Thanks Wendy I might give it a shot, got to be better than stew and cannon balls!

Well done Ruby on your progress despite potatoes! Must be nice to know you can have a little something of what you enjoy/fancy and it won’t derail you too much

Sunshinegirl hope it’s gone ok at the doctors today and all who are in France I hope you aren’t being too badly affected by the latest lockdowns , here in sunny Suffolk I’m counting down the days till our current one ends and we can at least travel out of area or see a couple of people!

Edit sg I’ve just seen your post as I’m typing mine! That’s fantastic news well done! I’d say defo give TRE a go, I do 16:8 or 18:6 and basically that just means skipping breakfast, first few days I felt hungry but I honestly don’t any more, I have lunch about 1 and dinner about 7, no snacks in between and it makes the meals so much more satisfying because you can have just that bit of extra cheese or protein or oil or more veg or it’s easier to make a dinner with a sauce as you have a bit extra to play with, I wouldn’t last long on just protein plus veg, I’d get bored quickly so I just make up sauces with yoghurt or creme fraiche or occasionally tomatoes etc. to beef up the flavour a bit! I’m trying a sundried tomato and cream sauce next week, and we’re having jerk chicken tonight that I’ve marinated in yoghurt and spices all day.

Deb0Flo sounds like you’re really getting into the swing which is great.

Riccoh – big busts are a pain – am I right?! I always have been big busted – even when I was much slimmer and a teenager so I think I’m destined to be somewhat so forever but it’d be nice to be a bit smaller on top, not least because my wedding dress is a lace illusion top so bra will be challenging!

I’m feeling a bit down in the dumps this week, think it’s just the monotony of literally everything at the moment and work has been quite stressful this week, but the sun is finally out so this weekend I’m going to finally upcycle my garden chairs. I rescued them from going to the tip a few weeks ago and I’m going to spray paint the rattan antique cream and the legs copper, fix the slightly wobbly leg on the bench and I’ve also bought some AWESOME cushions for them which have TOUCANS!!!!!!! On them!!!!!! Ahhhhhhhhh so exciting! Also should probably carry on with the paper hydrangeas I’m making for my wedding centrepieces this weekend as they take a while and I’ve got 30 or so to make!

L x

PS sunshinegirl, I read Jason Fung’s the Diabetes Code the other week out of interest, I’d previously read the Obesity Code and a couple of his fasting ones and to be honest didn’t love them, I think the fasting ones in particular are a bit evangelical, but the diabetes code one is actually pretty good and explained well – I actually used some of the info in it to teach my students the other week which is fine praise as I’m quite particular the sources I use! Just thought I’d share!

L

Hi S-G, Well done on your results.

Having been a member of the facebook group for Fung for some time I would say there are definitely many members who started on medication for T2 and no longer need it.

I am sure you can do it. Perhaps best to pick up his book for T2 and start from there. I guess there is a lot of fine detail as the purpose of TRE is to have periods of low insulin so that your body can reverse IR there must be guidance he has published on timing of taking meds.

Thanks florob. I will be binge watching all sources over the weekend. I’m not sure if 16:8 might be a bit much if you mean I cant eat for 16 hours and only have an 8 hour window, but I am easing in with 12:12 so no evening snack and breakfast around 10 am. After doing that for just one night my weight dropped 1lb overnight. Also, I know it doesnt have to be an every day thing so can relax on occasion but still be 800 cals.

JGwen, just replied and then accidently deleted. Try to reproduce.
I have never been able to get my head around the insulin thing. For me giving a diabetic insulin to reduce glucose or giving them carbs to increase glucose when they are low is like giving an alcoholic a bottle of whiskey. It stops the shakes but doesnt cure the problem. I also know that technically if I reduce the insulin I should reduce my weight OR if I reduce my weight I will need less insulin. The problem is it is such a fine balance. I am currently running at 90 to 110 on my morning finger prick and 26 to 28 units of insulin. This has slipped from 80 to 100 with 24 to 26 units of insulin. Which bears out the theory of it only masking the problem and things are going to creep back with the diabetes winning which is why I want to take a further step.
I know people have come off insulin completely – like those on FB site – we had someone on here who just went cold turkey and completely stopped the insulin injections. Had a rocky few days and ended up reversing her diabetes. Can anyone remember her name, I think it began with K. I will do a search as I hate not being able to remember things.

