Hello Southern Hemispherites!!

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  • Good Morning everyone

    Back at work today and feeling really good but looking forward to my days off.

    Cinque and Klondi, have fun at The Gruffalo. I hope you enjoy it as much as the 4 year olds will.

    Congratulations, Betsy and Neil, on your awesome weight loss. Also Anzac, well done on getting back into the 5:2 swing of things and glad you had a good first day on the job.

    thin, I feel like I missed the post where your birthday was mentioned. I’m so sorry. Happy belated birthday x

    Well, I’m happy to say that my FD was successful yesterday even if I did go to almost 600 calories. I had three cups of normal tea and three cups of herbal tea and by the afternoon was very hungry, I find it really hard to do FDs at home but my stubborness won through yesterday. Today I am on a CD but I am just about to go and order myself a Almond milk coffee from the cafe next door.

    Did I tell you that the doctor has taken me off my BP medication for a month to see how I go? I asked her if I could go off it and she agreed. I have a machine at home so am recording my BP every second day or so and so far it has been good. Hopefully I can stay off them. ***Fingers crossed***

    Have a happy day all x

    Quacka, that’s great news about your BP meds. What an incentive to continue this WOL even when at home. Well done. Thank you for your good wishes but I haven’t had my birthday yet, it falls over Easter. I’m not sure why I should feel reluctant to give my birthdate on the forum. Over 4-5 years here, I must have given away plenty that identifies me!

    Happy almost birthday Thin! I hope you are spoilt rotten by Mr Thin and DD

    Quacka, admiration central. I have yet to manage a FD at home so kudos to you

    Having my beef salad and it tastes glorious as I was very hungry indeed. I had to have a couple of strawberries at about 10.30 but otherwise got through until lunch. There is a big basket of chocolates directly behind me, sigh, but I WILL NOT succumb. Thankfully I am not very tempted by chocolate but if there were chips or non-sweet biscuits it would be harder. I hope the chocs are only there because of Easter and not a permanent fixture

    Testing…have just updated my email address again

    Lindsay, you must be heading o/s soon I think. Have a lovely break. I hope your workload is more sensible when you return.

    Thin, it sounds like your hubby managed that very well. Let’s hope it makes some difference.

    Neil, you have done so well. You can be very proud of sticking with the Fast800 for 12 weeks, that’s an enormous commitment. You deserve your success. I will second Thin’s comment. Don’t buy too many clothes at your current size – remember that you are just passing through. I found second hand clothing stores invaluable as I was losing weight as it allowed me to have sufficient “temporary” clothing at little cost. Then I budgeted for a proper shopping trip once I got to goal.

    Quacka, congrats on the BP meds. I hope it feels like a significant milestone. I remember each reduction in my BP meds feeling every bit as god as weight loss when I was losing weight. It tells you directly that what you are doing is good for your health.

    Anzac, I suspect the chocolate is easter related – hopefully. Just focus on your yummy beef salad.

    I’m concerened about going back to the previous page in case I lose this post, so sorry for not responding to all of last night’s posts.
    Hello to Cali, Cinque, Betsy, Turn, Rosy, Klondi, GDSA, Merry, Minka, Arel and anyone else I’ve missed.

    Day three of the Fast800 week is much easier. Partly because it’s a warmer day and also I’m just getting into the swing of it. I got to thinking about how my body reacted when I first got to my initial goal of 78kg. I decided to try and maintain in the 75-78 range. My body fought me for 2 years and seemed to want to be 78-80. I finally won that battle but it took extreme perseverance. I think I’m just seeing the same thing again. My body keeps going back to 75-76kg and I’m trying to force it to be around 73kg. If it means that I need to do a Fast800 week per month for a while I will consider that as I suspect my body will eventually adjust to being a lower weight – it’s just being very stubborn – never mind, so am I!

    Cinque, one more thing I forgot to report about my mindfulness 40 days is that my natural tendency is to eat fast. No amount of mindfulness practice has changed that. To eat slower I must remember to do so and make it a conscious decision.

    Have a good day everyone.

    Ha ha thin! Happy birthday in advance then!!

    Anzac, good on you for ignoring those chocolates. I must admit that I did find the FD at home really difficult, mostly the afternoon, but I just didn’t want to give in. I almost gave up a couple of times but I made it through to dinner and I can tell you that dinner tasted awesome.
    Today I have been on a CD and so far am up to 562 calories but that includes an apple which I haven’t eaten yet. I am entering everything I eat into Calorie King for a while just to try and keep track of vitamins and nutrients that I am getting but also the calories, of course.
    It’s interesting to see what the food is broken down into in terms of protein carbs etc and then also the vitamins in that food. I thought I knew a lot about food but I am learning more every day. Fascinating.

    Hi LJ. Stubborness can be a wonderful thing 🙂 🙂 ( I mean our stubborness) lol

    Hi all,
    Tuesday 5.15pm, NZ

    Well that week was pretty up and down but finished at another 1.3kg down on last week. I feel a lot slimmer but have started quick walking/jogging again in the mornings and it is certainly helping to move the excess weight around a bit!! Still on the 800 every day but we do seem to find one day a week when we have something on so we relax the menu a little then! Am quite happy losing at this pace as really want to be 70kgs or less by the time we head away in about 7 weeks time!! Can’t beleive it’s come around so quick??!!

    Well done to everyone who continues to lose and maintain, amazing stories on here, and so many times I laugh at the comments, I particularly like the “cow wife”!! I am not sure how you have coped with neightbours like that for so long Thin, I think I would have got carried away in a straight jacket long ago!!!!!

    We happened to stumble upon another great TV programme the other evening, Endeavour, which is based on “Morse’s” early years, excellent, I guess they couldn’t really have done any more with Morse apart from ‘before’. Such great shots of Oxford too.

    Keep going everyone, must dash,

    Turn

    Such an upsetting day with the fire at Norte Dame in Paris. I’ve been there several times as I usually stay in hotels in that area. It sad when so much history can be destroyed so quickly. On TV, with the darkness and the flames, it looked like the whole thing was burning down. At least in the light of day it can be seen that much of it is still standing and can be rebuilt. I hope the investigation doesn’t find that it was purposely started. That would be even more tragic.

    Today was my Monday FD and the last day for doing taxes and filing them. I always do them with the help of tax software, and e-file online. Even so, there always seems to be some missing or confusing piece of info to deal with. I’m glad it’s done for another year.

    Betsy, congrats on the .5 kg weight loss. It sounds like you’ve finally moved off that plateau. They happen, but thankfully not too frequently. At least you know you’re not alone. We all had them while losing.

    Quacka, glad to hear you finally have a new oven installed. You never realize how much you depend on appliances until one of them isn’t working.

    Lindsay, your black dress and red shoes are gorgeous! I’ve given up on tall heels, but I still think they look amazing. Your China trip is going to be great. I bet you can hardly wait.

    Anzac, glad to hear that your first day on the new job went well. Hope you can manage some work from home days after a while.

    Thin, sorry to hear you are still having to deal with those awful neighbors. I hope they move soon. Keep up the great work on the weight loss and being in the 57’s. Eating patterns of less food become a habit after a while, just like overeating does. So it makes sense that you can lose more over time if your body feels good at that weight.

    Cinque and Klondi, hope you’re having fun on your outing with the Little Misses. I bet you’ll have some good stories to tell!

    LJ, thanks for the info on the rhubarb. Growing it in a big pot might make it easier to find a spot here. It’s hard to find places in our garden where there isn’t too much or too little shade and still space where there isn’t something else already planted.

    Neil, I bet you’ll look even thinner with new pants in the proper size after all the weight you’ve lost. Can’t wait to hear the results of your 12 week weigh-in.

    Well, off to get some sleep. Hope you are all having a great day.

    CalifD, good hearing from you. I am enjoying an uncharacteristic G&T before making dinner because of an exhausting round of bridge with the ‘big kids’ this afternoon. I think you’re right about our relationship with food changing to become the new habit. LJ is finding the same. We have years (decades for some of us) of food behaviours to undo. It takes time. I came to accept that I am a slim person only after about 3 years at this weight. Before that, I would have expected to ‘grow back into’ my big clothes so couldn’t get rid of them easily. I think I have finally won the battle between me controlling food vs. food controlling me. NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS BEING SLIM FEELS.

    Turn, I loved ‘Endeavour’ and savoured every turn of phrase of the era. Cinque and I are both big fans of Inspector Thursday. It sounds like all I do is watch TV! Morse was one of my all time favourites. Wow, you are doing so well losing all that weight even after an ‘up and down’ week.

