These are tough times, is there no end to it ? Well..there are 11 weeks until 2020 draws to a close and that is a target we can focus on ? It’s not always easy to stay motivated and it’s hard to hear of lovely people struggling. But we are here , never giving up and we will continue to do our very best to give ongoing support and ease the burdens, sharing our thoughts and doubts.
Please come and join us and remember we are all in this together
Wendy xx

I still can’t bear the idea that some of our contributors lost track along the way and I always hope they will come back .So this is the list …..
SunnyB
Merrymelba
Niamh and Dean ( Neegan)
EC
Caronl
Clarinet cathy
Bryla
Windyjulz
Georgiejeorge
Olive 1
Puddy
Dreamscometrue
Gattina
melH
rosyapple
LovesGroodles

timetochange
Patricia
Articfox
Double Dutch
PTR
Britta
Film24
Rebeccakershaw
JGwen (of course !!)

PlumpGoose
Russianroulade
DebbieDarko
weebleswobble
nicoles212
Steviep
Zuzuvela
Frog
GreenGal
EachPeach
SusieMac1957
Limes254
Butterlover
PhoenixBurns
Quetzal
Waitaminute
Riccoh
Tulip1 (Clare)
ADD6605(Dawn)
Gyllb
EllieAllegra

Roheryn
AuroraB
Sweetgirl
BlueSkyz
Karenwm
SusieMac1957
Jeremy Fisher
ClemFlo
LR800
Eowyn
Kevlondon and Mrs Kev
Scubado
Lulu16
Shammy
sunshine-girl !!!
Beattie66
2eviltwins
Violinist ( Catherine)
Sarah 1968
Angelsand
Lecurie
Choccybuttons
Sonz
AnnieW
Sixturkeys
Urchin
Delabodge( Clive)
Calliope Swan
O2BSkinny
Ghudugi
PSL68
EclecticRajistani !!!
Lily
Luella
Mumof4in France
GardeningChef
Gill33UKS
Squidge !!
No more banquets
Weightykaty
Petiteketo
Humphrey1
The other me
AMZ !!!!!!!
Gooner
Justjudy
mumofStig
Missamd9
Peanutbutty
Sunnysideup
Stephen J
Fattystar
1960smp
Nhatha 3432 (Nick)
Happyseaswimmer
TJ
Reuby 19
Zoelazer
Rainey
Gordosh
Mifoz
Energisedby800
James3891
SamG67

Hi Everyone.Im sorry to hear that some of you are in lockdown and feeling low.I feel really lucky that we have no community spread here. I got quite depressed when we isolated back in march please try to stay strong ,eventually this will pass.Therefore I’ve decided to really try to be extra positive.Ive finally got all of my to do list on track.blood tests done .bone scan done.mammogram booked.Drs appointment booked. I’m expecting my Hb1ac to be bad as I realise that I’ve been having a lot more carbs than I thought.So this week I’m tracking carbs very closely and portion control.Looking at diet and health more than kg on the scale. I’ve eaten out a couple of times recently and I find it very hard to stay on plan.I always eat more than I intended,so no discard this week.Im not giving up.Have a great week

Hi….. what an amazing list! I often wonder what has happened to some people. We can only hope they all reached their personal goals and are well.
I am exactly the same weight as I was last Tuesday. Been a weird week hitting rock bottom at times, eating more carbs than I should but finally getting my head straight. I’ve started making ‘plans’, plans for water drinking, plans for a ‘to do’ list, plans to make a menu for the week.
It’s funny how when your mind is clear its so much easier to see where you are going.
Anyway, I’m here for another week and hope it’s a good week for everyone despite things.

Hi everyone and thanks you Wendy, another week of keeping up our spirits.

Thanks V, yes it is a bit of a worry about daughter but I think all she needs to do is lose a bit more weight. I think she has been panic eating with takeaways and pub meals in anticipation of a total lockdown. Too many KFC’s. I need to talk with her and give her some advice without lecturing her. I have been trying hard with the weight loss and stuck within the same 0.3 kgs for about 5 weeks so maybe we can encourage each other.

A friend was on Facebook last night showing off her keto cakes???? Blueberry muffins. I asked why she was cooking so many cakes and biscuits and she told me it was ok as they are made with almond flour and artificial sweetener. Might be a bit keto but not when you eat 4 or 5 a day thinking they are okay – she is diabetic. She also makes banana cakes by the dozen.

I decided that after doing around 40 mins exercise 6 or 7 days a week with swimming – which in itself is high calorie burning – I need to do a lot more aerobics than my 3 / 4 times a week 30 mins. Started yesterday with 30 mins aerobics and 20 mins walk. Intended the same today so done 30 mins aerobic and then the heavens opened up so no walk. Will try to keep going with the daily aerobics. Life is difficult. I have decided every day is Sunday from now on as nothing ever changes. Even get excited about my weekly shop. Hey ho, KOKO.

