First, well done Wendleg! I am hot on your heels! I decided with my tin of 100% natural solid pack pumpkin that if in doubt make soup. The tin is 425g, per 100g 40 cal, 7.4g carb. With one half, I started by tearing up a few sage leaves, bruising with a bit of salt, adding one tblspn olive oil and leaving for 15 mins. Then fried the sage leaves in the oil, added the pumpkin, stirred around and then added fresh chicken stock (500ml tub which I made up to 600ml). Result for a late lunch was flavoured (not unpleasant tho) hot water. Have another lot to look forward to. For the other half of the tin, I cooked half a cup of red split lentils until mushy. Added the pumpkin, tspn of cumin, tsp of curry powder and 500ml veg stock. Just had a taste, it is much nicer. I do not have fancy phone or app, but if I divide the curry one into three, I work it out on the back of an envelope as abt 10 g carbs. I also found in my cupboard sorting a tin of pears in light syrup (BBE 2017 but I tend to be robust abt such things). Drained, rinsed, cooked and mashed up with a bit of water – then divided into 6 of my new purchases – I intended to look for silicon ice tray I think Verano mentioned- had a thought in supermarket and found in baby aisle (a Proustian experience from over 23 years ago with faint scent of nappy bags, baby wash etc) a set of 8 baby food freezer pots. 2 oz/50 ml capacity, And each with their own little attached and hinged lid (which won’t get lost!). I thought I could use with yog, and also plan chicken thigh oven cooked with mixed herbs with some celeriac mash on side tomorrow, will use one portion of the pear puree to stir into meat juices to add an extra note! Anyway, two less tins! And Ensecca, a big fluffy microfiber floor mop also “changed my life”! As Virginia Woolf said, it’s all about the small things.

Hi all – hope everyone had a good week and a great start to your weekend! I see some good results on here and lots of interesting info. I just finished a 60hr fast which surprisingly wasn’t that hard other than a complete lack of energy but suspect that may be my meds. However, I was a little disappointed by my discard – 1.8lbs which seems very little for such an extended time with only water. Plus I’m worried that the instant I eat something, it will come right back on again. For this who do extended fasts, what is your experience? I notice a few have mentioned eating a big meal at the end, so did that affect your weight loss from the fast and if so, then what is the actual benefit of the fast? I have to say, I’m still very frustrated with the lack of loss I’ve experienced over the last 5 weeks. Only 2.2lbs despite lowering carbs, increasing water and this fast. I’m coming up to my 8th week and this is less than on a regular diet. Enjoy your weekends!

Hi Kafin. Am trying to work out the time difference but assume your child advocacy training session is later today. I don’t know anything about fasting and whether it has “instant effect” for all or shows later or how it manifests itself depending on the individual. 60 hours does seem a long time to me; did you keep up with salt? I think you said you had started on new meds – again something about which I know nothing but you should be gentle on yourself and be sure that those are suiting you. We can all sense your frustration!

Thanks sixturkeys – I’m leaving in half an hour! So sweet of you to remember. I’m in LA so it’s just after 8:30am for me. Hi m very proud of myself for completing the fast, I’ve done them in the past and been counting down the minutes but this time was much easier. Struggling a bit with the meds but I know you have to wait about four weeks to determine if the side effects are going to go away. So far, just a locked jaw and exhaustion so fingers crossed!

Kafin, the first extended fast I did was 48 hours long and I lost two pounds a day. One pound of that came back when I ate again. The next was 72 hours and the proportion of loss to regain was about the same. Is it possible your medication may be playing a part on the slow progress of your losses?

Hi Esnecca – typically you gain weight on antidepressants because they increase your hunger which is what happened to me when I was on Prozac (three different medications later!) but I’ve been ignoring that and it hasn’t been as bad on the most recent meds. So I’m kind of at a loss…

I actually lost weight on Prozac at first because it upset my stomach. I vomited after meals until the doc decreased the dosage. Then I started gaining and didn’t stop even after I went off SSRIs. It’s a tough thing finding the right combination of meds when you’re dealing with depression, and clearly you’ve been through the wringer already. Have you spoken to your doctor about the difficulty you’re having losing weight even on a program this rigorous?

