Hi All
I’ve been AWOL this week – not posting, it does mean I haven’t responded to all the posts but I have been reading them. This is a very busy thread so I apologise for not addressing everyone – welcome all newbies. This woe really does work and judging from the posts this week many of you are already seeing results. Keep at it and you will succeed. Our in-house BSD guru Alliecat is proof of that 🙂 I never tire of hearing your story Allie 🙂
Regulars – keep going. It’s good to see those of you near target and having whooshes – I don’t think I’ve ever had a whoosh – but my weight loss has been fairly consistent up until I fell off the wagon.
This week I have lost 2.5lbs which I’m pleased about. I haven’t really been able to stick to the 5:2 – I can do the 5 I’m just struggling with the 2! So I’m following the BSD woe but not really fasting, counting calories or carbs which makes the 2.5lb weight loss surprising. But I have been keeping up the steps. My Cancer Research challenge ends on 31 March – but I will try to keep up with the walking – it’s great having an excuse to get out of the office for a walk at lunchtimes.
I 5 lbs left to lose for this challenge and to reach a 3stone weight loss. It doesn’t sound very ambitious but it’s all I can manage right now. I’ve lost my mojo so I’m really focusing on not undoing my good work.

Hummingbird – I read your comments about the hummingbird. Diabetes UK used to have the hummingbird as their logo – the way it balances and, as you said switches direction, was considered appropriate to managing diabetes – keeping a balance. Sadly they’ve changed their logo and is now very uninspiring – but I agree it is a lovely bird and I still think of it as a good representation for managing and living with diabetes. I have a hummingbird charm on a bracelet – I like the idea of it helping me stay balanced 🙂

Good luck everyone – my mantra this week is NO CHOCOLATE EGGS! Why is Easter all about chocolate anyway?!
KOKO everyone 🙂

So far I have persuaded people to a slice of cake without them knowing I haven’t had it yet.
I am out on training tomorrow and I don’t want to deviate too badly today because I am not sure how it will be tomorrow either.
Onwards and upwards!

Gattina, there you are! I keep a special eye out for “ladies that have lots to lose”, since I was once this lady
too, and if you are as much of an all or nothing gal as I am, we may be distantly related somehow! I
never attempted the 5:2 for that reason 🙂 Holidays can be a real challenge for some of us, and it would be
great if we could help you get your mojo back before the weekend, so please keep posting. Can you identify
what it is that you’re struggling with? You’ve made good progress so far, and I’d really like to help! I know
that you can do this, as well as break old patterns that are an impediment to moving forward. I occasionally
put up my email address, so if you’d like to have an off forum chat, just let me know. In the meantime, I’m
reposting SunnyB’s inspirational quote with her blessings (thanks again, Sunny!):

“Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask if you want to be a prisoner of the past…
or a pioneer of the future”

No Easter eggs, my girl! Put a sign on the fridge, or lock them in trunk (boot?) of the car 🙂

Madmare and Tillybud, it’s wonderful to see that you’ve found your way to this lively and very active
4 week challenge. Happy to have you here!

Marie, I’m a big believer in tons of water, too! Isn’t it great that we have JGwen to explain the why’s
for everyone? I can definitely confirm that when I upped my water from 2 to 3 liters a day, my losses
were greater and more consistent, each week. From that point on, I became a believer 🙂

Keep moving forward, everyone!

Allie

Mariet – Well done on ‘cracking’ maintenance. That’s encouraging to hear. I look forward to getting advice from you and others in 5 stones time.
Butterlover – I struggle with consistency too. I’m kind of an ‘all or nothing’ person so if I let myself get derailed, it takes awhile for me to hit reset. However, I am noticing that I’m hitting reset earlier each time which I think is key.
Marie123 – well done on the steps. I’ve done really bad at that this week. I’m sure you’ll get a whoosh in a day or two. Mine always are inconveniently arrive just after weigh day.
Oh2bthin – well done on the loss and for the better grip on carbs. This is what I need to aim to do. Even if I go over calories – my carbs need to stay low. I blame my frequent visits to the southeast coast – the battered haddock is amazing and though I try to take off the skin and just eat the fish – I always give in and have a taste.
JGwen – *does some maths* – that’s still nearly 2lbs and whilst not the big drop you were hoping for, you should still pat yourself on the back.
Hummingbird – welcome. I also wanted to say great name btw and well done on the loss and for making it through your first week.
Maid2Measure – does your colleague know you’re doing this? Although I’m scared of failure, I’ve taken to telling people what I’m doing. That way they don’t offer me treats in the office or if they do, I feel justified in giving them a cold hard stare 🙂
Madmare – 1/2 lb up isn’t bad given that it sound like you have had a difficult week. I went to a funeral early in my BSD journey and realised just how often event buffets are the most BSD-unfriendly places you can go to. I had a lettuce leaf and a tomato and a small piece of cucumber in the end because that was the only thing there I could eat!

