Hi everyone . Last week started well but I drifted a bit as the days went by and I wasn’t able to complete my week’s ADF schedule. Oh well … I have to focus on what has gone well !

I think I too am very much looking forward to some brighter days. It’s getting milder here and the garden is definitely showing signs of Spring. I always feel uplifted in the Spring , it’s my favourite season .
Very much looking forward to a visit to Paris next month too 😉

So we have to dig deep and keep going folks . I hear you when you say you lack inspiration when preparing meals and the same old gets boring .That’s why I am always on the look out for interesting but not too fussy recipes: I love roasted veg too ,SG with my latest addition of radishes.

Keep posting any new ideas

This will be our last week in February so let’s make it count .Just do your best folks

Wendy, SunnyB and sunshine -girl xxx

Welcome AnnieW ! I am glad you like The Girl with the Pilates Mat too . I really like her approach and she has something for everyone .

Wendleg
SunnyB
Sunshine-girl
Florob85/Lauren
Antigone
RubyG
Onestep
Tulip1/Clare
Verano
Elle-Mae
Russianroulade
Californiagirl/Julia
Stevoka/Kerry
Windyjulz
JGwen
Quetzal
Catenelson
Riccoh
Sixturkeys
Greenbean
Merrymelba
Prittimistri
LauraY
LittleDrummerGirl
Nathalie
Bravef800er
Chocolat
AnnieW

Think some of us are in that dip, between the energy of starting a new year and that boost of spring kicking in. I’d say I had an okay week, although little to no real progress made. It does make maintaining motivation tough and I’m very conscious that the weeks are slipping by rapidly with nothing much to show for it.
Once again this week, I’m going to stretch overnight fasts, but mix things up a bit so that the durations vary. Will also up the exercise a bit …. have to confess it has dwindled somewhat over the last week, so needs to be boosted again.
Whether things have gone well for you over the last week or not, now is a good point to review and start afresh with renewed determination. Will look forward to reading all you posts in the coming week.

Nearly through February already, wow. I was having a random discussion with my daughter, what if things we do (like eating) had a more immediate effect than they do now? Eat a doughnut, instantly put on visible weight. Go for a walk and eat an apple, look slim and glow with health. Would people be more careful, or (as I tend to believe) be LESS careful about what they eat because “I can easily fix it later”.

22-2-22 if 2 is your lucky number today is definitely your day!
Last week was a bit of a ‘stand still’ event for me but today we can start all over again ….. fortunately!
So, I will make the last week of February count. I need desperately to get to my first goal of the year. It wasn’t much of a goal really, and we are almost two months of the year in, so I have to make this week count.
Hope everyone has a productive week.

Natalie, that’s an interesting hypothetical… personally, I think that seeing instant results, would make me more determined and less likely to indulge. But who knows, maybe the ‘if it later’ would get in the way, at least occasionally.
V, like you, no progress made in the last week and I too need to make this week count. I’m taking no overall gain in the past week as a plus, but know I need to knuckle down this week. Hopefully we will all be posting good things next week.

Hi all, I have managed to get over a particular number and into the next (lower) range but have come to a stop again. However, it is only Tuesday so I have until Friday to make further loss. Trouble is hubby is making cassoulet tonight which is very beany.

Natalie, your hypothesis wouldnt make me eat less to lose more but it would certainly deter me from having anything that would show up immediately. At least we would know what it is that we make mistakes with (like my beans tonight maybe).

Hello 👋🏻

I have been reading through a number of the threads and like many, it seems, I am getting back on the horse after being derailed by covid.

I lost 2st back in 2017 with BSD and pretty much kept it off by switching to a relaxed low carb & 16:8 woe. I don’t thrive working from home and so the weight crept on with the majority of it (1.5 stone) in the last 4 months 😱 that’s stress eating right there!

Anyway, got to the point of having a permanent headache and feeling generally rubbish so started MM keto plan (yesterday) and dug out all my health paraphernalia which had been gathering dust: blood pressure monitor; blood sugar monitor etc. I have also taken all my body measurement and feel like I am back with a vengeance.

My hubby is doing this with me which helps but I remember that the forum was key to my motivation last time.

Mokovex, welcome back to the forum. I’m sure you’d rather not be back here, but we’re happy to offer whatever support and encouragement we can, to help you get back to where you want to be. As you say, there are many of us who have gained and come back to this great resource to help make us accountable.
I’m sure with your hubby also doing the BSD, it will help too. It is much easier with home support for sure.
Keep us posted on progress, feel free to come and vent when things aren’t going to plan … that’s what we’re here for.

