Natalie, hopefully your Dr has explained why he/she asked you to carb load prior to your blood test. However in 6 years of being prediabetic, 9 years of diabetes and now 9 months of in remission I have never been asked to do that prior to an HbA1c test, which in Aus, as we both are, is the test for diabetes. Also officially in Australia a reading of 7 is considered diabetic. It would be a pity if you are worrying without understanding quite what for. Just suggesting u check out further what the test actually was. Good luck, hope u r ok with me listing my concerns for you. Cheers Jenni

Hi all, no change in weight today, disappointed as I swam for the first time yesterday, did 25 mins but will do more today. BG is still good at around 4.5.

Natalie, I too am confused, I thought you were having a glucose tolerance test not an HbA1c. I never carb load tor HbA1c and have never had a GT test. Okay so your doctor says you are fine, just take this as both a challenge and a warning. This plan does reduce BG so get back on seriously and forget about that test. If doctor asks you to carb load again ask him why.

Hi everyone, is it ok if I join you here? I’ve only just seen this thread but I started the 8 week fast on the 16th May (as a complete newbie). Actually when I started I told myself I was going to do it for four weeks, because I’m not going to be staying away from home until the 12th June. I didn’t even dare to believe I could do the whole eight weeks but am starting to think I can now.

So for the rest of the four weeks my aims are
a) to stay motivated and keep at it, despite the scales not budging at all this week!
b) to keep aiming at 10,000 steps a day
c) to keep logging my food on fitbit and writing the little journal I started.

I started at 11st 3lbs, am now 10st 10. Would really like to reach 10st 7 by the 13th June. I’m only little at 5’1″ so am still well above my ‘normal’ weight range.

Verano, Jenni and s-g, it was a glucose tolerance test (GTT) not HbA1c. The range of acceptable numbers are different. I don’t think I’ve ever had a HbA1c. I’ve always had a GTT every year or so since having gestational diabetes with my second pregnancy ten years ago. And I’ve been in the pre-diabetes range (glucose intolerance) most of that time.

My fasting blood sugar before the test this time was 4 point something, which is fine. I then drank 75 g of liquid glucose (disgusting) and sat quietly in the clinic for two hours (very nauseous for an hour, then slept for an hour) then they took more blood. I think the ranges are up to 7.8mmol/L is normal, up to 11.0 is pre- diabetic, over that is diabetes. I was 10.7 at two hours.

Some people, especially older people I think, are diagnosed when their fasting levels go over the much lower acceptable limits. I’ve never had bad fasting numbers – only after I eat (or drink) carbs! The GTT shows very clearly that my body can’t handle a large dose of carbs.

Hi Everyone,
Haven’t had time to do a real catch up on all the posts of the last couple of days, just to say I’ve been close to my aims for wed &Thurs, hadn’t set anything here for today, Friday, and I haven’t gone too far over i think. Tomorrow, Saturday, is an unknown quantity as we are meeting acquaintances from Queensland, on a cruise, in port (Fremantle)for one day and we are showing them around. Bound to take in morning tea and lunch. Morning tea will be ok as I don’t do cake anymore, lunch I’ll just do what I can.
16yo Granddaughter staying overnight tonight, talk about screen time ….OH watching tv, GD & I heads down over tablet & phone …😨

Goodnight, sleep tight xx

Not a lot happening on the scales for me again this week. It’s up and down the same half pound. Have done a couple of longish fasts to try and boost things on a bit. Have stuck to the plan as per usual but it just takes time and patience. Was happy to be wearing size 12 trousers at work this week. I posted on another thread that the scales don’t appear to be moving but the fat does! It’s a very strange science weight loss! Two weeks to go to my one week holiday to Olu Deniz and ideally I wanted to be 10 stone but there is no way I can lose 5lb in two weeks so I will try to be as near as I can by 10th June. Son coming home this weekend for his 30th birthday party. I will be staying low carb but will be having a celebratory drink or two (Mediterranean BSD!). Hope to report a loss at Tuesday’s weigh in. It’s been glorious weather today in Manchester- have put a pair of shorts on! That wouldn’t have happened a few months ago! Onwards and downwards everyone. Good luck for the weekend and see all here on Tuesday for your updates!

I’m rocking the shorts as well tonight, while drinking far too much white wine. Still I haven’t eaten much at all today so it will balance out.

