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

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Lori_PA

11:25 am
9 Jul 16
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Cinque….you are the poster child for 5:2 and fasting days. I always admire how well you work the 5:2 plan. I’ve been trying to learn from you these past few months, but I’m not a very good student! I hope your nasty cough is a short lived thing. Sometimes the cough seems to hang on forever after a cold. Take care.

Salma..your time away to de-stress sounds divine! I have done that as well, just booked myself into a nice place for a few days and got away from it all. Enjoy!

Well, I’m off for the golf course in about an hour. It is a tournament and I’m playing against one of my best friends today. I want to win, but don’t want to hurt her feelings! Guess I’m not good at competitive sport? 😉

Hugs to you all!

Cinque

12:00 am
10 Jul 16
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Hi Everyone,
Lori, thankyou for such a lovely compliment. (Me! A poster girl!)
My cough was hardly there at all last night, so fingers crossed, I have got off lightly.

I am imagining you and Salma on your mini breaks being wonderfully kind to yourselves (and playing great golf Lori!)

It is another cold, grey day here, but I think I will venture out for the first time in a few days! Fast day!

cactusrose

6:32 pm
10 Jul 16
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Hello all and happy to join you here! I am 55 and ready for better health for the rest of my life!

Today is my official restart date. I had surgery about three weeks ago, I’m going back to work on Tuesday so I thought it was time to start on the fasting again. I had done JUDDD in the past and it worked but 3 days a week left me with some serious diet fatigue (which was the culmination of 30+ years of trying different diets). I have done a reset and tried to change my relationship with food, no dieting for about about six months. I have definitely seen a good change in how relaxed I am around food. I wish I had learned this when I was 20!

I think the 500 cals now only two days a week will be do-able. I can wrap my head around that concept mentally. I am looking forward to feeling more comfortable in my skin again. I really miss that!

I’m going to do my fasting days in general on days I work. If I keep busy I forget about eating and the day passes more quickly. Today I am home but hubby at work, so no worries about fixing meals. Going to start walking again when I can get back to my usual twelve hour shifts at work and feel normal level of energy again. Have to wait another 3 weeks to get back to running and weight training.

I am going to weigh in once a week and also track measurements which really helps me stay motivated, the scale is not always so kind. I measure chest, waist, hips, thigh, calf, upper arm and neck.

I look forward to tracking success with all of you!

Lori_PA

6:43 pm
10 Jul 16
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Welcome Cactusrose and Hello everyone!

Home from the golf course where I was a winner both days! I played quite well..for me. We were in flights and I won my flight, which was comprised of people of the same skill level as me. Thank goodness I didn’t have to play against the best women at the course!

Now I’m doing laundry and trying to plan my menus for the coming week. I could eat very simply, but have to plan for the husband too. 😉 I have joined a low carb challenge for the next 20 days(starting Tuesday) to try to get myself in line. After that they are having a 90 day challenge. I’m hoping to get to goal by the end of the 90 day challenge. I will still do my Intermittent Fasting several days a week and possibly a few 500 calorie days too. I’m a work in progress!

Ok…time to tend my laundry. Have a good start to your week!

GreyMumma

7:32 pm
10 Jul 16
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Hi Ladies,

GreyMumma calling from the UK here 🙂 I’m 54 and have been on the 5:2 before and found that it really worked for me, I lost over 30lb. I maintained the weight for a year or so and then I let my greed tell my brain that I had it all under control….:(
So! As a result I am now back on the trail and I need to lose 17lb again.
I work full time, I travel for my job and I am often away for 3-4 nights a week which makes life a bit difficult for eating – either fast days or “normal” days.
I have been reading your posts and I have to say what a wonderful supportive group you have in this thread and I do hope you will let me join in for a few posts.
I’ve just done my first week of 5:2 again and I have to say I found the fast days brutal this time. I have SO got out of the habit! I used to find the 2 days easy and could also control what I ate on the 5 days. I am hoping that this next week will be a bit easier.
I’m travelling this week so I’m hoping that I will be able to work the fast days in without too much pain.
Hope you are all having a good day today 🙂
Thanks for reading

cactusrose

11:16 pm
10 Jul 16
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GreyMumma, welcome back!

I love how you said you let your greed tell your brain that yo had it all under control. That’s pretty much what happened to me, so I can totally relate. I would really like to incorporate this WOE (way of eating) into my life for good. To do that, I’m going to take a week off every 2-3 months to avoid diet fatigue that I have been fighting all of my life. I really just want to be relaxed around food and peaceful all the time.

Hope all goes well with travels and fasting this week.

Cinque

11:58 pm
10 Jul 16
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Hello everyone!
It is a beautiful clear, cold morning here.

Welcome CactusRose and GreyMumma!

CactusRose, I am glad you got through the surgery okay, and what a good time to get into 5:2!
I had to look up what JUDDD is, and while it sounds good, I bet 5:2 will be a lot more sustainable… which is the best thing about it, for me. I know I could do it for the rest of my life, although I am getting close to the weight/shape I want to be, so I will have to work out what to do then.

GreyMumma, congratulations on the big hunk of weight you lost last time, and hooray for realising it is time to start 5:2ing again. I hope it feels lovely to get back into your old rhythm.

I am pretty sure (100%) that I would slip back into old habits too. I love keeping an eye on the Maintenance Thread here, to see the different issues and strategies the people there have. I plan to join that thread when my time comes!
I hope the fast days start to feel easier soon. I find they go in waves. I am just over a wave of difficult fast days and waking up ravenous the next morning. The last few have been easy and today I have been awake for a couple of hours and not quite ready for breakfast yet!

Lori, congratulations on your golf days! Champion! I hope the laundry is sorted and yummy meals are planned!
Good luck with your challenges! We’ll cheer you on!

I need to make the most of today, very cold wind, rain and hail tomorrow and Wednesday! Brrr. Watch out, I will come here and complain!

cactusrose

12:45 am
11 Jul 16
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Cinque, thanks for the welcome. Yes indeed the every other day fasting got old really quick. I had to up my cals to 800 to survive. I did lose weight but didn’t want to deal with every other day forever. Thankfully this sounds as if it will be much more manageable long term, I want to be feeling good and on the slimmer side and energetic forever!

