Sounds like a wonderful experience! Really don’t think scarlet and black under your uniform would look quite right!!!!! Mind you might make a few heads turn and give a few people a smile!!!!

So glad you went and enjoyed. Here’s to your next visit!!

Not scarlet – burgundy, please LOL. Funnily enough, we tried it under a white t-shirt and the colour doesn’t really show – it’s the lace trim that does!

I have to say I’m still struggling with spending money on me, and on good quality clothes – but it is getting easier. Albeit slowly.

Just go for it!!! If you don’t spend it the kids will !!! They won’t enjoy it half as much as you so…… ENJOY!

You deserve it!

Still maintaining 😀

Same weight as last week (8st 9lbs), with a couple of days down to 8st 8lbs.

*does happy dance*

Oops!!!

Just discovered I don’t need to undo my jeans to take them off 😱

Hi CaptainLynne

DECK THE HALLS WITH BRAS OF FOLLY TRALALALALAAAAAH.

DON WE NOW OUR GAY APPAREL…..a seasonal song just for you.

TIP. Ask Santa for a jeans belt….could find yourself in a tricky situation outdoors otherwise.

N

Made me laugh out loud Nettle! X inka13

Hi Nettle 👋🏻

Love the seasonal song 😀 LOL.

And today I am wearing ….. red! It’s such a grey, miserable day I’m trying to brighten it up! But wearing jeggings today, not the jeans. Jeans definitely from wearing inside house only 😱

Two comments from yesterday 😀

Was having coffee with a colleague who asked my age. When I told her she said she thought I was younger! Incidentally she’s interested in how I lost the weight so I’ve given her the BSD book.

Then I went to get my hair cut – and my hairdresser said I looked younger than when she first met me last year.

Captainlynne – a very wise move to only wear your jeans in the house. I agree with Nettle that you could find yourself in a tricky situation otherwise😃

Happy to report I am still maintaining, within a pound either side of the weight I seem to have settled at.

As my first BSD anniversary draws ever closer (9 days to go) I’be been giving some thought to the next year.

BSD – there’s no way I can go back to eating how I used to twelve months ago. Those bad carbs have no place in my life now. As I seem to be maintaining ok, I’ll continue as I am. If I lose a few more pounds, that’s ok. If I stay where I aml, that’s ok too. But I continue to monitor my weight daily to keep an eye on the situation. At some point I may feel comfortable enough to weigh less often, we’ll see.

What else? Do I continue to post on here? Yes. I’m posting less than I used to, but still do so when I can and when I have something to report or answer. And posting helps me stay on track. Do I start a new thread? Probably. What would I call it? Not decided – any ideas? To stay on BSD800 forum or move to BSD Way of Life? Or both? Again, not decided – any comments?

But there’s more.

I have been wondering what I can do for myself after the challenges of this year. I’ve already gone part way down that road with the contact lens, decent underwear, and the appointment for colours, makeup and style day in a few weeks. But I wanted/needed something else. And it looks like I’ve found it. Or has it found me?

You may have noticed I often visit Italy. Although my friends do speak a English, having lived here, very few other people I meet there speak English which means I usually need to have one of my friends translate for me and I can’t just go out alone. Each visit I learn more words but have little opportunity to practice between trips.

You know where this is heading … yes, I’ve found someone to give me one to one Italian lessons. At least until April, when her degree finishes. Had the first meeting with her yesterday. I’d found a little Italian cafe in Durham and after my last trip I asked in there if they knew someone who could help. So my lessons are going to be in the cafe 😀 It’s ok to know words, but need to know sentences, and have the confidence to actually open my mouth to use what I do know rather than asking friends or manipulating situations so I don’t need to speak (like using self-service shops).

I have tried learning from books, but the vocabulary is usually just for tourists rather than holding conversations.

One thing I’ve learned during this BSD year is, as this thread says, to keep calm and carry on. Nothing worthwhile is easy. As I would love to spend more time in Italy, I really need to learn more of the language so this is my first step.

So, 2016 was the year of BSD and weight loss. The new me. Now 2017 looks like being the year to maintain those changes, adding in the learning of Italian.

You read it here first.

Lynne

The main thing that comes across in your post it ‘positivity’. You have done so well and have been maintaining well for a while now. It would be a shame to lose you from this forum as you have so much to give and maybe we help you too, hope we do!!

FutureLearn has Spanish courses and I’m sure it will have Italian as well. I did an OU Spanish course around 9 years ago and although it was quite a lot of work I really enjoyed it. The verbs are the secret to sentences! Problem is keeping it up afterwards. I speak enough Spanish now to shop, order in restaurants and do understand quite a lot but have lost quite a bit. I started the FutureLearn Spanish 3 and Spanish 2 is starting soon so I’ve put 3 on hold until I’ve done 2 !! Hope they will be good refresher courses for me.

