Counting down to August B)

[desikated]

We're all going on a summer holiday....
No more fasting for a week or two...

@Cherryblossom81 @Clearingaspace @TooEarlyForBreakfastInJune @Eastie77Returns @HarpQuartet @ItRainsItPours @NewYorkNewYork24 @Saraswati

@Bunnie007 @Loubelle70 @Misstabithabean

@Fouramclub @loveyouradvice

Welcome all and welcome to anyone new who hadn't joined yet!

Gentle supportive fasting thread. No specific approach to fasting used by all. The theme here is supportive and silencing inner critics and helping each other back on track,

For July
My aim is to be under 63kg consistently....

Thanks @desikated appreciate you continuing this.

My aim is to get under 76kg in the first ten days, then stay under that for the rest of the month.

SW 1st January 17 stone 5
CW 1st July 14 stone 10
TW 31st July 14 stone 5

I have set my usual monthly loss for July though we will be away for the last week so that might be optimistic. If I could reach the target I would have lost 3 stone this year which feels like a decent chunk.. I have to say the long summer break with dc underfoot is not normally my best time food wise but I will try.

@ItRainsItPours what progress!

Woop @ItRainsItPours that's amazing!!!!

And @HarpQuartet I like your style....lose and then maintain 👏

Thank you both. Anyone else wanting to check in and set some goals?

Thanks @desikated - I'm with @HarpQuartet

Down to 11.8 and then maintain... I was 11.9 this morning, so not far to go.

Daughter's birthday today so yes, a bacon and maple syrup pancake (pure heaven!!) and some chocolate cake to come...

Other than that, I'm upping my exercise and my meditation - nice bit of balancing there! So looking to be calmer and fitter by month end

Looking forward to travelling through July with all of you!

Hey! I need this - I was last in the countdown to May then gave up - time to get back on track!

SW: 12st 0.2lbs
GW: 11st

Back to IF today with a 16:8 window and booked into some classes at the gym.

Good luck everyone!

Welcome back @jane46b - Congrats on getting back on track!

Oof support /wisdom needed.

Have been weighing every day to try and understand fluctuations as normal. However for the last week my weight has just gone up and up. I'm not pre menstrual. Nothing has changed. What's going on?!?!

I fear the answer might be...eat less. And I just don't think I have the motivation / capability. I do a lot of exercise and am probably guilty of eating more because I think I can. Agh.

@desikated I'm here for support but wish I could back it up with knowledge (I haven't done any reading around the subject since the Michael Moseley book, and don't remember any of that except for being convinced IF is a Good Thing).

So, I'm guessing. But... Do you trust your scales (fwiw I do trust mine, they're electronic and very consistent). Can you change what you eat? I see my weight go down if I swap, say, chilli and rice for salad and falafels. Are you watching the football? I equate football with snacks (I literally put "football snacks" on my shopping list) and need the Euros to finish soon. Can you delay eating longer than usual today and I'll delay with you. When would you normally break your fast?

@loveyouradvice how do you manage your meditation habit e.g. every day, what time, do you use a recording? I need to jump back on the meditation band wagon.

@desikated things that help me alongside fasting;

eating low upf, I bloat up if I have bread, shop bought cake etc

no alcohol, again I gain the day after even a single drink. It also raises my resting heart rate on my Fitbit by a couple of beats

Keeping stress down and therefore sleeping well. As above I will gain weight and raise my pulse if I am not relaxed and well rested

Finally, tracking calories, even if just for a few days to get back on track.

Hope one or more of these might help you back on board.

Great thoughts @ItRainsItPours ... and I'll just add @desikated, any chance you've been exercising more? I know weight can go up with water retention post-exercise as your muscles repair...??

@HarpQuartet I'm exploring lots of things at the mo, as with a grief-laden year last year, I lost my ability to sleep and have become anxious.... So I'm on a voyage of discovery around this at the mo - Love to hear about anything good you find.

One thing I've recently learnt is that it's helpful for someone over-activated like me to do a guided meditation where I follow instructions rather than jumping straight into a silent meditation, which is easier once I've honed my attention a bit

My stalwarts:

1. Calm app, I love her voice and used to do the 10min Calm every day and am getting back into the habit - and I add 5 mins just meditating at the end if im in the mood
2. These two which I do in bed before I go to sleep, one or other or both - Calm in 10 and Yoda Nidra: both fairly "active" meditation where you follow her voice
3. A "sensate" app which I totally love - vibrates against your sternum activating your vagus nerve: I use every day, 30 mins is recommended, I sometimes do hours (alongside reading a book)

Experimenting:

1. Beautiful full body breathing meditation - 30 mins - the meditation not the talk
2. Heartmath device which helps get your heart rate and breathing and being in "congruence"... I've had for ages, and am using again

Also exploring.... Polyvagal Theory and calming the body and going to try some of Deborah Dana's exercises....

Thank you @loveyouradvice these are such fab suggestions about meditation and Yoga and all kind of doable even with very little time.

I hope they help in the journey through and with grief

@HarpQuartet I normally eat between 1-9 which I know isn't great as eating late but have a toddler and just everything takes so long in evening! I think I might experiment with some high protein days and less carbs and see how that works.

@loveyouradvice I have upped my exercise, because my iron levels went up (iron transfusion) so i have got more energy. So it could be that. Food has stayed largely the same although i have got into a not great habit of eating a lot of raisins which is a bit deadly because i could just eat and eat and i know they're full of sugar.

I went for a run this morning, and weighed after and had lost 200g so that was pleasing. I think I just need to give my head a wobble, remember the non scale gains and that I'm still much improved from where I was. The temptation is to go fuck it and eat everything. but NO. no.

Thanks for tagging 👍. Will post monday when weighed xxx

Admiring your dedication, @desikated , let's keep on keeping going!

And thank you for generous sharing, @loveyouradvice , I actually have an online meditation tomorrow morning and will explore your various links and find something good to listen to. I have Insight Timer and my favourites are Tara Brach, Hugh Byrne and Andy Hobson but there are so many, almost too much choice, so it's good to have your specific link, thank you. I'm going to Google heartmath and sensate too.

I'm keen to lose 2-3kg before I go away in 4 weeks. Menopause seems to be making it impossible to shift the excess from my tummy. I'm not overweight (55kg and 160cm) but don't carry the excess well as it all sits on my upper body. Any tips and motivation welcome. I seem to start the day well but with 2 teenagers in the house there are always snacks that I reach for in the evening!

Could you brush your teeth after dinner, @alwaysplanning ?

Yes that's a good idea.

How strictly should I stick to 5:2, I find 500 calories a day very tough. Is it even realistic to lose that amount in less than a month?

Meal ideas very welcome

Ooh, not sure about that, I just do intermittent fasting, I don't count anything and I don't have days where I try to eat less than others.

I'm losing less than a kilo most months so obviously my method wouldn't suit you