Mid-60s. Canadian. Monday & Thursday fasting. No excuses.

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MaryWWriter

4:21 pm
26 Aug 15
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I am not weighing myself until Saturday because while I have been sticking to the fasts, the weekend was a general disaster and I know what the outcome of that kind of behaviour is likely to be. However, yesterday was a good NFD: we ate lunch and dinner out but I managed to keep a lid on it, and aside from one biscotti at lunch I ate no sugar. Tonight we’re out for dinner again, and again tomorrow, so I’m just going to have to keep my portions reasonable and avoid dessert where possible, and hope that my Friday fast (I had to move it from Thursday to Friday because of the dinner out on Thursday, which is to a private home where the cook is Italian. 🙂 ) at least keeps me in the general area of where my lowest weight so far has been. (The previous sentence was so confusing I barely understand it myself. 😉 )

Here is the list of us and where we’re from:

BayLeafOz, Australia
Carol B, MB, Canada
DJ757575, Montreal, Canada
ET64, Canadian living in Southern US
FaeDawn, south of Calgary, AB, Canada
Kathcan, near Kingston, ON Canada
LenaSoon, New Zealand
marywwriter, Toronto, ON Canada
Pamplemoos, UK
phoebe on the lake, central BC, Canada
PJBR, BC, Canada
Prairiegrass1 (Anne), Missouri, USA
Sandi-Ann, Regional Australia
Silversue, UK, living in Japan
_SherylJoyce_, California, USA
Tessy, UK (I think)

Some of the above haven’t been around for a while, but a good number of us are regulars now and it’s so great to know you are in this with me!

I thought you might be interested in an article I wrote for the Cranky Fitness blog. It’s called “Becoming the Person I Want to Be (Instead of the One I was afraid I would Become)” and it’s here: http://www.crankyfitness.com/2015/08/fat-and-fiction-guests-and-giveaways.html

Pamplemoos

6:51 pm
26 Aug 15
Permalink

Oh Mary good luck!!!!I am having to survive on just one fast day for the next couple of weeks as I’ll be away on holiday…I’ll mainly do the cooking but I AM on a holiday so will allow myself stuff..As I’ve said already the lbs are not keen to come off at present so I hope to maintain the weight I am at least!!!

Expat

11:15 pm
26 Aug 15
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Well I am having a Thursday fast day today. It’s 9.07am here and I am hungry. That’s a good thing as I know it will pass but I also know the hunger means my body is doing lots of good things in the background to keep me going in a healthy way.

I have been focusing on minimizing carbs on non fast days. No breads, pasta’s or any wheat based products. Last night, I made a salad with cos, broccolini, fresh fennel, tomatoes, cucumber and tuna. With an olive oil and fresh lemon juice dressing. It was delicious.

My trousers are all too big. My shirts look like sacks. We have no clothing stores here so I am going to have to fly to Cairns and buy some new clothes. Third world problems.

Have a great day everyone.

Tessy

8:13 pm
27 Aug 15
Permalink

Hi everyone. Just dropping by to say how brilliant you all are. I’m
So
Impressed with your fasting and your cohesion as a thread. It is always good to catch up with all your successes and sometimes struggles. These are also so real and yet very encouraging for the rest of us
hi Mary, you are doing so brilliantly. Thank you for dropping by my thread. We have a connection you and I and I value that 🙂 I also wanted to thank you for your blog post. I loved it and now really want to read your book. Hope I can get it in the UK? Most of all I loved the words that you wrote about casting out your old image of your self and bringing a new image to life. You wrote ‘ I took that image of myself as a failure and I essentially shoved her off a cliff. When I saw her trying to claw her way back up toward me, I shook my head at her. That wasn’t me. No more. After a long time, she grew weaker and stopped trying to return. Now I almost never see her. Mary, this was so powerful for me. I’m going to do it and like you I’m not going to give up on my future healthy happy self. Thank you Mary xx

MaryWWriter

10:34 pm
27 Aug 15
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Tessy, you just made me tear up (I mean “tear” as in what comes out of one’s eyes when one is moved — not what happens when one sits down in a skirt that’s too small). Thank you for finding what I wrote to be helpful/meaningful. That’s all I ever want from my writing is to find a kindred spirit with it. 🙂 The book is available as a paperback or as an ebook from Amazon in the UK (and in AU, Canada, US and a few other countries.) Yes. We’re connected for sure, except that what you are facing now is much harder than what I faced because your health issues are huge and scary. And painful. But you’ll beat them all into submission, I have no doubt.

