Hi Natalie,
I really feel for you with the fibroids, I have been there. No wonder you are finding it impossible to stick strictly to BSD at the moment! Maybe just try to make make Med choices until you are not in pain any more.
I hesitate to mention this when you’re just 3 weeks out from a fibroidectomy. I had finished having my kids and was suffering with debilitating pain and ridiculous blood loss, but for some reason when the surgeon presented hysterectomy (keep ovaries) as the way to guarantee permanently solving the problem, I had a weird hippy attachment to my uterus and decided to just have fibroids and ablation.
This was very successful initially and I was happy.
However within 2 years I was back where I started! Ended up having keyhole hysterectomy, kept ovaries, and while the surgeon was operating he found lots of endometriosis on my bowel which he removed. Fabulous!!!
In hindsight, I am fine without a uterus, I needn’t have felt overly attached. And I wish I’d gone the hysterectomy option up front, and avoided further pain and inconvenience.
(But then again, if option 1 had fixed the problem long term, I’d have been laughing!).
So what should you take out of my experience? Just this. I realize in hindsight that I did not listen properly or with an open mind to what that first surgeon was saying to me, as I had already made up my mind to keep uterus if at all possible before I walked in. I just didn’t realize at the time that I was not truly hearing his primary recommended course of action, and I did not correctly weigh the possible consequences of the choice I made.
Your case is of course so individual – but just think back now to your appointment with the surgeon – did you take their top recommendation for your case? Hope the answer is ‘yes! It is the obvious and best and only option for my situation’ and all this blah blah is of no use to you whatsoever! ☺ But I had to share, as if there is a small chance you can relate and would alter course and save yourself years more of nightmare, it would be worthwhile. Because oh man, it just sucks, doesn’t it?
Very best wishes to you, look after yourself, and good luck! x

Natalie
So sorry to hear of your suffering, but so pleased that you only have 3 weeks to go before you will be free of all that!! As Kookaburra says try sticking to the ‘M’ plan if you can, difficult with raging hormones, but try to keep low carb if nothing else. Keep us informed of your progress, before and after. xx

Today I was down another pound and am feeling a real difference in my body. The ‘visceral’ fat I presume is going ‘cos everywhere is feeling better and the fluid retention is definitely vastly improved!!
Have a good low carb day everone xx

Thanks Kookaburra I think I did go into my appointment with an open mind, I prefer to take the conservative option but I was ready to have a hysterectomy if that was what was suggested. My gyno/surgeon seemed to be suggesting fibroid removal as first option, then a Mirena device put in if needed as I do also have adenomyosis and only if those don’t work to have hysterectomy. It is so hard to judge beforehand what is needed. Too late now, anyway, I don’t want to go back to the start of the waiting list!

I’ve been maintaining my weight, at least I’m not gaining! Proud and jealous of all those sticking to the plan. I’ll get there, still in time for summer! (Spring here in Australia.)

I had one of those moments this morning after cooking bacon for breakfast. Was I ‘bad’ for all the fat and salt (most dieters would think so) or ‘good’ because no carbs? Is everything ok in moderation, or should I abstain completely – and if so from what? I guess this is why having a set diet can make things easier, you don’t have to stress about every meal if you follow the rules. But I’ve been on so many diets with so many different rules it can get confusing.

I said to my brother-in-law once that I was trying to think of one single food that had not been vilified by one diet or another, fat or sugar or processed food, butter vs margarine, meat, dairy, carbs, soy, salt, starchy vegetables, fruit… I came up with one category – dark green leafy vegetables. Everyone recommends them! The only safe food! Nope, he said. If you’re body building and want high density food you have to avoid anything bulky but low calorie because it fills you up without delivering much energy. Damn it! (I don’t know if he was right, by the way, never done body building, but it makes a good anecdote!)

That is so true Natalie, everything we eat and drink has been condemned by someone. But the BSD is promoting good healthy food, nothing artificial added. There is so much research going on around the world ‘cos doctors and scientists are realising that the sham foods we have been eating have done the harm!! It isn’t the fault of us mere mortals that we are overweight. We have tried every conceivable diet going, always losing weight, but haven’t been given the tools to maintain. We now know that low fat, high carb isn’t the way!! Every diet club I have joined has promoted this way of eating and here I am 63 years old and fat (getting thinner though!). But from the remarkable feedback on this forum, it is obvious if you embrace this way of eating, and lets face it, it is a fantastic way of eating, you will succed with losing weight and maintaining. Everybody on here has had days (or more) when they’ve eaten more than 800 calories, but they’ve gotten back on it and achieved amazing losses and gained good health and a renewed zest for life. There is such hope in all these posts that we can’t help but be encouraged to carry on. I am certain that your recovery will be quicker following the BSD as well. There is a very bright future out there for us all, everyone
of us.

