Weekly Post 25.04.-01.05.16

flumi_f

I enjoyed my week off and was able to keep my exercise up in comparison to the last few months. It included two days of working on the building site...carrying boards up two flight of stairs, cutting, laying and fixing them with screws. My body ached a bit yesterday to say the least, but a horse back ride, a walk and some magnesium seems to have taken care of most of it.

My fridge and cupboards are pretty empty, thus when I do go shopping, I will stay away from the cal dense isles in order to make this week count. I'm alone at work and have alot of desk work to do. I should be able to do shorter days and get some exercise in most days. Still to cold to ride my bike to work.

Fasting today. May go for a back to back and a third one on Thursday. I really need to get this weight back down. 62kg is too high for my clothes!! Asparagus season has begun, thus I'm back to gourmet fast days

Wish you all a good week!

Juliemoo1960

Last week was the first week back on the 5:2 for sometime and must say it feels so good to be back following this programme. Managed to lose 3lbs so over the moon and it just goes to show that the 5:2 is a brilliant eating plan. Always recommending it to others and realise that it is important to be mindful about what I eat and to use mfp to log foods that I eat.

dryheatfitness

Had a great weekend but imbibed way too much - it was my birthday. Today's fast has been a struggle but still going. I'm on the bus home and then will take dogs for a vigorous walk to finish my 10k steps before dinner. Next fast day will have to wait for Thursday. I forgot to weigh in this morning so no clue where I'm at but feeling full of energy.

Juliemoo1960

Today is the first FD of the week so just making sure I have lots of water with me at work. I don't know about you but I do find sparkling water tastes so much better than still.

flumi_f

Had an OK fast day yesterday...not perfect, but OK. Going for a second one today. Meals are planned and cooked. I also steamed lots of veggies yesterday for my nfds and went for groceries and bought almost no nonos

Lots of desk work this week, which doesn't make fasting easier...but I can do this

Juliemoo1960

Fast day going ok at the moment. Nice salad for tea with a bit of griddles chicken.

flumi_f

Ended my b2b. Both days around 700. But other than that it was okay.

Go for it Julie!

mamainthekitchen

dryheatfitness wrote: »

Had a great weekend but imbibed way too much - it was my birthday. Today's fast has been a struggle but still going. I'm on the bus home and then will take dogs for a vigorous walk to finish my 10k steps before dinner. Next fast day will have to wait for Thursday. I forgot to weigh in this morning so no clue where I'm at but feeling full of energy.

Well Happy Birthday!! Having a few (or several) drinks is all the fun of it, it comes once a year if we're lucky!!! Hope you had an awesome time

I had sort of a fast yesterday at 1003 cals with my walking exercise coming to 409 cals... Brings me to 600 or so if I choose to count them in the equation. I'm at a crossroads here... As I sit, I can grab a handful of my waist! Yet I've measured consistently at 30" the last 2 weeks and even this morning at 29 1/2".... I'm 5'6", so why am I still having love handles with almost a 29" waist?? I'm trying to weight train 3 times a week which has helped. So do I continue to 5:2 to loose more weight? Or try maintenance with doing 6:1 & just work harder on the weight training to firm up? Anyone else at this point? Guess it doesn't help with the fact that I'm not in my 20's anymore

KateNkognito

@mamainthekitchen I have just decided to get to a point where I am satisfied. I will NEVER have a non-flabby belly again. I will always have a little junk in the trunk. I want to be healthy, love handles and all. Do you feel good? Can you do all the activities you want to? If so, then keep fasting a couple times a week and see what happens, either you will lose a little more or not. But, don't stress. And also remember that when you lose weight, your skin can take a while to tighten and if you have stretch marks like me, it might be permanent.

sanjoparolas

I like your standards Kate: to be satisfied if I feel good and can do all the activities I want to do. Well, I admit I get really sore and tired after long hikes with lots of climbing. I have several of these hikes coming up this summer culminating with the ascent of Half Dome in October. My weight is still higher than it was at my lowest when I was fasting three times a week. I will probably always continue to fast two times a week to make up for my love of eating on the other days and to not have to stick to a traditional diet and for the health benefits, both physical and mental. Cheers to all!

