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Fasting / 5:2 diet

Fasting in Patagonia

55 replies

wildwater · 29/07/2013 17:21

Hi everybody! I can't work out which is the latest thread...so have decided to start my own! Maybe some of you will join me...or else let me know which thread to go to. (I suspect it's over #26 by now, but can't find it...)

Everything is going really well up here in the Andes. The weather has been perfectly settled & glorious for the last two weeks. Two days ago we climbed the mountains behind El Bolson - right up past the snow-line. Walked through the most amazing carved forest...all sorts of animals & figures lurking there in the snow! Took lots of photos. Wish I could post them here, but...?

We are continuing to fast as usual. No harder to do than anywhere else. Probably eating more on non-fast days but then I think I have reached 'goal weight' (probably under 60kg but no scales available to check) so that's OK. I am walking everywhere and feel full of energy.

I am loving my 'new' body. Things like putting my hands in the pockets of my jeans and finding my hip-bones! Now, when I see my shadow in front of me, it looks good. (Before 5:2 I would see my shadow alongside people I was walking with, who looked normal, and decide that wasn't really what I looked like at all - but how we fool ourselves...)

People here are really interested in 5:2. Everybody has noticed the difference in my size from 7 years ago! Our host is fasting along with us, and he says he already feels much better.

LL and I are still looking around for a piece of land to build our house on. The piece we were thinking about fell through, but I am pleased about that as it was outside the village. I want to be able to walk into town rather than have to catch the bus. Fun to look around, and have the choice.

Hope to hear from other 5:2ers soon.

Chau for now (smile)

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Talkinpeace · 29/07/2013 17:36

Silly question .... do they use coca as an appetite suppressant where you are ? or is that mostly further north and higher in the Andes?

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wildwater · 29/07/2013 18:34

hi TIP! Good to hear from you. The answer is: I don't know! I did hear LL say that a friend's teeth were ruined by chewing too much coca, so I guess it's around. haven't come across it yet though...watch this space.

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BetsyBell · 29/07/2013 18:35

Good to read your posts wildwater, love that I'll be able to see them all in one place!

:)

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wildwater · 29/07/2013 18:39

Thank you! Wish I could post photos here...

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Talkinpeace · 29/07/2013 18:56

you can ... through your profile .... and if you override the default size you can make them BIG !

friends who travelled in South America said there was NO WAY to get through hard working days without the Coca

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wildwater · 29/07/2013 19:34

Hmmm...through my profile...do I have one here on 5:2? Or can I upload pics from my camera roll on iPad? A Bit confused (as usual!) but will attempt to work it out!

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BsshBossh · 29/07/2013 19:39

I love the positive reaction you are getting towards fasting, and that your host is now fasting too! The people around me here in the UK are much more cynical about it, but perhaps because they keep reading about it so it sounds faddy to them. What's the Argentinian food culture like (I imagine meat!) and is there a lot of junk/snacking now?

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Talkinpeace · 29/07/2013 19:53

"my mumsnet" - top right .... my profile .... make visible (at the very bottom)
then go to my photos and add all you like - and make them public

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ELR · 29/07/2013 20:04

Hi wildwater glad it's all going well. Know what you mean about the hip bones! Tmi but most noticeable when me and DH are having a little fun his hip bones dig into me now!! Good luck on your bit of land.

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wildwater · 29/07/2013 21:36

Thanks - will try it now!

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wildwater · 29/07/2013 21:48

Well, that seemed to work, but I now have no idea where they are!

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wildwater · 29/07/2013 22:05

Thanks BsshBossh. I'm sitting here on my fast day eating some cold broccoli, a raw carrot and a couple of hard boiled eggs, with a hunk of dry bread. Just finished a two-inch piece of cold black pudding, as well.

Although there is a lot of 'junk' in the supermercados, nobody we know seems to eat it. You don't see people wandering the streets gobbling chips. Not much evidence of lollies either - apart from the ever-present dulce de leche, which is unutterably divine ( even though I don't have much of a sweet tooth).

Big emphasis of course on meat, which I am not crazy about (gets stuck in my teeth!) but getting more used to. Plenty of good basic veges...have been making lots of soup.

As time goes on I will be cooking much more of our own food. We have been eating out quite a bit, and buying locally made ravioli to go with our home-made sauces. This must stop! (Well, not altogether, but mostly.)

Will also do my best to change our evening meal to an earlier time: folk here tend to eat very late - after 9 or so - then go to bed on a full stomach. Muy mal!

Thanks for being there. You are one of my 'rocks'.

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Talkinpeace · 29/07/2013 22:11

you need to set your picture sand profile to public ....

what meats are on sale in the market?

how much land are you looking to have?

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Panadbois · 29/07/2013 22:25

Just wanted to say, my parents have been to Patagonia and can't wait to go back Grin


Helpful ,no?

