Good to hear from you, DcT and CC.

DcT, that is such a visual simile you have given us – grandson of 19lbs (but actually weighing a ton when carrying him). I have lost 47lbs, so that is 2.5 toddlers!!!!😂

I too am still soldiering on, albeit on maintenance which, dare I say, is no easier than losing. But I am, as of this morning, 3lbs under target, despite a bit of a blowout for daughter’s 40th birthday celebrations. Which just goes to prove that this WOE is sustainable long term (been maintaining now since early May). Mind you, have just returned home after a very sociable sunday lunchtime session at the pub, so may try to resist the pull off the scales in the morning and weigh in on Tuesday instead, after a slightly more abstemious day tomorrow!!

It’s good to hear everyone’s updates. I’ve been lurking on here, have been away on holiday so not posting.
I forget what week I’m up to! 34 I think… I’ve lost 1.4kg, or just over 3lb during the last 4 weeks, and another 6cm from around my middle, so I’m getting there!
I wrote in another thread how pleased I was to put on 100g over the last week – I’d had a week of non-BSD foods, wine, beer and a couple of vodkas. But I also made sure I had a BSD friendly breakfast each day and only ate when I was hungry, so still kept to around 1200 calories each day. It’s great that this WOE can be worked in with social occasions and holidays etc. it gives me hope and confidence for maintenance, although maintenance is still a L O N G way off for me yet .
At this point in time though I can honestly say I feel happy with how I’m feeling and how I’m doing. I know I’ll get to my goal weight eventually!

Hello everyone, sorry I have been absent again, life continues to be hectic. Fabulous news Cyster and doesn’t that show how wonderful this WOE is ! Thanks very much to everyone for continuing to post your progress and your tips for eating. Clarinet Cathy thanks for your veggie tips. I’m not veggie, but I don’t eat much meat and I needed some new ideas.

I’m still sticking with the WOE although weight loss has slowed because of the wine consumption ! We have had lots of celebratory meals lately. I never eat anything high carb, but prosecco has been flowing lately ! As some of you know, I met someone after 10 years on my own and it has been a whirlwind. My partner and I are now engaged and getting married on 21 April 2018. Our houses are on the market and we plan to buy somewhere together.

We went to the races and I managed to wear the fuschia dress I had been aiming for since January which was a great feeling. My next goal is my wedding dress ! I have bought a dress which is too snug on the hips but think I will finally get to my goal weight to wear it on our special day. I want to lose another 8 – 9 lbs which must be possible after losing 45 lbs already !

Thanks so much to you all. I will try and log in more !

Good for you, Seasideana, what fabulous news! The very best of luck to you and your betrothed! I’m sure you will get into the wedding dress and look fabulous!

Thank you Bissell it is hard to believe this has all happened. It certainly would not have happened if it were not for the BSD and the support from this forum. My partner has lost weight since he met me because he no longer eats high carb snacks, although he does still eat carbs with his meals as he’s not on BSD.

I’m sure the BSD and the forum support are key, but don’t forget it’s YOU who did all the hard work and YOU he has fallen for! ! Lucky chap!

Hey Seasidenana, what fabulous news. Congratulations, so very pleased for you.

What an exciting thread – we have the first (as far as I know) BSD baby expected and now our first (as far as I know) BSD wedding to look forward to😃

Doing the happy dance for you, your fiancé and, of course, Cyster and her partner . 🎉🎊🎉

Good on you, too, SueBlue. 100g is nothing. And yes, this WOE is totally sustainable, even allowing for life and social engagements getting in the way. I’m proof of the pudding (maybe not the best metaphor for BSD😉) as I have been on maintenance for 18 weeks now and have had an absolutely manic summer, socially speaking, with almost back to back guests, dinners out, parties and wine virtually every day (far too much on many 😱), and yet this morning ( which happens to be my birthday) I weighed in matching my lowest weight to date – 8st 2lbs 😃 How? I have stuck to low carb and thrown in the odd fast day and….drum roll please…………IT IS WORKING😃😃😃😃

Keep posting everyone – so good to hear your news. X

Hi there, I think we have had a wedding already, one of our regulars but cant recall who.

Happy Birthday Theodora 🙂 🎂💐 and thanks so much for your encouragement 🙂
And wow Seasidenana – what fantastic news! So happy for you! And now Of course we have a wedding and a pregnancy in our thread, along with all our other lovely success stories 🙂
It’s lovely that we are all still contributing 🙂
One day when I have some time I’m going to re-read all 1,400 + posts!

Topcac in the other thread (4 weekly challenge one)had a wedding, not sure if she is in this one too.

Seasidenana- wow that is amazing news about your wedding. Who’d have thought when we started back in January what was in store for us all! I am so happy for you. Congratulations. When you get married next year you can imagine us all at your wedding wearing our size 10 outfits! Ha ha.

Happy BIrthday Theodora-hope you have a lovely day.

SueBlue – we are still neck and neck with each other on our journey and like you I lost 3.8 lb last month. We are doing so well. I have to say that I am beginning to feel like a thin person!! . In the last couple of weeks people have asked me whether I have been on a diet! The hard and slow work is paying off for us both and we are both beginning to realise that we will get to our goal eventually.

This is my favourite thread because it is where the BSD started for me so I always get excited when there is a post. Thank you Seasidenana for sharing your wonderful wedding news.

Cathy

CC, this is my favourite thread too – it’s where our journey began after all and we all feel like old friends.

