Mid Fifties – Just starting and hoping to lose weight (yet again)?!

Welcome to The Fast Diet The official Fast forums Welcome to The Fast Diet and Exercise forums
Mid Fifties – Just starting and hoping to lose weight (yet again)?!

This topic contains 5,051 replies, has 218 voices, and was last updated by  vendor 3 years, 7 months ago.

Viewing 50 posts - 1,901 through 1,950 (of 5,077 total)

  • I did forget to add one very important thing. Milena, I am so sorry for your loss. Non pet people just don’t understand, (not directed to anyone on this tread by the way, I mean just in general) but my heart goes out to you, I know how deeply a beloved pet can be grieved. XXXX

    Hi Beldy and Lori – thanks – off to Oban tomorrow to visit the kitties I am house sitting for next week – never down for long! Sooo strange not having a cat on my knee – I was heading into old age as one of those weird cat women. Not now, for a while at least.

    Hi Janey – I was entranced by the olive oil when you first mentioned it months ago, I KNOW you have gone over it but can you again – I use only olive oil for cooking and salads, but now put an extra splash in, now that it turns out fat doesn’t make you fat!

    I use coconut oil for cleaning my teeth – you have to be careful though as you have to swish for 20 minutes, I do it in the shower – not wise to swallow it! I heat it in a pan first, tried in straight in, horrid.

    I use both oils as conditioners too.

    Would though be interested in the theory of eating (drinking)it – I’ve fine with dunking it in bread with balsamic but checked the calories of doing that once – scary – no wonder I’m fat!

    thanks DJ

    I’m a wimp at the best of times, Bambi still gets to me and I can’t watch a Lassie film without blubbing, but my burms were my family and I was midwife to her mum, Mad – and midwife to her too. Very special ladies.

    Hi all,
    Milena, so sorry to hear about Willow. We lost our beloved Shih Tzu 4 years ago and now just have a ton of cats (3 adults and 2 kittens we just adopted that a friend was going to give to a shelter), so I may in fact become the “cat lady” you described ;)! The cat sitting should be of comfort to you~ I’ve actually heard that the vibrations of their purring are healing/calming for humans! Good to see you back online!

    Topsy, wherever those compliments come from, they’re always welcome! Good job!

    Fasting again today after NFD yesterday which went well enough. Salma, here’s hoping you were able to get back on track today and are already feeling better about things!

    Heh all, maybe we could all pledge to do the 6 tablespoons of olive oil a day on NFD’s one of these week coming up and see what happens? It would be very interesting! I’ve been very intrigued by Jayney’s success with it (and she’s petite and was still able to eat all that oil, obviously accounting for it in her daily caloric intake). Have a great start to your week everyone!

    Sherry

    thanks Sherry

    what a great club to be in! Cat woman was a super hero – one of the few – another was shrinking violet – we’ll combine the two and take on the world!

    Have promised OH no more cats for a few years – on the other hand have promised son two german shepherds, a maine coon and three burmese if his dad and I ever split up – no downside to my life is there?

    Might be a good idea to get some very good quality oil then, Aldi do a nice extra virgin one but there are some really good ones out there – Dobbies (is this just a northern garden centre) does a nice range of flavoured oils, though could be expensive.

    Janey, are US tablespoons wee – ours are quite big!

    Blummin’ heck, just checked the calories, will have to give up the chocolate, cakes and wine for a while and replace them with oil.

    Bugger, just realised I don’t eat chocolate or cake – and still on the wagon – does this mean no food?

    Janey, you know I have always known about you taking oil, but I think every time I’ve read you posts I was thinking 6 teaspoonfuls, and that soooo impressed me – now I take my hat off to you.

    I have always given my show cats evening primrose oil, brought out a gorgeous shine and feel to their coats, I imagine you hair and skin must be awesome, I’m willing to give it a go Sherry, but considering on a good week I try to have not more than 7000 calories (my TDDE x 5 plus 2 x 400 cals is around 8000 at next target)3570 calories(119 a tbs) off that is a big ask. Or am I miscalcuting?

    Dear all

    Ok FD yesterday, and back to back today, hope the day whizzes past!
    Good news have discovered dates, which I used to hate, bad news, calorie dense, but full of nutrients, bit like avocados, anyway am popping them in the freezer, and they are fab, just before defrosting.

    So on the subject of cats, my cat has at last starting to “reduce”, she’s lost 5kg, she’s on a diet, lazy doesn’t even describe her, but have been weighing out her food alongside my own for a year,so am chuffed for her, still pounds to go, the vet called her “chunky”, Milena am intrigued about the evening primrose, how did you apply it?

    Ok now the exercise bit, have been doing “girl” press ups for ages (using the knees) along with other exercises in a circuit, turns out have been wrong. Sorry to lecture anyone who already knows this. You can do the girl press ups but when you lower to the floor, you have to hold your arms until they shake! this is the only way to get that stubborn upper body strength, obviously you need to engage tummy etc, and not tense neck, doing about 3 x 15. This morning I can feel the muscles for the first time! so will continue and let you know my progress.

    Jayney, the olive oil has caused a stir, it would be great if you give us a lowdown on measurements etc..

    Congrats Sherryann on getting on your FD, getting easier?
    Salma hope this week brings some good FD’s, a big Hi to all of you on the other side of this thread! Happy fasting to all! x

    Good Morning!

    What a night. The husband is trying to catch a “bug” and was restless and coughing much of the night. Then about 1 o’clock this morning a thunder storm rolled thru. Sigh……

    My fast day yesterday did not happen. It started ok, and I didn’t open my window until 1, but I was just so hungry that I did not stick to 500 calories. I was still well under my TDEE, but not a fast by any means. I’ll try again today. I did a very strenuous boot camp yesterday morning and my body just demanded more food!

    Took my cat to the Vet for her annual physical and shots. What an ordeal. She doesn’t usually get upset, but she did last night! I blame the technician who was helping the vet. She grabbed her by the back of the neck to hold her and was just generally too rough, I think. Although my girl was hissing(which she never does) and I know the Tech didn’t want to get bit. Oh well…we all lived and are here to tell about it!

