thank you @songbirdme. I definitely have to up the water – hopefully that will put to rest the headaches. That and the news. :))))
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thank you @songbirdme. I definitely have to up the water – hopefully that will put to rest the headaches. That and the news. :))))
Day 5 ( officially) country West Australia FD
WooHoo!!! I love my scales today – which is not always the case!
Down to an 11 month low which is keeping me motivated . That and a family picture before Christmas which shocked me so much when I was looking at the FAT woman on the end – and realised it was me!!!!!😳😳😲
Have a family gathering end of January so that is keeping me on track. Plus just feeling so much better having lost a few kilos.
Having lost the plot completely a few years ago it is a ‘no brainer’ that to do 5:2 as intended, eat to/unde TDEE on NFDs and exercise all helps with weight and health issues.
I must say I used to find FDs easier than NFDs. Keeping to TDEE was a struggle for me for a while as I used to overeat without realising it.
@michelinme, welcome back. So sorry to hear about your Covid misery. We are all here to support you.
@litprof, belated welcome to the group. We are an eclectic very supportive bunch and I have always found the support fantastic. BTW I am very intrigued by your name!!
@nellen we used to comment on this forum about drinking more water to drown the hunger dragons which can be ferocious and persistent once unleashed!!
Hey ho off to work I go.
Have a good day from very windy West Australia. 8 windy days in a row which is drying everything out and driving people to distraction.🌬💨💨💨💨💨
USA. Day 4
Oh, well! FD turned into a CD. That’s okay. I got a little stressed out today and ate over my preplanned meal allotment! It’s not too bad. I am thinking I might follow LitProf’s 14 day 800 calorie FDs to see how well that works (welcome LitProf to the forum). Also, sorry for all my friends in the U.K. going into another shutdown. I know how hard that is. Here in the U.S. the number of positive tests is becoming overwhelming, so I can commiserate.
See you all in the morning!
Day 4 – Western Australia – FD (maybe kinda sorta – still counting it)
Day 5 – FD
Well yesterday went a bit wonky and I don’t really know what the total calorie intake was, but it was low and also more or less sugar free aside from the kefir I had… and of course I had that after 6pm. A lesson for today – better control and kefir BEFORE 6pm.
Good to see everyone tracking along OK and those who haven’t quite grabbed the leash yet still intent on grabbing it 😉
Happy birthday @basyjames 🙂
Day 5 Australia FD
Good morning/evening to everyone!
Just logging in to say hello and Happy New Year! I don’t post much at all, but do read everything and send everyone positive vibes! Thank you to everyone for being supportive, funny and friendly!
I’m trying to start a year with a few extra FD as combination of lockdowns, stress and Christmas hasn’t been friendly to my waistline.
There is a new book on midlife food strategies by Sam Rice ( “Midlife Method”) and her 28 day plan is to have 6 “light” days in week 1, then 5 in week 2, 4 in week 3 and then settle on 2-3 days a week. I’ve decided to treat those “light” days as FD and will see what happens!
@northerndawn thank you for the tip about salt on my tongue. I will definitely give that a whirl. made it through FD 2. Yay
Day 4 – NSW, AU – CFD
Day 5 – FD(800)
Weighed myself and I gained about 2kgs (4.4lb) back over the 2 weeks that I was at home with my mother… but I kind of expected that’d happen. Now I’m trying to get back on track to get rid of it (again)
Yesterday (4th) was the start of my OMAD challenge and I ate just over 800 calories (probably around 850) during that one hour, so called it a CFD. Today (5th) I did better and got under the 800 in my hour.
I’ve decided to do at least 3-4 800 calorie FDs a week as the Fast800 suggestions and try and keep the others to or below CFD limit… maybe I’ll go back to 800’s but we’ll see how the weight loss goes.
Day 5 – Ireland 🇮🇪 – NFD
Morning all. Good veggie FD yesterday, tried out some new workouts, slept well, feel great today. Going to ignore the scales until the end of the month (it’s a daily habit but with the new things I am eating the weight may not slip off as quick and I don’t want to get turned off course).
So delighted to see so many oldies back, and @michelinme, I am particularly delighted to see you back, I have thought a lot about you over the past few months and praying that you were getting over the Covid. Sorry you are beset by the long Covid, go gently.
