Counting down to July

[desikated]

And we're here......
1st June
As the great Delia Smith once said, let's be having you...

@Clearingaspace @Cherryblossom81 @HarpQuartet @Saraswati @ItRainsItPours @Loubelle70 @TooEarlyForBreakfastInMay

Well I’m back again... It's so great to see so many new posters, as well as old friends. Congrats @desikated – you are SO close! @Clearingaspace – what great June targets – how are you doing? Hope the baths are delightul and look forward to hearing when you are planning your 24h fast. Congratulations @HarpQuartet on 10kg in a year – it looks like you are going to exceed it!! And certainly NOT slow, a really impressive loss. That’s great @ItRainsItPours – not the nausea but the weight loss – are you setting a new goal for the month? And I so get the challenges you are facing: they are very similar to mine.

I am not usually so unreliable but this has definitely been the toughest 15 months of my life... I’m hoping I’m now through it, and back here posting every Friday as I gently head on down to 11.2. My goal this month is to get to 11.8 again, or as close as I can. Yet again my weight has yoyoed up: from 11.8 to 12.4 in just 10 days with family drama, a virulent bug and then Covid..and of course overeating: it's bizarre how I always get so hungry with Covid... .Hmm...

So I am recognising that for the last four months. I have been at 11.8 for a week or two of each... and then bounced back up.. I’m keen to make it to 11.8 and STAY THERE for the summer, losing the rest in Sept/Oct.

SW: 14.2 (last summer)
CW: 12.0
TW: 11.2

And my self-care goal for this coming week is lots of thoughtful breathing... lovely calming exercises and a singing class online as I emerge from Covid with rough lungs....

Like many of you, I’m a huge Michael Mosley fan – I’ve 6 of his books sitting on my shelves as I type. He’s the one who introduced me to intermittent fasting, and to creating a healthy gut. His is the comforting voice that accompanies me on walks, inspiring me to do just one thing. I realise he is the public persona who has had the most influence on my life: I’ve enjoyed admiring him and his work. I will miss him hugely.

There’s a 60 minute tribute programme to him on the BBC this evening – I’m going to be watching with DH with a soupcon of red wine, a wee bit of blue cheese, dark chocolate, nuts and berries. In moderation of course!! I love the idea of thinking of others doing this at the same time: a couple of my mates are in other parts of the country. Are any of you planning to watch?

And from today I’m taking on the Just one thing I’ve been meaning to do for a while – Standing on one leg while brushing my teeth. And I will be dipping into the book with affection in coming weeks, gently reintroducing some of the others – like walking backwards, which always makes me laugh.

I will join you watching the MM tribute with half a bottle of red and a slab of dark chocolate. I think I can fit that into today’s plan. Low upf and makes my heart sing. Though in my current state combined with being peri, I will probably end up in a soggy mess of tears. Some things just are sad though aren’t they?

I joined this group last week so am posting my update.
I have achieved two fasts of 18 and 19 hrs long this week. I wasn't planning to do 19 hours but have been very busy this morning and an extra hour slipped in!
At the moment I'm eating normally once the fast is done but eventually aim to reduce my calorie intake over the 24 hour period for two days of the week.

Thank you for the tips people gave further up thread. Today's fast felt easier and I didn't get a headache for the first time. I hope that means my body is adapting quickly. I would like to say that knowing I was going to post today was motivating as I felt accountable for keeping to two fasts!

I also plan to watch the tribute to Michael Moseley as I would never have considered fasting if it wasn't for him. I'd had a break from it for a few years and only decided to take it up again last week so was very saddened when it coincided with his death.

Watching the MM tribute now, raising a glass to his memory.

Sorry to have missed the MM tribute, what a lovely, apt thing to do. I too will brush my teeth on one leg.

`it's worth a watch @HarpQuartet - just 30 minutes of his bbc career, beautifulily and thoughtfully produced. It's celebratory of all he achieved.... and by the end I felt so sad, and yes was a bit tearful...

Wide awake at three in the morning, after an evening of a family member’s meltdown and screaming. I decided to watch the tribute and I feel rather tearful now. For two evenings now I’ve eaten after seven, and way off plan.

The massive bags of sweets and pastries I bought yesterday are not going to help in the long run, but they calm me in the short term, and that’s what makes it so hard for me to change.

I’ll commit to sticking to the window today, and meal planning for the forthcoming week for the family. Then order whatever fruit and veg I know I’ll definitely eat from Monday onwards. I’ll scrub out the kitchen and do a general tidy up. Get some fresh air in the garden. Listen to Just One Thing podcasts and see what changes I can make without putting myself under pressure.

@TooEarlyForBreakfastInJune I think you've completely caught the spirit of this: kindly doing what we can, a compassionate awareness.

And I will definitely be watching the MM programme ❤️

@TooEarlyForBreakfastInJune take care.
There will always be times like this when, for good reason, fasting just isn't the thing we can do. You have a good plan for going ahead xx

@HarpQuartet you're so right self compassion, compassion for others on similar journeys.

I think it's all about those small changes and progress over perfection. For me I'm definitely trying to change my relationship to food- and that's a long term project!

Hope everyone can enjoy a positive weekend. My treat is enormous brunch pancakes on Sunday with partner and toddler for Father's Day. Delay don't deny...

Happy Sunday everyone. @desikated@ItRainsItPours I think you are right and I’m going to just stick to one set of scales and also weigh myself at the same time of the day which makes sense. I have no idea why I bought the second set of scales to be honest.

I’ve been reading through the thread that preceded this one and I’ve ordered Fast Like A Girl as saw it mentioned there a few times. I also listened to a podcast with the author. Interesting that she advises that you must completely stop IF the week before your period and restart on day 1 of your cycle. My instinct has always been that it would be too difficult to fast during my period as I’m usually ravenous all the time, lighthearted. But maybe that was just something I was telling myself as opposed to actual fact. I convinced myself I couldn’t do IF and exercise but once I tried it I was fine.

