Hi HappyLass
Thanks for flavours info. Am off to Canada, coast to coast! Have waited 54 years to go there. It’s on my bucket list 😀 The shakes will come in handy I think. I can just drink on the hoof & see all when my time is short on some of the stops.
We are all due some sun. I love Loch Morlich, Broughty Ferry & the swans on the sea! Sterling, looking at the Wallace monument as you come out of the supermarket. My husband regularly went to Perth head office. Last train in, then a week of snow!!
Love the plan too. Yep, am sharpening my arrows🏹 Slange

Yesterday Day 72 Weight 10st 2lb (I’m nothing if not predictable – the other pound will come back off when its ready!)
Blood Sugar 9.2

Today Day 73 Weight 10st 2lbs
Blood Sugar 9.1.

Have felt very well today. I think I feel better when the sun is shining. I made some bolognaise and ratattoulli to freeze, it really works my muscles chopping all the vegetables – the butternut squash is a real fat burner :D. I had a portion of the bolognase in Two Peppers – I love chilli in them as well (not at the same time). 🙂

Hope everyone is keeping going – I’m getting my bloods done on Wednesday next week – the first time since I started the diet – but I am going away for a while from the Friday onwards so I wont get my results until either the end of May or when I check in with my Diabetic Clinic early June- will keep you posted up until I go away 13th May and on my return 25th May – I’m just hoping I don’t put on too much weight, although I will be taking my shakes with me for lunch.

I’m going to Spain – I’m ready for some hot sunshine.

Just looked at Shake That Weight – £1.25 a “meal”, the shakes I buy are £2.99 for 10 sachets. So just under 30p each.
Not the variety, but I’m very frugal with money. If anyone knows any cheaper than that (including postage) you can let me know.

Hi Eureka!! I look forward to your travel updates as I want to do the coast to coast of Canada as well. Are you taking the train?

Hi Sue1234
That’s a great price for your shakes! What make are they and where do you get them I wonder? Do you know the carb and calories content? Do they come in different flavours?Always looking to save money wherever possible and would love to find out more about these..they sound brilliant !

Hi HappyLife
No, much to my husband’s sorrow ☹️ It’s escorted so we see lots. I think more than we would have by train. Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa, Toronto (Niagara Falls. I want to get wet!). 🛬 Calgary ( no stampede 😟) 🏔 Bannf, Jasper, Sun Peaks & Vancouver 😀 Phew! That’s why I’m upping the exercise 👣 👣
Need another 1/2 stone off by then, 6 weeks , & it’s slow for me. Great incentive though. Can’t wait. 🇨🇦

Hi Eureka

Sounds a great trip. Visited Bannf and Jasper a few years ago – loved Bannf (met a Mountie in his ceremonial uniform😃). Was on trip from USA and my passport was stamped on entering Canada but not when I left. Technically I’m still in Canada LOL

Hi general lynne
Meet you there then. 👍 Am looking for a Mountie hat ( with Mountie attached. Due South, Paul Gross).
Husband wants a totem pole? Good luck with that then 😅
Should find one in Bannf I think? Or Vancouver. We stay Lobstick Lodge🦀 Great name.
Want to stay on the food rails, don’t like Maple syrup. Don’t like sweet stuff anymore. Great diet 😀

Hi Eureka

Met said Mountie (a sergeant) at top of the mountain. He told us it was normally punishment detail (going round talking to tourists) but he fancied a change. Seem to have a few photos of me with police officers in different countries (well, USA and Canada) 😳

Think you might have problems bringing a totem pole home😱

We drove up the Rockies from Salt Lake City, visiting east side of Yellowstone National Park (and ‘Old Faithful ‘) on the way, and over into Canada. Bannf & Jasper before returning down (west side of Yellowstone this time.

Hi general lynne
That sounds great too. I’m sure they wouldn’t miss one Mountie & I’d feed him well 😆 He He!
Husband will have to make do with silver totem on a chain then

Hi Eureka

We did think about bringing that one home 😃 Decided it would be difficult to get him across the border though LOL.

If you don’t find the totem you could always buy bear bells! 😃

I’ve been getting Superdrug’s own brand shakes

Yesterday Day 74 weight 10st 1lb
Blood sugar 9.8

Today Day 75 weight 10st – 16 lbs lost 😀😀😀😀😀
Blood sugar 9.5

Blood monitor is indicating that the battery is low so that might be why it gave a strange reading the other week.

