Goodness ! So many posts to catch up on this morning ! I love reading all the exercise information and I will definitely start a routine when I can get the all clear from the surgeon and any limitations so I don’t damage myself !! I am slightly apprehensive after all this surgery but starting with the physio is maybe the best plan to reassure me and prepare for being steadily more active. I will start with walking lots on our week away.
In the meantime I am goingto check out Ted Naiman. Thanks Elky ! Go carfully on your ankle though. Kafin..you are a veritable phenomenon !! Pole dancing , wow !! Annual challenges , another wow !
I am also a fan of fermented veg which I can find here . I am all set to have a go at fermenting my own veggies , salsas and fiery chutneys following Esnecca’s recommendations on reading materials. That’ s my summer plan on return from my hols. I see you have lots of different chiles in the US …I can maybe source some interesting ones in Sardinia ? Varieties are more limited in France .
I am not eating my Greek yoghurt at the moment as I was over indulging but I have found a fermented coconut youghurt which is a nice substitute and allows me to continue with my chia seeds sprinkle.
Have a great day everyone !

Can’t believe it’s almost the weekend! Got a nice lunch of smoked salmon with salad leaves plus Caesar-smoked garlic dressing.
Need to plan our meals next week for being back to Fast 800. Think my body will be relieved to be honest. Always feel better eating less and now (apparently) less carbs. Really don’t miss the usual bread, pasta and rice at all.
I love a bit of HIIT! I do weight training most of the time but a quick session of HIIT is very beneficial. It’s good to go as hard as you can but only for short bursts so it doesn’t become too overwhelming.

I’m also thinking of taking up swimming as something low impact but a good bit of cardio-resistance exercise. I would need lessons however as I was never taught to swim as a child. Am also very near sighted so no doubt I’d need prescription goggles which would make me look like a frog! 🐸

Hi steongcurves, I actually wear my glasses in the pool and do the back stroke,side stroke and breast stroke.

Hi guys the this is what you bsdangels&@£800&£gmail£com. Take out all the symbols and write as normal, keep the numbers too. Birdy 💞🦜

Oops! Sorry Young Elky 🌹my apologies. I got that wrong! Now I know why you have that spring in your step – you are just a youngster 😃

Wow – so many posts! I definitely can’t keep up with everyone!

Elky – believe me, I’m definitely not fitter than I thought!

Jennie – glad you’ve decided to get back to exercise; it has so many benefits and can be a lot of fun.

Kafin – love the annual challenges; it’s a brill way to try new stuff. I set myself a running challenge one year – took up running in the December and decided to do a 5K the next January, which I did. Then ended up running a race a month for charity that year – everything from 5K to half marathons. Was a lot of fun, but I haven’t run since; put me off for life (that was 12 years ago)! The pole dancing sounds awesome; I’ve been looking at different dance classes round here actually, but none are at a convenient time (don’t laugh, but I fancy doing a burlesque dance class; they look like so much fun!).

Great to read all the different sorts of exercise people are doing or contemplating – it’s so important to find one that suits you as everyone likes something different.

I’ve just about recovered from martial arts – was okay on Tuesday and got some digging done at the allotment without too much pain, was really quite sore yesterday and not too bad again today, so got some stuff done with the other things at the allotment. I’ve ordered my boxing gloves – neon pink; if I’m going to do this, I’m doing it my way (I have purple and pink hair, so figured I should match that!).

I fasted from Sunday night to Tuesday lunch and then again from after Tuesday dinner until lunch just now. I’m enjoying it – completely removes concern about what to eat for a bit! But I’m being a more more lenient on my 800 cals on the day I break fasts though. Have had a low carb bagel (the easy bagel recipe I posted a link to a wee while back) with ham for lunch and it’ll be lamb saag for dinner, with a treat of vanilla, dark chocolate and chia pudding that I’ve made (not done it before, so will be interesting to see how that turns out!). Those low carb bagels are yummy – very handy for lunch occasionally.

Right, better look busy and collect the kids!

Beegirl – burlesque sounds great! I’m very shy so the pole dancing was really good for my confidence and I imagine burlesque would be the same. You reminded me that boxing was another of my challenges and I also had neon pink gloves! Just too expensive here to join but I really loved it, something about the combinations appealed to my need for structure!
Elky – I did my first “workout” this morning. It was a bit feeble but it’s a start! Most everything ended up being just two reps because I was going so slowly. It really makes you shake very quickly! Not sure I did it correctly but I’m going to go with yes 😁. Will add two more next time

I love how we find out completely unexpected things about others on here! BeeGirl: first impressions: bee keeping and allotment: that sounds lovely, nice bucolic pastimes; martial arts class, ooh, that’s quite adventurous… and now pink and purple hair and burlesque dancing! Can you post the pudding recipe if it turns out well?

Hi everyone !
Good to see you back StrongCurves. Like Violinist I also wear glasses ( prescription sunglasses ) in a swimming pool. My exercise of choice up to now has been limited to aqua gym which I love ( I know….a bit light weight !!)
Yes, definitely plan your meals Strongcurves.The dietdoctor web site has some meal plans with very few ingredients if time is an issue.
Bee Girl , burlesque dance classes ! I can’t keep up with you !! Love the sound of your neon pink gloves ! (and your hair !!)
Go Kafin ! You have made a start which is fantastic ! I love that L.A and Canberra will soon be linked up in a fitness challenge !
How are you feeling Amz ? Hi Sunderland ! Hi Rainy ! Hi articfox ! Hi Julia in Bath ! Hi Jennie ! Hi GeorgiaG …how’s it going ? Welcome nedry !
Hi Merry in Melbourne !
Keep going everyone and believe in yourselves. We can do this xx

Hi 6T !!! I can’t really stake a claim to anything sillier than red hair and of course my ever growing collection of wacky earrings ! Tell us something about you 😉 xx

Well Wendleg: I am very into body art and piercings…..Actually, no, I am very boring. The most adventurous thing i plan for the next few days is to book a hair cut and a champagne colour ( I am not high maintenance, and just go from ok to Worzel Gummidge about 12 weeks later…) And I always say No to massage chair and head massage….And no chat…I make it up with a generous tip! Getting into a new stone bracket is amazing!! I know how it feels! Bring on Bach’s Ode to Joy, without that ridiculous back-turning behaviour, personally I was very far from being proud to be British on that occasion….

