Day 12 FD NZ

Y’day’s FD did not go well. I broke it at 2pm and started nibbling on the remains of my bread and butter pudding then had two slices of sourdough plus cheese while preparing a dinner of roast veg, beans and sausages. My guest returned with focaccia bread insisting on having olive oil and sea salt to dip the bread in before dinner. After dinner she served up two big chocolate chip biscuits and tea. By the end of the night I was very comfortably full, a feeling I hadn’t had for a while and I must say it was quite enjoyable… So today I’m back on the FD list and at this stage don’t feel hungry in the slightest… So y’day was a blow out but not an EFS… thank heavens for small mercies.

Pocket List
Merry🍎

Day 11 – USA/TN

On this somber day in the USA, I want to take the time to remember the events of 9/11, the brave first responders, all the lost of that day. I was born and raised in NJ and worked in NYC for years, downtown and mid-town, so despite it being 22 years, it still hurts to think of that day. It took me about 20 years until I could even see the pics of the towers collapsing.

I feel that it was proper to mention that before I mention my quest to stay in maintenance. I’m still not at my goal, but someone here in the thread mentioned making small changes, which is something I’ve been doing: starting to hike, swim, and even cutting the amount of healthy fats and dairy in the hopes of losing those pesky pounds. Slow and steady wins the race!

Day 12 – Ireland 🇮🇪 – NFD

Not much to say. Feel good but cannot get my head around an FD today. I really wanted breakfast of an egg and my home made oat bran bread, I have tuna salad for lunch, and a chilli dish for dinner. All good fresh healthy unprocessed foods.

8 more days to work and then holiday. We have agreed we will not leave it until so late next year, it feels like an AGE since I had more than two days off work in a row!!

Remembering September 11, the world sure changed. I was in The Canary Islands at the time, could not believe the news coming through, relieved when I got my sister in NYC and she was ok. Prayers for all affected.

Have a good Tuesday xxxx

Day 12 UK CD

Delighted with yesterday’s FD600 – I succumbed to a roll with the soup and a rice crispie square, then came home and had some mushrooms. This morning I weighed in bang on 80kg/176lb. Now I *just* need to keep on rolling down another 14kg and I’ll be in maintenance 😀

I woke up in huge pain – burning pins & needles all over the body that sometimes strike, particularly bad in my feet – and had seedy toast so I could take painkillers. Eventually managed to work from bed for a couple of hours, was dressed in time for my afternoon zoom meeting and now heading for a shower and early night.

Today’s menu was leftovers – butternut squash and carrot dahl, baked sweet potatoes with soya chunks, strawberries and custard – which somehow all came to just under 1000 calories. Could my eating finally be reset?!

@northgeorgia that does sound super-stressful. Hope the rest of your very full week goes really well

@penz thank you! And glad to see you are feeling better

@metatauta it doesn’t seem so long ago, such a tragic day. A Muslim friend and neighbour here in London lost a whole generation of her family on 9/11 – all the cousins were working in the Twin Towers. Yet sadly because of the anti-Muslim hostility that followed she felt really isolated. We went to a multi-faith service together which helped a little

@daffodil2010 how lovely to have holiday just around the corner – don’t know how you have lasted so long!

VERY quiet here today. I hope all the regulars are okay

Day 13 NFD NZ

I managed the FD Take 2 with the help of a chocolate chip biscuit… Otherwise it was pasta and Puttanesca sauce and tea and coffees with milk. I have @funshipfreddie in my ear over the biscuit! Tomorrow is another FD… My guest is still here for another 3 nights. I’m trying to help her with her dissertation topic for next year which has to be about themselves for some reason. Her focus was to be on the difficulties and lack of confidence she has as an art therapist. I’m trying to get her to see that her inexperience isn’t failure and to focus on how and what steps she’s learning that build up her knowledge and thus confidence…

@metatauta I was in the tearoom on night shift in the ICU and watched the second plane go into the Twin Towers live. It was very surreal and suddenly meant the first plane crash wasn’t an accident. I went out into the ICU and said I just watched an aircraft fly into the Twin Towers on purpose. It didn’t register and nobody responded. I repeated two aircraft have just crashed into two skyscrapers in New York. Their footprint is the same size as a rugby field. I guess because I was familiar with NYC I could comprehend the scale of the event. Shocking. Billy watched the Twin Towers being built from his loft in Church Street. And then you think about Ukraine and Syria and not to mention Africa… Humans?????

At least we’re trying to decrease our footprint!
Kia Kaha!

