Youngest dd and I had pow wow today about food, training, and editing house

[lighter]

Youngest dd and I are trying 5:2 eating plan,  beginning next week.  Oldest dd going to Peru for 10 days, so we'll have a chance to get into a routine, clean out the house and pantry, and go back to basic martial arts training.  Oldest dd very adamant that she'll control what she eats, and when.... doesn't want any input from me or younger sis.  That's that.\

Here is the link we watched today... lots of science and research we found interesting.  It's worth a good try.  If it works, we'll consider doing the 4:3, but first.... 5 days eating normally, with 2 days eating 500 calories.. will try Monday and Thursday to begin.  Can be switched up, so there's some flexibility.  I'm interested to see how it goes.  Tired of food, in general.  Interested in splitting up the duties.

 https://www.google.com/search?q=Eat%2C%20Fast%2C%20and%20Live%20Longer%2C%20BBC%20%20site%3Ayoutube.com&rlz=1C1VFKB_enUS789US789&oq=you&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i57j69i60l3j0.4147j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&ved=0ahUKEwi0iIzwgNzbAhUOXK0KHdpvDfYQ2wEILQ&ei=jgMnW7SJFo64tQXa37WwDw

Youngvest DD and I on same wavelength right now.  It's nice.

Lighter

[Twoapenny]

You're very good with all this eating stuff, Lighter, I just can't be bothered!  I did us a nice roast yesterday which means nice left overs for sandwiches today but generally I just do whatever's quickest and easiest.  Let us know how you get on with it and whether you find it tough going or not xx

[sKePTiKal]

Holly and I have already started talking about food. She really doesn't eat much and doesn't eat terribly well, either. (And I know exactly where that habit came from - bad mommy.)

But she did suggest fresh fruit, sandwiches, CHEESE - which is one of her true food cravings... so I do have to try to find ways to add vegetables in, for both of us. I explained my cooking one day a week for left-overs or something quick/healthy to pull out fridge and eat cold or quickly heat up and casseroles.

[lighter]

Well, I got up early, had 3 lovely fresh mushrooms, cooked oldest dd scrambled eggs with carmelized mushrooms, and shallots... she loved them. It felt nice to have that before putting her on a plane.  I left the airport first, before all the other parents.  Partly bc dd said she didn't necessarily need me to go in with her, and partly bc she was busy, and happy to be with her friends, not paying me any attention.  I trust she has what she needs, and will make out OK without me. 

When I got back home I had miso soup with more mushrooms sliced think.  It was lovely.  Youngest dd got up, and  I made her the same eggs as oldest dd, and we began our workouts.  I have to say... I was giddy with it. SO HAPPY to be teaching again, and she already has a bit of martial arts background, enough to know what she learned in karate was different than what I teach.  DD amazed at everything we went over... lots.  She got hungry and made a miso soup, with greens and got sleepy.  At that point I spent an hour going over basics she'll see tomorrow, then we went for an hour jog/walk ending in 3 short sprints, with cool down periods between.  It was easy, and happy, and we brought baby girl Pug with. 

A late trip to the grocery store, in preparation for breaking the fast, and into bed we went.  There was much joy today, and music from my old workouts (80s pop) and dancing.  Dancing is a surefire shortcut to happiness, every time, IME. 

Pug got me up for a late night potty break, and I'm glad I checked the board.  Glad my update is positive as it is. 

Tupp... when you have the energy and space in your head... when you're ready... you focus on food, and being more active.  When you don't have the head space, energy and time... you wait for it to come, and I'm content with my day, even if the little voice in the back of my head says I SHOULD have cleaned out my closet, worked on the garage, worked in the yard, and cleaned out the pantry and fridge. 

Pfff.  I had a great day, and I'm looking forward to a similar day tomorrow.  The SHOULDS can go shag themselves.

Amber, youngest dd came into my room yesterday and asked to speak about food.  I was researching the 5:2 plan, and we fell into an excited chatter, made a plan, and kept on researching.  It's nice when everyone's on the same page, and no one is dragging the other along, IME.  I feel like I've been dragging my girls, one or the other, for the last 10 years.  It feels like I've broken out of sludge, and move freely just now.  Not sure how long it will lasts, but I'm enjoying it now.  I'm hopeful oldest dd will get back from her trip, and be interested too, even if youngest declared she'll quit if that happens. 

::sigh::.

