Thanks v much SunnyB, I’m feeling more positive already. Onward and upwards! I’ll be in touch xx scrolling through the recipe section now for inspirational breakfasts. Thanks for the welcome, and to sunshine-girl too xx lets DO THIS! :0)

Welcome GrumptoGlam (love the name!)
I managed ok today. Went to Ikea to study in the cafe (free wifi for the online tutorials and no pressure on customers needing tables) and had 2 slices smoked salmon and a side salad (pepper strips, leaves and cucumber and tom) .
Dinner was a soup I made of cauli, spinach and tomato with a can of beans chucked in too. A fillet of fish on the side.
All came in at 745, leaving me room for a square of 85% chocolate with a pot of chai tea.
I know how bruising it is to be lying in the ditch, but getting back up, albeit with a helping hand from the lovely people on the forum, is the main thing.
We can all do this together.

So the end of the first week of 8 and I’ve gained! I am away and I have been anything but serious. I will keep reading and posting but my aim is to stand still for the next three weeks.

Good luck to everyone else on this journey.

Morning desperados. Well I am not so desperate today. Ending my first week at 74.4 kg down from 75.3 which is exactly 2 lbs loss. This morning I had my 3 monthly blood test and doctor seems to not trust this diet as he is testing me for cholesterol AGAIN, 3 times in a row but I goes down every time. He is also testing my for overactive thyroid because, as I am on insulin, he is not sure how I am managing to lose weight. We will see when I get my results later today. Honestly I expect the cholesterol and the Blood Glucose to be up slightly as I have just had 3 holidays on the trot, Alicante in April, cruise in May and France (home) with family in June. Phew, thank heaven I have no more actual holidays until October although family will be back out in August but I am going to be a better example to them all.

Today my diet is Breakfast: 2 eggs scramble with chilli and a grating of cheddar, Lunch: feta salad, and Dinner: Chicken and Mushroom Pie, all which comes in at around 690 calories. I seems to be a cheese overload so I might have something different for lunch, maybe swap the feta for tuna which would make the calories slightly less.

Dont worry V. you know as soon as you get back on the plan the weight will come off. If I can do it so can you, in the meantime just enjoy your holiday, life is for living.

Have a good week 2 everyone and keep on keeping on…

Morning all. Stayed still for the last few days at 83.3 which is a 1.2kg loss for the week – not too despondent given my off piste weekend! Still cross about that, but with the exam tomorrow I am not going to beat myself up. Yoghurt/berries/chia/rosewater breakfast (you guessed it, I made a batch in containers in the fridge for work this week!) and roasted red pepper/feta/cherry toms and a very small piece of fish left from last night’s soup accompaniment. Could already dig into the lunch and I am not long finished the breakfast, but my daughter’s physio appt at 12.30 serves nicely to make me wait until afterwards…. can hardly munch my way through her appointment! Not sure what’s for dinner apart from the soup – prob omelette as that is quick and easy and I am out at a parent meeting this evening.

With all the studying, I haven’t managed to get in much running recently – so my goal for this week, apart from planning my meals and sticking to the plan, is to get back to more exercise, post tomorrow’s exam. Aiming for 2 runs in what is left of this week, and 3 the following week. Now I’ve committed myself….

Verano enjoy the holiday — I too find that extra weight drops off if I have stuck with the no bad carbs principle once I return to BSD. And you seem to be sticking with the principles if not the quantities.

Week 2 ATTACK!

Well my results are in, not bad seeing as I had the blood taken at 9 am this morning. I am still very pleased, in fact more than pleased as I thought my HbA1c would have jumped up but it has increased from 5.4 to 5.6, hardly any movement. Two markers that are up a bit are cholesterol from 3.9 to 4.4 and triglycerides up from 137 to 173 which is just above normal. Explanation of these increases is that I have been off the plan in terms of calories and probably had more fatty foods and a lot more alcohol, so that is where I cut down but now I am back on 800 calories I wont be drinking and will keep fatty foods at bay – sausages, bacon, pate, foie gras – not sure what but I have probably indulged.

For those of you who are not diabetic or suffering from high cholesterol this probably wont mean much but it is fairly good news and also shows that the diet works because when I relaxed too much my good work was not ruined but started to deteriorate. Lets see what my doctor has to say about it and what my blood pressure is like. Tomorrow.

