8 weeks to Xmas! I'm starting today!

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  • posted by nursecathy44
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    Hi, Day 4 today and all is going well, however i weighed today and though it showed a 2lb loss i was disappointed, i know that is ridiculous as a loss is a loss, but when i see all the big losses being posted i hoped i too would have one. Does everyone weigh daily as suggested? i dont know whether this is a bad idea for me ?
    Also i went out for dinner last night to a tapas style restaurant, i chose the healthiest options, octopus, calamari and scallops, so no carbs, but high calories i think, so have a slight feeling of guilt πŸ™
    I am absolutely loving the recipes, am yet to have anything that didnt taste nice and am really enjoying the changes to my eating on the whole.
    thinking positive thoughts πŸ™‚

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    No loss today but stuck to plan, calories 750 carbs 20 yesterday. I know that because I am sticking to it the loss should start up again, hopefully by tomorrow.

  • posted by Monkeyb
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    Hi everyone.
    I’m one week in and have lost 8lb, really pleased as I never thought I would be able to stick to such a strict diet. I love reading all your posts, they really spur me on. What calorie apps are you all using, wondering which one to download.
    thanks

  • posted by Jan43
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    Ha Ha NurseCathy44…your meal out sounds wonderful. Are you weighing yourself every day ? I plan only to weigh myself once a week but I did have a sneak today and had lost 3 lb in 4 days which I think is great. Its early days yet and if you lost 2lb eating out then well done you !! Monkeyb …you must be so happy !! that’s over half a stone, well done.

  • posted by nursecathy44
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    Thank you Jan43, i am not going to weigh again now till my weigh day (Monday) and hope to be pleasantly surprised πŸ™‚ 3lb loss is fab well done, and 8lb loss for Monkeyb is amazing, go girl πŸ™‚

  • posted by Frog
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    Nurse Cathy – I do weigh daily most of the time, you do get weird variations, days when you’ve eaten really sensibly and lost nothing (or gained). other days when you’ve strayed a bit from BSD and lost loads.
    If nothing else, weighing daily helps you see this and not fix on it too much. If you’re only weighing weekly, and it happens to be a ‘heavy day’ – you won’t really know (until the next week)

    MonkeyB – quite a lot of people use FatSecret UK – being a UK branded site, it does have mostly UK foods, and doesn’t measure everything in cups. There are a few glitches, as with anything – double check any entries that don’t look right, it is a crowd sourced database, but generally I prefer it to myfitnesspal, and find it more reliable, which I used for about three months when I started BSD.

  • posted by Monkeyb
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    Thanks for that Frog. I will give it a go.
    And thanks to nursecathy and jan43 for your encouraging comments. Its so nice to be able to talk to people doing the same thing. Only we know what its truly like, how hard it can be and the ups and downs.
    Here’s to lots of ups (or downs depending how you look at it)

  • posted by nursecathy44
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    Hi Frog, thanks for the advice, what youre saying makes sense, i think i will weigh every day till Monday and see what happens. I will see what tomorrow brings πŸ˜‰

  • posted by Sam1111
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    Hi everyone,
    Day 5 for me today – feeling ok although yesterday I was really hungry which I think is definitely linking to the amount of water I consumed in the morning. I’m quite a good water drinker normally but it got to midday and i realised I’d only had two cups of tea and no water so have to make a conscious effort to start drinking as soon as I wake up.
    I’ve had the gym this morning which always makes me hungry but thought if I update on here and have a read through the forums I may be able to last out a little longer before eating πŸ˜€
    I’m doing daily weigh-in at the moment and stayed the same as yesterday – which is ok I’m not expecting a loss everyday although that would be nice! πŸ˜€
    I’ve had a bit of a crazy morning so haven’t planned my meals well today so will need to look at mfp after this. Aiming for 40g carbs- I’m amazed how much I haven’t really missed them so going to focus on bringing them down slowly.
    Hope everyone has a great day 5!

  • posted by Jan43
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    Hi everyone…I bought the recipe book for this diet. But I am confused as it says to add two tablespoons of virgin olive oil to most of the salad dressings but the calorie count doesnt quite fit ?? say for the Greek salad its 190 calories per person…it says to have two tbsp of olive oil, 8 black olives, 60 g feta cheese along with cucumber, tomatoes and onion..can’t possibly be 190 calories ? I thought 1 tbsp of olive oil is around 119 calories ….is this right or is it just me getting it wrong ?? any help would be appreciated.