Yep or you can defo do 12:12 to start with or even long term! Can always mix it up a bit when you get more used to it but the Fast800 book suggests starting at 12:12 or even 10:14 (so fasting for 10 hours) and then easing in as and when you feel ready!

Florob, my daughter bought me the Fast800 for my birthday Feb 2020 and I didnt think it was for me but I am just re-reading it now. Deffo going to give this a try.
Dont want this thread to become all about me so I will answer people in the general daily to and fro and let you know how I am getting on.

We’re all with you sg like your own little cheer troup!

Yes SG, you are always so helpful and supportive, and that’s what the weekly thread is about.
Re. mushy peas, I may have made my own many years ago, but I struggled to find marrowfat peas at one point, and when I’ve bought them from a health food shop I think they’ve been there for years as they never soften properly, so the opposite problem to you. We’ve just been having a small portion of garden peas with our fish and chips, with homemade tartare sauce.
I have managed not to snack today, after dipping below the 12st again this morning – I’ve been too busy to snack, so have just been drinking water and coffee between meals today.
My second-hand copy of Why We Get Fat arrived in the post yesterday, so I will be delving into that this weekend.
Roll on the weekend!

Hi all,
and have a happy weekend what´s left of it. I weighed in this morning and the first week result is… *drumroll* …-3.9kg. Whoosh effect of the carbs and attached water leaving the body, I suppose. I now weigh 108.1kg (was 112kg). Proud of getting through week1, plodding through my weak moments and didn´t fall for hubby´s crisps nor chocolate. I ate one banana, so one diet crime has been committed, but still lost weight. The bananas are for him, they are his favourite fruit – there was one that was going off but he didn´t want it and I didn´t want to waste it… We had a lovely English breakfast for lunch today, a nice weekend treat. His was with carbs (chips), mine without -although 4 chips sneaked their way onto my plate as hubby didn´t want all of them! This week I´ve still eaten better (healthier) than on any of the weeks in the past 6 months or so. I can´t complain. Bring on next week!

Let us know how you get on SG ! I have no doubt you will do whatever it takes.

Goforgoal….wow…fantastic result ! So pleased for you ! Keep going …it’s all good ! Now you realise you must stay with us..you have shown you absolutely can do this ! 🤗

Weekend change for me with lunch added in but will continue my weekly routine for the moment. Wonderful sunny day today. Our lilac trees are in bud ! Enjoying rooibush ?? (can’t spell it ) “tea” at the moment.
Hope the weekend is going well for everyone. Lots of love

Hi everyone. I’ve not been posting, but read everyday to keep up with all your news. So many positive stories. Thank you!
I have been enjoying the relaxation of restrictions here since before Christmas, and going out for meals quite frequently (we are very fortunate here to have zero cases – but the rollout of the vaccines has been extremely slow!)
But now my clothes are getting tighter and I need to get back into the swing, so aiming for 5-6 days a week of 850/20. For me I know the lower carbs are more important than the lower cals. I will enjoy meals out a couple of times a week with judicious menu selections :-). 🧀🥑🥦
Great to read of spring flowers blooming in your gardens – hopefully you’ll be able to make the most of the coming summer in the Northern Hemisphere as sounds like you are all getting your jabs.
Hi to EC – relieved that your scans came back clear – I hope the biopsy wasn’t too painful. I was at the Melbourne March4Justice and it was wonderful to see so many women of all ages gathered peacefully and united. Grace Tame for PM!
I laughed at your petite trousers comments Tulip. I too am on the shorter side of 5ft – can’t count the many many trouser hems I have taken up in my lifetime!! 🧵
Best wishes to anyone in NSW effected by the floods! I hope you start to dry out soon.

