc. the wedding was a 2nd wedding of an old friend, by the way, not family.
I couldn’t sleep after getting home, didn’t sleep till about 2am, and we got a text message at 4am that woke us up. This was about my very elderly father-in-law, not health related, but a serious, stressful crisis with legal stuff advice needed, I won’t elaborate on. Another member of the family couldn’t sleep, and was seriously stewing and sent the message instead of waiting another 3 or 4hrs. Note To Self: Leave the mobile phones out of the bedroom!! Anyway, we abandoned any further effort of sleep, and my OH as the POA and Guardian has been flat out ever since. I’m trying to cover my stuff, his stuff, and Christmas. In shopping in a hurry, I stupidly bought Christmas sweet stuff and took it to a couple of Christmas events, instead of the fruitplates I usually take to these. I’ve eaten some of it while prepping plates to take, and eaten it while there, etc. tonight I’m finally getting a handle on it. The FIL challenge is starting to ease off a little, and I’ve thrown an opened packet of stuff in the bin so I won’t eat the rest. There are a couple of unopened packets of Christmas stuff in the cupboard and tomorrow I think I’ll donate them to Christmas hampers, then no more gets bought till just before Christmas Day.
FD for me tomorrow,
Cheers,
Merry
Forgot to say, there has been a good side to the week:-). Yesterday, for the 1st time in about 20yrs I wore size 12 trousers and size12 top!!! It feels amazing and I was able to give myself a real pat on the back. Now I think of it, this makes this week even more of an emotional roller coaster. I wouldn’t have missed this bit though!
Merry
Good morning, Merry I was going to try and boost Nap but your story is way better than mine. We are all struggling with issues in our lives and losing weight is one of the most stressful. Sorry you’ve had such problems but so happy you share them.
I have had two FD’s this week and this morning weighed in at 71.4. I also cannot seem to get past the 71. Back on the 12th November I weighed 71.8. I have not eaten excessively, have maintained my 2-3 FD’s and gone to the gym 3-4 times per week. So Nap the moral of the story is we are all struggling, but just keep going something will happen eventually. Your body is just struggling to keep up with this new WOL.
Like Merry I am now fitting into size 12 and it amazes me. I feel so much better and I actually feel thin on the inside if that makes any sense.
I have my official weigh and measure at the gym today so we will see how that goes. Will check in later with the results.
Hi Nap and Intesha and Merry
What great stories and advice for everyone. I agree that I can vary my weight up to 1.5 kg by eating anything with both sugar and grains in it. It is a case of not all calories having an equal effect on the body for many of us. I lose weight in my starch and sugar free days, then put it on if I “treat” myself on other days.
Nap
Compassion for your body is a really good place to begin. And learning what are your triggers. My triggers are stressy emotional situations and tiredness. They cause me to want to reach for comfort food. Once you can detach yourself enough to have the aha moment, the food doesn’t have quite the same pull. Keep going and you will see the rewards in better health.
I had three plateaus or pauses as I preferred to think about them as I was losing the weight, and regaining my body’s natural size.
Merry, congrats on the size 12 clothes. Isn’t it a wonderful feeling amidst all the other stuff going on. ??
I am going to make mince pies with little one today. I have decided that I will eat one half of one mince pie, even though I am on a sugar free month. In this way I hope to manage the whole experience and make it happy for her and me. ??
Cheers, all. Please don’t give up. After all we took a long time to get to where we are. We need to persevere as long in losing it and regaining our health. Bay ????
Good morning everyone,
Is today any better Nap?
I hope today is a good one for you too Merry, family stress along side wedding and Christmas treats is a difficult combination.
I do love the way a fast day makes a natural break.
Cheers Merry and Intesha on the size 12 clothes. Lovely. I know what you mean by feeling thinner on the inside too, I am beginning to feel that.
Hi Bay, mince pies are just lovely. I am sure you will savour every little bite!
I had a good fast day yesterday, cheers to everyone fasting today.
Morning, All. The board has come alive again – lots of back and forth, which is great to see.
Thanks for all the support, everyone. It is greatly appreciated. Official weigh in this morning – 90.3. Down from yesterday by a fair bit – but still up from last official weigh in. I have put on every weekly weigh in for the last three weeks. Not heaps, but 700g in total.
Intesha, it sounds like you really understand what I am saying. How do you keep going when your hard work isn’t being reflected on the scales? Your measurements going down must be encouraging, though. I tried that, but it isn’t accurate, as it is just me trying to take the measurements, and am obviously not keeping the tape measure in the same place every time (even I don’t believe I put on 17cm on my waist, and 13cm on my bust!).
