Week 2 Weigh In
Yippee!!
😍 3 lbs lost this week (it went up and down through the week so I am happy with this!)
😍 12 lbs total lost
😍 5 Total inches lost this week

great stuff!!! You are doing amazingly well, can’t believe how many inches that’s fantastic!

Thanks Izzy, that’s overall – i measure bust, waist, hips, 1 arm, and 1 leg.- most is from my hips it seems but this explains why I had to buy smaller clothes already! 🙂 Off to Week 3 now!!

Yeah! Scale finally moved and I am down another pound!
On top of that my new shirt I returned last week to get a smaller size is also too big and now I have to return this one. It’s huge!!
Life is good!
💜

Week 3 – Day 3
Weigh same as yesterday but I feel smaller.
Today is a quiet day! I like it!
Put on a pair of long pants and they are very big on me. Also threw away all my too big undies now that I bought ones two sizes smaller.
I posted on FB yesterday about my transformation so far and 12 friends have now gotten the book and will be starting soon!!
I feel great except still tummy issues – hoping it resolves since I lowered the fat percentage I am eating.
💙💜

Week 3 Day 3
Feeling great but getting up at 3:30am two days in a row full of energy for some reason….
No cravings still! Not even that hungry ever!
Cutting out some acidic choice foods to see if that assists with the tummy since my doctor meds didn’t help after 2 days.
Lots of friends starting this today so wishing them well as they begin…
My hubby called me a Skinny Chick because my clothes are getting bigger,,,,, so cute!

it’s nice to have your weight loss noticed 🙂 I almost lost my engagement ring earlier because it slipped down my finger :/ ended up wearing that and my wedding ring on my middle finger for fear of losing them.

Hope you find something that settles your tummy soon. Maybe try the doc again as they have different drugs that may work.

Week 3 day 4
I am in shock!! In 17 days I have now lost 15 lbs. I weigh less than I have in a couple years! And it’s been so easy!

What’s good:
My legs swished when I walked this morning! Ha. It’s the little things!

What’s working:
It seems I eat a lot less carbs than most people as my daily come to around 30-35. Guess that works for me.

More great news!!
Tummy is normal today!!
Hmm. I added 3T rice last night so seems that worked and carbs were still well under 50.
Hallelujah! One day before my trip my tummy is better.
And I am down 15 lbs.
And I just tried on all my shirts to take and they are all swimming on me but I am taking them as they will never be able to be worn when I get back since I will most likely lose more.
💜

yay to all of the above!! you’re doing so well!

Week 3 day 4 (-16). (Day 18)
Down another pound so down 16 now. Still think it’s crazybhownwwll this works and I am never hungry.
Following it precisely with no snacks s the fasting in between meals really helps like the book said
Tummy better but not perfect – had 1/2 vega yesterday and wondering if they have too much fiber maybe. Hmmmm
I will figure this out at some point.
Off on my trip today, taking a scale for weighing myself and a tape measure to keep on target.
Also realized my trip with be 18 days and I am currently on day 18 in the program. So…. When I return I will have exactly doubled my time on the program. Hope I lose a lot more weight. It’s hard to know what restaurants really put on their fish (butter to make it shine, salt for added flavor… Etc).
Good luck to me but Inwill stay on it. No way am I going off. I am melting and I love it.

Thats amazing! Best of luck to you Happy Life! Stick to what you know and you should be fine. I was dreading going on vacation later this summer, not wanting to self-sabotage, now I know I can handle it. Amazing how 3 1/2 weeks can change your perspective.

well done Happy! I hope you have a fab time on your trip and come home with your clothes too big!

Thanks Athorn223 and Izzy!
Day 1 of the trip and I did fine! I only ate 2 oz of salmon and 2T rice all day until dinner at 5pm. We went out and shared two fish dishes and a crab sushi and miso soup.
I had 811 calories and 61 carbs but we also sent the bowl of rice back!!! My hubby is on board to so he can help me while we travel.
So yeah for us!
I don’t eat on travel days (flying) due to tummy issues. Thank goodness as I had a major catastrophe at the airport before getting on the plane. My angels were taking care of me for sure!!
Bought pepto bismal to live on during the trip if I need to.
Tomorrow will be more planned out with 2-3 meals.
Great news:
1- seatbelt was easily set 5 inches smaller on the plane.
2- my purse is hanging super low because my stomach isn’t in the way (it’s still large but a lot less in the way)
3- I wore my new shirt (hummingbird) and new crop pants!
Life is great!