Thanks @northerndawn and @Stitch-in-Carol for your good wishes re the icy roads on the way to work. They were TERRIBLE as they are interested, and we don’t have the infrastructure nor the tyres to deal with snow and ice. Going to be worse this morning so will leave early again to crawl along at 50kph max ☺️
I spent a year working in the snowbound Bavarian Alps and was amazed how life just kept moving along. In Ireland a bit of ice has us all worried.
Best wishes to al going into another hard lockdown. I suspect our own government will make a further announcement tomorrow. Oh well. All my family are OK however the youngest stepdaughter is complaining of flu-like symptoms and she returned from the UK on Christmas Eve, we had her over for dinner on the 26th. Fingers crossed its just a cold.
Day 5 – Lake district UK – NFD
Good morning everyone
Going to be a decent walk this morning, unusually we gave it a miss yesterday, the wind was coming down from the north and off the hills, which are covered in snow. First daily walk we’ve missed recently, so this morning aiming for a longer stroll. There is no frost or cold wind this morning and some cloud cover, much milder.
Most peculiar, at the moment it doesn’t really matter what I’m eating, I’m maintaining my weight. I had to put on some of the weight I’d lost, which was needed, but there was also some muscle loss as well but luckily that’s started to fill out again slowly. Roll on spring and the garden waking up!
Take care all
Day 5, Emden Germany, NFD
@basyjames Happy Birthday!
@michelinme Welcome back!
@stitchincarol You angel tree must look spectacular! That will take you some time to get them all down again.
@northerndawn and @stitchincarol I’m getting more and more interested in brisket, you seem to be able to cook it in so different ways. I’m doing more of the cooking now but I’m not a great cook. The good thing about the cast iron cooking ware is that most of the things you make in them, will come out edible. With a crock pot I would be scared to leave it on while I’m out of the house.
Have a nice day everyone!
Day 5 UK NFD
Getting back in the swing of things ,yesterday’s FD went smoothly aiming to do some light exercises today just shaking off a virus/cold thing – nothing serious
Great to see you back @michelinme
Day 5 – USA/GA – FD
Happy Traitorous Tuesday (yes, my body, that’s you LOL)! After yesterday morning’s wonderful post-FD news, my body was angry at me for returning to a Monday work schedule and demanded to eat a few Christmas cookies [biscuits]. It decided it was time to play a nasty version of Scrabble, where every food item was triple calorie score haha! Just kidding; I know it has to be water retention for that much weight to jump on the scales in a day. Today’s weigh-in: 233 lbs.
Since I’m working from home this week and probably next week (yes, I feel for my UK friends who are under lock-down again; I can’t help but think we’re not far behind here as our numbers rise again), it should be easy to up the water intake (but harder to stop snacking on NFDs). Slowly, the few, less desirable holiday snacks are vanishing, and I will probably just toss the dried out gingerbread men today (although those haven’t really been my temptation; it’s the broken up shortbread).
Hoping for another great FD and will just be patient. The 220s will come back sometime this month; I just wanted a quick visit before moving in, hopefully by later next week.
I’m on today’s pocket list, and I’m adding those that I saw in the postings! There are a lot of us on this Tuesday!
Pocket list Day 5
@toady (FD800)
@elektron
@lilymartin
@zzzzz45
@litprof
@zenga
@northgeorgia
ZBC
@northgeorgia
Day 5 UK CD
Successful FD yesterday – corn on the cob, spinach, braised red cabbage & cauliflower followed by stewed blackberries & apple plus 4 broken cashews on the way to bed.
Already I can feel a lessening of the mental tug of sugar and carbs, eating more slowly and mindfully. Today i’ve drunk a flask of fresh ginger tea, and lunched on spinach, avocado & baby tomato salad with two corn cakes and a clementine.
Checking my tracker and I’m starting just 4lbs/1.6kg & 2 inches / 5cm below the measurements that made me feel like a Michelin Man back in 2017. But hopefully rediscovering these tools and the wisdom & companionship of this group will help me along.
Thank you SO much for warm welcome back @stitchincarol @songbirdme @lilymartin @northerndawn @brightonbelle @snowflake56 @daffodil2010. I’ve often thought of you all and wondered how you were doing. Lovely to be back with the stories of lives and journeys; these connections across borders and shared experiences are so helpful.
