Great news RT! Does that mean we can expect to ‘see’ Mrs RT here sometime?!

Nama, I’m not so skinny that I don’t still have some fat reserves 🙂 I don’t know what it is, but I have noticed that I don’t seem to temperature regulate as normal when I run on a fast day. Also my blood pressure is low end of normal at the best of times, so maybe it’s a blood pressure thing? I’m not in training for anything, and don’t run every day anyway, so it’s not a problem. I just avoid my runs when I fast.

Nicky, great to hear you’ve come back strong from your wee fasting wobble. Good work!

Thanks for the advice Jo. I’ll be going economy so I’ll probably need it. Even Mr P is too bony to make a soft pillow next to me now. ‘Skinny Minnie’ P 🙂

Hello,
I have been following everyone’s posts. My hubby has four crushed vertebra and the doctor ordered him a foam topper. He sleeps like a baby and so do I. It is well worth the comfort. It is warm during the summer, but the rest is worth it.

I am still maintaining, but not too well. I participated in six week no sugar challenge, it ends tomorrow. I did not eat any processed sugar for 6 weeks. This tells me I do great at challenges. The gym I joined has helped me be accountable.
My next challenge will be to complete two fasts a week for 6 weeks. Really I want fasting to be a life style. The only thing is you fasters are the only fasters I know. How do you keep yourselves accountable?
With Jo-jo I was going to write down how I felt through out the day. I did it for two days then forgot.
Rt are you going to be an official fast coach. How much are you charging? lol
I know last summer I posted all most every day. Maybe I should do that.
I am a skinny mini too, but fasting helps the “no guts no glory”.
Maybe since I have been working out I have been afraid to fast. I use to workout in the morning, now that I am in a gym it is in the late afternoon. I barely make it to 12:00 with out food. I wonder what it would be like to workout after fasting all day.
Thank you for listening to my thought download. My goal is to post tomorrow night.
My plan tomorrow is to eat below 400 calories before I workout. Lots of veggies for me.
Take care everyone.

Morning/evening all,

Physio assessment was very lengthy and thorough.I have a mechanical back problem which can be cured with stretching so a routine will be worked out for me. The bad news is as I suspected but didn’t voice, I have arthritis in my hip and most of the issues and pain are arising from that. Obviously no cure but an exercise programme to strengthen the muscles that support the joint and keep it as flexible as possible without causing further irritation is required. We ran out of time so current instructions are continue what I’m doing, he was very impressed with what I do at the gym, and back in two weeks for the exercise and stretching instruction.
He told me that the latest thought on osteo arthritis in the light of research, albeit carried out on mice, is that a high fat diet is a major contributor to the disease as is being obese, and that they no longer think wear and tear has as much of an impact as previously thought because athletes don’t get it and they put their joints through an enormous amount of stress through repetitive movement.
The good thing is that due to 5:2 although I eat full fat rather than low fat, I don’t eat a lot of it, I don’t eat meat every day, and I’ve never been one for buying processed stuff. I’m going to do some reading on anti inflammarory diets and see if there is anything I’m not eating that might be of benefit.
Where is SAMM, he would know ?

At least ?is fat free ?

Have a good one everybody ?

Looking forward to the gym as I’ve not been since last Monday. I’m really noticing the difference the new mattress is making as I’m much less stiff in the mornings. I’m really looking forward to the stretching regime and relieved that it is just a mechanical problem and that my sacro iliac joint is OK. I was misled by the pain being similar to what I had before, but had noticed one or two other signs that led me to think my hip was the problem, but was in denial until yesterday.
Fortunately I’m a long way off the hip replacement stage and am determined to keep it that way so’ll do everything possible to prevent it from progressing too quickly.

Thanks Nicky,

I am so pleased that the mattress has had such an immediate effect, and also relieved that the physiotherapist was so positive about being able to minimise the hip pain and strengthen my muscles.
I forgot to mention earlier that he is Australian. He won’t be treäting me as he is standing in for someone who is on holiday this week, but it is an excellent department and I’m confident of receiving the best treatment.
The gym was great this morning, an hour of cardio followed by a 30 minute swim in a quiet pool and the luxury of having the jacuzzi all to myslef! ?

Hello Fast Trackers
Nicky Emel and Aussie O in South Australia Nama in Victoria Bay in ACT PVE in NSW WiWi in France & Barata in NZ and Jojo SAMM HappyNow Amazon Herm Lizzy Ply Tartan lass Smiffy Lor_PA CakeyWakey Sarah103 HealthCoachB Tessy pen nib Iona72 and Hello World (You All know Who You ARE) 😉
Yes fast friends when we recognise and have full accountability for our health and for our extra weight with acceptance you then take responsibility and I think when you live with someone who is struggling and finally they stop making excuses and find the solution comes the honesty so a new faster is born people no Happy you will not see her here but I will be. Nama I remember you saying once that just listening as a male and not trying to fix things was the way to go and so it has proved in her own time over twelve months now but who’s counting 😉 just out of the blue ok then I need your help and I want to start the 5-2 and so here we go fast trackers. Day one went well thank you each and everyone of you beautiful people
Happy Hump Day
RT

Hi everyone, sorry for not posting but I have been reading all the posts so I am keeping up with you. Great to hear Mrs RT has joined us (albeit not in here at this point). I’ve had to make the choice of pain management with the help of some pain medication rather than fasting but even so I’m mindful of what I eat. I was just finding I was not coping with both. Not saying I won’t get back into the groove just that I have to just keep to the non-FD consumption ?. I’ve also had to stop physio for a while.
So glad to hear that Jojo is having a great time down under in NZ.
Amazon glad you’re getting some help.
Thinking of you all and without you all in here I’m sure I would have not kept even this much on track so take a bow one and all.
Even though I may not post much at the moment I am keeping in touch by reading everyones posts.

