Just carrying on ….supporting anyone who is embarking on BSD, restarting or maintaining, all totally committed to this way of eating and all the healthy benefits , boosting self esteem and shaking off the despondency of past disappointments.
We are here to reach out and share our ups and downs. We don’t all get it right all of the time and circumstances are certainly difficult at the moment . We can get through this and help each other to stay strong and focused . Feel free to come and join our merry band.You will be very welcome !

Wendy and Sunny B

I am naming you but never shaming you here …
At the last check here are our Merry Weekly Members

SunnyB and Wendy wendleg
Merrymelba
Niamh and Dean ( Neegan)
EC
Caronl
Clarinet cathy
Bryla
Windyjulz

Georgiejeorge
oLive 1
Puddy
Dreamscometrue
Gattina
melH
rosyapple
LovesGroodles
Amz
timetochange
Patricia
Articfox
Double Dutch
PTR
Britta
Film24
Rebeccakershaw
JGwen (of course !!)

PlumpGoose
Russianroulade
DebbieDarko
weebleswobble
nicoles212
Steviep
Zuzuvela
Frog
GreenGal

I sincerely hope I haven’t forgotten anyone . If you want to join us, you will be made to feel very welcome, don’t hesitate.
If you haven’t checked in for a while, please come and let us know how you are doing, especially if you are struggling. Don’t stay away, however tough things are right now, we can help you refocus xxx

Hi Wendleg – and everyone else!
I’m starting week 4 tomorrow. Weeks 2 and 3 were a bit annoying, diet was fine but scales a bit unresponsive… But I enter week 4 having almost lost 1 stone so I’m not doing too badly. Zoom calls have definitely become more manageable. Best thing is that I’m looking at 2 weeks before the pesky hormones start to wreak havoc again, so I am fully determined to make the most of it. This is going to be a great week!

May the force be with you all!

Hi Wendy, SunnyB, Britta and all the rest.
Wow Britta, what great results, and great energy for the week.
We have written here many times that it is important to keep track of the WHY we are doing this. I was reminded today listening to an interview with an athlete on the radio about how she was staying focused now with no competitions going on because of Covid. She replied that she always had her goals in her mind, seeing herself win the gold medal, how she would feel in that moment etc. It’s no different for us and it is really important to make that goal inspiring and motivating, to make it feel real. I picture myself in (smaller) jeans with a t-shirt tucked in with nothing “spilling out” over the side. I can feel how comfortable I will be feeling and it will be easy to move around.
What is your goal picture/feeling?
When things are hard it can help to focus on this.
(In one weight loss regime I did many years ago we were told to find a picture of how we would like to look, and simply Photoshop our own head on the picture and put on the fridge. It’s actually a lot more inspiring than putting up a scary “before” picture.)
My week was fine, I lost 1 kg, so am now down 12,5 kg, with approx 10 kg to go.
Best of luck to all for the week.

Loving the determination Britta! I’m certain you can make these two weeks count.

Adding to Wendy’s general comments, if you have been part of our merry band, please don’t disappear now. And if you are hovering and wondering whether to post on the weekly thread, please just go for it … we really do mean ‘the more the merrier’.

On a personal note, not quite in the right headspace to pitch in and get rid of the couple of pounds I need to shift, to gain that illusive wriggle room, so I’m continuing to maintain instead. Another week on or around target will be enough for me.

Whatever your goal for the week, hope you manage to find the focus you need to achieve it and remember, we’re here to do whatever we can to help you get there. Have a great week!

Olive_1 I like your reminder to envision our goals.. thank you for that! I have a pair of dungarees, a lovely boden shirt and a couple of patterned dresses that are approx 14lbs away give or take a few .. I am going to keep thinking about how I will feel wearing those items and how good it will be not ‘shoe horning‘ myself into my clothing any longer, wearing control pants under everything with the exception of my pjs or doing sumo squats in my trousers trying to eke out every iota of stretch from what once used to be a rather loose fitting pair of slacks .. it will be pure joy!
Everyone else ..the big losses and small losses are inspiring .. but what I have also found encouraging today is the determination regardless to stick with the WOE.. That is the focus I need and I really admire in everyone else! 👊🏼👊🏼👊🏼
Thanks for the welcome, GreenGal 🥦 x

Thanks for the thread and I’m still in there despite the ups and downs of last week. I’m starting the week 5.2lbs lighter despite the downs of the week and with a renewed motivation to make this week count too.

