Hi sunshine-girl it’s all sounding good. I do think if you take time away from the ‘strict letter of the law of the plan’ if you get straight back to it it works! Obviously is for you!
Maharani and Frog glad you are both on the mend now. Just a matter of time before you’re 109% again.
Busybee that all sounds so positive. Really good results for you and even better that you have a nurse who not only understands but could be encouraging to others as well. The word really is spreading!!!
Wow JulesMaigret – you are winning! What amazing results and the suit will be gorgeous with your much more svelte frame. Love love 90% Lindt and this new year (round 2) I have decided to have include a square a day as tastes like luxury.
sunshine-girl the dress sounds amazing. How cool to stumble across something so gorgeous. The fact you can wear velvet lycra is awesome as many of us could not, well me anyway, even at my goal weight.
KrysiaD how fun to shock people with your new clothes look! And to be in size 10 – you are my hero.
Mary C, great start and the fun begins. Week by week it is great to see the progress we make. Go well!
Verano you sound strong and you had a good day. Just made a Moroccan cauli soup – cauli is a great filler.
Day 4 for me and feeling a bit weak but at least the headache is gone. Keeping myself busy.
Maharani kitten -re: higher bg when ill -my 2 cents is stress – not the anxiety emotion stuff but the illness itself being stressful – I read something about an ICU doc watching all the patients blood sugars (diabetic or not) and treating them w/insulin if elevated – incidence of infection and overall mortality dropped lower than on other units – sounds like he was treating elevated sugars as a symptom ….. interesting stuff – medicine is just beginning to scratch the surface of this. Feel better !!
DAY 4 … WEEK 2
Good morning/evening
Another weekend approaching and they are often more difficult for me. I suppose change of routine throws a few of us out and makes mindless eating a little easier. I think I need to re-read the book again for motivation, and the recipe book for inspiration. It’s funny how sometimes you can makes lots of new and interesting meals and at other times you just seem to be repeating the same old same old.
I haven’t tried the kalettes that I bought yet so I may use them for lunch. We are eating Indian tonight but I have that under control now, no starter, chicken tikka with salad and mint and yogurt sauce. Does the trick for me without too many carbs.
Think I’m rambling now! Have a good day.
Thanks to all for advice on higher bs readings when ill. Just hoping it doesn’t affect my 3 monthly blood averages too much, had been hoping for a stonking result and a meds review. Interesting, though. Hadn’t realised how high readings must have been affecting me previously but I really feel the difference now I know what ‘normal’ is.
Snotty nose and runny eyes have gone but Cough proving hard to shift – ribs sore! – and foolishly went out in cold damp air late yesterday afternoon so will need to take it easy today and minimise stress on body. Going to try some meditation and extra rest, see if that helps!
Well done to everyone reporting such great progress, great to see so many firmly back on track. MKx
Thanks for all the tea advice! I love Twinings English Breakfast tea bags (In the movie “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” an English lady says they call it “builder’s tea” in England which I found fascinating) so that is the loose leaf I bought. But I only find it drinkable if I then strain it again into another cup with a little strainer that sits on top. I don’t think I need a pot for one cup at a time, although that might be nice for visitors. I tried my rubber ducky strainer with fruit tea as well, another fail. So many little gritty bits that weren’t there when I used a jug. Shame. Back to teabags.
Oh, and it’s always milk LAST!
MK hope you feel better soon. Illness definitely sends blood sugar haywire, not much you can do about that. Not surprising, really, that everything is connected. I know if I’m sick or have PMS other issues like my damaged shoulders always flare up.
Apropos of nothing, did you know that a few hundred years ago in France they would feed diabetics lots of extra sugar? It seemed obvious, the patients were losing a lot of sugar in their urine so they needed to eat more and more to keep sugar levels topped up! They died pretty quickly, unfortunately. Hmmm. Actually not that different to current “regular serves of carbs to keep blood sugar stable” when you think about it… but it shows treatments are constantly evolving as we learn more about how the body works.
Fortunately I don’t have the sore throat Maharani Kitten (try gargling with dilute hydrogen peroxide, always works for me) but still shivery and runny nose.
I read several things online suggesting that you should eat raw ginger, rather than drink a tisane of it – sounded a bit extreme, but I compromised and ate the ginger after some of the fire had been taken out of it by using it for the tisane. My head does feel a bit clearer.
