Hello everyone!

I have had the most wonderful holiday. The staff remembered us from last year (we must be a nuisance lol) and made a fuss of us. We tried to abstain from alcohol, but failed with good grace. I have gained weight (not from eating) but I am confident a few fasts and copious amounts of water will deal with that! Not happy that my house (looked after by my daughter and son in law) was an absolute sh*t tip when I got home. She apologised but….HE could have done something! There is a stain on my Egyptian Cotton Quilt cover (cost a lot of money). The baby’s sticky finger marks everywhere (they could be wiped away, now will need scrubbing). Apparently, HE was ill (both ends) during his stay…not saying anymore except, going to spend all day cleaning sticky floors!

However, I do have some positives!

1) I saw my lovely grandchildren yesterday. Missed them so much and got the most amazing cuddles and love.
2) Weighed myself yesterday and this morning, and have lost a pound overnight !!!!!
3) Slept in my own, incredibly comfortable bed last night. Bliss.

Inka, and Marie 123….are you referring to ….“ah that’s the listening thing before you go to sleep.” ? Thank you for remembering me.

Keep going everyone.

Lots of love
Nonna Mary
xxx

Guys i just got raise!!!
I`m so happy atm)

Positives for the week.
Still feeling good from visiting last week a good friend who lives a long distance away so we only catch up in person occasionally. She kept referring to me as her vanishing friend because of the changes in body shape since we last met.
Met up with another friend yesterday evening who also asked lots of questions about the diet and what I eat each day. You could see the cogs working on maybe following the same routine herself. – It feels great to have enough weight loss that others are taking notice that this WoE works.
Lovely sunny day, with plenty of work to do out in the sunshine.

Hi Inka, how’s it going with your multicooker?
I have a positive NSV to report – I am now wearing a smaller bra! 48G! So much more comfortable than my old bolster holder that did absolutely nothing for me and basically just flattened and contained! It was a very stern sports bra, 50H. I’m now feeling quite perky! 🙂 Truth is though, I have to practically roll ’em up and fit them inside with plenty of rearranging! Who cares?! 🙂 Next goal will be to ditch my knickers that are all starting to get a bit loose! Yey! Sorry if that’s TMI – but it’s an exciting thing for me!
Kazzeexx

Congratulations Kazzee, that was quite risquè reading! Very joyful, really got the picture of how excited you are!

That’s our Kazzi, Maggie! We both enjoy humor at our own expense 🙂 My tale of woe tacks in the opposite direction….
I’m “frontally challenged” and I’ve lost ALL fat tissue in that area, and have had to resort to prosthetics to appear normal!
When I remove this garment I weigh over a lb. less 🙂 🙂 🙂 I could go on, but that really would be TMI.

Good morning! I’m trying to do this every day – positive thoughts early on do seem to help!

1) Went to a small do for my father-in-law’s 70th last night (the big do’s are this weekend) and stuck to the food that was ok for me to eat.
2) Most people there hadn’t seen my for a while and all said lovely things about my weight loss and how great I looked. They all know the reason and were so supportive.
3) I got just over 9K steps yesterday 🙂

It’s quite wonderful to see friends and family for the first time, isn’t it Caro! The very best reaction I ever got was from
a very close friend, and I was @100lbs down….Her eyes filled with tears! The very strangest reaction I ever had was
from a new nurse in my Dr.’s office. I had lost 148lbs, and she wanted to know when I’d had bariatric surgery! Her
eyes got wide and her jaw dropped when I told her about the BSD. I don’t think I fully appreciated the new me until
that moment 🙂 🙂 🙂

Hi Kazz! Alas the multicooker is languishing on my bench top unopened!
I’ve been pretty good all week though except for lat night when I went out with work friends to a dinner show based on Fawlty Towers, so hilarious and I was starving and athen and drank everything in front of me! Which actually wasn’t too bad anyway. Had a bit of a health scare earlier in he week which is also keeping me on the straight and narrow. This weekend though I will give that cooker a workout!!
I laughed so hard at your rolling everything up to fit in your bra! You have a great way with words! But well done on the frontal reduction!

Oops, please excuse me leaving half the letters out in my words, typing too fast for my brain!!
Hi Nonna Mary, lovely to see your post and hear about your holiday, yes, that was the phrase!!

