Good morning SH’s,
Tuesday already.
The man with the leaf blower is making a deafening noise outside.
But n the up side, there is a bit of sun.

I missed out on mung bean soup last night. My fridge is so efficient that even 24 hours wasn’t enough to thaw it. Luckily I have got good at whipping up a bowl of soup in my little saucepan.

Is there any sun in Whakatane today, Turn?
Oh dear, sympathy about the pasta and wine. What vengeful scales you have there. I hope a few good days brings recovery.

Did your dad have Covid19? I must have missed it as I can’t remember worrying about him enough, which surely I would have. I do hope his sense of taste returns.
Ha re your mum and her longer hair. It does change a person’s looks so much!
I’m so glad you had a good chat with her.

Betsy, it’s a good day for pruning. I hope you get a good session in.
I didn’t get my mint done yesterday, so maybe today.

Well done, holding onto those masks! I was complimented on mine in the op shop yesterday (and I bought a lovely set of coffee cups and saucers).

I am so hoping Melbourne’s covid numbers will trend lower, but oh dear there are so many outbreaks now, and in care homes and abbattoirs. Fingers crossed. And NSW is on a knife’s edge too. May it be lucky and contain the spread really well. Queensland is ramping up too, good for them.
I am fighting hard for Australia to take on the elimination strategy aka NZ’s trick, and glad to see eminent people calling for it too.

Coffee in my new, dear little cup this morning. I should get six cups from my pot (they are fancy espresso cups). Kettle’s on!

Sending my very best wishes to you all,

Morning all (well afternoon over here)

I’m feeling better and back at work now after being laid up for three days with the cold. I hate being sick but luckily I don’t tend to get sick very often. I don’t think my 3 days of groaning on the couch has done anything to help my weight-loss, but there’s not much I can do about that. It is what it is. I’ll do my regular weigh-in tomorrow and then I’ve got two more weeks of July left to get where I want to be (I’m hoping to be under 90 kilos by the end of July)

The rest of the comments have disappeared onto the previous page but I can reply to the two I can see,

Cinque, I hope your numbers start dropping as well, they certainly can’t get as bad as they are in the USA at the moment. They had 68,000 cases yesterday, which going on a per capita basis is like New Zealand getting just over 1,000 cases in a day or Australia getting 5,000 cases in a day!

Anzac, Good luck for your weigh-in, we’re sitting about the same, my last weigh-in 2 weeks ago I was sitting at 90.0, but since then we had holiday eating and fewer gym sessions so that’s likely to be a bit higher now, but I’m having a fast day today and a gym session (although after a few days of being sick I don’t think I’ll be able to do as much as I usually do) and hopefully that will help reduce the damage.

have a great day everyone and I’ll catch up on the rest of the posts on the previous page when I finish work tonight.

Good day, everyone. The end of a hot day here and it’s finally cooling down now that it’s almost midnight. It’s been about 37-38 the past few days and sunny. I like warm weather, but under 35 suits me better. So glad it almost always cools way down at night. You all can send over that cold rainy weather any time you wish, at least for a few days!

Betsy, I’m glad to hear that your arm is feeling better. It must be, with all those rose bushes you have pruned! You’ll appreciate it when Spring comes and all those bushes are blooming. I’m sorry to hear that you and Cinque are under lockdown there, but glad to hear that masks are being more widely encouraged. They told us in the beginning that they weren’t very useful, but new research has shown them to actually be quite effective if everyone wears them. We have several cloth ones now so we can just throw them in the wash basket after each use and always have several clean ones. I’m sorry to hear that there is a case in Sydney now. Hope that is an isolated incident. The numbers in Melbourne seem to be falling a bit. I hope that continues. I think it takes a few weeks to see the difference.

Today our governor locked down all indoor dining at restaurants and indoor activities at most other public places throughout the state. Masks have been mandatory anywhere outside the home where there are other people around, although around here there are too many exercising their “freedom of choice” not to wear them and many stores were not enforcing the mask mandate. There is now a phone in number to report and store or business that is not complying. (California only) Business licenses or liquor licenses can be pulled. Sad that it has come to this, but necessary with numbers increasing again in most of the state. Cases are over 300 in my county, but fortunately it’s not too densely populated and closing restaurants and bars will slow the spread. Australians and New Zealanders seem to be a lot more concerned about the common good.

Cinque, glad to hear you got the henna in your hair. It sounds like you are keeping busy with the African cuisine. So many vibrant colors and flavors. You will have to post some of your favorites.

