Another Week has flown by and it’s time to start another 7 day focus ! Wherever you are, starting out, restarting, maintaining, struggling or like me slowing down but trusting and believing ;-), come and join us and share your experience so we can all support each other !

Hi everyone as we begin another Week.
I don’t always check the scales weekly but I have had a little kilo discard the last fortnight , which I am grateful for. Things have really slowed down for me but I refuse to be discouraged because even if it takes several more weeks or months to show significant movement on the scales, it doesn’ t matter.
My new habits are set in stone and my house is a bun free zone 😉 Has been for over a year 😉 Onwards I go , trusting myself and the now slooow process !
I hope you are all feeling positive as the Week begins. Dump any excesses in the past and move on.

I realised when rereading my post to Lucia that I launched into comments about fasting when she was merely saying that she ‘can’t GO FAST ..she has to do baby steps !’
Sorry Lucia, I should have read your post more carefully. Feel free to ignore my comments about fasting !!
I hope everything is going well for you !
Hi StrongCurves ! Glad the wedding was a joyous celebration for you and it’s great that you are not reporting back with any negativity or regrets.Just jump back on and your target is in sight…3 months .. Are you feeling calmer ? Dare I ask about the binges ? All Ok, SC ?
Crikey, did I just write that..3 months until the end of the year !!
Oh V, obsessing is not good . I am pretty evangelical about BSD/low carb, maybe that’ s obsessing a bit too ? Eating sensibly is definitely good, making the best choices for your health, absolutely. You are not going to go back to carbage habits so just keep going.I can’t imagine you ever giving up ! I couldn’ t bear you leaving !!
Hi KimSue ! That’s great that you were able to get back on track quickly . Definitely keep going !
How did the weekend pan out , GroovyJane ? I bet you won’t believe me but there will come a day when you will be able to resist chips with no hassle ! It takes time but it does happen, honest !
Lovely to hear from you Patricia ! Newbies…Patricia is a ‘maintainer’ so feel free to pick her brains !
Merry, you are so lovely. Thank you for your warm, caring , supportive posts and especially reaching out to our beautiful Kafin. I think any insight into metabolic issues will be extremely valuable. I look forward to reading about any research findings. By the way your halloumi and spinach curry was delicious and now a regular !! Thank you !
We love you Kafin and admire you so much xx
Looking forward to hearing from heiding.
Time to check in David ! Don’t worry about becoming an 800 bore.My hubby calls me the Carb Police but I can take it 😉 Hope you are continuing to make good progress and you are managing stress and temptations.
Beegirl, I am sure you are probably busy busy.I hope things have remained stable in the household ( not your discard..) with no worrying developments. Check in when you can.xx
EC, I know you are preparing for your trip at the moment but if you are reading this ..Hi EC , hope work is going well and you have a great time in Canada .
6T !! You have gone all quiet on us . We miss your regular posts. We don’t care what colour your hair is, come and chat 6T !
Scottishgal, don’t you dare go quiet on me !! I need to know how you are doing so I am ready to jump on my nagging step if need be !! I trust you, SG you know what to do ….don’t look back..keep looking forward.xx
Hi Elky ! Love your posts.I hope you are enjoying the beginning of Spring there .You always say that progress is slow for you.. It certainly is for me these days but let’s keep going !
Hi JGwen ! Maybe we need your insight on body set points ? I am wondering if my bod has reached a happy place and is stubbornly staying there ? ? I slot in one and often two extended fasts in my week and although I don’t expect spectacular results, I assume that something healthy is going on inside ?
I need to find out a bit more about body set points and resetting ….
I know JGwen…I do feel my clothes look much nicer and I feel tons more sprightly so that’s good, I am not focusing on the numbers, honest !
BIRDY !! You are one amazing woman !! Those nicotine monsters have no chance ! Fantastic will power and determination ! We are so proud of you :
Amz , you said to chase you when you go quiet so I will.
Anyone who has got to the end of my ramblings ….Please come and let us know how you are doing .

Hi everyone. Well, it’s been ages since I posted on here. I followed the diet 3 years ago now and lost 3 stone in total. I’ve managed to keep it off more or less, but over time I’ve allowed the weight to creep back on a bit and I’ve realised today that enough is enough! I’m 8 lbs more than I was 2 years ago and it’s time to make sure it doesn’t get any worse. I went down from size 18 to size 12 and threw all my old stuff out. So now the size 12 is straining a bit and I’m determined not to by anything any bigger! So, day 1 done and dusted. No breakfast, broccoli soup for lunch and meatballs and konjac noodles and salad for tea. I know how much it helps reading everyone’s stories and I’m looking forward to hearing how you are all doing. Best wishes!

Welcome Bissell ! Thank you for being brave enough to ready my lengthy post and to feel confident to come back !
There are a few returners on the thread…well done you for taking the decision to reverse the trend ! Looking forward to hearing from you and all the very best.You have the tools and you can get rid of the extra pounds .xx

Hi Wendy, well I haven’t had any binges for a while now. It’s still a struggle of course. To be honest I’m starting to notice when I think I might be full but still seem to be in the habit of clearing my plate. So going to experiment a bit and just stop when I feel the food has hit.