And so happy for you almost there to maintenance. Woohoo! I had been there at one point, and then the celebrating and diet fatigue had set in so I wasn’t there for long. I am hoping to be more content to reach my goal while enjoying life so I want to stick with this for always.

And crazy, it’s 110 degrees in my backyard today. Sunny/windy= blast furnace. But I understand about the cold and rainy, that gets very old. Never did like that growing up and even less as an adult. So come here and complain all you want, we understand.

GreyMumma

8:14 am
11 Jul 16
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Hi All

Thank you so much for the warm welcome and your encouragement and understanding. Just a quick post this morning as I am off on my travels, I hope more later.

Have a good one!

Cinque

11:48 pm
11 Jul 16
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Best wishes on your travels GreyMumma,
Oh I am complaining about the cold here, but I wouldn’t swap it for 110 CactusRose! I wilt in the heat!
I am putting on lots of layers today! And off to a meeting about my community food project, and then minding my grandtot while my daughter has a driving lesson, and then I think we need to go shopping.
That is a VERY busy day for me! Especially as there are little things to do in between!
But I have got some good food in the fridge, and shopping will top me up with fresh veggies.
I have a couple of nice non fast days, before Thursday Fast Day!
Best wishes all of you!

Lori_PA

3:56 pm
12 Jul 16
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Good Morning all!

Not much going on here. My 20 day low carb challenge started today, so I had to face the scale. It would appear that my 3 lbs cruise gain is finally gone! It only took nearly 2 months! Sigh…..Truth be told, I didn’t work very hard at trying to lose it until now.

I need to do a food shop too, but have been putting it off. I will have to stop today and get milk for the husband. I may go tonight for the rest, but nothing pressing. When I get home from work in the late afternoon, I really don’t like to go back out. I get dinner ready and the kitchen cleaned up and then it’s time to wind down for my early bed time.

Boot camp yesterday was brutal! There was a girl there for her first time and I felt bad for her. I took her under my wing and worked out beside her. I tried to reassure her that the workout we did was one of the hardest we ever do. She is considerably overweight, so she struggled. She thanked me numerous times for helping her get acclimated as she was very nervous. I’ll probably see her again tomorrow. Today my friend and I went out and did our little 2 mile run/walk. We’re slowly increasing the time we run and decreasing our walk time.

Ok…hope you all have a lovely day…….or night!

Cinque

11:00 pm
12 Jul 16
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Good morning Lori! How nice that you lost that cruise weight finally! And without trying particularly hard!
I do hope boot camp is easier next time, for you and the new one!

I love to run walk! It takes me back to before I was ill, I was living in the hills and the old Puffing Billy steam train track had been taken up decades before (they have restored it now). So at that time it was a grassy, smooth track through the rain forest, and I walked and ran along it each morning, gradually running more and getting so fit that even on a cold rainy morning I couldn’t wait to get out there.

I slept badly last night, waking and worrying about my projects. Oh dear. So glad today isn’t a fast day, it is particularly cold (snow on the outskirts of Melbourne, and that doesn’t happen often!) so I am glad to have breakfast! But it is fast day tomorrow! That will be nice too!

Sherryann

10:37 am
13 Jul 16
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Hi all! Just boarded the plane from Rome to Minneapolis and then home to San Diego. We’ll be racing ahead of the sun traveling backwards I don’t think I will really get a good nights sleep ! Hopefully I’ll get back on Pacific time soon- The melatonin seems to help after a few days.

Can’t reneged where I left off? I think in Venice complaining about my daughter? Finished up with Lake Maggiore & Como & then Florence & Siena. The eating hasn’t been so great in Italy & I’m actually looking forward to eating lightly, especially my salads which didn’t seem as easy to find in Italy.

Talk more in a few days after I’ve recovered some from all this traveling ! Ciao! 😘

Lori_PA

4:48 pm
13 Jul 16
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Welcome back Sherry!! I hope you can get back on the right time schedule without too much difficulty. Jet lag is no joke! What a trip you have had! Lots of great memories, I’m sure.

Boot camp didn’t seem quite as hard this morning. My new “friend” didn’t show up. I’m sure she’s VERY sore. I hope she isn’t totally discouraged.

A cloudy day, but supposed to be quite hot. We may have to break down and put our window unit air conditioner in our bedroom tonight. We’ve been able to get away with just a fan in another room put on reverse to pull air in thru our bedroom window so far. The humidity is rising though, so that may force our hand.

Quite a boring week at work. The boss usually works with me for a couple hours in the morning and then the afternoon drags along. He is off tomorrow, so I have a reprieve! I just had a talk with him about his plans for the new girl. I told him that I assume that he is not going to be in my office when I’m training and he assured me that he will try to stay away for the most part. YAY! Him hovering would not be comfortable for me, or her. I thought I should broach the subject ahead of time so I know what to expect.

Ok…soon time for a bit of lunch. Hope you all have a lovely day and/or night!

Cinque

11:23 pm
13 Jul 16
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Sherry, we will be glad to have you back home! I hope it is a lovely trip. It sounds like you have managed not to murder your teenage daughter, so that is a good thing too!

Ha Lori, good work with your boss. So back to boring… it should be more fun when you are training your replacement, I hope the two of you have a fun time.
Can’t say I am surprised that new boot camp girl didn’t come back!

After a very tired day and a better night I have got my head around my worries (an Expression of Interest for a little kiosk at the local Community Health Centre) and so now have to follow through on a bit of research and decide whether or not it suits our community food project. At the same time as catching up on preparations for our Pop-Up Soup Bar on Monday. Oh yes and fitting in a haircut and minding my grandtot overnight so her parents can scrub the house for their inspection tomorrow.

Fast Day today! Just about to have my second cuppa!

