HELP! All ladies of a 'certain age'-please respond

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PreciousBooBoo

2:02 pm
5 Aug 14
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Hi newme@50

I think that is one of the best names ever chosen on this thread; it does what it says on the tin! 😉 (A Brit advert strapline…)

That is a really sensible attitude you are taking towards the demon scales; try and stick to it. Some folks weigh a lot and we all find what works to suit our personalities best but some report that they have a loss following a fast day and then, quelle surprise?!, they find a gain after a non-fast day!
It’s not rocket science! You will fluctuate quite a bit from a fast day to a non-fast day but if you strictly only weigh once a week; you will see the aggregate of your efforts.

I’m fasting today; it’s not great BUT it is raining and cooler in temperature so I am grateful for small mercies……

Have a good week and keep us posted on whether you can stay away from the scales!

ONwards and Downwards!
Booxx

Cheeseplease

2:42 pm
5 Aug 14
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Hi DottieD and welcome
Yes, it could well be cabbage if you are eating more of it than you are used to – I know when I eat broccoli I get bloating and stomach cramps – a real nuisance as it’s supposed to be one of those “super” foods. Strangely I am ok with the purple sprouting stuff – hey ho. It’s just a case of trial and error. After being on the FD for a few weeks I have noticed that my stomach does actually feel a bit flatter the following morning – unless I eat broccoli of course :-). So hang on in there and I am sure you will get results.

Femme Anglaise

2:57 pm
5 Aug 14
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Bonjour newme@50 – welcome and I also love the name! Long time since I was 50 but hey I’m feeling better than I have for a long time – apart from a few pounds of weight loss I am feeling ‘lighter’ and more confident. I’ve noticed that when I am out and about I walk with more of a skip – long may it continue. I so agree that waking up on a TDEE day gives a lovely feeling – eat what I like within the TDEE.

DottieD – welcome to this lovely site. I’ve also found that eating an abundance of low-calorie vegetables can be too ‘filling’ and I try especially on FDs to have a small amount of protein at my two small meals – often an egg or piece of fish – as we know protein keeps the hunger at bay longer.

PreciousBooBoo – I love the sound of your lemon/yogurt chicken dish and will definitely give it a go. I too occasionally suffer from water retention – especially in a hot and humid location. At Lake Como the temp. got up to 40 degrees with awful humidity, and my feet really swelled up – the only real solution is to lie on the floor and prop your legs up a wall; it’s so relaxing (although quite amusing for those around you!) and I find it works. This is also brilliant for those who love walking – take your boots off and get those legs up!

It’s brilliant to see that the posts are now over 3400, and that we LOACA are not just discussing weight – now that would be dull; we discuss all matters that affect us, good and bad. What’s also lovely is that we are all different and are the way we are because of what life has thrown at us, and can support each other.

Now me, living in France, you would think that I would indulge daily in cheese and wine – but actually I don’t particularly like cheese, never have from being a girl (not sure why) but for the sake of etiquette, and especially when dining with the in-laws, I always take a little and smile graciously. But really the only cheese that I ‘enjoy’ (being a Yorkshire lass) is Wensleydale, even better with dried cranberries; very much a rare treat when I visit family in the UK. As for wine, here again, the only time I drink it is, as at Lake Como when I had a few glasses of Prosecco, for a special occasion. Living alone I would never drink wine – I brought a 3/4 full bottle of Famous Grouse whisky when I moved her in 2011 and have never even had a sip – I used to love a whisky and dry ginger! What I love to drink here for a special occasion is Cremant de Bourgogne, made from the same grape is champagne and much cheaper, and delicious. You can add various syrups, i.e. violette or cassis and make a version of Kir Royale.

Actually, I really prefer two pieces of rich dark 70% chocolate to a glass of wine any day!

Hope you enjoyed my ramblings and be back soon.
Femme x

PreciousBooBoo

3:14 pm
5 Aug 14
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Hi Femme Anglaise

Wow living in Francais and you don’t really like wine…..quelle horreur (not sure I’m spelling that right but you get the gist!)

And cheese too?…..words fail me but it takes all sorts as they say!

It’s lovely to hear that you are walking around with a bit of a skip in your step! You must be feeling more desireable/confident/dare I say sexy? etc

WEIGH TO GO YOU!

ONwards and Downwards!
Booxx

PreciousBooBoo

3:26 pm
5 Aug 14
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Hello All Ladies Of A Certain Age!

It’s raining here so I don’t feel guilty allowing myself to spend way too much time on here. And the temperature has gone right down so that is great for me.

Hi NickyF – It doesn’t matter how many times we all say it: that our weight will fluctuate and not to place sooo much emphasis on the *scales of deceit* as Cheeseplease has coined them; we still, in the main, feel hugely disappointed when they refuse to budge or worse go up!
You could view your little, totally understandable aberration, as an experiment to see whether those dratted foods still affected you negatively and they did! So successful experiment!
You’ve had a really consistent sensible weight loss Nicky; you are allowed a small falling off the LOACA WAGON once in a while. The main thing is; you are back on it now 🙂

Just having a look back at who we haven’t heard from for a bit or not had a weight loss update from;

So how is it going for you Cheeseplease and the Scales of Deciept? (very apt) Were you brave enough to measure before you started FD?

Tiger – You’ve gone a bit quiet…what’s happening with you?
Jackie T – Mirjam68 – Ariel – jennyh – dmh -Tartan lass – bookworm221 – jelster – Irish Haze…….I could go on but it’s too far to trawl back.