Hi there, nothing much to report, no weight loss which is strange as my pool is open now and I have been doing 30 mins every evening. BG very good this morning at 3.8, yes a bit low but will reduce insulin again tonight.

Hi all. I’ve been so busy with work I’ve just read all of this thread this morning. I’m continuing with the med plan as I’ve always done, no counting cals or carbs (I’m not diabetic, this way really works for me). Being away from home with work has led me to larger quantity of food than normal so I put on approx 5 lbs but they have come off over the past week when I got home into my usual routine. Back to 10st 4lbs. I’m not sure I remember being lower than this in my adult life. Short (ish) term commitment to myself is to be 9st anything by 08.08. Thanks for all the inspiring posts. Continued success everyone.

Week 2 Day 5 of 7

Note to self ….. start counting and logging again!

OTT day yesterday so must get back to basics so that I have something good to report on Tuesday.

Have a good weekend.

Hi All ,Ive not posted for a while but I’m still reading all the posts .Its good to see everyone moving forward each in their own way.Ive got into a habit of not measuring and not recording on the weekends.last couple of weeks we have been out to eat a few times and of course some wine ,So I have been up and down by as much as 1kg. Overall, I’m slowly loosing. today was 1kg down but as soon as I say that I usually put on, so I’m waiting to see on Tuesday.
I have been quite upset by the bad news all over the TV. I’m not religious but I’m praying for peace as I can’t think of anything practical that would help.I hope we can all stay positive and continue the BSD journey,life must go on. best wishes to all

Do any of you lovely people have any tips for me? I seem not tempted at all by ice cream and crackers and cake, because in my mind they are completely out of the question. My problem is the foods that I think are “ok”. So yesterday my OH served up a platter before dinner and I gorged on olives and cheese. Worse than this, pretty much every time I go into the pantry and see the nuts I have a handful of nuts, gobbled down standing up. I think it might help to put the nuts in an opaque container! I would like a better habit, like every time I go into the kitchen I have a glass of water .

Moving the fruit bowl off the dining table completely solved my after dinner fruit problem btw. It’s like I don’t have a brain and just react to my environment, like some kind of horror movie blob that just consumes everything in its path.

Falldoen 7 times, I hear you with the cheese! I’ve resorted to freezing it! I was cutting myself a ‘sliver’ far too often. The opaque container is a good idea.

I was horrified last night to realise that the calories I was recording for my coffee was way under estimated. I used a generic single cream that was already in the calculator but when I actually looked at the carton it was way more. I’ve been recording 80 cal for 2 coffees but it’s actually 99 cal for one 😢. Maybe I’ll go back to the splash of milk, more carbs but fewer cals. My carbs are averaging 25 a day so I can cope with a little more. I do love the cream though.

Hi all,

It’s true what you say Cathy, it’s a strange business as even when there was no budge on the scales last week I was feeling so much slimmer, I’m delighted and amazed to fit into a new pair of size 12 jeans this morning, and something about this outfit has made my hubby realise I look a lot slimmer so that’s a morale boost!
That has meant my motivation is running high for this afternoon – we’re having a BBQ for 12 – 14 people. I’m making peri peri chicken kebabs and a huge bowl of coleslaw and a cold pesto courgetti recipe that I saw on here… I will not be tempted by the crisps and bread!!!

Well done Doodledoo, I find it so encouraging reading everyone’s stories!

Butterlover agree, it’s been a very difficult week, would be impossible not to be affected by the bombing in Manchester…

My slimming world friend has a theory that it’s been a difficult week to lose weight as we’ve had a bit of a heatwave in the UK and naturally in a heatwave your body wants to hang on to fluids… there could be something in that… but she lost 6lbs this week anyway!

What I’m finding motivating at the moment is to imagine what weight I could be waking up to this morning if I hadn’t started this BSD and had actually continued putting on weight… so it’s not just the difference between weight now and weight then but what could have been …. if you see what I mean!

Hope those of you in the UK are coping fine with the bank holiday weekend 🙂

Hey Falldown, I’m sure we can all relate to that!
It’s a bit of a chore but I find that what’s helping me stick to it is writing down every morsel that I eat… I’m logging it with my fitbit. But then I’m in calorie counting mode atm and you may be past that…

Hi all, bit of a quandary, this morning I have gained .6 of a kilo even though I have swum 30 mins 4 days in a row. Maybe I am compensating for the exercise with extra helpings. I know I have had a couple of really low BGS, my machine tell me off, and I have had to grab something but I usually have a slice of ham then 2 prunes and then 2 tablespoons of yoghurt, that usually sorts me out. I am also a bit like Falldown and have a handful of nuts which might have just got bigger due to hunger and being a bit shakey at times. Anyway I am now on my way to the airport to pick up my family so I might not be around much. Have a good week everyone. I will report in on Tuesday 6th.

