We survived January and here we are as February begins, with the promise of warmer, brighter days and the knowledge that Spring is coming .

I am sure we have all achieved something so far this year . No victory is insignificant . It takes time but this is not a race and however small the changes we have made, they all count .

Don’t beat yourself up if January didn’t go exactly to plan . You did your best in the circumstances . You learned something and you are still here .

So let’s keep going , concentrating on doing the best we can according to our own personal challenges .

We are here to support each other as always . Looking forward to continuing with you

Wendy, SunnyB and Sunshine girl xxx

This is the latest list !

wendleg, Sunny B, sunshine girl
JGwen
sixturkeys
Starina
Verano
ADD6605 ( Dawn)
Riccoh
Russianroulade
Tulip1 ( Clare)
Mifoz
MerryMelba
Maryanne Carlos-Mascarenhas
WindyJulz
articfox
Olive1
lauraknits
Marsie (Marilyn)
EllieAllegra
EC:Erin
Hello66
Jordana
Alipetunia/Alison
RubyG and hubby
Ditchedthemet
Dizzychicken
SlinkyTinks
LonelyAdipose
Emzijw
Barefoot girl
Life Diet
allicat1A ( Allie, formerly alliecat !)
RedRooster
nhatha3432
sprox
skittle
Daisybean
workingfromthe fridge
Bombalone
PSL68
ScottM

I have just seen that the Overcome Emotional Eating Summit 2021 begins today .

For those you are interetsed, here is the link .

https://www.overcome-emotional-eating.com/welcome-to-the-summit?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=955249-welcome-to-the-overcome-emotional-eating&utm_source=lists%2F71653-Kick-Sugar-Summit-Updates&simplero_object_id=su_EktifYbNQv1XixEKW99AN3fH

There is still time to access the Day 1 speakers

Thank you for leading us into a new week and indeed a new month, Wendy. As you say, February promises longer days and hopefully warmer days. Fingers crossed a good number of our travellers listed, will continue with us and help to keep the weekly thread active, vibrant and supportive.

Confess, I didn’t make January count in the way I had planned. It was purely a lack of focus, for which I have no good reason. However, having taken the decision to greet the start of Feb with determination, I have dusted off the spreadsheet and kitchen scales and made a decent start at keeping track of all consumed. Day one down and happy with how it went … has all felt quite natural and actually good to get back to basics. Hopefully, this is the kick start I need and that I’ll be able to finish this week …. and eventually the month …. in better shape than at present.

If you are hesitant about joining in here, please just jump right in, doesn’t matter if you are one of the old cast returning, or someone new to the BSD, you’ll be very welcome. Have a good week everyone.

First 4 weeks done and January out of the way. Lost 11.1kg in the first 4 weeks. My fasting bloods have been below 5mmol pretty much every test I’ve done, so all in all feeling much better. Hunger has been less of an issue than in the first couple of weeks. I have a doctors appointment tomorrow to measure HBa1c, so hopefully the first 4 weeks have already started to improve my sugar levels. Have been creating some new recipes to keep going, things like mushrooms in a Greek yog/mustard sauce to go with meat. Also made turkey kebabs with a mint/cucumber Greek yog dip which was also very good. Have already started planning what to do when my 8 weeks are up which will be 5/2 with increased cals but keeping Carbs low. I didn’t really have a plan last time, and whilst I maintained ok for a good while, think I can do better this time.

Hi gang,
Redrooster, fantastic, good luck with your blood test although doesnt sound as though you need any luck, all done with hard work and determination.
Will sign in tomorrow to say how I am doing but I am feeling much better today. New day, new week, new month.

Hi all and once again Wendy thanks for starting a new weekly thread. I’m 4 weeks in and 17 pounds off. Weight loss has slowed and I really struggled last week. However I’m sticking with it and on plan for week 5. I am really struggling with tiredness at the moment and feel exhausted. Was going to try and start some exercise today, but just didn’t have it in me. Will try again tomorrow.
Good luck to everyone for the coming week and well done on your achievements to date. February is a short month, so let’s see what we can accomplish over the next four weeks.

