Hi Beautiful Bellas of the Christmas Belles Bus! Woohoo we are on page 2! 🥳🥳🥳🥳
Get well soon DCT! XX
SUE how is MIL now?X
NOKIE!CHOCMONSTER!NEVERGIVE UP! how you doing? X
DAWN well done on making yr sparkly chart! 🥳 X
Ive been off course for several days bc of my and DDs birthday..
I’m thinking…
🌷” Progress not perfection”🌷is the way ahead…like CCATHY said,do what we can.
Been reading about weightloss and how we will never crack it permanently until we look at the emotions behind our r/ ship with food,and with those darn cravings!I think theres a lot of truth in that,so im investigating it a bit! Im at the back of the bus with my head buried in a book🙂🙃
Love and hugs to all…keep on truckin!xxxxx

Hello all
Thanks for asking about MIL Yowzer. Unfortunately she’s not doing too well. Her head injury is ok, but her dementia is worse and she’s very frail – so much so the hospital are saying she is not safe to live at home alone, and they are suggesting she go into permanent residential aged care.
So we’re currently looking at all the options, and between doing that and running back and forwards to the hospital, diet has been the furthest thing from my mind. On the plus side my step count is right up, with an average of 10,000 steps per day.

Sue I’m sorry to hear about your MIL. Stressful times. Sending good vibes your way, and I hope you find the right place for her very soon.

Yowzer you have hit the nail on the head re our relationship with food. Having had no cravings at all for the last couple of days it’s quite liberating. I’m just not interested in food or drink at all right now. Which has led me to thinking how long it is since I’ve really really enjoyed something I’ve eaten. Most of my eating patterns and content are sheer habit. I’d really like to radically revamp everything so that I eat less – and perhaps less often – but focus on making food I really enjoy. Quality not quantity I guess. All very easy to say on a lazy Sunday morning, but not so easy to stick to during a busy week. But watch this space!!

Hello everyone
Thinking of you SueBlue. I hope you soon find somewhere lovely for your MIL to be looked after. I know how difficult things must be for you. Be kind to yourself at this difficult and stressful time. I reckon you’ll be pleasantly surprised when you next get chance to weigh yourself.
DCT- hope you feel better soon. Food poisoning is awful!
Yowser- progress not perfection resonates with me. My lovely friend who was diagnosed with a brain tumour last year is sadly, gradually deteriorating and it is giving me perspective about what is and what isn’t so important.
I’ve had a mixed week- some good days and some not so good. I had my covid booster on Thursday and felt a bit rough on Friday. I don’t think not weighing myself is helping if I am being honest. It’s great not knowing what I weight but it’s also not helping me keep on track because it feels like it “doesn’t matter” I do enjoy feeling freedom from the scales but I also feel I need to see any damage! I am going to stay off them and just keep trying to make sensible choices. I think that is a healthier way for me mentally. I feel happier if I am not beating myself up about every pound on or no weight loss and so I am going to try and stay sensible as much as possible. This is not an excuse not to be accountable- I am determined to get to my goal but it might be a less tortuous journey!!
Keep going everyone- life isn’t easy, we all know that and we are lucky that we have found each other and are travelling along together with all the twists and turns and bumps along the road. Let’s all do our best this week once again .

Hello everyone. Glad to see you’re all hanging on, it’s encouraging for me.
SueBlue, so sorry to hear about your MIL. Something will work out. It’s such a difficult decision to make. Thinking of you.
CC I seriously admire your resolve to stay off the scales! I think I may try it when I am more than halfway to goal weight – early days yet. DCT – really enjoying what we eat and trying to buck sheer habit is such a good inspiration – I’ve eaten mindlessly pretty much since lockdown began and now I’m trying to undo the damage – it’s a long road.
Sending love to everyone else too – Dawn, Yowser, Nokie, anyone else on this thread.
Haven’t much loss to report since the initial 5lb early this month – that was quite a whoosh so I suppose it can be expected. This morning was a further 2oz from that so back to slow again. It’s been a really hard two weeks but I won’t give up….