Some of the novelty tea infusers are cute, but as you’ve found, not brilliantly effective – I bought a funny little silicon man that rests on the side of the cup with his arms – not too bad in terms of infusing tea, but a nightmare to clear the leaves out of his trousers, wet or dry!
A functional infuser that I use a lot (mostly inside a small teapot, one that I bought thinking that it came with an infuser insert) is still on amazon for £2 including delivery – comes from a non UK source though, so takes a week or so to arrive. Effective at not leaking leaves, even when cut fine, and easy to fill and clean.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00DBULWXU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
A tea that I like for everyday that’s not hugely expensive, but nicer than the big brands with tiny leaves, is Suki tea.
They serve it in Patisserie Valerie, and sell packs of it there too I think, but it’s widely available online.
And definitely milk in last!
You can see the colour and how strong the tea is, and better judge how much milk you need.
I also have a bit of a ‘thing’ that I will only drink out of cups with white insides. I started a new job once where they had a ‘tea chart’ of how everyone took tea and coffee. Someone else had made the comment that they only used cups with white insides, A soul Mate! So I am not alone – admittedly the only person ever that I’ve met with a similar preference.
My understanding is that the milk in first thing was originally to reduce the prevalence of (inferior) cups cracking if the tea was too hot.
Wow, Frog, can I join the “white insides” club? Also, (mainly) white plates, white sheets, white bathroom suite, white loo roll, tee hee! You are not alone FROG, tea or coffee served in a vessel with a colour interior looks so unappealing to me 🙂
weight down another half a pound BG 6.2 – seems to be a trend, I drop some weight and my BG goes up a bit, almost as if the 2 components have not caught up with each other. Sure BG will be down again tomorrow.
Nothing much to report. Eating well. Scrambled egg breakfast, ploughmans for lunch (half an apple though not whole) and dinner is going to be vegi curry. All within 800 cals and 50 carbs. Have a good day everyone.
Frog….I do not like to drink tea out of earthenware mugs (thick coloured ones) we have only white china mugs and cups here. Even have them in our caravan and motorhome.
absolutely Daisiesmum
although I do like andrex loo rolls (white of course) with the little indents of puppies. I always feel a bit cheated if I buy andrex (rather than a cheap brand) and it doesn’t have puppies on.
My other thing that’s akin to “white insides” is that I can’t drink tea out of a mug that has a coffee slogan printed on the outside, or vice versa.
Makes the drink taste funny – but I do acknowledge that it is slightly mad; at least with the “white” thing, it impacts on the colour of the drink.
Me too with the white interiors thin mugs and cups! And, (slightly OCD here) I have an early morning tea mug, a mid morning coffee mug and then a smaller tea mug and coffee mug for later in the day. Any swopping of these would be RIDICULOUS.
I’ve just picked up the Waitrose freebie weekly newspaper which, like everything else at this time of year, is full of healthy eating advise. Yes, you’ve guessed it, low fat everything, porridge recipes with 90 odd grams carb, even the low carb recipes are low fat too. I’m saddened and disappointed that the message is not getting through yet.
I’d never given it much thought to it before but I’m a ‘whity’ too. I don’t mind a small thin mug but it has to be china and its milk in last for me too!!
Talking about tea my OH went to Sainsbury’s earlier and came back with a box for me. Really very nice but my heart sank when I saw it was from the patisserie counter. Inside was a beautifully formed pavlova with strawberries!!! My favourite. It made me feel really bad when I told him that I don’t eat them anymore. Oh dear!!!!
Ouch has OH been living in such a bubble not to notice the advent of BSD?!
Not quite as fixed on mugs for a time of day Bissell, it largely revolves around what is in/out of the dishwasher, but I do have a small mug that is particularly afternoon tea, and a cup and saucer that is decidedly breakfast.
I couldn’t wipe my bottom on a puppy….
LOL!! More or less. He knows he doesn’t eat potatoes, pasta or rice at home anymore. Bread is a different issue. Just don’t think he thought, apart from thinking it was my favourite and he was doing something ‘nice’ for me, but that’s all in the past!
I have just noticed that my doctor has actually reduced my prescription for Glycazide (Diamicron). When I told him I was only taking 2 instead of 3 he still prescribed enough for 3 per day, next prescription the same. This time just enough for 2 a day so I feel like he has faith I am not going to slip back. Not only that, I have masses stockpiled so next time I go to the pharmacy I will tell the girl I dont need any for the final month of my prescription (we get 3 months here). Small result but still something.
