This topic contains 28,288 replies, has 835 voices, and was last updated by thinatlast 1 day, 2 hours ago.
Thanks Neil, all the best with your NFD experiments. My ‘chicken something’ was jalfrezi, delicious. Minute serving but I ate it very slowly so it felt like a banquet. Not really, but I did savour every bite. A respectable 900g gone this morning but I need to do more to stop it creeping back up on the other six days. Why can’t we just eat to sustain a weight?
Hello everyone,
A quick post while I drink my lovely coffee,
Thin, how DID that black swan get there?
Anzac, lovely to hear how happily your hair is aging, but awful news for your hairdresser. All best wishes to her.
HOORAY that you are on the lookout for a better job. I hope you can find one with work you love, but much less stressful, and more space around it for you to look after yourself as well as you want to.
When I was at my fattest my thick, dark, but greying, hair started looking thin and colourless around my ballooning face and I couldn’t bear it. I tried it short and hated it, but henna really helped. I am saying goodbye to it now, off on my next adventure. (I just look a tiny bit lopsided in colour so far).
Lindsay how nice to have that little hidden smugness about your lovely straight hair. Did your friend’s curls drive her up the wall?
Hang on, what trivia am I talking about? I want to hear the real news. How did it go on Monday? I hope your clear, smart, strength was a match for any fiddle-faddle the hospital tried to pedal.
Hooray for ironing, haha! Of getting the cottons and silks, and especially the linens, looking beautiful to wear. Ironers are such a rare breed these days, but we just might share the pleasure of the hang, the occasional straight crease, the smooth beauty.
Ah Thin, I am definitely doing the kind of intermittent fasting that is all overnight 😉 I stop eating by 6pm these days. But I miss my old 5:2 days and wish I was doing it again.
Neil, nice work!
I was doing a bit of research on the ‘eat a meal no bigger than the size of your fist’ because I could see people on the GERD subreddit had quite different ideas of what the size of your fist is.
Sure enough, some nutrition information about portion size says it is about a cup, and they are talking about just the size of the curled up fingers. But I have been taking it as the size of my fisted hand, which is more like a cup and a half.
So I looked specifically for it as the size of our stomach, since that is the argument about not eating more that that to avoid stretching the stomach much at all. And the best thing I could find is that the space inside our stomach (which actually sits like a deflated beachball when it is empty) is about the size of our palm, but three dimensional, so if we make a fist it is a good approximation.
And interestingly, plenty of people are saying that should be the size of a meal for everyone, not just those of us with acid reflux. And that most people eat meals double that size.
So I am off the clean the kitchen and plan a couple of fist sized meals for the day!
Best wishes all
Cinque, here’s to fisted ball-sized meals. What a departure from how much most of us eat. As long as that doesn’t translate to having several of them a day! The growing percentage of morbidly obese children and young adults waddling about in England is alarming to me. And the normalisation of it. It’s NOT healthy and shouldn’t be normalised. Are you saying goodbye to grey hair or to the use of henna?
The black swan is thought to have come from a sanctuary. It covers a fair territory as it visited us on our next mooring as well. It honked for food but of course got none from us other than what it pecked off the boat hull. But the best part was a family of five Grebe living on the water right next to where we’d moored. I observed them for two days and learned so much. The juveniles were so loud and squeaky demanding food. Adult Grebes don’t make any sound. The parents dive and bring the young small fish and teach them to do the same. The juveniles look nothing like a Grebe but are camouflaged like zebra. They also dive for soft vegetation and the young pluck feathers from the adults which I read help them to form pellets. Best of all, they don’t go anywhere near humans throwing chunks of bread into the river.
A quick good morning, after Thin’s gentle poke. Sounds like a perfect Sunday night to me, Thin
I am up and having coffee and the dogs are in the garden with OH. Whew! We have a quite nice routine where I take him tea and toast in bed (I’m the early riser) and let the dogs out, then after a while when puppy has been fed and is restless he takes them into the back yard for a play with him. It works so well. Some mornings I even get the diabolical sudoku while peace reigns.