Good morning everyone or should that be anyone!!!” We seem to have gone of the boil a little here at the moment. Maybe its due to the hot weather!

I have really been in the doldrums food wise these last three days. I’m not eating simple carbs but I am hungry and I seem to be eating far more than normal, more than I care to log on fatsecret anyway!

I am just wondering if it has anything to do with cutting my metformin in half??? I reduced my metformin last Tuesday and since Friday I have been ‘hungry’ , well at least it feels like hunger, all the time. May just be coincidence.

Anyway I’m in need of a boost so am starting a ‘Just 7 Days’ thread. If anyone wants to keep me company you’d be more than welcome.

I am around Verano and feel for you. It’s hard when things don’t go so well but great when we feel in control and the scales are kind to us.
I won’t be joining in your new thread as I am still trying the softer approach of not being obsessed by food, counting or over thinking the whole situation, but wish you well.
Chin up and good luck.
X B

Hi Verano, I’m here but not here, I’ve been away but not away.

Cryptic I know, but I really haven’t been “here”, ie with the M Plan, since last Thursday. That was the last day I put any time into planning my food. Friday was ok until evening when I let bread back into my life. I also had large helpings of it on Saturday and Sunday. Not today. Can’t believe I did it but I did and today I’m feeling emotionally and physically blah. Went for a good walk along the coast this morning, should have cheered me up, beautifully sunny autumn day in Perth. And another thing not to believe, but at 72 yrs, I’ve had a skin breakout, blinkin’ bread!
Weighing in tomorrow with 2 weeks wasted now.

Have a good week with your family s-g

Hello out there, am I the only one who’s been “away”? Verano’s right, it’s slowed down on here.

Until tomorrow. …….

Hi Marsie I fel a bit like my last two weeks have been wasted too! But you know today is another day so let’s both draw a line under the last few days and move on. I’m hoping that my ‘just 7 days’ mantra will help me get back on track!

Busybee I think I’ve been trying too hard at the ‘soft’ approach lately!!! Hence the need for a short, sharp, shock again for me!!!

I’m not leaving this thread, far from it. I’m just hoping to give myself a boost and get back into the swing of things, so that I can start reporting some better results in the next two weeks!

Hi everyone, I’m back too. I kept to BSD all through the worry of my mother being so sick on a remote island in Tahiti. She did not die, or have her leg amputated. She arrived home on Saturday accompanied by a nurse who had flown out from Sydney to collect her. She is on the road to recovery although I think it will be a while.

I’m still losing weight but sloooowly… 200 grams last week, and 200 grams the week before. And that is despite continuing on with the training for my big walk. Today I walked 20 kms with an 8 kg pack. My bet is – I will weigh the same, or more tomorrow. It’s so unpredictable!

Verano – I wonder if anyone else has felt hungry after cutting down on metformin. It would be really interesting to know if it is a side effect of cutting the dose.

Am reading MMs latest book – the healthy guts diet. Very interesting – I am going to buy some Apple cider vinegar at our next Tesco shop. Hopefully they have an organic unpasteurized one. I do make my own Kefir which MM says is very good for the guts.

Found a lovely place to eat only 5 miles from us. It also is dog friendly as well as being BSD friendly. Am doing really well on month 6 of maintenance. Really enjoying how I feel on the BSD.

I had a lovely special occasion blouse that I was waiting to get into once I lost the weight. You can probably guess what happened when I put it on to go out to the new restaurant. It is now – sadly – in the bag of charity shop clothes

Well, we had a family party yesterday to celebrate my sons’ 30th Birthday. I was in control of myself- ate no chocolates, no bread, pasta salad etc. I had vegan sausage and salad and had one small glass of cava. HOWEVER, I CHOSE to eat a sultana scone with raspberry jam and clotted cream. The first white carb to enter my mouth since 8th January! It was delicious but the difference when deciding whether to eat this was that I made a conscious decision to eat it. Do I regret it, NO. I knew what it would mean and I have no regrets because I am in control and today I am back on BSD. The diet continues today- the scales were up this morning on my daily weigh in and tomorrow I may not be reporting a loss but life goes on and BSD goes on. My goal weight is 17 lb away so back to it! See you all tomorrow for the Tuesday weigh in!!!!!!! Oops x