Hi all, do you ever wonder if something you are doing to get healthier, slimmer, more beautiful etc is actually working. I have just had a sort of wake up call on my neck and face exercises. Just saying a few days ago (to my daughter) how come my double chin is back when I have actually lost more weight. Today I realised, I have stopped doing my face and neck exercises for several months now. It really does make a difference so I will be back to it. Only takes a couple of minutes and can be done while watching TV or in the car (not while driving) so why I stopped I dont know.

Had a bit of a diet relax yesterday but not done any damage. Maybe because I was good foodwise and had a very long walk in the morning through our local weekly market. Bought some of the first Spring asparagus, so sweet and tender and some French gariguiette strawberries (probably spelt wrong) again, so sweet and delicious. Beautiful sunny day today but oh my is it biting cold. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

SG and Wendleg- I really want to try those delicious strawberries you both talk about!!! I don’t think we get them in the uk. If we do go to France on hols (hubby’s sister has a place out there) we go in the Summer hols end of July usually- are they seasonal spring only, or into the summer?

Merry- high five to you also dinky person and any other tinies in the group 🙌….I used to take up hems before I had children but now I just don’t seem to have time (and/ or it’s not one of my priorities, like ironing 🤣)- so I always buy petite and sometimes they drag on the floor a bit 😂….not great if it’s wet tho 🤔🤔….also I don’t do heels, which would help😂!! I’m all about comfort 😁😁

Feeling absolutely dreadful today- 2nd covid vaccination yesterday afternoon….was hoping I wouldn’t feel as bad as with the 1st one, but no such luck, it seems 🙄🙄

love to all xxxxx

Afternoon all, hope you’re having a happy weekend!

Totally get what you mean sunshinegirl, I’d been making a concerted effort with my skincare (after the make up lady who’s doing my wedding told me off in October) and it was definitely making a difference, but since we postponed again I’ve let it slide and I don’t really know why as I was even beginning to enjoy the routine of cleanse, tone, moisturise etc. Have to get back into it.
That said, remember in the words of Christina Aguilera, “you are beautiful, no matter what you do”!! That’s my pep talk for the day!

I’m feeling a bit off colour this weekend, nothing serious but a little weak and feeble, headachy and a bit nauseous, so we’re having some simple plain food today (which I can’t honestly say I’m looking forward to) and have moved our planned ribs with cauli cheese and purple sprouting broccoli to tomorrow night instead. I made carbonara with courgetti last night and had to throw it away, the pancetta was too smoked for me and the grana padano cheese was a particularly “feety” batch so it all just smelled and tasted like sweaty feet, in the bin it went and an impromptu dinner of cottage cheese and cloud bread!

Hope all are enjoying their weekend!

L x

Tulip1 I don’t do heels either, partly because of a essentially knackered ankle joint but also the comfort thing! Trousers are often short on me though as I’m tall, maybe you could cut the chunk off yours and I could sew them to mine 😂

Sorry you’re feeling rough with the vaccine, hope it passes quickly!

L x

L- fab, we can share our assorted trousers 😂

what’s cloud bread?

You have CFS right? I think I read that before- or was that someone else? Me too, but mine is almost completely in remission atm, which is wonderful. I just have to be careful and listen to my body as it occasionally flares up. It’s been terrible in the past- more than once several months of being in bed most of the time, dreadful.

The thing about vaccines- you have to hold on to the temporary pain for long term gain don’t you? And it isn’t as bad as covid itself! As we all know.

Love to all xxx

Hi Tulip, fab let’s do it!

