The weeks are flying by at the moment . It has been another busy week ending with a friend’s birthday celebration on Friday and the menu was a bit more than I would normally have consumed but I will try to compensate this week .

Sunny and Sunshine Girl are living the life in Turkey and the UK ! Thinking of you ladies !!!

I hope everyone is feeling ok and motivated for this coming week .Welcome to GAD and Julinka !

I hope anyone who has been a bit quiet can find time to pop in this week …..Julz, articfox ??

I know some of you are stll struggling but remember you truly are amazing and superwomen like Lauren !!!

THE LIST !!

Wendleg /Wendy
SunnyB
Sunshine girl/Denise
Florab85 /Lauren
Onestep
Elle-mae
Orange Panda Momma/Amz
RubyG and hubby
Windyjulz
Antigone
Tulip/Clare
Arcticfox
JGwen
California girl/Julia
Caronl
Merry melba
AlysJ
Stresseatingpro
CurryTruck
Iggyboo
LindaandHubby
Annie W
Handles
Rockandrolltofu
shammy
GAD
Julinka

Hello. Amz here. The last ten days or so were a wash. I was thinking I need to work on my dedication, and that made me think that my basic knowledge in this WOE is lacking. I randomly found this site s couple years ago, and just clung to it like a lifetime for a few months before drowning myself again in depression-fueled binging. As I have returned and am trying to reclaim my life for my own, I was considering going to the basics, reading the literature that is essential to understanding and sticking to BSD. So along with fasting from Sunday night to Tuesday afternoon this week and my workouts, my goal is to pick one from the many books you all recommend and make the time to read it. Hopefully that will help me change my mindset from being a diet to a lifestyle.

Hi Wendy and all
Superwoman is all burned out! I taught for 8 hours today, I’m absolutely dead! Craig just got home and said what’s for dinner, raw mince beef at this rate!
L x

You can do it Amz and we’re behind you all the way!

Amz…those moments happen but don’t let them hold you back .Put it behind you and keep going,which you are doing.

Maybe look at books dealing with emotional eating ? I think you know the basic principles of BSD and Fast 800.

Here are a few recommendations..
1) Jason Fung …The Diabetes Code, The Obesity Code,The Complete guide to fasting,

2) Zoé Harcombe….Why do you overeat when all you want is to be slim ?

The Diet Fix.How to lose weight and keep it off

3) Vera Tarman…Food Junkies. Recivery from food addiction

4 )Eric Westman…Keto Clarity

That’s for starters,Amz. You can do this Amz…and as Lauren says…you are not alone. We are all with you.

Lauren ..rest up now.

I’m off to do a bit of relaxing colouring watching Carol Drinkwater in Provence !

My table easel is set up in the kitchen !

Amz hugs and you can do it we are all with you. Lauren how about meatza spread the mince in a tray cook in oven and then top with pizza type fillings and give it another blast in the oven.

RubyG and hubby sheepishly reporting in – we have both found 3lb over the past 10 days of being away – mostly portion size and stress eating, i.e. constant grazing on nuts and cheese.
In a good way, I can feel the excess, even if I am at my lowest weight range in many years – my freshly-laundered jeans yesterday felt tighter than I would like, and I’d like to shed it before an event I’m going to next month.
In a couple of weeks it’ll be a year since we started this WOE, and I need to reconnect with those first 8 weeks again and get back to the basics.
I think I’ll have a look at some of the resources about emotional eating.
ODAAT!
Have a good week everyone 🙂

Hello good BSD peoples.
I’ve struggled a bit over the past few week (well months but few weeks especially). We lost one of our horses on 30th September and then had a week off work. The loss of the horse was ‘expected’ in he had a lot of issues and we knew it was a probability, the vet saw him 2 weeks before and said we really had come to the end of the road and that we should call it a day before he deteriorated further. Very sad, but i now realise how much having the prospect in the back of my mind (since March) has drained me. I had a good chance during my week off to be mindful, reflective and recognise what i need to do to get my health back on track. I ate quite freely during that time and just made sure i did so mindfully and i sure could see the negative effects of carbs and sugar, and took time to recognise the lack of ‘satisfaction’ eating them gave me.
So here I am, sad to have lost my horse (we bred him too) but at peace with him being in a better place, back to work and ready to focus on ‘me’ for a bit. Making time for good food, skin care, meditation and walking with the hubby. Hoping i can keep the focus, I know I’ll struggle on Thursday and Friday as days 4 & 5 but really need to get over the hump.
Thanks for the list of reading Wendy, I’m going to go back to some books i think, try and drop the TV habit a bit – after all i cant really snack while i read the same as i can watching telly!

Nice to see everyone posting, whether its about struggles or successes, it is good to share and feel supported.. Lets make this week a good one!