loveswalking

Hi everyone: I was having trouble getting back into doing my fasting days so I decided to try the BSD by Michael Mosley. I'm going to do it for a few weeks to get me back on track and then do my 4:3. So far I have drop 6.2 pounds in 4 days. I will let you know how it goes.
https://thebloodsugardiet.com/

flossyruby1

Mama, your post could not be more timely. I'm at a crossroads myself. I've really been struggling to find the right balance in order to maintain my weight. I think I'm going to miss my goal by my birthday (Friday), but I'm ok with it. I had a great fast yesterday with one more planned on Friday, so I'll still see where I wind up on Saturday. But I'm experiencing real fear about how to maintain. I like the regular schedule of 2 FD. One FD seems really scary to me. To be honest, I don't track except for my dinner on FD. After a lifetime of painstaking calorie counting, I love the freedom of not tracking. However, that's doing 2 FD a week, which I believe is making it possible to not track. The other issue I've not mentioned is that my blood pressure appears to be running high and I'm concerned that it's the fasting. The 5:2 forums have a thread about it. I've started monitoring my BP to see what's going on, but the really scary thing is what if it is the fasting? What if I have to stop doing it? Am I going to be sacrificing my weight for my BP?!? I'm almost wondering if it would be worth it just to go on medication so I can continue to fast (assuming that my BP is high because of fasting...it does run in my family and this was the age my mom's BP went up, so it may be unrelated). I feel like I'm in limbo. I'm trying not to lose my head over this. I'm monitoring it for now then will address it after some time has passed. It still doesn't solve the fasting schedule for maintenance and, quite frankly, I'm afraid to try anything beyond what I've been doing for fear of gaining weight. I've waited sooo long for a body I feel comfortable with...I don't want to lose it!

Juliemoo1960

KateNkognito wrote: »

@mamainthekitchen I have just decided to get to a point where I am satisfied. I will NEVER have a non-flabby belly again. I will always have a little junk in the trunk. I want to be healthy, love handles and all. Do you feel good? Can you do all the activities you want to? If so, then keep fasting a couple times a week and see what happens, either you will lose a little more or not. But, don't stress. And also remember that when you lose weight, your skin can take a while to tighten and if you have stretch marks like me, it might be permanent.

I think sometimes we can become obsessed with measurements and numbers and actually it is about do I feel good. I have started again on the 5:2 after some months away and the weight going back on. It is a good way to measure things using clothing as a goal. I have a couple of dresses and some jeans I want to get into again but didn't realise how good it felt to wear them until now I can't! We are all different an if you look at our builds, shape and way we carry weight it is all different. There is no right or wrong way just you.

megemrj

I just want to express how much I appreciate all of your posts. Before I began 5:2, I had very little loss over a period of months. Honestly, I was losing and regaining the same couple of pounds.

Since starting 5:2 and tweaking my woe a few times, I can finally say I'm happy with how my losses are progressing. I still fluctuate but at least it is more of a noticeable downward trend than something given and then taken away.

I almost quit 5:2 as not eating and not losing was so frustrating. I could see the success many of you have/had and knew I had to be patient since I felt I was on the right track.

I'm so glad I decided to stay the course. Thank you for the positive influence and feed back.

GraetLifeIfYouDontWeaken

I feel the anxiety all the way from here. Try not to fret too much. If you maintain your determination the good results should/will follow. (That's what I'm telling myself right now, since I seem to be stuck at the same scale reading for the past 3 weeks -- keep gaining and losing the same 2 pounds week after week ...)

flumi_f

3rd low day this week. All around 700. Don't seem to be able to cope with 500 atm.

