Good morning everyone

Betsy I love your attitude about being half a kg up from the start of June. I am also a half glass full person and prefer to look at the positive side of things. If you drank a couple of glasses of water it would put on half a kilo so maybe you could just say you maintained last month and that’s not an easy thing for some of us at this time of year! So well done 🙂

Neil, I am going to try and find some real Biltong over here. I didn’t realise that it was that different to Jerky, I just thought it was a different name for the same thing. I love beef Jerky so I am sure I would like Biltong and if it doesn’t have the sauces on it that jerky does, then even better. Is there a chilli Biltong?

Cinque, it is a disgrace that your heating isn’t fixed. I really hope they hurry up and fix it.

Well I had a successful FD yesterday at about 450 calories and the scales are being kind to me today. I have 600 calories of food planned for the day and then tonight, the rest of the Miso soup. It worked out at 211 calories last night with some extra lean pork medallion thrown in so it should be around the same tonight or maybe a little more. I am going to use some of the roast chicken from Sunday’s dinner instead of the pork and maybe add a couple more veggies. I don’t know what it is about Miso but it is very filling as a soup. I love it.

My friend at work is having a really hard time with the split up from her husband. Actually, she is handling it amazingly but he is just bullying her so much and I am worried that she will snap. She doesn’t look after her health in any way and we all know what stress can do to us, physically and mentally. I am just trying to be there for her and look out for the decisions she is making as he has bullied her before into doing something (against her solicitor’s advice) and I hope she doesn’t make any more decisions like that one. To make matters worse, now one of her children is sick and she has had so much time off work already this year with sick kids that she can’t really take any more time off and it just seems like everything is hitting her all at once. Yesterday, the ******** husband actually had the child for the day and my friend told him that she needed medicine and could he go and get her some (she has a fever) and guess what, he didn’t bother. She actually went in her lunch time and bought some Nurofen and dropped it over to his place for the child. But wait, there is more. He DIDN’T give her the medicine!!! He told my friend that she would be ok for school tomorrow (because he is busy) and when she got home the child was burning up and her temperature was 39.1 degrees. I can not believe he did that. It is his own flesh and blood, his own child. What is wrong with this person?

Sorry for going on about it. I know my friends here would understand. I go home and tell my OH about all the dramas but sometimes it really is the last thing he wants to hear about after a long day. It’s not that he doesn’t care it’s just that he is of the opinion “stay out of other people’s business”. I agree, but how can I just stand by and watch my friend be so bullied and hurt by this person? All I can do is be there for her.

Thanks friends for being here.

I hope you all have a lovely day and if fasting, I hope it’s a nice easy one. Take care xx

Quacka, oh yes, the Chili one is my go-to snack! I love a bit of heat in my snacks. They have a decent range of flavours.

https://canterburybiltong.co.nz/shop/

Good morning all.

Quacka, I feel badly for your work friend. I also don’t understand how a parent can be uncaring about their own child, but unfortunately I see too many examples of it. As a glass half full person also, I will say that your friend is clearly better off out of that marriage, so that was good decision. I think your hubby’s reaction is indicative of the difference between the way a group of men or a group of women relate to each other. We definitely share more about our personal lives and mostly feel comfortable doing it. Sometimes I think Penguin and Neil are very brave for hanging out here with us!

Cinque, I hope you enjoyed the pizza. Thanks for that list – I do need to plan ahead as I will be covering all of the school holiday babysitting for the second week of holidays (week after next). I’m out of ideas for what to suggest about your heating.

Anzac, clearly your hubby has found ways to distract Maxx through the day so he can get on with his house renovations. You’ll have to remember that empty bottle trick. I hope you get through your sniffles without them getting too bad. I think it’s just one of the many bugs going around at the moment. There is also a vomiting virus doing the rounds so I’m thankful I escaped that one!

Betsy, you have a great attitude to your tiny weight gain. I had a few months when I was trying to lose weight where my body decided it wanted to plateau. Sometimes we just need to give it time to adjust. I hope the tv installation goes without a hitch.

Crazy, I think part of the reason people aren’t noticing your weight loss is because they see you sitting down and I think it’s easier to see the change in a smaller and shapelier torso when we are standing. They will notice eventually. I think I lost 20kg before I got comments – I found it was when my face started changing from round to oval that people would try to figure out why I looked different. However as long as you are happy with your losses and feel better for it – that’s what really matters.

When I took my jacket off last night I realised I had green paint all along one sleeve. This is why: https://imgur.com/uJJVEfH

My camellias are looking very pretty at the moment and I know it will be fleeting so I’m sharing a picture while I can. https://imgur.com/a/Gnok7d6 I have a pair of these that were in a garden bed when I lived in the hills. I moved into pots before I put the house on the market as I knew I’d want to take them with me. They have actually done better in the pots than they did in the ground – I think they had too much competition from tree roots before.