I have been reading through my food diary and I haven’t been keeping up my fluid intake, will have to address that in the next few days. Not today as will be at a hospital appointment with Mum all afternoon.

Fantastic Sue, especially since you have had to deal with a lot of stress while on this diet. Hats off to you 🙂

PS, yes it was new and delivered very swiftly

Thank you

Yesterday Day 76 weight 10st
Blood sugar 10.9
Waist: 35″. 3 1/2 inches lost – reached my initial target. 😀

Today Day 77 weight 10st (end of Week 11)
Blood sugar 11.3

Bought a pair of size 12 jeans – they fit 😀. So two Jean sizes smaller than at the start. Still in shock. I can walk and sit down in them and still breathe normally. 😂

I can’t see me ever fitting into size 12 anything, not really bothered about that but if I did , it would make me smaller than my teenage weight lol

You’re doing really given just how much stress you’ve had throughout!
Polly xxx

Hi Michelle
Once you’re through the first few days it is easy! Maybe you ve reached that now.
Best of luck
Penny

Inulin finally arrived yesterday. I ordered it just after watching the Angela Rippon programme – I thought it would never come!. I’ve got a blood test on Wednesday then going on holiday, so I’m not going to start using it until I come back. Have not found a definitive dose, so will experiment and let people know how I get on.

Day 78 weight 10st 1lb
Blood sugar 10.5

Was naughty and had two glasses of prosciutto on Saturday night. Felt great until 4.30 Sunday morning when I felt really rough. #oldenoughtoknowbetter.

Yesterday day 79 weight 10st
Blood sugar 9.5

Had my shorts on in the sunshine and noticed how skinny my legs are.

Day 80 weight 9st 13lbs 17lbs lost 🙆🙆🙆🙆🙆🙆
Blood sugar 8.9

Pleased I carried on. Delighted that the weight seems to be moving quicker. I haven’t been exercising but I find I’m not sitting down as much, I try to get up and do something, even if it is going into another room to switch the radio on, or put something away. Blood sugar still not where I want it to be, but not as bad as it used to be.

Sue I am so pleased for you. If anyone deserves success you do as you have had to deal with so much right from the beginning of this diet 🙂

Great stuff Sue
your perseverance has paid off, lets see more of the same 🙂
Hopefully your busy life will slow down a little.

Hi Sue1234
Persistence paying off. Well done. Those pesky blood sugars may just have been waiting for you to be 9 stone something! Keep on. . . .

Thank you – it has been a real boost having so much support. I was talking to someone the other day, who commented on how well I was doing on my own. I explained I was not on my own, I had the support of the BSD community who kept me going with their kind words and encouragement. 🙌

Yesterday day 81 weight 9st 13lbs
Blood sugar 9.3

Today day 82 weight 9st 12lbs (18 lbs lost) 😁😁😁
Blood sugar ….wait for it… drum roll… 7.8 🙌🙌🙌🙌

I’m going on holiday, going to the airport hotel tomorrow and flying Saturday morning. Anyone know how I pack my monitoring kit? Do I put the “jabber” and spare needles in my case and the machine in my hand luggage?

Inulin – I am a real dope, I waited ages for some coming in the post, when it turns out that Inulin is already one of the main ingredients in my shakes. #readthelabelsnexttime 😝

Hi Sue

When I’ve flown with my monitoring kit it’s been in my hand luggage. Took it out at security and told them what it was. Didn’t even look at it! Check with your airline if you want to be certain. Having said that, it’s down to the agent at security rather than any guidelines. Have a great holiday.

Thanks captainlynne

Today day 83 weight 9st 12lbs
Blood sugar …… 7.5

Definitely taking blood monitor on holiday with me. If I can’t do an up date before I come back, I’ll definitely start posting again on 25th May. Hopefully I won’t have undone much of the progress I have made so far.

Keep going everyone, I’m still in shock over fitting into size 12 jeans! 😀

Sue those blood sugars are getting closer to where you want them to be! That’s fantastic after everything that’s happened in your life recently.
Your weight loss is encouraging too, keep it up, you’re gonna get there 🙂

Hi All
Back from holiday.

Day 95 weight 10st 3lbs so 5lbs gained
Blood sugar 10.2

Was a little bit naughty, but back on track now. Hopefully the weight will come back off soon.