OH’s hospital is playing hard ball. We had a very free and frank meeting with them last week, where they admitted all errors. Then sent us a very softened version of what was send, followed by a lawyer’s letter demanding access to OH’s medical records from his specialists and his GP. As if. It’s to try to minimise the compensation, of course, but it’s nasty stuff.
On a brighter note, my little Scarlett has won enough points to gain her Autralian Champion title, and did so while she was still in the Minor Puppy category (6-9 months). With a bit more ringcraft (e.g. standing still would be a bonus!) she’ll do great things. Rosy of course is as beautiful, but doesn’t care for the like the puppy performer does.
My Fast 800 is going well. Finding staying on 800 quite difficult this time, but I’ve given myself a little leeway with calories (but only food I am meant to eat) and lost 2.7 kilos in the first week, and 1 kilo this week. So, happy with that, and finding I’m back in the swing.
Nothing like buttoning a shirt over a little bulge that’s shrinking, for motivation.
Cinque – you understanding ironing! whoo hoo. We must be the only two left in the world. The satisfaction of hanging the week’s linen shirts back in the cupboard, white ones together, then pink, then blue, and stripes at the end. Oh the joy. And putting the last fold in teatowels and pillow slips (although I don’t use Fabulon any more, after my daughter pointed out I was putting my head on a chemical infused pillow).
OK with that bit of trivia, OH’s phone alarm is ringing, to remind him it’s tablet time, and as he’s in the garden, I need to turn it off before it sends me further around the bend.
Enjoy your day, whereever you are.
Morning all
I’ve been suffering from a bit of the winter blues last week. The weather has been quite grey and wet, and it was really getting me down. When the weekend came the weather was finally better, so I went out for a big mental health ride. I rode out around the coast to the mouth of the Taieri River. It was a 75-kilometre round trip and took me just under 3 hours. I was pretty tired by the end of it but feeling in a much better head space.
Lindsay, well done on the weight loss, 3.7 kg in 2 weeks is huge.
Cinque eating fist sized meals seems pretty restrictive. If you have a fist sized meal of mainly vegetables, then you’ll get plenty of nutrients but hardly any calories. If you have a fist sized meal of mostly meat, then you’ll have plenty of calories but not many nutrients. How do you balance out that?
Thin, I wouldn’t mind if the thread was the thinatlast diaries, I always enjoy reading about your travels.
Well better get back to work. Have a great one everyone.
Good morning,
The Thinatlast diaries sound wonderful, but yes, I love to read everyone’s diary.
I bet the castle area looks most majestic (that would be the idea!). And I bet there are wonderful birds still, even if you have moved along a bit from the last birdy delight. What a life!
Lindsay, it is a good start that the hospital admitted everything and I am sorry but not surprised they are now attempting to limit the gravity and lessen their responsibility and saddest of all, to be nasty. You’ll fix them!
In the meantime, hooray for those lovely mornings, that dog-show-happy pup and nice results from a sustainable Fast 800.
It is nice to have an ironing buddy! I don’t think I know anyone else who does it. Maybe my sister Naomi, I will ask her today.
Ha, the number of writing errors that slip through. We will figure out what everyone means.
Neil, hooray for that bike ride. What a good mental health aid it is for you. Keep looking after yourself! (I don’t envy you with teenager years coming on. Hold on!)
Feel proud of all the wonderful things you do.
You are right that the fist sized meals seem restrictive. They are in a way, but mostly they are surprisingly easy. They are becoming a habit now. I am still working things out. I have added complex carbs back in, and I do try to make them fit the ‘healthy plate’ proportions of veg, carbs and protein. Just small portions.
I am amazed a) how easy I am finding it and b) how I vary in hunger from day to day. I eat and then wait two hours and then if I am hungry I eat again. So that means I could eat 5 small meals in a day (I stop eating at 6pm). I don’t think I have ever done 5 meals but there have been a few days when I have eaten 4 small meals and a handful of peanuts. More often it is three meals and a snack.
I do spend time, when I have eaten and still feel hungry, deciding if it is more protein or more carbs I need next meal. I err on the side of protein.
