Excellent, puppy luv. My running total is now 8.4kg and 20 inches in 16 weeks.

I find that positive thinking and head in the right place have no impact at all for me. If I was waiting for either and both to happen, I would be waiting for a long time!

For me, it’s a case of where my body is and where it needs to be to be healthy, then it’s a case of what do I need to do to get from the former to the latter and what is a reasonable time frame.

From what I have read, fasting, less processed carbs, getting out walking and aiming for a lb a week loss to get to a healthy waist line are all components of getting to that goal. It’s then a case of making those changes.

I found fasting the most daunting but it was often the thought of it that far harder than The fast itself.

Going back to July after my shock of the scales and tape measure, I counted how many weeks until the end of the year and calculated how many pounds were possible to lose at a pound a week. Some weeks it’s been 2 and some weeks nothing at all but clothes have been looser.

My focus remains the end of the year but I am also going to be 60 mid January and would love to have a healthy waist measurement by then.

Thank you.

Whatever the numbers are at the end of the year, we are going to be in a better place than we are now.

Each month I aim to lose 4 lb, because I was overwhelmed with the big number. It feels achievable and for me, that is crucial.

Onwards and downwards fast friends.

Well done Iona!

In lockdown I ate loads of toast smothered in chocolate spread, crisps, chocolate and cake.

I don’t miss it.

How is everyone?

Tomorrow afternoon is the afternoon tea at a restaurant. I am not quite sure how to mitigate for the cakes and desserts. My current plan is to stand on the scales in the morning and then decide if I am going to skip breakfast and lunch or I might do that on Friday.

Marginal gains or perhaps losses??

Morning Everyone.

I have had a difficult week too Iona. After a FD, I have just been hungry, so have eaten more carbs. No idea what happened there either.

My friend sent me a quote ‘food is the most abused anxiety drug. Exercise is the most underused antidepressant’. I think that sums it up. The weather here has been very wet so getting out walking has been avoided and I have been worried about the winter ahead.

Afternoon tea was lovely. I haven’t been out for a meal for since my Birthday in January. We have all known each other for 30 years and it was one of our groups 60th Birthday. We each had a tower of sandwiches, cakes and desserts. The fizz was responsible for me eating more than I would have, I suspect.

There was a group photo of us sitting at the table. I feel so much better than I did and thought that I looked smart, however, it was clear to me that I still have pounds to shift, 14 actually. I was hoping to do that by the end of the year but there may not be enough weeks.

Weight is gone up by a pound along with fat percentage. Not a surprise.

Looking forward, there are 6 weeks until the end of term starting on Monday. I am back to taking my own packed lunches and feeding myself in the evening. I am going to plan to fit in some fasting over the weekends.

I haven’t fasted for ages. I just can’t face doing it.

So much uncertainty and now that its dark and chilly, I seem to have lost my mojo.

I am going to stand on the scales tomorrow morning and see what the damage is.

Hello MM,
How lovely to hear from you. Wondered if you had reached your goal.

I wake up every day to check if there is a result of who is the next president. I am completely baffled by the US process so I just wait and cross fingers.

School is grim. All of the fun has been sucked out of the day. I am lonely and miss seeing both staff and kids.

I forgot to stand on the scales this morning, and only remembered when I was half way through my breakfast! I will let you know tomorrow where I am.

On the plus side now that the weather is chilly, I can start my velvet cotton trousers again. I have been too fat to get I to them for the past 2 year’s. I am trying to celebrate the achievement to date and then re- group, find my mojo and shift some more lard.

See you tomorrow.

The wheels have come off!

I was doing OK, but 2 consecutive nights of waking at 3am have frazzled me. Long story short I have had a cookie and a chocolate brownie today. Followed by a Chinese for tea followed by an ice cream.

Are you doing better than me?

Thanks MM.

I gave up ice cream when I got back on the horse in the summer. I love it and could easily have x3 day. I am not talking about a scoop, but a lovely vanilla ice cream on a stick covered in milk chocolate with chopped almonds. Delicious. I came home with a pack of 4 and have eaten x2. I have decided that I will have one each day over the weekend and then they are gone.

