I am having a wobble. So cuppa out in the garden in the sunshine, busy pruning plants. Just 2 hours to go.

Well done MM.

I am on the last hour and 15 minutes and the sun has gone in and the garden is chilly again.

Time for some TV distraction.

Last night I had a trousers try on inspired by my jeans which were loose and kept sliding down. I am very pleased how my trousers fit(I have loads that I wear both home and at work) and look by and large, although some of them are looking a bit big on the thighs. I also found my city shorts which look good now and some linen trousers that I haven’t worn for years because I couldn’t actually pull them on, but I could now wear and breathe.

This morning I stepped on the scales out of curiosity and have been delighted that I seem to have got off this plateau and lost another 2 lb. The power of less carbs but mainly no sugary desserts!

I am very very happy this morning and finally feel that a smaller waist is possible. Another FD on Thursday for me.

MM
There are no flowers yet in the back garden, but hellebores, snowdrops and primroses in the front garden. I have lots of narcissus in pots which are growing well but my guess is that it will be several weeks before they flower.

I spent the afternoon in the garden moving pots and pruning plus quite a lot of pondering which got me through until late afternoon. I have another 24 hours in the bag today, so I am hoping that the same 2 lb is not fiction when I stand on the scales tomorrow.

How is it going MM?

That 2 lb is not fiction, hurrah. Measurements are exactly the same but fat percentage has shimmied down again.

Just had a little try on of cotton skirts that I haven’t been able to wear for years because I was too big. There are several that I can do up and some that are close to being able to do up, which is completely thrilling.

These skirts are going to be another measure. I hope that I can see improvement at Easter.

How did it go MM?

How were the jeans Iona?

Well done, Iona. You must be thrilled.

I too have very mixed feelings about going back to work. I am back on the 8th with all of the students so its going to be weird, but its only for 3 weeks until we break up for Easter and then 3 weeks off. I ordered lots of little plants from a nursery and I am hoping that they will arrive this week. There are trays of seedlings which I hope will grow too.

I have never done litter picking, but there are groups round here that seem very well supported. I am planting up a little pathway behind our gardens. My neighbours are not gardeners and I am trying to help the pollinators by adding flowering plants to a small border with duplicates from my garden. Every little helps.

I am going to do Monday and Thursday FD next week. Not quite sure what to do when I am back at work, perhaps a skipped breakfast and a longer fast at the weekend. Not sure yet.

Hi MM,
Sounds like fasting and being back at work is working well, even if you are shattered. My weight loss has really slowed right down to up 2lb a month, so my focus is shifting to decreasing fat percentage which was 44% and now 34.1%.I have my eye on getting to 34%. Any decrease is a win and I can now wear and be comfortable in the smaller denim jeans. Very pleased.

Temperature wise it is barely above 0C when I wake up and my get up to 6-8C. My back garden is south-facing but doesn’t get any sun until the afternoon at the moment.

The best news is that I had the Covid jab yesterday afternoon. Very efficient and organised, didn’t feel anything and feel fine today. I gather that immunity takes up to 4 weeks, so I will be protected when we break up for Easter in 4 weeks , which is very exciting.

Hi MM,
Very pleased to have been jabbed on Saturday. It feels such a positive action going forward and I feel very grateful. I really didn’t expect to get it before the summer but it looks like I will be able to get the second one in 12 weeks.

Losing 19 lbs also helps me feel less vulnerable from Covid too. The boy who was quite low has really perked up with the hope of a new normal on the horizon and is hoping to move out in the autumn with a friend. Fingers crossed that happens too.

Well done on the 1 lb lost, how wonderful to see a new number. I am reducing my expectations in terms of the pace of losing lbs. It has really slowed down which isn’t a surprise so I am hoping to lose 2 lbs in March, another .1% off the body fat percentage and any inch loss would be welcome.

I am planning 2 more 24 hour FD this week before I am back to school next week. How is it going Iona?

Onwards and downwards fast friends.

Morning Fast Friends,

Looking down the barrel of fasting all day on a chilly grey day with not a lot to do. Clothes all ready for back to school. So I got out the tape measure to compare where I was in July and where I am now. The results are quite staggering and have spurred me onto fast as long as I can today.

Total inch loss is 20 inches! I have lost 3 inches off my bust/under bust/hips/waist. An inch off my neck, plus an inch off each calf and 2 inches off each thigh. As I am 19lbs in weight less, it seems to me that the scales and tape measure seem to mirror each other.

I expect that I could do some cleaning if I really looked!

Hi MM,
Hanging on by my fingertips, just got 45 minutes to go and another 24 hours in the bag.
Its been a long cold and grey day. I have done loads of cleaning and been out for a walk too.

Its extraordinary how many inches are no more. I always wished that I had measured my upper arms, but I always forget. Its been very helpful to have a measure that isn’t the scales even though there are clothes that no longer fit and have since been discarded.

Keep going MM. How is going Iona?

Thermals on and breakfast skipped this morning. Work trousers are very comfortable which is lovely and wasa big goal back in July.

Hello All,

I had a lovely first day back at work yesterday. So lovely to see people even if it was with a face covering. Its been such a long time without any work it was good to be out of the house all day and to have things to do.

Lunch was a pie and veg in a take away box eaten outside in a sheltered spot in warm lunchtime sun. I have no idea what the lunch offer is for this week, but I will just go with it this week.

I have just tried on the charity shop skirt that I haven’t been able to do the zip up all of the way. Today, I can. Its not comfortable so its going to be a while before I wear it. But, I am delighted that the skirt that I couldn’t get on in July, I could now wear.

How is everyone?

Hello All,
I am having a difficult time. Food available at school is carb heavy and biscuits and chocolate is offered as part of the lunch offer along with fruit. I have skipped breakfast several times but I haven’t been able to do a longer fast.

On the plus side, some trousers that look baggy and rather silly, have been put away. I have found that some bootcut trousers look much better and have been able to get them online and in the sale. They are also snug, which is a great incentive to avoid the sweet stuff.

You are both encouraging me to get my mojo back. I don’t know where its gone 🙁

Good luck MM, I hope that there isn’t much snow and you are able to get out of the house and away from the kitchen. Iona, interesting response to the chocolate cake. Its easier to avoid when it makes you feel rubbish, sadly the sweet stuff doesn’t have that effect on me. However, alcohol does.

My plan is to do the best I can for the rest of this week and skip breakfast again on Thursday. I meet a colleague for lunch each day and we eat a packed lunch at either ends of a bench. Its the highlight of the day to see someone else.

Good to hear about the jab, Iona. My second one is booked for mid May. Sorry to hear that things are delayed for you MM.

How are you both?