    Quacka, good that you are learning so much about nutrition. I, too, thought I ate pretty healthily before I got here. I still have plenty to learn. Such as why, because I ate a rare slice of sourdough bread with the chilli con carne last night, did I feel bloated and gain 500g, yet I can eat Carmens muesli (grains) 5 days a week and not suffer the same effects?

    Oh, and I forgot to say that we didn’t come last today as expected but 11th out of 12, he he. We had a good laugh.

    Last meal on the fast 800 was the first time I’d made a recipe from the fast 800 book, now I’m thinking I should have been making more of them. Chicken and lentil curry made with coconut milk….yum. Only 370 calories for me, then I put in some rice noodles to bulk it up for the family. I’ll definitely be trying some of the recipes on fast days!

    I kept my food to under 700 calories today and put on a last chance workout of 1 hour 15 minutes on the bike, now sleep and then weigh.

    CD today after a FD yesterday. Going okay. Lots of interesting things happening, from difficult neighbours, to tempting chocolate at work, to cute grandkids, to the incredible shrinking neilithicman, to being able to go off BP meds – that’s the one I’m most hoping for. I want to lose a bit more though before I mention the possibility to my doctor. I check my BP at home regularly, and it’s on average about 118/75, on the lowest possible dose of BP meds. I think it would have to consistently be below 110/70 for me to be allowed off my meds.

    The advice for neilithicman to buy secondhand if possible until you reach maintenance seems really sensible. I need to take it on board for myself. I still have so many items of clothing in my wardrobe which I bought “for when I lose a bit more weight”, and as I found at the weekend when sorting clothes, with the weight loss, it doesn’t mean the garments will fit properly after all. So, cheap or second hand from now until goal weight is reached, if I buy any at all (and it probably means a lot more clothes are destined for the op shop).

    Thinatlast, like you did for 3 years, always before when dieting, I’ve kept my “fat” clothes, just in case I’d need them again. Not this time. I’m done with being overweight. Actually, even now I’m still officially in the obese range with a BMI still at about 32, mainly because I’m very short.

    But this is a WOL, and it seems to suit me, so…. onward and downwards! Will try to be more specific in responding to posts if I can just get onto the computer earlier than midnight!

    Ohhhhh so close, weighed in this morning at 110.2 so a 1.8 kilogram weight loss last week. On one hand I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t get those last 200 grams, but on the other hand I’m incredibly proud of the 21.3 kilograms I’ve managed to lose in 12 weeks. It equates to just over 16% of my body weight. I’m amazed that I’m still dropping weight at that speed this far in. Usually when I’ve tried to drop weight it comes off fast at first, then by this stage the rate of loss has slowed down to a trickle and I feel like I’m busting my butt for a tiny return. Well, down I go. I settled on fasting Monday, Wednesday and Friday to start with, leaving me Tuesday, Thursday and the weekend for regular eating. My first goal is that pesky 200 grams and after that, breaking into that magic double digits

    Good morning all, another gorgeous day in Sydney, sunny and 25. We are having mid twenties all through Easter then the forecast for the following Anzac pseudo long weekend is high twenties! When is this faux summer going to end? Not that I want it to

    Neil, fabbolastic (yes that is an Anzac made-up word)result and you are an inspiration. BetsyLee, I laughed at your description of Neil, too funny 🙂

    Not a great FD for me yesterday but still well under my TDEE. I will do better tomorrow

    Thin, 11th out of 12 with the ‘big kids’ is amazing! And the best part is you had a good laugh and that is always a good thing. I haven’t found any sign of the unpleasantness they warned me about (yet) and I have had a good laugh with lots of people already. It’s my boss’s birthday and we are going out for lunch. Unfortunately it is for dumplings so my strategy is to eat my bag of carrot sticks before I go and sample just a couple of dumplings and eat them very mindfully and slowly.

    I am so sad that my hubby will never see Notre Dame in its full glory, if at all. I went in about 1985 and don’t remember much in detail but I do remember being completely awed. OH is an architectural draftsman and really loves old buildings so he was so looking forward to seeing it. Such a shame

    Cali, it is always good to get the dratted tax done. I actually got some back last year. Westpac must have over-taxed me because when I moved to the Canadian bank I was on the same rate but received a tiny bit more. I will probably have to pay some next year as I have had a small increase in my rate in this new job.

    Hi Turnabout, you are also doing so well over there in lovely NZ. The kiwis are definitely inspirational right now 🙂

    LJ, I agree with Quacka that the sort of stubbornness you are referring to is a great thing.

    I’m going to copy you Quacka and enter my food into Calorie King, I’ve just joined. I figure it is easier than keeping a food diary

    Have a great day all, chat soon

    Good morning. Melbourne, back to summer with a hot night and nasty northerly winds today. (But even hotter in SA I see, sympathy friends).

    A fine time was had at The Gruffalo yesterday! Many thanks to Klondi for organising it. The grandkiddies were gorgeous.
    The nice waiter took a pic of Klondi and me at the cafe afterwards, but I need to work out how to get it here as I don’t have enough apps on my phone!

    I’m not fasting today after all. My fridge put in a claim to get some food eaten most optimally today, I want to soak my mushrooms a day ahead (for my miso soup), and I have a busy day tomorrow, that will suit fasting.

    Thin, hooray that confirmation of cow-lady’s antisociability allayed your insomnia. Sleep well. She will be gone eventually.
    Bridge cheers, not at the bottom of the ladder is a good place to be.

    Anzac, hoping that the busy second day helped your fast day go quickly, and you have woken up today feeling great.

    Quacka, so exciting that you may be able to go off your BP medication for good. Fingers crossed here too.
    And yes, hooray for stubborness!

    LJoyce, it is so good to hear how your body eventually accepts its new weight. Mine keeps sneaking up to 52, as I found at the doctor’s last week. I’d prefer it between 48 and 50. Work in progress.
    Good luck with the slow eating. I know it is a hard habit to break. I just need to keep noticing that I am eating! And enjoy every precious, delicious bite.

    Turnabout, what pleasure to be watching Endeavour. They do the period so well, and the casting. Especially Inspector Thursday <3

    Good luck with the taxes, Cali. There does always seem to be a headache involved. Nice to have taxes and a fast day out of the way.

    Betsy, fingers crossed that it will soon be your turn to recheck BP meds. Without 5:2 they might have needed increasing.
    You must be so busy at the moment. It is so good that you manage to post, even when it is so late.
    I do enjoy seeing a post from you when I log in in the morning.

    Neil, CLOSE ENOUGH! Woot! You are amazing! And who needs round numbers anyway.
    I’d call it success! https://3c1703fe8d.site.internapcdn.net/newman/csz/news/800/2017/chemistexpla.jpg
    Isn’t it wonderful to find a way of eating that works for our lifestyles and our health. It adds such confidence to life.

    Best wishes all. I’ll pop back when I have worked out the photo, unless Klondi beats me to it.

    Neil, congrats on the 1.8kg! 200 grams one way or the other could be just water weight. If you weighed every day you’d likely see that amount of up and down during the week depending on how much salt or fiber you eat. 21.3kg in 12 weeks is more than most people lose on this or any other diet. Are you planning to switch to a 4:3 plan for those 3 fasting days with 600 calories or another plan? I haven’t ordered the Fast800 book yet because I’ve always done the 5:2.

    Betsy, be careful with wanting to quit the BP meds. 118/75 is great. It sounds like your BP med is working well. I went off of mine in 2017 when I first lost most of my weight, with my doctor’s blessing. My BP was sometimes too low. But months later, my BP spiked way up, likely because of stress with my job. I’m on a low dose of one med now and recently went off a second one, but it isn’t always easy to keep it low.

    Thin, congrats on not coming in last when playing with the big kids in bridge. That’s still a big thing.
    You mentioned an article about electronic assistants like the Echo, Siri or Google spying or recording conversations. We’ve had Echoes in the house for about 4-1/2 years and have become very accustomed to the convenience and features of having them. They play music by voice request in one or multiple rooms, can act as a home intercom, a speakerphone, we can turn on, off or dim most of our lights by voice, even if we’re not in the room, ask Alexa to find nearby restaurants and stores, check on the hours, tell us the weather for the day or week here or around the world, set timers, reminders and probably more that I can’t even think of now. I probably worry as much about them as I do about carrying a smartphone, having a smart tv, cable, streaming tv or being connected to the internet. Facial recognition cameras software in public places or stores and with WiFi more and more common everywhere, the possibilities are certainly out there. But the amount of money companies have tied up in these personal assistants these days gives me some reassurance that they have safeguards against intrusions that would cause people to abandon them. The first Echo started out as being a toy because I love new technology. But they’ve added so many features that we use all the time. Lindsay, I think you mentioned having one. What do you think? Is there anyone else here who has one? I don’t think they’ve been available in Australia for very long.

