Positive Thoughts Thread Anyone?

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  • posted by KrysiaD
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    Hi Allie
    Congratulations on your one year anniversery on maintenance. I am so impressed that you did the BSD and four months of maintenance without the support of this forum. I find that so amazing as I know that I couldn’t have done any of it without this forum and needed support every step of the way.

  • posted by Verano
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    Wonderfully inspirational track. Whenever I lose my way I will play that … great BSD anthem!

  • posted by Joes Nonna
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    Bloody auto-carrot…it should say I will be with you, albeit in my slippers! Lol.
    Nonna

  • posted by Californiagirl
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    Hi Allie! I thought we weren’t quite there yet, but obviously I missed your post! I’m picturing fireworks, all over the sky and spelled out in sparkling colors, “GO ALLIE ONE YEAR MAINTENENCE”.
    Calories and carbs be damned, open a bottle of good champagne (Billecourt is good) and celebrate!
    Continuing best wishes from the California member of the BSD,
    Julia

  • posted by alliecat
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    Mary, I truly enjoyed slipping and sliding around in my slippers with you this afternoon 🙂 Bless your sweet heart
    for putting up my link for everyone to enjoy! Whatever natural gifts I have, IT is not one of them!

    Krysia, I don’t know either, but I just think a whole lot of willful stubborness became a virtue for once, and
    a lot of research too! It would have been so much more fun to do this together, but I simply stumbled upon
    the community last August, and it is an anniversary date of sorts also. At the risk of revealing the depth of my
    sentimentality, that date was August 13th! It changed my life in ways I could never have imagined 🙂

    I love fireworks, Julia! Thank you for shooting off a display 🙂 Next goal is to chase after you to year number
    two! Never mind California, the entire west coast is yours. LTC and I have the east coast well in hand! Maybe
    we all need to drop leaflets from a piper cherokee? This vast nation could certainly use it!

    Allie
    xoxo

  • posted by alliecat
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    It’s wonderful that this song from a 2000 CD collection entitled “The Essential Whitney Houston” resonated
    with you, too, V.! I found it in a storage box months ago, and it just said BSD to me, also 🙂 🙂 🙂

  • posted by marie123
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    Well Allie – hope you enjoyed the celebrations. I’m afraid I missed the UK celebration time (still out walking) but watched and enjoyed the Whitney video while making dinner.
    Positives for yesterday
    1) Lots and lots of steps – can’t say how many as I forgot to take my pedometer
    2) Thoroughly enjoyed talking to people out and about in my community
    3) Had a lovely lunch out with OH and friends, both old and new – and looking out over a beautiful, sparkling blue sea

  • posted by marie123
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    JGwen – yes, I did think it might be the water I’m falling down on – it was ever thus.

    Hope you’re right about the man machine – would like to see it sometime.

    Snap with the car radio code. Our car radio was out for the count for at least 6/8 months after the car broke down and we couldn’t find the code. I finally got the code online (cost £5) the day before my trip to Cardiff – the luckiest thing I’ve done for ages (apart from BSD, of course) because I really relied on the weather and traffic reports driving back in all that snow and bad weather. Phew, good timing or what – and a retrospective positive!

  • posted by Verano
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    Allie I know you are a great fan of Gary Taubes. I read the sample of his book on my kindle and now have the full blown book. I can see, even from the start, that there is yet another ‘brainwashed’ notion that I need to reassess. Just like the low fat mantra I now need to get my head around the idea that calories in/out don’t make you fat! Anyway what I really wanted to know was what regime you followed to lose weight. I know you didn’t find this forum until you were four months into maintenance so I guess you didn’t find the BSD Diet until then. So how did you do it?

