Day 18 UK FD800 (2nd b2b)

Got through yesterday but only just – I was so hungry all afternoon waiting for OMAD high protein supper, scheduled for after a zoom call. Curried beans, spinach, eggs, mushrooms, sweet potato followed by apple, berries and custard. Total 830 calories but as a step down from the carbtastic weekend I’ll take that! Weigh in this morning back down to pre-weekend weight of 182lb. Motivation to get under 13stone this week… and maybe back to September’s weight of 178lb by the end of the month.

I was in the bath by 9pm, in bed by 10pm with a book and asleep by 1030pm – so much better than recently. I woke a couple of times in the night but no problem getting back to sleep through until 7.30am. Hard to get up this morning again but I think that’s to do with long covid fatigue and pain as much as weariness. Aiming to do the same again today, early supper/bath/bed with a book. Reading has eluded me since covid so hopefully this bite-size routine will gently restart.

I’m going to do some gentle stretching and make a quick spicy cabbage soup to have as late lunch today. Mixing it up will stop my body expecting all its calories later in the day. Fortnightly veg box is due tomorrow so I’m focussed on eating up odds and ends from the last box – 3/4 cabbage, one leek, a few huge potatoes/sweet potatoes and some clementines. Makes me realise I’ve eaten 1kg frozen spinach and 1kg brussel sprouts in the last two weeks!

@doradostern well done on your 2nd fast day!

@jaifaim my weighted blanket came with conflicting instructions! Label says hand wash cold water, don’t tumble dry; instruction leaflet says machine wash in cold water (machine that takes 12lb) and cool tumble dry! I can wash but will have to take to launderette to dry… or do it in summer and carefully hang on the line 🙂

Day 18 Pocket List
@michelinme

Day 18 – USA/GA – FD

Weigh-in: 218 lbs (ugh, up about 5 lbs in a day, and a pound heavier over this day last week). Back to work today with a delayed start, so it should be an easy FD. On my NFDs, I’m violating a lot of Fung rules. I am sneaking soft drinks and chips back in, as well as finishing up pieces of Christmas candy. And I’m snacking all the time. What? Have I learned nothing? Well, there are no more soft drinks in the house (drank the last tiny bottle of Dr. Pepper yesterday). There are still chips and candy, but not a lot. I’ll have to figure those out. The big thing is to get back to 2 – 3 meals a day tops and fill those meals with fiber, protein, and healthy fats so I’m not hungry again in two hours. I’m sure the stress over the past couple of weeks has contributed to cortisol production, too. Mid-month re-evaluation time, and need to really get on track to avoid another plateau.

Day 18 Pocket List
@michelinme
@daffodil2010 FD800?
@stitchincarol WFD
@northgeorgia

Day 18 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

Late checking in again. Busy painting my apartment & it’s exhausting 🤪

@penz – for some reason I find the Monday FD tougher; not sure why…

@i-hate-lettuce – congrats coming off the BP meds! 💪

Day 19, ?, Aus

We recently joined a club (probably not the best word for it) where we get a delivery of three dozen oysters and unique dipping sauce every month. Problem is, I don’t know if it’s arriving today (which would be great) or tomorrow (planned FD)! So, I’m hedging my bets and planning on a very light lunch which would still count as a FD if the oysters do not arrive today. That way I can bank tomorrow’s planned FD for today. Having said that, for one reason or another, yesterday’s NFD was more like an 800 calorie today, so my halo is shining.

Well done on finalising the quilt – @stitchincarol – super effort!

Me too @at! I think you’re the only other person I’ve met whose appetite is dampened by exercise. I don’t want to eat for hours afterwards where it seems to turn most people into instant hunger dragons.

Day 19 – Ireland – FD

Good morning!