Thanks for this forum. Russianroulade I am having exactly the same troubles with slow loss and tiredness but still feeling positive and I have lost a stone, which is brilliant, and aiming for next milestone of getting below 80kg for the first time in years. Trying to keep exercise levels up and keep planning meals. Tonight having chicken with soft cheese and garlic and going to try cauli bang bang I found in freezer at Lidl – low cals and has jalapeño flavouring so sounds like just the sort of think Michael Moseley would like! (And me too)

Morning all, it has started snowing here but so far, it’s not settling.
Weight this morning 101.7kg so that’s a 1.9kg discard from last week, so I’m pleased with that.
I’ve ordered some ketostix, just to check that I’m in ketosis.
Wishing you all well x

Thanks Wendy! Appreciate the post and wisdom!
Massive shout out to those who have had great achievements though January, brilliant effort and it will only get easier! The energy will return and your body will so appreciate the changes you have made!

I am definitely in the ‘didnt do quite as well as i should have in January” camp! I’ve stuck to general principles with the odd tendency to too many jumbo oats, pecans and raisins. In fact, if i’m honest, too many snax, all be it reasonable snax. I will try to make an excuse…… January is hard at the best of times….. always difficult for horses who arent getting enough exercise, its been frozen and icy here pretty much since Christmas day! Adding lockdown, working from home and such and i have struggled a bit. My default ‘eat dinner get up and go for a walk’ is harder, less outdoor time as my circulation struggles with the cold……. ok so its just hard, and my mantra is “January is for survival not for achievement” and in terms of food and horses, I have just made it through without doing too much damage.
On the upside, cos i need to push myself, I have done a fair bit of running through January, mostly supporting friends who are new to running adn doing a January challenge for charity. But it really has helped my mental health and given me a sense of achievement. And its allowed me to be kind to myself in terms of not beating myself up struggling to be strict on the food. (If i hadnt run so much I would have eaten more…..happy exercise endorphins and distraction factor. So its not as if i have tried to use the running to counter the overeating!)
So now…… maintain exercise, get back into my rhythm with food (it is so about habits) and wait for the longer days and easier weather – we have snow on the ground just now and snow showers forecast for the rest of the week 🙁
I think i need to be more disciplined in posting here…. it helps keep me accountable, when Ive been ‘below average’ I feel like i dont have much to say….. I need to get the motivation and share it with you guys….. whether you like it or not. 😉
I shall return this evening to tell you (and myself) about my day! I hardly ever post in the evening so this will is a wee change i can make and will hopefully help me make good choices this evening and eat more modestly!

Have a good February BSD friends

Julz

Hi all I hope nobody minds if I join in!

I’m just starting week 6 today, lost 18lbs so far (am doing this for weight loss rather than sugar control)

I had really bad keto flu the first two weeks (I remember suffering badly when I did this diet a few years ago, nothing worked to help it I just had to endure) but since then I’ve been feeling ok – not what I would call amazing but I do have chronic fatigue syndrome so I guess I cant ask for too much. I’m not really hungry apart from meal time, I’m doing 16:8 TRE as well so skipping breakfast. Mostly enjoy the food and I cook from scratch. I’ve woken up this morning though feeling shaky and sick again and with a headache and dizziness – feels like keto flu but I haven’t changed anything? Carbs are below 35g every day and sometimes below that. I don’t feel awful yet but ill enough that I just want to sleep and lie in bed – and I really can’t, I’ve got loads of work to do!

Has anyone had a resurgence of carb flu six weeks in? Or any suggestions? I’ve tried the salt thing, am drinking at least 3l water a day and using up the calories with low carb, high fibre, moderate protein and healthy fats.

Lauren

Oh and for the experts in here….. this is an odd one….. generally the advice is ‘plan plan plan’.
So where is my head at?? The more i plan the more i “rebel”. If i input dinner before i have it, or add to my spreadsheet (which i find therapeutic and like doing) i will almost always “change my mind” and eat something different.
If i have a loose plan in my head, dont commit to anything, then when i get to dinner time i just merrily make the right thing….. so there is something odd with my psychology here……… clearly feeling a little rebellious and non-conforming, do i just go with that, loose planning and not over dwelling?? Maybe thats it – maybe if i over plan, i then spend the rest of the day dwelling on food and it makes me hungrier and like i need some kind of mission to do something else…….

