Hi Julie13,
Don’t panic. Some weeks are better than others, and if you are in the UK just now and in the heat-wave zone, you may just be retaining fluid! The body is designed to retain fluids as the heat goes up and not let them go until the temp drops for a few days! I always put on a kilo or so when the heat goes up suddenly – for me in Herts it went up 10 degrees in 2 days! Once it comes down a little, the fluid goes in a day and my weight drops!
I am also a comfort eater and yes, there have been some days that I have had a coffee and cake when out. I have avoided having cake in the house, so it is never more than one slice when I am out. Other than that I find a couple of pieces frozen fruit (eg rasps) defrosted with a tablespoon greek yogurt & cinnamon is a help when I ‘need’ something sweet. I also take cocoa twice a day – no milk or sugar only hot water and 5g cocoa powder (I use Green and Blacks Organic) and it is 17 cals per cup, 1g carb, 1g protein, 1g fat. I started taking this over a year ago, long before this plan started, when there was talk of it helping with dementia. Without milk, it was an acquired taste, but I now really like it and it does give me a chocolate fix during the day and does fit in with the long term goal for a Mediterranean diet. I rarely if ever go for chocolate now when I am out.
In terms of what is likely to be the 800 – If you were disproportionately more around the waist than you used to be, and you find your waist has gone down more than the rest of you, that is likely to be the 800. In the past I have found I lost proportionately over my body, but this time, I was almost like a tube not an hourglass and the first changes were weight loss around my waist as I was losing the visceral fat there faster than elsewhere.
As you say – you are not hungry, yet you will be eating a very balanced diet – what’s bad about that! Keep going…. and have a great weekend!

Sensible advice from Orchid, Julie. Keep the faith it does seem various people respond in different ways and you just have to go with it.

Re a sweet treat, can I also recommend 6 baby plum tomatoes eaten really s l o w l y. MFP says 16 cals, 2.5 carbs.

🙂

Thanks Igorasusual, yes cherry tomatoes are a wonderful quick fix, especially just now when they are in season! they kept me sane the first few weeks of the 800 🙂

Hi Igorasusual,
that is a great result from your holidays! I do recognise with the mirrors and the worry that it will all come back on. It has taken me quite a few weeks to adjust to the new profile in the mirror – actually looking in the mirror is a big achievement, I used to manage to walk past them all without looking in them!
I was getting measured for a new bra a week or so ago and was in my idea of a horror chamber – two mirrors positioned so you could see your front and back view simultaneously. I struggled to look and realised, it was ok and also that I still had some weight to lose. Having got to the goal of 80kg (I am 173cm) and 3 dress sizes down I was feeling good. I had assumed I would stop at 75kg – normal BMI. The two mirrors made me see what I now was, and not just that there was a bit difference from before.
So – the new target I have now set is a final goal of 70kg. That is 7kg over my weight in my 20’s and 30’s so not an unrealistic maintenance weight.
Having taken 6 weeks off when I was on holiday and away from home a lot, I put l little back on, but it came off and ketosis set back in within 5 days of restarting 800. I knew I would have put some weight back on and logically I knew it could not be much as my clothes still fitted, but I would not step on the scales in case I found it had all gone back on!
The last few weeks I have been away at weekends, carefully eating, but not too restrictive, so more 4:3 or 3:4 and still losing 0.5-1kg a week. I have also added in a 14 hour fast – that is as much as I can do, I eat breakfast at 8am and have my last meal between 5 and 6pm. After that it is water or redbush tea. I think that helped get back to fat burning quickly, it has also brought my FBS down to low 4’s, but that is not surprising given the body ahs 14 hours to process the foods instead of 10 hours.
So, like you I am on the final stint. Today I weighed in and I am 21.6kg down – about 3.3 stone. 7.2 kg to go which I hope to have lost by the end of August latest. I’ll keep to the 800 for that period so with a bit of luck and exercise, I might get there a bit quicker!
Good luck with your final few weeks.

Thanks Orchid, and very good luck to you too.

Just to advise, I hit 9 stone yesterday and – omg – 8 stone 13lbs (56.7kg) this morning! I don’t think there has been an 8 in front of my weight for more years than I am able to tell you…my teens certainly.

