One week at a time beginning 6th APRIL 2021…onwards everyone !

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  • posted by sunshine-girl
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    Hi everyone. Florob great when you can put your skills to good use. Mine is a bit more frivalous. We won our local charity online quiz on Wednesay. Mainly because in one section there were 10 quetions on the human body and, being an ex-nurse, we got them all right. Not quite altruism.

    Still here and still doing TRE, nothing to report as I havent lost any more weight, not dropped BG levels (79 today) and kept insulin at 20 units. Now got to get through the weekend. Have a good one everyone.

  • posted by RubyG
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    Who knew – this diet actually works when you follow it πŸ™‚
    I am pleased to announce that the Easter detour is back on track and we are both down week-on-week again, after a very disciplined 800cals and <30g carbs for the past 3 days.
    The weekend menu plan hasn’t been finalised, but I bought some fresh mussels for tonight, and we’ll probably have steak (onglet) and salad on Saturday night.
    Saturday morning we have our one slice per week of wholemeal sourdough with poached egg, and Sunday morning we have a full English (bacon, eggs, tomatoes and mushrooms, sometimes a piece of black or white pudding or a lamb’s kidney for hubby) – we have done this since starting the BSD in Oct 2020 and so far so good.

  • posted by SunnyB
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    Lauren, thanks for the very detailed explanation of the effects of stress, I’m sure it was of interest to lots of us.
    SG, you’ve been doing great, so I’m sure you’ll do fine over the weekend.
    Ruby, sounds like things are going well and you have a solid plan for a good BSD weekend.
    My week thus far has been okay and the scales and clothes show progress …. just a bit more to do. Tonight is ‘date night’, but will try hard not to let that become permission for an indulgent weekend.

    Enjoy your weekend whatever you’re doing.

  • posted by SunnyB
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    Lauren, thanks for the very detailed explanation of the effects of stress, I’m sure it was of interest to lots of us.
    SG, you’ve been doing great, so I’m sure you’ll do fine over the weekend.
    Ruby, sounds like things are going well and you have a solid plan for a good BSD weekend.
    My week thus far has been okay and the scales and clothes show progress …. just a bit more to do. Tonight is ‘date night’, but will try hard not to let that become permission for an indulgent weekend.

    Enjoy your weekend whatever you’re doing.

  • posted by Dahfi
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    Hi all
    Day 5 today and both today and yesterday have been tough. Not from a hunger perspective (although I have been hungry!) but more that I am grumpy and irritable, like PMS symptoms!
    Hope it passes…

  • posted by florob85
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    Not uncommon Dahfi, it passes! Just perservere (and maybe warn loved ones πŸ˜‰)

    L x

  • posted by Dahfi
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    Haha thank you… fingers crossed it’s a week 1 only phenomenon!

  • posted by Riccoh
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    I’ve enjoyed and learnt a lot from this week’s posts. Had a good Easter. No chocolate but did have a delicious hot cross bun fresh from the local bakery. A bit stressed earlier in the week and overdid it on the nuts. I, too, eat more when stressed. Like RubyG I am tempted by peanut butter and cheese.Does that mean my diet is lacking something. II’ve read that’s why we crave certain things. Lately we’ve been cycling through the lettuce wraps on the Fast 800 cookbook for our dinners. I make enough for both of us for 4 days. We started doing this as we have an abundance of lettuce in our vege garden. We don’t wrap the fillings but cut up the lettuce and add it. Not sick of this yet. It is getting colder here in Australia so hot dishes might be the way to go soon. I love the mushroom soup from the cookbook.

    We have lots of holidays planned, one every month except October. All in NSW except a trip to Tassie in Nov/Dec to spend time with our eldest son and his family. We haven’t seen them since mid 2019.

    I have started wearing an elasticised bracelet. There is a psychological trick that addicts use, snapping a rubber band on their wrist if they have a craving. I consider myself a food addict but its hard of course because we can’t go cold turkey. We need to eat!! I’ve only just started wearing it but it seems to be working. And its not ugly like and elastic band. I have heard of using a talisman or something similar, too, and keeping it in your pocket. You would touch it if you needed strength. There are also Chakra or similar bracelets that would have a placebo effect in stopping cravings.

    Anyway, have a good week. I’m off to the Blue Mountains next week so I hope I can stay on track while we’re away.

  • posted by Goforgoal
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    Hi everyone,
    hope you’re enjoying the weekend.
    Welcome Dahfi, you’re doing great! First week is the toughest but it will get easier after that. Riccoh, enjoy your trip to the Blue Mountains -sounds amazing! I wonder if the eucalypt forests there create a nice minty smell too – I have no idea!
    Week 4 results: Saturday weigh-in: 105.6kg. Loss this week: -0.2kg. Only a tiny loss. It was the Easter with its red wine, dessert, even potato mash, but no regular choc – I made Clare BaileyΒ΄s 85% chocolate covered dates filled with coconut and orange zest. Had a great Easter with the fam. Got to do better now there are no celebrations in sight. Total loss after 4 weeks: -6.4kg which is okay. Halfway – bring on the next 4 weeks!
    ODAAT folks!

