Just saw this, and I know there has been talk here about diet drinks more than once. More evidence in favor of giving them up!
This topic contains 16,527 replies, has 252 voices, and was last updated by Bob23 1 year, 5 months ago.
Hi Guys
Joined the site a couple of weeks ago and in the very early stages of my long journey. I know this is the maintenance thread but there are lots of great tips here and I like seeing how you are all doing. 🙂
I’m in England, I’m 5.5, 17 stone 5lbs and 48 years old. I was 18.2 when I started just under 5 weeks ago so I have lost that in the first 4 weeks. I have issues with mobility from an injury sustained years ago which has caused arthritis in my back, hips and knees so losing weight can only help this. I can hardly get around these days for more than a couple of hundred yards before my back is so painful I need to sit. It’s all driving to where ever I am going and if it’s shopping, get in and out asap and lean on a trolly. I am too young to be this way and although losing weight won’t cure it, (only a 3rd surgery on my back will but I won’t have one)it will help it. Everything I do socially revolves around eating. Going for coffee, lunch, dinner. Even making what I thought were good food choices actually weren’t. I am sick and tired of being fat! I have been for a long time but I have felt utterly out of control and at a loss as to how to lose it because nothing has worked. Since losing the second of my dogs 3 years ago almost my mobility has declined and my weight risen. Then last year I had to stop working because I was so uncomfortable driving so far to get there and struggling to get to my desk before even sitting there for 8/9 hrs. Now life is very sedentary but that is not to say I am stuck at home all the time.
Can I just say, and this may not last, I feel… Completely in control of my mind, my stomach, my appetite, my food choices and the ability to just ‘not eat’ for the first time in years and the last 4 weeks have made me feel fantastic feeling like this. 🙂 🙂 🙂 I just hope to god this is it for me and I can keep a grip on this long term. I know there will be hard times but I also know already that it can work. My goals are in chunks for half stones and a couple of dresses I want to get back into. Although still large when I fitted them, I actually still felt attractive. Once back in those I want to keep going and lose several more stones. 🙂
I am fasting twice a week and eating a very low carb, higher fat and protein plan. I’m a big fan of the ‘pick or kill’ school of thought and honestly think that it’s not fat but sugar and carbs that are the curse. I eat one meal a day at 8pm on fast days, so I fast 24hrs 8/8. I make sure I have my food sorted the day before so I have no excuse to fail. I drink soda water all day long, I have the odd Ginger & Lemon Tea and about 5/6 pm when I find the hunger at it’s worst I have a miso soup for 18 calories. I always do Monday and generally Wednesday but this can change depending on my social arrangements.
I am choosing to stay off sugar as much as possible. I can enjoy a semi skimmed cappuccino without a piece of cake and don’t need sugar in it. I will have some for a special treat but don’t want it to be part of my daily or weekly routine. So far, so good. In 5 weeks I have had one small slice of cheesecake on my step moms birthday.
Two other big breakthroughs for me, other than the obvious fasting and not cheating once! I went to the movies last night and for the first time in YEARS, and this is the only place I do this… I did not eat a family size bag of M&Ms or Maltesers lol. In fact I ate… Nothing! And I didn’t die and the movie was brilliant lol. 🙂 I also bought a wii so that although I can’t stand for too long I can do some sort of exercise, so no more excuses on that note.
I was at the end of my tether 4 weeks ago when I started this and thought I was just going to keep on growing. I am not a binge eater, but I am a massive carb junkie. I could live on cereal, tea cakes, crumpets (but loved nutella on them) 🙁 and bread and not even loads of it. But also in my daily diet was low fat yoghurt, low fat cheese, low fat this, that and the other… Low fat just equals high sugar and I obviously can’t eat sugar and carbs and lose weight or maintain what I lose.
I’m loving reading how everyone around the world is doing, the good, the bad and the ugly lol. It’s lovely to meet you all. 🙂
Best of luck everyone
Jaye
Hope you’re feeling better, Purple.
Ply, thanks for the link.
BTW, the young man who made That Sugar Film only ate his 40 teaspoons of sugar a day from so called healthy foods. For example, he ate muesli, fruit yogurt and orange juice for breakfast, and that took care of 20 teaspoons of sugar. In a very few weeks into the experiment he developed fatty liver disease. Food for thought.