Yes!
I agree. I think when you take Scotland for example..the diet up until the 60s would have been
Am.. eggs or porridge
Lunch: quite often the main meal. .mince..stew..soup..veg..potatoes..but not a lot of potatoes for the ladies
Eve: maybe poached egg..fish..milk pudding..etc.

Then fast forward to the 70s 80s..we were definitely being told to eat pasta and rice and baked potatoes in great quantities. Pasta and rice definitely labelled as healthy. In a decade or two..the actual diet constitution plus the portions changed dramatically..together with less active roles (less manual labourers) . Is it no wonder the obesity crisis and health concerns.
I for one realise that with the pasta and bread and rice I just blow up..it’s as if us Scots are not designed for it. In the old days..the most carbs a lady like me would have had was toast soldiers with a boiled egg and maybe 1 or 2 potatoes with the main meal.
But still..even the dietary advice for us fatties is to stock up on bread and pasta and rice.
Anyway..today has been a good day.
Tomorrow will be another I hope!
No bread..no tatties..no rice..no pasta. My fave lunch just now is grated carrot with beetroot and tuna. Keeps me going all day.
Tatties cone xx

Great to hear you’re doing well Tattiescone. Snap! For lunch I have beetroot and carrot salad but with feta and walnuts. Haven’t tried it before but looks good.
A young girl I work with (19 yrs) has just started SW ‘cos she loves carbs and is going the old route. Horrified at the mention of no carbs!! We’ll see how we both go, my monies on the BSD. Bacon wrapped chicken for dinner, recipe on forum, very nice.
Have a great low carb day everone xx

But isn’t it irritating when people refer to BSD as “no carbs”.

It’s like when people say “-but what CAN you eat???” And I usually reply “how much time have you got, because it’s nearly everything”

After BSD in a normal life I don’t feel I’m lacking anything much – the only time is when, like yesterday, OH and I were in a coffee shop, and he fancied something to eat with his coffee. Aargh.

How have we got to the position that EVERYTHING is full of sugar and there are literally NO ALTERNATIVES?

So much sugar all around us. He went outside and bought some cheese and ate that 🙂

But just a thought – is anyone else thinking of how to wean kids off “treats” ALWAYS being sugary? I know not harmful on an occasional basis , but we have got ourselves into a situation where we feel we/members of the family often deserve a treat and that’s inevitably sugar so eating far too frequently. I’m going to try and change my mindset on that one.

Treats are a tricky one, everything is pastry or sugar. My kids eat a lot of fruit, which I think is fine for growing active bodies. I make my own yoghurt and I like that with berries (to make it extra fancy I grate a little dark chocolate on top) but I’ve tried serving it to guests for dessert and oh the faces they made while trying to be polite! Not sweet enough.

Yes.
The treat thing for the kids is very very difficult. It’s all sugar. And shitey sugar at that! I have this thing with my kids where I say well you can have that (maybe a wee bar of choc) as oppose to ie those tangfastics or skittles..which are shitey sugar. At least in the chocolate there is a little goodness from the milk and the cacao! I agree that a little bit of sweets does the kids no harm especially at the running around stage. My older boy is at the stage “I’m hungry” me..have an apple ..him..looks like I have offered him a worm. And that’s the difficult part, because once they start moving a bit less or going down the town for their own lunch..you have less control. Not that I’m controlling..but I really do not wish for any of my children to have weight issues like what I have had for the 2nd half of my life. I am trying to protect them. .but every conscious not to scare them. Just trying relaxed nudges.

Having a good day so far.
Xx

I asked my daughter what treats she gives her daughter. When she was younger she loved cherry tomatoes, raw veg crudites, with dips of various kinds (peanut butter, cream cheese, hummus) popcorn, oatcakes (as good as digestives but not so sweet), rice cakes, and she occasionally kept roasted veg in the fridge (carrots, parsnips, peppers) ready to nibble. Of course, fruit, nuts and seeds. Sweets were included but not on a regular basis. She is now 12 years old and doesn’t want many snacks at all. She likes sweets but give her some grapes or berries and she is over the moon.
Hope this helps xx

My daughter is 12 too! She likes the higher calorie snacks of cheese and nuts, but would always choose sweet junk like biscuits if they were available. My son is 9 and likes apple, grapes, berries, cherry tomatoes, capsicum, pretty much any raw fruit or vegetables. They are both active and a good weight for their age but I do worry about the future. They will stuff themselves with junk if they can get it. I looked like my daughter until puberty when I got chubby, so being slender as a child is no protection (although being obese that young would be even worse). I try not to have junk in the house very often, but my problem is with drinks. My husband insists we have juice and cordial available (for him) so the kids are drinking a lot more sugar than I’d like, and in its worst (liquid) form! Not sure what to do about it.