Verano, you made a good point about getting stuck with obsessing this WOL, blood sugar and so on. This has been on my mind as well, sometimes I’m so tired of it being the entire subject of my day (it feels!) As much as I want to be healthy and in good shape, it’s not the sole focus of life.
But the question is how to stop obsessing! If anyone has any tips, feel free to share them 😀

Good to hear you are managing any binges StrongCurves. We are always told to eat slowly, put the fork down, chew for ages etc to give the brain enough time to register the belly is full but I rarely remember to follow the advice !
I definitely think I am ‘guilty’ of being a bit obsessive..I stopped reading novels for months because I only read about nutrition but I must say I enjoyed learning lots of interesting new things and the research into the health benefits of low carb/keto.

You can tell me off if I am wrong SC but I wonder if you are tired of this WOL being the entire focus of your day because it is not yet natural to you and so seems to be a struggle ? ? If food is still something fearful rather than a nourishing friend it is natural to feel it is a frustration and a burden ? You will feel more relaxed soon, I hope xx
I am going to say I am passionate rather than obsessive 😉

Hi! I did OK over the weekend, but was so tired yesterday (Sunday) that I had to have a couple of hours sleep in the afternoon! Today I feel much better, and even resisted eating until lunchtime as wasn’t as hungry as I have been. I also figured that 2 larger meals rather than 3 smaller ones might suit me better, as I get hungry a lot still and think the meals I have had are too small. Hoping the tiredness will subside a bit more soon. I haven’t done any actual exercises yet other than general walking, it’s still day 6 for me, and because of the tiredness haven’t wanted to use any extra calories up yet. Do any of you do regular additional exercise? I want to do yoga or pilates, but have found my tummy gets in the way a fair bit 😂.

Hi all, just checking in to keep me on track…….and to keep Wendy happy. Couldn’t do it without your support. You’re so supportive of everyone on here. How’s hubby doing these days?
Well, I managed to do a 24hr fast on Saturday and lost 5lb. I know much of it will be water (I was up peeing half the night!) but it’s enough to get me motivated again. Was good on Sunday too but away for an overnight last night so won’t be weighing myself until tomorrow morning. Had a bit of a set back today though. Big argument with a colleague at work. Was a bit down afterwards and turned to chocolate. But I’ve decided why should I allow her to sabotage my plans for getting back on track. So, I’ve put it behind me now and moving on. There are other more important people in my life whom I respect and care about much more than the ignorant woman at work.
Off work for the next 2 days so no excuses.
Wishing you all a good week and see you all on the new weekly thread

Oops, just realised I’m already on the new thread. I really need to pay more attention! Sorry

Morning all

Quick visit from me today as I’m working, which I don’t normally on a Tuesday, so don’t have the time for my usual ramblings! Will be back to ramble later in the week!

WI 20: loss of 1.6lb. That’s a total of 54lb, which I’m happy with. Inch-wise, as of this morning, that’s 7″ off bust, 6″ off under-bust, 7.5″ off waist and 7.5″ off hips. At least it comes off evenly!

On a longer fast this week due to different work days and then a medium length one next week before going back to ADF the week after.

I’ve removed all timelines from my targets as was getting increasingly stressed with life, so thought I’d take the pressure off where I can. I feel that my immune system is struggling as I feel puffy and have a sore throat, so hopefully my fast will help it reset, although I’ll break my fast if I feel particularly ropey.

Father in law is receiving palliative care and we continue to wait. Next year’s much anticipated holiday to Mexico that was driving a lot of my motivation was flying with Thomas Cook, so that’s down the pan. Can honestly say that I can’t wait for 2019 to be over.

Right, best do some work – see you all later in the week!

Hi All

On day 5 of my re-started Fast 800 WOE. Experienced keto flu’ again the first 2-3 days, but woke up yesterday feeling much better. Can still feel lightheaded at times and lacking concentration. Started reading Gary Taubes’s “Why We Get Fat” last night, and stayed up way too late. Some of you have mentioned becoming obsessive, and I must admit I started thinking about this when reading this book. I’m not too far into it but have looked ahead a bit, and fear all this info might turn me into a raving carbo-phobe! I am warning myself that I need to maintain a sense of perspective, and that if I follow the Fast 800 recipes and guidelines (even tho’ some carbs are involved), I shouldn’t go too wrong. I’m already thinking ahead to maintenance (should I get that far) and the challenges it might present. I’m sure this group will be a great help in overcoming the inevitable hurdles!
Have a good week, everyone.

