You are very welcome Allie.

xxxx

Mary, we can just use the numbers on my jar of kimchi: 1/4 c. = 10cal. and
2gm. of carbs. A perfect food 🙂 !!!!

Thanks for that kimchi recipe, I’m thinking I’ll give it another try and this looks like a better recipe than I used last time.

I found kombucha easy enough to make, but much less pleasant than kefir to drink – it was either too sweet, or too acidic and vinegar-like. Just couldn’t seem to get it well enough balanced and I was concerned about the residual sugars as well. Keeping the scoby happy and alive wasn’t an issue, it was more that I wasn’t happy with the end product.

With regards to the kefir, I’ve made mine in both plastic and glass jars and it doesn’t seem to make any difference to the end product or to the health of the grains. I now have a collection of various sizes jars, which I use according to how much kefir I want to make. You can ferment kefir with the jar lidded or unlidded (covered with a cloth, coffee filter or similar and secured with an elastic band) and this does affect the acidity of the end product, as does the amount of time you ferment for and at what temperature. My kitchen is very warm as we have an Aga, so fermentation happens quickly.

I did some online research awhile ago and found a calculation of 96cals/3.2g carbs per 100g kefir made with full fat cows milk, but I have no idea how accurate that is – they’re the values I use for recording my intake though. I’m convinced kefir help my digestive system, which tends towards the sluggish and I think the kefir helps to improve transition.

Happy fermenting everyone!

Oh Sunnyb if Kefir helps move things along…maybe I shouldn’t have it. That is very rarely a problem for me…in fact quite the opposite!
Thanks for the calculations…
Mary
xxx

Nonna Mary: I haven’t found the kefir to affect my rate of digestion….just assume it is good for the overall gut health. However, I certainly do find the kimchi to, shall we delicately say, “stimulate” my digestion. Sometimes excessively so. Although a Korean doctor that I work with says it was from eating to much of the “one day old” kimchi at the particular Korean restaurant I went to. The stuff I have at home I eat more judiciously….not so much at a time. Do not want a repeat of the “stimulation”. Ugh.

I must admit that the amount of cabbage etc should get stuff moving. I am very sparing with the amount I eat because it doesn’t take much to set me off! I have to say when you open the Jar…it stinks! But it tastes fine.

Nonna Mary
xxx

I’ve had a few really good days in a row with relatively low carbs and calories. The hunger that I was experiencing last week as a result of higher carbs has gone back into remission and today I am down a whole kg since Tuesday! I know some of that was water weight as I was retaining water like crazy during the first part of the week and was looking quite puffy as a result, but I think some of it must have been fat loss as well. Yesterday afternoon I actually felt a bit slim for the first time in a long time. I’m now 84kg, so finally dropped below 85kg and my BMI is 28 even today. When I started BSD just over 7 weeks ago, I had a BMI of 30.5. I’m looking forward to getting into the 27’s and getting back down below 25 at some point in the near future.
I had one day this week where I was feeling like something juicy and I went searching in my lunch bag as I knew I had packed a small orange, even though I really didn’t feel too much like fruit. When I looked, I discovered the sauerkraut that I had packed as well and I had that instead and thoroughly enjoyed it. I never thought it would be possible for me to ever want sauerkraut more than an orange! I also had some sugar-free gum this week as I was feeling like something pepperminty, but I found it was too sweet, and I have to echo the comments about artificial sweeteners perhaps affect the body similar to sugar, because although I’m not diabetic and not checking my blood sugar, I had some little twinges of hunger just after chewing it, the only ones I’ve really had this week.
It is encouraging to see how well many are doing on this thread, and I’m finding inspiration from those who are struggling as well as it encourages me to keep going even on the tough days. Well done everyone, and keep up the great work!