  • posted by Californiagirl
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    Hi Verano! I love that you have already seen the value of Gary Taubes’ book — I actually read his first book, “Good Calories Bad Calories” a couple of years earlier and it had already changed my entire viewpoint on calories and explained the history behind the governments current food pyramid.
    Then “Why We Get Fat” added another piece with its discussion of how insulin locks up our energy in our cells and then I found the BSD book on a trip through London Heathrow and that was when it all finally clicked.
    Taubes’ book gives you the “why” — and that somehow got my brain understanding that all the information that had been dished out by the health authorities (and my mother) just did not apply to ME — because i’m obviously a high insulin person (and the reasons for that are becoming more and more interesting, as they continue the research, including all kinds of factors that I had not imagined).
    Once I got that insulin down by low carbing (and I aimed for 20 grams or less per day but probably averaged 30, with some days close to zero) I started to shift the weight easily and quickly.
    I will always be low carb but now I’m so used to it that it seems right and I am one of those people who lost their sweet tooth completely along the way. I was the absolute sugar queen before: fresh fruit bowls for breakfast, dried fruits for snacks, oatmeal cookies, only homemade treats, sugar in coffee, homemade whole grain breads, potatoes, quinoa, brown rice — I thought I was SO healthy — ha ha, what a joke.
    It took some weeks to seriously get to 20 grams of carbs — I had to learn how to do it — I have become best friends with all the power greens out there! But I felt better and better and just never looked back.
    This forum turned me on to fasting and that has had huge benefits for maintenance but I never tried it while losing the weight (800 calories was low enough) but fasting helps a lot now, and can undo a day or two where I get a bit carried away (still happens now and then).
    Yay! So glad you are reading it! Allie and I sound like broken records (well Allie always sounds nice) but it is the BEST aid to BSD weight loss I ever found.

  • posted by Californiagirl
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    Oops, I should note as a P.S. that in maintenance I eat more carbs — but they are mostly from veggies and nuts and pulses (with the odd Wasa cracker and a bit of quinoa now and then) and I eat about 2200 calories per day. As long as I avoid the sugar in all its forms, it is easy to maintain. I’m still careful with fruit.

  • posted by SunnyB
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    Just a quick duck in to say we are now in Turkey and the weather is glorious. Great journey down, barring a couple of minor irritations. Stayed at a wonderful little hotel, with a glorious view of Mont Blanc, as well as a lovely hotel in Italy we have used before. Journey was much better paced and resulted in better tempers throughout.

    Congrats to you Allie and I hope you enjoyed your celebrations. Hope that our Antipodean friends are all safe, given the fires around Sydney. Good to see you back and posting Verano.

    It seems almost churlish to offer up some positives given my current situation, but here goes:
    1) Arrived at our second home safely.
    2) Started to catch up with our friends here.
    3) Relishing the time OH and I are getting together, without the interruption of his normal work routine.

    Will try to drop in periodically, but forgive me if I don’t keep pace with what is happening on the forum for the next three months.

  • posted by Californiagirl
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    That sounds amazing SunnyB! Have a wonderful extended holiday. Where are you in Turkey?

  • posted by Marsie
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    Hello all,

    A couple of positives for me today:
    1. My youngest sister had operation for bowel cancer last Wednesday. Today she was given the news that her pathology results were very good. All gone, no further treatment needed. As mentioned on another thread, still a 3 month period of healing with stoma bag in place before the reversal can be done. Still……so good, so good, I’m still teary more than 12 hours later.
    2. Had 9y.o. grandson with us until just after lunch today – school holidays just started, we’ll see a bit of him over the next 2 weeks. Always a delight. As he said to me today, “but Nana, you can’t really say that I’m 9 because I’m 10 next month!” Oh, the wonderful rush to get on with life:)

  • posted by Verano
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    Californiagirl thank you so much for taking the time to give me such a comprehensive reply. I have been low carbing for 21months now and really find sweet foods awful. I do still enjoy the very occasional slice of apple, berries and rhubarb and of course my beloved 90% Lindt! I can ‘taste’ sugar in things that you would never imagine. I am truly convinced that in time you really no longer desire bread, potatoes, cookies etc. I really need to get my carbs lower, and I’m sure that by the time I get to the end of the book, I will have renewed enthusiasm to jump back into a very low carb way over life.

  • posted by Verano
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    Hi SunnyB glad you’ve arrived safely now you just have to ‘sit back’ and enjoy! Keep in touch as and when and stay ‘positive’!

    Really good news for you Marsie it’s always a worry when somebody close to you is ill but at least the prognosis is looking good.

