Hi Life’s please don’t despair. I know exactly how you feel having had a big blip earlier this month which knocked my chances of getting to target very slim. I had to pick myself up and just do the best i can. Don’t let the numbers on the scale get to you. Relish the feeling of being fitter – look to the positives from where you where then to where you are now. The exercise that you do now to what you did previously. Sometimes for whatever reason the scale takes a jump up. It can be for numerous reasons maybe your little indulgences have caught up and this is a reminder to look carefully at your plan. There is also nothing to say if you got on the scales tomorrow or the next day that the gain would have gone. Unless your scale actually gives a body fat analysis it can only give an indication of what is going on. Maybe you just need (how do I put this politely) not so much a whoosh but something more substantial lol!!!!!
Fatkat well done for getting to target!

I meant Christmas target Fatkat

Hi everyone, Sun shining and blue skies in Bonny Scotland, well this part anyway! Think there is more rain in the west, my heart goes out to those poor people who have been flooded out of their homes. Its bad at any time of year but always seems worse at Christmas!
OH took me out for lunch yesterday. A local pub has reopened under new management after years of being in the doldrums. Very nice, and lovely food, but not much for me to chose, grain free and healthy. So… ended up stuffing my face with Scampi and Chips!!! Delightful, but there it is on the scales again today. I seem to be going in the wrong direction at the moment, and for the first time my size 12 jeans are feeling pinched at the waist!!! Yuk. OK, this stops here and now. I probably wont make my target by the 19th, but I will do my best during the last few days of this challenge. The good thing is I am working a few hours most days over the lunch period, so will probably skip lunch altogether and save calories for evening meals.
Lifesabeach – don’t worry too much about what the scales say, it seems you are exercising more than enough, and getting healthier by the day. Sometimes our bodies just fight it for a while, but I found as long ass I stick to the two days fasting, it all comes right in the end.
PJBR – I live near Dundee, so quite a way from Edinburgh, especially now the bridge is closed. Upagumtree and I meet up occasionally for lunch, it is nice to be able to put a face to a name.
So – fast day again tomorrow, and am working pm. so my eating window will be extended to 23 hours. Hopefully what I have gained will disappear in time for Christmas. Then I really will be packing it on again!!! Ooops! TTl

I’ve been holding steady for the last 4 days at 129 lbs even after over indulging at a Christmas party on Saturday night. I didn’t drink so that helped but I did feel the need to sample all of the goodies on display, some twice. Sunday was a fast day and today will be another. I’m skipping the office pot luck on Wednesday – I know exactly how those things go – and I’m also skipping the company Christmas reception on Friday (yes I am a grinch). I have no more social occasions until Christmas Eve so I should be able to maintain or even lose an other pound or two before then. After those few days of family and food are over I know I can get back to my fasting life and lose anything I might gain.

Hi AH – did you get my email I sent re spread sheet?

I will be weighing in on Friday morning and unless another Christmas miracle happens I will not have made my Christmas target/goal but I have made progress which is I suppose what counts at the end of the day.

AH thanks will do.

Is anyone else finding it hard to give 100% to fast days? not sure because I know I have another Christmas lunch tomorrow – finding it hard to stick to my fast day today the way I usually do 🙁

Hi AH – email sent from work email as well – Thanks

Hi, sorry i have been awol , been verybusy with visitors, cleaning, dusting, shopping!its funny that once you start what you tell you’rself will only be a 30 minute job, usually takes three hours cleaning things you hadnt even noticed were dirty! Still fasting 4/3 after two weeks of nothing lost another kilo yesterday so happy with that.
I find that if i have food out, biscuits, crackers etc i suffer hand to mouth syndrome so no food out from now on, only on the big day! It will be interesting to see what happens on christmas day as my stomach has shrunk i dont thinki will be able to stuff my face so keeping everything crossed! Doing a wine tour through mclarenvale wineries on sunday in a stretch hummer ,hope its not too hot. The weather here has been crazy, hot as hades one minute, massive electrical storm, followed up with hail the size of golf balls! Merry christmas everyone and may the force be with u, yes i am a star wars affectionado!!

It’s Friday morning here and I’ve weighed in…….. I’m glad I didn’t set too difficult a pledge.

ACTION I can report that despite holidays, weekends away, the usual Christmas activities and a fantastic dinner out last night (accompanied by far too much wine) I am at 1.9kg for the Christmas Challenge. As I pledged a 2kg, being 100gms short seems to me to be success!!

Wishing everyone have a happy and healthy Christmas from sunny NZ! And remember – Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc with your seafood, and New Zealand Pinot Noir with turkey and ham!

Weighing in this morning at 118.5 lbs. 1.5 lbs below my Xmas target. 🙂

Sorry – a very well done to those you have achieved their target or in the case of FatKat surpassed it! CONGRATULATIONS to you all!

I’m happy to say that I’m still at 129 pounds for my final weigh in. I’ve met my revised goal as well as my targeted number of fasting days. This challenge has been an educational experience for me and this is a way of life I plan to continue. My new goal is to maintain my loss and to still weigh less than 130 at the end of next year.

Congratulations to everyone who have reached or surpassed their target. Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year!

My final weigh-in for this challenge is down 4.5 lbs. I’d aimed for 5 but I will take what i have got. Total loss to date since April 28 is 32.5 lbs. I have between 5 and 10 to go, and hope to get rid of some of them before we leave for Cuba (Jan 3) as we don’t have too many Christmas events on our calendar this year. All our children and grandchildren are going to Florida! Which is very expensive — the Canadian dollar is at an all-time low compared to the US dollar. I don’t expect that anyone will be bringing home any presents for us. 😉 We get to dog-sit.

