Morning/evening all from a rainy London.

My FD went really well yesterday so I’m fasting again today as willpower and motivation are strong.

Have a good one everybody 😜

Well done Jo. 😊
The cool change and some rain hit late this afternoon. The temperature dropped from 37 to 21. Bliss. We’ll get to sleep tonight. 😚 P

Sleep well 😴

Hi Amazon,

Interesting link, thanks!

I went in search of kefir a couple of weeks ago, but can only find it online and haven’t got round to ordering grains yet. The lady in my local health food shop put me off a bit, saying how difficult it is to look after! Although I don’t think Her Purpleness has problems.

I also really need to have a go at my own sauerkraut. I’d read a while ago that the shop-bought stuff has mostly been ‘killed’ before it reaches the shelves ☹️

I’ve eaten early tonight, it seemed like the end of a long fast day! Maybe the incessant rain…. I’m hoping I’m not going to regret it though by being v hungry at bedtime.

Hello,
My Fast went feat yesterday and the next one will be Thursday.
As spoken before I tend to slide down n my eating regime at NFD when my emotions are out of balance. Many times is an argument related to problems here at home.
Happy I took a course on making kefir, kombucha and fermented foods. Happened while there I could purchase my grain, I realty meant it one single starter the size of a bean for $10,00 two years ago. From that I gave so many starters away even took some to Brazil.
Non of them are difficult at all! In the case of kefir and kombucha you just have to keep an eye on them because they multiply quite quickly. I tested mine as they were my own pet.
My sauerkraut I had also a culture to speed up the process. After one week i separated the water and the kraut. The kraut last one week in the fridge and the remains water can be used to start a new batch for about 3 times. Just add water if needed and salt.
Here in the US there’s a type of kraut called Buddies. It’s real and found in some health food stores in the refrigerated area.
I hope this info helps.
Otherwise the day here is beautiful and my head is peaceful.
💋🌺

Morning all
Milk kefir is very easy to make and the quantities made are whatever you need…for one or for many more. I bought our grains online, have frozen lots of spares and given many away, including posting some to Nama. They just keep growing. My cat enjoys extras too.
In really cold weather it may take 36 hours to brew, in our heatwave this week I put it in the fridge to slow it down. If you go away, simply freeze the grains and start it up again when you return. Simple.
The only equipment you need is a plastic sieve (really cheap in discount stores), a jug, plastic spoon, a couple of wide mouthed jars, a couple of squares of cheesecloth and rubber bands, and some bottles to store the kefir in the fridge…I use pasatta bottles.
I found kombucha and sauerkraut more difficult to make, but I agree they must be better than the bought version. My sourdough bread is usually made once a week, but the heat has put it on hold at present. Like kefir, sourdough starter is very forgiving of neglect.
Think I’ll stay in bed today to catch up on all the lack of sleep lately. 😊😊P

Hi all,
Just seconding Purple’s words – the grains she sent me via Australia Post have been working and multiplying happily for months. We really enjoy our Kefir every night and it has been put ‘on hold’ several times when we go away. Simple to make and extra grains have been given away lots of times. I don’t have scientific evidence and have never had any gut issues, but I am certain the kefir makes a difference – simply judging by the output (sorry!) I dont enjoy sauerkraut, but eat enough fresh cabbage, celery and carrot every day via my coleslaw!
Lucky enough not to take antibiotics, even when nursing sick kids I relied on high doses of Vit C and managed to avoid getting sick too often, maybe my immune system was primed! I never go to a doctor unless really essential, they are too quick to give you a prescription!
The Catalyst show here last year that talked about the latest research with things like “poo transplants” having amazing results for people with bowel disorders was really interesting. So much we don’t know yet….but keeping food natural and avoiding medication is high on my list of essentials.

https://youtu.be/H9WeSQY9otQ

I know this is nothing to do with fasting, but had to share this youtube clip. A really lovely piece with the theme from La La Land…..

Morning/evening all,

We’ve had a fair amount of rain overnight and it is now brightening up. Not sure if we’ll actually see the sun though.

My body is protesting at the increase in exercise but I intend to continue as I’m keen to strengthen my muscles and increase flexibility. I guess it’ll take another week or so before it settles down but today I can feel which muscles in my shoulders, hips and core were working and they need a good stretch today before I do anything else.

I’m meeting some of my ex-colleagues this evening. I’ve not seen any of them since last January, and one of them since I gave up work! It’ll be good to catch up on their news and not so good to find out exactly how things are at the coal face of the NHS 😕

Have a good one everybody 😜

Hi Jo.
I do NOT envy you up on the ninth floor in windy Wellington, let alone with tremors!

I make my version of bone broth by cooking beef bones in my slow cooker for a couple of days, the bones virtually dissolve eventually. When cool I skim most of the fat and strain. I end up with jelly like stock which is the base for my veg soup. Smells awful when cooking so I leave it plugged in outside on back verandah. Too many complaints if it is inside!

