The FastDay Forum

The glass is half full again

The blood is gone, I seem to have found the perfect thing to boost my digestion, dry fruits like figs and prunes, 2 or 3 a day work wonders, and I am looking forward these next few weeks. About the crazy emotions, I don't know what triggered them except this stressful year and that I may be pre menopausal.....

Will have a cassoulet later this week. A real one,with duck confit and everything and really REALLY looking forward to it. It's one of the thing that makes me love when it's cold outside

For those who don't know what a cassoulet is, here's a recipe I found, it's not exactly the same as the one I do, mine takes even more time to cook, but it's close enough

http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/confit-duck-with-cassoulet-recipe

I was talking about my "food routine" with a friend of mine who is trying to lose a bit of weight (she has 5 kgs tops to lose) and I was thinking it would be a good idea to put it in writing so here it goes

2 fasts a week, not planned in advance, decided on the day. If I am not hungry in the morning, it will be a fast. For now they tend to be at the beginning of the week. On my fasts days I will have a coffee with a drop of milk while still in bed, it helps with the digestion thing, and black coffee the rest of the day. No more than 3 though. Until 6:30PM it will only be water, lots of it, and for dinner 500ml soup with some proteins

When I know we're going to eat out with OH, I eat only a light snack and will have half a pizza with a salad for dinner.

The other days will still be the coffee with a drop of milk in the morning with something to eat, not much but as it's my guilty pleasure, it will be something like brioche and dried fruits. For lunch, grilled white meat or fish, never red meat, I don't like it, steamed vegs and starchy food (potatoes with skin and wholegrain pasta, rice, couscous, bulgur without sauce or butter, just plain) and a yoghurt. For dinner, it will depend of my mood but always something home made and light with a salad.

About alcohol, never more than one glass twice a week. I completely stop to drink Coke zero.

Also, I will have a fresh orange, grapefruit or lemon juice in the morning, just because it helps to boost my digestion.

I think, that's about it.... I don't see it as a perfect diet, just something that works well for me. Since last year, when I began the maintening phase, my weight stayed the same, except from 2 kgs I lose or gain. The crazy thing is, those 2kgs can change my BMI big time. Right now my BMI is 18.44 which makes me underweight, when I'll gain 1kg back I will have a 18.82 so I'll be in the normal range again. It used to stress me, I had to learn to let it go which is not an easy task for a control freak

I'm partial to cassoulet. Your food regime sounds delightful and appropriately dovetailed to your life

A cassoulet, when it's cold outside is the best comfort food ever

That makes me think I have to add that when I have a big meal, like the cassoulet or the other day's raclette, I will also fast the rest of the day and will always include a salad. For example, if I have a heavy sunday lunch, I won't have a breakfast and will have something like a light soup for dinner to have a kind of balance.

One year today since I reached my target weight. Since then, my body has changed its shape, a lot and I discovered my feminine side which was hidden very deep..... Fasting 2 times a week has become a routine I couldn't see myself without even if people around don't understand and have silly thought.

You see, 5:2, even intermittent fasting is not really popular here, all people talk about is Dukan,, which I personally find really dangerous but that's another story, so I can't count the times when someone told me that I surely have a disease, some even began to watch what I ate or if I was going to the toilets after dinner..... It bothered me at first, now I don't care. Let them talk, if they want to. This may not be the way for everyone, but it sure is the right fit for me

Huge congratulations for your successful maintenance and achieving this anniversary

As for Dukan, I wonder how much of the affection for it is related to France whereas the enthusiasm for IF seems to have attracted other countries, a case of NIH (Not Invented Here). And for the tittle-tattle, what small lives some people have - although, for others, it may be genuine interest in your welfare that is coupled with a lack of understanding as to what you're doing? Of course, it isn't up to you to address their deficit in understanding - it would be so much more polite if they asked and listened respectfully to your response, if they're concerned.

