The FastDay Forum

I've modified my fasting as its holidays for 2 weeks. I'm not eating till 5 pm everyday ( except today) then eating normally.So far pants feel loose so I'll see on the scale when I get home. Today I had a lovely day with 2 beautiful friend at my holiday house just chatting and lunching and cups of tea galore. Just lovely.
XXX Julianna.

hi @sallyo, @maggiee,@julianna, happy fasting today, Sally, it's pretty snowy kind of weather in Melbourne too, 10 deg at lunchtime and those periods of heavy showers and bright sunshine that you get with these southwesterlies.
I would have been fasting today, but I have caught a cold, and since I have my biennial dance performance tomorrow night, I am taking things super-easy today & tomorrow in the hope that I can keep my energy levels for that all-important 2mins 22seconds! It's also really hard to think past my performance, although I am going to Sydney on Saturday morning for a medical meeting, a sail with my dear brother on Sydney harbour and hanging out with my elderly aunt, who is always a joy to be with, and just about the last of her generation in my family. So no fasting or HIITING until saturday morning before my plane! I do think that fasting AND HIITing on the one day three times a week has been a bit of a big ask, but it's been going pretty well so far, I've done 8 sessions of it till now. The low-carb on replenish days hasn't been so easy, but I'm still working on it.
So I'd love to have a coffee/meal in Melbourne with you and anyone who wants to come, Maggie, but probably not for a week or so. Can we talk about it again next week?
love to all,
Jools xxx

Hi everyone

So I am back and ready (I think!) for the challenge. I certainly need it!

During my month away, my diet was far from ideal. Access to vegetables was extremely limited, and I ate a lot of everything else, especially sugary carbs. The main problem was eating far too much at meal times - rather than snacking in the evening (which has been my problem when at home).

I really can't understand why I overate so much when I was fully aware of the consequences and had been concerned about this before we went on holiday. Presumably this awareness was overridden by the ready availability of (already paid for) high calorie food (with few alternatives), the immediate pleasure of eating, and eating in company. Plus the results of eating sugary carbs, such as not feeling full and wanting more.

I know I have put on a few kilos, my clothes are all so much tighter and I can see the extra fat deposits!! Knowing how much I had put on could be too depressing and demotivating, so although I stood on the scales, I asked OH to make a record rather than looking myself. Once I feel I am back to a more comfortable size, then I will weigh myself again and ask OH how much I had weighed.

My WWC is to eat as per the "Don't go hungry" principles, but with fast days when I feel able until I feel okay with my body shape again.

@Jools7, @Maggiee, @Carmelk46, and anyone else interested in a Melbourne get together, I will be in Adelaide the week after next, so after 20 July would be good for me. Jools, perhaps you could suggest a couple of times that suit you.

Btw Maggie, I trust you are feeling okay after what I would expect was a stressful but worthwhile (?) time in Adelaide. I hope your parents are feeling settled in their new residence.

I fasted today, and that has gone okay so far. Will head for bed soon. Have just about managed to keep the tiredness enough at bay since my mid afternoon nap!

Hope all WW challengers are going ok. (I have a lot to catch up with the forum. I did read it from time to time when away, but probably can't remember much of what I read...)

Lovely to have you back, @Sassy1. I am very curious about food in Italy. You get the idea of the 'Mediterranean Diet' that it is rich in vegetables.But you are the 2nd person who has said that it is very difficult to eat enough vegetables when travelling in Italy. What's that about? How can that be? I'm sure you will soon get into the swing of things now that you are home and your clothes will start to feel better.@jools7: dance performance????? Heavens! How impressive. What kind of dancing is this? By all means you must do what ever is necessary to conserve your energy for this important event. Good luck, break a leg, etc. @julianna: I will be very interested to see how you go, not eating until 5pm. Pants feel loose? That's good! Everyday? That's ambition. @Pariah, how did your fast go today? I don't think I saw you in the Fasting Today thread. Glad you are over the bug and can enjoy the number. Keep well and keep warm everyone.

Thanks for the warm welcome back, @Sallyo

While in Italy, all of our breakfasts and most of our evening meals were provided. Maybe we were served what they thought Westerners would want? Breakfast was the usual continental but did include (often inedible!!) scrambled eggs. I generally managed to avoid the delicious-looking pastries and cakes, and had cereal and fresh fruit. And the eggs if edible (tended to be runny and oily). For the evening meals we usually had 4 courses (!) - antipasto, which sometimes had a very small amount of veg, followed by some sort of pasta dish (no veg), then a meat or fish course (minimal or no veg), and finally a very rich dessert. Don't know why a salad could not have been supplied with the main course. I know I could have said "no" to some of it... When we did have to seek an evening meal, the choices were little better - though I did order a salad as well as a main dish. Lunches were always on the run, so options tended to be a sandwich or a piece of pizza. I generally tried to manage with just some fruit, which I sourced by locating a fruit and veg shop or supermarket. (BTW, the pizzas and pasta I had were very disappointing, I have had much better here in Australia.)