    I have to be in to work early for a meeting this morning. Ho hum. I think it’s going to be a long day.

    Still thinking about this olive oil thing and how on earth I would take 6 TB a day!?

    Hi all,

    Lori I know exactly what you mean about FD, I had one yesterday and was starving all day, I did manage not to eat until evening when we have our main meal but think it was probably over 500, I found it really hard yesterday, this morning I’ve got up and just eaten a breakfast that I wasn’t going to have as I’m going out for a curry with family tonight so thought I’d take it easy today, now I can still feel the breakfast just sitting there making me feel bloated. I’m having another FD tomorrow so fingers crossed it will be better. Hope your day goes quickly for you.
    Good luck everyone else on FDs today or tomorrow.
    Debbie x

    Love this forum and hearing all your news. I have a little Jack Russell and she is such a part of my life I would hate to lose her so sorry to hear about your loss Milena.
    Have just come home for lunch or non lunch. I have decided to do a back to back fast which I have not done before. It’s because I overdid it on the weekend and want to get in a better place. Still made hubby a sandwich but never had a thing.
    Very interested in the olive oil and the physllium husks. Not sure whether I could have six tablespoons of olive oil though. In Some ways the whole idea of this fast diet is that you don’t have to worry too much on the other days. Otherwise it may become too faddy and may make me give up. Just a thought.
    Yes, will take all the compliments I get. Not used to having any so it’s always a pleasure to get one.
    Oh well back to work. Have a good afternoon everybody.

    Hi girls,

    All this talk of olive oil has gotten me interested!
    My grandfather who lived to a ripe old age and stayed very strong and healthy till his late nineties drank 1/4 a cup of olive oil (about a 63 ml which is roughly 4 tbsps.) every day and swore by it!! he was also always slim and strong.. so maybe there is something to be said for it. Perhaps he knew what scientists are only now discovering. In my part of the world, people use olive oil (normally warmed up to lukewarm) for all sorts of ailments, including tinnitus and tummy aches. I would be careful though, I agree that the beauty of this WOL is that it is not faddish and that we can be ‘normal’ most of the time. Personally, I would find it hard to ‘drink’ so much olive oil. We have it a lot on foods such as salads, cook eggs with it, use if with hummus, on strained cheese and many other ways, plus we eat a lot of olives, so I am probably getting a big amount of olive oil, but not sure it is around the 90 ml that Janey is advocating. I must do some more research on this.

    Well.. I did make it to the gym today as well, by sheer will, as I only had a few hours of interrupted sleep. I did a FD yesterday, and all went well. I went to bed early as I knew I had gym the next day, only to get up at 12:30 and stay up until 5:30 am. It was so frustrating!! I made myself a cheese sandwich and a warm glass of milk and that seemed the only way to convince my body (and soul) to go back to sleep. So, I don’t know if my FD was a success or an abject failure. I decided to fast today, but again, life got in the way. I had brunch with a friend who called me out of the blue and who I had not seen for ages. I did not overeat, but this does not qualify as fasting by any means. I decided to only have soup in the evening so I will probably have stayed within the 900 cal or so, at least under 1000 as an estimate.

    I am hoping that I will also fast tomorrow and Thursday to offset the horrible week I had last week, like TopsyT, particularly over the weekend. I think I should also probably fast on a Saturday or Sunday as my sister is arriving on Sunday evening ans will be here all week next week. (LIFE, again!!)

    Norlandlass.. fasting was tough yesterday for me too.. I had to rush home to get some soup down me before I fainted. It really is not easy to stay on the straight and narrow, but at least with this WOL, you can always get back on when you fall off the wagon.

    Beldy.. dates are fabulous.. do try them stuffed with my chocolate concoction (that I believe you made and liked) and with a peeled almond or a half a walnut. Absolutely gourmet and satisfy a sweet tooth and chocolate craving while getting in some protein. They taste like such a luxury and are not too bad calorie wise for one (or two). Anyway, better for you than chocolate.

    Milena.. I hope you are feeling better and that you stay on board .. we are team WOL and will make it however fed up we get along the way 🙂 We need to help and prod each other when we stray off the beaten track (and boy do I wander!!)

    Salma

    Hi:

    If you are interested in why olive oil can help a person lose weight, you can check my last post on my thread (3 Aug 15): https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/the-basics-for-newbies-your-questions-answered/. It isn’t magic, but there is a reason it can work.

    Enjoy the olive oil!

    Hi all.

    Milena, so sorry to hear about Willow. They mean so much to us. My Rose got the stitches out of her paw yesterday. Hooray! She’s walking normally, though she looks a little bit like a two-toed tree sloth. Annie, my younger dog and a rescue, had an epileptic seizure this morning. That’s why she was a rescue. It’s the first one since last October, so not too bad, but was disappointing all the same.

    I haven’t managed any true fast days for a week. Life gets in the way. I have been managing a shorter feeding window, however. Still, not looking forward to that scale tomorrow.

    MM

    Hello lovely ladies!

    Fast day went well yesterday. Odd thing is, I didn’t have too much to eat on my non-fast day today. I’ve been finding that due to the fact I don’t eat until lunch or so on fast days, I’m not hungry until then on NFD’s..so I guess I’m doing the “window” eating without even realizing it. As such, I’m just not eating as much, and frankly, haven’t been as hungry. Part of the
    reason could be the heat/humidity here in So. Cal lately. I might be having a bit of a mind shift too (I hate to state it because as soon as I do, I’ll have a day of being a little piggy!). Knowing I can have just about anything I want within reason on my NFD’s is making me not crave the junk as much possibly? Anyhow, I can only hope and pray it continues!

    Ok, MM! You are up before me living in the Midwest…so, get on that scale and post and I’ll do the same after I weigh in! Salma, are you joining us or do you want to wait a bit? MM, glad Rose is doing better!

