Day 16- USA (NE TN)- NFD

Glad it’s a NFD. We are having a fabulous, fatty scrumptious pork roast today. It simmers away in the slow-cooker!

Strength today. Also, running the male teen around to biology lab camp to knock out the lab credit for Biology. The younger 2 are sick with the cold, but are well enough to do a bit of schooling today. With breaks of course.

I’m ravenous and ready to eat an enormous salad as soon as I feed the kiddos midday.
Which is in a moment so I’m off to feed the herd as soon as I finish this post.

@songbirdme -Sadly I end up repeating that statement to my hubby multiple times a week. I do indeed mean well. Sigh…I just bungle it up sometimes.

@gretta -Maybe I’ll try the niacin. I already do the mag oil and while it helps with my Restless Leg, it doesn’t help with sleep. I keep my caffeine in the am and early PM but it doesn’t seem to help. I get less than 300mg I think. To help with my stupid Sjogren’s, I tried an elimination diet in which caffeine was one of the things to go completely. No help on the sleep front. I think I can mentally sense mice rustling 3 states away in my sleep or something. It’s nice to have a superpower, but I need to sleep and this isn’t a useful talent. LOL!

@ciren2 – SongBirdMe has it perfect. They test 4 subjects: English, Reading, Math, and Science. There’s an optional 5th: Writing (required by some colleges but not all), which she took this time. It’s a college entrance exam you have to get a minimum on to be admitted to university and is often used by colleges/universities and federal agencies to award merit-based scholarships. You can take it many times to improve your score but the cost adds up and it requires quite a bit of study as the questions are often deliberately tricky. So you have to take it to get in to college, and it’s nice if you do well because you get financial help. Mainly right now, as we’re planning on having her use a state-sponsored scholarship where she gets free-tuition for 2 years of a community college (2-year institution, associates degrees) after which she can transfer to a Bachelor’s program elsewhere, I mainly need her to get a decent English score so she can take a dual enrollment class to get credit for her final year English class AND Freshman Composition (at the collegiate level.)

@daffodil2010 -That’s crazy! I checked multiple times before I even made the 2nd post before whining about it. And now the first one is there. I think it just wants to mess with me to be annoying and encourage me to be annoying by complaining…like I need any help with that. Ha! I think I’m figuring this all out, so hopefully I won’t blunder upon any more issues.

Sending positive vibes to all the Pocket Listers today.
Have a great day, all!

Hi @cheshire, & welcome! I copied the below from the June Challenge; hope it helps you to decipher most of the abbreviations. You can add yourself to the spreadsheet. Good luck!

IF Intermittent Fasting
WOL Way of Life
FD Fast Day (500 cals)
MFD Modified Fast Day (800 cals) on the new Fast800, it’s a FD
WFD Water Fast Day (Water only)
CFD Controlled Fast Day (1200 cals)
NFD Non Fast Day
EFS Epic Face Stuffing (we’ve all had one of those days!)
5:2 5 days NFD:2 days IF
ADF Alternate Day Fast, FD, NFD
16:8 16 hours fast 8 hours non fast
B2B Back 2 Back (days of FD or WFD)
Hunger Dragon – that dreadful psychological beast that sometimes cannot be satisfied
DD, DS Darling Daughter, Son
OH, Other Half
LOL Laughing Out Loud
Keto, way of eating that generates Ketones
LC, Low Carb way of eating
LCHF, Low Carb High Fat way of eating
TDEE: Total Daily Energy Expenditure (see the ‘how it works’ link on the home page to work out yours)

Day 16 Ohio, US — NFD (62 bites)

The NFD has gone well and I’ve hit all my meal time targets. Packing is still going on and they picked up the canister this morning. I haven’t heard anything about how the inspection turned out. I’m hoping that in this case silence is golden and that the two real estate agents are just working out the final details. Since the remnants of tropical storm Barry are supposed to drench the state tonight and most of tomorrow, I’ll have to delay my road trip to find a new place to live. So more packing tomorrow!

Hope you’re able to enjoy the light of the full moon wherever you are!