Tilly1963

1:30 pm
14 Jul 16
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Hello all Tilly here, this is my first time doing the 5:2 program. Did the Dukan diet a few years back, lost 10kg and have slowly put it all back on and a bit extra. 😏
I’m a 52 year old wife and mum of 3 adult children living in Melbourne, Australia.
Exercise has its challenges as I have MS diagnosed 23 years ago. It’s in remission at this time so I am able to do a bit of weight bearing exercise but not a lot of walking because of a weak left side.
Started this program Monday last week, have lost about 1 1/2 lbs so far. Hoping this will help me get back to where I should be.
Really enjoyed reading some of your encouraging posts to each other.
Trying to make good choices on my TDEE days, althoughnot finding the fasting days too bad so far, but we shall see. Sometimes I the I only have to look at food and my weight goes up haha
Looking forward to journeying with you all.

cactusrose

2:38 pm
14 Jul 16
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Welcome Tilly! Well done on the weight loss and good food choices, I do struggle with that sometimes I admit.

Well I made it through the first two days. Yesterday was really hard, and I was crazy hungry! I went over 500, took in 600 and will have to reconsider how to do this. I waited as late as I could like the first day and that seemed to work. I tried to keep really busy. I think maybe some days really are hungrier than others. No matter what, 600 is still close to 25% of my normal calories so I am just not going to beat myself up about it. Weighed in this morning and have lost 4 pounds, down 1/2 inch around both my neck and calves. Onward!

Off to a day long class, will check in later. Hope you are all having a lovely day.

Sherryann

10:15 pm
14 Jul 16
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Hello ladies,

I actually managed to get a pretty good night’s sleep last night, though I am debating whether or not to take a nap (1:45pm) because it sounds good about now! I’ve just had time to read through the last week or so of posts since I didn’t have much time to do it on my trip. Thanks so much for the kind understanding and words of encouragement re: my self-centered, pain in the a_ _ daughter! Yes, I hope and suppose you are all right (Cinque), that it will get better and this is just how it typically is at this point in their lives. But, my what a crazy time it is to go through! 🙁 She did actually put her head on my shoulder briefly and say “thanks” this morning, so there is that!

I wanted to tell any of you that haven’t been there that the Northern Italian Lakes region near the Alps is absolutely beautiful. We stayed on Lake Maggiore and also visited Lake Como (they wouldn’t let us within a mile or so of the actor, George Clooney’s place, because he was in town, so he’s taken well care of there!). They only pointed to it far off in the distance! I, and most of the people on our tour, actually prefer Lake Maggiore to Como! Much more peaceful and less commercial. We also got to visit Isola Bella (Beautiful Island) on Lake Maggiore that is owned by a well-to-do Italian family. It has gorgeous flower filled terraced gardens and a palace-like home.

Florence was beautiful as it always is but now instead of Italians running the shops, etc., it’s mostly people from Asia, Africa, and India! And they all speak Italian! Nothing against people from other countries, but when I’m in Italy, I want to interact with Italian shop owners! Just strange to me! Our last night in Florence we had dinner at Macchiaveli’s (did I spell that correctly?) home in the Tuscan hills that he was exiled to…not a bad place to be stuck at! We had a tour of the home and listened to music while the chef, who looked like a the chubby version of the actor, Alec Baldwin, made us a wonderful dinner that we ate out on the terrace overlooking the vineyards. So beautiful!

Welcome to Tilly, Cactusrose and Greymumma! Cactusrose, your name sounds familiar- were you on here in the past? Where do you live that it’s so hot? Arizona or Nevada?

Salma, bravo on your little trip away before your big trip! Great idea and it sounds like it’s well-needed! I can’t wait to see how your Greek trip is too as that sounds like a lovely, if not crazy, time! I’m praying you hit your magic number by your birthday!

Cinque, yes, I did manage to curb my murderous thoughts and not “do my daughter in” like I sometimes wanted to! 😉 Best of luck on the next Soup Bar coming up. What a nice grandma you are too, always pitching in to help out and watch your granddaughter. My mom, who has 17 grandkids (4 are step grandkids), doesn’t have that inclination much! Btw, there were so many lovely people on our “English speaking tour” that were from Australia (Melbourne, Sidney and Tasmania) and New Zealand. One couple, in particular, had a 15 year old daughter with them like I did so the girls bonded. My daughter was happy to have her and a 14 year old girl from New Jersey because she was convinced the tour would be comprised of nothing but “old people”!

Lori, happy that the 3 lbs from the cruise have finally gone bye-bye! Best of luck on the new 30 day low carb challenge!

I for one, am not getting on that blasted scale for at least a week. Italy, as I said, was very carb-heavy for me. And, of course, my almost daily gelato didn’t make matters any better either! So, I’ll do my little cleanse sometime in the next week and then get back to the business of normal, healthy eating. We leave for yet another trip, this time camping in the mountains at Yosemite, in 12 days, so I have to get moving on dropping a few before we go and I add more on top of the weight I’ve gained on this last trip!

Ok, I think my bed is calling me for a short nap!

aussie aunty

12:13 am
15 Jul 16
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Hi All
Im a 51yr old mum in australia who desperately needs to shift some weight for my sons wedding in November. I weight 97 kg…the heaviest ive been since my son was born…..thank you menopause. I work 2 jobs one full time dedk job and the other as a carer overnight for 7 children so i am truely time poor. Has this diet worked for others around my age. Any tips? Whats a realistic weight loss expectation?
Cheers gor any help or info.

bigbooty

12:29 am
15 Jul 16
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Not eating really doesn’t occupy a lot of time so being time poor shouldn’t be a problem. About 1/2 to one kg per week is about the average weight loss. Avoid sugar and simple carbs like bread, pasta, rice, pizza, potatoes. Avoid fruit juice. Avoid “health” cereals like the plague. Try and get most of your carbs from veggies. Avoid any processed foods that say “low fat” they will be through the roof with sugar content.

simcoeluv

12:35 am
15 Jul 16
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Hi aussie and welcome:

Here are some tips: https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/the-basics-for-newbies-your-questions-answered/

Good Luck!

cactusrose

2:51 am
15 Jul 16
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sherryann, hi there and welcome back, I’m jealous of your upcoming Yosemite trip, I just love being out in nature. No I have never been on this site, but used to hang out on the JUDDD forums and low carb forums as cactusrose. With JUDDD, I just couldn’t consistently do 500 cals every other day, ( I would do 800) so here I am and I think I can manage this mentally much better. Less counting calories and more living without obsessing about food. Moving toward being totally at peace with food. And I have lived in Arizona since 1999 and just love it here.

Lori_PA

9:46 am
15 Jul 16
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Good Morning!