Third week of plan and achieved 6:1 (target was 5:2)
No refined carbs or alcohol for only 2 days
TRE of at least 12 hours each night done 4 times
Blood in the range 4.0 to 5.2
two pounds off but put it back on again so unchanged
Average steps 16k
What a week. Mega stressful. I work in finance and yesterday had to present our annual budget. To give you an idea it is to my bosses boss (with my actual boss sitting in) and my dotted line bosses boss. It is the most high level and high pressure thing tha tI do all year. As always I had left my prep a little late – those of you who saw my post last week may remember me craving some comfort eating. The presentation was yesterday and went well so apart from some follow up actions that is all cool.
Whilst stressing my blood sugar levels kept on going down daily 4.8, 4.6, 4.4,4.2, 4.0. I had a strange telephone conversation with the practice nurse at my Doctors. I had given fasting another go after she prescribed third lot of Diabeties medication. I never actually started it (went onto this route instead) but I did start to use the testing strips that I got at the same time. She was adamant that I should not be self testing, that I should stop immediately but that as a result of the testing I could come off one of my medications!
So excellent result – just one more med to come off! I am of course also going to keep testing.
The plan for this week is 4:3. I am taking part in a long service award on Saturday night so will allow myself some alcohol then

Good morning all. Another new week, new start and clean slate.
Wendy I too remember when I was ‘passionate’ about this WOE and it was probably at a similar stage to you. Two years further down the line though has seen a change in my mindset. To be honest I think I’m just a little bored with constantly having to think about ‘food’ . For instance, tonight we are out for a meal with friends and we are eating Italian. I find Italian restaurants the most difficult with the abundance of pasta and pizza. I don’t actually want or need those foods but there is so little left on the menu that it becomes more of a trial than a pleasure to eat out. Yes, I still have the pleasure of the company but I find that I am deciding what I am going to eat before we go out so as not to cause too much of a fuss at the table. It somehow takes the ‘pleasure’ away from eating out. I think that’s the way I feel like I’m ‘obsessing’. Anyway, it’s a new day ……
Hi Bissell good to see you feel able to pop back when needs be. Good luck!
Hope everyone has a good week ….. we are almost into October!!!

Morning All and good to see you again, Verano. Made it through one whole day, although I’m aware that my pattern is to make it through 3-4 days, lose 4 lbs, think, oh that will do and then put it all back on by the end of the week! And, in consequence, I was thinking the other day that I can’t remember when I just ate a meal without thinking ‘ I’m being good/ bad’ depending on where I am in the week. Which, I agree Verano, gets really boring and a tad obsessive. Oh well. I’ll give it some thought and see if I can come up with a solution for me (!!) Anyway, have a good day everyone, im doing battle with my local Planning department today. Again! That must burn up a few calories, all that internal fuming!

Hi guys, I don’t think I am obsessive, but there are some things that niggle me. – One is the lack of options for eating out, and the other is the lack of people listening when planning a social gathering including food.

————————

I was a vegetarian before it became fashionable so eating out used to be a nightmare. – The blank stares when you say no meat, no fish. – Then they offer you a dish that doesn’t have a lot of meat in……. and look horrified when you say no, I want to be served a meal that doesn’t have any meat or fish in it and there has been no lard used in the cooking. (Giving my age away, the days of lard rather than extra virgin olive oil for flavour) ———— And after a time someone comes out of the kitchen to offer you a plate with a pile of grated cheese in the middle surrounded by a circle of slices of tomato and cucumber. ——————-

Sadly, it takes a number of rounds of people having to ask, and the waiters and chiefs having to go into a huddle by the door chatting to themselves before they come up with a suggestion based on what they have in the kitchen, before the menu gets changed.

I went to a Chinese restaurant a number of years ago, and after the usual round of puzzling what meals they could put together, the manager and chief spent the evening occasionally peeping around the door at us then they would have another conversation between themselves. It didn’t feel comfortable at the time but before the evening ended, the chief came up to the table with a hand written draft of a page of vegetarian options to ask my opinion before add them to the menu.

There will be change and there will be keto friendly dishes as standard on menus. – Its already happening, there is an advert for one of the take away delivery companies, where the group are unloading the delivery and one of the dishes is a salad which is passed on with a joke about not having carbs before the beach holiday. But the change will not happen until restaurants have awkward customers asking for keto dishes so see it as being to their financial advantage to add to the menu.

—————

I am coming up to my second anniversary of this WoE. People have remarked on the weight loss / shape change, yet still at social events they presume I will just join in the carb fest, and when I say no thanks to repeated offers of biscuits and cakes look shocked.

Hi Wendleg,
You asked for my opinion on body set point. –

Often I have heard this term used as a reason why counting calories hasn’t been working. – You spend time counting calories but not carbs, you loose some weight and after a while either it stops working or you start to gain weight. – So the diet guru selling you the program from WW or S-W starts to talk about body set points as to why their program hasn’t worked for you. And the last thing they want to admit is that your body has reduced its metabolic rate as a result of their advice because you have cut calories without cutting out the carbs.
————
But body set point also is used on the facebook page for Dr Fung when people are focusing on the scales not moving. – When that happens tends to be a number of common responses.
1. Just keep on, your body is healing inside and after a time you will have a whoosh moment.
2. Count the calories you are having on none fasting days. Its easy to stop counting and have only a small difference in calories in v calories out. ———– As well as looking for reasons why you may be spiking insulin on fasting days like artificial sweeteners.
3. Look for other changes that indicate improved body composition, so that you muscle and bone density is improving, and your percentage of your weight from fat is decreasing but the scales are staying constant.