Hello fine people, for the first time in a long time i have made it to Tuesday (from Monday) with continued motivation and in a good head-space….. so i feel like it is worth me contributing and committing to the weeks thread.
Just been suffering February blues – happens every year, winter is tough and February seems to make it feel like it will never end. Cant wait for warmer days and lighter evenings….they will come.

I’ve been diving into my messy brain the past few weeks trying to work out why i feel like i’m sabotaging my efforts and why i just cant seem to keep my chin up for more than 24 hours….. then i bought a hard copy of Jason Fung’s Obesity Code…. and almost instantly i feel more at peace with myself and understand why i’m struggling…..and I’m only on page 50!! Seriously, if you need a book to help you make sense of things it is 100% worth having!

So onward, treating my mind with kindness and my body with respect. Lets see if i feel this way by the end of the week!!

Natalie….. I’m a safety ‘professional’ (I know) but look a lot at behaviours, compliance and psychology, and what you mention ins a ‘thing’. When making judgements or decisions it is very easy to base them on ‘immediate’ or ‘guaranteed’ outcomes, much harder to base them on ‘future’ or ‘probable’ outcomes. For example….. decision to break the speed limit on the way home – we will “definitely” get home sooner and we “probably” wont get caught and “probably” wont cause an accident. So might take the risk. If there is a police car behind us, we “definitely” will get caught and we wont get home sooner so wont take the risk. So apply this to food choices…… eat a donut – definitely like the taste, might get fat, but might no, and might be able to undo it….so we take the risk. Eat a cucumber and go for a run….. it definitely wont taste amazing and I might see weightloss in a month if i keep doing it…. i pick the donut!
But….so my new focus….. instant gratification of taste is not as important as what it will do for my body…… eat a donut and my insulin will definitely spike and i will definitely feel rubbish for it and I definitely wont loose weight…… eat nutritious food which wont spike my insulin and I WILL feel good, I will be supporting my body and if i keep it up I will change my body for the better….and the instant gratification….well actually good foods can be super tasty and the immediate lack of guilt is worth sacrificing the sugary hit!
Wow I can waffle on…… sorry….. bet you’ve missed me….like a hole in the head….or in a donut!!

Good to be back in the game!!

Julz

Julz, welcome back to the weekly thread. The winter months are a struggle for me too, but have to say as I’ve got older it seems to have got a bit easier…. maybe as time seems to move more quickly these days.
Anyway, glad you are getting to grips with your food issues and that the Dr Fung book is inspiring you. Don’t worry about waffling, this is the place to vent and offload.
Looking forward to reading about your progress, hang in there and hopefully your more buoyant mood will build through the week.

Welcome back Julz and welcome to Mokovex. Just reading about motivation reminded me of this weeks short video from Dr Becky.. It discusses why we feel great and pumped up at the beginning of a diet and then, if we are lucky, there is the gratification of reaching goal, or even small goals. But unfortunately there is the hard slog in the middle. I find her very motivational and she gives some good tips to keep on keeping on, as I say. Here is the link to this weeks blog.
https://youtu.be/2-Zbgb7sGVk
It is a safe link.

Hey all

Sorry had not been around too much but i am still rolling on. 7th week this week but its getting harder. Hunger is getting really bad now almost on verge of giving up. Minimal weight loss this week just 1 kilo. On a positive note i have lost more than 15 percent of total weight and 12cms off waist, dont want to give up with less than 2 weeks to go. Too much hunger with no weight loss last week has made me feel a bit low i guess.
I might go high on calories coz i only drink two to three vegetables soup or may be a bit of cauli rice with no oil in anything.

OMG I just caught your only 2 posts. I take it you are Type 2 diabetic – are you on any medications? I personally think you should get a copy of The Blood Sugar Diet by Michael Mosley & read it VERY well.

You need to be up around 800 calories daily. You should be eating protein & also using fats like double cream. Virgin Olive Oil & butter. IF you go too low on calories I’ve found that you drag your metabolism way down as your body believes you are in starvation mode – which is why you are getting slower at losing weight.

I make my own soups too with cauliflower leaves, broccoli stalks, a couple of handfuls of spinach leaves & some cream cheese + 2 chicken stock cubes & anything else in the fridge, all using a hand blender & made pretty thick. We normally have about 5-600ml at a time & it keeps us satiated for many hours. This is basically almost free to make as I use the broccoli & cauli florets daily to make a satisfying meal with either chicken or fish. Do you eat meat/fish or are you vegetarian or vegan? Hunger shouldn’t be a problem at all on this diet after the first week or so. We only get hungry if we eat bad carbs – like biscuits, bread, pasta or rice.

