As her husband is recovering from knee surgery, Wendy’s time is a little stretched right now, so she asked me to set up our next weekly thread.

Scarily, we are very close to being halfway through September already! So those of us with a desire to be ‘serious’ in September, must double down and make this week count.

There is no shame in just doing our best though, even if that means falling a bit short of our original aim, after all life often steps in and messes with our plans. What’s important is not to allow these events to completely derail us.

Hopefully a good number of you will join us for the coming week. It doesn’t matter what happened over the last week; it doesn’t matter if you’ve never posted here before; it doesn’t matter if you’re brand new to this way of eating or are returning …. everyone is welcome here. And hopefully our usual ‘frequent flyers’ will stick with us for another week too.

Quick update on my personal progress … I’m currently in a good enough situation at just a pound off target, so realistically I should be there by the end of the week. This is the last week I’ll be around for sometime, as we head off on our next trip on Sunday, so I’m really trying to make this one count.

Let’s ‘keep on keeping on’ as we continue continue to get serious in September 🙂

It is now 14 weeks before we go away for the ‘C’ word. If I can lose 1lb each week I will be so very happy. Come on, we can do it.

Note: it is not 14 weeks to ‘C’ day, just me going away.

Thanks for opening the week, SG

Wendy, hope hubby’s knee going ok

Well….checking in for the week….tbh….couldn’t be doing a lot worse in sticking to the diet..

err…..I guess my head is not fully in it. Sigh

My son’s 13th bday today…awwwww. There will be cake….

so I am considering being very very good from tomorrow…..

Good morning!
So this morning I decided to measure my waist …. not a good result! The scales can say what they want but the real truth lies in my waist measurement. Soooo …. back to the drawing board. I have a stack of ‘sayings’ in my weight journal to spur me on …. they aren’t working at the moment!
This week I need to focus on something I copied from one of the original 5:2 books ….
“Any method must be rational, sustainable, flexible and feasible for the long haul ….. It must fit into your life as it is, not the life of your dreams. It needs to go on holiday with you, it needs to visit friends, get you through a boring/challenging day ….”
In other words it needs to fit my life as it is and it can’t wait for an ‘ideal’ time …. there will never be one. I just have to get on with it and stop kidding myself.
Day 1 starts now with weighing, measuring and being truthful with myself!
Have a good week but most of all make it ‘serious’ and truthful.

Tulip, put it behind you and start afresh. Don’t waste energy on things that haven’t gone as well as you’d hoped.
V, thanks you for sharing that quote, I’m sure many of us, including me, will find it very apt. We do need to be able to live and have a substainable and healthy way of eating too. Some of it’s trial and error, to find what works for our life style. We’re all guilty of letting things slide occasionally, so sometimes it’s valuable to get back to basics, to remind us what proper portion sizes and a sensible plate of food looks like.

Anyway, whatever your situation right now, do what you can and try to eat using the basic BSD principles whenever you can.

I’m here , folks , hello everyone and welcome to new members of our merry band ( Simon36 and SwissCheese)
Thanks SunnyB for stepping in .I only have my phone when I am out and it’s not practical to use to set up the new thread

Hubby is in the physio rehab treatment centre for 3 weeks with twice daily sessions and he is being very diligent so he can recover well .He hopes to get out for a day this weekend, hopefully his doc will agree .

So my day is spent doing all the chores, paperwork etc and going off to visit from 5pm. The centre is about 30 mins away so not too bad and I can combine it with a quick shop if need be.I love going to the bio shop to seek out sprouted seeds. I used to make my own but if I mess them up they go all mouldy .

I am quite pleased with my reboot as I am feeling less bloated now I am off the cream teas !!! I am still doing my ADF schedule as it suits me.I suppose it helps that I am busy and out of the house for part of the day . I have seen progress on the scales but I know how it can fluctuate so I am not going to record the number until the end of September .