Arcticfox I found this week, to my detriment, that even a small sweet induces carb cravings! I’ve been doing BSD for about 10 months now, and I’ve got used to not eating bread, cakes, chocolate etc. however at work this week, someone brought in a box of chocolates for the team to share, and put them on a shared desk, which is right next to mine. All week ignored them, then on Thursday felt like something sweet after lunch. I thought one small chocolate won’t hurt, I’ll just eat less at dinner. Boy oh boy did I pay for that chocolate! I felt so hungry by dinner time that I was snacking on cheese while cooking dinner and then had garlic bread with my meal – usually I don’t have it, but the rest of the family who are not on BSD do, then I spent the evening absolutely craving sweets, luckily there was no lollies, ice cream, chocolate or biscuits in the house. I dug out some pitted dates & had some of those! The next morning I felt so much hungrier than usual. I couldn’t believe that one small chocolate could send me totally off plan like that! You would think I’d know better after so long on this WOE. Lesson learnt though, and I was back on plan yesterday.

I had a similar incident several weeks ago with a small chocolate brownie at a work lunch, SueBlue! Luckily I didn’t have any non-BSD food in the house that evening because I was ravenous. I went way over my calorie limit that day though as a result. The sugar+fat combination seems to be very lethal for me. I have control with 90%+ cocoa chocolate, but not with anything with more sugar in it. A curse on all those people at work that keep bringing in sweets! Well, unfortunately it may catch up with some of them eventually and that would be too bad. When I was away for my work meetings last week, I could not believe how much of the sugar and simple carbs my colleagues were able to stuff away without any apparent ill effects, while I ate a much more moderate amount and ended up with a stomach ache and feeling tired and hungry.

Hi all, I am up half a pound this morning so still hovering around a loss of 3lbs total for the challenge but stuck right now. I dont eat anything that I shouldn’t as I almost fear white carbs and dont have a sweet tooth so never crave chocolate brownies. Where I do go wrong is portion control and too much of the things I can have. Cheese, parma ham, rich charcuterie, that sort of thing, and of course wine. Although I have not had any in the past week but it doesn’t seem to make a difference whether I do or dont. I wonder if I have a glass of wine I am not so likely to search out some ham and cheese in the evening. I know I do have an empty feeling, like something is missing and I know that I could fill that hole with something like toast and jam BUT I never do. I cannot allow myself as I am so uptight about the whole carb thing. So I am going to relax, do some meditation, allow myself a glass or two of dry white wine and not feel so bloody guilty all the time. Monday is a new week so I will get my head back into it but doing my menu for the week tomorrow and try adding something different instead of the same old same old.

Sorry for the rant, just feeling a bit down with myself. Oh and I have still been exercising 4 / 5 times each week, even if it is just a brisk walk but mainly aerobics in front of the video. Enjoy the rest of your weekend all. And keep on keeping on…. I am trying to.

Sunshinegirl. Well done on losing 3lb during this challenge so far. That is a lot of weight. Do you remember when I saw that old 4lb weight in a vintage shop earlier this year and picked it up, I was amazed at how heavy it was. You’re doing everything right. When I weighed myself on Tuesday this week I had only lost 0.2 lb but then on Thursday for no reason whatsoever I had lost 1.5lbs. My scales are up and down the same couple of pounds and that has been the pattern of my slow weight loss. It’s very frustrating. This is a life long way of eating for us now so you’re right to be strict about not letting carbs in. I am the same. If you keep on with the plan you will lose even if, like me, it is slow. Keep on doing what you’re doing and you will keep your weight slowly moving down. I think your plan to try new menu ideas is a great idea. One thing I did when I got stale was to psychologically pretend I was starting again. I was so excited when I started back in January because I didn’t know if this would work for me and when it did I was so happy. Like you I became a little stale of the same old same old as time went on so I read the book again, reset myself mentally and pretended I was starting again and it really did help. it may sound weird but it worked for me. Keep strong sunshine girl and keep on keeping on with your low carbs. You’re doing everything you can and it will happen – I am proof that this way of eating does work even if for some of us it is a painfully slow process and a test of our resilience!

