Just calling by to wish all Countdowners a very merry pre christmas weekend!
Our trusty bus hasn’t let us us down once,as we speed onwards towards Christmas Eve,when it turns into a magic sleigh!
*** Believe in the Magic of Christmas *** xxx

With less than one week to Christmas we learned tonight that we cannot stay with our son for Christmas as London has been put into Tier 4 and we are not allowed to enter a Tier 4 zone- I am so sad. We haven’t seen him since March and I was so looking forward to a change of scenery and to see my son. The thought of him spending Christmas alone breaks my heart. There will be millions of devastated people tonight. I have found a big box and parcelled up his gifts and will take them to the post office tomorrow. I didn’t see that coming! To be honest it’s really put the dampener on things and I’ve worked really hard over the last few months and was so looking forward to Christmas. Yet another disappointment to deal with. What a year!

I don’t care what I weigh on Christmas Eve- it seems so insignificant right now,. The virus is relentless and spreading more rapidly. The whole of Europe is locking down for Christmas. Sad times for so many. Not so much of a happy Christmas this year. Stay safe everyone and I hope we can all make the best out of a very sad situation.

Just a quick post to say Cathy and Sue I’m in the same situation as you. My daughter lives in London and I was going to her for Christmas. But not now.

Sending love to you both, and to everyone else on this thread. We are living through terrible times. And changing Christmas plans – no matter how disappointing – is but a small price to pay in the overall scheme of things.

Not much comfort I know. But makes it even more special that we’re still muddling along together on this crazy bus tour, doing the very best we can despite all the obstacles life is throwing at us right now.

Love to you all X

Cathy,Sue and DCT,I’m so sorry all of your much looked forward to plans are not going ahead now.This is such a sad time and when we all look back on it I think it will be hard to believe what the world has gone through.Sending everyone love and thanks for your caring words over this last week.Dawn X

Cathy I was sad to read your post, I know how much you were looking forward to seeing your son, take care x

Yes it is sad – our daughter and partner now can’t travel up north to see us due to the changes. We have only seen them once since March.
D D is concerned that her lovely father (who has dementia) will be even more confused and upset – the pandemic has caused a deterioration in those living with this disease.
However I for one support these new restrictions and feel that we have gone this far and now must wait for the vaccination program to roll out.
X B

So many of us in the same boat for Christmas- certainly testing times. So sorry to everyone whose plans have had to change so near to Christmas. The virus is obviously a massive cause for concern and we must do everything we can to try and get back to life as it once was!

Stay safe everyone and we can just do our best in these very trying times. I’ll be glad to see the back of 2020 and we haven’t got long to go now until we can turn a corner and hopefully see some light.

We cancelled our Christmas travel plans a couple of months ago but still had some hope and didnt move our ferry crossing until about 4 weeks ago. We moved it to Easter, surely that is a safe bet for the vaccination roll out. But no, according to my doctor we are not likely to be vaccinated until June at the earliest even with vulnerable status. That is the disadvantage of the EU as they all have to be coordinated. Tried out our Teams connection on the laptop in time for Christmas dinner and just hoping France doesnt shut right down so we cant pick up our meal. Just stay at home and stay safe. There will always be next year.

Wales was due to go into lockdown again in stages. None essential shops and hair dresses etc had to close on Christmas Eve, pubs and restaurants had to close from 6pm on Christmas Day and then everyone went into lockdown again from the 28th. – Yesterday it was announced we were going straight back into full lockdown that evening. . Today the Welsh health minister has being saying to reporters that while they will review in 3 weeks time they don’t expect to lift the restrictions.

My good news is that unlike the first lockdown we can still drive a short distance for recreation. I have discovered there is a geocache trail nearby and my plan for Christmas Day as its forecast to be dry to head over with the dogs for the day to have a go. I am counting that as a NSV victory as planning to spend the day hill walking with the dogs is not something I would have been able to do before I started this way of eating.

I was planning to go clothes shopping this week as a treat for myself but instead I am going to spend some time sorting out the contents of my wardrobe. Including making plans to throw out anything that is too big. Not only will it be good to have a clear out, I have to admit, it will be a good way of keeping me on track because I am sure there are plenty of items to still use as a target.

Hi friends,am so sorry for all the disappointment and heartache of the last 24 hours. A bitter pill to swallow to have Christmas snatched away from people who havent seen loved ones for many months.
I hope we can have the most massive best ever extravaganza in the springtime…A great big Easter celebration ..🙏🙏
Wont make up for now,but sthing to look forward to.
Keep making positive plans,people! it sucks,but better days are on their way! In the meantime,we have Zoom and Skype….Love to all and toasty warm hugs all round 💖💖
“Unless we make Christmas an occasion to share our blessings, all the snow in Alaska won’t make it ‘white’.”
(~ Bing Crosby~ )

We need a Christmas Cracker joke!