Hi HappyLife
Pleased to hear about your trip & the plus side of travel. Love hummingbirds! Enjoy it all 👍 ✈️
I’m off to Canada in 3 weeks & will take your cue of no food in flight. I’ll just keep well hydrated. My husband eats the BSD Med way too. Intend to pick healthy foods & really enjoy this trip of a lifetime. Can’t wait to wear all my new clothes too. 😀 ✈️

Hi Eureka,
Best of luck on your Canada trip!! Where are you going? We’ve only been to Vancouver but love it!
We do always take a cooler bag with a frozen ice pack to keep the food cold. Fully frozen ice packs are allowed through security. We boil and peel 4-5 boiled a eggs and put pepper and salt on them. In another container we put salmon we made with a little rice. That way if the flight is delayed we have food and we just ate it when we got off the plane since the flight was fine. They offered food on the plane but we just said no thanks even though it was healthy. Because we didn’t want to overeat and knew we were going out to dinner.
You will do fine I just know it!
💜

Week 3 day 6 (overall day 20)

Well I only slept 4.5 hours again. I need so little sleep on this diet it’s nuts. Hope I take a nap later. Got up at 3:30 am.
Hoping I don’t have the major tummy issues again today. Took 3 servings of pepto bismal and will continue for the trip unless I need something more serious to take – I hope not.
Thank God I have the best hubby ever!

Today I will stick to plain fish and a little rice with vegies. Found a couple restaurants that look to serve that here.

Weigh in day tomorrow. So far this week I lost 4 lbs but traveling always makes me retain a lot of water so we will see.

Fingers crossed its a good tummy day on our travels.

Hi HappyLife
Hope your tummy settles down. Watch the rice, it’s simple carbs! If you’re sitting for long stretches remember to circle your feet/ ankles & stretch your feet out & pull back.
Also try this: stand up & hold onto the back of a chair with one hand. Step forward onto a flat foot. Your other foot with toes bent stays in contact with the floor. Rock backwards & forwards. So, right foot flat forwards – left foot on toes. Rock back & left foot flat & right foot on heel! Get it? Stretch your legs all the way up. Now take another step & swap exercise on the other leg. Eg left foot flat & right foot on toes & rock backwards – right foot flat, left foot heel! Rock for a few steps & see how you go, but hold on to the chair or worktop.
This is a Tai Chi move I was told would help my mum who had kidney problems. It certainly helped her release her water retention. I really must get back to Tai Chi!!

I’m going coast to coast in Canada. A mix of cities & Rockies. Finish in Vancouver. I’ve waited 54yrs to go there. Can’t wait

Hi Eureka,
Thanks for the great tips! I just weighted and no water retention soninshoukd be good. Our flight was only 1.5 hours this time.
I only added rice at docs advice for the tummy issue and still keeping the carbs under 50 except yesterday. Rice doesn’t seem to be helping at all son probably won’t try it again today. My carbs were always 35 until I added 3 T of rice which is only another 6 carbs.
Your trip sounds awesome and Ineant to do that one day as well!!
💜

Hope you are enjoying your trip Happy, glad your husband is being supportive too 🙂

Weigh in updates at end of week 3
🌷Weekly weigh ins🌷
Week 1 – 9 lb lost
4.5 inches
Week 2 – 3 lb lost
5.25 inches lost
Week 3 – 5 lb lost
4.75 inches lost

Doing great with food choices on the trip thank goodness. Feel great except tummy still a little wonky and couldn’t get to sleep last night till 2:30 and awake at 6. Not hungry at all so it’s not that. Hmmmmm

Thanks Izzy,
We are having a great time and it’s been super so far. Making great food choices and staying on it – this weekend lots of family events but our room will have a kitchen so we plan to make some food and be really careful at family dinners (Chinese food and I don’t eat meat so will order tofu and vegie dishes).

Hope all is well for you!!

Trip through Cali going great and we are sticking to the food plan. Our Neice even made us dinner last night with cod and vegies. What a sweetie.
My husband went down another lb and I went up due to the salt in the food we are having to eat out I am sure.
My new undies now are getting looser and my old clothes I didn’t fit are fitting and I am starting to look more like a normal person than whatever I looked like before. And my face is much thinner now as well.
All things are good !!!

if you’ve had a lot of salt that pound will maybe just be fluid and will fall off next week (or soon)

It’s fantastic you are able to note so many changes in your clothes and appearance 🙂

Hope the trip continues to go so well, that was really nice of your niece to do that too!

Thanks Izzy!