    Salma, interesting re: your grandfather and the olive oil! I just read that a famous TV “Iron Chef” here in the U.S., Cat Cora who is Greek, said her relatives swear by drinking a good amount of olive oil with lemon juice every morning to stay well/live longer!

    Beldly, yes the fasts are getting easier, thanks for asking!:). Btw, what is “chuffed”? I’m learning all sorts of new things talking to you ladies!

    Milena, yes, I will be “Cat Woman” with you! There are worse things to be in our old age ;)! Btw, one of the kittens we adopted looks kind of like a Maine Coon! Wish we could post pics here!

    Well, the olive oil debate continues. I personally think I will try the 6 tablespoons a day for one week starting after our U.S. holiday known as Labor Day, which is the 1st weekend in September. Anyone who wants to join me in the experiment is welcome! I truly don’t want to get “faddy” either with this diet, but figure it doesn’t hurt to do an experiment and mix things up a bit and see what happens. Like Jayney said, you could, in addition to using it in salad/veggie dressings, frying your eggs, chicken. etc. hide it in a protein drink or two.

    Sherry

    Hi Everyone,

    I’m really busy on this end, so only a short post this time. Beldyboop Re: “Jayney here’s a question, doesn’t the olive oil add significant calories? how do you calculate that for 6 tbsp?” Olive oil adds nearly half my calories for the day–sometimes more. I calculate it at what it says on the label–120 calories per tbsp. Yes, it sounds like a lot, but I think it prevents or undoes a lot of damage that would otherwise occur from overindulging.

    Lori_PA (and Milena) Re: “Jayne..sorry if I missed it, but how do you take the oil? Just on salads or by the spoon or what? Did you ease into the 6 TBS? I think starting with 6 right off the bat would cause some intestinal distress?” I mostly take the olive oil in protein drinks and on veggies (that I heat), but also on salads, and sometimes sausage as well. I’ve been taking 6 tbsps per day EVERY NFD as directed by the naturopath since I started 5:2 on 10 January of this year–with NO intestinal distress, though your mileage may vary ;-). Yes Milena, I meant to clarify–US tablespoons please!

    DJ, sounds like a great music festival!

    Please forgive my brevity–more on the weekend!

    Jayney

    Hello Everyone!

    I’m struggling a bit here. Just can’t seem to get my head back in the game. Today’s plan is to go get a nice salad for lunch as I’ve really been bad at getting my veggies in this week.

    Haven’t had a great night’s sleep all week as the husband has caught a cold and spends part of each night coughing and getting up and moving about. A summertime cold is the worst! Fingers crossed that I don’t catch it next.

    Thanks for the tips on the Olive oil Jayne. I’m going to get back to using coconut oil. I need to do more planning and not so much just eating whatever. Not feeling great lately and I know it’s diet related.

    Going to boot camp in a few minutes. Not feeling “it” right now, but hope my motivation shows up soon!

    Have good days!

    Hi 50’s ladies,
    I have recently turned 50, and after a lifetime of being slim this changed over the past few years without altering any habits. I tried restricting my diet in several ways until going back to the old 5 PLUS 2, which I tried with great results in 2013.
    I have been on it 9 days and have lost a kilo (I am Australian, about 2 or so pound I think) and am so relieved that it is possible to lose.
    I hope I am not intruding as I see you are all good friends, but I felt some affiliation with much of what was being discussed here.

    Lori- I couldnt get my bloody head in the game for about a year now, so I get it.
    After 9 days in, I am not one to give advice, but what the heck, just keep going. I was just on 2 failed diets prior to this, and I think its a matter of just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

    Hi all

    thanks for all the good words re Willow, completely off topic (thanks Beldy for bringing it on topic – never had an overweight cat but have always fed them loads of chicken – they enjoy raw wings, perhaps one to try on you chunky – raw bones are fine!)

    Or tuna in olive oil, if it works for humans, perhaps it works for cats?

    Evening primrose oil, capsules are good, snip off the top and squirt, pipettes if you can get the end into the cats mouth, or in the food!

    We can load photos onto the forum – will find out how as I stop readying stuff when it starts with ‘how to’!

    Jayney, yup a US tablespoon is the same then, I checked olive oil at 119, so it must be the same – just can’t get my head around 720 calories of my TDEE on olive oil – though if Sim reckons 60% fat should be in our diet, then I’m going to give it a go – Salma, I think olives are the 115 cales per 100 grams, I’ve been eating them as a low calorie snack, so we must be on the right road. Still can’t get my head around it, my TDEE at my current weight is under 1600, and at target is under 1350 – I calculate my olive oil consumption at the moment at about a tablespoon a day. Well, will give it a go, they do say not all calories are equal, and Janey is proof that there is merit to it.

    Presume its just non-fast days?

    Thoughts for the day – we gurn a lot and we are soo impatient, but the big picture is still looking good for us all, in spite of our gripes.

    I put on nearly 6 and a half stone in 26 years (is it a co-incidence that I have been with OH for 25 or those years and in Scotland for all 26?) That’s an average of 3.4 lbs a year – so, without 5:2 I would be 2 lbs heavier than I was in January, and I would be looking forward to Christmas nearly 4lb heavier. For many of us, reducing our weight isn’t even a one year project, I know a lot of us are looking eighteen months or two years to get to target.

    So think on before beating yourself up that the day, week or even month hasn’t gone to plan – hey, if you weight more this month that you did at the beginning of July, without the excuse of a holiday, illnes or a major life problem, tuck in that chin and make a plan to sort yourself out, but if you have lost only a couple of lbs or even stayed the same – you have still beaten the old you! The old you would have something to moan about – so why should you now?

    And remember, when the fast day goes tits up – tomorrow is another day!

    Hi Nicola

    welcome, the more the merrier, and everyone’s opinions count the same – especially from those with the tee shirts!- great to have you on board – and a kilo is 2.2 lbs!! Yay! Even better (those 0.2 lbs really add up!