I do indeed have CFS/me, triggered we think by flu when I was 13 so I’ve had it for 23 years, about 10 years ago I was virtually bed bound but I’m at a stage now where I can manage it as long as I’m very careful, but it does mean I find it frustrating when people tell me to exercise or whatever as I can very easily knock myself out for days, I’ve never been very good at pacing and the whole knowing when to stop before your battery is dead thing! Still it’s just part of who I am now so mostly I just get on with it!

Wise words about the vaccine, I’m an immunologist by background and I always feel it’s quite positive to have a reaction to a vaccine because I know it means the immune system is doing something – not to say it isn’t if there’s no reaction!

Oh sorry, cloud bread is a bread replacement made from eggs and cream cheese – it doesn’t taste anything like bread, akin to a sort of Yorkshire pudding really, but it’s not half bad if you fancy something “on” something

My recipe is
4 eggs separated
Half a teaspoon cream of tartar
Salt
Cottage cheese full fat 60g

Whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar to stiff peaks
Whisk the egg yolks, salt and cottage cheese (can also use cream cheese) until smooth and frothy
Fold in the egg whites carefully a spoonful at a time
Put dollops on some baking paper, gently flatten into a circle about 1/4 inch thick in a tray and bake for about 15 mins on 180C – my mix using medium eggs made 8 with 53cal each and 1.1g carbs per piece but there’s loads of recipes online

Ah, yes…..I’ve had it for 25 years too….combo of flu at 18 with, as you say, poor natural pacing- it’s taken me a long time to learn to listen to my body and allow myself to rest.

Cloud bread sounds interesting- I love eggs and cream cheese so it sounds appealing!

xx

Give it a go it’s pretty good!

Hi all

I’m really sorry to whinge and I know I whinge a lot but I’m really struggling at the moment and I need some help or a shove in the right direction or some tough love or whatever!

So my problem is that I’m struggling with motivation and keeping the momentum going. I’ve been strict (apart from Valentine’s Day and that was just one day) since 29th Dec, and following ultra low carbs less than 20g for about a month now, doing 16:8 TRE and sticking to less than 65g protein which fits with the 0.8g per kg target weight formula. I’m losing weight, 30lb so far, which obviously I’m happy with. I’m in ketosis. But I’m also struggling with the following and starting to lose the will now

although I’ve lost weight and certainly almost a dress size, I still haven’t even gone down one complete dress size and it feels unfair! Waist measurement has barely changed and neither has bust or hips, I’ve lost a couple of chins and legs are a bit slimmer but my legs have always been fairly slim, I’m a classic pear/apple
I still feel SHATTERED – I can’t tell you how tired I feel, with still constant waves of a carb flu kind of feeling which just feels horribly unfair – I’ve never experienced the “burst” of energy everyone talks about, or the suddenly feeling so well and healthy – I think part of the problem is here that before I came on the BSD I already ate a very healthy diet in terms of nutrition, it was only the carbs that needed to be reduced really so maybe I was expecting too much to feel better
I’m also starving ALL THE TIME – this is weird because the hunger had diminished – it wasn’t non-existent but it had gone down – but now I’m starving again and literally ten mins after I’ve eaten, even though I’m eating the healthy fats etc.
I’m starting to run out of ideas of what to eat – this is not unusual for me as I get bored easily and I don’t do well eating the same things over and over again but I’m starting to get bored and that’s a slippery slope for me
I still have 4st 12lbs to lose to get to the top of my healthy BMI, it’s going to take time and I know that, I’m cool with that, but that “goal” just feels too abstract to me at the moment and too far away to be my focus, but my problem is if I set smaller goals they seem a bit pointless. I aimed initially for my 10% which I lost a few weeks back (been plateauing again this week) but now that’s passed I’m struggling a bit to know what my next goal should be really.

Any words of wisdom or tough talking would be really appreciated as I’m out in the woods and really struggling to find my way back, I’m sorry it’s all a bit down in the doldrums on a Monday morning!!