@i-hate-lettuce massive well done to you!!! That’s an amazing achievement! You have worked so hard and what fantastic results!! I have been on BP meds for many years and Would live to think I could come off them some day… you are an inspiration! 👏 💪
@songbirdme Well done on your physical exam went well also! 👏

@michelinme thanks so much! I can’t imagine it swished around in a washing machine but we will see… @daffodil2010 I haven’t tried grounding sheets but I love the feel of the weight of the blanket 🛌. I’m not sure if it was still a wolf moon last night but there was something clanging in my garden last night and I went out at 2 am to take it off it’s hook and wow it was so bright outside! 🌙

@at my gosh you are doing some walking! So strong 💪 enjoy your yoga today.

@brightonbelle I think we must all believe we’ll holiday in 2022 – let’s work towards it 👙 ☀️ 👍

@stitchincarol the quilt sounds lovely! I couldn’t access the photo but am impressed by your creativity and others in the group. I’m toying with signing up to a knitting class… we’ll see 🤗

@penz well that is a new one to me! An oyster club – wow! That’s pretty fancy! Enjoy it when it arrives 😋

Have a good day all!

Onward and downward ⬇️
We rise by lifting others 💕

Pocket list day 19

@jaifaim

Day 19 – Lake district UK- FD

Good morning everyone

Thanks for all the positive comments, feeling rather good recently, going to throw in a FD today as we’re off on our travels in the morning for a couple of weeks. Going to make sure there will be plenty of walking and spa time to counteract the possibility of any overindulgence there might/possibly/certainly be 😉

I’ll be back and joining in the February challenge on our return.

@penz – sounds like my kind of club, enjoy the shellfish!

Meanwhile take care everyone

Day 19 Pocket list
@jaifaim
@i-hate-lettuce

Day 19 – USA/GA – NFD

Weigh-in: 214 lbs. I’m plateauing, as expected. I’ll do ZBC today and may just snack on my fast-breaking nuts and banana for lunch instead of going for a meal. Tomorrow may or may not be a FD — not planning on it just because it’s a Rotary breakfast. I will be speaking, so might not be pressured as much to eat. Could go either way. A couple of OMADish days might replace a good FD; we’ll see. About all I may be able to manage, although technically I’ve completed my 5:2 for the week already. I just would hate to have nothing between today and my next true FD, which might not be until Monday.

Best wishes!

Day 19 – Rural Nebraska – ??

I have lots of ideas of how to eat today, but haven’t settled on one. They range from another WFD, except including broth and not just water, to broth plus a salad, or even an actual WFD. I have extra motivation to be exceedingly well-behaved because I’m down THREE-POINT-TWO POUNDS this morning! Yesterday, I was 143.8 and this morning I’m 140.6. I was truly flabbergasted. And thrilled, LOL!

@penz I was really tired when I posted last night, but now it’s sunk in what you said about your oysters delivery: YUM, YUM, and YUUUMMM!!! DH and I love oysters, and it’s a huge bonus that they’re very low in calories and high in nutrients! Do share the experience when they come and you enjoy them!

@jaifaim What’s going in to your consideration of a knitting club? I think it’s the first needle art I learned and may be my favorite…

@daffodil2010 Amazing how water can solve a variety of ills, huh? Glad you’re feeling better!

@i-hate-lettuce Have a lovely trip! Where all are you going?

@betsylee Nice tip re the calcium test, thanks! I’ll ask my doctor about it.

@northgeorgia You might be plateauing, but given your stress related to your dad’s surgery, and then the ice storm, I’m truly impressed you didn’t engage in EFS and gain, so pat yourself on the back and be pleased!

@excelsior12309 I’m sure you wanted more loss, but be patient with your body and remember that, while we can certainly control what we eat, how much we eat, and how much we move, those things cannot FORCE our bodies to lose weight–we’re at the mercy of how and when our body chooses to respond. So as long as you’re eating well (are you logging your food on My Fitness Pal?), the weight WILL come off, just not necessarily when and how quickly you’re hoping for. 👍💪❤️

Coffee is done and I am READY for a cup, LOL! Have a grand one, everyone!

Day 19 Pocket list
@jaifaim
@i-hate-lettuce
@stitchincarol

@stitchincarol and @michelinme , thank you for your kind words of encouragement!! You are of course correct!