Sounds like a lot of you are doing really well. I can’t wait to say I’m almost a stone lighter or more! Well done 👍

Hi everyone! i’m in for another week 🙂 down 4.6 pounds, which i’m happy with! I love the idea around the goals – i have created my own little rewards when i hit certain weights – next up, a (much needed) haircut! Hope everyone has a fab week x

Morning all! 😊
I did my weigh in yesterday and I put on 3llbs and consequently didn’t want to post but after reading the above I realise how important it is to do just that. I had a couple of really off days last week but didn’t think they warranted that much of a gain.
Despite feeling very low I did eat well yesterday. I’m finding the hours between breakfast and lunch really easy but mid afternoon much harder. That’s the time that I need my will power most and if I ride it out I can sail through a couple more hours ’til dinner.
Something I am noticing is how bloated my tummy is, almost like I haven’t lost any weight in regards to the size of it. Also a fair amount of gurgling going on. How so?
I am meeting a friend to go for a “distanced” walk later with a happy Spaniel, I’m hoping this will lift my spirits, we usually laugh a lot 🤣 Life has been a struggle these last few days, really lonely.
Hoping to go walking more in general, see how the poorly foot goes! 👣
Making garlic and bean soup for lunch, good job that I can’t get too close to my friend!!
Well done on your amazing achievements everyone and a big load of encouragement for those of you who are struggling, keep going! It’ll be worth it 👍Thanks for helping me to get stronger, big love 🌹🍏

Morning and thank you Wendy and Sunny for the thread! I’m in for another week. This is the start of week 5 for me! Probably the longest i have ever stayed committed to a ‘diet’! And Im still keen to make it to 12 weeks on Fast 800!
I definitely struggle on a Monday, probably partly cos I know i am over a bit on the calories through the weekend but also I think the acceptance of another week of lockdown, another week sat in my home office with a bucket load to do but failing motivation is difficult. I struggled with ‘The Hungries” yesterday, couldnt think about much other than food, even though i was trying to tell myself that i wansnt hungry and nothing i ate would satisfy the itch. I made it with all BSD friendly food bar a handful of raisins in a yogurt.
I’ve stopped weighing on a Tuesday as i tend to feel fragile and dont want risk things, so I use tuesday’s new thread as a kick up the rear to have a very very good 4 days until i weigh in on Saturday morning. I’m hoping to make it below the 1st lost barrier this week.

Rosyapple – dont worry too much about the bloating – you probably just dont see the change to your weight as it wont all just come off your belly (as much as that would be nice) but it will be dropping off all round. My belly is the same shape but i definitely fitting into smaller clothes! I rumble a lot depending on what i have or havent eaten. There is a lot of liquid and veggies in me….so i just go with it! LOL. Chin up, you know where you have had snaxidents, you know where you can take action to correct the areas that need tweaking, you can do this, you are not alone (we are all here cheering in your corner) and you ARE stronger!! You got this – and you are going to have the delight of tasting garlic all afternoon to keep you away from afternoon munchies! Enjoy your walk too, laughing and fresh air is so good for the soul…..and a spaniel for company is guaranteed to put a smile of your face! They are such happy little people!

Welcome to all the newbies – such a busy thread – its lovely!

Olive – my goal and why has always been related to a horse i have who is a touch too small for me – but im realising that actually….. as much as he is great motivation, a bigger part of it is to be doing this for ME! Treating myself well, being kind to myself (gulp – i struggle) and being the best me I can. Clothes and clothes options is a new goal – to be able to go to a social event after all this is over and not be really distressed about what I’m wearing, not being sad because i dont have anything very nice but also refusing to spend money on something that i cant do justice! So here is to being the best me, a happy me, looking and feeling fabuious after lockdown!!

Hi everyone. I’m in for the week. Hello and welcome to anyone I haven’t already greeted! Lovely to have so many of us here supporting one another. Congrats to everyone who is seeing progress and an even bigger “well done” to everyone who is staying positive and sticking with the WOE even if the little victories you are working towards are proving a little elusive just now. We are definitely playing the long game and I think it’s always worth seeing any blips in the context of the huge changes in mindset and lifestyle that we have all made after maybe a whole lifetime of unhelpful habits. Do we always give ourselves enough credit for that? I think it’s pretty spectacular. Surely there is no other complex new skill that we would expect ourselves to perform perfectly almost immediately! It’s like starting beginners tennis lessons and then expecting yourself to be ready to play at Wimbledon a few months later.

I had a really difficult day yesterday, but on the upside it resulted in an unplanned 24 hour fast, not a dive into the fridge. And I really enjoyed my dinner and coffee with cream yesterday evening. Swings and roundabouts! StevieP I understand what you mean about the peppers. For a while I thought I would never be able to eat another mouthful of spinach as long as I lived. Just leave the peppers out, or substitute with something else – you definitely don’t have to follow the recipes exactly (or at all, for that matter) and you need to enjoy what you eat. Don’t let this WOE ever feel like a punishment or a chore. I think it’s pretty well-established that some of the recipes in the book underestimate calories, so it’s probably best to make your own analysis if you are keen to stick to the 800 rigorously.