Sunshine girl I understand your frustration! Like Cathy, I am a slow loser. I was looking at the weight loss graph/record app I use yesterday, in the month view and in the last 3 months I’ve lost a total of 1lb (looking at the montly average weight). This is because I lose then gain, lose then gain etc. I agree it IS hard to keep on keeping on when you don’t see the results you expect.
I find that I’ll have a big loss one week (a whoosh), and I record what is a “new low” for me. Then my weigh starts creeping back up again and it will take at least a month for me to see the “new low”‘on the scales again. It’s like it takes that long for my body to accept that is my weight now! Then the whole cycle repeats itself. For some reason, this latest cycle has taken almost 2 months, as last week I was finally back down to the low weight I achieved for my birthday back in September.
I have cut down on drinking wine over the last few weeks but I can’t see it has made much of a difference yet to be honest.
As Cathy said, she is proof that this WOE does work in the end, so we both have to keep plodding along! It certainly is a test of our resilience 🙂

Hello everyone! Am enjoying catching up with you all – and welcome newbies too! I’ve been struggling I have to say- I have three days at 800
And then 3 at 2000 and then a fast for a day and off I go again. Any ideas how to halt this cycle?

Onetowatch, I’m with you. I’ve been following this cycle for almost this whole challenge. I’m good for 6 days then one blow out at a social event and back to square one.

I went with friends to a Chinese restaurant on Friday night. I always find Chinese tricky and everyone decided on a banquet rather than individual dishes so I limited myself to small amounts of dishes that didn’t have obvious sugar glazes and avoided the rice. No dessert but there was a cocktail and some scotch and soda as well. Then a 48 hour fast over the weekend and today up 1.5kg from Friday. Disappointing! I know it will go again in a few days but I seem to be further than ever from the final goal. I am thinking I might be better off just being happy with the level I am at, the frustration would be a whole lot less.

Hi all, I am still here but not going near the scales until tomorrow as I am sure I will be crying. I will be getting my head back into gear from now on. The first thing that popped into my email box this morning was a message from Joe Wicks (the diet guru) giving me 4 tips to keeping motivated. Yeah must check that out.

See you all tomorrow.

Here’s hoping that your weigh-in tomorrow is not as bad as you’re fearing, sunshine-girl. Make sure you make today count and you’ll probably be pleasantly surprised when you get on those scales.

Think I’m doing okay-ish at regaining a bit of wriggle room. I have a small loss at the moment, but won’t post anything on that until tomorrow. Over the w/e I allowed myself a little latitude and had a couple of cocktails and one tiny roast potato. Resisted the macaroons in the fridge and between meal nibbling, which I was tempted to do yesterday. Didn’t count anything over the w/e, but did so Wed, Thur and Fri and am doing so today. Have decided to a counted 800/20 during the week (not withstanding any unexpected eating out) and allow myself a little more freedom on w/e’s. Hopefully that way I can keep things under control.

Best of luck to us all when we step on the scales tomorrow – will look forward to the reports.

I can’t believe this is the 3rd week of the challenge already! I am pleased to say that I’ve had another 500g/1.1lb loss this week. Doesn’t sound much I know but when you’re a slow loser like myself it is!
I started using My Fitness Pal to record weight back in 2011, and now I’m at my lowest recorded weight in that time. Actually the last time I was the weight I am now would have been in 2010, so I’m happy about that 🙂
I’m now only 1kg away from my goal weight for this challenge, so will need to pull out all stops to try and reach it! It will be an important milestone for me as it will see me move into the overweight BMI bracket, rather than obese.
Step wise I only just made my goal, reaching a total of 70,694 for the week.
Good luck to everyone else weighing in!

Wow Sue that’s great news! You’re on track to do really well during this challenge and hopefully achieve your next mini goal. . That milestone is within grasp now. I am hoping to have lost a little tomorrow but again the scales are up and down daily for me so I can’t predict. I am hovering either just above or just below my 133 lb goal weight which is great. I will be posting tomorrow morning (we are twelve hours behind you) and I hope it’s a small loss as I have been really mindful this week about my intake.

Good morning all,

Have been fairly busy this week, including painting our bedroom (which took days longer than anticipated, I don’t do things as quickly as I once did), so am just catching up with all the great stories, including you SueBlue, good going👏. Looking forward to the weigh-ins today.

I seem to have struck a vein of gold this week ….62kg this morning = 1.4kg less than last week’s result. I’m impressed, as this included x2 dinners out for my birthday on Sunday. 73!! I can’t believe it except our eldest is 50 today, bless him.

