PatriPer317, I’m not too far away…just east in NJ/NYC, and yes, our weather has been very strange.

Down a little over a pound in my first week. 8-10 to go. Planning for FD tomorrow. My husband has been in England for the past week so it’s been easy to plan for just one. He comes home tomorrow.

“Little pickers wear bigger knickers.” I’m going to remember that one.

And Cinque, the clams were so good that I think I’m going to make them again tonight, even on a non-fast day. I have more tomatoes, arugula and parsley. I’ll add some olive oil, and maybe a few strands of Explore Asia bean pasta. Maybe I’ll use the Miso Ginger broth. (Must get more from Trader Joe’s)

Hi everyone,
SteppingOut, why not just chalk this caravan week up as a fact finding tour. Notice how hard or easy it is to fast, what the pressure points, or trigger points, are on the other days, do the best you can, but it is a bit of a mine field, so just check out where the mines are, and then you can plan for a better run next time.
That’s the thing about this being long term, and way of life. There is room to trial, and fail, and think about how to do better next time.
good luck! We’ll be interested to hear how it goes!

K-Lo I have never eaten clams, but you make me want to try.

Patty congrats on getting through a hard fast day. Being in that picky mood makes it so hard!
I did see Inside Out before, with a child, and talked to one sister about it, and she was so interested that I got a copy for us all to watch. We come from a very dysfunctional family, it is a miracle we gradually became close. But that means we have very interesting conversations about psychology etc, so I am looking forward to watching it again, and with them.

Sending best wishes to everyone! ⭐️🌟⭐️🌟⭐️

Hi, I am finding the weight loss very variable. however one month in i realise that the weight gain around my very erratic menstrual cycle is just temporary. I lost 4 pounds thd first week then 2 the next then put on 5 which very nearly destroyed my resolve and i had two days of crisps, bread rolls and chocolate. however this week i have lost 6. so overall great news despite my hitch! going forward this month (2) i am going to try and exercise in my bad week and not be put off by any “weight gain” to see if i can combat the effects of thd bloating, fluid retention etc. I have been very overweight for 3 decades and this is the only time i have stuck at something for a month. I love the food and haven’t felt bothered by hunger..apart from on my down week. fingers crossed for month 2.

Cinque, there’s very little shellfish that I don’t LOVE. Shrimp, lobster, clams, oysters, mussels. A fishmonger opened a few blocks from my house and I am eating very well. Salmon for lunch today.

Hey K-Lo… I lived in Spain, too – some years ago, but it IS a healthy pace of life, especially regarding food. Their big meal of the day is the comida at 2:30-3:00pm. Makes so much send rather than the way we did it here in the US – BIG meal at night, sometimes as late as 8 at night only a few hours before bed. It makes no sense!

Cinque… I love seafood and like you, wish we lived closer to the sea so it would be more readily available and cheaper!

I didn’t weigh today, last two days were business trips/training. Big evening meal, desserts for all… snacks like cookies and brownies during the day… grrrrrrr. I’m back on a Fast day today, but still. < sigh > I am just terrible with temptation. There was one of the gals there, a slip of a thing, she passed on all the bad stuff and got salads at all the meals. I know it’s what I should do, but why don’t I have any control? Actually, maybe that’s why I love the fasting – I’m an all-or-nothing kind of person in my life anyway, right? So the fasting part suits me just fine, better than all sort of constant denial of yummy things.

Ah well… nice to check in here with everyone! I’m off for some tea! Rachel

Hi,

I’m 57 and on the other side of menopause, and on HRT to control especially the hot flashes and moodiness. I have always had to keep an eye on what I eat but have pretty much managed to maintain a reasonable form. However, with menopause and lack of caution as I dealt with big changes in my life, the fat has piled on.

I am being careful to say “fat” and not weight, because my weight has barely budged, but believe me, I am not slender at my 64 kilos.