Hi everyone else. Expat, your tuna salad sounds so delicious that I’d make it exactly as you described it immediately if I could (and if I knew what ‘cos’ was). I could eat the computer right now. We were supposed to go out for dinner tonight (that Italian cook I told you about) but she had to cancel, and fortunately she cancelled after I’d had a small breakfast so I turned today into a fast day.

I am laughing at your having to make a big trip to buy clothes. That will be so much fun for you and well deserved.

Good luck Pamplemoos, and HAVE FUN!!

MaryWWriter

1:40 am
28 Aug 15
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Yikes. I just realized that I missed Expat from the list of where we all live. Apologies. Expat is in Papua New Guinea. (I didn’t know where that was until I started wondering how far you’d have to fly to buy clothes in Cairns. I had no idea it was so close to Australia!)

Expat

5:22 am
28 Aug 15
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LOL Mary. Trust me, not many people know where Papua New Guinea is. Many of my friends think it is the backside of the world…and at times, I agree. There is not much infrastructure….but the people are nice.

I am having a funny day today. Yesterday, I fasted and I spent 75% of the day really hungry. I went home from work and it got worse. So I went to watch TV in bed.

Today…I am NOT hungry. I didn’t have breakfast and thought, I should have lunch. But I was simply not hungry. Blimey, why couldn’t I feel this way yesterday?

Cos is a type of lettuce. Very nice and firm and crunchy.

Tessy…they are nice words to Mary and I agree. This is a very supportive thread.

Well…it’s Friday afternoon here so have a wonderful weekend everyone. I am off to Lae next week (for work) and that is even more back-sidey than here. Ho hum. At least next Friday, I get to leave for Cairns.

Big hugs all.

Pamplemoos

8:33 am
28 Aug 15
Permalink

I so enjoy reading everyones comments even though I don’t always comment myself,if I’m honest I haven’t done this much before!! Thanks for your good wishes MaryWWriter…must look at the tuna salad sounds yum…Had a tough fast day yesterday and had to fight with myself not to run for the carbs after a few stressful times esp since I seemed to have stopped losing…scales a bit kinder to day though, just think the loss is slowing up as I’m not far off my target..Its Friday and we have a ‘Bank Holiday’ weekend here in the UK so I esp wish everyone on this thread a Great weekend.

MaryWWriter

2:32 pm
28 Aug 15
Permalink

The weight loss definitely seems to slow down the closer you get to your goal. I’m down 3.5 for this month, when I was losing 1 to 2 lbs a week for a while there. Still, I’ll take it. At 3.5 lbs/mo I have only about 3 or 4 months to go….

Pamplemoos

4:14 pm
28 Aug 15
Permalink

thanks Mary I hope to be able to lose another 4lb but at this rate it will take a while!!Am happy to stay with my present weight while on hols and make a determined effort when I return!!!With luck yours will come off sooner!!

Kathcan

12:54 am
31 Aug 15
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Mary, you are very generous, sharing with us your identity (we are all incognito), your feelings, your failings and your triumphs. It was a shock to me when I read your blog (I imagined you must have had a perfect life!), and that image of the person you saw your future self could become. I’m sure many of us have faced similar images of ourselves and lapses into depression: “What does it matter, I’m old now and it’s all over”.

Mary, if we “hang on to your every word”, it’s because of your honesty and your strength and determination. I think that’s why this thread has kept going. I want to thank you for that; you do inspire us.