    Welcome Nicola! We’re so glad you’re here! As Milena said, “The more the merrier”

    Doh! Olives…….why didn’t I think to get olives to have as a snack? I get so much good info from this thread. I’m off to the market at lunch time and am adding olives to my list! Better a few olives than cheese and pretzels, right?

    Enjoyed a sweaty boot camp session this morning. One thing..you’re never sorry you went once it’s over. Sometimes you question your sanity before and during, but after…it’s all good! 😉

    Later!

    Hi girls
    Hi Nicola and welcome onboard.. you will find a lot of support here.. lots of ups and downs, but we are all in it together.

    Milena.. wise words. I will try to remember the bigger picture (hopefully not MY bigger picture). It DID feel very frustrating, but to be honest, I looked at my weight log after weithing myself today (as promised MM and TT). This morning, I weight 84.6 Kg, about 1.7 Kg higher than the lowest for July, but on another hand, when I checked, on July 1st, I was 85.2 Kg. So, in the grand scheme of things, I HAVE lost 0.6 Kg (1.3 lbs) in one month which is not at all bad. So I am smiling again.

    Of course this will mean that I will not reach my pre-set target for my birthday at the end of August which was 80 Kg, but so what, I will just move the target! My new official target for the end of August is: 83Kg. That is good enough if I can manage it. I have my sister coming to stay with me for a week next week, so sticking to the 5:2 will be a challenge. I have succeeded in keeping to less than 1000 cals yesterday and will do the same today plus fast on Thursday and another day over the weekend. Add to this two gym sessions in the week, and I think I can give myself a pat on the back.

    Milena.. you so absolutely right.. Had I not started the 5:3 on February (almost 6 months to the day now) I would have probably been 97 Kgs by now.. what a thought! Instead, I am now 12.5 kgs less than that. How about THAT for re-framing??

    Have a great day everyone.
    Salma

    Lori.. you are so right about how you feel AFTER. I have to DRAG myself to the gym but fee great afterwards, when it is under my belt, as it were.
    Olives are great.. get them pressed in olive oil.. they are tastier that way.
    Another way the greeks have green olives that is absolutely delicious is to sprinkle some freshly ground coriander seeds (they are dry and tiny round seeds) a bit of lemon juice and olive oil on them. Really yummy

    Salma

    Welcome, Nicola! I was just like you, slim all my life till I hit the 50s. Now I have about 10 lbs to lose and the devil of a time getting them moving. I lost 3 lbs. back in May, put them back on on a vacation in June, and now seem to be maintaining. Which is all I can expect, given that I haven’t managed more than 1 fast day a week through July. Too many social engagements. Guess there are worse problems to have. Anyway, glad to have you with us.

    Lori, like you, I’m having trouble right now getting my head around making fast days happen. I tell myself it will be so much easier once the semester starts up again in the fall. I have a class right around the noon hour, so it will be easy on those days to skip lunch.

    Salma and Sherry, mea culpa. The dogs were in a hurry to get out this morning–too much of a hurry and Annie had a little accident–and I forgot to weigh myself before I dove headlong into my morning pot of tea. I promise to visit that scary scale first thing tomorrow. I’ll put a sticky note on my mirror so I don’t forget! Sherry, like you, I’m finding that I’m just not hungry till about 1 pm and it’s easier to push away from the trough sooner. So, despite not having too many “real” fast days this month I can tell that something has already been reset.

    Milena, love your expression “when the day goes tits up.” Does it mean the same as it would in American English? I envision myself flat on my back, tits up.

    Good luck to everyone who is fasting today–including me. Weigh in tomorrow, I promise.

    MM

    Dear all,

    thanks Jayney for more Olive Oil clarification, it makes sense, but have to admit “I’m scared”, ;-0, there are many mixed messages from the food industry, and fat has got such a bad name, worse than sugar sadly although, both bad. No doubt the “ad-men” would love us all to be sitting on swings in gardens eating a horrible low fat “bar” of something, while holding a basket full of “real food” not the trash they want us to eat..lol I’ve lived overseas for many years, and have seen that it’s not fat that causes the problems, but the marketing of coca cola, Mcdonalds etc…I use olive oil but may start to have more on veg, and protein shakes! sad I’m not into olives though sadly..

    Milena will try the EPO tip for my cat, like the idea. Also love the coconut oil-teeth-“pulling” but am so in and out of the shower, maybe should swill it, while reading at night?

    Sherryann, chuffed, means to feel pleased, generally with something that came out ok, it’s South of England, don’t think I realized that..

    Salma love the re-framing idea, need to try it.

    I won’t be able to fast now until maybe Friday, did ok on Mon/Tues but over 500, exercised on both days, bit of a killer, no loss this week yet, and “life” may get in the way, but feeling chipper as saw I burnt 720 cals in Zumba tonight,…yes agreed Lori/Salma feel good factor reigns with exercise..endorphins?

    Nicola great that you are here, hope it’s going well 🙂
    MM hope you’re ok my FD’s have been a bit weird this week, but think I have PMT..

    bye for now xx here’s to great fasting..

    Hi Minimiss

    Really hacked off that I used my name for my ‘handle’, love yours! Maybe cos I used to go out with a diplomat at the US embassy in London (oh- err posh or what) and he is from Minnisota! Not only that, y’all think I’m called Mil- ee – na, and I’m not. I have a friend who calls me Mileeena, and writes my name with 3 ers, I kid you not.

    Anyway, stay with me, like all Yorkshire folk, I speak in expressions! Yep, tits up is tits up! Though for me it’s tits flopping sideways! Trying to convince OH a boob job would be much more fun – for him – than a new engine for his racing car! Must say, it’s an uphill struggle. Looking in the mirror so at these twin peaks reminds me the film Beaches – the over the shoulder boulder holder song.

    I reckon if I lose all the weight I hope too – 80 lbs for gawds sake – instead of my bust arriving ten minutes before I do, I’ll instead have spaniels ears, and they’ll be singing ‘swing low, sweet chariot’.