Being older and so inactive would make it different too, and no doubt easier. But I do love that I just concentrate on making nutritious meals and really I can eat as much as I like in the day, I just need to wait 2 hours for the next meal. My waist is staying around 75 centimetres so so far, so good.
My GERD/LPR has stayed settled, and I can’t tell you how grateful I am for that.
I’ll be testing it today though, as I am meeting my sisters at a golf club restaurant on the edge of Melbourne (I have the least amount of driving, but it makes it easier for both sisters). Last meal together was a fail, but I am all prepared to try again!
(I am taking a ‘doggybag’ container with me 😉 )
Time to go and start getting ready.
Best wishes all.
Oh that’s better – some life breathed into the thread!
Neil, thank you for your kind comments. I completely understand the effect that the weather has on your state of mind. I took for granted all that Perth sunshine, I even got fed up with it at times, well the heat anyway. It’s an uplifting feeling when you’ve completed some good outdoor exercise. Do your young lads enjoy cycling?
Cinque, how was the golf club lunch? A bit of a feast now and again helps keep everything in perspective. Great idea to take a doggybag container. I bet it was fun to see the sisters in person. It sounds like you’ve struck a good balance with your fist-size meals, keeping in mind that we need far fewer calories as we age and if we’re inactive.
Lindsay, such a shame that the hospital seeks to add insult to an already stressful injury. It’s good that you have doggo distractions and a calm routine. That’s a good start to a kilo-shedding mission.
Laughed at the ironing comments. Don’t tell me – you two hang socks in matching pairs on the line?
Really sorry to hear that Anzac (the part about the bullying, not about them resigning). It’s a real struggle when you’re stuck working with an awful person for most of the day and can’t get away. I had issues with a workmate a couple of years back, but they guy that was giving me trouble retired right as Covid was hitting. My workmates now are pretty good, especially since we’ve got a new team leader who acts as a buffer between us and the management.
My weekend was pretty good this week but went really fast. We had our parents over for dinner on Saturday and watched the All Blacks beat the wallabies (sorry to bring it up for you Australian members 😉 ) Sunday I got out for a good bike ride for an hour and a half, and then went to see the new Indiana Jones movie with my wife and kids. I managed to avoid over eating during the weekend except for a couple of rum and cokes and some chips on Friday night.
I hope everyone else is doing ok at the moment, and I’ll catch up with you all later.
Neil, that’s too bad about the weight when you’re trying so hard. In my career, I never worked anywhere but as part of a happy, cohesive healthcare team so I can’t imagine adults behaving as you and Anzac describe in the workplace. Low self-esteem, big egos, who knows what drives such people.
Apart from June, the summer’s been a washout. We’ve even had the fire going first thing in the mornings – August! It’s not been cold during the day but we could do with some blue sky. So disappointing. We’re making the most of it in stoic British style. There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.
Hello everyone,
I knew I hadn’t written for several days, but it was last month!
I have just had a very busy week. Too busy. So I am recovering.
I did have a good time with my sisters at the golf club place. Beautiful big windows overloooking the course and bush in the distance. Lovely. The food was good and I was all prepared with my container to take half the meal home.
Last week I had a food crisis (binge/comfort eating) in that I ate too much and any thoughts I had that I might have been a bit obsessive with my new diet were put to rest, as my horrible symptoms came back.
But I figured out I need to try the 5 small meals a day. And that is my current regime and is working well. Waist still under 76 cm. Enjoying my food!
Last week I also had too much on and so I am in recovery mode now. Lots of grandma things which I loved. I just wish I had more health for it.
Neil, I hope this is a lovely 1 kg down week.
Anzac, so glad the bully resigned. I hope you feel happier now.
Thin, I wonder if you are fasting today, best wishes. I hope it isn’t too cold.
Lindsay, anything further from the hospital?
Miso the cat isn’t well, I am trying to keep her happy and I will ring the vet first thing tomorrow. She just wants to sit by herself outside at the moment. I am worrying.
But apart from that, things are going well. I have nearly got the kitchen tidy! I am going to have another go now to finish it off.
