We also had the stormy weather last night (one neighbour lost part of his chimney and TV antennae during the night, and Rudolph is in a state of collapse in another neighbours ), plus our internet is up and down (mostly down – engineer coming on Monday) so I am just quickly jumping on to say that’s a great result CC and well-deserved. Half a stone (not forgetting the .4lb) is a brilliant loss. Hurrah! Hope York weather is kind to you. xx
Dawn & SueBlue – smart thinking. I decided to weigh and I’d managed to put on 4lb this week. I’m still close to my maintenance weight so that’s the positive, but I really need to manage my portion sizes!!! Didn’t meet my steps targets yesterday (very windy all day so didn’t go out) but will see if it dies down today. If not, time to get out the exercise videos – yes, still have them and the video machine too!
Linda – thanks for getting back about the psyllium (sp?) husk for the flatbreads on the other post. It is the powder I’ve got so I’ll give them a go. Sorry to hear about your loo wars. Yes, we’ve got a list like yours of things that need doing. Sigh. Hope you have a good and less eventful weekend.
Mariet – I’m not a great drinker but I do like the bubbles in champagne (or usually cheaper versions in my case). Hope you enjoyed it!
Antigone how are things going? Have a great weekend xx
lauraknits – hope things are going well xx
Yowser – I’ve still got my shiny gold stars so I can start sticking them up on the bus – just say when!
DCT – I think I’m tucked in next to you on the bus so you can share my star if you like.
Made a large pan of the Roasted Red Pepper & Cauli Soup on Thursday (from the Forum – Verano’s recipe maybe?) – so I’m off to have some of that for lunch.
Stay safe everyone and have a great BSD weekend.
Jennie xx

Jennie the Roasted red pepper and cauli soup sounds lovely 🙂
I’m making some roasted red pepper and butternut squash soup this morning, to have for lunches this week. It’s usually something I make in Autumn or winter, not late spring/early summer which is usually salad weather 🥗 . Our cool spell is continuing, but I’m not complaining as I don’t like it when it’s really hot anyway.
It’s Monday morning here and apart from making soup I’m also going to do some food prepping this morning – overnight oats, boiled eggs, veggie sticks and some roast veg to use in meals again. If I have time there’s also a fish cake recipe I want to try, and I’ll bake some chicken too, which will take care of some of the protein for the next few days. At lunchtime I have to take MIL to the medical centre for a routine checkup,
which is why I’m making soup ahead of time now.
I feel positive about the week ahead. Am going to weigh on Wednesday morning so I can review my November loss and have a start weight for the last month of the year. I’m still hoping to reach my 2021 goal, if not by Christmas then for NYE.

You guys are sooo organised! I’ve had a couple of weeks off plan after reaching a mini goal so it will be interesting to see what damage has been done! I have a couple of weeks where I can focus on bsd – super busy with work – before the wild rumpus begins!
Thanks for the shout out Jennie – will try that soup recipe this week!
Stay strong everyone 🙂

Morning all

Antigone well done on meeting your mini goal recently, and I hope there’s not too much damage since then!

Jennie the soup sounds good so I may give that a try too. You sound like me, in terms of being able to put weight on very quickly. It’s our superpower! But I always think if a few pounds do go on so fast then hopefully a lot is water and it will come off almost as fast. Here’s hoping those 4lb disappear as quickly as they arrive. And I agree about portion sizes: I find that if I eat slowly and mindfully, my body doesn’t really notice if the portions are smaller. But I’m one of these people who has to finish everything on my plate otherwise it feels wasteful; so putting less on there in the first place is a smart move 😉

Sue yet again I am in awe of your food preparation! Good luck for Wednesday’s weigh in.

Cathy hope you had a great time in York. And hope everyone else is doing ok – Dawn, Mariet, Linda, Yowzer, Laura and anyone else I’ve missed. JGwen – long time no speak: hope you’re ok? X

Still just under 4 weeks to go on this thread. I’m hoping for a loss, both the recent gain and a bit more besides. Here we go!

Hiii CoachDwellers! Happy new week. I’ve had an indulgent weekend but I’m chomping at the bit today,Decembers fast approaching,and I’m determined to make renewed efforts to smash that Carb Monster to the Kerb! I know all of us on the bus want to do it and can do it,so let’s go go go!
Good luck all 💕💕💕 if you cannot do great things,do small things in a great way!💕💕💕xxxx

Morning. I’m trying to do daily posts again this week to keep me on my toes!

I had a really good day yesterday food-wise: stuck to 800 calories, and carbs ended up just under 60. And I felt fine so will repeat that today. I’ve revised my Christmas goal but really hope to see a bit of a loss at the end of this week to keep me focused.

I’m getting my hair done this afternoon. Cut, colour, the whole works. May even go for a complete restyle as my hair always seems to look a mess unless I’ve just walked out of the salon. But is it just me that hates being in the hairdressers? I just get so bored. My eyesight isn’t good enough to read comfortably without glasses – unless I use my kindle with about 10 words to the page! I’m quite an active person and get very restless just sitting there. So hopefully I can make lots of plans in my mind . . . and then remember them afterwards 😉

So must dash, as have lots to get done this morning before my long afternoon!

Hope everyone’s week is going well, and look forward to hearing your news X

Hi all,apologies for not checking in for a few days,had busy weekend and disastrous days Sunday and yesterday food wise,well and truly rolled out of my bus seat😩 I’m back now though with tinsel around my neck, ready to crack on🎄Well done all who are managing to sit firmly in their seat and anyone wobbling just hold on tight! DCT I hope your trip to the hairdressers goes well,I have an appointment for cut and colour on Saturday which is well overdue! Dawn X

Hello everyone
I’m back from my rather cold trip to York. It was perishing! . I have to fess up to eating the most delicious scone I’ve ever had in my whole life – orange and cranberry with clotted cream! It was more like a rock bun texture and it was worth every single calorie! I am back on the bus again and have just eaten cottage cheese, quorn ham and a few nuts. It’s cauliflower cheese for my evening meal and I have every intention of keeping to this way of eating now I’m back home!. I love stepping of for holidays but stepping on again. This way of eating is forgiving and I like that my body knows the pattern so well. I have decided not to get weighed on Friday this week so as not to feel disappointed but stick to my plan and get weighed the following Friday and hope for a 147lb weigh in.