I always wonder when LOACA’s only post a few times then disappear whether they give up the FD altogether? Obviously if they just start their own thread like Metchick or they join other threads; you still see the name on the recent posts list and know they are still hanging in there….
Just a thought.

Also we haven’t heard from you again for a while Speedy; I noticed your absence last time and sought you out (again!) but we were going on holiday so I cannot remember what you responded…I asked how your recuperation was going and whether you felt well enough to look at starting the FD again? I don’t think you responded ‘yes’ to fasting again….but I have seen you posting on other threads on here so you are looking in…….let us know. I know piper always asks after you too; it‘s nice to think people care Speedy…..or are you just too busy on your new FB page?! 🙂

Also K8tie – have you returned from your sojourn in Francais yet? I know how busy you have been but come and give us an update.

Lastly, Lulu01 if you are still looking in – we haven’t heard from you Lulu for an age. How are you doing? Have you given up trying the FD or are you just going it alone?

Hope you too JIP! are feeling a bit better; it’s certainly always feels quieter on here if you and Purple are AWOL.

I apologise if I’ve missed someone who has posted a lot in the recent past; I’m a bit distracted with other issues and my memory seems to get poorer every day……ho hum….

ONwards and Downwards and Sideways for the maintainers!
Booxx

Cheeseplease

4:20 pm
5 Aug 14
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Hi BooBoo
Thanks for asking – I didn’t measure myself until after I had started the FD – I am also a bit vague on where my “waist” is and where my hip measurement should be, but so far believe I have lost 2cm off waist and hips and 3 cm off bust (not that that area was overly large in the first place) but have also lost cms off weird places like wrists and ankles – my rings have got looser and one actually flew off the other day. I call them the Scales of Deceit because when I move them from one place to another in the bathroom I can gain or lose lbs. in the process! When I started out the S.O.D. told me I weighed 11st 12oz. On first attempt today they said 11st 1 3/4 oz, then when I moved them it went down to 10 st 11 1/2 – so, I really don’t know what I weigh BUT it is definitely less than when I started – yippee!

PreciousBooBoo

4:37 pm
5 Aug 14
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Wow Cheeseplease!

Why on earth were you keeping that under your hat? We can’t be doing with shy bairns on here; you have to shout up loud and proud!

When you did you start again? It doesn’t seem long…..?

Booxx

JIPWGP

4:57 pm
5 Aug 14
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Hi ladies, thank you for you kind messages, I only looked to see if (JIP) was mentioned in high places. I will be back, keep up the work. JIP

Cheeseplease

5:09 pm
5 Aug 14
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BooBoo, it was 2nd June. I am reluctant to shout about it as I can’t trust these Scales of Deceit which is very frustrating – but I am definitely on the right downward slide! :-))

PreciousBooBoo

5:36 pm
5 Aug 14
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Hi HappyNow

I’ve been a bit distracted lately and my brain seems to be permanently unplugged BUT I have been banging on for some time about there seeming to be only one LOACA who is able to maintain by following 6:1.

Then when I have been reading back today a bit; I see that you still lose weight on 6:1! Now that is really not fair!
But WEIGH TO GO for you!

You must have a super-duper metabolism; I bet you didn’t have a life long weight problem? Or am I wrong again?
Booxx

PreciousBooBoo

5:40 pm
5 Aug 14
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Hey Cheeseplease

Do you not think you should treat yourself to a new pair of scales? You know the ones that give you your BMI etc?

Notwithstanding; your measurements and above all, clothes are the real indicators-though having said that the ‘comfortableness’ (if there is such a word….) of my bra’s changes on a daily basis………..so perhaps not.

Booxx

PreciousBooBoo

5:49 pm
5 Aug 14
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Hey HappyNow

Duhhhhhhhrr……..I told you about my brain fug; I have just looked at your profile and you are not a LOACA in the first place! I think you can cut me some slack though; in ‘assuming’ that you were if you were posting on this thread!

I now know you have explained that even though you don’t meet the criteria for this thread; you may still have relevant and helpful advice to give us and I totally agree with that.

Booxx

Cheeseplease

6:12 pm
5 Aug 14
Permalink

BooBoo, re the scales. My OH tells me it’s not the scales, it’s the temperature of the bathroom floor – I am not sure if he is trying to bamboozle me with science – he is a chemical engineer – and it’s a way of getting out of buying another pair of scales. To be honest, they used to work fine in our old bathroom, it is only since we moved that it’s become an issue :-((

Anyway, I know from the Trousers of Truth and general appearance and looseness of watch strap and rings that it’s a good downward trend.

PreciousBooBoo

6:20 pm
5 Aug 14
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Honestly Cheeseplease…..

Men will say anything to get out of buying their wife a new pair of scales! 😉

On a serious note, when we moved once ages ago now; our perfectly working scales didn’t anymore. I don’t know if it was being jigged about in the furniture van……

But you are absolutley right; the Trousers of Truth don’t lie!

Booxx

PreciousBooBoo

7:01 pm
5 Aug 14
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Hi smiffy

Thanks for your kind concern. I have to say though that it is not galling for me to have very little to show for an entire year of FAST DIETING compared to just about, every other LOACA who has strayed on to this thread.

If it truly felt galling smiffy; I would have stopped posting on here a long time ago. I would be a liar though if I didn’t say it is hard sometimes when I read about all the, in comparison, relatively ‘easy’ experiences of other LOACA’s in the same menopausal boat. I am human and therefore I would like to experience a similar level of success you others have.

I must qualify that though to say; that LOACA’s like bayleaf and Purple have gone to great lengths, at least initially, and hugely restricted, in my opinion, their TYPE of food/drink consumption. So they have had huge success and relatively quickly BUT they have worked hard for it too; so fair do’s.

