Day 16, UK, NFD

According to my Fitbit I expended more than 3,500 kcal yesterday, on a 0 kcal FD. And the scales were up 0.6kg this morning. Frustrated isn’t even the beginning of it.

Day 16 Tas Australia NFD

@bigviking that is really frustrating, I often find if I have done heaps of exercise it takes a couple of days to be reflected in any weight loss. The body often holds on to any water to aid muscle repair or something like that. That’s what I have found anyway. I hope that’s true for you as it is very frustrating when you have worked that hard. Good job anyway on what you have done, results will come in their own time.

@bigviking My three week plateau in March coincided with my doing more exercise too. I think it can actually be counter productive. It was when I backed off that it started dropping away again. I am quite active working but I don’t push myself to do extra exercise at the moment. I can do that when I am happy with my size. I was hurting more and getting hungrier when I exercised, inflammation and hunger hormones increased. Not helpful.

Day 16 – FIN – NFD

Liquid fasting went very well yesterday – I was surprised to find that it felt a lot easier compared to a normal FD – not having to think about what I was going to eat next and how soon (WHEN? WHEN? – my brain on a normal FD) made it so much easier to focus on other tasks. I didn’t even wake up hungry this morning, but after getting up I started to feel a bit faint and was happy to break my fast soon after. I tried something a nutritionist had endorsed on YouTube (not necessarily the best source) for breakfast – cottage cheese and avocado on bread (oatbread in my case) + a boiled egg. Last time I tried it, it kept me sated for an incredibly long period of time. Still feeling a bit dizzy, though.

@metatauta My job and studies are not exactly physically demanding (and there hasn’t been a change in them as of late), so that can’t be it for me. If anything, I’ve exercised slightly more than before in the past few weeks. Might be that I’m tense and thus tend to press my legs/arms against the surface I’m resting on?

@bigviking I echo @lou-belles – our bodies are complicated systems. What you do in a day in terms of energy expenditure and intake does not immediately translate to what you see on the scale. As many have already stated in this thread, our weight fluctuates a lot even during just one day. The best way to keep a track of things is weighing yourself regularly after a longer period (a week, for example) when the conditions are as similar to the previous weigh in as possible. I do this by weighing in weekly on my presumably heaviest day (Sunday) in the morning before eating or drinking anything, on an empty bladder. Regardless, I don’t think you should get frustrated by the latest number on your scale – the amount of weight you’ve shed in May alone is already impressive – I haven’t even managed to get rid of that amount in one entire month after starting this WOL, and we’re only halfway through this one.

Day 16, London, UK, FD.

Day 15 – NFD Ooops!

Had to swap yesterdays’ FD to today, visited my parents in the evening and there was banana cake straight out of the oven………………… Nuff said!!!! I prefer to fast at work anyway, so not a problem (the beauty of 5:2!!!)

@happymargo…………… fingers crossed for good news regarding test results.

@debster251, I’m with you on the shoes, I’ve holidayed in Madeira several times and always returned home with additional pairs of sandals, more than I wish to count!!! Portuguese footwear is to die for!!!!!

@bigviking, logic tells us that the calorie deficit and calorie expenditure MUST lead to weight loss. Keep the faith, the scales are just messing with your mind!!!! No doubt, next week you’ll probably have a carby NFD and drop 4lbs overnight!! ……….……. Been there, done that!!!!!

@brightonbelle……………… Whatever you do……………….. DO NOT RELEASE THAT DRAGON!!!! I used to be able to spread my calories over 2 meals and be satisfied, perhaps it was the novelty factor, but I find now that a 1-2hr eating window for my main meal is the only ‘painless’ way to stick to this WOL, my brain is still in training, so I still have to keep a tight rein on my dragon, otherwise I spend 90% of my day thinking about food I neither need, nor want…………… it’s just the dragon!!