Great news S-G. Actually, I thought anything below 5 was considered good for cholesterol, so 4.4 is hardly worrying. And I thought over 200 was bad for triglycerides – maybe I am wrong there. Seems you are doing very well. Hope BP all normal tomorrow too. I am off to a parent meeting having had enough protein to last me until I have a bowl of soup when I am back. In spite of stress levels for tomorrow’s exam, I have not eaten everything in sight. In view of my Saturday of off plan food, however, I remain vigilant!

Best wishes to everyone.

Nice one, SG. Great results, and as you say it shows that the diet works, as when you ease off a bit, you only get a limited reaction. Bodes well for the future!

Hi Julia actually here in France 4.5 is the top acceptable limit for cholesterol, so I am still there but shows that being off the calorie controlled plan and allowing myself to eat anything accept carbs does make a difference. I am waiting for my doctor to say it is the fault of the diet and I can tell him I have been basically off it since Easter (first holiday) but that I have stuck to no carbs so my BG has stayed right down. Good result in all. Good luck with the exam tomorrow.

Thanks Jules, yes I agree but I want to get right back on track now I know that I could be heading upwards. Not too much damage.

Thanks for the wishes S-G. Up early to study. 82.4 this morning – scales will probably go up again tomorrow but I am encouraged nonetheless. So, berries, yoghurt, and seeds for breakfast and eggs for lunch – probably with courgette and chilli. 20th wedding anniversary today so out for dinner this evening but I have no intention of ruining the hard work and will stay off the booze and the bad carbs.
Have a good day all !

Julia good luck with your exam and happy anniversary.

S-g your cholesterol number may be up a bit but still within the French parameters but given you’re English you are still way under the recommended 5 so you’re definitely fine! Hope your BP is ok.

As JM says it’s does look good for the future. I guess we always need to take ‘a view’
and as long as we are on plan for most of the time we should be fine and able to control our markers.

I have decided that I am now ‘maintaining’ until I get home. Sounds so much better than ‘standing still’. So again for today I’m still ‘maintaining’ , no loss no gain.

Have a good day.

SERIOUSLY ….. Diane Abbot ‘stepped aside’ because 2 years ago she was diagnosed with T2.

So …. we can no longer be coherent or add up because we have diabetes!!!

What an insult to us all.

Verano – More like, she stepped aside because she hasn’t discovered MM’s BSD way to control the sugars and was following out of date NHS advice! My dad once came out of hospital after a colon cancer op, and in spite of mum’s insistence of timings for when he should have meds/food the staff had been giving out tablets/insulin/food on a totally random basis, so he came home sounding totally incoherent, worrying us enough to suspect blood sugar levels, which were at 2 point something (low enough to cause coma, according to my mum who is more clued up than I am on this, having cared for him for years). We took him straight back to A&E as even the normal sugary stuff wasn’t raising levels to safe ones, and they put him straight on a drip. Someone needs to tell Diane Abbott about the BSD… much better way to keep levels stable.
Glad to hear you are maintaining on holiday – that is an achievement in itself!

I’m not sure that you can tell Diane Abbott anything…..

Hello everyone, just back from the doctor and he is fairly pleased with me. I told him that since Easter I have been off the plan concerning watching calories and watching everything I eat except I have stuck with the no carbs rule and he was okay with that. On the subject of my cholesterol he is a real stickler. Although the numbers are 4.5 total cholesterol and 1.50 for LDL and mine was 1.47 LDL he said he wants my Total back down to 3, something and LDL down to 1.0. Something to do with diabetics need to take extra care and the national limits do not apply to us. He said he would put my simvastatine up to 40mg (currently 20mg) and I said oh no you wont because I get cramps and not only that my number will be down again soon. He is retesting in 3 months, just cholesterol and HbA1c so I have to be truly back on this plan. So that is first week in September and no holidays planned so should be plain sailing. Oh he also said I had gained 2 kgs since my last visit, well yes I did get down to 72.3 kg and now 74.3 kg but I am not planning on staying at that. I does help to increase my resolve as I like to please him, he is so dishy.

