Morning/evning all,

Hi Nama, July is usually the hottest month in the UK and we often have temperatures in the high 20s/low 30s so I’m not sure why we label it a heatwave as it is normal weather for where we are. I guess it’s British pessimissm regarding the weather 😉

It was overcast yesterday and cooler. I was fasting and I got cold!!!!! All remedied with my dinner though.
I wrapped and pressed the tofu to dry it out a bit, then cubed and cooked it for 20 mins in the oven, turning it over halfway. The recipe I found suggested leaving it to cool before use. It made it firmer and more meaty in texture. I tossed it in 5 spice powder 10 mins before putting it into the stir fry. The only other flavour I added was some soy sauce and I have to say it was very nice. Tofu needs to absorb other flavours and drying it out helped it to do so. It’s not my favourite food but I don’t dislike it and as I’m trying to lower my cholesterol I’ll be eating it regularly and shall endeavour to make it as tasty as possible.

I looked back at my old diaries when I first did 5:2 and lost 2lbs per week easily for several months. I only recorded what I ate on non FDs and when I wasn’t fasting I tried to make good choices but didn’t think about it the whole time. I find that impossible now as every time I see or think about food, I consider how it’ll impact on my weight. I am going to try to work out how I can get back to the mindset I had previously because I am tired of going round in circles.

I’m still struggling on non FDs, the day after a FD is OK but the next one……. 😕
so it’s ADF this week which should help.
I’ve been re-reading The Obesity Code and there are some 7 day menu plans in the appendices for ADF which has given me some ideas.

Have a good one everybody 😜

Hello,
We don’t have sunshine! There were some brief showers early this morning and now nice and cool.
Amazon I know you are a very educated gal and with experience on 5:2. Why is it that on your NFD you think there’s a problem. The reason I am asking is because I know myself my one missteps. In my case, those 120calx3 or more fermented grape juice then after I want sweets. I try everyday to correct my bad behaviors.
I am under the impression summing might be a big project because I very long colored hair. But I will try someday.
Today I am sad! My adopted sister whom was my mon’s left and right hand passed away last night. She went to my mothers’ every Friday to tide up her little home. This woman had it tough from all sides. Her only family are a 17 years old boy and a 21 year old girl. She had a stroke Sunday but couldn’t resist. Right now we all have to come forward with funds to cover the funeral and watch after her kids. She was a great Mom and good friend.
I have a girls get together later! I have a headache and feel like I have to be quiet.
Talk to you later 💋

HCB,

Hi, sorry to hear about your adopted sister. It’ll be tough for her children.

On non FDs it is the usual problem of once I start eating I don’t want to stop. I’ve been finding it difficult to be as disciplined as before and am looking at ways to conquer it.
I think ADF might be the answer for the short term. I’ll see how it goes.

My hair is very short as once I got rid of my big fat cheeks and my extra chins 😉 I had it all cut off, not that it was very long anyway so I don’t need to worry about it when I swim as it’ll be washed and dried in minutes.

Hi Slim

I’ve been promising myself an early walk for ages but never get up in time. I really need to make more of an effort.

Jo, I’ve been cutting down on sugar when I bake and no-one seems to have noticed the difference. There haven’t been any complaints either. I think it is because it is easier to taste the other ingredients without it being so sweet, which is what I noticed.

Jo,

Before you replace the natural living thing that is your lawn with plastic, have a think about how how environmentally friendly/ beneficial to wildlife artificial grass is…. (Hint, it isn’t).

http://www.gardenersworld.com/blogs/gardeners-musings/artificial-grass/3020.html

Morning/evening all,

☀ this morning 🙂

I’m not a fan of lawns, I think they are a waste of valuable space and in my experience the majority of people only step on them to mow. Give me a wildflower meadow or a veg garden any day. If I had a large garden I would keep the grass to a minimum.

FD and gym again today.

Have a good one everybody 😜

Hi Fasters
Sorry to hear about your loss, HCB. I am glad you are there to support the children and close communities always provide back-up. Having lived so far from my family and friends for so long, I appointed guardians for my children.