Expat, I actually do know where Papua, New Guinea is; one of the few things that caught my attention in school was Margaret Mead and her studies there, mostly criticised these days, I believe. I think we saw a film about her; I remember her remarks about Canada, that mothers spend much of their time continually dressing and undressing their children for the snowy weather – my daughter will soon be discovering that!

Pamplemoos, I also have never been on a forum before, and if you don’t always hear from me, that’s the reason, but I do read everything and feel a connection to all of you. It makes me want to contribute something.

This morning was a new low for me; I’m almost at my first goal but would like to lose another 5 lbs at least after that.

Good luck this week, everyone!

silversue

1:21 am
31 Aug 15
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Hi all! This has been an interesting first (half) month with you all, and very educational.
It has been a very up and down two weeks for me personally. The diet and exercise has been prefect, effective and fun. I lost exactly two kilos. Health wise, not so. Last week my doctor suggested I do a lung function test (he loves his tests) and we found out I am in an early stage of COPD. If you don’t know what that is just google it, it’s terrifying!

I have always been extremely healthy although I smoked for many years until I gave up at fifty when I did a bit of a re-think about my life. I had been getting larger and larger until two years ago I decided to do something about that too.

Then I found you guys and was convinced of a bright future and lots of fun after retirement which I planned to take at 70.
Now, of course that is all very uncertain. I am sticking to the program but the anxiety attacks have started again and am feeling very weepy and whiney.

Positive messages please, everyone. Thank God university starts next next week and so bossing teenaged around will take my mind off no doubt.
Feeling a bit more cheerful for writing this and ‘coming out’

Cinque

1:32 am
31 Aug 15
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Hi SilverSue, just sending you some good wishes from Australia. What a nasty shock, but how wonderful it is that you stopped smoking when you did, and that you are making all these good health decisions over the last couple of years. They will make management of the COPD easier, and your quality of life better than it would otherwise be. All power to you as you deal with this challenge!

prairiegrass1

2:44 pm
31 Aug 15
Permalink

Good morning, everyone. A lot going on in this wonderful group. Silversue, I am so sorry you are going through health issues and anxiety. My hubby has COPD and it is well controlled with meds…but certainly not news anyone wants to get. I’ll be thinking about you. Lovely words about Mary, Kathcan. I agree very much. Is everyone getting near their goal but ME?? Sounds like it. I still struggle to even have good fast days and to be consistent at all. I also have never been part of a forum, but this group is generally so supportive and shows humor and compassion…it helps me. Have a good start to your weeks. Anne

PJBR

2:57 pm
31 Aug 15
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Kathcan, Thank you for Margaret Mead’s insight about Canadian mothers and their dressing and undressing their children. I wish I had known that 45 years ago because then maybe I could see the humour and perhaps feel less of the burden when in the cold of Winnipeg winter, I would bundle the kids up to walk to town. I had 3 under 15 months. Can’t go through all the details here,but suffice to say, Margaret may have had a laugh or commisurated with me.

silversue, I do hope that this diet and losing excess weight, and the doctor’s intervention will stop or at least slow down the progress of COPD. I am quite sure it will. The fact that you have not been smoking for some time is certainly in your favour. Good luck in bossing around those teenagers – I have never been successful in that task!

PJBR

2:59 pm
31 Aug 15
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Mary, thanks for the list! It is great to see us all compiled together.

MaryWWriter

4:54 pm
31 Aug 15
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Kathcan, you nearly made me cry. You would have succeeded except that my mind is on running out the door to help with grandtwins and grandfouryearold this afternoon. I am so glad that someone even once assumed I’d had a perfect life! But probably no one ever does. And I am still very subject to the “I am too old to bother” moments — I have to continually kick myself. Sometimes it take a long time for the kick to take effect. But others who agree with me, like you, help me to stay on track. Anyway, enough about me.

