This topic contains 7,125 replies, has 64 voices, and was last updated by Barata 9 months ago.
Hi All,
I’ve been feeling pretty low for weeks now… covid-19, lockdown, poor weather… I was going to say up and down, but seeing as ‘up’ equates to slightly less despondent than ‘down’ it would be fake news!
I’ve been plodding on with fasting and as a result… ta da…yep, I’m not losing weight 🙄 I am clearly overeating around the periods of not eating. Grrr.
Anyway, the sun is almost shining and it’s very mild. This morning my thoughts turn to what needs doing in the garden as spring approaches. Hopefully a bit more time in the fresh air, listening to the birds starting to sing their spring songs, will perk me up.
Hope you’re all OK.
Hi Happy
Sounds very familiar, except our summer is ending!
The first Aussies were vaccinated today, so I might be on a list eventually!
People actually protested against vaccines in every capital city yesterday. Really? And it’s not mandatory! Scary, the thought processes of other people who vote!
I guess if we didn’t fast, we’d be swelling like balloons. 😄😄
Get out and enjoy that sunshine. P
Hi everybody,
Happy,
I’m not losing any weight either and fasting simply isn’t happening.
I’m with you regarding Covid, lockdown and poor weather contributing to the general feeling of 😔.
On Friday I went for a walk with my support bubble friend. We walked down to the lock and strolled along by the canal which was a good choice on a dull day. We came back here for coffee and cake and by the time my friend left I was feeling much better.
I’ve been feeling so low I’ve not wanted to go out or do very much other than sit on the sofa. As the weather has warmed up considerably over the past few days and the forecast for nest week looks much better I’ve promised myself I’ll make the effort to get out into the fresh air.
I’m not worrying about the lack of compliance to fast as I’ve realised it’s impossible to do so while feeling downright miserable so the answer is to actively engage in lifting my spirits.
Having said that I decided to give up baking for Lent so no bread or anything else which will force me into healthier choices.
Have a good week everyone 🤪
Hi, Happy and Purple,
Sorry you’re feeling down, Happy, the weather we’ve had has been enough to put anyone down too. We’re not allowed to drive for exercise in Wales, either, so we’re stuck to walking the streets. Gets boring. In the spring I was examining people’s gardens. I was desperate to beg a clump of aubretia from someone as the garden centres were closed.
At least the Six Nations is something to keep us going. 2 out of 2 so far, but what tense games, skin if the teeth jobs in both cases. The big one next week!
Considering Australia has been so strict on quarantine and isolation, I’m surprised that they have been slow on vaccines.
I’m still just above top wriggle room, trying to convince myself that the extra had filled out my face. 🥴. I cannot get OH to step on to the scales though. I’m trying to be tactfully persuasive, but it’s really starting to show on him now. Oh, dear.
Take care up north and on the other side of the world.
Hi all
We have just started vaccinating here too, with the first of the vaccinators having their jabs on Friday, and front-line carers on Saturday. This is for the same reason as Australia – no urgency to start the process with so few cases, which gives us time to watch the results in other countries and do our own assessment of the product. Only Pfizer approved so far.
Confession – I have finally tossed my kefir. It never made the move north happily, gave up increasing and has been looking weaker and less interested in life ever since. I decided it wasn’t giving me joy! These are the grains from your daughter, Jo.
It’s the last week of summer here. We’re still enjoying mid-twenties temperature, little rain but at least the tanks have refilled after the precipitation a couple of weeks ago. I’m back on the hose and watering can. My new raised veggie garden is filling up.
Sorry you’ve got the end-of-winter blues in the NH. It’s a dreary time of year for you, and I can understand the lack of fasting motivation, especially when no positive outcome is achieved. 🙁
Hi Barata,
I gave up on kefir several years ago! I eat natural yoghurt most days so get healthy bacteria that way, and just didn’t like the kefir enough to persist.