Anyway…that was a bit of a ramble! I’ve managed to fast between 14-16 hours most of this week but my diet in between hasn’t been great. I’m currently at 65 kilos. Aim is 60 in time for a holiday in August but I don’t think it will happen. Sweets are my downfall - I polished off a packet of Liquorice Allsorts in two days. I’m genuinely like a child when it comes to confectionery (Haribo, lollies..), it’s embarrassing. I need an intervention!

I fast through my periods now. I used to find it hard but each month it gets easier. I also have an easier time each month, probably because I am being healthier generally. I find if I can exercise in the run up to a period I barely notice them which is big progress for me.

@Eastie77Returns what is the reason given for not fasting the week before your period? I'm only 2 weeks in so hadn't thought about whether it might be more difficult during it. I'm in peri though so periods are often unpredictable anyway!

@Misstabithabean In a nutshell,the Dr. on the Podcast said estrogen levels drop significantly during the week before your period which make the body more sensitive to stress. Fasting then places additional stress on the body so best to avoid it then. There was a lot more to it but the overriding message was that the standard way of doing IF works best for men as they do not need to take hormanal changes into account so women need to tweak and fast when optimal for our bodies.

I know some find it too disruptive to just stop IF for a week every month so I guess it’s a case of finding what works for you. The Dr did mention a solution for women who are peri or who are on the Pill and cannot track their cycle but I’m sorry I can’t remember exactly what it entailed…something to do with following the moon!

Oh that's so interesting thanks @Eastie77Returns

Absolutely classic that IF is mainly tested on men, so impact of women's pesky hormones isn't known. Ffs!

My period has started today (I ate loads yesterday). I also weighed 2.5 kg more yesterday than I did on friday!! I was just lying in bed thinking, how will fasting work today when I need to take painkillers!

I think we should treat periods like any other disruption. Try to minimise any over eating, stick to normal fasting where possible and then climb back on the wagon as soon as we feel able. That’s how I treat holidays, Father’s Day meals out etc. There are so many reasons to overeat but if we are good 90% of the time the other 10% shouldn’t stop weight loss.

@ItRainsItPours I needed to hear that! I have eaten a lot today. I did fast and I haven't eaten particularly unhealthy food, but I have eaten SOO much.

Without wishing to TMI I lose a lot of blood and feel so faint. Eating sometimes feels the only way forward.. ugh. Hopefully back on it tomorrow

Lovely to come back on and hear how well many of you are doing (inspiring) and also that some have been struggling like I have a bit (reassuring). I have done ok with the fasting in the week but over ate a bit at the weekend and then felt off colour last two days and it’s all gone a bit out of the window. However as someone said progress not perfection I making many positive changes and Rome wasn’t built in a day! I haven’t weighed as I’m on my period so feel huge and the scales can get in my head a bit so often better for me to look for nsv 🤪

I’ve been sticking to the kitchen closing by 7pm, and waking up a bit earlier in the morning feeling more refreshed. Breakfast has been around 9 am because I’m up early and rush around madly and get quite tired easily.

Weight has totally stuck, so I’m not gaining amymore and can tweak my food plan.

So agree to the inspiring and reassuring @Bunnie007 - one of the reasons I love this thread and wonderful group of women. That and "kindly doing what we can, a compassionate awareness" so beautifully captured by @HarpQuartet and @TooEarlyForBreakfastInJune. I think kindness hasn't played much of a role in my dieting in the past... definitely a key missing element.

I seem to have changed to a regular 8 hour eating window over the last couple of months from my much shorter 1-5 hour eating window and I am enjoying it enormously. It feels as if I can have so much food gently through the day - I do calorie count but aim for a rough 1100-1400 calories except when eating out.

Summer makes it so much easier - so much gorgeous fruit and veg everywhere and not that desire to settle down with a mountain of reassuring and warming carbohydrates.

So I will weigh in tomorrow but feel grateful that much of my "fast-gained" weight has dropped off with 8 hour windows.

How would it be if we kept Friday as our check-in day

• for weight, for those who want
• for declaring our intentions for the week... both on our eating journey, and something more appealing, like how we're going to nurture or treat ourselves in coming days
• and reflecting on the last week

I love having this regular connection point - great for accountability and for connection.

I'll be on here tomorrow morning and look forward to seeing anyone else who fancies

@loveyouradvice the Friday check in is what has kept me going for a year. It's the peg that everything hangs off, or a series of pegs, maybe with bunting in between 😊

I do like to weigh, it suits me well and I weigh every day - realise that's not good for everyone.

Goal for July: 76kg
Today: 76.4kg

0.6kg up on last week, but this is why I do better weighing every day, because I know what an up and down thing this is, and I've been under and over 76kg all week.

Intentions for the week: see how it feels not to have something sweet after dinner. This is a softly softly thing for me, navigating the line of wanting to be lighter (got to be kind to my knees) and knowing I need to avoid feeling deprived.

Reflecting on the last week: really pleased that the urge to exercise is happening, that I actually want to do it. Less good is that I've eaten quite a lot of rubbish, but even with that, there have been times where I've been snuggling around for snacks , didn't find anything I fancied, and wandered off again. Bit like something in a David Attenborough documentary.

SW 1st January 17 stone 5
CW 21st June 14 stone 11

I am now trying to reduce sugar as I have been having trouble with thrush 😒
I was surprised to find out how much there is in apples which I love and eat one or two of most days. Obviously what I really need to cut out is those times I emotionally eat lots of sugary rubbish but that is difficult to change. I would also like to lose another 7lbs as that would make me lighter than I have been in a long time. One day at a time.