Krysia, I see you have been pointed in the direction of the recipe, Hope you give it a go it is scrumptious!
I have tried the mini quiches but without the prosciutto, will give that a go. Used cottage cheese in mine, very nice too.
All of your posts today are so positive. Doctors that ring you at home!, a hospital team that cares! Makes me feel brighter for the future.

Trelawney – thank you, have looked it up in the book and it looks absolutely delicious and so easy to make. Will definitely make it next week.

Just popped to the supermarket for a few essentials and realised I had nothing for dinner. Had a look round for something quick and easy, discounted everything on basis of calories, carbs and sugar. Came home and had Farge, strawberries and blueberries! Quite happy and full.

Cleverblonde73 – a really good choice and so much better than most of the quick and easy stuff you get at the supermarket.

I love fage but unfortunately so does my husband now and our two Labradors so I have to keep a close eye on it to avoid running out.

KrysiaD I can see why you need to keep a close eye, it’s delicious. I’ve tried a few cheaper alternatives but nothing else quite matches up does it ?

I agree – it is the best around.

DAY 5 …… LAST WEEK ….. 3 days to go.

Hi everyone

Almost there!

Fage …. mmmmm!! I can’t get it here but have tried the Lidl version which is ok but not the creamy delight that I’m used to. On the plus side the blueberries are the best I’ve eaten!!

Talking about food we had some friends around yesterday for drinks and nibbles. Most of the nibbles were carby but I made smoked salmon pate and also a cheese board so all was well. I couldn’t resist a mini mince pie!!! Well …. I needn’t have bothered …. pastry ugh!!

Did have the red wine though!! Yet weighing this morning I have a small loss for the challenge overall but can’t guarantee I will be the same on Tuesday!!

Nonetheless, I’m now feeling much more confident about the coming festivities. If I no longer like mince pies maybe I wont like pudding and roast potato!! Who knows. I have now found a real taste for espresso so maybe I have turned the last corner.

Hope you all have a good day.

CLEVERBLONDE…ive done the same thing before now! Love love love Fage
Its irritating how the supermarket shelves are always piled here with Fage low fat..not as easy to find our delicious full fat version..and Tesco are now stocking the twice as big size,but again not the full fat version..works out about 80pence cheaper than two of the 500 g tubs,so come on supermarkets,help out the BSD shoppers!

Must get round to trying Fage, think I have been put off by the low fat version I had last year when on a low fat diet.
Using Yeo Valley Greek style which is lovely.
Celebrating my first stone loss today, have hovered around the last 3 weeks and couldn’t get past 13 lbs . 1 stone down , six to go !

Great news, angiebabe. Sounds like you’ve got a great team of people looking out for you.

As for me, I seem to be in a downward spiral. A good one. Weighed myself this morning: 79.1 kg. My target for the challenge was 79.2. Let’s hope I don’t have an upward blip before Tuesday.

Congratulations Peapod, that first stone is always a good one, but it’s the last one that changes your life. Here’s hoping for a good 2017 for you.

So much good news here! VERANO, well done on the tastebud changes, I’m hoping pastry will have lost its appeal for me too… not to mention the sugary contents of mince pies! I have always loved strong black coffee, but have noticed I’m preferring it even stronger than before!

Peapod, that’s great news, keep going you’ll have no regrets.

Snoop, wow, that’s tantalizingly close, here’s hoping for you!

I expect that, for most of us Christmas will be about maintaining and not reawakening the carb monster, I’m not in charge of what will be served on Christmas & Boxing Day so I’m only hoping that I don’t lose the plot in an attempt to not offend! (Nuts & 85% chocolate will be in my bag for emergencies)

I must try FAGE yogurt, sounds delicious – I have been making my own yogurt for decades, but since starting BSD I’ve been adding double cream to my full fat milk, it’s out of this world!

Had fage for breakfast – lovely. I agree Yowzer that it’s annoying that Tesco stock so much of the 0% and not very much of the full fat.

Verano – interesting that you don’t like mince pies now. BSD definitely does something really good to the taste buds. Maybe sugar numbs the taste buds so that you can’t taste how horrible the stuff is. Or maybe it tricks your brain into thinking that stuff is nice. A break from eating it allows you to taste how awful it is.

Congratulations Snoop and Peapod on your weight losses.

It is so good we all seem to be keeping to the plan at this time of year. So many people have thrown in the towel and said to hell with it, it is not so difficult if you jump back on the plan immediately after a treat. My weight is exactly the same despite a couple of wines last night and don’t expect to have lost anything by Tuesday but that doesn’t stop me from trying.