Speaking of which; have you been so focussed too smiffy? Or have you just ate and drank your usual fare but less? It’s all information for others to choose how they will approach the FD.

At the minute folks are talking about; keeping a pair of FAT PANTS to remind us how much larger we used to be (great idea LUV2).
Well that got me thinking and I don’t have a pair of FAT PANTS really nor particularly FAT anything! Not a pair that really stands out as being so different to what I wore one and a half stones ago (actually not quite 1½ stones……still……..hrrmmphhh).
There are some summer ones that were too big for my holiday a while back but not hugely different.

I keep saying to my husband; I wish I could lose another ½stone and then my present clothes would feel so much more comfortable and I’d be able to fit into others that have been lying untouched for years (luckily I choose fairly plain classic styles that don’t really date).

So I think what has kept me tending this thread for over a year with very little results to show for it personally is….I am genuinely pleased when other LOACA’s get any result whatsoever from the FD.

The LOACA who hasn’t put on weight in their latter years is a rare bird indeed.

This could be for all sorts of reasons; some just ate and drank too much whilst no longer expending the same energy; some didn’t exercise or not enough; some have health issues that prevent exercise; some like me and Femme Anglaise, have thyroid issues that directly prevent weight loss; some (or should that be all?) have tried every diet going and then put ALL the weight back on and then a little more for good measure; some – it really is JUST THEIR HORMONES BEING MORE SCRAMBLED/DEPLETED and therefore their metabolism doesn’t work as well as it used to etc etc etc……I could go on.

So when LOACA’s, have come onto this thread and told us about their success, I am genuinely pleased for them; especially if they have lost their weight whilst posting on here. You begin to feel personally involved and feel real pleasure when they get results.
No matter which way we manage or not to lose weight; it is harder for us because we are in the menopausal stages – whether before, during or after – and it is harder, no question, to lose weight at this stage in life than when we were younger women.

Oh and there is the small but significant factor of; if I am typing out long posts on here – I am not prowling around the kitchen on fast days……
There is always method in my madness!

Booxx

(Off now to watch the discussion between Salmond and Darling regarding the Independence Vote…..yikes…..It is truly scary because we live here now…..Don‘t want to get political on here; just my personal concerns…)

Purple Vegie Eater

8:54 pm
5 Aug 14
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Hi Precious
I’ve probably missed you today. V.poor reception!
To explain. .I had been extremely worried about OH’s health prospects, so when he agreed to do fasting I jumped in boots and all and totally changed his diet. It really was all or nothing.
He had almost instant results (bs tests 4 times daily) so we knew we were on the right track. There was, and is, no turning back now. The health benefits of this WOL are so incredible it really is worth a total rethink of everything you consume on all days and how you live your life.
We are reaping the rewards of our perseverance.
We also wish you success in pursuing a new WOL.
All the best, your mate from freezing Aus, Purple x

Lindyw

9:44 pm
5 Aug 14
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Well said Purple (and hello – I am the LOACA lurker :P)
My OH was told he was ‘pre-diabetic’ last Octoberish, he decided to try 5:2 and give up sugar in his drinks entirely.
Well 2 weeks of 5:2 – you woulda thought he was fasting for 5 and eating on 2days! The wimp! He then tried 6:1 – for about 3 weeks, but I couldn’t take it anymore so he just cut his sugar consumption (biscuits chocolate etc) to almost none. By December his Blood Glucose was well below normal levels and a recent test shows he still is way down there. He also lost weight which he really didnt need to as he was never overweight -but thats not a bad thing. I am praying that Alziemers, raised blood pressure and stroke risk will also be avoided for him (mainly because I couldnt cope).

Excuse me PBB – what happened to Fasting is a WOL not a fast diet? Be honest with me, like me you have been fasting for what seems an eternity and neither of us has been quick at losing weight. But the other benefits are well worth having aren’t they? This is a WOL. I would miss, and if I have over indulged long for a fast day. I still fast for 2 days some weeks. My body and tastes have changed for the better.
Now pull up your Trousers of Truth (love that whoever thought of it) and I will put on my Shirt of Shame (the short sleeves WERE so tight) and we will both flash our gorgeous smiles and enjoy our new WOL – may it last forever. x

LUVTCOOK

10:20 pm
5 Aug 14
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Bayleaf: so glad the Fat Clothes parade was fun for you. Boy, it sure confirms how far you have come. Drops to the floor fully zipped and button…..that is pretty fabulous.

Tiger

10:25 pm
5 Aug 14
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Hello Boo – I’m here…just been lurking a little bit, because basically I’ve nothing much to say! (which makes a change) But as I lurk so I learn…oh…lurk and learn 🙂

I’ve needed to go through this thread properly and get my head straight on a couple of things, nearly there I think – sort of – and I didn’t want to ask questions that have probably been asked a millions times before and get everyone going…

The main question I think I’ve sorted is that really, there is no eating normally for 5 days whilst fasting for the two if you want to lose weight. I did my TDEE and had a major EEK moment when it came back with 1760. That really did score a bloody-blimey! (It didn’t really. It was FAR worse than that, but I have to pretend I’m a lady and don’t use foul language… 🙂 )

