swizzly

GO TO YOUR MEETINGS. Period. Exercise -- move, walk, swim -- do SOMETHING every day. Break out of the sadness through ACTION. Get yourself a Fitbit and make 10,000 steps every single day. Do not eat ANY carbs whatsoever until you are back into a good head space, and then keep them very low. They are clearly trigger foods for you. Eat as much as you want of Protein, veg, good fats -- these will help you feel satisfied. But seriously, NO carbs at all for now -- you might be an addict and you need to not take your drug at all at least for now if not forever. That's what I'd do anyhow.

Looks FAB!!! :-)

Sorry I'm not contributing much at the moment -- I guess I have/had more like pneumonia, which I didn't even realise, dr told me this morning when I went back. But the damn antibiotics (it's bacterial, not viral, which is more rare -- but yay for miracle drugs!) are making me so sick, I've had several unintentional fast days. Upside? Maybe. Ugh. Still surrounded by moving boxes and now weak and wan as well. I'm a real bright spot I tell ya. Non-contagious hugs to all.

Oh sweet Cheri, I'm SO sorry about your dad. Many many hugs. I lost mine too young too, it's just not fair. I'm sorry to hear about your health problems too! I hope they find some answers for you. Please keep us posted, I've been wondering and worrying about you, I'm happy you checked back in. Take care of yourself and be soooo kind to yourself right now. You need gentleness and understanding from yourself and others. Much love and hugs to you...

My answer will be probably more conservative, but I also work for a European company (but you said this was going to be 90% Americans in this event?). If I were going to wear that dress (I don't do sheer bits for business stuff, just a personal choice), I would go super conservative on everything else. hair up, stud or small huggie earrings, sheer tights (not bare legs here, but maybe fine there?) and conservative-ish pumps, likely in black. If it's a high-visibility event, you're not going for sex appeal, but for overall attractiveness, 'executive presence' and gravitas to a certain extent. I just think you want the right kind of attention and to be taken seriously -- it never hurts to catch the eye in an attractive way, but it shouldn't venture at all into deliberate sexiness. This is all JUST MY OPINION lol...based on a pretty conservative work environment, which just gets moreso the higher up you're dealing with. And again, I haven't been to a cocktail reception in the US since like 2003, so times they may have a'changed! At any rate, CGJ, you're beautiful and will do great regardless of what you're wearing.

Sheryl, was there a dress code specified for the party? Is it cocktail attire? Normally even for schmoozy work drinks, I just tart up the business look a bit. What clues do you have about the dress code normally for this crowd? (I can help advise you on this for sure, I have to dress for business for a European company all the time , I just need more clues...

You will be super sad and sometimes bitterly so. But (and remember this) you will also be okay. You will get through this and you'll be okay. Hang in there and cry at night all you need to.

I hope this doesn't offend you, cos WOW you are a beast on the exercise!! But I think you're doing wayyyyy too much of it, if I'm honest. For reals. http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-evidence-continues-to-mount-against-chronic-cardio/#axzz2sdd0mk8p ETA: 1-3 days a week, max, and mostly some swift strength moves and some sprints, supplemented by daily walking. Bada bing!

Hi all -- just checking in to say, I kept getting sicker and sicker and fevers and all that -- turns out I have acute bronchitis and dr put me on bed rest for five days (so far, let's see what happens when I go back next week). At least that explains all the fatigue and malaise I was feeling...finally came to a head. coops, so sorry to hear about your son's mentor. Tragic. My friend's daughter suicided last year and she's just barely hanging in there. My other friend's brother suicided on xmas a couple years ago and she just falls apart in the holidays. I'm just so sorry. (How is the name Hywel pronounced?) Florinda- fluffy in all the right places cracked me up...

I'm so very sorry to hear this, my thoughts are with you and your dear husband. I hope you can find reasons to have joy and laughter every day nonetheless, the moments you can share together and will remain in your heart forever. I lost my dad way too young to melanoma, cancer is a relentless bitch of a disease. I'm just so sorry. <3

Have we gotten negative? I'm sorry, I know I've been in a funky funk for a while now, I apologise for bringing the blahs with me every time I post. Urgh, I wish I could quit me!! Wanda, I totally feel you. I think I'm going to follow your lead and try the 4:2 (with long fasting periods every day) plus one 'larger than normal' day per week. I'll try that for a while, for sanity and for weight loss. Thanks for the inspiration!!

PS: my sleeved friend in London and I could use an excuse to come to wales. :-)

I agree, it seems like people aren't hanging about talking abt 5:2 and etc as much as before. :-( Hope that means they are good and busy with life. Congrats Cathy, that's great! Coops, you will be my role model for tenacity and never giving up for eating and everything else! I need to get a bit settled and then stuck back in to good practices - my eating is half clean as a whistle, half appalling, and I've got to cut back on the wine. Don't need the empty calories and DO need a better way to cope with excessive stress and anxiety. I keep thinking when things are back to normal, then X Y and Z...but things are often not normal anymore...