My head is a strange place i realise…..any thoughts on this are very welcome!!

Hi florob85,
Keto flu is caused by the drop of electrolytes when you first cut out the carbs. – Our bodies have to hold water to process the carbs and when we stop eating them our kidneys release the water but at the same time release electrolytes. – The issue is resolved if you increase your salt intake.

If i have too many carbs for a couple of days, and then get back on the wagon or if I am busy I need to remember to increase my salt intake or I get cramps in my lower legs or a headache.

Hi sprox
Please don’t waste your money buying keto pee sticks. they are a very unreliable way of testing for ketosis. – When you first enter ketosis your body produces excess ketones which it does get rid of in your urine, but over time your body adapts and does produce more ketones than it needs so does not release in your urine.

If you search the take a look at this thread you will find articles comparing the accuracy of different methods of monitoring ketones. The simplest is to use a cheap breathalyser. – If you are burning ketones for fuel there is a byproduct of that process in your breath.

Thanks for the weekly thread, RubyG and hubby still here.
Like others, I have not had a great January and feel like I’ve stood still, but I like the thought that January is about surviving, so I’ll accept that as of today, I am 12st 6.2lb (I have seen the same couple of pounds a few times this month and need to get them shifted) which is no worse than before Christmas, and I do certainly feel healthier.
I have looked back on my original starting the BSD thread for motivation and realise we have come a long way, but recognise we are still on that journey with some way to go.
ODAAT!

Julz, have to say that your scenario resonates with me. I much prefer a more casual approach without too much planning, so choose what the cook with relatively little notice and don’t record anything until it’s been consumed. Yes there are occasional slips, but having been with BSD for sometime now (as you have too), I’m usually able to make reasonably good food decisions without too much advance calculation.
Also like you, I like the spreadsheet thing … being a bit if a technophobe, haven’t really jelled with the tracking apps. Anyway, in my opinion if you have a system that works for you, no need to change it or stress about not doing things in exactly the same way as others.

Ruby, you’re not alone in feeling January was just about surviving. Think it’s a familiar tale and it was certainly the case for me. All power to you for both accepting where you are now and reviewing, so that you can embrace your achievements to date and use that as a springboard to greater things. Best wishes to you and hubby for positive results this month.

Hi everyone, January has been a difficult month for many people, me included. Had a stuck week and not too bothered as I know exactly where I went wrong – bread and wine…. Going to try my hardest this week as it is my birthday on Sunday and I want to celebrate my very first lockdown birthday in style – Sunday roast and a bottle of wine 🙂 But I still want to lose weight. Hopeful arent I. Last year we went to one of our favourite restaurants and were given free champagne, that was the last time we went out until September.

RubyG, it is nice to look back and see how far we have come and you and hubby are doing great. Also noticed a lot of the newbies are reporting good losses so congratulations and big hug of encouragement to Redrooster, Russianroulade, Workingfromthefridge, Florob85 and Sprox. Sprox I have to agree with JGwen. The keto sticks are not a lot of good. Once your body gets used to having ketones around and after flushing them out at the start, it (you body) starts to use them as a source of energy so you no longer excrete quite so many. It will look as though you are no longer in ketosis and that discourages people and even leads them to try to cut down even further or worse, come off the diet. You are doing great so you dont need something to prove it to you.

I too like to be organised -different strokes etc – and find I do better if I can plan a weekly menu. This is a bit up in the air right now as I choose not to shop twice a week for obvious reasons and used to shop on Monday morning and that set me up for the week. Now I am having to get my head around a Thursday shop and nearly running out of stuff by Tues, Wed. Should really have got to grips with it as it has been nearly a year. One thing I have done is get my shopping back to the pre-covid amount money-wise instead of buying everything in site JIC (Just In Case). Not heard anything yet but France might be heading for its 3rd lockdown. Having had hardly any cases in my region it is now running rampant. Might have to start online shopping again. We still have to collect but from a depot not the store. They have now started delivering but I am not paying €10 when it is less than 2 mins in the car.

Have a good week everyone and remember, February is a short month to give you a chance to get over January.

