I nominate Coda a fantastic job this month and I’m sure she’s up for it!
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Phew, just catching up on all the posts.
ROMMY – i’m with you on the fruit – our fig tree is having a blockbuster year and I adore the things. They aren’t that high in calories – 47 cals for a large fig according to MFP – but I have been gorging myself as the season is so short. Same goes for apricots and yes, our tree outdid itself.
QUIETONE, a great tip however don’t overdo the teeth brushing. My dental hygienist says excessive brushing can harm the enamel, causing it to breakdown. I don’t know how you do those long fasting periods. I’m guessing you are doing it under medical supervision.
I’m having a terrible end of January – my brain seems to have forgotten how to actually keep me on track on my fast days, let alone within TDEE on non fast days. I have only completed 7 of my 10 pledged days.
Hello everyone. This month has been a bit funny after the festive season food wise it has taken much more than I anticipated into getting into the swing of things. Week1 completed 2 fasts. Weeks 2&3 it was just 1 fast per week ☹️ and this Week I am glad to say I am back on track and completed 3 fasts including a B2B as well.
So in total I managed 7 fasts 1 short of my pledge. It’s been encouraging reading the post from all on the forum when I can. Finger crossed next month will be an amazing month for everyone. Catch you all soon😀😀
Morning All, I’ve just caught up with all the posts from the last few days, it’s amazing to read all the great results and the dedication to the cause for this month to stick to the plan.
Personally I’m at 7 FD’s with 1 more to do over the weekend making up my 8 for the month so everything on track. My best achievement this month has been my Gym attendance, averaging two sessions a week. I would have liked it to have been 3 per week however a minor injury slowed me down (won’t go into details as it’ll make me blush but it involved a pain in the bum !!!)
Also I’ll have walked 8 rounds of golf by this weeks end which equates to over 50kms (130,000 steps and 6,400 calories burnt on my counter) When all this is added up it’s been a pretty good month with a good nett weight reduction and the body is feeling pretty good about it as well.
BILLY B Your results for your first month are an inspiration to us all, well done mate on your first month, you’ll be very encouraged by the weight results I’m sure. Keep up the great work ethic on your journey to skinny
CODA Thanks for your inspiration during the month and keeping the focus on our Fasts rather than the scales. I must admit I’m a daily weigh in person and it’s hard not to jump on them every morning. This has been a good month, an initial recovery one for me after a small Christmas blow out but that was anticipated. It was good to know recovery was going to be easy now this life style is in place.
Thanks everyone for your continued postings and support and lets make February as successful as this month has been. Cheers, Mike
Hello to All,
It’s been great to catch up with the posts after my trip and to see so many people having good results across so many goals: number of fast days, weight lost, BP down, trips to the gym and so forth. Belated congratulations to all!
On my trip, I was mostly ok with eating. There were a couple of indulgent days and one really bad sugar crisis (ate a package of licorice). I’ll see what the week away from 5:2 did to me tomorrow when I go for a swim. I did manage a recovery FD today and might do another on Saturday. It was hard to get back in the saddle – much harder than if I’d been good all along. Maybe I’ll remember that next time.
In addition to reaching the end of our January fast day challenge, there are a couple of us closing in on the last of Dry January. Amazingly, one of my best lessons this month was that I didn’t really miss the alcohol very much. Reaching for a glass is partly habit. So I’ll probably keep some modified version of Dry Jan going until I make my goal weight sometime in March.
It’s a bit late, but just today I recalled a trick for keeping warm that I used in while living in an old drafty apartment. (windows from 1917!) Anytime I was sitting still, I put my sock feet on the electric heating pad I keep for sore muscles. Somehow it wards off the shivers.
Coda, thanks for all the encouragement and words of wisdom this month; you certainly made a difference to me! Good luck to all of us in these last few days. ST55
Chipmunk My fasts aren’t long. I normally do the 5:2 and stretch until supper time rather than starting at breakfast. Fasts of 3, 4, 5 days are not considered by most to be long. It’s 7-10 days that the long term people start. Lot are doing 14-21 days water fasting.