Hi all,
I had a quiet week last week with no posting, but am keeping up with the thread and miss you all so here I am.
Some may remember that last weekend I had to go into hospital and ended up with an operation of a very inflamed appendix. So, my systems have been a bit off after that, and also my eating. Took some days after getting home to get the plumbing working 😊, and I was eating small portions quite often. Also badly needed fiber so some rye bread was consumed and also bran flakes. As the systems got going again, I had a big drop in weight – down to my lowest since starting to lose weight (73 kg). I guess this was because I basically had a couple of days with very low intake of food, and the antibiotics were taking care of the inflammation that had caused some fluids around the intestine. Also my resting pulse during those days were super low.
Now I eat normally again since end of last week, and the weight has settled at 73.5 kg (taking me veeeeery close to the 3 stone mark, almost there). I can feel that there has been a carb-creep though and I have cravings that were just not there 2 weeks ago. Need to tackle that heads on, so will try and go for a longer fast tomorrow (for me that is 18 – 24 hours).
A positive outcome of having to show my stomach/bulge to lots of people (nurses/doctors etc) is that I have made friends with it. It’s actually not that bad. Yes – it is still bulging. But it is actually pretty normal. I find that it is easy to get fixed on that perfect result we want to achieve, but actually now that I’m a couple of kg from the healthy BMI of 25, I feel rather normal. Nobody would turn around after me and think I’m fat anymore – so I shouldn’t think that either.
Yes, I still want to loose some more weight, but I can appreciate how far I have already come at the same time.
I can already do walks and move around with no problem but working out and running will have to wait a little. Will focus on the food for the next week for a starter.
I wish you all a good week!

Very EXCITING news, Olive. From a scary emergency, real progress and acceptance! I’m so very happy for you!

Missed who said they were concerned about a daughter. My daughter is also morbidly obese. And, of course, she’s very sensitive about it. …as I have always been about my weight.

We’ve had a very few conversations about it. She says she doesn’t want to be on an emotional roller coaster of anxiety and elation about her weight as she gains or loses a pound. She wants to be comfortable in her skin and let other people like it or lump it. And she’s very clear about that. Part of me thinks she has an emotional grasp on it that I never did. But emotionally healthy is one thing and physically healthy is another. She also had diabetes in her genetics. I’m not afflicted. I don’t know WHY I’m not, but I’m not. But my husband and at least 3 generations of his family have been. He’s already losing the sight in one eye over it.

So, whoever you are, I am enormously empathetic. And I’ll watch to see if you have any ideas — other than living the healthier approach — that can reach someone still struggling and not believing they can be different. God knows, it took me an entire lifetime to figure this out…

Hi Rainey, it is my daughter who has just had a high (ish) cholesterol reading. Yes she is overweight, 5’5″ and weighs about 11st 5lbs so a little overweight but that is not the problem. She has seen my diet and did it for the 3 weeks after watching the 21 day diet programme lost a stone and didnt expect a high reading. I have had a chat with her tonight and she is going back on the diet, mainly to lose weight but tells me she didnt fast before her blood test as it was in the afternoon. That could explain it or it could be that she is like me and suffers from familial high cholesterol. I only managed to get mine down from around 8.0 by throwing away the statins and eating full fat foods like butter and cheese rather than diet rubbish. My cholesterol is 4.1 and my doctor insists on doing it every 3 months because he cant believe I eat what I do and have managed to get it so low.

Good (southern hemisphere) morning to all
Like you Olive, I missed a week of posting -very glad to hear you are healing (in many ways by the sound of it!)
I’ve also been a little lacking in diligence of late-still eating healthily (I actually always have…and fortunately don’t really have a sweet tooth) but not been logging so calories are probably over and more than a couple of glasses of wine have been consumed. Partly as we have been COVID free in Tas for over three months and my kids and partners that are nearby and friends not infrequently drop in for a meal or a drink (which is so good that we can….I just need to be more restrained!) So MFP is open again on my desktop!

We did have a couple of wonderful days last week in a nearby National Park-went up on Thursday in very ordinary (wet, cold and windy) weather. We stayed at the Govt huts (basically camping with walls, bunks and thankfully a wood fire) and on return from a short, wet walk around the lake it stated snowing! (we’re well into spring here, but…) We were visited by a couple of nesting black currawongs (evidenced by the beak-fulls of baked ricotta that they flew of with!), a wallaby with her joey in pouch…and then on hearing a rustling (again), opened the door to a big fat brushtail possum trying to get into our esky!)