You REALLY need to be eating protein & fat on the 800 diet or on the BSD diet. I wonder if you’ve read the books at all? If you’re not eating anything but soup I worry about you.

I’m in diabetes remission (like MANY others on here) – was there probably after 6 weeks BUT didn’t have a HbA1c blood test until 4 months after going on the diet (HbA1c blood tests take account of the last 3 months anyway) because of Covid. Many of us keep this way of eating up for 12 weeks at a time with breaks before & after. You should NOT be getting hungry at all if you are doing the diet correctly.

Linda, I have already advised this poster to eat more. One post said they were eating 500 cals and going to cut by another 300. I pretty much said what you have, they need to eat protein and get some good fats/oils. Of course they are hungry, they are starving themselves. So, Bravef800er you have been advised by 2 other diabetics who know what they are talking about. You really should take some notice. It is a good idea of Lindas to make sure you have read the BSD book by Dr Mosley. You are putting your health at risk for the sake of a few pounds. Can I also say that 1kg is a good enough loss.

Brave, if you are experiencing hunger, it could be worth reviewing what’s on your menu and increasing good fats, as these are important for making you feel full and stay feeling that way longer. Might pay to check the carbs haven”t crept up too, as that would drive hunger.
Remember that weight loss is not linear and that itbus often harder to get rid of thatnlast bit as you get closer to target … it’s quite normal.
You have done brilliantly though (as a slow lover, I’d be THRILLED with a 1kg loss in a week!), so stick with it and I’m sure you’ll be rewarded with further benefits and good results.

Brave what you are describing is an eating disorder, not fasting or VLCD. Please try and read into this subject area and be careful with yourself, and please try and seek medical attention if you need to because we all care about you and don’t want you making yourself ill x

Lauren x

Julz I love your waffling! And welcome back Mokovex, there’s plenty of us here in the same boat, or rather on the bus to good health.

Hello, I’m new here, just listened to the book and will start 800 tomorrow. I’m already used to 18:6.

Sorry that should have said 16:8.

Evening all.

Argh I have fallen off the wagon. Bread, buscuits, crisps, booze. I am beating myself up about it. I find it so easy to stick to this WOE when I’m not doing anything, but the minute my social life kicks in, well that’s my undoing.
However. There is some good news. I have kept the exercise up. The pounds have crept back up, and it’s interesting how that can have an impact on how fit I feel.
Have dinner with a friend on Thursday and it’s a celebration as I’m leaving my hated job on Friday, so not sure if I’ll be able to stay off the drinks. But am going to stick to plan tomorrow and have spin and body pump booked, so hoping that will make me feel better. Have logged back on here, almost to hold myself to account. Any tips for how to get back on plan after a relapse would be appreciated xx

Hey Russian, I’m the queen of falling off the wagon! Please don’t berate yourself though, you’re human!

My tips to be on track after falling off the wagon:

1. Plan plan plan plan plan – and factor in meals with the most flavour and deliciousness as you can, there’s no point making yourself miserable and sticking to bland things, loads of flavour, herbs and spices, garlic, etc.
2. Focus on one thing at a time – so low carb or increasing protein or increasing healthy fats or intermittent fasting or low calories – but don’t try and do it all at once
3. One meal at a time – plan it out, but remember if you have a slip it’s just one meal!
4. Come on here and speak to all of us!

Also remember you are a human and it’s ok to enjoy being a human for a while! Get things in perspective, if you have a wonderful night out with some wonderful friends, and celebrating leaving a horrible job, does that bring you more happiness than the sadness of potentially gaining a little weight? If it does, then enjoy it and move on! If it doesn’t, then take steps to make sure you can manage things

PS I forgot, Merry yes I think it’s shiso leaves here, or betel leaves maybe? I eat Vietnamese a fair amount so I’m familiar with those!

Welcome, AnnaBnanna!

Hi everyone and a very warm welcome to newcomers AnnaBnanna, Mokovex and a big hug to WindyJulz ! I’ve been waiting for you to come back, Julz !
I think motivation is tricky for some of us now. I also recommend re reading the ‘classics’ especially Jason Fung’s books, just to keep our eye on the ball and to remind us of the toxic yet insidious appeal of sugar .I know I can be easily drawn into the tantalising “comfort” of something sweet if I am not constantly vigilant.