The virus mutation news has sent me into another spin- just as I was feeling protected by having my booster we are once again at the mercy of Covid19. Very worrying news for us all.

Our brightly decorated Christmas bus and some happy Christmas singing should help to keep us all motivated as we try our best to stay healthy and focused.

Looking forward to reading how you’ve done SueBlue and hoping that you’ll be on target for your 2021 goal. You’re so inspiring.

I’ll look forward to reading about further progress as we head towards a Christmas. Keep strong everyone!

Keep your spirits up! The new Covid mutation has very mild symptoms — tiredness and maybe elevated heart rate.
Remember, stay healthy with the BSD guidelines —- metabolically healthy people are not experiencing difficult Covid symptoms (with a few exceptions)
Eat BSD friendly diet, get exercise, fresh sir and sunlight as much as possible — add in Vitamin D if you think you could be deficient.
Covid will pass into history but your life is here in front of you — grab it, hold on, don’t give in to fear or despair.
Each minute, each good choice, each effort you make, no matter how small, WILL PAY OFF,
Stay strong, Julia

Hi all,checking in before bed,not a bad day but feel I will have an even better day tomorrow after reading your inspirational words Julia.Will post again tomorrow night.Dawn X

Thanks for your inspirational words Julia, they really resonated with me. COVID & lockdowns & restrictions have taken up so much of my time & energy for almost 2 years and I know I’m not alone there!

Weigh in today was a little disappointing as I hadn’t lost much, just 100g. However when I look at November as a whole then it was a kilo over the month. This now leaves me with 3 kilos to lose in the next month to reach target. I did get so close a few weeks ago, target was only 800g away. So my goal for December is to get as close to my target weight as possible 🙂

DCT – how was your trip to the hairdresser? I’m going next Monday. Have to take MIL to get hers done so thought I may as well get a cut and colour too while I’m waiting for her!

Dawn – hope you have a better day tomorrow 🙂

It’s an overcast Wednesday here, I’m having an early lunch of pumpkin soup and a boiled egg And then bolognaise for dinner tonight – had it last night as well, just served with green beans instead of pasta, usually I’d have Zoodles but I didn’t have any zucchini left.

Cathy I agree about this WOE being good to jump back into after holidays etc. I had an “off plan” weekend with wine, cake, crisps etc and then “paid” for it for a couple of days with feeling awful (stomach pain & bloating), today I have joint pain & inflammation, not sure if that is to do with my tummy issues, wouldn’t surprise me! I’m focussing on staying on plan this week, not just to lose weight but to improve my gut health.

Hope everyone else going well – it’s December, our final month of this bus trip so let’s do this 🙂 👍

Well done Sue for a November loss! Even though it’s smaller than you’d wanted, a loss is a loss. Good luck for your Christmas target. The hairdresser was fine yesterday: I came out slightly shorter and darker than when I went in! I took the Kindle option and squinted at the ten words per page. Passed the time, though ny eyes ached last night. But at least being trapped in the hairdresser’s chair means no snacking 😉

I had another really good day yesterday in terms of low calories and carbs and the scales had dropped this morning. I’m desperately hoping for another loss by Friday. I can feel myself getting into a good groove, though am in London today for lunch and advent calendar exchange with my daughter. So it will be more difficult but not impossible. Fingers crossed!

Dawn, glad you had a better day yesterday and good luck today. And Julia, thanks for the reminder that every small step does matter.

Hi everyone,good to read all the comments,keep them coming!thanks for your uplifting postJulia 👍👍
happy 1 December,time to get the deccies up on our coach. I’ve made loads of crepe paper chains and streamers.
We need bells,angels,boughs of holly,mistletoe,twinkly fairylights and stars! I’m off to blow up lots of balloons! 🥳 xx

Hi all,sorry I didn’t post last night,I had a migraine.Had ok(ish) day food wise but definitely could have been better.Bit of an emotional week,we have really struggled to maintain my Dad’s gardens since he went into a care home and my Mum decided earlier in the year that she would like the front garden gravelled so we booked in some landscape gardeners,earliest date they could give us was February next year but they said if they could suddenly fit her in earlier they would and my sister got a phone call on Tuesday to say they could start yesterday.I haven’t seen it since they started but will be going there today and know I will have to mentally detach myself from the idea of what’s happening as I know it’s for the best and we will put nicely planted tubs out.We know that if my Dad had foreseen his dementia he would have for sure made his gardens much more manageable for us so we would have his blessing.I haven’t seen him for a few weeks but when my sister and her husband went last week he was mostly sleeping.I’m hoping to get booked in to see him next week.My mum and I are going to buy a little table top Christmas tree for his room today.Up until September this year we didn’t have access to his room so last Christmas we just passed a Nativity Scene to the staff for him.I must say I’m finding it difficult to concentrate on my healthy eating this week and am wondering if I should leave my weigh in until Christmas Eve.Sorry it’s a bit of a depressing post,I’m feeling quite down today.Hope everyone else is ok.Dawn X

Morning Dawn, and hope your migraine has gone now? It sounds like you’re having a very stressful and emotional time. Sending virtual hugs.

