Just popping in to say a quick Hi to everyone. I’ve been absent for a good few weeks and thought I better get back to posting because I’m definitely at risk of drifting backwards if I don’t! I’ve been away a lot over the last month and I’ve let everything relax a bit – I’ve been sticking to low carbs so my blood glucose levels are still good, but I know my portion sizes have been creeping up and I’ve not been exercising or walking (apart from on a trip to London where I walked my little legs off!). It’s been a good break (lots of family positives and celebrations) but it’s time for me to reign things right back in again. I’m going to spend the day digging out my kitchen scales, finding my pedometer and making soup – definitely one of my favourite things about Autumn.

Jamie, that’s a great weight loss. Good that you’re sticking with it. Best wishes with Week 2.

Will catch up properly with everyone later.

Jennie xx

Margaret – our posts crossed – my husband came in with a coffee as I was posting so my post took a long time. He’s keen to go shopping so will catch up later but 11lb – that’s fantastic xx

madamebadham – love the name – great loss, too. Your post did make me smile – sounds like a good Friday night!!

Jennie xx

Thanks Jenny & you have done marvellously well & are a good example to us all. I know if I get there that maintaining can be challenging because it’s easy for extra treats to creep in & I believe it can take a year for ones body to settle at its new reduced weight. However we all have the skills & knowledge now & it should be easier to get back on the bandwagon knowing the harm that snacks, sugar & carbs do to out metabolism. My husband is still managing it after two years👍 Good luck with your dietary readjustments😬🍀🍀
Margaret xx

Hi Margaret
I meant to say yesterday how great it was to hear that your husband had his diabetes medication reduced. I bet he’s pleased with that.

Thanks for the kind words and support. Yes, you’ve hit the nail on the head – it is the maintenance I’m finding a bit challenging. At the minute it’s a mental thing more than anything else – old self-beliefs about me and yo-yo dieting I think. Anyway, I’ve decided to not overthink things and just act – back to basics between now and you know when (not sure if I can mention it yet on here, too early?) – and a light touch. Should do the trick.

Hope everyone else is doing well this week.

I’m away for a few days helping one of my children move out of his old place and into a flat share in London (3 guesses who’ll end up with the dustpan and brush) so will catch up next week.
Jennie xx

Thanks everyone
After doing so well ……The last couple days have been terrible ….I arrived in London for conference on Monday evening i was absolutely starving and felt bit wobbly so i ordered bowl duck noodles from Giraffe restaurant ……Then i went on purchased bar chocolate, Bag popcorn which i thought was 86 calories turned out 460 calories …..2 brownies 96 calories all consumed in one evening so wheels came off bus big time ………Yesterday was not much better with buffet lunch with exhibition and load alcohol with colleagues( I had dover sole for my main meal so at least one positive) ………So i am now feeling guilty but i am at airport ready to go home so everything should return to normal once back home . I will weight in tonight to see what damage has been done .

Hopefully i get back on track ……..Problem is my own will power or should i say lack off and when i do come off track that it does not end up super binge of all junk of day . Any ideas of what do when hunger kicks in ……I notice my moods are not best when only having 2 meals day . Any help appreciated

Catherine

Never bought hard copy of book yet ….need to get it …..Last couple days are nightmare but hopefully get back on track as tomorrow . Well done on staying same weight and not putting any weight on ……..My meals will drop your weight to size zero as there is not much to them and my cooking of them!!! Just at London city airport so had sea bass in thai curry noddle sauce so i reckon might be heavy in caloires but very small portion it was . Fire away with meal ideas and I will do my best to inspire you with my suggestions …I did give birth to that carb baby but I have somehow impregnated myself with twins last couple days !!!

All fun

Catch up soon

Jamie

Jamie the important thing is to immediately get back on track & try to think of yourself as making food choices & not attach it to some mysterious willpower!! Choice takes the guilt away & allows for our daily life circumstances getting in the way!!! This has happened to everyone on here with the ups & downs of daily life getting in the way of what food is available. Lose the guilt & thinking you have poor willpower because you haven’t! Our bodies conspire against us because when we do eat carbs the insulin response makes us feel hungry not our willpower!!
Carry on choosing what you eat as well as you can & if you have a food choice blip reduce calories the next day or try & build in some more exercise to help compensate. We are all retraining our bodies to lose weight & then to maintain that loss.
You can do this👍🍀
Margaret

Hi everyone
I haven’t been on here for a while as things went quiet and so I thought I’d let people be, but just wanted to come on to wish everyone a very Happy Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year. Hope everyone is doing well.

