[Chardonnay]

Hi Sum, yeah, I was able to do lots more before the knee thing. I can barely drive for more than a half hour straight now without desperately clicking on the cruise control. I hope you can get back to the level of fitness you used to enjoy. I used to jog out in the woods, but that is out of the question now, sigh...but instead I'm building up my leg muscles to help my knee last longer while I jog on the mini-tramp.

Thanks Apo9 I'm personally embarrassed at the weight regain because I was such an advocate of maintenance. But I've proven to myself that I am indeed human, lol, I'm going to reach my goal though, barring another car accident of course. We can't always control our lives right? But where I can control my life, that's what I'm concentrating on! Nice to "see" you too!

Hi Kurisitaru, the 5:2 diet is actually 5 days of eating healthy and 2 days of "fasting" at 500 calories per day. My healthy weight-loss range is 1500 based on my age, height, lifestyle and current weight. The only thing that is constant is the fast days. However, I do 600 because I still enjoy a glass of red wine each night, and come heck or high water, I'm not willing to give that up, so I juggled things a little and added an extra 100. I think originally it's 2 days at 500 calories and 5 days at "eat what you want"...if I remember from the book I read a few years ago. But in weight loss, I can't do the "eat what you want" or I'd never lose weight!

[Chardonnay]

Today I had some kind of boost of energy and motivation. I woke up and did a 40 minute hip-opening yoga class. Guzzled water and did 20 minutes on the spinning bike, then jogged 20 minutes on my mini-tramp. I followed that by my weight training routine, then a 15 minute stretch. I felt awesome and nothing hurt! Yay! This is the first time I've done squats since before my accident and I was scared to death that my knee would revolt against me, but all was fine!

Breakfast: Cappuccino, apple, yogurt
Lunch: Pho soup, pita bread, espresso
Dinner: Cilantro pesto chicken on linguini with garlic bread, glass of white wine

Total calories today: 1420

Successful day for me

[kurisitaru]

My run is killing my knees. Time to get new running shoes.

I'll have to look more into the 5:2 if. Maybe It's a boost I need to get pushed in the right direction.

Currently........... not tracking calories strictly. CPA exam tomorrow.

[Chardonnay]

Good luck on your exam Kurisitaru! The 5:2 definitely gave me a boost and killed my appetite a little at the same time, which is good for me because I sometimes eat mindlessly.

Today was the pits
I woke up with a severe migraine, so I couldn't do cardio but I did a wonderful yoga routine. If anyone is interested, Esther Eckhart is a yoga instructor and she has hundreds of free videos on You Tube. Some are quick, from 3-10 minutes...but she also has 30, 45 and even 90 minute routines. They are easy to follow and I'm addicted! Plus the price is right

I did however, manage 615 calories all told on my fast day.
Yogurt with granola and an apple: 300
Espresso with sugar: 40
Cesar salad, croutons, bacon & low-cal dressing: 175
Glass of wine: 95

I'm getting to bed early today and hoping my migraine will cease so I can exercise harder tomorrow!

I hope everyone had a better day than me!

[nonameslob]

kurisitaru - The best resource to learn a bit more is thefastdiet.co.uk. There's also TONS of information about Intermittent Fasting in general on the internet, and a relatively active IF thread in this forum. For me, it has almost completely eliminated my binges, because I don't have to remove any food groups from my diet, it's only two days a week that I feel restricted (honestly, I've come to enjoy fast days), and the other 5 days a week I don't feel the need to indulge because I can eat what I'm craving and just don't feel the need to go overboard. I've also had a ton of other health benefits from 5:2 (clear skin, a happier tummy). I highly recommend it

Chardonnay - I hope you're feeling better today! That's wonderful that you were still able to stick with your fast and do yoga with a migraine. You don't find it exasperates the migraine?

[Chardonnay]

HI Noname thanks, I think I'm healed! Actually the yoga I did was specifically for people suffering headaches, I don't know if my link will be acceptable or not: Yoga for Headache. This really helps me, it's 7 minutes long. After that I felt a little better and I did another 30 minute routine for the hamstrings and lower back. I have to take it easy on fast days, I have a tendency to work out way too hard when I'm motivated, to the point of exhaustion and injury...I guess it's a bit of an addiction for me that I'm trying to control!

Btw...one of the greater benefits I also enjoy from the 5:2 is the lack of craving to indulge on my "5" days. The fast days make me feel so good overall that I don't want to mess things up by eating a block of cheese, lol...or something really bad for me!

[Chardonnay]

Today went well. I ate very healthy and did my exercise as planned
Tomorrow is a busy day, my bf and I are driving into the city, it's an all-day event. We hate leaving the mountains, but once in a while have no choice. I'm going to attempt a fasting day tomorrow, but I will see how the day goes.

[kurisitaru]

Thanks Noname. I did strictly stick 500 on Thursday my test day. (Partly because I felt sick...) and I eyeballed calories M-W. Yesterday I say at 1250 calories. Ran.

Guess what? A gain?

It's so hard not to just accept morbid obesity and just work on your feeling of self worth and maybe focus on not hating yourself instead of weight loss, because doing everthing right and getting on the scale week after week to gains... is kinda unfair bullshit.

