FastDay User Blogs

My last post (at the end of June) was something along the lines of seeing less of me - due to having lost a lot of weight but also swanning off to Africa to house sit for some friends over the summer months. There's been more than a few traumas over the last few months, so forgive me if I fill you in a bit, just so you realise the reason for my absence.

We had an absolutely fabulous time away in Africa - hubby and I were house sitting for friends in Dar es Salaam for 6 weeks- our 3 grown up kids came out to join us for a fortnight half way through and we all went on safari together - had an amazing time. Memories to last a lifetime!!

While we were away Bob's (my husband) brother-in-law had had his twin brother come and stand in and take Bob's place on the building site over in Essex (they were doing a project together for a bit of fun, as well as hopefully some sort of financial investment) - well the day we flew home we were told that he had died whilst working on site the previous week and that the day we flew back was the day of his funeral. He was only 61 and it was a real shock. Things at home and amongst the family were, understandly, a matter of being in total shock. Bob's brother-in-law is having a really hard time of it as you can imagine - as twins they were incredibly close to each other - often speaking 3 or 4 times a day on the phone (previous to him being on site of course)

Then, just 10 days after getting home one of my best friends (aged 53) had an anerysm and also died instantly - leaving behind a husband and 2 girls (24 and 20).... I am absolutely stunned by it and it still doesn't seem to make any sense and doesn't seem real in so many ways. She was healthy, fit, aware of what she ate etc., etc., but had this time bombing ticking away inside her that no-one knew about. Absolutely tragic. She lived just half a mile away from me and together with 2 other girlfriends we saw a lot of each other - at least once a week, weekends away together a couple of times a year etc., etc., - so she's going to be a huge part of life that's missing for me

Our house was put on the market before we went to Africa and we've had to carry on with that, though it's not been easy. It went under offer last week and this weekend we went down to Whitstable house hunting and have, we think, walked into a house that we really love. We've put an offer on it which has been accepted and we have to move before Christmas - assuming surveys all go through OK etc. So.... somehow I've got to pick myself up and get back to normal asap as there's boxes to be packed etc. etc.

I've just not felt like being sociable with anyone or going out etc., etc., but I've been in contact with WildMissus and Doodle outside of this forum and I'm thinking that I should really give you all my reasons for not being active on the forum as I was previously.

I often think about the forum, but just can't bring myself to joining back in again at the moment. My weight has stayed the same as it was before going off to Africa - so I'm happy with that. My eating habits are far better than they were previously, but I'm not 5:2ing at the moment - there are days where I reckon I maybe eat 500cals or thereabouts, but I just can't seem to face up to doing a full liquid only fasting day. Anyway, my weight is constant so that's got to be a good thing. I'm still 4stone lighter than I was a couple of years ago, so I know my body is thankful for that.... I also know that I will at some stage in the future get back to 5:2 proper (still got at least 1 stone to go before I reach goal weight) but, in the meantime, I just feel like comfort food with the situation the way it is at the moment and the thought of the winter months and dark evenings doesn't help either.

So 5:2ers, you'll have to excuse my inane contributions to the forum for a while longer. In the meantime good luck to you all - it's great to see the membership has grown so much over the last few months - and I love the Before and After photo section - what an amazing bunch of people - inspiration galore for everyone. I'll dip in and out of the forum ..... maybe that'll get me back in the swing of things