Personally, I have had periods of the scales moving but no change in tape measure readings, I have had periods of small movements in the scales but a steady inch loss. I have had the occasional day off the waggon which brings with it a dramatic increase in weight. I have had days of hard work in a fasted state that have resulted in a 3kg decrease in scale readings from one day to the next. – I have had periods where it feels like nothing has changed and then suddenly I realise that I can cope with a physical workload that would been too much a few months before.

When I worried about body set points, I was thinking just in terms of monitoring progress based on the scales. Sorry if it sounds dismissive, but now I focus on all the different ways my ability to live life to the full has expanded, what the reading on the scale is, is what it is.

@jgwen you’ve got to come and visit Melbourne, you’ll be in dining out heaven. Here every single restaurant have several vegetarian and vegan options. And there’s not a side of green salad either
Many restaurants are 100% veggie or vegan, and many meat eaters chose to dine there because it’s bloody delicious.
I have reduced my consumption of meat drastically before starting this WOE, around once a week/fortnight, and can’t wait to get back to it once I’m finishing dropping the weight. I just don’t see eating meat/fish as sustainable for the planet…

hello friends
yes, Wendy….crunch time and we’re off in just over 36 hours!-and thanks so much for the well wishes (apart from the work/holiday elements….I will be thrilled to bits if I see a moose …second would be a bear….but not up close!!!)

been an “interesting” week when although not off plan I felt as if all my clothes were straining….so decided that perhaps my digestive system was just a little on overload (ie bloated)….maybe due to all my recipe experiments? and the next day just had (many) cups of tea and coffee till evening and a light meal and yep, all much better…while I love experimenting with cooking, perhaps I need to simplify…..

So….I leave not quite as slimmed down as I’d hoped, but not bad either…tried on my new linen jacket with a sleeveless top (though we’ll be in Canada in Autumn, we have two days en-route in LA which it seems, doesn’t do cold weather!!) and well….not too bad!

JGwen….-I also remember the days when as a vegetarian in my late teens and early 20s, people would offer what they termed “rabbit food”-or only side vegetables….but also the emergence of great restaurants as Moosewood and here in Aus, Squirrels in Qld….-true wholefoods!…and interesting to see the emergence of diets for environmental sustainability (mind you I can’t talk hopping on a plane in less than 2 days)-it’s all a juggle to get balance….

Verano….I agree that obsessiveness can be the potential negative-I also struggle with the relevance in a life….but also know how much better I feel when food/life is “managed” rather than “controlled”

In amongst mad work deadlines before I go; positives….have been upping the short running moments on the dog walks and feeling a little fitter
negatives-hardly listened to the radio (my life-university!!)…..and my shoulders are up around my ears!!!

no promises for the next few weeks, but will try to check in….and go well you good and lovely humans!!!

Wendy, thanks for your warm welcome and what a cheerful home we have here.

My weight doesn’t change much from month to month, and I weigh myself once a week now.

At the end of June, I was weighing myself three times a day because I’d be 2kgs heavier from morning to sunset. Still don’t understand why, but it’s easier to weigh once a week when I measure waist, hips and bust. My hips have lost a few cm, but my waist will be last to drop the fat.

I have been on the bsd way of life for a short time, but find that the lower carb food is what I usually want to eat. That addiction to (won’t call them by name) snacks seems to be absent. My current higher fat diet allows coconut paste based curry so I’m very happy to eat that with spinach not rice. I’m lucky, because like Wilde, I can resist anything but temptation! Or perhaps I’m fat adapted? There’s more to that than eating fat, it’s about the good gut bacteria.

Scottishgirl, what a result on the 24hr fast!

It’s really good that you are thinking of what leads up to that choice. Habit can make us go through the process of acquiring stuff that we chose not to eat, or wouldn’t eat if it wasn’t for the habit. Mine is currant soda bread. But if I don’t bake it, I can’t eat all of it….

