Hi, well here I am again, second attempt since Christmas. Gained 9 3/4lbs, lost 7 1/2lbs, gained 7 3/4lbs! Still 1st down so not totally disheartened. I was doing so well then started putting too much pressure on myself. I signed up for the 1,000 mile challenge, which as I stand should be okay. Then I was full of how well it was all going and felt I needed to do 25 mins yoga everyday and cut out foods that keep me on the straight and narrow eg yogurt, beans, pulses Of course January is never a good month for me, get the blues, nothing bad just everything is an effort!! Couldn’t keep up with my exacting requirements, so off the rails, with carbs galore for comfort. Then I read this a few days ago and it made me realise what I was doing! ‘Doing a little is infinitely bigger and better than doing nothing. Doing a little everyday has a greater impact than doing a lot on one day’. So I am back on it. 3rd day, so far so good. Diet good, walks going well and a few stretches. So watch this space! I will be kind to myself, I want to get back to that fantastic feeling I had before Christmas when my body felt good, dare I say youthful! Off for a walk now.
Good luck all, here’s to having our mojos back!!
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Good news Cleverblonde …. it really does work! Looking forward to your March results.
Sunshine-girl I’ve been logging today and I just can’t believe how way off the mark ny guesstiweights were!!! At least today I’m managing portion control and sounds like you are as well. 2kg of cheese was that or the whole village!!!!!! In saying that a little bit of what you fancy does you good!
Cara it really is a case of digging deep but I also think your head has to be in the right place which is why I think these forums really help to stay on track.
Important thing sunshine is that we still are keeping on keeping on!
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Congratulations to all of you lovely people who are seeing great results and celebrating amazing achievements.
Big congratulations too, to all of you who, like me, are hanging in there by the skin of your teeth! My hunger pangs are all over the place at the moment. In fact there are days when I seem to sprout a wiggly tail and a snout and then forage around for any scraps going! Oink oink.
Keep hanging on you hanger-oners!
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OiMadam – I feel the exact same way today – just hungry all day – kept it all good foods (OK, including 3 extra squares of 80 some % chocolate) just more calories overall – about 1500 – last weight was down 2 lbs (161 lbs – so close to breaking through into the 150s). I used to get these days every couple months when I still had monthlies – not an issue for several yrs – so ….. just one of those other days. Back on the plan tomorrow – if I get hungry again tonight then just go to bed !
Congratulations to all of you on this thread who are dropping so much and doing so well. I seem to have plateaued a bit – lots of life distractions – dying kitty (came on fast – she is reasonably comfortable – purring on my lap while I read your posts and knit my pink hat for the weekend) and family drama ….. but reading all your posts is helping to keep my head focused overall so thanks to everyone here. This really is a solid plan. A few people at work have commented on my weight loss and a few are getting on a low-carb path – we are doing a weekly weigh-in (they’re nurses – what can you say ?) and every little loss is celebrated – keeping us motivated. I had some slack time last evening when I would have found a coffee shop and Sat – instead I did a walk – then on to my next appt – felt good ! It’s the small shifts in my habits that make me feel like this is overall progress – not just the lbs drop – overall overhaul ! Thanks everyone – have a great morning, evening ….. keep on dropping !!
And welcome back, Trelawny ! -
Rain today – sad about kitty. Chin up. Sounds like you are doing well.
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Oimadam- must say my fingertips are pretty sore from hanging on, too. Hunger pangs, January blues and three week plateau all make a sad but determined bunny! Haven’t given in yet to the carb monster! Bu he is knocking ever louder!
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Good (fill in appropriate time of day for your part of the world) everyone!
The adjustment in my meds made by my Dr on Tuesday has had an immediate effect and I am already feeling much less internally lethargic and far more able to USE the energy that the BSD has given me. This morning I could have bounced out of bed at 5am rarin’ to go, but made myself rest until 5:45!