Shouldn’t really be posting now, but o/h has gone to the loo and I am sitting on the terrace of the restaurant overlooking the water waiting for our dinner to be served.

Had a fabulous, low carb lunch with girlfriends and now have ordered crab to start, followed by cod roasted in parma ham served on seafood spaghetti 😊 Sounds good, and relatively bsd friendly. Lots of wine involved though so hoping the scales won’t be too unforgiving in the morning. But thank you for everyone’s good wishes, I’ve had such a lovely day and have been really cosseted. Feeling very blessed 😃

Hi everyone and how lovely to hear so much good news!

Congratulations Seasidenana on your forthcoming wedding. I’m so pleased everything is working out for you and also delighted you got into the fuchsia dress! SueBlue sounds like you are still doing well and continuing to make steady progress – and ClarinetCathy how wonderful that you are now staying under 10 stone – not far to go now 🙂

Hopefully I won’t be too far behind you: as you may remember I’ve had a bit of a break from it over summer but time to pick up the baton again and make the final lap to target. Though as others have also said, despite me not being particularly strict over the last few weeks, I’ve only put a couple of pounds back on so it has not been disastrous: I guess I’ve fundamentally been on maintenance and have been keeping my weight steady – even though I now want to push on and lose those remaining few pounds to get to target.

Will keep you posted!

And how’s it going for everyone on our cheery January Starters’ thread? Hope all good? How’s the reboot going, Dreams?

My official weigh-in day today, and still managing to maintain (with a few ups and downs along the way 😉)

Had a very challenging time last week, with a crowd of family staying to celebrate my daughter’s 40th, with my 68th following hard on it’s heels, so an entire week of over-indulgence!! Stuck to BSD principles (at least, no refined carbs) but didn’t log anything or count calories etc – and there was far too much wine involved 😨 I paid the price by losing all but 1lb of my wriggle room (up to 118lbs) – far too close to going over target for comfort. Last of family left on Saturday evening and as o/h is now away for a couple of days too, I took the opportunity of doing a total water only fast, beginning at 6pm on Saturday and still going, so 39 hours so far. Feeling good and as soon as I woke up this morning I knew it was working (feeling thin again) and the scales confirmed this by showing a 3lb loss. So back down to 115lbs, with 4lbs wiggle room back.😄 Would prefer to have my full 5lbs, but mustn’t be greedy 😉

I may break fast with my usual yoghurt and berries at about 11am (41 hours) after walking the dogs or I may power on through to this evening and make it a full 48 hours, will see how I feel.

Hope everyone else is doing okay?

I am currently debating a 36 hour fast myself to ‘kickstart’ my little reboot this week. I haven’t had anything today apart from a spoon of marmite in hot water, and now plan to only have a masala chai with a little single cream in it (my newest indulgence) tonight, along with lots of water and herb tea, which is at least fasting mimicking if not the full thing, and will not eat anything until after 10am tomorrow, although I will push it a bit later if I feel like it. I will be eating before tomorrow’s badminton session though!

Hi everyone

Well done Theodora for reining it in again, and glad you enjoyed all the celebrations. Mixnmatch I hope your reboot goes well and hope that everyone else is doing well too.

I’m now back in the groove again and the scales are showing a welcome downward trend. Over and above that – like you said Theodora – I can feel the difference, already feel thinner than I did last week. That’s one of the real strengths of this diet; you can throttle back for a while and live more at a maintenance level (with bits of indulgence thrown in too!) and nothing too disastrous happens: but you can then step it up again when you have a slight regain or – like me – are ready to battle onto the next downward milestone.

I’ll post again when I get below 10!

Well done Dreams and MnM, really pleased your reboots are going well. Hope to see you posting under 10 really soon, Dreams.

I managed a full 48 hour water only fast – well actually 49.5 hours as I was out all afternoon and didn’t get home to eat until later than anticipated. But then I succumbed to a glass of wine with my dinner 😨 Silly really, but I enjoyed it and the scales this morning were still another half pound down – 8st 2.5lbs.

What were the results of your fast, MnM?

Interesting reading about fasts, I’ve had some unplanned ones this week, going up to about 22 hours so it will be interesting to see if there is any change with the scales.
Tomorrow marks 8 months since I started BSD, and while I haven’t lost as much weight as I’d like to have, and am still over 10kg away from where I thought I’d be by now, I’m not complaining and happy to keep going.
I posted in another thread about how happy I was to fit into size 16 pants this week (was busting out of 20 at the start)!
Today I had another NSV. I was at the hospital for my routine post-cancer specialist appointment (now every 6 months). All was good so I can forget about that now for another 6 months 🙂 That’s not the victory btw! Anyway I had a lot of waiting around to do so went and bought a coffee from the cafe in the food court. There was a huge array of cakes on display – from jam and cream donuts to Cronuts, danishes, slices etc. pre BSD I would have ‘treated’ myself to one with my coffee. Last time I was here (6 months ago) I was a few months into BSD and still tempted by cakes etc.
Today I looked at them totally dispassionately – I felt absolutely nothing at all, no “I wish I could have one but I can’t because I’m on a diet”, no “it’s a cancer check up so I deserve a treat” – this was my NSV, realising how much my tastes have changed! I was quite happy to just have a cappuccino 🙂
Now if it was wine that would be another story!