I have been at 62kg before, on this journey, and hope very much to have this as my upper limit for the time being. Would like to keep losing, eventually to be below 60kg. This week will be another challenging one with lunch out today with a group of friends, making sure we see one another before Christmas, and no.1 son’s 50th party on Saturday. ODAAT☺

Fingers crossed for everyone on today’s weigh-in and for the last week of this challenge. Time flying again!

I’ll start the discussion on the next challenge title:
BUSY, BUSY WITH SANTA’S ELVES, WHILE CARING GENTLY FOR OURSELVES: 4week challenge ending 26 December”. More thoughts, please?

Marsie, firstly a belated happy birthday 🎉
Secondly well done on such a good result this week 🙂
I love your suggested new thread name! 🎅

Cathy thanks and good luck with your weigh in tomorrow, you are doing so well 🙂
I love analysing the numbers. As I mentioned I had a 500g loss, but when I started looking at my total loss since this time last year, I realised I’m only 1 pound off of a 2 stone loss. When I think back to this time last year I remember how miserable I felt. It wasn’t just my weight, although I was at the heaviest I’ve ever been, but I had really bad joint pain and inflammation, was having lots of time off work which was causing issues too. Anyway fast forward a year and I feel like a different person! I know I’ve got a way to go yet, but when I think back to how I felt a year ago I would have given anything to be where I am now

Half a pound down for me this week, giving me a nice new number on the scales this morning. Just snuck into the 8’s at 8st 13 7/8! 😄

Love the idea for the new challenge title Marsie!

Morning,

Start weight: 136.5lb
7th Nov: 133.2 lb (-3.3)
14th Nov : 132.7lb (-0.5lb)
Today : 131.1lb (-1.6 lb)

Total loss so far: 5.4lb

Happy with that. Lost a little more off my waist and hips and some of my ‘normal’ clothes (i.e. not my fat clothes) are getting loose. So nearly into the 120’s now, really would love to get there by the end of this challenge but don’t usually lose much over a 1lb a week. Oh well, perhaps in the December challenge.

x

Great going everyone – all doing really well on this challenge. Sue, I’m so pleased you are in a better place than this time last year. Not all our victories are of the scale variety, our health and wellbeing is paramount, and that’s obviously been a huge improvement for you, which is a powerful incentive to keep going. Well done.

I’m managing to maintain, maybe a little too well, as I am a whole 2lbs down since the start of the challenge, despite time away with friends last week..Sigh – so failing in my challenge so far.😢 I’ll finish this challenge but won’t be joining the next (though great title Marsie ) because it hardly seems fair to be complaining of weight loss when you are all trying so hard to lose.

Hoping to read great results from everyone else too – oh, and happy belated birthday Marsie.

Well done to everyone posting losses, regardless of how much it is – any loss is a loss. I’m reporting a smaller loss than I had hoped – 0.4lb. Had I posted yesterday, it would have been more and I’m a bit puzzled why things skipped up and not down, but hey ho! Not going to whinge, as I am still under target weight and regaining wriggle room – albeit slowly.

If you find yourself having to post a gain, don’t be disheartened, it will come right. Don’t let a small setback derail you, just refocus and press ahead. And if you’ve stayed the same that’s a plus, as it’s not a gain.

Think you are right Theodora, it’s probably time we bowed out of the challenges and used the After Target Weight thread to bemoan our maintenance issues. Like you, I will see this challenge out, but not join the next one – unless anything goes horribly wrong and I suddenly find myself over target weight! Will probably pop in to see how people are doing though, even though I’ll not be posting any results. However, have to say that title sounds like a good one, Marsie, it would get my vote.

Best of luck to those yet to weigh-in and to all of us for a very successful final week of this challenge.

Hi everyone. You are all doing so well. I dont want to bring the mood down but my situation has only got worse. I lost 3.5lbs and now I have regained 2lb of that. So I still have a loss but my head is all over the place. I got out my fat photo and there are three in succession, 1 at heaviest, one at a stone lost and one at a lower weight although not my lowest. I am now back to that middle photo so I can take some consolation that I have not gone back to square one, just stuck in the middle. I have worked out what the problem is and will not bore you with the details but quite simply I am depressed or heading that way. I also know the cause and it has nothing to do with my weight gain. Just briefly, throughout my childhood I was abused and all these revelations on the TV news are making me dwell on what ifs and the whys. No more to be said, I just have to get my head out of my own backend and get on with things. Make things better for myself in the here and now and not let myself sink because of the past.