@coda, good advice, drown that dragon in 3L of water, he’ll flame out soon enough!!!! I won’t say ‘lost’ anymore, but is it wrong of me to ‘donate’ my excess lbs???? Specifically to my skinny chocolate scoffing colleague!!!????

Good Luck everyone……………. Stay strong!!!

Day 16, Belfast, NFD

My FD went ok yesterday. Plenty of liquids, nice yoga class in the evening and then the Fast Diet book chicken stirfry. I was ready for that!
Good luck everyone today!

Day 16, Newcastle UK, NFD

Hello – I’m back (for those who know me) and hello, pleased to meet you to all the newbies. I am slowly catching up on posts from the beginning of the month as I don’t want to miss out on all your news/journeys since the beginning of this May challenge. Thanks @at and @flourbaby – no room in the suitcase but you were all there with me in my mind.

We had the most brilliant cruise around the Western Mediterranean arriving back home yesterday afternoon with a heavy cold – par for the course with me and holidays! OH is fine. A lifetime of working outside as a builder has given him an enviable immune system. So my gardening work is cancelled this week and I’m concentrating on getting better. Had a pretty controlled day of eating yesterday and will continue that way for the week. FD’s will recommence next week.

My holiday plan had been:
1. Two meals a day: On the whole achieved this – apart from some naughty late night snacks in the latter days (body was craving carbs because of the cold I’d started and thought I’d better take heed of that old adage ‘Feed a cold, starve a fever’.
2. Minimise alcohol – massive fail.
3. Use gym and dance a lot – big success.

We either ate breakfast or lunch – depending on whether we had a port day – and this consisted of lovely fresh fruit (plus salad/fish/chicken if lunchtime). Dinner nearly always ended with cheese vs desert but no biscuits. The bread rolls looked divine but neither of us indulged. As a result we both saw our weight reducing as the first week progressed. The last four days saw us both slip but my clothes are feeling looser than ever and I honestly feel slimmer than before we went away. However, the scales say differently – nearly 4lb gain. I’m going to get through this week, reweigh next Monday morning and post the result. Will probably resume my fasting pattern of B2B Monday/Tuesday with an extra day thrown in now and again.

For any newbies – brief history: Started out 147lb at end January. Got down as low as 136.1lbs on April 28th and crept up to 136.6lbs by the end of the month. So that was my starting weight for this May challenge. My goal is to reach 133lbs by the end of May. That might be a little difficult now but I’ll just keep on keeping on. This WOL really works and the support of the challenge forums have made all the difference to me.

@fatrabbit – your continuing steady loss is inspirational – well done. I wouldn’t mind your sweet potato curry recipe please.

Have a great Tuesday everyone and thanks again to @pissupoosa for leading us this month.

Day 16 Akron OH NFD. My plan is to stick to 16:8 on my NFD. I met my goal earlier this month and decided a good reward was to completely lose all my self discipline. Needless to say, I have gained 4 pounds of the 17 I got rid off. I prefer not to dwell in self recrimination, rather I will focus on the lesson learned: 5:2 works as long as you’re following the plan. @okeydokey and @coda I agree with you. Today is a new day; onward and downward. Looking forward to my FD tomorrow.

Day 16 Maine NFD

Good morning all! Very successful FD yesterday – @coda – I “burned” a pound. Hoping to keep the downward trend today – will eat mindfully & do a nice long, therapy walk. The fat-burning has been very slow the last 6 weeks – probably not as conscientious as I was the first 2 months &/or need to adjust my TDEE to accommodate the 21 lb loss. Well, it’s a WOL – not a diet plan, so I need to remain mindful & be happy with the progress l’ve made. I keep setting mini scale goals in my mind, but I’m thinking that might not be the best game plan….too many disappointments. I think I’m going to just work on keeping my 2 FD’s and an ADF when needed & eating as healthy as possible on NFD. Numbers on the scale can be helpful, but certainly don’t tell the whole story. I think it’s time for the measuring tape…or a shopping trip to buy new clothes!

