On Target October – Monthly Challenge for October 2021: Come & Join Us :-)

Welcome to The Fast Diet The official Fast forums Body Weight loss
On Target October – Monthly Challenge for October 2021: Come & Join Us :-)

This topic contains 303 replies, has 18 voices, and was last updated by  BrightonBelle 2 years, 11 months ago.

Viewing 50 posts - 251 through 300 (of 315 total)

  • Day 25 – FD 500

    I ate well and not overboard yesterday, maybe a few too many pistachios but my overall calories should have been just fine. I vaguely track calories, but still usually weigh my portions of nuts because I’m seriously bad at estimating a proper portion of nuts.

    On the home front DH and I had a long talk – about my relationship with his family. I bent over backwards to be respectful and he bent over backwards to be supportive. The results were very good for us both, I think. He understands and stands by my decision to not attend his family Thanksgiving gathering, tho it makes us both sad, we agree it is for the best.

    It turns out one of my darling nieces had a very offensive interaction with a more distant relative who always comes to that Thanksgiving gathering and she talked to DH about it on Saturday. DH does not want me to be put in a similar situation, and honestly knows at this point if that person said and did something similar to me that I would not silently accept it (nor frankly would DH stand by silently). Should this rubicon be crossed again (not unlikely, unfortunately) he agrees it would be best that I not be at the center of the resulting ruckus.

    We have a very good relationship, DH and I, but sometimes the work is sad and painful. Always worthwhile, tho, always worthwhile.

    Basta! Enough with the depressing!

    So let me go to the cheery! Despite the stress, my weight loss seems undeterred! I snuck a peak at the scale, realizing my ‘keep me honest’ 👖seemed to fit comfortably enough to wear. The scale shows the usual snail like pace, but in the right direction, YAY! I’m one of those people who lose and gain weight evenly distributed over my whole body, so it is hardly noticeable but, I do believe my face may be looking less puffy.

    Re mirrors and changing rooms! (LOL @penz – that would sell me on the air B&B listing -includes flattering mirror! 😂) it has been a long time since I got clothing anywhere but thrift stores, but I remember those changing room mirrors, the bane of my existence. And I insisted on wearing leotard type underclothing if I had to endure one of those communal rooms!

    Even when I was healthy weight the mirrors were truly demoralizing. Because I am curvy in the extreme, and of short stature with small waist and large muscular thighs it means off-the-rack pants look like clown-ware on me most of the time. Three way mirrors exaggerated that in the most unflattering way. @funshipfreddie “mortifying” is spot on! (Yes, I for one, cheer the return of high waisted, loose fitting jeans and pants.)

    @high5 Thank you for the magnesium primer! Wow I had no idea!

    @lilymartin I do believe but for me, my DH would in fact be close to a hoarder as well. “But what if we need that someday…But didn’t your mom give you that…yeah, i know that drawer has a couple of 30 inch waist jeans I wore in college, but you never know…” Lol

    @stitchincarol The autumn colors and breeze outside, cinnamon scent and warmth surrounding you paints such a pretty and happy picture in my head. And yes, smaller butts are 😀

    @northgeorgia my experience and what you have found are in-synch. Adding salt to my WF keeps the shakiness away and I always break the water fast with a small amount healthy fat (usually 1/2 serving almonds) and that seems to protect my stomach from upset. Wow, your weigh-ins are looking fantastic!

    @Emma_Taylor – so beautiful! Your trip sounds like a feast for the eyes and soul.

    Ok, lots to do today, and I’m procrastinating. Busy but not so frantically as last week. Best to all!

    Pocket List – Day 25 🍏
    @penz
    @high5
    @brightonbelle
    @mariaelena

    day 26, NFD, Aus

    Thanks for adding me to yesterday’s pocket list: it worked!

    DAY 26, October U.K.- NFD

    Easy fast day yesterday after some hefty weekend meals!

    Today is a NFD for me – CONSTANT VIGILANCE is required!

    @northgeorgia – i second what @maria Elena says te sadly & electrolytes – very important!

    Also the revered (well at least by me 😎) Dr Jason Fung not only mentions salt / electrolytes in his book, but also weighs in your other thread because he has also done a podcast on his channel called : « What to Eat when ending a fast »

    Apparently all your digestive enzymes go to sleep during prolonged fasting, so you need to give them time to come out of hibernation!

    Well I need to buckle down on my NFDs this week – they’re what are going to tip the balance rather than my FDs. (This week I can only do 2 x FDs abd that’s not enough for me to lose weight).

    Lastly I have been reflecting upon all the strategies that we all have to try and tip the balance in the right direction…

    I have come to realise that a lot of these strategies are, for me, anti-weight-GAIN strategies rather than actual weight LOSS strategies.

    In the past I have felt peeved when for example, I have skipped breakfast for five mornings in a row and yet I have not lost any weight. I now realise that that is a flawed way of looking at the world! LOL!! Seems ridiculous that it’s taken me so long to really seize that simple concept! 😀😀

    I have to nowadays simply be grateful that I have not put ON any weight as a result of skipping breakfast for five mornings in a row!

    However, to give myself credit, I have at least moved on from the really bad mental state of thinking… “ Well I am going out for lunch today so I may as well have a fantastic breakfast and a fantastic dinner, as today’s ‘diet’ is completely scuppered anyway!”
    At least I now think of skipping breakfast before a big lunch as a way of damage-limitation exercise!

    Oh well…. That’s enough of my musings!!!

    Happy Tuesday everyone ☺️

    Second Post

    @mariaelena – Where will you go for Thanksgiving instead?

    Sorry I just looked at my above post and it is full of typos as I wrote it on my phone. My apologies.

    @penz – yes, this month’s monthly challenge is really only committed regulars isn’t it, plus a few regulars are actually away as well! I won’t take it personally that I’m the person hosting this months challenge and there aren’t many people on it ha ha ha

    Third post 🙄

    @northgeorgia – I forgot to say congratulations on hitting 217!!! YOU ARE ON A ROLL!!! 🎉🎉🎉

    Day 26 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – FD

    @penz – you’re welcome 😉 That pocket list works wonders. I wish my FD was over; I don’t think it’ll be much of a list today.