RAINTODAY good to “hear” from you. Sorry about your kitty, I lost a beloved fur baby in what sounds like similar circumstances. She was old, but it came on suddenly – not nice 🙁
I feel a bit like I’ve entered deep waters or even uncharted territory now I’m starting out on my maintenance journey. I’m still counting cals and logging because it keeps me honest. My “thing” still seems to be snacking but I am much LESS inclined than I used to be, I just want to keep it that way! I use FatSecret app to log, lots of useful info. I find the app’s definition of exercise somewhat broad though, I have never really thought of ironing as exercise or watching TV for that matter, so I don’t log my activities.
To all those finding it tough to get back into the swing of BSD: Don’t lose sight of the ultimate goal of health, vitality, wellness AND a fit/slim body. It IS possible, it IS hard work, but ultimately it IS worth it. Keep picking yourself up every time and stir up that determination to be successful in this.
Have a great BSD Thursday!
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Hi everyone
Well just 5 days of this challenge left so I thought I might have a quick look back through the posts.
At the start of the challenge we were a group of roughly 43. At the end of week 1 we had lost roughly 20% of the starters. At the end of week 2, 26% of the group dropped out. So now we’re closer to around 18 regular posters of whom roughly 50% are/ have been struggling BUT we are still trying and still posting! We are successful because we are …. keeping on keeping on!
To those who have been on track all the time … great and congratulations!!!
Yesterday was a much better day for me as I actually logged a whole days food on Fatsecret which is the first time in quite a while. I actually feel back in control again which is such a good feeling. Although I’ve not gone off the rails, so to speak, I have been very lax with ‘counting’ both my carbs and calories. After just one day of weighing and logging I realise how bad my guesstimating has been! It’s hardly any wonder that I have been on the 1lb on/off merry-go-round for so long.
Today is another day and as Daisiesmum says …. keep the faith.
Have a good day.
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DAISIESMUM – inspirational words!! Yes it IS possible. With BSD I believe that for the first time in my life. I’ve done WeightWatchers, Slimming World, and a thousand fad diets. I was always hungry and always felt deprived. With BSD I’ve almost forgot I’m on a diet – just got used to a different way of eating. And it WORKS!
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Cleverblonde – well done – great hba1c results and how lovely that you have a supportive nurse.
Raintoday – so sorry about your kitty. Our pets give us so much happiness but it is heartbreaking when they come to the end of their lives.
Verano, Sunshine-girl and Daisiesmum – I am in exactly the same boat. I cannot guess the weight of food and am still shocked at how small a portion 50g of fage yoghurt is. Logging food into fatsecret and weighing all my food (except for kale and lettuce) are proving to be vital in the weight loss and now in the maintenance phase of BSD.
This is uncharted territory for me also Daisiesmum because I have never ever managed to maintain weight loss before and – for the first time ever since the late 1960s have maintained my weight loss for over a month (since 12th December) and have actually lost half a pound on maintenance.
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We went on an adventure today to some caves (Jenolan, if you’re familiar with the Sydney area). It turned out to be a bit further than we thought, three hours drive each way, and when we got there we got tickets to the first tour available. Turns out, out of nine or ten cave walks, we were on the most challenging! 910 stairs in the cave itself, plus all the stairs from the car park to the cave entrance, so I’d say definitely over 1000. I have no fear of enclosed spaces but I’m not very good with heights and I really didn’t like going down steep narrow wet concrete stairs in semi-darkness! The caves were beautiful and interesting but I came out trembling with physical and emotional exhaustion. I may have only taken 4500 steps today but I believe I have done my exercise for the day!
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Natalie – my daughter lived in Sydney for 14 years and I was a frequent visitor. One of the trips we did was to the Jenolan caves. They were beautiful and the countryside around them was stunning, but I am also not good with heights and I do remember all those steps.
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Raintoday, sorry to hear about your poor cat, so heartbreaking losing a friend.
Natalie, with you on the heights thing, so can appreciate the effort it took for you to do that, well done.
Feeling good today, positive. Can’t keep up with all the posts now, so am concentrating on our merry band. Keep me focused on the task in hand.