Hi Natalie,

It sounds like you are working hard to protect your children from what we now know is an obesity epidemic. I also have a husband with a sweet tooth who buys chocolate and lollies. I have asked him to a) keep them out of site and b) not eat them in front of the kids.

Juice is only allowed at parties and special occasions. I personally got very overweight as a child and I will not let this happen to my kids as it is now known that 80% of overweight kids end up obese as adults.

Is there anywhere your husband can keep his juice/cordial out of sight? Can he drink it out of metal bottle so they don’t see it? Has your husband read some of the data coming out on how unhealthy is sugar is? Maybe if he read a few articles he would want to stop having it in the house.

Great that you are setting a fantastic example for your kids. Gluck.

Good Morning everyone. Another chilly autumnal day here.
For linch I am having beetroot and carrot salad again, it is delicious! For dinner – omelette and salad, followed by greek yogurt and berries as always.
Drinks are difficult Natalie, but if they must have squash make sure it is a weak mixture we have always been water drinkers so haven’t had that problem.
Have a good day everyone xx

I’m so torn at the moment. I need to lose weight for all the usual reasons, and I know I feel better if I’m eating well. When I was having a really bad week recently, it seemed reasonable to put off getting healthy. I mean, I’ve got pain, right? Oh, and it’s school holidays now with hungry children home. And we’re having people over for lunch tomorrow. I’ll start Monday, or in three weeks, or next month, or at some point in the future with the planets align and conditions are perfect. Because that will happen, right? On that day, the perfect day, it will suddenly become easy to get out of bed and NOT eat toast and put sugar in my tea. Or actually I can usually do that for a couple of days anyways, but when life is perfect I will be able to side through day three carb flu and sugar withdrawal with a mere “yes I had a bit of a headache but I just had a herbal tea and I was fine” like other people seem to. Instead of “it suddenly got hard and I ate a family-size block of chocolate”. Arg! Sick of failing. Do I try again tomorrow morning, do I wait til after my operation (which might not make any difference, I don’t know), I am at a loss.

Don’t worry I don’t expect you to solve my problems for me! I am in charge of my own life. I just don’t seem to be able to get a handle on this and sometimes other people’s success stories are depressing instead of inspiring.

I was probably one of the first people in the world to get the BSD book, before Christmas last year, I saw the staff in the bookshop putting price labels on it, it wasn’t even on the shelf yet. I started the fast 800 BSD 27 Dec, this website wasn’t up yet. The forum didn’t exist. So why aren’t I at goal weight? Why do I weigh almost as much as I did then? Because I don’t stick to it, and I don’t really understand how other people can: this diet or any diet. How do you NOT give into temptation? It’s like a secret other people know and try to tell me but I don’t speak the language.

Well sorry for the depressing post, but this is how I feel tonight.

Well I was just reading another thread that mentioned blood sugar level effects on eyesight and numbness in toes… Scared me… No more excuses… Writing my meal plan for the week now.

Hi Natalie
None of us is perfect – but if you do stick to BSD for long enough, you will start to control the carb cravings and change the way you eat.
I did the 8 weeks for that and a bit longer, fairly strictly(ish), and lost about a kilo a week – then I haven’t really been keeping to it as well for the last month or so – but I haven’t gone back to wolfing down giant portions of cake, chocolate, bread…. so I’ve not lost any more, but I haven’t put weight back on either – and I did do a ‘kick start’ at one point and shifted about 3 kilos in a week.

Do give it another go – as you’ve said, the wider impacts of uncontrolled diabetes are scary, it isn’t just abut weight, smaller clothes or looking and feeling good, but they do help!
I’ve found using an online food, weight and exercise tracker, such as FatSecret or My Fitness Pal, really helpful, as well as using this forum – LOTS
you’ve not said whether you’re taking medication – why not arrange to see your GP and/or get some blood tests done if you don’t have any recent ones, then you’ll have those as a yardstick to measure your progress on BSD. (BUT don’t put off starting BSD until you’ve done the tests!!)

