Hi FFS, VCO (VIrgin Coconut Oil) Is one of those allrounders and seems to be one of the healthiest oils. https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/oils/health-benefits-of-coconut-oil.html

There is a website I like that embraces al things natural about the home.
http://wellnessmama.com/2071/coconut-oil-review/ and.
http://wellnessmama.com/5734/101-uses-for-coconut-oil/
http://wellnessmama.com/5801/diy-beauty-recipes/

Also make your own cleaners which I have adopted and they work perfectly. I only use a commercial oven cleaner now.
http://wellnessmama.com/361/natural-cleaning-recipes/

I think you might like the websie – there are all sorts intersting ideas.

Well in my youth I went through rock chick and hippy phases, and then settled into I’m not really sure what! One thing I’m not is smart, no suits and boots here!

I’m with you though P, I love a nice dress and I wear skirts a lot especially in summer, from floor length to knee but no higher!

I’m just not sure that I’ve moved on much from my 30s. Outwardly the body may be aging, inwardly I’m not growing up!

I did have an experience a couple of years ago in town which made me think I perhaps was dressing too young… I’d been for a lunchtime walk in the park, and on my way back a younger man loitered ahead of me smiling… until I reached him, at which point he grinned at me and said ‘oh, you’re an old bird’!! I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry!

Lichtle, thanks for the links. I’ve been meaning to have a go at cleaning products at least, just need a few extra hours in the day…

P, I take it you haven’t been evacuated then?

Hi Purple and fellow MCers,

Cracked it! Been away 3 weeks to South Australia and Brisbane. Came home again last night and weighed this morning. Drum roll 59.9 kg. woohoo! 🙄 Ate a little of everything I felt like over the past 3 weeks, including dark chocolate, wine, French flans, strawberries and cream. Had four fast days during the 3 weeks. Yay! I am so relieved.

So many discussions to catch up on. My wardrobe has been revamped in three stages. I also only buy quality clothes, at sales! I have always had lots of colour in my clothes. This years colours are soft coral and teal green. So flattering to my skin tone. I use moisturiser, plus lipstick. And rub in the Aveeno cream after every shower.

Twiglet, it depends how pressing your clothing needs are. I bought size 12 trousers when I had reached 60 kg. I am 5 ft 4 ins and of solid build. However, without losing any more weight, my trousers size has settled on a roomy size 11. My size 12 shorts and trousers only stay up with the aid of a belt that OH has punched new holes into. 😆

For style, I recommend trying clothes on in many small boutiques as well as in main stream stores. Go outside your comfort range when trying on. You don’t need to buy. I tell the assistants that I have recently lost weigth and ask their advice as to style and size. My best purchase since losing weight was with the assistance of a 30 yo experienced boutique shop manager. Best of all it was on sale, as she pointed out. Bright red draped and shaped top. 😉

Cheers all you wonderful support people. Bay 🙂

Woowoo! Fantabulous Bay!!! **** What a champ. 😆 And, yes, you have cracked it! Now for the rest of your fabulous, healthy life. … 😉

I definitely agree with going into boutiques and telling them about your weight loss. I only bought my now fave pencil skirt because a young assistant suggested it. I really didn’t believe it would work. It does! It is SUCH fun reinventing yourself and wearing clothes that fit all over. 🙂

Sun shining this morning. Life is returning to normal. P

@Bay,well done, what a fantastic result. we are so pleased for you. And you managed four fast days. That probably kept your system calibrated. I am yet to undergo a lengthy time away from my normal routine, so the jury is still out for me.
You obviously seemed to have kept the low sugar rule up. (Dark chocolate is not really sweet)

I fasted yesterday, (at 600 cals) and can’t sleep. Hence the post. I felt like I had to eat something so I just had two handful of mixed nuts, hoping it will settle me down and probably ruined a perfectly good fast day. I am increasingly finding that after a successful Monday fast 300-400cals, my body just won’t play along a second time, especially when I also had a careful eating day in between. My body seems to be saying: “I have had the famine, where is the feast? “. Not sure if this is purely a physical thing or if the mind plays a role, too

I am thinking about the famine and feast concept quite a bit recently. I am reminded of my time in Africa where people would invite all the extended family and neighbours as soon as they had a bit of food to share i.e. slaughtered an animal for special occasions. They shared even if it meant going hungry the next day. They were hoping that soon some other family member would come by some food to share. Food could not be stored due to lack of refrigeration and insects so they had to eat it whilst it was there. Hence famine and feast.