Keep going if you feel it’s tough .Verano is right, this is a way of life , not a quick fix and it has to fit in with what is going on in your life. It’s also very much about mind set for me too.If my head is not in the right place, if I am in complacency or self sabotaging mode, it won’t work !!

SG I am going to the Uk in December too , from the 12th to the 26th.We need to get back for knee op number 2
We haven’t got a lot of luggage allowance so I need my jeans to be comfortable again so I can have a basic wardrobe of jeans and warm jumpers !

Good luck everyone . Do your best but no self recrimination .It’s not helpful .Forgive yourself and move on xx

Wendy xx

Our Merry Band so far in September
wendleg
SunnyB
sunshinegirl
Elle-Mae
Verano
florab85/ Lauren
arcticfox
HopefulinOz
Tulip1/Clare
WindyJulz
RubyG
Simon36
SwissCheese

Please shout if I have forgotten you xx

Hi everyone, welcome to a new week. Still determined to do 14lbs in 14 weeks.

Had a bit of a medical day today. Went for my 3 monthly check up with doctor and his chance to look at what has been happening over the past month or so. I think he has been away on holiday as all the arrangements were made by his locum. So now I have to go and have a doppler for the plaques in my eyes and then to the cardio to check out the same thing. I also still have a letter to go for an endoscopy and colonoscopy but, considering this was part of the diagnosis before I knew what was wrong, doctor said to put it in a drawer for another time 🙂 He is so funny.

Because there was so much to discuss and one prescription after another (prescriptions are not just for medications but what you in UK would call referral letters). Anyway, I showed him my BG machine which has several days in a row showing very low and said, next time we meet in December there needs to be a conversation about stopping insulin. Since my holiday I have got back down to 10 units a day and 8 is the minimum I can take or the dispensing needle cannot operate lower.

I am sounding more and more like my mother with all the appointments she used to have.

Have a great week everyone.

Sunshinegirl I want you to just read that back to yourself and highlight in big black letters TIME TO DISCUSS STOPPING INSULIN!!!!!!! That’s amazeballs!!!! Be, rightfully, proud of yourself there!!

L x

I echo those sentiments S-G!
I am still here, just……….all the uncertainties of the past few weeks are building into what could be a perfect storm before the end of this month. I have no control over any of it, so trying to just keep putting one foot in front of the other for now. Food choices have been good, portion sizes not so much, and fasting is not possible while I am this wired. I was in the office yesterday, and very pleased to be far away from my fridge or any shops, as I would have gone overboard if I could. I settled for a cappucino from the coffee machine (I know, milk has carbs, but not as many as a chocolate bar from the vending machine), which filled me mentally and physically, and then I was home and supper was bubble-and-squeak from Sunday’s roast chicken and veggies.
Tonight is the last of the chicken, made into a pie with some bacon, leek and broccoli, topped with celeriac mash.
Have a good week all.

Lauren Thanks for the reminder of how well I have done. I have been so lost in everything that has been going and still is going wrong. I am so bossy I think the doctor is afraid of me. I even told him to put me back on statins as the Lipur doesnt seem to work as well (I have familial cholesterol so nothing to do with diet). I now know the chest pain was from the asthma and not caused by statin cramps.

So for the insulin discussion I have told him he has 3 months to come up with an alternative oral medication. Poor fellow, he never knows what hits him when I arrive.

Chumbawumba – tub thumping (google it)

Love xxxx D

Hi folks, you have all gone very quiet.

Everything is good here. I am certainly taking this seriously but allowing for a flexible Saturday evening treat. So far this week I have lost just under 3lbs so making a good start even though I know there will be blips along the way. Trouble is, when I am doing well I dont really want to upset things and usually struggle to allow a treat or two.

I tried to open a new thread which I would have called ‘Money Saving Tips and Suggestions’ but for some reason the Forums page wouldnt let me open up. What do you think to my idea. No matter how much you earn or where you are living things are getting a bit tight for some and very tight for others. Could add some tips here but it would be better in one place.

Nearly the weekend so enjoy.

