Anybod here lose 15 pounds in 7 weeks? Could use the encouragement of your experience.

Yes, I’ve lost 15 lbs in 5 weeks.

Sticking mostly to the 800 cals, between 15 and 50 g carbs per day. Had one weekend where I went over the cals and had 2 g and t as I was camping, and one birthday dinner stuck with steak, salad and diet coke.

I religiously prep my breakfast and lunch for work the night before, weigh everything on digital kitchen scales and log it on my fitness pal. Breakfast is usually full fat greek yog with a few frozen cherries, or a propeptide protein shake. Lunch is half a mackerel fillet with salad, or ham and cheese with salad. Last night’s dinner was sea bass fillets, chicory and samphire. I do not follow the recipes from the book, but use the principles, as I am quite a dab hand in the kitchen and make use of lots of spices and herbs from the garden anyway. I’ve always made my own hummus.

Only slightly upped the exercise as the first two weeks I felt rather lethargic.

It is possible, and I am annoyed that I am not losing as much as others I see around, but I think because i’m not prediabetic nor T2, and my diet was not horrendous to start with, perhaps this is why the weight loss isn’t that dramatic.

I think the key is trying to avoid functions and events for the time being, or going after eating at home, prepping your lunches and brekkies if you work away from home, and clearing your cupboards, fridge and freezer with non plan foods, and lastly being in the right frame of mind when you start. I am really really scared of my size, my potential and family history of diabetes, and being fed up that I now have to wear tent like clothes and shamed to be in a swimsuit. I want to regain the confidence I had a couple of years ago when I was happy in my size.

The diet has done wonders for my skin- my face acne has cleared up. My skin went dry the first couple of weeks but is back to normal. My concentration has improved, I wake more easily in the morning, My moods are more stable.

If you are in any doubt then grab the bull by the horns and go for it.

Fernie, wow! Thank you for the advice!!! I love your story and you must be so proud of yourself. It helps to hear others have done this.

Yes I lost 9kg on my first 8 week cycle to 76kg That was April/May last year. Since then I lost more (down to 72kg) and then had a time when the carb monster took control but I’m back on track now and hoping that I can be 72kg again by the end of August. Keep weighing every day – I record it on a calendar and that keeps me focused. I find that if I let the weigh in drop off then I start slipping into bad habits. Also hydration is very important for me – I have at least 3 litres of water and often more. I also eat within a 6 hr window of each day.

Eating for life, thank you so much and congratulations!!!

Yes, I lost 19.5 lbs in the 8 weeks, 13% of bodyweight. Stuck to it rigidly. Carbs were under 50, usually around 30, sometimes as low as 20.

Thank you ellum! I am convinced it can be done!

Hi Violinist, my suggestion is you just stick to the principles and don’t stress about the number you reach.
Your doctor setting a “number” is unreasonable — if you have lost a significant number of pounds by the time you see her/him, that is evidence enough that you can do this with diet.
Whether you are 10, 12, or fifteen pounds lighter, all of those numbers are relevant and important, and they all point to a good and healthy trajectory.
I worry that the pressure of performing is going to derail you. I know that I get very stressed trying to get to any number and I did my best on BSD while I just followed the rules and didn’t think about it very much. Maybe even weigh less often so you don’t over-think it all.
Just stay calm, follow the rules and let the time pass. You are going to do well and that is the important point.
We have “lost” many BSD’rs when they set a goal and didn’t meet it and lost heart. I don’t want it to happen with you.

Ok, California girl, I am hearing you and will take your advice and not weigh daily, but follow the BSD daily. I will read the advice of you guys daily.

Deep breath and thank you.

Don’t loose heart if you’re losing weight more slowly than others. My own progress has been quite slow, yet I’ve reached my target weight now. Also I began feeling much happier and healthier long before that – the benefits start as soon as we start eating more healthily.

Thanks so much, Squidge! I am listening.