    Pocket List – Day 26 🍒
    @funshipfreddie

    Day 26, London, UK, FD (1st of B2B2B)

    Busy weekend, my mums been a bit unsettled😥😢, perhaps the pain is ramping up again, anyway, I’ve come to work today for a bit of R&R ……………………. Don’t tell my boss!!!😂🤣

    @northgeorgia, Congratulations🥳🙌🏼🥳🙌🏼, you’re over that mountain peak & on the way down now!!! Enjoy the view!!

    Well, thanks for the good laugh @stitchincarol ………………..
    “@penz, @flourbaby, What about boxes of wine, where it stays lovely for a month or longer; would that be helpful in limiting yourself to whatever quantity you chose??” ………………………………………. I feel confident in speaking for both @penz and myself when I say …………………… As the saying goes, there’s only 2 types of hope of that happening ………………… Bob Hope & No Hope!!!🤣🤣
    Regarding the butter, I once read somewhere where a doctor promoting keto said “I would rather eat a stick of butter than a bagel”🤨🤢

    I think transdermal absorption of magnesium is the favoured method, so this is my go-to as a deodorant, sleep aid, cramp banisher & fungus destroyer!!! So for anyone interested,
    https://wellnessmama.com/5804/make-your-own-magnesium-oil/

    Hang in there @funshipfreddie, I’m holding your hand!!!
    Pocket List – Day 26 🍒
    @funshipfreddie
    @flourbaby

    “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
    — Confucius

    Day 26 – USA/GA – NFD

    Weigh-in: 220 lbs. A post-NFD 2 – 3 lb water gain can be normal for me, and although my meals weren’t completely saintly yesterday, it’s obvious this is mostly water.

    Thanks for the well-wishes! I have to report that the methods seemed to work yesterday on breaking a water fast! I took a little salt directly during my WFD, then the next morning, broke it with a slice of lime, salted avocado slices, and a banana. At lunch, I started with a salad — then came the test — my brother had invited me for pizza on Sunday, so I thanked him and took a slice for yesterday instead. Hours later, no problem!

    I looked at my schedule and it turns out today wasn’t going to be ideal for fasting. I’m much busier tomorrow at work, so I’ll do my WFD tomorrow instead. With the see-saw effect, I have to admit I might not quite get to my 216 lb goal this month, but I’m very happy with hitting 217 twice already in the past five days. Even at 220 today, I’m satisfied at my progress over the past two years. But it is time to start being careful of sugars and carbs trying to overpower my healthy fats and proteins at meal times. I think I’ve been pretty good, but I know I subconsciously like to test the limits, so I need to pull back before I cross over the line 🙂

    Day 26 – Rural Nebraska, USA – WFD

    Yesterday went exactly to plan and today I teach piano lessons in Omaha, so it’s a WFD. Looking forward to it as I love how I feel by the time I go to bed–and especially that PFDS tomorrow morning! Today I was down to 143.8 so all of Sunday’s food is slowly leaving my body.

    @mariaelena I chuckled to read your description of your body; from your description, we are shaped VERY similarly! I was so sad when the jeans that fit me (at the waist, so my hips would hold them up) were abruptly labeled “mom jeans” and banned from every discerning wardrobe, and then simply no longer made by the clothing industry. Of course, it wasn’t a complete loss because it was HARD to find pairs that had a 16″ difference between the waist and hips…. 🤣😂 These days, my waist has thickened, so the differential is a mere 13″! 👍 But for ten years or more, I’ve had to hike up my pants throughout the day, which horrifies DH to see as it’s too reminiscent of a fat old man, LOL! Are you saying that pants that sit at the actual waist are coming back in fashion??? HALLELUJAH!

    @high5 I don’t know if my experience will help you at all, but the moment I eliminated pretty much all carbs from my life (bread, crackers, all added sugars), the weight finally started to come off. Could that be a strategy for you on NFDs?

    @flourbaby I’m laughing and chuckling and grinning and shaking my head…your posts are a delight to read! And I found the magnesium link fascinating, and then the dry brushing one I also read…I stopped there before I went into an endless rabbit hole, LOL!

    @northgeorgia I think your 220 is like my 145–neither meant much except that we ate a lot the day before. It’s such a delight to read of your progress down again, and I’m so delighted to be going down alongside you!

    Yeah, we really are missing a lot of regulars, aren’t we? The one I think of the most, perhaps (PERHAPS…I miss all of them/you), is @snowflake56. I do hope she’s all right after all the flooding!

    Pocket List – Day 26 🍒
    @funshipfreddie
    @flourbaby
    @stitchincarol WFD

    For every single Halloween since 1989, I’ve made enchiladas (not the least bit authentic, but yummy, and our tradition) and cut-out cookies shaped like a pumpkin with orange frosting and a bit of green for the stem. Every single Halloween.

    I’m thinking I should skip it this year, as it will not be in the least supportive of my swerve of carbs. In our family, it’s rather the equivalent of not putting up the Christmas tree, so it’s a huge decision, LOL. Or, maybe make the cookies, but take them to church for coffee fellowship after worship, and skip the enchiladas. SUCH first-world problems! 🤣😂🤣😂

    Okay, off to get ready and start this day. Have a grand one, everyone!

    Day 27 – (16:8) nope changed my mind. FD 800

    I turned yesterday into a water fast as when dinner time came around it seemed to be as easy an option as keeping 500c day.

    @flourbaby re magnesium- there is disagreement in the scientific community about the ability of the body to absorb magnesium transdermally. But while the studies don’t show effect, anecdotally soaking in Epsom salts and other magnesium baths are often credited with soothing aches and pains. Our bodies are so complex, aren’t they! 😁 I’m on the side of my personal experience which says my epsom salt baths are a great tool to calm cramps.

    @high5 I found your musings so true! That attitude of ‘oh well, today’s a loss because of (fill in the blank) was killing me and 5:2 and other fasting strategies have offered an anodyne to it for me as well.

