Hi RubyG
That’s brilliant that the BSD is working so well for you both. It’s so good to hear that it works so well for keeping control of blood sugar and reversing type 2 diabetes and setting prediabetics back on a normal path (mostly). It’s so fantastic, I wish more doctors would take it on board. Keep up the good work! It is a great way of eating and I’m looking forward to the 5:2 phase, I just wanted a boost before I do it! I’m not in either of the categories I mentioned above, but if I keep up the way I was eating I might have ended up there, which is why I chose this way rather than returning to SW.

Back again, RubyG, are we reading the same page on the recipe book. We too had pork chop but with leeks, apple, creme fraiche and mustard. It was very nice.
Barefoot Girl, everything is good, my advice was generic and not aimed and you or your personal circumstances as I cant know that but my advice comes almost from the pages of the book so just handy hints and tips. I am very good at slipping up on the diet and also need help at times.. As I say to everyone, keep on keeping on…

Hi all! Happy Friday!

Great news weighed myself this morning and I’m now down 14.5 pounds. So a stone off in just under three weeks! I still have a way to go, but it is definitely motivating. I can feel my weight loss plateauing, so won’t expect to see such a rapid loss now, but think it’s possible I might get down to 11 stone by the end of the 8 weeks. That’s five weeks to go and 11.5 pounds to go, so we’ll see. It feels like a realistic goal as it’s about 2 pounds a week. This would also bring me into my healthy BMI range, which is another great goal. I’m hoping my parents get vaccinated by then. Haven’t seen them since October last year and it would be a great surprise if they could see a lot less of me, when I finally see them!
Weekends are tricky for a lot of people including me, so good luck everyone and keep going. We can do this.

My scale came today. It’s super sleek and takes all these measurements that don’t really matter, but it was on sale so hurray. I tested it’s accuracy with two 8lb weights and it was pretty close so I’ll be using it from now on.
I’m making tomorrow 1/23 as my day one. I feel ready to go. I will stick with the menu I created earlier this week and aim to stay grain and sugar free as well as under 800 calories until the next weekly post is up. This is my baby goal for the month.

Hi everyone. Thanks again for the support given here. Such wisdom from people that get it…
I’m having some insights about my comfort eating, and my coping strategies in general, when life is tough. Wendy – your comment about eating well regardless of what is happening is very relevant for me. My binge eating relates to me trying to anaesthetise my anxiety. It eases the internal turmoil by distracting me, and sending me into a (temporary) state of pleasure. Without it, I have to learn to deal with those emotions. I have done this since I was a young child, so it is deeply ingrained in me. The other night I had an experience that hit home for me. I had been up through the night minding my grandchild (so very tired) and was feeling especially anxious about an ongoing family issue. As I drove home at 5 in the morning, I stopped at the service station and bought excessive junk food items and ate them in the car without a second thought. I then realised that the items I ate were the exact same junk food items that I would buy repeatedly as a child (nearly 50 years ago). Such a subconscious choice, such a well worn neural pathway.

It’s easier to make the right choices when things are good, but the challenge (for me) is to find it in myself to be brave and resilient and nurturing of myself when things aren’t good. Because it is neither nurturing or comforting to fill myself with sugar, delude myself into believing it will make me feel better, then crash physically and emotionally.

So that’s me right now. Feeling vulnerable but facing the truth.

Alison

Hi All,
Happy Saturday for me: 1.3 lbs lost this week- only 0.6 lbs to my birthday goal! And 3.6 lbs to my goal goal!! Gotta keep it up now 😁
Love to all,
Tulip1 xx

Alison- amazing insight there… I agree, I have definitely had to find other self-soothing techniques for my emotions- I like baths (especially if I have some ‘Lush’ products 😍), solitary walks and runs in the fresh air where I sort out a lot of things in my head, and chilling out by the fire with a good book.
Oh- and BSD-friendly treats in small amounts e.g. wine, v dark choc, good coffee.
Tulip1 x

Just wanted to weigh on on the ‘comfort’ eating and mindset. Think most of us have wrangled the demons driving us to eat inappropriately, self-sabotaging our efforts to get control. Tulip1, I agree that until we can retrain ourselves to approach food mindfully, diversionary tactics are really useful, giving ourselves space to reevaluate and sidestep the danger. So finding a diversion that works for you is really helpful ….. “if I get stressed I will….”. You’ll probably need a couple of options, but if it has to be food, make it something BSD friendly.

However, the other key things we must learn, are A) not to allow one slip, to become permission to go completely of the rails. Sure most of us are familiar with the ‘I’ve messed it up now, so what’s the point’ self-talk. And B) is to forgive ourselves for being human and imperfect. We all mess up along the way, what we mustn’t do is beat ourselves up for it, because that feeds negativity and helps to defeat us. Yes, we need to recognise and own our slips, trips and deviations from what we know we SHOULD be doing, but don’t dwell on these. Move on and get straight back on track immediately…. not tomorrow, or next week, but NOW.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Hi everyone ! Just catching up on the thread and love reading all the support and encouragement . I have never done Slimming World or Weight Watchers . I did my own thing for years and nothing worked . I think deep down it was because I was ‘ on a diet’ which brought with it feelings of frustration and deprivation. I couldn’t have something because it was ‘forbidden’ so I wanted it more and more and inevitably gave in because I ‘deserved it’ after a tough day .. or because I could always start again tomorrow, or after the weekend ….. The stress we put ourselves under !!
What I would say is don’t get too fixated on any numbers or weight you *should* be discarding after so many weeks . Everyone reacts differently but try to look at the longer term picture and the time will come when you are no longer ‘on a diet’ because you have found foods you enjoy and which satisfy you . As you limit carbs you will in time become more ‘fat adapted’ and this will become apparent when you can happily not eat for several hours and not feel desperately hungry . Your urge and craving for a sugar hit will have abated . BUT…. it takes time and for sure if you do give in to the carb cravings it will be longer .