LJ, that red velvet cake looks amazing! Such nice strawberries. You do such a beautiful job on all of your cakes. I’m sure they taste as good as they look. Glad you got a little break in the weather.

Thin, is grocery shopping still going ok for you? I imagine it’s challenging going to different grocery stores all the time, especially when you want to get in and out as quickly as possible. I felt like that today because wearing the mask with some mild allergy related mild asthma symptoms wasn’t very comfortable. I forgot to take something before I left. At least it motivated me to move quickly through the store. Nice that you are able to WhatsApp with DD, that your internet is fast enough on the boat to handle that. OH is a lot less interested in technology than I am, but today he was talking to a friend from Texas on the phone and I told him to ask him if he was on an iPhone or iPad. When he said he was, I asked to have the phone a minute to say hi and I asked the friend if he had used FaceTime. When he said yes, i asked him to hang up and call OH via FaceTime. I turned on his FaceTime and in a minute they were talking that way, which was much more enjoyable since they rarely see each other in person. Technology is so amazing, especially when hunkered down and not getting out to see people. Hopefully OH will want to use it more often.

Lindsay, being at the island sounds wonderful, especially the part about dolphin and whale watching. Have you seen the koalas yet? Or heard them at night? Lol!

Neil, I hope you get over your cold quickly. It must have been the cold weather on your holiday.

Penguin, how are your moving house plans going? I hope you are feeling well enough to get everything done that you need to do for the move.

Turn, glad you are getting some breaks in the weather so you can enjoy your surroundings. It’s good that you had a nice chat with your mum. Funny that you have never seen her with longer hair, and now snowy white. It must have been quite a surprise. Lots of grown out hair and colors around the world with this pandemic.

Anzac, hope all those meetings at work have calmed down a little. It’s good to hear that Maxx is calming down too. It takes pups a long time to get past that crazy stage. Now Lyndsay is in the middle of it with Rosy!

Well, time for sleep. Stay happy and well everyone!

Good evening everyone.

Didn’t get to pruning today – still trying to cover a steel frame with bird wire. It is slow, painstaking and tedious work, very hard on my hands. Still, it’s progressing. Once done, it’s going over the biggest rose in the backyard, to protect it from the possums. Should finish it tomorrow or Thursday.

Cinque, very disappointed with you today at the additional 271 covid cases in Melbourne. Let’s hope the numbers start going down by the end of the week.

I wore one of my masks when shopping at the supermarket today. It surprised me though that more than half of those present weren’t bothering with masks. Haven’t they been watching the news? Admittedly, wearing a mask is still optional, though recommended here in Victoria, and I wasn’t bothering up till now, but as I live in the north of Melbourne, on the edge of the north-west hot zone, it just seems more sensible now.

LJoyce, hope the outbreak in Sydney is brought under control quickly. You don’t want what we’ve got here in NSW.

Anzac65, did you or OH manage to find a lull in the weather to take Maxx out for his walk? Poor Maxx! Would he go out if the weather is miserable, though? I mean, if OH rugged up and took him walking, would Maxx want to go? It wouldn’t be good for you if he went, of course – cold, wet, smelly dog in the house? Not so pleasant 🙂

Neilithicman, sorry you were sidelined for 3 days – hope going back to work doesn’t derail your recovery.

Thin, hope you find a dentist soon who will accept you as a patient.

Califdreamer, I was very pleased to read that cases in your county haven’t been to high, so I hope you and your family members stay well. You certainly seem to be taking all due care.

Today was another TDEE day – frustrating. Wanted a FD, but I still have trouble keeping the calorie count down once I actually start eating. Tomorrow I’ll try again, keeping to liquids only.

Stay safe everyone!

Oops, oops, oops! Cinque, sorry, I didn’t write that well – meant joining you in being very disappointed with the Covid-19 numbers today. No, I am definitely NOT “very disappointed with you”. Ridiculous word choices I made just trying to write more succinctly. Sorry. Hope you read this straight after my last entry.

Morning all

Weigh-in and I’m still at 90.0 kilos, so that’s a win. No gain on the scales despite bigger eating over the holiday and a few days off sick.

Thin and Cali, People certainly have got so precious. During the 1918 influenza epidemic people were required to wear masks, in fact in New York three people were shot for not wearing masks. But these days people whinge like spoiled little kids when told to do something that’s actually for their own good. You’ve just got to shake your head.

