This topic contains 16,527 replies, has 252 voices, and was last updated by Bob23 1 year, 5 months ago.
Thanks NickyF she was a pack a day smoker and had a huge struggle in quitting however she has bung on 15kg at the wrong time if there is such a thing but with the rugs on rugs off jacket on jacket off air con on air con off etc and her emotions all over the show its been a battle for her i am hoping my success will become our success in time and at 1kg give or take a week loss she will get on this WOL with me…
RT
Hi Nicky,
It was before midnight, i.e. not all that late. I’m never quite sure of the time difference between the UK and Australia. Also I don’t know whether there are regional differences within the country. Maybe you can enlighten me.
bay, well done for asking after luvtcook – reminding me how to spell her ‘handle’ in the process. 🙂
RT I do sympathise with your other half. It took me ten attempts before I finally managed to stop smoking. As for emotions all over the place, see my recent posts. I made it in the end because more help-to-quit products became available. It also helped that my other half finally cracked it, although it took him longer as he had been a more than a pack a day man. I did it with nicotine patches and a little toy ceramic ciggie – not an e-cig, this was 12+ years ago.
It may be healthier to quit smoking, but the resulting weight gain, or at best inability to lose weight, can’t be that healthy either. With the ciggies, cutting calories mean cutting weight. Smoke free, calorie cutting meant zilch. Hopefully with your help she’ll soon feel better and will be happy to follow 5:2 with you.
Interesting that you asked about time differences today hermaj. For us in NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and Canberra (ACT) daylight savings starts tonight. Normally we are 10 hours ahead of you, but will be 11 now until April.
Queensland (in the same time zone) doesn’t do daylight saving.
South Australia is 1/2 behind us and also changes tonight. A few places west of there are another 3/4 hour behind and Western Australia is another 3/4 hour again. That makes WA normally 2 hours behind us, except in summer, when they are 3 as, like Queensland, they think Daylight Savings time fades the curtains. All this makes dealing with people in real time across this nation very problematic.
Now, if you have a headache. ..imagine how we feel 😉
The UK/Aussie time difference works quite well as in the morning and evening we are all up at once. Cheers P
Thanks for the explanation, Purple. How very complicated and confusing. It must drive you bonkers. I love the idea that WA and Queensland ‘think Daylight Savings time fades the curtains’. 🙂
Within the next couple of weeks, certainly by the end of October, we will be putting our clocks back an hour, which will make the time difference between you and us 12 hours over your summer/our winter.
No hermaj
We are 10 hours ahead of UTC (the old GMT), your normal time. It’s easiest just to Google it just before you telephone 🙂
Saturday night of a long weekend here. Everyone (except us this time) has left Sydney for the 3 days. We are just lazing around. Very pleasant. Gallettes for dinner. That much carbs and fat HAS to be good for a couple of maintainers! P
‘Morning all – and hello to those just going to bed or are fast asleep in the rest of the world.
Hi Hermaj – great to have you back with us. I’m sure you can been forgiven for going off on one. The steam has to come out somewhere! Glad harmony has been restored. Be kind to yourself and don’t worry about the plateau – you could so easily have comfort eaten your way into quite a few extra pounds, but you didn’t, and that’s what’s important. I’m sure your proposed new eating pattern will soon show results as it is the long fast that seems to get best results.
Amazon – I also had a disappointing meal when out with the girls at a quiz night the other night. A small steak and chips with salad, all of which appeared to have been hanging around for a while before they were served. I did eat it, but was so fed up I allowed myself to be talked into a pudding. Will I never learn?! Needless to say I fasted yesterday and had a lovely meal – baked chicken thighs with lemon, garlic and Mediterranean veg, and a few small chunks of potato baked in Frylight. Very virtuous and very filling. OH and I are going to our favourite Italian restaurant tonight, so I intend to try and keep a bit of a rein on myself during today. My favourite pud there is ice cream drenched in espresso, and I know I won’t be able to resist it! I will be driving again, so no wine, which is a bonus. Just hope I can resist the garlic bread, which is to die for!
Hi Purple and Bayleaf. Did we leave LUVT on the ‘other thread’? I will have a look, and on a couple of others. I do miss her.
NickyF – you’re right about running two homes. It was very confusing and annoying in the beginning as I couldn’t remember what was where, but we’ve now managed to duplicate most things as the idea was just to be able to get in the car and go on a whim, just taking the contents of the fridge. That said, I am still always wishing I had certain clothes in one place when I know it’s in the other!
Aussie – glad to hear you’re still shrinking despite the stubborn scales. Probably fluid retention – it will soon go. I had to get up 3 times last night, so I hope that has done me some good! though I won’t be weighing until Tuesday.
