My biggest dilemma is that I have to take medicine in the morning. I don't want to eat until around 11 am because I like to have a late night snack of 100 calorie pack of cocoa dusted almonds. I've been putting off taking my medicine but the one I can't put off is an anti biotic.

I guess I can share this ,lol. I have to take an antibiotic before have sex or I will get a UTI.I have to take it with food.

I guess half of a Greek Yogurt would be 50 calories. I need to look up string cheese and baby bell light.

How about you? Is the 5:2 plan working with your life? I also don't like working out with my trainer on an empty stomach.

Will this not work if you have 11 hours in between instead of 12? There must be some reason you have to have 12 hours off.

Sorry! I just popped in for the first time in a few days.

Hubs got his deployment orders; all is busy, busy, busy around here - as if we were just lazy bored slugs BEFORE this nonsense!

I have not fasted all week. Still ticked about the weight jump from the hormones but it seems to be slowly shedding.

hair loss has slowed. Related to hormones, maybe? Or perhaps it's just run itself out. Who knows. TONS of new growth - little spiky baby hairs all around my forehead. Got a trim and opted for some heavy bangs. Super cute for oh, about 36 hours. Now they're just annoying. Everyone swears they took a few years off, though, so there's that.

Keeping the calories between 1,000-1,200 for the mo but definitely need to get my tuchus back on track. Seriously, if I can't keep it together in times of stress, I can expect to regain in the long run. It's easy to stay on track when life is a joy and a pleasure. When it's one nightmare thing after another? Well, that's when I need more structure. At least I'm not going totally offline - and I did log a pound loss from that stupid five pound gain, so that's something. I just haven't been home enough for fast days to be easy or convenient. I'm relying heavily on shakes lately - three a day some days.

New supplements seem to be helping a little bit. I have a bit more energy and feel less dead to the world all day long, but I'm still a ways from normal.

Ha! Normal. What's normal, anyway?

Sounds like everyone is having their own challenges and things, too. I'll comment in detail later today. Today is kindergarten open house and supply drop off, so I have to feed the kids and get them ready to go. Hubs is at the audiologist for a hearing aid, of all things. I swear that man hit forty and started to fall apart. It's a side effect of those years he spent as an artilleryman! In any case, I'm thankful we're stateside before his deployment so he can get these health things done. He's had non stop appointments since May for about a dozen different issues.

Hope everyone is doing alright. I'll respond to more stuff later. I tend to stay more accountable when I'm here every day, so I need to be sure I don't skip VST all the time. I'm just busy!

~Cheri

Cheri!

There you are! Oh but not good about the hubs

Hang on there, and know you got us...

Not the same I know but we have good ears for the listening

Fast day completed and all good - just under 500 today - had a few moments of hunger but for the most part, just CBA to eat! Not like me really...lol I did manage to go til around 4pm with out eating - that was weird but doable. Over night fast would have been nearly 19 hrs without eating! WOW!

Had a lot of running around to do today, so perhaps that is why I didn't want anything.

Gonna have a reduced cal day tomo - in between a fast and a normal day cos I am going to the pub on Sat night for a few ciders before we go back to school.

Cheri it makes me sad to hear your DH is being deployed. It so scares me everything going on out in this world today.... Miss you when your not around. You motivate me a ton.... LV sorry your having to deal with your thyroid being taken out, but your still look gorgeous when it's all healed and everything.... Good job Coops in getting back on track......Georgia thanks for the info on the vitamin D. i'm going to increase my vitamin D now, because I'm always low. I won't be fasting until next Tuesday so have a wonderful weekend. love to all Dorrie.

I REALLY REALLY REALLY want this to be true.

Sigh. Well, 3rd fast this week complete. 522. One good thing about feeling bad is you aren't hungry either. LOL

Sorry your still not well Georgia

But boy your killing the fast this week!

I've got 200 calories to play with for dinner.

So things are looking good.

And yes I want to be 140 too!

It looks like we're all shooting for around 140. I am now going to try to get back to my original goal of 135.

I did really well fasting today. I am glad I got that acid figured out. I wasn't hungry at all today. It makes me want to keep fasting, but I think this diet works bc of the 2 day fast .

OD, so glad you figured out what was going on!

Georgia, tell that bug to get lost for me will ya?

Laura, Like I said, I don't know where its going to come from!

End of Fast day, 437.... I could only eat half of my dinner... and SO glad I had some more calories to eat later... STRESS eating... I had a long talk with dad... about a bunch of stuff... MUST HAVE food. I reached for some left over rolled spelt, added some chocolate chips and PB. Honestly, is was so yummy, and still came in under 500. PHEW! Got out of that like a champ. Found a senior care counselor on line, we talked on the phone tonight, and she was very helpful.

Georgia, I would pay to see 140 - my ultimate goal is between 133- 138 - but even when I was young I never used to be able to stay that low - I was 140 for most of my late teenage years *sigh*

FYE - well done you on staying in you 500 zone! What an achievement. My parents are elderly but so far in good(ish) health. I dread the day that changes.

So I saw 161 this morning, hope it sticks for tomo as Sat is my 'official' weigh day, gratifying to see my previous low end though, even if it is up a pound tomo morning that will still keep me in my low end bounce. I wonder if I will be like Georgia, stay here for a week or two - a new mini set point - then go lower? I hope that is how it will work. I don't mind losing slowly as long as I am losing.

Yaay, and I'm claiming it! 152.2!!! 2.2 lbs from original goal I reached 150! Boy, I agree with all of my "pals" this 5:2 thing has been a life style changer and balancer for me!

