The FastDay Forum

Thanks to those of you who put your faith in me, I survived

I made it until 7:30 before eating and now feel pretty full! I am probably around 200calories over though as I added an extra handful or bean sprouts to my meal to bulk it up a bit and also ended up going for cocktails with friends (although no alcohol for me! - I had an elderflower cordial type drink, but I imagine that there are a fair few calories in that syrup!).

I always feel a bit rubbish about going over my 500calories, but I guess I've done better than if I'd just given up. I have at least got myself a calorie deficit of roughly 1000.

Now I can look forward to my weekend, which will start with a run and then a bowl of homemade, vegan bircher muesli. *yum*

Re shins... they're not hurting so much today so I'm going to run tomorrow and see how they respond! Hopefully running every third day will keep them in check.

And re new house - we found one! The whole thing was pretty stressful though - they said we could have it, then emailed to say that they'd told some other people that saw the house after us that they could have it too, so it was down to the landlord to pick. I don't think that's very fair and surely that's not great for business either, as either way one group of people were going to be left really disappointed? Anyway, rant over the long and short of it is that, assuming all goes well with the references, I'll have a new home (nest?) in 5 weeks time

How has Friday been for the rest of team marvellous? I don't normally say this, but I'm so glad it's the weekend! It has been such a long week.

Have wonderful weekends everyone I'll probably check back in with you all on Monday

H x

[janeg]

Morning Marvellous aMigos
Hummingbird that is so exciting about your house. Where are you that they can promise the same house to two people? Anyway , hope all the rest goes well.
I didn't do the shred thing yesterday as I was away diving; it was very very hot so, sadly I will have to pass for the summer. We are going a diving holiday which will be good, but no regular diving here until September now probably.
So did the thing today and it was really tough. Don't know if it is because I got so overheated yesterday (it really exhausts me and does me in) or what but I really thought I would expire. Got through it though.
Fast day tomorrow and I'm going to do an interim weigh and measure to see if the shred thing is making any difference and if I need to ramp up to 4:3 to get things moving. I definitely feel much slimmer and Hija dos commented yesterday. She sees me every day so there must be a difference.
Hope everyone has a good weekend (it's the second day of the weekend here and both others are working so it doesn;t feel weekendy at all) playing in gardens, going to parks and all the other lovely outdoor activities that you can do.

Good Evening everyone!
I hope we all had a great weekend.
So my rugby team won on Friday night - Whoop! Whoop!
I got up early on Saturday and went for a jog - I am getting back into running, might enter a few fun runs soon. After my jog I went to hampstead heath. My first time there and just WoW! I loved it there, had a dinner party in the evening and had a few drinks.
Today was a much more relaxing day, I just did some house work and went for a small walk.
Oh Hummingbird – congrats on the house and I hope your weekend jog went okay
Tomorrows my weigh day and my fingers are crossed
I Hope everyone had a good weekend and I look forward to hearing how you all got on

Morning All,

Hope you all had a great weekend. Mine was very pleasant, though not spectacular, bit of reading, bit of pottering about the house, planting my cucumber seedlings a friend had given me, in some curious can with a special substrate (some magic formula or other). I was quite sceptical about this, but gave it a try anyway and all the 10 seeds that were also in a can germinated. I am now doing a little experiment with them: 4 are in a container permanently outside and the other six are in pots outside during the day and at night they sleep in the house, until they are big enough. Fasted yesterday and I was rewarded by another 0.5 kg loss this morning. Legoman, you seem to have been fairly active! My fast-day dinner contained 50 g of the lentil sprouts I cultivated on my kitchen windowsill. Nice and healthy! Hummingbird, congratulations on the house. Hopefully your shins won't give you too much trouble. Anyway, it's time for me morning exercises (Winnie the Pooh-style fitness sort of thing), have a great day all of you,

josie50

[janeg]

up, down, touch the ground until it's time to eat! love pooh. Cucumber sounds good- I can get local ones here really cheap - they're small and very yummy, The ones in Hong Kong needed de-seeded. I'd never had to do that before!
I had a dive day on Friday, and a quiet Saturday, work week begins on Sunday so nit much of the weekend. Did an interim measure and weigh- 400g on which osn;t surprising with what I'm doing ot my muscles, but loads of cms off. So quite pleased. Move to level 2 of the shred thing and it's very tough. Really hard cardio and tough strength. And after a fast day. Hope this is worth it.
Do you play rugby Legoman?
How's everyone else doing?
Off to go out and meet a friend - it's 48C+ out there and I need to walk. Hopefully I'll survive...