BG 93 (5.1) weight 72.6 kg. Happy days.

It might not be to everyone’s taste but Waitrose party food section has pork crackling straws. A low carb nibble when everyone else is digging into the sausage rolls and mince pies ! You also don’t need too many…

I am hoping M and S will have their salmon pinwheels and pigs in blankets so I can resist buying the Brie and cranberry fill parcels.
Thanks for all your encouraging comments about my stone loss, I appreciate your support. Hoping to be like those of you shopping for smaller sizes very soon.
Keep on going everyone and good luck Angiebabe.

Teeter…weight up on my weigh in this Sunday morning, after Friday night off. Not sure how it works but read something about increased carbs attract water weight? Anyway, back on BSD next meal and not throwing in the towel. Trust the ‘water weight’ will gush away! xx

Well done Peapod. Brilliant start and you stuck with it through the plateau! Fantastic start.

Thank you Trelawny. Resisting the urge to celebrate with non BSD food but have had a glass of wine .
Hope you are soon ‘gushing’ Tigs !

Today off to Kent for a family get together. Daughter rang to check on what food I can eat – which was really thoughtful of her.

She said she is doing racklette because she has put on so much weight with all the pre-Christmas eating. Neither daughter have weight problems usually – so she was a bit fed up.

Have packed the dog’s food and two little bars of co-op fairtrade 85% chocolate. We have an over 2 hour journey so will be leaving shortly and hopefully won’t get stuck on the M25.

DAY 6…… LAST WEEK …… 2 days to go!!!!

Good morning

Well the final has been and gone … well done Ori!! But we still have 2 days of this challenge left. I know it has been more challenging for some than others but whilst we’re all still posting or just reading we’re still on board the sleigh! That is a huge achievement especially at this time of the year.

As sunshine-girl said we haven’t ‘thrown in the towel and said to hell with it’ and we will all be so pleased that we have ‘stayed calm and carried on’ as Lynne says, when the festivities are over and we’ve stayed ‘in control’.

I had a birthday yesterday so it’s a ‘new year ‘ for me and time to look back and ponder. Think my report would say ‘ could do better’!!!! Anyway, it’s a new year, a new day and I think that’s just what I will do for the moment… take one day at a time!

Hope you are all doing well or hanging on in there!

Have a good day 27!!!

Have a good day Krysia!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY VERANO!

Sending happy birthday wishes to you Verano . Enjoy your trip to Kent Krysia. Hope the M25 is clear for you.
My daughter is coming home tomorrow so I am excited. She has suggested we meet up at Betty’s tearoom to break up her 6 hour drive . Just hope I can resist all their Christmas goodies and order poached eggs or an omelette as planned.

Happy belated birthday wishes Verano 😀💐

Oh Verano, I missed your birthday, I was counting from you saying ‘it is my birthday in x….. days’ but then things got busy. Happy birthday to you.

Just about ready to get my packing done, want to try on a few clothes so see what fits that didn’t last year. I have a lovely red lace dress in mind that I wore 2 Christmas’s ago but it didn’t fit last year after my horror diet from the nutritionist.

Think I have gained about half a pound with a few glasses of wine but my BG is still down, 83 (4.6), that to me is perfect so I must be doing something right. I will be having a weigh in on Tuesday morning and reporting. Then heading north to catch the ferry to good old England. Cheers everyone.

I have just been trying on clothes to take away with me for Christmas. Success, I am back into my red lace dress and one other. There is a dress in the wardrobe that I ordered on line in the UK and by the time my daughter brought it out to me I had gained weight (grrrrrr that nutritionist) and could get it on but not zip it up. It is my large goal to get into that dress. I tried it on today and it fits me. Just one problem, if I were to gain even 1lb it would be too tight so I am not going to wear it yet. It will look fantastic when I am about 5lbs lighter so it will be going with me on the cruise in May. Another goal achieved and another to aim for.

Happy belated birthday Verano! Thanks again for starting this forum. . .it has made a big difference for me in getting through this month. . .and although its not over yet and there are still lots of temptations ahead, I know I will do fine with all the support from this forum. I am looking forward to starting the New Year 2017 with all of you !

Last night was the night I had looked forward to since starting the BSD on October 9th, 2016. My husband and I went out to a 5 -star restaurant to celebrate the holiday. I wore the red and black dress I bought last year that I never wore because it was too tight. It fit great–almost a bit too loose–and I felt so proud of myself for losing 19.5 lbs. It was a wonderful night and I asked my husband to take a picture of me in it so I can remind myself how I reached the goal that I had set at the beginning of this journey.

