Hi Coda

I think we could all drive ourselves mad if we took note of every article that comes out. These are mainly aimed at people who are consuming large amounts of the wrong foods like too much refined sugar like fizzy drinks etc. Most of us know that everything is fine in moderation so you should enjoy your teaspoon of honey and your raisins as they are not going to harm you! 🙂

Hi Coda/Lisa and Treenser – so pleased that you all have managed to take something from my post. I really need to follow my own advice. Up a pound after Mondays FD?!* I seem to be at a point where sugar cravings are kicking in. Today went to St Andrews, lovely sunny day, blue skies but still cold. Thought I’d ordered Spag Bol for lunch. I got an enormous pancake filled with Bolognaise sauce and topped with oceans of melted cheese, with a small salad on the side!!! How did that happen. Ate what I could but felt absolutely stuffed. Then went on to Crail for a walk and ended up in one of our favourite tearooms. Thought, blow it, I’ve messed up today so I’m having a piece of caramel apple pie! It came lathered with warm caramel sauce and a great dollop of double cream. Of course, I can’t waste food and scoffed the lot. OH ate the same as me, and we are both now stappit fu… (Scottish for stuffed full) and have decided not to eat any more for the rest of the day. Had intended making Buckwheat pancakes with Caramelized bananas for dinner, but have scotched that idea. So pancake day will pass us by……
My weakness is cakes, and am noting all that is being discussed about sugar just now. Have just bought a book called Clean Cakes by Henrietta Inman. Her recipes are made with whole, natural and nourishing ingredients and free from gluten, dairy and refined sugar. She does use dried fruits and medjool dated instead of suger, but at least her alternatives have some nutritional properties, and the recipes look amazing. I am hoping if I can cook these cakes at home, it will stop we wanting the usual cakes when I’m out, which are full of grains flours, which don’t do me any good at all.
I will check out Robert Lustigs book about sugar. It sounds just what I need to hear. I am so close to target now, and it seems that sugar craving is determined to stop me. Thanks for the info Annette – basically anything processed with a label on it has added sugar, (and other stuff that has no nutrition at all). So I avoid them like the plague.
Well done Billy on joining a cooking class. It will be so much easier for you to eat the right foods if you are cooking them yourself. Do try Mimis Fast Diet Cookbook. The recipes are tasty and easy to do. We often eat them on a non FD too.
Well done everyone for doing what you are doing. Slow and steady wins the race, just keep doing it!!! TTL

I have been daily weight this month, in contrast to last month’s ‘weigh at the end of the month’ which didn’t work for me!! It is interesting to see the daily fluctuations. After 10 days and 3 fasts days I weigh exactly the same as I did on 1st Feb. Maybe today’s fast will slide me down.

My on-going challenge this summer has been great weather, lots of visitors, and an excess of social events with fabulous food and wine. All good things in the normal scheme of things (or if you are my naturally slim and healthy OH who gives no though to his intake of food and wine other than to make sure he gets plently!) I know some of you can be saintly when faced with these temptations, but I’m just not that kind of girl!

It seems remaining in TDEE is my Waterloo. I will keep approaching it with a positive mindset, but i am starting to suspect the only way down for me will be a compensatory fast day – ie 3FD per week.

CODA, I am a recovering CAtholic and haven’t thought about Lent since I was 10!!

QUIET1 – the old saying “these things are sent to try us” but I am not sure what they are trying us for!! You are having a heck of a time and Congrats to you for sticking to YOUR resolve and doing everything to improve your health. Well done.

QuietOne: my – what a lot to deal with – like Chipmunk has said – well done you for sticking with it in the face of everything going on around you. Don’t know why but your post reminded me of an old quote: remember oaks grow strong in difficult winds

Quietone! Your post put so much into perspective for me. Wow, is all I can say!

Wow Quiet1! Looks like you’ve beaten the odds a few times, but you are certainly living life on your own terms. You are facing many, many challenges at the moment. Hang in there. Thanks for your post.

BillyB, Feel better soon.

I am fasting today and spending time at home as I’ve come down with some sort of bug. Watching the trees covered in snow and frost in the green space out back. It used to be small park but they removed all the swings and slides and jungle gym/monkey bars. The liability risk too high of playground equipment not designed for modern children but were fine for generations past.

There is ice frost hanging in the air. Sunlight glints like small diamond motes, flecks that shift as the frost drops to the snow covered ground. It is -35C and the sound of cold creaks as the dogs go out to do what the must. Sniffing gingerly at the air to deep a breath and there is the bite in the nose hairs as I join them in silence.

Creaking that the packed snow makes at such a temperature the creak of age within the frozen snow itself. 5 minutes no more and they are all 3 crowding to get back in the door muzzles crested with frost from their breath.

