Hello everyone
Looks like the 2lb I lost last week has gone back on already! Was 155 and today I am 158.8! Up and down the same few pounds. Blood tests should be available this week. Been continuing with a healthy eating plan. Am very interested to find out more about intuitive eating. I think I’m coming to the end of the road with “dieting”. I’ve ordered a book and will see what it’s all about. I am tired out of thinking and worrying about food and weight and scales all the time. i am definitely not a binge eater and I eat a healthy diet. . I just can’t get to where I want to be on the scale no matter how hard I try. I am enjoying the healthy eating group I am attending so I will keep going along for the 12 weeks and just keep eating healthy, nourishing food. How did I do this previously, it wasn’t this hard.
I’ve got a date for my steroid injections and if my heel pain goes then I hope when I can get back to walking I can make some progress but my diet is not making any difference to my weight.
I don’t want this post to sound like I’m at the end of the road – i am actually feeling quite positive and think I am coming to terms with accepting that I’ve done everything I can and this is who I am. I am 63 years old and doing alright.
sadly, two friends have been given cancer diagnoses and this puts things into perspective for me once again.
How are you doing?
Have a good week everyone. Keep marching on.

“I don’t want this post to sound like I’m at the end of the road – i am actually feeling quite positive and think I am coming to terms with accepting that I’ve done everything I can and this is who I am. I am 63 years old and doing alright.”

Cathy, sounds like you’ve got your head in the right place! You are far more than a ‘number on the scales’! Accept the ‘now’ and move forward eating well, staying healthy and enjoying life whatever the ‘number’!

Hello everyone!! It’s nokie I am back with you if that’s ok 👍
I have been away from the group for a while been so sad about loosing my beloved cat and had so many family issues to cope with no excuse I know but just didn’t feel like doing or writing anything 🥲
My husband has just found out after several months he had to have open heart surgery so it’s all been very worrying and I have let things go
I am ready to climb back on the 🚌 I will read your posts later hope you have a spare 💺 seat for me !! It needs to be a big one as I am afraid I have let things slip!
I also have my blood tests on 29th April so I need to get on the bus quick
It’s my 70th birthday 🎈 on Thursday and I am going for a meal at the ivy and then to see mama Mia in London so Friday I will start properly 😃
Hope everyone is ok
Love nokie xx💕

NOKIE welcome back! It’s great to have you on board. I’m so sorry to hear about you losing your cat – they are so very much part of the family. And also your husband’s illness. It’s been a worrying time for you. I hope you have a lovely birthday on Thursday and enjoy all the treats. And there’s a seat waiting for you once you’re ready to occupy it!

CATHY I completely second what Verano said. It sounds like you are in a very positive place and willing to go with the flow and see what happens next. Your group sounds great, and hopefully will give you some face to face moral support at this time as well as more healthy eating ideas. And it could be – like so many other things in life – that as you start to relax more about your weight and accept the wonderful person you are now, there may be some kind of breakthrough. Good luck with the blood test results too.

SUE it sounds as if you are doing all the right things and will at least have maintained if not lost during your time away.

How’s everyone else doing? Still 2 weeks to go on this journey, so time to make a difference.

I’m definitely up for another 2 month journey after this one, as my daughter and I have decided to go on a little holiday sometime around the beginning of July. It’s been a tough few months for both of us in various ways, and by then we will both have had significant birthdays too, so we thought why not. And of course she wants to go somewhere hot and sunny so I need to do rather a lot of work before then. My weight is going well – I’d had a slight regain since the start of the journey but that’s now gradually coming off again. My main issue is that whatever the scales say, my main area of fat is still around the belly and lots of clothes still aren’t fitting right. So I need to really target that area to fit into summer clothes and also swimwear for the holiday. And, irrespective of numbers, that’ll be my main target for the next few weeks!

Hope everyone has a great week X

Hi everyone,
I’ve been MIA for a bit as things have been very busy. Spring planting season is upon me, work is rather silly and I’ve also started some trauma counselling after realizing that I may not have been coping as well with everything that has happened in the last few years as I thought. We’re shaping up for another disasterous year as far as climate/weather issues as we are in the middle of severe drought and much higher than average heat is expected for the summer. Those of you in the UK and other places that are now very wet – please send our rain back!
Anyway, I’m very tired today. Had a bit of a hard last counselling session and it is bringing up a lot of old things from my past this week. Especially around work and dealing with incompetent and toxic bosses. My boss shamed myself and a colleague in front of the whole team in a meeting today for giving constructive feedback to our other colleague after we were asked for it. I was in a tailspin for the rest of the afternoon following that and didn’t get anything else done. So feeling a bit fragile at the moment.
I had some good news yesterday though. I’ve been selected to continue in a competition for a job I applied for several weeks ago. I have to do a written assignment that they will send me tomorrow. So I want to ensure I have a healthy meal this evening and then get to bed early so I’m well rested.
Food-wise I have been off and on struggling for the last few weeks. Luckily the reflux has calmed down a bit and I’m slowly figuring out which foods set it off. I’m having to eat less cheese as that is particularly bad, and increasing my fibre with each meal helps quite a bit. Anything highly processed is off the list, which at least fits with this WOE.
I’ll catch up with how everyone is doing once I get through the week! Hope everyone is doing well.