    So to my positives for yesterday …..
    1. Cooked a really nice courgette base ‘stew’. I know I need to get back to fewer meat meals.
    2. Have discovered a lovely Aldi lemon green tea which is perfect for my ‘head cold’.
    3. The apple tree is in bud and not far off flowering. I’m so glad Spring is late this year so I can still enjoy the blossom or daffodils.

  • posted by alliecat
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    Look what happens when I have a full Monday of time sensitive chores to accomplish – I miss so
    many happy positive posts!

    I’m glad you had a relaxing trip to Turkey, Sunny. I can almost feel that sun on your face! Thanks
    for checking in 🙂 , as well as your good wishes.

    We love to hear from you, Julia. How are you and your husband doing, planning the new chapter
    in your life?

    V., please forgive me for taking so long to respond 🙂 You know I’m happy to talk about the BSD
    all day long, but I’m not sure what you mean by my regimen. If you’re interested in specifics about
    food choices, I’m glad to provide them, but to speak more generally about what plan I followed….
    When we discovered that o/h had stage 3 congestive heart failure, I began doing research on heart
    healthy diets. That brought me to the mediterranean style of eating. However, the American Heart
    Assoc. was recommending 6-8 servings (1/2 c each) of whole grains….O/h had to lose 50lbs, so
    I knew that was not going to fly. Next stop was “low carb med. diet” research. This yielded a
    definition of under 50g carb per day. We started down that road, and about 2 months in he hit
    a plateau, so I finally weighed MYSELF too, and I sat on a plateau for 18 days. Back to the computer
    for additional research, which led me to ketogenic diets of <20g carbs per day. I didn’t care for
    the idea of so much animal fat in light of husbands blocked coronary arteries, so I rejected all but
    the concept of ketosis and <20g of carbs/day. We were now eating heart healthy fish 3 x week, plus
    free range chicken breast and eggs, greek yogurt and small portions of nuts and seeds for
    protein. Vegetables were mostly greens and cruciferous vegetables. We eliminated all fruit with
    the exception of small portions of raspberries to get the carb numbers down to 20g. I’ve always
    known that 8 glasses of water were necessary for weight loss, and at this point I upped that to
    3 liters a day. From that date on my weight loss was a dependable .5lb a day. Husband’s wasn’t
    more than 1-1.5lbs per week, and in my opinion the discrepancy was the result of his unwillingness
    to cut out breakfast cereal (a good 25g of carbs there!) More evidence that I was on the right track,
    and that we were both insulin resistant. Next I did research on macros, and arbitrarily arrived at
    50g protein and saw to it that I got the recommended 20-25g of fiber each day, which was
    manageable with adding in 1/4 avocado, 1/4 c raspberries, 1 tbs chia and 1 tbs raw unsweetened
    cacao nibs, plus the aforementioned vegetables. Somehow my calories just seem to add up to
    750-850 each day! I’ve simply stayed on that path til I reached maintenance. So you see, without
    realizing it, I discovered that I had been doing the BSD all along, with the 20g tweak that I had
    added to my program. When I finally discovered the forums, I quickly realized that the most
    successful maintainers had in fact made the same tweaks as a result of forum advice, not info
    contained in Mosley’s book, which I know is nothing short of a miracle for those who are prediabetic
    or T2D. For these people, accelerated weight loss was a secondary gain to getting BSL under control.
    I tend to see it as all part of the same puzzle, because when you become very obese, you’re heading
    toward prediabetes or T2D anyway, it’s only a matter of time. This why I say that even though I
    didn’t know about the BSD, I had unwittingly been doing it all along 🙂 🙂 🙂 Is this what you were
    interested in, V.? I’m happy to drone on anytime, if I haven’t completely covered it. Oh, wine also
    went out the window for the duration when I learned that each glass contains 3.8-4g of carbs, and
    2 glasses on a holiday added an instant 1.5lbs to my weekly weigh-in, and took about 5 days to
    shift. Sad, but true! I still count carbs, and have learned that my tipping point is @ 35-40g carbs
    per day, but I don’t need to weigh and measure food any longer. My TDEE is @ 1500 cal./day, and
    I don’t now exceed that because my appetite is completely under control. I’ve never returned to
    bad carbs or sugar, and calories needed come from more BSD friendly food, and small amounts
    of root vegetables a few times a week. I’m still 12 lbs under target after 1 year, so see no need to
    make any changes. Just need to keep carbs under 40g and make sure I don’t eat below my TDEE,
    because I can’t afford to lose anymore. I’m happy you’ll be with me on the new challenge! I
    sincerely hope that this isn’t TMI 🙂 🙂 🙂

