The FastDay Forum

Dear fasting friends. Many of you know I'm a bit of a long term and dedicated faster. Since I moved to California my fasting average has dropped to once a week, TDEE out of the window and eating carbs. No 16:8 either.

As a consequence, I have regained almost everything I lost when I started last August as you will see from my now reset tracker.

My BP is back up and I'm back into orange and it is this that has caused me to wake up. I suppose some of it is the stress of moving country, jobs, commuting back and forth across the pond and having a poorly OH in a different continent. Oh dear, I have just piled on more stress now worrying about my weight.

I'm sure I will get back but wanted to share. About to start my second fast of the week today.

To be honest when I read the title I thought that you had had really bad news about your OH so I was relieved when I realised it was weight. However I know that it is never "just weight" it brings with it as you say higher BP and all the other associated problems. You have had a huge amount of stuff to deal with recently; not an excuse but a reason. As you say you have had a wake up call so now is the time to take control again and good luck with your second fast. You have been such a support to others on the forum I'm sure that everyone will be popping up to aid you. Well done for stopping now and taking stock of the situation.

Claire x

[carorees]

What Claire said!

But you are in a much better place now that before you started fasting...you now have new tools in place to deal with the problem when you feel up to facing it. My only word of caution is not to overdo the fasting because it is mildly stressful in itself and when added to the stress of your current situation might not be wise. Try to find a fasting method that will reverse the trend of increasing weight but will not be too stressful on your already stressed system.

Hopefully after your OH's cardioversion and treatment your stress levels will begin to decline and you can get back on track with fasting.

Be kind to yourself.

Hugs

Oh my goodness, you poor darling! You've given so much support to everyone. Its your turn now. Let the avalanche begin!
You are so wonderful and supportive of newbies.
You are soooooo brave to leave your homeland .
You got an amazing job in different country. Wow!
You are aching because your hubbies unwell but you are an amazing partner supporting him.
WOL/WOE is a lifelong thing so you will trend towards an ideal body composition ( in the words of Mark Sisson from Marks Daily Apple) if you stick to the sweet spot of 50-100 carbs a day and as we know 5:2,
So all the best my friend and chin up,
Xxx

Oh RawKaren, how upsetting! It's awful to realise our good work can be undone so quickly. It's a lesson for all of us. Here, let me give you my hand and I'll help you up! Come back on board! It's not that hard, as you know. Thanks for posting this.

Rawkaren - all that you have dealt with (and is dealing with) makes it very hard on you in every way - feting is just one of them. Hope you can persuade your body to agree fasting again - with that high work load of yours it might be a tiny bit easier to get back in the saddle? Many Swedish hugs!!

[wildmissus]

Karen, it's pants when life gets in the way but you've come on here and been honest. You have the knowledge to turn things around and as carorees points out have a bit of patience and persistence. I've read many a post recently including my own which prove to me that this is a life long thing. Remember we are all here to keep you going as you have done for many of us.

[carieoates]

Karen I want to send you the biggest hug ever. Thank god the OH is ok. Take it easy lovely and look after yourself and let us know if there's anything we can do.

Thank you @Rawkaren for posting this. I too have regained and had to start again. I was really starting to wonder why it seemed to work for everyone else as I seemed to keep falling off and regaining. With other 'diets' if I regained that would be the end of the diet, with 5:2 we can get back to it as we know it works and it's right for us. Again I've had a bit of a bad week (post-Easter), by early evening this week I'd abandoned my first 2 fast. I'm trying again today and I feel very positive that this will be a full fast. I'm trying to learn from my mistakes and I'll be ready for the hunger monster this evening, when he turns up, I'll be telling him to s0d off. I don't know if there is a 'starting again/regain tent' but I think we could do with one to keep some of us on track. My buddy pinchy is in the same boat but I'm not sure where she is or if she is fasting at the mo. It's so difficult to get back to it when we've let things slip a little but we can do it.
I wish you all the best with your fast and I'm sure you'll be back in the swing of things before you know it, showing us all how it's done. Hope OH is better soon (((hugs)))
Good luck
Dee

Iv'e not been here long but i have noticed that you are one of the most supportive posters. I'm not surprised with all you have to cope with that you have slipped up a little, but i'm sure you will be back on track before you know it x

Oh @rawkaren my buddy I am so sorry to hear this and I am sending you a big hug. There have been many things you've had to cope with Karen. It's easy to say, but try not to worry about your weight, just get back on the bandwagon and give it a go again.
Like Loulou51 I was really worried when I saw the title of your thread as I hadn't heard from you on here for a while.
You're very supportive of everyone on here Karen and I think it may be time to get a bit of help from us.....sending you my very, very best wishes.

Kindest, kindest regards to you XXXXX Auri XXXX

@rawkaren I'm so pleased that it your only problem I'm with @Loulou51 And everyone else this is really bad news but its not the end of the world.
Your stress levels have been running on the high end
for a very long time now what with the new job,
new country, new foods, new work colleagues, and of course your Hubby's health.
So back to fasting somehow you've got to find suitable foods so that your fasts can become a success, back to basics as in really nailing a true fast one day at a time if you only manage 6:1 for now that's OK then build up to 5:2.
You need to do this NOW but you know that and if you don't get a grip you'll be a fat old pensioner like me.
(not a pretty sight) We both know how to do this and we can do it together I need to get a grip once again otherwise my 50lbs will be with me all year.
Good luck Karen.

I was wondering how you were doing. Not that I know you in a real sense but we started on the same day and you always seemed to be here to support all the newbies and those/us that were struggling. I must have been watchin or commenting on other threads as I had missed your latest news. I hope that you are coping and get back onto the regular 5:2 routine fairly soon. My OH has moved for the time being and it has made fasting for him much harder. Take care, Wendy

Oh gosh like others said, i thought it was OH.thank God it isnt.
But not meaning for a moment to downplay how youre feeling x
I agree with all @julianna said about you,and my heart goes out to you,after all the stress and change youve had to deal with, and coped with so well. X

Now you're back on track & we're here for you. Peace & blessings as you continue your journey.