Day 13 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

@merryapple – well done for surviving your Take 2 FD! Pasta is an interesting choice for a FD. I’m not even going to mention the chocolate chip biscuit 😅 I’m overdue a FD & misbehaving on my NFDs, so I will be joining you tomorrow 🎯

@penz – yes, it’s very quiet this month. And I just realised I didn’t post yesterday. I’m guessing it’ll get busier as we approach the silly season. And then again from January. Or maybe people are splashing out on the new miracle weight-loss pills instead? 🤔

@metatauta, @merryapple – it’s hard to believe it’s 22 years since 9/11. I can remember it like it was yesterday. And yet it still seems surreal somehow. I still feel sad if I see a scene in an old movie or TV series with the Twin Towers in the background.

@daffodil – urgh?! I hope the whole work situation is sorted out soon! Sending you RESOLVE for you FD 💪

Gotta dash, line-dancing & then lunch with a couple of neighbours 🕺💃

Happy Hump Day! 🐫

2nd Post – Day 13

Happy Hump Day FD 🐪
@daffodil2010
@jaifaim

Day 13 – USA/GA – FD

Weigh-in: 222 lbs. Let’s do another FD! My boss said, “don’t worry. I talked with the person, and she’s still sensitive but I think we’re good now. Trust me, I keep stepping in it all the time in my position. It happens!” So, feeling better. I was a bit out of control yesterday, but focused on proteins, although trust me — there were plenty of carbs! Came out pretty well and ready for a FD today. Planning on a FD500, but may do a WFD if I can swing it.

Happy Hump Day FD 🐪
@daffodil2010
@jaifaim
@northgeorgia

Day 13 – Rural Nebraska, USA – NFD/CD – 155.8

DH and I had a lovely time on the retreat, learning lots of fascinating concepts about solid marriages and about neurological details (some of which I’m trying to apply to my eating habits), and just generally relaxing. The result is that I’m overwhelmed and grumpy at today’s to-do list, none of which is negotiable and all of which makes me tired and overwhelmed before the day has even begun. DH retires next August or perhaps December–which means I do as well from everything except teaching piano–and while we’ll miss what we do, the constant pressure and constant pace will be lovely to leave behind.

The bad thing about the retreat was the MASSIVE quantities of food we were provided. Good food, and a lovely variety, but FAR too much. I never once cleaned my plate, but even so ate more than is typical, so my weight is up this morning, rather than inching down below what it was last week. Probably it will prove to be EOEO, but I’m getting weary of no progress further down, a common theme for my efforts. The best I can do is celebrate the WFD I pulled off yesterday, and be disciplined about what I eat today. One day at a time, right?

@funshipfreddie Okay, let me get this straight: You’re fine with instant coffee, but find decaf to be repulsive?

Oh.

@penz I’m glad that your cold is finally improved enough for you to be back in the office. And I liked that part of Atomic Habits as well, and Aaron Rodgers (famous quarterback here in the States who was traded from the Greenbay Packers to the New York Jets, played his first game with them on Monday–and tore his achilles tendon on his fourth play, so he’s out for the season 😢) recently said in an article that he always thinks about getting to the Superbowl, that he assumes he and his team will, and that assumption colors all the choices they make as they work and prepare each week. His comments made me wonder if he’s also read Atomic Habits.

@daffodil2010 Oh, that has to be so hideously demoralizing that 6 months of work have been pointless; I do hope your manager is able to sort out a solution for you.

@northgeorgia Your situation also has to feel so very icky; I’m so glad your boss was able to bring you some comfort.

The neurological explanation that sticks with me the most (I’ve actually heard the presentation multiple times from this talented and highly educated guy because of different groups I’m in) is the comparison of our brain to an elephant and a little boy riding it. The part of our brain that simply “reacts” is the hugest portion by far; the part of our brain that thinks and makes conscious decisions is the same as the proportion of a little boy on an elephant. If the thinking part of our brain ignores the instinctual reactions of the large portion of the brain, then the large portion will see to it that we sit down with a bag of chips and eat it all (to use your example, @daffodil2010, but there’s no blame here because I’ve done it myself and everyone else here has done it also). The trick is for the thinking part of the brain to notice when the large portion is headed to disaster and calmly talk it down, reassuring it that the things that are troubling it are under control.