Rather miserable. I lost 1.2kgs on day one, then over the next 5 I just put it all back on. I did think I was being relatively good, but clearly not strict enough. I think my eating is ok, but there is a lack of exercise.
I have decided to do a juice fast for the next few day, I feel that I need the discipline and a kick start to the diet. I feel like my stomach does not belong to me, it is way to out there!
Well done everyone else who is sticking to the diet. My sister is on it too, and I am hoping my mother will join. She is stuck in a rut and needs to feel better.
Hi Mary C I know it can be disheartening when things don’t work out like we think they should. I’m sure you will get good results soon. Some bodies just need a bit of time to realise you mean this 😀. Just a thought, are you drinking enough water, as in a couple of litres a day, and getting your fibre? From what you say your weight gain could be due to “transit issues” and once you have eliminated you will probably see downward movement on the scales. Don’t forget to measure too. I know I have had days when I’ve felt like an elephant but measuring has show that I haven’t been any bigger. Best wishes.
Hi Verano,
If you like lighter tasting teas that can take a bit of milk, then a leaf Darjeeling (possibly tippy, meaning it contains a number of buds) or a Ceylon Orange Pekoe can be nice black or with a dash of milk (don’t worry it doesn’t taste of oranges). Being a peasant at heart I can’t taste the difference between normal Darjeeling and “first flushes” and can’t believe that they are worth the extra costs.
I am an unashamed fan of puerh or pu erh but it is a more earthy taste, although the Chinese do recommend it as an aid to losing weight……
I’ve really got into tea since I gave up booze for BSD and see it as a substitute for wine.
BTW I am now into glass cups for tea, especially black, although I occasionally use my one pint Desperate Dan mug!
Hi Verano,
If you like lighter tasting teas that can take a bit of milk, then a leaf Darjeeling (possibly tippy, meaning it contains a number of buds) or a Ceylon Orange Pekoe can be nice black or with a dash of milk (don’t worry it doesn’t taste of oranges). Being a peasant at heart I can’t taste the difference between normal Darjeeling and “first flushes” and can’t believe that they are worth the extra costs.
I am an unashamed fan of puerh or pu erh but it is a more earthy taste, although the Chinese do recommend it as an aid to losing weight……
I’ve really got into tea since I gave up booze for BSD and see it as a substitute for wine.
BTW I am now into glass cups for tea, especially black, although I occasionally use my one pint Desperate Dan mug!
Re: tea – raised up on Constant Comment and Salada (mother had a collection of the little ceramic animals that came in the box) -or got black tea in bags with lemon and honey when I was sick …. always in white mugs – not much on milk in tea, or cream …… that was more for coffee – though I drink that black!
Thanks for the feedback re: A1c – took a lot of the stress out of it for me – I will rely on my monitor and my new habits and not worry so much. I can’t tell with my doc/medical company here how much monitoring is appropriate; attitude seems to be ” take these meds and see you in 6 months” – eh? glad this forum and MM are here – very much appreciate all who post here .
I weighed in on Tuesday – 162 # (11 stone 8 lb?) . Clothes fit way different and I have a growing stack for the donations. It’s funny, I would go in there to shop and always got frustrated because there was never anything in the 14-16-18 sizes – always 4-10s – maybe as BSD catches on that selection will reverse – I don’t recall ever being those sizes – I will be quite happy at a 12 where it fits well enough that my belly doesn’t roll over the waist band ! And that was in “relaxed” cut style.
Took a leap and reduced the Metformin to 1 tab w/ breakfast and dinner – BSs have mostly stayed under 120 after a 4 day spike into 130’s-140’s – I wish I understood this all a bit better – maybe the pancreas is waking up ? In no rush to eliminate Met. – from things I read about its’ protective function against heart trouble, etc, thought maybe it ought to be a drink additive (lol).
Going out into the chill Northern California morning – waiting for the ice to melt (very unusual for ice on roads around here) – now supposed to pour for 2 days … love it – we need it. Thanks everyone, enjoy your weekend !
Hi Mary C
been there with the weight up, down, then just coming back – for me it worked out to be ‘transit’ ( or, frankly, lack of transiting) issues (and the occasional calorie lapse).
one caution w/ juice fast is that juicing removes the fibre from the fruit and veg so may not be as effective.