When I started stretching fasting beyond 2 days to 3 to 4 to 5 days I took it in short increments after 2 days it was 2.5 then 3. – add hours or half a day.
When I started going beyond 2 days I had a lot of help from my Dr. he encouraged me, he explained, he ran blood work, urine tests, twice daily, he would come back to the hospital in the evening, I’d meet him there and he would check me over. Other than a few low blood pressure episodes nothing has been encountered.
After I’d done 2 5 day fasts it was obvious that degree of medical monitoring wasn’t needed. I do know how I feel and I am conscious of what can go off the rails, and I’ll pull out of an extended fast in a heart beat if I encounter problems and seek medical help.
I want to go to 7 and 10 day but I’m nervous about it and until that passes I won’t attempt it. I have to feel totally comfortable and positive. The sad part is my Dr. is moving on his contract is up and he didn’t renew. So now I’m going to have to go dr. shopping. Hopefully one of the new Drs or locums will know or be interested enough to learn about fasting.
I do think everyone on 5:2 should do at least one 2 day water fast. You will learn alot about yourself. Don’t do this until you’ve been on 5:2 a good two months and that you’ve undertake a couple of water fasts. You needn’t keep doing them afterwards but the knowledge that you can is totally empowering.
Think back to when you first started 5:2 and the mental issues of “I’ll starve to death or chew my arm off” The confidence that builds by adhering to the 5:2 pattern is so empowering. If you can do this you can do! You will succeed. It will slap a grin on your face and you’ll be smiling. It’s that YAHOOO I did it and I’ll do it again in two days. Nothing can hold you back. If you can do once you can do it always. The closer you stick to 5:2 as it’s written for two months the more of a habit it becomes and it gets a lot easier. After 2 months switching to water fasts is very doable.
I’m at almost 74 hours on this fast just cuz I blew monday and figured I’d make amends with my body. Ton of energy. Mind is clear. No hunger at all. Bit of a back ache but was moving a lot of boxes today and then two much sitting so likely seized a bit.
I feel so well I am pondering going for Saturday. So watch me come up a brain fog or something. But right now it’s fantastic feeling. Energized, light, quick to laugh always seem to find something funny. My dogs (3) had me in stitches. Temp -5C 3 foot of snow and it started raining. Just pouring down and they were out there rolling in snow trying to dry off from the rain. It was hilarious.
Anyhow congrats to everyone I hope you finish the week with strength and determination. 3 days can make a world of difference. Keep on keeping on it does work. Find the joy in the hunger and the happiness and shear delight of breaking the fast.
Coda thanks for taking on Little Voices February 2016 Accountability. You’re great at this.
Morning all. Success, finally off the plateau. Down 3/4lb. Feels good, but I ended up with a bad headache again, although I did manage a good nights sleep. That was my last day of my pledge .
My goodness QuietOne, this all seems a bit extreme. Are you doing water fasts to lose weight fast, or for the health reasons? It’s great that you feel so good, but have to admit that I would find this unsustainable so personally it’s not for me.
Also, a good friend of mine started a 10 day water fast and ended up in hospital for a week with phneumonia. Not scare mongering, but these things tend to stick in my mind. Great if you can do it, and understand about giving the body a rest.
I have followed Dr M’s book to the letter and have almost reached goal after just a year. Some times it has been hard, and I have had migraines along the way, mostly because I was not drinking enough. Anyone struggling with it I would strongly suggest buying The Fast Diet book and just follow it to the letter. Great things will start to happen. It’s been good knowing I have found something I can take with me the rest of my life, and know I’m not going to pack all the weight back on again.
Great work Coda in keeping us all motivated, and if you’re up to doing February, I’m with you. Wish you all success for the end of January. TTL
Hi folks,
My final fast day of the month went very well. Sincere thanks to everyone on the forum for the inspiration and encouragement – I’m looking forward to February little voices for sure.
Earlier in the month I thought I had my wife and mother in law on board with the 5:2, unfortunately life got in the way for them – which is understandable. I still get the support from them from the sidelines.
Highlights for January 2016 Little Voices:
Blood pressure fast approaching normal range.