I tried the fast diet about two years ago and was elated to see how quickly I seemed to be losing centimeters – the weight loss concerned me much less. I did have to be sure to walk every day for an hour to get things to budge, but they budged. The women in the “ladies gym” I went to commented on my new look, and I hadn’t told anyone I was on the new diet. Fabulous! …until the head of the gym did the biweekly check on how much fat I had lost. I was eagerly looking forward to hearing how much was gone…but she told me that in fact I was not losing fat, but muscle. The proportion of fat to muscle had INCREASED since starting the 5:2 Fast Diet.

Stopped the diet immediately. Since then I tried watching my fat intake, still walking for an hour a day, cutting out gluten, cutting out all sugar, stopping wine, high-protein, all kinds of things, giving up for a while and eating anything at all, then Atkins…BIG mistake, I put on even more fat, all this while remaining at the same weight of 64 kilos. I have now scheduled an appointment to see about liposuction because I just can’t bear to look at those ugly bulges any more in the mirror.

Reading all your posts has given me some ideas – I have joined a gym again, and maybe exercising on fast days will help. I am also hopeful that if some of you see hot flashes disappearing with this diet, that maybe with this diet I could come off the HRT that I know from Atkin’s book contributes a lot to making it hard to lose fat. Also having a group of LOACAs to check in with and get a little moral support from would be great.

Cecile

Hi Cinque,

Thanks for answering my post!

Yes, I know, I thought that was the whole point of 5:2 as well.

No, the equipment consisted of a gadget I needed to hold in my hands at a certain distance from my body and it measured body fat that way.

I think I am at the stage now of going back to 5:2 because it was the only diet I ever followed that made a visible difference, the stress on visible, and I will make a point of going to this “real” gym – the “ladies gym” had a system whereby you switched to a machine, then did cardio, then switched to a machine, did cardio, for 30 minutes a day. The machines didn’t do much to build muscle, I found. Hopefully if I firm and build muscle at the same time I eat sensibly I will get to some kind of healthy result despite my resisting menopaused body.

Good morning all,
I have been dilatory in reporting my progress and chatting, sorry.

I have discovered juicing. So on my fast days I will now have a couple of low calorie veggie juices to keep me going. Will see how I get on, starting today.

K-Lo I live in Spain, and it’s quite true, the Spanish do not snack between meals, or eat in the streets. It was one of the first things I noticed when I first came here, I can’t speak for the big cities as I live just outside a medium sized village in the country.

Weight is coming off slowly but surely, yay. 7lbs so far.

Have a lovely day, everyone. X

Hi again Cecile, maybe that fat counting contraption was a bit dodgy. I think your new plan sounds good. We will cheer you along.

Audrey, lovely to hear from you. VERY glad you are okay. A week at the caravan must be just what you needed. And you must have been beautifully restrained when the fish and chip van comes around!

Hi Itwhat, slow and steady is all you need! Hello to beautiful Spain.

K-Lo nice result after a dinner party like that! Enjoy that 6 it will be turning into a five soon and you may never see it again….. Or are you at your healthy weight, and 126 is where you will stay?

I’m skipping a fast day 😢😥😪😓😭 Though. It’s just a bit too chaotic, I’m a bit too crook. Maybe I won’t eat much anyway, but I’ll just see what feel like.

Best wishes all! 🌾🌿🌾🌿🌾

I’m at a similar stage K-Lo, keen to get to the leaner end of my healthy range. 😊

Had another successful fast day today (although it’s only 4:45p.m. so it’s not technically over). I substituted in a first grade classroom today. All 6 and 7 year olds. I was afraid I wouldn’t make it through the day with fasting but it was perfectly fine. I was so busy I barely even thought about eating except when the kids were having lunch. And when I got home. I think that’s more of a habit, though, and not actual hunger. When we took the kids out to play it was snowing! Bah! It’s spring now, it’s supposed to be getting warmer.

How’s everything with everyone else? Haven’t heard from most of you in a while. Hope all’s well. Patty

Ladies, I am delighted to discover this forum for those of us of a certain age.

Cinque, thank you for your supportive words!

I have done my first FD that transpired without too much hassle, and I am doing the second today. 30 minutes of brisk walking and 30 minutes of machine workouts at the gym to help it along. I’m also going to try doing 3 days a week of fasting because it isn’t too hard I find – a cup of tea with a smidge of milk and an apple is enough to sustain life at midday.