Make it a super day everybody! First day off since returning to work that the sun is shining! Yahoo!

Day 16 – USA – NFD

It’s 4 months since I started 5:2 and I don’t eat breakfast anymore; I’m simply not hungry until mid-afternoon, so the result is 20:4 or 21:3 most days. The healthy fat I eat keeps me satiated and I’m happy with that. No more early or late night snacking. @coda, how about “three pounds and I had a conscious uncoupling” or more ominously “I divorced three pounds”, lol!? @jarbia and @brightonbelle, lists have been my life…I feel a little sheepish admitting it, but without a list of what I did during the day, I feel all over the board. I love to check off accomplishments, now especially since I’m retired. @fatrabbit, ditto on the sweet potato curry recipe, would love to have it!

Day 16, USA, Missouri Ozarks, FD

Today’s weight 143.2, below goal weight of 145.

Hello all, feeling great today – had a wonderful night’s sleep. Isn’t the restorative power of sleep a beautiful thing? I sleep SO much better when I eat better. It must be really hard on one’s body to be constantly digesting food so I am happy to give mine a break now and then. Had a great dinner to break my fast, half an avocado, an egg salad sandwich on this great 45 calorie grainy bread from Aldi’s, a few potato chips and a bit of cottage cheese with a couple of fresh peach slices.

Got in all my exercise and all my water/tea/Crystal Light pink lemonade yesterday and plan to do exactly the same today….I take a quart of water and add one of the straws ( 5 calories ) of pink or regular lemonade or peach tea or one of the other great flavors of Crystal Light and it is flavored water but not too strong. Also put a half gallon insulated carafe of cold water on my desk and drink from it all day.

Hope everybody is doing well on their journey to a better, healthier life.

Day 16 – USA (Illinois) – FD

Woke up to 158.4, under my maintenance goal of 160#. Yesterday was quite controlled despite having some sweet cookies after giving blood. But I did lose a pound giving my pint – “A pint’s a pound the world around!” I only do that every 8 weeks as my normal donation. I am glad I am healthy enough to do so and contribute to the health of those around here who need my blood.

@mia139 – going to join you today with 800 calorie FD as I am also feeling a bit weak and light headed this morning. With 800, I do allow myself a couple small meals. Might get a couple eggs mid-morning.

@lindasue – I enjoy Crystal Light in the summer, especially their caffeine-free tea with meals. I can’t always find that variety, but saves me having to brew tea.

Onward and downward!

Day 16 US FD 2nd of b5b
✨I’m not losing weight, I’m getting rid of it. I have no intention of finding it again.✨
@jmh44 I took a pic from my phone of your list of what you have learned about yourself. I have felt the same and I want to remember. Your list and insights are Very Helpful Thank-You✨
✨I see how successful so many people have been in this group. I am inspired. It may take me a year or so to get to similar weight goals. I am sort of settling in and getting comfortable as I know this is a way of life and it will happen over time. There is a calmness that comes with knowing, it doesn’t have to happen all at once this month. (Probably less cortisol levels if I am less stressed about the timing.) I can feel good about my progress and my progress to come. Because I will be continuing this as a new way of eating and a WOL.
Plus today is my 2nd day of b2b FD; I am glad I am in the fat burning zone ✨
@bigviking I’m familiar with that wall and I don’t like it either. I’m thinking sometimes the scales aren’t always the best way to measure progress. I bet your losing in inches. Have you measured yourself? As @loubelles said it will most probably show on the scales in a bit more time.
@flourbaby I’m Smiling over your fun posts 😊Donating excess lbs to the universe…. not wrong… not wrong at all.
Also maybe donating to your skinny chocolate scoffing colleague.🤔
@at and @coda you asked for ideas. …”Burning the excess lbs.”
“Throwing them away!”
“Wiped out poundage and kgs.”
“Burying the excess lbs, kgs, in the garden!😅”
“Tossing them out!”
Flushed excess lbs, kgs away.🤣
I’m having to much fun with this.😀It is much more permanent than just losing lbs. How about other people in the group? Can you think of other ways To permanently get rid of fat?
@strawberriesandcream Good to see you back. Sounds like it was a fun, fantastic vacation. I like your holiday plan. Thank-you for sharing. I took a snapshot of it and will try to follow that on my “vacation” (family wedding and work conference with @fordprefect ) this June.
@johnnyr It is frustrating to the ‘nth degree when weight isn’t following the logical process of being burned away and showing a smaller number on the scale. Are you keeping measurements… I bet your measurements are slimming up.😊✨