Sherry!! Another trip coming up!? You’ll have a great time in Yosemite. We were there back in 2002….a long time ago. We stayed at the Lodge for a few nights. Hope you have great weather!

I’m being lazy and am taking today off boot camp. The husband and I are watching the Open Championship golf tournament. It is being played in Scotland so is on TV very early here. He wanted me to stay home and watch with him, and I was glad for an excuse to take a day off from exercise. Have to be nice to him since today is our 27th wedding anniversary! 😉

The weekend features a trip to our daughter’s for our Grandson’s 13th birthday party and then he is participating in a home run derby followed by a baseball game. Sunday I’ll be back on the golf course. Busy, busy!

Have a great weekend all you lovely people!

carolinacatz

1:00 pm
15 Jul 16
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Hi! Wow–I’ve missed a lot since I was last on here. Welcome to the new peeps. I’ll try to get back on and catch up.

I”m still halfway doing 5:2 as I go nuts to get ready for our trip and remodel. We are almost done adding foods back for my daughter. She had a pretty clear reaction to wheat, which is a bummer, and an uncertain reaction to dairy and corn! I suppose we will revisit all of this after the trip–no way we can visit Europe and not eat wheat or dairy!

Sherryann

12:07 am
16 Jul 16
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Happy Friday girls!

Welcome Aussieauntie!

Slept sorta Ok last night (still getting used to the time change of 9 hours difference from Europe!) and got a walk in today. Finished 99% of my trip laundry so feeling wonderful about that! Was doing good on the eating front until a bag of potato chips called my name…tried the game of just eating the folded shaped ones (like a taco) and then started in on the puffier ones, and on…you know how this ends…not good! 🙁 I guess it’s a salad for dinner!

Cactus, I think you’ll be happier with this way of eating. Seems a lot less stressful and do-able than what you were doing prior. I love AZ, especially Sedona and Flagstaff! We’ve done a lot of camping in your state. And, yes, I’m looking forward to being out in nature and taking it a bit more easy. The Europe trip was fun, but a lot of go go go!

Yes, Lori, another trip! It’s crazy but the rest of the family sat home while my oldest and I wandered around Europe for 3 weeks so they need a vacation too!
Plus, like I just said, it should be a bit more relaxing. Happy 13th to your grandson! The teen years…is your daughter putting on her crash helmet? I’ve heard that the boys are easier than girls though, so here’s hoping!

Carolina, sending good thoughts your way that you’ll get done what you need to in the timeline that you need to! Good thing you’ve found out about your daughter’s food sensitivities! It will be interesting to see how she reacts to the same foods in Europe! I tend to be somewhat sensitive to wheat and dairy here but in Europe, I had no bloating/gas from either. I wonder if it’s just that they’re non GMO there and everything seems to be produced in a more healthy, local manner. Best of luck to her!

Have a great weekend all! 🙂

Cinque

4:17 am
16 Jul 16
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Hello, Only a couple of days since I posted and what a lovely lot of conversation here!

Tilly, welcome here! I am another Melbournian. Isn’t it gorgeous this morning!
I am also doing 5:2 with the added problem of chronic illness stopping me from exercising. I have ME/CFS. I can tell you that 5:2 still works! And whatever we have to deal with, it is easier without an extra 10kg or more to carry around.
Fingers crossed your remission is a super long one! And so glad to have you here journeying with us.

CactusRose, don’t feel too bad about that 600 calories. When I began 5:2 I was very cautious because of my chronic illness (so much pay back for any small mistake!) and worked out my 500 calories of food, and then just couldn’t get through the day without all my cuppas (tea and coffee, with milk!). That added a cup of milk to my intake and meant I was closer to 700 calories. But 5:2 was still working!
I finally worked out I needed to keep my cuppas and skip a fast day meal, and now I generally have less than 400 calories on a Fast Day. So don’t beat yourself up, call it a learning curve!

Hello AussieAuntie, woot! The Australians are taking over! 😉 😉 😉
It sounds like you are not only terribly time poor, but have a pretty stressful life (menopause on top of everything else is just not fair!).
I do hope you can find the time to keep posting here, and we can cheer you along.
On top of the other answers, my tip is to concentrate on making 5:2 sustainable. It doesn’t matter if you lose weight quickly or slowly or in some up and down way…. so long as you are going in the right direction! Set yourself up for success, and everything will be easier with those extra kilograms fading away.

I’ll be back for part two!

Tilly1963

4:56 am
16 Jul 16
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Hello all from Melbourne. Yay more Aussies, although next month I’ll be in the UK visiting family.
Yes Cinque it’s been a beautiful morning. Went for a walk as per usual with my walking girls. Managed 5 laps of the athletics track before a breakfast of muesli and a small coffee for breakfast. Fast day today.
Looking at some of the other forums it would seem that the TDEE is a guideline rather than a rule. You just need to stay below it. I am not a big person and have never been a big eater. Menopause is my problem I think. I would really struggle to fit 1900 calories a day in. Unless I was eating really bad food.
I exercise at the gym 3 times a week and walk with the girls Saturday’s. Plus general running a home and such, but my weight just seems to creep up.
I am fastidiously keeping a food diary whilst doing this plan so it will be interesting to see if there is any improvement in my overall size. Here’s hoping.
Love Tilly x

Cinque

10:05 am
16 Jul 16
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Hello for Part 2 (after some gardening, cooking, henna on my hair, and a rest),
Tilly, you’ll be glad to get to the end of a UK summer!
Congrats on that 5 laps!
Yes the TDEE got important when people found they weren’t losing any weight with 5:2 and it turned out they were eating way over their TDEE on Non Fast Days, so that is why it is encouraged to work it out, and don’t go over it.

Sherry, so nice to have you home and here regularly again! I hope your internal clock is soon realigned with the external ones!
It was lovely to read your descriptions of the Lake and Florence. And, Oh well, with global travel it is people of all nations in all nations! I guess we have to suck it up. Wouldn’t it be nice if they made time travel possible!

I am very glad to help my daughter with my granddaughter, but she would like to have 6! Not sure how I will manage to help much then! (She might change her mind after another couple of them 😉 ) I know what you mrean about your mum. my daughter was the 14th grandchild and my mum had worn herself out with 7 children of her own (and her own mum had died very early) so she wasn’t very keen to spend time and energy on the next generation.