Good morning Marvellous Mayers!
Having a coffee, proper espresso out by the potting table in the SUN, yes it does come out now and again! pricking out a tray of verbena bonariensis, am planning to plant them into the herbaceous border in a hopefully artistic looking drift, if they survive the slugs and Scottish weather! I am making my gardening my personal Shred, it gets me moving, bending and (a bit) fitter! Not doing my usual Monday fast, as I have cut it down to just one a week. Will do it on Thursday. Janeg I love those little cucumbers, they sell them here in the new Waitrose at about 60p for just 1. To think I used to buy them by the sack for pennies when I was abroad

Hi Marvellous Mayers,

Dhana, gardening activities will certainly improve fitness, you might want to have a peak at kencc's very interesting topic on NEAT (in Resources and Links). Hope your verbena will grow. I'm trying to grow my own minicucumbers, hopefully I'll have more success than last year. A lot will depend on the weather.
Janeg, I hope you survived your walk in the outdoors. Terrible temperatures methinks, my brain stops working at approx 25 degrees centigrade at which temperature it turns into an overcooked cauliflower. Fortunately this process is reversible, at least to a certain extent. Re Winnie: touch the ground? On some days I count myself lucky if I can reach me old & dodgy knees Well, perhaps I'm exaggerating a little. Best of luck to all of you team May!

Hello all,

Well, I didn't get out and do any gardening this weekend, but thankfully my dear hubby did, so we're looking quite a bit tidier and he got a good work out.

Saturday was very wet all morning, but the rain stopped after lunch, so we walked over to the local annual carnival with the children (about a mile walk up hill to get there) They had fun on the fairground rides and we didn't buy any food at all (the hot food vans just smelt yuck and it was too cold for ice-creams!). Our eldest only asked for candy floss once and then decided he'd rather spend his money on the charity crazy golf course and the local scouts' fun assault course.

On Sunday, while hubby gardened I had the joy (boredom ) of escorting our youngest to two birthday parties. The first was in the local park, so I spent 20 minutes round trip walking there and back and then two hours stood around chatting to other parents (better standing than sitting!). I only indulged in a couple of small homemade sausage rolls and then didn't bother with anything else for my lunch. Second party was indoors, but again I stood as much as I could rather than sitting, so I'm afraid that's the sum total of my exercise for the weekend!

Liquid fasting today until the evening meal, which will be Asian soup, so still mainly liquid! I've got my monthly bookclub this Wednesday so hoping fellow members will notice the difference since last month. Hope everyone else fasting today is having a good day

Good Afternoon Team

I did have an active weekend, but by skipping training I think I did slightly less than normal and with my hamstring injury earlier on during the week, but all is good now and I am happy.

As usual I weighed myself this morning and (after rubbing my eyes and re-weighing myself a few times) I had lost 1.2kg last week. This actually means I hit one of my mini goals - I am now in the healthy BMI range. And over the weekend I met a friend who I had not seen since Christmas – this is exactly what she said (“you lost a shed load of weight, haven’t you”). I am well chuffed with myself.

Also as I hit my mini goals I allow myself to buy gadgets – does anyone else have mini goals and how do you reward yourself?

Janeg - I love rugby and a couple friends play it, but I play ultimate Frisbee (it’s worth a Google, if you have never heard about it!)

Oh josie50 thanks for the link to NEAT. I do think that’s the way to go. Ever since last year I have been wearing a nikeplus fuel band. That basically measures NEAT.

I am glad to hear that we are all doing so well! I honestly have a huge smile today

Good Morning all - isn't odd it is the same day but someof you are past supper, others in the afternoon, and the rest in the morning. I mentioned in the fasting today thread it cracks me up when the Aussies start fast when I've barely got my evening meal started the day before my fast starts! Just love our international family.

I did a very little bit of gardening - a few weeds pulled and a few plants planted. Did about 2.5 to 3 miles walking on an indoor track and did 3 intervals of 1 lap HIT interspersed with a couple of slower laps. (A lap is 1/15th of a mile - glad it's not longer!)

I bought a new pair of tennies and a couple of shirts. I will wait until I have gotten nearer my goal (about 12 lbs to go!), then I'll buy new pants. I haven't thought too much about non-food treats for meeting goals. I have plans to go on a long weekend to a comedy festival in June - my son is going, I am planning on sightseeing/museum hopping/whatever floats my boat! So, I am saving up for that and my annual visit to family in Vermont in August.

Hope all continues well for y'all!

