This topic contains 905 replies, has 56 voices, and was last updated by therealwil78 4 years, 2 months ago.
London UK
Just marking my place and wanted to say a massive thanks to @snowflake56 for starting this thread and hosting us in March. I am sure you will do a wonderful job and you have nothing to worry about regarding language – we are such an international bunch!
Really looking forward to having a good month in March. I have been in maintenance since August 2018, thanks mostly to 16:8 I think. But in recent times I could have made healthier food choices and have let exercise slip. Determined to come out of March 2019 feeling strong and healthy! Let’s do this!
Hi there @snowflake56…count me in!
Looking forward to March and I know you will be a super host ☺️
I’m in too — thanks @snowflake56 — see you in March!
Thank you so much @snowflake56 for hosting the March challenge thread😊. It’s much appreciated!
Thank you @snowflake for hosting the March challenge
You will be a wonderful host x
Thank you @snowflake56 for hosting the March challenge. Please count me in! 😊⚘🎈
Thanks @snowflake56 for hosting the spring challenge (although it will be Autumn here in New Zealand). Please count me in!
Thanks @snowflake56 for hosting the lion and the lamb month!
Please count me in.
hello, @snowflake56, thank you so much for hosting this challenge. I would like to be included :). I have fasted before successfully but this is my first day back after a while.
I lost 10kg of baby weight after my 2nd baby in 3 months from exercise and fasting 2 x a week and being a bit mindful on my non-fast days. I am English by living in Munich and have managed to persuade my French husband to start fasting too :). So, here goes:
Day 1 – FD, I will fill my details into the spreadsheet.
Thank you!
Jacquetta
Thank you @snowflake56 for hosting this March challenge, I’m definitely in, but I’ll be away until the 4th so I’ll be fasting fit & ready to go on the Day 5!!!
Dear @snowflake56
THANK YOU for stepping up to host our March Challenge and don’t you dare worry about hurting/offending anyone – you couldn’t if you tried!!!!!
You will be fab in the role and of course you can count me in for March. We will all be there supporting you.
These are for you 🤗💐
Thanks for hosting March @snowflake56! I’m just recently coming back to this forum and I’m already feeling the love. Looking forward to losing with all of you. The weight that is…. See you all in March!
Hi @snowflake56 please count me in for the March Spring Challenge, it’s going to be brilliant and I know you’ll be a super star host.
Ta x
Hi everyone. Newbie here. I’ve added myself to the sheet. Nervous about setting firm goals and possibly not reaching them. I think I will set a low goal that should be achievable – yikes!! I’m looking forward to being a part of this community. Definitely in need of support and encouragement! Thanks!
Hi @snowflake56, thanks for adding me to the list, glad to be part of the challenge again this month, and I know you’ll be a great host – thanks so much for stepping up.
Thanks @snowflake56 for hosting. I’m on for March, hoping for more progress.
Thanks for the welcome @snowflake56! I really like your idea of working toward a dress to fit. I have a wardrobe full of lovely clothes that I can’t fit into any more 😩 So that is definitely one of my goals. I think I have a way to go before I can get back in them tho! I don’t think 1 month will do it! But thanks for the support. I’m excited to get going in March!
Hi Snowflake56 I would like to join your March Challenge. I am a kind of newbie 😁. Been here before with 5:2 diet and done ok. Unfortunately a couple of years down the line I am back to where I was and put more weight on. Nothing fits and I don’t like the person I see in the mirror. Looking forward to getting some tips and advice with positive vibes to keep me on track. 😁xx
Please count me in @snowflake56 🙂
Thank you for being our host for this month, you will be fab 💐
We will all be here to support you if you need it 🙂
Nice to see familiar faces 👋 , and welcome all new friends 😀
I’ve been plateauing for a while now, hoping that March will bring the needed change in the right direction 🙏
Lets do this together 🌼
Second post ….