Lots of you are talking about the water thing. I really need to do more of that. I keep saying it but I’ve got rubbish at tracking it. I need to remember to track my water AND my food.

Grr – I didn’t see we had moved onto the 3rd page and that had the post I was hoping for.

Gattina – so pleased to see you back and posting. As we have similar stories – 2nd time around with BSD, similar amount to lots, I have been looking out for your posts in particular. Well done on the loss that you have had this week – that must be a relief after feeling that you’d been struggling for awhile so well done on that. I was equally relieved when I got on the scales and saw loss rather than gain for the first time in a few weeks. Well done on resisting the non-BSD food. I find that’s the hardest and once that’s in check it’s easier to drop portion size.

I shall also be watching out for alliecat’s posts for anything that will help me 🙂

Hi all,
No loss for me this week, but my water intake has dropped. I’m trying to skip breakfasts when I can at the moment and save the calories for later in the day. I seem to be fine keeping carbs down (struggled last time when I was a vegetarian, but fine now I’m a meat eater again!) but it’s the calories where I fall short. So I’m constantly in ketosis but not as low calorie sand I should be.

Has anyone tried inulin powder? I took some (10g) this morning for the first time, mainly for the fibre, but apparently it has other benefits in the long term. I’m just interesting in getting things ‘moving’ as that may be stalling my weight loss. It’s low carb and low calorie but has a sweet taste. I mixed it with my coffee and it was perfectly drinkable!

Hi, Nicki! I’m not familiar with inulin, but I know others on the forums have used it. You could try entering it
in the search box to pick up those posts. Regarding “transit issues”….Because there is so much less bulk
when the carbs are eliminated, it’s possible that “relief” only comes every 2-3 days. That’s perfectly normal,
and is nothing to worry about unless you feel uncomfortable. During my 10 months of keeping strictly to
800 cal and 20g of carbs, I only weighed myself on those “successful days”. It can play havoc with the scales,
and who needs that? Lots of water is beneficial, and chia seeds, raw unsweetened cacao nibs, avocado
and raspberries are also good sources of fiber. The research I did indicated that women over 50 required
20g of fiber each day, and women under 50 about 25g. I’m sure others will have suggestions, too, and
will be along to share them. 🙂

Best,

Allie

Well done to all ‘losers’ this week, some
great results.
I’ve had a good week. I’ve gained 1kg, but seeing that it was 2kg earlier in the week I’m not too fussed! 5 days away with family and eating “off plan” was the cause of my gain.
I was very active though, i’ve walked 120,000 steps this week, also danced for a few hours at a nightclub with my daughters!
So now I’m back home I’m back on plan. It’s actualy a relief to be able to eat home cooked meals again.
My goal for this week is to not gain over Easter and hopefully lose 1kg.
Good luck to all x

[post deleted]

good evening to onw and all,
I haven’t posted for several days ‘cos me weight stalled completely….completely enough for me to actually gain 2 lbs!
not sure if I was sulking or just disappointed…..,reading all the lovely posts on here and finding that there is a guardian angel looking out for the ladies with lots to lose….looking at you alliecat!….has filled me with optimism that I am on the right course.And thank you to hummingbird for reminding me to be kind to myself.I shall KOKO and bless all of you.
Linda..x

Morning all,

Been absent as had a little tantrum. I have been around 2-3lbs from goal for a few weeks now. It is a funny thing as really I can call it quits anytime as my health markers, weight and body fat seem all to be good now, so why push on for that extra couple of pounds which won’t really make any difference? It is knowing about the patterns of self sabotage that kick in when It looks like I might actually achieve a target I have set for myself. (This is an issue for me across all of life 😕). So over this past few weeks I have seen me get so close to the magic number and then binge, on more than one occasion. I guess that for effective maintenance I need to at least start with the satisfaction of a job completed having battled my demons, so happy to report that I have stayed in the fight.