Silversue, you nearly made me cry too. But for a different reason, and a lot of it is empathy. I also quit smoking at age 50, and I often fear that all those years of heavy drinking and smoking will catch up with me one of these days. So I can imagine how awful and scared you must be feeling. Please stay in the loop and let us know what is happening with you so we can send you positive thoughts and anything else you might want. We are getting so close to so many medical breakthroughs: I hope that COPD will become reversible sometime sooner than later. And that the surgical world does not consider those over 60 to be a waste of time when it comes to who gets treatment. For now, I am angry with your doctor for ordering that test, and I am going to stay away from it. ;(

Congrats on nearing your goal, Kathcan. That is fantastic!

Hi, Cinque!

Anne, I still have 20lbs to go so not near my goal yet. Tomorrow when I have more time I’ll tell you what my massage therapist said… which wasn’t very helpful.

PJBR — a Winnipeg winter is worse than an Edmonton winter, even, and that is where I raised my kids! I totally empathize. Winter started in October, and ended in April, and as soon as it was over, it started to get light so early and stay light so late that the kids never wanted to go to bed. I can’t imagine what it’s like to raise kids in a warmer climate. Even here in Toronto snowsuits and boots and hats and mitts — which they pull off as soon as you get them on.

Now I’m going to be late. See you tomorrow.

MaryWWriter

2:26 pm
1 Sep 15
Permalink

So my massage therapist, who could stand to lose some weight herself, is freaking out about the weight that I am losing. She is convinced that I’ve gone anorexic and asks me questions like, “Are you addicted to watching the numbers on the scale go down?” When I tell her that some part of my body hurts, she worries that it’s because I am not eating properly. Last week she said, “I hope you are going to stop this soon.” When I said, “I still have quite a bit to lose,” she was aghast. I said, “I am still not normal weight on any chart anywhere.” She said, “Those charts are all ridiculously wrong.”

I’m going to give up even mentioning the diet to her. At the beginning, I was trying to promote it because I thought she might be interested in trying it herself. 🙂 I was referred to her by my chiropractor to help deal with some long term joint and muscle issues, and I find this whole thing ironic because one of the major reasons why I started losing weight was to reduce the stress on my knees and feet!

silversue

1:51 pm
5 Sep 15
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For some reason I have stopped getting these posts. Did I click on something I shouldn’t have? Or has everyone just been really quiet for a few days?

prairiegrass1

2:18 pm
5 Sep 15
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Silversue, I think we’ve just been quiet. As for me, I lost internet for 3 days…so quiet was enforced. Mary, interesting story about your massage therapist. We all see ourselves differently than others see us. The video I saw showed that you looked very slender. Maybe she’s just worried about you? I’m about back to my 10 lb weight loss of earlier this summer (before I backslid). I feel more hopeful. And my favorite season of Fall is coming soon…I always feel more hopeful and alive when Fall comes around. Have a good weekend, everyone…and find your way back to the forum fold:) Anne

silversue

2:28 pm
5 Sep 15
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Thanks prariegrass1, I’m pretty lo-tech so strange things have happened to me and my laptop at times. It’s my last weekend off before classes start so I’m hoping to make the most of it. Over here in Japan, too, we’re looking forward to some nice cool autumn weather. Good for getting out and about.
Have a great weekend everyone. Sue.

MaryWWriter

2:38 pm
5 Sep 15
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Happy Long Weekend folks. I’m at the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival in Woodstown, NJ, where the only food on offer seems to be junk food. We are staying at a Hampton Inn where you get free breakfasts, and they are great, so I’ve been trying to choose well at least for that meal, and then to eat less than I usually would at the other meals. The music is great, though!

There are A LOT of people around here who could benefit from the 5:2 WOL.

I’ll be back on Tuesday.

Silversue, as long as you have clicked, “Notify me of follow-up replies via email” you’ll get the posts from this thread. We aren’t that consistent about posting, but when we do, we’re REALLY supportive! (I actually follow about five topics, just for variety, and I’ve participated in the monthly weight-loss challenge threads for a few months, but this is my “home.”)

Hey, Anne. I look slender from the waist up. Built like a pear. 🙂 But my massage therapist, of all people, should see that I still have a huge butt and my waist is too big to be healthy. It’s the weight stress on my feet and knees that I am trying to get rid of, so it’s about health, not appearance. I’m quite happy with the way I look from the waist up and don’t want to get gaunt.