Have a Doctor’s appointment for tomorrow so I’ll get the results of my 3 month blood sugar levels. My diabetic clinic has closed, so I am going to have to explain this diet to someone else.

Yesterday day 96 weight 10st
Blood sugar 8.6

3 month bloods taken 11/05/2016. 57
Bloods before I started 11/02/2016 52. (was on gliclazide as well as Metformin)

Today Day 97 weight 9st 13lb
Blood sugar 8.2

Hi Sue1234,

What encouraging stats – all of them moving to where they were before your holiday. From these results it looks like you’re back on track. It’s not an easy thing to do, getting back into your routine after holidays. Well done.

Thank you.

Saturday day 98 weight 9st 12lbs
Blood sugar 9.6

Yesterday weight 9st 13lbs
Blood sugar 10.1

Today day 100 🎉 weight 10st
Blood sugar 8.4

I’m not as worried as I used to be about my weight fluctuating, I ‘ve got used to it.

Adding inulin to one drink a day since I came back and making an effort to drink more fluids again. I find drinking more fluids and staying calm seems to do wonders for my blood sugar. I’m hoping that losing another 1/2 stone will make a big difference as well. 👍

Tuesday day 101 weight 9st 13lbs
Blood sugar 8.3

Wednesday 102 weight 9st 13lbs
Blood sugar 8.8

Today day 103 weight 9st 13lbs
Blood sugar 9.5

Friday day 104 weight 9st 12lbs
Blood sugar 10.3

Saturday Day 105 end of week 15 weight 9st 12!bs
Blood sugar 6.9 (under 7 for the first time) 😀😀😀

Today Day 106 weight 9st 12lbs
Blood sugar 6.4. WOW 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁

My blood sugar is finally getting markedly better. Hopefully the is the start of the home straight! 😇

Sue1234 this is brilliant news! You have done so well to keep at it through the tough times, I really hope that this is the home straight!
Julia

Thank you Julia.

Spoke too soon, been an up and down last few days

Monday day 107 weight 9st 11lbs (another pound lost) -19lbs
Blood sugar 8.4

Tuesday day 108 weight 9st 11lbs
Blood sugar 8.8

Wednesday day 109 weight 9st 11lbs
Blood sugar 8.6

Thursday day 110 weight 9st 12lbs (so up slightly again)
Blood sugar 8.0

Blood sugar overall is loser than it was, I have been getting more done around the house but also spending more time outside on the sun lounger while the sun shines. I have also been buying some clothes, I am normally a leggings and jumper person, but I have been wearing some very short denim shorts and short dresses and have ordered some very skinny jeans. I feel like I have a new lease of life. I am working through my wardrobe and giving away my clothes that are too big,which is both a bit sad as I like them, but liberating as I no longer need them. ☺☺☺

Good news on the clothes front! I’m assuming that the levels you are posting are fasting b s levels ? Often the last to reduce even when readings the rest of the time are good. Hope you have found the last few days have brought better news.

Not quite Julia18togo. It’s been a mixed weekend. The readings are fast, my morning routine is : get up, go to the loo, get weighed and check blood sugar.

Friday day 111 weight 9st 11lbs
Blood sugar 7.9

I started sorting my kitchen and ate some sugar free chocolate chip cookies – this put my blood sugar up on Saturday due to the wheat they are made from!

Saturday day 112 weight 9st 11lbs
Blood sugar 9.9 😈

Saturday night I had two pieces of southern fried chicken (breadcrumbs)

Sunday day 113 weight 9st 12 lbs
Blood sugar 9.2

Sunday I was good and ate what I was supposed to

Monday day 114 weight 9st 11lbs (back down to 19lbs lost)
Blood sugar 7.3 😇

I need to stop thinking that as my blood sugar is coming down I can start to eat a bit of what I shouldn’t and it won’t make a difference, because it does!

My Mum has been getting worse in the last few days, to tell the truth she has been up and down since she came out of hospital. I know if I am stressed that my blood sugar goes through the roof, so I am trying to remain calm but it is difficult. In some ways she has given up, which is really frustrating when we all want her to get stronger so she will be able to have the operations on her knees which will give her a much better quality of life.
My motivation for this diet was to get rid of my diabetes, but a knock on effect will be me reducing my risk of heart attack or stroke, and my Mum is a daily reminder of the consequences of a stroke.