Marrow bone treats for the 3 girls being crunched warm from the oven. Hot mint tea for me sweet with summers promise in scent and the taste soothing and the soft feel that comes with each sip. Foregoing just water today.

A grey jay perched on a branch close to the trunk of the black spruce, feathers plumped out to trap heat making her look like a overly blown decoration left over from christmas.

I tend my thoughts carefully some pathways I don’t wish to wend my way down at this point. Glorious blue sky as the sun is dropping towards the setting in an hour and some. Snow so blinding white pock marked by clumps that have fallen from overladen branches. A moonscape in miniature.

The black eye of the ptarmigan and the short black beak all that gives him away in his depression in the snow. He’ll move to the willows on the park edge to feed as the sun fades. Now as I he fasts and conserves. Though I’m the more restless of us two.

I’m feeling the hollow that comes with 20 hours of not eating, it’s a comfort in it’s normalcy in my continuation of what I do. I continue watching as the shadows shift out my window, my dogs sleep snoring softly draped on couch cushion, floor or sprawled across the bed in the centre of the room. An eye will lift as I go to fetch more tea a sigh and a thump of a tail as they regain their composure of resting. It’s hard work to be so relaxed but we’ll manage it.

Hello fellow fasters.

I’ve been lax about checking in for February and I have to confess that I also been lax about keeping up with my commitment for February – only 3 fast days so far. Can I do another 9 in the remaining 17 days of the month? It’s possible and it’s up to me to get it done.

I have been reading all the great updates from the rest of you and I think I need to go back and read everything again. There’s been some great motivation from Coda, great advice from TTL and some lovely inspirational posts from QuietOne (that last post read like pure poetry to me). Everybody has their own story and their own struggles. I have decided to focus on the many, many areas of my life that aren’t a struggle rather than fixating on my struggle with my weight. This is an area where I am the one in control so any deviations from the plan are all on me. Reading about the troubles that others have gone through and are currently going through makes me realize that I have been truly blessed and I have no reason or excuse to lose control over this lifestyle that I’ve determined works for me. My weight has crept up a couple of pounds but I know that with a minimum amount of effort I can get those pounds off. This is my typical pattern and now is the time to nip the upward trend in the bud. I am now re-committing to get the rest of those fast days in for February, including my original commitment of one day with only fluid. Day four will be today!

Having said that – tomorrow we are celebrating my husband’s birthday with some good friends so it definitely won’t be a fast day. His actual birthday is on Sunday which will be Fast day #5 for me and will be spent celebrating love and NOT eating chocolate.

Coda, a belated answer to your question about Lent – I am a lapsed Catholic and had not given much thought to giving something up. However, after some thought I’ve decided that I will get a late start and, starting on Sunday, I’ll give up chocolate and wine until at least Good Friday.

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone and happy fasting!

Hi folks, hope everyone’s week has gone well. I’ve completed 7 fasts so far in Feb and this week did my first ever extended fast – four whole days! I absolutely loved it and felt really good. By the second day I wasn’t at all hungry. I had a very light meal once a day, no carbs or sugar and plenty of water, herbal teas and occasional decaf coffees. I was yesterday to see I’ve lost my first stone and moved into the 10’s – haven’t seen them for a while! Looking forward to losing the next one and will certainly be doing longer fasts again having discovered how doable they are. Very quiet on here today, hope you’re all enjoying Valentine’s Day.

Hi everyone. Checking in: Feb has been a good month for me so far. I’ve managed all my fast days and kept to TDEE. Weighed in this morning and scale results are really good, another big chunk off which has given me a boost 🙂 The jeans which I’d only just put back into use a couple of weeks ago are already loose. I’ve been trying a few new foods, discovered stevia and my food tastes are definitely changing. I’ve been following the discussion on sugar with interest. I seem to be settling quite happily and naturally to low sugar and carb also. Bread is a real trigger for me as once I eat some I seem to not want to stop eating anything. I’d never have believed that I wouldn’t miss it. I haven’t cut it out altogether but would rather use the calories on other things at the moment. This coming week I am off work so avoiding snacking and grazing is my challenge. Well done to everyone sticking with things in the face of your own challenges and congrats to those who are doing well and achieving good things. As the saying goes, onwards and downwards….

Hi everyone, hope you’re all going well. Just checking in after last week. I managed 3 fast days, did my 3 runs and lost 1kg, woohoo.

Have also dusted off my bike and been for a couple of short bike rides.

Ate well on my NFD too, except I couldn’t avoid having some of the evil yet delicious olive loaf I was given when I popped into work at the weekend (I cook in a cafe which doesn’t particularly help when fasting!).

