Great news, Theodora! Getting to that original target is a brilliant achievement. Step by step, we all get there. You should be reporting great things by the end of the week. Just keep focused and stick with the basics.

I came in bang on target this morning, but not counting chickens yet. I want to see what the weekly weigh-in will declare on Monday. Have started to pack for our holiday and tried on some linen trousers this morning – had to reject them as they are too big – yippee!! Historically I’ve had to leave stuff out because it’s too small – or would be after I gained a few pounds while away.

Stick with it everyone, looking forward to reading lots of good results soon.

Thanks SunnyB, and well done to you too – my weekly weigh in is on Monday too, so really hoping I will have edged even closer to my target by then.

It’s a shame that your linen trousers are now too big if they are ones you really like and were looking forward to wearing again, but a great feeling to find things are too big and not too small. Such a novelty for us all 🙂

When do you leave for your holiday?

I like to have linen trousers for holidays and do still have one pair that fits. Unfortunately the two pairs of linen trousers I have left in Turkey, are probably going to be too big now as well, so I am down to just the one pair to take with me. Might see if I can get another pair next week if I have time.

It is lovely to have to reject things because they are too big and there is so much in my wardrobe that I had kept in the hope of one day being small enough to get back into them, so it’s almost like having a brand new wardrobe. Even some of the rings I had refused to have altered, now fit again!

We leave home on 9th April, fly out on 11th after catching up with family. Will be away for eight weeks, so after next week, I will only be dipping in and out occasionally, but I will be checking how everyone is doing from time to time.

Anyway, hope you have a really good week and will be able to report a sound loss on Monday and a big step towards you target.

Really annoyed with myself, as my weight has been as low as 8st 6.2lb over the week, but today weighed in at exactly the same as last Monday – 8st 7.8lb, so am not able to report having achieved my ultimate goal of 8st 7lb. Completely my own fault, wine on Friday and champagne on Saturday and slipped out of ketosis. On the upside, I CAN get in my wedding dress and it comfortably does up – really chuffed with that!

Will be sticking with the 800 through to Sunday and then I’m going to be attempting to maintain – wish me luck!

Hope everyone else will be reporting good things – good luck at weigh-in everyone.

Hi Sunny B,
Don’t be disappointed – if you average out your weights I reckon you’ve made your goal! It’s just a gnat’s whisker.

My week has been something of a rollercoaster – up & down like a fiddler’s elbow! 🙂 Two visits from a whoosh gremlin and one from the nice fairy! Like you, I managed to hit a new low for this year (10st 0lb 2oz) but today I came in at 10st 1lb 4oz. I’m still in the Healthy BMI section so that’s something. Yes, I did succumb to a sausage in a bread roll & a bit of cake at work on Saturday but it was really busy and I needed a boost (and I must confess, I did enjoy them) – and it was nice of the management to provide extra eats even if they weren’t BSD-compatible.

But stuff on my allotment is coming along nicely. Picked some rhubarb yesterday so I’ve stewed that to have with yoghurt. Salad leaves are coming through too. Looking forward to a healthy summer.

Hi Rozy – you’re right, have just averaged it out and it came in a smidge under the 8st 7lb mark. I’m going to do a final weigh on Sunday before we head off and that will be my line in the sand for this round of BSD 800. Then I’ll be reviewing on my return in June. Sounds like you are making some headway, despite some non-BSD eating. Hope you have a good week.