Re: vaccinations. While NZ may have few cases, if you’re ever going to open your borders again then you need your population vaccinated. Although from what I’ve been reading I hope NZ will take the opportunity of closed borders to sort out its environmentally unsustainable tourism practices before it lets the rest of the world back in!
I have had success on the scales this week, a combination of fasting, more exercise and not overeating on non-fast days. Let’s see if I can manage not to sabotage myself this week…!
Still cold here, dry but single figures, so it doesn’t feel much like spring yet!
Hi team, good to hear you are keeping your heads above water.
I also hope that our government will take opportunities to clean up the country’s act in many areas, Happy, tourism being just one of them. Child poverty, equity, the environment and global warming… Lots to do. 🙁
We are fully underway vaccinating our population. The framework for this was announced yesterday, and as over-65s we will be in the third tranche, starting in May at the latest. We are in no hurry as there is so little risk to us in our little corner of a safe country.
I have just been to the doctor, and will have the strange spot on my arm removed in a couple of weeks. The treatment has helped, but there’s no harm in being cautious. It does make me feel old, though, when the doctor I saw went to school with my oldest friend (and bridesmaid)’s daughter!
Keep smiling, everyone. 🙂
Good morning, all. I’m hopeless at the moment. The only sensible thing I’m doing is 16 -8, but that 8 is full of comfort food and carbs! That OH keeps buying sneaky chocolate treats fir me doesn’t help – he works on the ‘it was only…’ principle. Yea, gods, it’s showing and feeling. My waist band was tight yesterday. And he is beginning to look awful! It’s the Reese’s PeanutButter Cups which are rarely available here, so hard to resist.
Good news on vaccines in NZ, Barata. We had our second on Sunday, the Pfizer. It seems that over 75s are being seen at surgeries and are still waiting for second. Good about your arm, too. You never know. Our doctor is an ex-pupil of the school where I taught, although I didn’t teach her. One of the practice nurses was in my tutor group, as was one of the receptionists. I rarely go there though, last time was for flu injections last September.
Looking forward to the rugby on Saturday, then the big one the following week as France have woken up at last.
Polly,
Yes, to the rugby! Its welcome every year, this time more than most.
My OH has had his first jab, which is great as he’s older and clinically vulnerable, but they’ve not reached my age group yet. Fingers crossed the government don’t fluff lockdown easing as I’m beginning to look forward to some semblance of normality this summer!
I’m just starting my second fast day of the week. I’m feeling relatively positive as, having lost 1kg recently, I know I can still lose weight when I apply myself to it! Its definitely the non-fast days that do the damage…
Hi everyone,
Nothing to exciting to report here apart from the fact I’ve installed a seatbelt on the wagon in the hope it helps keep me on board……..
After several months of back issues which have been adversely affecting my hip things finally appear to be improving. The days after the walk with my friend (which I mentioned in my last post) were awful as I was in a lot of pain and with the benefit of hindsight I shouldn’t have walked so far after not walking for so long.
Fortunately things have improved since then, the back stiffness and pain has gone and the sciatica much improved all of which means I am now going out walking gradually increasing the distance each time.
I’ve even ventured to the supermarket a couple of times and those of you in the fb group will know I went to Kew Gardens on Tuesday for the first time this year.
It was a beautiful day with clear blue sky and sunshine and it was so uplifting to be out and about. I stuck to the wilder parts of the gardens which are usually less populated and more like a walk in the woods than a city botanical garden.
The plan is to go at least once a fortnight from now on.
I bumped into an old friend/ex colleague who was taking a birthday walk in Kew Gardens with a friend. It was lovely to see her and have face to face chat with someone.
I’m also on my second FD of the week which is good news in that I’ve done the ironing and cleaned half of the flat. The rest will be done after my coffee break.
Take care everyone 🤪
I love the idea of a seat belt to keep us on the wagon! I’d better buckle up, too. I’ve just had a small apple rather than opening a cake, for which I was tempted. I’ve also realised, or given myself an excuse, that I’ve not dealt with hunger pangs by having a good slug of water – it’s been too damn cold from the tap and we won’t buy bottled stuff.