However, I had a bad night with the little one. My own worries, it wasn’t her fault. But Oh dear I was so exhausted yesterday! Then our chef rang up to say her toddler was sick and also had conjunctivitis , while her husband is in Perth, so we took the drastic step of cancelling this Mondays Soup Bar. A good decision as it would have been super stressful.
And it meant I could concentrate on the Expression of Interest we can put in for space in the Community Health Centre. I am going to advertise for a volunteer Business/Program Partner. I need some wonderful person with heaps of experience, enthusiasm and generosity, who has retired, or has kids in school (and a rich husband 😉 ) or something, and is keen to do something good for the world. Cross your fingers please!

Anyway, last night I went to bed at 8pm and didn’t get up til 8 in the morning. I feel like a human again!

Lori, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!! Lovely to hear of your lazy day, and I hope your grandson has the best birthday and a wonderful baseball game. Wow, remember being 13! So scary and wonderful.
And busy on the golf course must be the best kind of busy!

So glad you could pop in Carolina, I know it is quite a stressful time. It may be tricky for Europe, but after that it should be a relief to get your daughter wheat free. There are so many other options, she will be alright, (my latest is chickpea flour pancakes for breakfast, they are fabulous!). And fingers crossed that she finds, like Sherry, that the flour over there is not so bad.

I’m off to have hearty soup for dinner, and then yoghurt and raspberries for dessert. Fast Day tomorrow!

Lori_PA

11:22 am
16 Jul 16
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Oh goodness…such a lovely busy place this is! I laid in bed until nearly 6 o’clock. Unheard of! We’ll be leaving for our daughter’s in a couple hours. The husband is keen to leave at 8, I’m pushing it to 8:30. I finally told him we will leave when I’m ready! Sheesh!

Scale is the same after a week of really not giving it my all. I’m lucky to not have gained. Official weigh in for the challenge I joined is Tuesday. Perhaps I can manage to lose an small bit until then?

Cinque, your granddaughter is simply beautiful. I love seeing her pictures on FB. I’m with you though….if your daughter has 6, I would bow out of the babysitting! OY!

Sherry…are you packing for your next adventure? I know packing for a camping trip is a task like no other. So many things to remember. I know you have done it many times, so I’m sure you have a system. How is the weather looking at Yosemite?

Welcome to all the newbies here. So glad to see new members in our happy little group.

Have a lovely weekend!

Sherryann

8:15 pm
16 Jul 16
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Good afternoon ladies!

After breakfast took a hot walk with my husband- we waited too late to get out and paid for it with the blazing sun on our backs!

Trying to eat light today as my mom just called and wants to treat me and my husband to a belated birthday dinner, as I was not around and in Paris for my birthday. We’re going to a new micro brewery restaurant in town so the hubby should be happy for the brews! 😉

Tilly, I’m sure you’ll find your way with this plan- it certainly sounds like you’re super active, which can only help things along even more!

Cinque, yes, I’m happy to report that I’m starting to get used to the new time change. What a bummer about the chef having to call off for the soup bar! Oh well, sounds like it will all work out for best as you said. Fingers crossed that you find that perfect partner!

Lori, no, I can’t even think of packing yet! I usually wait till my hubby pulls the motorhome up to the top of the driveway a few days before we leave and then I gradually start to bring laundry baskets of my stuff out a bit at a time. The hardest thing is planning the menu and getting a week’s worth of food in a tiny motorhome frig. I actually pride myself in being super creative in that respect, cramming food into every last nook and cranny! Makes it very hard to find anything for the first few days until we’ve eaten up some of it! ;). The weather forecast for Yosemite is low to mid 80’s F next week, but it’s been in the mid 70’s this week so I’m hoping it goes back down into the 70’s. That would definitely make the hiking more bearable!

I was just thinking that July makes it one year since I started with this group! My how time flies!

Have a great rest of your day everyone!

Cinque

2:28 am
17 Jul 16
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Hello,
It is Fast Day and I am hungry! Not even midday yet.
Luckily it is a nice day and I have lots to do. I’m going to make a big pot of my pumpkin soup, do a tiny bit of shopping, and mind that cute granddaughter of mine (thanks Lori) so her parents can do some uninterrupted shopping.

Sherry that late birthday dinner sounds wonderful!

Best wishes everyone!

Tilly1963

3:26 am
17 Jul 16
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Morning ladies, fast day yesterday hopped on the scales and I’m back to what I was last weekend. I’d lost 1kg in my first week then put it all back on in a day last week for some reason, doing nothing different . But back on track this week so far. Puzzling to say the least.
Sounds like Sherryann had a wonderful trip. Spent 8 weeks in Europe last year my husband is a cyclist and he was racing over there for part of the time but spent a week in a little town called Bardolino on Lake Garda which is in Northern Italian lake region. Ahh heaven on earth 😎😎
Another glorious winters day here in Melbourne, cold but blue sky and sunshine so long as you aren’t standing in the wind.
About to have my own lunch, homemade vegetable soup.
Happy Sunday 😊

GreyMumma

8:36 am
17 Jul 16
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Hi Everyone
Just popping in for a post today, I’ve been keeping up with everyone’s posts via email as the internet on my travels last week was a bit flakey.

Welcome to all the new peeps – so lovely to hear from folk all around the world!

I’ve had a successful week on the 5:2 in that I’ve lost 2lb and some inches from my measurements and, thankfully, I am finding the fast days easier. Keeping busy during the day really helps me on those days. I am one of those people who prefers not to eat throughout the day and have a small meal as late as possible in the day so that I feel full when I go to sleep.

Next week, while I am off on my travels again (North London) I am going to try to add some HIIT to my routine. I found a low impact version on the MyFitnessPal blog that I think I can do.

I see from the posts that some people can and do exercise and some people can’t – I have found that 5:2 does work without exercise – my first stint on it was without any, so I would sincerely encourage anyone to keep going, you will lose weight!
I am a very lazy person who has some obsessive tendencies, once I start exercising I find I get obsessed by it and then go right OTT to the point that I burn out. Then I go all lazy again…

I’m off for a walk in the gorgeous Peak District in Yorkshire (where I live) later today, it always makes me feel better and I come back with a clear head and a smile.