It’s really interesting how, considering we were all overweight enough to be counting it in stones, then pounds, how we now obsess about ounces! 🙂 I think, when approaching our ultimate goal, we are all the same – maybe it’s because when we are within a smidgeon of our target, the pounds / ounces seem to take sooo much longer to melt away and then bounce back so easily. But well done everyone – we have all done so well to even be on the final push thread – we are BSD success stories 🙂

A few weeks ago I revised my ultimate target down by 4lbs (really to push me under the next stone) but I am pleased to say that this week I sailed past my original target and now have only 1.5lbs to go to reach my revised ultimate goal 🙂 I should be thrilled – and I am really, and will be even more so when that last 1.5lbs has gone – but I have to confess that I am starting to feel a little bereft! It’s almost as if I am dreading it, because I will then have to face my REAL bugbear, MAINTENANCE. 😮 I am an all or nothing kind of person, so I have been very focussed and haven’t found BSD800 too difficult, but once I start to relax it a bit, I know I am going to have difficulties 🙁 Just wondering if any of you feel the same?

Yes Theodora, it does seem we all get very watchful as we get within touching distance of the ultimate goal. I guess that is inevitable as when we all started out, we barely dared to dream we could achieve those goals, so having come so far and proved so much, when you get close there’s a sort of desperation to prove you can actually do what you set out to – not almost, but completely.

Maintenance does feel scary, although I have done two stints of maintenance along the way, so know I can do okay, with relatively small gains. It’s all about keeping a watch on those carbs and sticking with the principles. I have decided I will continue to weigh daily though – at least in the short term – and will go back to the full-on 800 when I get to three pound over my ideal weight. But that is a little way off and meanwhile, I have another extended vacation to maintain through, regardless of whether I’m at ideal weight or not. Have until Sunday to get to 8st 7lb as a recordable result – 8st 7.6lb this morning, so doable with focus.

I think although maintenance is scary, we are all so much better equipped to do it than we ever have been before. Just keep reading nutrition panels; keep treats to occasional and not daily and watch those carbs in general. Think long term maintenance will be easier than we fear.

Theadora
As an all or nothing person maintenance was very scary – as once I stopped a diet I always went back to what was ‘normal’ eating back in pre-BSD days and often ended up heavier than I had been at the start of a diet.

So when I hit 9 stone 7.25lbs and started maintenance I decided that I would tackle maintenance in exactly the same way as I did the losing weight stage (of course I did have the added incentive of trying to keep diabetes and macular oedema and retinopathy in remission).

I weigh both my food and myself every day and continued to keep my fat secret food diary. After all this time it is effortless and doesn’t take very long at all. I keep my carbs low because my blood sugars are better with the lower carbs and have not gone over 9stone 7.75lbs since 10th December. Today I am 9 stone 6lbs.

I am absolutely stunned that I have actually maintained my weight and that this way of eating has now become absolutely normal for me.

Of course tackling maintenance in this way would not suit lots of people but it absolutely suits my personality.

I agree with SunnyB that we are all much better equipped than we have ever been before and that long term maintenance is much easier than we feared.

I am not sure if I was the first ‘graduate’ of this thread who actually got to target, and am now officially a maintainer. I hope you don’t mind me putting in some observations from the other side of the fence. I was also absolutely terrified of maintaining, and I still am I guess, as it is something I have never truly managed to do. I have in effect extended the control elements from the weight loss plan to the way of life while I plan what I will be doing for the rest of my life.

I realised today that I actually hit that target two months ago, during which two months I have been on holiday for a week with no measuring either myself or food, and lost a pound, since then, just a week and a half later, I have been up to 11 pounds above target, with what turned out to be water bloat followed by an extreme panic fast, 800 for one day, then 1250 calories, increasing every day by 50 calories in a controlled reverse diet. I have lost more weight during this reverse diet phase, and am now 2.5 pounds under my target. Most days I am now eating 2000 calories or more, hence I can fit in the odd small hot cross bun or half a bagel, and intend to continue to increase until I am around 2500 calories, and leave it at that for a week, to try to get my weight ‘reset’. After that I have another weeks holiday in Cornwall and the associated indulgences and extra exercise.

Thinking back, this reverse diet I am doing now was actually part of Dr Roy’s Newcastle protocol, and the first thing I should have done at the end of November when I finished my 8 weeks was to implement this. How I got through Christmas with only a 11 pound increase I don’t know, although I guess I must have been better than usual, since quite a lot of that increase seemed to be water as well.

