Day 22 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – FD

@teneer – welcome to the forum & to Jaunty January!

@northgeorgia – fluent in Spanish? I’m so envious, but working on being pretty close to fluent by the end of the year.

@penz, @stitchincarol – that’s interesting, having mojo in the morning, but losing it in the evening. For me it’s the other way around. When I wake up & remember I’ve planned a FD, I just think, ‘urrgh, it’s a fast day’. I’m resigned to doing it, but I’m not exactly doing cartwheels. But by mid/late afternoon I’m just relieved it’s getting close to dinner time & I think my mojo picks up from there, because I’m sort of over the FD hump 🤔

@merryapple – the 🇲🇽 restaurant! 😂 I’ll definitely be checking it out soon, but probably not this week 🌮

@lilymartin – congrats on fitting into the dress! I’m so pleased for you👗🎯

We’re stronger together, Monday fasters! 💪

Monday Pocket List 🫵
@merry🍎B2B
@funshipfreddie
@northgeorgia
@lilymartin

“If you want to fly, you have to give up the things that weigh you down.” ~ Toni Morrison

Day 22 UK f800

Weekend didn’t entirely go as planned , but you need to be flexible so last week was 4:3 which is probably what I’ll aim for over the next 6 weeks and if I stay on course I will hit my target

Monday Pocket List✊
@merry🍎B2B
@funshipfreddie
@northgeorgia
@lilymartin
@penz💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼
@flourbaby
@brightonbelle

Day 22 – Ireland – CD 🚫 ✅ 🚶‍♂️ 🌾

Hi everybody! Welcome @teneer! Great decision to join the January challenge

Sorry for my extended absence – I’ve been unwell since I got back from the wonderful holidays so still trying to get back to normal and stop coughing and wheezing… have been so tired… bad luck!
There is no doubt that air travel in winter is a risk 😂😷 🤒 🤧
Will be back with you all soon.
Hols were in Italy in the Dolomites which were amazing!!! Oh to be back there in the clean crisp air ❄️❄️❄️

Funny to read the mixed opinions on ski hols 😂 but I understand it…and it’s great that we are all so different.

Am not up to date on posts but hope everyone is doing ok and thinking of @snowflake56 this week.

Onward and downward ⬇️
We rise by lifting others 💕

USA. Day 22. FD

Monday Pocket List✊
@merry🍎B2B
@funshipfreddie
@northgeorgia
@lilymartin
@penz💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼
@flourbaby
@brightonbelle
@ccco

Good morning, everyone! 🙂

Day 23, NFD, Aus

PFDS. Thank you ALL for your support, but especially @lilymartin. I was wavering yesterday afternoon but remembered my promise to the forum and I jumped on line and read your post. It was exactly what I needed to stay on track. When I was in the swing of 5:2 I could easily do a complete water fast. My brain remembers that but my body does not. So I gave myself permission to eat a small piece of left over pork roast when I got home and that was all I needed to get through the rest of the evening without temptation. I will need to build back to doing a WFD but recognise I’m not there yet.

Interesting point @stichincarol. I’m definitely a morning person (woke up at 0520 and I can sense @funshipfreddie shuddering already!) so motivation and action is strong for me early. Come 3pm I start to lose focus and commitment. Does early bird/night owl preference link up with others’ mojo fluctuation?

Nice to see you back @jaifaim. Glad you had a lovely holiday but v sorry you’re paying the price by being ill.

Hope Bo-Bo gave you a sleep in today @Flour Baby.

Wow, you are all so very welcoming! @penz, @stitchincarol, @ccco, I join you from central Ohio. I am looking to get back to a 20:4 window on most days and have cut the alcohol in celebration of Dry January. I admit, I do feel much better without it. Today I committed to a FD and ended with a 500 (approximately) calorie satisfying meal. I appreciate the support. It is so nice to meet you all.

Day 23 – NZ – FD
It appears no one fasts on a Tuesday with me? Haha 🤣 the only reason I do FD Tuesday’s is because Tuesday is probably the busiest day in the week for me at work at least so keeps me distracted!
Had a really good weekend seeing family and friends. Haven’t bothered to check my weight today, I’ll probably wait until Friday which is after my 2nd FD.
Good luck everyone this week 🤞🏻

Day 23 – USA/GA – FD

Weigh-in: 222 lbs. Day 2 of 3 of the B2B2B FDs. I think the fill valve broke last night in the toilet (after the home improvement stores had closed, of course); grrr… doesn’t appear to be a big job, so hopefully between my brother and me, we’ll figure it out rather quickly this evening.

