Hi Chipmunk – just to log that today I managed three hours of gardening in the beautiful sunshine. Now suffering with a sore back! But worth it to get the chance to put the garden to bed for the winter. Just some bulbs to put in now and a general clean up, then I can relax!
Out for lunch with Upagumtree and spouses tomorrow, so hope to be on my best behaviour! Maybe a glass of wine.
Next fast day is Monday so hoping for another loss. Fingers crossed.
Great to see so many names on the list again, here’s hoping for lots of reductions during Rocktober. Good luck to everyone.
(England were rubbish tonight. Scotland are hanging in, but not good) TTL

Today is my weigh in day. I am down 3 lbs. The B2B FD, especially when it includes donut day at work helped this week. I also know that fast exercise several times a week makes a big difference for me as well. Now to make it work while I am at a conference for the week. I am going to have a hard time fasting this week. Hmm. Good luck everyone!

Hi all, I am just home from lunch at in laws and had 2 slices of cheesecake, nervous about making much of a loss this week as last wk i only lost 1lb, despite being ‘good’! Weight loss seems to have finally slowed down! But trying to do something physical everyday. Starting weight for the month is 145lb (7lb short of my target).
good luck everyone 🙂

Morning everyone, as Chipmunk said above, a beautiful spring morning here in Godz Own, the sun is pouring into my Office and life is great.

GINETTE: I love your expression “I want my skin to catch up with me” it conjures up all sorts of images in my mind and when I look at myself in the mirror I think I know what you are talking about, it’s all well and good reducing the pounds however the packaging those pounds came in sometimes hangs about and tightening up can be just as hard as the efforts to reduce the pounds. Anyone have any suggestions (other than Ab crunches, I hate Ab crunches)

Another little milestone for me this morning, I broke through the 83Kg weight bracket (183lbs)and into the 82’s at weigh in today, so a good start to the month so far. Managed to navigate the weekend very well, for once nothing too social happening and managed to sit through the rugby with no food distractions. My BMI has also slipped below the 27 number so slowly advancing on the magic 24 number which is the New Year goal. Considering it was almost 31 when I started on 30 June I’m feeling pretty good.

Poor PK, being told off and sent to the naughty corner to do her exercises 🙂

Off for a nice long walk now, to enjoy the sun shine and wonder about all those poor English Rugby supporters who have tickets to the next round of matches that they may not enjoy now, wonder what the resale value of some tickets might be on local Auction sights today, could be worth a quick trip over to watch the AB’s beat the Irish !!!

Thanks Chipmunk

Yes I am really pleased with it, now to get to the blasted gym and sort out tge squidgy bits, that is as much of a target. My neighbour has really changed his shape in about three months by only going twice a week. He wasn’t really overweight but looks good now.

I am hoping it might do me some good. I don’t like the thought of going but I must get some motivation to go and then stick with it.

I have promised myself to join this month.

Hi Action

Yes it’s like reading a book, the imagination works wonders!! It isn’t that bad at the moment but I can see it will be. I am even thinking of having monitored sessions for so long. This is someone who works out an exercise plan for you. I think that would be better then I can talk about how to target certain areas.

Your BMI is great, I am sure you will move down to the healthy category soon, it isn’t far for you. I am also hoping to get into the next category soon. I have gone from morbidly obese to severely and now I just want to be obese. It’s strange because although I knew I was overweight it didn’t bother me for years, then after a sad event that triggered it my bloodpressure went up and I am having difficulties in getting it down. Hence 5:2 I have gone from dangerously high to high now, just need to get it lower.

It’s nice having people who are trying to get healthy as well, I have found the forum really supportive.

I’m glad somebody is enjoying the rugby.