The next day dawned clear, cold and magically snow-dusted and we did a pretty strenuous, rocky, eight hour walk around the tarns (small alpine lakes). My muscles are near recovered and I plan to keep up more exercise as I’ve been getting thoracic pain of late (too much computer work)-I have to give a (zoom, of course) presentation on Friday, so that’s not about to let up.

some of our borders open to other states next week and while I’m glad, I’m also concerned that many here have relaxed COVID-safe habits, so anticipate some not-so-good results…..but hopefully I’m mistaken

Wishing you all a great week
Erin

Starting weight 12.4.75
Hello all I’m back. Good old Wendeleg encouraging everyone to get back on it. I did so well at the beginning of the year, then covid and lockdown and summer and a couple of failed restarts.
This is the situation I’m still home working and am very sedentary. I’m not doing any exercise at all.
My partner and I are about to start fertility treatment and I’d like to be at least a little less heavy, so that in the event I conceive, I won’t be at risk of things like gestational diabetes. Equally it feels like now is the time to prioritise myself and look after myself.
So am giving up the booze and back on the band wagon.
Come on guys we can do this.

Your daughter has made such amazing progress already, sunshine-girl! Good for her and good for her to do it while she’s young and can benefit from it.

It’s so confusing that doctors have such diametrically opposed reactions to things. I mean, when I started 5:2 it was because Dr. Mosely’s approach was so thoroughly grounded in research! So why are conventional doctors so skeptical? It’s confusing as well to try to decide whether we should try to achieve a weight loss that improves our health or a low cholesterol reading which we’re told is good for our health. My own doctor, when I said I was going to do this, said she’s not a fan but wouldn’t interfere if my cholesterol numbers don’t get worse. …but she clearly expects my numbers to get worse.

It’s pretty amazing that you’ve lowered yours by using full fat foods! I would like to be in the room and see jaws drop when your blood chemistry numbers come in!

For the last decade or so I’ve eaten pretty “healthily”. I don’t eat fast food. Don’t drink sodas or much beyond water and unsweetened iced tea. I only use processed foods VERY minimally. I mostly only cook from fresh ingredients. I’m glad about that but it doesn’t provide much for me to give up. On the other hand, I do eat enormous volumes of food and I am a certified Carb Addict. My worst moment switching from 5:2 to 800BSD was discovering I’d have to give up beans now as well ::sigh::

Hi sunshine-girl
I was reading about your daughter’s increase in cholesterol and thought I’d copy a post with a video clip I put on the Take A Look at This Thread a while back. Something that seems to be ‘a thing’ on low carb diets for some people is that your cholesterol can go up during the weight loss phase before settling back down when your weight has stabilised. This is a clip of Dr Stephen Phinney but I remember hearing a few experts talk about it. He talks about it happening to people after losing a lot of weight which I know is not your daughter but it maybe something others have found applies to people with less weight loss. Might be just useful for her to be aware of.

It’s late so I’ve just cut and paste the whole thing below.

Reason for LDL Increase for Some on a Low Carb Diet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNfjkTyBUdQ

I’ve just posted this short video clip on another thread and thought it’d be useful to post it here, too. I found it helpful as my cholesterol initially went up when I started BSD (during the weight loss phase) and then dropped down and lower after my weight had stabilised, so this explanation makes complete sense.

It’s not a great recording so it might be worth putting the words up. There’s also a summary slide at the end of the clip.

Hi all,

Happy to say I started the new week (week 4 for me) with a small loss, which was unexpected after a big anniversary dinner on Saturday night. We did choose Japanese and I left the rice, which might have helped, but I more than made up for it with a visit to a cocktail bar beforehand. I also avoided sweet drinks which I don’t usually like anyway, but there was plenty of alcohol. Whoops! Still it was a lovely night, and I’ve tried extra hard since to keep moving. It’s meant to be stormy here later in the week, so might not be much walking going on.

For any other Aussies, I’ve found some good recipes that are adaptable to the BSD in the CSIRO cookbook. I’ve just plugged the ingredients into my app for calories, and looked for ones without “bread units”. Meal planning and cooking has always been my thing, so I’m always on the lookout for new recipes.

Hi everyone, still here. Just to say my daughter looked back on her results for a year ago and her cholesterol is slightly better this year. Just one thought and that is, she had a scan yesterday to rule out pain from a previous op and they couldnt find anything gynaenecological as feared but did diagnose a rathr large gall stone. Doctor told her to eat a very fatty meal and see if the pain came on with that. I am pretty sure a gall stone could impact on her cholesterol. Anyway, she knows what to do diet wise and for her cholesterol. Stop having KFC.
Still keeping on with the exercise and did 30 mins aerobics and 25 min walk today. KOKO

I weighed today. I’m down a couple pounds, total so far since mid-August, 22. My BMI keeps dropping by bits. I suspect next week I will have moved from an “Obese” category to merely “Overweight”. … or very nearly. This will make me soooooo happy! I also lose 1/2″ here and there.

Lots of work still to do but I’m seeing results.