Im going on the assumption that the machine to measure fat was wonky.

Best wishes to all!

I have just joined. I have not tried the regime yet. I was on a weight watchers diet and lost 20lbs but i gave up in November. So i have been back at the ice cream and chocolate. I tend to nibble in evenings. I need help and support. I am 69. Walk a mile a day but no other exercise. So tell me will i feel desperately hungry on fast days ?

Hi Irenc, Hi K-Lo!
Irenc, you are going to have to try and see! I was really scared, and then found my first fast day fine! I was so exhilarated at the end of the day! As K-Lo said, the hunger pangs are brief, they come in waves, and you can just keep telling yourself that you can eat what you like the next day.

Ofcourse, ‘eating what you like’ is meant to be normal healthy eating, so hopefully your icecream and chocolate will be special treats (Oh look it is Easter, world’s biggest chocolate festival! 😉 )

I hope you give it a try and tell us how it goes, we love to have more people here sharing the journey!

I did have some wine tonight but it was necessary.

A hard boiled egg for breakfast
Miso with some veggies at noon.
Dinner — some canned salmon with chopped pickles wrapped in nori sheets. And a few ounces of Pinot Noir. I think I actually stayed within 500 but I like to skip the alcohol on fast days

Welcome here Wellsprungalice!
Don’t worry about those pesky scales! Just keep at it. 4:3 if you like, or go back to 5:2 if it is more sustainable. Unless you are eating extra on your non fast days, you will lose weight.
Give yourself four weeks without worrying and then see what the scales say.

If the scales keep being vexatious, then do a bit of
“How go I feel?” Lighter? Emptier? or
“How do I look?” Mirror? Best Outfit? or
“How do my clothes fit? Comfy? Doing up easier?

Good morning everyone,

Fell in the ditch and had too much to eat when out for lunch! Damage control today, fast.
I had a go on a mini trampoline the other day and am hooked, have ordered one for home. Great fun and gives one a good workout even if, like me, can’t quite get both feet off the ground unless I hang onto something to keep my balance. No doubt with practice should improve.
I have unearthed my Nordic walking poles and now tear along whilst walking the doggies, much to their surprise, so used to me ambling.
Keep me going ladies, determined to get into my tankini without the stomach being the only thing seen, with a pr of eyes above it.

Have a lovely day everyone.
X

Yay Audrey, well done you! 🎉
Welcome home! 🎈🌟

Hi Itwhat, the trampoline sounds great fun, your skiing sticks even better! And somehow I completely missed tankinis, and I had to look them up! Then I giggled at your image.

I also had too much – for my supper – on a fast day! 😧 Never again!

Good morning ladies, welcome to the newcomers Irenc and wellsprungalice. It’s kind of difficult to get started but well worth the trouble. I do 5:2 and have since starting. Most FD I eat one small meal but I did a 30 hour liquid fast last week and it was successful. The trick is to keep busy and focused on something other than eating. Have something on hand such as broth, tea, coffee, or even celery to ward off the hunger pangs. They don’t last long. I like celery because it’s very low cal and it gives the satisfaction of chewing. I feel so much more energetic since starting this on both fast days and non-fast days. I try to eat around 1200-1500 cals on non-FD.

K-Lo, I like your line about wine. I enjoy having wine in the evening but also try to avoid it on fast days. 🍷

Cinque, I can’t understand why my granddaughter is visiting you! When I read that you were looking after the cutest granddaughter in the world, that describes my granddaughters to a tee! 😉 👶 I have my youngest, Sylvie, today. She is not feeling well and needs to go to the doctor today. She might have pink eye and can’t go to school with it. Her parents are working so I volunteered to be the one to take her. I won’t be doing an substituting today. But that’s ok. I’d rather spend the time with this one than a classroom of others. It has stopped snowing. Yesterday it was warm enough that I ended up hanging my coat in a tree while I was walking the dog and fetched it on the way home. But in the evening it was very cold again. It’s crazy weather this time of year.