  • posted by HopefulinOz
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    You are doing wonderfully GoforGoal. 6.4kg loss in 4 weeks is definitely great progress. Congratulations πŸ™‚
    I am 1kg down this week, which seems to be the average loss I have settled into after the first few weeks. I had a blip one night this week, so I am quite pleased with that result. Started at 68kg five weeks ago, currently 63.5kg, with first mini-goal of 60kg and final goal weight of 55kg (I am very short at only 156cm, so 55kg is in the middle of a healthy BMI for my height). I am really not too worried if my progress is a bit slower than some others are lucky enough to report, because this really is the most successful weight loss stint I have ever had. Losing weight has always been very difficult for me, so I am absolutely thrilled to have found something that my body seems to be responding to.
    JGwen, I ordered the breathalyzer last night, so will be very interested to see my results. I am currently sticking to less than 20g carbs a day, so certainly am assuming I am in ketosis, but feel it will be a particualrly handy tool to have at my disposal once I hit my goal weight and enter a maintenance phase. I am assuming that the best plan then (to maintain) will be to increase calories slowly to my TDEE, but to not increase carbs to any point that kicks me out of nutritional ketosis….. so essentially, fill the gaps with healthy fat sources, rather than more protein than is needed for my ideal bdy weight, and definitely not with too many carbs. It will be very interedting to see what my personal limit is for carbs. I have been watching some of Dr Fungs videos with great interest.
    Wishing you all a wonderful start to the new week!
    Donna.

  • posted by Smead01
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    I love reading everyone’s posts and it is good to see how the BSD is so different for everyone.
    I have started week five and have lost 6.3 kgs from a starting weight of 83.6 and I can really feel the difference. My first goal was to see my feet again when standing and looking past my tummy, and I am so pleased that this has been achieved. Now to see the colour of my underwear when standing is the next goal.
    It still amazes me how the scales show nothing for close to a week and then you get a drop. Thanks to those who taught me to trust and not get disheartened.

    You guys are a wealth of knowledge…..so any idea on whether a loss of 15% of your weight over 8 weeks is really achievable? Or am I expecting too much.
    Samantha.

  • posted by HopefulinOz
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    Hi Samantha,
    I am sure that far more experienced people, with far more knowledge than me, will be along soon. However, I think it is so subjective – without a doubt it will depend on your starting weight, how much you have to lose, your medical history, your level of insulin resistance etc. I was just watching an interview with MM and his wife, and they cited an average weight loss of 9.5kg over 8 weeks, but I have also read that the loss over the first 4 weeks is the best indicator of long term results. At the end of the day, though, I do believe that as long as you are making progress and you are feeling good, try not to worry too much about how many weeks or days it will take. Your body will do whatever it needs to do to heal, and as you know, the weight loss is rarely linear – you will likely have days where you lose nothing, followed by big losses later when your body is ready (the whoosh effect). You are doing amazingly πŸ™‚

  • posted by wendleg
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    Hi everyone ! I hope you have had a good weekend and are feeling motivated for this coming week . I didn’t mange to continue my fasting protocol last week , it just didn’t work so having another go at alternate days this week.

    Hopefully Lauren is having a wonderful time in the tree house in Bath !

    Riccoh, you have some lovely holiday plans ! We especially loved Tasmania, just stunning . One day we will get back there . Right now we don’t even know if we can travel to the UK this summer . It’s not looking good but staying positive .

    Smead/ Samantha , as HopefulinOz has said, a loss of 9 to 10% of body weight is considered normal over the initial 8 weeks . That was my experience too but things definitely slowed down after a while . I agree, I think it is important to look at the considerable long term health benefits rather than a more rigid time scale of weight loss. Very sensible advice, HopefulinOz. We must remember that maintenance has to be carefully managed too .

    Dahfi , I hope you are feeling better after your hangry episode . It will pass and is a classic symptom of carb withdrawal .

    Some people are still a bit quiet ( they are maybe checking in on other threads ?) I hope everyone is ok . Restrictions are easing in the Uk which must feel good .

    I will be back later to set up the new weekly thread .
    Wendy x

  • posted by RubyG
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    Hi all,
    Checking in for the end of this week. The UK restrictions are easing, but the weather is not playing ball – after a balmy spring day on Easter Sunday, we have had snow showers on and off last week, and again the last couple of days. I have no desire to go rushing off to a pub (outdoors) this week, but we are hoping to meet up outdoors with some family members next weekend. The UK has offered lateral flow tests free to each household to assist with self-testing, so I have a pack and we will self-test the day before seeing any elderly relatives, or before going into the office or on site visits, etc. The recommendation is to test twice-weekly, and we’ve both had our first vaccine a couple of weeks ago, so it is feeling like we may be able to expand our horizons a bit beyond our home.