RosyA, I don’t know if this is any reassurance, but my tummy was absolutely the last place for the fat to start shifting. I swear I lost it from my earlobes and toenails first! But it does come. Thinking back to my 20something self, it was a pot belly that emerged first and grew when I first started to gain weight, so it makes sense to me that discarding would work in the reverse order for me.

Well done, Julz. You’ve got this! It will get easier from here on in if you can power through those temptations and cravings. My experience has been that it’s not a fight forever and the WOE does start to feel normal and comfortable, but personally it took me a few months to get there. It did get easier week by week, though. Hang on to that positivity you were feeling with your achievements at the end of last week! Nothing and no one can take that away from you and that 1st is within reach.

I am thinking that I’d quite like to buy a few clothes that aren’t 4 sizes too big, but with finances uncertain, it might be wasteful to invest in any summer gear right now. No one but the dog and other supermarket shoppers see me! However, I can get a kick from seeing my reflection in the window at Asda while I queue and thinking wow, that’s really me! After years of avoiding mirrors other than to check that I don’t look untidy or have my skirt tucked in my knickers, it’s a real thrill not to want to avert my eyes.

Hi Wendleg and everybody,
Well I’m just starting my 3rd week so ganging on in there! Had a couple of ‘blips’ but nothing too bad considering how I’ve been eating for the last few years! Deb

Also I think I’m getting a bit confused between whether I’m trying to concentrate on low carb or keeping below the 800 cals. If I’m not careful I’m finding I’m lashing out on the cheese in recipes for example, to please my palette because I don’t really enjoy fruit and veg, and then my calories are shooting up! Anyone else have this trouble when they were new to it?? Dx

Afternoon all,
I survived the first week, and after a few days of brain fuzz, seemed to have adapted to the lower calorie intake!

A couple of no no’s….don’t watch finals of great British menu nor talk of grandkids eating pizza!!

Managed to take 3.8 kilos off, which given my objective of losing 10 kg is 38% of the way, but I take that with a dose of reality that most of that is water, and as some say the easier stuff to shift. In no doubt it will be at a slower pace..

Couple of questions, are folk saying that recipes in the book are low balling calorie count?

And with the exercises suggested, is it really saying 10 planks of 30 seconds each?.?

Felt quite pleased one day exercising off more calories than consumed, but it was tough on a fasting day.

Thanks for all encouragement, and so far I would encourage people having a tough spell, just focus on one day at a time, but it is a challenge worth taking on.

Final point, I am tired of red peppers in everything!!

Best of luck to all.

Hi Steviep, well done one week one – some achievement isnt it. Glad you feel like you are adjusting and you have been rewarded on the scales! I would 100% agree with not watching bake Off (or indeed any recipe / food videos) I think keeping all the addictive (thats how I’m trying to look at it) foods out of our mind is important – focus instead on all the good nutrients and benefits you are getting from the BSD friendly foods! I now scroll straight past anything that pops up on facebook and has any food related content!

I cant help a lot with the questions – I dont really work from the recipes in the books, I sometimes use them for inspiration and adapt it to what i have etc and then i log all the ingredients into FatSecret app. I do believe though that some of the calorie counts in the recipes are off.

Red peppers made me laugh…… try yellow ones! Or swap for something else – i quite like a sugar snap pea in salad, stir-fry etc……

Hey All,
Just read a quote from Edmund Hilary “It’s not the mountain we conquer but ourselves” it just rang true for me and I thought it may for others too.. of course he conquered THE mountain but he realised that it was himself that he needed to conquer to make that happen!
Let’s be conquerers of ourselves and focus on positive self-talk. Let’s talk ourselves up instead of talking negatively about ourselves! Every time I think I can’t I am going to say, I can!
In that spirit I am going to set myself a mini goal of a 24 hr fast tomorrow. I am going to eat my dinner tonight and not eat again until tomorrow evening. To help along the way I will drink water, black coffee and some herbal teas!
Thanks to everyone for their honest & inspiring messages on the forum – Onwards and downwards then.. or should I say upwards.. confused right now 🤣

Hello everyone!
This is the start of Week 6 for me, having lost 1.5kg last week. I’m finding my ideal meal structure for the day: breakfast: bircher or scrambled eggs; low-calorie soup; stew, piece of meat/fish and vegetables. My new snacks of choice are radishes (low calorie and very good for you) and 7 almonds.
The challenge is that my other half might have to start a FODMAP diet (elimination diet for IBS) so I’m trying to get my head around how that would work for us. Advice welcome!