Thanks for the support!

Hi Everyone ,no progress and a bit annoyed with myself.Yesterday I was out to several eating events.lunch chinese fish ball soup with veg (no noodles )followed buy coffee small low fat latte.
Afternoon tea small latte × 2 and a long chat with an old friend.Dinner at home omelette and salad.This morning when I counted my consumption and realized a latte has 13 gms of carbs .No wonder I’m not progressing .I was focussed on food and calories not so much on carbs.I didn’t take control of ordering my friend ordered and I just went along with it.So lesson learned green tea only from now on.I need to check my planned foods before I go out.

Hi there! I am still here and still keeping at it too.

(19/10/2020) 9th week I lost 1.10 kgs = 99.9 kgs.

On 17th August I weighed 118.6 kgs, that’s a total weight loss now of 18.7 kgs (44.14 pounds or 2.93 stones). Since beginning this diet I have managed to keep under or on 800 calories per day with very rarely going over the limit. What has helped me enormously is the daily logging of every meal, every item is logged by weight and calories, keeping a log in itself I have found is very therapeutic and also educational. I also remind myself daily why I am doing this diet, i.e. that I was previously being medicated for high blood pressure, that previously my Fasting Blood Sugar was pre-diabetic, but that now I am no longer taking blood pressure medication because my blood pressure is normal, and that my blood sugar level is now normal, and indeed, that should I be really unfortunate in catching a dose of Covid-19 reducing my weight by so much already, has improved my chances of survival!

Well, 100 kgs was my target and I am now below it. However, I still have a beer-gut, so I have made a new target of 90 kgs, and given myself by Christmas (2 months) to achieve it.

Has been a steady few days, definitely enjoying cutting down.
I can relate the the last poster a lot. Good to keep reminding ourselves why we are doing this.
My Dr thinks my atrial fibrillation is almost certainly the cause of my breathlessness over the last few months.
Made worse by anxiety which of course the breathlessness brings on, bit of a vicious circle.
Definitely spurred me on further to drop the weight. Some cases of atrial fib correcting itself if major weight loss occurs and being over 20 stone is unfair on my heart really. Daily beta blocker struggles as it gets diluted so much by the weight and not keen on going on higher doeses.
I’m still having some carbs but keeping to the 800 calories most days, I know if I miss it that I’m not far off and still well under my maintenance calories.
Used to eat a big lasagne from Tesco all to myself but now buy the small single portion at about 400 cals and would struggle to eat more I think now.
Trying to lose some stress too as that hinders my efforts, just sent a letter to a solicitors to try to bring my probate issue to a quick end. I’m only a beneficiary but appears someone has mistaken my identity so all very strange and could do without it.
Got some berry and chocolate flavoured zero sugar kale shakes to try and meal replacement shakes from Dr Berg in the US if anyone is familiar with him on youtube. I always think he’s like a US answer to Michael Moseley and I cross compare a lot of their advice although Berg is more of a Keto guy I think.
Now aiming for sub-20 stone by Xmas which is 17 pounds to go and a weight loss of just 2lbs a week should get me there. Then the long march to 15 stone next year.

Hi all,
I did an 18 hours fast yesterday to try and tackle my carb cravings, and so far it seems to have worked. Am feeling a lot more balanced today, and just more clear in the head too. Amazing what low-carb eating can do for us! It’s not my official weighing in day today (Mondays) but when I weight myself this morning I was down to 73 kg (I’m 1.66 tall). This marks the loss of 3 stones! Very happy with that. Goal accomplished! Am putting up new small goals so that they will be easier to achieve, the next one going down to 72 kg which will be 20 kg down from where I started, after that down to 70 – as it is such a nice round figure 🙂 , and after that 69 kg which is BMI 25 for me. That was my original over all target, but I have decided to adjust it down a little to give me some wiggle room under BMI 25. 65 kg would be nice.

Wellcome back Russianroulade – I remember you from earlier in the year and that you were doing really well. Good luck!
@rainey – I remember well the feeling of going from BMI Obese to BMI overweight – it’s a great feeling. Keep going. I’ve been doing this since January and as I wrote above getting closer to “healthy” BMI – I never thought that was possible at the start of the year.
James and nhatha – you are both doing so well. Good goals for the rest of the year as well.

Hope you all have a nice day!

I did a bad thing last night. I was raging for something crispy sweet so I opened a packet of French salty buttery cookies (if you know them). They come in packets of 3 cookies about 4″ in diameter. Ordinarily, once I breech the packaging, I’d wolf them all down and then wish for more when they were done. Last night I had ONE.

I left the others on the table where I had mine last night. This morning those 2 were sitting right next to my computer. I picked them up and put them in the dog’s dish. I know giving in isn’t exactly how it’s supposed to go but was quite a moral victory for me.