Julz

Huge big hugs Julz xx

Sorry for your loss Julz. It is always incredibly tough when you loose a member of your family. But be proud of yourself for the strength you have shown to keep up the determination to improve your health.
I have had a busy week with my youngest’s birthday (yes I did forget myself and ate way too much cake and other carbs)
However I felt so rough (bloated / sick) that evening it has given me a wake up call for when I go into the sustain phase.
Anyway having started dieting at the end of August and setting myself a target of loosing 3 stone I am now officially over the half way point (weight loss wise anyway). I was doing the 5/2 500Kcal at the start and loosing around 2lb a week. In September I switched to 800Kcal everyday and my weight loss doubled (Apart from last week with the birthday party). Anyway I am now officially in the healthy BMI range however my waist measurement is still significantly larger than my hips and so I aim to continue to loose another 1.5 stone which will put me in the center of the range.
My learnings so far:
Cheat days and exceptions don’t work for me as my body is still not telling me when I have had enough to eat and going through Keto flu for a second time was not worth it.
I have to work to keep to a Mediterranean style diet as I tend to gravitate towards meals that are within the rules in terms of low carb and cal but not within the spirit of the rules.
Setting myself weekly targets works better for me than looking at the final goal.
Protein is my biggest challenge I really struggle to get enough in and as a result have probably ended up eating too much meat. I am in awe of any vegetarians / vegans who have managed this and kept up their protein intake.
Anyway good luck all for the rest of the week

I would add to the recommendation list Dr Bikmans work.

I would also suggest as well as buying books there is the thread we used to all use to record videos and articles online that we found useful. ” Take a look at this”

Absolutely JGwen ! Thank you !
Good to see you. Hope all is well with you xx

Hi everyone,

Hope you are all having a good week,
so sorry to hear about your horse Julz x

The recommended books I haven’t read so must try and read some, was looking at meditation as struggle to sleep on a Sunday night, usually because of the impending doom of Monday! 😆 but thought it might help.
Had a funny week so far, got tempted by cake on Monday and a glass of wine, which then went into a few days of occasional poor choices, all meals were on track but really needed something naughty (probably due to late work nights and end of term tiredness) but pleased as it was a great learning curve, I felt I’d eaten too much and wasn’t comfortable in my clothes, and I got a spot! I’d only put half a pound on, it’s goes to show how after the first 800 really does reset your mind and shrinks your tummy, so back on the smaller portions and no off track to get me back in the loosing zone as still got I recon 2 stone to go even though I’m being told not too loose anymore but I’m not in a healthy bmi yet.

Here’s to the rest of a good week xx

One-step who is telling you not to lose anymore? I had a work colleague who I haven’t seen in ages due to the WFH saying how much weight I have lost and didn’t my OH think I was getting too thin. I know she does SW. It is unconscious jealousy/sabotage over us being so successful. Only you know where you want to be.
I am now finding it harder and want to eat more, not bad things just more of the good. I only have 2 3/4 lbs to target and it has slowed down. I hold the meals I want in my mind for a few weeks (hopefully) time when I plan to start 5:2

Elle- Just some people I work with because I am tall and busty, supposedly I now have curves 😆 which is fine I don’t mind but not going to stop yet as I’m not happy yet but want to be a healthy bmi, I don’t think I’ve ever been there!
That’s fantastic you are so close to target, you’ve got your eyes on the prize! 5:2 is a bit of a learning curve as I slip back into 800 mode but gradually settling.
I’ve been discussing with my hubby about what treat shall we have when at target, think I’d like a sunny holiday, got to have some good motivation

Good morning ladies, I have a conundrum and want some advice. First a bit of background information. For reasons I won’t go into when I was first with my OH I wasn’t accepted by his family and I felt like I was kept a secret. Things are good now. I have always made a very good Christmas pudding, which I have made every year for his mum and her sister as part of their Christmas present even when I was a secret. They have also been in high demand by work colleagues to whom I have sold them. Now this year because of my diabetes diagnosis I have made the decision not to make them anymore. I have taken MM’s and my Dr’s advice and cleared out my cupboards. Now I hear that other OH’s aunt is very disappointed and was so looking forward to getting her Christmas pudding. I don’t really want to make them, it’s not that they are difficult it’s more that I now have a new way of life and woe and after having made them I will be left with extra store cupboard ingredients which I won’t use and will have to bin. Now I thought of a compromise of giving them both the recipe so they could make it themselves, I would also go to her house and help if required. OH thinks she won’t want to make it herself, he has said he will buy the ingredients and if there are leftovers I could make an extra one. The will never be an exact match with ingredients and recipe so there will always be leftovers. Now am I being selfish in not wanting to make them or am I putting myself first, I can’t decide. I realise that I don’t have any close friends with whom to discuss this so I am asking you all what do you think?

Hi Elle Mae!
Reading your post just now ..my reaction is to say make the Christmas puddings because they are so well received and make people happy..people who.mattrr to you.
You don’t need to eat the puddings…

I wonder if there is a spicy cake type thing you could do with any left over ingredients to avoid waste ? Xx

I am trying to copy a link from the BBC site for a Christmas pudding cake. Maybe you could adapt the recipe to the quantity of ingredients you have left over from the puddings..to make this cake to give as another gift ?