Just a quicky,on my way out to visit my sister,but i came across this..i must have saved it from way back in 2016..
Written by a member here but i dont know who..but wise words,talking about self sabotage..hope they help sbody here today..
“Hi, I don’t think of it as self-sabotage — you are not your own worst enemy — it is a powerful biological system that drives us, combined with a lifetime of habits and food choices. Your body is frustrated that it doesn’t have the old flow of sugars and easily-digested carbs — even if all that was killing you. And your brain is frustrated that it’s old comfort system (eating sugar) isn’t available any more. Your choice to start this diet and struggle through the days is already changing your body and mind but it takes a bit of time for it all to catch up. Don’t despair and don’t think that you self-sabotaged — just start again and again and again — you are going to surprise yourself one day soon when those treats just look kind of boring and you prefer to wait for a healthy meal coming up.”
xx

Hello yowzer and all Xmas belles

Thankyou for all posts especially the lad in yowzer what a great statement!!
I am loosing the plot again so I will keep reading
It
Have so much in my mind on our way to Hertfordshire at moment only have one 🏠 to see but let’s hope it is worth 3 hours drive and back
I do well for couple of days then go back again I really am hopeless but determined not to give up
Have a good week all Lv nokie x🎄💕

Hello yowzer and all Xmas belles

Thankyou for all posts especially the lad in yowzer what a great statement!!
I am loosing the plot again so I will keep reading
It
Have so much in my mind on our way to Hertfordshire at moment only have one 🏠 to see but let’s hope it is worth 3 hours drive and back
I do well for couple of days then go back again I really am hopeless but determined not to give up
Have a good week all Lv nokie x🎄💕

NOKIE if its any consolation, I am exactly the same as you.
But keep thise wise words in mind! Understanding why things happen can help us change our bad habits!
i really hope you like the house ! Keep us posted!
Is it too soon for Crimbo songs on the bus..i guess it is really…so how about ..
🎶🎶🎶“ four wheels on my wagon,and im still rolling along
The cherokees are after me and im singing a happy song!
Three wheels on my wagon.. ( etc!) 🎶🎶🎶🎶
Sing up everyone ! 😄🙂🙃🥳 xxxx

Thanks yowzer
I feel better now I know you are feeling the same way silly really but I am not giving in
We have just got hi one after long drive the m25 was horrible and rain as well also we did not like house 🏡 not sure if I am ready for this move it’s so stressful and that’s when I eat things i shouldn’t 🥲
Anyway enough about my day I am going to be good tomorrow work out my shopping list in a min and try and stick to it Also I think it’s not too early for Xmas 🎄 songs let’s get jingles on the bus 🚌 🎄🎊
Lv nokie🎄

Thanks yowzer
I feel better now I know you are feeling the same way silly really but I am not giving in
We have just got hi one after long drive the m25 was horrible and rain as well also we did not like house 🏡 not sure if I am ready for this move it’s so stressful and that’s when I eat things i shouldn’t 🥲
Anyway enough about my day I am going to be good tomorrow work out my shopping list in a min and try and stick to it Also I think it’s not too early for Xmas 🎄 songs let’s get jingles on the bus 🚌 🎄🎊
Lv nokie🎄

Hello all, a quick Friday update from me.
I weighed in this morning at 87.3kg, so I’ve discarded 2.4kg or 5.3lb so far on our Christmas bus 🙂
I wish I could say that this is due to sticking to plan and eating healthily! Unfortunately it’s more down to stress, running back and forth to the hospital to see MIL and not having time to cook! MIL has been moved to a hospital that specialises in aged care and rehab, it’s a lovely place but a further 1/2 hr travel away for me (or an hour extra per trip). We’re still not sure what is happening long term, but working with the social workers and medical team to decide on the best plan for her.
I have been reading everyone’s posts, thanks for your kind wishes. DCT hope you are feeling better. Nokie I hope things get easier for you too.
I’m planning to stay at home on Sunday and catch up with housework and plan some meals so that next week will be healthier. I realise I can’t live on coffee and McDonald’s long term!

Meant to add too that 87.3kg is the lowest weight I’ve been at for about 21 years! I’m sure I was 85kg in October 2001, then put on weight after that. I didn’t regularly record weight until 2011.
Anyway, if I can stay on track I feel that I could get to by Christmas goal of 85kg. My next goal is 86.7kg – this is my next milestone in Happy Scale. Onwards and downwards!

Hi Sue. Very well done for being at your lowest weight for such a long time. I’m so glad there’s something positive for you to celebrate in the midst of all that’s going on at the moment. And yes, perhaps the stress of the circumstances has contributed, but the main reason is your ongoing commitment and perseverance. You are such an inspiration to so many of us on here. And I hope that a good long term plan is found soon for MIL.

Nokie what a disappointment about the house, particularly with such an awful journey too. I hope something comes up soon for you as it’s all very unsettling when you’re living with that uncertainty. Keep getting back on the bus for us to cheer you up with the Christmas songs (Yowzer- I agree with Nokie, never too early!!)

I’m delighted to be back on track in terms of weekly losses. I’m where I wanted to be, but I know it’s only the food poisoning.virus whatever that’s the reason for that. I ate nothing for a couple of days and quite sparingly after that. I feel absolutely fine now but it’s been a salient reminder that I don’t need to be eating as much or as often as I’d got into the habit of doing. I’ve survived perfectly well this week on smaller portions twice a day rather than eating three times a day out of habit and grazing in between 🙀 And have felt much better for it. Long. may it continue!

