We will do what it says…. work to keep those starchy carbs at bay for the four weeks that include Valentine’s Day and therefore progressing our drive to: lose weight;
reduce meds;
reverse illness;
fit into smaller clothes;
any or all of the above or more…..

Please join the wonderful group of challengers for our next four week challenge, beginning tomorrow after we sign off from our “happy new year/great good cheer” challenge. Everyone welcome.

Hi everyone – I’m jumping in early so I can subscribe and make sure I get all the responses.

This is my first time doing a 4wk challenge. I like the idea of looking at it in a much more piecemeal way. I first did the BSD this time last year. I was exceptionally strict on it (although had my own meal plan) and lost 44lbs (just over 3 stone/nearly 20kg).

Then a friend died unexpectedly, immediately followed by Easter (with all the comfort eating chocolate that comes with it) and then a lot of breaks away and I found excuses to eat badly and in some cases, eat too much. In the end I put on about a stone (14lbs/6kg). So, in October I tried again but it didn’t really take. I did it for about a month but wasn’t very strict and I gave up quickly. And then a series of parties and then Xmas and on the 15th Jan I had put on 29lbs (2 stone/13kg). I was very angry with myself but resolved to get back on the BSD immediately.

It’s been a week. I haven’t been overly good (somewhere around 1000 on most days but carbs have been low – under 40 and sometimes much less). And I’ve lost 11.4 lbs (nearly 5kg). I know a lot of it is water but it’s a start.

I have a lot to lose. Another 100lbs (roughly 7 stone/46kg) if I want to be in the middle of the healthy BMI level – although I don’t know if that is even possible for me. I’m aiming to lose at least 81lbs though and want to achieve a decent chunk of that this year. Which is overwhelming. Hence liking the 4 week challenge.

So my goal for the next 4 weeks is to lose at least 10lbs. I’m sure I can achieve that.

I’m looking forward to reading everyone else’s stories and goals and thank you for welcoming me to the challenge.

PS – I am the queen of denial. I started the BSD because of a recently diabetes diagnosis with high choloresterol and high BP thrown in for good measure. By the end of it I was scoring perfectly for all 3. I have been too scared to check what those results are now. I’m going to get back to the weight I was when I finished and then do the blood results and hope that I’m back to the good results I had. Is that stupid?

It is possible, Shanshu. The 100 Club has a bunch of members, including myself, alliecat and Jules Maigret who still post on the forum. I lost twice that amount, actually, and if you’d asked me in August 2016 if I could reach that goal I would have laughed until I exploded.

I’m sure I don’t need to tell you this as you were so successful in your first outing so you know very well what it takes, but just for emphasis, the real trick of this way of eating is getting control of your head, not so much your body. It’s your mind that drives you to associate comfort with awful food, certainly not your body. That’s why it’s so important to actively combat those refrains that crop up (a little bit won’t hurt, bad things are happening so I deserve to assuage my pain with sugar, Christmas isn’t Christmas without pie).

You are a self-determined individual with agency and real strength. Believe that about yourself and deploy it consciously when those thoughts crop up. If you find yourself in a cycle that brings you down and kills your motivation, fight back. Say it out loud, yell inside your head, stand tall, straighten your spine and tell your brain to shut up or you’ll stab it with a Q-Tip. You are not a slave to impulses you can’t control. You have proven that you can control the hell out of them. You accomplished your goals in the past and you will do so again.

Good luck!

Thank you Esnecca – very good advice. Also 200lbs – amazing. Definitely inspirational and gives me hope and motivation that I can reach my goals AND keep the weight off.

can I join up 🙂

Shansu – don’t be scared of the readings, you can approach this two ways I think.

1- take the readings again and enjoy watching them come down over the time ahead.

or

2- don’t take the readings, because you know you’re doing everything possible to lower them anyway.

So go with whichever approach works for you (unless a doctor tells you otherwise for medical reasons of course)

I too am a returner so lets get through valentines with a blast and be a size or two smaller 🙂

Hi Izzy – thank you for your post. I’ll give it a couple of months of loss and then get tested. I feel really motivated this time (unlike Oct) so I’m confident I will be able to get back to what I was last time I finished the BSD and hopefully further.

Dropping a size or two will be very welcome!

