The FastDay Forum

Dear Manderlay, I wanted to congratulate you on your wonderful posts, written in English, and your amazing success with your weight loss. You have made many friends on this forum and I'm sure you feel the warmth and affection which shines through the responses.

All the best as you continue your journey along the maintenance road. I'm sure that one day, when you are ready, you will surprise us all with a photo or two - even if they don't include that corset!

Well Done @Manderley You've had a great year and worry not you will never go back to those bad habits because you won't want to plus WE won't let you never
so yes learn to relax now that's your lesson upto your fastiversary then well all celebrate together party time
Look after the new you Best of luck Sue♥

As some of you may have noticed, I have been away this week. I had to. A lot of stress because I am looking for a job and don't find anything and don't understand why and I feel burned out, I needed a real break. So, during this week I ate normally,without any fasts or counting calories or being careful of staying low carbs to see if I would gain a bit of weight. Wrong move.....

This week was not a good one, I felt bad, bloated, with what looked like a huge hangover all week long and didn't even put on anything. The only good thing was when we went out with OH. For the first time I really was embracing the fact that I am a woman. I wore a skirt (I never wear a skirt, this one is more than 20 years old), stockings, the corset (of course), a top and the big belt I bought at the beginning of the week. People were looking at me in the restaurant and, for the first time, I realized it was because I was pretty and for the first time I was proud of it. Not obnoxious "look at me, I am a sexy beast" kind of thing, I still like to not be noticed, but "I am a woman, have a waist, can look nice and look how proud my man is...."

Except that big big positive thing, the rest of the week was bleh; I even binge on a chocolate brownie and vanilla ice cream, hoping that would make put on weight as I now need to put nearly 6kgs on to be at a "healthy" weight but it didn't do anything good. As I said, I felt sick all week and stayed at the exact same weight. I think that, weighting myself every week is a bad thing for me. It puts on too much pressure.I need to go back to my old habits and weight myself once a month or so and stop focusing on these few kilos that drive me crazy. And I need to go back to what makes me feel good, my 2 fasts a week. You can't imagine how much I am looking forward to tomorrow..... I even planned a nice spinach soup with scallops for my meal

Job hunting is bound to put extra stress on your system Manderley so try to make the rest of your life as calm and 'normal' as you can. If that means fasting twice a week then go with it for now, stop weighing yourself and worrying about whether you are losing or gaining weight and enjoy good, wholesome food without guilt. Bonne chance ma petite!x

Hey @Manderley Wow not only a skirt but feeling good and sexy well done you must have felt amazing, and it doesn't mater how old the clothes are just think of your jacket old as in years but young as in wearing because it's not fit you for years lol.
Sorry you've been stressed and feeling very down and if getting on the scales once a month helps then that's fine but we don't want you losing any more weight so keep your eye on one particular item of clothing as how it fits now then again say 3 weeks time.
I know what you mean about eating our "old" foods and feeling bloated and quite I'll, because on my week of refeed I only actually managed 4 days as I couldn't take any more.
I really feel for you and so wish you could get that dream job you so deserve then the stresses will melt away, you've had a fantastic year keep focusing on how well you've done and how far you've come. Take good care of yourself and its so lovely to have you back.

Why don't we all affirm when we read this for @Manderley to be working in a job she truly adores making good money and that the people she works with love her, come on world lets harness our powers for our beautiful Manderley

Why don't we all affirm when we read this for @Manderley to be working in a job she truly adores making good money and that the people she works with love her, come on world lets harness our powers for our beautiful Manderley

Great idea Gillymary! @Manderley what sort of job are you looking for, and what would be your dream job? Will you stay in the same area?

[Debs]

I am throwing out my positive thoughts from the middle of the red dirt here too

[janeg]

Rooting for you too Manderley

Love yr photos Manderley x

Thanks for all your positive thoughts.

Great idea Gillymary! @Manderley what sort of job are you looking for, and what would be your dream job? Will you stay in the same area?

I am not difficult, just want something that I can live with, pay the bills, even change my car and my laptop with (or get a loan to change them) not getting rich but, you know, not to have to worry about the money either. I would love to work with animals of all kind or to work in an office. Strange, I know..... I just don't know what I am doing wrong as I am looking for quite some time now, 2 years to be accurate......

So..... I am manless for the next 2 weeks and I hate it. Let's face it, I am a pathetic woman who doesn't feel complete when her man is away...

I took a picture Sunday. With my phone. I know, it's a bit of a shock but don't rejoice too soon as nobody will ever see it. I hate it. In fact, I don't recognize myself in that pic. My face looks weird. On a positive note, it was a great experience to dare it. One step at a time....

Yesterday I had my first fast since my "break" and damn that was good ! A lentil and bacon soup, filling, delicious, and a really great surprise. It's a ready made one but low in sodium and, well, a girl can be lazy sometimes, can't she ?

I have a few friends trying 5:2 and, as they don't speak English, they won't come here, unfortunately. There still isn't any proper site or forum in French, which is a shame. So I had the great pleasure to translate everything for them and will try to help them as much as I can for now.

Oh and about the scale, I plan to weight myself March 3rd, just after my periods in fact as it's the most accurate time to do it as far as I am concerned

I went to my GP today. After the Saturday's faintness I had to go back for a check up. I weight exactly the same than a month ago so I am still slightly underweight but he doesn't worry about it as I am healthy, my blood results are great, don't look gaunt at all and even my blood pressure is back to normal. Normal for me anyway (9 lay down and sit, 8.6 up) and the beatings of my heart are regulars. He doesn't want me to obsess with those 2 kgs, it doesn't matter if I put them back on or not, it seems that my body loves this weight as it didn't move since December.

I still do my 2 fasts a week but not back to back and without counting calories. The other days I have a sensible diet but with the occasional chocolate, carambar or pastas without any guilt. I discovered that, for me, guilt was evil. There is something in my brain which will blow everything with guilt or stress.The big difference, however, is now guild and stress make me lose weight. Which is new.

Another thing, I am exploring the possibility of having a breast reduction in the future. Why ? Because I have stretch marks and they are now way too big for my frame. I still hesitate, though, as the scars car really really be ugly and I would rather have stretch marks than ugly scars.

Well done @Manderley You have certainly come a long way in that year, so many changes in a very short while all for the better obviously, the new you, lost weight, new fitness level, and of course the new love in your life he has certainly made a hell of an impact on you and your life.

Good Luck and happiness to you Manderley I hope the offer of a job completes all the celebrations for you
very soon .
Sue ♥

Yes agree with all Sue says - all you need now is that elusive job

Thanks. The job problem may have a solution but I am not sure about it. Before his trip, we talked, with OH, of the possibility to work together but I don't know if I would stand him all day. Plus it may not be a so good idea to mix work and pleasure.