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    Jan, I have put that recipe into my calculator and it comes out at around 290 cals. I thought maybe the dressing was counted separately but even that does not add up as the salad part would only be 95 not 190. I guess you have to accept that sometimes people get things wrong and don’t trust everything you read. You did the right thing checking it for yourself, the recipe is for 2 so it would be 1 tablespoon of oil, 4 olives, 30 grams of cheese etc. Maybe it was meant to say 1 teaspoon. Hey ho, you live and learn. Well done for spotting it.

  • posted by Monkeyb
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    Hi everyone….I’m thinking of getting the recipe book that goes with the diet this weekend. Apart from Jan43 has anyone else bought it and would you recommend it.
    There seem a few alternatives out there as well.
    Jan43 – are there some good easy recipes?

  • posted by KrysiaD
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    Hi Sunshine-girl – well done for spotting that. A tablespoon of oil surely must be a misprint as a teaspoon of oil is actually plenty for a salad dressing. The salad would be swimming in a tablespoon of oil.

  • posted by nursecathy44
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    Hi Monkeyb, i have the recipe book and i am following the recipe plan from the back of the book. The recipes are really tasty and some are quick and easy to do, highly recommend it πŸ™‚

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    Yes, I have the recipe book as long as you get the right one, there are lots out there. It the 8-week blood sugar diet recipe book by Dr Clare Baily with Dr Sarah Schenker. Everything I have made has been good, even the bean burgers were very tasty if a bit dry, but it says to add extra oil if too dry and I didnt want to, so I used the dip of sour cream. There is a thread called trialling the new recipe book, something like that, check in the search. Do you think we will get a cut of the profits for recommending????

  • posted by Pipsqueak2011
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    How are other people doing? It’s day 4 for me and I’ve lost 6lb!!!!! Now it’s a cheat because the first weigh in was in the afternoon clothed, plus I was bloated from a long haul flight. But I don’t care, I’m taking it.

    I need to decide what to have for tea – pre booked menu so limited choice – fish curry with rice or lancashire hotpot. No idea which is the lower in carbs.

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    Hi Pipsqueak, lancashire hotpot screams potatoes to me but if they are on and not in you can just not eat them. Fish curry might be a better choice and hopefully no potatoes in it and obviously, no rice.

  • posted by Pipsqueak2011
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    Yes the spuds are baked in it. There is a vegetarian option of aubergine parmentier – may be better?

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    Aubergine has only 28 calories per 100 grams and 6 grams of carbs so a very good choice, enjoy

  • posted by Jan43
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    Hi..thanks for the replies…Yes , I have the same book Sunshine-girl..thanks for checking that. . Have to say though Sunshine-girl…it was only for 1 person so must just be a mistake. Just wish you could have that for 190 calories ..I love my olive oil. Its a great book Monkeyb would recommend it. Day 5 today but havent felt to well. A bit of a headache all day. I am sure it will better tomorrow. Have a great weekend everyone and good luck to all of us who like a wee wine !! It will be hard x

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    Hi Jan, we may be at cross purposes, if it is the Greek Salad on page 51 it serves 2 people although the calorie and carb count are for one serving. The headache is a normal reaction to lack of carbs, a bit like giving up coffee or cigarettes, you will get physical withdrawal symptoms. It will pass.

  • posted by LadyGreyTee
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    Monkeyb: I have the recipe book too and surprisingly we have liked everything that we’ve cooked from it this week so far (a miracle that the kids liked it).

    So far, the recipes I’ve tried have been very straightforward and easy to follow. I got my copy from Tesco, quite cheaply.

    Had lunch out today (end of well treat), but limited myself to grilled chicken and salad, so don’t feel too bad about it.

    Weighed myself and have lost 2lbs so far, but I fear the loss may not be permanent – my weight generally fluctuates by a few lbs anyway.

  • posted by Jan43
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    Thanks Sunshine-girl..sorry you are right ..it was for two people. It must have been my fog brain yesterday from low Carbs !! Headache gone today thankfully. LadyGreyTee well done you on sticking to grilled chicken. Well our first weekend !!!

  • posted by Sam1111
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    Hi everyone,
    Week 1 weigh in results for me are down 6lbs! Really happy with this but even happier that I have the confidence to complete week 2 ahead πŸ™‚
    How’s everyone’s weekends been? I found yesterday quite tough as we were out most of the day.
    Good luck to those weighing in today!
    Lets get ready for week 2! Sam x

  • posted by tigs
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    Great results Sam1111, you are on fire! Go well in week 2 πŸ™‚

  • posted by JAsk
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    Hi Everyone
    I too am in Australia (WA) and starting today! Need to get a little more prepped with meal plans and get moving!