Great title ladies, definitely joining this one! Although I lost the couple of kilos I put on over Christmas on the last challenge, it quickly slowed and yesterday I decided I HAD to start weighing and logging everything as I’m basically unchanged weight wise from 16 months on the bsd! I have been kidding myself that I can guesstimate fairly accurately but boy have I been delusional!! So being brutally honest on FatSecret yesterday I discovered that I’m up around 1600 calories a day! I feel SO stupid. Whilst staying pretty low carb I’ve been chowing down on tablespoons of peanut butter and this coupled with a glass of wine or two most nights has me at DOUBLE, 800 cals- no wonder I haven’t been losing!
I’m coming completely clean on this lovely new thread to stay accountable as I hurl my peanut butter in the bin and get back to basics!
Good luck everyone and I look forward to reading of all your successes in the weeks ahead!

Inka peanut butter is one of those things where you wonder how they fit so many calories in one spoonful! I don’t eat it much but I do make satay sauce and the calorie count means I can basically only afford to put it on veges, can’t have chicken as well.

I’ll be eating a few more carbs than the rest of you (I’m aiming for 75) but still sticking to BSD low calories and Med diet principles. I’m a big fan of chocolate so I definitely need to keep a tight rein over Valentines Day.

Just wondering whether any of you incorporated anything from the Clever Guts book in your diet?

I read it for the first time yesterday – primarily for my OH as due to a lot of antibiotic use I think his gut bacteria is probably not as healthy as it could be.

Obviously there’s things that don’t work with this diet but is it worth incorporating the bits that do?

Hi Shansu,
I think that you’re right to focus on a time-frame that you’re comfortable with. You have the discipline and the experience to know this works for you.

Like you I had the triple whammy of T2D, High cholesterol and high BP, but also Fatty Liver Disease. Again like you I got them all into normal after losing just over 110lb in about eight months but slipped a bit over the last few months on maintenance and gained/lost the same 5lbs or so, so these four-week challenges are coming at the right time. I’ve just had my diabetic review and all three are still in normal – HBA1c at 35 is the same as last year, so I’m motivated to restart and go for another stone or so over the next six months.

If it’s any consolation, my average intake was around 1000 calories a day when I was on full-blown BSD although I aimed for around 40g of carbs.

Natalie,you’re so right, no wonder it tastes so sumptuous! I keep buying the tiny jars so I can further kid myself it can’t be too bad…! BUT I think I’ll actually use up the latest jar making the satay sauce tonight and everyone else can have the skewers and I’ll just have it on braised cabbage, yum! Then I’ll be safe!!
Btw I think your adjustment sounds very sensible and I reckon the weight will still melt away nicely, just beware those valentine booby-traps!

Hi all, signing up again, hope on hope ever.

Goals are to keep recording everything, keep carbs low (under 30) and keep active- difficult in the current heat and humidity but must try harder!

My pathetic hope is that THIS is the month when that last 800g goes and I get to target. Has to happen sooner or later if I keep plugging away 🙂

Inka13 – if I don’t weigh and track then I find everything goes to pot. And I find it all too easy not to weigh and track the second I give up to temptation.

Natalie – I’m trying desperately hard to like dark chocolate so I can substitute this but it just doesn’t compare.

JulesMaigret – you were one of my inspirations last time. To hear that you’ve largely maintained the loss is reassuring – I worry that I’ll lose the weight and gain again like I did last time. Definitely have to work on my head to get past the temptation.

Mariet – keeping my fingers crossed for you. They say it’s always hardest to shift the last few pounds. Your persistence is impressive 🙂

Signing up again, the end of this four week stint I will be on holiday, but until then I am determined to keep my focus and get my head back in the game. My continued tenure in the 100 club isn’t quite at risk yet, but I really need to be focused for the next few weeks, to get back down at least close to BMI 25, with my level of musculature I don’t expect to be far under it and don’t mind crossing the line occasionally with daily fluctuations but that ‘overweight’ label I am currently giving myself does annoy me, and besides, a couple of my tighter pairs of trousers have started feeling tighter still.

Shanshu, it’s been an eye opener that’s for sure! I weighed my yogurt this morning and realised that even though I thought I’d been eating a tiny amount ‘by eye’ I was waaay over! So am now going to be militant.
As for dark chocolate I also couldn’t eat it, as a huge milk and white chocolate fan I despaired of ever being able to like the dark stuff but I have to tell you, I really love it now! I think it’s partly because if that’s all I’ve got then I’ve had to learn to love it if I want a treat. It’s great with coffee which helped but I started with 70% with mint bits in it and that was so delicious I gradually worked up to 86%. it was largely thanks to Esnecca’s decadent descriptions of pressing sea salt into slightly melted dark chocolate that did it for me!!
You sound like you’re in a very positive place and really motivated, I’m so glad for you, I remember yours and also JulesMaigret’s names from last time too, I look forward to hearing of your successes in the next 4 weeks!