I have just had three consecutive weigh-ins back in the 10 stone bracket. Immediately after the fast day was still over 10, but Wednesday was 10 stone 13.8, Thursday two pounds lower at 10 stone 11.8 (includes an 800 day fast on Wednesday and double badminton, so I can’t credit the Monday fast with all of it) and this morning despite a non fast day yesterday where I did have some white carbs just a 0.6 pounds rise to 10 stone 12.4. I will certainly be trying another 36-40 hour fast next week, and will decide on Sunday what the rest of next week will see. I am having my hair cut on Thursday next week, as it is getting very shaggy now, it certainly seems to grow thicker on this WOE. I am hoping that the weekend doesn’t do too much damage though, we have friends staying so there may be eating out and drinking wine. I will have to choose wisely.

Hi Fi. I started just over 6 weeks ago. I have lost 30lbs to date and hope to have dropped by 3 stone at the end of 8 weeks. I feel better, look better and love putting on the trousers I was wearing at the start. I have lost at least four – perhaps five inches from my waist. Its been hard. At times I have hated it. But I’m so pleased that I made the decision to give it a try. I have joined a gym and fully intend to carry on trying to be the best me that I can. Life changing is a much overused expression, but this diet can be. Well done to you.

Great NSV victory SueBlue – and wonderful news that your check up was clear. Great day all round. 😃 It’s my 8th month anniversary tomorrow too😃

Shauny, 30lbs in 6 weeks is amazing. Congratulations

MnM, well done. That fast seems to be working.

My 49.5 hour water only fast last Sat evening to Mon evening still to be having a knock on effect as the scales showed yet another drop this morning, despite not counting cals or carbs since then (obviously no refined carbs) but have had a glass or two of wine each day. I now have a whole 6lbs wriggle room (8st 1lb) and no one is more surprised than me😄

We have 12 people coming for dinner this evening though, so enjoying the extra pound wriggle room whilst I may – doubt I’ll have it tomorrow 😜

Good luck everyone – fantastic that we’re still here.

Good morning January starters.

Saturday 16th was my 8 month anniversary of this WOE and I celebrated by continuing maintenance and, indeed being 5lbs under target at 8st 2lbs – so I’d gained a pound overnight but Friday evening was VERY indulgent, with 12 people for dinner, partaking in all 4 course, far too much wine and falling into bed at 3am 😨 So I was ok about the 1lb gain.

Sadly though, the rest of the weekend turned into a bit of a partyfest, and another pound is registering this morning, (official weigh-in day for me) 😢 So 2lbs up since Friday morning 😢

Just starting week 36 of this WOE, so week 20 of maintenance 😊

How’s everyone else doing? Hopefully there is still some losing, or at least maintaining, going on?

Hey Ho, back on the wagon. 😜

Yes happy 8 month BSD-versary to us Theodora, and Cathy and the others of us on here who started on or around the 16th 🙂
I am still plodding along, losing weight and inches s l o w l y!
It’s interesting though, I belong to a couple of Facebook BSD group sites and I’ve noticed a few posts on there lately from people who started in Jan, lost a lot of weight … but have then put it all back on again and looking to do it all again.
So I’m happy that although I haven’t lost as much as I’d wanted to when I started in Jan, I have lost consistently and am still going 🙂

SueBlue – thank you for boosting me up this morning. When I read your post about the people who started like us in January on your Facebook group who have lost their weight and have put it back on again, it made me realise just how resilient the likes of me and you really are. We have not given up, despite the challenge of being very slow losers. Like you I am still plodding slowly to my goal of a BMI of 25. Am losing about 1lb per month now!! Maybe our bodies have done it the right way, slow and steady and maybe if and when we get to where we want to be, our weight will be easier to maintain because we have tuned our bodies into this way of eating. We certainly won’t undo all our hard work after the effort it has taken. The effort to reward ratio is slow but maybe the long term outcome will be good. Keep plodding Sue- I am with you all the way. There is absolutely no way I could do this all over again. Onwards and slowly downwards……………

Hello January BSD people,

A blast from the past as far as posting goes but I am keeping an eye on everyone’s progress. SueBlue & Clarinet Cathy, you have inspired me to post again, just to let you all know that I too, am plodding along on my journey.
To date I have lost just over 25kg ( just over 55lb) and am consistently losing, just not in large amounts. Nuts are my main issue!!

My goal is my daughters wedding in November. I’m having a dress made so if I maintain my slow and steady loss, all should be good.
Many people have commented on my weight and pooh poohed the idea of no sugar, low carb diets but hey, proof is in the pudding!
I wish you all continued success and joy in your achievements. Cheers.

Sue Blue and Clarinet Cathy thanks for your posts which have cheered me up too ! My weight loss has more or less stopped, although I do know why. I’m very good with sticking to low carb food, but having far too much wine due to being in a new relationship and doing lots of dating and socialising. I still have half a stone to lose and will never do that if I continue as I am. I have decided to do another 8 week wine fast. I did that in January when we all started and it really kick started my weight loss.

Much as I’m very happy to have met someone lovely and to be planning a wedding, it’s all a bit of a whirlwind. We have both sold our houses, and we will be moving in about 8-10 weeks into a shared home. There is so much to think about and to do. I’m really conscious that I’m not looking after myself properly as I just don’t have any time to shop and cook as I did before. We are constantly flying back and forth between our two houses which are 40 minutes away. I really need to slow down and get back on track.

I have mentioned before that I kept selling too big clothes on eBay as I went down 3 sizes. The money has helped to fund some nice new clothes and I also got back into clothes which were packed away. The eBay thing is also very time consuming, so I have decided to hang up my eBay hat for a while. Anything which does not sell in this current round is going to charity and so is anything remaining in my closet which is too big, too small or just not worn ! I need to start packing to move !