ClarinetCathy – sounds like you enjoyed your son’s birthday celebrations – that scone and clotted cream sounds delicious 🙂 I chose to eat a BBQ sausage and onion sandwich for lunch at the football on the weekend 🙂
It is good to feel empowered to choose isn’t it? It’s funny but I can look at cakes, biscuits etc and not even few tempted to eat them, and find it easy to say no, I have no qualms doing so. But equally if I really want something and am hungry I feel comfortable with my choice.
I’ve had a funny sort of Week, gaining almost 2kg at one point (have no idea how – the sausage sandwich wasn’t to blame as it was after that!).
I’ve had a good couple of days since though, sticking to 800 calories and 40-50g carbs, and most of the gain has gone. Will be interesting to see what the scales read tomorrow.

Hey, topcac, I probably need you to return my serve………:)

Thanks Verano, you’re on. And I meant to say, thanks for reminding me about ginger with apple and rhubarb. Added it yesterday to the latest batch and it definitely adds a little kick, better than the cinnamon I’d been adding before the yoghurt. Now that cooler mornings are here I will start to warm the a & r in the microwave again before adding my yoghurt so may still add a little cinnamon at that time.

Michele62, so glad to hear the good news on your mother. While recovery may take time, it must be such a relief for you to have her home. And you are progressing with your walking, well done you:)

KrysiaD, Charity shop must smile when they see you coming through the door….:)
Re Apple Cider Vinegar, I’ve been doing this mornings only for a couple of months now. I started with morning and evening and carefully measuring but got a bit blase and just tipped it into a glass without measuring. At a certain point I came down with an unexpected, unexplained UTI. May have been coincidence but I think I overdosed and thoroughly upset the internal balance. Started to clear within a day of stopping the ACV. Once I felt ok I restarted, strictly measuring 10ml, adding a slurp of warm water to the measuring cup and just throwing it down. If I don’t breathe it in I’m ok. I know others add it to juice or a long glass of water, but I’d rather do it quickly. Can’t say I feel any benefit just yet, but then I’m not as sugar/carb free as you, KD. And then, I’m not sure what I should be feeling.

I’m still here (vaguely) too. Haven’t been posting as I’m on holiday with a group of friends, and not regulating my intake of food / alcohol at all although I have stayed off all the white carb stuff. Just hoping that when I get home and hit the scales, I won’t have upset my maintenance too much, but if I have I will go back onto BSD800 for the week as I will be on my own, only a week though as then I am going away with my mother for a week, followed by a week away with girlfriends (all rugby widows 😝). Fortunately I will then have another 5 days all to myself to regain control before O/H gets back from NZ after his month following the British Lions Tour. Then we are away again – beginning to feel a bit like a nomad 😜

I have had so many comments recently that I am looking too thin, though (now size 8) so maybe it won’t be such a bad thing if I have put on a couple of pounds – though I LOVE feeling thin.

I use ACV to make salad dressing, really easy way of consuming it.

Michele, so pleased to hear your mother is finally home and on the long road to recovery. What a relief for you, and very well done for staying in control during that exceedingly stressful time.

Krysia – I know how you feel regarding the blouse, as I’ve done exactly the same thing a couple of times. And I have already shrunk out of all the new trousers I bought just a matter of weeks ago. The charity shops must love all us BSDers 😜

HI everyone. I didn’t post last week as I had a really bad week and feeling a bit fed up with it all. Today I am down 3lbs on where I was last week so I’m happy with that. Also today I wore a pair of jeans that I have not been able to wear for almost two years. After a 2.5 hour train journey they were still comfortable and not digging at all. More reasons to be cheerful. I am gradually extending my fasting times. Not as easy as I thought but can now do 24 hours without effort. Working up to 36hrs twice a week. I will get there.

Michele62 pleased to hear your mum is back and let’s hope she has a speedy recovery.

Seems like a few of us are struggling at the moment but I guess that’s life …. good days and some not so good days… looks to be the same with BSD.

I’m also sending new and maybe worn once clothes to the charity shops. I sorted some stuff out last week including three never worn bras which are all too big now. Why is it that weight seems to come off from the top down! Be much happier if it was from the bottom up!! Mind you coming off anyway at the moment would be a bonus!