They're so competitive.  So oppositional to each other.  It's been my habit to shrink away from their conflict, and do nothing, which hasn't served any of us.  I write that and think.... I've done so much.  So much research, so much with food planning, and supplements, and lab tests... I've learned a lot, and youngest dd and I are finally putting together our own happy groove from it.  That will have to be enough for now.  I will bath in this happiness, and just let it be. 

Lighter 

[lighter]

I've used this product twice, once where there was no one to give me a jump in a parking lot while I was rushing around my father's memorial service.  Once late night in a University parking lot that was almost empty.... I had kids depending on me to pick them up.  It was bad, and I learned where the hood release was HIDDEN on top of it, along with the fact I can't have radio on in my new car for half an hour without the battery going dead.  That's not the way it is in my big truck, so oldest DD did the same thing a couple months later.


https://www.carbatterychargerscentral.com/portable-battery-jump-starter-top-rated-new-dbpower-battery-booster-lineup/

I purchased the DBPOWER 600A, which sells for around $70.00 on Amazon. 


IT'S AMAZING to have the freedom to get your car jumped when there's no help, or you don't feel safe... I used to carry regular, super long, jumper cables, and that was great... if there was another car around, or asking for help feels like it might land in you more trouble than you're already in.

Everyone with a car should consider getting one of these battery chargers.  I've used mine and the charge has held in the upper 90%.... I don't have to keep charging it all the time with use, though I should have a regular schedule of checking and charging it.   Easy to do, btw.

THIS is a great gift for new drivers, and graduates, IMO.

Lighter

[lighter]

DD wants to fast tomorrow, and Friday, so that's 3 days of restricted calories instead of 2.  I'm not sure I'll join her, but have intention to.

She's been hanging in there with martial arts training.   Standing and doing what's asked of her, even if she grimaces and guts it out.  She's a trooper... also very funny.  A joy.

I moved furniture around so DR has table and chairs again.  For a while it was just chairs at the bar, and in front of the tv.  Farm table back in place.  I forget why we moved it.  Better this way. 

We put blue painters tape on floor in LR, to do foot work game DD loves.  She loves anything GAME, frankly.  I think I've been side slapped by endorphins.... giddy happy.  Not used to them.  Glad they're back.

Lighter

[Hopalong]

I'm glad FOR you, Lighter!

 

Hops

[lighter]

Thanks, Hops.   

OK.  Update on the fast eating plan.

We're trying to train our bodies to burn fat stores exclusively. 

We're drinking teas and water only, some coffee for me... maybe 12 oz a day.

  The stuff coming off, first, and for me.... is the fluff'round my middle. There's no annoying love handle action going on over my jeans, which is the last thing that happens BEFORE I can't pull them up and fasten them.  Not surprising love handle fluff is the first things to go with this plan... just going more quickly than expected,  bc I'm eating normally as much as I'm restricting to 500 calories at this point. 

Mind, I'm not eating GF non GMO corn chips right now... which is something I was eating.  I'm making better choices while, at the same time, making other stupid choices... 2 tbs coffee ice cream in morning coffee, which I normally NEVER do... but... making it through a fast day means I make bargains with myself. 

Making bargains means I'm not thinking about the regular stupid stuff I'd normally eat, hence, no GF carbs, at least not daily.  I think my mind is going to auto reset..... one GF carb a week.  I don't think about this, but it's IN my brain, and I've done it successfully for extended periods of time.  I think it's just a product of being mindful.

With that said, reguar (FEAST) days... don't you love that word?  Feast days find my stomach shrunk down a bit, and I get full more quickly.  Today I find I'm craving what I like to eat on FAST days, which is eggs.  I try not to eat the same things 2 days in a row.    I'm also going to switch up the greens I choose every other day.

We're planning to eat Indian curry this evening, and I plan on a Thai salad with peanut dressing for lunch.  I eat later in the day, bc hunger strikes later for me.... 8pm and after. 

Another wonderful fact around this program is that when we restrict calories for 2 days or 3 a week, new cells fire like the 4th of July in our brains.  They believe this is bc early man would bring down a large animal, feast for days, then run out of food, and get hungry again.  That meant he HAD to be sharp, and energetic to GET another large animal.  So, instead of shutting our systems down, we're energizing our bodies and brains when we limit calories, then feast, then limit.  LOVE THIS. 

I still have a bit of fluff around my belly button, but expect that to be gone in the next 4- 6 days, depending on the choices I make on feast days.  The smarter my choices, the quicker I'll feel better in my clothes and nickers.  I get that.  It's not my motivating factor. I COULD eat pizza if I wanted to, or nachos, or whatever, but I'm not craving them.  I don't have to think about it right now.  If I do, I'll likely make that stupid choice, not beat myself up for it, then go back to making better choices.