Have a good Sunday everyone.

Lori_PA

9:27 am
17 Jul 16
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Happy Sunday my friends!

We had a lovely day yesterday celebrating our Grandson’s birthday and then watching him play baseball. We got home about 9 last night(past my bedtime!). We let the cat stay in last night and she has me up at 4AM. Just watching the Open championship golf tournament on TV. The weather looks quite rough there today…windy!

I did well with my eating yesterday. No birthday cake for me! I stayed quite low carb and low calorie too. I have my official weigh in for the challenge I joined on Tuesday…hoping to post a small loss at least.

Cinque…enjoy that little darling today.

Enjoy your Sunday everyone!

cactusrose

2:50 pm
18 Jul 16
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Grey Mumma, I am learning too that it is best that I try to eat as late into the day as possible. Once I start it seems to remind my body hey keep my tummy full all the time. I simply cannot go to sleep when I’m hungry so eating late into the day is really helping me.

Cinque I hate those super hungry days, it really takes me an effort to keep busy to get past that. I had a day like that the other day and I went up to 600 cals, I just couldn’t fall asleep hungry! I am staying positive though–I didn’t go OTT and up at 1600 cals. Progress, not perfection.

Lori PA very impressive about the cake. I have done that too and it’s sometimes not as much torture as I think it’s going to be. And I survive. And the feeling passes that I wanted it. And I realize I build things up in my mind so much sometimes that I am not helping myself out with the negative talk. I learn from it and move on and remember that for next time.

A lovely week to everyone!

Cinque

1:08 am
19 Jul 16
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Good morning, we are back to dull and cloudy here, but I am having a yummy breakfast on my lull day (it wasn’t fast day yesterday, it isn’t fast day tomorrow).

I did have a good fast day on Sunday, and yesterday morning I had yummy home made bread for breakfast. Heaven. It was a super busy stressful day but I got through it with only one apology to make ( 😉 ) and today I can go slower, but still need to get an application written.

Tilly don’t pay too much attention to those scales, they go up and down of their own accord! That said, I hope next time you stand on them the kilo is gone again! And more!

Lovely to see your post GreyMumma, Yes that late evening soup on the Fast Day is such a good trick!
I hope you had a wonderful walk (hard to see how you wouldn’t!). Do you travel for work? I hope North London is treating you well!

Lori, so glad you had a wonderful celebration with your grandson, and skipped birthday cake too. I hope the wind didn’t ruin your golf day.
I did have a lovely time with my grandtot. She played for ages with the white pebbles in the courtyard outside, putting them in empty flower pots and tipping them out, while I had a good chat to my new neighbour.

I so agree with the things you have worked out CactusRose. It is such an interesting journey, this 5:2 fasting. ‘Progress not perfection’ is such a good philosophy.

Best wishes everyone on a great day today (or tomorrow if you are just about to go to bed!)

Sherryann

1:29 am
19 Jul 16
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Hi Everyone! Uneventful day here. Went to the chiropractor to get a little adjustment after lugging all that luggage around Europe for 3 wks! He said I wasn’t that bad “considering” but that I definitely needed a little tune-up!

The late birthday dinner was nice, and I was pretty good! Had a roasted cauliflower appetizer with yummy dipping sauces and roasted chicken with cauliflower/potato mash and broccoli. Oh, and there was a glass of wine too!

Started my 4 day cleanse/fast yesterday and I’m already feeling better. It’s amazing how eating poorly can affect you, especially when you’re older and used to eating fairly clean. My main eating fiasco happened on the plane ride home. I was tired and ate chocolate Toblerone and Baci candies (don’t ask how those made it into my carry-on to begin with)…lots of them-yikes! Anyhow, I felt like crap and my face broke out too…that’ll show me! 😉

I’m really enjoying a faux mocha frappacino I’ve been making lately- In case any of you are interested, I blend about a cup of unsweetened chocolate almond milk with a teaspoon of decaf coffee that I’ve mixed with a little of the almond milk and let cool in the frig, and about 1/2 cup crushed ice. Then I add a couple droperfulls of chocolate stevia. Would be really yummy with a little whipped cream on top (or coconut whip if you’re dairy free). Tastes really indulgent for only 45 calories!

So Tilly, did that crazy pound that appeared for no reason disappear yet? Yes, that Italian lakes region is dreamy! 🙂

Greymumma, congrats on the 2 lbs lost! I love to exercise too but am limited to walking and pilates since I injured my lower back running years ago. Best of luck to you with the new exercise program!

Lori, you two and my hubby all watched the golf tournament- yes, I was thinking that the weather in Scotland seemed rather nasty for it being summer!
Here’s hoping your weigh in is a good one tomorrow!

Cactusrose, maybe a bit more protein would help on those super hungry days? I really find that chicken bone broth (not regular broth) which is high in protein helps me out a ton! I add veggies like cabbage or spinach and some chicken breast or a turkey burger I’ve pre-made.

I wonder how Salma’s lovely little vacation is going? Sending positive vibes your way if you’re reading this, Salma! Hoping you’re getting in the relaxation you so need!

Bye for now!

Tilly1963

1:51 am
19 Jul 16
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Good morning all, quiet grey winters day here today. Been to the gym this morning just having a coffee before tackling the washing.
Happy at my weigh in yesterday and I have pulled that 1kg off again, very strange putting it down to fluid retention 😉
Busy trying to organize my packing for my trip to England at the end of next week. I hate packing 😏 I
always pack too much and never have the right thing lol
Well have a great week all ❤️

Lori_PA

9:52 am
19 Jul 16
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Good Morning!

Sherry…your chocolate drink sounds to die for! WOW…I could go for one of those in the afternoon. Hope your cleanse is going well.

As expected, the weigh in did not go well. The scale is actually up a bit. I thought it would be as I’m so sore from yesterday’s boot camp and sore muscles equate to water weight gain. I am a bit disappointed, as I was hoping for a little loss at least. I just can’t seem to get below a certain number on the scale…..maddening! 🙁 Speaking of boot camp, one of the girls there yesterday said to me “You look younger every time I see you!” I laughed. Trust me when I tell you that none of us look very good at 5:45AM!

