2026 : We've Got This!

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• posted by Dreamscometrue
  on 29 Jul 2026 at 10:35

  

  CATHY and DAWN I’m in for the August reset!! Good that SUE is joining us too.

  I’ve lost half a stone this year and am maintaining at that level but would also like to get to 138lb by the end of the year. Which means I have almost another stone to lose, so I need to speed things up! Your earlier post resonated with me CATHY – summer, World Cup, sunshine, drinks, snacks etc. All helped derail me at this end too. And I’ve been having a fabulous time, just want to balance things out a bit now and get a few more pounds off before the end of summer.

  I’m visiting family the rest of this week but as of Monday really want to get back on board with healthy eating, minimum drinking and maximum exercise. It’d be great if we could share eating plans / food ideas on here from time to time. I’m no longer on the online plan but have records of what I ate then so will use that as a starting point, plus the BSD/Fast 800 books. But any other ideas to help keep me going would be very much appreciated!

  Hope that everyone has a good rest of this week, and will see you all on Monday! X

• posted by ClarinetCathy
  on 29 Jul 2026 at 11:48

  

  HI DCT/Dawn/SueBlue and anyone else who wants to join in our August challenge.
  On Monday morning I’ll be reporting for duty for the August reset. I weighed myself today before my cheese pie tomorrow and my gelato over the weekend and I was 142 lb. I am aiming for a goal weight of 138lb. I am happy to share what I eat every day during August and also my weekly weight. I will weigh on Monday morning and take things from there, I am going to aim to walk 7000 steps indoors or outdoors EVERY day too. When I embarked on my 12 week blood sugar reduction diet in February I did really well and got my HbA1c down from 42 to 35 and my weight from 166 lb to 140 lb. I reckon in a month I could lose 4lb. Let’s see!
  See you all on Monday for our challenge. We’ve got this!

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 29 Jul 2026 at 19:17

  

  Cathy, I am doing 1kg a month, not much but add that up over a year. It allows for treats and days out when life gets in the way. Also, my HbA1c was 7.5 after the cruise and I am aiming for 6.5 for September test. I wont join you but will be with you in spirit and looking in.

• posted by ClarinetCathy
  on 29 Jul 2026 at 20:13

  

  Hi Sunshine Girl
  So good to read about your progress. i think we seem to have the trick- enjoy holidays and festivities and work hard in between. I cannot get out of control ever again- it’s been a slog for years to undo the damage! I read a great book earlier this year by Professor Taylor about reversing pre diabetes and it really inspired me. Thank you for your support and keep us posted on your journey and progress. We all appreciate each other on this forum. We know the effort thst goes into every pound lost!

• posted by Dreamscometrue
  on 3 Aug 2026 at 08:23

  

  Morning everyone. Just to check in at the beginning of this week / month – and of course for a few of us the Great August Reset! Reporting for duty and I really want to be accountable this month. As both CATHY and SUNSHINE GIRL say above, there will be occasions when we allow ourselves to go off piste – and I do have a couple of those coming up this month. But my downfall is that once I’ve had a day or two wining and dining I just then let that become the norm again instead of reverting back to the better WoE. So I hope to keep things more balanced this month!

  I’m starting at a weight of 151.8lb and would hope to end the month at around 147/148lb. My longer term goal is to try to get to 138lb by Christmas. Here we go . . . . !!

• posted by ClarinetCathy
  on 3 Aug 2026 at 09:35

  

  Good morning everyone
  Reporting for duty too DCT. I am at my aunts house this morning as she has an internet issue so we are awaiting the repair man! I weighed in at 144.8 after a week of debauchery! So far today I’ve had a coffee with milk. I’ve brought an apple with me whilst we await the repair man!
  I hope to be 138 by the end of August! Here we go. Good luck everyone. I’ll sign in later today once I am back at home and update you on my day.

• posted by ClarinetCathy
  on 3 Aug 2026 at 20:18

  

  Hello
  Day 1 of my August reset complete. It started with an early alarm clock awakening as I promised to help out my elderly aunt this morning. I weighed in after jumping out of bed and was disappointed to see my weight has crept up to 144. Not a surprise, I’ve eaten cheese pie and chips on Thursday, an ice cream on Friday and had a curry last night!

  Today I had a cup of coffee for breakfast, I had an apple, some cheese and a few walnuts for my lunch and my evening meal was halloumi, peppers, kale and 60 g of mixed beans. I didn’t go for my walk as I walked a long way on Saturday and my toes were very painful.

  Day 1 is done. 29 more August days ahead. August Goal is 138 lb. Feeling good, not feeling hungry which I am surprised about on day 1. How did you do today?

• posted by SueBlue
  on 4 Aug 2026 at 00:41

  