Well, I better try and see if I can get some sleep now – feeling definitely better.

Hi All,

Well it’s been interesting to learn that pretty much everyone has or has had the same clothes/ style dilemmas! I feel better now about going out in my miniskirt and boobtube (I wish! Toastrack tube!) 🙂

And Carol, I’m liking the flower analogy. Today I’ll be dressing like a delphinium/ foxglove/ bergamot…

Bay, you must be feeling well chuffed! Whilst I now know I can lose weight, I really don’t want my eating to be consistently so over TDEE (out of control) that I come back from holiday with much weight to lose. And you certainly seem to have mastered normal eating. You’re an example to us all… As is P, obviously 🙂

FFS,

I think I may be fasting today also… if I can manage to fully commit! And the body doesn’t rebel!

Hi Lichtle – obvious answer is what brand is that black jacket? (Or is it so old that you can no longer read the label, as much of my stuff is?) odds are that that brand will usually be good for you.
Depending on budget, I’ve veered from charity shop to Mary Portas (aimed squarely at stylish 40+ women!) via Next (who do a good petite range, I believe), Gap ( surprisingly good) McC, Klass and Kettlewell (brilliant colour range but perhaps less formal than you want) .i agree with you – a good jacket can magic anything better! Hope you find something.

I do envy those of you who can do floaty, flowery feminine – they just make me look ( and feel) like a bloke in drag. (Not that there’s anytthing wrong with that if its what you feel at home in, but it’s not actually the look I’m aiming at!)

Happy, nice to know you’re fasting today, too. Let’s do it together! I’ll think of you mid-afternoon, which is my low point!

Lichtle, hi, sorry to butt in, I dream of being on this forum – halfway there!

But I’m a bit of an expert on jackets – being short, busty and high waisted, the opposite of a cat walk queen.

Vyella and Jacques Vert – always a great choice, Vyella have an online sales at the moment. Not cheap, even in the sale, but extremely well tailored. I have bought loads from them over the years, and have yet to throw any out. Sadly put away as too small, but bringing them out soon I hope. Never fashion, but wearable for years. I have a tartan jacket, sounds uck, but deep blues and purples, navy velvet buttons and edging, goes with everything, smart skirt, trousers or jeans. Otherwise check out menswear specialists with a ladies department, my local one is in Edinburgh, nice ladies suits, but they are altered by the suit tailors. They expect to alter as part of the service.

Finally, Debenhams can surprise.

Good luck.

Hi gang
I had to laugh when I logged on to discover you were discussing jackets. I’ve been showing my new navy 3/4 length, fitted woolen jacket all day today to very admiring comments from different age groups. A top buy. The brand is Marcs if that is a help. Stylish, versatile with jeans or skirt. Dressy or out in the paddock! One coat for all occasions and weather. ..can be zipped up to the neck or open.
Top evening celebrating another family birthday. Cheers all, P 🙂

Lichtle, I love the sound of the deep fuchsia jacket teamed with black or navy. Go, girl, go! Bay

Hi Purple, time to buy some new ones. 😉

Hi Happy – glad your day went well. Yes, mine has been ok, too – a pleasant surprise as, like Lichtle, I’ve been finding the second FD of the week really hard lately, and ending up often with a semi-fast. I did cheat a bit on Monday, so perhaps that’s why today has been better – and today honour has been satisfied!

I had some cold baked salmon – left over from last night – and salad around 1 – our main meal, because I do pilates on Thursday evening: can’t exercise on a full tummy, but don’t get home till 8.30 + , by which time I’m past it. Just had a nice bowl of yoghurt with some strawberries (first English ones I’ve seen – too excited not to buy a few!) and blueberries. I gardened this morning, which meant I didn’t think too much about food – though DH has just put in an order for a bacon sarnie for breakfast tomorrow, so he’s obviously feeling it! And yes, definitely a jeans and t shirt day – until it actually got too hot for them. Last taste of that for a few days, I gather ( day off tomorrow, that’s obviously why!) but it has been the most lovely promise of summer.

Good morning/evening MCs

Today is 2 years since Mr P and I started on our 5:2 journey. We have come a long way, learnt a lot about ourselves and others; how, when and what to eat, and the joys of taking control of our own health again.

