This topic contains 7,125 replies, has 64 voices, and was last updated by Barata 8 months, 4 weeks ago.
Morning ! Nice to wake up to a couple of messages 🙂
Hi, Happy and Barata! Where about in the world are you? I’m based in Norfolk in the UK.
I’d like to lose 14 pounds. I’m going to try to do a fast day today. However, I’m on my period and I am always ravenous on these days. Does anyone else feel starving during their period?!
Hi LYLIN,
Yes, I have several days a month where I ransack the kitchen cupboards and chew chair legs! I’m nearly 51 so living in hope that my periods will end soon!
I’m in rural Cumbria (UK!), so I’ve been mostly self-isolating for a few years now 😁
I’ve done 2 fast days this week, not sure whether to try again today (at my desk, always hard!) or tomorrow. But I need the discipline (and the knock on effects on hunger, satiety and portion control on non-fast days).
Also stepping up activity (mainly walking, but I will start running again as soon as I can stop wearing my wellies!).
Hi everyone,
Yesterday’s FD didn’t work out due to a lack of discipline on my part so I’ll be fasting tomorrow and Sunday.
We have almost as many cases of coronavirus in London as the rest of the UK put together which is disconcerting but no surprise considering the density of population here.
I am trying to make sensible decisions such as not going to the cinema, avoiding using the tube for long journeys but I’m not staying home until the time comes where our medical and scientific experts advice is to do so.
I’m actually meeting up with some of my ex-colleagues this evening, something I’m really looking forward to.
Have a good weekend everybody and keep safe 😜
Hi LondonYogi
Welcome to the thread.
I’m a NZer at present on Day 6 of Covid 19 isolation in France.
Yes, Amazon, its wise not to go to the cinema.Here the schools have closed.
The worst thing is that I’m feeling lightheaded and fluey, but not hot. I am not feeling hungry either which is positive.
Not sure what to do about all this other than take mammoth doses of Vitamine C.
As I am isolated from everyone in the family here, I will bide my time, so as not to alarm them. Anyway even if I have it, I am likely not to be much affected. Time will tell. It’s hard not to be paranoid about this even though I wasn’t in the worst affected parts of Northern Italy last week.
It’s warm and sunny here, and my no high GI carb regime is going well. I am going to run out of food next week and my friend in the village is going back to work. Thank goodness for buying groceries online and rushing to pick them up.
Fingers crossed
Wiwi
I’m so pleased you posted, Wi. I have been travelling myself and kept wondering what you were doing. At least you are home for your isolation. Hopefully you avoid the full onslaught. My fingers are crossed for you.
We are back home now, and pleased to be here after being forced to move in dense crowds at airports, and on planes, buses and trains.
Quite a few, long looked forward to, performances have just been cancelled. We have a lot of books and luckily we all know how to fast!
B, Govts are trying to slow the progress of this novel virus as, if large numbers of the population get very ill at once, health systems will not be able to cope. The virus will be with us forever now, and herd immunity will build, but it takes time.
Time to get serious about food limiting after random eating while travelling 🤫🤫 P
Hi everyone,
I met my friends last night in a nice pub/restaurant and we had a lovely evening. I hadn’t seen some of them for 2 years so we had a lot to catch up on.
I had a very nice black bean burger with fries and I ate the bun another fail on the giving up bread front 😬 and I may have had a few G&Ts so it’s a fasting weekend here.
The pub was barely half full and on a Friday night one would expect it and everywhere else to be packed.
My journey home involves a 15 minutes jbus ride down a main road packed with shops, pubs, bars and restaurants. 90% of the restaurants were completely empty or had closed early and the majority of the bars had a handful of customers. The streets were almost empty and there was barely any traffic.
People are choosing to stay home and distance themselves.
Keep safe everyone.
Amazon,
I would most likely eat the bun too, despite good intentions! I think we can forgive you, especially as you hadn’t seen your friends for ages.
Its interesting that people are choosing social distancing over BoJo’s favoured approach of ‘catch it in the national interest’. They have adopted a high risk strategy, but people would rather actually not get ill.