    I almost forgot the positives! Husband didn’t know that Sunday was my anniversary date until
    I mentioned in passing how many friends had offered up congratulations. He was off to the
    library for the afternoon (It’s the favorite haunt of professors 🙂 ), and he returned at dinnertime
    with a beautiful orchid to mark the occasion. All in all, it was a remarkable day, thanks to all of
    you.

    Allie

  • posted by Verano
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    WOW Allie what a great response. You have answered my query fully. I thought that you had basically done this by yourself just with your own research and I was right. So even greater applause for you. A truly remarkable achievement. I understand that your husband’s heath may have been your driving force to a certain extent, but nonetheless your resolve and vigilance have really paid off, and brought you to where you are today, which is minus 140lbs plus if I remember correctly. I can only admire you. It must be difficult for you sometimes when people ‘fall off the wagon’, have a few ‘treats’ or any of the other codes used for just not following the plan.

    Sounds like you have a wonderfully thoughtful husband and I hope you enjoy your orchid …. my favourite houseplant too !

    I’m reallly pleased you have started the latest 4 week challenge. I started the first one way back in 2016 for support because I was losing my motivation, and have found them invaluable. Now I just need the extra ‘ummmph’ of 1 week ‘accountability ‘ as well. Sad really but I’m afraid my resolve has weakened as time has gone on! Complacency has set in but now is the time to knock that on the head and so full steam ahead. You are my beacon of light.

  • posted by alliecat
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    I’m so glad that I understood correctly, V 🙂 I guess I’m just “atypical” in every sense of the word. Left-handed
    too…and God knows what else! I feel privileged to be a beacon of light, and happy to be the wind beneath
    your wings 24-7, or anytime you need me to be! Just shout! and I’ll come running 🙂 I don’t mind the platitudes
    or excuse making we sometimes witness here; I see bad carbs/sugar as no different from any other addiction,
    i.e., alcohol or drugs. Denial comes with the territory, and sometimes manifests itself in bizarre ways. Not
    everyone is ready for the reality, and all we can do is just share the message. I was catching up with a thread
    I used to follow, only to hear we 20g carb BSDers being described as “zealots”! 🙂 🙂 🙂 lol Glug down that water,
    V.! See you tomorrow…

    Allie

  • posted by KazzUK
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    I bought the Taubes book along with Fung so haven’t read Taubes yet. I will this weekend as I also need to remind myself. Allie, you are an inspiration, not a zealot!. Some, like you and your husband J, it’s critical to change diet quickly, no messing around. Some of us can take more time and let’s be honest, fanny around. BUT, the Important thing is that we do all get it, and we fit it around our lifestyles.
    Love to all.
    Kazzeexx.

  • posted by alliecat
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    “Kazzi, my dear and crazy friend, “fanny around”? That’s another “new one” for me! Haha 🙂 There is an
    equivalent expression here, I think, for procrastination. I don’t use it outside of the house, and only when
    I’ve asked J. to take out the garbage, or something that is about as exciting, and he just can’t seem to “remember”
    to do it, after more than 3 requests. Stop “farting around”! Same general region, wouldn’t you say? 🙂 Maybe
    a linguistic expert would know where these expressions come from!!!
    I can find a positive in just about anything, so from this day forward a “BSD zealot” will refer to anyone who
    is willing to do WHATEVER it takes to control their eating habits!!! I’m “guilty as charged”, and happily so.
    As usual, you’re right that we must all find what is sustainable for us.
    Another “Taubes Woman” in the making, Kazz? I’m interested to hear what you think of the book, too!
    See everyone tomorrow 🙂 Just off to clean up the kitchen before lights out…

  • posted by Joes Nonna
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    Good Morning Everyone. A beautiful good to be alive day here!