2016 has been your year for your body and your health so maybe next year it’s time to add ‘the mind’ !!

Hi

FutureLearn (OU) Italian 1 starts January 9th, same day as Spanish1 !! I’m signed up, following your lead, 2017 will be my Spanish refreshing year!

Thanks Verano 😀

I had seen those Italian courses but wasn’t sure about them. After your comments I’ve registered for some of them. Being me, I’ll be doing them out of order LOL. Should be able to get a lot done before my next trip in March.

Should be able to practice with the folk in the Italian cafe 😀 They do great coffee too 😀☕️

Hi Lynne

Will it help to know your posts are the highlight of my day? Please persist if you can. If you haven’t posted for a bit I wonder if you are busy, you are allowed to be mind, or are you OK, or nonono have we reached critical mass…..(that pun doesnt work for us anymore) has she stopped writing?

I was going to post this on your first anniversary but will pop it in now for fun and to show you you have a fan base out here.

There was a large lady called Lynne
Who desired to be rather thin
She discovered and diet
Decided to try it
Now look at the great shape she’s in.

N

Hi Captainlynne,
We are the same age. So good to read of your success and know we can all succeed at this. I am choosing this as a lifestyle and find it very effective to maintain my weight. I still need to lose a few kilos so then I go to a few ‘two meal’ days or crank up with a few really low carb meals-ie salad or vegies and a serve of protein. However, I try and include one serve of unrefined carbs if I’m low on carbs-eg sometimes I’ll even have rolled oats as a small evening meal. Well done on your achievement.
Ozruth07

CaptainLynne- please keep posting on the forum. Your story is such an inspirational one, it keep saying those of us starting out hopeful that we too can achieve what you have.

So nice to read your post about your new challenge for 2017 and I am so pleased you will continue to post. Your posts are so inspiring and it is so good that you have stayed on this forum so we can all see how you have continued with the BSD lifestyle and that the bad carbs have no place in your life now – and even better is knowing that you have no desire to bring them back into your life. I am following in your footsteps and am really enjoying your posts.

Thanks everyone 😀

It seemed to be a lot easier posting when the weight was coming off. Now I’m maintaining it just seems like more of the same each post, with little new to say.

I really appreciate all the support you have given me during the past year.

Next week I’ll decide whether to start a new thread or just continue this one. I was thinking about starting a thread on the ‘BSD way of life’ board on here – but it seems really quiet on there.

Whatever I decide, I’ll still post. Watch this space to see if there’s a new thread coming.

Have a great day.

Good to read your post Lynne. Have a look at Duolingo – it’s free language software. Looks a bit basic at first glance but it keeps you on your toes with grammar and accents etc..I use it on my phone so I can do it if I’m waiting about anywhere… We all want to hear how the colours session goes please!

Thanks Antigone 😀

I’ve already got Duolingo – what language are you studying?

Will definitely post about my ‘treat’ day. Not long to wait now. 😀

A few days ago I was sorting donated gifts for distribution, pulling things out of black sacks. Then I saw my hands – something in each hand, covered – like my hands (and coat) in a sticky white substance. Someone came to help me. Trying to wipe it off my coat only spread it. But everything in that bag had to go in the bin – it was all damaged. Straight home, coat in washer. Fortunately it survived the experience. Next day, had another look to see what the strange white substance was. It smelt like PVA glue but was more likely to be a lotion of some kind. When we located the offending item, it was a small tube of some kind of pedicure cream!!! A tiny tube, but caused a lot of damage.

Why am I telling you this? Because yet again I have been attacked by a sticky white substance! After a while keeping off yogurt I decided to give it another try. And a small pot just took a flying leap out of my fridge, covering the kitchen floor, and me, in said sticky white substance! I obviously wasn’t meant to eat it! 😱

Hi CaptainLynne

Let’s assume WHITE will not be one of your colours…it really doesn’t work with you.
N

LOL Nettle

Doing a happy dance today.

Scales show 8st 7lbs – equal to my lowest ever adult weight. Last time I weighed this I’d been ill for a while, unlike now when I’ve never felt better.

*off to continue happy dance*

well done Lynne, keep on dancing.

That is fantastic Captainlynne!

Last official weigh of first BSD year shows 8st 6lb. Total loss 106lb. That’s 47.32% of starting body weight! And my lowest ever adult weight!

Now it’s onward into the next year, with the aim of keeping the weight off.

Any regrets? Only one. I wish I’d started recording my progress in a bigger notebook, instead of a series of A6 notebooks – I just didn’t want to waste money on a nice, big, notebook in case I gave up after a few weeks. Now I have FIVE notebooks to keep together. I’ll continue in the one I am using until 1st January, then I’ll be using a ‘page a day’ diary to record everything.

So, as the title of this thread says – I’m still trying to keep calm and carry on. Mmmm … need a new title for a new thread!!!!!