Elle I sympathise with your in law issues, truly I do, but I also believe in making my life as easy as possible so I would be inclined to make the puddings to save an argument! Like wendleg says you can always make something else with the ingredients, or just like keep them as ingredients – nothing that goes into a Christmas pudding is going to go off any time soon, or you could donate them to a family member to make a Christmas cake or stuffing or anything, or even make a spare pudding and freeze it – they freeze exceptionally well. The key thing is what will make your life easier- if you can make them and give them away as normal to keep the peace, and not eat any leftovers (which it sounds like you can) then do that!

Incidentally, you can make a crumb out of left over Christmas pudding (or stir it into fudge and make that as gifts) which you could then store in an airtight container and have a tiny portion sprinkled on yoghurt over the next few months – it would be minimum sugar and cals with a tiny portion and a little goes a long way because it’s so strong in flavour.

Thank you for your replies. I used to make one large 2 1/2 pint pudding which because I couldn’t get that size foil pudding basins I found that the same recipe made 3 small foil puddings, which meant one for us, one each for his mum and aunt. So I have decided to purchase another large pudding basin and make 2 large ones for them each, with the proviso that if they want one each year they return the pudding basins for refilling 😉 and give his mum any left over ingredients. As you say it makes for a quieter and more peaceful life. Thank you again I just needed a push out of my negative mind space.

Oh that’s great Elle-Mae . We don’t need unnecessary hassle in our lives right now. I am all for peace and quiet too !!

Julz , so sorry to hear you’ve had a rough time . How are you doing now Thursday has come round ?

How is the week going Amz ?

Well done Handles, you are doing really well . I think something I have learnt as target gets closer is that I allow some complacency and that has to be reined in to prevent the dreaded slide into excess . I never stop learning !

Clare are you ok ?
Lauren find some time for you this week !
Articfox let us know you are ok ?

RubyG , yes one day at a time and put the birthday excesses behind you . You are not eating cake every day

If anyone else has any book recommendations please let us know

Thinking of SunnyB and sunshine girl xxx

Oh Julz – so sorry for your loss. I have 2 horses so I can relate. Big hugs x
Elle Mae – it is another one of those examples of people just not getting it – think about the mother ( or aunt I think) in My Big Fat Greek Wedding – who, after being told the guy didnt eat meat suggested lamb would be ok! I think I would just make the puds, try and use all ingredients and give the leftovers away. Now I’m thinking about christmas – I shall have to rethink our festive favourites!
Being good this week after an accidental carb fest on Sunday so 🤞. I am shocked at the carbs in veg!
Cant live on fish tho!
Good luck everyone 🙂

happy Friday everyone.
Interesting reading especially in relation to feeling terrible after eating sugar and finding a way to remember that when making choices. And how one poor choice can escalate. We are all wired similarly, certainly no one is alone, and i think its important to not feel like a failure for snaccidents or carb choices but to learn from them.
I’ve made it to day 5 of my reboot and i havent gone wild or fallen from the waggon. Whoop. I even survived a Wednesday night out to an all you can eat indian buffet – not popadom, no rice, no nan; just meat and veggies, with one chicken and one veg pakora which were kinda battered. Then right back on track the next day. I stood on the scales today – made hubby enter the number into my phone so i dont know (scared it will derail me) but I can start to track losses (hopefully)/ 10 weeks to christmas…… wouldnt it be amazing to chase 1.5lbs a week…. that would be a stone…..and no matter my current weight that would be cool!
I resisted breakfast this morning, new tactic of ‘have a coffee and see how i feel’ seems to be working a treat. Busy morning going to Chiropractor (holds my body together with all the running) then off to the butcher, post office and then for a run with my chum. Hores stuff this afternoon so hopefully this will control the food temptation. Ive been at work Mon-Thur and its been a busy week and I’ve super good foodwise while there!

Thank you for the thoughts re the loss of my horse. Still sad, we bred him, was there for his first breath and made sure he had the best care possible until his last breath….what more could a horse or a person want?? Well….soundness into old but that is a luxury not everyone gets isnt it. So I’m all for making the most of it with those (human and animal) around me. Part of that is good health, controlling the areas where we can… there is enough we cant control that fuelling ourselves well and eating to feel good is totally something we should be doing. And we DO know the way!!!

Have a good day
Julz

Great attitude WJ – all round. A super post.
I had a good result at weigh- in so I am very happy with that.
An odd thing I am finding is that the few glasses of wine I’ve had recently, I could not finish – i suppose less food makes it less appealing? Defo not missing alcohol. Had lunch out with an old friend in the week and I had no problem watching her eat bread, cake, potatoes and put cream and sugar in her coffee 😇
I can’t actually remember the last time I ate bread ( or cake)..

NEW THREAD time folks !