Hi folks, we have all done so well over the past month so lets keep the momentum going by setting a goal to get us through November. It has been great seeing so many of you, regulars and returners. I know it is only 8 weeks to Christmas but lets just make it to the end of another month.

Welcome on board everyone.

Sunshine-girl, Wendleg and SunnyB

Hi SG … thanks for getting the ball rolling for another month. I’ve not read any of the recent posts, but well done to all those who saw good results in October. If that wasn’t you, stick with us this month and keep trying.
I’m back from holiday and from staying with my folks, post mum’s op. And I’ve returned home with 12lb excess (mainly from alcohol, nuts and cheese!!!). My aim for November is to despatch as much of that as I possibly can.
Am easing myself into things this week, by eating in a very narrow window each day. Next week, I’ll be getting back to some fasting too.
Now that I’m getting back in the groove, I’ll check in regularly and look forward to reading how everyone else is getting on too.

Thanks for the new thread, s-g. Looking forward to November and the run up to Christmas. I’ve been getting back into fasting this last week, so Nov 1st will be an eating day for me, and then I’ll see if another fast day is feasible after that. I’m committing to 30 days of ADF or fasts long enough to start inducing a bit of autophagy. Hopefully it will kickstart some non-lipedema fat loss and lower IR and inflammation. NSVs so far are that I’m sleeping better and have more energy. Not noticing any change in weight or inches yet, but that will likely take time. Maybe by the end of the month.

Great to see a couple of you on board already. I have just done day 16 on my chair yoga and really feeling the benefit. I must look for a free one on YT to continue after this ends but a lot of them lead to paid programmes. I know Adriane in great but not sure if she does something similar to chair or a very easy yoga.

Here’s a little tip for these cold days lunches. I know we don’t go much of processed foods but I have discovered Baxters French Onion Soup at only 92 calories for a full tin. Only problem is that it is 15g carbs but that is mainly the onions.

Have a good week.

Hi and thanks for setting up the new thread!

I’m glad to be here and hoping for another good loss in November!
A great side dish I just tried was courgette spears- cut a courgette into 4-inch long spears. Toss with 3 tbsp olive oil, black pepper, salt and flaky paprika. Bake for 30 minutes on a metal baking sheet.
Absolutely delicious!!

Hi Happysnap, great to have you with us. You must have had a good October judging by your comment about ‘another good loss’. Lets keep it going.

I am still just 5lbs down and glad of that after my night out which did catch up with me yesterday but by only 0.2kg. Back down today and still hoping for 1lb by next Tuesday. I am not doing another sober month but hoping not to be so bothered after a month being dry. Sure I can do a couple of weeks to help with the weight loss. 7 weeks to lose 6lbs.

Still enjoying the chair yoga although I have cancelled my subscription as I have found several free programmes on YT which I will look at. Also, every day is such a chore even if it is forcing me to just get on and do it. By the time my subscription ends near the end of this month I don’t think I will have to time to submit to a daily exercise plan. Probably do every other day with Adriene.

Tonight I am making a Nadiya Hussein Chicken Korma which I watched on her Saturday programme. Looks nice and easy and low in cals and carbs. I haven’t logged the ingredient yet but I will put it in myfitnesspal.

Stay warms, stay indoors and stay safe.

Hello!

Thank you sunshine, and sunny and Wendy, for the new monthly thread.

S-g I’m sure that adding a bit here and there , mixing up the carbs, calories, and the amounts we eat, definitely ‘wakes up’ our bodies. I often find if I have a ‘nibbly’ day and eat cheese, and dare I say, a toasted muffin, the next day I lose weight …. go explain! You had a similar experience after your night out. I think that even when we feel we have really over indulged in fact we are probably eating far fewer ‘unwelcome foods’ than we did in our previous ‘carb laden’ lives!

Enjoy your chicken tonight s-g. I have a wonderful recipe for a chicken tikka marinade
without yogurt from glebekitchen.com. It is quite spicy but can be tempered with yogurt after it’s cooked. Good to bbq or cook on a griddle plate like a plancha. It looks complicated because of the number of spices in it but it really isn’t.

Happysnap the courgette spears sound like a great idea. I would never have thought of cooking them that way.

Arcticfox good luck with your fasting how you get the results you’re looking for.

Sunny my three holiday ‘excesses’ are just like yours! You will be back on track soon and discard those extra ‘few’ pounds. I have three weeks to try to limit my ‘three’ before we get home and I start my next ‘countdown’!

Anyway, hope November is a fruitful month for everyone.

Hi everyone,
Fasting today for me. I made a really nice spinach quiche for dinner last night and am a bit sad about not being able to have the leftovers for lunch today, but I will be able to have it tomorrow, so I just have to remember that. Another NSV is that even after yesterday’s eating day, I have much less pain in my hips and legs and it was easier to walk down the stairs this morning.