Unfortunately hubby’s waterworks woes are ongoing and meant another trip to A and E yesterday because he contracted an infection. He is being treated with painkillers and antibiotics and his appointment with the urologist has been brought forward to this Friday . I think I have been repressing a bit of anxiety and am still not in the right mindset to get back into ADF which felt really manageable last month. I’ve been looking for something comforting even after a healthy meal .Oh well , it will settle.

My son is settled in his appartment in Paris and we are looking forward to a trip up there in the Spring when hopefully hubby will be fully recovered . I feel fortunate that he was seen so quickly but one downside of living in France is to remember that very little happens between 12 and 2 pm here, even when you are lying in a bed in the “Urgences ” . The French take their lunch breaks very seriously 😉

Today is a bright , cheery day . Hubby has the drugs and will get better .
Keep going, keep smiling everyone xx

I’m new here – I’m in the military and have to weigh in every 6 months. I used to be very competitive in sports that involved weight cutting through my 20s and early 30s and now my metabolism is shot. I actually had my RMR tested with the whole helmet thing and it said I break even at 1380 calories…so the only way I can even lose is with this diet. I had my thyroid checked – it’s apparently normal.

My lowest weight was 143lbs (at my absolute fittest, my highest was 189lbs (as of February 1st,) my current is 175.2, and my goal weight is 154.

I’ve been good since Feb 1st and am hoping to take it one week at a time to get fully down to my goal weight instead of yo-yo-ing just to make the cut off weight requirement every 6 months. I’m hoping to be at 174 by Tuesday!

Hi, I do agree it can be tricky thinking of different things to cook/eat especially if you don’t want it to take ages. Just lately I’ve been going back through some of the earlier books and finding really nice recipes I’d either not noticed or forgotten about. It helps if there’s a photo. One of my favourites is chicken puttanesca in the Fast Diet recipe book. But I’ve adapted it so I don’t have bits of anchovy spitting everywhere. The answer is put the (tin of) tomatoes in the pan before anything else and use anchovy paste (great invention) instead but don’t overdo it. And I also love the ratatouille and halloumi bake in the EASY recipe book. So many fabulous recipes in there.

Hi All

We’re following the meal plan in the keto 800, loving the food, it’s so delicious I am really enjoying that side of things. We are only 3 days in but can anyone share their experiences of how long it took you to stop feeling hungry much of the time also, how long it takes to get to ketosis?

Ta

Hi Mokovex

For me if I’m being honest I’ve never stopped feeling hungry even after weeks and weeks, I’ve reached the point where I don’t feel “empty” all the time by about 4 weeks in, but the hunger has always been there – I think I have a weird metabolism because I can get into ketosis relatively easily in about three or four days, but I’m also knocked out of ketosis very easily – I only have to go above 30g carbs once and that’s it, and it takes three or four days to get back there and I suffer from carb flu every single day of that, every time, to the same extent. I think everyone is different as some people have a much better experience. I’m also a very slow loser, whereas some people the weight seems to just melt off.

I’m sure others will be along to share their experience but I think the main thing is try not to compare yourself to others because it won’t help!

Ho Mokovex,

The answer to your two questions is It Depends.

If you have been eating a low carb diet and are a fit athlete involved in endurance events you are probably already metabolically flexible and when your body runs out of stored sugar it will quickly switch over to fat burning mode (ketosis.) .

If you are like me a middle aged woman who has eaten a high carb diet all your life and has tried to control your weight over the decades with calorie counting but not excluding carbs then your gut bacteria will be adapted to a high carb diet, your metabolic rate will be low, your body will have stored sugar in every possible location and will have a high insulin level because all your tissues are resistant to insulin and the switch for changing from using sugar to using fat for fuel will be rusty. So switching to burning fat for fuel will be much harder for your body to achieve and if you go over 20g of carbs a day your body may drop out of ketosis and take days to get back.

Your feelings of hunger will come from multiple sources. – Its not just your body wanting food, but also as you get used to being in ketosis you will find that you are not physically hungry but are mentally craving the experience of eating. Finally the gut bacteria which digest sugar are able to send signals to your brain telling you they want feeding. They will not like you going low carb, as you will be starving them so they will be trying to get you to feed them. However, this type of bacteria are not only the fastest to multiply when you feed them sugar, they are also the fastest to die off if not fed, so the strength of their signals will fade with time.

I don’t know about ketosis, I never remember to use the sticks I bought, but I stopped feeling hungry after only about three days. That is, I still feel ready for meals! But I generally don’t need to snack in between, it just seems like I can wait. occasionally I have a “hungry day”, I don’t know why, then I do eat more, usually cheese. I am a slow loser though, and a small sedentary female so I probably don’t have a huge need for much more than 800 calories anyway!