Yes, you are in charge of your own life, and responsible for the choices that you make – but there is lots of help and support out there (and here), and it’s equally your choice to engage with that and make the most of it.

Lots of luck

Hi Natalie
You can do it. Don’t read other peoples stories and feel disheartened. We are all on the same journey. It has taken many of us several decades to get to this point in our dieting lives. We have all been in your position, beating ourselves up about losing the weight loss battle once again!! But my journey involved lots and lots of searching, reading and experimenting. ‘Not eat carbs’! An impossibility, but here I am enjoying chilli and salad, bolognese sauce with a sprinkling of cheese, a bowlful of ratatouille!! I never dreamed it would happen. I followed a well known diet from November 2015 to June 2016. The one that promotes eat as many carbs as you like and the weight will fall off. Well I lost 17 and a half pounds in 7 months. Went to visit relatives up country and moved house in July, put all that weight back on!! Still hadn’t learned to curb the carbs. Then I stumbled upon the BSD and was able to put all that I had read into perpective. I had tried the mediterranean diet, but all I had read always promoted carbs. The BSD was a lightbulb moment for me.
Your lightbulb moment WILL arrive! You are on this forum, you are almost there but I should imagine that you are very nervous about the op, you feel unwell and the kids are at home!! Not ideal conditions. We have all turned to food when the odds are against us.
So why not make life easier for yourself, fast for 2 or 3 or 4 days a week Follow the ‘M’ plan the other days. Follow just the ‘M’ plan until this worrying time is over. Make sure you eat enough protein and good fat as per the book. Read these threads and know that later this year when you are fully recovered from your op that your story WILL be inspiring others on their journey. Hope to hear from you soon. xx

Thanks Frog, sorry about the depressing ramble! I’m feeling much more positive today and I’ve started the day well with a little omelette. I use a calorie/carb counter app called CalorieKing (when I’m “on” a diet), I had a recent GTT and I’m in the pre-diabetes range as have been for around eight years now, not on any medication but I’m supposed to take Vitamin D and B12 but hardly ever remember, even if I have the bottles sitting on the counter or on the kitchen table! Wait… ok went and took them. I have fibroids in my uterus (about to be removed) and adenomyosis (a similar sort of issue) and pretty sure I’m in peri-menopause so my hormones are all over the place! Just need to keep fighting through the hard days.

Hi Natalie — I daresay pretty much every one of us has had a bit of your story — and there is nothing more irritating than all the happy posts when it seems so hard just to get through one day — been there, done that. I suggest that you step away from posting for a bit — a week, ten days, two weeks — and focus on your own path here. It does not matter if you do it perfectly or even very well — what you are working toward right now is just simple actions, with small results. I think sometimes that the “noise” around reading and posting becomes very stressful — just take time for yourself. The goal is not to do it perfectly, the goal is just to do something. A tiny bit day after day does result in huge change. Stay on your simple path. There is no secret — there is just today and less food today and control my carb intake today. You know, you’ve probably been internalizing all of this since December, when you first got the book — and your psyche is pushing you now, to begin, to launch — that may be why you are irritated. This is YOUR journey. Go slow. You are going in the right direction.
Julia

I agree with Switzerland. Great post.

Just one more suggestion.

Read Lucia’s “my 8 weeks” (think that’s what it’s called – search box at top) to see what just a little can do. I don’t think anyone anywhere has been more inspirational for me than she has. No stats – just action, bit by little bit.

Very best wishes to you – you realise that your desire for food is the “carb monster” and not the result of any lack of will or “greediness” on your part, don’t you. Don’t kick yourself – realise you are kicking IT

🙂

Natalie – I followed the well known eat all you can carb diet. Massive portions of tuna mayo pasta where my thing back then (extra light of course!) and I lost 6 and a half stone in 10 months (91lb, can’t work in KG’s) and then my step-father passed away suddenly. That 6 and a half stone, plus a stone where all back on within a year. I never learnt to control my carb fetish or my portion control. I don’t think I have an off switch. I then have lost 6 stone in 12 months on another well known diet, where I could eat what I wanted but count the points…… grrr, within 6 months it was all back again as I used to eat very little, but really rubbish food! So as soon as the restriction was off that rubbish food multiplied.

And now I’m here! Even if you’re not losing weight and not being true to the way of eating everyday, you aren’t ballooning up the scale. I’m pretty sure the stabilising of your weight WILL really help you to get there. Sometimes we just have to get our minds in the right place to go along side it so that we are ready to take on that carb monster!