Hi everyone, not very impressed with the chicken korma last night as all it was was chicken, onions and spices. I had to add some veg as she didn’t say to serve it with anything. I will make it again but hubby said it was too mild even though we are not fans of hot curries.

Well V, I might have to do something to stir things up as I seem to be on a bit of a stuck record at the moment, 5lbs is the number I am stuck at. In my heart I know this will pass so should follow my own advice and KOKO. We will see what tomorrow brings.

I hope you have all stayed safe from the storms. We are having several days of heavy rain and I will need welly boots to walk in my garden, even on the gravel drive. I have just ordered a pair of just above the ankle boots for when we are in the UK as daughter always takes us for muddy walks – looks like I need them but I have to get to the post box to collect them. Oh the problems we have.

The heating is on and I am going to have a lovely hot shower to warm up before dragging out my thermals.

Have a good weekend.

Hi All, thank you for the thread 🙂
I’m not doing too well on the food front…..yet…..the yet was the positive bit there!
Love to all xxx

Hello everyone & thank you for setting up the new thread!
I have weighed & only lost 1lb in weight which hopefully demonstrates my body is finally cooperating again after staying the same for two weeks. I’ve still got 1.5 lbs to lose to reach my interim goal of losing 2 stone which I failed to reach by the end of October🙁 However I’m plodding on & I hope to get there now before my husbands birthday on 16th November when we will go out to dinner or mine on 19th November when our family come to lunch & homemade carrot birthday cake. Sorry to bang on about this in my posts but it’s a big mental challenge for me to overcome to feel that I have actually achieved something since January.
Brilliantly well done to you all who are achieving your goals 👏👏👏👏 you are all very inspiring!
Margaret xx

Hi everyone, another positive Tulip – you are here. Let’s hope you can get your mojo working and feed yourself the good stuff.

Margaret, just 1.5lbs and you will be there. 2 stone is a fantastic amount. That was where I got to (bc = before cruise) and where I hope to be by Christmas. You are not banging on, you are here to achieve your own personal goal so obviously that is what you want to talk about. I’m the same but my health has been getting in the way. Hopefully after my doppler on Tuesday (check my carotid is completely healed) I will be able to forget about hospitals and appointments for a while.

My news is that I am another half a pound down so that will dictate the rest of my weekend – no alcohol, with the hope of 1lb by Tuesday.

Just send hubby out to check the postbox as my wellington boots have just arrived. Poor fellow, it is pouring down.

Hi All,
My latest fast didn’t go very well. I stopped after 24 hours due mostly to psychological challenges, although I was very hungry as well, so that didn’t help. Especially when I had the remains of that nice quiche sitting in the fridge. Note to self- don’t have nice leftovers waiting while fasting. Anyway, all is not lost. I think I still benefited as I have another NSV to report. My skin feels softer and looser in places, if that makes sense, i.e. not so stretched out. So hopefully that is the first sign that I may be starting to lose some inches, or rather millimetres at this stage.
I’m eating today as I have some eggs and avocado that need using up, but will try for a longer fast again tomorrow.

Hi everyone, Arctic, fasting is only a tool in our boxes, it is not there to take over. When it doesn’t feel right then give yourself a break. At least you can recognise the signs and gave in to what your body was telling you. One of the advantages of getting to grips with these dieting plans, we are learning all the time.

I stuck to my guns last night and didn’t have a drink, glad of it as I have lost nearly another half a pound. Only a tiny bit away from my 6lb goal. I hope to get into a special dress that I bought about 6 years ago when I was down close to this weight. However, it was sent to my daughters address and by the time I got to visit and pick it up I had gained several pounds and have never managed to get back down to my original 2 stone loss. Fingers crossed. Anyway, if I don’t get into it for Christmas I will get into it for our cruise in April.

Bad storms here in South West France last night and we lost a tree. It was a b—-dy ugly staghorn so we are glad to see the back of it. The gardener is coming on Wednesday so he can tow it away.

Keep on keeping on…

Hi everyone, and many thanks SG for starting the November thread .I will be in Australia all month and until 12th December .The shops are already starting to decorate and stock Christmas produce . I even saw Christmas puddings and mince pies !

It’s very warm here and I can happily munch lots of salads . As I mentioned last month, I am concentrating on healthy eating rather than weight loss right now and I feel fine .I found I suffered from nasty acid reflux if I ate carbs and I am relieved that seems to have disappeared completely .

The food and supermarkets here remind me of the UK .There is a lot of convenience food, lots of snacky things and breads and pastries . Tons of cereals and biscuits . The coffee shops are very like the UK with cakes and pastries . The coffee is good though . I can’t stand the UHT stuff you get in French cafés .

Lots of fruit and veggies too .Tons of avocados and asparagus , sprouted seeds and micro greens which make me very happy .

Artic I found King Island cheeses in Coles and tried a Brie which was yummy .