What do hip-hop artists do on Christmas?
Unwrap! XXXXX
🎈🎁🎀🎈🎁🎀🎈🎁🎀🎈🎁🎀🎈🎁🎀🎈🎁🎀🎈🎁🎀🎈🎁🎀🎈🎁🎀🎈🎁🎀🎈🎁🎀🎈🎁🎀🎈

Hi guys,

Is it time to start thinking about the name for the thread to follow on from this one. – Are we going to countdown to valentine, or countdown to Easter?

Hi JGwen. You’re right, we need to think about the next stage. Can’t believe it’s that time already!

I love Cathy’s concept of the Fat Buster bus. But also like your idea of having a target to focus on. I’m happy to go with the flow. What do others think? Am not sure about Valentines as a target, but Easter could be a good one. Or spring?

Everybody do post some ideas. Then one of us can set it up. maybe to start New Years Day? I’m equally happy either to do that or for someone else to do so X

I will be happy for any theme – I just know that I need to keep in touch with my virtual friends!
I have been on the BSD forum since it started and have always visited regularly whether actively or lurking in the background.
However being involved in this thread (and the daily Positives) have given me such support and fun over the past few months.
X B

Hello everyone

We are nearly there! I can’t wait for the bus to turn into a magic sleigh on Christmas Eve. We have all worked so incredibly hard and deserve our magical sleigh ride. It’s been a fantastic ride and it’s been great fun clinging on for life at the back, hiding from the conductor, grabbing a seat and moving forward on the bus too. A great bunch of passengers and a great conductor. Thanks everyone for sharing the ride.

Two more days until I have my planned and well earned Christmas BSD break! I know it’s controversial but it’s what I do and it keeps me on track for 51 weeks of the year. Yesterday I did a long fast and today and tomorrow I am planning the same- it’s more one meal a day. I am looking forward to seeing what I weigh on Christmas Eve. When I started back in September I weighed 149.2. I hoped to get to 140 for Christmas but I was only losing ridiculously slowly so that was definitely not achievable Looking at my weight chart I stayed the same in September and October and on my last weigh in in November had lost only 2lb. So a 2lb weight loss in about 10 weeks! Not a great effort to reward ratio. However, not weighing myself and keeping on with the plan and a weekly 40 hour fast has kept me on track and I’ve really enjoyed not knowing what I weigh so whatever the scales say on Christmas Eve I know that I’ve stuck to this way of eating and will continue to do so with only a monthly weigh in next year.

I will definitely be joining in with the next thread. I’ve loved being part of this fun and vibrant group and it definitely helps motivate me. I would like to aim for three monthly targets. Many of us are slow losers and I think three months gives us a reasonable time frame to decide on a reasonable target and hopefully achieve it. Whatever is decided theme wise, I will be booking my seat on the next bus! I am here for life!

I will post my weight on Christmas Eve and the take a break for Christmas. Do your best over the next couple of days and I hope that we all get a lovely a Christmas surprise when we get weighed on a Christmas Eve.

Howdy folks,two jokes for the eve of the eve of Christmas Eve! 😀
What did the gingerbread man put on his bed? A cookie sheet!
What do snowmen eat for breakfast? Ice Crispies.
Boom boom! 😀
Talking of post Crimbo plans..Easter Sunday is 4 April.so shd we count down to there? Gives us a solid 3 months!
I dont mind what we do,long as we keep going….The ride so far has been so much fun on this thread ..I give thanks to all our good buddies posting here. Huge hugs all round xxxxxx

💖 “We will inspire each other to achieve our dreams!” ― Avijeet Das 💖

Hi everyone,weighed myself this morning and only 1lb lighter than last entry on my sparkly chart so that’s 12 in all since Coundown to Christmas started🎄I’m a stone away from my goal but I know it would have been a lot more than that if I hadn’t been posting on the forum.I’m pleased I’ve lost any at all this year and that has only happened because of the support of everyone on the forum so thank you all😀I’ve lost 3 inches off my waist so it shows how much a high carb diet was bloating me.I will definitely be on the next bus and will make myself another chart once I know what to call it!I hope you all have a lovely Christmas despite the difficulties of this year,A clip has just come on the news of a lovely 101 year old man who lost his wife to COVID earlier in the year,they had been together for 70 years,he was a soldier in the 2nd world war.The care home in which he lives were concerned about him as he had started to really deteriorate and was so upset talking about his wife.Since the original clip was shown last week he has received over 6000 Christmas cards from all over the world and the care home staff say he has started to show an interest in things again and they feel the kindness of strangers has saved him,so moving and heartwarming to see.A big part of this year will be remembered by me for stories like that where the goodness of people shines through in times of darkness❤️ Dawn X