With the Diane Abbott situation I have to have some sympathy with her even though I dont like her. She has been on the campaign trail and probably not eating properly and as she is only 2 years diagnosed maybe not got a handle on things. However, I do thing she is using this as an excuse for talking shite. ‘Scuse my French – or should I have said merde, eh Jules. Maybe we should all contact her and get her on the BSD.

Very wise to limit simvastatin – My GP suggested it and I point blank turned it down as it is notorious for its horrible side-effects.

I’ve not read anything that the cholesterol levels should differ for diabetics – maybe it’s a French thing.

Re Mme Abbott – c’est vrai qu’elle ne dit que des conneries!

J-M 🙂

The above comments have raised a smile, as so often reading these brilliant fora!

Went out for dinner tonight to celebrate 20 years married. Turkish. I asked for no rice and extra salad. Never had such a brilliant one. The OH packed away 2 (yes, really) good sized baskets of yummy fresh off the grill flatbreads, I stuck at one finger sized piece, inhaled, enjoyed, passed the basket over and touched no more. However, I did have more grilled chicken than was good for me, a more than healthy amount of yoghurt, aubergine, humous from the meze platter he ordered to start with, and piles of salad. They had helpfully provided spades in the form of flat long fingers of cucumber and carrot which were ideal for the meze… And I had one tiny piece of proper homemade baklava, and then told the stuffed OH we were walking down the hill not getting the bus, so I feel reasonably smug. I also passed the exam, so have bravely decided to go for the harder one on Friday, and put the whole thing to bed so I can focus on more important stuff once it’s (hopefully!) done and dusted. All in all, a good day. Off to bed before I collapse…

I have until the 30th June to lose as much more as I can – 1st July we are off on holiday for a fortnight. I am a full of resolve desperado now. Sending best wishes and lots of support through the ether to those of us still with this challenge. (Other threads seem to be more active but I have very limited time just now and will stick to this one to stay accountable – it really does help.)

Julia

Well done Julia on all counts.

S-g ‘fairly pleased’ is ok. At least your dishy doctor’s comments have renewed your resolve.

I have been looking back through my weight journal and have been giving this way of life some serious thought. We all know this works. Maybe 98% of us have ups and downs with very few having a constant weight loss each week. Although, probably most do have a constant downward trend over time.

I think we give ourselves too hard a time. Weight becomes too much of a focus. Often our BS numbers and other markers are improving but we still knock our progress. S-g you once said ‘ how much more ‘normal’ than normal do you want to be?’. I think it’s so hard when you have a ‘hidden’ illness. Trying to repair intenal organs is very difficult because we can’t ‘see’ them. Because of this we all have times when we become complacent, but then we are here to pull each other back on track.

I think we should all pat ourselves on the back for bringing down our HbA1c, our cholesterol, our blood pressure and our weight. No we aren’t perfect, but we are taking responsibility for our own health and I think we all do a damn good job.

Maybe we should try looking at the positives we are taking from this way of life more often and cut ourselves a little slack now and again.

Here endeth my sermon to myself!

Oh and BTW I’m still maintaining! Have a good day.

Well done on the exam Julia and glad you enjoyed the meal, it makes you feel so good to be in control.

Verano, I think as this is a lifetime thing for us we can forget where we were a year ago. HbA1c 11.4 now 5.6. I’ll take that but I have done it, not doctors, not meds, me. Okay I have let it slide for a few weeks while on the cruise. 3 meals a day and snacks all at restaurant standard. What did for me was eating out continuously for a total of 27 meals, you can say no to the carbs on day one, then day 2, then day 3, but then you think okay just a small piece of bread, day 4 no bread just a couple of chips, until before you know it you are saying yes to sticky toffee pudding, but really one the once. We are not saints and as long as we get back on the plan as we seem to be able to do, it will turn out well. The one thing I love about this diet is you can start losing again as soon as you GET SERIOUS, no messing, just do it properly. Which is what I am doing now.

Having said that, I made frittata for dinner last night and sneaked a few chips from hubby’s plate, well actually I made a few extra (they are oven chips). Guess what, BG was 5.4 this morning when it has been under 5 all week. Just shows we have to be so careful.

So today I have had poached egg with grilled mushrooms, bacon and avocado salad and chicken and mushroom ‘pie’ for dinner. A snack of left-over cold chicken roast that needs eating. Takes me to 750 so enough for a piece of dark chocolate.

