Hi all! Just setting up the May challenge with @ccco’s suggested name… 😇
Intro etc can follow later today… I don’t want to tread on toes if someone is drafting it…
☀️☀️☀️
This topic contains 159 replies, has 14 voices, and was last updated by Merryapple 2 hours, 45 minutes ago.
Day 1 country west Australia NFD
Thanks @jaifaim for setting this up. The vagaries of technology and rural life. Wifi not working due veto network issues for 2 days now.
These monthly challenges were started by @coda in May 2016 and have been going strong ever since. Goals can be overwhelming when viewed as a whole. But by breaking them down into small achievable pieces, we are able to stay focused and motivated to accomplish our goals one step at a time in bite-sized monthly challenges.
There are no rules, but as a general guide, here are some tips for any new people:
1. Posting – This is our only true rule: please start each post with the day of the month, where you are, and if you’re on a fast day (FD), non-fast day (NFD) or controlled day (CD). We’re located all over the world and in different time zones so it helps us keep track of which day we’re talking about, who else is fasting with us on a particular day etc. Look at the various posts, and you’ll soon see the pattern, and will learn how useful it is for reading.
2. In your first post, please introduce yourself to the group – this helps us to get to know each other, which is especially helpful for newbies. Perhaps say something about where you started, your journey so far, what you’re aiming for or how you are benefiting from fasting. You might like to include your starting weight or your goals for the month. But you don’t have to – share only what you are comfortable sharing online.
3. Spreadsheet – below is the link to the May Spreadsheet – It’s in alphabetical order by username. If you find it helpful, you can use it to record and track your progress as well as keeping track of how others are doing. It can help with perspective, accountability or planning. And if you need help just ask – there’s always someone happy to help. But you don’t have to use it if you don’t want to. It’s just another tool you can use if you choose.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17-IBPQOxK5UBUK-Vx7pqINE0bJqNaUSTrky_EqH0vNU/edit?usp=sharing
4. Frequency – Some people post daily, others check in every few days. Some are brief, others are long and chatty. If you’re posting for a second time in the same day please head your post e.g. Day 1 – 2nd Post. Past history shows that posting every day truly does help with motivation for staying on track with your goals, so please don’t feel shy about suddenly posting daily; we love new members!
5. Content of your post– Comments or questions, complaints or celebration – anything you’d like to share with the forum. Recipes, tips, tricks and bright ideas are always welcome. Remember: we all have good days and bad days, days we fall off the wagon or days when we are hanging on by our fingernails, days when our mojo deserts us and days where we feel completely in control. So DON’T GIVE UP – whatever it is, you are not alone!
6. Community – This is a worldwide forum so there’s usually someone online. We all do our best to offer advice, support and solidarity.
7. Pocket lists –A ‘pocket list’ is a list of the names of people who are sharing the same goal on a particular day. It’s great psychological support in mentally keeping that list in our back pocket, knowing we’re not alone. Anyone can join a pocket list or start a pocket list. Typical pocket lists are for a FD but in the past they’ve been used for people doing daily exercise or planks, or DTF (dry till Friday).
8. 5:2 basics – answers to many FAQs plus top tips:
https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/the-basics-for-newbies-your-questions-answered/
9. The “rule”. The F word (FAIL) is prohibited!! We all stumble in our journey – it happens. But acknowledge it, think about what you can do next time, and continue. We’re all here to help!
We tend to use a LOT of abbreviations in these posts. Here’s a guide to some of the more frequently used ones:
5:2 – 5 days NFD – 2 days FD
16:8 – 16 hours fast – 8 hours non fast
IF – Intermittent Fasting
ADF – Alternate Day Fasting (FD – NFD – FD – etc)
AF – Alcohol-free
B2B – Back to Back (consecutive FDs)
BMR – Basal metabolic Rate
CFD – Controlled Food Day (a day’s eating comfortably below your TDEE)
DH, DD, DS – Darling Husband, Daughter, Son
DTF – Dry ’til Fri (no wine, beer, etc.)
EE – Emotional Eating (reflex grazing out of a need for instant comfort instead of satisfying hunger)
EFS – Epic Face Stuffing (Definitely due to a faulty OFF button!)
FD – Fast Day (500 cals)
FD800 – Fast Day 800 calories
Hunger Dragon – that dreadful psychological beast that sometimes cannot be satisfied. Some people even name theirs (e.g. @i-hate-lettuce had an inner warthog!)