@basyjames wishing you a very happy birthday! Sounds like you are going strong x
Day 5, London, UK, NFD
It’s a quick & late check-in from me today, busy busy back to work, well, WFH anyway!!!
Yesterdays’ FD went well, it was a bit of a struggle but that’s how it goes with getting back on the wagon!! No chance to catch-up on posts but hoping everyone is full of enthusiasm & bundles of mojo!!!
Stay strong people!!!
Had a quick skim, welcome back @michelinme, I hope the fasting helps your recovery. Good to see you back @basyjames & @snowflake56 we’ll start this year as we mean to go on ……………….. WITH DETERMINATION!!!!!!
Day 5 – Rural Nebraska, USA – FD800
Got through yesterday with flying colors, all because I promised @flourbaby I would. Today, I’m promising @northerndawn that I’ll be 800 calories. I’m liking this promise system! 👍
@songbirdme Cute meme, indeed!
@basyjames Happy, happy birthday! 🎂 May your day be filled with joy and fun surprises!
@zzzzz45 welcome back, it’s good to hear from you! Good luck on the 28-day eating plan!
@toady 4.4 pounds over two weeks sounds pretty reasonable to me, and I’m certain you’ll find the mojo to get back on track!
@daffodil2010 Oh, I do indeed hope it’s just a cold for your youngest step-daughter! And thanks for the explanation of “uninterested”…I was completely stumped on what that one was supposed to be. 😂 You do eventually get accustomed to driving on snowy/icy roads, but not with as little exposure to them as I suspect you have. Safe driving to you and all those around you!
@i-hate-lettuce Glad it’s a milder day for you; we’ll have to wait several months before we can count on milder days, LOL!
I slept terribly last night, dreaming/thinking for hours about what weight I’d be at and when, depending on how faithful I was about eating to goal each day. Seriously. I fell asleep around eleven and was doing that while more or less asleep until about five am!! Finally, I fell asleep for real and slept hard until nine. I’m thankful for the deep sleep I eventually got, but startled by how LATE I slept; that’s not my norm at all. We got the angel tree down last night (and I was astonished, @snowflake56, that it took us only 35 minutes from start to done!) and today I’ll get the rest of the Christmas stuff put away, and my January white and blue stuff pulled out, mostly table runners and wall hangings I’ve stitched.
Good luck, everyone, achieving whatever defines success to you today!
Pocket list Day 5
@toady (FD800)
@elektron
@lilymartin
@zzzzz45
@litprof
@zenga
@northgeorgia
@stitchincarol (FD800)
ZBC
@northgeorgia
@stitchincarol
Exercise 30×5
@stitchincarol
DTF
@stitchincarol
I can’t remember who all is ZBC/Exercise/DTF, so I’ll leave you to add your own names so they get in the right spots.
USA. Day 5. FD800
Pocket list Day 5
@toady (FD800)
@elektron
@lilymartin
@zzzzz45
@litprof
@zenga
@northgeorgia
@ccco800
ZBC
@northgeorgia
DTF
@ccco
Today I started my 800 calorie for two weeks to see what happens. Amazingly, I was down a pound this morning, so have some incentive. My meals usually are OMAD. I don’t seem to have a problem with that.
Happy Birthday, Basyjames!
USA. Day 5. FD800
There must have been a crossover between the list I first copied and the one I am joining now, which looks to be more complete. I hope I got it right this time!
Pocket list Day 5
@toady (FD800)
@elektron
@lilymartin
@zzzzz45
@litprof
@zenga
@northgeorgia
@stitchincarol (FD800)
@ccco FD800
ZBC
@northgeorgia
@stitchincarol
Exercise 30×5
@stitchincarol
DTF
@stitchincarol
@ccco
Day 5 NFD – Washington, DC
Yesterday was my 2nd FD and it went really well – thanks to everyone’s advice about drink, drink, drink. Discovered a tiny bit of pomegranate juice in seltzer water made me feel fancy and hydrated. Not bad. That’s going to help in a major way with my dry January. I may even make it through the month.
And – I drop 2 lbs, which I realize isn’t real, but part of it has to be. So all good so far.