I love September, too. The rest of the winter, not so much. 😉

Mary

phoebe on the lake

3:43 pm
5 Sep 15
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hello lovely group: Apologies for my tardiness. I have felt I only have had time to be in the monthly challenge lately, as my lake house septic went end of July [shit 🙁 …. last thing I needed, but…] and a lot to organize before I left for Vancouver surgery. Anyways, I am back home and catching up! 11 hour DIEP surgery Aug 20 went very well overall, and am recovering nicely. While I am in recovery mode, trying to eat lots of protein, veg and fruit to help healing, and ‘roughage’ {to keep things moving due to pain meds}. I am not allowed caffeine, chocolate or red wine for a month after anyways, so started that 2 weeks prior and actually have made it no alcohol to do the best thing possible for my new body. I don’t miss it as much as I thought……. So while not fasting this month, I am being healthy! Not actually weighing this month either, as my whole abdomen/torso has post surgery puffiness that will continue to fluctuate for a couple of months. Must say, the new recycled girls look fabulous already — went from a decent B to a full C — a way better use for that tummy pooch!
Glad to hear you are all doing well, or are continuing to persevere despite glitches.

prairiegrass1

5:24 pm
5 Sep 15
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Phoebe, glad surgery went well…that’s major! Speedy recovery to you. Anne

Expat

1:44 am
8 Sep 15
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Hi everyone…back from Cairns and absolutely shattered. My daughter ran me ragged but we had loads of fun. Ate and drank wayyyyy too much LOL.

Guess what Mary…I WON YOUR BOOK!! On Crabby’s website. I am so happy as I never win anything LOL.

My big news is that on my last weigh in (3rd Sept) I am down to 68.5kgs which is 151.01 lbs which means I lost 1.1 kgs (or 2.43 lbs) since 14th August. I actually did a happy dance. A naked happy dance much to my husband’s amusement.

I hope you ladies are all well. I am fasting today as we had a too much long weekend. Too much shopping, too much eating, too much wine, too much fun…not enough sleep. So the fasting feels good. Getting my body back to normal.

Phoebe…glad to hear you are OK. Hi Sue…Japan!! How cool!! Kathcan…I envy your 4 seasons. Here we have one. The hot season. And I am over it to be honest. And Ann is celebrating fall….wonderful. I wish we could post pictures!!

Big hugs to all you lovely (and healthy) ladies XX

MaryWWriter

8:47 pm
8 Sep 15
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Phoebe, so glad you are through the surgery and on the mend. Waiting for it is always the worst part — you are so helpless then!

Expat, you will have received my book for kindle by now. I hope you enjoy it, and I’m thrilled that you won it!! Sounds like you had a great time in Cairns. People with grown daughters have a special something going on. Not complaining about my sons, but I think it’s different.

I also ate way too much this weekend, despite my best intentions. I tasted (aka “ate”) my first funnel cake ever, and I don’t think I ever want to have another one. There was also an unforgettable Czech meal on the way home that has finished me for Czech food: it was delicious but way too rich. Seeing the weight issues that soooo many people in the US are dealing with was frightening, and I hope that it reminded me of what I’m doing here on 5:2.

In the meantime, since we were driving home (8 hrs) yesterday, I’m fasting today instead, and I’m not going to weigh myself until tomorrow. Then I will find out what kind of damage I did to myself at the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival. Right now, I’m afraid to look!

Hi to everyone!

Tessy

7:56 am
9 Sep 15
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Hi everyone. As usual in a bit of lurker on this thread. But I do love to catch up with you all and your progress. Keep plugging away.
Mary, hope you have not done yourself too much bluegrass damage!! Just to let you know I’m feeling lighter today. Thank you for your kind words. I’m still in bed resting so have treated myself to your book on kindle. Just going to start it now xx

MaryWWriter

1:58 pm
9 Sep 15
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Glad you’re feeling better today, Tessy — and thanks for checking out Rita. 🙂

Seems I didn’t do too much damage: or at least, whatever I did was addressed by yesterday’s fast. I’m now down 25 lbs since I started. This program (WOL) works!