So sorry to hear about your mum. I am not surprised stress affects the readings and you really seem to be going through it. I went through years of taking my Dad out on a Friday to give my mum some respite. Even now 2 years on from him passing I still sometimes stop dead and marvel over how very much less stressed I am since then. When I was not seeing him I was worrying about him and how my mum continued to cope – she was his rock in every single aspect of life, not just his personal care. He had brain damage from head injuries but also diabetes, peripheral neuropathy and retinopathy (loads of eye ops). This is why I did the diet! As you say, there’s nothing like watching a close family member go through it to make you sit up and make changes! But in your case I think if you were to take readings before and after meals you might be encouraged with the results. Your stickability is impressive under the circumstances. Well done on the weight loss and no doubt you’ll get there in the end.
Julia

So sorry to hear about your Dad Julia. Today is especially hard – I know. My Dad died of a heart attack, he also had diabetes, it will be the 30th anniversary of his death on 23 June this year (EU referendum day). It’s been rumbling away in the background and although my Mum never mentions it, it’s probably in her mind as well. It hit the whole family hard because it was sudden and unexpected.
The last few years have been stressful for other reasons and it’s only when things calm down that you look back and think – how the h*ll did I manage to cope with all that!

Anyway
Tuesday day 115 weight 9st 11lbs
Blood sugar 8.6
Ate nuts and raisins at bedtime

Wednesday day 116 weight 9st 11lbs
Blood sugar 9.9

Thursday day 117 weight 9st 11lbs
Blood sugar 8.7

Friday day 118 weight 9st 11lbs
Blood sugar 8.6
Ate a bowl of home made popped corn at bedtime – have been getting the munchies.

Saturday day 119 weight 9st 12lbs
Blood sugar 9.4

Sunday day 120 weight 9st 12lbs
Blood sugar 8.1

Have looked through my food diary and again I have gone back to 6 mugs of liquid a day, when I know that when I drink more I have better blood sugar results. Also I have been a bit lazy, so I need to do more in the house to burn the calories. On that note I have been “volunteered” to go down to Mum’s twice a week to help her have a shower and clean her house – she seemed to perk up after that.

Its been a tough week – but on the upside I had no bodies to bury and I didn’t need any bail money 🙂 Seriously though here’s how it went:

Monday Day 121 weight 9st 11lbs
Blood Sugar 8.3

Chose Aunties burial plot. She’s not dead – she’s in a Care Home and gave my mum the money for the plot around 5 years ago, but Mum has never got around to it. I’m getting her organised.

Tuesday Day 122 weight 9st 11lbs
Blood Sugar 9.3

Paid for Aunties burial plot and got the one behind for myself (I don’t like to think about death, but I feel happier knowing where my body will end up – I took out the 75 year option because I’m planning to live a long healthy life!)

Wednesday Day 123 weight 9st 11lbs
Blood Sugar 8.2

Bad day – oldie has been fighting in the Care Home – we are waiting for an emergency meeting with the Mental Health Team – last time we were due an emergency meeting (October 2015) it never happened ! Someone went into his room and they ended up on the floor with him standing over them threatening to stamp on them.

Gave my Mum a shower without either of us coming to blows.

Took my daughter to A & E – she has benign inter cranial hypertension and her eye had swollen up – so we thought her second shunt had failed – thankfully it was only conjunctivitis. Day ended around midnight.

Thursday Day 124 Weight 9st 12lbs
blood Sugar 7.4

Visited the crematorium – 30th Anniversary of Dad’s death and voted Leave. Went to bed thinking remain had won.

Friday Day 125 Weight 9st 11lbs
Blood Sugar 9.0

Seem to be the only calm one after election result , friends on Facebook are panicking like headless chickens.

Saturday Day 126 Weight 9st 11lbs (End of week 18) I’m taking longer than most
Blood Sugar 9.0

Sunday Day 127 Weight 9st 11lbs
Blood Sugar 9.3

Although things seem to be at a standstill weight and blood sugar at the moment, I seem to be getting more done. My cupboards are looking tidier and I am sorting out a lot of clothes that no longer fit me. Downside is I seem to be getting a lot of migraine-style headaches and stomach pains lately – I might have a chat with my Doctor to see if I need to adjust my Metformin to see if it makes any difference.