And now if I can wean myself off the 24/7 news cycle for today and tomorrow (which will be far harder than weaning myself off wine) I may actually be in a better mood. thank you all.
So happy to be a member of this challenge.
Day 5 USA (Illinois) NFD
Finally the sun is shining, glistening white trees from several days’ layers of hoar frost. Just gorgeous out. We’re taking a ride through the countryside to Costco.
@nellen – we are news junkies too. Hope you’re able to survive that! Your seltzer water with pom juice sounds delightful. You will soon discover that any discomfort you feel from FD is far outweighed by the pounds dropping!
@basyjames – “Happy birthday, dear BasyJames ♫♪♫♪ happy birthday to YOU!” May it be a delightful day and a great trip around the sun ahead! 🥂🎂
@stitchincarol – glad you’re at least getting good sound sleep even if it is until 9a.m. Good for you! I almost always sleep horribly after a FD. Our tree etc. will stay up through 12th night, tomorrow.
Onward and downward.
Day 5 Canada FD
Stuck to yesterday’s meal plan to t and looking forward to fasting today. Thanks m really focused on dealing with urges this month. Eating chocolate after lunch and a glass or two or wine in the evening are habits I am trying to break. But man am I conditioned to give in to the urge.
@michelinme welcome back, I hope you return to full health soon
@stitchincarol your Christmas decorations sound beautiful, sounds like your mind is focused on this WOL which is great 👏
@basyjames happy birthday to you 🎂
Hopefully everyone achieves their goals today 🍎😊💪
Day 5 Wales 🏴 NFD
@basyjames Happy Birthday 🥳
@nellen I’m with you on trying to reduce my consumption of wine and 24/7 news 😉
@michelinme welcome back.
@snowflake56 thinking of you 🤗
Well its twelfth night so I suppose I had better squeeze my ample bum back on the wagon tomorrow.
@northerndawn – I forgot to mention that DD’s COVID symptoms were more like nausea or motion sickness, no fever. Her husband did have fever, symptoms like a bad cold he called them. He also had night sweats, aches, and tiredness.
Day 6. OMAD London
Hello @elektron. DTF means Dry till Friday. Some of us try our hardest not to drink in the week, and then drink Friday and Saturday ( and Sunday if we can’t resist…). I’ve now realised it’s too hard for me so I’m trying not to drink at all. I did it when I first joined this forum for a couple of years, but fell off the wagon big time. It’s almost impossible to drop weight if you drink alcohol very regularly, I think. Others might disagree. I must go and look up the rude version of DTF !
Day 6, sub-tropical Australia, FD800
How inspiring to read everyone’s updates! I am borrowing motivation from you all as I adjust to radically less carbs and food than usual! I am trying the FD800 for 14 days to kickstart the year, and will see how things look then.
Three days in an a pound has disappeared, which is presumably just water weight but encouraging nonetheless.
We have a beautiful swimming lake a 10 minute drive from our house, and the weather is sticky and hot, so lunchtime swims are the main exercise this week. Did a kilometre yesterday, surrounded by trees and birds and people drinking beers on inflatable flamingos.
@northerndawn your chicken soup recipe has me salivating. May have to try that in the next day or so.
Am planning on tomorrow being my third FD. We shall see.
@emma Taylor – I totally agree re: alcohol. It would be harder for me to go DTF, it’s easier for me to just say – no alcohol for the month. I guess that says something about my willpower. It’s kind of all or nothing.
Day 6 – Ireland 🇮🇪 – NFD
The dragons were roaring at me in work yesterday, telling me it was ok to take a toffee from one of the very many boxes of sweets that are hanging around the office! We all know it would never stop at just one sweet. I kept telling myself to hang in there, only 45 minutes till home time etc. I made it!!!
And a good NFD yesterday and a nice feeling today. The daily lunch delivery is back as we are back in high lockdown but it’s going to be salad every day for me.
I haven’t heard anymore from youngest step-daughter, she certainly hasn’t gone looking for a Covid test, and I suspect she won’t either….even though the Chief Medical Officer of our Public Health has stated that if you have flu like systems then it is most probably Covid as there is little prevalence of other flu out there this winter.