Hi Violinist
I lost 17.5 lb in the first 8 weeks last year. I was amazed and so happy. I started in January and by October I had lost a total of 42lb and reached my goal weight. I just carried on doing BSD in rounds of 8 weeks until I got to where I wanted to be. I was an incredibly a slow loser and some weeks I didn’t lose anything but my clothes felt loser, I eventually went from a size 18 to a size 10. My top tip for losing weight using BSD would be not to compare your weight loss to others. Once you achieve your goal it doesn’t matter how long it took. Keep going and this way of eating works. I had tried years and years of slimming world and weight watchers to no avail. I was the tortoise in the race but I still got to the finish line and I am still slim! I am slightly above my goal weight at the moment by 4 lb. I had my son’s wedding in June followed by a holiday and didn’t weight myself for a whole month so I am now back on track and will get the excess off before the end of this month. You do have to be strict with yourself and no cheating but I can assure you that if you stick to the principles of low carb you will achieve your dream weight. There are lots of people on this forum with amazing weight loss stories and they are very, very inspiring. Good luck to you in your weight loss journey.

ClarenetCathy,
Good morning from florida and thank you so much for the advice. Eyes forward, menus set, and here I go, again! You sure did well this year!

Hi Violinist,

I’d say your target is achievable but please don’t compare your losses to anyone else. It’s pointless as our bodies are as unique as we are. Focus instead on losing inches, dropping a dress size, fitting into your favourite outfit again, taking more exercise.
I’ve just finished my first eight weeks and I lost 31lbs in total. I did however follow advice from Alliecat to drink 3l of water everyday and keep my carbs under 20g (although some days they were 28ish)
So it’s been successful but like others I’ve had problems with constipation which I’m still trying to balance out. I’m struggling to get enough fibre in my diet and keep my carbs from veg low.
If I’m honest I’m bored with my diet, I don’t get joy from planning/cooking food in the way I used to and I’m tired of seeing food as just fuel – yesterday I ate a truly horrid salmon dish from the BSD book. I’ve just started another 8week round but I don’t expect my losses to be as significant.
Good luck

Thanks Toddy, I love your truth and honesty and you have done a breat job in weight loss. Ya, I get bored with the food too, so know what you mean. Truly, thank you.

Hi Squidge, was encouraged by your post about a slower weight loss. I posted in here about losing 11lbs on my first week, then lost another 3 in the second. I was estatic. But since then it’s not really moved. I’m disappointed as am aiming for a big holiday for a big birthday in September. I am choosing receipts form the books and sticking everything I did in week one. I am now looking at the macros as having gone through the book again, I see MM talks about having at least 30g fibre and 45g protein. Assuming we are also aiming for less than 20g carbs it doesn’t leave a lot for the fat which is obviously high. I was inspired by all the case studies in the book and really want to lose another 2 stones before Sept 17th. I will still be 1.5 stones away from target so I have plenty to lose. Any help/advice will be very appreciated.

Hi Thinking Thin, Like you I’m new to this too although I’ve followed the principals for a couple of weeks to use up the fridge/freezer worst bits and have now bought in better food choices… and I’ve already lost a stone (about 6wks overall). But I have found I’ve slowed down now in losing weight. However I hope as I get to eat more closely to the diet it’ll start dropping again. (Many others seem to experience this too sometimes.)
We all lose weight at different rates but just keep going. Like others I already feel a lot better in myself just from making those slightly better food choices and losing the first stone! (I’m not doing barely any excerises at the moment as my foot has just had a major reconstruction after a fall last year!Although I now have one musle leg and one very thin leg!) Remember moving builds muscle weight which is heavier than fat! So our bodies weight changes with that too. Even though my weight loss is in ‘pause’ my shape I think is still improving! 🙂 I need to drop my cholesterol count as well as weight.
I have seen my body look a lot better now, than it has in years and that it so very encouraging! 🙂
I have Dr Clare Bailey’s recipe book too, and I ended up putting both books into excel, so that I can see exactly what I need to buy to cover the recipe choices. 🙂
It also helps to show all sorts of info and can be re-sorted to suit. Plus it makes finding any recipe really easy as well as the list of food ingredients. I didn’t like going backwards and forwards all the time, in the diet book, as that seemed slightly annoying! This stops all that! 😀
You will get there if you decide to … this is a diet that finally puts YOU in control of your weight.