Thank you sunshine-girl and JGwen for your answers and congratulations

I wondered if I could ask any of you who keep their carbs below 20g a day what exactly you eat to achieve this? I’ve been keeping mine below 35g but I just cannot see how to reduce further when there is carbs in everything – yoghurt, lettuce, cucumber, leafy veg etc, cheese. For example I’m having brussel sprouts with my tea tonight (which I absolutely love so there’s no trouble eating them!) – I know sprouts are healthy, and I will have mine simply steamed with no added butter etc. Have planned in 100g which is around 10 sprouts (is this an unreasonable amount?!) and my app says that there are 4.1g carbs just in those – that’s a quarter of my allowance for just one part of my dinner! The skyr I had as part of lunch (80g) had another 3.2g, the almonds I had with it (10g) another 0.8g, I had a baby cucumber with lunch too, another 2g…..it’s all starting to add up and I haven’t even included everything today. For example I’m having homemade chilli with cauli rice tonight with my sprouts – I know where the carbs can be reduced in the chilli, the tomatoes and the kidney beans (which are already calculated to be under my 35g total for the day so already pretty low) – but even the cauli rice is another 1.5g.

Sorry I’m spinning out a little, but I just feel like if I add even more green veg, which isn’t a problem as I do enjoy it, then the carbs will creep up and up, if I add more protein I’m going to be over ‘moderate’ protein and I already factor in healthy fats like olive oil and avocado into my calories, as well as flax and chia seeds, eggs, nuts etc. in moderation of course. I don’t physically think I could stomach more fat, I’m not a fan of oil as it is to be honest so I include it only to be sticking to the principles of the diet. Also curious how you keep your carbs so low but also eat 25g fibre a day – I’m taking supplements and still only manage 15g fibre most days because fibre is largely found in the leafy veg (I know it’s in grains etc. but not eating those at all) and they are often equally high in carbs! Feeling confused, any suggestions welcome!

Lauren

Hello everyone
My first time on this thread
It’s day five for me and am down seven pounds. Yay!!!!
Feel crappy in the morning and am having nightmares, but other than that feel pretty good.
I do have a question….are we burning fat in the early stages with the water. Or is it just water for awhile?
Hope everyone is staying safe

Thanks

Hi tamara 1, after about the first 4 or 5 days you should be losing fat. Doesnt take long, the water flushes out in a few days but not exact for everyone. Even then you have to keep drinking plenty of water to flush out the fat molecules. Dont forget to replace the electrolytes (salts) you will also be flushing out. Just a tiny bit of salt. If you are no longer eating processed foods which are full of salt, or adding salt to your cooking – I never do, due to high BP, then you will already be on a lot less salt than your body is used to. That is good but you still need a little bit.

Florob85, for me, I find it very difficult to get below around 30gm without either going too low on calories or having to eat more protein or fat. I dont mind the carbs if they are made up of good nutritious veg and a lot of that being fibre gets flushed down the toilet :). JGwen will come and give you some advice of what to do if you really want to get low so I will hand it over to her to give the other side of the story.

Thanks guys
I’m watching everything I put in my mouth
Never really added salt before but have been since starting this journey.
I drink more water than the recommended amount.
I find if I want a sweet flavour I’ll have a can of Diet Coke. Does the trick for me.
Don’t expect weight loss to continue at this rate , but it’s a good start.

Thanks

Hello,

I’ve just joined the forum. I’ve been trying to do the Fast 800 by myself, but struggling to get going (I have an continuous case of the ‘I’ll start tomorrows’), so thought I would sign up and being on the forum might help me start.

I successfully tried a similar way of losing weight a few years ago and I know after 3 or 4 weeks I’ll be enjoying it, for me it’s the initial bit that I find hard, kicking the sugar and dealing with Keto Flu.

I’ve read the book, got my GP on board and will have a good root round the forum tonight for tips.
Nice to meet you!
Summer

Hello everyone and especially new posters!
Good idea Summer, this forum really helped me lose 21kg 2 years ago. I’m back due to putting a load back on #pandemicovereating
I find posting on here helps keep me accountable and there is so much amazing advice and support even though I am not a very frequent or long term poster. Everyone is so kind.