Great to see everyone checking in !
Groovy Jane, it’s still early days for you so don’t worry too much about the tiredness. I was always having regular afternoon snoozettes but I don’ t seem to need them so much nowadays. Not everyone here does regular exercise.It is not deemed essential for the weight discard, more so for well being and stamina. I don’t do anything ‘ heavy duty’ …aquagym, yoga ( resuming tomorrow) and walking when I am on holiday 😉 Find something you enjoy and that fits in with your week.I have been offered a free 12 week exercise programme by my health insurance but I don’ t know exactly what will be on offer as yet .
Hi Scottishgal ! Hubby is back up to 80% capacity I would say. No painkillers but still not sleeping that well . Still in his ‘medical bed’. Definitely on the mend though, thank you Sg xx Wow, your 24 hour fast produced a fantastic result.Don’t do an extended one or you will disappear 😉 😉 So sorry about the stressy argument. It’s a shame you couldn’t go and chuck a few plates but it’s done and you are absolutely right….don’t allow anyone to sabaotage your good intentions, ever.It’s one person..she doesn’t count …you do though.xx
Sorry about your stresses too, Bee Girl. You seem grounded and not allowing anything to destabilize you …not easy . Your success is stupendous , well done on your commitment.You are an inspiration BG.Thinking of you and your family xx Take care of yourself. I hope the travel plans can be re scheduled without too much hassle, and expense.
Your approach sounds very balanced too, Kim Sue. I think when I first began just over a year ago I assumed that I would be back to eating fruit, and lots more carbs after completing the programme.I see things very differently now. I have just got used to eating this way and I am lucky in that I don’t feel deprived of anything . We all have to find what works for us .I am a bit of a Sugar and Processed Carbage Phobe though, I freely admit 😉 . Some people have to stay very low carb…and allowing even small amounts of the white stuff would be damaging. It depends how you respond but somehow for me bread , spuds , pasta, rice etc are not that desirable anymore .
Oh crikey David..Well done for getting through that stress !! Fantastic blood glucose results too !! Good on you for taking charge! Why shouldn’t you self test ??? It’s your blooming health after all !! You have ben taken off some of your meds for goodness sake.You should have been congratulated, not told off !! Just carry on doing what you are doing.
Hi V. Yes, I am passionate but I am one of the ‘all or nothing ‘ people ! I don’t think I will ever be bored ! I do check menus and I don’t mind at all asking for alternatives if the dish is carb loaded. Maybe I am just bossy 😉 😉 I never ate pasta once in Italy ..hubby certainly did 😉
Hi Bissell..something that struck me in your post was about being « good or bad » I can see that would become pretty boring. Maybe think in terms of healthy foods v carbage rather than whether you have ‘toed the line’ ??? I really hope you can stay with us and get the results you want , because you have found a way to truly enjoy your food choices.
Thanks for your very useful insight as always JGwen. Things have definitely slowed down for me despite always being low carb although I recognise extra calories surreptiously sneak in when my hand dives into the nut jar and slips when I am scooping out Greek yoghurt from a big 1kg pot !!
EC, I like your comment about food being ‘managed’ rather than controlled.Controlled would indicate deprivation. I doubt that would work long term. Have a great trip EC !
You are in a good place with your choices Patricia ! I can’t see you ever going back either .
Another long post..sorry if I go on a bit. I try to make the most of the time available. No late meetings at the moment which helps. Hubby being back on cooking duty helps too 😉
I hope the week goes well for everyone. Not forgetting anyone, I hope. Just send a quick post and share when you feel like it.

Well, after a year since my last post, and being seriously off the wagon due to life threatening health issues for the parents (now both well, thankfully), I have decided it’s time to get back to this WOE.

I have lurked on and off for the last year, following the posts and quietly cheering on everyone’s successes – lovely to see so many new people joining the BSD community. I’ve been fascinated to read the keto exploits of some of you, and will definitely be spending my winter evenings by the fire catching up on all the take a look at this threads I’ve missed.

Looking back – apart from life falling apart when first my mum, and then my dad spent weeks in hospital, combined with long periods of working away from home, leading to a 1.5 stone weight gain – I have decided to approach the BSD a bit more slowly this time, rather than trying to do everything all at once. Also, I became obsessed with weighing myself, and any weight gain had a very negative impact on my self image.

Pasta is not really part of our menu so that is easy enough to cut out, but I hope to join the one week at a time threads, and focus on one or two goals a week to eventually get me fully into this WOE.

This week’s goals are to get my water intake up to 2 litres a day, and to drastically cut back on my (many) cups of coffee with cream and sweetener every day. I have taken measurements and a weight reading, but I intend to focus on NSV instead of what the bathroom scales tell me everyday.

I also think that I did not have a strong enough reason WHY last time, and that is something I am still struggling with. Really, at the moment, I just don’t want to end up where Mum and Dad were last year because I haven’t looked after myself.

Looking forward to getting back in touch with old friends again, and making new ones.

You aren’t wrong Wendy, this WOE/WOL is not natural for me at the moment. Probably explains why it can feel a bit obsessive! The route of being “good” or “bad” about eating is not really one I want to pursue. Ditching the guilt surely leads to healthier choices overall.
Good points about eating out. In the past I never worried too much about it because I didn’t eat out often and figured a meal here and there wouldn’t wreck everything. In a weird way, it does seem like social expectations stop us from having what we really want. Like in the past, vegetarians being frowned upon for the “rabbit food” or even today if you really don’t have room for pudding or sides. I’m a terrible one for keeping eating when my stomach was full a while ago! It actually takes a lot of courage to say what you truly enjoy eating, not what other people think you will.

Hi Treelady, good to see you back on the forum even if things haven’t been going well for you. I am sorry to hear about your parents health problems.
I have found that being in ketosis makes life so much easier when you have a busy day outdoors, I was surprised how easy it was to keep on plodding on when carting in my hay this summer.

Hi,
So it’s Wednesday,
I have returned to work after a weeks Hol at home.
Very very very stressful at work.
New management have brought in new younger staff and want me to teach them all my job!!
They all have meetings without me,.
I am an old bird. I can remember when you switched your black and white tv on and went to put the kettle on while the tube warmed up and gave you a picture.
I still feel able to do all my work, but they kept giving me more and more. You always flog a willing horse.

I should be grateful I still have a job.

Anyway, you know a little of my background. So delighted the scales are going down not up. This is why 8 have to do things slowly as I cannot handle any more stress than what I have at the moment.

