Thank you. Another on Thursday, will you join me?

How did you get on MM?

Great to be busy and it was fine. Cellar looks amazing too. I very nearly turned round and walked away when I looked at it! No idea what I am going to line up for Thursday.

Book sounds fascinating but what are the hidden AI programs in our world?

Very pleased with the results of x4 24 hour fasts. I have lost 4lb, which brings me to a total of 13.4lb to get to goal. Its debatable whether there is less of me, rather depends on which bit the tape measure is on but my fat percentage has also gone down a smidgen too.

Been out walking for 3 hours this morning. The first part I got soaked in a very heavy shower but then blue skies and sunshine, which helped to lift my mood further.

Onwards and downwards fast friends.

Thank you but I think that I am losing faster than you simply because I am heavier than you.

Well done on the fasting and scales. Treadmill is deadly dull, so I would always walk but as its so cold by you that isn’t an option. Have you had a look at any you tube videos for Pilates? That might be a welcome change.

A mini goal of 10lbs to lose is in my sights but I am guessing that might be in March and then just 7lb to lose in April would make me deliriously happy.

Its baby steps. I am struggling now, and feeding the boy and me each evening with food that we both enjoy is challenging. I have splashed out with pre-prepared food and a dessert each evening. Its just the way it is at the moment and I accept that.

Thanks Iona, that’s for 2 weeks and x4 24 hour fasts. I have been trying to lose that pesky 3lb that went on over Christmas.

I started fasting again by skipping breakfast and I think that was a good way to start. Then I pushed lunch back do got to 20 hours. The following week I just decided that I was doing 24 hours and filled the days to keep me occupied.

I decorated the entire house last March. I have sorted all cupboards etc. Now the cellar is organized too.

I love being in the garden,my happy pla e. I have a stash of seeds,so will start planting indoors on Monday.

It sounds like a chilly week ahead with snow forecast, nothing like Minnesota! For that I am very grateful!

Time to confess, its not going well. Feeling very low and struggling now. The bitterly cold winds and grey days have tipped me from being Okay to sliding into gloom. Been out walking this morning which has helped my mood and filled up the morning.

Mondays FD managed to get to 20 hours and then I caved in. I will have another go on Thursday and see how far I can get.

MM your winter temperatures are too cold and the summer looks far too hot. I shall have to visit in the spring! We heard about the super bowl over here. I think you are right about the drive to eat when its so cold, makes sense.

Iona, sounds like all is going well. I shall have to think about you and MM to carry me through on Thursday.

Sounds glorious in the autumn MM.

Excellent news on the dress. I can see how meetings can fill the time on a FD even if they are dull and you are sat at a computer for hours. I find those online meetings hard as I never know whose turn it is next.

I hadn’t realised how important those many social interactions were in a day and just how difficult it is to communicate with someone when half their face is covered. Drama teacher said that it made us 40% deaf, which really doesn’t surprise me.

I am going to get back to listening to podcasts and try a free online course. I am finding reading a book hard to concentrate on, so that might be a compromise.

I can’t see me going back to school anytime soon, but its such a waste when its far too cold to be out in the garden. Another day most of the way through…

Hi MM,
You are doing well, keep going.

I woke at 4 am and couldn’t get back to sleep, was frozen by the morning and decided to swap the FD for either tomorrow or the weekend when the temperature gets above 0C. I might skip breakfast on both days. I will make the decision in the morning.

Food is proving a challenge with the boy. Food that we both enjoy is carb heavy and puddings have crept in every day too. He has had several that he thought were wonderful in his memory but are not quite so fabulous now that he is 24. I suspect that the puddings will not feature after the weekend when we have finished what we have. We are both on furlough and struggling with the uncertainty.

I went out for a walk this morning and it was perishing in the wind. The good news is that my sister got has been jabbed before she thought that she would be, which is a relief as she is vulnerable. She had a phone call to see if she could be there in half an hour. I suspect that there had been cancellations due to snow, so she was offered and could get there.

I think that until we get to March, its tough. I am seeing each day as a victory, even if I am watching rather more TV than I would otherwise.

Let us know how you have got on. I will report in when I have fasted too.
How are you doing Iona?

Who is joining me for a FD today?
I have skipped breakfast and off out for a walk soon to fill in time this morning. I am planning to skip lunch and eat at dinner this evening.

I seem to be stuck in a revolving door of the same 3lbs that I have been gaining and losing for several months now. Clearly the recent desserts and hot cross buns haven’t helped either but we are having fruit now and no buns.

With 4 more fast days until the end of the month, my goal is to shift 2lb. This will finally give me a weight that hasn’t been seen in a very long time and that also seems possible.

Longer term goals are simply 4lb loss each month and another 2 inches off the waist, as well as maintaining intermittent fasting as simply a way of life going forward.

