Weekly Post 04.12. - 10.12.2016

flumi_f
flumi_f Posts: 1,888 Member
edited November 13 in Social Groups
@FengShwayze - They got lost in translation....Bumped up the recipe threads for you.

Well, girls and boys....only had one fast day last week as I failed on Tuesday. And bingo my weight is down lower than it has been in a very long while. My weightloss is very linked to my cycle as well as what I eat, thus I was only half surprised and very happy. Still 5kg to go, but slowly getting lower.

My sis sent me a pic of the 'old' me yesterday. We are always amazed at where I was....and where I am today. The outer changes reflect the many changes on my inside. After a sitting with my acupressure therapist, I'm starting to feel my body as it is now and also seeing the changes in the mirror. When I was heavy, I saw myself slimmer in the mirror than I was. Since I lost the weight, it was the other way around. It has taken 2.5yrs to sink in and let my brain and my soul REALLY see the change. One more reason to work on my inner self on an energetic level along with keeping my body healthy and strong. I'm still not 'perfect' and I have loose skin on my arms and inner thighs, but I'm so much happier with myself for many reasons.

What helped me....Keep working! Accept the blips and bumps, plodd on and do what you need to to love yourself B)

Then....before 2013

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Now....Summer 2016

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Happy Sunday and happy fasting!

Replies

  • FengShwayze
    FengShwayze Posts: 8 Member
    @flumi_f Thank you!
  • flossyruby1
    flossyruby1 Posts: 337 Member
    Wow, Flumi, what a complete transformation!!! I think it is vital to go back and look at how much you've changed because our minds do play tricks on us. As you mentioned, seeing yourself as smaller/bigger when the opposite is true really shows how much it happens. Losing weight is hard enough, but I find the real struggle is with maintenance. It is such a fragile state because your head can get the best of you. All of the small changes you made to lose the weight can cause you to go in the opposite direction (one more bite won't hurt, having a taste here and there, skipping a workout). I think I'll bust out some old pics myself! Thanks for your post, Flumi!!!

    On a different note, last week I attempted to fast 3 days and I've decided I simply can't. It totally backfires and I wind up overindulging on that 3rd day way more than I would have had I not fasted. I just think it's too hard on my body. So back to basics. The other thing I have not been doing is really recording everything, which is serving the purpose of not holding me accountable. I haven't been recording my weight when it's up because I don't like seeing it. Or I don't truly record my diet. And as Flumi touched on, the mind starts playing tricks. So today, I'm recording my weight (good, bad, or ugly) and moving forward. I'm recording my diet in its entirety. These tools are only as beneficial as we make them and I have not been really using them. I'm also returning to my previous strategy of making small changes everyday. I became such a strong believer in doing this, but have lost my way. Things like eating half a portion, leaving off the cheese, sautéing with water vs oil, parking farther away all add up. Have a great week everyone!!
  • flumi_f
    flumi_f Posts: 1,888 Member
    Absolutely Flossy. Maintainance is work, every day. Total mind game, without the reward of losses... Photos and the scars of my skin removal remind me of where I was. My scars cry for help, if I let myself go to far and that is a good thing. If I stop logging completely on non fast days....I lie to myself. That is why I'm still here so regularly.

    ATM 3 fasts and not logging most weekends is working for me, in the weeks I can fit 3 fasts in. I don't force them in though. I'm 3.5 yrs into 5:2 and weightloss/maintainance. It took me that long to do regular B2Bs or 3 fasts a week. That allows me to not log most weekends. Everyone has to find their very own recipe to success. And that recipe can change over time. At the end of the day, for me it's a question of the mind playing along.

    So Flossy - go look at your pics!! :p Enjoy and acknowledge your achievements!