Makes me wonder how many others pass off their symptoms and don’t get tested and go out and about anyway? Very many, judging by the huge increase in numbers everywhere ☹️
My Dads home care worker has to self isolate for two weeks as one of her other clients has Covid. So I will have to go down to him at the weekend, all being well, and make sure the house is clean and he is ok. My brother lives with him…but look, two men living together and it’s a very untidy Bachelor Pad. I am nervous, but hopefully by Saturday I can go visit, masked and gloved of course, and make sure all ok.
Such times. Sorry for blethering on there, I am actually in good form, so have a great Hump Day, first one of 2021 🐫
Day 6 – Lake district UK – NFD
Good morning everyone
Think I’m recovering nicely, as Mrs IHL commented yesterday I’m starting to recover some of the muscle wastage already (the walks are working wonders!) and I’m starting to look like my old self again, so good stuff.
Was very noticeable yesterday when we were out for our walk, it was very quiet, very few cars and only on or two people around. Just hope this latest lockdown and combined with vaccinations work! Can’t help thinking that to a certain degree we’re going to have to live with the covid virus for a long time.
@toady – DIL is a fitness instructor and always says don’t worry about holiday weight, quickly on quickly off! Just get back to your pre holiday routine.
Mrs IHL loves cooking and baking, has enjoyed herself over Christmas etc ‘building me up’ again, but it is now time to stop and get back to being careful and watching the calorie count. I’m going for maintenance now and keep the weight where I am weight-wise, so you might well see me back on lists/wagon very soon.
Take care all
Day 6, Emden Germany, NFD
@missybear Thanks! After a month I still miss him every minute of the day but I’m starting to accept it now.
@flourbaby I’m not sure, why I’m still here as I don’t fast at the moment and don’t have much to contribute. But I guess my weight will go up again and then I’ll go back to fasting once or twice a week.
@northerndawn My baking skills are even more limited than my cooking skills. Every year I bake an almond-chocolate cake for one of the neighbours at Christmas. This Christmas the cake looked quite pale when I had it in the cake tin, it took me a while before I found out, I forgot to put the chocolate in. I melted it and swirled it trough the mixture in the tin. It came out well in the end.
Have a nice day everyone!
Day 6 – NSW, AU – FD800
Another 23 hour fast and under my 800 calories from 1-2pm. Only 3 days into the 7 day challenge and quite happy with how I’m going so far, but we’ll see how it goes on my day off and over the weekend.
Thanks everyone for the cheerleading, I don’t feel too terrible about that gain and hopefully it’ll go off pretty easily now that I’m getting back into my routine and not having my mother asking “Are you still eating or are you starving?” when I was fasting… despite my attempts to tell her ’20-24 hours NOT eating is NOT going to kill me, nor is it going to strip all my calcium or anything and taking a multi-vitamin will help make up for what I don’t get in my food.
Day 6 Wales 🏴 NFD
Felt brave enough to step on the scales this morning 😱 10 lbs gain in 3 weeks! Its going to be tough getting back on track, I’ve got a taste for bread and chocolate and daily puddings and wine…..yes the gain isn’t a surprise but still horrible to see the numbers.
Planning to ease myself off the festive feasting today and will have a healthy NFD then shock my system with a FD tomorrow.
Day 6 – USA/GA – NFD
Weigh-in this morning was 230 lbs (nearly 231). I won’t be doing the 4:3 this week after all, as my niece is turning 7 on Thursday, and I’m sure that cake will figure prominently into it! I may try for a CD or a 16:8 most of that day, though. @northerndawn That’s true. I was happy to see the low on Monday, but knew it could be another week or so before I possibly see it again.
Take care, everyone!
Day 6 – USA, Washington DC – FD
Woo hoo – scale at 137, that’s down 4 this week. I realize it’s not real, but it sure makes me smile. That and the results out of GA last night. (Sorry, I know I am talking politics as well, and I shouldn’t do that but right now I just cannot help it.). All in all a wonderful morning.
Thank you all for this challenge and home to post in. You are keeping me grounded and engaged and bought in. Pretty special, particularly in this time of covid and distancing.
Day 6 USA (Illinois) NFD
Going in this morning for the testing blood draw for my annual physical next week. Then Silver Sneakers and shopping. So funny how I used to absolutely dread fasting for 8 hours before the draw. Ha ha… now it’s nothing! Will give my every 8 week pint of blood on Friday.