This is not the example given to us; instead it was the example of riding through a jungle, the elephant realizing the rustling in the bushes meant there was a tiger and being ready to bolt, with the little boy holding on for dear life, unable to control the elephant. The problem was the little boy ignored the hitch in the step of the elephant when it first sensed the tiger and tried to force the elephant to keep going, leading it right to where the tiger was hiding in the bushes. If, instead, the little boy was so attuned to his elephant that he noticed the hitch, and stopped the elephant and kindly asked what the problem was, then he could get off the elephant and chase away the tiger, then get back on the elephant so they could continue on their way. (Okay, a little boy chasing off a tiger is perhaps not realistic, but that’s the only flaw in the story, right?)

See how all this can apply to our eating choices and plans? That’s why, when I spend lots and lots of time thinking, I can be successful with my eating choices, because I’m “empowering my little boy” and “soothing my elephant.” Hopefully someone else finds this useful. 🤪👍💪

Have a grand one, everyone!

Oh, and a comment DH mentioned yesterday: Our stomachs are not trash cans! 😂

Day 14 – Ireland – CD 🚫🚶‍♂️ ✅

Hello all. Busy times but popping in to keep the focus and habit.
Have a good day everyone.
I hope you are well.

Onward and downward ⬇️
We rise by lifting others 💕

Day 14 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – FD

@penz – good article on coffee/caffeine. I try to avoid it after noon, but then I drink tea as well, which is supposed to have less caffeine.

@stitchincarol – I don’t find decaf repulsive; just – pointless. Like alcohol-free beer 😅 I never found any decent instant coffee in America, but we’ve got some good brands here. One of the most popular ones is Douwe Egberts. They have a really good TV commercial for it. A guy is dropping off a girl at home after their first date. She says, provocatively, “do you want to come up for some coffee?” So he asks, “what coffee is it?” “Does it matter…? she laughs. And the expression on his face is priceless when he replies, “does it matter?!!”.
Oh – here it is! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q21x2kKCgjA

Let’s get this done, Thursday fasters! 🎯💪

Thursday Pocket List
@merry🍎
@penz
@funshipfreddie

Day 14 – Rural Nebraska, USA – WFD – 156.8

Yesterday ended up an NFD at approximately 1500 calories; obviously fewer calories would be better for weight loss goals, but I’d given myself permission, so calling it acceptable–I didn’t, at least indulge in anything resembling EFS, but just ate “heartily.”

Oh, @merryapple, no there’s nothing in my inbox; so sad I couldn’t copy and paste it for you!

@penz I chuckled at your quotes of the coffee-timing story. Humans could go absolutely nuts trying to observe all the “findings” we read about after research; I’ve always figured it’s nice to read the stuff, but I’ll do what makes reasonable sense to me. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤪👍

@daffodil2010 I’m thrilled for you that your manager is such an improvement over the previous…but bog snorkling??? Yeah, that’s bad indeed! 🤪😂😂😂

@funshipfreddie You’re right that his expression is priceless! And, in your defense, when we were in either Israel or Germany (in 2012, 2017, or 2019…), we had an electric pot in our hotel room with instant coffee and I tried it, and was quite surprised at how good it was. Instant coffee in the States is pointless as far as I’m concerned, and prompted my attitude to you drinking instant. 😉

@penz I tried your challenge of “WHO am I?” when I finally figured out I could respond by saying “I am a 140-pound woman who’s carrying fifteen extra pounds.” That felt pretty good, and then I realized that I should go for what I really want, so I said it again, but this time said, “I am a 137-pound woman–” and I gasped. That’s a powerful thing to say when you’re truly envisioning it, you know? So I will continue my mental image of me carrying an extra 20 pounds in my hands–they’re not MY pounds, after all, so can’t be on my body–and reassure myself hourly that I’m a 137-pound woman, and make my food choices based on that truth.

Who else is on for trying this? @northgeorgia, would such an approach help you? @merryapple? @penz, is your wording an improvement for you?

Interesting thoughts, especially in light of the neuroscience I just was learning about.

Have a grand one, everyone!