Ginette

Ginette – I just read your post and wanted to say that I, too, am more focussed on the health benefits of this WOE. Whilst I of course would like to lose weight I am concentrating on all the other benefits of watching what I eat. I lost my sister just under 2 years ago at the age of just 51 (I turned 50 this year). Her death had nothing to do with weight, she was a healthy 9 and half stone, but it just brought home to me how important it is for us to care for ourselves and give ourselves the best possible tender loving care our bodies need. I am amazed at just how well I feel when following this method and when I fall off the wagon how rotten I feel. Now that doesn’t mean I wont allow myself the pleasures, but I am just more aware of what makes me feel good and what doesn’t. Good luck with it all, it sounds like you are doing so well. I am not enjoying the rugby and was at Twickenham on Saturday night sobbing 🙁

Hi Everyone

Monday is my weigh and measurement day. I am really pleased to donate 1lb to MsOO. I’ve lost inches too. I’m so pleased as I was staying with a friend at the weekend and had a big lunch and dinner on Saturday with carbs. I ate 3/4 of a roasted vegetable flan because it was delicious. However, I fasted yesterday.

This evening, I called in at the supermarket as I needed apples (I eat apples during the day on fast days if I’m really hungry) and I saw my favourite hand-cooked crisps on offer, so I picked up 2 packets cos I thought I’ll put them away. Who am I fooling? Five minutes later, I put them back :). If anyone watches me in a supermarket, they must think I’m crazy.

Onwards and downwards to all 🙂

Hi CODA, a nice honest little post above. You have identified and acknowledged where your challenges are with Sunday eating habits. Now all you need to do is to plan your way through your Sundays so they don’t become your EXCUSE for indulging, knowing you can recover from your over indulgence with a Fast Day on Monday.

Shouldn’t a Fast Day be a positive contribution to your weight reduction plan, not the RECOVERY plan from the normal Sunday indulgence day? If you continue this weekly plan then my thoughts are you need to do an additional FD to compensate for the Monday recovery of Sundays. Does that make sense? If you introduce this plan your two real FD’s will certainly contribute to your overall goal for May

I had a little peek at your Profile and you mention a goal for a reduction by May (birthday) next year of 18.3kgs. This big goal can be broken down into monthly achievements, e.g. 2.3kgs per month which equates to 0.6kgs per week. This is far easier to keep track of and will keep you focussed how your progress is and what has to be done after any one week if your weekly goal of 0.6kgs is missed. Then you’ll know what you have to do the next week to catch up on what was missed the previous week. Does that make sense as well? You seem to have a good exercise plan in place, now it’s just a matter of getting the FD’s and non FD’s sorted so you get maximum benefit from both. Sounds easy eh???

Good luck and “Go Ireland” for Sunday (Saturday your time)

Good morning all from a dreich Scotland. (Normal weather has resumed)
Had a good fast day yesterday although since returning home from down south have had a dickie tummy! The fasting seemed to help by giving my system a break, but it came back with a vengeance through the night, so yet another sleepless night.
Weigh in this morning shows a loss of 1.5 lbs, so I am almost back to the 9.5stone I was at before my holiday. I do find that since I have given up carbs, the weight is consistently coming off (except for my holiday indulgences) and the best thing is, I don’t miss them.
Well done to everyone who is working away at this. I found it easier to eliminate one food at a time, and just don’t buy them again. First crisps went, then. Biscuits, cakes, bread………etc. I did this over a period of time, and now I know that not only will I put weight on if I eat this stuff, my system actually rebels and don’t feel good. Just a thought for those who are struggling. Good luck all…..TTL

Hey Mary well done you look fantastic. Also well done on the 3 minute plank – impressive. I am doing the 30 day squat challenge this month and did 70 this morning eek! I am going swimming tomorrow so I will see how my legs hold up then 🙂

Ha ha – I will try the plank again but I have a dodgy knee and I definitely did something to it when I did the PC last month.

BTW how long has it taken you to lose the weight? 🙂

Hi Chipmunk

I am back in! Sorry not registered until now but was away from home from 1 October – 4 October at the Dunhill Golf Championships in St Andrews. As I said in my final post in LV September Challenge I reached my overall goal but would consider whether to recalibrate this. Well, I have taken stock and decided I could comfortably lose another half stone without looking too skinny! So here’s my stats for Rocktober:

Oct 1 start weight: 8 St 13
Pledged Oct Loss: 3 pounds

My overall aim is to reach my new goal of 8 1/2 stone by the end of November as I am already entering Christmas Lunches and Dinners in my diary – starting from as early as 2 December! PLUS, I have just booked a fabulous 3 week cruise to China, South Korea and Japan departing mid-February – and we all know what cruises involve! – champagne, food, wine … and more food! – so I would like to have a little spare capacity to take all this on board (excuse the pun!)

