Amandine

@Average Investor Sorry, the "sweetsop" or "sugar apple" is the custard apple (it's just another name for it), but funnily it's got nothing to do with the apple family, it actually tastes more like a banana with a vanilla taste, it's incredible and satisfies one's sweet tooth every time, without the sugar! I hope you get to eat one of them one day. Apples by the way are one of my favorite fruits, I love the way you can really bite into them when you're feeling stressed. Do you think you'll ever go and live in Oregon one day, or another place that's "more conscious" than where you are now? Or has less rain, lol? Like in the distant future sometime?

You sound like a lovely brother @Average Investor, your sister's lucky to have you. ? She seems like a good bargain hunter too, albeit it "accidentally"! I like the idea you mention about the caravan, I often dream of escaping to live in one tbh somewhere tiny and user-friendly which doesn"t require much maintenance or housework, lol. The less space and crap you have (=more time), the more you can focus on the important stuff in life. Good on you for getting your priorities straight though, you've got a good head on your shoulders, and an efficient business mind, you're gonna go far. I love the way you don't really complain about anything (even the rain, lol!) or compare yourself to others (which in my opinion is the fastest route to unhappiness). You've already come a really long way just in the space of a couple of years. Ha, bet you wouldn't even be able to walk into a burger king now, let alone work in one, they must smell awful to you! Haha i'm wondering if some folk from your past would even recognize you now, with that weight loss, better skin, fitter body, etc! ? @Thittato Quality is always better than quantity in friends. Better to have one good buddy than a pile of lousy ones. Better to use one's alone time effectively and productively for a brighter future, than waste time with toxic unconscious people who bring you down and just make you feel even more lonely. Good on you for moving on too. ?

@Average Investor Thanks for all that great info, and the Sloppy Joe lettuce sandwich, sounds yummy. ? Have you ever tried using nori algae sheets too to wrap your salad ingredients in (you know the ones they wrap Japanese maki/california rolls in)? I love them for a low-carb snack, creating my own no-carb salad "sandwiches". Anyways, you sound super healthy, kudos to you for learning all that stuff on your own. ? Ha and nobody to sabotage all your efforts like that ex did. You inspire me now to not be so lazy and wash those damn greens! Gonna get me some spinach and also stuff like kale and romaine lettuce too, Dr Perricone often mentions those. I sometimes do his 3 day face-lift diet, and it's really incredible how great your skin looks after just 3 days of cutting all the crap out of your day! https://www.perriconemd.co.uk/dr-perricone-3-day-diet https://www.perriconemd.com/blogs/forever-young-blog/dr-perricone-s-28-day-anti-inflammatory-diet Mind you, I do wash my avocados when I get home, you don't know how many people fondle them at the market. Especially the French, they love squeezing and sniffing things over here. I love exotic fruit too like mangos, pineapple, etc, I've just bought some kakis today (sharon fruit) and I really love custard apples , they're usually around Autumn though. D'you know them? Here's a photo down below, they're delicious, really vanillary and creamy, great if you got a sugar craving, (but without the empty calories that sugar has), they're packed with nutrition. You eat them with a teaspoon and spit the dark pips out. I tend to avoid bananas though now. Ha, no more banoffee pie. They're also more or less protected from the pesticides due to their thick skins, but they've caused a huge health problem (and obviously tourist problem) for the French Caribbean islands. At the end of the '80s all the countries in the whole world signed a treaty to stop spraying chemicals on bananas (the sprays were to kill the worm parasites specific to bananas), all except France (cos of its territories overseas, the French Caribbean islands like Guadaloupe and Martinique). So France was given more time to slowly stop using the chemicals. However decades later they were still using the sprays, and the outcome is that there have been a lot of people really ill on those islands, cancer, the lot. Even though the chemicals protected the bananas from the worms, (so it's considered safe to eat them), these same chemicals seeped into the ground and water supply. It was only recently I think that France had to stop using them, but way too late when you look at the cost to human life and people's health. They say it'll now take a century to evacuate all the junk from the earth and water supply over there. Pff, it beggars belief! https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50144261 I do check my labels though and boycott as much as possible anything that is morally corrupt or cruel to animals or a big threat to the environment. Palm oil is a big no-no (orangutans, certain species of elephants and tigers threatened). I'll check them labels even more obsessively now after reading about your jar stored organic mango!! Good on you for spotting that!