I’m not doing great at sticking strictly to the BSD plan during this holiday season but I’m trying really hard to follow it most of the time. My next goal is to head into 2017 following the BSD and lose another 10 pounds. Then I’ll be in maintenance mode which I imagine may be the hardest part of this journey for me. I’m looking forward to the challenge! I don’t want to regain the weight because It feels too good to even think of going back.

Wishing you all a successful week ahead as we head into Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The sleigh ride isn’t over yet!

Belated birthday greetings, Verano.

And sunshine-girl and jmarie, you’re not on the sleigh ride, you’re on the sleek ride! Congratulations.

Hope you had a lovely birthday Verano.x

Thank you everyone for your good wishes!!!

It’s great to hear about all this success with weight and clothes!

So I’ve had a ‘ponder’ and I was stunned when I checked out my Fatsecret. I’ve not been logging in for the last few weeks but I couldn’t believe that it’s just over 2 months since I last logged my weight. I have just wasted the last 8 weeks. Over that time I’ve lost about 4lb!!! Neither here nor there. It’s a good job I’ve had to log on here otherwise I’d definitely have fallen by the wayside!!

At least I have had an eye opener and know exactly what to do. I’ve really only not been eating bread, pasta, potatoes and rice so now I have to get back into proper low carb eating after Christmas.

On the positive side I’m still 2 stone lighter than this time last year and it can only get better …. once I put my mind to it!!!!

Hope you are all having a good day.

Verano, at least you’ve lost weight rather than put it on. And on the positive side, not only are you two-stone lighter than this time last year, but you’ve also got the maintenance stage cracked.

I guess it’s not much consolation to you personally, but you have also helped all the rest of us. If it hadn’t been for this last four-week challenge, I would have been in a similar situation, as I was just treading water, giving myself all kinds of excuses about trips to see my parents, visitors coming here and – admittedly a good one – getting married. So thank you.

is that Snoop getting married?????

Well done everyone on your losses and maintenance! What a great feeling to be wearing those “if only” clothes!

I had a woo hoo moment today as I successfully negotiated my first Christmas do this year. It was a mince pie, sweet treats type event so I was completely resigned to not eating. Imagine my delight to find some BSD friendly savoury snacks on the table too! I discreetly disposed of the pastry and ate the meat innards of the pork pie and enjoyed a couple of cheese/onion/sausage on stick nibbles. The sugary stuff didn’t even remotely interest me- that’s two woo hoos!,

Sorry, sunshine-girl, my message wasn’t clear. I got married in early October. So, I’m now an honest woman after 35 years of living with OH. Talk about taking your time to make up your mind!

Well done to all my fellow sleigh riders seems like you are all hanging on in there with losses and maintains at this difficult time of year. I have had a tough few days. Xmas work do on Friday. Shields were up and I only had a couple of mouthfuls of a dark chocolate and orange torte. I have to say though it was bloody gorgeous…..but I didn’t eat all of it and was proud of myself.

However since then I’ve felt the ground fall away and am clinging on to this slippery slope for dear life. We have visitors today and all the naughty treats have come out and I’m really struggling. So I’ve come on here to account for myself. A few jelly beans, a mouthful of home made rocky road, 2 tootsie rolls. That’s just so far.

Have read all your posts and am so pleased everyone is doing well. Keep on everyone. Me and my battered shields are sending love xxx

HEEEEELLLLP, The Carb Monsters have me held hostage. Arrrrgh!!!

Snoop, still big congrats on your October wedding, shame we cant see photos, bet you looked amazing.

Oh dear Trelawny, do we need to send a rescue party? One day at a time, leave today in the past and begin afresh tomorrow. It’s only a trip up, not a failure. This is a tough regimen and I think we are all heroes for determining to do it. One day the thought of eating sugary carbs that will seem weird.

Topcac, these next couple of weeksof festivities are like a downhill slalom and rapids all in one, the ride is bound to get tricky. We need to remember not to lose sight of the sleigh completely. It’s for our own health and we’re worth it!

Trelawney – Michael Moseley and Professor Taylor are parachuting in to rescue you from the wicked carb monster – then they are rushing straight round to Topcac – so hang on in there.

Happy birthday Verano. Snoop is right – you are not only 2 stone lighter but you have also got the maintenance stage cracked and have helped us all with your 4 week challenges.

Sunshine-girl and Jmarie congratulations on getting into your red dresses. Jmarie – what a good idea to get your husband to take a picture as a memento of reaching your goal.