I must admit I was a little amused to see our village hall has started cancelling events due to the fear of virus spread…its a very sparsely populated rural area, you probably couldn’t be in a lower risk area.
Anyway, I am drinking coffee in town before going home to isolate! Nearest neighbours are nearly 1km away and the xOH rarely gets within 2 metres of me 😁
I am fasting again today too, although it might turn into more of a one meal a day fast than very low cal.
Wi,
Glad to hear you are still with us!
Thank you all for your concern
Day 7 sunny and cool
Good to hear of all your activities.I admire your courage to keep being in society. Here in rural France I am isolated whatever. Lots of nature but not much scope for socializing.
I actually feel good today except a persistent headache probably from too many computer based activities.
It’s amazing how the fear of catching a bug bugs the mind.
I have the energy back. Yesterday I was fearful.
I am trying to convince OH to stay in NZ. It’s better to be together and apart than not to be together at all.
Stepping out of the bubble seems risky.
I’m not a kilometre here from neighbours but isolated anyway, Happy. As we have 4 km of hairpin bends we can see people coming from a long way when the trees are without leaves.
So time here to do lots of things except eating.
The sun helps the energy levels. It’s a balmy 12° inside, but outside 18°.
Off to the garden.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Thank goodness some of you kept the thread going, it’s important to me, dear Cyber friends.
xx Wiwi
Dear Wi, we are here for you. Pleased to here you are feeling better. Send OH to us if he would like to be not alone.
And here we are and remain – our country is in lockdown. So the cruise ship that set out from Sydney to dock in our Bay today has been turned back. No more tourists, sports competitions are scrambling to determine their future courses, Olympics are likely to be postponed, life as we knew it is, for now, changing in unprecedented ways.
Another 4am waking – my sleep continues to be in a state of disarray, and it is having an affect on my well-being – I have come down with aching muscles. Roll on house-moving, and getting settled into our new environment. I know it’s all in my mind, but that doesn’t make the aches any less 🙁 . So up at the computer, playing Freecell and listening to Queen.
One year today from that most horrific of events, the mosque shooting in Christchurch. It was a sad day for our country.
Hi Everyone, hope you are all feeling well, Wiwi I am glad to hear you are feeling better. These are crazy times and very surreal – HappyNow! Feels like Will Smith is going to jump up from behind the sofa with a large gun, just like in the movies!! My mum (who I live with) is particularly worried and its hard to keep a calm level head during these times. As you can probably tell from my name I am from London, a yoga teacher and I’ve been living in Norfolk (for 19 years). I am rural too so I always kind of live in self-isolating ways anyway. Yoga helps soooo much to keep an open mind and not be swallowed by all the fear that is circulating.
I have fasted today and happy to report that after adding my calories to FittnessPal I am 513 cals today. Which I am pleased about as it means I’ve completed to fasts this week (despite my period and the mad cravings). Think this group has helped with a bit of accountability. G
Well done, Londonyogi! I am also going to fast today (Monday). I find I need less and less food to maintain, so need to reduce to reduce! 🙁
I have realised that my aching body is as a result of last Wednesday’s sailing, which was pretty rough and included a capsize! So the aches go with the ripped wrist and golf-ball lump on my shin. Not sure if I will be up for this week’s lesson, am taking OH’s anti-inflammatories. Speaking of HO, he’s just recorded his lowest Monday weight since November 2017, so we are very pleased with that.
And I had a good night’s sleep 🙂 🙂 .
Morning/evening all,
I’ve been struggling over the past few days, fasting has not been going well but I’m determined today will be a successful FD. It’s a beautiful morning with sunshine forecast all day so I’ll be out in the fresh air at some point.
I know why I’m struggling, it’s the knowledge my holiday will almost certainly be cancelled removing my mini goal date and despite knowing it’s not the end of the world the disappointment of not going on what I know will be a wonderful trip is huge. One of the highlights of my trips is always the amount of time I get to spend with like minded people which is so different from daily life.
And of course I’m concerned with the pandemic and the lack of information we have regarding what is being done to combat it.
