Welcome to the Just Do It! ✔ June Challenge!
According to Wikipedia, Nike’s tagline was coined in 1988 at an advertising agency meeting. The founder of the Wieden+Kennedy agency, Dan Wieden, credits the inspiration for his “Just Do It” Nike slogan to a death row inmate. Gary Gilmore’s last words – “Let’s do it.” 😳 ‘Just do it’ became – & still is – one of the most effective marketing campaigns of all time.
The emotion that Nike sold through the ‘Just Do It’ campaign was motivation. This emotion resonated deeply with people because it tapped into their intrinsic desire to succeed and to be their best selves.
The subject of motivation comes up a lot during our monthly challenges. How do we get & stay motivated? Why does it seem easier for some than others? Why can’t we always be raring to go, like every day was January 1st (minus the hangover) or even like it was the start of a new month/challenge? Maybe we can. Maybe it’s just about changing how we think. If we just wait for motivation to occur though, it might never happen. So we have to work at it.
Motivation can be developed as a skill. It can be learned & improved upon through conscious effort & practise. Action → Result → Motivation. Two fast days & 5 sensible eating days per week. The fast days are the action. Two fast days + 5 days of eating to our TDEE = weight loss (or maintenance) = the motivation to repeat. Mission accomplished!
If you’re not already at your goal weight, then you shouldn’t be having cheat days. If you do, then you’re only cheating yourself, by putting off the day you reach your ultimate goal. Definitely NO feasting! What is a feast, anyway? It used to mean ONE elaborate meal, on a very special occasion, not because it’s the weekend. Now, it’s just an excuse for a binge. It’s your birthday month? Too bad. You’ll have another one next year when you’re at your goal weight. Have a birthday banana; the cake can wait until next year. Whenever I hear the word ‘feasting’, I think of Henry Vlll & his nobility, lounging around a huge table, slurping wine from goblets & slinging chicken legs around. Well, we’re not nobility, & this is not the middle ages. If you really want to ‘feast’, go for it. Henry Vlll weighed about 400 lb when he died, by the way. Just saying…
Don’t Just Talk About It – Do It! ✔
These monthly challenges were started by @coda in May 2016 and have been going strong ever since. Goals can be overwhelming when viewed as a whole. But by breaking them down into small achievable pieces, we are able to stay focused and motivated to accomplish our goals one step at a time in bite-sized monthly challenges.
There are no rules, but as a general guide, here are some tips for any new people:
1. Posting – This is our only true rule: please start each post with the day of the month, where you are, and if you’re on a fast day (FD), non-fast day (NFD) or controlled day (CD). We’re located all over the world and in different time zones so it helps us keep track of which day we’re talking about, who else is fasting with us on a particular day etc. Look at the various posts, and you’ll soon see the pattern, and will learn how useful it is for reading.
2. In your first post, please introduce yourself to the group – this helps us to get to know each other, which is especially helpful for newbies. Perhaps say something about where you started, your journey so far, what you’re aiming for or how you are benefiting from fasting. You might like to include your starting weight or your goals for the month. But you don’t have to – share only what you are comfortable sharing online.
3. Spreadsheet – A spreadsheet is created each month. It’s in alphabetical order by username. If you find it helpful, you can use it to record and track your progress as well as keeping track of how others are doing. It can help with perspective, accountability or planning. And if you need help just ask – there’s always someone happy to help. But you don’t have to use it if you don’t want to. It’s just another tool you can use if you choose.
4. Frequency – Some people post daily, others check in every few days. Some are brief, others are long and chatty. If you’re posting for a second time in the same day please head your post e.g. Day 1 – 2nd Post. Past history shows that posting every day truly does help with motivation for staying on track with your goals, so please don’t feel shy about suddenly posting daily; we love new members!
5. Content of your post – Comments or questions, complaints or celebration – anything you’d like to share with the forum. Recipes, tips, tricks and bright ideas are always welcome. Remember: we all have good days and bad days, days we fall off the wagon or days when we are hanging on by our fingernails, days when our mojo deserts us and days where we feel completely in control. So DON’T GIVE UP – whatever it is, you are not alone!
6. Community – This is a worldwide forum so there’s usually someone online. We all do our best to offer advice, support and solidarity.
7. Pocket lists – A ‘pocket list’ is a list of the names of people who are sharing the same goal on a particular day. It’s great psychological support in mentally keeping that list in our back pocket, knowing we’re not alone. Anyone can join a pocket list or start a pocket list. Typical pocket lists are for a FD but in the past they’ve been used for people doing daily exercise or planks, or DTF (dry till Friday).
8. 5:2 basics – answers to many FAQs plus top tips:
https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/the-basics-for-newbies-your-questions-answered/
9. The “rule”. The F word (FAIL) is prohibited!! We all stumble in our journey – it happens. But acknowledge it, think about what you can do next time, and continue. We’re all here to help!
We tend to use a LOT of abbreviations in these posts. Here’s a guide to some of the more frequently used ones:
5:2 – 5 days NFD – 2 days FD. The FDs can be consecutive or spread out. Mon/Thurs is a popular choice.
16:8 – 16 hours fast – 8 hours non fast
IF – Intermittent Fasting
ADF – Alternate Day Fasting (FD – NFD – FD – etc)
AF – Alcohol-free
B2B – Back to Back (consecutive FDs)
BMR – Basal metabolic Rate
CFD – Controlled Food Day (a day’s eating comfortably below your TDEE)
DH, DD, DS – Darling Husband, Daughter, Son
DTF – Dry ’til Fri (no wine, beer, etc.)
EE – Emotional Eating (reflex grazing out of a need for instant comfort instead of satisfying hunger)
EFS – Epic Face Stuffing (Definitely due to a faulty OFF button!)
FD – Fast Day (500 cals)
FD800 – Fast Day 800 calories
Hunger Dragon – that dreadful psychological beast that sometimes cannot be satisfied. Some people even name theirs (e.g. @i-hate-lettuce had an inner warthog!)
IF – Intermittent Fasting
Keto – way of eating that generates Ketones
KISS – Keep It Simple Stupid!!!
LC – Low Carb way of eating
LCHF – Low Carb High Fat way of eating
LFD – Liquid Fast Day (incl. tea, coffee, miso, bone broth & water)
LOL – Laughing Out Loud
M/WOAM – Man/Woman on a Mission (courtesy of @i-hate-lettuce)
MFD – Modified Fast Day (800 cals) on the new
Fast800, it’s a FD
MFP – MyFitnessPal – a smartphone app & website that tracks diet & exercise.
NFD – Non Fast Day
OH – Other Half (e.g. spouse/partner)
OMAD – One Meal A Day
PFDS – Post FD Smugness (courtesy of @stitchincarol )
Pocket List – Names to “keep in your pocket” for a common goal for the day
TDEE – Total Daily Energy Expenditure (see the ‘how it works’ link on the home page to work out yours)
TRE – Time Restricted Eating
- Having an ‘eating window’ of, e.g. 11 am to 7 pm
WFD – Water Fast Day (Water only)
WFH – Working From Home
WOL – Way of Life
WOCA – Woman Of a Certain Age
WW – Weekend Warrior (c/- @jaifaim)
ZBC – Zero Breakfast Club
6:41 am
31 May 25