coops

So it is the end of my 6th fast day - week three and it has gone well... got a little hungry earlier, but lasted out and enjoyed my frozen fruit and yogurt! All packed and ready for out school trip to Spain! It is gonna be a lot of fun - with a little stress added in but that goes with the turf! Not sure how I am going to get my fasts days in; I will see how it goes! Wish me luck... speak to you soon x

thanks girls... you've all made my day! I've been cleaner these non fasting days and seen the scale stay at 164... so I know I have gotta keep my eyes on the prize every day, if that makes sense. When I come home from Spain, I might log on non fasting days again... just to be extra vigilant! Oh and I'm remembering to drink more Water each day too! Second fast day of week three tomo

I meant to apologise for the bad pic quality... my hubby took em and fair play, he is crap at taking pictures - not sure why...lol... still you can get the general idea! The trousers are a UK12 - loose -ish on the waist but fit on the thighs... my next goal is to be a comfy 12 or even a 10! Now, that would be awesome! Awww, swizzly, I wish I was wee... awsome perhaps...lol... but alas, I am not that small, not for my height anyway! Wee is the next stage..heheheee

thought I would try and post some pics, they ain't the best, you you can see that the apron has gone! The tummy area looks good with clothes on, pretty flat. Without clothes, there is still room for improvement and I am hoping exercise will help with this. I look 'ok' now, but still a bit 'thick', if that makes sense... If I was taller ...lol...

This is the start of my third week and 5 fast day - so far so good... salad and chicken for lunch and I've ditched the sugar in my coffee/tea still on skimmed milk, which I prefer anyway. I don't find the fast day a problem... if I start to feel hungry or 'empty' I drink Water and this really helps. Before my fast day, I don't eat after 9pm and then on my fast day I don't eat until lunch time, which is around 1pm so I have a good period of no food, just water or a cuppa. I've also changed my fast day to Mon and Thurs this week to see if that is better, spreading it out more. I think that I need to keep an open mind and experiment to see what suits me best. I have lost 3lbs (but seen lower, not counting that until it is stable - if that makes sense) and I do feel better after a fast day - but my 'feed' days are up and down - one day I will be brill and the next I eat carbs, mostly in the form on bread or a bagel - quick go to and filling - but not 'good' in the long term. So, I have grasped the fast thing, now I need to be more alert and prepared on the feed days... I am ok with this taking time, as long as it keeps working for me. As regards exercise, I am enjoying Curves, and although it is not what I am used to it seems to be working as I have made good progress in three weeks, losing nearly 3% body fat, and several inches (combined and all over). Interestingly, I tend to go to Curves on my fast days - just a coincidence at the moment but I don't feel tired, lethargic or shaky. Not sure how I would be if I did cardio or a boxing class, but when I am ready I will go on a fast day and see what happens. I go away on Friday to Spain with school - they don't know that I am doing the 5:2 and I don't intend on telling them either - can't be bothered to justify my eating patterns or listen to the 'Oh! That isn't good for you' crap that I know I will be greeted with (they don't know about my sleeve either). So, I am going to wing it and see what happens. Glad to hear everyone is doing well and finding their own way through this maze of weight loss, fat loss and maintenance.

I ain't gone yet...lol... I leave for Spain on Friday morning along with 44 pupils...gonna be fun in the sun!!

Laura, you are sooo right! It is daunting not being in complete control of meal times... I don't eat out either, in fact I hate going out for food cos it is a complete waste of money... I would rather go to the cinema! When I went on holiday last year, I had a small gain, I think it was 3-4 lbs... but it wasn't due to the food... it was because I drank a lot of fizzy pop and juices... so many hidden sugars! I won't make that mistake again! I want to enjoy this trip, so I think my plan of action is moderation, especially as I can't take any 'healthy sleever' Snacks with me. I am also going to make sure I drink plenty of Water. Another thing is not being near my dear scales... not weighing myself every morning will be a tad strange. It might be a good thing because at least I won't see that bounce. You are right though, the general trend is lower than it was, so that's a win... right! Have a fab holiday... and enjoy - don't sweat the small stuff!