Amazon, you’re very lucky that Kew Garden are open. Nothing open here in Wales, but the First Minister will be speaking in five minutes. Hope your back will be better soon.
I read the posts when I woke in the wee small hours. LOVED the seatbelt idea. Too often we all seem to step on the wagon, give the horses free rein and fall off. The seatbelt may well do the trick, Amazon. 🙂🙂
I fast every Monday and Thursday, absolutely no cheating, and get no resultant weight loss. I get very frustrated with this extra weight belt. I will just have to strap on the seatbelt, every day, from now on. Cheers P
The problem with our tap water during summer, Polly, is it’s so hot! The supply comes into the house and into the roof to gain pressure, and on a hot day it can be almost too hot to handle. We just need to let it run for a short time, to allow the heated H2O to drain.
Autumn is decidedly under way here, with the days noticeably shorter, and the exotic trees starting their leaf colour change. It’s still mild though, and we still need rain!
And what about that America’s Cup racing! Well done New Zealand!!
I hope you are all aboard your wagons with your seatbelts securely fastened. 🙂
Barata, could you shower without having to beat the water, then? Interesting. I put water in the fridge during hot summer spells, they are rare here, though.
Still two pounds over ideal, but no more. I lose a pound, gain a pound. If it stays like that , I’m not too bothered. But I’m very aware that it could be the beginning of a real creep up.
So excited and nervous about Super Saturday Six Nations. Wales was written off last year, now we have the Triple Crown and in with a chance of another Grand Slam. France will be tough, though.
No, the heated water drains fairly quickly, Polly. And most showers are taken before or after the heat of the day.
And at least Mr P is not insisting on buying bottled water, P!
Grandson, who usually takes quite a while to make friends according to his mum, is having a buddy to sleep over tonight. 🙂 Friday is pizza night for the blokes, so we will see how it all goes.
Well B, we seem to have swapped. We are enjoying lovely sunny Autumn days. Hating the dark mornings though!
Another Monday fast gone … lots of distractions to keep us busy…even after almost 8 years, it is still necessary to keep busy on fast days. 🤭🤭
I’ve bought 6 HCBs for me. One gone, to test for quality control, you understand. I’m pretty good at making a treat last.
I don’t eat chocolate, so Easter eggs are never a problem for me.
I hope you are all cruising along in this crazy new normal called life. P
Morning down-under friends! We’ve swapped, too. Really cold and windy over the weekend but today had started beautifully and the forecast is for 20+ degrees. We have going to a funeral this afternoon, a very old friend, whose weight was the end of his heart finally! OH will have to wear his overcoat, as his gut is too big for either suit. 🤬.
Anyway, last Wednesday the crunch came when he did a blood pressure check. I made him get in the scales where he found he’d put on 2 stone +. I’m still just over top wriggle room. And he still buys me chocolate! No more cakes or bread, though for either of us.
Daughter will come down from Manchester on Easter Sunday, but she can’t stay overnight. In Wales we are allowed to travel, but not over the border. We’re 15 miles from the border and shop in England for anything other than food. Sadly, so many high street shops have closed permanently thanks to the surge in online shopping. That will make a huge difference overall. If we went to Chester it would be either on the bus or by car – revenue to bus or car park company. We might need something from Browns, but pop into Marks, Lakeland, Next etc and invariably decide to have lunch ‘while we’re here,’
I wonder if you’re like me – new things in the wardrobe, hardly worn because we can’t go anywhere ! 😄
I have had a couple of special get togethers this month, Polly, and no idea what to wear as I hadn’t dressed up for over 12 months! I even put make-up on again. 🙂🙂🙂
We are theoretically allowed to travel within Australia at present, but the other states slam borders shut as soon as any single cases of COVID arise. We don’t want to get stuck in 14 day hotel quarantine in Qld or WA. Easier to stay in NSW with plenty of lovely places to go.