Years ago I would never have let my weight get to where it is now. But as we all know, as well as the hotties and other symptoms of the meno some of us get, well, some of us get a bit of a ostritch head. I’ve completely lost the plot on portion size and for some unknown reason I ceased to think about sugars in fruits…large bowls of Fruit n Fibre…and of course, ‘just one more glass of red, then!’ Lesson learned methinks, but I have to be honest here – I’ve had the hump for a couple of days because I panicked and wondered how on earth I would cope, for the rest of my life, on less than 1800 cals a day and if I’m very honest, the lack of wine…and if I’m VERY, VERY honest, when I analysed everything I’ve been doing for the last couple of years, I’m quite horrified at the amount I have been drinking. *Hangs head in shame*

We had a very ‘eaty and drinky’ weekend. Twas my husbands birthday and his requested dinner was liver and bacon, fried onions, peas and mashed potato and gravy, of course. Then for his dessert he asked for a crumble. A plum and cherry crumble, with custard! Hmmm This is one of his favourite meals – I hate it – and because he goes quite beserk with portions, he doesn’t get it very often. Well, that and the fact that it’s a ‘piddle about with’ meal to prepare…I had a Salad Nicoise but still managed to fling myself off the wagon as when I weighed today I’d put on 2 pounds. (And I thought I’d been good!)

Anyway, I’m back on the wagon again today – fast day 1 again – and sitting here now I don’t feel too bad at all. I’ve saved some cals so that I can have a low fat – low everything cup of hot choccie to take to bed, so that’s not too bad is it?

Anyway thank you for asking and I’m sorry to read that you’ve had a bit more of a struggle than some, but right now I will be eternally grateful that you started this thread, Boo. Hopefully things will start to swing your way very soon.

And for all you other lovlies – up and at ’em! You’re all an inspiration. Hopefully when I’ve finished reading this thread properly, I’ll know you all a little better and feel more able to contribute, without feeling like I’m ‘pushing in’. No-one’s made me feel like that at all, it’s just me.

Tiger
x

HappyNow

10:26 pm
5 Aug 14
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Hi Boo. Sorry to confuse you! I hadn’t posted earlier because I knew I didn’t really belong, but at 45 I’m not a spring chicken… And clearly one size doesn’t fit all, not even among the Loacas.

I’ll be sure to preface future posts with ‘I’m 45, but….’….

Cheeseplease

10:37 pm
5 Aug 14
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Hi Tiger
I know what you mean about portion control – it just kinda creeps up on you doesn’t it? My OH doesn’t like to have his meal served up on his plate – I think it reminds him too much of school – so we help ourselves from dishes and just having seconds is a killer to the TDEE – and you don’t really know how much you have eaten. Add in a glass of wine and bam! And there go the last xxxx years. I am relearning portion control on the FD and now I really try to limit carbs every day, which helps an awful lot. Don’t get worried about how you will cope for ever just take it one day at a time.

Good luck.

CP x

LUVTCOOK

10:45 pm
5 Aug 14
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Boo, that was very well stated in your note to Smiffy about the frustrations of LOACAs, but the fact that we are all happy and inspired by the success of some of the ladies like Purple who have really worked so hard for pretty amazing results. But that is the beauty of this thread. Nobody is trying to push their program on anybody else. Everybody here is finding a different tweak on what works for them and is the propper balance for them of sacrifice vs speed of loss. I have done the straight and narrow before like Purple but find less tolerance for that now and am personally pretty happy with about a 1 lb loss per week. When (and I say when not if) I get down substantially, I know I may have to tighten the screws a bit more to keep that rate of loss (eat less or excercise more).

Purple’s point that the health benefits above and beyond just being thinner are worth emphasizing again. You can be healthy and “fluffy”.

Final note before I sign off and start “scaring up something for dinner” , must say how much I love your term Cheeseplease for the Trousers of Truth. I have a pair of those. The nasty things are the first to warn me if I gain an ounce. But those are good friends to have….the ones that tell you the truth before its too late. Ta ta ladies.

NickyF

10:53 pm
5 Aug 14
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Good morning LOACAs everywhere from the frosty southern hemisphere.

Precious and LUVT – thanks for good wishes, migraine nowhere near as bad as in my earlier years and had faded to a dull ache about an hour after drugs (they used to last 2 days). What really p***ed me off was the unexplained and unexpected weight gain.

Hi DottieD – interesting about your possibly veg-induced tummy problems. Did you wait until evening for your first fast-day meal? I find that if I have waited a long time to eat and it’s only high-fibre veg then my system goes haywire with bloating, pain and rapid loss of what I’ve eaten. I now follow Dr M’s system of a small breakfast and then the rest of my allocation at dinner, meaning 3x12hr-fasts in 36hrs.

Now the good news (for me at least) – Monday morning, at the beginning of my first FD this week I weighed in and again this morning after my 2 B2B FDs. Who would believe it but the difference was 2.4kg!!!!! (that’s 5.3 lbs in imperial).

I had mentioned some time ago how I suspected that some of our old bodies still retained some faint memory of our reproductive lives and this was a perfect illustration – 2 weeks with identical eating, 1 with a gain and migraine and the other feeling fantastic, easy FDs and an improbable huge loss.

Anyway, of course I’m dancing because it’s a new frontier of BMI 30.7 🙂

Ow & Dw or Sw everyone.
n

Mgt

10:54 pm
5 Aug 14
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Hi I’m in this group – just starting the diet today, first fast day no real problems. I’m very unsure will I lose much, I think it will take ages because of our ‘certain age’ :-/ and I have a question…if my TDEE is the amount I need to eat to maintain my weight will it be enough to just fast on the two days…? Surely I should eat less calories than my TDEE as well… ?? M

Cheeseplease

11:00 pm
5 Aug 14
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Hi LUVTCOOK
I must come clean, I pinched the Trousers of Truth from my fellow starter Metchick so praise to her! Thanks for all your great recipes, by the way.