  Hi all, thanks for sharing your Day 1 update Cathy, it sounds like you are off to a great start 🙂
  I had planned to re-join the online plan but am just holding off for a few more weeks. Earlier this year I kept seeing Reels and posts on social media about Filling Meals with Lindsay, and last week I borrowed the book at my local library. It’s not a diet as such, there’s no calorie counting, the plan is around eating filling meals basically, using foods that are nutrient dense, provide volume and are filling. It’s a lot different to BSD but I wanted to give it a go as lots of people in the Facebook group have lost weight following the plan.
  The meals are around 500 cal each, but you can adjust serving sizes to suit your appetite. So far I’ve enjoyed the meals I’ve made from the book. I’ll continue cooking meals on this plan for a few weeks, mixed in with some BSD/Fast 800 meals and see how I go.
  I had Choc berry porridge for breakfast yesterday (oats, chia + flax seeds, cocoa, maple syrup, mixed berries and Greek yoghurt), then some left over slow cooked beef and veggies for lunch (my own recipe) and then Haloumi kebabs (a Fast 800 recipe that’s become a family favourite) for dinner. I didn’t snack in between meals, I wasn’t hungry at all. I didn’t count calories but estimate they would have been around 1100-1200 or so. I also walked 5500 steps (50 minutes) in the morning.
  I haven’t weighed myself yet as my scales need a new battery but am going to do that on Friday, which is my usual weigh-in day.
  It’s now Day 2 for me and I had another breakfast from the Filling Meals book – Banana overnight oats. It was very filling and I’m going to either skip lunch or have a Fast 800 shake, and then have spaghetti bolognaise for dinner. My husband has his with pasta and I’ll have the sauce on veggies instead.
  Hope all going well with everyone else 🙂

• posted by ClarinetCathy
  on 4 Aug 2026 at 09:35

  

  Hi SueBlue
  Great to read your day 1 restart news. I like that youre looking at a new approach too. It’s all about finding the magic trick that works for us . I haven’t tried the fast 800 shakes. I might give them a try – would be good to take to work for lunch. I can quite easily skip food for breakfast nowadays and I just have a cup of caramel Nespresso coffee – it’s a delicious flavour and contains no sugar. Feels like a treat for me. I started having them when I did my 12 week reset back in February. This morning I was 141.4 which just goes to show that my 144.8 yesterday must have been water weight. I did keep going to the loo yesterday so my body has responded to the keto 800 very quickly!
  Dawn- how are you doing?
  DCT- how was your first day?
  To everyone else in the “we’ve got this”thread- how are you all doing? We have five months ahead of us in 2026 to make this year count. It only takes a few weeks to make a difference. It would be lovely to get an update on your journey.

• posted by Dreamscometrue
  on 4 Aug 2026 at 09:50

  

  Hi everyone

  CATHY and SUE well done on your progress so far. I had a good first day and am down to 151lb this morning. Yesterday I had scrambled egg for breakfast (admit I did have half a slice of sourdough bread too!), a small salad for lunch with tuna, sweetcorn, feta cheese, tomato and avocado, and a prawn stir fry for dinner.

  I seem to be coming across lots of articles about food at the moment too. One was in a recent newspaper about how the French way of eating is really good for you and you can still lose and maintain weight on it. The premise was that you can have some unexpected things like fresh bread, red wine and a variety of cheese but keep everything in moderation, and ensure you have lots of protein, veg and olive oil too. Basically describes the Mediterranean diet 🙂. But the key thing that struck me was making everything fresh and from scratch – ideally shopping day to day just for what you need that day (if that fits with your lifestyle, otherwise you could batch cook). But it concurs with one thing you said CATHY about your recent success, which was completely eliminating any kind of processed food. The article also stressed the importance of eating slowly and savouring food rather than just shoving it in mindlessly, which is another thing I need to take on board!

  So my approach for the next few weeks is slow and steady and focusing on enjoying fresh and wholesome foods in sensible quantities. Will do my best to avoid sugars and excess carbs, and reduce wine which is usually my big bugbear.

  Hope everyone else is doing well and that we all have a productive week X

• posted by ADD6605
  on 4 Aug 2026 at 19:31

  

  Hi everyone,
  It’s great to hear about all of your resets😀 Mine has stalled a bit as DD’s boyfriend has been staying with us for a week and my intentions to make myself separate meals hasn’t materialised, I have a fridge full of healthy ingredients though so will get cracking properly tomorrow. Cathy I haven’t tried the Fast 800 shakes but have found the protein bars helpful in the past and also the protein powder for adding to things I’m making to up the protein content. I will probably weigh myself some time next week. Keep up the good work everyone! Dawn X

• posted by Dreamscometrue
  on 5 Aug 2026 at 08:16

  

  Hi DAWN good to hear from you! Have a lovely time with your family and I hope that you can then get back on track. Look forward to seeing how you get on.

  I had a good day yesterday and am down another half pound this morning. Meals yesterday were a boiled egg for breakfast, salad of halloumi, smoked salmon, beetroot, tomato and lettuce for lunch, then fresh tuna and green veg for dinner. Just drinking black coffee and iced water. I may not lose any more today as I’m out for a curry later then it’s Book Club, but will do my best to make mindful food and drink choices and not go completely off piste.

  I’m also making a determined effort to exercise everyday. My daily dog walks have been shorter recently due to the heat, but I’m trying to make my steps up either by building in an extra walk or by other activities such as gardening and housework. I’m also going to the gym every day. Monday it was Pilates, yesterday swimming and today Aqua.

  Will report back in the morning,.

  Hope everyone else is doing ok xx

• posted by ClarinetCathy
  on 5 Aug 2026 at 09:33

  

  Hello everyone
  Day 3 and i am down to 140.4 this morning. I haven’t felt hungry which has been a surprise. Yesterday I had coffee for breakfast and lunch was an apple and some peanut butter and I made some of the apple and cinnamon muffins from the fast 800 online recipe suggestion and ate a couple with my lunch. My evening meal was Halloumi, baked mushrooms and tomatoes and two fried eggs, I then had some yoghurt and raspberries. I ate a handful of seeds and nuts later on in the evening. Not strictly 800 calories but healthy, unprocessed food. I don’t actually count calories but I can tell through years of experience if I am doing ok. I felt hungry at breakfast this morning so ate a couple of the muffins with my coffee- delicious!.