Welcome to @teneer !

Pocket list, day 23:
@fastingnurse
@excelsior12309
@northgeorgia

USA. DAy 23. FD

Pocket list, day 23:
@fastingnurse
@excelsior12309
@northgeorgia
@brightonbelle
@ccco

Day 23 – Rural Nebraska, USA – WFD – too much

Ugly weight today, but at least the temperature is going to be above freezing all day today, making my WF very doable–whew! Now to decide if I allow a latte or two or not.

@penz Except (re night owl/morning person lining up with our levels of mojo) I’ve always been a night owl. Am no longer–I get sleepy, LOL–but, no matter how early I wake up because I struggle to sleep in, can’t say I’m truly FUNCTIONAL in the morning. And yet, somehow, I think there’s a true connection. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Maybe?

@funshipfreddie Well done on dropping below 70kg!

@fastingnurse No worries, I also fast on Tuesdays along with Thursdays–and for your same reason: those are the days I drive the half hour into Omaha to teach piano lessons in my students’ homes (ten on Tuesdays, three on Thursdays), and I’m so busy throughout the day–and away from home until 7pm or even later–that it’s relatively easy.

@excelsior12309 You too find mojo easier in the morning? I’m thinking perhaps it has nothing to do with morning person/night owl, and is simply a typical part of a human cycle, but that because that’s not how @funshipfreddie is wired, that’s part of what has kept him at maintenance. Not to make an excuse for the rest of us, but simply intrigued…

@northgeorgia Bummer on the fill valve breaking; hope it’s an easy and cheap fix.

@brightonbelle So glad yesterday was easy enough. Feeling better?

@flourbaby What do you eat for lunch on NFDs?

Others, what do YOU eat for lunch on NFDs?

I’m always sabotaged on NFDs by lunches, and I don’t want to try for OMAD on those days because that’s simply not “reasonable”–I want something resembling “normal,” but struggle not to overeat once I start lunch time eating. Perhaps that’s a good place for me to start working on my reset.

Okay, time to shower and get on my way. Have a grand one, everyone!

Pocket list, day 23:
@fastingnurse
@excelsior12309
@northgeorgia
@brightonbelle
@ccco
@stitchincarol WFD

Day 24, NFD, Aus

Interesting discussion. Ok, how about a link between morning/evening mojo and whether someone is naturally a ZBC member (me)?

US. DAY 23. FD

I haven’t moved any weight since I lost the first two pounds, so as of right now, I am on a water fast until Thursday!

Day 24, London, UK, FD

LONG POST ALERT!!😁

Reducing my carb intake has truly reset my appetite, last night I had a chicken thigh with a leek & mushroom omelette, very high protein, very low carb …………………. And I couldn’t finish it!!! 😱 As a long standing member of the clean plate club, this is UNHEARD of!!!

@stitchincarol, for NFD lunch I stick to high protein, lower carb, so I might have egg mayo (your ‘egg salad’), tuna mayo, crustless quiche with a small salad, Full fat Greek Yoghurt or if I’m feeling particularly organized the night before, a huge OMAD chicken or prawn & crab salad with avocado. I think I eat quite healthily, I don’t snack anymore since I banished the wine gums to an alternate universe where I can eat whatever I want & stay slim! My ‘issue’ is empty calories, it used to be bread/cake/biscuits/crackers but I think I have that particular addiction licked; but 2 glasses of wine 🍷🍷on the NFD evenings (sometime more🤭) builds up to stalled weight loss which 2 FDs/week can’t fix!!! In the evenings after what was invariably a stressful day, I would settle my mum in bed whilst my brother spoke to her on the phone until she drifted off, this would be MY time and I would relax with a glass of wine, do Wordle & read for ½ hour then go to bed. Dry-ish January has reset my drinking habits and it barely crosses my mind ………………………. I hope that continues once I’m back from the ski trip!!🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

@merryapple, I can’t imagine the anxiety you went through!! I’m glad to hear Mr. Mac hasn’t been too badly affected.🙏🏼 I’m planning to do some walking/hiking whilst others are skiing so I’ll definitely earn my 🍷🧀🍷🧀……….. wine’s pretty low carb too, so 🥳🥳🥳!!