Yes, I find I can’t or don’t want to severely restrict my diet, I do what I can cope with right now. That isn’t to say it won’t change, it may well do – but it’s finding what’s right for each of us as individuals with all the complicated lives we lead that makes this WOE successful for so many.

Goodnight or good morning to all.

X

NickyF

11:20 pm
5 Aug 14
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Hi Mgt and welcome.

As Cheeseplease has said, and it suits me too to fast for 2 days at 25% of TDEE and then eat up to TDEE (occasionally a little over for me) to lose weight at an average of 1kg/month.

The 5:2 way of life (WOL)is just that, with significant health benefits and weight loss as a bonus.

Other hero LOACAs like Bayleaf and Purple lost weight at a more rapid rate and if you read the posts you will discover how they did it but I don’t yet have any urgent medical reasons and as my OH is skinny with a healthy appetite, my method is sustainable for the long term and suits my life.

Happy fasting and please remember to drink 2L water, as well as other calorie-free liquids like ‘silver tea’ (hot water), ordinary unsugared tea, coffee and herbal teas. Just don’t forget to count the calories in your total if you add milk.

Best wishes.

NickyF

11:21 pm
5 Aug 14
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PS Mgt, are you up very late or in the antipodes?

bayleafoz

4:43 am
6 Aug 14
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Apologies for the long post.

Hi Boo

Thank you for the acknowledgement of my hard work. It is lovely to have someone appreciate just how hard it is to alter entrenched habits. I always had a sweet tooth. Some time in the late 1970s I read the book by the British Professor called Pure White and Deadly, plus a book by Dorothy Hall called The Natural Health Book.

Both of these books pointed me to the fact that I was a sugar addict. And that I should eat lots more vegetables. Your British Professor was persecuted by the sugar, confectionary and soft drink industries. His research grants were stopped and his work was ignored for over 30 years. He posited that low fat was NOT the answer to ill health, diabetes and weight gain, which were all starting to be observed in the 1970s. The establishment basically beat him up and shut down his research.

So overnight I cut out sugar from my coffee, tea and cocoa. And almost immediately began to prefer the drinks without sugar. I have never drunk sweet fizzy drinks, so that was no problem. However, I still would indulge in dark chocolate or a piece of home cooked cake or a luscious pudding. Even today 🙂

I then found I my 30s test if I ate chocolate or a lot of sweet dishes prior to a period, that I would have a bad one. I also worked out that symptoms of Candida flourished on a sugar and processed food diet.

A number of film stars such as Goldie Hawn and Susan Sarandon said in the 1980s that the fast way for them to become healthy was to cut out all sugar, alcohol and wheat from their diet. So that put the idea in my mind that my problem was bigger than sugar. One of my sisters became slim when she eliminated wheat from her diet.

Over the last 5 years my younger brother was diagnosed with diabetes type 2 and my younger sister was diagnosed with Hashimotos disease, after at least 5 years of seeing doctors etc. It then took around 2 years to get the dosage of Thyroxine right for her. She estimates she may have had Hashimotos for at least 10 years or more. Neither of them is on 5:2.

My brother has dieted his way out of diabetes type 2 with increasing protein and vegetables, and by eliminating all processed food. He still has a glass of wine and a square of dark chocolate. More power to him 🙂

My sister has consistently worked to get healthy again. She began walking 15 minutes a day at a very leisurely pace. She increased the time and the pace very gradually. After a year she is up to 75 minutes per day walking at a brisk pace. More power to her. 🙂

My Dad died of Alzheimer’s. And Alzheimer’s has been linked with sugar intake leading to brain plaques. My Dad never thought a meal was finished until he had something sweet to eat.

So there we have 3 health reasons why I jumped at 5:2 as soon as I read the book. You can also see in a nutshell why I was so eager to make this 5:2 work. And it takes a lot of hard work to regain a healthy way of living when you have fallen into the habit of rewarding yourself with a little something each day. But it is worth it!

Vanity is what is keeping me motivated on the days when the health issues have receded to the back of the brain 🙂 I love the fact that I can get into shirts two sizes smaller. And that I can get into trousers 3 sizes smaller. Pure vanity. 🙂

And I am proud of the fact that I could sustain the regime until I reached the healthy and safe BMI of 23. 🙂 🙂

None of what I’m saying is critical of others. You asked me how long I have been experimenting with my diet and exercise. All my adult life from the age of 30 is the true answer. 🙂

bayleafoz

4:50 am
6 Aug 14
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PS. I also read David Gillespie’s book on sugar about two years ago. Basically, this brought all the research up to date and confirmed that sugar is the main culprit in weight gain. Sugar combined with wheat adds to the problem. 🙂

bayleafoz

5:55 am
6 Aug 14
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Phi Luvtocook. I love the look of the chicken meatball recipe. Thank you for posting such a variety of recipes. B 🙂

Jackie T

8:47 am
6 Aug 14
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Hi Everyone,
Back again after a short break. Had my best friends over for the weekend, and so my feast days were real FEAST days. I’ve also been a little naughty over the previous week, but the fast days have repaired the damage, although weight loss not evident – you can’t have everything.
My question, and forgive me if I missed it in previous postings is this. After my weekend I had my usual fasting day, and repaired the damage, but today I woke up wanting to fast and I’m not due for one until tomorrow. Is this weird or what? Is it’s the body’s way of trying to force a DETOX type of situation (there was alcohol involved in this weekends activities) or am I just ODD? Actually, I probably am a little odd but who isn’t.
Thank you PBB for the nudge; although I read the postings I’m not a particularly active participant. Must do better.
Welcome all the newer recruits – it’s a ‘you are not alone’ site.