Merry, sorry you are having such a stressful time. It is a hard time of year for many people, anyway – with you having to deal with the extra family stress. I hope it soon sorts itself out, and the stress eases.
Thanks for the kind words, Cinque. It is so nice to hear such support from you all here.
Bay, you are right, I do need to learn what my triggers are. I don’t know what they are. I am fine with my food when I am on my own (which is a complete shift to 2 years ago, which is a pleasant surprise), it is only when OH is home.
I know it is what I am putting into my mouth that is making me put on weight. I thought I had been doing ok, and was making sensible decisions, but then I think “oh wait, I had those nuts.” And “That’s right, OH brought home a mars bar”.
I try so hard to not eat junk – but I am really struggling with what OH is bringing home. I have asked him not to bring things home, or not to bring out a block of chocolate when I am here, but he keeps doing it. And I am still not strong enough to say no. I love my junk food, especially my sweet things – and I say ‘one thing a week’ , but it never works out that way.
Nap, maybe you should say to OH, are you trying to kill me!!!!!! It sounds like sabotage, maybe he doesn’t want you looking taunt and terrific and having to compete with you or having people say how fantastic you look? I think it will be the fit of your clothes Nap that will be the best indication of cm loss. It is hard to measure yourself.
Okay results from my last weigh in on 6/11. Lost 1.9kg which amazed me, 3.5cms which is mainly off my thighs. BMI is down to 27.1 but bodyfat has gone up .30.
Only 12 days until I fly out so don’t expect to get to my next goal of 70 but I’m okay with that. To get my bodyfat down to 30 or under which it should be for my age (65) I will have to lose another 7+kgs. Next year is another chapter and lots to look forward to.
Congrats, Intesha! Way to go with the 1.9kg – and a huge amount of cms off! Kudos 🙂
Well, I was feeling down about the weight gain, OH came out – and brought out the bloody chocolate! Grrr! I am beginning to wonder if perhaps you are right, Intesha – and maybe there is something else going on here. Jealousy, maybe? Irregardless of why, how do I resist it? I feel so much worse now I have eaten it, so why can’t I just say no?
Hi SH,
just popping in to make a comment.
Nap, you have already proven time and time again that you can say NO. You have already lost heaps and more is coming off with this new WOL.
You already know that you can’t change others i.e. OH – what they think or do.
The best control, and most satisfying of all, is the control of what YOU can do. It is all up to what you think and what you do. that’s it.
OH may not change his behaviour but you have shown that you can change yours and that you can continue to do so.
Every time you are faced with temptation, just ask yourself some questions – do I really want it? do I really need it? is it really worth the guilt I feel after I eat it? I’m sure you have done that heaps of times before, just do it again – it is so worth it 🙂
You know that craving for that sweet delight is just a bad habit that you can train yourself out of.
Allow yourself a treat once a week – so you don’t deep deprived. Schedule yourself a time to enjoy it, savour every morsel and don’t feel guilty. You are allowed to do that.
I did my 2nd FD on Wednesday and am still on a plateau – 11kgs let go – stuck on that 🙂 never mind. I am trying a semi FD today – being extra careful with what I eat and will see what happens tomorrow.
Have good FDs one and all,
cheers
Coast
Hi Nap
Sounds like one of your triggers is trying to please everyone. It’s time to decide what you want most. Don’t worry about what others want. You decide what is best for you and your health and just go with it. Just tell me to butt out if I’ve trodden on toes. ???
You can always walk out of the room if chocolate or any other so called treat makes an appearance. OH will have to decide if he wants your company or to torment you with chocolate etc. ??. He loved you as you were and now he has to cope with change. Many of us need coaxing along when change happens.
You can do it. Bay ??
Nap, I am so glad that Coast, Cinque and Bay said their bit because I was going to say much the same thing. If Thin were here you would really get the proverbial kick. She gave it to me on several occasions and I thought who the hell does this woman think she is speaking to me like that. She doesn’t know me or my situation but one thing she does know and that is this WOL. she has been there done that and who better than someone who has walked the same path can give you the confidence to go on. The only thing we can’t do for you is stop you eating the things you know you shouldn’t.
I can’t give up my chocolate or sweet treats but I certainly can’t eat like I used to, so now I just have small pieces of everything and I don’t feel so deprived.