Thanks Chipmunk for leading this month – I like your idea of “shaking it off” and encouraging us to add some extra exercise into our daily routines. My present exercise comes mainly from golf (4 times a week, weather permitting) plus one Pilates class a week. To get some “extra” in I have decided to get my golf buddies to join me in “power-walking” rounds – ie walking at a very brisk pace between shots so that just slightly out of breath (so no sauntering or long conversations!) This also will have a bonus of completing a round in 3 hours (usual pace is 3 1/2 hours). I also intend to do 10 minutes Pilates each morning (this probably will include some planking).

TTL and myself (and spouses) had a lovely second meet-up and delicious lunch on Sunday. We were very good and both opted for the venison, but TTL was extra good by refusing the root mash and opting for a small glass of wine (I had the mash and a LARGE glass of wine). The only naughtieness was the desserts! – but we were on NFD and well within our TDEEs and we both fasted the next day! What a great idea to meet up with other Little Voices and compare notes and check on body changes. We last met mid July and I could see a marked difference in TTL – can vouch that she looks very trim (and chic) and not too far off goal! Perhaps others in Little Voices who live in the same part of their respective countries can do the same!?? Apart from making new friends it provides an extra impetus to reach short-term goals before meet-ups!!

Wow MaryW, just checked out your before and afters – looking fabulous! … and the best is yet to come!

This wol rocks!!
Up

Thanks AH for the wise words and you are so right – I need to take stock of my Sundays and do a bit of planning and stop sabotaging my efforts during the week. Could I do a fast day on a Sunday and cook for all the family and not part-take??? I did a juice detox once and was able to juice on a Sunday and not have the traditional dinner but could I – would I want to do it – jury out but will give careful consideration. Thanks for reminding me of my goal and what I need to do to get there – many thanks.

Well done Mary – by the way I read Rita just wants to be thin. Once I got over the initial shock of the small writing and that it was thicker than I imagined I couldn’t put it down as I wanted to know how she got on and was slightly saddened at the end as I wanted to know more. It is so true in life in general we just need to learn to say no and make sure we have some me time! Makes every one happy!

Well done up and others great achievements!

Hi Coda – just a thought to help you on Sunday’s – when I know I’m having a big meal, I enter what I am going to eat on Myfitnesspal calorie counter before I eat. Then you can choose to have just 1 roast potato instead of four to keep the calories in check. Same with pudding, and wine. It means you can still have what you want, but you don’t take such big portions. Ie: 1 chocolate instead of 6! Eat slowly and savour what you have,, and try to make your meal span out so you finish when the others do. You won’t be tempted to go back for seconds then.

MaryWWriter – love the before and after photos. I just found some before ones today too and was shocked at how big I was back then. Think I’ll blow it up and put it on the wall to remind me how far I’ve come.

Good luck everyone, keep working at it, it does work. TTL

Hi coda, its a small world I live outside Castlewellan. I was reading ur post about sunday meals, I am exactly the same and tend to eat what I want (ie everything in front of me!!). AH’s post to u has really got me thinking, as I’ve lost more weight than I thought I would and its also been easier than I anticipated perhaps I’m taking it for granted. I would love to lose another 7lb, but I do waste one fast each week on recovery. That will have implications for long term maintainence if I try to follow 6:1.

Wow mary on the 3 minute plank, I am a LONG way from that!

Happy fasting everyone

TTL: I had to look up the word “dreich” (from your earlier post) and then smiled:

“A combination of dull, overcast, drizzly, cold, misty and miserable weather. At least 4 of the above adjectives must apply before the weather is truly dreich.” Surely it can’t be that bad ???

UPA: I watched a little bit of the Dunhill on TV last week, didn’t see you waving to me !!! Love your idea of a “power walking golf round”, if only some of our members at my club would consider this, a normal round takes over 4 hours where I play.

MARY W You are an inspiration to us all, both with your 5:2 WOL and your writing achievements, well done Mary and keep it up.