Tiger

9:37 am
6 Aug 14
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Hi Cheeseplease
So good to know I’m not on my own with the portion size…but my husband really is not getting his head around this at all and he does NEED to diet. I’m quite worried about him. He has quite a stressfull job, sits at a computer all day and get very little excercise if he doesn’t walk to the staion every day. I guess he’s going to be my work in progress. He’s got a bit of a gammy leg and so can’t do too many excercises – walking is ok for the moment – so trying to get him motivated is a bit of a struggle.

Anyway today I’m brining out the WII – wonder if anyone else uses this for excercise? I love the tennis on it, and am going to try and do at least half an hour a day as I hate the gym, weights, and I’m not keen on swimming as I don’t like parading around my wobbly bits for all to see. So, I’m thinking of buying a skipping rope or jumping rope as some folks call them. Anyone else skip/jump? I do walk for an hour or so every day, but from looking at the threads here, it would appear that I need to do more excercise (I’d much rather curl up with a good book!) lol

Tiger
x

5 2 luvinlife

10:19 am
6 Aug 14
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Hi Jackie T

I have been on the diet for 10 weeks now and have also experienced days were I would just wake up and feel I want to make the day a fast day. Totally random but I figure, if it feels right, go with it.

I also like the fact that if I feel like I have over indulged at a night out I can just have a fast day the following day 🙂

Femme Anglaise

10:54 am
6 Aug 14
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Bonjour lovely LOACA:

PreciousBooBoo – I really admire your tenacity and positive outlook, and you are brilliant at keeping we ladies motivated.

Tiger – I note you are having a problem with portion control – a simple solution that works for me is to use a smaller plate.
I’m also a fan of tennis and played lots when younger; I don’t have a WII but I have a ‘swingball’ in the garden and love to go out there and take all my frustrations out, especially on a FD. I just love to hear the thwack of a well hit ball!

Cheeseplease – I also have problems with my scales but they are fairly old and just basically give my weight; I might look into upgrading. I love your Trousers of Truth – I have a DRESS OF DESIRE (when I worked briefly in China I bought a piece of beautiful red silk and had it made into a just-below-the-knee shift style and it fitted like a glove). At the moment I can only just pull it up to just above my knees; so my DESIRE is to be able to wear it (and sit down comfortably) – I can’t wait for the day I slip it over my hips with room to spare!

Bayleafoz – your talk about sugar rings so true; I read John Yudkin’s ‘Pure, White and Deadly’ back in the early 70’s which at the time it was published was condemned and went out of print. However, with all the recent talk of sugar it has been re-printed and I bought a copy – shocking, and he was so right decades ago. As a child in the 50’s I can remember having school dinners, which always finished with a lumpy rice/tapioca pudding, and then in the evening even though my mum was a full-time teacher she always cooked from scratch – and every meal always had to have a ‘pudding’; which meant I was eating two puddings a day. No wonder I have always felt a meal was not complete without a pudding/dessert. These days however I might finish with a piece of fruit, yogurt, a couple of pieces of dark chocolate and, of course, the occasional pudding. I’m a great baker so occasional treats give me pleasure all round. Which reminds me something else to tempt us is back on TV tonight – The Great British Bake-off – I am an avid fan of Mary Berry (amazing that she keeps so slim).

Femme x

Anto58

11:18 am
6 Aug 14
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Reading the various posts about John Yudkin and David Gillespie, thought it was worth mentioning Robert Lustig’s video – Sugar, the bitter truth. It goes for nearly 2 hours but if you have a couple of hours to spare, it is well worth watching. He’s a paediatric endocrinologist at UC and a great speaker. I was frightened unto giving up sugar entirely as a result of watching it. I’m not quite as strict as I was but I am very conscious of any sugar I eat.

Update on where I’m at – I’ve reached my goal weight, but not in an ideal way and not sure that I should try to stay here. I’ve been sick over the last two weeks and when I hopped on the scales again I was 3.5 kg lighter, which was all I had to go. But I feel pretty crappy and wonder whether I should eat a bit more to get stronger even if it means going back above my goal weight. Would appreciate views. Has anybody else been in this position?

It’s been great reading everyone’s posts – sometimes I’m a little daunted when I log on and find there have been dozens of posts since the previous day but it is so interesting learning about others’ experiences. And the success rate with this WoE is truly astonishing.

Happy fasting to newbies and oldies alike.

bayleafoz

11:21 am
6 Aug 14
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Hi Anto

I am a great believer in listening to one’s body. Provided it is sending you healthy eating messages, I would do what your body is suggesting. Hope you feel better soon. B

Jackie T

11:57 am
6 Aug 14
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Hi luvinlife,
Thanks for the quick response. I’m listening to my body and having a fast day. Never know, I might actually loose a pound as a result. Its weird though. I usually have to gear myself up for my fast days, although it is easier the further along I go.
The team are also right in that it is affecting my portion sizes. I made mini Cherry Tiramasu deserts for my friends and myself on Saturday, and couldn’t finish mine, so definitely the eye/stomach ratio is being affected. Why it didn’t happen when I was eating something else I’ll never know.

PreciousBooBoo

12:33 pm
6 Aug 14
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Hi Ladies

Just a quick post for now.

I’ve been in touch with JIP! by email and she is having some family issues at the moment and is obviously a bit down about it. She will be back with us when it feels right.