Betsy, is your eating in the evening? One trick I found to help stop overeating at night was to have an early (5:30 pm) dinner and then brush your teeth half an hour or so after you finish dinner. You never enjoy eating very much after brushing your teeth.

Well have a good day everyone, I’ll enjoy my NFD today and the morning coffee there in 😉

Hi everyone

Just a quick check in. This morning I thought I would try fasting until lunch time and see how it affects my reflux. I made it through to 11am and then decided to eat as I could feel the reflux flaring up again. I fear that I will never be able to fast again and that makes me sad.
I have had almost two weeks of no reflux so was hoping that I had got it beaten but I don’t think that is the case. I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow to get the results from the helicobacter test.

Take care everyone x

Good afternoon all

Today started sunny but has now clouded over and the wind is still howling. Ugh. Maxx did get a walk yesterday Betsy, after lunch, and came back happy again. They picked a lull in the rain thankfully because yes, wet labrador is NOT a good smell!

I was very glad to hear about the indoor dining being knocked on the head Cali. Very sensible and hopefully it will help to bring the numbers down.

I wore my mask for the train trip to the dentist yesterday but hardly anyone else had one on. I was surprised but I really think everyone here has become complacent.

The dratted scales did not move after yesterday’s FD. It wasn’t a great FD but around 900 calories which is still way under my TDEE. Oh well, perhaps tomorrow. Mr A cooked schnitzel and chips for his dinner last night and I simply couldn’t resist 4 fat chips. He cooked too many and left them on the kitchen counter – thanks very much! NOT.

Good luck finding a dentist Thin. It would be nice for you to get it sorted and put that behind you. I was pleased at how strict they are with hygiene and questioning. I was asked a series of questions when they phoned to confirm and asked them all again by the receptionist. The hygienist asked them all over again when I first sat in the chair and they gave me mouthwash to use prior to the cleaning starting. I noticed they double-gloved and had masks and shields for their faces. It really made my skin crawl that this is our new world – hopefully temporary. I agree that the media is simply looking for sensationalism and it drives me nuts as you don’t know what to believe.

Glad you are feeling better Neil.

Cinque, I was shocked to read that the obituaries in the Houston paper went for 43 pages. That truly is terrible and it makes those idiots who are not taking this seriously even more shocking. I agree with Cali that ‘a few days in the ICU will sort them out’. I hope you are enjoying a sparkling clean house after your home help today. My Dad gets home help too as he is a pensioner and she is a lovely girl who sits and has a coffee and a chat with him afterwards. It saves my Sister and I having to do it too – even better.

Hope you are ok Penguin, touch base when you can.

Good luck with your test results Quacka. It would be sad indeed if you had to stop fasting forever.

How is Ms Rosy today Lindsay? Maxx’s recall is coming along slowly but this morning a dog raced over to him in the footy field (they were both off leash) and the owner called her dog but ended up with Maxx! He wouldn’t come back so Mr A had to trudge over to retrieve him. Baby steps. My hand towel lasted 2 days on the oven before it got too much and he nicked it. Sigh

Hope the sun is peeking out for you Turn.

Ok work calls. Is it Friday yet? I am so looking forward to visiting the family on Sunday

Good evening all.

Just touching base before I settle to a quiet read and bed. No point just going to bed after using the computer – have to give the “wind-down” signal to the body, and I’ve been finding about half-an-hour of reading does that, and no, I never go to sleep when actually reading, as some people do.

Cinque, so glad you weren’t offended. As CalifDreamer wrote, all I needed to add was an “along with” which would have kept it nice and succinct. Loved the flowers you sent to Cali – cheeky cheeky! What will you send me when I finally descend below the 68 kg, I wonder?

I am also wondering when it is going to happen. Lately I seem to be hovering either just above or just below the 69 kg mark, partly because I’ve not been managing effective FDs (today was, yay!) and having too generous NFDs. Aiming to change that. Today’s FD was exactly 500 cals, so I wonder if that will show on the scales?

Anzac65, I am so glad that your visit to that restaurant was 5 weeks ago, and not a few days ago. Also crossing my fingers for you in Sydney that the authorities are able to effectively contact trace everyone and stop community transmission. Here in Melbourne, it seems a huge task, as cases are cropping up everywhere.

Your Maxx! I do enjoy reading of his antics. I’m sure they can be highly frustrating at times, but as someone one degree removed …. amusing!