    CalifD, thanks for the product review! You didn’t mention whether Echo could prepare and serve dinner. If so, I’ll get one. Thanks also for your other link, I haven’t had a chance to open it yet.

    Neil, congratulations! You mentioned a workout, sleep, then weigh. Had it been workout, sleep, toilet, weigh, you’d have nailed it. 200g is nothing. You could move the scales to another part of the house and achieve that. Sometimes a hot shower does it for me. Well done.

    Cinque and Klond, glad you have a lovely day and a new friendship is blossoming from our thread.

    Anzac, the minefield of office lunches. Your strategy will work. Lots of fibre in carrots according to Insight last night.

    Betsy, great that you have fully embraced this WOL.

    Rosy must be having a very busy holiday with no time to post!

    Hello to everyone else and a call out to Merry. Hope all’s OK with you and especially Mr M.

    FD for me, without you then Cinque. I’m having Slendier Chicken Fettucine with Avocado Pesto (237 cals). It’s on our recipe page. OFMs are having pizza, hope it doesn’t smell too good!

    Wow. My new boss just said ‘if you would like to work from home one day per week that would be fine’ !! Yipee! And not only that, she suggested that I WFH all next week as everyone on the project are taking the 3 for 10 (3 days annual leave for 10 consecutive days off). I’m surprised they aren’t mandating enforced contractor leave but I don’t need more unpaid time off after my nice week off plus the upcoming 7 week holiday. I MUST NOT treat being at home as time off this WOL like I did last week. Instead it will be an opportunity to get lots of hilly walks in to improve my woeful current fitness level. We want to walk everywhere on the holiday so I need to get off my fat @#$$ and get moving!

    I meant to say how happy I was to read about Cinque and Klondi having a great catchup. Just lovely.

    Cali, that echo gizmo sounds amazing! I didn’t know they existed until recently there is an ad with a famous Aussie cricketer (Brett Lee) asking google to open and close his blinds via voice activation. What next?

    Happy FD Thin. I can’t fathom how you can do it when your OFM’s are having pizza. Wow. That was my undoing yesterday; hubby cooked steak and chips for himself and I ended up having a small portion instead of my planned dinner.

    Hi guys, have been busy relaxing and doing caravan research and shopping. Will try to respond to posts backwards.
    Anzac, I think fasting is easier at home because you can fill up on liquids and don’t have to worry about frequent visits to the toilet. When I am on holidays, I don’t even have my protein shake, just broth, coffee , flavoured water and Metamucil.
    Thin you are strong not having pizza, I would make hub wait until the weekend when I am allowed anything.
    Cinque, I can’t believe you only weigh 50 kg! Are you petite in height? What is your bmi?
    Neil a 1.8 kg loss in a week is incredible. My best loss was 1.7kg in a week. Now that I am scraping the bottom of the barrel as far as weight loss goes, my loss each week is much slower.
    I have been going through cupboards getting rid of all the clothes that no longer fit.
    Thin I agree with you that nothing tastes as being slim feels. Anyway, if I am craving something, I just wait till Saturday.
    Cinque, your chicken and vege soup worked a treat. I used thighs with bone in and slow cooked it, till it fell to bits. Hub loved it! I am now doing a similar slow cooked soup with lamb, then freeze it up for hub to have at work. He loves soup !
    Anzac , eating very few dumplings would be torture for me. I would have as many as I wanted and then do a liquids only fast the day after to compensate. I am an all or nothing person and hate calorie counting.
    Cali, hub and I are watching a Blacklist on Netflix at the moment. American actor, James Spader is quite entertaining.
    I was at my hairdressers on Tuesday and was wearing some of those clingy, workout pants , I said to my hairdresser that I had 1.5 kg to go to get to 60 kg and that it is all located on my chubby bum. My hairdresser replied with a “You so don’t have a chubby bum !” Love that girl! Lol!

    Trust me, I’m no saint. I’m only feeding the OFMs pizza on a FD because it’s no longer part of my diet. That’s when I give them the things that I no longer consider food but that they still enjoy – such as tacos! Pizza does have a tempting smell I agree. But it’s easy for me to resist when it’s a FD because I would never blow one. But on a NFD, who knows what could happen!

    Hurray for small behinds, getting off them to walk hilly tracks and for working from home.

    Hello all.

    In the middle of some very odd warm weather here this week. Also some late bushfires, after the time when we think we need to still worry about them. Those that happen outside of summer are always the scariest I think, because you are really not mentally ready for them. One is in a conservation park in the Adelaide hills that is still not under control. Hopefully the wind will calm down and allow the water bombers to get a bit more traction.

    Rosy, so nice to get such flattering feedback from your hairdresser.

    Neil and Turn, I agree with the other comments that our NZ contingent is setting us all a great example right now. Well done.
    Neil, I hope you find the new regime easy to stick to. It can take time to adjust from doing the same thing every day to the flexibility required to do intermittent fasting. I find you don’t get into a rhythm in the same as doing calorie restriction every day.
    Turn, it sounds like continuing with the Fast800 is working for you still.

    Thin, I hope you are enjoying playing with the big kids at bridge. Do you have the same partner each time?
    As to the sourdough versus muesli question, I suspect it might be partly down to gut bugs. The grains in each product are different and probably require different gut flora to be easily digested without bloating. You know the rule with gut bugs, if you don’t feed them regularly they die.

    Cali, commiserations on the tax. Mine is much simpler these days but I still hate having to do it – that’s despite having once been an accountant in my 20s!
    Echo sounds helpful but I don’t have anything like that. I find there’s a fine line between helpful and intrusive. I’m still telling my microwave and fridge to shut up when they beep at me for not acting as quickly as they want. I don’t take well to bossy appliances.

    Anzac, it’s very sad that your hubby won’t get to see notre dame. I was there in 1993 and when I heard about the fire it sent me searching for my photo album. I’m very glad to hear that a lot of the structure survived. I’m astounded that the rose window wasn’t blown apart by the heat – what a miracle. I guess it will still be a tourist attraction now, but for different reasons.
    Getting fitter before your trip is a good idea, it’s so much better to sightsee on foot than stuck on buses and trains you see so much more – tiring though.
    Having a week of working from home sounds good so new into your job – as long as you have somewhere to work where Maxx can’t keep distracting you. I always found WFH days were much more productive as I had far fewer distractions at home than in a busy and sometimes noisy office.

    Klondi and Cinque, how wonderful to have an outing with grandies in tow – that’s a lot kid wrangling. Sounds like fun was had by all and a restful follow up day (or two) may be required!

    Betsy, it’s good to keep a regular note of BP when you are losing weight. The advice I had before losing my weight was that a reduction in meds is required for roughly every 10kg lost. What I found was that the impact wasn’t that linear. I lost over 15kg before any reduction in meds was needed and the closer I got to my goal weight the more frequently they needed adjustment. I think they changed in 4 times over the last 10-12kg of weight loss before stopping all meds completely. I didn’t check it at home myself, but both my GP and the nurse that did my RA treatment checked it monthly, and I could check it at the the local chemist too as needed. I also knew when it was getting too low as I’d start to feel faint. High BP was my only weight related illness when I was obese, so I took great pleasure in every reduction in meds.

    I watched the Insight program on bowel cancer last night. It was a good reminder that what we eat (or don’t eat) matters to more than our weight. It was also a reminder that being thin doesn’t mean being healthy, our diet matters too.
    It got me thinking that Cinque’s challenge to herself last December was an excellent one. After my lent challenge is done I need to pay more attention to making sure I eat my full 7 serves of fruit & veg most days – too often I’m below that – made more difficult by only eating 2 main meals. The blindingly obvious also occurred to me – if I’m eating fruit and veg I’m not eating something else and hopefully will have less room for poorer food choices.

    I think I might go for another walk now. I wandered over to the exceedingly busy shopping centre this morning to buy some tea, as my supplies were getting alarmingly low. I might chose a quieter path this afternoon that doesn’t include lots of frustrated drivers getting cross or abusive with each other.

    Have a lovey day everyone.