Much love

Lauren x

Lauren …. firstly, a huge virtual hug to you … sounds like you need it🤗🤗. This is absolutely the place to come to vent and offload, so don’t feel you need to apologise for that. I empathise with your feeling stuck and not knowing which way to turn to find your way back. It’s tough when you are doing the right things, but seeing apparently little progress for those efforts. Likely most of us have struggled with that scenario at some point on the BSD path – although knowing that is probably cold comfort right now.

Reviewing though, your achievement to date is far from insignificant, so please try not to lose sight of how far you’ve come. Sadly, as we begin to drop pounds, we rarely lose from the areas we’d most want to see them disappear from, with other areas reducing more readily and every where else catching up later Holding on to the fact it WILL eventually go from those key areas we want to see less of, is not easy though.

Our bodies don’t necessarily behave in the way we think they should and learning to listen to it is important. Perhaps if you are constantly feeling tired, a consult with you doc might be worthwhile?

Maybe having a week not so focused on the calories but keeping the carbs low, would give you a little breathing space. Try shaking up your TRE, some days 16:8, sometimes 17:7, sometimes 14:10 etc. Also, take a look at the recipes on the forum and I’m sure people will happily wade in with meal suggestions if you’d like them to, to help you keep your meals interesting. There is a good thread with recipes, will find it and bump it to the top, so you can take a look.

As for setting relevant goals, really that is one only you can answer, but I’d have thought something like discarding the next 10lb might be a good one, or even sorting out your perpetual tiredness and persistent hunger.

Most importantly though, please be assured of the support here, we all want to see you get to where you want to be. Be kind to yourself, take time to breath and if you need to relax things for a few days, do so. Take care … 🤗

Check out, GOOD EATS …. THE LOW CARB WAY, Lauren.

Hi everyone
Lauren, I cant give you any better advice than SunnyB has done already. One thing you might not realise is how much you have changed during this dieting period. You have lost 30lbs. In normal times you would be out and about and people would be congratulating you, telling you how great you are looking and you would be feeling great. Right now most of us feel totally deflated. We have gone through so many disappointments, especially you with your cancelled wedding. It makes you wonder why we are bothering at all. Remember, this is coming to an end and we will be out and wearing our new smaller clothes – you must be smaller, are you still wearing the same clothes so not seeing a difference. Anyway, what you need is something to look forward to and you can still plan for your wedding. Get on with that skin routine – I did my facial exercises today.
I am pretty much of the same mindset and feel like I cant be bothered but we have to be our own cheerleaders and know it is going to get better. So many people have let themselves go, not eating right, not cooking, not bothering to even get dressed. We are not like that. We have been using this time for self improvement and, even if we have stumbled along the way, we are still winning the race.
I am having a little break, had a few glasses of wine over the weekend and leaving my new plan for Wednesday so I can celebrate my husbands 2nd lockdown birthday tomorrow. Then straight back on with it. Definitely going to try intermittent fasting, starting with a 12:12 regime and if I find that easy I will extend the times. Now is not the time for giving up when we have come so far and the finish line is in sight.
Come on girl, you need a good kick up the bum but you also need a great big hug. Here’s sending you both. xxxxxx Denise