Got a bit more sleep last night, but am still struggling to get up. The dogs are enjoying a lie in with me, but I should take them for their walk, given it is now gone 9am! Very foggy and cold outside, not conducive to going out!!

Don't feel hungry yet, but will probably have some sort of nutritious brekkie later this morning, as I think my body is needing some good food.

Best wishes to you all!

hi @Sallyo, @sassy1 and everyone!

oh that's a killer when the food is included I find, Sassy! I stayed a weekend once with the ex at the grand hyatt (I think) in Canberra, where the pollies go, when the Turner exhibit was here It was a lovely place to stay, but just way too much food available, a false sense of getting value for (considerable) money. I would never book a hol with food included. Hope you can get out & get some daylight (precious little sunlight around today) to reset your body clock!

And - dancing! Yes, it's a contemporary (related to ballet but more expressive and somewhat less technical) routine, choreographed by me and my wonderful teacher. Such a trip, I learn so much each time I work up to a performance. I am now beginning to believe that only 10% of it is getting it "right", the rest is about expressing something with a fair whack of emotional presence - that's the bit I love. Tonight's routine is all about loving and appreciating diversity and even conflict, to Adele's "hometown glory" - lots of dramatic piano chords, then some lovely rolling piano, then building to a crescendo with the lyrics. Yay!! I started dancing when I was 45, it's been a big journey, and continues to be. And whacking some stereotypes along the way too. And as far as luck is concerned, I believe the expression is "chookas" - in Australia at least, I don't know the derivation. See you on the other side!! Happy fasting everyone!

Well, everyone raves about the food in Italy but it seems that isn't the whole story,@Sassy1. Maybe different places in Italy do it better. I would have been very disappointed and I'm sure I would have indulged in the pastries!
Fanstastic to take up dance when you were 45, @Jools7 ! What an inspiration. My cousin does that kind of dance. She was always into ballet but she was too tall for the Australian Ballet. Now she is in Vienna trying to make a career of it. She has been incredibly disciplined, focussed and hard working. Work is hard to come by and short term of course. She seems to be getting on pretty well now.
Another cold day. Had DS for a flying visit. I made soup. Feel quite full now.

I did two low calorie days this week, only coffee, herbal tea and water till 6pm but work pressure is enormous so made comforting meals at night, with a glass of wine, and some chocolate to top it off. The scales were a bit higher than I'd like to see on a Friday, plus I feel more bloated, but that shouldn't last. A weekend of sport (watching), gym, walks on the beach and cooking curries ahead for me.

Morning everyone! Bit of an early start for me, still getting over jetlag... Not much sun to help, is there jools?!!! The forecast for the week is pretty grim, cloudy, rain and average max 8C where I live!

So far I have managed 2 days eating as per my WWC plan, but it seems like a long road ahead to lose the weight gained through my "greed" while on holiday. I am hoping that NOT weighing may help me stick to the plan, as I know that my eating can be influenced (negatively) by what I read on the scales.

I am starting to wonder if frequent weighing (including weekly) may in fact be detrimental to the efforts of many when trying to lose weight and if using clothes and waist measurements is more productive - I know this idea is not original! I think Sallyo and others feel the same - and that it is better to focus on good eating habits rather than weight loss as a goal, as the former you have more control over and is really what we are aiming for.

@Sallyo, I shouldn't have implied that all the food in Italy was no good - in fact, most of it was lovely (especially the desserts!!), just not the pizza or some of the pasta. And the lack of veggies of course was a problem for me.

A couple of observations. I have always, and still can, eat far more than most people. It was a standing joke with my friends in my youth when we went out to dinner - all leftovers went to me and one of my male friends. And when we were on holiday this time, I noticed how much more I ate than all my relatives... Most of the time I really didn't feel full either, though I no doubt was.

I wonder if this has something to do with my preferred (and normal) diet being so high in veg and fruit, that when I can't eat this, I overeat (more than those who normally don't eat much fruit and veg) to try to obtain the same nutrition levels that I usually get from all those veggies? Sally has mentioned elsewhere that Amanda Sainsbury-Salis proposes this as one reason for overeating.