Day 17: Gloucestershire, UK, NFD:

Very quick call-in as, I have to rush off to work, which is bound to be busy….being a Wednesday!
See you later….

Day 17 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

Busy, busy! Happy Hump Day to all! 🐫

Day 17 – Stratford Upon Avon, UK – FD

B2B2B

It would appear I’ve been doing MFD not FDs (probably why I’m finding it so easy at the moment!)(thank you @funshipfreddie for the abbreviations) so now I’m a little confused between a 500Cal fast and a 800cal fast. I though the new research moved the calorie post to 800cals on a FD? or do most people find sticking to 500cals is just more effective?

Either way I’m not going to stress about it too much as I am making really good food choices and sticking with it – but now thinking I should drop to 500cals on my FDs. Any advise folks? I do have a long road ahead of me and I don’t want to trip myself up as right now I’m in the zone.

@daffodil2010 I usually don’t drink on work nights so I am ‘dry’ Mon-Thurs but like to enjoy a few drinks at the weekend. Our dog tries to pull us into the pub whenever we walk by (there’s a doggie treat jar on the bar!) I have discovered recently I enjoy soda and lime so now I often opt for this as an attempt to limit my intake! but….nothing beats a cider on a warm, hazy, summer evening

Pocket list Day 17.
@daffodil2010
@gretta
@yo-yo

Day 17 USA (Illinois) NFD

Good day yesterday despite some McDonald’s as I was starving on a trip from getting a car looked at in Wisconsin. That’s where our dealership is. Yoga last evening was terrific. It is so beneficial for my back – I have 3 degenerated disks, so doing my best to avoid any serious treatment. Our yoga teacher knows what we need in this class.

@brightonbelle — I envy your trip to see the Tour! Maybe someday… who knows. Enjoy yourself.

@yo-yo — Chuckled out loud that your dog knows the pub has treats! Wow! What a temptation for you all to go in and indulge!

@cheshire – yes, this is a very warm and welcoming group. Consider yourself “one of us” as they say in “Oliver.” (To me, everything has a song.)

Onward and downward.

Day 16- USA (NE TN)- NFD
Day 17-FD

The younger 2 are sick with the cold, but are well enough to do a bit of schooling today. With breaks of course.

I wrote all the following yesterday but it did not post, even though it said it did.

@songbirdme -Sadly I end up repeating that statement to my hubby multiple times a week. I do indeed mean well. Sigh…I just bungle it up sometimes.

@gretta -Maybe I’ll try the niacin. I already do the mag oil and while it helps with my Restless Leg, it doesn’t help with sleep. I keep my caffeine in the am and early PM but it doesn’t seem to help. I get less than 300mg I think. To help with my stupid Sjogren’s, I tried an elimination diet in which caffeine was one of the things to go completely. No help on the sleep front. I think I can mentally sense mice rustling 3 states away in my sleep or something. It’s nice to have a superpower, but I need to sleep and this isn’t a useful talent. LOL!

@ciren2 – SongBirdMe has it perfect. They test 4 subjects: English, Reading, Math, and Science. There’s an optional 5th: Writing (required by some colleges but not all), which she took this time. It’s a college entrance exam you have to get a minimum on to be admitted to university and is often used by colleges/universities and federal agencies to award merit-based scholarships. You can take it many times to improve your score but the cost adds up and it requires quite a bit of study as the questions are often deliberately tricky. So you have to take it to get in to college, and it’s nice if you do well because you get financial help. Mainly right now, as we’re planning on having her use a state-sponsored scholarship where she gets free-tuition for 2 years of a community college (2-year institution, associates degrees) after which she can transfer to a Bachelor’s program elsewhere, I mainly need her to get a decent English score so she can take a dual enrollment class to get credit for her final year English class AND Freshman Composition (at the collegiate level.)

@daffodil2010 -That’s crazy! I checked multiple times before I even made the 2nd post before whining about it. And now the first one is there. I think it just wants to mess with me to be annoying and encourage me to be annoying by complaining…like I need any help with that. Ha! I think I’m figuring this all out, so hopefully I won’t blunder upon any more issues.