Natalie,

I would recommend throwing the pee sticks away, they are not reliable. When we start reintroducing our body to ketosis it produces extra ketones which are got rid of in our urine. But after a while it gets more efficient and only produces as many ketones as it needs so there will be nothing in the urine to measure.

Thanks for the guidance.

This morning the pee stick was good and dark. Totally taking on board that they aren’t reliable so I won’t set too much store by them. What it did help me to do was imagine my body like a game of pac-man, with those little suckers munching their way through my fat cells😀 keeps me motivated.
Definitely felt less hungry today.

Wishing you all well as we head into the end of the week.

Hi everybody- sending love and hugs to all of you 😚😚
Have been very preoccupied with sorting new job bits (I got the job!!!, sooo excited ☺)…
And still not right after this virus, but have been able to start eating more on plan this week, altho not yet well enough for more than a short walk, or clarinet playing!
Still, I know I will get back there in time.
Love and hugs all, I hope to get time to read the messages this week,
Tulip xxxxx

Congrats on the job Tulip, and hope you feel fully recovered soon.

Just done the Fitness with PJ exercise prog (there are lots of different levels etc) and decided to do the Hiit although it is not strictly hiit, just that you dont stop between sets. I was totally knackered by the end of 6 minutes and that was just the warm up section. Just shows that a change is good. I can do the SeanT without breaking a sweat and it is supposed to be much harder. Just too used to it. Anyway, thanks to AnnieW for almost killing me – just joking. If I keep doing this over the next few weeks I will see if there is an improvement and I really dont give a f—- if she swears a bit.

Weight loss still very slow but still under that 74kg mark – now at 73.6. BG is also going down slowly and reducing insulin. Now have to get through the weekend unscathed.

KOKO

👍😂 Glad you had fun Sunshine-girl! Sounds like you picked a hard one. I find it encouraging that it’s not edited and she gets out of breath too – there’s hope for us all. Day 24 of the 25 day challenge for me tomorrow.
Congratulations on the improved health markers.

Well I can certainly feel the burn in my thighs this morning. Think I might follow Annie and do the 25 day challenge. Yes, my husband commented that she was out of breath but at least she can keep going.

Trying to keep my daughter on track as she is very upset right now. She has friends and colleagues in both Russia and the Ukraine. Enough said.

Just got to get through the rest of the weekend without opening a bottle of wine. Do not want to be on that dreaded 74 again on Monday, so I will stick with it. Would love to see 72….. even if it is 72,9. My lowest weight ever on the BSD was 72.5 or 11st 6lbs, then I went on a cruise and gained half a stone, never to lose it again, until now.

Julz, I love the psychology insight 😁
And JGwen for the science bits.
Thanks Natalie 😚

I’m hoping that all our BSD friends in Queensland and NSW are safe and their homes are alright. Catastrophic flooding across such a huge area.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-28/lismore-flood-emergency-levee-breaks-largest-on-record/100866296

Hi all, I have been crazy with work the past week, so still trying to catch up on everyone’s posts.
I have subscribed to Fitness with PJ, the changing weather has me enthusiastic about getting moving and fitter so I can do stuff when the weather improves – I’m tired of winter and hibernation now.
I will weigh tomorrow (was away last week so didn’t weigh), but I had an ~OK week, not much in the way of snacks, no carbage, focus on portion sizes most evenings (not the sirloin steak last night though!)
I picked up the Fast Diet book for £1 at a charity shop last week, and will read it at some point to add to my knowledge, but like others have said earlier, I know that lower cals, lower carbs, some decent fats and protein, good hydration and no snacks works, so I don’t think the book will radically change my approach.
I do find that going into the office a couple of days a week now I am sometimes able to miss breakfast and extend the fast to lunchtime, so I may do this a couple of times a week and see how I get on.
In readiness for a meaningful March (my mantra for today and the next 4 weeks), breakfast was turmeric scrambled eggs with a little butter, button mushrooms sauteed in a little olive oil (taking into account hubby’s cholesterol discussion with his GP), some leek & cauli soup from the freezer for lunch, and supper is undecided at the moment.

Meaningful March! I love that, Ruby, I’m going to steal it. I had been trying to do Fresh Food February, and it’s time to move on.
Merry a lot of the libraries in my network (TAFE NSW) up north are closed due to the floods. As far as I know everyone is ok, don’t know about the books though, the images on TV are of water up to the roof. I hope everyone gets through it ok.

Hi everyone
I am going to set up the new thread . March 1st tomorrow !!!