Neilithicman, glad you’re feeling somewhat better now, and what a relief that the past several days haven’t disrupted your weight situation. Maybe your body has decided to make 90 kg your “set point”?

The problem I have with eating on FDs, I think, is my upbringing – I find it very difficult to just eat protein and vegetables as a FD evening meal; I have to finish the meal with something sweet, which adds those extra 300 cals. And if I foolishly eat something earlier in the day, I seem to be extra hungry by the time dinner comes around, so eat more than I should. On FDs however, I just ignore food. The mindset is different. I’ll sort it out.

Quacka, disappointing that the reflux returned by 11 a.m. I do hope the doctor has some useful news/ suggestions for you tomorrow.

Thin, glad my typo gave you some amusement. For me it was a big oops when I reread it after posting. Yes, I saw on the news that the UK is making masks mandatory; think it’s a great idea. One comment here in Victoria about masks being recommended but not compulsory was that some people just wouldn’t have masks yet, and would need time to make or buy them. There are rumours of stage 4 restrictions being a possibility for parts of Melbourne, if the numbers don’t start going down – no clarity yet on what stage 4 would entail.

Well, more than half the steel frame is now covered with bird wire, but oh, my poor hands. Have to finish it before Saturday, as I’ve lined up a kind neighbour to come over and help me lift it over the rosebush. There needs to be someone on each end, to lift it. Anyway, that’s pushing me to keep working on it. Probably not tomorrow, though, have 2 Zoom meetings, including with my supervisors, unless I manage to do some in the morning.

Well, time to close. LindsayL, hope there has been some great whale-watching going on.

Goodnight all!

Good morning,

Cold and foggy here,
I hope you are sleeping in Betsy! Hooray for a good fast day, I have grabbed that Fast Day baton and I am off for my run.

Quacka, good try. So sorry the reflux started coming back. Hope you caught it quickly. Hooray that you have been managing it so well for the last two weeks. Thinking of you at your appointment today.
If you find you have to live with it, you might find that there are ways you can still have fast days. I am thinking of dividing 800 calories into 5 or 6 small meals. Could a 150 calorie bite be enough to settle it down for a few hours, I wonder? (Fingers crossed such experimenting won’t be needed.)

Anzac, so glad you had your mask on for public transport. Hopefully seeing you will give at least one other person the courage to do it themselves.
I’ve got a dentist appt next week (a crown came off and needs to be glued back in) so I will expect face shields.

Complacency is big in Victoria. 500 people have been fined over the last week for breaking restrictions, and I bet that is just the tip of the iceberg. Oh if only everyone could be super careful we have such a good chance of getting right on top of this.
I am really hoping NSW numbers stay low and go lower, and that ours finally start coming down. The next few days will show.
That restaurant case is too close to home!

Cheeky scales. I think they are just being mean. Maybe have a read of this to give you some perspective (or another read, if you have read it before) https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/really-no-weight-loss/

I meant to announce my 5 year anniversary of beginning 5:2, but last time I thought of it, it was a couple of days too early, and now it is a couple of days too late! 14th July was my first fast day. Oh I was so nervous. But didn’t I feel pleased with myself at the end of that day!

I’m so glad your dad has such lovely homehelp, it makes a huge difference.

One more sleep and it will be Friday!

Betsy, I’ll need to find a very special bunch of flowers when you get into the 67’s!

I do understand what you say about no carbs with your evening meal. We just need to keep adjusting things until we get them right. I generally do need some carbs, but often lentils or beans fills the spot, or root vegetables, or a whole grain mixed with more veggies.

I’ve realised I can’t sustain my ‘sensible breakfast, midday dinner and soup supper’ every day. I need to let myself have an afternoon snack when I need it and have a decent accompaniment with the soup too, most days.

And this cold weather is making drinking water hard. It makes me too cold! So I am working on that too.

Speaking of which, I need to go and have a hot cuppa now.

Cheers all

Good morning all

After all those weeks of being at home I’m having trouble coping with being busy. I seem to be in a permanent state of exhaustion even when I get a day at home. It is better than being isolated, but I think I need to find some balance – maybe once school holidays are finished.

Cinque, it looks like the fog has moved to Melbourne. We had 2 days of it here and the few planes that tried to land were diverted elsewhere.
I agree with you on the water, even at room temperature it feels like it’s been in the fridge. I’m limiting myself to 2 small pots of tea each day at the moment to force myself to drink more water. Like you, it’s a work in progress!
I did laugh at your last flower picture for Penguin – loved it.

