Day 20, USA, NFD.

Hello all! Jumping on board. I started this second round of IF on the March 6th, but have been hesitant to join this group because I did once last year and then quit. 🙁 Getting over it though, and ready to join. I am reading through the history, it’s motivating and helps me feel in the loop. I went ahead and filled out the spreadsheet dating back to the 6th. Back to catching up…

metatauta – Love that you are “a tortoise” but are still here, still plugging away, and still encouraging! Thank you!

cornish-jane – I totally identify with your statement that you don’t know what a healthy weight is because you haven’t been there in your adult life. I am so there! I just picked one and started, but have to be open to changing it if needed. It’s been 19 years since I’ve been at my current goal, 125 pounds. We shall see…

AT – thank you so much for this piece of advice “*Stick to the basics for the first month or two and see how you get on, then if you want to you can start tweaking things around but the basic diet works and is sustainable as a permanent way of eating.” I did IF for a month or 6 weeks last year, on week 3 this year and forget that I really just need to do this as written for a while!

hyacinth – love the clothes hanger reference. Here’s hoping it reinvented it’s identity as a stationary bicycle throughout the month (I’m only on page 2!).

catch87 – congrats on telling your colleagues about your plan! So glad that you got support there. Telling people is really hard for me. I think that was a huge contributor to me quitting last year. SO far I’ve only told my 1 office-mate and my kids. Hubby wasn’t around at that time and while I don’t mind His knowing it just hasn’t come up. Still not ready to broadcast, but trying to be more open this time around.

Breaking for now, 2 pages read. This may take some time 😉
Rachel

Day 20, Emden Germany, NFD

Springtime has arrived, we bought 2 cherry trees and one apple tree to celebrate.

@strawberriesandcream I’m so sorry for the outcome, enjoy every day!
@debster251 thanks for the idea but I have to use my laptop for my work, the computer people don’t want me to go to clouds, if I get a virus on the computer all our work for the day in the practice is lost.

My dress still doesn’t fit so an other FD tomorrow.

Pocket list day 21, if you want to join me, please copy and paste and add your name to the list.

@snowflake56

Have a nice day/evening/night everyone!

Second post
Spring really arrived today. Good for the soul!

@flourbaby – your post gladdened my heart. I can feel your elation from here!
If you reach that size 10 I look forward to seeing a picture of you posted in all your glory, leg warmers, the lot!
@Strawberriesandcream – make the most of your time with your fur baby. My heart goes out to you.
@missybear – absolutely amazingly well done! I’m so pleased for you.
@bigviking – never lose sight of the weight you’ve lost. It’s a fantastic achievement, and you WILL get there. Just hang tight.
@penz – your post really struck a chord with many of us. As a very skinny teenager, I too had a very light or no lunch and an evening meal. And definitely no snacks. I’ll follow your journey with interest.
@songbirdme and @Penz- thanks for the links
@nelly89 very well done for your weight loss
@basyjames – I KNOW you can do this!

One of the over-riding themes of this forum is the surprise when we fit into ‘ordinary-sized’ clothes. I have a friend who always wore black tent-like clothes. As she lost weight she bought one or two items of clothing to wear when she went out. The compliments started coming thick and fast, and her smile and self confidence grew daily. She’s now a size 12-14 and her wardrobe is full of wonderful brightly coloured items. She’s a new woman with a smart hairstyle and a spring in her step. I think it is really important that we are not defined by our weight. Delight in your journey, however slow. Get that new hairstyle, new lipstick, pair of shoes. Whatever makes you feel good about yourself. You’re worth it.

“Maybe you have to let go of who you were in order to become who you will be

2nd post

Just popped in to say what a wonderfully supportive group you all are. There is so much help, assistance, comments,memories, laughs and giggles, all over the past few days……I am so glad to be part of this forum. You guys are great ☺️

@foodfreedomgirl Welcome! This is a great place for encouragement and motivation 🤗

And also wanted to say that my first batches of yoghurt and kefir are wrapped in towels in the kitchen and I eagerly await to taste my first attempt. Roll on tomorrow

Night night everyone.

2nd post


Managed a good FD at 270kcal with lots of tea and a small garbanzo salad for dinner. Might go for another one tomorrow.
@songbirdme – thank you for the link, so true and I should be watching these videos every day to remind me of the damage sugar does to one’s health…
@nelly89 and @scribbleartist – congratulations on the eradicated lbs!
@foodfreedomgirl and @aimingforhealth – great to have you with us
@debster251 – very wise words and moving story about your friend. I also know somebody who used to wear those black tents but luckily (thanks to a wonderful online forum) she is on the right path to a more colourful wardrobe… @flourbaby LOL at “colours warranting sunglasses”!
@daffodil2010 – so true, there is so much warmth in this forum ❤️ excited to hear how your kefir experiments turn out!