Best wishes to everyone
Go Matildas!
Hello everyone, apologies for being a slack poster friend
Things have settled a bit but of course the weight jumped back on so now I am back on the poor horse who is sick and tired of being jumped on and off. I’ve decided that Tuesdays and Thursdays will be VLCD’s (very low calorie days – I’m avoiding the ‘F’ word) to try and kick start things to be a bit quicker and therefore be more encouraging
So sorry that your Grandma busyness took it’s toll once again Cinque and I hope lovely Miso recovers quickly. I’m glad you have found a regime that keeps those horrible symptoms away
Thin, my labrador friends in the UK have been telling horror stories about the cold there. One poor lady who has little money is already sitting in her lounge room bundled in layer upon layer of clothing and swaddled in blankets as she can’t afford to put the heater on very often. I find it hard to accept that it could be that cold when it is still summer. Very sad and a bit scary really
Neil you must be frustrated and the yo-yoing, like I am. We both did it so well once and we can do it again
Mr Anzac and I had a beaver day cleaning yesterday. The carpet in my office as well as the internal stairs really needed a good clean so we bought some foamy stuff and now I am sitting here smelling nothing but freshness – nice! Maxx is curled up on the floor next to me starting the whole ‘make the carpet smell more like a labrador’ thing. I always take a couple of hours off at lunch time on Mondays as my Dad comes over for nice lunch and a chat. He is still driving at 97 (98 in November) and he loves his car so much we don’t have the heart to suggest that he should stop. He only has a restricted licence now, so can only drive 12 kilometres so that gets him to the shops, doctor and our place. We buy his groceries and cook his dinners but he still loves his bit of independence. Mr Anzac is doing roast chicken today and his home-made stuffing is delicious. He doesn’t actually stuff it into the chicken but instead cooks it as a side in the pan with the other veges. It has breadcrumbs, chorizo, mushroom, onion and herbs. Sensational
Ok time to walk the pooch. Have a great day everyone
Morning all
Well it looks like a few of us are in the same boat with our struggles at the moment. It’s definitely just the food that is the issue for me, my fitness is still pretty good. I racked up a 55km bike ride on Saturday in just over 2 hours.
I’m adding in a few longer rides on the weekends at the moment on top of my regular riding to and from work, because I’m planning a multi-day bike trip in October. I’m planning to ride the whole length of the Clutha gold and Roxburgh Valley bike trails both ways. It’s going to be 380-390 kilometers, and although it’s all flat, I’m going to be riding it in 3 days, so I’m going to have to be able to ride 120-130 kilometers per day.
I have hopes I’ll be down on the scales this week. I didn’t have a bad weekend (had a dry weekend this week, had fewer movie snacks at our Friday movie, and managed to have limited sugar over the weekend. I’m having a control day today, planning on a fast day tomorrow, and hopefully I can strip off that kilo I raised last week.
I hope you all had a good weekend, and I’ll catch up with you later.
Hurray, nice to hear from everyone and get all the latest news. Yes, I was fasting yesterday, Cinque.
Today marks nine years since I started 5:2. I’ve never missed a single FD in that time either on a 5:2 or 6:1 regime. I’ve maintained the 23kg loss from that first year. Over the years, I lost a further 2kg but that’s since been found.
I’ve learned a few things:
Fasting works;
I will have to remain vigilant forever;
old food habits die hard so I’ll probably never be able to eat ‘normally’ by limiting consumption to just the required calories on a daily basis;
I can’t eat pasta, bread or rice in any quantity without gaining weight;
sugar is horribly addictive:
fasting gives me the sense that I’m in control of food – it’s not in control of me and
… nothing tastes as good as being slim feels.
Morning all
I got some bad news yesterday. My mother had to be taken to hospital. They say she has a heart issue that means her heart chambers aren’t working in unison like they’re supposed to, meaning blood is pooling in her heart. The doctors say that it means she’s an increased risk of having another stroke (she had one just before the first round of Covid lockdowns). I’m going to go and visit her at lunchtime today.