    @high5 – what will I do on the Thanksgiving holiday? Spend it with my kitties, call my father, brothers and sister, and maybe make it a fast day? I have never cared for Thanksgiving food (except mashed potatoes) and would never in other circumstances eat corn bread stuffing, turkey, sweet potatoes smothered in sugar (tho I adore sweet potatoes plain or with savory compliments), cranberry anything, pecan pie, anything pumpkin, green beans etc.

    I’m becoming much more aware of social requirements to join in eating foods I otherwise just don’t have any desire to eat. Traps like, well, everyone wants an easy meal and they just want to pick up a sub par pizza or fast food, so I’ll go along – I don’t need that! When I think about it rationally, not emotionally, it makes little sense. I’m working hard to become a rational eater, not emotional eater, yet at the same time not dim my joy in delicious foods. So my attitude is I’ll save those calories in a bank and withdraw them for some holiday treats in December!

    So@funshipfreddie, you motivated me, too. Keep me in your pocket! 😀 I’m gonna join the pocket list too. I think I’ll make it a FD 800 and be reasonable the rest of the week.

    Pocket List – Day 26 🍒
    @funshipfreddie
    @flourbaby
    @mariaelena

    second post

    @mariaelena, our posts crossed, so here’s the updated pocket list

    Pocket List – Day 26 🍒
    @funshipfreddie
    @flourbaby
    @mariaelena
    @stitchincarol

    Day 27, NFD, Aus

    What @flourbaby said! (Re wine in a box, or Chateau Cardboard as we call it).

    I hope this comes across the way I intend it, @stitcincarol, and that you don’t take offence, but I think you should still make your enchiladas and pumpkin shaped cookies. Traditions are important and seems the reason you want to avoid it is because of you – not because of your family. So I say, do it for your family, and exercise that resolve but not consuming them yourself!

    Day 27 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

    Phew? Thanks for the pocket list support yesterday guys. That’s my last Tuesday FD, I hope. So much easier to get it out of the way on a Monday. I’m still under 70 kgs, despite the 4 consecutive NFDs, so if I have a sensible weekend I may be able to get away with just the one FD this week. Sober October is really making it easier.

    Happy Hump Day! 🐫

    Day 27 – UK – FD800

    Not been in a fasting headspace this month for some reason but I don’t think too much damage has been done….but I’m pressing my RESET button with 5 x FD800 planned this week, although Monday was FD600, yesterday was FD800 and aiming for another today.

    Weather is most foul here ☔️☔️☔️ and looks set to stay with flood warnings – sounds like some roads are already impassable so a day for staying home dry and warm

    Watching the T20 🏏 between England and Bangladesh – great start by England so far with their bowling!

    Have not had time to catch up with the posts so hope everyone is doing OK and I for one am looking forward to a more structured November with 2 FDs each week 🤞

    Am I alone on today’s pocket list??

    Pocket List – Day 27
    @at

    Day 27, London, UK FD (3rd of B2B2B)

    Not feeling the usual euphoria or PFDS today, it feels a bit like a chore at the moment, I’m just going through the motions!! Perhaps because I’m not weighing myself AT ALL which usually spurs me on if I see immediate results. I’ll figure it out.

    Thanks for the reminder @funshipfreddie, I forgot it was Sober October!! I suppose it applies to all things, if it’s not in the house you can’t have it and won’t waste time dreaming about having it!! All is lost if there’s a bottle of vino🍷🍷 lurking at the back of a cupboard!!!
    If I discover a forgotten bar of chocolate🍫, I spend hours & hours thinking about NOT having it, then the willpower deserts me, and I scarf it down before I can come to my senses!!!! Did I mention I have ZERO willpower????🤣🤣

    I’m joining you today @at for some much needed handholding!!

    Pocket List – Day 27
    @at
    @flourbaby

    Keep the faith folks ……………………

    I may not be there yet, but I’m closer than I was yesterday!!!

    Day 27 – USA/GA – FD

    Weigh-in: 222 lbs. Ugly number, but expected. When my body weight surges, it’s usually a two day event, and obviously water gain. Well more water is coming your way today — and that’s all that’s coming, other than a few grains of salt! This is why I suspected 217 would be as low as I get for the month. We’ll see.

    Good luck to us today!

    Pocket List – Day 27
    @at
    @flourbaby
    @northgeorgia

    Day 27 – UK – NFD

    Hi all, a little check in from me – I hope everyone’s well!

    Things have been pretty bonkers this end for the past week. It’s been blow after blow about our ‘fur baby’ and his days are very much numbered. The vet we’ve been dealing with has been wonderful and in a cruel twist of fate, her own cat also had exactly the same type of cancer as our boy.

    We’ve spoken about the shock of how quickly it has developed and she said her cat was the same… as she’s a vet she’d do a routine examination on her cat a few times a week, just on the sofa at home (as you do!) and her cat was fine one day and then she felt the mass on the next day. She only lived a couple of weeks after that and I fear this is the timeframe we’re on with ours, even though he’s a strong willed little thing. It’s hard for them to give a prognosis and we’re now in discussions about when’s the right time to say goodbye. Blimey, it’s tough! Days are filled with concern over how he’s feeling, what he’s eating, if there are signs he’s had enough etc. We’ve been assured this type of cancer doesn’t tend to cause pain in cats, which is some relief.

    FDs have gone out the window as a result, though we seem to be in a OMAD pattern as standard at the moment… not really having much of an appetite during the day then suddenly ravenous in the evening!

    I’m hoping we’ll have a clearer picture in the coming days and I can start November with a slightly clearer mind & get back into a good routine with 5:2 on next month’s challenge.

    Thanks again so much for your lovely comments – I appreciate this is adding nothing to the general topic of 5:2(!) but it’s so nice to have this little to share with kind folk, so I’m very grateful for that.

    Good luck to all the fasters today! 🌸

    Day 27 – Rural Nebraska, USA – WFD

    Every Tuesday, on my 30-minute drive to the first piano lesson, and during all the rest of the driving, I think about the weight I’ve lost so far, and the plan I have for the day, the next day, the next few months, etc. That’s probably one reason I love teaching those lessons, is that I arrive home full of inspiration and determination. Yesterday, I decided that I’ll celebrate however low I get by Christmas/my birthday and set January as my time to begin striving for 125 AND to begin exercising again. I’ve really dropped the ball with that, and it’s time.