I agree with Cathy, i know lots of people who have been on other regimes who have regained weight. We seem to be doing very well in maintaining, even if we are not losing huge amounts any more. I couldn’t do all this again either clarinetkcathy! I think it’s quiet easy to follow as even though I’m so busy at the moment I don’t have to think too much about what to eat. This WOE has become a habit and as long as we stick to the principles I’m sure we will maintain well once we have got to our goals.

Good to hear from you Seasidenana and great to hear you are hanging on in there, despite the current (albeit good) turmoil in your life.

I agree that this WOE, after 8 months, has pretty much become a habit and I certainly agree on the “too much wine” front. I have to confess that this is my downfall too! Still managing to maintain, but lose wriggle room every time we have a social occasion (which has been often this summer) and I have too much wine😨 so I think it’s a great plan for you to become teetotal for a few weeks, if you can. Once your target is reached, if my experience is anything to go by, one or, occasionally, 2 glasses can be accommodated without any problem, it’s the over-indulgence that does the damage 😢

This is such an exciting time for you, albeit rather stressful, what with selling both houses and buying a lovely new marital home together 😄 Have you opted for somewhere half way?

And then you have your wedding to organise and prepare for – now if that’s not a powerful incentive to keep going I don’t know what is, not only to lose weight, but to be so much healthier, you’ll want to be able to look forward to a long and healthy life together after all. I wish you all the happiness in the world for your new life. I’ll have to update my mental image of you walking barefoot along a beach holding hands with your grandchildren from Seasidenana to Seasidenana and Grandpa😃 And maybe some step-grandchildren too now? It’s how I always think of you, such a lovely image😀

What a lovely post Theodora ! Thank you. We are buying a house in my home town so it’s quite a big upheaval for my partner. He currently lives in a small country town 20 miles away and will be moving to the seaside. He will commute to work, but he’s going to retire from his job next year anyway.

The new house is big enough for our families to come and stay (one at a time). He has quite a lot of grandchildren too ! Hopefully they will all follow me and my dad down the aisle. We are getting married in church. It’s lovely planning our colour scheme etc. Invitations have now gone out, hand made by us !

Yes you can have a new vision of us all on the beach ! Our honeymoon will be in a beach house in St Lucia.

At least 6 of our wedding guests are on this WOE so I will make sure the food choices include some friendly items ! Most function food tends to be carb loaded.

Thank you for your thoughts around alcohol and maintenance. I suppose at least I have shown that I can maintain as I have been hovering around the same weight for weeks ! I just need a last push to get to target. My dear friend I have known since I was 15 is making my dress, it’s currently pinned to a tailors dummy. It would look much nicer on me if I was about 5-7 pounds lighter ! Going wine free for a while is the way to go I think ! As you say, much healthier too.

My boss said yesterday that I’m “looking fabulous these days” which is quite nice ! I do love being able to wear my lovely clothes, some of which are old favourites from before I gained weight, some of which are new and from my favourite shops !

Thanks for the update Seasidenana, so pleased to hear you will still be a Seasidenana when you move into your new home, so the only mental update I need to make is to insert Seasidegrandpa and an entire brood of step-grandchildren into my existing image 😄

How lovely to be going to St Lucia for your honeymoon. Fortunately I think it escaped the worst of the recent hurricanes.

Make sure your friend doesn’t finish your dress yet, otherwise I’m sure by April (if I remember correctly?) she’ll have to take it in again. All brides tend to lose weight before the big day, even without this WOE, so I’m sure those few extra pounds will have disappeared long before then😃

PS Hopefully I am not supposed to be envisaging you, seasidegrandpa and the entire brood of grandchildren on the beach at St Lucia?😉 Unless, of course, the actual wedding is taking place there?😀

Abbado- wow you’ve done remarkably well losing 55lb since January! You will so happy when you put your wedding outfit on in November that you embarked on this way of eating. What a fantastic achievement. My son is getting married next June and I am so happy that I have lost almost three stone and am not far from my goal weight. The mother of my daughter in law to be has embarked on the plan after seeing how well I’ve done and is really enjoying her weight loss. I reckon I should be on commission for the number of people I have inspired! Can’t wait to go looking for my mother of the groom outfit after Christmas- size 10!

Seasidenana- there is a wedding theme going on here- you’re going to look fabulous in your wedding dress! How fantastic! I am so happy for you. What a lovely compliment too from your boss.

I love getting rid of all my big sizes. When I was doing slimming world or Weightwatchers I always kept everything but now everything that’s too big goes to the charity shop.

I tell you something, when I started my BSD journey on 8th January I knew I would be able to commit to 8 weeks. LIttle did I know I would still be here nine months later!

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

I read somewhere that we lose weight thought our breath – I am a member of a large choir and we have just started rehearsing for our December Performances at the Bridgewater Hall – I wonder if I might lose a few pounds singing over the next few weeks. One week, many years ago when I was dieting and singing I lost 3lb in a week! Wishful thinking!

Cathy

CC – go girl. I read too that you lose weight through your breath so, if that’s true, that’s just an added incentive (should any be needed) to sing😃. Personally, whilst I can’t sing for toffee, I think communal singing is wonderful and so powerful, so all power to you. My elder granddaughter is a singer (certainly doesn’t get her voice from me😢) and it’s her 17th birthday next week. I asked what she would really love for her birthday and the answer was (apart from the obligatory driving lessons) a trip with her to Chamber Choir to Spain next summer, singing in some wonderful and iconic locations. Job done – birthday present sorted 😃 Not cheap, but so worth it.