    Though there’s a lot a good a Rigby & Peller – corseters to the Queen, no less, bra can do.

    Went shopping there with Sis in Law last September, I’d already spent more than enough on a first class ticket to London – well you would, wouldn’t you – to keep her company, so I wasn’t buying, but I decided after beating cancer she needed a treat, she bought a bra for a stupendous amount, asked me if she should buy knickers? Of course – hope they washed well as they were£48 – about $75 – just for the knickers!!!!

    Only matched by 4 small glasses of Proseccos and two portion of chips in Harvey Nicks for £50! Memorable meals, Salma!!!!!! We were treated to cocktails by the bar staff, watched the rich eating lunch, and worked out the chips were nearly a £1 each!

    Bendy

    I did laugh at the comment – over 500 Cals! Was a time when 500 Cals MIGHT have covered breakfast, to be followed regularly by 3 or 4 thousand more – and an easy day would have been 2500! Haven’t we come far?

    Welcome aboard Nicola!

    Weighed this morn then had to run out to back to back appointments. So I’m happy to say I’m back to where I was before my random, rubbish eating vacation last week. So, all in all good news! MM, you are next!

    MM: Yes, social engagements are the worst for me too. I can’t seem to get out of the mind set when I’m at a restaurant or a party not to eat everything in sight and throw all caution to the wind!

    Lori, as Milena says, we have to just keep plugging away. Some weeks and even months are worse than others, but you will get there again!

    Beldy, thanks for the education! I love learning new sayings I’m not familiar with!

    Milena, when are you thinking of “giving it a go” with the 6 Tbsp. of olive oil on NFD’s? If it works, I’m thinking of doing it maybe one week each month to shake things up. I don’t know that I could do it on an ongoing basis. Yep, you make me laugh…as soon as I start reading instructions my eyes glass over and my ADD prevents me from doing it ;)! So, if you can figure out how to upload the photos, let me know. It would be great to have that option! I’m laughing like MM about the “tits up” comment. Though at my age I don’t know that they go up so much as “sideways” when I lay down now!!!

    Jayney, hope your busy week is going well and look forward to hearing more from you this weekend :)!

    Have a good night all!

    Sherry

    Salma, good attitude re: the weight! You’re still better off than you would have been…it’s all good :)!

    Milena, saw your new post come up right after I sent mine…apparently great minds think alike with regard to certain things going a little “sideways”! 🙂
    Sherry

    Good morning ladies..

    So.. I just wanted to put it out there that I have gone to the gym AGAIN this morning. He had me do “planking” which rightly sounds like a form of torture. Every muscle in my body aches from last time. I feel like an aging wreck; BUT, I am going. Big pat on the sizeable backside for me!

    All those trim women!! some in full makeup.. and me huffing and puffing. NOT a pretty sight; BUT, I am still going. There is almost no better (or worse) place to feel overweight, unattractive and totally out of your depth. Talk about owning your fear!!

    Still, my weight is up even more. I am trying to convince myself that exercising causes muscles to retain more water. I am sure I would be able to find scientific evidence to support my rather shaky hypothesis if I only had time to look it up. maybe I will go and drown myself in olive oil.. that should sort out that problem 🙂

    Have a good one girls.. I now have to actually do some work and earn my living.

    Salma

    Good Morning!

    Salma! Good for you for going to the gym AGAIN! I know all about planking…trust me. They keep saying it is so good for us, but torture is a good word for it! Don’t you worry about those “gym bunnies” with the make up and tight clothes. You are doing a good thing for yourself, be proud! The weight gain you see is definitely your sore muscles holding on to water. This too shall pass!

    I was nearly starved and so tired till I got home from getting a pedicure last night, so the husband and I went out for a quick bite. We went to a place where they make burritos etc to order. I had the burrito plate, which is all the good stuff with no tortilla. Yum! Today I’ll have a salad at lunch time and I bought some lovely asparagus yesterday at the market that we’ll have at dinnertime.

    This afternoon I have an appt with my chiropractor for my 6 week “tune-up”. With all I put my body thru at boot camp, I go get put back in line every few weeks. 😉

    Oh…I’m making a slight change in my eating window. I’m extending it to about 7-8 hours with it opening at 11. Waiting until 1 or 2 was making me feel too light headed. I eat a yogurt or something light at 11 or so. I’ll see how it goes, but I think most days it will work better for me.

    Ok…time to get this day started. Have a good one!

    Wow, Ladies, it has been a tough couple of weeks. Fast/healing days have been quite a challenge these past couple of weeks. I am swimming and walking and getting stronger. The body is shaping up somewhat (the underarm ‘boobs’ are shrinking as well as the tits).
    Today I weighed in at 92.1 kg, making that 1/3 of my goal achieved……
    I am on a 4:3 program, coz I am often not so virtuous on the Feeding day. (I chuckled at Salma’s 5:3 week!!!) Milena’s big picture is sooooo helpful; not only do we interrupt the steady gain increase but we manage to shed some kg. along the way.
    The olive oil discussion has been intriguing to follow, because, having lived in Italy so long, I could not give it up and had started factoring it and its calories into even my fasting/healing days. I have found that there actually is pleasure in the meagre amounts I use on healing days, and now, feeling less perverse about using it willingly on Feeding day, I have been abundant in using it in hummus and salad, fish etc.
    Where I have encoutered difficulty in digestion etc is in carbs. Even porridge and brown rice get stuck inside me…. I just have to eat tiny quantities, (oats were for fattening our horses, so I should know better)
    I send my belated condolences to you Milena, I have anguished over the passing of pets and empathise 100%.
    I will be following the fruit dates advice regarding chocolate mix element… I cannot go off the wagon on chocolate; I tell myself that I need the iron and other elements. I do only partake in the darkest chocolate possible. I love it….and it is better than coffee for finding energy and good will.
    The adage that ‘-there is another day’ has been helpful for me, and helps the program be less ‘faddy’ as commented on recently.
    I, too, have had to do a new fast/healing day

    Hi everyone

    Oh, ladyf – you do paint a picture – it did make me laugh out loud, especially as I too have the side boobs as well as the tits!

