Not really.
My tastes and outlook have changed such that healthier LCHF food is what I want and need, and less is more.
Mrs JWS offered me some top choc with today’s morning coffee as a test [!] and I easily decided I’d just enjoy the coffee instead.
It is nice to be able to make a positive choice, rather than feeling compelled to eat and drink.
Separating nourishment and enjoyment of food from other things is a big benefit.

Summary:
-25 lbs/ 11.5kg, -5″ from waistline
-6% fat to a more normal 22.5%, and visceral fat down 2% to a nearly normal 13%
Oldie symptoms banished. Mood and energy skywards.
Meditation revived to a daily practise to complement food awareness
Tanita body composition/weighing machine is my friend.
Crab linguine made with spiralized celeriac and sweet potato is not a patch on the real thing. But many other spiralized variations like courgetti with Bolognese sauce and celeriac/courgetti carbonara have been a revelation.

Thanks all for ideas and encouragement along the way. I intend to continue-ish for another 9lbs but to gradually introduce some treats whilst monitoring. It’s a bit like winning the lottery I imagine – suddenly that dream car or vacation is less tempting – same with the treats!

Well done for getting to the finish line. I’ve just completed 10 weeks and lost 12kgs, reached my target weight of 70kgs and now having to shop for new clothes! Addicted to the gym: HIIT, spinning, yoga and weights, now thinking of bulking up a little, reducing body fat with toned muscle involves eating high calorie, high protein, low fat food while upping my game in the gym. Thinking of taking the 5:2 aporoach 2500 calories 5 days a week and dropping down to 800 twice a week. Thoughts and ideas on this appreciated.

Hi JackieWilsonSaid,

Great results (round of applause). I love the analogy of winning the lottery. I finished my first 8 weeks 4 days ago and morphed to the 5:2 BSD…..surprisingly for me there have been no slip ups…..I eat low carb med style for 5 days (I don’t count calories those days) and the 2 days at 800 calories – no worries.
Best wishes for your next 9 lb down.

Chinagas – thanks for the comment and input. Congrats to you on the successful 10 weeks and reaching your target weight. I am quite enjoying the novelty of loose clothes and fitting into much of my wardrobe that was saved for a brighter day – today!

I’ve been a lifelong exerciser from football and rugby at school through rugby and occasional rowing until I was around 35. Then gym through the years and spin around 4 /5 years ago. I previously found I was getting a bit bored with the gym without any focus. Since starting spin for cardio and core strength I find that gym is complementary for strength. I only exercise nowadays if I enjoy it and find 3 spin followed by 3 strength gym workouts is plenty, along with an occasional bike ride. I burn around 800 – 1000 calories on exercise days so that helps, but I proved to myself that you have to control carbs/calories since weight [and visceral fat] creeps on. I reckon it was from 50 onwards when my metabolic rate must’ve slowed through aging and I couldn’t burn all I ate – at one point I was doing 5 x spin. I’m 60 next month so glad to have worked out the right balance.

I’ve thankfully never needed to work on being muscly but like being leaner. I’ve enjoyed the LCHF balance on the 800 and if my blood results are normalised then I’ll stay similar. So I like your idea of normal calories for five days and 800 on two, though hadn’t really planned out what I was going to do after the 8 weeks. This fits with Dr MM’s advocacy of fasting days and the 800 is a very comfortable figure.

If you read Dr MM’s Fast Exercise book it describes HIIT training from a scientific viewpoint. I was going to try HIIT rowing inbetween spin/gym sessions [ I have a Concept 2 in the hall !] but found I needed and enjoyed the rest days, in order to get the most benefit from the others. Recovery is a big part of it and I’ve found that by limiting my workout days I put more effort in, instead of wishing they were done. Mindful exercising some have called it!

Switzerland – thanks and well done to you too!
I see now on the Weigh In forum that you crossed the line and lost a lot on the way. Good luck with the continuation.
I will also go for the 5:2 with 800 cal rest days. On those days I think I’ll use the book recipes with an occasional veg juice instead of lunch. I’ve also seen your hints elsewhere about guilt-free brownies and 85% choc which may well come in useful!

I have just finished 8 weeks. Lost 10 kg. Have found it really easy. I am not diabetic but have diabetics in my family. I have a under active thyroid so weight loss has been hard in the past. I did 5 weeks and lost 5 kg, then I went on holiday for 2 weeks. I didn’t lose any weight but didn’t gain any either. When I got home I started again and lost 5 kg in 3 weeks. Feeling great. Exercise has been a bit of hit and miss but I have a physically active job. I am going to continue on til I have lost another 5 kg. Seems like I have adjusted my appetite so more food doesn’t really appeal. The trick is to keep the food tasty.

Hi Jen hen, congrats on the 10kg weight loss. I was diagnosed as a diabetic around 2years ago and after reading the book BSD this gave me the incentive to reverse it. I wont know if the reversal was successful until august which is when i am back in the Uk (teaching in China) but fingers crossed. Had a couple of plateaus along the way and a couple of times over indulged but soon made up for it. Its my first week on the 5:2 with today being the fasting day… ok so far :p