It’s a beautiful day today, but already with late summer feel. It will be 28°. The municipality here has organized a lovely river water pool, not a real swimming pool, but wonderful for swimming as it is about 70 m long. We go everyday.

Meantime the grass grows- too much of it. I once planted 40 kilos of potatoes there, but it was too much to manage, then lucerne and gradually it is returning to grass. We givemost of our land to a local farmer to graze his sheep, but the 1k square metres next to the house are not animal proof.
My garden is growing well this year and the salads we make from what is growing there are tasty if challenging. Nasturiums, kale, baby zucchinis,celery, lettuce,radish leaves, raspberries, red currants. On fast days I sometimes go and browse the garden if I’m desperate, but the amount of kale I can eat is limited.

I am suffering from scale- phobia at present, and although I am not gaining as I have more and more scrawyness, I am not losing. Now I have said this I will pluck up courage tomorrow morning at the start of my next fast and weigh myself.

Happy fasting
Wiwi

Mmmm…I DREAM of living somewhere with enough rain to mow twice weekly!
We have mostly native bush, tall trees with leafy ground cover and a couple of small buffalo lawns. Grandkids need somewhere to roll around! Unfortunately we live on a corner block, so, simply in the interests of tidiness, I mow the street “grass” when the weeds get too long…perhaps 6 times a year.
I’m with Nama at present. ..trying to keep the winter excess down by being stricter with “extras” on non fast days. Sitting dangerously close to my “trigger point “.
P

Desperate times. …desperate measures, Amazon?
I often resort to ironing on fast days…and I HATE ironing.
Off to bed…fast day tomorrow. Good luck finishing yours ☺☺ P

Good afternoon everyone . Pouring buckets here again today . we were woken up at 3 this morning with a horrendous thunder storm . The thunder and the lightening were only seconds between. First time in my life I have been scared of a thunder storm . The street was flooded in minutes .
I had put on 9 pounds in the last few weeks as I was stress eating because of Jims op . I kept making something to tempt him and he wasn’t hungry and I ate it :p. He is eating now and I am only 2 pounds off my feel good weight .
I have been doing ADF for the last 2 weeks and the last 2 have been easy as I had to go buy him smaller trousers and I have been shortening 3 pairs . Easier to do when hands are busy 🙂
I think I already said our eldest and his lovely wife are having a joint party on Saturday for our youngest granddaughter going to Australia for a year and the eldest granddaughters birthday . I wanted to look my best for that too .
Still pouring down here and I am off to make a ” healthy ” dinner .
Take care all

Wee xxx

Hi Wee,

well done on getting back on track so quickly.

Jo,

You’ve inadvertently made me feel so much better. I’ve really struggled today but have stuck with it. I’ve had nearer to 600 calories than 500 but I’ll take that. It was such a desperate day that I did the ironing, every last bit. The flat is already clean so there is nothing else to do. I should be able to make it to bedtime without any misdemeanours.
You’ll have to fast tomorrow instead which isn’t the end of the world if you keep away from pudding of any description 🙂

I succumbed to some delicious bread pudding when I was in Herefordshire and came home thinking about making some. Fortunately I managed to talk myself out of it as there is no-one to eat it but me so it would have been a dis-as-ter!!!

I’m going out for the day tomorrow to the other side of London. We’ll be visiting the Horniman Museum and Gardens in Forest Hill. I’ve looked at the website and there is a lot to see and most of it is free. I love going to new places 😎

Totally understandable Wee. So pleased you are over the worst and Jim is eating (your share 😉) again.
It’s been teeming rain here too for a few days and nights. Reminds me of Cornwall!
Jo, by “trigger point”, I mean the maximum weight before I have to put in real effort, reassess, to give me a couple of kilos “wriggle room” below it. My trigger point is 60kg. That is smack in the middle of what is regarded as a healthy weight for height. I’d rather be 58, as I usually am, to give more eating flexibility. Winter weather and an imobilising injury has resulted in a bit of upward creep.
When faced with a pudding you simply can’t resist on a fast day, eat a little, but then go back to fasting. No such thing as failure.
Amazon, what a great choice! Carrot over ironing ☺☺ P

Morning/evening all,

Sunshine with a cool breeze this morning, perfect weather for walking around in the fresh air 🙂

Once again after going to bed feeling hungry (which I’m sure was influenced by mood rather than real hunger) I’m not feeling the need to eat anything.