Daisiesmum – really great that you successfully negotiated your first Christmas do this year and managed to find some BSD friendly food. A definite woo hoo for not finding the sweet stuff remotely interesting.

Peapod – hope you have a lovely time with your daughter tomorrow – I am sure your eggs in Bettys tea room will be delicious.

Had a lovely time in Sevenoaks with daughters and their families. The M25 was fine today and we got there in record time. Eldest daughter moved back to the UK from Sydney last year and it is so lovely to have everyone in the UK.

I decided I would relax today and eat as much BSD friendly food as I wanted and not count the calories. When I got home I put it into fatsecret and it was at least 780 calories for the lunch but ultra low carbs. Through the roof with fat though.

I had never had a racklette before and I went a bit overboard with the amount of cheese I melted to go over the courgettes and mushrooms as it was so delicious. Also had some rocket and tomatoes and a little bit of marinated chicken plus a square of dark chocolate.

I wasn’t able to eat another bite of food for the rest of the day (maybe it was all that fat) so dinner was coffee with a dash of cream. With breakfast the day came to just under 1200 calories which is quite amazingly low for a day I didn’t restrict calories at all.

What a pleasurable return after a weekend away to be reading such amazing success stories. Lara, yours really resonates, health wise, well done! – tales of dresses conquered – what a feeling! – carb monsters faced and slain – targets smashed. We are amazing!!!!

Lol Krysia, have also been in Sevenoaks from Edinburgh this weekend, I wonder if our paths crossed? My son and grandcubs live there, lovely to see them. We had to drive as we couldn’t carry all the family gifts and got caught in horrible traffic on Friday – good job I’d packed nuts and cheese cubes for the journey,

lovely to be wearing clothes that fit, and feeling so well, and even got a compliment from my boy.

Tis indeed the season to be jolly!

Hi All, Congratulations on all the successes and to everyone who keeps posting.Its become my morning routine to read all the positives and struggles,it keeps me focused. I’m feeling quite pleased today as I am in control of what I eat. I had a busy weekend,Saturday I went shopping for Christmas with my daughter. We had a great time together and I chose to eat a almond croissant for coffee, the mince pie special offer did not appeal,then after dinner the macadamia shortbread called to me.I only had three pieces so I was pleased to control my carb urges.Yesterday, we had a bit of a gathering to farewell our daughters boyfriend, off to Ireland to see his family.We ate the cheeses left from our last party .I decided to eat what ever I wanted and I had a sausage and a bread roll.As others have discovered the bread was not at all nice. I did enjoy the cheese and a few crackers,a wine,dip etc and I feel good that I made my food decisions knowing that today, I can get back on track with healthy eating and a bit more exercise.I think life is too short to waste time on regret. I am aware of what I’m doing so the carb monster has become a’ mouse’ I have good strategies to move forward, thanks to BSD and a new attitude.Like some of you , I’m happy that I’m lighter this Christmas than last.I’m going to enjoy the festive season including some of the food treats and be content to maintain my weight. Starting 27th with my next goal, not decided what it will be, merry Christmas to All.

LAST DAY … 27 of 28!!!

Good morning to everyone either sitting comfortably, hanging on, clinging on by a finger nail or just about to be lost in outer space!!

This sleigh is still running after nearly 4 weeks and all of the above need to be really proud for still posting and no giving up.

This week is going to be a really testing time, for some more than others. As someone has already said there’s no point in regrets just pick yourself up and carry on.

I suppose we have to each ask ourselves a few questions about the coming ‘food mountain’.

If weight is your main issue can you be happy having smaller portions of your favourite foods?

If diabetes is an issue do you want to spend days/weeks getting your BG back in control for the sake of a few ‘goodies or baddies’ ?

One thing for certain, nobody is watching what WE eat they are far to engrossed in their own lives!!!

I suppose we each have to make our own choice, but for anybody who decides to indulge then there must be a plan to get back on the journey, at a time best for themselves.

Just in case I was misleading you I have been on maintenance these last few months BUT I still have loads to lose. My goal will be 48lbs lost next year!!!!!

FAILURE IS FAILING TO GET BACK ON TRACK!!!

Have a good last day and whatever we do we must have no regrets … as Shakespeare said … ‘ to thine own self be true …’

Weighing in with a pound increase! Too many nibbles so lesson learnt am back on the sleigh to finish the ride and no more salted nuts! Just shows how easy it is to add on the calories.