Have a great weekend everyone. I’m going wedding dress browsing with my daughter tomorrow. Wedding not till March 2024 but we thought we’d go have a mooch and a spot of lunch (I’ve already checked the menu and am going to have a Greek mezze platter!).

Look forward to hearing how you’re all getting on X

Hi Beautiful Belles 🥳 …This was in my inbox ..fast 800 plan for xmas dinner. Not sure I believe we shd worry about xmas dinner too much,but here it is,some nice recipes,mainly for non vegetarians.
Quote “ Our complete Christmas menu has a lower-carb twist, without sacrificing the indulgent flavours of the season” Hope the link works xx

https://thefast800.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022-Christmas-Menu-FS-2.pdf?utm_source=The+Fast+800+Lifestyle+Newsletter&utm_campaign=fa2990bacd-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2022_11_20_festiveebookUKOTHER&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6187d22b9c-fa2990bacd-159564184

SUEBLUE..MIL situation sounds very like my sisters. Hope MIL makes it home with carers,which my sister has done, home sweet home,but still confined to bedroom. Fingers X’d for MIL XX and also for getting to your crimbo goal ❤️ X!
NOKIE im so sorry the house wasnt what you were looking for. That house is there in the future for you so dnt give up hope X
DCT i love that feeling you have at the moment, to me when it happens it feels like my body and mind are in harmony! Thats the only way i can describe it!my body and mind are at peace with each other when im eating enough to feel satisfied and not eating so much I feel rubbish! Hope the wedding dress browsing went well X
What Christmassy song shall we sing? Any requests!XX love to all and have a fab week!XX

Thanks for the link Yowzer, some nice recipes there 🙂
As for Christmas songs, I always enjoy “All I want for Christmas is you” – I know it gets played to the death, and by the time Christmas is over people are sick of hearing it, I do like it 🙂 which reminds me I’ll have to watch Love Actually again soon. I’m still struggling with the idea that Christmas is only weeks away now. I’ve been so distracted with everything else going on that I haven’t thought much about it, let alone buy presents etc. I did buy some Mr Kipling Christmas cake slices yesterday and have put them away – I find they’re good for portion control. If I had a whole cake I’d be tempted to eat it all, as no-one else at home likes Christmas cake 🙂
I weighed in again this morning and am down another 1/2kg. So 86.8kg, or 13st 9lb. I’m starting to feel that I may just be able to reach my Christmas goal of 85kg.
I’ve been doing lots of walking, on Saturday I was out with my husband and we walked 18,000 steps. This was running errands, going to one of our favourite vintage markets and then visiting MIL. It makes a difference when you do things on foot and public transport vs using the car.
I’ve just had some sour dough rye toast with peanut butter and blueberries for breakfast. I’m planning on having tuna salad for lunch and then chicken stir fry for dinner. I’m going to make time today to write out a meal plan as we’re going grocery shopping tomorrow.
Have a good week all!

Fantastic result SueBlue, so pleased for you. We got this!
I had a very difficult weekend, so just attempting damage reversal at the moment before my weekly weigh in.
I also really like “All I want for Christmas is you” and another massive fave (a bit cheesy) is “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas”

Yay! The Christmas Bus JukeBox is now open! 🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶
SUEBLUE that is brilliant,well done,i think you’ll smash that Xmas goal, and well done on the 18,000 steps. Crikey tgat was a LOT of walking!👏👏👏👏👏👏xx
Sing up everyone! X

Hello everyone and well done if you’re sticking with it. SueBlue- you are an inspiration with your continued loss. You must be so happy with how you are progressing and getting so close to your goal. You always seem to eat so well too! I feel I have to pick at food to lose weight. I don’t feel I am making any progress and it’s getting that time when the social calendar is getting filled up with Christmas meeting and eating!!! I don’t think I’m going to be anywhere near where I hoped I would be when I started this leg of the journey. I will keep doing my best but it feels like two steps forward and three back!
Let’s try our best / it’s all we can do. I am joining in the sing song and I’m learning a lovely rendition of white Christmas on the piano so I can serenade us all.

Hi everyone, hope the journey is going well? I’m back from Borneo, and reclaiming my seat at the back of the bus! In the 6 weeks before I left, I had managed 2.5kg weight loss, and I put 1kg back on during the travels (gaah, it was white rice for EVERY meal with no alternatives!). Still, I exercised a lot of portion control, and the damage could certainly have been worse. and I saw lots of orangutans. I’m at 82.7kg this morning. 80kg for christmas is probably out of reach in a month, but I’ll try for below 81. Every time I think that the amount of weight I’m losing is tiny, I pick up a 500g bag of sugar and remind myself that it isn’t!