Aw Lauren, I feel for you. You have done amazingly well, please dont loose sight of that.
I think “diet fatigue” is a thing….. after the first few months the high from embarking on something new turns into something of monotony, same food, same goals, steady progress. I certainly struggled similarly. Things I have learned that may help…..
– things arent fair. I know its obvious but its worth remembering, you cant choose where you slim down first or how long it takes, you kinda just have to trust it and keep going, you WILL see the difference and it will happen eventfully.
– your struggling, but i promise, even if you go off plan for a few days or weeks, it wont make you feel better. All the food you think you miss, wont fill any void you think is there. In fact i bet they would make you feel awful. I had some bread on friday evening and Saturday morning (I know!) and OMG my poor guts were so grumpy with me. I shall not be doing that again. I guess my point is – you think you are bored of what you are eating and not feeling the benefits, but you would be just as bored if you were eating carbage from before and you would be feeling worse!
– are you getting enough vitamins and salt / electrolytes? I take a Vit B complex, a Vit D supplement to help with fatigue. Long term low carb and 800 calories and winter may have just knocked you off a wee bit?
– I certainly never noticed a “high” as it were, but i did eventually realise that i was never napping, where as before I did rather like a nap! Any time i have over done the carbs i hit a bit of a wall and end up having a sofa nap and feeling horrid for it. So although you arent feeling a woosh of energy it may be more subtle. Though you do say you are actually tired….. takes me back to vitamins or perhaps its mental fatigue as you have been at this a while and it can be draining thinking and planning so much.
– the being hungry…. thats tough as you are already very low carb. <insert thinking face here> Maybe you need to let some more calories in more often? Mixing up fasting regimes is a useful tool as well – SunnyB’s thinking is same as mine. Try mixing it up, more calories / bigger meals but mixed fast durations? If nothing else it is a bit of variety and something ‘new’ to try which might reinvigorate you a little?
– dont look up to the end goal…..worry about the here and now, you will get to the end goal but its like looking up when running up a big hill, its very daunting, just take each step and trust the process. If you are goal driven, I am, then just look for the little ones – the next 1/2 stone bracket, a round number down from where you started, even away from the numbers….. getting to that next dress size – that will feel amazing and you will get there.
– last thing – are there other areas of your life you need to look at and be kind to yourself on? “we” (well me anyway) can use food, poor food choices etc as an escape or another stick to beat us with. You have removed the crutch called carbs and the stick called poor choices, you have discarded some weight and well….there can be a bit of a gap or emptiness left. Can you find other things to focus on, ways to make you feel good about yourself? Other things to “achieve”? Really as a distraction but also as a self care thing. I have had to do so much learning about myself and my drivers, issues with guild, with goals, with self esteem and such like things…..this journey isnt just about food…..

Chin up, you are not on your own, we all have tough times, but hang in there and be good to yourself.

Gosh…..sorry for all the waffle.
xx

Hi Lauren,

Some amazing advice already- I second the following: vitamins (I started on multivits and high strength vit D plus probiotics in yoghurt and coconut water for cellular dehydration after having covid and then a flare up during recovery from it and that really improved my fatigue levels no end- that plus this diet and gradually increasing my exercise tolerance- well, my CFS is vastly better then pre-covid even!).
Little goals- next stone, next half stone, next kilo, next inch off one of measurements, Hba1c results, next figure in the BMI etc etc….I just kept up the mini celebrations.
Finding my comfort elsewhere than food- treats of time spent by the fire reading a book, getting out in nature, prioritising my health over all of life’s other pressures, long hot baths with Lush products.
Inches will be coming off all over….and it will get to your middle, promise!
Re the carbs- my understanding is the BSD is very low cal, moderately low carb and moderately high protein and good fat- I’ve never tried to get below 20g or even 25g carbs- I am happy with under a 100 and sometimes under 50, and content with protein at 55+ altho I am almost always over 60 naturally…I know everyone is different tho. I personally think a bit more freedom on e.g green veg is a good thing.
You are doing fab, and don’t forget it xxxxx

Hi Lauren
Don’t really know because I’m only 9 days in! But I think you’ve done remarkably well, and lost a big bunch of weight 🙂 Great work. Maybe we are a bit blind to our own weight loss, as we’re too close and it happens gradually – would take an acquaintance or friend who hasn’t seen us for a while to really notice the big difference! Sounds you started this WOE with larger amount of carbs than 20g? Do you mind me asking were you tired then. I’ve eaten more than 20g carbs in just one meal today (I have two meals a day) lots of veg and a fair amount of lentils, for all the vitamins, minerals, and folate. Hang on in there and don’t give up!