Supposed to go for a run/walk with a friend at 5:30 this morning. I have to check the weather as we don’t go if it’s raining. My cat came in this morning and was a bit wet, so I may have a morning off.

Not really sure where to turn with this weight loss thing. I have been staying very low carb and fasting for 16 hours a day. It is getting rather frustrating. I really need to start doing 5:2 as written and see how I go….while remaining low carb. I know you are all tired of my whining!

Ok…off I go! Have a wonderful day my friends!

Cinque

2:22 am
20 Jul 16
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I wrote a lovely big post a couple of hours ago, and it disappeared. So frustrating!
I’ll do this one in sections!

Cinque

2:39 am
20 Jul 16
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Sherry, I hope you are enjoying your cleansing days, a lovely ritual to settle you back at home again! 🏡

Tilly, so glad that kilo went again, and hopefully now it is gone for good!
Are you heading over to England for your husband’s cycling? Packing is impossible to get right, so don’t worry too much. It will give you something to laugh about when you are stuck in the UK without a raincoat!

Lori your weight loss components are so extreme, compared to what I can manage, what with boot camp and fasting windows and low carb. I have been so impressed, all the time I have been here, by how you make it work for your life. You really are amazing.
But maybe now, after all that time, and with retirement coming up, you just need to tweak it a bit to make sure it is sustainable for this next stage. You’ll work out the right mix of food and fasting and fitness that is easy and practical enough to be an ongoing part of your life.
I bet it is just frustrating now because there are several different components to adjust. Maybe some trial and error is needed to come up with the best solution. Good luck.
I don’t see it as whining, I find it so interesting and helpful to see how different people manage to make their lives healthier and workable. It really is a journey!

I am off now for some more business! Fast day tomorrow!

Sherryann

3:48 am
20 Jul 16
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Hi all,

Another very uneventful day- I’ve been loving the pot of chicken bone broth I made this time around. I’ve started using my pressure cooker which really shortens the cooking time (about 4-5 hours vs 24!) and it’s so tasty. In case you want the recipe, I threw into the pressure cooker the carcasses of 3 natural rotisserie chickens, 4 carrots, two whole onions and two whole cloves of garlic (each chopped in half,skin included), four stalks of celery with leaves, two tablespoons whole peppercorns, two bay leaves, two tablespoons apple cider vinegar, and 4 big sprigs of fresh thyme, a couple extra grinds of pepper and salt and then filled the pot 3/4 of the way up with filtered water. Today is day 3 of the cleanse/fast, so I have one more day to go.

Lori, let me know if you try the frap recipe! It is so frustrating when the scale does not show your efforts, huh? I hope, like Cinque said, that you figure out what works for you soon. For me, I’m finding that I’ve had to make it a lifestyle change and not a quick fix. I eat organic and sugar and gluten free whenever possible, try to keep the carbs under 20g per meal, and do my little bone broth cleanse whenever I feel the need (usually after a vacation or and indulgent weekend!), walk and hour each day and do pilates 2x/wk. So far so good, but that could change! 😉

Cinque, how are things going with regard to finding that soup bar partner? Happy fast day tomorrow! Are you still fasting twice a week now or is it once a week…are you officially in maintenance mode now?

How is everyone else doing? It’s a bit quiet around here, but I supposed that’s to be expected with summer vacations, etc!

Bye!

Lori_PA

9:30 am
20 Jul 16
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Good Morning!

For some reason, the husband and I are up at 4AM. I’ll head to boot camp about 5:30. Thanks for your support and suggestions on getting my weight loss going. I guess I need to start tracking every morsel I eat…..man I hate that. I really don’t think I’m eating too many calories….possibly too few with all the exercise. I’ll really have to be careful once I’m retired, as when I’m around the house, fasting is always harder. I find myself picking at this and that when I’m home. Nothing to do but keep trying!

Your broth sounds good Sherry. I have a pressure cooker, but I’m afraid of it. I haven’t used it enough to know what to do with it. Another retirement project! Figure out how to use my pressure cooker and do some experimenting in the kitchen. The husband will benefit….or not! 😉

He has to take the cat to the Vet this afternoon. I’ll come home for lunch and help him stuff her in the carrier. She needs some of her annual shots etc. I get a pedicure after work……ahhhhh…..some much needed pampering.

Have a good Wednesday!

Sherryann

10:46 pm
20 Jul 16
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HI girls,

Lori, I need that pedicure too, but think I’ll wait till the camping is over with! I was afraid of the pressure cooker too until my hubby and I looked up instructions on it’s use on the internet. Not hard once you get used to it! I have to say that the broth is the only thing I’ve made in it so far (I think my hubby made something quickly in it once too), but I know it really cuts the cooking time down which is wonderful when you’re in a hurry. Ahhh, getting cats into crates to take to the vet….one of my least favorite things! Always at least a two person job since they fight you and put their arms out and cling with their claws for dear life so as not to be stuffed into the crate! Then for us there’s always the howling the whole way to and from the vet! Of course I understand their point of view…poor things!

Managed to finally jump on the scale today. It was a happy surprise to be 119.6. Anything under 120 makes me happy. I can’t remember what exactly I was before I left for Europe…maybe 118? We’ll see what the end of my fast/cleanse brings tomorrow!

Anyone want a detox mojito (no alcohol…it is detox after all!) recipe? If so here you go: all organic as much as possible: 1 cup coconut water, one handful each of parsley, baby kale, and mint, half an English cucumber, 1 stalk celery, juice of one lime, a few droppefuls of liquid stevia. Blend up and feel your energy levels soar! I mean really…it’s like having a cup of coffee almost! This is often my afternoon pick me up.

Well, that’s all I’ve got! Hope all you MIA ladies jump on again soon! 😉

Cinque

12:22 am
21 Jul 16
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Good morning Lovely Ones!

Omg Lori, counting calories sounds like making life more extreme instead of easier and more sustainable! (First reaction)
But I guess it is like doing a budget for a week or so to just see what is happening (Second thought) That could be interesting and helpful.

If you ever get to the point of wanting to do more with your pressure cooker, this is the best site I know of for info, tips and recipes: http://www.hippressurecooking.com/ (apologies if I have already shared this, but worth repeating it now and then I think!).