Have a good day everyone.
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Just to report in, I have lost another pound this week which brings me to within 1 lb of my target weight of 9st 7lb!! Total of 3 lbs lost over the 4 week fix to date. I am not being ultra strict but trying to keep the carbs around 60 -70g (not diabetic), and cals under 1200. So gradually working up to maintenance I think. I cooked a new recipe last night, a warm chicken and butternut squash salad with a tahini dressing, which was yummy. OH enjoyed it as well, which was a bonus – he is half-heartedly trying to lose a bit of weight, but enjoys his beer and chips too much to go permanently low carb.
We are off to Jamaica in Feb, on an all-inclusive hol, it will be a test of my will power I think. Looking forward to some sea and sun, its the first foreign holiday we’ve had together as OH had a dog who could not be left, until we lost him just before Xmas. Shopping this weekend for shorts – my favourites from last year have to go to the charity shop – much too big!
Congratulations to everyone on these forums, its great to read of your successes and the tips and recipes are all very helpful.
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I wrote a massive long winded post about ten minutes ago but it’s not posted – probably just as well (maybe the administrator saw what a rant I was having an deleted it). It was all about the fact that I’ve gained weight again in my mid week weigh in – just feel pants as REALLY no idea why – have lost weight fabulously all the way through this plan – that about covers it…
Congratulations cleverblonde – you really are clever 🙂
To all strugglers out there – hang on in there – spring is on its way and with that, all the lovely walks, the light evenings, the fresh veg you can grow, and the urge to eat salad again….!
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Just catching up with yesterday’s ‘I’ newspaper. Have just read 3 things that really cheered me up.
1. Diabetes will take nearly 10 years off your life a study of more than half a million Chinese people has found. The rise in diabetes in China is attributed to an increasingly westernized diet and sedentary lifestyle. I was happy to read this because following BSD guidelines on diet and exercise means that this is no longer us and that we are on the right track by following a diet that is not a typical western high carb high sugar diet. Even if we don’t come completely off our meds our blood sugar levels are so good that we are no longer at risk.
2. Key to a longer life is smaller portions. Eat less and live longer. Isn’t this just what we are doing on the BSD and then on maintenance. Maintenance for me is not eating my ‘normal’ diet because my normal diet is probably 1000 calories a day more than will maintain my weight loss (according to the Keto calculator). So again we are doing something very positive for our health.
3. Probably only relates to me as husband is always grumbling about how much coffee I drink and how 4 or 5 coffees a day can’t be good for me. So I quite enjoyed showing him the article about how a Stamford University study has shown that an inflammatory mechanism associated with ageing and increased mortality was dormant in people who drank more caffeinated drinks.
So a good news day.
Congratulations Norfolkgal on reaching your target weight – a very good news day today.
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Have corrected my last post – I was cheered up not cheated up
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Well done Norfolk Girl!
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hello all, I know yesterday was just a glitch. This morning I am 2.5 lbs down. I will trust that around the 16th of the month I will gain fluid – funny thing bodies, not had a period for 15 years but my body still behaves like I have.
Still, I am not going to be complacent and everything will be measured and accounted for and definitely no alcohol over the weekend. It is only 2 days, surely I can manage without, and think of the rewards.
Also, as usual my BG has shot up but only to 6.3. I remember a time I would have been so happy with 6.3 when I was normally around 8 or 9 and 7 on a good day. So, I also know from experience on this plan that it will drop back down to around 5 by tomorrow. Nothing to worry about. Total weight loss in 2 and a bit weeks is just under 4 lbs.
Hope you are all doing well and getting back into it, it is really worth it.
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Hi Verano, interesting stats. I’m not posting so regularly as I’ve been ill, then busy, and now just settled in to this way of eating. Plateau has started moving and I’m back to steady loss of 1 or 2 lbs every 3 or 4 days, which will do for me.. Exercise is getting there. BS is stable, fasting at around 4.8 on minimum meds which I never thought would happen! Struggling to maintain water intake when it’s so cold, but aware of it. Congrats to everyone who’s keeping on keeping on. Thank goodness for bsd. MKx
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Oh dear have just seen on the news that we have caused a Courgette shortage because of all the courgetti we are eating.