Day 19 – FD 500

@stitchincarol Lovely quilt! I like my quilts dramatic, and find them hard to come by, If I could make one, I’d like that pattern, with a black background and bright primary contrasting colors.

Wow, a number of other fasters today- I often see only one or two of us on wednesdays.

We can get this done ✔️

Day 19 Pocket list
@jaifaim
@i-hate-lettuce
@stitchincarol
@excelsior12309
@michelinme
@mariaelena

Day 20 Melb Aust. NFD

Well, this morning – drum roll please! – I weighed in at 3 kg (6.6 lb) below my starting weight at the beginning of January. Almost can’t believe it, but I’m very happy. Just have to persevere now.

@songbirdme, yes the test will have to be ordered by your doctor. It’s not an MRI though, it’s a calcium score CT scan, and they use very low level radiation for the scan, which is good. It’s useful for those of us with borderline high cholesterol. Now I’ve had a zero result, I won’t have to have another scan for 5 years (if I need to check progress). Of course, if I manage to reach my goal weight and my cholesterol drops a lot, it won’t be necessary to have another scan at all. That’d be nice.

Onward and downwards everyone.

Day 20 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – FD

We have this today – Pocket List Day 20
@daffodil2010
@funshipfreddie

Day 20 – UK – FD

Good day everyone
from the rainy Norwich.. very grey and cold here.

@betsylee @stitchincarol great results! congratulations!!

I woke up with a great news (one of my papers has been just accepted for publication) and I feel very energized.. good way of starting the FD!! Already went to the gym for a 30 minutes super light jog 🙂

Pocket List Day 20
@daffodil2010
@funshipfreddie
@northgeorgia
@froby79

Day 20 UK FD

After b2b FD800 Mon-Weds I’m somehow weighing the same as i did last Friday! But i feel thinner & my fat roll is shrinking so I’ll take that.

Late sleep again – texting w DD until after midnight as she didn’t feel well, Chemo is really hard. My trip out today was cancelled as showroom is having work done so instead I’m heading off to the local Aldi to stock up the store cupboard with tins etc. It’s the sort of trip I rarely make time for so feels like a treat!

This afternoon a bit of decluttering and/or some project planning – time to name, prioritise and schedule all the strands I’m carrying this year so I can weave in better balance. This evening the penultimate session of a course I’m leading then an early night. Last of my 4b2b FD800s this week and looking forward to my weekly weigh/measure tomorrow. It’ll be late lunch of cabbage soup and early supper of…. not sure, perhaps stir fried veg with quorn chicken? but a pudding of stewed apple with cinnamon, fresh mango with lime and a dollop of vegan yogurt – yum.

@betsylee – see, you’ve almost caught me up already! I’d say hare and tortoise but it sounds too energetic 😀
@stitchincarol epic loss – well done. And thank you for all your encouragement 🙂
@brightonbelle yay for visible results!

Pocket List Day 20
@daffodil2010
@funshipfreddie
@northgeorgia
@froby79
@brightonbelle
@michelinme

Day 20 – Rural Nebraska, USA – OMAD or perhaps WF

Yesterday ended up being more food than I’d thought of, but mid-afternoon, I suddenly realized I needed food. Wanted? Dunno, but I ate reasonably, simply in higher quantity than I’d intended. This evening, I’m flying to Colorado to stay with DD while SIL flies to Indiana for a job interview, so I have complete control of my eating until evening; don’t know if she’s planning on cooking after I arrive or not–and if she is, I’m sure she’s planning on ME cooking, LOL! If she is, I’m thinking I’ll try to talk her into fast food instead, and I’ll just not have anything so I can actually do a water fast. We’ll see how it all turns out.

@songbirdme One reason I was so excited to get to 145 was because, at that weight, I would officially no longer be overweight–I’ve known that number as the high-side marker for a 5’4″ woman since I was in grade school. Except. I’ve not only shrunk, I’ve shrunk a full two inches, and now I’m 5’2″ and clothes that fit me beautifully last time I was at 145 and below are still a bit snug on me, and now I have to be below 140 to be officially no longer overweight. All of that is to say, have you measured yourself lately? Is it possible you’ve shrunk more and that’s why the nurse said you’re 27BMI? And you’ve never said (or I never read?) if you’re going to accept that percentage and stick to your weight or if you plan to drop a few additional pounds…?

