Day 20 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

@lilymartin – yessss!! 💪 I think it’s only fair you should round up that 900 g to a kilo 🎯

@penz – you’re not wrong, so cold?!! And windy & showery. Currently 12 C (feels like 9 C, according to my phone) at 10:40 am. If I didn’t have to feed the cat & collect my washing I think I’d still be under the duvet 🥶️ Have you read ‘Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones’ by James Clear? I think someone else on the forum mentioned it recently too. It’s a multi-million copy bestseller, & might be just what you need to get your mojo back on track. I’ve only just started reading it though, & my mojo’s okay anyway. But check out the reviews to see what you think…
https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299 That’s the USA link to Amazon though; the Kindle version is a lot cheaper on the UK site.

Have a great day everyone ⛄️

Pocket List – Day 20 🍒
@jaifaim
@daffodil2010

Day 20 – Rural Nebraska, USA – WFD – 156.0

Gah on the weight–that’s what happens after a weekend of too much food and a Monday that was controlled but still not as limited as would have helped. Today will help, so I’m hopeful tomorrow’s number is better.

My good news is that I finally got myself to go back to the gym. Dh helped me yesterday with the various machines and which to do and how, and I really was content while we were there–I don’t particularly ENJOY the gym, but I know what happens to my muscles when I go, so I was pleased to be there. My plan is MWF, and I’ll consider adding serious walking into the mix at another time.

Some friends are celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary this Sunday, and together with their four daughters, we other three couples are throwing them a surprise dinner party on Sunday. I’m in charge of the menu and of cooking much of it, and another friend–the one with a huge home–is hosting it. My mind is almost completely absorbed in the final plans (still struggling over what recipe to use for the potato dish) and the grocery shopping and the start of preparation. And since I slept late this morning and then it took 35 minutes to water everything in preparation for our scorching day today, I’m out of time…someday I’ll get to read everyone’s posts and chatter back at you!

Have a grand one, everyone!

Day 21, FD, Aus

Thanks for the encouragement, @lilymartin, @jaifaim and others.

It. Will. Be. A. FD. Today.

Day 21 – Ireland 🇮🇪 – NFD
Midsummer or Midwinter

Longest day of the year. My app states that the sun officially rises in my little part of the world at 4:56am and sets at 21:58…….however this not accounting for the looooong pre-dawn and also the twilight.

For example, I woke at crazy hour this morning due to the stultifying heat, looked out the front window and saw a lot of brightness in the sky due North. I figured it was 4am….but NO, the clock told me it was only 2:30am, and the light in the sky was equivalent to what we have at 7:30am in winter!!!!

Still have this tummy problem, just a dull pain and ache in the gastro area, reminiscent of the time I was juicing food from the unknownst to me latex family (avacado, celery, apples and others) and as I have a latex intolerance I was slowly poisoning myself ha ha

As DH also has it we must have some gastro bug. Hey ho

I might look up that book @lilymartin and @ funshipfreddie as I try anything to help me on this road. 😄

Oh and sad goings on in the hous next door. The family have gone for a weeks holiday since Sunday morning. They are neighbours who “keep themselves to themselves” so we haven’t swapped numbers or anything. We only know they are on holiday as he is slightly friendlier and mentioned to DH they were going camping this week,

aNYWAY…..within an hour of them leaving we saw two fledgling starling birds trying to get out their front room window. They must have come down the chimney!!! Four days later they are still there flapping at the window and cannot get out. Nobody has a number for our neighbours so they can send somebody over. So we can see the windows and presumably the front room getting progressively covered in bird drippings, and assuming no food and drink in there, how long will the little lads last.

It’s so sad to see them thing to get out 😱 And we cannot do a single thing.
On that note, cheerio

Day22 FD NZ Winter Solstice 02.57am

@daffodil2010 Cannot the SPCA and the police break into the house to rescue the birds when it is life threatening?
@funshipfreddie Have you invested in cowboy boots and a Stetson yet? I used to do Western riding in the USA in the 1980s and have the gear – black satin shirt with turquoise tassels, boots, spurs, boot leg jeans and a black Stetson (no chaps!).
Yesterday was going OK but in the evening I was tidying up the kitchen and started to descend into an EFS. Just managed to pull myself back…
Luckily it’s a FD for me today.