    1) I am below 15 stone for the first time in over 20 years!
    2) I am two thirds of the way through a 48 hour fast.
    3) I went to a Yoga class last night and enjoyed it…will be going again.
    4) Life is GOOOOD!!!

    Nonna Mary
    xxx

  • posted by Gattina
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    Hi all
    I never post on this thread – but I wanted to respond to Allie and Kazzee – I have an explanation of where ‘fanny about’ comes from:
    Have you heard the expression “sweet fanny adams” – it came from the murder of an 8 year old girl in 1867. Her body was dismembered and found in a field. It became very well known in England because it was so shocking. Sailors started to refer to bad quality meat they were served as sweet fanny adams or just fanny adams, likening it to the tortured and dismembered body. As time went on it was shortened to FA – which you may recognise is an acronym for something else – f**k all! So the name Fanny Adams was then used to mean nothing. Over time this was shortened to just fanny and started being used as a verb – so fannying around means doing nothing!
    The link to parts of a lady’s anatomy came from risqué books – such as Fanny Hill where the lead character slept around a lot.
    OK – so I did just google this – but it’s so interesting 🙂
    Have a good day all

  • posted by alliecat
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    Gattina!!! How interesting 🙂 We all use everyday expressions without any thought to where they come from.
    I find the derivation of words and sayings fascinating, and have really enjoyed your post. Thanks so much for
    your research, and for sharing it with us. It’s only 6:00am here, so I need COFFEE 🙂 This is a wonderful thread,
    so please pop in anytime!

    Mary, I’m so happy for you! Lowest weight in 20 years? Now, that TRULY is an accomplishment 🙂 🙂 🙂 I’ve
    known you since day 1, so appreciate all of your hard work and tenacity. Venturing forth to yoga, too! Bright
    days ahead for you, and I couldn’t be more pleased. At least 1 cartwheel or backflip coming up! Enjoy your
    day.

    Back later, when I’m fully awake 🙂

    Allie

  • posted by JGwen
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    Hi Gettina,
    Thanks for taking the time to research sweet fanny adams. – I do wonder why Americans and British use the same term to describe different parts of the body, highlighted by what we call bum bags they call fanny packs.

  • posted by Verano
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    Thanks Gattina very interesting. I’m just having one of those days today that has never really got started because of constant interruptions. But I do have some positives

    1. Have lost 5.2lbs of my holiday gain and now just 1lb to go.
    2. Have started using my coffee machine again. There’s nothing quite like strong coffee with a touch of cream!
    3. Have finally caught up with all my paperwork so can now sit down with Gary Taubes, concentrate and enjoy. There’s an article in Diet doctor about him today but haven’t had the time to read it yet.

    Hope you are all well.

  • posted by KazzUK
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    Hi guys.
    Thanks Gattina for explaining where fanny around derives from. I had no idea! A lot of our sayings come from gruesome and macabre history it seems. Allie, I knew that would hook you, knowing how you love words, particularly sayings! Lol
    Well done V, on losing most of your gain. I’m in the same boat and need to knuckle down now that spring has sprung! I’ve also just sat down with my Taubes book and am looking forward to reading it. It will be good to know what you think also.
    There’s quite a few of you in the 5 stone lost club, JGwen, Mary, Marie to name a few. Well done to you all! 👍😁
    Kazzeexx

  • posted by Luvtcook
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    A round of applause for Mary….how satisfying to hit a 20 year low!!! Getting it off is certainly a chore but all you can do is soldier along even if the progress is slow. The important thing is that it is in the right direction and I know what a battle this has been for you. Enjoy your success…..and it is always easier in the nice weather when the fresh produce is at its best. I see sunny skies ahead for you.

    Congrats to you as well Verano……isn’t it lovely that this diet can pretty easily erase a few small indulgences.

    Allie: gosh. Don’t really feel like a “zealot”. More of a pragmatist. Ya gotta do what works.

    As Albert Einstein was quoted as saying “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results”. If you are not losing at 30 g the only sane thing to do is go to a carb level that DOES work. None of the “zealots” would be doing 20 g if we didn’t have to. Lucky are those that can lose at 30 g or 40 g. Wish I was one of them, but alas, am not.