I am now upping my calories to 1200 per day, increasing my carbs to 30g within this, and the calculator I use (http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com) says that I should have 76g of protein and 86g of fat. Will still be monitoring this on MFP as I do find it helpful in seeing what I’m eating. May be inventing some more ‘favourite’ meals, and including more veg over and above the spinach, chicory, courgettes, peppers, tomatoes which are my go-to staples.

I will keep you posted on how this all goes.

And please, anyone reading this, please take heart and further confidence. If I can do this, you can….hold the faith. In a very few weeks you may be looking back in incredulity as I am, on what seems like a small miracle in your life….

Let alone OH with his 5.5 blood sugar reading and halved Metformin.

Hi Igorasusual
congratulations – that’s brilliant, well done,

well done Igorasusual! You made it! Your 8 is my 9 right now 🙂 Thats great you got there now and not long after being on hols.

I havent stepped back on the scale since last Friday, had a bit too much dark choc at the week so Im nervous to see numbers go up again. I promise I will weigh tomorrow morning so I know where Im going, up or down.

Julie13 keep going, change will come, you will see!

Orchid fab work on 3 sizes down. That is fantastic.

Hi Igorasusual
A figure beginning with 8……truly amazing.
Well done.

just popping in……8 stone 12 lbs this morning 🙂

Please please keep keeping on. You can do it if I can! 🙂

Ermahgerd! 8st 12! You are a champ Igorasusual!

Well Im only down .5lb this week but its all a loss. I have to start thinking that 9st something can be a reality or it wont happen. Or that it wont happen by itself 🙂 I knew it would be a bit of struggle this week after the prior weekend but this thread keeps me accountable and I have been mindful of calorie counts this week. And man have I been in tempting places this week. Wednesday night I was invited to a work cocktail event (brand launch), all free booze in a very cool flashy place. Not one alcoholic drink passed my lips, on the sparkling water all night. There was so many fancy cocktails and lots of my fave sparkling wine, I promised future me that I could have all the sparkling wine I would like/need when I reach my goal. The canapes were a little bit on the carby side but there wasnt a huge amount going around so it was easy enough to be good.

This weekend I have a fitness/charity/eating event. I am climbing the stairs of a very tall hotel building in the city and at the top we are treated to a buffet breakfast. Im thinking/hoping that they will have lots of good veggie sides for brekkie and mayyybe I will have a little pancake treat if they have them. After 37 flights I can probably allow for it!

Have a great weekend everyone. Keep on keeping on!

Oh Igorasusual
You must be so thrilled.
Well Done
🙂

Thanks Orchid for your encouragement.
I actually live in Tassie, Australia, and the weather has been cold and wet so sadly can’t blame the heat!
3 dress sizes down is an incredible achievement and it sounds like you have your next goal sorted.
I hope things continue to go well for you.
🙂

Hi sydneygirl,

I love sparkling wine too, nothing like a glass of bubbles…well done for resisting and replacing it with bubbly water instead.
You are spot on when you say .5 is still a loss, so still be proud of your achievement.
I hope your charity event was a success and you weren’t tempted too much after all that stair climbing!

I’m resisting weighing myself as don’t want to be disappointed! I can’t decide whether to weigh myself tomorrow or wait until Monday. Had been strictly 800 since my last post, up to last night and then had a friend for dinner and succumbed to a glass of wine and slither of meringue roll and a couple of chocolates ( he brought them as a gift!). I only had my broth for Brecky and a very low cal homemade soup for lunch earlier in the day, plus a 15 km walk so I’m hoping that it won’t have had a negative impact. Did another 15 km walk today to hopefully help burn off a few extra calories!

You can def make the 9st mark and look forward to sharing the news soon.

Wish me luck if I weigh myself tomorrow!