IF – Intermittent Fasting
Keto – way of eating that generates Ketones
KISS – Keep It Simple Stupid!!!
LC – Low Carb way of eating
LCHF – Low Carb High Fat way of eating
LFD – Liquid Fast Day (incl. tea, coffee, miso, bone broth & water)
LOL – Laughing Out Loud
M/WOAM – Man/Woman on a Mission (courtesy of @i-hate-lettuce)
MFD – Modified Fast Day (800 cals) on the new
Fast800, it’s a FD
MFP – MyFitnessPal – a smartphone app & website that tracks diet & exercise.
NFD – Non Fast Day
OH – Other Half (e.g. spouse/partner)
OMAD – One Meal A Day
PFDS – Post FD Smugness (courtesy of @stitchincarol )
Pocket List – Names to “keep in your pocket” for a common goal for the day
TDEE – Total Daily Energy Expenditure (see the ‘how it works’ link on the home page to work out yours)
TRE – Time Restricted Eating
WFD – Water Fast Day (Water only)
WFH – Working From Home
WOL – Way of Life
WOCA – Woman Of a Certain Age
WW – Weekend Warrior (c/- @jaifaim)
ZBC – Zero Breakfast Club
Thanks @funshipfreddie – have purloined your post from April
Day 1 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – FD
@jaifaim, @lilymartin – thank you! ‘Motivated May ☀’ – love it!
@lilymartin – it looks like you’ve posted a link for the ‘Mindful March’ spreadsheet there? And it hasn’t been reset/cleared, or whatever it is people do to it? 🤔
Pocket List – Day 1 🍳
@funshipfreddie
Day 1 – UK – NFD
Good morning – quick input before heading out for a walk with a friend before it gets too hot here 🥵
The spreadsheet attached by @lilymartin above is unfortunately the ONE FOR MARCH NOT MAY – here is the link for Motivated May 2025
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/123MWEFEEwP9PT8hw7dHgZopZPEi6Ow_LEWHM9EfMouE/edit?usp=sharing
Catch up this afternoon after my walk
2nd Post – Day 1
@at – thanks for the spreadsheet 🙏
Day 1 – USA/GA – NFD
Weigh-in: 236 lbs. Good progress this morning. Now, since August, I’ve been dealing with silent reflux, and it was having such an impact on my health — constant coughing and being unable to talk for more than five minutes without getting choked up. I believe this has been in part due to the weight gain over the past couple of years. Anyway, I had read about taking Nexium daily (with breakfast in the morning, so I skip FDs) and ending the evening with a liquid antacid after mealtime, and over the past month, it has worked wonderfully — feeling 80% recovered. Until, well, the past week. I finally realized it was my discovery of raw cabbage for FDs — doesn’t agree with me for an evening meal. Came to that conclusion last night, so I’ll avoid it on FDs.
All of this is setup for the Nexium regime. Since I have to take the pill in the mornings with food, I thought the best way is with an egg. I ate my last boiled egg last night. Well, with the price of eggs, I procure mine through a co-worker who has egg-laying hens. And although refrigerated, with being so cost-conscious, I try to make them last as long as possible in the back of the refrigerator. Long story short, some eggs are old. I was going to fry one this morning, but thought to use a bowl to ensure freshness as I cracked them. Only three left in the old crate (I have a fresh dozen from last Thursday to get into), and I crack the first one. Half of the egg misses the bowl (thinner shell than I thought) and went all over the cooktop and the floor. After cleaning that mess, it looked good and I put it into the pan. OK, well, let me crack another into the bowl (no mess this time) — perfect, so into the pan. That lone solitary egg … grrrr! Well, let me use it up. In my haste, not into the bowl but directly into the pan, and PUTRID, with nasty moldiness splattered across all the good eggs. YUCK! Quick, get the baking soda, scramble, cool and trash. Well, no eggs for me this morning. I was about to do some real self-pushing stuff in my anger as I eyed some heavy leftovers. I plated it up, and realized what a ridiculous thought that was, and just put plastic wrap over it and back into the refrigerator. I settled for a light wrap of about 120 calories instead.
Good morning!