Quit drinking soda.
Weight loss 19lbs
Total Exercise Time: > 22 hours.
Cut back massively on refined sugars from my diet.
Found the coolest, most generous people on this little forum.
Huge thanks!
Bill.
Hello all! Today will be my last fasting day for January (#12). I had a pretty rocky month but did reach my pledge number of fast days and maintained my weight (131.6 this morning) so I consider the month a success and a bit of a wake up call. Maintenance is a new phenomenon for me so I’m navigating new territory and learning as I go. I’d like to continue with the accountability challenge into February and maybe even try a 24 hour water fast, inspired by QuietOne.
Thanks again to Coda! As I’ve said, I love the inspirational quotes and all the support. They really do resonate with me and motivate me to stick with the program.
Congratulations to everyone who achieved their targets this month!
ThirdTime I don’t worry about weight loss at all. I started 5:2 for health reasons alone. I do 4-5 day fasts once a month due to the research of Dr.Valter Longo and assured health benefits. The rest of the time I do 5:2 though 13 months in I still have issues staying within in my TDEE. Which is likely negated by the 4-5 day fast.
Sure I am overweight and I probably never will be what they say as “normal” for my height and age. But that’s not the point of this pattern for me for me it’s all about the health benefits which I’ve gotten in spades. Weight loss is just a pure free bonus of what I do. I like pretty much anything free.
Coda: You go girl. Sign me up for February. I’ll change my profile to fit Feb. Basically it’s the same do my fasts and stay within my TDEE.
BillyB way to go on the BP and 19Lbs lost that’s amazing. You really rocked January 2016.
FastInLady: Maintaining when you’ve reached a goal is a definite success. Keep on keeping on.
I’ll post Sunday but I won’t be saying weight lost. As I don’t do this for a diet and think it would be unfair to those that do so.
Like FASTINLADY I had a rocky month. Made 7 out of 10 pledged days; dry January was not a happening thing except on fast days; TDEE – what’s that?
So no surprise this morning to find the scales tell me I gained 1.3kg in January. First time ever I’ve had a gain over the month. I don’t think keeping off the scales helped as I could easily ignore my guilty conscience as there was no evidence to keep me honest!!
A very good lesson in keeping to TDEE I think, as if I had done that on NFDs I would definitely have been down. THIRDTIME I think you are so right about sticking to the letter of 5:2. ACTIONHERO, this all proves your point too, that if you aren’t keeping to TDEE a fast day is just a recovery day, not a genuine fast day.
CODA I will love myself in February and even though you aren’t looking for it, I pledge a realistic 2.5 kg. This means sticking to the letter of 5:2, allowing 3 days off the rails (there are a number of celebrations this month, so let’s be really realistic!).
Off to do my month plan for Feb. looking forward to pushing myself!
Rommy, I made your protein bars today. YUM! I took your advice on recipe changes and I also added pecans I had left from Christmas baking. I did the math on the ingredients I used and came up with 225 calories for 1/16th of the pan. That’s about the same as a chocolate bar, and they’re so much healthier. Since my FD allotment is only 425 cals, these will probably be nFD treats. They’ll be terrific to pack for my long hikes.
The pan came out of the oven just before dinner, and of course, I had to try one right away. Oats, honey, peanut butter, chocolate and cinnamon – what’s not to like? They’re awesome. A short time later I went to start making dinner at the normal hour and found I wasn’t the least bit hungry so turned the stove off. These puppies definitely do the trick!
I hope they freeze well because there are 15 left. If I don’t make them inaccessible, I’ll eat more faster than I should. 😋
Ok I gotta ask where’s the recipe for the protein bars. I can’t find it and must have missed it somewhere along the way.
Broke my fast 92 hours. Had bone soup and watermelon. Drinking blended water melon with some carbonated water.
Now to just stay within my TDEE on my last two days.
I am looking forward to next month. This one has been great you are an wonderful group of people. Thank you.
Thanks so much Coda for running the January Accountability, its been a lifeline for me and I’m delighted you’re continuing into February, count me in please. I know I don’t post often but all the support and inspiration from you wonderful people has been invaluable and I read it religiously morning and evening. I guess I’m still feeling like an outsider/ newbie but will try to post more often.