Today is a fast day. I hope it will get that craving thing out of my system. My husband and I have synched up our fast days. That will make things easier on a practical basis.

I also need to get back to my exercise regime but it’s cut so deeply into the time I have available for chores that I just have to catch up on some of that stuff.

Hi everyone, firstly, Rainey – what is done is done. Forget about it and get back on plan.

Everyone in our village probably heard me squealing in the bathroom this morning. Hubby said it cant be a spider as I am not scared, so he quessed i must have lost weight. I have passed the 77 kg mark and just gone into the 76’s at 76.8 kg. Great boost for the weekend as I never want to see 77 again. That is a one pound loss for my Christmas goal of 9.5 lbs so 8.5 still to go.

Everything else is as well as can be expected in these times. Our French region (Dordogne) has not been affected by the heavy lockdowns and curfews. Not that it would have any impact on us as we dont go anywhere except the supermarket. Big excitement today is the gas man is coming with his big tanks to deliver our annual supply. We are expecting it to be much less than last year as we have been switching off the hot water unless we actually need it and then a 10 minute boost is enough for a shower. Sounds stupid but when we lived in the UK and worked everyday the hot water was only on for morning and evening and on a timer for the rest of the time. We have just been a bit lax here and left it on all of the time. What an exciting life I have.

Stay well everyone and keep on keeping on…

Well done s-g …. just keep on keeping on ………

Hi,
Just found this amazing site, think it could be what I have been looking for for a very long time!

I have been trying to lose weight for all of my adult life – BMI currently 32.1 which categorises me as obese. I love food, cooking, socialising and have some difficult to manage habits e.g. a very sweet tooth. I have a husband who does not need to lose weight and who is sympathetic to ‘healthy eating’ and I do most of the shopping & cooking which is fine with me.

I know a lot about food and nutrition and have read the 8 week BSD book.

What I would be very grateful for is advice on how to just stick with this way of eating. I’m great at starting them but tend to fall of the wagon after a couple of weeks. All advice gratefully received!
SQ102

Hi everyone
Sensing the need to dig in really deep right now.On a personal level the virus is affecting people close to us ( my niece in the Uk and close friends here) and the situation in France is very worrying with daily cases rising dramatically. Up until now it was the big cities which were most seriously affected but all of France including the rural areas are impacted now. Our region has been placed on curfew from 9pm to 6am . Restaurants are hit hard and it’s sad seeing all these fast food delivery offers on French TV. It’s very hard to see how this will all end..so yes let’s dig in folks.

Thanks for your good wishes Butterlover and all the best in your endeavours to get good blood work at the docs. Maybe plan your meal if you are eating out, checking menus etc ? I have found restaurants very accomodating in offering alternatives to the obvious high carb foods. I have just read that you plan to do that, sorry ! Most definitely keep an eye on the carb levels of foods.

You are always so determined V and you know how to get back on track each time. I agree, we have to have a clear mind and not get drawn into comfort eating but it’s not easy. I think I am developing an addiction for preloved online purchases ….

WELL DONE SG on getting to the 76s !! So pleased for you and a great motivator for the weekend !
About your friend..I totally agree , producing oodles of keto friendly foods is not the way to go. They just keep the sugar cravings alive in my opinion and it would be a better approach to gradually eliminate all sweet foods even if using artificial sweetners ( which have an impact on insulin levels if I remember rightly ?) I hope your diabetic friend is careful, SG. I understand life is difficult and really feel for you and how you are missing your daughter . I am sure you will find a way to support her and get through this together. I sincerely hope she doesn’t have a gall stone incident as hubby’s experience was excruciatingly painful Sending a massive hug .

Hi Olive ! Glad you are getting back to normal ( take it easy though ) and congratulations on being so close to your 3 stone discard ! Well done on making friends with your tummy ! It’s always a troublesome area for us . You will soon be back into your regular exercise routine and enjoy feeling good in your own skin !! You know how to tackle any carb creep Olive ! Just read you achieved that 3 stone discard, Olive and that you are back in control of the carbs !! Brilliant !! I did find things slowed down significantly as I continued but you have a good sound hold on the process and you will get to where you want to be, I am sure.

Rainey , I don’t think your daughter is ready to engage with you about her weight and I fully understand her refusal to subject herself to the yoyo treadmill of elation and disappointment.That’s because she is seeing weight loss as a diet of restriction and deprivation.Of course it is as we adjust to low carb eating but as we know, the key is to find satisfying healthy foods which replace the carby stodge long term. It took me a long, long time to figure it out too, Rainey. Keep going, you are doing brilliantly and well done on not scoffing all those biscuits ! (don’t buy them ;-)) Fasting can be a good reboot strategy to break the cravings. Hopefully your daughter will see your results and make the decision to improve her own health.