Coops, I feel pretty sure 161 is a new low set point for you. Your body has dipped there and returning there. And I pound from the 150s!!!!!

I'm feeling "human" this morning which is good! Got houseful of company coming for holiday wknd. My son,DIL and baby Grand! So excited to see them but I know it will involve some eating out so have to be aware too!

FYE, what is rolled spelt??? And if it can be eaten with chocolate chips I need it!

FYE, what is rolled spelt??? And if it can be eaten with chocolate chips I need it!

152.2!? fantastic girl!

Spelt: ancient species of wheat from the fifth millennium BC. Spelt was an important staple in parts of Europe from the Bronze Age to medieval times.

Its just an early type of wheat, before wheat was hybridized and genetically modified to death. Rolled like oatmeal for quicker cooking.... in my rice cooker. I am always working to replace the "chocolate chip cookie" in my diet with something that is a little bit better for me... 67% chocolate chocolate chips, walnuts and oatmeal or spelt.... kind of does the job without too much sugar or junk. Go to in the face of extra sever head hunger!

awww... just got on the scale, day after fast... same number. I feel skinnier! Was thinking there might be a drop, but not this time...

Go to in the face of extra sever head hunger!

Was trying to type severe....think that severed head hunger is even better!

152.2!? fantastic girl!

Spelt: ancient species of wheat from the fifth millennium BC. Spelt was an important staple in parts of Europe from the Bronze Age to medieval times.

Its just an early type of wheat' date=' before wheat was hybridized and genetically modified to death. Rolled like Oatmeal for quicker cooking.... in my rice cooker. I am always working to replace the "chocolate chip cookie" in my diet with something that is a little bit better for me... 67% chocolate chocolate chips, walnuts and oatmeal or spelt.... kind of does the job without too much sugar or junk. Go to in the face of extra sever head hunger!

awww... just got on the scale, day after fast... same number. I feel skinnier! Was thinking there might be a drop, but not this time...[/quote']

So you cook it like oats and then add the chips and walnuts. Sounds divine.

Cheri - That has to be tough with your hubby. I thought he wasn't going to be going for a while, when does he go?

Laura - I hope that everything goes well with your thyroid. That is a tough one to deal with, our thyroids are so important. I hope your doc is amazing and really helps you through it all. And you will still be as gorgeous as ever, even with a little scar.

Georgia, I am glad to hear that you are starting to feel a little better.

FYE - I am thinking of you and your parents. My Mom has been ill for many years with MS and it is really difficult to watch a much loved parent go through difficult things. I am glad you had someone you could talk to.

For myself, I haven't been following the 5:2 for a about a week or so. I have so much on my plate on the moment, that I couldn't focus on it. I am still watching what I am eating and my weight has actually gone down a little. I just found out that my hubby might have to be out of town again next week and that is my first week back to work after being a SAHM for almost 7 years. We should find out for sure in the next day or 2, but I am not holding my breath that anything is going to change.

Anyways, have a great weekend everyone.

Okay ladies, I'm back on the wagon (kinda). I was shooting for a fast day but will likely miss it - I forgot I was going to fast and ate half a WW English muffin (homemade!) with Breakfast. That'll put me over for calories a bit but otherwise I'm on my usual fast day routine. Just started a bit earlier and with different foods. Eh. I went to bed last night before eight and didn't eat after five, so I'm probably close enough to my usual fasting gap, anyway!

I have to share (and chuckle to myself) as hubs has put on a few pounds since we've gotten back to the states. I blame it on crappy food here. Nothing tastes the same, quite honestly. I miss abundant produce markets with inexpensive fruits and veggies! In any case, he got the "your BMI is a little high" talk today for the first time ever. The man weighs 160 pounds but is usually right around 150-155 (he's 5'7") and yeah...was told he should shed a few. I think our doctors talk to each other because mine is the same way!

I see what you gals are all saying about 140 pounds and I'm thinking I'm probably the shortest gal here? At only 5'1" my doc wants me squarely in the 120s as my MAX weight. I'm currently popping back and forth over the 140 line (I was down to 137 before starting my new bc, thanks doc!) and am uncertain I'll ever see 135 pounds again.

Had an interesting in person meetup last weekend. Realized that the disparity between starting weights and our heights causes some people to be dismissive of other people. Had a gal kinda roll her eyes at my start weight because her goal weight is about sixty pounds smaller. Difference in height? She's more than nine inches taller than me!

It made me realize that the whole ticker/goal weight thing is misleading if your weight isn't attached to a height for perspective. This is a gal that would look emaciated at 140 pounds if she ever got there, so not only does my current weight sound ridiculously low to her, the idea that I should shed another ten pounds makes her perhaps a bit more dismissive of my situation than she might be if the number didn't sound comical to her.

Eh, just an interesting thing.

Hubs will leave in nine weeks. I'm hugely grateful that we got a heads up even a few months ago. I have had quite some time to get used to the idea. It's easier, too, because he won't be going into Afghanistan but rather on a UN Peacekeeping mission in Africa. About a billion times safer, even if he has to go for twelve months as opposed to nine.

And of course, one of the side effects of him being gone is that I always lose weight. Always. I hardly cook scheduled meals (between the twins and myself we eat about half as much as a normal person!) and I almost never bake anything besides sandwich bread for the kids. Without an office to dump extra food on, I won't be baking. I also forget to eat when he's gone, and with my kids off to school next week I will have to remember to eat something myself when the baby eats. I also have those extra hours to fill and usually fill at least some of them with exercise, something I'm far less likely to do when he's home with me.

Hope everyone's doing okay. I have about a billion checklists to work through and things to buy/sort before he leaves and need to get started.

~Cheri