Sending positive vibes to all the fellow Pocket Listers today.
Pocket list Day 17.
@daffodil2010
@gretta
@yo-yo
@stardustdream

Have a great day, all!

Day 18 Melb Aust (very early a.m) CD

Have been MIA for some days, but finally getting back into the swing of things. Post-viral exhaustion is the main lingering problem; the asthma is well on the way to settling.

@ciren2, yes, over-65s get a free flu jab here, and it usually protects you against 3 or 4 strains of the flu (this year 4). I have it every year. Unfortunately, this year, one of the flu strains mutated after the vaccine was produced, so a LOT of people are getting the flu, a lot more than normal, and some folk have even died of flu complications. The hospitals are almost overwhelmed.
For me – This is the second year in a row that I’ve had the flu shot, then later caught the flu, but prior to that – no flu that I recall as an adult, so up till 2018 I was very fortunate.

Apart from that, the effects of the cortisone have been wearing off, so no more fluid retention. I’m about 0.4 kg down on the start of the month, and mean to make the second half of the month one of good losses. Tried to catch up on posts – too many. CD for the 18th, FD on Friday.

Let’s go for a major downward trend everyone, to finish the month!

@stardustdream: Thanks for the explanation of the entrance exams. I hope your daughter passes with flying colours!
@michelinme: Good that you can go on holiday, have no FDs and not gain weight. Pat on the back for you.
@betsylee: Every year there’s a certain amount of guesswork about what to include in the flu vacs. I think we look towards Australia when we decide on ours as you get it first. Luckily most people get away with just a couple of flu bouts in a whole lifetime. I remember having it at 14…..but not really since, and I’m 65 now.
@cheshire: I used to like water fasting…..no messing about with calorie-counting, eh?

Day 18 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – FD

My last two NFDs were NOT good. On Wednesday I somehow demolished an entire Toblerone while I was watching a documentary about Harold Shipman, the UK’s most prolific serial killer😱. I’m staying away from the scales until after today’s FD. Major reset today!

@daffodil2010 – how did your one-day egg fast go? Eggs really do seem to be the ideal fast day food. They’re filling, have so many nutrients, yet so few calories.

It’s Nelson Mandela International Day today. A quote from the great man himself:
“It always seems impossible until it’s done”.

Pocket List – Day 18
@funshipfreddie

Day 18 – Melbourne Aus – NFD

Kitchen closed at 650cal yesterday. It seems its about all I can manage some days – but better than nothing. Weighed in at 70.1, so I’m pretty much maintaining around 69.5-70.5kg, but can’t crack <69 goal. I’ll take that for now.

Got a call from mum today, my gran is likely not going to be around for more than a week or two, so probably going to take some time off work to spend those last few days with her. Will just see how I go fasting wise.

@daffodil2010 similar thing happened to me, renovating a derelict house and feeling very overwhelmed about the work we had taken on, newly engaged and going through a rough patch, troubles at work, and boom – panic attacks! I’m glad I went an got help, it’s literally changed me for the better into a much more resilient person. I’m glad you are on top of your anxiety – I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

@yo-yo-fletch the original fast diet book had 500cal (600 for men) for 2 days per week. The 800cal they suggest you can do every day for up to 12 weeks, then drop to 2 days or so once you’ve dropped a bit of weight. I try and stick to 2x 500cal days (though as I mentioned it’s sometimes a little more), but you just need to find what works for you. If you’re happy with 3x 800cal FD’s per week, then stick with that! Everyone is different, you just need to find a good routine that works for you 😊

@songbirdme 3 degenerated disks? Ouch!

@stardustdream definitely give the niacin a go (apparently good for skin and hair too – bonus!!) – @flourbaby got me onto it, and I’m a total convert!! It sounds like my nights sleep, always alert!! Grrrrrrr

Day 18 – Stratford Upon Avon, UK – FD
Day 19 – CD
Day 20 – NFD
Day 21 – NFD

B2B2B2B

@funshipfreddie and @gretta – I guess that makes sense, but sometimes it takes someone to say it to you! Thank you. I just need to find my groove 🙂

Last FD of the week for me. Busy weekend ahead. Need to be mindful on my NFDs – don’t want to undo all my hard work!