You can do this. Maybe just continue to do the fast days but don’t expect any huge difference your body will still benefit and then after all the festivities are over get back into it with a vengeance. I don’t know if that is good advice but just don’t give up the FD’s.
Thanks Bay:-) Size 12 feels fantastic, and yes Intesha, I’m starting to feel that n inside.
Nap, you may find this a drastic solution but here goes. When OH (who I would classify as a feeder, i.e. Someone who shows they care or their love by feeding the person they care for). My suggestion is that each time he brings you chocolate or Mars Bars etc, say thank you, take it, or you share of a large block, walk over to the garbage bin and throw it in while he’s watching you. Maybe, the shock of seeing you do this may give him more of an idea of your seriousness about improving your health and getting rid of the weight. Straight after you’ve thrown it in the garbage tie the plastic bag off and take it out to the main garbage bin. That’s so you don’t or he doesn’t get itout of the kitchen bin.
I am one of those people who can’t have anything, and I mean anything, in the fridge, cupboard house etc, that I shouldn’t eat. At times of weakness, tiredness, stress, other people eating etc, Ai will give in and have some. I call this the “Iced Vo Vo Effect”. About every 2 years I will get a serously real craving for Iced Vo Vos. I have no idea why. I absolutely should never eat them. I used to give in, buy a packet, eat about 10 and then over a couple of days , eat the rest, and sometimes buy another pack. A couple of years ago I decided this was rediculous, so the last time the craving came, I bought a packet, ate some, then threw the rest in the garbage, tied the bag and into the bin outside. So…. Then I started doing this with other things. Eg sometimes I would get something that was ok but I’d convince myself it was ok to buy more than I needed. (Another self-sabotage practice). Coming from the ‘you must eat every single thing on your plate’ generation, it was a very weird feeling throwing the oversupply out rather than binge on it. Throwing in the bin = wasting food. I had to practice changing this idea to ‘over eating food I shouldn’t eat = wasting food + damaging my body’. It”s worked, and now I don’t have any trouble throwing something out or giving it away quickly.
I’m also agreeing with someone else that sometimes our loved ones are challenged by us changing and succeeding. Also sometimes, the fact that we are succeeding makes them feel a failure because they aren’t doing the same thing, i.e your success makes them feel a failure so they sabotage you. This can be either deliberate or subconscious.
Merry
Once again, thanks for all the support.
I like those thoughts to ask myself when the junk comes out, Coast. I am going to try that when I am tempted – because I know I don’t really want it, and I know the guilt will definitely not make it worth it.
And next time OH brings out the junk, I will walk out if it gets too much, Bay. I like that idea, too.
Merry, the idea of throwing food out horrifies me. I guess I am from that generation too, where there was no food wasted. I try and say to myself “Waste it, or waist it” – but when push comes to shove, I can’t throw out good food. I think that is something I have to learn.
Anyway, I am throwing in an extra FD today. Let’s see how next week’s weigh in goes with three FDs again. I am going to attempt to not eat anything junk that is offered to me for the week, and see how I go. Hopefully, if I see a positive result on the scale, it will help me resist the temptation for the week after!
I hope everyone has a lovely weekend. 🙂
Good morning everyone.
We have all struggled with the issue Nap is confronting.
I was able to deal with the issue of waste by realising I was using my own body as a rubbish bin, by putting food in it that it didn’t need, or that wasn’t good for it. Far better to put that food in the real bin or in the compost.
I still find it difficult, but now I can remind myself that by NOT eating something, I am NOT wasting it. Putting it in the bin is a positive act for the good of my health, and the good of the world!
I am having a slow, slow morning. It is going to be hot so I need to look after the garden, and I am going to cook a Greek style lamb stew (pressure cooker recipe so the house won’t get too hot). Then I will see if I can do plenty of nothing!
Best wishes to you all!
Morning my friends from sunny Algarve, Portugal. Have read through some of your posts, well done all for the various achievements, sorry to hear of the setbacks but stick with it is my best advice. I managed a second FD yesterday noticing a stick blender at the property where we are staying and seizing on the opportunity to make my standard cauli soup before we move on today. Also found almost all ingreds for my chicken and bacon casserole which turned out scrummy despite no parsnips. Delighted to report a new PB of 59kgs on my travel scales so I am all set up for at least the next 8 days when we take possession of a house for 3 weeks in Spain and can organise the FDs more easily than being on the move.