à propos kefir, sourdough and gut health, recurrent themes on this forum, I found this article quite interesting: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/jan/29/magical-microbes-how-to-feed-your-gut

Hi @at!! Thanks for asking. All fine here. Going very slowly down. Still dryza bone this year. No alcohol at all since Xmas day. I’d like to but I know I’ll never be a moderate drinker again. I just don’t think it’s possible so I’ve stopped. Never mind. I’m v happy, 5:2 is going slowly but well.

I’m making loads of hand made clothes in the style of Alabama Chanin – very labour intensive and v beautiful.( hers, not mine…). My patterns keep shrinking to match my body. Hope all is well with my fellow fasters, wherever you are in this big wide world. Night night northern hemispherers.

Day 21 – Japan – NFD 83.5kg

I love my NFDs!

Day 21, Cornwall UK, NFD

@merryapple – my sister lives in palmerston north. I used to visit quite a bit but havn’t managed it recently. She comes to us most years so I get to see her, which is lovely.

I am still making sauerkraut as I really like it. I’m trying a recipe with grated carrot added. May also try a celeriac version. Celeriac is a favourite vege at the moment and I even like it grated raw with chilli.

I’ve been reading about the health benefits of herbs. I just think of them as flavourings but I see they are packed with anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatories and various nutrients and are best eaten super-fresh so I’ll grow my own this year and eat lots more of them! Starting with oregano, dill and parsley.

Day 21…NSW Australia…CFD
Hi everyone, just checking in.
Bye for now!

Day 21, Emden Germany, FD

just a quick post today.

Pocket list day 21, if you want to join, please copy and paste and add your name to the list

@snowflake56
@fivetwofan5252
@steve toon taxi driver

Have a good day everyone!

Day 21 Belfast FD

@borealis – great link thank you. I hadn’t tried kimchi or kombucha but it’s on my to do list.
Well done on that weight loss @ccco
@EmmaTaylor – congratulations on your continued willpower. I had never heard of Alabama Chanin. I love the style.
@daffodil2010 – I’m interested about your ‘Bulgarian’ yoghurt. I started my own yoghurt with an organic whole milk shop bought type. I might branch out to see the difference.

Pocket list day 21, if you want to join, please copy and paste and add your name to the list
@snowflake56
@fivetwofan5252
@steve toon taxi driver
@debster251
Have a good day everyone!

Day 21, UK, NFD
79.9 kg. Yesterday was not as controlled as I wanted.

Day 21, Cornwall UK, NFD

Congratulations @daffodil2010 on your weight loss. You inspire me to get there too! Interesting to hear about the microgreens. I’ve been thinking about trying them – how do you grow them, in normal soil or just some form of matting? And I believe you harvest them really early, after just a few weeks?

Day 21, Newcastle UK, ???????

Well, I guess I am a comfort eater – 2lb up in 2 days – and back into 10 stone land!!! Let’s see what I can do to undo the damage before a meal out with friends on Friday night and dinner here with friends on Saturday night. I’m already planning to be driver on Friday, so that should help for starters.

Thanks for your kind thoughts about our lovely girl @snowflake56, @metatauta. @rainbowsmile, @debster251, @michelinme, @mjrbcd44. @at, @ccco & @merryapple. Knowing what’s what is actually helping us cope with facing the inevitable. She’s nearly 12 and had a good life.
@flourbaby & @snowflake56 – I am a self confessed exhibitionist when it comes to singing and dancing! Give me an empty floor and I’m in heaven. I used to be involved in amateur dramatics – something I may go back to yet. @michelinme – how wonderful to see your daughter – I would just love to have been a professional singer. I will dream on……
@mjrbcd44 – Bridget Jones is brilliant – its got to be time for another sequel!
As you say @basyjames – today is the first day of the rest of your life. With your stressful house move behind you – it’s onwards and downwards.
@metatauta – ahhh – Sedona, AZ – what a wonderful place. I remember my visit with happy nostalgia – singing Dierks Bentley’s ‘Free and Easy (down the road I go)’ at the top of our voices as the sun was setting. Simply stunning.
@annemarilyn – Thanks but I don’t deserve to be congratulated as I’m on an upwards spiral right now. Since joining the challenge in February 2017 I’ve officially lost only 6.5lbs as of this morning. Where did that low of 133.3lb disappear to???? Well I know the answer to that. Must try harder and get my backside back into gear. With foot just about mended and Spring, springing, I need to get out power walking and get started on my Yoga. Huge congratulations to @missybear though!!
@penz – thanks for sharing – interesting stuff. And wise words from you @debster251 – ” I think it is really important that we are not defined by our weight. Delight in your journey, however slow. Get that new hairstyle, new lipstick, pair of shoes. Whatever makes you feel good about yourself. You’re worth it.”
@songbirdme – good to hear your concert went so well – I look forward to seeing you in your lovely dress.
@daffodil2010 – wow – fantastic – congratulations!!
@emma-taylor – congratulations to you too – I’m both impressed with your progress and embarrassed about my own fall off the dry wagon. However, I am a whole lot better than I was, and will continue to build on that. I bumped into an old friend the other day. She is 62 and I’m coming up 58. She stopped drinking 10 years ago and looks years younger than me.
@flourbaby – as someone said a few days ago (sorry can’t remember who but it was good advice) – focus on what you can eat, not what you can’t. I know, I know, that’s rich coming from me right now – but it did sound like a good strategy.