So my current plan is after my holiday to keep weighing myself daily, but stop planning and logging food, except on one fast day a week. I will also only drink at weekends and special occasions, and will keep any ‘white stuff’ indulgences to one day a week.

I would definitely suggest anyone else getting to target tries the controlled increase of calories though, it really seems to get the metabolism revving, you don’t need to increase carbs hugely, just increasing fats seems to work very well for me although my carb average is now around 90g on my larger intake. My calculated weekly average TDEE is 2100 calories, but the reverse diet protocol doesn’t cause you to put weight on as the metabolism reacts to the increase and speeds up. People have taken it up to 5,000 calories as part of a study I read somewhere, and the body just adapted to use it. Of course what you eat has still not to drive the insulin up or you will get back on the old fat storage rollercoaster again, so the way of life BSD has given us is still very much the way to go.

WOOOHOOO!!!!!

I’m so excited. ……….I’ve got there!!!!! I’ve reached my ultimate goal! 👍🎉🎊🎉🎊

18.6% of my body weight gone! 🎊🎉🎊🎉🎊 Doing the happy dance here – and that will use a few more calories too😜

Now for a few more pounds to give me a bit of wriggle room 😜

Well done Theodora!!

Way to go, Theodora!!!! That’s fantastic news and I’m sure you’ll be happy dancing most of the day.

I’m still hovering on the cusp – 0.4lb short of ultimate goal this morning and only two days left to get there, before we go away. Little frustrated, but trying to accept it will be what it will be and I will come home in June a couple of pounds heavier and use the Fast 800 again, to get where I want to be. As long as I’m 8st 7lb by late September, I’ll be content.

Good luck with pushing the weight down a bit further for the wriggle room, Theodora – we know you can do it!

Well done, Theodora – you’ve proved it can be done! You must be delighted.
Don’t get blisters from all your happy dancing! 🙂

SunnyB – don’t worry about a few ounces, you’ve done so well. Hope you have a great holiday – and don’t obsess about your weight while you are away, enjoy yourself.

Thanks to MixnMatch for the comprehensive advice from the maintenance side of the fence!

As for me, it’s been a little up & down this week but today I weighed in at 10st exactly – a new low for this year. Still to break through the 10st barrier but at least I’m still inside my Healthy BMI sector.

Good luck everyone.

Well done Theodora,
You have done so well and you are an inspiration to us all.
X B

Great Theodora, now you can join me on the maintenance tightrope, and we can help each other balance 😀😀😀😀😀 The dress sounds lovely by the way.

Okay, well this will be my last post for a good few days, as tomorrow morning we head up to London, prior to flying out to Turkey early Tuesday morning. I have decided to make today my last weigh-in pre-holiday and I am happy to report I came in at my ultimate target weight of 8st 7lb.

I’m not making a big deal of this, as it hasn’t really be consolidated and will probably be transitory as I am about to spend a little over 8wks away and although I will be sticking to the BSD principles and using my ketostix to help keep me on the straight and narrow, I will be relaxing a little on holiday. So, I must expect to come home a few pounds heavier, but I’m comfortable that I know how to deal with that on my return and get back to ultimate target weight again. While away, I’ll be using my ketostix and clothes as measures of how I am doing, to indicate when I need to have a couple of strict BSD days. Hopefully it won’t be too difficult – I’ve done it before and managed to maintain control, so I’m optimistic I can do it again.

Anyway, I’ll look in from time to time when I can. Meanwhile, good luck everyone. Keep up the good works and I hope lots more of you will be reporting getting to target soon.

Well done, SunnyB!
Sounds like you’ve got your head in the right place for the next few weeks.
Have a great time in Turkey! Safe journey.

Well done from me too SunnyB. Safe trip and have a great holiday, and looking forward to hearing from you again soon.