Hi all! This is my 4th week on the BSD and first time in a ‘one week at a time’ thread. I’ve lost 17 lbs and I’m doing daily intermittent fasting 16:8/18:6. So far, my favourite thing about the BDS is that my sugar cravings have all but disappeared. I feel free of my dairy milk addiction!

Really brilliant to see so many of you joining us for another week … welcome to you all. Huge well done to anyone reporting any loss or shrinkage from last week. Whatever you are doing is working, so stay focused and keep going.

If you’re not one of those and have been struggling, please don’t be disheartened. The wonderful thing about this way of eating, is how forgiving it is. Even when we go completely off piste, if we get back on track as soon as we can, any damage is quickly rectified. We all stumble, we’re all human and it’s important to forgive yourself when things don’t go to plan …. just dust yourself down and makes a fresh start.

Hello Everyone

Lovely to read some very inspiring posts and lots of determination and enthusiasm. It’s week 4 for me and after a thoroughly miserable day yesterday after a disappointing weigh in I am back with renewed determination and in fact am more determined than ever.

GreenGal- I love the Edmund Hilary quote and so apt for me at the moment.

I’ve have got my positivity back today. I did a dvd cardio workout this morning then went for my walk of 5000 steps (feet still not up to 10000 steps) yesterday I did 7000 steps so I am happy with my walking progress following my toe injections. I had my lunch which was cottage cheese and salad and some nuts and had an egg salad for my evening meal.

My plan for week four is to keep going. There is no point in me deciding how many pounds to lose, my body does what it does. I am still aiming to get back into my white jeans. I won’t weigh until Monday so as not to get worked up when I don’t see the scales moving down. I am determined that I will conquer myself!

Have a fantastic week everyone! Let’s all come out of lockdown looking and feeling the best we can be!

Hi everyone
I’m also here for another week….losing slowly but I blame the wine-pretty good on the food front and not giving myself too much of a hard time as work has been pretty relentless (I mostly work in events, so lots of major decisions and communication going down!)

Luckily got my walk in before the rain today and just did a stint on the stationary rower so also reasonable on the exercise front

Zuzuvela apart from some vegetables, BSD should be pretty compatible

with a low fodmap diet -but yes, still more to consider!!

Olive_ I’m not quite there with the mirrors/windows….totally fine front on but nervous about the side-view!

Onwards!! -luckily it’s soup weather here which is great for BSD

Hi all, my ultra low carb week has been going reasonably well so far, I think. No point in weighing myself or judging by fit of clothes though at the moment as I am retaining water ahead of my totm as usual. Hoping for a whoosh in size and weight after though. I’m trying to stave off the monotony by mixing up which veggies I am eating a bit. Spinach and rocket salad with eggs for lunch today and greek salad for dinner with greek yogurt for ‘dessert’. I am finally getting used to eating plain yogurt with no fruit to sweeten it. Sometimes I add a sprinkling of hemp seed to vary the texture.
Even though I managed to stick to plan, I did find the early evening a bit tough as I was suddenly craving chocolate biscuits, bars of milk chocolate, chocolate cakes, etc. – you get the picture. Anything high fat, high sugar and chocolate flavoured. I always find it fascinating when my cravings run this way because I’ve never been a huge fan of any of these things and have rarely ever had them in the house even before starting this woe. I’m hoping that it is either my bad gut microbes being starved into submission or that it is a sign that my body has finally started to burn some fat again. Hopefully I’ll see some movement on the scales or in the clothes fitting department by the end of this week.

Stick with it Arcticfox, I have just had a week of fighting against those pesky hormones and had my whoosh moment this morning – 3 lbs down since yesterday (hurrah!) and I have instantly forgotten how disheartening the last 10 days have been! It’s like the opposite of putting money in the bank isn’t it? Knowing what your body does when is really helpful I think – hormones, gut microbes and all. It feels like knowing the enemy. Fingers crossed for the end of the week!

Hello all,
I’m reading a very interesting book at the moment – Giulia Enders, Gut: The Inside Story of our most Underrated Organ. Lots of interesting information and an easy/funny read. One point I took away is an incentive not to snack between meals (unless you have to for health reasons). Apparently the small intestine needs a break to “sweep itself clean” and it needs time to do this between meals. I’m also reading Brain Food by Lisa Mosconi (a neuroscientist who works on diet and dementia), which is another very strong argument for the Mediterranean diet. She also has a book coming out soon specifically for women (The XX Brain).

Thanks, EC, for your comment about Fodmap. Having looked into it a bit more, it looks more doable.