@betsylee That’s absolutely MARVELOUS; well, well done!!!

@froby79 Congratulations on the publication of your paper!! What field do you work in?

@brightonbelle How wonderful that you can see results that your scale doesn’t reflect; it’s very empowering when clothes fit better than they did!

@michelinme I can’t imagine being mom to a daughter going through cancer; I will most definitely keep her in prayer. Have you read about/told her about the anecdotal (and perhaps also scientific??) evidence that water fasting helps with chemo results? Perhaps you want to research it before her next round so she has time to prepare; if I remember correctly, it was 72 hours WF that helped so impressively.

Welcome, @sarahchadwick!

Pocket List Day 20
@daffodil2010
@funshipfreddie
@northgeorgia
@froby79
@brightonbelle
@michelinme
@stitchincarol maybe?

Day 20 – 16:8

Fast day went very well yesterday. The hearty soup I had for dinner came in at approx 500 AND left me feeling full through the evening. YAY!

I’m feeling very good, I restarted 5:2 eating in mid August at a much too high weight of 176, my calendar reminds me. That is 30lb ago. 🤪 Slow and steady does add up! When discounting the initial ~5lb water weight loss we see a pretty steady loss of just over a pound a week. My initial goal is 141 – healthy BMI for a 5’3” woman is in sight! Now I’m starting to consider where I WANT to set my weight range and maintenance eating habits. First thoughts are to change to 5:2 800 when I get to 141 and see what that does. Suggestions welcome.

@froby What fantastic and exciting news!! You are a research scientist, yes? If it is not impolite to ask, What area is the paper concerning? Kudos and much admiration from me!

I received a gift from my husband’s boss for the holidays – A bottle of non-alcoholic gin. (He gave husband a bottle of non alcoholic whiskey). I’ll be trying it tonight. Very curious.

Did I mention I picked up a red banana last grocery run? I was so curious. Wow that was yummy. Much stronger taste than a cavendish and sweeter while still firm. Since I like the sweetness of a well ripe cavendish banana but prefer the texture of a just yellow cavendish- I may try to get some more of the red, best of both!. I have been limiting my fruit severely – substituting extra veg, but I think I may be ready to add a bit more in.

@michelleinme I’m hoping your daughter feels much better soon.

@songbirdme It is interesting – the exercise/appetite experience different people have. I wish exercise had an appetite suppressant effect on me! I don’t experience that though. Im just thankful that it doesn’t increase my appetite noticeably either. No effect certainly is better than a difficult one. I wonder if time of day for exercise has any impact? I exercise in the morning when I don’t eat anyway, so that is a data point.

It is COLD here, so the neighborhood kittens are cavorting in the warmth (comparatively) of our garage again. I will no longer be able to call them kittens soon. We estimate they were born in mid July and are getting quite full size already.

Good thoughts to all, especially today’s fasters

Second post

@froby79
Quote
The paper is about moral self-efficacy and its role in decreasing the routinization of misconduct and of moral disengagement
End Quote

Not only does that sound fascinating, (I took and enjoyed a lot of moral philosophy and ethics classes in my schooling) it sounds like something we NEED in the world right now. I’m constantly shocked and appalled at the routinization of bad conduct in our world societies right now.

Congrats on the publication again!

Day 21, NFD, Aus

@songbirdme – don’t read further! The oysters were delivered yesterday morning; fortunately before OH had left for work so he was able to put them in the fridge. (They probably would have been ok because they were well packed in ice.) There were 3 dozen, some yuzu-based dipping sauce to freeze into granita, and a small accompanying bottle of sake. We also got gloves and a shucking knife. Yes, the oysters were unshucked! We’ve never shucked oysters before, but like many things in life, practice makes perfect. I still ended up with too much shell in my oysters (but at least we managed NOT to stab ourselves!) I feel like we earned our dinner. The granita was nice but a little to sweet for our palate.