Well done theadora and Sunnyb !
Really over the moon for you both!

Hi all,
Registered an upward bounce this morning (10st 1lb 4oz) – bit of a bummer when I’d hit a new low for this year (10st exactly) just 3 days ago. I’ve mentioned this before, but when I get to a new low it is very often followed by a day or two of feeling lousy – this week was a perfect example. In my vulnerable state I succumbed to the siren call of a loaf of bread (a very nice cheese & onion flavoured one) and a bar of dark chocolate. In the grand scheme of things nothing too disastrous but over the weekend it did represent a massive carb overload.
Usually happens after a manic time at work, when I don’t drink enough and I feel a desperate need for comfort food. Moral of the tale: drink more before I start to feel lousy, head it off at the pass!
Anyway, the head is feeling better today. And I had a productive Sunday potting up my runner bean seeds & various other plants – my allotment will provide me with with loads of healthy food over the summer.
Anyway, must stick with it – must have something positive to report when SunnyB gets back from her hols!!

Rozy, I do feel for you 🙁 But when you experience a bounce, as long as you haven’t slipped off the wagon, just remember it is only water. The amount of water our bodies store fluctuates all the time, and if it feels we aren’t drinking enough, it will hang onto more and the best way to deal with it is to drink more and then your body will just flush the stored water away.

I am pleased to report that, after reaching my target weight last Friday, I saw another drop of 2lbs over the weekend, which will give me at least a little wriggle room for my 2 weeks away (leaving today). I will try and stick with BSD, but will certainly allow myself some wine over Easter itself. Here’s hoping I don’t do too much damage.

Hi Theodora,
Thanks for your kind words. Unfortunately, it’s all my own fault – self-inflicted – I omitted to mention in my previous post the bag of crisps & choc/caramel biscuit bars. Serious binge/comfort-eating. The true horror manifested itself this morning when I came in at 10st 2lb 8oz!! First time in several weeks I have slipped out of my “healthy” zone.
The value of whooshes may go up as well as down!
Anyway, yesterday I made some hummus which will be consumed today/tomorrow, I’ve got some salmon out of the freezer. It’s a nice day where I am so I’m in the mood to drink water. I’m ready to retake control.

Well done on losing extra poundage. Have a fabulous holiday – don’t fret too much over calories & carbs, it is a holiday, after all.

Don’t panic Rozy, it will come right if you get back on track. These blips rarely do the amount of damage we fear and the increase you’ve seen, is probably largely water anyway.

Hope you have a good time away, Theodora and well done on achieving your goal weight before going away.

We are settling into our Turkish routine quite nicely, although I’m a little panicky as I am struggling to get comfortably back into ketosis, having slipped out about ten days ago. Only registering low levels of ketones at the moment, but I’m trying to keep a watchful eye on the carbs and drink plenty of water. Have designated a new pair of cropped trousers as my indicator garment, so if they start to feel snug, I know I need to take definite action to avoid disaster! Meanwhile, I’ll be basking the sun and doing my best to relax and enjoy the vacation.

Will drop in again in a few days and hopefully there will be lots of people reporting good things. Best of luck everyone!

Rozy, just wondering how it’s going now? Back in control, with that bounce gone? I do hope so.

Thank you SunnyB for both your congratulations and the holiday wishes. It sounds as though you are pretty much in control whilst you are away, and the trouser test seems like a good alternative whilst scales are unavailable. I do hope you are managing to relax and enjoy life in Turkey too.

