I have been thinking about this for a while now. I notice that there’s chat about ‘goals’ on the ‘2025’ thread and I’d just like to ask a few questions here.

When I first started this WoL back in 2016 my ‘goal’ was simple ‘to reverse my T2’. Ok. So that goal achieved and around 60lb lost I, unconsciously, set about testing my limits. By this I mean I introduced more carbs to see how far I could go and remain in remission. I had realised by this point that it was carbs rather than weight per se that would push me out of remission. Obviously the result was a gradual weight gain over the next couple of years although I have stayed in remission.

2020 and ‘isolation’ didn’t result in a weight gain for me but I just merrily plodded along on the same regime. By last year I started to really feel the need to lose weight again. T2 under control and having the knowledge to keep it that way I started to set small goals. I set a modest goal for the year. I set a weekly goal of 1lb. The year progressed and I lost the 1lb a week until a holiday was thrown in and the up/down cycle started again. Anyway by the end of the year I had an overall loss of around half a stone. Poor result for a 52 week stretch.

So my questions, especially for those who have come back to BSD for the 2nd, 3rd time etc., really are:
Did you set a long term goal?
Did you set short term goals?
Did you have a ‘figure’ in mind?
Was it a ‘health’ goal?
Was it a ‘size’ goal?

I guess I’m really just asking, after the initial round of BSD, if you regained and came back how did you get back into the right mind set? Maybe I’m asking something similar to ‘how long is a piece of string?’ which I know has no answer but I would love your thoughts and tips please.

What a really interesting question! My long term goal is to reach a weight that works for me and can help avoid future health problems like diabetes and eat healthier to try to avoid other health problems like cancer. I set short term goals all the time, not always weight related. Sometimes as simple as fitting back in a favourite pair of trousers, sometimes more health related like improving my cardiovascular fitness. Figures are difficult because they change! When I first lost all that weight I got down to a weight of 10st11 but I have no intention of trying to make that again. The goal that time was to fit back into my wedding dress for my 25th anniversary. I did, easily at that weight but I was too thin for that to be sustainable, I now believe. So in answer to your question all of the above!

My current plans are, short term, restart a Fast 800 at the start of February to try to lose some more weight, although I am considering using 900 calories instead and adopting a ClarinetCathy style 36 hour fast on every Monday instead. Medium term goal is try to lose a significant amount from now (at least 2 stone but no exact figure) by my birthday in June, using the tools of this WOE which I know works. I have no idea what my final weight I am happy with will be, I just know my current weight isn’t it, but then neither was my lightest.

I had a very difficult few years and like many people I got into some bad habits over lockdown particularly when that coincided with my OH illness. My first attempt last year at getting back into weighing/measuring/planning everything fell into disuse after only three weeks, but I managed to remain at a stable weight until Christmas on a stone and a half loss, when I put on a few more pounds. Those were almost certainly glycogen not fat as they are already off again during the first couple of days of my fast. I don’t really have any tips other than forum staple ‘keep on keeping on’ and my own mantra ‘mix it up’ both with exercise and diet, to help stay engaged with what you are trying to do.

Thank you M&M! My thought too ….. it’s a mixture of everything! I think my first ‘goal’ will just be to get back to a ‘plan’ instead of dipping in and out trying to find the ‘golden nugget’. I have to agree that ‘mix it up’ is a good way to go. I think your body gets used to two meals a day or whatever and throwing an odd breakfast here or there ‘shocks’ it into action.
Best of luck with you June goal.

My personal goal, is to get back to target weight by mid March …. currently that means ditching 9lb. Will be tackling this with regular fasts, OMAD and watching this carbs.

I also seriously need to incorporate regular exercise into my day to day routine. Initially this will be with short online exercise ‘classes’, to start to build some fitness.

MM, I’m sure you can reach your goal by June and V, think you are wise to plan, it helps to avoid drifting off track.

we’ll be reporting good things soon.

Good morning.
Today is my first ‘Friday weigh-in’. I have made a plan to take me to mid April when we have a holiday. I’m going to be quite ambitious and look towards 2lb per week for the next 13 weeks. Initially I have a goal of 7lbs by the end of January than I’ll reassess.
I also have a ‘to do’ list including 5 deep breaths when I first get up, water and moving more. So out with my trusty timer set at 45 minutes to remind me I need to drink!
I’m hoping that a ‘plan’ and a ‘goal’ will set me on the right track for the year.
Hope everyone’s plans are working well.

Hi V, my answer to your 5 questions is 5 yeses.
Long term goal was to get rid of insulin but also a weight goal of reaching 65kgs. Both go hand in hand as one affects the other.
Short term goal – many along the way and these were mainly weight goals.
As above, yes 65kgs weight but no real figure for BG as they are meaningless if I am still on insulin.
Yes a health goal – lower BG and getting rid of insulin.
Yes again, 65kgs takes me to what I was before I went on insulin.

I really havent done too bad as I was 81.9kgs before BSD and now 72.2kgs. Was on 44 units insulin now on 18 (that changes depending on the season i.e. holidays etc). I have had gains along the way, back to holidays, I reached around 68kgs after 13 weeks on the plan and then went on a cruise, regained about 3 or 4kgs and been dithering around there ever since. Now with a goal to get to about 68kgs for my April holiday. Right now aiming for 3lbs a month for 3 months then 2lbs for the final 2 weeks – total of 11lbs.

S-g yes yes and yes. I knew all the answers!
Thanks s-g. Yes you have done really well BUT we do have to live!

Would your life have been better/more enjoyable if you hadn’t cruised but kept your weight lower? My guess is not!

We just have to balance the pluses and minuses which change with age, health and pleasure. Sometimes we just have to ‘live in the moment’.

Maybe we should always ‘live in the moment’!

My answer to living life. I think I was still in a learning phase of BSD when I went on my first cruise. Now I know what to avoid and how to keep on track. Little things like no bread – with any meal. Try to have a salad before or with main meal. No snacking between meals. Just because it is there doesn’t mean I have to have it. I can still enjoy the 5 star service, food and comfort without the ‘bad’ foods.

I am thrilled! This website https://healthy-food.fun/ has opened up a whole world of benefits and health for me. Simple tips, incredible food facts, everything to make my diet better. Come on in, change your diet for the better and be on the health wave like me! That’s why I created an account here and want to share this information with you.

Thank you for the info, Healthy-food777, however if aiming for a low carb diet such as BSD, it’s important to remember that some fruits and veg carry a high carb value and so should be approached with caution.
Best of luck to you with your chosen path.

Healthy-food777 you are preaching to the converted and not sure you don’t breach site advertising rules as the site you recommend is the same as your name. However, as it doesn’t ask for any money and has some interesting, fact based information I won’t be reporting you.