Unfortunately, not only has the head cold has settled in, but I awoke with clear signs of a lung infection. Thankfully I had my antibiotic script on hand so have started them this morning and that should deal with it quickly. The head cold I will just need to let run its course. Thankfully I have a couple of days with no appointments so I have enough time to stay home in the warm and get well.

Another NFD – I have 4 in a row unless I decide to move my Friday FD forward. I’ll think about it. One good thing about a head cold is that my subdued taste buds are making food less appealing – taking advantage of that on NFDs is probably a good idea.

Have a nice day everyone.

@cinque – I’ve found myself doing that: eating much more than I intended of something yummy, and even though I’m conscious of it at that time, I just keep going. I think my strategy is (f – something else!): note it and try and avoid getting in the same situation again. I am the sort of person who can live with a full packet of Tim Tams in the cupboard for a year. But as soon as the packet is open, every single delicious enticing chocolate biscuit is in immediate fear of its life. (The main reason I do coffee-only FDs. I could not restrict myself to eat but only 500 cal worth!)

I was planning lunch with a friend today but she unexpectedly cancelled. The café in my building has really nice salads so I went there instead. I asked for a roasted veg takeway, and she handed me a Vietnamese chicken. A part of my brain said “tell her, get the one you want!” but I was too polite – or stupid – to correct her, so I took it anyway. It was nice, but not what I wanted. Why do we do these things!?

It’s so hard to stand by and watch a friend suffer, @quacka. I had a similar situation a few years ago, where he was also being physically abusive to my friend. She was going through that all too familiar cycle of forgiving and going back to him. Heart breaking to watch but all I could do was be there for her – as you are for your friend. (She finally left him.)

Brrr everyone, it’s cold here in Melbourne!
but it is another precious morning, and it is fast day for me.

Quacka, I am so glad your friend has your support through this hard time. I do hope she can find clever ways to stand up to the bullying, and to help her daughter get through his lazy neglect of her. Keep telling her she is worth the fight, I know how bullying treatment can undermine self worth.
Don’t keep quiet, this sort of mistreatment is everyone’s business.

Enjoy that biltong!

LJoyce, haha the green paint! I do hope it comes off okay though. And what gorgeous camellias, that delicate pink is my favourite colour for them.
Big sympathies for the head cold and lung infection. I hope you have a quiet, restorative day and kick them both quickly.

Neil, sympathy for that little bit of weight gain, but yes, it must be mostly water and you have a good plan.

Penz, sometimes we are too polite for our own good!
That is an impressive mild superpower you have, to be able to have a packet of timtams in the cupboard. For most of my life I haven’t even been safe to have them in the supermarket down the road!
I do understand the coffee only fast day. Don’t wake the hunger dragon, as they say.

And I am with you, planning is such a boon. If I have a bit of a binge going I try not to hate myself for it, and try to really taste what I am eating and notice how my body feels, and then analyse what happened and plan how to avoid it next time. It is changing such a strong mixture of physical and psychological reactions that it is like unpicking a huge ball of tangled wool.

Intesha, I am thinking of you and hoping it was a precious trip to Melbourne, and time with your friend.

Lindsay, are you better yet?

I had a phone call yesterday about my heater, and an email to say they had raised it again with the contractor, so maybe something will happen. It feels like I am waiting for Godot.

I watched the second part of that ‘Ask the doctor’ program and it wasn’t good, but not as bad as I feared. They were very hard on keto, loved flexitarian, insisted that 5:2 wasn’t sustainable (the couple were doing two 500/600 fast days and then 900 calories on the 5 non fast days). So I stick to my original criticism that they made it unsustainable.

I had a great day yesterday, not quite what I planned, but 9 serves of veggies! Just what I needed.

Best wishes everyone for a great day today.

Hi all

Thin. Congratulations to DD. What a nice problem to have, choosing one out of four. You will miss her unless the move to Spain is also imminent. Isn’t it annoying when your not very old TV doesn’t work with iview. It’s not the same watching on a laptop or iPad.

Cinque. I have finished Endeavour and I’m so glad Thursday redeemed himself. I was worried about the doctor until OH reminded me he was still going in Morse.