It’s impossible for me to do any fasting right now so that will wait until I get back to France. Christmas is likely to be a quiet affair this year as I won’t feel like doing much after my trip . My grandson will be one month tomorrow and is doing really well, fortunately a calm, contented and well fed baby !

SG I hope the storms have calmed there .I heard our area had a lot of rain but it was desperately needed.Hubby gets back on Friday and he is expecting to be busy in the garden !

All the best everyone in reaching your goals .Remember the small victories all count .I bought a 2024 diary in TKMaxx here and it has little inspirational messages all through it . Here ‘s one

“Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally – it comes from what you do consistently ”

I’m not putting pressure on myself right now but being consistent with healthy choices !!

Take care everyone and just do your best

Wendy x

Hi All,

What’s that about french coffee shops, Wendleg? I assumed they were good with coffee! It’s pretty rare I get to France but you never know, and I looove coffee. Glad you are having a good time with family!

Nothing particular to report on the food, except I still need to get back to good habits, and I stepped on the scales and have gained more weight. Sigh.

Hugs to all,
Tulip xx

Black coffee itself..espresso,café allongé etc all good Tulip/Clare but anything with milk..café crème, café au lait is in my experience,disgusting as they do not use fresh pasteurised milk . I used to hate sterilised milk as a kid ! It has stayed with me !

ah! That makes more sense…..I like milky coffee, so I’ll put up with UHT as needed!

xx

Hi everyone, slight blip up on the weight, just 0.2 of a kilo so just normal bodily adjustment. Hopefully down tomorrow although I am glad it wasn’t up yesterday as I might have been tempted to have a cheeky wine. As it is I know I have stuck to the plan so the loss should follow.

Glad you are enjoying the sunshine in Oz. I know what you mean about needing the rain but we have had it constantly for the past 3 weeks, flooding everywhere, Archachon under water – the front where all the restaurants are. We are just praying for it to stop. Our pool and foss are overflowing. The have always been on the edge of the storms but think Perpignan had it bad. I am sure you are in touch with people who would alert you but it has really been bad up north.

What you say about the coffee in French cafes doesn’t mean much to me as I don’t much like coffee, especially if it is strong and dark. But if I do order a grande creme I ask what milk it is and never been given UHT. I would know as I cant stand the taste. When we first moved here you struggled to get fresh milk until we realised you have to turn around to the fridges when faced with shelves full of UHT, steri etc. It was sometimes hard to get. Makes me laugh though when tourists go into a French coffee house and demand cappachinos etc. This is France not Italy and I have heard servers say that.

Tulip, Maybe you should write a list of good low carb foods and maybe a menu plan for a few days just to get back into it. Just stay with us and you will get the push you need.

Went to pharmacy for my flu jab this morning but they couldn’t do it for me due to the internet being down all around (back to the storms) so they couldn’t access my file. I have brought it home and put it in the fridge and will get our local nurse to do it when she comes to do my 3 monthly blood test in December. Then it is a covid jab before we go back to the UK for Christmas.

Have a good week.

Hope I didn’t worry you Wendy. It is only bad flooding on coastal areas.

Good afternoon, Everyone
Rained on and off all day which just adds to the kind of mood am in at present!
Family emergencies over last week and weekend so am afraid my menu went to the way side and I haven’t been able to jump back in…
I am presently defrosting my freezer – I did not know had so much chicken, meat and fish! Save me shopping next few weeks for those…plus a whole drawer full of meat bones so will be doing my stock and canning that this week too..

Well done to all who have lost. I hope to be able to join is too.
I hope you all gather momentum and keep inspiring those of us who struggle xx

Good afternoon to you all. No rain today so hoping our swampy garden will start to dry out before the gardener arrives tomorrow. Had a doppler this morning to check on my surgery and everything is okay. Had some swelling in my left ankle during summer so doctor gave me a prescription to get that dopplered (such a word?) anyway because I already had an appointment secretary booked that in for the same day. The swelling has gone down but my ankle has a slightly spongey feel – probably fat – but there is nothing to worry about. Now I think about it, since my surgery in January, every little quibble I have has to be investigated so I have been done from head to toe. MRI to the brain twice, MRI to the chest last year, Echo of the heart plus a stress test, Echogram to the kidneys and bladder then a doppler for my lower arteries and now lower veins plus regular check ups on my surgery site. Surely nothing can go wrong now. Still a slight worry about my heart as I know I have some blockage in the left branch. Will sort that next year when I go back to see the carido. I will say this about France, they don’t mess about. They seem to start with the worst possible outcome then work their way back. So chest pain is not treated as indigestion for a couple of years then finally sent for heart trace. No, you get the cardio appointment first so that can be ruled out. Great but can get a bit wearing with all these appointments. Just to top it off I have another appointment with the asthma specialist in December then a mammogram in January. Then, hallejulla lets hope that is it. Sorry to bore you.