I understand Worzel Gummidge 6T ….think wendleg as she gets up every morning !!! . I immediately have to tame my mass of hair in the shower…and if I am venturing out it has to be another taming potion which calms it all down and just lets the curly bits do their own thing. OOH yes to the head massage and chair …administered by the lovely David. I do chat I am afraid but not insistent nattering !! I take my Kindle so David and Rémy get a break while the colour is taking ! Coppery red these days …

I am looking forward to it as I haven’t been out for days !

Worzel Gummidge! I haven’t heard that name in years , 6T! My hairdresser is very shy so I just read trashy magazines but I only go about three times a year, the sun maintains my blonde pretty well over here 👩‍🦳
I however do have tattoos, all of which I drew myself for the tattoo artists, to make them more meaningful – I have a gecko on my foot for Hawaii where I was born, a black cat on my hip (this was well before Albert but I’d already had two black cats – Charlie and then Mavis) and a seahorse on my back for my love of water. So those are my quirks!
We’ve had a very scary earthquake this morning – 6.4 which is the biggest in a long while. Normally I know because Albert senses them before the happen but I wasn’t looking at him. If just stood up and my meds make me very dizzy so I thought I was swaying and about to faint but it was actually the whole building. I usually sleep through them but this one freaked me out!

Oh that IS scary , Kirsten ! Take care there ….aftershocks ?
Thinking of all the lovely people in Southern California xxx

Kafin, I agree, that does sound scary… I know about the Fault, but would have thought there would be predictions of seismic activity?
I am imagining the US contingent being slightly non-plussed about Worzel… He’s a scarecrow, who comes to life, portrayed on TV by the actor who played one version of Doctor Who, who is a Time Lord who travels through time and the universe in the Tardis, which looks like an old police box, and whose foes are darleks , whose catchphrase is “exterminate”, and cyber men. Worzel is in love with Aunt Sally. Which is a reference to a traditional fairground game which involves throwing heavy weights at something. Hope that’s made everything clear.

Oh gawd Merry, “young Elky” made me roar with laughter!! I even heard it in the Alec Guinness “young Skywalker” voice from the original Star Wars lol Honestly it’s a good while since I was accused of being young, I really did laugh, so thank you for that.

Birdy, I’ve had a crack at the email address, hopefully you receive something from me.

BeeGirl, go you with the pink gloves!! A friend of mine has a job where she has to where safety gear sometimes, and she has pink steel capped boots and a pink helmet. She’s in your camp, doing it her way. And I would never laugh at burlesque, I know heaps of women who’ve done it and loved it. I think I’d be too self-conscious, but I salute anyone who goes for it.

Kafin I cannot believe you’ve done the first work out already, wow you are inspiring. I will do mine tomorrow (Saturday). And so glad you’re OK after the earthquake. Heard about it on the morning news here and it sounds like it was a big one, 6 point something I think. And your tattoos sound lovely, great that you designed them yourself to be meaningful. I have no adornments except pierced ears (just the one hole in each lobe) – my mother would never get over it if I got “inked” – for some reason she was worried I would after I got divorced. Well, I guess it’s not like she’s known me for 50 odd years or anything… oh wait, yes she has lol

6T and Wendy, Worzel Gummidge was a blast from the past! I love the head massage etc at the hairdresser, but never never chat – I am glued to my kindle unless my head is actually in the basin. I just don’t relate to those movies where everyone confides everything to their hairdresser, not me at all. But they are used to me and my kindle as I am always in there. I go to be de-greyed about every month.

Hello to everyone else here too!!

I am chattering so much about anything and everything because I have nothing to report on the weight/measurements front. Everything is resolutely glued to where it has been, sigh. But I am telling myself something will change eventually. And I do find that I simply *feel* better on this WOE so that’s a huge plus which I know I should be more pleased about than a number on scales. But I do want the number to change, I really do.

Ah well onwards and upwards, or rather downwards 😊 Have a grand day everyone.

Glad you got a good laugh Elky – it is the best medicine!
My week has gone well surprisingly! After my weekend away with wine and carbs, and a couple of meals out – but sticking to LCHF 800 the rest of the time, I saw a *drop* on the scales! I doubt that it will stay there but it has given me a push. And maybe there is some truth in “recarbing” a bit to shake my body up.
But this morning I have woken with a bad sore throat, so I am having tea with honey (so soothing). I need to get myself well for our international Monday fast (hi Kafin, MM and Baxter)

Good to see so much good chatting on the forums. I wonder if I could give a shout-out for members to add a little something to their Profile on this site? Perhaps just what continent you live in, interests, what is motivating you, etc? I find it interesting that we are from all over and have wonderful interests (bee keeping and pole dancing!!) and we are all supporting each other here.

Wow, Kafin, the earthquake made the news here in England this morning so I switched from Al Jazeera to CNN to see what was going on — huh, it was in Ridgecrest, was it on the San Andreas?
My husband is from La Canada (next door to Pasadena) and remembers the 1971 San Fernando (Sylmar) quake really well. I went to school at UCLA and I spent most of my time there hoping we didn’t have “the big one”!
Of course, then after moving back up to the Bay Area we had Loma Prieta in 1989 just twenty miles away from our house as the crow flies.
Gotta love beautiful shaky California! Take care!