Cali. The caravan park I’m at now has a ‘fat’ mirror. I’m not imagining it, I visibly change shape as I get closer. How is the weather there at the moment, you haven’t mentioned any heat wave so I hope it is okay

Anzac. Ironic that Maxx slept in on the one day he shouldn’t. Perhaps you should try keeping him awake later on other days if that is what it takes to get a sleep in. That trick with the bottle is obviously one that OH
has used before, he should have shared that with you then you wouldn’t have contemplated violence, are you sure you hate conflict Your chicken sounds very tasty.

Neil. Well done with frisbee. Thanks for the info re the biltong, I also thought they were the same although I haven’t seen any jerky here but quite a few brands of biltong are now available.

Quakka. I bet you don’t fit your nickname now. OH might have to think of a new one.

Betsy. Well done on staying the same weight, .5 is really not a gain. I hope your new TV is amazing, is it a smart TV? If so, enjoy all the extras.

LJ. Bad luck about your cold but well done on bringing in the cavalry to stop anything worse. Glad you survived the baby sitting and you managed to get them outside.

To add to the funny sayings, my favourite car sticker ‘Jesus is coming, look busy’. I’ll finish and check the next page.

Finally seems like some progress with your heater Cinque. I bet you (and your cat!) can’t wait to get it resolved.

Your poor friend and her daughter, Qakka. Losing a pet is always hard, but worse if you feel some sense of guilt over causing its death. I wonder if the father is still trying to get back at your friend through his child? Sometimes it staggers me how horrible people can be to each other, especially those they once loved. Good luck with your planned FD today. You CAN do it!

We’re getting a new pup early next month, Anzac, and I am so going to adopt your OH’s empty bottle trick!

Thanks for that anecdote LJoyce, that made me feel a bit better about seeing an extra 1.7 kilograms on the scale. I have been fasting today, so far just a kiwifruit (I have at least one a day to help stay regular) a handful of cashews and some of my favourite chili biltong. I’ve been weighing myself on my scales at home first thing on Wednesday morning and then at the scales at the gym at lunch time, and every single time there’s been a difference of exactly 1.5 kilograms, today there was only a difference of 800 grams, so hopefully that means that I’ve sweated and peed out some of that water weight already.

On health doccos, there is so much conflicting information around regarding what is good for you that it’s hard to know what to believe. I watched one last night that was saying that fasting for a few days every couple of months can help reduce our chances of getting cancer, but then he went on to say that we should be eating a diet low in protein because eating protein increases your chances of getting cancer. That goes against most other doctors and nutritionists that say we need at least 50-60 grams of protein per day to maintain our muscle.

Lindsay, I hope tomorrow’s cataract surgery is successful and uneventful. Also wishing your hubby a speedy recovery from his surgery.
Honey bear? – is that why bee keeper suits are all white?
As to your question – yes I had the fluvax back in April. All I’ve had since then is my usual occasional lung infection and 2 head colds. Certainly nothing as debilitating as the flu thankfully. Take care, will be thinking of you tomorrow.

Neil, I think I’ve seen the same or similar docco. When they say low protein it’s all relative to what you consider ‘high’ to be. I assumed that low protein did mean the up to 50g per day – which is not inconsistent with the levels you described for maintaining muscle mass. A lot of people eat a great deal more protein than that – especially people who eat meat at 1-2 meals per day – and don’t me started on the subject of protein shakes that many gyms sell. I’m sure it’s a good little earner for them.

Good morning,
Lindsay, in case you are up early and on line, LOTS AND LOTS of the very best wishes winging their way to you. I hope it is a lovely simple and straightforward op. And hoping Mr Lindsay finds some improvement as a result of his, too.

I am almost glad this has happened, as it means you won’t be pushing yourself to another day of work, you need to ease in gently. It is amazing how you can feel that you are back to normal after the flu/pneumonia, and then a few hours later you can hardly sit upright. It is important not to push through, but to listen to your body. (Think of me as the good angel sitting on one shoulder 😉 )

Anzac, all power to you getting your office organised with mantras and photos to help you look after your health, including your mental health, in that mad house.

Klondi, lovely to think of you enjoying the final Endeavour. I ended up watching it twice for the pleasure. I hadn’t realised that Jim Strange, as well as De Bryn, goes on to be a key character in Morse, too (shows how woke I am).

Quacka, sending more good wishes to your friend and her daughter. Once things are hard, every negative thing that happens feels like to world hates us. What can we do but keep on keeping on with as much dark humour as we can muster.
I used to work in the family violence area and it is amazing how often the selling of the house is nearly as big a crisis as the initial break up.

So much sympathy for the OOCD (out of control day), I’m hoping yesterday went really well. Isn’t it crazy how long it can take all our systems to recover from one bad decision. I notice it so much more now that I rarely eat anything sweet. When I went crazy and ate chocolat a few months ago I think it took a couple of weeks before I felt i was working properly again. Or as close as I get!
Keep drinking lots of water!