Have a good day everyone.

Some really lovely posts.. So inspirational
Ann x

Ghastly day at the all day workshop trying for the second stage of the exam tomorrow. However, taking some positives from the day, even though exam success tomorrow is looking like a long shot!
1) I managed to park the car where it’s free and had a very brisk half hour walk into and back from town at each end of the day, so got my steps in.
2) Because I was stuck in the room all day, I stuck to my b/fast and lunch plans, as in spite of desperation for some rubbish choices, they were not available to me: instead I had berries/yoghurt/brazils again for breakfast, feta/roasted pepper/tomato salad for lunch. This evening I removed myself from the rest of the family’s meal of fish fingers and oven chips (daughter’s standby when she is on kitchen duty, even though at the weekends when she has time and inclination she can make a mean Chinese meal from scratch, no jars.) Since I removed myself from the smells, I was able to stick to soup with some grated cheese in for my own dinner.
Little steps, but that’s the way I work best. As I heard an author say on the radio:
Q: HOW DO YOU EAT AN ELEPHANT?
A: ONE TEASPOON AT A TIME.
There, that’s my thought for the day… not that I am suggesting we go out and look for an elephant to eat.
Have a good Friday, one and all.

S-G – think your positive is you sneaked ‘a few extra’. Maybe a year ago it wouldn’t have been ‘sneaked’ nor ‘a few’. I think we are all so much more mindful on this plan. Seeing the amazing results you and others have had is a big plus for me, inspiring me to perceive change as possible and not type 2 as an inevitable path to follow.
Although my GP insists my readings are not abnormal because FBS for me towards the end of the year, was often hitting 6, I know differently. They used to be 4. something consistently, so I need to get them down or I’ll be headed down the road my dad, grandfather, several aunts and an uncle were on. Honestly, sometimes I wonder if some GPs have lost their common sense as clearly if mine are higher than they were, it doesn’t matter what normal is for the general population according to the NHS, surely?

Verano I hadn’t read your post earlier in my addled state of mind (too much study for 1 day) but what you posted resonates hugely with me. Because I don’t steadily lose it’s tempting not to see myself as a success but in actual fact regaining some of the kilos and having to work hard to lose them again just illustrates that this has become a way of life for good – and shows resolve. In fact if I add up the total kilos lost on multiple occasions I am actually very successful! Determined to learn from CanadaLiz and not regain my lost kilos again no matter what life thros at me.
Not that there aren’t loads more examples on here too, yourself included!

Good morning my fellow ‘humans’ . MM doesn’t actually say we can ‘never’ eat some of these carby foods ever again but just very rarely and that’s what we are doing. So yes we are all succeeding in our new way of life.

Well I’m away from the scales for the next five days so will weigh-in a day late next week. For the moment I’m still ‘maintaining’, now just a 2lb gain after being away for 12 days so really pleased about that. Just have to keep my eye on the prize!

Have a good day.

Morning all – although it is nearly 2pm here so 1pm in UK. No one say we can never eat carbs (the bad ones) but I think us diabetics have realised it is what puts up our blood glucose. I used to think cheese did it for me, never crossed my mind that I eat cheese with cracker biscuits or even bread. Now I just eat the cheese or have a couple of oat cakes with it. This knowledge has given us the power to help ourselves.

My weight is coming down just by a little but I only need 1 lb per week to reach my final goal for this challenge and I am so determined. I am now sure I can get through the weekend without a glass of wine as I know the balance is quite close and one slip could tip it over and it is not worth it.

Breakfast today was stewed rhubarb and Greek yoghurt, lunch was a ploughmans and for dinner I am making a large batch of vegi curry, one for tonight and 2 portions for the freezer. I love it that I never seem to eat the same meal in any one week. Every B L and D are different each day even if it is just a variation like yog and raspberries or yog and rhubarb – or mushroom and eggs, or eggs with cheese. Keeps it interesting and I never get to feel deprived.

Enjoy the rest of the day and look forward to a successful weekend. Oh, and keep on keeping on…

S-g you really are doing well. I just think that once we accept that this isn’t an ‘all or nothing’ way of life we get on very well with it.

My plans have changed so I’ll be weighing-in a day early rather than late. Hotel didn’t have our preferred room so back now and off again Monday!