I think the plan for your front garden sounds lovely and, as you said, your dad would approve. Your mum will be able to enjoy it so much more when she doesn’t have the maintenance to worry about, and you can make sure she has all her favourite plants in the new tubs. It’s lovely that you can see him again soon, and make his room more festive. It sounds like you and your sister are both doing everything you can to make your parents’ lives as loving and rich as they can be, so please do take care of yourself too. Give yourself a bit of breathing space.

Why not do your next weigh in next Friday the 10th? I’m away this weekend and, whilst I have no intention of going overboard, I’m unlikely to stick completely to plan. So am going to do a very strict 800 run from Monday to Thursday next week, and weigh in on Friday. We could do that together if you like?

Hello to everyone else as well. Do let us know how you’re doing?

Dawn
So sad to read your post this morning. You’ve got such a lot of emotional upset to deal with regarding your dad etc. I feel you should try and be kinder to yourself and when the time is right you’ll find it easier to think about losing weight. There is a lot of uncertainty ahead for us all at the moment and it’s difficult to focus on being strict in these difficult times. Then, when we “fail” we feel worse about ourselves and it is a vicious circle. I think you’re right to take the pressure off by not weighing. I’m not weighing this week because I know I’ll have put on a few pounds and I don’t need the scales to tell me and make me feel bad about myself. So, why don’t you just do your best every day, some days will be better than others and ditch the scales. That will definitely help to take off some of the pressure. Keep popping on here and posting but in the big scheme of things the scales should not rule our lives and have power over us.
Enjoy choosing a tree for your dad and I hope his new landscaped garden turns out to be beautiful. I am sure he would want it to be maintenance free for you and with a few pots you can make it look beautiful.

Im glad you posted today Dawn. I am sure there will be lots of support for you here on the forum and some wise words of comfort.

Thank you for your lovely post Cathy.I will do as you suggest and take pressure off myself but will still post.I’m just back from the school run and about to go and pick my sister up as she’s going to stay at my Mum’s with the gardeners whilst my Mum and I are shopping.We are very lucky to all live within a couples of miles of each other.Dawn X

Hi DCT,sorry I didn’t see your post before I went out before.I’m definitely up for a good run with you next Monday to Thursday.Four days seems a lot more manageable to me at the moment than seven!My migraine has gone now thanks.Had a nice shop with my Mum.Dropped her off about an hour ago and my sister is staying with her for the day until the gardeners finish.I’m going to have a relaxing afternoon now until school run🙂 Dawn X

Dawn, glad to hear your shopping trip went well. Focussing on 4 days sounds like a good plan – I like to break things down into manageable chunks. I read this good quote yesterday:

“Re-set, re-adjust, re-start, re-focus as many times as you need to.”

It certainly applies to me, I have a re-set most weeks!

I almost wasn’t going to weigh in this morning as I’d weighed in on Wednesday but thought I’d get back into my usual Friday check ins – glad I did as I’d lost 1.2kg since Wednesday! Obviously water weight after my carb-fest on the weekend, but at least it means my target weight is now 1.8kg away, which does seem more achievable. Happy Scales is predicting I’ll be at target weight on 28 December if I lose 1/2kg per week. I’m 85% of the way there so just need to focus!
Yesterday was a good day food wise – low carb seed toast with avocado and a boiled egg for breakfast, the barley risotto from the F800 book for lunch and then bolognaise with green beans for dinner. I managed to fit in a quick walk (30 minutes), was busy at work and then popping in to see MIL, but am going to go for a longer walk today.
Still in a bit of pain/discomfort with my tummy so going to see doctor this afternoon – I have a feeling it could be diverticulitis again, but last time a course of antibiotics cleared it up pretty quickly.

Hope everyone else doing well!

Yowzer – I have some baubles and tinsel left over from decorating my tree so will use them on the bus! 🎄 🎄 🎄

Well done Sue! I’m really pleased you achieved another loss. I do hope your tummy problems clear up soon.

Dawn – we’re on! I’m about to go away for a long weekend. Belated 60th celebration for OH which was postponed when he had Covid. I’m back Monday morning and definitely up for a 4-day challenge. The scales showed a bit of a downward trend this week and I’d love to be at 142lb by the end of next week . . .

Have a great weekend everyone X

Hi friends!
Enjoy yr weekend with OH,DCT !🥂🥂🥂🥂xx
Whooo happy scales SUEBLUE thats fab! Just love it when that happens and it only seems to happen on low carb WOE! xx
Hope you’re ok now DAWN,migraines are horrible and can leave you feeling like sbodys kicked yr head xx listen to the Wise words from CCATHY…,some days better than others,things happen in life and can affect our eating plans. Never feel like a failure,just do the best you can as each day unfolds. xx
As for moi,I’m struggling,guys! My prob is I’m just ready for Christmas food a few weeks too soon!…
Hanging on by the skin of my teeth,grippinghold of my seat on the coach like grim death😀! Just- about- keeping- to- plan- taking -it -one -day-at- a- time!
Thanks for the baubles and tinsel SUEBLUE! They look great! xx

Thanks DCT – I went to the doctor yesterday and she prescribed antibiotics – if I don’t feel better next week she’s going to organise a scan and further tests, so I’m hoping the antibiotics do the trick. Hope you have a lovely weekend away with your OH.
Yowzer I hear you re the Christmas food – I was putting together an online order earlier and had included mince pies, pudding etc but then went back and deleted them, going to wait as close to the day as I can so I’m not tempted!