My January was a doddle the first half but really heavy going the second but I’ve managed:
11 Fast Days (pledged 13) one more to do
Only 5 days over TDEE
5lbs off
Delighted with that and looking forward to doing even better in February. I pledge a minimum of 8 fast days and to post more often!
Hi Coda, End of January check-in: 9 fasts completed (one short of 10 pledged). Kept within TDEE on most other days but had some blow outs on the few social occasions which happened this month. Managed to lose a bit of weight and now back to my pre-Christmas weight (124 pounds). However it’s not looking likely I will reach my new goal of 8 1/2 stone (119 pounds) by my cruise on 18 Feb but happy to join the Feb challenge and pledge a few fasts for part of the month – I will definitely NOT be fasting anytime throughout the 3 1/2 week cruise! Many thanks for your inspirational leadership throughout this month and a big pat on the back for leading again next month!! Oops, being Irish, don’t read that as “a big ‘Pat’ on your back”!!
QuietOne, I too thought your fasting a bit extreme and was interested in why you were doing this, so had a look at some of your early posts on other threads – I now understand! Having read about your serious health issues I truly admire your determination to follow the extended fasting plan (under medical supervision) which should lead to an improvement in your health, and as you say – if you lose weight along the way then that is a bonus – and surely losing weight will also improve your overall wellbeing? Good luck to you! – I shall continue to follow your progress with interest – and I do hope your replacement doctor is of the same mindset as your present one.
Wow Bill! Massive weight loss! Well done – you deserve the Chocolate Fish or whichever other virtual award Coda decides to give.
Just finished watching Jamie Murray & Bruno Suares win the Men’s Doubles at the Australian Open. The biggie is tomorrow morning at 8 am UK time – can little brother Murray do it and make it 2 for Scotland and Great Britain?? Bet I’ll burn quite a few calories watching this match! C’mon Andy!!!!!!!!
Hi Quiet1,
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-cinnamon-chocolate-chip-protein-bars/
Rommy substitutes nonfat dry milk for whey powder (much, much cheaper), uses less cinnamon (2t), and adds shredded coconut or seeds, or whatever is on hand.
The whole pan, with 1/4C each regular mini choco chips, pecan pieces and coconut, contains 3577 cals. Interestingly, I got online estimates for dry quick oats ranging from 300-600 cals per cup, so watch your choice. I walked back to the grocery to learn mine were 320/cup.
In future I will probably leave these add-ins out to save the calories. To me the flavor of the oats, peanut butter and honey are best!
Hi, all,
January is almost over! I have done five fasts, which equals two each week that I have been back in Canada after our trip to Cuba. I am pleased with that as I was worried I’d have trouble getting back in the saddle after a two week break. Looking forward to February. Many thanks to Coda for steering this ship!
Hi Everyone, Amazingly, I find myself looking forward to my January month-end weigh in tomorrow morning. I can’t believe I just typed those words!
Today I was thinking about an upcoming weekend of hiking and realizing that I don’t have enough jeans that fit. Since I’m not at my goal weight yet, I purchased 2 cheap pairs, one size smaller than I was wearing over the holidays. I tried them on at home and had to take them back because they’re Too Big. Woo Hoooooo!!!
So, in some ways, the number on the scale tomorrow doesn’t even matter. Still, I’ll record it. And Coda, the official penny transfer between wine glasses ceremony will be tomorrow after my last Jan swim.
Thanks to all the Little Voices for your encouragement and wisdom. And I hope to hear more from some of the quieter among the crowd next month. ST55
Hi everyone, sorry for the awol this last couple weeks. I managed to do my 12 fasts. It was actually easy this time. I was happy to get back in the groove after the holidays. I managed to lose 3 pounds of my holiday gain and my running and skiing are going great. I do really well on fast days, lots of energy. Weather is great up in northern Canada so I have managed to take advantage. Hope everyone crushed their goals.