Hi everyone, I’m signing up for this challenge after a bit of a hiatus during the last one. I’m fed up with being on a plateau and I’m ready to do something about it. I’ve set quite an ambitious weight loss goal for this challenge as I think that is the only thing that will shake me up and scare me into sticking to the plan. My goals for this challenge are:
– Lose 4kg (1kg per week) – don’t know if I’ll do it, but setting the goal has me feeling more determined than if I had set and easier one.
– Cut out all chocolate and artificial sweetners for the 4 weeks to see if that helps.
– Get back to the gym 3x per week as soon as my battered body allows me to (might start out in the pool for the first week or so, and may have to schedule a physio appointment to get my left leg functioning properly before I can start working out on land again).
– No more than 1 serving of fruit each day, but as many servings of leafy greens as I can fit into my calorie allotment.
– Measure and weigh everything and prepare my away from home meals the night before so that I’m not scrambling around in the mornings and guessing instead of taking the time to do it properly (interesting that I weigh out my horse’s daily vitamin supplement exactly but I don’t take the time to do it for myself!).

Natalie – I’m going to be adding a few extra carbs as well for this challenge. I need to up my fibre so I will be adding a few more lentils and other pulses back into my diet. Also my fall has made me realize that given the dangerous sport I’m in, I can’t cut myself short on calcium or I will end up losing my stellar bone density and end up with broken bones, so I’m going to have a cup of kefir every day instead of just once every few days. I’m hoping to keep carbs under 70g.

Shanshu – I haven’t read the Clever Guts book, but I have been using probiotics in the form of kimchi, sauerkraut and kefir. Others on here are far better at incorporating gut healthy foods than I am though.

Morning all,

Definitely in.

My weight target is to get down into 8st weight bracket. I have lost over 2 stone and am a healthy BMI but my goal is to get down to 25% body fat and bring my cholesterol down. My biggest goal is to further entrench this WOE, I am not there yet as still feel a constant emotional pull to eat. The forum is the thing that has kept me accountable and so will be sticking with it.

I only have just over 7lb to lose to reach my notional ideal, (pre-baby weight c.2004) but I am aware of my negative self talk that seems determined not let me push past my previous low of 9st 1. Hit it twice and then bam! 3lbs on. Aargh!

Looking forward to a great 4 weeks x

So my starting weight is 11 stone 8.9 pounds, and my scales are reporting up to 33% body fat this morning, in the middle of a long low carb and protein fast. I did have a bulletproof coffee, and a little milk in some tea yesterday, but otherwise ate nothing, and will continue that to around 2:00 this afternoon. Probably around 40 hours and 5g carb in total. I have to eat something then as I have two hours of badminton tonight but I can’t eat late or I won’t be able to run around. After a badminton day my muscle reads higher and my body fat lower usually so it will be interesting to see what tomorrow brings.

MnM my fat % changes a lot morning to evening. My personal trainer says it depends how hydrated I am, as the water in my body has something to do with how it reads the fat. So I am higher %in morning after sleep than at night After day drinking. So it goes down as weight goes up in evening.

I don’t know if that’s your experience too? Be interested to find out as I never quite feel I can rely on the % apart from noting a downward trend over time.

I have noticed it sometimes changes after a shower, and certainly seems to be lower the few times I have weighed in later in the day. I think it is over reading actually compared to more accurate methods, but on Friday I got an out of the blue 26% and don’t think it has increased by 7% in four days, so as you say, better to just look at a trend.

Hello everyone

I’d like to sign up, too. I think of the 4-week challenges as my base on the BSD forum now, although I do enjoy going out visiting other threads.

I’ve given my final report-in on the Good Cheer challenge. I’m now 9 stone 11lb (62.1 kgs) and at the very top of my healthy BMI range (one of my goals when I set out on BSD in August) so I’m starting this Valentine’s Challenge very happy.