Just a quickie-
What did Adam say to his wife on 24th December?
‘It’s Christmas, Eve’
X B

HI DAWN!BUSYBEE!and all…festive greetings to all passengers!
Well done DAWN! A stone down is not too be sniffed at and three inches from your waist too 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Since I first jumped aboard the bus Ive lost 15 lb ..still a long way to go,but v happy with that for now.
I agree DAWN about this year bringing out the best in people ..probably the only big positive about the year!…
Enjoy all the Christmas fun everyone and have a magical day on the sleigh ride!..
see you on the Fatbuster in the New year xx The Battle of the Bulge bus is now having a well deserved rest at the terminus. Love and thanks to all Krimbo Kountdowners XXX💖💖💖💖💖💖

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!
I weighed myself this morning and my weight was 144.6. It could have been less than that today had I been more resilient for the last couple of days! We had very sad news of the sudden death of a friend and I caved in and ate things I hadn’t planned to eat! I didn’t care!
I am happy with my weight loss having lost 4.6 lbs during our countdown. I am less than 7lbs from my target now and that will be tackled in the New Year.
It’s been a difficult year for everyone but thanks to the love, support and fun of everyone here I managed to weigh in 3lbs less than last Christmas! A massive achievement given the circumstances. I would never have achieved that without this forum so thank you everyone.
I hope you all have a happy and peaceful Christmas. It won’t be the same for so many of us this year. I will have a few days off now and I’ll be back in January with renewed enthusiasm and will get back to BSD basics- it’s always lovely to get back to healthy eating after Christmas.
Merry Christmas and enjoy the magic sleigh ride everyone!

Merry Christmas friends and fellow passengers 🙂
Dawn, Yowzer & Cathy well done on your losses!
Cathy sorry to hear about the loss of your friend, it’s always upsetting losing someone but it always seems worse at this time of the year.
I went to weigh myself this morning and the battery in my scales was flat. I bought another while out getting my last minute shopping today and will weigh myself Tomorrow, Christmas morning, instead.
I’m not expecting a great loss to be honest, I fell off the wagon after realising I wasn’t going to be able to see my daughter. We’ve got used to the idea now though and are planning an alternate Christmas Day once the restrictions are lifted.
I’ll be off here for a few days now too, I’m looking at restarting properly on Monday 4 Jan which is also when I go back to work (although still Going to be working from home at this stage, now that Covid has ramped up again here).
So enjoy Christmas everyone 🙂 I’m going to eat, drink and be merry for a few days!

Hi Guys.
I am just wrapping up some work projects ready for a few days off. – Planning some nice long walks with the dogs over the next couple of days. But I have to pop over to care for the bee keeping associations hives this afternoon.

My plan after the festive season is to focus on reversing Insulin resistance and body composition. Would anyone else be interested in joining me if I start a thread for those who prefer to focus on health and fitness rather than the readings on the scales?

Hi everyone! Well done to those that have lost. Some amazing results, not just in terms of numbers but also perseverance and determination. Huge losses Dawn – yay for the sparkly chart! – and Yowser. Fantastic – and the best Christmas present ever. And Cathy a brilliant move in the right direction after all your effort. That’s great and I’m really proud of you! So sorry to hear about your friend.

As Busybee and others have said, I think this has been a particularly motivating and inspiring thread, and I look forward to journeying on with you in 2021. I think even if – no, WHEN!! – I finally achieve my goal I will still lurk round these forums. I’d miss you all otherwise!

I’ve done ok during the Countdown. Lost 4lb and an inch here and there. But will yet again make a fresh start in January. I’ll set up the new thread on January 1st unless anyone else would like to? (Happy either way). I agree with Yowser and Cathy, let’s make it a 3 monthly, up to Easter?

Any name suggestions gratefully received. The best I’ve come up with so far are Easter Bus Tour (Buster, geddtit?!), Get on Board for Easter, or Spring on Board. I’m sure you can do better!