Pocket List
Merry🍎

Day 22 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – FD

I’ve been sleeping so well?! Not that I was sleeping poorly before. I don’t go to bed that late, but I’m usually awake around 7 am or not much later. This week I’ve been waking up after 8 am almost every day, & my sleep scores have rocketed. I wondered if the artificial sweetener had anything to do with it, because I’ve reduced my consumption by half. I googled it, & I just saw this, from a study done on animals (not that I condone experimenting on animals!) “In our system, a chronic diet with artificial sweetener puts animals in a fasting state. When animals are hungry, sleep quality is impaired because their bodies are receiving messages from the brain that they have not eaten enough and should spend more awake time looking for food. Researchers recommend that individuals consume sucralose with moderation to avoid weight gain and sleepless nights.”

@penz & @jaifaim – the line-dancing was okay. I was marginally better than the last time. There was a new person there who was so bad I looked like John Travolta next to her. I hope she comes back 😅

@daffodil2010 – Yay for the starlings! I hope these poor guys trapped in the mini-sub are as lucky. I just heard they’re going to run out of oxygen any minute. Can’t imagine the horror; one of them is only a teenager. 😒

@merryapple – I’d be happy to wear a Stetson! And I’ve got jeans. The cowboy boots though? Sounds expensive 😳

Great to hear of progress being made, mojo returning. @penz, @daffodil2010 💪 🎯

“The bottom line is – if you want to be successful, start by repetition. It’s a must, and there’s no way around it. So, find something that works and keep doing it until it becomes a habit. Then, and only then, will success be yours.” ~ Grant Cardone

Pocket List – Day 22 🔋 🥦🍄
@merry🍎
@jaifaim
@daffodil2010
@funshipfreddie

Day 23, NFD, Aus

Fri-yay!

yay for the birds and your new number, @daffodil2010. Have your neighbours now shared contact information?

@merryapple: ric rac? That’s a new one to me. (But I love google. I know the answer now – that kind of pattern on a scale is surely better than the coastline indentation of Norwegian fjords!)

have a great weekend, everyone.

Hey, have you noticed the silence from the States? We couldn’t log in!! The site had a message of not being reachable, and we were flat out of luck…or, at least, I’m assuming that’s why @northgeorgia and @excelsior12309 also have not posted. I was thankful that I always have the button clicked to get emails from the group, so I could at least read the chatter even though I couldn’t reply to any of it. I’m so glad to be back; my morning routine feels actually quite ruined when I can’t chat with my Forum friends!

Day 23 – Rural Nebraska, USA – NFD

I started out with the plan of FD500 yesterday, and ended up far past that…I’m not even sure what busted my RESOLVE. Thankfully, it wasn’t an EFS, but merely an NFD. Today, I’ve been out in the yard for the last two hours, getting the last of the planting done (a couple things I’ve been procrastinating on and a couple of things I couldn’t resist at the plant store and found a place to tuck), so I’ve burned those calories and had a lovely time. I always chuckle that if you were to suggest I spend two hours in my house tidying and putting away, I’d say I had better things to do; spending two hours in my yard tidying and putting away (or whatever the comparable language would be) is great fun for me and something I’m happy to do! 🤪😂

Today is my weekly Zoom call with my three sisters, and then I drive in to Omaha where I’m helping at the quilt guild quilt show; helping will be fun and looking at all the quilts will be glorious. I had several entered last year, but have quilted almost not at all this year so had nothing to enter. Next year.

The big news is that I went to the gym and did weights on Monday and again on Wednesday. I didn’t go this morning because I really wanted to get the gardening finished up, so I’ll go tomorrow morning. It’s dangerous to put it off a day, because that’s setting a precedent, but I’m quite determined to keep to my three-days-a-week routine that I’ve begun, so I’m confident I’ll get there.

And here’s a recipe I tried and absolutely adore: https://pinchofyum.com/cucumber-agua-fresca?utm_source=convertkit&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=I%E2%80%99ve+Made+This+5x+in+the+Last+2+Weeks+%F0%9F%98%8B%20-%2011038784 I chose to use fresh mint (not basil) and fresh ginger (not lemongrass) and think this is a perfect summer beverage. I’m not sure how it will work for those of you in winter, but you’ll want it in your own summer, I can assure you!

Okay, I’m quitting here because I have to get ready for the call. OH, but it’s good to be back!

Have a grand one, everyone!

Day 23 – USA/GA – NFD

Yep, I’ve been locked out for three days or so. Happy to see we Americans can participate again! Not sure what happened, but hey ho.

Weighed in at 218 today, so that was nice. Haven’t been too “bad” today, but will probably be in the low 220s again tomorrow and this weekend. I decided to do beans in the crockpot this morning while at work, and even my nephew and niece had some! Still, planning my next FD on Sunday and working on getting back to the 210s and 200s.