The government have finally been dragged kicking and screaming into agreeing from today there will be a daily press conference given by either the PM or a senoir minister plus advisers which will be broadcast for everyone to watch, listen or read. Until now information has been scant and unhelpful and the population at large will not comply with advice and instructions unless they are given the information to understand how and why a decision has been made.
I’m compiling a list of what to do when we are told to stay at home and the main task will be a comprehensive spring clean which should keep me out of mischief for a few days.
I can also spend some time in the garden and will be visiting a garden centre while I still can to buy a few plants etc.
Have a good one everybody and keep safe 😜
I understand, Amazon, that the anticipation of a trip is a great motivator.
In the meantime enjoy your garden, and the enjoyments that are around you.
Yesterday my daughter tried to convince me to spend my isolation in her mainly empty flat in London, as my isolation will now be of a long duration.
Too late
Macron, the French President , last night put the country into virtual Italian-style lockdown, using martial law methods. No family meetings, no trips to the park, no crossing the borders in or out, no bars, restaurants, events……. He has suspended rent, electricity, gas and water bills. I went out and filled my cupboards with mainly vegetables,milk coffee, tea. An hour ago the curfew began.
OH can’t come now. It’s certain. If he arrived in London, he would have to go into quarantine. He wouldn’t be able to cross into France as he has no resident’s visa, as I am not considered married while in France.
I guess it’s almost inevitable that the UK will also close its borders too,
My trip out established that there are no cases in our canton of 3k, nor in the neighbouring market town where I went today.
It’s a surreal spring-like day and there is absolutely no noise here.
I have the freedom to go walking without any problem.
By the time I leave here I will have had no contact with other humans for probably 2 months. Thank goodness for skype, FB, What’s App and a great load of things to complete.
I am not actually fasting, but I’m not hungry and I only eat veges anyway.
I think I will have a picnic in the garden near the daffodils.
Good luck with the present crisis
Wiwi in lockdown.
Hi Wiwi,
I went to a small local supermarket today for a few items I forgot on Friday and am now preparing to stay home for the forseeable future apart from a few walks and going out for milk and vegetables.
I can walk to Kew Gardens (if it remains open) or along the towpath and there are numerous other parks within walking distance so I can get plenty of fresh air.
I spoke to my best friend yesterday and we’ve agreed to speak to each other every couple of days as I felt we need to keep tabs on each other in case one of us becomes unwell and needs anything.
You have my number and email so if you feel the need use them.
Take care of yourselves everyone 😜
Well I fasted today, it went well as I was travelling and not inclined to stop anywhere to buy anything!
Wi,
So sorry to hear you have been totally cut off. To be honest though, you are probably better off there than in a flat in London?
Amazon,
We’re also stepping up family and friends contact. Thank god for facetime! I don’t think my Dad fully appreciates what isolation is going to look like for him, he thinks he’ll still be meeting up with his friends and running other people to the shops! I suspect there will be daily conversations when the reality sinks in…
I wasn’t going to grow as much in the veg patch this year but I put in a seed order tonight. Not sure there will be much else to do but garden for the next few months!
Anyhow, at the moment I’ve still got plenty of work to do, so I can’t afford to get into coronavirus ‘holiday’ mode just yet….
Hi all, it’s nice to read your comments. I have fasted today, however when I totted up my calories I”ve gone a lot over the 500 and I’ve actually eaten 816. I’m still gonna class it as a fast day. I didn’t realise I had eaten so much olive oil. But it’s good for you so what the hell. I could be doing a lot worse right now! And my main reason for doing this is to improve my health and my immune system so think I’ve done ok today. How do people track their calories? I’ve heard some people eat 800 calories anyway as a revised number? I haven’t read the update though.
Re. the virus. I am hoping my brother makes it home from Australia on Saturday before any more borders close..
Hope everyone keeps safe and well. x
LN, I think you’ll find he’s left it too late. Our borders are closing. As an island nation, we should have done it weeks ago. Qantas and Virgin have suspended all overseas flights today.
The newer thinking is 800cals, but the less you eat, the better. I found quite early on that eating nothing is the simplest way to fast. Even eating one nut awakens the hunger dragon.
Wi, we are all here for you. It is a strange business, all the world shutting down. Thank goodness we have electronic communication, at present.
