Hi
Thread is buzzing! Day 6 for me have not lost weight today but have lost 4 lbs so all good. I have got a bit complacent and added in a few bits yesterday oops. My thighs are painful as I upped my walking and excercise.guess that is th difficult bit if you up excercise you want more food.
But feeling good and good to have the band of travellers with lots of positivity despite the health issues . Good luck today …. here is to water and sticking to it!

LessMuffinTop, I just saw your post about nightime visits to the loo! It must be all that water you are drinking.

Verano, thank you so much for your post, so full of good information and support, cheers, we all need it and it helps us on our path!

The food issue, it just goes on and on, but I want to share a little salad I made tonight. Around 160 calories and I really enjoyed it. Luckily I just made enough for one small portion otherwise I might have eaten a lot more. Calculated on the Calorie King website, I’m logging everything I eat there and it gives you all the dietary info you need, plus you have a diary tracking your calories and exercise and water. Pretty cool. I actually meant to put a bit of chopped apple in the salad for acidity and make it like a Waldorf Salad, but I forgot!
It take about 5 minutes, and it was just stuff I had lying around and you could do all sorts of things with it.

Yummy Salad
1 x 85g tin of tuna in brine (water)
1 x asparagus spear
little bit of red pepper (about a tenth of a whole one)
One walnut (yes ridiculous, but I’m being super cautious)
half a celery stalk
a few fresh from the cob corn kernels
1 teaspoon of full fat mayonnaise
Pretty simple, you chop up everything, mix it up.

Thanks everyone for coming on this trip. We little band of travellers can do this and it’s so good reading all of the posts. I may not respond to everyone by name, that’s just a memory problem I have, you’re all fantastic brilliant amazing human beings and we are going to win! There will be trips and falls but we will work it out. It’s night time here in Australia, just going off to watch The Great British Bake Off.

Hi Guys, I just wanted to say to those of you preferring to check measurements that in my experience you need to think about a wide range of measurements. I found while I did loose some weight from my waist and hips, most of the very noticeable weight loss initially was lost weight from my legs, neck and arms. Some people even find they change shoe sizes. (For me I think its because the dimensions of my ankles changed, so my feet fit further back in my shoes.) So don’t be disappointed if the inch loss doesn’t occur from the waist and hips.

Thanks JGwen that is a very useful point. I’m really thinking about the waist measurement so that eventually it is half of my height – if I could grow taller I would, and sometimes that seems easier – but I might think about measuring elsewhere too.

Tapemeasuremum (great username!) JGwen briefly touched on the subject of shoe size, but it is something
I try to introduce once a month on busy newcomer’s threads like this one 🙂 Not only is it possible, but highly
probable that your shoe size will change, if you have more than a little weight to lose. If it’s possible, try
and postpone any new footwear until you are approaching target weight. Otherwise, it could get expensive 🙂
I dropped 1 1/2 sizes, and shoes that used to be too tight to wear, I’m walking right out of! It never occurred
to me that that was possible. I thought once I had stretched my feet by carrying extra weight, that would be
the “new normal”! Just a cautionary tale…. Welcome to the forums, and enjoy your journey 🙂 🙂 🙂

Allie

Thanks Allie, please keep inspiring us as we get through the eight weeks, or longer!

Thank you for the kind words Verano and Maid2Measure I have never joined a forum before, out of fear of negative people only making me feel worse, but this has not been the case at all. It is great to hear that you turned T2 around – how long did it take you? The idea that I could turn this around in 8 weeks gives me hope. I understand this is a way of life now, but I would prefer to be able to see what I am eating than continue with sugar and carbs.

Alliecat I found your comments about shoe size very interesting as I have grown ½ a size. Getting shoes in 10.5 (NZ size, lots of summers running around bare foot and those suckers just grew) is really hard. I will hang on to my old shoes in case I can get back into them.

Tapemeasuremum I too have been focused on my waist measurement but should check my thighs too. Like a lot of woman who put on weight those tree trunks could start a fire if I wear something flammable! Yes I have a weird sense of humour but it gets me through the down times.