Day 16 – UK – NFD

Thanks to the many many people who have commented on the unfairness of the scale numbers. It has really helped me to keep thinking positively.

Had a good FD yesterday and at the gym this morning realised that my fat paunch was definitely looking less paunchy – so although the scales aren’t showing results, the fat is slowly going.

Day 16 – SW WA USA – FD 800

My liquid FD went well yesterday. On to an 800 FD today. See if my set point can move south.

Have a great day fellow fasters!

Hi just me again – just been to @okey’s favourite place, NOT – the dentist. Just a check up and clean and polish but was due for some xrays as well so hoping I won’t hear from them – it still causes anxiety though sitting there while he pushes and prods. Hopefully that is me for another 6 months.

So far so good and I am sticking with my fast – plan is a non fast tomorrow and another on Thursday??

@lumat – no need for apologies – you are still here which is what counts and its good to know you find this thread helps.

‘Giving up is the only sure way to fail’

Day 16 | Alaska | NFD

Yesterday’s fast day was successful, lots of water and green tea during the day then one-high protein 500 meal for dinner. Went to my boot camp exercise class in the evening and was happy to see 2.8 pounds released on the scale. I know that the gain and the loss are just inflated numbers and mostly water weight – but if I didn’t have this way of life to counterbalance life’s indulgences, then over time weight would continue to creep up. Just hoping I can get more controlled on NFD and have the weight gradually creep down over time. I feel it is doable, I just need to not go so off track when holidays and special occasions arise.

@bigviking – Sometimes exercising too much on fast days will show a gain on the scale from muscle edema, which is just inflammation/water retention. Don’t let it get you down. The big picture is you are being active and mindful with your diet, it will pay off, you just have to stay the course. When the scales get me down, when I’m doing everything right I remind myself of this image/concept: http://www.cosmopolitan.com/health-fitness/news/a61925/kelsey-wells-scale-instagram-post/

@jmh44 – Since I’ve joined in May, those are some of the same conclusions that I have come to. Especially that control is harder than fasting. Once pandora’s boxed is opened it’s a real challenge to put the lid back on it. Your losses are fantastic. I was doing really well and then this past weekend, I completely undid the 5 pounds I had lost, with a super binge on Mother’s Day. I started at 151 and today I am 148.2 after a fast.

Good luck to everyone today in whatever mode you are in.

My updated sweet potato curry recipe, for those who asked, makes a huge pot full:

please note I don’t actually measure anything, I tend sprinkle spices haphazardly and use what quantities of veg I have available so don’t worry about exact quantities and feel free to vary it, I am always tweaking it

three medium sweet potatos, chopped into small cubes
two large or two medium onions, chopped
a bulb of fennel chopped
a deecent sized piece of ginger, chopped
a few chilis chopped
several peppers,chopped
500g or so of cherry tomatoes, piccolo ones were especially nice in it
500g bag of spinach
tin of coconut milk
2 tins of black beans
2 tins of borlotti beans (or kidney beans if you can’t get borlottis)
tbsp fennel seeds
tbsp coriander seeds
tbsp chili powder
tbsp ground fennel
tbsp ground cardamom
tbsp ground coriander
sea salt to taste I probably use about a tsp.
olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan, don’t skimp it is good for you and has a lot of ingredients to cover