The one thing I don't mess with is the strict 500 calories on FAST days. 

I know my body gets a rest, my cells repair, and I'm burning fat stores, not muscle mass.  THIS is critical.  Most diets we lose 50% fat, and 50%muscle mass.  That's not good.  I need my muscles.  I want to build them, in fact, not burn them up while eating stupid.

I don't have brain fog, or not that I notice.  Sometimes I notice brain fog. I'm very clear today. 

I feel empty, but not hungry, so will go ahead and make the Thai salad.  Interesting, it's a feast day, and I still haven't eaten.  I'm not driven to. I'm not craving anything at all, but I don't want to wait till I'm ravenous to start making choices either.   

So far so good; )

Lighter

[lighter]

This evening we ate a hamburger on salad dinner, made Cloud Bread (for the first time,) then learned the line dance to Foot Loose the movie. Lots of laughter, and.....
dancing's a short cut to happiness, for sure.


Tomorrow dd15 begins 3 days of Four hour driving lessons in a row.  She's a bit terrified, and not sure if she wants me in the back seat or not.  Will see.

Wish us luck.

Lighter

[Hopalong]

Damn! That sounds very impressive, sez Hops sitting in her fluff. Ugh.

Do you have a link to a vegetarian version of this diet that's simple enough for the diet-disabled to follow?

I'm feeling inspired. Thanks for sharing this.

xo
Hops
PS--Have to add that I was convinced by a couple researchers (nutrition PhDs) I interviewed some years back, however, that one who wants to lose weight should aim for NO MORE than on-half to one pound per week. Because big studies show that long-term, that is the kind of loss that is sustainable. Whereas crash or fad diets almost always show up later on as pounds regained, and new, permanent fat cells added to the body.

[lighter]

Hi Hops:

I have to say that eating vegetarian, outside the one egg, on FAST days is pretty easy.  Mostly bc we can eat so much more food IF we keep it vegetarian, outside the 75 calories in the egg. 

Fresh greens, and beets, and cabbage, and asparagus, and brussel sprouts, and mushrooms.... I crave them.  I ate a salad tonight, and zucchini ribbons as pasta, and I have to say.....

I
am
starving. 

I get that I'm burning straight up fat, and that SHOULD make me feel better about feeling hungry, but hard to focus on that.   I skipped the egg today, and I think that makes a difference with HOW hungry I get.  I'll make sure I have at least an egg from now on.

The main thing about doing the 5:2 is to cut back your normal caloric intake to 25% of whatever it is on those 2 FAST days.  Doesn't matter what you're eating.  You're supposed to eat breakfast IF you normally eat breakfast.  I prefer to skip it, and just have a coffee with a bit of grassfed butter, and stevia. 

Cutting out all breads, pastas and stupid sugars is wise for everyone.  Certainly it's a good idea here, bc nutrition dense calories is a THING when you're hungry, IME.

For me, this program lends itself very well to vegetarian eating.  Like I said, we eat just veggies 3 days a week, if you aren't counting an egg, and I'm embracing NO MEAT whole heartedly for the first time.

There's two links below with sciency information on fasting.  I hope you find it interesting.  Let me know.

Lighter



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ihhj_VSKiTs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9Aw0P7GjHE

[Hopalong]

Thank you, Lighter.
I tend to take in stuff better by reading and found this, which helped too
]https://vitals.lifehacker.com/[object%20Object]

Also read another thing from the NHS (U.K.) but it was dated....

It's unrealistic but I remember research way back about how extreme caloric restriction extends lifespan. So intermittent fasting may be a good compromise for some. I doubt I'd be successful with that level of tracking, maybe I should just go join WW. Never done it before.

Fluff begone!
Hops

[lighter]

Eh, you can watch the first video... in an epson salt bath.... with a candle lit.... just relax and get through it, Hops.  Maybe?

You should have a bit more info before joining WW, IMO, but good on you getting started.

Whatever works for you, that's the right plan.

Lighter

[Hopalong]

Yep. Just read more about WW, not thrilled about the cost. YOU are eating the kind of food (minus animal stuff) that I want to eat. WW seems like it pretty much supports standard American eating....

There might be a free nutrition support group, something at the Y, etc.

xo
Hops

[lighter]

Look up 5:2 Fast diet website... I think there's all kinds of support there.  I m all over videos from all sources...still researching detail of food choices, when to eat and what supplements to include.  Learned lots today.

Lighter