Welcome back Chocolatemonster. Although not a real member of this group I do look in from time to time. We spent some time in Borneo although it was part of a cruise. We were meant to visit the orangutangs but ended up in a zoo at Kota Kinabalu, but some good memories of the beach at Boracay. I am sure you did lots of walking and a kilo is not a bad result.

Welcome back ChocolateMonster 🙂

I think you’ve done very well to only gain back a kilo after a 6 week break!

I came across this article today about almonds and weight loss. Chewing on a couple of almonds slowly when I’m really hungry (but it’s not a meal time) has always helped me as they take the edge off of my hunger, so I was interested to read this.
https://www.yourlifechoices.com.au/health/including-this-nut-in-your-diet-could-help-you-lose-weight

Oh nice sunshine-girl – yes there was a lot of walking, including summiting Mount Kinabalu – a 4100m peak, and though not the highest mountain I’ve ever climbed, most definitely the most challenging path! Already 500g down, 82.2kg today – so feeling pretty relieved, and enjoying being back in control of my own food decisions. @sueblue, very interesting about the almond/glucagon article – I wish I liked them enough to snack on them without them being covered in salt!

Interesting article SueBlue. I know someone who works with the almond importation trade who told me years ago that eating almonds is actually less calories that it says in all the information guides. Something to do with changes in the composition when it is chewed. Your article was a different take but they still sound like a great choice. As the article says, eat them included in your regime not extra. So they are not a free snack.

Hi there BusDwellers!
Welcome back CHOCMONSTER!x
SUEBLUE thanks for the almonds read,one of my favourite nuts x
I was thinking,as well as singsongs on the bus,how about jokes to pass the time as we roll along?
What did the bus driver say to the baldy cat? ….Where’s your fare? 😄
Laughter is the best medicine! 🥰🥳xxxx

Hello fellow travellers and apologies for my absence.I had intended posting last weekend, I had a fairly decent week and a 1 and a half inch loss on my waist(didn’t weigh myself) but I rolled spectacularly off the bus last week and down a hill and into a ditch where I wallowed in carbs of every description😩 Needless to say I am not taking any measurements or weighing myself until I have crawled back onto the bus and slumped into my seat for at least a week!Well done to anyone who is managing to stay on track 🎉 and good luck to anyone who isn’t 🤞this week will be better.Dawn X

Hello everyone and here’s to a good week. Chocolatemonster – wow! Climbing Mount Kinabalu – so amazing and must have been such an incredible experience and view.
My weight loss has been stagnant last week. Makes it hard to stick at but I know I must. I will probably try again on Friday this week. Please keep the jokes coming Yowser!

I’ve fallen off the bus and landed in a field! This wont do. Im brushing myself down and running as fast as my fat little legs will take me to try to jump aboard again. My Carb Monster and Inner Chimp are running after me,but I wont let them get ahead!
DAWN! One and a half inches off your waist! Thats insane! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏X
NGU hold on in there,you might get a whoooosh soon! X
Cant think of a joke off the top of my head,but here are some Peter Kay funny observations on life..
In every plate of chips there is a bad chip.
Nobody ever dares make cup-a-soup in a bowl.
There’s no panic like the panic you momentarily feel when you’ve got your hand or head stuck in something.
Everyone had an uncle who tried to steal their nose.
Its impossible to describe the smell of a wet cat.
The most painful household incident is wearing socks and stepping on an upturned plug.
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

“Nobody ever dares make cup-a-soup in a bowl.” Why is this I wonder 🤣🤣

Hello everyone
I’m two steps forward and three back at the moment. I’ve been compensating by eating one meal a day. Went out for Sunday lunch, went to York yesterday with my husband and ate lunch out and ate a delicious orange and cranberry scone and am meeting friends for lunch today. Three consecutive bad days! My jeans are TIGHT! I have decided that after lunch today I am firmly back on the wagon until the next meal out with friends! There is no way I have lost anywhere near the weight intended to lose, if any!! If I can stay focused on between my meals out then hopefully I won’t gain any more. My husband said why are you always beating yourself up, you don’t eat a lot. My reply was that to lose weight I can’t eat a lot and just eating what “normal” people eat makes me gain weight. It’s a constant battle. Anyway, like Yowser and Dawn I am dusting myself down and focusing on being the best I can be. There won’t be a grand weigh in and amazing weight loss for me on Christmas Eve as I had hoped. However, I’m not giving up. I’m keeping on trying and I will weigh myself on Christmas Eve and take it from there.
I don’t know why I live my life constantly beating myself up about what I eat and what I weigh. It’s been good not going on the scales but it’s not helped me lose any weight so there is my dilemma. Keep doing your best everyone.
why does everyone like ☃️ frosty the snowman? Because he is so cool!

haha the cup a soup one is so true! A bus themed one liner: ‘I couldn’t get my fridge to work this morning, so I took the bus instead’

My progress has been stalled by my inability to resist eating chocolate bars that I bought as christmas presents last weekend…I am the WORST. Static weight, and back at it with gusto today.

