The FastDay Forum

Just back from zumba@clairemarie I'm a bit sweaty If I go again I think I will stand at the front of the class so I can keep a better eye on what the teacher is doing. I'll see how I am tomorrow first. I'm glad your weight is behaving itself. How do you walk your puppy in all that snow. Neither of us is great animal lovers. My hubby has a bit of a phobia about dogs and i am allergic to cats!
Well I'm going to reward myself with a bit of Corrie and a slimline tonic with lots of ice!
Enjoy your dinner.

Hello@clairemarie Here we are again. My day is going by quite quickly - I didn't get up all that early. I enjoyed the zumba - felt it in my arms and across my upper back the next day. I think i'll give it another go - maybe stand nearer the front so I can see what the teacher is doing.
I've been to aqua as usual - lots of arm work today! - I'll have muscles on my muscles!
Looks like your weather has warmed up marginally - I expect there is still a lot of snow lying tho'
I'm going to do a turkey stir fry for dinner tonight

Good job on the zumba @Lil. I have thought about dusting off my kettlebells. My arms are really an awful sight. I can't believe I am saying this but they looked a whole lot better when they were fat! I had zero weight loss this week which I deserve as I was a bit heavy on the carbs this past week. I will try to cleanse myself of the evil carbs this week. It appears that I will not reach my goal weight by my second anniversary, April 10. I am a bit disappointed but am so happy with what I have achieved so far. I feel like a million bucks and that is the most important goal. Salmon for dinner. And weather wise, snow is melting! It will be in the 40's most of the week. I am thankful for the upward trend!

Not a good weigh in for me either@clairemarie We were at a birthday tea yesterday that stretched into the early evening. Lots of carbs and very little veg eaten and a bit more wine than normal for a Sunday. My work issues are still causing me a lot of stress which I am sure is not helping. I've been to aqua this morning but gave the zumba a miss this week as i needed a quiet night in. I'm on my way to bed now. See you on Wednesday and here's to better things for both of is next week

Hi @clairemarie It's time for another Wednesday fast. I'm doing OK so far. I've just got back from aqua as usual. Lovely day yesterday when I was at work but it's starting to rain now. Just as well as there is some work I need to do. Tonight I am going to do a butter bean and chorizo stew with added prawns. I definitely think a few pulses help to sustain me through the evening on a fast day.

Good Morning @clairemarie Well it's a new week and Monday is upon us today. A very small loss for me this morning. It was Mothering Sunday in England yesterday. Both my sons were able to pop in and my sister and partner also came for tea on Saturday. So... more cake than usual, a Chinese ready meal and some licorice allsorts later I think I had a lucky escape. My Libra trend weight continues to go down very slowly which is also reassuring.reassuring. I've been to aquajog this morning and I think I'll give the zumba another go this evening. Onwards and downwards.
I have some turkey breast fillets in the fridge so I think I'm going to make the Hairy Bikers Thai curry tonight. I'll adapt it by adding a bit more veg and I'll have mine with cauliflower rice

Happy to hear your still in the weight loss mode @Lil I on the other hand am on an upward spiral. I have been eating everything I can get my hands on for two weeks now. I have been feeling very depressed. The month of March just sucks the life out of me year after year. It seems silly but March brings me to my knees with depression. No food satisfys me and all the carbs of all variations are just making me feel fat, bloated and exhausted. The snow banks are melting into slushy mushy ankle deep puddles and so I quess this is a sign of spring but still it will be months before I could get into the garden. I cooked the American St Patricks Day feast of corned beef and cabbage with assorted veg along with soda bread. I have eaten the most of it myself. I have been going to work but life seems hopeless and I know I should be eating better but why? I am a mess right now...sorry. I am praying that I will get back to my happier side soon.