Hi ARCTICFOX lovely to see you back again. Good luck with the job you are going for. I really hope that you get it, and hopefully even the experience of successfully progressing through the application process will in itself boost your confidence. I’m so sorry to hear about your toxic boss : it’s a horrible situation to be in. All you can do is get on with what you are supposed to be doing to the best of your ability and try not to let him/her get to you. Easier said than done I know . . . .

Well done for going through the counselling. I think it’s often the first step of seeking help that is the most difficult thing to do. And even though it’s brought previous hurts to the surface they are better out than in, as they say. But be kind to yourself. As you say, you are fragile right now and need some TLC.

So glad to hear that the reflux is improving and that you are finding what you can and can’t eat to help it. And from what you say it seems to dovetail well with this WoE.

Wishing you all the best for whatever this week may bring, and do give us an update when you can.

Hello to everyone else too! How is this week going for you? I was delighted to see another pound off this morning, but rather puzzled as I had lasagne and two pieces of cake yesterday! Neither are usual for me, so I was expecting revenge on the scales this morning. Maybe I should make that my normal diet 😂

Good luck everyone xx

Hi everyone
Good to see you back on board ArcticFox. Sounds like you are being kind to yourself and I hope the professional counselling is helpful. The work related incident this week sounds terrible . Toxic bosses are the worst. Good luck with your application for the new job.
I got a phone call from the practice nurse this morning which has put me into shock. She told me I am pre-diabetic with. HbA1c of 42! I told her I eat low carb and have been dieting since January but I don’t think she believed a word of what I said. My cholesterol is also raised at 5.6 – LDL 3.5. She said she will review me in four months. Today at diet club we learned about reading food labels!! I had put on 1 lb- probably as a result of not doing a 36 hour fast on Monday and trying to eat more intuitively! So I now have to lose weight, lower my cholesterol and lower my blood sugar all whilst following the blood sugar diet since 2017!
She told me to eat oily fish but I am vegetarian. She told me not to eat cakes and sugary food! I know I need to exercise more and I am going to have to walk despite my painful arthritic toes and heel pain. I’ve just done a Joe Wicks 10 minute senior workout which I enjoyed. So my medical record now reads Pre Diabetic and I feel like a naughty school child.
MUST TRY HARDER!

Just popping in to wish NOKIE a very happy birthday 🥳🥳🥳 woohoo! Have a fab time! X meal at the Ivy and Mamma Mia sounds brilllllliant!
CATHY i’m not surprised youre in shock after that news. It seems all wrong. As you said,youve been following blood sugar WOE for so long. I ‘m not sure you could try any harder. It doesnt make sense! Well done on the workout though x
Well done DCT a pound down despite cake and lasagne 👍 that doesnt make sense either,but sounds like the kinda diet I like! ! Life is very strange sometimes.🤷‍♀️x
ARCTICFOX i hope the assignment went well. Got my fingers,legs and eyes crossed for you! How is your lymphie,im trying a supplement that contains pineapple,burdock,lemon zest and cleavers- all of which are said to be good at helping with lymph drainage. Plus am eating a little pineapple with every meal,but its high in carbs,so unless i see great results,i wont be doing that for long! 😜 x
Hi to everyone else and big hugs all round!XXX
🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

Hi Yowzer hope you’re well.

Cathy …. its always a shock when blood tests come back with pre diabetes or diabetes markers but it’s not your fault.

Firstly, you are just in the pre-diabetic range so easily remedied. I know we have all been eating this way for a long time but it’s amazing how easily we can start eating more carbs than we think. My HbA1c crept up to 41 a while back so I was just a little more careful. I started to keep count of carbs again. I’d stopped counting and was mainly ‘guesstimating’’ and we all know where that can lead!

If you don’t mind me suggesting a few things: just track your carbs, weighing etc for a day or two just to see how many you are averaging now. Then maybe try to get down to 50g a day, in steps if necessary. You are vegetarian so maybe you are eating more legumes than you think. Most importantly don’t blame yourself.

One other suggestion. Just for the moment don’t throw any fasts in. I have never been a lover of fasts but I think maybe at the moment your body might just need a ‘regular’ supply of food to stop any spikes.