    Also, I texted our sons and (unfortunately?? 😂🤣😂) they both want to come home for the enchiladas and pumpkin cookies. If it were just DH and myself, I think I could bring myself to skip them, but my mom-heart had to offer that to our sons. They’ve missed the meal many years now because Halloween usually falls on a weekday. So I’ll allow myself two (just one?????) cookie on Sunday, try not to nibble while I’m baking, and the enchiladas actually shouldn’t be tooooo many carbs. Hopefully. Anyway, it is what it is and it’ll be a lovely time. LOL, it would be so much easier to lose weight if I weren’t surrounded by LIFE! 😉

    So to help compensate for the high carbs on Sunday, I’m going to continue my WF today (weigh in was 142.6!), and do the Eat Like a Bear salad on Th, Fr, Sa. That’s a rather huge commitment since it doesn’t include an end-of-the-week special meal, or wine, or anything…but I think I built up the necessary resolve yesterday, and I’m SO excited to be inching toward the 130s that I’m rather willing to stretch in hopes of getting there sooner.

    @mariaelena You made me chuckle when you listed out everything you don’t like about Thanksgiving. Surely green beans are lovely, and it’s just the standard casserole that leaves you cold? The advantage for you, of course, is that in a family that didn’t complain about such behavior, you could easily ignore most of the food, and eat tiny portions! I dream of such behavior on Thanksgiving and never, ever pull it off….🤣😂🤣

    @penz “Chateau Cardboard”–VERY funny! The other one I heard, years ago, in explanation of drinking wine from a box is that the person was a “Wine Common-sewer.” And that was sweet of you to encourage the family tradition to continue as usual, and zero offense was taken. Family traditions and life are simply not to be messed with, right?

    @flourbaby That may be the best quote yet: “I’m not there yet, but I’m closer than I was yesterday.” THANKS!

    @northgeorgia Ugly number indeed, and yet it’s so clearly water weight that it’s fun to now see 222 not as a decent low but as an ugly high because of water–that’s a true shift that reflects a full five-pound loss!

    Awww, @babs_b, I’m so very sorry at your heartache. Tough blow after blow, indeed! And, you know, given that our weight loss is reflective of what life is doing around us, I’d say your sorrow over your cat’s health is VERY connected to this 5:2 journey. So you just keep sharing your sorrow with us, and we’ll keep sharing our support and love with you. 💞

    Pocket List – Day 27
    @at
    @flourbaby
    @northgeorgia
    @stitchincarol WFD

    Today my cleaning lady comes so I have lots of tidying to do so she has empty surfaces to actually clean. Then a returning piano student this afternoon. Then choir rehearsal tonight. So the busy day should make this WF reasonably easy, and I think I have enough resolve to get me through successfully. Have a great one, everyone!

    Day 27 – 16:8 day

    Successfully kept FD 800 yesterday.

    @stitchincarol Yes! My waist is currently 12 inches smaller than my hips. When I’m not overweight that difference will get more extreme. “Mom jeans” indeed. I didn’t realize until my 5th decade that I’m considered an hourglass, as I’m not overly busty. But I have shoulders a linebacker would envy. The family joke (kindly, mind you, never said cruelly) is I appear to be an homage to our ‘hearty peasant stock’ ancestors. Short but even when a healthy weight my strong shoulders and muscular things and calves are prominent … think East German 1970’s Olympic swimming team member, but with a waist.

    Like you @stitchincarol, I’m very familiar with that waist tug hike up the pants maneuver – and I wear out belts straining to hold the pants waist tight. Once, when a friend tried to pass along size 10 Levi jeans she had outgrown (knowing that was the size I usually bought in pants) we all had a laugh as I put them on and buttoned them around my waist, with our cat inside the waistband with me and room for more! Lol. And yes, it is my understanding that the tweens and teenagers are rebelling against the uncomfortable skinny jeans and I am seeing a selection of high waisted loose fit pants in the online stores. I’m gonna stock up for my old age before they disappear again. Lol.

    @babs_b I’m so sorry, my hope was for a reprieve for your furry loved one. Take care of him, love him and be kind to yourself.

    Well, I’m back into the home archeological dig, lol. Sometimes it truly feels like a time machine (Oh, I remember THAT! ) but at others I’m left scratching my head (Where and when did we get THAT? Or WHY in the world do I have that in this drawer!) The cat side-eye is getting extreme. They do not approve of any of the furniture rearranging except moving the chesterfield into the guest room window.

    I send strong thoughts to all of today’s fasters, and well wishes to all.

    2nd post

    Oh, I hope I didn’t come across as picky and complaining! Just virtually everything on the thanksgiving menu doesn’t appeal to me, and in my attempt to be more healthy in my attitude towards food I have been trying to eliminate eating those that don’t appeal to me.

    But there is a huge difference between disliking a food and it just not being my thing. Thanksgiving just happens to feature dishes I would never choose to eat. And my attempts to to bring alternative thanksgiving themed dishes (adobo flavored mashed sweet potatoes, white bread stuffing, roasted veggies, butterscotch pie etc) are unappealing to his family and only I partake (well, DH likes that pie, and to be fair, HE is the one who makes it.) of them.

    Unfortunately, they notice and point out my plate of one small piece of turkey, large blob of mashed potatoes, and tiny smatterings of their other dishes of which I eat only a small forkful. I don’t mean to irritate or insult, but my palate does not align with theirs. It is a social conundrum I have not figured out how to navigate and will not miss.

    second post

    Oh, @mariaelena, you did not insult or come across as picky or complaining–not at all, so don’t worry. Personally, I adore white bread stuffing (as you call it) and can’t imagine why someone would think a cornbread stuffing was appropriate for Thanksgiving! 😂 I have, however, read many, many, many recipes where that’s exactly what is adored, so just shrug my shoulders and stick to what I love.

