Today I stretched my overnight fast to just over twenty hours, just to see how I would get on. Confess I included a few hot drinks with almond milk (a measured total of 200ml, 26 calories and 0 carbs), more for comfort that actual need. Had some mild hunger pangs late morning, but this is normal for me and it isn’t hard to push through them with a little diversion and extra water. Have to say it was easier than I expected it to be, given I have always be ready to eat at the end of my usual 18hrs.

So anyway, think with a little concentration I could get through a 24hr fast, or even maybe a bit longer, but given I’m meant to be working at slightly raising my cals and carbs from this week to start to move into maintenance proper, think I will push that to the back burner for now and return to my previous 18/6 pattern. Once I can see how I’m doing with maintaining, I might throw in the odd longer overnight fast here and there. Only have 12 days until we go away again though, so it may or may not happen before then. Not going to pressure myself with it at the moment.

On the final, final push before the holiday. Leaving home on Sunday and won’t be back for 5.5 weeks, so I’m trying my best to build in a little bit more wriggle room. Scales were a bit kinder this morning, but I’d like a little less to show on them by Sunday morning. I guess on the plus side, I am managing to maintain at under target weight. Maybe I just need to be content with that and not worry unless I go over target.

Anyway, hope everyone else is getting closer to target – or better! Well done to those still plugging away, determined to achieve their goals, it’s so worth it.

SunnyB, good luck in your final push, but if the scales aren’t overly kind come Sunday, just remember what you HAVE achieved, go away, relax (whilst obviously mostly sticking to BSD principles) and have a wonderful holiday. If you come back a little above target, it’s not the end of the world – you have the tools to regain lost ground, and I know you will use them.

Have fun. x

Way to go everyone! Just wishing you all the best of luck. Looking forward to the time when I can join you all for my last push to weight goal.

You’re right of course, Theodora. Have to keep reminding myself that I am actually UNDER target weight and so should be accepting of wherever I am below that marker. I guess I’m just a bit greedy to snaffle a bit more wriggle room, but then where do you draw the line and when does the lower end of the wriggle room become the desired target weight? And where is the wriggle room then?

This morning the scales told me I currently have 4lb wriggle room, with the lowest reading I’ve had on the BSD. I’d like to drop one pound, but maybe it’s time to just be content with where I am, after all I’m already the lightest I’ve been in more than 20yrs.

Confident you will soon be joining us on the ‘last push’, Panda Bear. Come along whenever you feel you’re ready, you’ll be very welcome.

SunnyB, I totally understand what you are saying. As you know, I had 5lbs of wriggle room (at 8st 2lbs ) but my lowest after my prolonged fast last week was 6lbs. It is tempting to see that as my ” new desired weight” but am desperately trying not to. I do, however, feel slightly agrieved when I gain a pound or 2, and then really feel lthe need to get down to my lowest weight again. But, and it’s a big but, surely that’s not what wriggle room is about? What it IS about is allowing us to indulge ourselves sometimes, be it social occasions, holidays, whatever, without exceeding our goal weight. I have actually managed this now since early May, despite Hotel Theodora etc, and have not yet gone over goal weight. I’ve hit it on a couple of occasions, but not exceeded it. Surely we should be content with that?

The point is, I think, our goal weight needs to be sustainable, our lowest weight (ie wriggle room) not so much. I try to accept that I could never sustain 8st, as I easily did when young, but I CAN sustain 8st 7lbs. So accept where you are Sunny, relax and enjoy your holiday. If you lose your wriggle room whilst away ( which you almost certainly will) don’t fret, just come back renewed and reinvigorated and regain it, ready for the next social challenge.

If this WOE is to be sustainable long term, it has to accommodate all the lovely occasions which we enjoy. Life is for living, and what on earth is the point of being slim, fit and healthy if we are miserable?

Sorry, off the bandwagon now😜 But please have a wonderful holiday 😃

Oh, I have every intention of enjoying our holiday!! It’s a special trip for our 20th wedding anniv. so I will be relaxing the rules occasionally while we’re away. Although I will be working to the BSD principles as far as possible, there will be indulgences too – no doubt about that – champagne is already in the luggage!

It’s good news that for those of us who have been using this WOE for sometime, it’s second nature now to opt for the BSD friendly options 95% of the time, so yes, this makes it sustainable long term and still allows us to enjoy the special occasions life brings our way. I’m hoping not to exceed target weight while I’m away, but accept it’s a serious possibility and know if I do, I have the tools to sort it out when I get back. Just hoping not to take a big step in the wrong direction, as I worry I might struggle to get back to target – but that is a worry for November, right now my main worry is sorting out two batches of packing!

Thanks for the encouraging words, Theodora. I am proud of my achievement to date and it helps knowing maintenance – even in the face of social events – can be successfully achieved, gives me hope of not messing this up completely.