gain goal regain How was your 5:2 day today?

[Georgia 2,908]

I was thinking after reading these today that you NEVER know what a person is or has faced in life. Kindness, faith, perseverance, resilience. All qualities of each and everyone of us on this thread. Kudos to all of us for becoming the strong women we are today. And if some days, we don't feel so strong, just know - you are!!!

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Wow! All these really heavy posts. I am glad we are all dealing with our issues and not using food to do it.

I am really depressed and I miss Allen, But I am doing good not running to get some sort of sweet thing to make me feel better. I am trying to use the opposite

tactic. I want to get back to my original goal of 135 so when I finally do see him,

he is going to be sorry for the things he said to me that caused the break up.

I have so much food in the house bc I cooked for him. I think when they do another food drive, I am going to have a lot to donate. I don't plan to cook a lot for myself. I wonder if it's healthy to live on Protein Shakes. They are so easy to make, and I hate cooking for just one.

This is so hard. I want to call him really badly. It's been 2 weeks now. I know if when it gets to 6 weeks. it will get easier. I have gone through break ups before.

Anyway, I hope everyone has a good day. I am going to work out hard at the gym. It helps with stress.

Globe I almost have another package ready for you.

What is your dianosis that you have to eat this crazy way?

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

oh Daisy I am so sorry you are heartbroken. You broke up right around the time of my surgery so i sorta missed the "why". I wish that I could be like my friend mary and just be content without having a man in my life or at least dating. My friend priscilla had a brilliant suggestion - to change my criteria in online dating,when i am ready to start that up - and look for someonewho does things i want to try. Just enjoy time spent boating, ATVing or whatever - doesn't mean I need to enter any kind of physical or emotional relationships. It was a novel idea to me since my life experience is pretty much focused around very long time relationships,

I am not upset, but contemplating the guy I see and if now isn't a good time to end it. we are both clear that it is not a long term thing, but been seeing him since April. He is the type that is easy to get hooked on but we are not a good match and he doesn't want a serious girlfriend So, we are exclusive but not committed if that makes any sense - a good arrangement for where I was at coming out of a very non loving LTR. Knowing him has helped me figure out so many things about myself - amazing really. However, I am finding that being with him keeps me from seeking out or desiring a more available person. I haven't seen him in over 3 weeks due to my surgery and he has a bunch more travel coming up so it might be easier on my heart to just let it fade away. This is the thing we need to talk about again, because he was concerned that I was going to do just that and the painkiller cloked phonecall was around this subject where I assured him that I want to keep seeing him. I DO want to keep seeing him but I want a more available boyfriend which are contradictory desires. Not sure what I will do, but in truth I wont start dating again until January at the earliest anyway...

[No game 14,437]

Daisy, I feel for you! I really do, break ups are so hard.... Especially in those lonely moments when you start second guessing yourself.

Be strong and know that you deserve a good person to complement your life, and I'm sure he's out there

[sarsar 824]

Sorry you are having a rough day today, Daisy. It stinks and sometimes life just sucks.

How about a little happy news today? I spent part of the day calling around for the part we needed for the washing machine. I found it, picked it up and put it in. Success! The washing machine is working again. I also stopped and picked up a battery for the scale. I decided to step on it and see what it said. I got all naked again...freezing my butt off...stepped on the scale and I was down 2 more pounds! This was even an evening weight and usually I weigh only in the mornings without anything in me. I won't really count this loss yet until it sticks for a week or two.

So far so good on my fast day!

[No game 14,437]

OMG I wonder if I put new batteries In my scale, would it love me back like that

Edited October 30, 2013 by laura-ven

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Sar, I am happy for you! I weigh at night too and i am always excited when my night time weight is lower than I expected it to be. Sometimes it's lower than it was in the morning. That really excites me!

It's still going to be hard bc I haven't even talked to him. I told him I was going out of town (bc I didn't want to deal with him) so he still has to come and pick up his stuff.. I am going to call him and tell him I will be gone all day Sat. at my daughter's babys shower so he can get into the garage. I'll take his stuff out of the house and put it in the garage. I'm hoping I don't have to see him or talk to him. I am sure I will have to at some point though.