Day 1 – Rural Nebraska, USA – FD800
Yesterday was a busy day, and I ate FAR too much–like, four full meals. I have no idea what was such a motivator for me, that I had to eat, eat, eat, but even as I was telling myself I wasn’t going to eat, I was walking to the fridge and getting out food. Thankfully, I ate decent food, not junk, but it was still well over–are you ready? drum rolll………..three thousand calories. Why??? No idea. Perhaps it was comfort eating, because it was a stressful day related to the move, and to an appointment we had with our financial advisor, and to the last day of catechism classes and the kids all cried when they realized all the things DH and I wouldn’t be here to do as we have in the past–and what a lovely moment that was to have them care so much… Oh well on the eating. Today I’ll eat less. (It won’t be a WF because I’m not going in to teach today.)
@northgeorgia I have never had an egg do that to my memory, and it was an astonishing and funny story, although I’m sure you weren’t laughing! And WELL DONE for recognizing the bad choice that plate of food was and putting it into the fridge! 👍💪
I had to leave the house at 7:10 yesterday morning to get to our new house by 8 for a delivery–which is why I didn’t post–and the day just never stopped. Today is much more sedate, although there’s lots to do. This moving business is tough, LOL! So off I go to work on my never-ending to-do list.
Oh, and I ended April lower than I started, but that’s only because I’d jumped up at the end of March…that seems to be a pattern, since I’ve jumped up today as well! ☹️😂
Have a grand one, everyone!
3rd Post – Day 1
Pocket List – Day 1 🍳
@funshipfreddie
@stitchincarol FD800
Day 1 NE England NFD
Hello May, glorious weather again today, trying to keep a toddler in the shade is hard work!!
I really must be more mindful this month and get back on track. I have my annual Kidney check coming up and hope to keep my good labs results going. Having said that, we are going away to Scotland tomorrow for 4 days then later next week we go to Wales for 4 days. Eating out and few alcoholic beverages will be involved🤭 on the plus side lots of walking too.
Day 1 Second post
What a different experience today is than yesterday: I’m back to my usual control, haven’t eaten a thing yet (it’s two o’clock) and believe I’ll make it to supper with no problem. Now, the ease with which I’m not eating may partly be just because my body is so astonished at how much I fed it yesterday, LOL, but I was actually hungry a couple different times so far today, and I had to employ RESOLVE to get through. Who knows what was up yesterday.
Anyway, I wanted to come celebrate that I was back to my normal self, LOL!
And, @daffodil2010 and @icystorm, where’d you both go??? We miss you; please come back!
Day 2 – Ireland 🇮🇪 – NFD
Morning. Happy Motivated May! I was out early every morning this week so did not have time to post, thanks for the shout @stitchincarol, I heard you 😄
I had a good April, keeping the 5lbs loss is very good. But more motivating is that I FEEL more toned and thinner, flabby belly slightly less than before, so all of my morning toning and “leaping about” with the 16:8 Monday to Friday is having some effect.
Operation Mototcycle Suit….well last week I could zip up my jacket without struggle. I am about to pop off now and try on the motorcycle trousers as I struggled a month ago. Motorcycle season is upon us and I need to fit into my gear!! I have outfits in all sizes, thousands of euro worth of motorcycle gear, but unfortunately it’s the largest size now I am trying to get into…but I WILL get into it.
It’s also the May Bank Holiday and we are off in our camper to the West this afternoon. We have great weather at the moment so we will go to our favourite bolt hole in Co Mayo looking out over the Atlantic Ocean, DH will fish and I will read, walk, relax.
Have a great weekend all. Xxxxx
Day 2 UK NFD
Just having a quick coffee in our hotel room before setting off for our trains home . Busy bank holiday weekend ahead and then a short 5 day trip to Naples on Wednesday, where I won’t be fasting ,but when I get back I’m determined to get back on track and register a decent loss in May
I’ll aim to catch up on posts on the train
Day 2 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD 71.5 kg
It was good to kick off Motivated May with a FD; yay me! It was yet another a public holiday here – Workers Day – but I didn’t think that was a good enough excuse to skip the FD, seeing as I’m retired anyway 😅 Weight seems to be stuck at 71.5 though. It’s COLD here?! 🥶 At 7am my phone said 12C (feels like 9C) I’m going to Off the Hook down by the harbour later with some neighbours. It was planned when it was still warm though & we definitely won’t be sitting outdoors
@stitchincarol – 3000 calories?! 🤯 At least you counted them; though you probably wished you hadn’t 😅
@daffodil2010 – good for you! 5 lb down & getting into your motorcycle gear! 🥳 🎯 Enjoy your weekend getaway
@northgeorgia – shame about the eggs! 🥴 Fortunately, I’ve never had the experience of cracking a bad one – yet – but I’ve heard they smell revolting. Well done for your RESOLVE though 💪
@iona72 – enjoy your trip! 🧳
Interesting article about what fasting does to our brains..