Anyway, weigh in this morning, just missed my 1lb target but before I could have anything to eat and drink I had to need for the loo. Got weighed straight after and I have lost 1lb this week. Total loss in 5 weeks is 6lbs. So I am on track to lose another 5lbs in 6 weeks. I keep saying I am going to take a short break, maybe just have a glass of wine at the weekend but something seems to stop me. I think it is called stubbonness. Lets see what the next few days bring.

1960, I am trying to run my 2 freezers down before we go away at Christmas. I need to go through and write down everything we have so I can, like you, plan my shopping and maybe save some money by not buying things I already have. I know exactly what is in the main freezer but the little one in the utility room is where odds and ends get shoved, like ice cream or packs of cheese, knobby ends of baguettes for heating up on another day and so on.

Have a good week everyone.

Glad your check up went well, SG. Well done with the scales result too.
Thought I’d report in, my result for the week is a mere 1.5lb down but I’ll take that. For me, that’s a good result as I always lose slowly.
I’m fasting today …. few hunger pangs but nothing major. Planning to push through as long as I can… am 24hrs in at present.

Hi all, decided to give myself a little treat last night – 2 glasses of wine. Weight up a tiny bit but I didn’t particularly enjoy it or think it was something I was missing. Must remember that next time I get the urge.

Back on it with no cheats or treats until we go out on Saturday 18th. Hoping it will kick start further losses. Got the chiropodist in an hour but that is a pleasure.

Hello everyone & sorry for my lack of posts but I’m slightly struggling at the moment & did a 24 hour fast yesterday & trying another today but too hungry so I will have some lunch. Our son came down on Sunday & stayed over so nibbles eaten & wine drunk watching sci-fi & James Bond films & it was very enjoyable but I am trying to balance out the extra calories since then.
Wow S-G pleased to hear your medical checks went well & the French health service sounds amazing & well done on your weight loss & SunnyB 👏👏👏
A timely reminder that I also need to defrost my kitchen fridge freezer but it will have to wait until after the family lunch on my birthday 19th November.
I will be weighing on Saturday & hope that I will have lost some weight then, it feels very slow going at the moment. Never mind I will keep plodding on & well done everyone managing to keep on track 👍
Margaret xx

Hi everyone, Margaret there is nothing better than spending time with our loved ones and sharing a little treat. I had a couple of glasses of wine the other night but didn’t enjoy it as I am drinking alone since hubby now has a heart condition which means alcohol gives his the shakes and a flutter in his heart. So drinking alone is not like a celebration of kinds. I have just booked for us to go out for a meal on the 18th. I would like to enjoy a drink but hubby has this way of huffing and puffing to show his disapproval, which is so annoying. I will make up for it at Christmas with my family!!!

Weight back down so no damage done except I have probably put myself behind by a day. Still hoping for another pound by Tuesday.

I will be defrosting freezers just before we go on holiday but bought more meat today. A joint of pork, a box of filet steaks and some chicken drumsticks. I have a great recipe for the drumsticks out of the Slimming World magazine called fake-away kebabs (play on take-away). If anyone wants the recipe shout up.

Hi everyone,
I’m jumping on the freezer clean out and inventory band wagon. I need to do a better job of actually eating the proteins (mainly fish and seafood) rather than just letting them languish in the freezer. I also need to get more protein on my eating days, so it will be good to take inventory and come up with some meals. I had some boil-in-bag mussels last week that were in a white wine sauce. Very low carb and quite delicious. They didn’t seem to have suffered at all from having been in the freezer for so long, but I don’t think that will be the case for some of the other things.
Wendy – I’m glad you found the cheese and enjoyed it and that you are managing to eat well! There are definitely traps in the supermarkets there. I fell into eating biscuits again when I was there and I hadn’t eaten shop bought ones for years prior to going there.
I watched Dr. Chris van Tulleken’s Royal Institution talk last night and it has spurred me on to really focus on avoiding ultra processed food. So easy when you are busy to make excuses and convince yourself to believe the health claims on packages. I recently tried to eat some ‘healthy’ baked corn crisps that I used to buy regularly because I thought they must be better than the regular ones. I spat them out and threw them away. They tasted horrible, like cardboard with fake cheesy flavouring. So I will take that as progress and another NSV!