Hi everyone,

Sorry been so busy to check in the last few days, I went out for the day on Thursday and did so much walking it was crazy, and I didn’t feel breathless which was amazing. Then out for a meal that evening, I ordered grilled chicken and salad and it came up with potatoes and bread so I quickly dumped the potatoes on a friends plate and ignored the bread! so pleased with myself. sadly I am working this weekend so cant do the weekly shop, and just ate my salad ignoring the desk behind me which is full of cakes and crisps.

happy weekend everyone.

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To reply to the fasting/weight loss experience…I only weigh once a week so I can’t answer for a daily discard. This Week I lost 1kg but I have had weeks in the past where fasting hasn’t necessarily caused substantial discard.I do fasting for the health benefits first and foremost and any weight discard is a bonus. I have found fasting particularly useful to shift a stubborn plateau. In my experience I am consistently going down but it is very much slower and steadier than in September. Sometimes the discard appears on the scales a bit later. I don’t get too hung up on the numbers.I know my LIDL dress looks fabulous 😉 😉
When I say I have a big meal after an extended fast I don’t mean a massive carb heavy meal Kafin…I keep to the BSD cals and carbs but it is delicious after the fast.

You did brilliantly to complete your 60h fast but I sense you are putting a lot of pressure on yourself, trying to balance the medication and the fasts to get quick results. I have no experience but have read that antidepressants do affect weight loss and it would seem logical that the two are incompatible.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdcztMBOhsk
In this video Dr Berg says that antidepressants ( and other medications) do stall weight loss but ultimately keto and Intermittent fasting help by significantly elevating mood.
Don’t get frustrated Kafin.You are doing everything you can to improve your health despite major challenges.

I am aware that there is a lot of discussion about fasting on the thread at the moment and it may be off putting for some .If you would prefer the discussion to continue on a separate thread I can set that up so as not to overburden the weekly thread ?? Let me know.xx

Well done for staying on track and ignoring the spuds and bread Budgie, not to mention the cakes and crisps !
Keep checking in

Thanks for the encouraging words sixturkeys ! You will soon be savouring that seventies moment !

Hot on your heels in sense of chasing to be in next bracket, i’m doing stones, so 12 for me (was 1 lb away last week, prob put a bit on having family here this last week (chicken Marbella twice!) – but we are pretty neck and neck in the BSD Derby! Just saw your post about your son’s new GF. Don’t want to get ahead of ourselves but wonder whether you have ever had any thoughts about Mother of the Groom earrings! And Budgie well done on resisting so many temptations! Hope that notwithstanding work pressures you can get some delicious food in for next week.

You are a scream, sixturkeys !! OOH the thought of choosing Mother of the Groom earrings … exquisite !!!
And don’t get me started on grandkiddies !!!!!!!!!!!
You have no idea how relieved I am !!

wendleg, I bumped an old thread on fasting so we can move the conversation there. https://thebloodsugardiet.com/forums/topic/fasting/

Thanks Esnecca.I will see you over there ! I will read through the previous posts too …..

Thanks wendleg – I’ll take a look. I had a lovely very late breakfast of fried eggs on avocado (we’re very lucky to have these all year round so I always have them ripening on the window sill) although half an hour later, it seems to have run right through me!

Kafin, sorry to hear about your “quick transit”. Could the new meds be causing tummy to be upset? How was the training? Is this for Family Court or other forum? Wendleg, I am getting confused myself; immediate target is to get to 12 st, which will then open up 11st bracket – I am obviously so unused to thinking that I might be saying “I weigh 11 st something” (not that I widely share any info on that score). I am with you on grandchildren; my son (27) has been with his childhood sweetheart since they were 16; going to different unis did not drive them apart (tho London/Oxford are not that far from each other); now focussing on establishing themselves in their professions (and they have yet to tie the knot formally) but my son has indicated that “around 30” is their current timeframe for thinking of “expanding”. Daughter is in a more recent relationship and seems more ambivalent about future life plans. Anyway, they are very precious to me and having little mini-them would be icing on the cake (not real cake obvs). Lovely sunny day in London. My tiny patch of garden (plus some serious window cleaning) beckon. Duckie, tomorrow’s playlist is getting longer by the day!

