This is what I recorded here on 9th Feb “And I can’t believe it but this is 7 days without. I’d only intended to limit my intake of PB but I’m not wanting any, even though it’s right there in my face every time I open the pantry”. Speak too soon, as so often, siiigh.. the 10th was ok but on 11th and 12th I dived right back in. To the point that I felt very queasy last night, gave dinner a miss altogether, drank lots of water and have had a very careful day today. So, I will definitely not try to do my original goal i.e. one small serve on one cornthin per day. No, no, that just let the taste back in. So, to break free I’m cold turkey on the PB at least until the end of the month. Reconsider strategies then.

We’re all a work in progress here, V. This thread just helps to focus sharply on something while trundling along (speaking for myself here) with the rest of the plan.

No way can I have just one teaspoon of PB so I don’t eat it at all. I love it but like lots of foods from ‘my other life’ it’s easier to do without rather than have a ‘taste’. Mind you I really don’t fancy potatoes, rice etc. but I do still like PB, and a very occasional ginger oat biscuit or few crisps!

So half way through the month that means we still have half to go to fulfill our goals! I have had a less than successful first 14 days. Have managed reasonably well to stay away from chocolate but have still been enjoying red wine. So, I wan’t to say, just for today, I will stay within 100/40, just for today! We are out tonight so this is a realistic target …. just for today!

Halfway makes an excellent point for a re-evaluation. Whilst I have largely curbed the cheese consumption, I confess I have not stuck religiously to weighing and accounting for any consumed. Have drastically reduced my intake though, except for the pretty major slip last w/e.

So, room for improvement and another two weeks in which to do it.

Halfway thoughts re my butter+PB over-the-top indulgence, my goal was to modify, not necessarily stop; that I would have no more than 3g butter and 5g pb on 1 corn thin; only once a day.

That held good for the 1st couple of days then, except for a 2 day blowout that also included milk chocolate, I have been PB free and bad choc free. (total of 2 squares of 90% over this week is OK). I guess I’d give myself about a 70% pass and feel encouraged for the 2nd half. Good results on the scales is a bonus😃

My halfway review report is essentially ‘so far so good’ with one day going for two teaspoons, and two days without any, but the rest of the time sticking to one. I am away next week and probably not taking the jar so will ‘cold turkey’ the PB, and move my focus to keeping control of my wine intake.

Just over half-way through February and I’ve got to confess I’ve not been doing very well in curbing my new habit of helping myself to a spoonful (or two) of yoghurt whenever I’m near the fridge, particularly on an evening. I’ve always loved natural yoghurt so don’t want to stop eating it altogether, but it’s the pattern of eating that’s the problem – dipping into it while near the fridge, not weighing it or acknowledging the ‘spoonfuls’ as part of what I’ve eaten that day.

I gave myself a good talking to about BSD generally earlier this week (not done brilliantly on the current 4 week Challenge). I’ve re-focused and am determined to develop and keep my eating patterns healthy. Going to push on this for the next 2 weeks.

Hi Marie – just to say I’m with you. I’ve been focussing on when I eat as much as what I eat. For me the nothing after 7.30pm rule took a while to establish but is really helpful, at least at home (been eating much later here due to having to time it with friends and family). Evening is a very difficult time for snacking for me, so I still have the chocolate but just fit in before 7.30 and give myself a rest.

I do like a good root around the kitchen looking for ‘a little something’, and though this is now always BSD friendly I want to stop doing it. For now I just have the intention, but that’s how things get started.

Hi Jackie
I’m also with you on cutting down on the meat and upping the greens, seeds etc which I know you’ve already done successfully. I’ve used your post listing what you add to yoghurt for breakfast as the basis of mine to increase my fibre intake and manage ‘transit issues’. I might give the 7.30pm cut-off point a go, too.

Good luck with it! Perhaps we need to take up knitting to keep our hands busy! One time I got addicted to a phone game purely to stop snacking but OH got a bit grumpy as it meant I was too preoccupied to talk as well.