Happy Christmas to you all. I hope that it is a healthy and peaceful time for you all, and that you manage to enjoy however you spend the next few days. I truly hope that next year will be better for everyone, and look forward to keeping in touch with you all on here X

DCT thank you for hosting our crimbo countdown,its been a gas!
Also thank you for offering to start our Easter Endeavours,I’m in!I like all your suggested names,but Easter Bus Tour is very cleverly thought up!
Theres so much support, love and laughter on this thread and it will be fun to keep that going.
JGWEN wd like to join yr health thread too,if I may,as I know not looking at the scales too often helps me lose. Plus,having several health probz i need to focus on improving that ( and my fitness) in whatever ways i can.
Plus,the Non Scale Victories are as much or even more important than what the pesky scales say.
But for now folks,eat,drink and be merry! At least for tomorrow if no other day..the weirdest Christmas Day ever…🙄
As for me,I cant wait to break open the Baileys tonight ( or maybe this avvo) and drink to the good health and happiness of my buddies here.XXXXX Merrrrrrrry Chrrrrrrristmas! XXXXX

Hi everyone, just popping in for a final hurray to you all for doing so well. Not quite reached my goal of 9.5 lbs but lost 8.5 lbs and that puts me on exactly 12 stone. Think I originally wanted to be just under and was for a couple of days. Anyway, started morning with scrambled egg and just had chicken salad for lunch. Done 30 minutes aerobics and will still be doing that between C and NY. Dont know what is on the menu for tonight, I have a ham on the boil and we are having a Teams Quiz Night with daughter and her partner and his sister and hubby – fancy dress if I can pull something together. Supposed to be cross dressing but no way would I get my hubby in a dress!!!!
Hope you all have a very merry christmas and will see you all next year.

Just popping back to ask two things..
What is your favourite Christmas decoration?
And whats your favourite drink at the festive season?
I think my fave decoration is holly and berries…..holly branches,or holly in a pot,plus I love holly decorated wrapping paper. My DD has lovely napkins decorated with a holly pattern
My drink at xmas is Baileys! No other time of the year,just Xmas,Twixmas,and NYE
This year Im trying Baileys Salted Caramel
Have already downed a fair amount and my heads swimming! 😜 xx

Hi Yowzer for me it’s fairy lights. I just melt when I see them. If I had my way there’d be fairy lights everywhere all the time!

Re drink I do like Baileys too, and this year we’re trying an orange one which is ok but a bit sweet for me tbh. But my favourite is champagne. And why not?!

Happy Christmas Yowzer. Thanks for all your inspiration throughout this journey. Lots of love to you and everyone on this thread X

Happy Christmas to all my friends (too many to name in person but you know who you are) who have travelled on the bus over the past months.
Some have succeeded in losing weight, others have hovered but kept buying a ticket (me) and some have got off the bus for the time being.
As I’ve said before, you have helped and supported me through my weight loss (didn’t happen!) ‘journey’ and also with coping with the effects the pandemic has had on Hubby’s dementia.
I too will take a few days off but have already bought a three month bus ticket which starts on 4th January.
Love and all good wishes for a peaceful Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.
X B

Hi everyone,hope you are all having a lovely Christmas break.I am jumping back on the bus,even if it sitting in the depot,as after indulging in carbs and sugar I have felt rotten over the last few days,bloated,lethargic,not sleeping well,so feel I need to focus myself a bit.Did we decide on a name for our next bus?I will also join JGwen’s thread if that is ok as non scale victories are a huge part of this for me.Dawn X

Dawn, your words have captured how I feel exactly! A few days off plan for a Christmas and I have bloating, joint pain and inflammation, headaches and fatigue! On the plus side it’s a good reminder as to why I have been following this WOE for almost 4 years now 🙂
So I’m going to sit in the Depot with you, waiting for the new bus to begin boarding.

I’m pleased you are on the bus with me Sue but sorry that you are feeling grotty too!Even my fingers are bloated,after just four days of carbs/sugar my rings are really tight!

Dawn and Sueblue, I’m sitting there with you.
I have a new spreadsheet and new baseline measurements, which are sadly as bad as they were 4 years ago when I first started this WOE. It’s pretty disappointing but I have no one to blame but myself and I’ve decided to own it and go forward from here.

So here we go and I’ll be on board the bus for Easter. If I can replicate the previous behaviour maybe I can have some of the success. Happy to be in such good company 😆

Hi Dawn, Sue and Mariet. Me too. I’m raring to go! Will get the new thread set up in the next day or two. Is Easter Bus Tour ok as a name?

I’ve been fairly well-disciplined this Christmas but, like you, can still feel the yucky effect of extra carbs. Am currently making all kinds of resolutions for 2021, including health, weight and fitness. It will be lovely to have company along the way.