Ply – I love the sound of your biscuits/scones! Our apple crop was very poor this year, but I’m hoping to gather enough of what little are left to make some chutney tomorrow.
Weemam – hope you enjoyed your trip out, and that your new neighbours get their work done quickly! Hopefully they are doing it during sociable hours. When OH had new neighbours in a house he lived in some years ago, they would start drilling and using an electric sander at 2 am!
Samm – what a great weight loss! Good for you, and a very interesting post, as always, about the grapes.
Rouge Trader – I’m sure your wife will embrace this WOE once she sees the very positive effect it will doubtless be having on you. Get her to read some of the posts on here!
Hi Happynow – just like you and many others here, when I was working, I could guarantee that as soon as I took a holiday break I was ill. It’s as if the body keeps going while we’re running full pelt on stress, then as soon as we stop it all catches up and overloads the immune system. Very, very annoying.
Hi to everyone else reading the thread today. It’s pouring with rain here this morning, the first for quite a while. I’d say it’s probably a good thing, especially for the garden, and stay indoors, but I have to do a flower arrangement in the church for the Harvest Festival tomorrow. It’s a bit of a trek, carrying all the materials and kit from where I park, so I’m going to get a bit wet!
Have a great weekend all
Smiffy x
Whoops! Sorry, Purple. Anything to do with numbers I screw up mightily; they don’t call me Innumerate of North Lodon for nothing. 🙂
Smiffy, great to hear from you. Yes, I was pleased with myself for not stuffing my face with comfort food while under stress. I did have ice cream for desert a couple of times. I didn’t use to like ice cream all that much, but since Haagen Dazs invented creme brulee, dulce de leche and best (or worst!) of all salted caramel, I do indulge maybe once a week. And I did share a bar of dark chocolate with Him Indoors one evening. Other than that I was fairly abstemious.
On mature reflection, I’m not 100% sure I’ll be able to manage the ‘no lunch ever’ arrangement, but it’s easy enough to stay under 100 cals with something like one of the wee tins of tuna in brine at 63 a throw, or a hard boiled egg, in both cases with a few green leaves dressed with a drop of balsamic. Or one of my favourite things, asparagus, at 25 per 100 g.
I can’t remember if it was you or Cheeseplease, or possibly both, who mentioned a lovely hotel restaurant in the Forest of Dean. If it was you, please can you remind me. We’re trying to arrange a visit to my cousin and his lady later this month – hoping to see some fall colours – and it might be a good place for an evening out. I know when it was first mentioned a Google map showed it to be about a 10-15 minute drive from out rellies’ home in Cinderford.
Hi everyone, nearly time to start getting dinner but a quick hello.
Had a read back through LUVT’s posts and she seemed to be saying she was having more success with low carb than 5:2 so perhaps these threads seemed less relevant. I looked back on the ‘other thread’ until I found her last post in August but nothing more recent.
She may be lurking and surprise us!
Daylight saving starts tomorrow here. Must confess I prefer the clocks left alone because it just moves the hottest part of the day to a time when otherwise I’d be enjoying it getting cooler. Still, since I seem to be feeling the cold more it may not be so bad this summer.
Have a great weekend everyone. N
Morning/evening all.
It is a cold grey dull autumnal day, with rainclouds overhead threatening to unload at any moment.
After my disappointing lunch yesterday, I was feeling quite indignant about not having enjoyed my meal and on the verge of eating something highly calorific and unnecessary (I have fruit pies and muffins in the freezer) and then I remembered the piece of Emmenthal I had bought a couple of days ago and consoled myself with a couple of slithers of cheese and some grapes for supper.
I got on the scales this morning and I’ve now lost a stone in 7 and 1/2 weeks so I’m very pleased with myself. I’m now even more motivated to keep things moving in a downward direction, so I’m going to stick to BMR limit today and tomorrow, but do some exercise. Walking is probably out unless I want to take some soap and shower along the way so it’ll have to be Elle Macpherson followed by Callan Pinckney today, and hopefully the sun will shine tomorrow as promised and I can get out in the fresh air for a nice walk.
Have a good weekend everyone.
Hermaj – you seem to love the same things that I do – hard boiled eggs or tuna are a favourite for lunch, and I adore asparagus. Can’t get enough when in season, and I even like the tinned – full of flavour, whereas the imported at this time of year is often lacking. I haven’t tried the creme brûlée or dulce de leche Haagen Dazs but I do love anything salted caramel, so only buy it on very special occasions! It was Cheese who mentioned the Forest pub. It was the Wyndham Arms in Clearwell. It was endorsed by me, though I haven’t been there for years. My late Dad was a very talented artist and they used to let him exhibit his paintings for sale for a modest commission. The Forest trees are beginning to turn, so on a good day should look stunning when you visit this neck of the woods.