    LTC

  • posted by Joes Nonna
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    Thank you everyone for your support. Verano, well done on your 5 pounds too!

    Later, you crazy kids.

    Nonna Mary
    xxx

  • posted by KrysiaD
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    Allie – how amazing that you worked out how to do the BSD successfully without ever reading the BSD book. I agree that the bad carbs/sugar can be like an addiction. They certainly were for me.

    Mary – Well done – a fantastic achievement to be below 15 stone for the first time in 20 years.

    Verano – wow – 5.2lbs lost of your holiday gain. Really good news. I also love strong coffee with a splash of cream – it’s my special treat.

  • posted by alliecat
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    I think facing reality can be a strong motivator, Luv, my “BSD zealot” friend! 🙂 We’ve found the answer to the eternal
    question, and that feels like a GRAND positive for me, too!

    It is CRAZY, Krysia! Leave it to me to always take “the long way round”…I could have saved so much research time if
    I had spotted this site first. However, since I’m not usually amenable to taking instruction, I don’t know if a weight
    loss book would have resonated with me in quite the same way as confirming the research on my own. You are
    doing great with the new low BSL reported on another thread. Congratulations! It sounds as if you are solidly in
    ketosis at the moment. All the extra energy would seem to confirm it. I know that that feels amazing! Enjoy it!
    Kind of like an illicit drug, or a natural high, don’t you agree? Best of all, there is no downside to it 🙂

    You’ve made fast work of dispatching your minimal holiday gain, V. Being in control of the mysteries of our
    bodies is a confident place to arrive at, and nothing short of life changing. And this is even before the monumental
    benefits to pre diabetes and T2D that you and Krysia have well in hand. Much respect for you both!!!

    Allie

  • posted by KrysiaD
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    Allie – yes that exactly describes it – as though I am on an illicit drug or natural high – and it does feel really good. As well as the extra energy my brain feels as though it is working really well – it feels as though I am firing on all cylinders. I hadn’t thought that I must have gone into ketosis. Really good that there is no downside to it – not like there is to illicit drugs.

    Also – I think that the BSD book would definitely not have resonated with you in the same way as confirming the research in your own has done. You would probably have read the book and then continued to confirm the research in your own – so you actually did save time.

  • posted by JGwen
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    Positives for today.

    I spent yesterday filling pot holes in the drive, shovelling 3/4 of a ton of chippings and 8 bags of cement into the holes. – ably assisted first by the dog, who thought that running over the cement carrying a branch as a stick for me to throw would be something I wanted, followed by the cats deciding to come over to nag me that it was tea time. So plenty of options for grip for vehicles. 🙂

    I think I have sussed the cause of the emphasised whooshes for me, my tastes have changed and just recently I have been seeking out more salty food than normal. I think its just a balancing act as well moving from most fluid intake coming from coffee to adding soda water to the mix.

    I had thought that the very expensive jodhpurs I bought to celebrate progress on a previous calorie counting diet were going to be a waste of money because they wouldn’t fit and had ignored them. Having a clear out I just dusted them off, and actually they will fit. – Best get some wear out of them quick.

    I love the idea someone else mentioned of a stone for a stone. I am going to look for a nice necklace for my reward to myself for reaching my initial target which is just 1.8kg away now.

  • posted by alliecat
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    JG, I am so impressed with your work ethic! You must be profoundly fit, and put this girl to shame 🙂 Happy news about
    the jodpurs, too. You painted such a wonderfully visual picture of the “pile” on your bedroom floor some months ago,
    and I’m thinking today that it must be all but gone now! The wonderful stone for a stone idea was brought to us by a
    new member, Milliemoo. I like it too 🙂 You better get to thinking about what kind of necklace would please you, because
    that day will dawn before you know it. I decided on a bottle of essence of rose fragrance to celebrate reaching my
    1 year anniversary, but haven’t had the opportunity to pick it up as of yet. I won’t be forgetting about it, however! Have
    you gotten all of the storm damage cleared away? Having roofs blow off and endangering your animals sounded so
    treacherous, especially the exposed nails….