Hi AuroraMagic, sorry it’s taking me a while to respond but thank you for your message. You are so right about how everyone is different. I was focusing on the case studies in the book and was hoping to lose 4-7lbs per week throughout the 8 weeks. I have another 3 stone 7lbs to lose. It does seem that I have paused but with such a low calorie intake, I still think there should be more movement than there currently is. I might have to try the Potters Cleansing Herbs, lol.
I am intrigued with how you have put the books into excel. I just take photos of the meals I like and go shopping for the ingredients.
I did do a lot of activity, swimming twice a week, Boogie Bounce (keep fit on mini trampolines) but seem to have an injury – pain on the outside of my knee, so have rested for a couple of weeks. I’ll get back to it next week.
I hope your foot is healing well.
Have to say though, I have been buying clothes for my holiday and have got into a size 14 – so two dress sizes down. I am excited to lose some more and get to the next dress size down and can party in Mauritius for my 50th 💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻

Thinkingthin, it’s great to have a positive attitude, but expectations of a 4-7lb loss each week is not realistic,
in my opinion. I’d hate for you to be disappointed if you don’t achieve it 🙂 This isn’t a quick fix, but more like
a marathon, and a lot of us work hard for every pound. After the first week of mostly water weight, typically
2-3lbs a week is the norm. There are often plateaus along the way too, even when we weigh and measure
everything, and keep carbs very low, <20g per day. You may prove to be the exception to the rule, and I hope
you are. I’ve lost over 140lbs, but the big achievement for me is keeping it off for 16 months. I wish you
every success, too!

Allie

Hi Alliecat, thank you for that. 140lbs – wow, that’s amazing AND keeping it off for 16 months. That is inspirational.
I thought I was being the exception in not having big losses every week so am glad that what I’m doing is normal. I’ve hardly had any weight loss in the last two weeks and am into week 5. It’s reassuring to know that people do plateau even when sticking to it.
Sometimes I read posts and think it is easy for some. Every pound off is definitely hard work.
This marathon has only just begun 😃

I salute you, and your attitude, thinkingthin! We are all so different, but just persevere, and you WILL get to
anywhere you want to go 🙂
Yours in the sisterhood,

Allie

Love it, thank you 😘

Hello!

I think the thing to remember is that all of our bodies are completely different! When I’ve dieted in the past, including lots of exercise, I’ve not struggled to lose weight… the issue was always keeping going with it….

I’ve lost 33lbs in 4 weeks and averaged 5lbs a week following a 14lb loss in week 1.
I’m very happy – but I know that it won’t continue like this. My aim was to lose 42lbs in the 8 weeks – which now doesn’t look that unachievable.. but if I don’t do it, I’ll still be absolutely made up..
Keep plugging away, bit by bit!!

That’s what we all try to do, Tom 🙂 Men seem to be predisposed to lose weight more easily, you lucky devil!!
I enjoy reading your story, so please keep posting! You may have brothers in arms that aren’t members, but
are silently reading along….The male perspective is always worth reading 🙂

Allie

Wow Tom – It took me 10 months to lose 42lb! Congratulations on your amazing and so speedy loss! I had to be extremely patient with my slow loss last year but with the help of the forum kept on plodding and plodding. I certainly learnt patience and resilience. Well done to you.

Hi Tom, that’s amazing. That’s what I was hoping to do. Can I ask how much you want to lose in total?
You are right about keeping the exercise going. Luckily I have a group chat with two sister in laws where we post our activities to keep each other going. We recognise it is something we need to do as a habit.

As you say Allie, I’ve seen men do tend to lose weight more easily so as pleased as I am for Tom’s success, I won’t beat myself up.
So great to hear of everyone’s success journeys.

That’s one of the great things about this forum – everybody has different experiences – so there really is a wealth of knowledge!

I came at this diet from a different point… I was (and probably still am….) addicted to naughty carbs… crisps, chocolate, white bread… all the bad stuff. I’m not diabetic, or pre-diabetic – but I I knew that if I carried on the way I did – that it wouldn’t be long before I was well on my way…however – my secondary aim was to kickstart weight loss.

I was 18st 11/12 ish when I started..i’m now 16st 6lbs and I’d like to ideally get down to about 14st 7lbs as my goal weight. I’ve been that weight in about 2008 – so it would make a nice 10 year anniversary! Also – I definitely felt comfortable at that size..

In the 8 weeks – i’d like to try and make a full 3st – 42lbs – but definitely wont beat myself up if i don’t achieve it.. The win for me will be being able to stick to 800 cals / 20-30g of carbs a day. My favourite time of the week is my little pear and brazil nut chocolate brownie on a sunday evening…

Hopefully I can reach my goal weight by mid November.