  Dawn, I know how determined you are so I have a good feeling you will be in the zone with us once your daughter’s boyfriend goes home and you can focus on preparing yourself the healthy meal options.

  I am erring on the lazy side again which I am not proud of. My husband is away this week and I am using it as an excuse to slob about! I went to the charity shop yesterday and bought a pile of books. I am really into reading at the moment and have read some quite challenging books this last few weeks which Ive really enjoyed. I am currently half way through The Count of Monte Cristo, I read Piranesi last week and prior to that read The Wind Up Bird Chronicles by Murukami. I feel like an English literature student! I really will have to get out walking today.

  I always feel that when you’ve got the first two days under your belt, things get a little easier with ‘dieting’. Let’s hope we can make good choices today. I’m going to make some broccoli and cheddar soup for my evening meal I think and I’ll have some yoghurt and raspberries. Curry and book club will certainly be a challenge today DCT but like we said, make good choices when you can and enjoy parties, festivities and occasions for what they are. Book club is always a highlight of the month for me and so I like to indulge in the snacks! I had a curry on Sunday evening and the damage has already gone so enjoy and get back to business tomorrow. That is the recipe for success I think.
  I will report back tomorrow. Have a good day. Remember, we’ve got this!

• posted by ClarinetCathy
  on 6 Aug 2026 at 08:49

  

  Hello everyone
  Just a quick check in- no weight change today – 140.4. I wasn’t expecting another drop as I’ve already lost 4.4 lb since Monday! Today it’s Greek Salad for lunch and my evening meal will be two field mushrooms wlth garlic cheese and Mozzarella and salad. My August goal is 138 lb.
  I am going to continue for the whole of August even if I get to goal beforehand just to see what happens. Once my mind is made up I am focused. Let’s rock day 4!

• posted by Mariet
  on 7 Aug 2026 at 01:28

  

  Hi everyone, so good to hear hope you’re going and your results.
  I had an operation on my hand two weeks ago, it was my dominant hand and it’s very difficult to manage without the thumb! Luckily the dressings are all off now and I can use it again. I think I was a little too self indulgent with the butternut biscuits and I have not lost any of the 2 kg I put on during my holiday a month ago. I am feeling good now though and ready to knuckle down to it. I am weighing daily again for a week and so how that goes. I am walking every day, 8000-10000 steps but I’ve noticed before that exercise has little effect on my weight- can’t out walk a poor diet!
  Interested to hear how everyone is getting on.

• posted by SueBlue
  on 8 Aug 2026 at 02:26

  

  Mariet – no truer words said there than not being able to out walk a poor diet!
  I’m a good case in point – I have been walking for 50 minutes almost every morning for the last 2 years and it hasn’t made any real impact on my weight – although perhaps to some degree it’s stopped me from becoming even bigger 😂
  Glad to hear that your surgery went well.

  I’ve had a good sort of week, have kept active and for the most part ate heathy, nutritious meals – my favourite breakfasts have been Choc berry porridge, apple berry crumble, baked protein pancake, and today I had carrot cake baked oats. This one made a huge portion so I just had half as I was full after that. I did also have a Hungry Jacks breakfast roll one morning when we were out early, but balanced this out by having no lunch and an early dinner.
  I weighed in at 98kg on Friday, which is where I was at about a month ago. Im 5’9” so can carry a bit extra, but I’m a size 18 and prefer to be 16, so aiming for that. I have 10kg I’d initially like to lose, and then possibly another 5-10kg.
  My first goal is to shed a few kilos and be under 94kg by the end of September.
  I wish I could be as determined and focussed as you Cathy, but I’m just not!
  So happy to take it slowly, I’m focussing on good nutrition and eating habits. One thing I have found since eating more filling breakfasts is that I don’t feel like snacking at all, and can skip lunch. As my husband and I get up before 6am we like to have our evening meal fairly early, so this works well.
  Hopefully everyone else is having a good week. It’s a beautiful sunny winter morning here so I’m going to get outside and get some gardening done 🙂

• posted by caronl
  on 8 Aug 2026 at 13:54

  

  Hi everyone,
  I am popping in after quite a time away. Lovely to catch up on your posts and hear the achievements – walking, weight reduction, resets etc. I love the idea of an August reset, and will join you – albeit rather late and a bit tentatively. After two lots of visitors and too many slips, I am ready to pay myself some attention and feel healthier again. Have a nice weekend.

• posted by Dreamscometrue
  on 8 Aug 2026 at 16:07

  

  CARONL hello! I remember you from a while ago. Good to have you back. And it’s great that you’re joining the motley crew for an August reset.

  I’ve had a mixed week. Set myself the target of 150lb for the week and nearly got there midweek till I sabotaged it with curry and cocktails 🙀. I completely agree with an earlier discussion about allowing ourselves leeway for special outings, celebrations, holidays etc. My problem is that I think I overuse that leeway. I’m very lucky to have an active social life – particularly this summer with the combination of the glorious weather and now being fully retired. But that means lots of opportunities to go off piste.

  But on the other hand I’m still comfortable with my MO of slow and steady. I’m hoping for 149 by the end of next week and as long as I have more days strictly on the WoE than I do off it, I’m hopeful of getting there.

  Another thing I’ve been reflecting on is the importance of seeing this as a long term WoE and not a crash diet (even though it can serve as both). I want to try and continue to make realistic and healthy adjustments to my eating rather than just cutting everything out to try and lose weight.