Morning all hope everyone is doing well? I haven’t had much chance to read posts over the last couple of days because I have been visiting my mum and dad and they get annoyed if I spend too much time on my iPad😱🙄😂❤️. I also have a dose of tonsillitis which made me very sick yesterday! I am hoping to be on the mend soon. Have a great day everyone, I am going home today so normal service will resume. ❤️ Birdy💞🦜

I hope you feel better soon Birdy! And yes, my Dad was the same way if I pulled out my iPhone— he didn’t like me to check it and he hated it when I googled something.

Hello everyone 🌞
What a lot of chats to catch up on. Oh dear earthquakes ….hope you are all all right. And now Birdy with tonsillitis ….poor you.
Birdy, like you I found the behaviour of those ridiculous MEPs was appalling and what about AW? Has she got an onset of dementia, I wonder?
I am being very indulgent by having breakfast in the garden and feeling at peace with the world …… For the time being!
Take care one and all and keep up the excellent work….
Sunderland

Well that was a complete failure – despite having all the best intentions and taking appropriate foods to at, I completely failed and ate those and everyone else on offer as well. I take my hat off to those that say they just don’t fancy carbs anymore because I am not one of them and having them in front of me just means I eat them and yes I still enjoyed the taste. So today my body is sore to the touch from too much sugar, I always have a very visceral reaction to it and probably a fair amount of mental shame contributing to it as well. Haven’t weighed myself today because I suspect I fixed my stall, only in the wrong direction and I feel bad enough without adding that kind of negativity to my life 😬. Just going to drink a lot of water today and have the one meal. I’m going back to the same place on Saturday as they’re hosting a 4 year old’s b.day party and I promised to help out so will be another opportunity to fail. I think that the fact that I’ve lost nothing in weight or measurements in weeks probably contributed to my screw it attitude so all in all feeling pretty meh today. I really will need the International fast by Sunday (hope your throat is ok, Merry?)
Birdy, hope you had a lovely time with your Mum and Dad, sorry to hear about the tonsillitis, that’s a wretched thing to have.
CG – not sure but I assume the Andreas fault was to blame. From what I read, it was actually an aftershock (the biggest in 20 years) that I experienced as the actual earthquake was much smaller, supposedly many other aftershocks but I haven’t felt them. In talking to several people at the party yesterday, many of us thought we were having a fainting episode before we realized it was the building that was actually swaying.

Good morning all, just checking in to say hello.

Merry and Birdy, I hope you’re both feeling much better today.

Sunderland I am very envious of your breakfast in the garden, it is a terrible gloomy day here. Fingers crossed I get the laundry dry. Plus the house is freezing as I have the back door standing open to air out the smell of bone broth, which is blubbing away gently in the slow cooker. It had better be worth it lol

Kafin, onwards and upwards hon, don’t let it get to you. And you know that a big change on the scales will just be a temporary water weight thing. Eating something you didn’t plan to is nothing to feel shame about!! Would you beat me up for it? Or anyone else here? I know you absolutely would not. So treat yourself with just the same kindness, respect and encouragement. You are worth that!!!

OK enough lecturing from me, I’m off to hang the sheets out 🙂

Have a grand day everyone, Elky

Hi Kafin! WoodDuckie here from “over the ditch”!!! Oh when I read the posts this morning . . . I felt you beating up on yourself for a so called “failure” and please believe me when I say . . . I dont see it as such!!! I SEE IT as . . . hmm well . . . I (1.) knew it would end badly – or (2) could care less . . . and did it anyway proving that didnt make me feel so good in any way shape or form . . . gave myself reasons to diminish worth/value – to punish (myself) . . . (i.e. set myself up to fail so I can prove/validate/justify something negative . . . 🙂 Im learning how NOT to do this 🙂 Its been risky to face, but in the past Ive compromised in so many ways . . . settled for second third or fourth best SO OFTEN!!! but I now KNOW I do it, AND need to be braver . . . not overwhelmed . . . give myself more love . . . take better care cos Im worth it . . . and now . . .at autumn in life 🙂 I can (sometimes!) say AND MEAN it as well! Baby steps . . . but Im making progress! Better late than never!!! Maybe if the situation arises again – (and Im sure it will) – consider taking MORE of your choice of food – (even some “restricted goodies” so you feel your being just a little less “controlled by the guidelines” when you want to relax . . . 🙂 next time . . . (armed with a notion ” Im going to be “challenged” in this way . . . even outside my own “Im in control” environ 🙂 SO . . .Ill be nicer to myself and not make the journey so difficult . . . when it really is quite easy . . . I know because I manage most of the time!!! :)” Because YOU ARE CAPABLE and WORTH IT! We are urging you to believe it because we all see/feel it! What an achiever you are 🙂 What an inspiration to others you are . . . and as for the boxing . . . WOW! Good for you!!! Thats gutsy stuff! Many women dont even contemplate there may be some satisfaction there for them . . . my little grand-daughter has medals for her sparring and kick boxing abilities . . she is now 9 but won them a couple of years back. If you enjoy the release of energy and emotions the boxing provides . . . and need to save dollars . . . then maybe seek a Karate school which incorporates such activities – (many variations in these schools has been my experience!) – then maybe source an inexpensive “bag” OR put a (retired) mattress or foam rubber slab against the garage wall . . . and punch away . . .:) Scream away if it helps! Pent up emotions can spoil our sweetness of life . . . cause reaction/s though our pancreas and oh oh . . . Love others my friend but love yourself equally or more . . so we need to look out for . . . and take care of ourselves as well . . . Remember, we need to take care of ourselves so we can take care of others 🙂 Love your tenacity and fun outlook . . . reading your posts about your “family” and achievements makes me smile . . . and so many things you mention and express . . . reflect pieces of my own persona . . . both back then and now 🙂
I read a quote on FB the other day . . . it went something like . . . “One day you will tell your story of how you have overcome what you are going through now . . .and it will become someone else’s survival guide”. This rang HUGE BELLS of sense for me in my little corner of the world and my life . . . so many aspect of life . . . not just individual scenarios. It caused me to reflect and see where already Im using such experiences to nurture my grandchildren and adult friends as well 🙂 Much love from WoodDuckie! Quack!! Quack!!