  • KateNkognito
    KateNkognito Posts: 1,629 Member
    This morning it was like a switch had flipped when I woke up. I have suddenly found my motivation again! My oldest turned 13 yesterday and I still have baby weight tacked to my backside. I have really been struggling lately, but I think I have come out of it!
    I hope you all have great weeks! I know there will be tons of great stuff at work and I am going to be super stressed since we are vastly understaffed right now, but I am going to use the strategies that I started with and get through. Only 12 more days of school until the Christmas break!
  • megellcor71
    megellcor71 Posts: 21 Member
    Great inspiration with your photos flumi_f! WhaT a success story.
  • flossyruby1
    flossyruby1 Posts: 337 Member
    Kate, glad you hear you're back on track. Sometimes it takes just getting fed up one day. My motivation has waxed and waned lately, but yesterday I decided to just focus on the small changes I made to successfully lose weight in the beginning. For me, not really looking at the problem as a whole and focusing on the details is a better strategy. At least sometimes it works better for me when it comes to weight loss.

    Yesterday proved to be an unexpected FD. Sunday was super busy, so eating wasn't a priority. I think I'll make Wednesday my second FD. Usually I do M-Th, but I'm having some friends over for coffee Thursday and I want to make real English scones. I'm not going to be able to not eat them, right??
  • flumi_f
    flumi_f Posts: 1,888 Member
    Scones are made for eating....Luv the flexibility of moving fasts around :D Luv homemade scones too.... :p
  • mamainthekitchen
    mamainthekitchen Posts: 929 Member
    Well oh well, I have been busy with errands and decorating and I had an extra fd last week, on Friday of all days... I find shopping a good distraction because I always hate stopping to eat something (hate shopping and don't want to prolong the ordeal plus I'm too cheap to buy food out when there's food in the kitchen at home). My hip seems bette and have had a couple of longer walks but the weather is really cold now. Today it's trying to snow!!

    Flossy, gotta love those unexpected fds!! And I agree, it's that one day.... one day over the edge that changes your focus. And WOW Flumi! What a transformation you have been through! I admire your determination, your hard work shows in your photos, thank you for sharing with all of us :*

    My goal this week is a fd on wed again and to keep up with my weight workouts and maybe plan a mall walk without the shopping.... we have this new mall where I live and it's huge! So why not walk it! ;) a little warmer in there!!

    Cheers everyone! Hope to hear how the new kids are doing! Hint hint!! Oh, and thanks Flumi for bumping up all those recipe sites and to whoever it was that inquired about them!
  • KateNkognito
    KateNkognito Posts: 1,629 Member
    Today's fast was far from perfect. I am torn between having a little more to eat and fasting again tomorrow or just calling it close enough.
  • megellcor71
    megellcor71 Posts: 21 Member
    Successful fast day for me yesterday ...a little over but I felt totally in control. Amazing how hard it can be during TOM. Last week I felt barely able to make it through 1/2 fast day. I have done 5:2 for one month. I have tracked calories closely and activity as well. For one month I was down 2.8 lbs and a calorie deficit of -2850. So I am very happy with that. Hopeing I see another 2 lbs down this month. I will have a better deficit this month because I had two bad weeks last month with thanksgiving and trip to Disney.

    So... I remain hopeful this 5:2 will work for me. Thanks to you all for sharing your stories. The good bad and ugly!
  • flossyruby1
    flossyruby1 Posts: 337 Member
    edited December 2016
    Second fast today! I have to say, being in control and going back to basics feels really good. Just that slight shift on focus has made a huge difference!

    To the new kids...I've been at this almost 3 years. I can't say the 40-something weight loss happened quickly. For me, it was relatively steady albeit not linear. Some weeks is was 2 lbs, sometimes .5 lbs. what I found different with 5:2 (and perhaps it had nothing to do with it) was that it kept me focused on each fast day. I've been on every diet and they all had the same thing...modify your intake each day. So each day I'd either eat low fat, low cal, low carb, whatever. And most of the time I'd fall short. Then the overwhelming feelings would hit...how much work it was going to take, how much weight I had to lose, and feeling like a failure because I had to start ALL over from square 1. It would get to be too much and I'd quit. Then I'd start again. And it just kept going like that.