As you get back into full carb counting your cholesterol might very well come down too.

Sorry, if I’ve spoken out of turn. Don’t panic, don’t berate yourself just eat well!

Hi yowzer😘
Thanku for your bday wishes we are on train going to London I will catch up with everyone at weekend
Hello fellow bus 🚌 friends

Have a good day Lv nokie x💕🚌🚌

Hi everyone,
I haven’t had a very good time food-wise the last few days after that work incident threw me off track for a bit. Thank you all for your kind words about that. It was very helpful. I’m getting things back together now after my most recent counselling appointment. It was a very intense one but the counsellor was very sympathetic about the work incident and we figured out why it bothered me but my colleague who was also shamed was able to just shake it off. No real solutions yet, but we’re just starting to delve into the hard stuff. I am realizing though why I use food to cope with things that come up at work and why that makes it difficult to always eat healthily. As I get some other coping tools in place, that will hopefully help.
Cathy – sorry about your news about being pre-diabetic. That doesn’t really make a lot of sense, does it? I am also mostly vegetarian, although I do eat fish, I don’t eat it very often. I do take fish oil though. My dad started taking it recently too and was surprised when his arthritic knee started to feel better. It is really helpful for inflammation. You can find vegetarian versions of omega-3 oil, so that might be an option. I take 1 Tbsp per day, which is more than what it says to take on the label, but it was a dietician that told me to take that much to help with inflammation and weight loss. Also, I tend to have slightly elevated cholesterol as well, but usually when I’m having blood work it is because I want my gp to focus on something else, so I’ve learned to cheat the test by only eating whole vegetables with a little bit of olive oil the week before I get the blood drawn. It puts me right back down into normal range and then I get more attention paid to my iron and b12 levels which is usually what I want to have measured. Speaking of which, have you had your serum ferritin and b12 levels measured? As a long term vegetarian, mine are often low unless I’m supplementing. I’m feeling rather low at the moment, and I’m sure it’s my iron as the acid-blockers I’m on at the moment are probably inhibiting absorption, so I should probably get back on my supplements. Being low in iron is enough to make us weight-loss resistant.
Yowzer – I was managing my lipoedema quite well through the winter, but it has recently flared up again with some pain and swelling in my legs. I’m back wearing my compression at least while I’m working out in the garden and it is helping. With my reflux calming down, I’ve also been able to add a slice of lemon back to my water. Your mention of supplements reminds me that I have some diosmin in my cupboard that I haven’t tried yet. It is supposed to be good for helping lymph to move, so I should try it.
DCT – Unfortunately when I received the written assignment, it was clear that it was geared towards someone already working in that unit. I don’t even think I fully understood the instructions. However, I gave it my best shot and that is all I can do. Just chalking it up to experience at this point.

Morning all, just catching up on recent posts.

CATHY what a shock you’ve had r your pre-diabetic diagnosis, and it doesn’t sound like the nurse was particularly helpful either. I hope that you get better quality help to work out what is going on. Meanwhile, I think both VERANO and ARCTIC FOX have given you some really good tips that are worth a try. But I really feel for you : it just feels as if you try so hard and the goalposts keep moving 🙀 Sending a hug and good vibes your way.

ARCTIC FOX I hope that things improve for you soon as well. It’s no wonder you’re feeling a bit low at the moment, but what comes across in your post is a lot of positivity about how you are dealing with the various issues in your life – both physical and emotional. You sound very determined to tackle the various obstacles you are facing, and very resourceful in the way you are going about things. Wishing you all the best, and keep posting to let us know how you’re getting on.

NOKIE I hope you had a fabulous birthday and enjoyed all the celebrations! And YOWZER and VERANO thanks for all your positive input as always, and I hope you’re both going ok yourselves?

Have a good week everyone! Just over a week to the end of April – and this leg of the journey – so hope it goes well X

Hello everyone
I’m still here and plugging away. Went to my weight management class today and it was all about moving more and exercising. I lost 700g this week- not sure what that is in real money but it’s a loss. Thank you everyone for your continued support. I had a massive melt down on Monday and spent most of the day crying and feeling sorry for myself. I’ve tried so hard this past few years and keep hitting blocks but I’m not giving up. Today I’ve been for a walk and made myself walk down a hilly park and I took the steep steps up- and my heart rate went to 132 beats so good cardiovascular exercise! I’m shocked to be pre diabetic but I think it’s down to excess weight around the middle. I’m eating more vegetables and no white carbs have passed my lips all week! I have eaten more eggs and cottage cheese and avocado and broccoli. I’ve not done any fasting this week. It’s interesting that Arctic fox mentioned ferritin levels- I’ve always had very low ferritin levels but not had them checked for a few years. When I go back for my HbA1c and cholesterol I will ask them to check my ferritin levels. I’ve been enjoying the Joe Wicks workouts for seniors this week so I’ve increased my exercise and am trying to be less sedentary. I’ve had a real kick up the rear!!
Hope you’re all having a good week.