Day 24 – Ireland 🇮🇪 – NFD

Awake at 4am with the heat so got busy, and here I am at 8am with the gardening done, my walk over and done with, final stage of holiday sorted, various bits and bobs completed. And fixings for tonight’s meal already cooking in advance.

My plan to do nothing while DH was away isn’t working ha ha 😆

I have to buy him his birthday present today (it’s the 29th), do some food shopping, and then I will relax for the rest of the weekend in this lovely sunshine. It has been a magical June weather wise in Ireland.

Woke to same weight as yesterday so yay!!!

Interesting article @funshipfreddie, and having worked for a large multinational drinks company based in Ireland, I am sure that legislation is causing huge headaches. But those who want to drink, will drink, despite what’s on the can or bottle, that’s my opinion anyway.

Welcome back US posters, it was super quiet without you. @stitchincarol that aqua Fresca looks amazing, but I would have to physce myself up to dig out the juicer again, (after my latex food allergy juicing debacle two years ago 😄)

Have a lovely Saturday. I sure intend to. ZBC ( which is hard at the weekend), eggs and mushrooms for lunch, and chicken with white beans and a green veg for dinner. There will be wine 🍷

Day 24 – Rural Nebraska, USA – NFD

Had a miserable bout of gas yesterday that was so bad I ended up not volunteering for the quilt show. Made me sad not to work and not to see all the quilts, but I was nearly in tears I hurt so badly and there was no way for me to go in and be functional. Have never figured out why I’m having gas on a regular basis and sure wish I weren’t!

@daffodil2010 What a busy few hours you had to start your Saturday! And your dinner plans sounds amazing; I’d have wine too. Yeah, I can see how getting out your juicer would cause nightmares for you, but this uses a blender; would that make it easier?

@funshipfreddie I kept trying to figure out what was happening that the entire country was locked out–because I was sure that was the thing, and not just me–and how I could let someone know, and it felt just like the situation with @daffodil2010‘s neighbors’ birds, LOL–there was no way to contact anyone! 😂😂

@jaifaim Good for you for doing weights and planks! I’ve made my plan for today and will head to town to buy the groceries I ended up not able to stop and buy yesterday afternoon, then will come home and make potatoes pavé (a current TikTok sensation that DS26 talked me into; the first step is to slice them on a mandolin, toss them in duck fat and stack them in a pan and then bake them way low for 3 hours), and then, while they’re baking, walk to the gym. So it’s third on the list for today, but it IS on the list. 😇

@excelsior12309 Nicely done eating within reason yesterday! It’s the individual days that add up to success.

I’ve been reading a bit of Atomic Habits and it’s brilliant. Once we get past tomorrow’s surprise dinner party, I plan to spend some time out in my garden reading that book–looking forward to it, with the dinner party behind me, and the garden mostly done. Of course, I’ll keep glancing up and see all the things I should weed and tidy and improve, LOL, but then I’ll just make myself look back at my Kindle.

Okay, I’m off; have a grand one, everyone!

Interesting, @northgeorgia. Here’s the post I saw on email–different from the post I see above on the site.

NorthGeorgia wrote on June Jumpstart 🔋:

Day 24 – USA/GA – NFD

Weigh-in: 220 lbs. Hmmm, yes, I was locked out… but I could declare I posted something here last night after being unable to access the site for a few days — but now no posts are here. Uh oh! Let me see if this posts! Anyway, tomorrow will be my FD.

Day 25 – Ireland 🇮🇪 – NFD

I had a super relaxing day yesterday once all my work was completed by 10.30am (that 4am start sure kick started the day), and yes @funshipfreddie I had a lunchtime siesta instead of lunch ☺️

As DH is away I also got to watch a show on Netflix that I enjoyed as I knew that DH would never in a hundred years watch, and it was great to sit watching to until 11pm as I rarely rarely even watch tv these days! It was still bright to the North West nearing midnight!! I forget how far North I am, and with no light pollution around here there seems to be light in the sky at all times.

Back up a pound or so, but don’t mind, will whittle that down again. Still full of mojo.

Yes, re the smoking and drinking adverts @funshipfreddie, and there does not seem to be as many people smoking now. But those who do, do, despite the horrific photos on cigarette packs. And I have noticed that younger people don’t drink as much as my generation. We were bombarded with it in the 80’s and 90’s, and working for a drinks company with loads of marketing social nights outs, alcohol was the big thing. We even had a team called the “Spirits Invigoration Team” and within a years or so the Gin explosion began!