Jo, I didn’t choose to live here as like my parents I was born in London, but I cannot imagine living anywhere else. I love travelling and visiting different places but living in any of them doesn’t appeal. Having said that, London by the sea would be heaven 😎

Have a good one everybody 😜

Good attitude Jo! I adore bread pudding and still make it occasionally with homemade sourdough.
Very much a “sometimes” food ☺☺P

Hey all!

Im at 38 hours fast right now!

Wooohooo! 💃💃💃💃

Gonna break it today when that hunger comes on that makes burnt brocolli taste good, and then w something healthy!

PVE- wish i were close to my trigger point..but ive done a million diets so im choosing slow n steady even if i dont see those numbers for a long time. Still, im a lil jealous. 👿

Jojo- i agree with HB, you are the busiest person i know! Would love your energy.

Amazon- isnt it crazy how hungry you can go to bed, and how we wake up with no appetite?!

Ok, off to take cats to vet n kids to pool! Giddy-up!

Haha! You just made up for the blonde jokes RT!

Funny about that, RT!
It proves, what we’ve found. Maintenance requires regular fasting. Those traditional societies, that incorporated fasting in their calendar, knew a thing or two.
Up early to watch the Olympic Opening Ceremony. ..hours later they are still just talking…could have slept on.
Have a good weekend everyone. P ☺

Well my week off work is also drawing to an end. It’s been a staycation, but spent with family in the Lake District daily. No fasting, and not 16:8 every day, and most days have featured sandwiches, and every day has featured cake. However, most days have included at least a short walk, and two days had reasonable walks (20km and 14km, with perhaps 800m of ascent).

This morning I’m 1kg up on a week ago, and 0.5kg over my upper maintenance limit 🙂

I’m a bit ambivalent about the Olympics this year too. Why is it that humans have to spoil everything?!

Thanks RT. You know you’re alive when your lungs and legs are burning 🙂

You see a lot of older people walking in the Lake District. I think that probably sums up my ambition for old age, to be healthy enough to still climb mountains (albeit more slowly and probably with walking poles 🙂 )

Excellent work Jim! Don’t spoil it with Sunday lunch today ☺
You’ll still be running up those hills in your 90s Happy!!! My English grandmother could. The trick is to keep it up! P

Baby steps Amazon. It must be achievable ☺
You can do it. P

Sorry to hear about your veins Wi. The cycling and swimming sound ideal.
We managed some bushwalking between showers today. Cool enough for rugged tracks, but a bit muddy and slippery.
Enjoy your summer northerners P

Hi y’all,

Celebrating!

Lost all the weight from vacation And switched over to 5:2!!!! Doing happy dance.

Put on my tennis skirt for the first time in a long time and pondering finding my racket in the back of my closet!!!

Well done Jim! 🍾🍾🍾🍾🍎🍐🍊

Hi Fast Trackers and Hello World (You All know Who You ARE) 😉

I think mother nature is once again shaping our days as is it my imagination or are the days slowly getting longer again down here in the SH after 6pm last night and I could see easily to fill up the wheel barrow with wood from the shed down the back today starts a four day fast this week …I nailed 10220 steps this morning and back to work 😥 happy fasting day Monday fast friends.

“It’s is easier to avoid eating than to stop eating once started”
Peace RT

Good morning all SH’ers and good evening all NH’ers. Finally had a semi-FD on a weekend (YAY) have decided to continue the FD through today too. I’ll break my fast this evening (nothing to eat since yesterday morning so will end up around about a 36 hour fast).

Good to hear all the positive vibes going on.

Should be a great day today, expecting to be almost warm today (at 20C 🙂 )

Only another 3 weeks until the plate and all the screws/pins are removed from my arm. Then I will be able to do stuff without pain (hopefully) as at the moment the muscles and tendons catch with most movements.

Wishing you all a fantastic week 🙂