To goal- 0.1lb or 45.4g. 😱 I can smell victory
Tomorrow could be the big day???????!!!!?????

I love how this forum is so supportive of each person at different stages of the fight, really loving the posts from Allie; looking out for the ladies with lots to lose. KOKO peeps.
X

**** update****
Just after posting the above, I went back to my app to look at the stats from my scales. I saw 119.1 when I stepped on the scales this am but clearly they had a re-think as it has registered as 119lb. GOAL 🥅,! !!!!!!!

Phew!

Mokovex
That is fantastic news. Woohoo – GOAL – you did it!! Hurray.
I’m absolutely delighted for you.
Marie x

That’s awesome Mokovex – well done. How much did you lose in total and how long did it take?
So pleased that your health markers are good- that’s the important part. Best of luck with maintenance.

Btw, Mokovex, you have so often said something which has chimed with me.
I’ve lately been thinking that I’m in my healthy BMI now so should I concern myself too much with reaching my original target of 9 stone but you’ve just expressed my thoughts perfectly – I want to start maintenance ‘with the satisfaction of a job completed’. x
Edited: Also, hope you’re going to stick around and keep posting!

Well done mokovex!! How inspiring! I too have only a bit to go now and I’m going to do it! 1 lb disappeared overnight. As Allie is an inspiration to ladies with a lot to lose, your dogged determination “to see it through to the end” is fab! Well done again and to everyone else who is KOKO 😘😉

Good morning all – happy Wednesday. I can’t believe it’s only Wednesday – feels like it should be the end of the week!
Alliecat and Shansu – thank you so much for your posts – they meant so much to me. Shansu – we certainly are on a similar paths here – I’m really pleased you’re sounding more positive now. You’ve been through such a difficult time and are still hanging in there. We will both be strutting our stuff on the phoenixe rises thread in no time 🙂
Allie – you are so very kind to offer your help. Your post has really helped me no end and your story is so inspirational and proof that real change can be achieved. I’ve been trying to think why I’m struggling – I’ve been doing so well and feel so much healthier. A few weeks ago there was a discussion about fear of success and I wonder if that is what I’m struggling with. I’m struggling at exactly the same point I struggled and failed last year. My inner demons are saying “you’ve done so well – you might even succeed at this – time to stop!” But this year I have the help and support of all the lovely people on this forum so I’m not going to fail – I am slowing down but I am hanging in there and I will get over this glitch – the little demon voices are not as loud this week as they were last week and I will drown them out.

I have an nsv I’d like to share – I went to visit a friend yesterday evening, she’s been away so I haven’t seen her in person since starting this woe. I sat in the same armchair I always do and noticed myself moving around in it and how much more roomy the chair was rather than having to wedge myself in and not draw attention to how snug it felt 🙂

Well done Mokovex in reaching your target. Your comment about debating having got down into the healthy BMI weight range but having decided to fight to get to your target weight resonates with me.
I have been in a bit of a bad mood for the last couple of days. I really wanted to achieve my butterfly emerging from the chrysalis moment in early May. – I am not good at being in social settings, so really wanted to be able to walk into the room with friends that I haven’t met up with for the last year in my final dress size. Only my body isn’t co-operating. I am just 4.4kg (about 10lb) away now from the weight I used to be when I was my target dress size and was competing in equestrian endurance events. Only my body has decided to loose weight from my arms and legs and hold on to my spare tyre leaving me with 2 dress sizes to lose to get to my target and looking in the mirror I guess the spare tyre equals at least a couple more stone plus to go to get to the dress size I want to be. (If my body decides from here on to focus on getting rid of the spare tyre, somehow I suspect its not going to do that).
So having broken the 5 stone lost barrier this week, I haven’t been jumping for joy or even patting my self on the back because all I could see was my failure to achieve the dress size I was aiming for, and instead of nearly being at the end of the journey I am only about half way there.
Thank you for your sharing your debate about target weight against having done enough to get to a healthy BMI. Its reminded me that if I had got down to the dress size I want to be I would have stopped there, but in reality a lower weight still would be better for me and my young horse, (hopefully not so good for the profit margins of saddle fitters as I will worry less about pressure points) – So time to make myself feel better by spending some time thinking about things I would really like to do as rewards for each of the next big milestones on my weight loss journey. – Definitely top of the list will be a trip to Montana for a riding holiday, with all the never ending dealing with gates tied up with bailer twine and road work that riding in the UK involves, travelling to another country with big wide open spaces sounds like heaven.

