The FastDay Forum

Here it's 20°C tonight, it's raining as it wwas most the day and I don't see myself with a salad, I don't know how you will be able to do that until the end of october, really... The good news is that you have holidays to look forward to, lucky you...

Chili burgers I am a bit afraid it will change the taste of the meat and as it's my first red meat for months, I'll keep it simple.... for now anyway

Tonight I am trying to make a soup with cauliflower, broccoli and romanesco and without potatoes or cream. It's not a fast day but I guess it will be a richer soup with a bit of cream cheese or cheddar on it, just for the taste or maybe will keep it simple and have cheese on toast to go with it.

And now I am hungry

OMG the soup is ready, and it's a wonder.

I don't know how many calories there are in it but not a lot as I only put a tbsp olive oil, oignons, cauli/broccoli/romanesco and low fat chicken broth. The color is a wonderful pale green, it tastes jus yummy without butter or cream or even cheese in it so it will stay that way and I think I'll make it on fast days as well

We'll have home made sardines rillettes and a glass or rosé with that

First fast since last week. It's mid day here and I feel great. I am not in the same state of mind than last week. At all. A lot more optimistic, positive and not as tired as well. For now I had a black coffee and a black tea and I don't need/want anything else even with tastefull peaches and nectarines just in front of me....

Last week was really a lesson. I need to learn to not go to food when I am upset. Before, it would have been a cigarette, I guess it's why it was so difficult I didn't have a back up plan. I don't know what it will be yet, I am thinking about it.

Now is a good time for a first bilan of the week.

Since monday I did one fast (well, today is my second), one 16:8 and tomorrow will be another 16:8

I feel fine except for my hands, they are really really cold. Don't have any hunger pangs either - never have them when I keep really busy.

The good news is last week didn't cost me anything. I went on the scale at the end of the last week, just to be sure and everything was fine. I went on the scale this morning and I lost 2kgs. I don't kid myself, it's just a kick in the butt, not a usual thing

As I already said, it's my lovely man who talked to me about fasting at first. He fasts regularly for more than 30 years and it helped him to be fit. As soon as he stops, he puts on the weight (i.e. this winter he put on around 10kgs) but the combo of fasting and a lot of sport (he swims 3.5 to 4km everyday or go to the mountains where he walks for 5 to 9 hours during the holidays or weekends) so he looks really good and his body is toned up.

We talked about sports, which is the next step for me as I am approaching my big goal. I never liked sports, even if I took some dancing lessons, 3 to 6 hours a weeks, for 15 years. I could never run, for example. Just running 400m was a torture for me. I find it boring as hell and, anyway, now it would be even more impossible as my knees are really damaged.

So I have to find another way. For now I do 1hour pilates in the evening and 1 hours walk in the morning (really early in the morning, around 5:00AM). That makes 2 hours sports a day, which is really really big for me but he thinks it's not enough, I should gain more strenght in doing more sports.

Swimming is out of the question, I hate wearing swimsuit and no way I would put a plastic thingy on my head because it's supposed to be more hygienic. There are a lot of sports I can't do because of my knees so I guess I'll have to do more pilates. So 1 hour walk each morning, 1h30 to 2h30 pilates in the evening for now.

We'll see how it goes...

The big issue I have for now concerns clothes. I have nothing to wear and it's not a figure of speach. I put on my "winter coat" last week and it was so big I looked ridiculous (I am nearly 3 sizes down since I bought it). Same for the trousers and skirts. The good news is that, as my tops are too big for me, nobody focuse on my boobs anymore....

I like this kind of issues

Hi Manderlay
I know what you mean about the big baggy clothes and when you're on a tight budget, can you maybe ''alter'' some clothing that's what I did at first then bought things in the sale that seem to be around all through the year here in UK, I do have quite a few items I would like to sell so that I can put the cash toward one or two new items one is a winter coat I wore on Xmas day for less than 30 minutes !!! So very big now prob 4 szs
On the exercise front just do whatever you can each day.
Maybe a workout DVD at home plus your new plans sound good to me.
Can you believe it I've had a salad lunch again today !!
Well it has been a nice warm day for us sunny + lovely
as I said I'm keeping them up for now but saving all soup + stew recipes I get to make use of in the colder months its probably easier for us Brits because were used to the cold wet damp + dark months
Best of Luck with your new plan Sue.

That's great Sue for the salad . I don't know wwhy I can't find one very filing. Well,not without some rice or potatoes in it anyway...

Now as the autumn is here I begin to eat one of my favorite veg, salsifis (I think it's the same word in English if my dictonnary is right). They are one of the most ugly looking veg before preparing and cooking but they are just awesome. They are low in cal (36 for 100g), rich in fiber and antioxydants, potassium and I love it. Even stemed (my mum used to cook it with a bechamel when I was young)

I have a slow cooker I never used. It seems to be great for low cal stews so I may try if I find an appropriate recipe.

Last night my washing machine broke. I thought it was nothing but in fact it was too much of a damage. So, as I can't buy a new one right now, I was planning how to deal with it for as long as needed and my dad just rang me to tell me my parents decided to buy one for me for all the help I give them around. I was stunned, really and I first told him no because well, I am weird that way but now I am excited. Strange to be excited by a new washing machine.......