Good morning everyone who is awake! Very sticky night here in the UK so got up early and then shall have a siesta after lunch….bliss 😏

Elky, it is summer here so any opportunity to sit and eat outside has to be grabbed with both hands although until I get a parasol to go with my new table lunch outside is too hot!

WoodDuckie, I know what you mean about beating oneself up if we feel we have so-called failed…… It is so easily done but acceptance and moving on is the best way I find! After all we are doing the WOE for our own benefit and I think sometimes we are too hard on ourselves. By the way my password is often Duckpond because I was searching for a password years ago when I lived in the countryside and I had one near my home!

I hope you all have an enjoyable weekend and please keep positive
Sunderland

Morning everyone, afternoon Elky and MerryMelba !
Duckie that is such a wonderfully uplifting post for Kafin/Kirsten. We really can be our worse critics. I think we should banish the word ‘ failure’ .Noone is a Failure !! Kirsten please never forget YOU ARE AN AMAZING WOMAN …!!!
More news about after shocks in California..thinking of you xxx

I must find Esnecca’s insightful post about those insidious demons sneakily whispering nasties in our ears to bring us down. We are all here for you dear Kirsten xx
Hi Sunderland ! Sticky in France too ….my vintage linen sheets come into their own in the summer .I collect them compusively , oh heck !
Hope your sheets dry Elky ! I have never fancied bone broth ..I don’ t eat a lot of meat .Let us know how it turns out.I imagine slow cooking it is a good plan.
Hi MerryMelba ! Hope your sore throat is easing.Poor Birdy is struggling wiht tonsilitis too.
Amz..how are you ? How are things there 6T …?
Have a good weekend whatever you are doing. I need to start packing . Hubby is off on a wine tasting jolly with some friends at a local vineyard ….I will not nag 😉

For anyone who is struggling right now..here is a sure fire way to re kindle flagging motivation….
Esnecca wrote this in April this year . Worth a read ..

” Plumpgoose, so many of us have been there and know exactly what you’re talking about. My bloods were on the higher range of normal even when I weighed more than 320+ lbs at 5’2″. It was my insulin levels that were sky-high, and diabetes was only a matter of time, meanwhile the insulin itself made it impossible for me to lose weight because its job is to store fat. I never really dieted, just get putting on weight steadily for years as I followed the usual advice about low fat foods and whole grains. Like you, I could barely walk a block, my knees ached, I never got a decent’s night’s sleep, I was uncomfortable sitting, standing, walking, peeing, you name it.
When I finally decided to stop living this way, the first thing I did was cut all carbs, whole grain or not. No bread, pasta, pizza, potatoes, sugar. I lost about 20 pounds that way (judging solely on fit of clothes; I hadn’t weighed myself in years) then stalled. In August of 2016, I bought the Blood Sugar Diet and decided to give it a try. I knew within days that this was the solution I’d been looking for. I got on the BSD bus and kept going until I reached my goal. I weighed myself for the first time the last week in August and I weighed 297 lbs. I reached my goal of 130 lb a year later. In November 2017 I reached the secret ultra dream goal of 120 lb, my high school weight. I did the 800 calorie ultra-low carb diet the entire time. No breaks.
As far as exercise goes, I started with the easiest stuff I could find, a 10-minute chair aerobics routine for seniors with mobility issues. (I was 44 at the time, but so obese that I might as well have been 80 and in a wheelchair.) I added a very brief walk around the block. It took me 20 minutes because I had to stop twice along the route to catch my breath. As I felt better, the walks got longer and I developed an hour-long resistance band routine to strengthen my muscles without causing injuries.
So yeah, girl, this is it. I was a barely functional wreck and now I’m fit as a cricket. Here’s how I armed myself. Get a kitchen scale. Put it on the counter. Keep it there. Weigh ingredients and calculate their calorie and carb content using an app like MyFitnessPal or Fat Secret. Decide what your maximum level of daily carb grams should be. Mine is 20 grams, which is very low, but it is the best way to ensure my insulin levels never spike and better safe than sorry. Other people aim for 50 grams or lower as this seems to be a common sweet spot to put you in fat-burning mode. Pick the number of meals you’ll eat a day. I skip breakfast because I’ve never cared to eat when I first wake up, and it’s a lot nicer to have 800 cals to play with divided over two than three. Establish an evening cutoff time, the earlier the better. No later than 8PM would be my advice.
Are you a home cook or do you usually buy prepared food? What kinds of foods are currently in your routine? Do you have any food allergies? Use what you’re accustomed to as a jumping off point and just cut the carbs out them.

Welcome to the journey of a lifetime, Plumpgoose. The trophy at the end of it is health and happiness that will obliterate all those years of pain and self-loathing. The terrible things you think about yourself are not true. Your body is stuck in an insulin overproduction cycle that nobody ever told you about, is all. You are going to extricate yourself from it and look in wonder at the person you always were but never knew.