You are so lucky EC to be virtually Covid free in Tasmania ( sincerely hope it stays that way )and your stay in the Natioanl Park sounds wonderful ! All that fresh air activity and close encounters with the wild life sounds amazing ! You live in a stunning place, Erin ! Good luck with your ongoing work commitments.

Hi RussianRoulade !! Good to see you ! Oh crikey RR, that is great motivation to give yourself the best chance ever of conceiving. We are all with you and all the very best with the fertility treatment. This is most definitely the time to look after yourself. Stay with us RR.

Hi Jennie ! Yes, I remember reading about the research into low carb eating and raised cholesterol and the conclusion that it was not cause for concern. SG is certainly a very good example of that.

Hi Mifoz ! You understandably had reason to celebrate with a few cocktails ! Let us know if you come across any interesting recipes .

Hi nhatha3432 ! Very well done on that (almost) 3 stone discard ! I enjoyed logging all my intake too and seeing the numbers dropping ( albeit slowly at times ) Fantastic results reducing your BP and getting your blood sugars down. Good luck with your next target …you can do it !!

Hi James ! I hope things settle for you. You have a lot of stress there. You know exactly why you are doing this ….the benefits will be enormous for your health. It’s good that you are seeing this as a long term thing, James. We will be with you every step of the way. Set yourself achievable targets. Yes, I respect Dr Berg too. I have seen his white board presentations on Instagram !

Hi Susie Q !! Welcome to the thread ! You are on the list so I will be shouting out to you every week ! I assume you understand the priniciples of Fast 800 ?
So…how to stick with this way of eating ? I would just say take measurements, record your starting weight, log it all in whatever means suits you ( I am a bit old school and jut got a big note book) Log all your foods and cals and especially carbs, decide WHY you are doing this and that you WILL succeed this time and go for it !! What is brilliant is that this way of eating will result in significant discard early on which is fabulous motivation for continuing . If you are here now Susie then it’s because you want to make a difference and improve your health. Only you can decide how important that is, and how much better ultimately than a snack. We will give you all the support we can . Decide this is YOUR time !

Sorry this is a long post but I couldn’t catch up properly until today. I like chatting to you all. Stay safe folks. I am keeping my beady eye on hubby who enjoys his socialising and meals out with his mates.It all feels a bit unsettling as he is in his seventies and needs to be even more vigilant now.
Ho hum …got to stay positive ! We are ok, we are all here because we want to be in better health. We are not going to give up now xxx
Lots of love and wishing you all a great weekend whatever you have planned .
Please check in everyone …articfox, Julz, Double Dutch ? Amz ? Eclectic ..where are you ?
Thinking of you all xx

Inspirational Wendy, stay safe.

Thank you Wendy – a wonderful post. xxx

awww thank you !!
Hi Merry ! I see the situation in Oz is improving as we are facing harsher restrictions so all the efforts paid off. I hope your life in Melbourne can get back to some normality so you can enjoy the warmer seasons. One day we will get back to your beautiful country .

Merry..I made your lemon achard recipe and it is sitting happily in the kitchen.I did put it on the window sill on a couple of sunny days but we have had a lot of rain since.I don’t know if the warmth is an important factor ?

Thinking of you SG. I know the weekends are tricky for you. This one begins with a lovely boost with that number appearing on the scales xxx I reckon if I drank I would be tempted to celebrate with a glass of something but that’s not what I should be saying ! 😉 Kazz Uk told me she has a small shot of vodka with sparkling water and a dash of lime juice which satisfies her wish for something but not quite a bottle of wine. I use vodka mixed with castile soap and lemon oil to clean my kitchen work tops 😉 😉

I would rather have some choc rather than a drink which is not good either !!!! My favourite bio shop is on holiday at the moment so no choc or almonds in the house. That’s me sorted 😉

However I made some yoghurt overnight which has set nicely.
We find out this weekend if our friends have the virus. We haven’t been in close contact for over 2 weeks but it is still concerning as they were ultra careful .
We can only do our best.
Have a good weekend everyone and stay safe xxxxx

I think the lemon achar will be fine. I left mine for about 2.5 weeks. It is really tasty and zingy and I’ll make a second batch this week as my lemon tree is still producing.
Can I ask how you make your yogurt? Do you use a yogurt maker?
It’s our Football Final day today ( Australian Rules Football). It’s being held a month late, at night (it’s always in the afternoon) and in a different State ! All very strange due to COVID restrictions in Melbourne. But looking at the outbreaks in Europe and US I am thankful we have had such a good long lockdown. Really hoping we can get through our summer without a third wave. I hope your friends- and you – stay well. 🌺🌼🌸