Good luck, and we can do this! We’ll have ups and downs but we can win the longer battle against the monster.

Nathalie, you ask how ‘we’ can do it. For me I know that my illness is not going to control my life any more. I know the future without BSD is grim and things can only get worse. With BSD I feel like I have been given another chance to put things right. I don’t know why I am diabetic, I have always been reasonably slim and I have always done lots of exercise but my mother was T2. This eating plan (it is not a diet) has shown me that things can be better, lower blood glucose, lower cholesterol and triglycerides etc and I believe that it will go a long way to making me better and keeping me well. Lots of other diets, and I have done them all, promise the earth but this is the only one that has given me hope. That’s why I stick to it. In 12 weeks I have not had a slice of bread, a potato, a spoonful of rice or pasta, absolutely nothing. I do however like a glass of wine and stay off for the first 8 weeks, I now allow myself the occasional glass, but hey ho, this is life not a life sentence.

Thanks for all the responses and encouragement everyone. I’ve decided to stop beating myself up about not being able to stick to 800 calories and work on eating low carb/no sugar Med style for the moment. Maybe with a couple of 800 fast days, not sure. More water, more exercise (walking). The basics. When I’ve got more of a handle on that I’ll think about calories again.

Natalie, sounds like you need the 5:2, 5 days on the Med style and 2 days of 800, or even 600 if it is only 2 days. You don’t even have to do the 2 days in a row. Just get rid of the carbs and you will feel better straightaway.

Great news Natalie, so pleased you are doing the ‘M’ plan for now, if you try 800 cals and you go over then it’s a low carb day, sorted. No reason to be down hearted at all. That is definitely the way for you at present. Keep at it my lovely! xx

So how was everyone’s weekend? On Sunday we babysat my niece who is three. It was so funny watching her play hide and seek. Announcing “I’m going to hide under Jasmine’s bed!” beforehand is not how you play the game!

I’m in awe of everyone who is managing to stay on the fast 800. I know it will work really well for me, but I manage to talk myself out of it on a daily basis. Usually, with the argument that I can lose weight on low carb without having to be as harsh as 800 cal. The problem is that I’ve proved over the last few years that I can’t lose weight on low carb alone and I’m now a stone heavier! The final straw came when a pair of trousers I ordered online arrived today (in my ‘normal’ size) and I couldn’t even squeeze them on! Just shows how much jeans etc stretch over the years! I am very impatient, so I think that if I can stick with it this will be the solution for me. I’m not diabetic or particularly overweight (typical TOFI) but my weight is increasing steadily as I get older (now 43) and I will start to have health issues. I have no energy or motivation and feel tired all the time, so something has to change.

I am going to use all these inspirational posts to keep me on track when I feel like my motivation has deserted me or the little voice on my shoulder says that I can do it the easy way if I like! It seems crazy to think that in just 8 weeks if I stick to it I could be a new me, yet the self-doubt keeps niggling and negativity could potentially sabotage my resolution. I think 3 tiny meals is going to be really hard for me (I’m greedy)! so I’m going try really hard to only eat lunch and dinner.

I’m so glad I stumbled across this forum. Here’s to starting tomorrow! Yikes!

Hi Didimarks

Can you do the BSD day by day and promise yourself a little (non food!!) treat if you succeed – I don’t know, a beauty luxury, a lovely relaxing bath, something special that just you like?

Because the thing that’s stopping you is your addiction to carbs, not anything else. You’re not greedy, you have – by the way that you’ve been eating – programmed your body to need and want carbs for energy. You need to re-programme it, and that does take a bit of time and sometimes a bit of feeling bad (or having a little carb monster on your shoulder) before you kick it. 800 calories ISN’T three tiny meals if you get your body off the carb addiction.

You could start recording what you eat on an app like MyFitnessPal and really be careful on exactly how many carbs you put in your mouth. Set it for 50g or less per day, and you will lose weight even if you go over the calories a bit.

So less of the ‘greedy’ and ‘no control’ – more of appreciating it’s the carb addiction/monster who is talking to you. You can kick it, and I promise you that 800 calories will seem fine.

Hope that helps 🙂

Hi Igorasusual,

That is really helpful and reassuring, thank you! what you said makes so much sense.

One day at a time seems like a very sensible target – bring on those nice bubble baths!!

Thank you!

Hello all and Tattiescone, have to say your message made me laugh. I love honesty and if more woman were honest they would all be here doing this for varying reasons.