How wonderful Allie, your friend must have felt so happy for you 😍 I can’t believe you managed so much without benefit of this place, what self-discipline; I really admire you and your generosity in sharing your positivity with all us newbies xx
Maggie

Lots going on here now (all positive) so may not be on the forum much over the next few days.

Inka – I’m good too, thanks. I’m at maintenance at the moment (9st – still need to lose a couple of inches off my waist but having a break from weight loss). I’ve decided I need to learn to enjoy cooking the way last year I learnt to enjoy walking. A work in progress!

Nonna Mary – “ah that’s the listening thing before you go to sleep.” exactly it; there’s something about that phrase that makes me smile every time. I hope the family didn’t spoil your newly decorated rooms. Glad to hear you enjoyed your holiday

Kazzee – your post did make me laugh. Steady as you go though, with the old knickers. I threw all mine out – yikes, like throwing out a comfort blanket – can’t wait for the new ones to become more dilapidated!

Caro – lovely positives and great that your family were so supportive.

Will keep my positives until next week. Have a lovely weekend everyone

Marie, have you done stretching exercises for your waist? Is it possible that you need toning rather than more weight loss?

Positive for today – and it is a huge positive – the computer repair people have just rung and my computer does not have very much wrong with it (it was completely unresponsive when we took it in). I have a service contract with Dell and they had said that the only way it can be fixed is to re-install Windows 10 and I will lose all my data. So pleased that I didn’t go ahead with that and went with the local company that was very highly recommended to me.

That’s a huge relief, Krysia! I had a major crash a year ago, and lost all of my bookmarked tutorials on how to make
gumpaste flowers (used as decorations on high end celebration and wedding cakes). I was devastated, as it represented
several years of intense work and research. Happy for you 🙂 🙂 🙂

Allie – that is so awful. I would imagine that devastated didn’t even begin to describe how bad you felt.

Hi MaggieBath
Thanks, you’re question is timely.
As well as my waist measurement, my body fat levels and visceral fat levels are still a bit high (I’ve monitored both almost from the start of BSD using a body scan thing at the gym) which is why at some point I think I will definitely need to lose a bit more weight.
I was on an exercise on prescription programme from October until recently where I did a general programme of gym work and exercise classes determined by the trainer (and Pilates chosen by me).That’s just finished. I’m going to keep going at the Centre on my own but have decided to try adding in a few more targeted exercises to see if I can tone specific parts of my body – will see how it goes!

Hi all. Some positives:
1) Really enjoying this website – so many achievements and continuing support out there
2) Successfully maintaining my 3 stone loss, even with the occasional indulgence (yes sushi #caro). Hopefully enough wriggle room for…
3) Heading to the UK tonight for 10 days of catching up with family and friends. Yeah!

Oh, that’s a shame Marie, but good that you know definitely. Best of luck with the rest of your fitness regime.

How is everyone today? There have been many recent posts over the past few days, that I’m having a hard time
getting down the list to this thread! I can’t let THAT happen, because just as the kitchen is the heart of the home,
this place is the heart of the forums for me 🙂 More or less a “homepage” of sorts….
We are having an altogether beautiful day here, sunshine, moderate temp. and a wonderful breeze. I awoke
to an intoxicated fragrance today. Roses! I’ve a wooded area at the back of the property, and wild, uncultivated
white roses are in bloom at the woods edge, and have a climbing habit, so are traveling up the low lying brush.
The fragrance is much like aromatherapy, and is being carried on the wind! I’m going to take full advantage
of it, and will be serving a BSD friendly luncheon for 2, al fresco, on the balcony today. Simple pleasures for
a simple mind… 🙂

Positive thoughts, anyone?

Allie

Very happy today –
1. blood results for cholesterol and triglycerides same (good) as last time
2. HbA1c from 6.0 to 5.9 – tiny difference I know but I have had a total of 6 weeks holidays in the last 3 months and expected bad results
3. weight down by 3lb from last week

Hi Allie,
Congrats on you anniversary-hope I am not too late in congratulating you. You are the kindest person who takes time to respond to any query and gives very practical advice no matter what the issues may be. It’s great to have you on these forums where many pof us have the same objectives at the end of the day. Here’s to good health forever.

Congratulations sunshine-girl, great news.

I also have one great positive today – my son, who has been out of university for a year and sent off application after application had his first interview today and got the job. I’m delighted and relieved.

Marie
Btw, sunnysandy – completely agree about Allie xx

Congratulations to son and have an extra glass of water Marie.