I read this on FB this morning and it made me chuckle, so I thought I’d share here:
Dear Santa
All I want for Christmas is a fat bank account and a skinny body.
Please don’t mix it up again like last year!
🎅 🎅 🎅

Hi everyone
I’m laden down with cold at the moment so I’m about to go to bed with a hot water bottle but didn’t want to let another day go by without checking in.
SueBlue – I know what my Christmas wish is now – fingers crossed for a little bit of that Santa magic. Hope the antibiotics are doing the job. Good on you for keeping on going even when you’re not feeling too good. Being 85% of the way to your target weight is a great achievement and 1.8kg (my converter says 3.9lbs) is so fantastically close. Woohoo.
DCT – hope you and OH are having a great weekend away together.
Dawn – sorry to hear about this past week. These things can be so emotionally hard. I agree with everyone else, and also think how lovely for your Mum and Dad to have such loving and caring daughters. Also, good luck to you and DCT on the 4 day challenge.
Antigone – I’m not sure I could be classed as one of those who are organised (I can hear the raucous laughter from my husband!) but what I have got is the luxury of retirement. I genuinely admire all of you who are doing BSD or Fast800 alongside a hectic job, looking after kids etc. Hope you’re going well – keep on keeping on. (Btw, love the name).
Yowzer, – Keep gripping tight hold to that seat, if anyone can do it you can!
Cathy and LindaandHubby – hope you’re all going well too
Californiagirl – lovely to hear from you again xx
So, I’d say I’m tripping along OK at the moment – not brilliant but not terrible. Food-wise I’m really making the effort to cook good nutritious meals – I made more soup this week which is really handy right now. But my walking has ground to a halt again – snow on the track! – so that’s my focus for this week. (I did do a couple of exercise sessions – Callisthenics – anyone remember that video!). I’ve been planning for Christmas, but I’ve also started planning past Christmas to the end of December, early January too. Doing that always seems to help me keep Christmas in perspective. Catch up soon.
Take care
Jennie xx

Jennie it’s nice to hear from you 🙂 sorry to hear you are unwell 🤒 touch wood I haven’t had a cold for a few years now. I’m feeling a bit better (tummy wise) but it seems to have set off an RA flare, my hands In particular are very sore today. I was going to do some meal prepping but will leave that for today I think.
I weighed again this morning and have dropped another couple of hundred grams (more because I haven’t been eating as much with not feeling 💯 I think), so now only 1.6kg to go – or just over 3 1/2 pounds.
I’m also starting to think about 2022 goals. I’d love to lose another 10-12kg (after reaching this years goal), then I’d be in the “Normal” weight range for my height.
Antigone – I’m actually not a very organised person at all, well not naturally organised anyway, it’s something I have to force myself to be! It’s easier now that my children are grown up, and I’m workIng part time instead of full time.
Have a good day all 🙂

I love that little Santa story SUEBLUE! I can really identify with it!x
Get well soon SUE and JENNIE xx Sue hope the antibiotics work for you.🙏
Yes me too SUE got big plans for next year re getting down to a ‘ normal ‘ weight,and staying there! X looking forward to our next challenge!
DCT and DAWN,good luck with yr four day challenge! I think it’s really good to break things down to short times,small goals. You two can do it! 👍👍xx
Love to all,have a great week CoachChallengees…peace,love,joy and laughter for the week ahead! XX

Happy Monday all 🙂
Thankfully I’m feeling a bit better today, antibiotics must be working. I went to the hairdresser today with my MIL, it was our first trip there in 6 months (due to lockdown), so we made a day of it, having coffee and cake while we were out. I kept the calories as low as I could with a skim milk latter and a small almond friand which I really enjoyed. We ended up walking 6,000 steps too as MIL had a few errands to run while we were out. I’ve had quite a bit cut off my hair, and a nice colour put through it – usually I put a shop-bought rinse through it so it was a treat to have the hair dresser do it 🙂 I felt great afterwards – hairdresser was saying what great condition my hair is in and I’m sure that’s due to eating a good, healthy diet as it wasn’t always like that.
Anyway it was a good day – maybe not totally on plan but I’m going to have scrambled egg and spinach for dinner to make up for having the coffee and cake today. As that was my lunch, my calories are still only about 900.
Tomorrow I’m planning on having cinammon apples with yoghurt for breakfast, the ploughmans lunch from the BSD book and then roast veggies (cooked yesterday) with some vegetarian sausages for dinner, so that will be 800 calories with my usual tea and coffee.

Hi all and thank you for so much your kind words and good wishes.DCT I haven’t had a 100% good start to our 4 day challenge but am all set for tomorrow! Dawn X

Hello everyone

Not posted for a few days. Haven’t weighed myself since 26th November! Am nervous of getting on the scales and being disappointed. My little trip to York wasn’t as on plan as I had hoped and so I didn’t weigh on Friday. I ate a mince pie at work on Friday! It was delicious!!! I have got myself all worked up again about the Omicron variant and am nervous that I, my husband or my son will catch Covid and therefore we will not be able to meet up at Christmas just like last year when Boris said we couldn’t travel to London. I seem to be getting more and more anxious as I get older! I am sure others, like me, are concerned! I really am going to work hard on living in the present and trying not stress over things I have no control over- that is going to be one of my New Year Resolutions! Today, at work when I was so tired and so busy I honestly thought what the hell! No Christmas party to dress up for, winter layers firmly on as it’s so chilly and more Covid worries to deal with so why am I stressing about a losing a few pounds. Now I’m home and feeling better I have decided to weigh myself in the morning, face the truth and think about what my next step is.
I know there are others feeling like me and I am genuinely not feeling sorry for myself. We are living in incredibly stressful times. Let’s just do what we can and try not be too hard on ourselves. Well done to those who are seeing results and keep trying those of us who are struggling, I seem to be two steps forward and three back.
I will post my interim weight tomorrow after I’ve braved the scales and try and accept that I’m doing my best.