Monday Day 128 Weight 9st 11lbs
Blood Sugar 9.8

Baked quiches with a gram flour pastry base – a tea cup as a measure – 1 .5 cups gram flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup rapeseed oil, approx 1/4 to 1/2 cup water mix and roll out on a gram floured surface. I cut circles with the teacup to go in the pattie/yorkshire pudding tin. NB Make sure you grease the tin very well with rapeseed oil before you put the pastry in. Bake at 180 C for about 15 mins. Add your preferred filling and bake for another 20 mins.

I made a combination of mini quiches (eggs milk salt pepper grated cheese and bits of gammon) and mini pizza’s (tomato puree, sliced cheese and cooked gammon.

First batch I didn’t make sure the pastry had no holes or cracks in and I made a mess of my tins, but the second batch worked out a lot better. The salt in the pastry is essential.

Tuesday Day 129 weight 9st 10lbs Lost 20lbs in total 🙂 🙂
Blood Sugar 10.4

Wednesday Day 130 weight 9st 10lbs
Blood Sugar 10.0

Have had the munchies this week – have munched on nuts and most recently crisps – I still have some in the cupboard, but once they are gone I wont buy anymore, I have Quinoa crisps to work through after that – I bought 12 packs for £6.49 online so not too expensive. In the last few days I have had some “normal” mini pizzas and it was the day after eating one that I lost the extra pound!
I have 5 more reqular mini pizza’s in the freezer and will only have one a week from now on until they to are gone. I don’t like to waste food which is why I didn’t throw them out in the beginning.

I tried eating home made popped corn with nothing added, but that seemed to spike my Blood Sugar in the morning.

Any idea what I can nibble at night? For the next few nights I am going to try to add an extra drink, but I am worried that this will mean me getting up in the night to pee!

Wowser Sue1234

Respect to you you are my role model now, I have 7 st 1lb to loose, how much more do you plan to loose.

Hi greenjanet – respect to you for going to lose so much weight.

I have been a lot bigger in the past, before I started this diet I had lost about 2 1/2 stones over about 5 years. I am 5ft 1″ and before I started this diet – I decided that I would continue losing weight (basically body fat) until I get rid of my type 2 diabetes. My family have found it hard to get their heads around me losing so much weight and still being diabetic, I have had to continually explain to them that the weight is a side issue and what I need to get rid of is my internal body fat which is making my insulin not work properly, and it is stubborn stuff to shift!

If I lose another 3lbs I will be at the top end of my BMI. I am hoping that as I get in my BMI zone, that I will see a reduction in my blood sugar levels. I don’t care how long it takes I am determined to live longer and beat my diabetes!

When I started this diet I was happy in my own skin, I didn’t feel overweight, as I had been much bigger in the past. Now I have lost the weight and feel exited when I go into a clothes shop and can buy clothes in shops I would have walked past reluctantly in the past, I feel so much better in myself. As I am cleaning out my fat internally, I am also cleaning out my wardrobes and sorting out my cupboards and tidying my house and cooking my meals (bought ready meals apart from a couple of pizza’s are a thing of the past, instead of 4 times a week). I have changed my lifestyle.

greenjanet – don’t be put off by people who tell you that you either wont or can’t lose that amount of weight. It is your body and your determination that counts. If you have something you shouldn’t, it isn’t the end, just start again at the next meal and keep going. When people see how much weight you can lose it is inspiring for others. I ordered the book for one of my neighbours who is starting shortly and another neighbour has decided to lose weight after seeing that I can do it.
Please let me know how you get on. I look forward to seeing your progress.

Sue hope things are going ok for you – in your last post it seemed like a lot was going on. I have been struggling recently and have just started looking at posts again to help me to get going once more.

You are an inspiration.

Julia

Hi Julia18togo I have struggled – I found that I wasn’t getting on as fast as the people in Micheal’s book and I got a bit disheartened as my weight wasn’t going down and 20 weeks in, my blood sugar still isn’t at a non diabetic level. All I can say is keep going, look back at how far you have come and treat every day as a fresh start. If you eat something that is not part of the plan, don’t worry about it, just move on and eat better at the next meal or the next day. I know you can do it.

I am still not at the correct BMI for my height and I am within a couple of pounds of it now, I am definitely not giving up and I see the diet now as a permanent change to my way of life rather than a “quick fix”.