Morning lovely people!
I’ve had a few days back on plan after my major snaxidents! And feeling much better, my tummy isn’t so bloated. I’ve stopped eating my twice weekly porridge and ditched the milk and it definitely seems to be helping with the cravings. Had lots of Greek yogurt, eggs, fish, veggies, a little fruit and cheese and a few beans, nuts and seeds. I think I have found my happy place 😊 This woe has showed up my trigger foods, milk and porridge being the last 2 to go.
Thanks for all the posts, tips and encouragement, they have all helped me get things in perspective. I don’t think I could have done this without you all. REALLY! 💖
I had a lovely walk with my friend yesterday afternoon which lifted my spirits no end and I bumped into an old flame who’s eyes did a double take 😉 !!! Rather nice!
Just finished the allotment I’ve been working on which is satisfying. Time to get back to my own with harvests to look forward to 🍒🍓🍅🥕🌽🌶🥬
Wishing you all success 🌹🍏

RosyA your post made me very happy – the force is with you!

EC – I find alcohol messes with weight loss, think it has to do with it’s effect on liver function. Good news is you’re seeing progress though, which is a definite win.
Arcticfox- why not have some very dark choc to help with your cravings? Tends to be the higher the cocoa solids, the less you need to knock the craving on the head. Go for a minimum of 85%, but higher if you can.
Britta – congrats on your whoosh. Having that result must be a huge boost and very motivating.
Zuzu- thanks for those reading recommendations … have put those on my list.
Rosy – really pleased you are in a much better headspace now and it sounds like your tweaks are beginning to pay off. I’m sure you will be reporting good results soon.

So good to see such positivity from our posters, even when things are shaky or not ideal.
“If you’re facing in the right direction, keep walking.”

Thanks Wendy and Sunny!

I’m here for the week. Didn’t have a great week, too many days over 800. Still managed to discard half a kilo. I need to kick myself to reach that elusive mini goal of under 90 kilo’s, I did see it on the scales last Friday but lost it over de weekend. I know the scales are just de scales, and quite possible my hormones or water balance is in the way, but I’m really looking forward to this mini goal. On the positive side, I visited a slim friend of mine, same height, and fitted some of her clothes. Yay! My self image isn’t there yet, but the pictures don’t lie. I need to keep my focus, check the pics and think about how I want to fit in all her clothes and keep going. I don’t have a final goal set in stone, but am dreaming of 86. This was my weight as a sixteen year old, being sent off to see a dietician. I’ll never forget she told me I wasn’t overweight. Perhaps I could discard 3 kilos but why worry. The thought of being this close to 86, I still can’t wrap my head around it. We’ll see if I can make it all the way. As someone said before, your body will tell you when it’s enough. Now we’ll need to learn to listen….
DD

Chuffed for you Rosyapple. Now you just need to labour the point in your mind so you start to naturally make the connection between feeling really good and this way of eating!! It really does work!!

Doubledutch I’m trying to fight back from a few days over 800, its tough.

I’ve having a cheeky extended fast today, or at least a one meal a day day….. black coffee only from 18:30 last night through to 12:30 today and then 2 cups of white coffee. Looking forward to an early dinner – halloumi and chorizo salad is planned – its my favourite!
Hopefully this will make just under 800 calories easier and help toward reaching next mini goal this week.

Keep at it peeps

Nice one with the fast WindyJulz! I also just managed to complete a 24 hr fast with coffee and ginger tea and some water although I didn’t drink almost nearly enough…
I had planned a spinach salad with eggs and homemade hollandaise for dinner but when I read about your salad it sounded so good it had to be done so chorizo & halloumi salad with a bit of avocado it was me too. Yummy!

I normally love a couple of glasses of wine or a g&t or two in the evening, almost every evening. One friend nicknamed me ‘Boozer’ I can’t say I loved it but where there’s smoke and all that. I was interested to read what Sunny B had to say about alcohol and weight loss so although I am not cutting it out completely I am trying to cut down by around 75%. I have been looking for refreshing no cal alternatives whilst I wait for my order of soda water to arrive so I thought I would share something I have enjoyed. I have been making ginger or fennel tea and letting it go cold and adding some ice and sometimes some additional slices of fresh ginger or sliced lemon. After a bit of a rocky start i’m enjoying it now .. and it’s helping to stop me reaching for the booze although funnily enough its also a nice no cal mixer for gin.. I also have some stevia on order so I am excited about making some iced tea too.