Day one for me. Like many people here, I’ve realised that I am fat and overweight because I love lots of food, cooking it and preparing it in vast quantities and its costing me dearly eventually. I ache like a full carehome and I enthuse that I will do something about it and have done for so long that I’m getting on my own nerves so before I eat myself to oblivion and fatten up the kids I am committed to now doing this diet and ridding myself of the aches and pains and hope to walk away from any impending prediabetes which may well catch me eventually.

Day one is great so far. Motivation is great, if only I can bottle it for the bad days and I could be a millionaire and a slimmer and fitter one at that.

I havent committed to exercise at the moment, I think reducing my calories will be enough shock for week one so may well aim to blow the dust of Rose Connelly and Yoga next week….someone once said you dont have to see the whole staircase just take the first step, this is me Victoria nice to meet with you all.

Well done everyone who has just completed day 1. I will be a day behind you (starting tomorrow) and looking forward to hearing how you’re all getting on! Desperate to succeed on this – I’m so mentally exhausted by trying and failing what seems to be every ‘diet’ under the sun. keavney21 – I so know what you mean about bottling the motivation!! I would be in line to buy a bottle! One day at a time!!

Day 2 done.

Feel strange starving myself and then eat g good wholesome foods. Like the none diet aspect. I sound strange but dont have a sweet tooth or crave sugar. I love hearty dinners, home cooked, wine amongst other things.

I’ve ate well but one meal down and it’s evening time. Wife is at college and dinner is simple. Aubergine stuffed with something creative and whatever else I can find. Snack today 1 bloody boiled egg!!! Hahaha that makes me laugh out loud. I never think of snacks until you can’t have what you really want!!!

Hope everyone is well, sorry for rambling heres to day 3…groan ahahahahhaha

Start of fifth week today. Sundays weight was 13 3/4lbs down!! Allelujah, allelujah!!!
Am having a new bathroom fitted so have had to vacate the premises (no loo!). I am staying with my daughter who eats really well 90% of the time and treats herself occasionally. Don’t know where she gets that control from, lol!! Anyway we are all having a go at low carb, son in law, granddaughter, 12 years old. Daughter follows low carb frequently, so we are all doing really well. I am pleased to say that I won’t be weighing myself for a week or 2 so am really hoping to see a nice drop on the scales. We are trying recipes from the BSD recipe book. So far have found them all to be very tasty.
I must say I do not really count my carbs, have been on Fatsecret a few times and logged my food and average 50-60. I find that just cutting out the refined carbs, rice and potatoes etc takes me low automatically.
My body is feeling very different. So much freer, arthritic pains in shoulders and arms vastly improved already. I feel stronger and brighter on the whole.
Keep to it everone just starting, it is so worth it.
How are you all doing,
Wendyq, Natalie, Tattiescone what’s your news?
Sleep tight everyone xx

Forgot to say Didimarks and Keavney21, welcome to your new life! xx

Hello everyone
And so nice to have some new people joining in. So hi to all you too!
I have, I thought been quite good. I set my fatsecret up every day. I aim for 800 and try to restrict carbs to 50g. I am actually not craving carbs such as bread or pasta..unless I am eg buttering toast for my kids. Then I sometimes just cut a wee tiny corner off it. But in that case I actually think it’s the butter I wish..or the combination, most likely of fat and carb!
I try every day. Some days I make it. Some days I fail. I know what my triggers are and it is absolutely always at night. After eve meal. I either have a bit too much and go over in cals that way..or I have a biscuit or a piece of chocolate because everyone else is! I didn’t want it till I saw them either it. I am triggered by visuals! That said..I might just have a small bit as oppose to a whole bar. I would expect that my calories are still way less than previously. I still say to myself what many of you here are saying ..which is every day I try. I just take day by day. If you try every day..you definitely concentrate on your trigger points and tomorrow you plan to avoid those situations.
I had lost 2.5 kilos. I don’t want to weigh myself until maybe later in the week as I did have a Nandos. Which was pretty carb free apart from the chips and pitta bread!!!! I didn’t even order it. It was my friends and I helped her scoff it! What are we like? I just want to say that I love the forum. I find it very helpful and therapeutic and supportive. I think it is great to realise that we are all human. We are all trying our best. I am trying my best. I had a good day today. But I did also have 1 x tunics snowball . 134 call and 10g Carb. Similar to a piece of bread..but nicer with a cup of tea!
Today I had
Breakfast bovril
Lunch carrot and humour
Tea..chicken carrots and green beans..and a bit of sausage stuffing oops. Gravy.
A tunnocks snowball. Won’t be buying them again..too tempting.
Hear from you all tomorrow!
Tattiescone xxxxxx

Carrot and humour!!
Humour!
Humous!
I have a crazy sense of Humous!
Tattiescone xx

I think you always need a bit of humour with your carrot! They are very solemn vegetables.