I froze the spread sheet up to column B, just so the names stay visible when we scroll left/right, I hope you don’t mind guys and @snowflake56 🙂
Hi, this is my first week on the 5:2, after being on several other diets that did not really help me lose weight. After several months, I am losing my mind so I decided to try 5:2.
I am located in Virginia, USA. I am on a Fast Day. I just started the 5:2 and I am thinking of doing the Fast 800 in a few months when my body does not lose weight anymore.
Day 1, Melb Aust FD (just after midnight on the 1st here)
To introduce myself – 69, recently retired ESL teacher also studying; couldn’t do both, so stopped working. Started this WOL near the end of November last year when I finally had enough mental energy to work on losing weight. Started at 86.4 kg (about 190 lb) and am now 8 kg (nearly 18 lb) lighter. Looking forward to another month of friendship and encouragement together, although many are at different stages of their weight loss journey, or already at maintenance (I wish!!! 🙂 ).
Well, onward and downwards everyone.
Well, it’s me again…the world’s worst 5:2-er, but hey, always willing to be here and keep on keeping on. @snowflake56: Thanks for hosting. See you tomorrow. xx
Good morning @betsylee!
Good to see familiar and new faces. Count me in please @snowflake and thank you for hosting and for the new look spreadsheet. I love the bright colours!
A bit about me. I’m a 64yo retired teacher living in Belfast. I lost a couple of stone on this WOL and was in maintenance. However, a few too many enjoyable weekends have caused the scales to creep up and I need to lose about 3lbs to get back to the top of my maintenance range. Ideally I’d like to maintain at the bottom of the range,which would give me some wriggle room.
Look forward to a fresh start tomorrow
I’m another of the lurkers from start of the year who finally is asking to join in. I’m 39 and trying to get down to the lower end of my ideal weight according to the charts (135ish). Since I started this in January, already down 15lbs from starting at 170. I know this is the time I quit when I do try to lose just because I get lazy and everyone else (except doctor) tells me I don’t need to lose. So, not much support around me. Especially not from skinny children.
I live in Ohio and do machine work overnights, so this time is bedtime for me. My big hurdle is waiting after work for kids to go to school since my oldest has the car. I end up walking around an hour and then warm back up at the local restaurant when it opens!
Count me in as well! Thank you for hosting @snowflake56!
Last month was a bit of a disaster in the last stretch but this is a new month!!! Very excited to get it done!
Day 1 – Perth AUS – CD
Yay I’m on the spread sheet! Happy to see so many people I’ve used for inspiration are already here and hope you don’t mind me chiming in again!!!
Goal for this month is to get to 64kg (63kg if I can) before I run out of Fast 800 weeks – and it’s coming faster than I’d like! That and to up the exercise, which I am still failing to pick up *oops*
Day 1 – Japan – WFD
This is water fast #16 in 2019 if I make it. I’ve started trying to build more shoulder/back strength for doing a tuck stand. It is much harder than I expected, but I guess as long as I’m making progress that is okay. It will probably take months to build up the necessary strength. Maybe I should just lose some more weight to make it easier.
Day 1 – Ireland 🇮🇪 – NFD
How I love a Day 1. So much promise. I promise this month to do my best to get off this plateau. It would help if I controlled my eating and drinking at the weekends, but hey ho. I promise to continue with the Jilluan Michaels 30 Day Shred and report on proceedings at the end of March. This month is our wedding anniversary and St Patrick’s Day weekend away…but apart from that it will be a quiet month.
I am off work today, took a days leave and plan to get lots of stuff done, go to the bank, eye test, blah blah, then tonight I am out with the girls for tapas. Looking forward to that.
It’s a beautiful Spring Day. Have a great Friday everyone.