We went from obese to middle of healthy weights in exactly a year. We have maintained, and dropped a little more, for another full year.

At our present weights, he has lost 34kg from a top of 100kg and totally reversed his insulin dependent diabetes. I have lost 29kg from my top weight of 85 and have reduced my blood pressure medication by 75%.

He has gone from XXL to S sized men’s clothes. I have shifted from 16+ or XL to 8 and S. We can fit comfortably in economy seats in planes, run whenever we want without puffing, buy mail order clothes and know they’ll fit, get approving comments from everyone. He doesn’t snore or fall asleep driving any more. Our feet don’t hurt. We can wear shoes we had given up on. Ironing his shirts is much quicker as they are smaller!

We thoroughly enjoy food still and love planning new menus. We live a full life with plenty of socialising, travelling and eating out, but we now eat tiny amounts compared to 2 years ago.

We have learnt that we were radically overeating. We have learnt that we can go long periods without food and that meals don’t have to be at “mealtime”. We have learnt to say no, to stop as soon as we are satiated, to choose wisely when eating and that socialising doesn’t have to mean eating. Conversing with people instead of eating is a very satisfying pastime.
We have developed the habit of weighing ourselves morning and night. It guides our consumption. Without this practice, we could easily slip off the rails. We have learnt to skip breakfast if we have ‘overdone it’. We have learnt that white carbs are hugely problematic and have reduced them significantly in our diets. We have minimised our reliance on processed foods, making our own bread, yoghurt, kefir and growing veg and herbs. We have learnt to have a standby of basic “thin people” foods available…salad makings, lemons, limes, chillies, garlic, ginger, onions, fennel, leeks, carrots, beans, sauerkraut, fish, nuts, berries etc. Salads and berries are the skinny person’s friend. And miracle noodles!

We have learnt to move whenever possible…at least 10,000 steps, incorporating stairs and quick runs in our daily life. We park as far away from our destination as is sensible, often finding free parking, and always choose to walk up stairs and escalators. We make multiple trips upstairs or from the car to get more inbuilt exercise.

Fasting and eating mindfully has become a complete part of life. We are in control and loving it!

I hope the success of our journey can help others too. Talk to your health professionals. Tell them you don’t want drugs as a quick fix for ailments. They only exacerbate many issues. Have confidence in yourself to keep healthy. Practice restraint and enjoy life.

And most of all, thank you Dr Moseley for starting this all off.

A very happy, grateful, Purple 😆

Thank you, Purple. Could you post that to some of the threads for folk just starting this journey? It would be so inspirational and encouraging.

And happy anniversary!

Thanks girls. I am very proud of our achievement and thoroughly appreciate the friendships made through this forum. A whole new way of life indeed. 🙂 P

PVE congratulations to both of you and thank you for sharing your journey.

So P, how does one celebrate a 5:2 anniversary? Fasting or feasting?

And my mum ironed nappies! My approach is similar to P’s – but there is a big, crumpled pile cluttering the boudoir. Not terribly romantic, specially with the dust bunnies under the bed (cough, cough, wheeze…)

Congratulations, Purple and Mr P. Well done, what a fabulous journey. I admire the self control and sheer hard work at re-imagining your lives in a clever and healthful way. 😆

Thank you for writing up your two year journey for all to see.

Happy, Ironing is another job to be done on a fast day, along with the rest of the housework. 😉 it makes the day pass. Wheneve I feel tempted to eat something on a fast day, I decide which of my many chores I want to do least. Voila! Two birds with one stone! 🙄

Cheers, Bay 🙂 who is facing a very gloomy late Autumn rainy day. Maintaining our cheerful face, as we’re working out the details of our trip to Croatia later this year. 😉

Thanks Bay.
Do you wear clothes when you are singing and ironing? It makes an interesting image 😉 The weather must be a bit of a shock for you after Queensland! But the Canberra Autumn colours are beautiful, aren’t they!
Croatia will be fabulous. 🙂 P

😉

Another Libran here – share 25 September, anyone?

What’s a spare wardrobe, please?

@FFS, no idea must be an Australian thing. 😉 Sorry, I’m an October libra.

@happy, well done for lasting out. Great MIL

@bayleaf, how come Croatia, any connections? Any other countries?

I am fasting today, 😉 DH away, cleaned kitchen this morning, so strictly speaking I don’t have to enter that room today, hence should be easier.

Fantastic itinerary, Bay – enjoy every moment!