The FastDay Forum

Dear @Hazelnut20 and @Wildmissus - I am very happy to help in areas where I think I have some experience or knowledge, but I don't think I am particularly qualified to respond to the question you pose. I expect there are others on the forum who do have more to offer in this area. However, I will make some comments...

I did a quick Google search to see if I could find something that might help and this site could have some useful information, http://www.marcandangel.com/2014/09/14/ ... ing-stuck/

There will be many other sites that do similar...

The following is some of my thoughts, but I can't give you the science that might support - or not! - what I say. So please understand these ideas are only ideas.

Please don't take offence by this, but buying books and other things is easy to do (assuming you have the money!) - actually doing something different is the challenge. I think you were inferring as much?? But I am sure there are MANY examples in your life where you have made and kept commitments, Hazelnut and Wildmissus, so please don't think you can't. You both come over as strong resilient women, so you can do whatever you want/need to do!

Making changes in our lives can be very difficult. One factor is how much you want to make that change, but it is far from the only one.

To make a change, it helps to be able to make it part of your daily routine. Find a time in the day when it will suit you to do whatever it is you want to do.

My main activity is walking the dogs and some strength exercises, which I do first thing every morning. So with the exercise equipment, find a way you will use this. Can you do this while you listen/watch to radio, TV? We have a treadmill that OH uses every morning while he watches the morning news on TV, and I use when I have catch-up TV programs to see (I use iPad and headphones). Before I lived in the hills I cycled to work every day - an optimum way to get exercise. Can you find ways to do more incidental walking - to the shops, school, etc? Join a walking group, walk with a friend. You need to find an activity that YOU really enjoy - maybe it is dancing, Pilates, etc? Maybe it will work better for you to join a class - there are likely to be so many on offer.

I guess when we talk about finding a way of eating that is sustainable to you, that the same thing applies to any change you want to make.

Maybe you need to make changes in small stages. For example, select one of the books you have bought that most appeals, and say that you will read a chapter a day when you have a morning cuppa. Reflect on what you have read each day (perhaps while you are on that walk!) and then decide on a change you will make. Write it down. Do it. If you don't, evaluate why not. Make a change to your strategy or try something else until you find what works for you.

Can you find someone who will properly listen (not just end up talking about themselves!!) and that you are happy to tell about your issues who has the time to be able to talk through these with you and discuss strategies and provide support?

Also, at various times in my life I have seen counsellors (generally because of relationship or work issues!!) and I have learnt a lot through that. I was lucky to be able to access these services at little or no cost. I have also seen a psychologist for family issues - that was much more expensive!

Okay, that's it from me for the moment. I deferred walking the dogs because it is wet and miserable, but I think we might need to brave the weather.

Best wishes and good luck finding a way that works for you. And happy to keep "chatting" on this and other issues.

Me again... I have been reflecting further as I walked the dogs (you may wish you never asked for my thoughts...)

I reread the link I provided, which emphasizes that we have choice over what we think and do. Once you can take that on board, it is very empowering.

I have been thinking about why I don't do the things (I think) I want to do. As the link says,

"If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse. This may be tough to accept, but it’s the truth. Stop making excuses for why you can’t get it done and start focusing on all the reasons why you must make it happen."

So that does support your concern Hazelnut re what lies behind why you aren't making the changes you (think you?) want to....

This link has reminded me that I have read (in a number of different places) that if you want to do something, do it now, or as soon as you can. If necessary, break the task into doable chunks, and do the first one.

You can organize your environment to help you. For example, if you want to use the juicer, leave it on the kitchen bench. A friend prepares his juices the night before, while he is making dinner, and stores them in airtight containers til the next day. (By the way, I am sure you know to juice all the edible parts of vegetables and fruit, don't just have the usual "juice" part.)

Our treadmill is in our living area, so a constant reminder and is set up close to the TV...

What time of day are you most motivated to do things? Make the most of those times to tackle the more difficult tasks.

Hazelnut, you having raised this issue has helped me to think again about why I am not doing the things I want to (eg seeing more of friends) and has helped to motivate me to do something about it. So THANKS!