Anyway if anyone is struggling with drinks I like the suggestions in the Fast 800 book too and the iced tea recipe is from Diet Doctor. Ok I’m signing off for today, I may do another 24 hour fast until dinner tomorrow as today was pretty successful and it’s easier at the moment to keep my cals under control that way. Well done everyone for another day at the coal face! Sweet dreams of big losses! 🥦

Good morning 🌞
Weigh in today and I’ve lost the 3 llbs I put on plus another one, that feels nice. I think that not eating porridge or milk is really helping me stay on track. I didn’t even want to finish my dinner last night. I am starting to get a feel for what I need.
I went for a half hour walk in the afternoon with a sit down beneath a tree half way! I will focus on doing some more of that next week as I want to use the early mornings for planting my allotment. I burn easily in the sun which is definitely getting stronger now.
Hope you’re all well. Have a great day 🌹🍏

Hi everyone,
I came across this rather strongly worded article and although it may be seen as a hard message by some people, for me it reinforces that all of us who are here, posting away and trying so hard to get control over our way of eating and our health are really on the right track:
https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2020/04/22/Coronavirus-and-obesity-Doctors-take-aim-at-food-industry-over-poor-diets#
While there seems to be a lot of evidence that others may be taking the unfortunate step of letting their health go in response to this difficult time and turning to more junk and processed food, I think we can all be really proud of ourselves that we are being proactive and looking after our health and well-being in a way that is now more important than ever.
I had a good day today. Chocolate cravings were pretty much gone, which is good because it was a co-worker’s birthday today and she brought in all kinds of treats and her boss brought in triple chocolate doughnuts as well. I just said no thanks or that I couldn’t have any and just ate my phyllo-free spanakopita while everyone else ate their lunches plus treats and we had a good socially-distanced chat in one of the large meeting rooms, which was worth more than the treats anyway.
SunnyB – I had to make a quick run to the pharmacy this evening to pick up a few things (and I did actually run part of the way there!), and with your words in mind about the dark chocolate, I bought a bar of 100%. I’m worried that even 90% could be a bit dangerous at the moment as I’ve developed quite a taste for it and my last bar did not last very long. I haven’t had any yet though, as the cravings have passed, and I feel good about having just ridden them out. I thought it would be good to have something on hand though that I know I’m not going to want to eat unless I’m quite desperate.
Anyway, KOKO everyone. Regardless of any little wobbles we may have here and there, we are doing great!

Interestingly, I noticed today in our local Tesco, that there was a lot of convenience meals reduced to clear. It might not be the case, but I wondered if this was because people are opting for ‘real’ good cooked from scratch? We can only hope so.

I find one square of any choc above 95% is enough to put pay to any chocolate cravings, Arcticfox and find some comfort in knowing I have a bar in the fridge if I want to indulge. For some reason it means I don’t obsess about it, but I realise this isn’t the case for everyone. Really pleased you have your choc cravings under control and that you were able to resist the temptations at work … never easy with that kind of peer pressure.

Rosy – well done on that diwnward movement on the scales. It’s a definite win … be proud 😊

Sigh, this is not a great day. It’s not so much the diet that is bothering me but just life under lockdown. I cannot seem to gather my thoughts to do any work ( – hello guilt… ) My children are increasingly hostile to the idea of homeschooling (- hello worry… ) and I just can’t get any ideas ( – hello depression…) I’m sure you all know the drill. Old me would have fixed all this by baking a cake and eating 2/3 of it after everyone else has had a small piece… or something similar. My whole repertoire of ‘make it better’ involves food, sugar in particular. So I’ll have to come up with a whole new way of negotiating this sort of emotion. What are your ‘make it better’ solutions?

Oh Brittany, that’s hard, sorry you’re feeling down. It’s hard not to be overwhelmed.
You know 2/3 of a fake won’t actually help, none of the stressors will change and you’ll then feel sluggish and guilty. So just write that idea off. Flip it on its head – what can you do to give your body a wee boost? Fresh air? Little bit of indoor exercise (I do push-ups on the worktop as the kettle boils) Eat something with top burrito all value?
What would help your children and you feel good? Can you do something in the garden? Write a letter to yourselves to read in 12 months time to remember what all this was like?
Can you make something creative? Colouring in for kids and grown ups? Very therapeutic?!

I’m no expert, just trying to think outside the box….

Sorry Britta- autocorrect has just renamed you!!! Oooops.

Britta, it sounds like you and the children could use s small break. If you have a garden get out there … have a picnic – doesn’t have to be fancy …. just fun, play hide and seek – indoors or out, dance like crazy, play musical statues, sing silly songs – or any songs but loudly.

Do a deal with the children, that you all have some fun time and then you all have to work. And when they go to bed, soak in the bath, pamper yourself a little …. you deserve it.

Thanks Windy and Sunny (see what I did?! ) actually just posting on here helped a bit. And yes you’re right, do other stuff. Guilt about not being able to put in as many hours of work as I would like is probably the main gremlin at the moment, but there doesn’t seem to be an awful lot to do about that until schools open again. I feel quite happy that by losing weight I’m moving myself further from any risk categories, but I fear the b… virus might get me on the mental health front instead! Argh! Some afternoon arts and definitely a nice bath tonight!