Oh dear the T2 tea HappyKangaroo pretty much sums up the problem we are all facing. How do you control stuff belong your control? You don’t want to ask to see the back of a package for nutritional information or have to Google the ingredients. I have lunch with friends tomorrow and spent way too long researching the restaurant meal for the best option. Turned out not to be the salads as they came with sweet corn (sugar) and a range of beans (carbs). A bun free grill chicken burger with blue cheese mayo is the healthiest. Yes, the mayo will eat up my calories but what a way to go I am also thinking of taking a small container and putting half of the “burger” into it before I start eating to ensure I don’t have too big a meal at once. This might get some laughs from my friends, but most will support me. And that is dinner covered

Re holiday HappyKangaroo the Gold Coast was where we were thinking of going. It’s a great no thinking or much planning destinations (last trip was to Adelaide you have a wonderful city!). My husband and I have found an apartment we like in Broadbeach and know our way around the area very well. Even have a standard mini golf competition as a place within walking distance. It’s just the Surf Clubs buffet breakfasts will be out – no self-control and they are SO good. Actually, I am looking back in horror at how much I have eaten at buffets, the one at the Adelaide casino we ate so much we could hardy walk and went to bed with stomach aches. Worst part – we went back and did it again a few nights later!

I have a question for you all – how many calories in a medium raw egg? Just trying to work out ingredients for a recipe but different websites and books have different calories for an egg??

Keep up the great work everyone, in a few weeks we will look back and be amazed just how far we have come.

Short post but a quick reply before I go to sleep! Approx 68 calories in a medium egg. Thars the figure I always use.
More later! xx

Hi everyone – good to hear from you all and well done. Been a manic week so I haven’t been able to post much but am getting back into the BSD groove and hoping for a reversal to the slight weight increase recently. Am also taking part in a work-related fitness challenge over the next few weeks so maybe it’s finally time to hit my target?! Will keep you posted …..

Wanted to say though, don’t be discouraged if things seem to stall for a while. And don’t compare your progress unfavourably with others as we’re all very different. I’ve found personally that this diet is not linear: you go through phases of losing then of not losing – and these phases don’t necessarily tie up with what you are expecting. This article about the whoosh factor explains it really well! http://100down.org/the-whoosh-effect/

Btw lessmuffintop I also remember those running to the loo days especially in the early days! But everyone do make sure you still drink loads of water otherwise – in my experience – you can get pretty constipated.

Best wishes to you all and enjoy the coming weekend (Bank Holiday in the UK – and amazingly it’s meant to be sunny 🙂

X

Dreams come true that woosh article is fascinating I have never heard that. Does make is easier not to expect a loss every day but might encourage me to have a cheat day oops!!

I was just thinking the same thing. – A high cal, low carb meal on a monday evening for those of us on the 4 week thread who weigh in on tuesday mornings? 🙂 – Just joking, but being able to control when the whoosh happens so if I have a day when I going to have an early start and need to have a good nights sleep coming up I can avoid the broken sleep patterns of a whoosh happening the night before.

Being serious, I had noticed that my weight loss process was in 4 inch long stages up my legs, each time the area went through a stage of looking like there were lots of invisible thumbs pressing into the area causing big dimples. Then it would reduce and the dimples would all disappear. Then the number of dimples would start to increase in the next area. Knowing that may be helpful for those who are thinking about measuring, and looking in the mirror rather than getting on the scales.

thanks JGwen scrambled eggs for brunch on Sunday here I come 🙂

Hello, you beautiful new members to this community! I wish you the best navigating your first extended weekend. 🙂
I’m certain that you all have strategies in place to avoid the pitfalls….Call out to any of us if you need a hug or support,
and we will come running. We cover 3 continents and even more countries, so there is always one of us out and about!
Enjoy the sunshine that is heading your way…

Allie

Thanks so much Allie, your support is greatly appreciated. Looking forward to a Bank Holiday with some good weather at last, so exciting.

Hello Alliecat! I read that you are one of the most knowledgeable person in this forum, thank you for taking the time to reply!! I feel relieved that my daughter can continue with the diet for more than 8 weeks. By the way, she is down to 75 kilos! She was 79 a few days ago. I am so excited, just waiting to see a very flat tummy emerge from all that belly fat. I am being patient-I know that it will happen. Thanks again for replying.