Good to see so many posters today all gearing up for tomorrow’s weigh-in!

Clarinet Cathy and Sue Blue… it’s so brilliant to hear how you can choose to eat non BSD things and stay cool and carry on as normal… that is surely the path to long term success and that’s what I’ll need to work on when I finish this 8 weeks. Not an all or nothing/on the diet or off the diet mentality. Thanks so much for sharing that, it’s really inspiring! 🙂

Theodora, Marsie and Verano – yes – the charity shops must be very happy with all of us – especially when we bring in new or only worn once clothes.

Marsie – I popped into Tesco and got some ACV. As well as being good for the gut I have read that it helps make us more insulin sensitive. It would be great if it really does. I will be careful not to overdose though – so thanks for that info.

Theodora – I hadn’t thought of making it into a salad dressing. I shall try that tomorrow – it will add a bit of a zing to my salad, which will be nice. I agree that it is lovely to feel thin. Even after six months I can’t quite believe it.

My sister got a new dog – a 9 month old collie labrador cross. The family who owned her were really sad that they could no longer keep her. She is a lovely little dog – we introduced her to our two dogs yesterday and they got on really well. My sister had been so upset so it is really good that she has got another dog.

Good morning everyone . I’m sorry to hear so many are struggling at the moment. It really is a mind thing isn’t it?

2 weeks into the challenge and hitting my exercise targets 5 days out of 7 which is an improvement but could do better! Half a kilo gone this week. One more kilo will see me at my lowest weight in 15 years and that’s a real incentive for me to keep going. It will also mark 20kg and almost 25% of my weight lost from my heaviest 18 months ago.

Keep going all and don’t give up!

Aww Krysia, how lovely that your sister has found it in her heart to rehome a needy dog. She is rebuilding her family, not replacing, and her old dog would be overjoyed to know that another pooch will now know the love of a new forever home.

As far as feeling thin is concerned, I think it may be my new addiction. The “high” it gives is soooooo much more satisfying than food, which is, after all very transitory. The feeling of being thin and in control is very empowering and, right now, I honestly don’t believe I will ever give that up for a moment of short term pleasure, followed by hours of long term guilt. We can all do this – be honest, if I can do it, anyone can. And it is soooo worth it. X

Theodora I get where you are coming from (or think I do!) and I’m sure being thin is very empowering. I am SO far away from thin though – even a loss of another 3 stone will onlysee me reach the top end of my ideal weight range.
I have lost, and put on weight, so many times, and it’s been decades, not years, since I was a healthy weight.
If I knew the whole 3 stone would be lost in 1 or 2 rounds of 800 calories BSD I think I would be able to stick to it 100 %. But due to a number of reasons, including health issues and medications, BSD is going to be a long term WOE for me, actually I think I’ll always follow it in some form as I know as soon as I take my eyes off the ball my weight will climb up! So along the way I’ll have the odd sausage sandwich, glass of wine etc and I’m not going to feel guilty, or feel that I’ve cheated/broken the diet etc. I guess this is what I meant by feeling empowered to make a choice over different foods. Before I would mindlessly eat/drink different foods but now I really think beforehand and only eat something if I really want to, and then like Cathy and her scone, I’ll enjoy it, even if it is only transitory.
I’m sure I’ll enjoy being thin, when I eventually get there, but in the meantime am going to try and enjoy the journey too 🙂

And after that epic post I forgot to include this weeks update ☺️
Basically I lost the weight I’d put on last week and so I’m now back to where I was at the start of this 4 week challenge. Coincidentally (or not) my prednisone dose dropped back to normal. I walked almost 80,000 steps too. im also keeping an eye on my net carbs – although I’ve been following recipes from the book (well, apart from the sausage sandwich that is!), some of the meals are higher in carbs than others. So last week for example, when I had the gain, some days I had oats for breakfast, then lentil soup for lunch – this was already over 60g carbs just for the 2 meals. So this week I’m trialling less carbs, even the slow release, low GI, ‘good’ ones!
The only other thing I can think of to try and boost my loss is to drink more water – now that it’s cooler weather here I’ve slackened off a bit!