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wildwater · 30/07/2013 12:58

Hi again TIP. Thanks for the help with photos. I have made my profile etc public...managed to up-load one photo ( which came out upside down!) but now the Mumsnet server doesn't want to accept any more, for some reason. I'm looking at how to reduce size of pics on my iPad...these things never seem to be straightforward.

On another note, I have found the perfect site to translate English/Spanish easily. Not a substitute for actual learning, but wonderful when I really need to communicate something and don't have enough words...

Fast yesterday went well. Never felt hungry for a second. I'm now sitting at breakfast table with pot of black coffee and three sesame crackers with vegemite and soft cheese.

I'm off to the artisans' market in El Bolson today. Might even treat myself to one of the best ice creams ever - all locally made with fresh produce. NZ prides itself on its ice cream but has a thing or three to learn from here!

Will pick up some stock bones and veges later to make a big pot of soup.

Chau for now...

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Talkinpeace · 30/07/2013 13:08

go to my photos
and
upload more photos .....

I think upside down is PERFECT for Patagonia

  • and delighted to see another greyhead on here : the tyranny of hair dye passes me by
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wildwater · 31/07/2013 05:13

A very weird day indeed. LL left two days ago to put son on plane in Chile (much closer than backtracking to Buenos Aires). Had neglected to book bus across Andes, so they had to stay extra day in Bariloche. Finally making it to the border: big problem. Son had neither visa nor parental permission from his mother in NZ...apparently he should never even have been let in to Argentina without this! Plus LL had refused to contact airline to let them know ahead that son was now going to board at second stop (not BA). A great big fine for all the bother...I don't know just how much, yet. Also LL had not taken credit card or much extra cash; was freaking out when he phoned me as to how to pay for everything. What a lesson, and what a story for son to tell when he eventually gets home. I still don't know if he's on the plane now as he should be. Just hoping that LL keeps his temper- doesn't get slung into some horrible prison or similar - and manages to find his way back across the Andes to me. (At this point I think it would be quite a good idea for him to walk.)

Today I planned to buy pumpkin & potatoes to make a soup, with the spinach we already have. But the vege shop was shut when I went down the road. Everything closes between around 2pm to 5.30 or so, which makes life interesting.

Our host and I ended up eating the same corn & spinach tart we bought for lunch. I also made a loaf of whole-wheat bread with sunflower & sesame seeds, which turned out very nicely. (Thinking of you Breadandwine.)

I'm really looking forward to finding some scales and weighing myself, as I haven't since leaving NZ nearly a month ago.

Cheers to all :) (Smiley buttons etc not working via iPad for some strange reason.)

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wildwater · 31/07/2013 05:14

Good heavens! My funny-face somehow instantly converted!

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wildwater · 31/07/2013 05:17

Oh, and TIP - I have been trying to upload more photos but I think I really do have to re-size them...it's taking too long and they're zoning out. Hate all this fiddle-fiddling around with technology, don't you?

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Talkinpeace · 31/07/2013 09:15

Gosh my days are boring by comparison!
How old is said son? Will he dine out on the experience?

Pictures : I'll upload another one later and check the settings as I go (I used to do remote computer helpdesking - just not normally to users in Patagonia!)

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wildwater · 31/07/2013 14:34

Son is 15 and in fact practically able to look after himself - not a little kid anymore. But it would have been awful for him to get stranded in a foreign country (even though he was born here). Since I heard nothing further last night I am assuming LL managed to talk his way through it all - embassies & all. And yes, I expect that son, his mother and myself will indeed dine out on this one for many years to come! (Although mother, who co-ordinates foreign/South American students in NZ, really should have foreseen this and taken steps herself...so LL is not entirely to blame...)
Anyway, I'm waiting for LL to getting touch.

Today: soup-making and clothes-sorting. I do seem to be spending quite a bit of time hanging out on my iPad.

Will be great to get on top of uploading photos to Mumsnet. Your help is much appreciated.

About to pour my morning coffee. Cheers for now :)

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peplum41 · 02/08/2013 05:49

Hi wildwater, your life sounds exciting! Love hearing about how easy you're finding the fasts, inspiring to those just starting out.

Adore your hair!! It's such a lovely tone. What colour was it before and did it turn uniformly or salt and peppery? Thanks for keeping us posted about your new life, living vicariously and all that. X

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frenchfancy · 02/08/2013 06:25

Great to hear from you wildwater - what an exciting life you lead.

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wildwater · 02/08/2013 22:48

Hi everybody...very quickly: LL found his way back, son is home in NZ -all is well!

Will write more soon. Yoga, big dog, land...

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Talkinpeace · 02/08/2013 22:51

YO YO YO
and MN have sorted their picture posting glitch

PS
once our kids are at college, can we come visit

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