Best wishes
Jennie xx

Hi Jennie,

I am still here….. life has been hectic of late. We are decorating at home and the house is chaotic right now.
Thankfully we are not entertaining this Christmas, just husband and myself for Christmas dinner and I am so looking forward to it. Last year we had family for Christmas Day and hosted another family do in the New year. I also worked in between Christmas and New year last year and to be honest it was too much. This year it will be a quiet one.

We were in Las Vegas last month. It was a good holiday but we ate too much! For the past three weeks both me and hubby have been eating BSD trying to get back on track before Christmas. This year I decided only to buy Christmas food one week before Christmas Day. I usually buy mince pies etc
At the beginning of November and eat Christmas foods continuously until it’s all finished into January. Not this year!! We have no crisps nuts etc in the house at the moment. I will buy some but hanging out for a few more days!! Our only treat we are allowing my beloved glass of red wine with dinner😁 I really don’t want any Christmas food hanging around Much after New Years Day!
Well that’s were I’m at right now.
Still trying to find a good balance.
I still have days when I long for risotto, cheese on toast, mash potato😭😭😭
Anyways …. a
Merry Christmas to one and all!!😀😀😀🎄🎄🎄🎄miss Ziggy

Hello Jennie & Miss Ziggy lovely to hear from you & I hope you have a very enjoyable Christmas. I have been focusing on doing the twelve week Fast 800 programme that finished on Friday & have lost 16 lbs but have put a couple back on with Christmas social events. I haven’t been as self controlled as you Miss Ziggy & have bought some mince pies & chilli nuts to enjoy with occasional fruit yoghurt but am largely sticking to our eating guidelines. We are going to our eldest sons for Christmas Day & to stay overnight to Boxing Day then coming home. My main temptation continues to be a glass of wine but after Christmas it will be back on the straight & narrow.
I will weigh today &I hope I have not gained more weight! I made a large coq au van yesterday using some left over red wine 😂 admittedly I didn’t find it very nice to drink but it went well using it for cooking!😇does that count as having alcohol?😼🙀It’s the winter solstice today so happy people at Stonehenge😀; roll on brighter days & no rain.
I must admit I will be very pleased when the eating temptations of Christmas are finished & I can refocus on still trying to lose my excess weight. My husband is doing well with the praises of his diabetic nurse & GP ringing in his ears for his weight maintenance & well controlled blood sugars. Of course that has nothing what so ever to do with his chief cook & bottle washer😂😂🌟🌟
Merry Christmas to everyone 🌲🌲🌲🌲
Margaret xxx

Hi Miss Ziggy and Margaret – it’s so lovely to hear from you both.

Miss Ziggy – oh no decorating, my worst nightmare. I live in chaos generally so adding in decorating and Christmas —what’s that Edward Munch painting – The Scream ? Good to hear you’ll be getting your quieter Christmas this year. Yes, I’m like you in that I’m trying to limit the amount of food we buy and the length of time it’s in the house this year – I know tomorrow will be the trickiest time for me – need to avoid last minute panic buying! (and remind myself the shops are only closed for 1 day!). I’ve got a carefully planned menu for Xmas day – scrambled eggs & smoked salmon breakfast, turkey dinner without the potatoes, warm raspberries with yoghurt and 85% dark chocolate shavings – and almond and parmesan seed crackers with cheese as a ‘treat’ – can’t wait. Need to just watch Boxing Day. Luckily, I can take or leave alcohol – it’s other people’s chocolates that I’ll have to avoid – particularly when they’re out the room!

Margaret – I remembered you were starting the Fast 800 programme and was wondering how it was going. Wow, it sounds like it’s really worked for you – 16lbs is fantastic, even with a couple of lbs gained. You must be really chuffed with that. A brilliant incentive for making another great go of it in the early new year. I know what you mean about the festivities. I was saying on another thread I try to enjoy Christmas at the same time as looking past it to Jan 1st – and a lovely fresh and shiny year. You must be really proud of your husband (and he of you, of course!) because he’s been able to maintain his blood sugars and his weight, hasn’t he. No wonder the GP practice team is so pleased with him.