https://www.sciencealert.com/fasting-style-diet-seems-to-result-in-dynamic-changes-in-human-brains
Happy Fri-yay! 🍹
Day 2 – Rural Nebraska, USA – NFD
Yesterday’s FD800 wasn’t: I had steaks in the fridge that I realized I could make for a rare Thursday evening dinner instead of sticking in the freezer, and there were some veggies that needed cooking, etc., etc., so it was a lovely meal. I pretty much did OMAD, so that at least was a win. This morning, I’ve already started packing up additional stuff from my sewing room, and done some tidying–this moving business is time-consuming, LOL!
@daffodil2010 How lovely that you’ve maintained the 5lb loss AND that you fit into your motorcycle trousers; well done! The next smaller size isn’t far away, don’t you suppose?
@brightonbelle I wish you pleasant traveling today!
@funshipfreddie Interesting article! And, full disclosure, it was only after the fact that I estimated my calories…it may well have been worse, LOL. What’s been fascinating me, however, is that other than a bit of a troubled stomach on Thursday morning as it struggled to digest all that food, I’ve felt good, not bloated, and one pair of jeans fits better than last week. Yes, I know that calories take longer than a day to turn into fat, but I keep remembering an article decades ago that said sometimes it pays to occasionally eat a lot (of healthy food) to pump up your digestive system, as long as you immediately return to decent levels of consumption. We’ll see. I’m certainly active these days and burning more calories than usual. 🤷🏻♀️
@excelsior12309 Wow, a FD on a Friday? That’s a level of determination I’ve never possessed, LOL! Have fun gardening!
After my noontime zoom call with my sisters, we’re headed down to the new house with another load, including several shelving units to put together and start tidying up some of the stuff that went down earlier this week. We’re excited to have the seller/our friend of 40 years come over this afternoon to visit. She promised to show me some of the gardening secrets hiding under the dirt, and it will be lovely to visit with her!
Okay, I’m off to take stuff out to my car. Have a grand one, everyone!
DAY 2 – UK – CD
Another perfect summer’s day 😎
Spent the day with my DD – dog walking on the coast then a light lunch by a lakeshore ❤️
Now back home enjoying the evening sunshine in the garden and promising myself to stay in control 🤞as this week has been a very controlled one so far and I would hate to undo all that hard work!!!
My goal this month is to lose at least 2kg therefore setting me back one that downward trend I have so longing for…..
So I am reminding myself “If I quit now, I will soon be back to where I started. and when I started, I was desperately wishing to be where I am now”
Day 4 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – FD
Happy S🌞nday! Hop on the list – you know it makes sense 😉
Pocket List – Day 4 🥚
@funshipfreddie
Day 5 country west Australia 84.5 kgs 185.9 lbs !!🙄😱😱 FD
I cannot find the 2 posts I posted about the brain fog and putting up the incorrect spreadsheet in my haste to start Motivated May. ??? They seem to have disappeared into the ether!!
@jaifaim, What a great title for this month and yes I am motivated.
Well Cruella de scales showed me what happens when you overeat mindlessly as I have done for the past week …..
I think I will have to go right back to the beginning, 2017 for me, and do 5:2 quite sensibly. Looks like it is back to MFP and crunching numbers….😬
@stitchincarol, I was like you were on the 1st, however I did NOT eat sensibly. Went to morning tea and ate 6 sandwiches 😲😲. I usually don’t even have morning tea.
Then ate a full lunch, chicken and veggies AND dessert AND half a block of chocolate and yada, yada, yada…Needless to say, today is a FD and I’ m crunching the numbers….
@at thank you or setting up the spreadsheet. I am unable to post my goal in there but I am RESOLVED to get under 80 kgs, for the first time in 5 years.