Oh JGwen 5 stone is an amazing achievement. Don’t lose sight of that. Focus on “now” and one step at a time. When you started this journey if you’d only looked at the end I’m sure you’d never have started. Your spare tyre will catch up with your arms and legs eventually!
Who said even a journey of 1000 miles starts with one step? do weeks at a time. Back to small goals and you’ll be riding in Montana and wowing friends before you know it!
KOKO!!

Gattina – thank you. I’m just going through such an upheaval in my life at the moment that I don’t know whether I’m coming or going half the time. For example, my OH comes home tomorrow night, then on Friday we drive 4 hours north to see my parents, come back to London on the Sunday, then on the Monday drive 2 hours south-east to go look at flats before coming back to London at some point and then the following weekend visiting his Dad who is 3 hours north-east of London. I think I need to take a similar approach to all the changes as I am to the diet – one step at a time, small goals – hopefully then it won’t be so overwhelming.

I love your nsv. Chairs are such a good measure of us becoming smaller. Or tube seats – I don’t feel like spilling over into other people’s space any more. I haven’t seen my parents since before Christmas and I’ve lost nearly 25lbs since then so I’m hopeful that they will see the difference too.

Also I had another small drop this morning. There’s a chance that I may be back to a 3 stone loss (from my pre-BSD high in January 2017)) by Easter. The next challenge will be not self-sabotaging at that point – there seems to be something around the 205lb mark that makes me breathe out and wreck everything I have achieved.

But not this year – this is the year of change. By the end of 2018, I will be living in a new home, in a new town, in a new county with a whole new body. That’s it – I’m saying it out loud. By December 2018, as well as having changed my domestic situation entirely, I will also have joined the 100lb loss club. That’s my aim. That’s what I have to achieve. Just 60lbs and 9 months to go. Will still have further to go after that but that would put me in the middle of the Overweight BMI category.

It’s actually really exciting when you think about it… now I’ve just got to do it…

JGwen – 5 stone! You’re an inspiration. Though you may not be happy with where you are now, that is just incredible. And it’s definitely important to reward yourself and a riding holiday in Montana sounds amazing (and very possibly my childhood dream come true). I’m hoping that with a bit more weight loss and a change in financial circumstances, I will be able to take up riding again. It’s been years and I really loved it.

Mokovex – well done – I’m so pleased for you. That’s a fantastic result and well deserved 🙂
Tillybud – you’ll get there. keep going and you will do it!
Marie – it’s really satisfying to have a job completed – keep at it. 9 stone is a nice round number to reach. I’m aiming for the same number but it might take me a while to get there 🙂
Linda – hi and welcome. 2lbs is not so bad – draw a line and start again. I should take my own advice – I’m trying to do the same thing!
SueBlue – Good on you. 1kg gain while being away is good. The walking – and dancing – must have really helped work off the calories.
Nicola12 – hi and welcome. I’ve found that drinking lots of water really helps. It is hard to keep it up sometimes and you just have to force yourself to keep sipping away. I carry a water bottle with me everywhere. I’m vegetarian and it is hard keeping the carbs down – but I was sticking to 30g of carbs a day – I never tested if I was in ketosis. I eat loads of green vegetables and if I don’t drink enough water then I do have a problem with ‘movement’. So keep at it – you’re doing really well.
Maidtomeasure – happy birthday. I hope you had a good day. Well done avoiding the cake 🙂 I told all my colleagues I was doing this woe when I started in January and it has helped me stay accountable. Although I have been a bit embarrassed when I fell off the wagon. They know not to offer me any of the office treats. My birthday was in January and I brought in a small chocolate cake for my colleagues, but I ended up throwing away half of it. I think me avoiding my own birthday cake somehow put them off eating it too!
Madmare – hi and welcome.
JGwen – I have a few bedrooms that can do with a good clean if you get the urge…:)
Hummingbird – 7lbs – fabulous!
Oh2bthin – you can do this! infamous 7lbs, off!
Butterlover – welcome back. I know all about carb addiction and letting it get out of control. I hope this challenge will help you get back in control.