Hi Lauren,

I agree with all the posters sending their support.
I have made a decision to ignore the mythical number that is the top end of a healthy BMI for me, which is 9st 8lb.
The same website says I am currently obese (BMI 30.7) and I can lose 1-2lb per week by keeping to the lower limit of 1356-1743 cals per day!
I am aiming for overweight! I tend to set mini-goals of the next half-stone down, or a pair of trousers which I want to fit into.
Don’t make the mistake I did, though, and buy a pair of linen trousers on e-bay at £0.99 + postage, without having properly read the full description. They were listed as a size 12, which is aspirational enough for me. When they arrived, they are not a size 12 – the full description says they’re a size 34 (that’s what the label says too) but the seller wore them when she was a size 10-12. I don’t think I have been a size 10 since I was a teenager! Oh well, they didn’t cost a lot, the fabric is nice, and if I never fit into them I will repurpose the fabric.
I have also not noticed any more energy, and can nap on the sofa anytime – in fact I had a little power-nap of 15 minutes after my lunchtime soup today, partly because I could no longer keep my eyes open, and partly because I was starting to stress about my jab, so the nap did the job.
I too am always hungry, or is that I can always eat – I’m not sure they’re the same thing.
I was also going to suggest a GP call, and maybe some supplements – I have always taken Brewer’s Yeast tabs daily, and in recent years Calcium/Magnesium with VitD3, but since starting the BSD I added a multi-vit and since COVID I added Vitamin D for us both. I rattle in the mornings 🙂
S-G – a while ago now you mentioned you had added another supplement to your diet but didn’t want to mention it until you had tried it for a while?
You are doing really well Lauren, even though the things you’re measuring may not reinforce that, your blood chemistry and other risk factors can only be better after the weight-loss, and the rest will follow. Please carry on, you are doing really well.

We definitely need to continue this conversation but it’s time to set up the new thread !

See you over there !

I just started today, fine up until now but this evening will be my test as I have a tendency to want to eat something in the evenings,
even though I,ve had dinner and know I really don,t need to eat, I think it,s a comfort thing especially toast!!!
All my weight is around my belly and both my parents had heart problems so I know I need to shift it!

Welcome aboard Riverrock, you’re in the right place for advice, support and encouragement. Please be sure to join us on the new weekly thread, which will have tomorrow’s date in the title …. see you there.

Hi Lauren,
Some great advice already.

Three things, our bodies store fat in two locations, one under the skin and the other is around the organs. – Its the fat around the organs which is the most damaging to our long term health, and if you have seen the scale move but not much movement on the tape measure it could be that’s where the weight discard has come from.

Our bodies are designed to carry fat stores around the waist and hips. For an animal walking on 2 legs its the most energy efficient location. Especially for women as our body is designed as well to cope with the weight from pregnancy. So sadly it means thats the last area we discard from. – I did notice on my own journey that there were changes made in the shape of my waist before the inch measurement changed. – I developed a hollow by the side of the waist, so when using a tape measure the dimension of my waist had not changed initially but there was a growing area where the tape measure wasn’t in contact with the belly. Hope that makes sense.

Finding your why is really difficult especially at this time. – It will be different for each of us, but I promise you, in time the draw of food as a comfort blanket does ease, and you will find other things you enjoy instead.

Jillie.

Thank you JGwen/Jillie for your kind response, it does make sense when you put it like that it’s just very annoying! Stupid bodies! I’m feeling more positive today so thank you again and everyone else for your kindness, very much appreciated

Thank you Sunny I am looking forward to it and it helps feeling that I am not doing this alone, I am in France and under quite strict measures, I see my son and daughter, son in law and my wonderful grand daughter but not friends, so social life has been practically zero for a year , I keep contact on social media etc I think this forum is great as it is supportive and reading others experiences and sharing words of support can make a big difference. So, ‘bon courage’ everyone and when we can all socialise again we can don our glad rags and show off our new bodies:}