Today was exceptional and so much better than I could have hoped for as my husband’s family took us to an American restaurant instead of Chinese so there would be good I could eat!! I got a Louie salad and am actually under 800 cal today and only 23 carbs.
On top of that great news someone posted on another forum about their tummy troubles and how taking calcium stopped them. So yesterday we bought some and I took one and voila today life is normal again. I guess I have IBS or it’s the bile issue from no gallbladder some
get. The lady who posted started taking it 1998 and has not had any problem since. What an easy resolution and I can’t wait to tell my doctor when I get home!!
I even added lettuce, eggs, and cheese back to my diet today which will greatly improve my variety!
We spent an awesome day with our 10year old grandson.
Other good things I am noticing and so did my hubby:
I am walking straight up!! I used to bend over slightly all the time (guess the weight was pulling me forward and it’s gone).
I am walking fast! I used to slow him down and now fast is my normal. It’s so weird. In just 3.2 weeks.
Life is changing for the good and forever. I couldn’t ask for more. It’s like getting a new life already and I can’t wait to see what more weight loss will bring.

Hugs for a happy day to you and watch out for too many crackers. Even without the total carbs just “needing” them can set you up for cravings.
💜

Hi Happy! so happy for you and all your positive changes! I think there is a link between carrying weight and stooping from a physical sense, but I also think that when we feel better about ourselves our confidence also grows and we naturally stand taller. Subconsciously I think some of us (I can’t speak for you) try to hide and blend not really wanting to be noticed until our confidence starts to break through. Either way I am happy for you!

And calcium! what a great and easy fix!

I’m ok with the crackers, I was just over excited at having missed them for so long! Now I know I can plan in crackers and cheese/salad, as well as dipping them in soup, they will be planned in like most other things I consider as snack/treat foods. Like the carrot crisps and salsa, and chick peas.

Keep having an awesome time!

Great Izzy, glad you are controlling them and not they controlling you😍
I am confident and teach it, it was clearly physical from top heaviness if you get my drift. Ha

haha yes I know I’m already feeling I need new bras, and you’ve lost more weight than me!

Teaching confidence must be very rewarding work, you must say more about it when you have the time.

The crackers are under control, I’ve just had my soup for lunch with some and it was so nice, I’ve missed having something *with* my soup and these are great. That will be the crackerfest over for today.

I’m about to work on my food plan for the coming week, so I will definitely have crackers planned in some days 🙂

When I graduate to risk crackers I will try them. 😍
I probably lost more weight because I am bigger to start with 🌷
I am an advanced life coach so wor with clients to improve many facets of their lives and confidence can be key for most other issues that arise.
💜

confidence is probably half of every battle 🙂

Hope your trip is still going well and you guys are enjoying yourselves !

Week 4 Day 5
Still in Cali and food plan wise doing very well as is my hubby. Yesterday was our 18th anniversary and since we were eating out twice I decided to not worry about calories but just focus on carbs dig low and it worked. Calories were only 863 and carbs were 35!!! Yeah

Having major tummy issues again though so not sure what to do yet about that since I have tried almost everything. Can’t eat breakfast today as we have to drive a few hours to or next place to be for three days.

I did add some dairy the past few days for ease at breakfast (3/4 oz cheese) but am stopping that today I think to see if that’s the culprit. Also had a tea with cloves which I read can cause die off so who knows. Hmmmmmmm time will tell it seems.

Weight is fluctuating since I am losing so much water and having to redrink it back due to dehydration from tummy issues. Also too much salt when eating out all the time on the trip. Just sticking with fish, shrimp, crab and vegies everywhere we go basically.

Fingers crossed tummy holds on today and gets better.

Onward to another day!! 🌷

Hope that troublesome tummy settles soon 🙁

happylife, can you not get hold of some Imodium? I know of people who take it daily

also you could try calcium tablets (sorry not sure if it was you I mentioned this to before or not) – but I don’t know where you are or if they would be available

I do hope it settles down soon

Thanks Izzy and Keeptrying! I have a specialist I have seen for a year about this and was doing fine until the diet pretty much. Keeptrying I took 8 pepto bismal yesterday and was taking two calcium a day and nothing helped. I have a prescription drug I can take but it makes everything super unpredictable which is horrid and it didn’t work last time.
Today is 100% better so I think I got something bad to eat since we are eating out all the time in the trip.
I also greatly reduced my fat intake today which should help since I don’t have a gallbladder. This diet made that ratio go way up since the carb load is lower.
Today is over food wise and I am almost 400 calories SHORT!! And we ate out twice. For lunch I just had a crab cocktail and 1/2 artichoke so I would have enough calories for dinner but even with a full meal (no potatoes) and shrimp and artichoke appetizer with tartar sauce (1T) I am still super short and only ate 24 carbs also.
So I am going to have 20 grapes in the hotel room maybe. We will see. I am not hungry so it seems ok.
I haven’t exercised much except
walking some since we were in the car a lot of hours today. Gonna check out the weight room at the hotel and lift some weights when we get back.
Tomorrow is another day! 3 days till
Weigh in so hopefully the scale goes down. All the salt in eating out food is making me stagnant so far.
Thanks for caring to you both!! It means a lot!! (Right now my hubby is in the pharmacy getting a laxative as he’s got the other problem from the diet!). We are a pair I tell you!! 💜