Penz, how exciting about the new pup! Another labrador for the group?

LJoyce, hope you are even betterer today.
Thanks for your correction re Ask the Doctor. My apologies to the couple and the program. But why on earth wasn’t that sustainable? They should have joined us here, we’d have seen them through! 🙂

Neil you are right, so much contradictory information.

Gday, I can understand your frustration, especially as the keto diet is working so well for you.
I am SO glad you are feeling so well, and sleeping so well (bliss!) and that those pesky menopause symptoms have settled so well. Enjoy. Good luck to Mr gday for his op.

Well still no sign of the heater being fixed. They told me to ring the help line this morning, if I didn’t hear from the contractor. I’m steeling myself for 40 minutes waiting to get my call through. Every minute less than that will be a treat.

My dimplex heater does keep my living room warm (and it is a nicer heat than the space heater), (but not anywhere near as nice as your wood burner Lindsay).

Cheers now

PS: I took a photo of my mantra. My sticky with Cinque’s strategies is attached 🙂 and the big 20 is how many weeks left until the holiday

PPS: our posts crossed Cinque – good morning and I hope your heating is sorted today and your wait time on the phone is short

http://imgur.com/gallery/XLm5uC9

I enjoyed your post LJoyce and your reminder to savour each mouthful is very good guidance. I know that when I binge, it’s usually done while doing something else. I can eat a chocolate bar while typing on the computer and am barely aware I’m doing so, let alone the taste of it.

Goodness. I didn’t know cataracts could have such a sudden onset. Glad you were able to get it dealt with so promptly and hope the op went well.

I’m envious of your sleep GDSA! I have slept poorly for years, but as I’m doing Dry July I hope that will soon right itself.

We’ll be getting a cattle dog puppy. This will be my fourth cattle dog, so I’m familiar with the demands of having a working dog – but always happy to receive tips as it’s been a long time since I had a puppy! I’m hoping our current dog (12 ½ yo) will help us with some training. I’ve done clicker training with my last few dogs; seems to suit us. Aww, I can’t access the imgur.gallery stuff at work, so I’ll have to wait to see what Max got up to this evening! If he dragged half the garden inside I can only imagine. (Current dog once helped herself to the mushroom growing kit. Sigh.)

Good Morning all

Successful FD completed at 415 calories. Boy, it was a tough one but I was determined and stubborn to see it through. I had a big plate of steamed and roasted veggies for dinner and I was still hungry afterwards but I refrained from eating more. Someone mentioned that the most difficult FDs often result in a good loss on the scale next weigh in. My scales read another half a kg down this morning so I’m happy with that. All my jeans are feeling a bit baggy too. Oh dear…..

Thank you for the good wishes for my friend. She is doing ok today. Just waiting to hear from his solicitor about the financial settlement. Hoping it is all over and done with soon.

I hope your’s and OH’s surgery goes well Lindsay and also your OH’s surgery, G’day. Anzac and LJ, hope you are both well again soon. Hope I haven’t missed anyone!

Cinque, we are waiting for some good news for you about your heater. Hopefully today 🙂

I’m looking forward to my day off tomorrow. I’ve done some grocery shopping early this morning so I don’t have to come to town tomorrow. You should see the size of the cauliflower I found. They are $5.50 but it is huge. It makes Quacka happy 🙂 🙂 lol

Byeeeee xx

Hi all,

Found out about the forum after reading The Fast Diet book and thought it might be nice to be in a community rather than progressing on my own. I can’t seem to post a new topic in this forum but replies in a thread is working so hope it is alright I join in here, the South Hemispherites group. 😅

Just a bit about me… In my early 40s and living in Australia. It is always easier for me to put on weight than keep them off. Tried various diets vs exercise fads, but weight yo-yo as my interest and persistence wavered. Weight loss was accompanied with rebound weight gain. After pregnancy, weight has been steadily piling up and in the recent two years, I started to balloon rapidly. Doctor found that I have hypothyroidism, which contributed to my fatigue and low energy level. Not put on any medication yet but still monitoring my thyroid function.I was advised to lose weight as I am also at risk of heart disease and diabetes (family hx). At the start of 2019, I was almost 90kg,with a BMI of 33.7… I think that was a major wake up call to try something different.

Found out about IF from a friend who did it for a year and found it helpful. Read what I could find online and decided to give IF a go. I am following a 4:3 regime (fasting on Tues, Thurs and Sunday). Most time, I am doing a full fast (water, black tea and black coffee with nothing else) but occasionally have the less than 500cal soups/meals on fast day. I keep to two meals in an 8hr eating window on non fast day (akin to 16:8). Also reduced sugar and alcohol intake and cut out junk food like chips and lollies. I still have occasional treats, chocolate cake being my vice.