Tessy

3:04 pm
9 Sep 15
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Whooooooo well done you 🙂

Expat

12:21 am
14 Sep 15
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Hi Team…just checking in after a weekend of lovely food. I cooked a great Osso Bucco on Saturday and a roast lamb yesterday. Delicious. Fasting day today and I need it after such a great indulgence.

Busy week at work coming up. I hope you are all well and happy.

Mary…have started your book and it has my attention already. Being a step mother, it really has my attention. Looking forward to more!!

Big hugs to all…have a great week.

Pamplemoos

3:01 pm
14 Sep 15
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Hi Expat(and all) what a lovely warm greeting!! …have been back from hols for a couple of days and even though I did indulge a bit I’ve managed to maintain my pre hol weight…first fast day today and I’m hungry and looking forward to a vege curry for supper…With good wishes to all-have a great week….our weather seems to have changed from late summer into v.cool/cold early autumn…

MaryWWriter

4:03 pm
15 Sep 15
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Thanks, ExPat! Enjoy!

Hi, Pamplemoos and hi to the rest of you. Things are a bit hectic here (what else is new) but they probably are for everyone else around here since it’s so quiet in this room. 🙂

I was down three pounds for September last time I checked, but I’m sure I’m up again one or two as it was a celebratory weekend — another brunch by a kind friend to celebrate our marriage, followed by a birthday party for my 1-year-old grand-twins, and then a family brunch on Sunday. I’m just not looking to see how much damage I did until this fast day today is done.

I’ve also been planking in the September challenge but I’m not sure how long I can keep that up. 90 seconds is very difficult.

It is beautiful here in Toronto. Yesterday we went cycling around the Toronto Islands and it was an utterly perfect day. And it’s sunny and hot today through Thursday! However long summer can last is fine with me.

Warm wishes to you all.

M

PJBR

6:34 pm
15 Sep 15
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Hi MaryW,
I have a question about your post. You say you have been planking (please explain what you mean by that) in the September challenge. I have seen posts re different months’ “challenges”. How does one join a challenge? Where are they posted? And you say 90 seconds is very difficult. 90 seconds doing what? What does that mean?
Thank you for your attention to my perhaps stupid questions.

MaryWWriter

3:59 pm
16 Sep 15
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Hi, PJBR,

The challenges are threads that are moderated by different people every month. At the beginning of the month, participants estimate how much they are going to lose that month, and then they report in every week on how they have done. The moderator keeps track, and adds up the total loss. Recently we’ve been giving names to the blob of fat we are losing: In August it was Lardy Lad. In September it is Miss Belly Rolls 🙂

Here’s the link to the September challenge
https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/little-voices-september-challenge-lets-crack-the-whip-this-month/

Here’s the link to the August challenge

https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/little-voices-august-challenge-countdown-begins/

Everyone is welcome, and it’s a good, positive group.

In addition to the weight challenge, there are a few of us on the September Challenge thread who are also trying to do the plank part of the 30-day fitness challenge. It is here: http://30dayfitnesschallenges.com/30-day-plank-challenge/ If you scroll down, you see how much you are supposed to do each day in a chart. Today, being the 16th, I did 120 seconds and it nearly killed me. I cannot imagine getting to 150 seconds, but we’ll see. There’s a picture of a young woman doing a plank at the top of the page.

phoebe on the lake

9:43 pm
20 Sep 15
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Hi everyone, still in the lurking phase while healing — 30 days post surgery and looking forward to a dear friend coming over for a glass of wine tonight — yippee — it’s been 6 weeks! While not actively fasting yet I am trying to eat healthy real food. The scales did call to me this week and am down two lb since pre surgery Aug 20. Think partly the swelling is going down — funny thing is my abdomen / waist measurement at the belly button bigger than before ….so must still be swollen! However, to be 169 instead of 171 is a wonderful mental leap, even tho I remain a Bartlett pear……… 🙂
Good on you Mary the Planker! PS I recall you had mentioned a book a while back, and while in recovery mode I am going through all the Louise Penny series and near the end there was a reference to the Gilead book! Must add to my list for fall.