    What’s your typical response when they point out your small portions? Is there any chance in the world that, deep down, not liking that they’re so heavy (because that’s what you’ve said, right?), they resent you because they know they don’t have that much control?? ANY chance? Could you simply smile as if you’re sharing your craziness with them and move on? Although, if you’re seated at that point, moving on wouldn’t be possible, would it? I would think that–at a FUTURE Thanksgiving, not this one–you simply killed them with love and smiles and humor, they’d be so befuddled you’d come out feeling the victor.

    That said, please don’t think I’m minimizing how awful, rude, hurtful and demoralizing their behavior has been. My parents-in-law made it pretty clear from the first day of our marriage that they simply didn’t like me, didn’t like my cooking, didn’t like my choices, didn’t like really anything about me. At one point, my husband practically shouted at me, “Why do they say things like that about you to me; are they HOPING we’ll finally get a divorce?!?!!?” (Not, you understand, that he was in any way unhappy with me, but they’d aggravated him to the point where he had to yell.) Yeah, I get what you’re experiencing, but only with the parents, not an entire family as you endure.

    We’re here and have your back!

    @stitchincarol you are such a sweetie! I don’t have to endure any direct or obvious verbal arrows, my DH would flip his lid, too! It is the master passive aggressive verbal toolbox they employ. Like “Oh, I guess you don’t like our families’ traditional green bean casserole, huh?” In response to which there is no polite reply available that I can think of.

    The older generations (excepting my lovely brother in law) were naturally (very) slim in youth and now, well…) so I expect resentment is part of it. Tho not overweight when I married, I was noticeably larger and curvier than they. Now except for my young slim nieces I am noticeably smaller and healthier.

    Now, I just half smile and half shrug at what they say and usually try to turn away ask a niece about school or college or something. For years I tried actively deflecting or defending, but that resulted in me internalizing a feeling of fault. Now, my current silent responses obviously are an annoyance to them but as self affirming as I can be without causing a scene (which I will NOT do.)

    When we did not live so close, earlier in our marriage, it was easier, and I believe they exhibited better behavior. And tho not too distant, my Mother-in-law’s move will be a big help, as she will be an hour away, not 5 minutes away.

    So, sorry all. Unrelenting in-law difficulties is a topic I am putting to bed. And honestly, the act of writing it out here has given me solace, clarity and acceptance of what I can not change or control, so I thank you for the forum to do so.

    Third post

    @mariaelena 🥰

    Day 28, FD? Aus

    Not feeling the FD mojo today….

    I used to be one of those who also had a small waist and struggled to find jeans that would fit around my hips and not be gaping around my waist. No amount of belting in can accommodate it! Sadly over the years, my hip:waist ratio has changed, and I don’t have the same problem any more. Or, I can tell myself, it’s because the style of jeans has changed, but I am delighted to read the high-waist style is coming back. You can see how long it’s been since I browsed the latest fashions in store!

    @stitchincarol said it so perfectly @babs_b. Feel free to cry on our shoulders and we’ll stand solidly with you. We put our old dog down at Easter – such a terribly hard decision to take, and there never seems to be the “right” moment.

    And no you didn’t @mariaelena (sound picky or complaining). Thanksgiving is (obviously) not something we celebrate in Australia but I have lived in the States for several years. I could never understand the concept of marshmallows with sweet potato, and (to my palate) overcooked watery beans – but I do like turkey! You know what you do and do not like to eat and have every right to decide what to put in your mouth. I can imagine how thankful you will be this November not to have to go through that sufferance at the dining table again!

    And maybe it’s time not to be polite. Next time they snidely remark, “Oh, I guess you don’t like our families’ traditional green bean casserole, huh?” respond, “you’ve hit the nail on the head; I don’t!”

    second post

    Let me just say, my mom and I detest green bean casserole. I can tolerate it, actually, but just don’t think those flavors go together 🙂

    Day 28 – UK – NFD

    Thank you @stitchincarol @penz & @mariaelena – your warmth is much appreciated!

    Re Thanksgiving, my father in law is American and we used to celebrate Thanksgiving here in the UK (when he lived here) with him every year. I loved it, though from reading your posts about some of the food I can safely say he clearly didn’t go ‘traditional’ with some of these side dishes!! It looks like we experienced a slightly ‘Anglicised’ version…. we’d always have Turkey, stuffing and a bit of cranberry sauce if you wanted it. We’d have roast potatoes rather than mash. We’d have mashed sweet potatoes too, but no sugar or marshmallows ever went near them 😱 – they were just done with some butter and thyme. We’d have a selection of vegetables on the side, but again no casseroles etc. For dessert we’d have a pumpkin or pecan pie.

    I always remember the first time I travelled to the US to visit friends – I was a teenager at the time and SO excited to be in America having only seen it in the movies / on TV shows. I absolutely loved it! A couple of things struck me when I was there though – one was how everyone thought I was Australian, even though I have (sadly) never stepped foot there in my life and grew up near London in the UK and the other was how much sweeter the equivalent foods tasted there. E.g., we went for a McDonalds and I got what I’d normally have here in the UK but the meat itself seemed to taste strangely sweeter to me at the time. The same thing happened when we went for a Pizza Hut and when I was drinking all my favourite fizzy drinks (typical teenage diet!! And I was stick thin too! Not fair). At the time I had no idea exactly the same food from the same brand could be so different in a different country. This was a couple of decades ago now so I think there have been changes since, but it was really surprising. I have the loveliest memories of that trip – I was there in October in VA and got to see the most beautiful colours in the trees. Absolutely stunning ❤️🍂.

    Today is another NFD for me – I need to let the dust settle and give my head a little wobble to get back into 5:2, but I’m hopeful that’ll come next week with the new month. In the meantime, I’m checking in and keeping an eye on calories.

    Have a great day all!

    Day 28, London, UK, FD (3rd of B2B2B)

    I think I posted that yesterday was my 3rd of B2B2B, obviously I’m more sleep deprived than I thought!!🤣🤣Today will be my final FD for the week although the weekend will be very busy, so who knows??