I didn’t rush to contact her by email regarding this because I am quite a private person and so I am careful not to seem to be prying with others. However she contacted me and it is okay for me to say this on her behalf.

I’m sure we all hope everything gets resolved soon and she is back with us; encouraging and motivating and most of all, making us laugh at her Welsh ‘take’ on all things.

Booxx

newme@50

1:32 pm
6 Aug 14
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Hi Nicky! You are in Australia right? I did not realize it gets frosty there! I assumed even in the winter it was still warm! You learn something new every day!!

Bayleaf – it makes me mad that the British professor knew what was good for us (and not good) yet big business shut him down. If this research came out (as it should have), my mom would likely not have developed alzeihmers and died early because of it. Her blood pressure and cholesterol were off the chart and this can lead to alzeihmers. She followed what all the doctors told her, no fat, no salt and it did nothing for her. Albeit she did bake lots but with margarine and Crisco not butter. Stupid big business! I didn’t know that sugar plays a role in alzeihmers as well and I’m definitely addicted to sugar. I am trying to keep it low although I do love a good digestive biscuit with milk chocolate in the evening!

Anto, thank’s for the tip on the video by Robert Lustig. I’m going to look for it on Netflix or YouTube. It will be well worth watching!

Today is a fast day for me (my second one this week). It’s a super busy day at work which is helpful. I can’t wait until the time comes when I’m craving my fast days and my eye/stomach ratio improves like Jackie. But I’m too new at this and need to give it time. 🙂 Hope everyone has a great day!

Cheeseplease

1:55 pm
6 Aug 14
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Tiger, could you not be a bit sneaky with your husband – if you use some of the recipes on the LOACA thread or use the bbc good food website and choose low calorie meals, cut back on the carbs and substitute veggies instead and use the zero noodles, you may be able to get him to lose weight without really noticing? If he’s anything like my OH he probably hates being told what’s good for him, so you have to come at it a bit sideways!

PreciousBooBoo

2:04 pm
6 Aug 14
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Hi LindyW

It’s been a while again! You don’t often post on here Lindy so I can forgive you for not remembering the facts about MY FD journey.
I do hope you take the time to read this response though or I am literally, talking to myself.

I would have thought though one thing you would remember is; I am ALWAYS honest! Think back to some not very nice at all confrontations; I told the truth and took quite a battering from quite a few people….

I couldn’t agree with you more that fasting is a ‘way of life’ and not a ‘fast’ diet but even so; my weight ‘loss’ pales into insignificance when compared to others which I’ve already covered so don’t need to re-state.

But what you have not remembered from when you have posted on here is; there AREN’T any other benefits for me on this WOL.
I’ve mentioned my untreated thyroid problems a lot recently so I’m not going to cover that again either but because you don’t read back at the previous posts (or I don’t think you do); you won’t be aware that there are not, to my knowledge, any other benefits to this WOL for me.

I say, to my knowledge, because I’m not getting blood tests or any other tests taken; so have no quantifiable yardstick for that.
But I don’t feel any better whatsoever in myself! I don’t have one iota more energy, in fact on fast days, I have even less. The only quantifiable difference is my weight loss.

I tend NOT to mention those facts on here; I don’t actually want to put off any other newbies who might wrongly assume they will get the same, less than wonderful, results as me. I also don’t want to be accused or have it inferred that I am being ‘negative’ or a moaner; there are people on this forum (NOT this thread) who make extremely harsh comments about people who say anything which could be construed as negative. It must be wonderful to feel so well that you have absolutely no comprehension as to how dreadful it feels to feel under par all the time.

This will all be attributable to my untreated thyroid problem – period.

I will continue with the FD because I don’t want to regain and continue to gain as I did pre-FAST DIET.

I keep stating and re-stating on this thread – even though all LOACA’s – we are all different and how our individual bodies respond to the FD is different too.

Lucky you though LindyW – if you have other benefits you feel are well worth having.

Booxx

xmascarol

2:14 pm
6 Aug 14
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I am that certain age and have only started fasting in the last 4 weeks weight loss has been slow, but I expect that, (have Hashimoto’s disease) however although sticking to diet very carefully I was very disheartened to lose only 2ozs this week. My hubby is sharing the diet with me but is doing much better 1-2 lbs weekly. We do both however feel much better less bloated for me and he says he feels better too. We will keep going for the health benefits. (and hopefully for some better weight loss for me too)

PreciousBooBoo

2:38 pm
6 Aug 14
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Hi xmascarol and Welcome to this thread

Like your username!

Hashimoto’s disease is another form of thyroid problems isn’t it?

You could read back at just the last few long posts I have posted on here; they might give you some incentive to continue or at least give you some information. But what we continually find on here is; you just have to give the FD a real good attempt (at least a month in my opinion) to see what results you get.

Good Luck
Booxx

DottieD

3:27 pm
6 Aug 14
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Dear LOACA

Am feeling better today, weather is cooler (or it was this morning) and less bloating. Ate well yesterday but NO cabbage…

NickyF – thanks for your input. My first fasts I did indeed have a small breakfast, and a dinner in the evening. this last fast I only has the one meal, certainly something to consider in future.

Although I have has a reasonably good start to this WOL weight loss wise, I just haven’t “felt it”. Sounds strange, but usually you notice things feeling looser or more comfortable and they didn’t. Yesterday while “browsing” I found a pair of Linen trousers in the local charity shop, black made by Jaeger. Bargain at £5. Size 18 (most of my jeans are 16, but they have a bit of stretch). Tried them on – couldn’t get them over my hips. DISTRAUGHT!! However, today I was in town looking for an alternative and found some Betty Jackson trousers in Debs (size 16). After much thought I decided to give them a try (was put off after yesterdays upset) and TOO BIG!! Much too big, I could get them off with button and zip still done up.