Hi Marie, it’s those habitual behaviors isn’t it?! Opening the fridge every time you walk past, opening the pantry door for the pb whenever I’m near it, not having a biscuit with my tea at home but ordering a piece of cake with my tea when I’m out shopping, buying a choc-coated ice-cream at the shop whenever I’m paying for fuel … I’m happy to say I’ve made serious inroads into each of those habits. While concentrating on the PB goal, without too much thinking about it I seem to have moderated the cake and ice-cream and haven’t had any for a couple of weeks. Don’t want to talk too soon about PB or chocolate as it’s only a week since my recent disaster, but…… early doors but it’s a start😊

Back to you Marie, you strike me as being a very positive person and having identified the habit I’m sure you will work out a counter to it, even if it is Jackie’s knitting ✋

That’s funny about the phone game, Jackie.
So, I’m now on my second day of strict 16:8. I’ve gone from 8pm to 12 noon. I’ve been not having breakfast and eating 2 meals a day for quite a while now so it’s not been too difficult (except for dropping the cup of tea with semi-skimmed milk I’ve been having at 9pm – replaced this across the rest of the day – so now I’m stopping this one – but, oh, it’s hard!).
Marsie, sounds like you’re on a roll, at the moment. KOKO. Thanks for the kind words. I’m hoping to do what you’re doing. If I can focus on breaking free, as Verano says, from one bad habit, it’ll help me break free from the others e.g. my cups of tea.
The knitting thing made me smile. My Mum was always known as a great sewer and knitter, and my sister is known for her sewing and crafting skills (she used to teach various crafts in her spare time). I was always known as the one who wasn’t/isn’t good. Nobody would want me in no knitting circle, and it would be much more likely to send me screaming towards that fridge!
Btw, I’m envious of the pantry, Marsie.

Hi Marie123,
Like you I have started to build up on the 16:8 stage. Its sort of sneaked up on me that I don’t feel like eating until late afternoon, and sometimes I don’t even fancy much to eat then even if its been an physically demanding day. A couple of days ago I was catching up the flock to trim feet, worm and ear tag the lambs and didn’t even feel hungry that evening.

I did read when I was researching fasting that anything upto 50 cals doesn’t take you out of fasting mode, but it didn’t say how big a gap between each 50 cal input works. Maybe some of the more experienced fasters on the forums could advise us on this, but that would suggest that having the occasional coffee or tea with milk during our 16 hours is fine.

As well as my body obviously liking living off my fat at present, it also seems to want to do an impersonation of a sponge. I am thirsty, but to put it politely, input isn’t being matched by output. It would be nice if the whoosh happens before tuesday, but I am sure one will happen sooner or later.

Hi I just read Jason Fungs practical guide to fasting and it says up to 4 coffees with cream plus a ‘bone broth’ (chicken carcass or other bones boiled with veg – a basic stock) could be taken ‘when needed’. The gelatine is apparently helpful. I will post the recipe when I remember where my kindle is.

I have fads on crafting, but it’s all a bit slapdash. I have lots of fabric and thread left over upstairs should the muse ever strike again. Current thing I do with idle hands is have a shower or post on here, but World Book day is coming and I’m going to make a Green Man costume for my son 😬

Hi, Jackie, I’m really really curious about what a green man costume is! Thankx!

Allie – It’s a bit off-beat, the Green Man is a folk lore figure in the UK – Pinterest have a lot of cool pictures. My son is mad on myths and I bought him a book on British folk lore so he wants to go as that.

Tbh I don’t know a tremendous amount either, I will borrow the book when he’s done. But definitely cool costumes!

Hi JGwen – I think you’re right about the odd cup of coffee or tea with a dash of milk being OK. I think I’ve probably been getting over-obsessed with my cup of tea because at one point I was drinking so many cups of tea plus milk each day that I was using up a lot of my 20 carbs on them. I’m only having the one now so I should relax! Hope you get your whoosh by Tuesday.

Hi Jackie – my reply to you got a bit long for this thread so I’ve posted it back on the 4 week challenge thread
btw – I have a ceramic Green Man face which hangs on a post in my garden which is now beautifully mildewed – but I don’t know anything about the myth either.

