NOT GIVING UP IN NOVEMBER ! ONE WEEK AT A TIME BEGINNING 22ND NOVEMBER 2022

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  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    Hi everyone, excuse me if this is short and sweet. Wendy has been tied up again and I am stepping in. How quickly has November gone, just over a week to go before December kicks in. Still have 5 weeks before the festivities so lets make the most of it.

    Nice to see our usual crew and welcome back to ArcticFox. I personally have really messed up this weekend so if you are struggling we can help each other out.

    No matter where you are on your journey there is always someone here in the same boat or able to give you a lift.

    Have a good week everyone – Wendleg, Sunshine-girl and SunnyB

  • posted by arcticfox
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    Hi everyone,
    Thanks for setting up the thread s-g.
    Yesterday I watched a recent lecture by Dr. Jason Fung. It was a good reminder about needing to lower insulin. One of the things he spoke about though was that lower insulin helps reduce fluid retention as well as blood sugar. I definitely need that at the moment. I ate in only a 6 hour window yesterday and an 8 hour window today and I’m very happy to report that I’ve been losing fluid like crazy today.
    I was cleaning up my email inbox on an account that I use infrequently, and I realized that I am still getting emails from Dr. Bikman’s Insulin IQ site. JGwen was the one who put me onto it originally. They are promoting their program to reduce your insulin in 90 days. I think JGwen may have sampled in when it was in beta? Anyway, it’s a paid program right now and I can’t afford it, but I remembered that I had bought Dr. Bikman’s book. I received it just when I was moving house though, so had only skimmed it. I decided to go back and see if I can glean any gems from it. I think 90 days is a good amount of time, so I think I will make it my goal to do what I can to reduce my insulin levels in that time. It would be so nice to be able to go into next year’s farming season feeling so much better and having more energy.

  • posted by Verano
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    Good morning!
    Thanks s-g for setting up another thread.
    Welcome back arcticfox. I agree 90 days is a nice round figure. I think that maybe you just need to be realistic about the upcoming festivities and don’t be too hard on yourself.
    I gave myself a good talking too last week. I also have to be realistic. I seem to be reasonably healthy despite my weight. I’m not sure if weight loss for me now is purely a ‘vanity’ thing, so I don’t have the same motivation that I had when I was trying to get my T2 into remission.
    I have a few trips in the pipeline so, being realistic, I can’t think about weight loss at the moment because it’s unlikely to happen and I would be just setting myself up to fail. I’ll be happy staying where I am and if I lose some great but if not, no great problem. I just need to stay relatively low carb to stay in remission. So that’s my aim for the moment.
    I’m not disappearing as I think that would be a recipe for disaster. At least staying in touch, even just once or so a week, keeps me focused on why I started this in the first place.
    Anyway, thanks for continuing this thread. Have a good week.

  • posted by Tulip1
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    Hey all….SG thank you for setting up the thread….as always, I really appreciate this space when I can get to it.
    Great thoughts and plans Arctic Fox and Verano 🙂

    I fell off the wagon again!! I do find it helpful to have somewhere to say it….it might not help everyone, but it helps me as it’s not about berating myself but it helps me draw a line in the sand to give it another go.

    I am still struggling with a depressive episode, and lots of child issues, which is partly why I’ve not been on…

    hope everyone’s doing ok,

    Love,
    Tulip xxx

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    Hi Tulip1, just be kind to yourself.

    Arctic, I bought the Prof Taylor book about curing diabetes on my kindle about a year ago, it was on offer for €2, and havent even opened the first page. I normally use kindle for the last 10 mins before I go to sleep and it is usually a thriller, forensics mystery etc.

    V, I am in the same situation. My T2 numbers are good so the weight is just a matter of vanity. Could do to lose 2 stone to be honest, it sounds a lot but I think I will end up a scrawny old lady. Went swimming today and nearly lost my bottom half of my tankini due to weight loss, around 4kgs since I last wore them. So that is going into the recycle/charity bag for next year. Lets hope I don’t need it again. I wont take it until Spring as it is a tiny charity shop and they don’t have much room for out of season clothing. Quite enjoyed having a swim but didn’t enjoy getting up early, the drive and having to share the pool with other people. I am so spoilt.