It’s school holidays here which is not so good for sticking to plan, but lovely for walking along the beach with the kids or getting out in the garden! I’ve really increased my activity level to keep up with them which is awesome. But my daughter made choc-chip cookies yesterday… well I had two, the kids had six each spread throughout the day so maybe I didn’t do so bad. Like the rest of you I’m going day by day, even meal by meal. I plan ahead healthy low-carb meals then negotiate each day as it comes.

One thing I’m very conscious of is having a 12 year old daughter. I don’t want her to inherit all the body issues I got from my mum. I don’t want her to see me always “on a diet”. Or always obese! My ideal is eat healthy food without fussing about it and enjoy the occasional treat without guilt, then stop. That’s aspirational for me, but also what I want to model to my daughter.

Started on Monday but just plucked up the courage to register. I am 53 and have been a yo-yo dieter for most of my life and have recently gained 20lbs after a very stressful time when my mental and physical health has been bad. I am 5ft 4ins and starting weight 12st 4lbs, not as heavy a starting weight as some of young but there is a strong family history of type II diabetes and I am trying to avoid this. The past 2 days have been easier than I thought although I am addicted to carbs. (I come from an Italian family !!!). I hope that his will be the kick start I need in improving my health and wellbeing. I live with 3 men (husband and 2 sons) who are all skinny and do not get why I am have put on weight so this forum is ideal for me to get the support I need, and I plan to log in daily.

Thanks Trelawny!

I think today is going to be tough (day 2). I pretty much sailed through yesterday. Not too much hunger until 5pm when I got very hangry and irritable! Kept to the plan though and apart from a 10g piece of 85% chocolate, didn’t have anything I hadn’t planned to eat. Felt very achievable.

Today is different. I’ve woken up starving! Same breakfast, which I really enjoyed, but have had hunger pangs since. Feeling tired and coldy (blasted kids) so that’s not helpful. It’s going to seem like a long day.

Having said that, yesterday I nearly caved at 5pm (the old demon on my shoulder) and thought of all the amazing support there is here and didn’t! I always thought I could/should go it alone, but it’s so much nicer to know there are other people out there doing amazingly!

Have a good day all

Didimarks – the first week is the toughest, going cold turkey on the sugar and refined carbs, your body is adjusting. It won’t be like that all the way, some call it carb flu – the de-toxing effects in the first few days.

You didn’t cave yesterday – yeah!!! So if you can do it one day, you can do it again.

I like to think of hunger pangs as a sign my body is calling for input from my stored fat, and there is plenty of that, so try imagining ‘feeding’ yourself from the extra padding, and eating instead will stop that happening.

Personally hunger pangs are not my main trigger for falling off the wagon – it is emotional stress eating I need to face up to. Everyone is different.

Hi Didimarks

Well done on getting through yesterday!! I hope that today is ok at the moment and that your hunger pangs from this morning have dissipated. Coming down to 800 cals per day is REALLY TOUGH!!! Our bodies are screaming FEED ME! However, if you make sure your meals have a good portion of fat in them (so avocados, some nuts, full fat cheese or yoghurt) then that should help. Failing that, if you are finding yourself just too hungry you could always up your calorie intake to around 900 or 1000 for a couple days until you get used to it. Have some boiled eggs on standby which are fairly low calorie and negligible carbs and they come in their own carry case!!

Good luck and let us know how you are doing xxx

Thank you Avila and topcac- I battled through the morning – had a cup of salty broth and felt much better. Managed to hold out until now to have lunch , so maybe not doing too badly!! I just love the idea of my body finally using its own fat stores!

Actually, emotional eating is a huge problem for me too, but so far so good. I think I will do well including Greek yogurt, nuts and cheese in daily (obviously in measured portions) as I love them!

I’ve had to commit to going out for dinner on November 14th – initially that threw into a panic ( bizarrely, that’s often the trigger for me to say ‘to hell with it’ and give up – no idea how I think that’s going work)! However, when I did the maths I realised that if I stick this out I will be into my 8th week and hopefully feeling/looking back to my old, healthier, slimmer self!

Hard boiled eggs for emergencies sounds very sensible!

Really appreciate the support guys – thank you.