    LJ, quit hanging onto that late summer weather and send it over here. We’ve cooled down again. But don’t send any bush fires. Late summer seems to be the time when when fires get started here too. Everything gets so dry in the summer and then winds in the autumn often along with dry lightening and not much rain. That fire in the Adelaide Hills looks bad. Is that anywhere near where you used to live? I hope they get it under control soon.

    Thin, you asked if Alexa could cook and serve dinner. Well, not exactly, but when I asked her for a chicken curry recipe, she suggested one that included cinnamon that takes about 15 minutes to prepare, then asked if I would like to hear more about it or skip to another. If I wanted to hear more she’d add more details and then send the recipe to my tablet or cell phone if I agree. 😁

    Rosy, I watched a few shows of Blacklist the first season and then started watching something else that was on around the same time and forgot about it. OH watches it though and really likes it. I’ll eventually get back to it. I really like James Spader, but his character in the old weekly series Boston Legal was a lot nicer.

    Cali, no the fire is further north than where I lived. Yesterday apparently set new records for the warmest Adelaide day for mid-autumn. The hot winds felt awful.
    You are welcome to our weather if I can just find a way to get it to you – what do you think the postage would be on that?

    A quick pop in with this https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/uk-woman-lists-what-aussies-consider-bad-manners/news-story/2f4d21d234bf426363fb4886517f6460 as it is relevant to our conversations about personal space and manners. I thought she has it pretty right.
    I wonder how many of them are also right for your parts of the world Cali, Neil, Turnabout, Penguin and whoever else may be around.

    I have been tired today but managed to do good things including making a big pot of soup with veggies, chickpeas and corned beef. (I made corned beef and finally cooked it properly. I am enjoying it so much). Hope you are fine Klondi. I will get that photo up tomorrow.

    RosyPosy I am so glad the soup worked well for you!
    I am 52kg… That’s a BMI of 21. I need to go under 46 to be underweight. Yes I am short (and getting shorter).

    Must go. I’ll write properly in the morning.

    LJ, thanks for the explanation – so I react that way to bread because my gut just isn’t used to it now? I suppose that’s a good thing then. I can’t recall if I’ve already mentioned watching that Insight into bowel cancer. Not a big JB fan but I sometimes enjoy the topics. Was that a wig last night?

    LJ, my bridge partner has a standing commitment during the Thursday ‘supervised’ session but if we decide to make the Tuesday ‘novice’ session a regular thing, we will then be playing twice a week together, once in supervised to learn and ask questions, and once in novice to make complete idiots of ourselves. On Thursdays, I have another partner but she’s not really ready for the step up.

    The pizza didn’t bother me tonight – my own dinner was so delicious, I could hardly believe it was a FD meal. And the OFMs said mine looked better than theirs. Ha!

    CalifD, that’s hilarious. I guess that gadget would be good for lonely people too. We also started watching Blacklist and really enjoyed it at first but I lost interest; OH still watches it when I’m not around.

    Cinque, I just read that link about Aussie manners. I agree with most of it. Not the personal space part as we’ve already discussed. Also, I’m not sure anyone’s ever held a door open for me. But it is very amusing on the walking path that locals all keep left in an orderly fashion. You can tell the newcomers and tourists because they’re the ones getting in our way!

    10.30 pm and we are babysitting Mr 4 and the nearly 1 year old for the first time, as their parents attend a wedding. I won’t be sorry to hear the Uber pull up at midnight. My OH has been here since 2 pm (3pm wedding) and it finishes at 11 pm….and the baby woke an hour ago and doesn’t want to settle. My OH is a genius at patting babies to sleep and is in with her now. Long day, and work tomorrow. The groom (one of my son’s kindy friends) and bride live overseas but have come home for the wedding and it’s at a wonderful venue (Gallery of Modern Art) so pleased DS & DIL could go.

    My first FD today in a while – not a bad effort, though a bit over 500 cals I think, because of the BBQ chicken I had with salad for dinner. I’ll give another one a go tomorrow – have drinks to attend tomorrow after work, but I’ll be driving so one glass, if that. It’s been held by our local member (State) to celebrate Council withdrawing support for a zipline through native bushland on Mt Coot-tha. Dreadful they could even contemplate destroying bushland for commercial interests, but there’s been a huge community reaction and the Lord Mayor’s been replaced and his successor has pulled the plug. Will be good to celebrate – people don’t often win against governments.

    I’m with you Rosy – more than a few dumplings, or none at all. And dumplings go down so easily! Hope you enjoy your lunch Anzac – it seems the environment is very welcoming, and will fit with your way of working really well.

    Cali (and Thin and Anzac) the Amazon has worked brilliantly for my OH with his sight problems. No more fumbling with music – he just asks Alexa. He also asks her to call people via WhatsApp because he has trouble with phone numbers. It has made such a difference to him. Each piece of technology requires us to give over a little more of ourselves – but this one has given him independence he wouldn’t have had … and being able to play his music on demand really lifts his spirits.

    Quacka will be interested to hear more about the BP meds. My BP has been really quite low for a while now, but my GP is very reluctant to change something he says is working very well. And the dose is the smallest possible. Like you, I want to be free of them, but as it’s one half tablet each night, it isn’t a big deal I guess. I’ll be guided by him – I trust him.

    Cinque and Klondi – wonderful to share a day out with the little ones. What fun!

    Cali and LJ, counting down the days until we leave. Just 16 sleeps now. I’m scratching my head already over packing. We will be moving around so don’t want too much – but I also don’t want to look like a dag (thank you for the word Cinque) when we go to good restaurants etc…(although we more often eat street food or at holes in the wall). When we go up to Bali I pack for two changes a day – but only because I don’t have to cart luggage. When I have to schlepp my case on and off trains etc. I really focus on minimising what I take. Shoes are always the problem ….one pair of Birkenstocks, one havianas, and one decent pair I guess. Oh, and sneakers. See how it creeps up. My workload will be better after I get back, although I suspect my colleague will decide to retire after her long service leave. I will commit to part of her job, but nothing like I’m doing at the moment.

    Thin, great that you’ve had independent confirmation that cow wife is just that! I never doubted it for a moment. I wonder what motivates people to behave so badly and so selfishly. They will go – they will! And you will have your alfresco life back.

    Turn I found Endeavour after hearing Thin and Cinque (I think) talking about it. Slow at first but I really got into the characters.

    Neil, 200 grams is just, as they say, a bag of shells. Congratulations on your outstanding results…16% loss equates to huge health benefits.

    Ah tax time. Still a couple of months to go here. I love doing my tax. Is that weird? Not just for the franking credit rebates either (although I do like getting a good lump sum back, and for OH too). May be the last year so I should savour it! Grrrrr.

    OK baby not settling – my turn. This will probably post after we get home …. I can’t find my son’s wifi password. Sleep well all.

    Checking in before heading to bed. FD800 today went fine. CD tomorrow, so I can fit in the two hot cross buns singing to me from the fridge.

    LJoyce and CalifDreamer, I’ve been on the same BP med since my weight journey began, and it’s the lowest dose possible of one med only. I actually used to be on 40 mg, and had to drop it to 20 mg last year (with medical approval), even when overweight (I have to break the tablet in half now), because I was getting too many readings between 100 and 110. Now, well, yes, if I were still working, I’d be a bit hesitant about wanting to stop it, as work, especially marking, was sometimes quite stressful, but my BP seems to be more affected by my level of fitness rather than actual weight. Now I’ve retired and can exercise consistently every day, my resting heart rate has dropped to the high 60s, where it was previously in the high 70s. Quite often when I check my BP, I get readings of around 108/72, which I think is on the low side for me, but it’s not consistent, which is why I’ll wait a bit longer before discussing the BP issue with my doctor. Thanks for the helpful insights, though. Because I have a home machine, I can keep a much closer eye on the BP than might be true for others.

    Thinatlast, great progress in your bridge exploits. I’m sure you’ll notice more improvement as you play more in the novices rather than supervised.

    Cinque, how I am longing to come close to your weight. My actual goal weight is 54 kg, which will be in the middle of my BMI, but my mother, who was a couple of inches shorter than me, was …. hmmm, how do I convert it? – between 7 and 71/2 stone for several years before she died; I guess that would be 46-48 kg(?). She had the best figure then that she’d ever had in her life!!! 🙂

    Rosy Posy, I agree with you about WFH as being easier to control the eating, especially on FDs. What I’d find more difficult would be to ensure I actually got my work done!

    Anzac65, advice please. I’m WFH trying to settle to my doctorate work, and find it really hard not to be distracted by all the things around home which suddenly start crying out to be done. How do you discipline yourself to just focus on getting the work done and not get distracted?

