feedyoureye

I've done this whole thing as a vegetarian... gain, lose, gain and lose again. It can be done. I am known as a good cook, and its always veg. I do make "fake meat" from scratch now and then, to get that hit of "meat" without the meat. Some of the best veggie cooking I have ever tried, check out: http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/ Bryanna Clark Grogan has many cookbooks out to die for! http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/p/recipe-links.html

Just finished 2nd fast day this week, over a little, 650... but feeling good about it.

A discussion on this topic and 5:2- some hope...I posted this on the 5:2 group site, but thought some of you might enjoy all the links to research on the topic.... http://www.52fastdie...c395.html#p2542

A discussion on this topic and 5:2- some hope... http://www.52fastdiet.co.uk/the-5-2-lab-f10/topic395.html#p2542

why is it so hard to maintain a reduced body weight http://www.drsharma....or-obesity.html http://www.drsharma....ody-weight.html

true true

Just butting in here, I LOVE the 5:2, been doing it for 2 months and have broken a VERY long stall/gain spell. Have lost over 10 pounds. But the Vets that are doing it all recommend that people wait until they are out a year before trying it. Follow your docs guidelines. If you can't reach your reasonable goal by 12-18 months, or are having trouble maintaining your goal, or are gaining and cant lose it again... dig right in! After a year or two you really get to see how the sleeve and hunger and such works, and you will be ready to try this if you need it. So far the Vets that are experimenting with this plan really like it. See my stats below for my history if you like.

It just confirms what we all suspected. Getting the scientific field to see it is a relief, don't you think? We are NOT just lazy gluttons... and people who are naturally thin eat 20% more than we do to maintain. It is a heroic effort for us to maintain. We already know this first hand. Perhaps at some time there will be a treatment to support maintenance of weightloss.

why is it so hard to maintain a reduced body weight http://www.drsharma.ca/why-diet-and-exercise-is-not-a-treatment-for-obesity.html http://www.drsharma.ca/obesitywhy-is-it-so-hard-to-maintain-a-reduced-body-weight.html

2:45- been drinking on an ice protein coffee(100cal) all day so far. Like you said Laura, dinner will be a feast!

Loks like a good one M2G!

Fasting today. First real one in over a week. Im down a little today, 1.25 over my 5:2 lowest, so fingers crossed this fast day will get me closer or back to it. Trying a new flavor of Protein Drink in my coffee today, OHHH big adventurer! Its the small things. If you gals are ever over my way give a ring and we can go out for a coffee or something! Globe, Mendicino is beautiful! I taught an art class at the center years ago. Fun. OD, You from the Bay Area?

My home is in Sacramento CA, My friends home is in south island New Zealand.

Last weekend in LA- I'm on the left (in the LBD!)

Are you taking antibiotics? Those really screw with your body.... if so , make sure to get some probiotics, fermented food and raw fruits and veggies. I know you don't have much control over what you eat there... hope you feel better soon! I had Guardia and amebic dysentery while in India years ago... really knocked me down....

Fasted yesterday till around 4pm... went out to a FANTASTIC restaurant last night, Great friends, ordered 4 plates... salad, two veggies and desert (yes... I went there) I still managed to lose 1/2 a pound ... now that is magic. Friends going to San Fran today, then back home... so I get an early start getting back on track... have 2 1/2 pounds to get back to my 5:2 low. I can do it! Hi Jane! ... oh, and my hubby said the nicest thing last night, as we were leaving to go out he said "my wife gets sexier as she gets older! Most guys complain that their wives are letting it go (not sure this is true...), and Kim is just getting better" Wow, I was so shocked, he has never been a complimenter.

Still have company, but I'm home at last. I am at work during the day, so at least I can control what I eat until around 4 pm. I am on my own after the 17th. I decided to fast today until 4, so hopefully that will help a bit. I weighed in at 3 pounds up, I guess not that bad after all the days of snacking on junk (and some good choices too...) Lots of hikes over the weekend. Here is a pic of me(left) and two girl pals getting ready for the movie premiere and after party last week.

Still here, not using 5:2 on vacay, but CANT WAIT to get back to it on the 17th. I am seeing the scale go up and up... am still logging everything on MFP,and eating around 3-500 cals extra a day... so the pounds are prob at least half Water. Going to do lots of hiking in the next three days, so perhaps that will help a bit. Weight lost before vacay- from June 11th- 11 pounds

If you liked District 9 you will like Elisyum...polished up a bit without losing the directors flavor. I got my husband to watch it with me (I had seen it before) and he started eating only fruit and veggies every other day... which for him is really really good. He wants to lose some weight, but really its the health thing he is working on.

checking in... starting 5th day on vacay... got to weigh on my own scale today... up 3 pounds. Its been all snacks out of bags for days! crackers, cheese, dip, brownie bites, sesame honey almonds and cookies. Heaven help us all! Im not done yet. Up to the mountains tomorrow for a couple of days. I don't see a fast till the 17th, so thats 12 days without. Am I getting kicked out of this group yet? At least I should be getting some hiking in, and will be doing some of the cooking for the next week. More fresh vegies and such. I have been writing down as much as I can think of (MFP) and have been up between 300-500 cals a day... so some of this has got to be water. Back on the wagon on the 17th and hopefully a couple of other days in between as well. I am choosing to eat what I want, but write it all down as my plan... I kind of like it, but really, am looking forward to getting more order and control back when I can do most my own cooking and occasional NOT eating. So hard when its all on the fly. Did go to a star studded party, Jody Foster was there, but wasnt supposed to be there, so when I saw her I thought it was someone who really looked like her Many more as well, quite a bash. Later ladies!