Hello all 😘
Hi c Cathy so sorry you have had a meltdown 😢sometimes it helps though as we get ourselves upset and also expect too much from our bodies .
It’s a shock finding out you are pre diabetic I am as well I have to go for my annual blood test in May and if I carry on as I am doing I will be diabetic!! I can’t seem to stick to a plan not sure what’s wrong 😑 with me !! I start off beginning of week very positive then whoops go downhill fast
I hope you will pick yourself up and I am sure theses lovely people we have in the group will help you
Hope everyone else is doing ok thanks for your birthday wishes I had a lovely meal 🤣and mama mia was fantastic
I am just going to look at the keto plan maybe I will be able to stick to that
Have a good week everyone be in touch soon
Lv nokie 😘 xx

Stewed rhubarb and Greek Yoghurt- just saying!!!! Delicious

I adore stewed rhubarb with some grated ginger …. warm with ice cold Greek yogurt! Yum Yum Yum !!!

Nokia …. just dump the ‘white stuff’ the rest will take care of itself!

Verano🤣
Good idea !! I will try and dump the white stuff!!!!
Thanks ☺️

Hi everyone,
I had a good but busy week at work and on the farm. I hardly talked to any internal people all week but was meeting with people I’ve worked with previously who are external to our organization. It was nice as some of them I haven’t seen for several years, and the meetings went well and were constructive. It made me realize even more how much our own organization is toxic and dysfunctional. It was great to have a ‘normal’ work experience for a change.
Outside of work it’s been a bit tough emotionally as my very intensive counselling session last week brought a bunch of stuff to the surface and I’ve just been trying to keep a lid on it all week. I have my next session tomorrow though, so hopefully that will help. But it’s definitely had an impact on my diet, unfortunately. But all I can do is shake it off and try a bit harder this week.
I’m going to try to restart my yoga course on the online gym I belong to. Hopefully that will help with relaxation and emotional regulation!
Hope everyone is doing well.

Hi everyone hope all is well.

ARCTIC FOX good to hear that you had a better week at work and I hope that some positive changes happen soon for you work wise. It sounds like there is a lot going on for you emotionally too, and I guess what comes to mind is the saying is it’s always darkest before the dawn. Good luck with it all. I hope the yoga helps and I’m sure you’ll soon get back on track diet-wise, you always strike me as incredibly determined.

Lovely to. hear from CATHY, NOKIE and VERANO too. Hope you all have a good week.

Big question . . . do we want another thread? This one is supposed to end tomorrow, so if a few of us are happy to continue into May and June I will set that up on Wednesday. I’d like to continue as have rather stalled on this journey – but will cover that more tomorrow in my “end of journey report”!

Let me know your thoughts?

DCT xx

Hi everyone! 💜💕yes please DREAMY! Im up for another bus trip if you and the rest of the gang are.
Ive finally got into the zone and been fasting and lw carbing for the last week.feel so much lighter losing a lot of water weight! XX ive lost 6 lb overall,better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick😄 good luck everyone if youre doing your final weigh in 🤞🏻🤞🏻xx

Hello DCT YOWZER and bus 🚌 buddies

Hope you all ok well done yowzer for 6 pds loss I am also in the right frame of mind as from today!!
I have put my blood test back for 8 weeks to try and be good and get my blood sugar level down I am sitting here working out my recipes for week and yes please i would like to be on the next 🚌 journey save me a seat 💺
Sun is shining today but I had to take my husband to hospital this morning as i think he has to have a valve replaced so he is having tests
Good luck everyone I will post next Monday do we know what next journey is Called
Have a great week
Lv nokie x💕

Hello everyone
Still plodding here and checking my blood sugars to get some data. I bought a glucose monitor from Amazon to see how I am doing. I’m eating low carb and staying in the healthy range. I’ve increased my activity. Am having my steroid injections tomorrow.
I would love to continue on this journey dreamscometrue. I am making slow downward progress. I am in this for the long haul. Today I am 154 lb.
The support of this group is great. We are all trying our best. I will look forward to the next leg of the journey. My tight cruise dress still won’t zip up so I need to keep going! I am determined to wear that dress in September!!!
Keep plodding everyone- we can do this.

Hi everyone and well done Yowzer on your 6lb loss.Im weighing myself tomorrow morning and just hope I’ve lost anything!DCT I’m definitely up for another bus journey please.Ive been catching up on posts and am sorry to hear some of us are going through some pretty tough times.It’s brilliant that we are all still on this thread though and I’m sending hugs to everyone.Dawn XX