After starting on IF for about 6 weeks, I started a exercise routine. I guess it was easier after the initial weight loss made me more motivated and I was actually feeling more energetic for a change. I started with walks around the park and now manages brisk walk/jogs of at least 5km on a daily basis. I also started on HIIT 3x a week after watching Dr Mosley’s show two months ago.

Progress so far:

I have lost about 19kg in weight, 8 inches from my waist and 5 inches from my hips since Feb 2019. My BMI is now 26.8. I am feeling better than I have been in years. I feel alert, no longer fatigued, and positive. Seeing results keep me motivated and I no longer made excuses about not exercising and now going out to exercise is just my daily routine (even in the middle of winter). I feel very much healthier, even my doctor was impressed at how I have progressed at my recent blood tests (though we will need to keep with monitoring the thyroid).

I am just glad I found something that works for me. I love food and I don’t feel deprived being on this fast diet. Over time I found that my appetite shrunk but I still get to eat what I like. I feel satisfied with a lesser amount compared to a year ago when I don’t know what being full feels like. I am more in tune with my body signals. And though I still monitor my weight twice daily, I am not obsessing about every gram I put on, because I trust the process and know that my body is working optimally to utilise the amount of food I eat and burn fats.

I started with an initial goal to reach the upper range of my healthy BMI (around 65kg) but I think I can achieve more as sticking to this is easier than I thought. I don’t know how long it may take but hopefully in a year, I am maintaining at weight around 56-58kg.

Wish me luck!!

Can I hear crickets? This thread is pretty quiet at the moment.

I’ve been pretty vigilant with my eating the last couple of days after my shock on the scales on Wednesday morning. In the past I might have dropped into depression and hit the cupboards for more food to make me feel better, but I don’t want to undo all the good work of the past 22 weeks, so instead I’ve been focusing on eating properly. The gym must be wondering what it’s done to deserve the punishment it’s getting at the moment, because I’m hitting it pretty hard for the last 3 days. I’m burning around 650 calories in each 1 hour session as opposed to the 600 I was doing up to then, so I’m really pushing myself. Those scales are not going to sneak up on me like that again. 4 more days until my next weigh-in. BRING IT ON!!

Have a great weekend everyone.

Hi Aurorin! Your post took while to turn up on this thread (happens occasionally) so please forgive us all ignoring you for a day, it was because we couldn’t see you. Luckily you showed up on new posts this morning https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/hello-southern-hemispherites/page/430/#post-291811

Welcome here! Congratulations on everything you have done for your health with 4:3 and exercise. Brilliant! No wonder your doctor is impressed.
I was the same as you, aiming first to get into my healthy weight range and then saying to myself, hang on, I can do more! I at the lower end of that range now, and still working out (after a couple of years) how to stay there.

Back at post two. Cold and sunny. A gorgeous winter Melbourne morning. Saturday 9:30 am

Anzac I might have missed the chance to wish you a lovely day at that little dot’s birthday, rocking it in your red top. But hoping the wishes will work anyway, and you will have a great day and ignore most of the finger food 🙂

Neil, wo! The gym must be reeling.

No further updates on my heater saga. A lesson in patience.
I’m concentrating on myself today, doing all the good things. Started with an excellent breakfast that was mostly a beautiful salad with lots of lovely greens from my garden in it (rocket, coriander, parsley, pea shoots). I’ve been reading a gorgeous library book on Middle Eastern food (Tess Mallos) so I am inspired.

Another book I got from the library is all cauliflower recipes and it is inspiring too. What with the cauliflower rice recipes used as rice and couscous and tabbouleh substitutes, as well as pizza base, several lovely rissoles, stems used like kohlrabi in salads, roasted florets used as fish substitute (stew, pie, in lemon sauce etc) and chicken substitutes (butter chicken, popcorn chicken) as well as more usual ways in soups, curries, pakora etc.
The one I want to try is big florets, lightly steamed and then a mince mixture is wrapped around (think scotch egg), it is fried and then cooked in a sauce.
With big fat curdy cauliflowers in the shop I might be down to one type of veggie this week, Penguin!

Fast day tomorrow! I bought some dried king oyster mushrooms that I will add to tomorrow’s miso soup. Might put some cauliflower in too.

Cheers all.