    @babs_b I truly feel for you, I went through something similar 17 years ago and it still hurts to even think about it. Sending you some added strength & hugs🤗🤗

    I think it’s the dreaded “Added sugar”, it may start with a pinch added, then the addiction takes hold and they cater for the increasingly sweet palate 😫😱 I recall Jamie Oliver giving the wheelbarrow of sugar presentation where he showed just how much sugar we/kids were consuming in a year …………………… just from what was added to milk!!! Why do we need to add sugar to milk???? I think we’re more clued up these days on label reading and ditching anything with added sugar that really shouldn’t be there. I understand adding sugar to cake, that’s a given, but BREAD? COLESLAW?? ……….What the ………..???????

    Anyway, I’m trying to avoid as many packaged foods as I can, but if they start adding sugar to cheese, there WILL be trouble!!!

    Stay strong folks …………………

    “Success is the sum of small efforts — repeated day in and day out.”

    Day 28, U.K. – FAST DAY

    Very quick hello just to say I’m still here and fasting today

    Hope to catch u with posts later today xx

    Day 28 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

    Pocket List – Day 28 🥕
    @penz ?
    @flourbaby
    @high5

    Day 28 – UK – FD800

    9am Aerobics class via zoom – our teacher messaged yesterday evening to say in view of the weather she would zoom the class – great idea!

    Lots of flooding around our village – went out for a wander to take photos 😳and had my OMAD as brunch out with a friend afterwards

    Today should be Day 4 of B2B FD800 🤞 I’ll stay on track……

    I have a 6pm Pilates class which should hopefully keep me on track – planned for a cup of tea and a small snack when I return home

    Pocket List – Day 28 🥕
    @penz ?
    @flourbaby
    @high5

    Day 28 – USA/GA – NFD

    Weigh-in: 218 lbs. Oh, it tried so hard to get to 217, but not today! I have a formal reception to attend this evening, so going to break my WF slowly this morning and then have a nice lunch at home. I’ve shifted my schedule and have a few hours off, too, giving me a free morning. Kind of an odd feeling!

    Good luck to those fasting today!

    2nd post

    Oooops forgot to add myself to the pocket list….

    Pocket List – Day 28 🥕
    @penz ?
    @flourbaby
    @high5
    @at

    Day 28 UK FD

    Well last FD of October for me , need to have a rethink for November Some successes – practiced yoga every day Didn’t have a beer ( at home) But weight has remained static and the constant thinking about what I CANT has made me very negative so new plan for November

    Pocket List – Day 28 🥕
    @penz ?
    @flourbaby
    @high5
    @at
    @brightonbelle

    Day 28 – Rural Nebraska, USA – OMAD 1000 calories

    I weighed 140.8, another first since 2016. I had a couple tough moments yesterday, but with several big gulps of water, they passed. And at one point, when I really felt “not so good,” I took a half teaspoon or so of salt, and then I was fine for the day. My plan is to eat a huge salad tonight (and tomorrow and Saturday, as per the Eat Like a Bear plan) around five o’clock, which will be a 70 hour water fast. I continue to be astonished that I’m doing such long water fasts, that I’m not a crazy lady, and that I LOVE them!

    @penz I’m thinking of you, twelve hours ahead of me, and wondering if you succeeded in fasting despite not feeling like it. Those are the toughest FDs, huh?

    I’m thoroughly entertained by the discussion of typical Thanksgiving menu items, and who likes what! So, to join the conversation, I actually love the traditional green bean casserole, despite knowing how wickedly unhealthy it is, and make it every year, because my family all adores it also. And sweet potatoes in orange shells (that would appeal to you, @mariaelena, I think). And stuffing (from dried cubes of white bread, with raisins, using my DH’s mom’s recipe) and mashed potatoes (with lots of butter and heavy cream) and homemade dinner rolls (also with lots of butter and heavy cream, using my mom’s 80 year old cookbook). And cranberry sauce made from actual cranberries and my ricer that’s used exactly one time a year. And pumpkin pie (for DD) and cherry pie (for DH and SIL) and peach pie (for DH and DS30) and chocolate cream pie (for DS25). And this year, I may throw in a new recipe I’ve discovered for Brussels Sprouts Gratin! 😂😂😂 It’s definitely a good thing Thanksgiving only comes once a year, huh? I tried to cut down the menu last year, but if I left any one of those things out, someone was going to be really sad, so they all helped, and we had the entire feast. (And, for the record, if someone forced a bite of sweet potatoes with brown sugar and marshmallows into my mouth, I would literally gag–and possibly throw up. DISGUSTING.) (And I truly apologize if that’s someone’s favorite, LOL!)

    @babs_b I love your description of your trip to the US. Commercial and restaurant food really is sweet, huh?

    @northgeorgia Enjoy your formal reception tonight!

    I think I mentioned several months ago that I’d begun refinishing just the top of my dining room table because it gets STICKY every summer. So irritating, but the mail stuck to the table one too many times and I started in with the sander. Then life got in the way, so I put on a tablecloth…and it has stayed there all this time. I finally have both a bit of time and some more motivation, so yesterday I finished the sanding and today I’ll apply stain and a wipe-on poly. Thankfully, I didn’t ever touch the other half of the table, so there’s not all that much to do. My hope is that it’s fine for the winter (I’m tired of a tablecloth, LOL) and next summer will tell us if the redone side is good, and I only have to do the other side, or if my efforts didn’t succeed and I have to strip the entire surface clear down. I’m thinking that, on this day when I’m trying to extend my WF longer than I’ve ever done, having something to keep my busy will help keep me out of the kitchen!

    I think I qualify for this list, even though my OMAD salad will have lots of calories…yes?
    Pocket List – Day 28 🥕
    @penz ?
    @flourbaby
    @high5
    @at
    @brightonbelle
    @stitchincarol OMAD1000

    Have a grand one, everyone!

    Day 28 – 16:8

    Ate well within my limits yesterday, so on track.

    @penz OMG 😱 I should say something like that! Politeness and mannerly behavior were so drilled into my head that I just freeze up, but you have the perfect take!

    @flourbaby – the sugar in Coleslaw (and a LOT of it) is a big pet peeve of mine. I adore coleslaw but when I try to make it the cabbage always remains tough and bitter. But I had to eliminate prepared coleslaw when I saw the typical 5-10 g of added sugar per serving – even for the non-sweet and non-creamy type! (And that 30g added sugar in a can of Tomato soup will never stop shocking me).

