The A2K (virtual) Weight Loss Club !!

Isn't that the truth - when those endorphins or whatevers get going, it's mahhhhhhvellous.


(did Penny get a chance to go to the gym?)

Soz, just think how impressed they'll be at the great shape you're in from so little effort!

Back at work today.
Bad News -- I'm in cubeville
Good News -- There's less food available

I'm here, I'm here! I just got back last night from a lovely Wisconsin New Year celebration. I "forgot" to weigh in this morning but will do so tomorrow, it's bound to be a nasty number. Today is my first fast day and so far so good. Dinner is a green smoothie for me and beef stew and corn bread for the rest (it's freezing as you know). Hope the fasting and fruiting went well! Cheers, Ade

Nope, but interesting idea!

We did just get back from the Franklin Park Conservatory, though. We had a great time! Sozlet took approximately 7,541 pictures. (OK more like 100.) As sozlet said, "We've GOT to come here more often..!" Really lovely on a cold dry winter's day.

We'll have dinner, do some sifting and winnowing, and then post a bunch on the Hamster thread.

5 degrees (F) outside.
Looks like a "cross-training" day.

I haven't convinced my tummy that the holidays are over yet.

YIPPEE!!!![/color]

First goal accomplished. I saw a "7" for the first time since October 25th -- the day we left for New Orleans. I'm down 10.5 from my pre-holiday peak on Dec 3 -- the day I returned from DC.

The first fruit fast day went surprisingly well. I picked the largest specimens of each fruit I could find so that it would fill me up and I chose fruit with decreasing water content. I had a grapefruit for breakfast, a navel orange around 11:00, a pear around 1:00, the biggest apple I've ever seen at 5:30, and a banana at 8:00. Taking the size of the fruit into account, I think it was about 600 calories and surprisingly satisfying. So was the number on the scale this morning -- at least as a starting point. It certainly gives me motivation to continue with it.

Carmen Miranda fears you.

I always think of her with a pineapple as part of her fruit display. I just looked for a picture of her with a pineapple ('cuz she reminds me of pineapple and it's on the menu for tomorrow -- yum) but none of the pictures I found include pineapple.

This one looks pretty tasty.

Good for you, J_B!

So remind me, isn't the fruit fast every other day? What are you doing on the alternate days?

Originally I said I would 'eat normally' on alternate days but I've tweaked it a bit to better match with my exercise plan. I want to make sure that I burn fat rather than muscle when I do strength training and I need protein for that. I'm getting lots of carbs on the fruit days so I'll skip fruit on the alternate days and focus on proteins, veggies, and grains, but not necessarily in limited quantities. Also, I'll let myself reach into the remaining Christmas cookies or peanut bag (or other sinful pleasures) on non-fruit days.

The idea is to not be overly restrictive on the non-fast days (or to gorge to make up for the previous fruit-fast day), but because of my exercise schedule I'm going to boost protein intake.

For example today I plan on:

Breakfast - 2 eggs, sauteed spinach, red pepper, red onion, mushrooms.
Lunch - grilled turkey, cheese, and artichoke panini
snack - hummus and whole wheat pita
dinner - baked pasta with meat and cheese with a side salad
after dinner - ??? cookies or other snack, if hungry

That should all add up to about 1400 or 1600 cals, depending on portions.

Then, tomorrow when I do aerobics instead of weight training I'll have the energy from the pasta and breads and won't miss the protein when I switch back to fruit.

Mr B did a complete fast yesterday. He said he was hungry when he got home from work but he felt good this morning. He'll eat a normal lunch and dinner today and then try to fast again tomorrow.

Do you think you'll be getting enough calcium and healthy fats on alternate days to make up for the fruit days? Do you take a multivitamin? I'm no expert, of course, just wondering.

Please keep us posted on your progress. It sounds very interesting.

I do tend to eat a lot of dairy and leafy greens, so I think I'm ok with calcium and I take a mv most days. I also eat nuts and use olive oil for cooking as well as take flax oil supplements. Good points though, thanks.

Be carfuel with the flax oil supplements, they have caused Mr. Bonds a lot of grief, JPB.

Hey -- maybe I can try out for the local softball team this spring!


















<not>

OK, Granite-Puss, how's your weight-loss program???

JPB--

Good start.

Your menu for today sounds delicious.

JPB
I didn't go too crazy on my feast day and am doing fine on my second fast day. Will weigh in tomorrow and see what has happened. I am also working towards adding exercise. I know that I MUST get moving but have realized that I can't change everything at once. Is Mr B having only water on fast days? Today I've had a greens and fruit smoothie, herbal tea, and water. You are very organized. I hope to follow your example! A

Water, tea, and chewing gum.

My second fast day is going fine as well, other than I almost killed myself on the treadmill. I'm glad to hear that it's working out for you. So far, I've lost 0.5 lbs on each of the two feast days (due to exercise, I'm sure) and 3 lbs on the first fast day. I'm imagining that the rate of loss on fast days will slow down as I get rid of the 'easy' lbs.

If you look at the workout link above you'll see that I've doubled up 8mm into three days instead of six so that I'm only lifting on days that I'm eating.

I ended up not making the baked pasta last night. The panini turned into a much bigger sandwich than I'd originally thought of making. I was still stuffed a dinnertime so I had some snacks and a glass of wine instead of dinner. Big breakfast, mega lunch, snacks, cookies, and wine and down a half-pound. I'm liking it a lot!

(I feel like the kid caught peeking in the steamy windows at the gym.)

Stress keeps me trim, George, but I am feeding some folks that are fighting the pounds, and watch you folks for inspirational ideas for my menu....