And talking of charity shops – I found a copy of Dr Gillian McKeith’s “you are what you eat” cookbooks from 2005 in a charity shop on the weekend.
That used to be one of my favourite TV shows, I had the books myself at one stage.
Reading the recipes and text though, I could see so many similarities between Gillian’s recommended foods and BSD foods, except for low fat/high fat and the amount of fruit “allowed”. I just wish I had stuck to this diet back in the day – wouldn’t be where I am now!
One part that really resonated with me, and I think applies to BSD, is “this is a plan for life”… the [diet] concepts integrate and inter-connect into every realm of your life. This is your route to wellness, happiness and a great body”

So far BSD had made me feel more healthy and happy – I just have to keep going and work on the “great body” part 😊

I’ve had a weekend away, not logging anything, drinking alcohol and eating lovely food including some white stuff although moderating my intake as seems very natural now. I am currently at 10 stone 12.2 which is still within my 6 pound band, although in the top half of the band for only the second time this month, so very happy with that. Today will be an 800-1000 calorie fast day with badminton this evening so back to a 16:8 with a fish protein heavy light salad lunch and protein shake for tea, around the exercise before and after. Extra Miso soup or Marmite drink if struggling through the day, and plenty of green tea. My OH is going to trial not logging and counting but cutting out the white stuff only and see whether he can lose a bit more, he has been putting weight on slightly lately from his recent low, and has a big event coming up in 6 weeks.

Hi SueBlue, I think I have a copy of that book too, but like so many diets the low fat aspect sabotaged my efforts to lose weight. I am so happy I have now found this diet and can eat all my favourite things without gaining weight.

Great postings, SueBlue. I can agree with you about enjoying your choices, on or off the plan, but it’s that word “plan”.
When I plan and stay with it, well and good. In any case, meals are usually ok, the biggest problem is that I haven’t overcome the unplanned eating, the extras that throw out the balance. I have these things in the house because I don’t live alone ….. nuts, grapes, GF snacks, eg. I’ve said before, never pre or diabetic and “only” 10kg to lose but it’s the mindlessness of what i do with unplanned food that upsets. Fruit, nuts, are on the bench &/or within easy reach so OH will pick at them. Small and often for him or he goes downhill rapidly. Never overweight in the 50+years I’ve known him, but severely under weight pre Coeliac diagnosis. Now in his 80th year, atrial fibrillation, 2 strokes last year (remarkably untouched by), I’m currently watching him more closely than in the past.
However, that’s no reason for me to snack mindlessly, I just do. Except when I write everything down at the time. So I’ll still use fat secret to plan but will use a notebook to physically jot down the food eaten. Is more meaningful to me than the screen though, of course, I’ll continue to correspond here.

Oh heavens, I’ve gone on about me again. More to come ….
62.6kg this morning, .1kg up on last. As per last week, it was more than that a couple of days ago. So, 2 weeks of this challenge wasted, line drawn under (Verano!😐). Keep on keeping on, planning one day at a time.

Good weighing in, everyone x

SueBlue, don’t get me wrong. I too am enjoying some foods not recommended on BSD – this week for example I am on holiday and eating and drinking more or less whatever I fancy. But those indulgencies are and will, I hope, remain exactly that – occasional treats to savour and enjoy.

But what I hope never to return to is just stuffing myself mindlessly, regaining weight, without actually enjoying or even thinking about what I am eating. I think this WOE re-educates us to eat mindfully not mindlessly, which is I guess what I meant and hope to do for the rest of my life.

Good luck on your journey, I have no doubt you will reach your goal.

PS no weigh in for me this week as no access to scales whilst on holiday, but hope everyone else’s goes well.
.

Theadora – you are right – the old dog would be overjoyed that the new dog now has a forever home. It is great to see my sister happy again.

Reading your post made me realise that thin is my new addiction. When I get dressed I can’t resist doing a twirl in front of the mirror to admire my slender shape – and it gives me such a boost. Since 1967 the only time I would look in the mirror was to check whether the top I was wearing showed the rolls of fat around my middle too much. If it did I would have to do a quick change of clothes to something baggier.

SueBlue – I have been a serial dieter since 1967 but have never got down to a healthy weight in all that time. So at the start of the BSD I was probably the least likely person to succeed. I totally agree that for me this has to be a way of life and I will never go back to what Theadora describes so well – mindlessly stuffing myself with food without even enjoying it.

Weight today is 9st 4.25lbs – so another successful week on maintenance. I think that staying accountable really works for me – helps me keep on track.

Looking forward to that addiction Krysia!! Think it’s still way off in the future for me but I can still enjoy the pleasure of putting on something I’ve not worn in a while to find that it’s far too big!