Best wishes to you all, and will let you know when the Easter bus is ready to leave the depot! X

Hi girls! Looking forward to jumping aboard with you all!
I love the Easter Bus Tour name! XXX
Merry Twixmas everybody! Enjoy the rest of the festive season 🎶🎉🎶🎉🎶🎉🎶🎉 xxxx

💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

As a New Year approaches,some timeless sayings for the new beginnings…xxxx

“No matter how hard the past, you can always begin again.”
– Buddha

“What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days
of our lives haven’t even happened yet.”
– Anne Frank

“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language.
And next year’s words await another voice.”
– T.S. Eliot

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
– Nelson Mandela

“Always bear in mind that your own resolution
to succeed is more important than any other.”
– Abraham Lincoln

“I’ve learned that making a living
is not the same thing as making a life.”
– Maya Angelou

“And now we welcome the new year.
Full of things that have never been.”
– Rainer Maria Rilke

“I am not afraid of storms,
for I am learning how to sail my ship.”
– Louisa May Alcott

“Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.”
– Meister Eckhart

“You don’t have to see the whole staircase,
just take the first step.”
– Martin Luther King

“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.”
– Seneca

“Count your rainbows, not your thunderstorms.”
– Alyssa Knight (Age 12)

Ps!DREAMSCOMETRUE!!! I meant to say,i agree wholeheartedly about fairy lights..i have them in my lounge, and since I put some on my balcony for Xmas,ive decided that theyre never coming down! Love seeing them twinkling.
Also I agree re champers..Baileys is Christmassy,but champagne,love it all year round.
When i was young, I was called the girl with the champagne eyes!
Theyre dimmer and duller now but i still love a glass of bubbles any time! XX❤️

Hi DCT,great name for the bus,I will make my chart today and stick it on the fridge🙂Loving the quotes Yowser! Dawn X

Hello everyone, hope all is well? During these days of Twixmas I get increasingly muddled about what day it is. I was convinced that New Years Eve was Friday, then realised no it’s tomorrow. I hope that you all have a peaceful and happy evening whatever you are doing, and wish you all every blessing possible for 2021.

On which point, I have now set up the new thread Easter Bus Tour. It’s shiny and polished, and ready to depart once all passengers are on board. I will be hopping on as of Friday, with some brand new goals for 2021. Can’t wait to travel with you all again!

Lots of love, and Happy New Year X

Wow Ive just visited the new bus to book my place and what a shiny new bus we have,I needed sunglasses!!!!!
Its all ready and waiting for take us all the way to Easter!
Many thanks to DREAMSCOMETRUE for setting it up…!
hop on board and see what adventures await us!
Big big hugs to all who travelled on the Christmas Battle of the Bulge bus. Thanks for sharing those weeks with me,it was very inspiring,useful,fun,…. plus very comforting to have your company in 2020, a difficult year in so many ways for all of us.
Wishing everyone a much happier 2021,love and hugs to all BSDERS on all the threads here XXXXXX
☪️💘☪️💘☪️💘☪️💘☪️💘☪️💘☪️💘☪️💘☪️💘☪️💘☪️💘☪️💘☪️💘☪️💘☪️💘☪️💘☪️💘☪️💘☪️

Thanks DCT for organising the new bus, I can’t wait to jump aboard and start the new journey!
I just weighed myself for the last time this year. In January I set myself a goal to lose 10kg this year…and drum roll please… my end result was a 1/2kg GAIN!
Given the year we’ve just been through I’m not too upset or surprised, I know it could have been a LOT worse!
I’ve spent the last few days clearing out and tidying cupboards, and planning meals for next week. I’m officially restarting on 4 Jan (with 800 calories) but have spent this time between Xmas and New Year eating fairly healthily and limiting the treat foods.
I felt like just going to bed early tonight (NYE here) and not celebrating the start of a new year, but I’ve seen every single new year in since I was 13 years old, so I’ll most likely stay up and watch the fireworks on tv.
Thanks one and all for your company and support on the Christmas bus and I look forward to seeing you on the new bus 🙂

Hi SUEBLUE, Merry New Year to you and yours! 🎉🎉🎉🎉
Hi all countdowners …2021 is going to be OUR year,the best one ever,where we make reasonable resolutions we can stick to,or – if we dont want to – we dont make any!😃
❤️💜❤️💖
My NY resolution ….Inspired by our mantra One Day At A Time,I resolve to keep it really simple in 2021…
Instead of trying ( as in other years) to fix my entire life in January, I think a more useful strategy is to adopt a 12 month plan,where each month I’m making small improvements step by step x

Great philosophy, Yowzer, love it!! See you all on the New Year- New Dreams bus!!