I have lost 21 lbs and bought a pair of size 10 skinny jeans yesterday and they fit 🙂 🙂 🙂

I am still not drinking enough, but I aim to start drinking 8 mugs of fluid a day from today, I usually manage 6 at a push, but it is not enough for hydration. I have had terrible migraines, and am hoping that increasing the fluid will help the migraines – dehydration does affect metformin.

Sorry I haven’t posted for a while, time flies when you are busy, but here are the missing days:

Day 131 weight 9st 9lbs (21 pounds or a stone and half lost)
Blood Sugar 9.0

Day 132 weight 9st 9lbs
Blood Sugar 8.8

Ate some chocolate

Day 133 weight 9st 10lbs (end of week 19)
Blood sugar 10.5

Day 134 weight 9st 10 lbs
Blood sugar 9.4
Ate more chocolate

Day 135 weight 9st 11lbs
Blood sugar 8.1
Chocolate again

Day 136 weight 9st 10 lbs
Blood sugar 9.2

Day 137 9st 10lbs
Blood sugar 8.7

Day 138 9st 10lbs
Blood Sugar 9.8

Day 139 weight 9st 10lbs
Blood Sugar 9.5

Day 140 weight 9st 9lbs (end of week 20)
Blood sugar 8.4
Bought my size 10 skinny jeans – couldn’t stop smiling after I tried them on and they fit.
Ate brown rice

Day 141 weight 9st 9lbs
Blood sugar 9.7

As you can see I went for the chocolate – four pieces at a time. When I was stressed years ago I used to eat a whole extra large bar in less than 10 minutes. I didn’t feel happier after I ate it and the rest of the bar is sitting on the sideboard – it might end up in the bin today – although I don’t like waste- to avoid further temptation.

I am not just elated because I fit in a smaller size – fitting into smaller jeans means that my waist is shrinking which is where my bad fat is stored, so ultimately the bad fat is going. My top half has gone down one dress size to a size 14.

Just after I wrote the last post I got a phone call to say my husband’s cousin had died suddenly and unexpectedly. It has thrown us both into a state of shock. He was fit and active and only 62 years old. It always puts it into perspective when someone dies how precious life is.

Sorry I have taken so long to update, but will do so now and make an effort not to leave so long in between in future. On the positive front – I have lost more weight. Negative front – my blood sugar meter has been playing up and I am due to get a new one in the next few days so will post an old meter reading and a new meter reading when it turns up.

Monday 11 July – Day 142 Weight 9st 11lbs
Blood Sugar 8.2

Day 143 Weight 9st 9lbs
Blood Sugar 9.3
(Blood sugar has a habit of going up when the weight goes down)

Day 144 Weight 9st 9lbs
Blood sugar 10.8
Wore size 10 jeans all day 🙂 🙂 🙂

Day 145 Weight 9st 8lbs (22 pounds lost 🙂 only need to lose one more pound and I will no longer be officially overweight)
Blood sugar: 8.3

Day 146 Weight 9st 8lbs
Blood Sugar: 9.8

Day 147 Weight 9st 8lbs (end of week 21)
Blood Sugar: 10.1

Day 148 Weight 9st 8lbs
Blood Sugar: 8.6

Day 149 Weight 9st 9lbs
Blood Sugar 8.4

constipated for 3 days

Day 150 weight 9st 10lbs
Blood Sugar 8.5

went to loo after weigh in

Day 151 Weight 9st 8lbs
Blood Sugar 8.3

Day 152 Weight 9st 8lbs
Blood Sugar 7.9

Today Day 153 Weight 9st 8lbs
Blood Sugar 8.1

Its taking longer than the initial 8 weeks I thought it would, but I am keeping going until my blood sugar goes down to where it should be. Husband says I can keep going until my size 10 jeans are loose and then he will start feeding me up, but if my blood sugar isn’t sorted by then, I will buy a pair of similar size 8 jeans (not tell him) and keep going. 😛

Sorry to hear your sad news. It is so hard to come to terms with a sudden death, hope the two of you are managing to stay strong.

Congratulations on your great achievement to date. You should be really proud and your determination is an example and inspiration to us all. Like you, I have an ultimate goal – which I am taking one stage at a time – and I will keep going until I have achieved that ultimate goal, regardless of how long it takes.

Keep going – can’t wait to hear how you progress.