    Though mine are not so much reducing as deflating!

    Reminds me when I was eight months pregnant, honestly I boobs were yards ahead of me by that time – and in our family my chest was referred to as two fried eggs on a plate – despite being a 34F before I got pregnant definitely not in the league of most of the gals in my family – anyway, went to M&S for a maternity bra – the assistant announced VERY LOUDY that i was a 40B! And then she tried to get me into one!

    Love that idea of the fast days being healing days!

    Hi Sherry, trying to stay wine free for most of this month, had some yesterday but its taken till now – 2pm – to feel ‘right’. I think not having wine is as bad as having wine – but cheaper I suppose. So I think I’ll ease myself up to the 6 tbs this starting tomorrow, let me know how you get on. One week a month sounds good.

    I’m fasting today and I’ve just had a lovely chicken and salad sandwich – lovely, but I think when I put it into fitness pal I think that will be me for the day. Oh well! Good luck to anyone joining me!

    Good morning, ladies!

    Mi”lay”na (is that right?)your post really made me laugh. I didn’t use my real name because, to be honest, I don’t really like it much. My name is Noreen and I have a friend just like yours who always addresses e-mails to me with “Noreeeeeeen”. I love “MiniMiss” for that is what I hope to once again become with the fasting. And we Minnesotans do have some class, though our reputation is being overly nice. I have a friend from Yorkshire who asks “Why do you Minnesotans smile at everyone, even at strangers?” I say, “It’s not smiling. We’re gritting our teeth to keep them from chattering in the cold!”

    Also loved your discussion of bras. Maybe I have to come to England to get a good one. I have to admit to having given them up in my “hippy” days, at the suggestion of my German boyfriend. He noted quite rightly that I had no need of one, for I truly was “two fried eggs on a plate.” No more, but after years of wearing just slips and camis I find bras so uncomfortable that I’ve usually ripped the darn thing off before the day is over. I may have to rethink that, for last semester one of the students drew a pair of boobs (and labeled them so no one would think they were eyes) on the cork board outside my office. Blush!!!!! Tacked a poster up there real fast.

    Last night I made zucchini fritters and, being a good girl, followed the recipe and used safflower oil. Had terrible gas during the night. Lesson learned. Olive oil seems to be the only oil I can digest. But I don’t think I can bring myself up to 6 Tbsp.

    The fasting days just aren’t working out right now, but I am with you, Lori, on a modified eating window. I eat first, and lightly (maybe just an egg with a bit of feta or some fruit) around 12 or 1, then dinner around 7, so I guess that puts me on a 6-7 hour window.

    Sherry and Salma (hiding face) I didn’t face our friend the scale as promised. Forgot once more (some avoidance going on there?). But, as Milena says, tomorrow is another day.

    Best to all.
    MM

    Hi Minimiss

    you got it right – my OH could never work out when someone at one of the markets called me Jenny – and I didn’t put her right – for eight years! I’ve learned to answer to anything.

    I once worked in Miss Selfridge and owned 87 bras and 220 pairs of knickers – I only know cos my sister counted them one day!

    And I’m a Yorkshire lass too! A lot of us around.

    Y’all know the rules about getting weighed, I hope?

    Take off all jewellery, get naked, and try at least three times, ALWAYS take the lowest measurement. ONLY take measurements if the scales are down, never up – if they are up try again another day. (Of course, this is when the going gets tough and the tough get going!)

    If its 50g down – it is a success – ten of those wee losses are a packet of butter, imagine losing a packet of butter a month, or even every 8 weeks.

    If you think the scales are going up – cos you’ve overeaten or just had a bad day – don’t get on the scales.

    I repeat, don’t get on the scales – do something drastic – get someone to hide them or take out the batteries – but stay away, unless you are hoping for a bad day. If you think its going to be bad, why on earth confirm it? You KNOW knives are sharp, would you cut yourself to make sure???

    If you have really tried, hoped to lose and find you haven’t – well, its goods in transit. Nothing to worry about!

    If you can get the better of the bloody scales – you can take on the world!!!!!!!!!!

    Hi!

    Weighed after NFD this morn and down 0.4 more….for a total of 1/2 lb. since I started this WOL the week before I went on vacation. Feel good that I still lost on a NFD. Also, at least it’s in the right direction! In the “good ‘ol days” I would have been up a couple pounds after a vacation (i.e. the 5 lbs. I gained in Hawaii over 5 weeks in June/July!).

    I’ve heard people mention that they sleep better on this plan, at least on FD’s? I’m having trouble sleeping in general since starting this. I read somewhere on this website in another forum that this WOL can mess with your circadian rhythms and cause sleeplessness? Anyone else experience that? Also, may be noticing a bit more hair falling out when I brush after a shower? Of course, much of this is menopause stuff I know, but seems worse than usual.

    Salma, I echo Lori in that your weight does initially go up a bit when you start gaining muscle from working out. It will all even out soon and then you will be burning calories faster due to having added muscle mass- something to look forward to! :). Don’t pay attention to the made-up gals…half of them are there looking for a date I’ve noticed!

    Lady F, Maybe a good digestive enzyme that you’d find at a health food store could help you with eating the carbs? I love the dark chocolate too-it’s limiting it that’s key-which is hard! Last night I measured out 6 dark chocolate covered almonds (wanted more but stuck with 6). I too feel the dark chocolate has a lot of nutritional benefits and the protein from the almonds helps too! While in Hawaii I had found some pre-portioned 150 cal. little bags of dark chocolate almonds from a company called Orchard Valley but have yet to locate them in CA.