Jane I admire how you're able to put your relationship into perspective.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

Sucks, I am sorry. My recent breakup - 15 year long term relationship - live in - was like a slow fall... it took years. When I finally "ended it" it had been over for so many years it was a non event basically. He is in fact my caregiver right now - we are more like roommates or brother-sister and plan to stay that way. He is step dad to my boys and co-parent to at least some of the household pets..haha.

Had the chat with my "boyfriend" - it went really well. We actually spent a nice afternoon together, talked about alot of things in life, in the past, the ideas for the futre.

I think for the first time in my life, I am somehow able to articulate my needs without feeling insecure or worried about the consequences or fear of rejection. I am learning alot in this relationship. anyway, nothing is resolved, but, he told me he doesn't want to lose me either - again we feel like we have a good thing going just a question of if we can find a balance that is comfortable for both of us. We shall see... in the meantime I focus on healing.

Sar, I am happy for you! I weigh at night too and i am always excited when my night time weight is lower than I expected it to be. Sometimes it's lower than it was in the morning. That really excites me!

It's still going to be hard bc I haven't even talked to him. I told him I was going out of town (bc I didn't want to deal with him) so he still has to come and pick up his stuff.. I am going to call him and tell him I will be gone all day Sat. at my daughter's babys shower so he can get into the garage. I'll take his stuff out of the house and put it in the garage. I'm hoping I don't have to see him or talk to him. I am sure I will have to at some point though.

Jane I admire how you're able to put your relationship into perspective.

[Globetrotter 1,340]

Just reading this thread today has been a journey with so many emotions. It just goes to show, everyone has a story. And as I read each response, especially about the fatsuit, the use of food, I think, "we sound exactly like recovering alcoholics or drug users" Avoid people and situations that we frequented in our "using" days, avoid triggers... fall off the wagon, get back on, abstinence ...

This VST support group, you guys, are invaluable. So much awful has happened in the last year and a half; lost my job, broke up with my boyfriend, lost my father, lost my home, audited by the IRS, deployed to Afghanistan, death and destruction all around, fear, and now my health.

There are 6 people in my world who know this, you will be the 7th en toto.

I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, also known as MS. That is the real reason why I went to Germany, we don't have MRI capabilities here. I am 31.

Devastated is a paltry word, not nearly covering what I have felt since the soft diagnosis July 17th or the confirmed dx on September 23rd. Bereft, grief-stricken, angry, depressed, hopeless, angry, sad, flat, scared shitless.

While I was in Germany I had good commercial internet access, wifi, and I was able to spend a lot of time on YouTube, looking up people's video diaries about life with MS, treatment, etc. That is how I discovered Dr. Terry Wahls and her protocol. I encourage you all to look up her TedTalk on Youtube. It's not just that she started eating salads and voila her MS is gone. No. But being a Dr., and being willing to experiment on herself, and having nothing to lose, she started doing her research. She wrote a book called Minding my Mitochondria (god how I wish I could get that book). Long story short, she was confined to a tilt recline wheelchair and now rides horses through the rockies and rides her bike to work every day.

So, I'm stuck here because if I were sent home, where would I go? I have no home, I truly am homeless. If I were sent to the US, I would be unemployed, which means no health insurance. Because of the IRS I now have no nest egg to fall back on. Bizarre as it may seem, I am getting better support and care out here than I would be in the US.

And so I do what I can to attempt to follow the Wahl's Protocol. It calls for 9 cups of veggies a day, all colors, sulfurus. No wheat, dairy, soy, or corn. Obviously no sugar. Lots of Omega 3 rich foods, B6,B12, and D, grass fed hormone free etc. organ meats, seaweed or other iodine rich foods, and electrotherapy for muscle stimulation.

MS is a neurological condition which, more and more, Drs are starting to realize a link between neuro and autoimmune disorders, which in turn they are discovering are linked to gut health/permeability. So it may all have started with Leaky Gut Syndrome, I don't know. All I know is that at 31 yrs old, I had only just one beautiful year of living, post VSG. One year of being a real woman with potential and a future and life and beauyty.