Itwhat, I also fell into a ditch on Tuesday. I’d had a normal breakfast and lunch then I was too busy for supper and had to go to my class on nutrition. After class (ended at 8p.m.)I felt hungry so I stopped and bought a chicken thigh and roasted red peppers. After that I stopped and got a slice of stromboli. When I got home I had some spaghetti and meatballs. And then, I had some popcorn!!! Oh my. After a class on nutrition! Must be all the talk about food was too much for me to handle. 😡 That was a very deep ditch to climb out of. Yesterday was not a FD so I ate, but kept it at a minimum. Today is a fast day. I’m thankful for that.

Audrey, good job on staying on track during your vacation. Sounds like you had a pretty busy time. I bet you’re happy to be home. 🏠

Have a good one everyone!

Patty

Hi Ladies,

Just wanted to “weigh in” (ha ha ha) on the story of not snacking between meals.

I lived in France for almost 30 years, and like in Spain, the habit there is to eat only at mealtime, and to also eat much smaller portions than in the UK or in the States. It was readily demonstrated by the fact that when I went to the States for a couple of months I would come back to France having almost out sized my clothes, and without any effort whatsoever – just getting back in the routine of French life – it would all come off again. Yes, I know, I was in my thirties.

But as part of my new program, I am eating the French way now – small portions, no snacks, although I can’t quite give up that glass of wine with dinner yet…

Rachel, thanks for the encouragement. I too walk a great deal. My daily commute includes over two miles of walking and LOTS of stairs. I loathe raw celery with a white hot passion, but I love pickles!

I made my own pickles recently by adding a sliced cucumber to the leftover pickling liquid. They turned out really well! I used some last night in my FD dinner of canned salmon rolled up in seaweed….a sort of sushi roll.

Evening ladies

I have sent Ian to work and was happily planning a quiet Easter break with a couple of fast days..

Vicky phoned so glad we are back and can she and the girls call in Sunday after church for lunch? Oh and could they stay overnight whilst her and Steve go out…..so perhaps just the one fast day now….

Hehe families anyway have a great Easter whatever you are doing and wherever you may be…

Keep in touch and dont eat too many eggs….😆

Audrey

Good morning everyone, It is Good Friday morning so I think hot cross buns will be scenting out my house. Not for me though, I’d be tempted if they were home made ones. but they are not.

Audrey, I was imagining you having a wonderful break at your caravan, sitting on a sun chair and admiring the view. And instead you were scraping away mud and pulling up weeds! You must be glad to get home to the washing! 😉

Forget-me-nots are a weed here! A pretty one, but they can come up in their thousands. They like our native fern gullies.

Ha Patty, isn’t it a conundrum of physics that we each have the most gorgeous grandchildren! I am glad yours could be with you when she needed looking after.
I hope your fast day gets you nicely out of your ditch!

Congratulations on that lovely loss K-Lo, I think you will be looking particularly gorgeous for your wedding anniversary!

Cecile and RQP, what a great conversation about French and Spanish eating culture! I rewatched Michael Pollan’s documentary “In Defense of Food” and he talks about the French way of eating as being particularly healthy. Not just the no snacking and smaller portions, but strict traditional mealtimes that mean everyone is sitting down together and eating slowly, with good conversation. He suggests that we should take as long to eat our food, as it took to prepare it. And O yes, a glass of wine with the meal is quite a tradition too! 🙂

Thanks for your comment to me RQP. I do like taking the long view about 5:2!

Audrey, just read your last post, it sounds like a busy family Easter, better than clearing mud I hope!

Eat those Christmas goodies mindfully everyone, if you are eating them! Make sure you are eating the very best!

K-Lo, I think you’ve inspired us! Patty… I love the wedding anniversary goal idea… for next year. I think I can swing a 46 pound loss by April 30, 2017.

My immediate goal is to lose enough weight so that I can remove my wedding band, and I can put ON my engagement ring. For some reason, my arms, hands and fingers have really taken on weight over the last 7 years and the way it stands now, I can’t remove my ring. I am shooting for the first day of Summer, Monday, June 20. That will be the first day of my ninteenth week doing 4:3. I have faith.

Happy Easter all! <3 Rachel