I will continue to drop in here just to see how everyone is doing. In the meantime, congratulations to ALL OF US, and may the holiday season be moderate and may 2016 be the year in which we all reach the physical form we’ve been aiming for.

Hi Everyone from the great white north. Sorry I was awol for most of this month but we have had company and not much to report. I have been lurking I admit. In total I lost 2.5 pounds. My lofty goal I think was 8, but I am down to the last bit of weight and it is slow going. Of course holidays are not helping. I am finding my fast days way easier now and I look forward to them. I am also lifting 3 days a week so that might be affecting loss. I am not to worried about it, just going to stay the course and hope it comes soon. Hope everyone stays on track through the holidays. Enjoy the time for yourself and family and friends. I got out on x country skis last week and heading out tomorrow. Happy to have lots of snow up here. Merry Christmas

Wow–you guys are rocking it!!

I second the post that having food out is a huge HUGE trip-up. Especially the chips and crackers and nuts. This will be one of my key challenges for the next three weeks because my 6’4″ 20 year old, juijitsu/biking son will be home and he needs a lot of food!!!! And my 12 year old daughter wants to do baking.

I ended a half pound from my very modest goal of 2 pounds. I’m still thankful for it as the time period included Thanksgiving, two birthdays, company Christmas party, etc. etc. Now if I can maintain for the next three weeks, I envision lots of progress for 2016!!

I will be having fast days as I can during the holidays to try to contain the damage. The last fast day I had I had some issues, which is a little unusual for me. Generally I do well on fast days and it’s the regular days that are the problem. Anyway, I’ll try to pop on regularly to keep mindful and on goal.

Happy Holidays!!! Thanks for being there!!!!

Hello everybody, sorry I have been awol for a while (busy, busy). Realise I forgot to check in last Friday. So here now is my final result for Santa’s sleigh:

Pledged amount 6 pounds,
Total loss 2 pounds.

The loss figure was actually 3 pounds a couple of weeks ago but I seem to have found a pound since then! I too have been having difficulty keeping to under 500 on some of my fast days during this feasting season so this will explain that extra pound. I have resolved to do better from now and fit in two ‘good’ fast days over the next two weeks.

Chipmunk, sorry I haven’t got around to posting my stats on your thread – I had been holding off for the final results on this challenge.

Coda, I will be joining the new LV challenge when you set it up in January.

Hoping you all have a happy festive time and hope the weather doesn’t spoil your plans – be that too hot sun or floods or snow!!

Action Hero, are you going to give us our little Christmas gift – ie a picture of your transformed self?? Go on! – It’s Christmas!!!

Up

Hi all – If everyone can let me know who is going to be joining LV January’s accountability challenge please so I can make sure your name is included in the spread sheet. I have you enlisted Upa! Thanks

I too forgot to log in last week. With all the work xmas lunches and parties, I managed to do 11 fast days and lost a total of 5.8 lbs. I was an optimistic newbie and pledged 15 lbs lol! But I am still happy with my meager 5.8 loss.

Coda, please add me to the January accountability challenge.

Thanks!

Hi Coda, count me in for the January Accountability challenge. Thanks!

Hi everyone, just to say that overall I did not lose anything at all for this period. After my little holiday in November I put on I have put on another 2 pounds so back up to 12.7. I did keep up with 2 fast a week and intermittent fasting as well but nothing was moving😳I tried fasting yesterday but gave up.

Not sure starting weight for the new year will be yet but I will take it in my stride enjoy my daughters 16th birthday on Xmas eve and also Christmas day and the season in moderation and start again in full in the new year. I noticed that when I eat too much carb I do not lose as much so something to put more effort in for next year.

Well done to all that stuck to it this far.
Thanks action hero for doing this.
Bring on 2016 year to reach my GOAL of 11 stone 70kg
Have a merry Christmas 🎄🎄🎅you all and a happy new year🎊🎊🎉😀😀

Hi coda please sign me up for January challenge
I have been reading all your messages an your all very inspirational I have been fasting on an off since Dec doing abit here an a bit there, it’s kept my weight the same an loosing pds an gaining so very yo yo for me, but if I can keep from putting on over the festive period that’s a bonus.
I think half of it is I haven’t been planning an just woke up feeling bloated an think I need a fast day, so after reading a lot of your thoughts and ideas I am going to have regimental fast days an save my calories for evening time. Looking forward to a proper start in January but I am going to fast today an stick to Tuesday as a fast day in the new year, May have to do tomorrow as don’t want to be fasting xmas eve, I’m thinking the key is to get straight back into fasting on the 27th an not have the whole of Christmas associated with food and drink,
It will be tonight when I will find it hardest so I might be back on for more inspiration.

Sorry another few thoughts – what do people use as the base line for their fast days? Do you use the standard calculation 2000 calories (non fast days) 500 cals (fast days) or have you used the tracker in this forum and worked out what your TDEE is? Do you know as the weight comes down your TDEE gets less. Maybe time to check you are keeping within your TDEE.

Also lets get one of AH’s blank planners and start thinking how many fast days you are planning to have for January, lets also put in any birthdays, celebrations and work round them. What exercise do you plan to do – do you do any classes? Schedule these times and write them in, make a date to incorporate something with someone (oops that was maybe too suggestive lol) I really meant do something energetic – ha ha better stop digging! What I am saying is plan it – write it down the way you would do any important meeting and you will be more inclined to follow through.

Mary duly added to the list – have a lovely time in Cuba. Thanks Chipmunk for the directions I had a look and believe I will be able to start our January thread ok. I plan to start open it on Tuesday 29 so watch this space!