    Today is going to have to be a CD after eating a big Subway sandwich last night. We won’t even mention the big chocolate chip cookie that came with it. Then tomorrow is my regular Thursday FD. I need to show more restraint on NFD. While I can maintain my weight by eating normally, I can’t eat recklessly! I need to get rid of 2 kg that have slowly been added.

    Thin, Lindsay and Anzac, I forgot about Alexa being a big help for anyone with disabilities. I know (online) 2 people with husbands that have a lot of difficulty walking, one with Parkinson’s and the other after a severe stroke who use Echoes extensively for playing music, turning on and off lights. Both have a pair of Echo Show devices with a 10 inch screen that is like a video phone. Using the ‘Drop In’ feature and leaving it connected most of the time, they can see each other from different rooms in the house. Another person has an Echo Show in her home and another in the home of her mother who has mid stage dementia and lives a few towns away. It’s allowed her mom to live on her own for a longer time because she can look in on her whenever she’s in the main room of the house (and doesn’t hang up on the connection.)

    Cinque, thank you for posting that article on Aussie etiquette. They would all be the same here except for the tipping. A 15-20% tip is expected in restaurants and it would be considered an insult not to tip unless the service was particularly bad. Waiters and waitresses depend on tips for a big part of their salary. Taxi drivers and hairdressers also expect to be tipped. I would add that boasting is definitely allowed on this thread when it comes to weight loss and any other accomplishments of our group. 😁 But in general, in person, it would be considered bad manners.

    Cinque and Klondi, happy to hear that your outing with the grandies was fun. Can’t wait to see the pictures.

    LJ, I’m not sure how to send that warm weather here, but we could use it. It’s finally supposed to get up to 20 today if the weather predictions are right, but we’re still often in the single digits at night. I always wait to plant herbs and tomatoes until it isn’t dropping below the teens.

    I spent a frustrating few hours setting up my son’s new bed last night. It was a bunk bed with storage and a fold out desk underneath, but it came in hundreds of little pieces that needed to be screwed, bolted, locked or slotted together….I hate flat pack furniture! I had a couple of well earned beers afterwards and my boy slept well in his new bed, so I guess it was all worth it. Clothes shopping day today. I’m just going to buy two work pants and shirts to last me until I’m smaller.

    Good morning,
    A beautiful morning (but no rain). Melbourne. Thursday morning. Fast Day.

    Taking up your baton, Thin.

    Here is the picture of Klondi and me. https://imgur.com/a/8glawhR

    Anzac, hooray for working from home and a good week to get yourself settled in your new project.

    LJoyce, those late bushfires do come as a shock.
    Re the 7 veggies a day, your point about them displacing other foods has been just what I have found. It’s a real eye opener for me and feels so good for my health.

    Cali, I hope it warms up for you soon. Has the rain been ok? We have had the driest start to a year since records began. It makes the climate emergency feel even more of an emergency.

    Ha Thin, At least you know that you are fine with oats, but not with wheat. Research is indicating that whole grains are particularly good at getting fibre into us, so I am glad that it isn’t all the grains that you react to.

    Lindsay I do hope the little one was comforted and that you are now having a big sleep in. Hooray for all the things technology can do to help Mr Lindsay.

    Betsy, you will love getting down to the middle, or even lower end of your healthy weight range. It will happen. I just wanted to get under 60kg, but then another 10kg came off (fairly slowly, I lost about a kilo a month).

    Haha, I hope Anzac can give you some good advice about not cleaning out your cupboards before settling into your doctorate work! I can’t…

    Cali, nice point that here is a good place to boast our weight loss acheivements.

    My garden is full of seedlings coming up. Rocket, coriander, chard. I need to start pinching some out soon. Microherbs with my salads!
    Enjoy your 20 temp. Same here! presuming you aren’t talking Fahrenheit.

    Best wishes everyone.

    PS Hi Neil, I took so long to write we crossed posts. Aaaagh, the bed! Glad you survived the experience. Cheers for those comfy new clothes.

    Good morning, another stunning day in Sydney. Sunny and 26 degrees

    Cinque and Klondi you are both GORGEOUS!! Thanks for the photo, I am tempted to do a before and after one of me but still a bit shy. I rarely post a pic of myself on FaceBook; that is all about Maxx. The only reason I joined FB last year was to participate in a closed Labrador page but they have now moved to a forum but I am used to it now. By the way, I could only view your pic on my phone for those trying to see it

    Well the gang here couldn’t get a booking at the dumpling restaurant yesterday so we went to a Thai place which was much better. I ordered a chicken and vege stir fry in chilli jam with cashew nuts and declined any rice. It was delicious. I know it wasn’t a FD but my previous FD wasn’t great and I wanted to make up for it plus I knew hubby was making chicken schnitty for dinner which is not terribly healthy (but also delicious with a big salad).

    Cinque, whoever wrote that piece on Aussie etiquette has not commuted in Sydney at peak hour. Personal space intrusion, queue jumping, talking loudly – just to name a few. And don’t get me started on staying left. Everyone walks wherever they want and often slowly whilst looking at their phone and sometimes I even say ‘left is good’ when I am on the far left and come face to face with someone. Once I copped a big abusive rant from a young man when I said it. Seriously mate, get a life.

    Betsy, yes the calling of chores and pets and other distractions is terribly hard to ignore. So what I do is work out exactly how much I want to get done and get stuck into it first thing and don’t do anything else until it is all done. I can’t always do that as it depends on what I’m working on. Sometimes I have to wait for the work but more often I have big lumps of stuff to do by a certain date. So once the work is out of the way I can go and do my other more interesting things without one iota of guilt

    FD today and I’m on my second black coffee and second 600ml bottle of water. I like my water nice and cold so I buy two bottles every Monday and keep one in the fridge while drinking the other. Then I fill up the first one and put it in the fridge and remove the second one.

    Neil, that bed construction story terrified me. I don’t know how you or anyone can cope with flat pack furniture. But I bet you enjoyed the beers and so glad your little one slept well in it

    Thin, you continue to inspire me with your mix of determination and humour  pizza is no longer a food – what a great way to look at it. I am the same about fast food, e.g. McDonalds. I can’t call that food as it smells and tastes like plastic. But pizza….well I’m a fair way off not being tempted by that. I would never order one in a restaurant as it would have too much cheese for my lactose intolerance but I do love a home-made one where I can control what goes on it.

    LJ, I am so concerned about the crazy weather too. Whatever anyone believes about climate change, you can’t ignore that this is truly crazy weather. My cyber friends on the Labrador friends forum are mostly in the UK and can’t believe the updates the small Aussie contingent are giving on the weather. They all want to move here! Thanks for the information about bread vs muesli and the gut bugs. I never considered that and now it is making a whole lot more sense. If I eat white bread (very rarely) I get bloated but not so much if it is really grainy

    Lindsay – 16 more sleeps! I hope you aren’t too tired today after a late night baby-sitting followed by a stressful, busy day at work. I hope you can relax and rest over Easter. I’m so interested in the voice activated technology and so glad it has helped your hubby and his independence. I’d look into it but I know The Treasurer (hubby) would never consider it as he would see it as a waste of money in our situation. I actually agree with him but I would still love to try it! We can’t spend recklessly as well as take 7 week trips and travel is so important to us so I am happy to make do without it.

    So glad it is warming up for you Cali and I hope you get to plant your herbs and tomatoes soon. I found tipping irksome when we were in the States for our 25th wedding anniversary trip. We first went to Cuba where you could get a meal for $2 and then went to New York and San Fran. What a difference! The food was expensive to start with and then you had to add a big tip! We knew we had to do it but it was with much muttering and begrudgement (is that a word?)

    Rosy, bless your hairdresser and I’m sure she is 100% correct.

    I’m not doing much at work yet, just reading reams and reams of online documentation so the days are dragging. It makes FD a lot harder but I’m determined to make this a good one. Everyone is SO busy and I can’t wait to get up to speed so I can help.

    What a nice lot of new posts to get me through the first coffee.

    Cinque, thanks for posting the photo. Klond, I loved seeing what you look like. It brings it all to life. (I loved seeing yours too, Cinque, but we already knew what you look like). Envious of that cilantro growing in your garden.

    CalifD, Lindsay, when I was a student OT, I remember being in awe of a new gadget called POSM, (patient operated sensory modality). We visited the home of a quadriplegic who was able to control a range of items in his home such as opening the front door, turning on and off lights and heaters, making phone calls, etc by using a series of sucks and blows down a tube. This is going back to the seventies!