My aim this week, is to focus on my sleep.
I was still awake at 12.30am Had indigestion around 2am so had to sit up. Watched the clock from 5am. Now been up , washed, dressed and had breakfast, read all the blogs and it’s before 6:30am.
Last night eg, I didn’t read in bed. Just couldn’t switch off my brain and it’s worries. It’s not healthy for me, so that’s what I am aiming to fix next.

Keep going, keep happy
Love
Iucia
Xxxx

Sorry you’re not sleeping, Lucia – I really struggle as well and it ends up causing even more stress. I’m sure you don’t need advice but some of the things suggested to me are yoga nidra (lots of YouTube videos or apps), melatonin (doesn’t work for me but does for some), 4-7-8 breathing technique:
1. Allow your lips to gently part.
2. Exhale completely, making a breathy whoosh sound as you do.
3. Press your lips together as you silently inhale through the nose for a count of 4 seconds.
4. Hold your breath for a count of 7.
5. Exhale again for a full 8 seconds, making a whooshing sound throughout.
6. Repeat 4 times when you first start. Eventually work up to 8 repetitions.
Also I hear that baking soda dissolved in water can help ingestion on this woe.
Hope something helps xxx

Morning/evening all
I will be checking in later but I am worried about arcticfox ?? She hasn’t posted since the 2nd September ??? Where are you articfox ?
Amz !!! Come and tell us how you are too.

Lucia, stress is bad and I am sorry you are struggling right now. Be firm about unreasonable demands being made of you . I hope you can feel calmer soon.
have a good day /evening everyone
Wendy x

Hi

Also , now lost my lift to work of a morning, they have got another job due to stress!!
I am Leaving a lot earlier to hit the bus, so help please,
When I am not fasting, what is the quickest breakfast that you are all having please?
I am not so keen so haven’t even looked into the carb count on the breakfast berries, yoghurt and some other bits soaked overnight in the fridge.

Before bs I was having toast or cereal. I don’t want them any more but they were soooo quick and easy to do.

Many thanks,

have a good day
Keep going, keep happy.

Love lucia
Xxx

Hard boiled eggs with avocado 😊

As Kafin suggests, anything with eggs is good .Scrambled eggs with butter and a bit of smoked salmon or wilted spinach ??
To be honest, Lucia I have got used to not having breakfast but might treat myself to a weekend brunch xx
Sorry about the transport problems xx Something good will happen soon xx.

Lucia, I feel for you with your work stresses. I am retired, so no longer have that kind of stress. Retirement brings its own kind of stress sometimes, but otherwise pretty good. I hope things improve at work for you. Good on you for your resolve to do what you can with this WOE, when you feel ready and able.
Wendy, I read that you are a “processed CABBAGE phobe”. Was a bit perplexed, until I twigged!! Apart from that, thanks for being a mother hen, and keeping us in line and gathering us all safely under your wing!

Nothing wrong with cabbage KimSue 😉
Yes, sorry about my clucking .I can’t help it.
I am just about to return to yoga.First time for ages.I had to stop after my surgery but I am looking forward to getting back .
About retirement..I just made my official application and I have to admit I did have a ‘moment’. I wanted to be healthy by the time I left work and I am definitely feeling better although I need to make sure I keep moving !
I hope everyone is having adecent day/evening xx

I find porridge and bluberries is a good breakfast. Scots porridge oats in a bowl with water in the microwave for 2 minutes, add some blueberries and do for another 40 seconds. Do something else for a few minutes whilst it cools . A 40 g serving (half a small mug of oats and a nearly full one of water) and a few bluberries is 180 to 200 calories, on a non fast day I up the number of blueberries.

On the subject of retirement I am really lucky in that I have worked in jobs with a decent pension attached. I could retire now but generally enjoy the job and work with good people. I also think that I am a bit scared of suddenly having all that extra time to fill !
There have been times when stress at work and ceratin individuals have been almost too much. The advice I got (which helped a bit but only a bit) was focus on the postive and what is in your power to change – look for other opportunities and practice mindfulness. I stayed, coped a bit better and others moved on themselves. I still do mindlefulness. A great introduction to the concept is Sane New World by Ruby Wax. Anyway better get back to work!

David I understand your concerns about retirement. My OH had a four day working week for many years before he actually retired but still found retirement very difficult. If you are happy working and you can continue why not continue? I guess you have to ask yourself ‘what would I do if I didn’t have formal work’.
Then you need to look at your hobbies and ‘dreams’.
There is never a ‘perfect’ time for retirement but you also have to consider your health, your partner’s, if you have one, and your ‘bucket list’. My philosophy is that life isn’t static, nor is health, if you want to travel do it sooner rather than later ….. none of us know what is around the corner …. take ‘life’ in both hands and run with it now!

Good advice Verano. I am married and we do a reasonable amount of travelling but I am going to ask for some unpaid holiday next year to perhaps do a bit more
I would do more hobby stuff and enjoy it but 5 working days is a lot of time to fill.
Most of the retired people I know that ‘don’t know how they ever had time to go to work’ either have children/grandchildren and spend a lot of time with them or if men are handy around the house and have a never ending list of jobs. I am not in either of those groups!