Rhubarb …. ahhh! I really wish I could get that here but no success. So strawberries are the choice of the day but not a patch on the English ones.

Today I had an inch of crusty bread and butter! My choice. The first bread I’ve had for nearly a year. I had it with frittata and it was very nice but you know, not nice enough to want more ….. a triumph!

Just want to say thank you to all my fellow travellers without whom I’d have given up months ago. Thank you all

Dear all,

It has been a stressful week and even though I have reduced calories down to no more than 1000 I am still not hitting 800. As I have 8 weeks till holiday my aim is to now really focus on the 800 kcal AND GIVE UP sugar including fruit. If we do go over calories ie at the weekend will it a big impac up to 1200 sayt? I only have a stone to loose but most of it needs to come off around the middle. How’s everyone else getting on?

Hi Gpowpow, you can look at as 800 calories is something to aim for, you dont always reach that target but you certainly try hard enough. You dont have much to lose and dont have diabetes (I think) so this strictness of the 800Fast in not desperate for you. Giving up most fruit is a good thing but allow yourself something nice like strawberries or blueberries. You dont want to deprive yourself and defeat the object of living a good and healthy life which is also fun. Just keep on keeping on…

Hi Gpowpow
I rarely stick to 800 and the weight still comes off so long as I keep my carbs low enough. Cals often around 1000 once I count milk in tea. My weight is not huge but all of it is round my middle (veritable tree trunk figure ) and also type 2 running in family so similar to you. Stick with it, you won’t regret it as the weight does shift from there.

Grumptoglam Pod and crabbycams just read your posts on another thread re depression. Hope you are still hanging in there – life doesn’t always hand out roses but the BSD way of eating certainly has benefits beyond diet. As someone currently on a low dose of mirtazapine following a difficult set of circumstances last year, I have every admiration for you coping with such challenges. Always plenty of support on these pages, and best wishes for continued improvement.

Verano 1st bread in a year? That halo must be massive! Wish I could say the same, but I have at least got quite a liking for cauli pizza.
Homemade rye bread fresh from the oven still tempts me but I can control the quantity these days. And being stricter about carbs currently I haven’t dared touch it in ages.
S- g am going to do your bacon and avocado salad tomorrow as I love both. Well done with the pounds loss. Slow and steady wins too just remember the hare and the tortoise!

Hi everyone, unfortunately I am going back on my resolve to not have any alcohol. I forgot I have a party tonight, me, my husband and 30 French people, non of them speak a word of English. It is in aid of le Fete des Voisins, the festival of neighbours and happens all over France. Each small community organises a food and wine festival in the area. I guess you would call in a street party. There is no way I can last 5 hours without a drink to improve my French which I do speak quite well but not local French. It is like being a Londoner and going to Newcastle, with all the made up words only they use. It is nothing like you learn in school.

Anyway, on the food front I am being very good. I am making a pastry-less chicken quiche, using parma ham as the base. I am also taking lashings of salad and melon for dessert. Wish me bon chance!!!

For the rest of the day I have had rhubarb and yoghurt and a lunch of tuna dip with carrot, celery and red pepper to dip. So around 250 cals all day then what I have tonight. A bit like WW I am saving my points (calories) for tonight.

Julia18togo, if I am not too late and you have not had the avocado yet, can I just say I only eat half of one, that is enough for me and it saves a lot of calories, and 3 rashers of lean bacon grilled and drained. Enjoy.

Have a good weekend.

Thank you all for your lovely comments and support 🙂 looking forward to starting the journey tomorrow and not obsess over the number and make it a way of life. Julie18 I like have a tree trunk body and my dad was border Diab. Hope everyone has a lovely day in the sun n Let’s have a good week. X

Gpowpow I sometimes just calculate the average calories/carbs over a week. Then you can build in weekends etc. without feeling you aren’t ‘sticking’ to the plan.

S-g hope you had a good time last night without toooo much vino!

Julia I really don’t have a halo. I hadn’t realised that I hadn’t had bread since the start of my journey, July 5th 2016. I also haven’t had pasta or rice. I had a jersey royal a few weeks ago just couldn’t resist but apart from that my potato weakness is in the form of crisps! I do occasinally have some crisps. I also have oat cakes with cheese. I don’t have many but I really feel the need for ‘crispy’ food now and again. My other weakness has been digestive biscuits although since being away I seem to have kicked that bad habit which I’ve now replaced with ‘holiday’ wine!

