The FastDay Forum

Hi Peeps! As the year draws to a close I always like to look back and remember significant events and think about what has changed in my life. This time last year I had never heard of 5:2 (I know the Horizon programme wasn't broadcast till Jan), or IF as a means of weight control and whilst I was slim and healthy I was definitely stuck in the low fat/calorie counting mind set. I would have found it very difficult to go for the full fat version of yogurt, dressings etc over the 'diet' variety.
Fast forward one year and my attitude towards a healthy WOE has completely changed. I now happily use coconut oil for stir frying and in recipes, EVOO on salads and enjoy full fat foods while reducing my previous heavy reliance on carbs. I can't believe the difference this has made to my life as I've lost the flab from my tum, am maintaining a healthy weight, feel great and have no fear around food any more.
So how's this year been for you What have you learned/changed about yourself that will stay with you for 2014?

I have yet to enjoy the delights of full fat anything, @callyanna.
However, I have definitely gone low carb and found I can eat curry without rice, roast dinners without roasties, or garlic mushrooms without garlic bread.

As someone who had gall stones, it was drummed into me; no fat, so that's what I do, even though I no longer have the stones (and they weren't removed surgically either)

What will stay with me in 2014?

My forum friends I hope - you're all so inspiring
This WOE
Daily weighing
More exercise

I think that just about covers it!

Just looking at your progress chart @PennyForthem and you have done fantastically well in one year! Here's to an even fabber 2014!

A year ago I wouldn't look in the mirror, I couldn't bear to have my photograph taken. I hated the fat, 60lb overweight, lump of lard I had let myself become.

Forward to now ...45lbs lighter, 3 dress sizes smaller and a much happier person who isn't afraid of the mirror or the camera

woohoo! fantastic result @sylvestra, 2013 has been a great year for you, well done!

A year ago I had lost approx. 4kg using low carb techniques but was finding that I had plateaued big time and was struggling with a)getting off plateau and b)finding a way of life that I could do forever as I do enjoy the occasional piece of cake (and other sweets).

I also had the mindset that one small slip was the end of everything and if you didn't do low carb 100% the weight would just pile back on. I was determined to find a solution and I read and prayed that something would come up.

Something did come up - thank you God.

So glad you found this WOE @TheFrogand are obviously thriving on it!

Hi Cally! Last year..Was decidedly too fat and very little fitted me.. This year...wearing a BELT for first time in many many years to stop trousers heading south
Last year..
alarmed going for my fasting blood tests( oh no i might faint coz i had an empty tummy!)
This year..while i'll never wake up looking forward to a fasting day, there is deffo a feelgood factor mentally and physically on fast n repair days

have learnt such a lot this last 3 months..
All my thoughts on how to eat for health/ to lose weight have been turned upside down after many many years! Xx
This time next year..expecting to look very svelte indeed for first time in years!

Yeah! you have done remarkably well on this WOE @CandiceMarie ,one of the people who have lost most weight this year so onwards and downwards to 2014!

Thanks Cally x..Well i will have to keep Moogies tips as my christmas Bible or i will put it back on quicker than i lost it! Gahhhhhh!

This time last year I had been doing 5:2 for about 3 months, the programme aired where we are in August, and although I didn't know what I weighed as I had refused to be in the same room as a set of scales, I knew I had lost a lot of weight. One year on And I find it wonderful that I am now comfortably maintaining under my target weight. For me, this is a dream come true xx

Ballerina x

[Betsysgr8]

I have yet to enjoy the delights of full fat anything, @callyanna.
However, I have definitely gone low carb and found I can eat curry without rice, roast dinners without roasties, or garlic mushrooms without garlic bread.

As someone who had gall stones, it was drummed into me; no fat, so that's what I do, even though I no longer have the stones (and they weren't removed surgically either)

What will stay with me in 2014?

My forum friends I hope - you're all so inspiring
This WOE
Daily weighing
More exercise

I think that just about covers it!

@Pennyforthem you might want to have a re-think about the no-fat. This is from the Nut thread

The nurses’ study has linked tree nuts to a reduced risk of pancreatic cancer. In both the nurses’ and health professionals’ studies, eating nuts more than five times a week was associated with a 25 per cent to 30 per cent lower risk of needing gallbladder surgery.

A year ago I was nervous because I was beginning a brand new relationship and I am not the most self confident woman in the world and never ever thought I would go on a diet. Sure I wasn't happy with my body and never looked myself in the mirror, I even couldn't take a shower during the day, only at night and in the dark (there is a window in my bathroom).....

Today I am 40kgs lighter, have found a balance in what I need, even have found some comfort in fasting instead of eating stupid thing and really taste food without having to eat plenty of it.

So what changed..... I now know how strong I can be, had gained some self confidence, even if there' s still some work on it to do, and I learned to open up and not keep everything to myself. It was a necessity to break the vicious cycle but not that easy

What I will keep, all the good habits I took this year, my 2 or 3 fasts a week and, last but not least, all of you lovely people

Hi @callyanna
Well you asked but you've all probably heard it before
so here goes.
This time last year I gave all my "smaller" clothing away to charity shops, given up on the weightloss game and was feeling very low indeed, had an really bad hip/back problem resulting in phisio, I wasn't housebound but very nearly because of my foot + leg swelling problem which early in the new year got to a "severe" state being only able to wear Men's fully adjustable sandals coz nothing else would go anywhere near, by this time we'd got the snow and my life was horrendous physically mentally and painfully
I sent for the book having read Mimi's column and thought I can do 2 days each week on 500 calories, got started right away without any planning whatsoever
I found it very easy to do so immediately did
3 days each week, resulting 4:3 which I didn't even know existed at that point, then a couple of weeks later I found this forum, learning far more from everyone's experiences.
I will never look back on any of those decisions at all, plus I actually do enjoy my fastdays.
After 8 months I've lost 50 lbs bought a complete new wardrobe of "interim" clothing dropped down a group on my BMI Dropped 3 sizes in my new clothes

The icing+ cherry on the cake is the VAST change in my leg's and feet I'm now wearing all my sandals, shoes and boots that were still tucked away in the spare room

Women's !!!! I really can't put into words the difference this has made to my life, and as usual when I relive this memory like now I've tears in my eyes. I've always said on this forum that this WOL/WOE has truly saved my life and it has because there's only one person who knows (Me) exactly the stage I'd got to and the point I was close to.

Love the forum and all you lovely members and as for 2014
More of the same please from all of you plus a small matter of roughly another 50 lbs off for good Sue x

A year ago I'd been doing 5:2 for about 4 months and knew that I had lost weight, but I hadn't weighed myself. When I weighed myself in January it turned out to be a whole stone, which I was very happy with. Another one, and more, has gone since then!

A year ago I was struggling a bit with the lean days - I can remember staying up till midnight so I could eat on the next day's watch! Which could look silly to an outsider I suppose - how is staying up an extra half-hour to eat something fattening going to work? But for me the act of drawing a line that I could keep to was very empowering.

I don't feel so hungry on the lean days now. But in some ways I'm less strict with myself. Last year I moved the days around but I was absolutely committed to keeping the 2 lean days a week going over Christmas. This year I've just admitted that this week is going to have to be 6:1! Well, I'm maintaining, so I can afford a little slack, but I'm going to keep a careful eye on it.

Last year I hadn't found this forum, and all you wonderful people. I'm sure you have helped keep me going. And even more important, will keep me going through maintenance.

This year I feel happy with my life. Happy Christmas everyone!