Life in the Fast Lane

It's Monday again and I almost forgot to write a blog post! Well, today was my first successful fast day of the year. I'm on the 5:2 diet which means I fast for two days of the week and eat whatever I fancy the rest of the week. When I say fast, I don't mean that I abstain from food altogether, it just means I cut my calorie intake down to 500. A normal calorie intake would be about 2000, depending on your size and the amount of exercise you do. I have quite a sedentary lifestyle, rarely exerting myself. If I'm working then I'm on my feet, wandering around the shop floor. On my days off I might take a walk down the beach, but I'm not one for running. I take a yoga class once a week, and that's enough for me. I know I don't need many calories for my 5'7" body.

Today I had a cup of Earl Grey for breakfast, and a cup of decaf coffee for second breakfast. I was feeling quite hungry by lunch time, by which time I had been shopping in town with friends. When I got back home I had a delicious bowl of oats with oat milk, an apple, and another cup of tea. Food tastes so much better when you're fasting! I then met a decorator, a carpet fitter, and a plumber about the flat, so we should get those things sorted soon. After that, I was out shopping again, we were on a mission for a friend's birthday. I came home for dinner time to have a beautiful piece of salmon, with six cherry tomatoes, a handful of runner beans, and a cup of tea. You really learn to appreciate food after a fast day, and so long as you keep busy, you don't feel hungry. At the end of the day you feel awesome for what you've accomplished, and safe in the knowledge that you can eat whatever you want the next day.

I know I have eaten a ridiculous amount of chocolate and other naughties over Yuletide, and it's not done me any good. This fast diet will help me shed a few pounds of winter fat. But the 5:2 plan is more than just a weight loss diet, it's potentially a lifestyle that you can keep up for your entire life. There are supposed to be all kinds of health benefits, as professed by Dr Michael Mosley. If you want to learn more, visit http://www.thefastdiet.co.uk

Thanks for reading my blog, do leave a comment to let me know you were here! I will make a video at some point, so stay tuned!

Comments

Approaching Summer Solstice

The tarot card I pulled today was The Knight of Swords. This card provokes us to consider activities we want to do, travel, being out and about, getting things accomplished. I feel lately that I just don't have the time or energy to do all the things. I am feeling tired, a little lost, somewhat fed up. I am trying to connect with what brings me joy, my passion. The Knight points to a need for silence and space to deepen our understanding. Clear cut answers are revealed when we focus our minds in meditation. The oracle card for today is Mystic Mermaid. She reminds us to pamper ourselves with a heavy dose of self-love. I think it's been difficult for me to remember to look after myself with the most basic things like a healthy diet and good sleep. I am having to remind myself to drink water and stop doomscrolling on my phone.

The Dorset Ooser

A massive wooden head with snapping jaw mechanism, real horns and hair. Photo from 1883-1891. The Dorset Ooser has possible connections to the horned costumes sometimes worn by participants in English Mummers plays. The etymology of Ooser is also disputed, with various possibilities available, but I think it's most likely the same as the Oss, a snapping skull paraded around during midwinter. The pronunciation is very similar, and it's simply a way of saying "horse" without pronouncing the h. These teeth-gnashing heads are also known as 'obby 'oss or hobby horse. One use of the Dorset Ooser was to strike fear into villagers who were perceived as shameful. Usually the target was an unruly wife who had disobeyed her husband by raising her voice, scolding him, beating him, or cheating on him. A woman who was perceived as a bad wife was forced to ride backwards on a donkey or horse while the angry Ooser snapped his jaw at her and a crowd of villagers beat their...

Back Again

I found my old blog by accident. I forgot all about it. Apparently I have to pay a subscription fee to be able to access the same features that used to be free. Maybe that's why I stopped blogging. I've been using instagram as a blog for a few years now. So it's been almost a decade since I last logged in here. What can I update you with? There's a little bit too much to say. I split up with the boyfriend I was blogging about last. He was a lovely guy, but it ran its course. I found a little studio flat in the centre of town and lived by myself for a year. That was a really nice experience. While I was there I met a new guy and started a whole new chapter. We moved to Weymouth in 2021. It will have been 4 years in August. The time has passed quickly. I turned 40 last year. I don't feel any older than when I was 30, but I feel frustrated that I could have done more with my time. The state of the world hasn't gotten any better, and I'm increasingly aw...

Search This Blog