So really I don’t miss bread, potatoes, pasta or rice. My HbA1c has reduced from 6.4 to 5.2 and my metformin reduced by half. Hoping that my next test in August will show my BS to be stable and I can come of metformin all together. Metformin is my only medication and I would just love to come of that and as a ‘mature’ lady be medication free. Maybe sounds silly but that’s my aim.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend.

Oh dear I have seriously let you all down. Im afraid I was rather drunk last night although I didn’t eat anything off plan. Dont ever believe the French as sophisticated about their drink, they knock it back like the rest of us. One of our neighbours works for a wine makers and insists we try a little of everything, which can soon add up. Excuses excuses I know.

Sorry all, I will be back with you tomorrow but I need to soak my head right now.

Like Verano, I started this plan nearly a year ago (28th June – ring any Brexit bells) and almost never touch anything of the white carbs. In that year I have probably had 2 or 3 pieces of artisan bread a few chips stolen from hubby and absolutely nothing else. I even told waiting staff on a cruise not to serve me anything listed and they did a marvellous job and gave me extra veg.

See you all tomorrow and keep on keeping on…

Well I had a disastrous day yesterday, culminating in an encounter with a tub of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream which is no more. Quite disgusting of me, and I don’t even like cookie dough ice cream, just wanted something cold and comforting in the heat (a rare event indeed for Edinburgh to hit 25 degrees!). It was not comforting, especially not this morning when I looked at the scales, how the heck can they go up by almost 2 kilos overnight? It must also be the glass of wine I had (yes, that too, it wasn’t a good evening, calories-wise). However, at least the wine was quality stuff – my mum brought it round both as post exam commiserations and 20th anniversary gift, she knows what I like!

The fact that I was feeling flat after the disastrous exam and that I had to provide emotional support to a hormonal love struck teenager, and try to get the house clean (filthy after ignoring it last couple of weeks with all that studying after work) in time for student lodger arriving midday today was no excuse at all. But, it happened, I am choosing to move on, and have not replaced the ice cream (which was intended for my daughter!) and have sensible food planned for the week ahead. So I have done the adult equivalent of sitting on the naughty step to consider what choices I need to make and why, reflected, and moved forward.

Hope S-G your head has recovered from the wine. I extend a sympathetic hand to you as we all take steps forward again – sounds like at least your wine was more pleasurable than my sickly sweet ice cream!

Verano, I still think there is a halo there as you have done so well to stick to no white stuff. I really hope you achieve zero metformin at your next check.

In fact, let’s all give ourselves a pat on the back (or a kick up the backside in my case!) and let’s have a good week this week. As someone here said, so long as we are following this 90% of the time, we are making good progress.

Gpowpow – you will see the waist again, I am less of a tree trunk than before, my daughter told me I seem to have a waist again. I bought a couple of reasonably fitted dresses this weekend, and my 14 y o gave them the thumbs up as making me look almost slim (high praise given that the previous items I tried on I was told I looked “a bit ‘tea and crumpets’, mum “. Aren’t teenagers great at thinking up the ultimate in put downs?! When I go out running now I don’t shock all the local lorry drivers, have even had to purchase adjustable waisted lycra leggings, as previously, they would ride down the rolls of blubber, which on a windy day if the tshirt rides up, is not a good look I can assure you, and I am not in the business of providing lorry drivers with free laughs.

Hi weighing-in a day early. Unfortunately I’ve not managed my goal of maintaining this week I’ve put on 1.2lbs. I’m sure this is due to too much wine and not enough water …. fluid retention …. let’s hope so!

Hope you’ve all had a better week than me.

Hi Julia18togo, I do like your description of your admirable resilience – sitting on the naughty step in order to reflect and recalibrate.

When I step off the wagon, as I frequently do on purpose as I have a mini rebellion, I shall join you on the naughty step for a few minutes.

Sounds like you have a lot of stuff happening so I wouldn’t worry about things too much. It’s all a learning experience after all and we are trying to undo decades of habit in a very short period of time.

Sor forgive yourself, but don’t forget.