Thursday Pocket List
@merry🍎
@penz
@funshipfreddie
@stitchincarol WFD

Day 15 NFD NZ 82.8kg

Wow! I have completed btb FDs for the week against the odds. My guest goes tomorrow morning and I’ll be able to settle back into my routine…
The interesting thing is I have lost weight so slowly I don’t feel like I’m in the wrong body… In other words I don’t feel fat like I did at the beginning of the year and I don’t feel thin which I’m not! In the past when I lost weight rapidly I felt a mismatch between me and my body. Does that make sense???
Who am I? I’m not quite sure at present. I feel like I am reinventing myself at 65. I have to be the artist’s wife and have another full on year ahead sorting Billy’s estate but I also want to do my thing which involves textiles. I also have a wee Westie who is going downhill mentally. Last night the neighbours’ cat ran into the house and under the bed while we were outside for Macintosh’s last pee. He could smell cat in the room and went completely loopy, soaked in adrenaline with the shakes. It took 3+ hours to settle him…
@stitchincarol I love “your stomach is not a trash can!” In other words feed it with good quality food, not too much volume and give it a decent break on FDs. As a refresher, gastric irritants include alcohol and carbonated drinks, acid (fruit juice, tomato, lemons), too much salt and sugar, fatty and fried foods, too spicy chilli and currys, caffeine and lactose milk and of course drugs like aspirin. And those with IBS will have more indigestible foods to add in like onions.
@daffodil2010 Thank goodness your manager recognises your ability to sort things out.
@northgeorgia Enjoy the teens!
@excelsior12309 Little steps will get you there! I do enjoy craft beer in the summer and it’s not as acidic as wine for supping.

One more day and we’re over the hump for the month!
Steely Resolve one and all!

Day 15 – Ireland 🇮🇪 – NFD

1 more week to go to holidays !!!!!

Oh, I like that mental internalising, I am into all of that, just never thought of applying it to me as a “I am a 140lb (10 stone) woman and the extra pounds are not mine to stay” ☺️

My mantra for a long time, started when I had crushing anxiety in the past, is “I am safe and secure, happy, healthy, and wealthy”. It’s my own personal OM but it’s calmed me down during the worst of times, that mental refocus to adjust yourself out of that downward spiral.

Anyhoo, loved that ad @funshipfreddie 😆 I agree re the instant coffee, we have some really nice stuff in the camper for when we are off grid (our coffee machine doesn’t work properly without an electric hook up), and it’s just as good. Speaking of hot beverages in the US, I have never liked the tea. My sis who lives in US always ask us to bring over tea whenever visiting 😄

Oh @merryapple poor Macintosh, I hope you both are ok ☹️

Have a good weekend. Busy one getting the van ready for our Spanish trip, then we have our Grandaughter on Sunday xxxx

Day 15 – USA/GA – NFD

Weigh-in: 221 lbs. Got a busy morning and afternoon, and a work-related event tomorrow afternoon. A short weekend ahead, and FDs planned for Sunday and Monday.

Day 15 UK NFD

Mid-month check in and I’m back down 5lb to 177lb/80.2kg and my EO holiday weight has gone, taking with it nearly an inch from my waist. It also brings me to just under my start weight when I first found 5:2 back in 2017 tho it feels like more work this time round!

That’s my first goal for this month met a little more quickly than I thought. Next mini goal is to get under 80kg with a stretch goal of 172lb/78kg for the month. Drinking plenty of water and hot drinks, eating to goal weight TDEE and avoiding sugar plus two solid FDs or LFD each week whould get me there. I’m now in competition with Past Me from 2017 which will keep me motivated and my mouth closed around sickly sugary stuff (formerly known as ‘treats’!). Also need to make sure I eat earlier and at least 3 hours before bedtime!!

Back to the laptop…

Day 15 – Ireland – CD 🚫🚶‍♂️ ✅
Day 16 – NFD – UK 🥂 💃🏻🏖️
152.5 lbs

Checking in before we hike on the Jurassic coast and fun with friends later.

Hope you are all keeping well as we go to the second half.

Onward and downward ⬇️
We rise by lifting others 💕

Day 16 – USA/GA – NFD

Weigh-in: 222 lbs. A pound down over last week’s average. Planning on FDs on Sunday/Monday again. Have an event this afternoon for work. Short weekend blah.

Day 17 NFD NZ

My darling Mr Mac is losing it… The last 3 nights we have been up 3x… I’m feeling so sad for him. And grumpy from loss of sleep…
@daffodil What a gorgeous sounding holiday!
@stitchincarol Do you recall the old cast iron gem irons? You heat them up in the oven first then put gingery golden syrupy batter in the wee 2 x 6 beds in the cast iron tray. I also use them to make corn bread.
@jaifaim well done on your quiet success!
Enjoy Sunday!

Day 17 – USA/GA – FD

Weigh-in: 223 lbs. @funshipfreddie Sounds good to me! Let’s get it going.

I’m a pound lighter over last Sunday, but still not as light as some of my Sundays in August. With everything happening this month, I kind of figured September would be a bust for furthering down the downwards path. However, I should be able to approach my successes in August by the end of the month.