Discard progress so far:
Week 1: 3.3kg
Week 2: 0.7kg
Week 3: 2kg
Week 4: 1kg

So 7kg total so far. Happy to keep making progress, 7 more kg to go. Proud of doing dry Jan and will continue through Feb. Will keep on truckin’. I have now got myself back to the weight of Feb 2020, so have reversed 10 months of overindulgence in 4 weeks, which is pretty satisfying. Now need to knock the next lot off! Hoping to reach target by my birthday in early March.

Hello. Checking in.
Jan 26 – 239.2 lb —> Feb 2 – 232.4 lb
Sooooooo, last week didn’t go as planned. I became severely sick to my stomach last Tuesday (I think it was a slight case of food poisoning). I fasted that day, has only chicken broth the next. Every time I ate, my stomach would start to hurt again so I did OMAD all week. I also ended up having one rice ball Sunday evening because I was at my wit’s end trying to settle my stomach. It seemed to do the trick and I started feeling better Monday.
Because of being ill, I have not been getting my calories in so I’m starting to keep track of everything today. I am happy with the week’s loss, but I think it is mostly due to not eating enough. So we will see. This week’s goal is to try to be more active.

Wendy, thanks for leading us again this week.
SunnyB, I’m with you. Let’s do our best.
RedRooster, those turkey kabobs sound delish. Mind sharing the recipe?
RussianRoulade, what a great loss! I’m so jelly!!! What sort of activity are you thinking about starting?
WorkingFromTheFridge, what’s cauli bang bang?
Phew, too many posts to catch up on.

Interesting article here about fats vs carbs for heart health
https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7887357/fat-more-heart-healthy-than-carbs/

Hi JGwen
That’s good to know. Thanks 🙂

Hi L Adipose, of course I don’t mind sharing, I’ve made them a few times and each time change it a bit.
I use 200g of 2% fat Turkey mince, finely diced onion and green chilli, mix in chilli flakes, ground cumin, Garam masala, garlic powder, chilli powder, salt, pepper . Just a few pinches of whatever I fancy. Mix and mould it into either burgers or sausage shaped kebabs and put in the oven – don’t over cook them as they’ll dry out. I then use a few tablespoons of fat free Greek yogurt, salt, pepper, finely chopped mint and diced cucumber to make a dip (I usually make this earlier) it’s nice and cooling alongside the kebab and stops the turkey being too dry, served on salad leaves and dependent on how many cals I have a few toms etc – I find it filling and very tasty

hi florob85

When I started out I just cut out the major sources of carbs, bread , pasta, rice, chocolate, sugar etc.

Then I got into the habit of using fatsecret to log everything to see how many carbs I was eating.

When I got into measuring if I was in ketosis I could put together the information from the breathalyser to confirm if I was in ketosis with the readings from fat secret on the number of carbs I had taken in.

Some people can achieve ketosis on 50g of carbs. Eliet cyclists can achieve it at 100g . But those of us who are insulin resistant are likely to have to get down to 20g of carbs to be in ketosis. Personnally after a few years of eating low carb I can now have 26g of carbs a day and stay in ketosis.

I have found that when I am in ketosis I am not very hungry, so it becomes easy not eat until late afternoon. Often then I will have 2 or 3 eggs scrambled, maybe with a bit of melted cheese added. – Then I eat again in the evening.

There are lots of recipes online for keto meals. – The only thing to be careful about is that some include artificial sweeteners. The problem with that is artificial sweeteners raise insulin levels. Our bodies react to things which taste sweet by raising insulin. So thats something to avoid.

Good to read through the thread. Always little things to be picked up, even if it’s just a wee snippet that resonates.
I said I’d post every evening…., and that promise has helped me today. Salmon salad at lunch abs chicken on cabbage and leek ‘spaghetti’ for dinner. Bit of yogurt with ginger and cacao too. Managed through the afternoon better with less desire to snack. Had to fight it a bit this evening.
Hopefully tomorrow can be a bit easier again.
Julz