    One of the reasons I went swimming today is that I appear to have become a bit agoraphobic although not scared of going out, just put things off. Like for Halloween we booked for a scary evening in a Chateau but I put it off because of the rain. When really I was just nervous. It’s this hang over from Covid and not going out. Went to our local village quiz last Friday and enjoyed it so I am now forcing myself to go places like the swimming on my own. There is a quiz in a local restaurant first week in December and we are planning to go to the cinema next Monday. Hubby will be with me at those events if we dont put it off.

    I am going to behave myself now until our quiz night on the 5th so still a chance to get rid of my weekend blow out. Gained just over a kilo but lost most of it already in 3 days.

    Have a good week.

  • posted by Tulip1
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    aww thanks SG….
    Re the agoraphobia…..I definitely understand that……
    I have a new phobia of driving since Covid/ pandemic- I am ok locally but not coping at all well on the motorways- even being a passenger is tricky, although to be fair my husband’s driving is quite erratic 😅 ….anyhow, as my parents live in the Midlands, it’s a bit tricky…..

    xx

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    Hi all,

    Tulip1, I too have a fear of driving anywhere. Not covid related as it has been going on for some time. Hubby is a bit controlling and likes to do all the driving which means I havent driven for nearly 3 years. Even when I go to the pharmacy or local shop he feels he has to come with me and he has to drive. It has to stop which is why I put my foot down and went swimming on my own. He wanted to drive me there then sit outside and wait for me for an hour. I am really surprised he didnt come up with a reason to have to be with me like having to go to a particular shop to pick up something, but he didnt say a word. I think he might be getting the message. Although the very last thing he said as I left the house was ‘dont crash the car’. Thanks mate. He seems to have forgotten, and maybe I have too, that he used to do this before when we were down to one car. Then we went on holiday to France and he became quite ill and I had to drive us all the way home to Yorkshire having not driven for over 5 years. Maybe I am over-sharing but I need to get my independence back.

    However, the going out and mixing with people is a covid thing. Our doctor says there is still a lot of it around. Bumped into a neighbour last week and she said she caught it at the local summer fete. I am still wearing a mask to crowded places like the supermarket and so are a lot of other people. There are just times when it seems strange like a quiz night and eating in a restaurant when all the tables are back to being closer together. Strange world when we have to learn to get back to being sociable.

    Nothing else to say.

  • posted by Verano
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    Driving ….. I hate motorway driving even when I’m a passenger! It just seems that the higher petrol prices go the more traffic is on the roads!! I think it’s just the sheer weight of traffic that naked motorway driving, especially, a nightmare.
    I’ve not driven for years now. We have an automatic but it’s too big for me really. Anyway, if you have a ‘live-in chauffeur’ why drive yourself!
    Going out ….. I think lots of us have just lost the art of ‘socialising’. I’ve just got used to staying in, cooking and generally not going out. I must admit this year we have been away a few times and eaten out now and again and I’m now feeling far more comfortable with ‘life as it used to be’. There have been many occasions when life has felt just as it did pre ‘2020’. It just takes time, and maybe a little ‘leap over faith’ to test out things that we used to do without thought in ‘days gone by’.
    S-g it sounds as though we have both come to terms with ‘this way of life’. Now I think that maybe we think of food as a ‘way to live a healthy life’ rather than food as a ‘diet’ for weight loss only…. most of which were never really ‘healthy’ anyway ….. cabbage diet, Atkins etc.etc.etc!
    All things being equal we are going away on Saturday morning so I’ll post as and when.
    Enjoy the rest of the week

  • posted by Tulip1
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    Not over-sharing at all SG- well done in taking back a bit of independence too!

    Verano….agreed…I feel like 20+ years ago when I started driving, there just wasn’t this huge weight of traffic…..and I guess like everyone else I didn’t drive far in the pandemic as we weren’t allowed, and I then developed the need for varifocals too so maybe glare….it’s especially hard at night….