heat the oil and then add the seeds, then the ginger and chilis, then the onion, then the fennel and peppers cooking for a minute so between each addition, then the sweet potato. stir fairly often making sure there is enough oil to prevent it sticking. continue until the sweet potato is soft, this takes ten to fifteen minutes depending on the variety of sweet potato, then mash with a potato masher to get rid of the cubes. then add the ground spices and salt and cook them for a minute or two stirring well to keep it from burning. Next add the tomatoes. They will provide juice as they soften and cook and reduce the risk of sticking. Once they have broken down add half the spinach. Put the lid on for a few minutes and the other half will miraculously fit too. Stir that in and add the beans. Let it heat up again and add the coconut milk. Stir, bring back up to bubbling and it is ready.
Makes lots we use it over several days or you could freeze some.

@fatrabbit – sharing your curry recipe with our vegan daughter. It sounds like it is right down her alley

Day 16, Germany, NFD

Day 15 / UK / NFD
Day 16 / UK / NFD
Day 17 / UK / FD (hopefully)

Oh, I can’t say this week is going well so far. I have started every day with the intention to fast (i.e. without my beloved breakfast), but lots of work-related opportunities to mingle over free food coupled with emotional spirals (stressing about being behind at work, being confronted with the ex again and again) have been getting in the way.

A particularly memorable example today: gave a presentation at my ex-boyfriend’s former department and afterwards the head of department came over to the group I was chatting with, saying “The moment you started speaking I realised that I knew you, you are X’s partner… I have heard SO much about you! There was this one boozy departmental drinks thing…” – “Err, yeah, sort of” – “Oh, I just walked into something here, didn’t I?” I just coudn’t help myself not to allude to it, making this unfairly awkward for her (she was fine with it though), nor afterwards when I treated myself to muffin and coffee for the emotional hardship I had suffered YET AGAIN at the hands of my ex and his malicious act of daring to break up with me. Le sigh.

I am not beating myself up about it, it’s hard and it’s okay that I am finding it hard, I just hope tomorrow and Friday will bring more structured approaches to fasting and emotions. Hopefully I will also find more time in my lunch break to keep up with the posts. Today though I was busy having lunch with a friend rather than just being too busy for lunch full-stop, so that’s a start.

3rd Post Day 16 US FD
It’s still only 5:10 pm here in Lancaster, PA 👀

@coda You Got that right! A cleaning and a check up? Good for you. Let’s hope it’s only good news from those x rays.😀
I love that @coda Giving up is the only sure way to fail.✨That has helped me today… I will save it in my notes as a reminder. Thank-you!
@lola907 Thanks for sharing. She looks like she weighs the same in most of those photos, to me. She looks fitter and has more abdominal muscles at the 140lbs.
http://www.cosmopolitan.com/health-fitness/news/a61925/kelsey-wells-scale-instagram-post/
Sometime I’ll have to stop myself from repeating or saying the obvious.😋

http://www.uprootinglyme.com/juice-fasting/top-10-reasons-why-fasting-heals/

I read this article on FD’s to help keep me focused and motivated. It’s about the positive healthy benefits of Fasting on a schedule. I would think water fasting and or BSD 800, would actually help normalize insulin sensitivity even better than juice fasting.
Here is one of the benefits in the article.
It normalizes insulin and leptin sensitivity. This means food sensitivities and allergies can be minimized, and health issues like diabetes, blood sugar problems, and adrenal taxation can be restored through the rejuvenation of the adrenals, pancreas, and gut through the use of regular fasting practices.
@fatrabbit Thank-you for posting the Sweet Potato curry recipe. Sounds delicious 😋 I’m looking forward to trying that.

Stressful day how I’ve stuck to the FD is beyond me,so many times today I wanted to eat junk food and drink beer 😭.
NFD tomorrow thank goodness. I keep thinking 13lbs to goal. Stay strong everyone.

Day 16 UK FD 🌈

Gym, FD, double shift keeping me busy.

Day 17/NFD/Melbourne Australia