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If the next scare is fennel, it’s down to me!
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Krysia, I am going to grow my own this year, I am told 2 plants will yield hundreds of the blighters. When juicing become popular in France there was a shortage of fresh spinach but it didn’t last long. Now, Jules, dont get me started on fennel, tastes like perfume to me, sorry you can keep it, although there are lots of things I wouldn’t eat in my younger days that I now love (asparagus, aubergine).
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I’ve gone from never eating the stuff to adding it to everything (miso, meatballs, spinach and fennel is the food of the Gods) – I just see it as another example of my tastes changing…..
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Jules, I will fight you to the death for the last fennel bulb. I’ve loved it ever since I was a kid and my favorite salad was just thinly sliced fennel, olive oil, salt and pepper. There is nothing more refreshing on a hot day. I also discovered a couple of years ago that if you peel the stalks with a potato peeler, you can use them like celery in soups, sauces, chicken salad etc. I dislike celery, so I replace it with peeled fennel stalk in everything.
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Hi Everyone,I haven’t posted for a while. I’m massively impressed with all the amazing results,well done to all. Im not giving up but Im not really progressing I’m back at work, so now needing to reorganize my routine.I had some success by missing breakfast but I seem to lack energy in the afternoons and I eat too many snacks. Its all BSD but the calories are high.I also forget to drink water when I’m working. On the plus side I’m walking a lot. I could say that I lost 2-3 kg but the truth is I lost and gained the same kgs. so today I’m still 83.6 Kg and my fasting sugar is still 6.0 and higher. Today I was ok until the BBQ lamb chops were so good and I had no portion control .Regarding the corgettes and zuchinni , I threw some seeds into the garden and with very little effort I have a whole crop almost ready to harvest. Also tried cucumbers and its surprising how much nicer they taste straight from the garden.I will do my final weigh in on tuesday.Is any one starting the next 4 weeks goals? cheers to everyone keep going.
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Oh NO! A courgette shortage…. aaargh! Apparently the shortage is due to snow in Spain! I have to admit that all kinds of songs are coming to mind… Just one courgetti, give it to meeee; or, The snow in Spain falls mainly on the -ah, courgette doesn’t rhyme! Don’t worry too much about the shortage, the supermarkets are seeking out suppliers and assure us it’ll be back in store soon. Phew! 🙂
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Well each to their own.
SSG – what can one say about someone who “smuggles” English cheese into the home of Les Grands Fromages…..;)
Bought myself a cheap potato peeler (25p at Morrisons) and it makes lovely, thin slices of Fennel and then use the tops in a cup of green tea…Mmmmm
On Courgettes – we grew some in the back hedge of the garden about 10 years ago and now every year we get a mega-harvest, the only bad thing is that they all appear at once.
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Question for all you budding gardeners … can you grow courgettes in containers? I managed to get courgettes yesterday with no problem but I guess after the news today they will be as scarce as hens teeth for a while!
Good to see some of our less prolific posters online today. Even better to see so many of the group so close to goal. Maybe there could be a 4 week thread for maintainers as well.
Today is definitely a more ‘controlled’ sort of day for me. Hope you’re still going strong as well sunshine-girl. I dropped back down into the next stone again this morning…. whooppee … so that’s keeping me keeping on at the moment! Are you happy with JM’s title SSG? So much easier !!!!
Sorry if I don’t respond to everyone but there are just so many posts today …. brilliant support !
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Jules, the UK produces more different cheeses than France (800ish to 500ish). My contraband is due to just fancying some Cheddar now and then especially as I can now have full fat, also I was intolerant to cow products (milk, cheese, yoghurt) for a few years and had to have sheep or goat products (which I love) so I have gone mad. Also it has to last until May when we have a stop over in Southampton. I forgot to stock up on Hallumi – you can’t get it here.