In the meantime, i have eaten well but mindfully. The night before last we booked dinner and a show, typical Portuguese music and singing, the fish kebab dangling high over a fabulous plate of veggies was incredible, had dessert, coffee, the works including the most enormous serving of house red Ive ever seen. Have tried the famous custard pastry too. At other times, i skip lunch when OFMs are having something I know I could get at home, dont eat the rice, avoid bread etc. Pretty proud of myself I have to say!
Suddenly on 1 Dec, we woke to discover that all the shops had been fixed up with classy Christmas window dressings and with the colder weather, we could appreciate the beginning of the season. No obnoxious music playing inside the stores. None of the over the top commercial hype starting in September. Enjoy yourselves everyone!
Hello Thin! Lovely to see your catch up. Congratulations on your PB! And how good it must feel to be managing food so masterfully, and deliciously!
Christmas in Portugal sounds very enjoyable!
I’ve just finished a really lovely Sunday Fast. It is just about bedtime. I have a big day tomorrow, with three things happening one after the other. The last one being my daughter and granddaughter arriving from Sydney for a visit. So lovely!
I hope everyone is going well! Best wishes and good night!
Hi SHs!
Just a quick check-in as this is my normal mode of do really well for first week or 2, feel like all is going well and either slowly or quickly fall off! This is a great forum to remind me of my own struggles and give practical ideas of how to keep going – so thanks everyone. Keeping FDs to Tuesday and Thursday for the moment but need to be more mindful of what I am eating on the other days but I have started exercising again which is good but hard.
Nap, you have been given lots of great advice but I have another strategy which a friend of mine shared a few years back. For us sweet teeth people it is very hard to say no to chocolate, so she bought her favourite choice (Mars) in the lite and bite size portion – then put them in the freezer. What she found (and me too) is that once you decided you really needed a chocolate, got it out of the freezer and let it soften, that the craving had passed. Perhaps if you tried this, when OH offered you something, you could grab you treat out of the freezer. For OH he may feel like you are still sharing a treat with you, but in actual fact you might get to pop it back in the freezer. Win – win. Just a thought – sorry for the disjointed answer as I got interrupted 10 times by each member of the family!!!
Merz
Hi, Thin, great to hear from you and all I can say is wow about the PB. You are so strong and determined you are an inspiration. I’ll probably start putting on weight the moment I get on the plane but for me getting away is all about pure indulgence and not worrying about anything.
Sounds like you are having a great time, enjoy.
Hi everyone, good morning! Another hot Melbourne day!?
Merz that is a clever trick. And I am just imagining Nap saying, thanks darling, and popping his treat straight in the freezer!
(I don’t eat chocolate any more, but I do have the feeling I would take a piece of chocolate from the freezer and let it melt in my mouth! ? But at least it would only be one piece!)
Best wishes to you making 5:2 a long term sustainable way of life instead of a short fad diet. I have found it quite a job: I am eating smaller meals and less snacks, but I have to work hard to find the right balance… Since my normal healthy hunger signals got messed up so many years ago!
Hi Intesha and all the rest of you on this side of the earth, plus ring ins. Enjoy your precious day! ???
Just sitting out on the terrace of our latest accommodation here in Lagos listening to the waves. Been pondering the issues raised by nap today and the responses. Nap, I can really identify with you on so many levels.
Because of my upbringing, I have never been able to deal with food waste. We throw out very little food in our family, I make no apologies for that, but I also can’t handle other people wasting food. This includes watching people order excessive courses in restaurants and then walk out leaving it untouched, or socialising at friends’ homes and watching them scrape perfectly good food into the bin. We have probably embarrassed plenty of friends over the years by asking for doggie bags in restaurants but stuffing yourself silly when you could have a very good lunch or dinner the following day just doesn’t seem right. Its only since discovering 5:2 that I have ever left anything on my plate – there would have been dire consequences for me as a child so its taken me a lifetime to learn that this is OK. Over the months of mastering portion control, I now serve myself less food so there’s still very little waste.
The other thing i found very hard until 5:2 was watching my OH eat, especially foods that were ‘forbidden’ to me but that he could snack on all day without gaining an ounce. As he doesn’t really care so much about healthy eating, he just mainlines anything in sight, and is quite greedy around food despite being very slim. He used to say he couldn’t win because if he offered me things like chocolates etc, I would complain, and if he hid them I would complain (I’d always find them). Of course what I really wanted was for him not to eat them either. I am well and truly over that now. i don’t know how or when it happened but it happened since I discovered 5:2. I now think to myself, OK, its your insulin, its not my responsibility, Im the one with the food issues so that’s all I need to concern myself with.