@northgeorgia, your reflux journey sounds a bit hectic but glad you are getting it sorted. Shame about the eggs. They really are as expensive( though not quite as rare )as hens’ teeth!
@daffodil2010 well done on the 5 lbs loss and maintaining.
I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays.
@funshipfreddie, I really enjoy these cold autumn mornings. Hope the fish and chips were delicious.
Have a good day everyone.😀
Day 5 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD 71.4 kg
Monday morning PFDS! 😇 And the scales have actually moved down a little
@lilymartin – the fish & chips were amazing! 😋 and the weather wasn’t as grim as we’d expected. I like the cooler days too, if it’s sunny & not windy. It always feels cooler at the coast though. The colder nights can be a bit grim 🥶 Sending you RESOLVE to reach your target of under 80 kg this month – you can do it! 🎯
Pocket List – Day 5 🍒
@lilymartin🍎
@merry
@at
@northgeorgia
Day 5 UK CD
Ok hopefully the excesses of the weekend are behind me and have a steady couple of days, not sure I can do a f800 but aim to be somewhere near Resolve to todays fasters may join you tomorrow
Pocket List – Day 5 🍒
@lilymartin🍎
@merry
@at
@northgeorgia
Day 5-No. VA USA-FD
Fast Day today. Had lovely 4 days in a row not working at the office, it was like a mini-vacation. Haven’t had a regular out and out vacation in quite a while. Got some gardening and clean up done around the house and yard. My plan to leave tiny flowering weeds as ground cover is working well. It is all in reformulating the thinking!
2nd Post – Day 5
Pocket List – Day 5 🍒
@lilymartin🍎
@merry
@at
@northgeorgia
@excelsior12309
Day 5 – USA/GA – FD
Weigh-in: 241 lbs. I knew I was overdoing it yesterday, which I guess is better than not realizing it. Time to get back to mindfulness for the week. I am a pound lighter over last Monday, though.
Pocket List – Day 5 🍒
@lilymartin🍎
@merry
@at
@northgeorgia
@excelsior12309
second post. Finally a ‘proper’ FD ( a in 500 calories) completed and went well.
I did feel hungry later in the day but several glasses of water drowned the hunger dragons.
Some broccoli and a tiny piece of pumpkin sufficed for lunch.
Resorted to Vegemite in hot water in the afternoon.
I ate my teaspoon of sauerkraut and sliced egg for dinner VERY slowly and enjoyed it.
Managed to say ‘no’ to chocolate and swerved the apple pie. Kitchen closed and off to bed . Good luck to the other Monday fasters.
@unshipfreddie, oh the joy of good fish and chips…..😋😋And even better with the downward trend.
@northgeorgia, as you said, at least you recognised that you had over done it and that is half the battle, now for the second half which is to action it ! We will all be Mindfully Motivated this May. A FD is a very good start.👏
@Excelsior 12309 your 4 days off with some gardening sound lovely. Reformulating thinking for the garden could equally apply to 5:2 and our approach to it at times. I am concentrating first on health and then on weight loss this month but mostly resolving to have 2 FDs a week.
I hope all the other folk who normally post/lurk are doing well. It would be good to see some more people posting for accountability and just dropping in to say ‘hi’.
Night all
USA. Day 5. FD
Sorry I have been out of commission but I have been so terribly busy lately. I guess my age is kicking in because it takes me so long to do everything! 🤨. Anyway, I have lost 3 lbs., which I intend to keep off and add even more. Spring and Summer are so much more active, so losing becomes a little easier.
I am finding it a lot easier to get tired after even a little activity but I don’t know why. Maybe my age is catching up to me. :(. In any case, I do exercise and walk whenever I can, in addition to playing golf and playing with my grandchildren (a lot of exercise all by itself! LOL) If I am losing stamina, I can’t understand why. Anyway, I will keep on trying.
Pocket List – Day 5 🍒
@lilymartin🍎
@merry
@at
@northgeorgia
@excelsior12309
@ccco
I thought I would join the gang today on the pocket list. Hope everyone has been having a great day!
I thought I would share a word of wisdom, although I don’t know who originally said it.
“Success has a thousand mothers. Failure is an orphan.”
3rd Post – Day 5
Oops? Sorry, @lilymartin – you can’t have @merryapple‘s 🍎, duh? Dunno how I managed that.