Morning all
I went in to see Mum yesterday, she had Pericarditis (fluid buildup around the heart) which they had to drain with a needle. She’s still not well and they’re keeping her in hospital for a few more days.
Weight this week was back down the kilo I put on the last week.
I hope everyone is going well, and have a great week.
Hello everyone,
Neil, sending so many good wishes to you and your mum and all your family. I hope all the wonderful medical things that can be done these days are making a wonderful difference.
https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/1/best-wishes-flowers-eva-harvey.jpg
I had a way too busy week and am feeling crook as a result, but hopefully rest will help.
Anzac, I am so glad work is a bit more settled. All power to you with the food limited days, I hope that does the trick.
Thin, happy 9 year 5:2 anniversary. Powerful!
Best wishes to everyone
Dear God Neil, what a terrifying and dreadful thing to happen, I’m so sorry. Your injuries must be incredibly painful so please take care and rest for as long as you need. I honestly feel so awful for your bad run of luck lately. We will all be thinking of you and sending healing and positive thoughts
Tuesday morning in Grey Melbourne,
Neil, what a rotten thing to happen. I do hope you are well bandaged and the pain killers are good (but not too addictive). It will be such a trial for an active person like you. I hope you can concentrate on healing and health.
Sending best wishes to you and more to your mum too.
Thin, I hope you are soon in the nice zone under 60kg.
Last time I posted I didn’t tell you that Miso the cat was very ill by the time I got her to the vet last week on Monday. She was so ill I was glad the vet could kindly put her down. I am missing my little companion.
I am still learning how to eat with this GERD/LPR. I got quite anxious about food and had to write up a timetable of how I could fit 5 meals in the day (with at least 2 hours between meals and no eating after 6pm) and then every time I went out it would get messed up, so I got all lunch box and thermos organised, and a list of things I could take with me so I didn’t miss out on eating… And luckily that calmed my anxiety down and I can go with the flow more. I don’t need the 5 little meals every day, I just need to know I can have them if I really need to.
Sending out best wishes to you all
Hello Thin, Anzac, Lindsay and anyone else that has been posting. I haven’t had a chance to read any more than the last few posts yet, so I’m not even sure who’s been chatting lately.
Sorry about the absence. I’ve had a relative who has needed help after surgery and my life became busy and very tiring. In about a fortnight I should be able to ease off.
My weigh has been erratic, but nothing too dire.
Take care. I’ll be back again as soon as I can.
Oh my gosh, Neil, I am so very sorry for your loss, how heartbreaking for you and your family. Also wishing you a speedy recovery from your bike accident, take it easy on yourself, big hugs.
Commiserations to you too Cinque on the loss of your little furry friend Miso, my heart breaks for you.
I am still enjoying sunny, (at last) England, my last week with my parents in Norfolk, we have both had a wonderful time, catching up with so many friends and family members.
Viewing all the weather forecasts and reports of snow hitting the South Island next weekend, I can only hope it warms up somewhat before our return on the 7th??
I’ll report more before our departure, daren’t even get on the scales!!!
Turn
Neil, all my sympathy and condolences. Losing your mum changes the world.
https://www.funkypigeon.com/uimg/static/cardhs_abacus_sym20_lossofmum_p.jpg?w=284
Morning all
Thanks for the support, Intesha, really sorry to hear of your loss too. I’m back at work today to get a bit of normality for a couple of days. I’m over what my sister terms the “sadmin” All the administration stuff that comes with someone passing.
I hope everyone is ok at the moment I’m still very sore physically and emotionally.
Intesha my heart goes out to you
https://www.funeralbasics.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Feature-Image-Flowers-2.jpg
I hope you are proud of all you did to support your dad when he needed it. You were a hero.
Thinking of you in your grief, and while you are getting your head around the future now that your dad has passed away.
Sorry for your loss Intesha and, at the same time, celebrating the long life of a proud man; Cinque said it perfectly as always.
Neil, hope you’re doing OK.
Cinque, I hope you’re not feeling too empty without Miso. Will you get another furry friend?
LJ, I thought you must have gone on your trip. I have trouble keeping track of my own time, let alone anyone else’s – when is it?