Hi Britta,
I’m exactly like you, I would (in the past) have made scones or a cake and had most of it myself. Now I will cut up fruit and make a nice display, it goes down a treat with my children, perhaps with a small bowl of salty nuts. I’m also keen to show them ways of “reward” or “pick me ups” that are healthy to not lead them down the same road as me.
My children are teenagers so I also tend to try and be open with them about how I feel about things and not put up a facade that “all is well” – because it’s not. And then we talk about things we can do to make life more fun. We’re planning for Starwars marathon this weekend, as it will rain here. They also have a lot of ideas for food, so in the weekend we try to do something more elaborate together.
Hope your day and mood improves!

Hi all,
Just wanted to share an eye opener, or perhaps reminder that I got today.
I went to the gym for the first time since mid February. I sometimes see a PT and have a program I do a couple of times a week to rehabilitate my hips. It’s been working really well, especially with 13 kg weight loss taking pressure of my hips.
Health wise I’ve been feeling good lately, I have the eating under control, even though no fast weight loss now, it’s still going in the right direction. I also feel energised by this WOE and the occasional 18 hour fast. All my clothes are loose, some had to be put away and some old loved items are now fitting. In short – I was getting a bit content and loosing the strong motivation to be strict.
Well – today I did a body-scan at the gym and boy did my motivation come back!
My fat percentage was horrific, way outside the recommended and my metabolic age was no where near my own. OMG! I know these scales are not that accurate, but they are not that inaccurate either.
So I need to definitely keep going, and not only loose weight but also build muscle to get a better body composition, and in the end better health!
This is definitely strengthening my WHY a lot. I’m doing this for long term health, and I’m going all the way.

Aw well done Britta and Olive!!
I dont have any children but i can see all my friends who do starting to struggle – you are not alone, remember you ahve already had to occupy them for the equivalent of the summer holidays…without being able to take them place, let them play sport or run off steam! That is an accomplishment! Dont feel too guilty about work – I know thats hard, but workplaces are learning to cope with flex in hours / patterns as much as having people off site. You have to keep well and keep coping, so look after yourself & family first and work second!
Olive – sounds a very healthy way to be – fun, honesty, talking and starwars – excellent!
I do like Sunny’s idea of loud music etc – i went for a wee lunchtime walk with my headphones and was genuinely dancing down the road – must have looked a sight but it gave me a wee buzz!
Glad posting helped Britta – thats what its all about. Sometimes even just thinking out loud is helpful! You got this, you ARE strong, you WILL cope!

Oh adn Rosyapple – whoop for the 3lbs – go you!!
Arcticfox – that article is interesting and pretty much follwoing the thoughts Ive been having. I joked at the beginning of this that the best thing to do was to “eat broccoli” – flippant but basically thinking if we look after ourselves, have plenty good nutrition and loose a little weight we will be best placed to deal with the virus if we get it…. thats helped me anyway. Not much else is in our control.

Chin up everyone, one day at a time.

Just reading through the posts and feeling great admiration for you all. Times are tough and despite the pressures you are facing, you pause, reassess and keep going . I keep saying that noone gets it right all of the time ! It’ s uplifting to read that you don’t allow yourselves to give in to the awful stresses and you manage to find the motivation to stay focused on the health benefits.
Britta ….I hear you too. If it helps at all I think you have to be realistic about what you can achieve doing homeschooling. Don’t expect to produce the same learning experience your children would get at school.We have been told that we should not expect children to do more than 2 sessions of school work ( at most 2x 90 mins a day ) interspersed with play, exercise, creative activities, mealtimes etc. It’s a good idea to have a structured day, obviously. I also find it hard to switch off and I frequently question how effective I am being. It’s hard to motivate kids in these unsettling times . I feel like my head is going to explode at times and I imagine parents feel exactly the same. I decided to set work on engaging songs recently as we all needed a break . Maybe check with the teachers if you are struggling ? Are they putting work online ?
But most importantly ….take a break. Have a couple of days off to recharge , do what makes you feel happy and forget the guilt . Your mental health is important too. There will undoubtedly be a time for school to adjust and assess what has been achieved during lockdown . Try not to worry ….getting over anxious will just compound the problem. You can only do so much .Take good care, Britta xx