milena

9:48 pm
20 Sep 15
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Hi sorry to butt in, just wanted to say Hi to Phoebe, been thinking of you – I’m still bloated after my surgery and that was only keyhole, my nurse neighbour who has been looking after my son after HIS surgery reckons up to three months, so don’t worry! I do hope you are continuing to recover and hope they made you perky in every way!!! lol!!!

You are in my prayers – rest and recover!!!

phoebe on the lake

9:53 pm
20 Sep 15
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hey Milena! Thx. I have heard the 3 month swelly belly thing, so not too worried. Oh, and yes, the gals are pretty darn … PERfect 🙂

milena

10:43 pm
20 Sep 15
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Well, that’s two fat bellys, one perky pair and one pair beginning to look very much like spaniels ears!!! Can’t complain, they were pretty perky – and a 34G – until I hit my fifties. Losing weight has not helped, and if I lose another 30 or 40 lbs, god only knows what they will look like then!

Hope you are in a good place, and staying there!

prairiegrass1

2:21 pm
21 Sep 15
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Hi everyone. Phoebe, glad you are recovering! Hi, Milena. Mary, you are outshining us…in a very good way! Expat, I have never been successful cooking Osso Bucco and I’m a good cook. PJBR, I was about as familiar with planking as with rocket science. Hi to Pamplemoos and Tessy. Hope everyone is paddling along safely in her own personal canoe. I’m down 15 pounds since I started with this group. Your good attitudes and humor keep bringing me back and keeping me on some kind of track. Thank you. Anne

MaryWWriter

7:54 pm
23 Sep 15
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Hi, all,

I’ve been AWOL from this thread for a while because I’ve had too much work to do to think, and now I’m just dropping in for a brief “Hello” before I head off to Edmonton for a week of celebrating achievements of my sons, which will be lovely, and it means that all five of my grandchildren will be in the same place at the same time — first time since the twins arrived a year ago! So many hugs!

To Phoebe and Milena — I had implants put in many years after I had my two mastectomies, and I have a figure that I’m very happy with now. The perkiness was almost worth the fear I experienced at that time, but not quite…. 🙂

Anne, you ROCK!! Congratulations!!

I’m stuck at the moment, which means that I am still at 25 lbs down, but I’m not complaining. I’ve been true to the fast-days but not under the TDEE on all my NF days. So…. As for the planks, I got up to 2.5 minutes and I’m going to stay there for a while because it nearly killed me. I plan to make the 30-day challenge into a 45- or 60-day challenge.

I hope to have time to post from Edmonton. But if not, I’ll be back in October!

Expat

11:32 pm
24 Sep 15
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Hi Team…PG1, the trick to Osso Bucco is low and slow. I flour, brown in a hot pan, add lots of flavour (bay leaves, garlic, bouquet garni, fresh chilli, veg) and then cover with red or white wine and stock that I have cooked off with some seasoning. Put into well covered baking dish and cook for 6 to 7 hours at 160C approx (sometimes I add soaked white beans so this adds to the time). I take the cover off about an hour before. The recipe can vary lots as long as you cook low and slow, you should be fine.

Low and slow….bit like 5:2.

