The FastDay Forum

Reporting my Sunday weigh-in result rather late this week. I was down to 149.3 pounds or ten stone 9.3 pounds. I think that means that I have earned another star but I shall leave it up to you, @cblasz, to check my calculations!

I am off to Belgium to look after my two granddaughters on Sunday. I am away for just over a week so I think that the chance of me losing any more weight is negligible! Never mind, when I come back I will just have to settle down seriously to losing the last couple of pounds before our month in North America.

I fitted in three fasts last week and am aiming for three this week and trying to be very sensible on the other days. These last few pesky pounds are proving very difficult to shift but I will not be defeated!

I am very impressed by all you people who walk long distances! I am restricted to a maximum of two mlles a day by my osteopath, which is very lucky for me because i really do not enjoy walking! One day i will find my perfect exercise but I'm not quite sure when! I live in hope!

Good luck with your fasting this week!

Great job @StowgateResident and @fat_teacher! I've added your stars. You guys are rocking this challenge!!

Stowgate - it's such a shame you don't like walking (although I guess it works out if it's painful for you!) I love walking. But I like to find nice trails to walk on and I either listen to music, or lately I've been listening to audiobooks or podcasts. Or it's always a great way to catch up with a friend!! What other exercises have you tried? I'm pretty picky about exercise too. I like swimming, for the most part (but don't like the changing and such!), I used to rollerblade, but as I get older I'm afraid of getting hurt. My mom gave me a bike and I've used it a couple of times. I think that might be an option!

I feel like I'm doing good this week and hope to keep it up over the weekend and get my exercise in! Maybe I'll get to add a star when I weigh in on Monday!

@Stowgateresident, I may be able to walk distances, but I can't do 3 fasts in a week. Can't even manage one...

@Cblasz, do get on your bicycle! Great way to see more countryside, and also great as a means of commuting.

Thanks for the stars, @Cblasz. According to the tracker, it looks like I'm not going to make my target by the solstice. It is saying early July now. Like @StowgateResident, those last few pounds are troublesome and stubborn. To top it off, I have a conference at The Marriott on the Gold Coast this weekend. Nothing like a buffet breakfast to set me back weeks. I might have a few stars taken back next week! Haha.
As @Sassy1 said, there has to be some exercise you can find that you enjoy, Stowgate. I only like walking long distances because I feel like I have conquered something when it's over. I also use it as a bit of meditation.

I'm certainly up for extending the end date a bit. Here in the U.S. the 4th of July is a big holiday, we can make it end around there!
@Sassy1 I'm definitely working on the bike thing. Unfortunately, where I live commuting on a bike is not really an option. The roads are not made for that and part of my commute is on the highway. Plus I wouldn't want to be all sweaty when I got to school! However, since I'm off for the summer, I will try to do it more! We do have a lot of bike trails!

Happy Friday!
I'm happy to say I was down almost 1 lb. since Monday. Now I have to try not to ruin that over the weekend. I am going to an all day Beatlesfest tomorrow, so that's going to involve a lot of unhealthy food and drink. But I'm going to exercise in the morning and walk/dance a lot at the show and try not to go too crazy! On Sunday, I have dinner plans, but that shouldn't be too bad and I'm planning to swim in the morning.

How is everyone else's weekend looking?

Well I am back in Sydney. Made my way through several hotel buffets over the weekend. Fortunately, I only went back for seconds once.

I may lose a star though.

Weigh in today is 102.1kg (224.6lbs). According to the tracker, I will crack 100kg on the 3rd of July but I'm happy either way about the end date of this challenge, @Cblasz. I am happy if we have a quick 4th of July Challenge after the solstice!

Sounds like you managed the hotel buffets okay, @fat_teacher! They can certainly be a challenge.

Hope the beatlesfest was lots of fun, @cblasz. I was going to make a comment on the Beatles thread when you last posted there, but (obviously) never got around to it. I remember that you are a great Beatles fan. Hope you did lots of dancing. I assume it is a pretty big event. What is the format?

My weekend was busy with music of a different sort. The community choir I belong to has been doing concert versions of The Merry Widow - just the music, no dialogue, just a narrative that explains what is happening. The music is delightful (if you like that sort of thing).

We mainly perform in churches to support their fundraising causes. But you know what performing in churches means for afternoon tea...!! Especially the country churches. (I assume it would be similar in the States??) I managed not to eat too many of the yummy cakes and slices; what is more the problem for me is that I don't have time to have my normal salad lunch, so end up eating alternatives that are higher cal. Oh well, as mentioned elsewhere, I managed an okay day yesterday (back to my normal diet).

The other music feature of the weekend was the Classic FM top 100 Love songs countdown, which I listened to whenever I wasn't singing myself or doing other things away from a radio. Not sure I think all the items featured I would consider love songs, and so many of the pieces I was not familiar with. The classical repertoire is of course huge.

Anyway... Re the challenge, there are 5 weeks until we head off on holiday, so I am going to try to focus a bit more on my challenge, and extend it until we go away.

Best wishes to all as we head for the home straight with the solstice challenge!

Hey @Cblasz, I didn't know you were a Beatles fan. If you ever get down to Louisville, Ky, there is a store there called Octopus's Garden at 2033 Frankfort Avenue. Well worth checking out.
http://www.whas11.com/entertainment/television/great-day-live/every-little-thing-a-beatles-fan-might-want-is-at-octopuss-garden/430127704

Well, I gained back almost that whole pound over the weekend. I have to say I'm rather frustrated with how hard it is for me to lose weight. I work so hard during the week and resist so many things and I don't think I go that crazy on the weekends. But enough I guess. I'm really hoping when school is out and I can get more exercise in and stuff, that will help. But then I also go out more socially and eat/drink more. But I'm going to try to keep it to just a couple of days and make sensible decisions when I do go out.