So this week has seen me absolutely standing still which, given my weekend of ‘ mindless’ eating, is a miracle. Just one day of being on plan, apart from the white wine ‘road test’, and I’ve dropped the 2lbs of water weight I’d put on. So I’m back to square one. Today is a new day, for all of us, and my aim is 900/40 just for today.

Well done to all the losers and maintainers and better eating this week for the rest of us. Have a good day.

Krysia, I’m the same – every day I do a twirl in front of a full length mirror and can’t quite believe the reflection I see is actually me.

I used to hate clothes shopping because no matter what I tried on, it looked awful and was just a means of hiding my body. Now virtually everything I try on looks great and my choice is whichever I like best not whichever hides the fat best. 😜

Really good to know your sister is happy again – every dog we lose takes a little bit of our hearts.

Verano, I honestly think being thin is – and I hope will remain – my new addiction, and hopefully will become yours too. No rehab clinic needed though as I never ever want to give it up. 😊

Krysia and Theodora, I loved hearing this morning about how happy you’ve been with clothes since losing the weight. Even though I still have a little way to go I suddenly have a renewed interest in clothes, and it’s made me realise how much I had gone off buying clothes in recent years and bothering with my appearance generally.

Today I start week 3 of the BSD and I’m so happy with progress!
Starting weight 11st 3, weight today 10st 6, target weight (to put me a few lbs inside the normal BMI range for my height) 8st 13

Have a good week everyone! X

Hello fellow challenger’s.
I am happy to report another three pounds off this week and, for the first time, this is not weight I have previously lost, so a new low showing on the scales!
My new system seems to suit me and I hope to lose a few more pounds before our holiday in two weeks.
Now ready for week three.
X B

I never got my head around Gillian MacKeith. All this detoxing! Too strict for me to follow. This BSD is about right. Even though I haven’t lost since last week – but haven’t gained either – that’s a bit of luck! So onwards and downwards from here and hope to report 2lb loss next week. Have a good week everyone x

Logging another pound on from last week – disaster! Today is my birthday and I feel like a complete and utter failure. I need to lose half a stone to get into my wedding outfit in 18 DAYS!!! I’m hoping some of it is water weight but I can’t see the wood for the trees and just keep eating crap!

Need to get my head into this seriously and quickly!! What with a hen night on Saturday it seems impossible right now.

Anyone share any words of wisdom?

My advice is fast! Have you tried any of the intermittent fasting styles before? 16:8 is one of the easiest, and just means you pick a window of 8 hours and only eat within that. I regularly use that one when planning a meal out. A full 24 hour fast, say tea time Monday to teatime Tuesday is more extreme but still handle able. The more I practice fasting the easier I find it to control myself on non fasting days.

Well it’s no loss from me this week! I’ve done a couple of fasts and I have done my YouTube walking but the clotted cream scone I chose to eat on Sunday may be partly to blame. I am going to put a lot of effort into the next 11 days so that I am at my lowest weight this year. Am going to try and get to 10.4 or less! I wanted to be 10 stone for my holiday but I can’t achieve that now! We go on 10th June. I reckon with a bit of effort I could achieve 10.4. I feel that i’ve not really done that well recently and have got the book out to re-read and hopefully inspire me. I hope to report a good loss of more than 1lb next week! My size 12 swimsuit will be tight if I don’t get a grip of myself before 10.6.17!

Topcap, remember when you told me (technically you were replying somebody else, but I was reading and took it very much to heart) to drink water like it was my second job? That phrase immediately flipped my perspective and changed my mindset for good. I went from being an occasional, scattered water-drinker to a committed, regimented one overnight.

That is who you are too. You’re a bundle of nerves right now because of the wedding and the stress is driving you outside of yourself, but you are not who you were before you started the BSD. Your mind is playing tricks on you because it’s under so much pressure. Forget the clothes, the nuts, the candies, whatever else. Take 10 minutes every morning and remind yourself who you really are. You are someone who was able to exert discipline verging on the superhuman for months to accomplish great things for your body and health. You took on this way of eating like it was your second job and you excelled at it. You, not external events, are in control of you.

Mixmatch’s idea of a fast is a good one. It might help you reset your body as you reset your mind to the disciplined, professional outlook that has already taken you so far. Also, toss out all the sugary, carby treats in the house. If they’re not around, they won’t beckon.

You know you can do it because you have already done it. Stop being mean to yourself, stop running yourself down. Get to work.