My new weight goal is to get to 9 stone initially, then see how things stand. I’ve still got quite a lot of fat around my waist/belly so I’ll see what my waist measurement is, visceral fat levels etc when I reach 9 stone.

For this challenge my weight mini-targets are to:

Lose 4lb to reach 9½ stone (not really sure about this – ½ stones never really motivate me)
Lose 7lbs to reach 9st 4lbs which means a 5 stone total (including pre-BSD) weight loss

However, like Mokovex, my main goal now is to embed this way of eating and living so that it’s sustainable long-term. For me that’s about broadening out what I eat, trying new foods (and learning to cook them!) as well as keeping up the increased physical activity. But, that’ll definitely take me across a fair few 4 week challenges!

Welcome to anyone joining for the first time. I’m looking forward to the next 4 weeks with everyone.

Hi Everyone, lovely to see so much energy here already.

Starting at 61.9kg. Aiming to be in the 59s. Sounds easy but finding it hard to let go of some carby nonsenses we call “treats”. Give me another name for them …..

I am wearing a pair of size 10 stretchy Capris, thought at first it would be a nice NSV but they have really served to remind me how much fat I’m carrying around my middle … they’ve squished up a very uncomfortable muffin top above the waistband. Is that graphic enough? Very unedifying! This should be motivation enough to, once and for all, dump the carby _______!

Good wishes to everyone for this coming 4 weeks, may we meet all our goals.
I will be Moving Forward One Day At A Time (MFODAAT) 💜

I joined up but didn’t mention my goals.

Having done BSD before and fallen into my old wicked ways, this time I’m being much more gentle with myself. Creating a new way of life with the side effect of lower weight and better health rather than focussing on getting my weight down faster.

As such I’m not counting calories, just eating BSD friendly food (at least 80% of time allowing ocassional deviations) and keeping my step count at 10k or more/day. As such I’m setting little targets knowing I can smash them. I’m not in a place where I can cope with failing at the moment so it’s important for me to keep this gentle.

So, all that explained, my targets for the 4 week challenge are to lose 4lb’s and keep my step average up.

Good on you, Izzy. You’ll do it xx

Everyone seems really motivated! I’m starting this challenge at 72.9 kg and I want to be down in the overweight range of BMI rather than obese, that seems to be 71 kg at my height, only 1.9 kg away! Any more than that is a bonus. So that is my weight loss goal. But I’m not totally in control of my weight, only of my behaviours, so I’ll focus on those.

Today has started badly. I didn’t sleep well and my alarm woke me up from the middle of a deep sleep. Then I stepped on the scales and was 2lb up from yesterday (can’t figure out why as was very good yesterday). So my starting weight for the challenge is 222.4lbs. I want to be at 210lbs by the end of the challenge which now means I have 12lbs to lose in these 4 weeks. That’s nearly a stone! One day at a time… I’ll get there.

Today continued badly – I dropped my yoghurt pot when I was packing up my work bag and it exploded on the floor and all over my trousers. So that made me late and I missed my train. The next train was delayed and as I was waiting for it I realised that I hadn’t managed to get the yogurt out of my trousers at all.

And then my train was diverted to a different London terminus so this delayed me even more.

However no good starting with negatives. I have had a Pret Egg and Spinach pot for breakfast instead of the yoghurt and I’ve already made a good crack at the water and steps (up to 6000 already). Things can only get better right?

Hi, I would like to join in this challenge. I have been a lurker for a long time. I’m doing my own version of bsd, higher on the calories but following the principles and adding in IF. So far I have lost 50 lbs (from March last year) and I am ready for a big push as I have another 70 to go. Great to see JulesMaigret, Bloke41 and many other oldtimers still KOKO and i look forward to joining you. Thanks for constantly encouraging us so supportively and for setting this challenge up Marsie ,
atb all

I am joining in ! I joined the last challenge then set about sabotaging myself! Yesterday I literally rammed stuff in my mouth … who knows why?? Today I am ready I have a hotel booked for valentines , I have a beautiful black dress size 10 that I bought and fitted into in November . I will be wearing it for that weekend away…. and I will also buy and wear some nice underwear. Bring on the challenge . I like Articfox’s rules so will follow them. I am on coffee today to try and cut all sugar from my diet and get back on the straight and narrow as the minute I eat even scrambled eggs I want something sweet.