  • posted by Jan43
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    Hi Everyone….Hope all went well yesterday..for me my first Saturday was a bit hard..and gave in and had one wee drink. Which is great for me as I did stop at one so it didnt add too many calories onto my meals. Sam1111 Well done you on 6 lb loss πŸ™‚ JAsk….have a read through the forums there is lots of advice there. Good luck on your first week. I am just going into my second week and found this week a lot better than I thought it would be.

  • posted by Pipsqueak2011
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    Bad 24 hours here after being at a stall on a conference yesterday. It’s showed on the scales immediately, plus I felt rubbish after the junk last night so lesson learnt and straight back on it this morning.

    Does anyone have any tips for good soups? It’s snowing here this morning so I’m not sure I can face salad!

  • posted by Sam1111
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    Thanks Tigs πŸ™‚ I’m really pleased and to be honest a little shocked I made it through the 1st week without cheating and/ or giving up like I normally do.
    I’m really not missing carbs or chocolate (for now!- amazing!
    Hi JAsk! a fellow WA -er! I’m in Dunsborough down in the south-west, are you close by?!
    Jan43 – well done on your first week and good luck for the 2nd- I know alcohol is normally a no-no but I’ve had a couple of very watered down spritzers about 50ml wine topped up with soda and although I may of lost more weight had I not drunk – I’m happy to take my loss and have a drop of wine for a treat / to remain sane!!
    Good luck everyone!!

  • posted by Judelles
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    Hi everyone. I’m starting tomorrow. Just been to the shop bought everything I need, I’m going to follow the meal plan in the book. I’m a little nervous as sugar and I have a very unhealthy relationship. I love it ALOT. πŸ™
    After reading all the support on here, I’m confident that if I follow the advice on here, using the forums and actually use my willpower – which I do have when I want. πŸ™‚
    Good luck to everyone.

  • posted by Sam1111
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    Hi Judelles – Good luck! I was the same with sugar (and carbs) – it’s not until you give it up that you realise how much you were mindlessly consuming before.
    I’m only week one so can’t really say too much as it’s early days but I seriously haven’t missed it. I’ve made sure I have a sweet treat everyday – normally yog and a few berries or just mixed berries with a tiny bit of peanut butter (not sure if its recommended!)
    I’m not following the book as I know what foods I like but will try some of the recipes. I’m eating normal meals and am trying to amend them and keep to the calories and 50g of carbs – I’m sometimes slightly over cals 50-100 but always between 30-50g of carbs. I had a good start to the diet and know the loss will slow down but it’s all about keeping it simple and eating what you enjoy and can stick to in my opinion! Keep checking the forums too – great motivation!

  • posted by Yowzer49
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    Hi JUDELLES and welcome! I understand your nervousness.. I was very apprehensive when i began.
    I hope you find like i did that it isnt nearly as difficult as feared. Chasing the Carb Monster away leads to feeling so much better IMHO
    17 weeks later, i am so much happier,still got weight to lose so am keeping going til week 24
    Keep reading posts here ..it really inspires and motivates to see how others are faring on good days and bad! X

  • posted by nursecathy44
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    Sam1111 WELL DONE !!! thats a fab loss, I am on day 7 so weigh day for me tomorrow, really hoping to see a 12 on the scales πŸ™‚ As far as blood sugars go, mine are still in the 13-15 range but have dropped from 25 so happyish. I have completely cut sweeteners from my drinks and havent drank a diet coke since Wednesday, i was drinking at least 2 cans a day so am really chuffed with that. I have really enjoyed my first week and feel so much better for it, not really missing carbs or chocolate, heres to week 2 πŸ™‚

    Welcome Judelles, once you start there is no going back, the improvement in how you feel will spur you on, good luck, you can do this πŸ™‚

  • posted by Joshua
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    Gd day,
    I’ve just completed 3 weeks after reading the 8 week BSD and weighed myself after 2 .5 weeks. I’ve lost 6.5kg. I was 76kg and 1.71m in height and on the thin side with a bit of a midriff, was diagnosed as pre-diabetic in September after a Glucose tolerance test . The first week was very difficult but It’s now better except when I’m home because the kids bake cakes and have ice cream etc.
    My main objective is not to go on medication as suggested by the Doctor. So will do a blood test again after the 9th December before a review with the Doc.