    Verano, what a wonderful idea to reboot the cauliflower thread! I recently discovered some packages of pesto
    (without the cheese) in my freezer, and one packet added to cauli rice is delicious!

    BRING ON THE POSITIVES!

    Allie

  • posted by Verano
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    Good afternoon…. lovely sunny day here so that’s always a positive!
    Sorry I missed yesterday but I do have three positives now ….
    1. Sat in the sunshine yesterday and tried to concentrate on Gary Taubes ….. easier said than done with one interruption after another.
    2. Friend called round for coffee …. interruption number one but nice.
    3. Telephone rang non stop just one of those days …. mostly good.
    Now I’m going to make another stab at reading Taubes although I have to say I’m finding him rather tedious. Maybe the best is yet to come!
    Have a good weekend everyone.

  • posted by alliecat
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    Hey, All! I read that you’ve been having “perfect” weather, so I’m hoping everyone can grab some time in the sun!
    Do you have a garden, V.? I’m sorry that you’ve been finding Taubes a hard read. I guess I won’t recommend his
    previous book, “Good Calories..Bad Calories” to you then, it’s a 500 page tome with a lot of data in it 🙂

    This is becoming a repetitious positive, but a bright light in my life, none the less! Kazzi has been on holiday
    all week, so we were able to grab 2 hrs of skype time yesterday 🙂 🙂 🙂 We usually don’t call an end to it until
    either my back or her seat become too painful to continue ! We behave like teenagers, and it is great fun 🙂

    Enjoy the weekend, one and all. I hear that a storm is coming your way Saturday night!

    xoxo
    Allie

  • posted by Verano
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    Allie yes we do have a garden and it’ s been a pleasure to sit in the warmth and read. Especially as I should be inside ironing or spring cleaning my study! I’m not sure who, but somebody said that Taubes wasn’t repetitive. I find him tedious because he is labouring the same point over and over. Ok so he’s trying to illustrate his theory with ‘proof’ but he is bringing up the same pieces of research again and again. I’m almost half way through, I’ve started so I’ll finish, but I really do hope it gets better!

  • posted by alliecat
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    Me too, V. 🙂 🙂 🙂

  • posted by SunnyB
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    Good to see so many positives being posted. Great to see V back and posting. Thought I’d join in too, so here goes:
    1) just got back from a Veg Festival, where we sampled some very tasty foods and I bought a hand painted vase to put a string of led lights in and use as a little lamp – works really well.
    2) have at last managed to get OH’s Turkish phone sorted with a new SIM on his old number – long story so I won’t go into detail.
    3) thought we’d lost our Turkish dentist, but checked n with her today and secured appointment for a week today.
    Other than that, sun is still shining and life is good.

  • posted by alliecat
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    Sunny! Wonderful to hear from you! You seem to have settled in comfortably, and have adjusted to the rhythm of
    turkish daily life. And your kefir grains survived, too! Whenever we get away, it takes me a good 4 days to begin
    to relax, and stop jumping up every 5 minutes because I imagine there is something that needs to be done!
    Relaxing isn’t my strong suit. Enjoy the sun, and “lazy” days 🙂

    Allie

  • posted by Verano
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    Hi SunnyB sounds like you are having a great time.
    My positives are…..
    1. I have finally got to the crux of the Gary Taubes book and I have to say it is very interesting. I haven’t finished it yet but it does make a lot of sense. Think I need to reassess my carb intake and also the type of carbs I eat.
    2. Related to 1 above …. I have enjoyed sitting in the sun reading and relaxing.
    3. Had a lovely Thai meal out with friends last night. I really do prefer bok choy or water spinach to rice now. In fact I should be saying ‘I don’t like’ rather that ‘ I don’t eat’ rice now!
    Have a good weekend.

  • posted by alliecat
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    Happy Saturday! I talked OH into joining me for a walk along a boardwalk adjacent to the Connecticut River this morning!
    Getting his head out of a book is always a victory for me 🙂 It was quite brisk in terms of the temp., but lots of Spring
    sunshine. I remembered to bring my binoculars this time, and spotted my first ever “Bald Eagle”!!! What a thrill to see
    this magnificent bird wheeling about overhead. His wingspan was incredible! This national bird of the U.S. has been
    endangered for many years, but the population is coming back. What a way to begin the day 🙂
    Have a good one, everybody!