Watching the VE Day events on BBC, to mark 80 years since the end of WWII
Pocket List – Day 5 🍒
@lilymartin
@merry🍎
@at
@ccco
@northgeorgia
@excelsior12309
Day 5 – Rural Nebraska, USA – NFD
Did some packing and took a load down on Saturday, mostly relaxed yesterday, and today I’ve begun tackling two of our five bookshelves. I managed to make a good-sized pile of books to donate before I did something painful to my back when I was carrying too big a load of books up the stairs. Gah. So I took some ibuprofen and am resting now, waiting for it to kick in, and then I’ll be VERY behaved in what I attempt!
DH is more interested in furniture choices and arrangement than ever before in our marriage, so there’s been all sorts of discussion and compromising– another challenge of moving I hadn’t anticipated! 🤣
Two more Sundays. It’s getting hard.
Have a grand one, everyone!
Day 6 NZ NFD 69.7kg🔻🌋🏃🏼♀️
The Auckland Art Fair was loads of fun, like a reunion with loads of out-of-towners. I was taken out to lunch and dinner by Chinese billionaires hence the weight spike!! Beautiful food eaten elegantly… just another teeny tiny mint wafer🤣
The fair has been purchased by an Australian and there were more Oz galleries here so good to see work by different artists. A tour group of 400 Aussies came over!! We put on a good show of thunderstorms and tropical downpours!!! It was warm though – 20 C. Now the temp has dropped to 10 🥶 with crystal clear blue skies!!
I had the Texan over for dinner on Sunday evening and made wild venison meatballs with Romesco Sauce and roast vegetables.
I did employ WW RESOLVE, completed the FDs and thankfully, despite 🥂 I am just back under 70kg!! Whew!!!
@stitchincarol Oooh take care of your back… It sounds like you are going to have a darling house husband🤣🤣
@ccco Everyone I know who looks after their grand rug rats gets super tired!!! Lovely to hear you have lots of outdoor activities happening. Well done on the 3lbs down considering you were having a FD break!!
@funshipfreddie And I thought you were rewarding @lilymartin with a nice big red 🍎🤣
@lilymartin Vegemite in hot water??!! Try Miso too. I also make Kombucha and drink it with soda. I guess apple cider and soda would be similar. It makes your mouth feel very fresh.
I see you’re aiming for the 79.999kg mark!! I focused on loosing 5kg at a time, which is a clothing size, to break up my down hill journey.
@northgeorgia Remember to work out your TDEE as a baseline and go from there…
@excelsior12409 How lovely to have a break and potter around your garden. I always envy people who have snow because it helps to control the weed species and pretty wee floral ground cover🤣. We have Darwinian weeds here… survival of the fittest that behave like triffids… The vines will choke the trees if I let them…
@brightonbelle Sending💪for your refocus!! Hope you had a lovely break!!
@jaifaim Your hiking and biking trips sound gorgeous, just like you!! The Wicklow Mountains look quite gentle compared with our mountain terrain, which makes for perfectly enjoyable walking!!
@at You’ve got this, although 2kg is quite a large loss in a month… With your amount of exercise, keep up the protein intake…
Thanks for the spreadsheet. I love using it because it keeps me honest but also shows how natural it is to go 🔺and🔻throughout the week depending on the type and amount food consumed. I have learned to not throw the baby out with the bath water and loose it because my daily weigh went🔺
Have a great day everyone!!
Day 6 country west Australia 83.5 kgs 183.7 lbs.
The joys of a good FD 😇. Down 1 kg ( mostly fluid – I know, I know !but it still motivates me.)
I have been researching leptin and ghrelin, the hunger and satiety hormones, because I lose a bit of weight and then feel so hungry and eat like there is no tomorrow.
Wondering why I was self-sabotaging so frequently. This is what I found :
“When LEPTIN ( satiety hormone signalling fulness and to stop eating ) levels are low, your appetite increases and your brain tells your body that you need to eat. Falling leptin levels are associated with moments of less energy in the body, such as when restricting calorie intake, fasting or exercising. The decrease in leptin levels triggers a feeling of hunger. You also burn energy, or calories, at a slower rate.5 When dieting( or fasting) your leptin levels are usually considered low.