Hi all,

Can I join in? I’m a newbie, day 3 for me. My goals for the next 4 weeks will be to settle into this way of eating, stick to it 100% & hopefully be able to fit into one of my nice (UK size 16) dresses for a valentine’s day trip to the theatre.

I am not weighing myself at the moment as I have actually found it demotivating for me when trying to lose weight before. Hope it’s ok that I won’t have numbers to report.

Onwards & downwards everyone!

Hi all,
After a disappointing no show of my willpower since the beginning of the year, I’m up for this challenge.(I have previously lost 1 stone with the BSD but have regained most of it ) I weighed in at 11 stone this am but haven’t faced the dreaded tape measure yet!!. .I’m aiming hopefully to be in the 9 stones by mid May for a wedding and have various dates in between to aim for. So this is the 1st step…I want to lose 6lb by the end of this 4 weeks.I will probably only weigh in once a week as I get too disheartened, I will however be putting my food scales to proper use. I also plan to take up swimming again I just have to not look in any mirrors while wearing swimming costume and just bite the bullet..Haven’t been in the pool for over 2 years!

GOOD LUCK ALL

I’m in for this one. Plus I’m having to cut out dairy. :*(

I was actually set to break the 11 stone barrier between Christmas and the new years, as I went down to 11,1, but then all those only available once a year goodies needed finishing off . . . I wobbled a bit, but am now firmly back at 11,2, that I managed to get to just before Christmas, and it hasn’t taken any effort at all (since the seasonal yummies are all gone).

The dairy thing is a hell of a shock, even though, or perhaps especially because: I have had it my entire life, first symptom was as a baby, but it was considered an unimportant, normal consequence of cows milk . . . I wish it had been eczema . . . that link was found long enough ago, that it might have saved me a lifetime of other problems.

Back to the business of losing weight though, I want to be able to get on my bike by summer, and I have over 2 stone to get rid of to get to the middle of the healthy weight zone. Immediate target is to break the 11 stone barrier though.
I’m going to carry on with my current pattern of eating, but will calorie count with mfp, or too many small transgressions add up to not much weight loss.

Keeping away from dairy should reduce my protein need, so it should be easier to eat less overall. Clutching at straws I know but I have to find a positive spin to this. Cutting out carbs was easy compared to this. Cutting out carbs has visible, measurable benefits, but the benefits of cutting out dairy are so slow to manifest, plus I’ve been brainwashed into thinking of cheese, milk and especially yogurt as being good for me, full of important nutrients, plus I really love them, more than I ever loved even cakes.

Thankfully, I can drink/eat sheep’s milk, etc., but it’s *blinking* expensive, so they are going to be very rare treats. 🙁

Hi all
I’d like to join. I’ve been lurking in the background for ages now and I’d like to jump in with this challenge. I did the BSD last year – a new year’s resolution – stuck to it rigidly for the full 8 weeks and lost 2 1/2 stones. I rewarded myself with treats when I came off it and spent the rest of the year ‘rewarding’ myself. So this year I’m back where I started – My first day was 1 January and this is week 4 for me. I was diagnosed with T2 diabetes a few years ago and I really don’t want to start taking medication so I’m losing the weight to manage my diabetes. I have a lot of weight to lose (half my body weight!) – and yes I am too embarrassed to write the figures down! I’ve been trying to stick to under 30g of carbs a day – but difficult to do. I’m vegetarian so I’m having to restrict many of my usual protein sources, like beans and lentils. I’m eating a lot of eggs and tofu at the moment 🙂
There is so much positivity here – I’m looking forward to joining you.
Good luck everyone

Hi
I’m brand new to BSD today, but thought a 4-week challenge would be a good thing to join, as I had decided to give myself 4 weeks to try this whole BSD thing out.
As a total newbie I’m not quite sure how I will take to the BSD – 800 calories seems so low and I’ve never eaten anything like that low before!
I’m 5′ 6″ and this morning I weighed 10st 12lbs (152lbs) which is almost my highest non-pregnancy weight. I’m much, much happier when I’m under 10 stone (under 140lbs) and that is where I want to get to (though not in the next 4 weeks – 5lb would be fab in 4 weeks).
Why am I trying the BSD? I need something more structured and disciplined as just eating ‘better’ hasn’t got me very far in the last year (i.e. it’s too vague so it’s easy to mess up). Plus although I am not diabetic (or pre-diabetic as far as I know) I am a massive carb addict. So this WILL be hard for me.
I’m also a vegetarian and I HATE eggs so the whole protein thing is tricky – any ideas for this much appreciated.
Thanks all.