    I am still wading through the book “Why We Get Fat” and it is starting to make sense.

    This weekend we had some carbs on Saturday (our one slice of wholemeal sourdough on Saturday morning, a Scotch egg each for lunch and 3 Jersey Royals each with supper. Yesterday it was back to low-carb veg only, and tomorrow we weigh, so I’ll report in. However, some NSV – a size 36 Barbour Border that I bought many years ago (second-hand of course) when I lost weight on WW fits nicely again after not being to zip it up for the last few years, and I have donated my Size 42 one to hubby, as his Size 48 now looks like a tent! And this morning I ran out of holes, in a good way, on my favourite leather belt, so I may be finding the leather punch later this evening.

    Have a good start to the week wherever you are, and I’ll see you all on next week’s thread!

  • posted by WindyJulz
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    I’ve been quiet…..apologies….. i seem to have been really struggling to get going and I was fed up enthusiastically being in for the week and then struggling by wednesday / thursday….. so ive done some contemplating.
    It came to me at about 4am on Saturday morning…….. a few weeks back i tried some alternate day fasting but it really affected my running so i let myself keep having some carbs (oats, occasional chips and chocolate – i know!! Winter has been mentally tough) Anyway, I keep ‘starting over’ on a Monday… and by Wednesday or Thursday i am effectively fighting the day 3 /4 daemons which we know exist adn that days 3 and 4 are the hardest for newbies…. and because i keep caving and giving way to some oats or chocolate or crackers I was never getting past the hard days and back to the ‘easier’ fab burning days. So as of Saturday, i proper committed to low carb adn recognised day 3 and 4 would be hard and that i’ll neeed to dig deep and force myself past that to find the better days that i know are there. I always know i am good to go when i decide i’m starting again “now” – not next week, on monday, after such-and-such a treat etc and that was me on Saturday. HAd a much better weekend and know that it is crunch time today and tomorrow but i am pretty motivated. Went for a run at lunchtime to boost the endorphins, delay lunch and make the point to myself. Egg wrap with pork for lunch and I’m good! Will keep busy tonight and not cave……!!!!
    Funny how even now, 12 months on, i still have lightbulb moments!!
    As i have know all along really, im in Wendy’s camp of knowing I’m a proper carb addict and i really cant let them back in as the moderation button fails epically! Also need to be careful of nuts and cheese!! πŸ™‚

    Anyhoo….we got a new fridge-freezer today which means the fridge is just about empty, nuts are finished, no chocolate available…… so we are on course!

    I have been reading all the posts and really appreciate those who have kept it going whilst I sort my brain out! You are all awesome!

  • posted by RubyG
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    Hi WindyJulz, I am glad you’ve found your “now”, it’s a good headspace to be in. In 2 weeks’ time it will be 6 months since I stumbled on this way of eating and this forum, and I cannot believe the change in our lives in that time.

    Next weekend will be our first really big challenge, as we have a long road trip ahead of us (we can finally move around the country), and previously hubby would have fueled on chocolate bars and a fizzy drink, so this needs to look totally different. I will make ham and egg “muffins” – ham-lined muffin case filled with an egg and baked in the oven and some other protein/fat options which are properly low-carb (not energy bars marketed as protein or low carb, which are not suitable). The key is him keeping his concentration for driving, and not needing to stop for a loo break every half an hour, so coffee intake is limited (an iced espresso with cream may work?)

  • posted by WindyJulz
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    Hey, RubyG, great how much things have changed for the positive.
    How about making some seed crackers for the car journey? And a wee bag of sugarsnap peas and maybe some blueberries. along with your egg muffins you’ll be sorted for all eventualities. Then maybe focus more on music or podcasts you can listen to so its not all food focused? Love looking at it as a challenge rather than a problem, you can work it out and make it through the journey.

    I’m so looking forward to being able to do some cross border travel. Scotland is being pretty slow about it all and we are only supposed to stay in our local authority boundaries, so being allowed to visit friends and family in England looks a long way off! I was planning a wee trip to a friend and to my brother last october but that didnt get to happen. Maybe this year.

    Snacky craving time of day approaching….. now is the dig deep few hours til dinner time!

  • posted by RubyG
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    Seed crackers – Tom Kerridge recipe for linseed crackers made with egg whites – they were good! That’ll help with texture changes too.
    Sugarsnap peas and blueberries ain’t gonna cut it with the driver πŸ˜‰ – navigator maybe…..
    Planet Rock is our music of choice, so that’s covered, but he prefers to do a +200-miler with no stops – we will be visiting our cottage for the first time in 6 months and visiting family (outdoors of course) oop north.