Hi Cole 62, it really does help to log in daily. I have found it such a boon. The advice is priceless and knowing that everyone has bad days as well is empowering, lets you know you aren’t the only one that gives into temptation.
Didimarks, Ihave found that going out for a meal has been relatively easy, in 8 weks you will know the diet really well and be in a new routine of eating so I think you will be able to cope very well.
Today – lunch was salad with butter beans and cheese and oil and lemon dressing. Dinner – salmon with nut crust and oven roasted veg. Greek yogurt and berries.
Went for a nice walk this evening to clear my head, work stressful and have got the builders in – very, very stressful!!!
How are all you newbies doing? Will be great to hear yor progress.
Sleep tight, a new day tomorrow, 1st day of the rest of your healthier, slim inside (and out) life! xx

Hi everyone, I am pleased to say I am less stressed today!!
Lunch cheese and butterbean salad with dressing. Snack – apple and 5 peanuts. Dinner – courgette and bean bake, (we all loved this meal). Greek yogurt and blueberries. Quick walk this evening.
Felt a tad hungry this morning and felt a bit light headed, but drank some water and had a coffee and the feeling passed. Of course it could have been the stress!!! I had a mid afternoon snack which is unusual, but have been following a vegetarian diet so it could be having no meat, as it is the first time I’ve felt like this while being on the plan.
Hope all is well with you all xx

Why are we so led by the scales? I have followed the plan all week, have been for walks but am unable to weigh myself this week and for the next few days. I hope I have lost but there is the fear that I have gained. Why do we doubt ourselves when we have no scales telling us our weight? A sign of my age and conditioning no doubt!!
Lunch today – beetroot and carrot salad with walnuts and feta. Dinner – 1 tuna and chickpea pattie, 2 tbsp cauli cheese and salad. Greek yogurt and berries with sprinkle of toasted almonds.
Bring on the weekend! xx

You sound as if you’ve done well Trelawney. Can you tell how you’re doing by how your clothes feel?

I’m a great advocate of “don’t worry too much about the weight, how are the measurements going”. Worked for me.

But whatever you sound in good control to me. 🙂

Thanks Igorasusual, I am finding this suits me. It is the diet I have been lookng for. Love the recipes, I can cook but am not an inventive cook, so the ideas are great. Love reading your posts! Am working on giving up the scales, but it’s difficult. xx

Well Saturday I was very pleased with myself. Ate out twice. Lunch was pulled pork with salad. Dinner was smoked mackerel and salad. I did indulge in 1/2 pint of cider. But had a lovely day and proved to myself that I can go out, enjoy myself and not eat pudding, potatoes, rice or chips!!
Yesterday, crudites, houmous and cottage cheese, dinner was roast beef and veg. Of course my treat as usual, greek yogurt and berries.
Today lunch – roast butternut squash, chickpeas, walnuts and salad, dinner – lentil bolognese and courgetti, gy&b.
Had a big bust up with the plumber this morning, he has informed me , that it will be another 10 days till he has finished!!! Therefore my daughter has to put up with me for even longer. He is not a nice man and I will be glad when he is no longer in my lfe. But it does mean it will be 2 more weeks before I can weigh, so I am so hoping for a nice surprise. It might get me out of my scale led life!!

Hi Trelawny- you’re doing so well. I’m so impressed!

I’ve been struggling like crazy and unfortunately failing. Did OK for 3 days before emotional eating kicked in and I’m back to square one! I suppose I’m a bit wiser now and am finding things that work and don’t work for me. I really need to be more patient too – I think I fail because I look too far ahead and stop focusing on a day at a time. I now know I cannot eat breakfast. For some reason it makes me want to eat more during the day. My new weeks (and essentially my first BSD week – again) resolution is to have lunch as late as I can (not earlier than 1pm). That seems to help with hunger pangs. That means I can try and push until eating the main meal later and have a small pudding/breakfast to look forward to afterwards; or if I can’t make it that long I can have a snack between lunch and evening meal.

Who knows if I’m going to manage this time – I was pretty certain that I could do it last week. Self-sabotaging is such a strange thing. I’m terrified that before I know it I’ll be at Christmas and still going through the same old battles!

this is the beginning. i just read the book and start my diet today. i need help figuring out how to select foods based on the carbs grams, especially in cheeses and yogurts. i start the day with coffee and yogurt. the one i have now says 11 gm carbs per the 200 gm container. i need to know if this is good or bad. and what is the max carb grams that we can accumulate through the day?

thanks
mauricem