Good morning all
thanks as always Wendy for keeping the threads happening!`
It’s been a few weeks since I posted, but have been just micro-managing maintenance with this pesky bursitis and occ checking in to see what everyone’s up to
Seems I’m not the only one to have just survived January….but I can’t really complain because it’s cold as it’s still late summer here and the garden is as always this time of year generous in her bounty!
Anyhow, have been put on some glycerol trinitrate patches for my hip which seem to be helping until my Dr friend gets her centrifuge for a round of plasma injections! -in the meantime I hope to get back to the pool today or tomorrow (poor pup will have to wait and just walk with my OH for now)
I realise that this hip thing has really unsettled my sense of self as a reasonably fit and active middle-ager (I was totally up for an eight hour bushwalk only a few months back!!)
Anyhooo-another week, another month-and like you, WindyJulz I promise to post more regularly
We have a family holiday (fingers crossed please COVID) planned for Easter which is just over eight weeks off, so I’m starting a completely new cycle and hope to drop a few kg by then
Regarding the low carb discussion-I, like SG tend to allow higher carb than many as long as they’re mostly from veg or legumes -fibre is so important for the gut microbiome and that in itself is said to help with weight-so many theories!
Well-wishes to all of you on the other side of the world in lockdown! -Aus has been so very fortunate (except for poor Merry in Melb for that time)
Now to log back in to my neglected tracking app !

Julz, what is leek spaghetti?

Hello, friends.

Week 4 for me.

There’s been a pretty significant plateau in my weight loss. Was hoping to be on this fast for 8 weeks, but it’s becoming apparent that the full 12 may be necessary! Feeling I need to seriously up my exercise and build some muscle to help the process along. Time to dust off those weights…!

I’m confused about the keto discussions on this thread so far— maybe someone can help. Did I read correctly that your body stops going into ketosis after the first couple of weeks due to a heightened tolerance? If so, is the way to bring that back to reduce carbs even further?

I know that everyone is different, and maybe I’m just on the plateau of another drop in the coming weeks… time will tell.

Gotta keep on truckin’

X

Ps. Leek spaghetti reminded me of an absolute gem we’ve discovered in the health food isle… conjac noodles. They’re all fibre, virtually no carbs at all, and can be used for a vegetable stirfry or as a satay noodle for a cheeky comfort dish. Xx

Hi SlinkyTinks,

You may have read that after a short while your body stops producing excess ketones which are released into your urine. If that level of carbs is enough to get you into ketosis then its likely that you will still be in ketosis its just that your body gets less wasteful as it gets more fat adapted. Thats why the pee sticks are a waste of money when it comes to testing to see if you are in ketosis.

Testing to see if you are burning ketones (so burning fat for fuel) is reliable longterm.

———————–

I did say that when I started out with a lot of weight to loose, and coming from a very carb centric eating program, I moved from eating mainly carbs to eating keto in steps.

Leek spaghetti…..my new favourite!!
I just cut a leek in half long ways then put flat bit down and cut into thin long slices. This along with some long thin strips of cabbage cooked in a work with a bit of extra virgin olive oil and seasoning is great. Can add some pesto, or cream cheese to it….pretty much treat it like spaghetti…… hubby has pasta and i have this. Its tasty!

Re the carb numbers……. remember Fast 800 is a moderately low carb way of eating, not full blown keto. Michael Mosely specifically says not to worry about carbs in leafy greens as they are so good for you, any carb content is outweighed by the goodness! I think anywhere between 20-50g is very good and completely on plan, less than 80g is decent and under 100g is still generally considered low carb. So eat your greens, go canny on the below ground veggies and keep an eye on tomatoes – they are fruit and have more carbs!

Hi all

Leek spaghetti is lovely! I have an intense (and somewhat irrational) hatred of courgettes so I use leek all the time instead – it’s particularly delicious in the carbonara recipe in the book which I know is an indulgent treat but the leeks give it a lovely mellow onion flavour which is tasty. Only need literally 30secs boiling or 30secs in the pan.

Leeks also make a great substitute for lasagne or cannelloni – just slit the leek lengthwise and “unwrap” it – the first five or six sheets are good as a sheet pasta replacement and the core that doesn’t really produce big enough sheets can just be chopped and put in the sauce instead of onion or as well as onion, or you can save it for another dish. It is more wet than pasta but you just compensate for that by reducing your sauce down further.