😉

well done igorasusual!
thank-you Julie13 – still going down, so far only .7kg in 5 days; I am 1.25 kg away from ‘normal’ BMI and was hoping to get there before the end of July, but it looks like it will take another week. I have made a rookie mistake 3 times this week and found myself at the end of the day at 800 cals, but my carbs at 65ish! Today it was even worse, when I totalled up the salad I had prepared it was 75g carbs! I had spotted that I was a little low on protein so instead of adding on some extra feta at 0 carbs, I had a brainwave and added on broad beans and fresh garden peas. I do know I can only eat a little of either as they are higher carb, but I forgot. Sigh – maybe it is not surprising that I have only lost .7kg 🙁 . I have consoled myself with the fact that it will probably help with my walk tomorrow – I am going for a 6.5 mile (10k) walk with a group of ramblers. I have done that distance on my own in May, but it is a tad warmer now than it was then. The extra carbs should help be avoid any dizziness and hunger pangs on route.
BTW igorasusual – since you are upping your cals a bit, you may be interested in some new pasta I spotted today in Sainsburys. There is fettucine made from edamame and mung beans, spaghetti made of edamame beans and and other spaghetti made of black beans. The carbs are between 15 and 18g per 100g so it looked worth a try. I have bought a packet of each to try out – I’ll let you know how I get on with them. I also spotted Some red lentil and quinoa pasta (little spirals) this has a higher carbs of 62g, but 25g protein per 100g so again worth a try for 5:2.
Good luck this week folks!

Thank you for the pasta news, Orchid – I will keep an eye open for it.

Good job, everyone, chipping away at the pounds (and hopefully even more at the measurements!)

Am still on way down to target 8st 10lbs, hanging on in there at 8st 12lbs at present, with calories up to 1000 but carbs still targeted on 25 (or less). Am having a few days of munchies for some reason, but even so am munching on good stuff, and carbs aren’t too horrendous. Had an enormous binge the other day, but as it was on baby plum tomatoes, it wasn’t too bad!

Am interested that nobody of my business acquaintances have made any remarks about lost weight. One contact was telling me about her target weight loss for her son’s wedding in August, and I ventured to advise her about how she might make a quick loss – at which point she said she’d always known I was slim and didn’t need to lose weight, and didn’t notice any difference now. And another, who is very sharp indeed, made no comment at all – I was thinking she might say that I looked TOO thin (lovely lady, but it IS the sort of thing she’d say), but silence on the subject. And another, who is a good friend as well as business colleague, knows that I am doing this and has chosen not to make any comment.

Either they never looked at me before, or did and didn’t care…..because I can so see the difference and am startled in the mirror every day. Think my clothes look so much better, but perhaps that’s just me. Doesn’t matter, am doing it for me anyway. 🙂

8 stone 11 lb this morning. Loss is of course slowing down but I am expecting that. Just 1 lb to go to revised target and quite relaxed about that one as it was just to give me wriggle room to 9 stone when I start increasing carbs more.

Just bought some new scales which measure all sorts of extra stuff – sadly they don’t cook the dinner or make the coffee as well – so all set for monitoring once on 5:2.

Need to get on with more exercise to build some muscles – surely running will feel easier now not carrying 12 or 13 bags of sugar around my person!

How is everyone doing? Hope all well with you. 🙂

That’s brilliant news Igorasusal – only 1 pound to your target! Well done! You will have to celebrate properly when you get there 🙂 So you’re going to do 5:2 afterwards – do you mean 2 days at 800 cals and then the rest low carb Mediterranean? You have done brilliantly 🙂

My week is going well but I think I have been over on the calorie front a few times… after hot yoga last night was ravenous and had an ‘unplanned’ cheestring and some yoghurt and berries as I was ravenous when I got back. Curse exercise and its appetite inducing powers 🙂

Well done and celebrate this weekend!

that’s brilliant on nearly getting to your target igorasusual (the origins of your name thread was sooo useful – I always used to pause and check before typing yours!)

I think people that you don’t know well on a personal level are a bit cautious on commenting on weight loss – particularly if you weren’t hugely overweight to start with – in case there is some underlying cause and the weight loss isn’t intentional.

I was chatting with a friend earlier whom I’ve known for around 20 years, and said I’d lost 12 kilos, and his response was ‘yes, I thought you’d lost a lot of weight’ – but clearly hadn’t felt like saying it straight out without me broaching the subject. To be fair, he’d opened the conversation by saying I looked really well.
I’ve yet to have anyone tell me that I really didn’t need to lose any weight 🙂

Thank you, Frog and karenv

Yes, karen, I think I will be doing 5 days Mediterranean and 2 days 800 calories, the only question for me is how much to increase my carbs by. I have already increased calories to just over 1000 per day, keeping carbs to 25g, as I think my body fat is now at 20%, and I don’t want to lose muscle (that’s why I need to get building some more).