The weather so far has been kind whilst we are away, and I have been doing a lot of walking, have also been doing some physical work getting our boats ready to go back in the water for the summer season. I have got no scales at the moment either, and slipped off the wagon a bit yesterday as I indulged in 3 glasses of red wine whilst out for dinner. Really enjoyed it though, and did have it “mindfully” and, having read the article about the Spanish Med Keto diet, I’m not feeling too guilty as they allowed up to 400ml red wine a day 🙂 The wine did push me a whopping 217 cals over the 800 (the most I have consumed since starting BSD800), but my net carbs only came in at 29.52, which is higher than my normal allowance (20 – 25), but not disastrous, so I am hoping not too much damage has been done. Have a supper party for 12 to attend tomorrow, so will be indulging, mindfully, in wine then too. I’m actually thinking the Spanish version may well become my maintenance plan, although I will have to increase my level of olive oil, which shouldn’t be too difficult 🙂

Hope everyone is having a good day.

Hello SunnyB & Theodora,
Thanks for thinking of me! I slipped back into my Healthy zone this morning but I have rather over-indulged today – just enjoying the fact that I didn’t have to work coz it’s Good Friday, just had a rather lazy day, and too much grazing, and generally eating up all the wrong stuff that seems to have crept into my cupboards! How many times do I have to tell myself not to buy the junk in the first place?!?!?!? It just cancels out the good that eating the right stuff does.
Girding my loins to go in to work on Saturday – if it’s busy I won’t have time to think about food, but I must remember to drink water.
However, I have just started following the “Walking to Rivendell” thread – ideal for this Lord of the Rings fan – to keep me motivated to walk.

Anyway, enjoy your holidays, both of you. And enjoy your meals, let us know about any tasty meals that meet the BSD-brief – you could turn this into a research trip!

Just a quick update – after a few days outside my Healthy zone, I’ve had a couple of days back within spitting distance of 10st. I have made an effort to up my liquid intake. I’m hoping for a further downward lurch but I’m not holding my breath! The past couple of days I’ve had headaches in spite of my increased liquid intake (two tough days at work) and am desperately trying not to nip out to the local Tesco Express for something evil… This always seems to happen when I register a loss. 🙁
Hope those of you on holiday are enjoying your time!

Good to hear, Rozy, that you are back to your healthy zone. I am assuming that your increased liquid intake was non-alcoholic (unlike mine recently) 😉 Sorry to hear about your headaches, though, and really hope you are feeling better now?

Despite my increased liquids (mostly of the red variety, though with the odd glass of white thrown in for good measure) during the past 12 days whilst I have been away, I have managed to lose yet another pound, so am now 2.25lbs under target, with 2 weeks and 2 days left of my 2nd round of BSD800. Hopefully in those remaining 16 days I will lose another 2 or 3 more pounds to give myself a buffer for when I start the far more challenging “maintenance” in earnest. I am, however, feeling more and more confident that I can do this long term and still enjoy a good social life.

Hope all you other ultimate goalers are doing ok too?

Thanks, Theodora!
Still up & down like a fiddler’s elbow but another day still in my Healthy Zone. Tantalisingly close to 10st again without actually managing to break through the barrier, darn it! I’d just like the extra wiggle room that getting to 9.5st would give me.
Much better day at work on Saturday & am feeling good having spent time in my garden & allotment today – the runner bean seedlings are coming through & I noticed the first flowers on my strawberry plants.
Yes, my liquid intake was non-alcoholic – well done for still losing weight even though you have indulged in the fruits of the vine. 🙂
Take care!

Haha, Rozy – love your analogy to a fiddler’s elbow 🙂 Also thank you for the “fruits of the vine” – sounds so much less guilt-inducing than “alcohol”. Which is just as well, as I am sitting here with a glass of red by my side. Again!! I blame it on the parents (which is what my kids always say) and on my 92 year old mother in particular, who has just told me that it’s no fun having a daughter she can’t share a bottle with! 😉

How lovely to spend time in the garden and on your allotment – growing your own veg must be so satisfying, not to mention healthy and tasty. Sadly, I never seem to be in one place long enough to grow anything successfully 🙁

I am touching wood here but, despite the alcohol, I seem to be on a bit of a roll at the moment, as the scales this morning showed I have gained an extra pound wriggle room overnight. So now 3.25lbs under my target 🙂 I’m sure, if you keep going you will soon get to that elusive 9.5st. Just keep on keeping on. 🙂

Hi Theodora,
Well, I came in at 10st 0lb 2oz this morning – my 2nd best weight of the year so far. I keep seeing 9st 13lb on the scales before they settle on their final reading so I know the scales do give readings under 10st – they just need to learn to stop there!