Online shopping is certainly killing smaller shops, but I am guilty of using it during this pandemic.
Enjoy your day with your daughter. 🙂 P
We’ve had a lovely couple of spring days this week, although sadly it’s going to be considerably cooler again over easter.
Hmm, internet shopping… it’s a godsend when you live in the middle of nowhere, but I do try not to buy everything from Amazon!
Polly, sorry to hear about your OHs increasing girth. I know a lot of people have gained weight during lockdown and it would have been easy to join them! But, even if we didn’t already know that excess weight is unhealthy, covid-19 outcomes are so much worse for the overweight/obese… Hopefully the overcoat and the scales will be the jolt he needs!
I continue to do 2 fasts per week, in the hopes of losing a couple of kilos, although at the moment it’s a maintenance regime ☹ I’m a healthy weight though, so it’s fine really albeit it would be good to see some reward for effort on the scales!
Lockdown easing hasn’t made any discernible difference to me this week, except that I have been thoroughly depressed by the scenes of crowds and the mountains of rubbish they leave behind. What is wrong with people?!
We lost an old friend recently and the funeral was on Tuesday. OH could not get either of his suits on! He has really tried since the ‘revelation, unless he’s sneaked anything’. He’s also taken advantage of this lovely weather and grafted on the damn moss in the garden. Absolutely agree about the mess people have left. Pigs.
We are coming up to the anniversary of starting IF, 19th April, so hopefully back to using Mimi’s recipes and weighing ingredients. Hopefully discipline will be better. I just hope that no hot cross buns appear in the shopping tomorrow. 🥴
I’ve just looked back at my weight record for last year: 131 lbs, exactly the same. BMI 23. I’m wondering if I should settle for that.
Today is 8 years since we started 5:2.
Mr P is still drug free and in control of his Type 2 Diabetes. He also maintains a healthy weight, but part of that is the complicated health issues he now has.
I, however, have crept up the scales, ever so slowly, in spite of 2 good 24 hour fasts a day and a veg heavy diet. I know my total calorie count is higher than it was 8 years ago when I lost 30kg, but well below what I ate in the years before. My BMI is at the top of normal, but my hypertension is less than impressive. I’m pleased that I have shifted towards a much healthier diet, that I really enjoy, but terribly disappointed in the expanding waistline.
I will continue my twice weekly fasts and healthy eating, but am unwilling to go back to the deprivation that I did in 2013. Life is too short…this last year has certainly taught us that!..and I don’t want to be constantly feeling that I have to say no to most food.
Cheers to all the successful fasters. 5:2 definitely has its merits. P
Dear Friends
Congratulations Purple on the milestone.
I have fallen off the wagon, but will be on 2:5 as from tomorrow, working back up to ADF. I did a 6 day fast in March, and trying to 16:8 each day, but that’s not enough.
I have been trying to keep up the exercise in spite of my deteriorating knee.
They will operate in mid-June. I am going to do a 7 day fast before the op as anecdotal evidence seems to indicate that the effects of the anaesthetic are lessened if you fast before.
Do you have any back up to this?
In fact they use an epidural and sedation for orthopaedics now, precisely to lessen the effects of general anaesthetics.
One good thing is that as from October we will be able to travel again overseas.
Thanks to you who are keeping this thread alive.
I just took a break, and it hasn’t done me much good.
xx Wiwi
Hi Wi
That’s my understanding with fasting and operations, but I don’t have any references. At the theatre tonight…intermission. So great to be able to see live drama again.
I’m glad you are having the knee done, finally, in June. Several friends have had theirs done recently, with great success.
We don’t know when International borders, besides NZ, will open. There is talk of next year. No one is holding their breath. 😏
You’ll find it easy to get back on the fasting wagon with such an incentive. All the best. P 🙂🙂
Dear Wi, so sorry to hear that you are suffering with your knee, but glad that you have a date for the op. I can’t add anything about fasting prior to surgery.