Hi everyone who recently posted that I haven’t spoken to yet. I’m looking forward to talking to everyone – those who are regular 4wkers, the new 4 wkers like myself and a special hello to CC W. I first did BSD last year, lost 3 stone and mainly enjoyed it. Most importantly, I found this forum invaluable with lots of people giving me encouragement and advice when I needed it most (which is why I’m back now!).

Gattina: Our stories are so similar bar the vegetarian part. I was also reticent about revealing my current weight but I know that several people here have started out at higher weights than I am today and are now celebrating the kind of success that I am aspiring to. I too had more than half my body weight to lose and as of today, I have exactly half my body weight to lose. Btw I’m not suggesting you reveal your weight – just saying that it’s not about where you start but what you hope to achieve 🙂

Hi hollygolightly1 – welcome! I’m not a veggie so I get my protein from eggs and fish so can’t really help there. However there are a number of posts already on this forum that might help you. There’s a Search button top right but to get you started, here were a few threads that popped up that might be useful:

https://thebloodsugardiet.com/?s=vegetarian+protein (hope that takes you there)

I’m sure others will have better advice for you but I just wanted to say that I love this ‘diet’. It’s the only way of eating that has ever made sense to me and, more importantly, worked for me. If I don’t keep up the way of eating then I do put weight back on (because I can’t process carbs) but with a bit more discipline I’m sure I can keep away. Best of luck!

Welcome to all the new and/or returning challengers. Wishing you well on your personal challenges. Love seeing all the familiar names coming along also.

– Shanshu, you did have a rotten start to the day, good on you for working your way through it in good order. Re the “Clever Guts” book, I bought it early then only skimmed through it. I wasn’t in the right mood for it then but it is probably a good time to bring it out again. I have seen some related programmes on tv, very interesting. I have since taken up sauerkraut and kimchi, not kefir yet, but a daily dose of apple cider vinegar. I think there is also a website related to the book. Others may be able help more.
– Natalie, love your positivity after your recent hiccup.
– Towanda57, you’re welcome, thank you, but I do get more than I give in these challenges. Good to see you on here, keep posting.
– CC W, if this way of eating (WOE) is to become a way of life (WOL) then we need to fit the programme to us. If you choose not to record weight, that is your choice, though knowing your baseline might be a good idea. Another good idea is to set specific behavioural goals (see arcticfox’s and Natalie’s posts above) that you can refer to as you go.
– Wannabeslim, self sabotage is a common story on these pages, myself included, and it leaves you feeling awful in more ways than one. Loving your positive reaction now, though. Stay with us.
– Little Annie, it sounds as though you have it sussed this time, wishing you lots of focus.
– Ancient Weaver, sad about the dairy, it will take a little getting used to. My OH was diagnosed Coeliac in 1999 and along with that came lactose intolerance. He can have a little bit of dairy every now and again but pays for it if he increases the amount or frequency. We eat sheeps milk yoghurt, and yes, expensive (in Perth, W. Aust) and so is GF but I figure I cost the budget less because I’m eating less (and definitely fewer chocs etc) which means we can have quality foods. My rationale, anyway:)
– Gattina, join in, as often as you can. You know, I’ve come to hate the word “treats”. I think I will banish is from my vocabulary. If you have Qs re the Vege way here, just type key words into the search box in top R corner of the page and you should find plenty of information to help you along.
– hollygolightly1, many people on here are in your position +/- the amount of weight to lose. You may find that you will lose the weight on higher cals than 800 but being meticulous about the starchy carbs and so-called “treat” carbs.

Off to bed now, have a good day/night wherever you are. MFODAAT

Yes it’s great to see so many regular and some new challenger’s and thank you again Marsie for getting us motivated.
I have put my failure during the last challenge behind me and over the next four weeks I aim to lose as much as I can of the regained weight, start to walk again each day, cut out the wine (!) and record my calorie and carb intake.
We have booked a holiday in May and I really want to try and get rid of this fat!!
Back to the new mantra MOODAAT.
X B

Hello, everyone. I’m happy to see so many signing up for this
challenge!