When I met up with @Lizbean and @Merlin recently, I was reflecting on how odd fasting seems to some people, whereas, during my childhood, it was common for people to be fasting/abstaining for religious reasons (Lent, Advent, Holy Day of Obligation, Special Intentions etc. etc.). It's odd how some social customs change so quickly.

Congratulations, again.

Happy Maintainversary, and may things be even better in year 2.

Thank you so much for your kind words

About Dukan, I don't understand how people can be attracted to something so dangerous, and so greedy (there are cruises now organized by this ex MD)....

I find rude to even think that, because I somebody is now thin and maintaining at 40 there must be something wrong with her/him. There even were questions about a gastric band ! They just forget that to lose 40 something kgs in a 10 months is not that ridiculous, more than that as I never did a diet, it may have eased up the process. Also, I am a small frame so 49 kgs may sound skinny but it's not, I still have meat on my bones. Also, there's nothing to be concerned about, I eat normally when I am around people, answer to questions but some people don't want to listen.

When I was a kid, I was in a catholic school and we had some days we only ate a bowl of rice,it was no big deal, just a kind of fast. People need to learn the difference between fasting and being anorexic.

[carieoates]

Well done Manderley. Look forward to seeing my maintainence days.

I need to talk but don't want to hijack the chatterbox thread so I believe it's best for me to talk here.

Since yesterday, the tragedy that happened and the the attacks of today, I am constantly between anger, fear and tears and can't get a grip. I am not naive, I know that we live some dark ages for quite some time now but, before yesterday, all that had an abstract notion for me as it was so far away. You know the feeling, it can't happen in our land, we are protected, right ? The fact that some very famous people were killed, and, as I said yesterday, one very familiar face from my childhood, made it worse. I talked to OH earlier and he had one of his biggest work site just 50 m from where it happened (it's now closed because of the enquiry) made it even worse. He should have been on the site that morning but had to go in the south of France for work. which is a blessing, as you can imagine.

I am an adult who feels helpless like a child and don't know how to deal with the situation. I just needed to express how overwhelmed I am feeling right now

Cabu as he appeared each week in my childhood

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLkAqimUfmw

@manderley. As hard as this is, we all need to ride the emotional reaction. It strengthens our soul and helps us to grow. I cannot imagine the anxiety this is generating for you. The familiarity and comfort of losing people who feel part of 'family', even though they are people who are in media, (makes it feel as if we know them). This is all deeply unsettling.
Flip this over - you have much to be grateful for. You are not in Paris, your OH is safe and whilst life has its challenges, there is still hope. You also have many friends here who adore you and are ready to support you when you ask.

Stay strong and keep talking

There's quite a few French people where I work, and they're all looking so sad. I think especially because they grew up seeing the work of these guys. It's so shocking and tragic anyway. Hang in there.

After what happened 2 weeks ago I needed to cut internet and deal with things on my own. Every time I was logged on I couldn't help but go and watch everything about the events, read all kind of news media , which made things worse, really.

So, right now I almost lost all the 5kgs I put on earlier this month and wear a new corset (which is 4 sizes smaller than the last one ) . I know it sounds kind of crazy to wear that thing , pretty tight laced btw, the fact is I never ever stayed that much in front of a mirror than since I have this one. It's a black beautiful thing, which takes from under my boobs to my hips and, with black a black nightie underneath is just wonderful. I mean, I was a bit self conscious at first because my boobs look much bigger but, on the other hand, it gives me more confidence. I just have to work on my back muscles as I still have a tiny bit of back fat, even if the rest is slim

@Pennyforthem The Dundee cake was excellent, I just had to cut some slices (about half of the cake) and freeze them as I wouldn't have been able to it all before the date and it would have been a shame to waste a bit of it The mince pies were all gone pretty quickly, they were even tastier than last years' if that possible

Nice to see you back here Manderley.

Hi@Manderley I agree with you, sometimes we need to close down the information overload to be able to centre ourselves against the world events ....... Let's centre