I ended up w/ psyllium capsules – 3 twice a day as advised on label – and plenty of water – (I started w/ 1 twice a day for a few days then 2 until my gut got used to all the new bulk – then 3 – having celiac, I have learned to ….. respect the power of my gut). I had to eliminate fruit for a while to get my BSs under control – had been eating an apple on each direction of my commute before.
Almonds and hazelnuts are my ‘go-to’ higher fibre snacks at this point.
I found it took a while to get my mind wrapped around this whole process, then my body started to follow ….. but it took a while. And patience with myself (definitely not my strong suit ! )
Sunshine-girl isn’t it odd that your BG goes up but maybe as you say the weight drop and the BG need to catch up with each other. Odd! Nonetheless you are doing really well and it’s good to see your doc has faith in what you’re doing.
Thanks Jules
I’ll try the Darjeeling and the Ceylon Orange Pekoe sounds interesting. I don’t like green tea but I do like Earl Grey and Jasmine tea. I like your idea of substituting wine with tea, that would probably do me the world of good!!! I had a look at the Suki tea website as Frog suggested. There are just so many teas to choose from I think it will just be a little bit of trial and error.
Why glass cups ?
Where are you in Northern California Raintoday? I’m in Morgan Hill and JMarie41 is in the east bay (Livermore I think) — just curious how you heard of the BSD?
As a non-initiated American, I am really appreciating the tea discussion and picking up pointers for my next trip to the UK. I love Earl Grey and last year was lucky enough to buy Earl Grey with real bergamot, not the Twinings bergamot-flavoring — that was such an eye-opener!! SO much better!! Now I am hooked but we can’t get that kind of tea here, have to buy in London.
MaryC — sorry you have a slow start but maybe reconsider the juice fast — juice is exactly the wrong thing to eat if you want to lower your insulin levels — it has all the sugar and no fiber. Better way to jump start is to go very very low carb. Hope that helps. Don’t give up!!
We are currently forecast to get a “storm of the century” in Northern California this weekend — we shelved our plan to ski due to road danger — I guess I will grub in garden instead — sigh.
I was in Germany working and in the hotel reception they had a “help yourself” selection of leaf teas with little glass mugs. I tried a few and the tea tasted really good in them.
On a more prosaic note, it allows you to see the colour of the tea and some of them are a really nice colour.
I use glass occasionally (yep, even though they’re not white, my only exception!) – it’s about being able to see the colour well.
I hadn’t realised that Suki have such a wide range of teas – I’ve only tried their loose leaf breakfast tea.
I drink Early Grey occasionally – I prefer Lady Grey, which is a more citrussy blend, and I think has less bergamot, so less “perfumy” – but it could just be that the bergamot is tempered down a bit by the citrus. It’s widely available in supermarkets, in bags or loose leaf.
Lady Grey is trademarked by Twinings, so other tea houses will have variations of it, but with a different name “Secret Herb Garden Duchess Grey Tea” is a favourite.
Twinings is an interesting company – in addition to all of the supermarket teas, they have an amazing Tea House on the Strand in London, with a huge variety of amazing teas, and a sampling counter, but weirdly, no cafe, but I suspect they are limited by space. Its a timber framed building just opposite the Royal Courts of Justice – apparently a trend setter in the 1700’s.
They also stock the standard teabags that you can buy in a supermarket, but they come in a very posh carrier bag if you get them here! They have an online shop too – and a sale, I just looked.
The loose tea that they sell in a caddy is good value, the caddy itself is excellent quality and more than just a tin! Very reusable.
Having looked at the sale, I am now lusting after a glass teapot with a ceramic infuser. A white ceramic infuser.