This is why I say stick with it. 5:2 can teach us things and shape us without us even really realising it, I am sure I had as many ‘issues’ with food as anyone on here. And probably still do but have finally discovered that being a healthy weight is more important than getting ‘my share’ of the ice cream or whatever I always coveted. I think I have replaced my addiction to food with an addiction to fasting, its a different kind of control and one that yields far better results.
As for Merry’s solution, that would be too drastic for me, it would mean combining two of my issues in the one go, I think you are very strong to put treats in the bin. But we all know you are a very strong person. And merz, hi we havent met yet, I love frozen chocolate so that won’t work for me sadly, but I do freeze lots of things as a way of saving them for another time of my choosing including treats that I can’t have because its a FD, etc.
Intesha, was I really that mean to you? A thousand apologies, I didn’t intend to be so harsh. i remember being quite concerned about you though. You’re in a much better place now. I wish you a wonderful trip doing absolutely whatever you want.
OFMs have all gone to bed and it’s time for me to do the same, you can see my typing has improved on this ipad mini but sorry for the lack of punctuation. You get the gist of my ramblings. I’ll check in again from Spain. That’s more than enough from me for one week.
Good morning everyone,
Thin, you’re a star! Well done, and a new PB as well. Sounds like you’re having a great holiday.
Good idea Merz. Thanks for passing it on. As for the great start thing then and the not so great after that phenomena – that just means you’re normal, and the same as lots of people who’ve come on here and found that with 5:2 it’s a whole lot different because it’s easier, it’s doable, and it works.
My weigh in this week is 67.1, so up .1 from last Monday which was 67.0 and the same as the Monday before that at 67.0. All triggered by the piece of wedding cake, and the sugar hit from the concentrated dried fruit and the royal icing. Have more of a grip on the situation now. The stressful situation with elderly father-in-law continues but OH and I are handling it better foodwise. Any sweet and deadly Christmas food which I foolishly bought last week when in a rush has been taken as ‘bring a plate’, given away, or some remains binned. I did a quick “bl…….. h……” I’ve done it again (self sabotage), but past that and back on a healthy track. FD for us both today here.
Oh, did pass on to elderly FIL thanks for his service during WW2. He did it tough and survived. Can’t remember who asked me to do that, but he is appreciative of your kind thoughts. Thank you.
Onwards and Downwards,
Merry
Thin, what a great message, and well put.
There are a number of baby boomers on this list Being the children of parents , and grandparents who went through WW1, the Great Depression of the 1930’s and then WW2 has had a significant effect on us foodwise. Eating everything on the plate was important when we were growing up for various reasons, and it was valid then. There was still rationing and coupons for food allowances when we were little. It’s left us with a legacy that doesn’t work well in this historical age of plenty. Our own guilt over wasting food coupled with the big increase in serving sizes, plate, bowl, glass and cup/mug sizes has left us very overweight. Food is massively over-available, much of it very over processed and fiddled with, with all sorts of additives and unhealthy chemicals. It’s no wonder so many of us have issues with weight, food and health.
Lest I get a reputation for throwing out food willy- nilly, let me reassure you that my drastic solution to the “Iced Vovi Effect” when I 1st threw half a packet in the bin came from absolute desperation. I was very ill, putting on weight and unable to get around much. I react to food waste just like Thin does. I can’t bare throwing out food. I very much agree and endorse what Thin has said on the effect of 5:2 on our food issues. OH and I are presently working on getting just the right balance of food in our shopping so we don’t overbuy. Our food shop quantity has reduced, less $s which is great also. We eat smaller meals and now even buy smaller sized fruit. I scrape every last thing out of a bowl, saucepan, etc
Must go,
Merry
Wow, we’re up to page 151. Thank you to Alimax for starting this SH thread for those below the lapband, as she put it. I am grateful to have had you all here, all of our companions along the way. It does make it easier to go on this journey, learning about 5:2 and how we can adapt it individually to our lives. It is such a simple concept really. Whatever race, religion, nationality, culture, lifestyle, family structures, finances, all those things that effect our food and drink, 5:2 is adaptable to any of them. Amazing.
My weight after FD was 67.0 at 7.30am, and 66.8 at 8.35am. That’s down 100gm or 300gm. You know how when we go through a plateau or a wobbly one number will keep appearing on the scales for awhile, and in the midst of our frustration it almost seems like a default setting? Well 67.0 is mine at the moment. Did this around 74 kgs and hopefully, I’ll get past this number much quicker than before.
What are your Christmas strategies?