The song from Rent, "will I lose my dignity" keeps running through my head, ..."will I wake tomorrow, from this nightmare?"

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I will look the book up on Amazon tomorrow. If it's not too expensive, I will get it for you and send it to you.

(((Hugs))) You could always come and stay with me for awhile when you get out. I have a big house and I am all alone. You're my daughter's age. She's a nurse. She needs a new friend.

See, you are not homeless.

[UK Cathy 977]

GT it took a lot of strength to tell us, thank you. I cannot offer anything practical I can only offer prayers. I hope that does not offend you as in this day and age it is say to cause offence when the word prayer is used. I am a great believer in prayer , it is not a matter of asking for a cure ( but that would be nice) but for asking for peace of mind for you so that you can sleep, think more clearly and make right decisions. I send you a big (((HUG))).

[BrownDoesAll 409]

Good Morning ladies. Everyone has a story, that's what makes us who we are. This explains why we have come so far in our weight loss journey's because we are strong survivors. Everyone has had to overcome something, or in some cases still struggling to overcome something, and weight loss is just one of those things. When I think about it the extra pounds at this point are a small blip in the obstacles some of us have had to over come. UK Cathy I too believe in the power of prayer and send a pray out to all of us, for peace of mind, body and spirit GT I would love to help OD send that book to you. OD I'll PM you to see how we can work that out. It's a fasting Thursday for me. This 5:2 is not moving my scale much (maybe my batteries are bad.. I wish) but.. no biggie. I know what I have to do and I'll just keep on until I do. Keep your heads up ladies, my montra "Stay strong and focused"

[M2G 1,836]

Wow...I can see I've missed lots this week. Just also sending out prayers for all of my gals on this thread. Everyone has some issues and while they might differ, there is definitely a common thread in regards to eating. Hugs to you all!!

I've not been "feeling" the 5:2 this week, mainly because my girls are gone. I *thought* it would be super-easy because I don't have to cook for anyone but DH and I, but we've been eating out, buying special stuff and cooking it at home (like a $15 SINGLE steak, nice cut of meat, but it was awesome it fed us both last night) and so just generally being lazy in regards to my eating. We didn't buy Halloween candy but are instead offering to help out at our church's fall festival tonight so we won't just be sitting home handing out candy. I did, however, cave and buy candy corn. I know I know dumb move, but I've been portioning it out and mixing it with almonds. OMG...so good. And when the bag is gone it's gone, NO MORE. lol

The one thing I have been doing is killing it at the gym, so that has been nice. Everyone is like "oh are you have so much fun with the kids away?" Um, I'm stuck doing homework (already have my bachelor's from 19 years ago but getting a certificate to up my game in regards to my career) and did something super-exciting like having all my moles checked for cancer. So not exactly FUN, per se, but I know *they* are having fun so that makes me happy. They come back Sun. hopefully I can get my head screwed on right to have a proper fast day at some point...soon!!

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I resisted when costco had samples of halloween candy. I walked right by the baby snickers bars, used to be my favorite! It is tempting, but I am just feeling so good with my weight back down to 150 as some swelling has subsided. Is it true what they say, success breeds success? Like when you are doing good it is so motivating to you want to keep doing good?

So, alot of you have researched 5:2 more then i have. One question I have is this - since it isn't REALLY a fast 2X a week, why is eating 1/4 of normal a health/longevity benefit? I ask because I want to get back to it, but also want to be sure I am getting enough nutrition for healing. I will wait a few more weeks, but just wondering how 500 calories is considered a fast for purposes of the longevity... why not 800 or whatever?

[Georgia 2,908]

Sorry you are having a rough day today' date=' Daisy. It stinks and sometimes life just sucks. How about a little happy news today? I spent part of the day calling around for the part we needed for the washing machine. I found it, picked it up and put it in. Success! The washing machine is working again. I also stopped and picked up a battery for the scale. I decided to step on it and see what it said. I got all naked again...freezing my butt off...stepped on the scale and I was down 2 more pounds! This was even an evening weight and usually I weigh only in the mornings without anything in me. I won't really count this loss yet until it sticks for a week or two. So far so good on my fast day![/quote']

In the words of Phil, Happy, happy, happy!!'