  Lots to think about but let’s all keep going in our own way and work towards our individual goals for this month and the rest of 2026 X

• posted by Heidi24
  on 8 Aug 2026 at 17:33

  

  Hi DCT. Whoops I used my previous user name. My cover has blown! I thought you would remember caronl too. 😀
  I might as well stick with Heidi though, since there has been a lot of life and living since my caronl days.

  I very much hope to stick more closely to the group from now on. Focus and energy continue to be my real challenges at the moment, even 6 months after my husband’s death. But that’s all the more reason for eating healthily, I suppose.

  Anyway I love your realistic goals and commitment to this way of eating and a healthier way of life. Good luck with the reset!

• posted by Dreamscometrue
  on 8 Aug 2026 at 17:40

  

  HEIDI hello! Tbh I’d worked out it was you
  – bells were ringing – but wanted to respect your boundaries 😊.

  Either way, it’s lovely to have you back, and I very much look forward to continuing our journey together.

  Lots of love xx

• posted by arcticfox2
  on 9 Aug 2026 at 21:45

  

  Hi everyone,
  Thought I’d quickly check in just in case people have heard about what is happening here. Since August 1st, there have been scary wildfires happening once again in my area. The Aug 1st one was within 20km of my house and people only had minutes to escape. In the end I was not affected but it was a tense 24 hours and we got lucky with a wind change. 230 people lost their home though, so it is tragic. Then on Friday, an absolutely huge fire blew up from just a few hectares to over 10,000 hectares in just a few hours. People did not have time to do more than just flee with their own lives. People had to let their livestock and pets go. An entire community was lost. It is incredibly sad for us. It has been hard with the natural disasters since 2017. It seems like we just get hit time and time again. I know Britain and Europe have been hard hit this summer too with heat and wildfires. It just seems that for us it is year after year and it is getting hard to cope with. Anyway, I currently have 2 evacuee foster cats in my spare bedroom. We all step up and try to support each other and if we are not immediately impacted, we do what we can for those who are as we know it could be us next and others will do the same for us.
  In spite of all of this, I did manage to drive a few hours to meet my new potential partner half way between our homes yesterday. It went well. We need more time together in person to see if it will actually work or not. There are a lot of practicalities that will need sorting too. I got to spend a day in cooler temperatures and out of the smoke too as a result. We ordered takeaway from a cafe and had a picnic in a park across the street. So it was very nice just to sit outside under the trees together and not have to worry about anything for a bit.
  With all the stress, I’m afraid I have fallen off piste with the food situation. It always seems to happen this way and more likely to happen in the summer it seems. But I have lots of veggies in the fridge for the week and will make a run into town later to pick up some soy free tofu and duck eggs.

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 9 Aug 2026 at 22:12

  

  Hi Arctic, I was thinking about you as I know the fires have been pretty close in previous years. Things have quietened down here but we have yet another heatwave coming this week. Tonight we had a massive storm with heavy rain so hope that keeps things dampened for a while.

  Stay safe and good luck with you new prospective partner.

• posted by ClarinetCathy
  on 10 Aug 2026 at 09:46

  

  ArcticFox- so sorry to hear about the devastating wildfires affecting your area. It’s frightening to think about having to flee for your life and to have to leave your animals behind. I’m glad you’ve met your new potential partner – let’s hope things can blossom.
  Heidi- welcome back to the group and unlike DCT our super sleuth I had no idea of your previous identity!! Take things at your own pace and we are all doing it our way.
  Mariet- hope your hand is getting stronger. Glad you’re joining us for a reset.
  Sue- slow and steady wins the race. You will get there. Your determination and commitment to the process has earned you success over the years. Good nutrition is the way forward. I think youre being sensible and thinking about the long term.
  Today I weighed 140.8 so a loss of 4lb this week. To be honest I didn’t give it 100% every day so I’ve done really well!
  I am continuing my reset this week and I’ve got quite an exciting week ahead. Tomorrow I am going to a wig shop for a consultation. I am thinking wigs might be the future as I was so upset with what happened to my hair system back in May and it’s still not been resolved. It’s exciting but also nerve wracking! All my close friends know about my alopecia but many others dont! It will be difficult facing people with a wig. I don’t like the word wig so I am saying new hair! On Wednesday I am starting at Oxfam as a volunteer in a shop.
  Looking forward to hearing how your first week as gone. Have a great week everyone

• posted by SueBlue
  on 10 Aug 2026 at 09:58

  

  Cathy all the best for your new hair appointment 🙂
  It reminded me of when I lost all of my hair 12 years ago now (through chemo) and I wore a wig. I was really nervous going to work wearing it for the first time, and I remember a colleague saying to me in the lift that she loved my new hair do! She hadn’t realised it was a wig.
  When not at work I used to wear it with a baseball cap, it looked more natural, although my family teased me as I looked like a notorious criminal of the time!