Off for another walk in the beautiful sunshine. It is pretty easy to socially distance in my neighbourhood, despite being in Australia’s largest city. Lots of quiet streets and parks. Keep well all. P
Morning/evening all,
LN,
A belated hello and welcome.
The best thing to do is add up the calories BEFORE they get into your mouth.
I stick to 500 calories for FDs as eating 800 slows down weight loss and it’s not exactly a quick way to lose weight in the first place. I only eat dinner on FDs with a few calories put aside for milk and 400 or so calories makes a sizeable and satisfying meal. For example today I’m having a homemade tofu burger (I’m following a vegetarian diet for Lent) with avocado and homemade coleslaw and dill pickles which comes to 350 calories which leaves me enough calories for some fruit.
I always plan in advance what I’m going to eat and although it has taken me a long time to change my habits I no longer impulse buy when food shopping.
I no longer pour oil from the bottle into the pan/bowl or onto food but use my measuring spoons and my most used reference book is a calorie bible which referenced nutritional content for everything ie how many grams of carbohydrate in a measure of a particular food.
As for international travel, no-one will be going anywhere soon and the FCO have now advised us not to travel unless essential for the next 30 days and that is likely to be extended.
It’s a shame if your brother doesn’t get home but I can think of far worse places to be stuck in than Australia.
Nothing much to report here, second FD of the week underway, London is turning into a ghost town and I’m keeping my distance from the world at large.
Keep safe everyone 😜
Well, nothing to report here! Apart from going to the shops and out for walks, normal life has been cancelled for the foreseeable future.
Work are scrambling to keep up with events, to keep the workforce safe while carrying on ‘as normal’. At the moment I still have plenty to do…give it a few months though?
I’m fasting today. Despite 2 fasts a week for the last couple of weeks I’m not really seeing any downward movement. I’m hoping that my increased activity means its more muscle and less fat even if the weight is the same!
Hope everyone is well in these uncertain times.
Dear Fasters
It’s good to wake up to this active thread. I see you are in a similar situation, Happy, to this village in France.
Strange jumps in temperature for you, Purple.Is summer coming back?
Quiet here too, but a beautiful spring day with daffodils starting to spring up in the garden.
I had a scare last night, my throat was sore and I felt feverish. I started to panic. The power of the mind is worrying. It’s nearly 2 weeks since I left Italy and I’ve had minimal contact with humans since then.
I have decided to try to get to NZ. There are flights everyday out of Lyon to Auckland via Dubai, and I will book for mid-April. I am not sure I will make it, but do I really want to stay here alone for 6 months? It’s a daunting thought and I am summoning up courage to pay for the ticket. Paying involves commitment, though the ticket can be refunded. Looking at the stats, in spite of being 70, I have a good chance of surviving. I will have to self isolate, which will mean finding a place to do this, but I would be home.
The song “Jerusalem” comes to mind, though in a different country.
I am not hungry,which is an ideal situation for my silhouette.
I am getting through tea leaves at a fast rate.
I can’t imagine life without tea.
I need to keep sending out bills to keep our company afloat. The show must go on.
We went to see Queen during their tour down under. It is a wonderful memory, and I have playing it for Italian solidarity.
Au revoir
Wiwi
Morning/evening all,
This morning I woke up to the news 40 tube stations have been closed with immediate effect and public transport schedules will be reduced, no night tubes at the weekend, less tube trains and a Saturday service on all bus routes.
20,000 troops are being deployed as a Covid 19 support service.
Unofficially government sources have indicated to the media preparations are being made to close down all shops in London by the weekend which means it’s very likely London will be in lockdown in the next 48 hours.
The psychological effect of being told not to go out unless necessary is interesting. I’ve spent many weekends and indeed long weekends not venturing out of the house but having that decision made for me is something that needs coming to terms with.
Wiwi,
You may well be able to get home but not for a few weeks as every country affected appears to be closing borders including NZ and Australia.
I’m aiming to post on here every day for the time being. I might not always have much to say but we can all support each other via this thread.