It will be a wonderful experience for you to sing at Bridgewater Hall, and if you can lose a few pounds whilst doing so……well, everyone’s a winner 😃

PS Just returned home after a fab evening out at our local yacht club. The chef is sooo BSD friendly – started with portabello mushroom with feta cheese, served with a compote of baby tomatoes, followed by seared scallops in a Thai broth. Hardly a carb in sight and soooooo delicious 😃 Shame I succumbed to the wine, but I enjoyed that too😃

Your meal sounds lovely Theodora 🙂
It was my birthday this weekend so it has meant a few meals out. Coupled together with some work functions too last week, this means I’m too nervous to step on the scales today and am going to wait until Tuesday ☺️
I have had some lovely meals though and quite BSD friendly – Greek salad, Thai beef salad etc. I did imbibe a bit on my birthday – a few vodkas but i drank it with soda water and fresh lime. Oh and a few champagnes!
I wasn’t able to reach my goal Birthday weight, set at the beginning of the year. I also didn’t reach my revised goal, set a few months ago. I was able to wear a lovely dress I bought 3 years ago that hasn’t fit me since the first time I wore it though 🙂 although I hadn’t reached my goal I still felt happy when I thought back to my birthday last year, and how I was so unhappy about my weight and how unwell I was feeling. And now I’m looking forward to my birthday next year, I’m sure I’ll reach my goal by then!

Well done SueBlue on getting into your lovely dress. And a very happy belated birthday to you – I’m sure you’ll reach goal long before your next birthday. 😃

You may not have done quite as much damage as you think with your meals out, particularly as they were BSD friendly. And even if the scales aren’t kind tomorrow, you have the tools to shift any small gains swiftly.

Official weigh in day for me and I’m still managing to maintain – week 37, 21 weeks maintenance – but we went to 2 birthday parties over the weekend, one on Saturday evening and the other Sunday lunchtime. I’m still a couple of pounds under target, but feeling rather over-indulged so embarked on a 40 hours fast from 6pm last evening (when we got home from the party) and will now have nothing but water until 10.30am tomorrow ( though I will allow myself my usual double espresso upon returning from walking the dogs this morning) I actually quite look forward to my little fasts these days, particularly when I’m feeling a bit bloated from social occasions, and find a 36 – 40 hour fast quite easy, as I spend about 17 hours of it in bed😜

How are the rest of my January buddies doing?

Thanks Theodora. I weighed myself earlier this week and I’d had a gain, then again this morning and I’ve put on 1kg (or 2lb) in the last 10 days or so. In addition to my birthday I also had my wedding anniversary this week, so a few drinks and lunch out. We had fish, chips and salad, but I only had 2 chips and let my OH have the rest 🙂 I’ve been averaging 1200 calories this week so not surprised by the gain, am going to try and reverse this it this week though.
I saw my specialist yesterday and now have a plan for reducing Prednisone as I’m going to be starting some different RA meds. One of the meds has a potential side effect of, wait for it, weight LOSS! This is so exciting for me as of course Prednisone has weight gain as a side effect. Anyway hopefully towards the end of the year my weight loss will start to pick up, as I’ve only been averaging 2lb per month loss (even when I do stick to plan). On the plus side I measured myself this morning and have more losses, bringing the total loss for bust-waist-hips-thighs to 40cm.
I’ve been invited to an evening function in November. In my wardrobe is a lovely black cocktail dress with lace panels. I’ve never worn it! I bought it on sale a few years ago as it was a good price and thought I’d slim into it (but it never happened), so that is my next challenge, to fit confortably into the dress. It does do up but not very flattering at the moment! I’ve got about 5 weeks and I think a loss of 3kg would do it, so fingers crossed.
Hope all of the other January starters are doing well 🙂

SueBlue, great news that you can start reducing your preds. Let’s hope you get the side effect of weight loss with the new meds, wouldn’t that be a bonus?😉 I’m sure your small gain will quickly go, sounds as though you had a bit of a social week!

Official weigh-in day for me – Week 38, Day 1 (Week 22, Day 1 of maintenance) and 8st 2lbs (114lbs, 51.7kg) and holding, so still have 5lbs of wriggle room.

My only problem is that, as I’ve been down as low as 7st 13lbs, I’m beginning to think of 8st 2lbs as my “target weight” and not wanting to go above, whereas in fact my target weight was 8st 7lbs – in fact when I started BSD800 way back in January, my target was 10st 4lbs (which would have been a 1.5st loss). However, it all went so well and I enjoyed this WOE so much, that I kept reducing my goal weight, but I never ever dreamed that I could get down into the 8st bracket again, let alone the 7st bracket (which I haven’t been since my 20s – I’m now 68!) So I really must rein myself in and NOT change my target weight, as my UK size 8s are already getting a little loose in the waist! I enjoy my food (and wine) and want to be slim, not skinny! So please, January buddies, if I keep reporting that I am in the 7st bracket, pull me up and remind me of this post! Thank you.

Hope all my January buddies are still here, keeping on, and are doing ok? This thread seems to have gone rather quiet.