Come on kids,we’ve still got over 3 weeks til Crimbo..lets all make one-great-big-last -PUSH and make the Belles Bus proud! XX
Thanks for the joke CCATHY!X ☃️❤️
There were a lot of jokes on here a few years back that all ended with the line.”.And thats how the fight started”
Off the top of my head,this is the only one i can remember right now…xx
“ I was out for dinner with my wife at our local bistro.
The waiter comes up to us and asks me what we would like for our mains.
“I would like T-Bone steak, medium please”
He replied, “Are you not concerned about the mad cow?”
To which I then said “No, she will order for herself.”
And that’s how the fight started….”
❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

Good morning everyone! Lovely to read all your posts. And the jokes! And a big well done to those who are seeing some losses, whether on the scales or off the body.

As Yowzer said, there are still over 3 weeks till Christmas. I’m planning to stick on the bus till Friday 23rd, even if it’s parked up in the garage by then . . . or perhaps even giving Santa a hand to get those presents out! So that’s another 24 days. I will have various social things between now and then but will try to eat and drink moderately at those and be strict in between.

I had a nice surprise today when I got on the scales and another pound had gone : very unexpected as I had wine and pizza last night whilst watching the England/Wales match. And even had a mega sugar craving and downed some fudge (which someone brought for us and has been lying around for weeks waiting to be thrown away cos I don’t even like it!!). Sometimes there are no whys and wherefores to our weight loss journeys!

The only thing I can think of that’s different for me this week so far is that I’ve been skipping breakfast. Not an intentional strategy, just been so incredibly busy that I don’t get round to eating till lunchtime. But that does mean I’m doing 16:8 without really trying, so I guess that’s having an effect. The other factor is that I’ve just started another virtual walking challenge. This time it’s The Pacific Crest, which is about 2500 miles and I’m already behind 🙀 I have 18 months to do it, which means a target of around 5 miles a day. Most days that’s just not possible for me so I will have to extend the finish date at some point, but I find it really does help having something to aim for and make me think more about moving regularly during the day.

Hope everyone has a good week and that we all achieve some milestone, however small.

Another joke to make you smile : Why are Christmas trees so bad at sewing? They keep dropping their needles!

Okay so with the recent football match in mind and no offense intended, here’s another….
A guy walks into a bar in America and hears two large ladies speaking in a British accent. He says “So are you two ladies from England?” ” No, we’re Wales” they replied. “Ok, sorry, so you two Whales are from England?”
And that’s how the fight started……

And great news on the weightloss Dreamscometrue 😊

NGU and DCT !Thank you,They really made me chuckle!😂😂xx
And well,done DCT on w/loss and Pacific challenge 👏👏

“ My wife and I were sitting at a table at her high school
reunion, and she kept staring at a drunken man swigging his drink as he sat alone at a nearby table.
I asked her, “Do you know him?”
“Yes”, she sighed, “He’s my old boyfriend. I understand he took to drinkingright after we split up those many years ago, and I hear he hasn’t been sober since.”
“My God!” I said, “Who would think a person could go on celebrating that long?”
And thats how the fight started…”
XX

🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁
Who’s Santa’s favorite singer? Elfish Presley
What do you call an elf that runs away from Santa’s workshop? A rebel without a Claus!
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

2nd December, and I’m going to be on this bus until the bitter end too (with a few planned pitstops for festive occasions). This week I’ve managed to get back down to my pre-holiday weight, 81.7kg. I seem only to be able to shed 0.5kg/week, even with very strict adherence to the fast and quite a lot of exercise, so <80.5kg for christmas might be the realistic goal. Let’s go busmates!

Well done Chocolatemonster you’ve got a downward trend going – I’m struggling with static weight at the moment , I think my planned festive pitstops are turning into too many so I need to get a grip – hopefully tomorrow will give me some cheerful weightloss news. I set a goal to lose another stone on this Christmas bus – so far it’s 6lb since then and another 8lb to go – I can do that in 4 weeks but it’s going to require me really getting my head down and doing…..