Yay @betsylee – fab results. That has to serve as great motivation to keep on going.

Congrats @froby79! Your paper sounds really interesting – I hope you share with us the link once it’s published!

Day 21 – Ireland 🇮🇪 – NFD

Busy weekend of socialising with family ahead. I take a half day today and pick up my Dad who was due to stay with us for the weekend. He will be with us tonight though, so a few local pints of Guinness then home to a homemade steak pie (like my mother used to make).

The reason why Dad isn’t staying tomorrow is because my neice got engaged this week, so her father (my brother) is throwing a family engagement get together in his tomorrow evening. However, we also have p,ans to go out for dinner with DH’s children…sooooo, we drop my Dad up to my brothers fir the party, we stay and wish the happy couple every congratulations, leave Dad in my brothers to enjoy the party, then back down the road to meet the stepchildren at the restaurant at 6.30 as restaurants still finish at 8.00pm due to Covid!!!

Phew busy busy weekend.

Both DH and I feel great with all the Leslie walks, fat turning to muscle, feeling more flexible. DH is delighted…ha ha, I was doing Leslie for two years and now he wonders why I never told him about it!,, eh, I did ……but it wasn’t for him then 😆

Have a great weekend, I won’t have time to pop in so see you all on Monday. Keep the faith.

Day 21 – Ireland – NFD

Happy Friday everyone!

Busy work day here so wishing you all well and will check in later…
I am definitely feeling the benefit of the regular check ins and your support. Thank you!

Onward and downward ⬇️
We rise by lifting others 💕

Day 21 UK NFD

It was really hard not to eat yesterday evening despite a protein-tastic OMAD of eggs, vegan (soya) chorizo, beans, mushrooms, apple, mango and vegan yogurt. After drinking water and herbal tea and mooching around restlessly I mindfully ate 8 cashews – successfully ignoring all the other nuts calling my name. So FD800 + 8 cashews 🙂

I had a lovely time stocking up the store cupboard which always makes me happy. I’m easing myself off the ultra high processed food (vegan junk food) and more cooking from scratch. My cupboard is now full of lovely tins and packets – a whole alphabet of beans, tinned lentils to complement the dried ones, lentil and pea pastas – the beetroot and red lentil is such a beautiful colour, jackfruit, and more spices and condiments to create delicious vegan meals. I also bought some quick basics for busy days and packed lunches: sachets of red and wild rice, quinoa and seeds, spiced lentils. With my fortnightly fruit and veg box I feel all set!

Weekly weigh and measure today and weirdly I haven’t lost any more weight this week. tho I’m still down 7lb/3.2kg on the month which is epic. But..(drumroll)…. I’ve lost a whole inch/2.5cm from both my waist and hips -in a week! That’s an epic loss this challenge of 2″/5cm bust, 3″/7.5cm waist and 4″/10cm hips! Unsurprisingly my clothes are fitting better tho not yet gone down a size. An encouraging reminder that not all victories show on the scale…some are size, well-being, sleep, energy, breathing or BP, so when our weight is staying steady it doesn’t mean nothing is happening.

When I started this WOL back in Dec 2017 I called myself michelinme after the michelin tyres because I felt there was a puffy layer between me and the world, between me and myself. I inflate really easily with carbs or sugar, but the upside of inflating easily is that my body is easily eating up my fat suit. Already I feel more like me, tho a long way to go yet.

I’ve got today off which means three days without commitments – phew! But I know Future Me will be really glad I if I spend a couple of hours this afternoon on naming/prioritising and scheduling for project work. Reminding myself that planning time now will help to structure the next steps and avoid overwhelm in these next four busier weeks. Time for early nights and pacing – a different sort of self-care!

@betsylee what a great start! We’ve got this!