Hello everyone, checking in to see how you are all doing. Has anyone had any setbacks, trips or falls? Or is everyone plain sailing? I have been not filling the requirements of 800 a day, usually about 300 less but I expect that will settle over time. I don’t want to push it if I’m not feeling hungry but won’t let it continue for more than another couple of days. Why am I not feeling hungry?

HappyKangaroo you could possibly increase your calories by adding a little more healthy fat to your diet or a few nuts. 800 calories is really quite low so to be even lower is probably not that good. The carbs are really important when you have diabetes so, if your aren’t, maybe you could count them as well.

I think that the majority of people following this WOL stumble and fall at times but the real secret is to just get back up and carry on. There is no such thing as ‘failure’ here. As sunshine-girl would say you just have to keep on keeping on……

Hi Verano,
Thanks for the advice. I find the nutrition aspect the nuts and bolts information to get BS undercontol. I am only 5 days from diagnosis and I know that things are going to get better with time and persistence and whilst doing this programe that it’s a process of education and lifelong changes too, not just these 8 weeks. The thing I am struggling with is the emotional side of it, I not only have this disease, I had a tumor removed 16 months ago and that rotten little devil played havoc with my brain function, liver and many other things and most of all my bones. I have the bones of an 85 year old, not that you could tell by looking at me. I’m getting smaller though, one and a half centimeters in the last couple of months, and overall I have lost 7 cm all from my spine. I thought I had my chronic disease, now I have another in this one, and a couple of others diagnosed on Monday. It’s a lot to take in, and whilst generally my cheerfulness wins out I have moments of crying and that is the hard bit. The food bit I can do, getting my head round everything that has happened in the last couple of years is harder (and I haven’t even covered everything, a broken bone a car accident that left me laid up for months and other things). Sorry, this has been a bit of a rant, thank you for listening.

Hi HappyKangaroo
I am the same as you, I just don’t fancy eating 800 cals most days. I do find that I do get hungry if I have a particularly physically active day and then I will go over the 800 cals in that case because I will still be eating less than burnt. However, it is a different feeling from what I would have described as feeling hungry back in the days when I was eating a high carb diet. I don’t think there is anything magical about 800 cals, I would guess that its a target simply because for the average person with a desk job, its a figure where they should see a substantial weight loss but still have enough cals to have 3 meals a day.

From what I have read we are not feeling hungry because we are keeping our insulin levels at the right point so our bodies are using our fat as a fuel source. – I do use this state to keep my eating pattern to a 20:4 because I hope based on what I have read that will help prevent/keep to a minimum loose skin. It also gives me a wider range of options for meals because I am not trying to split 800 cals over 3 meals. – I do take multivitamins to make sure there is no issue with trace elements in my diet. –
If you are counting calories but not carbs then such a low calorie diet would be a problem, because your body would adapt to there being less fuel coming in and you would reduce your metabolic rate. But all the research suggests that doesn’t happen if you keep your carbs low.

Hello HappyKangaroo! Thanks for sharing. We’re here to help each other.
Actually I remember reading somewhere that Michael Mosley considered 500 Cal’s but wrote the book for 800 as it may have been too low for some. But maybe not for others. I think in a traditional 5:2 diet the 2 days were 500 cal ones.
I’m the opposite, I struggle with such low Cal’s and have slipped the last couple of days, eating more, but not more carbs than 20g. I showed a pound gain on the scales this morning but trying to keep cheerful about it as some of my clothes are looser and my measurements are going down. Hopefully it will whoosh off next week. This morning I haven’t had breakfast yet which is rare for me but for once I’m not hungry and making the most of it!

Maid2Measure you are measuring your carbs even the not so obvious ones like in dairy products? Oh dear I thought I “just” had to cut out bread, rice etc not check carbs in everything. Don’t worry about your scales remember muscle weighs more than fat. The good old tape measurer & how your clothes fit are better at showing lose.

