hello all, my name is lauren. i am a 36-yr-old mom of one and a lover of food, and if i am not careful i very easily gain weight. so of course over the years i have tried every diet there is, including some that were not healthy. i want to find a way to manage my weight, feel good, and stay healthy – something maintainable, a way to live in balance.
recently i fell in love with a wonderful man who is also a chef. he is so non-judgmental and we love to cook and eat together. and between that and the holidays i’ve gained 7 pounds. that doesn’t sound like so much when i write it down, but i’m just to the point where i need to do something about it, or buy new clothes.

my friends and i signed up for a challenge at our gym to lose 8 pounds in 8 weeks. i am already working out more since new years than i was in 2013, but i know i don’t lose weight with only exercise. there has to be come kind of dietary component. low carb works well, but i hate eating that much animal food. lately i’ve fallen into a routine of consuming a lot of wine on a daily basis. just cutting down on that would probably make a difference, but it is a wonderful stress reliever…

besides weight-loss and maintenance, the health benefits of fasting seem really promising. and i guess what i like about the idea of 5:2 is that it seems like a fair trade: giving up 2 days a week towards intense self-discipline, and getting 5 that you get to just live how you like. that seems reasonable to me!

but tomorrow will be my first day fasting and i admit i am anxious. maybe getting involved in these forums will help? anyway, if you are reading this, wish me luck please!!!