@clairemarieI'm so sorry to hear that you are having a tough time. It's difficult to know what to say. I am impatient for summer ,or even spring, but at least we are having some sunny days even if it has turned cold again. I know it's hard but I do think you should keep up your tracker so when things turn around for you which they will you will have something positive to record.Why don't you get some gardening books or magazines and plan what you want to do in your garden. This will be your first spring there won't it - who knows what will pop up. Also what about a craft to keep your hands busy. Because I am making pom poms for my sons wedding I am much less inclined to snack while watching TV. Do you knit or embroider?Can you plan a trip to see your grandson?
I've been to zumba. I don't really know what I am doing but I've come back in a sweat so it must be doing me some good.
I'm off to the hospital with hubby tomorrow for his next treatment but I'll check in with you again on Wednesday

Good morning@clairemarie I hope you are feeling a bit better today - looks like you may be going to have some sunshine in the next couple of days which may raise your spirits a bit.
We had a rather long tedious day yesterday but all went well. I got very excited yesterday evening as the Aurora borealis which I follow since seeing it in Iceland last year was predicted to be very strong. I couldn't see anything from our house as we live in town and there is too much ambient light and I didn't feel i could drag hubby out into the countryside especially as it was a bit misty. Anyway I have another celestial happening to look forward to on Friday. We are just in the 90% zone for the solar eclipse. We have some viewing glasses left from the total eclipse in Europe some years ago. I am probably going to get together with some of my friends to view it ( if it is sunny!) - we may have a little breakfast party as it will be maximal at 9.30 am. I am looking into making a pin hole viewer as well.
It is lovely and sunny at the moment so I am going to sew some seed for some annual flowers. My son's girlfriend ( fiancee) wants to have informal flowers in jam jars on the tables for the wedding so I said I would grow some for her. The wedding is in August so the perfect time for hardy annuals. Hubby has dug a new bed in the middle of the garden ( I was going to use pots!) A bit too early for outdoor sewing but I think I will get some zinnias and antirrhinums going indoors.
Not sure sure what we are eating tonight - fish in some guise I think. Hubby will be going for phase 2 of this cycle of treatment this afternoon but seems to be bearing up well at the moment - he is currently going round the house with a feather duster cob webbing!
Hope to hear from you later

Good Morning@clairemarieI see the sun is shining for you today although it is still cold so I hope that will raise your spirits a bit. I've had another loss this week despite the mother's Day box of licorice allsorts that I am gradually making my way through. They do have a lot of calories in them and the high sugar content makes it difficult to only have one - but I do like them!
My work issues have finally resolved themselves. I have had to go through a revalidation process and because I work for an independent organisation I have had to have an appraisal by by someone who doesn't know me which involved hours of work gathering evidence of my practice and uploading it on line followed by a Skype appraisal - all very trying for someone of my age and many tears were shed. Anyway it is all behind me now and I am sleeping better and have managed to come off medication for reflux again so all is good.
We has a good viewing of the partial eclipse on Friday - we were very fortunate that our part of the country was sunny unlike many others. We had a few friends round to breakfast and watched in several ways.
I've been to aquajog this morning. I think I will cook something with fish and beans this evening. I hope to hear from you later - we are past the equinox now so the weather should be getting better.