Well I was working on my business stuff until 2am and have been feeling very stressed and overwhelmed with the volume of work I'm needing to do after getting home from the day job. Things have slipped and housework has slipped and that has just stressed me even more. So when my alarm went off at 6am this morning, I thought sod it..... so I called in and booked a days holiday and have decided to focus today on my business instead and get much of that work off my plate.
I got up and went to the gym and then packed my individual portions of spicy chicken and vietnamese minced turkey that I made (whilst doing business stuff last night!!) and popped those into the freezer. I am feeling way more productive today.
@hazelnut20 I totally get the buying stuff and not using it......I had a fab juicer and used it on and off for 7 yrs and sold it last summer to upgrade to an all singing all dancing new one. I've used it a handful of times because I also upgraded to a lovely blender and realised I prefer smoothies to juice. my way around that is that I am going to eBay it!!.... no point keeping it if Im not going to use it.
I'm not really one for self help book per se........what works for me is talking things through with friends (and I consider you guys as my fasting friends). I generally will go round and round until I find a solution that suits me..... this fasting lark has been around my head so many times it hurts!!....I need to find a sustainable solution to this thing because once I find that I know I'll be ok and can stick to it. At the mo I feel like Im at a cross road and needing to make a decision on which way to turn. Fasting is the right way but I've just been glancing over at the wrong way for a while......I need to commit and take that next step....I agree with@sassy1 regarding getting a routine going, but I can only really speak for myself on that point. I find things are so much easier when I have a routine and they become second nature. Unfortunately my routine has gone out the door for many months and so I need to reset it all.... earlier nights, limited alcohol, more exercise etc.
Maybe you could sell a lot you the items you dont use and put the money towards something you know you're going to use. My blender sits on the counter top and I can use it for most of my cooking, so ice cream (low calorie of course), hummus, smoothies, sauces, grinding coffee beans..... so using it is is soooooo easy

[carorees]

At the risk of quoting from yet another self-help book, Gillian Riley has some interesting things to say about what motivates us to lose weight or to sabotage our efforts:

We always have reasons for the things we do but often we lose sight of what they are, and this is important when it comes to making lasting changes.

When you eat the food that your body was designed for, in time, the weight evaporates and the weight loss is fairly easy to maintain. Do you think you’ve been trying to do this already? Maybe, but it’s also likely that your weight has been all that matters. Isn’t that what’s motivating you? Weight loss? Wanting to lose weight is very likely to be the reason you’re reading this book. Assuming you are overweight, that’s a good reason, but no matter how much you want it, it is a weak motivation. It’s weak because it keeps you locked into the effect of the problem

i.e., the excess weight not the cause of the excess weight.

Now when you think about it, dealing with the cause of a problem is the obvious answer, so, you might ask, why doesn’t everybody just figure this out for themselves? There are a number of reasons for this, but perhaps the most common factor is lower self-esteem. Low self-esteem can keep you locked into seeing your problem entirely in terms of the size and the shape of your body. Low self-esteem means that making the switch from effect to cause, far from being obvious and simple, is in fact a challenge.

It’s a very good idea to lose weight, assuming of course that you are overweight to start with. It’s when you can put that to one side and discover other reasons to take control of your overeating that things really start to change. You lose weight too, but it’s a side effect rather than the focus of everything. Then, your weight loss is much more likely to last.

It’s about eating in a way that supports and enhances your emotional and your physical wellbeing. It’s about correcting the balance from a situation where losing weight is everything to just having it be one factor. It’s fine to have both kinds of motivation. Most of us do. We will always want to look as good as we can, and I do too.

When you draw the focus of your attention away from your weight and towards looking after your health, you immediately start to boost your self-esteem. This is because you are affirming that you value yourself enough to give your body what’s best for it. You motivate yourself towards having a healthy relationship with food rather than looking a certain way. You can have both. You can have the best of health and look great too, but if you prioritise your health and self-esteem you will connect with a considerably more powerful and enduring source of motivation. Then, the weight loss pretty much takes care of itself.

I hope these excerpts make sense without the rest of the book!

I am feeling VERY wobbly. So so wobbly. Last night after I ate my fasting day dinner and was still so hungry, I started wondering if 5:2 is for me. I can't imagine doing this long-term. I have been fasting since March 1st and I'm already tired of limiting myself on fast days, and I can never eat only 500 calories or less. I always go over by a hundred calories. I also keep yo-yo-ing by 2.5 pounds and can't seem to get below 156 and it's getting super aggravating. My clothes don't seem to fit any looser either. Then there's the problem of me stuffing my face the day before a fast because I seem to think it will help with not being so hungry the next day. I do like the 16:8 tent and I am going to stick with that as I usually don't need breakfast. I'm still going to try to fast twice a week, but I'm only going to make one of those a 500 calorie day. The other I will try to keep at a maximum of 1000 calories. I'm also going to keep taking gym classes at least 3 times a week. I hope this will work better for me. I really admire those of you that have been doing the 5:2 religiously for such a long time. I just don't have that kind of willpower.