Thanks Merry.
I am not a sophisticated yoghurteer (?) and would not be confident not using a yoghurt maker. A friend passed hers on to me and my online research recommended using raw milk here which I first boil, or full fat pasteurised milk.I add a starter ferment and then leave for 10 hours in the yoghurt maker. Following that you can add one of the yoghurts to the milk to continue the process for the next batch.
Rainey is the expert , Merry ! She posted a very detailed explanation on the thread on how to make yoghurt without a yoghurt maker

https://thebloodsugardiet.com/forums/users/rainey/replies/

Check out her post on October 6th
All the best xxx

hello all, just loving the support here for our mental as well as physical health 😍…..I have been taking positive steps with my mental health this week….but I gained just under a lb and I am not sure if it is the extra bipolar medication or not sticking to my diet well enough….I am supposed to ring my GP after half term and I am going to ask to return to my lower dose and also going to continue making good efforts with the food and exercise.
Love to all xxx

Hi everyone, OMG what a waste of vodka Wendy, try using vinegar instead. Works a treat. I do sometimes have a small vodka instead of opening a bottle of wine although I havent had any alco since the 15th September. Just cant face the disappointment with my weight. once I make up my mind I can be very determined. Hubby has had a few glasses of wine with weekend dinners so I have been very strong. Rotten thing has just eaten a pizza for lunch while I had Spanish chorizo and chickpea soup. Enjoyed my soup but couldnt stand the sound of him crunching away.

Just lost another 1 lb so am well up for a highly motivated weekend. My 9.5 lb goal for Christmas is now only 7.5 lbs away. Still exercising every day except Thursday (out shopping) and Sunday (even the big man had a rest day) although if the weather is nice I will have my Sunday walk. Aerobics in the morning and a short walk in the afternoon. Also still doing facial exercises every day. Took a photo on 1st Sept and will check again on 1st Nov, not much change on 1st Oct but still a little better around the jawline.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend everyone and KOKO.

Just do what you can Tulip.That’ s a big ask finding peace with your mental state and coping with that in the present circumstances.I hope eating well makes you feel better in yourself and I think it is accepted that exercise is really good for your mental health. My exercise regime is gentle . I have added Pilates videos for any home exercise and I am enjoying that, hoping to increase strength and flexibilty ( I have a way to go !)
I hope you can find the right balance of medication which works for you Tulip.
We are always here xx

SG I think I have to be careful with vinegar on granite worktops ? I use lemon and vinegar in the bathroom. I only buy cheapo vodka from Aldi or Lidl .
Well done on your legendary determination. Not giving in to join hubby with a glass of wine despite constant disappointments. Your target is within reach ! We frequently have different meals here…hubby likes hearty stews and meat. He doesn’t add pasta, rice or potatoes but sat and ate a family size bag of crisps last night AFTER his meal !! It’s a good job he didn’t have his hearing aid in as I tend to nag him when he does that 😉
Be careful going out SG. I know your shopping trips are infrequent.Our friend here tested positive.She had a raft of symptoms and yet was very careful so who knows ?? The situation in France is disturbing. Take care .I know you do xx

Can I just add a little to the granite cleaning. I use an e-cloth system specially for granite just with very hot water. Leaves a lovely shiny streak free surface. You can always use an antiseptic spray first and wipe off if needed but I don’t usually.

I know you are both in France and I’m in the UK but it’s the same virus. We are in tier 3 so pretty bad but can I just add a little damping down of the ‘fear’. Our great nephew is a doctor working on the front line and a week ago he told us not to overly worry, wear masks when you are out and very importantly socially distance and using his words “ … if you are being careful and sensible it’s very difficult to catch”. He sees the problem emanating from those out mixing , without masks etc, and then passing it on to others unwittingly. I think maybe we all need to be careful who we mix with even if they are family. We will get through this. We need to keep some perspective. We will come out the other side, we just have to keep on keeping on …….. !

Awww thank u Wendleg 😚😚😚

“I know you are both in France and I’m in the UK but it’s the same virus. We are in tier 3 so pretty bad but can I just add a little damping down of the ‘fear’. Our great nephew is a doctor working on the front line and a week ago he told us not to overly worry, wear masks when you are out and very importantly socially distance and using his words “ … if you are being careful and sensible it’s very difficult to catch”. He sees the problem emanating from those out mixing , without masks etc, and then passing it on to others unwittingly. I think maybe we all need to be careful who we mix with even if they are family. We will get through this. We need to keep some perspective. We will come out the other side, we just have to keep on keeping on …….. !”

AMEN! to this! I’m in the US where our central government has given us NO help in combatting or avoiding this virus. SOME of our state and local governments are doing their best but the effort is, to say the least, spotty around the country. Nevertheless, as Verano and her nephew indicate, diligent preventive protocols can do well to keep us safe.