Hope you both have a lovely Christmas – and watch that red wine…
Jennie xxx

Hi again…..
Well we have just got to the end of our quiet Christmas with lunch and Christmas present exchange with sister and family yesterday. We came home with lots of chocolates and sweets included in our presents! My husband hates waste and said he wanted to eat the choccies and biscuits. I didn’t think it was a good idea but thought”hey it’s Christmas”…Well the good news is we have ended up throwing most of it away! We actually hate the taste of most of it! The chocolate seems so sickly sweet! ! The biscuits seem tasteless! I did buy mince pies one week before Christmas. We have one mince pie left and I will not be buying anymore!. We also have one small panettone which we will eat on New Year’s Eve/Day! Hopefully we might dislike the taste of panettone too😁I am so pleased that we seem to have lost the desire for sugary foods👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻. I hope we are not the only ones😃😃😃. After the excesses of Christmas we ate a dinner tonight of steak and salad and we both throughly enjoyed !
Wishing you all a really happy New Year!!
Miss Ziggy

Hi Miss Ziggy and a very Happy New Year to you and yours, too – hope the panettone and mince pie were also not enjoyed as much – if that makes sense – and gone now, too.

It’s amazing isn’t it how much the taste of things can change over a period of time on this way of eating – so that’s a great step for you and smashing that your husband feels the same way about the taste of the sweets and chocolate. I don’t think for me it’s even about willpower nowadays (which is just as well!). I can restrict my carb intake fairly easily in terms of the types of food I eat – generally, it’s portion-size that can trip me up – so I can be around lots of high-carb food I used to love and it just doesn’t bother me.

Funnily enough though, one of the exceptions for me is chocolate – even though I agree it tastes so sweet. I genuinely don’t miss it but if it’s in the house e.g. over Christmas for my family (adult kids) then I’m tempted. Luckily I’ve resisted – and it’s pretty much gone now – yes, I have been checking – so they’d know if I pinched any! Luckily, my husband doesn’t like chocolate apart from Montezuma 100% Black which is too dark for me, and he only has that on high days and holidays, so all will be well again next week when everyone else has left.
Hope you have a great 2020. Keep in touch as and when you can – and decorating permitting!
Jennie xx

Hello Miss Ziggy & Jennie & a very Happy New Year to you both & I am so sorry to hear of all the bush fires in Australia.
I am so pleased that Christmas is over now because our fridge, freezer & cupboards are bare ready to be filled with sensible food because I have gained weight not having completely lost my sweet tooth. However glasses of wine have been my main temptation 🙀! Unfortunately I am writing this from my bed having had an upset tummy at 3-0am this morning that although I’m sure is a fast way to lose weight I do not recommend. I’m sticking to water today resting & will be having a dry January.
I do hope 2020 will be a good year for everyone & it’s back on the 800 bandwagon for me hoping I will finally be able to reach my goal weight.
Margaret xxx

Hi Margaret and Happy New Year.
Sorry to hear about you being kept to your bed – no it’s not a great way to lose weight is it. I hope you’re feeling better today and get back to full strength quickly. I have my youngest still here (although he has been at a party last night and stayed at a friends, hence I’m catching up on the Forum) but I’m getting to the same happy point of having empty cupboards and fridge again (he’s definitely helping with that!). I’ll be spending time today and tomorrow preparing my BSD friendly food and I’m looking forward to getting back to normal on Monday.
Wishing you all the best with Dry January – and it’ll be fantastic when you reach that goal this year!
Jennie xx

Hello Jennie & thank you.
I am feeling fine now & it was a 24 hour bout & I have just weighed & lost 2.75lbs of my Christmas weight gain & am back on the straight & narrow with no more social eating gatherings to tempt me.
My fridge is now full of fresh vegetables & I am back cooking low carb meals from scratch & trying to plan a daily menu. I try to have a large pot of homemade soup always around as a useful meal & will make minced lamb stuffed aubergine for lunch. I suppose it’s getting back into this routine & having to think about food to plan balanced meals that is challenging on a daily basis but needs must to control what we eat! I hope you refilling your cupboards goes well 😀
Next week it is back to my usual routine with Silver Swans ballet exercise class on Monday & short mat bowls on Wednesday that are my regular exercise things. I must try to restart my in between routine of doing my Jane Fonda dvd with light weights because getting older I know I need to maintain what muscles I have 😂
Oh well onwards & downwards!
Margaret xx
Margaret xxx

Hi Margaret
Good to hear you’re feeling better, those 24hr things can be really draining.