Oh, Marie! What a wonderful positive to share!!! I’m delighted for your son 🙂 A year long search must have been
soo frustrating. Is your young man the one who was interested in prehistoric cave art? I find the work very
powerful too, and we can only speculate on what this early drive for self expression was all about….My first
exposure took place in my early 20’s while at university studying cultural anthropology.

SunnySandy, I feel very humbled by your generous words..Thank you so very much! I spend a lot of time on
this thread, so it’s nice to have you here. I read daily posts from the latest first, and less traveled threads often
end up far down on the page, so I miss them. Your devotion to your child has touched my heart, and I appreciate
the special challenges that it must have. My nephew has a number of special needs, and my sister’s life and
emotional wellbeing ebbs and flows each day, totally dependent on his bipolar mood disorder. I feel your anxiety,
so if I can support you in any way, pop in here, and I’ll always reply 🙂

Have a wonderful day, all!

Allie

Hi sorry I’ve not posted in a while. The posts on this thread still bring a smile to my face. Yes I’ve had/have lots of positives and promise I will get back to posting later in the week, but, in the meantime, good to hear all your positives!

Lovely to see so many old and new ‘faces’ on this thread. Pleased that you are happy with your recent blood results sunshine, I know waiting for them is always an anxious time for you. And V, good to see you here again and I’m looking forward to your positives. Love your simple positives Allie. Welcome to all those new to the thread, hope you will find it uplifting and thought provoking when things are getting a bit gloomy.

Couple of my own positives:
1) visited some ruins yesterday at Iasos to take some photos and it was just me and one young hefer wandering the site. So calm and peaceful.
2) enjoyed simple meal of calamari, prawns and salad with OH by the waterside, watching the small fishes swimming by the dockside.
3) have arranged to chat with youngest grand daughter tomorrow, so something lovely to looking forward to.

MaggieB – thanks. Luckily alcohol has never been one of my weaknesses so happily toasting him with water. I’m really proud of him, yes in getting the job, but more for the sustained effort and ‘never giving up’ approach he’s taken to his job search over the last year.

Allie – he is indeed – it’s fascinating isn’t it. We visited quite a few sites in the Dordogne – it was the reason we chose that part of France to holiday that year – and it’s so magical to see those images – fantastic.
One of the favourite things hanging on our walls is a copy of Picasso’s Dove of Peace – the simplest of line drawings – which for some reason moves me in the same way. In fact thinking about that is my positive for the day.

Only on day 3 and I am already the lightest Ive been in years!!! My weight had stopped coming off and I always struggle with motivation. I feel like I was a prisoner to my cravings for so long and actually the small adjustment to meals (less/no carbs more healthy fats) helps me feel fuller for longer. Ive also been scared of hunger so I should eat every 90 mins all day to keep hunger at bay. Ive been trying to loose for so long but not wanting to reduce my calorie intake because I was worried about ‘starvation mode’! There is so much bad advice out there its hard to navigate, I finally feel in control of my body. So are time having porridge with grated apple for breakfast, portobello mushrooms with cheese, pine nuts and salad at lunch then a healthy fry up for dinner. I love it!!

I’m feeling great today so thought I would post some positives.

We have sunny weather after a week of rain.
I’m enjoying a weeks holiday after the stresses of my daughter’s wedding.
My son and daughter in law have announced they are having a baby in January, first grandchild for both families.

Life is very good.

Mariet, what a joyful time for you and your family! Much happiness to all of you. Precious moments
to share 🙂

The rain over the last few days has shown up a positive that hadn’t occurred to me before. – I wore my ‘best’ waterproof jacket yesterday that I used to wear when I started. – If I am being honest last October I used to fasten the press studs down to my waist, but couldn’t do up the bottom press stud or zip cos it didn’t meet over my hips. Now it looks like I have borrowed someone else’s jacket cos it is so baggy.
Had my first experience chatting via skype on Sunday, with Allie from the forums.
For the first week in a little while the scales are moving.
I am going to be a little greedy now, as I haven’t posted on the positives for a little while, but the weather conditions now of warmth and gentle rain is bringing on the hay crop nicely. – And there is forecast to be another dry / warm period coming up. Fingers crossed.