Hello to the break-free-ers. I posted happy news on the final day of our 4wk challenge ie 2.2kg loss this month, a very good amount for me and takes me to a new low. I’m now in the 59kg range though still over my BMI normal range,so still some work to do.
However, thanks V for starting this thread … Without having committed here to the focus on my PB overindulgence I may not have done anywhere near as well. It has seemed to act as the trigger for more discipline overall and in I was not really missing out but taking pleasure in what I was doing/having, well, it’s been very informative and positive❤

Well done Marsie! So glad to have been of some help. Sometimes we just need to refocus…. I do right now but being part of this community I know it will help me to get back on track.
Still 10 days to go so there’s time yet to make improvements. Hang on in there ‘breakers and makers’!

Very quiet here, we’ve all just drifted away. Almost the end of the month and I let PB monster out of its dark corner today. Not as destructive as in the past but worse than I was planning. A couple of days in Feb in which to push it back again. 👎

Hey Marsie – well not entirely, I’m still keeping a whether eye on the thread and trying to keep control of the cheese thing. Actually it’s been going fairly well, although if we have cheese as part of a meal – as we did last evening – my intake is for sure higher than it should be. However, day to day I am no longer opening the fridge for a piece of cheese just ‘cos I fancy it.

Well done on managing to keep the PB monster closeted for most of Feb and I’m sure your self control has had a positive impact. The month is almost done and our new challenge will be continuing to do as we have been this month!

I’ve been happily reading this thread as well, but as my commitment was no moaning about my back injury, I really didn’t have much to contribute except a comment that would raise the issue of my back. As the moaning was mostly going in in my head, I’ve spent the month trying to push those negative thoughts aside and replace with a quick, ‘just a matter of time’ and try to move on quickly. I have to say it was bloody hard, but well worthwhile. Overall I do feel much more positive about the long term and don’t catch myself in the sadness of all the things I can’t do at the moment nearly as often. So for me it’s been a really valuable challenge and apologies I couldn’t share during the month but so well done on the cheese and PB!

Glad to see a few people still here and sorry for not being a very good ‘host’ on this thread after starting it off. Glad that there’s been some success and although this month is nearly over, there’s no reason not to carry on into ‘Mad March’ with yet more resolve! Good luck!

Thanks, V, but I’ve never believed that the person who starts a thread is responsible for keeping it going. That’s up to those who want to participate, offering and receiving support along the way. And I do believe you did your bit here and elsewhere.

I like the Mad March idea, maybe we can keep it going with a review of the original goal and setting another. Hope we see you again before too long, Verano. xx

Hi V, yes I always feel responsible and want to keep people going but we are not our brothers keepers and can only be there if needed. I will be watching out for a new 4 week goal but not starting one as I am taking a mental (if not physical) break and just keep popping in and out.

Hi, V.! I know that I’ve said this earlier, but since you are about
to take a break, I think it’s worth repeating. I’ve always had a
great deal of gratitude and respect for how you have gone
about hosting a thread. They are always timely, and your
support of others is constant and filled with grace. In fact,
I consider you a “role model” for how it’s done! Thanks so
much for being such a welcoming presence. Take good care
of yourself, and I’ll be watching out for your return. You’ve
given so much here, now it’s time to do what’s best for you 🙂

xoxo

V – can only reiterate Allie’s eloquent comments above – you’ll be sorely missed, but you must do what is right for you. However, we look forward to welcoming you back whenever you feel ready. Good luck and hasta la vista😘

Oh, well, the end of Feb already … where did it go??
My attempt to keep peanut butter to a maximum of 5gm a day, on one cornthin with 3gm of butter didn’t last long, I soon found it better to go cold turkey. 3 breakouts during the month with only the 1st being way overboard. All in all, I’ve felt the benefit of this exercise, as noted earlier, it seemed to trigger a more focused approach overall. I wasted that a little in the 1st week of the March/starch challenge, but after a 24hr fast just completed I hope I’m back on track.

Thanks again, V, for starting this and suggesting caring with a mad March thread, which I think I will start up.
Cheers all x

Thought I would contribute a close out on how things went on my Break-free in Feb. Overall things have gone pretty well I think. I have certainly managed to side line using cheese as a go-to nibble/snack, although I am conscious that if cheese is to be part of a meal, I need to eat it mindfully and not over indulge.

Although I’ve not reported back in on this thread very frequently, I think it has been useful in helping me to focus on a specific issue to resolve, so I have already joined the new Mad March thread with a new issue to address – hope to see others from this thread joining too.