Anyhoo, waiting in DH to arrive home from his motorcycle trip, and looking forward to hearing how he got on

Hope you feel better @stitchincarol.

Until tomorrow X

Day 25 – USA/GA – FD

Weigh-in: 220 lbs. But to be fair, I just weighed in. Still, good to be the same as yesterday and now a FD. Had a cookout and then my mom’s pulse began to race. She wanted to go home and check her blood pressure — it was not bad, but her pulse was 140! She kept insisting to wait, to wait. Finally, she let us take her to the ER, and she was having an AFib episode. The first bad one. They were preparing to shock her heart, when it thankfully resolved itself. She follows up with a cardiologist on Monday. None of this can be psychologically pleasant. My dad also had AFib, was taking the same medication that has been prescribed to her that made him feel horrible, and the same cardiologist assigned that, if I’m not mistaken, was the same one that told my dad “his numbers looked fine” until a year later — when he insisted something wasn’t right, they did a new test, and discovered the blockages that required the bypass surgery. Yeah, we may need to make a LOT of changes on their recommendations before it’s over with…

Pocket List – Day 25 🍋
@funshipfreddie
@northgeorgia

Day 26 – Ireland 🇮🇪 – NFD

Not an FD but will be a good day. Had a great weekend, but scales show increase from Friday weight. That would be the wine and the Guinness. 😆

We had such a freaky hailstorm yesterday. DH and I were sitting outside in our glass covered patio, all doors wide open, sun awning down, enjoying the afternoon with a Guinness in hand. Then it got very dark, very quickly, thunder, lightening, rain, then ginormous hailstones, never saw the line before in Ireland, and despite rushing around closing all the patio doors, the force and volume of the rain and hail caused water to flood into the patio and through the glass doors from the ceiling.

Thank goodness the hail did not get my tomatoes, the baby toms would have been destroyed. Only lasted about 10 minutes but never saw that in Ireland before. Freaky weather indeed.

@northgeorgia my thoughts with you and your Mom.

Have a good Monday all.

Day 26 – Rural Nebraska, USA – NFD – 157.4

Yesterday was glorious. The couple was completely and delightfully astonished when they walked in and we all yelled “Surprise!” and the food and the cocktails and the laughter and the conversation were all that anyone could want. The most astonishing thing was to have all of our babies all grown up and joining in the fun of a dinner party. Amazing.

Now to turn my focus to eating minimally and to losing weight. I’ll still have distractions, as my sister and her husband are coming mid-July for a few days, and then I have a 5-day convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at the end of July/beginning of August. But eating mindfully even with stuff going on is something I need to be able to do, so now is as good a time to start doing so as any, right? I’ve been reading, tiny bit by tiny bit, Atomic Habits and I find it brilliant. I suspect not everyone will find it resonates in the same way, but it sure does for me. Making better progress on reading it is top of my list of things to do this week; I certainly have the knowledge of how to eat well and in able to lose weight, so finding a way to make that kind of eating a habit has to be what I focus on doing now.

@northgeorgia I can only imagine the kind of terror you all felt, given your dad’s experience with that! Keep us posted as your mom keeps her appointments.

@merryapple Bummer on the lost post.

@daffodil2010 Wow, dramatic storm! We had one like that back in…oh, perhaps 2008? I was watering my garden (by hand, holding the hose) at 4:20 and decided to quit because the skies were turning dark and I figured it was going to rain. At 4:30, the heavens opened up and it stormed harder than perhaps I’ve ever seen. At 4:45, the sun was out again. Nonetheless, the farmers had to be out in the fields the next day replanting the crops that had been destroyed. That storm is still talked about in this area, and I’ll bet your storm gets talked about for years also, LOL!

@funshipfreddie DH just recently read about and shared with me the information from the video you posted. I was particularly intrigued by the 4-7-8 breathing. The one thing the doctor didn’t mention, and it surprised me, is that if you have to get up, you shouldn’t turn on the light; everything I’ve read over the years says that turning on a light makes it immeasureably harder to get back to sleep.

@jaifaim I’m sure you’ll drop that extra weight in nothing flat!

@northgeorgia Bummer on the damage from the storm. Will you and your brother do the permanent repair or will your mom hire it out?

