The FastDay Forum

I am a pessimist by nature however I WANT to be happy, I am ready for it. If I fall pregnant, it will be great but there's no pressure. And I will be a stepmom anyway, we're blessed. The little guy is a real cutie and a real charmer, like his dad

I wonder if fasting influence the fertility ?

Just to post the link of what I wrote about my dad's passing anniversary on my facebook page, for those who don't use facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/sandrine.blanchejuliette

I clicked on the link but it wdnt open..
Thinking of you Manderley and sending a big hug xx

So sorry, @CandiceMarie I had no idea you had to have a facebook account to see it. Here's the screen shots of what I wrote.

https://goo.gl/photos/N5NYdSHF5S2EJdjJA

March has been pretty tough. Because of that anniversary and because of my birthday, which was Sunday. And because I learned that my ex partner was a jerk all along that cheated on me and seems to think that he's a martyr for, and I quote "sacrificing his love" The good thing is, I am rid of him for good , this time. I am just pissed off because he's a cheater and a liar and I hate to be taken for a fool. Oh and he had the good taste to say all that just before my birthday, that was so nice of him.

Some fresh news now, this weekend we were (with my actual partner) in Tunbridge Wells, well, around it but we spend some time there, where I lived 22 years ago where we had a lovely time, lunch in a pub, wonderful Victoria sponge birthday cake with chocolate and raspberries, 2 of my favourite things. That's funny and pathetic at the same time, he and his family were the only persons to wish me a happy birthday, nobody else I know did, not even my own family. Whatever, I am used to it by now.


After a kind of a break, I am going back to regular fasting, 2 to 3 times a week, beginning tomorrow. I need that structure and control. It helps me to feel centered. So, from now it will be monday, wednesday with friday as an option, no pressure. Soups all the way, after 3 years it's still my food of choice for a fast day, coffee and tea.

As I nearly completely stopped drinking any alcohol, which is not difficult when your partner don't drink at all and you have the motivation of trying to get pregnant, I didn't put on any weight while not fasting even if I ate some crazy stuff. I am amazed how fast your body get used to no alcohol compared to how hard it is to get rid of cigarettes....

Hi Mands,thanks so much for doing that for me,i loved seeing yr photos..yr Dad was such a goodlooking man and looks so very kind and pleasant. Loved reading getting to yr goal quote too
Good luck fasting today..moi aussi..xx
Myson in laws family are from Tunbridge Wells! I ddint realise you had a connection to it! Its a small world - but i wdnt want to hoover it hehe!
Happy birthday for Sunday Mands,hope you are keeping celebrations going all week xxxxx and hope the year ahead will be wonderful for you ....happy days are here now i hope with yr new beau xxxx

Oh yes he was, and you didn't even see my parents' wedding picture yet It's still tough at times, I still miss him like crazy but it's way better that it was.

Now that's a big coincidence ! I lived in Tunbridge Wells from 28th march 1994 to the end of that year. I just turned 20, it was my first time so far away and for so long and it changed my life forever. I remeber "Eurotrash" in the television with Jean-Paul Gauthier and Antoine de Caunes, and that I never understood the fascination British could have for those 2 lunatics who spoke with a thick French accent, so thick, in fact, that I couldn't really understood them, and how I love everybody thinking I was Irish. Everything was so smooth at the time, so easy.

I found the house where I used to live but not the family that lived in it. It's funny because I remember their address but not their surname. I know they were "Guy and Sylvia" and the little boy was Alexander but I have no clue about their surnames (they each have their own). I remember how I was shocked that they still ate a piece of their wedding cake each year and how it was different for me to not have dinner altogether and, well, I miss that time. It's good to be back, we are staying for 2 more days.

Thank you for your wishes, @CandiceMarie everything is going very very well so far, the only thing is, to have a fast day when I am in England is pretty tricky. even the marmite and butter on toast seems fancy. And it's without the Cadbury Flake and Curly Wurly, the Galaxy milk chocolate and I will stop here because I am drooling which is not really pretty

I ' ll ask my SIL Mands ..you never know, it IS a small world..he may know them! X
Yes all those goodies make it hard to diet..but surely the french goodies are even more tempting! All those lovely pastries...mmmmmm.... Xx

Ooooh that would be nice, thanks. Even if I know that, after all this time, it's a long shot.
A friend of mine asked me if I would stay and live here if I could and the truth is, if I could find a job and bring all my furry babies, I would say yes, in a heartbeat. I loved living in England, the both times I did, I felt like home. I learned to drive here, I bought my leather jacket here, I had my first taste of independence here. That place saved my life, I was in a bad way, a deep depression, I even tried to commit suicide a few months before. I came here to start fresh, where nobody knew me and could judge me and it worked even better than I anticipated. Oh gosh I miss living here....

We sure have tasty food in France but, and I know it will sound weird, British food is exotic and comforting and a bit of my other home. I missed typical French food when I was here and I miss typical British food when I came back home. And I still defend British cooking when people talk about how awful it is and how they only know about boiled meat and mince sauce.