Hi everyone
Sueblue – 3.5lbs – a mere bagatelle! you’ll have that gone in no time. Woohoo……. but, no more cake, eh! The hairdresser trip sounds lovely though. Also, I haven’t been to the hairdressers in ages (been contemplating it for a few weeks but I know there’ll be telling off involved – OH and I have been chopping at each others hair for months) but I remember my hairdresser saying the same about the condition of my hair one time – it’s a great feeling, isn’t it.
Yowzer – thanks for the call-out. Mines just a head cold so fine really, although staying away from others just in case. Hope you’re keeping tight hold of that seat, but also look after yourself. I know covid can really pull on people and leave them drained. xx
DCT & Dawn – I’ll be cheering from the sidelines ’til Friday. Come on you can do it.xx
Cathy – I’m the same with my son working in London. Like you, our Christmas family celebrations couldn’t happen last year (we ended up having ours in June). I’m really hoping he can get home, and even more so that his girlfriend can get home to New York, the poor girl hasn’t been home for almost 2 years. But I agree with you, I’ve realised it’s pointless to worry about the things I can’t control. If we can do it, we’ll do it. If we can’t, we’ll manage. Fingers crossed for tomorrow and good on you for keeping on!

Well, my focus this week is my walking. I went out for 2 walks today and got to 13,000+ steps. It was all on the flat, so tomorrow I’m going to include a couple of steep bits. There will be lots of under-the-breath cursing – which to be honest I quite enjoy.

Here’s to a good week for all of us.
Jennie xx

Morning everyone. Just a quick post as I have a hospital appointment to get to. I’m back from my weekend away, which was very quiet as OH is feeling a bit drained (he’s awaiting eye surgery). So not as much wining and dining as there might have been! However, Dawn I didn’t have a good day yesterday either what with travelling back and various other bits and pieces happening. But today is another day and it’s going to be a good one!

Sue it sounds like you are doing really well, and Jennie well done on the steps. Cathy I completely agree with you about keeping things in perspective in terms of our weight loss goals versus everything else that is happening. I do hope there will be some good news soon. I’m in a similar position in that we’re meant to be going to my daughter’s in London for Christmas Day, staying over, then heading north to see my mother. So I guess I’m planning as if that’s all going to happen, but also preparing myself for a quieter time if any restrictions do come in.

Must dash now but Dawn let’s see how we get on today? One good day is a good start X

Hello again

Dawn and Dreamscometrue I hope you are having a good day. I think a good day every now and again is doable!
Jennie- great step count- I am so tired when I get to about 11,000 steps.
SueBlue- you’re doing fantastically well and I love to read what you’re having for your meals- always so tasty and nutritious.

I braved the scales this morning in order to “get a grip” and was amazed to see I weighed 149.6 lb so only 0.6 lb of recent damage left! I anticipated I would weigh 153 lb! I am going to be good for the next couple of days and try to get a reading of 148 lb on Friday! That will leave me with 10lb to get off to achieve my revised end goal weight. I might make 146 lb by Christmas but in the big scheme of things and the way things are going with the variant etc, I am not putting pressure on myself. I am aware of my increasing anxiety levels and I don’t want to put myself under undue pressure so I’ll keep chipping away and look at my journey as a long term, healthy way of living and keeping well. When I compare my eating habits to those of my colleagues I can honestly say with hand on heart that I am not greedy. Lunch today was grated cheese and salad and it was delicious. Evening meal is roasted sprouts, and quorn sausages.
Keep going everyone and and keep doing your best. Stay safe everyone.
Lots of love to you all- I am so happy to be part of this lovely Christmas bus journey with you all.

Howdy ladies ( we don’t seemto have any gents,apart from Linda’s hub. Used to be quite a few chaps on various threads)
SUEBLUE great to have your hair coloured, a real boost..we need nice things like that as we make our way onwards and downwards! We can be glam and healthier and slimmer 👏👏XX
CCATHY I feel for you and so admire yr work at the vax centre. The folk at mine,and I’m sure same at yours,are so nice and cheerful. It helps,because as a visitor you look around and think,this is bizarre,all these masked people waiting to be jabbed! It’s reassuring that the stewards and vaxxers are so smiley,normalises it a bit! I’m glad you’re not putting yrself under too much pressure,you’re right,specially as we now have a fresh anxiety,this new strain and what does it mean for us…..we have to be specially kind to ourselves and each other.
Hey that’s fab about yr weight loss being so much better than you expected! That’s very impressive,well done,you must feel great!
And I agree,,I love this thread and so happy to be part of our jolly coach travelling! XX
DCT hope yr appt went ok. Is Oh waiting for cataract op? I had both eyes done and it was so quick and easy and the results made it totally worthwhile X
JENNIE soooo well done with yr steps 👏👏👏👏 cussing and swearing v much allowed on the steep bits tomorrow..I hope the weather will be dry and not too cold for you X Fingers crossed for your son and GF! X
DAWN!ANTIGONE!LAURA! LINDA!and everyone aboard our bus..hope you’re all having a good day XXX
love and hugs to everybody! do you all know the Christmas Aphabet! I feel it’s time we had a singsong as we fly over hills and dales,getting closer and closer to our Crimbo destination 🎶🎶🥂🥂🥂🎶🎶🥂🥂🥂🎶🎶

Thank you Yowzer for your encouraging words. You mentioned earlier hanging on by the skin of your teeth, and I hope your grip is getting firmer day by day. I’m sure the Christmas Alphabet song will help! On which point I do love watching some of the corny Christmas films on TV at the moment – Channel 5 runs them in the afternoons and we tend to record them to watch and laugh at later on. (That’s my excuse anyway!)

My appointment went fine thanks. I need to have regular blood tests because of some drugs I’m taking, so all routine. OH sadly needs an op to repair a macular hole. We’re on tenterhooks as he saw an eye clinic consultant 3 weeks ago as an emergency admission and was told he’d be likely to have surgery within a week. But we’ve heard nothing, apart from copies of a couple of referral letters. He tried chasing up last week but still no-one has come back to him. Which all casts another question mark over various Christmas plans but it’s such more important we get this sorted out as soon as possible. Will keep you posted . . .