Hey Manderley that's great - you do get back what you give out - and your parents must think a lot of you, especially if they have seen you keeping the weight loss going over the last year. I've just changed my car - and was surprised when my mum contributed towards that. And they always do know when you genuinely do need a bit of help

It's great for your car, Silverdarling

They know the struggles I am going thourgh and, also that I live with what I have and don't ask for help. Also, as my dad nearly died 10 years as I am the only close family they have (and so even as I have a "sister", long story), I decided to move back where I was born, to be near them. Was a bit scarred at first that they wouldn't respect my boundaries but they did. So I have lunch with them every sundays and give a hand when I can.

My washing machine arrived yesterday and it's great, even if I have to be careful because some programms runs for 3hours......

I did a fast yesterday, a first during a weekend but as I had a huge day, it went really well. I had a salad for dinner (salad, chicken, tomatoes, parmesan) for only 179cal and it was surprisingly filling which is great because it's beginning to be really hard to find something to eat on my third fast of the week.

So here as it goes, mondays and tuesdays liquid fast with soup for dinner, wednesdays 16:8, thursdays fast with a salad for dinner, friday 16:8, saturdays brunch and dinner with my croissant or pain au chocolat and 16:8 on sundays as the lunch is not a light one, with a light dinner but not a soup (still hae to find the right thing to take)

I don't know if you remember my leather jacket I bought in Camden Town when I was 20 but I can close it now. It's still a bit tight, mostly around the hips, but I can close it.

Hi Manderlay be very careful with that new washing machine
These more modern ones do seem to have a mind of there own mine won't let me to just use the ''spin'' at all for hand washing oh no
I have to hand wash in the sink then pop them in the machine on a
rinse + spin cycle, it does have a hand wash programme but for certain items I like to be very careful.
Brilliant news with the jacket and it won't be long before it feels really comfortable and done up well done you're getting even closer now to your goal, lucky you Sue.

The first 2 days I had it I made 3 washs, one I programmed for it to begin 6 hours later and the spin cycle is so fast my nuts fell (the nuts in a bowl on the microwave on the washing machine)

Since yesterday and until friday, I only eat fruits and vegs. It's supposed to help cleansed my body. I know it's just a placebo but I really don't care.It's just for 5 days, is really cheap and I feel great. The big challenge, really is to not have coffee or drinks at all...

Since I began to fast, food tastes different and even more since I quit smoking. Fruits and veg included.Right now it's a bit strange because, as the season was late, we still have melons, watermelons, peaches, summer fruits and veg, mixed with autumn fuits and veg so I made a big bash of both but, really, it's difficult for me to have some melon right now, it's way too cold outside and, for me, it's a fruit made for summer evenings, when the weather is really warm

Since I have a slow cooker I never used, I will try to cook a vegetables stew with it and soups, lots and lots of soups.

So the cleansing week is finished and, first thing this morning I had my first cup of coffee since 5 days.... It's really what I miss the most. I couldn't have done it for one more day, but I don't regret it.

Today is a fast day. I don't usually do one during the weekend but tu tell you the truth, I really missed it. How strange is that ? Plus, today is a big day with grocery shopping and cooking for tomorrow (the desserts for the familly lunch) and my parents decided to do a raclette. For those who don't know what it is it's a lot of melted cheese with delicatessen and potatoes... and it looks like that http://madame.lefigaro.fr/recettes/raclette-190104-198747

My desserts will be a simple clementine jelly for me (only 61cal) and an apple crumble for the others. I'll make the crumble as healthy as possible but it's too sweet for me and, as I said yesterday in another post, I looooooooove jelly...

I decided to not weight myself until next year. I only have a few kilos to lose anyway and with the holidays and everything I don't want to put pressure on my body, it doesn't cope well with pressure and stress. Keep it simple.

Hi Manderlay Glad the cleansing days went well for you
Think I would have had to have coffee yyuummm can almost smell
the lovely strong French coffee from here and I love it, also so strong of you to not jump on the scales until next year Well Done on not getting fixated on the numbers
Good Luck with the family meal and enjoy your jelly Sue

A little update in the title since I began dieting 8 months ago now. I learned so much since February.... Today for example, it's supposed to be a non fast day. I won't probably eat at lunch, as I am not hungry and a few months ago it would have been a tragedy. I mean, my education was "to skip meal is bad for you", to compensate, you would binge on the next meal. It's false. As the "if you eat between meal it will spoil your dinner". Damned I wish this one was true !

So, maybe today I will have a meal around 6:PM. just one without restrictions (I mean, not a fast day meal). I try to recognize the signs my body gives me. It's not as easy as it sounds and I still can't look in the mirror (except to brush my hair or put some makeup) even if my body didn't look this great for years.... I mean, I weight less than my height, have a bit of extra pounds to lose but my BMI is 22.58 so everything is great, just have to work on my body image

I took a bit of a break this week. Doing the 30 day shred since monday but, concerning the idet, I didn't have a single fast yet. Why ? I am a bit fed up. With everything, really. With my life, or the lack of it, with the fact that I survive and don't live. Because, you know, when you do your grocery shopping every 4 to 5 weeks, you're surviving, and the fact that I don't see the end of the tunnel. I am so angry, so frustrated, so.... Even my partner, that I really really love, I can't stand him right now so I went in my cave for a few days or I would have been really hurtful with him.

Sorry for the rant, I just needed to let go a bit of my frustration. Please don't worry if I am off the site for a few days. I need to find the solution on my own.

Thanks