By the way , I forgot to mention in my earlier post, when I met ‘The girls’ the other night, who I hadn’t seen for a couple of months, they were very complimentary on the weight loss and all keen to know about 5.2. The same thing has happened with quite a few other people lately that I haven’t seen for a while. Doesn’t it make you feel good?!!!
Hi Smiffy,
Thanks for the reminder. I was fairly certain it was you whose dad was an artist who exhibited his work at the Wyndham Arms, but didn’t want to put my foot in it.
We do seem to share similar tastes, in view of which I would be surprised if you weren’t a fan of salade niçoise – or ensalada catalana if you are in Spain. They are pretty much the same thing, but the Spaniards serve it on a flat plate while the French version is usually in a bowl. A lot of my favourites begin with A – asparagus, aubergines, avocado, artichokes, anchovies. And in Spanish tuna also begins with a – atún
Delighted your friends noticed the difference and were suitably impressed. You’re right, it does make you feel good.
I bet you’re feeling really good, Amazon. Quite rightly. A stone in under 8 weeks is some achievement. Whatever you are doing, just keep on doing it, it’s obviously the right way.
jojo, welcome back from your trip. Don’t worry too much about the holiday weight gain. Almost certainly, two or three weeks back on 5:2 will get you back where you started. For some reason, this WOE does seem to shift temporary gains with relative ease. Wish it was a bit more efficient on the longer term stuff – says she who has plateaued again, albeit at 5-6 kilos lower than the last one. I’ve started dealing with it already, though. For the next few weeks, lunch is off the menu, or worst case no more than 100 cals or fewer, including on non-fast days.
I’m too much of a wuss to do 4:3 but I can handle one meal, or one plus a tiny taster, a day.
Has the yoga left you feeling relaxed and/or energised? I use both words because that’s what acupuncture does for me – either/or and sometimes both – and I think there is a sort of connection. And how about the pains you were having? Has it helped? Hope so. Enjoy your choral practice.
Amazon, I find if I’m just going about everyday business, shopping etc, 5-6K is about the max. However, if you are on a special day out, you’ll probably find you’ll achieve the 10,000 without even noticing. On holidays, particularly on city breaks, I tend to do 15-18K a day, often more. So I guess the answer is to treat yourself to a few days out. 🙂
Trying to catch up after a day away from the computer (read posts on my phone but too difficult to answer on it too).
Glad you’re home safe & sound Jojo, I’m sure you’ll get rid of those 6 lb pretty quick smart.
Hi Happy, nice to “meet” you 🙂
Ply, Happy, Hermaj and others I too seem to get sick, usually a bad cold or similar, when I have been going flat out like a lizard drinking at work, go on holidays which is when I slow down or stop, it’s like the darn bugs just catch you while you’re napping.
Hermaj I felt really sorry regarding your wedding photo’s and wondered if you’ve ever thought of “recreating” your wedding day and having new photo’s taken once you’re happy with yourself? I hope I’m not offending you by suggesting this, just it made me very sad to hear you tore your photo’s up due to the medication and how it made you look.
Nicky, yes I’m enjoying this glorious long weekend weather at the moment … 31 today, 26 tomorrow, 30 Monday (but with rain developing).
RT I quit smoking just over 4 years ago. The year before this I’d had 3 major surgeries and was still recovering from the last one when I finally managed to quit. At the time I was not able to exercise and in fact could barely walk more than a few metres at a time so I ballooned. Now that I’ve got to the point where everything has now healed and I’ve rebuilt some core strength it’s time for me to start deliberate exercise as well as some incidental.
Great to hear from you Bay 🙂
Amazon the amazing – that’s awesome re your loss over that short time, you must be so very proud of your achievements to date 😀 …
Thank you all for the reminder about pedometers, I must find mine to see how many steps I can do each day now.
Hi SAMM I hope your day is awesome too 🙂
I hope I haven’t missed anyone, if I did it’s not intentional, just trying to go back over everyone’s posts from today 🙂
Hi Nicky and Hermaj and Purple
I went looking for Luvtcook and the last time she posted was 19 August. Maybe she is on Summer holidays. Or maybe work in the Beltway became too riveting. Whatever the reason, I miss her. And I miss Elaine and Auriga. Come back, lovely ladies. 🙂
We are having lovely warm weather for our catch up with friends and family. It is a long weekend.
Cheers, Bay 🙂
Here is a link to the apple pie biscuits. Not too bad, as far as treats go, only 6 Tbl butter and 4 Tbl sugar in the whole recipe, which makes 12. My calculator says 168 calories each. They come together in 10 minutes, and the ingredients are usually on hand in my pantry. I actually made them before work, and got there while they were still warm. A nice treat for the early arrives!
http://joythebaker.com/2014/09/baking-bootcamp-apple-pie-biscuits/
Smiffy, if you like asparagus and hard boiled eggs, try this for lunch. It’s one of my favorites!