Cheers, Bay 🙂
Hi Jaye, this is not the maintenance thread, most of us are still on the journey to goal.
Well done on what you have lost so far.
I have arthritis in my knees and have had two surgeries on one of them. Before I started 5:2 I could only manage 100 metres without pain, I’m now walking anywhere and everywhere and going to the gym several time a week.
Keep going, you can do it.
Hi Jayegirl
Sounds like you have really got a handle on this 5:2 wol. Well done! It really will change your life! Keep the end goal in mind….a new, happy, healthy and more mobile you…and don’t forget, it took years to gain the excess, so it will not “magically” drop off instantly. If you keep doing as you are, you will be pleasantly surprised as the fat starts to fall away. I never really thought about the layer of fat that coated my whole body, but as it fell away, I rediscovered bones I had forgotten were there.
Low carb, low sugar, plenty of water, no snacking (any day) and planning your meals, preparing them lovingly and sitting down to eat, are all good practices.
All the best with your amazing new adventure. PVE 🙂
Hi Bay
Thanks. Pretty sore. Just one of those silly accidents that happen…even to unclumsy people 😉
I used to think life would be insupportable without my orange juice every morning. When I started 5:2, I read the sugar content and have not drunk it since. I think the best thing anyone can do is to learn the calorie count of everything they consume. Just reading the label on a product usually encourages me to place it back on the shelf!
Fasting today even though I am at my low weight. I still believe it keeps me on the “straight and narrow” twice a week.
Cheers P
Amozon, I have the memory of a goldfish! I was reading both, went to get a drink and came back to post. I realised after I posted that I had mentioned the wrong thread. I really hope losing weight is going to help but even if it doesn’t there are so many other great reasons to lose it, right.
I wanted to pop by a few of the threads to say hi and read through all the info and funny stories and this was one I liked.
I have lost 2.5lbs on average each week so far so I will do my best to continue. That said I am not giving up alcohol and did have a big drink on Saturday lol. Mondays fast rectified that so here’s hoping tomorrows will be enough to get down another 2.
Hey PVE, thanks for the welcome. I don’t know about bones, I was happy that my boobs poked out further than my midriff the lass of week lol
Hi right back AO, you sound incredibly busy this week (even more so than usual)! Take care of you.
Purple, sorry to read about your altercation with the wheelie bin! Glad to see you are awake this morning and able to type at least….hope you are not too bruised! Had to laugh at Happy’s comment re the neighbours thinking you may be drunk! We know you enjoy a glass of wine……
Hi Bay! Thats why I make my own meusli…at least I know what is in it and its not toasted. Great to read your one-woman anti sugar campaign!
Welcome JayeGirl. You have taken the best action to save your life and your enjoyment of it. Keep at it and you will succeed and the old JG will re emerge gradually. Your pain will diminish significantly as your weight reduces. Fasting is THE only way to lose weight successfully and you seem to have a good grasp of it, so good luck!
I am catching up with a dear niece for lunch today, have become Lady Lunchalot lately, one of the “dangers” of retirement, everyone thinks I am bored! Lucky there are plenty of healthy choices these days, as long as I can avoid dressings on salads! I will pack my gear and have a swim on the way home to mobilize the calories, looking forward to that already. Its supposed to get to 30 today here in Melbourne – one last attempt at Summer?
I wonder how RT is going on his business travels, hopefully he is finding lots of healthy eating choices!
Purple, hope your bumps and bruises heal quickly! I ended up on my rear yesterday when I hit a patch of black ice in the driveway. It was quite a graceful fall, and I didn’t even spill the mug of coffee I was carrying!
Nama…Lady Lunchalot…love it!
And Jaye, congrats on a strong start! We are all here to support you!
Hi Ply
You must be an expert on ice! I have great fear of it as I rarely experience it. It is interesting the different environmental hazards we have around the world, isn’t it? Instead of ice, we have to be careful of fallen branches. They hit your head, stick into your feet and, as with last night, act as rollers under your feet!
Nama, we had 30 yesterday afternoon, after nearly a week of Autumnal weather. I had just cleared the pool cover and taken it off to swim, when a thunderstorm hit. Quick dip and had to cover it again. I see Bay is getting hot weather again, too. You can never quite guess when the season ends, can you? Back in a summer frock today.