Quacka, I hope the helicobacter test yields some results. Not knowing what is causing the problem is I’m sure, adding to your stress.

Lindsay and Anzac, the antics of Maxx and Rosy make it very clear to me that I could absolutely not cope with a puppy.
I saw a program advertised – Insight on SBS next Tuesday night – it’s about what a dog’s emotions mean. Thought it might be useful and perhaps insightful.

Betsy, I have the same issue. Growing up, after every evening meal there was always dessert – usually fruit with custard or icecream, but there was always something. I too am thinking I need something sweet the moment I’ve swallowed that last mouthful of my evening meal. I try to divert my attention to a piece of fruit, but that doesn’t always work. I am having more luck with warm stewed fruit (with stevia) and a dollop of greek yoghurt. Probably because it’s warm, which is comforting in cold weather.

Neil, very glad to see you are well again. I hope you manage to get enough sunshine now that you are back at work again.

Cali, I too am glad that indoor dining has been stopped – if they abide by it.
It looks like your president is finally starting to support face masks, I hope that encourages more people to don them.
Well done on getting your weight on the downward trend – no easy task among all that stress.

We actually have some weak sunshine here today so I intend to go out and enjoy a walk under those rays.
Have a nice day all.

Good evening everyone.

Yay! Yes, Anzac65, the scales were kind to me today – 68.5. Now to consolidate instead of teetering upwards again. I’ve had a CD today and will have another FD tomorrow, and then we’ll see at my Saturday weigh-in. And well done to you to be below that 90 kg mark.

And yes, Anzac 65 and LJoyce, it’s not the healthy carbs from vegetables, but the sweetness that gets me. Managed to just eat and enjoy half a papaya (pawpaw) this evening, which kept the calorie count down. I’ve also found some Chobani yoghurt (FitX) that has no added sugar, and they’ve been a good substitute. They have some sprinkles that go on top, and range around 150 calories. They’ve been quite satisfying recently.

Cinque, I will expect something really spectacular in the flower area when I finally go below 68 into the 67s, as it will be a major advance. Last time I lost weight (in 2008), I got down to 69 kg, then slowly (sadly) regained it all again. Will NOT do that this time. It’s probably a good thing we’re in lockdown, as I’m not getting all the “oh, you’ve lost so much weight”s that have led to me self-sabotaging in the past. No more!

Actually, not too spectacular, as the major, major step will be when I’m below 59 kg and no longer overweight. 🙂

LindsayL, great that you had the wood burner when you lost power. Otherwise, brrr! Laughed at the Yes Minister comment. Hope you will still have some vegetables when you return home. I gave up on vegetables, but I really hate having my roses ruined.

Cinque, congrats on surpassing your 5-year anniversary on 5:2. Wow, that’s impressive. Bit sad today about the Covid-19 numbers, but the authorities did warn they expected it to get a bit worse before improving. Hope it happens soon!

Neilithicman, hope your FD today went well. Have a lovely “date night” with your wife tomorrow night. Let us know what the movie is like.

Quacka, any news to share re your doctor’s visit? We’ve all been concerned for you.

Hi to anyone else who is hovering.

Stay well, stay safe!

Good morning all. I’ve been MIA for quite a few weeks now and unfortunately haven’t been reading posts. Too far behind now to catch up but I do hope everyone has been travelling well.

My weight has been doing some weird things of late. A few weeks I ago I remained at exactly- yes exactly the same weight for 9 days straight. Can’t say I’ve ever had that happen before. I’m slightly up on my recent weight loss and am happy for the moment that it’s not increasing rapudky as it did before, given the current circumstances.

I think last time I posted I had started my first day at the hardware store. You may think I’m mad after going on so much about being unemployed but I chucked the job in after 4 days. It wasn’t for me due to many reasons, mainly some really bad personalities in the workplace and some working conditions that I wasn’t prepared to work under. OH was fine with my decision as he could see how much I hated being there. We are both eligible for newstart now along with the jobseeker payment so we have $$ coming in for the moment.

I have made the decision ( along with OHs support) that I don’t want to spend the next 15 years of my working life doing something I don’t enjoy so I’m going back to Plan A. I wanted to do this when I was made redundant in April but got cold feet when the virus locked everything down. So I am about to commence a Certificate IV in Remedial Massage (plus a few other therapies) and will partician off part of the new rumpus room and turn it into a studio. Starting my own businesses is exciting as well a bit scary but I have done my homework and there is a demand in our area. Must go charge phone it’s about to die. Will finish post shortly.

