Good morning fellow fasters (or should that be fastees??) well I’m up at “sparrow fart” again this morning and catching up on all the goss.

Smiffy hope the dogs are better soon … it’s strange but sometimes making up a raspberry cordial helps to settle their tums, just make it a little weaker than you would for human consumption or some rice and/or rice water with a little bit of chicken or a bit of charcoal (if you can get tablets it’s better but we find them hard to come across these days). These are some of the things we use. Always with an upset tum the rice/rice water/chicken combo is good as it fills them up yet allows the tum to have a rest and seems to soothe it too.

Alexa that view sounds fab … when we stayed with OH’s rellies in Amsterdam the view we had was across the roof tops too but yours sounds way more interesting 🙂

Nema I hear you re “organised” exercise. I don’t do a lot of gardening (too dry here) but do have a “small” garden … just planted a few flowering plants last night (read about 20) that friends have given us (using the recycled “grey” water for this), I have my veggie patch (which some has gone to seed (coriander and parsley) and others are still good to go (spinach in particular). I have a few “pots” of parsley in the freezer ready to just pop into dishes when needed.

Hope everyone has a great day/night … FD for me today 🙂

Hiya all from a very wet and windy Scotland .

Sorry I have been AWAL just had appointments and Dad and Ross and lots of running about . I have been reading all the posts though . It always brightens my day .

I hope the poor dogs are OK and I think you did right coming home to your own vet . I just love dogs but sadly I am now allergic 🙁 .

Jojo well done on the shorts 🙂 .

I have done 3 fasts this last week and lost another pound so that is 30 in total on 5.2 .

SAMM loved the jokes and all the tips too pal .

You all know I am terrible with names but I think of you all.

This thread is always so positive . keep up the good work guys ..Wee xx

Look after yourself SAMM and get some rest.

SAMM’s post says brazil nut “can be” toxic, not that they are. I would imagine that most things can be bad for you if you eat enough of them. A bag of brazils every day might be a problem, but every few weeks it is unlikely.
If they don’t make you ill, carry on eating and enjoying them!
I love maple brazils and usually buy myself a box at Christmas, but they are off the list this year along with several other highly calorific and sugary items 🙁

I’ve got a few DVDs and some weights and do most of my exercise at home. Fortunately there is no-one here to laugh at me. I’m hoping that the winter weather doesn’t spoil my walks. I don’t mind if it is cold but I hate walking in the rain.

My nails are better than they’ve ever been and are looking good, which is a blessing as the hands aren’t so hot………….

Hi Purple, that is great. Everyone is doing so well.
My scales aren’t very sophisticated, they just do lbs or kilos and I don’t think they are very accurate. I’ve found the spot on the floor where they weigh at the lowest and I’m sticking to it! 😆
I can hardly believe I’ve lost 21lbs in 11 weeks, and it hasn’t been difficult, just a couple of tough fast days.

I love roses, but I have a very small garden and just have two small bushes, one is a very pale pink and the other somewhere between cream and apricot. They both have a lovely perfume which is the main reason I bought them.

Weemam, well done!

9.5 kg in 11 weeks is wonderful Amazon! You are obviously doing the right thing. Keep it up (or down) 😉 P

Poor Nicky
Dose up on apple cider vinegar chum. Hope you shake it quickly. Grandkids! Little germ factories 😉 P

Hi Happy
I know what you mean about husbands laughing. ..I gave up yoga abd then wii exercises because of him!!! ; ( P

Hermaj I am great hen 🙂 hows yersel ? 🙂 .

keep healthy all and Take care xx

Wee xx

RT, when we started this 18 months ago, my daughter was our fiercest critic. She was particularly worried about her father, the diabetic.
She has now come around having witnessed her parents slim down (58 kg between us) and regain their health. With her dad now off all diabetes medications and mum slimmer than her, she tells everyone about our success and asks me to give others some hints.
The proof wasn’t in the pudding, it was off the bodies! 😉 P

Thanks Nama
I KNOW insulin is much worse than a ‘bandaid solution’, it is positively detrimental. As Dr Fung says, it IS the problem. My OH would never have ended up obese if he had had Dr Fung and Dr M around 15 years ago:(
You are dead right. It is the conservatism of the medicos that causes the problem. Let’s keep yelling about this wol from the rooftops!!! P (she climbs back down off the soapbox)

Gosh RT. We are having to line up and take a number to get on the soapbox today! 😉 P

Hi everyone.