Hi SH,
weigh-in after 1st FD for week – YAY!!! broke through the plateau!!!
100 gms under PB from a few weeks ago – 11.3kg let go since 010815
It was a tough day though – I had lots of cravings and munchie attacks as I was studying. Tried to munch on health choices like carrots, popped corn, had extra soup etc
can’t wait for 2nd FD on Wednesday – am feeling motivated.
signing off,
Coast
Hi SH,
Merry, sounds like you have been on the forum for ages. How long has it been? I noticed you had no profile 🙂 I totally agree with your sentiments about 5:2s adaptability. Also well done on your downward trending journey. Size 12 is a fantastic result.
No Christmas strategies worked out as yet. Will try to stay sensible with my choices, limit serving sizes, keep up the FDs, limit my wines and keep asking myself ‘Do I really want that or need that?’ possibly keep using EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques or tapping) to break the munchie cycle 🙂 sounds like I do have a strategy after all. LOL!!
Hi Thin, great to hear your ruminations from so far afield. You are really working it all to fit in with 5:2. keep up the good work.
The place sounds delightfully yummy from all points of view 🙂
Cinque, are you enjoying that hot Melbourne weather? How is your garden doing? I also have to work on recognising my hunger signals. I have been doing work on retraining my senses following Dr Amanda Sainsbury’s work about listening to your body and recognising when you are actually hungry. Takes a bit of work to re-train yourself not to eat just because it’s lunchtime, as you well now by the sounds of it. Hope the family visit is going well.
Merz, great tip about freezing chocolate 🙂 I do that with any bread in the house. Glad you are going well.
How are you going, Nap? I hope you have been able to incorporate some of those tips to deal with temptation, though I really think that you already have strategies as you have done so well so far. Go girl!! keep motivated by your improving health :))
Congrats of the 1.9kg let go, Intesha!!! great work. Can’t believe only a week or so to go and you will be off and reporting back from around the other side of the world too :))
Hi Bay, how did the mince pie extravaganza go Bay?
and hello Julie if you are out there 🙂 and NikT, CM, EA, GL, Barata, Sim, Avent, Purple, RT, Hoot, Freya. just to name a few of our regulars.
Poppy, Yummy, lgc27, Unhandy, Cate, Healthy, Jenman, Jane, Midwife,Sig, Bonny, Maratus, Linda, are you still with us?
As you can see I am avoiding study – AGAIN!!!
till next time have fun and keep motivated,
Coast
So much for me keeping quiet for a week. Couldn’t resist checking in to see how everyone’s going and then of course, I had to chime in. Thanks coast, cinque intesha and merry. Hi Bay. Hows is the SF challenge going? I meant to add to something you said a few posts back about people adapting to change. I told my GP that I felt some people were almost waiting for/expecting me to re-gain all the weight back. (comments received about now being TOO skinny etc). He explained to me that when we lose a lot of weight, we challenge other peoples’ notion of how the world should be. That people don’t like their perceptions to be changed. That didn’t really make any sense to me but now that you’ve brought it up Bay, perhaps its worth exploring further. It might help us understand why those close to us can sometimes appear to be sabotaging our efforts?
Hello everyone, my little granddaughter is asleep. It is a beautiful gentle evening, after a nasty, hot, windy day. I am enjoying it now Coast! But we hid inside during the day and ate watermelon. Even me. Hope it wasn’t too sweet.
The house looks like a bomb hit it. But it was a 16 month old! She has had such fun though, and is enchanting every one who meets her.
I’ve just watered the garden, it weathered today very well. Everything just about doubled in size yesterday, which was hot and damp, and maybe shrunk back a bit today.
I completely relate to what you wrote about growing up not wasting things, Thin. And like Merry, while I have reprogrammed myself not to let ME be a waste bin, I am still very careful to waste as little as possible.
I am so tired, I can’t even think what people have said. I will blob out and rest. See you tomorrow.
Well, it has been a busy time here on the board! Great to hear from you, Thin – awesome you are keeping up with the healthy eating habits, despite all the yummy temptations over there :-).
And a couple of you are in size 12??? That is awesome for you all! I am still amazed by the smaller clothes I am now wearing. We went shopping today, and I was walking around Target and I usually it gets me down. I have been buying Plus size for so long, and as I walked around today, I thought “Not long, and I will be buying regular clothes”. Not that I like clothes shopping – but it is awesome to know soon I will be able to!
Merry, good luck pushing through this latest plateau. And congrats to Coast for pushing through your plateau.