Sorry to lower the mood. Maybe I should go away until I am sorted. I will keep going and not let anything stand in my way of future health and happiness. Sorry.

First off, if you can’t open up and vent here where can you, sunshine-girl? It’s absolutely the place to come and be honest about what is happening with you. Secondly, I won’t say I understand what you are going through right now, but I will say that my heart goes out to you as you struggle with your personal demons.

Looking for the positive in your post, even given your current headspace you have achieved a lose this week, which is a plus. Use you lower weight photo, to spur you on – you know you can do it, ‘cos you’ve done it before and I’m confident you will do it again. None of us mind if you need to offload here, as long as it helps you to move past your current malaise and achieve you goal.

Big Hugs to you sunshine, you CAN do this!

Hi all. Well, for Nov challenge, I had lost 4 lb – from 17.2 to 16.12 (goal was to lose 6lb) however, fell off the wagon a bit at the end of my week off last week and gained the 4lb back again! So damage limitation now. Intermittent fasting will be the order of every day between now and 30th! It was enjoyable at the time, but I’m itching to concentrate on getting as close to 16 stone by the end of the year as I can. Good luck to everyone else. It’s good to know that I’m not the only one to having a blip. The name for the December challenge is brilliant!

Good luck to everyone else.
Kazzeee xx

sunshine-girl, you have not brought the mood down, except that we’re feeling your pain. A couple of days ago you apologised for your rant but, as I said to someone else sometime back “it’s not ranting, it’s venting”, and that is absolutely allowed here in this safe space. Without wanting in any way to interfere, I wonder if you have thought of some counselling … could you have a little Traumatic Stress Disorder around you earlier experiences? If so, it’s not so easy to overcome without a sounding board and perhaps guidance. I’ll say no more other than that you’re in my thoughts and have my best wishes xx Marilyn

Sunshine-girl I’m not sure what to say to you. Firstly though never think of stopping posting and ‘venting’ if it helps you. We have been through a lot together here and I would hate to lose you …. sorry for being selfish when you are the one feeling low.

I can’t imagine what you are feeling but I’m sure having all this ‘news’ day after day can’t be helping you. I think Marilyn may have a point if it’s not a route you’ve been down before.

Sometimes life throws curved balls at us but try not to be too hard on yourself. You have to do what’s best for you and that may just be taking the pressure of yourself for a while by taking a back seat here. Alternatively it could be that more posting will help you to think of other things. Trial and error. In the meantime my heart goes out to you and I hope that this black phase ends quickly. May the ‘sunshine’ on you again soon.

Thank you for your concern. I will be okay when the bl—-dy news stops talking about it. I have had counselling, several times. I get over it until it gets stirred up. I even joke about a certain person with my daughter and hold him in contempt, as he is nothing to me anymore. Counselling is also a very painful event and can cause more harm and I am not willing to go that way again. Dont worry about me I will be okay, I am not suicidal or anything. It manifests in that I dont like going to bed in case I cant sleep for thinking and not being able to shut down my brain so I sit up watching rubbish films and eating and drinking. Surely if I can recognise it I can stop doing it, I just need to GO TO BED.

I am doing something on my own and that is the Mindfulness course. Week 2 started yesterday and I need to practice regularly just to reduce feelings of stress and tension. Today is a new day and I will keep on keeping on… I’m not known as sunshine for nothing.

Hi sunshine-girl, it sounds like you are finding your way through the current manifestation of your past issues. Almost certainly the lack of sleep will be disrupting your weight loss. Hope that soon you feel completely in control again sunshine and I know you will keep on keeping on. All power to you!

s-g, you aren’t bringing the mood down and you have nothing to apologize for. You’re speaking the truth without wallowing or dissembling and you know that’s an important, powerful thing to do when addressing past trauma and the role it plays in any current hardships we’re experiencing.

