How many of you lose and re-gain weight? What are your triggers?
I successfully lost nearly 10 kg last year, and was stable for a while, but I’ve regained most of it now.
It all got worse in November last year, when I found myself overworked, with no time for exercise. My solution to stress is always to reach for the biscuit tin or chocolate. It’s the sort of hard work that involved hours at a computer, often eating there, and working for up to 18 hours a day. I did this until mid March, with barely a day off. In the middle of all this, there were a couple of conferences with all-you-can-eat buffets…
Result: +8kg, bloated, tired.
I started again yesterday. Who’s going to join me on my journey?

Mermaid, there is an entire community of BSDers here at all stages of the journey, newbies, those well
along the way, and we maintainers, who would be delighted to accompany you on your personal journey. May I
suggest that you join the 4 wk challenge called “April Fool…” ? It’s the optimal way to get connected to
new friends and old, and you would be very welcome! Hope to see you there!

Allie

I’ll join you! It’s months since I’ve been here ….. my experience is similar to that of many, many others. Having been a yo-yoer for 40+ years I discovered BSD towards the end of 2016, read all about it, chucked out of my brain all the “diet” garbage I sucked up over the years and got cracking early in 2017. Wonderful. Lost 4.5 stones of the 6 which needed to go. Along the way Larger clothes went straight to the charity shops as soon as they were remotely too big and replaced with items from the same shops to ‘keep me going’ until I reached the target. Made the fatal error, in September, of buying a dress for a wedding in December that was a tad tight – I think it’s commonly known as incentive! Needless to say I was frantically buying a different dress 2 days before the wedding …. and …. I just gave up!!! Well, it was a wedding after all, then it was Christmas, then it was so cold in January and I had flu, then it was February and it was grey and depressing etc etc etc. Now it is the end of March and the scales tell me I have regained a stone ( probably more because I couldn’t face them even when the determination came back at the beginning of this week). So now I’m back on and determined to get back to my ‘wedding weight’ by August 5th as it’s 40years this year!!! 2 stones. I WILL do it.

Just wanted to wish you both the best of luck. You both sound determined to rectify the gains you have both incurred and your both know that you can do this, as you have done it before. You absolutely can lose those 2st by August GrannieAnnie, measure, weigh and record everything you’re consuming and it will happen for sure. Allie’s advise to Mermaid, on joining the four week challenge is a great one, as being part of a challenge helps to keep you focused and is a great source of support and knowledge.

Both your stories – I hope you will forgive me for saying – sounds like the kind of excuses an alcoholic finds for drinking, which makes me think, long term what you are both battling is an issue of mindset. If you can both get this sorted, you will hopefully not be in a position of having to re-lose again the future. Think most maintainers would say that it is essential to broadly stick with the BSD principles and to tackle any gains quickly, rather than allowing them to accumulate. But that is all for later this year. First, concentrate of doing your best each day and keep posting your progress, to be accountable, to be supported and to celebrate those inevitable wins. Best wishes to you both

Thanks SunnyB. You are absolutely right …. I know that I push the ‘self destruct’ button and that I beat myself up for doing it …. Change of Mindset here we come. Thanks again for the encouragement.

Hi everyone
First, alliecat, thanks! Yes, I’ll join the challenge, although I’m a little late for the last one. It’s a good idea.
Second, GrannieAnnie, you sound like me! Those “incentive dresses ” are still hanging in the wardrobe. I’ve yo-yoed for 35 years (I’m 57 now) and been hooked on sugar and carbs most of my life. Most people don’t even think I’m fat, because I’m tall and hide it, but my BMI is 29,4, so I know that’s unhealthy.
Third, SunnyB, thank you for your directness. You’re right, of course, these are the same excuses as any junky uses. In our case the addition is psychological, using food as a prop, and it’s an old habit with deep roots. My family has always rewarded and consoled each other with food. But there’s no psychological cure, except recognising it and taking action. Meditation and exercise help (which is why I tripped when I had no time for these). It helps to remember that last year I felt really good on the BSD. Really good. I slept better, felt more focused, and stopped craving sugar.
SunnyB, you’ve been really successful. Any secrets? Hints? How do you avoid falling off the bandwagon?

Hi I will join you in this challenge.
I also lost 10 kg early last year and got by sugar under control. I stopped exercising, and was under also of work stress, I had a boss who was a bully, he has now been sacked, but I out all my weight back on again and the sugar is too high. I am starting today 1st April try and bring my sugar to normal levels and lose weight.I need to lose 2 stones.
Lets support each other .

Hi Radia
Good to have you along. These horrible things that happen in our lives always seem to derail the one thing that was helping us feel better about ourselves. I have 2 more friends (not on the forum) who are joining in the 2 stone challenge. Speak again soon.

Mermaid, there are very few of us who have not fallen of the wagon at some point in the BSD process, but the secret is that as soon as you realise what you’re doing, get right back on again – no excuses, no delays. Don’t waste time beating yourself up, because all that does is feed the negativity – far better to have a rant on the forum, take on board the feed back, refocus and start again. The BSD is very forgiving and I was always surprised by how easy it was to get right back to it and that often the damage done during transgressions, was far less than feared.

Other than that, my advice is weigh, measure and record everything consumed, keep the good fats up and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate – and if in doubt, hydrate a bit more! Wishing you all every success and will be looking forward to reading your positive results very soon.