California girl – have you looked at Harney & Sons? They are a master tea blender based in NY – might be worth a shot? It says that they use oil of bergamot, not flavouring…
Ooh thanks for recommendations! Will check out Harney and Sons and I will go have tea at the Twinings tea house when I am in London next month!! So many good ideas! 😀
Californiagirl – up in Santa Rosa – Sonoma County
I heard about BSD I think through just Google-searching low-carb or reversing diabetes ….. not real sure. First book I read was Blood Sugar 101 (J Ruhls ? author) just after diagnostic labs came back in July ’16 – in there she described a slow approach and a rapid approach to bringing down blood sugars (388 scared me – apparently not so much my doc) so, being who I am, I went for rapid. Eat anything as long as not carby or sugar – her approach did not emphasize low cal as MM does but it got me off to an excellent start ! Lots of good info in that book – readable – very helpful. I wanted more info (bit of an info junkie over here) so I kept looking – also needed info on getting some balance back into diet. I liked BSD immediately as he uses carbs in sane amts – also fruits. Then read some of the forums and am hooked – the support is so damn helpful as well as reading others’ struggle and successes – food ideas too – have not noticed any kalettes around here though – lots of ‘baby kale’ much more palatable than that Dino stuff – all good.
Tea – unfortunately, I like honey in my black tea so not doing black tea – I do like Trader Joes ginger/turmeric blend and Stash tea licorice root tea – both naturally sweet taste so fill the need nicely.
Would be good to meet up some time as we are practically neighbors – I get to Pleasant Hill regularly for family – also planning an Ikea trip to Emeryville at some point in next couple months …. ?
Good luck w/gardening this weekend – you will need it – plenty of water, now just gotta deal with drainage ….
Interesting Jules I usually only use ‘glass’ for wine! Will try glass for tea. I’m sure my grandmother used a glass for tea and drank it black with lemon and a sugar cube in her mouth!
Fascinating stuff. Not sure who started the ‘tea’ story, may have been Daisiesmum, but the person did say she thought it would cause as much talk as the weather does amongst the English …. right on!!!
I do have an old twinings earl grey caddy and it is very strong so worth going for tea in those. The glass teapot with the ceramic diffuser looks lovely. I have never made tea by that method. How different is it than just leaves in a teapot with a strainer?
Raintoday you may not find kalettes. They are a new British hybrid of kale and sprouts, which they have been working on for 15years! I have some and tried one raw. Hmm can’t tell except they have a hard white stem, which will probably soften when cooked, and they have the appearance of a ‘curly’ sprout. Will report back after I’ve tried them cooked.
Hi Raintoday — yes we are not far apart! Although Morgan Hill (south of San Jose) is like a world apart from Santa Rosa! We are so much more dry and usually hotter in summer too — you all are greener, we are more “golden grassy” by May!
I found the BSD last March when we were in London and I brought it home and never looked back — it has changed everything about how I eat! I got to goal in June and am maintaining — ate a few more cookies at Christmas but it didn’t cause damage.
On the good book front — I swear by (and constantly post here, to the probable tiredness of all) Gary Taubes book “How We Get Fat and What To Do About It” — best carb information ever. Also they just published this month his new book, “The Case Against Sugar” which I keep meaning to pick up at a bookstore!!
We have a well so I am truly hoping our epic storm turns out to be that good!!!
Hi Verano
I like using infusers because you’re more in control of how long the tea brews for – with many, when you have poured one cup, the water level is below the infuser, so the tea stays stable, without moving on from brewing to stewing, and getting too strong or bitter.
With the infuser that I mentioned in an earlier post, you can simply take it out.
If I make a pot of tea, it can easily be half an hour before I drink the second cup, but it would taste horrid if it continued to brew for that long. (I have an excellent tea cosy to keep it hot)
At Pekoe tea in Edinburgh, they bring your tea to the table along with a beautiful timer – its like 3 egg timers in a single stand, that take differing times for each colour, so that you let the tea to brew for the correct amount of time.
Have a fantastic trip to London California Girl – Twinings is definitely worth visiting, but there are so many tea shopping opportunities that you could end up going home with a suitcase full of tea if good tea is hard to track down at home. As well as Yumchaa which have several branches, there’s a place called The Tea House at Covent Garden, and Froglet’s cat sitter works in a place called Tea2you in borough market – Borough Market is a foodie paradise, and well worth a visit.
Talking of tea, Assam is a really nice general cuppa, but I would avoid Lapsang Souchong. There is a place for smoky bacon flavour and it isn’t in my teacup.
AnnieW and Raintoday, thank you. I will up my water/fruit tea and let you know how the juice fast goes. So far my tummy is swelling up with all the veg/fruit and I think I may well pop!
My new favourite teas are rose and lemon, and rhubarb, they are Taylors tea and a really nice change to my usual herbal/fruit selection. I do wish there was a magic pill that we could all take and just be lovely and slim! I enjoy food and though I do not eat junk, I only have to look at food to put on weight.