For the new people, not sure who it was who’s having problems losing weight, first of all make sure you measure at least chest/bust, waist (smallest part), thighs as I’ve found that even when the scales say not losing or going up (as happened last week) the tape measure was my friend!!!

Also, my major issue was not what I was eating (I was eating the same as now) it was the PORTION SIZE!!!

I looked up on the internet what was the correct portion size for ALL food types and I now draw an imaginary line on my plate (entree size btw) and put my foods in there – no heaping it up either other than the veggies (non starchy ones only). This was mine and could be something that’s causing you not to lose much if any weight.

On non-fast days I allow myself to eat, if needed, between my BMR and TDEE and often I don’t even get that high (my TDEE is now just down under 2000). For example, yesterday was a non-FD, I was only able to eat 3/4 of my lunch (252 cals) and then for dinner I ate what I thought was excessive until I saw the calorie content (584 cals) plus a sliver of mud cake (155 cals) giving a total for yesterday of 991 cals.

But you know what I didn’t get a handle on this overnight. This is my 6th week which I’ve almost finished. The first two I struggled to get down to 500 cals for FD’s, now I don’t even get to that amount most days (today it’s standing at 394 cals (I might have a snack later if I’m hungry but I don’t generally snack at night). Two weeks ago it was 494 cals for a FD. I no longer worry about having any potato (and I used to love them in all forms), about the only time I might have a little bit is if I’m having a roast or 2 or 3 of the chips which come with my dinner on a Friday night when we’re out with friends and believe me 2 or 3 is all I want.

On non-FD’s I can have whatever I want, just make sure I control how much of it I have, that is all. Yes, yesterday I had a tiny sliver of mud cake (I took only a tiny sliver of it – out of a quarter of the cake we had 6 or 7 slivers) as it was a friends birthday but I could enjoy it without thinking of how many calories, I just put them all in MFP (myfitnesspal) when I got home last night. Today was very hectic at work so I didn’t have even a Bovril for lunch so dinner is all I’m having (at this stage) so under 400 cals today on my FD (unless I have a small snack – unlikely).

I also drink lots of water … before deciding whether or not I’m hungry I have a large glass (or it’s equivalent) of water and wait for 5 or 10 minutes, if I’m still feeling as if I’m hungry I do the same again and if after 5 or 10 minutes I’m still feeling hungry then I will eat. I eat very slowly, chewing each mouthful thoroughly as I’ve been finding that this way it gives my tummy a chance to let me know when it’s becoming full. As soon as I get that feeling of almost full I stop eating as otherwise by the time I’ve finished eating I’m feeling over full.

This is not meant as a you must do this sort of post, but just letting you know how I am doing it. There might be things in there that you can take onboard and run with, you might think no way. That is entirely your choice. I’m just putting it out there for you to see how I’m working this WOL and how I’m readjusting my meals and my mindset and, hopefully, getting it right 🙂

Hugs to all and now it’s REALLY time to get off my soapbox 🙂 RT great post BTW 😀

Hi there

Any preference between Kobo or Kindle as an e reader? I’m getting one for my birthday and have to choose pronto. Thanks for your experience.

Cheers, Bay 🙂

Hi Bay,

As a lover of books I didn’t expect to like an e reader. However, I got a kindle paperwhite for my birthday in April and I’m very happy with it. Easy to use, long battery life, instant access to books (including all of the classics for free), very portable. It’s backlit for reading in bed with the light off, brightness level adjustable. Also being able to change font size means I can still read a book even if I’ve forgotten my reading glasses (albeit one word to a page!). No complaints from me.

Can’t comment on the kobo I’m afraid!