I always smile at your Silver Swans ballet exercise class – for some reason it always makes me think of a Victoria Wood sketch – anyway, I love ballet (as well as contemporary dance) so would love to do something like it. I’ve also got my Jane Fonda DVD out although I’ve not used it yet as the weather has been good here so I’ve been going for long walks while it’s mild. I’m starting my exercise classes again next week. Like you my aim with exercise is to maintain what muscle I have and stay as strong and flexible as I can. A strong woman is something to be!

I didn’t quite get my cupboards filled as planned at the weekend – I decided to spend the time with my youngest son instead – now he’s gone back home (London), so I’m in the middle of shopping and meal-planning now. One of my favourite things about Winter is soups. Hope everything goes well
Jennie xx

Dear Everybody……and lots of hugs to you all. We all need virtual hugs during these worrying times.

I wish I could say I am BSD ing but just cannot do it right now! I hope my letter finds all of you in good health. I work in a hospital and life there is pretty grim right now! Most of the staff are terrified for themselves and their families. I am self isolating which will end on Saturday my husband will have to self isolate for another 7 days after that. I have been dwelling a lot these days on the negatives but there are quite a lot of positives too.
I love not jumping in the car as often as I used to.
I love the walks I have been taking with my husband.
Loving all the messages received from friends*******GOD BLESS WHATS APP
Love that my husband wants to cook more due to his boredom!!
Loves that all my seed sowing is up to date and the garden is very tidy!

Once again I hope you are all ok👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
miss ZIggy 😘😘😘😘😘

Hello Miss Ziggy & lovely to hear from you but wishing it was under better circumstances 😞😥 you all who are working for the NHS are continuing to do a wonderful job🌟🌟🌟& in my village we all come out to clap, in my case bang a saucepan, my husband blow a trumpet, our neighbour last time played on his tuber with the lady across the road joined in on her trombone to all applaud everyone working on the frontline. These are extraordinary times that have come very unexpectedly to adversely affect many. At least we now have the internet & various media to keep in touch with friends & family but it continues to feel weird to not be able anymore to share meals or see any of them. I have plenty to keep me occupied & at the moment am knitting pink heart pairs to go to the palliative care team at East Surrey Hospital to give to relatives whose loved ones sadly die without them being able to be with them.
My husband & I are starting our fifth week of self isolation or socially distancing both being over 70 years of age & he is a Type 2 diabetic & I’m in remission with breast cancer that I suppose can never really be regarded as “cured”. We are fortunately both well but also becoming increasingly nervous of catching this wretched virus & trying with various success to order food online for home delivery. Our younger neighbours are being very kind & when they go to the supermarket will get us some things because we are now not even risking going to our village shops.
I hope you are also managing to get more rest & relaxation self isolating & does that mean you caught Coronavirus? if so I hope you are fully recovered & feeling better?
Do take care of yourself & don’t worry about sticking to the BSD just try & relax & eat healthily!!
Margaret xxx

Hi all sorry I haven’t been in touch for a long time but just haven’t been able to get my mojo back and now after I was off work with stress for nearly 3 months I’ve been back at the hospital due to being needed because of the covid 19 issues. Occy health say I should be at home due to health issues but there’s so much to do and so tired. But I need to get back on this so tired and feeling poorly and i know it’s cause I’m eating rubbish. People are being lovely and donating lovely stuff so we eat 😳. Now the hospital is providing us with a lunch everyday but there’s never anything healthy. How can I get back on this please? I believe it’s better than the new fast one? Anyone have any suggestions would be so welcome 😢 stay safe