I read an article the other day written by a woman who was sexually assaulted as a girl and she said the same thing you did. She’s glad that these issues have come to the fore and that so many women feel empowered to tell their stories, but she just can’t take it anymore. It’s so painful to see it in the headlines every single day a hundred times a day. She said she wished they could have just one day a week to call a moratorium on rape/harassment/molestation stories so at least for one day she didn’t have feel like she was in a neverending prizefight dodging blows from the newspapers, TV and social media.

This constant drumbeat has to have driven your stress levels through the roof. Cortisol could be having an effect on your weight loss progress. Is there any way you could take a day or two, a weekend maybe, and go somewhere peaceful where you don’t have to do anything but relax? You could easily pack your own food (frittata time!) or if it’s a nice spa, they’ll accomodate your dietary restrictions.

Please do not even think about leaving the forum, even temporarily. One of the ways depression twists us up is making us feel like we’re buzzkills and everyone else would be better off without us. But withdrawing only leads to increasing isolation and makes you even more prey to your mind’s attempts to drag you down into the abyss. Our moods are not your responsibility. If we are concerned about you, that’s because we give a damn, not because you did something wrong. It’s a good thing.

Thank you Ensecca and others

Yes I agree with Esnecca! Please don’t go sunshine girl, weight loss or not, sunshine or showers!
The mindfulness will hopefully help you sleep… zzz

S-G, couldn’t put it any more eloquently than Esnecca.

My darling daughter has recently been diagnosed with PTSD after 12 years of struggling (though for totally different reasons, and manifesting itself in totally different ways from yours) but now her mantra is…….

I can’t change my past, I CAN take control of my future.

She is getting there, but it’s been a long haul. Thank God she has a supportive family and, in particular the most amazing husband, and from reading your posts , it would appear you have a close family too.

Please feel free to vent on here as often as you want to. …..you are among friends xx

My dear sunshinegirl- We haven’t exchanged posts, but I always read what
you have to say and appreciate your knowledge and advice. I can very
much relate to the pain that has gained an advantage over you now, as well as
what we hear on the news be it the U.S. or the UK. These are just triggers. We
all have developed defense mechanisms to deal with childhood abuse/trauma.
Sometimes these things stay safely tucked away in the closet, at other times
they make an untimely appearance. Please give yourself the nurturing and
love you may have never received. This is a very safe place, and we all care
very much about your welfare. Stay with us, you are not a downer in any way,
and all we want to do is help.

Love xxx
Allie

Posting my final result a day late, sorry. This has been an excercise in maintenance for me though that wasn’t my plan😨 I’m still 3lb from goal and it’s my own fault. A few months ago I seemed to handle social events much better than I am now, when my calendar has so many looming! I don’t know why my headspace has gone from committed to oh well a little more won’t hurt! Like you Allie, my O/H says I’ve lost enough and am looking drawn though unlike you I still have a BMI of 25.1.

Sunshine-girl, I am feeling for you. Over the 9 months I’ve been on this forum I have loved reading your posts and the thoughtful, considered advice you’ve given others. I know that feeling of dreading going to bed although I don’t have the same demons lying in wait. I hope your mindfulness exercises help you back out of this place.

Hello everyone- am late to post today. Been a busy day and just got back from choir practice. Two weeks today I will be singing in the Bridgewater Hall. I sing with the Manchester and District Hospitals Choir and we sing for Clic Sargent which is a charity for children and young adults with cancer. My weigh in was pleasing this morning at 1.4 lb down this week making me 0.2 lb under my goal weight. I am putting on and losing the same pound again like I always do. Anyway, am happy with that. I am not doing anything differently than previously so hopefully will maintain my weight loss.

Sunshine girl- hope your mindfulness course helps you to find some inner peace and strength. You have made many friends on here and the beauty of this forum is that we are anonymous so are able to vent and be open and honest . You’ve always been very supportive to us. I have no doubt that you have the inner strength to achieve your goal. Take time to achieve this- there is no rush.