I’m sorry to those I’ve missed, and I will catch up with you through the challenge. I will be better at keeping up to date with this thread – it’s so busy – good to see so many motivated people here.
KOKO everyone and I look forward to hearing your updates.
X

me again! A few more posts arrived while I was writing.
JGwen – WELL DONE! 5 stone is amazing. That is really something to be proud of. You don’t mention how long ago it was that you were at your ideal dress size – our bodies do change with time – so don’t worry too much about the spare tyre. Tillybud is right – it will catch up with the arms and legs.
Shansu – the tube seat! I’m with you on that! I do still spill over – but a bit less than I used to:) And I am joining you on the 100lb loss club by December!

Gattina – it’s a pact! (also I probably do still spill over a bit on tube seats but I definitely feel like it’s less of an issue).

Thanks for the offer of some extra bedrooms to clean Gattina, I have a few pot holes in the drive to keep me busy for a while and my own house is in a very different state to the holiday let which gets spring cleaned weekly.
After that it will be the daily chase around after silly lambs who have managed to find a hole in a fence and squeeze through and then when they want to get back to mum can’t remember where the hole is so they run back and forth along the fence having a shouting match with their mum.

As for the dress size, its been 10 years since I broke my ankle and had to spend 6 months not putting weight on that leg, which is when the weight gain started. – I was counting on the fact that most shops seem to be making clothes more generous against previous sizes to get around that.

Hello all,
well, I don’t know – go away for 5 days and there is so much news to catch up on when you get back. Well done to all your successes.
As suspected, after 5 days in Germany having the most delicious German coffee and cake every afternoon, my scales tell me I have put on 3 of the 4 lbs I lost last challenge. But there was no way that I was not going to have the cake, and just BSd’d it wherever possible the rest of the time. So I guess my goals for the next 3 weeks of this challenge are to shift those 3lbs, and aim for a further 4lbs as well.
Gattina – in response, why is Easter all about Chocolate? I think that is a very British obsession. Shopping while away, we noticed many, many different ‘decorate your own hard boiled eggs’ for Easter kits, how to bake savoury treats for Easter guests, and beautiful, beautiful hanging decorations to put together your own Easter ‘tree’. All the shop windows (even hairdressers and solicitors) had lovely, tasteful arrangements of bunnies, baskets, flowers, and eggs etc as their contribution to decorating the town for Easter (we went to Bad Munstereifel, just SE of Cologne), and apart from buying some (very expensive) beautiful Lindt chocolate eggs for my two nieces, I have treated myself to one bar of 90% Lindt and one of 100% Lindt.
NSV this week – my German got more and more fluent over the last 5 days, seen my first queen bumblebee out and about my Hellebores, and gained an extra chicken (made homeless by her bad behaviour towards her last flock) who is already settled in and laying an egg a day.

So JGwen has lambs and treelady has chickens. You guys are living my dream. Doesn’t one of you have a goat in the house – or was that another poster?
The dream is to have chickens and goats. But I’d also like dogs and cats. And in the short term am going to be living somewhere without a garden and with no pets allowed. But I am hopeful one day that this will change.

Congratulations everyone! One week into the challenge, and I hope your “in it” to the end. There are
wonderful conversations taking place, and it’s a pleasure looking in on you all. 🙂

Linda (LiJuSt), what a lovely thought…guardian angel to ladies with lots to lose! Thank you for such
a beautiful compliment xx

I would be remiss in my “duties” if I didn’t share the number one tip that was instrumental to my personal
journey……. It began with Gary Taubes book “Why We Get Fat..and What to Do About It”. It changed the way
I thought about food forever, and is “The Bible” as far as I’m concerned. If I ever even think about faltering,
I reread it! (always a good idea before a holiday looms large on the horizon 🙂 ) If I had it in my power to do
so, I’d present it to each and everyone here, but most especially to my “ladies with lots to lose”. Short of that,
treat yourselves to a copy. It will be a gift that can change your life 🙂 Off my soapbox, now!

Enjoy your day!

Allie

Hi Allie,
I don’t have the book, but I have watched his presentations on YouTube which are very good and very informative – can highly recommend those if you haven’t time to read the book.

Thanks Allie – it’s being sent to my Kindle.

Now I just have to find my Kindle…

That’s a great suggestion, treelady! I hope you’re doing well. For some odd reason, my retention of material
is far better when I absorb the written word, rather than listen to a book on disc or a lecture. Same is true
with something as simple as a phone number…I won’t remember it if I’m told, but generally always remember
it if I see it written down. I’m just hopelessly visual, I think!