    Lindsay, that sounds like a long evening. And a lot of shoes. I hope you have a fantastic trip.

    Neil, my DD has had a loft bed since age two. She’s very attached to it. Flatpacks can be frustrating to assemble and there are people whose hobby it is to put them together to earn a little extra cash.

    Betsy, Lindsay and others, after my experience with BP meds, I wouldn’t entertain the idea of taking them unless I had a home monitor. Fortunately, after a new GP put me on a 24 hour monitor (years ago now), he determined that I should never have been on them in the first place.

    Time for a second coffee and a little weight brag – 58.2kg. Enjoy the FD, Cinque.

    P.S. Morning Anzac! What a lovely post. Now that I’ve come to make a post script, it doesn’t show it and I’ve already forgotten what you wrote. I agree about tipping. It’s one of the best things about Australia and NZ not to have to worry about that. Not only do you have add the tip to the restaurant bill in the USA but often also state tax. I like the fact that here when purchasing an item in the stores, the price you see is the price you pay. I would love to see your photo! I’m not game to post my own though so I understand.

    Good Morning everyone

    Last day of work for the week before ten days off and I am SUPER excited!!! I am even going to be able to fit in FDs next week as OH will be working the two days after Easter. Yay for FDs not so great for OH though….

    Lindsay, your shoe list sounds exactly what I will be taking for my 5 days in North Queensland. I am tossing up whether to leave behind the nice sandals and just wear my Birkenstocks when we go out to eat. All depends on what I can fit into my 7kg luggage allowance! lol

    Betsy, your BP readings sound a lot like mine while I was taking the tablets. I would often be in the 100-110 range on top and in the 70s on the bottom. I googled (I know, so accurate, right!) low blood pressure and it said that it wasn’t too low so I wasn’t too worried at the time but I actually feel better now that I am off them. I also have a monitor at home and have been checking my BP every couple of days so I can show the doc and so far so good. Strangely, the day I went to the docs and asked her if I could come off them she checked my BP and of course it was a little high! She waited a few minutes and checked again and it had come down to a more reasonable range and she said that if that was my normal reading then she would never have put me on medication. Long story, but the doc that put me on the medication is not my doc any longer.

    Thanks for the lovely photo of you and Klondi, Cinque. It is really nice to put names to faces or vice versa in this case 🙂

    Neil, I totally understand your frustration with the flat pack furniture. I refuse to have anything to do with setting that stuff up or installing new electronics like sound systems etc. That is all up to OH. The most help I can give is to read the instructions as OH never does that and I can’t believe how he manages to do anything without reading them and yet he does.

    Anzac, I’m with you about keeping to the left. It makes life so much easier in a busy world. The one thing I hate is people who stand talking in the middle of the footpath, entry or supermarket aisle without any care about the people around them who are trying to make their way past. usually all they have to do is step less than a metre to the side and it would be so much easier for everyone. Aaah, that’s my rant for the day. Hahahaha
    Are you coming down to Culburra on the long weekend? It is meant to be some really lovely weather again so hopefully I can get out and enjoy it this time.

    Just wanted to wish you all a safe and happy long weekend and also Happy Easter. I thought I would get in early in case I don’t have time to post on the weekend.
    Enjoy your time doing whatever you are doing x

    Morning Quacka, sadly we only get the house when my sister or either of her two daughters don’t want it and of course Easter is a very popular time to have a nice long weekend down there. When are you going to North Queensland? Where are you staying? I love it up there but haven’t been for a few years.

    Thin, our posts crossed – good morning! 58.2 – crikey – worthy of a brag indeed 🙂

    Bummer, Anzac. We are going to Nth Qld in mid June and we are staying at Trinity Beach in some swish apartment!! I received the offer in an email and mentioned it to OH and he said “just book it” and so I did! I will be conquering my fear of flying and it will be OHs first time on a plane. By the way I have been on a plane before when I was around 18 and I went by myself but over the years I have built up a ridiculous and unreasonable fear. Sooooo in June it will be conquered! I’m actually really excited to be going. Can’t wait.

    Hi Everyone,
    Just reading up on fast diet and hope to start after Easter. I have been wanting to try this for a while now. it is good to hear the positive comments. I am sure I will be coming back to you for encouragement.
    Do you find you change any of the food on the fast days?

    Hello all
    Thursday 1.50pm

    Woke to thick fog this morning, we were beginning to wonder if they got any here, well, that answers that question then. Anyway, still up and out for my morning walk/jog, cannot beleive how well I am going, managing to get so far so much quicker than I imagined I would. It’s my first 4 days straight and have made a lot of headway since my first one just last Monday!! Not sure if I will ever get to the 5km mark, but I’m working on it. So envious of runners who seem to run so naturally and not even seem to be out of breath, I almost keel over if I go too hard!! hahaha Looking forward to getting back into the pool when the kids go back to school on the 29th, was looking at starting yoga, got the most gorgeous studio almost next door, but her new term starts on Mon 29th for 8 weeks and I’ll only be here for the first four, so thats out, maybe some other time.

    Speaking of upcoming trips, its only 7 weeks till we depart so need to buy new footwear, certainly need new walking/running shoes/sneakers and sandals, that’s usuallly the extent of my holiday footwear, maybe a pair of real lightweight Teva’s or lightweight heels (not that I can do these much but some outfits need a bit of height and I am only 5’2!) OH ususaly ends up taking too many pairs, but he is getting so much better than he used to be. The rest of the suitcase will contain cycling wear, hiking wear, then general summer stuff for the ramaining three/four weeks. Will need to put in something dressy as shouting M & D dinner/lunch somewhere flash!

    Cinque & Klondi – loved the photo, it’s great when you can put a face to the name, I’m not quite there yet!!

    Neil – Congratulations on your total loss for your twelve week stint, and good luck with the transition to 4:3, I feel like we could have lost more than we have but have to admit that we have continued with some bits sneaking in, the only way for OH to keep it sustainable!!! When we go to our favourite cafe, (most days) and enjoy a coffee, we usually share a savoury scone, with butter, he has at least a couple of milky coffees a day but it is green top, so might as well be water!! We have a couple of squares of dark choc every night along witht a glass of red wine, and are taking cod liver oil capsules daily! If I prepare steamed vegies I always serve them with olive oil, but we have stopped snacking, eat only two meals a day and within a 16:8 window. I think not eating so close to bedtime has helped!

    Quacka – Enjoy your time off, sounds like your job is quite high pressure? So glad to be away from that now.

    Rosy – Congrats on your further loss and your hairdresser must be right!! I noticed you have also purchased a new caravan, funnily enough we already have an Alexa wired into ours, (not requested but fitted as standard!) do you have it in yours?? Not something we have ever had or used but our friends have it and we used it when staying with them. I can see some uses in the van, especially if we are late back to it and need blinds closing and lights on to make it look as though someone is in, should be fun.

    Finaly weighed in at under 75kg this morning so off to new goal of 70kg now, just hope I’m there before the holiday, so desperately need the wriggle room!!!

    Off to the bank now, we can finally close the business account, at last, I find myself slowly saying goodbye to our previous life! Such a strange feeling but getting used to it as time goes on. Still working on that rhythm????

    Take care all, have a lovely day.

    Turn

    Hi – this is my first week … fast day 2 today and just on a mid afternoon miso soup … kind of fills me up. Its all ok and great to read this forum – hard week to start with school holidays that’s for sure – definitely grumpier with the kids …. hoping it gets easier ….

    Welcome kerryfr and kiwi72!

    This is an awesome forum with great support and friendship. There are a lot of wise owls who have lost weight with this WOL (way of life) or WOE (way of eating) who have stayed to support those of us who are still losing. I’ve tried every diet under the sun and this is the only one (not that it is really a diet) that has worked

    Re your question kerrfr, everyone is different. I tend to have similar meals on FD’s with some variances to make it less boring. Some people fast all the way to dinner while others, such as myself, have a small lunch and small dinner with a piece of fruit or similar in between. You a have to try lots of different ways until you find what works best for you

    Good luck and stay with us as we are great at supporting each other through the good and not-so-good times

    As an intro, I live in Sydney with my husband and perennially naughty Labrador Maxx.

    Good luck!