Oh God, sorry to hear that Gday, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a good prognosis from the tests for your OH. Really good luck for your massage course as well, my sister has done the same and has been running her business from her home for the last few years.

Hi everyone

Just saw ur post, Gday. I’m thinking of u and I really hope ur OH will be ok. The ‘not knowing’ is really hard. Sending you all the best wishes for u both.
Good luck with your new career. It is exciting to embark on something you love.

Thanks to everyone for your concern and good wishes. The test came back negative but it’s ok. I do feel like it is getting better. Whether that’s because of my lifestyle changes (ie. eating regularly) or something else, I don’t know. Hopefully it just goes away!

Happy 5 year anniversary, Cinque. Can’t wait to read that post.

All the best to all my friends here. Talk soon x

Good morning,
Guess what, I can see some blue sky out of the window, and sun is shining through. Lovely. (Brisk wind but).

Gday, I am so sorry to hear of Mr Gday’s cancer diagnosis. Frightening times. I do so hope it can be treated successfully and quickly and easily (in order of priority). Fingers crossed. I am so glad he has you with him.
And hooray for leaving the horrible job and doing what you really want to do. Cheers for the jobseeker payment.
Wo 30 bean bags! That is some job (says Cinque who is STILL trying to fill and sew up two heatbags).
If scales and measurements are not showing your success, I hope you can just hold on to the fact that 5:2 is a healthy way of eating for the longterm and just keep doing it.

Betsy, mmm berries and yoghurt are yum.
My poor daughter, first they all got the sniffles and had the covid test and had to isolate for 5 days before they got the negative result. Then they had two days to catch up and then their suburb locked down, and then a week after that the whole of Melbourne locked down.
Luckily she is an amazingly even-tempered cruisey sort of person. Also luckily the two girls play well together most of the time. She has been even doing some crochet and yarn dyeing for her etsy store, so she is muddling along well.

Quacka, damn re the test. But hooray that you are getting on top of it. I do hope you can get to the point it has completely gone away. Fingers crossed.

Have a lovely weekend people and fingers crossed our daily Covid numbers go down instead of up today.
And tomorrow.
And so on.

Best wishes all.

G’day, I am so sorry to hear of your hubby’s diagnoses. Everything is crossed that it it can be treated quickly and easily

Gday, I’m sorry to hear about OH’s cancer diagnosis. I hope it can be easily treated and he will have a complete er survivors in my family and they are all long term survivors. When you said he needed a new “replacement“ my mind went to some sort or organ transplant. Glad to hear it is his knee! Perhaps a challenging recovery in terms of physical therapy to get back to normal walking again, but everyone I know who’s had one seems to do well. Look at LJ, who walks over 10,000 steps many days. Your new business idea sounds like a sound one. Glad you got away from that hardware store right away.

Cinque, congrats on your 5 year 5.2 anniversary! https://i.pinimg.com/originals/49/f3/43/49f3435070d26e2c1c013bd144c95d7e.jpg
Hoping your lockdown in Melbourne gets thing under control again and ends soon. I think wearing a mask is a very good idea when you are shopping. Our CDC Director stated that we could get covid under control in 6 to 8 weeks if everyone wore masks. https://abc7.com/masks-face-us-covid/6320058/ The key is getting everyone on board. Our president is still not endorsing them although he did wear one a week ago to visit an army hospital. So his followers still think they aren’t necessary.

Betsy and Anzac, my OH and DS both had problems with acid reflux for years and took various antacids and protein pump inhibitor meds for a long time, prescribed by their doctors. It helped some, but not enough. Finally, after reading that these meds could interfere with nutrient absorption, they decided to just stop taking them. They still took Tums (calcium carbonate) when things got uncomfortable, but gradually the acid reflux seemed to go away on its own. Neither of them have problems with it now anymore. It just finally went away. OH does sleep with a foam incline wedge on the bed and that seemed to help too.

LJ, I feel a permanent state of exhaustion lately too and it doesn’t come from doing too much. I think it’s just all the stress And uncertainty lately with the terrible numbers in this country and the lack of national leadership to do things to resolve it. Thank goodness we have a governor who is taking steps to resolve the problem in California and a national election coming up in Nov.

Neil, hope you and OH had a wonderful date night now that you’re feeling better.

Lyndsay, I loved reading about your walk with Rosey and coming across the kangaroos and later, the baby Koala. To me, it’s like being on another planet. What a wonderful place you live in!