QUIET ONE – Like UPA, I too read your starting post, and fully understand why you are doing the long fasts. Valter Longo is renowned in his field and his findings always make interesting reading. Good luck with 5:2. The weight loss is bound to follow when your body is ready to let go.
Great work everyone with sticking with the programme. It works if you work it! Here we are ready to face February with confidence and determination.
I managed my 8 pledged fast days, and showed a loss of 4 1/4 lbs after pigging out over Christmas. It took me a while to keep my non FD under control. The sugar demon sure got hold of me and wouldn’t let go, but eating clean again now and feeling much better for it. My two fast days are ingrained into my life now, and I regularly eat just 1000 calories a NFD day now feeling quite full after a big meal.
I do find filling in MFP BEFORE I eat a godsend, as I can enter everything I know I will eat at meals, then if I have calories spare, I treat myself to a G & T, or a wine, or maybe a dish of nuts or trail mix. The sugar demon still sits on my shoulder, but the Little Voices in my ear usually manage to put him in place!
So onwards and downwards into February (the loving month) and apart from OH 74th birthday dinner, no blips on the horizon. Hope you all will join us on the ride, it can only get better, and your body and health will thank you for it. See you on the new thread.TTL
Hi
Thanks Coda and all of you for letting me join in – it has been just what I needed to get back on track after the festivities. Jan highlights for me – 11/12 FD successfully completed including my first 2 liquid only days and 8lb gone. I enjoy catching up on the posts from you all and have taken loads of tips, inspiration and encouragement from them. See you through February on the new thread.
Wow Coda – great virtual medal presented to Bill & Q1! – CDM (iow Cadbury’s Dairy Milk) – a glass and a half of milk in ever bar!! Hope you two enjoy!!
TTL – way to go!! Fab Jan result !! You are fast catching me up! Best wishes to your OH on his birthday!!!
Poor result today from Andy – Admit I gave up after watching the first two sets and decided to burn off my calories instead on the golf course – good decision – won the competition and burnt up my expected amounts of calories for a 5 mile walk (round) !! Speak in February!! Love Upa
hi everyone, logging in with total of 12/12 fasts for January. Lost 2kilos of weight put on over holidays, only one left to go. I have found after weighing every day that my weight goes down after a fast, goes up on a TDE day, but goes down a kilo when I least expect it. From this I surmise that the daily weight fluctuations are from the amount of food and water in the system going up and down but the true fat loss comes after my body has done a calculation and decides its time to let go!
After a day of overeating due to social events I sooo look forward to a fast day so that I can feel better after my food hangover. You dont realise how bad you feel after too much sugar and simple carbohydrates until you do a fast and know what feeling good is.
I know the protein bars are high in calories so I cut mine up into small bite size pieces to have with a cuppa when I feel hungry. They keep in a plastic container in the fridge or they can be frozen, One of the better add ins I have found are chia seeds, they expand in the tummy and keep me fuller longer. congratulations on everyone for the months efforts, you only fail when you dont try, regardless of results. good on ya coda for stepping up again. Looking forward to February commitment.
Hi everyone from God’s Own Country here in the South Pacific.
Here’s little clip I came across filmed by a couple of Canadian Tourists to our Country recently, she called it a “Lamb-Pede” (sort of like a Stampede but more gentle) Seeing as we have quite a few Canuks in this Forum I thought you might like to share the same enjoyment as your countrywoman. The “Mountain” she referred to is only a gentle high country hillside farm, note the absence of snow and winter colours, this is summer in our lovely country. Enjoy…..
I didn’t get a chance to log in last week – but I completed the 11 fast days I pledged for January and lost 5 lbs. I was not too successful with keeping within my TDEE on non-fast days, but I will keep trying. I’m away on vacation for Feb, but I will go over to that forum and pledge what I can realistically do….
Thanks Coda for organizing! And all the rest of you for providing inspiration!
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We pay tribute to our dear friend and colleague, Dr. Michael Mosley. Michael was an integral part of our lives, […]
Michael is touring Australia this September! Here's a link to dates and tickets. Hope to see you there.
Michael Mosley gives an update for 2019, current research in the field and announces a tour starting in February.
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