Day 1 – Ireland – 168lbs
Love that we have a restart each month and great to be here again. Without you I would be bigger for sure! I hope that those that were missing from the forum in February are ok and just taking time off… 💕@rainbowsmile, @anna6 etc and welcome to all the newbies 🤗
I’ve stayed off alcohol most of this year and have cut my sugar drastically – I believe it has helped enormously with mood and foggy brain. Like others, each day I stay off sugar I tick my input on the spreadsheet.
Thank you @at for looking after us for the past two months and @snowflake56 for bravely offering to do the same this month..you will be a fantastic host and well done on figuring out the spreadsheet .
Finished 1lb off my February target… think I may still have been on track yesterday but decided with a surprise free evening to bake @michelin’s bread and some sugar free nut bars I found on a paleo site…
Both were delicious and of course my 🛑 button was nowhere to be found…
Still I’m happier to have found two yum not-so-bad treats than to have seen that last lb go… 🤗
I’m not sure who else said it but I’d quite like to expand my healthy eating recipe store this year so I feel like I’ve already achieved something and all thanks to this forum. 🙏
@michelinme I’m also on the lookout for non-dairy yoghurt – is there such a thing? Turns out I have an intolerance to casein….
Looking forward to March – where I will aim to stay at the same weight as will be off on my ski trip so it is unrealistic to think I’d loose anything with chalet food and après ski etc. I’ll be super good for the first half… hopefully this will offset the gluttony of the ski week.
I’d like to challenge myself this month to climb the 8 flights of my offices stairs at least once a day… and maybe do some planks… all in preparation for skiing mid-March. I always worry that I’m not fit enough when it comes around…
Onward and downward ⬇️
2nd post
Great quote @snowflake56 👍
Day 1 – Manchester, England – NFD
Hi everyone. Complete newbie here. Great to meet you all. I’m a 41 year old female living in Manchester, England. Starting weight: 178lbs.
I did my first fast days on Tuesday and Thursday of this week and they went well I think. I’m more nervous about sticking to my TDEE on NFD and being in this challenge – in case I don’t achieve what I want to. I’ve set my goal for this month low: -4lbs. In reality, I’d like it to be more than that, but I don’t know what’s going to happen, so I’ll see how things go.
Always open to tips/advice/support etc. It seems like a really great community here, so I’m excited to join it and be a part of it.
Day 1 Wales NFD Happy St David’s Day 🏴
@snowflake56 please count me in for March, I need to firmly press my reset button after an indulgent month of birthday celebrations in February. Half a pound over the top of my maintenance weight range this morning so aiming to repair the damage this month.
Day 1, Melb Aust second post
End of day here – about 9:50 p.m. Finished my FD800 for today, and will enjoy a TDEE day tomorrow. I really look forward to my Saturdays, when I indulge (a little) in “treats”.
@elektron, there is no reason not to continue with FD800 for more than 12 weeks – didn’t Dr M. write that people can, if they are managing okay? Or did I get that wrong? If you are being careful to have the nutrients you need, why not a bit longer? Or move to what I’m trying to do, alternating an FD800 day with a CD, and one “free” day at the weekend. It’s working okay, and I’m managing better with that than the 5:2 500 cals routine. Just a suggestion.
@aglowworm, welcome to the forum. As a relative newbie, I can tell you that the support from here has been great – you’ll learn a lot and be supported in your ups and downs.
Day 1 UK CD
Delighted to be starting a new challenge – and huge thanks @snowflake56 for your hosting & gentle guidance this month.
I’m F55 London, put on weight in 3 tranches -restricted mobility bc neuromuscular condition, stopping smoking and menopause changes. By late 2017 I felt myself getting fatter each month. It was as tho a fat suit was growing between me & the world – and between me & Me – a Crossroads moment! I began 5:2 on 1Dec2017 at 179.5lb/81.5kg… After 15 months I’m 65.5kg /144.5lb. Been sitting on a plateau just 5kg short of my goal since late July, but it’s been a shape-shifting time. So far I’ve lost 6.5″ from my whole fat suit (b/w/h) and gone down 3-4 clothes sizes.