    All the best to everyone who’s in this plan

  • posted by Judelles
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    Thanks everyone. πŸ™‚ Does anyone know if there are any side effects from going without sugar? Is it anything like when you quite caffeine? That was worth cutting out but the headaches were awful, just for a week. So I’m thinking to be, forewarned is to be forearmed. πŸ™‚ if I know I might have side effects then I can handle it, it wont put my off doing – if anything it’ll make me more determined. The book does mention the possibility. Has anyone experienced this?
    I wouldn’t normally be concerned about changing my eating habit but my diet and mood have strong ties to sugar. The more I read about it the more I realise how addictive it is and amazing how much food its in. Now both my parent have been diagnosed with type 2, my grandparents had it. This is why I want to change my eating habits and get fitter, healthier and minimise my chances of type 2 (fingers crossed).

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    Hi Jude, yes you are right, there are side effects like losing lots of weight, getting your blood sugar down. But seriously, some people suffer from headaches, take a pill, it is only short-term, also there is a thing they call carb flu where you just feel absolutely rotten for a few days, again, this will pass. I have never used sugar since I was 13 and an auntie told me it was poison and, at 13, I actually believed her. How to plan for it, have some paracetamol (or whatever) to hand, drink lots and lots of water, make sure you have satisfying fats in your diet and add a little salt in, it helps when you start peeing for England and it needs to be replaced along with the water.

    Drink lots and lots of water, oh and don’t forget to drink lots of water…….

  • posted by Judelles
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    thank you, now I know and will be prepared. πŸ™‚

  • posted by Orangeblossom
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    Hi, I’m starting again too, today. I’ve been swimming today and planning to do more exercise generally over the next 8 weeks. The gym was really quiet- guess it gets busy after New Year- so a good time to start I think. Had salmon and peso with veg for tea, greek yoghurt and fruit for breakfast and a tuna salad for lunch. I’m using mightiness pal to track things as been a bit lapse in the past. Going to do it properly this time. Good luck everyone to the start x

  • posted by Orangeblossom
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    Oh, good idea to track things, there s also a tracker chart on the 5.2 site which is useful. My BMI is 29 and I am 11 stone and short (5ft 2).

  • posted by Little Annie
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    Hi all

    I’ve been following this forum for the last week, I’m starting on Thursday (social commitments Mon Tue and Wed) would it be OK to post here as I will definitely need some support??

  • posted by Yowzer49
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    Hi LITTLE ANNIE and good luck thursday
    Youre welcome to post on any of the threads.. You will find help and advice,sympathyand empathy everywhere you look ! X

  • posted by Jan43
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    Hi to LITTLE ANNIE and everyone else …welcome to our second week. !! Feeling very positive today. I lost 5 and a half pounds and two inches from my boobs, two inches from my ‘ top belly’ and two inches from my actual belly and 1 and a half inches from my waist. So chuffed ! The headache is all gone too so must be over the carb craving now. Good luck to everyone this week. Stick in there. Jan x

  • posted by Orangeblossom
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    Great news, well done! I’m off for a swim in a mo, after avocado and poached egg for breakfast. Hope this week goes as well as the last one! Sarah x

  • posted by nursecathy44
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    Hello all, well done Jan43, i too lost 5 and half pounds and am cuffed to bits. Ive also lost 3 inches of my waist, but didnt measure anywhere else ! I have completely cut sweeteners and diet coke, which i was seriously addicted to, and cut down on my coffee by 75%. Im still getting really bad headaches but i have had a stinking cold and cough and dont know if its that? My blood sugars are in the low teens as opposed to the high teens/twentys that they were. Feeling really positive and really enjoying the food. To anyone considering doing this diet i would definitely recommend it, its amazing.
    Heres to week 2 πŸ™‚

  • posted by Jan43
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    Well done you too nursecathy44. It is a great feeling and it will spur us on. I still can’t believe I lost all those inches ! Hope your cold lifts soon.Your headache could still be from missing your diet drinks ? Just hold in there and take your paracetamol. Orangeblossom, I went into the 5.2 site to join and low and behold I had already joined over 2 yrs ago. I just forgot. Well all my details were there and it was scary to read them as I was so much thinner then. Can’t believe how much weight I have put on since then. Anyway another 7 weeks down the line and hopefully I will be even less than I was then x

  • posted by LadyGreyTee
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    Well done to everyone for their loss (sounds weird, but you know what I mean!)

    In my first week, I’ve lost the grand total of….. 2lbs – waaaahh, I feel as though I’m doing something really wrong, compared to other people πŸ™

    Still, a loss is better than a gain. Except it’s so much work for so little loss…

    Here’s to a good 2nd week!