Well done everyone for keeping strong and keeping on with this way of life. One more week before the Christmas challenge will be upon us! December and Christmas are definitely going to be a challenge for me! This will be my first Christmas without mince pies, stollen slices, Christmas cake. The patients have already started bringing in chocolates for the staff at work! I will not be bringing any home. Luckily my husband is vegan so he won’t eat any. I am determined to keep on the healthy path for the next few weeks.

Hi everyone, I’ve had a fairly decent week. I’m down 1.6kg (3.5lbs) since last Tuesday, or 600g since Friday when I last reported in. So I’m sitting at 83.4kg, so 1.4kg off my mini-goal for this challenge.
I ended up largely fasting today. I had to go on a tour for work and was running late this morning, so even though I had packed breakfast, I didn’t have time to eat it. Lunch was provided on the tour, but there wasn’t anything I could eat (sandwiches, and nothing vegetarian). I did have the forethought to pack some veggie broth in a thermos this morning and I was glad to have something hot to sip on while others ate their lunch as it was a very cold and wet day and we were outside most of the time. When I got back to the office I had a few cherry tomatoes and a tiny apple that I had also packed, and that was it for the entire day (20g of carbs which is quite high for less than 200cal consumed, but given that it wasn’t a well planned fast, I’m giving myself a bit of a break on that front). There were some treats in the office kitchen when I got back, but I just looked the other way and left with just my cup of tea. By that time I had decided I would try to fast for the rest of the day. I’ve felt quite good fasting today. When I tried 5:2 before I found it quite difficult and ended up over-eating a lot on my non-fast days. I think it was because I wasn’t keeping my carbs low at all and I was quite hungry and felt weak on my fast days. So, I’ll see how I feel tomorrow, and if all is well, I may start back on 5:2, but keeping the carbs low on the non-fast days. I haven’t lost any inches off my waist yet this month, so maybe fasting will help with that.
Sunshine-girl, I am sorry you are feeling so low. It must be very hard for you right now, but I too hope that you keep posting as I enjoy reading your posts.

Good on you, s-g. Mindfulness/keeping on keeping on/one day at a time/venting on here as and when needed/etc ……… you obviously know yourself fairly well so your ability to pick and choose your strategies for good health will see you through xx

Posting a new low, 61.9kg, first time the scales have said 61.anything. Hooray, trick seems to be no breakfast followed by low carb eating from midday. Lots of spinach added to the core meals but my only carbs are coming from veg now (and dairy. Oh and dark chocolate).

I expect I will pootle up and down the 61kg for a bit now, then the final kg is in sight for 60kg – wow, what a journey. Currently have lost 14.7kg.

Morning,

Sunshinegirl- adding my pleas to the others. Don’t leave here, if leaving here means you become more isolated and battling your demons becomes more lonely. I have found that this isn’t just a place for people who can succeed but simply for those who want to make changes. I struggle with depression too and have found that unfortunately simply understanding the past and how I got to be where I am isn’t enough to move on from it in the ways I would always wish. It is sooooo complex. For me, trying to ditch ‘should’ thinking has proved somewhat helpful, i.e. I ‘should’ be able to cope with the news, I ‘should’ be able to move past this. I no longer listen to news on TV or radio but look at the headlines on a newswebsite and then choose which articles I want to find out more about that way I stay informed but on my terms. The point of saying this is that we don’t have to be ‘sorted’ to be successful in our goals and if you find this group of people supportive then please keep with it. x

Daily weigh in,

Today -0.5lb 😀

Which bring me to a new low of 130.6lb (9st 4lb). My weight shot up a couple of years ago when we moved city and then my mum died suddenly but I am back into the lower end of a weight bracket that I inhabited for many years. Whilst this is a good BMI, my cholesterol and body fat percentage was still awful. I am now optimistic of tackling those in the right way and perhaps even ditching the additional 7lb of baby weight I put on after my first was born nearly 13 years ago.

Only another 0.7lb to be in the 120s. Hubby has plateaued after his 30lb (ish) loss and has decided to maintain for a bit. Ideally he would like to shift another 10lb but at the moment that just feels like gravy and so he will look again next year. What is really interesting is the number of people we know who have seen our results and adopted this WOE. Particularly men. Probably huge generalisations but traditionally I guess it has been easier for women to access weight loss programmes like weight watchers and slimming world but we have been fascinated by the number of our male friends who have just asked for ‘a link’ to what we are doing.