All the best from Crabbycams

Hello everyone, hope you are all well and keeping safe in this heat. Please, please, please drink lots of water and if you have elderly neighbours go a see them and make sure they are drinking. Here in France in 2004 (I think) there was une grande chaleur – a heatwave and over 10,000 people died in the space of a few weeks. Mainly old and from dehydration which is as dangerous as the cold and hypothermia. That said, there is not much good news around the countryside and we all have to be strong for each other.

Julia18togo you are amazing, not only did you pass a difficult exam but you had the courage to go on and do an even harder one. The fact that you failed is not a case for shame, you tried and you are so worth lots of praise and hugs. You have tried it and know what to expect so you can give yourself some time and try again.

Me, I am just too naughty, too much to drink on Saturday night and then into Sunday. But it stops now. I dare not get on the scales but weigh in is tomorrow and I will be honest. For now I am hiding in the house as we had 38 degrees yesterday and it is set to hit 40 today. I have just had lunch but when it has settled I am donning t-shirt, sunglasses and hat and going in for a swim. Someone on another thread couldn’t understand when I said it gets too hot to swim, maybe they can see my point now you are getting the heat. You would burn to a crisp, especially as water intensifies the suns effect.

Oh well, onwards and downwards and keep on keeping on…

It was 2003 and I was working in Gay Paree at the time and it was horrible, going on for weeks. I went on a project to a well-known supermarket group based in St-Etienne and we spent weeks just sweating in a decommissioned IT Centre where the air-con kept packing in as it couldn’t cope. Lots of liquid and try and stay in the shade!

Like S-G, I had a bit of a dodgy weekend. As part of my birthday celebrations, we were in London to go to the ROH to see la Traviata (very good, BTW). They also sent me a birthday treat of tickets to see the dress rehearsal of Otello – Kaufmann was excellent and I believe that they are streaming it live to a load of cinemas in the UK (next week?), so well worth catching if you can. Anyway the DR led to a late lunch, seafood, so OK but also a couple of glasses of white wine. The evening performance of La Traviata included a couple of glasses of champagne and a large plate of charcuterie before and another glass at each of the intervals. So more focus required this week, hopefully the heat will help!

Highpoint was though as we were walking out of the rehearsal, Ekaterina Bakanova, Violetta in La Traviata, was walking across the lobby. I plucked up the courage to speak to her and I think that I may just have a bit of a crush…..

Well, not that I would want to encourage anyone to derail, but the one thing that’s good about doing so, is you don’t feel alone in doing so once logging on here!
JM – a birthday treat is surely to be enjoyed, and it seems that you don’t make a habit of it.
SG – ditto with the party, it is a once in a while thing. This week should be better. Maybe a few midnight swims to dodge the heat and sun and thus lessen the effects of the extra indulgences.
I was sensible at work today, and am now sitting in the garden enjoying what are exceptional days this far north! It was a slog at work to stay focussed and not fall asleep.
I remember in my dim and distant youth living in Sevilla (1993 I think, or 1994) there was a mega heatwave and the elderly were dropping like flies – even healthy young people died, going out on a bike ride and then collapsing with dehydration.
Crabbycams – where does that name come from? I’m sure you cannot be at all crabby as you are very positive.
My weigh in this morning didn’t happen as I was rushing to get student lodger sorted with breakfast etc on her first day. Tomorrow will likely be bad news due to TOTM.
Never mind, in this for the long haul! Onwards and upwards…

Hi Julia18togo,

Crabbycams is star sign + initials. Thanks for the feedback too. I often feel that I am using the forums to just dump the crap out of my head.

OK all, so I am in danger of giving in to temptation today as I have a series of tasks to carry out at work, none of which I am relishing. So, posting here that I WILL wait for lunch before I eat anything. Have had a coke zero instead – I know that’s not recommended but it helps on the tough days to stop me consuming empty cals even if not good for the gut!
B- yoghurt and berries (yes, I know, same as last week!)
L – cauliflower cheese (not much cheese though) and chicken breast.
D – minced beef cooked with a tonne of celery, green beans.

Scales were right up at 84 this morning, I honestly don’t think that is the damage from the weekend, more likely fluid retention (always happens at this time of the month!) since I was at 82.3 the other day.