Really interesting journal, you're doing great, I'm looking forward to following this! ? ? Well done on moving on from the toxic friends, I've had to do that a lot in my life, and it's been worth it. Much better people come along; we are always rewarded for moving on. And I bet that lil doggie gets in some good power-walking. While you're cruising along with Leo.

? Does it have a tune?

Good luck with your goals @Davidess; looks like an awesome 2020! ? "(relative to others ofc )" ps. sorry what does ofc mean? Of course?

Day 2: Today's weight: 61.6kgs (135.5 lbs) ? Weight loss so far after 1 day: 600g (1.3 lbs) ? Weight loss to go: 6.6kgs (14.5 lbs) left to go Starting weight: 62.2kgs (136.8 lbs) Goal weight: 55kgs (121 lbs) Total weight to lose: 7.2kgs (15.8 lbs) Daily limit: 1,600 calories Weight loss rate: 1 lb a week Date Ideal weight: end April Today I'm going to eat the same as yesterday for breakfast and lunch but will try and subtly shave off some calories from those 2 meals so I have more left over for the end of the day than I did yesterday. * 8.30am Wake-up coffee 87c Cappuccino 87 * 11.30am-ish Breakfast (muesli) 339c Ha, already better than yesterday! ? 10g organic unsalted cashew nuts (623) 62 + 15g dried juicy apricots (231) 34 + 10g Bjorg organic sugarfree muesli (367) 36 + 10g Jordans sugar-reduced granola (437) 43 + 10g organic oatbran (359) 35 + 5g organic chia seeds (449) 22 + 50g fresh forest fruits (55) 27 + 175g organic soy milk (46) 80 Total cals so far today: 87+339=426c Phew, that's more like it, so far so good ? * 2.30pm Lunch (croque monsieur salad) 706c Yay, progress! 100g Iceberg lettuce (17) 17 + 160g tomato (18) 28 + 55g bell pepper (20) 11 + 55g cucumber (14) 7+ 25g onion (40) 10 + 2g fried crispy onion (590) 10 + 12g mayo (661) 79 + 1g olive oil (900) 9 + 70g wholemeal bread (270) 189 + 22g cheese (352) 77 + 10g organic chorizo (498) 49 + 5g mustard (245) 12 + 10g Nori algae sheets (300) 30 + 330g organic orange juice (54) 178 Total cals so far today: 87+339+706=1,132c 468c left for rest of day. * Indoor bike (90 mins) burned 500 cals * 4.30pm Snack (latte and biscuits) 260c Latte macchiato 80 + 6 small vanilla lemon protein biscuits (40g) 180 Total cals so far today: 87+339+706+260=1,392c 208c left for rest of the day. * 8pm Dinner (lentils and veggies) 152c 200g steamed fennel 32 + 1/3 (100g/120c) organic vegan ready-meal (lentils, peppers, carrots, butter beans, chick peas, turnip, spices) 120 Total cals so far today: 87+339+706+260+152=1,544c ???? Indoor bike (90 mins) burned 500 cals ???? I think I could have actually gone without dinner and made the day resemble a sort of "intermittent fasting" one.

@Average Investor Ha, I think it rained in every episode of "The Killing" (Seattle), I said to myself that's one place I won't be putting on my bucket list of places to visit, lol. But you're right, you can always change your perspective. Better you than me though with all those runs in the rain, I bet you go the whole hog and take cold showers too, don't you? I'm all cosy on my indoor bike watching Leo's videos (it used to be the Real Housewives, lol) while I pedal away. By the way, do you wash your Icebergs or do you just buy organic (without all the chemicals on them)? The pesticides/herbicides would only be on the outer leaves though, wouldn't they? I actually only buy Icebergs now, I've got a salad spinner and all that jazz, but can't be arsed with all the kerfuffle rinsing them off, life's too short. And then my conscience is pricked when I read that non-organic lettuces are like at the top of the list of most toxic vegetables you can eat. To be honest, I think I only like lettuce/salads because of the naughty blob of mayo (=added sugar) I put on it. That's great that you're eating natural sugars (in delicious fruit) instead of the actual poison that is sugar. I bet you have to check all the labels though? Sugar is so sneaky (it's even in your toothpaste), it's got multiple personality disorder, it's got like 70 different frigging names. So seriously well done (and good luck) with that!! ? ?