Hi All-

I am lacking in resolve! I’ve not managed a single day so far this week without derailment into carbage….even tho I know how much better for me it will be on this WOE…..!

I am posting in the hope that it might spur me to eat a healthy Saturday breakfast but, I am not so sure!…..

Love to all- whether you are doing great ot struggling sowewhat.

Tulip xxx

Well…..I don’t want to jinx it…but ok so far today and have already planned a sensible dinner. Hope everyone’s having a good weekend so far? x

Hi everyone and I hope you are having a good weekend .I mean ‘enjoyable ‘

Tulip/Clare , don’t think in terms of ‘being good’ ! You are not ‘good’ or ‘bad’ … that’s a sort of judgement which which only make you feel guilty if you slip up . You are doing your best !

I too had an extended period of feeling I was drifting and veering off course and couldn’t control it . I was waiting for the ‘right time’, after the holidays, after visitors left etc , always justifying my ‘misdemeanours’ ( another judgement !!!)

There had to be a reset point though and for me that was 1st September .Can you highlight a moment like that, with no imminent birthdays, celebrations etc and just plan from there ? Or just simple objectives like no snacking ? You will find your resolve because you have shown you can .

SG you are a total inspiration with your insulin management and as Lauren says, that is a MASSIVE achievement .One pound a week ? Why not but don’t panic if the scales don’t always show that downward movement .We are always told to take measurements too or use clothes as a way of assessing progress .

I think your money saving tips is a good idea. The moderators probably thought your message was spam as it didn’t mention food, BSD , fasting etc ?
Maybe if you find another title , something like “Tips and Tricks for saving money and making food go a long way on BSD/ Fast 800 “ , that might get past?

To be honest my fasts do save money ! Also as hubby is not here there is not so much grub consumed.He has been let out on day release ( for good behaviour ?? 😉 ) and is enjoying being home and cooking bacon and eggs ! He is walking well and the nurses sent him out with his meds and instructions ! I will take him back later and fetch him again tomorrow morning. I have said I will have a day off visiting on Monday as I am going to watch the Queen’s funeral with a friend.
We have planned our lunch of smoked salmon and cream cheese on lettuce , with olives and gherkins, followed by oven baked chicken wings with more green salad !

I am a bit more relaxed at weekends and the ADF schedule fits in with my daily routine of visits at the moment .I switch it up wit OMAD ( one meal a day at times too ) so my body doesn’t twig what I am up to 😊

I reckon it will be harder when the temperatures drop .That is a time for warming soups !
Thinking of you all and as Sunny says, just do what you can and don’t get too hung up on the lapses . xxxx

Hi everyone, hope the sun is shining wherever you are. It is still quite warm here, mid 20’s so I am still able to swim. However, in my new relaxed state of mind I don’t feel I have to or feel guilty if I decide not to. I didn’t swim yesterday and I might not today as I supplemented my exercise with a long walk around our local market – a bit slow but also parked the car half a mile from the main stalls.

Tulip, a couple of days ago you said you couldn’t do this and not in the right headspace. Sounds as though you are getting your head into it now – one day at a time.

Wendy, it wasn’t admin, it was just when I clicked on start a new thread it took me back to the current forum. It let me do it yesterday so the thread is up and running so if anyone has any handy hints and tips mainly for saving money but especially on gas and electricity.

I think if I can save something on a different area like shopping then that will be going towards other bills. Fortunately, in France our electricity is still regulated but not to be too smug, my gas bill last December was just over €3000 (£2600 at todays exchange) so our gas has always cost lots. We are trying to eek it out so it lasts over a year and the hot weather has helped with that.

Wendy, I am sure many of us will be glued to the TV on Monday even if I am not a monarchist it is an historical moment in our lives.

As I have already exceeded my 1lb a week loss and managed 3lbs already I am going to relax the diet a bit tonight. Just a couple of vodka and tonics as a treat. At least then I know it is my one day ‘off’ and I dont seem to be bothered the rest of the week. Food will be normal diet i.e. grilled mushrooms and a poached egg for breakfast, WW soup and 2 Ryvitas for lunch, then hubby is cooking dinner which is lamb chops and there wont be any carbs.