That would be me, It was a baby goat, that needed some TLC. Should I whisper that I also have chickens and ducks, and 2 dogs and 2 cats as well as the sheep, 3 horses and a pony. – I jumped ship from the rat race and went for full life and empty pockets a few years ago.

Very late posting the 1st week weigh-in but it was 60.1kg – upwards a little.
I’ve been inconstant in focus for a couple of weeks now. Truth to tell, I’m a little dispirited at the moment and fighting hard to stay away from things I know are unhelpful. I’m the eldest of 4 siblings: brother 5 yrs younger, obese, in a constant fight against depression after losing his wife to the terrible ovarian cancer some 4 years ago. Over earlier years he has had 2 accidents resulting in his back broken in different spots so also living with awful pain;
Sister 6 yrs younger than me, obese, heart failure, lung complications, on oxygen full time, diabetes 2, many allergies, in wheelchair when away from the house. 2 weeks ago was in ICU for several days, had collapsed & needed to be revived, ACU for a couple more days, home again now but unlikely to have a long life.
Sister 9 yrs younger than me and the one I’m closest to. Was with her last week when she was given the diagnosis of malignant, large polyp in bowel, needing major surgery in 2 weeks time. It’s just 2 years since she nursed and lost her husband to an aggressive brain tumor. Doesn’t seem fair, does it? But life is not always fair.
I’m 73. I’ve lost a kidney to cancer 20 yrs ago and have a whacking great scar on my leg from a melanoma about 8 yrs ago, but I’m healthier than my sibs. I’m not, never have been obese, just short and more often than not, pudgy, but seem to have had a trigger point where I would start the yo-yo down again. I’m determined that where I am now will be my future trigger point with my goal somewhat lower. And while I spend a lot of time “maintaining” in between losses I will keep going.
Sorry, I just kept going once started. It looks a bit grim when written out like this and I hope I haven’t depressed you all too much. Thank you, friends, for listening.

Nothing that you say is depressing, Marsie! It is heartbreaking to hear about the suffering all around you.
You are the phoenix in your family, though, and it must give your siblings strength to see you fighting on.
You are a beacon of light in the darkness, so hold on to that. I’m happy that you are posting on this thread,
and bring a fresh perspective to our daily lives. Thank you, sincerely 🙂

Allie

Marsie – no need for apologies. It’s good to share. It does sound like both you and your siblings have been through significant trauma over the years which must be overwhelming. I suspect you are feeling like you have to be strong for everyone at the moment and that can make it hard to find time and attention for yourself. I hope you manage to get some time to breathe out and always feel free to come here and talk. We’re all here for each other.

Marsie – sounds like you have a lot on your plate. Sending you virtual hugs xx
Treelady – thanks for the chocolate explanation – we’re obviously a nation of chocoholics. Sounds like you had a lovely time in Germany.
JGwen – your life sounds idyllic. Although I am a city girl at heart – my three cats are all I can cope with, but the little lambs sound like fun.
Thank you Guardian Angle Allie – I’ll look out the book. I think I remember I being discussed in previous threads.

Go for it, Gattina 🙂 🙂 🙂 ! I’m American (I know, I’m sorry!) but I know that the book is available on Amazon! I’m
looking forward to hearing what you think of it… I’m with you all on this journey, so Carry On! A word of warning
though…I can be a relentless pest, and am quite capable of dealing out “tough love” when needed, to get you over
the finish line. I’m in your corner, always, for I know that I’m nothing special, and if I can do this, anyone can! 🙂

XOXO

Allie

You are wrong Allie – you are definitely something special. Anyone who has changed their life the way you have is very special in my eyes 🙂
You carry on being a pest – it’s exactly what’s needed…

Wow. So pleased and impressed with everyone on here. I don’t really know what to say! I’m not very good at expressing myself in posts.
Since last week my waist measurement has dropped by three inches. I simply don’t understand how it can be so much in only a week! But also a tape measure can only give the facts so I’m quite confused. It’s never come off so fast before. Part of me is wanting to feel pleased but I’m also a little nervous about understanding it.
Maybe this isn’t a lot for some people 😉

Oh yes, maid2measure, this may be a new BSD record for inches lost in 1 week! Embrace it, for some of us find that
this is measurement is the last to go. Congratulations 🙂 🙂 🙂 NSV’s are indeed wonderful!