Leptin Resistance
Leptin resistance is commonly found in people with obesity. With leptin resistance, the fullness message that leptin sends does not reach the brain, so you do not recognize that you are full. Your body thinks you are starving, and you continue to eat. This means that you continue to produce leptin, and levels in your body remain high.65
Cui H, López M, Rahmouni K. The cellular and molecular bases of leptin and ghrelin resistance in obesity. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2017;13(6):338-351. doi:10.1038/nrendo.2016.222
Leptin resistance makes it more difficult to lose weight because you eat more, and your body burns fewer calories to avoid starvation.
The actual mechanism of what causes leptin resistance is not yet understood.”
I am trying not to make excuses( well, of course I am !!) but maybe this is a factor??
Anyway I thought it might be helpful, as it is for me.
More on GHRELIN another time.
@Fushipfreddie, and here I thought I was getting an apple for being so good….They are delicious at the moment. I love Bravos and Pink Ladies.Just discovered some small ones called ? Pixel. Perfect for a small quick snack.🍎🍎🍎
@Merryapple- wow!! I am impressed at lunch with billionaires. I am sure I would lack restraint. More leptin required for me 😁 The Auckland art fair sounded wonderful. Lucky you.
@stitchincarol, be careful with your back. Coincidentally, I just watched. video on back care before I posted here ! Moving and specific exercise are best.
Interestingly the videos I watched all said that over 50, strength training exercise at least 3 times/week plus 150 minutes cardio weekly are non-negotiable.
Note to self – More exercise is required!
@ccco, well done on the 3 lbs off. Yes looking after GCs can be tiring. We were usually 30 years younger when we looked after children before ! 😊
@penz, @flourbaby,@Iona72,@AT, I hope you are all going well.
Day 6 – USA/GA – NFD
Weigh-in: 238 lbs. A little stressed today. My program is on a list of about 150 or so others on the chopping block from the federal government on a recommended list of cuts from the White House’s budget office. I hope Congress rejects the cuts, because thousands of people nationwide will not be able to find gainful employment or be able to attend college. Plus, I don’t know what most of my staff will do. Or myself for that matter. We just want to go to work and help people get ahead; I hope we’re allowed to do that. I was hoping to retire in about 12 years with a decent pension. It will be hard to find another similar position at my age in the state retirement system if I have to go. I guess I’ll start looking just in case it’s necessary.
Until then, I’ll pretend all is normal. I’ll plan for a FD tomorrow and eat light today (hopefully nothing at lunch, and a light meal at supper).
USA. Day 6. FD
Lilymartin, thanks for that understanding of leptin and leptin resistance. I am always trying to figure out what’s what with my hunger and eating while trying to work around everything. My DASH diet is working very well. It is keeping my water gain down. At my age water gain can be directly related to heart problems and I have too much to live for to let that get in my way. A bonus has been that my skin has greatly improved. When I read about that, I didn’t believe it. It even eliminates eczema for people who have that. In the meantime, my food choices to eliminate sodium also have the bonus of being lower calorie, healthier foods and that seems to be helping in the weight loss. Recently, even though I am eating properly, I have been fairly tired. I have been considering that maybe I am trying to do too much for a woman my age and need to recalibrate. I have so many things I want to do right now that I am not sure how to do slow down. Now that my grandchildren are old enough to do things, I want to be there, too. Today my granddaughter has her first tennis lesson and I want to be there to watch and to get a photo! Too many moments not to be missed! 🙂 Also, congratulations on your 1 kg. loss. Even water weight loss is a good thing.
Merryapple, I am glad you enjoyed the Auckland Art Fair. My son and I love art fairs. We have the Maryland Institute College of Art near us and they have wonderful art fairs in the Spring. Dinner with the Chinese billionaires must have been interesting. I doubt anyone here right now will be having dinner with any Chinese billionaires!
Birghtonbelle, enjoy Naples! 🙂
NorthGeorgia, I am so sorry that you got caught up in all this current mess we are going through. So many of those people are people we need! My neurosurgeon is also a John Hopkins researcher. I definitely can’t afford to see anything happen to him but the Trump administration has already hit Hopkins! 🙁 I hope you and your cohorts come out on top of this.
Stitchincarol, be careful of your back. If hurt, it gets in the way of everything. I know because I have arthritis in my spine. However, if you need something, Salonpas works beautifully. I highly recommend it. After ripping the inside of my house apart for renovations and then rapidly putting everything back, I am exhausted but luckily didn’t hurt myself! Decorating is fun, though!:)
I hope you all have a lovely day!