Such is life. Onwards and upwards!
I’ve been to a tea-tasting in China. Some varieties were nice but the weight loss one seemed to be made from manure-soaked straw… maybe that’s why it destroys appetite! I was recently given “longevity tea” by Chinese friends and I haven’t tried it yet. I’d completely forgotten that was why I wanted a loose-leaf strainer in the first place!
I’m sick today, very upset tummy, headache etc. Flu has been going around the family. At least I’m not eating much today.
MaryC, that rose and lemon tea sounds lovely. I’m a huuuge fan of Turkish delight and haven’t eaten any for maybe 20 weeks now, I’m going to give the tea a go to see what my tastebuds do
Hello Peeps, all this loverly tea talk has got my tastebuds going! I am much more of a coffee drinker, I like my coffee strong and black and that fits in with BSD (I only have 2-3 cups of really good coffee per day). Unfortunately, I like black tea strong and sweet with a bit more than a “splash” of milk, and having given up sugar… once I’m on maintenance I’ll try unsweetened again as my tastebuds have changed significantly!
My weight is going in the right direction and I am currently exactly 1 kilo from my ultimate goal which I hope to reach by 17th Jan (Drs appointment). Using the Fatsecret app to track food and exercise has been great. I am managing to average around 800 cals per day whilst keeping net carbs around 30g and fat around 60g, my only slight concern is protein at 40g seems a bit low, but will address that in maintenance 🙂
Get me, talking maintenance already! It’s both an exciting and nerve wracking prospect. I am not tempted by carbs but eating low carb high fat for life is going to be a whole new learning curve. Exciting!
Happy BSD Saturday everyone!
Daisiesmum – well done. It’s great that you are already looking at how you will manage maintenance. I was so worried about it but have found it almost effortless because my tastes have completely changed and I picked up some really good strategies on how to manage maintenance from this forum. For me weighing and logging my food on fat secret and weighing myself every day keep me on track and I also enjoy doing it as it suits my personality.
January is proving very hectic – I have booked much too much work – one of the perils of working for yourself but I am still determined to keep up the extra walking I did in the Christmas vacation.
Have had lots more comments about the huge amount of weight I have lost over Christmas – but of course I haven’t and its just because I have ditched the baggy clothes and am now wearing the size 10s I bought in the sales. Thank goodness for the sales – they came at just the right time.
DAY 5 …. WEEK 2
Good morning/evening
Over halve way through week 2 now and quite a few of us seem to have settled back into BSD now that the silly season is over. For those who are still struggling just ‘keep on keeping on’ and it will all fall back into place. Just don’t give up. Look at how far you have come and not at a few days/weeks when you have been less than perfect. We are only human !
Sorry to hear you’re not well Natalie. Hope you’re better soon.
Well done Daisiesmum at almost getting to goal. No harm in planning maintenance now. I spent several weeks in ‘maintenance’ and I’m no where near goal!!! Guess it will be just taking one day at a time! As you say and exciting time.
All this talk of tea has got me excited to try some different types but for today I’m just going to try my green tea again to see if I can develop a taste for it.
Hope you all have a good day and a nice weekend.
Hi Daisiesmum, well done. I look forward to being so close to target. Have stalled for past week. Good luck on the 17th!
Hi everyone, just day 3 for me and already lost 2.7 lbs and BG is back down to 98 (5.4). I did increase my insulin from 22 units to 24 to counteract the holiday overload and will leave it there for another week before reducing down again. My HbQ1c is not due until early March so plenty of time to further reduce. My last one was 5.9 and I want to be 5.5 but on less insulin.
I did 30 mins HipHopAbs aerobics yesterday and intend to do more today but other half has gone back to bed (his cough and cold are back) so I dont want to disturb him to get my exercise gear on. Oh sod that, I will sneak in grab my clothes and dress in the bathroom, there is only Saturday Kitchen on TV and that style of cooking just gets me shouting at the telly.
Sunshine-girl that’s great not even a week and over half way there! Good to hear your BG is improving as well.
Advice please!!!!
Ok, so this morning I tried on some holiday clothes. A couple of dresses are just too long so I could have them shortened. Problem is I have a top that now looks like a dress and I’m wondering if it’s worth spending the money to have it altered. I have a pair of trousers that match which are now ‘baggy’. Taking onboard all your comments about baggy clothes I’m just wondering if I should just send them to the charity shop!! As I’m still losing I don’t really want to have things altered that will, hopefully, be too big again in the not too distant future. Help!