Wow, good on you @Average Investor Just salads or with some protein, healthy fats too? Where do you live by the way? Australia or somewhere sunny? I just couldn't bring myself to eat refreshing melons and pineapples at the moment, it's the middle of winter where I am.

thanks for the info @remember veganism is definitely becoming more widespread and mainstream (even in France, lol).

Thank you both @Jonac @Meetjoeblack I'd be more attracted to stevia than honey though as a non-caloric substitute. ? @Vipassana @youngshinzen great ideas thanks, although not knowing monk fruit, I'll have to do some research. ?

Great pointers, @remember thank you ? Tbh I'd go vegan tomorrow (primarily for ethical reasons), I really hate how animals are treated. However, on a purely social level (going out for invitations with friends, restaurants) would probably be quite tricky as a vegan I imagine. And do you not get more tummy problems with so much raw plant food? I guess one has to convert to veganism very progressively for digestive reasons. I'm also wondering if I could even really become a vegan being a cat owner (when you see what he eats!)? However, as much as I can in my daily life, I try and limit animal products, I love dairy but always choose plant milks and creams. And I'm a big egg person, I love baking cakes and quiches, I love my avocado egg on toast. Ha, in my desperate youth, I sometimes used to do the "boiled egg diet". I ate only boiled eggs (you can eat as many as you like) for 3 days and each time would "lose" exactly 3 kilos during those 3 days! Apparently, it was what models would do before photo shoots. It was obviously mostly water weight I lost (geez, all that frigging peeing!). Nothing eggstraordinary, lol.

Thank you @Average Investor , that's a good point about favoring low calorie-dense/high-volume foods, I like that. Haha, way to get a nice big Buddha belly. Gonna get me a nice big salad for lunch. Satiety is everything. ? ps. On reflection, I've just erased the "advice" bit on my first message, just kept the "criticism" bit. However, I've never really been a smoothie person, the thing that doesn't attract me about them is the fact that eating the fruit (or veggie) whole seems to me a better option due to the amount of fibre which remains intact but which is lessened when the food is blended/puréed, and will therefore be less filling.

Day 1: Starting weight: 62.2kgs (136.8 lbs) Goal weight: 55kgs (121 lbs) Total weight to lose: 7.2kgs (15.8 lbs) Daily limit: 1,600 calories Weight loss rate: 1 lb a week Date Ideal weight: end April * 8am 87c Cappuccino 87 * Indoor bike (49 mins) burned 250 cals * 10am-ish Breakfast (muesli) 505c Crikey! 20g organic unsalted cashew nuts (623) 124 + 30g dried juicy apricots (231) 69 + 15g Bjorg organic sugarfree muesli (367) 55 + 15g Jordans sugar-reduced granola (437) 65 10g organic oatbran (359) 35 + 5g organic chia seeds (449) 22 + 100g fresh forest fruits (55) 55 + 175g organic soy milk (46) 80 Total cals so far today: 87+505=592c *Another Indoor bike (44 mins) burned 250 cals * 4pm Lunch (croque monsieur salad) 828c Bloody hell! 100g Iceberg lettuce (17) 17 + 156g tomato (18) 28 + 35g bell pepper (20) 7 + 20g onion (40) 8 + 30g avocado (165) 49 + 2g fried crispy onion (590) 10 + 10g mayo (441) 44 + 10g pesto (520) 52 + 124g rye bread (214) 265 + 32g cheese (352) 112 + 10g chorizo (498) 49 + 5g mustard (245) 12 + 320g organic orange juice (54) 175 Total cals so far today: 87+505+828=1,420c 180c left for rest of the day. Oh dear! My initial aim was for 1,500c a day, but I've had to change it already and raise it to 1,600c. I'm not going to be able to have much for later otherwise. I don't want to have to go to bed early cos I've got nothing to eat. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper, lol. * 4.30pm Snack (latte and biscuits) 170c Latte macchiato 80 + 3 small vanilla lemon protein biscuits (20g) 90 Yikes, guess I'll have to skip dinner, no more calories left. Can't say I'm hungry though (mustn't grumble!) Will just have to distract myself till bedtime now. Total cals so far today: 87+505+828+170=1,590c ???? Indoor bike (93 mins) burned 500 cals ????