Britta, my sister is a teacher and she posted something at the beginning of the lockdown that said something along the lines of ‘you are not “working from home”. You are trying to survive an unprecedented global pandemic while still trying to keep tabs on your work’. I haven’t quite got that right, but I think that captures the essence. You don’t have anything to feel guilty about. We are all doing our best in this crazy situation.
With regard to treats, anyone looking for some can search for the ‘Non-food Treats’ thread that I started quite a while ago now. Maybe even add some new things to the list if you can think of any?
As for breaks, one of my senior managers at work just told us that if things are getting on top of us, maybe we need to think about taking some holiday. She stressed that of course it will not be like a normal holiday where we are able to go places and plan lots of exciting things to do, but just a good break where we don’t put pressure on ourselves to get work done while helping children with school work, etc. etc. There may be some local things happening in your area that might still be safe things to do. I was reading about an animal sanctuary near me that has been able to stay open to the public in a much modified way through the lockdown by just allowing people to visit by appointment only, and they are in a large enough space that there is little risk of people co-mingling. Some parents were expressing gratitude for it because just visiting the animals for a short period of time seemed to really help their children relax and feel a bit better about things. I know others that were not able to stay open to the public developed an ‘adopt an animal’ program where kids could choose an animal to follow and they get regular updates about ‘their’ animal throughout the lockdown period, and that has worked well for some too.

Good morning 🌝
Lovely to read all your posts, how you’re getting on.
Really hungry yesterday, emotional?? Finding lockdown quite tedious & a little boring if I’m honest. Severely minimized contact with other humans is taking it’s toll on me mentally. I’m trying my best to keep moving but my energy is low.
I have been for my walk this morning which I’m going to try to do 6 days a week, I need one lie in!
Despite the difficulties I am grateful for so much, health, friends, family, good food, nice home, secure income, friendly neighbours, etc etc.
I’ve not seen the girls I look after this week, their Mum is taking a much needed week off. Looking forward to seeing them next week, they help me keep going even when they drive me a little potty!!
Give me strength!!!
Look after yourselves 🌹🍏

Hi all. Thanks for all the messages, it’s a better day today. We went down the Star Wars route as well and that did make it all better. Talking about Star Wars, RosyApple I think there was a disturbance in the lockdown force yesterday! I had several text and phone conversations with friends who said they were having bad days and feeling really fed up with the whole thing yesterday. Good days and bad days isn’t it. Almost the weekend and I’m thinking I might get the whole family to put on party clothes and have a posh dinner party – that will keep me occupied a whole day!

Hi there

Just to introduce myself. Have had the 8 week blood sugar diet recipe book on my kitchen windowsill for at least 12 months, after my sister recommended it at that time and said how good it was. I have read the forward and the introduction several times, but now that we are into week (8) ?? of lockdown my waistline is suffering more than ever and it’s time to do something about it and do what it says in the book!! Hoping to give and receive support on here and I intend to give this all I’ve got!! Couldn’t be a better time to start it – when all the temptations of pubs/restaurants are totally out of reach anyway! Won’t be able to moan about how hard it is to avoid them!! We have some food in the fridge and freezer that is not totally blood sugar diet friendly and so intend to eat this first over the weekend and when the online shop arrives on Tuesday, our staple foods will arrive.
Wishing all of you a happy and sunny weekend.
Stay safe and well.

Hi everyone. Not been the best week but trying to re focus. I need to have a meal a day for the moment I think. That way I can have a good meal. Think I’ve just had a hungry week! I’ve been exercising every morning which helps me to feel good. Want to push on for some further weight loss. Soooo windy where I am today !!!

I have started doing the diet last week but loosely at first, as I can’t afford to throw out any fresh food, so nearly finished it and planning to start with a vengeance on Monday (after my Sunday Roast!) so would appreciate joining a group to ask questions or check that I’m doing it right.

That is exactly my story too! I have been “sort of” doing the diet this past week whilst finishing up the “bad” stuff in the fridge and cupboard. I can’t bear to throw out my pasta, especially after it was donated by the public to my workplace and I can’t really afford to throw out lots of stuff either. Fortunately, I eat quite healthily anyway, no take aways or much processed food for me, but still I want to start with a vengeance on Monday with the 800 cals per day. Like you say, no excuse really at the moment, perfect conditions to stay on the straight and narrow!

Hey Limes 254 & SusieMac,
I am newly back on it too and just as Susie says .. I don’t want to squander my lockdown time, 9 weeks in lockdown here in Mozambique, I spent the first 7 comfort eating and baking and then, when I had to go up a belt notch, the penny dropped. I have been making excuses for so long that the reason I can’t lose weight is because we always have people over for food or go out to drink or eat because my husband loves to be social.. but there I was 7 weeks of lockdown later bursting out of my trousers! It is difficult time, that’s for sure and for others much more than myself. But I am going to try to look at it in a positive way, like you mentioned Limes, as a time to make changes to my thinking and diet that will last a lifetime.. or at least a good while 😃.
Well done both for taking those first necessary steps.. look forward to sharing our successes and challenges on the forum over the coming weeks! GreenGal 🥦