Hello all, and thank you again for the good wishes. Things are looking up ….OH’s eye pressure is down from an all time high of 48, to 23, with this new surgery. It is in his unsighted eye, so it won’t affect vision, but it means he won’t have to use 3 drops x twice a day, which was the maximum dose but no longer doing the job. Just one a day now, for as long as the surgery lasts (6 months, 2 years … a bit unpredictable). And my cataract surgery went very well, and in a few days I should be back to normal. A question for those of you who’ve had the surgery (Calif?). did your sight change colour? I’m seeing quite a cold blue light from the operated eye, but maybe that will change as I heal.
Cinque, sounds like a nice day planned and some good books to keep you entertained. I am not sure I’d call the heating situation a lesson in patience …. more likely a lesson in inefficiency from your council (or whatever government body provides the ‘service’ (a word you could use very loosely to describe your heating situation).
Anzac how wonderful to find a treasure in your wardrobe … the very best kind of shopping. Have a great day.
Aurorin welcome to this wonderful group – what a great achievement so far. Looking forward to hearing more about your further success as it comes your way – sounds like you’ve found a plan for life, as have many of the friends here.
How is your back LJ? Hope the wheat pack is helping.
Good on you for getting through a tough FD Quacka – it’s particularly satisfying when it’s hard but you get there.
Penz I didn’t know cataracts could just appear like that too – but that’s what happened and it gave me such a fright. Anyway, all good now.
Gday great that you’re having such good sleep. I know too much alcohol can disturb sleep, but I didn’t realise that even a glass or two could have the same effect. Not that I’m drinking at all at the moment …I can’t even think about alcohol as I’m getting better, but I still struggle with getting uninterrupted sleep.
LJ, yes, it’s exactly why bee suits are white. Smart little creatures they are, bees equate dark clothes with bears coming to rob the hive, and sting accordingly. Apparently they also go for woollen socks. I realised my protective clothing wasn’t protective enough (white suit and hat, but only to hip length) so invested in the full monty ….a white pair of overalls with a black face guard that sits away from my face. I could wear it for beekeeping or an Apollo space mission, according to OH (he can laugh – I’ve bought him one too).
OK that’s it from me for the moment all – hope you have a lovely weekend, filled with good cheer and good company …friends, or your own. Intesha, hope you’re doing ok.
Thin, hope you are too. Congratulations to DD on her great job success … although it will be hard for you when she leaves.

Hi all, sorry, I’ve been MIA – Not sure where I’m at with FDs and CDs etc, as was diagnosed with the flu this week and really haven’t been well. Not been interested in eating much, which has been helpful with keeping the eating under control, but have mainly been eating frozen meals, which aren’t as healthy as home-cooked meals, but just not well enough to cook. Improving, so next week will be better.
Was 0.2 kg down today on the start of the July weight, not a complete disaster, but now on oral steroids for asthma, so will probably retain fluid for the next several days. It will come off once I stop the steroids, just need patience. Main problem is the bronchial cough; haven’t shifted it yet, and of course working through the flu symptoms, which is much easier now the fever has gone, though I still have joint pain.

Neilithicman/ Quakka, interesting comments re Beef Jerky vs Bilitong. Didn’t know they were different. Thought the Bilitong was just the brand name, as I’m sure it also said beef jerky on the packet. I grabbed the other brand as it was on special, and didn’t check the contents. I’ll have another proper look next time I’m at the supermarket. Neilithicman, hope the scales have been kind to you. I have daily scales, cheap ones, and “proper” scales for weigh-ins – they differ by about 2 kg, so I just mentally add 2 kg when I weigh myself on them.

auririn, welcome. This has been a great and very welcoming forum for me, joined it late last year. My weight loss has been slower than yours, but 13 kg over 7 months is still okay, and I don’t feel deprived or “on a diet”. It’s great!

Anzac/ Cinque, thank you for the encouragement re the minor June gain. It’s okay, just soldiering on. I think the beginning of winter is the hardest time of the year to lose weight, but I’ve adjusted now; the only problem has been getting the flu – yet again, like last year, after having the flu injection. Sigh! First (and now second) time in my adult life to have the flu (as I recall), and after last year’s saga of asthma bronchitis and 2 hospital visits (fortunately no admissions), I had really hoped that I would avoid the bullet this year.

Anzac65, woo-hoo! Great the scales are still going down. And, old clothes new again because they fit, isn’t it a marvellous feeling?! Hope the great-niece’s BD party went well. Had a chuckle at your struggles with Maxx wanting attention. Dogs don’t have a premium on this; my cat Wilbur often demands attention just when I’m trying to concentrate on something else – seems to have “radar” to alert him that I am no longer focussed on him. 🙂

Quakka, thank you for the kind words of encouragement. Great that you can be such a support for your friend. Re starting your eating with fruit – I find I can’t do it. If I try to eat a few pieces of fruit, within less than 2 hours I am ravenously hungry. Unless I make a good immediate protein choice, I will continue just snacking. Decision – eat less fruit.