V and David…I have been teaching since 1981..yikes ! I am not fearful of no longer working although I think I will initially miss the contact with my teenage ‘charges ‘ ! I will be 62 , legal retirement age next year , hubby is 10 years older, and our time together is precious. So no hesitation for me, V !
We love our trips away and being able to do so outside of school holidays is a bonus 😉
My objective beginning this WOE was to get healthy …I’m getting there ! My simple WHY ! I will never jeopardize that. It is certainly never too late to address and prepare for a positive, healthy future.
How is everyone doing ? You don’ t have to be nearing retirement to come and chat 😉

David and Wendy I think ‘retirement ‘ is as much a ‘state of mind’ as it is a ‘reality’. As with many things in life it’s ‘horses for courses’ depending on age , health, geography and finances we all choose according to our circumstances but also, which I think is really important, as we get older, our will to ‘do’. As we age it’s so easy to say …. ‘I can’t….. ‘ but then that comes back to state of mind!
Wendy you can add 10 years to me and mine so I guess we are in a different space ……. we still travel, here, there and every where! We will carry on as long as we can …..
I suppose retirement is what you want it to be………
Good health is here for us all …… irrespective of age, financial circumstances, family circumstances etc. …… it just needs the desire and will to be the best you can be!

Morning all, just leaving for the bus in a moment.
Weight is coming off but I am ignoring this week, I need to get the stress together first.
I have a dental check up in the morning… more stress!

I am going to speak to my bosses today as I need to work 8am to 5.30pm and not until 7pm or later everyday.

Retirement? I will work out this weekend how much I need to pay off everything and see what i need to live. I would love some time to myself, I have a pile off books I want to read by my armchair, project, hobbies too.
I look like a hoarder! Where does the time go?

I also have a hubby who I quite poorly too.

Keep me in your thoughts and prayers.

Love lucia
Xxxx

Hope it goes well with your bosses Lucia.

hello beautiful people,
Thought I’d check in with you before going to my 3 days silent yoga retreat. It will include 6.30am chanting and 4-5 daily yoga sessions, meditation and philosophical discussions. I am a very very left brain so that should be interesting. I don’t do yoga, nor do I do meditation… I’m a bit anxious! It will be an experience for sure.
@jgwen I have taken on your advice and have requested for low carbs diet during the retreat. I’ll see what the cook come up with. Worst comes to worst I will just fast through it.
@lucia sorry to hear that you are experiencing so much stress. I hope that you can find some resolution with your bosses.
@treelady welcome back! It’s lovely to have experienced members around that have lived to tell the tale and come back to it cause it works. I know it can be harder to come back when the shinny excitement of a new program has dulled a bit but this community can make everything easier. I love your username too 🙂
@wendleg it’s great to hear that your husband recovery is doing well. Not long now until is 100% back.
@patricia1066 you seem to be doing really well, good job. And I really want the recipe for your coconut paste based curry as it sounds delicious!
@david-knight I work in Finance too and I remember too well the days of budget presentations. So stressfull! And all the work leading to it too! A ridiculous amount of work and so many hours wasted in the office. It was definitely the undoing of all my balanced eating as I would stress eat and order take away from the office at 10pm to get me through until 12-1am. I’m glad I have now changed company and shifted teams so that I have nothing to do with budget and forecasts anymore. Good work on getting this done and you can now put it all behind you and focus on your journey to a better health.
@kimsue hope the Keto flue is well and trully behind you now? Are you experiencing the increased energy already?
@beegirl good job on the extended fast this week, I’ll follow your efforts!

As for myself, I had an excellent week. After 2 weeks of maintaining with too much wine/carbs on the week-ends and good WOE during the week, I managed to smash it this week and lost 3kg or 6.5lbs. My ultimate goal weight is within sight: another 2lbs and I’ll have reached it. Very pleased with all this success.
A part of me wants to keep pushing and be just below 60kg so that I could use 60 as a threshold not to go above in the future but the other part of me wants to be reasonnable and work on my body composition. More working on building muscles, lean mass, bone density and less worrying about an arbitrary number on the scales.
To that end I have started taking measurements all over my body and recording them weekly in an app.

Have a good wkd everyone!
Louise

I have reported Eliana’s post as I think it is advertising. Lancet article is not about keto or low carb.

So I’ve been on my resumed Fast-800 for a week or so. Stuck to it pretty well, and lost about 2.5 kilos Currently feeling quite determined that I want to continue with this, and starting to feel ‘lighter’. More energy? Perhaps that too.
LouiseKangooroo – Yes, I did get over the carb flu’. Had it both the first time and on my post-holiday restart. Seems to be a real ‘thing’, each time causing headache, weakness, low mood. Seems to last 2-3 days. Feeling much better now. Haven’t eaten out much, but went to a social lunch today and am learning to negotiate the menu. I did have a small glass of wine. Is that a terrible sin, if it only happens rarely?!
Have a good weekend, everyone.

Hi KimSue,
The carb “flu” is caused by a lack of electrolytes. Our bodies need to store water when you eat carbs, and when you go low carb the kidneys release that water, but in the process they also release electrolytes.
You need to increase your salt intake especially at any time you are transitioning from high carb to low carb.