Who is never hungry at Christmas?
The turkey—he’s always stuffed.
Perhaps I just need to be a turkey 🦃🦃

Hi All
We’re finally back. Bit late replying as we got back last Monday Evening but as we hadn’t had any sleep we slept most of all day Tuesday & then were down with Covid? or an infection of some kind. Never mind we’re almost over that now & the trip was wonderful.

The ship was the same as the last time, pretty good, loads too much food & although we tried to stay away from the worst choices, we were on holiday so did indulge some. The entertainment again was a bit dire BUT we did thoroughly enjoy the Beatles tribute John & Paul who were amazing. Sadly they left the ship at Lisbon but we did get to speak to them on the top of the ship when they joined all us smokers on deck 17. They are brothers & OMG they have the Beatles down to a T. Close yr eyes or even open them & you’d swear you were actually watching John & Paul in their heyday BUT they’ve been going for 20yrs & have it honed to perfection. Nice lads too. Meant to ask if they were from Liverpool as they certainly had the Liverpool comedy side done to perfection too. Are they Yowser?

Now onto seeing the family again – we both thoroughly enjoyed this part. Sadly Carl had come down with double pneumonia on the ship just as we were about to come off it, well that’s what the doc on land said, although his elder daughter said she didn’t think so as it took him a week to recover after the drugs were taken. Sarah (his nurse practitioner daughter- they call her Doc in US) said if it had been double pneumonia he wouldn’t have gotten so much better after a week. It was So wonderful to see Molly & Jake & grandson Owen 8 who blew our minds telling us numerous facts on just about everything. All this from an 8yr old who has been classed as having ADHD – yeah right! I think he just gets bored in class as in our eyes he’s FAR more advanced than any 8yr old that either of us has ever come across. Molly worries about him too much, we’re already convinced he’ll outdo his dad Jake who is brilliant, has a PhD in polymer chemistry & keeps being head hunted by numerous companies. Jake is also a lovely man, who we both think has grown again – he reckons he’s 6ft 8ins but we reckon taller as Carl is 6ft 3in & he towers over him. Both girls are at or near 6ft. I think Sarah is 6ft 1in Sarah’s hubby Doug is 6ft 1 or 2in. Even Kat our grand-daughter aged 17 is far taller than me. Guess who felt like a dwarf at just 5ft 6in.

The girls spent 2 full days preparing & cooking for Thanksgiving, wouldn’t let me do a thing. OMG what a spread they put on – sadly very little that abided by this WOE so we both ate our fill, it would have been rude not to & we both thoroughly enjoyed it, for days after too. lol We just ate a teaspoonful of some of the desserts concocted by Kat & Owen. OMG with just a tsp full we both felt overloaded by sugar. The oreo dessert was made with 8 packs of Oreos (crushed up by Owen), along with cream cheese, cream whipped up with hunungous amounts of sugar etc. etc. The other desserts were almost as bad. Sadly the huge trays were barely tasted by us adults. lol

We took Owen to a bookstore, Barnes & Noble, which used to be great when we shopped for Kat. Owen was very picky however so we ended up buying him just 1 Encyclopaedia of Science – with which he regaled us with many, many facts which made the both of us feel as dull as ditchwater. He also got a huge lego kit, well above his age, that he finished in about 4hrs. It probs would have taken us 4months. lol We reverted to buying him stuff from amazon that was far cheaper then B&N.

Food – OMG the food prices in the US are 3-4X higher than over here. Even Aldi was 2-3X the price over here except for their special buys (like Stollen for example) which was 1.5-2X higher. It really shocked me at how much prices have gone up. Thankfully both girls & their hubbies have good jobs so can afford it, otherwise we’d be sending them food parcels.

It was SO lovely seeing the whole family again. Although we only saw Sara & Katherine for 2 days & Doug for 1 day this time – due to work & Doug taking them on a well deserved Cruise for a week as Sarah had been working & looking after their mother daily who passed over just before we went over. The weather was more like in the UK, strange for the Florida Panhandle & even though they offered us heating up their pool, it was too cold outside to swim. Not sure if I’d have fitted in my cozzies anyways. Next time we go over 2nd March hopefully the weather will be better & we’ll spend a week with each of them. Looking forward to it.

OK weightwise. after this long epistle. When we arrived back I was horrendously 12stone 12.8lbs – that’s 1stone 7.8lbs heavier than my lightest earlier this year. Carl won’t get on the scales but it’s obviously the same for him. I have a spare tyre back & I know my boobs are up as is my upper back. 2 long cruises & an additional 2wks+ holiday has put pay to my tremendous achievements in the past. Today I am 12st 8.4lbs BUT I need to lose far more weight to feel comfortable in my skin again. This weight loss is just due to both of us feeling bleuurgh & probably not eating enough. We’ve started eating more or less properly in last couple of days – 3 fish roast from Aldi (twice) on top of Cauliflower & Leeks plus a cooked dinner. 1 meal a day only, although I’m waiting for Carl to wake up from his nap before we have a meal today. I should also have gone shopping today but it can wait until tomorrow.