Intesha, you must be still riding on the high from being the biggest loser at your gym! And I hope you can enjoy your holiday when it comes, as you really deserve it.
Cinque and Bay, thanks for the words of wisdom. I appreciate the ongoing support so much. Cinque, how long is your granddaughter staying?
I have had a better week so far. I have resisted temptation, calorie counted even on non FD. I had FD on Saturday and Monday – and this morning was down to 88.8kg! I am sure it will go up a bit, but right now, I am officially overweight, not obese, which is an awesome feeling.
I have been taking a long, hard look at my eating, my possible triggers and my relationship with food. It is a slow process, but I feel like I am getting there.
Thanks for all the ideas, they are greatly appreciated. I like that idea, Merz – of popping chocolate in the freezer. I begged OH to not buy chocolate today, and not only did he, but he bought my favourite! But, I am going to be strong, and keep resisting. The pay off when the scales show a loss for the week is far more satisfying than the brief enjoyment of eating chocolate or other junk.
I suppose it is time to think about Christmas! I need to make salads and desserts for the get together a – so I need to think how to get some healthy eating things into that!
Hi Thin
I started early and the SF challenge worked well for first two weeks. Then festive Family and Christmas events intervened. ???? I’m afraid my next serious SF challenge will have to be in the New Year.
Your doctor sounds very wise. I don’t think our loved ones sabotage on purpose. They just like things to be the way they’ve always been.
Cheers, Bay ????
Hi Coast 🙂
I’ve been on the forum for a bit over a year. I started at 83.1 kg about 6 weeks before that, and was a size 16 top and pushing the upper limits of size 16 trousers. I’ve lost 16kgs and I’m now 67kgs. I started wearing my 1st size 12 pants just recently, and size 12 tops a bit before that. I reduced my blood pressure medication by half, about Feb and then totally off them a few months later. I also don’t have to go back for yearly cardiac checkups now. My BMI is 23.6 now and it feels fantastic to feel so much lighter. I’ve found the forum, and especially this thread, invaluable, and a great bunch of people are here..
As for my profile, I’m not one much for any sort of social media so being on here is a bit out of characterLOL. Maybe I’m cautious, overcautious, or just an old fuddy duddy, but not a facebook fan, etc, etc. anyhoo…..I’m 65, female, retired, well, actually became disabled and unable to work from my later 40’s after getting an unknown severe virus. I have been left with a post viral condition called Myalgic Encephalomyelitis ME (currently commonly known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome but gets confused with the psychosomatic condition called Chronic Fatigue, and chronic fatigue from depression so this is a pathetically inadequate name). ME is a severe neurological condition which causes hypothalamic dysfunction, sometimes mitochondrial dysfunction, (which I seem to have),and basically effects every basic functioning system in the body. In other words it’s a pretty crap thing to get. It means we can’t exercise at all and especially doing cardio can be dangerous and damaging, and results in our ME getting worse. Now……I’m sure you didn’t really want to know this muchLOL. Enough to say, my top weight from putting weight on as 1 of the complications of ME was 93kgs. It took 6 yrs to get 10kgs off through food changes. I am absolutely overjoyed to find 5:2 and it works! Even without being able to exercise it works. I currently have a top daily step rate of about 4-5000steps. I have 5kgs to go to my little ng term goal of 62kg. I’m slower than average at this but it’s cool. This is a dream come true. Not having to drag that 16 kg around is awesome every single day.
PS I am also the most pedantic overexplainer of the list LOL. Can’t you tell!
Cheers,
Merry
Aaagh, I hate the the word suggestion/auto ccorrect/predictive thing that’s come with the latest ios update on my ipad!!! It does things like change words to make sentences unintelligble e.g. The sentence I wrote above ” I have 5 kgs to go to my long term goal…… ” came out as “I have 5kgs to go to my little ng term goal….” It’s been happening a lot lately. I wish they’d keep technology simpler! It’s just such a ..bleep.. nuisance to have to keep changing how to use something, and learning and relearning it. Progress aint always progress. Rant over……
Merry,
Going to bed, ‘cos OH and I are putting in long stressfilled days during “The-Great-Father-In-Law-Crisis”. And wouldn’t you know, went to a Xmas thingy on Sat, and someone took a pack of iced vovos!!!
Hi SH,
I agree, Freckle,
thanks for the ‘over explain’ Merry, it’s great to get to know you better 🙂 Another inspirational back story that will keep me motivated to keep at this WOL. Well done and congratulations on getting so much healthier and then on top of that the bonus of the weight reduction.
