4-week fasting countdown to the New Year

[HarpQuartet]

Welcome all, this a thread for Intermittent Fasters who want a weekly check-in on Fridays. Chat and insights between the check-ins are welcome too, share as little or as much as you like. I weigh myself in between, others don’t, some of us are in kg, some in stones, it’s all good.

Here is a roll call for those who may wish to continue with accountability, encouragement, sharing your wisdom, wins, or woes. All are very welcome plus of course anyone new who'd like to join us. Sincere apologies to anyone I’ve inadvertently missed out; and if your name’s here but you’re not planning to join this thread, then wishing you well.

@Fouramclub
@pottypotamus
@trainplane
@TheShellBeach
@Clearingaspace
@putthehamsterbackinitscage
@MegBusset (hope you are still on your happy plateau)
@iwantavuvezela
@Clearingaspace
@Blackeyeliner
@Thereyougo10
@bluejay5
@gettingolderbutcooler
@Scentorii
@BackSeatDriving (would you like to continue stiffening your resolve? Such a good phrase)
@Sonnet
@Catherhino
@loveyouradvice welcome to the December thread!

Hi @StealthOps how did your day go in the end? You're very articulate at self reflection, and you sound like a lovely mum.

The universe is a meanie. You can do this though: there's nothing in that lovely hamper you can't eat, you have just decided that you're going to wait a few hours. Just think, your ability to delay is stronger than the whole conspiring universe, so there!

@StealthOps I agree with @HarpQuartet . There's nothing in the hampers you can't savour and enjoy; "delay don't deny" and all that.

Not such a good day today (yup, two of those mini Lindt F Xmasses are no more...alongside some unplanned cheese and bread).... I was doing great and had lost the 2lbs I put on recently ... Hmmm... now two more "easy" days when I can just please myself how i eat before a very sociable Friday... So Im hoping to hang on in there and have a couple of powerful OMAD days

THIS IS SO ME, responding to a post upthread... Two times I overeat that are going to be challenging at Christmas and I want to learn to catch both....

1. upthread ..."What's the idea Rangan Chatterjee talks about? "Eating to fill a hole in your heart rather than a hole in your stomach". " Yup... me to a T... row with husband, straight to the chocolate
2. Absent minded eating ... just sitting round the table with mates, idly taking another square of chocolate or another slice of cheese...

... to learn to catch them both, recognise them, embrace them and limit them before the serious damage is done

What are going to be your challenges???

And I'm keen to re-adopt Gin Stephens mantra of Delay Dont Deny - it is so powerful for me... I think I need to chant it to myself a few times each morning and later in the day!!

Ooo Stealthops that sounds like a great podcast ... and a good "D" to add to the mix... Distraction is fab!!!

Do tell us about the hamper ... relish it in its magnificence and tell us about how you want to enjoy it as the new powerful you with an arsenal of D's at your beck and call...

We had a Fortnum's hamper at work once and the tins were so pretty! Definitely noticing what you're doing and what you've done is a really positive move.

Mmmmm .... that tea really does sound lush!!

And such a great thing to do - to focus your pleasure in the beauty of the tins!! that's a wonderful zero-calorie treat...

Good luck with your fast @StealthOps ! I haven’t been able to get used to black coffee - think it might be because i have the instant stuff! What one do you drink? I did have a mug of boiled water at just the right temp during my fast yesterday and it was weirdly satisfying 🤪

@StealthOps that f&m coffee does sound delicious! I also really like the idea of adding ginger to my water. I think enhanced appreciation of food and drinks is one of the best things about fasting. Very interesting about the different responses you had from coffee - I would really like to try a cgm at some point. I get a mood boost from barista coffee but not instant coffee.

Good luck! What’s the plan?

Have to be honest i have a vanity goal for next summer as my family is going away with my sisters family and although not much difference in our ages, the difference in ages for our kids is huge - I don’t want to look like her mum - at the moment there is a risk of that - I need autophagy to kick in big time!

that sounds pretty hardcore! Hopefully should ensure your buttons stay in place. I can join you for the 24 hour but if you want company!

I can probably get on board with 8 hours sleep too but even that is more of a challenge than it should be!

I need motivation/ deadlines to push me to do things. I am pretty untidy normally for instance, but will spend a whole day cleaning if we are having visitors . I would love to have healthy habits, tidy up as I go along, go to sleep at a sensible time, eat sensibly, have a beauty regime, be organised but I’m just not made that way … maybe fasting will help me be more disciplined 😅

ok so I started my fast at 7pm, I will probs try for 0mad but could have late dinner tomorrow if I need to and still be on goal so that sounds good! And bed by 11

@StealthOps you sound like an amazing mum. I look back at teenage me and feel awful about how mean I was to my mum. Now I am a mum myself it's really truly hit me how much my mum sacrificed for us and how lonely she was as a single mum but she never showed it. I think she's the best human being alive and no doubt your daughter thinks this of you too (even if she doesn't want to admit it now) I hope your fast before the big dinner goes well!

I haven't fasted since Monday as my cold has escalated and I feel very lethargic and just want all the carbs known to mankind. I'm just taking it easy until I get better. I am a bit more mindful about what I eat at least - for example I only had half a pain au raisin this morning instead of a full one 🤣

@loveyouradvice absent minded eating is my weakness. If there's a bowl of crisps out at a party I just can't stop myself. I'm an all or nothing person when it comes to nibbles, I can't just have one. I'm trying hard to unlearn this but it is so difficult.