Keep safe everyone 😜
I can imagine you are desperate to get home, Wi. We were relieved to get back from the other side of the country, let alone across the world. 😏
I have had a sore throat too. I’m blaming it on the funny weather and pollen. 🤞
We might be within the risk category, but if we stay sensible, frequent hand washing, social distancing, we should be all right. It’s the people who are ignoring the risk and warnings that are most vulnerable.
Strange times with the modern world simply closing down. Thank goodness for the inernet.
Keep healthy everyone. P
4am and I am up listening to Queen again. Strange to think of you doing the same on the other side of the world, Wi. Do come home, we are still letting in Kiwis. There is talk of mercy flights to bring home our people who are stranded around the planet.
Life seems unchanged here locally, except that the village is bereft of tourists and very quiet. Many livelihoods will be catastrophically affected. All of our Covid19 cases are from people returning from overseas, no community transmissions yet.
Stay well, all.
Amazon,
The same here! Sore throat with a bit of a cough and headache for the last few days, and I’ve been pretty tired… it’s not covid though, more lack of sleep and hormones…!
Today’s fast failed at 11am. Period pains kicked in and I resorted to settling a queasy tummy with food. Oh well, it’s one day only. Tomorrow I try again!
Off to bed now with my kindle for an early night 😊
I couldn’t sleep at all last night, B. Might as well have gone on line to chat! I finally fell asleep at 2:30am, but at least caught up with some online newsletters.
Funny how the hayfeversymptoms are universal!
Equinox today (the day the sun tracks around the equator, apparently). The Equilux (equal day /night) will be in 2 days over here. The things you learn! P
Hi everyone,
I went out early this morning to the local farm shop. At 7.50am I drove past the local very large branch of Tesco. There were at least 500 cars parked and a queue of people waiting to enter snaking round the perimeter of the building.
The farm shop which is basically a small outside market opens at 8am and at 8.10 it was still closed but I could see they were stacking up the shelves with produce. There were 4 other people waiting and we passed the time by chatting whilst keeping our distance from each other apart from one woman who suddenly started complaining because they were late opening.
A few minutes later the farmer who is at least 75 years old opened the gate and said I’m sorry, we’re so tired we’ve been up all night trying to pick and pack sufficient stock ready for sale. We’ve not had time to feed the cows yet or collect the eggs so we don’t have any on sale.
The woman who had been making a fuss was strAngley unwilling to meet eyes with any of us……
The result of their hard work is freshly picked PSB and spinach which will be on the plate at dinnertime 😀
Fasting is proving difficult so I’ve settled for maintenance for a couple of days and concentrating on decreasing my stress levels over the incompetence of our government who are still refusing to close pubs and restaurants but advising people not to use them which in many cases is falling on deaf ears.
Keep safe everyone 😜
Oh god Amazon, I hope the shops aren’t like that here tomorrow morning! I was hoping things would calm down and people would stop panic buying, but no sign of that yet…
I have fasted successfully…so far…today. But I’ve broken it with a much needed gin and tonic! As I work at home and live remotely, things look the same from my window. Turning on the nightly news brings reality crashing back in though. Things aren’t getting any less weird any time soon…
I wandered over to the little local supermarket just now. It was almost empty, straight to payment with my purchase.
Maintenance is a worthy goal at this time, Amazon. We haven’t closed anything here by decree, but many places like museums and libraries – where transmission can’t be tracked – are self-closing. No gatherings of over 100, though. So many events are cancelled. For the first time ever there won’t be Anzac services held around the country, especially as the elderly are so much more vulnerable. Schools are still open as we are yet to have any community transmission. All of our cases have been brought in by returning Kiwis. But the Easter holidays may be brought forward.
Another bad night, awake for four and a half hours! 🙁
Have a safe weekend, all.
Interesting article about the town of Vo in Italy that had the first Italian COVID death. They isolated the town and the University of Padua tested everyone. They completely isolated everyone who tested positive (3% of population, many showing no symptoms) and tested again 2 weeks later. The rate had dropped to 0.41% They have have had no new cases since March 13.
Of the 53 cases in NZ, 2 are not related to travel. Community transmission happens. Without testing, which the WHO is calling for, the transmission will continue to escalate.