I'm a foodie, thus I'm lucky if I can maintain with two fasts a week. Flossy: do you really think the fasting is causing your high BP? Anything is possible , but it seems hard to believe. All of my values are better since fasting and losing weight. My immune system is stronger etc. The only thing that got messed up is my cycle. But that turned out to be the weight loss. Since maintenance and still fasting it's regular again.

Anyway if you think it's the fasting, the link from loveswalking might be interesting for you. Less drastic low days maybe?

megemrj

@GraetLifeIfYouDontWeaken

^^^See positive influence and support! Thank you

You are doing awesome. That scale can't win! Just wait for the whoosh...it will happen.

GraetLifeIfYouDontWeaken

Thank you megemrj!!!

flossyruby1

Flumi, thanks for pointing out the link. I'll check it out. No, I'm not sure if it's the fasting, if it's my age, just coincidence, etc. I'm tracking my BP daily, I've cut out all caffeine outside of my morning coffee, and have added more intense exercise to get my HR up a little more. I'm taking a wait and see approach to make sure. I eat a plant-based vegan diet. I could probably reduce my sodium a bit, but it really could be genetics. I'm trying to be level-headed...I've had so many other benefits. My BP is potentially the only negative and I'm hoping its independent of IF. To be continued!!

dryheatfitness

Fast Day #2 is in the can. Did a switch up today and had 300 calorie breakfast and 200 calorie dinner (which I couldn't finish!). I also got in 13k steps and 8 miles on my bike (4 morning and 4 afternoon). My normal job is desk bound but today included 2 hours standing helping a computer training session, so my feet are beat! It feels good to feel TIRED!

mamainthekitchen

whoohoo, busy last 24 hrs here! Lots to catch up on

First off, thanks @KateNkognito & Juliemoo1960 - sometimes we all need to remind ourselves to take it easy on the pressure of eating "right" and to be satisfied with how we feel, and how we feel in our clothes!
It's funny how someone else's anxiety can put perspective on your own too....that's what I like about this forum, everyone has both down & up days, and it's weird to find comfort in that! @flossyruby1, I'm no doctor, but I wouldn't think fasting is the cause of your high BP either. I do agree with cutting out the salt though... my dad is totally off his meds because my mother has almost completely omitted salt from his diet! Watch labels of soup (the worst) and drinks like club soda (which I haven't had since Oct, and I swear I lost weight from losing the puffiness from the salt) Anyhow, trying to be level-headed is hard some days, but lets keep at it! And like @megemrj says, to "tweak the way of eating" to suit each body, as we are all different, all built in different shapes, so that makes sense to me. To quote GraetLife..... if you maintain your determination the good results will follow!! Now, THAT should be on a T-shirt!!!

Lovely reading today!!!

Juliemoo1960

My fast day yesterday was slightly off as I ate my meal at lunchtime. My normal pattern is a 4:3 as I find that is a better fit with my lifestyle but normally try to keep to 700-800 on those days. I just found it was too hard doing 500. I know this works for me but everyone is different and I think we all have to do what suits us best.

mamainthekitchen

Juliemoo1960 wrote: »

My fast day yesterday was slightly off as I ate my meal at lunchtime. My normal pattern is a 4:3 as I find that is a better fit with my lifestyle but normally try to keep to 700-800 on those days. I just found it was too hard doing 500. I know this works for me but everyone is different and I think we all have to do what suits us best.

May I ask what numbers you stick to on normal eating days? Doing this may work for me for maintenance in near future

mamainthekitchen

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FLOSSY!

Did you actually say somewhere above that you're having a fd today??? If you are, I'll have a glass of wine later for you!!
Cheers!

Juliemoo1960

mamainthekitchen wrote: »

Juliemoo1960 wrote: »

My fast day yesterday was slightly off as I ate my meal at lunchtime. My normal pattern is a 4:3 as I find that is a better fit with my lifestyle but normally try to keep to 700-800 on those days. I just found it was too hard doing 500. I know this works for me but everyone is different and I think we all have to do what suits us best.