    What I’ve found, re going out….is just really thinking through those things I really didn’t want to pick back up after the pandemic, or haven’t really got the energy for….having some ongoing downtime is good.

    xxx

  • posted by RubyG
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    RubyG here, hanging on at 12st 7.6 this morning after 4 days abroad for work.
    Re. socialising, I am slightly more wary having recently had Covid, I think I had become a bit too complacent with all my vaccines up to date and nearly 3 years having avoided infection. I wore a mask and sanitised hands at every opportunity the past few days.
    Re. driving, hubby does most of the driving when we go out together, or on long motorway trips. He is an awful passenger, non-stop commentary sometimes on my driving ability, which I find easier to deflect if I’m driving my car rather than his! I am much more restrained in keeping quiet re. his driving 😉
    I have found that driving at night is more stressing now as I’m not doing the daily winter commute so my night-driving is more out of practice.
    Glad you got out there and went swimming SG, and ignore the confidence-sapping comments as best you can.
    Weight-wise, I would like to get down closer to 12st by Christmas, which is possible, one meal at a time, one decision at a time.

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    Back on the move downward. I still want to be 71kgs before 13th Dec. Just 0.7kgs to go. We have one meal out on the 5th but it wont involve much in the way of carbs. Usually a meat pate with salad for starter and then something like chicken supreme for main. But lets get through this weekend first. I have an appt with Dr on the 12th so that is something else to aim for. Have a great weekend.

  • posted by wendleg
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    Hello my friends . I’m here .

    Thank you SG for setting up the new thread .
    It hasn’t been a good time .I had some sad news early last week which I hope you don’t mind my sharing .

    If you have been on the forum for a while you probably know I am looking forward to the day I have grandkiddies, even more so now I am retired . So I was really excited to hear my son and his partner were trying for a baby ( almost booked my flights to Australia !) Sadly Mat’s partner Angèle miscarried last week so ……
    I just needed to be quiet for a bit .

    It’s a disappointment but I have tried to put things into perspective . Hopefully it will happen sometime, things happen for a reason .
    Thinking of any one who has had to deal with miscarriage and sending massive hugs xxx

  • posted by wendleg
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    I need to know what you think about the thread .
    I go to the UK for 2 weeks from the 12th to the 26th December which leaves about 13 days . SG is having a UK break around the same time too .

    Maybe we could do a 13 days stretch rather than 2 X weekly threads to take us up to the beginnign of our holiday ?

    Realistically it won’t be easy for me to check in while I am in the UK so we could have a break and then start again in January ?

    I don’t want the thread to disappear xx

  • posted by wendleg
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    Driving , apprehension, COVID etc ….

    I used to leave the house at 6.40 am every morning to go to school .The journey took me 30 minutes driving in the dark and I thought nothing of it .Admittedly I was not driving on busy roads but I would occasionally get deer and hare leaping out in front of me .I also used to drive to Toulouse , the main city in our area and as long as I knew exactly where I was going, I was ok .

    I retired in 2020 and no longer have to go out so early but I too have lost my confidence as I hate driving in the dark now.Everything feels so fast , I get dazzled by headlights etc etc . There is no way I could drive in the UK.It feels frantic and the roads are so busy .The roads are good in France, the motorways are nowhere near as congested as in the UK but I still feel quite anxious, even as a passenger .I am a blinkin nightmare in fact .Fortunately I have a calm, patient hubby ! I have been driving him to and from his physio appointments as he has only just got behind the wheel again . So I get it !!! Road trip holidys are not for me !! I love the train 😉

    Going out ? I love the Spring and Summer when there are lots of things going on, long , bright days , all fine .I am not so keen in the winter and am perfectly happy staying in reading my Kindle or watching silly telly .That’s ok xx

    SG if we lived a bit closer I would drag you out ( in the daytime!!) for a coffee , making sure I got home before dark 🙂

    Love to everyone strugglin with stuff xx

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    Hi Wendy, I was going to say I could step in and set up the thread for a couple of weeks while I am away but then had a rethink. Lets just have a break for the holidays and come back with renewed enthusiasm.

