LESSONS LEARNT AT 16 WEEKS

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  • posted by Davidh
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    Whilst I’m delighted to have lost 2 stones 6 lbs in the 16 weeks since starting the BSD, I’ve learnt some personal lessons which, I guess by recording them here, I kind of hope this motivates me to stop continuing with bad habits!
    1. Red wine has calories and slows down the weight loss process: I’ve started to only order in 150 ml measures and, instead of 750 ml bottles, now go for small bottles
    2. Nuts are great, but wow…so high in calories. Need to watch the amount I eat.
    3. I’ve moved from full fat Greek or natural yogurt to Alpro Natural Soya yogurt. Less carbs, less calories and just seems to work better.
    4. I started to use zero calorie vanilla and toffee syrups in my coffee. Bad move! It just stimulates my sugar craving.
    5. Exercise is key when I plateau. I started cycling and, apart from the rear end pain, it is helping.
    6. I write down ‘everything’ I eat and drink in my diary and, input into ‘My Fitness Pal’ App. Helps keep me focused.
    7. Finally, BSD is not a diet, it is a way of life. I won’t and can’t return to my previous way of eating and drinking. It’s not like one day this will all end, and I’ll embrace burger and chips again.
    Good luck and best wishes to everyone, and…..Keep going…It works!

  • posted by Nettle
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    Well put Davidh.
    After 55 weeks I can concur. It’s been a normal way of life for 6 months now, below original target weight and holding no problem. Liberating and quite exciting for this old chick.

    Did you know there are padded bike shorts and gel saddles? 😉

    Nettle.

  • posted by Davidh
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    Hi Nettle. That’s funny! At one time, I had a gel seat, a gel seat cover and, wore two pairs of seriously padded shorts! I even invested in a suspension seat post which, as I left the cycle shop depressed with my weight and never came up again! At the end of the day, I learnt just to get on with it and stop being a 62 year old wimp! No pain….no gain.. David

  • posted by Nettle
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    Hi David

    An image of Michelin Man on bike. 😆

    I rode a bike in my youth, wanted to get back into it when we arrived in a wonderful part of the world with miles (kms) of tracks so at the tender age of 60, Santa delivered a bike to our house….it is fun but these off road models are much heavier than I was used to. The tracks are fine but quite bumpy in parts so I’ve learned not to take those sections while seated, suspension is only good to a point as you have found. I’m 18 kg lighter which makes life sweeter but the seat no softer.

    When I walk the tracks I bemoan the mad cyclists cruising up on me…..buy a bell people!
    N.

  • posted by ClarinetCathy
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    Thank you for sharing your personal lessons learnt Davidh. I have been following the plan for 10 weeks now and have lost 19.5lb. I am in the second week of round 2 and plan to do three rounds to try and get me to a healthy BMI. LIke you I am learning lessons about this way of eating and nuts are on my watch list! . I am going to stick with the Greek Yoghurt because I really enjoy it and it feels like a treat! The plateau problem is a big one for me and I am losing weight very, very slowly. I am going to dust down the exercise bike that has been in the loft for many years and give it a go. I think your point number 7 really resonated with me and I liken this way of eating to being a vegetarian (which I have been for over 25 years) in that I would never ever think of eating meat or fish and so now with this new way of eating I would never ever think of eating bread, rice, potatoes, pasta etc and I can honestly say that I don’t feel like I am on a diet! You have done so well losing two and a half stone in 16 weeks. Another lesson I am learning is that this doesn’t have to be a quick fix and I am enjoying the journey a lot more than any previous “diet” I have been on and I’ve been on a lot over many years.

  • posted by Maharani kitten
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    Hi David and well done!

    I’m at 30 weeks, 52lbs gone and completely agree with your learning tips.
    Have been having convo’s on another post about returning to a ‘default’way of eating and the way slimming clubs market to people by showing them eating a ‘normal’ diet that seems to major on potato wedges, cheesecake and ice cream! It’s amazing to me now to view what’s generally agreed as ‘normal’ eating, and incredible to think that I once saw these nasties as ‘treats’ and the way I ate as in any way normal for health.

    Moving forward as T2D in recovery, my upped calories will be from larger portions of plainly cooked meat and fish, a piece of fruit each day, a bit more cheese, and that’s the lot. Don’t ever want to get into bread, chocolate (my nemesis) pasta and the like again. These are not treats or rewards. Because if I start, I know I still won’t be able to stop. As well as that, I just don’t aspire to that sort of food any more, it doesn’t seem like a huge adjustment.

    I feel your pain as a born again cyclist some 4 years ago. Can I suggest the baby bottom rash remedy Sudocreme? Judiciously applied to appropriate regions before cycling and after post-cycle shower, it has ….erm… A numbing effect. Now I want you to imagine that advice being given to me by my 60 year old, devout Catholic, batchelor cycling trainer ….. Works though! Mkx

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