Allie

Marsie, Just read your post, you’re right, so not fair. I am not surprised you feel dispirited at the moment, who wouldn’t with those worries and stresses swimming around in your mind. It’s trite to say look after yourself but I am hoping that you can, and find some strength.
It puts our angst over the odd hundred grams here and there into perspective doesn’t it? I’m thinking of you and your family & hoping that your sister’s operation goes smoothly. My favourite brother in law is facing the same thing, the bowel cancer news coming two days after he was cleared of suspected lung cancer. The roller coaster doesn’t give much time to catch one’s breath.

Marsie, I just had to break my silence to send you love and hugs.
You have always supported and encouraged me during my ups and downs and your little mantra’s are lodged in my brain. (KOODAAT AND MOODAAT)
When I was going through a bit of a tough time you said I needed to take care of myself first in order to take care of others. I have tried to do this lately and I hope you will too.
Much love dear virtual friend
X B

Thank you Allie. As odd as it seems it is encouraging. I must take heart if nothing goes next week – that I lost three inches this week!

My scale victories will hopefully begin next month if I can take courage. I did weigh on Monday morning.

Hi everyone. I have been away for a week without internet and scales followed by a 3 day killer migraine so this is my first post for some time. Marsie, I’m so sorry for your troubles but you seem to be managing to stay positive which is great. Sending you big hugs xxx. Had my first weigh in for 10 days and was very pleased to see I have lost 2.1 kilos in that time. I’ll take that as I haven’t been weughing either my food or myself in that time. I’m now 110.8 kilos and have just 1 kilo to lose to reach my first mini goal of getting under 110 kilos. My clothes are feeling looser and i can feel the difference in shape, particularly around my waist and hips. Have a great day everyone 😊

Maid2Measure – 3 inches is incredible and they say the waistline is the one that needs to shrink for health benefits so that is great news.
Alex49 – well done on your loss and the NSVs of feeling that clothes are looser.

ALLIECAT – THANK YOU! I’ve just finished reading the book. (Actually I had nearly finished it before bed last night but had to wait for my tea break to finish the last chapter). I now know why you recommend it – it was a revelation. I was literally texting bits from it to my OH and he was blown away by it too. I may have to get a physical copy so I can make him read it and well everyone else that I know is struggling to read it too. It started making so much sense to me. All these years of hating myself for getting fat and not understanding why I had to starve myself to lose even a lb a month and feeling like I was a failure and lazy. Especially as my mum is thin and my sister is slim. Yet at 12, when I was thin, I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and insulin resistance shortly followed – no wonder I got fat and they didn’t. And no wonder this diet works for me. And it also explains how I put so much on in such a short time when I took a break from the diet last summer. I’m now confident that I will be able to maintain in the long term by a reduced carb intake.

In happy news for me, I had another drop this morning which takes me to 42.2lbs drop overall (and therefore excitingly 3 stone) since starting the BSD in late January 2017. This is also a BSD low for me this year (having put on nearly 2 stone at the end of last year). It is a good incentive not to go off the rails at Easter and to keep low carb even if I’m not low calories.
Also – a look at the stats from my scales (don’t know how accurate these measurements are):

17% decrease in overall weight
10% water increase
24% decrease in visceral fat
17% decrease in BMI

It’s very encouraging over all.

Many congratulations Shanshu. How lovely to pass the 3 stone milestone. I hope you feel better soon.

Sending much love and virtual support to Marsie – thinking of you and all your family x

Maid2measure – well done – 3 inches off your waist is fabulous. You should be really pleased with that.
Alex49 – a 3-day migraine is horrible, glad you’re feeling better. Well done on the weight loss – you’re definitely going in the right direction
Shansu – that’s brilliant – your stats are great; definitely very encouraging 🙂
My copy of the Gary Taubes book should arrive today – that’s my weekend reading sorted.
I’m having a very dull day at work – roll on 5.00 so I can start the weekend. Going to the hairdresser this evening and then some shopping – maybe even buy a new outfit for the weekend…

Well done Shansu, that’s a fantastic loss. Just wanted to report that I’ve just been and bought my first size 18 jeans…and they for! It’s a brilliant feeling. Loving that my clothes are also feeling so much looser now…its a really tangible result xx