My computer froze for several minutes and I thought I had lost this post. Fortunately it is still here and I have saved it now. It was a bl—dy Avast message asking if I wanted to subscribe. The only thing I want Avast to protect me from is Avast.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Tulip, hope your day worked out well, as long as you did your best, no-one can ask for more. Just remember if things go a bit off track, all you need to do is make the next food choice a good one, to get back on the right path.

Anyway, just popping in briefly, before we start our trip away tomorrow. Happily I have been at target for two days running and I guess right now I can’t ask for more. Things won’t stick at that I know and there will be gains in the coming weeks, but I’m content with where I am and where I will be. I shall start afresh in December, but for now I intend to enjoy my trip, allow myself a few indulgences and not beat myself up about it. I’ve proved I can get back to target and will do so again.

Keep taking September seriously and just do the best you can to make it count.

Hi all. Sorry it has been a while since I have written – it has been quite the few weeks.
SunnyB – how amazing that you were/are only a pound off target. By now you will probably have headed off on your trip, so I hope you have an amazing time. Travel safely.
Wendy – I hope you are well and all is going well for your husband in the physio rehab centre.
S-G – what an amazing result to be talking about going off insulin completely in just a few months time. You must be so proud of yourself. It is an enormous thing to turn your health around in the way that you have. And it sounds like you have had great results so far this month too. Sincere congratulations.
Tulip & Verano- I am in pretty much the same boat as you both. I have really been lacking the willpower to stick with what I know works for more than a few days at a time.
On Friday I had a ‘Health Check’ with the GP. Turns out I have ridiculously low iron levels and Vitamin D levels. The Vitamin D levels aren’t all that surprising given that we have had a cold, wet winter, but the iron levels were very surprising given the amount of red meat and spinach I eat. Anyway, I am now on supplements for both, so hopefully I see an increase in energy and other benefits. The doctor did point out also that I have put on quite a bit of weight in the past year (as if I hadn’t noticed!), and that I need to get back to a healthy BMI. I am pretty much where I started, about 7kg overweight. I really need to give myself a kick in the butt and get off the chocolate and bread. 😬
I hope you all have a lovely Sunday xx

Hi All- huge thank you for the support! (Sunny, Hopeful, SG, Wendy….hope I’ve not forgotten anyone!)

Verano, I did my waist measurement this morning too as such an important health measure…that should spur me on, it’s not great atm….I’ve also started reading the obesity code by Jason Fung (bren on my shelf waiting for a while)..I often find a book very helpful at this stage…

Hopeful, I hope the supplements do their job soon and we can work on this tricky weight together 😁

Well done all and happy hols to those off travelling!

Wendy- hope hubby’s doing well!

Lauren….hope you’re as ok as can be x

Love to all xxxxx

Morning on this sunny Sunday morning here. I have collected hubby again and he is relaxing .

For anyone struggling a bit to find motivation, I wonder if this would help …

It’s a podcast The Fasting Method Podcast
The episode is “Getting Back on Track” Episode #44

It discusses getting back on track after the summer holidays with various strategies
TRE – no snacking
Mini fasting ( I know fasting is not for everyone )
Cleaning up your diet
Mindful eating

Hopeful, I too hope the supplements do their thing and we are here anytime you need a kick up the bum !!
Tulip, it was Jason Fung and The Obesity Code that first helped me to understand why my numerous attempts at weight loss never worked .

All the best everyone . XX

Well I didnt get through the weekend unscathed. However, if I only weighed myself once a week I am still showing a loss and still doing 1lb per week. Just because I lost a little more during the week, well that was what I had to play with on my day off. Weigh in will be tomorrow and that will be my true losses or gains – but I am sure it is a loss.

Just back from watching the funeral .Will set up the new thread in a bit !