Atta boy! @archi Can you just sleep during the whole "18¨" bit though? Or is that cheating?

I think Leo's said until he's blue in the face not just to limit yourself to only one source. Not to hang onto every word from him as the Alpha and Omega. Not to idolize him, etc. The world's your oyster. Learn from a variety of sources. I personally think Leo is helping many people out there who need him very much. I defy anyone to give me the name of another website as prolific with the high quality and quantity of material that is all pooled here in one place on all subjects. And the name of another spiritual guide who has given so freely and generously of his time as Leo has. What sort of responsability do you want him to take? Perhaps some eerie, ghoulish music playing while we log in our passwords with the message Enter at your Own Peril or something?

These are lovely @Bill W ❤️

Wonder where the original poster @veqsms has got to since he posted his question? Hope he's okay, and hasn't been walloped on the head by a handbag or anything.

I'm going to use this journal to track my Goals. Goal #1: drink less wine (1/2 bottle of wine per day maximum). I don't want to abstain altogether, I live in France, lol. Over the last couple of years, I've gradually become dependent on wine as a tool to relax. I think on average these days I drink around 3/4 of a bottle a day. I would like to evolve more as a person, become more enlightened, so I think this first step of cutting down on my alcohol intake is definitely the most logical place to start.

Happy New Year everybody! This is the end of this particular journal for the moment. I'll carry on respecting my goals as much as I can, but will concentrate less on writing here (which is actually frigging time-consuming), than on the actual Doing, I wanna now get started on the more serious SA work, I've gotta start some Inner child, Family of Origin, and Shadow work.

No New Year Resolutions for me.

Oh heck, sorry that happened to you Joe, and I was looking forward to a happy ending there. You're on the right track though, just keep avoiding the "crazies", got your head screwed on, me boy. ?? It's all trial and error (sigh) for us lasses too, the reality is you sometimes gotta kiss a lotta frogs before you find your prince.

Sometimes other people's comments (like on Amazon) are a good guide

Haha, thank you @Bill W you always manage to put a smile on my face! What I'm starting to realise is that ex-alcoholics can be incredibly funny and witty, while alcoholics can be so bloody boring (and repetitive), lol. The affirmation above that you like is from the Louise Hay book "You can heal your Life", she's an expert in the domain. https://www.amazon.com/Heal-Your-Body-Louise-Hay/dp/0937611352 I've been repeating it to myself for a week now, ever since the eye problem appeared out of the blue last Monday, and was especially repeating it quietly to myself through gritted teeth and clenched fists this morning while the laser beam was burning and torturing my eye. But touch wood, all is healed now, I'm still going to be repeating it though for a little bit, don't wanna be cocky too soon. Apparently, according to Louise Hay, there is something in my past, future or present I don't want to see. You can apply that affirmation that you like above to basically any physical or emotional problem, just repeat the phrase, feel it, believe it, ha, you can even meditate on it. Look in this link for your problem (all in alphabetical order) and understand why you have it (on a subconscious level): https://alchemyofhealing.com/causes-of-symptoms-according-to-louise-hay/ For example if you suffer from "Anxiety", she says it's because you're not trusting the flow and process of life. So you can repeat "I trust the flow and the process of life". You can even add that on to my affirmation above, so the whole thing would be: "I trust the flow and the process of life. I am protected by Divine love. I am always safe and secure. I love and accept myself exactly as I am". Look at these other lovely affirmations ? she has on her site, pick ones that resonate with you: https://www.louisehay.com/affirmations/ Leo has a video giving tips on how to make positive affirmations produce results : https://www.actualized.org/articles/positive-affirmations If you're interested but haven't got time to listen to it, you can quickly scan what he says in the tapescript given below the video. Good luck Bill, know too that I'm following your progress with your meditation and journal, and egging you on quietly in my corner. ?

Ha, the guys are probably still doing pick-up. In the article, they cite kids as a possible indirect cause. I wonder if SINK (Single Income no Kids) or DINK (Double Income no Kids) mariages generally last longer? Certainly takes a hell of a lot of the workload off a working wife. Women today, more financially independent, can afford to get divorced, they won't put up with husbands who don’t make them happy. So guys, happy wife, happy life. How do you get a happy wife? Always listen to her. And take out the trash. My wife and I were happy for twenty years, ... and then we met.