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2014/04/asparagus-egg-and-bacon-salad-with.html
You can reduce or skip the bacon if you want. Turkey bacon works fine, or a bit of crisped prosciutto.
@amazon, I feel like all my posts to you just say WOW! Congrats on your continued success.
Jojo, welcome home, we have missed you. I predict those holiday pounds will disappear in less than 3 weeks. Bank on it.
Thanks ply. I must say that all of you have made it much easier this time round. When I started last year I was on my own, and didn’t know anyone following this plan. This meant nothing and no-one to compare notes with. My best friend is very supportive but she resembles a stick. Finding this website and in particular this thread has been a godsend, and I know that I’ll reach my goal with all the tips, encouragement and praise that everyone gives so willingly 🙂
Despite having lost a fair amount on this plan I’m still experimenting and tweaking to find the most successful eating/fasting/exercise combination for me.
Another 5lbs and I’ll be at my lowest weight for over 20 years!
Aussie Oma,
I’m not at all offended at your suggestion and it’s sweet of you to make it, but it’s not something I would do.
The truth is I am not and never have been photogenic. Even as a small child I looked middle-aged and a bit weird in photos, when in fact I was a perfectly normal, pretty little thing, with great big eyes and long lashes. I looked even worse in my teens. Now the steroids have worn off the big eyes are back but they don’t show up in photos.
Even 13-14 kilos slimmer, which I am now, and even when almost at target weight, I still look dreadful in photographs, in profile even worse than full-face. In the mirror I look pretty good, not so on-camera. I look like my brother in drag. My bro is a nice-looking man, but the operative word is ‘man’. What woman wants to look like a bloke in a frock? 🙂 In passport and I.D. photos I look like the mad axe-woman.
To show you just how bad it is, I met my other half through a dating column in Time Out, a London weekly listings mag aimed at an intelligent readership. There may well be Aussie editions in the major cities. I work alone and hate parties and social gatherings (another reason not to revisit the wedding thing), so it was the only way to meet a guy – it was pre online dating. He freely admits if I’d sent him a photo he wouldn’t have replied. Whereas on meeting me face to face he was most impressed, and 28 years later… 🙂
I have just read over 30 posts :). All so positive .
I had a lovely day out with Hubby yesterday . I love my dad Bless him but it WAS nice to just wander about and not have to keep an eye on him .We will be taking him out again tomorrow .
Ross phoned me this morning singing ” if I had a hammer “lol . The young couple next door are so lovely . They have been in twice to say sorry for the noise . They are always away before 9 PM. So pleased we are getting such nice neighbours :).
down another pound this week ( official weigh day tomorrow) 26 pounds in total …YESSSSS
SAMM I am sitting here eating my frozen grapes :).
Just had a lovely visit from our eldest Granddaughter she is 25 and the first thing she noticed was my weight loss . She had on a pair of skinny jeans all torn at the knees( the hight of fashion) . Hubby slipped her some money and joked she should buy a new pair of jeans without rips lol.
I went yesterday to put an appointment on to get my hair cut and the 3 girls commented on it too . I am a very happy bunny lol .
I am sending good vibes to everyone and a HELLO to new members . and a big welcome back Jojo 🙂
Wee xx
Thanks Bay. We’ve just come back from walking the dogs and while we were out met someone from the next village who asked if we had both lost weight. It’s great! OH is taking me out tonight and I’m wearing a very pretty stretchy salmon pink top that I bought from John Lewis about 10 years ago. I think it looks better now than it did then, so forgive me for feeling a bit smug at the moment.
Hermaj – I just love salad niçoise and in fact grow dwarf beans almost solely for that purpose! Until we bought the house in Wales, we kept chickens, so it has been regularly on the menu in this household. I’ve had lots of the Spanish variation too, when friends of mine and my late husband lived for some years in Spain and we would regularly visit. I also like a good, properly made, paella. Happy memories. Avocados, aubergines and anchovies are also on my favourites list.
I had to smile at your comments about not being photogenic. Like you, I reckon I scrub up pretty well, and got complimented even when I was bigger, but in photos – ughh! I’ve got a mouth that looks like a letterbox, (I always keep it closed in pictures) and although my eyes are quite large, in the wrong light the bags under them make me look as if I having slept for a fortnight. Also my head is quite small compared to the width of my shoulders, although they don’t look quite so bad now that the weight is finally coming off from ‘upstairs’! I particularly love the comment about looking like your brother. I won’t wear my hair short as every time I look in the mirror I see my late Dad!