Treat everyone as a potential infection source. Don’t touch public surfaces, wash hands and face regularly with soap and water and practice social distancing. This virus has to be taken seriously by everyone. It is a NOVEL corona virus …never been in humans before…so no vaccines, no cure and no immunity, yet.
Now, back to keeping my activity level up. 🙂🙂🙂 P
P, of those two who might be community transmissions, one has a spouse that is in contact with overseas travellers, and they are still looking at the other. Definitely second-degree transmissions, though.
I’m busy scrubbing walls and paintwork ready for our move next week. Windows are shining. Wednesday’s moving day 🙂
Morning/evening all,
The weather here is glorious sunshine but very cold and set to stay that way for several days.
Everything is now closed here. Bars, pubs, reautants, nightclubs, cinemas, theatres, gyms, leisure centres, museums, galleries.
Public transport has been scaled down and everyone is being urged to stay home and only go out to buy food and get some fresh air.
Kew Gardens is staying open but has closed the cafes, shops and houses in oreder for people to get out nd stretch their legs but keep their distance. The National Trust is keeping it’s outdoor spaces open and has made them free to everyone.
We all need to stay positive something I’ve been having trouble doing this week but am now feeling better with the news of all the closures.
Keep safe and keep in touch everyone 😜
I understand, Amazon, how you are feeling, the world is disintegrating around us.
I’m glad you are optimistic, Purple…….
Always look on the bright side of life , dododododo……
Life’s a piece of …………………..
I woke up to the news of lockdown in NZ and decided to get out of France.
However it might be too late. No trains here in France, the last one stop flight from Lyon to Auckland stopped yesterday. But I can’t get to the airport anyway except walking or driving and it’s 150km.
So two choices left only:
I drive my car to Lyon airport and fly to London and pick up a flight to London if there are any, and fly to NZ via London if there are some flights. I would need to leave my car in a parking area in Lyon for x months.
Or else….
I drive to London via Calais and Dover and leave my car with my daughter with all the food I have. This gives me flexibility, but it’s 1500km to London from here. I am waiting for her to wake up and I might be up and out in the next 24 hours. She has her flat empty in London, where I could stay and then rush to the airport.
The NZ foreign affairs is talking about mercy flights and London is a fairly certain place to fly from.
I realised, Barata, 2 weeks ago that I was in isolation to stop contaminating others. However it’s a mutual thing now.
I feel alive today, as even though it’s all a bit hopeless, at least I won’t spend the next 6 months alone, Very motivating!!!
This is an hour by hour saga, and I feel really hyper energetic.
A bientot
Oui Oui
Good luck Wi!
That sounds like an epic road trip, the stuff of sci-fi films with what’s going on at the moment!
All quiet here. Went out early to do my normal Saturday shop. Just as well I didn’t need loo roll…or tinned anything! People even appear to be panic buying herbs and spices!! Oh, and tonic water…waah!!
It’s a beautiful sunny day, bit windy, but we are sheltered in a dip. I’ve been out in the garden for the first time this year, cutting things back, clearing last years pots out of the greenhouse ready to wash it down, and starting to look (😊) at the veg patch. I hadn’t felt inspired to grow anything this year (I’m ready to move on!), but seeing as that’s now on hold and I’m not exactly going to be busy doing anything else for the next few months….well, yes, it feels positive to be doing something productive!
Yesterday’s fast seems to have done a bit of a reset on my appetite, so I’m not fasting again today, just eating light.
Amazon,
Thinking of you in London. It must be particularly weird to be in a place that’s usually so busy, unlike here where the view from home look the same…
Wiwi,
I’m not sure you’ll be able to get a flight from here but maybe London would be better than where you are now.
Happy,
I’m feeling much more positive this afternoon. I visited a friend to give her a cake I’d made for her and we (and her husband) sat round the perimeter of her kitchen observing social distancing and had a good chat. I also had a chat with her youngest who asked me lots of medical questions about the virus which I answered to the best of my ability before Dad took him and his brother to the park.
Apart from the hoarders buying everything in sight everywhere is deserted. It’s even quieter than the magical time between Christmas and New Year but there is an eerie atmosphere (or maybe that’s only inside my heed….)
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