So, the end of the second week doing the 5:2 and I have a 'real loss' of three pounds - 2lbs higher than the lowest I've seen but a loss is a loss... just wanna see the scale stop bouncing around. In saying that, my normal days have been hit and miss. I am not experiencing the sleeve tightness that some of you are... some days it is good, others not so! I think I need to be a little bit more vigilant on my feed days to see a better loss/ less bounce. However, I am going to stick with it 'cos I like the control it gives me twice a week. I am doing Mon and Thurs this week - I leave for Spain on Frid for a week with school, and I am not sure how I am going to do my fast days during this time...like I said before I haven't told anyone in work that I am doing this because I can't cope with the zillion stupid questions and opinions that it is likely to produce! A lot of my work friends have the mentality that if you don't stuff your face then you will be ill! Humph! Anyway, whilst I am away, I will wing it and do what I can! Well done to all of you that are kicking this weight loss ass... I am impressed by the reduction in numbers so far, and this gives me hope that I might follow suit... and get to goal! fair play ladies... we rock!

So we are similar weights too... but you have two inches on me ...lol... that gotta make you feel better? heheheee

Wow... you look GREAT ... love that colour on you and you look so slim! I just hope you feel as good as you look. You are making me think that I need to take some recent photos... good job! Oh and you defo look like a Georgia!

end of day four fast-day... been a tough ones as I made a rookie error! Not prepared! Didn't take food to work and I had a cheese and pot pie - no idea how many calories was in it... so I haven't eaten anything just in case... I am, however gonna have a bowl of frozen fruit and low fat yogurt for my supper because I am that hungry I have a headache! I'm hoping that I won't go (much) over the 500 cals... but even if I do, what is done is done... tomorrow will just be a normal 'sleeve' day! Oh I did go to Curves again, so I am hoping that, that will help! And... I got on the scales this morning to be greeted with 163, so another pound down... dunno if it will be the same in the morning mind... but just to see the low end of my 'bounce' is pretty cool! Just gotta get rid of three more to meet my very lowest, and then 6 more after that to my surgeon's goal. Let me tell you, if I ever see the magic numbers of 154 I will be squealing like a good un! Glad to see your updates, great to know that I am not alone on the quest! Keep em coming!

I've found you and I'm in! Third fast day -week 2- all good and on course! I went to Curves too and didn't feel shaky or weird afterwards! Happy days!

Nannie - where will I find FYE's 5:2 thread? ta x

all good here... got through my third fast day; no dramas! I'd forgotten how good tuna tasted! Low cal and filling! - down a pound this morning, lets see what happens in the morning... if I stay here and stop bouncing for a few days I'll be happy!

Nannie .. all those skirts look lovely, I don't care what the label says! You look really narrow too. But I am like the lady you mentioned... I am the same weight as I was 20mths ago and am down nearly 2 dress sizes, of course that includes the apron gone; but I mean tops, trousers, dresses and skirts... makes no sense does it. 20mths ago I was wearing a UK18-16 now I am a UK 14-12! Weird! Just goes to show how different we all are!

FYE... defo going to join you next week on the Mon and Thurs slots for fasting... feels like too long in between, but will stick with it for this week!

Hiya Cheri... Oh how I feel your pain! You know my story oh so well, I have never reached goal so I don't know how good that feels. I have been stuck in my current weight range for 20mths - some may call it maintaining, I call it damn frustrating! Again, as you know I am still trying to get those last pounds off to reach my surgeon's goal - and then I have more to lose to reach my personal goal! My body just doesn't want to co-operate; my mind and body continue to fight each other! I really don't know what to suggest for you my lovely friend... I wish I could wave a magic wand so our scales would read what we want! But in reality, that isn't going to happen and all I can offer you is my support and encouragement - don't give up! You will get back to where you want to be... remember those long months before you saw the goal weight? You persevered then and you can do that now... then remember how good it felt to get to goal... well, you can and will have that feeling again too! Ok, it might take time, but who is counting? Just remember we are here for you... if you ever want to have a moan or a groan, just give me a shout! Hugs to you my friend xx