Penz, have fun with your new puppy. When you say “cattle dog”, do you mean a red or blue heeler? Also, I agree with you re Timtams (and chocolate bars) – unopened, they can sit in the cupboard for months, and often do. Once opened, they get eaten. If I can’t stop myself and keep going back for just 2 more, then just 2 more, I bin them. I try to hold one packet in the cupboard for visitors, but the danger is when there are some left when the visitors leave.

Cinque, yes the stitches are out. Inch long scar for a tiny little lesion, don’t know why it couldn’t have just been a small circle incision, but my stupid fault for scratching it. How frustrating your heater saga has become. How can they expect you to be home when they didn’t even alert you that they were coming??!

LJoyce, yes, the smart TV installation went really well and it’s really straightforward to use. Some friends ended up taking the old TV as they didn’t have one with high definition, and they are rapt, so we’re all happy. Sorry to read of your lung infection, so hope the antibiotics kick in soon. Noted your comments on mindful eating. My “downfall” (which I try to avoid now) is eating when focussed on something else, like a good book or interesting TV show, because it’s then that I don’t pay attention to the amount I’m eating.

Neilithicman, I agree with CalifDreamer re protein. Many folk regularly dining out, especially in America, but also here, think nothing of eating a large 350 gm steak, which has 150-200 gms of protein in it, several times a week. That kind of high protein diet is unhealthy. The 5:2 is called high protein only in a relative sense, as a proportion of the total calorie intake that we have on it, as the total amount of protein is not considered high.

LindsayL, I’m glad you’re finally better now, and good that the cataract op went well. Interesting comments re the bee-suit. Have been trying to think what my father wore when robbing the hives, and I’m sure it was just his normal clothes, probably light or check shirt and brown long pants, then a cover net from a hat down to mid chest. It seemed to work okay. He used to say that it was the small black Italian bees that were the more vicious.

GDayfromSA, well done on a successful 48 hr fast, and that with the reduction in alcohol you’re sleeping much better. That must be such a relief!

Long post, but I’ve been away a while. Currently watching Wimbledon. With the flu being infectious, I’m basically staying home. Walked around the court outside today just to get outside, and have to admit it was an effort. It will be better tomorrow.

Okay, done. Onward and downwards everyone!

Good morning everyone,
Sunday fast day for me.

Good idea to keep the fast day going Thin, you can give yourself leeway to eat a little more on other days on special occasions, maybe.

Congratulations on your house sale and hooray you don’t have all the stuff in it that you did get rid of over the years! No wonder you are too busy to over eat.
Best wishes for finding the perfect place to move to.

Cali, how lovely to hear of the beautiful weather. May it continue. I finally looked up the Aboriginal season we are currently in, which is Chinnup, meaning the season of the cockatoos. I think of you whenever I hear about parrots!

Chinnup is the coldest time of year, as we know, with bleak mists and freezing winds. But it ends in a few weeks, and in the meantime I will look out for the cockatoos. I have mainly been seeing grass parrots and rainbow lorikeets.

Lindsay, good news! I am so glad to hear about Mr Lindsay’s eye pressure. That is a big difference. I hope your blue filter is sorted.

I think if you dressed like a woodland creature, the bees would be much more accepting: a fairy or a pixie perhaps?
Or maybe not, they might think you were an enormous flower and all converge. Maybe the white astronaut suit is the best answer. Ah well, keep talking to them and hopefully they will get to know you and start telling you all the important things.

Betsy, so good to hear from you, stitches out. How awful that you got the flu after all. And so nasty that it mutated around the flu vaccine just in time to get you… again!
It is hard when you have to look after yourself, hopefully you will be up to cooking before too long. It will be ‘5:2 for health’ for you, for a few weeks, and then you can get back to ‘5:2 for weight loss’.

I do agree that early winter (Chinnup!) is the hardest time to lose weight. Miso the cat agrees. I am glad I have a fast day today.

Re my heater I’m not sure if the squeaky wheel will get the oil or if the loudest chook will get the chop. It is all very disempowering, but I will try ringing the contractor one more time tomorrow and then, if I still can’t make contact, ring the Maintenance people again.
This is what happens when money is cut out of welfare, they used to be excellent for maintenance but it is all part of the popular feeling that struggling people are rorting the system and funding should reduced. So many people are worse off than me.

Today I am making more (cover your ears Thin!) beetroot kvass and I am looking after dear little Miss 2 tomorrow so I need to plan some lovely grandma kinder activities.