Cathy that’s great news about your weigh in! I’m really pleased for you. I reckon all your efforts are finally beginning to pay off in that you’re able to maintain well despite the odd lapse. Fingers crossed!

Dawn how was your day? I had to fast this morning due to the blood test (not even allowed black coffee!!) so succumbed to a couple of slices of sourdough pizza at around midday. but the only other thing I have eaten today was a lovely stir fry this evening with prawns, Waitrose super food veg pack, and lentil noodles. Which according to my Fitbit brings me in under 800 calories, though higher carbs than I’d like. But no wine or deliberate sugar, so not too bad! Will see how we go tomorrow. I’d forgotten I’m at a Christmas do tomorrow night. A bit of an unknown quantity as I’m helping with some carol singing at a dinner, but not sure what food will be on offer. Will report back in due course.

Hope the rest of the week goes well everyone X

Hi everyone
Just a quick check-in from me. Didn’t have such a good day steps-wise today. Just over 5,000 this morning (steep climb and swearing included). But by lunch-time we had Storm Barra? knocking at our windows so no afternoon walk for me. I only had one meal today (poor appetite rather than personal discipline) but it was trout with roasted tenderstem broccoli and a touch of crispy parmesan. Delicious!
Cathy, I’m so pleased your weight is still good. Fingers crossed for 148lb on Friday.
Hope your OH gets a date soon. It just helps if you know what’s happening when doesn’t it. Like you, I’ve started watching the odd Christmas film. Ssh, tell no-one.
Yowzer, anyone – am I the only one who doesn’t know what the Christmas Alphabet is?
Dawn, Linda & Hubby, Antigone, SueBlue, everyone in fact – hope you’re all doing well this week.
Jennie xx

Hi all,
Sorry I’ve been MIA. TBH I’ve not been feeling too well as I have a VERY nasty flare-up of my autoimmune LS. Let’s just say I tried a ‘wonder treatment’ cream that said it would possibly lead to remission. I KNOW that there isn’t such a thing BUT have had it 15yrs & thought that it was worth a go – At £53 for just 2ozs – it was damned expensive & called EmuAidMax. If anyone else is afflicted with the dreaded Sclerosis PLEASE don’t order it! I am BURNING, can’t sit, can’t sleep, can barely walk etc. etc. I’m feeling VERY sorry for myself at the moment. On top of this poor Carl has been having more & more full blown syncopies – falling down & going unconscious. We’re a right pair!

Diet wise, although I’ve been trying hard to keep us on the straight & narrow I’ve failed quite a few times recently as I just haven’t got the energy. I do have a big saucepan of delicious soup I’m keeping up – cauli leaves, broccoli stalks, leeks, spinach, some cream cheese & add a bit of Padano. I’ve been throwing in cauli & broccoli florets too as often I’m just too tired to do much. Hopefully this will pass sooner rather than later. I daren’t go to docs & tell them what I used, all they want to give is clobetasol which just makes the delicate skin thinner. I’ve been buying Bee Propolis ointment (seems to help a bit) Manuka ointment & any kind of ointment I think might actually work. Nearly resorted to Manuka 15+ UMF honey BUT thought Nah – a trifle messy!

I shall be back when I can sit down for more than 10mins. I hope the rest of you are enjoying the bus & having yourselves some good results. DCT – the placebo drugs going into sleeves of drugs is VERY rare, especially from major drug companies, like I worked at. 99% of analysts are very conscientious & realise we’re dealing with people’s lives so we HAVE to analyse properly. We just had one crap (call himself an analyst?) ‘company man’ that everyone else wouldn’t have trusted anything he analysed. It used to infuriate us & we made sure that the directors knew his analysis was done by calculator as he was incapable of doing most assays. He got promoted to everyone’s disdain & amazement! What I found disgusting was that pharmaceuticals which wouldn’t pass UK, EU, USA regs were sold to third world countries, because their standards were lower OR sold for veterinary purposes. Hmmmmm – Not on in mine & many others books.

Anyways gotta go try & get some sleep as I’m running seriously on empty at the moment, Take care all Linda XXXX

Just a quick one for JENNIE..Back later to read..
JENNIE you’re probably too young to know this song. Kids in the fifties sang it every year. I recall my sister teaching me it when I was really small!

The Christmas alphabet…
C is for the Candy trimmed around the Christmas tree
H is for the Happiness with all the family
R is for the Reindeer prancing by the window pane
I is for the Icing on the cake as sweet as sugar cane
S is for the Stocking on the chimney wall
T is for the Toys beneath the tree so tall
M for the Mistletoe where everyone is kissed
A is for the Angels who make out the Christmas list
S is for old Santa,who makes every kid his pet
Be good and he’ll bring you everything in your Christmas Alphabet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHq2ZvGE3ec
XX

Thanks Yowzer I hadn’t heard of the Christmas alphabet either 🙂

Hi all,sorry meant to post last night but didn’t get round to it.DCT I had better day than Monday but not great day today😩Will try again tomorrow though🤞Sorry I haven’t caught up on all of the posts yet but my thoughts are with those having difficult times health wise at the moment.My mum got a letter from the hospital on Monday with no results from her bowel scan but with an appointment for her to see a consultant on Friday so we are all a bit concerned and hoping it’s not to discuss anything serious.I’m booked to go and see my Dad with her tomorrow so am hoping he is awake and alert.Taking the little tree top Christmas tree for his room.Sending everyone big hugs and thanks for your continued support.Dawn X

Dawn – hope everything goes well on Friday, I can imagine how worried you all are xx. Enjoy your visit with your dad tomorrow, I’m sure he’ll love the tree 🌲

I haven’t been 💯 on plan this week, a couple of ‘good’ days followed by a not so go good one yesterday, eating wise. I did get a lot of steps in – almost 15,000 – as my husband and I went into the city for the morning, our first foray since February 2020 (due to COVID). We treated ourselves to a cafe breakfast and I really enjoyed my bacon & egg roll and coffee 🙂 I was able to get a few last minute Christmas gifts so that was good.