I think that being kind to ourselves in such difficult times is so important. I am finding work a real struggle with all of the necessary changes. Makes for a very long and lonely day. I can’t see a way of making any positive changes at work anytime soon.

With that in mind, I am learning to sew and care for my ever increasing range of houseplants. It keeps me out of the kitchen and calms the mind.

How is everyone today?

Iona,
That is a victory! Enjoy the long dog walks. Is there a new baby in the family?

I just seem to have lost my mojo regarding fasting. So difficult when there isn’t much to keep me occupied all day and I am twiddling my thumbs and trying to look busy. Just 4 weeks until the end of term.

I was getting more confident with the sewing machine and learning to make simple reversible fabric baskets when the needle broke and I don’t have a spare. Sadly, that meant that I had to tidy up which wasn’t nearly as satisfying!

I may skip breakfast tomorrow and later in the week. I will continue to take in a packed lunch, so it wont be a disaster but I may not make much headway. I just feel like I have hit a wall.

Hello MM,
Its a completely weird experience isn’t it? Lots of empty rooms on campus at the local uni and many of those that live in shared accommodation are looking to move home as their courses are being delivered online. What is your book about?

My sister refuses to take statins at all, she says that they make her feel dreadful. She aims to control her cholesterol by diet.

Scales are a blunt instrument to measure success but I too am bouncing around with the same pound up and down. Like you I know that I am in a much better place than I was although I too want to lose another 13/14 lb.

If I can maintain for the last 4 weeks of term, that will be a win. I find it much easier to fast when I am home from work, when a couple of 24hour fasts seem quite doable.

Stay in touch.

Morning All,
I skipped breakfast on Saturday and this morning. I have bought a mini fridge and travel kettle to take into work, which will really help with fasting at work.

Off to buy tea bags and milk.

How is everyone doing?

Hello Everyone!
How is going for you all?
It has been up and down for me, no fasting as life has been tough and work is hard. I thought that I was maintaining as the scales don’t seem to be moving but when I whipped out the tape measure this morning, there seems to be some shrinkage on the waist which was a complete surprise.

The plan is to measure everywhere tomorrow morning just to check and to continue with my healthy packed lunch at work. If there is the occasional slip up, so be it.

MM I think that we need to be kind to ourselves and look on maintaining as a huge(pardon the pun) gain. I plan to get back into fasting after Christmas if only to counteract the mince pies!

Congratulations on a smaller waist!!!!

You are doing so well.

I am stuck mentally and I don’t know why. I eat a healthy breakfast and lunch, but it’s the food around this that could be better.

I know that the end of term is almost here along with Christmas lunch and then I will be able to get back to fasting properly, rather than e odd breakfast or lunch skipped.

In the plus side I am going to have to review and discard some underwear that doesn’t fit and sort replacements pronto. I have also noticed that I now have abdominal muscles!

Work has been doing cake Thursday to boost morale and I have enjoyed them too. I don’t have cake or biscuits at home, so much easier.

Onwards and downwards fast friends.

Hello Iona and MM!
Christmas lunch was very tasty, but also very odd sitting in my ‘bubble’ with Perspex between us at socially distanced tables. I love Christmas pudding and a little mince pie-delicious. I am planning to skip my evening meal and breakfast tomorrow morning.

I was home early today, so called into the supermarket for some Christmas food. I didn’t look at the sugar content of any of it until just now. Its all very high, so I am going to have to get my act together and get some fasting in to have some leeway.

I find it easier to fast at home and menu plan. As a rule, I don’t have anything on the house that might tempt me. I just find it easier that way. I find that getting out for a walk for a couple of hours each day in the morning, really helps to fill the time, keep my fitness up and helps me feel cheerful.

Skipped breakfast this morning, very light lunch and evening meal.

Decided to try a few things on today as the scales are holding steady. I had a few non scale victories, which really cheered me up. Summer shorts that I haven’t been able to get on for a few summers, I can now do up! Breathing is optional:)
A skirt that was a charity shop purchase from several years ago that I have never worn because I couldn’t squeeze my rotund body into it, I can now do the zip almost all of the way up and that skirt(that I couldn’t get over my enormous belly) I may wear on Christmas Day!

How are you doing?