Hi guys,

This is indeed a most marvellous, miraculous and merry month of May. This morning the scales had good news again and I am typing this wearing me old jeans, whose zip I can do up and in addition I can even breathe while wearing them. Happy! In all I lost 5.5 kg since the 1st of April.
Legoman, glad to hear that the hamstring is behaving and congrats with your weight loss. I might begin to sound like a zealot, but this non-diet is really working and sustainable for the long haul. I am ever so happy that I found this diet and this forum, which contains so much useful information. Also glad that you find this NEAT info useful. It makes so much sense, doesn't it? I am now trying to incorporate the 20 minute thing into my all too sedentary life (eggtimer for me, I am a bit of a luddite I'm afraid).
Re rewards: I think this is a good idea, have to think about a good one. Although I must say that the noticeable improvements in health and mobility are a reward in themselves. Anyway I have a little way to go before I will be at my target. I'll probably buy some new clothes when the time comes. Will keep you posted. Off to the kitchen now, as I have some clearing up to do. Have a great day, fasting or otherwise,
josie50

Good Morning Team,
I hope everyone is doing well. I had another successful fast yesterday. I have training tonight which I am already looking forward to, as I missed the last few. I have a really active week planned, so I hope my body stands up to it.

Thanks Josie50 your comment . You have had really good weight loss since April (Virtual High Five). Keep it up and your sure to reach your goal weight sooner rather than later.

I know what you saying about the rewards, but I find that I am saving money as not eating or drinking as much and just have more money to spent on myself, so I try to link my spending to my weight loss.

I hope everyone has a good day today

Good Morning everyone,

Yesterday went really well for me. I had training which turned out to be loads of fun and lasted about 2 and a half hours.

Got home and had a pizza take away but I have really cut down on take-aways and feel that every now and again you need to treat yourself

Another active day planned as I have personal training tonight.

Hello... Any Marvellous Mayers Out there?..

How are you all getting on?

Morning all and morning Legoman!!

Sorry for abandoning everyone again... another busy weekend and then two days of house-hunting with my step mum in Kent (so many beautiful houses!! I'm half inspired to work hard, earn lots of money and be able to have a beautiful home and half depressed that there is no way I could ever have a home like that!).

I'm going to be super honest here...

I'm really struggling with Marvellous May at the moment I keep eating far too much food on normal food days and my exercise has decreased as I've decided to take a couple of weeks off running to allow the shin splints to (hopefully) fix themselves. I don't feel in control of my eating at the moment at all I genuinely think I will have put all of the weight back on by the time the 1st of June rolls around.

I guess maybe I need to stop worrying about weight loss and focus on the health benefits. I may also start doing ADF as I've found it easier in the past as there is more of a pattern to it. I feel like I'm letting you all down each time I'm eating more than I should - which is a good thing that I feel accountable for what I'm doing, but then also bad because then I feel really low... which probably leads to more food... sigh.

Sorry to dump all of this on you this morning! I just thought I should be honest about my (lack of?) progress!

It's great hearing how well you're all doing in terms of various training programs and pottering around your gardens!

I need to start changing my habits (zenhabits.net is an amazing blog on this kind of thing by the way).

My goal for today is not to go wild on any food type... just be healthy and happy...

H x

Welcome back Hummingbird,

It is really good to hear from you!

In reply to your message – I am sorry to hear that you are struggling in marvellous May! I agree with you about resting your shins. I remember when I hurt my knee a couple of years ago, I went back to training too quickly and did far more damage.. I ended up not playing any sport for 6 months and losing my place on the team. So trust me rest is sometimes the best thing even if it doesn’t feel like it. If you want to keep up some exercise there are loads of other ways. You could get a bike or swim (way less stressful on your joints and shins) – but only an idea. Anyway with all your house views I say you’re getting plenty of walking in.

This way of life is very flexible and don’t worry about a bad couple of weeks. Are you still getting your fasts in?

Your BMI is well in the healthy range, so weight loss will always be slower for you. So please don’t be too caught up about weight loss. ADF is a bit more extreme (in my opinion) and I am not sure if one is able to maintain that for long periods of time. If you were me I would just play around with your routine until you find something that works, just try and get your fasts in ( I think you may already be doing that with zenhabits – I will read that later on)

Lastly - you have never let the team down. I personally have always enjoyed hearing from your successes and struggles. I always think that for every success there is a fair few failures. So chin up we are all here and ready to help if we can – after all that’s what a team is for.

So good luck with your healthy day today but more importantly have a happy day, after all it is a marvellous May day

Let us all know how you get on