When my 8 weeks are up – I’m considering doing an extra 4 weeks – but who knows.

When it’s time to stop the 800 cals – I’m going to continue to eat mediterranean / keto style.. upping calories slowly until I figure out how it works.. Exercise will be introduced properly – currently I’m doing my 10k steps a day – i see it as a challenge. I went out for a jog last Sunday.. it was lovely in the rain… just need to keep it up.

I really appreciate all the kind words – it really does spur me on!

Keep up the good work everybody!!

Hi ThinkingThin ,
delighted to say that I’m now 10st 4lb today at my hospital pre-op ‘weigh in’! 😀 So although I thought that perhaps things weren’t moving I have been losing little bits.. (I must upgrade my scales!) (My foot go a work out today, as I had to walk far too far, but it’ll be fine!) 🙂
So I measured yesterday too and found a 1/4 inch off here and there more in other places… so it is still ‘working’! 🙂
That to me is just so encouraging! 😀
I too do see this as a marathon… but it is so encouraging to see it come off.
That’s brilliant that you are now into size 14 – A big Well Done! 🙂
I’ve got a couple of small dresses that I’d just love to get into but I’ve a way to go yet ! But I’m already finding that I can fit into some clothes that have been off limits this last year !
Definitely reckon that I’ve ‘caught myself’ just in time before ‘I let go and gave up’!
I’m going to try and check how much milk I add to my tea, and the almonds etc … just to make certain that I’m not going above 20g! Yep I too, think the reality is around .5 – 1lb a week… but if it’s consistent (ish) then that’s good. 🙂
I’m also thinking that as I find more recipes I’ll add them into my excel file… so then I am compiling all the info, so it’s ‘at my fingertips’! 🙂
I’m also photographing every meal that I eat and making notes in a food diary. So in time I can join the images with the recipes. 🙂

Hi tom1985,

You are doing SO well! Well Done !
I think having ‘handy food’ that is of the ‘better kind’ has to help stave off the ‘oh so tempting’ ‘stodgy yummyness’! 🙂
I love almonds and having one just now and again does help. But I do want to find other really tasty yum-snacks. The recipes work on quantity snack make up but I really only want to make up 2 or 3 or even just 1 at a time, as I really don’t want to tempt myself to eating ‘all 3’ ! Although I cam being really controlled…. 🙂
I guess the trick is to do enough during the diet to really enjoy it so as the 8wk comes to an ‘end’ one isn’t ‘dying’ to eat other foods, but really happily enjoy carrying on…. certainly my aim for sure. In fact I’m thinking of not considering nor counting – up the 8 wks but more just think about ‘by xmas’… after all it’s only 18wks and 4 days ! So if I lose a pound a wek that’s 1st 7lb, so if I could do just a little better I’d be 9st by xmas ! That would be excellent! 🙂 Then I can lose the last 7lb over the next 2 months and then ‘settle’. By that time I’ll know a lot more than I do now and be far more familar with the food stuffs, recipes and new regimes. 🙂
I was told today to try having a drink of lemon juice and ginger, as that really helps you lose weight and ‘clean your system’. I might just try it.
IN the book it also says that a report showed that those who had a spoonful of vinegar before food lost a little more weight than thos that didn’t… so I add gerkins to lunctime salads as they sit in vinegar, as do beetroot…. 🙂

Be cautious with beets, Aurora. Like all other vegetables that grow below ground, they are much higher in
carbs than the dark green leafy things and cruciferous vegetables. I know that there are recipes for beetroot
falafals in the book, but the carb count is really high if you determine that you are insulin resistant, and are
trying to stay under a strict 20g/day. There is research to suggest that unpasteurized apple cider vinegar,
taken 30 min. before a meal can slow down digestion and can be an aid in weight loss for some people, but
it has to be the cloudy type with the “Mother” in it (Braggs brand).