• posted by ClarinetCathy
  on 13 Aug 2026 at 19:04

  

  Hello
  What a very hot summer we are having in The UK! Today is roasting! I’ve had a week. Ì went to choose my new wig on Tuesday. I was very apprehensive and it wasn’t easy trying them one whilst wearing my hair system but i have chosen a lovely grey one and i am having a fringe cut into it in a couple of weeks,. Thank you for sharing your wig story Sue, it really was a positive experience when you wore yours for the first time. I’ve gone for a similar colour and style to my system but a little shorter. I am going to be open and honest about it being a wig if anyone asks. I have to accept my alopecia. I lost my hair when I was 13 after being diagnosed with Still’s Disease which is a juvenile form of rheumatoid arthritis.
  My husband is away next week and i am opening up the Buddhist group he runs and i dont want to go with my new hair on my own. So we are going to attempt to remove the hair system when he gets back and i have an appointment for the fringe to be cut in a couple of weeks. I can always cut the hair connecting beads out from my hair if we cant undo the aluminium clips. I have very little hair on my head and my husband has never seen the extent of my hair loss so it’s going to be quire distressing for me. Anyway, it is what it is. We will be fine.
  I started my Oxfam job on Wednesday and I loved it. I was only there for a morning but I enjoyed it. I was steaming clothes and sorting them. It’s a lovely shop. I am going in again next week. Because of the stressful week I haven’t lost any weight yet! I weighed the same today as I did last Friday. I ate a sandwich at the shop that the manager bought for me which was really kind and I felt I had earned it to be honest.
  I will knuckle down next week and see if I can get under 140lb.
  Hope you’ve all had a good week.

• posted by Dreamscometrue
  on 14 Aug 2026 at 07:53

  

  CATHY good luck with the changeover to your new hair when it happens. It sounds lovely and it’s also good to hear that you are feeling positive about it and have a healthy acceptance of the situation. I’m glad you enjoyed your first Oxfam shift too. Very well done for maintaining your weight with all that’s been happening this week.

  No loss for me again, as it’s been a busy week socially. But no gain either so I guess that’s a positive. I am finally having my lip surgery next Wednesday, so that may slow me down a bit for a couple of days 🙀. Will report back in due course. But I’ve been exercising lots and also trying to make the most of this glorious weather while it’s still with us. Tried to view the eclipse on Wednesday but didn’t have the proper glasses so didn’t really see much. But it felt good to be out there observing nature.

  ARCTICFOX you’ve had such extreme weather and I was so sorry to hear about your wildfires. That sounds very scary and I’m so glad to hear you are ok. And it’s great that your first face to face meeting with your potential partner went so well. I hope that you can both work the practicalities out if you decide you do want to be together.

  Hello to everyone else on here. I hope you all have a good weekend, and here’s to a positive week next week.

• posted by Dreamscometrue
  on 21 Aug 2026 at 08:44

  

  Hi everyone. Just checking in – I can’t believe another week has flown by!

  I’ve had a really busy week. I was away last weekend staying with friends, who had organised a mini music festival in their garden. And this weekend other local friends are doing the same nearby. Then on Wednesday I finally had my lip surgery which I was dreading but seemed to go really well 🤞 It’s swollen, bruised and you can see the stitches – so I look like I’ve ben in a fight 😂 But it seems to be healing well and I am able to eat and drink normally. I just have to be careful about not getting it too wet or too exposed to sun, and have been advised to lay off the exercise – particularly water-based – until it heals fully. But it’s a relief to have it over and done with.

  I managed to achieve my weekly target of 149lb this week and am very much hoping to make it to 148lb by the end of next week, which is pretty much the end of the month. Then will be aiming for 145lb by the end of September if I can.

  We still have 4 months to go to achieve our 2026 goals. Plenty of time to reset and overcome any glitches so far 😊

  Hope everyone else is doing ok and that you all have a lovely weekend X

• posted by ClarinetCathy
  on 21 Aug 2026 at 09:04

  

  Hello everyone
  Sorry I’ve not posted this week- a combination of reasons. I’m tired, stressed and not focused. My friend has been diagnosed with breast cancer, I’ve been worrying about getting my wig on Monday and taking off this hair system before I go and worrying that my husband will see how bad my alopecia looks I was working in Oxfam on Wednesday and worked too hard and felt exhausted. I feel overwhelmed at the moment.
  DCT- lovely to hear that your surgery went well and that you’re on the mend and well done on achieving your target this week. I haven’t been so good this week and today the scales are up to 143. I’m nipping it in the bud today! I know why and it’s stress and not following my eating rules!! No excuses / must try harder.
  I am determined to be down to 138 by the end of August so I have to reel it in from today. I have 10 days to make it happen .
  Let’s dig deep for the last 10 days of August and see how we do. Life always has a way of scuppering things but we have to try and navigate our way through the storm. That’s just life. Let’s have a good week and let’s make our August reset have been positive before we move to our September goal. We’ve got this!

• posted by Dreamscometrue
  on 21 Aug 2026 at 09:23

  

  CATHY sorry you’ve had such a bad week. I’m so sorry to hear about your friend. And I understand how daunted you must feel about removing your hair system but am sure your husband will understand. I used to have very bad psoriasis which in my mind looked dreadful and I always tried to hide it from my husband. But I’m sure he saw it anyway and it made no difference at all. I think we can blow these things up out of all proportion. Just imagine if it was the other way round, and it was him with some kind of physical condition he was embarrassed about : I think you’d be totally accepting and wouldn’t want him worrying. Would it help to articulate your worries to him in advance? However you go about things, I wish you well and hope that you are completely happy with the new wig.

  And don’t overdo things in the Oxfam shop. It sounds like a lovely role but, from what we know of you on here, you always give 110% 😉. So just turn up, be your lovely self, and do what’s needed to help without flying around trying to do more than is reasonable.