Do any of you lovely ladies have this problem, how do you decide where to start with buying clothes (haven’t had the money for along time to do this), apart from trying on everything in site and it got far too hot for me to even contemplate doing that. Are there brands you find better than some for curvy ladies (or even small shapely ones, but I am a long way off that).

It is very frustrating!

Tartan lass

7:41 pm
6 Aug 14
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Oh dear lord I’m going to have to change one my fast days. The great British bake off is back!! How can I survive a fast on a Wednesday now!! Mixed week so far. An unexpected visitor on Monday who kindly brought a box of 4 strawberry tarts broke my will. For 2 brief seconds it considered the ‘ how kind but I am fasting ‘ conversation but it was never going to happen. Disappointed with myself I more or less threw the towel in for the rest of the day -oh dear!
Yesterday was ok and I’ve fasted without difficulty today. I think being at work helps and I seem to be an all or nothing type of girl.
Probably another fast tomorrow in preparation for my birthday weekend but bit worried about 2 days in a row. Will see how it goes.
Silly question – I’ve read amp in many posts – what does it mean?
Best wishes everyone — those cakes look so delicious thank goodness I can’t smell them!!

PreciousBooBoo

7:42 pm
6 Aug 14
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Hello All Ladies Of A Certain Age!

It’s late for me and we haven’t eaten yet but just wanted to say:-

Hello and Welcome to 5 2 luvinlife and Mgt!

I’m pleased other LOACA’s have welcomed you already. We do always try to respond as quickly as possible on here but it’s not always as quick as we’d like.

Please come on as much as possible and get to know people and don’t be afraid to ask questions; though I would strongly recommend reading Michael’s book. It makes sense of things people refer to and he explains it in a way we couldn‘t hope to.

Femme Anglaise got it for 1p the other day from Amazon! I didn’t think you could even spend a 1p for 1p nowadays! It would be the best 1p you ever spent in your life!

Hi bayleafoz – Thank you for typing out all that information for us; I will explain why I wanted to know tomorrow. If anyone is bored and I would be highly surprised if they were; then they just stop reading that particular post. Easy.
Don’t be a shy bairn bayleaf; be proud of what you gleaned all by yourself.

Thanks to the newbies who gave us a catch up; again I will respond to you more tomorrow.

Be good everyone!
ONwards and Downwards!
Booxx

Lindyw

8:35 pm
6 Aug 14
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Dear PBB the trouble with posting on a forum is there is no intonation so posts can be construed in the wrong way.
I do remember your thyroid problem, and the fact it is still a problem but I am hoping and know I have read in the 5:2 book that there are a lot of other benefits to fasting even in the 5:2 way. I hadn’t read that you were lethargic, sorry if I missed that, and your posts always come over as upbeat and positive.
I have always thought our fasting roads were fairly parallel, apart from the fact I am a fair bit older than you. Since May 2013 I have lost 24lbs up to January (maybe a couple more now but my scales are broken) and several inches.
I have no yardstick either, because I haven’t had any bloods done since I had treatment for breast cancer.
I am continuing this WOL in the hope that some of the common geriatric problems may be averted for me.
Sorry if my post upset you PBB, it was tongue in cheek, intending to remind you and everyone this is not just a weight loss exercise.
Take care

bayleafoz

9:27 pm
6 Aug 14
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Hi there

Not a silly question. From my observations.

“amp” is short for ampersand which is the fancy name for the symbol we use for ” and” if you actually type in the symbol, the system translates to amp.

Also to get a smiley face you have to use colon and close bracket, but without a full stop after it.

Hope that helps. B

Tiger

9:29 pm
6 Aug 14
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Cheeseplease – thanks for those tips. I will give them a go. (some of the recipes sound scrumptious, dont’ they?)

Unfortunately he does have a huge relationshiop with food, if you can call it that. He had a terribly hard childhood and it was rare that there was enough food for him…It damaged him I think, but there, we all have our problems.
I will sort him out – may just have to resort to underhand meassures 😉

Cheers!

Tiger

Tiger

9:47 pm
6 Aug 14
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Just a general call out, ladies…

Does anyone use a Fitbit (just sounds rude to me lol) and if you do, would you recommend it?

Just in case anyone is wondering what it is, like I was till I found it, it’s a plasticky sort of bracelet that monitors energy, calories used, steps taken etc. I think it also monitors heart beat and BP? (Or that may be another model…) but you can wirelessy connect to your phone to down load the data etc. I just thought I’d ask before I invest in it. Hate wasting money. Thank you.

I’ve decided to push the excercise up a little – saw the reflection of my back side today, and it looked like the rear end of a moose. Not pretty, so more huffing and puffing is on the agenda. My poor dog doesn’t know what’s hit her – instead of a gentle stroll, she’s now being marched about like a parade dog. lol We did an hour and a half today and then after dinner I did 45 minutes on the Wii playing tennis. I’m a bit cream-crackered now, but I did use up an extra 200 calories doing that and what with the walk today, I almost out caloried the old spag bol we had tonight. We’ll see. Fast day for me tomo – really looking forward to it cos this morning, when I woke up, I felt brilliant. Can’t really remember the last time I had a bit of oomph.

So that’s it from me. I’m off to bed with my low cal chocolate and my Piriton (Thank God for Piriton – stops my legs wanting to run a marathan when my head just wants to sleep!)

Night all and be good!

Tiger