Ply – thanks so much for the apple biscuit recipe. They look lovely, and very easy. OH loves all things apple, so will have a go with some of the last of our apples while doing the chutney tomorrow. I’m not sure what xanthate gum is. Is it added to make up for the lack of gluten in gluten-free flour? If so, presumably normal self raising flour, which I have, is ok? The egg and asparagus recipe looks yummy too. I quite fancy it with crisp prosciutto as you suggest and will certainly make it when I get my hands on some decent asparagus, or even a tin of.
Weemam – well done on losing another pound! So glad you enjoyed your day yesterday. We all occasionally need ‘time out’ from our responsibilities.
Off to get ready for our evening out – it’s not often it’s just the two of us so looking forward to it.
‘See’ you all tomorrow
Smiffy x
Hermaj and Smiffy I understand how you feel. I always feel like I look terrible in photo’s and that is why I tend to be behind the camera rather than in front 🙂
Well daylight savings has arrived … YAY! Off to let our neighbours chooks out and gather their eggs. Our neighbours asked us to look after them for the weekend while they’re away and to take any eggs we find. Was “fun” getting them all back into their nesting shed last night, the little buggers just did not want to go to bed, lol, well at least it was a bit of extra incidental exercise, 😆 to see us trying to corner and catch the little darlings 😀 quite hilarious if anyone saw us I reckon 😀
Hoping you had a great night out Smiffy and a lovely night in Wee.
I’ll try to catch up with everyone later 😀 have an awesome 5:2 day/night everyone 🙂 .
Second day of a back to back here. I’ve slept so much I have a headache, so I’m going to drink lots of water and take some pills. This is a new strategy for me .
On the last day of my work week , trying to have food energy while working I eat normally Thursday right till it’s time to clock in at work. My lunch is a simple 250 from my freezer or a can of beans.
In this way I hit Friday fast day the goal is to go 48 hours on 1,200 calories.
I’m so exhausted , rather worn down by the end of the week, so I’ve put sleeping for most of the day and night Friday. With a long nap on saturday too.
In this way I get to basically sleep and wake up to eat dinner of 600 calories. When I get hungry , go back to sleep. So easy! But feel like I’m nothing done. Oh well. I do enjoy just sleeping till my eyes just pop open wide.
This last fast ends my ADF “FAT ATTACK” for this month. Weigh in 217lbs
Will try this B2B next week too, I’ll keep the same M,W,F&S with M&W as calorie restriction days of 1,000 less than TDEE . I find the routine keeps thing simple.
A few posts back or so I made the statements that I believe Fasting and TDEE can extend lifespan by adding a few years to your active ages of our lives. Well my wife informed me that I’m not 47 I just turned 46. :). Ooooohh! I said and thanked her very much! That was easier than I thought. What? she said At the risk of sounding dumber than someone who doesn’t know how old he is I said never mind!
Fish is my dinner to day and kale with spaghetti sauce. Very acidic. But I just naw and naw on the stuff.
I actually buy the kale cook it very very slowly like as if I were trying to make the leaves into dried potato chips. Not many foods get me salivating for them . Thing is I don’t love it. But after a back to back fast I figure the natural vitamins will help me stay in optimum nutrition.
A batch of chicken legs for Sunday lunch I’m hoping to extend the fast and break it at noon . With 500 calories of chicken legs. Very high in zinc
Got my flu shot!
I get my flu shot every year , most folks don’t know that if you get a flu shot for ten years you’ve cut you heart attack chances by 50%. Nor most folks realize that most fatal heart attacks coincidentally while a bout with the flu. It’s an inflammation issue. So this is a general point to avoid inflammatory foods when you think you may have a cold or flu. And get some zinc!
Today’s list of the foods highest in zinc , so I eat the dark meat of chicken.
I still try to get my vitamin and minerals from food. I do take a supplement on fast days though .
Plan to watch some star trek shows, as my friend who gotten I’ll gave me his 64 in television when he went into hospice. At first when I would send him poetry He said it was kind of gay. But after a few weeks I see it hanging on his walls of his room.
Good friends are one in a million.
Good friends have stories to share.
Good friends know the path to happiness,
and they walk with you all the way there.
Good friends are lives overlapping.
Good friends share laughter and tears.
Good friends bring emotions so deep that
the trust keeps growing over the years
Yesterday, I was your friend.
Today, I’m still your friend.
Don’t worry about tomorrow,
I’ll always be your friend.
That’s a promise.
*~forever friends~*
I don’t whom to give the credit to.