  Good luck with your 138 target next week. We still have 10 days of August left so let’s see what we can achieve next week 🤞X

• posted by ClarinetCathy
  on 21 Aug 2026 at 09:49

  

  Thank you for your kind and wise words DCT. I’ve already addressed the working too hard issue in my mind and I’ll be dialling things down going forward. Nothing to prove, I’m only doing one day at week. I always give whatever I’m doing 100%. I have to remember that I am a volunteer and anything I do is beneficial and I don’t have to wear myself out! It’s a good lesson for me. My husband is lovely and I am sure after knowing each other for almost 50 years it won’t be an issue for him but for me it’s going to be difficult but I’ve got the strength and determination to feel the fear! I feel this is something I need to try and I honestly feel that wig wearing will be liberating in the long term.
  So, back to the drawing board regarding my comfort eating. Strict rules from today. No excuses. No feeling sorry for myself. Just do it! If I don’t control myself I could be back to square one in no time and that is not an option ever!

• posted by ADD6605
  on 24 Aug 2026 at 14:04

  

  Hi everyone,
  Sorry I haven’t posted for about 3 weeks, have passed a couple of kidney stones during that time (with a week in between) and both episodes lasted a few days and I’m afraid the discomfort sent me off track a bit food wise. I’m back to it today though and upping my water intake to hopefully help prevent more stones forming. Hope everyone is keeping well, I need to catch up on posts.Dawn X

• posted by ClarinetCathy
  on 25 Aug 2026 at 17:12

  

  Dawn- OUCH! I know how painful kidney stones can be- the worst pain ever! Hope you’re soon feeling better.
  I got my wig yesterday and I am very pleased with it. The colour is lovely and the stylist at the shop cut a fringe in for me so it’s not dissimilar to my previous style. It was embarrassing cutting my system out and my husband seeing my hairless head but he was so lovely. I’ve bought some bandanas for wearing in bed and the salon buzzed off my hair yesterday so it looks better than wispy hairs all over my head. The worst is over! I’ve told all my friends thst next time they see me I’ll look different but I am still the same person! After the stress of this week I’ve taken my eye off things diet wise but I must get back on track. I’m working on Oxfam all day tomorrow so I’ll take a healthy lunch and get myself back on an even keel.
  DCT- how is your lip healing? Hope you’re doing ok. I am apprehensive about whether I’ll end August weighing less than I started but it has been a difficult couple of weeks so I’ll cut myself some slack and get on with the job. Sometimes life gets in the way of our plans and we have to just have to do our best. Still a few days to make a difference but I’ve just been out to lunch with my friend to show her my new hair and I ate an unhealthy lunch followed by a raspberry cider!! Eeek

• posted by Verano
  on 25 Aug 2026 at 18:47

  

  Cathy just want to 👍👍👍👍👍! Great on you!

• posted by Dreamscometrue
  on 27 Aug 2026 at 09:22

  

  Hello all

  DAWN I hope you’re feeling better. Kidney stones sound horrible. Am I right in thinking you’ve had them before too? I do hope that they’re now completely gone and that you manage to get back on track again.

  CATHY I’m so pleased your wig fitting went well, and also that your worry is over. I’m sure you look lovely. It’s a shame we can’t share pictures on here! And I’m also sure you’ll rebalance your eating now that things are calming down.

  My lip is healing well thank you. It’s been just over a week now and I had one or two uncomfortable days, particularly since I overdid things at the weekend, helping to organise a local garden music festival. But I’m definitely getting there and it’s a relief to have it over and done with. I haven’t made my 148lb target this week though, and later today I’m off to Wales for a family funeral tomorrow so won’t be weighing for the next couple of days (and likely to be off piste too). So will get back on it next week.

  Sending good wishes to you all, and will catch up next week xx

• posted by ClarinetCathy
  on 27 Aug 2026 at 11:56

  

  Hello everyone
  Thank you for your kindness Verano and DCT. It’s been a stressful couple of weeks but i am beginning to feel better about things and in my heart I know I’ve made a good decision to opt for wigs. This morning I weighed in at 140.8 lb. I am determined to get in the 130’s before the end of August. I am going to do my end of August weigh in on Sunday as we are out all day on Sunday and I know I will eat things that won’t do me any favours on the scale on Monday. A slight little bending of the rules one might say! If I do strict 800 calories today, tomorrow and Saturday I might just do it. I’ve not really done myself any favours in August. I could have done better. My next goal is to be 135 lb before my cruise on 9th October. I will dust down my Kanban board next week and make a start on my next leg of the journey. Last week I ate out 3 times so I am amazed I am still hovering at the 140 mark.
  Glad to hear you’re on the mend DCT. I hope you are too Dawn.
  Have a nice Bank Holiday weekend whatever you’re all doing and if August didn’t go to plan for you like it didn’t for me, no harm done. We have four more months before the end of this journey to make our dream come true. My dream is to be at goal at Christmas and to start 2027 feeling good about my achievement this year. What is your dream?

• posted by Dreamscometrue
  on 3 Sep 2026 at 08:42

  

  Hi everyone how’s your week going? I’m having yet another busy week but managing to maintain at around 150. Still not achieved getting below there for very long but know I’ll get there soon. I just seem to be going through a very busy patch and am away again next week. September always feels like a fresh start, and I aim to be at 146 by the end of the month 🤞

  How are you all doing? X

• posted by ADD6605
  on 4 Sep 2026 at 08:58

  

  Hi everyone and thanks DCT and Cathy for your kind words. Yes I’ve had kidney stones quite a lot over the years, the first few years were really painful ones, so bad I ended up in A&E twice after which my GP prescribed morphine so that I always had it to hand. It’s hard to believe something approximately the size of a chilli seed can cause that much pain! Luckily it’s a long time since I had any that painful but they’re still not nice. DCT well done for managing to maintain throughout August. Cathy I’m so glad you are pleased with your hair. Like you, August didn’t go to plan for me and I seem to have totally lost motivation at the minute. I got a bit of a shock when I weighed myself this morning and not a good one😩. I’m going to spend some of today doing a food plan for the next 7 days in the hope that I will actually stick to it.
  I hope everyone else is keeping ok. Dawn X