Oh I don't know, Georgia, good question. I haven't had Heinz 57 in a looong time, but I'm guessing yes. It most reminds me of a milder/sweeter A-1 sauce. I hate marmite and Vegemite too, but Aussies swear they are totally different substances lol. :-)

I know! I've learned not to say pants in mixed company. It's HP Sauce, and it comes in bottles. I don't think anyone makes their own. But they put it on lots of things. See also: marmite lol http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP_Sauce Heehee, my life too! But I love it. When I say reckon to Americans, they wonder if I'm from the South lol. But no, never used that word till the last decade and it ain't from the US. :-D

When I read this thread sometimes, I realise I'm bilingual American / British (not fluent, just conversant ) Grill = broiler (Americans don't do toast in the broiler though; they use toasters mostly) Red sauce = ketchup Brown sauce = nothing exactly like it in US I don't think, AKA HP Sauce, it's a bit like a thick worcestershire sauce or A-1'ish. Bacon = English Bacon that is yummy and much less fatty than American bacon American Bacon = streaky bacon Bacon Buttie = English bacon on white bread (usually with butter), not like anything we have in US Stone = 14 US lb LOL. Maybe there's more?

I'm...there's so much I COULD say that I don't even know where to start. I'm still, I think, the only one who hasn't lost any weight on 5:2. For reals, I'm not keeping anything back. There were weeks and weeks where I did it so 110% and...nothing. But then since flood, burglary, car accident, dog illness...and now sitting here in half-empty apartment by myself (using phone for hotspot cos no internet LOL)...and a bunch of work shit (on and on and on I could go) that I don't even bother spelling out cos wtf, you know? I am okay...but I'm squishy round the middle and weigh the same as always. The good news? I will be in my real apartment for reals hopefully by the weekend, so I will be hopefully back at the gym next week too. Fingers crossed that I haven't just slipped into oblivion on that... I'm SO ENVIOUS, Florinda -- no kidding. I'm just dying that you lost 30lb cos that is EFFING AWESOME. I am very happy and proud for you. Especially when things are mental and I'm just barely clinging to normal sanity during the day in work (never mind the bawling I do at night -- my husband doesn't know what to do with me...more crying in the past few months than our entire previous 15 years...poor guy, he's lovely and I'm just a mess) and sometimes having internet at night. But I love this group and I'm always thinking of all of you!! HUGS from me in my echo-y apartment. I will go to bed soon and hope for more than three hours' sleep in a row! xoxoxo

I never lost my hunger at all, which was sort of disappointing, but now I'm glad -- it's good to know when I'm really hungry vs just having head hunger. I used to be on three meals and three Snacks per day -- but now I'm on max three meals (two on 5:2 fasting days). I do get hungry between meals sometimes, but if you just ignore it for a few minutes, it goes away...or at least becomes less prevalent/in your face. I have found that low-carb/paleo eating combined with intermittent fasting (5:2 in my case) has done a lot to curb my hunger. But yeah, if it's not acid, then it's good old willpower and distraction that are the best tools! :-)

The only problem with this is, based on the research I've done over the years, the 'sweet spot' of metabolism is somewhere around your highest-ever weight, minus about 10-15%. So maintaining at a size 12 might be just as difficult over time as maintaining at a lower size. The body, even after many years, will still be trying to regain to the higher point, all those emptied out fat cells just waiting to fill back up again. It's not a hurdle that can't be overcome, but it is a challenge. Maintenance is sort of a nice way of saying, "lifelong diet of some sort" as there is no such thing as a flat line over time...

{{{Florinda}}} I hear you. I often feel The Rage. It sucks. But what are the options? Give up? I do that sometimes, but I always regret it. So... I think you are super hard on yourself - I bet you look way better than you think you do. We are so our own worst critics... Did you decide to stay the extra six months and bank the money? I can't remember if I voted or not LOL, but that is totally what I'd've done. How are you feeling healthwise? Did that dude who went all wacko on you ever apologise? My 5:2ing has been sort of sucky for so long. I feel a bit of a failure myself. I haven't really gained, but I've gone all soft and muffin-toppy in the middle and my trousers are tight in the waist. Good news is, we are moving back into our place again next week and hopefully we can get organised and settled in again quickly, so I can resume gym-going and not feel displaced and mental half the time... Hope you all are doing well. <3

My hunger went away for approximately 24 hrs post op then came back as normal. So I've really never lost it. BUT, it's totally still doable even with hunger (which I find important and useful).

I'm so far behind, jet-lagged and sick too -- but I just had to say, coops, I slept like the dead (must've been the sickness cos I NEVER do!) in my flight home...and woke up right over Wales!

sarsar, that is AWESOME!!! I'm super impressed!!!

Li'l Miss!! So good to hear from you. I'm sorry to hear of the hard times you've been going through, I hope you will be feeling good again soon! I'm only three years out now, but my Iron is still good--last time I had blood work done, it was a bit high even, but I will keep my eye on it, as I was already anemic when I was younger. Jane, too!! Wow, so nice to see your post! I'm currently in the too-much-wine-drinking situation myself, and have just been eating poorly since about three months now -- since our house was burgled and then flooded and we've moved into temp accommodation and etc etc etc. So I know the wine is causing my stomach to be bigger and flabbier, but I've gotten by so far with only about 5 lb regain from my lowest. I'm on a schmooze-fest/eating/drinking work trip and that ain't helping. Oy. But I'm going to hit the 5:2 and paleo hard again when I get back home and kick the wine habit too. Lordy. Anyhow. I guess there are always challenges to tackle, so here we are... <3

Sheryl Jane - I have had a few concerns re 5:2 and mood issues, beyond 'low blood sugar' stuff. I posted a thread a while back in the 5:2 forum abt 5:2 and women, as there is some (very little yet) indication that women may react differently due to hormonal issues. It's pretty thin but seems more will be coming I hope.