Pocket List – Day 18
@funshipfreddie
@yo-yo

Day 18: Gloucestershire, UK: NFD

Relieved (somewhat) to report that DD in Australia DID receive her birthday flowers and gift-card email yesterday, after a fright or two with the (expensive) flower delivery service! The mail, however, has let us down….the card I posted 12 days ago has not arrived. Tut! However long does it take to get a card to Australia via airmail??? She tell me the postal service is “erratic”. Not quite our good old Royal Mail then, eh?

Quite a busy day at work today….started off badly when the final delivery lorry from Bristol conked out in our yard….with our mail shut inside! Luckily one of our men managed to spot a disconnected earth wire between the cab and the trailer…..held it together with a broom-handle just long enough to enable us to lower the tailgate and get the mail out. Also, later, all our vans were just about able to get out of our small, cramped yard around the broken-down lorry to go out on our deliveries. The mail MUST get through.
He had to wait for the RAC to fix the lorry before he could get on his way. All I know was that he’s gone by the time I got back off my delivery four hours later.

@brightonbelle and @ktcaroline…..mine has been on extended leave!

Day 18, VA, USA, FD B2B2B2B

I’ve let my FDs just roll one into the next since right now they are easy. I don’t mind eating the 500 calories.

I’ll have some good ol’ eating days coming up this weekend so no worries about fasting fatigue (which is soooo real) If I WF for several days in a row it is much hard to keep coming back to it. The one meal of broth is so balancing to me.

@daffodil2010 – I made it, but good grief I’m subbing a lot this week many teachers are out due to vacations and I can tel that I’m glad this is not my ‘normal’ schedule for teaching yoga. – – – did I read that correct you are back to egg fasting?! I’d be so done with eggs…ha I’m sorta Keto fasting. Meaning I’ve been reg FDs since Sunday evening and have made all of them kept friendly or low/no carb in general.

@brightonbelle – lately if I have been thrown off track from a fasting day, its been good to identify what is the cause… Is it someone else cooking and then asking me if I want some? Or is it that I didn’t make a plan for the day and just got hungry at the first whif of some tasty restaurant near by and then just WANT it? Once I am able to identify what is the “trigger” I think write out a game plan to help with ideas the next time the “trigger” happens. The thing I try first is to drink at least 8oz of water. If that doesn’t do it, I try a dash of salt under the tongue and then drink 8oz more water. Then I’ll try broth. – Its also nice if my SO wants to have a cocktail and I have a mocktail of fizzy water and lime slice. I still feel like I’m participating but without the calories! BTW have an excellent trip and worry not about fasting, it will be here when you get back.

@yo-yo fletch – 500 cal vs 800 cal (500 cal or less tends to work better (for women) if you are doing the 5:2) but 800 can work for some people. It would never move the weight off of me tho. If I have an 800 cal day, its not bad but I don’t lose weight. So you have to test it out and see what works for your body.

@cheshire – I too have problems with portion. I WF at the beginning of the day and have 1 meal which I measure the calories so that I have the correct size. (I don’t have to do it anymore, b/c now I know, but at first I measured and calculated my fasting meals b/c otherwise I would go way over)

@betsylee – I’m glad to see you back, asthma is down right hard.

@georgia83 – freaking love the expression “knackered” I must use it more! (Sorry you felt that way tho)

@penz – ugh the cold/flu glad to have you back and hope you are feeling even better.

@funshipfreddie – sitting down with the Toblerone would have me IN TROUBLE-RONE you are not alone. My trick is…. IF I want chocolate, I make myself a fancy plate with a little napkin and then break off the portion size (READ the calories, that usually helps me make a better choice) take 2 or 3 pieces set them out neatly on your napkin/plate. Then sit and watch the show. If I take a bag of chips/ or even a huge salad that I should save 1/2 for later. I will EAT IT ALL watching a show!. So my lesson for me at least, is just take the correct portion in while watching anything and/or distracted.