Lemon in Green Tea naturally sweetened with Stevia
Fish dinner and a brisk walk! How easy is that?
http://authoritynutrition.com/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-green-tea/
http://www.health-today.org/20-top-lemon-health-benefits/
http://smashingtops.com/health-2/amazing-benefits-of-stevia/
Can’t say no one told you how easy a healthy feed day can be.
Dried blueberries, cherries,prune, and a dried apricot. For breakfast
Red bean chicken leg chili for lunch.
Fish dinner with kale and whole carrots for dinner.
Hi Smiffy,
Do tell me more about your Spanish connections, e.g. which part of the Peninsula. I’ve probably mentioned before, I lived and worked for two years in Gandia on the east coast. I nearly married a Spaniard and indeed several years later I married my first husband who was half-Spanish, half-Welsh.
On my return to London from the east coast I got a job in a Spanish bank. One of the four years I was with them was spent on an job-exchange with a girl from La Coruna in the north-western region of Galicia, an area more Celtic than Spanish, as is the climate which is why it’s so green. It’s a magical place with its own language, very much like Portuguese, many strange superstitions, a belief in witches and wonderful music, much of which involves bagpipes. I have a brilliant DVD called Santiago, a reference to Santiago de Compostela which is one end of the pilgrim route through France and along the north coast of Spain. In it, the Chieftains work with a bunch of Gallego musicians and what sounds like a choir of monks, to great effect.
Several years later I went to London uni as a mature student, where I read Spanish with subsid Portuguese. I taught Spanish for a while, before finding my real calling, i.e. translation, which I’ve been doing for 25+ years, specialising in Arts & Media. After all that time off doing – and recovering from – the dissertation, I’m back to work on Monday, when I shall get my teeth into a German piece about a Scandinavia illustrator. Oddly enough, I don’t get a huge amount of Spanish to translate. French and German are more frequent, and I recently translated a book about a Brazilian installation artist from Portuguese.
I’m with you about properly-made paella. I do a pretty mean one myself, although I’m not sure whether purists would approve of my including chorizo with the chicken and veggies. As I have problems with shellfish, which is so often a key ingredient, I was delighted to learn that an authentic paella valenciana contains only chicken and rabbit. Some claim that the seafood version was invented for the benefit of the tourists, but I’m not sure how true that is.
Afternoon all.
Just back from a nice walk in the sunshine. I didn’t plan on buying anything but came home with a new window box for the kitchen and several pots of herbs to put in it. By then I resembled an over laden mule and ran out of steam 3/4 of the way home so jumped on the bus, but not before buying a nice tuna steak and some prawns from the fish stall at the local Sunday market. Guess what I’m having for dinner 😆
I love paella and have several recipes all of which purport to be authentic. I think those containing rabbit, chicken and even snails, come from inland regions and the coastal versions contain more fish and seafood, but I could be wrong. I put whatever I have in them, the last one I made had chorizo, chicken and a few frozen prawns that needs to be used. There is a really good fish shop near to me and I sometimes go in and buy a handful each of clams, mussels and prawns for a seafood version. It freezes well too.
Thanks Jojo.
I make a lot of vegetarian dishes. I love spicy food so I make chilli and curries, and it all depends on which veggies are a) in season and b) on the veggie rack. Yesterday I had a 275 cal portion of vegetable and lentil curry, which contained onions, peppers, a little sweet potato, courgette and runner beans. I use no more than a tsp of oil to fry the spices, and make a paste in the blender with onion, ginger and garlic so the sauce is nice and thick. I hate watery sauces :yuck:
I also make vegetable chilli, and use a tin of chopped tomatoes for the sauce. I don’t care for kidney beans so I omit them or use borlotti or pinto.
Yesterday I made a batch of curried veg and lentil soup with what was left in the fridge drawer.
I love stir fries and always pack them with veggies. Sometimes I add meat, or cook a piece of tuna to go on top, or sometimes a thin omelette and shred it before stirring to into the veggies. It is a shame I don’t care for tofu as I could use that.
I make ratatouille, and it is fab with the addition of a few olives or some chilli.
This is good and can be made in smaller portions
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/spicy-moroccan-eggs
This looks yummy, and cutting down the oil would help reduce the calories
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4325/vegetable-tagine-with-almond-and-chickpea-couscous
In Morocco, they don’t fry stuff before putting it in a tagine.
This is one of my favourites, and once again, the amount of oil can be cut down. I usually make a 1/2 quantity and freeze some
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/236609/black-bean-chilli
One of my other favourite thing to do is roast a heap of vegetables with as little oil as I can get away with then either chuck it hot, on top of a huge salad, add it to cous cous or add some stock/water to make a thick comforting soup.
Portobello mushrooms stuffed with ricotta that has had herbs and/or garlic added, cooked in the oven with a tomato sauce.