Linda – sorry to hear about your health issues too, hope you feel better soon.

I’ll post again tomorrow after weigh in and will catch up with everyone else’s posts before then too 🙂

Linda – sorry to hear about your health problems and your husband’s – it sounds nasty for both of you. Hope things improve soon. Fascinating (for fascinating read scary) to hear about your ‘company man’. Did I tell you that I’ve started throwing in the leaves when I roast my cauli after your tip. They’re lovely. I’ll have to try your soup next. Take care of yourself.
Dawn – hope you have a great visit with your Dad today. The little table top Christmas tree sounds perfect. Also hope Friday goes well for your Mum. xx
SueBlue – good luck with the weigh-in. A city visit, a little bit of gift-buying and breakfast in a cafe – what a nice treat; just my kind of day.
Yowser – not so much too young to remember, more too old to remember!! ….. Didn’t recognise the words but as soon as I clicked through to the song I recognised it, even remember Dickie Valentine. Haven’t heard it for years. Brilliant memory of childhood. Thanks ever so much for writing it out and the link.
Going out for a quick walk before our food delivery. Hope everyone goes well today
Jennie xx

Wow! I have a lot of reading to catch up! Congrats CC! Alphabet Song…new to me also! Linda – hope you are both better soon.
I’ve been off plan – it’s the last week of term for me so students are bringing in lovely treats, often home made so it’s hard to avoid! It’s been really busy this last few weeks but this weekend the decs go up and daughter arrives from UK 🤞…then its party time!
I will catch up with the posts and check in later..bon courage mes amies!

Just chipping in to say I love cauli leaves – Tuesday night we had sausage, cauli mash and sauteed cauli leaves with kale – yum!

Hi everyone. Can’t believe another week has flown by!

Dawn I hope you had a good visit with your dad yesterday, and also that your mum’s appointment goes well today and brings positive news. I understand how worried you must be and hope it will put your mind at rest.Thinking of you all X

Linda how are you? I hope that your flare up is calming down now?

Cathy, keeping fingers crossed for your weigh in today – and anyone else doing a Friday weigh in.

Hope everyone else is doing well? I’ve had a difficult week in many ways. There is a possibility my hubby’s surgery will be on Christmas Eve! Which is great in that it gets done but means we’d have to cancel all our Christmas plans, as it sounds like there will be a few weeks recovery time. Needs must, but I really don’t want to let down my daughter, who is planning a lovely lunch for us and her partner’s family – she’s so excited – and also my mum up north. We are due to visit her for a few days after Christmas and I’m getting increasingly concerned about her ability to cope. She seems very stressed at the moment, and we are so far away. I’m also mulling over a part time job opportunity back at my old school. Since taking early retirement I do freelance work from home, but this job could just about dovetail with that and help top up the post-wedding coffers, particularly as hubby is unable to work at the moment.

So there’s lots going on – as indeed I know there is for many of us on this thread and the forums in general. I confess I did resort to wine and snacks yesterday afternoon (sorry!) but then had a lovely surprise this morning when the scales showed a 2lb loss this week! I’ve been pretty on plan with the eating but thought I’d blown it yesterday. So that was a real boost and made me determined to still aim for my (revised several times!) Christmas goal of 140lb despite all that’s going on.

Anyway, enough waffling on, must get on with the day. Love to you all and I hope you have a wonderful weekend X

Hi all,thanks DCT,Jennie,Sue and everyone,the visit with my Dad went well.He was quite sleepy but did recognise us and it was just nice to be with him.My Mum saw a consultant this morning with my sister.It turns out she has a polyp on her bowel,almost certainly not cancerous but it will be removed in the new year.We are all extremely relieved.I haven’t weighed myself this morning as I really don’t think my four day plan has gone very well! DCT well done on your loss! Dawn X

Dawn that’s great news about your mum. Not that she has to have the polyps removed I mean, but the fact it isn’t cancerous. What a relief! And also presumably once it is removed she will be relieved of the ongoing symptoms she’s been struggling with. Am so pleased. And glad your dad recognised you too. Now go and relax and look after yourself for a while 🙂

I’ve got Christmas do’s tonight and tomorrow but will try to be good. Then hoping to stick completely to plan Sunday-Thursday to see if I can coax another pound off! Even two but who knows? I really need to step up the exercise next week too as it has been very sadly lacking for the past couple of weeks . . .

Hello everyone

Dawn- glad the visit to see your dad went well and good news that you didn’t get worrying news this morning at the hospital re your mum. I think choosing when and when not to weigh helps with the process.

Dreamscometrue- sorry to hear that your husband has to have eye surgery which may scupper your Christmas plans. It goes to show that we really cannot make plans at all these days and have to learn to go with the flow. My new working ground. It really is imperative that he gets his surgery as soon as possible. Sounds like you have a lot going on at the moment. I am sure you’ll make the right choices re your job etc. Well done on losing 2lb! Amazing and what a boost!

I weighed myself this morning and weighed 147.2lb. I was delighted with that. I went off my food yesterday because I inadvertently deleted ALL my emails yesterday. I have managed to locate a few but sadly I deleted the deleted ones! I was tidying up my emails because I’ve been getting a lot of spam and then pressed delete all emails! All my folders emptied and I lost everything. I consequently went sick! Anyway, I’ve had a forced declutter and lost some weight in the meantime!!! My plan is to get to 146 lb next Friday. I am going to a family get together tomorrow (not happy about it but can’t get out of it) and then will be good from Sunday to Friday. I don’t feel happy about meeting in groups but this was arranged before the Omicron variant came to light!
Have a great week everyone and let’s hope we can all be a little lighter next weigh in.