lol I hope your hubby is ok too, that can also be very uncomfortable.

I think even if you enjoy your hols and maintain your weight, it will likely come off pretty fast once you are home and eating less salt.

Hubby is good now – lucky him! I made him drink four big cups of hot water also!
I agree re the salt and weight – if I wasn’t logging my food I would be discouraged since the scale hasn’t moved but am hoping when I measure Friday I’ve one down there possibly.
I am walking more on the trip which is great!
Today we are going to the famous Monterey Bay aquarium and then walk around the town to sightsee. I am not a shopper but enjoy seeing the old buildings and wildlife in the ocean for sure. Last night from dinner we saw seals, seagulls, and loons (I think that’s what they were).
💜

we are alike you and I. I LOVE old buildings and history 🙂

Hope you enjoyed your day.

Hi Izzy,
We saw many older building in historic Monterey today, it was so great!
I walked almost 5000 steps whoc is huge for me.
My hubby loves taking photos of me and we were just looking at them and I said, “oh gosh my fave shirt is way too big on me!!!” I thought it still fit okay but I can’t even use these for my business. So funny!
Then, I decided I want a new sweater as its chillier here than expected and I called around in the two coastal towns and there are NO chubby lady stores! Gotta love elite coastal California. So I guess I will wait till I get home and get one maybe another size smaller.
We are off to see the Hearst castle tomorrow. And then staying in a small town waterfront motel.
Stayed on my diet again 100% and this is the 2nd day my tummy is 100%!!!!! Maybe the tummy issues are over (fingers crossed!).

Thanks for all your input Izzy, it’s much appreciated!
💖

yay for calmer tummies 🙂 fingers crossed it stays that way and well done for staying on track you have brilliant will power!

I love old places. my favourite thing when I get time alone is having a jaunt to an old castle ruin, or old stone circle sites, of which we have lots within travelling distance here, they are over 4000 years old! I love the mystery of them as not much is known about them. I have a blog with pictures if you are interested once you get home and have time.

Awesome that you are able to see the difference in yourself in the pictures your husband took! Hope you don’t feel too cold whilst waiting to find a jumper too 🙂

hey there Happy! Hope you are still doing well and having an awesome time 🙂

Hi Happy Life. I have been reading your journal
and you impress me. Keep at it lovely lady.

Ah thanks Sandie, that’s sweet of you to say!! Stay on it – it’s amazing how it works isn’t it?
Hugs!
🌷

Week 5 day 2

Well I couldn’t post for a couple days as we had no internet or phone service on the California central coast while traveling there.
Last week (week 4) I only lost .5 lbs but still lost 1.75 inches! I think since I still had major tummy issues my body wouldn’t let me lose weight and was hanging on as I was getting dehydrated as well.
Tummy has been good for 2 days and I dropped a pound today! I have lost 18.1 pounds which is amazing. I weigh less than I have weighed in over 5 years plus. I don’t even remember being this low before for so long.
Yes, I have a LOT to lose and will be doing this for a long while before transferring to 5:2 but I am good with that honestly.
This program is so simple once I learned what to eat. Of course having tummy issues means I am even more restrictive with things but it’s all worked out well.
What I cannot do ever is play the carb game as I call it. It would mess with my head and waste life’s precious moments for me. I just can’t do it. If I was worried about adding back in bread or pasta or anything of my old ways, even in non gluten or carb format, it would make me crazy and I feel it would be one quick step to falling off the cliff and be back to eating whatever I wanted with carbs. It doesn’t help me focus on or achieve my goal. So I don’t do it.
This is so simple. I just have to follow it. And if I can do it for 4 weeks and 2 days and even while traveling and switching hotels in 7 towns I can do it anywhere.
My best tip for travel that’s worked well for us is to carry a small cooler bag and we go to the grocery store and get smoked salmon, berries, and grapes. Each morning we have a little
for breakfast and then it keeps us full till dinner when we eat out and have fish and vegies.
We ask each hotel to put a real fridge in our room for medical needs (my foods) and they do it without issue since the typical fridges don’t get cold enough to keep food safe.
It’s been a really great trip on the program only because we planned and figured out what would work. We only pick restaurants that serve what we now call “clean fish” meaning it’s just grilled or broiled or pan seared without flours.
Shockingly a restaurant last night serving artichoke hearts advised they put flour in the water they boil them in!! I mean who would ever think that? They were so kind to tell me!
Being careful and staying in it isn’t daunting as it only means I now care about myself. I care about winning this battle and not letting carbs rule my world. Every day I am winning the battle. Every day I feel better, am getting smaller, and can do more activities❣