Good morning everyone & the sun is shining here but also frosty for the first time. I have just weighed & am very disappointed to have only lost 1/4 lb🙁 after my best effort to counter balance the increased calories of last weekend. If I’m going to achieve losing two stone by my birthday on 19th November I have to lose 1.25lbs which seems really difficult for me at the moment.
I hope everyone has had a better week than me weight wise & will also have an enjoyable weekend. It’s lovely there is sunshine today after all the grey rainy days. It’s Armistice Day here remembering those who have served & died in war & I must admit worrying about not losing weight does seem very frivolous with all the trouble in the world at the moment. I come from a naval family & my father in law was a doctor in the Royal Army Medical Corps as was his father who also became head of the Red Cross. I will be watching the Remembrance Day Service on television tomorrow & remembering my own attendance at naval services in Portsmouth watching my brother on parade. It’s a sad time for the world at the moment with so many people still being killed in conflict.
Margaretxx

Hi all, Margaret it is not that close, you still have just over a week so it is doable. At least you lost something. I am stuck at exactly the same as I was a week ago today. Think I will relax off a bit tonight as I am starting to feel really deprived of everything so a planned break for one night will keep me from going mad. I had yoghurt and 2 fruits for breakfast, halloumi and avocado salad for lunch and hubby is cooking steaks tonight. Not sure what he is doing with it but we don’t have any carb accompaniments in the house so it wont be too bad.

It was the coldest morning we have had so far, 7 degrees at 8am but up to 15 now so it is nice and sunny. Also I am still doing my 30 day yoga plan, not missed a single day. It ends on Monday so I will be looking for something on YouTube.

It is a fete day here so practically everything is closed (11th of the 11th is sacred in France).

Thank you S-G & you have recently done so well! I also have a day off from so strictly dieting over the weekend because I think feeling deprived really knocks one’s focus & motivation 🙁 Yesterday was inadvertently over my usual calories because at our Saturday neighbourly coffee our neighbour had made a Victoria sponge to be shared with us so I did have a piece which was delicious however today I will keep to 800-900 calories. On Thursday my husband & I will go out to his birthday dinner at our local pub & I will only have one glass of wine & before then try to fit in two fasts. I know all I can do is try my best😀
I Hope everyone has a good week👍
Margaret xx

Hi everyone !
Again sorry, nothing much ‘diet’ related to report .I am however being consistent with my healthy eating and have been enjoying COLES here . I found cauliflower rice which is great as I am the only one who eats it and it gets messy grating a whole cauliflower .It’s interesting because you can find foods which would normally be found in health food shops in France .I am talking sprouted seeds, alfalfa , kombucha , even cottage cheese. Cream is easy to find also .

I tend to do a lot of the cooking and can just add carbs for anyone else. Today I am doing a crustless quiche with left over chicken and veg .

I have also been checking out activities I can do during the winter when I get back to France .Last year I did a lot of knitting but there are only so many snoods a girl can wear !

Soooo I am going to try diamond panting from 2 photos ( one of me with my grandson and the other with his dad ) It’s totally new for me but it sounds relaxing and I will give it a go !

Also …SG ! I have ordered a painting by numbers kit from another photo, this time with my grandson and his mum .
I reckon they will keep me busy and hopefully I won’t muck them up too much !!

All the kits will be waiting for me when I get back to France which is not for a few weeks yet .

There are lots of Christmas foods appearing in the shops here and it is very much like the UK … mince pies , mince meat ( called fruit mince I think), Christmas puddings , cakes , crackers etc.My son said I could have stayed for Christmas in Australia but I couldn’t afford the return flights which were astronomical during the Christmas /New Year period so I am leaving before the rush starts .

Grandson is doing really well, smiling lots unless he just finds my English voice very funny after hearing French from his mum and dad .Who knows ? He can’t focus on much just yet but he certainly responds to different sounds and movements .

Hope everyone is well .Don’t get despondent if you don’t see significant movement on the scales .Remember it’s about consistency and doing the best we can

Wendy xx

Lovely to hear all your news Wendleg! Is your son’s partner French then, if they are speaking French?
Still really not fully on board with the WOE as yet….just can’t find the consistent motivation atm with still a lot going on within the family that requires a lot of my attention.
Love to all xxx

You will be busy Wendy when you get back & I am currently keeping busy finishing off knitting a jumper & learning French on DuoLingo both sedentary hobbies & not helping my weight loss because I’m struggling & becoming very fed up. Your message about consistency & doing the best one can has helped & I am trying but making no progress at the moment in losing my 1.25 lbs! I won’t now reach my goal of losing two stone by my birthday but perhaps will before Christmas 🤔
I’m feeling tired & rather low at the moment so must switch on my SAD lamp but one good piece of news is that my son has got a new work contract 😀
I empathise Tulip1 & we must just keep going with this WOE & doing our best👍
With best wishes to everyone
Margaret xx

Good to know all is going well with you in Aus, Wendy. Sounds like you are busy, but also planning lots of fun things for when you get home, to helpbkeep your little grandson close.
Tulip, just do the best you can by trying to make the best food choice available for each meal. Life gets in the way sometimes and we just need to be prepared to roll with it. Hope the family issues will soon be sorted, so that you can take more time for yourself.

My personal report in, is for a meager 2lb down since getting back to BSD eating. Consolation is, there is still time before the festive season to get into the right stone band (3.5lb to ditch). Fasting today, through to tomorrow lunchtime, when I’m out with GS and will fast from then, until Thursday evening as well. Fingers crossed that will help to really kick start things.