Betsy, we are both battling the 68’s and 69’s. We’ll get past this! We need to see the 67’s!

Good afternoon everyone. I’m still on the computer after online church, so it seemed a good time to write emails, then come to the forum.

Okay, are you ready for this – after my CD and hard work in the garden yesterday, my weight on the scales this morning, tarantara,tarantara – 67.8 kg!!! 🙂
Yay, yay, yay! I may not consolidate there for a few days, but….. very pleasing.

All right, that’s my boast for today.

Good to hear from you CalifDreamer. I’ve been wondering how you’re doing. Glad to read that your governor has been implementing sensible Covid-19 precautions, despite the lack of leadership from the top. Please stay sensibly safe!

With my brother and his family in Arizona, I’ve been noting their numbers with considerable concern. One of my nieces suffers from OCD, and this situation has really stressed her out. Fortunately, her husband has been working from home, so he’s been a big support to her, and in helping with the three children.

I empathise with you and Cinque re the exhaustion. I was finding the same thing for weeks. Suddenly this week I started waking earlier and feeling better. Not sure what changed, maybe someone was praying for me, but it was a distinct shift and I’ve been feeling better since. Hope the same shift occurs for you both. I’ll pray for that.

Okay, enough for now. I need to soak my aching body in a long, hot, mineral bath – didn’t do it last night, so will do it this afternoon. I know I won’t be getting any visitors, and I’ll put my phones (landline and mobile) next to the bath in case of calls, and just enjoy a good soak.

Cinque, re exercise, I just housewalk when it’s too miserable to do anything outside (and often even if I could walk outside), and I still get my steps in. Also, there’re the Leslie Sansone videos on Youtube, of 30-minute exercise sessions which can be done in your living-room.

Keep well everyone!

Hello. I’m about to embark on the 5:2 in the hope of shifting the plump stomach that has settled in as I have got older – I am 70. Any tips would be welcome.

Morning all

Welcome aboard Helen Kate. The recommendation I would give would be to hit it with a three pronged attack. When I started 18 months ago I was doing restricted calories, time restricted eating (starting with a 12 hour eating window between 7am and 7pm and working down to an 8 hour eating window between 11am and 7pm) and did a Mediterranean diet removing all sugar, processed food and starch carbs like bread, rice, pasta and potatoes. I ate mostly fruit, vegetables, nuts, eggs, meat, and oils. I managed to drop around 45 kilograms.

Thin, you’re sounding like you were hitting the caffeine almost as hard as I did yesterday. I ended up with 2 black coffees, 2 cups of tea and an energy drink yesterday, followed by a headache 😉

Betsy, you’re a superstar at the moment. into the 67s, you’ve got to be pleased with that!

Cinque, I hope you reported the home help worker to her company so they can give her proper instructions on how to wear her PPE

Cali, good luck with your battle to get to the 67s, hopefully you can join Betsy there soon.

LJoyce, I’m glad your mammogram came back clear, that must be a relief

G’day, yes still abstaining from alcohol. I’m going to do a full “Dry July” along with the 2 weekends before July started. I’m not having issues with that but I am struggling to keep the carbs and sugar out of my diet. I ate quite a bit of bread in the weekend and some sweets as well. I didn’t go too crazy with it but it annoys me because it puts me on the back foot going in to my weigh-in on Wednesday.

Quacka, I hope you continue to improve

Anzac, Yes we take the little things for granted, as the song says, you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. We went out for dinner, we got a Turkish mixed grill from our local Turkish café and then went out to the movies. The movie was really good, Dev Patel was as good as he always is in movies and it was really funny.

We had some excitement yesterday. My wife had her family over for a visit and when they went to leave around 3:30pm we noticed the house across the road had some smoke coming out the front windows. My wife called 111 and I ran across to bang on the doors and windows to check if anyone was home. When I got round the back, the windows had blown out and there were flames pouring out. We had 4 fire engines, 2 cop cars and an ambulance on the street and half the neighborhood turned up to watch. Some heartless buggers even brought along some beers to drink while they sat and watched. Luckily the fire fighters managed to get it out pretty quickly and there turned out to be nobody home at the time so good news all around.

Have a good day everyone, I’ll be fasting today and then a control day tomorrow before my weigh-in on Wednesday.