I know that my resting metabolic rate (i.e. the amount of calories I need to maintain weight) is only about 1400 per day, though increasing to that after so many weeks of rather less will be interesting!

Glad your week is going well. Great that although you were over the calorie front yesterday evening, it wasn’t with a piece of cake or a doughnut, but with a cheese string, some yoghurt and berries. You devil, you! I don’t count that as a slip! 😉

Frog, glad your friend thought your 12 kilo loss looked good. Not surprised! I work in the fashion industry and appearance is everything, and everyone notices exactly what you’re wearing and asks where it’s from etc. No pressure. Much easier to cope with when clothes fit properly.

On the more positive front, I met someone the other day who’s already lost a load of weight – apparently by a Fasting diet as she doesn’t eat after 5pm, she said (we met at 6pm and she didn’t even let an olive past her lips!), – but had a reluctant final half stone to lose. I gave her a BSD plus low carb briefing and she was all set by the following day to crack on and get that 7 lbs lost. If she’s as firm as she was with those olives, it shouldn’t be a problem 😉

Hello all on this stream for the first time,

Igorasusual, have enjoyed your posts on other streams – so much good sense bringing good results, congratulations.

I officially reached 8 weeks yesterday, Starting weight = 68.1kg with 3.9kg loss (Am only 156cm tall so at my starting weight I look a bit like a butterball.) The loss is good but I have a sense of regret that I’ve been unable to fully commit to the 800 and particularly to low carbs. No reason other than my chronic and brilliant self-sabotaging skills. I’m 71, almost 72, so have had many years practice. However, on the plus side, I am still here, and eating less than I had previously. I think now, after seeing the weight loss I did manage, I am encouraged enough that I CAN do the BSD , about another 4 or 5kg to go to be sensibly within the middle of the BMI range for height.

So, as I said to an email buddy, don’t wish me luck, wish me determination and I’ll do the same for you…..

Marsie – congratulations on your 3.9k loss. It’s great that in light of your championship self-sabotaging skills (oh that little voice in the back of the head) you’ve persisted and made a good loss! Fantastic stuff.

Maybe, as Lucia recommends on her fabulous thread, you need to work with yourself T o do things slowly. Now you know what’s possible you could try 1 day 800 cals, and the rest a bit more. Then the next week 2 days at 800 cals and so on? Or whatever might work for you?

I have never forgotten Lucia explaining how to start exercising, when you add too shy to go out, with a chair at the foot of the stairs and a chair on the landing and just walking once between them with a sit-down each end. The second day, try to do it twice. And so on. With a spirit like that (and a bit of self forgiveness) you can do anything. I was so inspired, I can’t tell you.

There are people here who will support you in challenging yourself, whatever that takes. You just carry on – your target is within reach, you know you can do it!

Wishing you luck AND determination.

🙂

Hello all, great to hear the continuing commitment from everyone, I feel like there is a virtual army here helping us all stay on track!

I weighed in yesterday at 10 st half pound, same as last week but I have to say I am kind of relishing this stage, being at a weight where most of my clothes fit again. I can move better, feel more confident, be happier, less grumpy with those 13 lbs gone already. Although this week if I’m honest was a little bit of a time out from the bsd, I wasn’t so strict with the diet. Even still fulfilling my goal seems to be in arms reach now when I get back into the right mindset. The bsd has given me the right tools to do it, knowing what works I can make the necessary changes to meet my targets if I get off track . I just have to choose which path I want to go down. Feeling pretty inspired this week 😀

Igorasusal I have had one person in work remark that I’m looking more slender and a few more comments of ‘you look well today!’ I would have been a little bit disappointed if no one noticed I have to say but like you I now feel the internal rewards are more satisfying than the external. I feel like anything that happens after this stage is a bonus, weight loss and accompanying compliments!

Yay! Woop woop!