On the subject of contraband, in October we stopped off near Perth at a wine producers called Cairn O’Mohr (care no more, get it) where they produce lots of fruit wines and things like elderflower champagne, or oak leaf wine. Fortunately we did not get stopped by French customs, that and the cheese would be grounds for deportation (never mind Brexit).
Verano, it would have to be a big container. If you have a garden try stacking some tyres and filling with soil. You can also paint them pretty colours so they dont look like tyres. That has given me an idea for my strawberries which get eaten by slugs every year.
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Sunshine-girl have you seen the ‘Nutrition and wellbeing’ course on FutureLearn? Just started on Jan 16th. This second week of the science of nutrition course is much more enjoyable, I think!!
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Yes think I will try a large container. I do have a garden but it’s very low maintenance so don’t have much ‘free’ soil !
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Yes V, I am doing it although I only started week 2 today, week one was a bit hard going with all those enzyme link and hormone strings.
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Oh … I haven’t bothered with the ‘extra’ reading!!
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SSG think we have crossed lines. This is a different course ‘ Nutrition and Wellbeing not the ‘Science of Nutrition’. Which one/ones are you doing?
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I would really like to recommend this course. Nutrition and Wellbeing.
Frog got me hooked on ‘futurelearn.com’ several months ago. It’s a website offering a myriad of courses. They are set up by various universities, have world wide participants, cover every subject imaginable, are suitable for every ability from professionals to the ‘interested’ , last from 2 weeks with as few as 2hrs a week requirement, which can be spread over however long you want because once the course is downloaded, on a Monday, it stays on your PC, or whichever device!! They are free!!
Take a look!
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Verano you are right, I am doing The Science of Nutrition, finding it hard going even for an ex-nurse. I will look at the other one but not yet. Thanks
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Good morning everyone
Hope you are all well. Just 4 days left now to get to our mini goal for this challenge. I can’t even remember what mine was! Anyway I seem to be back on track at last and have now dropped down into the next stone and the next 10lbs and have even lost a little more from my waist. Just under 8lbs to get me back to my pre-disability ‘over-weight’ weight, which I’ve not seen for maybe 7 years!!!
My really good news is that I did a BG test 3hrs after my lunch yesterday and it was 4.6. I just couldn’t believe it I have never had a test that low so am really happy. Hope it wasn’t just a one off. Anyway, it’s just keep on keeping on for me at the moment but I do feel as though I’ve had a real boost.
Hi sunshine-girl, must admit I found the first week of the course a bit dry as you said. The second week is far better and a couple of the videos feature Michael Mosley. The bit about biological washing powder is really interesting but I won’t spoil that for you.
Sorry to have wittered on about myself today and I hope you all have a good day. It’s off to the hairdressers for me now. I always enjoy that.
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Did Tesco shopping early this morning – but not quite early enough because Esnecca and JulesMaigret had cleared the shelves of all the fennel! Will have to wait until next week to try it. Was pleased though that courgettes were in stock.
We are trying cauliflower rice again. We didn’t like our first efforts at cooking it last year but hopefully we will have better luck this time.
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Important things first – just been to Morrisons, not only have they got loads of courgettes, they’re actually on offer!
After that went for my catch-up with my diabetes nurse after my blood test. The results:
* Weight 18st 2lb – my target for this challenge – 75% of the way to my target weight
* Blood pressure of 116/72 – well into normal for my age and size
* Cholesterol well into normal, I can’t remember the number, because:
* HBA1C of 35! (sorry for those who use percentages, but I don’t really understand them) but well into normalSo that means HBA1C of 67 in August, 54 in October and 35 now.
Well chuffed – I may celebrate with a glass of green tea, with fennel tops in it.
In all seriousness, my most sincere and on-going thanks to everyone on this site for all their kind help and support, even when I ask stupid questions.
Now the small matter of keeping on track and getting rid of the last two stone …..