My daughter is an Intensive Care nurse in Los Angeles’ major hospital treating the most sick and vulnerable populations. (Our health care system is different here and allows some populations to live in poor conditions and *be* more vulnerable.) She’s the one doing the intubating and extubating — THE most dangerous procedure of all! — on a daily basis. When Covid first struck she sent her 9yo son to live with us lest she bring it home to him. He was here for almost 2 months with only telephone contact with his parents. Then it began to become apparent that she wasn’t getting ill — exhausted, but not ill — and neither was her husband. She took her son back home and they’ve continued to be well after almost a year of her daily exposures.

We gather from time to time. We also mask, wash our hands and keep apart but within speaking distance. Except for the fact that we eliminate unnecessary errands and exposures, we live our lives quite normally. My hair’s gotten very long, my husband works from home, my social events now take place on Zoom but life seems quite normal and pleasant and optimistic.

Covid is 1) avoidable and 2) increasingly treatable.

PS Eliminating one of my co-morbidities was what got me serious about getting healthy and losing weight. Everybody here is doing an important thing to keep themselves safer!

It is so good to read some robust messages on Covid. Here is to keeping on keeping on, while taking sensible precautions.

Welcome SuzyQ102. Wendleg has already given you some very useful tips on how to stick at it. I would add:
– don’t be a perfectionist. If you slip up with something sugary/carby, pick yourself up and get back on the wagon. I think Verano once said that if you spill some wine on your favourite blouse, you wouldn’t carry on and pour the bottle over yourself! It is so tempting to say what the hell after making a slip. But resist! One hour at a time…
– drink plenty of water. So often we fancy something from the cupboard and it is really thirst that is driving us.
– your sweet tooth will vanish – yes really – if you focus on cutting down the carbs. If you feel you must treat yourself, reach for a few nuts, a bit of cheese, or 85%+ chocolate. Much better for you than something sugary that will lift you briefly and give you further cravings.
– have a good dig on this website – particularly the thread “Have a look at this..” You will find some excellent videos that explain who the real villains are, and why sugar and processed food have made life so difficult for us.
– And shout if you have questions. There is a lot of good humoured wisdom to find on this site. Very best wishes.

Hi everyone,
I have been off-line for a bit to try to get some things sorted, but just saw your shout-out, Wendy. I suddenly had word 2 weeks ago that my horse was being kicked out of his livery situation (well, the owner said I gave her notice, but of course I didn’t – I told her I was hoping to get someone in to do my fencing in November sometime and she says she took that as me giving notice for November 1st – crazy!), so I had to scramble and find him a new livery situation as she had given his spot to someone else (I suspect to a horse that eats less and is not an ex-racehorse with excessive amounts of energy). Luckily I was able to get in with some friends of friends, and he will only be 20 minutes away. I will have to go and care for him most days again, and will be nice to spend time with him again, but adds another thing to my plate. I continue to have issues with my injured back as farm chores keep aggravating it, so I hope it will improve before the 1st so horse chores also don’t aggravate it. Partly it was because it has suddenly turned very cold (down to -6 tonight!) and we have had a very early onset of winter with snow yesterday, so I was really working hard trying to get ready. I had set up a low polytunnel to protect my veggies, but it collapsed in a heavy downpour early in the week as the poly pipe I was using was too flimsy, so I had to go and buy some straight metal conduit instead and had to make a template to use to bend it into a curve myself. I was doing that on breaks, at lunch and after work on Thursday and luckily got it done before it started to snow early in the morning on Friday, but it hurt my back. So far the tunnel is holding up though. I had my first harvest of radishes and rocket this afternoon. I gave some of the radishes to my dad as he was here helping me to finish insulating my bay window, and had the rest for dinner. I haven’t tried the rocket yet. Anybody have some ideas for some good winter rocket recipes?
I do need to get back on track, food-wise. I have been so stressed that I haven’t felt like eating properly at all, but then got so hungry that I made an impulsive run to the local supermarket and bought some things I shouldn’t have. I also had a power outage one evening just as I was thinking of preparing dinner (heating up some curry that I had batch cooked), and as it dragged on, I eventually raided my emergency kit. The food really needed eating and replacing anyway as it was getting old, and there were some decent things in there, but I also ate too many of the largish bag of pistachios. Anyway, I’m set now with eggs, olives, rocket (of course!), feta, mayonaise, pears, etc., so hopefully will be able to come up with some appetizing meals.

Thanks V. I agree we have to keep things in perspective. There was a distinct sense of things ‘creeping closer’ here as up until now we had been pretty much spared in the rural areas but that is no longer the case . I totally agree Rainey , we have to remain diligent , realistic and of course, focused on staying healthy.
Articfox, that was more stress to deal with but you managed it.So sorry you are still suffering with your back. I know you will get back on track when the stress eases a bit but you are full on with all the jobs to do.Take care.

It’s time to set up the new weekly thread !

The new weekly thread is up and running xx

Thank you for such a warm welcome, Wendy. Planning on starting tomorrow having done some prep. Excited and nervous at the same time!