Thanks everyone. Back on it today. Sardines with salad and a few chickpeas for lunch, salmon and veg for tea, greek yogurt and berries for evening snack. Should sort the demons out!!
Belated birthday wishes Verano.
I was so ecstatic a few weeks ago to get under 12st and here I am sabotaging myself again. I am so grateful to you all on this forum for the positivity throughout. This time I will do it.
Have a good low carb day everyone.

Verano – what you said about nobody is watching what we are eating is so true. Everyone yesterday was just thinking about what they were eating and hoping there would be enough of the goodies (bad carbs) to go round.

I am in a way lucky that my diabetes was so severe – it’s a huge incentive to stay on BSD food. When I look at the bad stuff now all I see is having to inject insulin again, rocketing b.s., the retinopathy coming back and the numbness in my foot returning. It does not make sweet and starchy carbs look very appealing – in fact I have demonized them so much that I can never see myself eating them again.

My hope for 2017 is that my pancreas will recover enough to be able to eat more of the good carbs – but I know that this may take some time.

You have done brilliantly maintaining your weight loss so far – which is actually quite a hard thing to do. So you are in a really good place to tackle the remaining pounds in 2017.

Maharani kitten – daughter lives within walking distance of Knowle Park so we have had some lovely walks there. Kent is such a lovely county – a lot more hills than here in East Anglia.

Today back to City – a one hour bus ride – to see the physio, pick up my altered jeans, go for a bra fitting then back to my local market town to see the podiatrist and then a visit to the doctor to sort out accessing my medical records online. Sunshine-girl mentioned this in a post earlier this year and my surgery has only just started doing this.

Lots of wisdom on here!

So many of us have learned much more than a new, lifelong, way of eating during this process. We’ve learned to decide what is important to us – do we want to eat those foods that made us fat and/or ill or to get healthier and/or lose weight? We’ve learned that others don’t concern themselves with what we’re eating or not eating on social occasions because they’re far too busy with what they are eating themselves.
We’ve learned how to respond to negative comments.

We’ve learned that for far too many years we’ve been given the wrong information on how to treat our diabetes and/or how to lose weight. We’ve learned that, when given good, accurate information we can improve health and/or weight loss. We’ve learned that it is possible, and sustainable, to eat 800 calories a day, when eating properly and healthily.

We’ve formed a wonderful group on these forums. Far better than any slimming club (and so much cheaper!) no embarrassment, just lots of support. A mutual help group.

We’ve all learned all this and so much more during 2016. And now we prepare to move forward into 2017. My best wishes to everyone as we continue our journey.

Happy festive felicitations everyone! (And happy belated birthday Verano and even more belated nuptial blessings to Snoop)
Phew – after coming a cropper and gorging for ‘one and all’ at Carb Corner (the big man in the red suit would have been shocked), I managed to ‘rein’ it in (did you see what I did there? I thank you) and have lost 2lbs this week. Whoop whoop.
Go us – the Strictly Sleigh Posse. X

Well said, captain Lynne.

For me, the coming two weeks is all about keeping that learning at the front of my mind. Do I want to have to re-lose weight I’ve already lost? No. Do I want to start 2017 feeling guilt and regret, wishing I could go back and make different choices ? No. Do I want my blood glucose going back up to – and I quote – the highest number my GP has ever seen? Definitely No.

This is about my health for the rest of my life. So one or two days simply isn’t worth it. My Christmas Day plan is

Smoked salmon breakfast
Turkey & green veg lunch (no spuds or parsnips!)
Raspberries for pud
Cheese and celery at teatime

Long beach walk on Christmas morning, drinks (fizzy water and teaspoon of cranberry juice or a very, very dilute red wine spritzer with lots of ice, sipped) with friends..

More calories, few carbs. Then back on the horse on Boxing Day with plenty of non food treats to look forward to.

Today is the end of week 10 for me. 35lbs down and exactly the same weight I was this time last year, pre t2d diagnosis in July. I WILL reverse this, and I WILL do everything I can to spread the word about the BSD. MK x

Thank you for your best wishes and Snoop congratulations and best wishes for your new married life.

Krysia, Lynne and everyone…. who cares about what we eat???? We had some friends here for drinks and nibbles last week. I served mainly easy carby stuff but nobody noticed that I didn’t eat any of it!!! Just had olives, cheese and smoked salmon pate.

I think we’ve spent a lifetime being told how important looks are, but in fact most people don’t really notice others, they’re so busy with their own self obsessed lives!!!

I think we should take ‘ be relaxed and happy in your own body’ into 2017 and forget what other people may or may not be thinking about us!!