Throw them away, you deserve better. You can get some decent clothes really cheap at Primark or Matalan or lots of other stores. They have done their time with you, let someone else have them. BTW having them altered can cost more than new so unless it is something really precious, chuck it.
Just looked back at my post and see I have invented a new blood test. Call me a pioneer.
Hi, everyone. Really impressed by all your successes, and even more by the times someone “dropped off the wagon” for a period, then got back on again. That’s my problem – breakfast, morning, lunch all fine. Afternoon a bit hungry. Dinner fine – then nibble nibble nibble all evening, telling myself not to, while I scoff bread and butter. I’ve had a very wobbly first week, with minimal weight loss, but I will try to buckle down again and stick to the rules. I am only pre, not (yet) type 2, but my feet are numb round the edges and my left shoulder is giving me gyp. Like my teacher said many years ago, Must Try Harder!
Thank you sunshine-girl. Think I was just looking for permission to throw out clothes I’ve not even worn!!!! But I think it could be false economy having them altered. Yes I noticed your ‘new’ blood test but just put it down to a slip of the finger!
Beagler I think most people will agree that it gets easier over time as you become to enjoy this way of eating more. Don’t be too hard on yourself and maybe just concentrate on one day at a time. The usual ideas to stop the nibbles are drinking water, maybe with ice and a slice, eating a few nuts, almonds or walnuts, or having a square or two maximum of 90% dark chocolate which is the one that always works for me. If you’re not into dark chocolate start with 70% and work up to 90%. Lindt is my favourite although I was given some Green & Blacks 70% and that was OK.
Another idea is to get an app like fatsecret.co.uk or .com if you’re in the US. Logging all your food, especially if you can plan in the morning, certainly concentrates the mind. Good luck!
Verona, echoing the above. Throw them out and buy something that fits, you so deserve it!
Hi everyone, thanks for all the encouragement, it really does help!
I have learned I have to take control of my own eating choices which means saying “no thank you” on occasion; as it happens I’ve only had to say it twice in nearly 3 months! I have also learned if I don’t make a song and dance about it nobody notices what I’m eating at all, or cares! Just yesterday I met a friend who also eats low carb, I had NO idea! At 63 she looks 50 or younger, and is as fit as anyone I’ve met, great encouragement!
BEAGLER I am SO feeling it. I too am an evening incessant snacker and a former carboholic (nothing to do with that infant school soap!). Be kind to yourself, faltering is not failing, it’s learning. We are all learning to heal our bodies, recover our control and re-train our minds, it’s a new skill and can take time. Eventually we will be able to “hear” our bodies and respond accordingly. Personally I find it best to avoid refined carbs altogether, especially wheat.
Yikes! As I was returning my Christmas music CDs to their storage shelf I came across a HIIT DVD that I must have purchased way back when. So, on it went, 10 minutes of “HIIT 101” – how hard can that be? Ha ha ha….nope! I will stick to running like the clappers on my rebounder for now 🙂
Tea! I bought some of the Taylor’s Rose Lemonade and Rhubarb teas (monkey see, monkey do me!), they smell delicious! I used the rhubarb to flavour my 2l jug of water, yum!
If you can alter clothes yourself it may be worth doing, or know someone who can. I bought a skirt when I was on the way down, a size 14, which seemed reasonable at the time as that was the main size I remember being before I married and started piling weight on. It is a beautiful silvery grey long skirt, with black embroidery. I wore it on Christmas day (mum and I always like to dress up) but mum took it in at the waist for me, the bad news is she has now borrowed it off me along with the top I bought to go with it. 😊 The top I wore at Christmas was a beautiful medieval style greeny grey velvet top that I bought in a little shop in Hayle when I was still size 20 on the optimistic grounds that it was ‘one size’, and at the time I could sort of squeeze into it but couldn’t do up any of the lacing, it has been one of the longest surviving unworn residents of my box of the future in the wardrobe. The ‘one size’ is clearly size 8-10 for it to look any good. Luckily my top half is currently size 10, with the comfortable size for jeans and trousers mostly size 12. Maybe this latest push on the diet will take a little of the remaining fat from my ‘pear hips’ 😀