Stuffed peppers in tomato sauce. I use 1oz of cooked rice mixed with finely chopped and cooked onions and mushrooms, some chopped nuts and a dash of soy sauce, and that is sufficient to stuff two peppers. I usually halve the peppers lengthways and nuke them for a few minutes then stuff them, lay them in a dish surrounded by sauce, and if I have enough calories to play with, put a slither of cheese on top of each of them and stick them in the oven for 25 minutes. It is delicious and filling, and copes well with being frozen and/or reheated.
Hi JoJo and team
Up to now, I have only been on the LOACA thread, but they are all on the 5:2. It is great to be part of these threads and I see some Aussie mates are on this thread too. I have been on the ADF WOE since 1 July, and mainly it is easy. The main problem is that when you are invited or invite friends, you have to do some calculations. I sometimes do 2 fast days in anticipation of 2 food days, but I find this difficult at the end of the second day. On a feast day, I try to do the 16:8 WOE, so I eat only two meals even on a feast day. There is an interesting book called not surprisingly ‘The Alternate-day Diet’ by James B Johnson. The mind boggles at some of the health implications of this WOE. Michael Moseley mentioned that cells can regenerate themselves and James johnson goes into this in more depth.
I am intending to keep to the ADF until the end of April, and use the 5:2 as a maintenance WOE.
Let me know how the ADF goes. I really like the regularity of this WOE.
I am not sure about this WOE during wintertime and even now it is cooling here where I live in France in the evenings. I have swapped salads for soups.
I never eat any bread, rice, pasta at all on fast days. Some quite surprising side effects of this! Ketones in the urine. But my doctor says no problem as this is how the body fat leaving. I did at first think of losing 20kg, but now my goal is around 30Kg and I am over 33% there! I try to walk 10K steps a day. My fitbit is like a tamagochi. You have to keep it happy!
KiwiWiwi
There are so many vegetarian options for hot satisfying food on a fast day that it shouldn’t be a problem. Keeping warm is important as it is extremely difficult to get warm if you have an empty stomach. I am planning on changing my fast day routine in the cold weather and having a late breakfast and dinner rather than eating just one meal. 1oz of porage oats cooked with water is only 100 calories, so I’ll have that sweetened with Stevia and a few berries. That should keep me warm until dinner time. It’ll be an incentive for me to do more exercise too.
tangatawiwi
I believe your approach will fit in this thread even if more than one thread.
I too switch from 5:2 to other styles.
I’ve been on 5:2, 4:3, ADF and B2B fasts in the last 18 months. It’s become a lifestyle for me. After a car accident left me sedentary for many months. I had nothing better to do than watch tv , I watched a lot of doctor oz, and came across micheal mosely videos. Decided I could at least start doing the doable part of 5:2. With 33 lbs lost the first 8 months. I hit some issues that turned my schedule and attitude upside down. I didn’t adjust , and went back to my old habits. However after 4 more months I was very curious about how much I had lost at the 1 year mark from my original start date. I had only gained back 5 lbs , so I had lst a total of 27 lbs for my first year since starting 5:2.
My second year was now focused on strength. Now that I found a diet that works regardless of exercise . I was determined to become active again. I feel I have succeeeded, my biggest challenge is continuing to jump rope, It encompasses all my cardio/ metabolism goals including increasing my vo2max. Year number two is going very well if I don’t get caught up on focussing on the scale. Rather focus on being active and fitting my fast days and feed days into a weightloss lifestyle.
What I’ve learned is no one other than me is me. Of course so it great to get encouragement and share my experience with the group on this thread. I’ve learned that diet only goes so far, and the exercise goes therese of the way. That having fasting skills really helps keep my sugars under better control than just diet and exercise. A trifecta , fasting,healthy food, and exercise.
Also a little bit of discussion about lower other risks like Accidental deaths, preventable deaths, and age releated health risks. Makes for a reasonable seasonal efforts to lower my health risks and gain more knowledge about longevity. Such as going wheat free,but incuding DHA as a long term strategy to stay active and alert if I make to 85+ years. Some 40 years from now.
My goal is 100lbs weight loss, I have lost 57lbs in 19 months.
My Intrests are nutrition dense cooking from the garden, homemade drinks for anti oxidants and other herbal remedies instea of soda. I also keep trying to do jump rope HIIT & compound weight lifting. As well as health benefits of pairing foods that synergies . Like eggs and cheese with pepper and turmeric.
For my third year I may go all in on healing foods and how to cleanse the body. As that seems to be a best ” seal the deal” way of making all my fasting,dieting, and exercise efforts knit together into a lifestyle that is enjoyable to live out.
Hi all
I’ve put my chutney making and Ply’s apple pie biscuits on hold until tomorrow. It was such a lovely day I decided to make the most of it and do some clearing in the veg patch.
