The FastDay Forum

Early weigh-in for me...didn't want that cup of tea to count!

Have dropped 2lbs....a good solid start methinks.

Having said that, I am still madly regretting ever leaving fasting...because I have such a long way to go to get back to where I was last July....which wasn't even close to my ultimate goal. There's a little part of me that hoped I had dropped at least 4lbs last week - but maybe I am being a tad unreasonable!! Every little helps..as the saying goes!

Will keep the faith!

First of all, I would like to say how proud I am of all my little DODOs! I am so impressed with your efforts @rawkaren don't worry about your 'glitch' you are in the green zone after all. I would say that a 17 hour work day would burn off all those much needed extra calories anyway...no worries!!
My nutty friend @Hazlenut20 I think 2lbs off is brilliant especially as it's your TOTM (isn't it?) so you've prbably lost more! What about that eh?! Well done!
@Pilchards that did make me laugh! That's what I mean about weighing. It's not an accurate depiction of your true results. The loose fitting clothes speak volumes!!
Well done everyone and don't forget to enjoy your Day Off...but don't go mad!
Bean xx

@pilchards Beano is right?.you,friends and family will notice loose clothing,whereas no one is gonna say,' hang on......you look - ooh,lets say three lbs lighter - today?'
Well done and thank goodness for trousers that start falling down and skirts that swim on us..great feeling isnt it!

Thanks for that @nursebean - your encouragement is really helpful & I do appreciate it.

Yep, it is that TOTM, so I am quite hoping that by next Tues there will be a good loss to report. I'm not proud...fat, water, whatever! So long as the numbers go down, I'll be a happy "little" hazelnut! That said, I'm also waiting to feel a little space in my trousers around the thigh area.....last year, I found that space so novel! As a classic pear, all my weight is carried in my thighs & hips - so I wasn't used to anything other than straining at the seams! Losing nearly 4 stone meant that there was space in the material and it felt amazing...

I've just got back from walking my daughter to the bus stop. On my way home, I was reflecting on the first week of your DODO challenge...and a little thought popped into my head:-

"Let's not forget all the health benefits you are gaining by fasting...it's not all about the weight, you know!"

A timely reminder for me. I am not used to being kind to myself, yet this is such a kindness to my body. I'm going to try to remember that whenever I feel a little disheartened with what the scales are saying...

I hope you don't mind me butting in, Hazlenut. I think 2lb is extremely successful - you should be sooooo proud of yourself. 4lb can happen occasionally often after a plateau (basically the scales catching up)

WELL DONE!!!

And I like your reminder, that we are doing it not just for weight but also for health reasons. Thank you for the reminder. It's one of those sayings that should pop up on our computer screens once a day in the same way as I would like the saying: "live in the present moment just for a minute today" pop up every now and then.

@Ieramul maybe you should add that saying to your signature...then we can all be reminded of it now and then.
I am interested, though, in what other health benefits people have noticed from fasting. Sometimes I think it gives me more energy but other times not so much. Hmmm

Thank you so much @ieramul for putting things into perspective for me - it's so helpful to get other people's views when you are not seeing quite straight!

I keep meaning to put up all sorts of inspirational phrases in my kitchen to help me with this fasting journey (and life in general, for that matter) & I'm sure one about the health benefits will make it in there if I ever get "a round tuit". This would help shift the focus from solely weight-goals...and should make it easier to continue when the scales are being mean....

@nursebean, good idea, will do so, tonight.

@Hazlenut, I understand that you are frustrated about the fact that you have to re-do all your good work from last year but don't be too hard on you. I totally feel for you. I too, stopped twice after reaching goal although I didn't have to lose as much and I only put back half the weight. But I remember thinking it was such a waste and I felt it was harder the third time. Now I am sooooo determined not to stop again, you won't believe it. I am even doing this challenge whilst maintaining.