We haven’t had our vaccinations yet, the age criterium for our region dropped to 50 but the system was overwhelmed. We were waiting for OH’s two-week break after he got his ‘flu jab, and now I have booked mine for Friday. So no rush, we don’t plan to go anywhere at the moment apart from within NZ. We had a lovely week in the South Island recently, enjoying the autumn colours, with an overnight on Doubtful Sound a very special part of it. It was with a small guided tour. And off to Rotorua for a long weekend in June, celebrating 50!! years of marriage 🙂 . The first flights to Rarotonga begin today, so that will be a great boost to their economy.
Stay well in these turbulent times, all. 🙂
Wow, 50 years, Barata! You must have been a child bride 😁. I will have been married 26 years later this year, but hoping not to make it to pearl let alone gold!
How is the NZ economy faring with closed borders? Presumably the tourism sector will be feeling it?
I will be getting my 2nd vaccine jab this week, brought forward from 12 week interval because the government are panicking (sorry, concerned!) about the spread of the Indian variant in the UK. Perhaps closing our borders to travel from India/ having a rigorous quarantine/ effective test and trace system might have been an idea… Just as things were going well, it looks like the government are at risk of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Wi, I hope the surgery goes well. I don’t know anything about fasting and anaesthesia. I have had an epidural though – a steroid injection to try and calm chronic sciatica – very weird being totally numb from the waist down!
I continue with 2 fasts per week most weeks and I’ve been running regularly this year and mostly managing not to overeat. As a result, I’m roughly where I want to be weight and shape-wise. I just need to NOT take my eye off the ball again…
Where is Amazon? I know she was often frustrated to be apparently talking to herself on this thread, but I’m missing her and hoping she’s OK.
About to hit the sack, Happy, but will say that – married at 20. It was the thing back then, not to be left on the shelf! So I’m 70 next week!
The economy is better than expected, unemployment lower than was forecast, but vast amounts need to be spent on infrastructure that has been seriously deferred by previous governments. Whether that can be done in a short time-frame without distorting the economy is another thing. And our Budget is out on Thursday. WIP. Our serious issue is, with the border being open, Australia with its coal-fired economy that can pay higher salaries, will poach our tradespeople and skilled personnel
Tourism is suffering, but hopefully with the opening with the borders with Aus, and the fantastic local support, all is not lost. We have operated a most generous wage subsidy (which naturally has been abused by many) to keep business afloat. Apart from this greed, it has been mostly successful.
Wow, 50 years married, Barata! Congratulations.
Me too almost but cumulatively only.
Glad you have had 2 jabs, Happy. Yes your government does seem to have the knack of grabbing defeat out of the jaws of success. They did the vaccine rollout very well.Do you have plans to travel now.
Sorry, Amazon, for silences. Please come back.
I am doing lots of strengthening exercises on my knee in preparation for the op.
As long as I move rapidly the knee is ok. But standing or dawdling is very bad.
I will do a fast before to slow down my system, even though I will have a spinal injection with sedation.
It’s sad to see summer going. It’s been a great summer in Windy Wellington.
I am about to embark on my first winter for about 10 years.
Damn Covid and my knee.
xx Wiwi
I sympathise with you re the cold winter weather and joints, Wi! Fun getting old, isn’t it?
We too celebrate 50 years this year. As Barata says, we married very young in the 70s. 🙂🙂
We are relieved to have received our vaccines in April. Our 2nd due in June. Many members of the family now have dates for theirs too…thank goodness.
The populations of Australia and New Zealand are very vulnerable due to the very low number of people who have contracted COVID. Our isolationist policies have helped. Carefully handling the opening up will be the trick. At least with the Tasman Bubble we can travel “across the ditch” now. 🙂 P
Hi everyone,
I’ve been taking a break for various reasons and today is the first time I’ve looked on the site for ages only to see I’m being missed so I thought I’d say hello.
Life has been complicated and I won’t go into all the details but I will say at the moment I’m suffering with extremely painful complications from a traumatic tooth extraction which is causing a degree of stress as I need it to settle down and heal before I have a hip replacement around the same time Wi is having her knee replaced.