    Allie

  • posted by caronl
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    Allie what a glorious sight. No bald eagles here – but I do come across a buzzard quite often on my dog walks. Even the smaller birds of prey are a sight to behold. Positives today:
    1) Enjoyed beautiful sunshine while gardening.
    2) When pulling up my very old size 20 jeans (now painting trousers!), I fixed them by stringing through a shoelace as a belt. OK it was a trainer shoelace, but thus encouraged, I measured my waist to find I had lost 22 cm in the last 6 months. Still can’t believe it.
    3) I am getting a better idea of what I want to achieve in the May challenge. And it is much more about better fitting size 14 trousers than fewer kilos! Nonna Mary has shown the way!

    Have a lovely weekend one and all.

  • posted by Nicola12
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    Hi all,
    I’ve been meaning to post here for a while as I’d like to make gratitude a daily habit 🙌🏻 My positives for today are:
    -reaching 20lb weight loss which has renewed my determination to lose another 10lb to reach my goal.
    -my beautiful puppy is getting back to her normal self after an operation on Wednesday
    -starting the 6 week countdown to moving up to start our new life in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

  • posted by Joes Nonna
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    I am so happy to post my positives today.

    1) Bought some lovely clothes, size 14 (should say tops size 16/18 bottoms).
    2) Have had the most wonderful response from BSDers. Thank you for your kind words.
    3) Have been shown photo’s of me when 20 stone, my stomach alone was so big I think I lost the 5 stone from just there! No wonder my rings and others stuff still fits.

    Thank you again for your support and kind words. Have a wonderful Saturday.

    Love Nonna Mary
    xxx

  • posted by Nicola12
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    Verano I know you have been struggling with Taubes so I’m interested to know what page you feel it gets better?! I too haven’t found it a page turner yet but I’m committed to finishing it!

  • posted by Verano
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    Bald Eagle! Size 14 clothes! 20lbs down just 10 to go! 5stone down! Just wonderful achievements and real positives. Congratulations everyone.

    Nicola for me it was chapter 11 ‘A Primer on the Regulation of Fat’. I promise you it really does get better and I’m really looking forward to finishing it. It’s made me rethink low carb/diabetes. I think the main thing I’ve learned so far is that it isn’t t just the number of grams of carbs a day but also the type of carbs you eat. I think I still have my old ‘low fat ‘ head on trying to include my favourite carb foods, like crispbreads, into my allowance, like I used to try and maximise my calories including chocolate etc. in the old days. I just need a few days to internalise Taubes and reorganise my diet. I know that I will need some sort of ‘crispy’ food replacement. At the moment I have crispbreads but they will have to go…… any recipes/ideas for ‘crispy crunchy’ foods will be gratefully accepted!

  • posted by treelady
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    Some lovely cheerful positives everyone. Mine for today are –
    1) Not quite as exotic as Alliecat, but heard my first cuckoo today – so it’s official, spring has finally sprung for me.
    2) Made a start cutting back the extremely overgrown laurel hedge that the previous owners let get so out of hand – it might look like a bunch of bald stalks now, but it will look fab once it grows back.
    3) Had my spring haircut today, so feeling a lot lighter around the shoulders and rather more girlie.

  • posted by Nicola12
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    Thanks Verano, that’s helpful. I skipped to chapter 12 last night (I didn’t see your post until now!) as that seemed more relevant to me, but ended up back at chapter 11 as I realised I’d missed some important info on insulin.

    I did have a lightbulb moment last night though when, for the third night in a row, Taubes sent me to sleep. I’m usually a bedtime fiction reader, and I think that Taubes is just a bit much for me last thing at night! I’m going to give it a go today in the daylight though and hopefully can absorb it better!

  • posted by JGwen
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    Hi Nicola12.
    I just posted a long message about the Taubes book on the week challenge thread, rather than repeat it here, thought I would mention it.

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