JGwen and Sunshinegirl thanks for your suggestions, it sounds like I’m eating the right things and at the moment I’m still losing weight on under 50g but at least I know if I need to reduce I can just reduce the overall amount of what I’m eating to reduce the carbs and just add in some more oil or something.

I’ve woken up feeling quite despondent today – it’s not rational as I’ve now lost 19lbs which is great, but I’m not sleeping well at the moment, REALLY done with lockdown/working from home and I’ve just been thinking about my probably not wedding in 9 weeks, and also just the sheer amount of weight I have to lose which feels like an impossible mountain. My partner and I want to start trying for a baby this year and even if I doubled the current weight loss to 38lbs I’d still be in the “obese/overweight” category for BMI and i know how high risk that can make a pregnancy (I’m a research biochemist and healthcare professional, and I lecture in anatomy and physiology!) so I’m just feeling quite scared and ashamed of myself and fat and disgusting. Nothing for it I guess but to just carry on! Black coffee sitting next to me as I type and stuffed mushroom for lunch.

Sigh

Lauren

Oh Lauren / florob85 ….. first off YES – leek lasagne is top too!!
Second off….deep breath, not sigh! Ok, lets fix the despondency ….. so you are overweight…..thats ok, it doesnt make you a bad person and you certainly do not need to be ashamed of anything. Focus on your qualities and be ready to be kind to yourself!! Eating well and follow the plan IS a great way to be kind to yourself, you deserve that and you know what to do. So you have a long way to go….thats ok, many people do and it might take time….but if you keep taking steps in the right direction you WILL get there….. if you turn round or stop moving in that direction you will never get there. One day at a time, one step after the next, keep on going and it will happen for you. The weightloss may take time but the other benefits are quick enough……..energy, less inflammation, better skin, healthier heart and lungs, lower blood sugar, better gut balance, better hormone balance….. and for every step in the right direction the better the chance of pregnancy! You wont accomplish it all immediately but if every day and week is an improvement on your health it cant be bad.

Easy to say, difficult to do – we all have minutes or days where we feel a bit flat….. especially during these weird times, I know lockdown and home working is a challenge for me too. Chin up, look ahead and keep on going – you got this!!! Coffee and mushroom – boom, bob on!
🙂

Aw hi everybody. Just read thru the thread….well done everyone and big hug anyone feeling a bit low…we are all doing our best to make good healthy changes in difficult (covid) circumstances….well, I’m trogging on thru the week but I will be hard pressed to do any more than maintain by the looks of things so far (I weigh daily then take the weekly average fitbit gives me each Saturday; it’s not for everyone but it helps me keep on track)- think I overindulged a teeny bit much with things like potatoes and wine at the weekend, and been a bit low in energy generally….anyhow, still giving it my best effort.

Love to all xxx

Hi all one of the best things about this forum is the advice and tips, so thanks to all. For example I didn’t know that tomatoes had more carbs in them. I’ve virtually been living on tomato based dishes, so that might be the weight loss had stalled.
I did a dry January, but caved last night and had two cold beers and some crisps. I tracked everything and I’m not going to beat myself up about it, I needed to have a bit of something different, as life feels like so monotonous at the moment. Stuck at home, only out to the shops or for a walk. So yes predictably gained a pound, but am
back on plan today and went for a 3 mile walk with my boyfriend.
Lonely A im thinking about doing some HIIT style workouts, but so far haven’t attempted it. There is so much content on YouTube or Instagram and lots are designed to fit around your working day and all are home workouts, so no need for equipment. Not sure what I’m actually waiting for. Really should just get on with it.

Thanks for the tips everyone and big hugs for anyone feeling despondent. Florob85 keep going! You know you’re doing the right thing – even if speed of change is annoying. Good luck re wedding – hope it is possible with changing rules. I also did not know about leek spaghetti and that will be handy as my spiralizer is missing! First world problem, I know, but how annoying is that?? Leeks for now until I get a replacement (or find it). I used most of calories today enjoying coq au vin (480 without bacon) and wanted something mashier than cauliflower rice to go with it. I boiled swede as I looked up and it said it was low cal. But is it quite high carb? I am mainly doing diet for weight loss, rather than sugar control, but am interested as it’s a good ‘mash’. The vin in chicken is the first I’d had this year – maybe that’s why I wanted it so much 😂