At the moment I am battling with very dry eyes and I have found out that coffee is a not good for that as is too acidic. I looooove coffee and it has been a huge factor so far in making 5:2 successful for me. However I am now thinking of switching to herbal tea completely,. I tend to drink a pot of coffee in the morning and then switch to a couple of pots of herbal tea in the afternoon and then instant decaf in the evening. It has to be a hot drink as I am cold a lot of the time, apart from when temperatures rise above 25Degrees. I have wondered occasionally that there are not more reports of adverse effects to the amount of coffee we fasters seem to happily consuming, especially since we (I) drink the stuff in large quantities without milk.

Sorry, must go and will be back soon. Good luck everyone.

@leramul, I am quite caffeine sensitive (too much makes my heart race), so I have a limit even on fast days. I have to switch to fruit tea, or just plain water, at some point.

Non-fast days continue to be my downfall. I don't think it's DODO or 4:3 that is causing it, though it's hard to tell. My head is still not in a great place because of the work situation, though I am actively trying to change that now, so yay for getting my head out of the sand. I did better yesterday than I had in awhile, but still too much sugar.

Anyway, it seems like the challenge is going well for everyone. Is anyone else getting confused about whether it's a fast day or non-fast day. I keep having to stop and think. When I first started this WOE this happened all the time. My response was to treat most days like a fast day until I remembered I could eat. Now, I'm worried the opposite will happen!

Hi everyone!
Just wondering, on the coffee front. Would it be a good idea to try decaf? Only I do like my coffee and don't think I could give it up. Mind you, I might try sticking with green tea and water on fast days. At the moment I'm a bit naughty and tend to add milk whilst turning a blind eye to the calorie content (naughty Bean!)
Maybe I'll join you @Ieramul...but only on fast days!
Haha oh @MaryAnn you're right. The moment I wake up I think to myself "Is it! Isn't it?" I'll be honest, I prefer to wake up to a feast day
@Hazlenut20 I love your signature. It's amazing when you think of 2lbs being four packs of butter. How encouraging is that eh?!

Well today is another fast day for us DODOs. I hope we are all up for the challenge...and raring to go?
Have a Whirlwind Wednesday fast everyone. It's gonna fly by!!
Bean xx

[janeg]

Interesting stuff about coffee...
I need (ahem ) my caffeine in the morning, and have the occasional cup mid afternoon, otherwise drink water.
I am quite sensitive to it and find it keeps me awake if I have it too late. Was a time when I only had decaf but I soldiered on and went back to full fat! Slip me the decaf and I'll be very unhappy.
I find it strange/interesting that something that we can have regularly can, over time, become not so good for us.
Anyway, I'll keep going with the caffeine
Half way through the challenge for me as I started April 1st. It's not getting any easier despite doing 4:3 for ages. Muat be because I'm keeping a very tight rein on non fast days. Having one way-hay day a week though. Remember them?
Keep going DODOers. We're getting there.

I am fasting today and I just could not start the day without ANY coffee. So I made myself a single mug of caffeinated filter coffee and then I will move on to ginger and lemon and peppermint tea for the rest of the day. I suppose I should make coffee a treat rather than a necessity. It would be great if the coffee treat could replace the sweet treat eventually. Oh I wish.

Yesterday evening I made myself a good lentil and carrot stew with a bit of smoked bacon for meaty flavour. I am looking forward to eating this filling little beauty mid to late afternoon. It should not be more than 300 cals so I can have a little something to swirl around the mouth at half six when I usually have supper.

Good luck to everyone who is fasting today too. BTW has anyone else experienced that feeling full at the start of a fast day does not necessarily mean an easy fast day and feeling slightly hungry does not necessarily mean the fast will be difficult. How easy or difficult the fast day goes is always a mystery to me.

I am not a coffee addict thank goodness but do enjoy a good cup of tea and do have a splash of milk in my morning one even on fast days. I find a cup of Pukka peppermint liquorice and fennel tea satisfies my craving for something sweet on a fast day.

@Pilchards thank you for that tip, I will try and buy it today. One can never have too many differently flavoured teas.

Yep, it sure is surprising how those hunger pangs work isn't it. I must admit that today has bean quite an easy one for me. I even limited myself to just one cup of coffee and the rest of the day I had my pot of green tea for one. Somehow it tastes nicer like that!
Looking forward to my poached eggs. Not long to go