Glad to hear your weight loss continues in spite of your alcohol intake! So your 92 yr old mum likes a slurp of vino… at 92 it’s not done her any harm, has it! Maybe you have a genetic predisposition to cope with the intake…. 🙂

Haha, Rozy – in my dreams 😉 Sadly, it would appear not though, as the scales had an upward blip of 8oz this morning, so Mum will just have to put up with me being boring again 🙁 But yes, she does indeed enjoy the vino, and the gin and tonic and is still going strong 🙂

Well done on reaching the 10st (think we can discount the 2oz 😉 ) and I’m sure the scales will stick on the 9s very soon.

Praise the Lord! Today’s weigh-in came in at 9st 13lb 8oz – breakthrough has been achieved!!!!
First time this year I have made it this far. This weight matches my lowest of 2016 (11th Nov to be exact). I think going for a swim yesterday when I was already at a low weight might have helped tip the balance.

I’m far from delirious coz it means I’ve got to keep the momentum going rather than sit back on my laurels (like I did last year). It’s taken a shade over 5 months to get back to where I was on 11th Nov – OK, 2 months of that was me relaxing too much so weight went back on, therefore it’s taken 3 months to lose it. Slow progress.

So to anyone who’s reading this – don’t let things slip away from you. Weight goes on quicker than it comes off (for me, at least). Nip things in the bud if you see your weight rising, don’t leave it too long like I did. While it’s possible to relose weight, for me, it was slower than losing it in the first place.

Now this leaves me with 6.5lbs to lose to make my ultimate goal – I’m not taking bets on how many years it will take me. But I do feel a new enthusiasm… just off to celebrate with a glass of water…. must keep drinking water….

Good luck all.
Rose

Rose, very wise words. As someone who has just reached maintenance but is still looking for a little wriggle room, I will certainly be taking them to heart.

My 8oz blip of yesterday after the (moderate) excesses of Sunday (13,000 cals and 36g carbs), is still there this morning, despite being really strict yesterday, only eating 602 cals and 19g carbs, and managing over 20,000 steps 🙁 But tomorrow is another day, and another weigh in 😉 So yes, indeed, it goes on faster than it comes off and, in order to maintain, I think it will be necessary – for me anyway – to continue weighing at least twice a week, and hitting any small gain hard straight away.

Well done on finally getting into the 9s again – enjoy your celebratory glass of water 😉

Bit late checking in – bank holidays leave me a bit disoriented – I was convinced yesterday was Sunday. And I was diverted by working up at my plot on the local allotment that I forgot to go swimming today.

After my elation of last week (when I finally broke through the 10st barrier for the first time in months), yes, you’ve guessed it, I didn’t stay there. Back over 10st again. My usual affliction – feeling lousy one day, gave in to temptation (I won’t bore you with the gory details). I seem to have stabilised at 10st 1lb 4oz & am feeling a bit more in control today.
As mentioned, been busy at the allotment so must have burned up some calories planting out the runner bean plants, not to mention the civil engineering project that is erecting the canes to support said bean plants when they are shooting upwards.

Hope everyone else is dealing with temptations better than I!

Hi All, have been entertaining my folks on a visit to us here in Turkey, so haven’t managed to check in over the last couple of weeks, good to see folks hanging in the there though. I am trying to get back in the right head space and make a bigger effort to keep things on the straight and narrow.