HappyKangaroo wow you have been through a lot. And you survived it all. Try to focus on that. You – are – a- survivor 🙂

HappyKangaroo I can only sympathise with you. You do seem to have a lot to deal with in such a short time but can I please implore you not to think of diabetes as a ‘chronic’ disease that will only deteriorate with time. We have been brainwashed into thinking we have to take the medication and in time more and more will be added and that’s the only course of action to control diabetes. It isn’t! This way of eating works. I came off medication, as have many people, and my diabetes is now controlled by diet alone. I had been diagnosed for at least 5 years but I was able to do it you will too especially as you are so newly diagnosed.

I can empathise with you. Sometimes we just have to cry and I don’t see any problem with that. You are crying for your loss. Eleven years ago I had sepsis. Previously I had had a hip resurfacing which became infected, my hip was removed and eventually replaced 18 months later. As a result my mobility has been seriously reduced and I walk with two crutches. You know I felt so sorry for myself. I also felt many different emotions and I think that’s pretty normal when you suffer any loss of health, especially if it’s permanent.

Your loss of good health is so new, and you have so many things to deal with all at once, that it’s not going to be easy. So cry when you need to, and feel sorry for yourself if you want to. BUT there will come a time when you can say to yourself ‘ ok this is the hand I’ve been dealt I will make the best of it’. My philosophy is, ‘I do what I can and what I can’t I don’t fret over’. Life can be a bitch sometimes but we can still enjoy what we have.

Maid2Measure, thank you. Mel First Timer, thanks so much for your message, lovely and made me smile. Verano, thanks so much for your message. My base line is cheerful and it’s just from time to time that I have a wee cry and I guess being only day five since diagnosis I guess it’s natural and everyone is different. I shouldn’t have refered to T2 as chronic, I’m really sorry for saying that, it was a slip. I’m not doing meds, and I’m committed to doing this and making the most of everything. My big tip for anyone, whatever is going on, if you can have at least one good belly laugh a day, well that’s just the best thing around 🙂 Wow Verano, you have been through a lot, and what a great attitude you have, sending you a big high 5! Don’t worry, I’m not feeling sorry for myself, never have. My father was the most positive person in the world and I learnt a lot from him. He was a true inspiration.

Hi everyone

I’ve been reading through the posts as they’ve been emailed to me but this is the first chance I’ve had to reply for a few days. Things are going well here, after five days I am 2kg down, which is 1/5 of my intended weight loss, so that’s encouraging. I’m under 800 every day, though often by very little, and with exercise calories the net is often around 500. I’m not counting carbs though, but have eaten fruit (apples, berries and some grapes as they needed eating and I didn’t want to waste them), sweetcorn carrots and beetroot. No bread, crackers, pasta, rice etc. It seems to be working so far, anyway.

Happy Kangaroo and Verano, you have both been through a lot. I’m glad you are both able to stay so positive and to support others.
Such positive vibes from everyone else, too.

Those of you thinking about exercise DVDs and home workouts might like to look at HASFIT, either on their own website or YouTube. I often use them and you only need light hand weights or you can improvise with water bottles, and there are plenty of workouts that don’t need any equipment at all. Ignore Coach and follow Claudia, she does the beginner/intermediate version of the moves.

Well done snailrunner on loss excellent ! The hasfit website looks great. I have never seen that before . Cannot wait to try some especially the Armando
and abs ones as they defo need some work and I’ve not much idea what to do.

Great to hear HappyKangaroo! A good belly laugh 😂 everyday sounds like just the right medicine.

Happy Kangaro I hope you are having an Up Day today. It’s okay to have down days – Howl at the Moon days as I like to call them because you just want to scream It’s Not Fair. Just make sure the Ups out number the Downs.

snailrunner thanks for the You Tube suggestion I gave them a try this morning. Even with my foot (& lower bsck) issues I was able to do most of the beginner workout will try a different one every second day to mix it up.

Day 7 how is everyone doing? I got my drop 😊 have lost 2kgs. I weighed myself 3 times to make sure it was true!

This may make you smile I went out for lunch yesterday to an American cafe which does all the standard burgers, hot dogs, southern style chicken etc. They also offer to swap your bun for iceberg lettuce which I did. The waiter then asked me if I wanted fries with that – twice!

I thought it would be hard surrounded by people enjoying all the type of food I am avoiding – including specialty milkshakes – but it wasn’t. And after lunch when everyone else was saying that they needed a nap after all that I felt fine.

