Hi,
I am in the last week of the 12-week programme over on the Aussie website. I’m starting this thread to invite all the other BSD#7 participants to come join me and keep up the lovely support network we have started. I hope that anyone who follows me over gets a chance to catch up with some of the amazing past threads and super, encouraging contributors like Sunshine Girl, Theodora, Ensecca (probably spelled that wrong), California Girl, to name but a few. You have really helped me learn such a lot over the last few weeks.

Carole

Aww, bless you, Carole – happy to have been of help, if only in a small way.

How’s the 12 weeks gone, is your T2 improved? I do hope so, and good luck following this WOE in the future.

Hi Theodora.
Have been busy posting the link on the Aussie site. As we covered so many different time zones, it will be interesting to see who finds me.

We have had some amazing results and it certainly reinforces what Michael Mosely preaches. One of our members wanted to lose weight and lower his blood pressure so that he could – wait for it – donate a kidney to his son. And within 7 or 8 weeks he was given the go-ahead. Awesome.

My aim is to lower my blood sugar into the normal range, after having mucked about halfheartedly following low calorie, low fat eating with differing results this last year. Now, I have lost 21lbs in the last 11 weeks, and am so hopeful about my next blood tests due at the end of the month. Whatever the results – I will be right on here to announce them, and set my next lot of goals. You guys have so much experience and offer your advice so generously. Thanks everyone.
Carole

You spelled it so close to right that you still get an A+, Carole. Congratulations on completing the 12 weeks! Losing 21 pounds is a fantastic achievement, and I am looking forward to hearing about the results of your tests. I hope you beat the breaks off that blood sugar. 😀

I have found you! I have to admit I am floundering a bit this week. I am desperate to not put the weight back on now the 800c bit is finished. I’m not too bothered about losing any more (I could stand to lose perhaps 2-3 more kgs but that is all), I just want to maintain.
I am not counting calories but I am putting weight on.
I have put half a kg on so far this week.
I am not eating anything off plan.
I feel like I am floundering.
Does anyone have any advice? I do really feel like i need a break from the diet but I don’t want to put the weight back on.

Hi Luckybryn – FYI – Gooby = JudyO – I am the same person 🙂

Hi Gooby, you could try the Mixnmatch system. When she switched to maintenance mode, she increased her calories gradually, 50 a day, I believe it was, until she reached her equilibrium point. Yes, you’d still have to count for a while and I know that’s not the break you’re craving, but loosening up the chains will still give you some relief without you running the risk of gaining back any of the weight you just worked so hard to lose. Keep your carbs as low as possible and don’t reintroduce any of usual suspects (grains, cereals, sugar, starchy veg, etc.).

I’ve been doing this since August 2016 and I’m still counting and measuring away even though I’m basically at goal. It has become second nature to me, and feels more like a security blanket than a prison.

Good luck!

Thank you! I think I will go back to counting calories. I was just using the recipes from the course but now i have finished I want to branch out a bit so will use myfitnesspal. It does take a while to work everything out but I guess once I have been doing it a while a lot of my foods will be in there as i will have calculated it in the past.
After the first couple of days I have gone back to the recipes and portion sizes for breakfast and lunch and then be a bit more adventurous with my dinners. Still not snacking but have had a glass of wine. But not more than one though, which is a massive change as I could get through a bottle before the course!

Hi Gooby,
I thought the two posts looked rather similar. Glad to see Richard came back with a reply. Even if he did add a decade or so to you 🙁

I had a natural break last week when I was off to a 70th birthday bash and lots of visiting friends. I gained 2.5 lbs. However, I went back to the programme’s recipes and as of this morning it’s gone. But I still have so much weight to lose that I reckon even if I was to eat around 1200 cals a day, I would still lose something. I hate to admit this, but on the 800 cals (probably nearer 900 if I include 2 or 3 coffees with milk), I haven’t felt particularly hungry. I think this is because my metabolism is so slow, and I don’t do ANY exercise. I’m retired and a true couch potato. I am considering the NHS 10 min walking app (I think you mentioned that sometime ago?). Note I said considering. Haven’t even downloaded it yet! And I am most impressed at your couch to 5k goal. Surely this will keep your weight stable as you relax on the calories?

Once I get the results of my blood tests in a couple of weeks, I imagine I will be reviewing what I eat and activity. Cos I suspect my cholesterol is still going to be too high, and reluctantly I think exercise may be the answer. I so want to avoid statins and diabetes medication. Will have to wait and see.