Thank you sixt! Yes I thought later I was a bit excited about such discoveries . . .Permission granted to check out the added themes later in the week at voluntary individual workouts 🙂
*Duckie* . . . (dancing!) Quack! Quack!

Had a wonderful meal out last night and, as I predicted, not a carb in sight. I changed my mind when I looked at the menu again and there was something on I had not seen online. I had rabbit terrine rolled around foie gras with a green salad, main because I wasn’t having the quail for starter meant I could have the goose served with pineapple cooked 3 ways and pak choi. Then the cheese plate minus the bread. Not much damage done but maybe the pineapple was a bit on the sweet side. This restaurant has fast become my favourite as the food is just wonderful. I asked the chef / owner why they didn’t have a Michlen star and he said he doesn’t want one as it is not just the food which is of that standard but also it would change the friendliness and ambiance of the restaurant as they would have to jump through so many ‘formal’ hoops. Good for them, I would even give them a star for the toilet facilities.

Back on track today so I will keep on keeping on.

sixturkeys – it was the fast that caused it. I’ve done that before and my body always responds like that but goes away pretty quickly and was fine after the next meal! This was just an information session which was really interesting and also very sad. So many kids that need help. So now I have to go through the application process, FBI background check, interviews etc and then 7 weeks of training and then you get assigned your first kid. You’re actually an officer of the court and you interact with everyone in their lives, judges, lawyers, social workers, teachers, bio parents, foster parents etc with the idea that you are the one stable person in their life since so many of these others change. Your main concern is their safety, wellbeing and permanency (finding suitable adoptive parents if family options are exhausted). I don’t practice law in California but I am an attorney which should help in writing legal documents for family court and appearing before judges. So fingers crossed, I get accepted!

Hi Kafin; glad to hear the next meal was better. I have no experience of the English Family Court other than during my (messy) divorce. Sounds like you would be the equivalent of a child’s guardian in proceedings here, who as you say represent the interests of the child and reports to the court. If you are interested in English law, there is a site called Bailii (British and Irish Legal Information Institute) which reports latest cases in various divisions of the High Court (incl Family Court) and the Court of Appeal amongst others (including appeals from Family Court). Because I have to look regularly at recent Chancery Court decisions – in the corporate field (and associated Ct of App decisions) for my job, I sometimes glance through the Family Court decisions. As you say, that can reveal a very sad background. All best to you!

Yes, I am glad your tum has settled now Kafin and good to hear you more upbeat. All the very best for the application process, wishing you every success.

Sixturkeys…we will be knitting baby clothes together 😉 as my eldest son who will be 28 this year has also mentioned the magic number 30 for ‘settling down’ back in France ! That will very conveniently coincide with my being free of work commitments and available for duty !! It’s a bit too early to get second son married off to his girlfriend of a few weeks but I am always optimistic 🙂
On second thoughts my knitting skills are pretty poor so I think we should see if Duckie could save us !!
😉 😉

On a more serious note we expected Amz to have checked in by now and still no news. Send us a quick message to let us know you are ok, Amz .

sixturkeys + Wendleg! = 13 or 15 legs? (Poor attempt at Monday morning humour!) . . . Here is a practice item for the baby’s layettes. Size 8 needles . . . regular 8 ply yarn – cast on 60 stitches . . . K1 P1 (ribbing) for 12 rows = the basque. Continue on same size needles with regular knit a row purl a row. (OR as I do . . . a two row pattern . . . K1, K2 tog, yarn around the needle . . . repeat across and purl back creates a lovely lacy pattern/item. Continue for 5 1/2″ (14cms). K2 together for one row . . . purl back . . . K2 together for one row . . . purl back – K2 together, K1. Slip these remaining stitches onto the other needle – (yes lead stitch first please!). Cut length of yarn and thread it into a large eyed sewing needle. Thread the needle though the remaining stitches and draw in to look like an eyelet. Use the thread to stitch down the side and . . . TAHDAH!!!! A neat little hat 🙂
Duckie’s expansive menu, is still offering small if any enjoyment – indifference probably fits the description – and odd “on the hunt” snacking is creeping into my day – possibly a result of the overall general upheaval of change/s in my life, mindset and household shakeup – plus the cooler Autumn days have always seen appetite rise 🙂 Ive done my best to recognise and curb such detours . . . and while I dont weight and measure . . . re-assure myself while it might not be 800/20 – it wont be more than 1000/25, so just hang in there with that through the changes. Not concerned about the effect following me onboard . . . 🙂 – every time one needs or feels the urge to eat, you have to WALK to the bistro! Our cabin is up front . . . bistro down the back 🙂 Length of ship is 285 metres so allowing for pointy bits thats a distance to be considered JUST for a snack! Only two weeks (yesterday) before the NZ cruising adventure/holiday of discovery begins . . . and this week is busy (as I like to be). Such will therefore pass quickly! With regular helping out with grand-daughters today and tomorrow, haircut Wednesday, beauty salon Thursday, then Friday, lunch with a friend to also deliver a bag of clothing discards, it will soon be a case of . . “where did that week go?” 🙂 Thats when the countdown reaches single digits and goes to express mode! Its Monday already in the Downunder Duckie Duckpond . . . well into the morning, and times a’wasting! Have a great week everyone 🙂 Quack! Quack!