    Welcome to the new people. I’ve just finished 12 weeks of the fast 800 and I lost 21.3 kilos on it. I also did time restricted eating, having all my food between 11 am and 7 pm, on top of that I did the Mediterranean diet that Dr Mosley recommended, cutting out sugar, starchy foods and processed foods and concentrating on fish, nuts, olive oil, cheese, eggs, chicken and vegetables. It was absolute torture for the first 3-4 days until my body adjusted to the new diet, then it was really easy because I never really felt hungry. The diet is something you play around with though to find what works for you. I had to introduce more beans and lentils halfway through to boost my fibre.

    I did my shopping today and I’ve never enjoyed shopping more. It turns out I’ve dropped 10 inches off my waist and gone down 2 shirt sizes in that 12 week period. If I drop the remaining 20 kilos to get to my goal I’m going to go on a shopping spree!

    While my boy and I were driving to the shops there was a piece on the radio about Cadbury creme eggs, they said before you tuck into one this Easter, just know that one creme egg has as many calories as 2 Big Macs from maccas, that’s as many calories as I was having in one day 😕

    Wow that’s awesome results and a great transformation in your lifestyle – congratulations. I am just trying to find something that means I can maintain my weight as I am less active than I once was – would like to lose 6 – 7 kg. I used to be pretty fit and worked in fitness/health industry but kids, work and a few injuries have all gotten in the way. I haven’t found the fasting days too hard but definitely have less patience with the kids at the end of the day – not sure if Easter/school holidays was the best time to start but the great thing is tomorrow is another day. I am lucky as I like green tea and only drink black coffee so haven’t had to give up too many vices …..

    Welcome kerryfr and kiwi72, I hope you find 5:2 suits you. Most of us are here because this is easier than the things we tried in the past. I came to lose some weight and have stayed as 5:2 helps me maintain more easily too.

    kerryfr, because it’s only 2 FDs per week I eat similar things most FDs. I generally only have one meal – dinner, because I’m usually not hungry in the morning. If I”m struggling to get through to dinner time I have a piece of fruit.

    Turn, Neil and kiwi72 (I’m assuming you are true to label), I saw a good news story on the midday news about the birth bonanza in kakapo parrots this year. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-47960764 With 76 chicks just born to 147 adults that’s an amazing result. I love the description of them in the BBC article “They don’t behave like a bird, they’re a little bit human… They even look like a grumpy old man and they all have different personalities”

    Quacka, I’m impressed that you are about to conquer your fear of flying. Good to start out in Australia where commercial flights are incredibly safe. Nice to have a holiday to look forward to.

    Lindsay, if you are counting the sleeps I think it’s fair to say you are looking forward to this holiday.

    Thin, yes you did earn bragging rights. Well done keeping your weight within such a tight range.

    Cinque, thankyou for posting the photo of you and Klondi.
    The Aussie etiquette may not be true for Sydney these days but it’s still true for Adelaide – maybe it’s related to population density. I wonder if the personal space issue depends on where you grew up. I grew up in a rural area and feel quite uncomfortable when people that I don’t know well stand too close to me – I feel like I want to take a step backwards to restore the appropriate gap.

    Betsy, when I worked from home I found I was more productive when tucked away in a quiet corner of the house. My desk was in the smallest bedroom which was furthest from the living areas and had a view of the back garden not the street activity. If I tried to take the laptop into the main part of the house to work I was much more distracted. When I took a break I went to the kitchen or living room to keep the activities separate. I think what also helped was that I was being paid to do a days work and would have felt too guilty not putting in the hours I was paid for. As a student you don’t have that obligation and self motivation is tougher.

    Hello to everyone else I haven’t mentioned yet.

    I’m expecting the nurse this afternoon as it’s infusion day. I think I have time for a cuppa first.

    Have a good day all.

    Seriously. I’m on the train home and a girl sat next to me, pulled out a strong smelling sandwich and is happily chowing down. On a FD. Not that it’s all that tempting as the smell is making me feel ill but who does that? There are no other seats else I would move.

    LJ, Adelaide sounds lovely and refined. I’m moving there!

    Quacka, I remember now that you were having this holiday to fight your fear of flying. Good for you! My hubby was afraid too and used to have to have Xanax but he is fine now.

    Hi guys, lots of wonderful posts to read! I am going to risk Thin getting really annoyed with me by saying Happy Birthday for the 19th or 20 or 21st. Here comes the part that will make you mad with me : you are much more a Taurus than an Aries! 1. Taureans are a tad obsessive, Aries more impulsive. 2. With Taureans, trust has to be earnt .3. Taureans are practical, determined and grounded. I know you think it’s rubbish but it makes more sense to me than religion and no violence is done in the name of starsigns whereas with religion …….

    Thin , I love it when you say you are up early having coffee, reading posts as I do exactly the same thing as you at the same time but north of the river ! I agree with you about being too shy to post my photo on the forum! You are sooo admirable with a 58,2 kg weight. Well done !

    I’m on my 4 th btb fast day, one more to go, then an Easter of 3 days of feasting after 5 days of famine. Saturday we are going to a friend’s birthday party and I am making carrot cake and a Mexican salad ( layers of coriander, rocket, red onion, corn, avocado, cheese, tomato, red beans and topped of by a layer of sour cream/ mayo/ ranch dressing with chilli powder ). Sunday a pork roast with the family, Monday a lunch barbecue and I am taking puff pastry nibblies.

    Hi Klondi and Turn, no the van doesn’t come with Alexa but it has massive lithium batteries, solar panels etc.

    LJ re your 2 fruit and 5 veg, what about vitamins ? Until I reach maintainance which is not far away , I won’t be eating fruit or veges on my 5 fast days although I have lots of vitamin supplements.

    Cali, I love the complexity of James Spader’s Raymond Reddington character !

    Betsy, would it be too revealing for me to ask in what field is your doctorate. Don’t worry if you don’t feel comfortable saying it.

    Re tipping in the US, I can see both sides of the argument. In Oz, waiters get paid a decent wage so don’t need to rely on tips. In the US, I found it intrusive when waiters were constantly interrupting our conversations asking if everything was ok and if we wanted anything. I think a good waiter scans the room to see if you are needing anything. In Oz, we reward good service by repeat custom. In North America, I felt obliged to tip even if I hadn’t enjoyed the experience because I was worried about the waiters not receiving enough money to survive. All in all I felt we were under too much pressure and were always concerned as to whether we had over or under tipped.

    I agree that boasting doesn’t come naturally to Aussies (even though we don’t mind boasting about our weight loss ), but I think we are becoming more accustomed to this because when applying for jobs we have to extol our own virtues and to how closely we meet the job criteria.
    I also like that the price on the label is the total price paid. In Canada, they give you the price but at the checkout they added a state tax plus a federal tax !!

    Welcome Kiwi and Kerry, fasting is the only diet that works because it doesn’t ban any food group ( unlike Keto) and you do t have to calorie count, weigh or go without things you love. I find boring is best on fast days as otherwise it is tempting and torturous. I have a fluids only rule on 5 btb fast days then on the weekends, I eat and drink whatever ! However we all do things differently here and what works for me doesn’t work for others. The beauty of this wol is it is so flexible , you just find what works for you.

    Hi guys, lots of wonderful posts to read! I am going to risk Thin getting really annoyed with me by saying Happy Birthday for the 19th or 20 or 21st. Here comes the part that will make you mad with me : you are much more a Taurus than an Aries! 1. Taureans are a tad obsessive, Aries more impulsive. 2. With Taureans, trust has to be earnt .3. Taureans are practical, determined and grounded. I know you think it’s rubbish but it makes more sense to me than religion and no violence is done in the name of starsigns whereas with religion …….

    Thin , I love it when you say you are up early having coffee, reading posts as I do exactly the same thing as you at the same time but north of the river ! I agree with you about being too shy to post my photo on the forum! You are sooo admirable with a 58,2 kg weight. Well done !

    I’m on my 4 th btb fast day, one more to go, then an Easter of 3 days of feasting after 5 days of famine. Saturday we are going to a friend’s birthday party and I am making carrot cake and a Mexican salad ( layers of coriander, rocket, red onion, corn, avocado, cheese, tomato, red beans and topped of by a layer of sour cream/ mayo/ ranch dressing with chilli powder ). Sunday a pork roast with the family, Monday a lunch barbecue and I am taking puff pastry nibblies.

    Hi Klondi and Turn, no the van doesn’t come with Alexa but it has massive lithium batteries, solar panels etc.

    LJ re your 2 fruit and 5 veg, what about vitamins ? Until I reach maintainance which is not far away , I won’t be eating fruit or veges on my 5 fast days although I have lots of vitamin supplements.

    Cali, I love the complexity of James Spader’s Raymond Reddington character !