Happy fasting Thursday people. P 🙂
And I see you are sending your warmer weather across the Tasman after you’ve enjoyed it, P. We can do with it – so cold with Pam stirring up the Antarctic temperatures.
I used to make my own muesli, Nama, but then got lazy – or busy, I should say! Forgot to put sugar in it one time (following the recipe), and didn’t notice the difference, so that became a permanent change. Must get back to it again, lots of lovely ingredients to add to the basics.
Welcome, Jaye, and well done. Stick with it, fasting is a life-changer.
Hi AO
The last ten weeks I saw a big improvement on the scale. What I changed was still on 4:3 but two of the fast days became tea fasting days, only sweeten with lemon and or stevia. But zero calories non the less.
I’m now convinced that keeping it simple is the way to go, but when it’s time enjoy dinners and feasts , with family and friends I’ll just go with the flow and enjoy myself. However all other times I will have only 8400 calories a week. That’s 1200 x7. And since I only get 600 on the fast days . Leaves 7800 on 4 days a week.
Still exercising in the morning as soon as possible to wake up my metabolism, and exercising also after the last meal of the day. I must share that this approach is very simple, nearly mindless. Im able to get to the 2,000 calorie mark each week. Easily every week having fourteen ten minute exercises sessions. This has my personal formula for 2lbs a week 1 1/4lb of calorie restriction, 3/4lb of exercise.all I have to do is keep on keepin on!
When I reach goal I don’t want to thin without strength. So using the using the two week planned breaks to focus less on Cardio and more on weight lifting. I wish I had been doing this many years sooner.
I find it weird that I can get all my lifting done in ten minutes . Still keeping the two a day sessions just like always. No break from the exercise , just a two week break from fasting. I do the 7 compound lifts after I wake up the strength train when I get off work. It’s just about at my limit . Very pleased with myself
. I still have the beard ,an winter clothes on. When I launch the sailboat this season , one of favorite experiences in life is feeling the wind in my beard while sailing. So after the first day on the lake I shave it all off. I imagine I’ll get a lot of attention as I’ve lost a lot since November . And I’ll be in the summer clothes in less than a month.
Seems I’ve been changing and tweaking my meals so often , I’m glad I’ve settled in on this approach.
What ever muscle I’ve been losing with the fat. I’m giving chance to build back up. And then before I know it back to the fat loss 4:3.
Hi SAMM yep only liquids today I reckon … just had my Bonox (same as Bovril) and it’s just on 3pm.
Getting up to around 28C today – nice and sunny outside and I’ve had to race over between sections again today so had a little extra vitamin D and exercise 😆 will see how the steps add up tonight 🙂
Gotta run as have another meeting in a few mins (was training this morning, meetings from 12 until 2:30 so quite the busy little bee here 😆 but loving every minute)
Good work, Sarah, keep it up.
Today, I was reminded of an old favourite fast day food: fresh corn. Only 58 calories and so much chewing involved. My simple method gives you one of the most environmentally sound fast foods.
Buy a whole ear of corn (husks and silk still on).
Place it in the microwave for 2 minutes on high.
Gradually peel back the husks, one at a time, forming a handle with them at the base of the ear.
Grab the silk and tug off. It will come off completely.
Hold the hot corn by the “husk handle” and enjoy.
No packaging, easy to take to work. I used to walk around on playground duty munching on my corn. The kids were fascinated by the natural handle. Natural, high fibre, low cal food at its best! P 🙂
Hi everyone and welcome Sarah and Jaygirl.
Purple, how awful for you. I have also in the past come a cropper with the wheelie bin – gumnuts were the culprits for me on our steep drive. Nurse your bruises and cuts and hope you feel better soon.
Jay, as others have said, the best remedy for that out-of-control I’ll be fat forever feeling is intermittent fasting.
I had two arthritic knees and could only walk about 100m without sitting down and thought that I would be fat and getting fatter forever, because of the horrible feeling of deprivation that most diets engendered in me. I decided to have both knees replaced (not simultaneously) and while recovering from the first, saw Dr M’s Horizon program and thought ‘I can do that’.