    BTW you wont have to drag me out. I dragged hubby to the cinema tonight – yes strange being out in the dark and we were driving in freezing fog. Went to see A Robe for Mrs Harris. Not a great film but a bit of lighthearted fluff. Part English and part French. I wonder if all the French would have English subtitles when shown in the UK. Here it didnt have them but my French is good enough. Very strange experience tonight. When we arrived at the paying desk I went to say my rehearsed Bonsoir Monsieur, je voudrais deux billet tarif senior pour seance numero une. I managed a bonsoir and the man behind the counter said Bonsoir Madame I…… He knew my name and not only that but he said it properly, the French cannot say my name. I asked him how he knew my name and he just pointed to his head like pointing to his memory. I have only been to the cinema once in the last 3 years and last time I was wearing a mask. That is really going to bug me.

    Dietwise I am stuck again at 72kgs after having just missed reaching 71. I think my body is comfortable at this weight. I remember several months ago when it stayed comfortable at 74 for quite a long time, so there is room for some movement in the future.

    Well it is my bedtime now. Goodnight everyone.

  • posted by arcticfox
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    Hi everyone,
    I’ve had not too bad a week. I’ve been keeping fairly low carb. I had an interesting food reaction, and I don’t know what it was to. My dad and I went shopping for farm supplies in a nearby town and it took us a bit longer than expected and he was hungry for lunch. If I had been by myself, I would have just fasted through it. We went to a deli and he had a sandwich, and I had a black bean mexican salad that had lots of veggies in it. Within about 15 min of eating it, I had a scratchy throat and runny nose. Don’t know what ingredient was bothering me (perhaps cilantro? I don’t ever eat it at home), but interesting because I was wondering about maybe trying to go low histamine for a few weeks as I’ve been breaking out in some unusual hives, mostly when my skin gets a bit sweaty. Still giving it some thought, but might be worth a go.
    Tonight I’m having a pumpkin gratin that I found a recipe for on Diet Doctor. Smells delicious cooking away in the oven. It’s just about ready, so I’m off! Have a good next week, everyone.

  • posted by Verano
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    Hi. Sorry to hear your sad news Wendy but let’s hope for brighter news in the future.
    I think it’s probably the best idea to have a break until the New Year.
    I sometimes wonder why these boards have all gone so quiet. I know there was a Facebook group but I don’t do Facebook anymore and I don’t think they were a very friendly lot. Unless I’ve got my wires crossed!
    Anyway, as Wendy says it would be a shame for this thread to disappear.

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    Hi, we could start up a thread before we go and let it run, give it a different name – one or two weeks at a time to see us to New Year. Not so snappy but does the job so people know it is still the weekly thread. I would probably pop by from time to time.

    As for me getting out and about. I am going swimming again tomorrow. The first time is the worst, not knowing where the changing rooms are – we have to take our shoes off before we go into the changing area, leave them in a corridor and then walk through disinfectant water – very nice smelling. Then you have to find a locker and work out how to lock it. Then I couldnt find my way to the pool. No signs saying piscine but one saying douce obligataire – must shower, so figured that was the last part of my journey. It is oldies morning but they have lots of lanes for different levels. I went in the one with no sign. I like to be in the slow lane but some people were going a bit fast and always a bloke who splashes as he barges his way through. Anyway, when it was time for me to get out I walked along the lanes and discovered I was in the wrong one. I needed debutant. I will know exactly what I am doing tomorrow.

    Still stuck at 72kgs but thats okay. Have a good week.

  • posted by Verano
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    Good idea s-g. Going with your swimming theme how about “Treading Water till the New Year Comes”??
    We can all ‘dip in and out’ as and when!

  • posted by wendleg
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    I.like it V !
    Off to set it up.now !

  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    Bye bye to this thread. Jumping over the the Treading Water replacement until the New Year.

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