  • posted by Sam1111
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    Hi Everyone,

    Seems like everyone has been having great results. Congratulations! Lady Grey Tee- 2lbs is great and on any other diet would be a fantastic first loss it’s because you read on these forums about having a massive loss it sets you up for a bit of disappointment I think! There are many factors, do you have much to lose? Have you been drinking lots of water? Have you been exercising more than normal? Keep at it if you can and I’m sure you will continue losing, If you could lose 2lbs a week over the next 8 weeks then thats 16lbs you wouldn’t have lost otherwise!
    Well I’ve stayed pretty stagnant with my weight this week- I have been weighing daily πŸ˜€ Can’t help myself! I’m still enjoying the food although yesterday I think due to hormonal reasons I was so hungry and had to have 3 meals rather than 2 – which took my cals up to just over 1000. I felt like I had really gone crazy with food and way over cals but I was happy once I’d plugged it into MFP and it came out 1020 with 30g of carbs so reckon that’s not too bad for a binge compared to my binges in the past which prob would have been biscuits and crisps and 3000cals πŸ˜€
    This diet has really shocked me into coming to terms with just how badly I was eating before and has actually made me quite remorseful (if that’s the right word!) Of my eating behaviour and what it’s done to my body over the years. Just my greedy brain that has caused it as well as being addicted to sugar. The last few nights I have really craved chocolate – my partner was eating maltersers in front of me…but anyway I asked him for one, but then thought to myself I actually didn’t want it, my brain was just telling me to have it- I wasn’t hungry nor did I actually want to taste it….. So I didn’t have one and probably within 2 minutes I had forgotten all about them. That craving was gone. Very bizarre! I’m not meaning to sound to sound preachy by the way but Iam using these posts as a kind of diary! I’m sure I will eat chocolate again or something equally sugary and bad for you πŸ˜€ , but for now I just feel good in the knowledge that I am learning that I don’t have to eat it just because my brain says too and that my eating is definitely controlled by my thinking….of which I can definitely overrule!

    I’m definitely feeling pretty good in myself and I’ve noticed my rosacea has also improved slightly – I’ve been on antibiotics for 6 months which has controlled it, I’ve now been off them for over two weeks and there’s no sign of any spots etc breaking out. I had wondered before if it was diet related but to be honest was too lazy and greedy πŸ˜€ to start cutting out certain foods etc – so doing this diet might be killing two birds with one stone. I reallt hope so!
    Food today, is prawn salad with a boiled egg for lunch and maybe salmon for dinner ….I found a good breakfast yesterday which really kept me going of 30g smoked salmon and scrambled egg – two eggs but only one yolk. Filled the gap for a couple of hours πŸ˜€
    Eggs seem to be my go to at the moment and I’m trying to plan more meals to try different things. Does anyone have any recommendations of their favourite meals so far?
    Hope everyones enjoying week 2!

  • posted by Jan43
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    Good Morning everyone… Lady Grey Tee don’t stress to much over it I am sure we will all be in the same boat in the coming weeks.Good luck for this coming week. I weigh myself everyday and am still the same weight since Friday and Sam1111 is right you could be 16 lbs lighter or more by Christmas! What a great thought πŸ™‚ ….Sam, that’s great your rosacea is slightly improved.Thanks for the tip with the egg..never thought to only use one yolk for two egg omelet or scrambled. I have one of these small non stick one egg frying pan and have been putting either 1 slice of bacon chopped up with 50 grams of broccoli and 50 grms of frozen sliced mushrooms, beat one medium egg with two table spoons of dried Parmesan cheese and when the bacon, mushroom are slightly sauteed along with the chopped up broccoli add the egg mixture over it…cook on a very low heat then use a plate to turn it over and cook the other side. A bit like a Spanish potato dish but without the potato..but its filling and only 179 calories and only 4 carbs. ( if my sums are right !) I have loads of tabasco sauce with me!

  • posted by Orangeblossom
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    I have a bit of eczema which has improved as well, must be the diet. I’m kind of alternating between greek yoghurt and berries (blueberries and raspberries) and avocado/boiled egg for breakfast, with fish and veg for dinner and a light salad lunch (salad v low cal anyway and small tin tuna for example. I might try a brunch though and then just have dinner tomorrow, I’ve seen a tomato/egg/mushroom/bacon combination which could work well fried in some olive oil, perhaps. I’m not getting many cravings now but if I fancy a chocolate have a little piece of very dark choc (85%) or cacao with a hot milk/ water looks a bit like hot choc! Good luck everyone and keep going.

  • posted by LadyGreyTee
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    Thanks Sam and Jan. Hopefully this week will be equally successful, if not more!

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