    As for reading the food labels, now that added sugars are listed, I’m shocked at how much of the ‘healthy’ food choices were just sugar bombs. If I’m going to eat sugar, I want to do so in a sweet delicious treat (home made ice cream or brownies, or holiday treats – something occasional and special and yummy to enjoy). I do not want to ingest a days full of sugar in my lasagne or chicken soup and crackers!

    @at Did you escape flooding in your home? I hope!

    Well, I must press on and get to my list. My cats think I’ve gone insane with the changes and cleaning. Especially since moving furniture is always followed by me bringing out the dreaded monster: the vacuum. If felines had a Halloween equivalent I’m positive they’d replace ghosts and goblins with vacuums and vets.

    I’m quite grateful our 25 year old vacuum but the dust last year, b/c even when new, it didn’t clean like our new one. But it sure is loud!

    Keeping all in my thoughts!

    second post

    It just occurred to me: is anyone willing to step up and host November? We’re getting close!

    2nd post

    Sweet potatoes in an orange shell? Do tell @stitchincarol!
    Intriguing. After I started finding the different (non marshmallow/brown sugar/maple syrupy pecan crumble) sweet potatoes recipes I am amazed at the versatility of sweet potatoes and how well different flavors compliment theirs. But that one is totally unknown to me.

    The Thanksgiving pre-pandemic we traveled to my father, rented an AirB&B with a kitchen and hosted the first family (my family) Thanksgiving in more than a decade. The foods were mostly non-traditional takes on the typical holiday foods. Two Cornish game hens 1/2 per person (except my vegetarian sister), twice baked cheesy potatoes, adobo sauced mashed sweet potatoes, pan fried white bread stuffing, a Greek salad, and Kamoosh (kinda like a nacho plate). My father and brother (his caretaker) were thrilled. We planned to make that our custom going forward, but the virus had other plans😢.

    DH and I love to cook together, but with only the two of us, we don’t get the chance to DO for others much, so it was a real joy. We came to cooking late. In the last decade or so. Me looking to make healthy eating palatable and him because he was inspired by YouTube chef’s.

    third post

    Still hanging in there, although I’m REALLY looking forward to my salad, LOL!

    Here’s one recipe that is similar but has a twist you might love, @mariaelena: https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/sweet-potato-puree-orange-shells

    My recipe has boiled and pureed sweet potatoes with an egg, white pepper, salt, and lemon zest put into orange shells and topped with a pat of butter and chopped almonds. I do that all ahead of time, and then bake them at 350 for a bit over a half hour. I do two or three sweet potatoes and five oranges or so, cut in half, and squeezed with my electric juicer; that means we also always have fresh squeezed OJ on Thanksgiving morning. 😇😋

    And your menu sounds absolutely divine!

    Day 29, NFD, Aus

    Well yesterday’s FD didn’t. And I know why – I was ambivalent about it from the start when what I should have done was committed to it. Instead, I gave myself an out. Even @funshipfreddie adding me to the pocket list with a question mark after my handle is indicative of how little I was committed!

    @babs_b – I can assure you from my Aussie palate perspective, American food is STILL sweet! (and the coffee! Don’t get me started on the coffee!!) We were in Tampa for a few years and there was a brand of bread roll there called Royal Hawaiian. Shortly after we arrived, a friend cooked us pulled brisket (yum!) but I couldn’t eat the bread – it was far too sweet. Several months later, however, my tastebuds had completely acclimatised and I could eat those rolls without detecting even a hint of sugar. How quickly my tastes changed was quite scary.

    FOUR pies for Thanksgiving, @stitchincarol?! I’m in awe!

    I had to look up kamoosh, @mariaelena, as I’d never heard of it. It looks delish!

    Well, have a good weekend everyone and a good end to the month. See you all in November!

    Whelp. Power went out at 3:00 this afternoon and the latest estimate of it returning is tomorrow afternoon – so fast food it was. Not what I wanted to eat, but, there is a good reason for it. Still and all, a burger (without the bun) and French fries isn’t horrible, considering (oh, yeah, and desert: a serving of almonds which were on the counter).

    Glad it wasn’t supposed to be a fast500 day, because we are not opening the refrigerator. I will head out in the a.m. to get loads of ice for coolers to hopefully keep the freezer goods from spoiling.

    Day 29, U.K. NFD

    Yesterday was my final first day of October

    I finish the month 1.2 heavier than when I started!

    However I guess that was always going to happen given that it was my birthday and that I had my holidays

    So that’s okay!

    I am therefore 3.6 lb above my goal weight

    Need to try and get that down a bit to hit 8 stone 6 before Christmas starts kicking in!!!!!

    Hoping to catch up on all the posts later – gotta run xx

    Day 29. Ortigia Sicily ( not far from Catania😳😳😳)

    Well, after 6 weeks of sheer fun and great weather, we are now in the middle of a huge storm, looking out over a very tumultuous sea from our Airbnb. The roof and windows are all leaking. It’s scary.

    Day 29 – UK – NFD

    Thanks @flourbaby – I hope the 3rd B2B2B went well! I need to do similar I think; a couple of weeks of eating fairly mindlessly has made me feel quite groggy and I’d be quite up for that feeling of being less weighed down by heavy food.

    @penz – I’m glad it’s not just me. I’ll never forget taking that first bite of a McDonalds burger in the US, expecting it to taste the way it normally does but for it to be that much sweeter! My American friends thought I was losing the plot when I mentioned how much sweeter the meat was 😂. It soon became very moreish though, even within a couple of weeks of being there…!

    @mariaelena – That weather sounds awful! I’m assuming you’re up in the north west? Hopefully the power comes back on soon.

    @stitchincarol – those pies sound incredible!

    @at – I hope the waters retreat back swiftly!

    @high5 – I’d say that’s a pretty successful month. Thank you again for hosting! I would put myself forward again but must admit I don’t think I’ll be able to manage it in November with everything else that’s going on.

    As for me – I had a fairly successful day yesterday as they go. Nowhere near a FD but better than they have been. Lentil dhal soup for lunch and I cooked a chicken & chorizo jambalaya for dinner. ZBC too and only had a couple of snacks. I’ll take that.