Lovely walk with the dogs on the beach yesterday which we haven’t done for a few months. Reminded how peaceful it is out in the country and how ready people are to interact; I’ve loved living in the city, it’s very stimulating but it was so calming to be back on my home turf. The dogs adored it too.

Hi all. Just back from a lovely holiday in the UK. Three positives
1) Lovely to be away and lovely to get home. I find I appreciate the house and garden even more after a break away.
2) After 10 days of no weighing, some (mindful) carbs (who can resist Eton Mess?), combined with 16:8…..I stayed at exactly 71.4 kilo. 🙂 🙂
3) Enjoying catching up on all the lovely advice, discussion, and success stories on our website.

Happy Friday.

Hello from a not so sunny Turkey. Not having seen much from this thread for a few days, I thought I’d post a few positives.
1) really enjoying making good use of the lovely camera OH gave me for Christmas. Have taken lots of photos and been playing with the various inbuilt filters. Taken a whole series of pics of gnarled old olive trees.
2) finally tracked down the cream coloured oleander with double flowers, that I’ve been hankering after for ages. It will be coming home with me.
3) one of our Turkish friends heard today that his interview for a new job was successful and he starts next week.
Still have two weeks here, before we start our journey home. It will be a wrench to leave our Turkish home, but we’ll be planning our return soon.

Hope everyone is managing to find some positives I’m their day and look forward to reading about them soon. X

Marvelous to hear from you today, Sunny! Can it really be possible that your 3 month sojourn is almost over??? It
sounds like you have several beautiful shrubs to bring home with you. I just heard on the World News last evening
that an election has just been held Turkey. I was thinking of you and hoping that there was no civil unrest that would
affect you.
I’m having a challenging time getting here each day, because there are new threads popping up every day. I’m trying
to get focused for the Summer, and I’m having a hard time adjusting to O/H being around all day, and always
suggesting new projects, or trips out that he wants to drag me along on 🙂 In terms of positives, JGwen and MaggieB
have been posting links to podcasts and other material that I’d like to focus on on “Take A Look at This” thread,
so I’ve prioritized reading/listening to Dr. Bikman, studying Neuroplasticity and the effects of Mindfulness, and
reading about Reiki, too. Sounds like a good plan for study, since I loathe the high temp. and associated humidity
of summer in New England, and tend to retreat to air conditioning. Might as well stimulate some brain cells. 🙂
Enjoy your last 2 weeks! xx

Allie

Sunny and Verano, may I ask you a question about my Moth orchid? After 2 1/2 months, the flowers are fading
and wilting, and I think this course of blooming is just about over. What should I do about the two stems? Should
they be cut back, and should I keep it in bright morning light but not direct sun, and continue watering as usual?
Fertilizer? How long will it remain dormant? Thank you in advance for any advice 🙂 I can either do a lot of internet
research, or listen to the experts! xx

Allie

Hi Allie, cut the flower stems to approx 6inches, but make the cut iabout half an inch or so above a node, as this is where a new flower spike will hopefully develop. Keep the plant in indirect sunlight and keep it watered. Feed with an orchid fertilizer as per the product instructions. As for how quickly you can expect to see more blooms, well it could happen in a few weeks or take months. Some of my moth orchids start to produce new flower spikes almost as soon as the old ones are done with, whilst others take ages and pretty much only flower once a year, so how quickly yours might bloom again is not easy to predict.

If the old flower stems die, as sometime happens, just crop them off as close to the base of the plant as possible, keep tending your plant and it will eventually reward you with blooms again.

Best of luck with it, hope you’ll soon have new flower spikes come through

So kind of you, Sunny! Thanks very much 🙂

Hey Allie, sorry I didn’t respond to your question about the Turkish elections. Where we are, they happened very quietly on the day. We had been advised to stay in during the evening/night in case of any disturbance, which we did, but all was fine.

Think many are stunned by the results and are fearful of what it may mean for the country’s future and that includes us. However, we are just going to ‘watch this space’ as they say and take a decision on our property as things become clearer.

Positives for today:
1) OH is in only a little discomfort now, following the removal of a tooth yesterday.
2) the threatened rain for today has not materialised.
3) we still have 9 days left before we have to start our journey home.

Hope everyone is having a lovely positive day and hope to read about some of them soon.