Older daughter gets back from visiting family in Spain tonight at midnight, so I will need to go to the airport late at night and sacrifice some sleep. So I have have further yoghurt/berries for a snack late tonight. This will take me over 800 but keep me low in carbs, so I am not going to stress about it. After the weekend, I am still struggling with self control so today is about managing to eat sensible food even if quantities are a little more than they should be.

Hope everyone is having a good day so far.

Thanks J-M, knew it was around that time, we were here on holiday and I remember the place we were staying had no air con so we spent a lot of time driving around. Pulled up to have lunch in Limeiul by the river and parked under dense trees and the temperature was 41 degrees. We hit 40 yesterday.

I have to confess I have regained 1.5lb of the 2lb I lost last week. Not good and not totally understandable as I have been swimming 40 or 50 minutes every day. Surely that amount of exercise would count for something. I know exercise doesn’t make you lose weight as you would have to do say 40 mins walking to burn off one digestive, but considering I am sticking with the plan (except for Saturday night) I should at least have stuck.

I have been reading through other posts and threads and it looks like a lot of people are struggling. Maybe something to do with the hot weather, fluid retention or something and also being rather lethargic. Even though I am swimming, the rest of the time I am doing as little as possible.

Anyway, this is the start of another week and still time to redeem ourselves starting right now.
B – scrambled egg with chilli and 20g cheese
L – Pho chicken soup – but I am letting it go cold
D – straight forward grilled lamb steaks with lots of veg and mint sauce.
S – cold chicken on a ryvita and maybe a piece of dark chocolate
Around 750 calories for the day and absolutely nothing else.

Onward and upwards everyone, how are you all doing. Heard from Julia18togo and Crabbycams but the rest of you are quiet.

Well Its so hot here in Manchester that my jar of coconut oil is totally liquid :0)
Thanks Julia18togo – the depression thread is really v interesting. We do tend to separate the mental from the physical when looking at the effects of good nutrition but they are vary closely linked and I think this diet should be advertised for mental health as well as Diabetes, but as discussed, it is all anecdotal evidence. Still, its certainly working for me! 🙂
Sorry I’m very intermittent in forum updates but I’m still here and keeping on keeping on! and reading your updates :0)
Coming up to the end of my first week. Saturday we had a last minute BBQ. I was virtuous, had some chicken, fish and plenty of salad with a G&T then sparkling water in my gin bubble glass for the rest of the eve. None of the other bbq’ers then harassed me as to why I wasn’t drinking ha!
I woke up on Sunday completely flat. I felt like the high of getting on track had run out. I lasted till around 3pm on scrambled eggs for brekky and a yogurt/apple combo. Suddenly I was snapping at the kids, pacing around and generally in a foul mood and too hot. Next thing I know, Ive got a burger bun in my mouth… old habits die hard aye!? Clearly I have triggers I need to be mindful of. Maybe I was dehydrated.
Got straight back in the game on monday morning and stayed at 700cals for the day. Today Im now in work preaching to my colleague who is complaining of lethargy/weigh gain… all the usual symptoms of sugar addiction. I’m making it my mission to convert her.

Keep up the good work everyone! Ive got to weigh in soon so will update asap. x

Just noticed that the thread JUNE TO JULY etc are doing very well. I think we will have to have a competition with them. A bit of motivation needed here.

Come on you lot of desperados, where are you.

I am pleased to say I have not let you or myself down as the 1.5lbs I gained has gone again overnight. Must have been fluid. However, it still means I stuck last week and that I can deal with. Swam for 50 minutes yesterday (in two stretches) and hope to fit in another 50 today, did 25 this morning. It is still way too hot even for France, hitting just over 40 degrees and 35 in the house late last night. Fortunately we have aircon but it is only in one room and you literally have to stand under it to feel it.

Hey ho, we will all be moaning with the storms and rain comes. We are forecast for storms tonight. Keep on keeping on….

I’m with you both…very much the same and need to loose about 15kg.
Lost 17kg last year but have put 5 back on…now need to loose 15!

Lets go for it. I’ve had 2 good days so hope I’m well on the way
Does anyone have some good shake recipes? Ive got the melon, spinach and blueberry one from the book and the Raspberry and Almond Milk one from the forum…..would really like a couple more if you have any ideas.