    What appealed to me about 5:2 was only having to really stay disciplined 2 days a week. Sure, I still had to watch my diet the other 5. You can't celebrate the fact you fasted 2 days a week and go crazy the other 5. But it's a heck of a lot easier to stay within 1600 calories on NFD than to try to stay around 1000-1200 7 days a week. So I guess I'm trying to say...stick with it. Track your food, exercise most days of the week, and realize the weight didn't come quickly. Despite the word fasting, the weight will not come off quickly either. But if you shift your focus on each fast day rather than the weight you need to lose, you may surprise yourself and one day realize you've lost the weight. You'll also learn about real hunger and come to understand how fleeting it can be. If you've ever felt your whole life revolves around food, you may start to notice that it isn't as big a deal as you once thought. Your relationship with food may improve. While the goal will always be weight loss, you'll start to notice other side benefits.

    I'm hoping this post helps. I just got fed up one day and decided to shut up and do it. It worked for me, producing a 40 lbs weight loss that I've essentially maintained, and I'm hoping it will work for you, too!
  • mamainthekitchen
    mamainthekitchen Posts: 929 Member
    Excellent Flossy! ^^

    I've just realized that I haven't logged anything for 5 days!! I'm fasting today so I really hope I stick to it today as I'm only doing 6:1 now! Unlike Flossy, I've only been at this for one year, I was never overweight until I hit 50yrs.... now I'm 57 & was a size 16. I got puffy, bloated & out of shape and wore my shirts untucked or covered in a sweater. Now I'm back to my regular size 6-8 or medium sized pants & shirts. I was pretty struck a year ago and logged every bite, stayed around 1200-1400 cals for 5 days and 500 on a fd. I waked every day! So today I'm going to say what I said to myself most days a year ago (I kept a diary in my phone) "tomorrow, I'll have it tomorrow".

    Who else is fasting today?? I've enjoyed my oatmeal & seeds so far as it fills me up for many many hours!!! ;) Cheers everyone!
  • megellcor71
    megellcor71 Posts: 21 Member
    Great success stories flossi and mamainthe kitchen!
    I'm in week 5. Going to stay very focused today on not exceeding 500 calories. I keep hitting 600-700. I am also chugging more water. Hope everyone's day goes well!!
  • flossyruby1
    flossyruby1 Posts: 337 Member
    Thanks, Mama and Meg!! It was helpful to reflect back on how it worked for me. That seems to be the theme of this week, thanks to Flumi for starting it :*

    Second fast logged and a success. I'm having a great week and it just feels good. I have felt like I've been floundering, so having a little more focus and control is welcomed. My dance class ended yesterday and won't start up again until the middle of January. That's a lot of downtime and can really hurt the progress I've made, so I'm going to have to devise a plan to hold onto what I've achieved. My week in Hawaii with my mom and seeing her challenges have given me something to reflect on and I've come to the realization that I can never, ever quit...ever. Like, I'll be 80 with a walker and still trying to plie (I might not get up). Being with my mom for a concentrated time made me feel like I was in a bubble. Her life is so focused on what's going on with her. Ballet keeps me in a bigger world, which I find so therapeutic. I think we need things in our life that remind us that it isn't all about ourselves.
  • megellcor71
    megellcor71 Posts: 21 Member
    Flossy....love that you do ballet! We all need to get out of our own heads every day! Great reminder.
    Ok... drumroll .....I lost ONE POUND! Seriously I am thrilled. The scale actually moved.
    Finishing Week 5 of 5:2. Loving this plan!
  • flossyruby1
    flossyruby1 Posts: 337 Member
    Meg...way to go!! Any loss is a win!!
  • sanjoparolas
    sanjoparolas Posts: 549 Member
    Glad the scale is moving in the direction you want Meg - congratulations! Like you Flossy, I don't believe I can ever quit this way of eating. Lucky for me, I enjoy it since it helps with focusing on the good stuff in life. Regarding food on fast days, I use the same motto as Mama, "Tomorrow, I'll have it tomorrow!"
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