Well done everyone we have made it through the first week let’s keep going.

Hi Mel First Timer! The first 2 weeks are the most challenging, so you are half way there! 🙂 It was delightful to read
your account of what “typical” American food consists of .We don’t really have a “national” cuisine, because of our
regional and ethnic differences . We certainly lack the creativity of dishes like “toad in the hole”, and “blood pudding”,
either. 🙂 It’s been very enjoyable to research the confounding dishes that are well known to you! I don’t think that
I’ve had a “milkshake” since 1965! Thank you for the smiles 🙂 🙂 🙂

Allie

Hello everyone on this journey with me 🙂 For those of you that have a long weekend, have fun and check in and say hi when you have time! It’s a beautiful day here in Australia and this morning I cycled to the gym for a workout and cycled home again. The weather is so beautiful right now it makes everything easier, especially getting out on the bike, although I love my bike all year round. I had lunch at a friends, and they made me something that fitted in with my plan, he checked in advance so that was really cool. We had lunch, he had a glass of wine, then we had a dip in the pool. I’m going out now for a tootle around on my bike and probably drop in at my favourite bookshop. It helps being out of the house 🙂
We are one week in, so bravo everyone! Keep those positive vibes, one day at a time and we can do this 🙂
Hope you are all travelling well and enjoying your weekend.

Thanks alliecat I look forward to when I am not second guessing all the meals I prepare. Will take a while to get my head around portion sizing & how to get the most out of my calories.
Sorry, I should have said that the café had a 70s, Happy Days, sort of theme. I didn’t mean to come off sounding like I thought that was typical American food.

No worries at all, Mel! I found your post delightful 🙂 I never realized how acquainted you all are with American sitcoms!
Happy Days is one that portrays post WW2 teenage life in the 50’s. Certainly a much simpler time. It must be so much
more complicated growing up today.
Confidence in weighing and measuring everything comes with time, and you’re doing well to be here! We’re all on the
same journey, together…some of us are just a bit farther down the road 🙂 Try to relax…this is a life changing adventure.
You will amaze yourself!

Allie

Hi Mel First Timer,
Your post made me smile, I also have an “American style” cafe near me, called Bernies Diner with all those same foods, cliched maybe, but fun and their decor is Happy Days too! I used to love going in there for a Philly cheesesteak! I haven’t dared cross the threshold since starting the bsd but your idea of asking for lettuce instead of a bun is a great one! I do it at home but now I might give that a try too.
Well done with your loss so far, 2kg is amazing!
Cheers,
Inka

Good morning fellow travellers (or good afternoon, if you’re Antipodean!)

So, week one is in the bag. It’s been straightforward enough if I’m thinking about hunger and energy levels. I ran 5 miles yesterday, but did start flagging towards the end and it was about 25C which didn’t help. It’s a bit of a pain having to calorie count and log everything, but I daren’t guess as that’s bound to go wrong and it is only for four weeks, so I can put up with that.

I am pleased to report that I’ve lost 2.3kg this week altogether. Another 100g would have put me below 60kg and another 100g on top of that would have put me at 25% of my target loss, but I’m going to focus on what I have achieved rather than what I have not yet achieved. I can certainly see and feel the difference and 5lbs in a week is still good going! I’m off for a long walk with a friend today so probably only have to wait until tomorrow to see that next step I’m looking forward to.

Mel, glad you like the videos and well done on your loss.

Have a good day everyone.

Day one of week 2. I cooked a chicken thigh (50g) in a little stock and mixed creme fraiche with some dill and a lot of chopped garlic and it was really really delicious and so easy. It’s really nice to find something that you really love, it feels like a treat when it’s not. Managed my way round the supermarket today without feeling confounded about what to buy and walked away with a basket of healthy stuff. My friend walked away with a packet of four meat pies and six Kitkats, and it didn’t bother me seeing them up close, so there’s some will power in there somewhere. Still sticking to the program but didn’t make it to the gym today, I’ve done myself a deal that I’ll make up for it later in the week, I guess it’s ok to kid yourself from time to time haha.