I’m not here to sign up, but to specifically speak to Gattina and
Shanshu. If you have been lurkers, you may have already heard
my story, but I will assume you have not 🙂 In June of 2016 I
was staring at a scale that said I was 285 lbs. How do we even
admit this to ourselves? I had chronic fatigue and several
chronic pain maladies. I was depressed, and thought that my life
going forward would look about the same. I knew nothing
about this forum, but I set off on the BSD nevertheless. In
10 months time I lost 140lbs by keeping strictly to 800 cal.
and lowering my carbs to <20 after an 18 day stall on the scales.
No breaks, no “treats”, no excuses. I’m one of those all or
nothing personalities, so this strategy spelled success for me.
I’ve lost another 8 lbs in maintenance, which I’ve been practicing
for 9 months time. Every aspect of my life has changed, but
I never want to forget where I came from, so I’m usually out
and about on numerous threads. You ladies can do this, you
have the power within you to change your destiny forever.
Seize it, make frequent use of the forums. We’ll be here to
help and support you when you’re feeling unsure. Losing
50% of your body weight can most definitely be done. Esnecca
and I know this, and we want the same for you!
Best wishes,

Allie

Thank you Allie. It is encouraging to hear yours and everyone else’s story. I hope to be popping into other people’s threads this time next year and telling them I too am a member of the 100 club and encouraging them that they can do it too. It’s definitely something to aim for.

Morning all, I’m joining in once again for another 4 week stint.
ideally I’d love to lose 2.4kg, as this will see me move into the Overweight bracket in BMI, rather than obese which is where I’ve been for the past 7 years at least.
My overall loss in the last challenge was 1.1kg, so I need to do better this time around. I’m still 1.2kg away from my lowest weight since starting BSD, which I hit in early December, so I’m looking forward to hopefully reaching that again in the first couple of weeks of this round.
Now that I don’t have the extra challenges which the festive season and summer holidays bring, I’m hoping to do better. I’ll be away this long weekend (Australia Day), and won’t be able to weigh foods but I’m planning to eat on plan foods and record everything in My Fitness Pal. I have a daily recording ‘streak’ there of 375 days so don’t want to break that!
Shanshu – I have about 1000 calories per day on average, I find it easier to stick to than 800, especially after a year on BSD. I find that as long as I keep my carb intake down I can still lose weight on 1000-1200 calories.
For this challenge I’m going to try 3 or 4 800 calorie days each week and then 2 or 3 1000/1200 calorie days, to allow for weekends and entertaining. If I just had to do BSD for 8 weeks I’m sure I could stick to 800 calories, but it’s going to take me at least 8 months to lose the 18kg I want to lose.
Good luck everyone 🙂

Ancient Weaver, so sad to hear about you having to avoid dairy. I think I felt similarly when I had to give up soy. I loved it and consumed it in many forms, soy milk every day, tofu, tempeh, etc. I think I actually went through a minor period of grieving for it when I found out I was allergic.
Is Daiya available where you are? It is made in my hometown, so likely more readily available in my area than many other areas maybe. I have heard good things about it, although I have only tried the cream cheese myself. We also have a local company that makes vegan fine ‘cheeses’, and although I have not tried them myself, some of my friends have and have been blown away by how good they taste.

Shanshu I hope your day improved!

I really need to go shopping for new clothes. I have one new pair of denim shorts, otherwise everything is ridiculously baggy. It hasn’t mattered so much as I’ve mainly been at home (I’m currently a student with long summer holidays) but this semester I’ll be out in work placement and I have nothing at all suitable for a workplace (I’m studying to be a Library technician, one semester to go). Last time I tried shopping I couldn’t quite squeeze into the next size down, hopefully I can now. I’ve been quite surprised how much weight loss it’s taken to go down a clothing size, I’ve lost about 11 kg total.

I would love to join in with challenge. I want to lose 4lb. . I put 2lb on at Christmas taking me over my goal weight of 133 lb and today I am 134 lb. Although I am sticking to BSD and 16:8 I’ve found myself eating a packet of crisps here and there and I feel I need to be more accountable because I think I could easily slip into old habits! I have felt quite hungry during January which I’ve not handled well and I want to feel in control again. So, I’ve committed to four good weeks to see if I can get back on plan 100%. It took me the best part of last year to lose my weight (42lb) and I don’t want it to start creeping back on. Thank you for starting this thread- great name too!

Morning all, I’m in as well. After 10 weeks BSD I’m now just under 6kg from my goal weight. My target for this challenge is another 4kg. I figure weight loss is likely to slow down as I get closer to my target so I also want to include some metabolism protecting fasts into this challenge. So far I can’t seem to get passed 23 hours so for this challenge I will add a couple of 36 hour fasts.