It’s a bittersweet week. I’m taking Tuesday off work to spend with my mom. It would have been my dad’s 70th birthday, and the first one since he passed away. I plan to go by the cemetery, and then to his favorite diner for lunch (he complained when after the pandemic they decided to close at 2 p.m.; he said he only wanted supper from their menu). Thursday, I am speaking at a Rotary breakfast, then taking a colleague from another local college out for her birthday lunch. So my FDs will indeed be today and Monday, and probably Wednesday. Today a WFD, and the other(s) will be FD500s. I got tired of the complexity and flavors of my RBSalads and last week simplified it to a head of Romaine and an English cucumber with bacon bits, salt and a bit of balsamic.

Next week, I’ll probably only do Sunday and Thursday, as I’ll be at a Conference the first three days of the week in Atlanta. The article on tea was interesting. The problem is here in the South, we sweeten our tea with sugar so much, it is sweeter than soft drinks! Never been a fan of unsweetened tea or hot tea — but may attempt it this winter.

Pocket List – Day 17 🥚
@funshipfreddie
@northgeorgia

Day 18 NZ FD 83.2kg

I had a visitor whilst still in my dressing gown with a shawl across my shoulders… thank you Mr Mac for helping to lower my standards… I have now got dressed.
I watched a Netflix programme by Dan Buettenor on blue zones around the world which are where people live to 100+ with a decent quality of life. Food wise purple sweet potatoes (Okinawa), corn-beans-pumpkin (Costa Rica), 7th Day Adventist’s emphasis on plant based foods (LA), pasta and sourdough bread (Sardinia) and a Greek Mediterranean diet (Greek Island) contributed to blue zone living. It became obvious that as well everyone had a sense of purpose in life, they all had gardens where they produced their own mostly plant based food, used hand tools rather than labour saving tools, they walked a lot and had gently active lives with a sense of purpose. Their communities were intact, they volunteered, they had family around them and they had faith. It was heartening to see that simplicity of living is worthwhile and keeps you well. However the industrialised food complex and coach potato lives are playing havoc with health and wellbeing. What a surprise!

@penz Sending strength for your personnel problem…
@funshipfreddie Yes I’m going to see what the vet will offer.

Pocket List
@penz
@northgeorgia
@merry🍎

Stay Strong!

Day 18 – Ireland – FD 🚫🚶‍♂️ ✅

Travelling – so quick check in. Not getting to read posts but have a happy Monday everyone. ☀️

Onward and downward ⬇️
We rise by lifting others 💕

Day 18 – USA/GA – FD500

Weigh-in: 219 lbs. Down a pound over last Monday, so we’re on the right track! I need to remember what I did in March, and how I tried to imitate that in August, which really got me moving in the right direction until the holiday/celebration periods showed up (and it’s so easy to stay in celebratory eating habits!). No big secret — just reducing eating to when you’re actually hungry, so a lot of NFD OMADs or 2MADs, where one is quite small.

@excelsior12309 Oh my! I hope all goes well for you in October — stressful time until then, I know.

Pocket list – day 19
@penz
@northgeorgia
@merryapple
@excelsior12309

Day 18 – Rural Nebraska, USA – CD

I’m retaining water on a serious level–I’m certain of this–but I’m also eating more calories than I should be–I’m equally certain of this, to my sorrow–so I’m simply not going to list this morning’s ugly weight.

The bean dish I made for supper on Saturday was absolutely glorious, but FAR more calories than had occurred to me. I already have some in the freezer for quick suppers or lunches, and whatever is leftover today after DH has had what he wants will also go in the freezer. The “Taco Pie” I made yesterday with mashed potatoes as the “crust” also astonished me at the number of calories it had (part of why I’ve ended up with too many calories over the weekend), but it’s a lovely taste and is GF, the new thing I’m always conscious of for DS31’s sake. The problem is clearly that I’m spending far too much time thinking about cooking, and not thinking about cooking weight-loss-friendly food.

Hmmm, @merryapple Are you talking about what I’d call an ebelskiver pan? Like this, only cast iron? https://www.kohls.com/product/prd-427269/nordic-ware-aebleskiver-nonstick-danish-pancake-pan.jsp?skuid=89925188&ci_mcc=ci&utm_campaign=COOKWARE&utm_medium=CSE&utm_source=bing&CID=shopping20&utm_campaignid=380493015&utm_adgroupid=1233652253508104&msclkid=c743d1fba679177e7a81b4f3c3630175&gclid=c743d1fba679177e7a81b4f3c3630175&gclsrc=3p.ds I have one (and haven’t used it in years), but have never known what’s cooked in it to be called Ginger Gems. Tell more!

Have a grand one, everyone.