• posted by ClarinetCathy
  on 4 Sep 2026 at 09:36

  

  Hi DCT and Dawn and everyone else
  Glad your on the mend Dawn. Hopefully now you’re feeling better you’ll be able to get back on track. Like you, August didn’t go to plan for me but I’m hoping September will go to plan. I weighed 141 this morning so I am maintaining which is good but I am hoping to lose and get to around 135-138 before October 9th when I go away for two weeks. I know that I’ll put on weight on my cruise and I intend to eat and drink whatever I want when I am away. I will be going to the gym and using the walking machines to try and offset things.
  DCT- good luck for your September goal . Slow and steady with four months to go means you can definitely achieve your goal. I’ve been hovering around 140 now since May and that in itself is a fabulous achievement for me . I feel I may have become complacent with my loss and I really do need to up my game to lose a few more pounds pre holiday so yesterday I started being strict. Not keto 800 strict but mindful of calories/carbs. I’ll get back on my walking pad later and really try and motivate myself to behave. I know I’ll be gutted when I come back from my holiday if I am 10lb or more over my threshold! My top weight is always going to be 145 lb now so when that happens it is time for strict keto/800. With my holiday and then Christmas on the horizon I have to be sensible and keep below 140 if possible.
  Have a lovely weekend everyone. I’m off to the St Anne’s Kite festival on Sunday- hope my wig doesn’t blow off!

• posted by ADD6605
  on 4 Sep 2026 at 11:22

  

  Thanks Cathy. You’ve done so well to maintain at around 140, I would love to be that weight. I had stopped setting goals for myself but I’m thinking that’s maybe why I’m just ‘drifting’ at the minute so have decided to set a goal for 9th October when we go away to the Lake District for a week. I’m going to aim to lose 2lb per week so hoping to be 10lb down by then. I will still be over 11 stone after losing that as have gained so much back unfortunately but my next goal after that will be for Christmas which I will work out once we are back from the Lakes. I hope you enjoy the kite festival, it’s extremely windy here in Newcastle today, probably not good kite weather! Dawn X

• posted by SueBlue
  on 6 Sep 2026 at 22:19

  

  Hello everyone, apologies I’ve been MIA for a while. My August reset went totally pear shaped! I can’t pin point it on one particular reason, just had a lot going on, and also dealing with the death of a close friend of the family. He was only 10
  years older than my husband and I and has children a similar age to ours.
  Anyway I gave myself a good talking to yesterday and this morning I re-signed up to the Fast 800 online plan. I’m going to knuckle down for the next few months and see how I go. If I’m still not getting anywhere then in the new year I’m going to talk to my doctor about weight loss medication. I saw my son yesterday for the first time in a few months and he has lost so much weight on Ozempic. He has T2 diabetes so it was vital he lost weight, it’s really good seeing him look so fit and healthy compared to how he was at the start of this year.
  I have no idea what I weigh as I haven’t pulled the scales out for a few weeks. On the plus side I have kept up with my walking, so it’s not all bad. But it’s my birthday later this month, and of course we have Christmas fast approaching! But I figure there’s still 115 days left this year to make a difference!
  Hope everyone else doing well – I’ll go back through your posts today so I can catch up 🙂

• posted by ClarinetCathy
  on 7 Sep 2026 at 10:23

  

  Hi Sue
  I feel your frustration but I hope that by signing up to the fast 800 and knuckling down you will achieve a good weight loss in the 115 days we have left in 2026. I felt exactly the same as you are feeling about going on weight loss medications. It seemed like it could be the only way. It’s frustrating when you see how much weight people can lose with what seems little effort. However, I am risk averse and nervous of medication but I am envious of my friends who have lost weight using Ozempic. Hopefully, you’ll get some good results and will be happy with your achievement on the fast 800. It took me 3 months of hard work but it was worth it. I got my blood sugar back down to well under normal. Your walking is inspiring and I am going to get back on my walking pad this week.
  You’ve got the summer months ahead of you so hopefully that will make things a little easier. Which ever way you decide to go we are all here to support you. I am going to be strict this week- I’ve been faffing about and not giving it 100% prior to my cruise. Today I am 142 lbs after the weekend and I plan to be 138 by the end of September. Here we go again….. we’ve got this!

• posted by SueBlue
  on 7 Sep 2026 at 21:35

  

  Thanks so much for your kind words and encouragement Cathy 🙂 Yes I am frustrated and disappointed – but with myself! I just haven’t been able to get into a rhythm with healthy eating and weight loss at all this year, it’s been stop and start. When I last shed a decent amount that was 4-5 years ago now, as I wanted to look my best as mother of the bride – maybe I need another of my children to get married hahah!
  But in all seriousness I do want to be fit and healthy as I get older, and if I can discard 10kg I’ll be at a healthier weight, and importantly one I feel comfortable at.
  I did brave the scales yesterday and it wasn’t as bad as I had feared. I’m still over 4kg less than what I weighed at the beginning of the year.
  I had a spinach and mushroom omelette for breakfast yesterday, then Greek salad for lunch and a pita bread pizza for tea (a favourite Fast 800 recipe from a few years ago). I woke up absolutely starving this morning (to the point where I felt ill) so just had 1/2 a banana with my coffee as I’m going for my morning walk and won’t be able to have breakfast for a while.
  Yesterday I did the Resistance routine in the app too with my hand weights.
  So Day 1 went well, just have to keep going!