Not sure if I should claim a seat on this bus just yet (Is there 1 big enough?) BUT am going to try to stay on the straight & narrow at least until Christmas. I will defo claim a seat on the next one.

Keep on keeping off everyone
Sorry I can’t scroll back at the moment but love & hugs to all of you,
Linda XXX

Hello Linda
Welcome back, so good to hear from you again. I’m fairly confident I speak for the whole group when I say there is plenty of room – your seat doesn’t need to be as big as mine (I still weigh a lot more than that!) Look forward to seeing you on the next bus and at least whatever you do till Christmas 🙂
Sounds like you had a wonderful time catching up with your family – so pleased for you! Really enjoyed reading about it. Here’s to March!
I have lost 2.5lb today and it feels a bit of a relief, last week I was stuck and had tried so hard but I know this happens to lots of people so simply refuse to give up. It pays off in the end. 😊

HIII NGU and CHOCCYMONSTER! X
HIII LINDA! Welcome back,loved hearing about yr hols and about the family xx
Ive heard John and Paul,but only on youtube. Talented guys!
Hope everyone on our bus is doing ok,be strong,guys,xmas run up is perilous in terms of food offered and on display!
For example,ive just received an early gift….a tin of shortbread! shoved it into the cupboard for now,but i must admit,its calling to me! 😄😵‍💫🤨
How about a chorus of The Christmas Alphabet….?!
🎶🎶 C is for the Candy trimmed around the Christmas tree..
H is for the Happiness of all the family…🎶🎶🎶etc etc…☃️ ( Sing up!)
What song do you sing at a snowman’s birthday party? Freeze a jolly good fellow!
Love n christmassy hugs to all xx 🎉🎉

Hi everyone! How was the week?
I had a fairly major blip…someone sent me 5 (large) bars of chocolate out of the blue. Instead of tucking them away to safety, I inhaled them so fast I didn’t even taste them. Poof. 5 mins and the evidence was gone. Naughty chocolate monster. Perhaps I need contingency for unexpected chocolate windfalls…had thought that emptying my cupboards of all temptation would be enough. I guess it’ll take time to break the habit of a lifetime, but it’s frustrating to see how easily that habit can take hold again given the right fuel. It’s not meals that have got me needing to do this WOE in the first place…it’s my inability to stop eating chocolate. I must find a way to address that.
Anyway, despite the chocolate incident, I did a lot of very strict meal planning, hot yoga and spinning. Actually watched the World Cup match last night on my exercise bike…did not expect it to last 140 mins (1200cals and a sore bum today!!!). But the good news is that I’m down to below 81kg!!! 80.8 this morning, which puts me right on the cusp of a ‘normal’ BMI. I’m a very slow loser, but now I’m wondering whether 80kg is a realistic goal for Christmas. I’m going to try!

Not a Christmas joke, but one of my absolute favourites:
What did the cheese say to itself in the mirror?
Hallou-mi

Hi All
OMG it’s cold here. Not been above freezing all day. Methinks our CH is done for – gas warm air & they don’t want to mess with it, not many peeps qualified now to deal with it. I think it’s absolutely wonderful as put it on & the whole house is toasty warm in 10 minutes. Everyone wants to replace it with radiators, IMHO that’s a backward step, a HUGE one.I think we have just 2 places where I’d consider radiators – the lounge & dining room which is really 1 big room. Upstairs we have no room whatsoever for those monsters. I’m going to try again to get someone out. The fan has gone again & if we have a new one it’ll be about £800 & I know the whole system needs replacing as I bought the house new 35yrs ago & I haven’t had anything done to it apart from servicing. At least it was built with wall insulation BUT we also need all new windows & doors. We have single glazed aluminium windows, I pleaded with the builders to put in PU d/glazing even telling them they could keep all the windows to put in 1 of the other identical houses they were building – no joy. 🙁 I’ll try try & try again tomorrow & day after to get someone to come along & sort it. We do have small fan heaters so are staying upstairs as easier to heat. Diet has gone by the wayside at the moment as too cold to go down there to cook at moment. I have 3 new fan heaters coming from Amazon by Wednesday as 1 of the 3 we had has expired probs short circuited & taken 2 extension leads out too. Reading up I should have bought oil filled radiators instead so I’ll give screw-fix a ring tomorrow & also see if Argos have some in stock. OMG there is also infra red wallpaper around to heat houses NOT that I’m a lover of any wallpaper, not got any in the house BUT it made me think.