    Betsy, would it be too revealing for me to ask in what field is your doctorate. Don’t worry if you don’t feel comfortable saying it.

    Re tipping in the US, I can see both sides of the argument. In Oz, waiters get paid a decent wage so don’t need to rely on tips. In the US, I found it intrusive when waiters were constantly interrupting our conversations asking if everything was ok and if we wanted anything. I think a good waiter scans the room to see if you are needing anything. In Oz, we reward good service by repeat custom. In North America, I felt obliged to tip even if I hadn’t enjoyed the experience because I was worried about the waiters not receiving enough money to survive. All in all I felt we were under too much pressure and were always concerned as to whether we had over or under tipped.

    I agree that boasting doesn’t come naturally to Aussies (even though we don’t mind boasting about our weight loss ), but I think we are becoming more accustomed to this because when applying for jobs we have to extol our own virtues and to how closely we meet the job criteria.
    I also like that the price on the label is the total price paid. In Canada, they give you the price but at the checkout they added a state tax plus a federal tax !!

    Welcome Kiwi and Kerry, fasting is the only diet that works because it doesn’t ban any food group ( unlike Keto) and you do t have to calorie count, weigh or go without things you love. I find boring is best on fast days as otherwise it is tempting and torturous. I have a fluids only rule on 5 btb fast days then on the weekends, I eat and drink whatever ! However we all do things differently here and what works for me doesn’t work for others. The beauty of this wol is it is so flexible , you just find what works for you.

    A CD today after a FD800 yesterday, and tomorrow another FD before weighing in on Saturday. I have definitely moved off my plateau, which is a great relief, as is the weight slowly moving downwards. I will definitely be boasting as I reach further milestones!!! 🙂

    Turnabout, I’m with you on the next goal of 70 kg, having myself weighed in today at 75.2 kg.

    Neilithicman, how chuffed you must have been to have lost 10 inches off your waist!!! And well done to have successful cheered your son’s heart by putting together the bunk beds.

    Anzac65 & LJoyce, thank you for the helpful suggestions re setting times and a specified study space. Times – means more discipline from me. A specific place – have a garage room I have designated as my study workplace, just haven’t used it yet. I’ll have to, I think, if I want to get anywhere. The work is slowly piling up, and while I’ve been out and about accumulating research, putting it into usable form has not been happening. I will do it!

    Rosy Posy, I’m doing a doctorate of Ministry degree, looking at intercultural communication in the church setting – combining my two loves of ESL teaching and Christian beliefs. I’ve Master’s degrees in both areas, so it’s good to combine the two.

    Quacka, I was put on BP meds when my BP at the docs (and often at home) was in the low-range high BP range of about 150/90, but that was before I had treatment for sleep apnoea. Once the sleep apnoea was under control, the BP was often dropping into the low normal range, so my doctor said I could drop to the half tablet. He also told me that in summer, if I got a low morning reading, to skip the med for the day, as it was more likely that I’d get dehydrated then because of the heat and the BP would stay lower.
    I’m undecided about a change as I’m also hoping to get off my CPAP machine, which may mean my BP may go up a bit afterwards. Really, I just have to wait until I lose more weight, then see. I’ve an appointment with him May 9th, so I’ll see how the BP’s going by then, and if not then, then maybe in July, depending on how the weight loss has been going. It may be a bit of a juggling act.

    Hi to the “newbies”! As a relatively new newbie (5+ months), I have to say that this way of life is working for me in a way that over many years, other eating changes have not!

    Hi all

    Gruffalo report. Very enjoyable and had the kids absolutely engaged with lots of helpful shouting and giggles. We went for coffee and Mr G and Miss J had baby chino and shared a cookie. Well, Mr G had a bit more than he should have as he snaffled some of Miss J’s share. She gave him quite a serve but forgave him and they had a nice play afterward. Cinque is very petite and slim. She has the most beautiful shiny hair, the photo doesn’t do it justice. Thanks for the compliments, I am still adjusting to how I look in photos, does anyone else have that problem?

    Betsy. Keep up the good work. That’s loss is enough to make a difference to your long term health. Nice that your friend could shop from your wardrobe

    Anzac. Great that you can WFH and not have to go without pay. Good weight loss to. Well done on resisting chocs, any food is harder to resist when it in sight. Glad the work atmosphere is friendly..

    Lindsay. Your trip sounds very exciting, you will get so much more out of it than the casual traveller. Do you speak the language? I heartily agree re outings with kids, they can just keep going but so much fun. Hope the babysitting turned out OK, it’s so nice when you can help your kids get a night out, they probably haven’t had many lately and such an important event

    Neil. What a fantastic result, you also have made such a positive change for your health. Clothes that fit and show off your new shape are a powerful tool to keep you motivated, but I agree not too many until you know you are close to goal. How is the new WOL going? Well done on the bed, my DD used Airtasker for a similar task.

    Cinque. I really loved the idea of organising your own surprise party, I could do that too sometimes. Enjoyed our day out, Miss J is delightful and it was lovely to see her captured by the magic of live theatre. Thanks for putting up the photo, I couldn’t work out how.

    Thin. Thanks for the scan info, I have found a few places in Melbourne but not any near me yet, I’ll keep trying. I think it could be quite useful. Hippo Bird Day two ewes, may you be pampered and spoilt in any way that pleases you.

    Quakka. Yay for the oven, successful FD and especially for BP meds. Enjoy your break and your cooking, and flying, once you have conquered your fear, it will boost your confidence and open up new horizons.

    LJ. You might be right about your body fighting you. I watched the first episode of Ask the Doctor last night and it was about obesity. They said when we lose weight, our hormones reset and make us want to GAIN weight again. Our own bodies are in league against us. They didn’t say if this was forever but even in the short term, it is so unfair. Just maintaining as long as you have, is a triumph.

    Turn. Yes, Endeavour is enjoyable TV and Inspector Thursday is a good part of it, so many of these police shows, it’s the offsider who gives the show some depth. Sounds like you will reach your goal with room to spare.

    Calif. one benefit of retirement is no more tax returns. How is your garden, is it looking more Spring-like. We are still having a beautiful Autumn but could do with a lot more rain. I would love some sort of device at home but its main function would be to record conversations between OH and me, we are always arguing over who said what.

    Rosy. It sometimes helps to have another opinion and when it is a favourable one, even better. Hope you enjoyed your caravan research, there are a lot of tempting options out there.

    Hi Kerry and Kiwi. Congrats on starting on a new adventure. We are fellow travellers who have all found our way here using different paths but those paths have all been downhill. Hope you pop in regularly so we can cheer you on.

    On the subject of bragging, I completed the C25 program today and ran 30 minutes non stop. While the aim is to cover 5k, I only ran 2.75k so obviously this is a work in progress. Turn, keep going, I could only run 1 minute in January. It helps that I am 12kg lighter and I run on grass. Easter egg decorating was fun and I still have dye under my fingernails, slept very well that night. DIL birthday on Saturday, we are going to Max Brenner chocolate cafe, I think I will have a modified FD with a calorie explosion for afternoon tea. Happy Easter, everyone, posters and lurkers, our WOL will support us on the other side of this challenge.

    Good morning from a rainy Perth, yippee, 10-20mm of rain forecast today but, oh, what a chilly one – 16C! Thank you for your birthday wishes Klond and Rosy. I’ve just read all the latest posts, no time to comment today except to say welcome kerryfr and kiwi72 and that I think Easter is a perfect time to begin IF. I’m a strong believer that 5:2 is a sustainable WOL that can accommodate whatever life is throwing at us. No more excuses! As Rosy says, if not now, when? It’s only two days out of your week and the rest of the week you can eat chocolate if that’s what you choose to do. Fortunately, it won’t be! Good luck with it and ask us anything!

    Just having my morning coffees reading the posts, just like a Thin!
    Happy Birthday Thin! You must be having an Asian birthday dinner as they would be the only businesses open on Good Friday.

    Klondi, buying a caravan is like digging a hole and throwing money into it! It’s non stop! Hub is having all sorts of mods done to our car too to ensure safe towing. However in 4 years or so when we do retire, you need to have something to do . We have done extensive overseas travel and are not in a hurry to go again. You do get sick of living out of a suitcase, packing and unpacking. With a caravan, you only pack once and everything is in its place. Hub is the sort of guy who likes to tinker so a caravan will provide that opportunity. He is also fussy and would only fly business which makes flying in retirement a tad pricy. He is researching caravan security systems at the moment.

    Thin, I like the way you said you are still learning. I totally agree,we should all be life long learners !

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