One town we were in, Morro Bay, is so cute and we are planning to stay a week and go kayaking maybe next year. I am already planning fun things to do when I feel I will be able to better move
my thinner body! I also plan to go to Disneyland! We love Disneyland and haven’t been for years since I was worried about fitting on the rides. By next year or maybe later this year I will be able to go.
I am able to walk 5000 steps without issue which is HUGE for me as I have a funky knee. My Fitbit helps be keep it real and I love knowing I went more than I thought I could. It’s fun.

Well off for another adventure today!

Wishing you all the best, thanks for reading and I hope my personal notes somehow give you inspiration and strength that you can keep going and do it as well.

💜💖🌷

Forgot to add

Week 5 day 2

Lost 18.1 lbs
Lost 25.25 inches

Well done HappyLife😃

What an achievement. Losing weight while travelling!

Like you, I’ve decided not to try adding carbs back in – even when I reach my target weight.

The friends I’m visiting next week asked me to take, among other things, English Muffins, crumpets and pikelets 😱 For the first time in ages I had to go to the bakery aisle in not one, but two supermarkets😱 But mission accomplished. 😃 I only bought what they asked for, and I’ll not be eating any of them!

Wow that’s amazing re your picking up all those items. I think I would have declined. Not ready to put myself in that situation yet.
I, like you, don’t plan to add the carbs back once I lose weight. I feel that would just get me back where I was or bring back the crazy cravings that made me think about food all day long which I no longer do. What a waste of time that was eh? This makes life so easy and I now spend that time either doing things now or planning what I will be able to do in the future.
Sounds like we have the same plan – great to have someone walking the same path. 💜
Hugs and wishing you the best always!
🌷

Happy you are doing an amazing job of staying on track on your trip! Well done!!

I’m pleased you will be able to do the things you have held back on soon too.

I expect to stay off most carbs indefinitely as well. I enjoy the alternatives I’ve found with different low carb flours so I will likely just stick with those. I will have carbs on occassion I’m sure but it will be the exception rather than the rule.

Keep on having a great time 🙂

Week 5 day 3
Still in California….
Well both restaurants yesterday had vegies I can’t eat with my tummy issues so I ate a little potato instead. Carbs were well over goal of 50 of course and we luckily won’t be eating at them again for those meals. Also the smoked salmon in the store here (Santa Barbara) is twice as high in sodium as the other towns we’ve been in so I seem to be retaining water since I eat 1-2 ounces of that for breakfast.
I tried to just have a salad the other day but that shot my stomach to craziness and I had to start meds again. I just can’t eat raw vegies at all right now.
Today we have better control of where we are eating so I won’t go over carbs today for sure. Still have to eat some of the smoked salmon for one meal.
Got to see a friend who has known me since I was five yesterday so that was awesome to catch up with her.
She really noticed my weight loss in my face and said it looks totally different. So fun!
Happy day to all!
💜

Sorry to hear you’ve struggled to find the right food, but I can see you have minimised the carbs as much as you could. I’m pretty sure it will pay off for you.

How lovely to catch up with such a long term friend 🙂 sounds like a great trip you have had!

Week 6 Day 1
No loss of inches or pounds this week most likely due to travel for the past couple weeks. Two days till we are home eating our own food.
Seems there is too much salt and hidden items in eating out and also too much salt eating smoked salmon for an in room meal everyday.
Also couldn’t take my meds yesterday since we were driving 8 hours so retaining water there as well
Excited to see what week 6 brings once we are home again.
Stayed in the plan 99.9 percent and only went over in carbs 1-2 days out of 18 due to food choices available (potatoes for vegie).
Yesterday was under by 150 cal and 15 carbs.
C’est la vie. Keep on trucking.
💜Good things to note is my skin is really better all of a sudden. Under my eyes and backs of arms is super smooth with no bumps at all. So even though I lost no weight or inches I am still progressing in other ways.