Hello All,

I managed 24 hours today. I was out walking for 2 hours this morning without a hat and gloves. Then I spent the afternoon in the garden without a coat and its been fabulous. As usual, the last 3 hours were difficult and it took a film and every distraction that I could think of not to cave in.

MM you must be on the home straight now. How wonderful to hear about the jeans and top. Makes such a difference when clothes look good, doesn’t it? I must fish out some clothes that looked very dowdy when I was much larger, it will be interesting to see how I look now. That is a very slender waist MM.I am at 37″ and now the healthy waist measurement of a man, sadly I am a short woman!!!

Its pretty tricky thinking of things to fill the day with MM. I am quite happy to go out walking for an hour or two, but I do need a purpose and the temperature above freezing. Retirement doesn’t look great anymore.

Iona, well done! That all sounds very positive. Great to have support from your husband.

How did you get on MM?

Hi MM,
I am an inch shorter than you! IF I can get down to a 34″ inch waist and knock another 2 inches off the bust and hips then that will be completely wonderful and I will be very happy. My goal is 140lbs and then I will see what I look like and whether I want to lose more or maintain.

Its rather fabulous not to cringe when you pass a mirror isn’t it? My beach ball body has been replaced by a waist. So delighted and its all been worth the changes that have been made.

Good luck, Iona. Sometimes I find it easy and sometimes it’s hard. No idea what factors make the difference.

I have had a dress try on and can’t quite do up to the zip of a favourite dress and several others look okay if I hold my breath 😉

I am hoping that ditching desserts and hot cross buns plus 4 FD are going to improve the dress situation. I may do Friday as a FD this week as I am out walking with a friend on Friday and Thursday looks very wet.

Hi MM,
I hope all is going well for both of you fasting today. I think that its going to take another month or so before I can do that dress up and breathe and if I can so up the zip to the top of that cute skirt then, I will be thrilled.

Keeping busy and out of the kitchen is key on a FD. I have to admit to struggling to fill the time as I am at home all of the time.

Weather looks rather wet and windy, but I am grateful that below 0C is currently no more. The boy and I have just menu planned the next few days, so I may fast either tomorrow or Friday.

Hello,
I woke at 6am due to the torrential rain and decided to skip breakfast with the full intention of having lunch. I managed to fill the morning with emptying and cleaning all of the bird feeders and then refilling them. Then in the chilly back garden I filled 2 sacks of plant pruning for collection tomorrow. That got me to 12 noon when a hot cup of tea managed to delay lunch until 2pm, so 20 hours in the bag. How I am going to fill the time next week?

MM its really hard, isn’t it? I limit my exposure to anything covid related to the news in the morning only. I have also been taking a vitamin D tablet for the first time ever through the autumn and winter and I think its helped lift my mood. If it is the placebo effect, I don’t care either. I was reading something about helping lift the mood in the pandemic and one of the suggestions was to listen to podcasts to distract the mind. I usually listen to them when I walk to an from work which is 45 minutes each way and is both distracting and often very interesting. Can I recommend ‘Fortunately’ with Fi and Jane. Very amusing and you could get it via itunes. I was also reading on Twitter from Dr David Unwin about the link between depression and sweet foods. I certainly feel better without the desserts.

Well done Iona. I broke my fast with crusty bread and brie, it was gorgeous but might also be holding me back. We are eating all sorts of carbohydrates which isn’t ideal but it is the only meal that the boy is eating. I am trying to give him more than me to sort of compensate but I am hoping for some movement on the scales too.

Oh no MM. The dentist fills me with dread. Great idea to fast again. Sunshine and temperature above zero, makes the world of difference. Poor souls in Texas.

Its my first year of taking vitamin D over the winter. I keep the packet on top of my water by the bed. I take the tablet as soon as I wake up, before I do anything else as I was struggling to remember to take it.

I shall get on the scales in the morning but I am not hopeful for any change, even though I put the hot cross buns back on the shelf this afternoon after a 3 hour walk this morning when I was starving.

We have moved onto fresh fruit salad here now too.

Hi MM,
I love hot cross buns, the original with dried fruit and spices. Sadly, I am the only one that likes them, so its always a pack of 4 just for me. My halo was glowing when I put them back on the shelf. They are high in sugar, which is the only number that I look for but I will take your advice and leave them for Easter.

I have found that the scales can be very demoralising when in fact, changes that can’t be measured by them are ignored. I have several summer dresses that would look better if there was less of me, I feel they currently look ‘matronly’ but my legs are slimmer and more shapely. I tried on my leggings that I wore to Pilates. I had stopped wearing them for a very long time because they looked dreadful and now they don’t.

I have been thinking about what I can do to shrink my waist. So back to ditching the lunchtime toast and something, to fish and salad over the weekend and then back to a FD again on Monday.