8 stone 10 lbs this morning!
At target after a couple of weeks hovering – one or two marginal days with late night munchies (munched on cheese and other BSD OK stuff but calories shot to hell) – but scales come up trumps this morning!

So that is 26 lbs in 3 months (can’t see precise weeks on proper BSD as don’t have access to my spreadsheet on phone), when not type 2 but mildly carb addicted and in despair with no idea how to get back in control and lose those extra pounds which seemed to be relentlessly accumulating every day……

Still surprised in mirror, clothes absolutely fab (size S Zara trouser purchase yesterday), feel like I look more youthful and energetic, still up at 6am ish for my coffee (given up sugar :))

So for goodness’ sake if you are despairing, finding it hard, thinking it will never work for you, struggling in any way – KEEP ON KEEPING ON!!!

You will win, possibly in a different way because each body is different, but the possibility is out there.

Life transformational, definitely.

Onwards and downwards folks.

Will keep in touch here about maintenance and to be continually inspired by the wonderful people here. You are a fantastic bunch and I wish you all success. 🙂

Igorasusual🤗🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🎉🎊
Can I add my YAY and WHOOP WHOOP to yours? What a brilliant feeling for you. Congrats on your achievements on this BSD journey.
Your story sounds so much like my own it gves me a tremendous feeling of positive energy. Thank you so much for sharing. I do hope “Maintenance Rd” is a smooth ride for you.
Marilyn 😊

Heartiest congratulations Igorasusal

What a brilliant achievement – let the maintenance begin!!!!!!! 😎

Igorasusual
Fantastic achievement. Well done. Really great to hear success stories like yours.
Those last few pounds are stubborn beasts to get rid of……especially when the early ones slip away so easily!!!

Enjoy your new look and new wardrobe.

Keep losing everyone.

Wooo Hooo Igorasusual!!!! That’s just fabulous! You must be absolutely floating on the euphoria of your success.

You are roughly where I’d love to be at the end of this. Have a way to go yet – about 11lb – but I’m sticking with it. So far it’s taken 14 weeks to drop 16lb. Would love to get there by the end of the year, but have a friends’ wedding, plus another 5wks in Turkey planned in between times, so it’s unlikely ….. live in hope though.

Enjoy the new you – you definitely deserve your success. We all know the BSD is not plain sailing, so those achieving their goals should be warmly congratulated ………. CONGRATULATIONS!!!

IGORASUSUAL..so very very pleased for you! 🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵 Doing the happy dance! X🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵
You’re a 🌟 X

Brilliant news igorasusual – so well done, now enjoy all the things you have not been able to do for ages and renew your wardrobe! Hope to be joining you in a month latest….. 🙂

Thank you so much Marsie, Ziggy, ay Caramba, SunnyB, Yowzer and Orchid for your kind remarks.

Very very much appreciated.

I’m sure you will be equally successful and feel just as incredulous as I do, in very short order.

Increased my calorie intake yesterday to 1500 and found it immensely difficult – so am going to work up to it slowly! Who’d have thought?

On the ‘why do people say these things’ subject, I met someone today who said how fabulous I looked and then added ‘but don’t lose any MORE will you’. Spent the rest of the meeting wondering what saggy bits of skin must be revealed by the clothes I’m wearing….

I am consciously being very careful and thoughtful about what I say to people about things, following all this! 😉

Well done Igorasusual!!!! That’s an amazing achievement, keep wearing those sassy clothes and brush off those seemingly well intentioned comments. Having gained and lost weight a number of times over the years I’m familiar with the weird stuff people can say, especially from people closest to you. This journey does have its teaching moments!

My weigh in yesterday, finally broke through the 10st barrier and I’m now 9st 13 😀. Im taking it slow but it’s great to see the number on the scale still going down.

Hope everyone else is doing ok, we have a great gang of accountabilibuddys here!

Yay! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Sydneygirl congratulations!

Very very important milestone I remember myself!

Fantastic stuff, what a feeling!

Now then, keep calm and carry on – downwards!!! 🙂

Just read this entire thread – what an inspiration you all are! I can’t wait to get going on this journey. Appreciate all the advice and guidance you all are doling out — I hope to be a positive contributor on this forum. Have a great week everybody!

Oh, welcome Texas50, and good luck with your journey!