Jojo and Amazon you are both beautiful caring woman who are carving a wonderful path through this world. Every time you look in that mirror tell yourselves you are doing this for you. The future is bright and healthy because you have taken control.
Thanks for being here for all of us. This isn’t easy, but nothing worth doing is.
Go girls! Your mate from across the seas…P xx

I love Kindle and still have my ‘steam-driven’ version bought not long after they came out. It becomes a bit of an addiction and I have 500+ books on mine, but this does include books I’ve read but will almost certainly want to read again. As if me and Him don’t have enough books,least 3,000+ between us. The only things I’m acquisitive about are books and earrings.

Couple of areas where Kindle falls down, although it seems the more recent versions may not have the same problems. Books where visuals are important, e.g. art books, travel guides and cookbooks, although the latter is more about dyspraxic Hermaj getting gravy all over the Kindle if it’s allowed into the kitchen. 🙂 We also tried to follow a walk around Brooklyn suggested in a guide book on Kindle, but gave up in disgust and just followed our noses.

jojo, I don’t think it’s anti-women’s lib to want some one to care about us. Anti-women’s lib is wanting some bloke to do everything for us, while we just sit around on our sweet little female butts fluttering our eyelashes and doing bugger all for ourselves.

Because you are a sociable lady, you stand a very good chance of meeting someone through your activities. But don’t dismiss the idea of online dating or, if you aren’t comfortable with that, maybe via ads in a newspaper or mag. Where do you think I found the great love of my life at age 46? Time Out Lonely Hearts. Him a divorcee alone in London, me also divorced, working alone and rather unsociable but happy one-to-one.

Two sisters of one of my closest friends found partners in a similar way. Of course, there is the small risk of meeting nutters and weirdos, but the majority of both men and women are perfectly decent peeps seriously looking for a long-term relationship. I not only found a partner but also a very good male friend. We quickly realised we weren’t romantically inclined but could become good buddies. Years later we still visit him and his wife, who also found each other through Time Out.

Also be encouraged by my cousin who at 60 and after a not very happy marriage met the girl of his dreams, a fabulous woman (another teacher, since retired) then in her mid-50s. Fifteen years later they are still together. They obviously adore each other and are a joy to be with.

I’m a loner and relish time on my own and I’m lucky to be married to another loner. But being a permanent loner doesn’t appeal.

Hang on in there, jojo. There are a lot of princes out there who aren’t about to turn into frogs. 🙂

Good afternoon from a cold wet Scotland.

My OH has a kindle paperwhite . he had the original kindle when they came out at first. He reads all the time .

I started 5.2 because my 4 aunts ,my 2 grandmothers and my parents all had/Have Alzheimers and at 72 I wanted to keep it at bay for myself .

I have lost 30 pounds in the last 15 weeks and boy what a bonus .
my TDEE is around 1400 I eat between 900 and 1200 most of the time . I use MFP and I always stay below my TDEE.

I still have my ice cream and last week I had a slice of toast . I have a wee bit of anything I fancy as long as I um under my TDEE.

We got new glasses yesterday and have a dentist appointment in a couple of weeks . Our MOT’s lol . So all in all things are pretty good .

My IBS is almost gone , I have RA and it is so much better with the weight less on my joints . My hand were just so sore almost all the time and they are honestly almost pain free .

I love this thread and ALL of you lovely people .

I thank God every night for all of you and for keeping me healthy enough to look after my dad who is almost 97 and has Alzheimers ,my OH. who has had a triple bypass and now has aneurysms and our youngest son who has CP .All doing really well by the way 🙂
You are all brilliant . Thank you all for the great support and thank you Jojo for starting it all 🙂

Wee xx

Jojo I can feel your panic …so glad you found the purse and it was a dentist you know well enough to explain to . ..
your suitcase must be getting lighter every time you pack :). I would go for the red boots if I were you .

When I was wee we lived in the country ,My dad was a coal miner and we used to have the bonfire in a neighbouring farmers field . we used to put potatoes in the fire and sausages , they were all burnt and mucky but we enjoyed them . I remember we were allowed sparklers if we had a glove on . They used to dress the guy in some of our dads old clothes . Thanks for bringing back some great memories pal ..