Hello Theodora- I am still here! I put on 3.6 lb last week whilst away and today is the first day of a new 8 week back to basic regime for me. I didn’t eat bread, rice, potatoes but I think it was the fact that I was eating three meals a day and certainly way over 800 calories. I had some elderflower cordial which was probably very sugary too! I am going to pretend that I am starting BSD again from today and hope that in the next 8 weeks I will lose 10 lb – that will take me to my goal weight of 133 lb plus give me 4lb wriggle room. I will certainly be keeping my beady eye on your posts and checking that you are staying in the sensible weight zone! I agree with you that I don’t think as we get older it looks healthy to be skinny. You’ve got this plan sussed and have got maintenance sussed too. You are very inspiring and I wish I could be as successful as you on my journey which seems to be taking forever!

Hi Theodora, Clarinet Cathy, Sue Blue, SeasideNana and everyone else still on here!

I’m still here though have been quiet as I was determined not to post till I went under 10 stone: which sadly hasn’t happened yet. I say sadly, yet I’m actually in a good place. I’m feeling well and am much happier with the way I look than I have been for literally years. I would still ideally like to lose around 7-10lb more but am delighted to be able to get into nice clothes again and feel comfortable in my own skin. It’s a busy time with work and family and home improvements all going on, and I’m enjoying putting my energy into those things without worrying too much about what I’m consuming.

To be honest I’ve kind of lost the dedication to do the full 800 for another protracted period. I’m doing well on maintenance and keeping the 2 stone off that I’ve lost this year so far. I’m sticking pretty well to the BSD WOE (bar the odd chocolate incident and a tad too much wine!) – and am gradually creeping tantalisingly near the 10 stone mark. I do know that with just a bit of a push I could motor on through – yet on the other hand am enjoying life and feeling very laid back about things. I know I will get there eventually but am getting tired of feeling I have to constantly strive all the time – then feel bad when I don’t hit the mark.

Clarinet Cathy when I read your post I was tempted to say I’ll do the next 8 weeks with you – but I keep planning to start another strict 8 weeks then derail myself rather too quickly. I’m at the point of deciding not to keep saying I’ll do another 8 weeks – then not do it – but just settle for 5:2, which I know I can stick to and will still result in the remaining weight loss but over a longer period of time. Yet the impatient part of me thinks “oh for goodness sake woman just get on and be done with it!!”

So yes I’m still here but dithering about whether to up or slow the pace: the conflict between the desire for faster results and achieving goals versus taking things at a more relaxed pace.

Hope everyone else reading this is doing well in whatever way works for you!

Best wishes everyone X

Good luck in your new 8 weeks, CC – we’re all behind you and will be egging you on every step of the way. Really looking forward to hearing of your progress. I don’t know about having maintenance “sussed”, it’s more a case of having worked so hard (and despite only taking 16 weeks to lose 47lbs, it was hard work and I was VERY focussed) I am absolutely determined not to put the weight back on! It’s gone and it’s staying gone! Of course it goes up occasionally – I love food and wine, and no longer count calories or log my food, but do restrict carbs – however, I still weigh daily, and as soon as I see those scales edging upwards, I throw in a water only fast, or a few days 800 (depending upon how much time I have between social engagements, etc) and it soon drops off again. Sometimes a bit too much drops off, hence my weight occasionally dipping too low.

Dreams, the important thing is that you are still here. And maintaining the 2st weight loss s excellent, and a whole heap better than regaining, so well done to you. Whichever way you decide to go, please keep posting and letting us know of your progress, because we will be supporting and encouraging you along your journey, whichever road you take.

Hi all, how is everyone going? It’s now been over 9 months since we started out BSD journey together. I’ve had a rough couple of weeks, one way or another – family problems, heath issues, work problems – I can cope usually but hard when it’s everything at once!
Anyway I realised that it’s only 2 months till Xmas and I’d really like to be closer to goal by the end of the year, I’ve been losing and re-gaining the same couple of kilos for a few months now!
So once again pressing the re-start button! I’ve spent the afternoon cooking soups, cutting up veggies, making hommus etc so I have no excuses this week! It’s not really soup weather, it’s our spring here, but I had loads of veggies in the crisper and can’t bear to waste food, so decided soup was the best option as I can freeze it too. So I made the Roast capsicum and pumpkin soup, from the BSD recipe book, and also the Beetroot, Apple and Cannellini bean one from original book.
Here we go again…..!
How are you going Cathy with your restart?

Hi Sue and all the January starters

So sorry to hear that you’ve had a rough couple of weeks Sue but happy to hear that you’re still plodding on the BSD journey with me. Sadly, along our journeys we will have to deal with the problems that come along but we’ve done really well to stay resilient all this year through thick and thin and it’s not been easy for us with being such slow losers! My theory is that we might find it a little easier to maintain when we get there as we have taken so long to get to goal! I hope you find that the restart button helps and from reading your post you sound as determined as ever to reach your goal. The soups sound lovely and I must admit I am thinking soups for lunch for the next few weeks as winter approaches here in the the UK. I feel as if I’ve done salads far too long now! My restart had a positive effect psychologically. I am really near to my goal now Sue and like you hoping that by Christmas I will be at goal and maintaining. I’ve been maintaining most of the summer to be honest but just not at goal! ! Like you, have been up and down the same few pounds. However, over the last month have seen a slow and steady downward trend! I am not weighing myself as frequently now and learning to trust my instinct a little more. I am having my official weigh day on a Tuesday for the challenge thread I am part of.

I think there are a handful of the January stalwarts still going strong and personally I feel really glad that I’ve stuck to this way of eating and way of life even though it’s taken me the best part of 10 months to get to almost my goal weight. I am about 2lb from my goal weight. ( not weighed myself since last week) but to be honest I just thought of a number which was 3 stone (25 BMI) and went with that. Its an amazing personal achievement for me as previously when dieting I’ve not lost more than about 10 lb.