Lots of people here to give you help and advice if you need it.

Keep posting and let us know how you get on. 🙂

Welcome Texas50. Whereabouts in Texas are you?

Looking forward to reading your progress. Any questions, someone is usually around to answer.

The only place in Texas to be: Austin!

Totally agree with Texas – I’ve just started (on 3rd day) and I’ve been looking through the forums for advice/inspiration… this thread is so motivating and makes me feel like I can do this too! Thanks hope you’re all still doing well!

Hi Texas – visited Austin many times. Friends used to live there, but now in Elgin. Their son has a coffe shop/live music venue in south Austin. Small world.

Hi everyone and welcome newbies!

Just checking in to say that Im still stalled weight wise but for reasons I know of. Im not keeping to 800 and my exercise habits have not changed much except for this week I started jogging to work instead of cycling every day. I had been thinking about jogging to work for a few months before I lost the 1st so its great to finally do it. Im using the couch to 5k app so that takes up about 30 mins and then for another 7-8 mins Im walking the rest to the office or home depending on where Im coming from, its about 4.7km total distance from my house to work. I started this week with cycling in and bringing in a bunch of clothes so I can travel light when Im joggin in or out. These late winter mornings have been gloriously crisp and I am mostly in suburban areas with creeks and paths so its a lovely way to start the day. I found a decent shower in work so its been working out well.

Im thinking this is not a bad way to start training for a mini triathlon if I threw in a bit of swimming, which is not my strength. Before that maybe some toning exercise which Im yet to get around to!

Meanwhile I will try to get a better handle on the diet part because that is really at the end of the day the important part.

Have a great week everyone!

Hello all, just reviving this thread as I wanted to find out how some of the August starters (and continuers!) are doing now?
sydneygirl, don’t think we’ve heard from you for ages, how are you doing?
Flo55 and Texas50 are you still out there and BSDing?

I am still absolutely fine on maintenance and pop in from time to time to tell people to measure when they’re plateauing, and to eat more salt if they’re feeling light-headed and to rave about some cooking or other I’ve been doing.

And, perhaps most importantly, to read the fantastic stories here of people’s struggles yet successes whether it’s Gavin on his blog inspiring people, or Lucia wearing out her bike tyres and spending 30 minutes on the machines at the gym when all she could do when she started was walk upstairs once and sit down at the top and then walk down again and sit down at the bottom. And there are many more, including of course Captainlynne, and all the old stagers, Frog and Switzerland and SunnyB and Orchid and sunshine-girl and I know I’ve left some of you out please don’t be offended but I’m doing this just remembering all the threads. Thank you all for your continuing inspiration.

And just one more thing.

OH has now had another HbA1c test (so he started BSD end May and then had June, July, August, and now September tests). Lower BS figures each time, came off metformin after the August one. Doctor this morning had forgotten he’d stopped the metformin and congratulated him on September’s figures on ‘only one metformin’ and was duly staggered to find it was on none! She has now marked his card as Type 2 IN REMISSION, and says no-one else in the practice has been able to do it. (You would think she’d then ask him if he’d work with the nominated diabetes doctor and nurse to explain how he’s done it, but not so far.)

that’s brilliant Igor – congratulations to OH – and you, if you’re primary chef!

Hi all,

I’m so glad I found this forum and I hope you don’t mind me joining! I am 2.5 weeks in and starting to worry that I might not be able to lose much more because I’m no longer technically ‘overweight’. I’m 5 ft 6 and started at 159 lbs (11 stone 5) and I’m down to 148, though most of the weight loss was in the first week. I’m hoping to get down to 140 (10 stone) by the 4th October when I’m going on holiday. So I’ve got just under 3 weeks left.

I have found it surprisingly easy (after the first few days). I too use ketostix and have found that even the occasional treat at social occasions hasn’t brought me out of ketostis.

I’m so encouraged by all of your stories, knowing that it is possible to maintain the weight loss even if you’re technically at a healthy weight 🙂

There is a range that is ‘healthy weight’ so no reason not to stop only at the upper end of it. Don’t push to get too close to the bottom of that range either, but 10 stone seems comfortable – for your height NHS BMI suggests 8 and half to 11 stone is the healthy range.