Hi there Nickix,

I do understand…. I work in a hospital too and anxiety levels are running high. I am sorry I can’t offer good dietary advice because I have decided not to follow BSD at the moment. I wish I was eating BSD because I do think it’s so healthy. For me it’s not the right time but I have carried a lot of BSD principles with how I am eating right now! To be on any type of *diet* would be very stressful for me right now, However some of my meals are very much BSD. We often eat chicken salad or steak and salad and no carbs!! I am also keeping I strict eye on my portion sizes. But not all of my meals are saintly. I have dusted off my bike and have been cycling every day. If I don’t cycle we go for a walk! I also spend quite a bit of time on my allotment which I find so relaxing! I will get back to BSD when life gets back to normal.
For now for me …it’s one day at a time!!
I hope you do what’s right for you and wish you all the best on BSD!
You too stay safe…
Miss ZIggy 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂

Thank you Miss Ziggy. I too am trying to take more exercise. We rescued a dog before xmas and we’ve been walking her along our lanes over the last few weeks but it’s just the eating. I wasn’t too bad while i was off ill but since I’ve been back at work I’ve drunk a bottle of wine plus 3/4 bottle of gin! I’d not had any while off. I just feel to tired to eat healthy so maybe I should just not stress like you say. I’ve just lost another colleague tonight. 😢 another was Agmed the first health professional to die who i worked alongside every week and was also my consultant. We’ve lost 4 now. The rubbish I’m eating I’m not even enjoying and lack of sleep isn’t helping. Sometimes awake until after 4am. I was hoping that I could maybe use this as an opportunity but i think you’re right. Take care stay safe and at least we can talk on here and be understood xxx

Hi Nickix,

I was thinking about you and wondering how you are?

Miss ZIggy

Hi Nickix,
I was thinking about you and wondering how you are?

miss ZIggy 🙂

Hi Miss Ziggy

Sorry just got in and was so hungry i cooked a packet of fish fingers which I’ve eaten with mayo! Not been a good few days I’m afraid! I had done ok Last week and lost around 5lb! But then It got stressful again and so Tuesday I opened a box of chocolates I’d been given and eat loads! And I mean loads! 😳😉 just very tired too so think that’s not helping and a lot of pain in my back and hip from standing and bending! So I know it’d help if I can loose some weight but as you’ve said we just need to get through things. Don’t think being messed around by Hs2 is helping either. I did stop off on way home a got a nice bottle of Gin! 😜🤣🥃 xxx how are you doing? You coping ok? Managing physically? Coping with dry hands and face? Are you managing emotionally too? I just want to go to bed when I get in? Do you feel the same? Hope you’re taking care of yourself xxx

Hi Nickix

Good to hear from you. So happy to hear you lost 5 pounds. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 . You actually sound like me. I have back ache, neck ache, I am not sleeping well!! Some mornings I wake boiling hot and reach for my thermometer….(temperature normal)Some days I work on auto pilot. Most days I have a raging headache.
My hands feel like sandpaper, my nails have vertical splits, oh and this week picked up conjunctivitis!!
When I get home like you I want to sleep and I do get into bed after I shower and wash my hair.
I know most of what I feel is anxiety! 😩😩……
I hope that me feeling rough makes you feel better!😃😁😁
Take care …and look after yourself…
Miss ZIggy

Hi Miss Ziggy so sorry to hear how your feeling it’s awful I know and yes i feel guilty that it makes me feel a bit better knowing I’m not the only one. Have you any antibiotics for your eyes? Are they dry? Do you need drops for them to keep them moist? I had a whole packet of fish fingers for my tea! Now I’m hungry! 😢. Try and look after yourself you need to you deserve it. We need to stick together xx take care xx

Hello Nicki & Miss Ziggy
I just wanted to say how much I wish I could give more support to you both & how appreciative I & I’m sure many others are of the work that you are doing working for the NHS. It is a very tough & stressful time you are both having to cope with but for your own sakes it’s important you also look after yourselves. Take any offers of practical or relaxation opportunities & use any staff counselling support in your hospitals!! I have worked with clients with PTSD & it’s much easier if you deal with those feelings sooner rather than later. I know it’s easy for me to say & harder for you both to do & in the meantime try to give yourselves something to look forward to each day after work! Lovely scented shower gel of bubble bath can give you pleasant scent memories & lavender oil on your pillow can help with relaxing into sleep.
Take care of yourselves & I’m thinking of you both & sending positive thoughts your way.
Margaret xxxx