Hi everyone,

So week 3 done though I feel good bit disappointed, my bloods have shot up this morning and lost 2lb was hoping for more as I’ve pushed to be more active and having to spend the weekend working surrounded by cakes, crisps, chocolate and everyone eating fish and chips yesterday managed to not be tempted. I may have to look at food again as I thought I was under 800 a few days not meaning too but finding the carb calorie a struggle.

Happy week everyone.

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Hi Woodduckie, and the other people reporting indifference to fridge contents.

One of the aspects that surprised me with this WoE is when I realised that I was eating because it was the time of day, or I linked eating with finishing work for the day rather than being hungry. I now open the fridge, don’t fancy the contents, so I close the fridge and go do something else instead for my “break from work”. Its really liberating once you work out what real hunger feels like and don’t bother to eat until you reach that stage. There is so much more time in the day to do interesting things, and you save money on food bills. – The other week I spent more on cat and dog food than on food for myself. 🙂

Hi Budgie,
– Blood sugar levels do rise in a morning. One of the people with experience with T2 has explained it very well in the past, if you search for “dawn phenomenon” on the forum, you will find the info you need.

Hi sixturkeys – thanks for the info, sounds like you know your stuff! I’m sure California law will be different but I’m pretty sure it all started with a basis in English Law. I’m pretty familiar with many aspects of English law since I got my degree in New Zealand and ours is based on English law with some kiwi tweaks!
Well, I don’t know if the fast kick-started something or I was on a really long plateau that finally quit. I do know the fast helped me feel not so hungry in the days after which I’d been struggling with so I’m considering a mini one each week as a trial. My carbs have been around 30g one day and 20g the next so hard to tell if that had any impact since that’s no different than the last few weeks anyway. Minimal change in measurements but the number on the scales is a mood changer for me and it feels good to make some progress. As of today (Monday morning), I’m down 20.4lbs (4lbs this week) which is 1.4 stone or 9kgs and I’m back in the 160’s/77kgs (barely but I’ll take it!). Fingers crossed it holds for week 7! Best of luck to everyone this week in whatever goals you’re striving towards.

Hi everyone. I have just got home after a very long day so I am just checking in to say I will start a new weekly thread before I am completely incoherent….tired .I will be back to normal tomorrow !… See you there !

It’s of course called One Week at a Time beginning March 26th 2019 !!

Very much a static week for me….. down a bit, up a bit, down a bit all week, so I’ll report no loss this week. Will do better!

Same for me V. BG still holding at around 5.5 so keeping to 23 units for now. See you next week.

Well done s-g that’s great news on the BS front. Not too long now and you’ll be out of the twenties and into the teens!

Quack Quack \|/ \|/ . . . Am sensing your mood and note someone has mentioned the rise in BS in the early am is normal so maybe that settled your mind a little . . . however . . . may I suggest if you would like and are able to offer us a list of meals/ingredients etc we could scrutinise with you to see i there is mischief maker hiding among them 🙂 So difficult to stay positive when making such an effort and not finding immediately satisfying results for the next few weeks push 🙂 Hang in there! Birds of a feather and such . . . (((hugs))) Come down to the duckpond for a chat 🙂 Quack Quack 🙂