The FastDay Forum

@Manderley So sorry to hear about your friend but glad that the news was not worse - I have been thinking about her - and thank you for keeping us up to date. Do look after yourself - thinking of you too

I hope your friend has a speedy recovery, @Manderly, and your daughter's friend too, @WildMissus

so horrible

Sill in critical conditions but I suppose that each day passing is good news and that it means more strength so we keep all positive thoughts.

I won't do a fast this week but that doesn't mean binge eating, which would be easy as I tend to eat all the wrong things possible when I am stressed out. I'll cook for my friend's partner and me today and I decided to try this Nigella Lawson's recipe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sP3JmeqNJVc

I just changed a few things, no pomegranate and the tomatoes are Italian cherry canned tomatoes. It looks wonderful and it's full of good things. Nice comfort food

@Manderley Sending you and your community of friends LOVE and SUPPORT. Cooking is good, I opened my home on 7/7 London xxx

@Lizbean Cooking gives a sense of doing something, anything, to help. It's a thing that can bring a community together and we need it more than ever these days..... No fast, just comfort food easy to travel with

Today I am making a simple courgettes soup (with onions, 2 small potatoes to thicken the soup, courgettes and a bit of crème fraîche at the end of the cooking) with some crostinis with a home made sun dried tomatoes paste, chorizo and cheese. For dessert, some simple microwave baked apples and pears with some cinnamon and walnuts.

Just catching up here and, yet again, so sorry to hear your news, but your resilience shines through, Manderley.
Here's to new beginnings in 2016 for you xx

Glad to see you back, @PennyForThem One thing I learned this year, resilience is one essential key to survival and, when you are alone, basically (my only family left is my mother really), you have no choice. Plus I have 5 furry souls that I can't let down as they need me for survival. I was thinking of the mother who lost her twin daughters in the tragedy.... This is a really tragic situation....

My friend is still in hospital but each new day is a victory. Only patience is the key right now and try not to focus on it too much.

To give you a sweet note, here's my younger furry baby in a really stressful situation He really has a hard life


A maybe good news now, tomorrow I have an appointment which will decide if I will participate to a long training (about 6 months) which would be a good step forward. I have to write a letter to convince them to pick me and I don't know what the heck to do that... I was never good in the selling myself department...

About food now. I ate less this month than the other past few months. I just have to look to what's still in my fridge and in my cupboard to know. That is excellent news, really. With the cold outside I am more into comfort food these days but I try to be as healthy as possible. The sunflower bread I made last week is great, it's filling, a small slice goes a long way, and it really helps with all the digestion issue I have. It's considered to be a wholegrain bread but not as tough as some other wholegrain breads (I can't digest most of them).

A lot of home made soups. Courgettes, cauliflower, spinach, peas and even lentils. Quick, cheap, filling, healthy, that's what gave me the boost I needed to go back to exciting fasts. I really like to experiment with tastes and, with the cold season coming, I love nothing most than pumpkins and chestnuts in about everything. If only the rain would stop......

Why does it seem that men have an influence on our diet ? I must admit, I am the kind of woman, when a man gives her goosebumps, she can't eat a thing. So, when I am in love or maybe not "in love" but troubled, I slim down easily. Let's see, I saw today for lunch an "old friend" (an ex in fact but it's not the important thing) . We have been in contact for a few weeks now and since I am talking to him again, I lost weight without noticing it and without real effort. Why is that ? Is that an hormonal thing, the endorphins or something like that ?

Hi @Manderley healthy relationships can have a positive affect on reducing stress levels, especially considering what you have been through. It's good to talk. I can't say men help me lose, maintain or regain weight ..I see that as my responsibility... but then perhaps I'm past that What are you cooking today? I'm making green soup (peas, winter greens, courgette, spinach) with herbs followed by baked apricot with gorgonzola and ground walnuts

What I meant is that when I am in a good relationship or just in the "honeymoon phase" my body seems to feel content with that so my way of eating changes. No cravings, no binging, I eat way more healthy and I am full way earlier than usual. Of course, all that added makes the weight loss possible. The big thing here is that it's happening when I am trying to quit smoking, one more time. I didn't have a smoke since Wednesday and I don't feel the need to snack, which is great. Let' hope I will still go that road next week....

I did a paella for lunch so it will be a light dinner tonight. A quinoa bulgur salad with oranges and avocado

http://84thand3rd.com/2013/08/13/moroccan-quinoa-avocado-orange-salad/

I love your idea with the apricoats ! It could be nice with some roquefort and maybe putting it on an endive (chicory ?) leaf which can be use as a "spoon". It's really clear in my mind but I can't seem to be able to explain it....

So, I am back to my fasting routine now for 2 weeks (or 3 ?) and it feels really really great. It's funny because it really gives me a sense of peace and control.That sense of control in the food department get me to feel in control in so many other things... I mean, I don't cry as much, I don't get angry or frustrated as much and I celebrated small victories like repairing my radiator heating by myself of finding a solution for a stupid administration mistake that would cost me money I don't have.

It's funny because it's harder to quit smoking that to control my food intake. It shouldn't be, as I was never a big smoker, only 5 cigarettes a day, however it was 5 cigarettes a day for 20 years so quitting is hard. Really hard. I don't have cravings but I have mood swings because of it and it's a good thing I gained some control back because I really really need it to not jump on some people throats !!!

It's a really awesome feeling to find one's mojo back.... I can say now, without the shadow of a doubt that fasting is part of my identity now. I need it as a balance and it's probably why I will keep doing it, one way or another, for the rest of my life.

I forgot one thing, I was doing my pre grocery shopping and I found frozen half avocados.... How is that even possible ?

That's a good thing fasting is so easy for me during winter or my cheese freak ways would be the death of my waistline. Take this weekend for example, I had a raclette craving and didn't want the fuss of having to use the proper tools to make it so had the idea to make what I call an oven baked raclette. This is sliced potatoes (with the skin, I love the skin) with some meat on top of that (I put a Morteau sausage and some pork roast) and raclette cheese slices on top of that and hop in the oven until the cheese is a delightful gold colour. Of course I had greens with that but still, without my 3 fasts next week, it would lead to some weight gain..... And the worse is yet to come, I will probably have Swiss cheese fondue the 31st..... I know, I should be so ashamed of myself

That's the trick, isn't it. Everyone with a weight problem needs to learn about this one silly word called "moderation". In theory, at least, we should be able to eat absolutely anything we want, in moderation. Sigh.

I am always very good at portion control, reasonable quantities or enjoying myself in moderation.

Ack!! I meant to say NOT always good at moderation

I am definitely NOT always good at potion control!