FD for me, my third week back on 5:2. I wore my thermals yesterday and it’s still summer.
Morning all.
Thin, I hope you’re going ok with 5:2, it’s always harder to fast when the weather is colder and you just want to eat something hot. We’re the opposite over here. It’s still officially winter but we’ve been getting some days touching on 20 degrees.
Adding to my grief this week I caught Covid, which meant I had to mask up at the funeral, and I couldn’t go and hug all my friends and relatives. It also means every time I cough it pulls on my strained ribs and is most uncomfortable.
My mother’s funeral was a great tribute though, lots of laughter as well as tears when people shared what she meant to them. The crowd filled up the chapel, the spill-over area and had people standing outside.
Well I hope everyone else is doing better than me. Intesha and Cinque, thinking of you with your losses too.
It is getting late here (don’t tell anyone but Lindsay, but I am doing some ironing while watching TV).
Neil, you must feel the gods are picking on you at the moment. How rotten to have covid at this time. It must have felt so hard to have that separation from the others at the funeral. I hope you get over the virus quickly and completely.
But I am so glad your mum had a wonderful send off. What a rich life she must have had.
LJoyce I was so glad to read your posts. Thinking of you being so busy and how lucky your relative is to have you helping. I do hope all is going well. I am very much looking forward to seeing your next post.
And that is true for everyone, hoping to see your posts and hear how life is going.
I’m going okay. Taking my little granddaughter, who is somehow 9 years old already, to see the Barbie movie on Sunday. I am looking forward to it. We are going to wear pink.
Cinque, I was wondering if Barbie was a child’s movie when a sign in the local funky cinema promoted double shots of a pink gin cocktail for £4.95 with the movie. I then watched the trailer and still couldn’t tell. Did you and Miss 9 have fun?
We binge watched Series Two of ‘Clarkson’s Farm’ this week. Hilarious. No one has mentioned ‘Colin From Accounts’ still. Surely someone’s seen that by now?
Three weeks of 5:2 have re-set my eating habits quite well and I’m where I want to be on the scales – except that we’re taking boating friends for a pub lunch today and the menu looks a bit too carby for my liking.
No complaints about the weather – 29C and sunny for the next four days, then 28C.
Hi everyone
Neil, I can’t believe on top of everything else you caught Covid. I’m glad you Mum’s funeral was a time to celebrate a wonderful life and I hope you are slowly recovering from your injuries
Work is very busy and my eating habits are a bit erratic. Still not gaining which of course is great but not losing much either. I will persist. Not helped by a very sore neck but I went to the physio today (OUCH) who said my ribs were practically in my cheeks so I have to watch my posture, drink more water and….what was the last one? Oh yes avoid stress!
Afternoon all.
I think I’m finally on the mend. I was feeling a bit better yesterday, and a lot better today. I still have the post-viral cough, but the doctor has given me an asthma inhaler that is really helping. The doctor also had my blood work done, and I was pleased to see that my blood sugar levels were slap bang in the middle of the healthy range, it’s something I’ll have to keep an eye on, because type 2 diabetes is probably one of the major factors leading to my mother’s death. One wake-up call was my blood pressure was quite elevated. The doc said it could just be due to being sick, but my caffeine consumption has crept up recently to 2-3 coffees and 1-2 cups of tea per day, something I’ll have to work on reducing.
Anzac, staying stable is pretty good considering the work stress. Hopefully things quieten down for you soon.
Thin, Holy Cow, almost 30 degrees?! It’s not something you expect to see in the UK.
Cinque, I hope you had fun at the Barbie movie. Not really my cup of tea, but we all managed to get out to the Indiana Jones movie a couple of weeks ago, which we all enjoyed.
I hope everyone else is doing well, have a great one everyone.
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We pay tribute to our dear friend and colleague, Dr. Michael Mosley. Michael was an integral part of our lives, […]
Michael is touring Australia this September! Here's a link to dates and tickets. Hope to see you there.
Michael Mosley gives an update for 2019, current research in the field and announces a tour starting in February.
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24 Jul 23