@nellen – yes it is a real loss. Keep doing your IF and all of this will be even more real.
@northgeorgia – you know the joy of our WOL is allowing for things like birthday cake. Enjoy your niece!
@toady – the comments others may make about our starving just don’t hold weight. We’ve all been there with family members and friends who think we are doing something dangerous. Hang in there!
@litprof – your swimming lake sounds delightful. Glad you’ve found some relief from your heat that is so healthy.
Onward and downward.
Day 6, London, UK, NFD
I’m going for a NFD today since I’ll be very busy with no time to think about food which hopefully will make it controlled! WFH after the Xmas break has come as a bit of a shock, I’ve been bombarded with things to complete ASAP so there’s no time to ponder my food choices today, miso soup with mushrooms & prawns for lunch, cauliflower soup for dinner and Greek yoghurt with fruit for my sweet treat, all for 1200kcals so fingers crossed!!
@stitchincarol, I must have missed the promise, but it worked anyway!! Another ‘promising’ day today I hope!!
@missybear, I can commiserate!! Last year it was 10lbs & a bottle of Baileys that made it’s new home on my bum!!! This year I can’t even step on the scales, the sobbing in despair would NOT be pretty!!! The tight clothes are telling their own tale 😩😢😨😱
“Kindness begins with the understanding that we all struggle.” – Charles Glassman
Keep the faith people!!!
Day 6 – Rural Nebraska, USA – FD800
No time for chatter as I’m out the door in ten minutes to go teach a piano lesson in Omaha and run errands I need a city to accomplish. FD800 went well yesterday, although I think I was closer to 900 than 800, but that’s good enough for me. I’ll hopefully have time later to day to read everyone’s posts.
Today, I promise @songbirdme that I’ll stick to my 800 calories! 😁😇
Day 5 Oxfordshire, UK – CD
Day 6 Oxfordshire, UK – CD
Visited my mum yesterday so not a FD as planned and I also didn’t manage to check in.
But I did take all her decorations down and made sure all was ok.
Update on MiL – she is to be discharged from hospital and sent to a ‘discharge unit’ where she can stay for up to 6 weeks. She’ll receive Physio and they work towards her being safe to return home. Still no visits, but at least she’ll receive the care she needs.
@ Missy Bear – I’m with you, 3.5kg gain (7.7lbs). although I want to lose that and more I think Jan will also be about retraining my sweet tooth.
@BasyJames- belated happy birthday! 🎂
couldnt see any lists above so started some below
Pocket list Day 6
ZBC
Exercise 30×5
@stitchincarol
@suki2
USA. Day 6. FD800
Pocket list Day 6
@ccco (FD800)
ZBC
Exercise 30×5
@stitchincarol
@suki2
DTF
@stitchincarol
@ccco
@suki2
So far, the FD800 isn’t hard but the DTF is! LOL. It’s hard not to relax with a nice glass of wine in the evening. I am trying to replace the wine with ice tea!
Have a great day, everyone!
Day 6 UK CD
Yesterday went suprisingly well &I’m reminded that being back on the waggon isn’t walking on water! But it is really helped by posting here for accountability.
I drank more – water, fresh thyme tea & root ginger tea instead of coffee/eating more. And ate earlier, with lunch & supper inside a 6 hour window. Lunch was spinach, baby tomato & avocado salad with two corn cakes and a clementine. Supper was baked sweet potato, vegan mince & peas with yet more braised red cabbage followed by stewed blackberry & apple. Great to be breaking the late evening OMAD and keep snacking habit. Today I’ve reheated the leftovers plus some roast butternut squash – last of the stewed fruit & a clementine are on standby 🙂
I’m aiming for a buy nothing january but living off my store cupboard & freezer plus fortnightly veg box deliveries. My Christmas cheese is all gone xc one camembert which will either have to be a treat day or a giveaway.
Thank you for warm welcome @missybear @northerndawn. It’s feeling strange but good to be back. Still pretty rusty but dusting off the willpower and oiling the wheels of healthy habits…
@daffodil2010 sounds as tho your dad is being really well looked after between you. So grateful for your kind thoughts xx
@litprof love the sound of your swimming lake!!
‘The best way to predict the future is to create it’ (Abraham Lincoln)
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8:43 pm
4 Jan 21