I have actually printed out and keep in my purse a post from Esnecca about ‘treats’

“Hiya Mel, old timers on this forum will know exactly what I’m about to say because it’s a bit of a refrain of mine, but I can’t help myself. All kinds of foods are pleasurable. Why should sweets, pasta or bread be given a privileged status over smoked salmon or a spinach salad with a tangy blue cheese dressing or deviled eggs with kimchi or a filet mignon with green beans almondine? There’s nothing inherent in cake that makes it “better” than anything else flavor-wise, and its main ingredients are the direct cause of a global pandemic of diabesity so it is very distinctly WORSE by any other possible metric.
Embracing this way of life is so much more mental than anything else. I truly believe that thinking wistfully about certain foods as if they were this wonderful glittering gold treasure instead of a destructive force that puts your body under incalculable stress is one of the biggest obstacles to achieving your health and weight loss goals. You’ve been extremely successful already with time restricted eating. You attacked it head-on and look how quickly one meal a day has become easy for you. A few years ago I’m sure you would have blanched at the thought of not eating three squares plus snacks. Do not underestimate yourself. Do not flinch. Do not avoid. Get out your kitchen scales, weigh, measure and count. Find out what you’re really eating and discard the elements that are too high in carbs. You can do it.”

Esnecca (like others …Allie, JGwen) has had a massive influence in changing my mind set..a true inspiration xx

Keep going everyone, you really can do it !!!

Wendleg – Thank you sooooo much for re-posting this. Such inspiring words of wisdom from Esnecca, who is someone who has been there and knows that it is the truth, not just a good theory.

Hi Wendleg
Great post!
I credit Esnecca’s posts as one of the key things that changed my way of thinking as I was doing BSD initially. I remember her posting something on treats one Christmas (I think) similar to the one above which was a revelation to me and completely changed my view of them. I also used to repeat her mantra ‘Not one step backward’ when I first started exercise and was pushing myself out the door. In fact, I have just started saying it again as I’m getting ready to go to the gym/exercise classes.
Jennie xx

Afternoon all!
6T re the chia pudding – it wasn’t a great success so not posting the recipe at this point! It was very filling but didn’t taste of much – further experimentation is required!

My boxing gloves have arrived ,so I’m all set for Monday night.

Having lost a bit of weight, I dares to order a couple of cheap summer dresses off Groupon (I am really NOT a dress person!) and amazingly, I don’t hate them! They do need a belt as they just sort of hang, so I’m torn between buying a nice tie belt of some sort and crocheting one. I’ve dug out my crochet hooks and some yarn and I’m experimenting, so we’ll see how it goes. It’s amazing how quickly skills come back – it must be 10+ years since I crocheted and it’s like I never stopped!

Speaking of regaining skills, I’m feeling so much more positive since I started this WOL, that I think I might dust off my harp and try to get back to playing – it’s probably three years since I last played so I know I’ll be rusty, and it’s hard to keep motivation without a teacher, but I might give it a go. Hobbies are good for the soul.

So, like Sunderland, we’re enjoying the nice weather, although I agree it was far too warm to sleep last night. We’re having a BBQ (had one last night too) and I’m planning on starting a fast after dinner tomorrow.

Kafin – hope all is well with you after the aftershocks. Your tattoos sound great – love the idea of the seahorse one. I’m another one with tattoos; my name in hieroglyphs on one shoulder blade, an egyptian figure on the other, copies of two pieces of Tutankamun’s funerary amulets on my lower back and left wrist and one of my first queen bee on my right inner forearm. I also have a fair few piercings. Suffice to say, I’m not quite what my parents were hoping for 😂 but they’ve adapted and just tut quietly now 😂

BeeGirl, is there no end to your talents? Crochet and harpist on top of everything else! Kafin, I too read about the (further) aftershock – and this was a bigger one? I also want to ask if anyone (esp the more experienced) encountered this: I know I have not put weight on (bse I did sneak on scales), but I am feeling much “fatter”. Muffin top seems just in the last few days to have spread; just a much flabbier belly, from under bust to “sporran”. I feel like Jabba the Hut. It’s not a good look or a nice feeling! I can see a waist, it’s literally like some bulk has “detached” itself along the midline and just flabbiness spilling out! I have never had a (noticeable) “whoosh” on the scales, but could this be down to fat cells filling up with water? I hope so! And that it will get smaller!

6T – lol, they’re definitely talents; if they’re talents, I should be good at them! I just enjoy trying lots of things. Usually, I have one thing I really want to achieve in a given hobby and once I’ve done that, I lose interest. Some I go back to, others not. Re the change in body – it is fascinating, how the body changes, isn’t it? Sounds like you’re re-compositioning (or whatever the word is!), so hopefully you’ll have that ‘whoosh’ soon.

Hi Woodduckie – thank you for your lovely, supporting post. I had a long skype with my therapist yesterday and so much of what you say resonates with what we talked about. My worth is so bound up in food and weight and it’s a long process untangling it, just going to take a while to work through those deeper issues so I can hopefully come out on top of the control and power that food has over me.
We had an even bigger earthquake last night (6.9) while I was skyping with my family, bad enough that they stayed on while I crawled under the coffee table – I think it was pretty terrifying for them to see my apartment swaying and everything moving around so violently. So, I went to bed with my earthquake kit beside my bed as they’re anticipating more and possibly bigger.
Elky – well done on the exercises, I did mine again this morning and pushed a bit harder so I was able to do a few more but I can’t seem to make my legs tremble much, although my arms are definitely still feeling weak. Thinking the sprints next week will do it.
Hope everyone is having a good day/night xx

I’m still here struggling along. It hasn’t been a great week for me. Still nothing more lost and I’m still heavier than before I put on the water weight, so a bit disappointing. It has been quite a stressful week though, work wise, horse wise and property selling/buying wise. It is the last week that I have with my horse before he moves next Sunday, and then I won’t see him regularly for who knows how long. I found a property that is just perfect – close to my new work location, within budget and enough acreage that I could keep my horse at home, but I also lost out on a possible offer on my place this week, so it is very frustrating because I’m still stuck here and not able to move.
Glad to hear you are doing ok after the earthquakes, Kafin. It is a good reminder to get my emergency kit put back together again. I’m part of my region’s emergency response team thanks to my job, so I’m normally well prepared (a kit at work, one in my car and one at home), but I pulled all the food and water out of my home one in anticipation of moving, but now that it is taking so much longer than I thought to sell my place, I really should add it back. You never know what might happen and when! I have thought that being able to fast is a useful skill in an emergency situation. Being able to go without food without too much distress would definitely make you feel so much more in control when there is chaos all around you.