Great fast day yesterday….didn’t eat at all as I never needed to. I had bouts of hunger but they passed quickly enough. So it’s Friday here and I am looking forward to the weekend. I have a big party planned for Saturday night…I’ve been planning for quite a while so I hope it goes off with a bang.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Pamplemoos

8:31 am
25 Sep 15
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Hi all…Expat that recipe for Osso Bucco sounds sooo good even though its 9.30am here..will write it down and do it sometime soon. In contrast to you I had a nightmare fast day yesterday and had to fight all day not to eat,one of my worst…gave in a bit lunchtime and had low cal soup was still starving by supper but did last the day. I wonder if its because I only need to lose a few more lbs?Seem to be losing the wilpower to stay with it, a girlfriend says its because the season is changing and my body is craving carbs!!! Hope you all have a really great weekend, have a wonderful party Sat Expat…

silversue

10:29 am
25 Sep 15
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Pamplemoos: I know EXACTLY how you feel. I was glad to see that post. The last two weeks I have been quite unable to keep to a fast although I have kept the calories down and have continued to lose small amounts of weight.
You might be right on both points there. I have only two more kilos to lose (officially) and here the cool autumn season usually involves eating all the stuff you didn’t feel like when it was hot.
Today was a big fail, but not to worry. Having another go on Monday!

Pamplemoos

11:17 am
25 Sep 15
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Thanks silversue (I’m a sue too!!)made me feel a bit better!!My last few lbs are unofficial too…when you’re almost there its a struggle…I agree will have another ‘go’ next Monday too….

silversue

12:37 pm
25 Sep 15
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Mary: your ‘Rita’ arrived fromAmazon the other day. What a great read! I couldn’t put it down. You now officially have a readership in Japan. What do you recommend I get next? I’m hooked.

Expat

11:13 pm
28 Sep 15
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Hi All…Tuesday here. Fast day yesterday and that one was tough. I was quite hungry all day. But made it through.

I was watching Doctor Oz yesterday and he gave some good tips on weight loss. The most interesting was that if you eat a high carb meal, take two tablespoons of white vinager after the meal and it cuts the glycaemic index (sugars) by 25%. He also said to ensure you have a minimum of 75mg of vitamin C a day as it helps to break down fats.

Interesting. I think I’ll try it but with apple cider vinager.

It’s going to be a stressful few days as we are pulling our boat out of the water for anti-foul and servicing (we live on her). So we have moved in with friends while the work is happening. I will be pleased when all this is over. I like my own bed!!

Have a great week everyone….great fasting.

PJBR

2:50 pm
29 Sep 15
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Hi everyone,
I completely forgot that Monday (yesterday) was to be a fast day! So today it is.

PJBR

2:55 pm
29 Sep 15
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Expat
Dr Fung advocates apple cider vinegar as he says it will lower the blood sugar.
If you look around you will see vinegar paired with carbohydrates everywhere – oil and vinegar on salad, vinegar on potato chips, balsamic vinegar and olive oil to dip bread…. – folk wisdom????

MaryWWriter

12:56 am
2 Oct 15
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Hi, all,

I’m back. I thought about checking in from Edmonton but there was a whole lot of family stuff going on (including too much eating) and I had no scale, and I began to get pretty nervous about how many extra pounds I was going to have to get rid of AGAIN after having already lost them. So I was relieved to weigh in today and find out that I hadn’t gained. But now I have to get serious for October, so I’m intending to be a regular poster here.

SilverSue, you made my week. Thank you so much for letting me know that you liked Rita. Comments like that from readers help keep me focussed on the fact that I need to make time (around clients, kids, grandkids, life in general) to get work done on my own fiction. (You might like my first novel, The Woman Upstairs http://www.amazon.com/Woman-Upstairs-Mary-W-Walters-ebook/dp/B004LX0KRU/. Thanks for asking about that, too.)

Hi to everyone else as well. I think we’re all doing fantastically well, especially since a new study out today says it’s getting harder and harder to lose weight. Yeah, US! Yeah, 5:2! http://www.thestar.com/life/2015/10/01/its-getting-harder-to-lose-weight-york-university-study-suggests.html

Pamplemoos

8:57 am
3 Oct 15
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Welcome back Mary!isn’t it good when you know you’ve been less than good to discover that you’ve maintained the weight loss…sometimes I just go on the scales to check its for real..This is such a nice supportive/easy group hope everyones weekend is off to a good start…after a really good sunny week the sun is a bit weaker today but still really pleasant.Agreee Yeah for 5:2 it really works and gets you back in control!!!