Pocket List – Day 18
@funshipfreddie
@yo-yo
@rabbette B2B2B2B

Day 19, Aus, NFD

Checking in. I seem to have retained half the egg fast loss (ie. 1 kg down) so not complaining about that. Am planning an indulgent foodie weekend – cooking cassoulet tomorrow night. ’tis the weather for it. Then back to 5:2 next week.

Glad your daughter received her birthday flowers on time, @ciren2. And enough said about Australia Post! Stamp prices increase and service seems to decline.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

Day 19: Gloucestershire, UK, NFD:

A very quick “hello”……or I’ll be late for work. It seems to be raining this morning, first time in….well….WEEKS, I think!
See you later xx

Day 19, Rocky Mountains, US, NFD

Hello all,

Since my last check in all of my days were NFD. I am still the caregiver of my elderly friends, now got both of them as she came home from the hospital Wednesday. I am staying in the second bedroom and helping with everything.
My DH cooks every day for all of us.
No time for fasting at the moment. It is too stressful.
Hope you are all well. No time to read posts. Just wanted to let you know I am still here and thinking of all of you.

All the best to all of you!🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

Day 19, VA, USA, CD

I will be lying to myself if I say today will be a FD – because usually there is a drink or some kind of cocktail to be had later on Friday.

But hey if I surprise myself then cool FD maybe!

@daffodil2010 – lol awnings! My sweetheart and I have a very basic conversion van (no shower/potty) so you really have quite the luxury. and we usually set up a TARP with 3 tent poles as our awning. This past year is the first time we got the best looking awning shape from a 20×10 tarp. usually it works well but looks like the dickens! ha

@redrockgirl302 – you and your sweetheart rock! hugs to you both for strength during this time. Remember when you get a chance to also take breaks for yourselves.

@michelinme – totally understand the NSFH (not safe for home) mine is peanut butter filled pretzels (there are also chocolate covered ones) *seriously did they really need to go that far… none the less, crisp/chips of nealy any kind will also get me. funny enough I’m not a fan of just plain peanut butter (I thank the gods/goddesses everyday) I don’t like the smell of peanut butter – but I do LOVE it in things…. especially those dang pretzels! Good for you for putting the brakes on tho!!!!

@funshipfreddie – minefield! – Yup totally agree . or a MINDfield where my MIND wants ALL of it. I belive my mind is very much related to veruca salt.

Waving at you all as the waggon passes me. Sorry I vanished into thin air. This has not been my month for sticking to good intentions, and I am now going on actual proper holiday as well. So, best of luck to everyone, sorry to dip in and out. Enjoy the season and hope to have my ducks in a row to catch up with you soon.

Day 20 Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 NFD

Sitting quietly at the back of the wagon, continuing my Monday and Thursday FDs and maintenance going well. I find it easier in summer, no problems drinking enough water.

When the road gets bumpy hang on tighter 🤗

Day 20 Melb Aust CD

Surprised this morning to find that I’m actually 0.8 kg DOWN from the start of the month, despite being ill. It’s a very happy feeling!

@ciren2, Australian mail is generally very good, BUT…. erratic at times. An American relative sent 2 Christmas cards in December 2 years ago, one to me and one for me to send on. The “to send on” one came in about 10 days, which for overseas mail is reasonable. I received nothing, and asked about it rather than get upset, to be assured there was a card for me, and they were both posted at the same time – mine arrived after 82(!) days. Weird, to say the least.

Thank you to the various wellwishers re the flu. It’s good to be much better, and I hope @penz that you are also recovering well.

I was interested to read of the flu vaccines in the northern hemisphere being produced dependent on what was happening in Australia previously, as here, the authorities generally say they are producing vaccines against whatever was in the northern hemisphere’s winter (six months before ours).

@daffodil2010, hope the trial run goes well with the camper. A good idea to test out all the systems.

@matpi, great that the house is definitely sold so you can move on to a new abode, though 3 week’s settlement seems an awfully short time for you to finish packing and be out. Do you have an interim place to stay, or have you already chosen the new home?

Happy holidays to the posters having a break – come back next month re-invigorated!

Keep on keeping on the downward trail everyone!