Best wishes to everyone for a great day.

Betsy, good to hear that your stitches are out and you’re on the mend. Take it easy and get some rest until it’s completely gone.

Cinque, I believe in the squeaky wheel theory. This little guy was enjoying the Chinnup season and not taking any crap from anyone. He’s going beyond the squeaky wheel solution and taking matters into his own ‘feet’. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jul/05/chick-flick-cockatoo-gives-anti-nesting-spikes-the-bird-in-viral-video Please scroll down to the video. I think he’s a fine example for you. 😂

The earthquakes are in Southern California, near the Mojave desert. We’re too far away in Northern Cal to feel any of them. Very scary that there are so many though.

Thin, I don’t envy you having to clear out 25 years worth of stuff for the move. We were in our last house for 16 years and that was a big enough nightmare. I’m not surprised you’re losing weight. The good news is that if you lose too much, we are all experts at gaining a little back!

CalifD, that’s so funny – “experts at gaining a little back”! Successful FD, barely noticed it. Hope yours went well Cinque. Another 4am start but I did go to bed at 8.30pm.

Speaking of staying warm and welfare cuts, I’ve taken car loads of items to Vinnies, including many warm blankets. They are so grateful, it makes you feel good. As we know, these items don’t go directly to the disadvantaged but are sold to the likes of us and then who knows how the proceeds are distributed. We have people sleeping rough in our suburb and I’d love to have given them a pile of blankets but didn’t know how to approach it. Often what we think people need is not what they actually want and people are so easily offended these days.

Good morning friends

Thin – congrats on selling your house AND for a great price AND avoiding those awful RE agents! Lovely to hear from you and very glad that you are getting away from those dreadful neighbours

BetsyLee, I am so sorry you are so sick. You’ve really had a rough trot lately 🙁 Please get better quickly

I didn’t have a great weekend food-wise but the scales only went up 100g so I might see another jump tomorrow. The birthday party went well and we couldn’t believe how lucky they were with the weather. It was in the Blue Mountains so we expected it to be freezing; instead it was sunny and warm. I just had my long-sleeve top on and some people were down to t-shirts. Hubby and I provided one of the courses and did our Indian spiced chicken on garlic toasts with home-made tzatziki and a squeeze of lemon. They were a huge hit.

So glad the surgery went well for you both Lindsay. I remember when both of my parents had cataract surgery they were in awe of the colours they could see afterwards

Cali, nice that the weather is perfect over there at the moment. I am already sick of winter and dreaming about warm days again. Then I remember that I will be spending the better part of our summer in freezing Europe! Yikes! But it will be worth being a bit cold to see so many stunningly beautiful places (and NOT BEING AT WORK).

Speaking of work I must get to it as I spent ages reading all of your lovely, interesting posts and now haven’t any time left to respond. I’ll be back later though

Good morning,

A good fast day for me yesterday, thanks Thin.
That kvass is for me, every day, but it takes at least 5 days to ferment, so hooray that I have made a start.
Those blankets will be so appreciated.

Cali, ha that cockatoo. Such attitude. I channeled it when I rang the contractor again this morning, and to my amazement someone picked up and they say they will be here tomorrow after noon.

Gday, thinking of you this morning. I really hope you could have a big hot bath last night, and that you managed to get to work by 7am this morning.
Btw, did you work out what was giving you such terrible reflux? Or did it just go away?

Neil I love that ‘good tired’ ‘bad tired’ distinction. Congratulations on avoiding the weekend binge, I bet you feel good this morning.

I did similarly, concentrating on veggies. It is a winner strategy for me. I’ll be working on it all week.

I visited a friend last week who wanted to make something for us to eat with our coffee, but knew I didn’t want sugar. She made a loaf based on the banana loaf in ‘Cookery The Australian Way’ (iconic school text, Cali) but left out the sugar, added an extra egg, and used roasted butternut and parsnip instead of banana. It worked really well! She added sweet spices.

Anzac, I am so glad it was a beautiful day for the birthday party. I hope you felt wonderful in your red top. Your contribution sounds so delicious I want it for lunch!

Lindsay, sending good wishes today. Are you having another work day? I hope it is not too tiring.

Betsy, I hope today is an improvement.

I’m off to get the home ready for little Miss 2 (almost three). Getting all the puzzles out. Hoping we will see some sun.

Best wishes all. If the scales are disappointing, think how the changes to your health are all positive. Think longterm! Cheers.

And just to add to this, we have a couple of very special friends who ‘migrate’ from the Northern Hemisphere to our thread. They are CalifDreamer from California and Penguin from the UK