May I ask what numbers you stick to on normal eating days? Doing this may work for me for maintenance in near future

Hi I normally eat 1600. I did try the 2 X FD but just found 500 was too low for me but this seems to work for me. Not sure it is true 5:2 in the purest sense but I think it is better for me to stick to this and manage it that to devour everything in sight when I get so hungry. I also found that i feel more balanced but still feel like I have fasted.

sanjoparolas

Yesterday I ate more than 3200 calories and that is not untypical! So I need my fast days obviously . . .

mamainthekitchen

sanjoparolas wrote: »

Yesterday I ate more than 3200 calories and that is not untypical! So I need my fast days obviously . . .

Well in numbers Sanjo that seems like a lot, but you cycle lots, if I'm correct, so you need that!! But I suppose even if your exercise didn't account for that amount, fasting 2 days/wk is the route to go because I do believe it's a 'weekly' number we need to watch, not a daily total and by truly sticking with a fast day as they are intended, maybe that's more of a benefit....to eat more during a regular eating day and then really fast sticking to 500 cals! Hmmmm food for thought?

I didn't eat well yesterday.....at our daughters nursing grad (3hrs long) so I could've skipped dinner altogether by the time we got home, but instead, stupidly bbq'd 2 hot dogs at 10:30pm & washed those down with a glass of wine and a dessert of chocolate!!! Usually I do eat well and I eat enough, my appetite is smaller now. @Juliemoo1960 I have never had a problem with fast days but it's interesting to me that everyone can tweak a little here & there. I'll try increasing my calories to around 1400 since I'd like to weight train more and stick with 2 attempted fast days and not worry if I only get one in. (Crossroads are hard to walk when you're a Libra!)
Cheers everyone!

Juliemoo1960

mamainthekitchen I too have had those bizarre days where you get to the and and that little demon just eggs you on to eat the strangest things. It is almost as if the more you try to deny the worse the craving gets

flossyruby1

Mama and Julie, the desire to eat uncharacteristic and large volumes of food hit me hard yesterday. As a former binge-eater who evolved into something who just likes to eat a lot of food, this behavior is something that I hadn't experienced in a while. I've evolved out of it, certainly 5:2 has helped and even taught me to enjoy not being full all the time. However, yesterday, it reared its ugly head. I eat a mostly plant-based diet, but yesterday it was cake, pizza, toast, Taco Bell (nachos?!? Come on...), triscuits, a chickpea curry with rice, a few cheese ravioli, ending with brownies. I shudder to think of the calorie count. I would agree with Julie...I've learned that these kinds of days just happen. In a way, training our bodies to live on a calorie count closer to or below 3500 each week leads us to have occasional days of more-than-normal amount. I look at it as my body saying "hey...I've been pretty diligent with fasting and eating good nutritionally, I just need a day of unbridled eating". Since it doesn't happen very often, I'm ok with it. A little puffy this morning, but ok with it.

sanjoparolas

That's something I struggle with too, getting to dinner time and not even being hungry and eating just because . . . it's 'dinner time!' In my mind I would love to be more like Gandhi and eat a modest amount of food for nutrition's sake only. I really enjoy healthy foods (and not so healthy stuff as well) and often will eat because something tastes good, not because of hunger. The link above to Mosley's Blood Sugar Diet above was interesting because it addresses cravings. A long time ago (pre-5:2) I had tried Atkins and was sad not to have foods that I was excited about (which maybe in itself is sad). Non-starchy vegetables and protein are fine and all, but the other delicious stuff is often my downfall. Sigh. I think it's time to stop talking about food and go for a bike ride!

flossyruby1

Sanjo, that's really the crux of it all. Eating mostly when not hungry. I believe it's a skill and one that takes a while to acquire. That's why when you have it, it feels odd to eat for other reasons. For me, 5:2 helped put hunger back into perspective. I can't say I always only eat because of ginger. Sometimes I eat because it tastes good. And as far as cravings, it depends on how you define that word. I associate a craving for something that I'm motivated to eat. Eating mostly plants has definitely changed what I crave!