CODA: well done on taking ownership of your planning for better results. I remember scoffing 6 Lindt balls a few times, I know how easy that is, now I think about the PAIN of doing those sort of things and it’s now very easy not to do that, one is OK, six are certainly time in the naughty corner afterwards 🙂

PK: Pleased I was able to help.

Maybe we could all evaluate to ourselves how more effective our 2 FD’s might be if one of them wasn’t a “recovery day” from the previous over indulgences between FD’s. Sticking to our TDEE’s on non fast days is just as important as the actual FD’s themselves and results will be much more consistant by doing so.

CHIPMUNK: What day of the week are you deeming each week to end and start from for weigh in reporting please?

Take care everyone and keep up the amazing results because we are all amazing people..

Take care everyone

Hi Chipmunk
I had lost 1lb on Tuesday morning the 6th so do I count that in, I suppose I do. I weigh in Tuesdays and get easily confused! So if I weigh in 8th/9th will that be on time as I imagine you must be 12 hours ahead.

I am really enjoying myself and what a lovely helpful and full of inspiration thread.

I go with the exercise as it is vital for health. I do like the plank crunchies, walking and hand weights. Yoga I love too. Will be upping to 1/2 to 1 hour a day mix and match when recovered from a virus I have had.

Hi PK living in Castlewellan you have a lovely lake to power walk round or hills to climb – lovely at any time of the year but really nice on a lovely autumn day. Maybe we could meet at some point. That would certainly give us both focus! lol

Hi Chipmunk, this morning’s weigh in: 0.90kgs (2lbs) for week one so happy with that given the couple of social outings during the week plus more wine than I should have. It’s a disaster buying a new case of wine that hasn’t been sampled before, a very nice Martinborough Pinot that is to die for and the price was too good to be true. Life throws up so many challenges on our journey to skinny…. 🙂

Morning Chipmunk 🙂 it’s a beautiful sunny day here in West Sussex – might just have to dig out my shorts that I had folded away in winter storage. So…. after a very enjoyable but naughty week (still managed 2 fast days though) I tentatively stepped on the scales, telling myself not to be downhearted when I see an increase in weight, I even went to the pub on Monday and had ham egg and chips for goodness sake – so I can hardly expect a good result. Well it might not make much of a dent on your spreadsheet but I have actually managed to shift half a pound (I have pledged 4 this month – but secretly hoping for 6 and a half to take me below 11 stone…) I am so pleased with this as the remainder of my month should be quite a good one, I’m not going to any more rugby games and only have one or two social evenings so am optimistic, and my goodness we have such good role models of inspiration here on this thread. We are arranging a special weekend away towards the end of November to celebrate my husbands 50th, staying at a lovely spa hotel, and I am now picturing myself in a couple of new outfits and feeling great (not to mention not dreading the family photos that will be taken, or stepping into the swimming pool). Once again, I am so pleased with this WOE, my only problem that seems to be getting worse, is sleeplessness, especially if I fast 2 days back to back, and I find I am tensing my jaw and grinding my teeth a bit – would be interested to know if anybody else has a similar problem? Good luck to those who have yet to weigh in for week 1 and well done to all those who have – good or not so good, at least we are all giving it some!!

Hi Chipmunk I will post my result tomorrow.

PickyPixie where in Dublin are you staying – that is my home town!

I am on day 7 of my 30 day squats challenge – I forgot to check how many I was supposed to do so did 90 – I was supposed to do 75 so pleased with that. Let’s hope my weigh in tomorrow is as successful. 🙂

Hi JFitzy

We’re staying near Booterstown. My brother-in-law has just moved to Ballsbridge so we’re going over to visit him.

Wow that’s a lot of squatting! I’m sure it will pay off.

Thanks PickyPixie for those fast strength tips. Unfortunately, just after I posted this am, I went to do a few HIT interval sprints and felt a give in my hamstring. Just a sharp pain so I am hoping that it is just a mild strain. But that has put a stop to my gallop for a while. Hopefully just a few days. I will know tomorrow. Seemingly, if you can still feel a twinge when walking the next day, it can take at least 3 weeks to heal!! Keeping my fingers crossed.