So starting weight is 65.8kg.

Hello to all the new challengers. One of the encouraging things is the variety of approaches that everyone uses, how differently our bodies react etc, but that finding what works and sticking to it brings results. I find 800/20 and 16/8 works well for me. I’m the type for whom exceptions and ‘treats’ will rapidly escalate and I don’t have the stamina or fortitude for stops and starts. Bit all or nothing.

I’m in. This is my first attempt at BSD. I am 41, 5’9 and weigh 218.6lbs. When I look in the mirror I see someone who weighs about 170 ☹️ Which is what I’m trying to get down to.

The irony is that I am very disciplined in every area of my life – except eating. I did my first triathlon last year and plan to do another two this summer. I want to do it without carrying the weight of my six-year-old around with me.

Aiming to get down to 160lbs by October. We are having a big family trip to Disney World in Florida and I’m sick of avoiding the camera because I’m so mortified by how I look.

For the challenge, I’d be thrilled to get to 200lbs. I know it’s a long shot, I’d have to lose 4.5lbs a week. But damnit, I need to do something.

You are getting so close, Flick! It’s not a question of if but when,
for you….I hope this challenge propels you toward the finish line.
You’ve done this the way I have, so of course I can relate 🙂 I’ll
be checking in on your progress..take no prisoners 🙂 🙂 🙂

Allie

Quick check-in – I made it through the day at 750 calories and 21g carbs so quite pleased with myself. I also managed over 11,000 steps but was probably a bit lax on the water.

Unfortunately I was too busy tonight to prep food for tomorrow so I’ll have to buy stuff on my way in. Hoping to not get tempted when I go shopping.

It’s really great to see so many people on this thread. I am reading them all even though I’m not commenting all them all. Wishing everyone luck with their goals for the next 4 weeks.

It’s just occurred to me that this challenge finishes up on my BSD birthday 🙂

It would be so good to be able to celebrate that milestone at my goal weight! That thought is going to stiffen my resolve over the Australia Day long weekend- two BBQs and my BIL’s 60th birthday party. Must remember that nothing tastes as good as thin feels, and no one except me is responsible for what I put in my mouth. The food’s no problem, the sparkling wine is a bigger challenge.

Morning all,

Well, what an active thread!!! Hello everyone, very excited about the momentum we could pick up this month.

Today +0.2lb.

Daily struggles with cravings again. Yesterday, I found a box of chocs and 2 large fistfuls went in 😩 Really don’t know how to manage fatigue/feeling ill not leading to poor food choices. Hubby has hidden everything from me.

I am going to commit to today being BSD compliant. Will report back tomorrow.

JackieM & MixnMatch – From what I understand about bf scales, their accuracy is +/- 4%. I agree that their usefulness is tracking trends. I think I need to lose another 5% body fat and when I think that I am close to this goal, I am planning to get a ultrasound scan to give me a more reliable reading and actually see how much visceral fat I am holding. My body fat has always been either borderline or high, but my weight is closer to the bottom of the healthy BMI.

I am at the stage of looking slim and getting the ‘you aren’t going to lose any more are you’ comments, to which I end up discussing the effects of visceral fat and how BMI is a blunt tool. People seem to be genuinely shocked that before this weight loss, I was within a healthy BMI but in the obese category for body fat and hip/waist ratio. Hubby hasn’t had a ‘healthy’ BMI since he was 18, (now 42) but he carries a lot of muscle. He played rugby for donkeys years and does not carry much body fat. He could just about squeak into the top end of his BMI and be healthy where as I really need to sit at the bottom end of mine.

Anyway, onwards and downwards, aiming for a better 24hours. Have a good one everyone.

x

I have a feeling my scales are over reading much more than 4%, maybe as much as 10%. Last year when I did a boditrax scan that uses similar principles but includes hand sensors my body fat read as 22% and my old bathroom scales stubbornly reported 34% all the time. I put this down to my pear shape, the scales are measuring just my fattest bit with the legs and thighs. Even assuming a couple of percent under reading from the more accurate scan that is a 10 percent difference. This morning shows another drop in ‘muscle’ which is the glycogen I have been burning these last few days of low carbing. Weight is below 11 1/2 stone for the first time in months though so it is working.