I share your aversion to constant change for the sake of change that is just foisted on us without option. I am also annoyed by the auto-correct function for exactly that reason – you have to re-read everything before you send it off and sometimes I swear it changes things in cyberspace after they have been sent :).
I have a condition that is affecting my fine-motor skills so my typing is getting pretty bad and auto-correct fixes a lot of my shaky mis-hits so even though I get annoyed by the strange words it sometimes makes up, I don’t get annoyed enough to turn off the function. LOL!!
Anyway thanks again Merry, and may we all keep on with the downward trending,
Coast
Morning, all. A very overcast day here in Canberra, hopefully it will remain quite cool.
Merry, it was good of you to explain more about yourself. I understand about your illness and the ‘cover all’ diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue. They tried that one on me when they couldn’t diagnose me (it took me nearly five years for me to be diagnosed), because I didn’t fit into one of their neat labels. But that never ending fatigue I understand – I am so thankful that I have gone from waking with a cane/stick or walking frame to being able to exercise most days, with the medication.
I don’t know how you are doing so well with not being able to exercise. It is a real tribute to you.
I hope everyone else is going well, and all those having FD today are having a successful day.
What a great conversation about the power of food you have all been having. And what great responses and systems for dealing with the temptations. I am another who grew up in the clean-plate era, plus having five siblings there was always competition for food. At least it was all good healthy stuff, fruit and veges from the orchard and garden, fresh milk from the cows etc. Buying just what you need is great advise, which is a bit difficult for me, as older son is a permanent in our household, and currently his stepson is also with us til he gets back on track with his life. There’s no embarrassment in asking for a doggy-bag when out, either. We got used to that when we lived in the US.
Great news on the PBs and new sizes. 🙂 What a wonderful feeling, Nap, and good luck with resisting the serious sabotaging that is going on in your own home.
I went to my first meditation class yesterday evening, something I have wanted to do for a while and have discovered a local group. Dismayed to find most of the ladies were above a certain size, and I couldn’t resist mentioning fasting as I was leaving. The tutor (Indian) immediately started to tell me of the dangers of fasting, so I left it there.
Thanks everyone for your very kind remarks:-), and thanks for your continued support everyone. Thanks for the flowers Bay. It’s a challenging time for us at the moment.
I’m going to play ‘Good One Bad One’ today. My bad one today is that a week ago we had another ‘Life’ challenge thrown at us. I wasnt going to put this on here, but maybe with changes in how our society is rapidly changing with technology it’s worth a mention so you are alerted to the possible weak points in our current situation in NSW. The NSW state government is closing down RTA offices with drivers license printing machines, replacing RTA with a Roads and Maritime in State Services shopfronts that don’t have licence machines. When your licence is renewed you get a bit of paper, no photo, which causes problems in the short term, and here’s the real clanger, they send the licence out in ordinary mail – no signature required, no registered mail. In otherwords, unsafe. My OH had his new licence stolen from the mail before we went overseas in Sept. He went to State Services and no red flag raised and they sent him another, again in ordinary mail, and we now have an identity theft situation. A $30,000 credit card, yep, you read that right, $30,000 credit card was opened in his name at our bank! The bank takes the debt, not us, but it’s all very suss, and a licence with his details but a different photo etc is out there. We went to the police of course. My point is, if you are in NSW please know that this situation of unsafe means of post for this important card is now going to be the new normal. Also, you cannot get a new licence with a new number. You are assigned 1 number for life, and OH will probably have to carry a letter from State Services with his licence as his licence and licence number are now permanently corrupted.
My good one today is that I was 66.6 this morning, today is not so hectic so we are both having a bit of time out :-). Inknow someone sat on that number for awhile and hated it, but it’s looking reasonably good today. It is weird though, LOL
Coast – the health improvements this last year are wonderful, and I have 5:2 to thank for them! It’absolutely 100% because of 5:2 weight loss. Nap, I’m sorry you had to go through that Ch F misunderstanding. Re no exercise – I am mobile, and these days accomplish a reasonable amount of time and distance on my feet. Rests, sits and creatively leaning on things when I’m standing but stationary make a big difference. Both OH and I think that the 5:2 weight loss has meant I now walk a little quicker and with more of acnormal spring in my step. I also don’t look sick anymore, which is great!
Have a good day everyone. Keep you personal info safe in real time and online. A good FD wish to the Wednesday fasters,
Onwards and downwards,
Merry
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7:25 pm
30 Nov 15