Dawn – so pleased that your visit to see your dad went well and that your mum’s news was better than you thought it might have been x
DCT – sounds like you have a lot on your plate! A Christmas Eve op doesn’t sound like the best timing at all, but I’m sure your daughter will understand. I’m really hoping our family will be together this Christmas, fingers crossed 🤞 Our case numbers here are rising quite rapidly now that everyone is out and about and getting together after lockdown – but at least we have a high rate of vaccination, so I’m hoping that means no more lockdowns.
My weigh in this morning was a little disappointing as I’ve gained a few hundred grams (just over 1/2 pound). It has been an unusual week though with outings/meals out, also I really need to get some food shopping done – I ended up cancelling last weeks order and have been using up my stocks in an attempt to make room in my (small) fridge and freezer for Christmas… but it means I’ve ran out of fresh veggies, salad etc!
I’ll be busy today as we had a couple of storms yesterday and our garage was flooded, so it needs cleaning out and stuff I had stored in there sorted and repacked. Later today though I’m going to plan meals for next week and then go to the shops tomorrow and buy a few days food to get me through until my online order comes next week.
I do have a Christmas work function on Thursday, but other than that should be at home so if I stick to plan I should see some results by next Friday’s weigh in.

I’m still hoping to get to my 2021 target weight, there’s 3 weeks left of the year and I have 2kg to lose so it may be possible, however I have Christmas to add into the mix and am a slow loser at the best of times… not throwing in the towel at all, just being realistic. I’ll see how I go this week, but to be honest I’d be happy to just be under 89kg again if I can’t get to 88 on the dot!
Hope everyone has a good weekend x

Hi Coach Folks! XX hmmm..I’m trying to play catch up with all the news!
DAWN so lovely to hear yr Mum and Dad news 💜💜
ANTIGONE I hope DDs arrived and the decs are up! 🎈💕🎈💕🎈 🎈💕🎈💕🎈
LINDA! 🙏 praying you and Hub are much better now? X
DCT enjoy yr Xmas dos! 🥰
CCATHY hope the fambo get together goes well..often things turn out better than we expect.
I wd LOVE to be 10 1/2 stone but got a little way to go yet..it WILL happen in NY! X
..well it’s all very well for you party goers! I better get on,,chores await!
RUBY,SUEBLUE et al..sending hugs xxxxx
Love to all on our Battle of the Bulge Bus 🚌! Keep on fighting the good fight 😍 xx
🎶🎶🎶🎶 keep right on to the end of the road! 🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶

Hi all,sorry I’ve been absent for a few days,DCT I relaxed as you suggested which was lovely but didn’t really look after myself as ate a lot of rubbish so subsequently feel very bloated and haven’t slept well for a few days!I think I will go back to my nightly posting and definitely need to up my exercise as the only I get at the moment is in my day to day living.I hope your DH’s operation goes well,not great timing on Christmas Eve but,as you say,good that it’s being done soon.
Thank you also for your kind words Cathy(sorry to hear about your deleted emails,I can imagine that will be problematic and wish there was some way they could be retrieved)Sue,I too am going to spend some time today planning meals for the next week as it is the most helpful way for me to stick to healthy eating(awful that your garage flooded,we have so much in ours that would be a big job to sort,hope not too much damage for you)Yowzer,I too would love to be 10 and a half stone!Last Christmas Eve I think I was 10stone 10 after our 1st Christmas bus trip but am miles away from that now😩 However,on a more positive note,I have woken today feeling like I really want to eat healthily and I haven’t felt like that for this last week so that’s a plus.Also if I’m able to continue feeling like that I know that,at the end of 13 days on this plan,I could feel vastly different to how I feel today,that’s how quickly it has worked in the past for me.Not so much losing pounds,just feeling physically so much lighter after two weeks.I know it’s a difficult time of year to try to avoid sweet treats and I won’t be hard on myself if I have a lapse and I know I won’t necessarily wake feel this mentally strong regarding food for the next 13 mornings!but I’m going to give it a try,as a gift to myself🎁 Have a good day everyone.Dawn X

Dawn it sounds like you are in a good place today 🙂
I’ve had a good day, yesterday went a bit awry as after we cleaned out the garage and repacked boxes we had a few beers afterwards!
Today though I stuck to plan with a cooked brunch – scrambled egg, bacon, avocado, tomatoes, mushrooms & spinach with a piece of low carb seed toast. I’ve found another one that I like that is only 7g carbs and 150 calories for 2 slices. I didn’t have lunch but was hungry around 3pm so had a beetroot brownie from the freezer with a dollop of yoghurt and some berry compote – my healthy version of Black Forest gateau 🙂
Then for dinner I made pizza using pita bread for the base and piling on lots of veggies, some feta cheese and herbs from the garden. So all up my calories were 1100 and carbs 70g.
Tomorrow and Tuesday I want to stick to 800 calories and 50g carbs.
Yesterday I stocked up on some fresh fruit and veg, berries are in season at the moment So I’m going to enjoy some with yoghurt for breakfast tomorrow.

Cathy – meant to say well done on your weigh in this week, and I hope your get together went well.

I’m going to see my doctor this week for blood test results, it will be interesting to see how my cholesterol and blood sugars are now, as they were last checked 2 years ago, when I weighed more. I’m going to ask about my booster too as the government is now recommending 5 months after the last jab and not 6, which would make mine due at the end of December.

I’m going to enjoy our final weeks on the coach as we countdown to Christmas and the end of 2021 🙂