@SammyIAm, as @sassy1 mentioned earlier in this thread, you have to do whats best for you and if you are finding restricting calories to 500 or less is not achievable and making you miserable than maybe its best to try something else. You say you like 16:8 so maybe stick to that and you seem to be finding your way around this problem by only doing one day of 500 and a low calorie day..... that really good and you should not beat yourself up, you have to do whats best for you.
@carorees, thanks for posting those great words, it defo gave me some food for thought

I'm late in contributing though I have been watching this fabulous conversation and wanting to jump in till the next post made me think even further!
It is mental health week here in the UK http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work ... enessweek/ and this is significant for people in my life who I care for. @Carorees I like GM as she speaks to a very wide audience. Love her.
@Ssure I hope all is well, not heard from you recently
Wishing you all well, I'll be back after I have dealt with my internet infarction.
xx

Thank you, @Raggy. Your post makes me feel so much better about my new decision. You are absolutely right- I'm gonna do what's best for ME.

It's thought provoking & helpful reading all the posts & I'm trying to re-evaluate where I am at the moment. I've gained another 4oz which is not much but emphasisis to me that I'm still going in the wrong direction despite two good fast days! I think lack of exercising with too much sitting reading is a factor & have bought a Fitbit that frustratingly won't sinc with my IPad. I think I will have to try & set it up via a computer which I'm very irritated about since I thought it would be a fairly simple device & all I wanted was a pedometer on my wrist Oh well the best laid plans of mice & men! I feel like throwing it in the rubbish bin.

Dear @isis, please dont dispair on such a glorious day here in the UK :
Now you bought that Fitbit for a reason and technology can be frustrating, but just think how great you will feel when you are tracking all of those steps you are going to be making and how positive thats going to make you feel.
Just Keep Calm and Carry On (KCCO), you can do this

Dear @isis, please dont dispair on such a glorious day here in the UK :
Now you bought that Fitbit for a reason and technology can be frustrating, but just think how great you will feel when you are tracking all of those steps you are going to be making and how positive thats going to make you feel.
Just Keep Calm and Carry On (KCCO), you can do this

Thank you raggy for your kind thoughts I have had a very pleasant day today with a light lunch in our local Bistro of soup bread & a glass of Chardonnay followed by ice cream. I will do some exercise to my Jane Fonda dvd tomorrow & put my best foot forward. Good luck with your ongoing endeavours I'm sure we can all keep going to get through our wobbly phases.

I must confess I'm struggling on the fasting front at the moment

Dear @nursebean

Sorry to hear you are struggling. Is there anything in particular that you are finding difficult? Maybe you should consider taking a break from fasting, and just concentrate on maintaining. You may be surprised at how quickly you decide that you are ready to fast again.

Good luck and best wishes

Good morning, I thought I'd have breakfast at 10 this morning after a 15 hour fast to break up the 18:6 pattern a bit, keep my body guessing! Nothing now until 5.30pm hopefully, a good 7 hour gap with just plain drinks until cold chicken salad.
Breakfast of 2 soft boiled eggs, a small avocado and two coffees with double cream has filled me right up :0)
I did feel hungry, the first time I have in the morning for a week, so thought I'd go with listening to my gut and eat when it asks me to.
Have a happy day folks \o/

Sorry @nursebean that you're struggling right now. I hope you'll continue to pop in here and talk to us about what's going on. Sometimes typing it out helps to clear your mind. Take care.

I did manage to lose a pound this week, but not sure it'll hold till next Friday's weigh in. It was nice to see a lower number than I've seen since coming home from vacation. I go to the Doctor for my annual check up tomorrow. I went for my blood work last week and will get the results tomorrow. I'm anxious to see if the fasting has made much difference in my numbers.

I made 6 Mason jar salads yesterday, so I'll be eating well this week! I made 3 with chicken & hard boiled eggs, and 3 Taco salads with seasoned ground beef & black beans and corn. It'll be nice to just have a salad ready to grab and dump on a plate for a quick lunch or dinner. They were quite easy to assemble.

Off to the golf course in a couple hours. Hoping not to get rained on, but it doesn't look too promising.

Enjoy your Sunday!