Last year I lost 12kg with very little effort, took a break over my long summer Christmas holiday then resumed fasting when I went back to work. That’s the first amazing thing – I couldn’t do that on any other eating plan. This year, having mastered fasting b2b (it suits my working days) I added another FD while teaching all day at TAFE on Thursdays and also decided to miss breakfast every day. Now I break my fast around 3pm (nothing except black tea from 7pm the prvious evening) with home squeezed orange juice which my OH prepares in the morning for me to take to work (85C). I then hold out until dinner time (in a few minutes actually), unless I’m desperate, when i have a sachet of Miso soup 28C. I also do weekly weight training and yoga both of which I love.
You seem to have a good plan and with practice, it’s easy to stick to IF. Well done and do please keep us posted on your progress. Also share any backsliding as we have all experienced it too – no shame as everyone is human and doing their best.
Take care everyone and keep up the good work – time to get dinner – veg only pasta sauce for me and a smidge of grated parmesan and with pasta for OH.
Morning/evening all.
It was a struggle to get out of bed this morning, I could have stayed there for hours!
FD today, and I’ve another busy day ahead so it should go smoothly.
I don’t eat before midday any more on any day, and I don’t feel any hungrier. It is much harder to overeat in half a day too, although I made a good job of that last weekend…………………
There will always be the odd setback. I’ve not been near the scales as I’m keen to avoid disappoint, so I’m waiting until I’m positive that the number will have decreased.
Have a good day/evening everyone.
Hi all,
Lovely to read everyone’s news. I am about to take the wheelie bins out as my husband has a business dinner tonight and will be late and tired…..a bit nervous after all these stories of slipping and sliding! We have just had a lovely thunderstorm so the driveway is wet too!
I am worn out tonight as I pushed myself to swim 30 laps today, most enjoyable but tiring! It’s truly amazing that I am enjoying it so much. My niece wanted to know all about 5:2 today, so I encouraged her to read all about it. She has always been like a tiny bird but with middle age (can’t believe I have a niece who is 48!)and maybe a bit too much wine, she has piled on 15 kilos and feels fat for the first time in her life! Hopefully she will find this to be the answer, I will certainly encourage her.
I love sweet corn too Purple, thanks for the tip re cooking/eating it “a la naturale”. I thought it was much higher in calories, hadn’t even bothered to check! I must try it without the butter! Hope your war wounds are better.
Now to try my luck with the bins…..
Thankyou from me too Jojo, this thread has been invaluable to me personally in my new fasting lifestyle. You are so right, there is a lot of kindness and love here, as well as respect. Oh RT where are you when we need you, you would have the perfect words! xxx (I dont even attempt emoticons, I know they wouldnt work for me!)
To everybody,
Wishing everyone a beautiful day!
So happy to see the interaction of you guys! I shared that beautiful “Diet Soda” article on facebook and I had quite some action there. I used to be a “everything diet” goddess. I am happy those days are gone.
My email is [email removed for security] for you to send me the facebook group link.
FD today! Happy to be here.
Xoxoxoxo
Afternoon fasttrackers,
Back from the gym, starving so had a small helping of porage. I don’t like splitting my calories on FDs but I wouldn’t have made it to dinner time.
I used the gym equipment whilst spying on the Zumba class. It looks very energetic and a lot of fun. When the class finished they were all chatting and laughing, which is IMO a good sign. I think I could keep up with it, so I’ll give it a go next week.
It’s very noisy here as they are marking out parking bays in the street. Controlled parking starts here in a few weeks, which means we might just be able to park in the street on which we live! I am tired of going out in the car during the day and coming home to find that I have to leave it in the next street. It also means that those visiting the football ground in the next street will have to go elsewhere and we’ll no longer have to plan our Saturdays around football 🙂
Afternoon, all! A sunny but frigid day here…will winter never end???
I am pleased to report that Operation Back on Track commenced one week ago, and as of this morning has dispensed with 4 of the 8 pounds I had let claw their way back on. Suffice it to say that it has been a hard winter in many ways, and the stress got to me. Food, wine, sweets, you name it. But no more! Four proper fast days under my belt as of this evening. Lots of water, no sweets, no processed carbs, little wine. I have switched to Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday to accommodate hubby’s work schedule. Sunday or Monday is now date night, so no fasting Momdays for me. All your wonderful posts surely made the damage less than it might have been, and I am happily back in the 4:3 fold.