Hi All, just checking in.

Arcticfox I’m so sorry things are rough for you just now, and it’s a blow about that sale falling through. I don’t know but I would think the stress is probably affecting your body and hence contributing to your stall. I’m sure you’ll get a massive whoosh when the real estate finally settles, just hang in there. I know, I know, that doesn’t really help! But I am crossing my fingers for you, big hugs hon.

Wendy, thank you so much for reposting those thought from Esnecca, they really are inspiring. I think I will print them out too. I am I think trying to get my head around the fact that this really needs to be a permanent WOE for me, pretty much, not just a quick sprint to shed a few kilos and then go back to “normal”. Partially because I have so much to shed that I’ll be around for ever just for that (Baxter, I think I saw a post from you somewhere on a similar line?), but also because I know what “normal” will do to me if I go back to it. I am too old to “cure” my metabolism, and I don’t know if such a thing would have been possible even at 25. Genetics is a thing, lol

But people keep saying things like, “So how much weight do you want to lose before you go back to normal?” and “But you won’t be this strict for long, right? You’ll go back to normal meals at least on weekends, right?” and “But if I had a dinner party and cooked normal food, you’d eat it, right?”

Even those who are really supportive don’t quite understand, which makes me a bit sad if I think about it. So yes, I’m going to print Esnecca’s words of wisdom!!

BeeGirl, like everyone else I’m very impressed with your wide range of hobbies! Best chance to find something you really like , try everything lol And it’s great that you finish the project you took up the hobby to do – no curse of unfinished objects for you 😌 I love crochet, let us know how the belt turns out.

6T, your Jabba impression sounds not comfy!! Hopefully it is indeed the moment before a massive whoosh!!

Kafin, I am definitely feeling yesterday’s exercises this morning!! A wee bit of wincing when I had my arms up to wash my hair, and definitely feeling my thighs. Plus, even occasionally feeling my abs, which is very exciting because I thought they might have moved out years ago!! Enough body feedback to make me stick with it, which is grand.

Not sure the bone broth will be worth the faff, TBH. The house *still* smells of it, which I am definitely over given that I’ve been airing the place for ages. Doors open again this morning and it’s freezing lol. Maybe I should make it in summer and freeze for the year lol. It chilled in the fridge overnight so I’ll separate the fat off and then freeze in little serves. (Mix of beef and lamb bones so it *definitely* needs separating- lamb fat, uuugh.)

Merry and Birdy, are you feeling better? Really hope so!

Ok folks, that’s it from me, on with my day. Have a good one, Elky

Update on bone broth: I completely recant and apologise for all my whinging – that stuff is amazing.

Now that I’ve tried the final product I declare it outstandingly good and I will definitely make it again, freezing house be damned. Am stunned by how delicate the final flavour is – not at all the robust beef flavour I expected. A million miles from the hearty chicken stock I have always made from whatever chicken bones I had kicking around in the freezer (I keep them until there’s enough for stock). Subtle and frankly delicious- never mind this WOE, the bone broth is a useful addition to the cooking toolkit.

I have seen the light, lol!!!

You are most welcome K:) Well done on addressing the issues That takes courage . . . and courage is what it takes to face “FEAR”. I learned a saying many years ago about FEAR. It was the letters (can) stand or ” FUTURE EXPECTATIONS APPEARING REAL”. An expectation is (roughly speaking) – a belief, a perspective from one’s viewpoint, something unrealistic or unconfirmed . . . because NONE of us have control over what will happen 🙂 We can only do our best to “protect” ourselves against possibilities 🙂 The related experience of an earthquake is something I have no concept of . . . but sure THAT can trigger fear . . . no doubt about that! Instantaneous variety! And all the more reason to remain calm and centred as possible – in the moment – for best decisions/avenues for survival – in that moment – which involves the best preparation possible beforehand! Thinking of you and admiring your strength. Many of us really have no idea how strong we are until we have to call upon it – and then it amazes. Pretty much covers most of life’s crises really when I think about it and reflect on my own personal mountains over the years. Would never have believed Id have been able to climb many of them but I KNOW I have, did and survived with more strength gained from the expriences. . . . Quack! Quack!

Hi 6T! Yes! Yes! Yes! I too can relate to the jelly belly muffin top syndrome 🙂 At my vantage point . . . yes, at a vantage point from my vintage!) – I believe it is more illusional than real. My slacks are either 12 or 14 depending on the make and cut. With weight discard, the jelly belly effect is on all parts – which arent “firming up” as quickly as one would like – fr whatever reason! – and the constant decrease in almost invisible amounts – though confirmed with downsize in clothing – rings no longer fitting shoes sloppy . . . clothing seems to have to accommodate the solid “underneath” as well as the “flabbier” outer. TMI BUT my knickers which have always been put on and stay on place . . . are now riding down my (almost disappeared) butt – causing unsightly bagging . . . and wriggling below the ever moving jellybelly – (which looks like half a rockmelon has been stick below my belly button!!!) – my!!! how romantic does this sound!!! Consideration is now being given towards those with a little elastane for cling, or wearing an extra pair of “shapers” over the others . . . but then . . . coupled with my following “slacks” observations . . . those too, while holding all the flabby bits in place and together – can create a muffin top! When I wear a 14 – no muffin top and yet look good in “fitting” slacks. Wear the 12’s? Look good in the fitting slacks – BUT with the smaller waistband, the muffin top is more pronounced . . . and feels bulky. Obvious answer seems a body shaper !!! BUT. . . .? Im not that affluent or vain!!!! I have resorted to wearing pantyhose or fancy patterned thin tights under the slacks . . . the longer “top” gives extra area for the jelly to be smoothed out over and confined . . . The days I remember wearing corsets and stays and other archaic things to make me a carbon copy are long gone because Im a unique an original being and proud of it!!! Its winter downunder and I believe its also normal for our bodies to build up a little extra “barrier” for the seasonal changes – (speaking for myself . . . perhaps more so for older folks – I dont know 🙂 However . . . none of us is perfect . . . different genetics carry different messages . . . and different results!!! Hope there have been some laughs generated by my non surgical cosmetic challenges and solutions 🙂 But as a duck . . .? Im guessing Ill always have a waddle!!! Quack!! Quack!!

