The FastDay Forum

Ahoy there, calling buddy spanner - woof @spanner, so as I was saying....... I left home and picked up a real phone to replace my toy phone and then went on to meet a friend at Bond Street, we walked to the serpentine (Hyde Park) and had dinner on the lake. Ceasars salad and ONE white wine spritzer and then walked it off round the lake to a beautiful orange sunset (only see that in open or high spaces in the city). Back home by 9pm.

How did your fast go today? I think many will feel re-energised after Easter - and up for a new challenge. You are almost at goal and then maintaining - have you popped into the maintainers tent to have a look at how peeps are managing that? I think maintaining might be a bit like being a patient, we need patience and resilience - but we have the key. How did you maintain last time? I can relate to the low carb approach and 16/8 - any carbs would have to be a treat moment as I think they mess me up and put my brain in sleep mode. I recognised sugar gave me a raised heart beat and very uncomfortable flushes in my late teens, so I'm really careful and manage that. Amazed it has taken so long to realise what too many carbs do to me.

Time to dig deep post Easter I guess. Lizbean
PS - being on a weeks leave seems as busy as ever. I now have to check all my seedlings before going to bed to make sure they are tucked up safely it's like having 100 kids!

You will not be up yet @clairemarie. Just to let you know that I am going to work this morning to cover for colleagues who are on holiday. I will be going straight on to aqua so may not be around here till mid afternoon (my time) Hope your day starts well

Hey buddy @spanner. I have cracked it! Weighed myself this morning AND I've inched past the 132.4 all time low of a month ago - to 131.4. So, in an effort not to forget this moment I updated my tracker this morning. I do think being on leave this week has helped - not running myself ragged, less stress and more focused. About 5lbs to go till I reach my goal, as you said it's harder the nearer we get to our goal, so I'm getting out the shovel to help me dig out those pesky last few pounds. Based on the last month, I could be digging away for 5 months to the autumn Bring it on ...... do you want to borrow my shovel? What's your latest strategy? I'm looking forward to the next FD challenge ....
Lizbean

Good your keeping busy@Lil. Keeps your mind off of food. In light of the upcoming Easter feast I am attempting a 4:3 this week.

Ooh @Lizbean sounds like you are having a lovely week off. I am definitely worse at Fasting when I am at home - I think the trick is not to have any treats in the house!

Yesterdays fast day went well. Work steady not crazy, very much enjoyed my Chilli Mackerel with a huge salad on the side. I don't really count calories on these days but I would guess came in at 400? And my indulgent magazine kept me happy in the evening! Must try to find something I enjoy doing on these days that does not involve filling my face!

I think the arrival of Spring helps immensely with attitude and also hunger pangs. When I am outside walking in Sunshine I just crave cold drinks, just need to make sure I am not replacing red wine with chilled Pinot Grigio. I think it's time to try Spritzers like you recommend

I am going out tonight and likely to have a drink or two but have given myself a talking to and decided that 2 x single gins with diet tonic will be plenty. Going no carb today in an attempt to undo the last two weeks indulgence and my second fasting day will be tomorrow.

Sooo happy for you with the weight loss - you have worked so hard and totally deserve to get the scales on side!!

Big weigh in for the Easter Challenge Friday - I tried to do every day weighing this week but failed due to sheer human traffic around the scales every day at work. Nibbling on some celery now and having an omlette for dinner later....Can three days fix it?? We will see!!

Hope you are enjoying the outdoors and that the Seedlings are behaving themselves

Spanner xxx

Finally here I am @clairemarieHow's your day going. I've had a really good aqua class this afternoon. The usual teacher ,who is very good, is off because it is school holidays and she has young children so we had our previous teacher who was probably my favourite. Went straight from aqua to the supermarket - bought some Easter goodies to take into work tomorrow. Not easy walking down the Easter egg aisle but I did it.
Tonight for dinner we are having a pork tenderloin which I have been marinading in soy, ginger and garlic. I am making a little barley stew to go with it. I am going to bake some butternut squash and probably add broccoli and another veg. I am treating myself to a second cup of tea with a splash of skimmed milk after all my exertions
Good Luck with your 4:3 . I have never done that although I have sometimes done a 3rd fast till dinner time but then not counted calories. Sort of an eating window but probably quite a long one as I do that we we are going out somewhere. I may skip breakfast on Friday but as the theatre starts early I think a nice afternoon tea before and a supper afterwards may be the way to go. We are also going away for a few days next week so i'll just have to play it by ear.