Hope you are all going well 🙂

Hi Happy Kangaroo that sounds lovely! I just had another yummy home made concoction for brunch – sautéed a few mushrooms in butter, added spring onions, an egg and a small piece grated cheese. Delicious and will keep me going for a while!

At weekends I tend to do 16:8 (where you limit your eating time to within an 8 hour window) and just have brunch around midday then a light meal early evening. It’s good to ring the changes if you usually have three meals a day.

Well done everyone so far. It’s bank holiday Monday here in the U.K. – and it’s a beautiful warm sunny day. Time to relax and enjoy 🙂

Dreamscometrue, that sounds delicious! I have a running list of things to make and happily I have just remembered I have a big mushroom so it looks like tomorrow that I will be making it, so thanks for that! I’m from the UK, from the West coast of Scotland and love it so much 🙂 <3

Everyone is doing so well, and congratulations to all for fantastic weight loss. I’m not measuring until next Monday to give myself time to make some progress. Have done some walking over the holiday, and am enjoying everything i eat. No major transgressions but I have had the occasional glass of bank holiday red wine. Hoping for an inch – 25% of my total, on Monday week.

xx

Hello everyone! Just flying by to say hello and will report more later but your post caught my eye HappyKangaroo – whereabouts from the west coast of Scotland are you from if that’s not too nosy? I simply adore that part of the UK and often take holidays on their west coast!

Hi Maid2Measure,

I’m from Largs 🙂 Such a beautiful place

Where in the UK are you (if you’re ok sharing, no probs if you don’t want to share your current location)

Hi everyone great to see so many happy posts

Inka13 I am making the most of the lettuce “buns” as we head into winter here and they will either not be available or really expensive. One of my fav is cold smoked salmon with tomato, capsicum and cream cheese. Yes you don’t get a lot in volume for your calories but you get a lot in taste.

Has anyone done a Bioscan? My chiropractor told me about his gym providing them. According to their website “The Vision BioScan takes 20 measurements across your body including Body Fat, Muscle Mass, Visceral Fat, Protein, Total Body Water, Bio Age and provides you with an overall health score.” As visceral fat is what I am trying to get rid of I thought of doing one to see just how good/bad I am.

Or maybe I don’t want to know ha ha. There is an appointment available for this Saturday, the thought of being so closely measured sure will help me stay on track. I have catered meetings for the next 3 days and my lunch will not compare to the range of yummy (carb) stuff being offered.

Hi everyone!
Mel First Timer, I’m very interested to hear about your buns (lol). Any info would be appreciated. That Bioscan sounds great.
Snailrunner! Wow, congratulations, that is an amazing result! Woo hoo good for you! 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Dreamscometrue, I didn’t make the mushrooms, my memory is awful so I forgot to do it (another issue I have) but I still have a portobello mushroom which I shall retrieve out of the fridge right now for brekkie.

Wherever you are in the world… where are you all? ( I’m Scottish living in Australia. ) Hope you are all doing really well, looking forward to hearing from you. Morning of day 9, it’s really cold outside and I am working up the motivation to go to the gym. Any tips re. motivation when it is cold outside? I find that when I am good I’m good, and when I am bad I’m terrible lol. Sitting here with a black coffee, the first coffee in almost two weeks mentally telling myself off for not heading out the door. Still watching The Great British Bakeoff without any side effects, ie I’m not running off to the French café that’s 100 meters from where I live to buy pastries and hot chocolate, what a cruel twist of fate that I live so close to a favourite caf. On the topic of hot chocolate, can you heat almond milk? It sound like a bit of an abomination to me at this point, you wouldn’t get all that lovely sumptuousness, there’s some sugar free drinking chocolate by Vitarium that I bought ages ago that needs using.