So all in all Feb is going well so far. Being on tomorrow, first fast day of the week for me 🙂

Fast day 7 of 13 checkin:

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Still fighting a cold and cough at the moment – but definitely over the hump. Good luck to everyone fasting this week.

Bill.

Good thoughts Coda – I guess the truth is I want it-ish!! Otherwise I’d be doing a whole lot better!

Fast day 8 of 13 checkin:

Already half way through February. Best wishes for the day!

Bill.

Hi to all, late again checking in, 3 fasts last week making 6/10 pledged. Exercise went down the gurgler, no excuses, just didnt do it. If I loved exercise as much as I do chocolate I’d be a skinny Minnie!! So its a nose to the grindstone this week, or as we say down under nose down and bm in the air!!
Q1 : Im glad you live on tother side of the world, I’d be too scared to travel anywhere near you! Were you an action man or stunt man to have survived so many scrapes! Your writing about the snow was beautiful, it reminded me of my childhood in UK, but then I remembered how lovely snow was to look out the window at, but when you had to go to school with holes in your shoes, a different story! thats the main reason we came to the land of sunshine. Your woes make me feel very humble, so for Lent I will be giving up feeling sorry for myself when life throws a curved ball.

We have just had Alde’s open up in South Aus and I have just tried their chicken stock cubes, they are delicious, on a fast day today so added some Zero Noodles, was quite filling all for 6 cals. Weight not moving much, bit like me, I find weekends are my undoing,so will do a back to back Frid/Sat,that will only leave Sunday to master. I find its all about mixing things up until I find the right combo, so hopefully this will work, although, that being said, I did manage to wear a pair of pants that I bought on sale some 2-3 years ago that I was going to fit into but never did, a size 14 no less, so somethings going on behind my scales!! Hope life is good to all this week, good fasting, Rommy.

This is going to be a little long. You might just want to skip to the next post but here it is.

There has been some discussion and interest shown in water fasting on 5:2 and extended fasting. With how do you have the “will power” to water fast or to do extended fasting. I probably shouldn’t be posting this on a 5:2 forum but the interest and questions are out there….

First 5:2 – I would urge everyone doing 5:2 to strive for water fasting only, it is more effective, you get a bigger bang for your buck, and it will really help change your mental attitude toward your food and energy requirements. Water fasting isn’t about “will power” or “won’t power” it’s just pick the goal and stick to it. It is that easy just drink water.

I won’t try an kid anyone it’s not a walk in the park but at the same time it isn’t difficult. Learning that you won’t die in 36 hours of not eating anything, learning how to ignore the mind that tries to get you to just grab that cookie on the way by or just a small nibble won’t matter. If it goes in your mouth it matters! Water fasts will strengthen you it will give you control over yourself. It will help you learn yourself and your body faster than any single thing I can think of.

Second Extended Fasting. I will NOT recommend this practice. If you do so it is on you to know the risks and benefits. Extended fasting is beyond the 36 hour “normal” of 5:2. You can do 36 hours you can do 48 hours no sweat. Well a little maybe as the hunger thing can kick in pretty big but you can get through a full 2 day. (25% of your TDEE if you must), but a water fast is much more desirable, effective, efficient, and enlightening.

Do a month of twice a week – 2 day water fasting before going farther. Then your mileage may vary and you may just want to jump in and go for a 7 day water fast. I know people that went from 24 hour to 7 day water fasts in one week to the next. So your mileage may vary. You can do extended fasting using 25% of your TDEE but why drag out the process? To me it is just prolonging the “feed me Morris feed me” (little shop of horrors) I recommend water fasting entirely you will get the most benefits from it for the little bit of extra effort.

I went up in fasting by 6 hour increments. I was slow about the process. For one I do have medical issues and I want to be safe. Also I wanted to learn to feel each hour, each minute, to be totally mindful of what I was doing and what the effects of my actions were.

Going beyond 48 hours (2 full days) is a little bit more intensive, I don’t say difficult but the feelings you may have on day 3 can be pretty strong. Some people don’t notice any real change that they can put their finger on. Usually after day 3 fasting gets easier. Feelings of “hunger” usually disappear. The “foggy brain” symptoms if you experience them are also usually gone or dissipating. You may feel really clear, energetic, and your mind will feel quick multi-tasking is easy. You can get a LOT accomplished.

I don’t recommend exercise when first doing extended fasts. Once you are accomplished at extended fasting it may be beneficial to exercise while in the fasted state. I’m not saying do or don’t I’m not you. I’m not a doctor or expert in exercise and fasting. I’m me.

Learn how you feel while fasting, explore your possibilities. Use the time to get inside your own head and explore your relationship with your energy/food. Learn yourself, you are expanding your possibilities in water fasting for 3 4 5 7 day or more. You WILL learn about yourself. You WILL become a stronger person for doing it. Take the time when fasting to look into the core of what makes you you, the unique me in the entire world.