Thank you workingfromthefridge and WindyJulz for such lovely comments, I’m feeling a bit less fed up now, the wedding has already been postponed twice and I’m kind of resigned to it being postponed again – c’est la vie

Workingfromthefridge have you tried cauliflower mash? Just steam the cauli till it’s soft and then I mash mine using a blender with 1.5 tablespoons creme fraiche per serving and lots of salt and black pepper, it freezes beautifully too – I’m making it to have with Cauldron sausages and Brussels sprouts and a smidge of gravy on Friday and I’ve got a cauli that weighs a kilo – I’m going to get at least 8 portions out of it by the time I’ve added creme fraiche – and this time I’m going to add some roasted garlic too! Because I’ll roast the garlic in a bit of oil and because of the creme fraiche (which can be skipped but does make it lovely and creamy) it’s around 120cal per portion but do you know what it’s low carb, high fibre, delicious and pairs with anything mash pairs with.

Genius! I’m definitely going to try that thanks. Have really only been ricing cauliflower but your way sounds much nicer. I’ve got so sad about cauliflowers I even confess I was moaning on Facebook about a £1 one from the Co-op that was the size of my fist. Perhaps I’ve got a bit obsessive in lockdown!

Tesco do an extra large 😉

Ps just got mine down to 75g a portion which is cool – recipe is
1kg cauliflower steamed
1 bulb of garlic
1 tbsp olive oil (for roasting the garlic)
100g half fat creme fraiche (could use full fat but I’ve got half fat in the house)
Salt and pepper

Makes 8 portions

Roast the garlic by slicing off the top of the bulb, drizzling over the oil and wrap in foil. Bake for 40-50 mins 180c or until really soft, leave to cool slightly

Break cauli into florets and steam – can boil which is quicker but retains more fluid – until really soft

Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the bulb into the cauli

Blend the cauli, garlic, creme fraiche and plenty of salt and pepper in a food processor or using a hand held immersion blender until creamy and lump free

Split into 8 portions and freeze what you don’t want – it freezes beautifully and tastes really indulgent. Because I’ve used half fat cf it’s 75g a portion but could be more if you use full fat or less if you use milk or even Greek yoghurt.

Florab85- sounds amazing….I might give it a try- haven’t been that keen so far on cauli rice…so maybe turning it into that delicious mash will help!

The cauliflower chat has made me laugh….. I got really grumpy about tiny ones too, and it can be so hard to tell in the supermarket under all the leaves when you dont want to be touching everything….then the other day i found one i hoped would be ok, got it home, removed leaves and it was MASSIVE!! Lasted for ages, made mash, roast cauliflower, cauliflower fritters, a veggie bake mostly cauliflower….. brilliant!! I haven’t tried glamming up my mash with creme fresh though, will try that!

I had an ok-ish day yesterday, struggling a bit with afternoon and evening snack desires……! I think today i am already in a better frame of mind, I’ve got my black coffee beside me and i know the last few mornings ive been having milk in my first cup….which is no big deal but it is a good indicator of mindset as i know i should have it black but i rebel and persuade myself i want milk! I do actually really like it black these days (who’d have thought) but the grumpy bit of my brain sometimes tells me milk is needed!
I’ve a busy work day so hopefully that keeps me a bit more distracted ….I’ll be on a virtual audit pretty much from 10am to 3pm with a 15 min lunch window…..

Glad your feeling a bit better Florob….. can i about your Florob name and its origins? (nosy – but i go to Floro in Norway quite a lot with work so it caught my eye!)

Hi all

Anyone else cry today on camera, in front of 50 students, on a recorded lecture today?! No? Just me then!

Lauren

No florob, i didnt cry on camera today but I did when I read your post. Take care sweetie.

Mortifying sunshinegirl! Now it’s immortalised forever in a recorded lecture 😫

I teach students who are learning to work in the operating theatre and it’s just so awful for them at the moment, they are being exposed to so much death and horribleness and struggling to get competencies achieved and I just felt so utterly bad for them and helpless!

In positive news lost another lb today so now total 19.8 (tantalisingly close to 20!)