Keep plodding Sue, the alternative is not worth thinking about as we’ve invested such a lot of effort and dedication and we should be proud of how strong our resolve has been during our journey and not to take away how well we’ve done. I’ve lost 40 lb- how much have you lost?

I love the people on here who’ve helped and supported us and encouraged us and I don’t think I could have carried on without their support. What a great group of friends we have all made.

Thanks for your encouragement Cathy, it means a lot 🙂
How exciting that you are so close to goal! I have lost about 28lb, so not even half way to my goal weight yet. To reach a heathy BMI I still need to lose about 16kg which is around 35lb I think. However if I could lose 5kg by Christmas I’d be happy – that would see me fit comfortably into a size 16 (started at size 20). I had scrambled eggs and smoked salmon for breakfast – not a usual Monday morning one for me but I got up early so had time before work. Feeling full of resolve and determination – now I just need to keep it up until Christmas!

Sue, really sorry to hear you have been having a tough few weeks, but well done on sticking with BSD and still sounding so determined, despite what life throws at you. You will get there, even if it takes a while – you are already 2 stone lighter, so must be so much healthier, so just keep plodding on, we’ve got your back!

Cathy, being so close to goal is so exciting, and I’m really looking forward to welcoming you aboard our brand new “maintainers’ thread” – After reaching your target, what next? – started by Mixnmatch.

I do agree, that the support of people on this forum is key to us sticking with it, achieving our goals and even more so in maintenance, when it is so easy to ease up a little too much! I have been away since last Wednesday and, whilst we have had a truly wonderful time, I have eaten and drunk far too much and have only a couple of pounds of wriggle room left!! So today I have started a 24 hour water only fast – not difficult as I feel so sluggish and bloated, I really can’t face eating . It’s just amazing how this WOE retrains our body to knowing when it’s had enough.

Keep going girls, together we can achieve anything we set our minds to.

Sue, you’re doing great and I think you should keep plodding slowly downward like me, don’t put pressure on yourself to lose a certain amount by a certain time- it will happen when it happens. This is going to be our forever way of eating now. Why don’t you try and do what I have done and psychologically do a “back to basics” restart. Pretend you’re starting for the very first time like we did back in January. Can you remember how exciting it was starting something completely new and different and not knowing what would happen? If you start the 8 weeks today you will have your “first” round done by Christmas and then you can have a little “break” at Christmas before getting back on BSD in time for our 12 month anniversary! Keep that resolve and determination Sue, we’ve come too far this year to throw in the towel! Onwards and slowly downwards! You’ve already lost 56 packets of butter off your body, – how amazing is that.

Theodora- am creeping slowly towards my goal and will be delighted to jump aboard the maintainers thread as and when that time comes! Thank you for your encouraging words! Hopefully it won’t be too long now before I can shout out “hallelujah , at long last” !

Hi fellow January starters. Our thread seems to have gone a bit quiet, so I was wondering how you are all doing?

Seasidenana (and grandpa), seems ages since we’ve had an update from you, so really hoping you are hanging on in there, that all is lovely for you and that your wedding plans are going well? Have you moved yet? I do hope life is settling down and that you are back on track?

How goes it with you, CC – that last pesky pound still coming and going? And Sue, 7 weeks left until Christmas, so have you made any inroads into that 5kg? And DCT – under the magic 10st yet?

I’m not sure how many of us Jan starters are still here, we may be down to just us few – CC, SueBlue, Dreamscometrue, me and (hopefully) Seasidenana seem to be the full compliment, but at least we are still going……..

I will be hitting my 6 month maintenance birthday in a few days, and the scales are still being kind. As of this morning (official weigh in day for me) they registered 7st 13lbs, so 8lbs of wriggle room. I’ve finally cleared all my big clothes (with the exception of a few big chunky jumpers which can go over my new clothes when / if it gets really cold this winter – I see the met office is predicting a really cold, snowy one) and have even got rid of some of the new clothes (UK size 12s and 10s) acquired earlier in my BSD journey. Now my wardrobe consists entirely of 8s, with the odd 6 thrown in for good measure.

I now have an added incentive (if I needed one) to make it to my one year maintenance birthday as, having booked a fabulous luxury Safari for the end of April (my BSD success reward from o/h – in fact I will be celebrating my 1 year maintenance in Africa), I have been buying up shorts/ cargo pants, T shirts, etc in the sales – all 8s and 6s – as we have been advised to wear neutral colours (beiges / greens / olives etc). Now, I don’t “do” those sorts of colours, I’m at my most comfortable in blacks and blues, with the odd bright colour thrown in as accent, but have been advised by the safari people that blues and blacks attract the insects, and that the “brights” stand out too much against the bush! Hence the sale shopping (really didn’t want to pay full price for clothes I’ll never wear again!), so I really need to still be able to fit into them next Spring.

Keep going, my trusty Januaries – we can all achieve our goals, no matter what they be, together. xx

Hi Theodora

Still here and still not at target weight! Today I weigh 134.8. On Friday last week I weighed in at my lowest weight at 133.6 so was 0.6 off my goal. I just can’t seem to get to 133. My weight goes up every time I have a drink of water! I will keep on trying. Like you Theodora I have got rid of all my big clothes and now my wardrobe consists of nothing above a size 12. I’ve purposely done this so that I don’t give in. Previously I had a range of sizes so that I always had something I wear in my size. After putting all this effort into losing 3 stone there is no way I will put it back on ever! I am going to keep following BSD and hopefully will get to 130lb at some point so that I have some extra room for indulgences. I remember that I had difficulty getting lower than 140 lb earlier in the year but I did it eventually. The trend is heading in the right direction. Your luxury safari sounds like the perfect reward for your hard work. What a lovely thing to look forward to-and wearing size 6- amazing!!!!