Day 6 – Rural Nebraska, USA – WFD
I was very, very gentle with my back for the rest of the day yesterday, and DH did all he could to ensure I never had to bend over to pick up anything, and I’m entirely fine today–whew! We took down our loads and carried it all into the house, but very little got carried down to the basement (finished, where my sewing room, his office, a second guest bedroom, a family room, and the storage room are) because then we ran errands. We didn’t manage to find in stock the outdoor dining table and chairs we wanted, but I saw online this morning that the chairs are finally back in stock, so I quickly bought them before they sell out; we’re not the only ones who love this particular style chairs! Sadly, the table we want is still unavailable; my fingers are crossed we can get it by the weekend of DH’s retirement when DD and her family are here and we have dinner outside at the new house.
We went out to eat with both sons last night (oh, the joy of being so close to them!) and I even had a beer, but with all that we did yesterday, I not only hit 10K steps, but ate little enough that I was down a bit over a pound from Monday morning’s ugly weight. I’m frustrated that I’m not losing weight, but drinking beer on NFDs clearly doesn’t help, and I’m thankful that I’ve found what I need to do not to gain back the ten pounds I’ve lost since last summer. The problem I face is that I’m determined that NFDs are “normal” and I want beer to be part of “normal.” And, truly, I think it can be, as long as I’m highly diligent about observing TDEE. @lilymartin, thanks for the reminder on leptin; I look forward to your words on grelin.
@brightonbelle Have a grand time on your trip!
Okay, time to get ready and leave to teach. Have a grand one, everyone!
Pocket List Day 6 🌺
@ccco
@stitchincarol WFD
second post, almost day 7.
@brightonbelle, enjoy your trip to Naples.
@northgeorgia, I am so sorry for your employment situation. Fingers crossed you retain your job.
Mr Trump has done some crazy things since he came to office.
@ccco, we LOCA ( ladies of a certain age) can be tired due to age, but also due to low iron levels; lack of Vitamin D and lack of Vitamin B12.
The DASH diet seems to be a good one and often mentioned in the healthier options.
@stitchincarol, I hope your back is improving. Not long to go now!!
I came across some Marvellous May motivational mutterings :
1. Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right. Henry Ford
2. Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying the basic fundamentals. Jim Rohn.
Off to bed before the witching hour.
And just because I have time on my hands ( I don’t but then who does?) I thought I would give a shout out to some former members I found a list of when cleaning out my office this morning.
A BIG hello to:
missybear
dramaqueen6
linda_b
jibjabba48
getfitme
matpi
ihatelettuce
flour baby
amiya
babs_b
metatauta
daffodil2010
Penz
michelinme
songbirdme
garden lily
fatrabbit
dykask
stitchsmith
fastingto58kgs
mariaelena
betsylee
caoimhe
high5
froby79
johnnyr
rootforyou
thinatlast
17ellen
malee57
maui
snowflake56
There are about 50 others but that is all I had down.
I know some people are on different threads but I am curious to know how they are.
I would be interested to know how they are going with 5:2. Whether it has worked and they are in maintenance ; Whether, it has not worked or Whether they are doing different things for health and weight loss.
USA. Day 6. Second Post
Stitchincarol, thank you for adding me to your pocket list.
lilymartin, that is quite a list. I realize we are missing quite a few friends on here but your list really brings that home. I wish them all well, too.
Hope all are having a lovely day. I am off to watch my granddaughter play tennis for the first time!
Day 7 country west Australia FD 83.9 kgs
Up down up down …..
Too many carbs I think. I love bread and have toast a lot of mornings and a slice of wholemeal grainy bread for dinner at times.
I will reduce the carbs and see if that makes a difference.
@iona72, Wales and Scotland are lovely places – enjoy.
Poor internet and mobile reception……being in country WA I hear you my friend, I hear you !! 🙄
Day 6…. Florida……. FD
Was wondering if I could enter back in this group?
I fell off the wagon ended up in a really dark hole and I’ve managed to crawl out of it. The first time I was here, this group was one of the main reason I succeeded and I need the accountability as well as friendship that goes along with it.
So, what do you say….. can I join?
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8:35 am
1 May 25