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 8 Sep 2026 at 19:20

  

  I also feel your pain Sueblue. I have been super strict, no alcohold, plenty of weight training and pilates and got down to my lowest weight for years. Then one meal out and I gained nearly a kilo. Really gets me riled. Is this how it is always going to be. I know in my heart that losing a couple of kilos is not really good enough to then allow for a small (ish) gain. Good news is I have lost around 6lbs over the last few months. I have a goal but really need to get a proper grip on things. Or at least will after our daughters visit next week. Keep on keeping on. We will get there. I am hoping my blood tests tell a good story as I have been working my heart out to improve from last time when I had just returned from a cruise. So fingers crossed.

• posted by Dreamscometrue
  on 11 Sep 2026 at 12:44

  

  Hi everyone. I’m back from a few days away. Had a lovely time, and not too much collateral damage weight-wise. But I’ve come back fired up for action!! Completely identifying with and motivated by CATHY’s desire to stop “faffing about” and SUE giving herself a good talking to. I’m with you! At the start of this year I felt so confident that I would see significant loss on a small and steady basis throughout the year. And, whilst I’ve lost around 9lb, I’m disappointed that it’s now September and I’m still around 12lb away from where I want to be.

  But as has been said, there are still over 100 days to go. So I’m girding my loins and going to do yet another (!!) restart on Monday. I’ve resubscribed to the online plan. I kind of feel I don’t need to . . . surely I know enough by now? But looking back over the year, it was the month or so that I followed it properly, just before I went to New York, that I saw my biggest loss. And it certainly does help with meal planning. So I’m going to restart on Monday. Not sure yet which version I will follow but will keep you posted.

  SUE I was so sorry to hear about your family friend. And yes, it does make you realise the importance of doing all that we can to stay fit and healthy. It sounds like you got off to a great start last week . . . how is it going? CATHY good luck with your end of September goal. If anyone can do it, you can!

  SUNSHINE- GIRL everything you say sounds so familiar. I also like to eat out and socialise with friends and family but I so easily let that become the norm. Whereas if I can flip it and eat and drink wisely most of the time then there should always be leeway for a few treats and celebrations here and there. Good luck!

  Hope that everyone else is doing ok? And hope you all have a lovely weekend X

• posted by ADD6605
  on 12 Sep 2026 at 07:25

  

  Hi everyone,
  I weighed myself this morning and have lost 4 lbs which I know will be water, my waist is 1 inch down on bloat, but it’s a good start and I haven’t put in 100% this last week so am hopeful that going forward I will have continued good results if I am more strict with myself. Sue and DCT I’m still subscribed to the online plan, I have just dipped in and out of it since we did our joint endeavour so I am going to start using it properly from Monday again, including the exercises and meditation, this weekend I am following the meals I have loaded on to MFP, some of which are from the online plan, some not. Cathy your brilliant results using the online plan are still a great incentive to me. I hope everyone else is keeping ok, Yowzer I hope your health issues are still improving? Have a lovely weekend everyone. Dawn X

• posted by Yowzer49
  on 12 Sep 2026 at 07:48

  

  Hi DAWN and everyone,i still read everything,even though have not contributed for ages. Was in hospital and now been in rehab for seven weeks so far. Slowly getting stronger 🙏
  Lots of love and hugs to all lovely pals. Keep on truckin’ ! XX 🌸🩷🌸❤️🌸💜 XX

• posted by ADD6605
  on 12 Sep 2026 at 08:04

  

  Lovely to hear from you Yowzer❤️. I’m so sorry to hear that you have been in hospital but pleased that rehab is helping, though slowly. Sending you lots of hugs for your continued recovery🥰Dawn XX

• posted by SueBlue
  on 12 Sep 2026 at 08:08

  

  Yowzer it’s so SO lovely to hear from you 🙂 sending you best wishes (from the other side of the world) for your continued recovery! Take care xx 🇦🇺

• posted by SueBlue
  on 12 Sep 2026 at 08:16

  

  Dawn reading the first part of your post
  I can completely identify ) I was able to shed just under 5lb this week, despite not following the plan 💯
  I probably stuck to the plan about 50% of the time, but in saying that I did eat much smaller portions this week, and most of the meals I make now are BSD/Fast 800 ‘friendly’ anyway, as I have been following this WOE for so long now. I’ve also walked an average of 7k steps each day, and I’ve followed the online workouts too – the one with the side plank was a challenge, but I did the workaround and that helped!
  It’s been a beautiful spring day here today, and I’ve spent the day catching up with washing and housework so going to relax a bit now – have a good weekend all 🙂

• posted by ADD6605
  on 12 Sep 2026 at 08:39

  

  Hi Sue,
  That’s a great start, like you I think I’m usually automatically cooking and eating healthy meals after doing this for so long which is good to know. It’s just all of the extra (usually sweet) rubbish I have on top of that which has caused me problems. Since first doing the Fast800 plan, I think in 2018/19, I never feel hungry, I’m not sure if it reset something, so I find time restricted eating is how I usually would eat anyway which definitely helps. I’m looking forward to starting the online workouts again, though the side plank may be beyond me! Will definitely increase my walking, I would be very happy to achieve 7000 steps per day:) Sounds like a lovely day where you are, it’s a cool rainy day here so I will have a mainly cosy day and take some time to look at the online food plan for next week. Dawn X

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