My youngest son is getting married next summer and I am looking forward to buying my wedding outfit in the springtime so I will be staying focused.

Rather worryingly, my diary is getting filled up with Christmas celebrations so December will be a challenging time for me. I think there may be a few extra fasts in December and probably in January too. I hope that on 8.1.18 which is my one year anniversary of starting BSD that I will be less that 133lb. I really do need to try and get as much weight off as possible before middle of December.

Would be lovely to catch up on all our other January friends. I know SueBlue is doing the November challenge with us. Hope everyone else is doing OK.

Hi everyone

Thanks for getting in touch Theodora and lovely to hear updates now and again from all that are still on this thread. I’m good: am well and happy and have a renewed determination to get to my goal – which is the same as yours CC. Well done you on getting so close – you have inspired me to keep trying.

I’m basically on maintenance but would like to shift those last few pounds so have been stepping it up a bit over the last few days and am now touching 10 stone. What I find is that I get to a significant point then wobble around it for a while before it stabilises. So I’m hoping to fix on 10 stone very soon then start getting beneath: will keep you posted.

But whatever the numbers say, I’m so glad to have found this WOE. I feel so much better and have tons more energy – have even started jogging which I’ve never been able to do before but seem to manage now 🙂 I love that you can have the occasional indulgence then rein it back in as needed. And as others have previously remarked, once you start eating more healthily it has a cumulative effect in that you no longer want to stuff yourself with crap the rest of the time!

Good luck everyone and do keep in touch X

Hey, good to hear from you guys. So that’s 3 of the remaining trusty band of January starters checked in – now we need to hear from SueBlue and Seasidenanna (don’t think anyone else is left😭)

CC – everyone’s weight goes up after drinking water (or anything else for that matter). But it soon comes down again. That pesky pound is a stubborn critter, isn’t it? Have you tried upping your cals for a few days? Sounds counter-intuitive, I know, but it does sometimes work. But you know what, I think that you are maintaining nicely – what’s a pound between friends?

DCT – I think that is one thing that we are all agreed on. Thank goodness we found this WOE, and have all taken control of our health and well-being. And, whilst I still have the odd indulgence, it really isn’t anything I crave unduly – yesterday evening, I had to FORCE myself to eat a bit of cheese, just to get my cals, protein and fat intake up a bit. Just a few short months ago I would have been having to force myself NOT to have the cheese!

Keep it up girls, and let’s hope the other 2 check in again soon.

Hey Theodora, I’m still down here in Australia plodding away.

You may remember my goal was my daughters wedding in November, well here we are, 2 weeks off the big day and 27.6kg down. (thats 60.7 lbs for you Brits ). Overall, I still have a way to go but am happy with my result for the wedding.

While I am not posting a lot, I am keeping up with everyone’s progress and am constantly inspired by everyone’s determination.

I figure I will have a crash and burn after the wedding and be a new- “starting in January 2018 – Anyone?”!!!

Cheers to all and happy festive season.

Nice to hear from you again Abbado, I’ll still be around in January next year as I still have 16kg to lose.
I’ve been going okay Theodora and Cathy, have been unwell this week with cold, sore throat & ear infection – the new meds I’m on for RA suppress my immune system – which means I get everything going around! I also found out this week that I have cataracts – early ones, most likely caused by steroids. Still I am plodding along with BSD, no intention of giving up that’s for sure! Just the last few months have felt more like maintenance as I keep losing and gaining the same couple of kilos, I’m hoping that will change soon, especially as I continue to slowy come off of Prednisone.
I use My fitness pal on my phone but a few days ago was using it on my computer, and I came across a blurb I had written on my profile. Basically I had said that I was upset at being diagnosed with pre-diabetes and had had enough of constant yo-yo dieting as (at time of writing) I was at my biggest weight ever. Now I wrote this in 2011 or 2012 and my “biggest weight ever” was only a few kilos more than what I am now. So unfortunately despite my best intentions 5 years ago I actually put on more weight! Anyway at least now with BSD I feel I have found a long term solution. I may not be at my end goal yet, but I know I’ll get there eventually!
And the pre-diabetes is no more, the last blood tests I have had my blood sugars have been normal, so that’s something 🙂

Hello everyone, it’s lovely to read all your news. I’m sorry I haven’t checked in for a while. I am in a packing frenzy as we are moving house soon and we have two houses full of stuff ! We don’t need two of everything, so we are either selling or giving away lots of things ! I’m also trying to bin all the accumulated rubbish which is a bigger task than I first thought. There was a box of old paperwork I had been meaning to deal with for example.

One thing which is definitely going with us is my trusty rowing machine, which has helped me to get fitter.

I met my partner on 5 May and at that point I had been on the BSD 4 months and lost 30lbs. Since then I have lost another 18 lbs, albeit at a much slower pace. I have always done well on the food, but have drunk too much wine in the last few months. So I have lost 48 lbs since we started in January. I still need to lose 7 lbs so I’m plodding on. I do think it’s time I gave up wine for a while, it is how I kick started my WOE in the first place !