Hello everyone! Good to be here for the new week – thank you Wendy for getting it started.
LouiseKanga, I’m looking forward to hearing about your retreat, its something I’ve always wanted to do but am sort of shy to try it – despite being a grown up 🙂
So my daughter and her bf were visiting from Saturday to Wednesday. We had a fab time but on Tuesday / Wednesday I lost it and went carb-crazy. Good news is I didn’t drink any alcohol despite many social events where I normally would – I’m very happy about that, its been four weeks. I saw the fasting thread and bought the Jason Fung book (thanks Louise). I made the cauliflower pizza last night (I must have done something wrong as the pastry was a bit soggy). I’ve had two days where I ate one meal, dinner – yesterday and Thursday – and that seems to have helped. I didn’t weigh until this morning and I’m now 68kgs. I was 70 odd on Wednesday at the doctor’s office (but fully clothed).
I’m going to be watching the AFL grand final at friends’ place today, will take my own drinks and maybe some hummus – there will be tons of treats !
Going through a weird time with my sort of fella (very long distance), who cancelled/postponed a long-planned three week trip to visit me here in November for my birthday. I was upset at first and was going to cancel my leave and wallow, but then I decided no, why should I put everything on hold for him? So I’ve book a holiday to go and visit dear friends who have been inviting me to stay, and get some dental work done. I was quoted $5,000 here !!! for one root canal and crown!! bloody extortionists here with dental. Hopefully my tooth will hold out until November and I think I’ll pay about a quarter of that. I’m going to Istanbul! It only costs a bit more than travelling from Canberra to Perth! (domestic air travel here is also insanely expensive) So excited 🙂 Great incentive to continue with this fab WoE as well.
Hope everyone has a great week xx

Hi everyone ! Just checking in after drinking one of my turbo charged Golden Lattes ! Need to keep my immune system strong with all the kids snuffllng and sneezing around me ! I am down a little pound this Week again which is my typical sloow progress these days but that’s ok. I managed quite a bit of exercise this Week as my aching muscles can testify ..I am pretty unfit !
The weekend is notoriously fairly quiet but I just want to wish everyone a peaceful few days with respite from the many stresses you are experiencing.
I have heard from Amz and she is going through a tough time but I assured her she always has the support of this thread when she feels like posting.
Has anyone heard from articfox ?

Morning all
Haven’t read through everything in detail – husband is away so most of my time is spent stopping the kids destroying the house!
Have done my pilates dvd twice this week and will aim for the same next week. Finished my extended fast last night, so will be interested to see what the scales show on Tuesday – although I won’t be fasting on Monday, which I normally do, so it won’t be a ‘like for like’ comparison with last week.
Father in law has performed a recovery that has astounded everyone – he started to come round a little a few days ago and ask for drinks, so the doctors decided to move back to proactive treatment, despite not understanding how he was still alive. He responded so well he’s now back in his care home! Amazing.
No movement on our holiday for next year – going to phone some places later and see if anyone is picking up the hotel (Thomas Cook were the only UK agent).
After my jean success last week, I have ordered a ‘goal’ outfit, in a much smaller size, which should arrive on Monday. Even though I’m not sure what my goal is – I guess it’s now to fit into this! They were going to be for our flight on holiday, but who knows now. I don’t know whether I’ll have the guts to wear it in public, but, I’ll confess to what it is here – it’s red tartan dungarees 😂 They have a sweetheart neckline and I just can’t resist stuff with that neckline. They may just hang in the wardrobe and be admired, but I can always wear them round the house – it’s nice to have a target! I’ll need to lose some serious fat off my calves though – I swear, my calves are two trouser sizes bigger than my thighs, hips and waist; anything with straight legs and no stretch has no chance!
Right, dishwasher’s broke again, so got to go wait for the repair man – see you on next week’s thread!

Some good things to celebrate there Bee Girl and especially wonderful news about your father in law.
Those red dungarees sound fab !! Very Bay City Rollers !!! (showing my age 😉 !!) It would be a shame to hide them away in the wardrobe.
I hope your holiday next year is not totally ruined, such a shame about Thomas Cook. Keep the faith .
I also hope the kids are not playing up too much !
xxx

Hi all! I’m back from a crazy intense silent yoga retreat.
I had barely ever done any yoga before, not to mention meditation, so being thrown in the deep end with 7-8hours of practice per day in total silence was challenging.
I’m back home and I’m drained yet so calm and grounded. Very interesting experience.
The food was delicious but none of it was low carb @jgwen and because of the silent, I couldn’t even ask about options 😅
I had said I would fast if the food wasn’t low carb but I only ended up skipping breakfast : porridge or bread 😱
I chose to eat the other meals cause I felt i needed food to weather the intensity on my body and soul. Carbs were carrots, beans, peas, sweet potatoes… all mixed up in delicious curries. So not the worst as they were all natural carbs. I tested my ketones level tonight and I’m still in ketosis.
@heiding go for one of those retreat! Most people there were on their own and because of the silence it didn’t matter. I actually love the part about not having to do small talk with strangers. Very freeing 😀