I have a birthday on Friday and having friends over so there will be strawberry daiquiri and cake but the main course will be BSD compliant.

Go well today. x

Sunshine – I hadn’t seen your original post until now. I made a conscious decision to stop reading and listening to the news as much as possible. It is only ever bad and depressing! I had one or two experiences when I was a mid teen back in the 70’s. Fortunately, nothing too severe but inappropriate all the same and there is an anger inside that surfaces sometimes. My bestie (who also experienced similar things) and I have counselled each other over the years. You are not bringing people down at all. Stay – we will always be here to support you. 🙂

Hugs
Kazzee xx

Sunshine Girl – just read through the thread. Hope you are still reading if not posting. I have enjoyed your posts since I joined. I hope you stay with the forum and know you will be missed if you don’t. Sounds like you know yourself really well, am sure you will do what is the best for you right now. Take best care of yourself xx

Just been checking my BMI. Am in healthy zone, but quite fancied being in middle of healthy zone. That means a new target of 57kg. Goddamit, why am I so short?! Still, will focus on the 60kg for now and then climb down the 50s probably in the new year as it’s going slowly now but I’m happy with what I’m eating (or not eating!)

Hi All. ‘Im late again ,its a habit. not sure why. lovely to see everyone offering support for those who are struggling.Its what keeps me reading this forum. I’m lucky to have lost, I was 80.3kg yesterday which is close to my goal of 80KG but I have been giving in to occasional piece of toast and an odd icecream so its pure luck. Today, I’m up 0.2kg but I know Its my own doing. I have a bad back so today I went to a chiropractor who is a friend of a relative and I feel so much better. Ive been stumbling around for a while and not really happy with the treatment from the physio.Today, the advice and the explanation was so reassuring that its just a muscle spasm so highly possible to get a cure.I’m feeling much more motivated to keep to BSD and to up my exercise .
Surprisingly, Christmas is not worrying me. I don’t have too many events to attend and I will eat BSD priciples up to Christmas day when I will eat and drink everything that I want. The good thing is I’m not so attracted to sickly sweet stuff. The usual turkey, ham and seafoods are all BSD friendly. As I’m in Australia we have a lot of salads ,deserts of fresh fruit .some good cheeses.a bit of wine and I’m good.Probably I will be tempted by good breads and a big dollop of thick cream. I’m going to try hard to not have left overs ,they are very tempting.
Marsie, love the name for the next challenge ,count me in.Good wishes to you all. Big Hugs to those struggling. Cheers Lynne

Morning all

4 days in London and 5.5lbs gained. Back in the 10s and feeling very sorry for myself. Looks like I will finish yet another challenge heavier than when I started it. The trend has been upwards since April and I loathe myself for it. Have no motivation and another weekend of debauchery ahead at which I have no desire to make any effort to eat well.

I’m hoping this feeling will pass before I hit 11 stone – having been at 8st 11 this year it’s soul destroying. Will try to focus on the positives – after this weekend I have no social engagements until Christmas (OK, one lunch and my work xmas do but I can cope with those). It’s all mental, I’m comfort eating, I’m miserable at work and I can’t leave, just yet. Need to find some positivity from somewhere so just want to say a big thank you to everyone on here for continuing to post, no matter how you are feeling. Have a good final week, I will try not to eat my own body weight in bad food.
TC xxx

Topcac – do not despair! From today, you have 3 days to minimise that gain, if you want to, ready for this weekend. I went into the 16’s, 2 weeks ago (first time in a decade) and then went back to 17.2 after a weeks holiday at home and a 4 lb gain last week. It doesn’t take much to show a gain. You can do this. Just make small monthly achievable goals until you get back to 8.11…. Feeling unhappy at work is just awful… get yourself out for a walk no matter what the weather or find somewhere to sit if you can to get a bit of a break at lunchtimes. Imagine going for interviews looking and feeling your best, rather than feeling your worst!

Hugs
Kazzeeexx