Good Morning everyone!

Well we made it Back to the Future and what a future it is!! So much great news on here this morning.
Amazon I am so pleased your physio assessment went well and you have clear direction for improving your pain levels. Hopefully now you are slim and being active, it will never need surgery!

RT wonderful to hear Day one went well. I believe its the hardest, to get confidence that fasting wont kill us. So nice you remembered my advice, you are obviously a SNAG! Mrs RT was clearly nervous re starting, as she has a pretty daunting role model to keep up with, so keep reminding her how it was for you at first.

Great to hear from you too AO. You have had a terrible time with your arm!! I think you are wise to lower the bar a bit – just by being careful and keeping stable you are making progress. Pre 5:2 such a health set back would probably have seen you stack on weight with comfort eating. Now you just need to be patient. As you say, keep reading the thread. Even if you are not able to actually contribute, you will still feel in touch and more accountable.

Wiwi and Purple have a great lunch!! My turn next week to meet our jetsetting Wiwi, then Jojo in November! Wow!! Wiwi maybe the humidity is making your knee worse. Mine always swell in the heat/humidity, making any pain much more obvious. My knees have been great lately since losing the weight, but if I ever get a twinge of pain, its always in warm weather. And any sort of climbing is very hard on knees, so Mt Warning would not have helped. Thats the only bit of good advice I got last year from orthopod – walk for miles on the flat, but try not to climb anything – hills, stairs or ladders!

Oh Sarah…I hope the dog eats the chicken not the people. I’ve lost so many myself to dogs and foxes. So heartbreaking.

AO, so sorry to hear you are still struggling. Stick with your ft family. We are here for you. X

Waiting for the train home after a great catchup with the lovely Wiwi and Mr W. She is looking terrific. Full of life and trimming down. Top work Wi. Enjoy the rest of your Aus holiday. P ?

Morning/evening all

Dull and damp here this morning.

One last word on mattresses, I wish I’d bought a new one a long time ago because I was in the kitchen this morning before my back even crossed my mind and it is usually the first thing I think of when I open my eyes, wondering if I’ll be able to stand up straight. So much better, it’ll be fab once the physio starts!

AO good to hear from you. So sorry that your struggles with your arm continue. You are right to stop trying to fast as you need to put all of your energy into healing.

I have an exciting day ahead, the gas man is coming to service the boiler 😉
It gets better as I’m off to the theatre this evening to see the musical Gypsy and really looking forward to it. I’m hoping the weather improves by then as I don’t want to be sitting in my seat dealing with a wet coat and umbrella ?

Sarah, Working out is hard but I enjoy it and it has made me so much fitter. It is definitely a luxury when the pool and/or jacuzzi are unoccupied apart from me ?

Have a good one everybody ?

Hi
So many great posts to read here and so positive too. I have had a memory foam topped mattress for about a year now. Saying that, I have been getting stiff hip joints and sometimes a bit painful in the mornings. I know what it is. Lack of exercise!

I always did a lot of exercise but have been really lazy over the last 3 years or so. If I want to get the rest of this excess fat off I shall need to really get going. I have no excuse as I have everything in the house I need. Bike, treadmill, cross trainer, weights, dvd, etc. What do I do? Look at it all!!

Amazon, love your posts and will use you as inspiration if you don’t mind.

JoJo, you travels sound wonderful. Wish I was there.

I have FD again tomorrow. It’s raining here so on the treadmill now.

Have a good day everyone.
Beverley

Hey Jojo, keep it up! I am having great success with neverflab, because it is set to never end. With big, hard diet protocols the threat is always that one day it stops, and then you go back to square one again…

Nama, our posts crossed,

When I have coffee out, I usually ask for milk on the side so I can add as much or as little as I want. I have come to the conclusion that a lot of people don’t actually like coffee very much as they drown the taste with gallons of milk or even worse, those horrible flavoured syrups.

I can’t drink green tea, I’ve tried really hard to like it but I don’t.

Have a good time at Jamieson. Would you like some of my rain for your garden?☔

Nama, I’ve never liked celery.
If it is chopped up finely and used in sauces I don’t notice it but I cannot eat it raw, or cooked as a vegetable in it’s own right. I had a very bad experience with braised celery as an adult when I ate it at a friends grandma’s table as she was so fierce I couldn’t tell her I didn’t like it. It came back up almost immediately.
Never again

RT,

I think we’ll all be on tenterhooks for Mrs RT’s weigh in!