Finding your core being is not some mumbo jumbo hippie, meditation for the all knowing reasons behind the need for belly button lint, it isn’t some flight of fancy only practiced by those that learn to breathe through their eye lids and get energy by breathing in moist air in the morning from fresh cut grass.

We all have reasons we are as we are. Why we do what we do. Some behaviours we have learned that aren’t healthy some that are and some who the heck knows why. If you have conflicts that are unresolved and if you keep making the same mistakes over and over, look at the reasons. Find the cause you likely will connect the effects very directly. Learning yourself will help you cherish yourself. This is a total win and it is totally doable.

So you try a 5-7 day fast and you fall off and gorge yourself. “I’m a failure. I suck. I’m worthless. etc” we all know those feelings if we have ever attempted a diet or tried to change your eating pattern. This applies to 5:2 as well. How many times have we heard “I’m doing ok on Fast Days but feed days I become a glutton I’m rotten!” or “on day 2 of my fast I couldn’t handle it and I went into the pastry shop and bought the place out. I’m such a loser!”

NO YOU ARE NOT a failure, worthless, nor do you suck. You have VISION, you have a GOAL, you TRY, you DO. Doing matters. Trying matters. Those that don’t try or do, never fail but they don’t succeed either. Those that have a vision for themselves, set a goal, work towards the goal and keep focused on the path to the goal. The people that TRY and the people that DO will become stronger and better people just by the act of TRYING and DOING. Anything in life can beat you down. Nothing in life can keep you down but your own willingness to stay DOWN. Trying means standing up be counted and DO the actions necessary. Get knocked down 7 times get up 8. You learn by trying, doing, failing, and winning. You can learn more from failures than success. There is no shame or regret in failing, falling or being knocked down. The shame is in not dreaming, in not having a vision, not knowing yourself, in not having a goal, in not trying, in not doing; now that is shameful and a regret to last your lifetime.

The empowerment you can get that starts from a simple 2 day water fast can grow so that you can handle the offer of cake at the office birthday bash that you totally forgot about on your fast day. You get so much from fasting. The greatest of all is the total awesome feeling after 4-5 days you eat a slice of cold water melon or a small handful of fresh blue berries. Now that’s how food is meant to feel!

I’m not the best person to talk to about water fasting. I’ve only done 5-6 day water fasts I have done them regularly every month for 8 months now. (this is the first month I’ve skipped in a long while) Are they necessary to lose weight? No, 5:2 shows that. To get the best health benefits then extended fasting is required, how often it is required is still up in the air. Though many personal reports are out there of the benefits of 5:2 approaching those of extended fasting once every quarter.

The benefits of extended water fasting are unmatched as far as I can see. Personal whole body health and mental health are huge benefits of extended fasts.

QuietOne – you wonder about posting this information on water fasting on 5:2. I too, wonder if it is really appropriate – It has the potential to muddy the water (so to speak!) for those new to this WOL.

Perhaps you could start a separate thread on extended fasting. But please do contribute your musings and poetic thoughts on topics such as snow to us here on Little Voices! It’s beautiful writing.

I hate it when people turn a little funny when you say you don’t want something e.g. a piece of cake.
Every week someone in the team will bring donuts or a cake(birthday) usually – today I politely declined a piece of chocolate cake, even telling the young lady I was watching my calories – if looks could kill.

My elderly mother was telling me at the weekend how her friend would sabotage her diet when she noticed she was losing weight – usually by invitation to afternoon cream cakes and tea. For laughs and giggles has anyone else had someone try to “sabotage” a fast day 🙂

Best wishes to everyone, and I hope February is going well for you.

Bill.

Hello all I haven’t had time to post for a while as events have overtaken me! Anyway for those of you who have not been seeing their weight drop as much as they would like take heart. I have been bemoaning the fact, that although I feel lighter and definitely have lost inches, the scales seemed to be stuck. So this morning I was delighted to see a new number that I haven’t seen for quite a while which goes to show we shouldn’t get hung up on the number on the scales, instead we should concentrate on inches lost as the scales will eventually catch up. I have always been scale obsessed but since doing 5.2 I have learnt not to be dominated by them. I have also had to move to another hole on my belt!

Have a great weekend and good luck to everyone who is fasting today 🙂

Hi Jayne-Lizzy see my post above about the scales not moving – they will eventually promise!! 🙂

ACTION I’ll see you at the Edinbugh Tattoo tonight! I too bought my tickets months ago and am very excited to experience it. I’ll keep a look out for the skinny golf playing Coleraine drinker🍷🍷