@fat_teacher - according to my calculations you have just the right number of stars!! I've also extended the challenge officially to July 4th!

We seem to have lost a lot of challengers though. If you are out there, please check in!! We miss you!!

@CandiceMarie
@rawkaren
@MaryAnn
@Tracieknits
@Wmr309
@nursebean
@wakki22

Sassy - the Beatlefest was only ok. It was at a new venue and it was weird. There wasn't much dancing really. We still had a decent time, but it was disappointing. This was just a local CT one. There's another one called the Fest for Beatles' fan, that moves around the country every year. I've never been, but I imagine it's a much bigger deal! We might try to go next spring when it's in March.

Fat_Teacher - thanks for the tip. I doubt Kentucky is in my near future, but I'll keep it in mind if I ever do go!

[Tracieknits]

Thanks for checking in @cblasz!

I'm sorry I've been MIA. I've been a bit of a drag and not at all inspirational.

We came back from Paris in late April, and I overdid it on my knee. Since then I've gotten x-rays, a diagnosis of arthritis and I've started physical therapy -- this is all good news as both the doctor and physical therapist think this should help. And my knee has been getting a bit better, although I did too much on Monday this week and have been in pain again since.

Anyhow, pain makes me crave sugar. And I'm supposed to be taking it somewhat easy right now in that I can do my physical therapy exercises, but shouldn't do all the walking I'm accustomed to - especially not the hilly walks.

So I'm struggling and barely maintaining the weight gain from Paris. I'm 206 or 207, and staying pretty even there. I suppose that's far better than it could be. But I just feel like a giant antisocial troll right now. Then I read the horrible news and I swear, each week seems to bring a fresh new hell in the world, doesn't it? sigh.

Aren't I just a barrel of freakin' sunshine? Glad you asked >,< ? I'm sorry if I brought down your thread. Ugh. I need a serious attitude adjustment and I have no idea how to get one.

Hi @Tracieknits, sorry to hear about your injury and that you are in the doldrums - there had to be a good reason why we had not heard from you of late. We miss you here. All very frustrating for you and I understand how difficult it would be to feel more positive when you are in pain. But if anyone knows how to get through this, it would be you! And you know that I am going to say, don't worry about your weight at the moment, just try to eat as nutritiously as possible. Not sure what to say about the sugar cravings, have a large glass of water (maybe with a little bit of cordial in it - very weak), perhaps try to satisfy them with fruit - but in the end, if you really want something else, have it, just try not to have too much. Easier said than done I know.

I also understand your frustration, @cblasz. Maybe you have diet fatigue - perhaps you need to take a break from trying to lose weight, just try to get in tune with your body and what it needs re food and exercise. Or don't even bother with that, just give yourself the freedom to have what you want when you want. You might find that doing that you naturally place limits on yourself!

Best wishes to you both, and all challengers, wherever you are at!

Thanks for trying to help @Sassy1 - unfortunately not placing limits on myself definitely won't work. That's why I'm fat in the first place!! I do much better when I have rules and tell myself I can't have certain things, like the candy at school. I don't think I have diet fatigue, especially since I do let myself splurge on the weekend. Unfortunately, I think because I've gained and lost weight a few times, my body is just very resistant to losing weight. But at least if I'm trying to lose weight, I'm not gaining. If I stopped I would just get huge! I especially have to be careful this summer. I gained weight last summer and don't want to do that again. I actually am just about where I was at the beginning of last summer, which was not where I wanted to be to begin with. So not, only do I not want to gain, I'd really like to try to lose a little weight. But like I said hopefully the exercise and trying to create some structure/rules for myself will help. I'm also not going on a big vacation this summer. Last summer I went away for 18 days, so that didn't help. This year I have a bunch of day trips planned and a short trip to Washington DC!

[Tracieknits]

Hi @Tracieknits, sorry to hear about your injury and that you are in the doldrums - there had to be a good reason why we had not heard from you of late. We miss you here. All very frustrating for you and I understand how difficult it would be to feel more positive when you are in pain. But if anyone knows how to get through this, it would be you! And you know that I am going to say, don't worry about your weight at the moment, just try to eat as nutritiously as possible. Not sure what to say about the sugar cravings, have a large glass of water (maybe with a little bit of cordial in it - very weak), perhaps try to satisfy them with fruit - but in the end, if you really want something else, have it, just try not to have too much. Easier said than done I know.

I also understand your frustration, @cblasz. Maybe you have diet fatigue - perhaps you need to take a break from trying to lose weight, just try to get in tune with your body and what it needs re food and exercise. Or don't even bother with that, just give yourself the freedom to have what you want when you want. You might find that doing that you naturally place limits on yourself!

Best wishes to you both, and all challengers, wherever you are at!

Thanks so much for the encouragement, @Sassy1! When I'm struggling to diet, I try to remember the advice of Dr. Amanda Sainsbury-Salis and it tends to help a lot. I owe the current maintenance to her, as without her voice in my head, I'd be gaining. I eat mostly very healthy food, with a few treats. I try to keep the treats super moderate. If I have ice cream, I limit myself to a small, 1/2 cup ramekin which is actually a true serving, and I'll only allow the treat if I'm making mostly healthy choices (like getting in my PT exercises or eating a giant salad). I'm limiting alcohol to no more than three nights per week, as alcohol can make me weaker in other areas. I'm trying to make sure that even if I'm not being my best, that I'm not undoing all the hard work I've done over the years. So I'm still weighing every day. That really helps me so much.

Hopefully I'll snap out of it soon