The FastDay Forum

Hi @Ballerina, if I lived nearer the shops I would do the same - purposeful exercise with savings on petrol too. There are village shops 2 and 3 miles away but that is measuring on the A686 and there is no pleasure in trudging along there! Time to get the bike out for the summer I think.

Hello fast friends

Week five progress

Exercise

18/04. 9 mile walk Pooley Bridge and Howtown
19/04. 10.9 mile walk Ribblehead to Garsdale station
20/04. 4.7 mile walk Howtown and Hallin Fell
21/04. 5k walk
22/04. 7 mile walk Sandwick and Boredale Hause
23/04. 4 mile walk Gowbarrow Park and Green Hill
24/04. 5k walk/jog

Best time on jog/walk 41 min 49 sec

Added sugar - sugar and dextrose in Lidl 3 fish roast on Monday
Oil-pulling - started Monday
Dairy-free Fridays - first one tomorrow

Wow, @barbarita! It's very inspiring to read about your progress and determination to stick to your challenges. Your distances have really improved since you started. Do you actually enjoy walking now?

How is the oil-pulling going? Any visible difference yet? I was very interested to find out about it on this forum a few months ago but I never did anything about it. I'd love to hear your views on it, when you have time.

In the meantime - keep up the good work!

You really seem to me like a person who sets challenges and meets them Barb! I much admire you for that ! X

Thank you for your ongoing support @CandiceMarie, you always have such encouraging words for us all, old-timers and newbies.

I am getting out more and doing longer walks now summer is approaching; of course I am fortunate to live in an area that is a ramblers paradise, so if I get an early start I am back by midafternoon to face all the lovely chores.

The oil-pulling is going well so far @stowgateresident, early days yet. I am aiming for maintaining my teeth the colour my hygienist managed to get them, before that they were horribly stained - looked like those pictures of "smokers" teeth and I have not smoked even one cigarette ever. Also not having wince moments with hot drinks would be nice. I am giving it a month, if the effort seems worth it I will carry on and see what the dentist says in October. I'll put up my end-of-month verdict. By the way I am also using coconut oil on my face, it has tamed a nasty eruption of pimples on my nose which Germoline just made bigger and more garish.

As you can see, my challenges are all about training myself into better habits rather than SMART weight/size goals - SMART reminds me all too much of those wretched work appraisals, and anyway I don't respond to number targets - you can only work at it to the best of your understanding, there is an element of 'lap of the gods'

You always talk such sense barbarita and I'm so pleased you seem to be really enjoying the challenges you have set yourself. I did try the coconut oil pulling for a while, although I found it difficult to get over my initial revulsion of putting what looks like a bit of lard into my mouth! Gave up as the coconut oil was expensive and I hated disposing of it in the bin after the swishing was over! Agree that it's a great moisturiser though and has many other beneficial properties. Best of luck anyway! x

Coconut oil is expensive @callyanna and it seems a shame not to just eat it - the cheapest I have found is 300 ml for £6 in Sainsbury. But if you compare how much you use with how much mouthwash you use, and look at the price of major brand mouthwash, it could be cheaper. I have made myself get used to the texture, and I sometimes have it in coffee.

How long do you swish for Barb? Wd like to try it if it brightens teeth and keeps breath fresh..however got a feeling it might make me gag! Might give it a whirl tho..have once or twice gone to buy it but been put off by the price! I might just open my purse,let the moths fly out,and go mad and make a purchase!

I do use coconut for stir frying and in recipes and usually buy it in Holland and Barrett when they have the 1p sale on which they do at the moment so a good time to stock up if you use a lot!

Thats a good idea @callyanna
I must check and see if its part of the penny sale,tho it shd be if youve bought it in the penny sale before
Sometimes they exclude the dearer items ( the miserable blighters) !

@CandiceMarie, you swish the oil about for 20 minutes making sure you don't swallow any, then spit it out into some disposable container e.g. an old yoghurt pot and bin the pot when the oil solidifies. Start with a small rounded teaspoon and use a bit more when you are accustomed to the feel.

[carorees]

Coconut oil is expensive @callyanna and it seems a shame not to just eat it - the cheapest I have found is 300 ml for £6 in Sainsbury. But if you compare how much you use with how much mouthwash you use, and look at the price of major brand mouthwash, it could be cheaper. I have made myself get used to the texture, and I sometimes have it in coffee.

You can get extra virgin coconut oil from Amazon a bit cheaper than that £21.49 for a pack of three 460g jars

Hello fast friends

Week six progress
Exercise

25/04. 5.3 mile walk Aira Force, Dockray and Glencoyne Park
1 mile walk Dunmallard Circular
26/04. 5k walk/jog
27/04. 5k walk/jog
28/04. 4 mile walk Wreay Woods
29/04. 10 mile walk Askham, Knipe scar and Butterwick
30/04. 4 mile walk Ainstable
01/05. 5k walk

Best time on jog/walk 41 min 49 sec

Added sugar - sugar and dextrose in Lidl 3 fish roast, Friday, sugar in Asda custard tart Monday, sugar in Aldi Coquilles St Jacques Tuesday and Thursday
Oil-pulling - yes
Dairy-free Fridays - yes

I am going to carry on with this journal, it helps me a lot. Listing all those sugary foods is such a chore it will put me off eating them.
As spring gives way to summer I shall have to find a new name for the thread- something snappy like "Barbarita' s incremental monthly nudges towards healthy habits" maybe?

Hello fast friends

Week seven progress
Exercise

02/05. 5k walk/jog
03/05. 8.5 mile walk Lowther Castle, Helton and Askham Fell
04/05. 4 mile walk Hampton and Butterwick
05/05. 4 mile walk Wreay Woods
06/05. 5.2 mile walk Rosgill, Shap Abbey and Keld
07/05. 5k walk
08/05. 5k walk

Best time on jog/walk 41 min 49 sec

Added sugar - sugar in Aldi Salmon Wellington, Sunday and Monday, in Nairns Oaty Bakes Caramelized Onion, Monday and Tuesday
Oil-pulling - yes
Dairy-free Fridays - yes on Saturday!

I will probably be offline for most of next week, but with more exciting walks to report I hope.

Hello fast friends

Week eight progress
Exercise

09/05. 5k walk/jog
10/05. 4 mile walk Stretton Vale
11/05. 5 mile walk Middle and Lower Woodbatch
12/05. 5 mile walk Ragdon
13/05. 16 mile walk Wenlock Edge
14/05. 1 mile walk Titterstone Clee
4.5 mile walk Brown Clee
15/05. 14.3 mile walk Clun: over the hills and deep into the valleys

Best time on jog/walk 41 min 49 sec

Added sugar - sugar in sponge cake Saturday and Monday, Aldi Salmon Wellington on Thursday, in Apple pie on Wednesday, in Lindt 99 % chocolate on Monday
Oil-pulling - yes
Dairy-free Fridays - yes on Tuesday!