Hi Fernie! Just found your post and felt it parallelled my own path in so many ways at the moment 🙂 Ive become a little disenchanted with my menu . . . (mine alone because I am setting it!! – no-one else to please but me!!!) – however, I remembered around 6 weeks ago I felt the same way with the “old” menu! – (way back then!) – (“hmmm what am I going to have for dinner tonight . . .? Dont feel like that – had that last yesterday . . . bored with that etc.” ) . . . . so considering initial elation at new food and creating sumptuous banquets for me, myself and I . . . 6 weeks along nothing has really changed in that outlook!!! BUT body shape, weight discard, enthusiasm, etc., definitely have, and are the benefits of the diligence! I didnt start and still dont weigh food or myself . . . finding that is too stressful . . . though that may well be a result of the state I was in – and some days finding myself still battling – the mental place – I was in when originally finding my way to this path. A HUGE second cull of my pantry this week sees two bags of (now) unwanted food being given to a friend (who battles financially) – as we share a pub steak lunch “out” today . . . and my feelings of pride and achievement at the space created and better organisation of the (said) pantry now are cause for smiles – and strangely, an odd sense of freedom! That was a lot of work and feels GREAT!!! Somedays I can still feel like a control freak when my BSL is a 7 or an 8 and I “expected” (oh a dreadful word and action!) – less. (Easy to forget when it was 12-13-14 and worse some days). And then there are sometimes I feel like a lost sheep – but the forums get me back into the flock . . . Thank you all for your contributions, encouragement and sharings to – and on my – discovery “tour!”.

Hi All, some great ideas and advice here. I know my scales are not great but reading all the stories here, I can see it is so much more than the numbers on the scales.
Naturally MM will include the great weight loss stories in his book but these forums are fantastic with keeping it real. I do feel good as have resisted so many things (even when I am on my own) but have not been tempted to take a bite out of my son’s burgers, lol. I enjoy the fact that I can have tea and coffee without sugar now – what a revelation- and am enjoying peppermint teas and green teas. I will try others as I go along. I too have noticed inches off here and there.
Still other areas I need to work on, such as de-stressing more. I think I am relaxing but my kind is always going 100mph so know I am not truely chilled. Need to do more of the Mindspace meditation or yoga.
Anyway, it’s Feel Good Friday so have a great day everyone x

Hi alliecat,
Thank you that’s all really interesting. Yes I know above ground is best but like carrots and beet they are also very good for you – like chemistry it’s full of ‘exceptions’! 🙂
But I’ve not idea about my insulin resistance. I’m not T2 just want cholesterol & overweight-ness to come down & down & down … so have tried to stay with 20g carbs / 800cals … but I think it is v hard.
I wonder how much 20 almonds are in carbs – the ‘handful’ that’s recommended per day as a max. I’ve been way under it often only having 2 -8 /day. One day I was esp hungry and had close to 20! 🙂
I do love red cabbage, spinach and most veg although aubergines & kale sp seem tastier ‘cooked in oil’. I’ll check if bertolli is less carbs than Olive oil as I’ve used that for cooking before & it’s been ok. Butter is wonderful but I think higher still.
I have tried to steam kale but it wasn’t ‘nice’ – how have you found it ? I see to that it’s a ‘bit carby’ so only had a bit.
But to finish up my little stock of it (frozen) I tried heating it in oil and found it much tastier.
I’ve not idea about cruciferous vegetables! Not even sure I’ve heard of it before! 😀 I’ll have to go do some research.
When I can I’ll develop a nice veg plot and cook my own – but with a complex life at the moment and not ‘at home’ I’m just doing what I can.
If I can stick to 20gCarb / day til xmas then I can I hope get to below 9st … If I can get this better then I want to get to 8.5! My perfect weight from years ago! From a height measurement it looks like I might have dropped half and inch in height in the last yr or so which is quite worrying really! I don’t consider myself old or even barely middle aged !
My budgets need to keep things simple and I dread to think how much the “unpasteurized apple cider vinegar, – the cloudy type with the “Mother” in it (Braggs brand)” is! ?? But I’ll look online.
I think too this is where money dectates ‘how well’ you can afford to ‘eat’ and so dictate to a significant degree how ‘easy’ it is to actually lose weight. People with more money can buy the better / best food products. The book shows how easy ‘they just’ give out 178 foodstuffs for example yet I guess my ‘usual former’ foodstuffs is probably around 50 max!
However I recgnise the need to be more varied but in a cheap way or one that is long standing. I’m amazed that I’m still on my original pack of goji berries. I love the apple (although I warm it up – probably wrong!?) the almond butter and the goji berrie brekky… although I often only have 2 meals a day.
But I’m thinking since (even like today) I’m getting brekky for lunch… so beginning to think – just get the lunch/brunch, then have dinner and if still hungry later then do the brekky a bit like a desert ? Probably messes it all up !
I can see that I clearly know nothing about food ! 😀 😀 But I’m great at eating food! 😀