Hermaj – what a fascinating life you have led! Our friends first bought a house in Nerja, on the Costa del Sol. It was about 1982 and it was still quiet and very ‘Spanish’ . We loved it, and the best paella I’ve ever tasted was in a little family run restaurant in the town. Sadly by the end of the 80’s it was over-developed and unrecognisable, so they moved to a place called Chiclana near Cadiz (anywhere near where you were Jojo?). Again, it was a lovely traditional area, and was still so when they sold due to ill health in the late 90s. Because we travelled to see them quite often, my late husband and I started taking Spanish lessons. Unfortunately his powers of concentration were not good, and we gave up after a couple of terms, but I wish I had persevered, as I really enjoyed it. Apart from asking for a table for 2 and ordering a prawn omelette and salad with a glass of white wine and still mineral water, I doubt if I would remember very much now!
My paella usually consists of mussels, prawns and chicken, with garlic, onion, olives and peppers. I also use a pinch of turmeric, which I actually prefer to saffron, apart from being a lot, lot cheaper. I think the Spanish versions vary from region to region. One of my favourite Delia Smith recipes is Chicken Basque. It is a one pot meal with rice, chicken, chorizo, olives, pepper, onion and orange segments. If you don’t know it, try Googling the recipe. I’m sure you’d love it.
Jojo – an easy low calorie veg dish which I make a lot is an old SW recipe Summer Vegetable Loaf. Blanch 200g of green beans, cut into half inch pieces, and mix with 400g sweet corn and a chopped red pepper which has been blackened under the grill and skinned. Add some fresh or dried herbs of choice (I like chives or mint and parsley) and then stir in 4 beaten eggs and season. Spray a loaf tin with Frylight and line the base. Pour in the mixture and bake on 200c for about 40-45 mins until just set. Allow to stand for 10 mins before turning out. You can really put in any combination of veg, and I like to put sliced tomato on the top. Lovely warm or cold, served with a crisp salad. It can be cut into 6 slices and works out at about 90 calories a slice.
Weemam – I hope you enjoyed your cosy film night with no interruption from next door. I had a lovely evening thanks. I don’t usually order pizza but did this time and could have done with more olives and less anchovies, but heyho. I didn’t resist he garlic bread and did have my favourite ice cream with espresso for desert, so am having a lean day today with a fast tomorrow. OH is cooking pork as I write this – he does a mean Sunday roast, and it’s my weekly treat not to have to cook, with lots of fresh veg from the garden. It smells divine!
Hi Amazon, Samm and hello Tangatakiwi. I remember you from the ‘other’ thread. Lovely to have you with is.
Must sign off – the dinner gong is about to be sounded. Have a good evening all – most of us I the UK will no doubt be curled up watching Downton Abbey later!
Smiffy x
Happy Monday fellow fast trackers and for my SA friends happy Labour day public holiday although Im not at all sure what that means as the boys are at work here in the local meat processing plant..Ok day one of a three pete fast so kicked off with a 60min walk and unfortunately got caught in the rain halfway around and the lyrics to the escape song was immediately in my head 🙂
A hot shower and a hot cup of wakame instant miso soup 18g is 18 cal and its all good
Cya on the next revolution people..
peace RT
have been doing ADF this week but not feeling too great ( Nothing to do with the ADF though) felling a bit achy and a bit of a headache . Trying to keep busy though . Having time out with Hubby too . had a sneaky weigh in yesterday and had lost another pound so very pleased with that but I am sure I have lost more now . 11 PM here and off for an early night . have fun but be good :)..
.Wee xx
Morning fellow 5/2ers today it’s very overcast, but warm, with rain developing (our tanks could use a topping up so no complaints here 🙂 ). Well let the chooks out for our neighbours this morning and collected another 7 eggs … over the weekend we’ve collected 24 eggs (I had one yesterday, it was a double yoker … yummm).
I don’t use any oil or fat, 98% of the time, when cooking. The only exception is when making a roast (like today) but then I use as little as possible.
Amazon those recipes sound lovely thanks for sharing 😀 . I do a mushroom dish with garlic and herbs (your choice), add a little olive oil (or similar) to the garlic and herbs and mix together, spread the mix over the fleshy underside of the mushrooms, put under the grill for a few minutes until heated through and serve.
Hello Rigpig and tangatawiwi.
SAMM some great info in your post.
Smiffy you’ve certainly given some great meal ideas to us, thanks for sharing 😀
Semi-fast day today as I ate too much yesterday.
Agree Jojo re talking about the food 🙂
Thanks RT yes a lovely holiday Monday for me 🙂
Wee look after yourself. I hope you’re better soon 🙂
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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.
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