Hi Margaret🙂
Thankyou for you kind thoughts and ideas .🙂🙂 .you are right it’s better to talk to a counsellor sooner rather than later. Going for walks and getting on my bike has been a godsend. I feel exhausted and I know it’s anxiety related. I do find it hard to read a book my mind drifts away from the pages! My husband took me to a garden centre yesterday all I did was moan about the fact that it wasn’t enjoyable dodging shoppers and queuing. ….bless him he thought it would be a good idea!!😐
There are days when I go into work and it’s like a normal day and I am laughing and joking with my colleagues. The next minute I can’t believe what I am doing, where I work. For me the worst part is I feel really let down by the NHS. The lack of PPE is real! And it’s putting our lives at huge risk!
It is good to hear from you Margaret and Thankyou 🙂🙂

Sorry i have been so exhausted i haven’t done any of the things i enjoy or kept up with people. it’s work eat sleep repeat! But i agree we must think of ourselves a little more. i think the PPE is making us so tired. i struggle to breath and then in this heat! I hope you’re both feeling ok? are you watching Mr M on his new series? is it making you think i should do this he’s right but then just can’t be bothered? you just reach for a biscuit cause when you have PPE on its all you can do and there’s not enough to change? had a right fight last 2 weeks to get ours! take care god bless 🤗😘❤️ xx

Hello there,

I am feeling rested at the moment because this is my second week off work. I am seriously thinking of giving up working for the NHS this year because I feel so let down by them and the government. I worry about a second wave and being part of the BAME community at week 14 was risk assessed and told I was vulnerable and no longer able to work on Covid wards. We now have 4 covid + patients. I can’t remember if I mentioned it before but I have now been diagnosed with acid reflux which I am sure has been bought on my stress!
Apart from all of the above I am ok! Just popped outside and our outdoor thermometer is showing 40 degrees c in the shade😱😱😱. Too hot for me !! All I want to do is sleep. I hope everyone on here is doing well. I haven’t been following BSD for a long while. I cannot find the motivation. I will watch Mr Ms tv show.

Great hearing from you Nikkx

Take care
Miss Ziggy

Hello Nickix lovely to hear from you & Miss Ziggy & I am so sorry to hear how tough things are for you both working in this wretched pandemic particularly in all this heat. I feel like I’m melting & I am now sitting in front of a fan after cooking in my hot kitchen that gets full sun in the evening.
I have been watching MMs tv programme & my BMI is 31.4 so I am still in the obese range but again still trying to get back to 800/900 calories on four days this week. Since lockdown I gained 9 lbs but have lost a couple of those & my downfall has been lack of exercise since all my community activities of short mat bowls, Silver Swans Ballet, U3A & WI stuff was cancelled Oh & white wine🙀I am luckier than you both being retired so can stay at home & am still mostly doing this apart from a couple of distancing lunches in friends gardens & for the first time since Christmas we went to our eldest sons house for a bbq & saw & hugged our granddaughters 😬
I can understand your disillusionment Miss Ziggy with the NHS & I resigned in disgust from the NHS because I was in a role that I was overqualified for, though pleased to be employed, & found ageism & sexism covertly being used as the reason for me not to move over to a Counselling role when active recruiting was going on. I was then made “redundant “ when a community dermatology service was outside tendered for & my manager then “found” me an even less contact patient role helping to set up a community stroke service. So sad when the NHS could be so much better with the excellent work that is being done but my impression was of too many managers & not enough other staff & much wasting of resources through no local accountability 🙁
My family have luckily all avoided catching this awful virus & are able to work from home. Our nearest brush with it is my grandsons nursery teacher who is Covid positive so he is now in quarantine. I have been making lots of cotton face masks that I know are not medically effective but trying to make them colourful & attractive so we wear them when out & about. I have made enough for all my family to be able to wear once & then wash them so they also have lots of spares. I have also been knitting & decorating pairs of pink hearts for my local Palliative Care Team. Not much I know but it keeps me busy.
I hope you both keep safe & well & can take some time for yourselves👍I’m thinking of you both.
Margaret xxx

Hi Margaret I hope you’re well and apologise for not replying only with everything going on plus i had so much trouble to get into my account! I thought they’d shut the sight down!
Basically the HS2 took our house and gave us 4 days notice! We ended up living in a shed for 5+ weeks! I handed my notice in as wasn’t able to commute and we have ended up in the Charente in France! It’s been different and hopefully we’ll be settling in but the stress has taken its toll. I’m hoping to get back onto this way as I always felt better but ingredients are different here so it’s going to be harder. Life’s not supposed to be easy I suppose. My youngest has tested positive twice now which is a big worry he tested positive and quarantined then went for another test and is still positive!
Hope you’re doing well? And you’re family and everyone else too?
Thanks Nickix