Thank you very much to thinatlast and neilithicman and cinque – all so welcoming and helpful and supportive. I will start tomorrow – this week my fast days will be Tuesday and Saturday. I will probably need to decide this on a weekly basis according to social commitments, but those two days will be my default. I have the Mosley book and will re-read it for guidance and inspiration. I will drink lots of water, and will be counting calories very carefully in these early days. And will certainly be following the Mediterranean diet, which I mostly do anyway except when I succumb to the potato crisps! Thanks again for the messages.

Betsy, congrats on getting to the 67’s! This is wonderful news! Maybe the newfound energy and increased movement helped get you there. Now you’ve inspired me. Cinque, those are some pretty impressive flowers that you sent to Betsy. Now I want to see how you top that when she hits the 66’s!

Cinque, I would either phone the agency about the mask problem with the house help or else maybe print out a list of instructions (there are many all over the internet) and hand it to the person cleaning your house next time, with an explanation of how important it is to you. Yaay that Melbourne is mask mandatory now! I think it is the most effective thing we can do, along with distancing and hand washing, to stop the spread. It’s a shame that the US was so slow to suggest them when things were already out of control here. BTW, someone posted this short YouTube video explaining why masks are important on our local Nextdoor site. I’ve watched a lot of videos on the subject, but I think this one from PBS Digital Studios is one of the best I’ve seen: https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=0Tp0zB904Mc&list=PL1mtdjDVOoOqKjV9WNrIXRphDssM4gu0J

Thin, the news here is certainly divisive and there are a lot of conflicting messages. But I don’t doubt the numbers in Florida or other states other than they may sometimes be delayed. I generally rely on https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries

Helen Kent, welcome to the forum and to the 5:2 way of life. Thin, Neil and Cinque have already given you some great advice. I think it’s the best way to lose weight and doesn’t feel like a diet. I’m 71 and have put on a few Kg’s since the pandemic, but I know that 5:2 is the best way to get them off. Where do you live? I’m in Northern California. Most of the people here are in Oz or NZ, but thin and penguin are in the UK.

Well, more to write, but OH and DS want to watch a movie now, so I’ll hopefully be able to stay awake through it and be back later. Stay well, everyone!

Neil, what drama and what a great response from you (and a horrid one from the beer drinkers). I saw a sign on a pub wall about Dry July: Dry Gin, Dry Cider, Dry Martini, Dry White Wine.

Betsy, we are doing the locks this morning, 15 of them within one mile to begin with and then we’ll re-assess! I read some tips about mask wearing with glasses – make sure your glasses are outside the mask, not inside. You can also wash them with soap and water which leaves a slight film on the lens preventing them from fogging. And you can place a folded tissue inside the top of the mask which will absorb moisture.

Intesha, what a great break, did your dad go with you? Hey, lay off the junk, you were on a roll, ha ha!

CalifD, the Florida numbers look awful if true. My mother lives there. I’m trying to zone out statistics. Too many numbers for my addled brain.

Cinque, since mask-wearing is generally considered helpful for others and not the wearer, it’s clear that in today’s self-centred society, making them mandatory is the only way to ensure they’re worn.

Helen Kate, all the best with it. I forgot to say ‘post often’ as one of my tips. We all need support. Your FDs can be flexible, it’s good that you have the stated anchor days though.

Aaagh, I lost my post! I’ll rewrite in short irritated points 😉

Helen Kate, happy first fast day! You are very well prepared. We are all cheering for you. Let us know how you go.

Intesha hooray for a break in a beautiful place with great food, and the biggest hooray for getting looked after. You needed that.
Enjoy getting that extra kilo or two gone again!

Cali, that was a good clip of mask wearing, and I have saved the worldometer.
Enjoy watching the end of the film.
I had a good day yesterday. I didn’t let myself have have my coffee until I had the kitchen clean. Oh no, I am going to have to do it again today! Haha.

Betsy, I’m so pleased the flowers made you laugh. You’ll be glad to see the 67’s live on your scale… until you have to say goodbye to them too.

I was also wondering about driving in the car wearing a mask, and I am glad they have clarified that we don’t need to, when we are alone in the car.

Thin, I do hope all the locks went well.

Masks are the new toilet paper here. Chemist Warehouse sold out over a million masks stock, there are queues outside fabric shops, and the ‘how to make a mask out of a sock’ video is everywhere.

So glad I bought mine a month ago (they are still my favourite design), and Betsy, I bet you are SO glad you held onto yours all this time.

Ok, off to clean the kitchen so I can have my coffee! Best wishes all.