@Lilone of the biggest mistakes in my life was not finding a good man to dust, lucky you! I am so glad to hear your work issues are coming to an end. Reflux especially longterm is dangerous. I am a faithful follower of Corrie and Midwives will be airing soon so something to look forward to. April is forcasted to be cold so garedenning is still far off. My plan for the back garden is stunning in my mind. The yard is very wooded bit I plan on putting in white rambling roses and some ferns which will be a nice compliment to the hydrangeas that are existing. There is something so soothing about a green and white garden. The front of the house is very sunny so I am planning on apricot peach roses, pink dahlis/zinnias and purple/blue salvia. Are you a knitter? I started a pullover for myself(for a change). The pattern comes from a Cornish yarn company who was generous to post it for free. I weighed in today at 163. So a big gain for me but I had a successful fast today. And I am trying to ween myself off of carbs again. Although I am disappointed in myself I am taking solace in the fact that I am still so much less than six months ago. I think maybe I faltered and went thru a spell because one of my boys is having a very hard time battling addiction issues. I had to go thru a mad scamble to get him into a detox and the sober living house. A mother is always a mother and loves their child no matter what. He is suffering his own battle and only he can change things for himself but he just doesn't understand that I suffer for him. His problem weighs on my mind morning noon and night.Such a waste of life. The death rate from heroin use is an absolute epidemic in these parts. I really can't bring myself to go to anymore funerals as I fear the next one will be his. Try being happy with that fear looming over you all the time. I just can not comprehend what is wrong with people that they resort to this. Met a er nurse recently that told me that fifty year old women are the fastest growing population with the issue. Well enough of all that . My personal wish/plan for myself is to be full of vitality to do all the things that interest me.

So pleased to hear from you again@clairemarieand so sorry to hear what a hard time you have been having.I am wishing your son the strength to find a path away from his demons. It sounds very hard to cope with. Once things have settled down and you get back on track you can lose that weight again - you've done it before! I think you have done exactly the right thing by having a weigh in and recording it on your tracker - even if things are not going as you wish by keeping connected to the forum ( and to me!) it will be easier to come back to it when you are ready. My traumas pale into insignificance next to yours.
I think your plans for the garden sound lovely. My son's girlfriend ( fiancee) want 'wild flowers' in jam jars on the tables at the wedding. I think wild flowers are not too predictable to grow so I am planning to sow annuals instead - they should be in full flower in early August. I have sown some zinnias and some antirrhinums indoors but am intending to sow most of them directly into the garden when it gets warmer - hubby has dug a new bed in the middle of the lawn for me to use - we can turf it over again next year.
I have done quite a lot of knitting in the past - I used to make picture jumpers for the children when they were little. Recently it had just been the occasional scarf and of course I am on pom poms at the moment. It's a good way to keep you hands busy and not feeding your face I find! What is your new jumper like?
We have the good old pork loin for dinner tonight - I am going to do some roast veg to go with it and some broccoli. I was so hungry all day on Monday ( probably an backlash after the licorice allsorts!) but things are going better today.

Hi @Lil jumper is on blackerdesigns.co.uk it is named Sue's Aran Sweater. It works up quickly and is an easy pattern. Some fasts are indeed harder than others for sure. My fast on Monday was easy but today I have been starving. Today the weather was warm and sunny at 48 degrees , tomorrow promises rainy warmth, I'll take it. What is the brides color scheme? Shasta daisies would be very nice along with yarrows I also think spikes of liatris would be fantastic as well as casual. My goodness I am thinking white and green again, white daisies,pearl yarrow and white liatris with green ivy or herbs. Yes I think I like it! My son could not attend the wake of his friend saying he just wouldn't be able to look at him. All I could say is next time it better not be him and don't ever make me have to go though that. I have been down this road with him many times before and I just can't give up on him. But it just sucks the life out of me. The difference with this bout is that no one will take him in anymore thus the sober house where he is tested all the time and he must work and pay his own way. Fingers crossed and God's intervention.
I keep opening the fridge and nothing appeals to me that is safe to eat. So I am having another cup of coffee. I want something healthy but... have a good night and keep those pompoms going!

Just keep those hands busy with your knitting@clairemarie! The colour scheme for the wedding is teal and orange but it's fairly loose. The range of colours I am doing the pompoms is from yellow all the way through orange, turquoise,teal to olive green. As far as the flowers go I think she just wants multicoloured and cheery but I better check before I start planting the seeds!
I'm off to bed now - work in the morning. They are reburying King Richard 3rd in Leicester which is our county town tomorrow - lots of excitement. I don't know if news of this will have spread to your parts - worth googling maybe - he was found buried under a car park in the city about 3 years ago having died in battle nearby over 500 years ago.

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Here's something to make you smile!