Hi there!! Wow what a year! It’s been!! Hi Margate and Nickix!! As you know I had been working as a phlebotomist in our Hospital. I had been taking bloods from covid + patients from March to October. In October I had enough with the way our department had been treated through this whole pandemic! Phlebotomist were not conspired front line staff even though we were less than a foot away from covid positive patients. And the stress was taking it’s toll. I was planning on early retirement in 2021 but my husband urged me to retire early. I am so glad I did when the covid admissions had dropped because I don’t think I would have left the hospital now when the numbers are higher than last year! Guilt and duty would have kept me there. I am now settling into a life at home and enjoying not waking at 5:30 am to go to work! It’s my time now! I loved my job but not enough to ruin my health when there was no support from management!.
I hope you are all doing well! I have lost a stone over the past few months but not on BSD. I put it down to stress😱. I hope the world returns to normal soon
Love Miss Ziggy

Bonjour Nickix comment ca va maintenant? lovely to hear from you & wow now living in France a chance to learn & speak French much more competently than I can although wishing to be able to🤔😂 So sorry to hear of you being evicted by HS2 that is awful & must have been a horrendous experience. I hope your son soon tests negative & how very odd he still is after isolating! My granddaughter aged 5 was sent home from school before Christmas after a child in her class was ill & then tested positive for Covid but fortunately was mildly affected but her parents could continue working from home. Our daughter in law is now identified as an essential worker enabling both granddaughters to still go to school. Otherwise no one else in our family has caught it & I have just learnt my 99 year old cousin yesterday received her first Covid jab!! My husband & I are still waiting to hear about our ones.
Miss Ziggy welcome to joining the retired club 👍my husband & I feel fortunate being able to isolate with our pensions & not risking having to go out to work. Funnily enough I was back in my local hospital just before Christmas where I had coordinated the dermatology clinics for a dodgy mole to be removed but didn’t recognise anyone. I had a very small Melanoma removed & am still waiting to hear that it had a good clearance area with the doctors apparently discussing it on Monday. Weight wise I gained weight about ten pounds before & over Christmas that I am back trying to lose & still need anyway to get to my goal weight so 2.5 stone for me to lose🙀🙁
I have bought the new Easy Fast Cook book that has some different recipes that I am trying out & have bought some different ingredients such as Miso, Harissa paste & preserved tomatoes as well as leeks that I don’t usually use. I am back on track cooking from scratch but I must admit all the chopping is a pain! I am also restricting my glass of wine to the weekends😂
Do take care both of you & lovely to hear from you both
Margaret xxx

How are you all getting on? I have just weighed & gained the 1/4 lb I had previously lost! I feel relieved I didn’t gain more because it’s been a difficult week with me now not coping well in this lockdown. I think it’s the grey rainy days & I have my SAD lamp on every day & feel demotivated although I did push myself into doing two Jane Fonda 20 minute workouts with light weights & did feel more energised. In this lockdown everything seems much more difficult & I worry for my youngest son who lives alone working from home with no respite apart from going to see his young son who it increasingly seems evident is on the Aspergers spectrum & still not speaking but otherwise appears bright & intelligent. The UK death rate is so horrific, sad & difficult to comprehend 🙁

Hi folks, can I creep back in please? Hope you are all managing to stay healthy and happy during these unusual times.
Enjoy your retirement Miss Ziggy, like you am so pleased to be retired and not working.
Weight has gone on steadily over the past 3ish years and had my gp calling me today with results of blood test last week.
My hair is falling out but my thyroid is supposed to be well controlled and I have a lot of pain in my joints. I have also been on anticoagulants for nearly a year. I know its letting carbs creep in but gp said my cholesterol is the highest its has ever been at 6.1 and well on the way to being pre diabetic with whatever the result was. I could kick myself with shame for letting the weight creep back on but hey ho my big girl knickers are back on and pulled up pencil sharpened and shopping list started for Thursday’s delivery. I was wondering if I could use some of the fast 800 recipes as well as some out of the BSD book as I got really fed up of them ?