Carole

Good to see familiar names and issues from BSD#7! I was so happy with my results on Friday..12 kg down, 12 % body fat off but this weekend I have had several glasses of wine and am HUNGRY!!!!! I have been careful with food so far but feel like I am slipping mentally. Don’t really have more to lose but want to lose another 2 kg to be on the safe side as I know “relaxing” will go back on..I am feeling a tad paranoid and obsessed!! Wondering how maintenance is going to go and feeling like I need one blow out day before I can get back on the straight and narrow…

Hi aussiesteph! Those results are great! Did you put weight on when you were in the land of the fried Mars bar? How does it feel to be back in Perth? Weather here in Southwest Scotland is awful. Mostly rain, under grey, grey skies. I have reverted to winter soup mode. I am sticking to the 800 cals target for the moment by having mostly berries and yoghurt for breakfast, one of the original menu soups for lunch (I particularly love the Cream of Mushroom). And then choose an easy option for dinner, usually fish, prawns or egg dishes. But I can feel myself slipping away from measuring, especially oils and other fats. Need to get a grip. I have a week away from tomorrow, including visiting my mother-in-law – do you recall that conversation? So will no doubt be compromising somewhere along the way. However, I am managing to stay away from white carbs, and sweet foods still, which I never thought I would.
I notice that when I do have wine, I am definitely hungrier the following day. And I don’t think my body handles the alcohol well now. Makes me wonder what my poor liver was going through.
I am still in the “obese” range and BMI too high. So I am going to reembark on the menus at the beginning of November, and make an effort to give me some wriggle room for Christmas.
Hasn’t JudyO and hubby done well? Did you see her before and after pics?
Shame that Forum website is so awkward. I think we have lost a lot of followers. But there are great new friends to be made on here. I know it will keep me going on the long road ahead.
Carole

Hi, new friends from down under! I hope I can just pop into your
thread and say welcome to all. The “hungry the next day” phenomenon
is my experience as well. I usually did 18/6 most days, but found
I couldn’t if I drank wine the night before. For that reason, I chose
to abstain for the 10 months it took to lose 146lbs. I’ve been
successfully maintaining for 6 months now, and make wine only
an occasional treat nowadays.

Best of luck to you!

Allie

Hi Allie.
Wow. That’s a whole person. What an achievement. Bet you are a real inspiration to others on here.
Carole

thank you, Carole, but there is really nothing special about me! I
just stuck to the fast800, kept my head down, and put one foot
in front of the other each day. I’m with you on switching to soups
now (live in the States). I’m feeling colder with the change of
seasons without the extra “insulation”! 🙂 I think I’ll be acquiring
a nice new down comforter for the winter. Keep me up to date
on your journey.

Love,

Allie

Hi Carole! all went well in Scotland and weather was great actually but god was I glad to get back to cooking! Suddenly hot here in Perth but that is not influencing my food choices yet. I am craving fat!!! amazing that it generally doesn’t sit well in my body and like you neither does alcohol…although one could be forgiven for thinking otherwise at times!!!! Interesting your comments on feeling hungrier after alcohol..I will pay attention to that tmw! I am ver the 800 this weekend, not food wise but have had 2 glasses of wine fri, sat and sun. Don’t think I will go on the scales this week and I am really worried about this transition period.
Yes Judy and her hubby did really well! I am not game to post photos! Perth is a very small place!!!
Anyway back on the straight and narrow this week…look forward to hearing how you go!

Incredible Allie! Not sure I have your strength!!!

Congratulations on your success thus far, Aussiesteph! The beauty
of these forums is that we have each other on those days when
our strength is being tested….I’m looking forward to hearing your
progress to maintenance. Let’s master it together! 🙂

Love,

Allie

Great to see the BSD#7ers on here! Just to give you an update. After all my panicking this week I weighted myself this morning and I am exactly the same as last Sunday so my first week of maintenance is a success! I am busy roasting butternut squash, cooking asparagus and halloumi to have for salad lunches this week. Unseasonably warm days recently has put me off soups for now.
I never used to weight myself and I think i was pretty shocked at how much you can fluctuate on a daily basis. I was changing up to 0.5kg a day but i guess that must be normal when not dieting.
So week 1 down rest of life to go!

Hi Judy,
Have been away for a week, so didn’t really have time to check in. So glad to hear that your “first week of maintenance” was a success. It’s interesting to see how you react to weighing yourself so regularly. After all the decades of different diets and advice, I think in the end it comes down to how you deal with the voice in your head. Remember Anita saying does the voice talk you into treats when you have been “good”, or does it congratulate you and encourage you to keep on track. If you only weighed in once a week, would you be devastated to find you had put significant weight on; would it put you back on to strict calorie counting for a few days? Or would you think “what the heck” let’s have a glass of wine? Only you can know how you react. I came back on Friday night and on Saturday morning was over 2lbs up on the previous week. But I still had wine and basmatic rice (!) on Saturday night. However yesterday I did the 600-800 cal fast menu, and this morning I am, strangely, 1/2 lb lighter than before I went away. I have logged my weight into Fitness Pal almost every day between 31 July and 5 Oct (when my travel began again), and personally, I think I am finding it is giving me a better feeling of control. It has become a habit, first thing in the morning, and I’m hoping this means that I’ll catch any creeping up before it gets too significant. Unlike in the past, when I avoided the scales whenever I knew my weight was going up again. However, as I still have a lot still to lose, I will be returning to the menus and 800 cals per day after this week (another trip away and another 70th birthday; life’s hard!).
Hope you have had a good week.
Carole