    Milena, I will start the olive oil after our Labor Day holiday, the first week of September. I want to see what my body does this month on the regular program and then compare it to using the olive oil. I’ll be interested to see how your week goes with it! Are you incorporating the psyllium capsules too? I’m thinking if we are going to do it, we might as well do the whole program?I’m not a big wine drinker, but I know there’s a lot of sugar type calories in it so minimizing it I’m sure will help! Btw, I know how to pronounce your name because I’m half Italian and have an Italian friend named Milena (love the name!). Are you any part Italian? Also, re: weighing in, totally naked after BM in the morning before having food/drink…those are my rules!

    MN Miss, that’s Ok re: the scale…when you are able/remember and are ready, you will step on. No shame! Someone on here, can’t remember who, refuses to weigh and just goes by how their clothes feel. Wish I could get to that point and not let the scale rule my life!

    Have a GREAT day everyone!

    Sherry

    Hi again,

    For those interested in using the olive oil and wondering how to incorporate the 6 Tbsp. per day, check out the recipe online in Bon Appetit for Grilled Oregano Chicken. Lots of olives AND olive oil in it for around 400 calories per serving!

    Sherry

    Hi everyone
    Ginette I am definitely going to try those sausages.
    Let’s hope Tesco haven’t sold out of them before I get there. I just got some more bare naked noodles off Amazon. I find them good. They do smell a bit funny when you open them but I rinse them well with cold water and all the smell goes and they are a great fill up for not a lot of calories. Had them with a piece of salmon and some stir fry vegetables and it was a large dish. Very satisfying.
    I like all these tricks. I did get a spirallizer for my birthday but could only get it to work on courgettes (zuchini). A mandolin would prob be better. I am also a fan or cauliflower either grated or just cut very thinly, microwaved for two minutes instead or rice or pasta.
    By the way I have lived about ten miles outside of Bristol for a long time. It’s a great City and lots of things to do and see.

    I don’t weigh myself. I have found that liberating. It upsets other people though as they want to discover what I weighed at my heaviest. Lol
    Keep trying everyone.

    Way to go, Topsy! Not weighing, wish I was that brave – though I can’t remember weighing myself when I was thin!

    Sherryann, I started using Melissa Dream when I began 5:2, I tend to go to bed late, but was finding I was too full of energy to sleep – it helps and I only use it occasionally.

    Sherry, will try the chicken at the weekend – sounds good! I’m half Yugoslav – well it was still Yugoslavia when my father came to England at the end of World War 2. Only met another Milena about two years ago, a girl from Poland, but I know it is very common all over the continent.

    Managed to stay around 400 cals so far, a cuppa tonight and then I’m done, doing 4:3 at the moment, still need to take myself in hand a bit more, but life is getting a bit easier – hammering away at my Christmas Ebay stuff (ye gods!), went to see my house sit kitties on Tuesday, weather crap next week but the west of Scotland looks gorgeous at this time of the year, staying at Lochgilphead. Son has got the date for his op – France is looking to be abandoned, will wait and see, still waiting for the house sit confirmation for the 13 burmese! I think OH is worried I might put one or two in my pocket, there may be babies!!!

    Anyway, feeling I might get some weight off now, July was such a yoyo month!

    Just found this!

    ONLY ONE POUND

    Hello, do you know me?
    If you don’t, you should. I’m a pound of fat,
    And I’m the HAPPIEST pound of fat that you would ever want to meet.
    Want to know why?
    It’s because no one ever wants to lose me;
    I’m ONLY ONE POUND, just a pound!
    Everyone wants to lose three pounds, five pounds, or fifteen pounds, but never only one.
    So I just stick around and happily keep you fat.
    Then I add to myself, ever so slyly, so that you never seem to notice it.
    That is, until I’ve grown to ten, twenty, thirty or even more pounds in weight.
    Yes, it’s fun being ONLY ONE POUND OF FAT, left to do as I please.
    So, when you weigh in, keep right on saying, “Oh, I only lost one pound.”
    For you see, if you do this, you’ll encourage others to keep me around because they’ll think I’m not worth losing.
    And, I love being around you – your arms, your legs, your chin, your hips and every part of you.
    Happy Days!!!
    After all, I’m ONLY ONE POUND OF FAT!!!
    – Author Unknown

    Yikes Milena.. that pound of fat sounds really creepy!!! Does anyone else think so?

    A full FD under my belt.. Had only 3 cups of milk and an apple all day. Sounds disgusting.. was disgusting, but I had back to back appointments and I didn’t get to eat anything except the apple when I got home. So, I will finish writing these couple of lines and go to bed before my stomach starts rumbling again.

    Sherry.. I have been having trouble sleeping in the past 7 or so months. It is terrible. I put it down to menopause, but I am uncertain. I have NEVER had trouble sleeping before. Nowadays, sometimes when I can’t sleep at all in the middle of the night, I have a small snack. Only a bit of carbs seem to help, but inevitably, the next morning, the scales tell the tale..

    I find that aniseed tea (just boil some aniseed seeds and leave to steep for 5 minutes and have with a bit of honey while warm) helps a lot. Sometimes, warm milk. I have also used Paul McKenna’s iPhone app “I can make you sleep” and he has really helped me fall back to sleep – most of the time. Someone here, I think Ginette, suggested it, and I have found it very helpful.

    So, tomorrow is not an FD. I am half playing with the idea of fasting tomorrow too.. but this week has been really dreary in terms of starting FDs and then sort of just having a less-than-1000-cals-day. Sort of neither here nor there.

    Ah well.. I will make up my mind tomorrow.. but right now, the idea of an nice breakfast looms large.

    Salma

    Do you think so, Salma? – one to remember when we think of ‘only’ a pound loss. We need to celebrate every ounce and every gram, and ‘only one pound’ will become ‘yay, another little bugger defeated’

    Yes, you are right.. but it was creepy how it revels in creeping up on us and becoming 20 lbs like an insidious infiltrator. Scary!

    Hello Ladies,

    I’m pretty happy today. Lost a pound when I got on the scale this morning after a fast day yesterday. So that means I’m down 1.6 pounds since I actually started weighing (there was a week or so there where I started the fasting but didn’t weigh yet for fear of what I’d see). I will be super happy when I break under the 130’s which I’m hoping will happen this month. MM, are you with me? I do have a “stay-cation” planned with my 14 year old daughter in downtown San Diego in a week so hoping I can keep it together and not put on what I take off!