We were just discussing the snow he other day and I was telling the grandchildren about when I was wee. Woman didn’t wear trousers as much then and we didn’t have fancy sledges . I used to wear my dads trousers all rolled up and tucked into a pair of his socks and my ” wellies” and we used a metal tray from Mams kitchen . We had so much fun and cost us nothing . Mind you we didn’t have TV or computers or mobile phones .We played outside until dinner then back out until dark or bedtime .
Ross calls that the black and white days ..Ha! ha!
Wee xx

Afternoon all.

So we went shopping, 5 year old was an angel and he was so happy with his new shoes. As soon as we got home he had them out of the box to show his Dad, while we all stood on the door step 😆
The chocolate cake was fab, but I felt so sick afterwards, and I’m still full. Not so long ago I would have managed two slices no problem!

Jojo, I had a dolls house but I don’t remember much about it. I remember my bright pink hula hoop that lived behind the settee, and my orange three wheeler bike with a bent mudguard that scratched the legs of anyone walking past. I use to ride round the garden on it with my little brother standing on the back. I had a beautiful wooden dolls cot which my Dad made for me by taking our old cot apart and cutting all the pieces down to size. He then reassembled it and painted it pink. I spent a lot of time putting all my dollies to bed and getting them up and dressed again!
10 years later I gave it to a little girl who lived along the street.
I also had old fashioned roller skates that expanded as my feet grew, and a scooter.
My Dad also made my brother a go cart from planks of wood and some old pushchair wheels. We used to race down the hill on it. No brakes so anyone on the pavement had to get out of the way quickly 😆
We used to play in the street sometimes and knock on doors and run away, but as soon as we were old enough, Mum used to walk us round the corner and see us across the main road and we would go to the park. She used to give us a time to be back, we didn’t have a watch so we would have to ask, and at the allotted time we would reach the park gates and she would be there to take us back across the road and home for tea. I was a great tree climber but I’m not sure I could do it now. We used to play on the putting green and hire a row boat on the lake.
I remember one day when we were old enough to cross the road by ourselves, we came along and a crate fell off of the back of a lorry. It didn’t stop. The crate was full of peaches. We didn’t touch them, just went home and told Mum. She grabbed a bag and took us straight out of the door and we came home with about 30 or 40 peaches. When I was a child we got apples, the occasional pear, and at Christmas oranges and bananas, so a fresh peach was an incredible treat, let alone a house full. By the time we had picked up our fill, half the street were there helping themselves to peaches.
I know that is not about childhood games, but talking about the park reminded me.

I remember going to my Grannys and watching TV for the first time . It was the Queens coronation . It was amazing I think I was 11 at the time .
my dad used to make my toys he made pull along ducks with wings that flapped as you pulled them along . I had a “bogie” a go cart dad made me too with old pram wheels . He was always making things . He used to hoist the engine out of the car and I used to make brown paper Gaskets to replace the old ones .

We used to play ” doon the burn” at the stream and we swung on a rope from the trees . ..always great fun.

Did I tell you that when I was at High School I sang 2 solos at the Edinburgh festival 🙂 . I honestly did 🙂 can’t sing now though lol

Wee xx

Amazon I think we appreciated things a lot more then .

My Mam used to work as an usherette in the cinema so Dad and I spent a lot of nights on our own . That was the nights we didn’t have free passes .
They had a utility sideboard very basic and Mam hated the dark wood . So one night she was working dad and I took it all to bits and re-built it the dark side in and he did it with clear varnish . I can still remember the delight on my Mams face that night when she came home 🙂 🙂 .

We used to go plundering the orchards too ..My pals and me not my Dad lol
xx

I’ve just completed my day of healthy eating which started with chocolate cake, by having some cheese on toast. Not a piece of fruit or a vegetable in sight 😆

I lie, I found a jar containing two pickled onions, so I ate them…………

Apparently if you eat a pickled onion it cancels out the sugar spike from the carbs……………………….. 😆 😉

You can use chilli flakes in so many things. You could try it when you cook mince or make a casserole. Just use a pinch or two to start with. Or in soup.
Curry doesn’t have to be hot, mild curries are full of flavour. I hope you like it 🙂
Serrano peppers are quite hot as far as chillies go.