So many posts to catch up on! Haven’t tried to read them all now but will address yours HappyKangaroo – I come from South of England (is that specific enough 😉 )
Largs! Oh I feel quite buoyed up! I go there often – travel from where I stay and then catch the ferry to Cumbrae. A few Scottish islands are in my heart and dear Cumbrae ranks inside the top 3. More later… trying to up the water as it’s been so hot here for a few days
xx

Maid2Measure, it was so great to read your post. My heart is in Largs, it was a wonderful place to grow up. The ferries going to the islands, and so many fun things for us to do, it was the best! I used to cycle along the prom to Nardinis (old Nardinis was really amazing), take out row boats with out-board motors, and look out if a ferry was coming! I lived next to the burn (Routenburn) and summers were filled with waterfights and games in the glen. Paddleboats in the boating pond, ice skating on it in winter. Do you know there is a Cumbrae facebook page, it’s really wonderful, there’s a woman there who posts videos from the shore. I’ve cycled round it with my Dad and Grandad and Uncle Glen. So many wonderful memories with my family members, now all sadly passed. Happy memories though, to me it is the best place in the world.

HappyKangaroo for the “bun” iceberg lettuce will be your new best friend. The leaves are strong enough to hold quite a lot. Have fun filling them with whatever you would normally a sandwich or burger. I sometimes roll them up like a wrap. The crunch as you eat them is great, I find the easy to eat foods (think soft or liquid) I can eat without noticing just how much I am having.

I have booked in for the Bioscan so will have a better idea of where I am at. For some reason today, I cannot stop thinking about carbs – the office biscuit tin is calling my name (we also have crackers and they look great too). I have to keep reminding myself if I have anything I will “see it” in the scan on Saturday.

Please tell me if I get through this week it will be easier and if I do give in a grab a biscuit it’s not going to ruin everything (have lost 2.8kg so far)…..

Hello HappyKangaroo, MelFirstTimer, Lessmuffintop, Dreamscometrue, everyone else – the list is long 🙂
I went a bit AWOL at the weekend. Ate far too many calories and tried to plug back the water, pretty much stayed the same weight then ate too many carbs on Tuesday at a meal with a friend. However I was back on track yesterday with 800 calories and no more beach trips on the brain, today has started successfully also.
I love the lettuce burger idea. Must try this sometime.
HappyKangaroo – I am so confirmed I joined the right thread 🙂 To picture you cycling round Cumbrae – I haven’t cycled but walked round it a few times and there’s still plenty of cyclists. (10 miles including farland point.) Enjoy watching the oystercatchers on the little beaches all the way round. One day I want to walk down the middle road and climb to the top point.

MelFirstTimer – you’ll be fine. Don’t grab a biscuit, drink some water. But if you do, still don’t sabotage everything else and Keep on keeping on – the damage would be minimal 🙂

Good honesty madeto measure I too went awol due to a stressful situation defo an emotional eater. Last night instead of having very nice west of Scotland fish and. Chips with the rest of the crisis crew I had broccoli rice and some left over mince and tomato sauce so only up .2lb but probs set back about a week so will be very good from now on! I too like the lettuce burger will have that today . Middle of exam season here in Scotland … for the teenagers that is !

Good to hear from you! Well done for forgoing the fish and chips! I’d find that hard. I didn’t realise you were from the West of Scotland! What fun. I just love that part of the world so much. Have you teenagers doing exams or are you a teacher? 🙂

I’m a very emotional eater too. Hoping I can make the impulse very drowsy the longer I eat this way!

Not a teacher thank goodness just my children and my nieces and nephew doing exams. We had a family crisis and somehow I ended up with nothing on me apart from a flask of green tea and 3 bottles s. Of water which I drank. And that defo helped . You know you should drink water etc but it reminded me how much it actually helps so will upbthe anti today !! Plain old west of Scotland tap water- yum !

Hi Alliecat and the rest of the members on this thread. I need some advice- As I mentioned previously , I have put my daughter , who has a learning disability, is Insulin and leptin resistant and has pcos, on this diet. It’s three weeks now on the diet and so far she has lost 3 kilos. I am very pleased but am confused. Will this diet also help with the insulin resistance? My biggest worry is the huge belly, please would anyone be kind enough to tell me how long before the tummy flattens? Alliecat, you mentioned that I can continue with the diet for more than 2 months, can I increase the calorie intake after the initial 8 weeks? Sorry for what may appear to be silly questions-I just need some support. My daughter is not really in a position to tell me what she feels in her body so I have to assume that all is well with her. I am also worried that if I continue with the diet for more than 3-4 months I might do damage to her metabolism etc Thank you all in advance.