@penz, yes I think my morning mojo is basically because I’m a ZBC member!!! I tend to do 16 or 18 hr fasts, and in increasing my protein at my 1 or 3pm breakfast time, I’m barely hungry at dinner time, so it tends to be quite light. Protein = Mojo!! Without jinxing anything, I’m -8lbs so far this month🙏🏼🙏🏼 – ADF, high protein, lower carb (veg carbs only), 16:8 min ……………………. & dry, Dry, DRY!!!

@funshipfreddie, I’m getting there! I used to say this was a WOL, and had great -45lb success, then promptly went back to my old WOL!! I would say I was fasting then hurl myself off the wagon at dinner time & the ‘sod it’ mentality would rear its ugly head!!! Fooling myself that I was fasting, when in reality, I was just doing ZBC!! I had a difficult couple of years where I couldn’t see what was right in front of me, now I can clearly see the expanding waistline resulting from my ½ ar*ed efforts at fasting made me throw in the towel, I need to see results to maintain motivation!!! Something I read recently (perhaps someone posted it here??) about the Harcombe Diet, has helped in that I’m limiting processed foods (all carbs are processed unless they’re from veg!) combined with 5:2 (ADF at the moment😁) ………………………..

“How to overcome the ‘sod-it’ mentality

It’s easy to give up. It’s easier to give up things than to stick with things – but what does that achieve? Nothing!
There are many wise sayings about this topic…
“There’s no gain without pain”;
“You get out of things what you put into them”;
“You reap what you sow”…

… and so on. Sayings become folk lore because they are true. Making a commitment to real food and working to overcome the cravings for fake food is going to take some work. There will be times when all you want to do is to give in – but you have to remember that’s the addict talking. Unless you want to stay an addict for life, you have to overcome addiction. And you have to do it sometime – so do it now!

It will be tough to start with, but it does get easier by the day. And the rewards of being natural weight, healthy, full of energy, enjoying great food are immense! Hang on to those rewards – that’s worth the effort that you’re putting in at the moment. Here are our top tips on overcoming any inclination that you have to give up…

The scenario that we need to address is when someone is disappointed with their progress and this can lead to the ‘sod it’ reaction: “if I’m not losing, I may as well eat whatever I want”… You know how it goes. I used to suffer from this badly myself.

As we discussed yesterday, expectations are crucial in the weighing game. If you are not losing as much as you expect to, but you are still losing, this is an expectation issue. You just have to remind yourself of the fact that the 2lb a week promise is a complete myth and always has been. I weigh 110lb. The 2lb a week promise says that I could cut back by 1,000 calories a day and then, allegedly, I would weigh 6lb in a year’s time! (Actually, because the 2lb is supposed to be fat loss, let alone weight loss – I would actually be minus 10lb at the end of the year). It really is this daft.

If you are losing weight – not even every week necessarily, but chipping away at your weight loss, rethinking your expectations will make you much happier and less likely to give up. One of the key things to put in the forefront of your mind is – a pound lost on The Harcombe Diet® is a pound that can be lost for good. Because you haven’t eaten less, you haven’t slowed your metabolism or reset your equilibrium at a lower level and there is no need for that weight to be regained (provided that you don’t go back to a diet of processed food of course).

Develop a ‘chipping away’ mentality – if you keep losing, even a pound here and there – and then maintain and then lose a bit more – you are on a steady downwards trend and will achieve long lasting results.
Let’s now hold the ‘sod it’ mentality up to the mirror and see it for what it is. The ‘sod it’ mentality is never, ever helpful – in any circumstance. It takes you back to being the food addict that you were. You need to remember (especially in the early days of The Harcombe Diet®) that you will still be looking for excuses to go back to your ‘fix’ and that’s what this reaction is – your mind playing games to drive you back to the biscuits, cakes and sweets that you are likely still craving – to get you back on the drugs.