Still no period.
Hoping that is the culprit. Can't wait to finally see a doctor as well. I have thyroid issues and insurance is being a pain. Work is suddenly like "Oh... well... there is this wait and this wait we didn't bother to tell you about when you first tried to switch! You'll get set up in December! But really... it's better if you just wait until January when everyone resubmits"

Going to pee on a stick tomorrow. This late of a period and sore breasts along with horrid weight is either caused by extreme stress or it's something even worse.

Pray that it's stress. I'm not wanting a child right now in my life. I'm sure I'm fine though, unless I'm one of the unlucky people out there when it comes to contraception's failing miserably.

[Chardonnay]

I've had a weird few days. I woke up on Friday morning with lower back pain and left leg hamstring pain. I have no clue what the heck happened. I just have to blame it on my workout I guess. I couldn't even bend over yesterday. All of these little injuries and pains I've had lately are making me feel depressed!

But I can't use that as an excuse or I'll fall back into the same rut as I've been in since March. I'm still eating well, so that's a good thing. I've been doing research on Atkins and low-carb eating and I'm going to give that a go starting next week on my non-fasting days. I've already bought food for our dinners until next weekend, money is too tight to go shopping again, so I have a week of planning to do now.

I'm lucky though my bf is giving me massages and it's helping me heal quicker. I hope to do some yoga tomorrow morning, and maybe some light calisthenics too. I'm fasting tomorrow, which is the beginning of my 4:3 week. Fasting tomorrow, Wednesday and Friday.

Kurisitaru, I had that scare when I was 26 years old and ended up pregnant, then a still birth. I wasn't ready for it at all, and in light of the way it turned out, it obviously wasn't ready for me either. I remember the stress, I hope it turns out the way you want it.

[Sum38]

I have been so sick... and I eat when I am sick I think I picked something up at the hospital I volunteer for. Now it is hubby's turn to be sick and I feel so bad for him.

I have not stepped on scale for days. I will give a few more days and then see what the damage is...

[Chardonnay]

Hope you feel better soon Sum, I know how illness and injury screws up the weight loss train...I'm weighing in on Tuesday which probably isn't such a great idea considering our Thanksgiving dinner is tomorrow! But I'm fasting today. I couldn't even do a little yoga. My bf has to help me get up from bed because I'm so stiff and sore...I feel decrepit.

So today's food is:
Coffee, lots of water and Pellegrino, squash/carrot soup with saltines, glass of red wine and if I'm hungry later I'll have some yogurt with apples.

I thought fasting would be harder because I made my bf a boeuf bourgignon for dinner, it's in the slow cooker, and a BLT for his lunch...I don't even want any to be honest!

[nonameslob]

kurisitaru I touched on this in the Halloween thread, but if you're going to do 5:2, you should really up your calories the other 5 days. Yes, some people do make it work with low calories the other 5 days, but you'll burn out faster and it could be why your body is holding onto (or "gaining" weight). It's going to take a while for your body to adjust to a new diet anyway. I know you're frustrated, and you've been frustrated, but just please take care of your body. I don't want to see you going to extreme measures to get the weight off, and I don't think the stress you're putting on yourself is helping.

This all from someone in a similar situation, and I'm trying to take my own advice here, too. But anyway, that's just my opinion. I wanted to put it out on the table and offer support.

Sum Oh no I hope it's not ebola! (too soon? I jest!) Take care and feel better.

Chardonnay Bless you for cooking such yummy meals for your other half on a fast day! I don't think I could even look at bacon on a fast day haha!

I am attempting at 4:3 this week. Yesterday's fast was relatively easy, besides my tummy grumbling while I worked out. Today is a normal day and out to dinner with a friend. I don't usually drink during the week any more, but I will plan on having a couple tonight! My weight so far this week looks to be on a good track, so hopefully I can keep it up.

I have big plans to do a ton of batch cooking this weekend. I want to cook some dried beans to freeze, make some white chicken chili for non-fast days, and veggie soup for fast days. I love soups and stews so much.

[Sum38]

Another cold!! What the heck is going on... first an ear infection, then fever and now a cold... third week of being sick.... Stepped on scale and my weight has stayed exactly the same.

[Chardonnay]

Hi Noname Eat drink and be merry....then fast the next day lol...that's our motto huh?

Our Thanksgiving was nice. I didn't overeat, but I ate a LOT of potatoes, so no weigh-in today. Tonight I'm making a special dinner, it's our one year, seven months together...I know it's a little corny but we're both cornballs and we love to celebrate every milestone so we're having a chicken piccatta and opening another bottle of wine. I'm going to attempt a Thursday/Friday fast. If I can't pull it off, it'll be Thursday/Saturday.

Hope you get well soon Sum! Isn't there a superstition that things come in threes? Then you should be out of the woods soon!

[nonameslob]

Oh I ate drank and was very merry last night! It was worth it. My weight stayed the same, and now today is a fast day I was planning to eat something a *little* healthier, but it was half price burger night and I LOVE their burgers. But for once my friend did not order an appetizer, so I'm sure that helped.

Happy mini anniversary! Enjoy it!