While our visitors were here, I hadn’t been as cautions as I should have been, so am aware that I have gained a couple of pounds. That said, I can still wear my designated indicator garment – some size10 cropped trousers. So as long as I can comfortably wear those, I’m not going to panic too much – do want to get proper control again though. To that end, I am avoiding the alcohol for the next few days at least and not eating any of the evil stuff either, as I have allowed myself the odd little cake here and there up until today.

Anyway, good luck everyone, hope you all manage to achieve your goals and make good progress. Will pop in again in a week or so – wish me luck with getting back full control in the meantime.

Glad you are having a good time, SunnyB. Sounds like any damage has been limited if your Size 10s are still fitting (what is size 10, she asks wistfully 🙂 ). As someone who likes to eat, part of the enjoyment of a holiday is sampling the local goodies, so I admire your tenacity!

Sunnyb, sounds like a great time you’re having in Turkey. Still in size 10’s, with all that lovely pide around, and baklava!
We’re arriving there on Monday, will defo text you, will be lovely to see you and the beautiful Turkish people!
Ann

My weekly check-in – frankly, this is more of a confessional! Really stressful few days (work-related), 5 days feeling so tired I thought I was coming down with the virulent lurgy that is afflicting other people at work (I wasn’t) – so what did I do. Hauled my sorry backside round the village for a walk & called in at both food stores, bought a load of crap & proceeded to binge on it yesterday evening. I shouldn’t say this on this forum but I did actually feel a lot better afterwards – so I’m guessing my body was desperately craving something.
My foray into the dark world of non-BSD foodstuffs did demonstrate something to me – while I enjoyed the salt & vinegar crisps, I didn’t derive much pleasure from the 1litre tub of mint/choc ice cream, the whole bar of choc/caramel, or the individual tiramisu I shovelled down my throat. So I suppose that means my taste buds are losing their love of things sugary – pity it doesn’t stop me eating the darned stuff.
So no loss to report this week – back up to 10st 2lb.
This is what I experienced last year, around Aug/Sept, got very close to 10st and no further. I am now thinking that this is where my body just wants to be and any dip below 10st is just that, a temporary dip. Marathon runners hit “The Wall” – I think this is my equivalent. I’ve mentioned before that when I hit a nice low, I have a bad day or two where I feel grotty. So darned annoying when I feel I still have weight to lose.
But I’m making the Turkey Burgers from the recipe book today – so must get a grip, must maintain even if I don’t lose!

Hope everyone else is faring better…

Weekly check-in – thankfully I’ve just about managed to get things under control after the previous week’s excesses. Honestly, that was the first time in my life that I have scoffed a whole litre tub of ice cream in an evening. Disgusted or what!
Some minor indiscretions this week – unfortunately, stress & headaches still bothering me & leaving me open to temptation but I have managed to get back to a shade above 10st, so still holding my own in my Healthy BMI zone even if I haven’t ventured deeper into 9st something territory.
Made some crispy kale last night to avoid buying crisps – not exactly setting my taste buds alight & hardly very filling but if it keeps me on the right path…

Hope the rest of you are finding it a little easier.

Hi again, not time for the regular check-in but felt I had to record something momentous. Today’s weight reading was 9st 13lb 4oz.
“Only” 3 & 1/2 weeks since the last time I dipped below 10st (compared to the 5months between 1st & 2nd dips below 10st). Things are really speeding up! 🙂
But the best news is that this is the lowest weight I have recorded since starting out on the BSD in Jan2016.

Tiny steps but it is progress.

Congratulations, you have done so well sticking to it. I hope the progress keeps up for you.

Well done Rozy. Can’t wait to see your progress on official weigh in day.

Keep up the good work.

Thanks, MixnMatch & Theodora.
Today was even better: 9st 13lb 2oz (OK, not much, but better than my usual upward bounce.)
Two consecutive days in uncharted territory – I don’t know what’s come over me. Haven’t been below 10st consistently for about 10 years – OK two days is hardly consistency but maybe it’s achievable.
Anyway, I’ve got the coming week off work – must keep busy & avoid the fridge!
Hope everyone else is keeping on track.