To be honest I don’t see ‘treats’ in the same way anymore . If anything it is fruit that I miss but very little else . We have to find what works for us though . If having a ‘treat’ means you can stay on plan 90% of the time then why not . Tastes do change radically over time and certain foods will become less appealing . But don’t beat yourself up whatever your choices !!

Alipetunia/ Alison , thank you for sharing your experience so openly and honestly . I am sure your words resonated with many of us here . It’s tough isn’t it when the familiar patterns keep us returning to the same comforting behaviours . What is interesting is that you recognised that pattern .

Could I suggest a few things to read, Alison ? I found the following useful

Food Junkies : recovery from food addiction by Vera Tarman
Why do you over eat ? When all you want is to be slim by Zoe Harcombe. She is really good on cravings and addiction as she suffered from an eating disorder herself .
Always hungry ? Conquer cravings, retrain your fat cells and lose weight permanently bu David Ludwig
The case against sugar by Gary Taubes . Also his ‘ Why we get fat and what to do about it’
Fat chance . The bitter truth about sugar by Robert Lustig
Judith Beck is good ( cognitive behaviour therapy)

There are also lots of videos on the dietdoctor website . The link between food cravings and emotions is so powerful …and insiduous . You have the tools and the strength to overcome them, Alison and voicing them despite of feeling vulnerable is the first step . You are not alone xx

LA .. believe in yourself . You can do this . Don’t allow yourself to be derailed . You are doing absolutely the right thing planning meals around the family with adaptations for you . Just make small changes if it seems overwhelming . Eliminating all snacks , definitely cutting out the grains and sugar will make you feel better . Your scales sound very fancy ! Take your measurements too and stay strong even when emotions run high xx

I am not forgetting anyone who has had brilliant results ! You are all amazing . We all have different challenges but we are all in this together, to celebrate our victories, however small and to give a helping hand to anyone struggling. Have a great weekend wherever you are and stay safe xx

There was an interesting article in the Times on Saturday. – It ranged from explaining why “comfort” eating doesn’t work to explaining why a high carb diet may put us more at risk from Covid and what to do to improve our gut bacteria.

I have put a copy on the Take a Look at This thread.

Thank you JGwen – that’s a really interesting article. And I will try and find the Nature article that was mentioned. Healthy gut = healthier life.

JGwen thank you, what an informative article!!

Hello. I’m chugging through. I’m planning to makes the garlic Ginger soup posted by Verano a while back. I hoped it is as delicious as it sounds. I read something about a chorizo and spinach (maybe?) Soup so I’m hunting fur the recipe. I get cold easily do I’m a big soup fan. I would love to find a soup that I could just make. in the morning and eat throughout the day without worrying about measuring, where one pot would fit into a single days macros.
239.2->238 (day 2)

Hi all. Just wondering if this WOE can result in vitamin deficiencies? I’ve just found out I’m low in potassium which is something new for me…

Alipetunia,

When we eat a carb high diet our bodies need to store water to process the sugars. When we drop the carbs our bodies release the stored water. Hence the rapid weight loss at the start. As our bodies release the water the kidneys also release electrolytes so you do need to replace them.

Our bodies also need salt to help them process the fat from fat cells. There was recently a talk on this topic by Dr Bikman that you can access via the InsulinIQ facebook group if you are interested in the detail.

Processed food tends to include more salt, so if you drop that you do need to remember to add salt when cooking.

So yes you do need to increase the amount of salt you eat with this way of eating.

By the way the advice that salt intake = high blood pressure as been debunked.

Hi Alipetunia/Alison
JGwen is absolutely right and you need to take care to make sure your electrolytes are not depleted as you eat low carb . I certainly had problems with low magnesium.
Here’s a link which discusses foods you can eat to keep your levels up

https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/keto/supplements

How is everyone after the weekend ? We dragged ourselves out for a walk yesterday despite the gloomy drizzle . No snow here though . Take care everyone if you are struggling with icy roads etc . Feeling envious of our friends on the other side of the world xx

LA I will have a look for soup recipes for you . Good luck this week . You can do it xx

I saw this in my inbox this morning ….a free online summit called Overcoming Emotional Eating

https://www.overcome-emotional-eating.com/#:~:text=%20Is%20This%20Summit%20for%20You?%20%201,Lose%20weight%20and%20keep%20it%20off%20More

It runs from February 1st until the 6th with different speakers and ‘experts’ every day . The only one I am familiar with is Vera Tarman . You would have to check the timings of the interviews when they go out as I don’t think free replay would be possible. I wouldn’t want to pay for access !

Maybe worth a look ? If you follow the link you can see who is speaking each day .

I will be back later to set up the new weekly thread . I am approaching the end of my dairy and nut free 30 day reboot and inflammation has definitely improved . I think I can cope better with my tendency to over indulge on cream and Greek yoghurt . I have broken a habit but I have to keep an eye on it. I have really enjoyed my hemp milk cappuccinos so they will stay !
See you all later !

Back again and about to set up the new weekly thread !!

It’s here

LET’S KEEP GOING IN 2021! ONE WEEK AT A TIME BEGINNING 26TH JANUARY 2021

Thanks Wendy