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Good morning, so many people are managing to keep going! What a team! I have lost one of the three pounds I put on during my holiday but what is better is that I have been having high morning blood sugars which I think are the dawn phenomenon- this morning my fasting BG was 5.4, a significant improvement on the 6.5 it has been for a few weeks. Happy with that!
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Well done Verano and Jules. Great results and heading in the right direction. Not sure about the fennel tops Jules. I’ve never really tried fennel but I think I’ll buy some today and see how I get on with it.
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Verano – well done on your weight loss – you really are on track now. Your b.s. was really good – properly normal.
JulesMaigret – fantastic Hba1c. Shows how well you have stuck to the plan. Your other stats are excellent also.
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Well done Verano and Jules. The BG is the most important thing for us diabetics, for me the weight loss is a bonus. Today I am back to having lost 4 lbs since starting 2.5 weeks ago (how do you type fractions on the keyboard???) so just half a pound to my pre-holiday weight. Hopefully, I can join in with you all and set this goal for the end of this mini challenge and happy to join you in whatever comes next.
Again my BG was up slightly at 6.0 (108 on other scale) but settling nicely. Just finished my HipHopAbs exercise routine and will probably do it again tomorrow. It is only half an hour so goes very quickly but is quite intense. Nothing much else to report, just feeling good and very positive.
Have a good day.
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Well done Jules, Verano and sunshinegirl! Health is definitely number one priority and every step towards better results is a victory to be celebrated.
So, there I was first thing this morning all ready to continue my developing habit of HIIT and “rebounding” on a regular basis, I reached for my exercise gear and… click… there went my back! No kidding! Yes, I do get the joke and I am laughing about it but it’s very sore. I did manage to losen up enough to do a slightly careful version of my exercises. However my back brace/corset type thingy which usually helps enormously is now no longer tight enough! It’s not exactly lose, but nowhere near as supportive as it used to be 🙂 Hopefully my back will sort itself out in a couple of days as usual. I don’t mean to give the impression this happens regularly, only very rarely but it has happened before.
Hope everyone is having a lovely BSD Friday.
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Yaaaaay!!!! Pom Pom dance for JM, SG and Verano.
I just love how this way of eating confounds the scary warnings on blood sugar. Great to see that reversals are possible, really inspiring, that we can eat well forever and safeguard our health with minimal reliance on drugs.
Well done to everyone, your posts have totally inspired today. My turn next week for blood tests. Eek!
Happy happy Friday, all. MK x
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Great results Verano, JulesMaigret and SSG. The more we develop our ‘stickability’ to this WOE (way of eating) the more we lose! Stick at it fellow BSD’ers.
Daisiesmum – hope your back improves speedily and you are back to ‘bounding’ around very soon.Have a great day/evening/morning everyone wherever you may be. X
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Excellent news all, both on blood tests and weight loss – not so great news on the back front daisiesmum – wish you better soon
So how are we all preparing for the challenges of the weekend – I have two meals out so am practising my mindfulness techniques for when I am faced with a huge Jewish wedding on Sunday 🙂
Have a good one all
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Sorry about the denuded fennel shelves, KrysiaD. Just be glad you missed the Thunderdome-like clash where Jules and I duked it out for the last bulb. 😀
Have you tried roasting cauliflower rice in the oven before eating it? It shrinks the bulk considerably, but the flavor is fantastic and it has a lovely light, crisp texture. Rice a head of cauliflower and toss it with 1 tbsp oil. I used olive oil but you could use coconut oil as well. Lightly salt and pepper it, then spread it out on a baking sheet. Cook in a pre-heated 425F (about 220C) oven until it begins to brown in places, about 20-25 minutes.
It’s delicious on its own as a side, but I’ve used it mainly as base topped with shrimp scampi, creamy mushroom sauce or stir-fry chicken and veg.
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Ah Esnecca – I had heard that there had been a Thunderdome-like-clash at Tesco’s – so that’s what it was all about.
Thank you so much for the oven roasted cauliflower rice recipe. I have copied it and printed it off – it looks as though it will be much nicer than our previous efforts. We are having it for dinner tomorrow.