You are in rare form today, Duckie! Thanks for sharing your expansive wit!

Hi everyone
Good to hear your success on the bone broth Elky. I have tried it a few months back, so I should get organised and make some more. Just the weather for it. I made celeriac and fennel soup yesterday – actually just used the fennel fronds ( there were a lot of them from one fennel bulb I bought a farmers market. Supermarkets generally cut the fronds off). Anyway, it is delicious and I have a few serves left to get through this week.
I also use the app LouiseK mentioned EasyDietDiary. Have used it for many years and find it great for Australian brands.
Lovely to hear your wise words Duckie, and also good to see LoveTCook back posting recipes.
Stay strong articfox – sorry to hear that your sale didn’t work out. The right buyer will come along soon we hope!
Coming to the end of our weekend and I still have this head cold. – tissues and tea at hand, and just wish it would pass. I hope you are felling better Birdy.

Hi Elky, your bone broth sounds good. I’ve been thinking of making bone broth and wondered if you could let me know what recipe you used, or if it’s your own recipe, how you made it. Sorry if it’s already been posted.

Hope everyone is having a good day.
Jennie xx

I have just been catching up on the forum…so much activity this weekend. I know a lot of us post on other forums but this one is dear to my heart and I wouldn’t want to neglect it.
Sorry you are feeling unwell Merry. Birdy is also still struggling with tonsilitis and like me, I am sure you are all looking forward to her being back to her usual chirpy self ! We love you Birdy !

Articfox…sorry about the disappointment.There are some things we cannot influence but stay positive and the sale will happen. I am sure that you know that buying and selling and moving house is right up there on the list of life’s most stressful events . Stress/cortisol is not good for weight discard and you already have so many difficult challenges so take good care .Don’t get despondent xx

Elky I was heartened to hear that your bone broth tasted delicious in the end ! I think the realisation that this WOE was not just going to be a means to an end and I could then go back to scoffing fruit for England/France was the most important thing I learned. We have all been so conditioned to think about ‘diets’ having a beginning and an end. This way of eating is my ‘normal’ now. We were invited to dinner with friends last night and it was not difficult at all to discuss my préférences. I had barbecued salmon and salad, followed by yoghurt while the other guests had bbq meat, new potatoes and ratatouille and pannacotta and fruit for dessert. Noone batted an eyelid ! I don’t need to worry about not being able to resist certain foods because they are not my ‘normal ‘ now. I admit I would like to include a bit more fruit at a later date when I hope to be maintaining but not in the phenomenal quantities I used to eat !!

Noone asks me if I will go back to ‘normal’ food… if they do I will explain what ‘normal’ means to me now. It’s noone else’s business really, Elky. I do say this often but I have no sense of ‘regret and ‘deprivation ‘ around the foods I no longer eat because I don’t crave them and I don’t want them. I doubt other people outside this forum would really understand that ? Just keep doing what you are doing and navigating the social occasions with your usual warmth and intelligence and don’t be sad 😉

I love your uplifting posts Duckie ! You enthusiasm just bursts out of the page !! You know exactly what it means to face tremendous life challenges and the resilience and energy that you express is totally inspirational ! Duckie will not be cowed by a muffin top !!! I did indeed chuckle at your endearing and hilarious self deprecating Duckieness !!

Good morning all, there’s so much activity here I don’t know where to start!

Merry, I’m so sorry to hear you’re still crook, I really hope you can shake it soon. It’s a bad winter for bugs down under ☹

Birdy, hoping you’re on the mend soon too!

Jennie, my bone broth couldn’t have been simpler. There are a million recipes out there. I read various people scolding others for putting too much in it, it isn’t soup lol, so I kept mine brutally simple.
Just over 2kg (4.4 pounds) bones, beef or mix of beef and lamb. Put in big pot with lots of cold water, bring to boil, boil 20 minutes. This gets rid of all the muck, seriously the scum that comes off is *nasty*. Drain bones. Put bones in roasting pan and roast in hot oven (I went to 230 celsius (450 F), depends on your oven). Leave in there for ages. You want them *really brown*. I was about two and half hours, could have probably benefited from longer but I wanted to get it into the slow cooker and go to bed lol Then take a couple of onions, peel and cut into thick chunks, slices, whatever is easy, and chuck into bottom of slow cooker. Add an entire head of garlic, peeled as much as is convenient (but don’t fuss too much, it’s not a soup lol). Take your brown bones out of the roasting tin – warning there will be a lot of fat in there so I wouldn’t just tip the lot into the slow cooker – and place them on top of the onion/garlic. Add just enough cold water to cover the bones. Then turn slow cooker on low and cook for hours – I did about 20, longer may have been better. When it’s done, strain and cool as quickly as you can. Once the broth is cold, you can skim off the fat because it sits in a handy little layer on top (sorry you probably know fat does that but thought I’d mention it just in case you don’t cook with fatty stuff a lot). The broth will be *solid* in the fridge there’s so much lovely gelatin in there, just like a jelly. Then heat and ladle into freezer containers or whatever.