So it’s lunchtime again and I’m still in my dressing gown and pj’s – better get going!

Onwards and downwards – together we are stronger.

Day 20, UK, NFD
Day 21, UK, NFD

Too busy to post yesterday, but managed to read all the post. It was an ok NFD, but then I got hold of some chocolate in the evening 😳 . Dark chocolate, 90% cocoa , which is supposed to be good for you, or at least that was my excuse 😂

@debster251 I posted a link a while ago for the site where I get my Bulgarian kefir and yoghurt starter, I make them all the time and they are delicious, very creamy and mild taste 🙂

@Strawberriesandcream so sorry to hear about your beloved dog, that’s heartbreaking 🙁 . I hope she has a smooth last days, I’m sure they will be full of love.
That reminds me, and I’ve been thinking about it few times, we haven’t seen @mogaman around lately , after the tragedy with his (her?) service dog Gabriel 🙁
I hope you are doing ok @mogaman.

Another busy day here ….. off I go ….

Have a lovely day everyone 🤗

Day 21 NFD Oregon USA

Well I made the mistake of drinking two cups of coffee BEFORE weighing. I figure that’s 16 oz(one pound) but was back up this morning to the 2.5 from Saturday morning. Sigh.
Went for a good walk yesterday and thought I was making reasonable choices but probably ended up over TDEE and fairly high sodium.
Will be more controlled today and hopefully fast day tomorrow will show true progress on Friday.

@at you reminded me of so many others to be thinking about. And someone else mentioned @mogaman–really hoping all is well with many of our regular posters.

@daffodil2010-brilliant weight loss! Congrats my friend!

Work day for me today so off I go.

“Old ways won’t open new doors.”

Day 21 USA (Utah) NFD

Good travel day yesterday – keeping at maintenance. It takes me a little while to acclimate to the elevation here, so likely I will not go to exercise for another day.

@debster251 – yes! We do need to feed our needs to be a different woman with our weight loss. I fully agree that simple things can truly make us want to improve or at least maintain!

@at – thanks for your kind remarks. Finishing a concert always feels good for days.

@penz – so many cravings we experience. He talks about so many other places than food! This research is fascinating. How we control our cravings (or we don’t) is truly a learned behavior, obviously easier for some than for others.

Onward and downward.

2nd post

Browsing the forum while waiting for the garage to ring about my car 😬 Guess I am not getting it back today 🙄

CD going very well. I have had a light lunch and just now had a mug of my first homemade chicken bone broth. So much more palatable than beef bone broth.

@ktcaroline Yes we grow red sorrel as a micro green. It is harvested at a very early stage, when it is only tiny little green leaves with the cutest red veins. Our customers are Irish food distributors and restaurants, so they are used mainly for garnish I reckon. I don’t think they are exported to the UK though 🙁

@cornish-jane Micro-greens are all the rage now. In our glasshouse we produce varieties of growing micro greens sown into recycled mulched paper in little tubs! Much cleaner and easier all around for our customers. They are harvested after a couple of weeks, but we have black rooms, light, and heat, so it may take longer growing at home. Basically we are harvesting at true leaf stage. They all look fabulous and taste so good though.

Oh yes! Great excitement last week as a programme was aired on our national TV station which featured our glasshouse and its products! An Irish celebrity chef has a series where he visits various Irish food producers and restaurants and cooks a meal at the end. I was on the telly! Smiling away at the camera as it panned across our workplace. Stardom ha ha 😆

@debster251 my first batches of yoghurt and kefir are not that great, I will try again as I may have used too little culture or the temperatures were not right. @shiny Thing posted a link a few weeks ago for the Bulgarian yoghurt http://www.baccillusbulgaricus.com
@shinything I am just starting out and have every confidence that soon I will be making the most delicious yoghurt and kefir ever. Thanks for the link back then ☺️

Thanks @strawberriesandcream and Mjrbcd44 for the good wishes. And @at yes, I will cling on to this group for the next 11 days and channel myself to reach that goal.
Thank you all 🤗

Shinything: I thought I would just jump in here, too! I haven’t seen Mogoman either. I hope all is well with him. Perhaps, he’s just reading our posts!