@at your dog walk day with DD sounds lovely. Hope DH is recovering well

@northgeorgia well done your WFD – and avoiding breakfast! I kept reading your ‘noon meeting’ as ‘zoom meeting’ and wondering why you couldn’t avoid temptations! 😀

@stitchincarol @songbirdme thank you for your prayers and good wishes for DD

@stitchincarol hope everything’s going well with your trip to be with DD – fingers crossed the baby waits til DSiL is back home

@daffodil2010 that sounds like a wonderful weekend. Well done on the Leslie walks – lovely that you are doing it together

Day 21 – 16:8

DH will return home this weekend. I miss him. In-laws are recovering. He’s been their ‘run errands guy’ and leaving items on the front porch, so his contact has been minimal to none, thank the heavens. One niece in the household remained Covid free according to tests and never felt sickly, so she’s been doing bulk of home caring. Very glad the worst of it seems to be over.

The non alcoholic gin made an interesting Gibson Martini, but not very good. It was very good in a gin and tonic tho. It has a more citrusy and less herbal taste than real gin. I think it might be very interesting in a Tom Collins, but I use diet tonic water in my G&T and don’t think I have ever seen a diet Tom Collins mix. Might have to look up if there is such a thing. @songbirdme Yes to the question – non alcoholic gin is 0 calories.

I made tuna salad (did I already mention this?) with avocado replacing the Mayo. It mostly worked, but tasted milder than regular tuna salad. I liked it, and will add it to a healthy meal rotation. Another oddity in my tuna salad, I don’t enjoy celery, but miss the crunch and taste it brings to tuna salad so I use water chestnuts and celery seed in my tuna salad. I may try bok choy stem next time too, it should add a peppery flavour.

@michelinme – I love the Michelin tire connection to your name. I’m obtuse I guess, I missed that on my own. I can relate!

@betsylee it is so wonderful when clothes look feel better – good on you! Different body types lose weight differently, I’m one of the lose it all over type, so my measurements change very slowly. My clothes are always my first indicator. For me this is true whether or not it is weight gain or weight loss.

@froby79 Thanks for the link! I’ll check it out today, because I think it is a fascinating topic and it thrills me to ‘know’ the presenter/author.

@stitchincarol I’m hoping I don’t get any shorter! My mom did (went from 5’ 5.5” to 5’ 2”) but my sister has kept her height (5’ 6”) so I’m keeping my fingers crossed. At 5’ 3.5” I can’t afford to lose any height! Lol. Except for mom in her last years, I’ve always been the shortest. My brothers and father tower over me.

Today is cold but very sunny, I think it will be a good day. One of our feline family is sickly, but our vet doesn’t require masks (and in our kneck of the woods that means virtually everyone goes maskless) so I have an appointment with a new vet (masks required) today.

Wishing everyone well.

Day 22 – Ireland – NFD

Ireland opens up today… I am freaked at the suddenness of it all and still don’t want to get Covid but will get there…💪

Well done @michelinme on your fantastic shrinkage!

@songbirdme I have a dexa scan next week… it’s been 20 years since my last one so it will be interesting. I feel I have good bones… BUT we will see…. 👍 🦴

@mariaelena I have tried a number of non alcoholic gins and other lovely drinks. I find some of them to be little more than flavoured water but there are some exceptional ones… Gordon 0.0 and Lyre are fab! Clean Gin is good. Also cans of Lyre spritzers are delish. Guinness 0.0 is the best non alcoholic beer I have found and I do love my Guinness 😋

@froby79 your work sounds so interesting and I’m sure many of us have come across good employees doing bad things🤔 I’m looking forward to watching your webinar… I have a few colleagues I’m not looking forward to sharing space with again … so I’m very interested thank you!

Speaking of which I’m working today… we are very busy at the moment so will pop off and catch up tomorrow.

Onward and downward ⬇️
We rise by lifting others 💕

Day 22 – USA/GA – NFD

Weigh-in: 217 lbs. Plateau ho-hum. Did ZBC today. Hope I can stay away from 220, but it might happen tomorrow or Monday. Not sure when to fast again.

A bewildering week awaits. My mother’s birthday is next week as is their 50th anniversary, as well as another chamber of commerce dinner. Egads.

I roll my eyes at January. Fingers crossed for a better February!