Hi WoodDuckie
Oh I can resonate with most of all that. (happily not the BSL things – although I’ve feared that I was heading that way big time!).
One thing I find hard is that I’ve ‘liked to eat’ ‘what I fancy as I think it helps my body & getting what it needs’ but I’m beginning to think that maybe if I can say this week at some point I’m having – 1-2 prawn meals – 2-4 fish/meat & 1-2 veggie then I think that works better…
Probably also will help with my buying and planning – formally done on an ‘expected’ basic because I can’t afford all that expensive stuff! So I then buy £3 of ‘treats’ to make up – ish.
But now if I think – OK they’re cheaper so buy in a few trays of prawns perhaps!
It also seems that I need to accept that if I buy good savory foods, then I must eat them not ‘save them up for a special occassion’!
But because I’m not buying in the naughty treats it’s pushing me to eat the ‘good products’ which is a good thing! Then it’s a case of trying to figure out how to cook the little salmon cut without burning it ! I know milk is an easy cook method … but I’ll see! 🙂 (See my late fella did all the cooking I was just washer up & made all the T’s & coffee’s! 😀

I’m sorry, Aurora! Cruciferous vegetables are things like broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, etc. I understand that
in MMosley’s book there is a long list of “staples” to consider in order to follow the recipes. That could get expensive!
Many of us just adapted our own recipes and didn’t use the book at all. During my weight loss period I kept it really
simple, and actually found that we were spending less per week on groceries. I do try to eat seasonally though, so
that always helps!

Hi ThinkingThin,
Yeah I totally agree! 🙂
It is definitely a marathon not a sprint, as much as the MM book helps you think that it will be…
When I had to decant the icecream to squeeze it in the freezer with all the other things, the container scrapings did still taste nice but I didn’t feel that I ‘missed it’ which was really interesting! I an terrible at ‘throwing things out and esp food’! (Likely lack of money orientated for sure!) I just know that I’m going to have to give away the pasta and white rice… although I did wonder about taking it to a car boot sale along with the many pepper plants – only getting there is really hard without driving due to the bad foot at the moment… anyway maybe I’ll just take it to a friends ! 🙂
I must say I recognise the ‘going 100mph’ ! 😀 I’m like that too… although my recent foot issues have stopped me in my tracks and now everything seems like a big effort! Today too in trying to re-home one of my little horses I’m now told I have to pay for a test the new loan home want done – totally at odds with ‘standard’, so I’m feeling really stressed about it. A prime time to comfort eat… but I’m going to get lunch/bruch … and try and put it behind me.

I’m sorry, Aurora! Cruciferous vegetables are things like broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, etc. I understand that
in MMosley’s book there is a long list of “staples” to consider in order to follow the recipes. That could get expensive!
Many of us just adapted our own recipes and didn’t use the book at all. During my weight loss period I kept it really
simple, and actually found that we were spending less per week on groceries. I do try to eat seasonally though, so
that always helps! About almonds… 1oz (20-22) is 2.3g of carbs, and each nut is 7cal. I don’t need to snack any
longer, but when I did, I sorted out 8-10/day, and put them in a small plastic bag. When they were gone, that was it
for the day 🙂

Sorry about the repetition! I should learn how to edit!

Just a little thought but if underground foods aren’t ideal – what about onions, spriing oinions, leeks etc ? I’ve been putting 2 little spring onions in salads – is that not so good ?
I do love beetroot and with it in vinegar I thought that was a good thing. But still only have it now and again and only one ot 2 small beets from a jar with the vinegar. 😀
I’ve only measured out some lentils (frozen-so cook in 10min) and I’d guess the 200g but had put 175g in so called it a job and then divied it in 2 – even though the MM book suggested that for dinner!
I am still trying to cut where and what I can.
If I can speed up the weight losss I’d love to although I know it’s unlikely and better to settle into more stable patterns… but maybe I’ll try a 1 or 2 day ‘cut back’ to the 5:2, 400 cal humm maybe!? 🙂 Maybe that’d help ?
I do on a really positive note see that I have found ‘the right foods’ to eatl in principal and now I’m beginning the long road ahead of figuring out what they all are in more detail!