Day 21 – USA – NFD

Day 22…NSW Australia…NFD

Hi everyone. Just checking in. It’s Thursday morning here with top temp expected 21’C and raining – much different to 45’C a few weeks ago, and so nice!
It’s also quiet dark – daylight saving ends on Easter Sunday!

Weighed in at 76.1kg yesterday – goal for March is 76kg, so fingers crossed I can stay focused and achieve desired results. Only 9 days to go!

Enjoy whatever you are getting up to and bye for now!

Day 21 UK FD

Yesterday was CD after Monday’s FD. I felt really weird after eating bread despite it being home made with gf oats & yogurt. I don’t normally have any problems with this bread in something like 12 weeks of making it. Awful burning guts, joint pain and felt generally pretty unwell – certainly too unwell to do anything mental or much physical – but annoyingly resisted going to bed & ended up falling asleep sitting up quite late 🙁

Wondering if maybe it was the quantity (100g!), bad food for breaking my fast or perhaps bc i ate it at lunchtime? Last time this happened was eating 3 hot cross buns when i was doing gluten tolerance test last year. But those contained actual gluten, unlike my gluten free oats – which i’ve been using for weeks.

Woke up aching all over and feeling dehydrated, despite yesterday’s 2.5litre water. Maybe the busyness of the last week caught up with me? Changed today to an extra FD to give my poor body a break, and squeezed in some mediation and adapted yoga to get me started on a day of gentleness. Long skype then went into town for project meetings & my Lent course, still feeling rough and pretty weary.

Amazingly people couldn’t tell I was running on empty and told me how well I was looking! I certainly felt the benefit of a fasted brain, and the wonders of meditation and yoga 🙂 There’s something about being gentle with myself, making time to switch off negative thoughts and getting in touch with how my body is feeling. It really helps me to be able to send out a gentler, more positive energy into the world. Some great conversations and interesting connections, feeling quite miraculous.

Had a baby banana mid afternoon, an apple early evening then two eggs and a carrot on the way home, plus plenty of peppermint tea and water. More water & tea, perhaps a hot vegemite and bed. 281 calories and feels like a weird day’s food, but my body doesn’t want to eat any more just drink.

Day 22, Cornwall UK, FD

I’m up for a plank challenge next month @rainbowsmile and @ccco and others! I do them more often when we have a challenge on the go.

@daffodil2010 – thanks for the info on microgreens – I’m all interested now and will try them. I did some bean sprouts a few years ago and it sounds like you take them just a little further to the leaf stage. I’m looking for salad ideas now spring is coming and want to grow more of my own so they are super fresh, free of chemicals, and packed with nutrients. I sound like an advert!

There was talk of baggy knickers – how about baggy bras?! Yes, I have those too. Fortunately I have loads from years ago to shrink into. The dilemma is whether to throw the baggy bras out? A real test of whether you trust yourself to keep the weight off!

Day 22 – Ireland 🇮🇪 – FD

I now believe that the function of that oh so annoying plateau is to test your strength and willpower to the nth degree, so that when you keep on keeping on, never giving up, never surrender (best Winston Churchill voice)…..the body eventually shrugs its shoulders and gives up the fight to hold onto the pounds……..and once the plateau is breached the scales keep coming down. 👍

So another loss today after my less than 1000 calories CD yesterday. I feel I will make March goal by the 31st. And today is another FD.

I rushed down to check my yoghurt and kefir this morning and there is definite improvement and thickening going on. I will leave them covered on the counter until I get home from work then into the fridge. I will have some kefir at bedtime. So excited!!

In fact now I am looking at all different ways to DIY food and cleaning products. My DH suffers from rosacea and uses this fab cream from an Australian company called MooGoo. All super natural ingredients. They sent us samples last week and I washed my hair in the shampoo and conditioner. Looks great and feels amazing this morning. I suffer from itchy flaky scalp so maybe a natural DIY shampoo would be better than the expensive silicone store bought brands?

We will be like Tom and Barbara from “The Good Life” before I am through 😆

@shinything what do you use for your yoghurt? Full fat, low fat milk? I think I might get a full fat milk today for my next batch. I also read about double fermentation where you pop a bit of lemon peel in after the first fermentation and it beefs up the flavour and nutrients?

Got to fly. Today is a good day to have a good day.

Day 22 Pocket Fast List – Copy and paste to join – Together we are Stonger
@daffodil2010
@cornish-jane