XOX
Busy, busy here as usual! Love it!
Happy girl here as the scale is being kind to me this week and I’m down about 3 lbs! This after weeks and weeks of going up and down the same few pounds! Could the spell be broken at last??
Doing a “half-fast” today of about 1,000 calories to try to counteract any indulgences that the weekend is sure to bring. Yesterday’s 500 calorie day got bumped to 800 as I was simply starving all day! No matter..the scale did not protest!
To all those feeling tired, sore or otherwise injured, be gentle with yourself. The rest days are part of our fitness regime!
Happy birthday, and much appreciation for the thread, Jojo. It could be an appropriate time for another weigh-in for the baby elephant. Do you leave a gap between the character and the emoticon symbols? I find that helps.
Well done, Ply. It’s hard work, but not as hard as permanent deprivation, and so rewarding when you see such results. And Lori – 3lbs! Great. We lived in PA for four years – gosh, twenty-five years ago, when OH had an international transfer. Interesting experience, but no place like home!
We have had on-going roadworks outside our office, constant drilling, hammering etc, and they haven’t finished yet. At least with the cooler weather this week I had my window closed, so that cut it down a bit. The plans are for the carpark next door and the building on the corner to be rebuilt as a multi-storey carpark and retail/residential apartments. I hope that doesn’t happen until after I retire! But no plans for that date yet, happy to do my four days, exercise the grey matter, enjoy the income.
My weight is down to it’s lowest level yet, at 58.5kg, after yesterday’s fast. Are you actually stable on 5:2, Purple, or do you do 6:1 more often? Yet to find my equilibrium point.
Hi all
Awake most of the night…morning now 🙁 It’s great to follow the forum all night!
Top work Lori. Every drop has to be celebrated with at least a fist punch in the air!
Barata, I’ve been below 60kg for nearly a year now. Usually 56-57. I fast every week. Usually a good one on Mondays, post weekend (18-24 hours then about 450 cal). On Thursdays, I often have a fast of closer to 500-600 depending on what I weigh. I rarely have breakfast on any day before 10.30, so often eat two meals…a brunch, then dinner. I have been down to 55kg, but it didn’t last. I seem to be stable at this size, but really have to be very aware how much I eat as I now realise how little food it takes to maintain me. That’s why I try to only eat the best choices when I eat now. Totally unwilling to waste calories on rubbish. P
Happy Birthday for this thread, thank you so very, very much Jojo for being brave enough to start it and thank you everyone for your contributions which are helping me to stay focused and remove the excess 😀
Another 1/2 kg down (just over 1 lb) this week which is not a bad ending considering the last couple of weeks, now to consolidate the remove even more 😆 also another 1.5cm gone!
Yet again I find myself reading through as many posts as I can in a short amount of time (got home around 12:30 am after being out with friends last night, of course today is the day the neighbour had to leave early for work and I was woken from a very deep sleep, never mind as he does need to work to support his family and I know he would not have a choice for starting times (he works about an hour from here and with no public transport available he does need an economical means of transport).
Thankfully today is a half day for me so when I get home I can, if I choose, go for a nanna nap 😀 although I usually get so involved in something I tend to forget 
hahaha
Welcome to the new people, you know who you are 😀 (to quote RT).
Time to go let the chooks out and check on them and feed them. Chat later 😀 … AO
Well done, Ply and Amazon 😆
Thanks a lot, Jojo. Agree with this being a fantastic supportive thread. 😆
I went looking for support after I had lost 15 kg on 5:2, as I felt that maintaining my weight would be harder than losing it. I am on the maintenance thread and this one, and Southern Hemisphere. Like Purple, I lost another 2 kg while maintaining. I seem to have settled around the 60 kg mark. Sometimes dipping under. Provided I stay on low carbs, full fat and lean protein and vegetables, I find this doable, as Samm says.