Why ‘sod-it’ really isn’t worth it

You have every right to feel the ‘sod it’ mentality. It makes complete sense. But you have to choose NOT to go down that route and here are three reasons why:

1) You will gain weight.
‘Sod it’ is not something you can do for even one day, let alone a few days, and not suffer serious consequences. Disappointed as you are that the scales are not showing a loss, how much more upset would you be if they showed a gain? And show a gain they will. You could easily gain as much as 5-6lb in one day (information on glycogen explained how) and you then have even more to lose than you had before the binge.

2) You will feel terrible.
Having been off processed food for a period of time, going back to it may feel enjoyable for the first mouthful (maybe not even then – usually the relief is really truly the only OK feeling). The actual food consumption usually starts feeling terrible as soon as it starts. You hate yourself, you become a food stuffing zombie, you feel sick, you bloat – it really is anything but fun.

3) You will reawaken cravings.
If you have avoided processed food for several weeks, even months, you will probably get away with a slip day slightly more easily than someone who slips after just a few days or weeks. The sooner you slip, the more likely you are to be still addicted to certain foods and still have the conditions to overcome and the more likely that a slip is going to have consequences.

To get the taste for flour and sugar soon after having given it up is too risky. The body is highly likely to continue to want more of this stuff. So, you may have your ‘sod it’ day and the body thinks “great – we’re back to the processed stuff that gives me sugar highs and feeds my parasite” and the body doesn’t want to turn back.”

I don’t like the idea of deprivation, but limiting the harmful processed stuff to very, very occasionally might be my route back to proper 5:2, I’m not quite ready for 3 NFDs days in a row!!

“Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.” – Brian Tracy

Day 24 – 2nd Post

Pocket List – Day 24 🍄
@flourbaby
@northgeorgia

Day 24 UK f800

Wow ! that’s a lengthy post @flourbaby – there is so much advice out there ( and quite a lot of companies that charge an awful lot for sharing their wisdom ) it can be quite daunting finding what works and is healthy and sustainable- you sound well on the way

Pocket List – Day 24 🍄
@flourbaby
@northgeorgia
@ccco
@brightonbelle

Day 25 – FD – NZ
Back fasting again today. Had pizza last night which I was only able to have 2 slices and be done which is unusual for me, I could have an entire pizza before I started 5:2 so likely appetite correction has occurred? I’m definitely eating a lot less on NFD’s.
I will be doing a weigh in tomorrow
Happy fasting all!

2nd post, FD

I shouldn’t be pleased, but sick staff member so team lunch is cancelled.

Proper FD it is!

Day 25 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – FD

Our line-dance teacher is such a trouper! She turned up yesterday with 10 stitches in her head, after stumbling into the edge of her patio door the day before. Luckily a friend of hers who was with her is a retired nurse &, as Marie put it, “was able to mop up the blood & take me to the doctor” 😳

@flourbaby – I think you set a new record for the longest post ever?! 😅 I’d never heard of that diet either. Some good advice though, from the Harcombe Diet & re the ‘sod it’ mentality. “You have to choose NOT to go down that route…” That’s what it comes down to – it’s a choice. Thinking “sod it’, it’s just a thought. We don’t have to buy into it. But, easier said than done.

@merryapple – are you saying you don’t believe food is addictive? Or you just don’t like the term ‘food addict’? I think anything pleasurable is potentially addictive, especially things we ingest. I’ve often thought the FDA should be renamed the DFA (drugs – including food – administration). But I get the impression it’s something you feel quite strongly about 🤔

@penz – 11 more days?! 10 now! I’d be counting the minutes 😂

Pocket List – Day 25 🥚
@fastingnurse
@penz
@funshipfreddie
@merry🍎

Day 25 UK f800

Have a great trip @flourbaby

Im away too for a little weekend break in Dorset, won’t be fasting but aiming to be sensible , I really don’t want to see all my hard work reversed

Pocket List – Day 25 🥚
@fastingnurse
@penz
@funshipfreddie
@merry🍎
@brightonbelle

Day 25 – Rural Nebraska, USA – WFD -163.0

Ate below 1500 yesterday, so feel strong today. My laptop is at the shop going through a data transfer to my new, fancy, fast and powerful laptop…I’ve wanted this thing for a decade, so I’m excited to see if I’m as thrilled as I anticipated.

And this is all I have patience for on my phone. Have a grand one, everyone!

