Sounds like you had a great first day of your new plan, Magic. I think planning it as a short-term thing should make it easier for you to stick with it. Sometimes we need something to shake things up and get us back on track.

I don't think I've tried goji berries yet Austin... I keep meaning to give them a try. What a fun and healthy date night, going to the gym!

Welcome back Sloth... been a while since we've seen you around here.

Sabine, long time no see! Hope you have been well.

Still super busy with work. Keeping things very simple because I don't have time to worry about cooking. Salads (easy because I contracted out my salad prep), steamed veggies, Dr. McDougall soups, oats, beans, fruit. I hope in another few weeks things will settle at work enough that I can start getting back into cooking. I still want to try the Hello Nutritarian food prep plan, but I just haven't had the time yet. I have tried quite a few of the recipes and they have been good.

Hey @magic71755 -
Hurray for you, for working on diet and getting yourself to a place where you can sleep comfortable. That's huge!

I love your idea of taking food that works for you, and enough to share at the family visit. That seems simple and like it allows for the kind of sharing that won't have people left out. I think if you explain you are eating this way to manage your severe osteoarthritis, and that eating off plan makes you hurt, that people could be very understanding. And go ahead and say whatever else is there -- that you want to stay healthy and comfortable, and that you don't want food to be in the way.

And then -- plan, prep and pack! That's what I have done, anyway!

If you are tackling spring rolls in the soft rice paper wrappers, I have found those pretty simple!
Basically, you prep the veggies you want to stuff them with (slices of tempeh or baked tofu would be a nice add) (other ideas, if you pat things dry -- cooked drained beans, cooked mushrooms, pickled onions), and have your rice wrappers ready. You soak a wrapper for 5-10 seconds (it starts to soften), move it to a dry cloth, put in your veggies, and then wrap. The things that take a little attention and practice are how long to soak, and then the pattern for wrapping. Here's a recipe and a demo video

Joel Fuhrman has a 1995 book about using fasting (Fasting and Eating for Health: A Medical Doctor's Program For Conquering Disease), and I know he occasionally offers an online-supervised intermittent fasting class. It's clearly a tool he sees using. If it's helping you with your severe osteoarthritis, that is great!

I checked out Kathy Hester. Thanks for the rec!

@magic71755 - It sounds like you are set for a great day today. Yum!

@Mihani - I am looking forward to hearing more about your closet project, when you have time for it!
I am doing some decluttering and rearranging because the school year is starting. More of that to do today and this weekend!

@sloth3toes - How are you doing?

I had a good ETL day yesterday!
My ETL Thursday:
B- green smoothie with spices (broccoli, spinach, blackberries, cinnamon, lemon juice, turmeric), side of almond butter and goji berries
L- small helping of steamed mushrooms; last half helping of the North African Red Lentil Soup; half helping of Mexican Pinto Beans; steamed turnip greens; zucchini, tomato and onion bowl; steamed diced butternut squash and apples with cashew milk and cinnamon
S- apple slices, almond butter
D- huge salad (massaged kale, romaine, roma tomato, radish, roasted beet); avocado lemon tarragon dressing; zucchini, tomato and onion bowl; steamed butternut squash and diced apples with cashew milk and cinnamon
Exercise: platform stepping (found the Bollywood Workout channel on Pandora!); evening walk (date walk with husband!)

Have a great Friday, all!

@magic71755 If I am reading correctly, you are 70-ish... and still working? I'm not quite 59, and I'm already trying to figure out how to get out of work.

@AustinRuadhain I am doing pretty well. I think. I was exhausted for about 3 months, and it's finally been determined that I have some kind of inflammatory disease which I am taking Prednisone for. It's making me feel substantially better. And I've been off work for a couple of weeks, and I am loving that. It just seems like the right time to try to get my eating habits in order. Again. <sigh>

magic71755 wrote: »

Yup...70, 71 in October.

I totally stuck to my program today and I’m so proud of myself because 13 hours at work sometimes it’s so difficult because I get bored and all I wanna do is eat but I didn’t except my program ...really proud of myself! have a good evening everybody!

Hey @magic71755 - Congratulations on sticking with your program! And so cool that you noticed that your impulse to eat was boredom! I don;t know about you, but when I can see that I an wanting to eat to entertain myself, it makes it easier to not eat and do something else!
And 70 -- go, you! I love all your energy and enthusiasm and interest in learning and improving, all your engagement with life!

@sloth3toes - Since you are working on putting your eating habits in order, you might find the work of James Clear interesting! I have been working on my habits, and find that a really helpful place to focus. If you feel like it:
Atomic Habits: How to Get 1% Better Every Day - James Clear - Motivation: The Scientific Guide on How to Get and Stay Motivated
His book, Atomic Habits, has been super helpful to me.

@Mihani - Thinking of you today, and hoping things slow down soon!