I figure it is pretty good for us, again no evidence, just gut feeling. All one needs to do is top up the water occasionally. I get big bones when I buy my meat in bulk, freeze them till ready to use them.

Good Morning,
I am still in bed reading all messages from right and left. But the ones I enjoy the most is this one here 😜
It’s beautiful out! Sipping on my coffee and waiting for my husband to go for a walk.
I normally meet him about a 1/4 of a mile or less with Sasha and they both walk back home together and I keep going. Our circuit is 3 miles.
Purple I was told if kefir grains were frozen they would die. Otherwise I would’ve left mine in the freezer. To much talk about them …. I miss my pets now. I just used an air tight jar and they were over night on my kitchen counter and ready in the morning.
There’s no evidence that bone has the benefits claimed everywhere.
I agree with Amazon! Too many health gurus advertising false ideas neither backed nor studied by the scientific community. Big business is the health and nutrition lately.
Let me move one now 💋
See you later

Hi Jo, I don’t feel tempted to try the bugs, thanks anyway. Maybe after the holocaust. Very well done on those two pounds.

At least the rain has eased for the G & R concert. A number of my workmates are going, including two of the directors. My rain gauge has 50 mm in this evening. But the cloud has come down again, just so tired of this summer. Although Saturday looks promising for our walk.

I consider going sugar-free – and then realise that I nearly am 🙂 Rarely have baked goods, icecream is now off the menu as it keeps me awake in the night (psychological, not physical, I’m sure!) Like you, I realise that the so-called super foods are a have. Except for the benefit of stock (bone broth), which I will keep on using in my soups and casseroles.

I am rather annoyed that my weight, with strict 5:2, is tracking upwards. Nothing has changed, in fact with the icecream, baking and juice gone, along with a lot of the white carbs, my diet is better than it has ever been. The only thing I can put it down to is the stress of the last year, so am not panicking but try to be relaxed and give myself time to drop to my preferred weight again.

Morning/evening all,

Jo, anyone you read including Mosley, Fung et al will tell you that weight loss is NOT an exact science and calories in does not equal calories out. Somewhere in my reading there was even a theory that sometimes food passes through our systems and does not give up all of its calories.
It seems to me that the breakdown of food and use of energy is so sophisticated and varies from day to day depending on what our body needs on a particular day so all we can do is work on averages.

We all have to find what works for us, but sometimes we try something and don’t give it sufficient time to work which is why after going round in circles for 18 months I’ve gone back to what I was doing before and I’m going to stick with it and see if I can lose 2lbs per week again. If I lose less than that it’ll still be a success 🙂

It’s dry and breezy today and a mild 11°C.

I had a lovely evening with some of my ex-colleagues last night. We went to a really nice pub in Hammersmith by the river and we were the only customers apart from two men who came in for a swift pint and were gone in 15 minutes.
It was eerily quiet everywhere.

Have a good one everybody 😜

HCB, if you’ve recently started exercising or increased the amount you do you are bound to be a bit sore for a day or two. Don’t be in a rush to take anything as your body will deal with it. Do you do any stretching? If you don’t it might be worth doing so after you finish exercising as that should minimise soreness.

Hi JOjo high fives and a back slap to you on another 2lb down you go girl and yes this is the end of week 1 of a 4 week trial or study of 1 ME of zero carb and meat only menu and my top 6 observations to date are:
1) The pure pleasure luxury and the sheer joy of the eating experience.
2) Absolutely zero hunger at all throughout the day.
3) Very easy to micro manage I cook all the meat and yfee handles the veg or salad for the family and I just have the meat.
4) So much different yummy fatty goodness in making homemade compound butter’s to accompany the meat dish with herb butter , garlic butter , lemon and parsley butter , bacon butter , rosemary and garlic butter , fresh chili and bacon butter ,parmesan cheese and mustard butter olive oil and butter 50/50 combo chopped chives and crunchy fried bacon butter, sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper butter. OMG!!!!!!!!
5) I have a general feeling of wellness & happiness which is “bloody crazy to write that” but a true fact.
6) My body feels lighter and tighter.

With this study of one I have shifted gears in IF to 23/1 every day with just the one eating occasion at dinner and water black coffee green tea and I too made a batch of chicken bone broth on the weekend and while it was a good experience I concur regards the mystical and mysterious power and super food I want bother again as I do not look for anything really. I have been following the Stephen Phinney suggested 10% carbs 20% protein and 70% fat in my normal WOL with IF of 19/5 daily so I have had no issues in transitioning to zero carbs in fact I have found it no trouble at all. I did stumble on to this site when searching around the net it’s very interesting and makes you think outside the box and just generally a really good read.
http://borntoeatmeat.com/
Have a good weekend all you Efficient Fat Burners.
Peace RT