I know it's not the best but I had a sainsbury's fresh soup for my fast day, this one, in fact, http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/fresh-soups/sainsburys-tomato--lentil---red-pepper-soup-600g and it was so good and so filing, I need to find the recipe to do the same at home.

I am going back tonight with lots of stuff, buckets of real tea, which we can't find in France, and a lot of delicious things, even Marmite. No, I am not going mad, I hate Marmite but I think that I can handle it once in a while, not first thing in the morning but still, I love to hate it. Is this weird ?

I hate Marmite but I think that I can handle it once in a while, not first thing in the morning but still, I love to hate it. Is this weird ? ( quote)
Mands,is it mad to be normal,or is it normal to be mad ? x
I have never tried Marmite, i think i' m scared of it! ( Now,that IS mad!)
So pleased you enjoyed your UK time X you were brave,in a strange country,alone,so young x
SIL away on business,will ask him when he gets back x

@CandiceMarie I didn't try it before this year. The smell of it used to ovewhelm me but the nostalgia is so strong that I didn't care about it this time.

I am a freak. After a very good and easy fast yesterday, I had a very busy morning and only came back home at 02:00PM. As a quick lunch I had baked beans on toast (one slice of home made bread) and grated cheddar put under the grill. It was real baked beans, and they are quite difficult to find over here. It's just the most awesome, delicious and simple lunch I had for quite some time and it seems that it's not as unhealthy that I thought it was.

It's funny because I struggled so bad these past few months with my fasts and yesterday was, in contrast, so easy. It really seems my body is, basically, doing what it wants. I mean, going back in England, to what I consider my roots has made me free. A bit like when I arrive the first time in 1994. I found some missing pieces of my puzzle and I just hope to be able to go back soon.

For now I will have to do the best I can with all the tea and goodies I came back with

Lots of goodness in that tasty little lunch Mands..so often the simplest foods are the most delicious!

It puzzles me always...how some fast days are so hard,yet others go so smoothly!

Enjoy yr English treats! X

Today is the first day "back to basics" for me. I quit smoking, cold turkey, nearly 3 weeks ago (and that's the longest I've been without a smoke for the last 20 years so it's a big deal) and, since I quit, I put a bit of weight back on. I think some of it is pure water retention, I can feel it in my fingers and ankles especially, but there is also a bit of weight as well. I don't binge but I don't feel full as I did before and so the portions are a bit bigger. I couldn't go through a fast without really knowing why. I had quite a bad case of mood swings and boredom so maybe that's it.

I am going back to what I used to do when I was in the losing weight phase, 3 fasts a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I was thinking of doing a proper IF but I want to leave most of the weekend alone. Mr Manderley is very supportive, and accept I need to do this even if I don't really need to lose the weight. As always it's a question of control for me, I need to get over the water retention and the insomnia, which is really really bad. This morning, for example, I was awake at 4:32. When you know I go to bed after midnight, it's a really short night and it's been that way since I quit smoking.

So since I woke up I had a coffee and a tea with a splash of milk, which was a mistake because French tea are not good enough to be mixed with milk I plan a soup for tonight but I have no idea which one yet. I know it will be something liquid as chewing is not good for me on a fast day and even more when I struggle.

One day at a time...

Quitting smoking is hard- good luck. It is also a very sensible choice. I am sure you will succeed.

So, yesterday was my first real and full fast without any cheat since I quit smoking. It's been positive, except for my bitchy mood all day. I even fell asleep earlier than usual and had a 5 hours night straight which is a lot for me.

It seems that tea is a better solution for the hunger pangs than coffee. I have to deal with a shortage of coffee until next week, so it's no less than 1 a day, which is nothing for someone who is used to drink, at least, 5 cups a day. So, nicotine withdrawal + fast + no coffee = look out and stay as far away from me than you can ! - note so self, do not go see your mother on a fast day, and I mean NEVER

After @ferretgal 's post about her party Friday, I shut down everything, put my laptop on my bed, the headphones on my ears (of course, where else ? ) and listened to 4 albums of my favorite artist (guess who ? ) and it was the best way to relax after that roller coaster ride of emotions. What an idiot I am, I should have thought about it earlier !

Today, I feel a lot less bloated, my fingers are at their usual size (I can wear my smallest ring again), my stomach is more flat and I feel great, not as tired as I used to feel these past weeks. Could it be that regaining that control helps to ease the withdrawal symptoms a bit ?

[Tracieknits]

Thank you for keeping this updated!!

I think you might be nearly over the withdrawal from cigarettes, as I've heard that it's the worst for the first four weeks. Congratulations on that and well done!

I agree completely about the tea being better for controlling hunger, at least for me. I have a stash of French tea (Mariage Freres - Marco Polo, French Blue Earl Grey and Wedding Imperial). They are perfect as they are, without any milk or sugar, imho.