Hello Fairyface
Welcome back. I have all the recipe books including the Fast 800 ones & all the recipes are interchangeable with the Blood Sugar Diet ones & low carb!!
Good luck compiling your shopping list & just remember lots of veg, medium protein, low fruit because of fructose & white carbs. Pulses & beans are ok & I’ve found always having a large pot of homemade soup is good for lunch & filling.
Good luck 👍🍀🍀🍀
Margaret

Thank you Margaret. Its good to know I can use all the books!
Had a good day today food wise and even refused an apple with lunch.
Trying to get back into drinking two litres of water a day. Its going to take a few days!

Best wishes to you all.

Just a quick update. Managing the diet okay, drinking the two litres of water is more difficult!
I have not weighed myself since a couple of days before my gp called but boy, do I feel a bit better than when I
posted last week. Today is the first time for weeks I have been able to walk nearly normally. My joints have improved, could be better but I am happy with how I feel today. Practice nurse phoned today to speak to my husband about his blood tests and asked if he wanted a covid vaccination. She also offered one for me so we go on Friday. Hope you are all well.

Good morning Fairyface & very well done getting back on track & walking again. My husband & I both had our Covid jabs last Saturday with the only ill effect of a slightly sore arm but the injection is put so high in the arm it doesn’t affect arm movements. My diet has gone completely to pot because of my son who is bubbled with us coming to stay for five days. He has been badly affected by lockdown isolation because he lives alone & has been working from home since the original lockdown last March. He looked awful, very pale not eating much & more or less living on protein bars & anxious & very stressed. I was trying to get him eating more normally so bread was back on the menu since he would eat a ham sandwich & croissant smoked salmon & scrambled eggs with some other carbs. I also made a chicken curry with added vegetables served with rice & Naan bread. He unfortunately only eats a very limited choice of vegetables & an occasional banana but no other fruit. We also gave him lots of hugs!! He has gone home now because of returning to working today but I’m still concerned about him.
My husband & I will be trying to get back to our usual routine now of homemade soup for lunch, low carb & mainly lots of veg & good protein. My downfall of having ice cream as a treat & a glass of wine with Bolli nibbles needs to be curbed as well as getting my knees moving with some exercises. It’s back to the chopping board with today making spinach & broccoli soup😬
Keep up the good routine & I hope getting your vaccination goes smoothly.
Margaret xx

I am so sorry to hear about your son Margaret. They really are a worry! Our son had a heart attack age 42. he was ventilated for 10 days. We really don’t think he is the same as before his attack but there is nothing we can do. He has had counselling but does not do much to help himself. He gets very depressed to the point of being suicidal. It is a worry. But your son has been to see you and thats good. Lets hope he can visit again soon. Look after yourself.

Thank you for your kind words Fairyface & I’m so sorry to also hear about your sons bad experience & ongoing problems. My son is aged 40 & the past five years have been difficult for him with having to maintain contact with his ex-partner to to be able to see his son who is the spitting image of himself who is being “fathered” by her new partner. I think as parents our instincts are to continue to protect our children however old they are & the frustration & worry continues when we have no magic wand to wave to make all this better for them! We are sidelined helping where we can but nevertheless helpless because our children are now adults living their own lives. My son is back home now & back to work & has visited his son & is going to join more online social groups. This wretched Covid is causing much suffering not only the risk of catching & dying from it but isolation & damage to relationships. Hopefully this year will get better because it can hardly be worse!
In the meantime I’m taking it one day at a time getting back to my old eating routine making a courgette gratin last night to have with baked fish for supper. Today is a Fast day so my husband & I will have water & coffee until supper which will be fish pie with broccoli & carrots 😬 I usually weigh on a Saturday but am undecided yet if I am brave enough to step on my scales🤔🙁
I hope you have had a good week
Margaret xx

You are doing well Margaret. I have not been able to go without my breakfast at all this week but I am not worrying about it. I had my INR done yesterday and told my nurse I will be eating more greens. She just gave me a sheet with all the veg on and said don’t eat these in high amounts. Next appointment is in 10 weeks so I said I would perhaps go back in 4 and see how I go. Fortunately she said to go back if I did not feel right when I first started taking the tablets. We have been lucky enough to have our cover jabs today. Take care.