Positives for this week.
I have have been down to the local gym and done an induction so I can start using the weights machines to build strength. –
Had to smile at the look on the gym assistants face when I asked what machine they use for strengthening inner thigh, :-0 no, not for that reason – – those are muscles also used by horse riders… 🙂
Went completely off plan yesterday in a measured way. – I munched my way thorough a packet of pistachio nuts followed by a punnet of fresh cherries for my meal of the day. I knew the scales would show a gain today, but thats fine, sometimes you just have to enjoy a summers day.

I love your gym story – I didn’t even know it was a thing!!
And well done relaxing and enjoying your treat. That’s the way to do it 🙂

Ha, so funny, JGwen! Shows where the gym assistant’s priorities lie 🙂 You must just be loving the heat wave you all
have had this week! (I get updates by way of the Midlands 🙂 ) Summer fruit….that one I DO miss. I never mind bypassing
the cakes, pies, biscuits etc., but canteloupe or watermelon is a different story, and it’s always in the house! This is my
first crack at “moderation” after 2 years. Will have to see how it goes 🙂

Sunny, very happy that you and your husband weren’t in any danger, but I can appreciate the uncertainty for the future.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Hi all! We’re coming up on Fourth of July and people are arriving up here at Lake Tahoe — the weather is cooperating and it is warm, breezy and clear. Blue blue skies!
My positives are:
1.) this is my two year anniversary of following BSD principles and I’m still at maintenance, have NOT regained the weight and I’m still low carb. I love this way of eating and I love my body’s response to it! I am so grateful I found a solution to a problem that seemed to be “unsolveable”.
2.) had a great hike yesterday up a steep canyon and took the tram down and had lunch with my sister. We had a great workout and a fun day.
3.) My daughter has an old rotted tree snag at her house and a little boy broke the tree down with its nest of baby woodpeckers — we managed to prop up the huge fallen tree on a nearby healthy tree and the mom and dad woodpeckers came back to the nest!
SunnyB, good to hear that things are calm in Turkey — what a shock of an election. JGwen, I wish I’d seen the gym attendant’s face! And Allie, happy Fourth of July — eat some watermelon! Dr. Bikman notes that watermelon has a low glycemic LOAD even though it has a higher glycemic index. In other words, we can eat it! I love cold watermelon!

Hi all. And congratulations Californiagirl. Two years is a real achievement.
Three positives from the last few days:
1) Splashed out on two pairs of size 14 chinos. Tried them on again at home to see if they still fitted and finally left the house wearinng a further size down rather than in baggy trousers! I am beginning to emerge from the camouflage and show my new shape.
2) Now have three months of maintenance under the belt (or not….).
3) Enjoying a gorgeous day – just back from visiting a lovely rose collection.

Happy Sunday to everyone.

Congratulations Caronl – what a lovely feeling having to take something back because they’re too big🤗 It helps having good weather doesn’t it?
Maggie

Happy 4th to you, too, Julia 🙂 And CONGRATULATIONS on your Anniversary! I hope that you have a perfect
holiday weekend. The iced watermelon sounds particularly appealing, as we are topping out at 100F(37.8C) today,
and with the heat index, that’s 105F! No walking today 🙂

Caron, those 3 months will turn into a year before you know it! When I began to purchase properly sized
clothes, I continually ordered the wrong size too, and I think it took a good 6 months to begin to trust that
size Small would fit! It did take me some time to get used to it all 🙂

The extreme weather has rather gutted outdoor plans for the weekend, but the positive I recognize in it
is that I’m so very fortunate to have central air conditioning! Really a requirement today… 🙂 🙂 🙂

Allie xx

Forgot to ask you, Julia, if you know Al and Judy Cabito? Al and I were very good friends when we both worked
at the northern Cali regional office at Toyota 70-72. Unfortunately we lost touch sometime in the late 80’s,
but quite by accident I stumbled on a nutty you tube video they made in 2009, and it was from the Tahoe Rim
Trail! They are hikers too, and it would be beyond co-incidence for you to have met them (they have a residence
there, also) but stranger things have happened???

I’m not a great fan of the endless sunshine and very hot days that we are having here in south Wales, but my strawberry patch and yellow raspberry bushes have been loving it. Picking a bowl of each fruit a night and then immediately freezing them, so that I can enjoy that just picked taste (food miles – about 10m from garden to kitchen) with my breakfast yoghurt throughout the rest of the year.
Yum!

I am loving all the dry weather, hay has been cut and hopefully bailing in the next couple of days. Then have loads of extra outdoor projects to get on with.