@Jools7, I also much prefer to self-cater during holidays, but the bus tour offered other advantages - no driving (Italian drivers are mad!), hotels, luggage and tipping taken care of for you, easy access to attractions, and lots of great company/ people to talk with. (BTW, hope all went well with your dancing. You are great at keeping active. )

@Wmr309, I just looked at your tracker. You have done so well with maintenance! Do you mind reminding me of your strategies and your weight management challenges - or direct me to your posts where you have outlined these. Thanks!

Ok, it's now 7am and still SOOOO dark. At least the daylight hours are now (slowly) starting to get longer!

Best wishes to all.

Quick reply! I'm at rainy melbourne airport, going to sydney for the weekend, some business, some pleasure. Thanks Sassy, dance went really well, I was very happy with it. I even had one of my supporters n tears, in a good way!! I was going to fast today, but I'm so exhausted! So I'll try again on Monday. Avagoodweekend everyone, & happy fasting !!
Love to all,
Jools

Have a great weekend, @jools7. I think a Monday fast sounds a much better idea than fasting over the weekend when you are away!!!
It certainly is miserable in Melbourne, and so cold (by Aussie standards!).

Welcome home @Sassy1! You asked me about my maintaining 'strategy'. I don't like a 500 calorie day all that much anymore so instead I eat mindful most days and do more exercise than I used to. I weigh daily, although lately less often on Saturday and Sunday, and if my weight is above 68.5kg on a Monday I skip breakfast and lunch, no snacks, and have a low carb dinner, without wine or dessert. So it might end up being an 700-800 calorie day but I don't count. Often one day a week is enough. I always drink lots of water and herbal tea and except for dark chocolate during some evenings I don't eat past 8pm. I have reduced my rice/pasta serves and replaced them with more vegetables or legumes. I use butter, full fat sour cream/cream/yoghurt, etc as they taste better and fill me up. I used to be a very big eater but these days I get stomach pains if I overdo it, particularly after a large plate of pasta or rice. I enjoy baking but have reduced sugar in most recipes. I have been taking slices into work and perhaps have to cut down on them. I do weight training at the gym for about 30-40 minutes three times a week but need to increase my cardio (if my knee allows me to). I cycle to work four days a week but that's only 3k each way and now that we've got a dog I start the day often with a walk. I am not yet menopausal so that might make it harder in years to come? I fill in my tracker every Friday morning so I often do a semi-fast on Thursday. Finally, I bought quite a few nice outfits and I don't want them to get too tight. They're all little things, nothing too drastic but it seems to work for me. I hope you'll get back on track soon too.

That sounds fantastic @Wmr309, a very balanced approach that is obviously serving you well. May I ask what were your issues with eating before you started IF? And what knee problem do you have? The strength training is something I am thinking about increasing, and I am trying to not eat in the evenings, but it is proving very difficult. Can't work out if it is genuine hunger or boredom...

Menopause may not make any difference to your successful weight management - you can hope! I am post menopausal and weigh less than I did for most my pre-menopausal life. However, I was someone who did not suffer from PMT and barely noticed menopause apart from an occasional hot flush. Anyway., the fact that you have strategies that work for you should hold you in good stead, whatever your menopause experience.

Best wishes, and thanks for your good wishes too! I am already feeling better after 3 days of sensible eating, though still a way to go and although I have pretty well avoided sugar and processed carbs I can feel a small but growing "need" to eat these again...

@Sassy1, my two pre-5:2 'issues' were portion sizes and too much snacking in between meals, leading to too many calories day after day... About four years ago I got a personal trainer and lost the first 5-6kg but not until I started fasting I lost the next 9-10kg. I do similar exercises but these days heavier weights and less cardio. I started running 4.5-5km twice a week about three years ago and quite enjoyed it but have only done two since the start of this year, and also run less on the treadmill as part of warming up. The day after any running my right knee really hurts so then I don't do any for about a week.
I'm fasting today by the way as my weight went up to 69.2kg this morning, the highest in months. I am now sitting rugged up behind my computer as I really notice the cold. I am determined to lose the extra weight before the end of this week.

Thanks for that @Wmr309, do you know what your knee problem is? Btw, I assume you must be quite tall, given your weight and BMI. That would give you more cals to play with!! Good luck with your fast today - have you posted in that thread yet??

NB I am feeling that our wild winter challenge could be our very cold miserable and wet winter challenge. I am fed up already with the weather, and have said to OH that when he retires I want to spend winter up north - like so many do!