I’m glad cat is fine! Enjoy your pedicure!

Sherry, congrats on a nice scales weight.
Thanks for your recipes but I am happy with real coffee! 🙂
(I am a Melbournian after all!)

I am still doing two fasts a week, I am losing weight slowly now, but that feels right. I must be about the same weight as you, but maybe a bit fatter as I have so little muscle 🙁 and it is the last fatty bits I am waiting to lose, but perfectly happy to go slowly. The fast days I will keep doing 2 a week unless I feel like I am getting under my healthy weight, no sign of that yet though.

And now my main focus is eating well on Non Fast days, and that is going well. I have a construct in my mind of what three normal meals are like for me, and it is very yummy having them, and the occasional treat or feast. Also trying to get yoga stretches in every day, even if I need to make them so gentle it looks like I am just lying on the floor!

I am SO busy with this Expression of Interest for a food space, that I haven’t had a minute to put feelers out for a volunteer business partner, but at the same time, we are now trading under the Community House who was auspicing us, and they are seconding the community development worker to YamDaisy to organise the most of the stuff that I am not well enough to do. That means that I can manage for the moment! And it is a wonderful gesture of support.

At the moment our most pressing challenge is to think what healthy light thing we could make in the (tiny) space without proper kitchen equipment. ie we could get a toasted sandwich maker http://www.gadgetguy.com.au/cms/wp-content/uploads/sunbeam-big-fill-toastie-review-2014-06-12-450×312.jpg but we want something healthier. Can we make something wonderful and healthy in a sandwich maker? (I can think of great fillings, but we don’t want the white bread outside). What else could we use?

Which reminds me, I had better stop chatting and start working on it!
It is Fast Day for me! More time to work! 😉

Sherryann

1:01 am
21 Jul 16
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Cinque, I thought of you: I just read that the UN declared 2016 “the International Year of Pulses”! I know how you love them! 🙂

P.S. what equipment DO you have in that tiny kitchen? A stove? Is the goal to provide a soup and a sandwich?

Lori_PA

9:43 am
21 Jul 16
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Good Morning!

Up way to early. I was going to go running with my friend this morning before going to play in the golf tournament, but have decided not to do that. It’s going to be very hot today and I’ll enjoy the golf more if I’m not exhausted when I get there!

Ate a bit more yesterday and the scale is down. ??? I have had a feeling that I have not been eating enough. I had about 1800 calories yesterday. I’m going to “loosely” count calories to try to get between 1600-1800 calories a day for the next few weeks and see what happens on the scale. I may have to work a bit to reset my metabolism. I was doing some reading on reverse dieting yesterday and am going to give it my best shot. I will also incorporate some lower calorie days…although maybe not as low as 500 calories, especially if I’ve done a hard workout. As always, I’m a work in progress. 😉

Take care, my friends. Make it a good day!

Sherryann

5:10 pm
21 Jul 16
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Hello to the few still here!

Lori, interesting on the loss with more calories added! What is “reverse dieting”?

I weighed today and am down to 118.6! YAY! I’m really feeling more in control of my ability to maintain my weight now. Used to be I’d diet like crazy to get into a bikini on vacation then eat my way back up on the vacation and then after, especially since I deprived myself so much before that I wanted to keep eating everything is sight! Now I feel like I’ve got a lifestyle plan that works to keep it all in check. It only took 53 years to get there! Better late than never I guess! Today is my first day back to pilates in a while and I’m nervous. I did do a few classes while in Hawaii in June, but obviously nothing in Europe. I did try to do a few floor exercises but that was few and far between…I didn’t really have the time since we were on the go so much! I texted my instructor to take it easy on me! 😉

Ok, I need to get ready to go to class and then I have a dinner business meeting later to go to.

Have a good one all! 🙂

salma

10:47 am
22 Jul 16
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Hello from Greece ladies,

I have not been getting notifications about new posts in my email, so I figured that no one was posting anything, but found it strange. So, I checked in today and found a few posts. How odd that my notifications have not been working.

Anyway, I am glad to see many of you still around. I have been AWOL in Greece for the promised family reunion. There are 17 of us in this beautiful villa overlooking the sea and we have been doing very little apart from swimming, eating, talking, eating, walking, drinking and more eating! The 8-day vacation is about to end and I will be returning home on Sunday evening. I am so glad that we have managed to organize this trip, I have rarely seen my parents so happy with all their grandchildren (some can hardly be called children) around them. It is just wonderful.

On the weight front, I have brought my little travel scales along but have weighed myself only once. I am too afraid to do so. My brothers in law are all great cooks and we have been indulging in a major way. This morning, I went with my son to the local bakery and got some of the beautiful spinach and cheese pies (beautiful flaky pastry) for breakfast.. on and on the feast continues. Tomorrow is another day (or Monday). I have booked – and paid – for another round of the detox diet and it starts on Monday. I will also be starting Pilates with a trainer on Wednesday.. so I have booked all the corrective measures already.

Miss you girls.. I have missed checking in with all of you.

Salma

cactusrose

7:35 pm
22 Jul 16
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Hi I am still here. I work twelve hour shifts so with getting ready and travel time…those are really long days and I don’t check in.

That’s funny that you mention that Lori about eating more and losing pounds. A while ago I read about a concept called Eat More 2 Lose Weight. If you look up EM2LW you will probably find some good reading. The girl that seems to have the most info out there focuses on weight training which is something I am interested in, and she speaks to the fact that often women way undereat while dieting, and this leads to a stall in weight loss. If you see her calculations, it totally makes sense. And she speaks to the need for a metabolic reset for some people, which I have done and I feel more at peace with food now.

So for that reason I did spend a bit of time a while back tracking what I eat, to see what I usually put in my body calorie wise so I knew I was on track for my level of activity. After a while I tend to eat about the same favorite items so now it is easy to “calculate” my daily intake. I however do not deprive myself of ice cream once in a while (my most fave dessert), and I never count those calories because I know it’s a lot! What I do is then decide for the day, maybe smaller meals if I want ice cream in the evening. I am trying to get to the point of not counting at all except for fasting days. I want to feel more freedom in my relationship with food.

Sherry, I love your entire post about vacation. You’re my hero!