Just follow your post op instructions... in the first few weeks you will be hunched over and in some discomfort - make sure you get plenty of rest and don't do too much even if you feel well enough! My first week post op was a walk in the park and I thought I was doing really well and over done things... I suffered for that in the following weeks. You should be given a binder or a control garment, make sure you wear it as instructed, even if it feel uncomfortable. I didn't have lipo (couldn't afford it) so I can't really help you on that side of things. However, what I can say, is keep your eye on the prize... the recovery, both physically and emotionally is a long one, but the results are worth it! I am so pleased that the apron has gone and my stomach actually resembles my age now...! Let us know how you get on... if I can help, just shout!

generally yes...not so much 80-20, but I am going in that direction again... it seems the indigestion is through white flour! Nasty! Although I didn't lose weight doing the primal thing, I did feel soooo much better and more energised. Hopefully with a combo of that and the fast diet I will get some results! Wouldn't that be good... how are you finding mixing the two. I am also thinking about changing my fast days... gonna do tue and thur again this week, but might try mon and fri the week after. See if spreading them out is better? I go to Spain on the 28th with school - I haven't told anyone in work that I am doing this, and I'm not sure how it will pan out!! Ekkkk! Looks like I will have to fill my plate with a lot of salad to make it look big...lol

Yep! Mylifeinpink has summed it up nicely. Work your ab muscles now and you will defo see the benefits when the skin is removed. Recovery is no walk in the park and for the first couple of weeks you will need strong arms and back to help you get in and out of bed without pulling on your tummy and scar. When I was in hospital, the nurses were impressed that I could lift my whole body with just my arms and get out of bed in one 'sweep'. This certainly helped me over the next few weeks. Oh, and although recovery is a long road, it is worth it to get rid of the skin! Good luck

I'm with swizzy on the non fast days... they have been good and bad, yesterday was a good day - Friday was a bad day...lol! However, I am finding a greater restriction too... and leaving food on my plate is a good feeling. Has anyone else found that they are getting more indigestion on the non fast days? Boy, I have and it is not like me... even in the early stages I only had indigestion a few times... but boy this gas is enough to blow the roof off! Funnily enough though, it only happens after I've eaten 'bad' foods - carbs generally! I think this is sign...lol

I'm interested in those of you talking about "bounce". I know when I was AT goal I had about 5-7 lb spread I tried to stay at ( and did for about a year). If you aren't at your goal you have set are you just saying that since stalled you are maintaining in that range? Yes! I am maintaining in this range, but it is not through choice... it is just how my body is responding to how I am treating it (food and exercise). I don't want to reduce my cals on a permanent level to under 1000 a day - so here I am trying whatever I can to break through this 'stall'. Surely my body can't be happy carrying around the extra 20+ pounds that I need to lose? AND, knowing now what I obviously didnt then, I've been told that to REALLY have a set point your body will stay around you need to Have been level at that range for about 3 years. Any ideas? I know when I was large my body really DID have a set point (high!) but it was easy to lose but little by litle back up and always to same place and stay. Weird,isn't it? I am really interested in this set point thing too... I didn't know that for you body to have a set point it had to be at that weight for three years though! Kinda puts my current ideas into dust cos I thought my body had found its set point at the current weight I am now? So, then, hopefully - with the 3 year thing in mind, that means that I should be able to break through this 20mth stall - I have been in the same weight range 160 - 167 for 20 long months. I am hoping that the 5:2 will kinda shake things up for me a little and get below that 160 and out of the obese range.

I have noticed this sort of bounce - only doing two fast days so far though... I am seeing a big bounce around too but the top end bounce is lower than it was a week ago, so I am ok with that. Stick with us GT! We are very similar and we just gotta keep on keeping on... the body has to respond, surely? And let us not forget, we are more than stupid numbers... x

Never to late, jump on in!

FYE ... you look amazing! I love the pic and your doggie is soooo cute! what she said^^^ ..lol