    Salma & Milena, thanks for the suggestions for sleep! So, Salma, it seems that your sleep problems did start around the time you started this WOL, correct? I wonder if there is something to it affecting the sleep of some?

    Milena, let me know how the chicken recipe turns out…sounds yummy! Yes, we shouldn’t disregard a “just a pound lost”…hey, I’m celebrating mine! 🙂 It all adds up in the end. But, yes Salma, it is a tad creepy!

    Topsy, I made “cauli rice” in the food processor and made a Chinese chicken fried veggie rice dish with it- the kids were none the wiser! I saw recipes where you actually grind up the cauliflower and add egg, etc. to bind it and make a great pizza crust out of it if one is trying to eat lower carb. Haven’t tried it, but it’s supposed to be good. I too love all those tricks. I mainly bake goodies such as carrot cake and cookies using almond flour and natural low calorie sweetners such as birch Xylitol or stevia. Again, lower carb & sugar free/healthier and the kids and most people I’ve fed them to have no idea!

    Happy end of the week everyone!

    Sherry

    Haven’t seen a post since 9:01 last night on my computer…wondering where all the other ladies that usually post by now are? MM and Lori, you are in my neck of the woods, are you out there?

    I’m here, I’m here!

    Congrats on your loss Sherry! Every pound sure does count!

    I’m up a 1/2 lb this week and to tell you the truth, I’m feeling kind of depressed about the whole weight loss thing this week. I’ll get over it, but it’s been a long week. I’ll be on the golf course all weekend, but we play early, so not as much time for beer consumption. Maybe that will help next week’s weigh in? 😉 We’ll see.

    I got my normal 3 boot camp sessions in this week, so at least there’s that. I dread to think where I’d be if I didn’t get as much exercise as I do.

    Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

    Sherry, I’m still with you, trying to see that elusive “2” before the month is out. But it’s been a bad few weeks with lots of social engagements. And, yes, I noticed the sleep and hair issues too. Thought it was menopause and/or stress. I imagine it might be “all of the above.”

    Yesterday I cycled 7 miles. Hope that helped offset dinner at our local Italian restaurant. Which was disappointing. Do the rest of you ever find yourself looking at your plate at a restaurant and thinking “I could make this better–and for a lot less!” Hate to waste both money and calories like that.

    Still in avoidance mode re. the scale. Planning a fast day tomorrow, so I promise I’ll weigh in on Monday.

    Have a great weekend, all.

    MM

    Hi everyone! Lori and MM glad to see you are still here! I did “meh” yesterday on my NFD. It was a bit hectic/stressful because I had a friend and her kids coming over for a swim date and then had a nurse reschedule an appointment to teach us how to use my diabetic daughter’s new insulin pump at the same time. So a bit stressful trying to entertain/learn at the same time and I didn’t eat much earlier in the day as a result and was starved & overate at dinner. Oh well, we all have those weird days that don’t go as planned.

    Planned on fasting today and doing a 4:3, but my mom and her husband have been bugging me to take us out for my belated b-day dinner, so we’re doing that tonight. Will try to eat very little the first part of today and do a fast tomorrow.

    Yes, MM, I’ve said it before, why do we eat extra calories at a restaurant if it doesn’t taste all that good, just because we are at a restaurant and feel we should eat it/get our money’s worth!? I always tend to overdo it when I go out to eat so my goal is to eat mindfully tonight and only eat what truly is worth eating!

    Lori, I know that 1/2 lb. is discouraging, but as active as you are, I’m sure you’ll get it off in no time. We have to remember slow and steady wins the race!

    Hope all you ladies on the other side of the pond and Nicola in Australia are doing well today! Have a wonderful Sunday and week ahead! 🙂

    Sherry

    P.S. Jayney, are you back yet/finished with your busy week? Hope all went well! Hoping to see you online again soon!

    Sherry

    Hi girls..
    I am having a really bad few days. I start the day well and then it just goes South from there.
    I had a huge chocolate ice cream and a full lunch and snacks (conference)…. urrrrgggghhhhh
    I am really annoyed with myself.
    NOT planning an FD tomorrow as none of my planned FDs (except the “official” Monday and Thursday) have gone well. So, better to turn the page on Monday methinks.

    I will try to be somewhat mindful tomorrow, but I ain’t promisin’

    Salma

    so your practicing maintenance this week Salma???

    Its all about changing perspective.

    Bet a heavy eating day nowadays is nowhere near a heavy day last year!

    Remember Pareto’s law – 20% of what you do produces 80% of the results – so promise yourself that 20% of your eating nest week will be really really good, concentrate on that 20% and you can move mountains – or pounds of fat in our case!

    Sounds weird but 20% of all you do will produce 80% of what you want to achieve! Makes sense to put a lot of effort into the 20%

    Hi everyone,

    It seems a lot of us are fed up. Annabelle and Salma keep sticking at it. I think Milena is right if we just do it 20% of the time that is so much better than we were doing before. Tomorrow is another day and we can fast for one day as the next means we can have some nice things to eat.
    I agree with you MM it is disappointing when food eaten out does not come up to expectations. I had a chicken chowmein with friends last night and it was rubbish. I felt it was such a waste of calories. I would rather have had something I really enjoyed and sinful rather than half measures.
    Tried the Heck sausages today. Thought they were good and a brilliant idea for fast days.
    My hair is falling out too. I am taking vitamins hoping that will help.
    My son is visiting tomorrow so will be trying to cook something nice for him. Come Monday though I will fast. 20% definitely better than nought.
    Goodnight all.
    TopsyT

    Hi Topsy

    as long as the 20% you are concentrating on is absolutely the best you can do!!! 100% effort still!

Viewing 50 posts - 1,901 through 1,950 (of 5,077 total)

You must be logged in to reply.