We are getting into a difficult time of year, with seasonal celebrations starting soon. Just do the best you can and don’t beat yourself up if you slip or trip … we’re all human, so forgive yourself and move on.

Hi all, great to hear from you Wendy. Haven’t you had cauli rice before? I hate all that grating and it goes a bit to mush but we found some in Picard which is nice and rice sized grains and doesn’t go too soft in the cooking. Shame you cant stay for Christmas but I am sure your lovely hubby will be wanting you home.

I have just finished a painting of a ballerina in a very vibrant red and orange dress – more like flamenco. So my next attempt is going to be a more subdued scene of the sea from a window. I am also doing a ‘real’ painting of a Paris scene in watercolours. I haven’t done real work for a long time and I am struggling to get the sky to look like it is raining. I might show you it if it goes okay. I have also been enjoying the 30 day chair yoga but have not signed up for another 30 days due to it being quite intense having to do it every day. Very Yorkshire of me in that I have paid for it so I am doing it. Going to look at Adriene on Youtube next week.

Got on the scales this morning and I have gained 3lbs since yesterday. Yes 3lbs. Then I looked at the calendar and see it is the 14th so the time when my monthlies would have been and I always gain. I know it is fluid so I have not panicked.

Not much else to report. Keep going everyone.

Good morning everyone & it’s lovely the sun is shining here however weight wise I am going upwards not downwards & have no idea where I’m going wrong since I haven’t changed my eating or calorie limit. I’m therefore not going to reach my goal of losing 1.25 lbs by tomorrow & in fact seem to have gained that. I’m very fed up with the whole trying to lose weight routine & whilst I won’t stop trying I am feeling thoroughly demoralised 🙁.
I will be playing short mat bowls this morning & taking Madeleines & biscuits to my WI meeting tonight because I’m catering tonight but won’t eat any. Tomorrow my husband & I are going out to dinner because it’s his 77th birthday & mine is on Sunday with the family coming for lunch & I will be 76. Getting older is definitely not all it’s cracked up to be but we both are still trying to keep fit & to eat healthily. I wish I had been able to get to my goal weight many years ago but my Tamoxifen side effects totally rotted that up but I am at this moment three stone lighter than I was after that weight gain. So my advice is lose your excess weight as soon as you can!!
Good luck everyone & I hope you have a good week.
Margaret xx

Margaret you ‘glass’ definitely sounds ‘half empty’ BUT …. Look on the bright side …. the ‘glass’ is really more than half full!
Ok so you didn’t reach your goal but you did lose 26.5lbs this year! That sounds to me like the ‘glass is overflowing’!
Enjoy your birthdays and your birthday meals, forget 1.25lbs and revel in the 26.5, or thereabouts!

Margaret sorry you are struggling and the scales aren’t co-operating, but I’m sure there are some non-scales pluses which are worth having. Take a moment to reflect on how things have improved for you, since you started this WOE and I’m sure you’ll find more than the weight loss.
Whilst it’s disappointing not to have reach the goal you set, you have made progress in the right direction, so try to embrace that and be proud of yourself and your achievement.
Try not to dwell on the negative, it will only be destructive. I suggest you relax a bit, enjoy the upcoming birthdays, it’s time to celebrate; consume mindfully but allow yourself some leeway. Then start afresh from next week, with a renewed focus. You WILL reach your goal, be confident in that.
And finally, a very Happy Birthday to you and your Hubby … have a wonderful time.

Hi all, Margaret you certainly took the flak away from me. I expected comments about my 3lb gain like ‘you cant possibly gain that in one day’ – yes you can, or ‘you must have done something wrong’, no I didn’t. You are like me and know things don’t always go how we expected them to and our bodies are tricky little blighters. My advice to you, besides saying look at how much you have already lost, is don’t let it bother you. Go out and enjoy your 2 special meals. Don’t let this spoil things for you. Then get straight back on plan and you will probably have a good loss in the coming week. Our bodies get used to how much we eat and adjusts itself to allow for that, so it hangs on to fat because it is scared on not being fed. Give it a good feed and it will relax its hold on the fat. That took a lot of words but I am sure you know what I mean.

To back that up, I didn’t give in to temptation and was rewarded by a 2lb loss this morning. I knew it was time of the month fluid and I think we know our own bodies and how they react. I too have a special meal on Saturday and I am just going to relax and enjoy it. Yes I am still 1lb up but in the scheme of things (me also around 25lb down from the start) does it really matter that much.

Don’t kick yourself and try to enjoy your birthday treat for your hubby tomorrow and yours on the 19th (or whenever you are celebrating) then just get back on the proverbial horse. You and I will both be back to full motivation on Monday.