If you don’t have a slow cooker, do everything in a big pot on the stovetop on a low heat, so it just simmers really really slowly.

Two things I didn’t do that others might: one, add salt while cooking. The broth needs salt to taste, but I think that’s easier to add to my serving when I’m eating it, rather than to the whole batch. But YMMV. Two, leave more of the fat in the broth. This would make it too greasy for my taste – plus I used some lamb bones and I find lamb fat tastes just gross – but again YMMV.

And that’s it – good luck 😊

Wendy, I’m fond of this forum too, it’s kind of my “home”, the other forums are for special interests, as it were. And you are right that this WOE really isn’t anyone’s business but mine and I need to just settle into it. I hate making it hard for others when they host me, but you’re right that I can take things along, or just ask for something easy to be added (like you having something different on the bbq). It’s all do-able!! 😊

JGwen, are you around this forum too? Have just started reading “The Longevity Solution” by Jason Fung and James DiNicolantonio and it has some really interesting stuff. (E.g. on protein requirements into old age, which I think someone on here was asking about a few weeks ago? It has a reference to hospitals talking about “tea and toasters”, being oldies who’ve been admitted and they’re so frail they can’t really cook for themselves anymore, so they just have tea and toast at home so of course they’re getting no real protein and they’re in an awful way. What an absolutely devastating position for someone to be in!) JGwen I know you’re into the science of a lot of this and thought of you as I started it. So far the book is interesting – not about this WOE specifically, but it is tangentially related (e.g. quite a lot on fasting, though not explicitly for weight lost). Also on animal and veg protein sources and possible impacts, which I thought you’d find interesting as you’re vegetarian. I think it’s much more speculative than stuff on obesity and diabetes because the science is *really* new, but like I said, so far it’s interesting. And as usual I’ll have to read it at least twice to get it lol

Anyway, as you can see clearly no real updates from me, so that’s about it! Have a grand day everyone, Elky.

Hi Elky
It’s coming up to 1am here so I’m about to turn in, but just wanted to thank you so much for the info on the bone broth. Will definitely have a go at making it this week.
Jennie xx

Just popping in to wish all a good Monday (and to the fasting tag team…) and also to wish Wendleg happy holidays. I don’t know what clothes shopping opportunities are like in Sardinia, but you can always repeat the multiple layers on the flight back if you are worried about baggage allowance! Birdy, hope you are feeling better; tonsillitis does seem to have dragged on for a bit. And Duckie, thank you for your post (and also, I see where the Woodduck name comes from!). In a bid to get fitter, I have acquired (delivered yesterday and I managed to assemble it) an exercise bike – not a fancy model and folds. I have installed it in telly corner of my kitchen. Dogs are very suspicious and goodness, I didn’t realise how unfit I am! So will build up slowly and also try some planks (and will look at the videos mentioned…). Need to get myself some “sports wear”….I also got myself a cordless vacuum cleaner, with one of those detachable heads, so rather than just ignoring because i don’t want to lug my old one around, I will be tripping up and down the stairs – some more exercise and clean stairs (which, perhaps sadly, I see as a result!).

Hi 6T’s 🙂 You do – (see where my “handle comes from . . .?) The Quack Quack and rattle on bit . . . or the waddle . . or the feathers? 🙂 xxx

No, you mentioned the name of the town you live in and I googled it and saw the translation was “Wood Duck”! Hope all is well xx

🙂 Thereyago!!! and yes it is tyvm 🙂

Good Monday evening/morning to you all from a rather gloomy looking UK from my window!

I laughed to myself re the clothes layering, 6T, as it reminded me of that amazing book by Barbara Kingsolver ‘The Poisonwoid Bible’ where the children have to do the same on the flight from the US to Africa because the pastor father has filled their suitcases with Bibles!

I am so sorry to hear several of you are not well and wish you a speedy recovery.

I am so impressed by all the exercise and the equipment for it that some of you are doing/using. I have just been told my this morning’s keep fit class has been postponed and do you know what ….. I am delighted 😏. Smack on wrists, I know.

Am still ‘jogging’ along and ‘maintaining’ (an expression from the past and the sources unmentionable!) and feel so much better in and about myself. I have decided that I am doing this for ‘moi’ and shall keep doing so for ‘moi’. I am very lucky I don’t have to do it for medical health reasons and am full of admiration for those who do have this challenge.

No breakfast in the garden this morning as a bit chilly but tomorrow is another day….

Enjoy your week ….
Sunderland

Very much serendipity that I spotted your post today, 6T! You sound as though you are in an excellent place…Assembling
a bicycle from written instructions sounds like a left brained task, which is not the area in which I excel! Congratulations!
You deserve proper sports clothing, too! How have you been managing in the unaccustomed hot weather? I wonder if
air conditioning is standard in London flats? I have a full picture in my imagination of you in a London townhouse with
front and back gardens, all done in a cool color palette. I’m probably off by a mile, but it’s how I like to imagine you!
How far along are you in discarding those six 8.8lb. turkeys? Our turkeys are jumbo sized, and the largest one I have ever
seen came out of my sister’s oven last Thanksgiving..28lbs! I think she had to get one of her very fit sons to lift it 🙂

I’ve picked up a few lbs. over the past 5 months, which I was unaware of since none of my clothing felt tight. I’m back to
a strict 800/20 to regain my wriggle room! In fact, my dr. brought it to attention during a routine office visit. I had gotten
lazy about weekly weigh ins, and I’ve allowed too much wine creep. I’m not at all happy with myself for getting so
complacent, so a much needed wake up call! Have a great day, and keep up the spinning 🙂 I can just picture your
dogs inspecting this invader to their territory. It did make me smile!