I’m gf and longterm vegetarian & will be vegan for Lent (6 March-21 April). Looking forward to discovering more plant-based foods and learning from others’ experience. I’m also a newish baker & inclusive cake maker – gf veggie keto diabetic-friendly etc – & slightly daunted by finding ways to add vegan to the mix. But I think my body will thank me!
Warmest of welcome to all our newbies, & look forward to getting to know you. My best tips for starting out – drink lots of water, esp on FD… cold fizzy water is fabulous! And pay gentle attention to what you eat on NFD. But go gently – this is a WOL not a diet 🙂
Day 1. UK. F800
Hello All & Newbies 🙂
There is strength in numbers and this forum is forever growing & evolving. @aglowworm, @wacm, @hieiren, @stephsie, @ann1239, @aweemanda, @miraclelou … I hope I havnt missed anyone, you’ll love this group of people. They are kind, informative, knowledgeable and overall good sports all round!
I weighed in this morning at 144.7lbs. Pleased with that.
There were tears yesterday (not cried in a very long time). After being in considerable pain yet again and feeling absolutely shattered I went to see the GP (other symptoms too). He was dismissive & patronising. I always kinda go in to see the gp in an almost apologetical manner. His manner yesterday reflected his normal demeanour. I always come out feeling worse than I went in. Up shot is he confirmed that out of the 3 elements they test for thyroid disorder 2 were abnormal and one was borderline. I have been tested 3 times in all over 12 months. Test on test is showing decline. He wants a 4th test. To be honest the fact he wants a 4th didn’t upset me, it was his attitude. He didn’t want to know about my eating habits or how low I have to go to lose a little bit. He just can’t see I’m sufferring and have been for some time. All this after having sustained a sci which makes life harder anyway (I’m just pleased to not be paralysed to be honest) and having had 4 sudden deaths in few months. (Last sudden passing 18 months ago but still processing losing most of my beloved family) Research suggests that high cholesterol and coeliac can be connected to low thyroid function, but they just won’t treat me holistically or join up the dots. All highly frustrating hence the tears.
Sorry for rambling and I’m really not looking for sympathy but it feels good to write it down.
Peace & Love 💖
Day 1- Ohio FD
I’m getting a weekend off! Woohoo! Ok, it’s just from now until Sunday afternoon, but I’ll take it. Though my bank account will be pouting. I am looking forward to a clean tub to do a long, hot soak in. It’s been a while and my feet and back are ready. Reward for fixing the toilet handle the kids broke, though not on purpose, yesterday. First time I have replaced one, so this will be fun. That was something I didn’t enjoy waking up to and discovering on my own.
Ok, my official goal for this challenge is twofold. Lose 4 more lbs. by end of month and hit all my FDs without problems. The second will be hardest end of month if it follows like it has been so far.
@snowflake56 When I go there, I end up getting at least unlimited black coffee. At one point it was coffee with cringe 5 sugars, but I went back to black this year. A lot of times I end up adding breakfast, too (eggs, potatoes with ketchup, and toast) but I try to plan those calories in my day to begin with. I guess part is because I’m there long enough that I feel like just the coffee isn’t pay enough to sit at the bar with the guys most mornings. I know it will be easier when it warms up, so I can just go down to the park and do the walking path until they are ready.
@jaifaim- My daughter has a mild dairy allergy, so yeah, there are quite a few different non-dairy yogurts. Most common are the soy ones, but I know there are also almond and cashew ones out here. I’ve seen some recipes online, but I don’t have the courage to make my own and most take starters from other non-dairy yogurts.
Day 1-Atlanta, GA. – USA
Happy, oh so happy to be here! I lost 6lbs. in the 18 days I was apart of
February’s challenge. Great motivator for March. I’m doing a B2B fast today and tomorrow to jump-start the month. Looking forward to reading about everyone’s successes this month. Thanks @snowflake56 for hosting!
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