USA. DAy 25 FD

Pocket List – Day 25 🥚
@fastingnurse
@penz
@funshipfreddie
@merry🍎
@brightonbelle
@stitchincarol WFD
@ccco

Day 26 – NFD or potentially FD? – NZ
Failed fast day yesterday, I had an assessment coming up which was today and yesterday I forgot I was doing a FD so ate too many calories for an FD. Trying to do FD today, I’ll see how I go but if not able to do today then it’ll have to be Monday. And then 2 other FDs following that.
Just don’t quite have the motivation for an FD today I think?

Day 26 – FD – NZ. 2nd post
Struggled through the FD today but happy I’ve done it. Going to do B2B Monday Tuesday next week to finish up the month😊

Day 26 – Rural Nebraska, USA – NFD – 161.4

I was too tired last night to skip all calories, so turned it into a FD500 instead, and that helped. So, the weight loss wasn’t as dramatic, but I’m still down a bit, and that’s lovely.

I continue to work on the insights I’ve been gleaning, and am hopeful they’re the key to giving me results, that my determination is growing, and that my mojo doesn’t evaporate by evening.

@fastingnurse How lovely that your appetite has naturally reduced!

@penz I was telling DH just the other day that you were taking a year off, and we’re both in awe! And I fully understand your joy that circumstances (okay, sick colleague, but still…) allowed you to have a proper FD!

@merryapple Okay, now that I have a laptop keyboard to type on, I can reply to the whole food addict thing. I was so intrigued by what @flourbaby said that I almost bought one or more of the Harcombe books, but then thought of doing a sample (in all cases it would have been an ebook because that’s pretty much all I read any more), so got samples of four books and started reading. As I read, I fully accepted the whole food addict concept–and realized it’s not me. Not in the literal sense that she’s using. I do feel it’s a valid description of me saying every morning how diligently I’m going to stick to my food plan that day–a very reasonable food plan, even–and then every evening saying, in essence, “Oh, sod it.” (I’ve never actually used that phrase as I’m an American, but it entertains me to say I say it, LOL.) And since we all agree that being in control of our eating is a mind game, that’s where the idea of being addicted, either to food or to the behavior, seems reasonable to me. On the other hand, I have two beloved neices who were both bulimic when they were in high school, so I fully understand there are true addictions that shouldn’t be treated lightly. Oh, and I just read your post commenting again about your past history with true addicts, so it sounds like we’re on the same page.

@funshipfreddie Truer words were never spoken: “It’s interesting that none of us has a problem with food we find in nature. No-one ever gorged on a bag of cabbages, or gained too much weight by eating raw potatoes. It’s what we do to our food that creates problems.” Something I’ve been realizing is that my weight was fine when I was younger, and particularly when our kids were young; I also cooked what I would consider kid-friendly food, but always from scratch and never using prepackaged things. As our kids grew older and then dramatically when we had an empty nest, I’ve gone nuts with trying new recipes. Again, these are from-scratch foods and not with prepackaged things (except from bottled things like soy sauce or fish sauce and so on). So, is there a connection? I’m certainly more focused on food than I ever was since I’m doing such interesting recipes, and need to plan things out. Dunno if I should be back to kid-friendly food and call it good. But I’m not going to do that, so… And, terrific quote. Terrific.

If someone else is thinking of hosting February, then do it. Otherwise, I’ll step up.

Is my laptop glorious? Well, it’s not S.L.O.W. like my other one, so that’s a great start! Five years from now is when I’ll know for certain it was worth the money, when it’s still going fine.

Have a grand one, everyone!

Day 27 – USA/GA – NFD

Weigh-in: 224 lbs. Note to the wise: when the doctor asks if you’ve been fasting before your labs, don’t go by their “since midnight” guidance if your lab is early morning and you had ICE CREAM CAKE the night before! Both my mom and I were hit by a thoughtful but really unwanted gift from my brother and sister-in-law of fried chicken and ice cream cake at 7 p.m. or so the day before our labs (it was my mom’s birthday). For the first time, both of our glucose tests were in the “high” range the next morning. Well, duh… My LDL was also high. Somehow, I think if my lab were to have been on day 3 of my 3 day fast, numbers would have been very different! I know after a WFD last year, they were almost perfect 🙂

Anyway, one more NFD before my Sunday FD.