Well done Rozy – hope 2 days become 3, and then who knows where that will take you…………… x

Thank you, Theodora. Must have picked up on your good vibes because 2 days have indeed become 3 days – I came in at 9st12lb 6oz this morning. Pretty amazing because I know about my indiscretions yesterday! (Someone at work yesterday brought in a box of M&S lemon/lime Jaffa cakes – they were delectable….. just as well I don’t shop at M&S.)
After 4 successive days registering a loss I’m fairly confident that tomorrow’s official weigh-in will bring me back to earth with a jolt with a bounce up.
This week will be difficult for me since I won’t be at work tearing around like a blue-arsed fly. So I’ve made a list from the recipe book of meals to make, a list of chores to do, visits to the allotment (all those salad leaves ready for harvesting), and trying to increase exercise levels. Keep busy & stick to the menu must be the order of my days.

Hope you are doing well & are managing to maintain.

Rozy, that is fantastic – 3 days on the trot, plus another loss! Well done, be good today and stay positive about tomorrow’s weigh in, I have a good feeling about it 🙂

Yes, thank you, I am managing to maintain. I have increased my calories to 1200 a day now (will be between 1300 and 1350 from tomorrow for a week) and so far, don’t know about maintaining, I have somehow managed to lose almost another 5lbs in my 12 days maintenance to date, which is faster than I was losing on a strict 800! Not complaining though (particularly as Mixnmatch said the same thing happened to her initially, before steadying down) because I am going away tomorrow for 11 days so now I have a bit of extra wiggle room. 🙂 Thank you for asking.

Good luck for tomorrow’s weigh in, just DON’T SABOTAGE YOURSELF today 😜

Official weigh-in today: back up a bit to 9st 13lb 6oz
As I thought might happen, a bounce upward but I’m still below 10st – 4th successive day, so I’m pleased. The indiscretions had to manifest themselves somehow. And I firmly believe that the body likes a bit of space to recover from its losses before it gives up any more. Even last year when I had so much more to lose I rarely registered more than 4 losses on the trot, so I consider today’s blip as par for the course.
Yesterday I had the chicken/chorizo/cannellini bean concoction from the recipe book – very tasty.
Just had a coconut flatbread with my coffee. I’ve got home-made hummus for lunch with my homegrown salad leaves.

Hope everyone else is keeping on track.

Despite your bounce, Rozy, that still makes 4 days in a row below 10st, so well done. 2 steps forward and one step backwards still heads in the right direction, so keep going and let’s see if we can make it 5 days 🙂

If it makes you feel any better, my scales registered a bounce today too – I seem to have regained 1lb 8oz of the 5lbs I had lost during my 2 weeks of maintenance. So I may stick with the 1200 cals for a few days and see how I go (particularly as I am going away so won’t be able to weigh myself). Frankly, that won’t be a hardship as after 18 weeks of 800 cals, I would be struggling to eat 1200 unless I allowed myself a glass of wine! It’s amazing how our tastes / habits change. At my son’s request I made a delicious bread and butter pudding with homemade custard for dessert yesterday and wasn’t even vaguely tempted! Just goes to show………………

Spot on, Theodora. You are right about tastes changing. While I can still make a hog of myself, I find that when I need a snack to keep me going it tends to be something savoury. Too often it’s been a bag of salt & vinegar crisps but I’ve found that when I make something involving vinegar things seem to go better.
Odd bounces should be treated as just that – it’s the bigger picture that shows how far we have come that’s important.
I find I am only too susceptible to temptation when I’m not feeling 100%. But when I did my last shop, I looked at various “naughties”, studied the carb/sugar content, and managed to resist. Like my sister said to me last year, resist temptation ONCE, in the shop!
Well done on resisting the bread & butter pudding – it sounds marvellous – but would probably have sent me to sleep on the sofa these days! 🙂