The good thing is I’m fully vaccinated 😁
I’m having it done privately as the NHS appointment I have been offered as a first consultation wss not until the end of July and the waiting list suggests I wouldn’t have surgery this year and I cannot wait that long as it has deteriorated quickly over the past 12 months.
This backlog has less to do with Covid than successive governments starving the NHS of funds for a decade.
I finally managed to get back into a proper fasting regime a couple of weeks ago and the tooth problem has made eating so tricky every day is a FD!
Wi,
I sympathise with you and am glad to hear it’s not long until your op.
I’m also doing strengthening exercises to ensure I’m as fit as possible for my surgery.
I would like to avoid a general anaesthetic but having been inside an operating theatre too many times to mention in the course of my work I’m not sure I could cope with a sedation and epidural combination.
I’ll see what they have to say when I go for my pre-op assessment.
The weather here has been awful as whoever is in charge misread the calendar and thinks it’s February. I am so over cold weather and winter clothing and demand some sunshine 🤬
Ow, Amazon! Sorry to hear about your traumatic tooth extraction. Tooth ache is no fun, but a silver lining getting back into fasting… ! Fingers crossed the hip replacement is a piece of cake (figuratively 😊) after this.
We have had a lovely sunny day today, after torrential rain, hail and thunder storms yesterday. But it’s definitely not warm yet. I haven’t done much in the garden as we were getting night frosts regularly until last week, and it’s been too cold, damp and dark so far in May. My poor little tomato plants aren’t really growing and I had to bring them inside as I think they are at risk of getting blight in the greenhouse.
Oh, poor Amazon. Another one joining the growing list. I have 4 close relatives who are currently recuperating from joint repairs. One of them in my house. I guess we are lucky that modern medicine can do these repairs so successfully these days.
As to weather, I like your line about the calendar, A. Same here.
Happy, I have a couple of tomato plants just ripening now IN MAY!!! Crazy.
I keep plodding on with twice weekly fasts, it has developed into a lifetime habit now. 😑
Morning all. I hadn’t had time to reply earlier. Sorry to hear about you hip, Amazon. I have a friend in exactly the same situation- feeling that she has to go private or wait years. I hate thought, fully supporting the NHs, but at a certain age we don’t have the time to waste, especially after these last 18 months.
Congratulations, Barata. I also married at 20. As a friend said : we married early for sex! No such thing as moving in with boyfriends then.
Happy, we are putting plants out – bringing the in – taking them out in a horticultural okey-cokey! I’m hoping I can at least do my baskets next week. So damn cold here.
I’m ashamed to say, that my resolve is so weak still. I bad IT problems last week led to consoling myself with ice cream! OH has lost a couple of pounds. The practice nurse will have a shock when he even has a real life diabetes check up. We ate at our favourite chain restaurant, Prezzo, yesterday. Welcomed by the lovely staff Just one meal.
Morning/evening all,
Polly,
I worked in the NHS for 41 years so paying for health care doesn’t sit well with me but loyalty will not help me to go on a long walk, climb the stairs while carrying my shopping or fasten my shoes and it certainly won’t relieve the pain.
I have no intention of rushing out to sit inside a restaurant, cinema or any other public space so I may as well spend the next few months recovering and ensuring I’m fit for the years and holidays, outings etc to come.
We have a mixture of sunshine and showers today. I mustn’t complain as until recently we’ve had little rain. It does feel warmer but as I’m fasting again I think I’ll stick with the thick winter woolly 😆
Happy,
I’ve not planted any veg seeds this year as I’m working on anything in the garden needing to be able to look after itself, not need staking, pinching out or anything other than water as I probably won’t be able to manage the garden stairs for a while.
My little parch is looking lovely at the moment as the dwarf lilac is in full bloom along with other early flowering perennials.
It’s very cheering to stand on my little balcony with my morning tea but only if the sun is shining….
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12 Feb 21