Hi Allicat
Oh gosh no need to apologise ! I was happy to go look – although OK that’s great. I do love all those veggies bar kale it seems! 🙂
Yes in my ‘clearing cupboards’ of ‘otherwise’ going off foods, I definitely lost a bit of weight. 🙂
I’m happy to cut it back to basics as that will be all that I can afford and have found by not buying other foodstuffs it is likely to save me money longer term but some if the initial buys are a bit pricey…
Having just found it looks like I’ve got tot fork out for a horse test that I ought not to have to then that 72 out of my budget. Then I’ve had meds to buy too – 🙁 So my food budget is serious cut for the next 2 months. But I do have (now) a lot in stock thankfully!
Just be milk and fresh salad stuffs.
How do you settle in milk. Some seem to have cream but I swear that’d put weight back on me !
I’m getting good at using less in my tea but I do like my pg tips with milk. 🙂
I did really enjoy my prawns last night I rather naughtly, put with the augbergine lasagne from a few days previous as I needed the space ! 🙂 I’m going to have to figure out cooking auberginie better I think. It was already but some seemed a little hard … anyway … 🙂

Have you ever tried unsweetened almond milk, Aurora? A carton keeps for weeks, and the carbs are virtually nil.
In our house, it’s the only thing we use. A cup is only 30 cal, too!

P.S. What are pg tips? (I’m American)

Hi alliecat,

I’ve seen it but it’s so expensive I’ve not tried it. But I might give it a go & see… 🙂 Thanks. Didn’t know that it lasted a long time … I buy aprla anyway as Cravendale lasts so long ! 🙂

PH Tips is a uk brand of teabags !! (Sorry) 🙂

No worries, Aurora! I frequently need a translator…I have to laugh when friends here occasionally ask me “WHAT are
you talking about, Allie?” We have fun with it 🙂 There are any number of things that have different meanings, depending
on what side of the pond you are on. Recipes are the most confusing…you use gms and mils, and we use cups and
ounces. Fortunately the internet provides conversion tables!

Hi Aurora! I believe you will get a handle on all this in a short space of time 🙂 I wasnt in a good place mentally when I started this new way of life – and things needed to be super simple for me to deal with ANYTHING. I simply chose what I liked from the foods lists, and bought the EASIEST to access to get started. Im eating way better than before . . . – (even though I had been told my previous eating regime was FINE????!!!! 🙁 I didnt count or weigh anything! Just checked labels like a hawk!!!) On a fixed limited income and alone, I dont feel anything Im now doing is any more expensive than before. And Im enjoying it all way more! I buy the ready mixed stirfry and salad bags. That MAY seem frivolous BUT . . . it is CHEAPER than buying ALL the ingredients in the bags individually and having too much left over. A bag does me for four meals which works out at around $1 a meal. To add extras as the fancy takes me, I buy a bag of baby spinach, leeks, celery, snow peas, zucchini and mushrooms. These can ALL be used individually as well as added to the stirfry or salad bag mixes. MY other standards are eggs, feta/haloumi/block/shredded cheese (whatever you like) – bacon, babybeets, and some party dips which are for dressings. Freezer has diced pork, beef and pork steaks – minced beef, atlantic salmon steaks in poaching pouches, chicken and lamb – all bought when on special or reduced to clear. Once I “donated” other things I had in the pantry, fridge and freezer . . . the organisation is SO MUCH easier! Hope some of this is helpful! Good luck! Its worth it!

Hi again! I buy the frozen prawns – NO WASTE! and the bag I buy has 40 prawns which for me equates to 4 meals . . . so that is an inexpensive luxury meal 🙂 Cooked in ginger with shallots and whatever I feel like throwing in the pan . . , that is super nice. I cant handle the smell of fish 🙁 and dont really enjoy eating it anyways!!! Hence the easy way for me to have a fish meal is to buy the frozen portions of Atlantic Salmon, cook them in the microwave in their pouch 🙂 – slice the end of the plastic when cooked and slide out the cooked portion! If having with “salad” then I can add whatever I fancy as a dressing – (I love a spoonful of either the olive or spinach dip spread on top!) Otherwise, like last night, as an accompaniment, I had broccolini and cauliflower with grated cheese and cracked black pepper – melted over them. And would have no idea of my calories nor carb count . . I just now its WAY lower than I was eating . . . AND Im getting results! . . . so thats all that matters to me right now 🙂