Because of the maintenance thread I took up the challenge of a sugar free Lent. I am loving it, and feeling in control of my weight. I don’t need to weigh as I look at my waist each morning and can work out pretty quickly if I need to fast. I choose a serious Monday fast each week, sometimes without food for 24 hours. Lots of water and clear soup. Then I have a semi fast on the other day. Similar to Purple and Mr P ‘s experience. 😉
Love reading all your posts.
Cheers, Bay 🙂
http://leanlifters.com/the-big-7-the-seven-most-important-weight-training-exercises/
got hurt at work and stuggling to walk normally.
I’m ok . Perhaps abit attention seeking.
I’ll go back to work on monday.
a point I’ll make is the weight lifting and stabilty ball exercises I do for my legs. Its like they are healthy enough to act like shock absorbers and also work better to help support the movement around the injury area.
Jojo very pleased you are lifting. Didnt see it reading yesterday. Especially if at a club with competent staff.
The biggest reason people stop exercising is unplanned injury. I m guessing it’s the same for quiting a diet. Its the unplanned restart. Thats where lifting weight plays a role with injuries. First of all were stronger, but more importantly more flexible.
So getting past the injury is much quicker if it’s minor.
YEA! JOJO!
Look into the 7 compound movements.
They save alot of time. And there’s no rush to strength train or over exert. Just doing correctly even without the weights is helpful. Even it just a reading exercise.
Hello everyone
Feeling a little excited as showing 13lbs down so nearly a stone. My pattern seems to be lose nothing for 2 weeks then drop 3-4 lbs almost overnight. Maybe it’s my scales that get stuck.
Yesterday I stayed overnight in a hotel, then was at a work conference. I resisted the hotel breakfast and the buffet lunch and the brownies and cupcakes that someone brought in with afternoon coffee. Then I drove home for 3 hours and resisted my usual stop halfway for a mcdonalds.
Had some spicy parnsnip soup when I got home for 220 calories and that was it.
I had seriously considered swapping my FD to today when I knew what I was going to have to resist but I like to keep my days the same and the sense of satisfaction is an amazing motivator and even better when the scales agree.
Non FD today and stuck to 1300 calories although not particularly healthy. More comfort food.
Fridays I usually do a half FD with 1000 calories.
Loving all the info re sugar – I have a very sweet tooth. Maybe that’s one for another day as still trying to concentrate on giving up the fizzy diet drinks in favour of water.
Yoga tomorrow 🙂
Cake wake
just wishing you keep on keepin on .
it might not seem like it’s working when the losses atnt dramatic. But just keep on and over time the little losses add up and keep adding up and add in up some more. In two years im adding my lossesup to 69 . I didn’t starting eating health foods on fast days until my second year, and not all at once.
I started eating healthier with feed days . By limiting to only 3 solid meals no grazing.
the focusing on healthy breakfast for a few months
moving to health lunch. Then a few months later healthy dinner as i transitioned away from the less benificial foods.
Starting with nuts, beans, and fish. Not just because the offer omega3, antioxidants. But because I like them. They were the easiest healthy choices to implement first. The nuts travel well. I staryed grazing on them. But after much reading on nuts .
have settled on eating 7 whole walnuts . Almost every day. Then for fruit that travels well I buy those cheap bags of of dried apricots and blue berries.
I’m sure the others on this thread can offer their favorite heath snacks that travel well too.
hint hint hint!
Well done on your strength, CW. This WOL changes our perspectives on so much of our lives.
Sorry to hear you were awake, Purple. I just hate those nights, too many broken ones at the moment, and OH is sleeping worse than ever on his supplement regime. He doesn’t want to continue it, so I have asked the health practitioner to ring him today (he’s having a day off) to give him a pep talk. Will be interested in the outcome. He’s not achieved any weight loss on the supplements, which they are supposed to help with, and will rejoin 5:2 when he’s finished popping pills.
Bay and Purple, I will have to work out my maintenance system when I “bounce off the bottom” of my weight loss, where ever that might be. I haven’t reached scrawny yet.
You must be logged in to reply.
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.
in Welcome to The Fast Diet and Exercise forums • updated 2 minutes ago by funshipfreddie
in Welcome to The Fast Diet and Exercise forums • updated 8 hours, 2 minutes ago by Turnabout
in Weight loss • updated 10 hours, 36 minutes ago by hedgehogs
4:24 pm
18 Mar 15