    Can you distract yourself until supper time? The hours between finishing work and supper are my danger time too.

  • posted by Tulip1
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    Hi Everyone,

    Loving all the posts, epiphanies etc we have along the way- I definitely struggle with moderation too (Julz I think mentioned this), which is where my ‘5’ days are a bit of a struggle, and pretty much negating any loss I get on my ‘2’ days, and I’m generally feeling a bit yuk, which I don’t think some extra sneaky carbs have been helping….so, I was thinking yesterday that perhaps rather than my 2 days, Mon and Thurs, this week, I should maybe do an extra day or 2 up until my parents visit for the day on Friday and then the weekend, when I prefer things a bit more relaxed. Just feel my body needs a bit of a reset and would be nice to work on those few pounds I need to get more comfortably into normal BMI (I am right at the top of normal BMI- a major feat in itself which I am thrilled with- having lost 3 stone 3 lbs on this WOE since last June). So the question I am working on, is do I do Mon- Thurs, for a good reset, or maybe 3 days…..there is a wee issue with a possible slice of lemon drizzle cake at work tomorrow- it’s my favourite cake, and my colleague, who is an excellent baker, brought some in today- so I cut a little slice and wrapped it to eat tomorrow, because today is an 800 cal day- it’s one of those treats that I allow occasionally- homemade really excellent cake- BUT, I feel like this is bad for my body right now….maybe I should freeze it and save it for another time?!!

    I am off for a run this afternoon Julz- sometimes I think I run better on a low cal day, powered by a snack of one brazil nut- and sometimes I feel like my body is failing to get the energy from where it should!! We will see how today goes πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚. I think my runs are not as long as yours tho- generally between 2 and 8k at the moment.

    Love to all, Clare xxxxx

  • posted by Riverrock
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    Hi Again everyone,
    Well, I did gain a 2 lbs over easter instead of buying chocolate for the family I went to the boulangerie and got strawberry tarts and mini eclairs for dessert! It was a choice to relax for a few days so getting back in the swing of things but feeling very tired and finding it hard to get motivated to exercise! Has anyone else experienced tiredness in the early weeks of embarking on this?
    Anyway, I am determined to keep going and good luck to everyone else too, my skirt is hanging up where I can see it every time I to the bathroom and I want to get back into it properly {without leaving three top buttons undone and wearing a long top to cover it !} by June.
    Summer is coming……………………………………………..

  • posted by WindyJulz
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    Oh Tulip-clare I much much prefer running fasted. Best runs are weekends at 10am powered only by 2 cups of coffee with milk. Todays cheeky 5k was powered on a black coffee, a white coffee and 8 wee pickled onions! Interestingly, when ive done a full fast day, even if i eat before i run i find it so so difficult – i think its electrolyte issues but still, running on 14hr fast is good.
    Would it help if you set ‘boundaries’ on your non-fast days just to stop you going wild? I basically just upped the quantity of what i ate and had 2 substantial meals a day but still BSD friendly and kept carbs as low as i could – worked August to Dec last year for maintenance….. i just went a bit off course since January…..

    Ruby – yup distraction all the way! another 30 mins of work, then will go ride a horse or two….. then dinner, then maybe a wee walk…..
    LOL at the sugarsnaps and blueberries….. bless. Crackers it is then! You could do cheese n chilli ones and maybe date and coconut ones….bit of a ‘sweet’ option!? Good challenge. Your trip sounds lovely. Hope you have a great time.

  • posted by wendleg
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    About to set up the new thread,folks ! I will try and get the date right !!!

  • posted by Tulip1
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    Hi Julz- yes, boundaries would help- the problem is, I’ve been rather woolly on what the boundaries should be, because, well….I don’t really exactly know what they should be….and if I don’t know what I am doing, my naturally large appetite kicks in and says, eat all the things, nibble nibble- mostly BSD, 5 somewhat milky coffees a day etc, but then the odd naughty carby treat slips in, and because I am not counting calories, one hot cross bun on Good Friday became….let me count a minute….mmmm, I’m not even sure, at least 7 over the Easter weekend….I bought loads of different flavours then felt like I had to sample them all, and the ones I liked, at least twice, and all with LASHINGS of butter….I mean, we are talking doorstops…then hubby and eldest daughter went off to this village church service yesterday where they give out…yes, more hot cross buns! It’s literally called The Bun Service and is a village tradition…well, we had the 4 they brought back between 3 (because 2 out of my 3 kids don’t like them)….sigh.

    So yes, I think you are right…I need some boundaries…..and I need a few reset days before that too I think!! Whilst I consider what my boundaries should be…a bit like when you got sent to your room as a kid….”Go and think about your actions, and don’t come back down until you have found a new attitude” kinda thing: Yes, I’m putting myself on the naughty step, in a more modern twist on that theme πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚.

    Clare xx.

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