I make a skillet pizza by laying down thin slices of mushrooms, summer squash and whatever in the bottom of a hot iron skillet, then veggie ground round crumbles or tofurky pepperoni, sauce, cheese, olives and whatever I have in the fridge... cover and cook until the veggies are soft and the cheese in melted. It does not slice, but so yummy and pizza flavored....

Im thinking those who have problems with constipation, this might really help in the long run....not to mention all the other things that its supposed to help!

Many snacks today, Trying to stick with some protein though, gave my hubby half my breakfast and left some. Had a nice walk. Met the director today, cute! (hes the guy who made District 9 and the one we are here to see, Elysium) Having champagne before the show, then there is the after party with lots of food. Im writing down everything I can think of in MFP... over by about 300 yesterday, today will be closer to 500 is my guess... but really... thats nothing to how much I could have hit the calories before the sleeve! As long as I get back on track in a few days, I think it will be ok (meaning not up TOO much) Having fun!

.... here is the rest of the list... Generalizations about Gut Bacteria Each healthy human maintains a subset of a couple of hundred of the couple of thousand different species of bacteria found in humans around the globe. The diverse community in each individual may differ in species, but has approximately the same complement of genes in people sharing the same diet. 1-200 different species of bacteria per person 1-2000 different species of human gut bacteria 1 million different genes among the different bacteria Most genes are involved in digesting plant carbohydrates, i.e. soluble fiber, inulin, pectin, fructans, algal sulfated polysaccharides, etc. Diet diversity, e.g. the Modern American Diet, reduces the diversity of the gut bacterial community, presumably because the rapid change in foods permits survival of only generalist bacteria that can digest many different foods. Simple diets produce gut flora diversity, but only if there is access to diverse bacteria. Health may result from diverse gut flora developed from a simplified diet and ample bacterial resources. Obesity and other diseases may result from simplified gut flora developed from a changing, complex diet and a sterile environment/isolation. Vegan and paleo extremes can lead to healthy gut flora diversity, if the gut bacterial community is permitted to adjust to the diet composition by avoiding rapid changes and providing diverse bacterial sources. meat contains complex polysaccharides, e.g. glycosaminoglycans, such as chondroitin sulfate and heparan sulfate proteoglycans, which are bacterial fodder equivalent to soluble fiber. Probiotics are unique bacterial species that do not persist in the gut of adults, but dominate the gut of milk eating babies and stimulate development of the gut and immune system. Probiotic bacteria can temporarily provide developmental signals for immune system development that are normally provided by a healthy gut flora. Damage to Gut Flora is Not Repaired by Diet Alone There is little or no effort being made by the medical industry to develop approaches to repair gut flora damaged by disease, unhealthy diets or medical procedures. This is similar to a surgeon stepping away from removal of a diseased organ without closing the wound. Antibiotics leave a gut flora that will remain permanently damaged without systematic, monitored repair. It might also be suspected that disruption of gut flora by antibiotics and the introduction of large amounts of new foods, such as high fructose corn syrup and vegetable oils may contribute to or cause the modern prominence of obesity. After all, gain or loss of weight changes gut flora, obese individuals have damaged gut flora, and trading gut flora between fat and lean animals, trades weight gain/loss behaviors.

prebiotic is what the microbes eat, and probiotic is the microbes themselves. here is one list I found of ways to repopulate your good flora...Eat your Sour pickles! Sources of Bacteria to Repair Damaged Gut Flora We must eat new bacteria in order to replace bacterial species lost by antibiotics or unhealthy diets. Probiotics -- specialized bacteria that grow in milk products Spices and herbs -- plant products abundantly contaminated with bacteria that digest plants Fresh vegetables -- bacteria are on the surfaces of plants unless the vegetables are cleaned or cooked Fermented foods -- Bacterial growth leading to acid or alcohol production has beed used in the preparation and storage of many foods and provides a rich bacterial resource. Environment -- Bacteria are transferred to our hands and face from other people, pets and surfaces, unless hands and the body are continually washed. Sanitizers and frequent washing of hands and surfaces eliminate acquisition of environmental bacteria to repair damaged gut flora. Social isolation and hygiene block repair of gut flora. Replacement -- experimental replacement of damaged with healthy gut flora (fecal transplant) has been very effective in curing many diseases without significant risks, but is restricted by the medical industry.