She has got a long journey ahead of her, in fact far longer than she if she had joined weightwatchers! This is for life, not just for weight loss. But with you by her side, how could she fail?

Good luck with striking the right balance! And try not to worry 🙂

Morning all,

Just out the door and informed I wont have wifi this weekend! So will have extra bated breath RT! Not worried though, I know she is in good hands.

Wiwi I am excited re meeting up too, will not be on F/B but will still have email.

Have a wonderful weekend all, celery or not xx

Hi Wiwi
Sorry I missed you this trip. Still in Brisbane until Saturday night. ?? Glad you’re having a good time, and could meet up with Purple.

Hi JoJo
Absolutely love the South Island. It’s so beautiful.

Hi RT
I’m logging back into this thread because of you. Such a wonderful coach you’re being with Mrs RT. No pressure for her and for you. ??. As you say, this is a marathon, for life. Thanks for all the support you’ve provided through the last year.

Cheers, Bay 🙂

what? did everyone on this site post today? It is amazing!!
Hi bayleaf
Purple- that is cold! Today it was 78degrees.
tanga- celery is expensive here, I do need to buy some
Happy Now – yes this is a way of life.
RT- 33 years, awesome!!! I stayed out of the gym for 23. Exercise is good, but the fasting is what works!!!
Nama- a new dress keeps you accountable, I think you are on to something. The celery is calling your name, not the rubbish.:)
Hello to everyone else!
I made it through my first fast day, I am going to mark it on my calendar. I had a lovely liver salad, and mashed cauliflower. For desert I made coconut oil with 2 TBS of unsweetened cocoa.
Good night all.

Glad you are loving NZ Jo. It is a BEAUTIFUL place and the Kiwis (human) are SO warm and welcoming.

Ha ha Sarah. I think you are talking deg F not C ? Bought a $10 jumper to keep warm. ? P

Morning/evening all

I slept through the night without waking, something that rarely happens ?

Went to the theatre last night to see the musical Gypsy starring Imelda Staunton a British actress who has done a lot of TV and film work. I didn’t know she could sing and she has a really good and very powerful voice. She was amazing and the supporting cast good too. Apart from the fact that the seats were uncomfortable, it was a fab evening.
FD today so I’m popping out for a steak pie 😉

Well done Iona, I’m sure cutting out those biscuits and chocolate contributed to the way you felt last night, but the next FD will be fine, and it is so satisfying to get back into the routine.

I’m aiming to get out in the fresh air today as it is the time of year when making the most of decent weather is important.

I never knowingly eat celery and wouldn’t dream of including it in a soup or casserole but I’m sure I’ve unknowingly eaten it in restaurants in sauces where the flavour mingles with the other ingredients.
I went to a very upmarket place with some girlfriends one Christmas and I ordered guinea fowl. When the waitress put the plate in front of me the food was topped with a stick of braised celery. My friends all roared with laughter, somewhat confusing the waitress who understood when I picked up the celery, put it on my bread plate and asked her to take it away. Even the smell of it makes me nauseous. The guinea fowl was delicious ?

Have a good one everybody ?

RT,

I’ve never wanted to be anyone else, all I want is to the best (or at least a better!) version of me. And fasting has certainly contributed to that.

What is it that suddenly wakes you from the stupor and sets you on the path? Who knows. But Mrs RT is there. She does this for herself, but it benefits all of you if she is more confident and likes herself more, and is healthier and fit for a long and active life with her family and friends around her.

What greater gift to give your loved ones than a commitment to be in their lives, healthy and happy, for as long as possible?

I’m not sure about your saying though, because surely it is her endeavour/ her willingness to change that is important? Your focus on her success (when she is judging that by weight loss, for now at least) suggests it is the results that matter and may make her feel she is failing herself and you if the scales don’t move… Just saying 🙂

Obituary printed in the London Times
Interesting and sadly, rather true

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

Knowing when to come in out of the rain,
Why the early bird gets the worm,
Life isn’t always fair, and
and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student, but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers:

I Know My Rights,
I Want It Now,
Someone Else Is To Blame, and
I’m A Victim

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.
Peace RT

i am the only on left Bay
i have survived 😉

Good afternoon all .

RT well done you pal getting Yfee involved . Great too I would think having you both eating the same things . keep the joke coming pal :).

Jojo I couldn’t quite make out what the sculpture was 🙂 .

Amazon well done you pal . I need to get back on the vibration plate but we are in the middle of making the spare room into a man den for Jm and it isn’t easy to get to at the moment .

I have just finished emulsioning the wee back hall . It is looking really good . taken me over a week to do what I used to do in a couple of hours . My knee is quite sore now( RA) but I feel really got that I have done it . Hope to get back to my Crochet tomorrow as my friend is visiting her daughter in Australia and she has just had a wee baby boy . I wan’t to send some nice wee things to her . it keeps me from eating too so I will make tomorrow another fast day .

Hello to everyone else . as RT says ( you know who you are) . I read ALL the posts EVERY day and I love it .Take care all you lovely people and thank you for all the help and support

Wee xx