Chocolate monster – I WAS totally off chocolate until the cruises & their luscious desserts + I love butterfingers in the US & their version of maltesers. I went to Aldi today after taking Carl to the docs & it was SO heaving I thought ‘Just as well stock up Linda’ so I didn’t have to go there except for essentials. A BIG mistake as I’d eaten nothing & it was 4pm. Guess what I stocked up on? 4 Chocolate orange 3 big Choceur bars, 4 Moser Roth big bars, 4 Florentines etc. etc. All for pressies – except Carl has already opened 3 so I decided to help him a little bit & now we’ve eaten all 3 opened ones! EEK! I did buy the last 2 x 3 fish roasts that were in the shop & I have stocked up on veggies so once the heaters come I can go down & make food. Also realised that I’d only lost 2.4lbs last weigh in NOT 4.4lbs. Silly mistake on my part.

From – the only Welsh Whale on here. lol Yowser, Keep on keeping off everyone including me!!
Love Linda XXXX

Hi everyone.Linda I hope you manage to get your heating fixed today, it’s even colder than yesterday here🥶
I’m afraid this bus journey isn’t going very well for me, I can’t seem to muster up any enthusiasm at the minute and may abandon my seat until 2nd January.Hope everyone else is doing ok. Dawn X

Hello Dawn
I am with you I have well and truly fallen off the bus 🚌 I am sorry folks leave me on the side of the road and please let me climb back on in January 🤣
Linda hope your heating is working it’s so cold everywhere our wasn’t working this morning!! I thought never mind the heating will be on at work guess what it’s broken too🥶!!!!
So what did I do yes you have guessed stuffed my face with hot chocolate and a mince pie🤣🤣
I know I am hopeless but I am going to forget about diet until January and join you all in the next bus 🚎 have a lovely Xmas everyone stay safe and warm be there with you in Jan
Lv nokie xx🎄💕🍷🎄☃️🤶

Hey, all passengers are welcome on this bus…membership isn’t contingent on progress! I do hope the various heating issues are fixed quite quickly – I must say, it would be impossible for me to eat well while absolutely freezing.
I have just weighed in this morning – I’m 100g from my christmas goal weight of 80kg. So close that I’m motivated for the final push, but I do lose SUPER slowly. If I reach the interim goal this week, I’m going to go back to the 5:2 until the end of the month and relax just a little. Let’s see!

Hi NOKIE and DAWN,Im not doing great either but will try during the upcoming days to make more of a difference!
We have had a bit of a crisis on our hands.DD had electric shock in work last Friday,was in A and E for hours,then home feelingok ( ish) but has been feeling unwell ever since. We’re waiting for blood test results just now,GP sent her today.
I ve been eating rubbish last few days after not being able to eat at all at first,it was all such a fright.
But i really dont want to wake up on New Years Day feeling huge and i know i can do better,even taking into account a high carb count on xmas day..after all its the one day of the year that everyone has too much to eat and drink!🥳
LINDA will be back to read your post later,not online much at the moment.x i always enjoy yr reads.
CHOCMONSTER to be 100 g from your xmas goal is fantastic,well done you 👏👏x
Keep on keeping off folks and beep beep! the bus is rolling slowly over the snowcovered hills and vales!XX
☃️❄️☃️❄️☃️❄️☃️❄️☃️❄️☃️❄️☃️❄️☃️❄️☃️❄️☃️❄️☃️❄️☃️❄️☃️❄️☃️❄️☃️❄️☃️❄️☃️❄️☃️

Hi everyone. Just catching up posts after a hectic week.
Yowzer how is your daughter? What an awful thing to happen. I hope the blood tests came back ok and that she’s recovering well. And that you’re ok too.

Sue how is your MIL doing?

Lovely to see you back Linda, and glad you had such a fabulous time away. Any update on the heating?

Chocolate monster well done on getting so close to your target! Any update?

Nokie, Dawn and anyone else struggling, you’re doing amazing just by still being here. And can start afresh in the new year.

I’ll be here too! I was doing really well till about 10 days ago , had been seeing a gradual loss and was down in the 143s. Then came all the Christmas do’s and the weight has crept up again. The annoying thing is I’m not even going overboard when out and about. It just seems that nowadays for me to lose and maintain that loss I have to be really strict all the time. But the encouraging thing was that I did see some good loss recently so I know it’s still possible. I’ll do my best over the next couple of weeks then do another blitz in January.

Hope everyone else on here is ok. Keep posting – one more week to go then a Christmas break and a shiny new bus in January. So if you feel your journey is not going well, look ahead to a new start in 2023. X