Aaaah - back from a lovely day chilling out with a friend at a local spa-type of place (not a proper spa but for a £29 Groupon deal can't complain)! Been in the jacuzzi and steam room then sat outside reading (with their cats for company) before a back massage to finish off - bliss! So - @WestLondonChick - went well thanks and @Carieoates that's why I hadn't replied to your text!

Thanks @spanner I'm really, really pleased I have made progress this week though recognise next week is another week and I'll be back in the thick of it. I feel like I have given myself a special present. If I can weigh in on Friday below 132.4 that will make me a happy Easter bunny!

Glad to hear yesterdays fast went well. Yum, omelette and tortilla You make me smile, having to 'join the queue of heavy traffic to weigh in at work' - that's a chilled and positive approach. If you have worked hard this week and don't see what you want on Friday - next week is another week. Hooray!

Tonight is mixed seafood - (Waitrose do a bag of, in their frozen dept, I always have a bag on hand) cooked very quickly in coconut oil, with garlic, fennel and herbs - roasted chicory (currently my favourite food!)and asparagus. Gosh, I'm hungry - dinner is calling! Dinner is accompanied by a spritzer and later coffee and very small Italian almond biscuit.

I'm still trying to work out my new mobile phone, like everything else in life it's a journey - a great one if we can unlock that inner key!

A spring G&T sounds like just the job

Catch you soon.

Lizbean

Hi @clairemarie How are you going on ? I've had my dinner now - a bit salt from the soy - I will have to drink plenty of water to flush it out - but yummy. I'm up to 328 cals do far today so space for some raspberries and my cocoa later.
I'm all up to date with Corrie bar tonight's episode so will have to find something else to occupy me.

Oh@Lil I have been very bad today. Mondays fast was fantastic and Tues was very light. But in preparation for Easter I started baking today and I ate 8 of the cupcakes(the devil made me do it). Mind you I still feel light but I am left with a choice of going ahead with dinner and starting again tomorrow. Or cut my losses and fast again on Friday. On the positive side my sister in law invited us to Easter dinner which means no leftovers to dream about.

Congrats on the easter egg aisle passing. I could not pass at home as the aroma of cupcakes kept wafting through the house. I am up to Carla's pregnancy discovery at the moment and wonder how vixen Tina will take the news.

Lucky you with your mini holiday trip! Hope you both have a great time.

You're not far behind then. I haven't watched any TV tonight. I have been trying to find out what is wrong with one of my blueberry bushes but all the book says is that they are not prone to problems! The leaves are curled up and there is very little blossom. The other 2 are covered in blossom. I may have to go over to the gardener's tent for advice. I have also just been to the station to pick up my daughter who has been spending a few days in Brighton ( south coast) with her ex boyfriend - don't ask!
I am feeling distinctly hungry at the moment. Wondering whether to have a plain biscuit ( 35cals) with my cocoa rather that the raspberries.Work again tomorrow - 3 days in a row is too much when I am meant to be retired.
Don't know what to advise about today's mishap@clairemarieMaybe just have a 'normal' day tomorrow to balance yourself and then fast as you were planning to on Friday. Let me know how it goes with your friday weigh in

You know what they say @Lilabsence makes the heart grow fonder...So I am now having a roast beef sandwich so today has turned into a feast day . I will try again tomorrow. Let's face it I will probably fail again due to holiday. So I shall just accept it and enjoy. Next week I will go full force.

@spanner here I am again, one day ahead of official weigh in for the Easter challenge and I'm now down to 131 lbs so I have updated the tracker again. In doing so I noticed my scales don't like odd numbers when it comes to recording the ounces. It likes 0 2 4 6 8 10 12? So where are the odd numbers in ounces, did they go for a walk? Makes me wonder how true my scales are and my weight So I have decided NOT NOT NOT to weigh myself on any other scales until I reach my goal as regardless of this I'm heading in the right direction.

The experiment of being on holiday this week, less stress, as much sleep as I desire and being more mindful has paid off for me - a 2.2 lbs loss since last Friday weigh in. For me that is a really big loss, let's see if it still stands at tomorrow's weigh in.

Off to tend to the seedlings, some are looking exceptionally unwell and then to the shops to buy food and treats for easter.

Lizbean x

@Lil I tried growing blueberry bushes many years ago without success. I do recall the same symptoms that you are describing. I seems that you might have blight. Nothing to treat the situation barring cutting back until you reach healthy area or cut your losses and get rid of it Common to blurberries are fungus but that is not your problem.

Wishing my fasting buddy @rawkaren a very Happy Easter