Thank you Verano, SunnyB & SG for your kind & supportive words & you are all correct in that I should be pleased with what I have achieved so far & just enjoy both birthday celebrations. I’m guilty of focusing too much on what I don’t manage to do rather than what I have done & have always set myself personal challenges to keep me focused & on track & feel I have somehow “failed” when I don’t achieve it🤔. I will go out tomorrow night & have a starter if I like the look of one & a main course, perhaps steak & a salad, plus a pudding & a glass of wine😀. On Sunday I will be making a bolognese sauce with fresh spaghetti & garlic bread, but also some courgetti which my family also liked & a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting birthday cake. I have also ordered Christmas type prawn nibbles to cook with a dip & some Italian cracker type nibbles that I’m sure I will also sample. I will try to get back on the dieting bandwagon next Monday & hope it might shock my body into cooperating again🤞😀
Thanks again & sorry for moaning!
Margaret xx

I just realised I do like the title of this thread!! Not giving up for another month – actually it jumped out at me. Perhaps because I have not been adhering to my planned menu and have fallen short, miserably BUT the damahe is NOT showing on the scales. Something I am glad about…
So lovely reading everyone’s posts but am dreadful recalling who said what so I will just say, lets keep on keeping on…
I no longer have monthlies but I think other scenarios cause that unusual hunger pang, desires for wrong foods and so on lol…
Christmas looms quickly and to be honest it makes shopping hard as so many delicious goodies but I do remember reading ( prob on here ) that a lot of these are available many other times so I need to take no notice. I am more of a savoury person recently and do love a small piece of cheese with a few slices apple…

Hi again everyone !

Just popping in to answer a couple of questions and give my thoughts 😉

Tulip/Clare , both my boys are bilingual as they were born and brought up in France .I only ever spoke English to them ( apart from the need to read with them in French when they began at school) . They sound like Midlanders when they go to the UK :-))

Both my boys have French partners so Leny’s mum and dad speak French to him . I only use English

I hope the struggles with family issues settle soon .You have had a tough time and I fully understand it’s hard to focus with so much going on .Maybe just focus on eating as healthily as you can ( no processed foods if possible) so physically you can feel better at least. Weight loss can wait until you feel the time is right . Don’t put any more pressure on yourself xx

Wendy1947/Margaret , I felt sad reading your posts as I feel you are succombing to the pressure and tyranny which is the numbers on the scales ( being blunt here but not meant to offend) They are only ONE indicator but if your only “measure” of success is the scales then you will always have moments of despondency . What about how your clothes feel ? Your skin and hair ?? I do think that the drive to reach a certain number by a particular date is a tremendous pressure .CELEBRATE YOUR VICTORIES and weight discarded so far, Margaret . Noone needs to know the numbers but will see how much better you are looking . YOU HAVE NOT FAILED !!

Enjoy the weekend activities and celebrations . Make the choices you enjoy …It’s your birthday . Don’t make food fearful . Think longer term .

I hope I have not offended anyone with my comments ? I am in a different place and I have accepted I can’t fast or avoid certain foods but it’s very rare that I eat something unhealthy ( an occasional treat in a restaurant but NO processed rubbish) My clothes feel fine, no bloating or acid reflux which are my warning signs . Weight loss is probably stalling but I will address that in January .

SG /Denise … I had never seen cauliflower rice in a supermarket before .Have you found it in France ?I just find it so convenient and yes, no hassle and mess of gratining a whole cauliflower !

Have a good weekend everyone if I don’t pop in again !!

Wendy xx

Thank you Wendy for your very thought provoking insights & you are quite right I have been indulging in weight scale tyranny & in fact I love that description because it is true!! I’m not offended & in fact rather amused with my own short sightedness being pointed out so clearly & feel rather idiotic 😂 I have just weighed & only gained one pound which is little after all & now have given myself permission & plan to thoroughly enjoy this weeks joint birthday celebrations.🍷🎂🎁
Continue to have a lovely time in Australia!!
Thank you everyone
Margaret xx

Hi all, well I am almost back down to last weeks weight although it is going to put me at 1lb a week whereas I was a bit in front. Hey ho still 5 weeks before we go away.

1060 I dont have monthlies, not for 25 years but my body still reacts as though a do i.e. weight gain from severe bloating. But it has gone down now.

Hope you are still with us Tulip. You can gain support from us when you are ready to get back into it. In the meantime stay with us.

Margaret, say happy birthday to your hubby and I hope you both enjoy your meal. The restaurant we are going to is called Melange at a little place called Saussignac. Have a look at the menu you if you are interested in what we get to eat in France. It is a beautiful place facing a chateau with hanging vines covering the terrace in summer so lovely to sit out – if it isn’t too hot. That is where we are going on Saturday and I must take a look at their winter menu. Not checked it out yet.

Nearly the weekend so lets look forward to that for now.