    I had lots of work to distract me from all the goings on too, which was welcome albeit slightly stressful.

    Have a good Friday all 🙂

    Day 29 – ??? 🤷‍♀️

    Off to the store, to get lots and lots of ice. Power restoration updated from power company is now officially: “unknown”

    No, the weather is fine here: this week has been breezy, sunny and 70’s where I am. Power outage is merely the result of corruption and incompetence.

    Angry and worried, so I’ll just sign off with hopes everyone else is doing much better.

    Day 29 – Rural Nebraska, USA – OMAD 1000 calories

    Weigh in 140.4. I have clearly found an approach that works both for my body and for my ability to “behave.” That salad I had for OMAD was massive–its name is the Ridiculously Big Salad, and it’s very true, LOL–and I couldn’t even finish it, despite my “ol’ college try.” (Is that a phrase the non-Americans among us use, or is it unique to the US?) I’m doing it again today and tomorrow, and the jury is still out whether I’ll actually eat carbs on Sunday, or just watch my family eat, LOL. They’ll understand either way, so it’s an issue of how much it matters to me, and I still have two days to think and consider.

    And, no, I haven’t done anything further to the table; I’m still waiting for the courage, lol.

    @mariaelena Yikes! That really changes plans on a dime, doesn’t it? I hope all is well when the power finally comes back on!

    @high5 Bummer, but you’re right that it’s all good given the circumstances. And, it could have been FAR worse, so I’m thinking you did a great job!

    @emma-taylor Wow, if the windows are leaking, it’s clearly an awful storm, and I fully understand how scary that is!

    Okay, lots to do this morning, so I must race off. Have a grand Friday, everyone!

    Day 29 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

    Almost forgot to post! Just had a very loong lunch at Mama Luciana’s; eaten enough for three, I think?! Going to have to behave myself this weekend 😳

    Day 29 – USA/GA – ?

    Weigh-in: 221 lbs. Yeah, my body is trying to revolt. It’s trying to uptick a pound or so over last week. I need another good weigh-in this month. Must behave. Getting into the piggy season of the year. Today was not supposed to be a FD, but it may just be — take that!

    I won’t commit to anything today, as Friday evenings tend to be the worst temptation. I’ll start off with ZBC and an intended WFD, and if it turns into a FD500 or even a larger sized OMAD at the end, that’ll be fine with me.

    I may try another extended WFD next week. A few weeks ago, I was surprised that I went nearly 48 hours on just water without feeling super hungry. I’m off work today, and as I’ve been invited to a wedding next weekend, I have to break one of my cardinal rules. THE CHRISTMAS TREE IS GOING UP TODAY –YIKES!!!

    @mariaelena I hope the power gets switched on sooner rather than later. That’s so frustrating. We make our slaw with just salt, pepper, mayonnaise, and cabbage. Some of the Southern brand mayonnaise may be hard to find, but they rely less on sugar for flavor. Duke’s has no sugar, for example, but I don’t like the overpowering vinegar taste. My family has always been a Blue Plate label family. It does contain sugar, but very little for its flavor: a serving doesn’t even contain a gram, so I feel OK using it. I also hear Kraft has similar very low sugar. Egg yolks, vinegar, and oil provide the flavor and substance in these brands.

    @stitchincarol I’m going to start going back to that approach, too. I’ve let too many carbs back in each day. A nice huge salad (or maybe soup, with the changing seasons) might be the perfect “I’m full, I don’t want any more” food.

    If no one will step up for November, I’ll be glad to do it. I don’t know how much of a good example I’ll be for next month, but we can all be hopeful! Just need the spreadsheet set up.

    And a little joke I hope you don’t mind me sharing. Someone at work said she heard someone say they didn’t celebrate Halloween because it was inviting the devil into your home. I said that I agree, and the devil’s name is SUGAR! Keep that candy away from me!!! LOL

    Merry Halloween, err, Christmas, err, happy Thanksgiving! 🙂

    Back to the tinsel!

    second post

    @northgeorgia Thanks for agreeing to host November; no example necessary, only a willingness to get it started!

    Your post has led to SO many questions/comments.

    You ought to look at http://www.eatlikeabear.com It has given me a HUGE amount of encouragement and guidance for what that daily salad ought to look like in order to be HFLC, and I’m absolutely certain that it plus my 70 hours of WF have put me in ketosis. Perhaps you’ll find it useful as well.

    And what does a wedding on the first weekend in November have to do with your Christmas tree? Do you typically put it up at the beginning of November?

    And your joke was absolutely delightful, and made me laugh out loud. I just bought the Halloween candy today, which makes DH happy, and which I will simply ignore, for the first Halloween in my life. And that silly woman who thinks Halloween is inviting the devil in is so unfamiliar with the roots of Halloween. Silly, silly, silly. But your answer is perfect, LOL!

    And I finally found the courage to stain the table and to put on the first coat of polyurethane…it’s not perfect, but I’m hoping it does the trick, which I’ll know when it’s dry in a couple hours and I put on the second coat. 🤞

    Day 30 Ortigia, and Siracusa, Sicily

    The storm has nearly gone. DH ventured out yesterday to find food – supermarkets closed but he found some tinned soup! We were going to go to Catania for a few days but decided it would be better to stay here, so we move to a (dry, I hope) Airbnb across the bridge in Siracusa. @stitchincarol – I spent a lot of time looking at the Eatlikeabear website, and it’s really interesting. I really like Amanda Rose, whose idea it is. I think it’s difficult for a man to understand the psychological issues around food that women deal with – no offence to any men on this site – but she does address that. Anyway, all fasting is suspended until I get home on Tuesday, but then I’m going to have to make some decisions….

    Day 30 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

    Where did October go?! Can’t believe how quickly it’s passed.

    @emma-taylor – I saw the Sicily floods on the news?! I hope the worst is over & the rest of your stay is more relaxed.

    Have a good weekend everyone ⛅️ 🌈

Viewing 50 posts - 251 through 300 (of 315 total)

You must be logged in to reply.