For the last week, temps have been in the low 90s (32+) and lows have been lucky to get down to 67 (19), so it was a real treat last night to get down to 57/14; we opened all the windows and turned on the ceiling fans, and now the whole house is wonderfully cooled off AND filled with fresh air. It’s the little things that bring deep joy, you know? 😂😂

Have a grand one, everyone!

Pocket list – Day 26 🍏
@merry 🍎
@jaifaim

Unable to post so I have emailed the tech guys…

Day 27 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

Still pouring here?! We’re supposed to get a reprieve later this morning ☔️

@maui – so nice to hear from you, & well done on the new low! 🎯

@merryapple – hope you can get back to posting properly soon. No posts from Australia for a while either…? 🤔

@stitchincarol – I’m also slowly reading Atomic Habits. Just finished reading something else, so I can concentrate on that now.

@daffodil2010, @stitchincarol – glad you like the sleep clip. I already did something similar with alternate nostril breathing to lower my heart rate. And not looking at the clock – I somehow just knew that wasn’t a good idea a while ago ⏰

We’re trending again 😅
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12234461/Intermittent-fasting-no-better-simple-calorie-counting.html

I used to do this – take a baby aspirin everyday. No longer a good idea, especially if you’re over 60…
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12235501/Why-shouldnt-aspirin-everyday-PROFESSOR-ROB-GALLOWAY.html

Pocket List – Day 27 🍄
@daffodil2010

Day 27 – Rural Nebraska, USA – WFD – 157.2

I had to head to the bathroom frequently yesterday morning and weighed myself at one point, and was down a pound from the morning’s weight; I figured that was clear proof that much of my 157.4 yesterday was water weight from too much salt the day before. And now I figure the same, because I can name off the salty things I ate last night, and actually otherwise ate within reason yesterday. Even so, my weight is way too high, so I’m glad I get the immediate whoosh of a WFD today.

I’m making progress on Atomic Habits, but it’s slow going as I didn’t actually have as much reading time yesterday as I was hoping AND I’m working hard at reading it like a text book for a class with a test coming up, and internalizing it well…I’m determined to find myself “eating like a thin person” on a regular basis, and dropping 20 lbs by my birthday in December.

@maui You are amazing. I love that you can keep some semblance of care for yourself front and center enough even in the middle of consuming efforts as you care for your DH. Well written, and a joy to read you are at a new low! But I must insist you don’t claim your lack of regular posting to be a lack of organization on your part: you are consumed with what matters most–your husband–and that’s as it should be. The fact that you’re maintaining your loss, and even gradually adding to it, is nothing short of a miracle that should give you extreme pride! 🥇

@daffodil2010 I am in awe at your RESOLVE. Well done!!!

@funshipfreddie I was mentally arguing with many of the statements in that article as I was reading it, and then was delighted to read this disclaimer at the end: “They emphasize that the results of this study highlight the substantial individual variability in weight loss using these intermittent fasting and calorie-counting, and that further research is needed to determine who would most benefit from each of these interventions.” SUBSTANTIAL INDIVIDUAL VARIABILITY is the key phrase that is relevant and is behind why I prefer IF/5:2. What do the rest of you think about the article and its claims? Thanks, David, for being so faithful about posting article links.

@jaifaim So lovely to say my friends are blessed because of me, but the reality is that we all are blessed because of each other. We’ve been friends for 35 years, and it certainly shows in our time together. And thanks for the list of all who aren’t here with us; it’s not as good as actually having them here, but it was lovely to read through the list and smile at each name.

@merryapple Like @jaifaim, I was confused that you were able to post a small line but said you couldn’t post. It’ll be good when you’re able to be back. I wonder what’s up with the site that many of us are having random problems.

@northgeorgia Try thumbtack.com and see if you find someone there who fits the qualifications you’re wanting–and the price.

I keep thinking it’s my turn to host, but July is not my month as my sister and brother-in-law will be here in the middle of the month, and DH and I will be traveling the last third of the month and the get-go of August. So perhaps September will work for me. In the meantime, who here can host July? @northgeorgia, would hosting boost your mojo so that it’s worth you doing it, and can you even in July?

Okay, time to go water my plants as we’re not blessed with @funshipfreddie‘s massive rainfall and the days are hot and sunny. It takes me 35 minutes to water everything, and that’s about how long it’ll take DH to shave and dress, and then we’ll sit outside and chatter over a cup of coffee…the slower pace of summer has at last arrived!

Have a grand one, everyone!

Pocket list – Day 27 🍄
@daffodil2010
@jaifaim
@northgeorgia perhaps?
@stitchincarol WFD