Hi all, Happy birthday to Margaret (Wendy1947) hope you have a great day. After my meal yesterday I shouldn’t have gained any weight as I found it difficult to eat also only had half a glass of wine. I know I am a bit dramatic about my health but I am having regular bouts of nausea, weakness and slight aching around the torso. I know I have left bundle branch blockage in my heart but the doctor doesn’t think I should be worried unless I have other symptoms. Well, I still think this breathlessness, tiredness and total fatigue are symptoms enough. The asthma inhaler doesn’t seem to do anything and I can get totally worn out just trying to dry myself after a shower, get dressed or, like yesterday, trying to put my hair up. I am seeing my GP in a couple of weeks and he should have had my results from the cardio. The problem I have had is I have been seeing doctors that don’t know me (my GP has been on secondment or courses) and these doctors also speak no English whereas my doctor does speak a little bit of English. Moan over.

Anyway I did still gain about 1lb so I need to get rid of that by Tuesday to keep to my 1lb a week goal. Then I have 5 weeks to lose another 5lbs.

Looking forward to another good week.

I hope you had a lovely weekend celebrating your birthdays,Margaret….and you could relax and enjoy a few treats!
SG/ Denise,sorry you couldn’t fully appreciate your special meal. Your symptoms sound pretty worrying to me to be honest. Can you get an earlier appointment with the GP and prepare a list of information pre translated if need be ?
I know you are on the ball with your health issues ( and you have certainly been through a lot this year) but if you are worried don’t hesitate to ring the surgery.
I’m enjoying my special time in Cairns. It is hot every day although not too humid just yet. The rains have yet to start.
I bought a thick jumper for 5 Aus dollars the other day. About 3 euros ! It will be perfect for my arrival in Paris mid December! No-one needs woolies in Cairns !
I was on babysitting duties the other night while my son and partner were out at a birthday celebration.. I didn’t get to eat that night as I was too busy cuddling my grandson 🤣. I know….!!
Wishing everyone a great week but remember to put health before anything xx

S-g I agree with Wendy.
When is your own doctor back?
Arrange an appointment with him ASAP. Even if it’s just for piece of mind.
Chin -up!

Dear S-G/Denise thank you for my birthday wishes but I am so sorry to hear about the difficult health issues that you are now having to cope with! I agree with what has already been said plus how important it is that you are clearly understood at any medical consultation you are attending. Is there a fluent English/French speaker that you could take with you so you will be able to clearly explain what symptoms you are currently experiencing? You shouldn’t be feeling so exhausted!!
Thank you also Wendy & I had a very enjoyable birthday day with our family coming for the day. I must admit I felt a little nauseated & off balance by evening with only drinking two glasses of Bucks Fizz before lunch with prawn snacks & one glass of red wine with lunch. I made spaghetti Bolognese, spinach, mushrooms, avocado & bacon salad & fruit salad with cream plus a bought frozen raspberry roulade. Mid afternoon I had an Armagnac thinking it would settle my stomach but I think I felt unwell because the previous day I had been standing a lot prepping food then rushing around washing floors & cleaning etc & again yesterday after not sleeping very well. All together also eating more carbs, including homemade carrot cake, & outside of my usual WOW my body took notice & said enough!! However I’m fine this morning & my husband & I are going out to lunch at a friends house on Thursday where they are vegetarian so that should be fine😂
It was lovely seeing our affectionate & energetic granddaughters & being given lovely birthday cards & presents.
I hope Denise that your next medical consultation goes well & you get help that will enable you to quickly feel much better 🤞🤞& in the meantime do take care.
With very best wishes
Margaret xx

Thank you for your good wishes and advice. I have certainly thought about getting hubby to call an ambulance but I do that thing where I will be okay in a minute, or have a lie down or don’t want to be a bother. My appointment with doctor is 13th and I am also seeing the nurse on the 8th for blood tests. I will leave it at that unless I have another bad bout when I will call an ambulance and take my cardio notes with me.

My doctor speaks some English so I can go on my own but I prefer to speak French but there can be misunderstandings. For example, after my surgery he asked me how it was and I said better, meaning it has improved. He took that to mean it was completely better so when I said I needed painkillers he couldn’t understand why if I was better. Also, I struggle finding different words for fatigue as opposed to tiredness (fatigue is the French word) or tired instead of breathless. I know exhausted might be a better word or epuise (missing accents). I will sit down with a translator before I see him just in case his English meanings are not the same as mine.

I will take it easy. Now back to the diet. I have 5 weeks to lose 5lbs so here goes. Have a good week everyone.

SG, wishing you all the best, both with you medical issue and your 5-in-5. Please, if you become very concerned, don’t waste time call an ambulance.

On a personal note, I’m currently approx 32hrs into a 48hr fast (or more if I’m coping). Will report in with current a scales status tomorrow, as I haven’t weighed since Friday.

Wishing everyone a good week and hopefully good results.