Sue
Apologies for not posting sooner. I thought I had written and in fact nothing up there – here I am at last to add my best wishes to you along with SunnyB. Life is rarely simple but I am so impressed with how you have stuck with the diet in spite of the discouragements along the way. Those size 10s must look brilliant! Congratulations! Hope the new blood sugar meter is proving more reliable for you. All the best to you for an easier few weeks.
Julia

Thank you Julia and Sunny B. I always mean to update sooner, but life always happens, some good news this week – yesterday my weight went down another pound overall to 23lbs lost and it took my weight to 9st 7lbs which is within the normal weight range for my height – so I classed myself as no longer overweight – today I put some back on, but this is normal for me and it will come back off shortly. Had a bit of an epiphany (excuse spelling) will put this in my following results:

Day 154 Weight 9st 9lbs (end of week 22)
Blood Sugar: Old Meter 9.9 New Meter 10

Not the huge difference between meters that I was hoping for. Friends turned up unexpectedly and I ate the meal with them that I haven’t had since before I started this diet ie. Rump steak, Diane sauce, chips, mushrooms, onion rings and tomatoes. I was really disappointed, I used to love this meal, but it did not seem as tasty. My taste buds must have changed.

Day 155 weight 9st 11lbs
Blood Sugar: 11.2

The scales and the blood sugar meter are unforgiving when I’ve been pigging (out on food I shouldn’t)

Day 156 weight 9st 10 lbs
Blood Sugar: 8.0

Day 157 weight 9st 9lbs
Blood Sugar 8.9

It was the funeral today – I ate everything on offer – Soup and roll, sandwiches, cakes, scone with cream and jam.

Epiphany at night – I have had a pain in the front of my neck for weeks and have felt out of sorts. I wondered if I had a problem with my thyroid. Googled it – as you do – and found that too much Lithium can cause problems with the thyroid. I have been taking Lithium 5mg as a supliment since 13th April as I heard it was “good for stopping addictions and brain health” – I thought it would help with food cravings. I hope that I haven’t done myself too much harm. Today was the last day I took it.

Day 158 Weight 9st 10 lbs
Blood sugar 10.8

Day 159 Weight 9st 10 lbs
Blood sugar 11.3
Another epiphany at night- I have been so focused on wearing the smaller clothes that I somehow have lost sight of the real reason I started this – ie to reduce my blood sugar. I need to get a grip and focus on cutting the carbs out again.

Day 160 Weight 9st 9lbs
Blood sugar 9.5

Stuck more rigidly to my eating plan today.

Day 161 Saturday 30th July Weight 9st 7lbs ( 23lbs lost) End of week 23
Blood sugar: 7.7

Used an electronic abtrainer on my abdomen 10minutes, Lower legs 5 mins each, Upper arms 5 mins each = 30 mins total which is the recommended usage per day. Not sure if will make any difference, but thought it might make my surplus sugar go into my “worked muscles”. Will keep you posted. I don’t exercise.

Day 162 Sunday 31 July weight 9st 9lbs
Blood sugar 9.0

Legs and upper arms still seemed to be pulsating this morning after last nights electrical stimulation.

Keep going everyone. I was encouraged by watching Fixing Dad this week. It took him 18 months for his sugar to go down to non diabetic levels, so there is hope for me yet!
For info: I have been asked how I know I have fat in my liver, it is because I had complications following surgery in 2014 and an ultrasound was done to check the problem out. While they were scanning my tummy they happened to catch sight of my liver which didn’t look right and this led to me later having an MRI scan on my liver. After the ultrasound I was seen by a liver specialist who implied I was fat, at the time I thought I looked OK and was quite offended, but with hindsight he was right. After the MRI he said it would be beneficial for me to lose weight.

Another week done and another pound lost
Day 163 Weight 9st 8lb
Blood Sugar: 8.0

Day 164 weight 9st 8lbs
Blood Sugar: 8.1

Day 165 weight 9st 8lbs
Blood Sugar 9.2

Day 166 weight 9st 8lbs
Blood Sugar 10.4

Day 167 weight 9st 8lbs
Blood Sugar 10.0
Made a real effort to be good today

Day 168 Today Weight 9st 6lbs end of week 24 (24 lbs lost)
Blood Sugar:8.2

Sue well done with the continued progress, sorry haven’t posted in ages but I am impressed you just keep on going.
I am not doing so well, not sleeping as well which affects what I put in my mouth! Girls back to school in two days time, so things will get back to a better routine and hopefully onwards and upwards once more.
Julia